Showing posts with label Ajit Thakur. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ajit Thakur. Show all posts
FIR filed against nine from showbiz after model alleges sexual assault; those charged deny claims, allege blackmail
8:05 AM
Actor Jackky Bhagnani, Bollywood photographer Colston Julian and Kwan Entertainment founder Anirban Blah
As per the model’s complaint, the alleged incidents happened between 2013 and 2019. While some of the accused refused to comment, others denied the claims and said they plan to take legal action
BOMBAY TIMES (June 1, 2021)
On May 10, a 28-year-old model-turned-independent artiste and songwriter approached the police alleging that she had faced sexual harassment and physical assault at the hands of a dozen men from showbiz over the years. As per a report, the woman had approached Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Zone 10, Dr Maheshwar Reddy, who directed an officer at Andheri Police Station to record her statement. After her statement was recorded on May 18, the matter was forwarded to Zone 9 DCP office in Bandra, as most of the alleged incidents of sexual abuse had taken place in its jurisdiction during 2013-2019.
An FIR in connection with the complaint has now been registered, and nine high-profile men have been named in the case. Among the accused named in the FIR are photographer Colston Julian, Kwan Entertainment co-founder Anirban Blah, actor-producer Jackky Bhagnani, Krishan Kumar of T-Series, Aha CEO Ajit Thakur, Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamat, producer Vishnu Induri, Sheel Gupta and Gurjot Singh.
MODEL ALLEGES REPEATED SEXUAL ABUSE
On April 12, the model took to her social media handle and wrote a long post, in which she gave an account of the abuse she allegedly faced over the years. Talking to Bombay Times, she says, “These incidents took place over a span of four years from 2013 to 2019. I have accused 11 people, but the police have registered an FIR against only nine of them, stating that they can’t register a complaint about incidents that have taken place outside Mumbai.”
She adds, “I met DCP Zone X Dr Maheshwar Reddy on April 1 and thought that I would be able to register a complaint, which will be converted into an FIR immediately, but it happened only recently (May 26).”
Talking about her complaint against Colston, she alleges, “I had been with him briefly from 2014 to 2015. During that time, he abused me physically, hit me, and raped me. I severed all ties with him and even blocked him from everywhere. However, he got in touch with me via email in March 2017, after almost seven months. He called me to his residence for a photoshoot, which he had promised on our first meeting. He tried to kiss me and get intimate with me again. When I pushed him away, he hit me and slapped me hard a couple of times. I fell, and my head hit the wall. I somehow managed to get out of that place. I was in tears and in complete shock at what he tried to do with me.”
“Ajit (Thakur) tried to molest me at a party. They didn’t think I would proceed with my complaint. They wanted me to take down my posts. In April Ajit told me that my Bollywood career would be over and I would be abandoned, nobody would work with me if I went ahead with my posts on social media,” she alleges.
Talking about the others she had named in the FIR, she claims, “I knew Krishan Kumar from before. I had first met him at his office. Later, he invited me to a restaurant at Kamala Mills. He tried to kiss me outside the restaurant, but I managed to push him away. He offered to drop me home and kissed me forcibly near my residence.”
She alleges, “In 2018, I had attended a party at Jackky’s residence, and he told me that he would like to show me his house. He took me to a different floor, it was dark, and he made a lewd suggestion… I refused and left immediately.”
ACCUSED DENY THE CLAIMS, PLAN TO TAKE THE LEGAL ROUTE
After the model approached the police in May, photographer Colston Julian denied the accusations in a social media post. “Dear all. It has come to my notice that a social media post and news article with entirely false and spiteful accusations, are making certain claims against me. My lawyers are following the official process and are responding to the situation legally (sic),” he wrote.
On Colston’s behalf, his lawyer Ravina Rajpal told BT, “It is a false case, we will cooperate with the authorities concerned in all ways possible. The matter is pending investigation and is sub judice. We are also exploring legal remedies including defamation in due course.”
In 2018, Anirban Blah was accused of seeking sexual favour from several women. Subsequently, as per reports, he had to step down from the board of trustees of Kwan, the talent management company he had co-founded. When BT reached out to Anirban regarding these new allegations against him, he answered the phone but said that he doesn’t talk to the media.
Ajit Thakur had also resigned from his post as the content studio head at Reliance Industries in 2018 after allegations of sexual misconduct levelled against him. He is currently the CEO of Aha. About the current allegations against him, his legal counsel on his behalf stated, “The allegations made are false, malicious and motivated. It is nothing more than an attempt to smear my reputation. In fact, I have evidence, which indicates that the complainant was attempting to blackmail myself amongst several others and when her attempts failed, she resorted to registering an FIR with baseless allegations. I will take all the necessary legal action against her and I am certain that truth will prevail.”
Responding to the accusation, Krishan Kumar of T-Series says, “This is all bullshit! It has been over a year that she has been threatening me and blackmailing me, asking for money. I have all her chats from the first day up to April 2021. I have also recorded her a few times when she tried to say things on the phone. When the police calls me, I will give all the evidence to them and they can figure out who is right and who is wrong. I will bring it out in the media also eventually. I want people to know how some people are taking advantage of others nowadays. A girl has the right to go to the police and state what she wants, I appreciate that, but some people take advantage of this right. I am not talking about all, but some people do. I have all the proofs. I met her for the first time at a friend’s party and I must have met her twice or thrice in my life.”
Till the time of going to press, Jackky Bhagnani did not respond to our calls or messages.
