Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra admits to talks with actor, says film with Farhan Akhtar rolls in August and reveals why he lived in slums for a fortnight
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 9, 2019)

Six years after collaborating on the Milkha Singh biopic, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Farhan Akhtar are reuniting for Toofan, a love story with boxing being a part of it. “The film happened organically. Farhan and I had a wonderful partnership while making Bhaag Milkha Bhaag so, part two had to happen sometime,” he smiles. “It rolls in August and releases next year.”

Not just that, the director has already planned his next after Toofan. “Over the last couple of years, I’ve been really intrigued by the Generation Z which succeeds the millennials. My daughter has just turned 19 and son is 17 years, so I have started looking at the world through their eyes. Their approach to life and the kind of pressures they deal with is fascinating. I love connecting with the youth as it keeps me young,” asserts Mehra who often visits schools and colleges to give motivational talks. “But I’m the one who gains the most from hanging out with these kids and I am looking forward to this film which will kick off immediately after Toofan. It doesn’t have a title or cast yet, but the script is 90 per cent complete,” he says.

Meanwhile another film, Mere Pyare Prime Minister, is gearing up for release next month. He recounts that he was shooting one night at Film City for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and at around 4am while leaving the studio, he saw groups of women pulling their saris up and pulling down their salwars and walking out to defecate with dabbas in their hands. “That image stayed in my subconscious and when UNICEF figures revealed that 50 per cent of rapes happen when women go out to relieve themselves, it became the basic thrust of the film,” he adds.

Point out that the theme of open defecation is similar to Akshay Kumar’s Toilet - Ek Prem Katha and he smiles, “When I was making Rang De Basanti everyone told me it’s about Bhagat Singh and five films had already been made on him. But while RDB had the spirit of the martyr, it was a different story. During Bhaag Milkha Bhaag too everyone jumped to the conclusion that I was making a film about an athlete, but I knew I was making one about the Partition and how Milkha and his sister among others suffered through it. Similarly, while this film is set in the slums of Mumbai, it’s about the human spirit.”

The filmmaker lived in a kholi for a fortnight to better understand life in a slum and says that except for civic amenities that they can’t do much about, there’s a lot of camaraderie there and despite getting water for just half an hour a day, the place was spotless. “We got almost 2000 people from the slums to act in our film,” he adds.

The director also confirms the buzz that he is in talks with Shahid Kapoor for a future collaboration. “Shahid and I really want to do a film together. He’s such a fabulous actor and someone I feel I would have so much fun working with. With him it’s like finding a DNA match. Conversations are on and I think we will be able to reach common point if things work out,” he says.

While things are looking positive on the work front, his last production, Fanney Khan, didn’t meet up to expectations despite the presence of big names like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Anil Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao. “It was a beautiful story about body shaming and well told. A new director, Atul Manjrekar, and a new actress, Pihu Sand, were born with the film. I loved the music too. It may not have set the box-office on fire but I’m sure it will grow on other mediums like digital and satellite,” he asserts.

Mehra goes on to say that anything to do with women empowerment or rather human empowerment is dear to him. "Body shaming is an issue that needed to be addressed in our country. There is no law to curb it so there can only be a social consciousness,” he says.

Speaking about the kind of films he wants to experiment with in the future, he reveals, “I want to make a film on the farmers in our country, an action caper around Indian mythology and I also want to get into the costume drama space.”

Having faced the camera for two decades, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on how turning filmmaker is the next logical step
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; August 3, 2018)

The past two decades have seen Aishwarya Rai Bachchan light up the big screen with her presence. In what can well be viewed as a natural progression of her craft, the actor - whose Fanney Khan opens across screens today - says she is keen to explore her place behind the camera.

"Direction does interest me. In a few years from now, I will surely turn director," says Rai, whose filmography is proof that she often knows a great script when she sees one. The actor says her understanding of the craft hasn't gone unnoticed by her peers. "All my directors and co-stars have teased me about it. Even AB [Abhishek Bachchan] tells me that I should explore it."

It's not surprising when she promises that she will be a hands-on director - after all, she has learnt the art vicariously through her collaborations with some of the finest filmmakers of this generation, including Mani Ratnam, Karan Johar and Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

"When I do direct, I will throw myself whole-heartedly in it. It will never be a fly-by-night commitment for me, as my work consumes me completely. Even though I had only four scenes in Fanney Khan, I would have endless talks with Atul Manjrekar [director] to understand them fully." However, she adds that filmmaking will have to wait for a few years as she is not completely done with her first love - acting. "Interesting scripts are still coming my way. I'm excited about the possibility of working on them."

