WILL DIL BECHARA MANAGE TO BREAK ALL OTT RECORDS?

The demise of Sushant Singh Rajput occurred around 40 days back. Yet, it has been constantly in the news, unfortunately more so for the wrong reasons. It has reignited the nepotism debate like never before and the way baseless allegations have been put up on many movie stars is astonishing. However, on a positive side, the interest in this case has led to considerable hype for Dil Bechara, which releases tomorrow on Disney+ Hotstar. It’ll be Sushant’s last film. In a heartening move, the OTT giant has decided to make this film available to subscribers as well as non-subscribers. In other words, it’ll be available for viewing for free for one and all.

Dil Bechara was launched way back in October 2017. The film was then untitled and fans only knew that Sushant has been signed for a film which would be directed by casting director Mukesh Chhabra. And also, it was revealed that it’ll be a remake of the Hollywood 2014 tearjerker The Fault In Our Stars. In March 2018, the makers announced that they have signed Sanjana Sanghi as the leading heroine. The film went on floors in July 2018 in Jamshedpur and was then titled Kizie Aur Manny. The shooting halted in October 2018 when Mukesh Chhabra was named in the #MeToo movement. But when no proof was found, he was reinstated back as director by it’s producers, Fox Star Studios. The film, meanwhile, was renamed Dil Bechara, and it’s final schedule probably happened in Paris. Here, it was Saif Ali Khan who joined the unit.

Dil Bechara was to originally release on November 29, 2019 but was pushed to May 8, 2020. It raised eyebrows since the film was ready since a long time. Also, reports came in that the makers are trying to sell this film to an OTT platform since it’s too niche or not-well made. Hence, its box office prospects were bleak as per reports. And when the Coronavirus-induced lockdown came into force on March 25, 2020, Fox decided to not release it in cinemas and instead stream it on Disney+ Hotstar. And when Sushant Singh Rajput passed away, they decided to stream it for free.

The trailer of the film was released on July 6 and got a brilliant response. It emerged as the most liked video on YouTube in 24 hours, surpassing the record held by Avengers. However, it didn’t took much time to realize that most people are doing so because Sushant is no more. A few people pointed out that if Sushant was alive, these same people would have panned the trailer and called it a poor copy of The Fault In Our Stars. And the same can be expected from the film once it releases tomorrow. It’ll get praise from all quarters and those who would express their displeasure over the film would be attacked. Hence, it might be difficult to gauge genuine reactions of people.

However, with immense curiosity surrounding the film, it might end up getting record views. And since it’s available for free, non-subscribers would prefer watching it on the Disney+ Hotstar platform itself, and not on torrent or any other way. Hence, if all goes well, Dil Bechara might end up breaking all OTT records, at least for Indian movies!

The actress, who put out an emotional post about her grief, reportedly also reiterated to the police that there was no truth to rumours that floated in 2018, suggesting that she had accused Sushant of sexual harassment
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; July 2, 2020)

The Mumbai Police is currently investigating the Sushant Singh Rajput suicide case, and has been questioning his family, friends and members from the film industry. On Sunday, DCP Abhishek Trimukhe of Mumbai Police told us that they were investigating the case from every angle.

On Tuesday, it was reported that debutante actress Sanjana Sanghi, Sushant’s co-star from Dil Bechara, his last film which is yet to release, was also summoned by Mumbai Police. The questioning went on for almost seven hours. Yesterday, the actress, who hails from Delhi, left Mumbai to return home. Before heading back, in a cryptic message, she took to Instagram to bid adieu to Mumbai. In her post, she wrote, “Khuda Hafiz Mumbai, 4 maheene baad aapke darshan hue. Main chali, Delhi vaapis. Aapki sadke kuch alag si lagi, sunsaan thi. Shayad mere dil mein jo dukh hai, mere nazariye ko badal rahe hai. Ya shayad, filhaal aap bhi thode dukh mein hai. Milte hain? Jaldi. Ya shayad, nahi.”

It has been reported that in her recent statement to Mumbai Police, Sanjana refuted the rumours that she had accused Sushant of harassment in 2018. Two years ago, there were reports that claimed that Sushant was making his Kizie Aur Manny (the previous title of Dil Bechara) co-star Sanjana uncomfortable by being over-friendly with her. There were rumours that she had accused him of sexual harassment. On October 19, 2018, when we had reached out to Sushant for his reaction to the allegation, he had replied saying, “It’s a set-up.” He had also shared chats between him and Sanjana that were exchanged during the course of the film. After that, on October 23, 2018, she posted a clarification where she dismissed the allegation completely. She had tweeted, “On returning from a long trip to the US yesterday, I read several baseless and unfound stories with respect to misconduct and misbehaviour on the sets of our film Kizie Aur Manny. I’d like to clarify that no such incident took place with me. Let’s put an end to these conjectures (sic).”

We reached out to Sanjana and Dil Bechara director Mukesh Chhabra about her sudden departure, but both remained unavailable for comment till the time we went to press.

The upcoming film has also got a new title that embodies its theme
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 8, 2019)

Sushant Singh Rajput, along with his leading lady Sanjana Sanghi, had flown to Paris in mid-January to wrap up the last schedule of their upcoming film, the Hindi adaptation of Josh Boone’s 2014 Hollywood film, The Fault In Our Stars, that kicked off in Jamshedpur last July. Earlier Kizie Aur Manny, the film has now been titled Dil Bechara.

