As told to Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 1, 2020)

I went to audition for Fugly after someone I knew told me that the director (Kabir Sadanand) was looking for actors. Most of the auditions I had gone for before, would take months for a call back. But here, I got a call from producer Ashvini Yardi on the very next day. She was really impressed with my audition and called me to meet her and Akshay (Kumar) sir, who was co-producing the film. I went with my parents to their office, and the next thing I knew, I had signed the film. It all happened surprisingly fast, and it took me some time to comprehend. But I guess it was in my destiny.

After that, we had a month of workshops. Our acting coach came from Delhi to train all four of us (including Mohit Marwah, Vijender Singh and Arfi Lamba), making us work on our skills and helping us bond.

I had wanted to become an actor ever since I was a child. So, naturally, I was excited that it was all finally happening. However, when I reached the set on my first day after getting my hair and makeup done at Leh, I got cold feet. I wasn’t sure if I’ll be able to do it and started wondering if I was good enough for the job. It was like having butterflies in my stomach and anxiety kicking in together.

We started the shoot with the song “Banjarey”. I remember being on a hilltop and sitting atop a car’s bonnet. I had to break into impromptu dance moves and there was no set choreography, as the shot was about just having fun. I began alone in a close-up shot. Since it was a moving shot, I joined my co-actors as the camera followed me. After the shot, everyone on the set applauded all of us. But at that time, I wasn’t sure whether it was because I was good or just because it was my first shot. Although, when I watched the song, I was quite happy with what we had done.

I don’t think any actor can ever forget their first day and first shot. When I gave mine, I realised that this is what I needed to do for the rest of my life.

Reza Noorani (BOMBAY TIMES; July 18, 2018)

A veteran in films and television, actress Rita Bhaduri passed away on Tuesday morning. Last seen on the TV show, Nimki Mukhiya, as the heroine’s grandmother, she is remembered by her co-actors as a positive force on the set and someone who inspired them to work hard. Bhumika Gurung, who plays the protagonist on the show Nimki Mukhiya, recalls, “Since she played a grandmother on the set, all of us started calling her daadi in real life, too. She was like family to us. I recall she would constantly fuss over about my sleeping habits.”

Bhaduri was on a dialysis since a while, yet she reported on the set until her last moment. “We all knew that she was unwell, but she never let it reflect in her performance. When I last spoke to her, I told her that I wanted to visit her, but she insisted that I focus on my shoot. She said, ‘I will meet you on the set and we will shoot together’,” she adds.

Veteran actor Arun Bali, who worked with Rita for seven years on the show, Kumkum, recalls her as someone who was a joy to work with. He says, “Rita ji was a person of the highest calibre. She was such an innocent human being. We worked together and she was such a terrific performer.” Bali also recalls that Rita had hit a rough patch in her life and was helped by CINTAA (Cine & TV Artists Association), however, as soon as she bounced back, she refused to take any further help from the body. In tears, he recalls, “She never accepted any unnecessary obligations from anyone. The world has lost a terrific human being today.”

Actor Sooraj Thapar, who worked with her on Ekk Nayi Pehchaan, says, “She was a one-take artiste. She was very strong and even at her age, she was driven to perform. Besides being a great co-actor, I remember the tasty meals she would cook for all of us and bring it on set. And not just one dabba; she would cook an entire pot-full of food and share it with everyone. It is indeed a sad day for the movie and TV industry.”
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Actors Jitendra Trehan, Neelu Kohli, Shishir Sharma with a friend, Satish Shah, Abhay Bhargav and Jaya Bhattacharya at the funeral, which was held at 12 pm in Andheri

January 11, 1951—July 17, 2018

Rita Bhaduri’s friends recount stories of her talent, kindness and rare professionalism in the wake of her demise at age 67 in Mumbai
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 18, 2018) 

Veteran actress Rita Bhaduri, who suffered from prolonged renal illnesses, passed away at 67 on Tuesday in Mumbai. “Her health started deteriorating two weeks ago and she succumbed to cardiac arrest,” her niece, Mini, told Mirror.

