Aamir Khan has big-screen ambitions, and his production house is reportedly shopping beyond Bollywood for an action spectacle. Aamir Khan Productions has been in talks with Hong Kong filmmaker and actor Stephen Chow for an action-heavy project that can “compete on an international scale”.

Sources inform that Khan is determined to make an action film that is larger in scale than any other Indian movie.

“His contemporaries Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan have already headlined big-ticket action spectacles. [While Aamir has done action], he is keen to explore the genre with a film that can compete on an international scale. Given Stephen’s distinctive approach to action and physical comedy, Aamir is keen to work on something with him,” shares a source close to production.

However, the project is far from locked. Khan, known to take his time before committing to a film, is considering several scripts.

“Aamir is also weighing an actioner by Atlee. He has requested time till March 2027. Right now his focus is on Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Lalkaara [based on the historic 1952 India-Pakistan Test cricket series] and director Rajkumar Hirani’s sequel to 3 Idiots which will be ready by January 2027,” adds the source.

- ‘All For The Winner’ (1990)

- ‘Fight Back To School’ (1991)

- ‘Royal Tramp’ (1992)

- ‘Shaolin Soccer’ (2001)

- ‘Kung Fu Hustle’ (2004)

A visit to Pangong Tso in Ladakh may seem incomplete to many without recreating 3 Idiots scenes. A Paris itinerary may not be complete without a photograph and a hashtag inspired by Emily In Paris. Manali is synonymous with Bunny and his antics for many movie buffs.

Be it Shah Rukh Khan dancing with Rani Mukerji in Greece or Barfi! with its Darjeeling backdrop, films and TV shows are often our first window to a location when captured well on screen.

While Ted Lasso may bring you bits of London, The White Lotus has put Sicily in front of a whole new audience. From Goa’s Chapora Fort in Dil Chahta Hai to Spain in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Udaipur and Manali in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, and the lanes of Old Delhi in Delhi-6, travellers have often planned their itineraries around films and shows.

On World Tourism Day, we take you on a little tour of some of these shooting locations and how travellers plan trips around the places they have first seen on screen.

At the 8th Global Film Tourism Conclave organized by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) in Mumbai earlier this year, film tourism emerged as a key part of India’s destination branding and tourism strategy. “A location on screen does not remain just geography; it becomes an aspiration, memory and a dream people wish to experience for themselves,” said Suresh Gopi, Minister of State for Tourism, Government of India, in a video message.

Many travellers plan their itinerary because they want to witness or recreate the magic of a scene or a song shot at a particular location.

“Screens are increasingly shaping where people travel. According to Great Indian Travel Index report, released last year, YoY bookings on ixigo to cities across the Northeast grew sharply, Dimapur +77%, Agartala +48%, and Guwahati and Imphal +44% each, with shows like The Family Man helping bring these destinations into the spotlight. We are seeing the same internationally. Sicily, featured in The White Lotus, The Odyssey and Cocktail 2, is a great example. Since Cocktail 2 was released, bookings on our site to and from Italy are up 38% YoY,” explains Aloke Bajpai, Group CEO, ixigo.

People who visit sites shown in films are looking for more than geographical sights. “They want to recreate the scenes and backgrounds from their favourite frames, buy souvenirs, transfer emotions and see every detail related to the film’s production in this very location,” says Ravi Gosain, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO).

Sanjeev Kumar, General Manager, Naukuchia House, Naukuchiatal – IHCL SeleQtions, shares, "The interest around Hanuman Ansh, Neem Karoli Baba and Kainchi Dham has renewed attention on the spiritual landscape of Kumaon. Film-led interest can encourage travellers to look beyond the screen and discover the local culture, faith, food, people and landscape. That is when storytelling becomes meaningful for a destination – when a film sparks curiosity and leads to a more personal journey."

We have seen this play out in India over the years, with films such as Dil Chahta Hai, Salaam Namaste and Bachna Ae Haseeno bringing Australia’s cities and landscapes into the homes and imaginations of Indian audiences, points out Nishant Kashikar, Country Manager, India & Gulf, Tourism Australia.

“We have been an early believer in the power of the television screen, including through our integration with the popular television show Bade Achhe Lagte Hain. These associations matter because the impact of entertainment can extend well beyond the original broadcast or theatrical release. A film or television programme can introduce a place to an audience at one point in their lives, with those images and emotions staying with them until they are ready to travel,” explains Nishant Kashikar.

Manmeet Ahluwalia, CMO, EaseMyTrip, comments, "Pangong Lake in Ladakh became associated with 3 Idiots, while Chapora Fort in Goa continues to be linked with Dil Chahta Hai. Internationally, locations across New Zealand have become part of The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit tourism experience. In these cases, the location moves beyond being a backdrop. It becomes part of the story’s identity."

- Ladakh, especially Pangong Tso – before 3 Idiots was released in 2009, that lake saw a few hundred visitors a season. It’s now one of the most photographed spots in Indian domestic travel, largely because of one closing scene. Vendors there still rent out the scooter and the yellow raincoat from the film

- Spain, via Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara – it’s become something of a case study in Spanish tourism circles for how one film reframed a destination for an entire outbound market

- Kashmir, Goa, and Rajasthan – less tied to one film each, more a cumulative effect of decades of being Bollywood’s default backdrop for romance and drama

- Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad – this one’s slightly different since it’s a studio, not a “real” location, but it’s proof of concept for how far this can go: the Baahubali sets alone turned into a paid tourist attraction

– Prashant Daroch, founder, Atravelq

“Hobbiton is now a standalone paid attraction with its own economy. Scotland and Northern Ireland saw a similar effect from Game Of Thrones. Iceland’s landscape-driven tourism boom over the last decade has also been helped by its frequent use as a backdrop for international productions,” adds Prashant.

New Zealand’s experience offers some useful numbers. Tourism New Zealand’s visitor research for the year ending December 2025 found that 12.4% of international visitors surveyed said The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings films influenced their decision to visit the country.

