A peek at Shraddha Kapoor, Ankur Bhatia as newlyweds on screen
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 10, 2017)

Shraddha Kapoor, who recently shot for the last leg of Apoorva Lakhia’s Haseena Parkar biopic, which also features her actor brother Siddhanth as Dawood Ibrahim, had so far been spotted in two looks from the film, as an older Haseena, the portions of which were canned in the later part of the schedule with the actress travelling to Pune recently, and a younger version of the late gangster, which were canned first. And while we have already got a glimpse of Siddhanth’s first look, on Friday, we chanced upon a still from the film that captures Shraddha’s Haseena in a romantic moment with Ankur Bhatia, who plays her husband Ibrahim in the film. According to a source close to the development, the scene was canned towards the end of February at Essel studio in Mumbai.

“The sequence features Haseena, who doesn’t get to see her would-be husband till the time of their nuptials, tying the knot with Ibrahim at the age of 17. Ibrahim is a close friend of her and Dawood’s elder brother, Shabir, who had arranged the match. The aforementioned picture showcases the newlyweds a day after the wedding ceremony,” the source told Mirror.

Ankur Bhatia, who has previously played husband to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s Dalbir Kaur in Omung Kumar’s Sarabjit biopic, informs, “This is the beginning of Haseena and Ibrahim’s love story. It’s a nice scene where they come close for the first time, their first step to becoming partners for life from strangers.”

Meanwhile, the Haseena team recently completed their final schedule in Pune, which mainly consisted of sequences from the time when Haseena was taken to court in 2007. An insider had informed Mirror earlier (June 1), “Shraddha spent the day canning her portions, which include a court sequence at Deccan College and a theatre in the vicinity that were cordoned off for the shoot. The college has been converted into a court for the shoot.”

After Haseena: The Queen of Mumbai, Shraddha moves on to another biopic, the Amole Gupte-directed film on badminton ace Saina Nehwal, as she starts prepping for the film. Titled Saina, the film is expected to take off later this year.

Subhash K Jha (DNA; June 9, 2017)

Shraddha Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor romanced in Half Girlfriend last month, and now the producers of Haseena — The Queen of Bombay have decided to avoid the clash with Jagga Jasoos on July 14, and release it on July 28, the day Arjun’s Mubarakan hits the screens.

Kat-RK: One last time
Jagga Jasoos probably features Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif together for the last time, and the producers have ensured that the film gets maximum screens for the summer-vacationing kids. Such is the intensity and volume of the release planned for Jagga Jasoos that the other major release scheduled for the same Friday, Shraddha’s Haseena, had to move out of its way. Says a source, “On July 14, we were not getting proper theatre screens and timings. Now having shifted by two weeks, we at least stand a fair chance.”

Clashing with Ekta too!
July 28 is now crowded with four releases. Apart from Anil Kapoor-Arjun Kapoor starrer Mubarakan, there is Madhur Bhandarkar’s Indu Sarkar and Ekta Kapoor’s controversial Lipstick Under My Burkha. So Shraddha is clashing with her Half Girlfriend co-star, and the producer Ekta as well!

MEANWHILE...
There is another reason why Haseena was postponed by two weeks. On June 30, producer-director Suneel Darshan releases his son Shiv Darshan’s launch film Ek Haseena Thi Ek Deewana Tha. It was felt that viewers were likely to get confused by two films with “Haseena” in the title releasing within weeks.

Subhash K Jha (DNA; June 7, 2017)

Sridevi returns to the big screen on July 7 when her new film Mom releases all over the world. There was talk of Ranbir-Katrina’s Jagga Jasoos being pitched against Mom, but the thought was nipped in the bud. While Sridevi lords over the first Friday of July, she has also opened the floodgates that month for a stream of chick flicks through the month.

