Showing posts with label Andaz Apna Apna. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Andaz Apna Apna. Show all posts
Actresses are brilliant at physical comedy, yet not given such roles-Raveena Tandon
9:46 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 30, 2026)
What’s Welcome To The Jungle got right? According to Raveena Tandon, two things at least. Director Ahmed Khan’s ensemble comedy embraces its absurdity unapologetically. It also offers its female actors the opportunity to be an active part of the slapstick comedy.
“We’ve evolved from the era when the heroine’s only job in a comedy was to look pretty and act shocked at the hero’s antics,” laughed Tandon, pointing out that Welcome To The Jungle — that stars Disha Patani, Lara Dutta, and her alongside Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and others — doesn’t follow that trope.
“The biggest change is agency. Female characters aren’t just reacting to the plot anymore; their choices and blunders move the story forward.”
Even as the small changes are appreciated, Tandon asserted that there is still a long way to go. “Actresses today are brilliant at self-deprecation and physical comedy, yet writers hesitate to give them the outright hilarious roles, slapstick, or absurd lines. We are still cast as the voice of reason reacting to the funny men. Films like Chaalbaaz [1989] or Andaz Apna Apna [1994] are etched into cinematic history because the women were devastatingly funny. There is still a lingering hesitation to back a mainstream comedy spearheaded by women.”
Tandon’s three-decade filmography includes several popular comedies, from Andaz Apna Apna to Dulhe Raja (1998) and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998). This time, it was the film’s absurdity that made her say yes.
“[Some] critics ask, ‘Where is the logic?’ But comedy has often been about the joy of absurdity — look at the works of Mel Brooks, Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, or Jim Carrey. If someone is looking for logic in a film meant to be an escape, they are missing the genre’s purpose,” she stated.
Why 2020s haven’t been able to deliver generational comedies like years before
9:01 AM
The 2020s have not been able to deliver a generational comedy like Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Munna Bhai MBBS, and Hera Pheri. What are we missing?
Akshita Maheshwari (MID-DAY; April 5, 2026)
“Comedy films are a good indicator of where a country is,” argues film commentator Karan Mirchandani. He names a list of films that defined a generation and highlighted its problems: Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983) and builder corruption; Munna Bhai MBBS (2003) and systemic issues and red tape within our education system; Hera Pheri (2000) and the struggles of a common man; Badhaai Ho (2018) or the plethora of films from this genre which tacked socio-familial issues.
The 2020s have not been able to produce a generational comedy. What’s changed? Actor Pratik Gandhi, from Madgaon Express (2024), says that it’s the audiences. The inherent nature of comedies is that they offend, but “today, anything can offend anybody. And in comedy, you have to just let loose. Only then, it’s fun,” says Gandhi.
“Censorship has also become wild,” Gandhi says, “You’ll hear things like, ‘Don’t say sex, instead say sambhog, then it’s fine’.”
Actor Abhishek Banerjee, who was last seen in Stree 2 (2024), also agrees. “The 1990s comedy style is no longer funny. I don’t think today’s generation will enjoy it the same way,” Banerjee says, “Comedies like the ones David Dhawan and Govinda made, or Andaz Apna Apna (1994), or Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro — those are evergreen.”
What does it take to make an evergreen comedy? “They have satire. They have irony. I think what we lack today is satire,” Banerjee answers.
As soon as we realized not-so-politically-correct humour doesn’t work, we stopped trying to find other forms of comedy. Gandhi adds, “Comedy has many sub-genres, and we still haven’t explored them fully. For example, survival comedy. Most of the time, films fall into slapstick comedy. That’s usually the first instinct. But there are many more genres as well.”
Banerjee says, “Situational comedy is becoming more important than dialogue-based comedy. It’s not about saying a funny line — it’s about being in a serious situation and saying something completely unexpected. Layering that with intelligence helps even more.”
The 2020s have also been the decade of the Reel. Banerjee says, “I keep watching comedy Reels and they’re genuinely funny.” When people already have their appetite for funny filled on their phones, why should they come to the cinema for it? Gandhi says, “I never thought a two-hour film would have to compete with a 30-second Reel. But here we are.”
In the last few years, one comedy has broken into the 100-crore club — Crew. Director Rajesh A Krishnan tells us, “If you open social media, you’ll get a laugh. And Instagram doesn’t even need a subscription.”
Throughout the country too, laughter is not dying. “It seems like comedies are reducing but how much comedy content are you actually also consuming from Kerala? If you isolate comedy films coming out of the Hindi film industry, then it starts feeling like there is less comedy. Otherwise, people have been making comedies,” he says, “The scope of comedy has also changed. It’s crossed genres now like comedy-thriller, action-comedy, or horror-comedy.”
In the Hindi film industry, comedy films are surviving on franchise fame. “If we think from the producer’s perspective, franchises have been working well,” Krishnan says, “Sometimes standalone projects work so well that they get turned into franchises.”
The onset of OTT has meant that the theatre is saved for larger-than-life spectacles. So why should you step out to watch a comedy today? “I always feel like great comedies are a tool or even a weapon to critique the establishment. It has a softer touch to do it. And it’s one that lasts with you.”
From the times of the Angry Young Men, films have centred around the common man and his problems. Today, he is no longer at the core of our cinema, instead he is a “big, bearded, angry man on screen,” says Mirchandani.
Mirchandani also points out, “Films today exist in a kind of hyper-reality. They’re not rooted in a specific time or context. Because the moment you ground them — show real problems or systems — you’re also making a critique, and that’s something people are avoiding.”
A lot of comedies like Andaz Apna Apna, though were box office flops, found a second life on DVD. “That pipeline is gone today,” Mirchandani adds. Nothing comes close to a theatre for Gandhi, though. He says, “Any comedy film works best in theatres. Three hundred to 500 people laughing together — it is very, very contagious. You have a lot of fun in those two hours.”
Paisa bolta hai: Is there money to be made with a theatrical comedy?
The comedy genre is an evolving one, says trade analyst Taran Adarsh. “Right now, we’re seeing a lot of horror comedies. But the out-and-out comedies excelled by Akshay Kumar and before him the Govinda-David Dhawan style really worked. But there has been a vacuum since then.”
But is there money to be made in this genre? “Lots. Who doesn’t want to laugh, smile, and come out of a film feeling happy? That’s what cinema is about.” Then why is the genre slowing down? “The market scenario has changed. Profits, losses, hits, and flops dictate the industry more strongly now. Especially since the stakes are higher,” he says, “Actors also tend to follow what’s working because everyone wants to stay relevant, popular, and deliver hits.”
All hope is not lost though. “In the last couple of years, Madgaon Express has done well,” with a box office collection of Rs. 49 crore, “Crew (2024) was a smashing success,” as it sits happily in the Rs. 100-crore club with a box office run of Rs. 157 crore.
Comedy is no funny business: All sources tell us that making a comedy film is the toughest genre to crack
Niren Bhatt, who’s written films like Stree 2 (2024), Bala (2019), and Bhediya (2022), says, “Comedy is highly subjective. What lands for you, might not land for me.” He adds that what appears effortless on screen is often the hardest to write. “You can’t just have characters delivering one-liners. That’s stand-up. It has to be woven into a story, with conflict, world-building, and character arcs,” he explains.
“You might write 10 lines and only one works,” he says, noting how audiences respond differently to the same jokes. While some enjoy meta humour or wordplay, others dismiss it as overdone or “too literary”.
