Showing posts with label Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha. Show all posts
I am fortunate that people can imagine me in diametrically opposite roles-Sheeba Chaddha
8:32 AM
Relishing playing diverse characters at this stage, Sheeba on essaying a no-nonsense boss in The Trial
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; July 18, 2023)
Sheeba Chaddha notes that she has been playing a mother on screen since she was 26, the remark telling of the industry’s tendency to typecast actors. But over the past few years, a wide range of characters has been coming her way—from an antagonist in Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha (2022) to a ghost in Phone Bhoot (2022).
“In the last few years, I have played diverse characters. I am fortunate that people can imagine me in diametrically opposite roles. Some filmmakers have cast me in authoritative characters too, like the one in The Trial,” says the actor.
The Trial, created and directed by Suparn S Varma, ticked a lot of boxes for Chaddha. “I had never done a courtroom drama before. Kajol was a big reason for me to say yes. I had loved Suparn’s The Family Man 2. He is a director I hadn’t worked with before. So, it was a win-win in all [aspects].”
The experience of shooting with Kajol surpassed the expectations of Chaddha, who plays her boss in the Disney+ Hotstar drama. The actor is impressed by Kajol’s generosity and appreciative demeanour.
“Kajol is chilled out. She comes with an aura, and rightfully so—she is a remarkable performer. She is a team player, who is appreciative of everyone. She would compliment me about my look and my performance every time we had a scene together.”
Vidyut Jammwal was would not even take phone calls during those 12 hours on the set-Faruk Kabir
8:35 AM
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; July 9, 2022)
As a director, who enjoys a peaceful, slow process of writing films, Faruk Kabir barely had the time to create a new world for Khuda Haafiz, Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha. In a conversation, the filmmaker takes us through the journey of the emotional-action drama starring Vidyut Jammwal and Shivaleeka Oberoi as a couple searching for their missing daughter. Excerpts from our chat:
You conceived Khuda Haafiz Chapter Two Agni Pariksha and took it on the floors in a matter of months after the first chapter was streamed on an OTT platform. What kind of planning went into making a film soon after the first part was released?
I wrote this film over a span of 10 months, and even during that process, I had offers from other very senior producers to direct content for them. However, for me, this movie was extremely important. Writing is not a simple job, and I cannot hire someone else to do it for me.
I respect and nurture the writing process. It is a scary process; it’s like walking on eggshells, you can go overboard and lose track of things. You have to cut out the noise. With every passing piece, you have to strive to get better. With a sequel, a story has to move forward. It can’t be a mere extension of the previous film.
Before producers Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak approached you, did the thought of making the second chapter cross your mind?
I could see the germ of part two when I was working on Khuda Haafiz, but I’m not one of those vain people to start imagining a sequel before the first film has even reached its audience. In my mind, I always wanted to know what happens when they return to India, how their love story shapes up with all the baggage that they’re carrying — the fact that she was pushed into the flesh trade and that they had to endure extreme situations to get back together and so on. Two years ago, I wanted to know how society reacts to them, whether they find acceptance, their pressures and their own sense of intimacy towards each other. I created the rest of it when Kumar Mangat ji told me that we were making part two.
What have you tried to explore with this film?
For starters, it’s a deeper and more intense story than part one, which is mildly evident in the trailer of the film. There are more layers to the character that Vidyut and Shivaleeka are playing. They have also done a lot to get back into the spaces of their characters. This is a film they had to come prepared for on the set. They had to understand the text and the subtext, why they’re saying certain things and how they’re saying it. The idea has always been to create a plausible reality. The material is relatable and something that is meant for Indians to watch. Women should see it for sure. The relationship between the husband and the wife and even adoption and mental health are strong themes in the film. I would call this an emotional, family, action-drama where the trigger for the action is emotions.
Did you approach both the films differently, given that the first part was consumed by an audience sitting at home on an OTT platform, while the second part is a theatrical release?
