National National Award-winning cinematographer, Shanker Raman, who had made his directorial debut in 2017 with the critically-acclaimed noir thriller Gurgaon, has locked his next. It will go on the floors early next year with Sanya Malhotra and Vikrant Massey in the lead.

“He wanted to cast young actors as the script demands freshness, and it was an instant ‘yes’ from both Sanya and Vikrant, who loved the subject. The duo will be seen in a completely new space in this yet-untitled film,” revealed a source close to the development, adding that before filming begins in early 2021, the actors will be undergoing several acting workshops as part of their prep.

Sanya is currently gearing up for a Diwali release with Anurag Basu’s Ludo, and has the Umesh Bist-directed Pagglait in her kitty. Vikrant will start shooting for 14 Phere, alongside Kriti Kharbanda, in November, after wrapping up the romance-thriller Haseen Dillruba with Taapsee Pannu.

Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 22, 2020)

In June, when travel restrictions were relaxed amidst the Coronavirus-triggered lockdown, Rakul Preet Singh headed home to Gurgaon to be with family. Around a month ago, she took another trip, to Hyderabad, her other home. “Cases in Mumbai were still high and no work was happening. Since my brother (Aman Preet) is in Hyderabad, I thought I’d hop across and meet some friends and catch up on my work there,” she says. Her parents didn’t object because her father being from the army doesn’t believe one should sit at home afraid and at the same time be careless about social distancing norms. “You have to adapt to changes and life must go on,” the actress asserts.

With that in mind, Rakul embarked on a cycling trip on Wednesday with a couple of para-cyclists. “I have always been into active sports and the weather was great, so I decided to make the most of it. I have some para-cyclist friends here, who have been doing 100-km rides regularly. This time me, my brother and my friend, Lakshmi Manchu, joined them,” she recounts, saying since she was out of practice, they decided to go 50 kms, but the ride had to be curtailed to 30 kms when the skies opened up.

Still, it was quite an adventure, cycling from Suchitra Cross Road to Medchal in Hyderabad. “It’s important to keep changing your activities, more so at a time like this to build up your immunity. We cycled through the drizzle head on. It wasn’t easy, but the scenery was so beautiful and kept us energized,” she exults, admitting that after three rain-drenched hours, she was cold throughout the day. “I kept adding on layers of woolies but the company was great and the experience was worth it.”

Shooting for Rakul’s upcoming film with Arjun Kapoor resumes from Monday. The actress is flying back to the city on Tuesday as her work starts from August 29. “I’m not excited to return to Mumbai during the rains, but I’m excited to be working again. I would have even gone to Timbuktu for that,” quips the actress, who is also shooting for a South project in Hyderabad and will be shuttling between the two cities for a while.

Akshay Oberoi discusses why it was necessary to adopt a gory treatment for Flesh that revolves around human trafficking
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; August 18, 2020)

During the first narration itself, Akshay Oberoi understood that a grim thriller like Flesh deserved a menacing antagonist. With writer Pooja Ladha Surti having built an intriguing character of a psychopath who heads the human trafficking ring, it was Oberoi's responsibility to breathe life into it. "Though I have played grey characters in the past, this one is dark and terrifying. You can't downplay such a role. There is no limitation to how evil it can be," says Oberoi, whose character Taj is engaged in a battle of wits with Swara Bhasker, who plays a cop in hot pursuit of him.

The actor began working on the project months before director Danish Aslam called for the first shot. Since Taj was far divorced from the parts he has essayed earlier, Oberoi says he adopted a different approach. "I normally work on the character's backstory before moving on to developing the look. Here, I did the opposite. We zeroed in on the hairstyle and the kind of clothes he would wear; I got my ears pierced. Once I had the look figured out, it became easier to internalise the character," he states.

In telling the story of two girls who find themselves caught in the human trafficking ring, the eight-part series underlines the violent crimes committed against women in the country. Even as the dialogue continues around how films and shows are increasingly normalising violence on screen, the trailer of the Eros Now series indicates that the series is not for the faint-hearted. In such a case, does he feel the need to be morally responsible for the depiction of violence in his offering?

"Filmmaking is a director's medium and it's my choice whether I want to engage in such content or not. Films like Gurgaon and Flesh are using violence to tell a story in the most authentic way possible. If the violence is not depicted, the story will not be an honest narrative. Danish and Siddharth Anand [producer] were careful to not show forceful violence only for effect. As an actor, I believe in freedom of speech, and as long as we are not doing anything that is detrimental to the content, we have to be true to the story."