Saif Ali Khan also joined the duo in the city of love for an interesting cameo. Reportedly, he plays the author Peter Van Houten, who in the original was essayed by Willem Dafoe. While debutant director Mukesh Chhabra is tight-lipped on details, explaining that he can’t reveal much of Saif’s character which is integral to the plot, he does admit that they shot with the actor at Quai de l’Hotel-de-ville near Montmartre where very few people have filmed earlier. “We shot in Paris for a week but Saif was only there for a few days. He gelled well with the team and we had a great time,” says Mukesh who also canned a scene at the iconic Eiffel Tower. “Shooting there was surreal and no, I didn’t make Sushant and Sanjana dance around the tower,” he laughs.

When quizzed on the change in the title, Rucha Pathak, Chief Creative Officer of Fox Star Studios, pointed out that the new title emerged as they were completing the shoot. “A R Rahman, who is composing the music, shared a vibrant and fun number, with lyrics penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya. When we heard the song, we found our title in it. It perfectly embodies the theme of our film,” she says.

Mukesh adds that the earlier title was a combo of the names of Sushant and Sanjana’s characters. “But in retrospect we felt that viewers would only connect with it after watching the film while Dil Bechara is self-explanatory and people will instantly relate to it,” he maintains. 

Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 17, 2019)

In a recent interview to Mirror (January 8), Sushant Singh Rajput had revealed that he is in talks for as many as 12 films. On Tuesday, he announced the first of them, the Vikram Malhotra and Vashu Bhagnani-produced Rifleman. Now, we have learnt that the actor who recently wrapped up Kizie Aur Manny, the desi adaptation of The Fault in Our Stars, in Paris, before flying down to Mumbai to continue with the promotions of his next, Abhishek Chaubey’s dacoit drama, Sonchiriya, is taking a short break from his hectic schedule to bring in his 33rd birthday on January 21.

The actor will fly off to Norway to tick off an item from his to-do list of 150 things. “I have dreams which I have written down, one of them being to paint the Northern Lights. That’s what I am gifting myself on my birthday. After so much work, I deserve a break,” the actor informed with a smile. When asked about his other 149-dreams, he quipped, “Dreams are not meant to be shared.”

The 32-year-old actor has a busy year ahead with as many as five films lined up for release. Besides Sonchiriya and Kizie Aur Manny, there’s the Tarun Mansukhani-directed action film, Drive, a remake of the 2011 American film by the same name, and Nitesh Tiwari’s Chhichhore, a slice-of-life comedy. Rifleman is also gunning to enter the theatres this year. 

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; January 15, 2019)

After exploring the digital platform with his shows ARRived, a singing talent hunt and Harmony, which has him travelling across the country and getting into the roots of our musical heritage, AR Rahman is now moving to TV. The music maestro will be judging The Voice that is adapted from the hit international format by the same name. Here, the Oscar-winning composer tells us why he has taken up the show, what he is looking for in the contestants and his take on remixes. 

You have your own music talent hunt show ARRived on YouTube. So, what prompted you to move to TV?
The YouTube show is done by my company, so I had to judge the show (laughs). But, in a way, it kind of opened up a new platform as it was beautifully received. However, there are people who are not YouTubers yet, and for them, TV is an accessible medium as it has a wider reach. The Voice is an international concept where you hear the voice and don’t need to see how the person (who is singing) looks, though it adds something extra. This is what I believe in and I was surprised to see that the show is also like that.

Moreover, they are giving me a special role where I don’t have to eliminate contestants -- I hate saying you are bad, or that you should get out. Here I will only be a mentor (smiles).

What will you look for in the contestants?
I am open to watching all the contestants, I get inspired by a couple of people. I don’t have any formulas, the heart does not have any formula. It could be the way they pronounce certain words or the way they emote or express. Each of us has something special and the personality comes out. Many singers have probably sung just one song and gone, but they are popular. With that one song, they have created their identity and become immortalised. So, as I said, it could be the way somebody is singing or interpreting a song.

Will you be giving a break to any of contestants?
Yes, it is inevitable, as I am always looking our for new talent.

Recently, you celebrated your birthday, what is it that you are planning to achieve this year?     
My biggest test will be the films 99 Songs that I am producing and Le Musk, which I am directing. It’s a little step but huge, so I want to do it right. I have written, produced and scored the music for 99 Songs, but it doesn’t have 99 songs (laughs). It should release in a couple of months. Le Musk is a a virtual reality film. It’s a very tough movie, but very rewarding. Those who have seen it have been kind and encouraging. This won’t release in theatres, it will be an  installation and a viewing experience.

Of late you haven’t been composing the music for Bollywood films. What is the reason?
I was not doing the music for Bollywood films because I was concentrating on my movies. Also, the directors like Rakeysh (Omprakash Mehra) and Imtiaz (Ali) whom I am comfortable working with probably didn’t do any movies... though Imtiaz did one with Shah Rukh Khan (Jab Harry Met Sejal). Some of the movies I was to do the music for didn’t take off like Rhea Kapoor’s film. But yes, I am doing the music of Kizie Aur Manny. I did one song for The Fakir Of Venice which was out recently. I saw the movie two years back and was bowled over, and decided I want to do the music.

These days every other movie has a couple of remixes. What is your take on the trend? 
Anybody who has the patience, the love and the time will definitely do a soundtrack, which is completely new and have a sense of pride. It is they don’t have the time and want a hit song, they do a remix. Either they don’t believe in the composer or maybe are superstitious that this is how the trend is and by having it the movie will be a hit!

DNA (January 11, 2019)

The Paris outdoor of Kizie Aur Manny, starring Sushant Singh Rajput and debutante Sanjana Sanghi, took off on Wednesday. Initially scheduled for December, the outdoor was deferred owing to the civil unrest in the French capital and also because the dates of Saif Ali Khan, who plays a small, but important part in the film, were unavailable.

