After nearly 18 years, Arjan Bajwa has reunited with filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar for The Wives, which marks their first collaboration since Fashion (2008), a turning point in his career.

He says, “My association with Madhur sir has been beyond films. He treats me like a younger brother. We socialize, party and travel together. After Fashion, our professional relationship turned into a longstanding friendship. Being part of a successful film opposite Priyanka Chopra, with a National Award-winning director like him, was a defining experience. And here we are, collaborating again after many years because he believes in my talent, sincerity and ability to carry out his vision. I also have complete faith in his commitment to his craft as a filmmaker.”

Another filmmaker he holds in equally high regard is Mani Ratnam, with whom he worked in Guru early in his career, an experience that shaped his understanding of cinema.

Arjan shares, “I consider myself fortunate to have worked with Mani Ratnam sir on one of his most ambitious projects, Guru. At that stage, I had limited understanding of cinema beyond my role. These are things you learn over time, especially if you don’t come from a film background. I did not have that environment, so whatever I learnt came through the films I worked on. Having said that, it is always work in progress for any actor at any stage of their career. While Madhur sir keeps a very light-hearted approach on set, everyone used to be on their toes with Mani sir.”

Speaking about the challenges of navigating the industry without backing, he admits that the lack of guidance has had a direct impact on his journey. He says, “When you are an outsider without any support system, PR machinery or a mentor, opportunities are often missed or delayed. It affects your trajectory as an actor and can sometimes lead to signing the wrong films as well. I have been through all of that because there was no one to guide me about the workings of the film business.”

He adds, “While my filmography includes several landmark films and collaborations with big directors, there have been instances when I did not feel accomplished or content. It matters who is backing you and giving you multiple films even when things are not going your way. In spite of all the odds, I know I am here for the long run, having completed 29 films in different languages and made my international debut with the India-Taiwan collaboration Demon Hunters. I can only depend on my craft, sincerity, professionalism, and capability as an actor and hope for the best results. The rest is a matter of time.”

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar feels that talent can emerge from any platform when it comes to showbiz—theatre, TV, OTT or films. “Also, if a filmmaker wants to narrate a story today, all they need to do is take out a mobile and create the entire narrative,” he adds. Speaking to us on the sidelines of the second edition of Symbiosis Film Festival, the Page 3 and Fashion director touched upon his style of filmmaking, Bollywood’s lack of conviction and more. Excerpts:

In the 2000s, Madhur’s brand of cinema was celebrated as raw and realistic. Ask him how his storytelling has evolved over the years and he says, “My storytelling hasn’t evolved at all. I’m still making what I used to make back in the 2000s. I always say that I am a storyteller, not a tech-savvy filmmaker. My movies are very grounded and my stories are basic, about everyday lives of people. It’s just that my films have aged well as I mainly focus on human dramas.”

The Babli Bouncer and India Lockdown filmmaker adds that human drama is something that will connect with you ‘even after 100 years’. “Technology will come and go, but the emotions or complexities of relationships will always be relevant no matter what the backdrop is, be it a corporate world, or politics, or even the film industry. My style is to make realistic cinema and I will continue to do so,” he says.

“Every five years, there is a major revamp in the film industry,” says the filmmaker, who will return to the big screen next year with The Wives. He feels that with OTT, a lot has changed. “The audience is now more aware of world cinema. As a result, Bollywood’s storytelling also has changed a lot. However, Bollywood lacks rawness and conviction. If tomorrow somebody narrates a story like Kantara to a Bollywood filmmaker, they will not be entertained,” opines Madhur.

Applauding Rishab Shetty for his vision, the Heroine filmmaker adds, “You can’t expect films like Pushpa, Kantara or RRR from Bollywood. Because Bollywood wants to play safe with tried and tested remakes of south Indian films. Actors ko original movie dikha denge, bol denge zyada mehnat nahi karni hai, yeh picture hai, South mein chal gayi yahan bhi chal jayegi. Despite this, in the last five years, most Hindi remakes of south films have flopped. There are so many stories in Bollywood that are waiting to be explored.”

His films have drawn contrasting opinions, and Madhur says he understands that. “There will always be people who liked something and others who didn’t like it. The reception of a film will never be unanimous,” he says, adding, “But, nowadays everyone is just picking films apart. Thanks to social media, everyone has a voice and now there is a lot more noise. Having said that, I care only about my audience. They are the reason I am where I am today.”

Madhur was at IFFI when the incident involving Ranveer Singh trying to mimic Rishabh Shetty’s Kantara performance happened. Sharing his stance on the controversy, he says, “I felt that he took it a little too far. That said, he owned up to it and apologised, which is commendable. I think he was praising the performance and got lost in the flow. In the process, he crossed a line.”

Last Monday (September 22), we had exclusively reported that Fatima Sana Shaikh was never cast in director Madhur Bhandarkar’s upcoming film The Wives, despite earlier buzz linking her to the project.

The filmmaker eventually went ahead with actors Regina Cassandra, Sonali Kulkarni, and Mouni Roy in lead roles. And the shoot has already been wrapped.

