Fenil and Bollywood

BOMBAY TIMES (September 4, 2019)

Ahead of the release of his upcoming production, Chhichhore, Sajid Nadiadwala talks about the film, which has been directed by Nitesh Tiwari, and his future projects.

Chhichhore, set against the backdrop of IIT Bombay, is all about coming to terms with life. What were your thoughts when you decided to back a film like this, which focusses more on content than star power?
It was just a one-liner when Nitesh shared the idea. The thought itself was so intriguing that I was immediately inspired to make the film. There was no thought on who would be the star of the film, who would we cast, etc... since the story itself was so strong and appealing.

Is it a conscious move to back films that focus on content more than glamour, action and dialoguebaazi?
I’ve explored all kinds of cinema from a Highway to a Tamasha, then a Housefull, Baaghi and a Judwaa, too. It’s important for one to learn and unlearn, or else how will you survive in this industry for 34 years? There is an audience for all kinds of content — from glamour to action drama with films like Judwaa and Baaghi, to movies which are high on storyline like 2 States and Highway. And this year, it is Super 30, Chhichhore and Housefull 4. Filmmaking is my passion and I am open to all kinds of content.

You decided to collaborate with Nitesh Tiwari immediately after he made Dangal. Was that film a trigger for you to work with him?
I had met Nitesh when he was working on Dangal and before it released, I had already signed him. He had narrated three-four concepts to me before we locked Chhichhore. The first narration, I remember, was just a one liner and the concept itself blew my mind. I was inspired to make this film for my kids and I can safely say that it is the finest film in the 34 years I have spent in this industry. Chhichhore is a gift to my sons, Subhan and Sufyan.

At any given time, your company is involved with more than two projects. Does it get difficult to divide attention between projects, which may be very different from each other?
Filmmaking is my passion, I do not know anything apart from it, nor do I have any other side businesses. Initially, when I wasn’t married, I would spend four-five hours in office. Now, after marriage, I easily spend 12-16 hours in office (laughs!). So, naturally, I can give more attention to multiple projects. For example, for Housefull, I have to switch off my brain, and turn on my power to make people believe in the story, whereas a Baaghi is more of planning and scheduling since we have heavy action sequences in the film. I feel grateful to have a dedicated team, which helps me.

Over the next few months, you have a long line-up of films. Could you give us an update on the movies, including Kick 2, which is speculated to start by the end of this year and release on Eid 2020? Are you ready to don the director’s hat again?
Yes, I am ready to direct. I am still writing the film. I’ve written one draft and I will still take another three-four months to finish it. So, I will be ready by Eid next year with my final draft (smiles). After Chhichhore, I will be back on Diwali with my favourite franchise Housefull. This time around, it’s four times the madness with the reincarnation theme. Moving further, we have slated Baaghi 3 in March 2020, and it will go on floors in September this year. We finished the London schedule of '83, last Friday with Ranveer Singh. For Ahan Shetty’s (Suniel Shetty’s son) film, we will go to Mussoorie for the second schedule in September end and it will be ready to release by Summer 2020.

What are your thoughts on working with Nitesh Tiwari and Fox Star Studios?
There are some directors whom you learn from and Nitesh is one of them. It has been a great journey working with him. My collaboration with Fox Star Studios has a great track record with Judwaa and Baaghi, and we are sure about Chhichhore, too.

Box Office India Trade Network

MISSION MANGAL had a strong third Monday thanks to the holiday for Ganesh Chaturthi as it collected 2.50 crore nett which is around 60% higher than the Friday on the third week which did see a heavy drop. The third week business for the film should be around 15 crore nett which will be a good number.

The total for the film so far is around 183 crore nett and it should be on par or maybe even higher than the 2.0 (Hindi) NETT numbers by the end of the week.

The business of MISSION MANGAL till date is as follows.

Week One - 1,22,82,00,000
Week Two - 48,95,00,000
Friday - 1,50,00,000 apprx
Saturday - 3,00,00,000 apprx
Sunday - 4,50,00,000 apprx
Monday - 2,50,00,000 apprx
Third Week - 11,50,00,000 apprx
TOTAL - 1,83,27,00,000 apprx

Saaho Box Office Collection Day 4: Prabhas And Shraddha Kapoor's Film Moves Closer To 100 Crore Mark

Box Office India Trade Network

SAAHO (Hindi) had very good Monday with collections of 13.75 crore nett as it was helped by the holiday for Ganesh Chaturthi. The drop from the first day is just 45% but places where the holiday is not effective these centres saw a drop of 60% plus.

This means that everything on Tuesday should equal up and the film will have a major fall but the film is still a success. Going by the drop in Northern cities the film will turn out to be an AVERAGE fare unless the the audiences in Mumbai/Gujarat have liked the film more which is possible as they are more receptive to South films. The Hindi version has done far better than the other versions.

The film has got a total of 93 crore nett apprx on the board and today will tell where the week is going though going by the trend in cities where there was not the holiday factor its probably heading for a week of around 110 crore nett which is good enough for this film and more so if you consider its a Telugu film.

