(From left) Manoj Joshi, Amit Rai, Milan Luthria, Onir and Raja Krishna Menon

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the body responsible for regulating the public exhibition of films, has now changed the certification guidelines for films. Notified by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on September 16 under the Cinematograph Act 1952, the new rules make anti-drug warnings mandatory in films depicting narcotics, while also reiterating restrictions on violence, sensitive subjects and content that could affect India’s relations with other countries. The changes come alongside the Centre’s reconstitution of the CBFC with a new 18-member board. Here's what a few filmmakers and directors have to say about these new guidelines.

While I am against any form of censorship, cinema has a significant influence on society, and to that end, it is important for filmmakers to be cognisant of their responsibility while telling a story. Portraying society as one sees it, with all its beauty and its ills, and using cinema to initiate conversations around subjects, especially those that are considered taboo, is just as important as being mindful not to celebrate or excuse certain behaviours or acts. Ultimately, it comes down to the intention of the storyteller.

Any medium which we can see – films, social media or anything – the visual impact has a lost longing impact that in Natya Shastra Maharishi Bharat Muni said thousands of years ago. So, there should be a balance between creative liberty and its impact on society. We have liberty to express and does not mean serving anything in the name of creativity. There should first be self censorship on parinam aur dushparinam. So, the balance is most important considering its impact on society.”

There are quite a few guidelines by the CBFC so I’ll address the main points. The audience is smart enough to decide whether violence in a film is within acceptable parameters or not. If the audience thinks violence is being shown just for the sake of it without maintaining a balance of other parameters in the film, that’s for them to discern. What is too much for you may be okay for me, so it’s difficult to say how much is too much, everybody has a different opinion on what is acceptable. Which is why these guidelines won’t be easy to implement. We have already dealt with warnings about smoking, alcohol, animals, children who act in our films, but ultimately filmmaking is an art form and a filmmaker should be allowed to express themselves.

It’s very worrisome because it takes away from the fact that films have always been not just entertainment. There is one section which is just entertainment, but films are also about asking questions, wanting change and not basically glorifying the status quo for society. When you have these big terms as to what exactly defines ‘anti-national’ — is questioning the government, a political leader or religion anti-national? How is any of this anti-national or wrong? Because how come we do not have any kind of curbing of dialogue when it comes to all these things, like religion?

If we start writing a story with a menu card in the picture of what we can or cannot do, it will impact the process. While writing a story, I never think of anything, otherwise I wouldn’t have written a film like OMG 2. Creativity requires a free-flowing process, but if the system wants to safeguard the national interest, they are right in their way, but we are right too. We can always come to a middle ground. It’s just pehle jo logon galti kari, uska khamiyaza hum log bhugtenge. Although, if the intention is pure, even the system will understand.”

- Films will have to be more responsible and sensitive to values and standards of society.

- Films to not promote communal, obscurantist, anti-scientific or anti-national attitude.

- Films to not promote content that could strain India’s friendly relations with foreign states

- Scenes involving consumption or trafficking of narcotics and psychotropic substances must carry a warning

Certification changes now states that movies can receive one of the six certificates: U, UA 7+, UA 13+, UA 16+, A and S

Some films are worth far more than the paycheque they bring. For Pankaj Tripathi, Ohh My Dog is one such project. The actor did not charge a fee for the July 31 release, choosing instead to support the film because of his long friendship with director Amit Rai.

Tripathi told mid-day, “Ajay Rai, the producer, and Amit Rai are old friends of mine. Commercial films are made with the support of money, but for independent and small films where the story is important, who will support them if not actors like us?”

Ohh My Dog tells the story of a young girl who forms a special connection with a stray dog. When Amit first narrated the movie to Tripathi, the actor was overjoyed for two reasons — it was not only a heart-warming tale of unconditional love, but would also be shot in his home state.

“The story is set in Bihar. Amit asked me to shoot for four days, and I told him I would come for six. I also called my friends in Bihar and we supported the film in every way. Eventually, I stayed for seven days.” 

