Showing posts with label Bholaa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bholaa. Show all posts
Not everyone can make a Crew. It was a combination of story, casting, and marketing-Tabu
8:45 AM
As Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha marks her tenth film with Ajay, Tabu says secret to their enduring chemistry is that they’ve played everything from lovers to rivals
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 9, 2024)
First, a hit in Crew, then bagging the role of Sister Francesca in Dune: Prophecy, and now Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha—clearly Tabu is having one hell of a year.
When we tell her that, the actor laughs, saying, “I don’t set out with the ambition of proving a point with any film. I go into a project thinking, ‘How will I be interesting?’ I want to enjoy what I’m doing. I want either a cutting-edge film that gives me something different experientially, or sometimes I want to do regular, predictable [stories]. Crew came to me when I was doing Drishyam 2 [2022] and Bholaa [2023]. So, I wanted a break from that zone.”
Crew, starring Kareena Kapoor Khan and Kriti Sanon alongside her, has proven that a film doesn’t need a hero for it to run to packed houses. Its success has given hope to filmmakers to develop more women-led stories.
“Not everyone can make a Crew. It was a combination of story, casting, and marketing. But if a few people are encouraged to make films with women [leading them] because of Crew’s success, it is heartening. It speaks volumes about the conviction of the makers, Rhea Kapoor and Ektaa R Kapoor. Rhea always believed it would be a Rs 100-crore film. I look at success differently. But she wanted to make a statement and was able to.”
Now, Tabu is reuniting with one of her oldest friends, Ajay Devgn, in Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha. The romantic drama marks their tenth film together. What’s the secret to their enduring chemistry?
“When we say yes to a film, the story means something to us. You can’t define good chemistry. We don’t feed off each other’s energies. But we don’t repeat our dynamics. In some films, we’re pitted against each other; in others, we’re romantically paired. There is freshness to the casting. In this film, what works is that audiences have seen us together for so many years. To them, it’s believable that these two people haven’t met in a long time. People tend to believe that Ajay and I are two people in love, who couldn’t meet and are meeting after eons.”
The drama is her first collaboration with director Neeraj Pandey. She says that he has a knack for moulding his actors beautifully. “He will mould you in every take, with the brief he gives you. By the third take, he will want you to reimagine your approach. He’ll say, ‘Let’s try it with a smile.’”
In six months, Bollywood delivers 2 blockbusters, 1 surprise super-hit
3:32 PM
Box Office India Trade Network
The first half of the year continued from where we left in 2022 with most films biting the dust. PATHAAN hit it out of the park with record numbers edging past BAAHUBALI 2: THE CONCLUSION though in GROSS terms the Prabhas-starrer remains ahead. PATHAAN saw Shah Rukh Khan in the action genre which should have happened 10-15 years ago as a lot of his non performers were down to genre not being correct at the time of release for such a big star.
THE KERALA STORY was the surprise of the first six months as it racked up huge numbers for what the actual film as worth and the collections were more organic than last year's THE KASHMIR FILES which was on similar lines. Both these films are very low cost films with huge returns and are compared to biggest low cost film ever JAI SANTOSHI MAA (1975). But the box office success of these films is a notch lower as the reach is less than that film.
ZARA HATKE ZARA BACHKE was another big HIT and it is actually the most important film of the year as it is basically the bread and butter type film for the industry and it can still work. The film shows the audience profile has changed from upper middle/middle class to lower middle/middle class as nothing else in this zone has worked. But generally those films were more like pre pandemic aiming at the upper middle/middle classes. This film scored strongly in A centres of the Hindi belts pushing the box office over 80 crore nett with the help of super hit music.
The other moderate successes were TU JHOOTHI MAIN MAKKAAR and SATYAPREM KI KATHA but today even moderate is good. Actually today even a FLOP tag is pretty respectable as its one disaster after another. TU JHOOTHI MAIN MAKKAAR had a lot going for it with a strong cast and good music. As the film had a story and milieu which was very urban, the reach got limited and that reflects in collections. SATYAPREM KI KATHA is another film which has done well for what its worth. The film did not have much going for it and its managed a decent run till date and should end up around that 70 crore nett mark or near. The AVERAGE mark is disappointing for TU JHOOTHI MAIN MAKKAAR but you take it for SATYAPREM KI KATHA.
Last year there was support from the South with KGF: CHAPTER 2 and RRR but so far there has been nothing this year. Hollywood had some successful films with JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 being the surprise with collections of 50 crore nett. FAST X did a bigger number but expectations were also much higher.
There are flop theatrical films put in the list but as mentioned above, a flop is not bad as most films are disasters at the ticket counters today. The classifications of the first half of 2023 is as follows.
All Time Blockbuster
Pathaan
Super Blockbuster
The Kerala Story
Blockbuster
-
Super Hit
Zara Hatke Zara Bachke
Hit
John Wick: Chapter 4 (Hollywood)
Semi Hit
Fast X (Hollywood)
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (Hollywood)
Average
Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar
Satyaprem Ki Katha
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (Hollywood)
Below Average
Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway
Ponniyin Selvan - Part 2 (South)
Flop
Adipurush
Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan
Bholaa
Is it fair to sacrifice talented artistes at the altar of shoddy scripts?
8:20 AM
Talented actors are trolled and criticized for taking certain roles, but is it right to question only the performances?
Syeda Eba Fatima (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 8, 2023)
Sometimes, poor scripts are elevated by great performances. But, what do you expect when best of actors are given sketchy characters in a badly written story? Case in point: Gajraj Rao in Bholaa, Sanjay Mishra in Jogira Sara Ra Ra and more. Such actors, known for their versatility, were reduced to frivolous characters in certain projects, which left their fans, and audience at large, disappointed. The bigger question is: Is it fair to sacrifice talented artistes at the altar of shoddy scripts? Industry experts help us decode.
Actors state their reasons
‘FOCUS ON WHAT’S GOOD FOR ME’
Gajraj Rao says he’s “very selective” with picking films, thus he doesn’t regret taking up any role. “If I start getting bothered by what people like to see, I won’t be able to survive in this industry. I feel, you’re the best judge of your work, so I only focus on what I think is good for me,” he says.
‘CAN ONLY DO WHAT’S OFFERED’
Renuka Shahane was highly criticized for Govinda Naam Mera (2022), but she doesn’t take “vague opinions” seriously. “If you tell me that this role wasn’t good enough for me, it does not make sense to me. How is it going to change anything for me? I can only do what’s being offered.”
