The wedding season is in full swing in Bollywood. Pankaj Kapur and Supriya Pathak’s daughter Sanah tied the knot yesterday with Manoj and Seema Pahwa’s son Mayank. The couple got married surrounded by their family and friends in Mahabaleshwar. The pre-wedding festivities like mehendi and sangeet took place on Tuesday night.

Sanah, who is Shahid Kapoor’s sister, had shared screen space with the actor in the film Shaandaar. Sanah’s cousin, Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah’s son, Vivaan shared some videos on social media in which the family could be seen welcoming the couple to the beats of dhol. Later, they danced to a medley of Bollywood songs.

When we reached out to Pankaj Kapur, he confirmed the news. Though he was busy with the celebrations and wanted to stay tight-lipped about the shaadi, he said, “I don’t want to talk much about this, but yes, it is my daughter’s wedding and that’s about it.”

The Kapurs and Pahwas have been family friends for many years and Sanah and Mayank have known each other for a long time.

Manoj Pahwa and Seema Pahwa get candid about the appreciation they are receiving for their work
Deepali Singh (DNA; July 22, 2019)

She was a delight to watch as the mother who is obsessed with her daughter’s wedding in 2017’s Bareilly Ki Barfi as well as Shubh Mangal Saavdhan. He was talked about for the poignant portrayal of a Muslim man accused of terrorism, in last year’s Mulk and as a police officer with a dark side in Article 15. But ask Seema Pahwa and Manoj Pahwa if they were pleasantly surprised by the appreciation from the industry and they reply, almost in unison, that they would have, had they not been prepared for it. “Iski taiyyari toh bohot saalon se ho rahi thi,” says Seema with a smile.

The couple met each other in Delhi, where they were part of the same theatre group. While Seema became a household name with her role as Badki in 1985’s popular soap Hum Log, her husband was noted for playing Bhatia in 2001’s comedy show Office Office. Post marriage and two kids, the couple moved to Mumbai in 1994 to continue their work in television, films and theatre. Like Seema says, more than three decades of work has brought them to this juncture.

CONTENT IS KING
The couple attributes their recognition to the kind of films being made now. “Content has become hero now, and when the story takes precedence, then the characters become important,” believes Manoj. The result then is the casting of good actors for those roles. “Ab vaisa daur chal raha hai. In content-driven films, characters ubhar ke aate hain. That’s why films like Bareilly Ki Barfi, Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Mulk and Article 15 are appreciated,” he states.

While it may not have been a big deal for the Pahwas, Seema is glad that her son Mayank and daughter Manukriti — both National School of Drama grads — saw the appreciation coming their parents’ way. “For years, they had been seeing us work, but nothing much was happening. We’re happy, industry ne ma-baap ki izzat rakh li!” she laughs.

ROLE REVERSAL
Manoj’s last two films saw him in serious and intense roles, while Seema’s recent movies have explored her lighter side. Ironically, such roles were exactly what they were not known for. Seema’s image as the serious Badki was so impactful that once a director turned away from her while narrating a comedy script to her husband! “But we are theatre actors and we have done so many different kinds of roles on stage. It’s just that we got typecast in films that were being made earlier,” reasons Manoj, who has usually been the one making the audience laugh.

The role reversal of sorts has been a pleasant change for them. Of late, directors are approaching them with different kinds of roles. “Now, I am being offered characters that were actually meant for him!” exclaims Seema, citing films like Ferrari Ki Sawaari and Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, where the roles were originally written as male characters and offered to Manoj. “As long as the money is coming to our house, it’s fine!” Manoj laughs.

SUPPORT FOR EACH OTHER
Over the years, the couple has been each other’s support through thick and thin. What about criticism? “Oh, yes, we don’t share the kind of relationship where you only have to say good things about each other. We discuss each other’s work and if need be, criticise it as well,” shares Seema. “There are some films of mine that neither my wife nor my children are interested in. That’s criticism without even saying a word! There are some that even I don’t tell them about. Bolke gaali thodi khaani hai!” Manoj guffaws.

With both their children into the performing arts too, there are often some healthy discussions over dinner. “They learn from our experience and we also get updated about what appeals to the youth of today. That check is good for us and our experience is valuable for them. God has blessed us with this combination of young artistes and senior actors,” says the doting mother.

