Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 18, 2019)

Actor Raveena Tandon’s songs are the kinds that connect the earlier generations with the millennials. Well, all these people are seen showing off their moves on the dance floor either on the songs which were originally picturised on her, or a new version of those songs featured in recent films.

For instance, Mohra’s (1994) Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast was reprised in Machine (2017); Rakshak’s (1996) Shehar Ki Ladki was remixed for Khandaani Shafakhana; and Dulhe Raja’s (1998) Ankhiyon Se Goli Maare has had a reboot for the upcoming film, Pati Patni Aur Woh.

Well, the actor says the remix game has made her songs “timeless”. She says, “Most of my songs have been remixed for current films. There’s Tip Tip Barsa Pani coming up, too in Sooryavanshi. I think it is great, as these are becoming timeless. They are getting a new life and a new beat for the new generation. Whoever is in the song ends up owning them, so I love it. And wherever I go, the new version of my songs are played. It’s awesome.”

Talking of new things, the actor is turning a new leaf in her career. She is turning a producer for the web. “There is a lot of interesting stuff happening on the net and I am working on four web shows. I have a team working on them and will stream our shows on popular platforms,” says the National Award winner.

Why web space? “There is so much you can experiment with, and so much you can say,” concludes Raveena.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; June 17, 2019)

So far, it has been a busy year for Kiara Advani. While she will soon start shooting for Shershaah, Laxmmi Bomb and Indoo Ki Jawani, she has two films lined up for release this year, starting with Kabir Singh with Shahid Kapoor, which will be followed by Good News with Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Diljit Dosanjh. The actress, who finds herself in a happy space now, says that she feels like a school student awaiting exam results. Over to Kiara, who talks about handling rejection, getting into the skin of different characters and finding a foothold in show business. Excerpts from the chat:

Though Arjun Reddy was a Telugu film, due to its intense content, it was also watched by film buffs across the country. Given that Kabir Singh is a remake of the film, what drew you to play a part whose graph is already known?
In recent times, we haven’t seen many pure, intense love stories. I am a sucker for romantic cinema. I’m glad that I’ve managed to be a part of one because I wanted this. I loved Arjun Reddy and the graph that Priti’s character has. While working with director Sandeep Reddy Vanga, I realised that he has a unique way of interpreting emotions. He was the biggest asset for this film. Only he could have told the story the way it is because it’s drawn out of his own experiences. There wasn’t a day on the set when he wasn’t meticulous. It’s also a relatable story, and one of the reasons it could be remade is that it has universal appeal.

Do you think that for a love story, which is as intense and passionate as this one, a lot depends on the chemistry and energy that co-stars share?
As an actor, I draw a lot from my costars. When you are performing a scene, you have to listen to what the other person is saying. Often, we’re so caught up with what we’re doing that we don’t pay attention to the other actor in the frame. It’s important to pay attention because it helps you to emote better. Co-stars give you so many cues, which can enhance your performance. Shahid is a terrific co-star, and it’s easy to bond with him. Besides, he’s the only other person I know who gets excited to have lauki ki sabzi in his dabba (laughs!). He’s a warm, lovely family man, who also has that ‘bro’ vibe. He can be parental at times. What amazes me is that he doesn’t smoke or drink, and yet, he plays these vice-laden characters so well. I think the beauty of cinema is that it allows you to bring out your alter ego or an extension of your personality without the fear of being judged. My character, Priti, is so unlike me. I’m expressive, and I talk more when I’m nervous, but she holds back. Her sense of normal is very different from mine. In a way, she’s like my alter ego. This film has brought me closer to my emotions. It has taught me to internalise emotions and get that thehrav and intrigue without using dialogues. While trying to play Priti, somewhere, I started merging Kiara with her. I even contemplated seeking counselling because the part was emotionally draining.