‘HAVE TO PUT BREAD ON THE TABLE’
Ronit Roy, who played Kartik Aaryan’s father in Shehzada, opines that decisions are often determined by several factors. “I have to create a balance between the films I like and projects that will facilitate putting bread on the table. I never feel short-changed because I sign the film knowing what my role is,” he says.
‘MAIN KYUN NA KARUN?’
Siddharth Jadhav was brutally trolled for his cringe acting in Rohit Shetty’s Cirkus (2022). He admits that sometimes actors sign up a film only to collaborate with a director and banner. “Kabhi kabhi achche logon ke saath kaam karna bhi impactful hota hai. That’s why I took up Cirkus and Radhe (2021), which had Salman Khan in the lead and was directed by Prabhudheva,” he says.
There are several factors at play, say trade experts
‘NOT THE ACTOR’S FAULT’
Taran Adarsh feels that actors’ judgement can in no way be blamed for a script misfire. “Actors very well know what they are signing up for. Nobody is cheating or lying to them or making false promises. This used to happen earlier when there was no hard bound script, but that’s not the case anymore,” he says.
LOST IN TRANSITION
Atul Mohan explains how at times, the character’s strength gets lost in script-to-screen transition. ”Paper par jo hota hai, wo bahut exciting hota hai. I’ve been part of so many narrations where the director described a character in such a way that any actor would get convinced. But it did not translate well in the final outcome.”
On a Homi Adajania set, Dimple Kapadia is the queen-Deepak Dobriyal
8:23 AM
Deepak, who shifts gears from character artiste to villain, on locking horns with Kapadia in Saas Bahu Aur Flamingo
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 10, 2023)
For years, Deepak Dobriyal would be offered versions of the same role that he played in the Tanu Weds Manu franchise — an affable, bumbling man. The image became synonymous with him, he rues. “I had been offered close to 200 projects that had different versions of Pappi ji. The shift to something beyond was conscious and necessary,” begins Dobriyal.
If Bholaa was the first step towards changing his image, the recent Saas Bahu Aur Flamingo showed how the actor could easily send a chill down one’s spine in a villainous role. He plays the monstrous Monk in creator-director Homi Adajania’s crime thriller. Cracking the character’s psyche was a joy, says the actor.
“On set, we jammed a lot to understand his psyche. His personality reeks of arrogance. He wants revenge, and can’t stomach the fact that a woman can be a ganglord [Dimple Kapadia’s Rani Ba]. He is partly in awe of her, and partly working towards outsmarting her. Such a character [consumes you]. I was behaving like him, and my wife warned me to tone down the Monk energy at home.”
Even as he praises the cast that includes Radhika Madan, Isha Talwar and Angira Dhar, Dobriyal says he most enjoyed the on-screen dynamics between Kapadia and him. “It is a huge pressure to match the energy of an actor of Dimple Kapadia’s stature. On a Homi Adajania set, she is the queen. But Dimple is an actor who never leaves her character. She appreciates people who are as invested as her in world-building, and in fleshing out the story. We bonded over that.”
Badhaai Ho: Character actors turn leading lights of Hindi cinema
8:31 AM
Mature actors playing central roles in movies and web series and raking in big bucks amid transformation in cinema, plots and audience taste
Shephali Bhatt (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; April 10, 2023)
Mumbai: Gajraj Rao is in disbelief. The 50-something actor of Badhaai Ho (2018) fame is finally getting to play leading roles of his liking in films and web series after spending three decades in the industry. What’s more, he’s able to charge a fee on his own terms, with negligible resistance from producers of the Hindi film industry, the largest in the country by audience size – over 520 million.
“A decade ago, if someone told me they had written a role for me, I would have thought they were mocking me,” said Rao, who is also an ad film director. Today, he has headlined movies like Thai Massage (2022), which reportedly trended on Netflix India in the first spot during the second week of January this year. “I was emailed the entire script of Bholaa (2023) even though I had only a guest appearance in the recently released movie. Earlier, people only sent the pages that carried my scene,” the actor said.
For someone who admits to having spent 25 of his 30 years in cinema doing minor roles for little-to-no money, these changes are rather significant. “I never thought I’d get to see days like these,” he said.
Senior character actors such as Rao, who had been relegated to the supporting cast for most of their careers, are having their moment in the spotlight — well into their 40s and 50s. The likes of Neena Gupta, Shefali Shah, Pankaj Tripathi, Jaideep Ahlawat, Sanjay Mishra and Manoj Bajpayee are playing central roles in movies and web series, the preserve of younger artistes thus far. Further, most of these mature actors are charging 10 times the fee they were able to command less than five years ago.
“There’s been an exponential change in their fee structure, with many of these senior actors’ pay going from Rs 25-30 lakh to Rs 1-4 crores per project within the last four to five years,” said a producer closely associated with movies and shows featuring senior character actors in lead roles.
To put it in perspective, “their current fee is commensurate with what most mid to top-tier female lead actors are making,” said a celebrity manager who prefers not to be named.
A middle-aged character actor was offered Rs 2 crores for playing the lead in a web series, said a producer in the know, on the condition of anonymity. “When the show gained popularity, the actor is known to have charged Rs 15 crores for the second season,” the person said. “He may get up to Rs 35 crores if the platform renews the show for a third season.”
The last figure is comparable to what one popular lead male actor in his early 30s is charging after delivering one of the biggest box office hits (in Hindi) of 2022, added the producer quoted above.
OTT AVENUES
Senior character actors took centre stage in movies for a brief period in the aughts as well, said trade analyst Atul Mohan — Anupam Kher and Boman Irani starred in Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006), Vinay Pathak in Bheja Fry (2007) and Dasvidaniya (2008), and Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah in A Wednesday! (2008). “But it did not become a regular practice as the box office was still star driven,” Mohan said.
A decade later, that changed with the advent of over-the-top (OTT) content platforms. “So, even a story like Uunchai (2022) that is centred around the senior demographic — featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher and Boman Irani — turned profitable for the makers despite faring average at the box office because it made good money from ancillary sales, that is, platform licensing rights,” Mohan said.
The proliferation of streaming platforms has de-homogenized the audience and reduced the box office pressure that had turned “filmmaking into gambling, where you only want to bet on the winning horse,” Rao said.
Initially, Badhaai Ho — the story of a middle-aged couple getting pregnant and dealing with the consequent disapproval of a conservative society — was “supposed to be told from the parents’ point of view,” recalled Priti Shahani, founder of Tusk Tale Films, who was heading Junglee Pictures (one of the producers of the movie) at the time.
“It was rewritten from the point of view of the son because otherwise, casting the parents was becoming a challenge,” she said. “Once Ayushmann Khurrana was locked in for the son’s part, it gave us the freedom to cast the parents.”