#MeToo: Exceed's co-founder Afsar Zaidi accused of sexual misconduct by two women
8:22 AM
Exclusive: After Anirban Blah's ouster, rival talent management Exceed's co-founder Afsar Zaidi in #MeToo scanner
Mohar Basu and Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; October 23, 2018)
After mid-day published the accounts of four survivors who faced sexual harassment at the hands of talent manager Anirban Das Blah, several women reached out to the newspaper to reveal the misdoings of Afsar Zaidi, co-founder of Exceed Entertainment, another big player in the field of talent management. The celebrity management agency currently boasts a clientele that includes Saif Ali Khan and Sonakshi Sinha, among others. Two survivors — who wished to remain anonymous — accused the entrepreneur of sexual misconduct and abuse of power.
Survivor 1
The survivor, who joined the celebrity management company in 2014, recalls that though Zaidi asked her "strange questions" during the interview, she did not read too much into them. Her instincts kicked into action when he would repeatedly remark on her dressing. "He would make me stand in the middle of the office and ask everyone to dress like me. Initially, it was flattering, but after a point, it was systematic. On certain days, he would make comments like, 'Are we showing too much back today?' He would look me up and down," she says.
The first blow, she says, was when she had to make a month-long official international trip. "We cracked a big deal with a celebrity and a major TV channel, for a reality TV show. I travelled with the CEO and met Ajit Thakur on that trip. It was then that I gauged how Exceed functions. I was told that Ajit was an 'important client', and we had to 'keep him happy'. I tried to brush it off; I didn't want to upset my boss, it was my first job in this industry. Also, I respected my CEO and didn't know then what 'keeping him happy' really meant. But a few days later, I was asked to join them post shoot, for a few drinks at a popular street that housed multiple bars. I remember drinking a little, which agitated Ajit. Later, my boss took me aside and told me that Ajit wanted me to help him get women. I thought he was joking at first.
I was then asked to approach a few girls dancing at a distance and engage in conversation with them, eventually to convince them to join us for the night, with the hidden goal of Ajit taking them back to his hotel. When I timidly expressed that I wasn't comfortable doing it, I was told , 'Yeh sab karna padta hai.' I discreetly told the girls that they should go someplace else before the men approached them. Ajit continued the 'after party' in my CEO's room where he repeatedly came onto me. I remember making an excuse to leave a little later, but I was followed to the beach by him where he got relentless. I made my unavailability clear at that moment, and went to my room."
An office party, held in the city a few months later, proved to be the tipping point for her. "Afsar has a terrace next to his cabin where he was hosting the party. I was told that Hrithik Roshan, Bipasha Basu, and Shilpa Shetty were to eventually make an appearance with their respective managers. Afsar was physically grabbing people and pouring drinks down their throats. While I kept dodging him, at one point, he grabbed me from behind, put his hands on my breast and forced me to down a drink. He did this a few more times in the course of the evening. He was drunk by midnight. It was then that he came to me again and started rubbing his penis up against my back.
There were 30 people around, yet they chose to turn a blind eye to what was happening in front of them. I froze and didn't know how to respond. I remember him saying, 'If you like it, push back harder.' That's when I pushed him with my elbow and angrily said, 'Is it hard enough for you?' He was so drunk that he didn't register my rage. Instead, he got turned on and invited me to his room for sex. I ran to a colleague for help, but he kept following me. I tried mustering the courage to talk to the HR person, when a few minutes later, another woman came screaming out of Afsar's cabin. She was hysterical and it turns out, she became his prey that night when I said no."
The survivor goes on to recount how Zaidi, in an inebriated state, had tried to take advantage of another employee that evening. "She was three-four days old in the firm. I could tell immediately that he had tried something with her in his cabin. She was crying hysterically, 'I am not that kinda girl' after she ran out of his cabin. One of the employees helped her. She was then taken to a glass cubicle where the HR head joined them. The top officials, in their drunk state, held a meeting at 2 am in the presence of the girl and Afsar. It was evident that they were plotting a cover-up and were shielding Afsar. I wasn't present there but I heard that the HR manager was constantly s**t-shaming the girl, and Afsar was trying to deflect blame. After seeing this, I didn't see a point complaining about what happened to me." The survivor continued to work there while desperately searching for another job, but was fired a few months later.
Survivor 2
mid-day reached out to the second survivor separately, who then corroborated the incident from the 2014 party. Stating that it was an incident of "near rape", the survivor — who has since moved out of the country — said it was horrific how no one in the firm backed her then. Two of our survivors backed out an hour before we went to press, fearing dire repercussions, after giving their entire testimonial.
Zaidi's response
When mid-day reached out to Zaidi, he said, "The allegations that appear to have been made are without basis, and are an attempt to malign me and defame my reputation and that of my company. The company has in place a policy for sexual harassment at the workplace. If the complainant has a genuine case, let her come forward and present it before the ICC constituted by the firm. This matter should not be one for trial by the media — there are systems in place in law and those should be used to ensure fairness and justice. I deny the allegations in entirety, they have been made without any basis or an iota of evidence. I plan to take appropriate legal action as may be advised."
A Gentleman, Babumoshai Bandookbaaz, Sniff, Qaidi Band will face the Friday fury
7:37 AM
DNA (August 23, 2017)
Crowded Fridays are no longer an isolated occurrence. We frequently face a flurry of releases on Friday. But the coming Friday will see four interesting Hindi films and two Hollywood biggies, The Hitman’s Bodyguard and Dark Tower, vying for attention. While Seema Kapoor, the late Om Puri wife, has decided to take her directorial debut Mr Kabaadi to a later date, September 8, the others are determined to weather the storm come what may.