Prashant Daroch, founder, Atravelq, adds, "In our experience curating these trips, the location is the entry point, not the whole ask. What people are really chasing is recreating a specific scene or character moment, not just visiting the town."

A Booking.com spokesperson, says, "The influence of film and entertainment is becoming evident, our Travel Trends 2026 data shows that 37% of Indian travellers credit movies and TV shows for inspiring their trip choices…From Bollywood in Mumbai and anime in Tokyo, to K-drama in Seoul and fantasy realms in Wellington, these destinations have become vibrant cultural touchpoints."

Activist and environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk has responded to Aamir Khan’s recent claim that he and the makers of 3 Idiots did not know him while making the 2009 film. Wangchuk, who has himself previously said Phunsukh Wangdu was not entirely based on him, now says he had a “detailed meeting” with Khan before the film and jokes that the actor may have forgotten it.

“He was watching my speech in his Ghajini outfit. Maybe because of that he experienced short-term memory loss and forgot our meeting after 15 minutes,” he said, referring to the 2008 film where Khan’s character suffers from short-term memory loss.

“Perhaps he was too immersed in his Ghajini persona when he watched me receive an award at an event we both attended… We discussed a lot of ideas,” he said on Prakhar Gupta’s podcast.

As for the character of Wangdu, Wangchuk asserts he does not claim it was entirely modeled after him, but calls it an “influence or inspiration”.

He said, “Maybe he shared those ideas with his writers, who then modified the existing script. Perhaps he did it subconsciously, or the writers were unaware of where the ideas originated. Either way, I have no issue with it,” he said.

Wangchuk also responded to Salman Khan’s viral ‘it’s done bro’ tweet from July, when the actor asked him to end his strike. “Majbooriyan hoti hongi sabki. Aage peeche, daayen baayen dekhna padta hai. Lekin unhone kuch kaha uski main izzat karta hoon,” he said.

Phunsukh Wangdu, Khan’s character in 3 Idiots, has been popularly believed to have been inspired by Wangchuk. The debate resurfaced in July after actor Omi Vaidya, who played Chatur in the film, referred to Wangchuk as an inspiration while supporting his hunger strike.

Clarifying the connection at the London Indian Film Festival, Khan said, “No, that is not true actually. That is a misconception. I didn’t know about Mr Sonam at that time when we were doing the film, 3 Idiots... Neither Raju nor Abhijat [Rajkumar Hirani or Abhijat Joshi], who are the two writers, we didn’t know about Mr Sonam.”

However, the actor called Wangchuk an inspiration irrespective while wishing for his health.

Twenty years is a long time to be away from a franchise you love. Naturally then, Sharman Joshi — who was part of Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006), which kicked off filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s comedy franchise — is itching to return to the world of Golmaal 5. “I’m likely to start working on it soon,” the actor told mid-day.

A lot has happened in the interim. Golmaal, led by Ajay Devgn, has had three instalments. Joshi wasn’t a part of them, with reports claiming that he had hiked his fees, which didn’t go down well with the producers. In several interviews, he claimed it was a miscommunication from his team that led to his ouster and he didn’t know until later.

Even as he has joined Golmaal 5 that will star Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Arshad Warsi, Kunal Kemmu, Tusshar Kapoor, and Shreyas Talpade, he wished he hadn’t lost the years. “I missed Rohit’s energy on sets, Ajay sir’s intensity and calmness. I missed Tusshar too. Rohit’s entire team is warm and inclusive.”

The comic caper will go on floors in late February. While rumours are rife that Akshay Kumar will play the antagonist, Joshi is keen to explore his on-screen dynamics with Talpade and Kemmu. “I [had seen] Shreyas’s work during intercollegiate competitions as our colleges were next to each other. I’ve been his fan since Iqbal [2005]. Kunal and I will reunite after Dhol [2007].”

‘Rang De Basanti’ (2006) completed 20 years of release last month. Remembering it, the actor said, “Last week, I was listening to the album, and all the fond memories came rushing back. Working on it was a fabulous journey.”

Sharman Joshi denied being approached for the ‘3 Idiots’ sequel. “I’ve not been informed about it so far, but I hope it happens,” he said.

We may be days away from 2026, but Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Hirani are going back in time to 2009. Recently, we reported that the actor-director duo is teaming up with original cast members Kareena Kapoor Khan, R Madhavan, and Sharman Joshi for a sequel to their classic 3 Idiots (The idiots are calling, Dec 4). And it looks like things are progressing swiftly. We’ve exclusively learnt that Hirani is planning to take the comedy by mid-2026.

An insider shared, “Work on the script is going on in full swing. The premise for the sequel has been cracked, and it’s a matter of a few months before the screenplay is developed. The sequel to 3 Idiots will go on floors around June-July.”

So, where does that leave Khan and Hirani’s biopic on Dadasaheb Phalke, regarded as the father of Indian cinema? While rumours earlier suggested that the film would roll in January 2026, the ambitious plan has now been kept for another day.

A source revealed, “The script needed more work, and both Raju and Aamir were clear that unless the script captured Dadasaheb’s life in all its glory, they wouldn’t take it on floors. They aren’t in a rush.” 

mid-day reached out to Hirani’s team, who didn’t respond till press time.

Rajkumar Hirani’s directorial 3 Idiots turns 16 this Christmas, and the film is once again in news amid reports of a sequel featuring the original cast: Aamir Khan, R Madhavan, Sharman Joshi and Kareena Kapoor Khan.

Ask Sharman whether he has any inkling about the project, and the 46-year-old says, “On more than a couple of occasions earlier, there has been buzz that the 3 Idiots sequel is happening. I hope that this time around, it’s true, but I have not been informed yet.”

But does he think there is scope for continuation of the story of the three friends from the film? “I am in no position to know. Only the master, Raju (Rajkumar) sir, Abhijat (Joshi, writer) sir and Aamir would be working on it if there is potential,” he says.

