Showing posts with label Farzi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Farzi. Show all posts
Salman Khan's superhero film with Raj and DK to go on floors in January 2027
10:34 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 25, 2026)
Looks like 2027 will be the year when Salman Khan unleashes his superhero energy. Word is that the actor’s superhero movie with Raj and DK, which marks his maiden collaboration with the director duo, will go on floors in January.
A source close to the development told mid-day, “Raj and DK are occupied with Farzi 2. The final schedule of the Shahid Kapoor-led series started this week. After they wrap it, the team will immediately get into the pre-production of the Salman film. The groundwork will begin towards October-end.”
With November and December dedicated to pre-production, Raj and DK will take their place behind the camera in January 2027 to give shape to their ambitious project — a superhero action entertainer in which Khan will reportedly play a weary crime-fighter who wants to retire.
The timeline aligns with the packed date diary of Khan, who is currently shooting director Vamshi Paidipally’s action film, the working title of which is SVC63.
The source added, “Another 50 days of shooting is left on it. Salman will juggle SVC63 and Bigg Boss 20, before he starts preparing for the superhero flick by the year-end.”
The film will mark Raj and DK’s return to the theatres after a decade. Their last big-screen outing as directors was ‘A Gentleman’ (2017).
I got married when I was doing Farzi; now I’m having my first kid while working on Season 2-Bhuvan Arora
9:02 AM
I got married when I was doing Farzi (Season 1), and now I’m having my first kid while working on Season 2
Vishakha Pandit (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 31, 2026)
Actor Bhuvan Arora and his wife Vaneja Gupta are all set to welcome their first child, five years after marriage.
Recalling the moment he found out that he is soon going to be a father, he shares, “My wife took me to the Gurudwara… it is a special place for us, and broke the news to me there. I got a little teary-eyed… Every day, I feel a little more grateful. It’s a beautiful phase.”
With the couple expecting the baby in June, the 39-year-old adds that he is “only expecting for a healthy baby... Boy or girl doesn’t matter. But, I am preparing to sing lori to the baby.”
Ahead of the baby’s arrival, the actor plans to cut down his working hours to prioritise family: “Paternity break should become a mandate in India. Both parents are equal and they both need to contribute equally. It’s high time we normalise giving paternity leave to both father and mother.”
Life at home has already shifted for him. “I am not allowed to get angry… I have to keep my temper in check… I have to smile,” he says.
The actor, known for the web series Farzi, also starring actor Shahid Kapoor, calls the timing special. “I got married when I was doing Farzi (Season 1), and now I’m having my first kid while working on Season 2.”
He also reveals that he shared the good news with his co-star. “I had shared the news with Shahid bhai… I’ve learned from him how to balance work and family,” he says adding that there was one more star who gave him tips, “I was working with Arbaaz Khan (in Raazdar), and he also guided me on how to make it easier for the mother, which is the top priority.”
Director in an actor come out when there's another director but Farhan Akhtar was exception-Raashii Khanna
9:57 AM
Joining ‘120 Bahadur’ to collaborate with Farhan Akhtar, Raashii Khanna admits to being jealous of her co-actor’s talent
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; November 27, 2025)
When director Razneesh Ghai offered 120 Bahadur to Raashii Khanna, she understood that her screen time was limited. But that didn’t matter to the actor, who knew that her character was the film’s emotional anchor. There was another motivation to say yes to the war drama that chronicles the 1962 Battle of Rezang La — leading man Farhan Akhtar.
Today, she couldn’t be happier about the decision, as she has walked out of the film enriched by the collaboration with the multi-hyphenate.
She says, “I’ve seen a lot of people who act and direct; the director in them comes out when there is another director. But I never saw that with Farhan sir. He truly is a director’s actor. I never saw him question the director’s vision. I have huge respect for him. He’s a template of how men should be. He is very respectful towards women.”
Her co-star evoked another emotion in Khanna that she usually doesn’t identify with — envy. “I told Farhan sir, ‘I don’t get jealous at all. But I’m jealous of your and Zoya ma’am’s [Akhtar, filmmaker and his sister] talent. When I meet you, I feel like I’m nothing. That’s not a great feeling’,” she laughs.
What certainly is a great feeling is that Khanna has her plate full for 2026 even as there is still a month to go before the new year. The actor will begin 2026 with the shoot of Farzi 2, reuniting with co-stars Shahid Kapoor and Vijay Sethupathi.
“We’re going on floors with Farzi 2 in January. I don’t know how the story progresses. There’s, of course, a crossover between Farzi and The Family Man 3,” she says.
Besides the Raj-DK series, Khanna will be seen in a yet-untitled Prime Video series in which she plays a cop. The shoot, she reveals, is complete.
“I play a fierce Punjabi cop in it. Even though I am Punjabi, I grew up speaking Hindi. My father was my acting coach for this show because he taught me all the Punjabi dialogues,” she grins.
It will be a busy year for Khanna, who is also reuniting with Vikrant Massey after The Sabarmati Report (2024) for a divorce drama titled Talakhon Mein Ek. That’s not it. She also awaits the release of her maiden collaboration with R Madhavan. “It’s a time travel script! I am very excited about it,” she says enthusiastically.
Raj Nidimoru, Krishna DK set to return to the big screen after 7 years
3:56 PM
Even as Farzi 2 is set to roll by 2025-end, sources say filmmakers Raj-DK developing two movies simultaneously; will return to the big screen after seven years
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; April 30, 2025)
Four successful web series in six years is an impressive track record. Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, better known as Raj-DK, have been among the busiest creators in the Hindi entertainment industry since the OTT boom, churning out The Family Man, Farzi (2023), Guns & Gulaabs (2023) and Citadel: Honey Bunny (2024). Now, mid-day has learnt that even as the second season of Shahid Kapoor and Vijay Sethupathi’s Farzi will go on floors by 2025-end, the filmmaker duo will simultaneously develop their theatrical slate as they are eager to return to the big screen after a seven-year break.
