Filmfare India - 23 September 2015

A Times Of India Publication
September 23, 2015 `60
www.filmfare.com
SEXY
VARUN DHAWAN
SCORCHES IT UP
Striking a
new innings
SAIF
ALI
KHAN
&
damned
KANGANA RANAUT
AND IMRAN KHAN ON LOVE,
LIVING-IN AND STEAMY TIMES
Alia’s and
Sidharth’s
brand
new fetish
Volume 64 # 19 September 10, 2015 - September 23, 2015 / ISSN NUMBER 0971-7277
36
COVER
STORY
Kangana and Imran
come out clean on
life, love and career
A Times Of India Publication
September 23, 2015 `60
www.filmfare.com
SEXY
VARUN DHAWAN
SCORCHES IT UP
Striking a
new innings
SAIF
ALI
KHAN
WATCH KANGANA AND IMRAN
COME AL VE ON THE COVER
FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW
TO USE TURN TO PAGE 22
B & tiful
f
d
ed
RANAUT
AND IMRAN KHAN ON LOVE,
LIVING-IN AND STEAMY TIMES
Alia-Sidharth:
Check out
their brand
new fetish
PHOTOGRAPHS: PRASAD NAIK
Kangana Ranaut: STYLING: Ami Patel,
assisted by: Sanjay Kumar Dauhaliya
HAIR: Haseena Shaikh
MAKE-UP: Shabana Latif
Imran Khan: STYLING: Harmeet Sethi &
Neha Bhatnagar | HAIR: Ayesha D’vitri
MAKE-UP: Vicky Salvi
editor’s choice
04
084
Why we love Kangana
Ranaut and Imran
Khan
We need
more FTIIs
Sidharth Malhotra
rns vegetarian along
with good friend Alia
w
Bhatt and other grist
B
om the rumour mill
masala fix
06
Abhishek Bachchan
and Hrithik Roshan in
Ram Lakhan
n remake,
Aishwarya Rai
Bachchan in Sujoy
Ghosh’s next,
9
64
54
58
Varun Dhawan wants
to take more risks
Dia Mirza on why
life’s a big
honeymoon
Ramesh Sippy
remembers his
favourite film
Shakti
064
4
070
0
your say
076
6
58
preview
w
14
18
On the s s
ingh
Is Bliing
Kyra Dutt shares her
dreams
078
8
27
82
fashion
& beaut
21
The fashion
n secrets
of stars de od
the good
30
Gulshan De iah
shares his ffood fund
exclusive
30 54
Saif Ali Khan
n
struts it up
082
Reader’s write in
their raves and
rants
Viewers mail their
reviews
Shatrughan Sinha’s
wacky witticisms
26
Letter from the Editor
Farm Fresh
The film industry thrives on fresh pairings. Films more
often than not offer a means of escape from the mundane.
Among the various genres, it’s romance which offers
escapism and that’s where fresh faces, fresh pairings matter
the most. Because if you have the same people falling in
love, or the same kind of boy-meets-girl formulaic glory in
film after film, it kind of defeats the purpose. Of course,
the long way forward is to change the parameters of the
formula in the first place. But that’s goddamn hard work
and who would do that, right?
So, fresh pairings... well, we have one in Kangana
Ranaut and Imran Khan, who grace our cover this issue
and are also coming together in the romcom Katti Batti.
Both look super cool together, complementing each other’s
assured good looks to a T. One wonders why no one
thought of casting them before this. The promos are feel
good, promising two hours of modern romance and more,
going by the kind of off-kilter roles that Kangana is famous
for.
Coming in the wake of both Queen and Tanu Weds Manu
Returns, where she played heavy duty female characters,
one expects Kangana to up the ante every time. But she’s
in the danger of being typecast if she only adheres to doing
those kind of roles. It’s good for her to do a light comedy
once in a while as it would help balance out the high
intensity characters she so successfully brings to life. She
has a thing against being mere arm candy, so be prepared
for another bravura performance.
Imran Khan, without mincing words, needs a hit. His
last release, Gori Tere Pyaar Mein (2013) was a dud. There’s
no denying the fact that he’s one of the cutest looking
dudes around and remains immensely popular among
the fairer sex, despite marriage and fatherhood - methinks
that’s kind of added to his appeal. But his last moderate
hit - Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu - was released three years ago.
That too was an urban comedy and one hopes he bags the
jackpot once more with Katti Batti. He’s too intelligent
a person to let setbacks bother him and I’m sure he will
prove to be a lambi race ka ghoda in days to come.
Both have given straight from the heart interviews,
teeming with native wit and candid observations. So turn
the pages to know more about the most ado
duo this side of the Suez. Pure fun awaits...
COVER STORY
Love addiction
A
alk an c
ff r nt a c
mov
ramat cally
a on for t
by t r common
AND
WATCH KANGANA
IMRAN COME ALIVE
FOR
ON THE COVER ON
NSTRUCT ONS
HOW TO USE TURN
TO AGE 22
tar of Katti
,t
n a fr w
. Catc t m
4 FILMFARE 23 September, 2015 / www.filmfare.com
at
l ng conv r
f
UP Shabana Lat
Wal on e
il side
HERO OF HER LIFE.
T EVEN BEFO
T
IS ANGANA RANA
SHE S THE HERO IN
THE BESTSELLER THAT
JITESH PILLAAI NRAVELS
21 | Pla fo ms Aldo
by Shubhika
sho ts Papa Don't Preach
Crop top and uspender
For more on tinseltown’s news and updates
find me on Twitter @jiteshpillaai
tog t r
Batti ar bo n
on
Shaikh | MAKE
| HAIR Haseena
Kumar Dauha iya | MAKE UP Vicky Salvi
PRASAD NA K
a sis ed by Sanjay
D’vitri
PHOTOGRAPHS
Louboutin
STY ING Ami Patel Neha Bhatnagar | HAIR Ayesha
| Pumps Christian
Kangana Ranaut
Sethi &
ou | Shrug Madison
YLING Ha meet
by Mary Ka rant
Imran Khan S
Addidas O iginals
Kangana Bodysuit
do Zegna
jeans E menegi
Im an Jacket and
| Cuff Foreve
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www.filmfare.com / 23 September, 2015 FILMFARE 5
a bird’s-eye view of show town’s happenings
FUN AND
GAMES
Going by the trailer of
Shandaar, Alia Bhatt and
Shahid Kapoor sure make
for a cute couple. They look
superhot together and their
camaraderie has spilled
beyond the sets too. Recently,
they had each other and
everyone else in splits at the
trailer launch of their film.
Hrithik and Abhishek in
Ram Lakhan
Sidharth turns veg
Arjun refuses his dad’s
film
PHOTOGRAPHS: YOGEN SHAH, VIRAL BHAYANI
MASALA FIX
Rumou s&More
Rumours
HRITHIK AND
ABHISHEK IN
RAM LAKHAN
Kangana keeps busy
Kangana Ranaut is one busy actress. Talk is that she might do
Ketan Mehta’s Rani Laxmibai before she starts Vishal Bharadwaj’s
Rangoon. Apparently, she loved the script, the thought of fighting with
a baby tied to her back gave her gooseflesh. Kangana’s day starts
at 5 am. And she trains in horse riding, dance, ballet and also takes
classes in diction. She says it’s better doing constructive things than
spend her time gossiping about people. Atta girl!
Meanwhile...
Kangana Ranaut has
walked out of newcomer
Sai Kabir’s Divine Lovers.
The actress had signed
this Indo-Chinese venture
opposite Irrfan. But we’re
told that she had date
issues and had to bow
out. Now the producers are
looking for a replacement.
There’s been a lot
of speculation ever
since Karan Johar
announced Ram
Lakhan with Rohit
Shetty. Initially, there
were talks about
Varun Dhawan and
Arjun Kapoor doing
it. Then someone
whispered it was Shah R h
Khan and Ranveer Sin h
who’d been roped. Others
swore that Ranbir Kapooor
and Sidharth Malhotra
were the final choice. Noow
a lil birdie tells us that
Hrithik Roshan might p y
the character of Lakhan
Rohit Shetty’s Ram Lakh .
And Abhishek Bachchann
will reprise Jackie Shrofff
role from the original
Subhash Ghai movie. He
will play Ram. Now that’s an
exciting cast, isn’t it?
SIDHARTH
MALHOTRA
TURNS
VEGETARIAN
While on Siddharth Malhotra,
he’s turned vegetarian recently.
That’s because he had to lose
the extra kilos for his role in
Kapoor & Sons. He had bulked
up for Brothers but his role in
Shakun Batra’s film demanded
him to be thin. His trainer
advised him that the best way
to do that would be to turn
vegetarian. And lo! He was back
to his slim self. Interestingly,
even Alia Bhatt has turned
green for the last six months.
Hmmmm! Something yum is
cooking, alright. Wink, wink.
MOM KNOWS BEST: Sonakshi Sinha had a surprise in store for her when mom Poonam Sinha
dropped in on the set of Indian Idol Juniors. She couldn’t contain her excitement and proceeded to
shower her mother with affection. We like.
Sidharth to do Bang Bang 2
So the 2014 hit film, Bang Bang is all set to have a
sequel. The earlier film was apparently a remake of
the Hollywood film Knight And Day. But the sequel will
have a new storyline. While Jacqueline Fernandez haas
been chosen to play the lead in the sequel, Sidharth
Malholtra will be the new action star opposite her.
The young actor will undergo intensive training for the
action scenes. Will Sidharth and Jacqueline revive thee
Hrithik-Kat chemistry on screen? Only time will tell.
Meanwhile...
Sidharth Malhotra is off to Scotland to shoot for Nitya
Mehra’s Kal Kissne Dekha. He’s excited about the project
where he ages with the help of prosthetics from 28 to 68.
WHISTLE STOP: Anil Kapoor isn’t known as a dancer but sure knows how to shake a leg when
the occasion demands. His jhakaas moves are quite a hit, as seen in the picture. John Abraham, as well
as the crowd, was won over by his spontaneity at the promotional event of Welcome Back. Ceetees and claps…
Nawaz
refuses to do
a condom ad
JACQUELINE SAYS NO
TO ENDORSEMENT
Jacqueline Fernandez seems to have her fundamentals in
place. The girl doesn’t get swayed by money when it clashes
with her principles. Recently, a cosmetic enhancement brand
wanted her as their brand ambassador. And they were willing
to pay her a good sum. But the actress refused. Sources say
she was offended by the offer. Because she’s one of the fittest
actress around and she’s done it all naturally. Of course, she
wouldn’t endorse something that isn’t healthy and safe.
Shahid upsets
producers
Nawazzuddin Siddiqui is another
actor whose ethics always win
over commercial considerations.
The actor was offered a condom
brand for endorsement. And the
remuneration that came with it
was huge. The actor however didn’t
even blink while refusing the offer.
He said no to endorse a condom
for religious reasons. Now there’s
no arguing with that.
Okay so the buzz around in
the industry is that filmmakers
are miffed with Shahid
Kapoor. Reportedly, the star
doesn’t meet filmmakers for a
narration anymore. Whenever
a producer approaches him,
we hear it’s his close friend
Madhu Mantena who
attends these meetings
and takes decisions on his
behalf. And this has annoyed
industrywallahs no end.
MASALA FIX
AJAY BUYS
RICE FROM
LONDON
We all know how health
conscious Ajay Devgn is.
Never mind the smoking.
But when it comes to
eating he’s careful about
what he consumes. He
has a weakness for rice.
He recently ordered
white rice from London.
Reportedly, the rice
has just about nine
calories per serving.
This rice is a boon for
dieters. And Ajay has
been recommending it
to all his friends.
KEEP MUM: Akshay Kumar is more like a son to Dimple Kapadia than a son-in-law and they
share a unique bond. Recently, at the launch of Twinkle Khanna’s book Mrs Funnybones, which is a
compilation of her newspaper columns, they horsed around with each other with gusto, as is evident
from the photograph.
RANVEER’S
BAJIRAO LOO
SPELLS TROU LE
Imran’s
style
fetish
Ranveer Singh’s look for Bajirao Mastanii
maybe creating problems for his brands.
Sources reveal that two of his brands are a
tad annoyed with his look because they ccan’t
shoot for their products with him. One of
them reportedly wanted to even drop him
m as
their ambassador. The brands feel they’re
losing valuable time. They can’t shoot in
his getup because that wouldn’t go with
their product image. Ranveer on his part
is committed to his movies. That’s bread
‘n’ butter and he for sure can’t play around with
his work. And he’s told the brand in no unncertain
terms that he won’t compromise with his
profession. But natural.
Imran khan has
a fetish for socks.
He has the most
quirky pairs ever.
What’s more the
actor doesn’t
allow his stylists
to source them
during shoots. He
prefers to wear
his own pair. One
has to see the
colourful collection
to understand his
sense of style.
MASALA FIX
ARJUN
TURNS
DOWN HIS
FATHER’S
FILMS
After his home production
Tevar, flopped at the
box-office Arjun Kapoor
has become extra picky
about the movies he
chooses henceforth. So
much that he reportedly
even refused to do his
dad Boney Kapoor’s
movies. A close source
tells us that his father
offered him at least four
films but he turned them
all down. Apparently, he
didn’t like the scripts.
Also this time he doesn’t
want to do things in a
hurry. We’re told that now
his emphasis is on doing
different kind of movies,
movies that are more
real. He’s burnt his fingers
doing a larger-than-life
role in Tevar. He doesn’t
want to do those kind of
roles just yet.
WHAT THE FISH: Jacqueline Fernandez knows how to wow the
paparazzi. She makes sure they get more than they can imagine
every time. She executed a perfect fish pout recently when she went
for a film screening. We just love her antics…
FAWAD STAYS INDOORS
Fawad Khan, it seems, had a great time shooting in Conoor for Shakun
Batra’s Kapoor & Sons. As we all know, he bonded big time with
Sidharth Malhotra. He had a great time interacting with Rishi
Kapoor too and the rest of the unit. But the actor had one regret.
He couldn’t really go sightseeing at the hill station. There were
a few reasons for that. Firstly, they were shooting long hours.
Secondly, the weather was unpredictable. It would rain and get
sunny intermittently. So that affected their movement. But the biggest
reason was the presence of wild life. The local people warned the crew
about the lurking danger. This was enough to keep everyone indoors. Ha!
Guess who?
So this actress has been sending messages to directors to cast her in
their movies. She’s even telling them she’ll do their movies without any
remuneration. This despite knowing that those directors have already
pencilled in another actress. Hmmm.
movies on the block, set-talk, talent-buzz,
hotties to watch out for
Vinay Sindya
SHOWTIME
CALLING
As a child he nursed a
dream of becoming a
pilot. Little did Vinay
Sindya know that his love
for all things glitzy would
become his career. After
completing his Bachelors
of Computer Application,
he landed his first job – a
modelling assignment!
He then became the face
of a number of print and
catalogue shoots for
top brands in the South.
And now, he’s ready to
star in his first film down
South with two others in
the pipeline. Currently,
training in martial arts,
Vinay is also enthused by
dancing and kickboxing
and indulges in his love
for music by frequenting
various festivals.
On the set of Singh Is
Bliing
Meet the sizzler on the
block - Kyra Dutt
EVENTS
WINNER’S TALE
SUPERSTAR DHANUSH LAUNCHED THE 62ND BRITANNIA FILMFARE AWARDS
SOUTH SPECIAL EDITION IN CHENNAI
hanush has made his mark in
Indian cinema courtesy his stellar
performances. This year, at the
62nd Britannia Filmfare Awards
South, he won his sixth trophy the Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Male)
– Tamil for his performance in Velaiyalli
Pattathari. The actor was elated to unveil the
special cover showcasing the event on July
30, 2015 at The Leela in Chennai. He signed
a few copies as well.