Anil Kapoor, who worked with the late actress in films like Beta, Ghar Ho Toh Aisa and Virasat, decribed her as “one of the finest talents to come out of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII)”. Shabana Azmi, the actress’s 1973 FTII batchmate, who kept in touch with her through their WhatsApp Group chats, informed that Rita had injured her spine during a shoot a month ago and subsequently contracted an infection for which she had to undergo surgery.

“She was in excruciating pain as she couldn’t be administered strong painkillers due to ongoing dialysis,” said Shabana, adding that their friends called her Tanuja because of her effervescence. “There was something cute and impish about her. She was a good student and had the prettiest face in the class. She was extremely photogenic, but I felt that she didn’t take her talent seriously. As a student, she was happy to be one of the yaars, chewing Paan Bahar and not caring about appearances. Her mother Chandrima Bhaduri, a veteran actress, was ambitious for her but Rita was content with what she had,” she added.

Zarina Wahab, another FTII batchmate and her co-star in the Rajshri film Saawan Ko Aane Do, couldn’t make it to the funeral, which took place at noon on Tuesday, due to work commitments, but promised to attend the chautha. “I had met her last a year ago,” she informed. Meanwhile Poonam Dhillon, who acted with her in the daily soap Ekk Nayi Pehchaan in 2013, recalled how once, Rita wasn’t feeling well but no one knew about it till she fainted. “Later, she admited she didn’t tell anyone as she didn’t want to disrupt the shoot.”

Anant Mahadevan, who worked with the late actress in the 1992 film Kamsin and many TV shows, remembered her as affable and lively yet a thorough professional. “We were frequent co-stars during the golden years of Indian television, our first interaction during a press preview of Phoolan in which she played the lead,” he reminisced.

One of Rita’s more recent colleagues, Juhi Parmar of the 2012 TV show Kumkum — Ek Pyara Sa Bandhan, has fond memories of her Rita maa. “She was such a zindadil, strong woman who brought food for me to take home for months when I didn’t have a cook. Spending time with her at her Lonavla home was one of my best New Year’s Eve memories for me,” she stated.

Rita’s daughter from the show Sunday Ke Sunday, Sadiya Siddiqui, recalls her as a voracious reader. “Her niece and I learnt kathak from the same guru, so I’m close to her family and was very possessive of her,” Sadiya smiled, while Kabir Sadanand, who’d first met Rita while auditioning for the show Thoda Hai Thode Ki Zarurat Hai, described their first meeting as his best day in the industry. “Despite years of theatre experience, I was scared. I reported at work at 7 am with an empty-stomach. She cooked eggs and offered them to me. When I politely refused, she said she was nervous on her first day too and I should toughen up,” he flashbacked.

Sanjay Kapoor shared screen space with Rita in his debut film, Raja, and swore by her screen presence. “The scene where her character has an outburst and she yells at her husband, ‘Kaat Mahindra Pratap kaat’... still gives me goosebumps,” he asserted while Indra Kumar, who directed her in Beta and Raja, remembered her as a “remarkable actor and a great human being”. Her Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa co-star Suchitra Krishnamoorthy described her “as a fine actor and a kind soul”.

Deven Bhojani, who directed her in the hit show Sarabhai v/s Sarabhai, was all praise for her portrayal of Ila bua. “She was fluent in various languages, disciplined and a zero tantrum actress.” Aatish Kapadia, the show’s writer and co-director, informed that she’d played the lead in the first serial he wrote, the 1987 Gujarati show Aagan Tuk. “When we offered her Sarabhai v/s Sarabhai, she came on board without enquiring about the role,” he marvelled while J D Majethia admitted that her character didn’t become as popular as the others but for her work was important. “She was the superstar of several Gujarati hits yet one of the easiest people to work with and a top choices in her age group for all production houses,” he stated. Aatish and Rita reunited for another show. “She’d hang around after packup to chat with me,” he smiled at the memory.

Rubina Dilaik was heart-broken she couldn’t meet the lady who’d feed the Chhoti Bahu unit dhoklas every month one last time. “We were planning to but couldn’t due to our schedule,”she rued.

Gulshan Grover, who studied alongside Anil Kapoor at Roshan Taneja’s acting school, recounted a lesser known facet from his senior. “She touched my heart with one of her improvisations in class, playing a Gujarati girl who would stop at a Malabari shop every day for bread and eggs. Salim Ghouse played the Malabari man and their romance was beautiful and tender, so unlike the usual hero-heroine love story,” he sighed.