 

The actor’s upcoming musical-drama brings back the evergreen track ‘Badan Pe Sitare’ which features playback by Sonu Nigam
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 19, 2018)

Even as Atul Manjrekar’s musical drama, Fanney Khan, featuring Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Rajkummar Rao is gearing up for an unveiling on August 3, Mirror has learnt that the makers recently filmed “Badan Pe Sitare Lapete Hue”, from Lekh Tandon’s 1969 film Prince on Anil. Mohd. Rafi ’s iconic rendition was originally picturised on Shammi Kapoor.

“AK sir’s character who is an orchestra singer considers Mohammad Rafi and Shammi Kapoor as his Gods and sings their songs. This one is his most favourite. You’ll also see him pull off some of Shammi saab’s iconic moves,” informs Atul.

He is quick to add that they have not recreated the song for the Bhushan Kumar, Anil Kapoor and PS Bharathi production but have only given it a new voice, retaining the original lyrics and music. National Award-winning singer Sonu Nigam has lent his voice to it this time around. “We couldn’t use Rafi saab’s voice as AK Sir’s character sings in the film. At the same time, we wanted someone who would do justice to our tribute to the original. It was AK sir who suggested Sonu’s name and all of us instantly agreed because who better than him to do justice to this great song,” adds the director.

Born and brought up in Mumbai, as a child Atul had seen a lot of orchestras, many of them with a junior Mohammad Rafi or Kishore Kumar who besides singing would also perform on a number sung by the originals. “These orchestra experiences have stayed with me and made their way into the script,” he smiles.

Anil was extremely excited to be a part of the song as his filmmaker-father, Surinder Kapoor, had worked with Shammi Kapoor and he would visit the actor’s house and spend a lot of time with him. “In fact, as a child he even sang and danced to this particular song and his eyes lit up when I had discussed the idea with him,” Atul signs off with a laugh.

Pihu Sand waxes eloquent about the actor’s energy; discusses challenges of putting on 20 kg
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 16, 2018)

Twenty-year-old Mumbai girl Pihu Sand plays Anil Kapoor and Divya Dutta’s daughter, Lata Sharma, in the upcoming musical-drama Fanney Khan. Lata dreams of becoming a star performer while battling fat-shaming. The actress admits that when she auditioned for casting director Mukesh Chhabra, she had never imagined she would land the main role in a big Bollywood film which is primarily a father-daughter story.

“We had to go through a five-day workshop in the final round of audition and we were given some stage acts to perform which were recorded. During the last two days, Atul Manjrekar sir (the film’s director) gave us some scenes to improvise on and I guess that’s what got me the part. I auditioned for nine months and just when I was beginning to get angry, they told me I was on,” she reminisces, saying she identified with Lata because she was over-weight too. “I had to put on another 20 kg in six months for the role and the prep included planning Lata’s look, makeup and even her haircut. The fringe is an important part of the character.”

She goes on to explain that the character had to look innocent and vulnerable yet confident; someone who doesn’t really care about looks and is more focussed on her talent. “She dresses up oddly but can pull it off even when she overdoes it,” laughs Pihu.

Speaking about her transformation, the actress reveals that she reached 98 kg, which is the heaviest she has ever been. “Being fat was lovely because I am not shy about my body and everybody made me comfortable. Yes, I did have some health issues, but it was worth it because it was for something I love,” she asserts.

Quiz her on body-shaming remarks and Pihu admits that when she was in school, some of the boys would tease her and sometimes made her cry. “I was fat because of a medical condition. I gained weight after 12 years and I still don’t understand why being fat or thin is not okay. I connected with Lata because a few similar things happened to me in real life too,” she says, refusing to dwell on them.

She didn’t get to work with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Rajkummar Rao but describes her on-screen daddy, Anil Kapoor, as a “field trip, very educational”. “Mr Kapoor and Divya are like schools of acting who made me feel like family. We did some readings at his place and he was so warm I immediately felt like his daughter,” she smiles, raving about his youthfulness which is tough to match. “He’s like a bomb that’s always going off. He’s so passionate and so am I but while I’d get tired sometimes, he was always fresh in front of the camera.”