For actors too, comedy is all about instinct. Pratik Gandhi says, “All other emotions have a range. On a scale of one to 10, you can adjust. But in comedy, if it has to land at two, it has to land at exactly two. Unlike drama, where intensity can fluctuate, comedy requires precision down to 0.0001 and years of riyaz.”
Abhishek Banerjee adds that the genre leaves actors exposed. “In comedy, you’re on your own. You have your dialogues, your co-actors of course, but timing is everything. Nobody can teach you comic timing. If you don’t have the funny bone, it will fail.”
Rukhsar Rehman bags Lahore 1947; says "Rajkumar Santoshi is full of stories and anecdotes"
8:44 AM
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; July 27, 2025)
Rukhsar Rehman, who began her acting career at the age of 17, was once considered a rising star. She stepped away from the industry due to family pressure. Rehman returned in 2005 with a new resolve, starting from scratch with auditions, rejections, and small roles.
“Acting has and will always be my passion,” she says. “I feel I have done well. But as an actor, we always feel, jitna mile utna kam hai. We are always hungry for more. Everybody knows me in the industry now, irrespective of how small the roles have been. It is a satisfying feeling when people reach out to me with projects.”
Over the years, Rehman built a solid body of work with films such as Sarkar (2005), God Tussi Great Ho (2008), Shaitan (2011), PK (2014), Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019), 83 (2021), and numerous television shows.
Now, she has two films lined up — Lahore 1947, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and starring Sunny Deol, and Uttar Da Puttar alongside Annu Kapoor. While she remains tight-lipped about the former, Rehman reveals that working with Santoshi was a fulfilling experience.
“He is a sharp filmmaker, and very clear about his vision and how a scene needs to look. Many directors [keep their options open], which is not a bad thing to do, but sir is confident about how his characters would feel and react.”
Set during the Partition of India, Lahore 1947 follows the journey of Sikander Mirzaon, played by Deol. Rehman, who has wrapped the period drama, shares, “Rajkumar sir’s Andaz Apna Apna [1994] is one of my favourites. He is full of stories and anecdotes. During the shoot, I’d often ask him to narrate shoot stories from his earlier movies. During lunch, on set, he would always insist that we all sit together. I am happy to work with him.”
A brief history of Rukhsar’s career
Rukhsar Rehman made her film debut in 1992 with a lead role in Deepak Anand’s Yaad Rakhegi Duniya opposite Aditya Pancholi. She also appeared in J K Bihari’s Inteha Pyar Ki (1992) opposite late Rishi Kapoor. In one of her interviews, Rehman confessed that she was offered Saugandh (1991), Roja (1992), Baazigar (1993), and 1942: A Love Story (1994), but was unable to take up the offers.
Delhi High Court cracks down on unauthorized Andaz Apna Apna merchandise
8:39 AM
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; May 19, 2025)
What happened
Cult comedy Andaz Apna Apna may have hit the screens 30 years ago, but its dialogues are still everywhere – on memes, mugs, caps, T-shirts. Amar, Prem, Teja, Gogo aren’t just characters, but icons for worth flaunting on merchandise.
Last week, the Delhi High Court issued an ex-parte, ad-interim injunction protecting the film’s IP – its characters, catchphrases, and one-liners from unauthorized use. The case was filed by the family of the late producer Vinay Sinha, and highlighted a growing black market for merchandise, AI-generated content, dodgy domains, and social media posts exploiting the film’s most recognizable catchphrases & dialogues. Think “Aila” on coffee mugs, “Teja main hoon” on posters, or Gogo’s quotes in AI-generated videos.
The issues raised by the producers
- Given the likely inferior nature of these goods, there is a real threat of tarnishment and dilution of the intellectual property of the said film
- The unauthorized use by the defendants of iconic dialogues, settings from iconic scenes from the film, constitutes infringement of copyright in the literary work and the cinematographic film itself
‘THE HC HAS RECOGNISED THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING CREATIVE WORKS FROM RAMPANT MISAPPROPRIATION’
Ameet Naik, who represented the producers, said, “This order is a resounding affirmation of the rights of legacy content creators in the digital age. Andaz Apna Apna is not just a film, it’s a part of India’s cultural heritage, and its characters and dialogues enjoy iconic status. The Delhi High Court has recognized the importance of protecting creative works from rampant misappropriation, including by unauthorized merchandise sellers and AI-based content generators. We are grateful for the Court’s timely intervention and believe this order will serve as a critical precedent for safeguarding IP in cinema, especially against newer forms of digital exploitation.”
PUBLIC MAY MISTAKENLY BELIEVE THAT SUCH GOODS ORIGINATE FROM THE MAKERS OF THE FILM: COURT
The Delhi HC held that the balance of convenience lay in favour of the plaintiff (makers of the film), noting that unauthorized products may mislead the public into believing they were officially licensed. “Any objections to the quality of the defendants’ products will be attributable to the plaintiff, as the public would have purchased such goods under the mistaken impression that they emanate from the plaintiff,” the HC said.
WHAT’S BEING PROTECTED
Everything from Amar-Prem’s banter to Crime Master Gogo’s iconic one-liners, Andaz Apna Apna delivered peak absurdity and unforgettable cult comedy. The producer’s family also cited trademarks on “Aila” and “Ouima”, claiming the phrases have taken on secondary meaning – a legal term for when pop culture becomes so recognizable that people instantly associate it with a specific source. It submitted that the film contains several iconic dialogues and catchphrases that have, over time, acquired popularity and recognition. Due to their extensive use, they have become instantly recognizable and developed a strong secondary meaning in the minds of the public as being exclusively associated with the film.
Court blocks platforms from unauthorised use of film’s IP
YouTube, GoDaddy, Flipkart, Meesho, Desertcart have been told to take down infringing content, and block access. The HC has restrained two dozen platforms and creators from:
- Using any content identical to or derived from the film
- Manufacturing or selling any merchandise or products bearing the film’s IP
- Creating AI-based or digital works that exploit the characters or dialogues
We are excited that Aamir Khan, Salman Khan are thrilled for the sequel, say Andaz Apna Apna makers
2:51 PM
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; March 29, 2025)
For years, talk of a sequel to Andaz Apna Apna (1994) has surfaced time and again. And each time, the response has been a familiar mix of “dekhte hain” and “kaam chal raha hai.”
Recently when Aamir Khan was yet again asked about the possibility of a sequel, the actor shared an update, repeating the usual, “Hum sab yehi chahte hain.” But he added that he and Salman will be onboard if they like the script. “Raj ji (director Rajkumar Santoshi) uski script pe abhi kaam kar rahe hain. Salman aur mujhe dono ko pasand aayi toh definitely karenge hum log,” Aamir said.
‘Will start talks with Aamir and Salman right after the re-release of Andaz Apna Apna’
The family of the film’s late producer Vinay Sinha has now confirmed that serious discussions are ongoing. The producers, Namrata, Priti Sinha and Amod Sinha, shared that they are keen to take the legacy of the film forward. “Recently, Aamir bhai mentioned that Salman sir and he are keen on doing the Andaz Apna Apna sequel. We are thrilled that they both are excited, and in light of this, we will start talks with them right after the re release of Andaz Apna Apna on April 25,” they said.
“Talks with Rajkumar Santoshi ji have been ongoing for years. It also includes (those) during our father producer Vinay Kumar Sinha’s lifetime. However, nothing concrete has been finalized with him till now. We will make an official announcement under as soon as discussions with the actors and director are complete and a strong script is locked,” they added.