A week after Mom, Shraddha Kapoor takes the center stage as the gangster Haseena Parkar in Apoorva Lakhia’s Haseena — The Queen of Mumbai. The following Friday, July 28, Madhur Bhandarkar’s Indu Sarkar featuring the powerful Pink actress Kirti Kulhari releases. And just when you thought there was enough girl power this July, out pops the controversial Lipstick Under My Burkha, a totally unscheduled release on July 28, along with Mubarakan, which has Arjun Kapoor paired with two actressses — Ileana d’Cruz and Athiya Shetty.

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 1, 2017)

Shraddha Kapoor arrived in Pune on Tuesday to shoot for the final schedule of Apoorva Lakhia’s Haseena – The Queen of Mumbai. The actress is shooting some pivotal scenes that are a part of the biopic’s opening sequences with onscreen husband Ankur Bhatia.

A source close to the actress revealed to Mirror, “Shraddha spent Tuesday canning her portions, which include a court sequence at Deccan College and a theatre in the vicinity that were cordoned off for the shoot. The college has been converted into a court for the shoot. When Shraddha was informed that the shoot is happening in Pune, she was excited to travel by road as she has fond memories of the city. As a child, she would often travel to the city by road to visit her late maternal grandparents who lived there. The film’s team wanted to visit their favourite places around the city but it won’t be possible considering the tight schedule.” Shooting is expected to wrap up in the next two days.

After Haseena, Shraddha is set to move on to another biopic as she starts prepping for the film on ace badminton player Saina Nehwal which is directed by Amole Gupte. Titled Saina, the film is expected to take off later this year.

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 22, 2017)

Shraddha Kapoor rubbishes rumours that she is dating Farhan Akhtar, admits that the Saina Nehwal biopic will be her toughest film till date
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 2, 2017)

In a shimmering silver dress, Shraddha Kapoor looks relaxed as we lounge in a suburban studio. In March she wrapped up Apoorva Lakhia’s Haseena: The Queen of Mumbai in which she plays Dawood Ibrahim’s sister Haseena Parkar and has just announced a second biopic on badminton ace Saina Nehwal to be directed by Amole Gupte. Her biggest Haseena Parkar-related grouse is that while she was able to pump up her cheeks, add layers of fat around her stomach and hips, her arms remained skinny. “Everyone has their own body type,” she pouts. “But at least I could eat what I wished and not have to work out.”

Saina’s story, while at the other end of the spectrum from the lady don, is equally exciting as Shraddha was a good athlete in school and played everything from football, basketball and handball to long jump and high jump. “I also played badminton and I’m thrilled that in my quest to be the former World No. 1 and a youth icon, I’ll get to train in the sport again. I’m sure it’s going to be my most difficult film yet as Saina has spent her whole life playing badminton and in the next few months, I have to get close to the standards she’s set,” says the 30-year old actress who trained in basketball for about a month with National Basketball Association (NBA) coaches for Half Girlfriend.

Prep for Amole’s biopic starts soon after the release of Mohit Suri’s screen adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s 2014 novel by the same name. Shraddha plans to spend a lot of time with Saina and learn everything about her. She’s equally kicked about working with Amole whose comedy-drama Stanley Ka Dabba she loved. “He has fabulous energy and so much love to give. Such people are rare,” she raves.

She recently met the original Aashiqui girl, Anu Aggarwal, when Vishesh Films turned 30. She adds that Anu was really sweet and she has heard that Aashiqui 3 is in the pipeline but no one has approached her. “The Bhatts are the masters of the Aashiqui series, they should keep making it. I’m told Alia (Bhatt) and Sidharth (Malhotra) are doing it, I don’t know how true this is as neither have mentioned the film to me,” she shrugs.

She recently reunited with her Aashiqui 2 director and admits that whenever Mohit offers her a film she gives the nod without even listening to the story because she believes he will always give a memorable film and character. “He is like family. Our equation is something only the two of us understand and I really value this connection. He is a really good friend. Aashiqui 2 changed everything for Aditya (Roy Kapur) and me,” she says.