But then the audience started noticing and appreciating the characters of Rao and Gupta in Badhaai Ho , or that of Tripathi in Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017) who then went on to play central roles in web series like Mirzapur and Criminal Justice, and Ahlawat in Raazi (2018), who headlined web series Paatal Lok. “Since OTT platforms do not have the theatrical pressure but do need recognizable talent to drive not only subscriptions but also engagement, these actors started getting the weightage they had been missing all this while,” said Shahani.
[Disclaimer: Junglee Pictures is the movie studio division of The Times of India Group, which also publishes The Economic Times. Bareilly Ki Barfi and Raazi were also co-produced by this division.]
Pooja Kohli Taneja, managing director at FilmKaravan, cannot be happier about this shift. “As a producer, I have also faced the pressure of recovering money at the box office,” said the executive producer of the international Emmy Award-winning web series, Delhi Crime. “If I had a dollar for every time someone suggested I get an A-list actress to play the cop… But with platforms, you work within a budget instead of worrying about the theatrical collection.”
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 773
10:09 PM
2023’S FIRST QUARTER ENDS ON A FINE NOTE THANKS TO PATHAAN
The first three months of 2023 were a mixed bag. But the industry is breathing easy thanks to the super-success of Pathaan. Also, 2022 saw a lot of flops and ended on a low with the debacle of Cirkus. Hence, the few hits and average grossers in the first quarter spread smiles.
2023’s first release was Kuttey, starring Arjun Kapoor, Tabu, Radhika Madan and Kumud Mishra. The film carried limited buzz and failed due to average word of mouth. Pathaan, meanwhile, broke records left, right and centre. The Shah Rukh Khan-starrer was expected to do a business of Rs. 250-300 crores. But it managed to collect around Rs. 515 crores, thereby breaking the long-standing record of Baahubali 2.
A week after Pathaan came two small releases, Faraaz and Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbat. Both sank without a trace, though Faraaz got acclaim, more so after its Netflix premiere. Shehzada was released on February 17 and a lot was expected from the Kartik Aaryan-starrer. But it opened below expectations and flopped. Selfiee, starring Akshay Kumar and Emraan Hashmi, shocked the trade and industry with its very poor opening and lifetime earnings.
March, however, was better. Ranbir Kapoor-Shraddha Kapoor’s Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar did quite well, considering it was an urban romcom. Its lifetime collections are expected to be around Rs. 125 crores. These are very good numbers at a time when films are struggling to cross Rs. 40 or Rs. 50 crores mark. However, due to high costs, it’ll have to settle for an average verdict.
Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, starring Rani Mukerji, wasn’t a huge grosser. But despite being a niche film, it trended quite well and the word of mouth was very positive. If all goes well, it’ll cross the Rs. 25 crores mark. It was reasonably budgeted and the makers also recovered the entire cost of production from the sale of TV and OTT rights.
Bheed, directed by Anubhav Sinha, was a major disaster. Ajay Devgn’s Bholaa was released in the last week of March. A lot was expected from this film but it’ll be an average grosser at best due to high costs and mixed word of mouth. What also went against the film is that it was released in the month of Ramzan, which kept a section of the target audience away.
Speaking of Hollywood, the films that were released with expectations like Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania and Shazam! Fury Of The Gods, failed. John Wick: Chapter 4, meanwhile, was a pleasant surprise and it’ll enter the Rs. 50 crores club.
The industry now looks forward to the second quarter. Surprisingly, the month of May might not have a single major Bollywood release. But the industry will compensate for it with Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan’s release on Eid, on April 21, and also with the releases of Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan on June 2, Prabhas’ Adipurush on June 16, Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan on June 23, and Kartik Aaryan-Kiara Advani’s Satyaprem Ki Katha on June 29.
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 772
9:09 AM
TWO DRY WEEKS BEFORE THE GRAND EID RELEASE, KISI KA BHAI KISI KI JAAN
Last week's release Bholaa, directed by Ajay Devgn, is having a decent run at the box office. It stars Ajay in the lead role as well and it was released on a Thursday, March 30, to take advantage of the Ram Navami holiday. It opened at Rs. 10.25 crores and then dropped on Friday, as it collected Rs. 6.50 crores. Thankfully, there was a jump on Saturday (Rs. 10.50 crores) and Sunday (Rs. 12.75 crores). It is holding well on the weekdays and it is expected to collect around Rs. 55 crores in the first week. The collections are not the best but are respectable. Bholaa has a chance of collecting around Rs. 80-90 crores in its lifetime. Crossing the Rs. 100 crores mark seems doubtful at this point.
Meanwhile, tomorrow will see the release of Gumraah. It is the official remake of Thadam and stars Aditya Roy Kapur in a double role. Mrunal Thakur and Ronit Roy also feature in the film, which is an action thriller.
The trailer of Gumraah is alright while the songs haven't worked. The awareness of the film is very limited. However, since it releases on the Good Friday holiday, it'll have some advantage. The opening will be in the range of Rs. 1 crore. If the word of mouth is very positive, it can see a jump. Or else, it will have a lifetime in the range of Rs. 10 to 15 crores.
The other major release is the Hollywood animation flick, The Super Mario Bros Movie. As the name suggests, it is based on a popular video game. Though ticket sales are limited, it can surprise and get a good turnout, especially in urban multiplexes. The Super Mario Bros Movie will have extensive paid previews today, that is, Thursday, April 6 from 6:00 pm onwards.
Next week, too, won't be an exciting one and all eyes are now on the Eid release, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. Starring Salman Khan, it will release in theatres on Friday, April 21.
Last week's release Bholaa, directed by Ajay Devgn, is having a decent run at the box office. It stars Ajay in the lead role as well and it was released on a Thursday, March 30, to take advantage of the Ram Navami holiday. It opened at Rs. 10.25 crores and then dropped on Friday, as it collected Rs. 6.50 crores. Thankfully, there was a jump on Saturday (Rs. 10.50 crores) and Sunday (Rs. 12.75 crores). It is holding well on the weekdays and it is expected to collect around Rs. 55 crores in the first week. The collections are not the best but are respectable. Bholaa has a chance of collecting around Rs. 80-90 crores in its lifetime. Crossing the Rs. 100 crores mark seems doubtful at this point.
Meanwhile, tomorrow will see the release of Gumraah. It is the official remake of Thadam and stars Aditya Roy Kapur in a double role. Mrunal Thakur and Ronit Roy also feature in the film, which is an action thriller.
The trailer of Gumraah is alright while the songs haven't worked. The awareness of the film is very limited. However, since it releases on the Good Friday holiday, it'll have some advantage. The opening will be in the range of Rs. 1 crore. If the word of mouth is very positive, it can see a jump. Or else, it will have a lifetime in the range of Rs. 10 to 15 crores.