Leading this week’s gallery of eyeball grabbers are two bandook wallahs belonging to very different breeds of violence. Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Kushan Nandy’s Babumoshai Bandookbaaz culturally and geo-politically far removed from Sidharth Malhotra’s gun-slinging super-slicker in A Gentleman. But at the end of the day they are both trigger-happy heroes romancing sexy women, shooting down the baddies and revving up that highway in fast-flying automobiles.
A Gentleman’s co-director Raj Nidimoru says, “Our producers Fox-Star had announced this date (August 25) long back. There were no other films scheduled for that Friday when we announced A Gentleman. By and by, the others also came in for this Friday. I feel the other films that are releasing this week are in a completely different zone. I think every film will have its own audience. No film gets an all-clear solo release these days.”
Ajit Thakur, who produces this week’s third major release Sniff on behalf of Eros International feels the choices for producers to release their films has narrowed down markedly. “We have to release our film along with others in the hope that the unique content — Sniff is about a child detective — will be its USP.”
Aadar Jain, who gets his big launch this Friday in Yash Raj films’ Qaidi Band, expresses helplessness at the clutter of releases. “It’s not up to me to decide the release date. I think Yash Raj Films would be better able to explain the release strategy.”
Explains trade analyst Atul Mohan, “We had three back-to-back big-budgeted films Mubarakan, Jab Harry Met Sejal and Toilet - Ek Prem Katha. Usually, when one big film releases, the subsequent week is avoided by smaller films. But this time we had three biggies in a row which resulted in this pile. We have only 52 weeks to accommodate every film. We also have festive season beginning this week to be followed by Shraaddh when releases are avoided, which will take away two weeks. So the mad rush.”
Language no bar: Post Baahubali 2, filmmakers gear up to tell their stories in multiple languages
8:09 AM
As
Baahubali 2: The Conclusion crosses Rs 550 crore nationally, filmmakers
across the country are gearing up to tell their stories in multiple
languages. But will they crack the winning formula?
Kunal Guha (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 9, 2017)
When Kamal Haasan was green lighting the cast for his next, Sabhash Naidu, a trilingual being shot simultaneously in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi, he decided that the Hindi version (titled Sabhash Kundu) would have Saurabh Shukla replace veteran comedian Brahmanandam. He felt that, apart from having a familiar face, “in a comedy, jokes can’t be bluntly translated”. “Those who watch Shabash Kundu, will savour the very different flavour of Sabash Naidu, because these are two different films being made together to save cost. If I made them separately, it would cost me Rs 80 crore, and I would find it difficult to convince my buyers. No single version idea can match a double version when it comes to number crunching,” explains Haasan, who is also directing Vishwaroopam 2, a bilingual that will release in Hindi as Vishwaroop 2.
Until recently, for most Hindi film audiences, the relationship with Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu films was restricted to the dubbed versions that aired on the telly. But, with Baahubali’s meteoric success, regional filmmakers are gearing up to capitalise on their newfound equity by transcending linguistic boundaries — by either dubbing or simultaneously filming in multiple languages. That their films can gain national resonance when told in a language familiar to them has led to multi-linguals such as House Next Door starring Siddharth and Andrea (Tamil, Telugu and Hindi), Sudhir Babu’s biopic on Pullela Gopichand (Telugu and Hindi) and Krish’s untitled film, which will star a Bollywood biggie alongside a South Indian superstar. “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion instilled great confidence in filmmakers not just from the Telugu industry, but also others... it became the first truly Indian franchise,” says Rana Daggubati, who earned national acclaim for his performance in the two-part fantasy film.
While the recent spurt of bilinguals can be credited to national box office numbers, the trend isn’t novel. Film historian Theodore Baskaran remembers Chandralekha (1948) as one the first regional films to be remade in Hindi with largely the same crew, following the success of the Tamil version. “Till the reorganisation of states on linguistic basis, Madras was the headquarters of the South Indian film industry. All artists, writers, filmmakers lived in Madras. So it was very easy to remake a film in Malayalam and Telugu, as a majority of artists could speak the language. This is how bilinguals came into being.” Baskaran adds that multi-language films of the time were mostly mythologicals. “Earlier, filmmakers recorded the sound as they were shooting. When they were able to record sound separately, dubbing into multiple languages was possible.”
The Baahubali effect
Aalif Surti, Former CCO at Fox Star Studios India and an independent producer, says that Baahubali worked because “it tapped into the fantasy genre and connected with a certain pride that we have in our tradition”. “There are 20 people who are trying to make the next Baahubali, but in my sense, 19 of them will lose money. A few directors such as S Shankar, (A R) Murugadoss and (S S) Rajamouli can handle pan Indian cinema. I call it pre-verbal cinema — the James Cameron kind — image-driven with very simple storytelling,” says Surti, adding that he’s skeptical about whether Prabhas will get the same acceptance in a regular Hindi film, or can even compete with actors from Bollywood. “It worked because audiences connected with his character. Going ahead, there will be some dent but it will be minimal because the national audience has limited information about actors from Tamil and Telugu films. When Karan Johar launched Alia Bhatt, there was a whole ecosystem of information accessible to all — about her childhood and life. With Vijay, for example, you wouldn’t get that information. If they [actors from the South] have to get into Bollywood, they would have to move to Mumbai and invest time in PR,” adds Surti.
