Three years after their first film together, the Dhawan duo are teaming up again for its sequel
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 24, 2019)

In 2016, Varun Dhawan teamed up with brother Rohit Dhawan on the latter’s second directorial, the Sajid Nadiadwala-produced Dishoom, an action-comedy also featuring John Abraham and Jacqueline Fernandez. In the film, the leading men played cops entrusted with the task of finding a star cricketer of the Indian team who is kidnapped 48 hours before a match in the UAE.

Now, Mirror has learnt that a sequel to the movie is in the works and is expected to go on the floors sometime next year. According to a source close to the development, Rohit recently locked the first draft of the story. “He has been working on multiple ideas for his next directorial for a while now. One of them was a plot that had the potential of taking the buddy-cop franchise forward. He recently narrated the first draft to Varun and Sajid, both of whom have green-lit the project,” informs our source.

While the first part revolved around getting a cricketer to the field, the sequel will follow the espionage film template, with Varun’s character, Junaid, on a mission to track a threat. “The film will be shot in India and abroad, and Rohit will go on a recce with his team early next year as he intends to take the film on the floors towards the second half of 2020,” the source added. This would mark the fifth home-grown franchise for Nadiadwala after Judwaa, Housefull, Baaghi and Kick. The source shares that the filmmaker is looking to start Kick 2 and Dishoom 2 next year around the same time.

Before moving on to the Dishoom sequel, Varun will finish shooting for Shashank Khaitan’s Mr Lele, a commercial entertainer featuring Kiara Advani and Bhumi Pednekar, which goes on floors in March. The actor also has Sriram Raghavan’s biopic on the 1971 Indo-Pak war hero, Arun Khetarpal.

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; December 21, 2019)

Life has come a full circle for Saqib Saleem. The cricket-crazy Sachin Tendulkar fan, who has played state-level cricket, is portraying India’s 83 World Cup dream-weaver Mohinder Amarnath’s character in the film, ‘83.

Talking about how everything ‘played out’, Saqib says, “So, ‘83 was announced with Ranveer Singh essaying Kapil Dev. One day, I just started wondering, ‘Who will play the then vice-captain, Mohinder Amarnath?’ My dad used to be a huge fan of Jimmy Amarnath. I spoke to my agency and they informed me that the makers were still looking for an actor to play his part. So, I reached out to Kabir (Khan, director) and requested him for a meeting. Over coffee, he asked me if I had ever played cricket. I didn’t want to oversell myself, so I told him, ‘Yes, a little’. The next day, they called me for cricket practice. That was the moment of truth for me. I met Balvinder Singh Sandhu, who was also a part of the ’83 World Cup team, and is a coach and consultant on the film. He asked me the same question, ‘Cricket khela hai tune?’ and I repeated myself, ‘Yes, a little.’ After that, his assistant coach bowled to me and I hit the ball all over the ground.”

Saqib says it’s destiny that he, who once lived and breathed cricket, got to play one of the architects of India’s biggest cricket glory. This is the same boy, who once suffered from an anxiety attack and had to be hospitalised, when his hero Tendulkar was dismissed early in the game. No doubt, playing Jimmy Amarnath brought back those emotions and the film’s shoot turned out to be an extremely evocative experience for him.

He shares, “It was surreal that all my life, I had wanted to become a cricketer and my wildest dreams came true in the most unexpected ways. I played cricket for my country, won the World Cup and was declared the man of the match, albeit for a scene. Imagine, we are standing on the balcony at the Lord’s, where no other film has ever been shot. And guess what Kabir said? ‘Guys, I forgot to tell you, we are shooting with the actual trophy that we won in 1983’. Then we saw three security guards and a woman walking in with the trophy, and we started crying. I was crying and so were Ranveer and Hardy (Sandhu, who plays Madan Lal). You see, for cricket lovers, ’83 transformed the way the world looked at India.”

Saqib, who grew up watching his father fanboy over Mohinder Jimmy Amarnath, even got to train with the cricketing legend to prepare for his role. Interestingly though, ’83 was not the first time Saqib met him. They first met during the making of Dishoom (2016), in which they shared screen space. Even though he thoroughly enjoyed the ace batsman’s stories about the victory of ’83 at that time, he probably couldn’t have imagined that he would soon be ‘re-living’ those stories himself. 

Saqib Saleem on playing Mohinder Amarnath to the actor’s Kapil Dev in Kabir Khan’s next
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 28, 2019)

For Saqib Saleem, who recently came on-board Kabir Khan’s ‘83 to play Mohinder Amarnath to Ranveer Singh’s Kapil Dev, the role is like a dream come true. “I captained my college cricket team in Delhi, and played the sport at state level. However, I later realised that I wasn’t good enough for the national level so I shifted my focus to other things,” he says, adding that playing the cricketer, who was Man of the Match after India’s historic 1983 World Cup win, is like life coming a full circle. “I worked with Mohinder Amarnath in (Rohit Dhawan’s 2015 action-comedy) Dishoom. I hadn’t imagined I’d get to play him in a film one day.”

