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Veteran actor-director Amol Palekar is set to return to the stage after 25 long years. He will be co-directing a crime drama along with Sandhya Gokhale. Palekar will also play the protagonist in the play brought to the audience by Bookmyshow.
The play, titled Kusur (Mistake), will be premiering at TATA Theatre, NCPA, Mumbai on November 24, the same day the actor will celebrate his 75th birthday. There couldn't be a better day to make a comeback!
In a recent interview, Palekar opened up on his role, revealing that it demanded him to invest huge physical and emotional energy. Gokhale, who wrote the narrative and took inspiration from the 2018 Danish thriller film Den Skyldige, referred to the play as a social thriller.
On the big screen, Palekar was last seen in the 2009 Marthi film Samaantar. His last Hindi outing was Aks, an Amitabh Bachchan starrer thriller that released in 2001. In 2011, he helmed the critically acclaimed Marathi film Dhoosar, which also won the Maharashtra State Film Awards.
If you're in the mood for a good horror comedy, we might have a good news for you. If the grapevines are to be believed, then Katrina Kaif, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Ishaan Khatter are soon to come together for a horror comedy which will be produced by Excel Entertainment and helmed by Gurmeet Singh who earlier collaborated with the banner for popular web shows Mirzapur and Inside Edge.
While we do not have any confirmation on the same as of yet, we hear it is going to be a film high on concept, and might go on floors in a month. Siddhant, although only one-film old in the industry, grabbed all eyes with his powerful deliverance in his debut flick Gully Boy, which was also backed by Excel Entertainment. One shouldn't be surprised if he is bagging big films already!
Ishaan, who is going slow and steady post his Bollywood debut Dhadak, is simultaneously filming for Ali Abbas Zafar's Khaali Peeli alongside Ananya Panday and Mira Nair's BBC One drama A Suitable Boy also starring Tabu.
Katrina, who recently turned entrepreneur with her beauty line-up Kay Beauty, now awaits the release of Rohit Shetty's Sooryavanshi, starring her opposite Akshay Kumar.
If you're in the mood for a good horror comedy, we might have a good news for you. If the grapevines are to be believed, then Katrina Kaif, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Ishaan Khatter are soon to come together for a horror comedy which will be produced by Excel Entertainment and helmed by Gurmeet Singh who earlier collaborated with the banner for popular web shows Mirzapur and Inside Edge.
While we do not have any confirmation on the same as of yet, we hear it is going to be a film high on concept, and might go on floors in a month. Siddhant, although only one-film old in the industry, grabbed all eyes with his powerful deliverance in his debut flick Gully Boy, which was also backed by Excel Entertainment. One shouldn't be surprised if he is bagging big films already!
Ishaan, who is going slow and steady post his Bollywood debut Dhadak, is simultaneously filming for Ali Abbas Zafar's Khaali Peeli alongside Ananya Panday and Mira Nair's BBC One drama A Suitable Boy also starring Tabu.
Katrina, who recently turned entrepreneur with her beauty line-up Kay Beauty, now awaits the release of Rohit Shetty's Sooryavanshi, starring her opposite Akshay Kumar.
Siddhant Chaturvedi who rose to fame with Zoya Akhtar’s film Gully Boy has reportedly signed his next film opposite Deepika Padukone. The yet-untitled film will be directed by Shakun Batra and produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions.
Further details of the film are still under wraps. Siddhant Chaturvedi was a part of the web series Inside Edge. However, he tasted success and fame with the film Gully Boy that released earlier this year. The actor played Ranveer Singh’s mentor/friend MC Sher in the film and impressed critics and audience with his work.
Meanwhile, Deepika Padukone who recently wrapped up the film Chhappak will be seen on screen after two years in January. The actress was last seen on screen in the film Padmaavat that released in January 2018. Chhappak is based on the life of the acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal.
Also Read: Siddhant Chaturvedi looks dapper as he keeps it super casual on the July cover of Man’s World
Sholay is among the most iconic Bollywood films ever made. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan and Hema Malini in the lead. The film also features Sanjeev Kumar and Amjad Khan in pivotal roles. The film that released in 1975 is scheduled to be screened at the 50th edition of the IFFI (International Film Festival of India) which will be held in Goa. The film will be screened in 'Retrospective of Amitabh Bachchan' category.