Shibasish Sarkar, COO, Reliance Big Entertainment, whose studio is producing A R Murgadoss’ Spyder, a film, which will either be dubbed or simultaneously shot in Hindi, is bullish about the opportunity at hand. “Films have been dubbed for a long time, but not at this scale. Initially, we would only cater to a specific segment. But Baahubali has taught us that if you create a spectacle on the screen, people will ignore the fact that the cast is known or not and it can be dubbed into the national language and will reach every corner of the country,” says Sarkar, adding that Commando 2 and Naam Shabana were recent films which offered that opportunity as the cast (Vidyut Jamwal, Adah Sharma and Taapsee Pannu) were known in South India. But the renewed box office worth and familiar faces at the helm are not the only triggers. In fact, Ajit Andhare, COO, Viacom18 Motion Pictures, feels that big-budget spectacles are not the only kind to work across markets. He says, “There are also films which may not be a crossover like Baahubali, but manage to spread the risks by having an economical design.” Case in point, The Ghazi Attack — a multi-lingual starring Kay Kay Menon, Rana Daggubati and Atul Kulkarni — familiar names from Hindi cinema. “Fundamentally, you attempt a smarter input to output design where you’re spreading your costs over a larger market. If your stories can travel, your costs can cover multiple markets.” Andhare says such films can be shot across languages without being a production nightmare. “You already have the set, so you shoot your close-ups in both languages and your long shots and your wide angles can be common.”
Language barriers
That a few movies have done phenomenally well across languages doesn’t mean every film is eligible to be shot in multiple languages, or dubbed. “It is not about riding on the trend but about finding the right story that appeals to the whole country. A visual or an action film has a better chance of appealing to a cross-section of people across India than, say, a love story,” says Ajit Thakur, CEO, Trinity Pictures, a division of Eros International. His studio is backing two Indo-Chinese coproductions directed by Kabir Khan and Siddharth Anand, and two Tamil-Hindi bilinguals — a buddy cop film directed by Krish Jagarlamudi (of Gabbar is Back fame) and an elephant-themed film helmed by Tamil director Prabhu Solomon. “In Krish’s film, we have the same set of actors, but in Solomon’s film, we are changing the actors, it depends on the requirements of the role and the script,” says Thakur, who feels that “opting for a co-production is a strategic decision that warrants various filters at the script level”.
Hassan, who has been a part of several bilinguals (Hey Ram, Abhay), believes that “the more ethnic and honest a film is, the chances of it transcending national and even international borders are higher”. “I would not like Phogat of Dangal to speak in Tamil, or watch Mughal-E-Azam or Pakeezah in Malayalam or Kannada, Gujarati or Marathi,” says Haasan, who finds multi-linguals to be more lucrative than dubbing, as “dubbed films misrepresent culture and make viewers smile and frown at the wrong time”.
Fault in our stars
That Indian cinema unites over hero-worship becomes a barrier in transporting stories from one region to another. “When a Hindi film is star-led, it has never been able to make a dent down south. Equally, stars from South have never managed the same following in Bollywood that they have back home,” says Andhare, who feels that “universal content like a Hindi Medium, Queen and Pyaar Ka Punchnama will go cross culture but films with a regional aesthetic won’t translate well”. “Surya and Vijay have a big market in Tamil and Telugu but their films don’t translate well in Hindi. Even Mohanlal recently delivered 100-crore hit but his films mean nothing in the Hindi industry,” says Surti, who feels that the ecosystem of Bollywood is stardriven and the definition of a hit is also very lenient. “In Mumbai, if a film gets an occupancy of 20 per cent, they say it is a good opening. But in the south, if it goes below 95 per cent, the film is removed from theatres. Satyam in Chennai runs at 98-99 per cent throughout the year.”
The way forward
While it’s premature to predict the degree of cross-pollination that various film industries will see in the future, studio heads are optimistic. “We need to go through the journey. There was no market and suddenly, we had Baahubali. But that doesn’t mean every dubbed film will work as well,” says Sarkar, who feels the resistance against regional dubbed films has reduced and “even exhibitors are more open to regional multilinguals”. Haasan feels that “while Baahubali has been a fortunate phenomenon, imitating it will bore the audience”. “My friend S S Rajamouli knows this and will move away from it and try to innovate a new success. What I foresee and also wish is that Indian audiences will soon accept their country’s diversity. When that happens, they will cross the parochial Rubicon.”
When Kamal Haasan was green lighting the cast for his next, Sabhash Naidu, a trilingual being shot simultaneously in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi, he decided that the Hindi version (titled Sabhash Kundu) would have Saurabh Shukla replace veteran comedian Brahmanandam. He felt that, apart from having a familiar face, “in a comedy, jokes can’t be bluntly translated”. “Those who watch Shabash Kundu, will savour the very different flavour of Sabash Naidu, because these are two different films being made together to save cost. If I made them separately, it would cost me Rs 80 crore, and I would find it difficult to convince my buyers. No single version idea can match a double version when it comes to number crunching,” explains Haasan, who is also directing Vishwaroopam 2, a bilingual that will release in Hindi as Vishwaroop 2.