But it's a different ball game when you are working around children. In a famous move on a particularly gory Indian series, one of the actors refused to abuse in a scene that featured kids. Ask him if their set had a psychologist to ensure that the depiction is responsible, and he says, "In all honesty, everyone has done their homework and Danish is a thorough director. My character does some terrifying things. So, Danish prepared his actors mentally before they started shooting. He created a safe environment. Given the sensitivity of the topic, a child psychologist wouldn't have helped because it would have come in the way of the creative process."

Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 8, 2020)

“Gurgaon (2017), Posham Pa (2019), and the recently-released Ghoomketu were courageous films as they were different from the usual movies one is fed. To be appreciated by the audiences for a new idea proves they are ready for different content,” says actor Ragini Khanna, who is enjoying being busy with housework during the Coronavirus lockdown.

“When I started doing TV, the different kind of storytelling, back then, was scary. I remember going for hundreds of auditions where I was rejected, made fun of and fooled. I struggled to get a good role. They said, I had chubby cheeks but after just one hit TV show, the same people accept you for your differences. In my career, I am glad to have been a part of new formats of storytelling and be accepted for them. I thank my producers and directors for their gumption. Disparity is another issue I experienced - not just regarding the pay but also in terms of attention towards a film. Gurgaon didn’t get the attention or acknowledgement as many other films did. It was such a huge task to make a film without a big budget and release against a massive film like Jab Harry Met Sejal (2017) and yet make your presence felt,” says the Sasural Genda Phool actor.

Khanna feels being an actor is a tough job and one needs nerves of steel and a solid support system to bank on. She says, “You have to realise the cost of being an actor and you need to ask yourself, ‘Is it worth it?’ Surviving in Mumbai and being an actor are two different tasks. People were not sure of me but I built my career on my talent and it takes years to build credibility. Moreover, you have to constantly prove your worth. Actors have to have self-worth and being jealous of someone else doesn’t help, because everyone’s journey is different. I don’t compare my career to others and feel proud of my body of work. I feel I have got my due and feel validated in my mind.”

Rakul Preet Singh, who left for home from Mumbai on June 11 after 3 months of lockdown, hopes to be in Hyderabad soon to resume work
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 23, 2020)

On June 11, Rakul Preet Singh reunited with her family in Gurgaon after spending almost three months under Coronavirus lockdown in Mumbai. “This is the longest I have been here ever since I left nine years ago. It’s nice to be home without an agenda. I am being pampered like a child here,” the actress gushes.

Recounting her journey back home, she notes that “fear is a bigger pandemic than anything else”. “You need to take all precautions but you can’t be scared, sit at home and not do even the required work,” she reasons, adding that her favourite part of being at home is not having to set an alarm. “I start my day by working out with my parents. Then, we plan meals for the day and watch TV together. I may be at home, but I am not lenient with myself. I keep busy with reading or online courses that stimulate my mind,” Rakul says, adding that revisiting old albums with family is a treat, too. “It’s like reliving my childhood. Mom makes my favourite food even if I am home for a day. The other day, she baked a cake for me.”

This Sunday was the first time that the actress spent Father’s Day with her dad. “I prepared a surprise lunch for him. A week ago, I had made vegan pasta and it was the first time my parents tasted anything made by me,” Rakul beams. Every day is Father’s Day for the actress, who has also found a workout buddy in her old man. “I have never seen him miss a workout, and that’s where I get it from. Since we are together, I am making him do yoga and he is loving it. He even took up the T-shirt challenge I posted on Instagram. In return, he made me do his leg exercises,” she laughs.

Another thing that Rakul is enjoying to the hilt is his head massages. “When I was a kid, dad used to give the best champi. A few days ago, he offered to do it again and I was game. After about an hour, he asked me if I was done, and I told him I am greedy and would never get enough of it.”

In Mumbai, Rakul had her brother Aman Preet, who had come to the city for a meeting and ended up staying for the entire lockdown, for company. “He had come on March 15 for just one day so I pushed him to stay back. The next day, all flights were cancelled and the first curfew was imposed a few days after that. It’s like the universe took care of the both of us,” she asserts. He has now returned to Hyderabad to resume work and Rakul expects to join him soon. “Things have opened up there more now, and some work has started. I will be there when it gets better. I have some South projects to complete, but I just hope they start before the Hindi ones, so that the dates don’t clash.”

