Gulshan Devaiah — the surprise package of Badhaai Do — says he has received a phenomenal response to his character ever since the film released in theatres on February 11.

The actor, who plays Guru Narayan, a lawyer and Rajkummar Rao’s love interest in the film, adds, “The kind of love and appreciation that the film — and the character I play in it — have been receiving is wonderful. ”

He says that his part in the film was deliberately kept a secret. “Even my friends were surprised when they saw the film and me in it! No one had an idea that I was doing this film, while I also kept it under wraps, and I think that is working in our favour. A lot of people are pleasantly surprised that I suddenly appear in the story. They had some great things to say like ‘we wish there was more of you in the film’.”

In a chat with us, Gulshan talks about his chemistry with Rajkummar, working with director Harshavardhan Kulkarni again after Hunterrr (2015) and playing a character that leaves an impact on the audience despite his brief screen presence.

When Gulshan read about Guru Narayan in the script, he says what struck him was how comfortable the character was with himself. “He doesn’t have issues accepting who he is. He is a person who is happy with himself. Most of the time, we have issues because we don’t accept many things about ourselves and that makes us insecure, Guru doesn’t have any of those insecurities. Guru is secure, happy and content. He doesn’t feel that he needs to hide from society for who he is,” says Gulshan.

Gulshan adds that Guru’s character might appear for a brief period of time, but he’s a significant part of the film. “He is important to the plot of the film because it does affect Shardul (Rajkummar’s character in the movie) and changes him,” he says, adding, “The audience’s response to the character, and the chemistry between him and Raj’s character, is amazing. They are accepting the fact that there is wonderful chemistry between two men. Love is love and people are enjoying the performance for what it is without getting too judgmental about it — even if they can’t relate to it. For example, I am a straight man, but when I see a beautiful moment created between a same-sex couple, I enjoy that moment for its beauty. I am hoping that we have managed to create that kind of a beautiful relationship on screen and that’s why people are enjoying it so much. It is effective as it is able to make people forget the sexual orientation of the two people and find beauty in the relationship that they share.”

One of the best compliments that Gulshan’s received so far about his chemistry with Rajkummar in the film is that “you two are so good that you should do a romantic film together.”

The actor says that their chemistry was effortless. He explains, “When you work with good actors who are extremely professional and secure then you don’t have to try to create anything, the chemistry just shows on screen. Raj is a fine actor, trained and extremely professional, he is very secure in the place where he is, so we could create something together and it was fun. I love Raj as an actor and he is also a person who is leading by example. He is a trendsetter and source of inspiration for many, including me, so working with him was very delightful.”

Gulshan says that he got to shoot for just about two-three days with the cast and had the best experience. “I have known Sheeba Chadha (who plays Rajkummar’s mother in the film) for over 10 years, but this is the first time I worked with her. I just shot one scene with her, but I enjoyed it. I like Bhumi, I find her very cool. For me, the most fun part was shooting the pride parade scene where Bhumi and I are on a truck and I got to play some music of my choice to make Bhumi dance,” shares Gulshan.

After Hunterrr, this is the second time Gulshan worked with director Harshavardhan Kulkarni and he says that the creative process of working on the character is slightly easier when you understand the director’s vision. “Harsh and I had made one whole film together, so I understand his sensibilities, how he directs and what he expects. The point was to stay true to the writing of the film. Even if I was making a special appearance, my job was to give my best. So I just tried to be as truthful as possible to the script and Harshavardhan’s vision,” says Gulshan.

Junglee Pictures’ Badhaai Do is directed by Harshavardhan Kulkarni, and written by Akshat Ghildial and Suman Adhikary. The film is now playing in theatres.

After the National Award-winning blockbuster Badhaai Ho, Junglee Pictures brings the second part of this franchise titled, Badhaai Do
BOMBAY TIMES (March 9, 2020)

As the name suggests, Badhaai Do is a family comedy that revolves around an unlikely relationship and promises double the fun and emotions. While the story and characters of Badhaai Do are different from that of Badhaai Ho, there is an endearing common theme between both the films.