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; July 11, 2018)

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, whose last release was Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016), will be seen as a pop star in Fanney Khan. While Anil Kapoor plays the lead role, it’s obvious from the trailer that he and Ash are not paired opposite each other. In fact, in the film, Anil’s daughter is an aspiring singer who’s shamed for her weight as well as physical appearance and looks up to her.

Although the light-eyed beauty was seen quite a bit in the trailer, apparently, she has limited screen time. Our source reveals, “Aishwarya has a short but interesting role in the movie. She’s barely in it for around 15-20 minutes, so it’s a special appearance. She shot for around 12-13 days with Anil and Rajkummar Rao. Two songs — a dance number and a love track — have been filmed on her.”

In Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, too, Ash’s role was of a similar length. “When Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and director Atul Manjrekar narrated the script to her, she was drawn to it because of the theme of fat shaming, which she feels, needs to be addressed,” our source informs.

Last time, we spoke to her, she had dropped hints about the same. She had told us, “I’m doing Fanney Khan because I like the larger idea. There’s a girl who looks up to this pop star, who is played by me. But sometimes, when we idolise someone, we forget that they, too, are real people. We shouldn’t judge them for their appearance. It’s frivolous. It’s important for me to come out and speak about such issues.”

Talking about the kind of roles she has picked, she had said, “I don’t care if it’s a character, a leading lady or a glamorous part. People forget I did Iruvar (1997) right at the beginning of my career. I played Shah Rukh (Khan)’s sister in our first film together (Josh, 2000). I never had any issues.”

Actress’s introductory sequence in her next boasts of international concert standards thanks to star American choreographer, Frank Gatson Jr
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 10, 2018)

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s introductory song in Fanney Khan, ‘Mohabbat’, which has been directed by international choreographer Frank Gatson Jr, is being touted as one of the highlights of the musical drama.

Atul Manjrekar, who makes his directorial debut with the film, told Mirror, “The concept of the song came through Aishwarya’s character in the film. She plays a diva, a singing star. She’s the number one singer and the most beautiful woman in the country. The song sees her character touring across India and performing in front of a live audience. For the sequence, we referenced recent concerts that featured Arijit Singh, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay. That was the starting point.”

According to Atul, the team was looking for authenticity in terms of look and costume changes as they happen during real live concerts, when the film’s producers, Bhushan Kumar, Anil Kapoor and PS Bharathi stumbled upon Frank, who has worked with international icons like Beyonce, Rihanna and Jennifer Lopez, among others. Why an international choreographer, you wonder, and the filmmaker says, “There is great talent in India and one of them, Ganesh Acharya, is the main choreographer for my film. However, with Aishwarya’s song, we were attempting a performance of an international calibre. That said, let us not call Frank a choreographer. He is more of a performance designer. It’s more of a performance oriented number than a dance sequence,” Atul explained.

Was it difficult getting someone of Gatson’s stature on board? “When we approached him, he was very excited about the project and wanted to work with Aishwarya. The prospect of doing a Bollywood song appealed to him,” Atul said, adding that fashion designer Manish Malhotra has created Aishwarya’s look for the sequence.

The director revealed his leading lady is a fabulous singer off screen too. “She would sing in-between takes and I was stunned when I heard her voice for the first time,” Atul said.

Filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, who turns 55 today, on birthdays, films and the future of Hindi cinema
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 7, 2018)

How will you be ringing in your birthday?
My daughter Bhairavi, who is studying in the US, is back home so we will all be going to our home in Pawna, along with the dogs. We will spend the day there before returning to the city on Sunday. I try to steal as much time away from Mumbai as I can. I love animals and nature and I like being in their midst.

Any reflections on the year?
It’s been exciting so far. For the last couple of years, I’ve been developing scripts and working towards what doors they will open for us. For the longest time, I was the only director in my production house. Now, we’ve grown into a boutique studio.

And how are the 50s treating you?
The 50s is the new 18 and this is the most exciting time of my life. In the ‘kal aaj aur kal’ I’m only concerned with the ‘aaj’.

Your musical drama, Fanney Khan, is up for release with co-producers Bhushan Kumar and Anil Kapoor...
Fanney Khan is a film we have been savouring for eight years. I was looking for the right director and found him in Atul Manjrekar who started his internship with us. I’m excited and how!