Zama Habib, producer of Rita’s last show, Nimki Mukhiya, informed that she had not been shooting since the last 20 days due to the health issues. “She requested that we replace her but I refused to comply. I didn’t know she would never come back,” the maker signed off emotionally.


Reeta Bhaduri’s alma mater FTII paid tribute with a screening of the student film Safar, in which she featured with Tom Alter. “Students, staff and teachers stood in silence in her memory... It was the last film for both. Rita Bhaduri acted in over 70 films and around 30 TV serials,” it shared on Twitter

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 20, 2018)

Actor-director Kabir Sadanand is set to follow his web shows, Married Woman Diaries and Virgin Woman Diaries, with a tale inspired by the Kama Sutra.

Talking about his venture, a contemporary take on sex, Sadanand says, “The idea to create this show stemmed from my conversation with someone who handles the marketing of the book. He asked me, ‘Name a sport that’s played and enjoyed by everyone across the globe.’ The answer was simple, sex. The book is not only about sexual positions, but also about mutual respect between partners. It’s a subject that needs to be told.”

He refuses to divulge any details about his actors, but claims that the casting process is nearing completion. “Pre-production work is on in full swing. Principal shooting for the first season will wrap up by May. After the success of our previous shows, we have got offers from other digital platforms as well. So, apart from YouTube’s FrogsLehren channel, it may also air on other spaces.”

Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; November 24, 2014)

Last Friday, Bollywood buffs’ rush at cinema ticket counters was all for the Saif Ali Khan-starrer, Happy Ending. Little did they know about another film titled Gollu Aur Pappu with a sound star cast hitting the marquee the same day. Director Kabir Sadanand didn’t have the slightest inkling until the last minute either.

Kabir says he learnt about the film’s release two days in advance, allowing him no time for promotions and publicity. “It is really disheartening when you and the entire unit works hard on a film and it is not released the way one would have liked it to,” he adds.

Apparently, it was one of his actors who informed him about the release date having been announced in the newspapers last Wednesday. The film, which is currently showing in four theatres with a total of eight shows in Mumbai, features Dimple Kapadia, Kunaal Roy Kapur, Vir Das, Shobhit Rana and Deepak Tijori.

Kabir says, “My job was to make the film and give it to them (the producers) but when the audience doesn’t get to see it as it didn’t have a proper release, it hurts.” An industry source says the producers of the film released it in cinemas as they will not be able to show it on satellite unless it has a theatrical release. “It has happened in the past when Himesh Reshammiya’s Kajraa Re directed by Pooja Bhatt was released in just one theatre,” the source explains.

Trade sources feel it is possible that the satellite deal of the film must have been finalised because of which the makers were in such haste to release it.

Ajit Andhare, COO of Viacom18 Motion Pictures, was not available for comment while actor Kunaal says: “I’m disappointed.”

Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 19, 2014)

The elusive Dimple Kapadia, who was last seen on screen in the quickly forgotten What The Fish, is set to return with two films, Finding Fanny and Golu Aur Pappu, which will open in quick succession.

While her role in the Deepika Padukone-Arjun Kapoor starrer is being kept strictly under wraps, Mirror has learnt that in the latter, she is playing 'Pappu' Kunal Roy Kapur and 'Golu' Vir Das's mother. "She's a single parent and a self-made teacher from Kashmir who's on a mission to educate people and instill the right values in her sons. She hasn't gone to any formal school but has learnt from life," says director Kabir Sadanand, who is also the line producer.

Despite its title, Gollu Aur Pappu is not a slapstick comedy. It touches on the issues of the Valley and the mindset of its people. "The boys are crazy but Dimpleji is crazier than both of them put together," he laughs. "Her character is quite a moophat and she was the headmistress on the sets whose job was to ensure that everyone was having fun," laughs Kabir.

Dimple is one of his closest friends and having her head the cast turned out to be quite a blessing when they were shooting in Ghaziabad and Himachal Pradesh. "She is a gorgeous woman and a fantastic actress with a huge Fan following in the North. Even in the villages people were either shouting out for Bobby or awestruck by her beauty. They were ready to help us in every way since it was her film. Even the Dalai Lama invited her over when she asked for a meeting."

