Showing posts with label Lal Krishna Advani. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lal Krishna Advani. Show all posts
Mogambo’s tailor, netas’ favourite: Meet the dressmaker of icons
3:13 PM
Madhav Agasti has stitched clothes for Amrish Puri, Bal Thackeray, Pranab Mukherjee, Narasimha Rao, L K Advani…. He’s been a friend of Sanjeev Kumar, Dev Anand, Mehmood. Farooq Abdullah discovered his tailoring skills in 1984 and never left him. After 50 years, Agasti is still going strong and is full of stories of the people he met and dressed
Sharmila Ganesan (THE TIMES OF INDIA; August 31, 2025)
Madhav Agasti’s mobile rings as we step into his tailoring shop in Bandra. “Farooq Abdullah,” Agasti tells his son, Shantanu, before answering. The first time he had met Abdullah, then the chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir, was in 1984. Agasti was at the Delhi airport, and so were Abdullah and Congress’s NKP Salve. Salve was in a bandhgala and Abdullah had admired the cut. And that is how the serendipitous meeting took place. Spotting Agasti, Salve introduced him to Abdullah. Then things moved fast. Agasti requested Abdullah to accompany him to the VIP lounge. Out came Agasti’s measuring tape — he always carries one — and the measurements were done. What followed a few days later was an impeccable sherwani. Abdullah was impressed. He ordered a suit next, then a pathani, followed by a safari suit. “He remains my client to this day,” says Agasti.
Agasti’s 76 now. And had invited Abdullah to his Andheri home for Ganeshotsav. But Abdullah called because he thought he would not be able to make it. But he’s promised to be back soon for new measurements.
Nagpur To Bombay, Via Calcutta
Agasti’s father was a bhikshuk in Nagpur, a wandering monk who stitched coats for a lawyer named Shewde. Agasti’s ambitions were likely sparked by his father’s skills. He left Nagpur for Calcutta, a young man in his early 20s. He found himself a job as a “cutter” in the city. Then he travelled to Moradabad to learn how to stitch sherwanis and then to Mhow, a cantonment town in MP, to study how to make military uniforms. He travelled back to Calcutta, and, this time, landed a job at a tailoring counter because he could speak English.
In 1973, he moved to Bombay. “I was smoking outside Citylight Cinema in Mahim when I noticed a man with scissor marks on his hand, the hallmark of an assistant tailor. He worked at Super Tailors, dressmakers to Hindi film actors,” recalls Agasti. Soon enough, Agasti landed himself a job there.
A door had opened for him. But what worked wonders was his learning from Mhow; 14 years later, that would catapult him to even higher tailoring fame. He stitched the military uniforms for the 1973 film, ‘Dhund’. And Danny Dengzongpa, who played the role of a cruel, wheelchair bound husband of Zeenat Aman in the film, loved the tailoring.
Agasti had been noticed. His star was on the rise. Plus, his Nagpur-honed Hindi was good, and so was his Marathi. He quickly began to acquire admirers.
Actor Sunil Dutt was the first to suggest that he strike out on his own. “There were no Maharashtrians in tailoring then,” Agasti says. He set up a small shop in Dadar in 1975. Word spread fast. Soon, ministers Vilasrao Deshmukh (“he loved safari suits”), Gopinath Munde, Pramod Mahajan (“he wore kurtas without pockets”), Sharad Pawar and Lal Krishna Advani (“three-button jackets”) were clients.
Through lawyer Shirish Gupte and theatre veteran Mohan Wagh, he met Bal Thackeray in 1981. “Balasaheb asked me to design clothes in such a manner that his legs wouldn’t show in photographs,” says Agasti. He crafted a white kurta-pyjama that became the late Shiv Sena chief’s signature look. “I got him a shawl from Kashmir. He mostly preferred white and off-white,” adds Agasti, himself in off-white shirt and pants today “because this way, I don’t have to worry about combinations”. Thackeray nicknamed him “Rajshimpi” (politicians’ tailor).
Mogambo… Khush Hua
But you could also call Agasti a film stars’ tailor. Last month, he received the Bharat Gaurav Award at the UK Parliament in London for designing Amrish ‘Mogambo’ Puri’s unforgettable costume in the 1987 blockbuster, Mr India, and also Bal Thackeray’s signature kurta-shawl look.
He is now preparing for the release of his memoir, ‘Stitching Stardom’. The book traces his journey of image-making across comedians and chief ministers, prime ministers and presidents. Much has changed in tailoring — technology, speed, the churn of fast fashion — and much hasn’t. “Earlier it was about who you knew,” says Agasti. “Now it’s word of mouth.”