Of course, if a role I want goes to Sanya Malhotra, I could feel jealous-Fatima Sana Shaikh
9:24 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; February 19, 2025)
While Fatima Sana Shaikh had a very busy 2024, the audience didn’t see her on the big screen or on OTT all through last year. However, the Dangal actress is unperturbed by the waiting game.
She explains, “When you are shooting, your mind stays focused on the work, so you don’t stress. But when you’re sitting at home with no shooting schedule, that’s when the panic sets in. The release of a project isn’t in the actor’s hands—it depends on so many factors. We can only keep shooting and moving forward. I worked a lot in 2024, and I want to see how people perceive me when my projects release this year.”
‘I want to see if there’s a shift or a change in the way I’m positioned’
Talking about the kind of work that inspires her, Fatima says, “With the kind of work I am doing now, I want to see if there’s a shift or a change in the way I’m positioned. I have bigger dreams for myself, but it’s not about stardom. I want to do films that transcend borders and leave a deep impact, not just emotionally, but also in a way that a film like Andaz Apna Apna had on people.”
Apart from Metro… In Dino, she will also be seen in the romantic comedy Aap Jaisa Koi with R Madhavan, among other projects.
Fatima also believes that actors like Anushka Sharma and Konkona Sen Sharma made a smart move by branching into production, and she hopes to follow suit in the future. “Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha are also producing some amazing projects. Actors need to think this way because sometimes we don’t get the opportunities we want. So, we have to create our own,” she says.
‘The market is tough right now’
Fatima doesn’t hesitate to approach producers if the project excites her. “I am trying to collaborate with people, but the market is tough right now. There are a lot of projects out there, but they’re not the ones that attract me. I’m realistic about myself, my talent, and my positioning. I know what I can offer to a producer. I can’t expect them to invest Rs. 100 crore in me. I sometimes chase projects I’m passionate about.”
‘There is always some level of competition and insecurity in life’
Dangal was a breakout film for both Fatima and Sanya Malhotra, and the two became good friends after working together. However, as their careers grew, they both went down different paths.
When asked if there’s ever been a sense of rivalry, jealousy or competition between them, Fatima says, “There is always some level of competition and insecurity in life. I understand that people feel jealous, but how you handle that jealousy defines you. Of course, if a role I want goes to her, I could feel jealous or insecure. But I don’t let my insecurities take over. I’m genuinely happy for Sanya.”
Old Hindi movies earn big bucks as Gen-Z buys into the cult craze
9:39 AM
Exhibitors re-releasing older titles which are outperforming some fresh releases & earning better than initial runs
Rajesh N Naidu (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; February 17, 2025)
Indian exhibitors are cashing in on re-releasing Hindi films, with older titles like Tumbbad (2018) and Sanam Teri Kasam (2016) outperforming some fresh theatrical releases and eclipsing their original box-office performances, industry data shows.
Once-dormant films, many of which didn't perform during initial runs, are drawing robust audiences - particularly Gen-Z viewers - on streaming platforms, TV and in theatres. Sanam Teri Kasam raked in nearly Rs. 28 crore in eight days during its re-release, beating competition from three new films: rom-com Loveyapa, action thriller Sky Force, and historical drama Chhaava.
Exhibitors' move of re-releasing Hindi films with a cult following or strong viewership on television and streaming platforms is proving successful, as these films have outperformed their original runs and held ground against new releases, yielding significant returns.
Given the strong response, analysts predict that Sanam Teri Kasam will maintain its box-office momentum and easily surpass Rs. 50 crore in the coming days, a significant jump from its original Rs. 9.11 crore collection at release.
Suniel Wadhwa, co-founder and director of Karmic Films, said, "Today, re-releases are not just about filling a gap in the absence of fresh big-budget films. The catalog is carefully planned, selecting films that have gained a cult following or strong viewership on social media platforms, streaming services, and television."
"Additionally, affordable tickets, nostalgia, and great music are driving footfalls. A large number of Gen-Z audiences want to experience re-watching films in theaters. There are also those who are flocking to theaters for fear of missing out on an experience their peers are having," he added.
Producers also attribute the success of re-releases to two critical factors. One is that these films, which were largely mid- and small-budget, did not receive adequate screens in theaters at the time of their original release, which they are now getting. The other critical factor is that films appealing to the younger generation are rarely made today.
Naveen Chandra, founder of 91 Film Studios, a company that produces, finances, and distributes regional films, said, "Today, high-dopamine and high-adrenaline rush films have found huge acceptance. Chhaava, which is a terrific film, is another example of a high-adrenaline rush and high-dopamine film released on Valentine's Day. So, where are the films that appeal to young audiences and their tastes?"
He added, "These films are available on streaming platforms and television channels, yet the younger generation is coming to theaters largely because such films are not made today."
Increasingly, a large number of highly aggressive action films have dominated the box office in recent years. Films such as Animal (2023), Kill (2024), and Marco (2024), which feature high levels of gore, are a few examples. In this context, it has been observed that a significant segment of the younger audience is discovering and enjoying romantic films in regional languages. For multiplexes, these re-releases make strong business sense, as reflected in increased footfalls and spending.
Devang Sampat, managing director at Cinepolis India, said, "The transaction size, which is the number of people coming to theaters and spending, for a fresh film is generally 2.5. But for re-releases, it is four. This shows the difference."
He added, "We keep asking young audiences on social media platforms about old films they want to watch and plan our schedule accordingly."
The latest re-release exhibitors plan to screen is Andaz Apna Apna (1994)-a cult comedy that did not perform well during its original release. It is set to re-release in April.
Gautam Chintamani on why 1994 was the magical year for Indian cinema
4:52 PM
As told to Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; December 21, 2024)
What is the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of the cinema of the year 1994? While you think of 1994’s cinematic legacy, and oh, what a year indeed, ironically, one of the first things that comes to mind is a line from HW Longfellow’s poem, A Psalm of Life – ‘Art is long, and Time is fleeting.’ Think about it – the gap between Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! and today is more than Sholay and Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! One of the reasons that 1994 remains a watershed moment in cinema has to do with the fact that until HAHK, for almost two decades, no other film came close to dethroning the curry-western Sholay that redefined the term ‘box-office success.’
Seen against the releases of 1975, many of 1994’s releases might not have stood the test as well as the former, but with a cult classic such as Andaz Apna Apna, one of the best biopics in the form of Bandit Queen, R D Burman’s swansong 1942: A Love Story, and one of the last paring of the two brightest sparks of parallel cinema, Naseeruddin Shah-Om Puri in Droh Kaal, there is a certain charm nonetheless in the year’s films. It was also the year that Amitabh Bachchan returned briefly to the big screen in Insaniyat after a self-imposed three-year exile.
With Krantiveer, popular Hindi cinema got yet another version of the leading man in Nana Patekar, who combined the Salim-Javedesque angry young man with every man of Basu Chatterjee and Shyam Benegal-Govind Nihalani. With a bevvy of hits between them both — Akshay Kumar (Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Mohra and Yeh Dillagi), and Ajay Devgan, who was yet to lose the ‘a’ in his surname, (Dilwale, Suhaag, Vijaypath) joined the Khans as top box-offices draws and Govinda continued with ‘a-hit-a-year’ delivery scheme in the form of Raja Babu. The year also resonated with the conspicuous absence of Divya Bharti, who had died a year earlier. The success of Mohra, Vijaypath and Laadla, three films that originally featured Divya Bharti, only showed how a promising career was cut short due to her accidental death.
