It has been a long wait for filmmaker K C Bokadia, who returns to the big screen with a Bollywood film, seven years after presenting Dirty Politics. As the Punjabi film, Bhoot Uncle Tusi Great Ho, featuring Raj Babbar, Jaya Prada, Ihana Dhillon, and Ghuggi Gurpreet, among others, releases in north India today, Bokadia, shares that he plans to remake the film in Hindi, with Babbar again.

“Babbar saab will play the role of Bhoot Uncle again in the remake, but the rest of the actors will belong to the Hindi film industry,” reveals Bokadia, adding that he has made over six movies with Babbar and Prada. “Both of them haven’t charged a rupee for this movie because they are excited about the subject, and have supported [me]. The Punjabi film marks Jaya Prada ji’s debut in the language, and also features Punjab’s top actors, and technicians from the south. I plan to complete the remake in a month,” says the filmmaker, often referred to as the “fastest producer to make 50 films.”

The film chronicles the story of a man who wants to build a hospital, but dies before his dream can be fulfilled. “His brothers want to sell off his property, but his two children, and Bhoot Uncle, will not let that happen.”

Bokadia’s next production — Gajendra Ahire’s directorial venture — features Anupam Kher, Ranvir Shorey, and Mahima Chaudhary, and is titled The Signature.

Bokadia with Raj Babbar

The sudden death of veteran musician Bappi Lahiri has left his peers in shock. One among them is filmmaker K C Bokadia, who worked with the late legend on several projects. “Bappi ji and I worked together in more than 20 films. Our association was really long, and it wasn’t just limited to work. We shared a strong personal bond, too. We were like family,” says Bokadia. 

He adds, “As far as our work associations go, we worked on films such as Aaj Ka Arjun (1990), which featured the super hit song, Gori Hain Kalaiyaan. Then there were projects like Phool Bane Angarey (1991), Police Aur Mujrim, Tyagi (both 1992), etc. Working with him was always a pleasure. His work ethic was phenomenal.”

What makes the Lal Baadshah (1999) director content is that, after an association for over three decades, Lahiri was part of his most recent project, too. “The biggest thing is that almost three months ago, he finished working on the music for my film, Two Brothers Teri Meherbaniyan 2. Apart from composing the music, he’s also sung a few songs in the film along with Sonu Nigam (singer),” says the filmmaker, who feels Lahiri’s death has been a shock for him: “It’s a personal loss.”

Mallika Sherawat is controversy's favourite child. But a decade after Khwahish and its 17 kisses, it looked like the actress had exhausted her store of shocking antics.

However, recently the actress pulled a surprise during the promo launch of her next film, Dirty Politics. Replete with sexual innuendos, Mallika mouthing cuss words and a still of the actress sitting draped in nothing but the tricolour on a beaconed car, the trailer has plenty to raise eyebrows.

The actress plays Anokhi Devi, an item girl turned politician whose dialogue includes lines like, “Anokhi apna ghaaghra jhatkegi toh tere jaisa chalees ch***e niklenge.“ She also gyrates to a risqué track, Mere ghaaghre ke liye ghamasaan machi hai.

Now for the bigger surprise: The film has been passed with an 'A' certificate but without any cuts.

An official from the Censor Board, requesting anonymity, told Mirror, “There was a lot of uproar after the screening as the members couldn't agree on what to cut and what to retain. Finally, the film was sent to the revising committee and they decided to give it a go ahead without any cuts.“

The film's leading lady maintains that the film is rooted in real events and so needed to express the same. “The setting of the film demands that we portray exactly how men or women talk in small rural centres. My director (K C Bokadia) wanted to establish that milieu. Anokhi comes from a poor family, dances to make ends meet and then joins politics. The people she deals with require her to be free with her language. I am doing what the film requires of me and am comfortable with that,“ said Mallika.

And it is not just Mallika who is turning the air blue. Internationally renowned actor Om Puri, who plays a politician being blackmailed by Mallika after a one-night stand, states, “Ek baar so kya liya, jaan par ban aayi bh****'.“

The film boasts other notable names like Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher and Jackie Shroff.

Mallika Sherawat seems to have done it again - stepped right into a controversy, that is. And this time, she is all set to raise the political tempera ture with the first-look poster of her upcoming flick, Dirty Politics. The poster shows Mallika sitting on top of an Ambassador with a beacon, outside the State Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan, hold ing a CD in her hand, and draped only in the tricolour.

Filmmaker K C Bokadia says, “Workers of a political party from Rajasthan are putting pressure on me to change the tricolour into some other scrap of fabric."
The poster is provocative, admits Bokadia, and since the film is said to be based on the Bhanwari Devi sex scandal, a political party got to know about it. And though tricolour dresses have always led to controversy for the wearer in the past, this time, Bokadia says it is not essentially an Indian flag since there is no Ashoka Chakra in the centre. “It has nothing to do with the tricolour, nor is it any political party's symbol. It is just a piece of cloth in three different colours. I am just a filmmaker using my creativity to put forth my point of view. As far as guidelines are concerned, the poster will be censored according to the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association's guidelines"