Tripathi plays a teacher in the movie, which is led by child actor Maahi Rai and stars Pawan Malhotra and Rajesh Sharma. The actors form the supporting cast. That’s how it should be, asserted Tripathi. “The main story is about a dog and a child. We are all in supporting roles, but in reality, we are supporting the film itself.”

And it’s something he would gladly do again for Rai, with whom he collaborated on OMG 2 (2023). “That’s when we became friends. It remains one of the special movies in my filmography.”

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After OMG 2, filmmaker Amit Rai could have easily followed up with a bigger, star-led commercial film. Instead, he has returned with Ohh My Dog, a film led by a 12-year-old boy and an indie dog. Rai says, “The urge to tell that story is always the main reason to go forward, irrespective of whether it is a big or small budget film. Stars, studios and budgets are subservient to the story and not vice versa.”

He admits he could have mounted a larger commercial film after OMG 2. “I chose to tell this story because it came to me organically. I have a dog who is like my son, and I have been amazed by the love and loyalty he has. It was he who inspired this story.”

Rai is also unsparing in his assessment of where he believes the Hindi film industry is headed. “The problem with our industry is that we are not making films but mounting projects. There is something essentially wrong in the way we approach storytelling. Character graph ke pehle business graph ki baat karte hai yahan, scene construction se jyada PPT, pie charts aur territory par focus hai.”

He believes storytelling has taken a backseat. “Many of us have forgotten that film is essentially about story, characters, situations and human emotions. Film business is because of the story and not vice versa. Given the myopic approach of the decision-makers, the room for meaningful storytelling has shrunk. It is a rat race here. No one is eager to take risks with unique concepts. I am not a fan of formulas. I follow stories. I reinvent myself with every story — that is the only formula I follow.”

Drawing a comparison with regional cinema, Rai says audiences are rewarding originality over formula. “In the era of digital and content saturation, you cannot keep offering the same content. That is the reason Hindi films are losing relevance and business to regional films, who are offering cinematic experiences, right from Pushpa to Manjummel Boys, Dashavatar, Kantara and Mahavatar Narsimha.”

Actor Paresh Rawal claimed on Vickey Lalwani’s podcast that OMG 2 grew from an idea he had shared with director Amit Rai, but that he received no credit for the concept. He has now clarified that he never claimed to have written the film and only wanted acknowledgment, not money. He also insists he has no problem with Akshay Kumar.

He tells us, “Arre bhaiya, Akshay and I are doing Bhagam Bhag 2 next, which is Ashwin’s film. Bhooth Bangla bhi ki abhi. Meri Akshay se genuinely koi problem nahi hai.”

On Friday, co-producer Ashwin Varde and director Amit Rai rejected Rawal’s version.

Recalling his conversations with Rai, Rawal says, “I told him one day, ‘Ek idea hai, hum sex par kuchh bana sakte hain, ek chhota baccha hai, masturbate karta hai’... vahaan se baat shuru huyi.” He adds that he never claimed to have written the film. “Screenwriters association ke paas aapka hi naam hai. But when you share ideas with each other, uss mein concept mera tha. I was just asking for that credit, and not paisa.”

Responding to Varde’s allegation, the 71-year-old says he did not want to cash in on the franchise. “If I really wanted to do OMG 2, I would have told Akshay... I said I don’t want to encash on the franchise.” 

Rawal maintains that Rai wrote the film, but feels his contribution could have been acknowledged. “Chalo maine Amit ko 50 ideas diye, and he rejected 49. But the one he liked… you can be generous enough na? And rightfully also... I have lots of love and compassion for Amit. Jisko jo bolna hai bol sakta hai.”

Three years after OMG 2 was released, the film is back in the news after Paresh Rawal claimed on a recent podcast with Vickey Lalwani that he had developed its original idea with director Amit Rai but was neither credited for the story nor the concept. “The saddest part is that I wasn’t even given credit for the story or the concept. My name wasn’t mentioned anywhere,” Rawal said.