Whose idea was it to fly down international choreographer, Frank Gatson Jr, for a song featuring Aishwarya?
It was the brainchild of Bharathi, my creative producer. Since she was returning to the screen after a couple of years, we wanted the audience to see a new Aishwarya. We have world class choreographers in our country too whom I love but with Frank you get a different body language. It just worked out.

What’s the status of Mere Pyare Prime Minister?
It’s ready but will open on October 2 because it’s an ode to Mahatma Gandhi. We’ll bring in his 150th birth anniversary with the film.

What changes have you noted in cinema and the industry in general during your 17–year stint?
Change is always for the better and right now, I believe we are on the brink of an absolutely glorious time. I use the phrase ‘on the brink’ because I’m not euphoric. But this is an opportunity we need to grab with both hands and break out of our existing mindset. The more Indian we get, the more global we will become. It’s all about taking desi ideas and showcasing them to the world. When I look back, I feel blessed. My first film, Aks, was with my mentor Amitabh Bachchan. It also featured amazing talents like Manoj Bajpayee, Nandita Das and Raveena Tandon. Then came Rang De Basanti, a collaboration with Aamir Khan, AR Rahman and Waheeda Rahman. And the list continues.

Any plans of a Rang De Basanti sequel?
There have been so many films inspired by Rang De Basanti. But it is not a Superman or Batman film that can be spun into a franchise. Back then, it was just my own angst that manifested on the screen with this film.

With Fanney Khan and Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga seeing him play his age, Anil Kapoor creates distinct looks for both characters
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 5, 2018)

Though two of his upcoming films - Fanney Khan and Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga - have him play a father on screen, Anil Kapoor says that is where the similarities between the two characters end. Naturally then, the actor was clear about sporting different looks for the two projects.

Considering he plays a relatively older character in the Shelly Chopra Dhar-directed venture, the makeup team chalked out a look that included grey hair and a full beard. A source close to the actor reveals, "Since he plays a patriarch in the film, we also added character by way of styling - Anil sir can be seen sporting glasses, and his wardrobe in the film consists largely of shirts teamed with blazers."

The source adds that Kapoor's team explored the other end of the spectrum in Atul Manjrekar's drama that has him essaying a cab driver who aspires to become a singer. "Fanney Khan required Anil sir to sport salt-and-pepper hair and a moustache. His face also had to appear fuller. He had to sit through gruelling hours of makeup to get fuller cheeks," adds the source.

Kapoor believes that perfecting the look is the first step towards getting into the skin of the character. Glad that his films allow him to slip into varied roles, he says, "Every film is a new journey, as it gives you the opportunity to enact an interesting character. I find the entire process of getting into every character exciting."

Frank Gatson Jr, choreographer to Beyonce, Rihanna and Jennifer Lopez, on working with the actress on his first Hindi film and the culture of ‘Yes Men’ around celebrities
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 28, 2018)

Frank Gatson Jr, who has worked with music icon Beyonce for 15 years and directed videos of her biggest hits, “Single Ladies”, “Run The World” and “Crazy In Love”, believes two qualities define a superstar. “You have to be a warm person, and you have to work very hard. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse,” he tells Mirror on his maiden India visit.

The choreographer, who started in 1986 as a back-up dancer in Michael Jackson’s music video of “Smooth Criminal”, has been staying at a service apartment in Bandra for the last 15 days, to where he retires after working till 2 am at Film City with Fanney Khan actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on a lavishly mounted song. Atul Manjrekar’s directorial debut is produced by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Bhushan Kumar.

“I was to visit India from Dubai in April but couldn’t despite having an entire day to spare as there were visa and paperwork issues. So, Atul flew to Dubai for three hours to watch me work and hang out. It was clear that the film was important to him and I decided to give it my all,” Frank recalls.

The makers wanted him to come up with something that wasn’t “very Bollywood”. “That was a challenge because music is supposed to tell you what to do but this song’s beats were essentially Indian, and I wanted to stay true to the culture. However, it’s turned out to be an international number,” says Frank.