Today, the industry is still trying to understand the manner in which the audience has been reacting to films. I agree that the audience is different, and it is a challenging thought to work on. Yes, it has crossed my mind several times — would a larger audience, or the same audience that saw part one in their homes, go to the theatres for the second part. I believe in the energy of this film, in Vidyut and the power of the sheer word-of-mouth that can create magic. Once some important people sample the content, and it resonates with them, word will catch on. I am banking on Vidyut, the emotions that trigger the action and the good sense of the audience that loves performances and a great story presented at the right scale. From what I have observed, good content has to be backed by the correct scale. Theatres are up and running after two years, and the cinematic experience has to be far more pronounced than the pre-pandemic standards. Today, there is no pundit who can predict whether something will work 100 per cent, but Vidyut and I are confident that anyone who decides to watch the film will come back liking it. We have this faith; we’re not overconfident.
You share a great bond with Vidyut. He has often spoken well about you as a friend as well as a filmmaker. How do the demands of the professional space play out between the two of you?
Vidyut shows a lot of love and trust, and I value it. When an actor and a director become friends, some people want that partnership, that bond to break. We know of it and we exchange notes all the time. There is no reason why we became friends. My father passed away a few days before we went to shoot in Uzbekistan, and he took such good care of me during that time. We have a very natural and organic friendship, which has no professional bindings. I have to hand it to Vidyut for also leading from the front when it came to avoiding distractions while shooting for the film. He was disciplined, focussed and away from all the chatter... not even phone calls during those 12 hours on the set!
Is Khuda Haafiz Chapter Three already on your mind?
If it has to happen, it definitely won’t happen as soon as this one. It will take some time. I now intend to focus on some other stories that I have been working on. There’s one that Suriya sir (South actor) has liked. There’s another one that is a contemporary resonance that I intend to direct, and of course, I would love to continue working with Vidyut.
(Crisp) Movie Review: KHUDA HAAFIZ CHAPTER 2 - AGNI PARIKSHA by FENIL SETA
2:24 PM
Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha has a routine story. The director does a superb build-up by introducing menacing characters and giving solid grounds to the protagonist to go and take revenge. But once the revenge begins, it turns into a predictable fare. The first film had a good twist in the second half. Here, there are no twists and moreover, the makers make a mockery out of the villains as they get eliminated fairly easily. Lastly, the action is very disturbing. We have seen blood and gore in several films and it’s a sub-genre in itself. But in this film, the bloodshed and savagery go to another level in a few scenes. Vidyut Jammwal puts his best foot forward. Shivaleeka Oberoi has a challenging part and handles it sensitively. Sadly, she has nothing much to do after a point. Sheeba Chaddha is menacing and does full justice. She is, however, let down by the writing. The same goes for Dibyendu Bhattacharya. Riddhi Sharma is cute while Bodhisattva Sharma (Bacchu Thakur) is decent in the negative role. Rajesh Tailang plays a character, inspired by Ravish Kumar, and is excellent. Rukhsar Rahman (Dr Roshni Acharya) is lovely. Danish Hussain (Talha Ansari; Sameer's cellmate in the prison), Bachchan Pachehra (Shivram, Ice-cream seller) and Satish Sharma (Inspector Amit Tyagi) are fair. Monica Sharma (Kalki) plays an interesting part and is decent. All in all, Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha disappoints due to the gore and predictable and unexciting happenings, post-interval.
My rating - ** out of 5!
I had started the first film with a different actor-Faruk Kabir
8:30 AM
Ready with Khuda Haafiz 2, director Kabir discusses how Vidyut stepped in to front the action franchise after first-choice actor left the project
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 8, 2022)
When writer-director Faruk Kabir shot the climax of Khuda Haafiz (2020) that saw Vidyut Jammwal’s character rescue his wife who was abducted and forced into human trafficking, he knew that the love story between the lead characters was only beginning. Soon after the film’s release, the director sat down to write Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha. “That incident changed them. The wife was raped, and had unimaginable trauma. Vidyut’s character doesn’t know how to reach out to her. Their relationship can’t be normal. I knew that could be the starting point of this story,” recounts Kabir.
What followed was 10 months of rigorous writing, as he gave Sameer and Nargis — essayed by Jammwal and Shivaleeka Oberoi respectively — a new journey. The latest release sees the couple put the ghosts of the past behind them and begin anew as they adopt a daughter. It took the filmmaker a while to zero in on the right story for the sequel.
“As an artiste, you can’t plateau while making a sequel. You should be telling a better and more sensitive story. I needed to nurture the story. I am confident that women will like this film.”
