Showing posts with label Maneesh Sharma. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maneesh Sharma. Show all posts
Tiger 3's Tiger Ka Message video talks about how Tiger has risked his life and family for his country-Salman Khan
8:47 AM
With Tiger 3 teaser going viral, Salman discusses how the promo is a hat-tip to the spy thriller’s past installments
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 30, 2023)
Salman Khan’s fans have earmarked Diwali, when they will have a date with their cine idol as Tiger 3 hits the screens. The superstar kicked off the film’s promotional run on Wednesday as he released the teaser, titled Tiger ka message. Not surprisingly, the promo went viral online. Khan says that director Maneesh Sharma and he knew that the best way to start the new journey of Tiger—one of Hindi cinema’s most-loved spies—would be by revisiting the character’s past adventures.
The actor says, “We thought why not give a hat-tip to the nostalgia that this franchise holds in the hearts of the people. If you see Tiger ka message, it is mixed with footage from Ek Tha Tiger [2012] and Tiger Zinda Hai [2017]. It talks about how Tiger has risked his life and family for his country.”
The third part, which also stars Katrina Kaif and Emraan Hashmi, will see Khan’s R&AW agent Avinash Singh Rathore aka Tiger set out to clear his name after he is framed as a traitor. Pointing to the teaser in which the protagonist promises that he will prove his loyalty to the country, Khan adds, “Tiger is a selfless agent.”
There is nobody telling me if I should do a film or not-Shalini Pandey
8:18 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 7, 2023)
Shalini Pandey’s Hindi debut, Jayeshbhai Jordaar (2022) might not have worked commercially, but she has already moved on to her next. Pandey will be seen opposite actor Aamir Khan’s son Junaid, who will make his debut in Maharaj.
Confirming the same, Pandey says, “I can’t talk much about it, but we have finished the shooting. It was a nice experience with Junaid and I felt mature and confident as an actor. I am somebody who is really curious. I did my bit in Jayeshbhai and learnt technical skills of acting. This time, in Maharaj, I could enjoy the process more.”
Pandey states that she has no godfather in the industry, adding, “There is nobody telling me if I should do a film or not.”
Talking about how she chose Jayeshbhai Jordaar, the 29-year-old shares, “I didn’t know I was auditioning for it until I met our producer Maneesh Sharma. That’s when I got to know it’s a film opposite Ranveer Singh. As an actor, if you are offered a film opposite Ranveer, then it’s anyway a yes, but I wanted to read the script.”
She recalls Sharma telling her that her character would be pregnant. “I agreed and went with my gut instinct. It has been wrong also, but that’s the only thing I have. I loved Jayeshbhai and said why not. That’s what I look forward to with every project now. I can’t control the outcome, but I can at least learn. Maharaj happened when I had just finished Jayeshbhai. I read the script, and again there was the gut feeling, ‘why not?’,” she ends.
Shah Rukh Khan to film his cameo in Salman Khan’s Tiger 3 in April
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Sources say Shah Rukh to film his cameo in Salman’s Tiger 3 in April; prison set to be built for action sequence
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 2, 2023)
No matter which theatre you watched Pathaan in, the auditorium invariably broke into applause and seetis when Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan appeared together in the film’s now-famed train sequence. Such is the power of the two superstars joining forces. Salman’s cameo also marked the crossover of spies from the YRF universe, as envisioned by producer Aditya Chopra.
Now, it is Shah Rukh’s turn to make a special appearance in Tiger 3. While word about his cameo has been doing the rounds for long, mid-day has learnt that director Maneesh Sharma has earmarked the last week of April to shoot the sequence.
Like in Siddharth Anand’s directorial venture, the actors’ combination scene in Tiger 3 will be high on action. The director and Chopra had developed the track in 2021, peppering it with the superstars’ easy camaraderie and cheeky humour. The makers’ belief in its potential was further strengthened when the actors’ banter in Pathaan was loved by the audience.
A trade source reveals, “In the January 25 release, Salman’s Tiger tells Pathaan that he will soon go on a deadly mission and might need his help, thus paving the way for Shah Rukh’s cameo. In the third instalment of Tiger, the director has chalked out a massive action scene set in a jail. It will be a continuation of an elaborate sequence shot by Salman last year. A huge set of a prison, designed by Mayur Sharma, will be recreated at a Mumbai studio.”
Chopra has apparently told Sharma that the sequence should be a visual spectacle. The buzz is that the team has roped in Korean stunt director Se-Yeong Oh. “The makers are aware that the audience’s expectations are sky-high after what they have seen in Shah Rukh’s espionage thriller. That’s why they have brought a Korean stunt team on board to choreograph the action set-piece. Adi wants fireworks on screen every time the spies cross paths,” adds the source.
The November 10 offering will also see Katrina Kaif reprise her role of Zoya, with Emraan Hashmi playing the antagonist.
Yash Raj Films remained unavailable for comment.
Shah Rukh Khan looked me and whispered, 'Mashallah, so beautiful'-Shriya Pilgaonkar
8:48 AM
Shriya Pilgaonkar with mid-day’s entertainment editor Mayank Shekhar at the latest edition of Sit with Hitlist
Walking into Hitlist OTT Awards with two Best Actor: Series nominations, Shriya Pilgaonkar reflects on the shows that put her on the map
Mayank Shekhar (MID-DAY; February 18, 2023)
Serendipity, I suspect, plays the starring role in most lives. But it’s something we kept going back to, over an hour-long conversation with actor Shriya Pilgaonkar, 33, who’s legitimately an OTT star in her own right, and has been a film buff forever. Enough to bleed her eyes bingeing on five back-to-back films on the big screen at Mumbai’s MAMI festival.