He makes a note of the heterogenous nature of the dancers’ community in India. “During auditions, I came across many dancers who aren’t from India but work in Bollywood. It’s like someone coming into my all-black neighbourhood and hiring white dancers. I didn’t like it, but luckily, I was able to find some fantastic dancers. Initially, it was supposed to be Ash with only female dancers but then I came across this incredible guy, hard-working and respectful, and added him in,” he informs.

An Indian song with a strong international vibe posed another challenge. Frank, who has worked with some of the world’s best, including Rihanna and Jennifer Lopez in his 36-year career, argues that age-appropriate choreography trumps everything that is current and cool. “You cannot give Ash dance steps that look too young. She is not 19, she’s a woman and a mother. I had to make it likeable,” he explains and believes he got it spot-on because after a long night of rehearsals, Ash wanted to do another take at 3 am. “She was so happy with the way the sequence shaped up, she hugged me and introduced me to her family,” he says, all praise for the “hard-working and professional”dancers he has worked with in India.

But he feels there’s room for improvement when it comes to rehearsals. “The dancers mark your moves but recreate them only halfway till it’s time for the final shot. Two of the greatest performers I’ve worked with, Michael Jackson and Beyonce, went all-out with each rehearsal,” he argues. “I wish I could turn everyone’s volume up.”

He has a strong opinion on celebrity culture as well. “I have a theory. Divas aren’t talented, they just got lucky. I refuse to collaborate with artistes who don’t want to work hard. I’d rather work with talented performers who don’t settle for mediocrity,” he asserts.

Frank also points out that the culture of ‘Yes Men’ around celebs is a worldwide phenomenon and the biggest threat to talent. “Once, Beyonce asked her entire team how she was doing at a rehearsal and they were like 'this is nice… you are cool,' and she started looking for me. She realises the importance of honesty. She is great, but there’s always scope for improvement. The problem with a lot of big stars everywhere is that they don’t get told the truth enough,” he avers.

Speaking of the evolution of the music business, Frank states that it is very visual today. He explains, “You don’t hear Beyonce anymore, you see her, you experience her. Artistes must sing, dance, be nice for the cameras. That’s the new world.”

His tryst with Bollywood aside, he admits to being quite clued into the industry. “The West sees Bollywood as a big deal, we talk about Indian movies all the time. I loved working on Fanney Khan, it was like working on a version of (the Catherine Zeta Jones and Renee Zellweger-starrer Oscar-winning musical) Chicago,” he says.

Actress will be shooting a song, for her upcoming musical-drama, which is being choreographed by Frank Gatson Jr, who has worked with international pop icons such as Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 22, 2018)

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will kick off the biggest song of her career this week. Sung by Sunidhi Chauhan for debutant director Atul Manjrekar’s musical-drama Fanne Khan, it features the actress as an “Indian Madonna”. The song is being choreographed by award-winning dancer and creative director, Frank Gatson Jr (inset), who has worked with Beyoncé and Rihanna in the past.

“Aishwarya plays a huge pop icon who’s extremely popular with the youngsters. Her character is a fabulous dancer and singer who performs on the global stage. While fleshing out her character, we began referencing a bunch of choreographers who do international live shows. Frank is among the best in the world and we decided to approach him,” Atul tells Mirror, adding that the song is an elaborate portrayal of Ash’s city tours, covering three-four acts and will be shot over eight-10 days in Mumbai.

Frank, who got his big break with Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal”, has choreographed 17 videos for Beyoncé and was the director-choreographer of three of her world tours. He has also worked with Jennifer Lopez, Toni Braxton and Usher. “Frank was excited at the opportunity to work with Aishwarya whom he knows of and immediately came on board,” says Atul.

Produced by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Anil Kapoor and Bhushan Kumar, Fanne Khan also features Anil Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao and Divya Dutta. The August 3 release is loosely based on the Oscar-nominated Dutch film Everybody’s Famous!

“We have kept the tone of the film real and this song too is being choreographed tastefully. I’ve been extremely lucky with my cast as none of the actors turned me down,” Atul adds.

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 22, 2018)

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s editor-wife P S Bharathi has turned full-time producer. “I’ve always been a part of Rakeysh’s films as an editor, and now, I’m stepping into full-time content production. It’s the next innings for me and after working solely with Rakeysh, I hope to collaborate with new and interesting people next. It will be a challenging phase,” Bharathi tells Mirror.

