WILL KHAALI PEELI EXPERIMENT PROVE TO BE SUCCESSFUL?

Around 1 ½ months back, we discussed about PVOD (Premium Video-On-Demand) with reference to OTT releases. It simply means that you need to pay a certain amount of money in order to watch that particular film. In simpler terms, it’s also called pay-per-view. The concept is popular in the West. When the Coronavirus-triggered lockdown came into force in most parts of the world, many films were released online through this avenue. Universal Pictures, for instance, released Trolls World Tour in places like USA, Canada etc since theatres were shut. Viewers had to pay $20 to catch the film. Recently, Disney’s Mulan was similarly released, but at $30.

In India, we have got used to SVOD, or Subscription Video-On-Demand. It simply means that we buy the monthly or annual plan of a streaming platform and then we get access to most or all of their content. For instance, Amazon Prime charges Rs. 999 per year and it gives viewers access to all the films and web series on the platform. Disney+ Hotstar VIP, meanwhile, comes at Rs. 399 a year and that gives audiences a chance to watch most content, but not all. To watch all, one needs to take Disney+ Hotstar Premium plan, which is sold at Rs. 1499 per year.

And now, the pay-per-view model is all set to enter the Indian market tomorrow with Khaali Peeli. It stars Ishaan Khatter and Ananya Panday and marks the debut of Tiger Zinda Hai and Sultan director Ali Abbas Zafar as producer. The film looks like a nice masala entertainer and would have made for a great watch in theatres. Ali Abbas Zafar and co-producers Zee Studios tried their best to hold the film till theatres open. But this is not a big-budget film and with rising costs due to postponement, the makers had to take the tough call. Also, both the leads in the film are star kids and there’s a lot of negativity surrounding them. Hence, they felt it’s fair to release the film online.

Khaali Peeli releases on Zee’s new Zee Plex platform and to access the film, one has to pay Rs. 299. This pricing has got thumbs down from almost everyone. Trade experts and viewers feel it’s too much to pay for a single film online especially when they get to see so many other films by paying one lump sum amount on other streaming giants. Moreover, the pricing would have made sense if it was a biggie like Akshay Kumar-starrer Laxmmi Bomb or Varun Dhawan-starrer Coolie No 1 or Ajay Devgn-starrer Bhuj: The Pride Of India. These films have lot of hype and viewers possibly would have not minded paying Rs. 299 or even Rs. 399 for it. But for Khaali Peeli, that’s too much to ask for. The awareness about the film is there but there’s no credible excitement. Also, the manner in which the song ‘Beyonce Sharma Jayegi’ was changed to ‘Duniya Sharma Jayegi’ after the track was accused of racism gave bad publicity to the film. Industry insiders feel the film will soon make it to piracy websites and that’s where people will watch the film. Meanwhile, Khaali Peeli will also release in drive-in cinemas in Bengaluru and Gurugram and the price for it is Rs. 999 per car, again an exorbitant price for the film.

The small hope is that this experiment might prove to be successful. It’s the first time something like this is attempted and hence, no one knows for sure how it’ll pan out. But knowing how price-sensitive Indian market is, one can guess that this move might possibly backfire.

Saqib Saleem undergoes a pulse oximeter test before shoot

From monitoring safety measures to trimming down staff to 25, makers of Comedy Couple discuss kicking offshoot post Coronavirus lockdown
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 25, 2020)

While some filmmakers returned to the set to complete their pending shoots, Yoodlee Films' Comedy Couple — featuring Saqib Saleem and Shweta Basu Prasad — became the first Bollywood movie to kick off production from scratch. The comedy, that was initially slated to be shot in Mumbai, went on floors in Gurugram last week.

Siddharth Anand Kumar, vice-president, films and events, Saregama, informs that adhering to safety guidelines, the crew headed to the city 14 days before the shoot and practised self-quarantine. In a crucial step, the production house has employed three COVID officers — hospitality professionals who have been trained in preventive measures — who monitor the crew members for symptoms as well as check their temperatures every morning before shoot, on a rotational basis. "The regulations bar us from having a doctor or ambulance on set as they are required at hospitals. So, we have a designated COVID officer, who is in charge of ensuring that the strictest measures of hygiene and sanitisation are followed. Everyone on the set wears gloves, masks or face shields; we also have built a sanitisation tunnel. Actors have to mandatorily wear masks between takes," says Kumar.