Dhanush shared his struggles and journey
to stardom with Filmfare editor Jitesh
Pillaai and the media with characteristic
humility. He also stated that winning the
Filmfare trophy was his childhood dream
and it was unbelievable that he had won six
trophies. He confided that his brother, Selva
Raghavan, a noted Tamil
industry director, didn’t
like him doing masala
films. But he confirmed
that he would be
doing a film with his
Raanjhanaa director
Aanand L Rai much to the
excitement of his fans.
Later, Dhanush
posed for the
shutterbugs and
made the event
a memorable
one.
„
D
n
p
n Dhanush unveils the cover
with Filmfare editor, Jitesh Pillaai
o
The actor signs the billboard
o
p
Dhanush interacts with the media
ON THE SET
BLING IT ON
That Singh Is Bliing is a laugh riot could be sensed from the happy
vibe on the set, writes Raghuvendra Singh
Men at work: Prabhudheva and Akshay Kumar
are elated to kickstart a long day
FILM: Singh Is Bliing
DIRECTOR:
Prabhudheva
PRODUCER: Ashvini
Yardi
CAST: Akshay Kumar,
Amy Jackson, Lara
Dutta, Arfi Lamba,
Anil Mange
LOCATION: Goa
Team time: Prabhudheva, writer
Chintan Gandhi, producer Ashvini
Yardi and Akshay take a break
STORY:
Singh Is Bliing is the
story of Raftaar Singh
(Akshay Kumar), who's
the apple of his mother’s
(Rati Agnihotri) eye but
is an irritant for his father
(Yograj Singh). One day,
fed up of his dalliances his
father orders Raftaar to go
to Goa and work for his
friend there.
Here, Raftaar meets
Sara (Amy Jackson) and
thus begins their love
story. Sara doesn’t know
Hindi. So, Raftaar hires
a Goan translator Imly
(Lara Dutta), who almost
ruins their budding love
with her silliness. Raftaar
slowly begins to fall
head over heels for the
exotic, mysterious Sara.
What starts as a harmless
romance takes a deadly
turn when he realises
that Sara is not what she
appears to be. Rather, she’s
Sun, sand and love: Akshay and Amy Jackson
The story and
character have nothing
to do with Singh Is
King. The subject here
is that if you have
single-minded focus you
will ‘bling’. Don’t try to
be a Jack of all trades,
then you will be master
of none - Akshay Kumar
there with an agenda,
which takes Raftaar to
Romania…
WORK THE MADNESS:
When two old friends do a
film together, it’s a virtual
picnic. At least that was
the vibe on the set of Singh
Is Bliing in Goa. Akshay
Kumar and Lara Dutta are
swapping corny stories
as director Prabhudheva
is setting up the shot. It's
Laughter attack: Prabhudheva, Akshay
and Lara have a light moment on the set
One day I went with Amy Jackson to see
the Basilica of Bom Jesus Church. Soon people
swarmed to click pictures with her. We had to run
from there - Ashwini Yardi, producer
hot as hell so producer
Ashvini Yardi calls for
‘lemon shots’. “It saves
from the heat and also
helps lose weight,” says
she. Prabhudheva calls
Akshay over to discuss the
shot and Lara joins us. She
tells me that Prabhudheva
asks her to do a shot in one
way while Akshay gives
his own interpretation.
“I’m confused as to whom
I should to listen to,”
Picture perfect: Amy
Singh saab in action: Amy, Lara Dutta,
Akshay and Anil Mange shooting a scene
she laughs uncontrollably.
Lara has suffered a
sprain in her left leg. She
has placed it on a chair
and is trying to soothe it by
pressing a cold water bottle
against it in lieu of an
ice-pack. Incidentally, she
narrates how her daughter
Saira and Akshay’s
daughter Nitara
have become
good friends.
“They don’t leave
each other’s hands and are
always together – even in
the hotel.” Prabhudheva
informs Lara that she’s
done for the day and that
she can head back to the
hotel. An elated Lara
shouts, “Chalo, ChanguMangu!” That’s how she
fondly addresses her team.
The next shot is set up
at the Candolim beach.
Amy Jackson is walking on
the beach while Akshay
Khiladi Kumar gets playful
My daughter Saira and Akshay’s daughter Nitara
have become good friends. They don’t leave each
other’s hands and are always together – even in
the hotel - Lara Dutta
Wave alert: Prabhudheva explains a scene to Amy
Monitor check: Amy and Akshay check out the shot
Prabhudheva keeps an eagle eye on the scene
and his friends (played
by Arfi Lamba and Anil
Mange) follow her at a
distance. A huge crowd
has gathered and the
security requests people
not to click pictures. The
scene is okayed in two
takes. People shout out
Amy’s name. It’s surprising
to know she’s so popular in
the sunshine state. Ashvini
narrates, “One day I went
with her to see the Basilica
of Bom Jesus Church. Soon
people swarmed to click
pictures with her. We had
to run from there.”
Amy is excited to
share screen with Akshay
Kumar. Says she, “It’s a big
opportunity for me. I’m
indeed lucky.”
Singh Is Bliing has
explored Goa in its
entirety. The unit has been
here since 20 days. We
move to old Goa for an
action sequence filmed
on Akshay Kumar. “It’s a
chase and fight sequence,”
explains Prabhudheva
adding, “Rohit Shetty’s
cameraman Dudley said
he’d only come on board
if I shoot in Goa. I listened
to him.”
A car stands stranded in
middle of the road. Akshay
steps out of the car, pushes
it and then runs. Shot over,
the superfit star chides
creative producer Mudit
Vinayak for his big belly.
“Arrey tera pet bahar aa
gaya hai. Kuch kar!”
The next shot has Amy
stuck in the car. Akshay
tries to pull her out and
also fights some goons.
The complex sequence
is okayed in one take.
Later, as they chat Ashvini
asks Amy to say the line,
“Main tum par fida hoon
(I’m in love with you),” to
Prabhudheva. When Amy,
who's not too conversant
with the language, repeats
this to Prabhudheva
he asks what it means
and everyone bursts out
laughing. They both realise
it’s a prank.
During the break,
Akshay explains his role,
“The story and character
have nothing to do with
Singh Is King. The subject
here is that if you have
single-minded focus you
will ‘bling’. Don’t try to
be a Jack of all trades,
then you will be master
of none,” he smiles.
We agree.
„
FUTURE STOCK
NAKEDAMBITION
Geared up for the release of her debut movie - Madhur Bhandarkar’s Calendar Girls - the former Kingfisher
calendar model, KYRA DUTT, opens up to USHNOTA PAUL
wenty-four-yearold newcomer
Kyra Dutt is not
just another hot
bod Kingfisher
model-turned-actress.
Behind all the glitz and
the glamour, lies a Bengali
girl who writes beautiful
poetry and has even given
a TED Talk for a peace
initiative. “My mother
gave me the name Kyra,”
she smiles. “It means ‘the
light of God’ in Egyptian.
It also means ‘someone
who is enthroned’,” she
explains.
Ask her about her debut
with the National Award
winning director Madhur
Bhandarkar and she says,
“Oh, Madhur sir is one
director who has always
gone against the flow…
Tabu in Chandni Bar,
Bipasha Basu in Corporate
or Priyanka Chopra in
Fashion - he has always
been an actress’ director.
For me it’s like a dream
come true to feature in his
Calendar Girls.”
She has already
landed a meaty part in
her second film, Ken
T
Ghosh’s erotic drama
titled XXX, produced by
Ekta Kapoor and slated to
release next year. She also
signed a certain ‘nudity
clause’ as part of the
contract. “It says that I’m
legally bound to expose
according to the demands
of the script.” The clause
also covers shooting
intimate scenes and use
of explicit language. “It’s
a performance-oriented
movie. The nudity clause
came with the contract of
XXX... It’s good to have
that little fire out there and
let people keep guessing
what it’s all about.”
The newbie says she
wasn’t unnecessarily
inhibited by the nude
scenes. “My DoP was
a woman and it was a
closed set. The greatest
way to overcome fear
for any actor is by
letting go of their
inhibitions.”
Kyra was
a student at
Mumbai’s
St. Xavier’s
college before
she became
THE NUDITY CLAUSE
FOR THE FILM XXX SAYS I’M
BOUND TO EXPOSE
FUTURE STOCK
a calendar model for
Kingfisher. Says she,
“I am one of those girls
who don’t think she’s
pretty. I need to be
constantly reminded
that I am. Honestly,
I believe I am average.
When photographer
Atul Kasbekar saw me at
designer Arjun Khanna’s
party, he came up to me
and said, ‘You should
try for the Kingfisher
calendar.’ I wondered if
he was kidding.” But she
did take the leap, cleared
the audition and here she
is today.
Probe her if the film has
taken any references from
the actual Chairman of the
now grounded Kingfisher
Airlines, Vijay Mallya and
to her culture. She does
this calendar shoot and
that’s when things change
for her. Soon she starts
seeing the reality of this
industry. Just like me...” As
far as XXX is concerned,
she remains tight- lipped
about her character. “All
I can tell you is that
she is absolutely crazy!
She’s also mysterious
and unpredictable.” She
continues, “Madhur sir
doesn’t want you to come
with any preconceived
notions. He just wants
you to surrender to
him completely. For
XXX, we did a couple
of workshops. Ken is
into the technicalities
because he has been a
cinematographer before.”
MY CHARACHTER
IN CALENDAR GIRLS
IS MODERN BUT
AT THE SAME TIME
ROOTED TO HER
CULTURE... SOON
SHE STARTS SEEING
THE REALITIES OF
THIS INDUSTRY
With Madhur Bhandarkar on the set of Calendar Girls
she denies it. “Hmmm…
I don’t think so. Maybe
it takes references from
a liquor baron who
makes sexy calendars all
year round, but no, not
specifically Vijay Mallya.”
She says that the best
part about these two
movies is the fact that
her roles are completely
different. “Sharon Pinto
from Calendar Girls is this
young, free-spirited, happy
go lucky, yet a sorted girl
from Goa. She is modern
but at the same time rooted
he says all the
five girls in
Calendar Girls
bonded like a
house on fire
and had a blast. “We had
this great camaraderie
going on - everyone
believes that when you put
five girls in a group they
will have catfights and
tear each other’s hair. But
it is not like that! We’ve
become good friends.”
She insists she has a
lot of respect for co-stars
Indraneil Sengupta and
S
Rohit Roy. “Indraneil
has been a senior actor
in Bengal. I’ve seen
him in Srijit Mukherji’s
Autograph. I loved his
work. He’s a supportive
co-star. We shared a great
chemistry. Also, despite
being such a big star in
Bengal, he’s so humble.”
She reveals that Rohit Roy
is playing a photographer
inspired by real-life ace
lens-man Atul Kasbekar in
this film.”
Few know that she has
done the hit item number
Boochade boochade in the
2014 Telugu blockbuster
Race Gurram. “In the
South, they consider
dancing as the ultimate
thing! It’s hard work. You
need to rub a pain relief
balm after each shot,”
she laughs. “The hero
Allu Arjun would ask
me to sing it. I was quite
embarrassed!” She says
that she doesn’t mind
doing regional movies. “I
follow my heart. I’d love
to do anything that I feel
connected with.”
„
They are hot, they are cool.
Meet our trend makers and breakers
High Street
Appeal
DEEPIKA PADUKONE
IN ZARA
WHERE: AT A PRODUCT LAUNCH
THE X FACTOR: LAIDBACK CHARM
Deepika Padukone creates a perfect
monochromatic look in the graphic printed
skirt and top. The print-on-print look is
bang on. The blue strappy sandals add to
the perfection. She let the outfit do all the
talking by opting for a simple ponytail and
pink lips. The bell sleeves lend a vintage
vibe making it a flawless appearance.
COMPILED BY: HENAL BHAT T
PHOTOGRAPHS: VIRAL BHAYANI, YOGEN SHAH
Shoe du jour
Denim’s rule
4 hot trends this fortnight
Koovs.com
Backpacking Tales
Say goodbye to totes. Cute rucksacks have
stolen their place…
Koovs.com
Valentino Garavani
Women feel incomplete
without their bags.
And why not? We
e carry
our world in them
m. Our
pretty girls are op
pting
for stylish comfort over
just a trend. Backpacks
are chic again. And like
all things school girl, we
are in love with them
too. Take a cue
from Alia Bhatt,
Parineeti Chopra
a
and Aditi Rao Hyydari
on how to keep itt cool
yet fashionable. While
W
travelling or just going for
a movie, it has to
o be your
favourite compan
nion.
Parineeti
Chopra
Fendi
Alia
Bhatt
A backpack
doesn’t have to be
paired only with pants
or shorts. They are in
harmony with
feminine dresses and
skirts as well.
Dolce & Gabbana
Aditi Rao
Hydari
FASHION & BEAUTY
Colour Cluster
It’s time to get some colour in your wardrobe.
And then some more…
Colour blocking is one of the most irresistible
trends. Even Kalki Koechlin couldn’t be immune
to it. Whether mixing up jewel tones or opting for
classic combinations, it’s the best way to stay
g Take a cue…
chic this fortnight.
3
LOOK
2
PURPLE & YELLOW
LOOK
1
PINK & RED
LOOK
BLUE & GREEN
Elie Saab
Raoul
Emilio Pucci
Topshop.com
Givenchy
Aldo
Valentino
Saint Laurent
Zara
Kalki
Koechlin
Since the clothes and accessories
in bold colours will be doing the
talking, it will be a smart move to
kkeep jewellery minimal. Also, opt for
simple hair and muted make-up.
FASHION & BEAUTY
Double Denim
Divas love denim and it’s a trend that won’t die anytime soon. Read on…
Denim on denim has a
special place in the hearts
of our stars. Why not? It’s
casual and stylish from
the word go. Kangana
Ranaut in a denim shirt
and pants is love at first
sight. The brogues and
the tan sling bag are
lust worthy. Alia Bhatt
in a denim crop top and
distressed pants nails
the look to the T. The
black jacket adds spunk
to the look. Kriti Sanon
and Bipasha Basu opt
for the denim jacket and
pants combo. While Kriti
goes the classic blue way,
Bipasha keeps it trendy in
the faded ones.
Bipasha
Basu
A printed tee,
denim jacket and
distressed denims is a
great combo. It’s good
for travelling and
casually hanging
out too.
Kangana
Ranaut
Alia
Bhatt
KEEP IN MIND THE FOLLOWING
Š Opt for leather accessories to
Š Nude shoes will retain the
add an extra edge to the look.
Š You can also try denim skirts
or shorts instead of pants to
give it a more girly touch.
charm of the look while also
adding to the style factor.
Š It’s not just about jackets.
A well-fitted denim shirt is
your best option this season.
Š Choose patterns to mix
things up. A fun printed
jacket with the denim shirt
adds funk.
Kriti
Sanon
Alia
Bhatt
Kriti
Sanon
Deepika
Padukone
Aditi
Rao
Hydari
Richa
Chaddha
Metal Mania
It’s still the season for flat sandals and sneakers, of course with a little twist…
Sure we love our off-duty style and we love giving the pain inducing, sky-high heels a miss. And what
better way to jazz up an otherwise casual look than metallic shoes? Whether paired with a dress or just a tee and
denims, it’s a sure shot way to look glamorous. Note how our divas are doing it and join the bandwagon.
Saint Laurent
Valentino
Garavani
Topshop.com
Topshop.com
ON OUR
WISHLIST
Koovs.com
Michael Kors
FASHION & BEAUTY
Slit Up
SLIT
PANTS
Welcome slits this season in every way possible…
We are besotted with slits each time they make an appearance
on the red carpet. Now, they are enticing us in different forms.
