With two successful collaborations, Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017) and Badhaai Ho (2018), under their belt, both Ayushmann Khurrana and Junglee Pictures are coming together with their next movie titled Doctor G, to create magic yet again.

Talking about the project, Ayushmann says, “Doctor G is a script that I fell in love with instantly because it is super fresh. It is an extremely unique and innovative concept that will make you laugh and also make you ponder. I am excited to don the doctor’s coat for the first time in my career and also deliver a message in the process that will hopefully speak directly to your hearts.”

To be directed by Anubhuti Kashyap, this film is a campus comedy-drama, where the main protagonist will be seen playing a doctor. It’s been a while since that has happened in Hindi films and with Ayushmann playing Doctor G, the wait is definitely going to be worth it. Anubhuti Kashyap, who is all set to make her feature directorial debut with this film, shares, “I am stepping into my filmmaking journey with all my passion, and this project has me thrilled to be on sets. I am looking forward to working with Junglee Pictures and the versatile and talented Ayushmann. This film is definitely exciting because it appeals to both the younger and the family audiences equally.”

Amrita Pandey, CEO Junglee Pictures, adds, “We are thrilled to partner with Anubhuti on Doctor G as her first feature film. The creative development team at Junglee along with the writers of the film, Sumit, Vishal, Saurabh and Anubhuti, have developed this high-concept and superbly entertaining script that we can’t wait to bring to life. Ayushmann will elevate the experience even more with this third outing with us.”

Ayushmann says, “Junglee’s vision towards storytelling excites me. Their focus has always been towards high-concept films, which matches with my thinking as an artiste. We have had two very successful outings before, and I hope that Doctor G will be a hat-trick of hits for us.”

Ayushmann’s previous collaborations with Junglee Pictures have owned the box office collections. Badhaai Ho won two National Awards, one of them for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Bareilly Ki Barfi was widely appreciated by the audience as well as the critics.

Anubhuti, who has co-written this film, has previously directed the dark comedy mini-series Afsos and the acclaimed short film, Moi Marjaani. Doctor G is written by Sumit Saxena, Vishal Wagh and also Saurabh Bharat, who interestingly is a doctor-turned-writer and has drawn inspiration from his medical college life experiences. Sumit, who has written films like Pyaar Ka Punchnama and Lust Stories (one of the films in the anthology, which was directed by Karan Johar), has also penned the dialogues of this film.

After the National Award-winning blockbuster Badhaai Ho, Junglee Pictures brings the second part of this franchise titled, Badhaai Do
BOMBAY TIMES (March 9, 2020)

As the name suggests, Badhaai Do is a family comedy that revolves around an unlikely relationship and promises double the fun and emotions. While the story and characters of Badhaai Do are different from that of Badhaai Ho, there is an endearing common theme between both the films.

Helmed by prolific ad filmmaker and director of Hunterrr (2015), Harshavardhan Kulkarni, the film will bring on the screen the fresh pairing of National Award-winning actor Rajkummar Rao and powerhouse performer Bhumi Pednekar. Rajkummar plays the role of a Delhi cop, who is the only male police officer in a mahila thana, while Bhumi plays the role of a school PT teacher, much to her family’s stress. Unlike each other, yet made for each other, the film is the about the goofups that follow when they meet and their lives intertwine in more than one way.

Director Harshavardhan Kulkarni says, “I have always admired the kind of films that Junglee Pictures has made, so when they came to me with this social comedy, I was instantly on board. Just like the delightful Badhaai Ho, the milieu of this film remains the same, but with a fresh set of characters and a completely new, zanier situation.”

Akshat Ghildial, who wrote Badhaai Ho and won awards for its crackling dialogues, is penning this one too, along with Suman Adhikary whom the idea originally came from. Akshat said, “Suman came up with this interesting idea, and since I have a great relationship with Junglee, I shared it with them. They liked it immediately. And then, Harsh came on board. We had great fun developing it and hope that the audience has an equally good time watching it.”

Talking about her role, Bhumi says, “Badhaai Ho is one of my favourite films in recent times, and it is really exciting to take this franchise forward. For me, the script is one of the best that I have ever come across, and I immediately wanted to do this film. My character again is strong, independent and author-backed, and it gives me a lot of scope to bring a very different and cool character to life. This time, too, the film will say something extremely relevant and relatable, but in a hilarious manner. I’m also excited to share screen space with Raj for the first time.”

Rajkummar adds, “I have played a cop before, but never with this perspective. I look for layered characters and this is a perfect match. My character is surrounded by strong women at home and work, and that adds immense depth to his personality. Junglee Pictures’ Bareilly Ki Barfi was a fabulous experience for me. Badhaai Do is a reunion in many ways.”

