Mumbai: The controversy surrounding Ranveer Singh's exit from Don 3, which prompted producers to take the matter public and led to a brief non-cooperation move against the actor, has again brought the spotlight on Bollywood's lack of a structured and equitable exit mechanism in film contracts.

This development, at a time when the industry is grappling with soaring costs and a shortage of stories that can be developed into commercially viable franchises, however, may prompt stakeholders to ensure clearer and prominent exit clauses in future film contracts, lawyers told ET.

Among the various provisions that could help avert such disputes, artists' exit rights and creative control mechanisms rank high on the list, they said.

"Creative control disputes are among the most litigated yet contractually overlooked areas in Indian entertainment law. A well-drafted artist agreement should set a clear deadline tied to the start of principal photography, beyond which an artist can no longer exit the project on grounds of creative disagreement," said Priyanka Sinha, cofounder and partner at law firm A&P Partners.

"Before that deadline, a clean exit option, backed by an advance refund obligation, gives both parties a legally sound way out, limiting exposure to consequential damage claims on either side. The clause reflects a simple principle: creative freedom and commercial certainty can coexist; it just takes precise drafting," she added.

Lawyers also pointed to the importance of including an "exclusivity period" clause in film contracts.

"It is critical to spell out the period for which an artist will be associated with a film. This will help avoid clashes between artists and producers," said a lawyer who did not want to be named.

In 2018, actor Sara Ali Khan began shooting for director Rohit Shetty's film Simmba after her debut film Kedarnath, directed by Abhishek Kapoor, was delayed. Subsequently, Kapoor demanded exclusive dates from Khan for Kedarnath. These dates coincided with her shooting schedule for Simmba. Consequently, Kapoor initiated legal proceedings against the actor.

Legal experts also stressed that film contracts should include provisions for the reimbursement of documented costs.

"Given the significant investments made in development, financing, marketing and production planning based on the cast, agreements should provide for reimbursement of documented costs, along with other pre-agreed remedies, in the event of an unjustified withdrawal by an artist," said Nitika Nagar Mohandas, associate partner designate at Anand & Naik.

Film contracts involve personal services and therefore cannot be specifically enforced, said experts.

"In India, the legal position regarding contracts involving personal services, such as those of actors, directors and other creative professionals, is that they cannot be specifically enforced. A court will not compel an artist to continue performing in a project against his or her will," said Anushree Rauta, head of media and entertainment practice at ANM Global.

"While Indian courts have historically recognized and enforced negative covenants during the subsistence of a contract, such enforcement is not automatic and is subject to important limitations, particularly where the effect would be to force the artist to remain idle or indirectly compel performance," she added.

We all know plastic bottles harm the environment, yet many of us still grab one on a hot day. On film sets, heaps of plastic water bottles are often stacked up for the crew and left behind after wrap. Pragya Kapoor, who co-produced Kedarnath (2018), Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui (2021), and Azaad with her director-husband Abhishek Kapoor, has made it her mission to create an eco-system that ensures her sets leave behind no waste.

“I don’t allow plastic bottles on set. That’s a non-negotiable,” says Pragya. She has already implemented this on her film sets and now wants sustainability to be integrated into the creative process. “We hire a separate team just to handle waste,” she explains. “Their job is to ensure nothing is left behind, everything is properly segregated, and to flag any food or material wastage. Then we course-correct.”

For Azaad, a period film, the team used natural materials — cotton, no polyester or synthetic costumes. “I remember having a showdown with Gattu [Abhishek Kapoor] over whether to use gold plastic or colourful tape for a scene. He won, but we returned the unused material to the vendor so it wouldn’t go to waste,” she adds.

Pragya admits this commitment comes at a cost. “For Azaad, we made eco-bricks out of discarded PPE kits, which wasn’t budgeted for.” She refused to provide foreign crew with plastic bottles. “Everyone drinks the same filtered water. It’s about equality.”

Currently working on Abhishek’s upcoming film, Sharaabi, Pragya has added environmental clauses in contracts. “It empowered people. Designers started reusing material. No one wants to harm the planet — they just need to be shown how.”

