Rachit Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; September 30, 2018)

He’s no stranger to controversy, but Salman Khan’s home production, LoveYatri: Journey of Love, created brouhaha over its earlier title (Loveratri). Reportedly, a political outfit in Gujarat objected to it, since they felt that it sounded similar to the festival, Navratri. Salman was quick to diffuse the situation when he promptly changed the title, even as the Supreme Court later passed a judgement in favour of the film. In a candid chat with BT, the superstar talks about steering clear of political and societal pressures and staying focussed on entertaining the masses. He also shares some intimate thoughts on his equation with his brother-in-law Aayush Sharma, who makes his debut with this film. Excerpts from a freewheeling chat...

Changing the title of Loveratri to LoveYatri... just a few weeks before the release must have been a tough decision?
No, it was the easiest decision of my life. What’s the point in getting stuck on a topic if someone has a problem with it? It’s not like we had any intention of hurting anyone or their feelings. It’s not like the title Loveratri means something offensive, but a section of society felt offended by it, and sadly, these people are from the very place where the film is based, Gujarat. Why should we then deliberately go ahead and upset them? So, we changed the title. It’s a very simple change and I think we were fortunate to get the new title, because at the end of the day, the story is about a journey of love. In hindsight, perhaps the new title suits our film better. Hopefully, it will not create any more problem for anyone. And if they are not satisfied with LoveYatri, we will change it to something else. If they still have a problem with any new title, we’ll just say, ‘Paanch October ko ek picture release ho rahi hai. Uss film ka title nahi hai, par uss film ka hero hai Aayush Sharma, Warina Hussain heroine hai, director Abhiraj (Minawala) hai, kripya aap apne nazdeeki yaa door wale theatre mein jaake iss film ko dekhein’ (laughs!). Honestly, how does it matter? My life’s ambition is not to get stuck on the title of a film.

Over the years, the films you have produced, or starred in, have been family entertainers. So, how do you react when political establishments make a hue and cry about your film, compelling you to even appeal to the Supreme Court of India?
I was surprised that a simple title like Loveratri could court such controversy. I could not figure out why it happened. There was one Gujarati lady called Avni ben, who’s quite close to my family and her opinion influenced my decision. To give you a background, she’s a simple woman who has nothing to do with politics or films. But she said, ‘Gando thai gayo (you have gone mad). Yeh kya naam rakha hai film ka, Loveratri?’ If someone were to say that for personal or political gains, that’s a separate matter, but here, a simple Gujarati lady felt so strongly against the title. That’s when I said, ‘Change the title!’ We’ve made a beautiful film with a love story to entertain the people. We don’t want people getting upset with our cinema. Even when the film went to the Censor Board, the committee raised a concern, but they cleared the title when Abhiraj (Minawala, director) explained his thoughts and ideas behind the title. They CBFC saw reason and merit in our arguments. We were very happy when the Censor Board said that we can keep the title and just add a tagline to it. But with so many different sources expressing the same concern over the title, I decided it was best to just change it.

Brother in law, mentor, producer... how would you describe your equation with Aayush Sharma?
I’m not the person that you guys think I am. My equation, or my way of dealing with newcomers, does not change from person to person. So, whether it is Sooraj Pancholi, Athiya Shetty, Zaheer Iqbal (a friend’s son) or Aayush, I work with them in the capacity of a filmmaker. For me, every film I make is like a launch film and I consider every film as a film that can destroy my career. I believe, every newcomer, like Aayush, goes through the same set of emotions and apprehensions.

All eyes will be on Aayush in LoveYatri, because he’s being launched in a film produced by you. That in itself is massive pressure for a newcomer...
It’s going to be very difficult for him. He’s got a huge task at his hands. When I started out, I went out on my own, because I felt that if my father produces a film for me and if that film does well, all credit would go to my father. But if the film doesn’t do well, all the blame would go to my father, too. In such a scenario, I didn’t want the blame nor the credit to go to my dad. It had to be just me, doing my own thing outside of my father’s shadow. But, he (Aayush) will have to go through that phase. Having said that, both Aayush and Warina have worked very hard on this film.

How did you react when you first met Aayush? It’s been reported that your brother Sohail, first informed you about wanting to sign Aayush for a Punjabi film. And then, the same guy turned out to be your sister Arpita’s boyfriend. Were you totally taken by surprise?
Apparently, Arpita says that she first introduced Aayush to me at our Panvel farm, but I do not recollect that meeting at all (laughs!). The second time I met him was when he came home to meet dad and tell him that he wanted to marry Arpita. I was there with Sohail and that’s when he told me that Aayush was the same guy he wanted to make My Punjabi Nikaah with. So, I told Sohail, ‘Dude, abhi toh yeh teri film mein free main kaam karega’ (laughs!).

