Showing posts with label Bloody Daddy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bloody Daddy. Show all posts
Nobody gives you a chance just because they love you-Sanjay Kapoor
8:02 AM
Amid resurgence of many ’90s stars, House of Lies actor Sanjay Kapoor says only those who were focused throughout their career have reclaimed their place in the movies
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; June 7, 2024)
Merry Christmas, Murder Mubarak, and now House Of Lies—Sanjay Kapoor has had a release every two months in the year so far. That’s a lot by any standard. To the actor, it’s a reaffirmation that perseverance always pays off.
“It’s not by chance that I did Bloody Daddy [2023], Made In Heaven 2, Merry Christmas, and so on. I have worked my ass off. It’s 30 years of experience, focus and perseverance [at work]. In the last one year, I have worked with directors Sriram Raghavan, Zoya Akhtar, Neeraj Ghaywan, Prakash Jha and Homi Adajania. People are happy even if they get to work with two or three such directors in their lifetime,” says the actor, who leads the Zee5 murder mystery.
The industry is witnessing a resurgence of several ’90s stars. While Bobby Deol made an assured comeback with Aashram and Animal (2023), Manisha Koirala recently headlined Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. Kajol and Raveena Tandon have fronted web series. How does Kapoor view this revival of sorts?
“These actors haven’t got work today by chance. Manisha had done great work even before, be it Bombay [1995] or 1942: A Love Story [1994]. Sometimes, you go through a transitional phase—you aren’t young enough to play a youngster, nor old enough to play an older character. With OTT, people are getting more opportunities. Also, you never heard anything wrong about all the actors you’ve mentioned. You heard their names only with regard to their work. These actors never lost hope or confidence in themselves. Bobby has spoken about it himself. It’s not that all the ’90s actors have made a comeback. There were others who lost their focus. Nobody is here to make your life; you have to build your own. Nobody is giving you a chance just because they love you.”
It’s certainly a wise lesson that his daughter Shanaya Kapoor, who is foraying into movies with Mohanlal’s Vrushabha, can benefit from. Kapoor says his journey has taught Shanaya the importance of being dedicated.
“Shanaya is intelligent. She has seen that this industry is not a bed of roses; you have to work hard. I don’t have to advise her, I’m always there for her. She is focused. During the pandemic, she was taking diction and dance classes. She didn’t waste that time. Mentally, she will be strong because she has seen my journey in the industry.”
Stardom was relevant 20 years ago because you got to watch a star only at the movies-Shahid Kapoor
10:15 AM
Fronting rom-com Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya when action movies are ruling the roost, Shahid says artistes must present their vision to audience fearlessly
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; February 1, 2024)
Bollywood can keep doling out action films, but Shahid Kapoor is in the mood for love. After fronting crime thriller Farzi and action fare Bloody Daddy last year, the actor was keen to return to the romantic comedy genre. His wish came true quickly.
“I wanted to change things up. I had grown up watching [rom-com] movies, and was missing them. Maybe we weren’t making good ones, maybe the directors who aced them were not as fresh now—I was thinking all these things when I found this script,” he says, referring to Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya. The Kapoor and Kriti Sanon-starrer promises to be a breezy story of a guy falling in love with a humanoid robot.
Surely, a novel choice, but not risk-proof. Kapoor is aware that spectacle movies are dominating the scene today. But the actor goes by his gut feeling, not box-office formula. “You can either be success-oriented or creatively driven. [Ideally], you should have a balance of both. But with time, as a fraternity, we are looking at the audience to tell us what they want to watch and then we go around making it. By the time it’s out, how do you know the audience still feels like that? I backed my feeling, and didn’t wait for the audience to tell me.”
Following one’s gut feeling is not easy, but he believes that an artiste and his art must be brave. “My job as an artiste is to make a film and ask you, ‘Did you like it?’ I cannot want the answer before posing the question. You have to be braver than that.”
In his two-decade career, the actor has constantly mixed things up, juggling a romantic comedy in Jab We Met (2007) and a gritty thriller in Kaminey (2009), a masala fare in R… Rajkumar (2013) and an intense drama in Haider (2014). To him, making unsafe choices is the only way to sustain stardom.
“Today, people get bored fast. Stardom in [all its mystique] was relevant 20 years ago because you got to watch a star only at the movies. But now, you see a star everywhere. It’s more difficult to hold on to your stardom. Your talent, craft and choices will reignite the audience’s interest in you. So, safe choices are unsafe, and unsafe choices are safer today.”
I lost a film deal for speaking about casting couch-Rajeev Khandelwal
8:24 AM
Aditi Pancholi (BOMBAY TIMES; October 4, 2023)
Breaking away from his 'good boy' image, Rajeev Khandelwal pleasantly surprised the audience with his recent portrayal as a villain in Bloody Daddy.