Amrita Pandey, CEO, Junglee Pictures, said, “Junglee Pictures believes in telling rooted Indian stories that not only entertain you, but also move you in many ways. Badhaai Ho was just that for us. And that being a high-concept comedy, it was logical for us to expand the canvas to tell more such stories. Cultivating the right synergy on films like these is the key, and with Akshat and Suman’s writing and Harsh’s vision, Badhaai Do is really one of the best stories for us to tell.”

The film is all set to go on floors in June and to release by early next year.
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Headlined by Bhumi Pednekar and Rajkummar Rao, the Junglee Pictures production will be directed by Harshavardhan Kulkarni and goes on the floors in June; is targeting an early 2021 release
MUMBAI MIRROR (March 9, 2020)

After Junglee Pictures’ 2018 sleeper hit, Badhaai Ho, bagged two National Awards, Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Best Supporting Actress (Surekha Sikri), Mirror (August 12, 2019) had reported that producer Junglee Pictures is all set to take the social-comedy forward with a second instalment. We have now learnt that Bhumi Pednekar and Rajkummar Rao will headline the second part in the franchise, titled Badhaai Do.

Directed by prolific ad filmmaker and Hunterrr director Harshavardhan Kulkarni, Badhaai Do is a family comedy, which revolves around an unlikely relationship. The earlier film revolved around accidental parental pregnancy, the lady in question being the 40-plus mother of two boys in their 20s and was universally liked and feted. While the story and the characters will be different from that of the first part, the two films are connected by a common theme. While Raj plays a Delhi cop, the only male cop in a mahila thana, Bhumi essays the role of a school PT teacher, much to her family’s stress. Unlike each other, yet made for each other, the film is about the goof-ups that follow when they meet, and their lives intertwine in more ways than one.

Confirming the news, Bhumi says, “Badhaai Ho is one of my most favourite films in recent times and it is really exciting to take this franchise forward. For me, the script is one of the best that I have ever come across and I immediately wanted to do the film. My character again is strong, independent and author-backed, and it gives me a lot of scope to bring a very different and cool character to life. This time too, the film will say something extremely relevant and relatable but in the most hilarious manner. The film has its heart rooted in family values. With each character I have portrayed I have tried to push the envelope and I look forward to doing that with this role too. I am excited to share screen space with Raj for the first time. He is an artiste I have always wanted to creatively collaborate with.”

Rajkummar, a National-Award winning actor too, is delighted to be a part of the project. “I have played a cop before but never with this perspective. I look for layered characters and this one is a perfect match. My character is surrounded by strong women at home and at work and that adds immense depth to his personality. Harshavardhan and Bhumi are both dear friends and extremely talented artistes. Junglee Pictures’ Bareilly Ki Barfi was a fabulous experience for me. So, Badhaai Do is a reunion in many ways,” says Raj.

Harshavardhan informs that he has always admired the kind of films that Junglee Pictures have made. “So, when they came to me with this social comedy written by Akshat (Ghildial) and Suman (Adhikary), I just flipped and was instantly on board. Just like the delightful Badhaai Ho, the milieu of this film remains the same but with a fresh set of characters and a completely new zanier situation. I am so looking forward to this edition being brought to life by Rajkummar and Bhumi, two of the most talented actors,” says the director.

Akshat, who wrote Badhaai Ho and won awards for its crackling dialogues including Filmfare’s Black Lady, is penning this one too, along with Suman, whom the idea originally came from. “Suman came up with this interesting idea and since I have a great relationship with Junglee, I shared it with them. They liked it immediately. And then, Harsh came on board. We had great fun developing it and hope that the audience has an equally good time watching it,” Akshat says.

Junglee Pictures CEO, Amrita Pandey adds, “Junglee Pictures believes in telling rooted Indian stories that not only entertain you but also move you in many ways. Badhaai Ho was just that for us. And that being a high-concept comedy, it was logical for us to expand the canvas to tell more such stories. Cultivating the right synergy on films like these is the key, and with Akshat and Suman’s writing and Harsh’s vision, Badhaai Do is really one of the best stories for us to tell. With fantastic actors like Rajkummar Rao and Bhumi Pednekar, Junglee Pictures is really excited to take the franchise of Badhaai Ho forward with Badhaai Do.”

Badhaai Do is set to go on floors in June and will release by early 2021.