One of which was The Artist (2011) — i.e. before the French tour de force became the toast at the Oscars, and indeed before Shriya was an actor herself.
There is a strange connect she felt with the film’s lead actor Jean Dujardin on the screen, which went beyond the fact that she obviously found him attractive. She told her mother about it later, and ‘journaled’ it at night — about being inexplicably drawn towards this man.
“Cut to,” Shriya says — as all readers of screenplays are prone to narrate their anecdotes — she had cracked an audition for a part, that turned out to be for a French production, set in India, starring Dujardin.
Likewise, before she took up acting as a profession, like many film aspirants, Shriya was assisting a director, Megha Ramaswamy, on a short film, being shot at the Yash Raj Films’ (YRF) studio, where Shah Rukh Khan was shooting as well. Ramaswamy, also Chak De! India director Shimit Amin’s wife, knew SRK, and introduced Shriya to the superstar.
The nation’s charmer number one, and the actor to have cornered all desi female hearts, looked at Shriya, whispered, “Mashallah, so beautiful!” At that moment, Shriya recalls, she died!
Cut to, 2015: There was a moment in Shriya’s life, when during the day, she was shooting with Dujardin, and at night, with SRK — for Maneesh Sharma’s YRF production, Fan (2016), her Bollywood debut.
How did the latter happen? With auditions over three months, where she was testing for multiple parts, and even sitting in for cues for other actors, hoping to be cast, at YRF. It was one such tape — that wasn’t hers, and so she was totally relaxed on the screen — that “Maneesh (director) and Adi Sir (Chopra, producer) saw,” and selected her.
“I like how all these stories happen late at night — I got a call from Shanoo Sharma (YRF’s casting director). I just went over to my parents’ room, told them I’ve been cast as Shah Rukh’s love-interest. And I just shut their door, without waiting for their reaction! Didn’t know what to say.”
The parents being Sachin, and Supriya Pilgaonkar. Both of whom are prominent, professional actors. She belongs to the third generation in the film industry. Shriya’s paternal grandfather, Sharad Pilgaonkar, who she never got to see, was a producer. That explains how Sachin himself started early as an actor in his father’s film — that paved his path as a career child-actor, Master Sachin, from thereon.
Sachin, 65, has been an actor for 60 years! Supriya debuted with the Marathi film Navri Mile Navriyala (1984), directed by Sachin. Shriya herself appeared as an infant in one of Sachin’s movies. She doesn’t remember which one: “He’s directed 21 films!”
Reversing movie history, if you may — since men played female parts on screen once — Shriya first spoke for the screen as a little boy, basically “kid with boy cut”, to say, “Aunty, mummy ne achaar mangaya hai!”
That was her cameo in the hit TV show, Tu Tu Main Main. Those of a certain vintage might instantly remember the sing-song way Tu Tu Main Main was said in the title sequence, after which director Sachin would yell, “Action”, before the episode started.
Shriya followed director Sachin’s instruction in her debut film, in Marathi, Ekulti Ek (2013), too — which fetched her Maharashtra government’s film award.
Given the self-sufficient family unit of filmies, one would assume Shriya as an actor is an obvious career move. And yet, when she’d taken up a part in a short play as a stage debut of sorts, her mother simply looked at the adult child, for where she was headed, and sighed: “How predictable.”
Until 14, Shriya was set to be a professional swimmer; her days centred on training for the sport that she was participating at the state-level: “The sportsperson’s is a tough life. Even in swimming, a difference in micro-seconds sets apart the winner from others. It consumes you.” She was training at Bandra’s Otters’ Club, and gave up on the sport, shortly after her coach passed away.
And it’s not like she had a Plan B, or any particular plan at all. As someone scoring high in class, she did what most over-achiever type kids do, in school, and later in college — everything. I learnt later that she was also the student-boss of Malhar, St Xavier’s College annual festival — it’s the kind of designation collegians, I notice, flaunt even on LinkedIn!
A big move she did make, Shriya admits, was actually the one that she did not — that is, to pursue her master’s at Columbia University, where she had secured admission. Columbia was her trying to postpone/evade the question about what she really wants to do next. Instead she enrolled in a film appreciation course at FTII, began acting in plays, directing short films, documentary, eventually auditioning for acting parts for movies.
That she is multi-talented could have a lot to do with her father Sachin. Best way to describe Sachin is as Rajshri Productions’ OG Prem. He was the lead in the super-hit Nadiya Ke Paar (1982), that got remade into Hum Aapke Hain Koun (1994), with Salman Khan.
Another way to describe Sachin is as a singer, writer, producer, director… Between her parents, Shriya rightly insists her father is the star — all about showmanship — while her mother is the ‘actor’, who can detach herself from her work as well.
What’s common between them is they can break a leg! For proof, the Pilgaonkar couple had famously won the maiden season of dance-reality show, Nach Baliye (2005), surprising many with their killer moves.
Which is also in common with the daughter, we learn. Shriya extensively trained in kathak, growing up — that, in fact, pretty much all Bollywood female actors do, at some point. As we speak, she’s finally put that talent to test in a “full dhamaal” song-and-dance routine, “for an unannounced film, produced by Emmay Entertainment.”
