Jaya Bachchan proposes husband Amitabh Bachchan's name as guest teacher at Lucknow institute
Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; December 29, 2016)

Now this might well be a dream come true for any acting or film aspirant: to be taught by Amitabh Bachchan, the one-man industry himself. Whether Big B will ever find time from a busy schedule to formally teach at a film school, one doesn't know. But at least, wife Jaya Bachchan is keen that he does."

Speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Lucknow's upcoming Film Television and Liberal Arts Institute, Jaya Bachchan said, "Amitabh Bachchan, if called, will come to teach at the film institute." She also added that Big B "takes a lot of pride when any person from Uttar Pradesh becomes successful (in the film industry)."

Jaya, who's currently Rajya Sabha MP from Samajwadi Party, was at the ceremony along with son Abhishek, with the UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in attendance. Referring to them, she said, "I have asked Abhishek to help fulfil Akhilesh Yadav's dream; and shoot a film in Uttar Pradesh." This may just happen far too soon, given how many films are being shot in UP currently.

MUMBAI MIRROR (December 29, 2016)

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav launched the trailer of Alif in the presence of Jaya Bachchan, Anurag Kashyap, and Abhishek Bachchan in Lucknow recently at an event regarding subsidies to films that are shot in UP.

Directed by former journalist, Zaigham Imam, who debuted as a director with Dozakh – In search of heaven, Alif is about a father, his ambition to make his son a doctor, and his fight with the orthodox education system. Shot in Varanasi, the film’s post-production was wrapped up recently. It features Neelima Azeem (in a still from the film), Danish Hussain, among others while Jaya Bachchan has lent her voice as the narrator.

The film had its world premiere in Australia’s Indian International film festival in November and has been screened in several Indian universities, including the Aligarh Muslim University recently.

With the state giving out super subsidies (like the Brits once did for Bollywood), top stars line up to film up north
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; November 23, 2016)

Bollywood may find it difficult to get over its European fixation, but for now, the industry’s top stars seem to swear by India’s heartland. Setting stories in the ghats of Varanasi, the narrow alleys of Mathura or the old-world charm of Lucknow serves as an ideal proposition for filmmakers. The local culture and various languages spoken in Uttar Pradesh — Hindi, Urdu, Awadhi, Braj Bhasha and Bhojpuri — also help infuse desi flavour in a film.

But, what has mostly caught B-Town’s attention is the Akhilesh Yadav government’s film-friendly policies. Filmmakers are offered dollops of incentives to showcase the state’s culture, which in turn helps boost state tourism (see box). In May, many were surprised when the state government sent out a global ‘Make your film in UP’ team to the prestigious Cannes film festival to invite foreign crew to shoot in the state. It has also set up a nodal agency to ensure availability of all film production-related facilities under a single roof.

So, now, we have A-listers like Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar to Sanjay Dutt and Farhan Akhtar heading up north for their films.

Unique charm
Shah Rukh will film Aanand L Rai’s next in Meerut. While the filmmaker admits shooting in Uttar Pradesh makes him “feel at home” and has already done a recce of the locations, SRK says, “I will visit UP after many years. I have to learn the nuances of the local people’s behaviour for the character I play. They have a distinct tehzeeb that I have to master.”

Omung Kumar’s Bhoomi starring Sanjay Dutt will be filmed in and around Agra. “We chose UP since the script demanded so. Everything about the state — the locations, people, food and language — is fascinating. You could shoot a romantic drama with the Taj Mahal as the backdrop, or a war film at a historical site,” says Manish Singh, associate producer of Legend Studios, which is backing the film. The UP government sop is an added advantage, points out Zafar Mehdi, Manish’s aide. “The subsidies are a blessing for the film industry,” he adds.

Agrees Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, who chose UP for the second time — after Nil Battey Sannata, which released earlier this year — for Bareilly Ki Barfi starring Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao and Kriti Sanon. She shot for the film in Agra, Lucknow and Rae Bareilly, of course. “The incentives help a great deal, and local people also get work as suppliers. Besides, the landscape that UP offers definitely helps in storytelling.”

The unusual suspects
What’s interesting is that some filmmakers have explored lesser known locales, ditching landmarks like Agra’s Taj Mahal and the ghats of Benaras. Akshay Kumar, who shot for Subhash Kapoor’s Jolly LLB 2 in Lucknow, has returned to the state for Neeraj Pandey’s Toilet — Ek Prem Katha in Nandgaon, near Mathura. In April, Salman Khan had shot for Sultan in Bihargarh village in Morna tehsil of Muzaffarnagar. The local police machinery had swung into action to avoid crowding of fans near the set.
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Work in progress

> Akshay Kumar in 'Jolly LLB 2' (Lucknow), Toilet Ek Prem Katha (Nandgaon, near Mathura)

> Arjun Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor in Half Girlfriend (Varanasi)

> Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao in Bareilly Ki Barfi (Agra, Lucknow and Rae Bareilly)

> Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Babumoshai Bandookbaaz (Lucknow)

> Kunaal Roy Kapur in Hum Dono Honge (Kanpur)

Ready to roll

> Sanjay Dutt in Bhoomi (Agra)

> Shah Rukh Khan in untitled next (Meerut)

> Anurag Kashyap's next (Benaras)

> Farhan Akhtar in Lucknow Central (Lucknow)

For a hassle-free shoot

Gaurav Dwivedi, vice chairman, Uttar Pradesh Film Development Council, gives a lowdown on what a filmmaker keen to shoot in UP can expect:

> Subsidies ranging from R1 crore to Rs 3.75 crore. Makers can apply for hassle-free permission across 75 districts in UP.