With Kabali postponing its release, Ice Age: Collision Course will also do the same to avoid a clash, just like The BFG moved its date to avoid competing with Salman Khan's latest film. Industry insiders say that it's a prudent practice to minimise competition
Niharika Lal (MID-DAY; July 7, 2016)

Hollywood distributors no longer worry about competing with Bollywood flicks — and their risk is paying off. We explore the trend
Ria Lawrence (MID-DAY; May 15, 2016)

While India has always been deemed as a niche market for Hollywood to crack, there were some hit franchises which struck a chord with the audience. Apart from the regulars though, Hollywood cinema was never considered a threat daunting enough for big Hindi releases. The trend, however, seems to have undergone a drastic makeover. The surge in Hollywood cinema has almost been theatrical with movies like The Jungle Book, Captain America: Civil War and Deadpool making a remarkable entry into the Indian market and giving tough competition to Bollywood biggies. Maybe, it’s the authentic storylines, larger than life visuals, arresting cinematography or subtle yet striking performances. But whatever the formula, it seems to be working and has definitely raised the benchmark for Hindi movies. Case in point: A much-awaited, big-budgeted affair like Fan starring Shah Rukh Khan suffered visibly because of The Jungle Book. The coming week will see popular franchise X Men going head-to-head with Sarabjit, starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Randeep Hooda in lead roles.

Kamal Gianchandani, CEO- PVR Pictures, says, “As film marketers in India, we have observed a rising demand for Hollywood over time. People are always on the lookout for good content, both visually and intellectually. Speaking of Hollywood, it undoubtedly has an upper hand in film technology as compared to Bollywood. In the past, Hollywood distributors would shy away from releasing their films at the same time as big budget Bollywood releases. But with changing demands, this trend is no longer applicable, the best example being the release of Udta Punjab and Now You See Me 2 on the same date.”

While one could argue that movies like Life of Pi and Slumdog Millionare hit the right chord with the audience, thanks to their massive Indian appeal, even past visual spectacles like 2012 and Avatar, not to forget global superheroes like Iron Man and animated movies like Kung Fu Panda, created quite a stir with the audience pouring into theatres and preferring those to big Hindi releases at the time.

Says Vivek Krishnani, managing director, Sony Pictures India, “Hollywood films have particularly seen good growth thanks to an increase in multiplexes and 3D screens as well as changing audience preferences. We have always believed that there is an audience for all kinds of films in India, especially films that have quality content and it’s just a matter of getting space in this overcrowded and under-screened market. For instance, The Angry Birds movie has high awareness among ages eight to 80 years.”


Tim Burton’s Alice: Through The Looking Glass is to release with five Hindi movies (Cabaret, Phobia, Veerappan, Fredrick and Waiting)  but has generated quite a buzz among cinegoers

Amrita Pandey, vice president, Disney Studios, believes that Hollywood movies in India are enjoying their moment in the sun. However, this could be for a few tentpole movies each year. She says, “In 2015 too, three of the top 10 grossing movies were from Hollywood (Fast and Furious 7, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Jurassic World), which is a big deal, but if you take away the top five English movies each year, the business for the others isn’t at the scale of medium to big Hindi movies. It shows the massive potential that India as a market represents for a few big movies that our audience does take to. For both The Jungle Book and Captain America: Civil War, localisation was given huge priority. We pushed for the right voice talent and that helped bring in larger revenues from the regional markets.”

Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox Star Studios says the debate has little to do with Hollywood and Bollywood per se. “It’s a battle of good content vs the not so good content. Content is the king eventually and that can come from any industry.”

Grirish Johar from Zee Studios believes the foothold that Hollywood has been gaining along with strict competition with Hindi films has got Indian producers a bit rattled. “Bollywood producers are now keeping an eye out for big Hollywood franchises while fixing their release dates. So, that mental check has seeded itself in their minds,” he explains.

Whether the trend continues being a threat to Bollywood and mid- budget movies also get the recognition they deserve remains to be seen. One can’t, however, argue that Hindi movies are feeling the heat and content-driven films are becoming the need of the hour.

Trade analyst Amod Mehra sums it up, “People want entertainment, whether it comes from Bollywood or Hollywood. This trend will grow further, but that does not mean all English films will work. Those already established franchises will have an upper hand. It’s a wake-up call to our producers.”