Calling these allegations “shocking, untrue and unsubstantiated”, the film’s co-producer Ashwin Varde and Rai have strongly rejected Rawal’s claims. Varde alleged that Rawal had been given a producer credit despite making “zero contribution”, but chose to pass it on to his wife, Swaroop Paresh Rawal, and business partner Hemal Thakkar. He also claimed that Rawal was paid a stipulated amount for the credit.

Varde says Rai had written the film in the OMG format at Rawal’s suggestion. “When I first heard it, my immediate reaction was that this subject resembled the format of OMG totally,” he said, adding that he was concerned because the franchise’s intellectual property rights belonged to Akshay Kumar. 

According to Varde, Rawal had told Rai that the IP belonged to him. “He was trying to make a version of OMG under a different name, which is unethical and unprofessional. For me, that is nothing short of a theft.”

On Rawal’s claim that several actors had rejected the film, Varde says, “They all told him — this is OMG and that is Akshay’s film. Why should we tread into something that belongs to him?”

Varde says his company later acquired the screenplay, which remains registered solely in Rai’s name. He also alleged that Rawal wanted to keep Akshay out of the project, was given a producer credit despite making “zero contribution”, and was paid a stipulated amount: “Nobody tried to cheat Paresh of anything. The only thing we are guilty of is stopping him from doing the same.”

Rai also dismissed Rawal’s claim: “Woh kis tathya ke aadhaar pe yeh keh rahe hain? He is merely making a claim. Kehne ko toh woh kuch bhi keh sakte hain.”

Asserting his authorship, he adds, “Jahaan tak mujhe yaad hai, uss film ka janak bhi main hi hoon, uska karta bhi main hi hoon, school bhejne wala bhi main hi hoon aur college bhejne wala bhi main hi hoon.” Rai says the registered script and Screenwriters Association certificate carry his name.

Director Amit Rai’s next, Ohh My Dog, was born from his love for dogs. And from a simple question: where are the kids’ films in Indian cinema? “In the last decade, a children’s film has not been made. Satyajit Ray did so much work for the children so that our culture survives. Our kids imbibe values from our works,” said the director.

Ohh My Dog explores the beautiful bond between humans and animals. It comes three years after Rai’s sleeper hit OMG 2 (2023), led by Akshay Kumar, Pankaj Tripathi, and Yami Gautam Dhar. Like he did with the 2023 film, the director prioritized the story over the cast in the Tripathi and Pavan Malhotra-starrer.

“After the success of OMG 2, I was asked to make a film on Shivaji Maharaj, but it didn’t [work out]. I thought it would be better to make a film on my own. I wanted to make a film where the focus is on the content, like OMG 2, which was made without any actor in mind. I wanted to tell a story about how a dog’s love is unconditional.”

Reuniting with Tripathi after OMG 2 was a joy for the director. Rai shared, “Pankaj ji has two dogs. He loved the story so much that he came on board, even though he had only eight days of work to do. A star of his stature has joined Ohh My Dog without looking at the length of his role.”

In 2024, director Amit Rai came close to realising his wish of helming a historical drama on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Shahid Kapoor was attached to play the Maratha warrior. But a year on, things have changed. Rai, who last helmed OMG 2 (2023), reveals that the biopic is off the table. Reason? He pegs it down evasively to the “cruel system”.

“The system is so cruel. Even if you have proved your mettle with a Rs. 180 crore film [OMG 2], it’s not enough,” he says exasperatedly. While the director doesn’t specify why it fell through, he admits he felt helpless as the biopic — written by him — went from being one of the most ambitious projects to the shredder.

“How is a director supposed to work here, under these systems of casting, production, star, and management? You live with a story for five years, and within minutes, somebody writes a five-pager, pointing out what is wrong and what is right in the film.”