"I have always been open to playing such roles, but unfortunately, most people have this set perception of me as a 'good boy,' and I wasn't the one who crafted this image. But of late, with the advent of OTT, in my forthcoming shows, most makers are willing to experiment with my roles. So, I am happy that things are changing for me, and Bloody Daddy certainly did dent my image as a good boy," says the actor.
On his Ahmedabad memories
I have some great memories from St. Xavier's Hostel. I was the favourite student of my hostel's rector. The kinds of things we did in college – from making people eat cow dung cakes to painting the town red to impress the 'woman of your interest,' to colouring the entire college early in the morning before our classes started. We used to enjoy having maska buns opposite IIM, and even the NID college canteen was amazing back then. We used to order one plate and share it among three people. I had an interesting experience of sleeping at Kalupur railway station for two days. My two friends and I once wanted to start a catering business and began delivering tiffins only to our 'women of interest,' but nothing happened, and the business didn't take off. I was asked to leave the hostel, and I didn't know where to go, and I had too much pride to sleep in someone else's room. In my head, I was writing this story to share with the rest of the world that I had spent two nights at a railway station (laughs).
On his break from TV
TV has never been a no-no for me. I have always been open to doing TV shows, but unfortunately, whenever an opportunity comes my way, it tends to follow the same set of patterns. They still stick with the basic formulas, which probably work for them. I want to do more TV because I received so much love from that medium, and I want to give back all the love to its audience. Unfortunately, at the moment, it's not offering me anything that excites me.
On the casting couch experience
It happens in almost every industry and has been happening for many years now. One needs to know how to handle it. I feel bad for those who end up being the victims of it, but if you decide to go along with it, it is your call. Every individual should know how to handle it, understand what it is, and not just be innocent and feel exploited. To be honest, when I faced it (the casting couch) I was nervous at that time. I had just entered the industry, and a senior director approached me. I had to keep telling him that I was in a happy relationship (even though I had none), but he was persistent. Eventually, I had to say no to the projects, which was my way of saying no to him. Later, I was told that I had lost a two-film deal (those films never came out, by the way)
On OTT impacting the viewership of TV
Today, we have access to everything within a week, and we have the comfort of watching it at our own pace and time. Though I don't have the statistics, I feel that people who used to watch TV are no longer doing so; viewership must have declined.
If you’re a 90s actor having done typical roles, it’s not easy to get a breakthrough in OTT-Sanjay Kapoor
8:55 AM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; September 15, 2023)
“I find myself in a good space today,” says Sanjay Kapoor, who has recently been seen in a string of interesting OTT projects. The actor seems to be in a phase where he is reinventing himself with every new project that he is doing. He talks to BT about how it took him so long to get his due and how he feels about where he is.
‘Good content needs talented artistes’
Self-admittedly, Sanjay, who will soon be seen in Sriram Raghavan’s film ‘Merry Christmas’, is in the best phase of his career with the kind of work he is doing on the OTT medium.
He says, “OTT has ushered in a great phase not just for me, but for most actors. For one, age is not a bar. Secondly, it is not dependent on the hits you’ve given. It’s no longerki ye bikta hai toh agar ye theek bhi kar lega toh chalega. It is sheer hard work, experience, and talent that will get you good projects. It’s a change that we are seeing in the film (big screen) scenario as well. Today, content is king, and good content needs talented artistes. OTT has extended the longevity of an actor as well as films. In fact, it has revived the 90s for me.”
‘I lost out on my prime years for no fault of mine’
Sanjay was once dubbed ‘the oldest newcomer’ in Bollywood when his debut film, ‘Prem’, took six years to complete. He was 30 when his first film hit the big screen.
He recalls, “Shekhar (Kapur) was to direct it before Satish Kaushik took over. It didn’t happen for some reason, and I lost out on my prime years for no fault of mine. ‘Prem’ and ‘Raja’ were released a month apart in 1995, and people rejected ‘Prem’ as it was outdated. Hurdles and long waits can make you doubt yourself. It was tough to go through that phase, but that didn’t make me disillusioned or bitter because that’s not my personality. I take the good and the bad in my stride.”
The actor, who has been a part of projects like ‘The Fame Game’, the ‘Lust Stories’ anthology, the film ‘Bloody Daddy’ and ‘Made in Heaven 2’, adds, “When people ask me for advice for aspiring actors, I say, ‘Keep on working because nobody can take away your talent from you. I’m living proof of the fact that success in this field may take time. Also, don’t sell yourself short’.”