The coincidence of 1994 being equally momentous for Hollywood – with Pulp Fiction, Forrest Gump, and The Shawshank Redemption releasing the same year – often overshadows a more profound truth about Hindi cinema’s paradigm shift. Besides the three standout features, 1994 in a single calendar year witnessed the release of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Reality Bites, Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Hudsucker Proxy, The Crow, Little Buddha, Speed, Wolf, True Lies, The Mask, Air Heads, Clear and Present Danger, Natural Born Killers, Quiz Show, Blue Sky, Ed Wood, The River Wild and Bullets Over Broadway. The year’s biggest box office success was Disney’s The Lion King, the last of the great traditional animation films, and even the foreign language film segment was peppered with what are now considered seminal classics.
One of the things that stood out in the films of 1994 was the way they brought a huge segment of viewers lost to video and cable back to the cinemas. With a strong emphasis on ‘family viewing’, Sooraj Barjatya withheld the video release for the first six months after HAHK released and used state-of-the-art technology to keep a check on piracy. Additionally, Rajshri Productions handpicked theatres across the country that had met certain quality standards vis-à-vis sanitation, projection or sound etc. for exhibiting the film. The year’s biggest hit eventually ended up being Hindi cinema’s biggest hit, and Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! continued to hold that distinction till 3 Idiots (2009).
The very next year Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge created a divide between not just style or the kind of actors and technicians who worked at either ends, but also a mindset.
Hindi cinema is at another crossroads as we mark thirty years since 1994. What can one say when re-releasing a film from the 1990s generated more enthusiasm than some of the new releases? Ultimately, 1994’s greatest legacy might be how it prepared Hindi cinema for future disruptions. Challenging established norms of distribution, content, and audience engagement created a template for adaptation that continues to serve the industry well.
As we navigate the brave new world of multi-platform content delivery and changing viewer preferences, the lessons of 1994 remain surprisingly relevant. After all, as a 1994 release Andaz Apna Apna taught us – sometimes the best way to predict the future is to invent it.
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The film that gave us iconic lines like Aila! Ooima! and mark idhar hai, has stood the test of time by ‘standing out even today.’ Talking about its timelessness, Amod Sinha, assistant director of Andaz Apna Apna has said, “The film features the most hilarious and iconic fight sequence between Salman Khan and Shakti Kapoor, which was not rehearsed at all. It was a spontaneous decision by the actors. People still remember that scene and talk about it.”
Aila: How Andaz Apna Apna became a cult classic
9:33 AM
As the comedy turns 30, a look at how it lives on through dubsmashes, reels, memes and merch
Mohini Chaudhuri (THE TIMES OF INDIA; November 10, 2024)
It is not a surprise that everyone’s beloved movie Andaz Apna Apna, which celebrated its 30th birthday this week, had no takers when it released. With the exception of Hum Aapke Hain Koun!, 1994 mainly belonged to blood-thirsty action heroes seeking revenge.
Some of the top grossers of that year were Mohra, Krantiveer, Main Khiladi Tu Anari and Suhaag. Rajkumar Santoshi, the director of Andaz Apna Apna, was also coming off Ghayal and Damini, the origin story of Sunny Deol’s famous ‘dhai kilo ka haath’. In the midst of this festival of testosterone came Andaz Apna Apna which cast two superstars — Aamir Khan and Salman Khan — as foolish simpletons who remained foolish till the last frame.
There isn’t an angry bone in the film. This is a world where the hero can’t express his love to a woman because he has loose motions. The bad guy Teja’s grand evil plan is to steal his brother’s diamonds and buy a poultry farm so that he can breed chickens and eat omelettes.
Actor and casting director Abhishek Banerjee (Stree, Paatal Lok) says there is a “middle-class” quality to Andaz Apna Apna which makes it endearing and timeless.
“One of my favourite bits is when the villain asks Amar and Prem (names of Aamir and Salman’s characters, respectively) for a huge ransom and they arrive with a bag of coins because that’s all they have. I remember collecting coins was a rage at the time, and we all had piggy banks. It was so relatable,” says Banerjee.
Admirers of Andaz Apna Apna are often baffled by how Santoshi pulled off such silliness with conviction. How does one in all seriousness come up with lines like ‘Teja main hoon, mark idhar hai’, ‘Aap purush hi nahi, maha purush hai’ or ‘Yeh Vasco Da Gama ki gun hai. Kiske mama ki gun?’
And then there are the legendary stories of the film’s leading actresses Raveena Tandon and Karishma Kapoor being at loggerheads through the filming. At one point, they were tied together for a scene and forced to speak to each other.
Aamir Khan has also admitted that he hated working with Salman who he found to be “rude and inconsiderate”.
“I have also heard these stories. I don’t know how they managed those performances. In fact, I have taken Aamir’s style of repeating everything twice in the film like ‘maine bola tha, maine bola tha’ and used it in my performances,” says Banerjee.
Screenwriter Niren Bhatt (Stree 2, Bhediya) says it was only a few days ago when he met Paresh Rawal, who plays Teja, to discuss an upcoming project. But instead of doing the narration, he spent hours quizzing Rawal about the making of Andaz Apna Apna Hai.
Bhatt explains that the film takes some crazy creative swings that makes it one of a kind.
“All our iconic comedies like Half Ticket or Padosan have been about funny situations. Now suddenly comes a film that breaks all the rules and goes bonkers. It was totally out of the box. Santoshi himself was unable to recreate that madness in his later comedy films,” he says.
About a decade ago, filmmakers Hardik Mehta and Vivek Soni were commissioned by the erstwhile Phantom Films, owned by Anurag Kashyap, Vikas Bahl and Vikamaditya Motwane, to work on a sequel. Their film took off where the original ended, but with a new cast.
“We decided that this time instead of chasing money, Amar and Prem would chase social media fame. And Crime Master Gogo’s new goal was getting his own wax statue at Madame Tussauds. We had written the entire climax inside the museum,” says Mehta, adding that the dream was always going to be “a long shot”. Aamir Khan and Santoshi too have occasionally dropped hints about a sequel.
Bhavik Vora, founder of A47, an online store that sells pop culture merchandise, says he’s the ultimate Andaz Apna Apna super fan. He had watched the film twice on the same day with his friends at Mumbai’s single screen theatre Gaiety Galaxy.
“We have seen it so minutely that we know the little scenes and dialogues that others may have forgotten,” says Vora.
He pursued the producers Vinay Pictures, who own the rights of the film, for three years to let him create the official merchandise. It finally launched this week. He says it was a “pure passion project” to cater to the film’s dedicated online fan community that has kept it alive over three decades through dubsmashes, reels and memes.
Bhatt remembers a time when a director wasn’t understanding his pitch and he borrowed a tactic from the iconic scene where Aamir’s character explains a football match by moving around a bunch of glasses, and unknowingly foils a murder in the process.
“There were too many characters so I had to use that glass strategy. That’s how much the film is a part of our lives,” he laughs. “I would say the film is beyond cult. It’s a cultural phenomenon.”
Andaz Apna Apna set to re-release next year
8:27 AM
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; November 13, 2024)
Three decades ago, Rajkumar Santoshi’s Andaz Apna Apna pulled off a casting coup, bringing two of Hindi cinema’s rising stars Salman Khan and Aamir Khan in a single film. Over the years, the film has achieved cult status and is hailed as one of Indian cinema’s finest comedies. As the film celebrates its 30th anniversary, it is slated for a re-release in cinemas next year.