When asked how the role came to him, Saqib admits that he reached out to Kabir when word got around about the film. “I requested him to cast me. He wanted to see my cricketing skills so I had to give a screen test,” he informs. He started training under former cricketer Balvinder Sandhu eight weeks ago. “We are working on the batting style, bowling action and trying to get the mannerisms right. The practice starts at 7.30 am, and the first person to reach the ground is our coach,” he smiles.

Training is expected to go on till the shooting begins in May. Saqib reveals that there is also a bonding exercise in store for the actors. “Even Ranveer is attending the training session. His focus is to get Kapil Dev’s bowling action right. He is leading from the front even during training, and I can say that he is doing it well.” 

JUDWAA 2 has got a huge television rating with over 1.5 crore plus impressions on first screening. The film which did very well at the box office grossing 132 crore nett is a blockbuster on television with a rating which is similar to DANGAL and the third best of 2017.

The film has easily beaten the likes of TOILET - EK PREM KATHA, JOLLY LLB 2 and TUBELIGHT. It has also beaten the Salman Khan starrer SULTAN from last year but that film has done phenomenal in repeat runs. It is by far the highest television rating for a Varun Dhawan starrer going 50% higher than DISHOOM. More than that it is the highest ever rating for a film which is a comedy. Although JUDWAA 2 is probably a Masala film it does gear towards the comedy genre. MUBARAKAN which is an outright comedy also did well with a solid 60 lakh impressions on first screening and is the highest rating ever for an Arjun Kapoor starrer. The film scored above the likes of BAADSHAHO, SHIVAAY and RAEES.

The top films on television in 2017 are as follows. The numbers are impressions which are the number of television sets viewing the film.
1. Baahubali 2 - The Conclusion - 2,60,54,000
2. Dangal - 1,62,54,000
3. Judwaa 2 - 1,52,66,000
4. Toilet Ek Prem Katha - 1,09,25,000
5. Jolly LLB 2 - 1,08,50,000
6. DJ - 1,05,34,000 (Telugu film Duvvada Jagannadham dubbed)
7. Tubelight - 1,02,61,000
8. Kaabil - 86,93,000
9. M.S. Dhoni - The Untold Story - 80,94,000
10. Mubarakan - 62,97,000
11. Shivaay- 62,92,000
12. Commando 2 - 61,36,000
13. Munna Michael - 59,26,000
14. Raees - 52,56,000
15. Baadshaho - 52,03,000

Jacqueline Fernandez (DNA; October 23, 2017)

There are actors who vanish after a string of failed films, and there are some who manage to hold on to their stardom despite how their films fare at the box office. Jacqueline Fernandez belongs to the latter lot. Maybe because after Brothers, she had Kick, Flying Jatt, and Dishoom, close to each other and A Gentleman was followed by Judwaa 2. Her hits and misses have been balanced. She has two more releases coming up — Drive and Race 3. Here, she tells us why she picks a commercial Hindi film over a niche film and how over time, she has got the confidence to try out a different space. Here’s Jackie unplugged...

You have managed to get big films, even when your films haven’t worked. Does that make you feel secure?
Not really. Even when my films don’t really hit the mark, that’s fine. It never makes me insecure because I have already learnt so much. I know where I went wrong, what happened, and that it won’t be repeated. It’s an internal process and a more personal thing where I can see myself growing with each film. You cannot predict hits or flops. You can have as many flops but doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve failed. I like to keep myself busy, so I sign more films. But there are also times when I leave films. I want to be able to tell stories I really like. At the end, we are all storytellers.

Have you introspected why a film didn’t work? For example, A Gentleman?
I know a lot of people who really liked the film. There are a lot of people who didn’t like it. They told me what their issues with the film were. When I see a film, though, I see it with a little bit of a perspective. I’ve heard the script two years back and this is the story I believed to be entertaining to tell. When I see it, I actually enjoy it. With every take that I give for a film, I feel happy. There are so many memories attached. When we watch it in a trial, we relive them. I am never harsh with films not working. I think it’s okay if a film has not been accepted. You move on. It’s terrible if that makes you change the way you look at stories or tell them. But I’m critical about myself. I feel I could’ve done a scene differently. Cinema is art and we are just depicting a story. People tell stories in different ways. Just like with a painting or a portrait, everyone can’t be forced to like a film or not.