A total of 14 Bollywood films will be screened at the festival. These include: Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi(1958), Padosan(1968), Andaz Apna Apna(1994), Hera Pheri(2000), Chennai Express (2013), Badhaai Ho(2018), Uri:The Surgical Strike (2019), Gully Boy(2019), Super 30(2019), Total Dhamaal (2019) among others.
Hellaro and Uyare are the two Indian films, which are competing for the 'best debut feature film of a director' award. Hellaro, a Gujarati film is directed by Abhishek Shah and Uyare, which is a Malayalam film, is helmed by Manu Ashokan.
The festival will commence on November 20 and go on till November 28. Actors Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan will be present at the opening ceremony of the festival which will be hosted by Karan Johar.
Also Read: Rajinikanth to be honoured with special icon of Golden Jubilee award at IFFI 2019
Daisy Shah who was last seen in Race 3 will now mark her debut in Gujarati cinema with Gujarat 11. The actress will be seen playing the role of a football coach in the film. A headstrong person who stands for what is right! The teaser of her upcoming film is out now and has been receiving great response from the industry. In fact, even Salman Khan is all praises for Daisy Shah’s recent teaser. The actor took over his Instagram to share the news with his fans and wished luck to Daisy for her Gujarati debut, which created quite a buzz on the social media.
Gujarat 11 directed by Jayant Gilatak, is all set to release on 29th November 2019. The film is going to be the first Gujarati sports drama, where Daisy Shah will share screen space with Pratik Gandhi and Kevin Dave. In a recent interview, Daisy Shah spoke about the film and said, "I have no restrictions of not doing regional films. Gujarat 11 is a good script, it is a full package of entertainment, comedy, emotions and has a message for the audience."
Also talking about the preparation for her character she said, "I practiced football for 2 months. Doing a sport film is not easy. I didn’t understand much of football but the director and the team have made me look like a pro."
Post Gujarat 11 the actress will next be seen in Tipsy which is slated to go on floors this month.
Also Read: Daisy Shah and Esha Gupta to come together for a chick flick titled Tipsy
Kartik Aaryan, Bhumi Pednekar, and Ananya Panday have stolen everyone’s heart with the recently released trailer of Pati Patni Aur Woh. Fans are loving the chemistry of the trio and it’s getting a positive response from all over.
After treating everyone with the hilarious trailer, the makers have unveiled the first song today which is titled 'Dheeme Dheeme'. The song features Kartik, Bhumi & Ananya grooving on this dance number.
Sung by Tony Kakkar & Neha Kakkar, 'Dheeme Dheeme' is composed by Tanishk Bagchi. The song depicts the vibe of the film and its tune will make you hit the dance floor. The song showcases Chintu Tyagi’s two different worlds. In one frame, he is seen dancing with his Patni Bhumi and in the other, he can be seen setting the dance floor on fire with his Woh Ananya.
Producer Bhushan Kumar says, “'Dheeme Dheeme' is a peppy dance number and we are hoping that the audiences will love the new version too. Kartik, Bhumi & Ananya have taken the song to the next level with their chemistry. Apart from this, the film also has other great songs and we can’t wait for everyone to see them.”
Producer Juno Chopra (BR Chopra) says, “'Dheeme Dheeme' is my personal favourite because it portrays the characters of our film and especially shows Chintu Tyagi living two different lives with the Patni and the Woh. When I heard the song I loved it and especially the hook line “Dheeme Dheeme” is so catchy and stays with you. I had such fun collaborating with Kartik, Bhumi, Ananya, Bosco on this song. I hope that it gets the same kind of love how the original version received.
Singer Tony Kakkar says, “Really happy that 'Dheeme Dheeme' is back again in Pati Patni Aur Woh. It makes me feel special that song features Kartik, Ananya, and Bhumi. I am sure that the audiences will love this new version too.”