Aayush revealed in a chat with BT that you had walked in, while he was watching a movie with Arpita in her room at 1 am. How did that situation pan out?
If I remember correctly, I said something like, ‘Oh hello? Kya hai? Chalo niklo baahar!’

In his interview with BT, Aayush also claimed that he feels awkward at film parties and he’s always at a loss of words. Even at film events, he’s always waiting to make a quick exit. After all your interactions, what’s your understanding of him now?
He’s an introvert. He’s a very awkward boy. He was just as awkward with people from political parties, as he is with people from filmi parties (laughs!). He’s just shy. He’ll be all okay and chirpy with you one day and the next day he’ll be running away from you. But above all, he’s a sensible guy. He’s travelled with me for the last four years. He was an assistant on Tiger Zinda Hai, Tubelight, Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Sultan. I told him that he needn’t be a full-fledged director’s assistant, and that he should just come to the set and observe. Whatever he had to learn about acting he picked it up in film school. But I wanted him to come to set and learn the process of filmmaking. In these four to five years, he has learnt from everyone he has interacted with. He picked up lessons from the cinematographers, directors, technicians, other actors and me, too. He is a very keen learner. He doesn’t like to meddle in things, he doesn’t like to take centre stage, he prefers to stay reserved and that allows him to observe and learn. I feel, the ability to observe your surroundings and absorb your experiences is a very important skill for actors. That’s the best quality any actor can have.

With the cut-throat competition in the film industry, today, is it more challenging for newcomers to survive and establish themselves?
Today, it’s like the law of the jungle out there. Everyone is eating into everything. During our time, people used to start thinking about stardom only after their films became hits. But today, with the social media and the constant attention on actors, new kids are turned into stars long before their first film has even released. It’s difficult for young actors, because they need to maintain focus, 24 x 7. One little slip-up and their image and career prospects can be lost forever. When we were young, kisi ki majaal nahi thi poochne ki, ‘script kahan hai?’ People would shoot you down before you’d even finish the question. But actors today are sensible and more cautious, because they know there’s so much at stake. They weigh their pros and cons, they find out everything about the director and his team. They want to hear the entire script, they want to meet the producer and know every little creative aspect of the film. They will not shy away from going that extra mile to promote the film on every possible medium, because they know... this is it. There’s nothing bigger than the film, that’s what makes or breaks them. Today, actors need to be sorted and have their head on their shoulders.

Your films have always had strong family values. Does that stem from the fact that you too come from a family that has strong bonds and connections?
I always remember this one incident that happened on the first floor of Galaxy Apartments (his home) many years ago. The entire family was watching an English film together, and suddenly the actors started kissing. It was a proper lip-lock. One head turned to the right, the other to the left, someone started staring at the ceiling, someone at the floor, a few people didn’t know where to look. Dad gave out a loud ‘ahem!’ Someone called out for the house help to get tea for everyone. Every single member of the family got distracted and the moment the kissing scene stopped, the whole family got back to watching the movie. That’s why I feel, you don’t need such stuff in a film. You don’t need these gimmicks to make the film work. I’m not saying these gimmicks don’t work in favour of films, I’m just saying they’re not a necessity in cinema. In my first film, when Sooraj Barjatya was directing me, I remember I had to apply a balm on Bhagyashree’s feet and I did that while shutting my eyes. I don’t think sex or skin can sell a film. That’s not my way of making movies.

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; September 30, 2018)

Afghanistan-born Warina Hussain has grown up on both Bollywood and Hollywood movies, but she decided to try her luck in Hindi cinema. She came to India and started modelling for print ads and commercials before she took to acting. And now, she is all set to make her debut in Salman Khan Films’ LoveYatri alongside Aayush Sharma. Here, the newbie talks about bagging her debut project and Dabangg Khan’s advice to her.

LoveYatri is releasing on October 5. What are the thoughts going through your mind?
I am counting the days and as the date is nearing, I am thinking about the first day of release. The thought uppermost in my mind is logon ko kaisa lagegi. We have worked on the product for one year and now we’re putting it out there. Examwali feeling hai and I’m waiting for the results!

How did you bag the movie?
I have been a model for the past six years and when I shifted to Mumbai in 2014, I started doing print ads and commercials. I thought of getting into acting and trained in the Mumbai branch of The New York Film Academy. I also did a couple of workshops and learnt Bollywood dancing. I got to know about the auditions of LoveYatri and that’s when my life took a huge turn.