ANDAZ APNA APNA WAS NEVER A FLOP, IT WAS A DECENT HIT: RAJ BANSAL
Veteran exhibitor Raj Bansal, who distributed Andaz Apna Apna through his now 70-year-old distribution company, says, “Whenever people talk about this film, they look at the initial numbers and declare it a flop. I distributed the film, and in my distribution territory Rajasthan, the film was a decent hit. In fact, I paid overflow to the producer – Overflow is the amount paid over the agreed amount when a film performs well. In Jaipur, the film ran for approximately eight weeks, which was huge at that time.”
Bansal explains, “When Andaz Apna Apna was released, the trend was that comedy films performed well in the southern states, Gujarat and Mumbai, while action films were doing better in Delhi and UP. Andaz Apna Apna didn’t perform as expected in UP and Delhi, but the film was never a flop. It was a decent hit at the time of its release.”
The family of the late producer Vinay Sinha says the same. Producer Priti Sinha says, “My brother Amod, who was also the AD on the film, pointed out that because it wasn’t promoted, people started believing the film didn’t perform well.”
‘Andaz Apna Apna to be re-released in a digitized, restored, 4K version’
Producer Priti Sinha shares, “It makes us really proud that even after 30 years, the film continues to resonate with movie buffs. Some years back, my sister Namrata met Salman, and he suggested re-releasing the film. The film will be re-released in a digitized, restored, and remastered 4K version. We are currently working on the sound, and once it’s complete, we’ll decide on a release date for next year.”
30 Years of Andaz Apna Apna: Amrish Puri was supposed to play Zorambo, Mogambo’s younger brother
11:01 AM
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; November 11, 2024)
In the early ‘90s, when Salman Khan and Aamir Khan were both “rising stars and heartthrobs, girls were chasing them everywhere.” This inspired director Rajkumar Santoshi, who had signed both actors even before finalizing a story, to come up with a plot – what if they are in a film where they were the ones chasing girls? “Dono ke apne apne andaz hain aur dono apne apne style mein chase kar rahe hain,” he thought – and thus began the journey of Andaz Apna Apna.
Rajkumar Santoshi and Dilip Shukla wrote the film in snippets format, with each snippet being an episode in itself. The film, with its situational, slapstick and language humour, has since become a cult comedy. As it completes 30 years, we take a look at the making of the film.
‘The trials of Andaz Apna Apna had people rolling on the floor’
Rajkumar Santoshi had organized over 100 trials of the incomplete film. At the time, Aamir had said in an interview, “Mujhe lagta hai audience iss film ko bahut pasand karegi kyunki jab bhi iss film ka trial hota hai toh log hanshans ke pagal ho jate hain. Rajkumar Santoshi ne bahut hi achhi comedy banayi hai. Usmein situational comedy hai, slapstick comedy hai, language comedy hai.’”
Santoshi also recalled in an interview that when he showed the rushes to Saroj Khan, she fell off the sofa laughing.
‘The music was designed to have a vintage feel’
Santoshi and Tushar Bhatia, the music director of the film, were both huge fans of OP Nayyar and wanted to create OP Nayyar-style music for the youth of the ’90s. They decided to keep the music vintage, which led to songs like Elo Ji Sanam Hum Aa Gaye and Ye Raat Aur Ye Doori. They decided to shoot the songs in the styles of Shammi Kapoor and Dev Anand.
Sequel confirmed
On his birthday earlier this year, Aamir was asked about the film’s sequel. He responed, “Rajkumar Santoshi is working on the script for Andaz Apna Apna 2. Zyada excitement bhi hum log nahi dikha sakte kyunki usne kaam abhi shuru kiya hai. I am glad that he started thinking about it because it will be a great film for all of us to do and for the audience to watch.”
The many references to other films
1. When Amar (Aamir’s character) is cutting the ribbon of the lockup as he’s the first one to enter it, Papa Kehte Hain from Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak plays in background
2. When someone asks Prem (Salman’s character), “Have you seen Sholay?”, he says he’s seen it 10 times. Amar says that Prem’s father has written it, which is a fact. Salim Khan co-wrote Sholay with Javed Akhtar.
3. In one scene, Salman hums Dekha Hai Pehli Baar from his own film Saajan (1991)
4. When Amar and Prem are doing the coin toss, Amar says, “Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar aur jo haara woh hai bandar” and the JJWS music plays in background
5. Aamir’s character calls Juhi Chawla J-J-J-J-Juhi, mimicking the K-K-K-K-Kiran dialogue from Darr, in which Juhi played Kiran
6. Mehmood’s character owns a film studio called Wah Wah Productions. This is a reference to Mehmood’s earlier film Pyaar Kiye Jaa (1966), in which he also owns a Wah Wah Productions
7. Gogo refers to himself as Mogambo ka bhateeja – the villain in Mr India Source: IMDB
DID YOU KNOW?
- Initially there was another villain in the film – Zorambo, Mogambo’s younger brother, and to be played by Amrish Puri. Santoshi recalled in an interview that the character was supposed to be the opposite of Mogambo. “Amrish ji was playing Mogambo’s younger brother Zorambo. His dialogue was, ‘Mera bhai choti choti baaton mein khush ho jaata tha, main khush nahi hota. Nobody can make me happy.’ Zorambo’s costume was white, a stark contrast to Mogambo’s black attire.” However, the character was dropped from the film as it was getting lengthy.
- Aamir’s character was inspired by the Archie comic’s character Reggie. Archie was supposed to be Salman Khan’s character.
- Originally, Tinnu Anand was supposed to play Gogo. However, he was abroad during the shoot and couldn’t return on time. Nearly 70% of the filming had already been completed when Shakti Kapoor came on board.
I would love to do a remake of Andaz Apna Apna; team up with Ranveer Singh or Ayushmann Khurrana-Raveena Tandon
8:51 AM
Yvonne Jacob (BOMBAY TIMES; April 23, 2024)
Raveena Tandon has been part of some iconic Hindi movies of the 1990s, including Mohra and Andaaz Apna Apna. Cut to the 2020s and the actress has reinvented herself with projects like Aranyak and KGF: Chapter 2, among others. In a chat with us, the actress shares that she is open to embracing new challenges and experimenting with different genres. Excerpts from a chat:
‘Teaming up with Ranveer Singh or Ayushmann Khurrana would be dynamic’
Among her most-remembered roles is the one from Rajkumar Santoshi’s cult comedy Andaaz Apna Apna.
Ask her if she would love to do a remake of the film and Raveena says, “I would be thrilled to revisit Andaz Apna Apna. Reimagining this comedy with a fresh perspective would be an exciting challenge.”
As for her co-stars in a possible remake, the actor tells us that she would want to collaborate with someone who can bring a unique flair and enthusiasm to the project. “Teaming up with Ranveer Singh or Ayushmann Khurrana would bring a dynamic energy with a modern twist while paying homage to the original characters,” she says.
‘I am drawn to stories that offer depth and complexity’
After over three decades since her debut, the actor loves storytelling through films and complex characters just as much as she did back then. What drives her role selection now, we ask. “At this stage of my career, I am drawn to stories that offer meaningful narratives and allow me to portray characters that have depth and complexity,” says Raveena, who will soon appear in the third instalment of the Welcome franchise—Welcome To The Jungle, and Ghudchadi, opposite Sanjay Dutt.
Highlighting the growth of Indian cinema, she adds, “The industry has undergone significant changes, both in terms of storytelling and technological advancements. There is a notable shift in the emergence of diverse narratives and the willingness to explore unconventional themes now. There’s also a greater emphasis on authenticity and realism. It’s an exciting time for Indian cinema.”
