Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; May 3, 2019)

Though Aftab Shivdasani and Shreyas Talpade have been a part of many comedies, their next outing, Setters, is based on the malpractices in the education system. While Shreyas plays a setter responsible for the criminal practices, Aftab essays the role of a cop who wants to bust the scam. In a candid chat with Bombay Times, the two spoke about being stereotyped as comic actors and dealing with social media. Excerpts:

Over the years, you both have been stereotyped as actors who are best suited for multi-starrer comedies. Setters being a crime thriller must have been refreshing.
Shreyas: People have almost forgotten that I started my career with films like Iqbal and Dor. They were serious films. Over a period of time, our association with comedies became really strong. After solely doing comedies for the past few years, I am glad I am doing something like this. I was pleasantly surprised when I was offered a subject and a role with grey shades. Every actor has an urge to do something else, reinvent himself and films like these give you that opportunity. People’s expectations from us are films like Masti, Grand Masti and Golmaal, so getting a serious film was refreshing. We have tried to play our parts with utmost sincerity and I hope that comes across.
Aftab: What Shreyas said is true for me as well. I started off with Mast and Kasoor and was appreciated for them. Then I did some love stories and comedies like Awara Paagal Deewana, Hungama and Masti, and people suddenly started identifying me with those genres. Yes, stereotyping happens to a certain extent. There is a perception that guys like Shreyas and I are more suitable for comedy films. Both of us were trying to find something that’s lucrative and substantial. You need a good script and a director to project you the right way. We hope we get accepted in a film like Setters, which will open the doors to more films like these. Also, it works both ways; a lot of actors, who are known for serious roles, don’t get offered comedies either.

What is Setters all about?
Shreyas: Setters is based on education and employment mafia. I think all of us have heard about this when we were in school or college…someone selling a question paper for a certain price. I had a perception that these leaks happen at a local level and maybe four-five people are involved in it. When I read the story, I told Ashwini (director Ashwini Chaudhary) that it’s quite an imagination and he corrected me by saying, this really happens. A massive mafia is involved in this. It’s structured and organised, comprising educated and tech-savvy people, who know how to crack the legal system. I am the ‘setter’ here, who’s a bad guy.
Aftab: I am the good guy, a cop, who is after this ‘setter’. It’s a cat-and-mouse game, more like catch-me-if-you-can. The story is about oneupmanship. We both have to be on top of our game to outdo each other. The kind of gadgets and technology the setters use are advanced, so, as someone in charge of security, we have to be one step ahead of them.
Shreyas: There’s no preaching here. It’s an entertainer based on a concept that’s real.

Aftab, after Great Grand Masti (2016), you disappeared from Bollywood in a way. Why did you go missing?
I did two South films and a British film after Great Grand Masti, which I didn’t really speak about because I wanted to test the waters. Even the English film is a content-driven, serious film, which will release sometime this year. I wanted to see what it’s like to work outside my comfort zone, which is Bollywood. Having said that, if I was offered interesting films here, I would have chosen them but I didn’t get any, so I waited for the right opportunity. When Setters came my way, I was excited to play a police officer, who wants to bust a racket and imprison the culprits.

Shreyas, people often look at you as a good fit for supporting cast. Do you think you have been slotted in this category?
That did happen to a certain extent with me. I am not from a film family or don’t have a film background, and when people like me are approached by seniors or friends in the industry, it isn’t easy for us to say no. They’ll say, yeh kar lena and you do it, even when you are not completely convinced about those films. You fear that agar woh bura maan gaye toh baat failegi ki yeh ladka akdu hai. You learn the hard way to be assertive. It’s your career after all. If you are not convinced about a film, what will you portray on screen? Certain films will work, certain won’t, but there came a point when I decided to take a break. I might as well tell stories that I am convinced about instead of acting in ones that I am not. So I got into production (Marathi) and then directed the Hindi remake of Poster Boys. I’d rather do what I want to do and, of course, you have to wait for a right script like Setters.

Aftab, you started off as a child actor with Mr India. Do you think the chances of burning out are a lot more when a person starts out that early?
Isn’t that an advantage? I don’t look at it as a burnout; you get a head start. You gather experience with time and there’ no substitute for that. If you love what you do, you will never burn out. If I wasn’t an actor, I wouldn’t know what to do with my life. I am an extremely passionate guy and I am happy that I got an opportunity to start off at an early age. I developed a liking for the camera from a young age and decided that I will be around it till the time I die.

Does being a part of a certain group in Bollywood help in terms of getting work?
Shreyas: Yes, to a certain extent. Those things (hanging out with certain people) can get you one film at the most, but eventually, you will have to survive on your talent. If you are good at your work, you don’t have to worry about kal kya hoga?
Aftab: Your talent speaks for itself. There are so many people who have had successful careers despite not being associated with groups. They made it on their own. Social circles don’t forward your professional career. You shouldn’t get into a group because you want work. People shouldn’t know you for the amount of drinks you had with them, but the kind of talent you have.