Your co-star Aayush Sharma is also debuting in the movie, and he has a filmi connection. Weren’t you apprehensive of being overshadowed?
While I don’t have any filmi connection, I have never thought about these things. I have what he has — the attention, the care they provide, etc. We are getting launched together and the makers never made me feel it is Aayush’s launch. In fact, they have always said it is an Aayush, Warina and Abhiraj (Minawala, director) launch. There is a plus point debuting with other newcomers. All of us put in our 100 per cent, we were open to each others’ ideas and were walking through the journey of LoveYatri hand-in-hand. Also, when Salman sir tweeted my picture, it was trending. Everybody knew my name and started following me on Instagram. I think we are all on the same platform.  

What kind of training did you undergo for the role?
Aayush obviously had on-field training of four years (he assisted on films like Bajrangi Bhaijaan, 2015 and Sultan, 2016). I had experience in front of the camera, but despite doing workshops I underwent a training process of six months. I used to go for Scooty driving classes, acting workshops and learn ballet since my character is a ballet dancer. After that we would rehearse the scene again and do the reading with Abhiraj sir. I also had to go to classes for Hindi diction. But learning garba was the most challenging part because I’m not a formally-trained dancer.

Did Salman Khan give you any advice? What was his reaction after seeing your work?
Salman sir was shown the rushes after we finished the Gujarat schedule. I was not there when he saw them, because I am scared of watching my work. There’s a huge critic in me and even on the sets, I am constantly thinking, did I say this dialogue correctly, am I looking fine? But Salman sir said all the three of us had surpassed his expectations. After that I became a little more confident. Also, if he likes your work he just shows a thumbs- up. He has been advising and guiding me about my career, life and a lot of things. But the one close to my heart is when he told the three of us that we should put our heart, soul and mind into this project as the film will decide our future and career. It shows that he sees the three of us in the same light.

You said you have to take classes for Hindi diction, but you seem to speak the language well?
Yes, I can understand even better. However, I needed to work on the diction. I have to tell you a funny incident that happened at the beginning of the shoot. Since Aayush and Abhiraj had seen my introduction video, in which I said I am from Afghanistan, they thought I didn’t know Hindi. So, they were discussing among themselves, “Yeh toh gori (foreigner) hai, Hindi bol payegi?” After sometime Aayush came to me and asked me, ‘Do you need anything? I told him, ‘Diet coke milega?’ He was shocked that I knew Hindi (laughs).

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; September 27, 2018)

After assisting on films like Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Sultan, Aayush Sharma is gearing up for the release of his acting debut LoveYatri. With Salman Khan launching him, the newbie couldn’t have asked for a better beginning. He is aware of the privilege and candidly says, “If you take away ‘SKF’ from my film, you wouldn’t have talked to me or interviewed me.” And, while his fate at the box-office will be decided on October 5 when the film releases, Aayush has already caught the audience’s attention for his dancing skills in songs like Rangtari and Chogada. Here, he talks about making the transition from an assistant director to an actor, Bhai’s advice to him and more.

Did you always want to be an actor?
No. I never thought I would be an actor. When I came to Mumbai to study at Jai Hind College, I thought I would open a restaurant, but my friends would say I should be an actor. At that time, I thought of doing a prime-time TV show, as it will be a good way to stay in Mumbai and my parents could watch me on the the small screen back home. But I never went for auditions to get work. I was staying in Bandra and happened to meet Arpita (Khan), then Sohail (Khan) and Salman bhai. They, too, told me I should try for acting as they believed I had the potential.

Was that when you started training?
I had neither participated in the school assembly, nor was I into any theatre group. To be honest, I was too shy. So, I had to start from ground zero. I started assisting on films like Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015), Sultan (2016) and Tubelight (2017). That was really an eye-opener on how movies are made. I also learnt the technical aspects.

Once you have assisted on a movie, you start respecting the hard work that goes behind making one. When Bajrangi Bhaijaan became a blockbuster and won critical acclaim, somewhere I felt it is my film. I thought I should be a part of this profession and do one movie that people will remember me for.

How did LoveYatri happen?
I was assisting on Sultan where Abhiraj (Minawala) was the first AD. He wanted to make his directorial debut and was working on a film written by Narenbhai (Bhatt). He narrated LoveYatri’s idea to Salman bhai saying I could do the film. Bhai liked the plot and asked him to work on it. During Tubelight, I heard the script and I loved it. I found it to be a good blend of content and commerce. You can’t control the box office, but you have to be proud of the content you are going to bring out. They were looking for a studio to produce it when Bhai said, ‘I want it to be an SKF film’.

What tips did you take from Salman Khan?
Every time I was on Salman bhai’s set, I tried to ask him about acting and he would say, ‘Acting is a reflection of what you are in real life, the day you try to act, you will ham’. He told me to keep observing and marking his work before his take. He did not even come on the sets on the first day of my shoot.