Deepak Tijori returns to acting as the antagonist who turns the brothers' lives topsy turvy. Kabir, is hoping to release the film within three months.

BOMBAY TIMES (June 12, 2014)

- Kiara Advani swam in Ladakh's Pangong Lake in minus four degree temperature, for a song picturised on her. No body double was used.

- A sequence required Jimmy Sheirgill, Mohit Marwah, Vijender Singh and Arfi Lamba to dive into the lake, with an army personnel supervising the shoot. They would do push-ups and squats before entering the water to warm up and come out as soon as they started turning blue.

- Once during the shoot, Mohit and Kiara were amused to find Vijender's costume floating in the water just after he and Arfi had jumped into the lake.

- Since the actors would shoot for about 16 hours a day and had absolutely no time to workout, Mohit, a Delhi boy, organised home cooked food to at least ensure they had a healthy diet.

- On a day off, Mohit and Kiara gatecrashed a wed ding party in Chhatarpur (near Delhi), just to enjoy themselves.

- The film was shot in 37 real locations in and around Delhi, none of which was kept out of bounds for the public during the shoot.

- Director Kabir Sadanand ordered Kiara to hurl the t choicest of abuses at him during an acting work shop. Reason: He wanted her to get into the charac ter of a feisty Delhi girl.

- Kiara, who is the only actor from Mumbai, would often hang out with Mohit, Vijender and Arfi (all from Delhi and nearby areas) to get her accent and body, language right.

- During a dance sequence s picturised at Connaught Place, Kiara suffered many bruises on her legs and was unable to walk. Finally, Vijender and Arfi had to lift her to the vanity van parked on the streets.

- Jimmy's character Chautala has been inspired by a real-life cop in Delhi.

- Mohit, who has never driven a tractor, not only drove one, but also performed stunts with it for a scene.

Fugly, produced by Grazing Goat Pictures, releases tomorrow.

Hiren Kotwani (BOMBAY TIMES; June 10, 2014)

Actor Jimmy Sheirgill and director Kabir Sadanand, who are collaborating on the upcoming film Fugly, have been friends for a decade. The two had bonded while acting in Charas: A Joint Operation (2004) in Manali. And though Kabir forayed into direction and Jimmy also diversified into producing Punjabi films, their friendship has remained strong.

Whenever Kabir has an idea or a script, he'd ask his buddy for feedback. It was no different with Fugly. The film, produced by Akshay Kumar and Ashvini Yardi, is about four friends - played by debutants Mohit Marwah, Kiara Advani, Vijender Singh and Arfi Lamba - who land in a `fugly' situation when they cross paths with a cop, Chautala.

While Chautala's role was written with Jimmy in mind, Kabir didn't want to approach him like a friend. He says, “I wanted him to be convinced about it first." The actor was surprised when Kabir asked him to do the role. Says Jimmy , “I was worried if people will accept me in a negative role." Kabir also admits that he envies Jimmy . He says, “I was jealous of him as an actor; he underplayed his characters and did well." As for the actor, he's all praise for his friend too. “It's amazing how he connects scenes. That is his forte," adds Jimmy.

They also value each other's opinion. Kabir wasn't too pleased with a scene and told Jimmy that they might have to reshoot it. “But he told me to edit it first. When I saw the edited version, I realised he was right and decided against reshooting,“ he recalls.

Fugly, produced by Grazing Goat Pictures, releases June 13.

Rachana Dubey (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 29, 2014)

The Fugly title track now has an English version by Delhi-based rapper Sahil Aggarwal who is known in the capital's music circles as Stevie B. The track does not feature in the album but will play in the film.

Says Sahil, "Kabir and I have a common friend who told me about Fugly. I liked the title and tried to get in touch with Kabir to see if I could do something interesting for his film. However, I couldn't get through. Then I heard Yo Yo Honey Singh rap the title track and felt I could do much more with it. So I shot a video and uploaded it on Twitter and YouTube and finally it caught Kabir's attention."