A smile comes to Sharman’s face as he talks about 3 Idiots. The actor reveals that it was his 2001 breakthrough film Style that ultimately led him to Rajkumar’s film. “Raju sir had seen me in Style and thought that someday he’d cast me in some movie.”

One of the most talked-about scenes from 3 Idiots is the one where Sharman’s character attempts suicide.

Elaborating on the effect the scene had on the audience, Sharman shares, “People would call my parents asking if I was doing alright. Not just parents, but many kids, including my daughter, were moved by that scene as well. She was just four when we were at the premiere and she started crying while watching that scene. She didn’t stop until I held her in my lap.”

Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, renowned for blockbuster hits like Munna Bhai MBBS, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, 3 Idiots, PK, and Sanju, was in Kolkata on Saturday afternoon for an event organized by Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce & Industry, where he spoke about his style of filmmaking and anecdotes from iconic scenes. Known for blending humour with meaningful social commentary, Hirani reflected on his films, cinematic philosophy, his belief in storytelling and more.

Rajkumar Hirani shared that the idea of Jadoo ki Jhappi came from his own father, who was a physically affectionate man and expressed love through simple gestures like hugs.

He said, “The idea was to capture feeling of warmth on screen, and show how a hug can have a magical, healing quality.”

“While developing the scene for Munna Bhai MBBS, Abhijat Joshi suggested adding the word jhappi, and that’s how the now-iconic phrase was born,” recalled Hirani.

Similarly, Hirani explained that the song All Izz Well from 3 Idiots was inspired by an old British practice where, during construction work at night, a security guard would periodically shout “All is well” to reassure everyone that things were under control and there was no danger.

“If you connect this idea, in life too, we often just need someone to tell us that all is well to feel calm and reassured. The phrase is a metaphor for hope – things could be going wrong but someone just saying ‘all is well’ could give you a good night’s sleep,” said the filmmaker.

When asked if the journey and the things going around him have made him cynical, Hirani reflected on how, despite exploring serious social issues in his films, the journey of filmmaking has not made him cynical.

“Cynicism is merely an escape – an easy way out that leads nowhere. Addressing these social issues through my stories is my way of staying away from cynicism; it allows me to channel my observations and concerns into something constructive and meaningful. Instead of giving in to despair or bitterness, I choose it as a tool for reflection and change,” said Hirani.

He added that to him, what truly matters, is how one chooses to respond when faced with something wrong – and through his films, he continues to respond with hope and empathy.

For Hirani, the role of cinema is not to prescribe morality but to reflect on the times we live in, offering stories that resonate with audiences while leaving judgment and lessons to society. “Every film carries its own unique flavour, and criticism is simply a part of life that should be received with optimism,” he said.

Talking about Dunki, Hirani said, “Cinema is like food. Some like the same and some enjoy variety. That is what I thought when Dunki received mixed love and reactions.”

For Hirani, while OTT provides convenience, the theatrical experience remains a communal, immersive celebration of storytelling that cannot be replicated on a screen at home. When asked about how he feels about OTT replacing theatrical releases, the filmmaker said, “With OTT, mediocre films will die, audiences will be more selective and will go to watch only blockbuster ones,” adding, “Watching in a theatre is like dancing with 500 people at a wedding, and watching on OTT is like dancing alone at home — they are not the same.”

Hirani shared how the iconic ‘Chamatkaar’ speech in 3 Idiots was crafted to satirise rote learning in the Indian education. “Omi Vaidya who had come from America was cast as Chatur, and we asked him not to study Hindi to preserve the character’s authenticity. During his audition, Omi recited lines from Lage Raho Munna Bhai without fully understanding the Hindi words, mirroring Chatur’s character’s approach to learning. His words did not match his expression & that’s what was needed for the scene,” Hirani said.

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Many were initially not convinced about Sanju – not only doubting whether Ranbir Kapoor could convincingly portray Sanjay Dutt, but also questioning why I even wanted to make a film on Sanju’s life

With censorship, new thoughts will stop. There should be a more liberal and balanced approach when it comes to film certification

Originally, Shriyam Bhagnani was meant to make her Bollywood debut with Sumo Didi, a biopic of female Sumo wrestler Hetal Dave. While it has yet to see the light of day, the actor made her maiden film appearance over the weekend with Aap Jaisa Koi, led by R Madhavan and Fatima Sana Shaikh. It’s a joy to foray into Bollywood; the bigger joy, she says, is to do so with Madhavan, an actor she grew up admiring.

“I have been his fan [thanks to] 3 Idiots [2009], and recently, Shaitaan [2024]. His character in Shaitaan was intense. [When I met him], I told him I was scared of that character,” she laughs, before adding that the actor put her at ease with his warm nature. “In our first scene, I was so nervous that I referred to him as Madhavansh. He told me to relax, and we both laughed it off.” 

In the Netflix release, Bhagnani plays Nisha, Madhavan’s niece, a quietly rebellious character navigating a patriarchal set-up. She credits director Vivek Soni for helping her understand her part better. “Vivek sir is clear about what he wants. He’d let me perform the scene and then give his feedback.”

Having kickstarted her Bollywood career, she is hoping that Sumo Didi — which sees her as the lead and has been ready since 2023 — will reach the audience soon. She says, “The film is not stuck. Jio Studios trusted me with a biopic, and I trust them to release it at the right moment.”

Composer Shantanu Moitra has added another feather to his hat by turning filmmaker. He has directed and produced an upcoming docu series on YouTube, which features a six-part, sit-down conversation with singer Kaushiki Chakraborty.

Sharing why he decided to turn director, the 57-year-old says, “I wanted to become an entrepreneur and a storyteller. I wanted to break this whole pattern of someone calling to offer me a work opportunity. That made my brain start ticking and I thought I wanted to try something else.”

Titled Pankh, his maiden directorial outing is music driven, as it’s a live autobiography and album on Kaushiki’s life. “Over the years, there have been lots of stories that I wanted to share with the world. And what better vocalist to voice that feeling of mine than Kaushiki Chakraborty. I believe if you’re really passionate about anything, then you are the best person to execute it. That is why I took this leap of faith and got into direction,” says Shantanu.