Instead, early in the morning at 7 he sent me a message saying: Feel every line, every emotion, every character. You don’t need to be Aayush anymore, you need to be the character. For me, it was too much to process! All these years, he didn’t give me any advice and suddenly so many things (laughs).

How was your first day on the sets?
I was excited, but also nervous. I was still getting used to the idea that from an assistant, I was now an actor. It was new, more so because many people feel that I am here because I am related to someone. Now, I needed to give such a shot that the ADs say, ‘He deserves to be here’. That was playing on my mind along with the advice that Bhai had given me. But it was a smooth day, we started with the song Tera Hua. At the end of the day, when I messaged Bhai about it, he texted back a sweet message saying, ‘Insha Allah! Beta best of luck, I hope from this day onward, you never have a day off and spend every day in front of the camera’.

With all the talk about nepotism, do you feel you are the privileged one?
I believe there are some people whose talent hasn’t got due credit and are waiting for a platform like this. I am lucky to have it, but more than that, I am fortunate to have the guidance of someone experienced. Many people are not guided properly and are wasting their time doing something else. There is also a difference between the box-office collection of debutants who have no i connections as opposed to those who have them. If a film with newcomers doesn’t have a big banner attached to it, it doesn’t get marketed well. Realistically, they don’t get that kind of publicity or screens. If you take SKF away from LoveYatri, who will talk to me or interview me? Of course, it helps. An outsider has to figure his own way out.

At the same time, I am as new and as raw as Warina (Hussain, his co-star) is. I was not born into a film family, but because I have a certain background, people will look at me, and say, ‘Let’s criticise him’. But in case of Warina, whatever she does, they will say, fine, it’s her first film. So, it works both ways, there are advantages and disadvantages. My only hope is that when people see the film and my work they say, ‘He deserves to be an actor’. That will be my victory.

Usually, newcomers tend to hide their marriage or family from the media as it may affect their image...
My wife has been my support system. I got married into a famous family, and I don’t think hiding your wife or child will help in your career. If you are good at your work, married or single doesn’t matter. At the end of the day people will look at your work. My family is my motivation. I believe Arpita is known as Salman Khan’s sister, I want to work hard enough that she is proud to be called Aayush Sharma’s wife. My family is the source of my strength.

Were you upset when the title was changed from LoveRatri to LoveYatri?
I have been living with the title LoveRatri for the past one year, so when they changed it I said, ‘No, that is my identity, you can’t take it away from me’. But I respect people’s emotions, it’s not important what the film is called. I have four hit songs, people know me as the Chogada boy, not LoveRatri boy. The producer’s intention is to launch three careers with the film, so when some people peacefully told us to change the title before it became a media spectacle, we did it. We made it with a lot of pyaar and hope that pyaar continues.

Divya Kaushik (BOMBAY TIMES; August 8, 2018)

Salman Khan was in Delhi on Monday to launch the trailer of Loveratri, the debut film of his brother-in-law Aayush Sharma. And while most of the media interaction was dedicated to the debutant actor and the antics of his son Ahil at the event, the topic of Priyanka Chopra walking out of Salman’s upcoming film Bharat also came up.

When Salman was asked about Priyanka’s exit from the film, he said, “I am really happy for her. She told us that she has signed a big film in Hollywood. If we would have known this in advance, we would have planned our film without her. We got to know that she wanted to leave Bharat when she came home and gave me some reasons. I told her that we don’t have any problem with her not doing the film. Whatever her reason for not doing the film, I would only say that we are happy for her and support the kind of work she is doing. Yahan pe na bhi kaam kare, Hollywood mein toh woh Hindustan ka naam roshan kar rahi hai.”

Ready to make his debut with Loveratri, Aayush Sharma on how he learnt action the hard way from mentor and brother-in-law
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 16, 2018)

Salman Khan may have announced Loveratri only last October, but the superstar had been training Aayush Sharma to become an actor over the last four years. Considering action is Khan's forte, he was keen that his brother-in-law too develop his physical prowess and not rely on body doubles for action sequences in films. The youngster reveals that Khan began training him in action as early as 2015 during the Rajasthan leg of Bajrangi Bhaijaan's shoot.

Stating that Khan has rather unusual ways of teaching, Sharma recalls, "One night, after the shoot of Bajrangi Bhaijaan, the stuntman, on Salman bhai's request, taught me how to roll down sand dunes and perform some stunts. When Salman bhai and I were on the sand dunes the next day, he pushed me down without any warning. As I went down tossing and turning, I kept wondering what just happened."