What are your thoughts on the changing phase of paparazzi and domination of social media in India?
Aftab: People with millions of followers are popular on a virtual platform, which is social media. Does that translate to box office collection? No. They might get money to endorse a brand as a post, but are they happy making that as a career? If yes, then that’s great. But I think real popularity is when people will pay to watch your film because they genuinely like you for what you do and what you are. That’s true appreciation. I heard this beautiful quote, ‘This social media freak had thousands of friends on Facebook. But when he died, no one showed up at his funeral.’ All you get is RIP. It’s good to be on social media — use it, be on it, but that’s not the world we should be living in! It’s virtual. Don’t get lost in it.
Shreyas: I make it a point to call people on their birthdays instead of posting a message on social media. I believe in meeting my friends and extended family. My sister was surprised that I wasn’t on Instagram. It felt like a crime. I am on the platform now. I agree with what Aftab says, online validation might not translate into professional success. As far as the paps are concerned, people who work with us now say things like, ‘Sir, airport ke liye kaunsa shirt pehnoge?’

Aftab, you must be relieved that your family can see Setters as it’s been passed with a ‘U’ certificate. It’s something that’s not common with your films.
My last ‘U’ certificate film was in 2011. I haven’t had a ‘U’ certificate film for eight years! Setters has been certified ‘U’, not even ‘U/A’, so I am throwing a party for it. I do regret that over the years my audience shifted from ‘U’ to ‘A’.

Setters, produced by Lovely Films Production and NH Studioz, releases today. 

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; February 17, 2019)

It’s rare to see a filmmaker who is able to laugh at himself while trying to make others laugh. But, director Indra Kumar, who started off with serious films like Beta (1992) and Raja (1995), now jokes that no one takes him seriously. His career had a serious scare in 2016, when a copy of Great Grand Masti leaked online prior to its release and the filmmaker went off the radar. Come 2019, he’s back on the scene with Total Dhamaal, the third installment of the Dhamaal franchise. In a candid chat, the director talks about the importance of the new antipiracy law and the need for comedies. Excerpts:

Back in 2016, your film Great Grand Masti had leaked online a fortnight before its release. A few weeks ago, new anti-piracy laws were appended in the Cinematograph Act. This happening right before your next release seems like life’s a come a full circle, isn’t it?
I think I was the only one who suffered the way I did in the entire history of the film industry. I welcome this new amendment, but it will make a difference only when it is actually practised. Great Grand Masti was three years of hard work. I had invested a few crores in it. I lost that money as well as whatever I was hoping to earn from it, because it leaked online. I hope things change with this new law. But I had to move on, so I started working again. I began writing Total Dhamaal, which eventually pulled me out of that mess. Work keeps your mind busy and has the power to pull you out of any adversity. You can die brooding, but that won’t help.

You’ve tried to do something new by adopting the adventure comedy genre for Total Dhamaal. Are you nervous about the way the audience will react to it?
From the first day, all of us in the team were confident about making a good film. Box office is a game of destiny. Our funda is very clear — dimaag ghar pe rakh ke aao and enjoy karo. There’s so much negativity in the air today that you just need something to make you laugh without a reason. Filmmakers like Rohit Shetty, Anees Bazmee and I are doing social service by making comedies that can ease the pressure off people’s minds. It’s scary how serious people have become these days.

Today, most filmmakers would not appreciate it if someone called their film a ‘keep your brains at home’ product. You don’t seem to mind that.
Mazaak mein logic kahan hota hai? How can you enjoy jokes if you start reasoning with them? I want people to be mentally disarmed when they come to the theatres; enjoy themselves and go home feeling light. On a roller-coaster ride, you just enjoy the thrills, you don’t ask questions about why it makes you happy, right? I understand that a certain amount of logic is needed in life per se, but if you treat comedies like intellectual dramas, they will only disappoint you. Laurel & Hardy and Charlie Chaplin are regarded as the grandaddies of comedy, and they never offered logic in their humour.

Comedian WC Fields had once said, ‘Comedy is serious business’. Do you agree with that?
Yes, I do. The worst part is that everyone thinks it’s the easiest form of entertainment. If you ask people to write a humorous article, most of them will take a long time to turn it in, because it’s not easy. Writing humour is tough and it has nothing to do with age. The actors in my film, Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit and Ajay Devgn, have all honed their comic sensibilities with age and experience. They’re more spontaneous now and their skill elevates the script to another level. Peter Sellers was a comic star from the word go and with age, he only got better.

After trying different brands of comedy films, you seem to have gravitated towards more family oriented entertainers. Would you ever want to return to your roots — serious films?
To a degree, I think I have succeeded with most genres of comedy and now, I want to make a serious film. No one is taking me seriously (laughs!). I tried making Super Nani and it didn’t work, so I decided to keep my mouth shut for some time. Now, if I make a drama, it will be a modern story. I agree that Super Nani was dated. I had the story for 10 years. By the time we made the film, the subject had become dated. That was my mistake. People have been asking me to make Ishq 2. My point is, how many sequels can I make? Now I want to make a first of something. Mere intentions ko koi seriously nahi leta hai. Labelling works very well in our industry. It has advantages and disadvantages. People smirk at an actor or director who tries to change his core genre. The transition can be difficult. After making comedies for 15 years, this genre is perceived as my safe zone. One day, when I think I’ve had enough of humour, I will make a serious film on my own.

Are you satisfied with the way your career has turned out?
My ambition is to go higher. Of course, how far you get in this industry is a matter of fate. When I decided to make Total Dhamaal, I didn’t know where to start. I went over to Ajay Devgn and said, ‘I am in a mess and I want to make a film with you.’ He said, ‘Indu ji, narrate the idea.’ I did that and here we are today. I knew I had a good script, but I also was in a messed up state of mind. He liked the concept and it all fell into place. After delivering two consecutive flops, people thought mera pack up ho gaya hai. Ajay understood my vision and helped me get it out there. Today, I feel confident that I can imagine or visualise a film like this. There are learnings with every movie. This film is special because it taught me that even if you don’t know how things work, you should try your luck. It’s at least made me more fearless and I now want to tap uncharted territories.

