Although he has earned his bread and butter being a writer in the industry, with the films like Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) and 2 States (2014), among others to his credit, over the last week, Hussain Dalal has been in the news for an acting gig. The writer landed the role of Munna in Toofaan after a bizarre phone call from director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. “He directed a film I had written — Mere Pyare Prime Minister [2018]. Every time we wrote something together, he would say, ‘Yeh role kar le.’ After he watched Judgementall Hai Kya [2019], he called to read out the opening scene of Toofaan and I knew I had to do it,” he says.

With his latest outing in front of the camera, Dalal has realised that he enjoys both writing and acting deeply. But does he prefer one over the other? “The more I write, the more I understand acting. I understand the challenges and frustrations of an actor, which improves my writing. I have 10 films a year, but for me, it has never been about picking what’s better. I just want to go to work every day.”

The writer has big projects in the pipeline, including Brahmastra, Ajay Devgn’s Rudra for Disney+ Hotstar, Suresh Triveni’s Jalsa, Dongri To Dubai, and Raj-DK’s next with Amazon Prime Video. Making time for acting in between his writing deadlines can’t be easy, but he says his passion for the art form drives him. “It’s easy to get lazy, but magic is created by the virtue of showing up everyday. I tread carefully with acting. I don’t need to pick up gigs to run my kitchen. It’s only now after Toofaan that I am considering acting as a viable career option.”

On the writing front, one of his most interesting projects is perhaps Applause Entertainment’s adaptation of Call My Agent, the French series that became a global rage. Set in the corridors of a Paris-based talent management company, the series gives a peek into the lives of stars and the PR machinery that keeps them shining. For Dalal, working on its adaptation has been a long party. “We have to tap that ‘chai se zyada kettle garam’ culture into a narrative. The star always walks alone; insecure actors bring an army of people. This industry doesn’t have an agent culture, so this was a tough show to adapt.”

Was he flooded with calls from stars, requesting not to bring the skeletons out of their closets? “The beauty of good writing is to attack culture and society, and not people. So, there are the satirical touches we’ve given, while retaining the format of the original.”

This adaptation is starkly different from Dongri To Dubai, inspired by Hussain Zaidi’s book of the same name. Dalal informs that the screenplay has been created by Zaidi and Rensil D’Silva. “Abbas [Dalal] and I joined in later to do dialogues and additional tweaking of the material. It’s a classic story of a boy who came from poverty and ruled the city; it’s in the same beat as Narcos, only rooted in Bombay of the ’60s.”

Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 22, 2020)

The famous scene in Sholay (1975) where an inebriated Veeru climbs up the water tank and threatens to commit suicide if he can’t be with his beloved Basanti is considered to be one of the funniest in cinema history. And that was recreated in Raja Babu (1994), and even Hum Aapke Hain Koun (1994) has a subtle reference to that scene.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg, as Bollywood films have time and again used the context of suicide as an irrelevant incident or merely for comic relief.

With the sad passing of actors Sushant Singh Rajput and Samir Sharma, the big question arises whether it’s time for Bollywood to be sensitive in such portrayals.

Writer Kanika Dhillon, who penned Judgementall Hai Kya (2019) which dealt with mental health issues, says, “Whenever we pick up such topics, a certain level of commitment and responsibility should be shouldered so that unknowingly we don’t harm the cause or spread any sort of misinformation. If the conversation around these disorders will be normalised and correct information is imparted, responsible filmmakers won’t reduce these conditions to gimmicky portrayals.”

Filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava says that she can’t really remember any Hindi film that dealt with mental health or suicide in a sensitive manner.

“I think this is reflective of Indian society that continues to stigmatise mental illness. It will take sensitive filmmakers and a sensitive audience for things to change. Right now, India as a society continues to be in denial and our cinema reflects that,” the Lipstick Under My Burkha (2016) director muses.

While art reflects society, actor Shweta Tripathi feels somewhere films also are very instrumental in shaping the though process of the society and so the onus lies on filmmakers to take the conversation forward in a non-regressive and casual way.

“It’s high time that through our films, we open conversations about mental health awareness, issues and illness. Support is very important from our films. When the narrative changes in films, the society will change as well,” she asserts.

While slamming Bollywood for using the tool of suicide just for effect, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri opines, “It has been happening for a while now. But an incident like this (Rajput’s death) is a rude wake up call to everyone to deal with matter of mental health and depression in a more sensitive manner for sure.”

Dhillon further feels that not just films, but it’s about time that through art, public discussions, awareness drives and any and every means at the disposal of our policy makers, “We as a society need to be encouraged to talk about our issues and disorders without being judged or shamed”.

Amyra Dastur plays a business-savvy Gujrati girl, an assistant to Boman Irani's character in Made In China
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 22, 2019)

Set to reunite with Rajkummar Rao for the second time after Judgementall Hai Kya, Made In China actor Amyra Dastur says it's easy to get overshadowed by the much-acclaimed actor if an artiste doesn't "bring on their A-Game". "Seeing a fine actor like Raj play two distinct roles across films was fun. I enjoy the pressure of being surrounded by actors like Boman Irani and Raj, because it makes me perform to the best of my ability."

Dastur plays a business-savvy Gujrati girl, an assistant to Irani's character, who Rao — a desperate businessman — approaches to make a sale of his magic soup. Given that like Irani, Dastur is also a Parsi, she admits her family members were thrilled to hear of their collaboration. "My family has always admired him. My community honours him. They were more excited about this film than they have been of my past offerings. His comic timing is truly worth watching."