How did she react to rumours that she was seeing Mohit soon after the release of Aashiqui 2? “Were there any such rumours? I haven’t heard. I choose to ignore such questions,” she snaps. She’s also being linked to her Rock On 2 co-star, Farhan Akhtar, with reports suggesting that she has moved in with the 43-year-old, recently divorced actor-filmmaker, which has upset her father Shakti Kapoor. “The level of fiction can go to incredible heights. I choose to ignore them and just focus on my work,” she retorts. So, is Farhan a friend? “Yes,” she says shortly.

Meanwhile, her brother, Siddhanth, and her Half Girlfriend costar, Arjun Kapoor, are good friends but she got to know Arjun better while shooting for their romanticdrama. “Arjun is very respectful and likes to make people comfortable. I like that quality about him, his sense of humour and the effort he has put into his performance,” she gushes.

Shraddha’s character, Riya Somani is a poor little rich girl who is looking for happiness. “She has shut out love from her life because she is afraid to commit herself. That’s why she insists she’s Arjun’s half girlfriend. I never want to be like that. I want to believe in love. But I understand that certain experiences can make girls like Riya wary,” she reasons.

Has she read Chetan’s novel? “I started reading it but Mohit asked me not to as he has made some changes. He asked me to read the script instead,” she informs, adding that the film will be remembered for the 15 basketball classes she took, each of two-three hours duration. “I like the sport, I played it in school but then I was always a substitute and only called when one of the players were injured,” she laughs.

Upala KBR (DNA; May 2, 2017)

Shraddha Kapoor, living in her self-confessed ‘bubble’, measures her thoughts and guardedly shares them. For the actress, her world is her family and friends and her work. But there is more to this pretty face than the fact that she’s from a filmi family, is uncharacteristically simple and loves taking up a good challenge when she sees it. Here, she talks about her upcoming films, her growing years in the film industry, her bond with her family and more...

Have you sung a song in Half Girlfriend?
Yes, I have, actually. I have sung the female track of Phir Bhi Tumko Chaahunga. I hope people will like it.

Phir Bhi Tumko Chaahunga talks about passionate love. Have you ever been in love like that?
I have been in that situation where my Half Girlfriend character Riya Somani has been — where you are in love with someone but can’t be with that person. Where the song is concerned, that’s a kind of feeling… I hope, that when I commit to someone, I become the person I envision myself to be with as well, because we often idolise and think about the qualities we want our partner to have and to be perfect accordingly. But do we have those qualities? We want someone to change, but are we perfect enough for someone else?

Do you relate to your character Riya Somani?
Riya is a rich, spoilt brat who has everything at her beck and call and roams around in fancy cars. There’s a certain body language which comes with that, which, according to director Mohit Suri, doesn’t come naturally to me. I don’t feel I am very refined in my way of talking, walking, etc. In my last two films with Mohit, my characters have come from humble backgrounds, but this was a complete contrast. He told me I had to change my body language and incorporate an affluence and refinement to my character.

Your innate sense of style is simple, not overtly glamorous. You don’t like to experiment...
True, I am not experimental where style is concerned. That’s because I don’t feel like I am a fashionista. I feel like I don’t know much about fashion and I wear what I feel comfortable in, what I relate to, will be happy and comfortable wearing and what I feel suits who I am. Also, I am tremendously moody, indecisive and not sociable. On some days, when I wake up feeling more extrovert-ish than on other days when I don’t feel like stepping out of my home. I am usually in my bubble, so I don’t know a lot about stuff that I ought to know about (laughs). Especially my non-filmi friends who will ask me to give them some gossip and I’d be like, ‘I don’t have any to give’. So they usually know more than I do, despite me being from the film industry. I am like, ‘Wow! That’s pretty ironic.’

You have changed from being the-girl-next-door to the-babe-next-door. What brought about that change?
I don’t think I am the babe-next-door at all. While I don’t know what to categorise myself as, I can’t say I am the girl-next-door, but I would definitely say that I am very comfortable in my pyjamas and my glasses.

Your dressing and your attitude is now uninhibited. Is it success or confidence?
Really? Has that happened? I will take your word for it (smiles). If that’s what you are saying, I give the full credit to my team of stylists. They are doing the thinking and strategising. They include Tanya Ghavri and Allia Al Rufai, who I work with a lot.