Indra Kumar on the third installment of his ensemble comedy, #MeToo allegations against Rajkumar Hirani, bringing back Madhuri Dixit of the nineties, and why his last directorial, Great Grand Masti, which tanked at the box-office, was a hit
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 16, 2019)

Indra Kumar has pulled off a casting coup by getting Ajay Devgn, Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit to join Riteish Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi and Javed Jaffrey in the third installment of the Dhamaal Franchise. The director confessed that comedy is serious business and he worked with his team of writers for 18 months on the script of his upcoming film before approaching the stars. Excerpts from an interview:

Was it difficult getting an ensemble cast on board for the third installment of the Dhamaal franchise?
It was more nostalgic as I was teaming up with Ajay, Anil and Madhuri after a long time. There was no trouble getting any of the actors on board because their tracks had them laughing out loud. It took just one narration to get the cast in place. And as a director I’ve played to everyone’s strengths.

Given that Ajay has done several comedies, including the Golmaal series, wasn’t there a risk of him getting repetitive?
A talented actor like Ajay can be moulded repeatedly in different ways. He has been around for three decades and given us many comedies, but no two films of his have been alike. This film, too, will present him in a never-seen-before avatar. Without his support, Total Dhamaal, wouldn’t have been made, as he is involved both creatively and financially. He will continue to be a part of this franchise from hereon.

Why isn’t Sanjay Dutt a part of this film, considering he was a part of the first two?
I had approached Sanjay but he didn’t have combination dates as he was doing five films.

Madhuri’s back in the commercial space after a long time...
I have directed Madhuri in films like Dil, Beta and Raja and I still see her in the same space. I have always presented her like never before and this trend will continue with Total Dhamaal as well. The script allows her to dance, gives her quirky one-liners and lets her add glamour to the film. She is romantically paired with Anil, which adds to the excitement.

It’s quite refreshing to see a filmmaker cast a 50-plus actress for a lead role ...
You need to watch the film to see how gorgeous she looks in it. Madhuri has maintained herself well. There is no question of the audience not accepting her in such an avatar. She will remind you of the Madhuri from the ’90s.

While Dhamaal was a laugh riot, Double Dhamaal had plenty of double entendre jokes...
(Cuts in) There was no vulgarity.

The Mallika Sherawat track…
Don’t confuse vulgarity with glamour.

And Total Dhamaal…
It is a film everybody from a grandfather to a grandchild can watch together. A first-of-its-kind adventure comedy, it has great visual effects and is mounted on a lavish scale. Apart from actors, we also have a lot of animals and that should excite the kids. It’s good that we are experimenting with different subjects in the commercial space. We need to explore commercial cinema as the brand of cinema is never going to die no matter how much the world changes. It’s there in our blood.

Your last directorial Great Grand Masti failed at the box office. Were you disheartened ?
The reason it didn’t do as well as expected is that many viewers watched it on their cell phones before the release. There was a lot of curiosity around it, but piracy killed its commercial prospects. ‘Disappointed’ is too small a word to describe how I felt. A lot of time and money was invested in the film. It would have been a huge hit had the film not been leaked online.

Any plans to revamp the Masti franchise?
At this point, there are no plans to make another adult comedy. I am focused on family films.

That’s been your strength as a director. What made you switch to adult comedies in the 2000s?
As a director, you want to explore different genres but apart from the three Masti films, I’ve always catered to a family audience. We have no problems watching American Pie or The Hangover but have a problem with Masti. That’s hypocrisy! Many enjoyed the franchise but won’t admit to it openly.

How crucial is Total Dhamaal’s BO fate for you?
It’s important for everyone involved. We have not compromised on any aspect, we worked on the script for a year-and-a-half. It was rewritten till we were satisfied. I worked hard to evolve with the times as I don’t want people to think I’m outdated.

After Super Nani, any other film with your daughter Shweta in the lead?
There’s something I will be directing. But it’s too early to discuss…

And what’s happening with Hera Pheri 3?
There is a slight delay as we are still working on the script. I will move into it once Total Dhamaal is out of my system. The film will happen.

And Dil 2?
I’m confused about that sequel, right now it is on hold.

Rajkumar Hirani was recently outed by an assistant. Shocked?
Very shocked, that a gentleman like Rajkumar Hirani has been pulled into the #MeToo movement. I hope the truth comes out soon. We shouldn’t pass judgments at this point.

There is a sense of fear in the industry following similar allegations against big names…
I don’t see any fear, everyone is behaving normally, rather respect for women has increased. Earlier, there were instances when women weren’t treated right, now everyone is more responsible. 

When I first saw the trailer of this week’s big release Veere Di Wedding, I was quite impressed and amused! After all, it’s rare that women in our films are shown in such an authentic light, freely talking about sex and hurling abuses. But immediately, I reminded myself that my joy might be shortlived. After all, we still have a ‘sanskaari’ Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) who can cause problems for this film and get all these abuses muted or replaced with milder words, even if the makers ask for an ‘A’ certificate.