Kabir admits that Sahil had messaged him but he was busy with a shoot then and didn't reply. "I saved his number and when I saw the video I thought it was cool. You can't ignore such talent. My producer, Ashwini Yardi, also loved his English rap and we decided to include it film's background score. I plan to use him in my future projects too," asserts the director.

Sahil doesn't have a contract or a monetary deal with the producers. "I just want credit for my song," he says.

Ananya Ghosh (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 21, 2014)

That's the effect the stunning landscapes of Ladakh have on mere mortals. It is a land of dramatic and often surreal terrains boasting magnificent moonscapes, shimmering lapis lazuli lakes, vast expanses of dangerously beautiful barren lands and slumberous valleys tucked under century-old blankets of ice. Here mountains change hue from rustic brown to mystic purple under an azure sky swarming with ivory clouds. Who can escape the charm of a land such as this? Definitely not Bollywood!

But, when cinematographer Milind Jog reached this land of scorching days and freezing nights with Kabir Sadanand's team to shoot Mohit Marwah, Vijender Singh, Arfi Lamba and Kiara Advani starrer Fugly, it was the extreme and fickle weather that got him hooked. "The weather of Ladakh is a tease -- one moment she is exasperating with her gloominess and showers you with drizzles forcing you to call for a shoot break; then, just when you are about to give up on her, she changes her mind and flashes a sunny smile that pulls you back under her spell!" says the DOP.

Such erratic and harsh weather conditions, coupled with high altitude and almost inaccessible locations, made the Ladakh schedule a difficult one. But the unflinching support of the team made even the impossibles possible. From climbing mountains carrying shooting equipment, including entire crane components on their shoulders, to not only procuring diesel for the generator but also finding an electrician in a godforsaken location for an emergency night shoot, it was a triumph of teamwork.

Shooting in such a remote location also required constant improvisations. "We decided to mount Jimmy Jib On Tata 207 and created a makeshift Russian arm. While shooting a scene, the coordination between the actors on the bike and the camera was off. So I followed the actors in a pickup truck with the camera mounted on it and coordinated the movement with a Jimmy Jib operator watching my side-view mirror."

Kabir wanted the look to be grungy and for few scenes he wanted to go kitsch. It was a crazy 42-day schedule spread over 37 locations. "Wrapping up shoots, which included extensive night schedules in such a small span with an exhausted and sleep deprived crew was quite a task," admits Milind whose experience of shooting documentaries came to his rescue. "I decided to approach the film in a realistic manner so that it seemed the camera has just captured a story and not deliberately shot it."

To film in harsh light and dark shadows in Ladakh, Milind trusted the Red Epic camera. It also came in handy during the Delhi schedule. "Several of the locations had orange, pink and white colours. Working with those tonalities under uncontrolled daylight was quite a task. So, we shot at a breakneck speed and the HDRx function of the Red Epic saved the day," he reveals.

The schedules were peppered with funny incidents. In one shot Kiara was supposed to ride a bike. Kabir was watching the shot on the monitor. Suddenly, two trucks appeared behind the actress and came dangerously close. "This freaked Kabir out, who is very protective about his teammates. He didn't realise that it was all an illusion created by the long lensing I was using. He started to scream hysterically asking Kiara to move away while I kept shouting that it was all per plan," chuckles Milind. "By the end of the shot both Kabir and I were trembling - he with fear and I with excitement!"

And just when you mean to tell her, You got no love to give her She gets you on her wavelength And lets the river answer That you've always been her lover And you want to travel with her And you want to travel blind... - Leonard Cohen

Tushar Joshi (DNA; May 6, 2014)

The lyrics of the Fugly title track, written by Honey Singh featuring Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar, has hurt the sentiments of the gay community. While the song seems light-hearted and harmless, one verse from the track is the problem. The song opens with the lines, “Yeh Fugly Fugly Kya Hai? Yeh Fugly Fugly... Baap Ke Paison Pe Koodna, Sadak Ke Kone Pe Mootna, 377 Hatna Ya Jessica Lal Ki Ghatna, Launde Ke Munh Se Ouch...” The translation of this line is: What is this Fugly? Enjoying on father’s money, urinating in public? The removal of Article 377 or the murder of Jessica Lal. A man saying, ‘ouch’.