Until recently, for most Hindi film audiences, the relationship with Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu films was restricted to the dubbed versions that aired on the telly. But, with Baahubali’s meteoric success, regional filmmakers are gearing up to capitalise on their newfound equity by transcending linguistic boundaries — by either dubbing or simultaneously filming in multiple languages. That their films can gain national resonance when told in a language familiar to them has led to multi-linguals such as House Next Door starring Siddharth and Andrea (Tamil, Telugu and Hindi), Sudhir Babu’s biopic on Pullela Gopichand (Telugu and Hindi) and Krish’s untitled film, which will star a Bollywood biggie alongside a South Indian superstar. “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion instilled great confidence in filmmakers not just from the Telugu industry, but also others... it became the first truly Indian franchise,” says Rana Daggubati, who earned national acclaim for his performance in the two-part fantasy film.
While the recent spurt of bilinguals can be credited to national box office numbers, the trend isn’t novel. Film historian Theodore Baskaran remembers Chandralekha (1948) as one the first regional films to be remade in Hindi with largely the same crew, following the success of the Tamil version. “Till the reorganisation of states on linguistic basis, Madras was the headquarters of the South Indian film industry. All artists, writers, filmmakers lived in Madras. So it was very easy to remake a film in Malayalam and Telugu, as a majority of artists could speak the language. This is how bilinguals came into being.” Baskaran adds that multi-language films of the time were mostly mythologicals. “Earlier, filmmakers recorded the sound as they were shooting. When they were able to record sound separately, dubbing into multiple languages was possible.”
The Baahubali effect
Aalif Surti, Former CCO at Fox Star Studios India and an independent producer, says that Baahubali worked because “it tapped into the fantasy genre and connected with a certain pride that we have in our tradition”. “There are 20 people who are trying to make the next Baahubali, but in my sense, 19 of them will lose money. A few directors such as S Shankar, (A R) Murugadoss and (S S) Rajamouli can handle pan Indian cinema. I call it pre-verbal cinema — the James Cameron kind — image-driven with very simple storytelling,” says Surti, adding that he’s skeptical about whether Prabhas will get the same acceptance in a regular Hindi film, or can even compete with actors from Bollywood. “It worked because audiences connected with his character. Going ahead, there will be some dent but it will be minimal because the national audience has limited information about actors from Tamil and Telugu films. When Karan Johar launched Alia Bhatt, there was a whole ecosystem of information accessible to all — about her childhood and life. With Vijay, for example, you wouldn’t get that information. If they [actors from the South] have to get into Bollywood, they would have to move to Mumbai and invest time in PR,” adds Surti.
Shibasish Sarkar, COO, Reliance Big Entertainment, whose studio is producing A R Murgadoss’ Spyder, a film, which will either be dubbed or simultaneously shot in Hindi, is bullish about the opportunity at hand. “Films have been dubbed for a long time, but not at this scale. Initially, we would only cater to a specific segment. But Baahubali has taught us that if you create a spectacle on the screen, people will ignore the fact that the cast is known or not and it can be dubbed into the national language and will reach every corner of the country,” says Sarkar, adding that Commando 2 and Naam Shabana were recent films which offered that opportunity as the cast (Vidyut Jamwal, Adah Sharma and Taapsee Pannu) were known in South India. But the renewed box office worth and familiar faces at the helm are not the only triggers. In fact, Ajit Andhare, COO, Viacom18 Motion Pictures, feels that big-budget spectacles are not the only kind to work across markets. He says, “There are also films which may not be a crossover like Baahubali, but manage to spread the risks by having an economical design.” Case in point, The Ghazi Attack — a multi-lingual starring Kay Kay Menon, Rana Daggubati and Atul Kulkarni — familiar names from Hindi cinema. “Fundamentally, you attempt a smarter input to output design where you’re spreading your costs over a larger market. If your stories can travel, your costs can cover multiple markets.” Andhare says such films can be shot across languages without being a production nightmare. “You already have the set, so you shoot your close-ups in both languages and your long shots and your wide angles can be common.”
Language barriers
That a few movies have done phenomenally well across languages doesn’t mean every film is eligible to be shot in multiple languages, or dubbed. “It is not about riding on the trend but about finding the right story that appeals to the whole country. A visual or an action film has a better chance of appealing to a cross-section of people across India than, say, a love story,” says Ajit Thakur, CEO, Trinity Pictures, a division of Eros International. His studio is backing two Indo-Chinese coproductions directed by Kabir Khan and Siddharth Anand, and two Tamil-Hindi bilinguals — a buddy cop film directed by Krish Jagarlamudi (of Gabbar is Back fame) and an elephant-themed film helmed by Tamil director Prabhu Solomon. “In Krish’s film, we have the same set of actors, but in Solomon’s film, we are changing the actors, it depends on the requirements of the role and the script,” says Thakur, who feels that “opting for a co-production is a strategic decision that warrants various filters at the script level”.
Hassan, who has been a part of several bilinguals (Hey Ram, Abhay), believes that “the more ethnic and honest a film is, the chances of it transcending national and even international borders are higher”. “I would not like Phogat of Dangal to speak in Tamil, or watch Mughal-E-Azam or Pakeezah in Malayalam or Kannada, Gujarati or Marathi,” says Haasan, who finds multi-linguals to be more lucrative than dubbing, as “dubbed films misrepresent culture and make viewers smile and frown at the wrong time”.