The collections of SAAHO (Hindi) over the first four days are as follows.
Friday - 25,25,00,000 apprx
Saturday - 24,50,00,000 apprx
Sunday - 29,25,00,000 apprx
Monday - 13,75,00,000 apprx
TOTAL - 92,75,00,000 apprx

Satnam Singh Bhamara: Hope biopic urges kids to pick up sport

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; September 5, 2019)

The meteoric rise of Satnam Singh Bhamara in the world of basketball serves as the perfect script for a sports drama. Little surprise then that Zee Studios has decided to produce a digital film based on the player, who created history in 2015 by becoming the first Indian to be selected in the NBA (National Basketball Association).

Singh, whose towering height was one of the reasons his father Balbir Singh introduced him to basketball, hopes that the film will boost the sport's popularity in India. "I am honoured that they will turn my story into a film. I hope that the film will encourage more kids to try their hand at basketball. There is huge potential for the game to grow here if more people come out in support of it."

Currently hard at work giving shape to the script of the Zee5 venture, the team of writers recently headed to Baloke — Singh's hometown and the place where it all started — with their muse. "I got a chance to reminisce the past 15 years of my life. I revisited people, places and incidents after over a decade. Going back to my school in Baloke was the trip's highlight," says the sports star, who played for St. John's Edge of the National Basketball League of Canada in the last season.

Hoping to take the project on floors soon, the makers will zero in on the principal cast and the director only after the script has been finalised. Ashima Avasthi, Head & VP, Zee Studios Originals, adds, "In our country where basketball has miles to go before it enjoys the same kind of popularity that cricket does, Satnam Singh's difficult yet heart-warming journey needs to be celebrated."

MUMBAI MIRROR (September 5, 2019)

A few months after his wedding was abruptly called off with Ishita Kumar, Priyanka Chopra’s brother Siddharth is in the news again. He was spotted with a ‘mystery girl’ at a Ganesh pooja earlier this week. The suspense around the duo continued until Siddharth revealed her identity in his Instagram story. The lady in question is actress Neelam Upadhyaya, who made her debut with the 2012 Telugu film Mr 7, followed by a Tamil debut with Unnodu Oru Naal in 2013.

For the pooja, the duo turned up colour-coordinated in blue. While Siddharth wore a blue bandhgala, Neelam opted for a salwar-kameez. Looks like her family approves of the budding friendship too, as Pinky Rajput, who is Neelam’s sister-in-law, and did her make-up and hair for the do, put up an exultant post as well.

When Mirror reached out to Siddharth, he neither confirmed nor denied if they are dating, simply refusing to comment on the matter.

Siddharth’s wedding with Ishita, which was to take place in April, had been postponed, reportedly because his then bride-to-be had to undergo an emergency surgery. She had later posted a picture from a resto-bar, this time with the cryptic caption, “Cheers to new beginnings. With a goodbye kiss to beautiful endings,” which fuelled rumours of a break-up.

They got engaged in March with family and friends, including Priyanka and Nick Jonas, by their side. Priyanka, who had reportedly flown down to Mumbai for the wedding on April 24, left on April 30 after casting her vote and inaugurating her mother Madhu Chopra’s clinic. Soon after, she unfollowed Ishita on Instagram.

Swanand Kirkire says about prepping for the character in his acting debut, Chumbak, which fetched him the National Award
Saoumya S Varma (DNA; September 5, 2019)

Swanand Kirkire believes in doing a job with utmost passion and not waiting for results. Right enough, he acted in Sandeep Modi’s Marathi film Chumbak and won the National Award as the Best Supporting Actor for it. “I feel great. The award was unexpected because acting is something I’ve started doing now. This is my first film as an actor. I’m really humbled and grateful,” says the actor-lyricist-writer, who has earlier won the National Award for best lyrics twice Bande Me Tha Dum...Vande Mataram from Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006) and Behti Hawaa Sa Tha Woh... from 3 Idiots (2009).

Swanand played a mentally-slow 45-year-old man Prasanna in the film, which was the story of the relationship between him and a 15-year-old restaurant table cleaner Baalu (Sahil Jadhav). The actor confesses that the portrayal was tough in every way. “Challenge is something I have not faced as an actor,” says he, referring to his maiden experience of facing the camera. He adds, “I totally relied on and trusted my director. I told him, ‘If you say this is okay, I’ll agree. If you say it’s not okay, I’ll give as many retakes as you want me to’. I surrendered myself to the director completely and the results are here.” He credits everything to teamwork, including writer Saurabh Bhave, the costume department, cameraman and look designers. “We experimented in a lot of things. I worked on Prasanna’s soul and they worked on his persona.” Swanand adds that he merely manifested all their efforts on the screen. Part of the prep for him also meant meeting doctors and understanding what autism is, including nitty-gritty such as Mild Autism.

Changing face of films
Though he has won the coveted award as a lyricist as well as an actor, Swanand feels blessed that he doesn’t have to choose between the two. “God has given me the opportunity to do both,” says he.

He has mostly been associated with content-driven works whether his debut, Sudhir Mishra’s Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2003) or Tu Kisi Rail Si in Masaan (2015). He has the same notion about films as well. “We are not just making song and dance films but other stuff as well. We are telling more realistic stories than before. Films like Mission Mangal and Batla House are doing well. It’s a good thing, our audiences are listening to stories,” he points out.

The dialogue writer is also excited about the new breed of actors. “There are some extremely good performers today. I love Vicky Kaushal as an actor,” says he about the hero in whose debut, Masaan, Swanand wrote and sang Tu Kisi Rail Si. As far as lyricists go, Swanand tells us that he loves the works of Manoj Muntashir (Galliyan in Ek Villain, 2014) Varun Grover (Ud-Daa Punjab in Udta Punjab, 2016) and Kumaar (Tera Ban Jaunga in Kabir Singh), who is also his friend,” says he.