When the frenzy around the American superhero drama Avengers reached its crest in 2019, apart from the international star cast, Indians too were taken aback to discern the deep love that our citizens harboured for the franchise. Surely then, this thought would have crossed your mind—why has a country that has grown up consuming the tales of mythological characters, who harboured every magical power one can fancy, not learnt to admire its own superheroes in the way they did Iron Man or Captain America?

Filmmaker Abhishek Kapoor and his wife Pragya are set to test the strength of our tales by serving viewers a dose of Indian mythology in a new template. “[Franchises like] Star Wars, Lord Of The Rings, and Game Of Thrones, are among my favourites. India is blessed with epic mythological tales, and that can prove to be an opportunity for us,” says Pragya, who, along with her husband, is set to create a multiverse of unsung heroes from India’s folkloric books.

“There are many stories to tell, and they may not be restricted to the Ramayana and Mahabharata. India also has a rich history. Our idea is to build a universe that is new and unique.”

Notably, Indian filmmakers are already turning their attention to tales from the Ramayana, with Ranbir Kapoor set to feature as the deity in an upcoming offering, and Rohit Shetty having made several references to it in his last film, Singham Again (2024). In Pragya’s venture, however, the makers are considering creating a multiverse where the characters interact with one another.

“I do believe that once the story is ready, the right cast will be ascertained. As a producer, I first look for a good story. I believe that creating an engaging story that the audience can connect with is a crucial step.”

Prachi Desai became a household name with her debut TV show Kasamh Se (2006) and later began her Bollywood journey with Rock On (2008). She followed it up with films like Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai, Rock On 2, Azhar and Bol Bachchan. However, that didn’t translate into more interesting work on the big screen, but now she is back with OTT and hopes to make the most of it. In a conversation with us, she talks about the transition from TV to films, her career choices and the lack of guidance in her Bollywood journey. Excerpts:

During and after the pandemic, OTT changed everything for writers, directors, newcomers and even for actors like Manoj Bajpayee and Vijay Varma, who were known names, but their potential wasn’t fully tapped. In my case, I could have never imagined playing an undercover cop in a typical Bollywood film, but web films like Silence 1 and Silence 2 gave me the opportunity to break barriers and do something different. OTT was a breather for actors who had to wait endlessly for films to be financed and eventually released in theatres.

I was only 17 when I started doing Kasamh Se and was shooting six episodes a week. My world changed overnight when I won Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. And at 19, I was suddenly the lead actress in Rock On, opposite Farhan Akhtar. It was an incredible opportunity, but after Rock On, nobody remembered that I was a 19-year-old, and I think I got slotted in the older woman category. I came from a humble background; my parents are teachers, and people didn’t realize that unlike others, I did not grow up at parties, and neither did my dad make films. I became a victim of lazy casting. I, too, made errors in choosing the right projects as I did not have a production house or an agency guiding me. I had to make a living and establish myself in Mumbai, so I accepted what was offered to me. As a young girl, I made mistakes because I wasn’t sure what was good and what wasn’t. But if I reflect on my journey, I feel gratitude and give myself credit. Now, thanks to films like Silence on OTT, actresses like us are no longer told that female actors have a shelf life.

When I did Kasamh Se, I got a lot of love from people in India and abroad. When you receive such adulation, how do you go against it? Many people advised me that I should change my image, but I found that forced. I could never fight the image of being a TV actor. In 2006, I was at the peak of my career when I was offered these big-budget films. That’s because Farhan and Abhishek (Kapoor, director of Rock On) did not have that notion about me being overexposed. Otherwise, the casting process is quite conventional and generic in the industry. There are five names which keep circulating around and the bifurcation is made based on whether you are considered an A-list actor or a B-list actor. It is not on the basis of the role or whether you suit it.

Now, the criteria would be a finite show, which does not last more than six episodes. Back then, I was younger and had nothing to lose. But now, I have evolved and am a different person.