The other major release is the Hollywood animation flick, The Super Mario Bros Movie. As the name suggests, it is based on a popular video game. Though ticket sales are limited, it can surprise and get a good turnout, especially in urban multiplexes. The Super Mario Bros Movie will have extensive paid previews today, that is, Thursday, April 6 from 6:00 pm onwards.
Next week, too, won't be an exciting one and all eyes are now on the Eid release, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. Starring Salman Khan, it will release in theatres on Friday, April 21.
Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan is the only clean hit in 2023's first quarter
8:17 AM
With Bollywood wrapping up its first quarter, Shah Rukh’s Pathaan remains sole bright spot, Tu Jhoothi doesn’t break even; trade says business down by 30 per cent
Hiren Kotwani (MID-DAY; April 4, 2023)
Can you imagine a better way to start the year than with a blockbuster? In late January, Shah Rukh Khan arrived in cinemas with Pathaan, ready to decimate the box office. The spy thriller, which saw the superstar returning to the big screen after a four-year hiatus, went on to reportedly collect over Rs 500 crores, becoming the biggest hit of Hindi cinema. With it, the film industry and trade circuit felt that the debacle of 2022 was behind them. Three months into the year, however, it’s a different story.
Veteran trade analyst Amod Mehra notes that the Khan-starrer is the only bright spot in the first quarter. “Its success was encouraging, and made everyone feel like things would change. But subsequent films crashed. So, it is back to square one,” says Mehra.
February saw two big Hindi releases, Kartik Aaryan’s Shehzada, and Akshay Kumar-Emraan Hashmi’s Selfiee. The former came with high expectations — it was Aaryan’s first theatrical release since last year’s surprise hit Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. Additionally, it was the remake of Allu Arjun’s Telugu movie, Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020).
Producer and film business expert Girish Johar attributes the failure of Shehzada and Selfiee to sub-par content. “Shehzada was a copy-paste remake with no new elements. Selfiee was completely dated, despite having big names and being backed by a big banner [Dharma Productions]. People rejected it from the word go. The Q1 business was down by 30 per cent compared to the pre-pandemic times,” says Johar. While Shehzada’s lifetime domestic collections read Rs 30 crores, Selfiee reportedly ended its run at Rs 14 crores.
Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor’s March release, Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, had better luck at the cinemas. Despite having made approximately Rs 120 crore, Luv Ranjan’s rom-com isn’t considered a hit due to its high cost. Johar, instead, dubs Rani Mukerji’s Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway “a winner” as the small-budget film is heading towards collections of Rs 25 crores.
Ajay Devgn, who delivered a blockbuster in Drishyam 2 (2022), rounded off this year’s first quarter with Bholaa, which collected Rs 44.28 crore (nett) over its four-day weekend. However, Telugu star Nani’s Dasara, which released across India on the same day, has accumulated a cool Rs 55 crore across all languages.
Johar says the two can’t be compared. “Dasara is a reasonably budgeted film, while Bholaa, which released in 2D, 3D, and IMAX has a much higher landing cost. Plus, Bholaa, being an adaptation of Tamil film Kaithi (2019), hasn’t got the audience in south India flocking to the theatres.”
Looking ahead
In the coming months, Manoj Desai, executive director of Maratha Mandir and G7 cineplex, will be banking on Salman Khan’s Eid offering Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan, and Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan that arrives in June. He says, “The public wants entertainment. They don’t want to go to theatres and get bored. A good film will always work.”
People have spoken about the success of my films, why should I do so much mehenat-Tabu
8:06 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; April 4, 2023)
In the past few years, Tabu has been unstoppable. Yes, the actress has been seen in a range of films across genres, but more importantly, she’s been a part of some of the most successful films recently. She doesn’t go to town talking about it, but her work speaks for itself. Tabu, who plays a tough IPS officer Diana Joseph in Bholaa which hit the theatres last week, shares screen space with her friend and co-star of many films, Ajay Devgn. In a chat with Bombay Times, she talks about the comfort of being directed by him, playing several cop characters differently and why she does not feel the need to flaunt her successful run at the box office. Read on...
In his interview with us, Ajay Devgn said that the key to remaking a film is picking the story idea and adapting it. The role played by you was essayed by a male actor in the 2019 Tamil film Kaithi (of which this is a remake). How much of a difference do you think that has made to the film?
It’s the biggest difference as there’s a gender shift. Since it is a female character, the nuances are different. The equation between Bholaa and my character is exactly the way it was in the original, but of course, some things are different because she is a female cop. One of the most challenging things about my part was that my arm is in a sling throughout the movie, so it restricted my movements. So, the scenes that required me to run, fall and get on a truck were difficult, because with one hand, you are not as agile. We had an excellent 1000-member crew, and some of them have worked with Ajay for decades. So, I knew mujhe yeh log sambhal lenge. I didn’t have to be extra vigilant. I have worked with that action team for so many years. During Prem, I had worked with Ajay’s father (action director Veeru Devgan).
You have worked with Ajay in so many films and both of you have been friends for years. So, by now, do you perfectly understand how to work with him and around him, without much being explained?
Yes, I understand exactly what he wants. I understand his moods, personality and rhythm well. I know him as a person — his likes, dislikes, how he functions and what he wants to convey even though he doesn’t use too many words to explain. It is easy to work with him. I know when to leave him alone, when he is tense or relaxed. Isiliye shayad mujhe aisa lag nahi raha hai ki maine kisi director ke saath kaam kiya hai, also because he’s acting in the film, it was fun. As actors, we have worked extensively. In recent times (films like De De Pyaar De, Golmaal Again and the Drishyam franchise), we were paired in each film in an interesting manner, and our journey since 2015 has been very strong. It has its own solid space. I think these films have accommodated us well together.
After Drishyam and Kuttey, we are seeing you play a cop once again in Bholaa. What attracts you to play these strong characters of a woman in uniform?
Filmmakers came to me with these roles with the thought that I would be good at playing them, and I have loved the parts. Also, I liked the roles apart from the fact that they were of a cop. She’s a woman and being a cop is just a part of her work. There are many other things that dictate her behaviour, and those things made her who she is on screen. These were some interesting aspects to play. These three films were so different from one another that you automatically have varied roles on your plate. Pammi of Kuttey is very different from Meera Deshmukh of Drishyam, and so is Diana Joseph of Bholaa from the other two.
Last year, you struck gold at the box office as Drishyam 2 and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 proved to be massive hits. While most actors would flaunt this achievement, you enjoy the success in your own way (quietly, we assume) and move on to the next.
