Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; April 9, 2019)

She stormed onto the silver screen with her first commercially successful film, Tezaab (1988). Thirty-one years later, Madhuri Dixit-Nene’s infectious smile still makes people go dhak-dhak, and a million hearts go aflutter every time she hits the dance floor. In a free-wheeling chat with BT, the powerhouse performer, who will soon be seen in Abhishek Varman’s Kalank, talks about working with the younger generation, teaming up with former coactor Sanjay Dutt in the upcoming period drama, and staying relevant even after so many years of being in the industry. Excerpts...

You are one of the few actresses from your generation, who’s working with youngsters. Do you find their school of acting any different from yours?
I don’t think there is any difference in terms of the acting techniques. All of us are spontaneous actors, whether it’s Varun (Dhawan), Alia (Bhatt) or me. I have never been someone who lives with the role. I switch on and off along with the camera. But, today, actors are much more knowledgeable than we were when we had started out. I wasn’t from the industry, and was completely unaware of how things worked here. But the basic spirit is the same with all of us — wanting to do good work and giving our best. I have more scenes with Alia and Varun than with Aditya (Roy Kapur) and Sonakshi (Sinha) in Kalank. All of them ar such good actors; full of life and energy. It was wonderful working with them, as there was a lot of exchange of notes. I think the way they approach their roles is very real, yet nuanced.

At a recent event, Alia mentioned that she had to pinch herself a few times to believe that she was facing the camera with you. She also said that there were moments when she would zone out and just stare at you. Were you aware of that?
(Smiles)... I am usually very normal on the set, just like Alia. I didn’t really know her before we started working on this film. I have seen her movies, Highway (2014) being her best. She is spontaneous, professional and comes to the set with no baggage. I like that attitude. That’s how I was. As far as dancing is concerned, people are like ‘Oh! They didn’t dance together’. But then, we have to follow the script. At that point, it was not possible for us to dance together to that song. I think she has done a very nice job, especially for someone who hasn’t learnt classical dancing. She was so graceful that it was me who was admiring her.

In the current day, this is your second multi starrer after Total Dhamaal. Are you enjoying being one of the actors of an ensemble than being the solo heroine like you were in your earlier days? In this case, the pressure of the film’s success is also divided...
That’s always the case with multi-starrers, because everything doesn’t rest on your shoulders. The same goes for Kalank. When I heard its script, I knew that it is a love story between the youngsters. But there are so many other elements in the film, which I am not at liberty to reveal yet. There is a lot more to look forward to in the story.

The role of Bahaar Begum was originally offered to Sridevi. After coming on board, you mentioned that it was quite tough to replace her. The first day of the shoot must have been emotional...
Of course. When I walked in, I knew this was the role that she was going to play and now, I was doing it. What happened was very tragic and sudden. Even today, it’s unbelievable. In that sense, it was very emotional. It was more on a personal level that I felt all these things when I started shooting for the film. We remembered her on the set all the time. But then, of course, when the shot is on, you have to block all that out and play the part.

You are reuniting with Sanjay Dutt on screen after 21 years. Both of you have given hits together like Saajan (1991) Khalnayak (1993). Do you feel any pressure to recreate the magic?
No. We just followed our parts according to the script. We cannot think, ‘Oh! We have to recreate the magic’. What we have to do is create the magic that is in the script. The first scene we did together was quite dramatic, but it went off well. It’s always great to work with actors you have worked with before because there is a rapport. It was seamless.

He kept calling you ma’am at the trailer launch of the film?
Yes, that’s a joke now. He calls me ma’am and I call him sir (laughs!)



With films like Bucket List (2018 Marathi film), Dedh Ishqiya and Gulaab Gang (2014),you are trying to push the envelope and play parts, which have surprised the audience because they have seen you in never-seen-before avatars. Often actors your generation don’t get parts that suit their age...
All the roles I did suited me. For instance, in Gulaab Gang, I played the age I was supposed to or, for that matter, even in Dedh Ishqiya. Total Dhamaal was total dhamaal. It was a typical commercial film laced with comedy and was so much fun. Now, whether a film does well or not is governed by luck and other things. When you take up a script, you give it your all. You want to do your best, but what happens finally once the audience sees it, is not in your hands.

Is it disheartening that we don’t have as many author-backed roles for senior actresses in Indian cinema unlike Hollywood, where older actresses are bagging such amazing roles...
I think that’s a woe everywhere, whether it’s Hollywood or Indian cinema. Yes, actors like Meryl Streep gets to play meaty roles, Helen Mirren gets to play different characters in Hollywood. I think that will happen in India too, eventually. People loved me in Total Dhamaal and that kind of proves that age is just a number, if the film and the role are handled well. Sometimes, even if you perform well and the script is good, other things don’t fall into place. How the film is released, what it is competing with, did you get the right slot to come in... all this matters a lot. Now that I am a producer, I understand these dynamics.

The fact that heroes have a longer shelf life, while actresses don’t enjoy that kind of longevity is often a topic of debate...
Well, it’s because of the way people look at a woman. They feel that when she is of a certain age, it’s over for her, but that’s not the case. Every generation is going to be different. I see a lot of changes in the industry today. When I was doing Tezaab, besides my female co-actors, I was the only woman on the set. Everyone else, including the make-up person, the cameraperson, the light people and the assistant directors were men. But now, when I walk into a set, I see women everywhere. That’s empowering. There is a lot of hope because there are so many female directors coming forward and winning awards, like Meghna Gulzar or Zoya Akhtar, who make such lovely films that are not necessarily female-oriented. I see a lot of hope and change in the industry and it’s all for the better. There will be more roles in future for everyone.