Does Gurgaon feel different from Mumbai? “I can’t really point out the difference. Right now, everything is the same since you are at home. Unless there is a solution, it’s not going to change,” Rakul signs off.

With Illegal earning mixed reviews, Akshay Oberoi on the perks and pitfalls of mainstream success and critical acclaim
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; May 19, 2020)

Actor Akshay Oberoi and director Sahir Raza can heave a sigh of relief. Their hard work of the past two years has borne fruit — the audience has been lapping up their latest web series, Illegal. "I never expect my shows to be hits," laughs Oberoi, flashing a streak of self-deprecating humour.

Where the Neha Sharma-fronted series has been enjoyed by a section of the audience, it has also been called out for being a soap opera masquerading as a legal drama. Oberoi is unfazed by the criticism as he defends, "More criticism [coming your way] means more people are watching the show. I've been blessed with critical acclaim in the past [Gurgaon, 2017]. This time, I am happy that it has reached a wider audience. Sometimes, my most critically acclaimed pieces of work were watched by all of 10 people."

The series, which traces the young protagonist's journey into the corrupt world of criminal law, has Oberoi playing the son to the successful lawyer JJ, essayed by Piyush Mishra. The actor credits director Raza for helping him get into the skin of his character. "This is my second collaboration with Sahir. Now, I have realised the importance of getting used to your director. It frees [you as an artiste]. When I made a mistake, I wouldn't be judged. That is a safe environment for actors. Sahir briefs you about a scene and then lets you interpret it in your way, which liberates you as an artiste," explains the actor, adding that his homework for the role entailed watching seven seasons of Suits. "Harvey Spectre from Suits was one of the reference points. I studied his look and style, and even adopted his walk subconsciously."

A closer look at the central characters and it is easy to see how they are inspired by real-life personalities. "Of course, we took a few [real-life] references. [Ram] Jethmalani was one of them. [JJ's character] obviously had shades of Arun Jaitley, and other big lawyers of our times," says Raza, adding, "The story is based on several real-life instances, and then, fictionalised for effect."

Ask him about the cast, and Raza maintains that Sharma was perfect for the lead. "Neha was kind enough to audition for the role. After seeing her performance, we were sure she was the only choice." On his part, Oberoi is glad to have shared screen space with veteran actor Mishra. "Mishra sir has a great body of work. It is thrilling to collaborate with him creatively. While I like to go with the flow while enacting a scene, sir doesn't like that. He not only knows his dialogues, but everyone else's lines as well. It was different and refreshing."

The show, originally made in 2018, was finally launched this year on Voot Select. In the two years, Raza agrees that his directorial style has evolved. "I have started six other projects since then and my style of directing has changed too. So yes, I'd like to go back and reshoot so many things. That said, I wouldn't change the storyline. We settled on it after many rounds."

Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; May 8, 2020)

Sudip Sharma's Paatal Lok, which is produced by Anushka Sharma and will drop on Amazon Prime Video on May 15, was shot in 110 locations across six Indian cities. "We wanted to explore different cultures, and perspectives, and [narrate] tales from various regions of India. The idea was to present to the audience what they possibly didn't know, or at least, in a manner they weren't familiar with. It is set in parts of Delhi and Punjab," says Sharma of the nine-part investigative crime drama that follows an inspector chasing four suspects nabbed in the assassination of a renowned journalist, and the subsequent dangerous fate he is met with.

"I have spent a lot of time in Delhi, Punjab, Bundelkhand, and UP while researching for previous projects. Delhi is also the apex of Indian politics, and where the power centres lie. That most media channels operate out of Delhi was another reason to set the series there. The city is fascinating owing to its location too. It has the feel of a frontier town, bordering certain lawless parts of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan."

Gurgaon, and parts of Haryana, particularly Rohtak, were the primary areas where the Jaideep Ahlawat, Neeraj Kabi, and Gul Panag starrer was filmed.

"While 70 per cent of the show has been shot at actual locations, the rest was done in Mumbai, where we recreated certain areas. We researched on various aspects, like what a cop station actually looks like, and the design and aesthetics of a Delhi policeman's home, and [integrated] that into the show to make it authentic," says Sharma, who filmed in Delhi, Gurgaon, Rohtak, Chitrakoot, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai.

Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; March 14, 2020)

In response to the coronavirus threat and as a precautionary measure, the Delhi government on Thursday evening decided to shut down cinema halls till March 31. The announcement has impacted the release of four Bollywood films – Angrezi Medium (which released yesterday), Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, Sir and Sooryavanshi.

While all shows in Delhi have been cancelled, the cinemas in Noida and Gurgaon will continue to run, since both Uttar Pradesh and Haryana haven’t yet issued any orders to shut theatres. However, exhibitors and distributors say that they can’t predict whether moviegoers will head to Noida and Gurgaon to watch recently released films.

SOORYAVANSHI, SIR POSTPONE RELEASE
A couple of hours after the announcement, the makers of Akshay Kumar-starrer Sooryavanshi announced that the film, which was to release on March 24, has been postponed. The statement read, “Due to the recent coronavirus outbreak, we, the makers, have decided to postpone the release of Sooryavanshi, keeping in mind the health and safety of the audience. Sooryavanshi will be back when the time is right.”

“Due to the recent coronavirus outbreak, we, the makers, have decided to postpone the release of Sooryavanshi, keeping in mind the health and safety of the audience. Sooryavanshi will be back when the time is right,” the film’s makers said in a statement.

Tillotama Shome-starrer Sir, which was to be released on March 20, has also been postponed. Shiladitya Bora, who is spearheading the India release of the film, tweeted, “Bearing in mind public health concerns and the advisory from the health ministry, we have decided to postpone the release of Sir. We look forward to sharing the film with our home audience in India and will announce an updated release date ASAP. Meanwhile, we urge everyone to stay safe and take all necessary health precautions.”


HOLLYWOOD RELEASES PUSHED

With the international outbreak of COVID-19, several Hollywood films have postponed their releases and film premieres,the latest being Fast And Furious: F9,which will now be released in 2021. The films are:
- Mulan
- The Lovebirds
- The New Mutants
- Antlers
- No Time To Die
- Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway
- A Quiet Place Part II
- Fast And Furious: F9
- Blue Story


‘IF OTHER STATES FOLLOW SUIT, WE WILL OF COURSE CLOSE CINEMAS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE’

On Thursday, a statement released by Angrezi Medium’s makers confirmed that the film will be released “as scheduled across India except for Kerala, Delhi and the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.”

Exhibitors say that the shutdown of theatres in Delhi will affect Angrezi Medium’s box office collection as Delhi was expected to contribute a major chunk to it. Rajendra Singh Jyala from INOX says, “Around 15% of Angrezi Medium’s business, which would have come from Delhi, will be affected. However, safety comes first, and if other states will follow suit, then obviously we will be closing cinemas until further notice.”

Joginder Mahajan, a Delhi-based distributor, pointed out that since the announcement came on Thursday, there was no time to reconsider the film’s release. “If the decision would have come on Monday, it would not have affected Angrezi Medium as much as it will now,” he says.

Sanjay Suri, who’s involved with the India release of the French film Les Miserables, which also hit theatres yesterday, says, “We shall wait for the situation to improve and see if a phase-wise release (in Delhi) is possible when the shutdown is lifted. Safety is most important.”

The makers of Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, which is supposed to release on March 20, did not respond to our queries, but as per sources, they are sticking to the scheduled release for now.


FILMS ALREADY IN THEATRES WILL SUFFER AS WELL

The spread of coronavirus and the resulting shutdown in Delhi will also affect the business of films that were released in the previous weeks. Yogesh Raizada of Wave Cinemas says, “Had the occupancy in cinema halls not dipped last week because of Coronavirus scare, Baaghi 3 would have done even better.”

Ahmed Khan, director of Baaghi 3, says, “The safety of the audience is extremely important. We would never want their lives to be at risk. It’s unfortunate that the theatres in Delhi will be shut for a while now and that will affect the overall collections of my film, but some things are beyond our control. We must follow what the government bodies decide.”

Anubhav Sinha, whose directorial Thappad is also still in cinemas, says, “Thappad has completed 80% of its run at the box office. Delhi contributes about 15% to the collections. That will be impacted but we have to live with it because logon ki jaan se badhkar kuch nahi hota. But we should not panic because that can just make the situation more difficult to handle. Along with pulling down shutters of theatres in Delhi, governments across states and UTs need to educate people about this disease.”