In Jammwal, Kabir says he has found the perfect leading man and a friend. He reveals that the actor was not the first choice for Khuda Haafiz. “The film chose him,” he smiles, before adding, “I had started the first film with a different actor. We shot for a few days, and it didn’t work out. I came back home and told my mother, ‘This isn’t meant to be.’ Then Vidyut came along, and I understood how this movie was meant to be with him.”
He credits the actor for bringing the character alive on screen. “He doesn’t speak much in the film, but he has internalized [the pain]. Vidyut and I spoke about personal things to dig [into the nuances] of relationships. He understands quickly and adds the right nuances. People will see a tectonic shift in him. I realized this during the shoot of an emotional scene, when he fainted after completing it.”
Today, actors want to match the bar I have set in the action genre-Vidyut Jammwal
8:23 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; July 7, 2022)
He has won acclaim as an action hero not just in Bollywood, but globally. Someone who grew up training in martial arts, Vidyut Jammwal indeed has flaunted his mastery in this sphere many times over. While he has entertained the audience with high-octane stunts in his earlier films, in his next film, Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha, he promises that he’s going to move the viewers emotionally, too. In a conversation with BT, Vidyut talks about how he continues to push the envelope in the action genre, why he decided to turn producer and giving a chance to new talent. Excerpts:
How did the idea of Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha crop up, considering Khuda Haafiz was inspired by true events and it did conclude like the real story of the couple?
Khuda Haafiz saw a happy ending with the protagonist rescuing his kidnapped wife from the fresh traders and bringing her back. One fine evening, Faruk (Kabir, director), who was in touch with the couple, told me that it isn’t as easy as it looks for them. The woman, who went through a tough time after being kidnapped, continues to battle trauma as she struggles to lead a normal life here.
Some people judge her. So, she ends up switching her job constantly. Her husband, too, is facing trying times as he is also judged. Faruk told me that the couple is indeed going through an agni pariksha where people have sympathy for them, but they are not letting them be. He asked me, ‘Why don’t we make a story about what really happens after a happy ending?’
Your films are known to be action oriented, but this time around, given the emotional angle, it seems there is ample scope for you to show your acting skills?
From action to emotions, I have taken everything a notch higher in this project. Everything that I have learnt in the last 11 years, I have put it all to use in the movie. Not only acting, but I also invested my interests in other departments of filmmaking. Along with the team, I shared my thoughts on the music for the film. I have always loved Sufi music and we have three amazing Sufi songs in this film. I have also choreographed action stunts in this film.
Through your journey of 11 years, where you have largely done action films, do you feel the need to constantly reinvent yourself as an action hero to hold the audience’s interest with new stunts and moves?
I have been training in mixed martial arts for many years, and I am constantly thinking about new situations and moves that I could include in my films. I am just trained for it. This thought process is always on. The one thing I cannot imagine is getting hit by someone. In fact, when Faruk first came to me for Khuda Haafiz, I could not relate to the character as he is someone who gets hit. I am someone who can’t get hit in real life and even in reel life. But then, the way he narrated the story and the emotional angle, it made me think ki chalo screen pe maar kha hi lete hai (laughs!).
You launched your own production house this year. What kind of content do you want to back?
My number one motive is to work with the talented bunch of people who I have come across in the last 11 years. There are a few who are talented and still waiting for an opportunity. I want to be a part of their journey. Jahan talent dikhega mujhe, mujhe unke saath kaam karna hai. The first project I am making is IB 71. I am collaborating with Sankalp Reddy (director), whose work I have watched before. A few people told me that he’s arrogant, but I wanted to form my own opinion and reached out to him. I realized that he isn’t arrogant, but quiet and keeps to himself. I just want to work with such people, who I genuinely believe in, even if nobody else does. As an actor, when I started off, I worked towards finding my tribe. You need to find your tribe. It takes a while. It isn’t too difficult an industry to be in. People talk about these never-ending struggle stories… haan, thoda samay lagta hai to find people who believe in you. So, Faruk and all the people that I have collaborated with in the last 11 years are a part of my tribe. I don’t know if I am getting my due in Bollywood, but whatever I am getting here is all on my own.