As tea is served for unannounced guests — BJP’s Raghunath Kulkarni and former national secretary Sunil Deodhar have arrived in the shop — the septuagenarian darzee holds forth on his craft, his clients, and his takeaways from 50 years of dressing up the who’s who.
“Contrary to perception,” he says, “politicians are the easiest clients and the best paymasters.” Many believed his “lucky hand” made their measurements special. As he reminisces about designing costumes for five villains in Anil Kapoor’s ‘Ram Lakhan’, his eyes settle on the crisp shirt Kulkarni is wearing. “The linen suits you,” Agasti says. “It’s linen?” asks Kulkarni. “Yes, and the American cut sits well,” replies Agasti, seated in the shop he opened in Bandra in Nov 1985, its launch postponed by 15 days to mourn the death of his friend Sanjeev Kumar.
Dev Anand would sneak in through the back door, head bobbing, calling out: “ Ey Madhav, kya banaya hai mere liye?” while Sunil Dutt preferred the front, greeting him warmly as “Madhav Seth”. He even kept a special stool for Mehmood, who would arrive most evenings, leaving the tailors in stitches with his antics.
But the costume that cemented his name in Bollywood lore was Mogambo’s in Mr India. The now-iconic piece with its high-collared military cut and gold trimmings was meant to project both colonial grandeur and zamindar-like menace. Puri, who exclaimed “Mogambo… khush hua” on seeing it (here, in the Bandra shop), wore it with relish. “I worked with him from his first film till his last. After he passed away in 2005, I slowly stepped away from films,” says Agasti, who found the era of menacing villains fading from the silver screen. Soon, it was in politics, rather than films, that his reputation as a tailor of image flourished.
A Politicians’ Tailor
From the dhoti-kurta and Jodhpurs era to the rise of the suit-boot and back, Agasti has seen political sartorialism in India come full circle. Various chief ministers, prime ministers and presidents — including Pranab Mukherjee — have taken oath in his creations. The busy Narasimha Rao would often be exercising on his stationary bike at 6 am when Agasti would get an appointment with the silk-jacket-favouring polymath.
Someday soon, he hopes to tailor PM Narendra Modi’s clothes. “I’m a big fan of Narendra Modi ji,” he says. “He dresses sharply, always to suit the occasion.”
Today, as he marks half a century in the trade, the shop is lined with mementoes. Pride of place goes to a cap gifted by former Army Chief Manoj Mukund Naravane upon retirement. “Clothes make the person,” says Kulkarni. “By that measure, he (Agasti) is a personality builder.”
Deodhar sizes him up as a “self-made man with networking skills and a sharp memory,” adding one enduring quality: “He calls himself a tailor with pride at a time when many look down on the profession. And… he always has a measuring tape handy.”
Spend as much as you have to on a film, but don’t make compromises to make up for the expenses-Vidhu Vinod Chopra
8:11 AM
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; February 23, 2021)
WHEN VIDHU VINOD CHOPRA ASKED FOR CASH ON THE NATIONAL FILM AWARDS STAGE
Vidhu Vinod Chopra had received the National Film Award for the Best Short Experimental Film for his first film, Murder At Monkey Hill (1976). But when he went on the stage and was handed over the award by the then President Neelam Sanjiva Reddy and the then Minister for Information and Broadcasting Lal Krishna Advani, the filmmaker realised that the award wasn’t a cash prize but was in the form of a bond (which award recipients can encash after years).
An upcoming filmmaker then, who was struggling to make ends meet, Vidhu was disappointed and kept arguing with the minister, who promised him to hand over the cash the next day. But Vidhu couldn’t be convinced and the President had to intervene. While finally after the filmmaker exited the stage, he was later told that the entire interaction was telecast live on Doordarshan! Vani admitted to Vidhu that she was flabbergasted when she read about it.
Vidhu explained, “You have to try and imagine that kid who went to Vigyan Bhawan (where the award ceremony is organised) with nothing in his pocket. All the money which I had borrowed was used up. So you have to understand that it (what he said) didn’t come from grit or some madness or courage, but it had to do with necessity. It came from the need, and I needed that money to have my dinner and my breakfast the next day.”
‘THE MOMENT YOU SPEND BEYOND A POINT TO MAKE A FILM, YOU START MAKING COMPROMISES IN YOUR HEAD’
During the virtual session of the Jaipur Literature Festival, Vidhu pointed out to Vani that if a filmmaker spends beyond a point to make his movie, there are creative compromises he has to make to ensure the film makes enough money to recover the over-expense.
He said, “I don’t have great needs, I don’t throw parties. I don’t have many friends. Most people don’t like me, and I don’t like most people, so it works beautifully. But what happens in movies is that unlike a painter or a writer, you (filmmakers) invest a lot of money. But the moment you invest, let’s say, beyond Rs. 200 crore, you start thinking of making compromises in your head. Because then you’ll say, ‘I need to put a song here, I need to do this scene there.’ So you actually sell your freedom as a filmmaker and as an artiste by spending more money on your movie.”