Coming up
As far as his future works are concerned, he has several projects in his kitty. “I have acted in Ekta Kapoor’s series, The Verdict: State v/s Nanavati, which stars Manav Kaul, Angad Bedi, Saurabh Shukla and others. I am writing lyrics for a couple of films, too,” he signs off.

Manisha Koirala's bucket list includes more acting and travelling, writing more books and directing a film
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 5, 2019)

After playing Sanjay Dutt’s mother, Nargis, in Rajkumar Hirani’s Sanju, Manisha Koirala has teamed up with the actor, whom she fondly calls Baba, for his upcoming home production, Prassthanam. This time, she plays his wife, Saroj. Talking about her three-decade association with the actor, Manisha says, “I became a big fan of Baba after watching Rocky and even had his posters up in my room. It was a fan-girl moment when I first worked with him, but over the years we have become good have seen him go through his ups and downs in life, and whenever I have a problem, I just have to tell him. A few days later, he will call to ask, ‘Manya, sab theek ho gaya na?’ We are very comfortable with each other now.”

Signing Prassthanam was a decision that came from the heart. “Maanayata ji (Sanjay’s wife) is producing the film, and I can’t say ‘no’ to Baba and her,” she says. The film, directed by Deva Katta, also features Jackie Shroff in a pivotal role, and is the remake of a Telugu film of the same name. Manisha however hasn’t seen the original film yet.

The second innings in her career is extremely important for her. “In the first, I was lucky I got to work with the best of directors and actors. I can’t hope for a repeat, I can only choose the best from the roles I get. But I now have the responsibility of doing a better job than before,” she reasons.

About the Sanjay biopic, she reveals that she had doubts about it. She wasn’t convinced if she should play a mother, afraid that she could get typecast. “Luckily, that hasn’t happened, the roles I’m getting offer a lot of scope to perform. I was also apprehensive if I’d be able to perform a character suffering from cancer as I’d just come out of it,” she explains. Eventually, she couldn’t say ‘no’ to playing a legend like Nargis. “More than Baba or Raju sir, I took up the film because of Nargis ji.” Manisha was diagnosed with the Big C in 2012. After several rounds of treatment, she is doing fine now.

Has life changed since? She points out that after any kind of life-threatening incident, one’s perception changes. “If there is heaven, it’s here. If there is hell, it’s here. When I was close to death, I realised how lucky I was to be born and be alive. When you are in danger of losing something, you start valuing it more. I love life and want to live it fully. It can be demanding but I want to make the most of my living years,” she says.

Manisha has a bucket list of things she wishes to do. She wants to act more, write more books, direct a film and travel more. “This year, I went to the Everest Base Camp. I want to climb more mountains. And finally, I want to be more useful in whichever part of the world and society I am. I want to live well and chase happiness,” she says.

Her inspiration when battling cancer was cricketer Yuvraj Singh who came out victorious. Sonali Bendre recently admitted that she found her inspiration in Manisha fighting the disease. “Sonali is a beautiful, strong woman. Cancer can shake you up, but one should ensure that it doesn’t get the better of you,” she says.

Salman Khan recently said that he met Sanjay Leela Bhansali through Manisha during Khamoshi: The Musical. Tell her that and she laughs, “I wish Salman and I got along during Khamoshi but we didn’t. Sanjay has always liked Salman, and I knew them both long before Khamoshi. We had our fights and our moments during the film, and I still think Salman’s best work is with Bhansali. I am fond of both of them, Bhansali is my jaan. He was on board as the assistant director on 1942—A Love Story,” she reminisces, revealing that she wasn’t the first choice for his directorial debut. “I had read his script long back, when he was looking to cast either one of his favourites—Kajol or Madhuri (Dixit)—but both rejected the film, and that’s when I came on board.”

Tushar Pandey on how theatre background helped him perform in his upcoming film
Dhaval Roy (DNA; September 5, 2019)

For Tushar Pandey, Chhichhore — toplined by Sushant Singh Rajput and Shraddha Kapoor — is not just his big ticket to mainstream Bollywood but also a movie that has helped him showcase his training as a theatre artiste. “Approaching a character is serious work for me. I want to do my homework and detailing,” he states, referring to his days of studying at the National School of Drama (NSD), followed by London International School of Performing Arts and acting in drama in the British capital before moving back to India. Tushar tells us about the process of playing a 20-something college student and then a guy in mid-40s and why he will never give up theatre.

Generation leap
Tushar’s character’s journey in the Nitesh Tiwari directorial begins in college as an overprotected simpleton, Mummy. “He understands the world in a simple manner and his mother is his best friend. When he joins the institute, he comes across people who are worldly wise. One part of the role is that it’s a coming-of-age and figuring out life. The other part is a 45-year-old man, who has completed IIT and moved to a different part of the world,” he elaborates.

Approaching such dichotomous parts wasn’t cakewalk for Tushar. He explains, “I’ve studied in three different colleges and lived in a hostel, so, I could go back in time. The challenge was playing the middle-aged married guy with no hair.”