Raj-DK have their plate full in 2025 with their web offerings. A source breaks down their calendar, saying, “They are neck-deep in three series at the moment — preparing for Farzi 2’s shoot, and juggling Rakt Bramhand and the post-production of The Family Man 3. While work on these three shows is progressing briskly, they have also begun shaping up their theatrical slate. After wrapping up the Shahid and Vijay-led crime thriller by mid-2026, Raj-DK intend to take their first theatrical venture in seven years on floors.” Their last big-screen outing was the breakout horror comedy Stree (2018), on which they served as writers and producers.
Their big-screen history has been something of a hit-and-miss. While their filmography includes much-loved and ingenious movies like Go Goa Gone (2013) and Stree, they have also delivered underwhelming outings in Happy Ending (2014) and A Gentleman (2017). For their next, the filmmakers have apparently zeroed in on two scripts.
An insider reveals, “They will helm one, while the other will have another director. Raj-DK have regularly roped in different voices — be it Stree that launched Amar Kaushik as a director, or Suparn Varma who took charge of certain episodes in The Family Man 2. Their Telugu production, Cinema Bandi [2021], too kickstarted Praveen Kandregula’s directorial career. If things go as planned, one of the movies will roll in the second half of 2026.”
The insider adds that Raj-DK’s focus on theatrical ventures does not imply that they will hit the brakes on their streaming work.
There will be a link with Farzi in The Family Man 3-Bhuvan Arora
7:59 AM
Bhuvan Arora confirms that ‘there will be a link between the two shows’ in the next instalments
Akash Bhatnagar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 4, 2024)
Popular web shows Farzi and The Family Man are both helmed by filmmakers Raj and DK. In the former’s maiden season last year, they teased a crossover between the Shahid Kapoor-led show and the Manoj Bajpayee-starrer. Now, actor Bhuvan Arora, who was seen in Farzi, almost confirms it.
Arora shares, “The shoot of The Family Man 3 is almost complete, and Raj and DK will move on to Rakht Brahmand soon. In Farzi, there was a crossover with (actor) Vijay Sethupathi sir’s character going to Tiwari’s (Bajpayee’s character) office. There will be a link between the two shows in The Family Man 3, too. But I can’t talk about it right now.”
Sharing an update on the second season of Farzi, he says, “Everyone is busy right now with their individual projects, including Raj and DK, Shahid and me. We are aiming to begin the shoot next year.”
Mention to Arora that the West churns out a new season for their shows every year while in India, there is a long gap between seasons, and he says, “That is also because both the industries function differently. Here, a new season is mostly sanctioned after the success of the previous one, whereas in the West, many studios immediately ask for three seasons upfront.”
Currently, he has three web shows in his kitty, besides his Tamil debut film. “I am excited to see myself speak Tamil on screen. I have dubbed for it,” he ends.
Stardom was relevant 20 years ago because you got to watch a star only at the movies-Shahid Kapoor
10:15 AM
Fronting rom-com Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya when action movies are ruling the roost, Shahid says artistes must present their vision to audience fearlessly
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; February 1, 2024)
Bollywood can keep doling out action films, but Shahid Kapoor is in the mood for love. After fronting crime thriller Farzi and action fare Bloody Daddy last year, the actor was keen to return to the romantic comedy genre. His wish came true quickly.
“I wanted to change things up. I had grown up watching [rom-com] movies, and was missing them. Maybe we weren’t making good ones, maybe the directors who aced them were not as fresh now—I was thinking all these things when I found this script,” he says, referring to Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya. The Kapoor and Kriti Sanon-starrer promises to be a breezy story of a guy falling in love with a humanoid robot.
Surely, a novel choice, but not risk-proof. Kapoor is aware that spectacle movies are dominating the scene today. But the actor goes by his gut feeling, not box-office formula. “You can either be success-oriented or creatively driven. [Ideally], you should have a balance of both. But with time, as a fraternity, we are looking at the audience to tell us what they want to watch and then we go around making it. By the time it’s out, how do you know the audience still feels like that? I backed my feeling, and didn’t wait for the audience to tell me.”
Following one’s gut feeling is not easy, but he believes that an artiste and his art must be brave. “My job as an artiste is to make a film and ask you, ‘Did you like it?’ I cannot want the answer before posing the question. You have to be braver than that.”
In his two-decade career, the actor has constantly mixed things up, juggling a romantic comedy in Jab We Met (2007) and a gritty thriller in Kaminey (2009), a masala fare in R… Rajkumar (2013) and an intense drama in Haider (2014). To him, making unsafe choices is the only way to sustain stardom.
“Today, people get bored fast. Stardom in [all its mystique] was relevant 20 years ago because you got to watch a star only at the movies. But now, you see a star everywhere. It’s more difficult to hold on to your stardom. Your talent, craft and choices will reignite the audience’s interest in you. So, safe choices are unsafe, and unsafe choices are safer today.”
Aamir Khan saw our short film Shot and he hired the DOP for Dhobi Ghat-Raj Nidimoru, Krishna DK
10:31 AM
Director duo Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK speak on giving up careers in the US to make movies in India and how they will use their OTT learnings for a film in 2024
Natasha Coutinho (BOMBAY TIMES; January 11, 2024)
They are the poster boys of Indian OTT in 2023, with Farzi and Guns & Gulaabs as the two standout shows of the year. Some of the biggest stars – Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Shahid Kapoor and Varun Dhawan – have signed with them for their OTT debuts. But more than plain success, what drives filmmaker duo Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK is the thirst to tell new stories.