But whatever be the expense, Vidhu says he always wants to give the audience an authentic experience. Giving an example of his film Shikara (2020) — a love story of a Kashmiri couple in the backdrop of the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley in the 1990s — he said, “For a film like Shikara, which I knew would not earn Rs. 500 crore, I spent almost as much as I spent on 3 Idiots because that film needed that. I was showing on screen thousands and thousands of refugee Kashmiri Pandits and I also had thousands of buses that came to Patnitop (to take the refugees away). I went to the exact location where that had happened.”
Vidhu’s large-scale shoot even surprised renowned Hollywood filmmaker James Cameron, who’s known for his big budget movies. “Cameron is a great filmmaker and he saw the film in New Zealand. The first thing he told me was, ‘All those buses were real Vinod, how did you do that? Why did you get so many? I would have got three and digitally created the rest.’ I told him, ‘James, I really wanted it to be authentic’,” said Vidhu. He added, “So it’s not about how much money you spend. Spend as much as you have to. But be careful. If you spend beyond a point, you will have to dumb down and make a rubbish film so you can make enough money to recover your loss.”
During the conversation, Vani asked Vidhu about a particular section in his book, Unscripted, which they were discussing at the lit fest. Vani asked, “In the book, you have said that ‘I haven’t sold my soul then why should somebody else?’ What is that conversation all about?” Then Vidhu explained to Vani about filmmaker Ingmar Bergman’s three commandments of filmmaking that he also swears by. Not just when it comes to making films, but also as a way of life.
Vidhu, who studied Bergman at the film institute FTII, said about the commandments, “The first commandment is: ‘Thou shall entertain’, which is amazing because the job of the filmmaker is to entertain and not to preach. The second commandment is: ‘Thou shall entertain without selling your soul’, and third is: ‘Make every film as if that is your last because it easily could be’.”
He added, “Today, you can project any image on social media. You see, on Instagram, everybody is projecting their finest moments in the Maldives. There seems to be no sorrow. So I can project an image here (at the session), and even if you like the image, once the screen is off, I will be very unhappy because I will know that is not who I am. I know the truth. But if I am speaking the truth, and even if everybody says this guy is nonsense, the session is rubbish, that’s fine. I will be happy because I have spoken the truth.”
‘I DON’T BELONG TO THAT INDUSTRY’
Vani pointed out how Vidhu’s films, starting from Parinda, Munnabhai movies, 3 Idiots to Shikara, belong to different genres. Vidhu replied, “Life becomes very boring for me if I start following a certain path. After Shikara, I have written a crazy thriller, Baarish, about a couple in the middle of nowhere who want to kill each other. It is completely different. When you will see Baarish, you will think, ‘Is this the same guy who directed Shikara?’ That is the fun of it. Try different cuisine, try different cinema. To me, life is greater than cinema, far greater than cinema, and therefore I enjoy my life.”
When Vani observed, “But Vidhu ji, we belong to a film industry which is so ‘familiar-driven’,” Vidhu laughed and replied, “I must tell you that I don’t belong to that industry.”
How is my producer's ill-health caused by me?-Kangana Ranaut reacts to Hansal Mehta's comments
8:28 AM
Reacting to Hansal Mehta's dig at her, Kangana Ranaut says she is unfazed by loose talk; content with positive reviews that Manikarnika got at screening for President
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 21, 2019)
"I had tears of joy," starts off Kangana Ranaut, describing her moment of glory at Rashtrapati Bhavan where her directorial debut, Manikarnika - The Queen Of Jhansi, had its first screening on Friday. Beaming that months of hard work have borne fruit, the actor reveals that she was surprised by L K Advani's nuanced critique of her work. "I was amazed when he made some technical notes about the film. Prasoon sir [Joshi, lyricist] later told me that Advani ji started his career as a film critic. It was a surreal moment when he complimented my direction."While she was basking in the appreciation that her labour of love received in the capital, Ranaut seems oblivious to Hansal Mehta's dig at her. When reports emerged of Manikarnika producer Kamal Jain being hospitalised, Mehta tweeted, "Sad news. I completely empathise with him and the possible cause of his condition." His allusion to Ranaut was not lost on anybody - their experience of collaborating on Simran (2017) was reportedly far from smooth sailing.