As someone navigating music and filmmaking now, the musician accepts that there’s a lot of commonality and differences between the two crafts. “Before I compose a song, I have a gifted power to hear the track in my head, which includes the songs I’ve composed for Parineeta (2005) or 3 Idiots (2009). That’s something I experienced as a director too. I could see it and had a clear vision before I started directing it. That’s the commonality,” he says.

He adds that the greatest difference between the two crafts is the turnaround time. “As a composer, the turnaround time from the moment I hear a song in my head to execution is less, as I record it immediately after calling the right people. However, in case of a film, there are many departments and people you’re dependent on. Hence, the gestation period from when I think of an idea to when it finally manifests is huge,” says Shantanu, who is a “huge fan” of filmmakers Satyajit Ray, Werner Herzog and Hrishikesh Mukherjee. “Ray’s love for black and white, and his vision for imagery is something that I have used in Pankh,” he ends.

For years, after 3 Idiots was released, Rajkumar Hirani would bump into people at various places, and somebody would come up and say, ‘I studied medicine, but I’ve quit and am now learning music.’ Someone else said, ‘I’m becoming a writer.’ That even sometimes would scare him and he would think - ‘I hope they succeed. Otherwise, they’ll come knocking on my door one day saying, 'You taught us the wrong things'.

Rajkumar Hirani, however, admits that the film gave a lot of people the courage to pursue what they wanted to do. He says, "I always tell people there’s a difference between passion and obsession. Sometimes people feel passionate about becoming something - like a music director or an actor - and they think, ‘This is my passion.’ But passion alone isn’t enough. I keep telling them, passion is just a desire to be someone. Obsession is what matters. Are you putting in the effort every single day to hone your skill and craft? If you’re obsessed - if you’re getting up every morning and working towards your goal - then pursue it. That’s when you’ll succeed. Passion without effort won’t take you anywhere."

Rajkumar Hirani says that 3 Idiots is one classic example of a problem that exists in every household. There’s always a rift between parents and children about education. The resonance of this issue is very strong, and every household needs a solution to it. He feels that’s why the film resonated so well with people.

He explains, "Most parents could see, ‘Haan yaar, maybe we’re pushing our kids too much.’A lot of parents used to come to me and admit, ‘Maybe we’re pushing our children too much, and we shouldn’t.’"

3 Idiots origin story is somewhere in Rajkumar Hirani's own life. He says, "When I look back at my own life - when I was in school - I think I was a very, very average student, struggling. Kahan yaar, yeh mujhe trigonometry samjha rahe hain, mujhe samajh nahi aata. Kuch nahi samajh aata tha! I was very average, and then I went to college. I wanted to get into an engineering college, but that never happened. I couldn’t secure admission anywhere. So, I ended up studying commerce. But commerce didn’t interest me. Education, in general, was never interesting for me, you know. Commerce college was just 3-4 hours in the morning, which gave me a lot of time to do theater. I started doing plays - directing, acting, writing - and that gave me immense joy. I realized I was spending hours doing that every day. My dad noticed it too, and he said, 'You know what? This is what you really love. Go do this'. This was a very difficult thing for a parent to say back then, especially in a small town like Nagpur, in a conventional, middle-class family. For him to say, 'Okay, leave my business' - my dad used to sell typewriters - and encourage me to pursue cinema, was unheard of at the time. But he guided me. He said, 'Go to film school. That’s where you can learn. Learn the craft'.”

When he got into the film institute, everything changed for him. He started getting scholarships and excelling at every level because he was enjoying what I was doing. He says, "That’s what we try to convey in the film: don’t push kids to do what they don’t want to do. If you chase something you truly enjoy, you’ll naturally excel at it. And if you excel at it, you’ll succeed. Rather than saying, 'Let’s do an MBA' or 'Let’s do finance because it pays well', but not enjoying it, you won’t excel, and success won’t come. That’s where the idea came from. We ended up coining the phrase - Chase excellence, and success will follow. Don’t chase money, because success doesn’t work like that. The process of writing is a long journey. You spend so much time thinking about the subject, reading about it. These ideas start forming in your head. You think, 'Okay, let’s say this', or 'Let’s put it this way'. It’s a journey where you create all these things."

The character of the professor in 3 Idiots is one of the most memorable characters. But when it was offered to Boman Irani, he didn’t want to take on the role as he had already played the Dean in Munnabhai MBBS.

Hirani recalls, “He said it’ll look like the same. I said, but let’s do it differently. Physicality also will change. I said that you’re bald in that; we’ll give you curly hair in 3 Idiots. You didn’t have a mustache; we’ll give you a mustache. Let’s change your physicality first and do it differently. Boman really worked hard to create the character."

Then Boman thought of some school teacher he used to have who used to dress up in a particular way. So, Boman went and designed his own clothes for the character. He went to a tailor in Dadar and remembered how his professor used to wear his pants up to the chest. He also added a lisp to his character. He had certain people in his mind - his professor, some other people - their mannerisms, the way they walked, and everything.

The three actors who played the 3 Idiots were not Raju Hirani's first choice at all. The first set of people were actually much younger and were all new actors at the time. They had selected three actors and auditioned them separately. But somehow, when they were put together, they were not gelling well. There’s a certain chemistry between people, and somehow that wasn’t happening.

Hirani recalls, "And during that time, I remember Vinod (VVC, the producer of the film) had offered a film to Aamir. And Aamir asked him about the film he was doing. While Vidhu Vinod Chopra told him that the film is not good for Aamir as it was a much younger role, Aamir said, ‘Let me hear the script.’"