Ready to launch her studio in January, Kangana Ranaut shares blueprint of her filmmaking dreams
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; October 16, 2019)

In 2017, Kangana Ranaut had expressed her wish to foray into production and had subsequently bought property in Pali Hill for her studio, Manikarnika Films. However, she appeared to have hit the pause button on the plan thereafter. Now, Ranaut — more experienced after her successful foray into direction with Manikarnika - The Queen Of Jhansi — has fast-tracked her production dreams. The new year will start with the actor-director throwing open the doors of her studio in Khar.

"My office will be ready by January. Simultaneously, we are readying our projects. There are so many good scripts that come my way and the [makers] want me to feature in them. But there is so much new talent that needs to be given a platform. It’s important that these powerful scripts don’t get lost and make it to the big screen," says Ranaut.

Her business acumen comes to the fore as she quickly does a round of number-crunching and explains why she will test the waters with small-budget films. "If Judgementall Hai Kya was made without me on a budget of Rs 10 crore, it would have been a blockbuster at Rs 40 crore. However, because it was made at nearly Rs 30 crore, it just about broke even. I want to [back] a few small films and see how that goes. Eventually, I may do something on a bigger level. We will also venture into digital entertainment."

It is not surprising that the actor, who made nepotism the buzzword in Bollywood, is working towards making the industry more inclusive. "I won't be acting in the films that I produce. There is a lot of talent around and I will hire actors who are perfect for the scripts. I will take new talent under my wing and guide them."

So, where does direction fit in the scheme of things? "We will announce my next directorial vehicle soon. I may begin working on it after Dhaakad," she signs off.

Prasoon Joshi on using his corporate experience to plug the holes in the CBFC
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 2, 2019)

On Saturday, Prasoon Joshi, the Chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification, unveiled the new logo and certificate design of censorship in Mumbai, and cleared the air on several contentious isssues, from the importance of the present certification and additional cuts for adult films to last-minute title changes. Excerpts:

Since you’ve taken over as chairperson, controversies around film certification have been few and far between. How have you managed to resolve the issues that plagued your predecessor?
I have worked in the corporate world and my idea of running an organisation is very professional. For me, it’s important to have the house in order. So, I had several training programmes with officers and committee members and together we corrected all the glitches and plugged the loopholes. I spent most of my time in correcting things which needed attention. I’m thankful to some of the industry leaders who helped and mentored me during crisis. The change came through dialogue.

Yes, Padmaavat was the last major controversy one recalls…
I believe makers make films with good intentions and that should come through. If there is an issue, we should not drag it but resolve it through dialogue. This was a new job for me because I’m an artiste too and had to learn to see things from the audience’s point of view. I’m happy with what we have achieved during these two years.

Many believe that the 1952 Cinematograph Act is outdated.
There is a lot of discussion happening for a solution.

What’s your take on the current certifications: ‘U’, ‘U/A’ and ‘A’?
The category of certificate is important as it informs the audience what they can expect from a film. Children are our future and we need to expose them to things gradually and not shock them. Sometimes, there is a disagreement on what makers consider adult content and grouse that the committees constituted of people from different walks of life don’t know much about cinema. But they are not supposed to know; their job is to express the point of view of the common person. For instance, a woman member saying that as a mother she feels strongly about a certain content. Maybe the maker has said something with a different intent, but it might be received differently. That’s where dialogue comes in.

But why should films which have already been certified as ‘A’ be subject to further cuts and beeps?
Some things and issues are not meant for public consumption. You won’t print an abusive word in the headline of your newspaper, will you? We follow the same code of conduct. Culture with respect to what to wear on certain occasions and how to present ourselves, has been created by us and now it’s our duty to protect it. Sure, we are evolving with time, but that should happen organically and collectively. One person can’t decide what is right because tehzeeb belongs to everyone.

Titles of films like Cheat India and Mental Hai Kya were changed to Why Cheat India? and Judgementall Hai Kya just prior to their release, while their trailers and other promotional material had been cleared and were in the public domain for weeks.
The two instances you mentioned were felt ideal by the committee. It’s a different thing when a title is used in the film, but the poster as a standalone gives a different message. When sensitive subjects crop up, we need to handle them with dialogue. In these cases, we mutually arrived at a decision.

And what’s happening with Prasoon the writer-lyricist?
My hands were full as I wanted to do justice to my new responsibility, so I couldn’t take up much work. I did Manikarnika last year. A couple of scripts are in the pipeline and you’ll hear of them soon.

BOMBAY TIMES (August 2, 2019)

Actress Dia Mirza, who has been married to filmmaker Sahil Sangha for the last five years, took to social media yesterday to announce their separation. In a post on Instagram, she wrote, “After 11 years of sharing our lives and being together, we have mutually decided to separate. We remain friends and will continue to be there for each other with love and respect. While our journeys may lead us down different paths, we are forever grateful for the bond that we share with each other.”

She further added, “We thank our family and our friends for all their love and understanding and members of the media for their continued support and request everyone to respect our need for privacy at this time. We will not be commenting any further on this matter.” The couple had tied the knot in 2014 after dating for many years.
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MUMBAI MIRROR (August 2, 2019)

On Thursday, a joint statement put out by actressfilmmaker Dia Mirza and her husband, Sahil Sangha, caught their friends and well-wishers off guard. “After 11 years of sharing our lives and being together, we have mutually decided to separate. We remain friends and will continue to be there for each other with love and respect. While our journeys may lead us down different paths, we are forever grateful for the bond that we share with each other,” the statement read. The former couple then went on to thank family and friends “for all their love and understanding” and members of the media “for their continued support” and ended with a request “to respect our need for privacy at this time”. After that they remained incommunicado with all calls and text messages going unanswered.