For over a month, France has been witnessing yellow vests protests against the high-living costs and anger with the country’s leadership. Even as the protests are said to converge into other big cities of the European nation, the Bollywood film team is reportedly staying and shooting in areas far away from and undisturbed by the unrest.

According to our informer, “The locations that director Mukesh Chhabra is shooting at, haven’t been affected by the protests yet. The team is hopeful of wrapping up their shoot before the situation worsens when the protests are said to extend to other cities of France around January 19.”

Stating that sexual misconduct allegations against him were a smear campaign, Sushant reunites with Kizie Aur Manny team for final schedule
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; January 10, 2019)

“We start the last schedule in Paris tomorrow,” says Sushant Singh Rajput of Kizie Aur Manny, thus indicating that the film is back on track. The love story, which marks the debut of Sanjana Sanghi, hit choppy waters when reports of Rajput allegedly misbehaving with his co-star surfaced last October. While the actor shared screenshots of conversations that took place between him and Sanghi to clear the air, the debutant too rubbished the reports soon after.

Currently gearing up for the release of Sonchiriya, Rajput appears to have put the episode behind him. “It was paradoxical because it [the #MeToo movement] was something that I stand for.”

Asserting that it was a smear campaign, he adds, “I happened to be one of the intentional and strategic casualties. Many paid campaigners were used to give it a burst. I felt bad and misunderstood. The more it gets written about, the more it damages my reputation, which I have worked hard to build.”

Rajput insists that he strongly advocates the # MeToo movement. “The movement is a good thing. It is all about changing mindsets.” chhabra

Sushant Singh Rajput claims he’s spoilt for choice and is just waiting to see how his next film fares before deciding which of these projects to roll with next
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 8, 2019)

An unsaid rule of the industry that early morning interviews seldom start on time was hit for a six when Sushant Singh Rajput, sporting a black Tee which read ‘Psycho Billi’, walked into a suburban hotel well before the scheduled time of 11 am. He kicked off the tete-e-tete by explaining his choice of films, from the justreleased Kedarnath to the upcoming Sonchiriya, Kizie Aur Manny and Chhichhore. “The choice is usually between being an actor or a star, but I’ve figured a third option, which is just do good films without being described as an actor, a star or an engineering dropout. These are but small nouns that stop me from looking at the big picture,” he points out.

He goes on to pontificate further on the subject saying that there can be multiple reasons for doing a film, from name and fame to money and a message. “But everything in filmmaking is inter-related so when a social message is misplaced, it becomes a comedy, and when you misplace the character the audience is rooting for, it becomes a tragedy. Also, if there is no truth, it becomes fiction. So, it is an actor’s job to understand the script and work towards creating a good film,” he lectures sounding like he’s back in school, this time as a professor.

The once-upon-a-chocolate boy has jumped into the intense zone. He is quick to disagree, insisting with grave seriousness that we will see him laugh a lot in Chhichhore. “But honestly, I don’t contemplate genres when signing a film, that’s for the audience to figure out. Nor do I believe in establishing a connect with the audience which in time translates into a loyal fan base. That’s how an efficient salesman would think, not an actor. That’s not our core competence,” he maintains, adding that for him it’s all about interesting characters and exciting stories.

Abhishek Chaubey’s daku drama, Sonchiriya, set in the Chambal, is one such film for which he actually learnt the local language as major chunk of film requires him to interact in Bundeli. “Everyone was focused on creating an authentic character that retains the local flavour. For me, it was equivalent to a kid learning English,” he smiles. We move on to Mukesh Chhabra’s directorial debut and Sushant informs that their film is an adaptation of the bestselling novel, The Fault In Our Stars, and has got nothing to do with the Hollywood film. “We are not remaking the film, just adapting the book,” he reiterates, hours before he flies off to Paris for the film’s final seven-day schedule.

Bring up Nitesh Tiwari’s campus drama and he turns mum saying they will not be successful in building a campaign if he talks about the film at this point in time.

He will next be seen in Drive with Jacqueline Fernandez. The action-thriller has been in the making for a while but unfazed by the delay, Sushant promises that there is hardly a dull moment in the film. “And that’s quite an achievement,” he beams.

Meanwhile, the space drama, Chandamama Door Ke, and the biopic on paralympain Murlikant Petkar are in a limbo which perhaps means his date diary after these three films is clear? “I’m in talks for 12 films, I don’t know which of them will begin first, but the two films you mentioned are still in the pipeline. It’s for me to decide what to do next and that would depend on how my next film fares. There is no film that I want to do that I can’t do,” he says with supreme confidence.

His last release, Kedarnath, which launched Sara Ali Khan met with a mixed response from both the critics and the audience, but for its leading man, it was a success. “The film has done extremely well and I am talking from a global perspective because I don’t want to differentiate viewers based on boundaries created by wars,” he maintains.

Point out that he’s often criticised for being too vocal, even obtuse, in his thoughts and with a dismissive shrug he says criticism doesn’t bother him. “The human species would become extinct if everybody said the same thing. I am okay with criticism if it doesn’t stop me from doing the stuff I want to do. If you give me more money and fame, I will keep it because I am smart, but if I don’t get it, I won’t worry because I have enough already,” he adds.

Meanwhile, Sushant’s ex-girlfriend, Ankita Lokhande, is making her film debut in the period drama Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi which opens this Republic Day weekend. Prod him on the film and he says, “It looks great and if I am not wrong it is tracking really well. I have known Ankita for a long time and she is a brilliant, effortless actor. I hope the film does justice to her capabilities and does well for everyone involved,” he concludes. 