Rajkumar Hirani recalls, "So I remember going to Aamir's house, and I read the script to him. His first concern was also, ‘How will I look young? It’s a good script, but how will I look young?’ But somehow, when I met him, I felt Aamir has a very innocent, childlike face. I said, ‘If you can lose all this muscle’ - at that time, he was playing Ghajini and was very broad - ‘then you can look like that.’ We just took a chance. We took a leap of faith. He said, ‘Okay, I'll lose it.’ He lost all the weight and muscle and transformed himself. Then one trick we played was that we decided to cast the other actors a little older. You can’t have Aamir alongside someone who’s nearly 17. So, there’s a kind of suspension of belief that happens. Once you get into the story, you don’t really realize it. With Aamir and all these experienced actors coming in, it became a little easier. It’s always easier to work with experienced people than with newcomers."

Rajkumar Hirani says, "If you look at older films, they often wallow in self-pity. Gaane bhi waise hi hote thay - bahut saare self-pity wale. Usmein hota tha - baap khaas raha hai, maa kitchen mein rehti hai, aur behen ki shaadi nahi ho rahi. It was kind of a spoof on that - ki iska ghar humein black and white filmon ki yaad dilata tha. What we didn’t realize was that it might come across as a little dark, and some people might not like it. I still remember someone walking up to me and saying, 'Aap hamara mazak uda rahe ho'. That’s when it struck me. I said, 'I had never seen it like that', but yes, it could be sensitive to some. The idea was just to add a little dark humour about how Indian cinema was portrayed back then."

"Cinema is a reflection of its time. For example, 1947 ke baad unemployment tha - lead hero unemployed hota tha, gareebi hoti thi, khana nahi hota tha. Then times changed - gold smuggling became a theme. Later, underworld dons entered storylines. Over decades, storylines have evolved."

Talking about the Delhi to Ladakh journey, he says, "It's always the script that drives everything. As I said, I love Delhi in terms of its locations and interesting things, so we wanted to set it in Delhi. From Delhi, we wanted to show a journey where they’ve lost a friend and have to find him. First of all, it felt like, where would a person like Rancho go? He would go to a serene place, cut off from the world, because he went to college just for knowledge, not for degrees. He was there under someone else's name, so he would hide away and do his business quietly - do his research, become a scientist, and run a school. That place seemed like Ladakh. At one point, we had considered a location in Sikkim. We even scouted it. But setting it in Sikkim made the journey from Delhi too long. We would have had to set up the film in Calcutta, and Delhi felt right. So, we took this route: they would start from Delhi, go to Shimla (where he used to work), meet Jaaved Jaaferi’s character in Shimla, and then continue to Ladakh. That seemed like an obvious route to take."

Abhijat used to live in the US, and Rajkumar would go there to write with him. One day, they bumped into a person there who constantly talked about new brands.

He recalls, "Abhijat and I are quite uninterested in the way we dress. Abhijat even had a really old car. This man looked at us and said, 'Aap log aise rehte ho? Kuch brands pehna karo'. He even talked about starter brands. We still laugh about it. He said, "I’ll introduce you to some starter brands'. I asked, 'Yeh starter brands kya hote hain?' Abhijat and I believe that we have one life, so we should make great films, travel, and do what we love. He gave an amazing line - 'You have one life; live it up - try all brands'. That night, we laughed so much, and I decided Kareena’s boyfriend’s character should be the total opposite of Aamir’s Rancho. Rancho doesn’t believe in materialism, so we created a contrasting character whose entire life revolves around brands and prices."

Hirani recalls that hum science se hai scene had 32 takes. He says, "I remember a funny incident, and while we were shooting that scene, Aamir would always laugh during the narrations. Every time we reached the line, 'Hum science ki taraf se hain', he would crack up. On the shoot day, it took 35 takes because after every take, Aamir would laugh, then Madhavan would laugh, and then Sharman would laugh."

--Ranchhoddas Shamaldas Chanchad - Rancho, whose real name was Phunsukh Wangdu - is quite an unusual name. How did they come up with this? He says, "We always wanted to create quirky names so the characters would be remembered, rather than giving them very standard names. It was Abhijat Joshi who came up with this name."

Kareena Kapoor Khan will complete 25 years in the movie business next year. Her filmography boasts of an eclectic mix of memorable characters and no-nonsense, courageous leads. From Refugee (2000) to Crew and The Buckingham Murders this year, Bebo has had quite a journey. However, despite delivering some fine performances over the years, she is often in the focus for her trendsetting style and glamorous avatars.

The actress talks about her longevity in the industry and how she believes she has a long way to go.

When we asked her about glamour overshadowing acting talent at a recent event, the actress said, “People tend to overlook an actor’s gravitas if you are glamourous. If you see my choice of films, it proves this perception wrong. I have had a glamorous image, but I’ve never looked at myself like that. I prefer to keep my ear to the ground because it’s important for an actor to know the reality of a situation. I am focused on my performance. It took many films for people to take me seriously as an actor.”

She further added, “Today, when a film like Buckingham Murders releases, people take notice because I have constantly been at it, proving myself. That’s also one of the reasons behind the longevity I have been able to achieve as an actor. I have constantly tried to prove myself as an actor for the past 25 years. And I don’t want people to say you have done it all, now what? I have a long way to go.”

While Poo and Geet often walk away with all the glory, Kareena’s comic timing in films like 3 Idiots, Good Newwz and Crew have won a lot of appreciation, along with much critical acclaim for films like Omkara, Udta Punjab, Talaash, Jaane Jaan and The Buckingham Murders.

She elaborated, “In the last 25 years, the first decade went in people assuming that I was Poo, and the other went in people thinking I am Bhatinda ki sikhni Geet. Maybe I am a mix of both. I want people to know that I am an actor who is very passionate about her job.”

Talking about staying connected to the audience, she said, “People like to see me in roles like Geet or Poo more, perhaps because they are more connected to the masses. In the next 25 years, I will try to play more different roles. While I have done films with superstars, which have been hits, I have also had a career that I have simultaneously built to prove myself as an actor. The X factor combined with talent and, of course, 30 per cent of luck is what takes you places.”