“After Shor In The City, people thought we would make a Salaam Bombay! kind of film. But we made Go Goa Gone, a zombie movie!” says Raj. But then, these two have been breaking the mould regularly – right from the time they chucked their engineering careers in the US to come back to India and make films. Excerpts from the chat:
Over the years, the two of you have created a gallery of characters who belong to a moral twilight zone.
Raj Nidimoru: When we started off in Mumbai, everything was hero-driven, and all of it was about hero worship. So, we thought we should bring the guy (the hero) down to earth, hence we made 99, Shor In The City and Go Goa Gone, where the protagonist is a nobody, and his value system isn’t black or white.
Krishna DK: While our characters are fictitious, they are inspired by real life, where no one is one hundred per cent good or bad. Even the antagonist has a story, about why they are bad. We usually try to give the bad guy one redeeming quality. Mansoor (Kay Kay Menon) in Farzi is the antagonist, but you also feel the pressure he is under and why he is doing what he is doing.
Raj: Even Atmaram (Gulshan Devaiah) in Guns & Gulaabs was abused.
Major stars like Shahid Kapoor, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Varun Dhawan have made or are making their OTT debut with you. Is that an added pressure?
DK: It’s not really pressure, since they already knew what they were getting into. OTT is an actor’s – and not a star’s – medium.
Raj: It’s a learning experience for them too, and they come with so much of energy and excitement.
DK: That’s the conversation we have with actors. ‘You have done so many films, but you will have to be the character for longer and put in that much extra effort’. These are actors who have been working for years, but now we are the experienced ones when it comes to OTT.
What’s the story behind two software engineers giving up life in the US to pursue their dream of making films in India?
Raj: We were doing very well as engineers, but the cookie-cutter life and the monotony of a nine-to-five job drove me out.
DK: For my family, my life’s biggest achievement was that I went to the US as an engineer. But then we decided to cancel all of it and come back home. My mom thought it was a hobby. After we made one independent film, my family thought I would return to the engineering job. It’s when we decided to make a film in Hindi that they realized that we were serious about it.
Your works as creators/ producers/directors constantly cross genres — heist, horror, comedy, thriller. What did the two of you watch growing up?
Raj: Both of us grew up in small towns of Andhra Pradesh. We would watch every movie running in the theatres – good or bad. We’d watch Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and dubbed Malayalam films. Regional films were always a major influence, but it was in the US that we discovered American indie films and global cinema.
DK: We were especially fascinated with filmmakers’ first breakthrough movies – Russo brothers’ Welcome To Collinwood or Christopher Nolan’s Memento and Following. If you want to learn about a filmmaker’s true personality, you must watch their work in the formative years, when they don’t have the world at their command.
How was the experience of moving from a tech job to filmmaking?
Raj: For our film Flavors (2003), almost everyone was from IT or similar fields. Even the DOP (director of photography) was a steady cam operator! We would hold the mics ourselves and the shoot was entirely in sync sound. We would borrow shopping carts from Walmart and use it as a trolley. Then, one of the actors had finished shooting his part and had flown off and was not accessible. But we needed to do a reshoot, so I had to wear his clothes and we had to do it in a way that my face wouldn’t show. We even learnt editing on the job. By the time we made 99 (2009) and Shor in the City (2011), we were very hands-on. And this training took away all your fears.
Even as new filmmakers, you made a splash with Shor In The City and Go Goa Gone. How did that happen?
Raj: We had zero connections in the industry and no idea about permissions required to shoot. But we shot a short film (Shor, which is the genesis of Shor In The City) with some FTII students. That was a film that a lot of people ended up watching.
DK: Aamir Khan saw that film and he hired the DOP for Dhobi Ghat! As for Saif, he is the first person to admit he’s crazy when it comes to creative stuff. When we narrated the concept of Go Goa Gone, he couldn’t believe we were making a zombie comedy.
Raj: After The Family Man’s success, people were expecting another series in the same vein, which is also why we wanted to do something different with Farzi.
Having worked on films and in OTT what’s your take on the good and bad of both?
Raj: People say Farzi and Guns & Gulaabs should have been films. Our take is that regardless of the medium, our work must entertain and offer a fresh take on the genre. We plan to put our learnings from OTT into a film next year. Not having to worry about the box office in the OTT space does make a difference. There’s no studio pressure to have a song-and-dance break.
DK: There is still pressure to perform, just that it comes in a different form. There are no immediate numbers to show how much money your series made, but from the discussions on social media, you understand if people are liking it. Writing eight episodes for OTT is difficult, but it allows you to go deeper than a film. You must look at the two formats differently, just like in cricket, where you play T20 and one-day matches differently, though both require talent and a knack for the game.
Increasingly, there are reports of certain sections of the audience getting offended by the portrayal of a community. How do you deal with controversies like the portrayal of Tamilians in The Family Man?
Raj: There was nothing inflammatory, just the fact that the subject made some people assume it was negative. Now everybody has a voice on social media, and when you have so many voices, somebody is going to be affected by something.
DK: A lot of times the controversial voices will be enhanced, that’s just the nature of things. When the trailer of The Family Man released, some people assumed that Sri Lankan Tamilians were being portrayed badly. We immediately put out a statement. As filmmakers, one has to be responsible. We don’t set out to offend or shock anybody.
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OTT’s like we’re putting the actors on stage, in front of a live audience, something they haven’t done before. So, it’s a learning experience for them too
– Raj Nidimoru
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OTT is an actor’s – and not a star’s – medium. You cannot charm the audience for eight episodes. You need to be a nuanced, talented actor
– Krishna DK
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When we narrated the concept of Go Goa Gone to Saif, he couldn’t believe we were making a zombie comedy. In an hour, he had almost finished reading (the script) and was laughing away, saying, ‘Mujhe yeh karna hai’
– Krishna DK
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Rapid fire
Your favourite film from your own filmography
Raj and DK: Go Goa Gone and Stree
One film or OTT series of 2023 that left a mark on you
Raj and DK: Kaala Paani
An actor/ actress you really want to work with
Raj: Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone – all really strong actors
DK: Aamir Khan and Mr Bachchan have always been on our list too
I don’t want to be naive. The box office signifies popularity-Shahid Kapoor
8:24 AM
Be it viewership on OTT or box office, Shahid Kapoor feels the number game is always relevant
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 25, 2023)
Shahid Kapoor, whose projects Farzi and Bloody Daddy made it to the ‘most watched on OTT list’, believes that the very fact people still track viewership numbers means that the numbers game, including at the box office, is always a hot topic.