Thankfully, the CBFC has been liberal in the case of Veere Di Wedding, but only till an extent. They allowed most of the sex talk and the use of F-word. They retained the much talked about masturbation scene of Swara Bhasker, though they blurred the vibrator. But at several places, the abuses got replaced. The cut list of the CBFC for this film is out and one can see that c*****a was replaced with bewakoof, bitch was replaced with witch, m*******d was replaced with madarjaat, b******d was replaced with pencho, c**t was replaced with choosa, tawayaf was replaced with rawayat and a**hole was replaced with jackass. The word c******a  was also muted twice and kutiya was muted once. Amusingly, bastard was replaced with f****r though the latter is more objectionable!

All these modifications had a mild impact while watching the film. However, Swara Bhasker uttering madarjaat and Sonam Kapoor saying pencho looked very odd unreal in this otherwise straight-out-of-life flick. And the question arises is – why didn’t the producers of the film, Ekta Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor, fight to retain the cuts? There were reports that Ekta and Rhea’s father, Jeetendra and Anil Kapoor respectively, attended the CBFC screening and requested that the film shouldn’t be butchered and only then did the CBFC decided to retain a lot of stuff. Yet, the film did get affected to an extent.



And this is quite shocking considering that we all know by now how our ‘sanskaari’ CBFC works. Ever since Pahlaj Nihalani became the chairperson of CBFC in January 2015, he had started implying unjust cuts on films which led to shockwaves. CBFC also became a laughing stock. The word ‘lesbian’ was muted in Dum Laga Ke Haisha. In Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, all abuses were removed and yet, the film was given an ‘A’ certificate. Even James Bond was not spared – his kissing scene in Spectre was reduced, leading to #SanskaariJamesBond jokes. The controversial Malayali film Sexy Durga had to change its name to S Durga due to pressure from the Censors.

But the CBFC doesn’t have its way all the time. There’s a solution for the makers who if they desire for almost zero cuts in their film. The Examining Committee (EC) is the first one to see the film and suggest the unjust changes. If the makers are not satisfied with these changes, then they can approach the Revising Committee (RC). The RC is believed to be more liberal than EC and if the makers are still not happy, the next step is to approach the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT). The FCAT in most cases relaxes most of the cuts ordered by the EC. Ekta Kapoor would know about this well. After all, 3 of her films – Great Grand Masti, Udta Punjab and Lipstick Under My Burkha – were stuck due to the insane number of cuts asked by the CBFC. Udta Punjab especially led to a lot of problems as the makers were asked to do 89 cuts in the film, including removing the word ‘Punjab’! The makers fought tooth and nail and even approached the Bombay High Court, which passed the film with just 2 cuts. Great Grand Masti and Lipstick Under My Burkha got passed by the FCAT with minimal changes. This year’s first release Kaalakaandi, starring Saif Ali Khan, also faced problems from the CBFC after it was told to make 72 cuts/changes. But the FCAT passed the film with an ‘A’ certificate and just 2 cuts.

However, all this takes time. As a result, if a film has adult content, the makers should ideally apply for certification at least 3-4 months or even 6 months in advance. This would give the makers enough time to fight it out and approach the RC and FCAT. Unfortunately, most of them don’t do so. Most of the films get ready only 2 or 3 weeks before release and only then they approach the CBFC for certification. By the time the EC sees the film and suggests the changes, there’s no time left to fight it out with them. As a result, the makers have to accept whatever cuts asked by the EC.

Ekta Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor should have obviously known that their film’s content is such that it can get chopped off. Hence, they should have applied for certification way back. Also, it was akin to cheating the moviegoers since the Veere Di Wedding trailer did show Sonam and Swara mouthing expletives, all of which got replaced. Why did they incorporate these abuses in the first place? Didn’t they know that the CBFC would cut it out? Was the plan to generate hype for the film by showing the abuses and then not really caring whether they make it to the final cut? Is opening and money all that matters to the makers? What about fighting passionately for creativity, the way Ekta did for Lipstick Under My Burkha? Why couldn’t she and her team plan the shoot and post production in such a way that they could have got 3-4 months to save the film from having any changes from the CBFC?

Of course, this is a minor complaint against the film and the makers won’t take it seriously. But in the long run, something has to be done about this. It’s frustrating to see mutes and replacements done especially in those scenes which are already shown in the trailers in the uncensored form. Here’s hoping the makers in future don’t take audiences for granted and go all out to save their film from getting axed!

Lasyapriya Sundaram (BOMBAY TIMES; March 11, 2018)

Urvashi Rautela has made inroads into Bollywood with films like Singh Saab The Great, Sanam Re and Great Grand Masti. This Friday’s release Hate Story IV saw her slipping into the role of a strip club dancer, who goes on to become a successful supermodel. In a candid chat with BT, the actress talks about how she doesn’t want to limit herself as an actress when it comes to choosing varied roles, how she has turned down roles opposite big stars in the past because she had little to do in those films and why she has no time for love. Excerpts...

What intrigued you to do an erotic thriller like Hate Story IV?
My character, Tasha is the hero of the film. I play a strip club dancer who becomes a supermodel. As an actor, I want to keep evolving and doing challenging roles. This is the fourth installment. I liked my character in the film and I didn’t see the earlier films in the franchise so that this one wouldn’t get affected. Hate Story IV gave me the opportunity to prove my talent. The film also has a social message about women taking a stance for the crimes committed against them.