Bharathi has been completely involved in the production process of Fanne Khan and has been closely working with director Atul Manjrekar. She was instrumental in flying down Frank Gatson Jr to Mumbai this week. Her debut production as a full-fledged producer will be another collaboration with Atul.

“As soon as we are done with Fanne Khan, we are jumping into our next film. Atul has been family for 20 years,” she points out.

Recently, while clearing out an old office, Rakeysh, Bharathi and Atul took a trip down memory lane when old images of the trio working together surfaced from a long-forgotten folder. “We were laughing while looking at pictures of a younger Atul and Rakeysh. We’ve seen Atul grow into a wonderful advertising director. Fanne Khan is just the beginning of many more films to come,” she promises.

Upala KBR (MID-DAY; June 20, 2018)

Rajkummar Rao’s birthday may be over two months away, but the actor was treated to an intimate celebration on the sets of Fanne Khan on Monday. As Rao wrapped up his portions for the musical, the cast and crew — led by Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, producer Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and director Atul Manjrekar — brought in a cake for him.

Says a source from the sets, “Aishwarya, Anil Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao reached Mehboob studios on Monday morning to shoot their combination scenes. Besides filming the pending sequences, Raj also finished his photo shoot for the film’s promotions. When the director called pack-up, Raj was in for a pleasant surprise when he saw the cast and crew had arranged a cake for him. Aishwarya and Anil also joined in the celebrations.”

After Rao fractured his leg last year, he had to postpone the shooting of his combination sequences by a few weeks. The team was touched by Rao’s professionalism, who resumed filming as soon as he was declared fit. It was only apt then that his last day on the set be marked with revelry.

Mehra says, “We thought it was time for a celebration as everything was completed on schedule. It’s been a pleasure working with such an immensely talented and sincere actor like Rajkummar on this film.”

Talking about his experience of collaborating with Rai and Kapoor, Rao says, “Shooting for Fanne Khan with Rakeysh sir, Atul, Anil sir and Aishwarya was a great learning experience for me. I’m going to miss being on Fanne Khan’s set.”

Scheduled to hit theatres on August 3, the film’s teaser will be attached to Ranbir Kapoor’s Sanju.

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra on his next that kicked off on Sunday with the actress, Anil Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao and debutant Pihu Sand
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 5, 2017)

Six–seven years ago, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra saw the Oscar-nominated 2000 Dutch film, Everybody’s Famous, and fell in love with its storyline. It revolved around 17-year-old Marva Vereecken, who is a regular at singing contests but never wins. Her desperate dad, Jean, kidnaps Debbie, the country’s top singer, following which the sales of her latest single escalates to the delight of her manager, Michael, who brokers a secret deal with Jean. He will make Marva a star if Jean keeps Debbie hidden. Mehra had no doubt that it could be adapted into a beautiful Indian film and set out to buy the rights. “It was a long process as the subject is close to producer– director Dominique Deruddere’s heart. Eventually I convinced him and towards the end of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, we started developing it, while I was working on Mirzya and Mere Pyare Prime Minister,” he informs.

The filmmaker admits that the thought of directing it flashed through his mind but he and his producer partner Rajiv Tandon wanted to work with new writers and directors who’d ring in a fresh perspective. Since they already had a story, the hunt for a debutant started, ending with Atul Manjrekar, Mehra’s assistant director from Rang De Basanti, who’d worked with him for 10 years on Aks and other projects, and was successfully running his own ad film company. “I threw the ball to Atul, who was hungry to step into the film arena and came up with a wonderful adaptation. His tone and style is amazing!” Mehra exults.

Fanney Khan went on the floors on Sunday, reuniting Anil Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Mehra reveals that since it’s a father–daughter story at its core, Anil was the natural choice to play the father and the actor came on board instantly after Atul narrated the concept to him. They found his daughter in Pihu Sand after five–six months of auditions. “I won’t use the term ‘a star will be born’ but Pihu can sing a bit and has the acting chops,” Mehra smiles. Pihu is 18, the same age as Mehra’s daughter Bhairavi who’s studying liberal arts at Oberlin College in the US. “Since it is about the youth — how they see themselves and their aspirations — I bounced the script off her,” says the dad who proudly informs that at 15, Bhairavi had written a short avant garde film, The Girl Who Kicked the Ball, for him. A blend of computer generated animation and black-andwhite photographs it was a metaphorical portrayal of the polio virus as aliens and the human spirit that defeats it by creating the anti-virus in a “vaccine”, highlighting the power of immunisation. It featured 30 artistes from across the world. Does he see Bhairavi following in his footsteps? “I’ll leave the choice to her. Once she understands the art of writing, she could go into fiction or feature films, documentary or journalism,” he says.