‘A short film like ‘Lust Stories’ changed the game for me’
The actor is no stranger to the whims of showbiz, and the delay of his debut film was not the only time he saw his career slow down. “I often wonder why people didn’t sign me after my work started getting appreciated, especially after ‘Luck by Chance’ (2009). You don’t always have answers to these whys. A short film like ‘Lust Stories’ changed the game for me. I see my glass half full now,” he observes, adding, “How many actors have survived 30 years? Trust me, if you’re a 90s actor having done typical roles, it’s not easy to get a breakthrough in OTT. I got in because of my hard work, sincerity, and dedication. I was always on my toes and when I got the opportunity, I grabbed it with both hands. Many other actors who had started with me have faded into oblivion.”
‘I don’t want to be a part of a project where I am not contributing anything’
One day, a message from filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar seemed to wipe away all the questions that Sanjay may have harboured about the numerous delays and hurdles he encountered throughout his Bollywood journey. “You are the most underrated actor ever,” read the filmmaker’s message to the actor after the release of ‘Bloody Daddy’. Sanjay says, “It feels great to hear this after 30 years!”
Hailing from the illustrious Kapoor family of Bollywood, Sanjay is aware of his place in the industry. He says, “I am not living in la-la land to think all projects shall be around me. I understand that not every project can be a ‘Fame Game’ that revolves around Madhuri (Dixit-Nene) and me. While I don’t live in a fool’s paradise, I don’t want to be a part of a project where I am not contributing anything, especially when things have come to me after such a long time. I am being a little careful and taking up interesting characters that stay with the audience for long.”
I’ve always craved the audience’s respect-Shahid Kapoor
3:35 PM
If an artiste knows the ‘game they are playing’, a year or two of failure can’t ‘derail you’, feels Shahid Kapoor
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 10, 2023)
Having been around for two decades, actor Shahid Kapoor has seen the definition of stardom change, especially with the rise of social media and OTT. Despite both of his recent projects on the medium, Farzi and Bloody Daddy, registering most-watched numbers in their respective categories (according to an Ormax report), the actor continues to place greater importance on an entirely different marker. “I’ve always craved the audience’s respect. Once an artiste has people’s respect, they will be able to create consistency in their graph,” the 42-year-old says.
That is why, by opting for the OTT projects that he did, Kapoor stepped into uncharted territory — channelising the angst he has exhibited in his big- screen roles into parts that required slickness and flirting with grey shades. “You shouldn’t presume that just because you’re a star, people across the board will like you. The audience has become very mature and clear about who they like. I was keen to see how people would respond to me in that space,” he explains.
The Jersey (2022) actor stresses on “understanding the game you’re playing”. “There are highs and lows. You can see that happening to actors who’re super successful. You have to think about whether you’re here for 10 years, 15 or 30. Are you running a 100-metre race or a marathon? It’s important to understand if you’re playing the big game. Then, one or two [low] years here and there should not derail you,” Kapoor signs off.
People refuse to believe that I am not just a romantic boy-Rajeev Khandelwal
8:15 AM
With his recent work choices, actor Rajeev Khandelwal hopes to bring his versatility to the forefront
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 2, 2023)
With the film Bloody Daddy, Rajeev Khandelwal got a chance to play a “negative and sly antagonist”. However, the actor, best known for his portrayal of Sujal Garewal from Kahiin To Hoga or Rajveer Singh Shekhawat in Left Right Left, finds it puzzling that the audience continues to perceive him as “just a romantic boy”.
“I have not done romantic roles since my first show. I’ve done projects such as Aamir (2008), Shaitan (2011) and Table No 21 (2013), too. But people refuse to believe that I am not just a romantic boy,” says the actor.
But, the 47-year-old is happy that his first outing as a negative character turned out to be “overwhelming and unexpected”. The Jaipur-born actor informs us that it has translated into more projects coming later this year that are different from the “nice-boy image”.
As he continues to explore new avenues, Khandelwal recalls his way up the “not-so-easy” path of success, starting with the decision of quitting his first television show.
“I was offered more money to not quit. But, I followed my gut. After a couple of years, when it was not over for me, as predicted by many, I drew strength from my decisions,” shares Khandelwal, adding, “I used to be apprehensive, but with each call of mine, I got the confidence to take further steps. And till date, I have followed my instincts and kept insecurity at bay.”
Is web now Bollywood's safety blanket?
8:46 AM
A number of star-led projects these days are headed directly to digital platforms, ditching theatrical release. We decode
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 29, 2023)
What’s common among Shahid Kapoor-starrer Bloody Daddy, Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor-starrer Bawaal and Blind, featuring Sonam Kapoor Ahuja? Its makers ditched a big screen release and took the direct-to-OTT route. Amid the supposed resurgence of the box office, looks like makers consider the web a safer bet to release films.