“The reports around her casting were untrue. She never signed the film or was roped in to play one of the wives,” Bhandarkar (57) had told us at the time.

Now, we have learnt that Fatima (33) has also stepped away from another studio-backed film that Bhandarkar was set to direct. A source reveals, “Fatima Sana Shaikh has walked out of the project. The two had even planned to announce their association at an award show earlier this year, but the plan didn’t materialize. The film is now shelved.”

This development marks the second missed collaboration between the actor and the National Award-winning filmmaker.

We reached out to the studio but they refused to comment on the matter.

Most will agree that there was only one take-away from Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives — that Shalini Passi is thoroughly entertaining on screen. Since the third season premièred on Netflix, Passi has received widespread attention, be it for her fashion choices, her art collection, or her life mantras. Now, she is making her big-screen debut with Madhur Bhandarkar’s The Wives.

What made her take up the extended cameo? The chance to work with the National Award-winning filmmaker, said Passi. “I have admired Madhur Bhandarkar ji’s films over the years. His stories are iconic. We also have several friends in common, so I had met him socially before. When the role was offered to me, I felt it would be a great experience,” she told mid-day.

Starring Sonali Kulkarni, Mouni Roy, and Regena Cassandrra, The Wives delves into the glamorous yet tumultuous lives of star wives. In a way, the film almost echoes the reality show. Passi reflected, “Art is always a depiction of life. Like all his other films, there are elements inspired by reality. How much of it relates to the web show or life, only time will tell.”

For now, the socialite-turned-OTT star is thrilled to transition from the web to the big screen. Passi confessed she realised the scale of her debut only when she reached the set. “I didn’t realise it was going to be a theatrical release. Now that it is, I’m excited to see myself, but even more eager to see the film as a whole. On set, everything was taken care of, and I was so happy with my vanity van — it felt like a little cocoon in the studio. Mouni Roy looks fabulous and is a wonderful human being. I also met Sonali Kulkarni for the first time.”

Piracy has morphed into something far more dangerous than bootleg DVDs. In his latest series First Copy that is set in the 1990s, director Farhan Zamma dives into this shadowy world as he tells the story of Arif, an unemployed youngster who is lured by the quick money of film piracy.

“Growing up in the 1990s, I saw how DVD piracy became an affordable, accessible form of entertainment that families consumed together. What struck me later was that while the industry has explored major scams of Harshad Mehta, Nirav Modi, and [Abdul Karim] Telgi, we’ve never told the story of piracy. It impacted the growth of Indian cinema, yet it was never addressed on screen,” says the director.

Zamma has told stories across formats, from web series Taj: Divided By Blood and Happily Ever After (2020) to documentaries, including Heritage Trails One District One Product (2021). Those past experiences helped him shape the Amazon MX Player series. The director shares that while his love for research-driven storytelling fuelled First Copy’s script, the protagonist came to life only when he saw Munawar Faruqui.

“The story lacked a central character. That changed when I watched Munawar’s Dongri Ka Rider. The moment I saw it, I knew we had found our Arif. There were questions about whether he could act, but we were confident in our choice.”

His research of 13 months took him through the wildest true stories. “The stories revealed the scale of the issue. This wasn’t just petty theft; it was an organized system,” asserts the director.

Piracy continues to plague Indian cinema even today. Last month, news emerged that as per an audit commissioned by Sikandar’s makers, the Salman Khan-starrer had suffered losses of about R91 crore due to piracy. Mention this to Zamma, and he says, “We are making a show about piracy in an age where content is pirated before the credits roll. First Copy doesn’t glorify piracy. We’re holding up the mirror to a system that remains broken; the tools may have changed, but the problem hasn’t.”

As part of his research on film piracy, Farhan Zamma learnt about real-life experiences of many filmmakers. He recounts, “Sanjay Gupta recalled being forced by the underworld to sell his film’s international rights at double the usual price so that those prints could be pirated abroad and smuggled back into India just before the release. Madhur Bhandarkar shared how some producers, overwhelmed by mounting losses, ended up selling their own reels to pirates simply to recover [a part of] the cost.”

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, who had visited Azerbaijan in 2023, has weighed in on the calls to cancel travel plans and shoots in Turkey and Azerbaijan. The two countries supported Pakistan after India’s Operation Sindoor.

The filmmaker says, “In the current situation, Turkey and Azerbaijan’s support to the enemies calls for an understanding of the larger picture. Right now, people should refrain from going to these countries. We are giving them the revenue to supply weapons that are used against our jawans. I’m not speaking for the film industry or anybody. I am sharing my opinion as an independent filmmaker.”

Talking about the calls for cancellation of shoots in Turkey and Azerbaijan, Madhur adds, “As an individual, I believe that art and politics shouldn’t be intertwined, but when so many people are killed, you need to draw the line. When Indian soldiers are at risk and lives are being lost, emotions run high. We must respect the sentiments of the people of India, who have faced considerable pain due to actions taken by these countries. Nothing is bigger than our country and our Armed Forces. We should put the nation’s sentiments above all else.”