Inputs from Rachana Dubey

Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 8, 2020)

After working with Hansal Mehta on critically acclaimed films like Shahid, Citylights, Aligarh and Omerta, which were all in the intense zone, Rajkummar Rao’s fifth collaboration with the National Award-winning filmmaker, Chhalaang, is a social comedy. “It was fantastic working with Hansal sir again on such an intriguing story. The two of us have a wonderful chemistry which has resulted in beautiful stories,” smiles the actor, assuring that their next is nothing like the films the duo has done in the past. “It’s the protagonist’s aspirational journey with loads of fun.”

Set in Haryana, Raj plays a PT master, Montu, in a semi-government funded school, with Nushrat Bharucha as his love interest Neelu. “My prep involved getting the Haryanvi accent right and learning about the fitness routine taught to kids in school,” he informs, admitting that as a boy, he had loved PT drills and his teachers doted on him because he was good in every sport. “In fact, one of my teachers wanted me to focus exclusively on sports and not get distracted by dance and acting.”

In the film, Montu addresses the value of sports education in the school curriculum, pointing out that the PT teacher instills discipline and fitness in the students while making it fun for them. “Unfortunately, they are not often appreciated,” rues Raj.

Interestingly, back in 2004, before moving to Mumbai and getting into film, Raj taught drama teacher. “While I was in college, I taught dance and dramatics at the DAV Public School in Gurgaon for a few hours in the morning before lectures. I was more of a friend to my students than a teacher because there was not much of an age gap. In fact, I was the youngest teacher in school and as enthusiastic about honing my acting skills as the extra money. I even directed a play, Sikander, during this three-month stint. It was a historical and showcased the battle between Alexander and Porus,” he reveals.

And did the teaching experience come handy while shooting the Ajay Devgn, Luv Ranjan and Ankur Garg production? “As an actor, an emotional bank is always handy. Films are not only a vent for angst and dissatisfaction, but the happiness that I didn’t express enough also finds an outlet through acting,” Raj signs off.

Long beard gone, Aamir sports clean-shaven look, crew cut on Laal Singh Chaddha set
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; January 31, 2020)

Slipping from one avatar to another, Aamir Khan continues to spring surprises on his fans as he films his ambitious project, Laal Singh Chaddha. After sporting a long beard for the Himachal Pradesh schedule, the actor was briefly spotted in a clean-shaven look at an event last week. Now, Khan has tweaked his look again as he kicked off the latest schedule in Gurgaon. mid-day laid its hands on a few exclusive pictures from the set of the Advait Chandan project. Khan, who was gearing up to film a crucial scene at the corporate office of a wellness food products company on Wednesday, was seen flaunting a crew cut.

Says a source, "The movie — an official adaptation of Forrest Gump [1994] — traces the protagonist as he unwittingly influences important political and cultural events in India over a span of 30 years. In the latest stint, Aamir shot for the sequence where his character gets officially discharged from the army after serving during the Kargil war. Like in the original, he then goes on to endorse a company and earns enough money to fulfil his promise to his fellow soldier. The actor filmed the scene over two days under the supervision of Advait."

BOMBAY TIMES (October 27, 2019)

On Diwali, you can light up so many lives, that is what the festival is about-Rakul Preet Singh

For Rakul Preet Singh, Diwali is about bringing smiles on the faces of people. The actress, whose parents stay in Gurgaon, shared what the festival means to her. “As a kid, I remember we used to burst crackers. When I was in the fifth grade, my dad gave me a 500 rupee note and asked me to burn it. I did not understand what he meant because 500 was a huge amount then. He then said, ‘Now that you are 10, I want you to understand that you are literally burning money when you are bursting crackers’. He then said that we should instead buy chocolates for our helper’s kids. I stopped bursting crackers since then. I don’t even hold it in my hand for just the heck of it because of the damage it does to the environment,” she says.

Rakul adds, “Diwali is about coming together, spending time with each other and making beautiful memories; but for me, every day is a festival. On Diwali, you can light up so many lives, that’s what it is all about for me.”
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As a kid, I loved having kheel khilone & barfi on Diwali-Kirti Kulhari

Since the last two years, Kirti Kulhari has been visiting her inlaws in Vishakapatnam for Diwali, but this time she will be celebrating the festival with her family at her home in Mumbai. She shares, “I have been married for three years and for the last two years, I have been going to Vishakhapatnam for Diwali and it is usually a small affair – we do puja, and it is just the family coming together. But this time, I will be celebrating the festival at my home in Mumbai. There will be nothing grand but I would probably call some friends over for dinner.”