The box-office performance of Indian films has marginally dipped, though Hindi movies have shown improvement, according to Ormax Media’s bi-annual report. Could this be a reason for the increase in the number of web-first releases?
Trade expert Atul Mohan says, “Makers feel going to OTT is a safer bet and streaming platforms also want big names, to get subscribers. When makers sense a film will not work, they strike a deal with a streaming platform and also save money on marketing. If the budget of a film is Rs. 65 crore, they usually spend Rs. 10-15 crore on promotions.”
FROM THE STREAMER’S MOUTH
According to Manish Kalra, chief business officer at ZEE5 India, the trend has a lot to do with the creative freedom the web offers: “From Salman Khan’s Radhe (2021) to recent hits Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai (starring Manoj Bajpayee) and Tarla (featuring Huma Qureshi and Sharib Hashmi), the [web] space provides creators a platform to connect with the audience, map preferences and bring stories with more compelling narratives.”
NOT A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL CONCEPT
Trade expert Taran Adarsh feels what’s meant for the big screen should head there: “For instance, in the case of Zara Hatke Zara Bachke, a lot of people said it is meant for OTT and that it will not make even Rs. 10 crore at the box office. But, it has made close to Rs. 90 crore, all because the producer took a big risk and released it in theatres. Makers should never underestimate the power of good cinema.”
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Whoever has put in money [in a film] should benefit, irrespective of the medium of release. I’d want all my films to be released on the big screen, but I understand the commercial aspect. So, as long as it is benefiting everybody and reaches viewers, I don’t mind where they (his films) release.
- Sharib Hashmi, actor
Producers are looking at the OTT space as a safer bet over the big screen. And that is fine. As long as a film is released somewhere... Kahin na aaye, usse better kahin toh release ho!
- Anees Bazmee, director
I don’t crave stardom because I enjoyed that on TV-Rajeev Khandelwal
8:30 AM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; July 18, 2023)
“If I had to succumb to the ways of the commercial film world, it would have happened long ago. I have been around for 20 years in this industry. I don’t think it is in my DNA.”
Rajeev Khandelwal took the audience by surprise with his recent outing as a baddie in ‘Bloody Daddy’. However, the one thing that has not changed from his journey starting with ‘Aamir’ (2008) to now, is his craving to stay away from clichés – in roles, movies, or just the way he wants to live his life.
“I don’t take myself or for that matter, life seriously. It’s meant to be lived and enjoyed to the fullest,” admits the actor. Rajeev sits down with us, for a heart-to-heart, by the sea at Marine Drive, pausing only to take in the light breeze. Excerpts.
‘I could not see myself in the role of an antagonist’
While ‘Bloody Daddy’ has received a lot of appreciation, Rajeev almost did not do the film. He reveals, “I just could not see myself in the role of an antagonist, because years ago, a director friend of mine was in discussion with me for the remake of ‘Sleepless Nights’ (‘Bloody Daddy’ is an adaptation of the film), in which I was to play Shahid Kapoor’s character. I let go of the project as he wanted me to produce it, too. So, when ‘Bloody Daddy’ was offered to me, I wondered whether I would be convincing enough. I took that leap of faith when director Ali Abbas Zafar said that the joy of making me do something different is much bigger than having any actor who is an obvious choice for the character. So, it was not a planned move.”
‘A star is somebody who shines bright and is accepted across mediums. He has an audience waiting to see him everywhere. However, today it is usually an outcome of a PR overdrive. You are made a star’
‘It’s not only about visibility and grabbing eyeballs but also about satiating your creative hunger. I can’t agree to do a bad script just to become a part of a big setup, a camp or to be visible. I wouldn’t have left everything (the stardom he attained on TV) if I wanted to conform to the popular norm’
‘After ‘Aamir’, I signed a commercial film by a top filmmaker’
After the success of ‘Aamir’, the audience expected Rajeev to follow it up with multiple projects. However, he took up far and few projects. Ask him if he regrets it and the actor says, “Not many people know that after ‘Aamir’, I had signed a commercial film by a top filmmaker and even shot for the poster. It didn’t take off and I ended up wasting a year and a half on it. But I don’t have any regrets because it was my choice to stick around to do that film. Following that, I declined several commercial films because I didn’t like the scripts. I would rather be seen in a short film, which people find worthy of their 10 minutes and appreciate my work. It’s not only about visibility and grabbing eyeballs but also about satiating your creative hunger. I can’t agree to do a bad script just to become a part of a big setup, a camp or to be visible. I wouldn’t have left everything (the stardom he attained on TV) if I wanted to conform to the popular norm.”