Suicide Squad will release on August the 5 and is one of the big Hollywood releases to hit the screens this year

Unlike Hollywood, where the biggest names lend their voice to animation films, Bollywood stars prefer to steer clear of the genre
Anirban Das (MID-DAY; March 20, 2016)

The animation genre in Hollywood is big business. It is not just due to the quality of the films produced, but also due to the fact that the biggest Hollywood stars lend their voice for cartoon flicks. Sandra Bullock, one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood, and Mad Men actor Jon Hamm did the voiceovers for Minions (2015). Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman appeared in this year’s release, Zootopia. Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy worked on Shrek (2001), Owen Wilson was a voice in Cars 2 (2014) and Angelina Jolie lent her voice for Kung Fu Panda (2008).

Realising the importance of getting leading stars for animation films, Priyanka Chopra and Irrfan Khan have been roped in for the Hindi version of the upcoming animated film, The Jungle Book.

Amrita Pandey, vice-president, Studios, Disney India, says, “The Jungle Book is special to India, and we want our audience to enjoy the all-new, live-action adaptation. We wanted nothing, but the best for the Hindi version of the film. We are so excited to have such veterans and A-list actors come together to voice and bring alive these beloved characters making it like a big Hindi film.”

Far behind
The Indian animation industry is far behind the West, point out industry experts and mention that more support from the Bollywood stars can make animation a bigger genre in India.

Stars like Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan worked on Roadside Romeo (2008), Akshay Kumar lent his voice for Jumbo (2008), Imran Khan and Sonakshi Sinha gave voice for the Hindi version of Rio 2 (2011) while Shah Rukh Khan lent his voice for the Hindi version of The Incredibles (2004), but industry experts believe that the support has not been helpful so far. Obviously for a reason.

Shailendra Singh from Percept Picture Company that produced films like Jumbo and Return Of Hanuman (2008), says, “Most of the time, Bollywood stars demand a huge amount from the filmmakers for voiceovers. One needs to understand that in Hollywood, the economics of animation films is different from what it is in India. So paying a huge amount to stars becomes an uneconomical decision for filmmakers. Here, stars are all about fame and finance. They are not here to support the genre and become part of another creative field.”


Benefit from the growth
Manish Dutt, managing director of VR Films and Studios, that has dubbed Kung Fu Panda for Dreamworks, 12 Barbie Films and currently working on multiple Hollywood animated majors in several Indian languages, says, “If mainstream stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan voice main characters, they can change the face of the Indian animation industry. This (Bollywood stars dubbing for animated films) has been experimented earlier with Akshay Kumar voicing for a Thai animation film. It does draw the audiences in, but Indian stars charge too high a price which cannot be recovered. They have to be reasonable in pricing initially. Once the audience starts lapping up Indian animated flicks, the pricing can be reworked by the stars.”

Apart from suggesting the much-needed change in the way stars look at the money coming in from animated movies, Dutt also points out that currently, the genre is not popular enough as audiences prefer stars in mainstream film. He says, “Hindi film stars can draw audiences, but the Indian audience prefers to see the stars perform, rather than to hear their voices.”


Show quality work
But actors are not the only ones to be blamed. Manoj Bajpayee, who has given his voice for animated films like Ramayana: The Epic (2010) and Mahabharat (2013) believes that the quality of animation films in India, unlike West, should also improve to get Bollywood stars on board.

Bajpayee says, “In the West, from whatever I have observed, the actors give voiceovers only when it suits or goes with the character. This is important, but here, voiceovers are still not approached professionally. There has to be a system wherein the actor can record the voice and accordingly, you create a character. Since we are not doing it, the Indian animation films are not doing well. The quality of work has to improve so that actors can also show interest. In the West, they are doing it well for years. I will lend my voice to an animated film only if I see that there is professional approach towards the work.”

Stop limiting its reach
Apart from stars citing high prices to actors not willing to be part of mediocre work, the way animation films in India are projected and marketed also needs to be changed. Keitan Yadav, COO, Red Chillies VFX, says, “The VFX industry has grown manifold. Live action films including Ra.One (2011) and Krrish (2006) have done well. However, the animation industry needs to grow. It is still pitched as a genre meant for children. This is not the case in the West where animation is also a genre that serves the interest of all. It is not limited to any particular age group. India has skill as well as technology, but the way the animation industry is projected, needs to change to ensure growth.”

Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 13, 2015)

Aamir Khan's alien adventure, PK, is all set to scale the Great Wall of China. The film will have one of the widest releases in the country on May 22, opening in over 3500 screens. Before that, it will premiere today at Shanghai Art Center, the biggest 1200-seater theatre in the city, where the Hollywood sc-fi drama, Interstellar, was unveiled earlier. This will be followed by a special screening in Beijing.