When asked about his trip to Azerbaijan in 2023, he shares, “My trip to Azerbaijan was pleasant, but the recent political developments have left me with a sense of betrayal. Any country that harms my countrymen or soldiers, it pains me. It is hard not to feel a sense of betrayal. In these testing times, we should support our Armed Forces and our nation. Films and entertainment will always be there, but the safety of our soldiers and the unity of our country should come first.”

With a National Award win for Mr and Mrs Iyer (2002), and a few films to her name in Bengali and English, Konkona Sen Sharma started her Hindi film journey with Page 3, 20 years ago. Mention it to her and she says, “I hadn’t thought of it as my Bollywood debut, because I was not sure if I wanted to continue being an actor or get a real job instead.”

She adds, “I got to know Mumbai during the time I shot for Page 3. Madhur (Bhandarkar, director) and his assistant took me around the city in local trains. I saw many locations and made some wonderful friends. (Actors) Tara Sharma, Sandhya Mridul and I are friends to this day. That made me stay in acting. After Page 3, I decided to move to Mumbai.”

The actor has some interesting projects ahead, including Metro...In Dino. Directed by Anurag Basu and a sequel to Life In A...Metro, Konkona is the only common actor in the 2007 release and its upcoming sequel. The 45-year-old says, “I love Anurag; he is a lovely person, relaxed and stress-free. He has excellent command over his craft. I don’t feel any responsibility (of being the only common link). Anurag has shoulders broad enough to handle that responsibility.”

Konkona was paired opposite late actor Irrfan Khan in the 2007 film. She reminisces, “This time, I missed Irrfan so much. In the first movie, I was the one who named his character Monty. While shooting some scenes, we kept remembering him. There were some scenes where I got emotional as well.”

Bhandarkar shares that since the film came out at a time when there was no social media or pap culture, many people were not sure what Page 3 even meant. “Many of them thought that this was a murder mystery,” he tells us, adding, “Someone even questioned if the film was based on a literal page numbered 3.”

Bhandarkar reveals that he was fascinated by Bollywood parties. “One day, I went to a party where I saw big politicians, Bollywood celebrities, and all of them were interacting with the journalists there,” the 56-year-old recalls, adding, “After the party, I dropped a few of them in my car to a taxi stand.” It was that encounter that prompted Bhandarkar to capture a journalist’s point of view in the film.

“I realized that these people (journalists) who have access to the biggest people in the world... their own life is very normal and middle-class,” he reflects.

Ask the director about the casting process, and he shares, “I did approach a couple of big actresses. They heard the idea. Some liked it. Some had date issues, and some had drive issues, as we didn’t have a budget. Some actresses didn’t even see any merit in the idea.”

Eventually, he decided to approach Sen Sharma, as he had seen her film Mr & Mrs Iyer (2002). “Nobody in Bollywood knew of Konkona Sen Sharma... I called her, and she had no idea what Page 3 culture was all about. We were 15-20 minutes into the narration, and she said bluntly that she wasn’t getting the film. But she had faith in my vision as a filmmaker, so she said yes even without hearing the full script,” Bhandarkar reveals.

Bhandarkar reveals that the iconic scene from Page 3 that saw actor Manoj Joshi’s character, a chauffeur, gossip about the industry was the last addition in the film. “The whole sequence was put at the end. I called up Manoj to play the driver, and that sequence was derived from real life, and he agreed. We shot it all in four hours, and it became a highlight of the film,” he tells us, divulging, “80% of Page 3 is derived from real-life incidents that I have witnessed. I went to a Bollywood celebrity’s funeral, and I saw people discussing the designer they were wearing, inviting people to trial screenings and all. So, I put that exactly that way in the film.”

At a time when singer Lata Mangeshkar had almost quit doing playback singing, Bhandarkar got her to record Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hai Yahan for the film. “Page 3 is incomplete without Lata Mangeshkar,” Bhandarkar muses, revealing, “It was very difficult (to get her to sing for the film) as we didn’t have a budget. But she agreed to sing because she loved the song.” He shares, “She would stop after every word to check if I was getting what I wanted... Her dedication at that age [she was in her late 70s} was so inspiring. I got to work with both Mangeshkar sisters (also, singer Asha Bhosle) in that film, and I feel so lucky about that.”

Bhandarkar believes Page 3 started a whole new trend — films dwelling on the underbelly of the glamour industry. The trend that started with the Konkona-starrer continued with Fashion (2008) and Heroine (2012) “It was appreciated globally in film festivals and in India too... I continue on that path with my next film, Wives of Bollywood, which is like Page 3 on steroids,” he says.

