Earlier this month, Kriti Kharbanda announced that she was laid low by malaria. During the onset of the pandemic in India in March, the actress had reported Coronavirus-like symptoms but fortunately tested negative. “The paranoia still continues,” she chuckles weakly, adding that she had got herself tested for every possible ailment. “Earlier, malaria was a big deal, but this time my folks are relieved it was just a mosquito that was responsible for my ill health. With Covid looming large other issues have taken a backseat.”

Kriti had been recuperating alone as her family is in Chennai and boyfriend Pulkit Samrat is in Delhi for his sister’s wedding. But with some house help, she’s been managing everything on her own. “Barring two days when my temperature was up to 104 degrees, I cooked at least one meal myself to nudge my body to a faster recovery. The South Indian in me was craving idli-sambar and since I didn’t want to order in, I made it myself. I also started exercising from the fourth day and have been working towards better immunity,” she rattles off.

Kriti rang in her 30th birthday on October 29 and admits Pulkit made it special with a huge surprise. “I’ll have to match it; the planning for his birthday has started,” she giggles. A month before her big day, the couple took off on a road trip. It was the first time they stepped out of the house during the pandemic. “The trip gave us time to get to know each other better. I feel lucky to have someone like Pulkit who makes sure that I always have a smile on my face. I try my best to do the same for him,” she gushes.

Describing her beau as “a very real person”, she asserts that he can’t fake courtesy or caring and that’s what has forged a connection. “I admire the fact that he’s true to himself and can be a brand-ambassador for self-love,” she chuckles and it’s obvious she’s happy. So, when do they jump on the marry-go-round? “We’ve just been dating for a year-and-a-half now and haven’t discussed marriage nor do we plan to do it anytime soon. We’re focusing on our respective careers right now. Marriage is a distant dream,” she says.

One of her biggest highs during the lockdown was that she landed the opportunity to interview Chris Hemsworth. Bring it up and she reveals excitedly that she asked the Australian hunk the secret of his good looks and his answer resonated with her because, as she points out, your day shows on your face even when you are faking a smile. “So, it’s important to take care of your mental well-being and not lug around any baggage. Every actor knows faking doesn’t work. You have to accept who you are, and no matter what you’re going through, you must motivate yourself. That’s what Chris and I do,” she avers, adding that he wanted to speak in Hindi during their tête-à-tête and she made it happen. “That feels good,” she exults.

Kriti starts shooting for 14 Phere with Vikrant Massey in Mumbai this week. She admits that getting back to work won’t be easy. “Malaria has drained me of so much energy. My mind is fighting but my body is giving up. Still, I’m delighted to be getting back to work. Being Aditi will help take my mind away from my health,” she reasons. The 10-day schedule in Mumbai will be followed by a 25-day shoot in Lucknow, before they take off to Jaipur for another 15-20 days. “I have a crazy couple of months ahead for me,” she admits, sounding ecstatic at the prospect.

Athiya Shetty sees promise in the web space for actors to hone their craft
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 30, 2020)

The top brass of Bollywood, including Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar, has turned its attention towards the web series. But it is Extraction actor Chris Hemsworth who Athiya Shetty points towards when making a case for the platform's potential. "His case [is an example of how the] biggest actors are now experimenting with the platform," says Shetty, who has spent her time in the lockdown revisiting shows and movies that moved her. "My dad [Suniel Shetty] and I finished The Family Man in two days because it was fantastic. I followed it with Michelle Obama's documentary, Becoming. Such creatively [satisfying] shows helped me reassess my life. I have now realised the importance of playing it by the day. A pause makes us see the changes [we need to bring about] within us. I want to slow down, pick my learnings, and create a better world."

Shetty, who hasn't had too much luck professionally, hopes to leverage the opportunities to make bold career moves. She says, "The size of the screen is no longer the yardstick to measure stardom."

Extraction actor Priyanshu Painyuli preps for his next with Taapsee Pannu and virtual play
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 20, 2020)

As the antagonist in the month-old Netflix release, Extraction, Priyanshu Painyuli successfully broke the mould of being a boy-next-door. The actor, who is best known for his role in Vikramaditya Motwane's Bhavesh Joshi Superhero, played the Bangladeshi don Amir Ali, Chris Hemsworth's nemesis. Backed by the Russo Brothers, the film opened to a rapturous round of applause from the audience, who have inevitably shifted to OTT platforms for their Friday fix of entertainment.

The actor tells mid-day, "It's a paisa vasool film and picks you up if you are feeling low. When I auditioned [for it], I didn't know it was a Russo Brothers' film. It's not every day that you appear in a pivotal role in a film made by the people who made Avengers. Chris Hemsworth and David Harbour are huge stars and brilliant actors. It's the kind of film that requires you to up your game. I couldn't have asked for a better international debut."

With Extraction behind him, Painyuli says he harbours dreams of doing action on screen and it may come true with his next, Rashmi Rocket, headlined by Taapsee Pannu. "We were to shoot this month but it stands suspended for now. I play the role of an army officer. So, I ensure to workout regularly at home to avoid taking too long to attain the right level of fitness required for the film."