From her mother, Shriya says, she’s acquired ‘body-language’ as an important acting lesson. At some point in the conversation, she effectively shows us how her three well-known characters — lawyer Kashaf Quaze, from Guilty Minds (2022); journalist Radha Bhargava, from The Broken News (2022); sex-worker Madhubala, from Taaza Khabar (2023) — would sit, if they were in the same room.
And that’s self-awareness at the level of where the legs are placed, how the head moves, whether she is leaning-in (Kashaf), straight, and attentive (Radha), or totally carefree (Madhubala).
When she was offered the part of Sweety Gupta, on the other hand — a girl from the hardcore, Hindi heartland, namely Mirzapur, meaning Uttar Pradesh (UP) — an advice/warning she got was not to come across as the Maharashtrian girl that she is.
This is where her dad would’ve been the inspiration: “Unki zubaan bahut saaf hai (he has clear diction). One thing he told me is to always master the dialect, before you play any part.”
Sweety is as UP as they get. Shriya jokes people have come up to Sachin to suggest he couldn’t be Sweety Gupta ke papa. It’s this role of Guddu Bhaiya’s girlfriend in Mirzapur, she admits, that gave her “the taste of pan-India fame. Till today, there’s the Sweety-love everywhere I go, and I love that,” although her character died in the first season of Mirzapur (2018).
Guilty Minds, though, she reckons, is what brought her “critical appreciation” as an actor; she came into her own. There is some serendipity here too. In the sense that dad Sachin, all her life, she tells me, had wished to play a lawyer. It’s never happened. He’s drawn to law as a hobby as well — reads books, goes through minutiae of contracts, etc.
It’s Shriya who got to dive deep into the world in ways that Indian screen hasn’t before. In terms of movies, Chaitanya Tamhane’s Court (2015) was a masterpiece on India’s legal system. Shriya agrees. That apart, for long-form content, the realism and authenticity of Guilty Minds is refreshingly first-rate.
Much of it comes from the series creator, Shefali Bhushan, daughter of prominent jurist, ex law minister of India, Shanti Bhushan; sister of top lawyer and activist, Prashant Bhushan. Can’t get more insider than that!
The writing was such, Shriya recalls, that there is a scene in the show, where her character Kashaf, and her team, along with the opposing lawyers, are in a village, fighting against a power plant coming up, that will wreck lives of locals.
Somehow, while performing that (third episode’s) monologue, detailing the human cost of development, Shriya broke down on the shoulders of Sugandha Garg (co-actor), after the director called cut: “I felt something. Maybe the line between the actor and character broke.”
As an actor, she says, she actively practices an attachment-detachment relationship with her work, given that the outcome, in terms of success, is out of everyone’s hands. But it’s hard to pretend you don’t care, after all the effort that’s gone in.
Going back to her journal that night after Guilty Minds shoot, she wrote about what she had experienced doing the emotional scene. And that it doesn’t matter how the show is received, in terms of numbers of reviewers’ nods — this is something special that will stay, regardless.
The Broken News, likewise, enters the world of television journalism, with Shriya’s character at the centre of the newsroom, navigating nuances, if not serious dilemmas of this profession. The apprehension, Shriya confesses, about being typecast as this everyday/important professional, did cross her mind.
“Even my friends say which profession is left to play? But that’s not the point. Even among lawyers or journalists, there are different types.” To prep for her part of a reporter, she in fact spoke to (mainly former) journalists on how they’d respond to life’s choices, rather than intricacies of the newsroom itself.
Not be an ‘ageist’ about it — I’m an old man myself — but there is a rejuvenating aspect to hosting long chats with younger guests, as they delve into their early experiences. The memories are firstly fresh, rather than jaded from having gone through these same interviews/questions, over years. Shriya is one of the youngest to feature on the Sit with Hitlist series of conversations, before a live audience.
Also, you can probe — without, hopefully, coming across as a nosey uncle — on random fun stuff, like her favourite drunken story? Involved lots of wine, during the India-Pakistan match, at Melbourne Cricket Grounds — she had to keep drinking, because once India scored, you’re supposed to stay put in the same position, and repeat exactly what you were doing before!
Or how about check on important issues, like who’s she dating? Well, this chat took place on Feb 13. She said she didn’t have a date for Feb 14. So I’m guessing she’s single. Although she’ll be happy, she mentioned, if she somebody made a plan. If you search for this chat on YouTube, we’ve left her number there (of course, I’m kidding).
Most elementally though, the fact of a young star is you’re catching them on the curve. There’s so much to look ahead. I had looked up Shriya’s TEDx talk, from 2019, and already her professional life has transformed enough to render that talk premature. As would be this interview.
Considered the past year alone for Shriya — The Broken News on ZEE5, Guilty Minds on Amazon Prime Video, Taaza Khabar (2023) on Disney+ Hotstar — you can’t escape on her on OTT.
So much so that there’s stuff of hers on other platforms that I haven’t had the chance to catch: new season of The Gone Game on Voot, a show called Murder In Agonda on Amazon Mini? She’s the only actor to be nominated twice for Best Lead (Female) at the Hitlist OTT Awards.