‘I don’t see transitioning from TV to films as any kind of graduation for actors. The only aspect that separates the two is the box-office numbers’
‘I had already tasted commercial success during my stint on TV, hence, I didn’t crave it’
Not the one to be swayed by stardom, Rajeev is known to be grounded. He says, “I had already tasted commercial success during my stint on TV, hence, I didn’t crave it. If commercial success means people recognizing, loving, whistling, and cheering for you, I had seen all of that with my TV show and I left it willingly. I could have remained a slave to this idea of success or moved on to new things, which might not get me the same amount of adulation but made me happy as an actor. I was craving something else which I got to taste with ‘Aamir’.”
‘I am not fond of too much attention. When people tell me that I am grounded, I feel that’s because they have come across 10 people who aren’t. So, I don’t read too much into it. At the end of the day, all of us are regular people trying to run our kitchens. I want adulation for the characters I play, and not for me’
I’m paid three times more than the next guy who’d do the role-Ronit Roy
8:45 AM
Syeda Eba Fatima (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 26, 2023)
Actor Ronit Bose Roy’s last few projects, including Thugs Of Hindostan (2018), Shamshera (2022) and Shehzada, failed to impress the audiences or work at the box office, but the actor prefers to look at the brighter side.
“These films are allowing me to build a bridge between me and filmmakers like Rohit Dhawan and Ali Abbas Zafar,” shares Roy, confessing that Shehzada was one such movie that he did only for its director, Dhawan. Without hesitation, the actor calls these no-brainer projects “a vacation”.
The 57-year-old explains, “In some films, performance isn’t needed. There’s barely any prep; you just get in there and be true to your role. These are like a vacation where you go on set and chill. And I don’t mind it because simultaneously, I’m also getting to play lead roles in other smaller films.”
While the failure of these films often leads to fans questioning his choices, the actor says he’s aware of their disappointment, and hence, he often writes to them on social media that he has no choice but to keep working. “Wahi baat hai, ‘marta kya na karta’. You can’t even say no to projects because it’s your job, and you have to continue doing it,” the Bloody Daddy actor says, adding, “Though I’m always aware what I’m getting into, there have been times when you are promised something, and then the results are something else. Those are the times you feel underutilized also, but then you can’t do anything about it.”
Nonetheless, Roy is happy with his career trajectory because of other factors, including good money. “I’m paid three times more than the next guy who’d do the role. That means there’s respect for my name and face. People recognize me as a good actor and that matters,” he ends.
I was offered the lead in Bloody Daddy; was asked to co produce it as well-Rajeev Khandelwal
8:18 AM
Rajeev, who plays antagonist in Bloody Daddy, reveals that he was offered the protagonist’s role in the actioner years ago
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; June 17, 2023)
The audience wasn’t the only one surprised to see Rajeev Khandelwal as an antagonist in Bloody Daddy. It turns out the actor was equally surprised that director Ali Abbas Zafar envisioned him as the sly Narcotics Control Bureau officer Sameer Singh. So much so that Khandelwal was initially hesitant about taking up the role.
“I know that people have an image of me [as the good guy]. So, to essay the role of a baddie with that [notion] in my head was difficult. Subconsciously, I thought I may not be able to convince people that I am sly and manipulative. But Ali was sure that it would be interesting to have me play this role. Shahid [Kapoor, leading man] said the same thing when I met him on the set,” says the actor.
It looks like Khandelwal was fated to be a part of the project, which is an adaptation of the French film, Blanche Nuit (2011). He reveals that the Hindi adaptation was offered to him before, where he was to play the lead.
The people, who had the film’s rights, wanted me to co-produce it too. I refused because I didn’t want to produce at that stage of my career. After imagining myself as the [protagonist], it was challenging to portray a character from the antagonist’s perspective.”
Even harder was pulling off a five-minute hand-to-hand combat scene with Kapoor. Khandelwal shares that he ended up injuring himself severely while filming the set-piece. “It was one of the high points of the film, and would be shot over three days. On the day of the shoot, I ended up having a ligament and meniscus tear. At the time, I didn’t know the severity of the injury. I put a lot of ice packs, and thought I could have another go at the scene after talking to the physiotherapist. But Ali and Shahid asked me to rest.”
While the team was ready to push the shoot, Khandelwal insisted on filming the sequence. “After that, I couldn’t even get up. By evening, I had to get an MRI done and was told that surgery was the only option. When I insisted on completing the scene, they said I could stand and sit with the help of a knee brace. Next day, I wore the brace, and finished the entire fight sequence.”