Amid the Coronavirus lockdown, the actor also seems to be busy with his virtual theatre act titled Lockdown Love. After the success of the English version, which saw him pair up with Shriya Pilgaonkar, Painyuli will feature in the Hinglish version of the same show with Radhika Madan, Kubbra Sait, Shikha Talsania, Siddharth Menon and Saurabh Nayar. "We are adapting a few more characters from the original play. It's about three girls and three boys finding each other through a series of weird dates. Who would have thought that we'd be performing live for 45 minutes in front of our phone cameras? It is directed by Sheena Khalid and the story was adapted by Roshan Abbas from an old script, which was revisited and adapted from Jonathan Rand's Check Please," explains the actor.

Polo player Randeep Hooda explains how training with physical genius Chris Hemsworth for Extraction made him ditch his traditional methods
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; April 22, 2020)

Despite being armed with years of equestrian training, Randeep Hooda recalls being "daunted" to commence physical prep work with Chris Hemsworth for Extraction. The actor's fears were not unwarranted when one considers how Hemsworth punched his way through 22 Marvel films as the superhero Thor, only to go on and launch one of the most successful fitness platforms in Hollywood.

"We'd train together almost each day. Chris said he didn't benefit from traditional gym training for his action [films] and hence took to [functional and agility work]. When I'd ask him why he'd do shoulder presses with one hand, he'd tell me how it worked in improving his core strength. [I too changed the way] I used the muscles of the core and shoulders," says Hooda, adding that despite being as famous as he is, the Australian star's demands during his India sojourn were rather trifling.

"The only thing he wanted was organic food, which his [nutritionist] would cook for him. All the stuff that his team did, inspired me to change the traditional way I [trained]. I took to compound movements, and learnt the importance of [practising] bodyweight [exercises]. Developing presence of mind and command over the body to enable it to do everything you want it to do, was [my biggest takeaway] during our three-week rehearsals before we rolled," says Hooda, who battles Hemsworth in a series of high-octane action sequences in the upcoming Netflix offering.

For debutant director Sam Hargrave, working on Extraction was both a familiar and alien experience at once. While on one hand, the former stuntman for Avengers' Captain America was reuniting with Hemsworth and producers Russo Brothers, on the other, he was exploring the unfamiliar terrain of India, where his film is based, and even employing languages that he couldn't himself comprehend.

"It is due to Sam's vision that we could create this world. We went through a lot of rehearsals [for the combat sequences]. Sam, along with the action team, ensured that the physicality was on point, and the scenes were realistic. I'd also watch the stuntmen, who had peculiar ways of training. They'd practice low-ground work, and take to exercises to strengthen the joints and ligaments. I'd watch them in awe as they performed martial arts and flips."

Ahead of his Netflix release Extraction, mid-day spoke to Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth on a video call, with the global press logging in from their respective homes!
Mayank Shekhar (MID-DAY; April 16, 2020)

We're asked to first wait at the Breakout Room, before being led to the Vetting Room (have spelt that right). After quite a few minutes, finally, allowed in to the Interview Suite. Felt like going past check-in, through security, into immigration.

Except, this passage to the Hollywood home of Australian-born superstar Chris Hemsworth — globally, best-known as the superhero Thor — with various check-points in place, is happening over Zoom, the video-conferencing app. There's a posse of international press logging in at their designated time-slots, from respective homes, across the world. All of them, like Hemsworth at his place, it appears, are living under lockdown, due to Coronavirus spread/scare.

"If you think about it, what we're doing is unbelievable," says Sam Hargrave, referring to the unusual manner of this junket. This is before formal conversations begin, with a moderator rotating questions, as per a pre-decided order. Everyone but the specific questioner's microphone is on mute. No doubt, these are extraordinary times.

Hargrave, placed in the window to my right, is the director of the Netflix film Extraction, starring Hemsworth, that drops on April 24. If it wasn't for the pandemic, they'd both have been in Mumbai promoting this film. Which is where I am. And where, along with Ahmedabad, mostly, Extraction was shot.

What was that like? Hemsworth offers the common adjectives — life, energy, people, positivity —that the uninitiated usually refer to mean an overwhelming experience, which India, without a national curfew, can certainly be. He recalls, "The [crowds] couldn't have been more accommodating, supportive — thousands of people standing in buildings and bridges, watching and applauding. The shoot felt like being in a coliseum, or live theatre!"

For Hargrave though, besides sanity, there was also the question of maintaining safety: "We were doing intricate action sequences, with cars flying over locked-up streets, at 50 miles per hour. [At any point in time], you'd have 300 people for security personnel alone, to make sure no one got hurt."

Hargrave is one of Hollywood's top stunt-coordinators, with films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe under his belt, including the Avengers blockbusters directed-produced by (Anthony and Joe) Russo Brothers.

Extraction however is Hargrave's first film as director, and evidently furthest from his comfort zone, given its setting to start with: "Joe Russo, who wrote the script, actually set the film in Dhaka [Bangladesh] and India. Because western audiences haven't seen much of that side of the world. It offered lots of opportunities, visually."

Directing, as a job, is challenging enough. Double whammy for the debutant was, as he puts it, "Directing actors in two different languages — Hindi and Bengali. Neither of which I speak! We had an interpreter with us. But because of the prep we'd put in during rehearsals, while I couldn't understand what they were saying [in the dialogue], I could tell the intention.

"I knew when we'd nailed a take. And if something was off, I knew if we'd missed a line. With cinema, you can tell the scenario. Especially with action — once you've set up the hero and the villain, and they're at odds — the film speaks for itself."

One of the major Indian actors Hargrave directed for Extraction was Randeep Hooda, who comes up rather often in this conversation, as Hemsworth specifically refers to the "major [fight scene], involving hand-to-hand combat. It was so exhausting for both [Randeep and I]. Yet, when you've got an actor who's putting in a 110 per cent, neither of you is willing to quit, it's the best."