Speaking of longevity in her career, the actress reminisced, “At 17-18, it was all about wanting to be in every film. If you sustain for a decade, it’s about reinvention, which is scary in an industry which is male-dominated. Over the years, apart from me, there have been other brave actresses too who have taken big strides. Every five years, I ask myself, what new can I do now? It’s not just about being a part of successful films but leaving behind a legacy. I come from a family (the Kapoors) where I have been challenged because they all are such amazing actors, but I want to leave my mark somewhere. Every 10 years, there is someone new, so how am I going to last? Sustaining yourself is tougher, so I like to make varied choices, be it The Buckingham Murders, Singham Again, Crew or Jaane Jaan, which dropped on a streaming platform. I feel it would have done great on the big screen, too.”

It’s a hat-trick for Mona Singh. For her next theatrical release, the actor reunites with superstar Aamir Khan for the third time after the 2013 campus comedy 3 Idiots and Laal Singh Chaddha (2022). Sources inform that unlike her previous outings, Khan is only involved as a producer this time around. The yet-untitled film is slated to release during Diwali.

“Mona has just wrapped up the film’s shoot. She has a wonderful relationship with Aamir Khan Productions and is excited to work with them for the third time,” says the source.

The film is another comedy adventure in the actor’s filmography, following the success of her last theatrical release, the horror comedy Munjya. While details about the project that will see Singh as a gangster are being kept under wraps, an insider informs, “The comedy adventure will take the audience back to Delhi Belly [2011] days.”

This won’t be the first time Singh plays a gangster on screen. She will also portray the character in her upcoming series, Paan Parda Zarda, which is set against the backdrop of illegal opium smuggling. In an earlier conversation, the actor had emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between OTT and film releases and how she practiced it.

“It’s not easy, but it is great that we have been able to maintain the balance between OTT and theatricals. I am glad to be a part of this beautiful change in the industry,” she said.

You know the auditorium will echo with laughter and lessons when you have director Rajkumar Hirani and actor Boman Irani together. The duo who treated audiences to Munna Bhai franchise, and 3 Idiots, were in town on Monday for a talk show organised by the Ladies Study Group, titled All izz well. They spoke about their camaraderie, their hits and misses in showbiz and more. Excerpts...

When asked about the defining moment of his life, Boman shared an interesting incident. “When I was eight or nine years old, I met a wonderful artiste who was a family friend and whom I sang for. She told me that I’d performed reasonably well. She also advised me to be unique as there couldn’t be anyone like me. This advice I took really seriously and honoured it. That artiste happens to be Usha Uthup.”

At the event hosted by the Ladies Study Group, Hirani said he wanted to be an engineer and then went on to study chartered accountancy upon his uncle’s advice. “The scene from 3 Idiots where R Madhavan tells his father he wants to be a wildlife photographer, that is one scene out of my life. I gathered the courage and told my father that CA was not my calling and he asked me to join him with his work. I can’t tell you the joy and relief I felt. That’s when I started working with my father in the morning and doing plays in the evening,” Hirani exclaimed.

For Boman Irani, it was his mother who helped him find his passion and empowered him. “My mom really empowered me. I used to struggle with studies and rarely spoke because of a speech problem but I found confidence on stage and my mom sensed this,” said Irani.

“One day we had a customer at her shop and he wanted to know which movie was running in the nearest theatre. My mother asked me to take him to the theatre. This man was blind and my mum told me to narrate the story as the movie played. I can’t express how empowered I felt as a child,” said Boman.

Hirani shared the kind of curriculum he believes in. “Education should be in a particular way, where we let children do what they like. They should be allowed to do things that they are not just passionate about but are also obsessed with.”

Speaking about the need for tenacity, Irani said, “We should hang on to people who chose to do or write what they believe in because such people are rare.” The actor went on to add, “Youngsters today want to be famous yesterday but they should learn not to compromise on their worth.”

He advised people to learn to hang on to the ones who believe in every word they write and portray a character the way they have written it, because they know what they are doing. “Latch onto them because the journey will be worth it and one that you will forever cherish,” the actor concluded.

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'I make funny films but life at home is drama and action. My wife is a pilot. When people ask her to quit, she tells them that she’ll quit the husband, not flying' – Rajkumar Hirani

'All of Raju’s films are personal as they originate from his belief system. He takes years to write a movie. This man believes what he writes is the Bible' – Boman Irani

'Ones who write what they believe in are rare' - Boman Irani

One of Turkey’s biggest stars, Hande Erçel has a whopping 31.8M followers on Instagram, making her one of the most influential names in the Turkish film and TV industry.

In her first visit to India for FICCI Frames 2024, we caught up with the actress in Mumbai for an in-depth exclusive chat and even made her try the city’s iconic cutting chai! Deeply observant and excited about her first visit here, though it’s just for 4 days, Ercel spoke about Indian cinema, beauty standards for women, social media and more. Excerpts…

Yes, we spoke. He loved the food and he talked about it a lot. What struck him the most about India was the kindness and warmth in people here. They are extremely loving and it’s true. I was aware that people knew me here but didn’t know I was this popular. This is my first time here. I had heard a lot about Indian culture, people, and music. I had so much curiosity and wonder about India and the country surpassed my expectations. The weather’s good and I like bright sunshine over cold conditions, so this is perfect. It’s a short visit, but I went to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and liked it. I also hope to visit the famous Ganpati temple (Shree Siddhivinayak) and Dhobi Ghat in the city. It won’t happen this time but it’s a dream to witness the The Taj Mahal in Agra. It’s gorgeous.

I loved watching this film called Black (by Sanjay Leela Bhansali). I like Indian actors a lot, too. I like Dev Patel (British actor of Indian origin) and Hrithik Roshan. I know Ranveer Singh and of course Aamir Khan, who is big in Turkey. I enjoyed PK and 3 Idiots. Not many people know this, but I keep listening to Bollywood songs on set while shooting. You’ll always find Bollywood music on my playlist. I would love to collaborate with Indian filmmakers.