His career spans three decades, and he’s an actor who has been appreciated for his performances. But Harsh Chhaya is also known to call a spade a spade. In a recent social media post, he wrote about favouritism and unprofessionalism in showbiz. When we spoke to him about this, he elaborated further on the highs and lows of showbiz and why in recent times, he hasn’t been seen much on the screen. Excerpts from the conversation:

I will credit my entire career to the kind of roles I was offered in television a decade ago. But, in the past few years, I haven’t enjoyed doing TV or films. I say films because normally one believes that after playing smaller parts, you will eventually bag bigger roles. But that has not happened. I continue to get offers for four scenes in insignificant roles. Similarly, in television, earlier there were good stories, and every character was well written, but today, there is a hero, heroine and the rest of the actors are standing in the background.

My performances in web shows Undekhi and Mukhbir got good feedback and yet, I am sitting at home. So, one wonders what went wrong. Being a character actor is not easy in showbiz. In addition, I am not happy with how the entire casting system behaves with actors who are not film stars or new actors, but somewhere in the between. If you haven’t done films with stars, then you are perceived as someone who doesn’t hold much weight. Even after working for three decades and doing a reasonable amount of good work, a casting guy calls me and says, ‘Apna phone number aur naam placard pe likh do and then send a video’. I have no problem in auditioning, I had auditioned for my part in Fashion too, but why audition for a role which will last for two days? Therefore, I have kept myself busy with voice overs and enough roles to run my kitchen in the last seven years.

Today, if you are shooting for 15 days for a web show, or you have two million followers on social media, you are considered an A category actor and enjoy a certain standard of facilities when you are on the set. But if you are shooting for four days, then your experience or seniority does not count. You are considered a C grade actor and are given accommodation in a different setup. Earlier, the entire film unit would stay together. Today, it is divided according to the number of days you shoot. If you don’t belong to a particular group or don’t know the right kind oaf people, then you are a nobody here. Only a few directors like Madhur Bhandarkar or Subhash Kapoor are professional about this. And if you refuse a role (I said no to a role with Anil Kapoor in a web show because there was not much for me to do) they tend to spread the word that you are not an easy guy to work with. I understand that no role is small in showbiz, but people should not make you feel small.

In 1999, Madhur Bhandarkar embarked on his directorial journey with Trishakti. Reflecting on this milestone, he expresses disbelief, saying, “I just can’t believe it has been 25 years. I made 15 movies in this span, and I am very happy with those films. I’ve always been an independent filmmaker and never went to any camp, lobby or kothari. The best part about this journey is that I made movies that I believed in.”

The 55-year-old reveals that over the last 25 years, he has acquired various tags, such as “women-centric filmmaker”, and his style being described as “topical, hard-hitting, real cinema”. “I am okay with it,” he insists, adding, “Even the current generation connects with the films I have made. My films have aged well.”

Bhandarkar boasts some cult classics to his credit, including Chandni Bar (2001), Page 3 (2005) and Fashion (2008). However, the fate of Trishakti did lead Bhandarkar to doubt himself.

He divulges, “Those days, commercial cinema had a certain template, and I had to make Trishakti fit into that. Even though I didn’t want to do it, I was under duress. But it bombed very badly, and I was completely disturbed. I thought my career was over.”

Fortunately, things took a 180-degree turn after his next release, Chandni Bar. The Tabu-starrer emerged as a big hit, bringing National Awards for the director and the actor.

He shares, “It was the first female-led film that became a success not only in multiplexes but also on single screens. I made the movie when people used to make big-budgeted and male-centric films. The film was nominated in the popular category with big films like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha and Dil Chahta Hai. It was evident that our film made a strong noise and disrupted the whole grammar of cinema.”

He goes on to insist, “If Trishakti was a hit, I would never have made a Chandni Bar in my life.”

Movies about movies are a sub-genre unto themselves, each telling a distinct story. While Farah Khan gave a comedic touch to her directorial venture Om Shanti Om (2007), Heroine (2012) highlighted the ups and downs of stardom in a cut-throat industry; while Luck by Chance (2009) showcased the struggle of an outsider making it in showbiz, the series Call My Agent: Bollywood talked about the life of PR agents.

Disney+ Hotstar’s upcoming series, Showtime—featuring Emraan Hashmi, Rajeev Khandelwal, Naseeruddin Shah, Mouni Roy, and Mahima Makwana—is set to expose the inner workings of an industry that has often made people curious.

So, what does it take to tell an insider story about the industry? Access, one would say. However, to show all that goes on behind the tint of glamour, it takes much more—guts, the willingness to risk being in people’s bad books, the ability to get people to support your idea and a compelling narrative to get the audience hooked. The challenges of crafting such stories are as diverse as the films themselves.

When Rajkumar Hirani tried to capture Sanjay Dutt’s life with Sanju (2018), it was created after months of long conversations with the superstar and the people around him. While the biopic, with Dutt at its centre, had the advantage of first-hand view, it also had the disadvantage of having a filtered perspective. The insider knowledge comes with the responsibility to portray the industry authentically while treading carefully to avoid stepping on toes. Striking that balance is paramount. Showtime writer-creator Sumit Roy says that a huge part of the writing process involved writers ruminating about their experiences in the film industry.