“I don’t want to be naive. The box office signifies popularity, size of your reach and how many people have consumed your content. That’s never going to change,” shares the actor, adding, “Different types of content are now accepted, maybe writers, directors and actors will feel less boxed in. There’s freedom to express yourself and do different things without a track record to look back on and say, ‘Only this thing works’.”
Kapoor’s next is an untitled theatrical release with actor Kriti Sanon.
While the audience is more discerning today, the 42-year-old looks back at the time when they weren’t influenced by box-office collections. “Earlier, people used to say film achhi thi ya buri thi, but now they are aware of so many things. Sometimes, the audience may not realize they’re being psychologically converted into believing that every successful film (one that rakes in a lot of money at the box office) is a good film.”
Ask how he selects projects he wants to work on and Kapoor says, “I think that the content should land — trends and taste changes, but a good film is a good film. Many people asked me, ‘Why are you doing Farzi after Kabir Singh (2019)?’ [I did it] because it was fantastic content,” he signs off.
The working title for Guns & Gulaabs was backbenchers-Raj Nidimoru, Krishna DK
8:09 AM
With their new offering Guns & Gulaabs, the duo of Raj and DK ride their special brand of levity
Aastha Atray Banan (MID-DAY; August 20, 2023)
When you think of Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK—the screenwriter, director and producer duo collectively known as Raj & DK—and their work, you think gritty but funny; raw but aesthetic; simple but also worldly-wise. The duo has always built varied worlds—zombies in Goa (Go Goa Gone), the bland superficial life of a secret NIA agent (The Family Man), or a tale of a counterfeiting businessman (Farzi)… And now a story of love and romance set in the 90s against the backdrop of crime and drugs in Uttarakhand.
When we meet the two, they are as relaxed and fun as their art. It takes a minute for them to get comfortable in front of the camera, and Raj explains, “Interviews I am fine with, it’s the posing that’s a problem.”
But pose they must—when everything you have done has been successful, then people want to see more of you. Guns & Gulaabs, which premiered last week on Netflix, is set in the fictional town of Gulaabgunj where an opium deal draws big-city cop (Dulquer Salmaan) and a lovesick mechanic (Rajkummar Rao) into its grasp. It starts with a bunch of school kids who come across a murder and a deal gone wrong.
“The seed of the idea had been around for a while,” says DK. “It started with the idea of the innocence of a simple world. These children are growing up in a place where there is a lot of crime. Then the characters too shape—the common thread is that they are simple…”
Raj comes in: “…and it’s a coming-of-age story. These are not people you find on the frontlines, we call them backbenchers—that was our working title. The bigger point was to make a fun series…”
“Aren’t all your series fun series?” we ask. They both laugh.
“The idea was to spell out F-U-N,” says DK, and Raj adds, “It was a larger theme maybe—the drama is not big drama…” “They are not saving the country,” DK dives back in, “There is a lot of pulp—there’s an element of cheese in it—but it’s crafted cheese.”
The two, who grew up in Tirupati and Chitoor before heading to America to study software engineering, have the Indian aesthetic down pat. In Guns, they take an Andhra story to Uttarakhand. “It’s universal; our hometown/childhood stories can easily be transposed to different parts of the country. We chose Uttarakhand because of the terrain and weather—it was apt for the story.”
Their shows and movies also encapsulate the middle-class and their struggles—and the things we do to protect our loved ones and vested interests.
Where do they get their ideas? If fact is crazier than fiction, then their process of reading newspapers and jotting down the crazy happenings is the best one. “I used to have diaries—many lay unused, but it made it a habit,” says Raj, “You file away things. Now, it happens in my head. Newspapers were a big source.” For DK, “Newspapers formed the foreground of The Family Man and Shor In The City. Even Farzi came from an article we read about a flamboyant counterfeiter who turned out to be the highest tax payer.”
While Guns… is set against the backdrop of the opium drug trade, much like their other series, there’s a huge dose of humour. And not just straight-faced funniness, but the dark sharp type that erupts at funerals. “I think it comes from life itself,” says Raj. “I do that,” adds DK, “I make light of the situation and people may think that’s not funny.”
“It’s good to have humour,” Raj interjects, “it makes life easier. When we had a crisis on the set, we often found levity. That’s what we tend to do. Anything could be funny.”
I’ve always craved the audience’s respect-Shahid Kapoor
3:35 PM
If an artiste knows the ‘game they are playing’, a year or two of failure can’t ‘derail you’, feels Shahid Kapoor
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 10, 2023)
Having been around for two decades, actor Shahid Kapoor has seen the definition of stardom change, especially with the rise of social media and OTT. Despite both of his recent projects on the medium, Farzi and Bloody Daddy, registering most-watched numbers in their respective categories (according to an Ormax report), the actor continues to place greater importance on an entirely different marker. “I’ve always craved the audience’s respect. Once an artiste has people’s respect, they will be able to create consistency in their graph,” the 42-year-old says.
That is why, by opting for the OTT projects that he did, Kapoor stepped into uncharted territory — channelising the angst he has exhibited in his big- screen roles into parts that required slickness and flirting with grey shades. “You shouldn’t presume that just because you’re a star, people across the board will like you. The audience has become very mature and clear about who they like. I was keen to see how people would respond to me in that space,” he explains.