You have been an action star for 11 years. Do you want to explore genres that are drastically different?
I am one of the top martial artists in the world. I represent our country internationally. Ab achanak one day I can’t get up and take a plunge into something else na. I have changed the way India sees action as a genre. Before me, and I say it with great pride, there was nobody who would do real action… everybody was using harnesses, stunt doubles etc. I have raised the bar, and today there are actors who want to match that and be a part of the action genre. I am happy that India is churning out great action movies. Talking about doing something different, Khuda Haafiz gave me that opportunity to go beyond as the role is high on emotion too. I don’t see myself following a pattern for sure. My formula is simple, you find talent and you work with them. They don’t necessarily have to be the ones who are the biggest in the industry today.
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 733
11:11 AM
WILL THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER BE ABLE TO CROSS THE BUSINESS OF DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS?
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a force to reckon with. Almost all of their films do huge business everywhere, including in India. Spider-Man: No Way Home collected more than Rs. 200 crores while Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness ended up doing business of around Rs. 130 crores. As a result, a lot is expected from Thor: Love And Thunder, which releases tomorrow, Thursday, July 7.
Thor: Love And Thunder stars Chris Hemsworth and Christian Bale and brings back Natalie Portman. The popular actor-filmmaker, Taika Waititi, has helmed the film. The trailer is quite entertaining. Thor is a fun character, unlike Doctor Strange. Also, Natalie Portman turning into Mighty Thor in this film will add to the madness and viewers are curious to see how it plays out.
Thor: Love And Thunder’s advance booking was thrown open a few weeks before after a similar experiment succeeded big time for Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness. The shows begin from 12:00 am and many such shows held at midnight or early in the morning, at 4:00 am or 5:00 am, are already sold out or fast filling. Interestingly, the shows at the usual timings are not even 20% full. This contrast has happened because the fans fill up the post midnight and early morning shows as they can’t wait to see the film. The section of the audience, who’s not desperate to see it, will obviously see it later in the weekend and not take an off from work to watch it on a Thursday.
Nevertheless, the trade is a bit taken aback as in the case of Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, fans, as well as non-fans, had thronged cinema halls in hordes from day 1. As a result, it ended up having an opening of Rs. 28.75 crores. As per the advance trends till Wednesday morning, it looks like Thor: Love And Thunder will have a double digit opening. But the day 1's collections might not cross the Rs. 20 crores mark. In case the film gets terrific word of mouth and viewers decide to go for it in large numbers from 4:00 pm onwards, then the scenario might change.
The other release of the week is Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha. It is the sequel to Khuda Haafiz and stars the same actors who were there in part 1 – Vidyut Jammwal and Shivaleeka Oberoi. The sequel takes off from where the first part ended. Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha has created history as it’s probably the only film in the world, which is being released in cinemas, and whose first part was released on OTT.
Khuda Haafiz premiered on Disney+ Hotstar on August 14, 2020, and was one of the biggest films on digital due to the mass element. However, it has not enhanced the buzz for Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha in any way. Hardly, anyone is aware that it’s going to be released. Also, the first choice of the audience will be Thor: Love And Thunder. As a result, it’ll have a poor opening. Last week, Rashtra Kavach OM opened at Rs. 1.35 crores. It was a poor opening and if Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha can open better than this number, it’ll be a feat. The film will manage to get decent screens, especially non-2k ones where Thor: Love And Thunder won’t be screened.
During my stint as an assistant director, I got to learn a lot from Salman Khan sir and Akshay Kumar-Shivaleeka Oberoi
8:21 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; July 6, 2022)
Shivaleeka Oberoi is glad that so early in her career she has been able to play the complex part of Nargis Chaudhary in the Khuda Haafiz franchise. The actress who stars opposite Vidyut Jammwal is excited that Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha will release in theatres this Friday. In a chat with Bombay Times, she opens up about her film choices, recollects her days working as an assistant director and why her family wasn’t too keen on her pursuing a career in Bollywood. Excerpts:
It was quite a happy ending for your character, Nargis in Khuda Haafiz, who is rescued by her husband from the flesh trade. What’s in store this time around in the film’s sequel?