Choreographer Bosco Martis says, “It was such a fun ride choreographing this song. Working with Kartik, Bhumi & Ananya, was not at all a teaching experience but more like a party session. Those were the happy dancing days with the trio.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_tG1OSJUsQ
Pati Patni Aur Woh is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Juno Chopra, Krishan Kumar, Produced under the banners T-series and BR Studios. The film is all set to hit the theatres on 6th December 2019.
Also Read: Bhumi Pednekar apologizes on behalf of team Pati Patni Aur Woh for the marital rape monologue
Naveen Polishetty who made his acting debut in the Hindi film industry with the recently released Chhichhore revealed that he was approached for the role because of mistaken identity. Naveen recently appeared as a guest on stand-up comedian Abish Mathew’s show, Son Of Abish, where he spoke about how he landed the role of Acid in Chhichhore.
Talking about getting a call from the casting director of Chhichhore, Naveen said, “Niteish sir apparently called the casting director and said, 'I want to test for Chhichhore. I want Nivin Pauly's (Malayalam superstar) audition’. So the casting director calls me and told me that, ‘Nitesh sir is asking for your audition. He wants to test you for an important part.' I did the audition and sent it."
Later, when Nitesh Tiwari saw the audition clip, he was left confused and asked the casting director that Nivin looked very different. The casting director then called up Naveen Polishetty and asked him whether he had shaved in the past six months. This was the last Naveen heard from the casting team.
Four months later, a YouTube video featuring Naveen went viral and came into the notice of the director of the film, which then led to him being called for the audition. “I gave a second audition and was then cast for the role,” Naveen said.
Producer Viki Rajani known for backing innovative subjects in his films like Table No. 21, Phobia, R…Rajkumar, Munna Michael amongst others has now signed up writer-director Manish Gupta to direct two suspense films based on true events.
Manish Gupta who's presently riding high on the critical acclaim garnered by the recently released Section 375 written by him said, “Viki is a young, dynamic and visionary producer and has an interesting slate lined up for the next two years. I’m associating with him on a long-term basis. Both our films will create two separate franchises; one is a murder mystery franchise and the other a legal drama franchise”
Viki Rajani confirmed the news by saying, “I saw Section 375 and was blown away by the story, screenplay and dialogues written by Manish. I recalled that Manish had previously written the story, screenplay and dialogues for Amitabh-Bachchan-starrer Sarkar. Intrigued by Manish’s work, I saw Rahasya directed by Manish, I realised that Manish is a master in the genre of suspense and I immediately decided to back his vision. I’ve just launched my new banner Faith Films P.L. through which I’m tying up with various studios and distribution houses. One of Manish’s two films will be the first to roll amongst my current slate. The scripts of both films written by Manish are ready and the cast for both films is being finalized. The first film will tentatively hit the floors in a couple of months”
The recently released film on Netflix, Drive, seemed like an exciting venture when it was launched with lot of fanfare in 2017. It was backed by one of the leading producers of Bollywood, Karan Johar and was helmed by Dostana director Tarun Mansukhani. The pairing of Sushant Singh Rajput and Jacqueline Fernandez also added to the buzz. However, soon this hype began to slip as the film’s theatrical release got pushed on some pretext or the other. Finally, it released on the streaming platform on November 1 and was met with terrible reviews. But even before it was out on the streaming giant, it was clear the film is not upto the mark due to the incessant delays. And a direct release on Netflix added to the film’s harm. The moment Dharma Productions announced about the plan to get the film on Netflix, it became apparent that the film is not well made and hence the makers are not taking the risk of releasing it cinemas, which also adds to the budget.
This phenomenon of films meant for theatrical release releasing directly on OTT platforms instead is already giving sleepless nights to the actors. One might argue that these platforms also stream web series featuring popular actors like Saif Ali Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, R Madhavan etc. But that’s different since web series like Sacred Games, Breathe, Bard Of Blood, The Family Man etc were always meant to come directly online. It wasn’t like it was supposed to release in cinemas and that the makers then changed their mind. Hence, in that regard, these OTT portals can be quite lucrative. Even a mega star like Akshay Kumar is expected to soon come up with his Amazon Prime original. Also, blockbuster film director Ali Abbas Zafar is coming up with a web series, Tandav, starring Saif Ali Khan, which will be aired on Amazon Prime.