Everybody said it (that the films were successful and made money), then why should I talk about it? Mere nahi bolne se thodi na woh fact chhup gaya? Dekho, jab duniya koi cheez bolti hain na, toh aapko chup baith jaana chahiye. Everybody else was doing the job for me, so why should I do so much mehenat (laughs!). Mujhe kuch toh apne seniority ka faida hona chahiye na, ki mujhe ab zaroorat nahi hai bolne ki. Mujhe pehle kabhi bhi zaroorat mehsoos nahi hoti thi, but abhi doosron ko bolne do yaar, maine apna kaam kar diya. See, ultimately, people should do what they enjoy doing and what really exudes through their personality. I have always been like this. It’s not like main suddenly aise ban gayi hoon.
Merger was the best way to make balance sheet stronger-Ajay Bijli
8:28 AM
Vinod Mahanta and Javed Farooqui (THE ECONOMIC TIMES; March 27, 2023)
A key priority for PVR-Inox currently is improving margins through better capital and operating expenses, says managing director Ajay Bijli. In an interview with ET’s Vinod Mahanta and Javed Farooqui, Bijli talks about the contours of the deal to merge the two companies that has created the world’s fifth largest multiplex chain and what lies ahead for the combined entity. Edited excerpts:
What was the rationale behind the merger of PVR and Inox?
This (multiplex) business has always been about scale. Only when you reach a certain scale, do economies kick in. Achieving a certain scale allows for operating and cost efficiencies, as seen in large companies worldwide with 4,000-5,000 screens or more. The pandemic completely devastated our balance sheets and business. And, the best way to make our balance sheet stronger and address the challenges we faced was through the merger. The merger allowed us to take on the challenges that lay ahead in the the exhibition industry. But it also means we have more responsibility now with more screens, seats to fill, people to manage, and expectations to meet.
How is the integration process going on?
Fortunately, the integration process is going well. We started with the day-one structure and prioritized bringing people together. We hired Kornferry about three–four weeks ago to assist with this process. We developed the day-one structure to give clarity on everyone's roles and responsibilities, which was essential for our 23,000–24,000 employees. Now we are looking at synergies in every revenue line, and we have launched a new 100-day initiative called Parikrama. We're currently exploring ways to improve various aspects of our business, such as ticket prices, advertising revenue, and cost items, whether its capex or opex. There are about 13-14 initiatives that are going on simultaneously, which BCG is monitoring. We've informed the markets that it will take at least 12-24 months before we start seeing the benefits of our efforts. We have given it a value of Rs. 225 crore in synergy.
PVR and Inox promoters would own 10.6% and 16.9% of PVR-Inox, respectively. How will operational side of it work?
I have been appointed as the MD of the company by the board and shareholders, along with the Jain family as executive directors with equal representation on the board. The chairman is Pavan Jain. As MD, I am responsible for running the company for the next five years. At the operating level, we have two co-CEOs due to the large scale of our operations. We have roughly 1,700 screens, including 180 that are currently being fitted out. So, the span of control of Gautam Dutta, who is CEO of North and South, is equivalent to the span of control of Alok Tandon, who is looking after West, East and Central. Our focus is on economies of scale and adopting best practices from both companies.
Has occupancy reached pre-Covid levels? Will the higher ticket pricing hold after the Coronavirus bump subsides?
Occupancy rates vary by region, with the South having reached pre-Covid levels while West, North and East have not. We do think the ticket prices will hold. They haven't gone up by that much; it’s less than inflation in a three-year period. By the way, minimum wages have gone up, electricity has gone up, and so have all input costs. We have stayed below inflation.
Do you see a recovery in ad revenue once big-budget movies start doing better?
Everything is dependent on footfall — all our revenues are binary. The FY23-24 line-up is looking good. We have Ajay Devgn’s Bholaa releasing now, and John Wick: Chapter 4 has been released and has gotten a lot of traction. Then we have Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani. Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan is coming.
(Crisp) Movie Review: BHOLAA by FENIL SETA
4:12 PM
Bholaa is a grand action entertainer directed by Ajay Devgn and is set in one crazy night. The film starts on a great note. A few scenes are well executed and the action is quite stunning. It’s also a true-blue big-screen film. Sadly, the film fails on the emotional front. The storytelling is to blame here. And the major issue is that a lot of questions are unanswered and the makers have left it for the sequel. That’s not done as a film has to be complete in itself. Even Pathaan will have subsequent parts but its makers completed the story neatly. Something of that sort should have happened here as well. Speaking of performances, Ajay Devgn is in great form. He looks dashing and excels in action scenes. Tabu gives her best but is let down by the character. Amala Paul is hardly there and has a fine screen presence. Deepak Dobriyal is superb and one wishes he had more screen time. Amir Khan (Kadchi) leaves a mark. Sanjay Mishra is likeable. Vineet Kumar is menacing but is okay. Gajraj Rao is nothing special and the makers haven’t properly established his character’s background and connection with the plot. Makrand Deshpande is over the top. Arpit Ranka (Bhoora; undercover cop), Chetan Sharma (Chashmish), Deepali Gautam (Naina) and Kiran Kumar (I G Jayant Malik) are fair. The child actor Hirva Samir Trivedi (Jyoti) does well. All in all, Bholaa fails to create the desired impact.
My rating - ** out of 5!
My rating - ** out of 5!
Whenever I design my action scenes, I ensure that I don’t copy a shot from any Hollywood film-Ajay Devgn
8:34 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; March 30, 2023)
After enjoying the success of Drishyam 2, Ajay Devgn is all set to ace the action space once again with his film Bholaa. The action-packed entertainer, which hits the screens today, boasts of jawdropping action scenes, including a thrilling sixminute bike-truck chase scene. Like Ajay says, action by itself doesn’t work without strong emotions backing it, which is what fuels his latest directorial project. In a chat with Bombay Times, the actor-filmmaker talks about his father, action director Veeru Devgan, being the source of inspiration all his life, how he believes that technology has to be used efficiently in our cinema and his vision as a filmmaker. Read on:
This is your fourth film as a director. Most directors are known for certain kinds of film, which becomes their space. In your case, the common facet in your movies (Shivaay, Runway 34, Bholaa) is that it is high on technical expertise and finesse. That’s one strength you are using effectively in your storytelling…
Runway 34 was completely different from Shivaay, and Bholaa is completely different from the rest of them. I want to make films of different genres. Technology is there only to enhance the drama of the film and storytelling, and I use it accordingly. I never use technology only because I am tech-savvy.
