Saiee Manjrekar, who plays actor’s leading lady in third instalment of Dabangg, reveals she’s a little monster at home; also recalls how he’d given her tiramisu on a flight
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 14, 2019)

After launching Sonakshi Sinha in the 2010 cop-drama, Dabangg, Salman Khan is now set to introduce another fresh face in the third instalment of the franchise, Saiee, daughter of actor-filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar. The newbie admits it’s a big deal for her to do her first film opposite the actor. “I have always been a huge fan of Salman sir, so this is special,” she smiles.

Saiee has always wanted to be an actor and her theatre background has given her the confidence to face the camera. “I opened up as a person and shed my inhibitions,” she informs, adding that last March, she confided in mom Medha that she wanted to act. “Coincidentally, a month later, I learnt that I was being considered for Dabangg 3 and started prepping for the screen test.”

A prequel, the film juggles between the past and present, showcasing the metamorphoses of Chulbul Pandey into a Robin Hood cop. Saiee plays Khushi, the girl Chulbul is in love with, early in his life. “I’m surprised Salman sir saw sweet, simple Khushi in me because at home, I’m a little monster,” she giggles.

A few months after the screen and look tests, the 21-year-old heard from Salman. “He knew how excited I was and told me with a straight face, ‘You’re doing the film.’ For a while, it didn’t sink in. Then, when I went to his place, where Prabhu sir (director Prabhudheva) and the rest of the team was gathered, Salman sir introduced me, saying, ‘Yeh dekho, Dabangg ki heroine aa gayee.’ It felt surreal to be called that,” Saiee reminisces.

All through the making of the film, buzz was, Saiee’s elder sister, Ashwami, was the chosen one. She informs that her sister is a chef and has no interest in acting. “I remember, her Instagram was flooded with messages till July 16, when an article cleared the air about the film being my launch pad,” she smiles, taken aback when told that the said article appeared in Mirror.

While Ashwami is not on the scene, the film has Saiee’s real life parents, Mahesh and Medha, playing parents to Sonakshi Sinha’s Rajjo. She also got to share the frame with her parents and describes the experience as magical, saying, “I can’t explain in words how emotional it felt shooting with them.”

The cop-drama also features Sudeep, a big name in Kannada films, as the antagonist, and marks the return of Dimple Kapadia, who played Chulbul’s mother in the original. “Imagine working with all these personalities in my debut! I couldn’t have asked for a better start,” Saiee exults, saying the story telling makes this film unique. “It will be a nostalgic journey for all Dabangg fans. The prequel fits perfectly into the first and second part,” she promises.

Years ago, while travelling with her dad to Punjab for the shoot of Salman’s Bodyguard, she was hungry and throwing tantrums in the plane as she didn’t want the usual chocolates and biscuits, but a nice dessert. “Suddenly, Salman sir, who was seated next to me, asked, ‘Do you want tiramisu?’ I’d always loved him as an actor and a person, but he also became my favourite person because he gave me tiramisu on a flight,” she beams at the memory.

So, what’s next? “Honestly, I haven’t thought of anything yet. I trust my parents and Salman sir blindly; they know what’s the best for me. I know I’d love to act in a film directed by my father,” she ends, flashing another of those smiles which must have wooed her leading man.

Manjrekar on sharing frame with daughter Saiee in Salman’s Dabangg 3
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; July 18, 2019)

While his character as an alcoholic and father to Sonakshi Sinha’s Rajjo was written off in Dabangg, Mahesh Manjrekar will return to Salman Khan’s franchise yet again in the upcoming third instalment, part of which is a prequel to the first edition. The actor confirms to mid-day that this offering will see him share screen space with his daughter, Saiee, who features as a young Chulbul Pandey’s love interest.

With Dabangg 3 chronicling Chulbul’s journey to becoming a cop, Manjrekar too will slip into a young avatar.