Mehra hopes to wrap up Fanney Khan by October 20, with a five-day schedule in November, when choreographers from the West will fly in for the songs. He leaves it to his producer partners, Bhushan Kumar and Prernaa Arora, to figure the D-day but is targetting a summer 2018 release. The belle of this ball is Aishwarya. Mehra explains his reasons for casting the diva, “Since everybody wants to be famous, who better than Ash to play the star singer.”

There’s a controversy over the choice of actor to play Ash’s husband, with reports suggesting that Mehra wanted R Madhavan while she was set on Rajkummar Rao. He shares that his first choice was Raj but since the actor was busy with the shooting of Bose then, they took the idea to Madhavan who liked it but was also committed. “While he was struggling to work out his dates, the shoot got pushed to August and Raj’s dates opened up so we went back to our first choice,” he explains, saying Ash is too busy with prep for her performance-oriented role to get into a controversy.

He adds that music is an integral part of the story and since Anil is an aspiring singer who wants to fulfil his playback dreams through his daughter, we will hear him humming as Irshad Kamil’s lyrics have emerged from the script. Will we hear Aishwarya sing on screen too? “I’ll leave the decision to Atul and Amit (composer Amit Trivedi),” he says.

Meanwhile, Mehra has finished his own directorial Mere Pyare Prime Minister, and is editing it, hoping for a first quarter or summer release for this little big film too. Will Toilet - Ek Prem Katha, which was based on a similar theme, cut into its impact? “I haven’t seen Toilet but from what I have heard and seen in its trailer, they’re different films. Mine is a story of an eight-year-old boy who wants to build a toilet for his 25-year-old single mother in their slum but finds it difficult as these hutments are unauthorised and so takes the problem to the PM,” opines Mehra, who has been building toilets across Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra over the last four years and now has built some in the slums where he filmed.

What next? He doesn’t know but admits his ambitious film on Krishna, Raja and the Legend of the Flute, is going through a rewrite. “Over the last few years, with greater connectivity, storytelling has gone through a metamorphosis, hence the rewrite. Every film has its own destiny. Some get made in six months, some take a lifetime,” he smiles.

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 5, 2017)

Anil Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who have previously shared screen space in Satish Kaushik's 2000 directorial, Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai, and Subhash Ghai's 1999 musical, Taal, are now set to re-unite for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's next, Fanney Khan.  However, Mirror has learnt that in the film, which will be shot entirely in Mumbai, the duo is not paired with each other.

Prernaa Arora, who is co-producing the film with Arjun N Kapoor and Rakeysh, confirmed the news, clarifying that Anil hasn't started shooting yet. "We go on the floors by the year-end. It is a happy, slice-of-life film. We approached Aishwarya for the part and are glad she agreed to come on-board," she added.

Fanney Khan, a comedy-musical, is one of the two films that Aishwarya will do this year. It is also her first film after Karan Johar's multi-starrer romance, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, which released in October last year.

At the recently concluded Cannes Film Festival, the 43-year-old actress had revealed that she has green-lit another film as well. "I took a break for the past five months because of personal reasons. I'm glad I did. It meant a lot for me, personally, so I didn't have any professional meetings. I started last week and I have liked two subjects already," she was quoted as saying.

Fanney Khan marks the directorial debut of Atul Manjrekar, who has been a part of the ad world for a decade and is a long-time associate of Mehra.

It was previously reported that the film was the official Hindi remake of the critically acclaimed drama, Everybody's Famous!, directed in English and Dutch by Dominique Deruddere, and that Anil will step into the shoes of 64-year-old European or as actor-writer Josse De Pauw, Khan who had played the lead in the original. Now, we hear that the team is making changes to the script. After his silver-haired turn in Dil Dhadakne Do, Anil will be seen in a blingy look as the titular character in the film.

BOMBAY TIMES (May 23, 2017)

Even as his next film is prepping up for release, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra is toying with four different projects for his next directorial
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 17, 2016)


Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra is just three weeks away from the release of a long-cherished dream, Mirzya, which will launch the careers of Anil Kapoor's son and Sonam's brother Harshvardhan and Baba, Tanvi, Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar's niece, Saiyami Kher.