You don’t feel cut off from the industry?
I am happy to be cut off from everything and everybody. To tell you the truth, I am very work-focused, but I am not a great multi-tasker. I am also terrible at reverting to messages and calls, I shouldn’t have a phone as it defeats the purpose of anyone wanting to get in touch with me. I will see a message, read it, forget it, read it again and then completely forget about it because I am preoccupied with something else. That is not a good quality!

How do you handle link-up rumours?
I ignore them. There was a time I used to get affected by them, but then I realised that it’s best to just ignore them because sometimes you can’t control the fiction created about and around you. How many times can you give a clarification or be affected? It’s a waste of energy, so I ignore them now.

Any childhood memories with Arjun?
When you all come from film families, everybody has birthday parties over the years and goes to them as well. Arjun is my brother Siddhanth’s friend and growing up, that’s who I knew him as. Through this film, I’ve gotten to know him on a personal level. I have childhood memories with Varun Dhawan, because we would play together.

Is there any genre you would like to attempt that you haven’t done before?
I would love to act in a black-and-white film. Sometimes I wish I was born in Guru Dutt’s era — the charm, romance, the poetry and mystery of those times, not divulging too much, keeping the mystery alive...

Your mom, aunt Padmini, and Tejaswini — seem to be a strong unit. How dependent are you on them for advice?
Very dependent. In fact, I am quite dependent on my whole family for advice, for life and everything else. In a conversational manner. I chat about the scripts I get with my aunt (Padmini). I discuss my work with her quite a bit. Mom and I we do speak about films, but we speak more about life and growth as an individual more than anything else. We speak about all other things. She is very spiritual. I follow her spiritual discipline — Sukyo Mahikari (the Japanese discipline of healing through light). It’s a place where people from all walks of life and different religions come to develop themselves in order to achieve their true potential as human beings. I have been doing it since I was 10 as I was introduced to it by my mother, but I am not as ardent a follower as her.

When Haseena was offered to you, did people advise you not to take it up?
When Apu sir (Apoorva Lakhia) narrated the script, I loved it. I just felt like doing it. To be able to play someone from 17-45 years, Haseena’s journey is amazing. It was daunting of course but just to connect with what that woman has gone through in life. To the world she was known as a gangster’s sister but what she actually suffered, you will find out when you see the film. It’s fascinating and very tough!

Are you doing Thugs Of Hindostan?
No. After Haseena, my next film is the biopic on Saina Nehwal. I shall soon start prepping for that.

Upala KBR (DNA; April 24, 2017)

Shraddha Kapoor is playing the most challenging role of her career yet. In Haseena, the biopic based on Dawood Ibrahim’s sister Haseena Parkar, her character is shown from a teenager (17) to a young mother (23) and finally, is seen in her late 40s.

Says an insider, “We start when she is 17 and then she gets married and pregnant. At the age of 23, she already has four kids. During her pregnancy, when she’s between the ages 35 to 45, we have used prosthetics and body suits to show her in character. Director Apoorva Lakhia came up with her look after almost a year of sitdowns with make-up artiste Subhash Shinde, hairstylist Simran Devi, stylist Eka Lakhani and costume designers Harpreet and Ajay. As Shraddha was busy with her other films, they did prosthetic trials with her body doubles to test the results.”

The source adds, “She had to come three hours before her first shot as it took much time to put on the prosthetics and because of the heat, the make-up would melt and she had to redo it at lunch. She started costume and make-up trials almost two months before the shoot.”

Make-up artist Subhash Shinde says, “Shraddha is supportive and would always ask me to take my time. She’d come early... sometimes before us. She and Apoorva gave a lot of inputs. It took us one month and 12 trials to get the perfect look.”

MID-DAY (April 21, 2017)

Sridevi is making a comeback with Mom, five years after English Vinglish hit theatres, and the makers don’t want her to be pitted against current stars. With three big releases lined up in July, the thriller drama’s release date has been advanced by a week — to July 7. With this, Mom will avert a box office clash with Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif-starrer Jagga Jasoos, as also Shraddha Kapoor’s Haseena Parkar biopic and Saif Ali Khan’s Chef, which are all vying for the July 14 slot.