Didn’t you fear that playing the protagonist in an erotic thriller would lead to you being stereotyped?
It takes a few films to understand what one is good at and what one needs to work on. I don’t like limiting myself and I am open to doing every kind of role. I was also offered a film from a leading production house when I was preparing for Miss Diva pageant. Even though it was a leading role, I don’t regret my decision of turning it down because at that time, the pageant was my focus. In my first film, Singh Saab The Great (2013), I played a village belle. After that I kept getting similar roles, but I didn’t want to get stereotyped. Hence, I opted for the glamorous role of a socialite in Sanam Re (2016). In Great Grand Masti (2016), I played a ghost and in Hate Story IV, I am playing a completely different character. The tags given to an actor are not permanent. In fact, I have let go of many films opposite big actors because I had nothing to do in them. I didn’t want to be a prop in a film. Also, every actress is not offered a female-centric film. The actresses who are cast in such films have screen presence and the ability to carry the film on their own shoulders. Actors like Priyanka Chopra, Kangana Ranaut, Vidya Balan and Rani Mukerji have that ability. Hate Story IV is the first film that focusses completely on my character. In earlier films, there were many senior actors with whom I shared screen space. But for the first time, I am carrying a film on my own shoulders. I am nervous. Initially, I thought doing a film like this was a little too early in my career, but then I made up my mind to take it on as a challenge.

Being fairly new to this industry, what are the challenges you have faced as an actor?
In the past, I have been told that I was too pretty to play a certain role. Many directors think that a pretty face cannot act. It’s unfortunate that beauty becomes a deterrent in getting good roles. Hrithik Roshan is good-looking, but he also embraces the characters that he essays completely.

Even though we live in a post #MeToo world, the casting couch is a reality in the industry. Have you faced it?
Thankfully, I have not faced it. I have heard about it happening to other people and have tried to learn from their experiences. The Harvey Weinstein scandal was a clear indicator of the situation in Hollywood and I cannot say that it doesn’t happen in Bollywood. But I am a strong girl and nobody has ever dared to misbehave with me. When you become a pageant winner, you become a known face. So, winning a pageant helps us in making inroads into the industry. Women should not let anybody take them for a ride. If they face such things, they should talk about it.

What kinds of films excite you as an actor?
I want to do a no-holds-barred action movie next. I want to be able to use the skills I have learnt, like mixed martial arts, gymnastics, taekwondo and kick-boxing. In fact, I would love to do a sports film since I am also a national-level basketball champion. My parents have always encouraged me to play sports. I am first an athlete and then an actor.

Are you dating?
I have no time for love as work takes up all my time. A lot of men show interest in me and they try hard, but I don’t have the time. I can either focus on doing my job to perfection or concentrate on other aspects of life. I am a romantic person, but I would opt for an arranged marriage.

Second installments didn’t work well at all this year at the BO
DNA (December 24, 2016)

Kahaani 2, the last of the sequels in 2016, has released. The film has done fairly well, but it’s nowhere close to the figures expected right from the very first day. Although, the fate of the Sujoy Ghosh film starring Vidya Balan and Arjun Rampal flick is slightly better than the other sequels released this year.

Hit Housefull
“2016 has been so horrible for sequels that even a decent outcome of Kahaani 2 is fair enough,” says a trade expert, “Just look at the manner in which sequels like Rock On 2, Tum Bin 2, Raaz Reboot, Force 2, Ghayal Once Again and Great Grand Masti folded this year. They couldn’t even do half the business of what the last installment had done. There is only one clear hit (Housefull 3) among sequels with the majority turning out to be flops and disasters, it is high time that the entire business model behind sequels is re-looked at.”

Sequels needed?
The impact has been felt most when it comes to expensive sequels. “It is one thing if a film doesn’t live up to expectations and doesn’t perform, totally another when a film doesn’t even open well, despite the sequel/franchise tag attached to it. When you are not even doing better than your predecessor even on the opening day, it is quite apparent that it was a fallacy to even bring a sequel on floors. Clearly, audiences are not interested,” the trade expert adds.

Not interested
In certain cases, the theatrical promo itself sealed the fate for the film. “Tum Bin 2 is a clear example of the audience just not being interested. Also, Tere Bin Laden - Dead or Alive. Audiences didn’t even bother to check these films out,” points out a trade analyst. The biggest difference in the opening day collections of a sequel with its predecessor was evidenced in case of Great Grand Masti and Raaz Reboot. Grand Masti opened at Rs 12.5 crore while Great Grand Masti did just Rs 2.5 crore. That’s a difference of Rs 10 crore. No other sequel in history has underperformed to such an extent. Raaz Reboot, too, had a similar fate.

The maximum growth evidenced by a sequel was in Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh and Abhishek Bachchan-starrer Housefull 3 (Rs 15.2 crore) which brought in Rs 1.5 crore more than the last in the series.