Fault in our stars
That Indian cinema unites over hero-worship becomes a barrier in transporting stories from one region to another. “When a Hindi film is star-led, it has never been able to make a dent down south. Equally, stars from South have never managed the same following in Bollywood that they have back home,” says Andhare, who feels that “universal content like a Hindi Medium, Queen and Pyaar Ka Punchnama will go cross culture but films with a regional aesthetic won’t translate well”. “Surya and Vijay have a big market in Tamil and Telugu but their films don’t translate well in Hindi. Even Mohanlal recently delivered 100-crore hit but his films mean nothing in the Hindi industry,” says Surti, who feels that the ecosystem of Bollywood is stardriven and the definition of a hit is also very lenient. “In Mumbai, if a film gets an occupancy of 20 per cent, they say it is a good opening. But in the south, if it goes below 95 per cent, the film is removed from theatres. Satyam in Chennai runs at 98-99 per cent throughout the year.”
The way forward
While it’s premature to predict the degree of cross-pollination that various film industries will see in the future, studio heads are optimistic. “We need to go through the journey. There was no market and suddenly, we had Baahubali. But that doesn’t mean every dubbed film will work as well,” says Sarkar, who feels the resistance against regional dubbed films has reduced and “even exhibitors are more open to regional multilinguals”. Haasan feels that “while Baahubali has been a fortunate phenomenon, imitating it will bore the audience”. “My friend S S Rajamouli knows this and will move away from it and try to innovate a new success. What I foresee and also wish is that Indian audiences will soon accept their country’s diversity. When that happens, they will cross the parochial Rubicon.”
Shilpa Shetty, hubby Raj Kundra develop arcade game for kiddie superhero film Sniff
7:53 AM
MID-DAY (February 2, 2017)
After Shah Rukh Khan released Ra. One (2011) with a video game tie-in, several Bollywood movies have had a gaming run. Now, in a first for a kiddie flick, Amole Gupta’s Sniff is set to get a digital avatar. Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra’s company, Viaan Studios, is developing an Android arcade game for Sniff, the first franchise film of Eros International’s Trinity Pictures.
Kundra says, “We hope this unique venture will entertain gamers across the country.” Called Sunny Singh And The Agents Of Sniff, it seems to be on the lines of iconic arcade games, Mario and Contra, and will be launched ahead of the film’s release in May.
Ajit Thakur, CEO of Trinity Pictures, says, “This one’s customised, and is not just another mobile game. So, both kids and adults can enjoy it. We will soon unveil it for the audience to experience the film’s characters and their exploits.”
Siddharth Anand confirms that either Deepika Padukone or Priyanka Chopra will feature in his Indo-China film
8:51 AM
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 25 ,2016)
Confirming the same, the Bang Bang director told Mirror, “Yes, it's a cross-cultural romance set in Beijing. I'm excited to explore and showcase another culture through this film. Our Chinese producers have suggested Deng Chao's name but we will take a final call when I visit China next month.“
Ajit Thakur of Trinity Pictures banner, a franchise studio of Eros International which is co producing the film, informed that it would be shot during April, May and June next year in both countries. “China is a big market and opening up to newer markets is an important part of the growth agenda. The film will have an A-list actress who already has an international presence,“ informs Ajit.
Prod Siddharth on weather it will be Deepika Padukone who has xXx: The Return of Xander Cage with Vin Diesel coming up or Baywatch babe Priyanka Chopra and he keeps it short, stating, “It could possibly be one of them.“
A few Chinese writers have flown down to brainstorm with Siddharth and the Indian team of writ ers. “We've been working in my office since the last week and should be able to lock the script by December. The Chinese are strong-minded people and its great fun to work with them. I've never shot in China before so it's a blind spot for me. But I will be travelling there next month with the writers for a recce,“ informs Siddharth who will be learning Mandarin to communicate better with his cast and crew.“The actors will be speaking in both Mandarin and Hindi.“
Ajit informs that Siddharth's film will roll before another Indo-China co-production they are producing. That one is a human drama, a journey film which demands that the character travel from India to China, and will be helmed by Kabir Khan. “It will start in the second half of 2017,“ Ajit concludes.
Salman Khan to co-star with Chinese actress in Kabir Khan's next?
9:28 AM
Subhash K Jha (DNA; April 9, 2016)
Salman Khan’s next project is an Indo-Chinese co-production directed by friend and collaborator, Kabir Khan.
The film, produced by Ajit Thakur of Trinity Films, a new franchise of Eros International, is said to be “based on a story organically weaving the socio-cultural worlds of India and China.”
Additionally, the film will be shot in both languages. The first Indo-China co-production to roll will be directed by Kabir Khan with A-List cast from India and China — a human drama exploring the central character’s journey from India to China.
The Chinese cast is yet to be decided. Kabir who has already helmed two epic blockbusters Ek Tha Tiger and Bajrangi Bhaijaan with Salman in the lead, is currently pouring all his attention into scripting this unique Indo-Chinese love story.
Haathi Mere Saathi remake runs into roadblock?
7:26 AM
It won’t be easy going for the makers of the new film
Subhash K Jha (DNA; March 28, 2016)
Producer Ajit Thakur is all set to remake the 1971
mega-blockbuster Haathi Mere Saathi. The film broke all box-office
records. It was directed by Tamil director M A Thurumugham. The remake
will be directed by another Tamil director Prabhu Solomon.
However, it won’t be easy to do a remake of a film where an animal plays a pivotal role, warns the chief of the censor board Pahlaj Nihalani. “The Animal Welfare Board is constantly monitoring every thing to do with animals in our films. What was acceptable 45 years ago won’t be acceptable today. In the original Haathi Mere Saathi the elephant was killed. The Animal Welfare Board won’t allow that. There was a superhit song Chal Chal Mere Haathi where the elephant pulls Rajesh Khanna and Tanuja’s broken-down car. Again this would not be approved by the Animal Welfare Board,” says Nilahani.
