Showing posts with label Hello Charlie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hello Charlie. Show all posts

I am Kareena and Ranbir Kapoor's cousin, but that doesn't allow me to get 50 films a year-Aadar Jain

3:35 PM

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Vinay MR Mishra (BOMBAY TIMES; August 13, 2025)

Aadar Jain might have the legendary Raj Kapoor as his grandfather and share bloodlines with Bollywood stars like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Karisma Kapoor, and Ranbir Kapoor, but the actor insists his journey has been anything but easy. With two films, a web series, and years of auditions behind him, Aadar speaks to Bombay Times about why he doesn’t buy into the ‘nepo baby’ narrative, how rejection has shaped him, and why Bobby Deol’s career keeps him going.

'Our family is very bindass and chill, different from what people in the media might think'
Born into one of Indian cinema’s most illustrious families, one would assume he would be burdened under the pressures of proving his mettle for the legacy.

He, however, clarifies, “A lot of people ask me this question. But I would have been inspired. I have him (points at a photo frame of Raj Kapoor) over here every day to be inspired because he's my favorite actor, producer, director of all time. He's my biggest idol and my biggest inspiration. There's no pressure. Our family is very bindass and chill, different from what people in the media might think. We all have our own journeys. However big or small, I'm also contributing in my own small little way to Indian civilization. I love acting.”

‘I am Kareena and Ranbir Kapoor's cousin, but that doesn't allow me to get 50 films a year’
While the industry often talks about nepotism, however, Aadar sets the record straight that he is not the byproduct of it. “I've had two films that have come out. Unfortunately, the gap has been quite a bit. Everyone has their journey and I'm on that journey. So, I'm just enjoying what I do,” he says.

He adds, “I've not taken those gaps out of choice. It's also been very difficult to get films. Coming from a film family doesn't mean you get work here easily. That's a fact. People talk about nepotism, but I've not got benefits of it. Yes, I am Raj Kapoor's grandson, I am Kareena and Ranbir Kapoor's cousin, but that doesn't allow me to get 50 films a year or like doing five films and signing brand deals and endorsements nonstop. Unfortunately, in that sense I've not been a product of nepotism."

'It has been a struggle'
The actor doesn’t shy away from speaking about how difficult it’s been to land roles, the heartbreak of rejection, and the resilience required to keep going. “It’s not been easy,” he admits.

“It has been a struggle. I have auditioned for a lot of places. I've been rejected many times. It's hard to deal with those rejections. I love what I do. So, when you're not getting to do what you love as often, of course, it hurts. The idea is to keep picking yourself up and pushing yourself. Staying motivated is the most important thing in this profession. It's not an easy profession. It’s been a tough journey. Hopefully, my lady luck will give me lots of luck and love (smiles),” he elaborates.

He adds, "I keep looking at Bobby Deol's career. Look at the guy! He spoke on national television about how failure and rejection really bogged him down, but then how he picked himself up. And the idea of life is to keep moving forward."

He also adds, "I look at my own journey. I'm proud of myself. However long it's taken. Good, bad, ugly, flops, doesn't matter. It's all a lesson. The fact that I can even be part of two films and people are watching me and I'm now coming into other things. My first film was very critically acclaimed, but it didn't work at the box office. The second film came out in the time of COVID where it was seen by everyone but was also critically acclaimed. So, there has been also a big struggle for me to get the work that I want to do. I've been auditioning for the last 8 years, done two films. Luckily, I have Dining With The Kapoors coming out so hopefully things will pick up once people see my work. Because work gets you work. Until people see your work, you don't get work."

'A lot of actors who are getting launched have had three films already'
Aadar who has been part of movies like Qaidi Band (2017) and Hello Charlie (2021), confesses he has no regrets about the rejections he has faced. “All the rejections I had in my life, I realized they're all lessons. I have no regrets. Everything is a lesson. Everything teaches you, and eventually you will get okay. It took me a long time to get my third project. A lot of actors nowadays who I see are getting launched—they've had three films already done and they're waiting for those releases, and they're still signing more films and doing it right. It's taken me a little bit of time," he elaborates.

I can’t imagine if Hello Charlie had to release in theatres at this point in time-Shlokka Pandit

3:05 PM

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Sanchita Kalra (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 12, 2021)

The pandemic has cast a shadow over joyful celebrations but adding a bit of laughter to these dull times is the recently released comedy film Hello Charlie that is exclusively being premiered on Amazon Prime Video in across 240 countries and territories. Starring actors Jackie Shroff, Aadar Jain and debutante Shlokka Pandit in the lead roles alongside Elnaaz Norouzi, Darshan Jariwalla and Rajpal Yadav, the film, streaming since April 9, is bound to tickle your funny bone.