Aamir Khan is a hands on producer, and I am amazed by him-Rajkumar Santoshi
8:34 AM
Akash Bhatnagar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 31, 2024)
Director Rajkumar Santoshi teamed up with actor Aamir Khan in 1994 for the comedy film Andaz Apna Apna, which went on to become a cult classic. The duo is reuniting 30 years later, this time with Khan stepping in as the producer for Santoshi’s upcoming film Lahore 1947, starring Sunny Deol.
All praise for the actor-producer, Santoshi tells us, “Aamir monitors every progress of the film. He keeps a watch on everything that is happening. He is a hands-on producer, and I am amazed by him.” The film also stars Preity G Zinta, Shabana Azmi and Sunny’s son, Karan Deol.
Santoshi is particularly impressed by how Khan, despite juggling multiple projects in the capacity of a producer and actor, is making time to come on the sets of his film. Besides Lahore 1947, the Laal Singh Chaddha (2022) actor is producing a film starring his son, Junaid Khan, and another with comedian Vir Das. All three films are currently on floors. Meanwhile, he is also shooting for Sitaare Zameen Par, co-starring actor Genelia Deshmukh.
“Yet, he takes out time for everything. He is always available on a phone call, checking progress and inspiring the team. Whenever he has time, he drops by on the sets and motivates everybody. He is a great artiste and a great producer,” says the director.
As Andaz Apna Apna's rightful owners, we have to be careful about taking it forward-Priti Sinha
3:49 PM
While Andaz Apna Apna director Santoshi scripts sequel with Aamir-Salman in mind, producer’s family asserts film’s rights rest with them; shares plans to make part two on their own
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 16, 2024)
In November, it will be 30 years to Andaz Apna Apna (1994)—the madcap comedy that introduced us to the happy-go-lucky duo Amar and Prem, to Crime Master Gogo’s “ghagra” and Teja’s “mark”, and an amateur kidnapping plan. It’s not surprising that even today, fans are rooting for a sequel to the Aamir Khan and Salman Khan-led comedy.
Director Rajkumar Santoshi and the family of the late producer Vinay Sinha, too, have often expressed interest in making a second instalment. Now, we hear that the director has begun writing the sequel with his original leading men in mind. But there’s a catch—the film’s rights rest with the late Sinha’s children, Namrata, Amod and Priti.
In 2022, Santoshi had mentioned to mid-day that he had a concept for the sequel to the cult classic. Sources say the filmmaker, who is currently directing Aamir’s home production, Lahore, 1947, is simultaneously writing the comedy. This is at odds with the plans of the Sinha family, who, in 2019, reportedly intended to take the brand ahead with stars from the current crop.
A source reveals, “In 2019, rumours were rife that the producers wanted to make Andaz Apna Apna Reloaded with Ranveer Singh and Varun Dhawan. While their characters were to be named Amar and Prem, they were to have completely different backgrounds and the story would have no relation with the 1994 original. At the moment, the makers are treading cautiously on the matter. They are undecided whether they want to rope in Aamir and Salman with a top director at the helm, or cast gen-next stars. Regardless, it’s certain that Santoshi cannot make a sequel without the Sinhas’ go-ahead.”
When mid-day reached out to Priti, she asserted that only the family can take the brand forward, with a director of their choice. “Andaz Apna Apna is a legacy film, and as its rightful owners, we have to be careful about taking it forward. Talks of a sequel have been happening [within my team] for a long time. When it happens, we’ll proudly announce it with everyone,” she said.
The family is planning to celebrate the movie’s 30th anniversary. “Last year, we launched the Andaz Apna Apna memorabilia website and this year too, there’s an idea to celebrate the anniversary of this cult classic.”
My Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya character lacked emotions, so I didn’t expect the response to be this overwhelming-Kriti Sanon
8:21 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; February 19, 2024)
Kriti Sanon, one of the top actresses in the industry today, is basking in the appreciation and love she’s getting for her film Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (TBMAUJ), in which she effortlessly plays a robot and looks stunning while at it. The National Award-winning actress talks to us about playing risky roles, her craft and more.
Your character, SIFRA – Super Intelligent Female Robot Automation – in Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya has received a great response. It’s been dubbed as one of your best performances to date. Did you expect that kind of reaction?
I always felt that people equated good performances to intense scenes and emotions. This character lacked emotions, so I didn’t expect the response to be this overwhelming. To convince the audience that I am a machine in the film was extremely tricky. I knew it was a challenging role, which is what made it easy for me to take it up. There couldn’t have been many references for a character like this.
What was your reaction when you were offered the part?
When I heard the role for the first time, I found it exciting and over time, it became even better. To strike a balance between human and robot as a humanoid was tough. When I was trying to look for a reference, the only reference I could see was Scarlett Johansson’s voice in Her. I couldn’t find references to robots as characters where they were so close to being humans, which made it exciting for me as an actor.
Just like in Mimi, Luka Chuppi and Bareilly Ki Barfi, people have appreciated your comic timing in this film, too. Do you wish to do an out-and-out comedy film?
I have always been looking for an out-and-out comedy film. Female actors are not perceived for roles in the comedy genre. Some female actors, like Sridevi ma’am, Madhuri (Dixit Nene) ma’am and Juhi Chawla, have attempted comedy. Personally, I have enjoyed watching films like Andaz Apna Apna, Chaalbaaz and a movie like Queen, which was more of a feel-good film with comedy organically weaved in it.
The best compliment Kriti has received for her performance in TBMAUJ
“People told me that you were completely like a robot, but we felt for you, and that’s what I was trying to achieve. The challenge was to be like a robot, not falter, and seem human-like at the same time. Consistency was the key. At the screening, I saw my sister (Nupur Sanon) laughing and thoroughly enjoying it. She loved Mimi, and after watching this film, she said, this is my best performance to date. Nupur is honest and critical, so her positive reaction meant a lot to me.”
Andaz Apna Apna remake might be good, but there will always be comparisons-Raveena Tandon
8:46 AM
All things OTT, gen Z, life lessons and more were part of the fun chat team HT City had with team Karmma Calling
Compiled by Mimansa Shekhar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 10, 2024)
Believe in karma? If not, the cast of Karmma Calling, actor Raveena Tandon, Varun Sood and director Ruchi Narain will make you believe in it, just as they did when they visited Hindustan Times House. The trio sat down for a fun chat with Sonal Kalra, Chief Managing Editor (Entertainment & Lifestyle, HT) and team HT City, where they spoke about the show, their journey as actors, and more. Their wit and wisdom (mostly from Tandon) made it a memorable visit.
Actor Raveena Tandon, who plays Indrani Kothari in Karmma Calling, revealed that the Indian remake of the American show Revenge came to her a decade ago, but as a television series instead of OTT. “We (Ruchi Narain and her) had to put it on the backburner then, because firstly, I was not ready to play Indrani professionally. Secondly, the dates [commitment] they wanted were a lot because TV is a longer format. Web series made it sleeker and more compact,” Tandon shared.
As season 1 ends on a cliffhanger, the buzz around the next season has already started, but there’s no confirmation yet. The Aranyak actor feels the trend of delaying the seasons of web shows should stop. “The makers and OTT platforms should bridge this gap. Investing so much in a set, breaking it down, and then again putting money into it doesn’t make sense. It’s better for business to finish everything in one go,” she said.
The 49-year-old was asked if a remake of any of her iconic films, Andaz Apna Apna (1994) in particular, would interest her, to which Tandon said no. “Once a classic is done, it is done. The remake might be good, but there will always be comparisons,” feels the actor, adding that remakes of popular songs featuring her are fine because “I end up owning it all over again”.