The Jersey (2022) actor stresses on “understanding the game you’re playing”. “There are highs and lows. You can see that happening to actors who’re super successful. You have to think about whether you’re here for 10 years, 15 or 30. Are you running a 100-metre race or a marathon? It’s important to understand if you’re playing the big game. Then, one or two [low] years here and there should not derail you,” Kapoor signs off.
Some enjoy playing a cute guy for their whole careers, but I am not one of them-Shahid Kapoor
8:26 AM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; April 20, 2023)
Shahid Kapoor’s journey from being the quintessential chocolate hero to an artiste with a penchant for playing layered characters has been interesting. The actor, who recently completed two decades in the industry, made his OTT debut as a con artist in Raj and DK’s series Farzi.
Ask Shahid if he is spoilt for choice when it comes to good content coming his way, and he laughs out loud as he says, “I wish that was true. I don’t think I am spoilt for choice; it’s just a perception. In fact, I find it challenging to find good content,” adding, “I participate in every possible meeting to see whether something good is coming my way. So, yes, it is a struggle to find good content. I am constantly on the lookout for it, and that’s why you learn to value it when something good comes your way. A case in point is Farzi.”
Shahid, at this stage of his career, is realizing and experiencing the truth behind his father, renowned actor Pankaj Kapur’s advice, which was — the day he begins acting, in the true sense of the word, the way he looks at and approaches his craft will change drastically. The actor, in a conversation with Bombay Times, gets candid about his craft, the highs and challenges he faced in his career spanning 20 years. Excerpts.
‘I AM PRIVILEGED TO HAVE A PRESENCE IN FILMS AS WELL AS OTT’
Shahid, who has been exploring all avenues there are as an actor, doesn’t like to get drawn into comparisons of any kind, even if that means discussing different entertainment platforms.
Ask him whether OTT has been more liberating than movies as an artiste for him, and he replies, “I don’t think there is more merit in either of the two platforms. Movies have their own space, and the same goes for OTT. I think it is a privilege that I can have a presence on both platforms; both have their own advantages and unique appeal. Having said that, I feel that while conceiving a product, one should be sure of where one wants to showcase it. I think choosing to showcase something on a platform different from what you had envisioned can sometimes be counterproductive.”
‘PLAYING THE CUTE GUY ALL THE TIME CAN GET A LITTLE BORING’
Shahid has now come to be associated as an actor who is drawn towards complex and flawed characters. While the actor acknowledges the shift in his career, he denies that his inclination for complex characters was an overnight wake-up call.
“The desire to do something complex and challenging was always there, but I was not offered those roles earlier. You can only choose from the choices that are in front of you,” he says, adding, “I feel as you become more secure and settled as an actor, you want to take up new challenges. Of course, playing characters that are layered, complex and sometimes flawed is exciting, as it is more challenging to get the audience to relate to them or feel compassion towards them. It’s harder than playing a guy who is just cute and sweet, which gets boring after a while. Some enjoy doing it for their whole careers, but I am not one of them.”
‘I DON’T WANT TO BECOME A CLICHÉ’
As a versatile artiste, he always looks for diverse characters and genres and finds the process liberating. He recalls, “My dad (Pankaj Kapur) once told me, ‘Beta, abhi tum kar lo yeh sab – cute boy, romantic and all, par jis dinn tum acting karna shuru kar doge na, tab aisa lagega ki sher ke muh mein khoon lag gaya hai, phir tumhe baar baar waise hi kirdaar karne ka mann karega.’ It has turned out to be just the way he said. After having worked for 20 years, I understand what he meant. I am happy about exploring diverse genres; every genre has its own appeal, but of course, the actor in me needs to feel satisfied and challenged.”
He adds that there is a risk in overdoing only complex roles. He says, “I won’t be doing only complex roles. I have to do different things. If I keep repeating myself in that zone, it will become cliché. The idea is not to become a cliché, and that is what I intend to do keep changing every time.”
Sameer Khakhar aka Khopdi from Nukkad passes away
8:13 AM
Mumbai: Actor Sameer Khakhar, whose portrayal as the drunken Khopdi in the iconic TV serial ‘Nukkad’ (1986) became his calling card, passed away at age 71 after suffering multi-organ failure Wednesday.
His younger brother Ganesh told PTI, “He had respiratory problems since yesterday and later he went into an unconscious state, so we called the doctor at home and he asked us to hospitalize him. Sameer was admitted to the intensive care unit of MM Hospital. Slowly and gradually, he suffered multiple organ failure, he was unconscious and then he collapsed. He passed away at 4:30 am.”
It was the power of Khakhar’s performance that drove viewers to despair at his demise. In real life, they would have turned up their nose and sidestepped the stout, unkempt drunkard with slurred speech, but the reel life character of Khopdi was so well loved that Khakhar’s death evoked mass disappointment. Fans remembered his roles in TV serials ‘Circus’, ‘Manoranjan’ and ‘Shriman Shrimati’ and films like ‘Raja Babu’, ‘Parinda’, ‘Shahenshah’ and ‘Jai Ho’. He appeared in some web series too.
Social media buzzed with memories of his silent act in the film ‘Pushpak’ which had no dialogues. Khakhar played a wealthy alcoholic businessman who is kidnapped by the protagonist Kamal Hassan. Other notable roles include ‘Hasee Toh Phasee’ and web productions like ‘Sunflower’, ‘Serious Men’ and ‘Farzi’.
Khakhar had moved to the US in the 1990s for a few years to become a software developer. He worked at a company as Java developer till recession hit in 2008. Fewer assignments followed by the lockdown worsened his circumstances.