Lasyapriya Sundaram (BOMBAY TIMES; December 21, 2018)

Saif Ali Khan will feature in a cameo in the upcoming romantic tragicomedy, Kizie Aur Manny, directed by Mukesh Chhabra. The film, based on John Green’s novel The Fault In Our Stars, is an official remake of the Hollywood film by the same name. While the Hollywood version starred Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort, the Hindi film will see Sushant Singh Rajput and newcomer Sanjana Sanghi in lead roles.

Saif will slip into the character of Peter Van Houten, which was essayed by Willem Dafoe in the Hollywood adaptation. Currently, the actor is in South Africa shooting for a commercial with wife Kareena Kapoor Khan. The couple also celebrated son Taimur Ali Khan’s second birthday there. Saif will start shooting for Kizie Aur Manny in Europe when the last schedule of the film kicks off in January next year. 

Meena Iyer (DNA; December 15, 2018)

Everyone was curious about what would be Abhishek Bachchan’s next film post Anurag Kashyap’s Manmarziyaan. The actor was so good in it that there was a kind of frenzy on what he would choose next.

Momentum built up when AB Junior started talks with director Pavan Kirpalani (of Ragini MMS and Phobia fame). An international film giant agreed to fund the project.

However, talks fell through because when it came to remuneration, Abhishek reportedly asked for big money.

Next, the studio, which was committed to Pavan and the subject, apparently began talks with Saif Ali Khan. The Nawab of Pataudi’s fee was settled on, but it allegedly came with a rider, according to which Saif would have to do a cameo or an extended special appearance in Mukesh Chhabra’s Kizie Aur Manny that features Sushant Singh Rajput and newbie Sanjana Sanghi.

Saif agreed and was about to begin work when Mukesh’s career hit a small roadblock. His name cropped up in the #MeToo Movement that gripped Bollywood. Work ground to a halt on Kizie Aur Manny as the director’s name had to be cleared by the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC).

By the time his name was finally cleared and the shoot for his romantic film was supposed to resume, Saif’s dates were committed to Sacred Games season 2. Hence, the Nawab had to request for a fresh set of dates for his cameo in the Sushant-starrer, failing which he had to be let off.

Now, the studio was adamant that they couldn’t relieve him. Instead, it is strongly rumoured that they went back to AB Junior, who agreed to be a part of Pavan’s film. Apparently, he got away with asking for a fat pay cheque, too. A source says, “When Saif learnt all this had happened behind his back, he was furious. He called the studio bosses and told them that it was unprofessional on their part to deal with another actor without keeping him in the loop.”

The studio heads, of course, reportedly mumbled excuses and put the blame on another reputed filmmaker. They claimed he suggested them to ditch Saif and go back to Abhishek. Once again, there was commotion. The Sacred Games hero confronted this filmmaker, who also happens to be his friend. The director-producer, in turn, asked the studio why his name was dragged into the controversy in vain.

Guess while all this was playing out, Pavan felt he had suffered too much grief over his movie and decided enough was enough. Our source adds, “Pavan felt the studio and everyone concerned was treating his passionate project with too much disdain. So, he decided to step back.”

We messaged Pavan to ask whether this information about his backing out of the Saif/Abhishek project was true? And whether he was doing something altogether different now. He read our SMS, but chose not to respond till the time of going to press.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; December 2, 2018)

Sushant Singh Rajput relishes the company of a good book and enjoys having discussions on topics like behavioural economics, cognitive psychology and astronomy, as much as he loves being on a movie set. For someone who often finds himself surrounded by negative press and controversies, the actor has picked up the art of selective distortion. “It’s easier to be happy than to make you believe that I am happy. If you expect me to be a certain way, you will only believe that, no matter how hard I try to make you believe that the reality is something else,” says Sushant, who chatted with BT recently, while promoting his next, Abhishek Kapoor’s Kedarnath. Excerpts from our conversation...

Were you, at any point, apprehensive about taking up Kedarnath? It’s an unconventional story and yours was a physically challenging role. Eventually, the film also ran into a financial and legal mess...
I will stand by a film no matter what the consequences are. As an actor and a student of several disciplines, I have a perspective on what I do. This film talks about faith and love and being united by it, in a nuanced way, which is something that I also believe in. Also, I’m trained to deal with problems; it’s one of the first things that I learnt in life and I thank my mother for that. Of course, it’s not like I had many problems while growing up, but I was brought up in a manner that I could deal with any situation.

To think that you will never have a sticky situation in life, is a problematic idea in itself. Thankfully, I was taught to anticipate trouble, which makes it a little easier to sail through. Now, you could be in a situation because of yourself or someone else. The best way to deal with it is to just do things that make sense to you and the rest falls into place like the pieces in a puzzle. A film involves a big number of people and everyone should benefit from it in as many ways as possible. It needs to be entertaining, with a message or without it. So, as long as it makes sense to me and I like what is being offered, I have a lot of courage to take on any piece of work that comes my way.

The trade, however, weighs an actor in terms of his last release, and the probable implications of casting him in a project after his film hasn’t work. Your last film, Raabta (2017), didn’t fare well at the box office. Did you also face that?
I wouldn’t say that trade people are not important enough to pay attention to. If you are a producer and you want your film to do well, you must pay heed to them. You should also get affected by what they say and there is nothing wrong with that, but I have strong reasons to do what I do. What you will see in Kedarnath is a distilled version of what I went through to play a pitthoo. I had become a pitthoo even before I started shooting. I could never have imagined that there will be a 50-60 degree incline to climb, while mouthing dialogues and carrying people on my back in an airzone that has less oxygen. And we weren’t canning single takes. For technical reasons, we were doing things repeatedly. So, my training came in handy. I worked smartly, so it wasn’t as much hard work on the set. Everyone, who has seen the film, feels that we have pulled it off well, but they could be biased.