But commercial films allow you be in the league of A-listers...
Absolutely! The best thing about being part of big and hit films is that they really popularise you. The reason it’s a hit is that so many people have seen the film. So, your value does increase. The only thing is that you can be continuously part of commercial films but if you are not adding value to what you’re doing or to your role, or you somewhere become replaceable, then that’s an issue. And, I do believe actors trying out niche films, is also good, whether they work or not. I’ve never had the guts to do a niche film. Not yet! I’m slowly gaining films, after having done so many films. Also, because I’m not from the country and I’m not too good with the language, that’s been my biggest drawback. I’m very careful to be part of films where I know I’ll get cushioning and padding. Where I’ll get support. It’s very daunting to do something niche and carry an entire film on your shoulder. Now, because I’ve been part of so many films — some of them that have done really well — I have been able to critique myself, follow the patterns and my techniques and understand where I can improve.

Has that changed now?
I have a little more confidence now to say that there’s a story and I’d want to be part of this film, which probably I’d never have the guts to do before. And, for no other reason, but just based on whether I’d be able to carry this film or not. Now, there is a space in me where I feel, whether it works or not, there are stories that I do want to tell. I do believe in actors doing these films right now, irrespective of them working or not. I think it’s such an amazing thing to be able to stand up and say, this is the film I’d really want to do and a role I want to portray. That’s the best thing for actors to actually be doing.

Do you feel that filmmakers haven’t yet tapped your full potential as an actress?
The deeper you go into a script, which is something that I haven’t done yet, the more you get to hone your skills as an actor. I think I kind of did something like that on a much smaller level with a film like Murder 2. I never really went back into that genre again. Then, I went on to do full on comedies like Dishoom, Housefull and Judwaa 2, where the director doesn’t need to sit with you and discuss a serious backstory to your character. You are on a surface level and you’re still good. So I have focussed mainly on the entertainment. I’ve not really gone into any deeper space. I look forward to doing a film like that again. But it does take a good teamwork to get it out of you. You need to have that kind of a script and director for that as well.

If you get to know that a filmmaker is making such a film, would you approach them?
Absolutely (Smiles)! I believe we are from an industry where we are all the same. Directors, actors, or producers, we are all cinema lovers who are passionate about making movies. Directors approach us to be part of their films. I see no reason why an actor can’t approach a director. I would never enforce myself on a director. I would give myself a chance to explain why I’d love to be part of the film but never harass them. More than anything, a director, even when he approaches you, he gives you the liberty to say that you can’t do the film. You should be able to give a director that again when you approach them. Casting is really important for every film.

Actor says that playing Badri helped him bounce back and he’s now ready to do a double for dad David Dhawan and experiment with Shoojit Sircar’s upcoming film
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 28, 2017)

Five years after he made his debut with Karan Johar’s Student of the Year, Varun Dhawan admits that in 2016 he was on the verge of a burnout. Trying to please everyone, from filmmakers and fans to his family, left the 29-year-old actor “completely depleted” after his last release, brother Rohit Dhawan’s Dishoom. Two months into the promotions, the feeling got worse.

“It was a relief when I jumped into Badrinath Ki Dulhania in which I wasn’t expected to look good or even gel my hair. Shashank (writer-director Shashank Khaitan) wanted me to be a mess,” says Varun who’s looking natty in green overalls and matching trainers today. Noticing him trying to trim his beard for a photo-shoot, his stylist strolls up and stands beside him, arms crossed disapprovingly. “This guy also styles Hrithik Roshan,” Varun chuckles, quick to add that promoting a film is more fun with Alia Bhatt.

The ‘students’ are re-uniting two years after Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania and since the film was announced, the grapevine has been buzzing about a rift between the duo, following a tiff between Varun and Alia’s beau, Sidharth Malhotra. Varun borrows Aamir Khan’s punchline from 3 Idiots to answer this, “Aal ees well, aal ees well.”

He goes on to assert that while Alia and he are best friends, all the three students are on friendly terms. “We may choose to do different films and are temperamentally different, but Alia and me are each other’s sounding boards. Our conversations often begin with me asking Alia, ‘Is this the right thing to do or does it need to change?’ and she assuring me that ‘Aal ees well,’” he guffaws, adding that five minutes later, she’s the one who’s worrying and he’s calming her down. “That’s our life in a nutshell.”

He, however, acknowledges that some of the “tu tu main main” that one will see in their upcoming film is for real. “I surrendered to Shashank’s vision since he knew this world better than us. But with Alia there were constant differences, both on screen and off it. It helped me act better,” Varun says, with a good-natured laugh.

He goes on to reveal that Badri is in constant conflict, wondering whether to behave the way his parents want him to or explore the new world he is seeing for the first time. “Isn’t that something we face all the time? I know, I do,” he says.