“A few years ago, there was a huge amount of misinformation about Bollywood, and I was aghast, as a member of the industry, at how people were saying and believing anything about it. When Showtime came to me, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to address the misconception that everything in the industry is bad. Bollywood is an artistic business and artistes tend to have huge egos. So much so that I feel there are some people in Bollywood whose body weight is like 90 per cent hot air and pompousness. They can be extremely sensitive sometimes about how they’re portrayed, how they’re spoken about. So, when we were about to start writing our show, which is going behind the scenes in Bollywood and spilling the beans, there were definitely concerns about how it will be received. But at the same time, I was clear that, the material has to come from a place of observation, a place of truth, [and must reflect] things that I have seen in the industry. Because in the last three-four years, Bollywood has been over-scrutinized,” says Roy.

He was certain that he didn’t want to get called out for giving an inauthentic take. “The intent of the show is to talk about larger themes within Bollywood—what it means to be an insider versus an outsider, or to be a woman in Bollywood, and also to talk about the tyranny of the superstar.”

He gives example of a scene in the series where Hashmi’s producer character is shown yelling at a superstar [played by Khandelwal], outside his house, for refusing a project. Roy says that this had actually happened between a superstar and a producer.

While authenticity is paramount, many times, filmmakers choose to avoid telling the whole truth so as to not aggravate the person involved. For instance, Hirani was criticized for whitewashing Dutt and going soft on the allegations of his connection with the criminal world. In sharp contrast, filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar depicted the harsh side of showbiz with Heroine.

“When I made Chandni Bar [2001] or Traffic Signal [2007] or Corporate [2006], all the film industry people applauded me and were happy for my films’ success. However, when I decided to make Heroine, people were not thrilled. My movies are 70 per cent true and 30 per cent fiction, so people start drawing parallels and that can get tough sometimes. When the trailer of Heroine released, a lot of people got upset with me. This is the same film fraternity that appreciated my National Awards; they were all happy till the time it was not about them. People wondered how I’d expose my own fraternity. But I didn’t want to lose my integrity by sugarcoating things.  My honesty is with the audience, not with the fraternity,” he says.

Behind the glitzy façade of Bollywood lies a complex mesh of power dynamics, rivalries, and groupism. Gaining access to insider information can be both a blessing and a curse. While it provides invaluable insights, it also means treading cautiously to avoid getting embroiled in industry politics or running the risk of offending many with the truth.

Bhandarkar shares, “That’s why I am an independent filmmaker. I am not part of any group, gang or circle.  There is a pressure when it comes to the film fraternity because people think it’s uncomfortable because you are showing [the truth].”

While Roy is eagerly waiting for his March 8 release, there is also tension in the air. The creator-writer says, “The stars and filmmakers in the series are based on real-life stars and filmmakers. A lot of the plot points are anecdotes from our lives that we witnessed or knew of. After writing, one of the concerns was what would happen when we took it to Karan [Johar, producer]? I was a bit skeptical. But to his absolute credit, he was a complete champion. He immediately saw the intent of what we were going for. [I am not making this] because I have some axe to grind with someone. Lots of characters are amalgamations of different people, so they [audience] can have fun decoding. There are some worries about what will happen when the show eventually drops. Will people be offended? Maybe we should go underground for a couple of days.”

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar was in awe as he witnessed the consecration of the Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22. For him, the highlight of the day was helicopters sprinkling rose petals all over the venue: “Everybody was in tears when Shri Ram’s door opened. It was a surreal moment when the choppers were dropped rose petals on everyone, I have no words to describe it.”

Recalling the momentous event, the Babli Bouncer (2022) director tells us, “It was very vibrant. The energy in everyone was just on another level. It is a remarkable deal for every Indian. The kind of euphoria that was there, especially when the doors opened to see Ram Lalla, people just couldn’t control their emotions. We were sitting outside and watching it on the big screen. Everyone started clapping and shouting ‘Jai Shri Ram’.”

Ask how he feels like to be among the few from the film fraternity who witnessed the event and the 55-year-old shares, “I felt absolutely honoured and privileged. What we witnessed was a once-in-a-lifetime moment. I couldn’t miss it for the world. I was looking forward to it for many weeks and was ecstatic to be a part of it.”

Madhur Bhandarkar will be attending the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in Ayodhya today. The filmmaker says many people have given him money for donation at the temple.

“The moment my friends, family and neighbours learnt that I’ll be travelling to Ayodhya, they started giving me money Ram ji ko chadhaane ke liye. I have collected all the money in a big envelope. I felt very emotional when that happened,” the 55-year-old tells us.

The Padma Shree awardee will be staying in Ayodhya till tomorrow and he has got special clothes for the occasion. “Maine toh naye kapde silwaaye hain itne bade din ke liye. I have been excited about it for so long,” he wraps up.

Subrata Roy, who passed away on November 14 at the age of 75 after a prolonged illness, played a key role in the careers of several film fraternity folks. Ever since his foray into showbiz in the early 2000s with Sahara One Motion Pictures, he not only backed several movies that set the trend with the advent of the multiplexes but also bailed out several actors and filmmakers from their financial crises. Apart from film production and distribution, Roy expanded his media conglomerate with news and general entertainment channels, too.