You have said that you want to create an entire Bholaa world. Does that mean that you are looking at creating a franchise with a universe of its own around the character?
That’s the idea. The film ends on a note leaving scope for continuation. But everything also depends on how the film does. You can’t continue with the idea if it doesn’t work. The intention is that we bring in more characters and things like that ahead.
At a time when remakes are not really working at the box office, your last film Drishyam 2, which was a remake, was a huge success. One of the reasons behind its success, the makers said was that they didn’t redo the film as is, but narrated the same story in a different way. So, when you are talking about creating a Bholaa world, are you doing it from an entirely fresh perspective?
Yes, it’s something new and wasn’t a part of Kaithi (Tamil film). When you see the film, you will realize that we have only picked up the story idea and adapted it. When you make remakes shot-to-shot, it’s a different thing (the results are different). But when you adapt it the way you want in terms of its characterization, drama, emotions and treatment, then it’s different. You start following your own path, which can lead you anywhere. What I have done is, I have merged it from real to surreal. All the positive characters in the film are very real, but all the negative characters are from a crazy world, not really the Mad Max (franchise) kind of a world, but in the larger-than-life kind of a zone.
Everyone is talking about the six-minute biketruck chase scene. How do you ensure that the action in your films take a leap with every project – in terms of visual impact, technical expertise and VFX?
I have inherited it from my father (action director Veeru Devgan). I have learnt most of it from him. He used technology at a time when it wasn’t available. He took it to a point where people were amazed at how he did a particular scene at that particular point. Now that I have the support of technology, I can take it forward and create something where even people who are exposed to technology will turn around and wonder how this was created. Whenever I design my action scenes, I ensure that I don’t copy a shot from any Hollywood film. In most of our movies, you see the action sequences and know that this is something you have seen in a Bond film, or a Mission Impossible. So, when you create something different, there is no reference point, and it becomes tougher to execute.
This action sequence that you are talking about was very risky. We needed some top-notch bikers, so we flew in some international ones, and some from Pune and rehearsed for three months. To capture the chase, cameras needed to be closer. It was riskier, and so we designed the equipment accordingly keeping safety in mind.
Do your children, Yug and Nysa, enjoy watching action films?
My son does. The bottom line is that every action has to have an emotion attached to it, else even a well-executed sequence will not connect with the audience. It is the drama and emotion behind the action which is important. Action alone doesn’t work; it is the emotion behind the action that makes it work and good directors know how to use it well. If you see KGF - Chapter 2, there was an emotion behind the action and that’s what worked. Back home, Yug loves action, but Nysa is not interested. Yug watches a lot of anime too. He’s started to watch a lot of films, and he’s waiting to see Bholaa.
Recently, you posted a pic of Yug and you arm wrestling for fun and the caption read, “Akeli ek ladai jise har baap haarna chahta hai (The only fight in which every father wants to lose).”
See, now that’s an emotion. The thought was not arm wrestling, but it was about the emotion that every father wants his son to do better than him. Today, they say – here comes Ajay Devgn, but after 20 years, I would like to hear, 'Here comes Yug’s father'. That’s the mindset of every parent.
Bholaa looks like a film that is rooted in our culture, there is an Indianness to it. Do you believe that these stories, coming from our culture and history will make our cinema stand out?
To an extent, yes, I agree. Well, it’s not just the Indianness, but there’s more connect when you showcase your own culture in your film. Also, if the audience begins to feel that the hero’s character is one of them and the world (story setting) is their own, then it works better. In India, we are not making films on subjects like aliens because there has to be a connect. You make a film for your own market. We have grown up on supernatural mythologies, we have our epics like Mahabharat and Ramayana, which have every kind of character you can think of in this world. You see foreign directors picking these things and justifying their films, including Avengers or Avatar. All this is our own, and if we are not using it, then it’s our loss.
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 771
10:17 AM
WILL BHOLAA BE AJAY DEVGN’S NEXT BIG HIT AFTER DRISHYAM 2?
Ajay Devgn’s first major release of 2022 was Runway 34. It was also directed by him and despite having a promising storyline, it failed to work at the box office. However, 2022 ended on a rocking note for him as Drishyam 2 emerged as a huge blockbuster, collecting Rs. 233.52 crores. It did more than Brahmastra and that’s an achievement for a film that is not a typical big-scale film.
And now, Ajay Devgn is all set to present Bholaa to the audience. Like Runway 34, it is also directed by him and stars him and Tabu in the leading roles. Deepak Dobiryal, Sanjay Mishra, Gajraj Rao and Vineet Kumar feature in the film in supporting roles while Amala Paul has a cameo appearance. It is the remake of the Tamil hit Kaithi.
Bholaa’s campaigning began way back in November, with the unveiling of a sneak peek teaser. Another teaser was released in January followed by the trailer launch in March. The teaser got a very good response and heightened the buzz for the film. But the trailer failed to get the desired response. Moreover, the film looks like a mass entertainer, fit for single screens. The multiplex audience hasn't warmed up to the film yet. On top of it, it’s releasing in the holy month of Ramzan, when a section of the audience stays away. All these factors can prove detrimental.
Drishyam 2 opened at Rs. 14.92 crores. Bholaa is a bigger film but its opening will be around Rs. 10-11 crores. It releases tomorrow, on Thursday, to take advantage of the Ram Navami holiday. It’ll have a four-day weekend and if reports are positive, it can have a weekend of Rs. 40-50 crores. It also has negligible competition for the next 3 weeks. However, if reports are and also if it takes opening in single digits, it’ll struggle to even cross the Rs. 50 crores mark.
The other release of the week is Dasara, a Telugu film which is being dubbed in Hindi. It stars Nani and the Telugu original version will have a huge opening. But the Hindi version will face a tough time. Two weeks back, the South dubbed film Kabzaa had released on a huge scale but opened at just Rs. 50 lakhs. Dasara might open in a similar range or even lesser.
Lastly, on Disney+ Hotstar, viewers will get a chance to see Gaslight, from Friday, March 31. It stars Sara Ali Khan, Vikrant Massey and Chitrangda Singh and is directed by Pavan Kirpalani. The trailer is strictly okay. But due to the star cast, it’ll get viewership.
Ajay Devgn’s first major release of 2022 was Runway 34. It was also directed by him and despite having a promising storyline, it failed to work at the box office. However, 2022 ended on a rocking note for him as Drishyam 2 emerged as a huge blockbuster, collecting Rs. 233.52 crores. It did more than Brahmastra and that’s an achievement for a film that is not a typical big-scale film.