Is that why he refuses to talk about his relationship with childhood sweetheart and stylist Natasha Dalal whom he makes hand-in-hand appearances with at filmi parties but refers to as a “close friend” while talking to the cameras?

“There is a huge on-going debate about what I say and do. But there is a reason I behave in a certain way and have consciously chosen to be this person. I am aware that I cannot be like other 29 year olds or like my non-filmi friends. I can’t abuse or drink at parties because there could be a kid watching me. People can think I’m dumb or trying to be someone else, but I’m just not comfortable with certain things,” Varun says, adroitly avoiding any reference to any specific person.

The actor kicks off David Dhawan’s Judwaa sequel in London in April and will roll with another character-driven film directed by Shoojit Sircar by the year end. “It’s a beautiful film, a new space for me, something I’ve not explored before. We just met today, I don’t want to divulge more,” he says.

Will there be a part three to the Dulhania series? Varun is quick to say that he doesn’t want to be unfair to his pal. “Shashank began his career with Alia and me and if he comes up with a character as delightful as Humpty or Badri, I’ll do it. But as a friend, I want him to do bigger films, work with bigger actors like Ranbir Kapoor,” says Varun who wants to produce content for the digital medium and act in it too. “I’d like to experiment with something dark, may be a scifi or even a supernatural thriller.”

MUMBAI MIRROR (December 15, 2016)

Varun Dhawan, one of Priyanka Chopra’s most consistent cheerleaders, is actually a much bigger fan of her Baywatch costar, Dwayne Johnson.

While people were pre-occupied by PeeCee’s fleeting appearance in her Hollywood debut’s trailer, Varun has been fixating on The Rock and his co-star Zac Efron’s beach shorts. “Who did it first?” he wrote with a picture of them with a still from his last release, Dishoom. “We’d love to have him in Dishoom 2!” Varun added.

Forget filling Salman Khan’s shoes, Varun Dhawan is more concerned about living up to dad David Dhawan’s expectations for J udwaa 2
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; December 7, 2016)

Varun Dhawan steps into Salman Khan’s shoes for the sequel to his father David Dhawan’s 1997 hit comedy caper, Judwaa. While comparisons with the superstar are inevitable and playing a double role a challenge, the young actor isn’t really fretting over that. Instead, he’s anxious about impressing his dad in their second project together after Main Tera Hero (2014).

Says Varun, “Comparisons are unavoidable since my father has had big hits with stars like Govinda, Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt and Anil Kapoor. The pressure of working with my father is more than that of reprising Salman’s role because the expectations skyrocket and people look at us as a father-son jodi. Looking at his box office record, he is probably the most successful director I am working with in my career so far. So, I don’t want to fail my father.”

The actor will soon start prepping for the film, which also stars Taapsee Pannu and Jacqueline Fernnadez, and seems pretty confident about his skills. Varun won the Best Actor in A Comedy Role Award for Dishoom at the Screen awards earlier this week. “My father has been associated with comedy, so winning an award for that surely makes him proud. Comedy cannot be taught to an actor. It is all about timing. Either you have it or you don’t,” he says.

The 29-year-old, who will next be seen in Karan Johar’s Badrinath Ki Dhulania opposite Alia Bhatt, says he would like all his films to have message. “At this point in my career, I want to make sure that every film I do sends across a message, be it social or something about brotherly love or friendship like most of my father’s films have had.”

DISHOOM became the highest rated film on television as far as 2016 releases are concerned. The numbers it recorded were excellent and if we convert some of the old TRP rating into BATC then it is bigger than films like KICK, DHOOM 3 and ROWDY RATHORE. The theatre footfalls of DISHOOM were 76 lakh apprx and if we add to its premier television showing numbers its a total of over 1.70 crore making it the third most watched film of 2016 after SULTAN and HOUSEFULL 3. It comfortably beats AIRLIFT by around 20 lakhs and the television numbers of the second biggest grosser of 2016 RUSTOM are yet to come. SULTAN leads with only its theatre footfalls with television yet to be added. The rating are impressions (BARC) which is basically the number of television sets that viewed the films on their respective premieres.
1. Prem Ratan Dhan Payo - 2,51,19,000
2. Dishoom - 95,44,000
3. Housefull 3 - 78,16,000
4. Baaghi - 69,88,000
5. Dilwale - 67,61,000
6. Sanam Re - 56,66,000
7. Bajirao Mastani - 54,76,000
8. 1920 London - 40,14,000
9. Ghayal Once Again - 38,61,000
10. Sanam Teri Kasam - 37,01,000

1920 London was a rare bright spot for horror genre a few weeks back. The film did phenomenally well for the horror genre. SULTAN will be making its way on to television screens in mid October and will hit top spot for 2016 but remains to be seen if it can beat the record of PREM RATAN DHAN PAYO.