Which gives you fair sense of the film's genre — sort of a pure, street-style actioner in the old-world, Western mould. Hemsworth elaborates, "[It's] everything they used to do in the '80s and prior, [without] relying on special effects and green screen, because you couldn't. It was refreshing and rewarding to shoot like that."

Hargrave recalls, "When Randeep and I met, we spoke about the characters, relating them to the classic Westerns — Once Upon a Time in the West, The Good the Bad the Ugly..." Randeep has come again — maybe we could go further on that route (him and I went to the same school).

Or talk more about other Indian actors Hemsworth was referring to hanging out a lot with, while he was here. Or, perhaps mildly pick his brains on his last huge release, Avengers: Endgame — hugest one in the history of films!

Oh, I'm on mute. Chatting on a screen through a moderator is at best interviewing an interpreter, with a dysfunctional hearing aid. Feels rather distant. Upside? Could casually roll out of bed in boxers in Bombay, find myself seated opposite Thor for a few minutes, and then back to bed again. Done. Hoping it's not the new 'normal' though.

With Extraction trailer dropping online, Priyanshu Painyuli discusses locking horns with Chris Hemsworth in Netflix film
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 9, 2020)

Not many Bollywood actors can boast a Russo Brothers production on their résumé. Naturally then, Priyanshu Painyuli considers himself among the fortunate few as he awaits the release of the Netflix film, Extraction. If the Sam Hargrave-directed actioner had piqued the curiosity of Indian cinegoers when leading man Chris Hemsworth flew in to the country last year for the shoot, the recently released trailer has only added to the excitement. "I got several messages from industry friends, who were surprised to see me in the role of a gangster. They were [taken aback] by my blingy look in the film," says an elated Painyuli, who is seen locking horns with Hemsworth in the kidnapping drama.

The actor, who has another biggie in Rashmi Rocket, turns into a fan boy when the conversation steers to co-star Hemsworth. "He is so grounded, and has an incredible zest to learn more and do better." Painyuli, who has won acclaim for his performance in Upstarts (2019), says the exposure to an international project has made him "more disciplined". "With this film, I have been able to inculcate a methodical approach to work. The research was so thorough that there was zero scope for errors when the actors were in front of the camera."

Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 28, 2020)

Pankaj Tripathi has a number of projects lined up in 2020 including Shakeela, Kaagaz, Anurag Basu’s Ludo, Mumbai Saga, Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai and Mimi. Moroever, he will also reprise his role of Kaleen bhaiyya in the second season of the hit web show, Mirzapur, while also featuring in a film starring Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth. And believe it or not, he didn’t know who the actor was when he signed the film.

Talking about it, he says, “The experience of working on the film was wonderful. I have to say Hollywood films are well-prepared, especially in the pre-production stage. This was my first Hollywood project. But, I didn’t know who Chris Hemsworth was when I signed the film. I was told about him before I met him. I don’t watch Hollywood films, so I had no clue.”

Pankaj doesn’t shy away from revealing that he had to Google Chris before meeting him. “People might not believe me but I have seen only a couple of Hollywood films. And, I admit, it is not a good habit. I am an actor and I should watch performances of actors from around the world.”

He shares his reasoning for not watching too many movies, adding, “I believe that maybe, I am original and managed to stay this way because I am not influenced by the performances of other actors. I don’t want to be influenced or feel jealous if I see a good performance (laughs). Moreover, I find it difficult to sit and watch a film for three hours. I would rather read a book or listen to some music. I don’t even watch my own films. I am ashamed to say that I haven’t even seen Mirzapur yet. I just don’t have the time.”

Priyanshu Painyuli with Sam Hargrave

Upstarts discovery Priyanshu Painyuli on shooting with Chris Hemsworth for Dhaka's final schedule
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; November 2, 2019)

It has been a good month for Priyanshu Painyuli — after his Netflix film Upstarts dropped online, the actor headed to Thailand for the final schedule of Chris Hemsworth's Dhaka. He is tight-lipped on his role in the extraction drama, directed by Sam Hargrave. "I am part of the primary cast. Let's just say I am not nice to Chris Hemsworth in the film," he teases.

Ask him about his first meeting with the Australian actor, and Painyuli says they bumped into each other in the vanity van. "He had walked into the van to get his beard trimmed. We chatted about his experience of shooting in India and he mentioned that he loves the energy of the country. He is down-to-earth and friendly. I became a bigger fan of Thor after meeting him."

Painyuli acknowledges that finding himself in a Hollywood film so early on is a dream come true. "In Dhaka, I experienced what it is like to shoot a big Hollywood film. Everyone treated each other with utmost respect, irrespective of which department they are from."

Sources say Chris Hemsworth to fly down to Mumbai on October 20 for Netflix film Dhaka's week-long patchwork shoot
MID-DAY (October 11, 2019)

Late last year, Chris Hemsworth had taken India by storm when he shot for the Netflix film, Dhaka, across Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Now, mid-day has learnt that come October 20, the Thor star will return to Mumbai for the patchwork shoot of the movie, which also stars Randeep Hooda, Manoj Bajpayee and Pankaj Tripathi.