Jacqueline Fernandez in the Sailex separates looks smashing. The slit pants
are a refreshing change from the usual palazzos. Kangana Ranaut leaves us
speechless in the checkered Reformation skirt and top. The front slit is
oh-so tantalising. The slit maxi top is embraced by Tamannaah Bhatia and she
pairs with blue denims. Could casual get any better? Even Richa Chaddha’s
front slit dress has us all go wow.
SLIT
SKIRT
SLIT
TOP
SLIT
DRESS
Jacqueline
Fernandez
Keep in mind
that front slits are
the flavour of the
fortnight. Whatever
your choice of outfit,
it’s the slit in the
front that counts.
Kangana
Ranaut
Tamannaah
Bhatia
Richa
Chaddha
FASHION & BEAUTY
Graphic Alert
Kangana
Ranaut
Jacqueline
Fernandez
Prints are en vogue and our glam
dolls love it…
Not that they ever went out of fashion but prints
are here to rule the roost. Only this time, they are
graphical. So go bold or go home. Whether it’s a
dress like the one worn by Kareena Kapoor Khan,
Kangana Ranaut and Dia Mirza or a jacket like
Jacqueline Fernandez’s, it’s all about having fun.
Alia Bhatt’s layered dress is fantastic too.
OUR
PICKS
Alia Bhatt
Kareena
Kapoor Khan
Dia Mirza
FASHION & BEAUTY
What’s Hot?
BOHO MEETS
SCHOOL GIRL
Kangana Ranaut in the
Pero outfit that comprises
a shirt and dress makes
for a perfect bohemian
look. But the Mary Jane
shoes and the sling bag
give it the school girl
twist. We adore.
These major trends have caught
our fancy. Check ’em out…
LEATHER & DENIM
GLAM NERD
The high-wasited skirt
and crop top combo is
fashionable. Add to it a
long jacket and it spells
glamour. But the round
glasses and sling bag
lend the nerd factor to the
beautiful Sonam Kapoor.
SEXY FORMALS
Go the sensual way
with your formals like
Lisa Haydon. The cape
sleeved vest and trousers
hit all the right notes.
We love!
Denim says casual and
leather screams badass.
Bring them together like
Shraddha Kapoor does
and it’s going to be
lethally sexy. The strappy
shoes add to the allure.
HOT
RIGHT
NOW
Kangana
Ranaut
Sonam
Kapoor
Lisa
Haydon
Shraddha
Kapoor
lifestyles of the fit
and the fabulous
HOME
ALONE
It’s been six months
since I’ve been away from
home shooting (Kapoor
& Sons) here in India.
Naturally, I feel homesick
and miss my wife Sadaf and
son Ayaan. When I’m home
in Pakistan, all I do is laze
around and play with my son.
I could spend days just lying
in bed and not step out.
A luxury for me, since I’m
away from my dear ones
most of the time.
Fawad Khan on why ‘family
time’ is fun
Gulshan Devaiah brings
out the chef in him
PHOTOGRAPH: PRASAD NAIK
FOOD
Cooking
up a
storm
Gulshan Devaiah explains his food mania
to Suman Sharma
PHOTOGRAPHS: MANASI SAWANT | STYLIST: ISHA BHANSALI | HAIR AND MAKE-UP: VIDHI SALECHA
G
DAD MADE GREAT ORANGE
BARFI... BUT HE USED TO HIDE
IT FROM ME. IT WAS A GAME
TO HUNT IT OUT
Shirt: 16stitches.com
Shorts: French Connection
Watch: Victorinox
ulshan
Devaiah
grew up in
Bangalore.
But his
parents are from the
hill station Coorg in
Karnataka, which is
close to the Kerala
border. Interestingly,
he grew up eating
South Indian food,
which carried flavours
of both the states. Add
to that his discovering
the spices of Bengal,
the aromas of biryanis
as his tryst with the
cuisine of Greece and
Turkey courtesy his
Greek wife Kalliroi
Tziafeta… and Gulshan
could not have had a
more plentiful palate…
FAVOURITE
EATERIES
GRASSHOPPER, BANGALORE
METRO PIZZA, KHAR
BHOJOHORI MANNA, OSHIWARA
HANGLA’S, ANDHERI
T-shirt: French Connection
Jacket and jeans: Zara
Watch: Victorinox
CHILDHOOD FLAVOURS
“My mother steamed the
softest idlis. I’d finish off
12-15 at a time. My father
is a good cook too. He
made yummy tamarind
rice, upma, poha, rawa
barfi, and halwa. The
coconut barfi infused
with orange essence
was his best. He used to
prepare it for birthdays or
anniversaries. He used to
hide the barfi, considering
how fast I finished it off
and it became a game of
sorts for me to hunt it out.
Also, he’d take me to this
sweetmeat shop called
Malleswaram in Bangalore
where they served gulkand
with butter. The taste is
unforgettable.”
He also misses his
mother’s homemade cakes.
“We used to have an old-
fashioned oven at home.
She’d bake some yummy
treats, especially on my
birthday. Once, she spent
the entire day icing the
cake on my fifth birthday.
She has rheumatoid
arthritis now due to which
she is bed-ridden most of
the time. She’s not able
to cook anymore and her
homemade cakes are a
thing of the past.”
MY WIFE
KALLIROI
MAKES LOVELY
MELITZANOPITA,
WHICH IS LIKE
BAINGAN BHARTA
BAKED IN PITA
BREAD
SOUTH INDIAN TALES
He learned cooking
from his parents and
remembers curling in
the perfect dosas when
he was 11. “I used to
make real big dosas. Dad
prepared the masala.”
He mentions that each
South Indian state has a
different take on the dosa.
Tamil Nadu dosas are
different from those made
FOOD
in Karnataka. The batter
of the dosas of Tamil
Nadu has more daal. In
Bangalore, dosa is made
in ghee. It’s crisp outside
and soft inside. I prefer the
Bangalore style. Even the
sambhar is different in all
the four states. In Mumbai,
you get dosas made in the
Tamil Nadu style. In North
Karnataka, you also have
bajra and nachni dosas. In
Mumbai, I love the South
Indian fare served at the
restaurant Banana Leaf.
The avial, appam, Kerala
paratha, tadka idli, mix
vegetable, Mannapuram
halwa – all are to die for.”
FAVOURITE
FOODS
Pizza is an
all-time
comfort
food
Lucknowi,
Kolkata
and
Hyderabadi
dum
biryani...
all are yum
Souvlaki is
a roll with
a yogurt
based dip
Jalebis
are an
all-season
treat
SWEET BENGAL
He digs Bengali cuisine
as well. “I learnt to
cook Bengali food from
a friend in theatre. He
underlined that each
dish need not include
all the spices available.
It’s a misconception that
Bengalis begin and end
their meals with seafood.
They have an amazing
vegetarian spread too.
They have adopted
Mughlai cuisine as well.”
He adds, “I love the
Kolkata style biryani. They
also make some dish from
banana flower. The best
Bengali meal I’ve enjoyed
was at Bhojohori Manna,
Kolkata. We had been
there in 2008 for Rajat
Kapoor’s adaptation of
Hamlet. They serve some
awesome Nolen Gurer
ice-cream, which is made
with jaggery.”
FOOD & FUN
The actor doesn’t believe
in following set recipes.
“A friend told me that
once he made chicken
in orange juice. I didn’t
have orange juice at home,
so I made it with apple
I LOVE THE AVIAL, APPAM, KERALA PARATHA,
TADKA IDLI AND MANNAPURAM HALWA SERVED AT
THE BANANA LEAF IN MUMBAI
juice, semi-fried it and it
turned out well. Whenever
we have a ‘potluck’ with
friends, I make mutton
curry, which I learnt from
Anurag Kashyap’s cook
Shrilal. He’s fab. In fact, he
outdid himself at Anurag’s
and Kalki’s (Koechlin)
reception. We overate
because the spread was
finger-licking delicious.”
He has a soft corner for
rice preparations. “I love
all types of biryanis…
Awadhi, Lucknowi,
Kolkatta and Hyderabadi
dum biryani. Making a
perfect biryani or pulav is
tough because you do not
know how the rice will
turn out. I love mutton
biryani the most but it’s
time-consuming.”
SPOUSE SE…
His wife Kalliroi loves
to cook up Greek dishes
when they have guests
over. “She makes lovely
Melitzanopita, which is
basically baingan bharta
baked in Pita bread. This
makes an interesting
dish with sea food, pasta
and cheese. Greece is
not far from Turkey, so
Greek cuisine has Turkish
influences too. One such
dish is Souvlaki. This is
a kind of street food. It’s
a wrap and roll in which
they put Cacik – a yogurt
based dip.”
His wife makes great
Greek salads too. “It’s
healthy food for the
fitness conscious like
us.” He loves Italian fare
but maintains it should
be only eaten in Italy.
“I had the best seafood
experience in Venice.
You come across shops
selling black pasta, which
is a mix of cuttlefish and
pasta. Huge pizza slices
are sold on the road and
one slice is enough to
satiate your cravings.”
STREET SMART
Back home, the couple
frequents Metro Pizza in
Khar. “They serve halfmetre pizza, one-metre
pizza, pasta and ravioli.”
He also loves Havana Café
and Bar in Colaba and
the Leaping Windows at
Yari Road and the ICH
(India Coffee House)
in Bangalore. “The ‘it’
place in Bangalore is the
Grasshopper Restaurant.
You cannot go there
without an appointment.”
He adds, “Chandni
Chowk in Delhi has the
best street food. I love
the Lucknow jalebis and
the kebabs at Tunday
Kababi.” Undeniably,
Gulshan is a foodie. But
he’s disciplined about his
daily menu. “I stick to
nachani and bajra bhakris
and vegetables for lunch.
For dinner, it’s mutton
kheema, chicken and
veggies.”
„
ADVERTORIAL
Raise a toast!
The new line of cocktails at Arola, JW Marriott, Juhu will make you want to hit the bar
The plush
seating at Arola
The well-stocked
bar at Arola
rola at the JW
Marriott Hotel
Mumbai, Juhu
celebrated its
third successful
year, and on the occasion,
two Michelin Star Chef
Sergi Arola launched a
new cocktail menu at
his signature Spanish
restaurant.
One of the finest
destinations for Spanish
fare in the city, Arola also
boasts of Mumbai’s largest
gin bar. An extensive
collection of gins from
the world over adorn the
ornate and classy bar. To
mark the third anniversary
of this swank space, Chef
Arola introduced a line of
unique cocktails. Aptly
titled the Arola Twisters,
these cocktails add a twist
to classic concoctions.
Each mix has a narrative,
along with master class
A
technique to boot, which
lends an individualistic
flavour and fervour to
each drink.
Elaborating on the
concept of this exciting
new carte du jour, Director
of Food & Beverage
Ritesh Choudhary says,
“The new cocktail menu
is a brilliant spin on
traditional concoctions.
We’ve experimented with
different techniques and
ingredients to create fun
and interesting cocktails,
which are sure to be a hit
with our guests.”
Each one of these
cocktails showcases
expert-level and
innovative techniques,
like infusing vodka with
the flavours of the fragrant
rosemary, bringing the
essence of jasmine tea to
gin and putting an Indian
spin with additions like
curry leaves to the
mix. These Twisters
use a variety of
ingredients right from
top-notch spirits and
single malts, to fruity
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elements of spice, that add
both flavour and theatre.
From the Arolagrini
to the Elderflower and
Lychee Collins to the
the Bliss and Panache,
The Arola
Twisters use
top-notch spirits,
single malts, fruity
and citrus bits
and even spice to
add flavour to the
cocktails
³(From left)
Arolagrini, Panache
and Bliss from the
new line of cocktails
the concoctions are an
eclectic mix of tradition
and modernity and
complement the wide
array of Spanish dishes
and the ambience of the
plush restaurant.
The heady cocktails,
the authentic cuisine
and the vibrant space
make Arola the perfect
destination to unwind and
experience the good life,
making sure you come
back for more. So hop
on over, raise your glass
and celebrate in true-blue
Spanish style.
„
what’s on their mind?
Oh Mary!
I’ve been a Kareena
Kapoor fan since ever. In the
song Mera naam Mary hai
(Brothers) I had to behave
as though I’m disinterested
in her. Just imagine, Kareena
is jumping on my lap and I
don’t react! I asked director
Karan Malhotra am I gay or
what? But Karan stayed true
to the script and didn’t allow
me any interaction with her.
Or else it would be fun to
throw lines at her. She comes
from a happy zone! She’s so
entertaining!
Sidharth Malhotra on his crush
Kareena Kapoor Khan
Saif Ali Khan is in a
happy state
Varun Dhawan promises
to surprise us more at
the movies pg
PHOTOGRAPH: ARJUN MARK
COVER STORY
Lov
i tio
As dramatically di
s of
tti are bound to
by their common passion for the movies. Catch them in a freewheeling conversation
Imra
PHOTOGRAPHS: PRASAD NAIK
Kangana Ranaut: STYLING: Ami Patel, assisted by: Sanjay Kumar Dauhaliya | HAIR: Haseena Shaikh | MAKE-UP: Shabana Latif
Imran Khan: STYLING: Harmeet Sethi & Neha Bhatnagar | HAIR: Ayesha D’vitri | MAKE-UP: Vicky Salvi
Kangana: Bodysuit: Addidas Originals by Mary Katrantzou | Shrug: Madison | Pumps: Christian Louboutin
Imran: Jacket and jeans: Ermenegildo Zegna
COVER STORY
o
l
a
W
IN
SHE’S THE HERO
LL
JITESH PI AAI
Crop top
il
ide
F HER LIFE.
FO
BE
EN
UT
UT EV
KANGANA RANA
SELLER THAT IS
ST
BE
E
TH
LS
VE
o
UNRA
rts: Papa Don't
and suspender sho
a | Cuff: Forever21
Preach by Shubhik
| Platforms: Ald
Bodysuit: Addidas Originals by Mary Katrantzou
Shorts: Abercrombie & Fitch
Pumps: Christian Louboutin | Ring: Forever21
mall starts precede big bashes. This holds true for Kangana
Ranaut. The heroine du jour. Her life is the stuff pulpy
paperbacks are made of. Her life is also the stuff that true-grit
stories are made of. She started from scratch and rose to the
top of the heap. Through the indignities heaped on her because
of her modest beginnings, her pahadi accent and some of the
r walk has always been on the wild side so it seems a lil’ incongruous
to expect her to aerosol the room with good intentions. I say let the mascara flow. She
started the fire. She started the bonfire. We are feeling the heat. With solid back to back
performances in Queen and Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Kangana Ranaut has showtownl’s
A-listers queuing up to sign her. Talk is that shel’s upped the ante and is reportedly asking
for a whopping 11 crores. Top heroines covet her roles and even SMS her directors
behind her back begging them to cast them free of cost. But such is Kangana’s clout that
people are willing to wait. At a time when she could have easily done Bajrangi Bhaijaan
and Sultan, which were offered to her, she chose to tread uncharted and dangerous
territories with Vishal Bhardwaj (Rangoon), Ketan Mehta (Rani Laxmibai) and Hansal
Mehta (Simran). Right now weeks away from her latest release Nikhil Advani's Katti Batti,
a romantic sortie on live-in relationships, I repair to her tastefully done up apartment.
A mix of Frida Kahlo and Parisian je ne sais quoi. I gulp down my coffee to ask:
Katti Batti advocates live-in
relationships. What is your take on it?