Helmed by prolific ad filmmaker and director of Hunterrr (2015), Harshavardhan Kulkarni, the film will bring on the screen the fresh pairing of National Award-winning actor Rajkummar Rao and powerhouse performer Bhumi Pednekar. Rajkummar plays the role of a Delhi cop, who is the only male police officer in a mahila thana, while Bhumi plays the role of a school PT teacher, much to her family’s stress. Unlike each other, yet made for each other, the film is the about the goofups that follow when they meet and their lives intertwine in more than one way.

Director Harshavardhan Kulkarni says, “I have always admired the kind of films that Junglee Pictures has made, so when they came to me with this social comedy, I was instantly on board. Just like the delightful Badhaai Ho, the milieu of this film remains the same, but with a fresh set of characters and a completely new, zanier situation.”

Akshat Ghildial, who wrote Badhaai Ho and won awards for its crackling dialogues, is penning this one too, along with Suman Adhikary whom the idea originally came from. Akshat said, “Suman came up with this interesting idea, and since I have a great relationship with Junglee, I shared it with them. They liked it immediately. And then, Harsh came on board. We had great fun developing it and hope that the audience has an equally good time watching it.”

Talking about her role, Bhumi says, “Badhaai Ho is one of my favourite films in recent times, and it is really exciting to take this franchise forward. For me, the script is one of the best that I have ever come across, and I immediately wanted to do this film. My character again is strong, independent and author-backed, and it gives me a lot of scope to bring a very different and cool character to life. This time, too, the film will say something extremely relevant and relatable, but in a hilarious manner. I’m also excited to share screen space with Raj for the first time.”

Rajkummar adds, “I have played a cop before, but never with this perspective. I look for layered characters and this is a perfect match. My character is surrounded by strong women at home and work, and that adds immense depth to his personality. Junglee Pictures’ Bareilly Ki Barfi was a fabulous experience for me. Badhaai Do is a reunion in many ways.”

Amrita Pandey, CEO, Junglee Pictures, said, “Junglee Pictures believes in telling rooted Indian stories that not only entertain you, but also move you in many ways. Badhaai Ho was just that for us. And that being a high-concept comedy, it was logical for us to expand the canvas to tell more such stories. Cultivating the right synergy on films like these is the key, and with Akshat and Suman’s writing and Harsh’s vision, Badhaai Do is really one of the best stories for us to tell.”

The film is all set to go on floors in June and to release by early next year.
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Headlined by Bhumi Pednekar and Rajkummar Rao, the Junglee Pictures production will be directed by Harshavardhan Kulkarni and goes on the floors in June; is targeting an early 2021 release
MUMBAI MIRROR (March 9, 2020)

After Junglee Pictures’ 2018 sleeper hit, Badhaai Ho, bagged two National Awards, Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Best Supporting Actress (Surekha Sikri), Mirror (August 12, 2019) had reported that producer Junglee Pictures is all set to take the social-comedy forward with a second instalment. We have now learnt that Bhumi Pednekar and Rajkummar Rao will headline the second part in the franchise, titled Badhaai Do.

Directed by prolific ad filmmaker and Hunterrr director Harshavardhan Kulkarni, Badhaai Do is a family comedy, which revolves around an unlikely relationship. The earlier film revolved around accidental parental pregnancy, the lady in question being the 40-plus mother of two boys in their 20s and was universally liked and feted. While the story and the characters will be different from that of the first part, the two films are connected by a common theme. While Raj plays a Delhi cop, the only male cop in a mahila thana, Bhumi essays the role of a school PT teacher, much to her family’s stress. Unlike each other, yet made for each other, the film is about the goof-ups that follow when they meet, and their lives intertwine in more ways than one.

