Showing posts with label Basil Joseph. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Basil Joseph. Show all posts
Wamiqa Gabbi in talks to feature opposite Ranveer Singh in Basil Joseph’s next superhero film
8:20 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 12, 2025)
It’s raining offers for Wamiqa Gabbi, who recently appeared in Baby John alongside Varun Dhawan. She has joined Adivi Sesh and Emraan Hashmi in the thriller G2 and will feature in Akshay Kumar’s Bhoot Bangla. The actor is also the frontrunner to join opposite Ranveer Singh in an upcoming superhero film directed by Basil Joseph, known for Minnal Murali. The project is rumoured to be a Bollywood adaptation of the iconic Indian superhero Shaktimaan.
Sources reveal, “She has been garnering attention for her versatile performances in Hindi and regional cinema and is also rumoured to be signing a Telugu project opposite Nani. Currently, it’s all dialogue, but if the film materialises, the pairing of Wamiqa and Ranveer in Basil’s film would add fresh energy to the project that has been in the works for five years now.”
While no official announcement has been made, insiders suggest the film is still in its early stages, with pre-production underway. Joseph, despite his limited proficiency in Hindi, has been conducting readings and meetings with Singh in Mumbai.
“Once the script is completed and final dates are worked out, this will be finalised. [Until then], Ranveer is busy wrapping up Aditya Dhar’s spy film. He will shift focus on [the superhero film] only after March,” adds the source.
Shelly N Kumar overwhelmed with audience’s response to Minnal Murali
8:20 AM
Megha Mukundan (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 1, 2022)
It has been just five days since Tovino Thomas-starrer Minnal Murali released, but the film is making noise for all the right reasons. Directed by Basil Joseph, this superhero film, which is the first of its kind in the Malayalam film industry, brings to life the backstory of the supervillain Shibu and his love interest Usha, played by Guru Somasundaram and Shelly N Kumar, respectively. And Kumar is overwhelmed, to say the least, with all the praise coming her way for her performance.
The actor tells us she is rather surprised by how well the storyline and performances have been received by film buffs.
“The intensity of the characters and the narration was like lightning, it took us by surprise. We never expected this warm a welcome for the same,” she gushes.
One of the scenes that has got audiences talking is the one where Usha confesses her love to Shibu. Ask her about this scene and Kumar admits she never imagined it would turn out to be so “magical”. “We didn’t require another shot or glycerin to bring out the emotions; we got everything we needed in the first attempt itself,” she adds.
Though she was briefed about her character, Kumar reveals she was clueless about Usha’s importance in the plot. “Basil had told me all about the character, but not its arc. I tried to get a feel of it while performing, but the depth in Usha’s character left me teary-eyed,” she says, calling the shoot a “one-of-a-kind experience”.
The actor is also all praise for her director and his creation. She believes the filmmaker has already carved a place for himself in the history of Malayalam cinema.
“Basil’s superpower is being confident and relaxed at the same time, even when he has a huge responsibility on his shoulders. He has done complete justice to the film, which is why the filmmaker is a card of hope for Mollywood’s future,” she signs off.
I don’t want a remake of Minnal Murali to be made-Basil Joseph
8:25 AM
Asserting that his background as a superhero from Kerala is crucial in maintaining Minnal Murali’s identity, director of Malayalam film not in favour of a Bollywood remake
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; December 30, 2021)
Aptly released around Christmas, the superhero offering Minnal Murali served as an ideal family entertainer. Such was the response to director Basil Joseph’s Malayalam movie that several filmmakers from the Hindi film industry approached him for the remake rights.
Albeit delighted, Joseph isn’t convinced about sharing his narrative. “We think of Murali as a native superhero belonging to Kerala. We don’t want his identity to be scattered. Yes, discussions are underway, but nothing is being developed.”
Unlike the south film directors who have happily shared remake rights to Bollywood filmmakers, Joseph is not in favour of a remake. “I don’t want it [to be remade]. I want this to remain an original film. We haven’t seen Spider-Man in different [iterations]. There is one Spider-Man, and one Krrish. So, there should be one Minnal Murali.” Set in the ’90s, the Netflix project — frontlined by Tovino Thomas — follows the journey of an ordinary man who becomes a superhuman after being struck by lightning.
Viewers’ appreciation has only given credence to a fact that Joseph had realised early on — the film held promise for the making of a franchise. “There should be a sequel. We have some stories in mind. It is tough to match the standard of the original story, because originals are easy [to create]. You use the story of an underdog, and hence people can associate with it. But, it is tough to make sequels relatable. The character here is larger than life to begin with. Making viewers connect with him is tricky.”
History is testimony that superhero movies create a big hole in producers’ pockets. Ask Joseph how he accomplished the task on a slim budget and he says, “We didn’t want any gimmicks as far as showcasing his superpower is concerned. He is a normal human being, but has some powers. This is a fake story, but we wanted people to be convinced that the goings-on are actually happening. The idea is to work on the ground level so that we can minimise the use of VFX. We took innumerable takes on the ground for some scenes.”
After fronting 2017 Malayalam hit Godha, Wamiqa Gabbi to feature in its Hindi remake
8:04 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 9, 2021)
Bollywood appears to be the next stop for Wamiqa Gabbi, a popular face in Punjabi and South cinema. The actor already has the Sakshi Tanwar-led series, Mai, and Netflix’s ambitious Baahubali: Before the Beginning in her kitty. Now, word is that the 2017 Malayalam film, Godha, will be adapted into Hindi with Gabbi reprising her role of a Punjabi wrestler. Basil Joseph, who directed the original drama starring Tovino Thomas, will apparently resume his place behind the camera.
Source reveals that the story, which was largely set in Kerala, is currently being tweaked to suit the north Indian palate. After the script and the remaining cast members are locked, Joseph will take the project on floors in the coming months. “In the original, Wamiqa had delivered a fine performance as Aditi Singh, a wrestling champion who pursues the sport despite her brother’s objection, and eventually inspires the hero to take it up. So, the director felt it would be interesting to see her lend a different flavour to the same role, this time around,” says the source.
The hunt for the leading man is underway.
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