In 2021 he bravely appealed for work, saying in an interview to PTI, “Everybody is looking for work and so am I. And by looking for work I mean approaching and applying for a job. In the case of actors, it is a daily exercise with every film or show. But I am a bad salesman.”
On Wednesday, Khakhar’s last rites were performed at a Borivali crematorium in the presence of family and some friends from his days in Gujarati theatre. He is survived by his wife.
On social media, big names from cinema and TV held off. But condolences trickled in from the likes of Hansal Mehta, Gulshan Devaiah, Bhuvan Arora and the makers of ‘Farzi’. Cine & TV Artistes' Association also mourned his loss.
Hansal Mehta wrote, “For some reason I was nicknamed Khopdi in college after his iconic character in Nukkad. My closest friends from the time still call me Khopdi. But I guess it’s time to say goodbye to the OG. Goodbye Sameer Khakhar. Thank you for the memories.”
Director Nila Madhab Panda said, “Khopdi has left this Circus and gone to the Nukkad in the sky.”
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Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; March 16, 2023)
Senior actor Sameer Khakhar (70), best known as Khopdi in the TV world, passed away yesterday in Mumbai due to multiple organ failure.
Film director and writer Saeed Akhtar Mirza, who directed Khakhar in the TV show Nukkad during the 80s, shared how the actor’s character and his portrayal of the drunk Khopdi became iconic. He said, “I don’t remember who coined the term ‘Khopdi’, but through his character, we were able to convey social messages and depict the times of that era. He was a man of huge talent and had the capacity to do many different roles, but unfortunately, he got typecast. He had told me how unhappy he was about getting slotted in drunkard roles. If it was not a drunkard’s role, it would be something similar, so that’s the saddest part of his career because he was capable of much more. He was a great theatre artiste, and I wanted to see him flourish, but unfortunately, he did not get enough work. His passing away has left a hole in my heart. He will live on in our hearts forever.”
Pavan Malhotra, who shared screen space with Khakhar in Nukkad, said, “He was extremely talented and added to every scene in the show. I remember in those days. . . we used to take three days to shoot an episode. All our characters are remembered even today, especially Khopdi. Sameer was a talented and fun-loving guy.”
Khakhar’s last TV show was Sanjivani 2, a couple of years ago. He played the lead actor’s uncle in the show, who is childlike and keeps forgetting things. Producer of the show, Siddharth P Malhotra, shared, “When this character was written, we wanted to cast only him. Whatever scenes he had in the show lifted the quality of the show. His passing away is sad and heartbreaking.”
Director Hansal Mehta also tweeted for Khakhar. He wrote, “For some reason, I was nicknamed Khopdi in college after his iconic character in Nukkad. My closest friends from the time still call me Khopdi. But I guess it’s time to say goodbye to the OG. Goodbye, Sameer Khakhar. Thank you for the memories (sic).”
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HINDUSTAN TIMES (March 16, 2023)
Actor Sameer Khakhar, who was best known for playing the lovable character Khopdi in the show Nukkad, died on Wednesday at a hospital in Mumbai due to multiple organ failure. The actor, 71, was last seen in the web series Farzi.
“He had respiratory problems since Tuesday and later became unconscious. We called the doctor at home and were asked to hospitalize him. Later, he was admitted to the intensive care unit of MM Hospital,” his younger brother, Ganesh, told PTI.
Besides Nukkad, Khakhar also played pivotal roles in shows such as Circus, Shrimaan Shrimati and Sanjivani to name a few. Filmmaker Hansal Mehta, actor Parineeti Chopra and chef Kunal Kapur were among those who paid tributes to Khakhar on social media.
Are the makers of web series going overboard with the use of expletives
8:12 AM
The use of strong language and expletives in shows such as Farzi and Class has raised the question: are the makers really going overboard with it?
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 11, 2023)
Streaming platforms are known to be free from censorship. But strong language, peppered with expletives, on shows, has been raising eyebrows of late. Take the case of shows such as Farzi and Class that have been getting brickbats for the use of strong language. The question remains, is profanity really getting out of hand on these platforms?
How much is too much?
Talking about Farzi getting called out for using strong language, actor Divya Dutta, opines, “It depends on the project — it could be voyeuristic or coming from the land that you are trying to show. For instance, when I watched Farzi, mujhe nahin laga zabardasti daal diya hai. I see those kinds of boys out there.”
Reiterating that the choice of language varies for each person, Kanishk Varma, director of the third season of Inside Edge and the film Sanak (2021), shares, “For Inside Edge, we showed how people (in the show’s universe) would interact. At the same time, I did a showreel for a streaming platform where my goal was to have nothing that could hurt someone. However, sometimes [in shows], I’ve felt, ‘Why do you have to abuse so much when asking for a glass of water!’,” he says.
In such times, self-censorship seems to have become the norm. Like actor Anil Kapoor, who removed extra expletives from his dialogues in The Night Manager. “There is nothing wrong with it; I just felt it was becoming more of a cliché. We were careful as we wanted our show to be viewed by families,” he opines.
Vishal Mangalorkar, who directed Jeet Ki Zidd, feels sometimes it’s a lot to handle. “There can be a little bit of restraint... What we tend to do sometimes is show real-life situations where people would use that kind of language. But kahin kahin pe zyaada hai,” he says.
Actor Rajshri Deshpande, who has been a part of the web show Sacred Games, says, “I believe we need to have freedom. It should just not be derogatory or demean any person.”
Can legal notices be the beginning of Censorship?
A recent order from the Delhi High Court to file an FIR against the makers of the web series College Romance, for the usage of “obscene, profane and vulgar” language has further stoked the issue. The order stated, “This court notes that this is not the language that [the] nation’s youth or otherwise citizens of this country use, and this language cannot be called the frequently spoken language used in our country.”