(Crisp) Movie Review: BLOODY DADDY by FENIL SETA
10:01 AM
Bloody Daddy, which has released today on Jio Cinema, starts on a rocking note. The action scene sets the mood. The conflict is well-defined and the various happenings in the first half take the film many notches higher. Sadly, the film goes flat in the second half. It is unimaginative and the climax is devoid of any excitement. Bloody Daddy is directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, who has handled films like Sultan, Tiger Zinda Hai, Jogi etc quite effectively. Even here, he shows his brilliance but sadly, is let down by the script in the second half. Speaking of performances, Shahid Kapoor looks dashing and delivers a rocking performance. He completely looks convincing as the ‘bloody daddy’ who can go to any lengths for his family. Ronit Roy and Sanjay Kapoor induce fear and laughter perfectly as per the requirement. Rajeev Khandelwal is okay but scores with his sarcastic dialogues. Diana Penty does fine but her character isn’t neatly fleshed out. Sartaaj Kakkar (Atharv), Zeishan Quadri (Jaggi), Vikram Mehra (Bunty; newly joined bartender), Vivan Bhathena (Danny) and Ankur Bhatia (Vicky) do well in the supporting roles. Mukesh Bhatt (Rafique) is funny while Anant Manger (Nepalese cook) is lovely. All in all, Bloody Daddy is an average fare at best.
My rating - ** ½ out of 5!
My rating - ** ½ out of 5!
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 781
10:19 AM
ZARA HATKE ZARA BACHKE IS A SURPRISE HIT; NOT MUCH HOPE FROM GADAR'S RE RELEASE AND TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS
Zara Hatke Zara Bachke, which was released last week, was expected to be yet another underperforming film of the year. The challenges in front of the film were immense - the trailer had not worked, the star cast was not that exciting and the perception had spread that it looks like an 'OTT film'.
However, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke overcame all these challenges. The makers played on the film's plusses - the song 'Phir Aur Kya Chahiye' became a hit, the film came at a time when there was a dearth of big Hindi releases. Also, despite the weak trailer, the film seemed relatable. The lead actors, Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan, also went all out with promotions.
A day before the release, the makers announced that those who book the tickets on the popular ticketing app, BookMyShow, will get one ticket free on every ticket. This led to a spike in bookings.
Due to a combination of these factors, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke opened at a huge Rs. 5.25 crores. The industry and trade expectation was that it will open at Rs. 2 crores. Hence, no one ever imagined that this film's opening would be more than bigger films like Shehzada (Rs. 5.03 crores) and Selfiee (Rs. 2.60 crores)! The word of mouth is mixed. Yet, it grew on Saturday, collecting Rs. 7 crores and on Sunday, it further jumped to Rs. 9.50 crores. The BookMyShow offer was extended till Monday. On the fourth day, it collected Rs. 3.75 crores. There was no offer on Tuesday and yet it collected Rs. 3.50 crores. The first week's collections are expected to be around Rs. 35 crores. If all goes well, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke will have a lifetime of Rs. 50 crores.
Many felt that Zara Hatke Zara Bachke did so well due to the BookMyShow offer. But then many cinemas saw spot bookings. The offer was not valid in such a scenario. This shows that there was a lot of interest among the moviegoers to watch the film which the industry and trade failed to notice.
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, the other release last week, is also doing great. The film collected around Rs. 18 crores in its extended weekend (it released on Thursday, June 1). It will collect around Rs. 30-35 crores in its lifetime and this is a feat for an animated version.
This week's big theatrical release is Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts. The series is not that popular in India. Releasing on Thursday, June 8, it just has one week to score as next week will see the release of two big films - Adipurush and The Flash.
On OTT, the big release is Bloody Daddy. It stars Shahid Kapoor and is directed by Ali Abbas Zafar. The film looks quite cinematic but it's releasing on Jio Cinema. Since the film will be available for free, the viewership is expected to be tremendous.
Finally, Gadar will re-release in cinemas tomorrow, June 9. The decision was taken as Gadar 2 will arrive in cinemas on Independence Day this year. Not much is expected for the first part to do well in cinemas as it has been consumed tremendously by viewers over the years. Yet, one should be prepared for a surprise. Earlier this year, Jab We Met re-released on Valentine's Day 2023 and got decent occupancy. Gadar might also follow suit.
I would tell Shahid Kapoor, ‘What I’m doing with you is only 50% of what I would’ve done with Salman Khan’-Ali Abbas Zafar
8:28 AM
Bloody Daddy director Zafar says the Shahid-starrer was envisioned as an OTT film from the start since the action is raw and ‘graphic’
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; June 8, 2023)
Big-screen entertainers, from Sultan (2016) to Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), have been Ali Abbas Zafar’s forte. But his language of cinema changed, as he moved to digital entertainment with Tandav (2021) and Jogi (2022). With the upcoming Bloody Daddy, the director brings his signature larger-than-life treatment to streaming platforms.
Zafar says, “From the beginning, it was a conscious decision to make this film for an OTT platform, so that we don’t have to go through any censorship issues later. The film’s visual language is a little graphic. We were clear that we wanted to make the action look raw and real.”