Claims she and Kareena can do as good as Varun and John!
DNA (October 5, 2016)


“We are making Veere and we are getting an okay budget, but we are not getting what we want. I have to cut my fee, and Bebo has to cut her fee to get this film there. The film is not elaborate as we imagined. It is sad and heartbreaking. We need to work extra hard to make it look a certain way,” she said adding, “I am not here to make money though it would be nice. But I would like my projects to get the money. I am not asking for it,” she added.

Neha Maheshwri Bhagat (BOMBAY TIMES; September 27, 2016)

Vivek Oberoi's SOS call to the ministry to save Great Grand Masti has paved the way for a clearance cell to plug online leaks
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 8, 2016)


On July 5, two weeks ahead of its nationwide release on July 22, a pirated copy of Indra Kumar's adult comedy, Great Grand Masti, featuring Vivek Oberoi, Riteish Deshmukh and Aftab Shivdasani, was leaked online and shared across 1000 sites over four days. The original leak was hosted on several peer-to-peer sharing websites like Kickass Torrents and The Pirate Bay. According to the cyber crime cell, the leaked copy had a 'Censor Copy' watermark. The implication was that it was created from a sample copy sent by the producers to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for review.

While the submissions of all films were immediately digitised via the Digital Cinema Package (DCP) by CBFC chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani (Mirror, August 11), piracy remains rampant issue in one of the highest tax-paying industries in the country.

"I remember leaving a message to Information & Broadcasting Minister of State, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, at 10.30 pm on the day of the leak. He returned my call at midnight and asked me to fly down to Delhi the next morning," recalls Vivek Oberoi, who accompanied by Jitendra and Ashok Thackeria and Balaji Telefilms' Group CEO, Sameer Nair, met the minister. Delhi Commissioner of Police, Alok Kumar Verma who was present at the meeting, and Law & Justice, Information Technology Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, a close friend of Vivek's, also came to their rescue. "Rathore is the most pro-active minister I've met. He asked us to get a judicial order from the Bombay High Court for a blanket ban on the online sites." Back in Mumbai they roped in lawyer Hitesh Jain, ALMT Legal, as consultant and advisor.

Two breakthrough orders were passed. The first was a "John Doe order" under which the police arrested the people responsible, even though there was no specific pirate named. The second was an order in an "intermediary suit" according to which all Internet Service Providers (ISP - BSNL, MTNL, Airtel, Vodafone) were asked to ensure that the film was not supplied using their networks.

The piracy was stopped in its tracks but the adult comedy had already been downloaded over a hundred thousand times by then and losses mounted to crores. "The laws couldn't help us but it has helped several producers since," asserts Vivek informing that a single-window clearance format is being worked upon by Rathore, film producers and Deputy Commissioner of Cyber Crime, Sachin Patil, whereby a single authority can be approached in such cases. "Once a complaint is made to this new cell, a pan-India order to all ISPs will be sent out and the pirated copy will be blocked, a fine imposed and the pirate arrested. It's still in the nascent stages but it's the most effective measure to be imposed yet."

When Rustom released on August 12, the film began to appear online in its first weekend. The leaks were nipped in the bud with a judicial order and a Rs 3 lakh fine. "Action is important within 24 hours because piracy, like cancer, spreads fast and keeps multiplying," Vivek cautions. "According to the new order, not just the pirated CDs and DVDs will be confiscated but also the machines used for the copying the film to discs and pen-drives. This helped Rustom."

Sajid Nadiadwala also made a one-of-a-kind decision to stop the piracy by not releasing Dishoom in the single screens from where it could be duplicated. Vivek informs that a pirated copy of Great Grand Masti was being screened in one such theatre and tickets had been sold. "I contacted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and within 30 minutes a police raid was conducted and the theatre owners arrested. The single-window system for antipiracy will also take into account these piracy hubs and block them permanently," he asserts.

John Abraham explains why action heroes will always be the longest lasting heroes...
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; August 24, 2016)


Your last few roles have also been action-oriented. Coincidence?
Because of my physicality, action comes naturally to me. That’s why any filmmaker’s safest bet in this genre would be John Abraham. In a way, most of my recent films have me doing action. But all of them are different kinds of action. Look at Welcome Back, which is very over-the-top commercial, masala action. Rocky Handsome was hand-to-hand, raw action. Dishoom is more stylised and Force will introduce action of another level in Bollywood.

Is action your most-loved genre then?
No. I love doing comedy. It has always been that way. If you see my track record, all my comedies have worked. Whether it’s Housefull 2, Dostana, Desi Boyz or even Welcome Back. They have all been superhits. There’s always the risk of being typecast but you can take advantage of being typecast as well (smiles). That isn’t wrong, right? After Dishoom, so many people messaged me calling me the last action hero which makes me feel good in a way. If you make an action film, with an element of comedy, then it will be a sure-shot success.