I have found this freedom and independence, which I am enjoying right now. When things happen, my parents will be happy, too, but I am not craving it. I am glad that whenever good things happen now, I will be a more mature person and open to it.

Rock On!! (2008) traced the journey of four friends, who form a rock band, Magik. A misunderstanding pulls them apart, but they later reunite to live their dream. As the film clocks 15 years of release, actor Arjun Rampal, one of the leads, gets nostalgic. “Learning to play the instruments and singing were the main criteria for the cast. Farhan (Akhtar, co-actor) already played the guitar, Purab (Kohli, co-actor) learned the drums and I had to learn [to play] the guitar. We truly became musicians in the process,” he reminisces.

The 50-year-old, who played lead guitarist Joseph Mascarenhas, says he was “blown away” by the role when he read the script. But, from then to actually bagging the role, it was quite a journey:

“Gattu (director Abhishek Kapoor) had doubts about my suitability for the role. He came home, saw me and said, ‘I don’t know yaar, you have to be good looking to be Joe’. I gave him an impromptu audition, we did readings and he gave a nod, though I don’t think he was convinced. But, when we went on set and I did a scene, he hugged me and said, ‘You are my Joe’.”

The camaraderie among the band members is something fans remember vividly. And that holds good off screen, too. “To this day, we call each other by our character names. Farhan is still Adi to me, I’m Joe to him,” says Rampal.

Who can forget the drummer KD from Rock On!!? When he auditioned for the film, actor Purab Kohli didn’t know its scale. “I enjoyed shooting for the film. But I realized the magnitude of the film only when I saw the final cut,” says Kohli, adding that he bonded with co-actors Farhan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal and Luke Kenny on and off the screen.

“Farhan was an established director and producer when he did the film and everyone would turn to him for advice. But he was just focused on acting. Gattu (Abhishek Kapoor; director) was the captain of the ship.”

Music was a crucial aspect of the film and Kohli recalls shooting the song Socha Hai at Mumbai’s Hutatma Chowk. “Farhan was well-known, but back then, he wasn’t the star he is today. In fact, Arjun was the star. But since we were in our look — Arjun with long hair and me with a beard — the crowd that gathered didn’t really know who we were. They were just enjoying the song. Perhaps they thought a music video was being shot,” he ends.

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Rock On!! was a special album for us. It was as trendsetting as Dil Chahta Hai (2001), Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) and Bunty Aur Babli (2005). It was the first time that an Indian film was made on a rock band,” says Ehsaan Noorani of the composer trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. He adds that making the songs for the film “was like a breeze”:

“Loy (Mendonsa) and I grew up playing rock music. We also played with rock bands for many years. I was hugely influenced by the music of Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, U2 and The Police (rock outfits).”

Recalling the studio sessions, Noorani says, “Spending time with Javed (Akhtar; lyricist) saab, Farhan (Akhtar; actor), Shankar (Mahadevan) and the rest of the band and coming up with ideas that were turned into songs felt special. We had a rock band-like setup in the studio, with live musicians, including a drummer and a bass player. We composed the songs like how a band would. I’d come up with a guitar riff and that’d go on to become a song. The music became such a rage that my friends who are music instrument dealers told me that the sales of acoustic and electric guitars went up drastically after Rock On!! released.”

Noorani feels “Javed saab should have won awards for the film. An Urdu poet writing simple Hindi lyrics like Meri Laundry Ka Ek Bill was unique”. Calling Phir Dekhiye his favourite number, Noorani adds, “It’s a simple song that I came up with on an acoustic guitar.”

Since she broke on to the film scene five years ago, Sara Ali Khan has worked with a number of A-list directors like Abhishek Kapoor (Kedarnath; 2018), Rohit Shetty (Simmba; 2018), Imtiaz Ali (Love Aaj Kal; 2020) and Aanand L Rai (Atrangi Re; 2021). Riding high on her latest, Laxman Utekar’s Zara Hatke Zara Bachke (ZHZB), the actor, who is a “nervous person in general” believes that working with these big names is a privilege.