That’s not all. His studio gave a new lease to the careers of actors like Sridevi and Karisma Kapoor with television serials like Malini Iyer and Karishma: The Miracles of Destiny on the group’s general entertainment channel, Sahara One. Moreover, several B-Town celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai were on the board of directors of Sahara entities. Not surprising then, that whenever any Sahara event was scheduled in Lucknow, where the group headquarters were located, most of Bollywood would fly down to show their allegiance to and solidarity with Roy. 

At the same time, it’s also not surprising that when Roy and his Sahara Group got caught in financial issues in 2011, several film industry folk began keeping their distance from the ‘controversial’ businessman.

However, few continued to associate with Sahara Shri, as he was called. One of them is Vivek Oberoi, who forged a bond with the businessman-industrialist before he began working with the latter’s studio. Beyond the equation they shared, the actor remembers two unforgettable instances. One is when the actor got injured during the shoot of Yuva on the Howrah bridge in Kolkata.

“Even Mani Ratnam sir had a heart issue and had to be hospitalized. Ajay Devgn and Abhishek Bachchan were taking care of me. Sahara Shri called me, spoke to my father and took over—he organized the beat doctor and orthopedic for me at Hinduja Hospital. When I was to be flown down to Mumbai, he got the front row seats of an Air Sahara flight removed so I could be accommodated with the stretcher,” recalled Oberoi. 

The actor was even more touched to see the business magnate had flown down to Mumbai to be by his side. He added, “After the surgery, while I was in and out of consciousness, Dada sat there by my side. It was great a gesture from Dada, a billionaire industrialist who had tons of things to do in his corporate empire.”

The other instance was when the actor was getting married to Priyanka Alva in 2010. Businessmen, industrialists, politicians and VIPs were invited to the wedding, besides his friends and colleagues from the industry. “Even though he was a VIP himself, he asked if there was something he could do. Dada was there on stage like a family member, receiving guests, ensuring they were looked after, asking if anyone needed anything. That is what set him apart as a person; his honesty and integrity also continued in his relationships,” reminisced Oberoi. 

Fashion (2008) is a film that won appreciation from critics and the audience alike, for the manner in which it unearthed the dark reality of the fashion world. Moreover, two of the lead actors — Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Kangana Ranaut — won National Film Awards for their performances. But, director Madhur Bhandarkar reveals people around him were apprehensive.

As the film clocks 15 years of release, Bhandarkar tells us, “After the film released, there was a lot of appreciation that came my way. But people from the fashion industry got upset with me because they felt I had exposed the reality. But all my stories are derived from real-life [incidents]… That’s what Madhur Bhandarkar films are about. The model taking drugs, having an affair with a married man... These [incidents] were all true.”

The scale of the film, too, made people apprehensive. “Before Fashion, most of my films, be it Chandni Bar (2001) to Traffic Signal (2007), were small-budget films. And in comparison, Fashion was a bigger project in terms of its scale. There were 11-12 sets for fashion shows. That’s why people were doubting this move of mine; many even conveyed that I wasn’t doing the right thing,” the India Lockdown (2022) director says, adding that he had clarity regarding the film and hence, went ahead with it.

Despite the subject being intense, the filmmaker recalls how he’d try and keep things as lively as possible on set. “I was always cracking jokes, mimicking people and having fun. Priyanka would sometimes request me to stop because she had to give a very emotional shot and she wanted to get the expressions right,” he says and goes on to recall a particular scene: “When she was about to shoot the part where her character cries while looking in the mirror, she shot at midnight in an apartment. Nobody would believe me, but she was laughing out loud just before the scene. But, she performed it really well.”

One can’t help but mention Ranaut, who was another highlight of the film. “I still can’t forget her walk. It was iconic,” he continues, “I asked her to focus on the strength of her character rather than the length as hers was a very complex, layered but beautiful role. And it was a game-changer for her as she won a National Award!”

The actor-model opens up on how she bagged the role of Janet Sequeira: “Madhur Bhandarkar and his team used to visit fashion shows and spend lot of time backstage. In one of our fashion weeks in Delhi, the team sat down to chat and I had the maximum insights to share. The next day, I was called to play a part in the film and I accepted it.”

While it was “a bit scary” for Godse as the “film’s story was very close to reality”, it was special nevertheless. “It was my first film and being appreciated right after my first scene by Madhur and others felt special,” shares the actor, on her debut film.

The actor played Rohit, an assistant to designer Vinay Khosla (played by Harsh Chhaya). “I saw that it (Rohit) was a great part and I wanted to work with Priyanka Chopra and Madhur Bhandarkar,” he tells us, adding that he was first offered Chhaya’s role.

Several supermodels were also part of the film and Mushran says working with them was a great learning experience as they were quite grounded. He says, “Everyone gives actors so much power that we think we are way more important than we really are!”

