Admitting that Befikre's dismal run was a big blow, Vaani Kapoor hopes to turn the tide with her next, War
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 26, 2019)

"I am the Mr India of this film, the puzzle people need to solve," chuckles Vaani Kapoor when we sit down to chat about War, which has her paired opposite Hrithik Roshan. The trailer gives away little about her character, choosing to focus on the leading men instead.

"That is because the film belongs to Tiger [Shroff] and Hrithik. I admit it's a small part, but my role is critical to the story. Also, screen time is not significant to one's acting prowess. A good actor will shine, no matter what."

Joking that she had stiff competition in the looks department from her two gorgeous co-stars, she is all praise for Roshan. "I am [socially] awkward, and he was so nice to me at the readings."

In her six-year run in the industry, Kapoor has fronted only three films. War marks her return to the screen almost three years after Befikre (2016). Even though the rom-com had everything going for it — read box-office darling Ranveer Singh leading the show, with Aditya Chopra at the helm — it sank without a trace.

"I wish it had got more love. It's an easy-breezy, happy film. I felt bad, but eventually moved on. I am aware of the hits and misses of the industry. I didn't wish to be pessimistic. I let it be an experience that taught me better. It was the greatest experience of my life, and I have learnt so much."

Ask her if a flop hits harder when you aren't an industry insider, and she prudently says, "We can't get attached to successes and failures. If anyone is successful, it's because he is offering something that the audience wants."

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; January 31, 2018)

Ranveer Singh is the man of the moment. He’s not only winning rave reviews for his Alauddin Khilji act in Padmaavat but the period drama has also turned out to be his biggest opener and fastest Rs 100 crore-project till date. When After Hrs catches up with him, the young actor is visibly excited. He says, “I’m so happy that people are liking the film. Sanjay sir has created such a masterpiece.” In a tête-à-tête, he reveals why this role was a huge risk for him and what prompts him to take up a film.

How does it feel to be applauded for your act when you are sharing screen space with such strong performers?
I’m not into one-upmanship. I’ve done two-hero films and some multi-starrers, too. My approach to work is collaborative, not competitive. I view myself and all the other actors as the complete acting department. How they have performed together is what matters! The costume department, the VFX department — all of them have contributed to making Padmaavat what it is. We’re the people who bring emotions to the table and I’m proud of this film’s cast, with what we’ve been able to achieve.

But it must give you a sense of pride, right?
My foundations of acting lie in the theatre where the first thing they make you do is trust exercises where you do warm-up sessions with your co-actors. Having done several plays, this is my approach towards cinema, too. Filmmaking is eventually a collaborative process. I believe that I’m as good as my co-star. I’ll mention two cases to you. I understand how Jim Sarbh made me look good in Padmaavat. People have waxed eloquent about how he’s such an asset to the film and how he has enhanced my performance. I fully agree with it. Right now, I’m shooting with Alia Bhatt and I can’t begin to tell you what a great actor she is. She makes my job so easy. I just have to be present to react to her actions. It’s sheer magic. I come from a different school of thought, which is why I don’t concern myself with notions like who did better!

There was a time when Shah Rukh Khan attempted several villainous parts when no one was doing such roles. There was Darr, Baazigar...
(Cuts in) And Anjaam, it is my favourite, too! He’s fantastic in all those films.

Usually, people attach a stigma to a leading hero playing a negative character. Here, people were calling you ghinauna which is a compliment...
(Laughs out loud) So many people told me that Hindi picture mein if someone loves your character, they love you. If they hate your character on screen, they will automatically start hating you as a person. There’s no doubt about how this role was a huge risk. Mainstream Hindi cinema is a lot about your image. People perceive you as the character you’ve played and they will credit all those virtues to you. It could have been the same case in this instance. But I’m relieved that it has paid off because people recognised that yeh toh Ranveer nahin hai, yeh sirf ek character hai. They are appreciative of it as a performance and all I’m getting is love and applause which feels extremely fulfilling.