Was it difficult to get a foothold when you returned to India from the US, where you had shifted base to post marriage? Did you have to put in an extra effort to stay relevant after so many years?
I got so much love when I came back. Relevance depends on the kind of roles you choose. I always chose to do something different. Dedh Ishqiya was kind of tongue-in-cheek and Gulaab Gang was an action film. I was asked how I could do action at this age. Do they ask such questions to heroes — in fact, some of them, who are older than me, are doing action to this day. I want to break these perceptions. In Total Dhamaal, I did everything, including dance, and people accepted me and loved my performance and my comedy in the film. I think one has to keep breaking stereotypes to stay relevant.

Now that your sons (Arin and Raayan) are teenagers, they must be having an opinion about the kind of cinema you have been associated with? Has either of them shown interest in following your footsteps?
(Smiles) I am their mother at home. I don’t think they see me any different from that. Of course, when they go out with me, it’s a different thing and they go like, ‘Oh! mom, you are so cool’. There was this one time when they saw me dance with Prabhu Dheva and were very impressed. My younger son has more of a scientist-like mindset. The older one loves music and is producing his own stuff. He loves drama and stage and watches it from a critical point of view. I recently saw him perform in school and was quite impressed. Today’s generation thinks a lot and knows a lot. I am surprised that my sons discuss scripts with me now. I did not think so much about scripts when I started off. They talk to me about why a scene is done this way, why was it shot that way and what is continuity. Having said that, my sons are just growing up, so, let’s see what they finally end up doing. Children are like water; they keep changing directions and finding themselves.

Did you ever think of pursuing a career in Hollywood, given that you were living In America for so many years?
Well, I moved to the US with a different plan for myself. I got married and wanted to have a family. Though I did get offer for a part in The West Wing, I was already pregnant by then. Even there, a lot of diversity is seen now with the likes of Hasan Minhaj, Aziz Ansari and Priyanka Chopra creating a niche for themselves. We have actors of Indian origin there, who are not stereotyped anymore.

Writer-director Abhishek Chaubey exchanges notes on his cinematic world of women and the actresses who inhabit them
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 27, 2019)


ISHQIYA (2010)
The genesis of the film began with Krishna, a seemingly powerless woman with great reserves of inner strength and courage. In my head, I built her up to be what you’d call a femme fatale in cinematic terms. Then, I brought in two conmen Iftikhar aka Khalujaan and Babban, wove a story around them where Krishna uses her sexuality to manipulate them, but does it for love and not money.

Vidya had got a lot of acclaim for Parineeta and the films that followed. She was at an interesting stage in her career, ready to go a notch higher. Quiet, introverted Krishna with her sharp tongue was different from the outgoing Vidya whose laugh rings out on the set, but she spent a lot of time with me trying to understand and internalise the character. I remember Vidya pottering around Krishna’s house a few days before the shoot in costume, picking up a broom to sweep a room or trying to cook on the mitti ka chulha. It was her way of living the role and by the time we started shooting, she owned Krishna, made her a brand.

The look and feel came from the women I had met in small towns who looked beautiful in inexpensive, synthetic saris and were not shy of wearing bright colours. I couldn’t understand why we’d doll up our heroines in western wear when they looked so sensual in the six yards. With my costume designer Payal Saluja I wanted to break the stereotypical concept of a small-town woman and Vidya carried off the sari really well.

Almost a decade has passed since I shot my first film, but people still talk about Krishna’s frank sexuality, completely fresh at the time. They rave about how alluring Vidya looked and how she managed to hold her own against two macho, dominating men. Krishna still brings me a lot of love.


DEDH ISHQIYA (2014)
Though a sequel, Dedh Ishqiya was a different adventure for Khalu and Babban. The only other common factor apart from the two gentlemen, was that it was a caper. In look and feel, it was almost like a costume drama, set in a rich, textured world of Muslim aristocracy and Urdu poetry.

I approached Madhuri ji (Dixit) first, even before Naseer and Arshad (Warsi), with just a bare outline of the story. She found it exciting, agreed to do the film if the script panned out and set the ball rolling. Usually I don’t write scripts with an actor in mind, but in this case since the trio entered the picture early, I had that advantage.

Madhuri ji’s Begum Para and Huma Qureshi’s Muniya were more complex characters than Vidya’s Krishna, and what made it more challenging was that their world was soft and subtle, where nothing was spoken aloud and everything was underplayed. Both had been through troubled marriages, been betrayed and wounded in love, Begum more so. In the company of people, she was charming and confident, alone she was depressed, prone to self-harm. She’d lost a part of herself and Muniya, who was younger, sharper, more energetic, tried to bring it back for her. All her scheming and even the kidnapping plot was for the love she feels for her soulmate. Love is the core of this franchise. The characters miss romance and seek it, so the title Ishqiya.

SONCHIRIYA (2019)
I was impressed with Bhumi (Pednekar) in her debut film, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, and I am even more impressed now, having worked with her in Sonchiriya, in which she plays a housewife from a village in Chambal. She’s a girl of explosive talent and looks beautifully Indian, a prime criterion for my film. But since she’s actually a Versova girl she had to travel greater distances than Vidya (Balan) as Krishna in Ishqiya who, for me, was a graduate. Bhumi’s Indumati in contrast is an uneducated girl, married at 13 and a mother of two by 16-17.

To get into character, Bhumi had to do extensive physical prep over two-and-a-half months, starting with changing the way she normally walked because her character walks six km, barefoot, to fetch water every day, with a pot on the head and another on the hip. There were other chores too which she had to learn, from grinding grain and mirchi to cooking on a chulha and firing a gun. She was diligent, and even wrote an eight-page character brief to understand where Indumati came from, how she thought, felt and behaved. This is stuff you won’t see in the movie.