Though the original crew comprises 60 people, only 25 are on the set at a time. The make-up and hair styling department has been trimmed down to four artistes. "We have two artistes who handle the hair and make-up of the leads while two others take care of the rest of the cast. "

Giving shape to a film — while working with a slim crew and maintaining physical distancing — is no mean feat. Director Nachiket Samant hopes to wrap up the project in a start-to-finish 40-day schedule. "Shooting under such circumstances is a different experience altogether. We find ourselves in a curiously strange situation. But we are taking precautions, and safety to the highest standard is being ensured for all," he says.


Shweta Basu Prasad's hair and makeup artistes take preventive measures before attending to her


Producer Kumar at the monitor

Rajkummar Rao says he has no complaints about the ongoing lockdown; hopes that ‘we become better versions of ourselves’ once all of it is over
Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 22, 2020)

The ongoing Coronavirus lockdown may have brought along boredom and monotony but Rajkummar Rao “would rather look at the silver linings”. He says, “It’s great that people are spending time with their family. Otherwise, you’re just running around every day. I hope we all become better versions of ourselves by the end of this.”

The actor, on his part, feels he is “coping quite well with the lockdown”. “Of course, it goes without saying that I want to go back to work but I have no complaints at all. These are tough times and humanity is going through a pandemic,” he says, adding that he is spending time “watching some great stuff on OTT platforms, reading, as well as learning guitar”. “I’ve a proper schedule for my day (smiles),” he says.

In fact, Rao has been wanting to learn guitar for the last two years. “I never got the time. But now, I have enough free time, so I am taking online sessions/tutorials,” says the Gurugram (Haryana) boy, adding that he is in “constant touch” with his family. “In fact, since I have all the time in the world now, I am talking to them all the more on a daily basis,” he says.

Is he missing going out? “Yes, I am but only to my film’s sets, and not for partying or hanging out,” he says, adding that when things get back to ‘normal’, he would like to “go back to work and meet my team”. “Then, of course, there are close friends and loved ones who I have to catch up with. Since I love chaats etc., I’d like to try pani puris, too, though I am on a very strict diet (smiles),” he says.

Work-wise, since Rao had finished work on all his films such as Chhalaang, Roohi Afzana and Ludo, he “fortunately has no incomplete films. “But I was supposed to sign a few. So, let’s see,” he says. And lastly, ask him how his girlfriend, actor Patralekhaa is coping with it all and he says: “Patralekhaa is rocking. She is busy sketching, painting and cooking a lot.”
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Watch, sleep, repeat!
“I have been catching up on so many different kinds of stuff such as the latest season of Money Heist, The Outsider, Imtiaz (Ali) sir’s She and Tiger King. Plus, I’ve also watched interviews of some of the great filmmakers as well as actors, on YouTube. Then, there’re book such as Rebecca Solnit’s Men Explain Things To Me; and Autobiography of a Yogi that I read. So, I’m keeping myself creatively busy.”

DNA (December 5, 2018)

Rajkummar Rao is heading to his hometown Gurugram to shoot for his forthcoming film Turram Khan. This will not only be a homecoming of sorts for the star, who has been riding the success wave at the box office, but this trip will also have major nostalgic value for him.

We hear, the Stree actor, who tries to catch up with his childhood buddies every time he is in Delhi, will visit his alma mater, Blue Bells Model School, where he studied. A source says, “Rajkummar will be in Gurugram for a month to shoot for the social comedy, which is being directed by Hansal Mehta. Though he has a packed schedule, this weekend he has earmarked time for a visit to the institute where he studied. Besides interacting with the students and teachers, the 34-year-old is likely to give a speech about the factors that one needs to keep in mind while choosing a career and also narrate a few of his experiences. He’ll play a game of football, too.”

Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; February 27, 2018)

 He is not the dreamy-eyed ‘Raj’ of Hindi cinema, who promises fantasy-filled romances in the Alps and on sun-kissed beaches. He’s the Raj who is closer to home; one you won’t find in dream sequences, but in reality. Yes, reality that is inescapable and unforgettable, just like his performances. The intensity of his acts can fire up the screen, and irrespective of the part he plays, he leads the show. And the year 2017 was his show all the way. He was the toast of the town, winning awards for all his performances, including the Filmfare Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Bareilly Ki Barfi. In a heart-to-heart chat with Bombay Times, he tells us his gripping story, which is marked by trials, triumphs, scars and sweet success. Read on...

From films like Love Sex Aur Dhokha, Kai Po Che and Queen to Aligarh, Bareilly Ki Barfi and Newton, your journey has been fascinating, even a revelation. There has been a huge change in the way filmmakers perceive you today. Has there been a shift in the way you see your place in the industry?
While growing up in Gurgaon (now known as Gurugram), for me, the industry was a different planet that was orbiting around us. I always wanted to do movies, but it was such a faraway dream that I didn’t know if I could ever achieve it. I was madly in love with cinema and actors. Now, I am a part of it and some of the actors are my colleagues, but I continue to remain a fan of some of them. From the outside, the industry looks glamorous and rich and people think that actors live fancy, dream lives. It’s not like that; it is a lot of hard work.

You have seen your share of struggles, moving from Gurugram to Mumbai, without friends and family in showbiz. A city like Mumbai can be hard on you, but then it is accepting too, right?
Mumbai is home to me now and with the kind of freedom and independence that I enjoy here, I can’t imagine living anywhere else. When I first moved here, I was shocked by how expensive the city is. With the rent that I was paying for a small flat, I could afford a bungalow in Gurugram. And of course, there is chaos and traffic, but I wouldn’t give up Mumbai for anything. I came here when I was 16, to audition for a dance show for two days. I was fascinated by films and Shah Rukh Khan, so I would stand outside Mannat (SRK’s bungalow) for hours and look at it with wonder. I haven’t told SRK that, but he knows about my love for him. I was a crazy fan and I still am. I adore him as a human being, too. I guess I can connect with his journey, because he came from nowhere and became one of the biggest superstars of our country.

For a middle-class boy, pursuing acting without having a plan or a back-up plan in place is quite a leap of faith. Didn’t you worry about how you would keep the kitchen fires burning?
Honestly, I have never thought that acting se mujhe ghar chalana hai. I just knew that mujhe actor banna hai. Of course, I knew that I would eventually earn money, but that’s not what motivated me. I come from a typical middle-class family, and it wasn’t like they could swing things for me. They said that they would support me as far as they could and they have always been there for me, especially my mother. She had a strong belief that I would make it. Whether it is my career or love, I am an extremist. I go all out. For me, there is no mid-way or half measure. When I don’t like someone, I don’t. I wouldn’t use the word hate, as it is a very strong word, but when I get negative vibes from a person, I tend to keep away.

Your first film Love Sex Aur Dhokha (LSD) wasn’t the usual Bollywood fare. If at all, the content was ballsy and quite a shocker. How did your family react to it?
I wasn’t there when my family was watching LSD. It was my first film, and there I was… butt naked and humping a girl. I have always lived in a joint family, so 20 of my family members watched my first film together. I had forewarned them about the naked scene. I don’t know if it’s good or bad that the Censor Board had blurred it out (laughs). I am sure that my family felt slightly awkward about it, but I don’t think that they have ever talked about the scene with each other. They were just so thrilled that their son has done something that he wanted to do all his life.

You have spoken about rejections in the past; is there still a fear lurking inside you — what if it happens again? And every time you were rejected, what did you tell yourself?
If I have to face rejection again, I am ready for it. Even if I don’t have work for the next two years, I know that I have enough to sustain myself. But like I said, for me, acting was never about the money. If I am not working in films, I will do something in a similar zone — like short films, or theatre... as long as I don’t stop acting. In the beginning of my career, I have faced rejection and I have heard strange excuses from people. I’ve been told that I am not muscular, not fair enough and that my eyebrows look different in close-ups. That was the most bizarre thing that I have ever heard. I have read a lot of biographies of personalities like Mr Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan and I know that most of them have faced rejection. I always knew that no one would be waiting for me in the industry with open arms, saying, ‘Raj, we were waiting to cast you in our film’. I was sure I had to struggle for work, but irrespective of whether it would take two or 10 years, I had made up my mind that I won’t leave Mumbai.