And now, Ajay Devgn is all set to present Bholaa to the audience. Like Runway 34, it is also directed by him and stars him and Tabu in the leading roles. Deepak Dobiryal, Sanjay Mishra, Gajraj Rao and Vineet Kumar feature in the film in supporting roles while Amala Paul has a cameo appearance. It is the remake of the Tamil hit Kaithi.
Bholaa’s campaigning began way back in November, with the unveiling of a sneak peek teaser. Another teaser was released in January followed by the trailer launch in March. The teaser got a very good response and heightened the buzz for the film. But the trailer failed to get the desired response. Moreover, the film looks like a mass entertainer, fit for single screens. The multiplex audience hasn't warmed up to the film yet. On top of it, it’s releasing in the holy month of Ramzan, when a section of the audience stays away. All these factors can prove detrimental.
Drishyam 2 opened at Rs. 14.92 crores. Bholaa is a bigger film but its opening will be around Rs. 10-11 crores. It releases tomorrow, on Thursday, to take advantage of the Ram Navami holiday. It’ll have a four-day weekend and if reports are positive, it can have a weekend of Rs. 40-50 crores. It also has negligible competition for the next 3 weeks. However, if reports are and also if it takes opening in single digits, it’ll struggle to even cross the Rs. 50 crores mark.
The other release of the week is Dasara, a Telugu film which is being dubbed in Hindi. It stars Nani and the Telugu original version will have a huge opening. But the Hindi version will face a tough time. Two weeks back, the South dubbed film Kabzaa had released on a huge scale but opened at just Rs. 50 lakhs. Dasara might open in a similar range or even lesser.
Lastly, on Disney+ Hotstar, viewers will get a chance to see Gaslight, from Friday, March 31. It stars Sara Ali Khan, Vikrant Massey and Chitrangda Singh and is directed by Pavan Kirpalani. The trailer is strictly okay. But due to the star cast, it’ll get viewership.
I tried to make excuses to not do action in Bholaa but Ajay Devgn had solutions for everything-Tabu
8:48 AM
On The Kapil Sharma Show, Tabu reveals how Bholaa actor-director Ajay tricked her into performing stunts, without a body double
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 25, 2023)
Give Tabu a scene, and she is likely to knock it out of the park. But she admits that action sequences are not her cup of tea. It turns out that the actor, who leads Bholaa alongside Ajay Devgn, was tricked into performing stunts in the actioner. She made the revelation when she shot for the upcoming episode of The Kapil Sharma Show, along with actor-director Devgn and Deepak Dobriyal. On the show, Tabu recalled being initially worried about having to explore action in the film.
“It was the first day of the shoot of my action sequence. So, I was scared. Ajay came to me and said that he would only take close-up shots, and that the rest of the action would be done by my body double. After he said this, I was relaxed,” she recounted. Little did she know about the turn of events that awaited her. In his bid to make the stunts look authentic, Devgn decided to do away with body doubles.
Tabu shared, “I was in my vanity van when Ajay’s assistant came to me with a harness and cable. I was confused about what was happening. He said, ‘The boss has decided that all the stunts will be done by you. He has instructed to give these harnesses to you.’ I tried to make excuses, but Ajay had solutions for everything. That is how I ended up doing the stunts in Bholaa.” Devgn’s directorial venture is a remake of Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Tamil hit, Kaithi (2019).
A week after Bholaa's release, Ajay Devgn and Tabu to begin shooting for Neeraj Pandey's Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
8:16 AM
After Bholaa’s release next week, Ajay and Tabu to kick off Mumbai leg of Neeraj’s musical thriller, Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 24, 2023)
For actor-director Ajay Devgn, it’s that frenetic final week before Bholaa releases next Friday. But even after the actioner hits the marquee, there will be little respite for the actor. Along with Bholaa co-star Tabu, he will soon kick off the second schedule of Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha. The musical thriller is a mix of old and new associations for Devgn — while it marks his tenth film with Tabu, it is his maiden collaboration with filmmaker Neeraj Pandey. The two were to previously join forces on Chanakya, but the drama was subsequently put on the back-burner.
Instead, they have teamed up for a love story that is said to span 20 years, between 2002 and 2023. While Devgn and Tabu shot for the movie’s first schedule in February, the director is now conducting the second leg at Film City, Goregaon, with the supporting cast that includes Jimmy Sheirgill and Saiee Manjrekar. Producer Shreyans Hirawat, whose last offering was Freddy (2022), says that the leads will join the stint by the first week of April.
“Ajay ji is currently tied up with the release of Bholaa, and we will wait for him to re-join the shoot. We hope to complete the principal photography by mid-May, and plan to release the film around Diwali,” he shares.
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha will be largely shot across Mumbai and Lucknow. “We will have one overseas schedule,” says Hirawat, adding that the music will be composed by Oscar winner MM Keeravani.
As much as the producer enjoys collaborating with Devgn, he admits that the opportunity to back Pandey’s vision made him come on board. “What attracted us to this project is Neeraj Pandey, as [our production house] seeks to work with top directors. We have worked with Ajay ji before on Shivaay [2016], and share a great working relationship with him.”
A romantic musical thriller is quite a departure for Pandey, who has been the mind behind A Wednesday (2008), Baby (2015) and the series Special Ops. When probed about the subject, the producer is reluctant to spill the details, stating, “All I can say is that it is a romantic thriller. It has action, but [staying true to] a typical Neeraj Pandey film, it doesn’t have too much of it.”
Bholaa's truck-bike chase was the toughest to execute. I wish my dad was around to see it-Ajay Devgn
7:56 AM
Saying that actor-filmmaker Ajay Devgn has hit it out of the park when it comes to gravity-defying action in his upcoming action-drama Bholaa which is releasing on March 30 (3D and IMAX 3D as well) would be an understatement. In the film directed by him, in which he also plays the protagonist, he has created a dangerous world with drug lords, gangs, cops and common men all fighting to grab the booty. And then, there are some who are fighting back to save the maal.
The actor who has a great understanding of the pulse of his audience has become synonymous with doing unbelievable stunts – remember the split on two bikes action in his debut film Phool Aur Kaante – for the last three decades. This time around, he once again promises to take action in Indian cinema to new heights. It’s going to be whistles and claps all the way for this mindboggling sequence.
While Bholaa, which is laced with a deeply emotional story, has non-stop action throughout the film, the highlight of the movie is – a prolonged bike-truck sequence that was shot painstakingly over 11 days with fighters, action specialists and supervisors from India and Europe. The bike sequences seen in the teaser and trailer of the film are some of the most impressive scenes in the movie. The lead actor himself has performed breathtaking bike scenes, which are fast, furious and tough to emulate.