Turns out, Khan repeated the act several times, until the debutant actor understood it was his way of testing his protégé. "When I was pushed down the third time, I rolled and landed properly, based on what I was taught the night before. Salman bhai then told me that he wants me to be prepared at all times to perform my own stunts. He pointed out that it was essential to know how to land after a fall, so that I don't hurt myself when a stunt goes awry."

Having been groomed under the watchful eye of the superstar, he admits that his unconventional methods may not be for the faint-hearted. But, he points out that he wouldn't have it any other way. "Salman bhai has a very different approach to teaching. He makes sure you remember his lessons."

BOMBAY TIMES (June 24, 2018)

After styling some of the top actresses in Bollywood over the years, Manish Malhotra is all set to design for the new crop of rising stars in the industry. While Manish has already been working on giving newcomers Janhvi Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan the perfect look for their films, he will also be designing for debutantes Ananya Panday, Tara Sutaria and Warina Hussain in the upcoming months.

The 51-year-old designer, whose label completes 30 years in July, has had an illustrious career spanning 28-years in the industry. Talking about styling Gen Y actresses, he says, “Whether it’s a youth-centric film like Student Of The Year 2 or a period drama like Kalank, I am working on different kinds of films. Whether it’s Janhvi for Dhadak, Sara for Simmba, Ananya and Tara for Student Of The Year 2 or Warina for Loveratri, I feel privileged and honoured to work with these young actresses.” Manish gives a lowdown on styling each actress...

Talking about his experience styling the current generation of actresses, Manish says, “Student Of The Year 2 is an entertaining film. It is quite different from the first one. While the first film was a glamorous one, in the second film, Ananya and Tara have been styled in a fun and relatable fashion. In Loveratri (romantic film), I have made sure that both Warina and Aayush Sharma (who play Gujaratis in the film) sport a young look.”

Manish who has at one point of time even styled the late Sridevi (mother of Janhvi Kapoor) says, “I have designed for Sridevi Ma’am and she was very dear to me. Janhvi was born in front of me and I have full faith in her talent and hard work. I am sure that she is going to turn out to be an incredible actress and someone who I will be very proud of.”

Talking about Janhvi’s look in Dhadak, Manish says that designing for a character which is based in Udaipur, Rajasthan, was not an easy task. He says, “Janhvi’s character is that of a rich minister’s daughter who lives in a very conservative house and her father is protective of her. Hence, the outfits for her had to be toned down. While the fabric, texture and colours were bold, we tried a lot of interesting mix of kurta with harem salwar, red waist coat, ivory mal mal ghagra and kalidars to get her look right in the film.” Adding to this, Manish says, “In the second half of the film, Janhvi’s character gets into a realistic mode and goes through several trials and tribulations, thus her dressing had to reflect the struggle. Her attires were kept modest to make the plot look believable.”

Manish who has not only made actresses look beautiful in their films over the years, but also during fashion weeks and fashion shows, catering to their wedding orders — he has managed to build a large client base all over the world. He says, “I have a huge store in Mumbai and in New Delhi. And over the years, I have seen a lot of people choose my brand of clothing because of the love that they have for the actresses and the characters that they have portrayed in Bollywood. My day is never an eight hour working day. I sometimes spend 12-16 crazy hours at work, so that I never lose that connect with movies and actors I have worked with for so many years.” Talking about his latest Bollywood projects, Manish says, “I have diverse films to work on soon. I have designed for Daisy Shah and Jacqueline Fernandez in Race 3. At the moment, I am working on Fanne Khan where I will be designing for Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.”

The actor-filmmaker, who has turned distributor with his upcoming Eid release and his brother-in-law’s debut, is building the first establishment on the outskirts of Mumbai
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 9, 2018)

Two years ago, Salman Khan set in motion a passion project – ‘Salman Talkies,’ a chain of theatres where tickets would be tax-free and available at subsidised rates and free for children from underprivileged backgrounds. Salman, who revealed that the plan has since undergone several modifications, says, “I had a lot of plans for the theatre chain but it’s taking me longer because I need to be very careful. There are a lot of logistical details involved so that the project doesn’t shut down. But let me clarify, the theatres will not be in Bandra or Juhu, but on the outskirts of Mumbai.”

The 52-year-old actor-filmmaker admits that he would love to inaugurate each theatre himself. “There are so many things I want to do in the exhibitor and distributor space, and by turning distributor with (the upcoming Eid release) Race 3, I have taken my first step in that direction. This chain adds another aspect to my portfolio,” he says.