The first time most Indians, including me, saw Shriya on screen was, of course, in Fan. I kept wondering where I’d met her before. It was at a party in Pune, when she wasn’t an actor, and she was pissed with movie critics, in general. I reasoned that film reviewing was indeed a low form of writing, because it often lacked empathy.
“At that time obviously I didn’t know I was going to be an actor, and that I’d have to change my opinion on critics,” Shriya laughs, pointing out that what had irked her after Fan were actually reviews that didn’t mention her at all.
Which is fair. Indifference is the opposite of love, not hate. While the film was a YRF production, starring SRK, it wasn’t exactly the proverbial launch vehicle, associated with star-kids. In this case, Sachin’s daughter.
Shriya says, “[There are star] children, who get papped, groomed, branded, for two years, before they come as movie stars [on screen]. I didn’t want to be on a magazine cover, even before I was an actor.” That’s also Instagram all right.
But the actual scene among screen talents has changed too dramatically to count on tested measures. And is it even about Bollywood anymore, as one supposes?
Look at the galazy of stars getting created in the OTT space, starting with Shriya, for instance. It’s a medium that isn’t ‘television’ enough for actors to surrender their identity to their character, that carries on playing itself, over hundreds of episodes!
Although exhibiting similar aesthetics, it isn’t exactly film, that is centred on the male lead, hustling over box-office returns. Let alone conversations on nepotism for debutants.
“Every role I’ve got is through passing an audition,” Shriya reveals, on the real serendipity surrounding her — right talent, at the right time. It’s like being an actor with a great voice, just when silent films have given way to talkies!
Cast your vote for the Hitlist OTT Awards
Shriya Pilgaonkar has been nominated in the Best Actor (Female): Series category for Guilty Minds and The Broken News.
The other nominees are:
- Amruta Subhash (Saas Bahu Achaar Pvt Ltd)
- Fatima Sana Shaikh (Modern Love Mumbai)
- Huma Qureshi (Maharani S02)
- Masaba Gupta (Masaba Masaba S02)
- Sakshi Tanwar (Mai: A Mother’s Rage)
- Shefali Shah (Delhi Crime S02)
There are 16 categories that the public can vote in. Log on to www.radiocity.in/hitlistott to cast your vote.
Voting lines close on February 22.
A still from Guilty Minds. Pics/Ashish Raje
Shriya Pilgaonkar in The Broken News
Filming for last leg of Salman Khan-starrer Tiger 3 to resume in February; makers to shoot jail sequence
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Actor Varinder Singh Ghuman with Khan
Filming for last leg of Sallu franchise to resume in Feb with action-packed sequences choreographed by Korean stunt team
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; December 30, 2022)
The month of January will provide a short relief for Salman Khan, who has had a choc-a-block date diary this year. After completing Farhad Samji’s Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan last month, Khan will return to play the part of RAW agent Avinash Singh Rathod in the final leg of Tiger 3 in February.
The upcoming leg will be the final shooting schedule for Maneesh Sharma’s espionage thriller after the cast and crew, including Katrina Kaif, completed filming major portions in New Delhi earlier this year. The team, we’re told, intends to complete the VFX-heavy sections, and action sequences, in this leg.
A source tells mid-day, “Prior to the New Delhi schedule, Salman had shot some dramatic confrontation scenes with the rest of the cast at Yash Raj Studios. The last schedule of Tiger 3 is a week-long one, and will be a continuation of the scenes that were shot last year. Now, jail interiors will be recreated in the studio.”
In keeping with the high-octane action visuals that have become synonymous with the franchise, the makers have left no stone unturned to deliver impactful performances in this edition as well. A Korean stunt team, we hear, has choreographed the sequences that will be filmed.
“In this jail-break scene, a set [designed by Mayur Sharma] will be recreated using VFX. Professional body-builder Varinder Singh Ghuman will join Salman again after their last schedule in July. Emraan Hashmi plays the role of an agent who is pitted against Tiger.”
While Kumud Mishra, Anant Vidhaat, and actor-director Revathy — as Khan’s mentor and RAW chief Shenoy — are also part of Tiger 3, only Ghuman and Salman will be part of this schedule that will involve scenes showcasing their face-off.
Meanwhile, a forthcoming leg will see Shah Rukh Khan and Salman shoot their collaborative scenes, as YRF producer Aditya Chopra brings his two RAW agents, from different movies, together.
“The worlds of RAW agents Tiger and Pathaan will collide in Tiger 3. A massive action scene will be shot after this schedule. Maneesh has already designed SRK’s introduction scene for it.”
Last year, Salman, as Tiger, had shot for an action-packed extended cameo in Pathaan, which releases soon.
Ranveer Singh reveals that he danced on Jayeshbhai Jordaar’s song Firecracker without choreographer's help
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Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 22, 2022)
Armed with a dose of humour, Ranveer Singh is ready to take on female foeticide and gender inequality in his next, Jayeshbhai Jordaar. Ahead of the film’s May 13 release, the makers are set to launch the first song, Firecracker, today. What makes the dance number special is that the actor performed it without the supervision of a choreographer.
Since the number was filmed towards the end of the shoot, director Divyang Thakkar and producer Maneesh Sharma wanted Singh to bring his own interpretation to it. “Maneesh and Divyang were clear that since I have performed the character and gone through his entire journey, they wanted me to do a freestyle dance, just as Jayesh would. They were sure that they wouldn’t choreograph the song. Barring the hook step, I was left to dance the way Jayesh would,” recounts Singh.