Coming back to Drive, sources say that Sushant Singh Rajput wasn’t happy with this development. He insisted on a theatrical release and tried his best to persuade them for it. But ultimately, Karan had to take a decision that was practical for him. Sushant was hurt and no wonder, that he never posted anything related to Drive on his Instagram handle. On Twitter, he merely retweeted three tweets of Tarun Mansukhani pertaining to the film. Jacqueline Fernandez, meanwhile, regularly shared updates of the film with her million plus followers.
Another source, who has seen the rise of OTT from the inside, says, “At the scripting stage, it becomes difficult for producers at times to know how the film will ultimately shape up. At times, they believe the script has potential and there are times when they refuse to see the reality and end up approving a bad script. It’s only when the see the final product do they realize that they have created a bad film that can entail losses. Earlier, a producer would have no choice but now, OTT platforms are giving them a chance to recover the costs.”
This source further adds, “The producer is relived that he didn’t make a loss, notwithstanding the immense trolling that he might receive, as it happened in the case of Drive. But in the process, the actors of that film can suffer. They sign a film with the hope that it’ll make it to cinemas. A direct OTT release harms the film and also their track record. Sushant, for instance, must have hoped that a film with Dharma Productions would add to his brand. And it was a given that the film will first release in theatres. Hence, he felt shortchanged but there’s nothing he can do about it.”
But going forward, actors will now be careful of this aspect. This source says, “From now on, most of the major and mid-level actors will add a ‘no digital release’ clause in their contracts when they want to do a film. It simply means that the producer will be legally bound to release the film in cinemas and not straightaway on Netflix or Amazon Prime, failing which the actor can sue the producer.” He also states, “The whole industry has observed what happened to Drive and don’t want to be in Sushant’s shoes. As a result, this clause will become commonplace in the days to come.”
Another row happened last year with Saif Ali Khan whose film on stock market, Baazaar, almost made it to Netflix directly. “The producer Nikkhil Advani wasn’t finding a studio to back the film as Saif had given back-to-back flops. But the actor was dead against skipping a theatrical release. Fortunately for him, his web series Sacred Games, which incidentally streamed on Netflix, did very well and improved his track record. Viacom18 Motion Pictures then came on board and released the film,” says the source and further adds, “The perception in the industry was that Baazaar is not getting buyers and hence, it must be a pretty bad movie. However, all that changed once the trailer was unveiled. It indicated that the film can be quite an entertaining ride. Even at the box office, it wasn’t a huge hit but wasn’t a flop either.”
Not just actors, even directors can soon add this clause in their contracts. Another recent case is that of Lootcase, a comic caper starring Kunal Kemmu, Rasika Dugal, Ranvir Shorey, Vijay Raaz and Gajraj Rao. It is directed by Rajesh Krishnan whose Soda Films is a co-producing banner along with Fox Star Studios. The source says, “Fox was happy with the film but had doubts over its commercial prospects. Hence they took the decision to cancel its theatrical release, scheduled for October 11. Rajesh Krishnan however wasn’t happy with this decision and protested. He also had the right to do so since he was a co-producer as well. This was also a reason why Fox Star Studios management then announced that they’ll go back to their original decision of releasing the film in cinemas as the tussle was becoming too ugly.”
The source then opines, “Even for a director, it can be a harrowing experience if his film, which was to hit cinemas on the big screen, is instead seen by viewers on their laptops or mobile phones. Also, it can affect his remuneration for his next project. And for a director who already has few hits or important films under his belt, a direct-OTT release of his film can be humiliating. A ‘no digital release’ clause will prevent such a situation.”
But isn’t it impractical for an actor or director to expect a theatrical release when the situation warrants a release on digital platforms instead? The source says, “That’s debatable. The producer might argue that actors should put themselves in his shoes and only then they’ll understand why he’d go for a release on OTT. But even the actors and director make the same argument. To avoid such problems and most importantly, to avoid any bad blood, signing the said clause is the best solution.”