I really hope no one goes home disappointed after watching this film. Honestly, I don’t think about what’s going to happen at the end of it all. In the past, one of my films worked, and I was the usual me on the Monday after the release. I didn’t have four wings and neither did I behave differently. Will a bad weekend (at the movies) affect me? Of course it can, to a point that I might end up acting in another medium, like theatre, which I haven’t done in a long while. There are repercussions to everything, but it doesn’t change anything inside me. Still, I want Kedarnath to do well because there are 200 other people involved in it.

Moving on from movies, your personal interests also lie on a different plane — you’re passionate about science, technology and math…
I can discuss numbers as a mathematician, not as an actor. As an actor, I can talk about many other things. I talk to kids for six hours some times and they listen with rapt attention. It’s hard to hold their attention even for a few minutes. I tell them stories and they enjoy.

Nowadays, you’re also not spotted at too many parties.
If someone calls me, I will go. Do I miss attending them? No, I don’t, because I have many other things to do. I love partying and will go to a party if someone is a friend. I will go even if the person is not a friend, but if someone needs me to be there. I will do it even if I don’t feel like going and I won’t feel uncomfortable about it.

What’s the status on Kizie Aur Manny? Has the recent spate of events altered anything between director Mukesh Chhabra and you?
Look, the matter was addressed by the studio. It was internally as well as externally investigated. I was never a part of those meetings, but we are all intelligent enough to see through a big cover-up, if there is one. If there is something that I don’t know and if it suddenly comes out in the course of the investigation, I might react differently to Mukesh.

You recently announced that you want to back films as a producer and also wish to direct. With acting assignments, how do you plan to do that?
I was misquoted that I want to direct. I just want to be associated with any form of story-telling, because stories will remain an important element of our lives. Cinema is a powerful tool to narrate stories and it’s gratifying to help someone narrate a story. I want to use films to connect with people and it saddens me when I can’t. I don’t have much money, but I have enough that I don’t have to think about it for the rest of my life. So, I want to do things that I like doing and being a catalyst for someone’s story is one of them.

You were in a committed relationship a while ago; do you feel you’re ready for another one? Are you in a relationship today?
I am in a relationship with thousands of people! You have no idea how much I love them (laughs). Okay, even I would think the way you are thinking right now. Every time an actor has said that, I used to think they are faking it, but that’s not how it always is. Today, I don’t say it to fake it. I have nothing to gain, so why should I? I have films for that. I fake and earn a lot as an actor. So, girlfriend toh nahi hai, but I talk to 200 people on Instagram for two hours every day and bada mazaa aata hai. I am so busy being happy that I don’t think or plan anything for the future.

Sushant Singh Rajput does not want to get attached to immaterial things and spends a good part of the week fishing, swimming and star-gazing when he is not shooting
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 1, 2018)

Even though he is juggling between the shooting of Nitesh Tiwari’s Chhichhore and promotion of Abhishek Kapoor’s upcoming Kedarnath, Sushant Singh Rajput admits that he tries to visit his second home in Pavana for three days once every week. “The sky is clear there and I can gaze at the stars through my telescope or go boating on the lake close to my place which is like a session of cardio in itself. I also enjoy fishing and swimming. On the terrace, I have a 5 x 5 golf carpet to practise my driver shot,” smiles the 32-year-old actor, quick to inform that his homes in Bandra and Pavana are both rented properties because he doesn’t want to get attached to immaterial things. “The only property that I own is on the moon, besides the Maserati which was a childhood dream.”

Interestingly, Sushant extends the same philosophy to acting. “I act because it fascinates me, there is literally nothing more to it. If you give me extra money, I’ll keep it. If you give me extra fame, I’ll use it wisely. But these are just by-products of my profession and not the reason I took it up,” he asserts, adding that his interests also lie in astronomy, artificial intelligence, exponential technologies and sustainable energy. “I am closely working with someone to create a knowledge structure for students and bring back the Vedic technologies. Sixty-five per cent of the kids entering kindergarten this year, if they work 20 years later, they will be dealing with technologies that have yet to be invented. So, we plan to enable them in things that will equip them for such challenges in the future. The idea is not to add or edit subjects or conduct tests but create a knowledge structure. I am also collaborating with NITI Aayog (the policy think-tank of the Indian government) and few globally renowned institutions to make things happen,” informs the actor.

Of late, Sushant is rarely spotted at B-town’s social dos and in B-town but is quite active on the social media, intriguing with his self-musings which range from science and life to everything in between. “It wasn’t intentional, it just happened. The change started while I was shooting for Kedarnath in the temple town and now I know exactly why I am doing what I am. It’s as simple as looking at the same thing differently through history, science or any other tool and making it far more exciting,” he reasons.

Speaking of Kedarnath and his long-time association with the director, the actor informs that after he quit television and in 2012 was working in theatre while toying with the idea of going abroad to learn filmmaking, Kai Po Che! happened. “TV actors are often conditioned to think that they are not as good as those working in films, but Abhishek was always very sure of me and his appreciation of my first shot gave me a lot of confidence. It helped me understand the importance of protecting and nurturing someone. I will always hold him in high regards,” says a grateful Sushant.

Kedarnath, like Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat in the recent times, has been targeted by fringe groups on grounds of love jihad and “hurting Hindi sentiments”. The film’s leading man argues that there is an informed and acknowledged government body, the Central Board of Film Certification, to look into these matters. “If there is a problem, it’s for them to demand that it be edited. Like Titanic, Kedarnath too is complete fiction with a real incident from a few years ago as the backdrop,” Sushant maintains.