Khuda Haafiz: Chapter 2 Agni Pariksha will showcase a new side of Nargis. In the previous part, people saw a girl-next-door who had to face difficult situations. Those situations changed her as a person. Now, you get to see Nargis 2. 0. This time around she is a warrior. It’s quite an intense role and it has been physically and mentally exhausting for me to play Nargis on screen.
Wasn’t it tough to portray such an emotionally challenging part very early on in your career?
It isn’t an easy character to play. You have to balance out her innocence with her strength, especially given the fact that she dealt with so much. It has changed me as a person in a lot of ways. It has really pushed me as an actor. I play a mother in the film, which is something that a lot of actresses refrain from doing at the beginning of their career. I wasn’t worried about it because it did justice to my character. Shooting with a child artiste is not easy as you have to make them feel comfortable. Also, my sister has twins and I have enjoyed being around them.
You began in showbiz as an assistant director working on two out-and-out commercial films like Kick (2014) and Housefull 3 (2016). What kind of films do you want to be associated with as an actor?
I am happy that challenging roles in content-driven films have come my way, now I am waiting for something massy and commercial to come my way. I want to do a romantic comedy, or a mushy romantic film. I am glad that at the start of my career I got moulded by people like Faruk Kabir sir and Vidyut Jammwal. During my stint as an assistant director, I got to learn so much from Salman Khan sir and Akshay Kumar sir. In fact, recently when I met them, they met me like we have known each other for years. I worked hard as an AD too. People think jo actors banne aate hai, woh as AD set pe kuch bhi kaam nahi karte. But that’s not true. I used to give the clap, call the actors when the set was ready and make call sheets. I learnt a lot about facing the camera, how lighting works on set and more
such details.
Your grandfather, Mahavir Oberoi, was a producer; did coming from a film related background help you pursue a career in showbiz?
On the contrary, because of that, my family did not want me to pursue a career in showbiz. I could never meet my grandfather. My father was 16 years old when my grandfather passed away. My grandfather had produced just one film Sheba And Hercules (1967) and passed away while working on his second production. My father has seen my grandfather struggle as a producer. He has seen the kind of stress one goes through and the unpredictable nature of this business. My father was never into movies. My mother comes from an academic background and she wanted me to focus on my studies. My sister studied law and I was studying fashion design. There was an acting school close by and I wanted to join that out of curiosity. I convinced my mother to allow me to train as an actor and also started doing auditions. My mother gave me a window of two years to get a job as an actor, if I couldn’t do that I was supposed to pursue my masters. Luckily, things worked out for me, and here I am today.
If nobody else believes in me, I will-Vidyut Jammwal
8:15 AM
Vidyut discusses turning distributor with Khuda Haafiz: Chapter 2, which goes beyond action to depict his emotional side
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 1, 2022)
Vidyut Jammwal has built a career on high-octane actioners, but with the Khuda Haafiz franchise, he is backing a story with an emotional core. For Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha, the actor admits he surrendered to director Faruk Kabir’s vision.
“I am more than just an action hero. I was launched [as a leading man] with Commando [2013]. When I came to the industry, I knew that no one could bring the kind of action I can, to the table. I can be a one-man army. But Junglee [2019] changed me. It opened me up emotionally and taught me how vulnerability is precious,” he says.
The lessons learnt from Junglee made him choose Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha, which revolves around a father in search of his daughter who has been abducted. Such is his faith in the story that Jammwal has turned distributor with the project. Point out that the film is coming at a time when the market is uncertain, and his faith is unflinching.
“Someone had to punt on me, so why not me? There was no planning. I want to put all I have in my movie. If nobody else believes in me, I will. It’s time to test the audience’s love for me. Every time I go somewhere, I am told that I can achieve more. [Now,] I want people to prove the love that they proclaim [for me] on Twitter. [I want them] to watch the movie in a theatre. I have been sincere as an artiste, and it’s time fans show that action speaks louder than words. When that happens, people will believe that a boy from nowhere can make it in the industry.”
Success, however, doesn’t imply box-office numbers for him. To the actor, success comes from being happy. “I have created a tribe that stands by me. Faruk is part of my tribe. I was raised in an army environment. So, my thinking is such that if a film doesn’t work, I don’t step back. I will continue to do my best. Similarly, if a film does well, I don’t get attached to the outcome.”
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