"People who make such comments are unhappy themselves. While I was shooting Manikarnika, I got multiple stitches on my forehead and broke my leg. No one blamed my director [Krish] for it. So, how is my producer's ill-health caused by me? In B-grade films, when there was a death in the family, the bahu was called manhoos. I feel for that bahu," she laughs, showing that naysayers can dampen neither her spirit nor her sense of humour. "I don't know what Hansal is trying to imply. It's an incoherent narrative where one day, I am a charm to work with, and a few months later, I am not."
Despite her commendable work, the actor appears to struggle to shrug off the 'difficult' tag. But Ranaut remains unperturbed. "A lot of people speak bitterly of me. Prasoon sir once told me, 'In this industry, everyone will like you if you let them exploit you.' If I start working at a lower price, I will be a favourite. Having a voice or opinion is a problem. Isn't it simple that I hold on to my cost, and people respond by saying whether or not it works for them? It's not their place to tell me my worth."
I couldn’t desert a sinking ship-Kangana Ranaut
8:26 AM
Kangana Ranaut on why she was compelled to turn director to see her period drama to its release; reveals third Tanu Weds Manu film is on the way
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 21, 2019)
You started Manikarnika - The Queen of Jhansi as an actress and ended it also as a co-director. What was it like taking on the additional responsibility?
It was as surprising for me as for anybody else. It was never the intention but today, when it’s my vision out there on screen, I’m happy that more than a revenge drama, it’s a patriotic film.
How difficult was it to enter the picture as a director in October with the pressure of delivering the film in three months?
October is when everyone got to know, I came on board as director in June. For two-three months we re-conceived the entire film, incorporated six-seven songs, then the reshoot began. I was running two units simultaneously, one with my DoP, Kiran Deohans, and a parallel unit with Sachin Krishn and Nick Powell. A regular DOP takes 15-20 shots a day, Kiran ji and I were taking 50-60 shots, wrapping up five-six scenes, every day for 45 days. The same was happening with the parallel unit with every frame taking a couple of hours to dress up. Even the VFX team finished off six months work in two and the music team didn’t get more than two hours sleep. It was all about manic passion, devotion. It might have killed me, but I was used to working in extreme situations.
Your producer, Kamal Jain, has reportedly suffered a paralytic stroke. He is currently on the ventilator battling for his life.
This happened a week ago. When we were in Delhi together on January 6 he had complained of a kharash in his voice. Two days later, he called from the hospital to say the MRI report had detected a small dot in the brain. After that he couldn’t move one side of his mouth, couldn’t talk or eat. It was scary. We’re praying for him and have taken over all his responsibilities. On Saturday, Kamal ji released a letter from hospital thanking everyone for their concern and informing that he was recovering. This film has been a labour of love, sweat and blood.
At any point did you feel like it would be aborted?
There were date issues, certain actors not co-operating, some being flown into ND Studio in chartered planes. The original DoP and the earlier ADs were not allowed to come on my sets because they’d started working with Krish (the original director) on the NTR biopic. I was working with an entirely new team and couldn’t afford to recreate the grandeur, like a Rs 5 crore darbar set. I could only work with fresh content and patchwork. But just when things seemed impossible, they’d tilt in my favour. I was fortunate to have K V Vijayendra Prasad sir (story and screenplay writer) and Prasoon Joshi sir (lyrics and dialogue), who were my pillars of strength.
A year ago, you had planned to turn director but the project did not materialise. Today, after Manikarnika, do you feel confident to drive your own directorial from the first shot to the last?
I drove this film too, from the first shot to the last. Only 30 per cent of the film, the action sequences shot by Krish and Nick, have been retained and I did lots of patchwork on those too. The remaining 70 per cent of the film was shot by me.
So, when do we hear about the next directorial?
I’m itching to go on the floor now, I have a concept, but will wait for the response to this film. True success comes to those who do what is needed, not what they want. I was ready when this opportunity was thrown at me, I grabbed and ran with it. But now, I’m in no hurry. I’m accepted as an actor, I have two-three films lined up. For me direction is not just about engaging the viewer for two hours, that’s a given when you’re in the entertainment business. The only way I’d give a year or two of my life to a project as a director would be if I have something important and meaningful to say that can’t be said on Instagram or Twitter. Not that I am on either or against the social media. The fact is direction can never be a self-indulgent pursuit for me.
That’s quite a statement…
I know it’s hard to understand that someone wants to make a movie not for money, for fans or vanity. I have never worked so selflessly. Anurag’s (Basu) film (Imali) was to start in November, but from May to January, I’ve done only 10 days work for Ashwiny’s (Iyer Tiwari) Panga to pay my installments. During Diwali I let go of several campaigns, financially things have gone for a toss but there was no question of asking for extra money in a project that had already gone over-budget. And I couldn’t desert a sinking ship either. People try to dissect my motives, compartmentalise me, wrap their heads around me. And in doing so, they only end up with pancreas and kidneys. It would be better if they wrapped their hearts around me, they might have found the person.