The film at its core is Indu’s story. She is the female protagonist and since there are very few women characters in the film, Bhumi was often the only woman on the set amidst 45 men. To add to that, for a city-bred girl to run around, jump and shoot on a harsh, unfamiliar terrain like Chambal can be hugely challenging, physically. The intensity of the role also made it emotionally exhausting. There were days when by the time we finished, she was so drained she couldn’t move from her chair. But not once did we hear her complain, in fact, when things got too intense, she’d deflect it with her humour. She is charming, a ball of energy and great fun. And through this journey with one of the most difficult characters I’ve created, we have become good friends.


UDTA PUNJAB (2016)
This was a film on drug abuse, with two tracks — Shahid (Kapoor) and Alia’s (Bhatt) underlining its effects on the mind and the body, and Kareena (Kapoor) and Diljit’s (Dosanjh) highlighting the social problems that stem from it. Alia’s Mary Jane aka Bauria was a symbol of strength. For this 19-year-old aspiring hockey player from a very poor family, a mysterious packet comes with the dream of a better life. But it leads to her being abused, imprisoned and drugged. Unlike Tommy Singh (Shahid) who takes drugs recreationally, Mary Jane is forced into it and what she undergoes can break anyone, even kill them, because heroin is one of the most addictive of substances. But this chit of a girl shows tremendous strength to come out of the hellhole and in the end when you see her on a beach in Goa, you believe her time will come.

For me, it was a leap of faith to cast Alia in the role because she’s basically a Mumbai girl from an affluent family. But among all the actresses I’ve worked with, Alia has the highest emotional quotient. She empathised with her character and brought her to life with great conviction. It took emotional strength, apart from the drama, to carry it off and took a toll on her. Alia is a petite girl but during the shoot she shrunk so much it was hard to spot her in a crowd. She deserved every one of the rave reviews and awards she got for that performance.

Helming the other track was Kareena’s Dr Preet Sahni. I’d met doctors and social workers like her during our research. They work 13-14 hours in small hospitals, seeing 300 patients a day, not for money but because “someone has to do it”. Preet could have got married and had a comfortable life, but she is intelligent enough to see through the rotting system and selfless enough to want to save lives.

I had worked with Kareena in Omkara, a film I wrote, and her, Dolly Mishra had been an angel too, reflecting the same innate goodness you see in Dr Preet. That’s why when tragedy strikes, it’s heart-breaking.

Kareena was happy I’d thought of her for the part and played it with dedication. Honey (Trehan), who is from that part of Punjab, gave her diction lessons. She never sat on the sets but would stand beside me, watching as I set up the shots. 

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; February 16, 2019)

Madhuri Dixit-Nene is amused that every time she has a movie up for release, it’s termed as her comeback. She laughs, “I think people should invent some new word now.” However, after a 35-year-long career (her first film Abodh released in 1984), she does feel that a new innings begins with Total Dhamaal. Whether it’s content or the kinds of roles written for women, the actress feels that there’s more scope to experiment today and she’s not sticking to any formula. She has a madcap comic caper like Total Dhamaal lined up, followed by a more emotional and layered Kalank this year. Apart from this, the 51-year-old is in talks with prominent filmmakers for a few other projects. In a freewheeling chat, the Padma Shri recipient discusses about writers emerging as the true game-changers in Bollywood and sharing screen space with her former co-stars once again. Excerpts...

Today, many of the ’90s actresses are playing prominent parts in movies. This wasn’t the case earlier... 
You need to reinvent yourself with the times. Now, we have more opportunities than what women had in the ’70s. There are so many diverse mediums today — whether it’s social media, TV or the digital platform — through which you can keep yourself busy. There’s a lot that an actor can do, other than just working in films. It also gives you opportunities to not just stick to your profession, but also utilise it to do other things that are relevant. Like women and children are subjects I feel strongly about, so I work on that with UNICEF. I have made proper use of the myriad platforms.

The old pairings too are back — Anil Kapoor is working with you, Juhi Chawla and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Sanjay Dutt will also share screen space with you and Manisha Koirala...
Everything has changed — from the writing to the audience. They don’t mind seeing married heroines or actors with kids. Nobody cares about all that anymore — they just want to see good films. If you act well and look good, they will appreciate it. Anil ji is working with all his heroines from the ’90s.  The audience is more exposed to OTT platforms today, so you are watching eclectic roles, movies and series. Actresses of different ages are playing diverse roles. And people have started accepting that as they have matured.

Male superstars have been traditionally paired opposite younger heroines. But do you think they are no longer hesitant of being paired with actresses they started with?
It’s not the actors who are making it possible for us. I believe it’s the writers who are making all the difference. I would give them the credit because they are creating these roles where women are portrayed in not just the stereotypical mother and sister characters. Whether you’re a mother or not, it doesn’t matter, you can still be a professional. In Tumhari Sulu (2017), Vidya Balan’s character becomes an RJ and does something out of the box for the family. She’s enjoying it and happy with it. Writing these roles have brought in a huge change for sure.

Total Dhamaal brings you with a lot of your former co-stars. Barring Riteish Deshmukh, you’ve worked with almost everyone...
It’s a funny film. I can’t tell you how amazing it was to shoot Total Dhamaal. The team used to crack me up even more in-between shots, than what you’ll see in the film. This is a crazy bunch who is always ready with one-liners. Everyone is so entertaining and they are nice people. I have worked with most of them — Riteish (Deshmukh), Sanjay Mishra ji and Pitobash are the only ones I had not worked with before. It was a blast shooting with everyone. This is one film which I have really enjoyed working on.

Did the reunion prompt you in a way to give your nod to the film?
Yes, of course. I have done three films with Indu ji (Indra Kumar). I’ll be working with Anil ji after Pukar (2000) and Ajay Devgn after Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke (2001). It’s a multi-starrer and you’re comfortable with the fact. You know it’s not going to be just you on the screen from start to end. But it’s a dhamaal film (laughs). I heard the script, I loved it and I did it.