Padmaavat is your biggest opener to date. Are box-office numbers a huge parameter for you while signing a film?
Not at all! I strongly believe that times have changed. It started off in 2010 when I made my debut. Films like Ishqiya and Love Sex Aur Dhokha were doing well. Nowadays, you don’t know what is commercially viable content. You have to make a good movie that connects with the audience. I don’t judge films based on their commercial potential. I don’t think about doing a movie that will get me an entry into the Rs 200-crore or Rs 300 crore-club. Even if the film does Rs 60 crore, it’s not my concern. I’m only concerned about the story. Does it make me feel something? Does it have a character that I’m excited enough to play?

The industry has not seen a superstar post Hrithik Roshan. But today, you and Varun Dhawan are slowly inching towards that tag. Comment.
I think it’s good for the movie business that younger and newer actors are delivering such kind of numbers. The industry needs these to thrive. My mentor, Aditya Chopra, had once explained to me the meaning of a superstar. He said when you’re a superstar and people see your face on a poster, that’s all they need to want to come and watch the film, regardless of anything else. So, while these tags are being attached to me, I still feel I have a long way to go. I don’t want to get corrupted with all this. I just want to act and grow. I could well have been acting in theatre, but I wanted to do mainstream Hindi cinema and that to me is one of the greatest gifts.

Karan Johar had told Adi that he won’t be able to sell your face on a film’s poster when you debuted. Now, he is producing a film that stars you. Are you happy with where you’ve reached so far?
I set out to pursue my passion — which is being a performer — and I’m doing just that. I’m satisfied that every day I get to go to a film set, perform and have these wonderful opportunities to showcase my ability. Everything else that comes after it is a bonus. Someone asked me recently, ‘How did you deal with the failure of Befikre?’ And I said I didn’t see it as a failure at all. For me, it’s a gift to collaborate with Aditya Chopra and be a leading actor in a mainstream Hindi film. Abhi picture successful hoti hai, toh sone pe suhaga. Agar nahi hoti hain, then also there’s nothing to be bogged down about. Because I’ve got exactly what I seek.

But don’t you think you’re at a position in your career where one flop wouldn’t unsettle you at all? You’re working with some of the best directors...
I’m just lucky that these films came to me in whatever order they did. Whether it’s Gully Boy, Simmba or 83! Gully Boy was offered first. Then, Rohit (Shetty) sir approached me for his film and then came 83 (the Kapil Dev biopic). If I’ve to give credit to myself, then it’s just that I’ve created my own luck and have worked hard enough to be a recognised actor. Therefore, I was offered these movies. I’m blessed to be working with these fine filmmakers in such different genres who are so passionate about the stories that they are telling. That’s the most crucial thing for me. If I ever find myself in a position where I see things aren’t happening theek se, then I get affected.

Has that ever happened to you before?
Yes, I’ve been in such a situation before. I was on a film set and thinking ‘What the f**k am I doing here? This is s**t’. I never want to be that or be there ever again. I want to be excited about my work and not lose the passion.

DNA (January 23, 2018)

Ranveer Singh and Aditya Chopra’s last collaboration Befikre may not have worked at the box office, but looks like that hasn’t stopped the filmmaker from wanting to work with the actor again. Apparently, Aditya is now working on his next project with Ranveer in mind. Sources say that the project is expected to take off in 2019.

“Ranveer is in the know of the project and his date diary will be worked out accordingly,” adds the source.

Ranveer, who is a Yash Raj discovery, made his debut with Band Baaja Baaraat (2010), which was produced by Aditya, but directed by Maneesh Sharma. Aditya, who has made all his directorial projects with Shah Rukh Khan —  Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Mohabbatein (2000), Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008) — worked with Ranveer for the first time in Befikre. In a note that Aditya penned before the release of the film, he expressed how impressed he was with Ranveer. The filmmaker has said that the actor’s energy, brilliance, and intellect mirrored that of SRK. It’s not surprising then that he has opted to work with the Gunday actor once again. In fact, Aditya is extremely proud of Ranveer and takes a keen interest in the latter’s career choices.

DNA (September 23, 2017)

The 2016 and 2017 smash hit Nashe Si Chadh Gayi from Ranveer Singh and Vaani Kapoor starrer Befikre has gone on to become the first ever Hindi song to cross 300 million views on YouTube.

The popular dance track released by YRF Music, sung by Arijit Singh and composed by Vishal-Shekhar, continues to enjoy unbeatable views online.