Confirming the news, Bhumi says, “Badhaai Ho is one of my most favourite films in recent times and it is really exciting to take this franchise forward. For me, the script is one of the best that I have ever come across and I immediately wanted to do the film. My character again is strong, independent and author-backed, and it gives me a lot of scope to bring a very different and cool character to life. This time too, the film will say something extremely relevant and relatable but in the most hilarious manner. The film has its heart rooted in family values. With each character I have portrayed I have tried to push the envelope and I look forward to doing that with this role too. I am excited to share screen space with Raj for the first time. He is an artiste I have always wanted to creatively collaborate with.”

Rajkummar, a National-Award winning actor too, is delighted to be a part of the project. “I have played a cop before but never with this perspective. I look for layered characters and this one is a perfect match. My character is surrounded by strong women at home and at work and that adds immense depth to his personality. Harshavardhan and Bhumi are both dear friends and extremely talented artistes. Junglee Pictures’ Bareilly Ki Barfi was a fabulous experience for me. So, Badhaai Do is a reunion in many ways,” says Raj.

Harshavardhan informs that he has always admired the kind of films that Junglee Pictures have made. “So, when they came to me with this social comedy written by Akshat (Ghildial) and Suman (Adhikary), I just flipped and was instantly on board. Just like the delightful Badhaai Ho, the milieu of this film remains the same but with a fresh set of characters and a completely new zanier situation. I am so looking forward to this edition being brought to life by Rajkummar and Bhumi, two of the most talented actors,” says the director.

Akshat, who wrote Badhaai Ho and won awards for its crackling dialogues including Filmfare’s Black Lady, is penning this one too, along with Suman, whom the idea originally came from. “Suman came up with this interesting idea and since I have a great relationship with Junglee, I shared it with them. They liked it immediately. And then, Harsh came on board. We had great fun developing it and hope that the audience has an equally good time watching it,” Akshat says.

Junglee Pictures CEO, Amrita Pandey adds, “Junglee Pictures believes in telling rooted Indian stories that not only entertain you but also move you in many ways. Badhaai Ho was just that for us. And that being a high-concept comedy, it was logical for us to expand the canvas to tell more such stories. Cultivating the right synergy on films like these is the key, and with Akshat and Suman’s writing and Harsh’s vision, Badhaai Do is really one of the best stories for us to tell. With fantastic actors like Rajkummar Rao and Bhumi Pednekar, Junglee Pictures is really excited to take the franchise of Badhaai Ho forward with Badhaai Do.”

Badhaai Do is set to go on floors in June and will release by early 2021.

Radhika Apte on the struggles she faced en route to stardom and why she doesn’t mind being rejected for multiple international projects
Kunal Guha (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 29, 2018)

When we meet Radhika Apte at her boho-chic apartment in Andheri, she insists on sitting on the floor next to a low table. No, she hasn’t adopted Japanese living. “I’ve got a terrible back from scuba-diving,” she smiles. With six releases — Pad Man, Andhadhun, Bazaar, Lust Stories, Ghoul and Sacred Games — on the big and handheld screens in 2018, a couple of international projects—The Wedding Guest and an untitled World War II spy thriller —in the kitty and a presence in six film industries (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali and Marathi), she couldn’t have asked for more. While the 33-year-old actress has found her feet over time, only a few years ago, she says, “things were quite different”. “The kind of roles I am being offered right now, I would have never rejected four years ago,” she admits. But rejecting films is something she can afford to do at present because “aspirations change over time”.

So, today, Radhika passes on projects that “repeat a character” she has essayed before and sometimes, because “it just makes no sense”. “Somebody messaged me two days ago and said he has written a film for me and the subject is feminism, how do you respond to that?” she asks, baffled. Now, she weighs projects based on “how much they excite or inspire”. “There’s no right or wrong but what you do has a consequence and you have to be prepared to face it. You think you know how things will work out, but you actually don’t,” she points out.