Expressing himself comes easy to him, and this was another opportunity to bring alive a character that he loved. “Being in character, the moves stumbled out of me, and we captured that. Jayesh is an endearing man who possesses immense love for life, and we wanted to present that aspect in the song.”
The actor adds that the feel-good song will leave viewers with a smile.
Ranveer Singh is part of rare breed of artistes who are stars-Maneesh Sharma
8:30 AM
Ranveer Singh flanked by Maneesh Sharma and Divyang Thakkar
Having launched Singh in B-Town with Band Baaja Baaraat, filmmaker Maneesh proud to see his growth as they reunite for Jayeshbhai Jordaar
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 25, 2022)
Ranveer Singh and Maneesh Sharma’s journeys to the big screen have been intertwined. With his directorial debut Band Baaja Baaraat (2010), Sharma not only gave us a sparkling rom-com, but also introduced a powerful actor in Singh. Twelve years and two collaborations later, the filmmaker is happy to reunite with his protege for Jayeshbhai Jordaar.
“Over the past decade, Ranveer’s growth has been there for all to see. He has cemented his position as a versatile leading man, and created an enviable track record of box-office successes,” says the proud mentor.
In chronicling the adventures of a small-town businessman, director Divyang Thakkar’s social comedy — also starring Shalini Pandey — reportedly makes a statement about gender equality. The producer feels that Jayeshbhai Jordaar is right up Singh’s alley as the actor is known to front films with compelling stories at their core.
“Ranveer inherently likes to push boundaries as an artiste in the world of commercial films. That makes him part of the rare breed of artistes who are stars. With Jayeshbhai, he will redefine the idea of a commercial film hero.” Sharma adds that as soon as Thakkar narrated the script to him, he wanted to put his weight behind the “unique” story. “I saw the prospect of creating something original here.”
Aditya Chopra to turn Jayeshbhai Jordaar into comic book series
8:23 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 22, 2022)
Producer Aditya Chopra appears to be betting big on Ranveer Singh’s upcoming film, Jayeshbhai Jordaar. He has not only chosen the Divyang Thakkar-helmed comedy to kickstart the 50-year celebrations of Yash Raj Films, but is also keen to immortalise the protagonist through the written word. One hears that the makers will develop Hindi and English comic book series based on the quick-witted protagonist, after the film’s release.
“In Jayeshbhai Jordaar, Divyang and co-producer Maneesh Sharma have created an intelligent, sharp-witted and an underdog of a hero. The more Adi saw the material, the more he was convinced that the lead character has enduring value. He felt Jayeshbhai has the potential to appeal to a wide audience, especially kids. So, they are planning to turn it into a comic book series,” reveals a source close to the development.
The series will capture the adventures of the Gujarat-based character, and the wise lessons he learns from them. As the film — also starring Shalini Pandey of Arjun Reddy (2017) fame — gears up for a May 13 release, the makers are apparently considering developing the social comedy as a franchise.
I had a singular vision to take the popular Tiger franchise to a level that would set a new benchmark-Maneesh Sharma
8:44 AM
Director Maneesh Sharma, known for small films with rich emotions, on teaming up with Salman-Katrina for spy thriller Tiger 3
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 10, 2022)
Last week, the makers of Tiger 3 gave us a peek into the world of the espionage thriller as they released the date announcement video. Where the film — true to a Salman Khan offering — has been lined up for an Eid release, it may well have a distinct language from the previous two instalments, Ek Tha Tiger (2012) and Tiger Zinda Hai (2017). This time around, Maneesh Sharma of Band Baaja Baaraat fame has taken the directorial baton from Ali Abbas Zafar.
Sharma admits that helming the Khan and Katrina Kaif-starrer came with dual responsibility — where he had to explore a full-fledged actioner for the first time, he also had to raise the bar for the franchise that has amassed a strong fan following. “When I was handed over the reins of Tiger 3, I had a singular vision — to take the popular franchise to a level that would set a new benchmark. With the launch video, we wanted the personalities of Tiger and Zoya [Kaif’s character] to shine through,” he says.
The movie has been shot in Russia, Austria, Turkey and India.
Tiger 3: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif go north as cases go south
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After Delhi leg in January was cancelled due to rising COVID cases, Tiger 3 stars to kick off stint on Feb 14
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; February 2, 2022)
In January, mid-day reported that the Delhi schedule of Tiger 3 had been cancelled in the wake of the rising Coronavirus cases in the country (Tiger returns to his cage, Jan 7). Now, as the situation is improving, director Maneesh Sharma and producer Aditya Chopra have gone back to the drawing board to rework the schedule. It is learnt that Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif will kick off the stint in the capital — which marks the final major schedule of the espionage thriller — by mid-February.
The director has chalked out a 15-day stint that will focus on the chase sequences in the film, as Khan’s R&AW agent Avinash Singh Rathore aka Tiger takes on the bad guys. “Maneesh wants to film certain action scenes on the streets of Delhi. The superstars will also shoot at some historical locations in the city, including near the Red Fort. Adi is ensuring that the production team adheres to strict COVID safety norms during the schedule, as they have done over the past two years. Salman and Katrina are expected to fly out to the capital on February 12 or 13, in time to commence the shoot on February 14,” reveals a source.