Tushar gives the credit to Nitesh for giving the actors a freehand to prep the way they wanted and allotting them two-and-a-half months for the transformation — in the psyche, physical appearance and voice since Tushar’s character moves abroad and so on. But this is where his theatre training helped. “I could give it everything I had to make the portrayal real and layered; because stage teaches you to do just that,” says the actor who has directed approximately 15 stage productions and acted in about 25 — like Shikhandi, Romeo-Juliet (with Kalki Koechlin), The Dumb Waiter and King Lear.

Best place to be
Tushar, whose indie film Beyond Blue (2015) premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and fetched him the Best Actor Award in Rome, says that he is in the best place at the moment. “This is the best opportunity for me — to play characters on the big screen to the best of my abilities, while not forgetting my roots in hardcore acting. Theatre will always be with me,” emphasises the actor who has also featured in Pink (2016) and Hum Chaar this year. He hopes Chhichhore will do for his career what Vicky Donor (2012) did for Ayushmann Khurrana, Masaan (2015) for Vicky Kaushal or Trapped (2016) for Rajkummar Rao. “It’s not a hero-heroine and supporting cast set-up but actually the story of seven friends,” he avers.

A special project
The film is also special to Tushar because of Nitesh and the confidence the director instilled in him for his work. “Actors are always a little worried, insecure and they always question themselves. So, when you meet someone who gives you a boost, you come out thinking you’ve done well,” he smiles. Tushar is waiting for the release of the movie, post which, he will be seen in Shikhandi, a play that’s been showing for two years. “I was busy with Hum Chaar and Chhichhore since 2018, so I couldn’t take up much work on stage. But I am in talks for directing and acting in a production next year. I’ll make sure I keep doing something in theatre,” he signs off.

Richa Chadha, who plays a female advocate in Section 375, says she wants to inspire women to take to the profession
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 5, 2019)

As part of her prep work for the courtroom drama, Section 375, Richa Chadha realised that the dearth of female public prosecutors in the country could be the reason for the lack of sensitivity towards crimes against women.

Tackling gender disparity in this profile, she believes, could go a long way in encouraging empathy towards survivors. Chadha, who plays a public prosecutor in the upcoming drama, tells mid-day, "The government is doing its bit by setting up more Mahila courts [in the country] that tackle crimes against women. Such courts are also being presided over by female judges. Such initiatives are a step in the right direction."

While she considers female advocates like Indira Jaising, Pinky Anand and Karuna Nandy as role models, Chadha further adds that their numbers within courtrooms are limited. With her act, she hopes to make the "profession more appealing for young women lawyers". Chadha insists that sensitivity towards crimes against women will develop with gender parity.

"Cases of dowry, domestic violence, kidnapping, molestation and rape are often fast-tracked. The survivor will be more comfortable if gender crimes are approached from an empathetic standpoint." Section 375 also features Akshaye Khanna.

Hiren Kotwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 5, 2019)

While the Tuesday night downpour which spilled over to Wednesday threw most Mumbaikars’ schedule for a toss, for B-Town folk the show had to go on. Sunny Deol, who was to launch the trailer of his directorial and son Karan Deol’s debut film, Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, postponed the event by a day because of water-logging around the venue. However, Sunny kept his date with Kapil Sharma’s television show, The Kapil Sharma Show, in Film City, making a guest appearance with Karan and his leading lady, Sahher Bambba. Dharmendra too joined the trio.

Also, on the premises was Amitabh Bachchan, whose office is just around the corner from the Deol residence in Juhu. The ever-punctual Big B had arrived early for the shooting for his game show, Kaun Banega Crorepati 11.

Another neighbour, Ajay Devgn (who stays opposite the Deols), was working as well, but in Bandra. The actor was filming indoors for his biopic on Syed Abdul Rahim, India’s legendary football coach during the national team’s golden decade from 1952 to 1962.

The makers of Section 375 were ready to cancel the promotional interviews of their lead actors, Akshaye Khanna and Richa Chadha. “But Akshaye was already on his way and set to reach on time. So, Richa came too for the media interactions,” informs a source.

As told to Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 5, 2019)

• DIRECTOR • SRIRAM RAGHAVAN

• FILM • Ek Hasina Thi (2004)

• CAST • Urmila Matondkar, Saif Ali Khan

• LOCATION • Kharghar, Chandivali Studio

Fifteen years since its release, my debut film Ek Hasina Thi is still remembered for its horrific rats. Interestingly, they were not a part of the initial script. In the first act—the initial 45 minutes—Saif’s (Ali Khan) character, Karan Singh Rathod, comes across as a classy guy, a suave, rich businessman, even though one is unsure about what he does.

It was while brainstorming with RGV (producer Ram Gopal Varma) on how to establish that Karan is a gangster with underworld links, that we recalled a scene from The Godfather, Part 3, where Andy Garcia and his girlfriend were in bed when a gangster surprises her in the kitchen. In our film, Urmila’s (Matondkar) character Sarika is surprised not by a man but a mouse in the kitchen. Her scream brings Karan running, but he later scoffs at her for being frightened of a mouse which has since fled.

The scene brought thrills and some laughs and helped establish that Sarika is terrified of rats till she is thrown into prison for a crime she is tricked into confessing to having committed. Behind bars, she encounters not just bullies and weirdoes, but also looks her fear straight in the eye. When she smashes a plate on one of the rats, you know her ordeal has empowered her. And that was the perfect interval point.