Grateful for choosing comedy genre for her debut in Bollywood and the timing of the release on Amazon Prime Video, Shlokka Pandit says, “The fact that it’s available for audience to watch across the globe makes it even better. For us, as actors, filmmakers and everyone who put in effort, goal to entertain has been achieved. I can’t imagine if it had to release in theatres at this point in time.” Pandit says it makes her happy and content that the Pankaj Saraswat directorial will provide comic relief to people for a couple of hours amid the current scenario.

She was cautious during the filming of her soundtrack Soneya Ve for this film produced by Excel Entertainment’s Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar, as it was shot last year during peak of Covid-19. She recalls the experience and states, “The movie shoot started in 2019 and film was set to release last year. We were finishing the shoot last March, however I shot my song during peak lockdown. I was ill and had fever. Fortunately, it was not Coronavirus and I was suffering from bronchitis. There were crew members dressed in PPE suits, masks, sanitisation kept going on, doctors were on standby. It was crazy, challenging but we managed to pull it off.”

Talking about working with veteran actor Jackie Shroff, she says, “I didn’t get to share much screen with him but whatever time I spent or interacted with him, it was insane. He is so warm, generous and encouraging.”

Apart from her interest in movies, the actor has involved herself in helping specially-abled children as she says, “I have a soft spot for those with special needs, I somehow feel connected with them.”

(Crisp) Movie Review: HELLO CHARLIE by FENIL SETA

9:59 PM

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Hello Charlie is a mindless comic caper and rests on a hilarious premise. The idea of a man attempting to disguise himself in a gorilla suit to evade the cops and teaming up with a good-for-nothing fellow is a promising one. And thankfully, for most part of the film, the makers get it right and lace the film with some really nice comic moments. There are multiple tracks but all of them come together neatly, and that too, within 101 minutes of run time. On the flipside, the pre-climax is just not funny. Even the climax fails to evoke laughs. And at one place, they have copied a gag from Andaz Apna Apna which is just not done. Talking of performances, Aadar Jain gives his best and has good comic timing. In some scenes, he's a bit raw, though. Jackie Shroff is too funny and plays very well with his expressions. Elnaaz Norouzi puts up a very confident act. Newcomer Shlokka Pandit leaves a huge mark, despite a late entry. Rajpal Yadav and Bharat Ganeshpure are decent but the makers don’t give their characters their due. Girish Kulkarni hams a bit but it works for his character. Darshan Jariwala is too good, as always. Kunal Vijaykar and Siddhanth Kapoor are fine. All in all, despite the blemishes, Hello Charlie is a fun film. It’s a rare, clean Bollywood OTT film aimed at families and kids. Get your whole clan together and enjoy this fare!

My rating - *** out of 5!

Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 668

10:33 AM

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LOCKDOWN DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN; 2 WEB FILMS TO ENTERTAIN AUDIENCE THIS WEEK

On Sunday, Maharashtra government declared lockdown-like restrictions from Monday April 5, 8:00 pm onwards. As part of these curbs, all theatres were asked to shut shop till April 30. It dealt a huge blow to the cinema sector as Maharashtra consists of crucial centres like Mumbai and Pune. The state contributes nearly 30-35% of box office in India. Hence, with theatres shut in this state, there’s no way Hindi films can afford to release. 2 April releases – Chehre, scheduled for April 9 and Bunty Aur Babli 2 scheduled for April 23 release, were already postponed a week before. After the lockdown announcement, Sooryavanshi, scheduled for release on April 30, was also indefinitely pushed ahead. It remains to be now seen whether the May releases also got pushed. The chances of it are there especially if cases don’t reduce soon enough.

Meanwhile, this week will see the release of two films, straight on digital. The first one is The Big Bull. It stars Abhishek Bachchan, Ileana DCruz, Nikita Dutta, Sohum Shah and others and is co-produced by Ajay Devgn. Directed by Kookie Gulati, it is a fictionalized account of infamous stock broker Harshad Mehta. The film releases today, on Disney+ Hotstar, at 7:30 pm. It was supposed to come out last year. But it was pushed ahead due to the super-success of the web series, Scam 1992. It was also based on the life of Harshad Mehta. The show got an unprecedented response. The makers of The Big Bull, reportedly, felt that if their film came out around the release of Scam 1992, it’ll lead to a lot of negativity and comparisons. Hence, they decided to wait it out.

The trailer of The Big Bull was finally released on March 19. Many felt that it’ll be slammed by Scam 1992 fans and also by the anti-nepotism gang that nowadays assembles to troll a film featuring a star kid. Thankfully, the trailer was interesting and the negativity was negligible. Abhishek seems to be in great form. His interesting quotes and his antics during promotional interviews have also got a fine response on social media and it has further added to the film’s hype in a small way.