The actor, who played designer Rahul Arora, a gay character, recalls a scene where he had to kiss a guy in a car: “Earlier, gay characters were portrayed in a very stereotypical way. But I wanted to do it right, so that the audience does not feel awkward or uncomfortable. I sat in the car with the actor, who was very young at that time, and I saw him shaking. I asked, ‘Kya hua?’ and his response was, ‘Bhaiyya darr lag raha hai’ (laughs). There I was, trying to get into character, and this guy called me bhaiyya!”

Soni adds that the scene was tweaked later. “I had to just give him a peck on the cheek, but he was still scared. Before the shot, I sat him down and comforted him like an elder brother, saying, ‘Listen, don’t be scared. I will do it’,” he tells us.

Renowned art director and production designer Nitin Chandrakant Desai died by suicide at his studio (N D Studios) in Karjat, 80 km from Mumbai, yesterday. As per reports, he was going through financial stress and speculation is that this could have been the reason for him to take this step.

In his career spanning 20 years, he worked with prominent filmmakers like Ashutosh Gowariker, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He was the brain behind the sets of Hindi films like 1942: A Love Story (1994), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Lagaan: Once Upon A Time In India (2001), Devdas (2002), Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006), Jodhaa Akbar (2008) and Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai (2010) to name a few.

His last venture as an art director was Panipat (2019). He had also created the sets for the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire (2008). Desai won several awards throughout his career, including four National Awards.

In 2005, Desai established N D Studios in Karjat, which was spread over 52 acres. This studio has played host to many movies as well as the reality show Big Boss. He also tried his hand at acting and has been credited as an actor in Daud (1997) and the Marathi movie Hello Jai Hind! (2011), which he directed.

Last month, Desai had performed a pooja at his studio in anticipation of the upcoming festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. He was working on the pandal decoration for Mumbai’s iconic Ganpati mandal Lalbaugcha Raja. He was also busy with an OTT show on Maharana Pratap.

Regarding his demise, Raigad Superintendent of Police (SP) Somnath Gharghe said, “Police were informed by a worker on the set. When the team reached the studio, we saw his body hanging. We are investigating further to ascertain all the aspects in this case.”

- With inputs from ANI

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There is a sense of magic as the lights in a theatre dim for we are often, within moments, transported into another world. And if we were lucky, we would be transported to a world created by art director Nitin Desai. From the earthy village of Lagaan (2001) to the vibrancy of Devdas (2002), from the 16th century palaces of Jodhaa Akbar (2008) to the ’70s Bombay in Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai (OUATIM, 2010), there wasn’t a setting that the four-time National Award winner had not introduced us to.

OUATIM director Milan Luthria remembers how he began shooting the gangster film with Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi in real locations across Mumbai. Soon, crowd-management issues made him consider filming on sets. That’s when someone recommended the production designer to him.

“I told Nitin what I had in mind. He said, ‘Don’t worry, it will all happen in my studio [ND Studios, Karjat].’ He came back with a plan and sketches of how he was going to turn around various parts of his studio. He made a vintage café, made Sultan’s [Devgn’s character] house all white, and made the bustling streets where we shot the song, Pee Loon. His greatest quality was that he could adapt to the sensibility of the film. He realized that each movie had a different demand, which is why every film of his looks different,” he shares.

The director remembers that the climax where Devgn’s character is shot at while delivering a speech was the most challenging. But Desai, he says, came up with quick solutions.

“The studio originally didn’t look that way. There was chaos, but he quickly changed the colours of the backdrop, erected a wall on one side and removed certain fountains, saying that the style did not match the era we were depicting. He was hands-on. If you had an issue and needed a solution, Nitin was the man,” adds Luthria.

The studio originally didn’t look that way. There was chaos, but he quickly changed the colours of the backdrop, erected a wall on one side and removed certain fountains, saying that the style did not match the era we were depicting. He was hands-on. If you had an issue and needed a solution, Nitin was the man,” adds Luthria.

Desai had won National Awards for his work in Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar (1998), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Lagaan and Devdas. But to Bhandarkar, his work went beyond grandeur.

“Nitin was synonymous with [elaborate] set design after his brilliant work in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas. But he was equally a genius in creating realistic sets for films like Traffic Signal, Jail [2009] and Indu Sarkar [2017]. He visited Yerawada and Thane prisons to create a realistic set for Jail. When I asked him [to recreate] Connaught Place, he promised that it would be as real as Delhi’s landmark location. I was amazed at the transformation. I clicked some pictures and sent it to my friends in Delhi, who couldn’t believe it was a set.”

A trait of Desai that endeared him to the director was his ability to make good his promises. “He was always flexible with budgets and would say, ‘Main kar ke deta hoon.’”

Director Ketan Mehta shares that the Aamir Khan-led Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005) was the first endeavour to be shot in ND Studios that opened in 2005. “When he launched the studio, the qawwali song from Mangal Pandey was the first shoot on the location. Nitin was a disciplined and systematic designer. So, even before we began shooting, everything was pre-visualized and pre-decided with major contributions from the creative genius that Nitin was,” says Mehta, who worked with him over 28 years and several films.