The couple had tied the knot in October 2014 at Sahil’s sprawling farmhouse in the affluent Chhattarpur area of Delhi, after dating for six years. The decision to part ways after a decade has taken even close friends by surprise as the two were considered one of the most compatible couples in filmi circles. In fact, in February, they’d even vacationed in Japan, dressing up in local finery, indulging in PDA during a studio tour and playing with snow in Hokkaido.

According to a source, things changed in the last one month, with the couple getting busy on different projects. While Sahil was occupied with one of their joint productions, Dia was away, shooting for a show, which gave way to reports of her “amazing chemistry” with co-actor Mohit Raina and Sahil’s growing friendship with film writer Kanika Dhillon whose repertoire includes Ra.One, Manmarziyaan and more recently, Judgementall Hai Kya, which she produced with Ekta Kapoor and which marked the Hindi directorial debut of her husband, Prakash Kovelamudi.

While neither Dia nor Sahil were interested in confirming or denying anything, incidentally, barely two hours after their announcement, Kanika and Prakash who had got hitched in 2014 as well, shared that their marriage has ended too. Addressing speculation that their latest collaboration put a strain on their relationship, they clarified, “Yes, we did split but not during Judgementall Hai Kya. It happened two years ago, much before the cameras rolled on the film.” They also insisted that they are still friends and the decision to go their separate ways was mutual.

Kangana Ranaut - controversy's favourite child - on tussles with the media, social media wars courted by sister, calling out wrongdoers and mixing nationalism in arguments
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; July 28, 2019)

Not one to suffer silently, Kangana Ranaut believes in facing things head-on. After an ugly public spat with a scribe, she sits down with mid-day to explain explain why a personal squabble became a public brawl. The actor, who just released Judgementall Hai Kya, talks about the controversies she courts, mixing personal issues with nationalism and trying to not succumb to public pressure.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

You have, in the past, brazenly called out your colleagues from the industry. Why did you feel the need to pick on a journalist?
People believe money is equivalent to power but I don't think so. If you can influence hundreds, that gives you power. Media is not interested in reporting real issues about environment, water harvesting or social issues. Media refuses to cover events when it is about planting trees or social work because according to them, 'Isme masala nahi hai. Yeh nahi bikta hai. [There is no meat in the news and it won't sell]'. That hurts.

You could have called the journalist and had a private discussion, like you've done in the past. How did this tussle escalate so much?
I am thick-skinned enough to take a joke on myself. I never felt bad when I was being trolled for my English or criticised for a bad performance. Recently, Shobhaa De wrote something about my film, I messaged and asked her when she was going to watch it. I don't voluntarily get into fights, that's not who I am. After the success of Manikarnika - The Queen Of Jhansi, we invited the media home for an interaction and the journalist in question [reporter from PTI] was also present. He created a scene because according to him I was late. I asked my manager if I was tardy and was informed that the journalist had just arrived. He refused to talk when I reached out to him. There has been a furore over this one event, which was designed to be candid. Journalists asked me questions like 'Tum mental ho kya? [Are you mental?]' and 'Ye mental wala role would come naturally to you. [Does the role in the film come naturally to you?]' When you remove one clip from an hour long discussion, it would seem like I am at fault. I told the journalist, 'Tum toh dushman ban gaye humare and so on'. I haven't crossed any line and my intention was never to shame him or make him a national villain. I am aware of the consequences my actions can have and hence, I am responsible. At the same time, I don't want him to pin me down on a stage.

You referred to his comments on social media. Isn't an individual entitled to his or her opinion?
It is not a criminal offence to have an opinion, to make fun or mock someone on social media, but then, do not expect respect. If I was a lousy actor, do you think anyone would have given heed to my issues?

It is often observed that you mix personal issues with nationalism.
I don't think so. It didn't bother me when he trolled me on a personal level, but when you mock a martyr [Rani Lakshmibai] it becomes a matter of national concern. Everyone has the right to criticise, but there is decorum to do it. You cannot make a joke about national heroes. How am I living up to my reputation, if despite being a public figure I don't call out people when they do something wrong? Actors have guidelines and are crucified for saying the wrong thing, then why are journalists exempt from it.

Saying 'no comments' is always an option, don't you think you could have avoided this controversy/person if you had not engaged in it?
I could have said, 'I won't answer your question', but that would involve explaining to everyone, 'why'. And when I tried to explain, he started an argument. You have to shake people, up who've lost perspective, especially when you've had a personal rapport with them. I won't feel the need to call out a person, who is incapable of their work. It only comes for a person who I feel has the potential. The media has always been supportive and I know they don't dislike me. However, you cannot deny that there are journalists working under the diktat of other celebrities and public relations agency to tarnish my image. I don't think I have done anything wrong by calling them out. In fact, I am standing up for things that could be a detriment to my career, but I will always do so when I know I am right. Personally, I wear my individuality with a lot of ease but I know several actors have a manufactured image.