The Chinese Aamir Khan Fan Club, with 100,000-plus members, has been invited to the premiere. Post the screening, Aamir Khan, along with producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and director Rajkumar Hirani will attend a press event. Also present will be a few local actors, including superstar Wang Baoqiang, who has dubbed Aamir's lines for the Chinese version. Like Aamir, Wang is as big a star there, with a string of boxoffice hits to his credit, including Lost in Thailand, the highest grossing Chinese movie. Incidentally, PK is the highest grossing Indian film.

Aamir, Chopra and Hirani reached China earlier to flag off an aggressive four-day promotional campaign across the country. Says Amrita Pandey of UTV, "Since China is one of the biggest markets outside India but still relatively new to Hindi cinema, it was important to push the film there. Fortunately, both Aamir and Raju Hirani have a huge following amongst the locals with multiple fan clubs in existence post the phenomenal success of 3 Idiots in Hong Kong and China."

They have been in talks with and met the China Film Group even before the film released in India and worldwide on December 19, 2014. Amrita was at the Indian embassy in Beijing for the Republic Day celebrations where they met several dignitaries and locals who were excited about the film.

"The emotional thread of the story, along with the endearing innocence of Aamir's character and Raju's filmmaking grammar, resonated with them. They've been looking forweard to the Chinese relesase since the last six months. This is an exciting development not just for our film but the Hindi film industry in general," she asserts.

Bollywood's A-listers have always been known to throw punches rather than punch lines. But are the stars finally learning to laugh at themselves?
Sonal Nerurkar (THE TIMES OF INDIA; November 23, 2014)

BOMBAY TIMES (August 28, 2014)

Seema Sinha (BOMBAY TIMES; April 15, 2014)

An Amitabh Bachchan fan, Emraan Hashmi’s favourite Big B film is Mr Natwarlal. Naturally, he is excited because he plays a conman in his next film called Raja Natwarlal, which has many twists, turns and several cons that eventually lead to a big one.

His character is based on a real-life conman, who pulled off notorious heists and duped people of crores of rupees, by disguising himself.

Originally titled Shaatir, the film’s title was changed at the actor’s insistence. Says Emraan, who plays street-smart con, Raja, “I’ve been after the producers to change the title as it is extremely catchy and etches out my character. It fits in well with the film’s space and will help us in promotions.”

Adds director Kunal Deshmukh, “I always wanted to present Emraan in a never-seen-before avatar. He plays the modern-day Natwarlal. The title is apt.” Amrita Pandey, VP and Head, Theatrical, Television and Digital Distribution — Studio, Disney India, says, “Emraan, Kunal and our team were gung-ho about this title from the moment we hit upon it, as it sums up his character so perfectly.”

Emraan is paired with Humaima Malick, who debuts in Bollywood with this film.

Raja Natwarlal, produced by UTV Motion Pictures, releases August 29.

Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; February 8, 2014)

Recent instances in the industry hint at the emergence of an unsaid rule where the duration of films is now being curtailed to around two hours and ten minutes. Films are apparently being cut short in order to ensure a wider and smoother release in cinemas. For instance, HitList has learnt that producer Mukesh Bhatt has asked director Hansal Mehta to stick to a running time of not more than two hours and fifteen minutes. “The shorter the length of a film, the more shows it allows us,” says Bhatt.

A source says that producers now insist on calling the shots as far as duration and rating are concerned. “It’s a part of the contract now. If the film has a middle-order star, then the producer wants less running time so as to make the film commercially viable. Bigger stars can get away with more screen time. Duration issues have been cropping up particularly for action, erotic horror and thriller films,” adds the source.

Ramesh Taurani, producer of the Akshay Kumar starrer, It’s Entertainment, says that his film won’t exceed a running time of two hours and twenty minutes. “A film’s length is decided upon after its first cut has been seen. I want my film to hold the audience’s attention,” he says.

Ajay Devgn’s film, Action Jackson, will also have a running time of around two hours fifteen minutes. Producer Gordhan Tanwani says, “Audiences in the age group of 15 to 30 don’t want to sit through a long film.” Anand Vishal of Fun Cinemas chimes in that shorter films are good for business. “Hasee Toh Phasee, which released on Friday, has a duration of two hours and ten minutes. Even films like Fukrey and Aashiqui 2 had the same running time,” he says.

Amrita Pandey, VP and Head of Theatrical, Television & Digital Distribution, Studios-Disney UTV, agrees. “A shorter duration does help a movie get a better release in cinemas. But it also depends on the content and storytelling; keeping audiences engaged and entertained is the main focus here,” she says. Four UTV films — The Lunchbox, Kai Po Che, Chennai Express and ABCD — have had an average running time of two hours and twenty minutes.