It’s good pressure. It makes me more thoughtful, responsible, and inspirational by wanting to do good things for people. I ensure I separate my private and professional life. That can help you strike a balance between how much of you you put out there. I like to be sincere instead of putting on a mask and present a different persona online. It’s important to stay true to who you are as a person. I am aware of the pressure on women to always look perfect. Young girls look up to their screen idols and want to imitate them. That’s why I try to be as natural and organic on social media. I want to tell them that nobody’s perfect. Every woman is beautiful and distinct. We radiate beauty due to the light and warmth we have within, which matters the most. Believe in yourself.

Cate Blanchett is inspirational as an actor and a person. I like the way Anne Hathaway carries herself and most importantly my mother is my idol.

Everything has a time. I believe in marriage. I would love to have kids and bring them up in a way that they do good for society.

Rajkumar Hirani and writer Abhijat Joshi came together for the first time when they made Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006). Over the past 18 years, they have collaborated to deliver movies like PK, 3 Idiots, Sanju and Dunki. During a recent discussion in the city, the filmmaker and the writer gave a sneakpeek to the audience into their creative world.

Hirani said that as a director, he never does a film to preach but to tell an entertaining story. He said, “For 3 Idiots, we never started with the idea that we will talk about education. I used to love the college hostel vibe and I thought that this has not been shown well in cinema. So it started from there. And once you start writing, various nuances and your beliefs start pouring into the story.”

Hirani’s films have a mix of emotions – they are not just funny, but are also sentimental. On going through the gamut of emotions,

Hirani said, “It invariably happens that when you’re writing a scene, and at that moment you cry, you might do that in Mumbai, somebody watching that scene in Jabalpur must be crying while watching it. That emotion translates.”

Abhijat Joshi added, “Raju narrates his own scene and he cries a lot while narrating his scenes... But when Raju cries, I feel elated, I am jubilant. I know (while writing that scene) that the whole nation is going to cry.”

Hirani shared, “Every time I make a film, the first thing written on my board is to find a unique idea. Whether it’s PK, where an alien is in search of godman, or Mahatma Gandhi meeting a gangster, the attempt is always to find unique stories, something that has not been told before. Every business has to tell stories, and there has to be some honesty and truth in it, but then people will sniff it.”

From where does Rajkumar Hirani get his ideas? For instance, how did he think of Munna Bhai MBBS (2003)? Hirani said, “I grew up in Nagpur, and many of my friends from class 12th went to join a medical college, so I saw that world. I always wanted to tell a story about a medical college. My initial idea was about three students in a medical college, and I kept on writing it for many years, but it was not going anywhere until I got this idea – what if a 40-year-old man – a gangster, goes to a medical college? The genesis was coming from something that was already within me.”

Abhijat Joshi said that when they were writing PK, Hirani told him that they are not setting out here to hurt anyone. He shared, “There was a certain humility and respect that let’s have a dialogue. We are not here to impress that hum ye soch rahe hain aur yahi sahi hai, tum bewakoof ho. Ye hona nahi chahiye. With a lot of respect, you have to engage in a dialogue. Raju has been consistent that he wants to discuss an idea. He does not want to thrust an idea on the audience.”

Joshi added, “As citizens, what do we feel outraged about – that’s what our cinema is about. It is not satire; it is a very gentle form of humour.”

Hirani said, “As a director, you have to do two things: communicate your vision to your entire team and, second, draw inspiration from others. I make sure that once the script is written, I communicate it to the camera team and actors as many times as possible. I keep narrating, seeking reactions, and every time I narrate, they come up with some problems with it. Then we find solutions. However, in collaboration, a lot of tussles can also arise. I have been lucky to work with some extremely wise people. Collaboration with a writer is the toughest. When I tell Abhijat that a scene is not working he immediately starts reworking it.”

Hirani added, “When everybody wants the film to work, the film becomes bigger than an individual.”

When it was time to shoot for Tum Kya Mile and What Jhumka? in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Alia Bhatt was in a bit of a fix. She simply wasn’t confident that she could lip-sync her way through the numbers. “I was very nervous, going to shoot a full proper lip-synced song after Ishq Wala Love (Student of the Year, 2012). So, Karan (Johar) told me why you don’t call Shah Rukh Khan, he will give you some tips. I called him and told him no one does lip-syncing better than you,” Alia admitted at the film's press conference.

Shah Rukh, of course, is a veteran of lip-syncing, having delivered a hit with Zinda Banda in Jawan last year, a song for which he lip-synced in three languages. But as Hindi cinema becomes realistic, and songs are either not included or become a part of the background score of films, will the art of lip-syncing die out? We spoke to singers, lyricists and composers to find out.

Indians love lip-synced songs; it’s in our DNA. Our weddings and festivals revolve around Hindi movie songs, which are sung by fabulous singers and lip synced by great actors. The audience loves imitating these songs. However, it’s fine that some movies don’t have songs; if it’s realistic, there’s no point forcing it. It’s also expensive to shoot songs, and thus filmmakers shy away from it. My favourites from my own films, would be my first song Aankh Maare (Tere Mere Sapne), sung by Kumar Sanu da, and everybody loved it.

Film schools should make the shooting of songs and their use in Hindi cinema an essential part of the curriculum. We are following western trends and have stopped using songs, but each time a song is used sensibly, it takes the narrative forward. In 3 Idiots, which I scored for, Behti Hawa Sa Tha Woh was not lip synced, but Zoobi Doobi was. Initially, I had done a couple of songs for Sardar Udham, but Shoojit (Sircar) and I felt that the human voice was disturbing the silence, which is an important tool in the film.

Lip syncing is a special skill, and it takes actors like Shammi Kapoor to make it believable. Filmmakers are emulating Hollywood and focusing on picturization and graphics, but a Hindi commercial entertainer still requires lip-synced songs. Music is a part of Indian culture, and I don’t think that will ever change.