After Kabir Singh,there’s Good News this year, followed by three projects in the pipeline. There was a phase after your debut in 2014 when you didn’t have much on your plate. Have you tried introspecting what is working for you now?
Most people thought that M S Dhoni - The Untold Story was my first film. Not many people have seen Fugly, in fact, they mix it up with another movie. As an outsider in this industry, when you’re starting out, you tend to think that landing the first project will open the gates for you. I realised that for the gates to open, your first film has to do well and your performance has to be noticed. I had no idea that landing project number two, three and four will be tough because my first project didn’t work. That’s the time I sat down to introspect and figure out what was going on. People were not interested in meeting me. It broke my heart. I started thinking about where my career was headed and whether I should consider another line of work.

In that scenario, what kept you going?
The belief that I could act. I decided that I will not let anyone tell me that I can’t act. I decided to plunge into this with determination, even if it meant doing the gym class and ask-for-ameeting routine every day, till I don’t get what I want. Yes, it can be stressful, and those waiting in the wings will know what I am talking about. I kept reading scripts until I found something that I liked. I auditioned for M S Dhoni - The Untold Story, and it took a while before I got the call for it. People noticed me in that 30-minute role. It was a mini-high and it became my identity for a while. A week or two later, all the compliments dried up, life was back to normal and I was back to looking for something exciting. I had a list of directors who I wanted to work with, and Abbas-Mustan were on it. I was happy to work in Machine (directed by Abbas-Mustan). It didn’t do well, and I felt bad, but it made my resolve stronger. Also, I don’t regret doing the film because people in smaller towns still recall the Mast Mast music video that we did for it.

Is that the point when you decided to give South films a shot?
You never know who your audience is and where you might find them. I saw Baahubali, which made me realise that I could give Telugu films a shot. I bagged two big projects with Ram Charan and Mahesh Babu. I didn’t realise that working there will get me such a vast audience base. I got a dream launch and the response to it was fabulous. Now, I want to do one film a year down South, if I can, because the scripts there are quite interesting. Times are changing and it’s the content that decides everything. Language and platform are hardly a barrier anymore. I realised that sitting at home is not going to help me. The competition increases every day. We have five-six new faces in Bollywood every year, and many of them are star kids. When you don’t come from this industry, it takes you time to create a market for yourself. You can either get irritated with the competition, sit at home and wait for something to work out, or you can go out there and find a way through it. I took up Machine and my first Telugu film because of that. Finally, things are shaping up the way I want them to.

Looking back, was it difficult to handle rejection during the initial struggling phase?
It is tough to take that ‘No’ on your chin, but you can survive it if you believe in yourself. If you don’t believe that you can make the cut, who will? When you question your abilities, you also open the door for others to do that. During the toughest times, if I had questioned my ability to act, I wouldn’t have gone beyond one project. I am glad I didn’t give up. Constructive criticism is always welcome, but you should know who to take it from. You have to evolve as an artiste. Today, for me, every day is a work-in-progress. I’m no longer waiting for a destination; I’m just relishing the journey.

With several new faces, including industry kids, entering the business, what do you think works to your advantage?
I was excited to see what Janhvi (Kapoor) does in her first film because I am a huge Sridevi fan. In my heart, I know that we’re all vying for the same roles because there are only that many exciting movies being made. I made my debut a while ago, but I still have that fresh girl look, which works to my advantage. Also, I’ve not been stereotyped or bracketed. It’s inspiring to see peers doing great work because it helps cinema evolve, and in turn, every actor benefits from it.

With a busy date diary, do you think you have the time to be in a relationship, given that you’re a sucker for romance?
I don’t know! Look, I’m single right now. I just want to be with someone who can love me for who I am and vice versa. The relationship has to have a deep emotional connect for both of us. You can’t be in love with calculations attached to it. I’ve seen many people who have settled with their high-school sweethearts. They’re lucky because their relationships lasted, mine didn’t (smiles). I wish I had that high school sweetheart, too. Honestly, I want to see myself settled with someone who I am head over heels in love with. The search is on…

Kiara Advani has been dressing up and dancing in front of a mirror since she was a child and now has five aces in Bollywood
Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 4, 2019)

When she watched Arjun Reddy, Kiara Advani had no inkling she’d be playing the female lead in its Hindi remake, Kabir Singh. But Sandeep Vanga who had also directed the original, was impressed with her performance in the Telugu political drama, Bharat Ane Nenu, and decided she was his Preeti. This came as a surprise to the actress. “Preeti’s contained, speaks very little but her silence resonates. My brief however was not to let the audience know what she’s thinking as she needed to have a touch of intrigue. In contrast, I’m animated, keep cracking up and talk a lot when nervous,” she points out.