But it is difficult to do action in all the films, right?
With Force 2, we’ve upped the action quotient. But it’s difficult to keep upping the game with each film. There are cars flying but at the end, it’s that one man with a cigarette in his mouth saying, ‘Go ahead, make my day’, ‘This is real’, or ‘I’ll be back’. Action is here, in the eyes. The audience sniffs that out. The audience knows that if I turn back and I look, this guy will hammer now. In Bollywood, you can either be an action hero, romantic hero or a dancing hero.

In Hollywood, actors can stick to one genre whereas here, one has to do everything. Comment.
Here, if you do action, even if you are bloody good at it, people will say, ‘Arre, sirf action hi karta hai’. For example, in my career, I have done slice-of-life films, dramas comedies. I have had to balance it out. More than the genre, the bigger issue with me is that I am wearing my physicality like an albatross around my neck. That is very overpowering. In our country, you don’t judge an action hero for the action he does, but for everything else. That’s extremely wrong and unfair. I feel we must be accepting of this. I can say this on record that the longest lasting heroes will always be action heroes. Romantic heroes will come and go. If there’s someone, you will tear his poster someday and put another romantic hero’s poster. Their audiences move on, they are floating audiences. Action heroes always have fixed audiences. Mark my words — everybody who has watched Force will come to watch Force 2. We have a really strong market. So it doesn’t matter how you get typecast, what matters is how you choose films. I will always have that mix.

Do you think action has become a bastardised term in Bollywood today?
I don’t know if it’s become bastardised. True action heroes must be given their due credit. Honestly, there are only one or two of us. I’m not saying that it’s this fight of action heroes versus everyone else. I have danced in many of my films and I enjoy doing that. I danced my heart out, but there’s a difference. I dance like a hero, not like a dancer. A hero should be big, larger-than-life. Action heroes possess that sense of presence which is why I enjoy what I do. I wish there are more.

You enjoy doing serious films like No Smoking and Madras Cafe too.
Yeah, I get such offers everyday. But there’s a reason why I haven't been able to do something in that space for quite sometime. I haven’t got the right script. My favourite film according to my understanding has been No Smoking. You see very few films like that. With me, it’s been like this from the beginning. If the trend says something, trust John Abraham to do exactly the opposite. Abhishek (Bachchan) told me I have looked my best in Dishoom. Now 20 films will come to me which will require me to have this look. Will I do them? The answer’s no. I am telling you today itself. I will probably do a romantic film, you never know. I will always do something out of the ordinary to get extraordinary films.

Is that why you turned producer?
The biggest reason why I turned a producer is because I didn’t see films being made which I wanted to see. Someone had to produce them which is why I’m here. I have a lot of respect for Aditya Chopra, Karan Johar and Sajid Nadiadwala. I would love to act for them but as a producer, I feel there are certain kind of films that I want to make, even if they fail. It’s important that these films are still made.

Jacqueline Fernandez on why sometimes dreams turn into nightmares
Upala KBR (DNA; August 19, 2016)

Jacqueline Fernandez has had a hectic year with three back-to-back releases and constant travelling for promoting the film, so it came as no surprise when the actress fell ill last week. Says Jacqueline, “My eye started hurting. When I went to the look at it in the mirror, I saw this big red blood clot. My doctor told me a blood vessel had burst. It usually happens when one is under pressure or stress.”

She has been flying to three cities in a day to promote her next release A Flying Jatt (AFJ). “I am also judging Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 9. People don’t understand how much pressure we actors are under constantly. I have had back-to-back releases with Housefull 3, Dishoom and now AFJ. I also went to Florida to shoot for Bang Bang 2. For the last few months, I have been under constant pressure. No complaints, but I don’t know how I have managed. I didn’t have a holiday for months. Just after Dishoom I went for two days to Maldives with my mom and came back to promote AFJ. This year has been incredibly hectic!”

According to the actress, her wish has come true but with a price. “The irony is that before I signed Kick, I had prayed to God that I want to work every day... I didn’t care about anything else — what work I did and how but I didn’t want to sit at home as it’s like I am being punished. And now look, I am working every day and am completely spaced out!” That’s why they say be careful what you wish for.