A source reveals, "The unit has planned a week-long schedule across Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The film's cast, comprising Indian and Hollywood actors, has been called upon to allot their dates. With Hemsworth expected in the city by October 20, the ensemble cast has been asked to dedicate the last two weeks of October to the Sam Hargrave-directed project. The team will shoot at the places they had covered the first time around, including Dharavi and Byculla in the city, and a few pockets of Ahmedabad. They may also have a brief two-day stint in Indonesia. If all goes as planned, it will be a wrap before October 30." The kidnap extraction drama is produced by the Russo Brothers.

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; July 30, 2019)

Actor Randeep Hooda gave almost three years of his career to a passion project that didn’t see its completion. To get over something that you are so invested in isn’t easy. However, like his home, which exudes peace and zen-like calm, he, too, seems positively cut off from the noise and nature of the world, which thrives on the endless rat race. In a chat with BT (we must add, it took the philosophical route), Randeep tells us how the dark phase in his life helped him evolve as a person, and how being disconnected from the world of instant gratification, vanity and social media frenzy can actually help. Excerpts:

You have a slew of interesting projects lined up with people like Imtiaz Ali, Mira Nair and actor Chris Hemsworth, but you almost went incognito for close to three years. What were you up to?
I have taken breaks before, but this was perhaps the longest since the time I started to matter. While I was away, I discovered new ways of approaching life. I went to the Golden Temple (Amritsar) and took an oath not to cut my hair till the movie (Battle of Saragarhi) reached its completion. Through the course of working on that film, I found more meaning to life than just being an actor. I always wanted to know more about life beyond the movies. I got to pursue that… be it wildlife photography or nature conservation. I did seva, along with other things, which I didn’t have the time to do earlier. I was doing four films a year before that, so I was fortunate to get this time for myself and explore other things.

As an actor, it is harder to get the right opportunity, than to execute it well. I completely lost my sense of vanity and I am trying to be a better person. With the long beard and hair, I unlearned what it is like to behave like an actor. I explored the depths to which you can go to become someone else all over again after Sarbjit (2016; right). For that film, I gave a few months, but for Saragarhi, I almost gave three years of my professional life. The film didn’t happen, but nonetheless, it was a great experience for me.

Talking about Battle of Saragarhi,you even shot a certain portion of that film. So, what happened after that? The Akshay Kumar-starrer, Kesari, was inspired by the same historical event. Was that the reason why your film came to a halt?
We shot about 30-40 per cent of the film. We had started much before Kesari took off. In fact, I congratulated Akshay Kumar when Kesari was announced. They were different films, though the premise was the same. Every film has its own vision, so Kesari wasn’t an issue. Our director was Rajkumar Santoshi, who has made some inspirational films. He may be able to answer this question better. Everything fell into place and then fell apart. I don’t know if I want to go back to that. There were various factors. If things have to happen, they find a way. I am raring to do more work now (smiles).

Two films can be made on the same topic. Do you think the makers buckled under the pressure of a similar commercial film and hence, decided to drop the idea of making it?
They never told me that they are shelving it (laughs!). I let go of a lot of work to do this film, but I wasn’t in charge of it. I was just an actor, and making a film is not an actor’s call. I don’t think that the film buckled under pressure, and there were no creative differences either. It felt conspired. A lot of things happened. Like I said, every film has its own destiny. It’s not stalled in spirit, though. I have taken it in my stride. If I look back, I went through a dark phase, but I came through. I got forged into the fire for a better future. That is how I see it. You have to look at the positives. I have always been in awe of actors who can transform on screen — Joaquin Phoenix, Christian Bale, Daniel Day-Lewis. This film was a great lesson in transformation.

When did you finally decide to let go?
I couldn’t abandon the film as I was literally living that character. The day I shaved off my head to shoot my upcoming film with Chris Hemsworth, that day it was over for me. I went to the Gurudwara and sought maafi as I had vowed that I won’t shave my head until that movie was completed. I was in tears when I shaved off my head and beard. I have kept that hair with me. For this film, I gave it my all.

Was that the darkest phase of your career?
Not at all. Yes, it affected me the most and taught me a lot for the better. When you get into the habit of jumping from one character to another, your passion starts feeling like work. Yes, acting is work — it is a way to earn money and keeps you relevant, but for me, it’s always more about the experience of playing different people and exploring our nature as human beings.

When I started my film career, I used to do one film a year. I actually believed in the overabused term — method acting. This phase made me think about why I got into acting in the first place. I distinctly remember, while studying I also drove cabs in Australia for three years in night shifts, which became my groundwork for acting as people get into your cab and forget that you are there. They think aloud, talk to each other or on phones and through that, you get to know a lot about people and their lives. I realised at that point that if I had to choose a career in life, it had to be something I loved. My dislike for the mundane led me to acting and that feeling still holds. Acting does become about lunch breaks and call times eventually, but it’s still fascinating.

We hear even the film ’83, based on India’s World Cup win (which Ranveer Singh is now doing with a different director), and Shahid Kapoor’s role in Padmaavat were offered to you, but you didn’t make the final cut...
The films I didn’t do were not in my destiny. It doesn’t affect me. I have had many such missed opportunities, and roles that I almost did, but were pushed under the carpet. I turned down some roles and some didn’t work out, but you can’t mull over such things. You have to focus on what you have in hand. Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan (who made the film Lahore) was to direct ’83, but it fizzled out. I wish Ranveer well.