Salman, who top-lines the Ramesh Taurani production that is directed by Remo D’Souza, came on-board the film as distributor at the last minute when told that Eros International, who were in talks with him and Ramesh Taurani’s TIPS Industries Ltd, had bowed out. “We were in talks with Eros for the longest time. Eventually, we reached a phase where the terms and conditions were not met, and the deal fell through. But something good came out of it. I am distributing Race 3 and will also distribute Aayush’s debut film (the Abhiraj Minawala-directed Loveratri),” Salman informs. This would be the actor’s fifth home production.

For his upcoming chain of theatres, Salman has met several producers, distributors and exhibitors to strengthen his plan and understand the market better. The chain is expected to flag off in Maharashtra and the actor hopes to expand it to other states over the next 10 years.

In the past, Salman has been vocal about the problem of movie tickets in tier-one cities costing over Rs 400-500. He believes that increasing footfalls in small regions by building more theatres is the only way to boost box-office collections. “Ticket rates should be brought down to Rs 200-250 for weekends and Rs 120-150 for weekdays, the way it is for regional films. With Hindi films the numbers are higher but we need the footfalls too,” he signs off.

Ronit Roy, who’s been away from the small screen for over two years, explains why TV isn’t working out right now; discusses playing Dad to newbie Warina on the big screen.
Shravan Shah (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 5, 2018)

It has been over two years since Ronit Roy, who found a second lease of showbiz life with Ekta Kapoor’s daily soap Kasuatii Zindagi Kay, has been on TV. With reports of the show, which premiered in 2002, making a comeback, there’s speculation if the 52-year-old actor will reprise his role as Rishabh Bajaj. “I have no call on that yet, but if it’s a daily, it will be difficult for me to do,” Ronit says, quick to add that he believes in the saying, ‘never say never’. “Currently, there’s no time for me to commit to a television show because there is a lot of other work happening. There is also a major shift in viewing platforms. For whatever reasons, nobody is writing anything for television. I have been off TV for two-and-a- half years. The offers that came my way during this time didn’t interest me in the least.”

For now, the actor is busy with Abhiraj Minawala’s directorial debut Loveratri, which launches Salman Khan’s brother-in-law, Aayush Sharma, and newbie Warina Hussain. Shot against the backdrop of Navratri, the film features Ronit as Warina’s father. “I guess the makers thought of me because of my roles in Udaan and 2 States (the actor played a distant, brooding patriarch in both films). However, the driving force in this film is different from the other two. I play father to a girl and the bone of contention is born out of my love for her, so, the performance will not be as intense or dark here. This time, I’m a loving, caring and protective father,” Ronit informs, adding that he got a call from Salman’s production house in January. “I am close to the family and so I came on board immediately after meeting Abhiraj, there was no back and forth.”

The film went on the floors in early March with the first schedule in Baroda. Ronit joined the team from March 24, during the second schedule in Ahmedabad, as the female protagonist arrives only later in the film. The team will now head to London after which the film will wrap up in Mumbai. About his young co-stars, Ronit said, “Aayush is not a newcomer. He is from a film family and has been around for a while. He has seen everything. He is a charming man while Warina is playful but attentive and receptive to advice,” he signs off.

Many Bollywood filmmakers have ditched popular locations to explore untapped interiors
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 17, 2018)

RAAZI’S SEARCH ENDS AT THE VALLEY OF MILK
Meghna Gulzar’s adaptation of Harinder Sikka’s novel, ‘Calling Sehmat’, featuring Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal, has been filmed across Nabha and Malerkotla — two historically significant towns in Punjab from the British Raj, as well as in Patiala. The unit also discovered Dodhpatri (Valley of Milk) in Kashmir’s Budgam district, where no Bollywood film has ever been shot. Dodhpatri remains inaccessible for five–six months every year because of heavy snowfall. There was no way to get to the valley till a road was built just five years ago. The Junglee Pictures and Dharma Productions’ espionage drama was filmed in a lush green meadow where wild horses and sheep graze, with picturesque hills and waterfalls in the background.


LAILA MAJNU IN CHANDANWARI
After three years of seeking permissions, Imtiaz Ali’s brother, Sajid, wrapped up ‘Laila Majnu’ in Chandanwari, close to the base camp of the Amarnath Yatra. They shot inside the dense forests 15 km away, and in the jungles of Pir Panjal; before moving towards the Zabarwan sub-mountain rang​e.


BATTI GUL METER CHALU IN TEHRI
Since January-end, Shree Narayan Singh has been shooting in the North Indian towns of Haridwar, Rishikesh, Tehri, Mussoorie and Nainital with Shahid Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor, dressed in colourful prints from the region. The film highlights electricity problems for which the Tehri lake and reservoir in Uttarakhand’s Garhwal district make for an ideal backdrop. Several local temples located in the hilly regions of Tehri also feature in the social-drama.