It has been breaking records ever since it released on the official YRF YouTube channel — first shattering the record for most views for a Hindi film song in a 24-hour time span.

The song reigned playlists and had an unprecedented run across leading music streaming platforms and music charts. Earlier this summer, it was the first Hindi song to rack up 250 and 275 million views, within a year of its release.

Joginder Tuteja (DNA; August 13, 2017)

There was a time till a couple of years ago when star power ensured that a substandard or a bad film worked at least to an extent at the box office. Not anymore! While bad films are failing, even good films are finding it difficult to find an audience. The new era of Bollywood audiences is fairly and squarely announcing that they are the king.

How it all started
When the Rs 100-crore phenomenon kick-started with Ghajini, hordes of films followed suit. Each Khan — Aamir, Shah Rukh, and Salman got into a race to deliver a century. Soon enough, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn and Hrithik Roshan, too, had them to their names. The young brigade, Varun Dhawan, Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor, entered the club and countless films joined in.

There were bad apples
Each biggie delivered by superstars was not quite worth the Rs 100-crore fortune. To some, it seemed like a fluke where films managed to score big. In fact, there were bad apples — films managing to register big numbers despite being panned by critics. So, on the one hand, there was quality cinema being missed and on the other, there was this slogan of ‘Bollywood Shining’.

Stardom ruled
One of the key reasons for this phenomenon to gain prominence was the star system ruling Bollywood. A Khan film had to take an opening. A non-Khan superstar (read Akshay, Ajay, Hrithik) was a reliable commodity. Bring in Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, or Katrina Kaif into the mix and a ‘deal’ was well in place to draw in audiences at least during the opening weekend. More films started seeing a Rs 50 crore plus weekend and content took a backseat. Stardom ruled!

The bubble had to burst
This was a bubble waiting to burst, but the industry wasn’t willing to see it with open eyes. The projects continued to be put together and an occasional Rs 200-crore or Rs 300-crore blockbuster made many believe that this phenomenon was there to stay. Many didn’t bother to check the abysmal failure rate that stood over 60 per cent at least. Producers and distributors lost money on these films. Still, for the 20 per cent odd films where both parties made money, champagne bottles were popped. No one was willing to wake up.

Audiences wised up
As corporate presentations were being put together for the big projects, audiences were wising up, too. They decided not to be enticed by just star power or a package deal. The early signs, what with Salman’s Jai Ho, Ranbir Kapoor’s Besharam and Bombay Velvet, Ajay’s Action Jackson, and SRK’s Fan being rejected became prominent with Ranveer’s Befikre, Hrithik Roshan’s Mohenjo Daro flopping. Unfortunately, many still didn’t understand these signals.

The unforgiving audience
One look at how audiences have given a thumbs down to star power is pretty much a testimony to how they’ve come up with a collective call of ‘enough is enough’. Salman returns after 10 Rs 100-crore biggies and delivers a major failure in Tubelight. SRK returns in his romantic avatar with Jab Harry Met Sejal and even that’s not welcomed. Ranbir’s Jagga Jasoos finds itself in the midst of widespread negativity. Tiger Shroff sees his lowest grosser ever in Munna Michael. Rangoon and Raabta emerge as disasters. Youngsters are not impressed with OK Jaanu and Meri Pyaari Bindu. Amitabh Bachchan suffered one of the biggest disasters with Sarkar 3. In a year that has seen close to 60 releases already, 14 odd turned out to be profitable at least for the producers, if not for the distributors as well.

Will there be a change?
Change is the name of the game, but one waits to see if that would happen quickly. The rest of the releases of 2017 can’t be altered with the content already being shot. Most of 2018 releases won’t see much of a change either since the script has been drafted and the shooting commenced. So, if a remarkable turnaround is expected, it would be in 2019, when some sort of sanity would have returned to the scene. Guess life would indeed have to come full circle for Bollywood by then.

After a relatively pale response to the Aditya Chopra romance, Vaani admits that casting her was a risk
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; January 19, 2017)

While most celebrity makeovers are often celebrated, even upheld by the masses, Vaani Kapoor’s transformation from the shy desi girl in Shuddh Desi Romance to the size-zero bold Shyra in Aditya Chopra’s Befikre wasn’t appreciated by her fans. While a few criticised that she’d grown way too thin to be considered healthy, others insisted that the gorgeous-looking actress had lost her charm. What further didn’t work in the actress’s favour was the lukewarm reception Befikre, received.