The actress is now ready with her directorial debut, Pind Daan, which she has written as well. The cast reads like a who’s who of talent, including Naseeruddin Shah, Konkona Sen Sharma, Vinay Pathak, Supriya Pathak and Vikrant Massey among others. Is Manoj in it as well? “Of course, inko kaise jaane deti!” Seema grins, as Manoj cuts in jokingly, “Maine toh bhaagne ki poori koshish ki thi!”

HONING THEIR CRAFT
Over the years, the couple has also kept its relationship with theatre alive and can often be seen in plays by Naseeruddin Shah’s Motley theatre group. For Manoj, theatre is like a paathshaala, which keeps them refreshed and raring to go, while for Seema, it’s the instant response she gets from the audience which makes being on stage so special for her. Working with a stalwart like Naseer, too, has been a blessing for them. “Where else would we find someone who still corrects us, who can tell us even today that we’re not doing it right? There is still so much to learn and it’s a wonderful process that keeps you on your toes as an actor,” Manoj adds.

While Seema and Manoj are acting in a couple of plays in the ongoing Motleyana Festival at Prithvi Theatre, next Sunday is a Pahwa Special as all four of them are involved in story-readings. Seema will read a story by Ismat Chughtai, Manoj, one by Saadat Hasan Manto and their daughter Manukriti is reading a story written by their son Mayank. “When the brochure came out, I sent my son a picture of the same (Mayank is learning filmmaking in London) and told him he should feel proud of himself. After all, Naseer saab liked the story so much that he’s put it in the same bracket as Ismat and Manto,” says the beaming father.

The Pahwas certainly seem to be enjoying their share of success. And rightly so!

Taapsee Pannu turns choreographer for Mulk number Thenge Se as director Anubhav Sinha decides against professional involvement
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 9, 2018)

Often eager to take on roles beyond the scope of acting, lead protagonist of Anubhav Sinha's courtroom drama, Mulk, Taapsee Pannu, has put on her dancing shoes to turn choreographer for the song Thenge Se. The peppy track breaks the gravitas of the drama to showcase festivities at Pannu's household — the Mohammed family.

Sinha tells mid-day that the nature of his feature offering little scope for the appointment of a professional choreographer, he had decided to direct the two tracks himself. Then, Pannu offered a helping hand. "Since the song was not meant to look like a professionally choreographed one, I wanted a fresh perspective, and Taapsee provided just that. I am impressed with her directorial eye. If she ever wishes to foray into direction, she will do well," says the proud director.

Pannu, on her part, reveals that Sinha had, in fact, decided to leave the job of choreography to co-stars Neena Gupta, Manoj Pahwa and her, all of who have one stanza each in the track. "Anubhav sir wanted the song to look like a family had simply come together to celebrate. He wanted it to look spontaneous. Hence, he gave the responsibility of choreographing the song to each one of us. I, with the help of [actor-choreographer] Prachi Shah, designed my portion, and sir did not change anything. This song will be special. It has a personal touch to it, after all."

Mulk, also featuring Rishi Kapoor, Rajat Kapoor and Ashutosh Rana, sees Pannu slip into the role of defense lawyer Aarti Mohammed.

Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; May 18, 2018)

Sanah Kapur, daughter of actors Supriya Pathak and Pankaj Kapur, is happy that her parents never planned a filmi launch for her. The actress, who made her debut with half-brother Shahid Kapoor in Shaandaar (2015), will now be seen in Harsh Chhaya’s black comedy Khajoor Pe Atke. In an interview with BT, she talks about the nepotism debate, about carving her own identity and wanting to be unique.