The experience made him realize that turning producer was the only way ahead. So, for his next, Dharma that revolves around a child and a dog, Rai relied on no one but himself and his hunger to tell the social drama. He felt validated when Hungarian cinematographer Máté Herbai and popular Hollywood action and motion-capture specialist Isaac Hamon came on board.

“I did four months of casting, [called] the action director I like the most and said that I have a story, but I don’t have money. [So many] people agreed just on the basis of our story.”

While his OMG 2 actor Pankaj Tripathi is part of the film, Akshay Kumar too had expressed interest in it (Akshay asked me why I did not pitch the film to him, July 16). But Rai says that the two actors are generous, a rarity in Bollywood where landing stars for a movie can be crushing.

“An actor will only do what’s working at the box office. Very few actors were honest to me. Sometimes, they weren’t interested in being part of a film that’s speaking the truth about society, and instead wanted to do a love story. But when I took a love story to them, they said, ‘This is an expensive film, this is a period love story.’ So, the criterion kept changing. [The truth is that] they will say yes to you once you enter their circle.”

Where are the films for kids? That question haunted director Amit Rai for years. It has resulted in Dharma, his upcoming drama that tells the story of a child and a dog.

“Every country makes films for kids. They are our future generations. But the condition is pathetic here. It has been 10 years since we last watched a film for kids. In my opinion, Dangal [2016] or even Sultan [2016] is a film for kids; they aren’t only enjoyable but also allow kids to imbibe values of gender equality and love for sports. But we have failed to make such movies,” laments the director.

As he set out to explore the genre, Rai found a generous collaborator in Pankaj Tripathi, the leading man of his last film OMG 2 (2023). The actor wasn’t on his mind at all as Dharma’s protagonist is a child, played by Maahi Rai.

“I went to meet him and his wife after they had a [personal] tragedy. While sitting with him, I saw how his dog clung to him. So, I mentioned that I had written Dharma. He liked the story. Then over dinner one night, I gave him the full narration and he said, ‘It’s a wonderful story. Plus, you’re shooting in Bihar. I’d like to be a part of it’.”

The filmmaker, however, wasn’t sure whether Tripathi was serious. That is, until the actor asked for the script two months later. “I offered him the role of a teacher, which is very important. I kept asking him about the commercials. But he never talked about it. He never said, ‘This will be my remuneration’.”

Another former collaborator of Rai shared similar enthusiasm regarding Dharma — Akshay Kumar. The director says he was touched by the superstar’s interest. “Very few stars are interested in the story above anything else. Akshay Kumar is one of them. When he learnt about Dharma, he asked me why I didn’t pitch it to him. He said, ‘You saw that my dog passed away recently. I know that sentiment. You should have narrated it to me once.’ I told him that the film wasn’t star-driven. So, I didn’t think a superstar would say yes to it.”

In his two-decade strong career, actor Pankaj Tripathi never got a chance to shoot in his hometown in Bihar, until now. The 48-year-old is currently shooting a human drama in Patna, marking his reunion with OMG 2 (2023) director Amit Rai.

“Bilkul homecoming ki feeling aa rahi hai. Mujhe apne kayi colleagues mile jinke saath main theatre karta tha. Main auditorium bhi dekhne gaya tha, jahaan hum play karte thhe. Meri janmabhoomi hai woh, toh apni wali feeling aati hi hai.”

The decision to shoot in Patna was a conscious choice: “It is a story of Patna, so we should set it here. Why cheat the audience?”

Pankaj credits the smooth run while shooting to the state government. “A film friendly environment is developing in Bihar. We wanted to show the real Bihar in a story about the state. And our DOP is from Europe, so we are getting to see Bihar from a different lens,” he shares, adding, “Patna waise bhi mainstream cinema mein nahin dikha hai.”

While the unit has been enjoying Bihar ki mehmaannawazi and local delicacies like Bel ka sharbat, the actor opens up on the stereotypical representation of Bihar in Hindi cinema.