The Internet's latest boyfriend Rahul Khanna talks style and television ahead of his new show, a three part travelogue on Scotland's whiskey trail
Kasmin Fernandes (MID-DAY; August 11, 2016)

Rahul Khanna calls himself a boutique Bollywood actor on his humorous blog, but the 44-year-old is far from that. Such is the shy crossover actor’s charm that he has become the thinking Indian woman’s sophisticated pin- up — he is the son of India’s first sex symbol, Vinod Khanna, after all. The face of MTV India in the 1990s, he plays Yousaf Rana, an Oxford-educated Pakistani intelligence officer in the multiple Emmy Award-nominee, The Americans. He is currently shooting for the show’s fifth season and is set to be seen in The Mavericks, a three-part travelogue on Scotland’s whiskey trail. hitlist gets up, close and personal with Rahul…

How has life changed after The Americans?
These days, the scale, quality and reach of international TV is on par with, or has, perhaps, surpassed feature films. Everyone is discussing what shows they are binge-watching. So, it was a dream come true to get an opportunity to work on what is widely regarded as one of the best shows on American television. The writing, production and performances are on such a high level, working on it was a joy and an education, no less.

What can we expect from your character going forward?
Since The Americans is an espionage show, the producers and writers are incredibly secretive. The good news is that my character, Yousaf, is still alive, but in terms of when — or, in fact, if — he will be back, your guess is as good as mine.

You were a poster boy for the MTV generation in the ’90s. Now, you are being labelled as the Internet’s latest boyfriend.
That’s quite a lofty title to bear. From my first job, being the face of MTV Asia, to The Americans, I have been really lucky with the projects that have come my way. But more than that, I have been blessed with the kind of fans I have. Right from the beginning, they have been supportive and encouraging of everything I do, be it on screen or online.

When and how did your love affair with suits begin?
I have worked with some of the best stylists, both internationally and in India, and I credit them with inculcating and developing a sense of style in me and exposing me to so much in the sartorial world. I see style as an art form, and designers and stylists as artists. It's putting forward a creative point of view. I'd really love to start a men's clothing line some day.

What do you do when you aren't working?
I love reading, listening to music, travelling and meeting friends for great meals and board games. Apart from working out in the gym, I also love the outdoors, so I take every opportunity to go hiking or swimming.

You've been missing from the Bollywood scene.
After 'Love Aaj Kal', I did 'Wake Up Sid' [both in 2009], then 'Fireflies' (2014) and also had an arc in 24's Indian version, not to mention numerous events and appearances. So, I haven't really been missing. I am constantly reading scripts, meeting people and always on the lookout for interesting new projects in India as well as abroad.

Your brother, actor Akshaye Khanna, made his comeback as a baddie with 'Dishoom'. Have you watched it?
I have. I thought it was slick and great fun. Akshaye's performance was smooth and Machiavellian — I loved it.

What are you working on currently?
I just finished filming 'The Mavericks', which airs next month. It's a stylish travel show shot on the whiskey trail in Scotland. I got insider access to the entire distilling process, and also got to taste rare whiskeys, including one from 1958.

Varun and Rohit Dhawan are continuing their father's legacy, one with his brawn, the other with his brain
Ektaa Malik (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 7, 2016)

It's been a week since Dishoom hit screens, and it's a relaxed sleepy Saturday at the Dhawan household in Juhu. Dishoom, after all, is a 'home production'. Directed by Rohit Dhawan, the elder of the Dhawan siblings, and starring Varun Dhawan in the lead, "the past few weeks have only been about Dishoom in this house. It's only now, as the reports came in that the film has done well, that we have all breathed easy," shares Rohit. "I didn't even smile until Sunday, when we came to know that the film did well. There was huge stress as the film had so much resting on it, and involved both of us," says Varun.

But "Tense Fridays" is something that the two have grown up with. Their father, director David Dhawan, has given blockbusters like Aankhen, Swarg, Hero No.1 and Partner. He has also been responsible for the occasional turkey. "There were times when dad would have four releases a month (since he was also an editor at a time). So much rests on a film. In our family, films are breakfast-lunch-dinner. We are literally feeding off them. That's what it's all about. When you are happy, it's about a film; when you are sad, it's because of it. All emotions are governed by a Friday," adds Rohit.

The duo's earliest memories of growing up together (apart from 'Tense Fridays') are centred around a toy and the drama it unleashed, resulting in Rohit swearing off toys forever. "I remember Rohit used to have all these fancy toys. And I was told not to touch them — as it upset him a lot," says Varun. Rohit smiles at the memory and interjects, "Yes, you were about two. Dad had got this fancy arcade car game with a screen and a steering wheel. And one day, I come back from school, and the screen was damaged. I was heartbroken, I think I never indulged in toys after that." Varun, unabashed, defends himself, "I was two, I broke everything. When I was born, I thought that I owned the house, and all these were my subjects. But all that has changed tremendously now." The brothers have an age gap of three-and-a-half years between them "But I feel it's five — mentally," comments Varun. "He is clearly the mature one between the two of us".