Also Read: Post the Sushant Singh Rajput – Jacqueline Fernandez starrer Drive, Netflix to do a quality check
Veteran actor-director Amol Palekar is set to return to the stage after 25 long years. He will be co-directing a crime drama along with Sandhya Gokhale. Palekar will also play the protagonist in the play brought to the audience by Bookmyshow.
The play, titled Kusur (Mistake), will be premiering at TATA Theatre, NCPA, Mumbai on November 24, the same day the actor will celebrate his 75th birthday. There couldn't be a better day to make a comeback!
In a recent interview, Palekar opened up on his role, revealing that it demanded him to invest huge physical and emotional energy. Gokhale, who wrote the narrative and took inspiration from the 2018 Danish thriller film Den Skyldige, referred to the play as a social thriller.
On the big screen, Palekar was last seen in the 2009 Marthi film Samaantar. His last Hindi outing was Aks, an Amitabh Bachchan starrer thriller that released in 2001. In 2011, he helmed the critically acclaimed Marathi film Dhoosar, which also won the Maharashtra State Film Awards.
If you're in the mood for a good horror comedy, we might have a good news for you. If the grapevines are to be believed, then Katrina Kaif, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Ishaan Khatter are soon to come together for a horror comedy which will be produced by Excel Entertainment and helmed by Gurmeet Singh who earlier collaborated with the banner for popular web shows Mirzapur and Inside Edge.
While we do not have any confirmation on the same as of yet, we hear it is going to be a film high on concept, and might go on floors in a month. Siddhant, although only one-film old in the industry, grabbed all eyes with his powerful deliverance in his debut flick Gully Boy, which was also backed by Excel Entertainment. One shouldn't be surprised if he is bagging big films already!
Ishaan, who is going slow and steady post his Bollywood debut Dhadak, is simultaneously filming for Ali Abbas Zafar's Khaali Peeli alongside Ananya Panday and Mira Nair's BBC One drama A Suitable Boy also starring Tabu.
Katrina, who recently turned entrepreneur with her beauty line-up Kay Beauty, now awaits the release of Rohit Shetty's Sooryavanshi, starring her opposite Akshay Kumar.
If you're in the mood for a good horror comedy, we might have a good news for you. If the grapevines are to be believed, then Katrina Kaif, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Ishaan Khatter are soon to come together for a horror comedy which will be produced by Excel Entertainment and helmed by Gurmeet Singh who earlier collaborated with the banner for popular web shows Mirzapur and Inside Edge.
While we do not have any confirmation on the same as of yet, we hear it is going to be a film high on concept, and might go on floors in a month. Siddhant, although only one-film old in the industry, grabbed all eyes with his powerful deliverance in his debut flick Gully Boy, which was also backed by Excel Entertainment. One shouldn't be surprised if he is bagging big films already!
Ishaan, who is going slow and steady post his Bollywood debut Dhadak, is simultaneously filming for Ali Abbas Zafar's Khaali Peeli alongside Ananya Panday and Mira Nair's BBC One drama A Suitable Boy also starring Tabu.
Katrina, who recently turned entrepreneur with her beauty line-up Kay Beauty, now awaits the release of Rohit Shetty's Sooryavanshi, starring her opposite Akshay Kumar.
Siddhant Chaturvedi who rose to fame with Zoya Akhtar’s film Gully Boy has reportedly signed his next film opposite Deepika Padukone. The yet-untitled film will be directed by Shakun Batra and produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions.
Further details of the film are still under wraps. Siddhant Chaturvedi was a part of the web series Inside Edge. However, he tasted success and fame with the film Gully Boy that released earlier this year. The actor played Ranveer Singh’s mentor/friend MC Sher in the film and impressed critics and audience with his work.
Meanwhile, Deepika Padukone who recently wrapped up the film Chhappak will be seen on screen after two years in January. The actress was last seen on screen in the film Padmaavat that released in January 2018. Chhappak is based on the life of the acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal.
Also Read: Siddhant Chaturvedi looks dapper as he keeps it super casual on the July cover of Man’s World
Sholay is among the most iconic Bollywood films ever made. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan and Hema Malini in the lead. The film also features Sanjeev Kumar and Amjad Khan in pivotal roles. The film that released in 1975 is scheduled to be screened at the 50th edition of the IFFI (International Film Festival of India) which will be held in Goa. The film will be screened in 'Retrospective of Amitabh Bachchan' category.