As compared to Dedh Ishqiya (2014) and Gulaab Gang (2014), Dhamaal is lighter and more commercial. Was it a conscious move?
I did Dedh Ishqiya because it had a nice angle and the story was written cleverly. I did Gulaab Gang as it was about women empowerment. It was about a woman who took matters into her own hands and executed plans. So, it gave me a chance to do a lot of fights and stunts myself. That was wonderful for me. Then, there was the Marathi film Bucket List (2018), which was a sweet film. Now with Total Dhamaal, it’s a homecoming for me as I’ve worked with almost the entire team. Plus, it’s a comedy which I’m doing after a long time. I have done more serious movies in my career, so this gave me a different opportunity. Kalank is again a subdued, nuanced period film. So I thought it would be a nice collage.

Do you think comedy films in Bollywood are still underrated?
Not at all. Look at Badhaai Ho (2018), the sense of comedy in a film which deals about a rather serious topic of a mother getting pregnant in her 50s is outstanding. The way they have dealt with the situation in the film is extremely funny. Even Tumhari Sulu was a lovely script. There was a sense of humour attached to everything that was happening. Yes, Total Dhamaal is more commercial, it’s like an out-and-out comedy entertainer. This genre is also very ’90s — right from the scenes to the music and adventure mixed into one plot.

As told to Rohit Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 27, 2018)

When I signed Dedh Ishqiya, I was really excited about starting the shoot as I would get to work alongside Madhuri (Dixit, co-star) ma’am — I had grown up watching her on screen — but I was nervous about attempting Kathak with her. The song was choreographed by Remo D’souza and it was like a beautiful crash course for me. I practiced the dance form diligently for almost a month. During the filming, it was taxing to shoot the dance sequence with the heavy costume.

Another crash course by way of a film assignment came with Rajinikanth sir’s Kaala. While shooting for the film, I picked up a smattering of Tamil. Even though someone else had dubbed for me, I was keen to acquire a basic understanding of the language. Jenny, the associate director, who I was close to, would spend hours working on my dialogues with me and I would ask her for the meaning of every Tamil word. I also observed her dialect while she spoke. She was my true Tamil teacher on the sets. Before that, I had picked up the Hindi dialect of Uttar Pradesh 10 days before starting work on Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs Of Wasseypur (left). While the nuances of the language took time to grasp, getting the accent right was relatively easier. There was not too much research involved for the character but going to Benaras and hanging out with the locals made my job easier.

During the shoot of the Marathi film Highway, I picked up the language while interacting with the people on the sets. I played a television actress in the film who is travelling from Mumbai to Pune for a pandal opening. However, I didn’t have to speak much Marathi, it was mostly Hindi. I am still learning the language.

White is the hardest film I have shot for. I was trying to learn Malayalam for the part and the pronunciation was tough. For one scene, I had to dance in a white cotton saree in the middle of London city while lip-syncing to a song. It was tough.

I played an explosives expert in D-Day, for which I learnt hand-to-hand combat and weapon-handling. Obviously, I didn’t learn to make a bomb but had to understand the process for the part. I focused a lot on weapon loading and safety. It was one of the most extensive trainings I have undergone for a part.

I am a director’s pet. Before I started shooting Badlapur, I got hold of Sriram Raghavan’s entire DVD collection and watched the films closely for reference. After that, I worked a lot on my looks and disposition as a sex worker. Since my character had to age through the film, I had to understand how an aging sex worker behaves, talks and dresses. We didn’t want to reduce the character to a cliché, but I did try to make it sexy in the younger parts.

The most interesting film, prep-wise, was Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana (right), during which I did a lot of cooking and chopping. I remember, once I was trying to chop an onion, when my director Sameer Sharma bullied me into doing it faster. I must have chopped around 2-3 kilos of onion during rehearsals. Kunal (Kapoor, co-star) would often look lost in the kitchen and I would guide him in things like how to stir a pot. I was like a food expert on the sets.

For Viceroy’s House, a period film, I worked a lot on my character’s appearance. Gurinder (Chadha, director) was particularly clear about the way she wanted my character to look and act. I played a woman from the 1930-40ss and I had pictures of people who worked in the Viceroy’s house for reference. For character inputs, I also met an old lady who was 19 at the time of Partition and had met Gandhiji as a child. I also acquired a British accent for the film.

Nushrat Bharucha (DNA; March 24, 2018)

Nushrat Bharucha can’t stop smiling. Her last release, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety is inching towards the Rs 100 crore mark and her phone hasn’t stopped ringing. “My life has changed drastically. I have now become an option for projects that earlier I probably wouldn’t have been considered for,” she beams. Here, she talks about the kind of roles she wants to do, directors she wants to work with, and more...

Has life changed after the super success of Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety?
Drastically! I was looking forward to connecting and working with certain producers and directors from the industry whom I have already known. Now, when I go to meet them, their first response is, ‘Aap toh star ban gayi. If I call you, will you answer the phone or someone else will?’. People are looking at me in a new light. It’s almost like, ‘We knew she was around, she did a decent job in the films that she was seen in, but now she is somebody we can depend on’. The film has done so much business — the (box office) numbers have made me a sort of dependable actor. I guess that’s why the business matters. Overall, when they set up projects, they know what will work commercially. In that respect, I have become an option for a lot more projects.

Are flooded with offers?
I have started meeting people. I am looking at doing something that I have not done before. I am considering a mix of things, maybe two-three different genres. Or I will wait for something I really like doing and do that one thing for the next one year. I am still taking my time because it’s crucial. If I take a wrong turn now, it will ruin all my hard work.