As the conversation steered towards the new generation, the mother of four said there’s a lot to learn from gen Zers. “I have jitters before my releases, and guess who lectures me? Rasha! Gen Z is more aware and exposed,” she asserts.
’90S ICON VS GEN Z
Tandon, who is a 90s diva, is happy that trends from that era are back. “I’m wearing all my 90s clothes again and even Rasha is wearing them. I still have the leather shirt from Sheher Ki Ladki (Rakshak, 1996),” shared the actor.
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There were certain things about Raveena that were well-suited for Indrani. One was the way she looks and the other was she has a lot of strength and conviction in herself. I felt she would be able to relate to the sentiment of Indrani. Other than that she’s not really like Indrani.
- RUCHI NARAIN, DIRECTOR
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Mimansa Shekhar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 10, 2024)
From a video jockey (VJ) to a reality star, big screen to OTT — Varun Sood has had quite a journey. The actor opened up how the audience’s perception changed towards him. “The transition had to be evident, so I gave myself two years of not being on camera at all. I wanted people to see me in Karmma Calling and say, ‘Oh he’s an actor now!’” Sood said.
The 28-year-old, who made appearances in films such as Jug Jugg Jeeyo (2022)and web series Ragini MMS Returns, calls actors Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and his co-star Raveena Tandon, his inspiration. When asked how Sood gets a lot of attention for the way he looks, he opined that for an actor, the craft takes precedence. “A person can be good-looking but you can’t watch them onscreen for even two minutes. One becomes endearing onscreen because they know their craft really well,” Sood added.
Having said that, he feels fame takes a toll on one’s private life. He recalls how, during his reality TV stint, a lot of things about his personal life came out. “I’m not blaming anyone; it just happened. I’m not liable to put my personal life out there,” he shared, adding, “But, right now, I’m at peace. I have enough space where I can protect my private life,” he shared.
While wrapping up, Sood was asked if he would like to work with Tandon’s daughter Rasha, who used to visit them on the show’s sets, and he replied, “Rasha is a fun person, and I would love to work with her.”
What do you think would have happened if Hunterrr would have made Rs. 100 crores?-Gulshan Devaiah
8:25 AM
Niharika Lal and Divya Kaushik (BOMBAY TIMES; October 5, 2023)
In the big screen vs OTT debate, Gulshan Devaiah isn’t taking sides. While he believes OTT offers more opportunities, there’s no substitute for the cinematic experience, he adds. In a freewheeling chat, the Dahaad actor talks about everything from the business of cinema to having civil discussions on social media. Excerpts:
‘Cinema and OTT should co-exist and flourish together’
I love cinema and it will make me very sad if the cinematic experience is lost and is not valued anymore. I am happy that I am doing interesting work and the web series format is very liberating for storytellers – the business model is also different as you don’t have the same pressure and it is more liberating to tell long-format stories – which means more interesting work, more money, opportunities. But if this is going to be at the cost of cinema, that will make me very sad.
I have a wider reach on OTT, I have better opportunities. But sometimes achieving difficult things can be extremely satisfying. If I am able to have a blockbuster when nobody expects it, what do you think is going to happen to my career? What do you think would have happened if Hunterrr would have made Rs. 100 crores? I know it’s a slim chance but there is nothing wrong in trying. I’m not losing anything. I have a career anyway.
‘We have lost that emotional touch with cinema’
Many people do not realise that Andaz Apna Apna did not make any money and they don’t care, it is a film that is fondly remembered. Dil Chahta Hai was not really a financially successful film, but people have strong memories attached to that film, its music. Agneepath was a massive flop, but nobody remembers it as a flop because people don’t care. They loved these films. We have lost that feeling – ‘ mazaa aaya yaar yeh dekh ke’. We have lost that touch with cinema, which is becoming more about numbers.
‘It’s always the role that matters when I pick a film’
If I have genuine interest in the story and in the part, then I will do the film. Like in Badhaai Do, it was a six-minute part, it was nine pages worth of scenes for me. The director, Harshavardhan Kulkarni, is a friend, I am his supporter, and the role made complete sense to me when I read it. It was a small part but it was well written, it impacted the story, and I got to romance Rajkummar Rao. It is always the role and the story that matters most when I am selecting a film.
‘I’ve done many small- budget films and will till do more of them’
I have primarily done mid and small-budget cinema, like CandyFlip and 8 A.M. Metro. Barring Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela, most of my films were mid-budget. Small and mid-budget films are the ones that can take risks in terms of storytelling, they can try something new. I have been a part of many small-budget films because those scripts were interesting to me. They were more interesting than big-budget films or the roles that were being offered to me.
‘Cinema is all about numbers and opening day business now’
Small and mid-budget films face bigger challenges right now in terms of business. The theatrical business model is cut-throat. Some kind of reform is needed there. With very little guarantee of return on investment, it is a gamble. Sometimes you have a good film or product, but if you don’t market it well, it doesn’t work. And if you don’t get good show timings, people may like it but won’t be able to watch it. It is very pressurizing. It’s much more difficult now that everybody has started discussing figures. Even cinemagoers who really don’t understand anything about business, they are talking about opening kitne ki lagi thi, and then they decide whether that film is good or bad. Whether they want to watch a film or not is based on whether other people are watching it. That was never the case before.
‘Can’t compete with stardom, despite brilliant performances’
There are people like Rajkummar, Manoj ji, whom I respect and I have learnt a lot from them. They give me and everybody else hope. They are not proper movie stars, I could say they are stars – people love their characters. Even when they (the audience) talk to me, they refer to Mandar Ponkshe (from Hunterrr) or Devi Lal (from Dahaad) – all characters, right? On the other hand, I have seen grown men at an airport react to Rajinikanth – it’s like they have seen God. They fall, they start to shake and shiver. They love him and not his characters. People love Shah Rukh Khan and not his characters. They love Salman and not his characters. You can not compete with that, no matter how brilliant your performances are.
‘Most people don’t expect to make deep bonds at their workplace’
In 2020, when I tweeted that “Bollywood is not a family, it never was and never will be”, the point I was trying to make is that it’s a place of work. I think some people misinterpreted that as yahan pe koi dost nahi hai. I think it helps if you change your perspective. If you don’t have expectations of it being your family, then you are able to navigate your way around it in a much better way – you don’t expect people to be your friend or family because it is a place of work. You can have wonderful colleagues with whom you get along and develop friendships and deep bonds, but that’s not the expectation that most people have when they go to work. This whole romanticization of one big family – if we don’t do that, it will probably help us have a perspective that is a bit better for our mental health.
Arts is usually filled with subjective opinions, and the sooner you accept that it is subjective I think the better you will be able to deal with failures and disappointments. Back then (in 2020), I also saw that our angst is being harnessed by others for their personal benefit. I had an issue with it, I was like my angst is my angst, you are not benefitting from it!
I got a call that a popular news anchor wants you on the show, I was like I don’t want to be on television. I am what they called an outsider, who has an okay career, who has done alright for himself but is not a massive star. So they thought maybe I would have some grudge, maybe I do, but then I will deal with it.
‘I won’t say anything on social media that I wouldn’t in real life’
I refused to believe that social media is a place where you cannot have a civil conversation. I’m very fortunate that most people engage with me constructively. I get trolled sometimes, but it’s okay. I have a thick skin for such things. Not all of us will take our freedom of speech responsibly. Some of us will be irresponsible with it. I don’t want to say anything on social media that I wouldn’t say in real life. And I would not say anything to you all that I wouldn’t put on social media.