The actress however doesn’t shy away from taking the responsibility for the performance of the film, and believes that the story, which revolved around modern day relationships and casual hook-ups, is still ahead of its time. “I know that the film has got polarised reviews. It will get its due in the coming years,” she says, further adding, “I have always felt that I was the biggest risk factor and the biggest bet for Befikre because everyone else in the team had achieved something and have already proven their worth in their respective fields. I was the new face who stood a chance to be accepted or not. Aditya didn’t go with the obvious choice and cast me, so somewhere I felt that if there was anything that didn’t work, it was probably me.”

Ask her if she is like her on-screen avatar personally, and she says, “I’m not into casual dating. I’d like to meet a person before taking things forward, but I feel relieved after playing the role since a part of you subconsciously becomes the person.”

Vaani was on the judges’ panel at the recently-concluded Elle Graduates 2017 fashion event. Talking about judging a fashion competition, she says, "I am not a fashionista. My judgment came from the perspective of a normal girl.”

After Befikre disappointment, Aditya Chopra might just change track
Joginder Tuteja (DNA; January 16, 2017)

Befikre did barely Rs 48.75 crore in its first week. Now that’s a total which was expected in the opening weekend itself for the film which was announced with much fanfare almost a year ago. The message was loud and clear — the audience had given the film a big thumbs-down and that could well be evidenced in rapidly declining collections.

So what does the man behind an all-time blockbuster (Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge) and a couple of other well received films (Mohabbatein, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi) do next?

“Well, definitely ‘not reinvent’ himself,” says a trade expert, tongue firmly in cheek, “He has had enough of that with Befikre. Clearly, Aditya Chopra is a brand and what audience expects is nothing, but unadulterated family fun with loads of entertainment. No one knows what really prompted him to try something like Befikre, which was neither entirely original (considering its similarities with Tamasha and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil), nor supremely entertaining. The biggest problem here was lack of content for family audiences. Now that’s not what you expect when someone like Adi Chopra makes a film after eight long years.”

What Aditya needs next is a three-point approach for his next. Firstly, he needs to make his next in the next three years itself. Secondly, the film has to appeal to family crowds. Thirdly, and most importantly, he needs to deliver a huge grosser now which matches to the level of at least Mohabbatein, if not DDLJ.

“Exactly,” an industry insider adds, “Aditya is too huge a Bollywood veteran to let one Befikre make him take a step back. As a matter of fact, what he needs to do next is instantly sprint ahead and deliver a biggie. What better way to do that than to pick up Yash Raj Films’ biggest franchise, Dhoom? The film is all set for its fourth installment, in any case. The earlier parts were accepted wholeheartedly by families. Also, it is set to be a huge grosser by all means. With this, it ticks all the boxes in the three-point approach.”

The immediate question is around the cast of the film. Now considering the fact that Aditya and Shah Rukh Khan are already slated to work together soon, it would only do wonders if that happens for Dhoom: 4.

As an antagonist, it would be a huge casting coup to have the superstar be the latest inclusion after John Abraham, Hrithik Roshan and Aamir Khan.

“As for the leading lady, don’t be surprised if Aditya’s current favorite Vaani Kapoor makes the cut,” the trade expert wonders, “Given her current looks and styling, it won’t be surprising if she ends up bagging a spot of one of the heroines in Dhoom: 4!”

The ball is now in Adi’s court now and if he indeed decides to direct Dhoom: 4 next, then rest assured, him jumping straight into the Rs 300 crore club is pretty much on the cards. All he needs to do is announce it quick, get the best and biggest star cast at his disposal and then call the shots!

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap's strategy to deal with CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani is simple, he plans to move court for every film of his, which will be opposed by CBFC chairman Pahlaj Nihalani
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 12, 2017)

Nawazuddin Siddiqui's upcoming film, 'Haraamkhor', which has been in the making for four years, was stuck at the censors for eight months before the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal finally passed it. This is the second time in the last few months that a movie backed by filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has hit a roadblock with the CBFC (Anurag moved to Bombay High Court against the CBFC at the time of 'Udta Punjab').