The 27-year-old shares, “I don’t feel pressure while working with a big director, but rather privileged. I want to work with filmmakers, who I can fully surrender myself to and say ‘Bhai aap jo bologe, as an actor, main vahi karungi’. I want to continue to do honest work so that more directors want to work with me. That’s the only way to grow.”

Sara, who comes from a filmy family (her parents are actors Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh), doesn’t let that go to her head. “Early on in my career, I was spoiled. But I understood that mera kaam hai apna kaam karna. I have to be on set on time, know my lines and do what the director says. Films are a director’s medium,” she says.

Sara, who starred along with Vicky Kaushal in ZHZB says, she is taking success with a pinch of salt. “You’re only as relevant as your last Friday [collections]. I got a lot of love for the film. I’m enjoying the moment but I am not holding onto it. One wrong Friday and it can all go away,” she ends.

Filmmaker Apurva Asrani extended his support to Priyanka Chopra Jonas after the actor revealed that she “left Bollywood” because of her “beef with some people in the industry”.

Now, in an exclusive interview with us, Asrani shares how some families in the industry have an edge in the business because they have been around for generations: “They have their favourites and have every right to work with the ones they like. The problem is when they gang up to oust an actor or a technician from not just their movie but from the entire ecosystem.”

The National Award-winning film editor goes on, “Then these egos call other egos and tell them not to work with this person. They then use the media to run campaigns to discredit this person. Blind articles are written with damaging accusations... All this can be very damaging to a hardworking talent, especially one who doesn’t have a father or uncle in the film business.”

But Asrani points out how “ones like (actor) Kartik Aaryan thrived in spite of the vicious campaigns against him, thanks to social media, which allows you to directly connect with the audiences”.

The Aligarh (2016) writer points out how a similar “campaign was run against Jonas in 2012”, and she was cornered. “She had given the world two big hits — Barfi! and Agneepath — in just one year, but the front page of a city newspaper carried a headline saying that no hero wanted to work with her. They weren’t giving her her due; she wasn’t able to grow as an actor and a star,” says Asrani, adding that’s the reason a win for Jonas is a “win for all of the people who aren’t giving up the fight against a largely corrupt system”. 

Before Jonas, according to Asrani, another actor who became the target of the influentials was late Sushant Singh Rajput: “Director Abhishek Kapoor has used a very apt term to describe what was done to Sushant: a systematic dismantling of a fragile mind. It’s where they use the entire system to slowly ignore and isolate you.”

He, however, believes there are several producers today who play fairly because they are not from dynasties and sincerely seek out talent over sycophancy. 

Music composer Amit Trivedi looks back at the album of Kai Po Che!, which he feels, continues to be revered. From Shubhaarambh and Manja to Meethi Boliyaan — the songs of the film continue to inject freshness in the minds of music lovers despite being a decade old. Surely, Trivedi couldn’t have a better reason to rejoice.

“Though the songs are 10-years-old, they continue to be revered. They are an inseparable part of all my concert playlists, as they still receive so much love. There cannot be greater joy for me as an artiste,” says the singer.

Interestingly, the 43-year-old delivered the film’s soundtrack in “less than a week”. “I was so inspired by Gattu’s (director Abhishek Kapoor) passion for the film and music that it rubbed off on me. It helped me create the soundtrack so quickly. He was surprised when I delivered the songs in just four days. In fact, he felt I hadn’t worked hard enough on the album, as I managed to deliver the songs so soon. A few days later, he got back to me saying he’d go ahead with the first scratch, as the music grew on him,” Trivedi laughs.

He continues, “Working on the album was so much fun. Since the movie was set in Gujarat and encircled around the lives of three friends, I stuck to the essence of the script. I am a Gujarati myself and it was a pleasure to create a vibrant and festive song like Shubhaarambh. It had a Garba-like, folk vibe. The movie was about friendship, so we also had Meethi Boliyaan, which described the bond [of friendship] really well.”