When the same people approach you now, how do you react? Is there a sense of victory?
I won’t say that there is a sense of victory, but if they approach me, with due respect, I will politely tell them that I won’t be able to do it. It is not because I have a personal problem with them, but I have a problem with their mindset. They couldn’t see any potential in me back then, but there were others who took a leap of faith and I will always respect them.

Are you now getting attached to fame and your newfound stardom? Has it changed you at all?
I am still the same guy that I used to be, and I am fully aware that stardom can fade away any time. We have often seen stars suddenly losing their stardom. I don’t have love for fame, selfies or money. I feel happy when someone sees me and wants to click a picture, but when someone messages me and tells me that they could connect with my character, it’s a different high. When I go abroad and people come up to me and thank me for doing the kind of films that I am doing, it’s a great feeling. To me, stardom means that I get to do the work that I believe in and I have the power to choose the films that I want to do. Stardom is having the power to say ‘Yes’ when you want to say ‘Yes’, and ‘No’ when you want to say ‘No’.

Today, the audience doesn’t care about who is the lead, supporting actor or villain. They like the actors, or they don’t; they like the film, or they don’t. Does it make it easier for actors like you, who can slip into the lead, supporting role or any other character role without thinking what it would do to your image or star power?
For me, a movie is about the whole experience, not just one actor or one role. There are some actors like Aamir Khan, whose film I can go to with a sense of surety that I will enjoy the whole film. He has achieved that kind of confidence from people, wherein they believe that if it is an Aamir Khan film, it will be worth their time. Someday, I would love to be in that space, where people say that it is a Rajkummar Rao film, so it’ll be worth our time. My first two films were as leads and both did very well, and then I did small parts in films like Shaitan, Gangs Of Wasseypur 2 and Talaash: The Answer Lies Within. Then somewhere, I thought that I didn’t want to keep doing small parts. We are all hungry actors and we all want to be on screen for longer. Luckily, during Gangs Of Wasseypur, I met Hansal (Mehta) sir, and my journey with the film Shahid started. It was my first big lead role, so in a way, that was a turning point for me. Hansal sir had met a lot of big actors and he was desperate to make the film. He could see that hunger in my eyes and I guess that convinced him to cast me.

Are you very critical about your work?
Yes. I wasn’t happy with my performances in Dolly Ki Doli and Hamari Adhuri Kahaani. I didn’t like myself in those films. Whenever I talk or think about it, I feel that I should have worked harder on it. It’s like a scar and I feel horrible about it. Well, with acting, you can’t change it once you are out there on the screen, that’s the problem. At that point, I wanted to sit back and rethink what I was doing. After that, Aligarh happened and I started shooting for Trapped, Newton and Omerta, so I moved on.

You are working in a horror comedy with Shraddha Kapoor. This genre has not been explored much in Bollywood. There are ample genres we can still dabble in, like we see in Hollywood, but here, we generally play it safe. It is changing, but we need to do much more beyond love stories and romcoms. Your views?
Now is the time to experiment and it is great to see that people are backing such stories. We can’t just play around with conventional ideas and say, ‘This is what sells, so let’s keep making it’. I would request everyone to experiment with their stories, writing and acting. It’s so exciting to witness this phase, not just as an actor, but as a movie lover. I think we can also make good sex comedies, but we are not doing that. I guess, somewhere, we are scared of the Censor Board, and people’s reaction to such subjects. I think sex comedies can be mature and intelligently made; Delhi Belly is one such example.

On a lighter note, Patralekhaa and you have been frank about your relationship. Any plans of settling down?
It will happen eventually, but we haven’t fixed a date. We are not getting married anytime soon. Right now, we are focusing on our careers.