The second half was Sarika’s quest for revenge as she entangles Karan in a cat-and-mouse game. In the original script, we had Karan threatening her at gunpoint for the money she has stolen from his boss, making him the patsy. Sarika tells him she’s hidden it in an abandoned mine where her father worked. She takes him below, then, knocks him down and escapes in the shaft which she destroys once she reaches the top, leaving Karan to die underground.

While on a recce to Rajasthan we had found the perfect mine only to realise that it would be impossible to shoot there because how do you take a crew and equipment down there. So, we wondered what to do and someone mentioned that this place must be full of rats. That gave us the idea of using rats.

We toyed with several endings, including the usual one of Sarika pushing Karan off the cliff. Then, we came up with the idea of her trapping him in a cave where the rats come creeping once it gets dark. When I argued that since the story was set in Delhi, where would Sarika find a secluded cave, Ramu emphasised that emotion scored over logic. He told me to shoot it convincingly, confident it would be accepted.

We filmed in a quarry in Kharghar and at Chandivali Studio. It was kind of ironic that having mocked Sarika’s fear earlier, Karan is himself terrorstruck by rats at the end. Chained in the cave, in the fast fading light of the flashlight, he sees rats creep up on him, gnashing their teeth, and knows it is the end. We debated over how much to show, eventually leaving it to the audience to imagine his death as the light goes out and he screams as the rats attack… We had three junglee rats which we kept tied and used for terrifying close-ups. The rest of the rats you see in the frame were actually white mice. We had called for two dozen of them and my assistant Kusum touched them up with black tooth-powder so they appeared a darkish grey on screen. These mice are the friendly sort, and even I have held them without fear of getting bitten. For that shot where a rat runs up Saif’s leg, we used a wound-up mechanical toy.

I must confess that I had a moment of worry when my sister-in-law who was not around when the film released, excitedly called me from a theatre in Delhi a few days later to say that she was watching the film. And, she added, that Maneka Gandhi was sitting one row ahead of her. Fortunately, she didn’t have any problem with the rats in our film.

Ek Hasina Thi was a turnaround film for Saif. His first reaction to my narration was, “I have just started getting a fan following and you want me to play a villain, make them hate me!” Fortunately, both of us like the same kind of films and after I pointed out that Karan is more like a Charles Sobhraj kind of a character, diabolical but charming, he accepted the challenge despite the fact that it went against his image. Urmila too veered away from her glamorous avatar and came up with a gritty performance. After the film’s release, many girls asked my co-writer Pooja (Ladha Surti) for the location of the cave. They wanted to send someone there.

The film wasn’t a huge commercial hit, but it was critically-acclaimed. Interestingly, even though the title was Ramu’s idea, he later wanted to change it because he felt it gave the impression of a romantic film. He suggested Shock! instead. But I stuck to my guns and I am delighted Ek Hasina Thi and its rats still linger in people’s minds.

The actress has entered the Pati Patni Aur Woh remake for a special appearance
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 5, 2019)

Kartik Aaryan recently posted a picture (inset) from the sets of the Pati Patni Aur Woh remake with a girl hiding behind a clapboard, with the enigmatic caption, “Aaj shoot karne ek special mehmaan aayi hain! Guess who is here to play HideNSeek...” While many speculated it was his ladylove Sara Ali Khan, who’d visited Kartik in Lucknow who is shooting in the Uttar pradesh capital for the Bhushan Kumar and Juno Chopra production, some assumed it was his co-star Ananya Panday. The latter quashed the rumours, stating she wasn’t on the set and complained, “Dildaar #Pati hai aap.” Now, Mirror has learnt that the mystery miss is Kriti Sanon.

Kriti and Kartik had worked together in Luka Chuppi earlier this year (hence the cheeky reference to hide-and-seek) while Juno had produced Kriti’s 2017 romcom Bareilly Ki Barfi with Junglee Pictures. “Kriti and Juno share a great equation so when he approached her for a guest appearance in Pati Patni Aur Woh she readily agreed,” informs a source. Her role is reportedly modelled on the lines of Parveen Babi’s Neeta from the original. She shot in Lucknow for a day before dashing back to Mumbai.

Kartik and Kriti recently indulged in banter on Instagram when she posted a picture with Lord Ganesha. Said picture also had Kartik whom she’d cropped out. When the actor wondered why, she pointed out that he’d cut her out from his post too.

Like the original, the remake revolves around the male lead’s character. A family man with a wife (Bhumi Pednekar) and child, Kartik’s Chintu Tyagi is attracted to his glamorous secretary (Ananya) and this leads to another game of hide-andseek. However, the screenplay has been tweaked in keeping with modern sensibilities while retaining the essence of the original.

Citing lackadaisical responses to dramas like SOTY 2, Tiger Shroff on finding a safe haven in actioners like the upcoming War
MID-DAY (September 4, 2019)

Given that it features two of the biggest action stars — Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff — that Bollywood has seen, War has rightfully amassed abundant attention from cinephiles. But, reduce the trailer to the way it is seen, and it can be argued that for Shroff, this is yet another long chase sequence spanning exotic locales, and starring chiselled torsos and bikini bottoms. He has often stated that he isn't perturbed with the notion of being pigeon-holed. He reiterates in the upcoming September edition of GQ India that being typecast is just another way of finding his identity.