An online forum which discusses homosexuality and issues related to the ongoing battle for gay rights has been blazing with comments from everyone who finds the song offensive. Rohit, an active member of the board, says, “Why compare the removal of Article 377 to urinating in public, murder of Jessica Lal or someone enjoying his father’s money?”

While the comments are largely negative (see box) there are some who feel the lyrics aren’t offensive. Giving a different view, Naresh, who enjoys Honey Singh’s work, says, “At least the track is bringing some attention to 377. I don’t think it’s dissing the community. People will at least be curious to know about what this regressive law is all about!”

Sukhdeep Singh, editor of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) digital magazine Gaylaxy who has written a scathing piece on the song, says, “It is highly deplorable that they have to mock the community and group the removal of 377 (which happened after the 2009 judgement) along with a a bunch of disgusting things like urinating in public, murder for Jessica Lal and then call it ugly.”
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For Bollywood, LGBT community has been a kind of punching bag and this song goes a few notches further. Not only just 377, the song also makes fun of gender non-conforming or feminine men when it says ‘Launde Ke Munh Se Ouch’. It is hardly surprising though, given that Honey Singh’s songs have been sexist and misogynist and now he has turned homophobic too. The movie is described as a comedy movie with a social message, but if the title track is to go by, one wonders is homophobia the message that they are going to deliver?”

After reading the negative comments from the gay community director Kabir Sadanand who stands for gay rights and believes 377 should be scraped says, “We stand for the freedom of choices and that’s exactly what the song states. I am sure this is also the take of the lyric writer. 377 hatna is our fundamental right. Let’s be clear, freedom stands at all levels, freedom of speech, freedom to live and freedom to be!”

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 19, 2014)

Salman Khan’s generosity with special appearances is well known. But the cameos apparently come with a condition; the star has to be the centre of attention. Unfortunately, Akshay Kumar was not aware of the rider. Sallu and Akki were to shoot the title track of Fugly, sung by Honey Singh, a few days ago. While the young cast of the film being produced by Akshay, including Mohit Marwah, Vijender Singh, Arfi Lamba and Keira Advani, were excited to have Salman on set, their happiness was short-lived.

After the shoot started, Sallu realised that it is Akki who’s hogging most of the limelight in the special song.

Revealed a source, “Sallu did not know about the details of the song and was briefed when he arrived on the set. Since Akshay had more screen time in the song, he coolly walked off after shooting the first stanza of the song, much to everyone’s shock.”

Mirror has learnt that despite the efforts made by director Kabir Sadanand, Sallu refused to shoot the rest of the song, which was centred on a lyrical exchange between Akshay and Sallu. So what did the makers do with the song?

“There is no verbal exchange between the two now as Salman didn’t shoot for the whole song in the first place. They have somehow managed to wrap it up with Akki and the rest of the actors,” said the source.

We sent a text message to Kabir Sadanand, but he chose not to respond.

Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; March 3, 2014)

Sabbir Khan’s film, Heropanti, which will mark the debut of Jackie Shroff ’s son Tiger Shroff, and Kabir Sadanand’s multi-starrer, Fugly, were supposed to clash with each other at the box office. Both the films were scheduled to release on May 16, but now we hear that Fugly’s release date has been pushed ahead. The film, starring Anil Kapoor’s nephew Mohit Marwah, boxer Vijender Singh, and actresses Kiara Advani and Arfi Lamba, will now release on June 13.

Sources say that the film’s release date was changed in a bid to avoid clashing against Heropanti at the box office. Both films have finished shooting and their post- production work is currently on.

When contacted, director Kabir Sadanand said, “I have finished shooting for the film and we are now busy with its dubbing. The release date is decided by the producers.”

Producer Ashvini Yardi confirms the news. “Yes, we are now releasing on June 13. With Heropanti launching Tiger Shroff and our film launching four new faces, it made sense to avoid a clash. Moreover, Akshay (Kumar) and I are close to Sajid (Nadiadwala), and both the films feature industry kids, so we decided to shift the release date. I called Sajid and informed him two days ago that we have shifted the release date,” she says.

Sabbir Khan, director of Heropanti, welcomes the development. “I think it’s great news for everyone,” he said upon being contacted.