Recently, CBFC chairman Pahlaj Nihalani was criticised for retaining Ranveer Singh's butt-naked shot in 'Befikre'. Speaking to hitlist, Anurag says, "If anything is remotely associated with me, Pahlajji opens his pitara and brings out the special love he has for me. He can say whatever he wants. We know we will always have to move court for our films."

An exasperated Kashyap adds that he doesn't expect Nihalani to know the line between good and bad. "It's (censorship) a topic that I would rather not talk about, because it's pointless; it's like banging your head against a wall. For every film, we will have to move court. So, the process of getting our films cleared will take around six to eight months. I remember at the time of 'Bombay Velvet' (2015), Pahlajji had cut a simple intimate scene. And now you see him clearing much more than that in a film."

Purvaja Sawant (BOMBAY TIMES; December 29, 2016)

CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani claims that he had come up with new rating categories even before Shyam Benegal panel had stepped in for reforms. Achha? Well done!
Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; December 16, 2016)

In April, the Shyam Benegal committee-report, submitted to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry as part of a suggested revamp of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), had recommended increasing the number of categories of certification as an amendment of the archaic Cinematography Act of 1952.

Now, CBFC chairman, Pahlaj Nihalani, who in the past has attracted the wrath of filmmakers for his overzealousness in excising 'inappropriate' bits, has claimed that he had suggested upping the certification categories in his letter to the Ministry in February. "My recommendations are attached in the Shyam Benegal Committee report. There, I have stated the reason for the need for more categories. This way, the filmmaker will get a chance to show what he wants to," Nihalani said, adding that certification should vary depending on the subject of the film, treatment and audio-visual content.

"It needs to be done while keeping prevalent global content in mind and [the need to] safeguard creative expression," he said, adding that certification should be termed 'classifications' to protect artistic expressions. He also suggested that the no smoking disclaimer be shown by the exhibitor, not the filmmaker.

Highlighting his suggestions for obtaining the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) when required, Nihalani recommended that international filmmakers be exempted from the need to obtain the permission. However, for Indians shooting films abroad, an NOC must be mandatory.

Pahlaj's categories

G (General; for all)
PG (Parental Guidance recommended for kids under 15)
M (Mature; for 15+ audience)x
MA (Mature Accom-panied. Under 15 can't watch film or rent videos unless accompanied by parent or adult guardian. May contain violence, offensive language, smoking/ drinking scenes)
R (Restricted to adults. May include anti-social activities, violence, drinking, horror and smoking scenes)
R21 (For 21+; May contain graphic violence, sexually explicit activity, double meaning dialogues and other disturbing content)

Once a film is certified R or R21, it can't be rated otherwise on revision

Trolled for Befikre decision
Backing his decision on green-lighting nudity and intimate scenes in Befikre, Nihalani said, "People called me sanskari, now, when we have certified a film, keeping the global audience in mind, I am being trolled. We have cut [scenes] where needed. Main public se poochhna chahta hoon, do they want us to be liberal or not?"

Subhash K Jha (DNA; December 16, 2016)

The Censor Board may have given the go-ahead to the kissing spree in Aditya Chopra’s Befikre. But the rules, as one understands, would be different for the television premiere of the film when it happens.

The song that plays over the opening credits, Labon Ka Karobaar, which shows more than a dozen couples of various ages kissing, will not be shown on television.

Board chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani says, “We passed the song for the large screen on the condition that the song be edited out when Befikre is premiered on television.”

The chairperson also adds that censor guidelines are flexible, but are scrupulously followed. “I’ve heard it being said that because the kisses in Befikre have been passed other producers are confident that similar intimate scenes would be passed in their films. There is no such opening of the floodgates happening after Befikre. Every intimate shot, every kiss and every film would be treated by the CBFC on its own merit,” he signs off.

Aditya Chopra’s Befikre is out and what has shocked viewers more than the skin show is how on earth did the film managed to get a U/A certificate? And that too under the chairmanship of Pahlaj Nihalani, known for his sanskaari stance.