Talking of controversies, his name cropped up in wave of Bollywood’s very own #MeToo movement when reports had suggested that he had behaved inappropriately with his Kizie Aur Manny co-star, debutante Sanjana Sanghi. The actress on her return to the country from the US, denied these allegations and cleared her co-star. “I felt I was misunderstood at the time. At the same time, the #MeToo movement is much needed and should be discussed. Of course, when such things happen at such a big scale there are bound to be casualties. I was the unfortunate one but I still believe that the more we discuss the subject, the better it is,” he rationalises.

Next year, Sushant has four releases — Abhishek Chaubey’s Son Chiriya, Tarun Mansukhani’s Drive, Mukesh Chhabra’s Kizie Aur Manny and Chhichhore. “Drive is set to release soon, and I hope the teaser of Son Chiriya comes out with Kedarnath in theatres. Chhichhore, which I am presently shooting for inside the IIT campus in Powai, has taken me back to my engineering days and helped me play the part well,” Sushant signs off.

Hiren Kotwani (DNA; November 20, 2018)

It’s been over a month since Mukesh Chhabra was suspended as the director of Kizie Aur Manny. The international corporate studio backing the film, which features Sushant Singh Rajput and newbie Sanjana Sanghi, took this step after he was named in the #MeToo Movement. Back then, the studio had issued a statement saying, “As a responsible organisation, Star India takes any allegation of sexual harassment of women at workplace very seriously. Hence, Fox Star Studios has suspended the services of Mukesh Chhabra, director of our film Kizie Aur Manny, which is under production, till the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of M/s Mukesh Chhabra Casting Company concludes its inquiry into the allegations against him.”

However, now we hear that Mukesh will be back in the project as the ICC apparently hasn’t found any evidence against the casting agent-turned-director. After reportedly considering the findings and the ICC’s observations, the corporate studio eventually decided to reinstate him. Now, it remains to be seen when the international conglomerate will make an official announcement. The second schedule is slotted for next month in Paris.

Despite repeated attempts, Vijay Singh, CEO of Fox Star Studios, was unavailable for comment till the time of going to press.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; October 30, 2018)

The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has written a letter addressing the Managing Director of Star India, requesting that director Mukesh Chhabra’s ‘arbitrary and illegal suspension’ be revoked immediately. The letter has cited the non-observance of the provisions of the POSH Act, 2013, in the enquiry procedure that started after anonymous complaints surfaced against him in the ongoing #MeToo movement, in the last two weeks. Mukesh Chhabra was suspended as the director of Kizie Aur Manny, starring Sushant Singh Rajput and debutante Sanjana Sanghi, on October 19, following anonymous sexual harassment complaints.

The letter states, “It is gratifying to know that Star India is committed to an anti-sexual harassment policy and, has recently conducted an enquiry to investigate allegations of sexual harassment and abuse against its CEO, in the light of a recent anonymous complaint. From this, it appears, that the company is well aware that the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition & Redressal) Act, 2013, (POSH), has well defined procedures for registering and investigating a sexual harassment complaint. The POSH enquiry procedure is based on the principle of natural justice which requires that both the victim and the alleged harasser shall be provided an opportunity to be heard, before any disciplinary action is taken. Disciplinary action may be taken only after the POSH enquiry has been completed, both sides have been duly heard, witness statements recorded and a copy of the findings shared with both the victim and the alleged harasser. It is pertinent to note, that, the POSH Act recognises the possibility of false complaints being filed and mandates equal disciplinary action against false complainants, so that the innocent are not wrongly defamed or charged. However, it has come to our notice, that, in violation of the POSH enquiry procedure and the principle of natural justice as laid down under the POSH Act, a notice has been served on our affiliate, IFTDA’s member, director Mukesh Chhabra, arbitrarily suspending his services as director of the film Kizie Aur Manny, based on hearsay and anonymous complaints. This is a blatant violation of the enquiry and investigation procedure laid down in the POSH Act.”

B N Tiwari, the president of FWICE, told BT, “We are a trade union organisation with 24 crafts under our umbrella. We have to ensure that the dignity and honour of our members are intact and their fundamental right to work and make a living is not snatched away from them. The POSH Act supports the right to have a fair chance to be heard. So, we have requested the said studio to inform us as to why a POSH enquiry was not conducted as per the legal provisions of the act. We also want to know why our member was not provided with a copy of the written complaint against him, why he was not given a chance to present his defense before an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) and why a copy of the enquiry report was not served to him. On the basis of all these shortcomings, we have requested the company to revoke Chhabra’s suspension with immediate effect. Failing to do so, we will have to take further action, as per our rules and regulations.”

Ashoke Pandit, chief advisor to the FWICE and the president of IFTDA (Indian Film and Television Directors of India) believes that the #MeTooIndia movement has gained strong ground and so, it must not be misused by anyone, man or woman, to settle personal scores. He points out that its essential that the federation of crafts and the studios, production houses and all the affiliates of these bodies, work together cohesively to look into a reported complaint before doling out ‘justice’.

“We want all these cases of sexual harassment to have a firm standing in the court of law. We are all for action against the real culprits but we also want a thorough and evidence-led enquiry into every case of sexual harassment at workplace that emanates from our industry. We want to be very sure so the matter gets a fair trial if it were to reach the court. As a federation, we want to clean this entire process of filmmaking for men and women who have faced harassment. For that, complainants have come to us, like they did in the case of Sajid Khan and Alok Nath. We are following up the cases on our end and we are doing so by following the legal system in place. At the same time, we don’t want anyone to face humiliation or any trouble on the basis of a mere anonymous complaint. In the case of the on-going #MeToo movement, I insist that there should not be penalty before a fair and square enquiry. Powerful organisations — be it a studio, a production house or any other — cannot be doling out ‘justice’ before one is proven guilty. In my personal capacity and in the capacity of the offices that I hold, I am with the person who has been wronged. But without evidence, if members of our crafts are being socially harmed, their reputation is being tarnished without any proven ground, it’s not fair. It takes people years to build a reputation in the industry and with one ouster, one case of being publically shamed, that person, even without being proven guilty, will suffer for the rest of his life. They will be denied their basic right to earn a living,” he says.