First, I’ll tell you the don’ts. People
rush into live-in relationships, more
so, if you’ve come from a small-town
and are enjoying the newly-acquired
freedom. I’ve burnt my fingers. But
you can’t move in with someone who
has ulterior motives. I’d like to warn
young girls out there... take your time
to know the person. Discuss it with
your parents. Just don’t move in with
anyone unless you know the person,
you know his past, his plans, his
workplace... Or else, you can get into
major problems. Your safety comes
first.
Where dos are concerned, it could
also prove beneficial. Imran’s (Khan)
experience with live-in relationships
has been fruitful. He spent a lot of
time with Avantika in the US and
then they ended up getting married.
But I got into trouble with someone.
People with criminal records,
psychological problems, dementia...
could prove dangerous. Initially, they
don’t show that side of themselves.
And when you move in, you can’t get
out. It becomes like a marriage. They
get to do anything. Like physical
abuse, spiking your food/drinks with
dangerous chemicals... It sounds
rosy and hunky dory but it’s not that
glossy out there. It’s good to have
your family by your side. You should
be with people you trust as opposed
to just jumping into something as
extreme as a live-in. In a marriage,
the families are involved and there’s
certain legality. Only if you’re sure
about someone and want to take the
relationship to the next level, then
opt for it.
So what would be the ideal scenario?
When two people are serious about
each other, when they know each
other’s backgrounds, then they can
opt to live-in. There should be no
hidden agenda. Someone may just
want to share an apartment with you
or he may want you to support his
expenses and is just misleading you.
If you’re naïve, people take you for
a ride. People will get their way, use
you for a while and then move on.
The exit route in a live-in relationship
is the biggest advantage. Isn’t it?
But what’s the need for a live-in?
People who’re not happy with
themselves, seek company and go for
a live-in. But I’m happy in my own
company. When you’re financially
independent and can take care of
yourself, you would rather be free
with no strings attached. For me
the next level wouldn’t be live-in;
it would be marriage. Men tend to
treat their girlfriends differently and
their wives differently. The door is
always open in a live-in. You always
feel unsure of your future. I’m not
comfortable with the concept.
Are men intimidated by your success?
Does it change the nature of the
relationship?
Yeah, because men can be obnoxious.
All of my relationships didn’t work
because the men were unable to
accept my ascent to this position.
The relationship was beautiful when
I was this upcoming girl. I believed
he would have appreciated me and
felt proud of my success because he
loved me when I was a nobody. But
the relationship came to a crushing
end. I’ve had a firsthand experience
of struggling with what everyone
thought I was and ‘his’ idea of who
I was. I was shocked to know his idea
of me. It’s hard to come to terms with
the truth that he doesn’t want you
e person...
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COVER STORY
to be successful. You have to give it
all up for him or you can’t have the
relationship. It’s sad.
competitor’. As opposed to someone
you’d like to take care of. So life
gets tough.
relationship. It’s hard to come to
terms with that loss of your time and
energy. It drives you insane.
Do you carry the baggage from one
relationship to another?
Failed relationships are not baggage.
I see the good part of my experience
no matter how hard it is to put an
end to one story and move on to the
other. I am a good loser. I have seen
myself fail relentlessly. But I still like
myself. People say, “Oh God! You’re
so much in love with yourself.”
But I’ve seen myself through the
worst. I’m a true hero, because of
the way I emerge like a phoenix. If
my relationships don’t work, the
beautiful thing is that I’m never left
bitter or pining or craving for that
man. Whereas I’ve seen women who
can’t get over it! It just takes me one
month to move on. And it would be
hard for these women to imagine the
kind of passion or madness that
Is it more difficult for the single or the
committed in the industry?
An overprotective boyfriend can
make life miserable. Being single
is far better. You can do your
own thing and you have no fear
of offending anyone. You’re not
answerable to anyone so you can
move around with freedom rather
than fear being clicked hugging
someone. You spend the whole night
fearing that the picture will appear
tomorrow and you will have to
explain yourself to your boyfriend.
So being single is far better.
Generally, who opts out of the
relationship first?
It’s always me who gets out. It’s true
that the guy has a different story that
doesn’t always match mine. He’s free
to have that story. I’m gonna have
mine. It’s about how crazy he can
drive you, fire you with questions
upon questions... He drives you mad
because he’s able to affect you. He’s
just trying to make you insecure so
that you go crazy and start running
away. That’s what I do. You need
to understand when it becomes all
about vengeance. There’s a difference
between teasing and being nasty and
obnoxious. When I see that side of a
lover... that he has a mean bone, it’s
over. Because I don’t have a mean
bone. I don’t make people insecure.
It’s a big put off. I get over with it.
Do you miss companionship in the
midst of all this?
No. I won’t sugarcoat anything. But
relationships are demanding. Most
times, I'm mothering the guy and
elf fail. But
I am a good loser. I have seen mys
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bitter or pining or craving for that man...
I experience when in love. But when
I have to let go, I let go like a true
Sufi. (Laughs) I tell women that if
you believe a man can destroy you,
you’ve got to know my story. I’ve
evolved. I carry that story in my heart
even if it is tragic. It’s beautiful, right?
Generally, the more successful
an actress, the more troubled her
personal life. Is this a curse of the
industry?
It was easier dating when I was
younger. There were more options
and you wouldn’t mind dating
someone even superficially. But
now when you turn intense, you
turn 28 and you become a star, the
options get limited. The men who
loved you, who admired you, now
suddenly want to compete with you.
They become your contemporaries
and you wonder, ‘Oh he’s now my
babysitting him. It's like handling a
grown-up baby.
Was your scientist boyfriend also
the same?
No. He didn’t live in Mumbai. Also,
he was self sufficient and could take
care of himself. Other guys were so
incapable - they needed to be taken
care of, needed to be styled, needed
to be babied. What do you wear,
what did you eat... oh God it’s a pain.
Between my profession, I’d have
to run to make breakfast or attend
that call to explain every move of
mine or why I’m wearing shorts.
Everytime I’m in a relationship, I
hope that when I’m old this man will
be by my side. But in six months
the relationship is in doldrums and
you’re like ‘shit’. If I’d given that
time to my directors it would have
proved better than investing in the
How do women react to you? Why
can’t actors be friends?
I’m an unusual person. At my age
I talk about intense stuff. My friends
are painters, poets and scientists.
I can’t be friends with people of
a lower IQ than mine. They are
busy with the iPad playing games
and I can’t do that. I’m happy
not being part of the regular girl
brigade, who talk about lipsticks
and designer bags. I like people who
can contribute to my perspective
and understanding of life. I can’t
sit around for two hours talking
about others’ lives. I value time and
if I waste those two hours I’d feel
guilty. I’d rather talk about how you
ferment wine or which new planet
has been discovered. I like people
who have depth. Even if it’s gossip, I
like intelligent gossip. I like to know
who’s attracted to whom and what
Gown: Kristy De Cunha
Sandals: Christian Louboutin
With Imran Khan in Katti Batti
When you’re living alone as a teeninagger,
you can get raped, killed... roamfrom
around at 3 am, getting drun k...
one rave party to another
are the possibilities of them dating,
as opposed to mindless gossip. I like
to know the undercurrent of sexual
energy. But generally, women are
not obnoxious to me. Also because
I don’t come in anyone’s way. I’m
not fighting for the roles they’re
fighting for. But there are some who
feel unnecessarily threatened. It
stems from their own insecurities.
Sometimes, I wish I had some
competition from the women.
So you don’t regard any of the
actresses as competition?
No, not at all. Name one actress who
could have played Datto or done
Queen. Who would wear a fake
nose and put bruises on her face
and play a Chambal ki bandit what
I did in Revolver Rani ? There’s no
one running parallel with you when
you have been offered a Jhansi Ki
Rani or Simran? I have tremendous
respect for women but everyone has
their own brand value. Like Katrina
Kaif comes with her own glamour
quotient, a certain energy that I can’t
ever have.
Do you intimidate the boys as well?
You’ve written your own screenplay
(Queen) as well...
Oh yeah. I like the spirit of
competition. I like to compete with
people who are my parallels. I like to
compete with Ranbir Kapoor. I like
him. He would give it back to me in
terms of work and I’d give it back to
him. Aamir Khan keeps asking me
when we are working together. I like
people who have fire in their belly,
who explode with creativity and
bring a tense energy on the set.
Do people in the industry take you
more seriously?
People never bothered me. But
I believe, more people have faith
in me now. To be in a place where
you’re not replaceable, is a good
feeling. I can go for a holiday without
fearing that ‘ussne ussko message/
phone kar diya’. People show me
messages of these top actresses
who’re willing to work in the film
for free. If you’re ready to pay me
and not take her for free then I must
have something in me. It’s nice to be
in such a place Otherwise this is a
horrible place to be in.
Do you feel resentment because as an
outsider your journey was not easy?
The young age at which I started
partly helped. Given what I am
today, I’d have never stepped out
of my house. When you’re living
alone as a teenager, you can get
raped, killed, roaming around at 3
am, getting drunk with your friends.
You have no money, you’re meeting
strangers. You’re like a gypsy. You’ve
been to a rave party and from there
you’re going to another party and
from there you are in some other
place and then you’re in a different
city altogether. Then you decide
to become an actress and then you
decide not to be an actress and then
you leave the town. But now at 28,
I think, ‘Kitni baarish ho rahi hai.
I shouldn't go out.’ I get terrified of
stepping out of my house. Every
time I board a flight, I think about
air crash. Every time I drive on the
road, I think about accidents. I’m so
scared now. When I was 17, I was an
unstoppable force.
Do you miss that feeling of abandon?
I do. Now, I do not even have the
time to heal my bruises. My parents
said ki tumko modelling karni hai
toh graduation ke baad kar lo. But
you don’t give a damn. You don’t
think about the day beyond. I started
off in the film industry with nothing.
I just came in from somewhere. At
some point, I got serious about it. It’s
like when you’re in a relationship,
you start on a flirty note ki thodi
masti karke nikal jaoongi. But
then you get hooked onto it. You
fall in love. My affair with films is
something like that... when I fell in
love, I fell hard for it.
Do you still look for approval?
I seek the approval of those who
I admire. People like Mr Amitabh
Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Ranbir
Kapoor and Naseeruddin Shah. It
gives you a new and interesting
perspective. It can get intoxicating.
It spikes your adrenaline when you
start a trend in the country with your
performances, when everyone is
talking about you. It’s not to say that
the snakes of vanity do not crawl in
my veins. You have to be aware that
you are living out an illusion. To
believe you are outside the forces of
nature is also stupidity. But you can
get swollen headed, you can go off
track. So watch that!
„
COVER STORY
e
s
i
r
u
s
e
Bef o
He love
vels
huvendra Singh unra
hb
as
Fl
e
th
s
te
ha
t
bu
era
Imran Khan
but reluctant star –
the passionate actor
mran Khan believes there’s a measured difference
between the personality he projects on camera and
the one he possesses in real life. While the contrast
isn’t as dramatic as Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, the old
school charm in Imran’s thoughts and disposition
sets him apart. He confides that he’s not competing
with his contemporaries. And that’s one of the main
reas
uld afford to take a hiatus from the spotlight and recede into
the domestic challenges of being a father and husband. He’s just cut from a
very different cloth. And he’s totally cool being the odd one out. It’s not like he
doesn’t care. It’s just not part of his DNA to panic about stardom and success.
Excerpts from a candid chat...
How are your mornings different now
that you are a father?
Generally, I wake up at the same
time as Imara between 8 am and 8.30
am. If I’m shooting then I leave the
house before she wakes up. On days
when I am not shooting, I wake up
with Imara, change her diaper and
help feed her. Avantika (wife) and I
do it together. Imara is a year old. I
was ecstatic when she said ‘Papa’ for
the first time.
Who’s your inspiration considering
you’re such a hands-on father?
I love my family and hold it in
high regard. But I've never thought
of being a father like my own. My
parents were divorced (Nuzhat Khan
and Anil Pal) when I was about oneand-a-half-year-old, which Imara is
now. My father was not there while
I was growing up. I only got to know
him much later when I was around
seven-eight.
Did you miss not having your father
around as a child?
I didn’t know the difference. Jo hai
nahin, ussko miss kya karna? For
the first few years of my life, my
mother brought me up. Then later on
I met my dad and got to know him.
Now we share a proper relationship.
We are very close now. He comes
down from the USA when my films
are about to release. He stays in our
house. He came down when Imara
was born. Even though my parents
separated, they are mature, forwardthinking people. Their priority
was to make sure I was okay. They
made it a point to never fight or yell
at each other in front of me. They
regard each other with respect. When
my father visits India, he stays in our
house. Whenever we visit America,
we live in his. He makes sure that we
don’t stay in a hotel.
Katti Batti has come after a long gap.
What made you say yes to the film?
I had signed Katti Batti towards the
end of 2013. That was just about
four-five weeks after we found out
that Avantika was pregnant. We
would have started shooting in June,
the month when Imara was due. I
requested director Nikhil Advani to
delay the shoot as that period was
crucial. Nikhil was accommodating
and he agreed. Those would have
been stressful months for Avantika.
Had I been shooting then, she would
have felt abandoned. So we began
shooting the following October.
You come across as an ‘ideal
husband’…
I have always maintained since
Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na that
whenever I have children, I’d take a
break from working because ours is
not a Monday to Friday job. There
are no government holidays either.
I was clear that I’d be supportive of
my wife. Also, I wanted to savour
the experience because it’s my child
too. How can I not be there when
the baby takes her first step or utters
her first word? Hits and flops will
keep happening but such moments
come about only once. I have
videographed these special moments
with Imara.
Apparently, Aamir Khan cried after
watching Katti Batti…
Yes, he was in tears. Aamir is
an emotional viewer. He cried
after watching Bajrangi Bhaijaan
too. It’s strange coming from
someone, who has an analytical
mind. When he watches a film,
he reacts emotionally. He doesn’t
intellectualise things like the shot
or the continuity. If it touches your
heart, it’s a good film. People tend
to watch a film in a technical way –
they dwell on the cinematography,
editing... Suddenly, everyone
becomes a film scholar. That’s sad.
You lose the beauty of a film. When
you watch a film, you want to laugh,
cry and feel the thrill. I’m happy that
despite working in the movies, I’m
still able to experience a film like an
audience.
When was the last time you cried in
the theatre?
While watching Bajrangi Bhaijaan
I cried a lot. It touched me
somewhere because now I have a
daughter. I kept seeing Imara in that
little girl (Harshaali Malhotra). Just
per
pa
ll
wa
l
fu
ti
au
be
th
wi
s
ll
wa
ur
yo
n
or
ad
You may
ent to
m
ce
d
an
ks
ic
br
th
wi
it
y
if
rt
fo
to
ed
ne
u
but yo
riage
keep out the rain. The same applies to mar
COVER STORY
as the girl loves lambs, my daughter
is crazy about cats. Jahan billi dekhi,
usske pechhe, meow-meow karke
she runs. The girl in Bajrangi goes
to help the lamb; her mother is
sleeping… aur train nikal jaati hai.
That fear can make your heart turn
to ice and crumble in your chest –
Oh God! What if this happened to
my daughter! It’s terrifying. Half of
the film I spent covering my face
because I didn’t want to watch the
sadness. I kept crying. Imara has
made me an emotional viewer.
Coming back to Katti Batti, how’s
Kangana Ranaut as a co-star?
Kangana is an interesting actor given
the level of thought and care she
invests in crafting her character –
to the point where I say, “Itna bhi
kya prepare karoge?’ But acting is
a personal process. Even Aamir
is to do workshops and rehearsals,
very often in a space that’s not the
same as the script. Suppose you
want to portray an outgoing guy
who charms men and women. You
change your body language. I spend
my time developing characteristics
of that character, understanding his
emotional journey, his wants and
needs. Like Maddy in Katti Batti
wants Payal back and he also needs
her. So I create a mental tool box
from which I can draw while acting.