Will such curbs translate into the end of creative freedom? Actor Abhishek Banerjee, who was a part of Paatal Lok, feels one can opt out of watching certain things instead of curtailing creative expressions. “OTT is the most democratic set up. One has the choice to watch or not watch something on the platforms. At the end of the day, it’s a creative expression and is meant to be taken that way.”
When I was a newcomer, people bet on me-Kubbra Sait
8:40 AM
Kubbra Sait does not make career decisions on the basis on the experience and popularity of a director; adds all that matters to her is the script
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 5, 2023)
After starting her career with a small role in the Salman Khan-starrer Ready (2011), Kubbra Sait’s current body of work includes shows such as Sacred Games and an international series, Foundation. But the actor hasn’t forgotten that it all began with someone taking a chance on her.
She says, “When I was a newcomer, people bet on me. So, after that, I never considered if a director is new or old. I look at the script as a whole and my part in it.”
The 39-year-old adds that she never looks at the name of the director while saying yes to a project. “You cannot say, ‘I will only work with people who have been here for some time’. Look at the (person’s) conviction. You learn along the way. At the end of the day, life and your career is an experience,” says Sait.
Having worked with known directors such as Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap, and being a part of director duo Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK’s upcoming project Farzi, she considers herself “very fortunate” to work with them. Explaining her process of choosing projects, she adds, “I love to do things for the first time and don’t discriminate. I love to give myself the option of having tried. I like working with people who work with the same sincerity that I put in.”
Sait was missing from the limelight for the majority of 2022. Clarifying her absence, she says, “I was filming. I have projects coming out and the dates are out too, so now I can talk about it. Among others, I will be seen in The Good Wife along with (actor) Kajol.”
Come Fall In Love changed our sensibilities; We got 60 standing ovations-Vishal Dadlani
8:23 PM
Having rendered Sachin-Jigar’s composition Paisa Hain Toh for Farzi, Vishal on reigning in his music sensibilities as composer to serve the song
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; January 23, 2023)
There are some matters that Vishal Dadlani won’t talk about, like the Pathaan track, Besharam Rang, which emerged to be among the best performing songs of 2022, but was mired in controversy with fans stating that it resembled a bunch of old numbers. Then, there are matters on which he pours his heart out, like his work on the recently concluded Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge musical, Come Fall In Love, an international production that offered Dadlani, along with his long-time collaborator Sheykhar Ravjiani, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Considering the fact that musical adaptations of Bollywood films are a rarity, we are eager to know what transpired behind the scenes as the cult classic found a theatrical adaptation in San Deigo. Stating that the project “changed our sensibilities”, Dadlani says, “Dilwale is the fabric for modern pop culture. We worked with Nell Benjamin, who is a multi-Tony Award-winning [composer], and we learnt a lot about approaching music [from a place of] joy. [We were told to] let the lyrics speak to us, and by the end of each page, we [usually] had the song [conceived]. We got 60 standing ovations, and our crowd comprised both American viewers, and individuals who had flown from Mumbai to see it,” he relives the experience, as though it occurred yesterday.
Given that it marks the amalgamation of story-telling techniques and live music, a musical, Dadlani says, is a powerful medium to express emotions. “Sheykhar and I usually get to head on [tours], but we never get to perform the same set on the same stage, over and over again. This experience provided that. We had people coming back to watch it [twice over]. It was challenging, but was one of the best experiences of our lives.”
Dadlani’s recent work is an upcoming track from Amazon Prime’s Farzi, and one that brings him under the familiar wings of composer duo Sachin-Jigar. “They are friends. When they call me for a song, I don’t even ask them about it, I simply show up. By now, they know my range, texture, and the things that I like to do [as a singer],” says Dadlani, who rendered Paisa Hai Toh, along with Mellow D for Shahid Kapoor’s project.
We would assume that his success as a composer would influence his renditions while working for other composers, in the capacity of a singer. But Dadlani disagrees. He adheres to one principle — “I come in knowing nothing,” he says.
“I only bring my heart. I treat each song as an opportunity to learn something. When a composer calls me, he/she is giving me a chance to improve myself as a musician. You have to put your faith in the composer, because the composer chooses your voice as the instrument for the song.”
Shefali Shah and Alia Bhatt are creating a parallel space for women, with their films-Raashii Khanna
8:40 AM
As testosterone-heavy films strike gold, Raashii says Shefali, Alia and Farzi directors fight for level-playing field with their offerings
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; January 20, 2023)
In the past few years, Raashii Khanna has witnessed several changes in the industry, some significant, others not so much. To her, the most noteworthy change is in the depiction of women on screen.
“Now, there are writers who write [powerful] female characters. I have been in the industry for [over] seven years. It’s only now that [female actors] are being given the respect they deserve,” she reflects.
Farzi is one such example, says Khanna, who will be seen as an investigating officer in the crime thriller that revolves around a con artist. The Amazon Prime Video series might have big names like Shahid Kapoor and Vijay Sethupathi attached to it, but creators Raj-DK ensured that she shone just as brightly on screen.
“Raj-DK are feminist directors. The way they have written my character, and shown empathy to a woman in a professional space [is remarkable]. They’ve shown the problems that today’s women face, through my character.”
Raj-DK are anomalies in an industry that is infamously kinder to men. Some of the recent blockbusters have been testosterone-driven — from KGF - Chapter 2, to Pushpa: The Rise. Isn’t that cause for concern?
“Shefali Shah ma’am and Alia [Bhatt] are creating a parallel space for women, with their films. If a certain kind of film is working, that’s great. But a film like Gangubai Kathiawadi or Darlings balances it out.”