Sequels lined up for 2017
Hopefully, 2017 will be better for sequels. The year begins with Jolly LLB 2 and the Akshay Kumar-starrer is expected to open much better than Arshad Warsi’s Jolly LLB (Rs 3 crore). For the sequel trend to continue, Commando 2 and Sarkar 3, which release immediately after, need to do well. Then there is the prequel to Baby, Naam Shabana. “The ‘baap’ of them all is going to be Baahubali 2 — The Conclusion, though, which should bring back the respect and credibility that a quality sequel should ideally boast of,” says a prominent filmmaker, “Then, of course, there are big-ticket sequels like Golmaal Again and Judwaa 2. These will be big for sure but then need to be blockbusters in order to warrant further sequels. As for a film which should give good enough ‘takkar’ to Baahubali 2 - The Conclusion for the crown of best sequel of 2017, it is going to be Robot 2.0.” Thankfully, there is much to look forward to before 2017 comes to a close, what with Salman Khan’s Tiger Zinda Hai coming after Ek Tha Tiger.

HOW THEY FARED

Day One collections of sequels and their predecessors, and then the lifetime and verdict of the sequels

Better than last in the series

Housefull 2 [13.7 crore] and Housefull 3 [15.2 crore] - Difference: +1.5 crore [Lifetime collections: 109 crore. Verdict: Hit]

Kahaani [3 crore] and Kahaani 2 [4.25 crore] - Difference: +1.25 crore [Lifetime collections: Awaited. Verdict: Awaited]

Force [5 crore] and Force 2 [6.05 crore] - Difference: +1.05 crore [Lifetime collections: 40 crore. Verdict: Below average]

Kya Super Kool Hain Hum [7.12 crore] and Kya Kool Hain Hum 3 [8.15 crore] - Difference: +1.03 crore [Lifetime collections: 31 crore. Verdict: Flop]

Tum Bin [0.20 crore] and Tum Bin 2 [0.60 crore] - Difference: +0.40 crore [Lifetime collections: 3.5 crore. Verdict: Flop]

Rock On [1.75 crore] and Rock On 2 [2.02 crore] - Difference: +0.27 crore [Lifetime collections: 11.5 crore. Verdict: Disaster]

Worse than the last in the series

Grand Masti [12.5 crore] and Great Grand Masti [2.5 crore] - Difference: -10 crore [Lifetime collections: 14 crore. Verdict: Disaster]

Raaz 3 [10.25 crore] and Raaz Reboot [6.3 crore] - Difference: -3.95 crore [Lifetime collections: 30 crore. Verdict: Flop]

1920 Evil Returns [4 crore] and 1920 London [2.5 crore] - Difference: -1.5 crore [Lifetime collections: 15 crore. Verdict: Below average]

Tere Bin Laden [0.75 crore] and Tere Bin Laden - Dead or Alive [0.75 crore] - Difference: 0 crore [Lifetime collections: 3.35 crore. Verdict: Disaster]

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.

CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani says, left to him, he wouldn’t have allowed the Shyam Benegal-led committee to come in
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 27, 2016)

Pahlaj Nihalani’s 20-month tenure as the chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has been rife with controversy and it would be safe to say that he has made more enemies than friends in his current capacity. In an interview with hitlist, Nihalani opens up about the controversies that he has courted and accusations that are flung at him every other day. Edited excerpts from the chat:

Did you feel unnecessarily vilified when you were blamed as censor copies of Udta Punjab and Great Grand Masti were leaked online?
A. I am a government servant doing a job assigned to me. I don’t care what people think about me.
I kept calm because I was certain that the CBFC had nothing to with the leaks. I don’t blame the producers; CBFC has become a soft target.

Do you feel DCP, an encrypted format for submitting movies, will help filmmakers and curb piracy?
It is password-protected, so the chance of a leak reduces manifolds. The copy is guarded even if it lands in the wrong hands. It’s cost-efficient too. Instead of Rs 80,000 for the earlier format, producers will have to spend only Rs 30,000 for DCP. If there’s better technology, we must shift to it instead of resisting change. In any case, our job is to watch films; a producer’s job is to protect his/her film.

What’s your take on the recommendations of Shyam Benegal-led revamp committee?
If it were in my hands, there would’ve been no need to bring in the Shyam Benegal committee. The problem is simple — an old law (The Cinematograph Act, 1952) is unable to meet demands of the new wave of cinema. An elaborate grading system will reduce our dilemmas. Let the new Act be passed. In any case, total freedom of expression is a myth; no country in the world can allow it. To protect the country’s culture and ethos, some restrictions are necessary.

Are you saying you are in favour of censorship?
All I am saying is if the government wants to protect the culture, we must adhere to laws laid by them. Else, there would be utter anarchy. Personally, I am in favour of controlled censorship so that no one can damage our values and culture. At my position, individual opinions don’t matter and cannot be instrumental in making decisions. Laws are supreme and we will follow the guidelines of the new Act to the T, just like we are following old rules now. Ultimately, our lawmakers know what’s best for this country’s cinema.

You stormed out of a recent CBFC meeting following disagreement with other members.
The Board doesn’t authorise me to speak about my colleagues or our issues so irresponsibly. I am aware that a lot of them do, but I refuse to be like them. The annual Board meeting saw a lot of debates and a few disagreements but whatever we have decided for the coming year is in the industry’s larger interest. CBFC stands united when it comes to carrying out our responsibilities.

Your tweet in support of A Flying Jatt took everyone by surprise. Did it have anything to do with your son, Chirag, working for Balaji Motion Pictures (the film’s producer)?
Anything I post from my personal account are my own views. I am a professional and so is Chirag. The decisions at CBFC cannot depend on my son’s films. We’ve have been harsh to Balaji’s previous films — Kya Kool Hain Hum 3 and Udta Punjab. My tweet for A Flying Jatt shouldn’t be seen as a bid to salvage relations with the production house or create a favourable situation for my son at his workplace.