Her instinctive choices did pay off in Andhadhun, pegged as the sleeper hit of the year, which she considered “even though it wasn’t a meaty role or one that was relevant to the plot”. “I just love working with Sriram (Raghavan) and he gives me that inspiration,” she reasons. Radhika also credits Sriram’s Badlapur for accelerating her career: “It got me noticed by the industry which is the most important thing and it takes a long time for most.” Having dabbled in diverse onscreen avatars and being paired as a strong female lead opposite the biggest stars across industries, such as Rajinikanth (Kabaali) and Akhshay Kumar (Pad Man), she credits her decision to go against the grain for her success. “People say ‘don’t get married, ‘don’t do regional cinema’, ‘don’t do short films or digital’ but I did it all,” she says, adding that filmmakers now weigh an actor’s commercial viability before considering them.

The Fergusson College graduate who grew up in Pune on a heavy dose of Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla, says she wanted to act even as a child. But following a few theatre gigs when she landed up in Mumbai, she “couldn’t cope with the pressure and not knowing where to go for work, didn’t help”. “I did a play called Bombay Black (2008) for Anahita Uberoi who paid me Rs 3000 per show which was an insane amount then. I knew even if I did a couple of shows in a month, it would be good money,” says Radhika who shared an apartment with two others in Andheri’s Shastri Nagar at the time. Her screen debut Vaah Life Ho Toh Aisi barely created a stir. And it was Raj Nidimoru’s Shor In The City that gave Bollywood biggies a taste of Radhika’s abilities. “You will laugh if I tell you how much they paid me,” reminisces the actress who wasn’t even allowed to read the script before she was cast.

This was also her first brush with the PR machinery surrounding a release. “They encouraged news pieces that suggested that Tusshar (Kapoor) and I were dating. I was studying in London so I laughed it off,” says Radhika, who had taken a student loan and a break from acting to study contemporary dance from Trinity Laban. Incidentally, when she was in London, Rakht Charitra was dubbed in Tamil and Telugu and offers for South Indian films began trickling in. This was lucky because “the student loan had to be paid”. She also remembers being offered “something very massive” at the time. “They (the producers) had liked my work in Antaheen and told me the script was written for me,” she flashbacks, but when she returned from a backpacking trip to actually sign the agreement, the offer was withdrawn. “They said I had put on a lot of weight and I was kicked out. I told them that I had two months before the shoot to lose the weight but they were panicking and didn’t want to wait.”

Given the nature of the industry, she knows too well that being dropped from a project often has little to do with ability. “I still get rejected often but you get used to it, in a good way. Your anger fades and you realise that nothing is personal.”

Radhika moved to Mumbai in 2014, the decision prompted by then boyfriend and now husband, musician Benedict Taylor, because “he had some friends in the city”. In fact, films like Rakht Charitra and Shor In The City were shot during fly-by visits to Mumbai. “I remember Atul Kulkarni told me that if I had to make it, I had to make Bombay my home and not return to Pune every weekend,” she smiles. But moving to Mumbai didn’t instantly translate in offers and “there was no work in the first year”. Even the projects that excited her, didn’t materialise. “Hunterrr got cancelled a day before the shoot because the producers ran away. I remember going with Gulshan (Devaiah) to cheer up Harsh (director Harshavardhan Kulkarni).” The film eventually got backing when “some friends came together to pool in funds”. An odd offer that she let go then was for a film starring Kunal Kapoor. “I did Kaun Kitne Paani Mein with Kunal. Before it released, someone called me to brief me on another film that he was attached to. Half way through the brief, I learnt that I was being considered for the part of Kunal’s onscreen mother. I didn’t know what to say, I told them, I recently played his onscreen girlfriend. They were surprised,” she laughs.