"You think of Shah Rukh sir [Khan], [and] think [he's the] 'Romance King'. You [look at] Salman Khan, [and] think 'Bhaijaan'. Each one of these guys has a label. That's important in an industry that has so much competition. Every time I do something offbeat, [the audience has] not been as kind, to me. [Consider] A Flying Jatt or Student Of The Year [SOTY] 2. In A Flying Jatt, I was a bumbling superhero, afraid of heights, fights and of using powers. In SOTY 2, I was a college guy getting bullied. It didn't go down well with my audience. I don't think they could digest me coming from Baaghi 2 to being beaten up by college students."

In the early years of his career, the baggage of his father's stardom weighed on him just as heavily as Shroff senior's series of erratic financial decisions. In 2002, his mother's production, Boom, leaked on the Internet before its theatrical release. The film tanked. Shroff was 11 at the time, old enough to understand what was going on. "I remember how our furniture was sold off, one by one. Things I'd grown up seeing around us started disappearing. Then my bed went. I started to sleep on the floor. It was the worst feeling of my life." The uncertainty of those years was a powerful motivator. It's one of the reasons he won't experiment much. He'd rather do what he knows, and do it better than anyone else.

Ira Khan makes her directorial debut in a theatrical play

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; September 5, 2019)

The poster of Aamir Khan’s daughter Ira’s debut directorial play, Medea, is a painting. And what’s special about it is that it has been painted by her bua Farhat Datta, who is a graphic designer. The poster shows a woman in a black outfit holding a dagger, with a red background making the image fiery. Says Farhat, “Ira told me about this really interesting Greek mythological story on which she was directing a play. I was intrigued. She said she wanted me to make a painting that would be used as the face of the play in the poster and all the publicity material. She had a clear idea about what the artwork should portray. All the discussions and idea exchanges helped me to give form to her vision.”

When asked about the concept, Farhat shares that it portrays Medea, whose husband Jason deserts her for another woman. “Medea is filled with anger and humiliation, which is all-consuming. To take revenge, she resorts to murder. So, the visual had to portray emotion of passion, anger and revenge. The fiery red on one side depicts the anger and heightened emotions, while the other darkened side portrays her mental state, which culminates into murder. The figure also had to project a confident personality,” she explains.

Proud of her niece, Aamir’s sister says that Ira is grounded, hard-working and dedicated. “She was an adorable baby and has grown into a lovely young woman. Her enthusiasm, spirit and ‘nothing is impossible’ attitude is infectious. It inspires me. I lived in the US during a large part of her childhood, but she used to come and spend summer vacations there, where we have celebrated so many of her birthdays. Also, we love similar things like art, playing cards with my mom and also the 70’s TV show, Golden Girls. I wish her all the best on this new venture of hers,” she concludes.

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Brace yourself. . . . Painted by Farhat Datta. Photographed by @avigowariker #anautanksiaproduction #irakhan #presentedbyentropy #entropy #medeatheplay #medea #greektragedy #theater #greekclassic #euripides #euripidesmedea #medeagreektragedy #ancientgreece #mumbai #maharashtra #bangalore #karnataka #india #mumbaitheater #theaterplay #bangloretheater #braceyourself #beginning #directorialdebut #theaterisawesome #welivefortheater #excited
A post shared by Euripides’ Medea (@medeatheplay) on Sep 4, 2019 at 12:10am PDT

'Over 150 dancers were flown in from Milan to match steps with Hrithik Roshan'

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 5, 2019)

Director Siddharth Anand was always certain that War had to be a visual spectacle that would justify the on-screen union of two of Bollywood's hottest action heroes — Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff. If the October 2 release promises to have action sequences mounted on a grand scale, the director has spared no effort while filming the songs. Turns out, Ghungroo — a party number featuring Roshan and the movie's leading lady Vaani Kapoor — is the first Bollywood track to be shot on the beaches of Positano in the Amalfi Coast of Italy. A tourist hotspot, the beach was shut down by the makers as they filmed the number with the lead pair.

A source reveals, "The Vishal-Shekhar composition is a foot-tapping number. As soon as Siddharth heard the composition, he was clear that the song had to exploit Hrithik's dancing skills to the optimum while presenting a never-before-seen locale on the big screen. After discussing a few location options, Siddharth and choreographers Bosco-Caesar and Tushar Kalia thought the pristine beaches of Positano will be a perfect backdrop for the party track. Over 150 dancers were flown in from Milan to match steps with Hrithik."

Anand knows well the expectations that surround a dance song featuring Roshan. Pleased with how the track has shaped up, the director tells mid-day, "Everything about War is about the scale. With Ghungroo, we will present the most good-looking beach day party to the audience. No other film or artiste has ever shot a song on the Amalfi Coast because of the exclusiveness this destination brings. I'm glad we will be the first film to show the locale in all its glory." The team had reportedly shut down a bridge in Portugal to film an action sequence between Roshan and Shroff.

'Even kings would bow down to their teachers': Hrithik Roshan

Hrithik Roshan talks about the importance of educators
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; September 5, 2019)

As a kid, Hrithik Roshan was fond of Science but it’s his turn as a mathematics teacher in Super 30 that has got him both acclaim and box-office success. On Teacher’s Day today, the actor tells us how his perspective towards educators has changed post the film, and his favourite teacher.