The actor, who is currently filming for the offering in Phaltan, tells mid-day, “I reprise my role of Haria. It’s a cameo which is there to establish Chulbul’s journey. I had one scene with Saiee and Salman, and it was wonderful to be in the same frame as my daughter. I felt proud and emotional.”

The development comes after Manjrekar featured in a Marathi venture with his youngest daughter, Gauri Ingawale. “This year, I have acted with both my daughters. There were reports that my elder daughter Ashwami was in Dabangg 3, but she is a chef, and never wanted to be an actor. She assisted me for a while on Viruddh (2005). She would have been a fantastic director, but she never wanted to be in films. Saiee has always wanted to be an actress.”

Manjrekar’s son, Satya, 24, also harbours acting aspirations. “But he has to learn the ropes of the profession.”

Gauri, meanwhile, is pursuing a bachelors degree in dance. “She’s the best actress in the world. I have just directed her in the Marathi film, Pandhrun, which will release in Diwali. It’s a period film set in the ’60s. She plays a 16-year-old child widow.”

It was during a reality show in Satara that Manjrekar first saw Gauri, and decided to take her under his wing as her guardian. “I saw great promise in her. I don’t know if she is a better dancer or actor. Her parents are there, and she visits them during her holidays. I told them that she had a great future, and she wouldn’t be able to have that if she continued to stay in Satara. Since then, she has been with us.”

Khan’s producer-brother Arbaaz also returns as Makkhanchand Pandey in Dabangg 3, which is being helmed by Prabhudheva.

Mahesh Manjrekar’s daughter will play the love interest of a 20-something Salman Khan in Prabhudheva’s Dabangg 3
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 16, 2019)

Mirror was the first to report (April 1) that the third installment of the Dabangg franchise, directed by Prabhudheva and fronted by Salman Khan is a prequel and will have Chulbul Pandey in two different looks shuttling between the past and present. In the back story, he will be seen as a young man in his twenties, a lovable neighbourhood goon, with a lengthy flashback tracing his journey into becoming Robin Hood cop. While Sonakshi Sinha will be returning as Rajjo, his better half, we had also reported that he will be romancing another girl in his younger avatar whose identity has been kept under wraps since the film went on floors in April.

Now, Mirror has learnt that Salman is launching his friend, Mahesh Manjrekar’s younger daughter, Saiee, in his cop-drama. “She plays Salman’s love interest and her role is primarily in the prequel. However, life comes full circle as the character has relevance to the conflict Chulbul is battling in the present,” revealed a source close to the development.

Speculations have been rife that it was Ashwami, Mahesh’s elder daughter, who was being introduced, but our sources confirm that she has no plans to enter the showbiz. It’s the younger sister who harboured acting dreams and Saiee has already shot a major chunk of her portions with Salman. “A song will also be picturised on the duo,” the source added.

Interestingly, back in 2010, when Salman and his producer-brother Arbaaz had introduced Sonakshi Sinha in Dabangg, Mahesh had played Rajjo’s father. Salman, who was last seen in Ali Abbas Zafar’s period drama, Bharat, has been hitting the gym with a vengeance and is looking 30 years younger which is exactly what Prabhudheva had in mind. They are currently shooting in Phaltan on the outskirts of Maharashtra. It’s a week-long schedule.

The film will also see Kannada star, Sudeep, returning to a mainstream Bollywood film after almost a decade. “His character is more like the parallel lead rather than the stereotypical villain. He starts off on a positive track but situations eventually turn him into the bad guy. He is involved in a Tom and Jerry fight with Salman and there are several confrontations scenes between the two,” the source informed. The copdrama releases in Christmas this year.

DNA (April 25, 2019)

Salman Khan is currently working on his next, Dabangg 3, even as his Bharat gears up for its date with cinemas this Eid. Recently, Sonakshi Sinha joined him on location in Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh, to reprise her role as Rajjo, Chulbul Pandey’s wife. We’ve also told you that Mouni Roy is being roped in for a special song.