But she doesn’t believe in too much
of rehearsal. That puts a restriction
of sorts. She has it set in her head
and she is ready for the take. But I
would rehearse in five different ways
and finally do it in the sixth.
So was the chemistry difficult to
come by?
Opposites attract yaar.
even seemed like her career was over.
Once you have a string of flops, an
actress who has no film background
doesn’t always get a second chance.
But she returned and how. It’s easy to
dance opposite a top star and become
an A-list actor. That is the route to
stardom for many. For Kangana to
refuse to do so and to realise that she
doesn’t fit into the traditional mould
is wonderful. To do a film like Queen
and then brave, bold and out-of-thebox choices is great.
Does Avantika feel insecure when you
romance beautiful women on screen?
Never! When I murder someone in
a film, my mother doesn’t feel bad
either. It’s all make-believe. When
you have been together for as many
years, you enjoy a certain level of
comfort and confidence. Insecurity
comes in when someone gives you
pens,
s,
al
rn
jou
g
bi
th
wi
up
ow
sh
d
ul
wo
a
an
ng
Ka
he’d be in that
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pe
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st
e
sh
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om
m
e
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om
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th
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process is different
doesn’t go to the level she does.
Actually, that’s just his image. I have
shot with him only once - a promo
for Delhi Belly. I expected him to be
rigid, studied, precise... But when
the camera rolls, he’s so alive and
free flowing and organic. He’s like
water that fills every gap. You’ve got
to be ready because he can reach any
level. It’s like playing table tennis,
badminton and tennis at the same
time with him.
Kangana, on the other hand,
would show up with big journals,
pens, newspaper clippings, videos…
There would be books filled with
notes, depending on what kind
of scene was being shot. She’d be
in that mind space right from the
moment she stepped out of the car.
It was tricky sometimes because
my process is different. My process
Did you feel threatened by an actor of
Kangana’s calibre?
No. If you have faith in yourself as an
actor then you don’t feel threatened.
Small actors feel threatened. Small,
not in terms of stardom but selfworth. If you feel threatened by
an actor then you’ll never be able
to work. Then you would want to
hire junior artistes in the film. The
better the actor in front of you, the
better your work turns out. When
I do a scene with good a actor, my
performance enhances. When I do a
scene with a bad actor my act falls.
What do you admire about Kangana?
Look at her past. Look where she
came from and look where she’s
reached. She ran away from home,
did modelling and then went on to
do films. Somewhere in between it
cause for insecurity. That’s never
been the case with us.
What is the most romantic thing you
have done for her?
I don’t believe in romance. Romance
is all nice when you’re wooing a girl.
Once it’s been 13-14 years… then
flowers or roses make no difference.
You may adorn your walls with
beautiful wallpaper but you need
to fortify it with bricks and cement
to keep out the rain. There is no
glamour or beauty in that. But it
keeps rain out of the house. The
same applies in a relationship. How
long will it be about ‘baby’, roses,
candles… we’ve been together for
about 13 years, we have passed that
phase. At this point what we need
is a sense of security, a certain ease
where you know that when things
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are difficult, that person will be
there for you in a way that other
people won't. So at this point the
idea of romance seems like ‘acting’.
After being together day and night,
if in the evening I say, ‘Chalo mein
tumhein dinner ke liye le jaata
hoon,’ it will sound foolish. How
can you be so formal with your best
friend? When you initially meet a
girl you draw out the chair for her,
you open the door for her. But if
I start doing this with Avantika now
she will look at me suspiciously!
Given your straightforwardness, do
you sometimes feel like a misfit in
the industry?
Yes, I’m a misfit here. I’m not
built for fame. You might ask then
why do you act. Everyone likes to
eat but nobody wants to be fat. I
like to act but I don’t want fame.
Most actors enjoy being centre of
the attention. Whether in a room,
in a party, at someone’s home…
they want ki sab mujhe dekhein.
Baatein main karoonga, main sabko
hasaoonga, main dance karoonga, I
will entertain everyone. But I like to
listen to people. I don’t like people
looking at me when I walk into a
room. I want to sit quietly. I like to
observe people, which helps my
craft. But when you are trying to be
the centre of attention then you’re
only feeling good about yourself.
You’re not learning anything. My
onscreen persona is different from
my off-screen persona. On screen,
it’s crafted, it’s created. Once the
camera is off, there’s a measured
difference.
„
INTERVIEW
HAPPY
DAYS
SAIF ALI KHAN HAS HIT A BLISSFUL CURVE IN HIS CAREER AND LIFE.
SUMAN SHARMA IS SWEPT OVER BY HIS COOL CHARM
aif Ali Khan seems to
have finally heeded to
wife Kareena Kapoor
Khan’s advice. Well, he’s
gone back to following
his heart where his choice of films
is concerned. Putting behind the
debacle of Humshakals and Happy
Ending, he’s now moved into the
territory he’s comfortable with. Right
now he has hotshot director Kabir
Khan’s political thriller Phantom
coming up. Produced by Sajid
Nadiadwala and Siddharth Roy
Kapur, it pairs Saif with Katrina
Kaif. They both play secret agents in
this film about the 26/11 attacks in
Mumbai and global terrorism on the
whole. The screenplay of the film
has been written in co-ordination
with author Hussain Zaidi, which
is an adaptation of his book
Mumbai Avengers.
He’s all praise for director Kabir
Khan, the man of the moment – his
Bajrangi Bhaijaan being a multicrore whopper. “No director can
showcase the ruggedness of India’s
S
Saif Ali Khan with Katrina Kaif in Phantom
I DO GET CRANKY, THINGS IRRITATE ME.
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I FEEL UNGRATEFUL,
UNSATISFIED WITH LIFE. BUT ONE TRIP TO
THE GYM AND IT ALL SETTLES DOWN
PHOTOGRAPHS: DABBOO RATNANI
INTERVIEW
landscape like Kabir. The manner in
which he has shot the Himalayas is
brilliant.”
patch in the ’90s and takes a dig at
himself saying, “I did some silly
roles. I believe my mother (Sharmila
Tagore) did better roles than me in
her era.” He’s moved way beyond
fluffy romances like Hum Tum and
Salaam Namaste. “At this stage
I can’t be confused about love
any more. The roles should match
my age.”
Coming to love, well, he’s found
love and much more in Kareena.
he film boasts of stylised
action and Saif took it
head on. “Action can be
exhausting. You need to
look after your skin since
you shoot in harsh conditions,” he
smiles. “We don’t use duplicates
often. It’s difficult to find them. I’d
often get hurt but that’s the fun.
It’s fraught with risk. Like if the
cable breaks, the actor will die for
sure.” He then jokes betraying his
inimitable humour, “Agar main
mar gaya, I’ve a hefty life insurance
policy. My children Sara and
Ibrahim, will get lots of money,
land, houses and watches. I know
they won’t be happy but they will
surely make some money.” On a
serious note he says, “Actually, my
first thought is selfish. No! I don’t
want to die.” He has enjoyed an
easy working equation with Katrina.
“The way Katrina has managed
her career is impressive. She’d be
clicking pictures on her iPhone and
doing creative things on Photoshop
on the set. From the young girl
in Race to becoming one of the
biggest stars of the country, she’s
been a revelation. She’s a relaxed
person, someone you enjoy
talking to and working with.”
Saif has also bagged Vishal
Bhardwaj’s Rangoon, apparently
a Casablanca-like love triangle set
against the backdrop of World War
II. The film also stars Kangana
Ranaut and Shahid Kapoor. He
confides that he gets attached to
the cast and crew he works with
but says he doesn’t carry the
characters home. “No, I don’t
wander around like a commando
or Langda Tyagi (his infamous
character in Omkara).” He
denies facing frustration given
the dearth of suitable roles. “I
can produce films under my
banner (Illuminati Films). I
want to make a small poetic
With wife Kareena
film within a good budget
Kapoor Khan
with a beautiful story.” He
looks back to his not-so-good
T
KAREENA AND I ARE
FIRST FRIENDS. SHE’S
BROUGHT HAPPINESS
IN MY LIFE. SHE’S
A PHENOMENALLY
UNDERSTANDING WIFE.
SHE’S EASY TO LIVE
WITH IT
“First and foremost we are friends.
She’s brought happiness in my
life. Kareena’s a phenomenally
understanding wife. She’s easy
to live with it,” he says. “We are
normal people. My parents believed
that there’s life beyond films. I
cherish the values I received from
them. Dad (the late Mansoor Ali
Khan Pataudi) was down-to-earth
and so is mom. No showing off for
them. I try to be down-to-earth like
them.” He elaborates, “Once in a
while attending a filmi party is fine.
It’s nice meeting young people, who
are doing great work and are also
fitness conscious. But you should
also interact with people for whom
it doesn’t matter how successful
you are. They love you for who you
are. It’s important to meet normal
people, talk about normal things,
about art, literature, travel. That’s
the real world. Doing films is a job.
But it can become an obsession also.
So maintaining a certain distance
is important. That’s why we don’t
discuss films at home,” he shares.
Interestingly, Kareena has brought
the true-blue royal closer to Hindi
cinema. “As a kid I never watched
Hindi films. They were all
so emotional. My mother
(Sharmila Tagore) too would
be crying in her films. Now,
I do watch the good ones.
I found Bajrangi Bhaijaan
amazing.” His outings
with Kareena, Tashan and
Kurbaan, didn’t do well. But
he’s not closed to the idea
of them working together.
“Somebody had offered us
a film where I had a negative
role. I had to beat her up.
Naturally, I refused,” he laughs.
He’s enjoying a great equation
with his teenage children –
daughter Sara and son Inbrahim.
“They are wonderful kids. They
make it easy for me. They
could be difficult,” he says. “I
am a protective father but not
ridiculously so. Some actors
say they are possessive about
their daughters. I am not crazily
possessive about Sara,” he
says adding with a smile, “I like
her boyfriend!”
The ‘daddy cool’ has no qualms
about Sara joining films. “Sara is
now a young lady. She’ll have a great
university degree by next year. She’s
always been wise beyond her years.
She’s interested in acting.
I believe it’s a great profession. It’s
a great world. Everything I have
earned is from films. I’ve been
around the world, stayed at amazing
hotels all because of the movies. But
it would also be nice to have a stable
job with normal timings.
I wish more security for Sara.”
He wears his nawabi lineage
lightly. “Aristocracy should be about
niceness not about dominating
people.” He goes on to describe
himself. “I’m a mix. On a bad day,
SOME ACTORS SAY THAT THEY ARE
POSSESSIVE ABOUT THEIR DAUGHTERS. I AM
NOT CRAZILY POSSESSIVE ABOUT SARA.
I LIKE HER BOYFRIEND!
I show some negative traits, on a
good day some wonderful ones. It
varies from being good to quiet good
to very good,” he grins. “I guess
it’s all due to chemical imbalance.
Sometimes I get cranky, things
irritate me. There are times when I
feel ungrateful, unsatisfied with life.
But one trip to the gym and it all
settles down.
“It’s about maintaining a healthy
lifestyle. I guess people who drink
too much and don’t sleep well have
bad moods.” With the happy zone
he’s in, life’s skirmishes don’t
seem to bother him. Case in point
is the property dispute the family
is facing regards the ancestral
property in Bhopal. “It’s too
complicated. I am not interested
in it. There are about 10 cases and
there are a 100 people involved
claiming all kind of things for the
last 100 years from the last nawab,”
he says adding, “I guess I’ll make
more money if I do a film.”
„
INTERVIEW
Hit
parade
VARUN DHAWAN TAKES ON ANURADHA CHOUDHARY’S
SERIOUS AND NOT - SO - SERIOUS QUESTIONS WITH PANACHE
Nothing turns heads like an actor who’s big at the box-office. Varun Dhawan is turning a
lot of heads these days. This is what happens when you have a string of hits. All his five
films have done decently at the box-office. Badlapur brought in critical acclaim and his
last one ABCD2 got the whopping numbers at ticket windows. Clued in showbiz types,
noticed him in his debut movie Student Of The Year. And they predicted big things for
him. Well, he’s proved them right. But Varun isn’t the one to rest on his laurels. Most
actors celebrate their success by popping champagne, Varun on the other hand is on
the look out for yet another challenging role. If his upcoming movies are any indication,
his career trajectory is set to take a steep upward turn. At least that’s what the pundits
claim. And they know best, don’t they? In a freewheeling conversation, the actor talks
about what it means to be Varun Dhawan at this point in time. Read on...
PHOTOGRAPHS: ERRIKOS ANDREOU | STYLING: ANTARA MOTIWALA AND SHEHLA KHAN | HAIR: SHEFALI @ BBLUNT | MAKE-UP: SHRIKRISHNA SARVADE
INTERVIEW
T
he recent
Filmfare poll
listed you
as the next
superstar.
Ya. And I’m truly grateful
for it. But I believe it’s the
women who’re rocking it
right now. There’s been
talk on pay equality and
the fact that it cannot
happen in India because
it’s a male chauvinist
country. But with Kangana
Ranaut’s and Deepika
Padukone’s performances
this year, we aren’t far
away from that. Kangana
and Deepika are leading
that change. And it’s not
just about performance.
You have to back it up
with business. And they
have done that. The trend
started last year with films
like Highway, Queen and
Finding Fanny and NH-10
this year.
What have you learnt
about yourself as an actor?
Are you a method actor or
a spontaneous one?
I’m an emotional actor.
I don’t want to get into this
method and spontaneity
debate. For most actors
there are only two rules.
But there’s a third one
where you actually
become the character. And
you cannot do that unless
you have the method
and the spontaneity. In
Badlapur, there’s very
little of Varun Dhawan.
I became a different
person. That’s because I
could merge both method
and spontaneity.
How important is a co-star
for you to give off your
best?
Most important. When
I got into Badlapur, we
sat on the casting for
two-three months. All
of us Yami (Gautam),
Huma (Qureshi),
Nawazuddin (Siddiqui)
and I sat together and
discussed our characters.
I was dying to work with
Nawaz. He was one of
themain reasons I did the
film. I said get Nawaz and
I’ll do it. I am fortunate
to have worked with
such a fine talent. Also,
remember the film is
bigger than the actors.
You always knew you’d
reach here. Where did this
confidence come from?
Call it intuition. Call
it spirituality. Call it
vision. I’ve still not
reached where I want
to. There’s a long way
to go. Anything can go
wrong and anything can
go right too. I just knew
that if I wanted to achieve
something, I could do it.
If Usain Bolt can run the
100 metres so fast, why
can’t I? When people
speak about nepotism
preventing success,
I see it as an excuse. You
have to work hard to
get somewhere. Look at
Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
He was a watchman. His
is the most inspiring story.
For all the actors who are
reading this, you should
hear Nawaz’s story, hear
Amitabh Bachchan’s story,
thrillers like the TV series
Dexter and films like the
American Psycho. So
I’ve just done something
I’ve always wanted to do.
People here say they want
to do dark films but dark
ko haath bhi nahin lagate
hum. If I do dark cinema
again, it will have to be as
stark as Badlapur or even
more.
Your thoughts on Dilwale.
Dilwale is one film I’m not
stressed about. I have zero
stress. It has blockbuster
written all over it.
Doesn’t it say something
about your talent that
you’ve been picked up
to fill Salman Khan’s and
Hrithik Roshan’s shoes in
Shuddhi?
It says something. Yes.
But I have to prove that
‘something’ now. When
you do something, there’s
good and bad said about
you. The people who say
well are your die-hard
supporters. I have to live
up to their expectations.
So that they don’t look like
fools because of the person
they’re vouching for.
Shah Rukh Khan’s story,
Akshay Kumar’s story,
Sidharth Malhotra’s story.