I belong to that lucky generation (1980s-90s) when songs and their filming were important. Almost every song – happy, sad, philosophical or spiritual – was lip-synced. I started off by dubbing Lata ji’s (Mangeshkar) songs, after which Lata ji would sing the final version for Rekha ji or Jaya Prada ji, heroines who excelled at lip syncing. I started singing my own songs for actresses like Padmini Kolhapure, Shabana Azmi and Sridevi. When Hawa Hawaii (Mr India) released, people thought it was Sridevi singing. A lot of credit goes to the actors, who excelled at lip movements, which is an art in itself.

Directors like Subhash Ghai would give 50% credit for their success to a film's songs. There was a time when there were at least six-eight songs in a film. I used to write two-three antaras for songs that were five-six minutes long. But nowadays I’m asked to complete a song in two and a half minutes, since people apparently don’t have patience. Many directors shoot the visuals first and then approach us for a song. This eliminates the chance of a lip-synced song. We need one big musical that can change this entire trend.

I hope and believe that lip-synced songs will never completely disappear from the Indian film narrative, as it's beautifully exclusive to our films. Lip-syncing is also important to viewers. If you see the films that featured superstars and did well in 2023, all of them had at least one lip-synced song. For instance, Besharam Rang (Pathaan) would never have worked as a background score, it needed that dance, drama and the lip-synced visuals.

- The 1932 release Indersabha had over 70 songs, a record that's tough to beat

- Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit's hit -Hum Aapke Hai Koun...! (1994) had 14 songs

- Shah Rukh Khan is a master of lip-syncing. Two films starring him - Devdas (2002) and Mohabbatein (2000) both had 10 songs

- Amitabh Bachchan could effortlessly switch from his angry young man image and mouth the lyrics of a song. His Silsila had 12 songs

Mona Singh, who came into the limelight as Jassi in Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin (2003-2006), has completed 20 years in showbiz. She has moved on from television today and is happy to explore other mediums. In a chat, she talks about her transition to OTT and films and how life has changed post marriage. The actress, who has been part of shows like Made In Heaven and Kaala Paani, shares how she is enjoying this phase in her life. Excerpts:

For me, the transition was smooth. It is because I reinvented myself and pushed the envelope, unlike some actors who carried the baggage of their hit shows and took a long time to do something else. I agree that it is important to not get as exposed as TV actors do. Every single day, a TV actor is seen on the screen, so if you aspire to try another medium, it is important to take a break and start afresh.

Life after marriage is good, but one has to work on it every single day. Shyam (Rajagopalan) and I try to be in sync with each other. The best part about marriage is that I have a coffee partner, travel partner, binge-show-watching partner, late-night-drives partner and eating-out partner 24/7. Shyam and I are both creative people and we love discussing work.

I was whole and complete with the way I was and never felt the need to have a man in my life. But I met Shyam and fell in love with him. He is a great guy and does not expect me to change in any way. I am glad I married a bit late because I understand life and relationships better now. If I had married in my 20s, I would not have been the woman I am today. About kids, when I froze my eggs, I did not know I would ever get married. Now that I am married, I don’t know when I will have kids. It will happen whenever we both are ready.

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Mona made her debut with 3 Idiots (2009), but didn't do too many movies soon after that. However, in recent years, things have changed for her. She says, "After 3 Idiots, there were many offers to play sister's roles in films, but I rejected them and decided to wait, and that paid off. Now, I have many interesting releases coming up. It has been 20 years in showbiz and a beautiful journey. Web happened organically and I am thankful for the kind of content on OTT. In TV shows, there are just two roles - a protagonist or a vamp. And if you are doing other roles, there is a possibility of getting lost. But on the web, we are telling interesting stories and women characters have a lot to do. In films, too, the narrative is changing. The actress is no longer the damsel-in-distress."

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After Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin ended, I made a conscious decision to stay away from daily soaps. I wanted to shed that image, so I only participated in non-fiction shows for a while

Mumbai: Film and television actor Akhil Mishra of the Aamir Khan starrer ‘3 Idiots’ fame died after falling off the kitchen balcony of his second floor flat in Mira Road on Wednesday. A case of accidental death was registered by the Navghar police in Bhayander (East).

Mishra (67) is remembered for his role of ‘librarian Dubey’ in the film ‘3 Idiots’ apart from the serial ‘Uttaran’. His presence was noticed in films such as ‘Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi’, ‘Gandhi My Father’ and ‘Don’. TV shows such as ‘Bhanwar’, ‘Sea Hawks’ and Shyam Benegal’s ‘Bharat Ek Khoj’ added lustre to his CV.

Mishra resided with his actor wife Suzanne Bernert, a German national, at Ranavat Heights in Ramdev Park. Bernert had left for Hyderabad for a shoot on Tuesday. Mishra was at home with his caretaker of several years.

Navghar police inspector Vijay Pawar said Mishra is believed to have fallen off the kitchen area of their flat while he was trying to dry clothes around 8 pm. Mishra sustained serious injuries on the body, including the legs, and was rushed to the Bhaktivedanta hospital in Mira Road where he later succumbed. Police said preliminary investigations have ruled out any foul play.

Police said Mishra ’s caretaker had gone out when the tragedy occurred. Their neighbour, a doctor, along with residents of the seven-storey building rushed Mishra to the hospital. The building was abuzz with activity as residents were celebrating the arrival of the Ganesh idol in the compound.

Bernert told the police that her husband had a fall in the house a few months ago. She told the police that he may have climbed on to the stool to hang the clothes in the dry area of the kitchen when he slipped and fell off the balcony. The kitchen balcony had partial grills.

The post-mortem was conducted and the final report is awaited, police said.

Mishra was earlier married to actor Manju Mishra who passed away in 1997. He married Bernert in 2009. Actor Manoj Bajpayee posted condolences on X (formerly Twitter) saying: “Rest in peace Akhil Mishra Ji! This is unbelievably shocking! May god bless your soul with peace & tranquility! Om Shanti.”