It’s an emotionally-charged film, with Shahid Kapoor’s Kabir, jilted by her Preeti, going down the self-destructive path and the actress admits she’d be drained by the time she reached home. “It was a cathartic experience,” she smiles, rationalising that while Kabir is stubborn and chauvinistic with anger management issues, there are men like that for real. “Yes, girls love bad boys but we are not glorifying anyone. Kabir is a flawed character and not representing every man.”

Mention Shahid and Kiara’s face lights up saying he’s a favourite because it’s all about collaboration with him. “The film is a love story and it was important for us to be on the same page and feed off each other’s energies,” she explains, recalling how Shahid who’d become a father for the second time during the shoot, looked after everyone on the set.

Talking of co-stars, her next two films are with Akshay Kumar who launched her in Bollywood with the 2014 Fugly. “Life’s come a full circle. There’s so much to learn from him, he’s so disciplined,” she moons but clams up when prodded on Good News and Laxmmi Bomb and Indoo Ki Jawani saying it’s too early to speak about them. She’s however gungho about the Vikram Batra biopic, Shershaah, with Sidharth Malhotra, whose first schedule she recently wrapped up in Palampur and Chandigarh. “It’s a beautiful script which moved me to tears and I knew immediately that I wanted to play Dimple whom I recently met,” says the girl who is still friends with Sakshi Dhoni whom she played in the Dhoni biopic. “It’s been five years but people think I’m a newcomer. I am lucky that I still look fresh on screen.”

While Kiara keeps referring to herself as an “outsider”, her Wikipedia page lists Ashok Kumar as her step great-grandfather, Saeed Jaffrey as great granduncle and Juhi Chawla as her aunt. With a laugh, Kiara clarifies that Juhi is a friend of her parents and while she is related to the other two legends, she was very young when they passed away. “It was only during Fugly’s promotions that I learnt about their contributions to cinema.”

So, with no filmi connections, was it difficult getting films after Fugly? “I wasn’t flooded with offers but M S Dhoni - The Untold Story made me a household name and though Machine didn’t work, the recreated version of 'Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast' became popular and even today, in small towns, people recognise me by it,” she exults, adding that she did Machine for the experience of working with Abbas-Mustan. Ditto the episode in Lust Stories which was directed by Karan Johar. “Every time Karan comes with a script, I listen to him because he has my best interests at heart,” she says reverently.

The gamble of doing a South film also paid off with Bharat Ane Nenu opposite Mahesh Babu turning out to be a blockbuster. “I want to do at least one South film every year, I want to be a pan-India actress,” she asserts, admitting that as a kid, she’d stand in front of the mirror, dress up and dance. “As a Leo, a drama queen, I have to be in the spotlight. I’d put up shows for the family and now I’m entertaining a bigger family,” she signs off with a smile. 

Subhash K Jha (DNA; September 1, 2017)

Rajiv Rai, who has directed hit films like Tridev, Mohra, Gupt, and Vishwatma before migrating out of India after an underworld threat in 1997, is in the news for a very special reason. A hit RD Burman song — Keh Doon Tumhein Ya Chup Rahun — from his father, producer Gulshan Rai’s, Deewaar was “recreated” or re-mixed if you will, without the proper permission of the producer, which in this case is Gulshan Rai’s son Rajiv.