Khan will have to slip into his Tiger avatar well before he wings his way to north India. He will report to the set at Yash Raj Studios from February 5. The source adds, “He was busy with Bigg Boss 15 until last week. Now that the reality show has concluded, he will dive into the week-long schedule of the thriller where he will film dramatic confrontation scenes. Katrina won’t be part of the proceedings.”
Delhi shooting leg of Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif’s Tiger 3 postponed
8:59 AM
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; January 7, 2022)
mid-day had previously reported that Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif were set to film crucial sequences of the third edition of the coveted Tiger franchise in New Delhi this month. But, with the capital being among the states under the scanner due to soaring cases, the makers, including director Maneesh Sharma, and producer Aditya Chopra were compelled to defer the leg.
A trade source says, “This is not the right time to plan big outdoor schedules. It’s a well thought-out decision by Adi, Maneesh and the team. The portions in question will be shot at real locations. Since the Omicron threat is looming, the makers are choosing to be cautious. While [other] challenging schedules were completed through the Coronavirus pandemic, the team doesn’t want to take any unnecessary risk [now].”
The January schedule was crucial for the team to complete the film, which rolled in March 2021. Whether or not it can meet its December 2022 date with viewers is yet to be ascertained. With the release of several films being deferred from the month of January, it is likely that all filmmakers will have to revisit their calendars when the situation improves. Over the past few weeks, Shahid Kapoor’s Jersey, NT Rama Rao Jr and Alia Bhatt’s RRR, and Prabhas’s Radhe Shyam have been pushed.
Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif to head to Delhi in January for final major schedule of Tiger 3
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Salman-Katrina to head to the capital in January for final major schedule of Tiger 3; to shoot dramatic scenes during the 15-day leg
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; December 18, 2021)
While her wedding celebrations have kept Katrina Kaif busy through the better part of December, her Tiger 3 co-star Salman Khan has been giving shape to the espionage thriller in Mumbai. We hear the leads will head to New Delhi in mid-January for the final major schedule of the Maneesh Sharma-helmed venture. After that, the director will conduct the remaining shoot in Mumbai, before calling it a wrap on the film that rolled in March this year.
A trade source reveals that the team has lined up a 15-day stint in the capital. “Salman and Katrina haven’t faced the camera together after their Europe schedule in September. They will reunite for the Delhi leg where they will film some dramatic scenes. It will mark Katrina’s return to the set after her wedding. In the past two months, the director has focused entirely on Salman’s character Avinash Singh Rathore aka Tiger, canning several action scenes with him at Yash Raj Studios in Andheri. Earlier this month, the team began shooting at the SRPF Grounds in Goregaon,” says the source.
Conducting the Delhi schedule with the superstars won’t be without its share of hurdles. Anticipating the excitement it will generate in the capital, producer Aditya Chopra has instructed his team to begin the groundwork to ensure a smooth shoot.
The source adds, “The crew will have a tough job — right from crowd management to ensuring that the stars’ looks are not leaked. Even though it will be tricky, Aditya Chopra wants to film these portions at real locations.”
Salman Khan kickstarts shooting for Tiger 3 at Goregaon ground
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Salman starts shooting for Tiger 3 at Goregaon grounds after makers reconstruct elaborate set that was damaged by Cyclone Tauktae
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; December 9, 2021)
In late May, the Tiger 3 team had to pull down the elaborate set at SRPF Grounds in Goregaon, Mumbai, after it was partially damaged by Cyclone Tauktae. At the time, producer Aditya Chopra was against the idea of reconstructing the set — a replica of a busy Middle Eastern market — hoping that in the months to come, the team could instead fly down to the UAE and shoot the sequences at the original locations. Now, after a rethink, Chopra and director Maneesh Sharma have had the set rebuilt from the ground up so that Salman Khan can immerse himself again in the world of the big-budget spy thriller.
It is heard that the superstar reported to the Goregaon set earlier this week. “Since late September, Salman had been shooting for the film at the Yash Raj Studios in Andheri. The production design team was simultaneously rebuilding the set. It will serve as the backdrop for several heavy-duty action scenes where Salman’s RAW agent Avinash Singh Rathore aka Tiger and Katrina Kaif’s character Zoya Humaimi will take on the bad guys. On Monday, the director canned a bike chase sequence featuring Salman and the baddies,” reveals a trade source.
Soon after completing the set-piece over two days, Khan left for Riyadh on Wednesday morning. The next few weeks will see him jump from one project to another. The source adds, “He flew out for Da-Bangg The Tour Reloaded show that is slated for December 10. He will fly back to the country on December 11, heading straight to the Bigg Boss sets for the Weekend Ka Vaar shoot. After that, Salman will resume filming of Tiger 3 from December 13 at the SRPF Grounds. The stint will go on till Christmas.”
Tiger 3: Three sets to be erected at Yash Raj Studios; Goregaon ground booked for key sequence
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Ahead of Salman-Katrina filming Tiger 3 in the city, sources say three sets to be erected at Yash Raj Studios; Goregaon ground booked for key sequence
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 4, 2021)
It has been a whirlwind trip over the past two months for the cast and crew of Tiger 3 as they shot across Turkey, Russia and Austria. Now, all the action from the Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif-starrer has finally moved to Mumbai. mid-day has it that elaborate prep is underway at the Yash Raj Studios in Andheri for the upcoming stint, with three different sets being simultaneously erected at the venue.