There is a perception that you dictate your sister Rangoli Chandel on what to tweet. Is there any truth to it?
No, she does it on her own. She is into social media and keeps track of news and what other celebrities have said. She does consult me when she writes about my colleagues and the industry, and at times I censor them (laughs).

During every film release, the topic of discussion revolves more around the controversy rather than your work. Do you feel people no longer wish to talk about your work?
It is a deliberate strategy, which also happened during Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015). I had planned preview shows for my friends and colleagues in the industry but no one showed up. Isn't that insulting? Back then I had said, 'these young actors feel threatened to come and watch my film'. People said my performance was the best double role but no one from the industry appreciated it. We all know who won the Best Actress award that year [Deepika Padukone for Piku]. These things don't happen organically and that is precisely what I am fighting for. Is it uncommon for a filmmaker to leave a film mid-way for other commitments? Manikarnika is the third highest grossing women-centric film that has garnered over Rs 150 crore worldwide, but it was beautifully concealed by a section of the media.

After Effects Of The Media Fight
When asked if the tussle with media out her in an odd spot with producer Ekta Kapoor and co-star Rajkummar Rao, she said, she doesn't talk on their behalf. "I am sure it's a little unsettling for everyone as they don't know my history with the journalist. They have been co-operative and noticed that it was a deliberate attempt to create a stir."

Judgementall Hai Kya is laced with a great and unusual story. It is layered and raises some important points. It also has a Ramayana connect and the murder element gives the film a thrill element too. The script and execution falter and that affects the impact. The character of Bobby is so unusual that it takes a while to process and understand the kind of lifestyle and her funda for life. Once one gets in the flow, things get better. The intermission point is a shocker. Post-interval, again, plot-wise it has some brilliant twists but execution is weak. In fact, the film here gets totally bizarre. The climax however saves the day. Talking of performances, Kangana Ranaut is outstanding. This is her most accomplished work and also one of the best of the year. Viewers will be amazed to see how she managed to slip in this challenging actor with ease. Hats off! Rajkummar Rao also gets to shine. His character is also very well fleshed out and Rajkummar takes it to another level with his performance. Hussain Dalal is an actor to watch out for. Amyra Dastur and Amrita Puri are cute and play their parts well. Jimmy Sheirgill is likeable. Satish Kaushik and Brijendra Kala fit the respective parts. Kanika Dhillon, also the film’s writer, has a special appearance and she a terrific screen presence. All in all, Judgementall Hai Kya is worth watching for the performances and for trying to give a hatke experience to the viewers!

My rating - *** out of 5!

TWO QUIRKY COMIC CAPERS TO TRY THEIR LUCK THIS FRIDAY!

Conventional comedy is an established genre and there have been countless number of such films that have become commercial successes. But with changing times, filmmakers are feeling the need to give audience something different. This week will see the release of two films and coincidentally both are quite hatke comedies. Yet, both the films are different as chalk and cheese. My analysis:

JUDGEMENTALL HAI KYA: It stars Kangana Ranaut and Rajkummar Rao in leading roles and directed by Telugu filmmaker Prakash Kovelamudi. He is married to Kanika Dhillon, the popular writer of Kedarnath and Manmarziyaan and she has written this film’s script too. The trailer of this film is impressive and the way the characters are written is unique. There’s also a murder mystery element and that adds to the intrigue value. Both the leading actors seem in great form. Songs haven’t work with the promotional song ‘Wakhra Swag’ managing to get some attention.

The film however seems too unconventional. Also, buzz is quite low. The promotions couldn’t happen properly after a huge section of media boycotted Kangana Ranaut over her objectionable comments to a journalist at an event. The opening should be in the range of Rs. 3-4 crore and can go upto Rs. 5 crore if response is positive, which will draw people to cinemas in the evening. This will also help collections to grow over the weekend and then sustain in the weekdays. If response is not positive however, then the film will have a very tough time.

ARJUN PATIALA: This is a spoof comedy, on the lines of Deadpool, and stars Diljit Dosanjh, Kriti Sanon and Varun Sharma. It is directed by Rohit Jugraj, a famous name in Punjabi cinema, and produced by Dinesh Vijan who has now become a force to reckon with, especially after the success of Stree and Luka Chuppi. The trailer leaves one with mixed reactions. It seems funny and unusual but the execution has to be correct and shouldn’t go overboard. Or else it’ll fall like a pack of cards. Songs have got noticed a bit but it won’t be sufficient to draw audiences in hordes. The opening can be around Rs. 2-3 crore, with chances of better occupancy being more in the North due to Diljit’s presence. It’ll be tough for the film to succeed if the response is bad or even mixed.

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

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; July 24, 2019)

Ahead of the release of his upcoming films — JudgeMentall Hai Kya and Jabariya Jodi — Shaailesh R Singh talks about movies and what drives him to select projects as an independent producer. Having backed various commercial and critically acclaimed films in the past, his future projects include Hurdang and a biopic on late political leader Jayalalithaa. Excerpts from a conversation...

Your film, JudgeMentall Hai Kya, has courted quite a few controversies. To begin with, there was a row over the original title (Mental Hai Kya), and it was followed by Kangana Ranaut’s clash with a certain section of the media. Are you happy that the film is garnering a lot of attention?
There are mixed emotions. As far as the title is concerned, the intention was never to exploit mental illness. We have taken a sympathetic approach, as the protagonist is shown dealing with a mental disorder. However, since we didn’t want to create any controversy, we agreed to change the title. The new title is in our favour, as people were actually judgemental about the original one (smiles!). As far as the other controversy is concerned, I don’t think that the belief that, ‘any publicity is good publicity’, works today. Controversies don’t bring audience to the theatres. Also, the issue was between two people and it should have stayed that way. The film didn’t have to be dragged into it, as it’s a collective effort of over 200 people. Kangana needs to put her point across to people, which she is doing now.