Not one to give away too much, Ajay says, “The action of Bholaa is one of the highlights of the film. The truck-bike chase was the toughest to execute. I wish my dad (Veeru Devgan) was around to see the film. He probably would have given me a pat on the back because he spent his lifetime innovating film action. He was in a league by himself. But he would have understood where I’m coming from. I must add that somewhere what my father did has stayed with me.”
It took months of storyboarding and designing the action sequences in Bholaa-Ajay Devgn
8:44 AM
Admitting that the bike sequences were the most challenging part of Bholaa, actor-director Devgn on how they were storyboarded for months before being filmed
Hiren Kotwani (MID-DAY; March 8, 2023)
Last year, Ajay Devgn was among the handful of Bollywood stars who cracked the box office, delivering a smashing hit in Drishyam 2. Now, all eyes are on his next, Bholaa, with Tabu. Emotions may be at the core of the film, which tells the story of one night as an ex-convict helps the cops catch gangsters in exchange for meeting his daughter. But as actor-director Devgn gives his own interpretation to Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Tamil hit Kaithi (2019), action takes centre-stage.
Scenes from the recently released trailer establish this — in one instance, the leading man’s bike skids to a dramatic effect while speeding towards the baddies; in another, he swings from a moving truck to a bike. “The motorcycle sequences were the most challenging,” admits Devgn, before adding, “It took months of storyboarding and designing the action sequences, before we got down to shooting them.”
Probed on how many days it took to shoot them, the actor-filmmaker says, “When your planning and prep is done to the last detail, it doesn’t take long to shoot. We wrapped up the [entire film] in 73 to 75 days.”
The actor’s association with motorcycle stunts goes back over 30 years, to his debut film, Phool Aur Kaante (1991), where he performed a split on two bikes. That set the tone for his career as an action hero, though he proved his versatility as an artist over the decades.
As he returns to home turf with Bholaa, Devgn says it was necessary for action directors Ramazan Bulut and RP Yadav to think out of the box, especially in today’s times where social media users are quick to point out if an action set-piece is inspired by an international movie. “When you don’t have reference material, you push the envelope to design new stunts that go with the narrative,” he states.
Devgn says being tech-savvy aided him to work towards making Bholaa a visual experience in 3D and IMAX. “Every film gives [me] an opportunity to explore and experience something new. What you see in Bholaa is something we haven’t tried before, say in Tanhaji [The Unsung Warrior] or Runway 34.”
Mid-Day Exclusive: Check out Ajay Devgn, Amala Paul in Bholaa's song, Nazar Lag Gayegi
8:20 AM
Hiren Kotwani (MID-DAY; February 20, 2023)
Bholaa’s teaser indicates that Ajay Devgn’s directorial venture comes with a heavy dose of action. Now, mid-day brings the first look of the film’s track, Nazar Lag Gayegi, which releases today. The romantic song, shot in Varanasi, sees Devgn sharing screen space with south actor Amala Paul, who makes her Bollywood debut with the actioner.
Devgn says, “Nazar Lag Jayegi showcases the emotional aspect of the film. Irshad Kamil ji, Ravi Basrur and Javed Ali have beautifully brought out the characters’ emotions with their lyrics, composition and rendering respectively.”
The March 30 offering is an adaptation of Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Tamil thriller, Kaithi.
Box office ka sochke toh I don’t think koi bhi actor kaam kar sakta hai-Tabu
8:44 AM
The actor says what matters to her is that she got to be a part of some ‘fantastic creative exchanges’
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 4, 2023)
Tabu has fielded questions of all kinds in her career so far, ranging from those on money to her personal life. But, the one question that the actor finds toughest to answer is — what is the thought process behind selecting the films she does?
“I don’t put a lot of thought into it!” she tells us. “It’s been such a long journey... Usko backtrack karke decide karna is almost impossible. You can’t think, ‘Maine aisa kaunsa ingredient daala ki aisa hua’. There are so many factors, so many permutations and combinations. I really can’t encapsulate in a few sentences,” adds the 52-year-old, last seen in Kuttey.
Tabu, who has the Ajay Devgn-starrer Bholaa lined up next, says she just feels “lucky” to have been offered diverse characters and scripts. “I worked with directors and had fantastic creative exchanges. That’s important,” she adds.
Many actors have often said that their focus is just on doing good work and not so much on box-office numbers. As someone who starred in two of the biggest hits of 2022, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and Drishyam 2, how does Tabu look at things?
“Box office ka sochke toh I don’t think koi bhi actor kaam kar sakta hai,” she says, adding, “Of course, everybody would love the film to do well, no doubt. But, yeh sochke nahin koi kaam karta hai ki main hit picture mein kaam kar raha hoon. Matlab, I can’t. Of course, if it becomes a big hit, amazing! But, the idea is to always do things that excite you.”
Ajay Devgn to kick off romantic thriller with Neeraj Pandey in March
8:20 AM
Months after its announcement, Devgn to kick off romantic thriller with Neeraj Pandey in March; to follow it up with Rohit Shetty’s Singham 3
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; December 22, 2022)
By all counts, 2022 was a hectic year for Ajay Devgn, who had three releases in Runway 34, Thank God, Drishyam 2, and made his web debut with Rudra: The Edge of Darkness. Will next year be any lighter? Hardly so. The actor will open 2023 with Maidaan that hits the screens in February, followed by the release of his directorial venture Bholaa.
It is only in March that the actor will set foot on a movie set. mid-day has learnt that Devgn, who announced his first collaboration with Neeraj Pandey in October, will kick off the romantic thriller at the end of the first quarter.
A source reveals, “Ajay will sport a distinct look in Neeraj’s movie, and hence, it is necessary for him to shoot a chunk of the film in one go. While the leading lady has yet to be finalised, Jimmy Sheirgill plays a pivotal role in the movie.”
It may be recalled that in 2018, Devgn had announced that he would team up with Pandey for Chanakya. However, when the socio-political drama was put on the backburner in the subsequent years, the director developed another subject that would do justice to the superstar.
Another project will come calling on the heels of the yet-untitled romantic thriller. We hear Rohit Shetty will take his much-awaited Singham Again on floors in April. “The filmmaker was busy throughout 2022 with Cirkus, and Indian Police Force. Next year, he will turn his attention to Singham, the franchise that marked the origin of his cop universe. Ajay will try to wrap up Neeraj’s film before he reprises the role of upright cop Bajirao Singham,” states the source, before adding that Drishyam producer Kumar Mangat Pathak is also in talks with Devgn for a film.
“If Ajay gives his nod, he may begin the shoot from January, before diving into his movies with Neeraj and Rohit.”
Devgn’s spokesperson remained unavailable for comment.
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