Long due
The courts have ruled in Rajiv’s favour and the song had to be removed from Ajay Devgn-starrer Baadshaho. Speaking from London, where Rajiv is currently based, he said, “This victory was long due. It was due for the often-abused ilk in Mumbai’s entertainment world known as producers.”

Rajiv says he grew up respecting the hard job producers have to undertake. “My father was an immensely respected figure in the film fraternity. His films like Johnny Mera Naam, Vidhaata, Deewaar and Yudh redefined the equation between producers and the entertainment industry. I am afraid the kind of respect that my father commanded has gradually waned. Producers as a fraternity are taken for granted and exploited.”

Rajiv says he grew up admiring the producer’s job. “Because of my father, I was surrounded by producers. Their job in the making of a film filled me with admiration. This is why I decided to tackle the copyright infringement of my father’s song. I’ve seen how other producers had to struggle to hold together a film under situations of great stress. Even when I was directing films for my banner, I looked towards my father for guidance and advice. So, this victory is for him.”

It’s happened before
Rajiv adds this is not the first time in recent times when songs belonging to his father’s banner, Trimurti Films, were infringed upon. “There have been several occasions when songs belonging to our banner have made unscheduled appearances in recent films, like Azhar and Machine. In fact, while ripping off my Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast in Machine, the film’s team said they had taken the blessings of Akshay Kumar (the leading man in Mohra). The copyrights of the song are with us. How did it help to seek Akshay’s divine intervention?” Rajiv asks.

The expatriate feels turning a blind eye to copyright infringement is wrong. “In London, I would get congratulatory messages from Mumbai for remixed versions of songs from my father’s banner. ‘You must’ve got a lot of money,’ they asked. Well, here’s the truth: I got nothing out of these songs that were used. This time, I had to fight it out.”

Adding insult to injury
He says he has no problems with Bhushan Kumar. “They’ve been very nice. But the way they have brought in the song Keh Doon Tumhein is wrong.” Adding insult to injury is the quality of the remix. Exclaims Rajeev, “They’ve ruined the original song. Even if they had not, copyright infringement is a serious offence. For years, self-styled religious leaders have gotten away with it because of our feeble laws. I am glad the courts ruled in my favour. It restores my faith in the Indian judiciary.”

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 4, 2017)

The last seven months in Bollywood have been marked by a distinctive onslaught of remixes of ’90s hits. Shaad Ali recycled A R Rahman’s foot-tapping composition “Humma Humma” from mentor mani ratnam’s 1995 film Bombay for his Aditya Roy Kapur-Shraddha Kapoor love story OK Jaanu in January. It was followed by Badrinath Ki Dulhania, which saw Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt borrow tunes and moves from Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri Dixit’s “Tamma Tamma”. Come March, Abbas-Mustan’s romance-thriller Machine which launched the former’s son Mustafa, threw it back to Mohra’s “Mast Mast”. Then, there are upcoming films like Lucknow Central, Tumhari Sulu, Baadshaho and Poster Boys falling in step with Monsoon Wedding’s folksy “Kaavan Kaavan”, Sridevi’s iconic “Hawa Hawaii”, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s ghazal-qawwali “Mere Rashke Qamar” and Daler Mehndi’s “Kudiyan Shehar Diyan” from Arjun Pandit respectively. And the name that binds them all together single-handedly is Tanishk Baagchi.

Speaking to Mirror earlier (June 6) the 30-year-old composer had been disarmingly evasive as he argued that remixes have been around for a long time, pointing to Shefali Zariwala’s “Kaanta Lagaa”. But Apoorva Mehta, CEO of Dharma Productions which produced OK Jaanu and Badrinath Ki Dulhania, says that recreations come with the pressure of expectations. “But Tanishk’s compositions are fresh, with a vibe that connects with the youth, and simultaneously are a perfect tribute to the original,” he explains.

Shabbir Ahmed, who has worked with the music director on “Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast” as an additional lyrics writer, raves about his passion and sound quality. “He catches the right musical notes and dances in his seat to get the feel of his tune,” Shabbir laughs at the memory.