“Cinema mein abhi tak Bihar ki maasoomiyat dikhi nahin hai. During the ’90s, there was an image about Bihar created by media and the films also propagated that. But now the portrayals are more research-based,” he ends.

Pankaj Tripathi has always maintained that his Bihari roots have played a critical role in shaping him as an artiste. It was among the two reasons he gave his nod to his next, a human drama set in Bihar. What’s the second reason? The prospect of reuniting with writer-director Amit Rai, with whom he delivered the 2023 hit, OMG 2. The two kicked off the shoot of their yet-untitled project, which explores the animal-human conflict, in Tripathi’s home state this week. Sources tell us that Pawan Malhotra, Geeta Agarwal of Laapataa Ladies (2024) fame, and Rajesh Kumar are part of the cast, alongside some talents from the Bhojpuri film industry.

The way Rai explored the theme of sex education and highlighted its need in schools through OMG 2 told Tripathi of the director’s talent. The actor then is only too happy to reunite with the writer-director. 

“OMG 2 was a special film for me, not only because it marked my first solo film that earned more than Rs. 180 crore at the box office, but also as it connected with people on an emotional level. Working with Amit again feels like a natural progression. His storytelling has depth, honesty, and a sense of purpose that I relate to,” shares Tripathi.

That the movie, which has shades of a thriller, is set in his home state is the cherry on top. He adds, “This story is rooted in the soil of Bihar—my home. My identity as an artiste is tied to where I come from. As an actor, there is nothing more fulfilling than being part of a story that is both entertaining and socially meaningful.”

Rai has charted out a 35-day start-to-finish schedule. The filmmaker doesn’t delve into details regarding the plot, only describing his third directorial venture as “a reflection of lives lived and lessons learned”. 

He adds, “Collaborating with Pankaj again is like returning to a creative space where truth and performance meet seamlessly. This film is a heartfelt exploration of human relationships, resilience, and the social fabric that binds us.”

On Tuesday, Aitraaz, starring Akshay Kumar, Priyanka Chopra and Kareena Kapoor Khan, clocked in 20 years. On reaching out to Subhash Ghai to talk about the milestone, the filmmaker gives us an exclusive big update — Aitraaz 2 is in the making.

Ghai had produced the 2004 film, which was directed by the duo Abbas-Mustan. For part 2, he has brought on board director Amit Rai, the writer-director of OMG 2 (Oh My God 2, 2023). Ghai shares, “I heard a fantastic script from Amit, and it has been written as Aitraaz 2.”

Aitraaz dealt with the bold and poignant issue of sexual harassment at workplace. Ask Ghai if the sequel would also be based on a similar concept and he says, “Amit has written about today’s sex life with new values and new school of thoughts coming in.”

After the 2004 film, Chopra’s career catapulted to new heights. Ghai informs that they are currently in the process of finalizing the female lead of the film: “We do have a wish list, but let’s see who will be finalized. It will be a bold role which I am sure will get a lot of awards for the actor, as it did for Priyanka.”

Bollywood ruled 2023! From our seasoned superstars raking in the moolah to impactful performances by the younger lot, Hindi cinema lovers got it all! Actor Shah Rukh Khan returned to the big screen with a bang, with not just one or two, but three power-packed performances. Actor Sunny Deol, on the other hand, marked his dhamakedar comeback with the sequel to his 2001 hit Gadar: Ek Prem Katha. Actors Ranbir Kapoor (Animal), Vicky Kaushal (Sam Bahadur) and Vikrant Massey (12th Fail) proved their mettle.

“What a year! Mooh tod jawaab to those who wrote off Bollywood,” says trade expert Atul Mohan.

The audience was served good content and film clashes on a platter this year. The Akshay Kumar-Pankaj Tripathi-starrer OMG 2 clashed with Deol’s Gadar 2; when everyone thought the latter would devour the former, it never came to pass. We also saw clashes between Kaushal and Kapoor, and Shah Rukh’s Dunki and actor Prabhas’ Salaar.