Since you belong to a family of actors, did you ever feel the pressure of audience expectations? Do you feel your parents, Supriya Pathak and Pankaj Kapur’s image as actors will influence the kind of roles that are offered to you?
I only do roles that excite me. I am not thinking of what kind of expectations people have from me because it is futile to think about it so much. I am just trying my best like everyone else in the film industry. I literally grew up on film sets so doing a film was not something new for me. But just like individuals who don’t belong to film families, we too have our struggles, albeit in different ways. I admit that there is a certain vision filmmakers have, when you belong to a family of actors, and they might offer you roles depending on that. My growing up years were spent with friends who grew up to be pilots, engineers or doctors. Also, this nepotism debate does not hold true for me because my parents have never been in the centre of things in Bollywood. They have never picked up the phone and asked someone to give me a role. My parents have always wanted me to have my own struggle and carve an identity on my own. That’s why when people ask me, ‘why did your parents not launch you with a film?’ I honestly answer, neither me nor my parents wanted it that way. In fact, when I was chosen for Shaandaar, Vikas Bahl was not even aware that Shahid is my brother. He auditioned me and informed bhaiyya about it much later, when he came to know of my true identity.

Your film Khajoor Pe Atke is also a comedy like your debut, Shaandaar. What was new about this film and your role?
I play the daughter of Manoj Pahwa, who is the eldest brother of the family. While the whole family is worried about a relative’s health, my character has her own agendas and is trying to connect with a bigger city because she has always lived in a small town. It was a lot of fun playing this character because there was scope to do something different from what I had done before in my debut film.

Talking of Manoj Pahwa, it is believed that you are engaged to Manoj and Seema Pahwa’s son Mayank?
Really? I will keep my mouth shut on this and say ‘No comments’.

How was it working with actor-turned-director Harsh Chhaya, and sharing the set with actors like Manoj, Seema and Vinay Pathak?
When you work with a director who has worked in films as an actor, he understands the requirements of an actor. Harsh made us comfortable and was happy to let us explore a lot more than what we expected. There was a lot of freedom to improvise on scenes and I learnt a lot from all the actors. We were like one big, happy family on the sets.

Most Bollywood actors’ sons and daughters spend a lot of time and effort styling and grooming themselves. They’re all over social media too and are always present at the right place, at the right time. We don’t see you accompanying your parents or brother at public events though. Is it a conscious effort?
Like I said before, I was brought up like a normal child. Our work and family lives are different and though I take my parents’ feedback on many things, I have never been to any parties, especially when I grew up. It is only after Shaandaar, when I got invited, that I started attending parties. Most importantly, I am not a star kid. My parents are actors. I am acting because I am passionate about the craft and so I feel I should just go with the flow. Tomorrow, if I have to style or groom myself for a role, I will be happy doing it, but otherwise I believe in being true to who I am. I am proud of how I am conducting myself and I love myself. I did the role of a fat girl in Shaandaar, who doesn’t find a guy because she’s obese, as it offered me something different. I think it is important to be unique and enjoy what you do, rather than do something that everyone else is doing.

You mentioned before that Mira Kapoor does not like you calling her bhabhi…
(Laughs!) That’s a joke we share. Mira is younger than me and so when I started calling her bhabhi, she felt a bit odd and requested that I not do that.

Reza Noorani (BOMBAY TIMES; May 17, 2018)

From acting in iconic television shows like Hum Log to being relegated as the portly happy-go-lucky guy in films, Manoj Pahwa has seen it all. Despite being typecast as the ‘father of the bride’ or the ‘jolly boss’ in Bollywood, he has made the most of the roles offered to him. The actor will now be seen playing a pivotal character in the upcoming family comedy, Khajoor Pe Atke, written and directed by Harsh Chhaya. Manoj talks to BT about the middle-class mentality of his character in the film, the reason why he has been stereotyped and the experience of acting alongside his wife, Seema Pahwa, on the big screen for the first time.

What were your concerns while working with a debutant director in Khajoor Pe Atke?
I have known Harsh both professionally and as a friend for many years. When he told me that he is making a film, the first thing that I wanted to do was listen to the script. The reason I did the film was because it is written so well, but I did not know how Harsh would turn out as a director. There’s always an apprehension when an actor wants to be a director, because one has not seen him work in that capacity. Also, when an actor turns into a filmmaker, the ‘actor’ side of his personality is more dominant than the ‘filmmaker’ side and that can become a problem. Thankfully, we never had that issue.