When you say you want to do something you haven’t done before, do you have anything specific in mind?
I want to be a part of Imtiaz Ali’s movies like Rockstar, Jab We Met, and Tamasha, where you are totally immersed in terms of performance and his world. His movies are romantic — the Sufi kind — with heartbreak and journey. I would also like to be part of movies like Vishal Bhardwaj’s Omkara and Abhishek Chaubey’s Dedh Ishqiya, which are based in small towns. I want to explore that space. I felt Alia’s (Bhatt) characters in Udta Punjab and Highway were a great contrast to the other films that she was doing at that time. As an actor, she was exploring different sides, which is what I would like to do, too.

Are you saying you don’t want to do any more light films?
I have already made an identity and a distinctive place for myself in light-hearted romantic films. Issine mujhe naam diya hai. So, I will continue doing these kinds of films. Only because of these movies can I think of experimenting with something completely different and become a wholesome entertainer.

Kartik Aaryan, Luv Ranjan and you have become a winning team. What is the secret?
I think our stars are perfectly aligned! Kaam bhi kar rahe hai aur ek doosre ko acchi tarah se jaante bhi hai. It’s not as if we have only hits. We have done Akaash Vani, which was a flop. We have gone through lows and highs together. The most important thing for me as an actor is that I should be able to free my mind of doubts and inhibitions. And, all three of us are able to shed our inhibitions at least among ourselves and create that magic. Our minds are receptive to any creative improvisation. We work in a happy space and that is probably why we are working together repeatedly.

Luv Ranjan’s films have been accused of being misogynistic. What is your reaction?
I know what people have said about his films. But the first thing you have to see is whose story it is. Both, Pyaar Ka Punchnama (PKP) and the sequel, were from the boy’s point of view. It was about what happens after two people, who are in love, have spent time together for five-six months. It was about the bad days and not the good days. There are many love stories where everything ends happily, but this was about what happens when love goes wrong. And for the three boys, it went wrong in PKP. Secondly, it was a comedy where things are exaggerated. That is why certain comedies work the way they are. So, in the writing and performance, we did that. For me as an actor, my character was in an unreal space, it was caricaturish. The film was about three boys being stuck with three wrong girls. If you make PKP from the girl’s point of view, it would have been the other way round. The boys would have been wrong for the girls. That wouldn’t have been misogynistic.

What about Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety?
In this film, the girl is herself saying, ‘I am flawed, I am the villain and this is what I am going to do in life’. She is actually challenging the guy. It cannot be misogynistic because we haven’t shown the girl doing anything wrong. Which girl doesn’t see the bank balance of the guy she is marrying? Not only the girl, even her parents want her to marry a financially-secure guy. She is being practical to a point that ‘if I get married and come into the house, I will decide for my man and vice versa’. She doesn’t want his friend to come into that space. That girl doesn’t do any wrong to her fiancé. It’s not about whether she is right or wrong. The question is whom does the boy choose. Does he want to keep his friend or be with his girl forsaking the friendship? He chooses his friend over the girl. There is nothing misogynistic about it. But, because the first two films (PKP and PKP 2) had that flavour, it got carried to Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety.

BT talks to a cross section of artistes from the industry to find out why Bollywood has fallen out of tune with the genre
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; November 18, 2016)

Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 10, 2014)

Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 22, 2014)

In an interview to Mirror (January 16), CEO of the Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC), Rakesh Kumar expressed his displeasure over objectionable content being passed in films. "We want to nip this trend in the bud," he had asserted.

Recently, CBFC passed an order that instead of blurring out images deemed offensive, the scenes will have to be edited out. Another order passed says: Beeping of cuss words will be done away with, instead the scene will go mute in the portion where the expletive is used.

Confirming this, Rakesh Kumar told Mirror, "Blurring toh bilkul nahin chalega. And if there are gaalis, a 'U' certificate will only be given if the objectionable part is muted in its entirety. Cuss words become obvious if beeped out."

This order stems from the frontal nudity scene in Ashu Trikha's Vinod Khanna starrer Koyelaanchal and the lovemaking scene between Arshad Warsi and Huma Qureshi in Dedh Ishqiya. Said a source, "CBFC received a lot of flak for these two scenes."

Mirror has it that after the backlash, the censor have chopped several scenes, including a sequence of Jacqueline Fernandez' father getting a massage in Kick. The violence depicted against Shraddha Kapoor and Aamna Shariff in Ek Villain was also toned down, as also scenes of Randeep Hooda hitting Alia Bhatt in Imtiaz Ali's Highway. The CBFC is now taking steps to ensure that violence against women and children committing crimes is not highlighted.

More importantly, every single member of the CBFC will sit for screenings in rotation. Added the source, "Earlier, only select members were invited to screenings which lead to accusations of bias towards certain bigwigs. But now, every one of the 150 members will get his chance to vote." Added Rakesh, "We are trying our best to do a fair job."

Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; June 19, 2014)

Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; June 10, 2014)

BOMBAY TIMES (February 26, 2014)

For years on end, Bollywood was superstitious about releasing movies in the month of January. However, when films like No One Killed Jessica and Agneepath, which released in the first month of 2011 and 2012 respectively, proved successful, it looked like the jinx had been broken. Well, not exactly. A trade source says that January 2014 has, once again, been a jinxed month, with movies losing almost Rs 100 crore.

Mr Joe B Carvalho, Sholay 3D, Dedh Ishqiya, Karle Pyaar Karle, Miss Lovely, Om-Dar-Ba-Dar, Paranthe Wali Gali, Jai Ho and One By Two — all of them fared below expectations.

Though February salvaged the situation to a certain degree by putting out some average earners, the trade is still reeling from the impact of the January duds.

HASEE TOH PHASEE led the box office charts last week as the other new releases had awful collections. HEARTLESS, BABLOO HAPPY HAI and YA RAB could not collect despite all three getting a 250 screen release. HEARTLESS was the best of the lot.

JAI HO is coming to the end of its run and may collected a little over 108 crore nett in the final. HOOM 3 3 has finished its run with a little over 261 crore. Below is the box office chart for the week ending 13 Feb 2014.