What drew you to JudgeMentall Hai Kya?
How do you define normal? For some people, a normal person is supposed to be someone who is good, has no vices, says the right things, etc. But that person will still end up offending someone or the other. Does that make him/her abnormal? The film offers an interesting perspective on this. It is not just a quirky psychological thriller. The best part about it is the central characters. The fact that stellar performers like Kangana Ranaut and Rajkummar Rao have come together for it, shows that the film has some meat.

Would you agree that over the past few years, content has become the king in Bollywood? Films no longer rely solely on star power…
Today, the audience has access to good content. They don’t want to see a substandard product. There was a time when, if a film didn’t have superstars, people would say, ‘Yeh picture theatre mein kaun dekhega?’ But that has changed now. People will watch a good film in the theatres no matter who’s in it. Of course, stars are an added advantage as they will give you a great opening, but eventually, they can’t save a bad film.

As an independent producer, what do you look for in a film before you back it?
I have produced around 16 films, out of which 10 have been helmed by new directors. As an independent producer, what draws me to a film is just the story, nothing else. Content should have substance, whether it is a commercial or an independent film. The characters need to be relatable. There are films that you want to watch and there are films that you want to make. Sidharth Malhotra and Parineeti Chopra liked the story of Jabariya Jodi, which is why they said ‘yes’ to it even though it’s being made by a new director (Prashant Singh).

But Kirti Kulhari isn’t amused when called Kriti; Taapsee Pannu, Vidya Balan laugh off jokes
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 19, 2019)

Akshay Kumar who unveiled his Mission Mangal on Thursday, took centrestage as the self-appointed emcee, quipping tongue-in-cheek that it was to not ‘offend’ anyone. It was an obvious reference to Kangana Ranaut and her war of words with a journalist during a recent media interaction for her upcoming film, Judgementall Hai Kya. He addressed the controversy directly, likening the relationship between an actor and the media as that between a husband and wife. “We need you and you need us,” he pointed out, hoping the situation will be resolved soon.

Bowing to his ‘army’ of leading ladies—Vidya Balan, Taapsee Pannu, Sonakshi Sinha, Kirti Kulhari and Nithya Menen—Mr Khiladi joked that working with the five actresses hadn’t been easy because they treated him like a menu card, ordering different meals from his residence daily during the shoot. The banter continued with him ribbing Taapsee as a promoter of a jewellery brand in her desi bejewelled avatar.

When a reporter asked Vidya if she saw a National Award coming her way with this film, he butted in to say, “When Vidya was born, the nurse said ‘Congratulations, aapke yahaan National Award hua hai’.” There was an awkward moment with Kirti when he accidentally referred to her as ‘Kriti’, not once but twice. The actress responded by saying that she understands that he has worked with two ‘Kritis’ recently, but she wasn’t one of them. When Nithya tried to play mediator, Kirti pointed out that the other actors in the film didn’t mix up her name. Meanwhile, when asked if there had been any catfights, Vidya put rumours of tension on set to rest by saying, “We all are extremely secure.” Akshay, when asked about the film’s box office clash with Batla House, echoed John Abraham’s response, “Make some noise for the Desi Boys.”

Mr Khiladi then went on to inform that the budget of ISRO’s Mars Orbiter Mission had been Rs 450 crore, lesser than that of his film 2.0 which had Rs 500 crore invested in it. On the subject of money, when quizzed on his contribution to the Assam Flood Relief Fund, the actor said he doesn’t believe in expressing sadness on Twitter and hinted that even on the 20th anniversary of the Kargil War, he would show his support for the army by “doing something”.

The curtains came down with him saying if possible, he would like to go on Mars for a family vacation, also the moon and eventually even the sun.

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; July 18, 2019)

Always glad to team up with Rajkummar Rao, stylist Sheetal Sharma says their fourth collaboration, Judgementall Hai Kya, is special as the plot allowed them to play with distinct looks. The stylist explains that director Prakash Kovelamudi's brief for the first half was to make Rao's character Keshav appear "raunchy". "So, we gave him tight t-shirts and vests, which we sourced from local shops, including Big Bazaar. We also wanted him to sport earrings. While we had clip-ons ready on the set, Rajkummar chose to get his ears pierced. We were at Mehboob Studios when he excused himself from the shoot; half an hour later, he came back with piercings. He is always open to experimenting."

To depict the dichotomy in Rao's character, Sharma gave him a suave look in the second half. "His character is based in London then. So, the climate allowed us to give him layered clothes, including trench coats and mufflers. His character also switches from lenses to glasses.

Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; July 17, 2019)

At a time when the world thought Rajkummar Rao is only an offbeat filmmaker’s delight, he surprised everyone with entertainers like Bareilly Ki Barfi and Stree. While his credibility as an actor is at an all-time high, with every role, he believes in taking himself to zones he hasn’t explored before. Up next is Judgementall Hai Kya, directed by South director Prakash Kovelamudi, and this promises to be one helluva crazy outing. Rajkummar talks about his movie choices — some intense, some quirky — his flaws, strengths and all that makes him the fine actor that he is. Excerpts:

The last few years have seen a sharp upward rise in your career, what would you attribute that to? Is it your choice of films or the movie space that we are in today, which is rapidly evolving?
I think it’s a bit of all of that and to add to it, a lot of blessings from mom and God. There is also a shift that’s happened in the industry with the kind of films that are being appreciated. I would say, the credit largely goes to the current digital wave, as people are watching quality content, whether it is shows or movies. The audience is getting a taste of good content, and they expect a certain quality of content from us, too. As an actor, I am so happy to see this shift happening and I’m glad that I am a part of it.

Yes, today the audience is selective. They lap up something that they like, and at the same time, they are blatant about the kind of stuff they don’t want to see...
That was always the case. It is not that in the past, any and every film worked. I would say that we were making good content even earlier, but now, people are more aware of what is out there because of social media. I think word-of-mouth goes a long way in helping smaller films reach out to the audience. A film like Newton saw that kind of success because of good word-of-mouth. But there is a flip side to it, as it can affect a film negatively, too. If the audience does not like a particular film, they start talking about it on social media and that influences people. What matters is the trailer, which draws attention and eventually, your movie. The first-day opening might be decent, but no amount of marketing will help your film, if the content is not good enough.

Today, the audience associates with your brand of cinema. By that, we mean cinema that has a certain sensibility that they identify you with. Could we say that there is a Rajkummar Rao brand of cinema?
I don’t know if I have a certain set of audience. Honestly, this (acting) is all I can do, and I really don’t know if I can do anything else. I don’t connect the dots or plan my career to build a certain kind of brand value. I don’t ponder over words like brand value or stardom. I love what I do and that is what ultimately matters.

But well, there has been a change in people’s (audience and industry) perception of you. The way the industry perceives and accepts an actor who is bankable is different, right?
Yes, I see more people coming up to me for selfies now (laughs!). Yes, I am a part of bigger films now and that aspect has definitely changed professionally for me. But deep down, I am still the same guy with the same passion for cinema that I had started out with. I still do what I was doing on day one of my career. I don’t think that I should stop doing certain things I like because I am an actor or a celebrity. If I need to get off my car and hop into an auto rickshaw to reach somewhere, I do that. I am the same Raj, and I am who I am. The difference is that today, I have a good car, a good house and I wear fine clothes. But all this is on the periphery, it is all superficial. What matters is who you are as a person and the work that you do. What I am really greedy for is good roles, great stories and unforgettable films. I liked the way the story of Judgementall Hai Kya was written (by Kanika Dhillon), it has the right amount of humour, thrill and whodunnit feel and that’s what attracted me to it. It was something that I had not done before, so I wanted to explore it.

The interesting thing about the characters in Judgementall Hai Kya is that they are flawed, crazy and imperfect. Do you believe that we all have grey shades and we live with it?
We all are grey and flawed. We rarely meet people who are not. My character in the film is grey and flawed, too. I like such characters with shades. This one in particular, the way it was written was lovely. Both the leading characters (Bobby and Keshav) are edgy, and they try to blame each other throughout the story. No one knows what the other is thinking.

Does the dark side of human nature scare you?
Like I said, we all have grey shades, I do, too. But my grey side does not scare me, as long as it is controlled and not affecting someone. My grey hasn’t really come out too much in my life (laughs!). My outlook towards life is positive. There are times when you are playing a character like in Omerta, where you have to take out all the darkness inside you. But then, on the other side, there are Newtons, too.

As actors, you are constantly judged for what you do and what you don’t. Do you fear being judged?
In the beginning, when I was looking for work in the city, I was judged a lot. I was judged on the basis of my physical appearance and people thought that I was not meant to be a leading man in the movies. They would say that they wanted me to do a small character role in the film. I didn’t take it to heart, as I knew there would be people out there, who would not judge me and would believe that I could be a leading man. Ekta Kapoor and Dibakar believed in me and gave me Love Sex Aur Dhokha and Ragini MMS followed. About actors being judged constantly, now, with the digital space booming, anyone can write anything from their social media handles. I take all the criticism in a positive way. As an actor, you know whether you are being honest in a performance and when I see myself on screen, I know what I could have done better.

Has criticism about your movie and performance ever made you angry?
Criticism doesn’t make me angry. If someone didn’t like me in a particular film, that’s their point of view. You can learn from it, if you want to. If I know someone is writing for the heck of it, then I read it and forget about it. There are some reviews that I seriously follow and learn from. You can’t take criticism personally, you have to look at it constructively.

The last few years have been packed with work for you. Would you like to do fewer films and get some breathing space?
After every two films, I feel like taking a break, then some script comes my way and I can’t refuse it. I want to work around it and that’s what has been happening for the last three years. I am sure my bigger plan is to do lesser work and get more involved in every character that I play. I would love to give more time to the process in every film. Of course, my character in Bareilly Ki Barfi would not require that kind of prep that an Omerta, Newton or Shahid would, yet, each character has its own process. I didn’t realise how much I enjoyed comedy until Bareilly… happened. Till then, people thought of me as a very serious guy who did only intense roles.