OMG 2 director Amit Rai says, “We saw masses and classes come out to watch films. Some thought cinema se maar-dhaad gayab ho gaya hai, but public ne woh bhi qubool kiya. Future mein, yeh saal sabse important year maana jaayega, in terms of footfall and collections.”

Films set in small towns like Zara Hatke Zara Bachke (Rs. 88 crore), 12th Fail (Rs. 50 crore) and Satyaprem Ki Katha (Rs. 75 crore), too worked their magic. Controversy was swirling around director Sudipto Sen’s The Kerala Story, but it went on to become one of the biggest successes, this year, as it breached the Rs. 200-crore club.

Sen says, “It’s good for the industry that small films worked.” For Rai, 12th Fail was a surprise: “Vikrant, the lead actor isn’t that big a star. Yet it worked and the return on investment is crazy.”

The industry also saw a few lows as some films didn’t quite hit the mark with their box-office collections. Actor Salman Khan’s Tiger 3, one of 2023’s most anticipated releases, with a budget of Rs. 300 crore, earned Rs. 466 crore. Ganapath, made on a budget of Rs. 200 crore, earned Rs. 13.38 crore, while Kuttey and Thank You For Coming, both produced with a budget of Rs. 45 crore, earned Rs. 4.65 crore and Rs. 9 crore, respectively.

Devang Sampat, CEO, Cinepolis India, says, “This is part and parcel of making films. After Covid-19, we saw a recovery of 90% in 2022 and it reached 110% in 2023. It’s a great sign.”

Bollywood served the audience drama and action on a plate and reciprocating their love, movie-goers have left the cash registers ringing and box-office numbers soaring. With the film industry booming, industry experts are calling 2023 a golden year.

“Be it Pathaan, Jawan, Gadar 2, OMG 2 and Animal, it’s been a golden year for Bollywood,” says trade expert Taran Adarsh, who expects it to end on a high note with actor Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki and actor Prabhas’ Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire releasing this month.

“Even small gems like 12th Fail and Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway have done well. Revenue is expected to be around Rs. 12,000 crore, which is 15-20% more than the previous best,” says trade expert Girish Johar.

Trade expert Atul Mohan adds, “We crossed 2022’s earning (Rs. 1,900 crore) during Jawan’s release. 2019 was a high point for Bollywood, and we are past that mark.”

Experts are also happy that the narratives of ‘OTT being a threat to theatres’ and ‘people aren’t willing to pay for a ticket’ have been quashed. Mohan says, “Theatres are running at full capacity. All the false narratives have been wiped out. Sequels and original content, both are working, which is a positive sign.”

Johar adds, “It is a great sign for makers as they know the power of the box office and good content. They also know the audience is willing to spend on a movie ticket, no matter if the film is out on a non-holiday or was granted A certificate”.

OMG 2 maker Amit Rai says, “It been a historic year for Bollywood. The footfalls have been great, the audience has shown that good content will work. Jo acha hoga woh hi stand out karega.”

In an earlier interview, OMG 2 director Amit Rai had said that they would release an uncensored version of the film on OTT, which would include the 27 cuts that were suggested by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). But he tells us that the streaming platform isn’t agreeing to show the uncut version. “I don’t know what their apprehensions are. They don’t even know what discussions happened [with the CBFC] about the film,” Rai says.

The 46-year-old continues, “They (the streaming platform) will show the same version that the Censor Board passed. Ab ispe aur kya hi kar sakte hain? Saare desh ne chilla chilla ke bola par phir bhi Censor Board ko sunaayi nahin de raha, toh koi kuch nahin kar sakta (referring to the importance of the scenes that were omitted due to sexual overtones).”