Ever since Pahlaj Nihalani has taken charge, he has been ruthless in chopping scenes or references that are not even remotely objectionable. For instance, the word ‘lesbian’ was removed from Dum Laga Ke Haisha. He created a hue and cry when the Tribunal cleared the term ‘kutiya’ in Saat Uchakkey. There are many such instances. In fact, just 2 weeks ago, viewers were aghast when Dear Zindagi had the word ‘slut’ muted that totally affected the flow of the scene. And of course, who can forget James Bond turning into a sanskaari chap when his kissing scenes were drastically reduced in Spectre.

Keeping these instances in mind, it is shocking to see Befikre being passed with a U/A certificate since the film is filled with naughty references and sequences. The film begins with the song Labon Ka Karabaar, featuring couples passionately kissing each other. While ‘slut’ was removed in Dear Zindagi, it was retained in Befikre. And believe it or not, there’s a one-second shot of Ranveer showing his bare butt! It’s hardly there but it makes an impact! And no, it's not blurred.

Pahlaj Nihalani had made tall claims that he won’t favour some filmmakers over others and that the rules will be the same for all. And that’s what it seemed since he equally targeted big as well as small films (the Udta Punjab controversy is one of the biggest in recent times). But the way he has favoured Befikre by keeping ‘objectionable’ scenes intact does raise lot of eyebrows. Also, his claims that kisses in Befikre are ‘signs of affection, warmth and kinship’ are highly debatable. The kisses are sexual and titillating. Moreover, Mr Nihalani might argue that retaining ‘slut’ was necessary keeping in mind the context of the sequence in Befikre. Well, then what’s the rationable behind muting the said word in Dear Zindagi? Even there, Alia’s dialogues could have made the right impact if the term wasn’t muted.

Do you think Befikre has been left off lightly? Do share your thoughts in the comments section!

Singer Benny Dayal reveals how he landed the Befikre title track, and key advice he got from A R rahman on staying ‘unique’
Soumya Vajpayee Tiwari (MID-DAY; December 14, 2016)

Singer Benny Dayal’s dwindling discography of Bollywood tracks in 2016 is in stark contrast to his meaty compilation of the last few years. Yet, his second Hindi number this year is already climbing the charts for aptly portraying the freedom demanded by the song. Ude Dil Befikre, the title track of Aditya Chopra’s Ranveer Singh and Vaani Kapoor-starrer composed by Vishal-Shekhar, has Benny humming an Arabic verse in it.

“I was offered the song because Vishal and Shekhar realised I could sing in Arabic. It seems like a simple track but was hard to deliver,” says the singer, adding, “I used to participate in inter-school Arabic singing competition. That’s also how I met Mr rahman (A R Rahman). He told me, ‘You can sing in Arabic. Don’t ever let this quality fade away. This makes you unique’.”

Ranveer, on whom the track is picturised, performed it at the global Citizen Festival india last month. “I met him before he went on stage. He gave me a hug before that,” says Benny. The singer was delighted to share the stage with Jay Z and Coldplay at the event, and confesses that it was a fanboy moment. “I didn’t get the opportunity to interact with them because of the high security, but just seeing Jay Z perform live made my day. I was really excited,” he says with child-like joy. The singer has been selective with his choice of songs because he wishes to green-light projects that are “experimental”. “I want to have diverse songs in my repertoire. I’d rather do great work than worry about delivering hits. I have learnt this from Mr Rahman and Salim Merchant.”

Asked if any other creative art, besides music, interests him, Benny says he enjoys whipping up delicacies in the kitchen. “My wife and i often spend time cooking together [he tied the knot with longtime girlfriend Catherine Thangam in June]. I really enjoy making indian food, especially chicken curry. Recently, my maid went on leave for a month. So, my wife and I had a great time trying our hand at different cuisines.”

Subhash K Jha (DNA; December 13, 2016)

So Ranveer Singh’s butt is finally on display. It had to be in a Yash Raj film. When you are the biggest banner in Bollywood you can get away with bikini-clad heroines in every film and now repeated lingerie shots of the heroine (a lingerie peek in Baar Baar Dekho was censored) and even a butt-shot of Ranveer Singh in Befikre.