If they can do it why
can’t you? This nepotism
thing has been pushed so
much by the media that
unfortunately youngsters
have started believing that
if your father or brother
doesn’t belong to the
industry you can’t make
it. It becomes a deterrent.
That’s wrong.
Would you ever do a hardhitting movie like Badlapur
again?
I won’t be doing anything
like that any time soon.
ABCD2 was a happy
film. Dishoom is also a
happy go lucky film. My
brother’s (Rohit Dhawan)
film belongs to a different
genre. Badlapur has put
me on the map. I had
always wanted to do
dark movies. I enjoyed
EVERY TIME
ALIA, SIDHARTH
AND I COME
TOGETHER,
PEOPLE EXPECT
US TO BREAK
IN THE DISCO
DEEWANE
DANCE
You’re always be pitted
against your Student Of
The Year (SOTY) co-star
Sidharth Malhotra…
That is a media thing. I’ve
delinked myself from the
whole thing. In fact I find
it boring now. Every time
we three come together,
people expect us to break
into the Disco deewane
dance. SOTY did a lot for
us and I can never thank
Karan (Johar) enough for
putting the three of us out
there. But all three of us
have the talent and the
intelligence to branch out
individually. That’s exactly
what’s happening.
INTERVIEW
RAPID FIRE
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING
MOST — DANCE, ROMANCE
OR ACTION?
Comedy. I enjoy it.
WHAT’S THE ONE ADVICE
YOUR FATHER DAVID
DHAWAN HAS GIVEN YOU?
He always says, “Do every
shot like it’s your last shot!”
ONE THING YOU’VE BEEN
MEANING TO DO BUT
HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO…
Take a holiday. I need that.
But I don’t have the time. The
last holiday I took was twothree years ago.
ONE ACTOR WHO HAS
SURPRISED YOU?
Kangana Ranaut. She’s
amazing. She has surprised
everyone.
WHAT TEMPTS YOU?
Pizzas and vanilla ice
cream. Two things I haven’t
eaten in a while.
WHAT TURNS YOU ON?
Nice legs.
WHAT TURNS YOU OFF?
Bitchiness.
What’s the one good thing
and one bad thing about
your co-stars Alia Bhatt and
Shraddha Kapoor?
The one good thing about
them is that they both
want to work with me.
Also they are both good
singers. The bad thing is
they think they’re better
singers than me.
How difficult was it doing
romantic scenes in ABCD2
with Shraddha Kapoor
who’s your childhood
friend?
Not really. When I’m
doing a film, I become that
character and shut out
all the other noise. You
have to get the work done
because there’s so much
money riding on it. We
would have light moments
but we were helping each
other otherwise.
Whom would you date,
marry or kill between
Deepika Padukone,
Shraddha Kapoor and
Priyanka Chopra?
I’d marry Shraddha
because we gel well
together. It would be fun
to date Priyanka. And I’ll
kill Deepika. (Winks) She’s
dating Ranveer so might as
well kill her.
Whose dancing skills get
you envious?
Prabhudheva! I just can’t
compete with him.
What’s the one hardship
you’ve overcome?
I broke my nose during the
shooting of SOTY. I got a
corrective surgery done.
I came back and did the
Disco Deewane song.
The financial aspect ,
the pay structure, the
marketing structure. The
censorship issues. Ticket
pricing. Entertainment
taxes. There are so many
issues that need fixing.
What’s the one regret you
have?
I’ve made many mistakes.
But my one regret is
I haven’t concentrated on
my health and wellness.
I hope to correct it.
How do you turn down
a film?
My dad and brother Rohit
are directors. So I know
what it’s like to latkao
someone. I say it honestly
that I don’t want to do this
film. Of course, it’s never
easy to say no.
What’s the funniest
rumour you’ve heard about
yourself?
I read somewhere that
I have a child. I was like
where did this come from.
Luckily for me, no one
believed it.
What would you like to
change about the industry?
With Shraddha Kapoor in ABCD2
I’D MARRY SHRADDHA BECAUSE
WE GEL WELL TOGETHER. ALSO, IT
WOULD BE FUN TO DATE PRIYANKA.
AND I’LL KILL DEEPIKA. SHE’S
DATING RANVEER SO MIGHT AS
WELL KILL HER
Has anyone ever called
your bluff?
Karan (Johar) always calls
my bluff. He knows when
I’m lying. I can never lie
to him.
What’s the best
compliment your brother
Rohit has given you?
He said Badlapur was
my most consistent and
best performance to date.
He also says don’t worry
about success. And his
advice is don’t get too big
for your boots.
Finally, what else do you
want at this point?
I want to do another
film with my father. My
brother’s film is special to
me. It’s an amazing script.
I’m looking to crack it. I
want to work with new
age directors like Shoojit
Sircar, Aanand L Rai,
Anurag Basu, Imtiaz
Ali…. I want to work
with my co-star Yami
Gautam again. I definitely
want to work with Remo
(Fernandes) sir again.
It’s been an enriching
experience. I’m also
working with Shashank
(Khaitan, Humpty Sharma
Ki Dulhania) for sure. This
is just the beginning.
„
INTERVIEW
Woman’s
room
Dia Mirza on making movies and babies… Henal Bhatt appreciates the
actor/producer’s desire to live life as she dreams it
S
he’s moving well with the times. Even though she made her first impression in showbiz more than
a decade ago, she’s continued to reinvent and push the proverbial envelope. The latest has been a
turn towards film production. And Dia Mirza, the producer, is just at home behind the scenes as she
was in front of the camera. But the new duties of making films hasn’t stolen time from her personal
life. She continues to enjoy a blissful romance with better half and producer Sahil Sangha. Dia is
literally living the best of both the worlds. Excerpts from a candid chat…
How’s married life treating you?
Sahil (Sangha) and I’d been together
for six years before we got married.
So nothing much has changed. The
only thing that has is that people
treat you as a couple – there’s a lot
of care, joy and celebration. I’m
still going through the honeymoon
phase. I’ve a bigger family now and
it can be overwhelming at times.
But it’s lovely.
Romance and marriage are
different ballgame. How do you
keep monotony away from your
relationship?
The word ‘monotony’ sounds scary.
If you are two enthused individuals,
who are constantly growing and
aspiring to widen your horizons,
there’s enough that you can share
and learn from one another. I’m
blessed to be with a partner who
never allows monotony to creep in.
Also, I’m constantly growing and
PHOTOGRAPHS: ROHAN SHRESTHA
curious. So there’s enough I bring
back home to keep us entertained.
Relationships are believed to be
fickle in showbiz. What’s your
take on that?
This is a misconception. There
are enough relationships that have
been tried and tested by time and
have survived. Even the young
generation seems to be in fairly
grounded relationships. It’s actually
about the kind of person you are
and the kind of choices you make. If
something doesn’t work, it doesn’t
work because it was not meant to
work. Not because you’re an actor
or a filmmaker. Today people are
clear about the choices they make.
Financial empowerment has made
women stronger. As a society we are
evolving, so change will be visible.
Is the need to have a family
intrinsic to a woman?
Women are nurturers by instinct.
Women, nowadays, wish to settle
down once they start earning. It’s an
archaic thought that you need to be
married to be settled. You could be
married and totally unsettled. If it’s
not working, then it’s not a stable
relationship. Also, as a woman you
want to give birth to a child and
that’s a life-altering experience. But
there are women today who choose
not to have children and that’s also
perfectly fine.
Do you want to be a
mother soon?
Absolutely. I have wanted to be
a mother since I was a child. I’ve
always been maternal, protective
and caring. I was a single child.
That’s another reason why you
want to share and care for people
around you. My best friends have
inadvertently become my children.
When you make a film, it’s no less
I love attention. It’s not something
I shy away from. I enjoy being in
the spotlight. I enjoy the red carpet.
I love my life in the movies
than having a baby because you’re
fostering hopes and aspirations.
You’re nurturing a vision. You do
all that you would with a child.
And now that we’re married, we can
officially have children. When God
decides to gift us with a child, Sahil
and I will have one.
What would be a deal breaker
for you in a relationship?
It would be saying no without
offering a reason. There’s nothing
more stifling than a relationship
which does not respect your intellect
and your ability to make choices.
Would emotional infidelity
count as cheating?
Until, I’m in a particular situation
I wouldn’t be able to comment on
it because it’s relative to the nature
of your relationship. Infidelity is
a complicated place. I wouldn’t
be able to, until God forbid I’m in
such a situation, define what it
means to me.
Many people remain married
just for the sake of it…
courage to go ahead. Five years
back, few actors produced films and
more so fewer women. There have
been some interesting partnerships
in the past. Like Juhi Chawla and
Shah Rukh Khan have done well.
They were superstars when they
chose to make films.
Many thought I would make
one film, discover that this not a
woman’s business and eventually
run away. But I love it so much.
There are enough stories to be
told and enough people who are
willing to back your choices. We’ve
been working hard at three scripts.
We are casting for two films right
now. The one thing that Sahil has
taught me is patience. Inshaallah,
the next three years are going to
be monumental for Born Free, my
company, because they will define
the next 10.
Women are nurturers by
instinct... I have wanted to
be a mother since I was a
child... Giving birth is a
life-altering experience
From being in front of the
camera to working behind it…
do you like this low-profile
switch?
My parents divorced when I was
five. Both remarried. I’ve grown up
with the realisation that two people
can love each other but that doesn’t
mean they have to live together.
While I believe the institution of
marriage is wonderful, I don’t
believe it should be cumbersome
or tie you down. If you’re
suffocated in a relationship,
you shouldn’t endure it.
Because if you’re not happy then
nobody around you can be.
What was the transition
from being an actor to a
producer like?
It was a natural progression.
From the beginning I’ve been
inquisitive, wanting to grasp the
method in the madness. I learnt
a lot from Excel Entertainment.
Through time I felt a strong desire
to tell stories and put it together.
My friends nudged me to do it. If
it wasn’t for Rajkumar Hirani,Zoya
Akhtar, Jaideep Sahni and other
friends, I would not have had the
The audience today laps up
content-driven movies rather
than films that boast of a huge
star cast…
It’s an interesting observation. But
tell me which film with strong
content but no stars has done a
business of 100 crores? Not one.
We’ll continue to be a star-driven
industry. Of course, you can’t
have stars and no story. It is a
combination of the two that drives
the audience. NH10 was such a
good film. How much money does a
film like that make? When I watch a
genuine film, I pray it makes money
because then it encourages people
to make good films.
My life has never been low profile.
I may be behind the camera but it’s
my face still. And I don’t grudge
it. The attention over the years has
given me the ability to vocalise or
campaign for so many causes. Yes,
I could move into the shadows and
continue making films but then
that would be such a waste. Why
would you want to waste your
ability to communicate, to entertain,
to be photographed, to be in the
public domain and relish it? I love
attention. It’s something that I’ve
thrived on. It’s not something I shy
away from because I am a people’s
person. I enjoy being in the spotlight.
I enjoy the red carpet because I love
to celebrate an occasion and I want to
applaud my colleagues. I love my life
in the movies. Once an actor, always
an actor!
Any plans to direct a film?
With husband
Sahil Sangha
I’d like to. There’s a lot of pressure
from my friends. It’s flattering to
have that kind of faith from people
you respect. Maybe someday I will.
I’ve never limited myself. It’s all
about going with the flow and doing
what you love at every phase of
your life. Be ready for surprises. „
INTERVIEW
WELCOME
aking a comedy is no
walk in the park. The
genre is the toughest to
pull off. But directorwriter Anees Bazmee
has perfected the knack of making
audiences laugh and also laugh
his way to the bank. His bunch of
comedies No Entry (2005), Welcome
(2007) and Singh Is Kinng (2008)
have endorsed his abilities as an
entertainer. If No Entry was a lighthearted take on adultery, Singh
Is Kinng left audiences ‘happy’
with the protagonist Happy Singh
– Akshay Kumar. His Welcome, a
farce with dons, made characters
like Majnu bhai (Anil Kapoor),
Uday Shetty (Nana Patekar) and
Dr Ghunguroo (Paresh Rawal)
household names. Now, he’s taken
the franchise to the next level with
Welcome Back. Produced by Firoz
Nadiadwala, the film will have
Patekar, Kapoor and Rawal reprise
their roles from the prequel while
John Abraham and Shruti Haasan
are new additions.
His getting Shiney Ahuja (plays
Naseeruddin Shah’s son) on board
for Welcome Back surely raised a
few eyebrows courtesy the infamous
rape case. “People asked me why
I was taking Shiney. But I believed
he was the best for the role I had in
mind. I didn’t analyse too much.
His personal life is a separate issue.”
It was also the first time Anees
has worked with veteran Dimple
Kapadia (plays Maharani). “I’ve
know her for years. I used to be the
clapper boy in her films. She can
address me as she wants. But she’s
such a sweet and humble person;
she called me ‘Sir’ since I was the
director. She shot for all the scenes
patiently.”
M
BACK
ANEES BAZMEE IS BACK TO DOING WHAT HE DOES BEST.
BRADLEY FERNANDES CHATS WITH THE WRITER-DIRECTOR,
WHO HAS MADE A LIVING OUT OF LAUGHTER
and diamond jubilees, I gained
confidence and my next step was
direction.”
But he was discouraged by people
who believed that writers could
never become successful directors.
“People scared me. They rattled off
names of over a 100 writers who
had failed as directors.” But right
from his debut film Hulchul (1995),
Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha (1998),
Deewangee (2002) to the recent
Ready (2011), Anees went on to
debunk prejudice and follow his
heart. “I understood my strengths.
Also when your last film is a hit,
everyone wants to work with you.
Success pulls people towards you.”
Nana Patekar, Anil Kapoor and Naseeruddin Shah in Welcome Back
PEOPLE
SCARED ME
WHEN I WANTED
TO DIRECT. THEY
RATTLED OFF
NAMES OF OVER
A 100 WRITERS
WHO HAD FAILED
AS DIRECTORS
Asin and Salman Khan in Ready
Anees looks back to his fourdecade long journey. “I’ve been a
recordist, I’ve worked in the art
department. I even did editing
before I became an assistant to
Raj Kapoor for Prem Rog. I didn’t
come from an affluent background.
Earning money was my priority.
I was even the ghost-writer for films
where I got money but no name.”
Later, he turned into a full-time
writer with almost 55 films to his
credit. The most prominent ones
being Shola Aur Shabnam, Mujhse
Shaadi Karogi, Deewana Mastana,
Laadla, Andaz, Raja Babu, Aankhen
and Swarg through the ’90s. “Once
my film started hitting silver
fter Ready, it has taken
him four years to wield
the baton once again.
“My daughter’s marriage
kept me away. Also, I
was writing Welcome Back. I didn’t
want to cheat the audience by
doling out rubbish under the brand
name. By God’s grace now I’m
financially secure to afford a break.”
There has been a strong buzz about
a sequel to No Entry. “The script is
ready. Salman Khan loved it. But as
a director it’s not my job to trouble
him for dates. That depends on
Boneyji (producer Boney Kapoor),”
he smiles. He’s also excited about
an intense romance he’s planning
with Ajay Devgn. But something
that still scares him today is
beginning to write a subject.
“Writing is a tedious job. It needs
isolation. You can’t write with 10
people around you. A blank paper
is scary, sometimes you just can’t
write the first line. Whereas while
directing, you are surrounded by
people.” True that.