Ashoke and B N Tiwari add that the federation will not cooperate with producers and studios that make arbitrary decisions without a fair enquiry into a matter of sexual harassment at workplace involving their members. Ashoke says, “Without enquiries, we will not stand with studios and production houses that instantly want to suspend the services of an individual and later look into the matter. It will be great if they reached out to us and joined hands with us to enquire deeply into a matter, because we, too, have an ICC in place that has members from 24 crafts, office bearers of associations and the federation, and lawyers like Mrunalini Deshmukh and Vaibhav Krishna that will help us, together, investigate a complaint and reach a fair conclusion in a matter.”

Tiwari concludes, “Even when the complainants spoke to the press, we sent out show-cause notices to the ones accused. They have all responded to us and we are acting on their responses. We also request those aggrieved to first reach out to us and the studio or production house concerned, and allow us to enquire before heading to the press and shaming someone. Meanwhile, we have requested two-three people to be appointed by all the companies that are affiliated to us across the 24 crafts who will be our point of contact in case a complaint is raised. That will help us close many loops in the process of inquiry and serving justice.”

BOMBAY TIMES (October 20, 2018)

Following sexual harassment accusations, casting director-turned-filmmaker, Mukesh Chhabra has been suspended from his debut film Kizie Aur Manny. Reportedly, an unnamed actress had alleged that she was harassed by Chhabra during an audition. Reacting to the #MeToo allegations levelled against the filmmaker, the production house handling the film that features Sushant Singh Rajput and Sanjana Sanghi in the lead, issued a statement addressing Chhabra’s removal from the project.

The statement read, “As a responsible organisation, Star India takes any allegation of sexual harassment of women at workplace very seriously hence Fox Star Studios has suspended the services of Mukesh Chhabra, director of our film Kizie Aur Manny, which is under production, till the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of M/s Mukesh Chhabra Casting Company concludes its inquiry into the allegations against him.”

Chhabra has denied all allegations on social media.
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MUMBAI MIRROR (October 20, 2018)

Over a week ago, casting director-turned-filmmaker Mukesh Chhabra was anonymously accused by two artistes of sexual misconduct, following which his casting company issued a statement, denying all allegations and stating that their Internal Complaints Committee, which is headed by the company CEO Punam Sawhney, would investigate the matter.

On Friday, Fox Star Studios, which is producing Chhabra’s directorial debut, the Sushant Singh Rajput-starrer Kizzie Aur Manny, revealed in a statement that they have recused him from all duties on the project. “As a responsible organisation, Star India takes any allegation of sexual harassment of women at workplace very seriously hence Fox Star Studios has suspended the services of Mukesh Chhabra, director of our film, Kizie Aur Manny, which is under production, till the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of M/s Mukesh Chhabra Casting

Company concludes its inquiry into the allegations against him.’’ Later in the day, Chhabra shared the statement, reiterating, “The matter is now in the purview of Internal Complaints Committee” of his company.
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Following revelations first published by mid-day, four associates said to have brought Chhabra's 'inappropriate behaviour' on the sets of his directorial debut to Fox Star's notice
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; October 20, 2018)

The #MeToo movement has gathered steam in Bollywood with several artistes being called out for offensive behaviour. On Friday, Fox Star Studios removed casting-agent-turned-director Mukesh Chhabra from his directorial debut, Kizie Aur Manny, amidst sexual harassment allegations against him.

The statement read, "As a responsible organisation, Star India takes any allegation of sexual harassment of women at workplace very seriously. Hence, Fox Star Studios has suspended the services of Mukesh Chhabra, director of our film Kizie Aur Manny, which is under production, till the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of M/s Mukesh Chhabra Casting Company concludes its inquiry into the allegations against him."

While, a week ago, mid-day had published survivors' accounts accusing Chhabra of sexual misconduct, a source close to the production unit reveals that four more survivors have apparently reported his misbehaviour to the studio since.

The source says, "In the past few days, four associates working on Kizie Aur Manny brought it to Fox Star's notice that Chhabra behaved inappropriately with them on set. They urged that the matter be investigated. That is when Fox Star swung into action. However, it is surprising that the production house hasn't put their Internal Complaints Committee [ICC] on the job. Ideally, a studio employs its ICC to enquire into the matter, but in this case, they have entrusted the ICC of Mukesh Chhabra Casting Company with the responsibility." Given the recent turn of events, the film remains in a limbo. "There are around 12 days of shoot left, including a foreign schedule."

When mid-day contacted Chhabra, he said, "The matter is now under the purview of ICC and I am bound by confidentiality." Fox Star India remained unavailable for comment till the time of going to press.

Clearing the air
Rumours of Sushant Singh Rajput "being over-friendly" with Kizie Aur Manny co-star Sanjana Sanghi resurfaced yesterday. He responded to the allegations by sharing snapshots of his conversation with Sanghi, on Twitter. He wrote, "I feel sad to reveal personal information but it seems there is no other way to state what was, in the midst of this curated and well-timed smear campaign. From the first till the last day of the shoot, this is what happened on the Set with Sanjana(sic)." The snapshots reveal their chats about encouraging and supporting each other to perform better.