SUPER 30 PEDALS THROUGH SAMBHAR
Vikas Bahl’s ‘Super 30’, mathematician Anand Kumar’s biopic, was filmed for 10 days in Rajasthan’s lake town of Sambhar, a few kilometres from Jaipur. Hrithik Roshan, almost unrecognisable as a Bihari papad seller, was spotted cycling through the narrow bylanes, the local market and bus depot, dodging cattle. Sambhar will be passed off as Kota in Rajasthan, a popular hub for students preparing for IIT entrance examinations, in the film.


SONCHIRIYA TAKES OFF IN CHAMBAL’S RAVINES

Set in the 1970s with Sushant Singh Rajput playing a dacoit and Bhumi Pednekar as a village belle, Abhishek Chaubey’s daku-drama, which kicked off in January and also features Manoj Bajpayee, is presently being filmed on the banks of the river Chambal in a start-to-finish three-month schedule. Months before it rolled, permission was sought to shoot near the dam and the national parks situated in the confluence of three states — Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan — across Chambal and Bundelkhand.


PALTAN BATTLES SNOW IN LADAKH
A 200-member unit of J P Dutta’s upcoming war-drama filmed at minus-20 degrees, with a 30 percent oxygen deficit, at a remote army camp two-and-a-half-hours north of the Khardung La mountainous pass in Ladakh. “We were at 15,500 feet high and freezing. We had to stand on wooden planks to prevent frost-bite. It took months to get permission to shoot where no filmmaker had ventured before and we had soldiers accompanying us,” informs Dutta’s daughter and the film’s producer, Nidhi.


NAVDEEP SINGH’S NEXT WITH SAIF IN REMOTE DESURI
The unit of this historical-drama was based in Udaipur, but Saif Ali Khan, Sonakshi Sinha and the crew took two-hour jeep rides to Desuri all of last month. This remote village in Rajasthan’s Pali District boasts of many Shiva temples and the Kumbhalgarh National Park and is spread around the Solanki Rajput fortress. Scenes were filmed there and other historical structures, now the property of Jodhpur royal Gaj Singh.


SUSHANT, SARA ON A KEDARNATH YATRA
Situated in the Garhwal Himalayan range, near River Mandakini, the temple of Kedarnath can be reached after an 18-km trek from Gaurikund. The journey has been shot by director Abhishek Kapoor at real locations, with scenic mountains and meadows, and pony and manchan services. Sushant Singh Rajput plays a pilgrim carrier and Sara Ali Khan a tourist in the film, ‘Kedarnath’.


SAHEB, BIWI AUR GANGSTER INSIDE KING GEORGE V’S HOME
Director Tigmanshu Dhulia has shot the third Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster film, featuring Sanjay Dutt, at Bikaner’s Laxmi Niwas Palace with a sequence starring the royals, a scrumptious Rajasthani spread and Russian roulette. The palace was home to King George V and Queen Mary, and the unit has shot inside the Hari Mahal and Swarna Mahal, which date back to 1904. The movie has also been filmed at Gujarat’s Santarampur and Devgadh Baria districts.


STREE WEARS THE COLOURS OF CHANDERI
Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK’s horror-comedy is currently being filmed in Chanderi, a Madhya Pradesh town, with Shraddha Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao. “We literally took over the small and colourful town and were enthusiastically welcomed into the houses of the weavers and tailors. With its hills, narrow lanes, rivers and desert, Chanderi makes for spectacular visuals,” asserts Rajkummar.


LOVERATRI’S GARBA TRAIL THROUGH VADODARA
Abhiraj Minawala’s directorial debut with new faces Aayush Sharma and Warina Hussain has been shot at seven locations in and around Vadodara, including the 1557 Lehripura Gate (the western gateway to the old city), the Jhulelal Mandir and the Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with 114 monuments including the Jami Masjid. They also filmed the love story in crowded Tibetan Market in the Kala Bhavan grounds, the Ratri bazaar and the Mangal Bazaar.

DHADAK FINDS HEARTBEAT IN 16TH CENTURY AMER
Karan Johar’s Hindi remake of ‘Sairat’ kicked off in Rajasthan last December. Ishaan Khatter and Janhvi Kapoor’s romance blossomed in and around the Jagat Shiromani Temple and Panna Meena ka Kund, a step-well in Amer, a short distance from Jaipur, as they met up furtively at these 16th-century landmarks.

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; January 5, 2018)

Months after reports of his apparent decision to launch a talent management firm hit headlines, Salman Khan tells mid-day he is indeed creating a “talent pool” for aspiring artistes.