“One of the sets will be built according to the Middle-Eastern style of architecture. Director Maneesh Sharma has lined up an extensive three-month schedule for Mumbai, and multiple sets will be put up during the period,” reveals a source.
It is heard that the team has also booked the NESCO Ground in Goregaon for this month. The source adds, “A small sequence was canned at the site earlier. The team will return to shoot another pivotal scene in the coming weeks.”
The third instalment of the franchise sees Khan and Kaif reprise their parts of RAW agent Avinash Singh Rathore, and Zoya. Emraan Hashmi has been roped in as the antagonist.
mid-day reached out to Yash Raj Films, which remained unavailable for comment.
Tiger 3: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif shoot chase sequence, in trams, carriage, metro in St Petersburg over 6 days
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Salman-Katrina shoot chase sequence, complete with trams, carriage and metro, in St Petersburg over six days for Tiger 3
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; August 27, 2021)
As is true of any Salman Khan offering, there has been enough interest around Tiger 3. But the hype around the spy thriller intensified this week as the leading man’s long-haired and bearded look went viral online. Now, mid-day has found out further details about the Russia schedule. It turns out that among other scenes, Khan and Katrina Kaif shot for a hyper-stylised chase sequence around hotspots of St Petersburg under the watchful gaze of director Maneesh Sharma.
The sequence, filmed over six days, comes at a crucial juncture in the narrative. “In the film, Salman — who plays RAW agent Avinash Singh Rathore — will sport multiple disguises. The chase scene sees him flaunting the long-haired look as he, along with Katrina, chase down one of the baddies around the streets of the city, including opposite St Isaac’s Cathedral,” says a trade source.
The action director has designed the set-piece such that it will offer glimpses of the beautiful city as Khan’s pursuit takes him from one mode of transport to another. “It begins with the actors inside a tram, then a horse-drawn carriage, after which they hop on to a car, and finally reach the underground metro. Since each metro station is uniquely decorated with details about Russia’s past, the makers wanted at least one scene to be set in a station.”
While fans from Russia continue to post their selfies with Khan, the superstar headed to Istanbul on Wednesday. “After that, a schedule in Vienna is lined up. Producer Aditya Chopra doesn’t want to spare any expense for the actioner.”
Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif to begin Tiger 3 shoot from July 23
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After a three-month break due to lockdown, Salman Khan-Katrina Kaif set to resume Tiger 3 shoot in Andheri from July 23; international leg slated for August
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; July 10, 2021)
All has been quiet on the Tiger 3 front over the past three months as the film’s shoot was abruptly halted in mid-April due to the second lockdown in the state. Soon, as per producer Aditya Chopra’s instructions, the set at SRPF Grounds in Goregaon was dismantled after it was partially destroyed due to Cyclone Tauktae. Since then, Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif have been patiently awaiting their turn to return to the universe of the big-budget spy thriller. Now, it is learnt that Chopra has given the go-ahead, relieved in the knowledge that the entire crew has got at least the first dose of the vaccine. The team will resume work from July 23.
Director Maneesh Sharma has begun the prep for the two-week schedule that will be conducted at the Yash Raj Studios in Andheri. “Of the cast, only the leads will report to the set for the first few days. Maneesh sir wants to film a few dramatic sequences with them,” reveals a trade source. Emraan Hashmi, who plays the antagonist to Khan’s RAW officer Avinash Singh Rathore, will join his co-star in this leg to shoot a pivotal confrontation scene.
The makers have decided against reconstructing the set — a replica of a Middle-Eastern market — at the Goregaon ground even though a few portions remain to be filmed. The source adds, “With the situation improving, Aditya and Maneesh are keen to pursue their plan of an international schedule. The team is likely to head out of the country post August 15. While the destinations have yet to be locked, Europe and the Middle East form a part of the narrative. So, they thought it would be wiser to shoot the remaining portions at a market in Dubai.”
Meanwhile, Khan wrapped up the shoot of 'Antim: The Final Truth' last week. Besides filming some talkie portions with Aayush Sharma at Film City and Byculla, he shot for a song with Pragya Jaiswal.
Aditya Chopra to rope in four action directors for Pathan
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Beginning with Mad Max stunt artiste who was flown down for shoot, Aditya Chopra to rope in four action directors to design stylised sequences for SRK’s Pathan
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; June 29, 2021)
Producer Aditya Chopra knows the high expectations that surround Pathan — after all, the movie will see Shah Rukh Khan in action after his self-imposed break since Zero (2018). Naturally then, the filmmaker is pulling out all stops for the Maneesh Sharma-directed actioner that sees Khan as a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) agent. To ensure that Pathan translates into a hyper-stylised espionage thriller on the big screen, Chopra has decided to rope in four action directors who will design elaborate set-pieces.
While the director-producer duo have yet to finalise the remaining stunt co-ordinators, South African stunt artiste Craig MacRae has already reported to the film’s set in Mumbai. “Craig, who runs the stunt company, Titan Stunts with Katja Hopkins, and his four-member team landed in the city on June 8. After quarantining at a Juhu hotel, the team joined Shah Rukh and John Abraham this week. The actors kicked off the latest schedule with confrontation scenes, and will film major fight sequences early next month. Craig is a highly skilled martial artiste too, and has designed sequences for Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Bloodshot (2020) and War (2019),” reveals a trade source.