„
A
NOSTALGIA
Ramesh Sippy
CLASH
of the
TITANS
Shakti is part of cinematic history. And so is RAMESH SIPPY, the only
director to have pitted Hindi cinema’s superlative actors – Dilip Kumar and
Amitabh Bachchan – against each together. Here, he looks back at the casting
coup and all else that followed with FARHANA FAROOK
Aye aasman bata
Kya tujhko hai khabar
Ye mere chaand ko kiski lagi nazar
Mujhse kahan na jaane koi bhool ho gayi...
he lament of a father, also an upright police officer, rising above the
screeching aircrafts to resonate in the dark skies as his son lies dead in his
arms... cut a picture of epic devastation. It was not only the denouement of
the film Shakti (1982) but also an affirmation of the icons that Dilip Kumar
and Amitabh Bachchan are on the tarmac of cinema. Ramesh Sippy may
never be able to live down the glory of the best-seller Sholay (1975) but he has yet
another coup in his oeuvre in the form of Shakti. Not only does it celebrate the wizardry
of screenwriting, it also celebrates the spunk of the director who made two mega stars
face the camera for him as well come face to face with each other’s prowess. Yes Shakti
was a power duel... where there were two winners! “With the actors I had, with the script
I had, if I didn’t turn out a beautiful film how would I be able to forgive myself? The world
would be unforgiving too,” states Sippy. His words, his memories... a classic revisited...
T
Dilip Kumar and
Amitabh Bachchan
in Shakti
n
DILIP SAAB AND AMITABH EXCELLED IN THE SCENE SHOT AGAINST THE STILLNESS OF
SHEETAL’S (RAAKHEE) FUNERAL. BOTH HAD TO EXPRESS GRIEF IN THEIR OWN WAY
CASTING TALES
Like all directors, I too
had a desire to make a
film with Dilip Kumar –
the Supremo. I discussed
with Salim-Javed if we
could think of a subject,
which would suit Yusuf
saab (Dilip Kumar).
The South film, Thanka
Pathakkam (1974), a story
of a father-son conflict
seemed interesting. Shivaji
Ganesan had played both
the father and the son.
Producers Mushir-Riaz
bought the rights of the
film. But I wanted different
actors for the roles of the
father and son. I believe
a double role somewhere
restrains histrionics.
Dilip saab’s career,
those days, had hit a lull.
He was playing double
and triple roles. His films
were going off target. Also
there was talk about him
getting ‘too involved’
with his films. In fact, his
involvement was being
regarded as ‘interference’
by filmmakers. There were
instances where during the
filming he was known to
have said ‘something’s not
right with the film, let’s
shoot all over again’.
There was worry about
how one would deal with
such a situation. I couldn’t
have said, ‘Sir, let me do
my work’. So Mushir bhai
(producer) and Salim bhai
(Khan) went to Dilip saab
(they didn’t tell me about
it then). They told him,
“Here’s a great role, a good
director… someone who
could do justice to you.
But he’s worried about
you getting too involved
with the film.” Dilip saab
reacted, “No, no, I’m not
like that.” They stated
frankly, “Let Salim-Javed
write the film, let Ramesh
Sippy direct it, you just
give a good performance.”
They came back and told
me that Dilip saab had
said, “I myself do not
like to get over involved
because then I get lost.”
The discipline was
clarified at the onset. Dilip
saab was the first one to
be signed.
The father’s role, that of
DCP Ashwini Kumar (Dilip
Kumar), was definitely
more overpowering than
son Vijay’s who was a
traumatised character.
So I suggested we take a
newcomer for the son’s role
to cut out ego problems.
Amitabh’s name did come
up. But since he was a
huge star we couldn’t
offer him the second role.
We auditioned a new
actor. But how do we get
that brooding intensity?
Meanwhile, Amitabh heard
we were scouting for such
a character. He asked,
“Why am I not in this?”
After all, we shared an old
association.
What we wisely did was
narrate the script to both,
n Raakhee with Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan
o Amitabh with Smita Patil
p Ramesh Sippy with Dilip Kumar
o
DILIP SAAB WOULD PUT HIS ARMS OVER
MY SHOULDERS, TAKE ME ASIDE AND
SUGGEST A CHANGE IN THE SCENE. BUT
WHEN I’D EXPLAIN MY VIEWPOINT HE’D
AGREE SAYING, ‘YOU’RE SO RIGHT. I’M
SORRY! WE’LL GO YOUR WAY’. IF YOU SAY THE
RIGHT THING THE ACTOR RESPECTS YOU
Dilip saab and Amitabh,
together. I told Amitabh,
“Yours is a straight-jacketed
role. There’s no occasion
for flamboyance. You have
to emote from within.” The
son’s feelings towards his
father take a somersault
when as a young boy he’s
kidnapped by a criminal
and his father is willing to
give him up for the sake
of his duty. As he grows,
the animosity towards
his father affects their
relationship. Amitabh
loved the script; he loved
the idea of doing a film
with Dilip saab. His selfbelief was high and he was
assured that things would
not change later.
Coming to Raakhee,
hers had been a strong
romantic pairing with
Amitabh. But she wanted
to work with Dilip Kumar.
I too convinced her saying,
“You’ve played Amitabh’s
lover in many films. You’ll
do some more. But where
will you get a chance to do
a film with Dilip Kumar?”
Raakhee was appreciated
in the film though she
later accused me in jest of
‘killing’ her career. Smita
Patil, as Vijay’s live-in
girlfriend Roma, was also
a waiting-in-the wings
character. But it takes guts
to stand in the wings. Your
contribution, big or small,
only adds to the total film.
son. It was like a play. So it
had to be intimate. The first
scene we shot was with
Raakhee in the kitchen,
Dilip saab and she enjoying
a causal banter. His playful
mood continues as he
walks over to answer the
phone saying, “Coming…
coming!”… where he’s
informed that his son has
been kidnapped. We did 85
takes for that shot.
As the shooting
progressed, Dilip saab
grew comfortable with
me. A couple of times,
he’d put his arms over
my shoulders, take me
aside and try to suggest
a change in the scene
saying ‘suppose we do it
this way’. I’d listen to him
patiently and then explain
my viewpoint saying, “As
an actor you’ve shown
me a new side. Normally,
I’d have jumped at it. But
this will seem inconsistent
with your character’s
graph.” He’d immediately
agree, “You’re so right. I’m
sorry! We’ll go your way.”
If you say the right thing
the actor respects you and
doesn’t override you. I
never interfered in their
acting. I didn’t enact the
scenes for them. I let them
take it forward. My job
was to keep them within
the bandwidth of their
characters.
SUPER SCENES!
LIGHTS, CAMERA,
ACTION!
p
Sholay was an actionadventure film. Its
canvas was huge and
hence the 70mm and the
stereophonic sound suited
that. Shakti focussed on the
angst between a father and
Dilip saab and Amitabh,
both excelled in this
one scene, shot against
the stillness of Sheetal’s
(Raakhee) funeral. Both of
them had to express grief
in their own way. It was
an introverted moment for
the flying-off-the-handle
me. He said, “Maine bhi
apni zindagi mein bahut
accha kaam kiya hai. I had
heard about this young
boy – Amitabh Bachchan. I
had watched his work too.
I saw Shakti as the coming
together of two good actors.
But now, I understand
why he is where he is. He
has many qualities - he’s
persevering, hardworking,
disciplined and much
more… but above all he
understands technique. He
acts beautifully but he acts
for the camera. Whereas
I get carried away. I ask
for more freedom from
the camera. I want to first
feel by instinct and then
Producer Mushir, Dilip, Amitabh and
Ramesh Sippy at the mahurat of Shakti
Ashwini Kumar. He’s in
disbelief, he’s broken and
is sitting huddled in one
place. Just then Vijay walks
in. His mother had kept
them together. She was the
common bond, the buffer.
He could have been angry
with his father. But when
he sees him shattered
for the first time, in that
moment he becomes the
father. He touches his
arm gently to express his
sympathy. In that fleeting
moment, the two exchange
a glance... just when the
police take him away.
The last scene where
Vijay dies in the arms of his
father at the airport remains
memorable too. It was here
where he finally bursts out
with his anguish. It was
shot in one take. Since
Vijay is lying in his father’s
arms, Dilip saab couldn’t
move much. His behavior
then became a constant.
It gave more freedom to
the co-actor. We kept the
crane camera floating so
that we didn’t lose any
moment. We wrapped up
around 5 am. To say the
performances rose above
the script is unfair. You
only bring to life what’s
written on paper. It was
not difficult for SalimJaved to have written ‘clap
track’ dialogue. To write
with restraint keeping
the emotions tight was
difficult. They played to
the strength of the actors
within the boundaries of
the characters.
DILIP KUMAR
SALUTES AMITABH
We were put up at the
Centaur hotel while we
shot this death scene.
There Dilip saab shared
something precious with
Luckily, both had heard
the narration together.
Amitabh knew not a single
line was cut. Yes, there
was certain imbalance
to his character – in that
he had to internalise
everything – but that was
the premise. And only an
actor like Amitabh could
have held his own in front
of Dilip saab. And he did
have his moments. Apart
from the death scene, his
drunken scene was shot
in one single shot – it
involved 700 feet of film.
To add to it, the
Filmfare Award going to
Dilip Kumar for Best Actor
only reiterated Amitabh’s
DILIP SAAB SAID ABOUT AMITABH,‘HE
UNDERSTANDS TECHNIQUE... HE DOES HIS
HOMEWORK IN HIS HEAD. HE’S AWARE
WHERE THE CAMERA IS AND GETS IT RIGHT.
SO HE HAS A RIGHT TO BE WHERE HE IS’
react. He understands all
of that… but he also does
his homework in his head.
So when he performs he’s
aware where the camera
is and knows how to get
it right. That’s why he has
a right to be where he is.”
In a sense that was Dilip
saab’s salute to Amitabh.
SHAKTI AND AFTER…
After the release, Dilip
Kumar got more attention
from the critics. A famous
critic wrote, “Mr Kumar
has Mr Bachchan for
breakfast.” It was clearly
not in good taste. This
affected Amitabh. There
was some tension for a
while. He felt injustice was
done to him. The press
reviews, the coterie around
him were of the opinion,
‘Yeh to hona hi tha. Dilip
Kumar ka palhada bhari
hi hoga!’
belief that he was indeed
short-changed. But it
couldn’t be forgotten that
Salim- Javed had a big
hand in his unprecedented
success. Why would
the director and writers
ever intend such a thing?
Actually, Amitabh was not
upset with the film but
with the critics who made
it seem like his failure.
Nevertheless, over time
he went on to own the
film completely. Today he
counts it among his best
performances.
On a lighter note, the
critics then also listed 20
reasons why Jeetendra’s
Farz Aur Kanoon released
the same year with a
similar theme was a better
film. No doubt, it was a
hit. But the comparisons
were utterly laughable!
Well, the ways of
showbiz...
„
reader’s reviews, box-office, celebrity column & more
INSTA LIKE
Workout wows!
Our stars share their fitness fundas on Instagram
Heading
home after
the workout
SWEAT IT OUT
No pain, no pleasure...
remember the funda
Shahid Kapoor is crazy about keeping fit and his Instagram
feed is abuzz with his workout and post-workout pictures.
After that he makes sure to relax while driving back home.
Scrubbed beauty
On the ball!
Music motivates!
GET THE GLOW
LEGGY LASS
Sonam Kapoor’s post workout selfie
is giving us enough motivation to
hit the gym. If a workout is the
secret behind her glowing skin and
gorgeous looks, we’re all for it.
It looks like Nargis Fakhri has
finally revealed the secret to her
gorgeous legs – a good stretch in
the gym. We also want to know
what’s on her workout playlist.
DOWN AND OUT
‘It’ girl Alia Bhatt knows that a lot goes behind the
body beautiful. That’s why she goes the extra mile. The
petite actress unwinds with this photo sharing her
workout woes. Phew!
Readers send in their feedback
Shatrughan Sinha’s racy rejoinders
LETTERS
A Times Of India Publicat on
August 12, 2015 `60
www.filmfare.com
SHE’S
A BIG
GIRL
NOW!
ALIA BHATT’S
JOURNEY
TO THE TOP
Taste
the
magic
SCOOP!
AKSHAY TO
PLAY GAY,
SRK TO PLAY
DWARF
KANGANA OUT,
DEEPIKA IN
Parineeti
Chopra
in a
hot new
avatar
WATCH AL A BH TT
COME ALIVE ON THE COV R
FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON
HOW TO USE TURN TO
PAGE 18
Meet the starry
winners of the
smashing
62nd Britannia
Filmfare Awards
(South)
IN THE MAIL
READERS WRITE AND BITE BACK... WITH LOVE AND AFFECTION
SPECTACULAR SOUTH
The Britannia Filmfare Awards (South) celebrated the excellence
of all the four film industries of the South on one platform and
recognised their contributions and achievements. Filmfare
deserves appreciation for not only bringing the stars of the
South in an ambience similar to that of the Bollywood award
nights but also lending a similar grandeur as seen in the
performances and opulent sets. The Southern actresses can
easily compete with our beautiful Bollywood divas in terms
of their glamour. Many congratulations to all the winners and
hope that our Southern industry continues with its remarkable
attempts. After all, who can refute their immense talent?
Rohin Arora via email
nd
2Prize
1000
Alia Bhatt
st
1Prize
FEARLESS
ALIA
Alia Bhatt’s
no holds
barred
interview (Age of Innocence)
was the highlight of the
August 12 issue. When
actresses her age still remain
wet behind the ears, this
progeny of Mahesh Bhatt and
Soni Razdan, two celebrities
in their own right, has a firm
head on her young shoulders.
1500
It’s remarkable that so early
in her career she has outlined
her priorities and has a clear
vision about her future in
the industry. Her decision
to keep her personal and
professional lives separate
too is appreciable. She has a
right to her privacy though a
star attracts eyeballs galore.
Above all, Alia is a brilliant
actress who has proved her
mettle in author-backed roles.
CV Aravind, Bangalore
Taapsee Pannu grooving at the 62nd Britannia Awards South
REMEMBERING NUTAN
Asha Parekh and Nutan in Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki
The late Nutanji has been my
favourite actress. I remember
visiting her home on the
31st floor in Colaba when my
father, the late filmmaker Raj
Khosla, was shooting Main
Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978).
She had thrown a party after
renovating her apartment.
She looked stunning in a
gown standing next to her
husband, the late LieutenantCommander Rajnish Behl.
Nutanji was a professional.
She'd reach the set much
before dad, her make-up
and costume in place. She'd
emote easily… no glycerin
was needed. Her hurt when
husband Vijay Anand shies
away from her on the wedding
night, her confrontation with
his mistress Asha Parekh,
her transition from a wife to a
mother in Tulsi was flawless.
Anita Khosla, Delhi
LETS GET FIT
Parineeti Chopra’s journey of
weight loss (Fitness Hijinks,
August 12) is convincing
because the actress has
shown how effective her
formula for fitness has proved
with her recent transformation.
She carries an enviable figure
which, when coupled with her
vivacious personality only adds
to her magic.
Anjali, Ghaziabad
Parineeti Chopra
Post your
reviews to
Baahubali
A FUTURE FOR DUBBED FILMS
SS Rajamouli’s blockbuster Baahubali is going strong even in
its dubbed Hindi version. Producer Karan Johar, who distributed
the film, has stumbled upon a goldmine of commercial
success. Dubbed films rarely set the box-office on fire. But
Baahubali’s success is no fluke. The extravagantly made film,
with special effects and excellent choreography, is at par with
Hollywood. There is now a future for dubbed films across India.
The language of entertainment has no barriers indeed and
Baahubali proves exactly that!
A Vijayalakshmi, Bangalore
Send us your views, opinions and suggestions to:
Email: [email protected] Fax: 022 - 22731585
Mail: Reviews, Filmfare, The Times of India Bldg.,
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(Please mention your full name and address)
OR
Just
one
Point
Vikrant Massey
Vikrant Massey’s ability
to hold his own among
a plethora of stars in
Dil Dhadakne Do is
commendable and reading
about his struggle in the
August 12 issue (Massey
Sahib) was inspirational.