Which subjects did you like in school?
As a kid, I was not academically inclined, but I have always been a curious learner. So, to an extent, I enjoyed studying Science. In fact, I still do. I like getting into the depth of things and if a subject interests me, I enjoy doing research on it through books, videos and articles.

Who was your favourite teacher?
I don’t remember having a favourite teacher in school, but my speech therapist Dr Oza (he helped the actor overcome his stammering), comes to my mind. He was the first person who understood my weaknesses and helped me work on it.

How important are teachers in moulding a person?
I’ve said this before — teachers are the true nation-builders. They are the ones who are responsible in shaping the future of society with the thoughts they seed in kids’ minds, the lessons they teach them at such an early stage. That is where change actually begins.

After playing a guru, has it made any difference in your perspective of a teacher?
Absolutely! While portraying Anand Kumar and working on Super 30, I understood more and more about the importance of a teacher. A good guru has the power to transform lives for the better. The value they add to a person’s life is unimaginable. And the testimony to this is hundreds of years old. Even kings would bow down to their teachers.

You penned a note for teachers on social media. Did you try to reach out to any of your teachers?
I haven’t particularly been in touch with any of my teachers from school or university as there was no one-on-one equation with them. However, over the years, there have been people who have taught me a lot in life and I still am in constant touch with them.

BOMBAY TIMES (September 5, 2019)

After successfully launching Sidharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Ishaan, Janhvi Kapoor, Ananya Panday and Tara Sutaria, Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions is now all set to launch Lakshya. The newcomer will make his Bollywood debut with Dostana 2, which will be directed by Collin D’Cunha and also features Kartik Aaryan and Janhvi.

Lakshya has a four-film contract with Dharma, which includes films and digital projects. Lakshya, who has his roots in TV, went through a rigorous selection process that included auditions and photoshoots, after which, he was selected to be a part of the production house’s talent pool.

Karan Johar says, “We believe in introducing new talent to the film fraternity. We are proud to have introduced over 20 first-time filmmakers and seven actors in the recent past. We are excited to introduce Lakshya, the newest addition to the family. We will be introducing him in Dostana 2. He was chosen after a series of meticulous auditions and test shoots. We are thrilled to engulf him in our creative world and look forward to creating celluloid magic together.”

Saaho Box Office Collection Day 6: à¤ªà¥à¤°à¤à¤¾à¤¸ à¤à¥ à¤«à¤¿à¤²à¥à¤® 'à¤¸à¤¾à¤¹à¥'à¤à¥ à¤à¤ à¥ à¤¦à¤¿à¤¨ à¤à¥ à¤¤à¤¾à¤¬à¤¡à¤¼à¤¤à¥à¤¡à¤¼ à¤à¤®à¤¾à¤, à¤à¤¬ à¤¤à¤ à¤à¤®à¤¾ à¤¡à¤¾à¤²à¥ à¤à¤¤à¤¨à¥ à¤à¤°à¥à¤¡à¤¼

Box Office India Trade Network

SAAHO (Hindi) had a drop on Tuesday after the holiday on Monday but has still managed to collect well due to mass circuits which have come out with good numbers on Tuesday. UP, Bihar, Odisha and CP, CI all did good business. The film collected around 9 crore nett on Tuesday taking the five day figure to 101 crore nett.

The fair value collections on Monday were around 10 crore nett which is a 60% drop and the in real value the film has dropped another 15-20% on Tuesday. The trade in Mumbai really went after this film for some reason while a similar film from Hollywood a few weeks back FAST & FURIOUS: HOBBS & SHAW was said to be a blockbuster when that film had similar reports to this this one. The emotional connect is missing in the film so the film cant really sustain at higher levels and it was the same with FAST & FURIOUS: HOBBS & SHAW. But if this film can continue to run well in mass circuits it can actually turn out to be a HIT.

The film is successful and it will be that second Friday which will tell if can emerge a HIT film. The Hindi version has done far better than the other versions which saw a big drop on Tuesday.

The collections of SAAHO (Hindi) over the first four days are as follows.
Friday - 25,25,00,000 apprx
Saturday - 24,50,00,000 apprx
Sunday - 29,25,00,000 apprx
Monday - 13,75,00,000 apprx
Tuesday - 9,00,00,000
TOTAL - 1,01,75,00,000 apprx
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The collections in single screens are the best of 2019 by a margin beating likes of BHARAT and KABIR SINGH. Most other successful Hindi films have average numbers in single screens. Its another wake up call to the Hindi film industry as to what is cinema. This film is a primarily a Telugu film so the connect is always going to be less with the Hindi audience but the numbers are coming in a big way as this is what cinema is supposed to be and our audiences are starved of real cinema. There has been an attempt to make big cinema which sadly has been bashed by the media and trade but the audiences in the Hindi film markets have been much kinder. The fact that an average Telugu film is going to cross most of the Hindi films released this year is embarrassing to say the least.
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SAAHO has seen a drop in collections at an all India level as only the Hindi version does well. The contribution of the Hindi version is more than 50% now. The film has only done well in the bigger cities in South while it is the opposite in the Hindi circuits as its places like Bihar and Odisha which are near record levels.

Hyderabad has seen the best collections in South and the theatres in this city are not far below the collections of BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION but most of the rest of Andhra Pradesh is not even half of BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION. Its a similar situation in Mysore/Karnataka where Bangalore is good but the rest have not collected well.