A total of 14 Bollywood films will be screened at the festival. These include: Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi(1958), Padosan(1968), Andaz Apna Apna(1994), Hera Pheri(2000), Chennai Express (2013), Badhaai Ho(2018), Uri:The Surgical Strike (2019), Gully Boy(2019), Super 30(2019), Total Dhamaal (2019) among others.
Hellaro and Uyare are the two Indian films, which are competing for the 'best debut feature film of a director' award. Hellaro, a Gujarati film is directed by Abhishek Shah and Uyare, which is a Malayalam film, is helmed by Manu Ashokan.
The festival will commence on November 20 and go on till November 28. Actors Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan will be present at the opening ceremony of the festival which will be hosted by Karan Johar.
Also Read: Rajinikanth to be honoured with special icon of Golden Jubilee award at IFFI 2019
Daisy Shah who was last seen in Race 3 will now mark her debut in Gujarati cinema with Gujarat 11. The actress will be seen playing the role of a football coach in the film. A headstrong person who stands for what is right! The teaser of her upcoming film is out now and has been receiving great response from the industry. In fact, even Salman Khan is all praises for Daisy Shah’s recent teaser. The actor took over his Instagram to share the news with his fans and wished luck to Daisy for her Gujarati debut, which created quite a buzz on the social media.
Gujarat 11 directed by Jayant Gilatak, is all set to release on 29th November 2019. The film is going to be the first Gujarati sports drama, where Daisy Shah will share screen space with Pratik Gandhi and Kevin Dave. In a recent interview, Daisy Shah spoke about the film and said, "I have no restrictions of not doing regional films. Gujarat 11 is a good script, it is a full package of entertainment, comedy, emotions and has a message for the audience."
Also talking about the preparation for her character she said, "I practiced football for 2 months. Doing a sport film is not easy. I didn’t understand much of football but the director and the team have made me look like a pro."
Post Gujarat 11 the actress will next be seen in Tipsy which is slated to go on floors this month.
Also Read: Daisy Shah and Esha Gupta to come together for a chick flick titled Tipsy
Kartik Aaryan, Bhumi Pednekar, and Ananya Panday have stolen everyone’s heart with the recently released trailer of Pati Patni Aur Woh. Fans are loving the chemistry of the trio and it’s getting a positive response from all over.
After treating everyone with the hilarious trailer, the makers have unveiled the first song today which is titled 'Dheeme Dheeme'. The song features Kartik, Bhumi & Ananya grooving on this dance number.
Sung by Tony Kakkar & Neha Kakkar, 'Dheeme Dheeme' is composed by Tanishk Bagchi. The song depicts the vibe of the film and its tune will make you hit the dance floor. The song showcases Chintu Tyagi’s two different worlds. In one frame, he is seen dancing with his Patni Bhumi and in the other, he can be seen setting the dance floor on fire with his Woh Ananya.
Producer Bhushan Kumar says, “'Dheeme Dheeme' is a peppy dance number and we are hoping that the audiences will love the new version too. Kartik, Bhumi & Ananya have taken the song to the next level with their chemistry. Apart from this, the film also has other great songs and we can’t wait for everyone to see them.”
Producer Juno Chopra (BR Chopra) says, “'Dheeme Dheeme' is my personal favourite because it portrays the characters of our film and especially shows Chintu Tyagi living two different lives with the Patni and the Woh. When I heard the song I loved it and especially the hook line “Dheeme Dheeme” is so catchy and stays with you. I had such fun collaborating with Kartik, Bhumi, Ananya, Bosco on this song. I hope that it gets the same kind of love how the original version received.
Singer Tony Kakkar says, “Really happy that 'Dheeme Dheeme' is back again in Pati Patni Aur Woh. It makes me feel special that song features Kartik, Ananya, and Bhumi. I am sure that the audiences will love this new version too.”