How do you look at your tenure at the CBFC so far?
I feel I have achieved what I set out to. I have been going to CBFC since 1967, when I first stepped into the industry. I am proud that the Board functions with more transparency, there is more accountability and no corruption.

Benegal on revamp route

Filmmaker Shyam Benegal was handed the responsibility of revamping the guidelines in CBFC with numerous established names such as Kamal Haasan and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra among others in the committee, in January this year. The committee submitted its report in April, urging the government to lay down a “holistic framework for certification of films.”

After a trio of films didn't live up to expectations, Balaji CEO Sameer Nair reveals that focus will now be on digital, TV, newcomers and budgets
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 30, 2016)

Balaji Motion Pictures has had five releases this year starting with the third instalment of the Kyaa Kool Hain Hum franchise, followed by the Azhar biopic, Abhishek Chaubey's Udta Punjab, Great Grand Masti and the recently-released Tiger Shroff-starrer, A Flying Jatt. None of the films lived up to box-office expectations and now buzz is, the production house has decided to put film making on the back burner for now. Sameer Nair, group CEO of Balaji Telefilms refuted the rumour but admitted that they have grown more conscious of cost and feasibility.

"We are not shutting down, we have productions on the floor but will take stock of projects more closely now keeping commercial viability in mind. We have been trying to be more cost effective for some time now given the market conditions. The move wasn't prompted by the last few films, we have got more stringent over the last six months," insists Sameer.

He rues the leak of the censor copy of Great Grand Masti three weeks ahead of its release resulting in huge losses.

"Ditto Udta Punjab, though it did reasonably well. Azhar broke even, A Flying Jatt has just released and Half Girlfriend is next in line. It's business as usual but we will be cautious now," he admits.

Did roping in stars like Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor and Alia Bhatt for Udta Punjab escalate the budget? Will they now focus on newcomers to control revenues?

"Yes, we would like to do that like everyone else. It's about finding the right combo of director, actors and content. For us content has always been king," reasons Sameer, adding that for now the focus is on ALT Balaji, the digital off-shoot of the company which will be launched by the year-end.

Sameer reveals that TV will continue to be the company's core competency. "Ekta has been breaking new ground on TV. Naagin was very successful and had record-breaking ratings. On weekends only format shows work but Ekta came up with a new genre for the slot. Brahmarakshas is doing really well," he exults.

The Censor Board chief has devised a foolproof mechanism to safeguard the censor copies of films submitted for clearance from piracy; IFTPC welcomes the move
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 11, 2016)

Subhash K Jha (DNA; August 2, 2016)


A source from the CBFC on condition of anonymity reveals, “Great Grand Masti, which was leaked online had a running time of 133 minutes when it came to the CBFC. The length remained 133 minutes when the film went to the Film Certificate Appellate Tribunal, or the Tribunal, as it is called. After the Tribunal censored the film the length of Great Grand Masti came down to 127 minutes. But when the film was leaked online the playing time was 134 minutes. Display cards during the opening credits flashing the film’s media partners, that were not there when the film was submitted for censor certification, were added in the leaked version. Also, post-production including background music was incomplete when the film was submitted to the CBFC and the Tribunal. However, the version leaked online was fully edited and with background music, missing in the censor copy.”

So how does this CBFC source explain the ticker ‘censor copy’ marked in the online copy of Great Grand Masti? “Obviously the ‘censor copy’ declaration was added to the pirated copy to mislead the law. But we’ve now submitted all evidence. The cops now need to investigate why a longer version of Great Grand Masti, than the one submitted to the censors, was leaked online.”

Debarati Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; July 22, 2016)

MUMBAI MIRROR (July 18, 2016)

MID-DAY (July 16, 2016)

There seems no end to the woes of 'Great Grand Masti' makers. The adult comedy, which had been leaked online three weeks before its initial release date (July 22), has now raised the hackles of Shiney Ahuja.

The actor has slapped a legal notice on the film's producers, Ekta Kapoor and Ashok Thakeria, as well as director Indra Kumar for naming a maid's character after him.

The notice was served by a Chandigarh-based legal firm which calls for immediate removal of the name Shiney from the film. Model and former Bigg Boss contestant Sonali Raut plays the maid in the sex comedy and according to Shiney's legal team, it appears to be a quirky take on a 2009 rape case where the Life...In A Metro actor's maid levelled rape charges against him. His lawyers believe that with the appeal hearing before the High Court in progress, using his name in a derogatory manner would obstruct justice.

According to them, the conduct of producers at this juncture constitutes Criminal Contempt as defined under Section 2(c) of the Contempt of Court Act 1971.

Says director Kumar, "I am not aware of any such notice. My job was only to direct the film."

Shiney, who was sentenced to seven years in jail by a lower court, has filed an appeal against the verdict in the Bombay High Court.

Masti is one of the most successful franchises of Bollywood. The part 2 (Grand Masti) was arguably the biggest adult comedy of Bollywood and hence, it is difficult to prematurely write off Great Grand Masti despite the fact that the promos hasn’t majorly worked. And thankfully, the film does make a mark – it serves as a nice timepass and can definitely give viewers a good time!