If he had to revisit the album today, would he want to change anything? Pat comes his reply, “Nothing.” He concludes by saying, “Since sounds keep changing, perhaps I would arrange the music differently. But honestly, I’d not want to change anything about the music of the film.”

Director Abhishek Kapoor feels nostalgic remembering his critically acclaimed film, Kai Po Che!. The movie marked the Bollywood debut of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput and also featured actors Amit Sadh and Rajkummar Rao in lead roles.

Ask if he has a knack for launching actors in films successfully, right from Rajput to Sara Ali Khan in Kedarnath (2018) and pat comes his response. “It is always instinctive. Sometimes, you also cast new people because you don’t get the actors you want. There is no recipe. I wanted to cast Sushant because I had known him for years.”

Talking about late actor’s first day on set, the Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui (2021) director says, “He (Rajput) was like high voltage. Yes, he wouldn’t talk much. There are actors who talk about their craft. [However], this guy was the complete opposite. He was not articulate about his process when you spoke to him. It showed in his performance that he would transform [into the character]. He is no more today. He is highly treasured.”

Speaking about Sadh and Rao, Kapoor says, “Amit Sadh had the most complicated character. Rajkummar was just so easy in his role. All three of them had terrific rapport.”

The 51-year-old tells us that there is nothing planned as of now to mark the 10-year milestone achieved by the film. “I am just starting to shoot a new film. I am so consumed with that. I don’t have the time.”

The award-winning director adds, “Completing 10 years is, of course, a milestone. The fact that we are still discussing about the film means a lot.”

The TV industry is still reeling under the shocking death of Tunisha Sharma on the sets of her show Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul. The 20-year-old actress reportedly died by suicide; she hanged herself in a make-up room on the sets in Naigaon on Saturday.

The Waliv police has arrested her co-star Sheezan Khan under Section 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code. Tunisha and Sheezan were apparently in a relationship, but in the past few days, there was trouble between them. Following her death, her mother lodged a complaint against Sheezan, after which he was arrested. Yesterday, he was produced at Vasai Court and has been sent to fourday police custody.

Tunisha’s co-actors from Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul still can’t believe what has happened. Rumi Khan said, “I am shocked! How could this happen to someone who seemed absolutely fine just a few hours earlier? On Saturday, I was not shooting, but we had a quick chat over messages around 2 pm. She was like a daughter to me. She had lost her father when she was very young and she used to tell me that I resemble him. We shared a special bond and I cared for her. She was a sweet and kind soul and my heart goes out to her mother. ”

After the incident on Saturday, the shoot of Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul came to a halt. The future of the show, too, seems uncertain, given the fact that Tunisha and Sheezan were the lead actors. However, the cast and crew are hoping that the shoot will resume at some point. “It is going to take some time for the production house to decide how to go about getting the show back on track,” said a cast member.

Tunisha was active on social media. A few hours before her death, she had posted a video on her Instagram stories, where she could be seen sitting in a chair getting her make-up done. “#BTS #STAYTUNED,” she wrote. She had also posted a picture from the set around the same time, with a caption that read, “Those who are driven by their Passion Doesn’t stop (sic).”

J Karthik, who plays the lead antagonist on Tunsiha-Sheezan’s TV show Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul expressed shock saying, “If you see the videos Tunisha has posted just before the incident, it is hard to believe that someone in that frame of mind would take such a step. It looks like there is a hidden story behind this and I hope the investigation leads to some clear results.”

Kartik, who is currently in Bengaluru, has not been shooting for the show for the past few weeks. Talking about Tunisha and Sheezan, he said, “She came across as a very quiet, reserved girl and seemed very focused on her work. Tunisha and Sheezan were friends and there was no talk about a relationship of any sort that I am aware of. They would hang out together during lunch, they were jovial and happy.”

As a senior on the sets, Karthik feels that youngsters today find it difficult to deal with pressure. “There is this urgency and immediate need for instant gratification among youngsters, which can be disturbing. Everyone wants to do well and better than others, there is competition, but the competition is not healthy. They are in the rat race, but are unable to deal with the pressure that comes along with it. It is sad that there is nobody around who can spare some time and give a bit of advice when a person is feeling low. Everyone is fighting for survival; nobody wants to get involved in anybody else’s issues. It is a lonely world for someone so young and impressionable, and that can be scary.”