Sarbjit is one of your finest performances till date. There are many who feel that you didn’t get the level of appreciation or awards you deserved for the film...
I have never been a favourite for awards. I have not toed the line in a lot of ways that you are perhaps expected to in this industry. I also feel that it’s in bad taste to sit here and say that I didn’t get an award for this or I wasn’t appreciated for that. You just have to move on. I remember I was noticed for my performance in Jannat 2 (2012). All of a sudden, people wrote great things about me. I was shooting for other films and I started to do certain things in those films because of that appreciation. I thought that this is what people want. I called up Naseer bhai (Naseeruddin Shah) and said, ‘Uss part ka mayil main yaha dho raha hoon’. He said, ‘There is this monastery in the Himalayas where monks make structures out of sand. They complete it, look at it and then kick it. Then they make another one. You have to do that.’ I have tried not to repeat what I thought had worked for me. I don’t know how much of it comes across, but I have tried to differentiate every part. By that, I don’t mean changing hairstyles and belts, it goes deeper than that. Recognition is a funny thing. You have to reach a place where you and your loved ones are happy with what you have done. The rest is an exercise of manipulation of thoughts, the impression you project or how you sell yourself as an actor. I am not good at that.

Be it beach clean-ups, helping flood-affected people, wildlife conservation, or spreading awareness about water crisis... you are constantly doing your bit for the society. Does this make you feel more real, more alive?
When you read the news, you feel that everything is bad in the world. That frustrated me. There are so many good people, who don’t get written about. You can’t change the world, but sometimes, doing one good thing is enough. Do your bit. It makes you feel ki aaj kuch kiya hai. You will not get that feeling by going to the gym. I truly believe that our self-centred approach to life makes us feel empty. When I was learning about seva, I realised that there’s so much to do. Also, you cannot exhaust your resources. You need to rebuild it by working in your professional space, so that you can help others. You are mortal, so you should do your bit while you can. It keeps you real. If you are real in life, it reflects in your performances as well.

You have now taken to photography... Is it your way of looking at life through a different lens?
Yes, I have bought myself a fancy camera. It’s also a way of spending more time in the wild. That’s another excuse to get away from the instant gratification and sense of self-importance that social media gives you. Everything is fast now. It’s a struggle to be honest and find honesty today, within yourself, your work and amongst people.

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; June 12, 2019)

Siddhant Chaturvedi became an instant rage post his impressive performance as MC Sher in Gully Boy. Likewise, Dangal catapulted Sanya Malhotra to fame. The actors are the voices of Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, respectively, in the Hindi dub of Men In Black: International, a reboot of the MIB series, that is releasing this week. In a chat with BT, they spoke about all things action, sci-fi, humour and what it felt like to dub for a Hollywood film. Excerpts...

Siddhant, you met Chris Hemsworth in Bali recently. Tell us about the experience?
I had 15 minutes with him. I was nervous. My brother and I are superhero fanatics. I am a huge fan of Chris and now, I got to be his voice! He asked me in a macho voice (imitates Chris) if I was a rapper and I replied, saying that I am an actor. He had seen the trailer (of Gully Boy) and my song, and he told me that he’d love to see the film as well. I asked him if I was worthy enough to be his voice, so I asked him to say a few lines from MIB: International and then, I translated them to Hindi on the spot. He even said ‘boht hard’ in the end! I taught him how to say it and it was the sexiest ‘boht hard’ anyone has ever said. I am not bragging about it (smiles!), it’s on record. He didn’t say it with an Aussie accent, but the way I said it. That was fun.
Sanya: I am a huge Chris fan, too. I am jealous that Siddhant got to meet him. On a serious note, I am happy that he met him. I wish I could, too.

If you get to be the actors you lent your voices to, for a day, what would you do?
Siddhant: I will only post my shirtless pictures on social media. Look at his physique! I asked him about his fitness, and he said that he is into functional training. I am into martial arts, but he told me to be disciplined in whatever fitness routine I choose.
Sanya: Tessa Thompson is in Paris right now. I would love to be her, as I can then promote the film with Chris Hemsworth. Mujhe bhi Eiffel Tower jaana hai. She is a brilliant actor and he is one of the hottest actors around.

This is the first time that a woman plays a parallel lead in the MIB franchise. Don’t you think more films from the genre should follow suit?
Siddhant: Women are already superheroes. They deserve equal pay and substantial roles that are now being written for them. Things have changed. I would love to see Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Sanya Malhotra and Priyanka Chopra Jonas in an ensemble superhero film.
Sanya: We should make a cool sci-fi superhero film here. My choice of actors for the film would be Fatima Sana Shaikh, Radhika Madan, Disha Patani, Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif.

MIB is a sci-fi fantasy. Which are your favourite films from the genre?
Sanya: Sci-fi is one of my favourite genres. I like the MIB films. Back home, I have always liked the character Jadoo from Koi Mil Gaya. Bollywood mein toh Jadoo hi raaj kar raha hai. Aaj Kal toh kaafi garmi hai, so usko dhoop bhi kaafi mil jayegi (laughs!).
Siddhant: My favourites from this genre are E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and MIB. We had watched E.T. much before Koil Mil Gaya, but Jadoo is also iconic.