Calling out the CBFC for its hypocrisy, Rai talks about a condom advertisement scene that was omitted from the film. “The shot of a condom ad on a truck was cut from our film, but when I watched Gadar 2 in theatre, which is a U/A certificate film, a condom ad in which (actor) Kartik Aaryan asks a girl about her preferred condom flavour played before the film started. That can be shown? It is pure hypocrisy,” he says, adding, “I am not against any film, but didn’t Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani have so many kissing scenes? Was it okay for the kids to watch that?”

Rai laments that “pehle target audience (teenagers) nahin dekh paaye humari film aur hum jo dikhana chahte the woh ab adults bhi nahin dekh payenge”.

Amit Rai is a happy man after OMG 2’s success, but is also a little disheartened that people aren’t interested in talking about a new director. “Director ke baare mein bhi baat honi chahiye,” is his sentiment.

“I have no words to thank the audience. Despite the Censor Board doing so much (the film was given an A certificate when the subject was for teenagers), the audience hailed a subject considered taboo until some years back,” he adds, about his social drama starring Akshay Kumar, Pankaj Tripathi and Yami Gautam Dhar.

There were many odds against OMG 2 apart from the A certificate: a clash with the mighty Gadar 2, which broke several box-office records. “Akshay ji was confident about our film. I spoke to him twice after the film released, and he spoke his heart out at the success party. Exhibitors were telling him if we had not got an A certificate, the film would have earned double. But Akshay ji said, ‘Mujhe paison ki parvaah nahin, film janta tak pahaunchi chahiye. I am accepting the fact that certificate se nuksaan hua. Par ye bhi hua ke family audience Gadar 2 mein jaa paayi’. OMG 2 running in theatres despite that is something which cannot be measured by money,” says Rai.

While OMG 2 got attention from the masses due to the presence of several popular faces, the other project he was involved in this year, Dear Jassi, which revolves around honour killing, didn’t receive the same adoration back home. Rai, who until now has always written and directed his films, turned a scriptwriter for another director for the first time. The film has been receiving rave reviews internationally.

“The film’s director turned out to be Tarsem Singh Dhandwar, who has directed Hollywood films such as Immortals (2011) and Mirror Mirror (2012). He is such a gem of a person, he didn’t even change one comma of what I wrote,” Rai shares.

On Sunday, Tarsem Singh Dhandwar’s directorial venture Dear Jassi shone bright at the closing ceremony of the 48th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), winning the Platform Award. This time around, Dhandwar has trained his lens on the issue of honour killing in India through the Pavia Sidhu and Yugam Sood-starrer. The director, along with writer Amit Rai, drew inspiration from the 2000 honour-killing episode of Indo-Canadian beautician Jaswinder Kaur Sidhu, who was murdered by assailants following the orders of Sidhu’s mother.

Telling such a story is never easy. Rai, whose last offering OMG 2 worked its charm at the box office, says authenticity was crucial when writing Dear Jassi. “A story of this nature has to be authentic to the T—from the writing, to the costumes. For me, it was refreshing. OMG 2 and Dear Jassi belong to two different milieus altogether. This film is international in its making, while its story is universal,” he says.

Dear Jassi revolves around Indo-Canadian Jassi, who encounters rickshaw driver Mithu while visiting her extended family in Punjab. As the two begin exchanging affectionate letters, they fall in love, not realizing the tough road that lies ahead. Rai, however, takes objection against terming it as a movie about honour killing.

“It’s a story of cultural estrangement. When people from India move abroad, they want to create a microcosm of what they remember of their culture. But when the kids grow up in an American/Canadian world, home feels like a culture shock. We’ve played it in a Romeo-Juliet way, but amped up the dark element. It’s a powerful story at its core.”

The uncut version of the Pankaj Tripathi, Yami Gautam Dhar-starrer OMG 2, which was censored by Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), will drop an uncut version on OTT. The film was released in cinemas with an adult rating.

In a recent interview, director Amit Rai revealed, “We will show the original (on streaming), a film that the censor never wanted people to see. But, the public has seen the film and given their verdict.”

Talking about the trials they had to face, Rai added, “We begged them to give us a U/A certificate (children below 12 years of age can watch a film under parental guidance) but they didn’t.”