> Rs 1 crore subsidy if 50 per cent of the film is shot there, Rs 2 crore for 75 per cent.

> Rs 16 lakh for post-production in the state.

> Additional Rs 25 lakh for casting five actors from UP. For an all-UP cast, it's bumped up to Rs 50 lakh.

> Rs 25 lakh extra for shooting for second project in UP. National award-winning maker gets 25 per cent over and above the subsidy for second film.

Shilpi Sapmad (MID-DAY; June 1, 2016)

Jimmy Sheirgill’s upcoming political drama, based on the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, seems to have set the cat among the pigeons. After the trailer of Shorgul was launched last week, the makers have apparently been receiving calls from several bureaucrats’ offices every other day to watch the final cut since the film threatens to unravel political conspiracies.

Sources reveal Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has asked the makers to arrange a special screening of the film in Lucknow. The Muzaffarnagar massacre had left more than 60 dead and 50,000 displaced with local officials being blamed for mishandling the situation that aggravated the riots. The UP government was recently given a clean chit in the case. “The film deals with political scams and bureaucratic misdoings. Moreover, the main characters are modelled after real life UP politicians like Yadav himself (played by Sanjay Suri), and controversial leaders, Azam Khan and Sangeet Singh Som. And having former Union minister Kapil Sibal on board as lyricist will certainly give it a political spin. So, the makers are getting a lot of calls about the film, some loaded with threats to stop the release later this month,” says a source.

When we contacted Samira Kelkar, CEO of 24 FPS Films, which is producing Shorgul, she said, “We are getting numerous calls, some even threatening to burn down our office. However, our plans of release remain unchanged. A lot of research has gone into making of the film and unveil the truth. And we are open to the idea of arranging a screening for Yadav, subject to his availability.”

Gaurav Dubey (MID-DAY; February 18, 2016)

The cast of an upcoming small-budget film, Direct Ishq, was in for a rude shock during their Lucknow leg of promotions. We hear actors Rajniesh Duggall, Arjun Bijlani and Nidhi Subbaiah, and some crew members were forced to dig deep into their pockets to cover a major portion of the tour expenses.

An insider reveals, “The team was supposed to promote the movie in Lucknow with their air tickets and hotel stay paid for. They were promised a meeting with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. However, on landing in the city, they were informed that they would be no such meeting. When the cast and crew confronted the event organisers, the latter cancelled their return tickets and hotel booking.”

Taken aback, the actors tried sending an SOS to the film’s producer for help, but his phone remained switched off, adds the source. With no other option, the team apparently had to shell out money for their air fare and hotel accommodation.

Pradeep Sharma, the film’s producer, remained unavailable for comment, but a source close to him claims, “The event organisers went back on their word, but when Pradeep sir got to know about it, he booked the tickets for the entire team."

Subhash K Jha (DNA; September 3, 2015)


Shabana recalls her father’s affinity to the soil and people of Uttar Pradesh. “My father was a man of the world but his heart belonged to UP and particularly Mijwan, the tiny village in which he was born. Abba must be smiling.”

Shabana hopes the cash prize will help deserving artistes to pursue their dreams. “I hope its recipients will be inspired to take forward Kaifi’s dreams for a gender-just equitable society where inclusiveness and a celebration of India’s composite culture are a given, where rural India is an active participant in the country’s progress.”

Incidentally, this is the second honour for the poet-thinker-reformist in a week. Earlier, this week a pillar with Kaifi Saab’s poems was constructed on the Mumbai international airport. Says Shabana, “I think that the installation by Baaraan Ijlal conceptualised by Rajeev Sethi with Kaifi’s poetry embroidered in chikankari by Mijwan women along with their own stories, that has been put up at T2 Mumbai International Airport in baggage claim area would give him even greater satisfaction!”

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; February 14, 2015)

PTI (MID-DAY; January 29, 2015)

The makers of upcoming Bollywood film 'Hawaizaada' have thanked the Uttar Pradesh government for deciding to exempt their movie from entertainment tax.

'Hawaizaada' has been directed by Vibhu Puri and stars Ayushmann Khurrana, Mithun Chakraborty and Pallavi Sharda in pivotal roles.

The decision to make the film tax free was taken at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, an official spokesman said here.

Welcoming the decision Puri said, "I am thankful to the authorities for this grant. It took me almost five years to put my vision on the big screen. Now, I am sure the film will get its full potential reach in the state of Uttar Pradesh."

"'Hawaizaada' has been granted tax free status in Uttar Pradesh," Ayushmann posted on twitter.

Presented by Reliance Entertainment, 'Hawaizaada' is set in 1895 and inspired from the life and works of Shivkar Talpade, who flew the first ever unmanned plane eight years before the Wright Brothers.

The film is scheduled for release on January 30.