Box Office Collections (7 Feb 14 - 13 Feb 14)
Rank	Last Week	Film	Week	Screens	Nett Gross	% Drop	Total Nett Gross
1	New	Hasee Toh Phasee	1	1300	27,23,00,000	-	27,23,00,000
2	1	Jai Ho	3	700	3,83,00,000	-82.01	1,06,84,00,000
3	New	Heartless	1	425	85,00,000	-	85,00,000
4	New	Ya Rab	1	250	23,25,000	-	23,25,000
5	New	Babloo Happy Hai	1	275	21,75,000	-	21,75,000
6	4	Yaariyan	5	25	6,00,000	-83.33	31,10,00,000
8	3	Dedh Ishqiya	5	25	6,00,000	-88.00	25,26,00,000
7	2	One By Two	2	15	3,00,000	-98.92	2,80,00,000
9	5	Dhoom 3 (Hindi)	8	5	2,00,000	-80.00	2,61,23,00,000
10	8	Karar - The Deal	3	10	1,00,000	-35.00	4,00,000

Madhuri Dixit- Nene says it is a great time to be an actor. Heroines are no longer slotted as only avengers, victims or eye- candy
Itee Sharma (MID-DAY; February 16, 2014)

From playing a graceful, shrewd protagonist in Dedh Ishqiya to a fierce defender of women’s rights in Gulaab Gang, Madhuri Dixit-Nene is having a whale of a time with her comeback. The diva talks about juggling motherhood with films, her willingness to attempt new roles and working with her 1990s arch rival, Juhi Chawla.

Is Gulaab Gang a more commercial version of your 1997 film, Mrityudand ?
No, not al all. In Mrityudand, I played an educated girl who marries into a feudal family but rebels against the inequality and discovers her own inner strength. In Gulaab Gang, I play a leader who forms a gang of women vigilantes and brings justice to the oppressed. It is strong role: she is educated and believes women should be empowered. She believes education will help women and also encourage men to respect women.
But this message is conveyed in a very masala way; there’s song, dance, fights and dialogue baazi.

You are working with your 1990s rival Juhi Chawla in the film. You are known as the Dhak-dhak girl, what comes to your mind when you mention Juhi?
The word bubbly comes to my mind.

Juhi is stepping into a new zone with this film by playing the villain. Are you also game to doing a dark role?
I have set no boundaries for myself. I don’t want them. I won’t do a negative role for the heck of it; a grey role has to interest me. But I am clear — I want to do any kind of film or role that interests me.

How do you feel about the way your equation with Huma Qureshi was portrayed in Dedh Ishqiya?
What can I say? (Smiles) What I liked about Dedh Ishqiya was the ambiguity. It was your interpretation of what it is. The two women don’t want men in their lives; they lead their lives independently. They could be sisters. I liked the open-ending of the film. New sensitivities are coming to movies. Women are real people on screen. Roles which do not slot women in the regular moulds of an avenger, a victim, or eye candy, are now being written for us.

Which film, do you think, changed the game for you?
Tezaab. It was my first hit, it had the big dance sequence (Ek Do Teen) and the manner in which the romance with Anil Kapoor was portrayed was different. After my debut in Abodh I didn’t know whether I should continue doing films so I returned to college and mainly did roles like in Awaara Baap and Swati that required only 10 days of my time. After I did a song in Karma, Subhash ji (Ghai) said if I stopped doing small roles, he would sign me for Ram Lakhan . I was destined to do films.

Has Bollywood changed drastically? 
Discipline has seeped in, everything is so organised now. Earlier, the writer could pen the dialogues early morning. It was haphazard, now it is relaxed. You can read the script a number of times.

What about your own attitude — has it changed over time?
Earlier, when I would walk in at the sets, I wasn’t answerable to anyone. Now, I have my kids and husband and I have to manage my time accordingly. I could do things spontaneously before but now I have to plan, so I have to work harder.

How do you rate yourself in juggling personal and professional commitments?
Between 8.5 and 9. One can never be a perfect 10.

Are your kids Arin and Ryan inclined toward the performing arts like their mother?
I don’t know. As of now, they are into tennis. But they are learning tabla too.

So what’s your focus — films, your dance school or your family?
I am focusing on everything. We already have 88,000 students in my online academy, www. dancewithmadhuri. com. I want it to become a community for dance and dance lovers. If I get a good film, I will do it; if not, I will take a break.

Which young actress do you think can become the next Madhuri Dixit?
(Giggles) No one can be someone else; they have to make a name for themselves. But I see a lot of talent. I like Vidya Balan; Priyanka was fabulous in Barfi!. In the newer lot, I like Parineeti Chopra, Anushka Sharma Sonakshi Sinha and also Alia Bhatt (whom I have seen in the trailers of Highway). Deepika Padukone is blossoming.

Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 11, 2014)

This jeans and sneakered guy couldn't have made Dedh Ishqiya is my first thought. My next is: Why are we so prone to stereotyping? Abhishek Chaubey may be urban and urbane, but, as I discover during the course of a 60-minute conversation, UP and its hinterlands are not unfamiliar to him.

He recalls a bus journey from Lucknow to Faizaabad that he took when he was just a 13-year old. He had encountered a lone passenger who was sweetly docile till a fellow passenger touched her inappropriately. "Then all hell broke loose! Pallu still covering half her face, she launched a 20-minute tirade with gaalis which would put even a kamina like me to shame,” Abhishek grins. Krishna, Vidya Balan's character in his directorial debut Ishqiya, perhaps had its genesis in this firebrand.

Coming from an orthodox Brahmin family, Abhishek soon understood that while men were the constitutional heads, the real power rested with the women of the household. “In the outside world they play supporting roles, but all major decisions are taken when the husband and wife have their heads on the pillow and she’s telling him what has to be done,” he says.