Do you believe in marriage?
That is a tough one to answer. More than marriage, I think a relationship is about two people being genuinely happy and comfortable with each other. It’s a great institution, and I am sure it works for many people. Patralekhaa and I have been together for more than six years now, and we are very happy with each other. Even if we get married, we will be happy. I know so many people who are not married, but they are living together and they are happy. So, it’s not like both of us don’t think about marriage, but we don’t stress about it. I know that eventually it will happen as our families would want us to get married, though they have never pressurised us.

Debashree Mohanty (TIMES LIFE; October 22, 2017)

You insist you aren't the typical box office hero, but your films have a 100% success rate...
I keep my hopes very neutral in life. I don't really expect too much of something. I know I am not the typical heartthrob, I know teenage girls won't chase me down the street for a selfie. But as long as I am getting appreciation for the honest work I put into the roles I'm given, I am good!

How important is appreciation for you?
It's better than getting abuses for something you have done or not done (laughs). I find it very difficult to believe film stars who say they don't work for fame or money. Then what are you doing in the glamour industry? Since my dancing days in school, I have always been hungry for appreciation and applause. That is the reason I chose this profession.

So, you are quite okay with the image of being nobody's hero...
I have been told by many mentors that my face and body language have the singular quality that will make the audience go: "That character is me", not, "I wish that were me". I know I am not in the league of the SRKs or the RKs... but I am here to make my own identity. As long as good offers keep coming, I am very comfortable with the 'ordinary gentleman' tag.

How did this film bug bite a local Gurugram boy from a joint family?
I grew up in Prem Nagar, Gurugram, with two older siblings and three cousins in an extended family. My father was a patwari (a keeper of land records), and my mother, a homemaker. The one thing that kept the family together was movies. It was a known fact in the family that we are big, big, fans of Bollywood. In fact, when my parents got married, one of the few things my mother carried with her is a poster of Amitabh Bachchan.

How did you begin?
By emulating other stars. When I was about 14, I enacted a version of the "dus dus ki daud" stunt from Ghulam with two of my friends. We sat on the tracks and counted to 10 while the train was coming towards us and then jumped. It was night, so all you could see was the light getting closer. It was plain stupid. But it was fun!

By your own admission, you seldom get irked; nothing gets to you?
Some actors can be really selfish. They can only think about their lines, their scenes, if they are looking okay, if they are facing the camera... they don't bother about the other cast in the film. It's a huge turn-off for me. I go out of my way to make everyone feel comfortable, and would appreciate the same in return.

You go that extra mile to keep away from controversies. Is it a calculated move?
See, I am a small town guy. I have a very modest dream and I want to get there. I am not expecting the impossible or something larger-than-life. As for controversies, I prefer ignoring them rather than getting hassled.

What about material possessions; you had your eyes on the Lamborghini...
That was a dream I cherished when I was still a newcomer in the industry. Now, I have realised that I want much more and that need not necessarily be something material.

About the Oscar list, do we need recognition from the West?
I don't see what the problem with that is. Let's not shy away from the fact that the Western industry has wider reach, it is bigger in that sense. Personally, I would go to any extent to sell my craft to a larger audience and I don't have any pretenses about it.

Did negative feedback post-audition bother you when you began?
Honestly, I was never nervous about auditions. It was the feedback that put me in a state of confusion. I remember I had almost bagged an interesting film. The casting director really wanted me on board but the production house thought I was not fair enough for the role. I kept wondering - how does the colour of my skin matter? But such things are a part of the glamour industry, all you can do is smile and move on.

What embarrasses you?
I get very embarrassed if people ask me to pose for a selfie inside temple premises.

What scares you?
If there's a time where I have to do films that I have no faith in, it'd be scary.

Does Rajkummar have no time for love?
Never in the world can I be busy for love. It's the most spiritual and liberating feeling, and I am blessed that after my mother passed away, I have that certain someone as my constant support. Everyone needs that person in life.

Is there anything we don't know about you?
Did you know, I can dance very well? I learnt steps watching TV and my favourite stars shaking a leg. I was an active participant in local dance performances in Gurugram!

If you were granted a wish, what would you ask for?
I want to be like Daniel Day-Lewis one day, concentrating on one film at a time, disappearing completely into the role. That's the dream.