Abhijeet Sharma,
Faridabad
Gone are the days when a
film would be considered
a hit only if it ran for a
number of weeks. Today, a
film’s fate is decided on
the first weekend itself.
Dr Syed N Mamoon, Dhaka
The Last Word
(Chalte Chalte, August 12)
makes me want to pick
up Lord Meghnad Desai’s
book on Meena Kumari.
His in-depth understanding
of Hindi cinema is a
revelation.
Kabir, New Delhi
Even after 40 years,
Sholay invokes the same
excitement as it did in
1975. It is truly a landmark
piece of cinema.
Prakash Gowda, Vadodara
SMS: FI PAA <space>
<your review> <your name>
to 53636
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READER REVIEWS
PACKING
A PUNCH!
Karan Malhotra’s Brothers is
surely a treat for action lovers
BROTHERS
FIGHT CLUB
Brothers is not
a usual Dharma
Productions’
product. It’s
an action film,
which has
dollops of emotion. Director
Karan Malhotra, after Agneepath,
gives us yet another action flick.
But somewhere it doesn’t match
up to his first attempt. Brothers
spends the first half building up
characters. There’s blood, gore,
punches and power-packed
action in the second half. Akshay
Kumar has time and again
proved that he’s the fittest actor
in showbiz. Brothers underlines
that further. Sidharth Malhotra
surprises you with his act. He’s
surely the hottest actor in town.
The climax leaves you teary-eyed
for sure.
st
1Prize
500
Alisha Parikh, Ahmedabad
ACTION AND EMOTION
Director Karan Malhotra adds the right
dose of action and drama to make
his film a blockbuster. Brothers has
mayhem and jabs but there is also a
strong emotional undercurrent. While
Akshay Kumar and Sidharth Malhotra
carry the film well on their shoulders,
the supporting cast comprising Jackie
Shroff, Shefali Shah and Ashutosh
Rana do a commendable job. Jacqueline
Fernandez is getting better with each
Akshay Kumar and Sidharth Malhotra in Brothers
film. The item song, Mera naam Mary is
a bit sleazy, something unexpected from
Kareena Kapoor Khan. The song is a no
match to Chikni chameli. Overall the film
is good if you love the action genre.
Suresh S, Meerut
KNOCKOUT!
Brothers is a remake of the Hollywood
movie Warriors and does exceptionally
well. Giving insight into the history
and lives of the main characters, it
leads up to the finale convincingly. Be
it Jackie Shroff expressing his regret
and conviction, Sidharth Malhotra
showing his anger and motivation
or Akshay Kumar who reveals his
emotional fluidity, each actor excels.
The intensive training that Sidharth and
Akshay have undergone for their roles
as boxers is evident on screen. Director
Karan Malhotra has done a good job
and credit must be given to the story
and screenplay as well. The music of
the movie is fun except for Kareena
Kapoor Khan’s Mera naam Mary, which
seems forced. Overall, the movie is
entertaining!
Ashwin Deshmukh, Pune
TWIVIEWS
Fans and readers
tweet their mini
reviews to @filmfare
@twtlikeakhiladi: Brothers is an actionpacked movie with a generous dose of
emotions. Watch it for Akshay Kumar!
@shubdadial18: Brothers is a blockbuster.
Akshay Kumar and Sidharth Malhotra are
awesome and Jacqueline Fernandez looks
gorgeous even sans make-up.
@KritisanonOFC: I have become a fan of
Akshay Kumar and Sidharth Malhotra after
watching Brothers. It’s outstanding.
@OfficialRimz: Brothers would have been
better had the director not chopped off
Sidharth Malhotra’s role! The original has
Tom Hardy playing the same character and
doing a better job.
@sanjeebhot: Brothers is an inspirational
and intense movie! The team – please take
a bow!
@JanakiD01: Brothers will leave you moist
eyed. Superb!
@BeingAlBalushi: Brothers is a decent
film but the climax and the childhood
sequences seemed frivolous.
@hriday248: The first half is the character
build-up while the second half is
emotionally gripping. Go for Brothers!
ALGORITHMS
A still from Algorithms
WORK OF ART
BROTHERS IN ARMS
I haven’t watched Warrior so I couldn’t
compare it with Brothers. This Karan
Malhotra movie tells the story of two
estranged brothers and their father, a
former martial arts champion. What
follows is a decent storyline. The movie
has sentimental scenes, which woo the
audience. The scene where Jacqueline
Fernandez shows her child’s face to
Jackie Shroff and the one where the
younger Sidharth Malhotra gives food to
his father are worth mentioning. In terms
of acting, Jackie Shroff is the best of
the lot. Akshay Kumar’s and Sidharth’s
roles require them to show emotional
restraint, which itself is a challenge.
S Majumdar, Kolkata
ACTION PACKED
Karan Malhotra’s Brothers is yet another
remake from the director. While the
Post your
reviews to
action sequences provide the typical
adrenaline rush that is expected in
action movies, there are unfortunately
more fists than words. I wish there was
more of a backstory to the characters
and how they reach the stage where
they fight each other irrespective of
the fact that they’re brothers. But the
performances are praiseworthy. All the
actors - Jackie Shroff, Akshay Kumar,
Sidharth Malhotra and Jacqueline
Fernandez - played their scripted parts
with perfection.
Parul Rajput, Ahmedabad
BORING
I went to watch Brothers thinking that
the film will yet another gem from
Dharma Productions. However the
film is a super bore and there’s no
entertainment factor in it.
Sanjay Sharma, Lucknow
Send us your views, opinions and suggestions to:
Email: [email protected] Fax: 022 - 22731585
Mail: Reviews, Filmfare, The Times of India Bldg.,
4th floor, D N Road, Mumbai 400 001, INDIA
(Please mention your full name and address)
OR
I wasn’t aware that a sport like
Blind Chess existed. But when
I read about the movie Algorithms
I felt curious. The film turned out to
be insightful and funny. The camera
work and the classical Indian
music used for the background
score were fantastic. The story
is about four blind chess players.
Darpan’s and Sai’s stories leave
a deep impact. The movie shakes
you up. It engages you through two
hours. The chess games between
blind people are exciting and
entertaining. It didn’t even seem
like a dry documentary because it
made a deeper comment on life and
survival.
Shailesh Prabhu, Mumbai
SPORT OF SURVIVAL
Why did they make Algorithms in
black and white? Perhaps it was to
hint at the lack of colour in the lives
of the protagonists. The monotone
set a depressing tone. It did lend
an artistic touch to the game of
chess and to the lacklustre lives
of the visually challenged. But to
the viewer, it spelt ennui. Director
Ian McDonald’s camera work is
engaging. My favourite shot was
of the blind volunteer in the lift.
Even though the story is fantastic, I
missed a sense of vivacity.
Prajakta Deb, New Delh
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WEB WATCH
In 140 characters…
PRESENTING THE MOST INTERESTING TWEETS OF THE FORTNIGHT GONE BY
@NargisFakhri: “Why do places
put like a cup of butter on your
vegetables? Why is it so hard to
have plain simple healthy food.
Steamed boiled that’s it.”
@akshaykumar: “Here’s another
of my fav. workout methods 4 all u
fitness junkies ;) The Human Bucket
#PommelTraining #TricepsForLife”
Superstar Akshay Kumar trained extensively to
play a Physics-teacher-turned-mixed-martialarts-fighter for Brothers. This picture of his
favourite workout proves how fit he is even at
his age.
It’s no secret that Nargis Fakhri is super health
conscious. We can understand her plight as she
grimaces about the luxuriously buttered food.
@aliaa08: “Thank you @
atulkasbekar for this!!!! Guess this
makes me a #Gooner officially. Or is
it Goonerette?Come on Arsenal!!!”
@priyankachopra: “Respect. Pride.
Gratitude... for the Indian Armed
Forces! #SaluteSelfie #JaiHind
#ArmyBeti”
Actively taking
part in the
Salute Selfie
campaign for
Independence
Day, Priyanka
Chopra, the
daughter of
an ex-army
sericeman
herself, pays a
tribute to the
Indian army.
Alia Bhatt is
showing off
her sporty side
and how! She
gleefully wears
the jersey of
Arsenal FC
and manages
to make it look
oh-so stylish.
A gift by ace
photographer
Atul Kasbekar
for the lovely
actor. You go,
girl!
@udaychopra: “I believe in the
Descartes diet. I think of it,
therefore I’ll eat it.”
Uday Chopra is easily one of the funniest
celebrities on Twitter and this time, he combines
an intense philosophy with his love for food,
giving us more than a fair idea of his dietary
regime. We like!
BOX-OFFICE
FIGHT CLUB
Brothers brought out the trials and the tribulations of those obsessed with mixed martial arts
(MMA) to Indian audiences. The violent sport is yet to find a foothold in our cricket obsessed
nation. But maybe the film’s popularity will help the youth take to its rigourous training. It’s a
harsh truth that the generation gap has become wider and wider as the years go by. All Is Well
has the right idea but shoddy execution diminished its chances at the box-office
BROTHERS
` 72.6cr
FIRST WEEK’S
COLLECTION
DIRECTOR: Karan Malhotra
CAST: Akshay Kumar, Sidharth
Malhotra, Jacqueline Fernandez,
Jackie Shroff
RELEASE DATE: August 14, 2015
RAPID REVIEW: Official remake of
Hollywood hit Warrior.
VIEWER’S
VERDICT: “The
fight scenes
were truly
awesome.” –
HIT
Dhananjay Mane,
24, photographer
ALL IS WELL
FIRST WEEKEND
COLLECTION
`12cr
DIRECTOR: Umesh Shukla
CAST: Rishi Kapoor, Abhishek
Bachchan, Asin, Supriya Pathak
RELEASE DATE: August 21, 2015
RAPID REVIEW: A film revolving
around the misadventures of a
dysfunctional family.
VIEWER’S VERDICT:
AGE
R
AVE
“It does offer
its share of
laughs but
remains a
slipshod
effort overall.”
– Prasad Nimbalkar, 30, engineer
ASK ME
Shatrughan
Sinha’s
Rapid
fire
Does contentment come in
the way of success?
Krittika Mahesh, Jaipur
Success is an
achievement.
Contentment is nirvana.
Contentment doesn’t
necessarily come with
success. It comes when
you can learn to live the
‘con’ tent and still remain
happy.
What school of acting do
you prefer? Method acting
or spontaneous acting?
Chandrasekhar Malkan,
Gandhidham
The spontaneous method
of acting.
Which day has more
importance in your
life - Children’s Day,
Mother’s Day or
Father’s Day?
Girish Durgawat, Udaipur
Family Day, the fun day…
Sunday!
Why is that floods in Assam
don’t get media attention
whereas a minor water
logging in Mumbai goes the
whole hog? Is this fair?
Mr Longkiri Phangcho, Assam
Not fair at all. But then
who said life was fair?
What is the difference
between a song and a
lullaby? Which is more
soothing?
Anna Mary Yvonne, Chennai
Songs make your
imagination run wild
and a lullaby makes
you dream. Generally,
lullabies are sung to
children to soothe them.
So, what is more soothing,
a song or a lullaby
depends on whether the
child is in the cradle
or you are a cradle
snatcher.
What’s with this
newfound love for sex
comedies?
JS Acharya, Hyderabad
Because it’s ‘newfound’,
handle with care before
you fondle.
What is the best way to
empower women?
Poonam Mehto, New Delhi
To answer you Poonam,
I have to think twice
before my wife Poonam
reacts as she reads
between the lines.
Why are Madhubala and Marilyn Monroe
considered a class apart, although both of
them died at the age of 36?
Nusrat Quadri, Patna
My dear, what has age got to do with class, rise
or size?
Is the Internet making us
stupid?
Nikhilesh Bhure, Nagpur
I don’t know about
making us ‘stupid’. But
it’s certainly making us
addicts. It’s making us
lazy and taking away the
skill of fine handwriting.
Enigma: Marilyn Monroe
What are your four tips to
control pollution?
Joyce Mary, New Delhi
Swachh vyavhar
(healthy interaction),
Swachh aahar (healthy
food), Swachh vaayu
(healthy air), Swachh
vaatavaran (healthy
atmosphere).
This will surely lead to
Swachh Bharat.
1st Prize
MGR, NTR,
Jayalalitha... all these
actors became CMs
after joining politics.
When will your turn
come?
Abhinav R, Bangalore
If you are keeping with
the current news, your
wish might be granted.
2nd Prize
Education is said to
be the most powerful
weapon with which
you can change the
world...
Naresh Nath, Jaipur
Weapons cause harm.
Education, if turned
into a weapon, can
lead to destruction.
Education is knowledge
gained at the right
institution. With the
correct mentors one can
change the world.
(Feature co-ordinated by
DEVESH SHARMA)
Venus of India: Madhubala
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Question to
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or
Please note: The column doesn’t
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or personal views. His answers are
given in jest and humour.
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LAST WORD BY JITESH PILLAAI
STRIKE
IT OUT!
T
he ongoing tussle
between the
students and the
powers that be
that’s happening
in the corridors
of India’s premier film
school, The Film and
Televison Institute of India
(FTII) makes for a case
for more such institutes
in the country. We have
heard of strikes happening
in the institution before.
It’s a place where budding
dream merchants go to
hone their craft and such
individuals, generally,
posses a high degree
of intolerance towards
authority. They get
belligerent whenever they
perceive their freedom is
getting curbed. Dissent
is a sign of a healthy
democracy and its students
have always stood for
individual freedom and
creative rights.
FTII is an establishment
from where legends
like Naseeruddin Shah,
Shabana Azmi, Jaya
Bachchan have passed out.
Everyone from filmmakers
Adoor Gopalakrishnan to
Hrishikesh Mukherjee have
been part of the faculty
and associated with the
hallowed portals of the
FTII. Given the scope of
the Indian market and its
international reach, it’s
time for private players to
step in. Out there in the
West, cinema is taught in
most leading universities
as a degree course.
Prestigious filmmakers,
actors and technicians
feel honoured to be on the
visiting faculty of these
institutions.
The interaction of young
hopefuls with current
practitioners of the craft
works both ways. The
students learn what’s
relevant and the stalwarts
get to choose from the best
among the creative minds.
A new crop of competent
practitioners of film craft
gets created in the process.
Another merit of such
institutes is that they
go on to give valuable
hands-on experience to
students as they get to be
part of ongoing projects
of the visiting faculty.
India is fast becoming
the outsourcing hub
for computer graphics
and it would be great if
meritorious institutions
start teaching VFX and
applied arts to cater to this
ever increasing industry.
The same outsourcing
model can be extended
to other fields as well.
A file picture of the FTII
Jaya Bachchan
Naseeruddin Shah
Shabana Azmi
What’s stopping us from
developing a stream of
competent cameramen or
editors or art directors or
sound editors that cater
to European or American
film and TV industries?
Another plus point of
private players joining
hands with universities
to create film schools is
that it will lead to better
archiving. Today, we
neglect creating a bank
of film memorabilia. I’d
personally love to see
Shah Rukh Khan’s first
screen test or the uncut
version of Mughal-e-Azam
or the deleted scenes
from Dilwale Dulhania Le
Jayenge. Archival societies,
film museums and film
appreciation courses for
the layman will lead to a
better understanding of
cinema and hence to better
films.
We have the potential
to become a cinematic
superpower. China, with
its cutting edge studios and
world class technicians,
coupled with a booming
box-office, is fast becoming
one and we should aspire
to meet that. Let’s hope
those who can bring about
the change pay heed...
„
[email protected]
Twitter @jiteshpillaai