Choreographer Bosco Martis says, “It was such a fun ride choreographing this song. Working with Kartik, Bhumi & Ananya, was not at all a teaching experience but more like a party session. Those were the happy dancing days with the trio.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_tG1OSJUsQ
Pati Patni Aur Woh is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Juno Chopra, Krishan Kumar, Produced under the banners T-series and BR Studios. The film is all set to hit the theatres on 6th December 2019.
Also Read: Bhumi Pednekar apologizes on behalf of team Pati Patni Aur Woh for the marital rape monologue
Naveen Polishetty who made his acting debut in the Hindi film industry with the recently released Chhichhore revealed that he was approached for the role because of mistaken identity. Naveen recently appeared as a guest on stand-up comedian Abish Mathew’s show, Son Of Abish, where he spoke about how he landed the role of Acid in Chhichhore.
Talking about getting a call from the casting director of Chhichhore, Naveen said, “Niteish sir apparently called the casting director and said, 'I want to test for Chhichhore. I want Nivin Pauly's (Malayalam superstar) audition’. So the casting director calls me and told me that, ‘Nitesh sir is asking for your audition. He wants to test you for an important part.' I did the audition and sent it."
Later, when Nitesh Tiwari saw the audition clip, he was left confused and asked the casting director that Nivin looked very different. The casting director then called up Naveen Polishetty and asked him whether he had shaved in the past six months. This was the last Naveen heard from the casting team.
Four months later, a YouTube video featuring Naveen went viral and came into the notice of the director of the film, which then led to him being called for the audition. “I gave a second audition and was then cast for the role,” Naveen said.
Producer Viki Rajani known for backing innovative subjects in his films like Table No. 21, Phobia, R…Rajkumar, Munna Michael amongst others has now signed up writer-director Manish Gupta to direct two suspense films based on true events.
Manish Gupta who's presently riding high on the critical acclaim garnered by the recently released Section 375 written by him said, “Viki is a young, dynamic and visionary producer and has an interesting slate lined up for the next two years. I’m associating with him on a long-term basis. Both our films will create two separate franchises; one is a murder mystery franchise and the other a legal drama franchise”
Viki Rajani confirmed the news by saying, “I saw Section 375 and was blown away by the story, screenplay and dialogues written by Manish. I recalled that Manish had previously written the story, screenplay and dialogues for Amitabh-Bachchan-starrer Sarkar. Intrigued by Manish’s work, I saw Rahasya directed by Manish, I realised that Manish is a master in the genre of suspense and I immediately decided to back his vision. I’ve just launched my new banner Faith Films P.L. through which I’m tying up with various studios and distribution houses. One of Manish’s two films will be the first to roll amongst my current slate. The scripts of both films written by Manish are ready and the cast for both films is being finalized. The first film will tentatively hit the floors in a couple of months”
The recently released film on Netflix, Drive, seemed like an exciting venture when it was launched with lot of fanfare in 2017. It was backed by one of the leading producers of Bollywood, Karan Johar and was helmed by Dostana director Tarun Mansukhani. The pairing of Sushant Singh Rajput and Jacqueline Fernandez also added to the buzz. However, soon this hype began to slip as the film’s theatrical release got pushed on some pretext or the other. Finally, it released on the streaming platform on November 1 and was met with terrible reviews. But even before it was out on the streaming giant, it was clear the film is not upto the mark due to the incessant delays. And a direct release on Netflix added to the film’s harm. The moment Dharma Productions announced about the plan to get the film on Netflix, it became apparent that the film is not well made and hence the makers are not taking the risk of releasing it cinemas, which also adds to the budget.
This phenomenon of films meant for theatrical release releasing directly on OTT platforms instead is already giving sleepless nights to the actors. One might argue that these platforms also stream web series featuring popular actors like Saif Ali Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, R Madhavan etc. But that’s different since web series like Sacred Games, Breathe, Bard Of Blood, The Family Man etc were always meant to come directly online. It wasn’t like it was supposed to release in cinemas and that the makers then changed their mind. Hence, in that regard, these OTT portals can be quite lucrative. Even a mega star like Akshay Kumar is expected to soon come up with his Amazon Prime original. Also, blockbuster film director Ali Abbas Zafar is coming up with a web series, Tandav, starring Saif Ali Khan, which will be aired on Amazon Prime.