But things have taken a turn for the better now. Her latest, Michael Winterbottom’s The Wedding Guest, co-starring Dev Patel, screened at the Toronto Film Festival this year. “It got mixed reviews but Michael’s films are like that.” She shares that she bagged the role even though the filmmaker hadn’t seen any of her work. “I had met his producer for another film where I didn’t make the cut but he auditioned me again and cast me here,” she informs. Even her forthcoming untitled spy thriller backed by Lydia Dean Pilcher, the producer of films such as The Talented Mr. Ripley and Queen of Katwe, was accidental. “Lydia was in the jury at Tribeca (Film Festival) where I won Best Actress for Anurag’s (Kashyap) Madly. A year on, when she began work on her next, she cast me in it.”

Apart from connecting with influential agents in the West, Radhika feels bagging that big-ticket Hollywood blockbuster is often a matter of likeness. “You’re very lucky when you look like the person they are looking for. A friend of mine recently got cast for a big international project and the makers don’t think that she is the best actress for the part but she resembles the person they are making a film on,” she says, admitting that at the moment, she’s “getting rejected left, right and centre for all the foreign projects” but is happy because she’s “still being considered for auditions”. 

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 1, 2015)

Harshavardhan Kulkarni is busy penning a sequel to his directorial debut, Hunterrr, which will bring Gulshan Devaiah and Radhika Apte back together in reel life, a year after the two tied the knot in the film.

"My character, Mandar, was a terribly insecure man in Part 1, till he found Tripti (Radhika Apte) who accepted him with all his flaws. In the sequel we will not go down the rocky track of the married couple fed up of each other. We saw that already in Tanu Weds Manu Returns," points out Gulshan, admitting that the director has discussed not one but two storylines with him. "The screenplay is currently being written and the film should roll by January. It will be wilder, crazier and completely different from the first film."

Hunterrr released in March 2015 and most of the characters and the ensemble cast from the original adult comedy will be retained. "But we're still figuring out how and where they will fit in the new 100-minute script," Gulshan says.

The actor reveals that the makers had initially thought of making it as a TV mini series. But since we don't have online formats like Netflix in India, Kulkarni decided to make it as a film. "He is categorical that if even one person feels that the screenplay is not good before we roll, he'll trash the project without a second thought," insists the Bengaluru-born actor who is remembered as Karan 'KC' Choudhary in Shaitan.

There was a plan to take Shaitan ahead too, without Gulshan, whose character dies in the original. "But that sequel didn't work out and luckily, I now have another franchise-worthy project in hand," smiles Gulshan who is currently filming the dance-drama Cabaret, with Richa Chadha.

Subhash K Jha (DNA; May 28, 2015)


There’s only one hitch. The raunchy comedy has not yet been cleared for a television/satellite screening. And yet the promotions for the TV premiere of Hunterrr have already begun on Star Plus! How come?

A source from the Board shares, “So far Hunterrr hasn’t come to us for a television or satellite clearance. The film had an ‘A’ certification for its theatrical release. Now the film needs to be further cut and modified to get a ‘UA’ certificate. Without a ‘UA’ rating no film can be screened on television. Until we see the cuts and agree on a ‘UA’ certification, how can the film’s telecast be announced?”

Only Star Plus can answer this question. The channel remained unavailable for comment.

SHOULD OUR INDUSTRY WORRY?

As expected by a section of audience, Mr X has flopped. It joins the long list of underperformers of 2015. Barring Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Badlapur, Baby, NH10 and Hunterrr, none of the films have actually made money this year. Some of the biggies like Shamitabh, Roy, Detective Byomkesh Bakshy, Ek Paheli Leela etc have failed to recover their investment.

But that’s not all. There’ a question mark over the success of upcoming films as well. Gabbar Is Back looks nice but buzz is limited. Bombay Velvet promos have impressed the critics but overall, the film seems quite thanda which is quite shocking considering the skyhigh costs. Piku, Tanu Weds Manu Returns and Welcome To Karachi look fun and promos have got a nice response. But whether it’ll be a commercial success and how big a success would it be remains to be seen. Dil Dhadakne Do carried positive vibe but the promo changed it all.