From this epiphany the germ of an idea grew which he narrated to mentor-friend Vishal Bharadwaj, a couple of months after Omkara. “I didn’t even know then if it could be a film, forget flagging off a franchise,” he admits. It turned into Ishqiya, a film about woman power.

“Krishna is a typical small-town woman yet also a femme fatale in a polyster sari who could very well fit into a Western movie,” he says, recalling how Arshad Warsi had told him she’s like Sholay’s Thakur. She hires Khalu and Babban,who in their own way represent machismo, to avenge her humiliation and then takes the pants off them.

The encouraging response to his first cinematic gamble prompted Abhishek to script a sequel with the trio. But he soon realised that Krishna’s story was over and introduced two different women characters, Begum Para and Muniya, with a delicate hint at the end that they could be in a homosexual relationship.

“The lesbian strain came in a few months into the scripting when we hit a roadblock following our inability to reach an interesting and powerful resolution. Looking beyond market forces and a conservative audience it made sense,” he says, admitting the first few scenes were very direct. “Had we gone with them we’d have got plenty of backlash. But after discussions with a few learned friends, we got the perfect pitch. Eventually, the hint was so subtle that if you got it, you left the theatre with a sly smile, and if you wanted, you could ignore it and still have plenty left with to enjoy.”

Madhuri Dixit, happy with the final draft, played Para more emotionally than sexually. “That was the way to do it because the two women share a deep bond which comes from being together for a long time,” he reasons, admitting he was distracted by Madhuri's beauty and who she was, when they met but soon the awe turned professional. “I’m not star-struck and on the sets Madhuri is a giver who comes to you like an empty glass,” he says. Abhishek was equally at ease with Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad who hit it off from the first day, first shoot, in 2008. Four years later, when they reunited for the sequel, it was as if they’d never left. Can he make an Ishqiya without them? “Not in 2016 or 2018, but 15-20 years from now. may be the audience will accept a new jodi,” he rationalises.

Interestingly, Dedh Ishqiya whose language is mostly chaste Urdu, has subtitles to increase its reach. Abshishek who had grown up watching sub-titled films, had no issues. “I make UP-centric regional films, if I can make them intelligible to people in Tamil Nadu without losing out on realism, why not?”he says, recalling 50 people, all men, enjoying Omkara in a video parlour in a kasba in UP. “If it had sub-titles Omkara’s revenue would have been much larger.”

Abhishek who has co-written four scripts—Blue Umbrella, Maqbool, Omkara and Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola--with Vishal told him during Maqbool that he wanted to do something different. "He told me to write a script and he’d produce the film. He kept his promise twice," says Abhishek.

Many believe Vishal directed Ishqiya and Dedh Ishqiya.... “I wish!" he sighs, "Then I’d have got money and name without slogging. Vishal sir came twice on the sets of Ishqiya and for an hour during Dedh Ishqiya. That too because my co-writer and I insisted he see the film before the final cut. He told me Dedh Ishqiya was a better film," exults Abhishek, admitting that a day may come when he starts working for outside banners. "I'm waiting to finish my next script in a couple of months and narrate it to him. Then we'll see. It’s not Ishqiya 3 but a film set in Punjab with an ensemble cast and one kickass woman character."

ONE BY TWO had a poor first day collecting in the 50 lakhs nett range. The film fared poorly in all circuits with Delhi city and Punjab area recording best collections. The film has mainly been released at multiplexes with around 500 screens but looks set for a poor fate.

JAI HO grossed around 3 crore nett on its second Friday which is more than 80% down on last Friday. The total is now around 85 crore nett in eight days and the way the film is going it won't make it to 100 crore before the weekend is out unless collections double up either on Saturday or Sunday.

The film did not take a bumper opening but the the big holiday collections gave it a chance of a good total if it had managed to sustain but that has not been the case.

The second week practically being an open week has not helped much. JAI HO is now looking at a finish of around 110 crore nett which means the lowest Salman Khan grosser in the last three years.

Meanwhile, YAARIYAN will finish with around 30 crore nett business and is an average fare. AVERAGE And, DEDH ISHQIYA will finish with around 24 crore nett business and is a flop. FLOP

With Dedh Ishqiya , director ABHISHEK CHAUBEY has cracked a tricky formula of marrying a masala film with chaste Urdu culture. He tells KAREENA N GIANANI why the film never loses the plot when it comes to the attitude he wanted the film to carry
Kareena N Gianani (MID-DAY; January 19, 2014)

You’ve maintained that you did not make Ishqiya with the intention of taking it ahead as a sequel, and the decision was nerve wracking. When, then, during the making of Dedh Ishqiya did you feel that you had a fine film at hand?
I think it happened sometime in the scripting stage. I remember working on it with Vishal Bhardwaj and having a moment when it hit me. I thought, ‘Hey, so I am not simply making a sequel, I have something original in hand now.’ This epiphany had something to do with the fact we were creating an alternate world of Mahmoodabad in Dedh Ishqiya . For a director, there is nothing more exhilarating than having the liberty to create an alternate reality, craft new characters and explore a lost culture, a time warp.

Tell us about creating the alternate world of Mahmoodabad, its codes and its attitude.
I was really charmed by the location and the decrepit palace we were shooting at. Ishqiya was a more intimate film. There were these obtuse references to the jungle and a war, but the film was shot in a house with mainly three characters. We went all out in Dedh Ishqiya , and, at the end of it all, making this film was more wholesome.

The world of Mahmoodabad stands on the chaste Urdu we decided to use in the film. The credit for that goes entirely to Vishal. He has grown up with that language and culture, and he loved that kind of poetry. A few years ago, he introduced me to Dr Bashir Badr (whose poetry has been used in Dedh Ishqiya ) and I was hooked. Dedh Ishqiya is our way of paying homage to his work.