Your film Stree (2018),which was in the horror comedy space, stood out. The kind of reactions it received, I think it took you all by surprise. Does the success of that film push you to venture into territories of cinema that are not being explored as much in our industry?
We were surprised, no one expected the film to do that well. We made it with a lot of love, and we were glad that it pushed boundaries and resonated with the audience. I love trying new things, and going into spaces where I have not been before. The last few films of mine have been with debut directors (Shelly Chopra Dhar for Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga; Amar Kaushik for Stree; Hardik Mehta for Roohi Afza; Atul Manjrekar for Fanney Khan and Namrata Singh Gujral for 5 Weddings). For me, if I like the story and the energy that the director brings, I am on with it. If there is a certain synergy that I have with the director, it doesn’t matter if he is a first-time director or someone who is well-known for his work. I am currently working on Roohi-Afza, and this story was written before Stree had released. I found Dino (filmmaker Dinesh Vijan) and Amar on this journey, and now they are like brothers for life. Dino thinks of work 24/7 and that is the kind of person I am, too. I think about cinema 24/7 and it is not just about my films or my work. I think about other actors’ performances, any good film or show that I have seen. I am always in that zone.

The drama that has been going on since a week thanks to Kangana Ranaut has now taken some interesting turns. In the last two days, some significant developments took place that exposes the insecurity of Kangana Ranaut and how the media is slowly inching on its way to victory.

It all started last Sunday on July 7 at the launch of the ‘Wakhra Swag’ song held as part of promotions of Kangana Ranaut’s upcoming film Judgementall Hai Kya. At this event, a journalist named Justin Rao was slammed heavily by the actress as soon as he introduced himself and before he could ask his question. Kangana alleged that he is running a ‘smear campaign’ against her due to which ‘her brand is getting harmed’. She even accused him of having ‘gandi soch’. Next day, her sister-cum-manager Rangoli Chandel exposed Justin Rao’s screenshots to prove that he has an agenda towards her and that Kangana was justified with her actions. Many raised the point that both Kangana and Rangoli have also been running similar ‘smear campaigns’ on celebrities like Alia Bhatt without provocation. But this valid point fell on deaf ears.

On July 9, the Entertainment Journalists Guild Of India was formed and it took a decision to boycott Kangana Ranaut until she apologizes for her behaviour. Two days later, on July 11, Kangana shocked one and all as she put out a video over this brouhaha. Instead of regretting her actions, she condemned the media for targeting her unfairly. She called the protesting mediapersons ‘termites’ and even called this section ‘dogli, bikaau media’ who attend film events only to consume ‘free food’. She further called them ‘nalayak and deshdrohi’. In the end, she folded her hands and requested media to ban her and that they are doing a big favour on her with the boycott.

If Kangana Ranaut’s idea was to intimidate the journalists with her strong stand, sadly it didn’t work. The opposite happened as the public support for the journalists increased. One of the biggest news agencies of India, the Press Trust of India (PTI), made it clear that they too stand with Entertainment Journalists Guild Of India and have boycotted her. Justin Rao is an employee of PTI. Later, many more journalist associations joined Entertainment Journalists Guild Of India and boycotted Kangana like Mumbai Press Club, TV Journalists Association, Uttar Pradesh Working Journalist Union and Mumbai Marathi Patrakaar Sangh.

On Friday July 12, the team of Judgementall Hai Kya had held an event wherein Kangana was to be present. As per the event, Kangana was to bar hop in different pubs as part of ‘Wakhra Swag’ promotions. Upon seeing how the movement against her was getting stronger day by day and that mediapersons are adamant on their stand, the event was cancelled. The official reason however given was that Kangana is ill and hence the cancellation.

On Saturday July 13, 48 hours after Kangana demeaned the journalists and said that she doesn’t care a damn that they ban her, she sent a legal notice to Entertainment Journalists Guild Of India, demanding that the ban on her be lifted! The notice says that the ban on her should be lifted within 24 hours (by today) or else she’ll file a complaint. Rangoli Chandel has put up the entire legal notice on her Twitter handle.

Needless to say, this latest step by Kangana Ranaut has amused one and all. It is clear that she is desperate that the media stops boycotting her. Unfortunately, she was in the wrong from the day she insulted Justin Rao and then with her video statement and legal notice, things have only gone downhill for her. One thing is for sure is that the media is not going to bow down and an amicable, peaceful solution is the only way forward.

WILL SUPER 30 PROVE TO BE A SUCCESS DESPITE THE LOW-KEY PROMOTIONS?

An actor who is immensely popular but does very less films is Hrithik Roshan. He is a bona fide star and his films taken respectable openings. One might argue that the opening day collections of Mohenjo Daro and Kaabil were below expectations. But the former opened at Rs. 8.80 crore despite not-so-exciting promos-and-songs and competition from Rustom. And the latter too faced competition from Raees, which was more commercial than the thriller. Yet, Kaabil had an opening of Rs. 8.02 crore. His previous films like Bang Bang, Krrish 3 and Agneepath meanwhile took a great opening.

A superstar of his stature should do more films but that doesn’t happen sadly. Hrithik’s last film Kaabil released in January 2017 and now his next film, Super 30, releases tomorrow, almost two-and-a-half-years after the Sanjay Gupta-directed thriller. The challenges faced by the film are many. Yet, the excitement has been generated, mainly due to Hrithik Roshan’s presence.

Super 30 is inspired from the life of Anand Kumar, a mathematician from Bihar, who became famous after giving free coaching for students aspiring to get admission in IIT. The trailer indicates that the plot of the film is quite impactful and can make for a great watch. The story would also resonate with a lot of people, especially the underprivileged, since they face the maximum challenges while trying to get guidance for the entrance exams at reasonable prices. The romantic song ‘Jugrafiya’, sung by Udit Narayan, has been loved and is the current chartbuster. The film has been shot in real locations and that has added authenticity.