You play the eldest brother in a dysfunctional middle-class family and your character is emotional and hyper. Do you relate to the character?
Khajoor Pe Atke revolves around a typical middle-class family. Just like in the film, I am the eldest in my family, too. The thing with elder siblings is that we become mature ahead of our time. Parents keep telling the older child, ‘You are the eldest. If you act childish, what will the younger siblings do?’ But parents forget that the eldest is also a kid at the end of the day. He is coaxed into feeling so grown-up that he actually grows up. He learns to dole out unnecessary advice. I have been the elder kid in real life, so I did not have a problem identifying with my character. We have all seen such people, mostly at weddings, where there is always that one guy who feels upset because the family did not ‘formally’ ask him to eat!

In the past, you have done some memorable work on TV in the ‘80s serial Hum Log and later, Office Office. Do you plan to return to the small screen?
Quality has overtaken quantity on Indian television. The reason is that one has to make 25 episodes in a month. If the ratings are good, then you have to keep churning out new material. Be it writers, directors or actors, you cannot bring in so much fresh material in such less time, which is why the quality suffers. Also, the working conditions on TV are odd. CINTAA (Cine & TV Artists Association) has now made a rule of 12-hour work days, but even then, actors end up working for 14 to 15 hours. The content, too, is the same — saas-bahu and naagin shows. That’s why, after Office Office, I did not feel like working on television. I have done TV for 15 years and back then, the subjects were good and the shows were aired once every week. If you had one weekly show where you played the main character, you could work for 10 days in a month and truly give it your best. I can’t do a hectic 25-days-a-month schedule.

Do you think that you’ve been typecast as a jolly character in most of your films?
Yes, people have typecast me as a fat, happy-go-lucky actor. But I also understand the way things work from the perspective of a producer or a director. If a filmmaker wants a funny character in an out-and-out commercial film, he will not experiment and cast an actor like Nawazuddin Siddiqui. He will cast an actor like me. I understand that. So, when I get the same type of roles — the father of the bride or the hero or a jolly boss — as an actor, I can at least approach it differently. I know that from the seven billion people on earth, there may be a few thousands who resemble me physically. But still, no two people are the same. So, I try to think and act in a certain manner that befits the character. My aim is to play a character that allows me to break my image and step out of my comfort zone, but there are not as many opportunities. Also, you have to survive in an expensive city like Mumbai. So, an actor can’t say, ‘Now that I have played the role of a cop, I will refuse similar roles’. From the seven films offered to me, I can select the two that I love and give it my all.

Though you have worked with your wife Seema Pahwa on TV and in theatre, this is the first time you are working together in a film. How was the experience?
We have travelled the length of the country while working together in plays. We used to travel in trains because there was no money in theatre. Jo dosti gareebi mein hoti hai na, woh lambi chalti hai. Humney toh shaadi bhi karli (laughs!) Our association goes back a long way. We didn’t get to work in films together because when we shifted to Mumbai, she was not offered any good roles. The reason was that she was already known as Badki in Hum Log and she had such a strong image of the character, that people typecast her. After 17 to 18 years, when she worked in Aankhon Dekhi (2013) and Ferrari Ki Sawaari (2012), that image finally shattered. People got to know that Badki was still alive. After that, she did award-winning films like Shubh Mangal Saavdhan (2017) and Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017). While casting for my character’s wife in Khajoor Pe Atke, Harsh thought that she’d be a natural in the role. Performing with her didn’t feel like a new thing because we have acted together for so many years.

Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; May 15, 2018)

As an actor, Harsh Chhaya has witnessed the highs and lows of the profession for over 20 years. Now, he has chosen to direct a film because he was not comfortable with the kind of work that was being offered to him as a performer. The film, Khajoor Pe Atke, which the actor has also penned, is a dark comedy that revolves around a family dealing with the failing health of a close relative. In an interview with BT, Harsh tells us why he is exploring a genre considered niche in Hindi cinema and the paucity of good roles for talented actors in showbiz. Excerpts:

You’ve been acting since the 1990s. What prompted you to take up direction after all these years?
I am a professionally trained filmmaker and have worked behind the camera for around five to six years. The acting bug was so strong that I decided to postpone film direction for many years. I wasn’t offered good roles in the last 10 years or so, and I did not want to do something that I didn’t enjoy. The last time I enjoyed doing a film was Jolly LLB (2013). Otherwise, the kind of roles I got made me feel like a glorified extra. It never helped me professionally and because I was choosy about films, I was suddenly out of work. I spent a long time feeling frustrated and so, it was important to put my mind to better things than just waste my energy.