How challenging is it to Indianise the humour or sensibility when you dub for a Hollywood film without sounding caricaturish?
Siddhant: I didn’t want to infuse the Gully Boy lingo, but the humour was falling flat so we did that. If you translate or simply mimic what the original actors are saying, that’s no fun. We don’t have their cultural references, so I did whatever it took to make the characters seem more relatable. Also, I didn’t try to mimic Chris’ voice. He is in his mid-30s and has a super manly voice. I am 26, I will get that voice soon (laughs!). The character is manmauji, borderline cocky so I tried to be that in a young, quirky way.
Sanya: It is a bit tricky. When you are dubbing for your own films, you know the emotional graph during a scene, but here, you have to do it in a way that’s comprehensible for the audience. The audience that will watch the Hindi dub will be different, so you need to find a way to engage them. They should be able to relate to it. Joh jokes English mein funny lagte hai, woh Hindi mein bhi lagne chahiye. The jokes shouldn’t fall flat. You have to get that emotion right. Though I have tried to be as close to Tessa as possible, I have added my own bits, too, like references to my film Dangal.

Speaking of action thrillers, if you were to have one superpower, what would that be?
Siddhant: Teleportation! It will help me bypass Mumbai’s traffic.
Sanya: Instead of superpowers, I would love to have a neuralyser (a device used in the MIB series that wipes the memory of a target). You can use it to wipe out your own memory and that’s required sometimes. Who needs a gun?

This film is a reboot, but if you were Will Smith, who would be your Tommy Lee Jones?
Siddhant: My choice would either be Irrfan or Randeep Hooda.
Sanya: Same sex parallel lead? Radhika Madan. We could be aurtein kaale kapdon mein (women in black). Jadoo could also be in our team.

Divya Kaushik (BOMBAY TIMES; June 2, 2019)

This year is proving to be a rewarding one for actor Siddhant Chaturvedi, who feels that meeting his all-time favourite Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth was a dream come true. Back in India after attending an event for the fourth instalment of the Men In Black franchise, Men In Black: International, in Bali, the actor is starstruck to the point that he hasn’t stopped thinking about the meeting.

The actor, who rose to fame with his first film Gully Boy, has lent his voice to Chris’ character Agent H, in the Hindi version of the film. “It was surely one of the best experiences of my life. Getting the opportunity to lend my voice for the Hindi version of a popular Hollywood film was a big deal for me. When I got to know that I was going to meet Chris, I just couldn’t believe my luck. Not all people who have lent their voices to dubbed Hollywood films get to meet the actors playing the characters they are voicing. I have just done one film, so I never thought something like this would happen. I am probably the first actor who got to meet the actor I am dubbing for. I have been a huge fan of the franchise. I remember I used to mimic the characters from Men In Black and add my own desi touch to it. Now, I actually got to do that for real. It is really special for me,” Siddhant tells us.

Ask him about his meeting with Chris and Siddhant admits that he did go numb when he met him for the first time. “I just didn’t know how to react. I froze for a few minutes, but then just went ahead and introduced myself as Agent H from India. After that, it was a smooth ride. We chatted for around 20 minutes,” says the actor.

To Siddhant’s surprise, Chris had already seen some bits from his debut film. “He asked me about my film and if I rap in real life. He promised that he was going to watch it and that was a huge deal for me. To my surprise, he had already seen some bits of my film, but since I had to lose some weight for my next role, Chris said that he was expecting someone much more muscular,” he adds.

The actor was also glad that his favourite star approved of the work he did for the dubbed version of the film. “Chris had seen the trailer and told me that I did a great job. He also said ‘bahut hard’ and the way he said was the sexiest ‘bahut hard’ I ever heard. When I met him, I asked him if I was even worthy of dubbing for him, and wanted him to test me. He gave me some of his famous dialogues from the film and I translated them to Hindi. I don’t think he understood what I was saying, but he was enjoying it. Then I gave him some Hindi dialogues, but I had to explain their meaning so that he could translate them. I gave him — Rishte mein toh hum tumhare baap lagte hain — and he said, ‘I am your daddy’. Then it was ‘apna time aayega’ and he said, ‘my time is now’, and for ‘picture abhi baaki hai mere dost’, he said, ‘we are not done yet’. So, it was a casual, fun meeting,” says Siddhant.

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; April 3, 2019)

It cannot get bigger than this. “I am not going to answer any questions on the plot of Avengers: Endgame. It took me three years to protect it from Tom Holland and Mark Ruffalo, so I am not going to suddenly give it away,” jokes American filmmaker Joe Russo, of the Russo brothers, co-director of the year’s, perhaps, the decade’s most awaited superhero film — Avengers: Endgame, in a candid chat. This is his fourth Marvel film and the twenty-second film in the entirety of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). In Mumbai, to kick-start the film’s promotions, Joe spoke to Bombay Times on Indian influences in the Marvel series, his comic-book fixation, Stan Lee, Robert Downey Jr (RDJ) being nothing like Tony Stark, need for diversity, longevity of superhero films and more.

This is your first visit to India. Take us through your experience so far.
I have never been here before, so I came with an open mind. I am ecstatic. One of the real values of getting to work on these films is that you get to travel across the globe and interact with people from different cultures. I am a big fan of telling my children that their job in life is to collect as many fascinating experiences as they can. Part of that is travelling, cultural experiences, understanding the world and becoming a global citizen. It’s really meaningful for me to get my family here.

Are you familiar with Indian cinema?
I have seen a few Indian films like Dabangg. I think Indian audiences will love the fact that Robot/Enthiran (S Shankar’s 2010 bilingual starring Rajinikanth) was almost a big influence on Avengers: Age of Ultron, 2015 (directed by Joss Whedon). There is a sequence in Robot, where all the robots come together to form a giant snake. In the Avengers movie, there was a bunch of Ultrons, who come together to form a giant Ultron. The scene was eventually cut for time, but that was a direct influence from Robot.