Nikkhil Advani, the producer of Lucknow Central, who went a step further and got Tanishk to further remix Arjunna Harjaie’s recreated version of “Kaavan Kaavan” for promotions, had been so confident about the composer’s talent, that he’d been recommending him all over town even before he hit pay dirt. “I think filmmakers are reaching out to him because he has executed so many recreations successfully,” Nikkhil reasons, adding that Tanishk’s original stuff is just as fantastic. He’s just heard two tracks Tanishk scored for Lucknow Central and two more for Baazaar, including “Kem Cho, Majama” for Saif Ali Khan who plays a Gujarati stock broker in the film. “He is not only extremely knowledgeable about music but the way he approaches a song, whether recreated or original, is unique,” Nikkhil avers.

Surprisingly, Tanishk himself isn’t too kicked about recreations. T-Series head honcho Bhushan Kumar who offered him “Mere Rashke Qamar”, also agrees that they should be collaborating more on original music. “But we are here to entertain and it’s a public demand we are fulfilling. I’ve explained to him that he is not just remixing an original track but recreating it. He works really hard on these compositions, changing the tune and even the antaras but retaining the original feel. He is doing a great job,” applauds Bhushan.

Abbas who knew Tanishk even before he entered the film industry says Mustaan and he have several of the youngster’s original compositions. “Since he was doing the entire Machine album we also asked him to recreate “Tu Cheez Badi”. We believe these recreations are making the originals even more popular. Tanishk will compose even for our next which we are currently scripting,” promises the man in white. For his sake we hope that this time he will be allowed to give his own mast mast tunes.

MIX OF FILMS THIS WEEK BUT NONE SEEM EXCITING

Last week’s Badrinath Ki Dulhania rocked the show and in the 2nd week too, it is all set to have a great run as the new releases don’t seem to be very exciting commercially. My analysis on these films:

AA GAYA HERO: This is the comeback film of Govinda but the buzz is hardly there. It’s been ready since 2014 when it was then called Abhinay Chakra. The film was then rechristened to Aa Gaya Hero to perhaps make it saleable. But it looks very outdated. The release date of the film was changed multiple times. 10 days ago, the trade was not even sure if it will make it on 17th as there were reports that it was not getting a buyer. Govinda is a great entertainer but sadly, this film is going to suffer.

MACHINE: It is directed by Abbas-Mustan and marks the debut of Abbas’s son Mustafa Burmawala. The film also stars Kiara Advani and has a rich look. Story-wise, it seems ordinary and even juvenile. But the makers assure that it has loads of twists Abbas-Mustan style and will make for a great watch. The film consists of the reworked version of Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast that got thumbs down. But it helped spread the awareness about the film. The opening of the film will not be great but it most probably will earn more than Aa Gaya Hero on Day 1.

TRAPPED: It stars Rajkummar Rao as the leading actor. The whole film revolves around him as he gets trapped in a flat in a highrise and how he tries to survive and get out of it. The film generated near unanimous appreciation at the 17th Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. The trailer has been loved and there has been a curiosity as to how exactly Rajkummar gets trapped and why is he not able to contact anyone. This is a very niche film but it has loads of entertainment. Hence, the opening might be poor but the word of mouth can ensure it can do better from Day 2 onwards. The costs are limited and hence, the film doesn’t have to earn much to turn out to be a profitable venture.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ANY OF THESE FILMS AND WHY? DO LET ME KNOW!

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; March 15, 2017)

BOMBAY TIMES (March 14, 2017)

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 30, 2017)

Two-film-old Kiara Advani is set to join the bandwagon of actresses turning singers. The 25-year-old, who was last seen as Sakshi Dhoni in the M S Dhoni biopic, will do the playback for a song in her next film, Machine, directed by Abbas Mustan.

The makers noticed her singing talent in a video on her social media account and asked her to take the mic.
The actress was initailly hesitant, but then decided to give it a shot.