Says critic Raja Sen, “It is just a matter of clout. If Mr Nihalani thinks it’s okay for people to kiss in Europe, why did he object to James Bond and Monica Bellucci kissing in Spectre? This CBFC has shown complete inconsistency and arbitrariness in their rulings. Everyone should be measured by the same yardstick.”

Censor chief Pahlaj Nihalani says it (the butt) was put in “a context” and also, a mere fleeting glance. “We shortened Ranveer Singh’s butt shot quite a lot. Right now it’s just a glimpse, no more. What’s wrong with it? He is alone with his girlfriend in a room. They are doing what couples do when they are alone. Why is a butt shot objectionable? We’ve allowed butt shots in some recent Hollywood films. Also in Madhur Bhandarkar’s Jail.”

Nihalani also rises to the film’s smooching spree’s defence. “See, unlike Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Spectre or Tamasha where the kisses were done in lengthy shots, in Befikre the kisses are scattered and largely fleeting and all over the place. They are part of the narration. As a filmmaker, I know what can be cut without hampering the flow of the narrative. In Befikre there is no way we could cut the kisses without interrupting the flow of the story. Aditya Chopra has treated the kisses as part of the story. If we removed the kisses we’d be hampering the storytelling.”

He reveals that the kisses have been curtailed where they could. “We’ve cut all the close-ups of the kisses and the climactic kiss has been reduced by 50 per cent. The rest we couldn’t cut for apprehension of being accused of creative interference.”

Befikre music producer Mikey McCleary on the most carefree thing he has done
Bryan Durham (DNA; December 10, 2016)

It’s been a while since we’ve spoken with Mikey McCleary and now’s as good a time as any to catch up — he’s the music producer of the just released Befikre and is responsible for how the film’s soundtrack ‘sounds’. Here, he talks about the film’s director Aditya Chopra’s involvement in the making of the music and how he collaborated with Vishal-Shekhar who composed the film’s OST.

How different is it to work with an Aditya Chopra as compared to Anurag Kashyap?
I enjoy making music for a wide range of cinema, from more edgy independent films like Margarita With A Straw to Bollywood blockbusters like Befikre. Every director has a different style of working. The pieces of music I’ve made for Anurag have mostly been done without him there in the studio. I think he likes to give space to the composer to create the music. More indie-type films usually allow for greater experimentation. Over six weeks of producing the songs and another six weeks of composing the background music score, Adi Chopra would pop into the studio every other day to listen to the work in progress and give me his thoughts. He has very strong musical sensibilities. He can hear a piece of music just once and be able to clearly point out the elements that he likes and the ones he would like to change. Our working dynamic was easy and pleasant. He’s open-minded and yet has a strong vision of what is looking for in the music.

Do producers and directors intervene at all with your work?
Yes of course! Often their input can be helpful, but sometimes not. Some who I have worked with, such as Dibakar Banerjee, have very good understanding of music. Collaboration with a good director will make the music better, most of the time.

Explain the work-sharing between Vishal Shekhar and you?
Vishal and Shekhar composed the vocal melodies. Sometimes, they had an idea of what style of music production and genre they wanted, but most of the time they let me experiment with the genre and arrangement. They enjoy hearing an unexpected musical interpretation of the composition. Once I have a direction they like, I fine-tune the music further and they also input ideas.

For those unaware of the technicalities, how do you explain the difference between music production and direction.
In India, the music director is the composer of the vocal melody. They also guide the general direction of the music and approve the final result. They also usually are very involved in directing the singer. The music producer creates the other elements. The beat, the bass-line, the chord progression and all the additional melodies that come in the song. The instrumental melodies and hooks are usually created by the music producer. It’s an important role because the music producer really determines how the song sounds. In the west the role of the music producer is more recognised and many stars like Timberlake, Avicii or Swedish House Mafia are actually music producers.

The average listener is generally unaware of the amount of work that goes into music production. Some even perceive it as a thankless job, despite credits now being given wherever necessary. What needs to change?
For starters, when a music producer has made the music for an entire film I think they should get a ‘Songs produced by such-and-such’ front title credit in the film. I have been given this for Befikre.

What else have you been busy with?
TV ads as usual. Writing the screenplay for a Bollywood film which I’d like to direct myself. It’s a surprise. My interest in filmmaking started from directing my music videos for The Bartender and TV Dinners.