While speculation is rife about another young actress being signed up for a pivotal role opposite Salman, we hear that the superstar will be giving a break to his friend filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar’s daughter Ashwami in Dabangg 3.

“Contrary to reports, Ashwami plays a girl who is rescued by Chulbul Pandey,” says our source, adding, that this marks the protagonist’s entry sequence. “Like the first two instalments, which showcased a heroic entry for Chulbul, this time, too, it will be heroic, but it’s being treated differently by Salman and director Prabhudheva. Nonetheless, Ashwami plays a pivotal part that sets the tone of the narrative,” concludes our informer.

Filmmaker on his kids’ B’wood plans, another collaboration with the actor, why he is more low-key than his peers and his next, an ode to The Godfather
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 24, 2018)

While Mahesh Manjrekar has featured in several Salman Khan-starrers, including Ready, Jai Ho, Bodyguard and the two Dabangg films, his long-time friendship with the 52-year-old actor transcends the screen. The filmmaker has been among the first responders every time Salman hit a low, while the actor took his son, Satya Manjrekar, under his wings early on. Now, he is working on launching Mahesh’s daughter, Ashwami.

The National Award-winning filmmaker confirms the news, saying, “Yes, Salman is launching my daughter. It will happen in some time. We’ll cross the bridge when we get to it.” He describes his friend as the “most warm-hearted person in the industry,” adding, “We have always bonded well. Salman is the most rooted person I have come across, a complete middle-class man in his head. He knows that I am not in awe of him, and that makes our bond special.”

The duo was to reunite for the Hindi remake of Mahesh’s 2010 Marathi directorial, Shikshanacha Aaicha Gho, with him as the director, and Salman as producer. But Mahesh reveals that the project is on hold for now. “For the lead, Salman wanted Govinda, who had apprehensions about the role, so things didn’t work out,” he reveals, addressing the film’s similarity to the Irrfan Khan-starrer Hindi Medium. “Our remake was planned much before Hindi Medium released. We will make it in the future as this subject is close to my heart. I honestly think our education system sucks,” he asserts.

Mahesh is gearing up for the release of his next, Bhai: Vyakti Ki Valli, the biopic of renowned Marathi writer-humourist P L Deshpande, structured as a two-film franchise with both films releasing 45 days apart. He acknowledges the risks of splitting a film in two but explains that when they started shooting, they realised it is not possible to capture Deshpande’s life in two hours, hence the decision to make it in two parts. “I don’t really think about numbers while making a film. The films will release in succession as I don’t want my audience to forget the world of this man. I have faith in their love for P L Deshpande and confident that they would like the film,” he maintains, adding that Deshpande is known for his wit, so obviously his film has a lot of humour. “But its real USP is that the protagonist is not a larger-than-life person,” he points out, adding that he hopes film writers won’t make a mess of the biopic genre. “We are 20 years behind Hollywood and slowly getting out of the hero-heroine-villain-vamp templates. We have realised that there are many good stories to be told.”

He may have delivered some acclaimed titles as a director in Bollywood, but he remains a low-key name. Mahesh attributes it to a lack of a good PR. “I prefer my films to do the talking and I am proud of my work,” he states, acknowledging that the industry thrives on box office numbers. “I don’t have the figures to make headlines. I am happy to direct the films I love, and I would want to be remembered for my films and not the numbers.”

Mahesh, whose 2000 Tabu-starrer Astitva won a National Award for Best Feature Film, believes that his Marathi directorial Natsamrat, featuring Nana Patekar, and Kakshparsh, with Sachin Khedekar, also deserved the prestigious prize. “But the jury don’t seem to like me. If not the film, Nana definitely deserved to win,” he avers.

True to his low-key form, Mahesh informs that he recently wrapped up his next Hindi film, which is on the lines of The Godfather. “It was a dream to direct this film since early 2000s. I finally got it out of my system. It is a big film with prominent stars and it is an ode to Godfather,” he says, refusing to divulge more.