Producer Ronnie Screwvala, who collaborated with Desai on several films, most notably Jodhaa Akbar and Fashion, remembers him as someone who thought big and created even bigger. “He always gave his all to whatever he did. He always thought big and then actually made it happen. I am very sad to hear the news, ” he says.

The particular permanent set in ND Studios, Karjat, where Desai was found dead on Wednesday

Set pieces used for the filming of Lagaan. Pics/Nimesh Dave

This is his second time at the Cannes Film Festival as a part of the Indian delegation, and Madhur Bhandarkar is “thrilled” to be back. The filmmaker tells us, “It is a great way to meet people from across the world. I always say that Cannes is the mother of all film festivals!”

One of the highlights of his current visit, he shares, was getting to meet Hollywood star Michael Douglas. “It was absolutely a big fan moment for me,” he says, adding, “A friend introduced me to Michael sir at the India Pavilion. We’ve grown up watching Michael Douglas films. We kept talking about and recapping all his great films, like Basic Instinct (1992) and Wall Street. He is very gracious; such a great personality!”

The India Lockdown (2022) director, who last attended the festival in 2019, feels India’s imprint on the global map is only growing with each passing year. “For instance, at the India Pavillion, (politician) Kushboo Sundar, (actors) Sara Ali Khan and Vijay Varma, producer Guneet Monga and Dr L Murugan (Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting) spoke about how India has left a strong mark globally, especially over the last 10 years. In terms of the kind of cinema we are making, the world saw how RRR (2022) and Naatu Naatu (Oscar-winning song) caught attention. And here at Cannes also, when I interacted with people, I got a phenomenal response on Naatu Naatu. So, people are talking and are curious about the kind of cinema and content we make. The surge of OTT has also been huge,” Bhandarkar shares.

Beaming with pride, he adds, “I have been a very frequent visitor of film festivals across the globe. From the time I started making films, I have been in the juries as well. And I have seen that we are the biggest production house in the world, when it comes to cinema.”

Sitting at the centre of a nationwide debate storm is The Kerala Story. While Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have made the film tax-free, it has been banned in West Bengal and it’s screening has been stopped in theatres of Tamil Nadu.

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap tweeted, “You agree with the film or not, be it propaganda, counter propaganda, offensive or not, to ban it is just wrong (sic).” Producers Guild of India, too, issued a statement that read: “We are distressed by, and would like to record its strong objection to, the state-enforced bans on The Kerala Story.”

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar says, “I supported Udta Punjab and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (both 2016). But when Indu Sarkar (2017) was targeted by political parties, no one supported me. I feel once a film is passed by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), it should be released, whether you agree with it or not.”

The film has been doing well at the box office. Trade analyst Joginder Tuteja says, “I am not saying what’s happening in West Bengal is right or wrong. But if the CBFC has allowed something, why should any state go against it? There should be creative liberty.”

Atul Mohan, trade expert: “CBFC is a government organisation, so by banning a film, you are challenging the government. People have watched it and approved it.”

Pritish Nandy, producer: “Once passed by the CBFC, a film is officially cleared for exhibition. But, if certain states feel it could create a law and order situation, it’s their right to decide whether it should be screened or not. They understand the local circumstances.”

After releases starring Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan kicking off the year, a lull seems to have set in at the box office. No big-ticket projects are slated to release this May — a month billed as a fecund period for the film business — and trade experts interpret it in various ways.

“With films (such as Jawan, Adipurush, Maidaan and Satyaprem Ki Katha) that have been announced in June, I don’t understand why they have missed May. It’s when summer vacation starts, and theatres would have been packed,” says trade expert Taran Adarsh.

Some feel no-release May is a ripple effect of the IPL, the viewership of the live broadcast of the first 29 matches of which has surpassed 40 crore — a 24% growth in TVR from 2022. “Pathaan got the box-office numbers, but there’s again been a drop in business,” notes trade expert Atul Mohan.

“During the IPL, evening and weekend shows get affected, which is also the time for box-office business. They have tried to avoid this clash this time, as the broadcast is available to watch free of cost,” he adds.

However, producer-trade analyst Girish Johar disagrees: “It shows lack of planning for releases. Films get affected only when there is a critical match. This move is like playing out a maiden over at a crucial stage in a T20 game.”

It could also be down to a “post-pandemic reset”, says film exhibitor Akshaye Rathi. He explains: “Usually, May is a busy month with the summer vacation knocking, and we should have more Hindi releases coming in. While that is not happening, there is a string of Hollywood films (such as Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3) and those from the southern industries. We hope that very soon, we have a consistent supply of Hindi films during every big-ticket period.”

Madhur Bhandarkar ascribes the downtime to a lull in production, insisting that it is not a matter for concern yet. “There has to be a strategic reason. IPL must have played a role, then the heat wave across the country. Production has gone down, and it reflects in releases,” says the filmmaker.