Deepika Padukone and Dimple Kapadia will join the cast later this week at Yash Raj Studios in Andheri. While the team focuses on the ongoing leg, Chopra will utilise the time to zero in on the remaining action directors, one of which may be a home-grown talent. “The idea behind having different experts is to have breathtaking stunts in the movie, ranging from martial arts to hand-to-hand combat and chase sequences. Adi and Maneesh intend to conduct a schedule in Europe sometime between July and August, but the plan depends on the travel restrictions in the countries at the time. So, they are torn between two possibilities — either fly down the chosen stunt coordinators to India and shoot the sequences, or have them join the cast abroad.”
The source adds that Salman Khan, who reprises his role of RAW agent Avinash Singh Rathore from the Tiger franchise, has shot for his special appearance in Pathan.
Tiger 3 set in Goregaon unused for over the past 45 days; dismantled
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With no clarity on resumption of shoots, makers of Salman-starrer Tiger 3 dismantle Goregaon set that stood unused over the past 45 days
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 3, 2021)
It hasn’t been an easy ride for Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif-starrer Tiger 3 thus far. After the actioner — mounted on a grand scale by producer Aditya Chopra — rolled in March, the shoot was disrupted a month later when the leading lady tested Coronavirus positive. The second setback came soon after as the Maharashtra government imposed a junta curfew in mid-April. At the time, director Maneesh Sharma was filming crucial portions at the SRPF Ground in Goregaon where an elaborate set of a Dubai market had been erected. Now, one-and-a-half months into the shoot suspension, Chopra has apparently ordered the dismantling of the set.
It is heard that the producer-director duo were considering taking the course of action right after Cyclone Tauktae left the set-up partially damaged. Their resolve was further strengthened when the state government extended the lockdown earlier this week.
A source reveals, “There is no clarity on when shoots will resume. Even if the government green-lights them by mid-June, the studio is being cautious about the way forward. Considering Tiger 3 has a massive crew of about 300 people, Aditya wants the team to be vaccinated before they report to work. Maintaining the outdoor structure was turning out to be an expensive affair. They realised it will be easier on the pocket to erect a set whenever they are ready to resume work.”
In the third instalment that sees Emraan Hashmi join the cast, Khan’s undercover agent Avinash Singh Rathore will travel to Europe as part of his next mission. The source adds, “With Europe reopening its borders to fully vaccinated travellers, Aditya and Maneesh are studying the countries that can be part of Tiger’s journey. They will zero in on the locations post August.”
Tiger 3's production design team to build a Turkish town in Mumbai
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Elaborate set of Turkish town being built at SRPF Ground for Salman Khan-Katrina Kaif’s Tiger 3 as unit cannot travel to the interiors of the Eurasian country amid pandemic
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 12, 2021)
If Salman Khan can’t go to Turkey, the country will come to him. The superstar was initially supposed to kick off the third instalment of the Tiger series in Istanbul. While the plan has had to be deferred due to the rising Coronavirus cases in the country, producer Aditya Chopra has done the next best thing — he has arranged for his production design team to build a Turkish town in Mumbai where Khan and leading lady Katrina Kaif can film pivotal sequences of the espionage thriller.
“A lavish set, reflecting the architectural style of a quaint Turkish locale, is being erected at the SRPF Ground in Goregaon. Maneesh Sharma [director] wants several heavy-duty action scenes, complete with artillery tanks and grenades, to play out against this backdrop as Salman’s Tiger and Katrina’s character Zoya Humaimi take on the bad guys. The set will be up and running by the first week of April,” reveals a trade source. Meanwhile, the team has begun the first schedule at the Yash Raj Films studios in Andheri.
Though the producer-director duo intend to complete some portions of the thriller on home turf, the outdoor stint is not off the table. The source explains, “Tiger 3 is one of Adi’s most ambitious projects, and he intends to take the story across seven countries. He is constantly reworking the schedule, keeping the safety of the cast and crew in mind. The team will head to Istanbul and Dubai in June. He decided to create the Turkish set here because he realised that whenever they do go to Istanbul, it will be difficult to travel to the interiors because of the pandemic.”
Katrina Kaif ready to pack a punch with Tiger 3
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Ahead of Tiger 3 rolling next week, Kaif undergoes 14-day training with South Korean stunt artistes to pull off action scenes
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 4, 2021)
The worlds of Phone Bhoot and Tiger 3 may be as different as chalk and cheese, but Katrina Kaif is juggling them with ease. The actor has begun her prep for the third instalment of the successful Tiger franchise, which will go on floors on March 8 with Maneesh Sharma at the helm. Kaif intends to be fighting fit for her role of former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agent Zoya Humaimi, especially since the first schedule will see her perform heavy-duty stunts alongside co-star Salman Khan.
It is heard that the actor shoots for the Ishaan Khatter and Siddhant Chaturvedi horror-comedy during the day, and heads to Yash Raj Films studio in Andheri in the evenings to pick up kickboxing and hand-to-hand combat for the espionage thriller.
“Maneesh has requested his leads to be action-ready for the Mumbai leg of the shoot. So, over the past fortnight, Salman and Katrina have been working hard, upping their fitness level. While Katrina is continuing her daily regimen with trainer Yasmin Karachiwala, she is additionally training with a South Korean crew, which specialises in martial arts, for the stunts,” reveals a source.
It turns out producer Aditya Chopra has had the team specially flown down for Kaif’s training as he wants the thriller to be an action spectacle. Meanwhile, a South African stunt team is working with Khan.
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