The story of the movie: Amar (Riteish Deshmukh), Meet (Vivek Oberoi) and Prem (Aftab Shivdasani) are married to Sapna (Puja Banerjee), Rekha (Mishti Chakraborty) and Nisha (Shraddha Das) respectively. They aren’t happy with their married lives and hence decide to seek ‘masti’ elsewhere. Circumstances take them to Doodhwadi to sell Amar’s ancestral house. The bungalow is supposed to be haunted but the trio refuses to believe these stories. They enter the bungalow and bump into a virginal ghost, Ragini (Urvashi Rautela). They are smitten by her sexiness at first but soon realize that she is dangerous and their endaevour for masti can prove fatal.

Great Grand Masti begins on a poor note. The effects, intended to scare, seem very childish. Then, suddenly the title song is unveiled and the transition looks amateurish. The entire track of Shiney (Sonali Raut) looks forced and in fact, it’s the most objectionable part of the film. But in between these scenes, the problems in the marital lives of Amar, Meet and Prem are shown and that makes for a fun watch. The film gets better when the trio reaches Doodhwadi. And it gets even better when they come face to face with Ragini. The intermission point is hilarious and that’s where the film does go on high. Post-intermission, the masti continues. The film does drop at places but picks up fast. The change of heart happens too quickly and seems unconvincing. The finale however is fun and the film ends on a justified note.

Performance wise, all three mastikhors – Riteish Deshmukh, Vivek Oberoi and Aftab Shivdasani – perform well. Neither of them disappoint and nor they impress and give a tremendous performance. They are fine and the occasional over the top bit could have been avoided. Riteish however is better thanks to that one scene where he is checking Ragini with a stethoscope – he is awesome! Urvashi Rautela is the soul of the film and rocks. She is damn sexy and sizzles and scares very well. She impresses the most out of all in the movie. Puja Banerjee, Mishti Chakraborty and Shraddha Das are good in their respective roles. Kangna Sharma (Choti) leaves a mark. Same goes for Sonali Raut (Shiney). Usha Nadkarni (Amar’s mother in law) is hilarious. Sanjay Mishra (Baba Antakshari) too raises laughs with his antics. Sudesh Lehri (Ramsay) is fine while the actor playing Meet’s brother-in-law is okay. Shreyas Talpade (Babu Rangeela) springs a surprise.

Music is alright with the title track being the most memorable of all along with Resham Ka Rumal. Costumes are appealing, especially the ones worn by Urvashi Rautela. The location is damn good and adds to the horror element. Tushar Hiranandani’s story has all the necessary ingredients of a horror sex comedy. Aakash Kaushik and Madhur Sharma’s screenplay and dialogues are fine more or less. It’s nothing extraordinary but leaves a mark nevertheless. Indra Kumar’s directs the film in good old 90s style. At some places, that works and at some places, it backfires too. But the direction is simple and straight. The film is just 127 minutes long and could have been a bit shorter (especially Shiney’s character, also because it’s too cheap). But a fine effort especially when compared to recent disastrous sex comedies like Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3 and Mastizaade.

Some of the best scenes:
1. The entry of Amar, Meet and Prem
2. Amar, Meet and Prem meet Ragini
3. Amar realizes that Ragini is a ghost
4. The intermission point
5. All scenes of Baba Antakshari
6. The dinner table sequence
7. Amar, Meet and Prem with Amar’s mother in law
8. The climax

On the whole, Great Grand Masti is a decent timepass fare. The movie never turns into a ROFL-type laugh riot but has some funny moments that can give you your money’s worth. Riteish Deshmukh, Vivek Oberoi and Aftab Shivdasani are good as the mastikhors but it’s Urvashi Rautela who leaves a tremendous mark. If you have enjoyed the first 2 parts, watching Great Grand Masti would be no harm for sure!

My rating - *** out of 5!

Hiren Kotwani (BOMBAY TIMES; July 15, 2016)

WILL GREAT GRAND MASTI BE A SUPER-HIT LIKE THE PREVIOUS 2 PARTS?

Normally adult films have a limited reach at the box office as the traditional family crowd shuns such kind of movies. But there are a few rare such films that have done exceptional business. Grand Masti was one of them. Released in 2013, it did a business of 91.65 crore that makes it one of the most successful adult films of all time. Usually, the next part should be expected to do more business. But Great Grand Masti, the part 3 in Masti franchise, unfortunately won’t be able to go beyond Grand Masti’s business. This is because the excitement for Great Grand Masti is limited because of the trailers that failed to make an impact like Grand Masti’s rocking trailer. Yes, Great Grand Masti trailer has oomph, adult jokes and Urvashi Rautela’s charm but something seems to be missing. Even the songs have failed to make a mark.

Great Grand Masti was originally to release on July 22 but on July 5, it got leaked online, sending shockwaves. The producers then decided to prepone the release to July 15 to minimize the damage as much as possible. This means it would have to share screen space with Sultan. Sultan already is doing rocking business and hence Great Grand Masti won’t get that many screens tomorrow as it would have got on July 22.

Grand Masti opened at 12.19 crore and there’s no chance Great Grand Masti can reach that level, forget surpassing it. The first day can be around 7-8 crore and after that, it depends on the word of mouth. Next week, there’s Madaari which is not a competition at all and it has a clear run in a way till Dishoom’s release. Hence, if the reports are fairly positive, it can do a business of around 60-70 crore, which also will be a feat, considering the piracy, not-so-great promos and competition from Sultan.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE GREAT GRAND MASTI AND WHY? DO LET ME KNOW!