Coming back to Drive, sources say that Sushant Singh Rajput wasn’t happy with this development. He insisted on a theatrical release and tried his best to persuade them for it. But ultimately, Karan had to take a decision that was practical for him. Sushant was hurt and no wonder, that he never posted anything related to Drive on his Instagram handle. On Twitter, he merely retweeted three tweets of Tarun Mansukhani pertaining to the film. Jacqueline Fernandez, meanwhile, regularly shared updates of the film with her million plus followers.
Another source, who has seen the rise of OTT from the inside, says, “At the scripting stage, it becomes difficult for producers at times to know how the film will ultimately shape up. At times, they believe the script has potential and there are times when they refuse to see the reality and end up approving a bad script. It’s only when the see the final product do they realize that they have created a bad film that can entail losses. Earlier, a producer would have no choice but now, OTT platforms are giving them a chance to recover the costs.”
This source further adds, “The producer is relived that he didn’t make a loss, notwithstanding the immense trolling that he might receive, as it happened in the case of Drive. But in the process, the actors of that film can suffer. They sign a film with the hope that it’ll make it to cinemas. A direct OTT release harms the film and also their track record. Sushant, for instance, must have hoped that a film with Dharma Productions would add to his brand. And it was a given that the film will first release in theatres. Hence, he felt shortchanged but there’s nothing he can do about it.”
But going forward, actors will now be careful of this aspect. This source says, “From now on, most of the major and mid-level actors will add a ‘no digital release’ clause in their contracts when they want to do a film. It simply means that the producer will be legally bound to release the film in cinemas and not straightaway on Netflix or Amazon Prime, failing which the actor can sue the producer.” He also states, “The whole industry has observed what happened to Drive and don’t want to be in Sushant’s shoes. As a result, this clause will become commonplace in the days to come.”
Another row happened last year with Saif Ali Khan whose film on stock market, Baazaar, almost made it to Netflix directly. “The producer Nikkhil Advani wasn’t finding a studio to back the film as Saif had given back-to-back flops. But the actor was dead against skipping a theatrical release. Fortunately for him, his web series Sacred Games, which incidentally streamed on Netflix, did very well and improved his track record. Viacom18 Motion Pictures then came on board and released the film,” says the source and further adds, “The perception in the industry was that Baazaar is not getting buyers and hence, it must be a pretty bad movie. However, all that changed once the trailer was unveiled. It indicated that the film can be quite an entertaining ride. Even at the box office, it wasn’t a huge hit but wasn’t a flop either.”
Not just actors, even directors can soon add this clause in their contracts. Another recent case is that of Lootcase, a comic caper starring Kunal Kemmu, Rasika Dugal, Ranvir Shorey, Vijay Raaz and Gajraj Rao. It is directed by Rajesh Krishnan whose Soda Films is a co-producing banner along with Fox Star Studios. The source says, “Fox was happy with the film but had doubts over its commercial prospects. Hence they took the decision to cancel its theatrical release, scheduled for October 11. Rajesh Krishnan however wasn’t happy with this decision and protested. He also had the right to do so since he was a co-producer as well. This was also a reason why Fox Star Studios management then announced that they’ll go back to their original decision of releasing the film in cinemas as the tussle was becoming too ugly.”
The source then opines, “Even for a director, it can be a harrowing experience if his film, which was to hit cinemas on the big screen, is instead seen by viewers on their laptops or mobile phones. Also, it can affect his remuneration for his next project. And for a director who already has few hits or important films under his belt, a direct-OTT release of his film can be humiliating. A ‘no digital release’ clause will prevent such a situation.”
But isn’t it impractical for an actor or director to expect a theatrical release when the situation warrants a release on digital platforms instead? The source says, “That’s debatable. The producer might argue that actors should put themselves in his shoes and only then they’ll understand why he’d go for a release on OTT. But even the actors and director make the same argument. To avoid such problems and most importantly, to avoid any bad blood, signing the said clause is the best solution.”
Also Read: Post the Sushant Singh Rajput – Jacqueline Fernandez starrer Drive, Netflix to do a quality check