Directed by Ravi Udyawar and produced by Sridevi’s husband, Boney Kapoor, Mom also stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Akshaye Khanna in pivotal roles. A R Rahman has scored the music for the film.

Sridevi will, however, have to compete with American superhero film, Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Shraddha Kapoor on her love for the rain and dolling up after several girl-next-door turns
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 12, 2017)

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 7, 2017)

The first look of Shraddha Kapoor as Haseena Parkar was sharp, intimidating and gritty, with a slicked back hairdo and kohl eyes helping her successfully slip into the role of mafia don Dawood Ibrahim's sister.

To ensure authenticity, the actress, along with stylist Ekta Lakhani, approached Parkar's daughter to lend them props that could be used in the film.

Says Ekta, "We have used the same shade of lip colour that Haseena wore. Her daughter shared the shade number with us."

Ekta and Shraddha also went through old pictures of Haseena to get a sense of her dressing style. The mafia queen preferred long and loose salwars kameez. "We will be using Haseena's Dolce and Gabbana glasses too."

Shraddha tells us, "We are using the reading glasses in the film. There is no hard and fast rule about preparing for characters; it varies from film to film. Each character has its own journey."

BOMBAY TIMES (March 29, 2017)

DNA (March 27, 2017)

Women rule the box-office this July 14 and all their characters have shades of grey. Kajol’s VVelaiyilla Pattathari 2 (VIP 2) stars Dhanush and Amala Paul alongside her, Shraddha Kapoor’s biopic Haseena, is about Dawood Ibrahim’s sister. Sridevi’s next Mom also releases the same day. Directed by Ravi Udyawar, the story revolves around the relationship between Sridevi and her stepdaughter.

PS: Saif Ali Khan is the odd man out with Chef, which also releases on July 14.

Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; February 4, 2017)

Playing Dawood Ibrahim's sister is no mean feat. And Shraddha Kapoor's meltdown on the set of Haseena Parkar biopic on Thursday probably testifies that.

The actress has been shooting for Apoorva Lakhia's Haseena since the past week, and during an intense scene, she broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

Says a unit source, "Shraddha got so immersed in the scene that she started wailing. Unit hands were wondering what had happened since her tears didn't stop even when the camera stopped rolling. Apoorva had to halt the shoot for an hour so that she could regain composure."

Shraddha's brother Siddhanth, who plays Dawood, was also part of the scene. "He comforted her and eventually, he too welled up. Normally, Shraddha is able to switch off as soon as the director says 'cut', but this time, she couldn't contain her emotions. Something just triggered the tears," adds the source.

Says director Apoorva Lakhia, "When Shraddha and Siddhanth broke down, the cast was amazed at how close their relationship is. There was pin-drop silence and we cleared the set to give them personal space."

Actress joined brother Siddhanth on the Haseena Parkar biopic sets on Saturday
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 25, 2017)


After prepping up for a few months last year, Shraddha Kapoor kicked off Apoorva Lakhia’s Haseena Parkar biopic on Saturday in the company of her brother Siddhanth Kapoor who plays Dawood Ibrahim. Siddhanth has been shooting for the crime-drama since October and his first scene with his real-life sibling required him to get beaten up by their on-screen father till Shraddha aka Haseena jumps to his rescue.

Ankur Bhatia who plays Ibrahim Parkar, Haseena’s husband, along with Siddhanth, has put on at least 10 kgs to look the part. The light-eyed Siddhanth is wearing black lenses and Shraddha dark brown.

“Haseena ages from 17 to 42 years while Siddhanth’s role as Dawood spans from 19 to 45 years. They are currently filming the younger avatars,” informs a source, adding that Nagpada, once home to the don, has been recreated at a Trombay studio where the shoot is currently underway. They have even recreated the house Dawood lived in with his parents and siblings. In November, Shraddha, during a photo shoot with the rest of the cast, had met Haseena’s daughter Umaira, son Alishah, nephew Sameer Antulay and a few other family members. The makers are hoping to wrap up the film by February 28.