The actor’s decision to part ways from a manager of nine years had fuelled speculation that he was venturing into creating a firm of his own. And now, referring to the rumours, Khan says, “Hiring new talent is necessary. There are so many people who come to the city and still don’t get a chance to work in films. Sometimes, even if they do land a film, they aren’t noticed enough. The idea is to create a talent pool and give everyone a fair chance to make it big in this world.”

Among Khan’s first finds will be a female actor for his brother-in-law Aayush Sharma’s Bollywood debut. A source says, “Salman plans to launch a female lead opposite Aayush for his debut venture, Loveratri. In order to get the work started, he has introduced an audition section on his app, BeingInTouch, where people can send videos showcasing their talents.”

Casting director Mukesh Chhabra, says the source, will play a vital role in this venture, even taking the “final call” on giving the nod to aspirants. “There will also be seasoned casting veterans on board, who will spot talent and hone their skills.”

In order to connect with a wider audience, the team will encourage responses from social media platforms as well, says the source. Apart from scouting acting talent, Khan will also encourage works by musicians. “He will curate a music bank comprising works of aspiring composers. He may decide to use those songs in his forthcoming projects.”

Senior members of Khan’s production house, Salman Khan Films, will share their expertise to enhance this venture. “The team is finalizing a location for the creation of an office where members of SKF will take charge of the company’s new wing. Salman will overlook the day-to-day affairs.”

Given that Khan has played a vital role behind launching successful faces like Katrina Kaif and Sonakshi Sinha, this new venture comes as a natural progression. “As a superstar, he wants to create a new line-up of stars for the industry.”

This development comes close on the heels of the actor’s decision to open the doors of his production house to writers and directors, who wish to venture into tele production.

Upala KBR (MID-DAY; December 20, 2017)

Slipping into the role of a Gujarati dandiya instructor for his debut outing Loveratri, Aayush Sharma jetted off to Ahmedabad to soak in the culture on Monday. The aspiring actor tells mid-day, “I have not been to Gujarat, but my director [Abhiraj Minawala] is familiar with the place. He wanted me to travel with him to absorb the culture. I play a dandiya instructor, who finds love during Navratri. Abhiraj hopes to make this film colourful.”

A walk down the local streets will enable Sharma to get acquainted with the mannerisms of the citizens. “I think, Vadodara has an equivalent of [Mumbai’s] Khau Galli. We plan to head there. Abhiraj wants to take me to the popular joints, eateries and local landmarks.”

A crash course in nabbing the Gujarati language and accent is also on the actor’s diary ahead of the film’s shoot next February. “I am being coached by a Gujarati trainer. Although it’s a Hindi film, we will add a Gujarati flavour through the dialect. While I have been learning the language in Mumbai, I will become familiar with the lingo when I travel there.”

Meanwhile, the actor is testing his nimbleness as he learns garba. “I started training in the form a couple of months ago. I have got a hang of it by now. But I need to practise.”

Aayush Sharma’s debut film is set to be shot in Gujarat with Navratri as the backdrop
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 15, 2017)

When Salman Khan was filming his 2016 wrestling drama Sultan, brother-in-law Aayush Sharma was a frequent visitor on the sets of the Ali Abbas Zafar directorial. Around the time, Ali’s chief assistant director, Abhiraj Minawala, came across a “simple, honest yet strong story” by Niren Bhatt who is a prominent writer in the Gujarati film and theatre industry. Abhiraj started working with the Baroda-born writer on the screenplay and dialogue of what would be his debut directorial. “Having interacted with Aayush on set, I thought he perfectly fit the part of a Gujarati boy who falls in love while dancing the garba during Navratri. I asked Salman sir if we could test him and he immediately agreed,” recalls Abhiraj, who by the end of the reading had found his hero and a nod from Salman Khan.

Titled Loveratri, the romance will be produced by Salman Khan and kicks off in Baroda and Ahmedabad in February 2018. Abhiraj plans to recreate the annual garba gatherings in Gujarat that bring together lakhs of revellers through nine nights of festivity. “Logistically, it is not possible to shoot during Navratri but we hope to whip up the same magic. Right now we are on a final technical recce. Aayush is undergoing language training as we don’t want him to get the dialect or accent wrong. He’s also taking dance classes as he needs to master garba. We will kick off only when he has perfected his moves,” says Abhiraj who has also assisted the late filmmaker Yash Chopra and Kabir Khan in the past.

The fifth SKF production not only doubles up as a launch for Aayush and Abhiraj but will also introduce a new leading lady who has an equal and prominent part. “There is a certain charm only a debutante can bring to the screen and we are scouting for a fresh face,” he informs.