Now coming to the roadblocks faced by the film…and they are aplenty. The promotion of the film has been very low-key and it is intentional. A month ago, Hrithik’s sister Sunaina revealed that she is in love with a Delhi-based journalist, Ruhail Amin, and that her family is against this relationship. Kangana Ranaut, who has been Hrithik’s sworn enemies since a few years, along with her sister Rangoli Chandel has sided with Sunaina. Sunaina too has made it clear that she appreciates the support by the Ranaut sisters. To avoid talking about this embarrassing situation, no formal event like first look launch, trailer launch etc was held. Hrithik has given extremely selected interviews too. That’s not all. Super 30’s director Vikas Bahl was one of the major targets of the #MeToo movement last year. Following the allegations, he was asked to step down from the film. But a committee cleared him of all charges. Many feel the manner in which he was acquitted was highly questionable. Also, Anand Kumar himself had to face allegations that he’s actually charging a heavy amount to tutor students.

Super 30 was to release on July 26 initially. But Kangana Ranaut-starrer Judgementall Hai Kya was also shifted to this date from its original date of June 28, in the first week of May. A few days after this postponement, Rangoli Chandel went berserk on Twitter, alleging that Hrithik is compelling journalists to twist against Judgementall Hai Kya. Hrithik realized that such controversies would increase once the release date is closer. Hence, he decided to avoid the clash and preponed his film by two weeks. Super 30 is now a solo release. India is also out of the World Cup finals and that is like a godsend. But the challenges remain. Hrithik Roshan’s Bihari accent and the tone of the film have raised doubts due to which viewers have decided to adopt a wait-and-watch policy.

So, even the first-day collections are not going to be great. It should be in the range of Kaabil and Mohenjo Daro – around Rs. 8-9 crore – but it can go upto Rs. 10 crore if crowd comes out in big numbers in the evening. If the response is positive, Super 30 will be able to cover up on the lost ground on Sunday with its weekday collections. However, if the film gets thumbs down, then it can have an embarrassing lifetime total.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE SUPER 30 AND WHY? DO LET ME KNOW!

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 6, 2019)

Joining the recent list of recreations after the Mohra chartbuster “Tip Tip Barsa Pani” for Sooryavanshi, “Sheher Ki Ladki” moving from Rakshak to Khandaani Shafakhana and the popular Bhojpuri number “Kashi Hile Patna Hile” being revived for Jabariya Jodi, Mirror has learnt that Kangana Ranaut and Rajkummar Rao shot over two days for a promotional track for Prakash Kovelamudi’s upcoming Judgementall Hai Kya. Choreographed by Bosco Martis, it’s a take-off on Badshah’s “Wakhra Swag”. Recreated by Tanishk Bagchi, it is sung by Navv Inder (who had sung the original as well), Lisa Mishra, Raja Kumari.

“I’m not used to being a part of a promotional video, I don’t like to do them, but because Ekta Kapoor (producer) has a certain vision for the marketing, I was up for it. This is not just a disco number but has a theme to it wherein both, Rajkummar (Rao) and I take on each other. There was a story here and it was relevant to the narrative,” Kangana points out without mincing words, pointing out that Bosco and she have a great track record with songs like “Hungama”, “London Thumakda” and “Main Rahoon Ya Na Rahoon... Bharat Yeh Rehna Chahiye”.

Raj adds that he is a big fan of this “really cool” song and when he learnt that Bosco is the choreographer, he was sure of diving in. “Kangana and I together in a song is something nobody has seen before and I have to say designer Sheetal Sharma has done a fab job with styling,” he exults.

Echoing his appreciation for Sheetal, Kangana says, “My character, Bobby, is a fun person and very stylish. Sheetal had that in mind. The team also wanted me to project my personality, which is a lot more fierce, urban and stylish. They amalgamated the two and we got this look for the song,” she maintains.

As Judgementall Hai Kya trailer wins praise, Rajkummar on why he bet big on the thriller
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; July 4, 2019)

Over the past few weeks, the film may have hit headlines for its allegedly controversial title, but the fortunes have quickly turned in favour of the Rajkummar Rao and Kangana Ranaut starrer Judgementall Hai Kya. Only a day since the leads unveiled the trailer in a simultaneous two-city launch, the Prakash Kovelamudi-directed thriller has quickly become one of the most talked-about films of the year. “I’m flattered with the kind of response I have been receiving. When I said yes to the film, I knew that I was [signing up] for something unusual. [The treatment that has been employed in the movie] has never been done before. That’s where the challenge lay. Also, this is the first time I’m doing a thriller,” says Rao, happy to add another genre to his eclectic filmography.

Given the quirky universe created by writer Kanika Dhillon, he reveals that it wasn’t easy to slip into the part of Keshav, a seemingly-straitlaced guy with a mysterious past. “My character is edgy and layered. So I had to prepare accordingly, I had to understand the nuances and adopt a particular body language.”

Rao is particularly glad that the film marks his reunion with Ranaut after Queen (2014). Stating that her spontaneity as an artiste kept him on his toes, he adds, “We still share the same passion [for cinema]. I was excited to work with Kangana because when you work with like-minded actors, your performance becomes better. Many a times, I would improvise, and she was always supportive about it. We would often discuss and rehearse before giving a shot, and it would [improve] the final outcome.”