Another Bartender album in the offing?
Yes there certainly is. Most of the songs are finished.

What’s the most Befikra (carefree) thing you’ve done in life?
The most Befikre thing I can’t tell you, I have my proper reputation to think of. But one carefree decision I made (one of my best decisions) was to leave my life in London and move to Mumbai eight years ago.

One incident while putting together the album that has stayed with you.
Recording Vishal playing the spoons for one of the songs. It’s a real thing, you take two spoons and slap them between your thigh and hand to create a percussive rhythm.

When a filmmaker of the stature of Aditya Chopra is directing a film, one can’t help but not have expectations. After all, here’s the guy who made the iconic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Hence, despite the not-so-good trailers, there was tremendous hype for Befikre, mostly due to the Aditya Chopra factor. But alas, Befikre turns out to be a disappointment and how! The story is clichéd, there’s nothing new and the ending is extremely childish!

The story of the movie: Dharam (Ranveer Singh) is a stand up comic from Delhi who lands up in Paris when he gets a great job opportunity. He comes across Shyra (Vaani Kapoor) and they both soon get into a casual relationship. They decide that they’ll not fall in love, have fun and be ‘Befikre’. Sadly, things turn out the way as planned.

Befikre starts on a great note with the song Labon Ka Karobaar. It sets the mood of the film and makes it clear what’s it is all about. Even the first scene is quite interesting and intriguing. Basically, the first 20-25 minutes of the film are breezy and entertaining. Trouble arises during the last portion of the first half when one realizes that the story hasn’t moved much. This especially hits the viewers during the intermission point. Post-interval, there are some interesting developments in the narrative that does hold attention. But again, the interest tapers off after a point because the conflict is something that one has seen in a lot of movies. What’s so new about it? Still, one hopes that the climax will save the film. However, the finale turns out to be even worse. It is juvenile and one is shocked that how it got approved!

Befikre thankfully has some fine performances that save the day to an extent. Ranveer Singh is completely ideal for this role. I can’t imagine any other actor playing this part. He fools around and raises laughs so well but also impacts in the emotional scenes. There’s no doubt that he’s one of the best actors and Befikre just confirms that. Vaani Kapoor once again impresses highly with her confidence. She performs well and both of them have a sizzling chemistry. Armaan Ralhan (Anay) is a surprise of the film. He leaves a huge mark. Julie Ordon (Christine) is decent. The actors playing Shyra’s parents and Dharam’s colleague are okay.

Vishal-Shekhar’s music is quite peppy and in sync with the film. The best undoubtedly is the title song followed by Nashe Si Chad Gayi, Labon Ka Karobaar and You And Me. Je T’Aime is a cool track but the visuals are similar to a famous song from Aditya Chopra’s DDLJ. Mikey McCleary’s background score is exhilarating. Kaname Onoyama’s cinematography is spellbinding. Some of the long shots are breathtaking and some shots go on and on and it’s quite nicely done. Anne Seibel’s production design is appealing. Same goes for Natalie Yuksel’s costume. Vaibhavi Merchant’s choreography is eye-popping especially in Nashe Si Chad Gayi and Dare To Love. Aditya Chopra’s story is simple but quite clichéd. Aditya Chopra and Sharat Katariya’s dialogues are fine but could have been funnier and better. The scenes of Dharam doing the stand-up comedy fall flat. Aditya Chopra’s screenplay could have taken the film to great heights but that doesn’t happen. The film looks like a bhel puri of various films like DDLJ, Neal N Nikki, Salaam Namaste, Namastey London and even some Priyadarshan’s comic capers! And when the script is poor, Aditya Chopra’s direction just couldn’t do much to salvage the situation.

On the whole, Befikre is not just the biggest disappointment of 2016 but the biggest disappointment in many years. After all, it’s an Aditya Chopra film and one doesn’t expect him to come up with a film that’s so clichéd and juvenile. On the positive side, the performances are fine, the chemistry is sizzling and Paris is shot well. But these really can’t compensate for the minuses in the movie. At the box office, it’s going to face tough task. The exhibitors playing this film sadly won’t be befikre and same goes for the viewers!

My rating - ** out of 5!