Reminiscing about her Diwali celebrations as a kid, Kirti shares that she used to love kheel khilone and besan ki barfi that was sent to her from Rajasthan, her hometown.

“I used to love kheel khilone on Diwali. I used to get enamored with the lights of phooljhadis and chakris. I was also very fond of besan ki barfi that my masi would send me from Rajasthan. There was also a time when my mom used to make sweets at home, ab toh log banate bhi nahi hain. Diwali is the time to just sit down with people you love and the vibe of the festival makes you feel the togetherness and I love that,” she shares.
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I enjoy the small rituals associated with Diwali-Tamannaah Bhatia

“While growing up, I enjoyed making diyas and rangoli decorations during Diwali, and till date, these rituals hold great significance for me. I love savouring Diwali dishes, so during the festival my cheat meals mostly comprise rasmalai, kaju katri and gulab jamun. I also enjoy doing the puja at home and in office. I prefer eco-friendly celebrations, so I gave up bursting crackers when I was in the fifth grade as I realised child labour was involved in the firecracker business.

Diwali for me is a time to reflect and be grateful, optimistic and happy. I always make it a point to take out some time from my schedule to be at home, as it’s that time of the year when all my friends and relatives make a special effort to come together for the celebration. This year, too, I am going to stick to my resolution and spend time at home with people I love”.

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 22, 2018)

A decade after Firaaq, Nandita Das’s second directorial, the biopic on author Saadat Hasan Manto, arrived in the theatres on Friday and immediately ran into an unexpected hurdle with morning shows cancelled across India. As rumours flew thick and fast, there was talk that the no-show was because of pressure from “some higher authority”, with an audio clip making the rounds. Some reported that the Censor Board had raised “some issue with the dialogue” and as the discussions got more bizarre by the hour, the Twitter handle @chyPhoenix was telling Nandita and the production studio, Viacom 18, “Don’t get ashamed and turn violent as this is the Muharraam Day Madame. And being wise enough you can easily presume that outcome if this was released today. Sorry but you re talking something bluntly foolish. Regards Chymk.” Meanwhile the multiplex chain Inox informed that they had to cancel the morning shows “due to lack of content KDM” while PVR attributed it to a “technical glitch”.

A little after noon, Nandita tweeted her disappointment, stating that six years of hard work and many people’s collective intent and commitment was to find its culmination on Friday morning. “Am assured by @Viacom 18 Movies it will be fixed at noon today. Pls let me know if it hasn’t been. Spreading #Mantoiyat will not stop!” the writer-director assured.

Mirror reached out to Nandita at around 4 pm, after the film featuring Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the lead had started playing in the afternoon shows. “Yes, it was a technical glitch so I don’t want to overdo the other rumours. It’s another matter why there should have been a technical glitch? A company that does so many films every Friday.” The film has been to international festivals, from Cannes and Toronto to Singapore South-Asian International Film Festival and even had a pre-release screening. If there was a technical glitch, it’s surprising that it went undetected. “Yes, considering we had given them the film a while ago, all this should have been checked,” she admitted, adding in a Manto vein, “I guess truth will always find hurdles. But it will triumph in the end!”

Nandita insisted that she hadn’t heard the audio clip doing the rounds and wasn’t giving it much importance because “higher authorities don’t just ‘tell’ people to not do things, I am sure they can channel it better”. She was even more dismissive of the other tweet, saying, “What has Muharram got to do with Manto? There were other film releases today and they all seem to have gone smoothly.”

Pointing out that everyone was coming up with theories and rumours trivialise the real reasons, Nandita asserted that she was just relieved that the film was playing in the theatres and that people can now watch it. “The challenges just never end,” she sighed, adding that the audience play an important role in the kind of films that reach them. “They need to watch it for Manto and to encourage diverse stories.”

When asked about the limited screens the film had got and if they were expected to increase over the weekend, she replied, “If the audience response is strong, Viacom 18 will increase the screens. At least that is what they said. I am new to all this and learning as I go along. No giving up though, Mantoiyat Zindabad!”
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Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 22, 2018)

Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer Manto had a bumpy start at theatres yesterday — morning shows of the Nandita Das directed film were cancelled across the country. It was only in the early afternoon that cinema halls began screening the film.