You are sharing the credits with Krish as director, right?
Yes, having shot 70 per cent of the film, my contribution is inarguable. Once the job was done, the team felt I should get my credit. But since Krish was the pioneer of this project and set up many things which have been retained for their sheer brilliance and not because we couldn’t have changed those too, he becomes an equal partner. However, it’s not a collaboration so our names will be listed individually.
What was the reaction at the Rashtrapati Bhavan screening on Friday?
Phenomenal! Everyone stood up and clapped at the end! Mr (L K) Advani told me thrice, “Wonderful direction!”, and noted certain subtle nuances which was unusual when everyone was talking about my performance. Prasoon sir later explained that he’d started his career as a film critic.
It’s almost surreal to be accidentally launched as a director in this way. I remember discussing my dress code with my sister Rangoli when I first thought of turning director, and when I actually took over the reins, I don’t recall what I pulled out of the cupboard or what shoes I wore. My hair was mess, my face was dusty, kuch khaya nahin tha din bhar… All the romanticism flew out of the window and what remained was dedication and diligence to the craft.
And Manikarnika, did you feel her?
I felt her anger and her grudge when things weren’t going her way. I fell off the horse two-three times, there were freak accidents, so finally I surrendered myself to her so she could tell her story through me knowing she would not settle for less.
Manikarnika took on the British male order, you have taken on the industry bastion. Today, no matter how many films with top heroes bomb, if you stumble, it will be the debacle of the year…
Manikarnika fought not just the British but also the Indian male order because she did not go to Kashi after she was widowed and ascended the throne. I too have gambled everything on this film and am hanging in there, waiting to see what will happen. Will I lose more? Maybe. Will I hit the jackpot? Maybe. It has happened many times before. It’s a film about an extraordinary woman and what I am feeling right now doesn’t come easily and then doesn’t last long. So, all I am doing is revelling in the grace without thinking of commercial success or critical acclaim.
Earlier there were four films – Thackeray, Why Cheat India, Super 30 and Manikarnika -- vying for the same Friday. Did the thought of moving ever cross your mind?
Never! This is a patriotic film, it needed to come on Republic Day. But that said, it’s not a sentimental or emotional call, but a strategic decision. The buzz on our film has been strong since the first teaser which is why we could stick to this date while two other films moved.
After seeing the first trailer people pointed to a line of dialogue similar to Hrithik Roshan’s Mohenjo Daro…
Who has seen that film? Let’s not even go there.
There are fellow actors who walked out of Manikarnika and today are congratulating you. Tables turn quickly?
I had so much respect for those who hated me, now they are changing their mind too. In this world dosti is often betrayed, dushmani toh imandaari se nibha lo.
From Manikarnika to Mental Hai Kya, how big a jump will it be for the audience?
A complete shift. If Manikarnika is an event film for school children and families, Mental Hai Kya is targeting young people with a fondness for psychological thrillers. For films like Mental… and Panga my contribution is limited to that of an actress. I go to the set as an employee and do what I am asked to do, it’s a great relief.
You met with the Prime Minister on Saturday at the inauguration of the National Museum of Indian Cinema in Mumbai. Given that this is the election year, will you campaign for a party if asked?
I can’t resonate with a party and its different members. But as an individual, I reiterate that there is no leader with Narendra Modi’s guts, charisma and intellect in the country or even the world. He can change the destiny of our country and even the continent. The qualities we look for in a leader and in our neighbour are different. A leader should be a daredevil like Rani Lakshmibai who will sacrifice her head before anyone else’s. A neighbour can be timid and take care of your garden.
Last year the #MeToo movement exploded in our country and lead to some big names being outed. Would you say you pioneered it?
Yes, of course, when I was 17, I lodged a police complaint against violence and harassment and it shocked the industry. I’m still being bullied but then any girl who comes out, is subjected to scrutiny. But thanks to the power of social media, the world has become one collective consciousness and today the industry’s double face vis-a-vis not just women but even our soldiers after Uri has been exposed. Now, if anyone does not take a stand, they will be called out. But at the same time, media trials and personal judgements are not welcome. Comments like “I don’t believe he could do this” and “I’m shocked” should not be passed. People should stand by survivors staunchly, for what is right, and see it through.
Have you seen Zero given that Aanand L Rai and you go back all the way to the Tanu Weds Manu franchise?
I have been too busy with Manikarnika to attend any of the trials of Zero but Aanand ji is coming for a show of our film. We will be announcing Tanu Weds Manu 3 soon.