And while another filmmaker would be contemplating a "break" after two-and-a-half years of intensive prep, 73 days of a gruelling shoot and over a year of post-production, Mehra is juggling with four dramatically different scripts.

Dismissing the idea of a break he points out that even when he is making a movie, he is living his life. "But as a writer and director I can't stop thinking so there are few projects in the pipeline," he admits.

High up in the list is action-romance-drama, Raja, and the Legend of the Flute which he has been living with for almost a decade. It combines mythology with current affairs in its hunt for Krishna's flute.

"Then there's Mere Pyaare Prime Minister, a story set in a jhopdi in Mumbai about an eight-year-old boy who wants to build a toilet for his single mother," informs the filmmaker. He's also been researching two concepts on farmer suicide, one set in today's time and another in the future. He admits that the more he gets into the subject the more scared he is about trying to bring to the screen something so intense and poignant. "But it's a story that has to be told and I can't die without telling it. Impossible!" he asserts.

Another interesting idea that has shaped into a six-page synopsis without finding a title yet is based on his observations of a family at dinner. "Everyone sitting around the dining table has a cell phone in his or her hand and is peering into it. Go to a temple and you will find that's how it is with half the devotees and ditto in a darkened auditorium. Even when there's a film playing on screen, some of the viewers are disturbing others by switching their mobiles on. This is something which has happened in the last 20-25 years and while exploring it I wondered how someone who had not seen it happen and was suddenly exposed to this new culture, would perceive it," he reveals, quick to point out that it is not just about phones but also about families and interpersonal relationships.

So which of these will go on the floors first? Rakeysh says that he's working with all of them and will let the story choose him. "Whenever I have tried to make something, it runs further away from me so now I have decided to be friends with all of them till one of them decides it's ready to roll," he smiles.

Besides these four, one of which he will be directing, Rakeysh is also producing Atul Manjrekar and Sanjay Khanduri's directorial ventures. Fanney Khan is a musical-comedy, a beautiful father-daughter relationship with Anil Kapoor and an 18-yrear-old newcomer in the lead. "We've shortlisted some amazing talents. It's always best to find the brightest acting talent before teaching them how to act," Mehra reasons.

Like Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Sanjay's film is the biopic of a 22-year-old soldier, Jaswant Singh Rawat, who was martyred in the 1962 Indo-China war while Irshad Kamil's Saanjhi is about three brothers fighting over property.

"The screenplay is ready, the music and casting is being done," Mehra informs adding that now it's his responsibility to support the vision of these directors and provide them what is required within budgetary constraints.

Anil Kapoor slips into the shoes of Fenny Khan for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's official Hindi remake of the Oscar nominated Dutch film, Everybody's Famous
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 24, 2016)

Even as Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Mirzya, which features debutantes Harshvardhan Kapoor and Saiyyami Kher is gearing up for a big release on October 7, the writer-director has already started prepping up for his next production. The comedy-musical, Fanney Khan, will mark the directorial debut of Atul Manjrekar, with Mehra as producer. Atul has been a part of the ad world for a decade and is a long-time associate of Mehra.

Featuring Anil Kapoor in the lead, the film is the official Hindi remake of the critically acclaimed drama, Everybody's Famous!, directed in English and Dutch by Dominique Deruddere. The film released in 2000 and was nominated from Belgium for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 73rd Academy Awards. It lost to Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the official entry from Taiwan.

Anil steps into the shoes of 64-year-old European actor-writer Josse De Pauw, known for the drama Crazy Love and the thriller Hombres Complicados, hailed as "the first cinematic gem from The Netherlands".

The film follows 17-year-old Marva, a regular at singing contests which she never wins. When her father, Jean, gets laid off, he decides to abduct the number one singer in the country, Debbie. The kidnapping increases sales of Debbie's latest single, much to the surprise of Michael, her manager, who barters a secret deal to make Marva a star if Jean agrees to keep Debbie out of the way for as long as he wants.

"Music will be the soul of this father-daughter film but the setting will be desi, with peppy numbers. Anil will be at his quirky best as Fanney Khan. Recording and prep kicked off on June 20, casting for the two teenagers is presently underway," adds a source close to the development.