The other release is Hello Charlie, starring Aadar Jain, Elnaaz Norouzi and Jackie Shroff. The premise is hilarious. It’s about Jackie Shroff’s character who dresses up as a gorilla to evade arrest. The madness begins when a real gorilla comes into the picture. The film is produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani and it’s all set to release on Amazon Prime on Friday April 9. The trailer is funny and it left everyone by surprise. After all, this film hardly made any noise when it was in production and hence, the expectations and even awareness about the film were negligible. If the film turns out to be a fun entertainer, it’s sure to find a good response and trend on digital.

In these times, it is our job to bring a smile on people’s faces-Jackie Shroff

8:22 AM

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Having briefly attempted comedy in the past, Jackie Shroff expresses the desire to explore more of it after Hello Charlie
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; April 3, 2021)

An extensive career that saw him dabble in a variety of genres may be behind him, but Jackie Shroff says he still hasn’t explored comedy as much as he would have desired. “I have attempted comedy in films like Bhoot Unkle, among others, but got the opportunity to explore the genre again only now, with Hello Charlie. I wanted to give way to the child in me, and in these times, it is our job to bring a smile on people’s faces. I am loving the genre,” says Shroff, who will be seen as a man evading an arrest, and in turn, dressing up in a gorilla suit while attempting to do so.

Stepping out of his comfort zone to explore something new has never been difficult for Shroff, who says he continued to go against the tide from the onset. “I have done all kinds of films, including superhero films, during my prime. I have done films that people told me not to do. I never thought about how big or small the project was. I didn’t discriminate, and chose to keep experimenting,” he says when making a case for giving his nod to Hello Charlie, starring Aadar Jain, Shlokka Pandit, Rajpal Yadav and Elnaaz Norouzi. The movie is set to release on Amazon Prime Video on April 9.

In the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, both Shroff and his son Tiger have been busy fulfilling their work commitments.  The actor says his wife Ayesha has been keeping tabs of Tiger’s safety. “My son is careful. He needs to travel, and his mother looks after him. I don’t have much of a say, because moms keep [kids] safe. I am trying to stay safe  and be inspired by my son. I am inspired by his discipline, and love for fitness. He is an all-rounder, setting an example with his health, and craft.”

Artistes should prioritise personal protection to ensure that others on the set are also safe-Aadar Jain

8:24 AM

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The actor, whose Hello Charlie is the first Hindi film to resume shoot in Mumbai during the pandemic, talks about shooting in the new normal
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; July 29, 2020)

The world is slowly returning to routine, and hopefully, film shoots will also start gathering momentum. The first Bollywood film to resume shoot in Mumbai is Hello Charlie, starring Aadar Jain.

BT spoke to the actor about resuming work in these times of ‘new normal’ and he said, “I was a bit apprehensive at first, given the current situation, but my producers (Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar), as well as the entire production team are following all safety measures. The entire crew of the set in Malad was in PPE suits, following social distancing at all times.”

He added, “Never did anyone expect a crisis like this. However, I am a firm believer in making the most of what we have in any scenario.”

Aadar feels that artistes should prioritise personal protection to ensure that others on the set are safe. Talking about the measures he took personally, the actor said, “To begin with, I have not left home unless extremely necessary. From the time of the Coronavirus lockdown until now, I have replaced my outdoor routine to a more digitised home-based one to hone all my skills. I feel I have used my time as efficiently as I could have.”

He continued, “We have to accept that this is the new normal and we have to get back to work. We are responsible for ourselves and others. As actors, we have to take our mask off in front of the camera. I would keep it in my back pocket and put it back on instantly after the shot.”

Aadar Jain's Hello Charlie among the first Bollywood movies to roll?

8:36 AM

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Aadar Jain. Picture courtesy Instagram
Sources say Aadar Jain's Hello Charlie among the first Bollywood movies to roll; the unit of Farhan Akhtar-Ritesh Sidhwani production shoots song at Madh island
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; July 17, 2020)

picIn contrast to the television industry that resumed work from June 25, filmmakers have been biding their time to return to the sets. With most directors adopting a wait-and-watch stance, Hello Charlie — produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's Excel Entertainment — is perhaps the first Bollywood film to have gone on floors. It is heard that the makers of the Aadar Jain-fronted project began shooting for a song at Vrundavan studio in Madh Island yesterday.

A source reveals, "The film was almost complete before the Coronavirus lockdown, only the patchwork shoot of the song was pending. The unit began filming the number with 15 dancers at an indoor set yesterday. Keeping the safety of the crew in mind, the makers have had a sanitisation tunnel built at the entrance of the set and provided the team with masks, gloves and PPE kits to be used during the three-day shoot."

mid-day reached out to Sidhwani, who did not respond till press time.

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