However, Ajit Thakur, the producer of the remake, maintains that the remake would be very different from the original.
Gabbar Is Back director Krish wants Akshay Kumar in his cop buddy film?
7:31 AM
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 29, 2016)
After the 2015 hit, Gabbar Is Back, featuring Akshay Kumar and Shruti Haasan, director Krish is all
set to return with a buddy cop film. His second Hindi movie, which he
signed on Friday, is a masala film with lots of action and comedy, with
the essence being male bonding. Gearing up for a recce, he plans to shoot
across the country. “One of the cops is from down South and the
other from up North. And despite hailing from different parts of the
country, with different perspectives, they become one,“ says Krish.Any plans of approaching his Gabbar, Akshay Kumar? “I would love to work with him again,“ Krish smiles, but refuses to say more.
Ajit Thakur of Trinity Pictures, a franchise studio of Eros International, which will produce the as-yet-untitled project, reiterates that the film is about two contrasting characters coming together for a common mission. “The genre hasn't really been explored much in the past and we are really excited. It will be shot in Hindi and Tamil simultaneously,“ he informs. The bilingual is jointly being written by Shridhar Raghavan, K. Subhash and Dheeraj Rattan.
Remake of Rajesh Khanna’s 1971 hit Haathi Mere Saathi on the cards
7:43 AM
Anirban Das (DNA; February 24, 2016)
Four decades after MA Thirumugham’s Haathi Mere Saathi starring Rajesh Khanna and Tanuja proved to be a box office blockbuster, South film director Prabhu Solomon will attempt a modern-day retelling of it.
Sources say Trinity Pictures, a franchise studio of Eros International, holds the rights to remake the film with a contemporary spin. “They got in touch with Solomon to direct the film three months ago, but got his confirmation last week. The makers have a story in place, which is about loyalty and friendship. Haathi Mere Saathi is a reference point, not a scene-by-scene remake,” informs a source.
The film is expected to be a big budget affair. “The casting process will begin after locking the final script. However, the shoot will begin during monsoon. It will be shot in India and abroad, and have a lot of VFX work,” adds the source.
Ajit Thakur, CEO of Trinity Pictures, says, “We have the rights to remake the film. But it won’t exactly be a remake of Haathi Mere Saathi. It stands as a reference and inspiration for the new film. The film will go on floors this year and Prabhu Solomon has been confirmed as the director.”
Solomon says, “This film will have a fresh story with a lot more action.”
Kabir Khan travels to China with a Bollywood hero
7:58 AM
The first Indo-China co-production is in the pipeline; will open one of the biggest markets in the world
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 19, 2016)
The first Indo-China co-production will roll with Kabir Khan as the director, a Bollywood A-lister and a Chinese actress as the leading lady. "It's a human drama, a journey film with a story which demands that the character travel from India to China," informs Ajit Thakur of Trinity Pictures banner, a franchise studio of Eros International which is co-producing the as-yet-untitled project.
He further informs that Eros was the only film company to accompany the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to China during his official visit and signed agreements with three of the biggest filmmaking groups there. "Last September, we went back and narrated some subjects to them and they liked two. This is the first one that we are developing," informs Ajit, admitting that it was a bit of a risk to start with given its unconventional storyline, but is now looking bigger.
Kabir adds that the protagonist not only journeys physically, but there's a change in attitude and perception too. They are still scripting so he refuses to set a deadline or divulge details. He is simultaneously putting together a project with Sajid Nadiadwala and Hrithik Roshan and there's a third film with Salman that will roll soon. "I haven't decided which one will go on the floors first," says the Bajrangi Bhaijaan director.
Both Ajit and Kabir are really excited about breaking into a market which offers 25,000 screens as compared to the 5,000 that the biggest Indian film gets back home. "The Chinese market is five times bigger than ours and growing every month. Culturally, we are very alike and yet different, and language is a barrier, but I'm really excited about this bona fide Indo-China production," exults Kabir.
Ajit goes on to point out that China has been a restricted market so far, allowing only about 20 Hollywood titles in a year and around five Hindi films, of which two are their co-productions from last year. "But this one will release as a local Chinese film and not as part of the quota. A major portion of it will be filmed there as the script demands and we have been promised preferential treatment," says the gung-ho producer.
Finally, for the big question: Who will be the B'wood hero to travel from Chandni Chowk to China? "They want a big star and Kabir being a big director shouldn't have a problem getting one," quips Ajit.
Kabir adds with a laugh, "Aamir, Shah Rukh, Salman and Hrithik, they are our biggest stars, hopefully we will get one of them."
Tanuj Garg, Ajit Thakur, Sandeep Singh to start the new year with new jobs & different profiles
7:36 AM
Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 26, 2014)
The last month of 2014 has seen a filmy shuffle of unusual proportions.
Tanuj Garg, the Chief Executive Officer of Ekta Kapoor's production house, Balaji Motion Pictures, has left the organisation. "It's great to see where the company has reached as when I joined, we pretty much started from scratch. I'm yet to decide where I'm moving to," said Garg who has been in the business for nearly 12 years. During Garg's tenure, the company produced hits like The Dirty Picture, Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai, Ragini MMS 1 and 2 and more recently Ek Villain.