You have made four Marvel films in the past six years. What do you think is integral to the future of superhero films?
The more diverse they get, the more interesting they become. Everyone has a right to see themselves on screen. Audiences become more passionate, when storytellers get more inclusive. The next phase of Marvel movies will get more diverse. Look at the success of Black Panther and Captain Marvel. The new crop of stories will have more pure global influence.

During an interview Tom Hanks told us that because of the rich technology and CGI, superhero films are living up to the promise of comic books. But eventually, the tide will turn. The stories that always remain with you are the ones showing human condition.
These (superhero films) are human stories! They are highly relatable characters. Listen, I think that if it’s not your cup of tea, you tend to shutout. For a whole global generation of film goers, these movies have become very important. They are a part of their growing up years and pop culture. The best of these movies tell compelling stories about humans, who happen to have powers. The powers are secondary to the experiences of characters as people and the choices that they make. I think the best of these movies have incredible thematics in them. I don’t necessarily think you can call superhero films a fad, when it has this kind of global reach. I think you just have to respect the fact the audience finds a lot in these films to inspire and connect them.

Speaking of #Whateverittakes (the punchline of Endgame),what does it take for you and Anthony (the other Russo brother co-directing the film) to work with so many superstars on one film?
It takes a lot (smiles!). It’s been a great experience for us. We have been very fortunate that this cast is incredible. Look, Oscar winners show up just to do one day’s work for your film, so you are spoilt as a filmmaker with the love of your cast.

You hear things like Robert Downey Jr wanting multiple vanity vans. He even jokes about it. He seems like a diva. Is he like that for real?
He jokes about it (laughs!), but you know why he does that? I think it is to play along and create a persona. He acts like a diva, but he is actually the hardest working actor you will ever work with. He is exceedingly professional. There is a reason why he is one of the biggest movie stars in the world. The energy and effort he puts into his work every second and the way he approaches his character and believes what it is, the way he shows up on set everyday, the level of intensity he brings to his work ethic — it’s commendable. Even when he promotes his films... that requires a lot of effort. He has a certain effervescence about him that’s universally translated and it comes at a cost. It requires him to project himself a certain way.

Tony Stark feels like RDJ’s alter ego, Chris Hemsworth exudes Thor’s confidence in his physical strength... it’s amazing how these characters seem like they are based on the actors that play them.
It’s interchangeable, isn’t it? You want the actors to have an emotional connect with the characters they play. When you really get to know Robert, you discover that he is nothing like Tony Stark. He has a public persona that he slips into, which is like Tony but when you have an intimate conversation with him, you realise he is very different. He is warm, genuine and generous human being. Chris Evans relates to one of the important people from his childhood. He based Captain America’s performance on this man he knew, so that’s very personal. They all find a certain sense of themselves in these characters after playing them for so long.

Is this Chris Evans’ last film as Captain America? He had hinted about it.
Chris Evans said this is his last film? I don’t know what he has been drinking (smiles). Impossible to say, anything can happen. This is the Marvel Universe. I won’t give away the plot, except that Infinity War was told from the point of view of Thanos and this one is not.

The legendary Stan Lee is no longer with us. It won’t be the same without him, isn’t it?
I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for Stan Lee. I grew up on his comic books since I was 10, he is my idol. I believe that his final cameo is in this film. To get an opportunity to not only work on the material that he created, but to be able to work with him was a dream come true.

What are the pros and cons of co-directing with your brother Anthony, being part of a joint venture?
The pros are the fact that we have been able to make four Marvel movies in the last six years without dropping dead. There are no cons. Of course there are conflicts. We are always arguing and that makes this process successful. We challenge every idea that comes to the table and the best idea wins. It’s about maintaining the right balance between pushing against each other and backing off. Out of that comes a chemistry that creates these movies.

The superheroes abstain from sex. There was an interesting article on this that recently went viral.
No sex in Avengers movies? There was a bedroom scene in Infinity War, which implied that. But I think it is about the demographics. These movies need to translate with the children as well as they do gravitate towards these movies. The whole family should be able to enjoy these films without having to put hands on their children’s eyes. At the core, the characters are human and their psychology has been the focus more than their sexuality I guess.

What’s next for you in the MCU?
Eleven years of storytelling, nine franchises and 22 movies culminate into this film. Now, I want to take a little break. We have made four films in six years. You need to find the right stories to be able to reach the audience on this scale. It has been an enriching experience for us.

Joe Russo, one half of Russo brothers, on their second outing with Avengers and how TV served as prep for directing the superhero franchise
Vijayeta Basu (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 2, 2019)

In 2013, Steven Spielberg, the king of blockbusters, predicted the implosion of the superhero movie genre in an interview. Over the last few years, the term ‘superhero fatigue’ has been bandied around the internet. All this doesn’t faze Joe Russo, one half of the directorial duo of the Russo Brothers, who is visiting Mumbai to promote the 22 nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Avengers: Endgame. “I don’t think it is a trend. This kind of serialised storytelling in film, it is a new form of narrative,” he shares. “People have grown up with this franchise—it has elicited emotional reactions from them and they have shared it with their families and friends. That’s why it’s the dominant form of storytelling right now,” he says, adding that superhero films have kept alive the tradition of watching films in a movie theatre a little longer in today’s world of digital streaming.