At the centre of the actioner — adapted from the French film, Sleepless Night [2011] — is Shahid Kapoor playing a Narcotics Control Bureau officer, who has to return a seized bag of drugs in exchange for his abducted son. The Jio Cinema offering has fulfilled the actor-director duo’s long-standing wish to team up.
“We’ve known each other from the time I was an assistant director on Badmaash Company (2010). After I became a director, I often told him that the day I find a good story for him, I’ll bring it to him.”
Kapoor was the first name that came to his mind for the actioner. “Shahid liked the idea. When I wrote the script and went to him after three months, he could see himself clearly as Sumair.”
The director admits that his leading man and he have different sensibilities in cinema. Bloody Daddy then is the marriage of the two schools of thought. “Shahid likes to do credible films, and I come from a mainstream background. So, we had to find a common ground, on paper and on set. Sometimes, before a scene, he’d tell me that it’s [over the top]. I’d then tell him, ‘What I’m doing with you is only 50 per cent of what I would’ve done with Salman Khan.’ Sometimes, we would do things his way. It was a good marriage of creative minds.”
Action film franchises are common. Zafar agrees that the movie — also starring Ronit Roy, Sanjay Kapoor and Diana Penty — can lend itself to a franchise. “The film is designed in a way that leaves the narrative open-ended. Tomorrow, if you [want to make] a sequel, it can easily be done. But it all depends on the love that Bloody Daddy gets.”
I approach my work by considering the character, unless it is a Salman Khan film-Julius Packiam
8:16 AM
Tackling Shahid’s edgy actioner, and Diljit’s film on Sikh riots for director Ali Abbas Zafar, composer Julius Packiam on exploring diverse genres
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; August 22, 2022)
Reportedly inspired by the 2011 French film, Nuit Blanche (Sleepless Nights), Shahid Kapoor-starrer Bloody Daddy sees the actor as an undercover cop in a story about a drug heist that transpires over a night. Score composer Julius Packiam, a long-time collaborator of director Ali Abbas Zafar says the brief given to him was simple — to create a score that was edgy, young, and contemporary.
“The film is an edgy, fast-paced actioner, so he wanted a sound that was a hybrid of electronica and orchestral music. In this case, the edit defined the pace. Once the edit was locked, we could see that it kept viewers on the edge. To make music for such a film is easy. [As composers], we were only making the scenes look more presentable,” says Packiam, who was a senior to Zafar during their time spent in Delhi as students.
“He has been an assistant to Kabir Khan on films like New York, and in other movies of Yash Raj Films, where I was also working. So, we have shared a friendly relationship for 14 years. When he became a director, he wanted me [as composer]. Because I have done so many films for him, I have an understanding of what he wants. There’s nothing much to discuss, and even if he wants changes, they are only cosmetic.”
In a previous interview with this reporter, Packiam had highlighted how he would often accompany the cast of Ranveer Singh’s '83 for cricket practice sessions, which helped him create character motifs for the score. And even while Zafar too encourages such in-person interactions, Packiam says he didn’t have that advantage while working on Bloody Daddy. “We shot in the pandemic, and [shooting stints] were controlled. They shot in Delhi and Abu Dhabi, but we were in our own box.”
Ask him if he sampled the music of the French offering before working on his composition, and he responds in the negative. “But, we’ve used electronic, and funk-soul music that has been inspired by a track by Chaka Khan. There is also a [song] from the ’70s, and is one that Ali likes. So, we do have a mixture of a lot of elements.”
His next project with Zafar, however, is at stark contrast to this one. Packiam also joins hands with the director for Diljit Dosanjh’s Jogi, which depicts the horrors of the 1984 Sikh riots. “It is completely different from Bloody Daddy. It is soulful, poignant, and depicts pain. That needed to be reflected in the music. It has a few light moments, but it is essentially on how some people were saved from [murder]. It is an organic film,” he says, adding that as a composer, his task is to create music for characters without being influenced by the actors playing them.
“I don’t look at their off-screen persona. I approach my work by considering the character, unless it is a Salman Khan-film, where you need an entry that is loud. For the other actors, I look at the characters, address their needs, and think about how we can colour them. I don’t see them as larger than life.”
Since this film was also a pandemic baby, Packiam says he couldn’t interact with leading man Dosanjh to discuss the movie’s music. “But, we do have a Punjabi song, which is like a shabad, and a song that’s along the lines of Sufi rock.”
While his work on the two films is distinct from one another, Packiam points to the fact that their uniqueness also highlights Zafar’s skills as a director. “Jogi is unlike any Ali Abbas Zafar-film. It isn’t a tent-pole film with masala, but is poignant and subtle. It establishes that he can also pull off a sensitive story with flair, and for a director to have that bandwidth is amazing,” he says of the Netflix offering, which releases on September 16.