A source informs, “The song is yet to be recorded. She will complete it in the second week of February. Though she is a trained singer, she never thought she would sing in a movie. Tere Bina Kaiseh Jeeyeh is a soulful ditty and Kiara is doing her regular riyaaz for it.”

When we reached out to the actress, she confirmed the news, but refused to divulge details.

Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; November 18, 2016)

Bollywood's directors in white Abbas-Mustan have locked in the leading lady for their next project, Machine, which will mark the debut of Abbas’ son, Mustafa. The action-adventure flick will feature South African model Carla Dennis.

Carla, who’s from Cape Town, moved to Mumbai a few years ago. She has appeared in several commercials as well as fashion glossies — she recently featured on the cover of a men’s magazine with Sidharth Malhotra.

The hottie was spotted by Abbas-Mustan in singer Arjun Kanungo and rapper Badshah’s music video, Baaki Baatein Peene Baad.

Says Carla, “I got a call from the makers saying they liked me in the music video. After several rounds of auditions, I was selected. Abbas and Mustan are warm, hospitable and sweet. They made me feel comfortable; it was family atmosphere on set.”

The model has been trying to find a foothold in Bollywood and feels she could not have asked for a better launch. The filmmakers are known for making thrillers and Carla has done quite a few stunts in the film. She’s also learning Hindi.

Machine has been extensively shot in Georgia and also stars Kiara Advani, who was featured in MS Dhoni: The Untold Story.

In his first-ever comical theatre role, Tahil turns counsellor to those with suicidal tendencies
MID-DAY (September 15, 2016)

Dalip Tahil is set to step onto the floorboards in a light-hearted role for the first time. The veteran actor will be seen in the English play, Can I Help You?, in which he will play an amusing yet endearing character.

The drama premieres on September 18 at the Tata Theatre, NCPA. Written and directed by Abhishek Patnaik, the cast includes Anant Mahadevan, Darsheel Safary and Bhavna Pani. Says Dalip, "On stage, I have mostly done serious stuff, but this time, it's a light-hearted role. It is not a funny caricature, but there are lots of moments that will make you chuckle."

Can I Help You? is about a retired insurance agent (played by Tahil) living in Darjeeling, close to a suicide point, and how he ends up becoming a counsellor and saves lives. His character is called Ramakant Surajdas Dhanvantari Lal. As the name is a tongue-twister, he is simply called Don since he has the unique record of selling over 100 life insurance policies in a calendar year.

"He is the don of life insurance policies, not of the underworld," guffaws Tahil, adding that indigenous writers should be encouraged in theatre. On the film front, the actor was in Georgia recently for the shoot of Abbas-Mustan's thriller, Machine. "I am back working with my favourite directors. I have done several films with them including Baazigar (1993), Soldier (1998) Ajnabee (2001) Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (2001) and Race (2008)."

The filmmakers are enjoying an interesting face-off with their leading lady as they shoot their next in Georgia.
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 26, 2016)

Shooting for Machine, filmmaker Abbas Burmawala's son Mustafa's launch vehicle, kicked off in Georgia recently. While the debutant and his leading lady, Kiara Advani, are gearing up to film a romantic, Romeo and Juliet-inspired song at the famed Batumi Art and Music Centre, Kiara has taken to giving the Burmawala brothers - Abbas, Mustan and film editor Hussain -- who are known for their signature allwhite outfits, a run for their money.

"I often land up on the sets colour-coordinated with them. We have a million pictures in white," she chuckles, adding that it's her first time in the European country and she'll be there for the next two months. "The seafood here is amazing. We've been dining at quaint cafes and working out by the beach. The locations are divine to say the least."

Kiara who has featured in films like Fugly and the MS Dhoni biopic says that her debutant co-star needs no advice from her.

"He was born and brought up in a film family and has his father and (uncle) Mastan sir guiding him. He's super confident and has gone through intense acting workshops. We have just begun shooting and we're off to a superb start," she signs off.

BOMBAY TIMES (May 26, 2016)

Neha Maheshwri Bhagat (BOMBAY TIMES; May 9, 2016)