Russo, however, is completely fine with the changing times. “This is the future, and I think every generation deserves to tell stories the way they want to tell it. Movies have had a great run for a hundred years, but technology is changing all that, with the advent of AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality). We are talking to companies that work in those fields and are trying to define what that would mean when it comes to storytelling—it is fascinating where technology can lead us,” he says.

Turning away from the future and venturing into their past, we ask how they went from working on hit comedy shows such as Arrested Development (for which they won an Emmy award) and Community to landing smack in the middle of the action-packed and dramatic universe of Captain America (their first MCU film being Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2014). “We didn’t want to be comedic filmmakers really, the first movie we wanted to make was actually a drama, but we couldn’t get it financed,” explains Russo, sharing that Marvel approached them as they were comic book geeks who were “very passionate” about superheroes stories. Russo does concede that working on TV shows prepared them for undertaking the last two films of the Avengers series. “Making content for TV is the hardest thing in the world for a director because it is a constant grind. It is for months on end—you are prepping, shooting and posting at the same time, as you are doing episode after episode. This absolutely prepared us.” Citing Joss Whedon, Judd Apatow and JJ Abrams—all directors who have worked in TV and delivered blockbuster films—Russo explains that TV prepares a filmmaker to handle volume and stress, both of which are present while making superhero films such as Avengers.

Another stressful factor for the Russo Brothers is to avoid spoilers from leaking out—especially when the whole world wants to know how the Avengers saga comes to an end. “People get mad at us sometimes for obscuring facts in trailers and misdirecting them, but it’s the only way to keep information from getting out,” he says, sharing that even the actors didn’t have access to the entire script. He jokes that Tom Holland (aka Spider-Man), who is notorious for accidentally slipping spoilers on social media, got only three pages of the script. “There are only a handful of people who know what happens in the movie. Hopefully, it releases three weeks from now with all its secrets preserved”. While still tight-lipped, he does share that “audiences should prepare themselves for a really emotional ending”.

After Endgame, the Russo Brothers will be done with Marvel movies for a while, but not with their actors. Chris Hemsworth features in the Sam Hargrave-directed Dhaka, which has been written by Joe Russo and was shot in India last year. The brothers will then direct a film called Cherry, a true story about the opioid crisis in the US, featuring Tom Holland. “We grew up in a big Italian family and we treat the cast and crew as family. We like to work with the same people because it creates shorthand between us. Also, it is always fun to hang out on the set, go for dinners and just laugh about things together,” Russo concludes.

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 11, 2019)

With the shoot of Chris Hemsworth’s Dhaka nearing its end, the film’s team had an early wrap-up party over the weekend. The bash doubled up as a send-off party for child artiste Rudraksh Jaiswal, who plays a pivotal part in the drama. A unit member said, “Chris has forged a deep bond with Rudraksh, and wanted the perfect send-off for him. He has invited him to his home in Australia as well.”

Jaiswal says that the past months of shooting across India and Thailand has been a cherished experience. “This film made me richer as an actor. Now, I’m looking forward to reuniting with Chris sir during the promotions.”

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 8, 2019)

Only a day after he bagged a biggie in Ranveer Singh starrer '83, Pankaj Tripathi has another reason to cheer about. mid-day has learnt that the actor has been roped in for his maiden international production, Dhaka, that features Chris Hemsworth in the lead. Tripathi will fly down to Thailand tonight to join the Australian actor for the last schedule of the kidnap extraction drama directed by Sam Hargrave.

A source reveals, “Pankaj essays an Indian ganglord in the Netflix offering. While Chris plays a mercenary who is hired by a businessman to save his kidnapped son, his paths cross with Pankaj during his rescue efforts. It will be a 10-day schedule that will be shot in an undisclosed island, a few hours away from Bangkok. After Sacred Games, he was keen to be part of international projects, and this came his way at the right time.”

mid-day lays its hands on an exclusive picture of Chris Hemsworth shooting action sequence with Randeep Hooda in Ahmedabad; superstar arrives in Mumbai today
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; November 17, 2018)

The shoot of the Netflix offering, Dhaka, in Ahmedabad has been the subject of much interest, courtesy its lead actor Chris Hemsworth (Avengers: Infinity War, Star Trek). With the unit filming an action sequence featuring Hemsworth and Randeep Hooda over the past few days, mid-day stumbled upon a picture from the set.

A unit hand reveals, "While Chris plays a mercenary who has been hired to rescue a kidnapped child, Randeep essays the role of a gangster. The action sequence comes at a crucial point in the narrative. Chris and Randeep practised for the scene extensively before filming it. To ensure that the crowd didn't encroach the set, the area was cordoned off. Since the film is set in Dhaka, a makeshift set was created with signages in Bengali." With Hooda having recently joined the unit, the source adds that he has struck up a friendship with Hemsworth over their common passion - fitness.

Meanwhile, Hemsworth's fans in Mumbai can brace themselves as the Thor star landed in the city in the wee hours of the morning. Intense security arrangements have been deployed to ensure a smooth stay. "Since the unit is expected to shoot in Dharavi and Byculla, his stay will be spread across two hotels, thus ensuring that he has an easy commute to and from the sets. The team will be staying at a sea-facing hotel in Nariman Point during their Byculla schedule. They are yet to zero in on the other hotel. The security detail is taking extra precautions after a fan broke into the gym to meet the star in Ahmedabad."

Hemsworth is also expected to interact with the local media next week after the producers make the film's official announcement.