Talking about the unfortunate development, Das said, “I am told that there was a technical issue, but it was intriguing and overwhelming to see the support we got. People [netizens] in Ahmedabad were coordinating with those in Gurgaon, giving them hope that the film will be on screens soon. And since noon, it was up and running. We are hoping for a great run.”

The film that opened in theatres yesterday had a rude shock in its first leg — multiplex chain PVR Cinemas had to cancel the morning shows citing “technical glitch”. Another leading multiplex chain stated that the prints had reached them only in the afternoon, owing to which they had to turn down customers for the morning shows. “Hugely disappointed... six years of work and many people’s collective intent and commitment was to find its culmination this morning. Am assured by @Viacom18Movies it will be fixed at noon today. Please let us know if it has not been. Spreading # Mantoiyat will not stop (sic),” Das had posted online.

As told to Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 25, 2018)

There are two kinds of preps a person goes through before the cameras roll — the prep to become an actor, which is his life’s work and journey, and the prep to play a certain character. For me, the latter has become easier because I have been through a 20-year prep as an actor.

My first thought when I read the script today is to weed out the clichés attached to my character and give him a humane side. When Amit Masurkar, the director of Newton, presented me with the role of Aatma Singh, a disciplined CRPF officer, my initial plan was to knock off all the adjectives associated with a character like him — loud, angry, arrogant and strict. Looking at the way my version of the Assistant Commandant shaped up during the shoot, Amit went on to change the climax of the film. The ending was supposed to feature Aatma Singh’s felicitation ceremony with him being honoured with a medal for his bravery but Amit changed it to him enjoying some free time with his family at a mall. I was happy because I had managed to make him a relatable common man.

For Newton, there was some technical prep involved too. I met District Magistrate Rahul Kumar, who is also a good friend, to learn how much of a liability an officer like Aatma Singh is. Through Rahul, I met two IAS officers and a few CRPF officers working in rough terrains and Naxalite regions to better understand the impact and shortcomings of the job.

My most difficult role in recent times was stepping into Kehri Singh’s shoes for Shankar Raman’s 2017 neo-noir thriller, Gurgaon (right). My character ages from a 25-year-old farmer to a 55-year-old real-estate tycoon who is an alcoholic. My journey to Rs 20,000 crores is paved by the deaths of my daughter and my brothers, all of whom I have been instrumental in getting murdered. I have experience with being a farmer, but being super-rich and brutal is something I was clueless about. But I loved working on such a layered, complexed character and became a complete introvert during the shoot. I worked on building a body language that would evolve throughout the film without making any scene appear caricature-ish. In the time between “Action” and “Cut” I stayed so true to Kehri Singh’s internal complexities. I took a 12-day vacation with my family after the movie wrapped up so that I could come out of the dark zone.

The best thing about working with directors like Amit and Shankar, as well as with Anurag Kashyap in Gangs Of Wasseypur and Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari in Nil Battey Sannata and Bareilly Ki Barfi (below), is that they give me a lot of freedom. As a theatre artiste from the National School of Drama, they trust that you will never ruin a scene for them and that gives you a lot of scope for improvisation. As an actor I have never tried to hog the limelight in any scene, and they know that I never will.

In Bareilly Ki Barfi, Ashwiny had already eradicated the clichés in dialogue at the scripting stage itself. Her idea of Narottam Mishra was a liberal Brahmin from Bareilly who smokes with his daughter. That itself is a little unbelievable. I am 42 years old, but Ashwiny wanted me to play the 60-year-old husband to Seema Pahwa who is at least 13 years older to me. She is a great storyteller and told me to play the character the way I deemed fit. If she didn’t like the way I portrayed a scene, she told me how she had imagined it.

For the film, I didn’t even grey my hair, I walked and talked slower and put on a little weight. And I looked every inch the part. Having a great supporting cast is like having a brilliant football team. One person has the ball and makes the goal, but all 11 players are always alert and help him get there. Bareilly Ki Barfi was like that. Kriti (Sanon) is such a young, sincere and hardworking actor, she would often request me the night before the shoot to rehearse with her. In fact, many new generation actors want to work harder to be better and that makes the journey more fun.