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Filmmaker Abhishek Kapoor is known for making films that carry a message, be it Kai Po Che! (2013) or his recent Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui (CKA, 2021). The Ayushmann Khurrana and Vaani Kapoor-starrer also reflected Abhishek’s trademark style and earned positive reviews.

But the movie’s box-office collections suffered the consequences of the theatre closures caused by the Covid-19 crisis. Abhishek says, “I wish the Omicron variant had not come and dampened the spirit of the film. A week into the film’s release, theatres had to shut down.” But the 50-year-old is happy that when the movie was streamed on a web platform later, it received appreciation again. 

Another film whose reaction Abhishek remembers is Kai Po Che!, which completes nine years of its release on February 22: “We worked very hard on that film, with the finest of actors and crew. If you want the film to be more than what it is, then more than one department has to shine.”

He also adds that adapting best-selling books into films wasn’t easy, as was the case with this film, which was an adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s The 3 Mistakes of My Life. He says, “It was an original script. But when you take a book, especially a successful book, it is tough.”

Lastly, how can one discuss his career without mentioning late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who made his film debut in this one. The filmmaker recounts, “He was a hard-working and excited boy. He had the energy needed for the character of Ishaan.”

When the Ayushmann Khurrana and Vaani Kapoor-starrer Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui released in December last year, it garnered a lot of interest for its sensitive portrayal of a difficult subject. The film revolves around Manu (Khurrana), a cisgender male bodybuilder in Chandigarh, who falls in love with Maanvi (Kapoor), a Zumba instructor, only to later find out that she is transfeminine, a person who was assigned male at birth, identifies with a female gender identity and chooses to transition to womanhood.

Supratik Sen, who co-wrote the film with Tushar Paranjape, says, “Since we don’t belong to the [LGBTQiA+] community, it was very important for us to really know that world, so that we don’t say anything, which is emotionally unauthentic.”

But filmmaker and editor Apurva Asrani, who co-wrote and edited Shahid (2013), identifies as a homosexual, feels that “representation is key” to create an authentic experience.

Mrittika ‘Mou’ Sarin, a queer screenwriter, storyteller and producer, shares the sentiment. “When a queer person writes these scripts, it allows room for a more nuanced portrayal of experiences that only queer people go through.”

For instance, the feeling of hurt from micro-aggression or when someone doesn’t take your identity into consideration, or the fear of coming out, and shame that one experiences, when not being able to live their identity. “These are situations that straight people haven’t been in and can’t always fully comprehend,” she explains.

Despite their apprehensions, both Sarin and Asrani believe that straight people can write scripts, but “research and collaboration” is a must. “You need to speak with queer or transgendered people about their experiences. It’s also important to never assume that you know everything about the character. Take their feedback at every stage,” Sarin adds.

Paranjape and Sen tried to be as thorough as possible. They initially got the idea from Simran Sahni, a friend of the film’s director, Abhishek Kapoor. Sahni has two trans daughters who were born male and transitioned to female. “Getting the facts right and not undermining the struggle of Maanvi was an important part of the process,” says Paranjape.

Sen explains that the idea of writing is to inhabit different worlds and characters—what’s important, though, is to get the nuances right. To make sure that the experience didn’t feel detached or superficial, Sen and his co-writer consulted a few people from the community, one of whom was Sahni’s daughter Seher.

“We heard their stories, what they had been through and got a glimpse into their lifestyle,” says Sen. Other experts included psychiatrists and doctors.  Asrani suggests a writing programme, Likho! by The Humsafar Trust, an NGO for the community.

Asrani says what’s often lacking is “deep empathy for the community”. In Bollywood, the trans experience has never really been done justice to. They are usually portrayed as sex workers, evil people, or made fun of. “The mainstream, for decades, has ridiculed and vilified the LGBTQiA+ community. Our movies ‘othered’ them,” points out Asrani.

Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui was a step forward as it had a trans woman character in the lead. If the makers faced flak, it was for having a cisgender actor play a trans role. Only recently, Vijay Raaz’s portrayal of a trans woman in Gangubai Kathiawadi sparked a debate online. Akshay Kumar too, was seen in a trans role in Laxmii (2020).

Paranjape and Sen agree that casting a trans person would have lent their character Maanvi more heft, but they also say that trans actors should  not be the only ones playing such roles. “But, the film industry has still not reached a point, where they’ll cast trans actors in trans roles, let alone cis roles. [Unfortunately] at this point, the pendulum is swinging all the way in favour of cis people. This doesn’t mean we need to do this forever,’’ adds Sarin.

Such criticism was missing in the 1990s, when renowned actors like Sadashiv Amrapurkar and Paresh Rawal were seen in trans roles. Asrani says, “At that time, there was a lot of ignorance about the community. But, the world has shrunk with the Internet. Now, nobody will be able to get away with the nonsense they pedaled back in the day.” But instead of insisting that a trans person play a trans role, Asrani says he’d rather have a trans person on the writing team.

According to Sen, what is noteworthy is that Bollywood is no longer shying away from telling stories that are more inclusive. Also, having a popular face playing these roles helps bring more visibility to the issue. “It can get your message across to a larger audience; Bollywood has that kind of impact and reach,” he says. “It [the film] shouldn’t be in your face, otherwise you can lose some of your audience. The aim is to gently educate people, while entertaining them.”

Apurva Asrani and Mrittika ‘Mou’ Sarin

Vaani Kapoor is basking in the appreciation for her performance in her latest big-screen outing Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui (2021). And she is happy to have reached a stage where her acting chops are recognised, as until now, she was slotted into the ‘rom-com actor’ and ‘good dancer’ categories.

“People would say, ‘You dance really well’. And I would be like, ‘I also act’. Maybe I don’t get those meaty parts enough to showcase [my acting skills]. Of course it’s also the director (Abhishek Kapoor) who has presented me in a certain way, and it worked,” she says.

The actor feels that there is also a change in how we look at female actors, but it’s not enough just yet. “With the emergence of women-driven films, women get good parts to play. But audiences need to give such films a chance and give it enough so that the box-office numbers don’t look shabby, for the makers to have the courage to make more films which are driven by women, or give them meatier parts,” elaborates Vaani, who has Shamshera lined up for a release this year.

While the situation is uncertain yet again due to the surge in Coronavirus cases, she is happy that both her films last year — BellBottom and Chandigarh... — opened in theatres, and not on OTT. Supporting theatrical releases, she mentions, “I am happy that the film released in theatres, because I feel it reaches a larger audience. A lot of people are still not on OTT.”

The 33-year-old also doesn’t miss mentioning how the theatrical experience is vastly different from the streaming one. “It (watching movies in theatres) is a community experience. My father doesn’t step out usually because of Covid worries and his ailments. But he went to a theatre in Delhi for my film. He said he loved the whole experience. He also loved the film, but he liked the experience of watching it with friends and family,” she concludes.

In the last two years, the music industry was heavily impacted due to the pandemic, but it also made artistes realise that they needed to be self-sufficient. Composer Sachin Sanghvi of the musical duo Sachin-Jigar, who suffered from Coronavirus himself, shares how it gave him time to re-evaluate.

“It has been a good time for artistes to understand that they cannot depend on films or a chance from Bollywood anymore. Everybody has to find their own sunshine. We are living in such times that every artiste has a chance to become as popular as a film star,” he explains.

The pandemic opened them up to new ways of making music. The duo came up with the entire album of Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui in the lockdown. Jigar Saraiya adds, “We both have always made music in studio, but the pandemic brought out a new side of making music at home. All the songs were made online, and we were recording and sharing them with Abhishek Kapoor (director) simultaneously.”