While Tanuj's replacement is yet to be found, Ekta has promoted Tanveer Bookwala to the position of Chief Creative Officer. Buzz in trade circles suggested that Ekta was wooing industry veteran Ajit Thakur for the empty position, but Thakur, a former head of an entertainment channel is set to join Eros International as their Chief Executive Officer from January.
Meanwhile, Sandeep Singh, who served as the head of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's production house, has moved on to form his own company, Greenlight Entertainment.
When contacted Sandeep said, "I've learnt a lot from Bhansali and that experience will help me in taking my own firm forward," adding, "I begin with Hansal Mehta's next starring Rajkummar Rao and Manoj Bajpayee."Singh has been instrumental in putting together films like Ram-Leela, Mary Kom and the upcoming Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone starrer Bajirao Mastani.
The last month of 2014 has seen a filmy shuffle of unusual proportions.
Tanuj Garg, the Chief Executive Officer of Ekta Kapoor's production house, Balaji Motion Pictures, has left the organisation. "It's great to see where the company has reached as when I joined, we pretty much started from scratch. I'm yet to decide where I'm moving to," said Garg who has been in the business for nearly 12 years. During Garg's tenure, the company produced hits like The Dirty Picture, Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai, Ragini MMS 1 and 2 and more recently Ek Villain.
While Tanuj's replacement is yet to be found, Ekta has promoted Tanveer Bookwala to the position of Chief Creative Officer. Buzz in trade circles suggested that Ekta was wooing industry veteran Ajit Thakur for the empty position, but Thakur, a former head of an entertainment channel is set to join Eros International as their Chief Executive Officer from January.
Meanwhile, Sandeep Singh, who served as the head of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's production house, has moved on to form his own company, Greenlight Entertainment.
When contacted Sandeep said, "I've learnt a lot from Bhansali and that experience will help me in taking my own firm forward," adding, "I begin with Hansal Mehta's next starring Rajkummar Rao and Manoj Bajpayee."Singh has been instrumental in putting together films like Ram-Leela, Mary Kom and the upcoming Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone starrer Bajirao Mastani.
Top: Tanuj Garg, above: Sandeep Singh (inset) Ajit Thakur
I am nervous about how people will accept Ajeeb Daastaan Hai Ye-Sonali Bendre
8:04 AM
Sonali Bendre who makes her acting foray on TV with Ajeeb Daastaan Hai Ye talks about her role and more
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; September 27, 2014)
She was up till 5 am shooting for the finale of
Cinestars Ki Khoj. After attending to her household commitments — her
nine-year-old son Ranveer wasn’t keeping well — Sonali Bendre is back on
the sets. This time to shoot for her debut fiction soap Ajeeb Dastaan
Hai Ye. We catch up with the glamourous actress for a tete-a-tete
between her shots...
After judging half-a-dozen reality shows, finally you also got bitten by the acting bug on TV...
Yes, and I am wondering why? It’s really scary. For one, I am not used to shooting such long hours. Secondly, on reality shows I am being myself saying and doing what I want. Here, I am playing a character, something which I haven’t done for a long time. I had nightmares about shooting for the show. People say acting is like bicycle riding — once you learn, you never forget it. Still, I was apprehensive about hitting the right note. I am also nervous about how people will accept it.
What prompted you to take up the show?
Honestly, it was the role and the several shades to the character. Plus, the fact that I am playing my age. I have lived my life the way I want to and I have no desire to re-live my 20s. Another thing that appealed to me is it’s a finite show so you know where you are going and where it is ending.
Isn’t it about extra-marital relationship?
The way I look at it is it’s about the journey this woman goes through. There are layers to my character and it’s part of a plot. The way I approach the story is different. It’s about a woman who has been married off at the age of 22 after her graduation. She is a housewife and has always been somebody’s somebody. There comes a point in her life when she thinks she needs to start working. Even for a working woman like me who hasn’t been part of the industry for 10 years to start picking up from where one has left is a big deal, so imagine how it will be for a woman who has never worked to start building a life again. I connected with the role because my mother used to always tell us three sisters that we have to be independent. She was a housewife so it must have come from a place where she felt that and it reasonated with me.
The promos show your character as sweet and Apurva Agnihotri’s as arrogant.
Actually, Apurva is not arrogant but quirky, and audience will love that. He has an obsessive compulsive disorder and till you know about it, it’s irritating. But there’s a different layer to his character. That’s the beauty of this show.
What was your husband Goldie Behl’s reaction to your doing the show?
Frankly, I had said no to the show initially. The channel head Ajit (Thakur) then called up Goldie to ask why I was turning down such a good role. Goldie and I never discuss work, but Ajit knows Goldie so he called him. When Goldie heard the role he was surprised. He asked me why I was refusing when I always said I don’t want to do films because I don’t get to play my age. He was like, ‘here you are getting a role which fits you perfectly, you look good and I know you can do it.’ I was still hesitant because that would mean leaving my son for longer hours, but Goldie convinced me saying I had stayed with him for seven years and now that he is nine he also needed to be independent and it would be good for me too!
Will we see you making a comeback to films now?
No, Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara was an exception. Shobha aunty (Shobha Kapoor) called my mom-in-law and I did it. Even now, though Ekta is producing the show, the channel called me. However, I wanted to make sure everything is smooth because it’s a family thing. TV is much more organised and structured compared to films. Also, I cannot go on long outdoor shoots, so no films as of now.
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