This is a dangerous and unpredictable situation that hasn’t happened in recent times. For instance, we all knew looking at the promos of say Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Chennai Express, Dhoom 3, PK etc that these would be huge grossers at the ticket window. And that’s what happened. But at present, nothing can be said for sure and one just wonders what would happen if all these films fail to score. Here’s hoping the upcoming films work big time…we need a huge hit badly after all!

Radhika Apte (DNA; March 28, 2015)


For an actress who has worked in films in seven languages, Radhika has a hunger to excel in unexpected roles. “I cannot see myself just looking pretty and dancing. I am sure that requires a helluva lot of discipline and hard work. But I’d rather channelise my energy to do something different, like I did in Badlapur and Hunterr.”

In Hunterr Radhika’s character had a murky past. “We are living at a time when women are not expected to be sati savtiris. My character in Hunterrr had a relationship and an abortion. This is a relatable person. I don’t know any friend of mine who hasn’t had sex before marriage,” she explains. And her quest for real characters continues. Says the actress, “I don’t care what the language of the cinema is, as long as it has a connect with real life. I am doing Leena Yadav’s Parched set in Rajasthan. I am also doing The Field about the Delhi mafia where my co-star is Neeraj Kabi (the monk in Ship Of Theseus). Then there is Mountain Man, the biopic on Dashrath Manjhi with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, which Ketan Mehta has directed. I got to play a Bihari rustic woman for the first time.” Radhika is also doing a couple of short films, one directed by Pia Sukanya called Bombairiya, another one by Sujoy Ghosh and a short film by Anurag Kashyap on forbidden love.

Radhika, who is married to a British musician, Benedict Taylor, is very clear about her views on nudity in cinema. “I have done a nude scene for an English film. In fact, I wrote an article about how strongly I felt on the subject of nudity. At the same time, I wouldn’t allow my personal space to be violated by any intrusive attention. Some time ago, somebody had posted a nude selfie on the internet claiming it was me. The girl didn’t even look like me. And the controversy died a natural death.”

Radhika adds, “I am here because I am passionate about acting. Just after I was noticed in Shor In The City, I left for London to study contemporary dancing. I came back feeling more empowered. I grew up idolising Aamir Khan. I had a poster of his in my room. Every day I said bye to it before going to school. I want to create a similar sense of self-worth in my career.”

Every person on this planet has a story to tell, even the most ordinary common man. After all, everyone has had ups and downs and even some extraordinary moments that can make for a great film story. Harshavardhan Kulkarni experiments with this idea in Hunterrr that tells the story of an ordinary guy and the extraordinary episodes in his life. And the effort pays off for sure!

The story of the movie: Mandar Ponkshe (Gulshan Devaiah) is a ‘vaasu’. The film chronicles his journey, starting from 1989 when he is about to step into his teenage years. As he grows up, his appetite for sex increases as well. He comes some interesting women in his life – Parul Kotak (Veera Saxena), Jyotsna (Saie Tamhankar) and Trupti (Radhika Apte). He has his share of his buddies as well who always stand by him through thick and thin.



While watching the Hunterrr trailer, I expected that it might get clichéd after some point and give a déjà vu of similar films in the past. But Hunterrr is totally different, original and quite fresh. There are no reference points and it has some unpredictable moments as well. Also, the character of Mandar is quite relatable, especially for men. The manner in which he sets his eyes on his ‘target’, stares at her and then takes the next step is straight out of life. Of course, Mandar is a bit braver than the rest. Fortunately, the film doesn’t cheapen the whole thing and get derogatory at any point (although the market scene of Mandar’s childhood does raise eyebrows). The biggest strength of the film undoubtedly is its writing. Some sequences are absolutely hilarious. In fact, some of the moments are maddening and so sudden that one can’t help but break into a guffaw! Moreover, there is an element of mystery as well in the airport scene that makes for an interesting watch.