Madhur Bhandarkar outraged after Censors ask for 12 cuts & 2 disclaimers in Indu Sarkar
8:25 AM
National Award-winning filmmaker outraged after the censor board’s Examining Committee ordered 12 cuts and two disclaimers in his upcoming film that is set against the Emergency.
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 11, 2017)
Madhur Bhandarkar is in
shock after coming out of a Censor Board screening which has handed his
upcoming drama set against the backdrop of the Emergency 12 cuts and two
disclaimers. “It’s absurd that names of political leaders like Atal
Bihari Vajpayee, Morarji Desai and Lal Krishna Advani that appear in a
newspaper that someone is reading doesn’t pass muster, nor does that of
Jayaprakash Narayan even when it’s just part of a slogan being shouted.
Nor for that matter do references to political terms like ‘Akali’,
‘Communist’ and the organisation RSS. It’s really disappointing. But
what’s really mind-boggling is that even Kishore Kumar’s name (the
singer’s songs were banned on All India Radio on Doordarshan because the
he refused to perform at a Congress rally in Mumbai at the time) needs
to be dropped!” exclaims the National Award-winning filmmaker, adding
that before submitting the print to the censors, following discussions
with friends from several political parties post the trailer release, he
had already carried out voluntary censorship, making several changes in
names and content because he did not want to upset or offend anyone.
What’s taken him by surprise is that lines like “Ab iss desh mein Gandhi ke maayne badal chuke hain” and “Bharat ki ek beti ne desh ko bandi banaya hua hai” which have been playing in the trailer on television, the social media and in the theatres since June 16, now appear in the list of lines to be deleted before the film can be released. Also, words like ‘IB’, ‘Section Officer’ and even ‘PM’ have been blacklisted. “What parameters are they following? What yardstick?” rages the disbelieving filmmaker who is also being questioned on his dedication to the “unsung heroes who fought for democracy during Emergency”. He has been asked to remove it and add two disclaimers.
The film has been in the eye of a storm since last month when members of the Congress party released a poster in Allahabad, demanding that the state government ban the film and stated that they would not let it open in city theatres.
The agitation spilled over to other states too. In a letter addressed to the Cine Circuit Association and the Cine Grah Sanchalan in Indore, Congress party workers demanded a ban in the Madhya Pradesh capital too and threatened to vandalise theatres, burn effigies of Bhandarkar and Anupam Kher, holding theatre owners responsible for any violence.
Earlier, Congress spokesperson Jyotiraditya Scindia had said, “The organisation and the individual who is behind the film is known to us. We totally condemn the false depictions in the film.” In his reply, Madhur has asked the party to let the CBFC take a call.
Today, he finds himself fighting on two fronts for what he points out is primarily a work of fiction which is simply set against a political backdrop. Reminding himself that ‘freedom of expression’ is his Constitutional right, he promises to fight this “arbitrary” censor diktat without relenting. “I will go to the Revising Committee and then the Tribunal. I’m deeply disappointed,” Bhandarkar asserts.
We tried calling CBFC chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani and even texted him but he remained unavailable for comment.
What’s taken him by surprise is that lines like “Ab iss desh mein Gandhi ke maayne badal chuke hain” and “Bharat ki ek beti ne desh ko bandi banaya hua hai” which have been playing in the trailer on television, the social media and in the theatres since June 16, now appear in the list of lines to be deleted before the film can be released. Also, words like ‘IB’, ‘Section Officer’ and even ‘PM’ have been blacklisted. “What parameters are they following? What yardstick?” rages the disbelieving filmmaker who is also being questioned on his dedication to the “unsung heroes who fought for democracy during Emergency”. He has been asked to remove it and add two disclaimers.
The film has been in the eye of a storm since last month when members of the Congress party released a poster in Allahabad, demanding that the state government ban the film and stated that they would not let it open in city theatres.
The agitation spilled over to other states too. In a letter addressed to the Cine Circuit Association and the Cine Grah Sanchalan in Indore, Congress party workers demanded a ban in the Madhya Pradesh capital too and threatened to vandalise theatres, burn effigies of Bhandarkar and Anupam Kher, holding theatre owners responsible for any violence.
Earlier, Congress spokesperson Jyotiraditya Scindia had said, “The organisation and the individual who is behind the film is known to us. We totally condemn the false depictions in the film.” In his reply, Madhur has asked the party to let the CBFC take a call.
Today, he finds himself fighting on two fronts for what he points out is primarily a work of fiction which is simply set against a political backdrop. Reminding himself that ‘freedom of expression’ is his Constitutional right, he promises to fight this “arbitrary” censor diktat without relenting. “I will go to the Revising Committee and then the Tribunal. I’m deeply disappointed,” Bhandarkar asserts.
We tried calling CBFC chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani and even texted him but he remained unavailable for comment.