Upala KBR (DNA; January 19, 2017)

The shooting of Apoorva Lakhia’s Haseena, starring Shraddha and her brother Siddhant Kapoor, has started in Mumbai. The actress, who roamed around Nagpada in a burqa to familiarise herself with the role of Dawood Ibrahim’s sister Haseena Parkar and the place where she lived, also met top city cops of that time and Dawood and Haseena’s schoolteacher and tailor.

As authentic as possible
Says a source, “Apoorva and Shraddha are sparing no effort to make sure that the film looks as authentic as possible. After visiting Nagpada a few times in a burqa, to get more information about Haseena’s mannerisms, she had a big meeting with the cops of that time, at one of the police clubs in South Mumbai. She met Haseena’s and Dawood’s school teacher who taught at the same madrasa in Nagpada. She has been having personal meetings with them at Apoorva’s home and meeting Haseena’s children, family, aunts and uncles.”

Getting it right
The shooting has started at Essel Studios and the actress is very nervous. Shraddha knows she has to get her research and body language correct because if she doesn’t she will get plenty of flak so she has taken it up as challenge. She is playing a mother of four children and her age will be shown with the help of prosthetic makeup. The costume designer has used the same materials from the same shops that Haseena used to buy her materials from.”

Composer duo Sachin-Jigar on coming out of their comfort zone for the Haseena Parkar film
Soumya Vajpayee Tiwari (MID-DAY; December 20, 2016)

From the uptempo tracks in ABCD: Any Body Can Dance ((2013), and the trippy music of Go Goa Gone (2013) to soulful ones in Shuddh Desi Romance (2013) and the gut wrenching creations for Badlapur (2015), Sachin-Jigar (Sachin Sanghvi and Jigar Saraiya) have showcased a varied repertoire. The duo is currently working on the soundtrack of Haseena: The Queen Of Mumbai (based on Dawood Ibrahim’s sister Haseena Parkar), which they confess, has shaken them out of their comfort zone.

“We agreed to take it up to set a new parameter for ourselves. We wanted to understand if we could deliver a score that is not trademark Sachin-Jigar sound. The soundtrack is experimental and challenging. Although the songs are predictable, the music is not quintessentially commercial. It’s a test to bring out our inner gangster or demon, so to speak. We’ve never attempted a soundtrack such as this in the past,” explains Sachin. The year 2016 has been low-key for the duo. Jigar argues, “We pick quality over quantity.

We decided against doing four films offered to us because we ran the risk of sounding repetitive. We chose Meri Pyari Bindu, Reloaded, Hindi Medium, Haseena and Ishq Vishk 2.”

Upala KBR (DNA; December 6, 2016)

Shraddha Kapoor is a firm believer in prepping for her roles. She did it for Rock On 2, locking herself in her room to play troubled singer Jiah, under director Shujaat Saudagar’s instructions. Now, she’s doing the same to play Haseena Parkar in Apoorva Lakhia’s biopic. In fact, she even visited the bustling Nagpada locality under the cover of the burkha to get a feel of the place while avoiding getting mobbed.

Early research

Says a source, “Shraddha’s journey in Haseena — The Queen Of Mumbai, begins from the character’s teenage years and goes on till she is 45. To get into character, Shraddha has been attending workshops, reading up and researching all she can on her character. Haseena grew up in Nagpada and that’s where the actress started her research, going there, clad in a burkha. The first time she did this was a week ago, with the film’s director and writer. She returns today, with her bodyguards following at a discreet distance to meet the Parkars.”

Soaking it in

The source adds, “Haseena rose to prominence in the crime world after her husband Ibrahim Parkar was gunned down at a hotel in Nagpada. Shraddha has visited the hotel and had a cup of tea there. She wants to soak in the ambience of Nagpada where Haseena was brought up in, the school she went to and the people she met. Shraddha wants to be as clued-in to her character as possible. In a crowded place like Nagpada it’s easy to blend in with the crowd in a burkha, hence the outfit.”