Hunterrr is embellished with some outstanding performances. Gulshan Devaiah gets an opportunity of a lifetime and he puts his heart and soul into this performance. This is going to be a landmark film of his career and hopefully it will help him bag meaningful and memorable roles from now on. Radhika Apte who impressed us just last month with Badlapur comes up with yet another riveting performance. There’s this innocence in her voice and smile which makes her very adorable! Saie Tamhankar is outstanding. She plays a very dynamic character and leaves a tremendous mark in her supporting role. A performance to watch out for! Veera Saxena also does very well. Sagar Deshmukh (Dilip) does very well as the hero’s sidekick. Vedant Muchandi and Shalva Kinjawadekar (young Mandar and Kshitij) are brilliant. Suraj Jagan (Chax) is there in an important scene in the second half and gives a fine performance. Hansaa Singh (Savita Bhabhi) raises laughs. Nitesh Pandey (Jyotsna’s husband) is strictly okay. Neena Kulkarni and the actors playing Shobha, adult Kshitij and Mandar’s father do a good job.



Songs don’t make much of an impact. The best songs are Hunterrr 303 and Chori Chori. Hitesh Sonik’s background score is effective. John Jacob Payampalli’s cinematography is quite nice. The locales of Mumbai and Pune are nicely shot. Sandeep Shelar’s sets are very real and it gives a nice touch to the film. Harshavardhan Kulkarni and Vijay Maurya’s dialogues are extremely funny and a big reason why the film works. Harshavardhan Kulkarni’s story is nice and same goes for his screenplay. His direction works because it goes in a flow despite too much of flashback and back-and-forth style of narrative. Also, at two places, he comes up with two different versions of a scene and it adds to the novelty and fun quotient. But the film never gets confusing at any point. However, at the same time, one wishes if the film is not too long (duration: 145 minutes). Also, few scenes fail to make the desired impact. These two are big minuses as the impact reduces to a great extent because of these reasons. But nevertheless, a great job by Harshavardhan and hope he continues with such great writing in future as well.

Some of the best scenes:
1. The airport scene
2. Mandar goes to watch an adult film
3. Mandar gets into Parul’s autorickshaw
4. Mandar gets Parul into his room
5. All scenes of Jyotsna
6. The intermission point
7. Tripti persuades Mandar to talk to a girl in the market
8. Mandar-Trupti in the supermarket (hilarious)
9. The last 20-25 minutes

On the whole, Hunterrr is a fun film that surely deserves a watch for its performances and especially for its superb writing. Nothing in the film is clichéd or sourced from any other film. Hence, it’s fresh, original and also boasts of an unpredictable, back-and-forth narrative that works well. Gulshan Devaiah, Radhika Apte and Saie Tamhankar deliver terrific performances. With no other significant Bollywood film for the next 12-13 days, it surely won’t be a bad idea to catch this flick. Go for it and enjoy the adventures of Mandar ‘Vaasu’ Ponkshe!

My rating - *** ½ out of 5!

WILL HUNTERRR MAKE A MARK?

Phantom Films have achieved a lot of respect ever since it was launched in 2011. All films of Phantom till date - Lootera, Hasee Toh Phasee, Queen, Katiyabaaz, Ugly - and the last week's release NH10 have been appreciated big time. Hence, there are expectations from Hunterrr that releases tomorrow. Moreover, it's not seen as a sleazy sex comedy made just to titillate front benchers. Audiences are hoping that it'll have a lot to say and at the same time be entertaining as well. The film stars Gulshan Devaiah in the lead role and chronicles his life from being a child to a 30+ guy and the women that come in his life, namely Sai Tamhankar, Radhika Apte, Veera Saxena and supposedly some more. The promos indicate that the film is in a ‘naughty’ zone. Songs are quirky but haven’t been chartbusters. But these tracks can pick up after release. One track is incidentally is by Bappi Lahiri while one song is crooned by Altaf Raja.