The film collected around 16 crore nett on Tuesday taking its numbers to 237 crore nett in five days. It will comfortably cross the 300 crore nett mark but a higher contribution would have been expected from South.

The all India collections of SAAHO for the weekend are as follows.
Friday - 88,00,00,000 apprx
Saturday - 51,00,00,000 apprx
Sunday - 51,00,00,000 apprx
Monday - 31,00,00,000 aprrx
Tuesday - 16,00,00,000 apprx
TOTAL - 2,37,00,00,000 apprx

WILL CHHICHHORE MANAGE TO GET ALL-ROUND ACCEPTANCE?

The month of September is here and the first three weeks will see the release of some very interesting mid-budget films. Tomorrow, only one Hindi film – Chhichhore – will hit screens. The buzz is limited but industry and trade has pinned a lot of hopes on this flick. That perhaps could explain it’s solo release.

Chhichhore is directed by Nitesh Tiwari, who gave the much-loved blockbuster Dangal along with Bhoothnath Returns and Chillar Party. It stars Sushant Singh Rajput and Shraddha Kapoor in leading roles along with Varun Sharma, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Naveen Polishetty, Tushar Pandey, Saharsh Kumar Shukla and Prateik Babbar. The film focuses on the college life of a group of friends and also on the reunion that they have two decades later after an unexpected mishap. The trailer is not that great but is promising and the film seems like a decent entertainer with humour and emotions in abundance. Also, such kind of films always has an audience since the youth will be attracted as it talks about relatable topics related to college life. But adults might not be interested to watch. However, Chhichhore has the angle of friends meeting after ages and that’s when the people in 20s and 30s will be able to relate to Chhichhore.

Chhichhore’s buzz however is quite limited. It also has a bit of a multiplex feel. Hence, it won’t open well in massy areas but can grow if word is out that the film has enough humour for them. The opening day collections will be in the range of Rs. 5-6 crore. However, the film can grow substantially, as it happens nowadays, if the public reports are encouraging. It won’t be surprising if Monday collections are in the same range as Friday! However, if reports are negative, Chhichhore will have a tough road ahead.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE CHHICHHORE AND WHY? DO LET ME KNOW!

Chhichhore is a lovely film that has humour and emotional quotient in abundance. The first 15-20 minutes are not that great and it takes a while to get drawn into the world of the Chhichhoras and their unexpected reunion. But once that happens, there’s no looking back. The story moves back and forth and it’s done very well. There are portions in the film where two-three scenes are running parallel and it’s blended so well. Kudos to director Nitesh Tiwari and editor Charu Shree Roy! There’s an important message in the film which is not given out in the promos and it’s the need of the hour. On the flipside, a few of the developments are unconvincing. The backstories are missing for some characters and that’s a downer. One wishes a little more detail was provided so that one could relate to these characters more. Talking of performances, all of them do very well. Sushant Singh Rajput is at ease in playing both the younger and older Anni. He even modulates his voice in the older portions and that’s commendable. Varun Sharma is in great form, unlike in Arjun Patiala and Khandaani Shafakhana. He proves that he can rock the show, if guided well and if given a killer part to essay. Shraddha Kapoor is decent and unfortunately, doesn’t have much to do. She doesn’t look that old too. Same goes for Tushar Pandey – his aged scenes are not realistic but overall, it’s a fine performance. Navin Polishetty is superb and is apt for this hot-headed character. Saharash Kumar Shukla has a great screen presence and has a crucial part in the movie. The same can be said about Tahir Raj Bhasin. He also has his share of some great scenes and shines. Prateik Babbar is dependable as the baddie. Other actors who do well are Mohammad Samad and Ranjan Raj (the underweight Abhimanyu Rathod aka Danda). All in all, Chhichhore deserves to be watched by the young and old alike!

My rating - *** ½ out of 5!

Chhichhore is a gift to my sons, Subhan and Sufyan-Sajid Nadiadwala

Mission Mangal collects 183.27 cr in 19 days

Saaho collects 92.75 cr in 4 days

Zee Studios plans movie on Satnam Singh Bhamara, India's first basketball export to NBA

Priyanka Chopra’s brother Siddharth finds company in South actress Neelam Upadhyaya

National award was unexpected because acting is something I’ve started doing now-Swanand Kirkire

It can be demanding but I want to make the most of my living years-Manisha Koirala

The challenge in Chhichhore was playing the middle aged married guy with no hair-Tushar Pandey

There's a dearth of woman public prosecutors-Richa Chadha

Despite Mumbai floods, most of Bollywood celebrities reported to work

Even after 15 years, Ek Hasina Thi is still remembered for its horrific rats-Sriram Raghavan

Kriti Sanon reunites with Kartik Aaryan for Pati Patni Aur Woh

Our furniture was sold off. Then my bed went. I started to sleep on the floor-Tiger Shroff

Image: Aamir Khan’s sister Farhat Datta paints poster for Ira Khan’s play Medea

After Porto, War makers shut down beach in Positano in Italy for Hrithik Roshan-Vaani Kapoor's party song

Even kings would bow down to their teachers-Hrithik Roshan

Image: Lakshya to make his Bollywood debut with Dostana 2

Saaho (Hindi) collects 101.75 cr in 5 days; 237 cr across all languages

Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 585

(Crisp) Movie Review: CHHICHHORE by FENIL SETA