When stars go incognito

Amitabh Bachchan while shooting for Shoojit Sircar’s Pink wore a mask in Delhi and moved around the streets for a day.

Aamir Khan was holed up in an old house in the crowded locality of Bhaat Bazaar for almost a week while shooting for his wife Kiran Rao’s Dhobi Ghat.

Mallika Sherawat used to travel earlier in burkhas so she wouldn’t get snapped by the paps.

Kriti Sanon put on a mask and partied hard to bring in the New Year at a crowded club in Delhi with her friends.

DNA (November 22, 2016)

Quite an unusual clash, this! Come July 2017, Saif Ali Khan’s Chef goes up against Shraddha Kapoor’s Haseena — The Queen of Mumbai the same Friday.

A trade insider shares, “Haseena was announced first. However, with Chef’s release date being announced, it means that the two films will take each other on July 14, 2017.”

However, Chef has been on floors for a while and the film’s shoot is expected to wrap soon. Shooting for Haseena, however, has just begun.

Saif had no option but to release Chef in July, given he has two films lined up in the first half of the year — Rangoon (February 24 and Kaalakandi (April 21). “His third film had to be spaced out accordingly. July seemed reasonable,” shares the source.

Haseena, a solo outing for Shraddha will find a tough competitor in Saif-starrer Chef. But, insists an exhibitor, “The two films are quite different from each other, so it should not be much of a worry for either actor. Chef will target the multiplexes. The title itself has an elitist feel to it. On the other hand, Haseena has Shraddha Kapoor playing Dawood Ibrahim’s sister. The title, theme and treatment are expected to cater primarily to single-screen audiences.”

Chef is being helmed by Raja Menon, whose last film was Akshay Kumar superhit, Airlift. Haseena sees Apoorva Lakhia in the director’s chair, making a comeback of sorts after 2013’s disastrous Zanjeer.

“None of that matters though when the promo of your film does well. Once the promo arrives, it would decide how the two films will find their audience,” the trade insider adds.

The Parkar family was present on the sets of Apoorva Lakhia’s upcoming biopic as his leading lady joined the team for a photoshoot
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 17, 2016)

Siddhanth Kapoor who plays Dawood Ibrahim in Apoorva Lakhia’s Haseena Parkar biopic kicked off shooting in mid-October in Mumbai with the song “Bantai”, followed by a week-long schedule in Bangkok. When his sister, Shraddha who essays the titular character joined the cast on Tuesday for a photoshoot. Haseena’s daughter Umaira, son Alishah, nephew Sameer Antulay, and a few other family members, were present on the sets to meet the film’s cast.

“They stayed for a few hours and were excited to interact with the film’s team. Shraddha and Siddhanth had a brief conversation with them, so did Ankur Bhatia who plays Ibrahim Parkar, Haseena’s husband, in the film. The Parkar family even complimented Ankur on his close resemblance to Ibrahim,” informs a source present on the set. The film touches upon Haseena’s dealings with slum redevelopment authorities, negotiating overseas rights of Hindi films, the Hawala racket and the territorial wars among cable operators.

Shraddha will start filming for her portions from January as she gets busy with the promotions of Shaad Ali’s OK Jaanu, an official remake of Mani Ratnam’s Tamil film, OK Kanmani. “The family has been very cooperative and even let us borrow some of Haseena’s things, including her nose ring so stylist Eka Lakhani could make a duplicate for Shraddha who is likely to have a longer meeting with the family in December as part of her prep,” adds the source.

This is the first time Shraddha and Siddhanth will share screen space and the duo believes that their biggest strength is their understanding of each other. “We’re extremely close, more like best friends. Shra’s my person,” Siddhanth had told Mirror (June 10).

The actor-siblings mother, Shivangi Kapoor, was also present on the set to see them at work. “She got food for the duo and got emotional watching her kids at work,” the source further revealed. While Shraddha’s character will age from 15 to 42, Siddhanth’s will span from 19 to 45 years.