Puneet Issar to play the antagonist in Raavan Ki Ramayan
7:54 AM
Puneet Issar's epic journey continues as he moves from the Mahabharat to reinterpreting the Ramayan through the eyes of its formidable antagonist
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 22, 2016)
Almost a year ago, Puneet Issar who
is still remembered as Duryodhan from BR Chopra's tele epic Mahabharat,
was surprised by a call from Rahul Bhuchar who ran a theatre group in
Delhi and said he had something which might interest him. Intrigued,
Puneet invited him over, and Rahul with writer-director Atul Satya
Koushik, took the 6 am flight to Mumbai and turned up with the script of
Raavan Ki Ramayan. The veteran actor had never been on stage before but
was fascinated by this play written in verse which interpreted the
Ramayan from the perspective of its antagonist. At 50-plus, Puneet
believed he was at the right age to play Raavan who'd always tantalised
him with his complexities."I'd been reading up on him but none of the writings had done justice to this wise man born from the union of a Brahmin and an asura. Most focussed on his laugh to portray him as evil. This play offered new insights into Raavan's life and character. I learnt that his 10 heads were a gift from Shiva after he kept cutting off his head and offering it to the Lord every time he got it back. He did it 10 times," he informs.
Puneet was motivated by Atul's two-and-half-hour play into reading the Vedas and Puranas which made him realise that Raavan was not just a great warrior but a yogi and a gyaani too who had been invited by Ram to the inauguration of the bridge at Rameshwaram that would take him to Lanka and Sita's rescue. "Everyone tried to dissuade Raavan but he insisted it was his duty as a Brahmin to go and perform the pooja which demanded the presence of Ram's ardhangini. When it was pointed out to him that Sita was in his captivity, he brought her down for the rituals, then took her back with him, telling Ram that he'd have to fight for her," says Puneet who has contributed to the script with his own inputs.
Language wasn't a problem as he'd been a diction teacher at Roshan Taneja's acting school, Sanjay Dutt and Sunny Deol batch mate who'd taught Urdu and Hindi. But it took him months to memorise his lines, knowing he couldn't change a word without disturbing the metre. He also needed to be at his fittest to play Raavan and over eight months lost 15 kgs through three hours of weight-training and an hour of cardio daily, followed by a run and martial arts. "My wife also put me on a high-protein, no carbs, no milk, no sugar, oil-free diet which has helped me build my muscles and look 20 years younger," he beams.
The play premiered in Delhi on August 6. Among the guests were LK Advani and his daughter, Pratibha, and though initially everyone grumbled over the length, once the curtains went up, they were hooked. Advani admitted at the end that he'd been left speechless. "We begin the Mumbai run from September 1 at Rang Sharda," Puneet informs.
Prod him on what makes Raavan different from Duryodhan and he reasons that the eldest of Kauravas was an angry, impulsive, obstinate boy of 25 who'd cut his nose to spite himself. Raavan, in contrast, was a wise man of 50 who faltered. "He's the biggest antagonist we know and to understand him one needed to go into his heart because every antagonist in his heart is a protagonist," Puneet says.
And what differentiates the Ramayan from the Mahabharat? "Ramayan teaches us what to do while the Mahabharat teaches us kya nahin karna chahiye. For me 1988 belonged to Duryodhan and 2016 is for Raavan," he signs off.
Madhur Bhandarkar's next set in the Emergency period?
7:21 AM
The filmmaker's next is set in the controversial '70s and revolves around a female poet-activist
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 18, 2016)
National Award winning filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar is back with another female-oriented film. Main,
Indu is set during the 21 months of the Emergency, between June 25, 1975
and March 21, '77, when constitutional rights were curbed, many of then
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's political opponents were imprisoned and
the press censored. Several other atrocities were also reported,
including a forced mass sterilisation campaign spearheaded by Sanjay
Gandhi.
This is one of the most controversial periods in independent India's history and several films in the past have focussed on it, including Gulzar's '75 drama Aandhi, with Bengal's diva Suchitra Sen playing a politician bearing a startling resemblance to Mrs Gandhi. Amrit Nahata's Kissa Kursi Ka, a spoof on the Emergency, where Shabana Azmi played Janata, the mute protagonist, while Satyajit Ray's 1980 Hirak Rajar Deshe was a children's political satire. “Indu, in this film has no reference to Indira Gandhi or any real-life character. She's a female poet who stammers and rebels against the system during these trying times,“ says a source close to the development.