The choreographer, who’d promised Mukesh Chhabra she’d work on a song for his directorial debut, kept her word on Wednesday with a fun number
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 30, 2018)

Choreographer Farah Khan filmed a song with Sushant Singh Rajput, the leading man of Mukesh Chhabra’s romance drama Kizie Aur Manny, on Wednesday. The fun, youthful number is composed by AR Rahman who has scored all the songs in the film. It was picturised at a college auditorium in Mumbai. This is the first time Sushant and Farah are collaborating and the actor exulted, “I am honoured and how, my first with Farah Khan in a film, and finally as an actor. Thank you so much ma’am, today is such a special day.”

A source from the sets reveals that the entire song was shot in two hours after rehearsing for two days. “The final take was filmed in one shot. Farah had promised Mukesh that whenever he makes his directorial debut, she would choreograph a song for him. She kept her word,” added the source.

Farah, when contacted, raved, “Since Sushant is such a good dancer I could take this call of wrapping up the number quickly.”

The film is the Hindi adaptation of Josh Boone’s 2014 Hollywood film, The Fault In Our Stars and kicked off in Jamshedpur on July 9. Featuring Sanjana Sanghi opposite Sushant, it is based on John Green’s bestselling 2012 novel, The Fault In Our Stars, and is the story of a 16-year-old cancer patient who is forced by her parents to attend a support group, where she meets and subsequently falls in love with another patient who has lost a leg to bone cancer. “The very fact that the story revolves around cancer makes it seem heavy and intense. But we’ve turned it into a beautiful love story which plays out lightly between these two main characters. I’ve tried to keep it as simple as possible which is why we decided on this title that has the ring of a rhyme, like Bunty aur Babli,” Mukesh had told Mirror earlier.

DNA (August 22, 2018)

Sushant Singh Rajput is a friendly guy. Often, the nature of his familiarity is misunderstood. This is reportedly what happened on the sets of Kizie Aur Manny that went on floors in Jamshedpur last month. The movie, which is an adaptation of the 2014 Hollywood hit, The Fault in Our Stars, marks casting guru, Mukesh Chhabra’s debut as a director.

Our source says, “Sushant was trying to be ‘extra-friendly’ towards newbie Sanjana Sanghi. On one occasion, she seemed to have got uncomfortable and apparently brought it to the notice of her parents, who reportedly told her to return to the set only if she felt she should. One hears that as of now, shooting has come to a standstill.”

We texted Mukesh asking him if his film was stalled or was this just a temporary hitch. He didn’t respond till the time of going to press. We also tried contacting Sushant but he didn’t revert to our text messages and calls till the time of going to press. We sent an email to the studio, too, which is bankrolling the project. Its spokesperson said, “We, as a studio, take the safety of our talent and crew with utmost seriousness. No such incident has happened on our sets and shoot has not been suspended. As a matter of fact, the final schedule of our shoot is on as we speak. We are looking forward to releasing the film in 2019.”

Hindi adaptation of the H’wood romantic drama The Fault in our Stars kicked off in Jamshedpur today with Mukesh Chhabra calling the shots
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 9, 2018)

Mirror ( March 19) was the first to report that after months of scouting, Mukesh Chhabra had zeroed in on Sanjana Sanghi, seen briefly in Rockstar, Hindi Medium and Fukrey Returns, to play the leading lady opposite Sushant Singh Rajput in his directorial debut, the Hindi remake of Josh Boone’s 2014 Hollywood romantic drama, The Fault in our Stars. The film kicked off in Jamshedpur today with a 5 am shoot. “The first shot will be taken with Sanjana, who plays Kizie, and her parents in their home,” Mukesh informed from the Steel City on Sunday evening, admitting that he didn’t think he would get much sleep before D-Day. The film is titled Kizie Aur Manny, after its protagonists.

Based on John Green’s bestselling 2012 novel, The Fault in our Stars, it’s the story of a 16-year-old cancer patient who is forced by her parents to attend a support group, where she meets and subsequently falls in love with another patient who has lost a leg to bone cancer. “The very fact that the story revolves around cancer makes it seem heavy and intense. But we’ve turned it into a beautiful love story which plays out lightly between these two main characters. I’ve tried to keep it as simple as possible which is why we decided on this title that has the ring of a rhyme, like Bunty aur Babli,” explained Mukesh.

When it was pointed out to him that Kizie is not a common Indian name, he acknowledged that they had imported it from Africa because it is a perfect fit for their leading lady. Manny, on the other hand, is a common name across countries and unusual enough to spark of interest.

The first-time director pointed out that as one of Bollywood’s best known casting directors, he was sure when he met her, seven years after Rockstar, that Sanjana is best suited to play Kizie. “As for Sushant, I was the one who got him his first break, Kai Po Che! and during the shoot of PK where again I was the casting director, I had told him that whenever I directed my first film, he would be in it and he had replied that he would always be there for me. Four days ago, he reminded me of that. In an age of empty words, he has kept his promise,” exulted Mukesh.

And why Jamshedpur? He reasoned that the city happily welcomed people from across the country and gave them a home there. “So you have a South Indian living next to a Bengali family, while a Parsi and a Bihari could be neighbours. I needed a place with a small town vibe and had heard a lot about Jamshedpur from Imtiaz (Ali) and R Madhavan. When I came here for recee, I knew instantly that this was where I wanted my love story to take root,” he avered.

Rucha Pathak, Chief Creative Officer, Fox Star Studios, which is producing the romantic drama, is happy that finally the stars have aligned for their Indian adaptation of The Fault in our Stars. “We’re especially happy that the script that we’ve been developing over the last few years is seeing the start of shoot and the title itself has come so organically from the Indian characters in the film. Kizie and Manny are characters from the imagination of Suprotim Sengupta who wrote the screenplay and Shashank Khaitan who gave them wonderful voices through his dialogues. Mukesh now is going to bring them to life,” she asserted.