The filmmaker shared that the story was dealt with in a way “that doesn’t sound vulgar”. “We talk about reality in a sweet and humorous way.”

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Meanwhile, child actor Aarush Varma, who plays Tripathi’s son in the film, voiced disappointment over the film receiving A certificate by the CBFC. The 16-year-old is unable to watch it in the theatre. He initiated a petition to change the status, which has received 1,000 signatures so far. In the petition, he wrote, “The purpose [of the film] was to open discussions on the need of sex education.”

He added, “The film is meant for children my age and also parents who are uncomfortable talking about sex education.”

In a year dominated by mass entertainment, seasoned entertainers are proving that age is no barrier to box office success. Kicking off the trend was Shah Rukh Khan, 57, who returned to the silver screen after a five-year hiatus with Pathaan. However, he wasn’t alone in this remarkable revival.

Over a single weekend, not one, but three stars demonstrated their enduring power. Sunny Deol, at 65, wielded a hammer in Gadar 2 and passionately chanted Hindustan Zindabad, fuelling the box-office triumph. At 55, Akshay Kumar, who faced a string of no-shows, won over the audience with OMG2, co-starring Pankaj Tripathi and Yami Gautam Dhar. And then there’s Rajinikanth, at 72, who left no doubt about who still commands the hearts of audiences, with Jailer.

Anil Sharma, who directed the Deol-starrer says, “People are saying the movie worked only because of the handpump scene, nostalgia and so on. But that would have worked only on day one. The older an actor is, the more seated they are in the public’s hearts.”

Amit Rai, director of OMG 2, says, “Audience is maai-baap, vwoh content soongh lete hain. Star power se bhi bahut bada hai content. Viewers have given their verdict that they only want good cinema.”

There are very good actors in the new generation; it will take them time to build this kind of fan base. The exposure younger actors have is less, it will increase slowly.

These are the stars that have made a place for themselves over the years. And age is just a number, because people just want entertainment and these stars have given that bharpoor.

The hullabaloo of the past month wasn’t easy on OMG 2 writer-director Amit Rai. But through the noise, he was determined to stay true to the movie’s core—a father-son story that stemmed from his own life. “My son opened my social media account without any help from me and showed it to me. That made me think, how does one control their kid? It led to multiple thoughts about why more fathers should talk to their sons,” Rai recounts.

This led to the genesis of the Akshay Kumar, Pankaj Tripathi and Yami Gautam-starrer that sees a father sue the school after his son is expelled from it.

The social comedy’s journey to the theatres has been tumultuous, beginning with studios that didn’t have faith in his story. “The film was turned down by nine production houses, including Ashutosh Gowariker’s studio, Dharma Productions and Sony Pictures. People called my story crass. Akshay and the producers told me to run with it. They gave me everything they could—from budget, to permission to shoot inside the Mahakaleshwar temple [in Ujjain].” 

After the shoot, a bigger battle lay ahead for the movie that highlights the need for sex education. On one hand, the Central Board of Certification (CBFC) suggested umpteen modifications and issued it an ‘A’ certificate. On the other hand, fringe groups objected to its release, claiming that it hurt religious sentiments.

“People were saying the film won’t release at all. Social media hate was insurmountable. People were judging the film without even watching it. Akshay sir never left our side despite the uproar.”

OMG 2 was finally cleared with 27 cuts. The director adds, “There were originally 34 cuts. It was a pitiable sight inside after the CBFC screening. We fought to retain the film’s essence and they did forgo seven cuts. Our producers were almost begging them to change the film’s certification. I folded my hands in front of them, but they didn’t relent. They said PhD kids can watch the film, but it’s [made] for teenagers!”

Even as OMG 2 runs in theatres, the makers have appealed to overturn the ‘A’ certification. “I have been texting Prasoon Joshi [CBFC chief] to help us out. But he hasn’t responded yet.”