For Ali Abbas Zafar’s film with Shahid Kapoor
We need a more conducive atmosphere to make Bull-Shahid Kapoor
8:28 AM
After his actioner Bull fails to go on floors as scheduled, Shahid Kapoor says the team needs “conducive atmosphere” to make the big-budget film
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; April 30, 2022)
Last November, producers Bhushan Kumar and Amar Butala announced Bull, which will see Shahid Kapoor as a paratrooper. When debutant director Aditya Nimbalkar’s film didn’t go on floors earlier this year as per schedule, B-Town was abuzz with speculation about what caused the delay.
Confirming that the actioner has been deferred for now, the actor says the team doesn’t want to take any chances with the big-ticket project. “It’s a big film, and we have been trying to take it on floors. But we are unable to deal with the logistical issues brought on by the pandemic. We need a more conducive atmosphere to make the film. So, it might take a little more time before it rolls,” says Kapoor.
Bull is reportedly inspired by events from the life of Brigadier Farukh Bulsara, who led Operation Cactus in 1988 in the Maldives. At the time, the Indian Armed Forces had helped the Maldivian Army resist an attempted coup d’etat. With Bull not occupying his date diary, Kapoor jokes that he is “unemployed” at the moment. “I am not shooting anything for the next two months,” states the actor, who had a release in Jersey last week.
Up next, he has Bloody Daddy with Ali Abbas Zafar and Raj-DK’s Farzi, which marks his web debut. The actor, who is exploring different subjects, acknowledges that he feels “doubly motivated” at this stage in life. “The one thing that life teaches you is to change and evolve. Today, I am a lot more invested in my journey as an actor, a son, parent and husband.”
I have always been a fan of Ali Abbas Zafar’s work. It was sheer delight to collaborate with him-Ankur Bhatia
8:02 AM
Basking in the popularity received from Aarya 2, Ankur Bhatia on wrapping up Crackdown and working with Ali Abbas Zafar in Bloody Daddy
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; March 22, 2022)
Life has not been a walk in the park for Ankur Bhatia, whose left his cushy job in finance for a Bollywood career. His journey in the entertainment world surely had its ups and downs, but that didn’t deter the actor from making his mark. “I did not have formal training in acting, nor had I done theatre. My failures have taught me to become a better actor. But I won’t change anything about my journey,” says Bhatia, who credits his wife for supporting him financially while he experimented with acting.
Post Ram Madhvani’s Aarya, things turned around for Bhatia, who now is enjoying the opportunity to pick and choose his roles. He is convinced that “people have begun to notice my craft”. He says, “It is the correct time for me. Had this happened any sooner, I probably would have made wrong choices. I cherish the position I am in today. It allows me to make the right decisions rather than grabbing any opportunity that comes my way.”
Having wrapped up the shoot of the second instalment of Crackdown that showcases him as Tariq, he says, “The action, thrill and drama in the second season is on another level. I was surprised by what we were filming and the locations — Rajasthan, Kashmir, among others — we picked to shoot at. I have always wanted to be part of an intense actioner, and Crackdown gave me that chance.”
Bhatia is also gearing up to play a wacky character in Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bloody Daddy that also features Shahid Kapoor. While he is not allowed to divulge much, the actor says, “I have always been a fan of Ali Abbas Zafar’s work. It was sheer delight to collaborate with him. The film has been nothing short of a joyride for me.”
Shahid Kapoor is a lovely, humble chap and has not changed at all-Vivan Bhathena
8:21 AM
Reconnecting with Kapoor for Ali Abbas Zafar’s next, Vivan discusses their first audition together
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; December 12, 2021)
Moving on from the success of Sooryavanshi, Vivan Bhathena has begun shooting for Ali Abbas Zafar’s next, alongside Shahid Kapoor. Roped in to play the antagonist, the actor says that he always “hoped to work” with the Tiger Zinda Hai director.
“My character has a hint of comedy and seriousness. He is all about the flashy clothes and jewellery with a mean demeanour. [While] the physical prep remained the same, I had to be imposing [to make it look like] a David and Goliath equation on screen,” says Bhathena of the comedy-drama titled Bloody Daddy.
Interestingly, Bhathena and Kapoor share a bond that dates back 20 years. “We were at the Ishq Vishk auditions together. We used to sit outside ad offices for auditions. Shahid is a lovely, humble chap and has not changed at all. He is receptive to feedback. When he saw Dangal [2016], he hugged me in the gym and said that he loved my work [in the film]. I am happy to see what an amazing actor and father he has become. It has been an eye-opening experience for me to see him grow like that,” says the actor about his co-star.
The actor will wrap up the shoot by January.
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