Huma Qureshi to start filming for third season of Maharani
8:05 AM
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; July 31, 2023)
Huma Qureshi is set to return to her throne for the third time! After her last release, Tarla, the actor confirms that she is set to film the third edition of Sony LIV’s Maharani, which originally released in 2021.
“I will start shooting for season three in a week, and we are set to shoot multiple seasons of the show,” she says of the series that marked her streaming debut in 2021. Subhash Kapoor’s political drama features Qureshi as a homemaker, whose life changes when her husband announces her as his successor for the post of Bihar’s chief minister.
Meanwhile, Qureshi has the human drama Pooja Meri Jaan in her kitty. It’s a far cry from her past projects, and also telling of the vast genres she has dabbled in.
Ask her if there’s a genre she is still keen to explore and she says, “I would like to do an out-and-out comedy, like Andaz Apna Apna. I am waiting for someone to offer a comedy to me. I’d love to have a character like Crime Master Gogo as my partner in crime,” she signs off.
My film with Aamir Khan is a solo hero project-Rajkumar Santoshi
8:31 AM
Santoshi on reuniting with Khan after Andaz Apna Apna for a script he began penning seven years ago
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 20, 2022)
A few years after the release of the Shahid Kapoor-starrer, Phata Poster Nikla Hero (2013), filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi approached Aamir Khan with a script. The actor instantly gave his nod, and the director got cracking on the script. Cut to seven years later, Santoshi, who recently wrapped up Bad Boys starring Mithun Chakraborty’s son Namashi and Amrin Qureshi, caught up with the star on his birthday (March 14) for a family dinner. This meeting gave rise to the speculation that the duo is planning to work together after 18 years. Their last film together was Andaz Apna Apna (1994).
“We have been in touch over the years. When Aamir invited me over for a family dinner, we discussed the movie. We will [soon] have a formal narration and take a call thereafter. Seven years ago, I only had a concept [in mind], which I narrated to Aamir, who loved it. Now, I have completed the script,” says Santoshi, who will sit down for a story narration soon. Though tight-lipped about the film, he says, “It’s a complete family entertainer. But, I don’t want to reveal anything until he reads the script.”
While rumours are rife about Santoshi and Khan working on the sequel of Andaz Apna Apna, Santoshi refutes the claims and says, “[The script of Andaz Apna Apna] is at a nascent stage. [My film] with Aamir is a solo hero project.”
Tezaab was offered to Govinda first-Chunky Panday
7:35 PM
Chunky Panday adds he too had to turn down Khudgarz because of date problems; clarifies he hasn’t signed a film with daughter Ananya yet
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 10, 2020)
“Would you believe, I was banned even before my first film released,” asks Chunky Panday, going on to inform that while they were filming Aag Hi Aag, there was a film industry strike and those who continued shooting were blacklisted. “Since we were in Bangalore, stopping work would have led to huge financial losses. My seniors, Dharmendra and Shatrughan Sinha, had too many films on the floors, so the axe fell on this 22-year-old newcomer. But thanks to my producer Pahlaj Nihalani’s intervention, the ban was lifted in a week.” The film opened slowly, had picked up by Tuesday and by the end of the first week, was a hit.
Chunky has more surprises up his sleeve. “Tezaab was offered to Govinda first,” he reveals, adding that since the actor had got very busy after Ilzaam and writer-director N Chandra wanted a chunk of dates, the role of Babban came to him on the rebound. “I’d auditioned for a film called Roshni before Aag Hi Aag and though I didn’t land that role, Chandra promised to return with a big film. I’m lucky he saw me in Babban and so, shot some extra scenes with me, even giving me the evergreen ‘So Gaya Yeh Jahaan’ before the heavy climax,” shares Chunky, recalling how, while filming the song, Anil Kapoor and he had gone to a five-star hotel coffee shop at 3 am to grab a bite. “The shocked manager looked us up and down and asked if he should call the doctor. That’s when we realised we were still wearing our blood-splattered costumes.”
“So Gaya Yeh Jahaan” is one of the film’s highlights, along with “Ek Do Teen”. The latter, according to Chunky, was an afterthought. Laxmikant-Pyarelal were all set to record “Tu Mera Tota Main Teri Maina”, inspired by the Marathi song “Java Naveen Popat Ha”. It was only after Pahlaj and Chunky informed them that they had already shot it for Paap Ki Duniya. That’s when they zeroed in on “Ek Do Teen,” which was such a hit that when the advance booking counters opened at Gaiety-Galaxy theatres on Monday, the queue was a mile long. “Suddenly, someone noticed a shoot going on at the nearby Bandra station. It came as a shock to those waiting to buy tickets to learn that the man sitting atop a train was Anil Kapoor and he was shooting for Tezaab,” Chunky guffaws, pointing out that since the title didn’t need to be censored, they could take that shot five days before his film opened on November 11, 1988, to a rapturous response.
Paap Ki Duniya and Mitti Aur Sona, which opened in the same year, made Chunky a star, and soon he was so busy, that Khudgarz went to Govinda on the rebound, because this time, he didn’t have the dates. The two actors came together for the blockbuster, Aankhen. According to Chunky, during a Sunday meeting in ’92 with director David Dhawan, writer Anees Bazmee, Govinda and him, Pahlaj announced that he wanted to make a film in six months on the lines of the in-progress Andaz Apna Apna and release it before Rajkumar Santoshi’s laugh riot. “We started shooting in Hyderabad in October-November and the film opened on April 9, ’93 to full houses,” Chunky flashbacks.
Cut to 2009 and Kambakkht Ishq. Chunky was in Los Angeles while the film was being shot there and producer Sajid Nadiadwala approached him for a two-scene appearance. “I got a designer suit too, but then learnt that since I didn’t have a work visa, I couldn’t shoot in the US. When I went to return the suit, Sajid told me to keep it as a signing amount, confident we’d do another film together,” he reminisces.
Soon after, he ran into actor-director Sajid Khan, who told him about a role in his next, that everyone wanted him to play. But Sajid suggested he sign up to play the Italian hotelier, Aakhri Pasta, in Housefull (HF). “He’d been modelled on Sujit Kumar’s character, a flamboyant Italian agent, Marconi, in The Great Gambler. Everyone loved him and he’s been a part of the franchise since,” says a delighted Chunky.
Meanwhile, on the first Sunday after Housefull 3’s release, he auditioned for Srijit Mukherji’s post-Partition drama, Begum Jaan, with HF jokes being cracked all around him. Kabir was a vicious killer, a character Chunky had always wanted to play. Sujeeth, who saw the film in Hyderabad, was impressed that Aankhen’s happy-go-lucky Munnu could pull off such a dark and disturbing role and signed him as the villain of his ambitious Saaho. “I’m not a method actor, but while shooting for this film at Ramoji Rao Studios, I kept to myself and was unusually short-tempered even away from the camera,” he says, proudly pointing out that one got to see two sides to him last year.
This year too, he’s balancing between a dark and a comic character in two big films that have been thrown off gear by the pandemic. He refuses to divulge details but insists neither is Fighter, featuring Vijay Deverakonda and his daughter Ananya. “I’d love to play Ananya’s father, but right now, what you’re hearing are just rumours. I’d wanted my daughter to be a doctor like my parents, but she chose to follow me into the movies and I was so proud and thrilled when she bagged a Filmfare Award which has eluded me. I’ve told her every film is a kundali and it’s for her to chart her own destiny,” he avers, sounding like a real-life papa.
And will younger daughter Rysa also follow in their footsteps? “She’s a good singer. She’ll be a rockstar,” he promises.
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