Madhur has been researching the film for over six months and was in the capital recently to meet BJP veteran LK Advani as part of his prep. He also interacted with political writers like Tavleen Singh, Coomi Kapoor who penned The Emergency: A Personal History and Kuldeep Nayyar, an Urdu press reporter who was arrested towards the end of the Emergency. He joined a delegation to the United Nations in 1996 and was nominated to the Rajya Sabha a year later. “Madhur also travelled to Kolkata to meet other prominent authors, politicians and journalists who were a part of the Emergency,“ adds the source.
The filmmaker was expected to roll with either the Chandni Bar or Fashion sequels but both these films have been pushed to a later date since the Main, Indu script is complete. “Madhur describes this as his most ambitious project, since, he is completely moving away from the genre he has stuck to for the last decade. The film rolls this August,“ signs off the source.
This is one of the most controversial periods in independent India's history and several films in the past have focussed on it, including Gulzar's '75 drama Aandhi, with Bengal's diva Suchitra Sen playing a politician bearing a startling resemblance to Mrs Gandhi. Amrit Nahata's Kissa Kursi Ka, a spoof on the Emergency, where Shabana Azmi played Janata, the mute protagonist, while Satyajit Ray's 1980 Hirak Rajar Deshe was a children's political satire. “Indu, in this film has no reference to Indira Gandhi or any real-life character. She's a female poet who stammers and rebels against the system during these trying times,“ says a source close to the development.
Madhur has been researching the film for over six months and was in the capital recently to meet BJP veteran LK Advani as part of his prep. He also interacted with political writers like Tavleen Singh, Coomi Kapoor who penned The Emergency: A Personal History and Kuldeep Nayyar, an Urdu press reporter who was arrested towards the end of the Emergency. He joined a delegation to the United Nations in 1996 and was nominated to the Rajya Sabha a year later. “Madhur also travelled to Kolkata to meet other prominent authors, politicians and journalists who were a part of the Emergency,“ adds the source.
The filmmaker was expected to roll with either the Chandni Bar or Fashion sequels but both these films have been pushed to a later date since the Main, Indu script is complete. “Madhur describes this as his most ambitious project, since, he is completely moving away from the genre he has stuck to for the last decade. The film rolls this August,“ signs off the source.
India & Pakistan are neighbours. Why should we be enemies?-Shatrughan Sinha
9:19 AM
Shatrughan Sinha talks about PM Modi’s flash-visit to Lahore
Subhash K Jha (DNA; December 28, 2015)
2015 has been a year of mixed blessings for
Shatrughan Sinha. He was in the news for the backlash he faced within
his political party the BJP, for his rebellious stand on several issues.
Unfazed the actor-politician dares his parent party to dismiss him.
More excitement comes from Shotgun Sinha with the publication of a
tell-all biography due to be out next week.
As a champion of improved relations between India and Pakistan what do you feel about the PM’s flash-visit to Lahore?
I am so happy. It’s wonderful to see talks between the two countries resume again. Our honourable Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi’s unexpected visit to Lahore to meet our friend the honourable prime minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif on the latter’s birthday is amost welcome.
You’ve always been a vocal supporter of better relationship between the two countries?
We are neighbours! Why should we be enemies? In fact Nawaz Sharif has spoken very highly of me in my biography which releases next month.
What has Nawaz Sharif said ?
He says even if there was one person like me in Pakistan all problems would have been sorted out between the two countries. So sweet and generous of him. I remember once at a meeting in Pakistan, Mani Shankar Iyer had said that talks between the two countries should be uninterrupted. I am happy to see our Prime Minister resume talks with Pakistan. May this be a happy year for both countries.
Your biography by Bharathi S Pradhan releases next week. What should readers expect?
Honest and transparent revelations on my humble achievements in politics and cinema and without any godfather in either field. L K Advani Saab will be releasing the book.
How was the year for you?
This year has certainly been eventful for me and some others of my party members. I hope the coming year would be fruitful for me. Stones have been hurled at me. But these attacks have earned me the respect of the people. People like Abhigyan Prakash repeatedly want to know why I am not being expelled.
If your party is unhappy with you, why don’t they expel you?
Only they can answer that. Maybe they feel if I go many from our party in Bihar would also go with me. Our troika in Bihar has done more damage to the party than we could ever imagine. But we being the senior and mature members of the party must forgive them for they know not what they’re doing.
Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan were slammed for speaking against intolerance?
They should be forgiven. They are intelligent people, But when they try to comment on issues that they don’t know about they cut a sorry figure. They are artistes par excellence. And they should be asked mostly about cinema. Aamir Khan talking about intolerance and breaking his fast with Anna Hazare in full public view is not my idea of a politically aware actor. As for energy-king Shah Rukh he says anything and everything in a light vein. His words shouldn’t be taken seriously.
Finally your thoughts on Bollywood?
It was a terrific year for my daughter Sonakshi and for the film industry. I just saw Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani and I am absolutely bowled over.
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