Looking back at 2021, the duo agrees that it has been a fulfilling year, as they were able to cater to the masses as well as the critics through their music. “With Roohi, Shiddat and Bhoot Police, we were pretty massy with what we did. But with Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, we struck a balance between the masses and critics,” Saraiya tells us.

As for 2022, the has a jam-packed calendar, composing music for Dasvi and Bhediya along with two web shows and four Gujarati films.

Actor Vaani Kapoor feels relieved as her riskiest project to date, Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, has been getting good reviews. And the reason everything about her part in the film had been kept under wraps till its release is finally in the public domain now — her character, Maanvi, is a trans woman.

“I am happy that everybody is liking it. I am grateful that the audiences are accepting it, it is being viewed in the correct light. I hope more people go and watch it, and give it a chance,” says Kapoor.

But the 33-year-old realises that right now, not every film will have people heading to the theatres. The rising threat of the Omicron variant amid the ongoing pandemic will likely make people think twice.

“I understand the logistics, having faced a pandemic, people being scared, even the financial aspect of it. Entertainment is not on the top of their lists now. But I feel Chandigarh... is a must-watch film. I am not saying this because I am in it, but the message has been packaged in an entertaining form,” the actor adds.

The best compliment which has come her way so far has been from the transgender community, she tells us. Those who watched it told Kapoor they could relate to her portrayal of the character.

“Saisha Shinde (a transgender designer) had perhaps a tougher experience than my character. She loved it, and put it out on social media as well that I got the nuances right. She met me and told me the character resonated with her a lot. For me, that is a compliment. Then I met Simran Sahni, who brought the idea of the film to Gattu (director Abhishek Kapoor). She has two trans daughters, and she said they got teary eyed (on watching the film) and felt connected. They felt proud that I did the film. That’s the compliment which was the best. We never wanted it to be caricaturish. If we were falling short of it, and there was no connect with who I am trying to represent, then I failed at it,” concludes the actor.

Sushant Singh Rajput made a compelling Bollywood debut with Kai Po Che! in 2013. The film followed the highs and lows in the lives of three best friends and saw three talented actors playing parallel leads — Sushant, Amit Sadh and Rajkummar Rao. A year after Sushant’s demise, Amit reminisces their time together and the bond that developed between them during the making of the film.

Amit says, “To get over the fact that Sushant isn’t around anymore will take time. I will always remember him. He has left good work behind. Whenever I will miss him too much, I will watch Sonchiriya and raise a toast to him. Wherever in heaven he is, I believe he is happy and busy. I hope his beautiful mind has forgotten all the heartache, sadness and hardship that he was going through here. I am sure he is in a much better place.” After a brief pause, the actor adds, “From day one, what struck me about him was the fact that he was a cool guy who shared a great bond with his fans.”

Talking about what he admired in the late actor, Amit says, “Sushant’s enthusiasm for his work was admirable and he maintained that consistently throughout his relatively short, but celebrated career. To retain that hunger for your craft and ambition is a remarkable quality to have.”

Reminiscing their Kai Po Che! days, Amit shares, “Some of the best memories of my film career are from the time spent on the sets of the film. During the shoot, I remember Gattu (director Abhishek Kapoor) saying, ‘You guys won’t have this experience again’, and he was right. We did different films, had different experiences, journeys and they were great as well. However, Kai Po Che! was special because of the bond that we three (Sushant, Rajkummar and I) could create. We were inseparable and that camaraderie was so pure. Sushant was the light and energy of that bond. He and I went to the gym together, discussed books and autobiographies. He loved Marlon Brando’s book Songs My Mother Taught Me. He was full of life and enthusiasm. Whenever anyone talks about the way he passed away, I freeze. Nobody should have to leave like that.”

The actor’s sudden demise evoked a dialogue around tolerance within the film industry and our need to be kind to one another. “As someone who is a part of the film industry, I hope we all forget our insecurities, animosity, anger and tiffs. Let’s be more forgiving and make this place more livable. Let’s have the courage to be kind to one another and look after each other. We are one industry; we are good people. I am sorry, I get emotional when I think about it,” he signs off on an emotional note.