When you create an alternate world, I think the most exciting part is to create its code, its dos and don’ts. I knew I wanted the world of Mahmoodabad to be entertaining but not vacuous. Before being anything else, Dedh Ishqiya is a comedy, and I knew exactly the attitude I wanted the actors to carry — quick wit, care-a-damn-attitude and willing to make light of the most serious things. For instance, when Babban (Arshad Warsi) is chasing Khalu (Naseeruddin Shah) after the latter swindles him, and finally catches up with him, he first greets him with all the tehzeeb . Khalu, too, who knows he is going to be questioned, returns the greeting. That’s the spirit of Dedh Ishqiya , tongue-in-cheek; that’s how the characters see the world.

… As compared to the slapstick comedies, which go on to make it to the R 100- 200 crore clubs?
(Laughs) Sab ke sau crore sab ko mubarak hon.

Did you think Naseeruddin Shah was best suited for the role because he has experimented with a similar culture in his plays? And what about Madhuri Dixit?
Dedh Ishqiya is my fourth film with Naseer, and I think we are at a stage where we understand each other without even trying. He thrived on the sets because he was playing these two different kinds of characters — Khalujaan, the rogue and Iftekhaar, the nawab. He was simply having a ball and I have never seen him this focussed and excited.

As far as Madhuri goes, I so desperately wanted her to agree to do this film, because she was the only person I could see essaying Begum Para’s role. I observed that she is a very relaxed actor. In spite of the work she has behind her, she is still the sort of actor who wants a director to step in and fill her in on the character’s shades. However, she’s also very instinctive — so if you tell her to do something that she thinks might look fake on screen, she’ll tell you that. I think what amazes me the most about Madhuri is that she does not theorise and is very subtle at her craft. Many a time, I’d think she was being too subtle and might miss the point, but later, when I saw it on screen, I realised she knew just what she was doing by putting in just the perfect amount of emphasis on her expression or style. I don’t think too many actors can boast of that.

The supporting cast in Dedh Ishqiya — Vijay Raaz, Manoj Pahwa and Salman Shahid — were equally well- etched, irrespective of the screen time they may have had.
I am glad that came across, then (smiles). I think the writing did it, again. They don’t have three hours to tell their stories and their motivations, but the writer must, at all cost. You don’t want to fall flat when a supporting actor looks at you and doesn’t understand why he is doing something in the film. He must know it in his head, even if he doesn’t spell it out on screen.

What’s next for you?
I am working on another script, but it would be too premature to discuss what it is about. But it will be entirely different from Ishqiya and Dedh Ishqiya , in every way possible.

What do you want to do better, then?
Improve my strike rate, for one!

Newly appointed Censor Board CEO Rakesh Kumar says he is here keep a check on the growing vulgarity and violence
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 16, 2014)

CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) has a new CEO, Rakesh Kumar, an ex-employee in Indian Railways. In an exclusive chat with Mirror at his Cuffe Parade residence on Tuesday night, he talks about his plans to scissor the objectionable content. Excerpts:
 
What's the first thing on your agenda? There is a huge backlog of films that needs to be cleared as we are short-staffed. I had a meet-ngreet with a set of leading filmmakers. I have to look into their request of allowing online submission of film trailers for approval. Also, Censor Chief, Leela Samson, has asked me to keep a check on the growing vulgarity and violence in films.
 
What's your take on today’s films? The seriousness in content is missing. Filmmakers are pushing the envelope a bit too far. They tell us, “Whatever we show is happening in our homes.” But what is happening in their homes is not necessarily happening across the country. So it cannot be the yardstick. I seriously don't think Ranbir Kapoor should have shown his middle finger and bared his butt in Besharam. I also felt that given his reputation, Aamir Khan shouldn't have produced a cuss-loaded film like Delhi Belly (pauses).
 
Go on... My wife and I walked out of Agneepath in the interval because it was just too gory. Gangs of Wasseypur had terrible language and Vishal Bhardwaj retained Arshad Warsi's sex scene in Dedh Ishqiya despite us ordering him to blur it out. It was only when we told him that we’d be forced to make a police complaint, did he edit it out. After watching Shuddh Desi Romance, my five-year-old daughter asked me, “Dad, isn’t there too much love in this movie?" More recently, I went to see Yaariyan with her and came out visibly embarrassed. Now, I have decided not to see even a U/A film with my kid.
 
How do you plan to change things? I called a meeting of my Regional Officers and have told them that I am not happy with the way certain things are going.
 
Are you in favour of removing ‘No Smoking’ disclaimer? No, Anurag Kashyap has to follow the law of the land. He has challenged it in court but he is unlikely to win the case.
 
How will you make adult content suitable for TV viewing? If you have content like Grand Masti, I wonder how much would remain after we clip.
 
But the film did well... Then pornography, which has a huge market in India, should be included in films to make them work better in the box-office.
 
Buzz is, CBFC has been lenient with influential filmmakers… On the contrary, we have been lenient with low-budget filmakers. I was an observer at the Revising Committee. Kill The Rapist was cleared with an A certificate. I questioned if it should be given a certificate at all.
 
What's your view on the New Cinematograph Act? It isn’t radically different from the previous one, except that U-12 and U-15 code will be included in the theatres. But I doubt the extent of its implementation.
 
Do you think that CBFC is walking on a tightrope with every film having plenty of objectionable content? The problem is that the objectionable content is getting passed. This is making the filmmakers more audacious. If we can nip this trend in the bud, the results will show up sooner or later. Else I will be out.
 
Have you met the former CEO Pankaja Thakur? Yes, I met her at her Wadala residence. It is a norm to meet your predecessor before taking charge.
 
Why wasn’t her stint not increased beyond three years? Office politics was one of the reasons. She had come from Customs and maybe will go back.