Maybe it was Rohit's "maturity", but the two were very anti-filmy in their childhood. Their upbringing also made sure of the same "We were unlike most filmy kids. Whatever the other filmy kids did, we did the exact opposite. And it's all because of Rohit. He set the precedent. I still embraced it. Our mother never took us to filmy parties where there would be only adults. There were kids who did that. But not us," says Varun. "But premieres were exciting. That was the high point — watching a film three-four days before everyone else did," smiles Rohit.

Govinda, Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt were regular fixtures at the Dhawan household, along with Karisma Kapoor. "I have amazing memories of Sanju sir. Dad was editing Naam and Sanju sir had come to our Chimbai home — where Varun was born — with Kumar Gaurav. And I remember I hid behind the fridge. He had such an imposing persona. It was unreal to direct Sanju sir for that cameo in Desi Boyz," shares Rohit, whose directorial debut Desi Boyz, starring Akshay Kumar and John Abraham, was a box office success.

"Chi Chi bhaiya (Govinda), had taken to me early on. He used to say I have these deep intense eyes. He sensed that I would be an actor when I was about 5-6 years old," says Varun. Dishoom is Rohit's second directorial venture and the first "official project" that the two have worked together in. "We sort of worked together in Main Tera Hero, which was directed by dad. Rohit sat on the costumes, on the songs and even helped with set design. He stepped in for dad and directed the film when he was unwell," adds Varun. "That ways, he is a much better son than I am. He could have easily worked on his own project in that time."

But Dishoom was not initially meant for Varun. "I had written the character of this tough cop — which is played by John Abraham, and the other was supposed to be this middle-aged cop, who has the last 48 hours of cop duty left. But it was not working out. Then, I switched the character to that of a rookie cop fresh out of the academy. Then, one day at breakfast, I was like Varun is perfect to play this role," adds Rohit. "He brings an innocence, a vulnerability to the character."

For Varun, it has been an uphill task to impress his elder brother, now his director. "My dad is two extremes. He lavishes extravagant praise on you and is equally harsh. But you have to earn every small bit of praise from Rohit. I think he has only praised me about twice in the film. But he is like that with every actor," concludes the 29-year-old. Because brothers in B-town are tough graders.

Akshay Kumar on playing a gay character for the first time in his career
Upala KBR (DNA; August 4, 2016)

It’s unheard of. For a top star to play a gay character in a big- budget commercial film. Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham played gay characters in Dostana, but they were only pretending to be gay in the film. Most gay characters in Hindi films are stereotypes. The men who are too effiminate, they cross-dress, wear make-up, sway their hips and hands. You might argue that Fawad Khan played a gay character in Kapoor & Sons, but he is just starting his career and can afford to take chances. For a top actor, known for his macho image, it is a big risk. But Akshay chose to do the role, and he seemed to have enjoyed doing it. As much fun as the audiences watching him are having in the theatres. He is one of the highlights in Dishoom. Here, Akshay Kumar talks about why he chose to do this role, the inspiration behind the look and why he hoped the role was bigger. Read on...

It’s a big deal for a top actor to play a gay character in a big commercial movie. Do you know you just made history?
No. At the point I didn’t! Now that my Bumfie (aka belfie) is well and truly out there. I’ve been hearing that I really might be a first among my generation to do such a role, and you know what, being proud of one’s decisions is what makes your choices infectious… Gay, straight, fat or thin, we are what we are, and I was proud to play a gay character finally in my career. But the incredible response I’ve received from so many people is what makes this so amazing. All I can say is — thanks for the unconditional love.

Were you not afraid what this could do to your image?
Honestly, I wasn’t afraid even for a second. I was, however, hoping the world would embrace my character. As for my image, I’m fully aware I’ve been a gay icon in India for many years now. If I can be loved by the gay fraternity why shouldn’t I portray one in good faith for all their love and support over the years? I can only hope the gay community is as happy as I am to have done this. This really could have gone either way, but I’m so glad it’s been accepted by everyone, the world is finally changing for the better!

You, John Abraham and the Dhawan brothers (Rohit and Varun) must have cracked up while doing the scene. Tell me about shooting the scene.
Well, the day I walked onto the sets in Dubai slaying my kilt and man-bun, was the day John Abraham looked at me in a different light. After all we’ve been through, he thought there were no surprises left. Both he and Varun showed me a lot of love, which I happily returned by sitting on their laps and pulling their leg the entire day. We share more than just good times, we even share our sushi. It kind of gutted me that my cameo was so short because I could have hung out with these beef cakes forever!

We love your look in the film so please tell us who was the inspiration behind it?
I am very grateful for the appreciation. The look was inspired by Marc Jacobs, which Rohit and I couldn’t wait to piece together on screen. My stylist literally had a field day creating the outfits as it was a one-of-a-kind look and was sourced from London.