I loved Raj and DK’s The Family Man 2. They called me for a film. I asked if they had a show for me-Shahid Kapoor
8:19 AM
Ecstatic about his OTT stint, Shahid Kapoor shares how an offer for a film led to him foraying into the digital space
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 13, 2022)
Shahid Kapoor is set to join the league of film actors who are trying their hand at web projects. The actor will be seen in Farzi, a web show with director duo Raj and DK (Raj Nidimoru, Krishna DK), soon. Venturing into the digital space is something Kapoor admits he’s always wanted to do. He shares, “I love watching OTT content. I have been working for almost two decades now, and I put myself first as an audience member. Also, if I see a show or a film [that I love], it’s only a natural consequence that I will look for material that’s similar.”
Kapoor is excited to make his debut all over again, that too in a completely “different format” where people will see him in “over eight-nine episodes”. He shares, “I loved Raj and DK’s The Family Man 2. They called me for a film. I asked if they had a show for me. They went, ‘Really?’, and I said ‘Yes!’ It’s exciting to collaborate with people who are at the top of their game, and in India, they are the best of the best.”
But with the play-pause culture gaining pace, doesn’t it mean that a film that deserves adequate attention will now lose its charm? Kapoor denies this, and explains, “It depends on the nature of the content. If you know the format and what platform you are making it for, you can work accordingly. I have seen that play-pause culture exists if there is a lack of potency in the material. [But] if it’s not keeping you hooked, that doesn’t mean things need to move fast. Things moving fast is very different from feeling engaged and connected.”
We need a more conducive atmosphere to make Bull-Shahid Kapoor
8:28 AM
After his actioner Bull fails to go on floors as scheduled, Shahid Kapoor says the team needs “conducive atmosphere” to make the big-budget film
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; April 30, 2022)
Last November, producers Bhushan Kumar and Amar Butala announced Bull, which will see Shahid Kapoor as a paratrooper. When debutant director Aditya Nimbalkar’s film didn’t go on floors earlier this year as per schedule, B-Town was abuzz with speculation about what caused the delay.
Confirming that the actioner has been deferred for now, the actor says the team doesn’t want to take any chances with the big-ticket project. “It’s a big film, and we have been trying to take it on floors. But we are unable to deal with the logistical issues brought on by the pandemic. We need a more conducive atmosphere to make the film. So, it might take a little more time before it rolls,” says Kapoor.
Bull is reportedly inspired by events from the life of Brigadier Farukh Bulsara, who led Operation Cactus in 1988 in the Maldives. At the time, the Indian Armed Forces had helped the Maldivian Army resist an attempted coup d’etat. With Bull not occupying his date diary, Kapoor jokes that he is “unemployed” at the moment. “I am not shooting anything for the next two months,” states the actor, who had a release in Jersey last week.
Up next, he has Bloody Daddy with Ali Abbas Zafar and Raj-DK’s Farzi, which marks his web debut. The actor, who is exploring different subjects, acknowledges that he feels “doubly motivated” at this stage in life. “The one thing that life teaches you is to change and evolve. Today, I am a lot more invested in my journey as an actor, a son, parent and husband.”
Arjun Kapoor drops out of the film Farzi, recommends his cousin Harshvardhan instead?
7:48 AM
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; August 31, 2017)
It can be termed an unusual situation, given that stars don’t generally recommend fellow actors for a film they have declined.
Arjun Kapoor, who was in talks with director duo, Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, for their heist thriller Farzi, opposite Kriti Sanon, has apparently passed on the offer to cousin, Anil Kapoor’s son, Harshvardhan, instead.
Arjun, who is currently prepping for Dibakar Banerjee’s Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, according to sources, cited “date issues” for walking out of Farzi. Hence, Harsh will most likely prep for the Abhinav Bindra biopic, and Farzi, simultaneously. Earlier Shahid Kapoor was also in consideration for the film’s lead role.
Says an insider, “Arjun was in talks for Farzi, until recently. But then the director duo’s A Gentleman, starring Sidharth Malhotra and Jacqueline Fernandez, released last week, and tanked at the box office. As reports started trickling in, Arjun felt that at this point in his career, it wouldn’t be wise for him to act in a heist film."
Adds the source, “The Farzi project in case hadn’t gone beyond an offer, and due to factors that didn’t align, Arjun decided not to take it up. The film hadn’t reached the monetary discussion stage either. Arjun is keen to do a rom-com like Namastey Canada, which he starts next year.”
The source continues, Arjun was professional about the issue. “He is also a producer’s [Boney Kapoor] son, and doesn’t like to keep anybody hanging. Arjun immediately recommended his cousin, ‘Harsh baba’ (Harshvardhan), as he calls him. The makers went to Harsh thereafter. The quirky subject is right up Harsh’s alley.”
Nidimoru says, “Yes, we were in talks for Farzi with Shahid Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor, but the talks were at initial stages, and they fell through. Then we got busy with the release of A Gentleman. Now, we are figuring out how to take things forward, and which actor to approach. As far as casting Harsh is concerned, it is too early to talk about it.”
Arjun Kapoor and Kriti Sanon to pair up for Raj Nidimoru-Krishna DK's Farzi?
7:24 AM
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; August 4, 2017)
Arjun Kapoor’s Mubarakan released last week and Kriti Sanon put out a video dancing to Arjun’s Hawa Hawa song from the film. Most people were flummoxed to see Kriti promoting the film as there was no connection between these two actors. But now the secret is out.
An industry insider reveals that we might see the fresh pairing of Arjun and Kriti on screen soon. After Hrs was the first to reveal that Kriti has been roped in for Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK’s Farzi, and now Arjun has been approached to play the lead in the thriller.
Adds the insider, “The film was initially being planned with Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon. After Shahid walked out, Arjun was approached for the film, but the film was put on the backburner. The makers have decided to revive the script with a few changes to the plot.”
A source close to the actor confirms, “He has been offered the film, but he has not signed it yet. He has Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, which rolls now, and will shoot for Namastey Canada after that. So, he has to work out his dates first.” Prernaa Arora and Arjun N Kapoor of KriArj Entertainment might be producing the venture.
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