As is the case with the other recent films, Hunterrr has the advantage of absence of strong competition. The films that are releasing tomorrow with Hunterrr are no way a threat. NH10 might affect the film’s prospects but again, it released last week and hence it might slow down in Week 2. Also, next Friday there’s no significant release at all and hence, it can have a free run till the release of Detective Byomkesh Bakshy-Furious 7 on April 3. However, for that, the film has to carry positive reports. Despite being in the zone of the ‘sex comedy’ genre, it might not work in the massy areas as the film is seen more as an ‘arthouse’ cinema. Therefore, opening will be poor or average at best. The collections can improve over the weekend hopefully. The cost of the film is reasonable but it’s getting a wide release. It’s only positive word of mouth that can help the film achieve commercial success.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HUNTERRR AND WHY? DO LET ME KNOW!

BOMBAY TIMES (March 17, 2015)

Radhika Apte is back in B-town with Badlapur and has replaced Richa Chadda in a Brit film
Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 9, 2015)

Gaurav Dubey (MID-DAY; February 14, 2015)

If the industry grapevine is to be believed, Sohail Khan, who’s gearing up for his next project, seems to be feeling generous of late. The actorturned- director has apparently gifted Hunterrr — a film title he had earlier registered — to Anurag Kashyap- led Phantom Films as a goodwill gesture.

A source says, “ Kashyap’s song ‘I am a hunter’ from Gangs Of Wasseypur was a leading chartbuster. So while the production house was brainstorming on names for their upcoming film, they borrowed the title from that song. They all unanimously loved the title and zeroed in on Hunterrr.”

However, it later turned out that Sohail had the rights to the title. Interestingly, not so long ago, Sohail’s brother Arbaaz and Kashyap’s brother Abhinav had had a fallout of sorts. The alleged cold war ensued when Abhinav apparently refused to direct the sequel to Arbaaz’s Dabangg.

Filmmaker Vikas Bahl, who is part of Phantom Films, confirms the news, stating, “Sohail is one of the most generous people I have met. He is also one of my dearest friends. So even before I completed my sentence, requesting for the title, he happily gave it to us.”

Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 30, 2015)

Almost four decades after his 1979 Surakshaa charttopper, Gunmaster G-9, Bappi Lahiri is now hoping to score another hit with Hunterrr 303. It's a song he's just recorded for Harshvardhan Kulkarni's coming-of-age comedy, Hunterrr.

"The hero, a guy by the name of Mandar Ponkshe, who has just emerged from adolescence to realise that he's obsessed with girls. And in his mind, he is the biggest devotee of the God of Love. That's why when lyricist Vijay Maurya and music director Khamosh Shah and I were jamming together, we decided to dedicate it to Lord Kamdev who has a huge role to play in our culture but has few Bollywood songs dedicated to him," explains the director.

Adds producer Vikas Bahl, "The song covers everything Harshvardhan is trying to say through the character. It's like Lord Kamdev is singing the song himself. Bappida's voice has given it an exciting retro feel."

Bappi admits that everyone, from his wife Chitrani to son Bappa had a good laugh when they heard that he was singing a song whose lyrics go Man ko tu ne sataaya, tan ko tu ne lubhaaya,daaman pe daag lagaaya ho, Ponkshe Hunterrr 303,come on kil me, ya baby I am Lord Kamdev, Ponkshe Hunterrr 303, please kill me, don't be naughty baby. "In my 42 year-long career, I have always changed with the times. And today, every picture is a Dirty Picture. I would have thought twice if I had been the composer but since I'm just the playback singer, what's the harm in doing something naughty and different. In the '80s I'd sung a song in Masterji, Aankhen to kholo swami, in which the heroine, Sridevi, played Menaka. I'm sure youngsters will love this song too," he asserts.

Khamosh points out that since the film goes back in time to the '80s and '90s, they wanted a song with a retro groove. And he immediately thought of Bappi. "His response on hearing the song was, 'Yeh to mera gaana hai!'" the composer smiles.

Harshvardhan informs that they recorded the song at the singer's home studio. "Usually recording happens in record time but this one took over five hours with lots of chatting in between and the smell of cooking permeating the air," he reminisces with a smile.