Your directorial debut Khajoor Pe Atke is a dark comedy. This isn’t a genre that is easy to crack and it’s still being explored in Hindi cinema.
My film is inspired from a few incidents that I have experienced. When you observe peculiar things around a situation multiple times, you start wondering if there’s a story there. So many times, in a serious situation, people observe or say something that’s off the mark and that becomes funny. My film explores such situations in life. I have always been inspired by films like Chupke Chupke (1975), Khoobsurat (1980), Khatta Meetha (1978) and Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983). They don’t make films like that anymore. I want to stress on the fact that there is a market for all kinds of films, whether it is India or abroad. I wanted to explore the genre of dark comedy because I won’t be able make a slapstick or sex comedy. I am no one to judge here because I just made my first film, but slapstick comedies in India are mainly about jokes forwarded on your phone.

You have an ensemble cast with talented actors like Vinay Pathak, Seema Pahwa and Manoj Pahwa in your film. Do you feel that there is a lack of opportunities for such actors in our film industry that’s always hankering for big stars?
In our industry, there is a general lack of opportunities for talented actors. We can clearly say that there is a lot of talent in the film industry, but unfortunately, good actors have to often play merry-go-round around the stars in our films. The comedy genre has taken centre stage for sure, but the ‘Yeh toh comedy actor hai’ kind of labels have still not disappeared. We have actors like Manoj Pahwa, Seema Pahwa, Vinay Pathak and Dolly Ahluwalia, who have great comic timing, but they are often labelled as comedians. They can deliver so much more. Also, I feel, once you have a script that works, it automatically finds its way to good actors.

Since this is your first film with an ensemble cast of good actors but not big names, was it difficult to get a producer on board?
I waited for a long time, and then I came across some incredible producers who did not ask me, ‘Poster pe kaun hoga’. They were keen to hear the script. We also toyed around with the idea of roping in a star to sell the film. A couple of stars we spoke to were even happy with the script and suggested some changes. But the producers weren’t keen on changing the script, so we let go of the idea of having a star.

What were the challenges of donning the director’s hat, after having been on the other side of the camera for so long? Do you want to continue making films or would you want to go back to acting?
Most of your job is done when you work with talented actors. When I used to act, it was all about being in your space and following the director’s instructions. As a director, I was not just handling the actors, but looking after an entire unit of 100 people. To me, direction was a happily tiring and satisfying experience for me. As an actor, you can emotionally switch off once you come home from the set, but as a director, it is an emotional process that keeps going on for many months. I have made an honest film and I hope the masses will like it. I would love to continue acting, too, if there are good offers.

MUMBAI MIRROR (April 9, 2018)

Sony Pictures Networks Productions (SPN Productions), the film production arm of Sony Pictures Networks India Pvt Ltd (SPN), announces its upcoming film, Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai (ATPSHH), written and directed by Anubhav Sinha.

The film is a satirical ride into the circus of coalition politics. The biggest highlight is the cast of highly acclaimed actors coming together in one film for the first time. The cast includes Saurabh Shukla, Pankaj Tripathi, Vinay Pathak, Pavan Malhotra, Divya Dutta, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Richa Chadha, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Cyrus Broacha, Prateik Babbar and Shriya Pilgaonkar.

Sony Pictures Networks Productions is all set for an entertainment packed year with Soorma, T for Taj Mahal, and Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai in the pipeline and other announcements to follow in the coming months.

“This story is very close to my heart and when I started writing it, I finished in one go. I narrated it to SPNP and I am glad Sneha Rajani (right) and her team instantly fell in love with the subject. I think the casting has been a great asset to this film as it’s impossible to imagine all these supremely talented actors coming together in one frame,” director Anubhav Sinha said, while Sneha Rajani, Deputy President and Head, Sony Pictures Networks Productions, added, “Anubhav Sinha has created such wonderful characters for this film. Who would have thought of seeing such great actors sharing the screen space? This speaks volumes about the script that has managed to attract such great talent. I am certain that the madness of the script and the fantastic cast will leave a longlasting impression on the minds of our viewers.”

ATPSHH is being produced by Sony Pictures Networks Productions and Anubhav Sinha.

Close associate reveals how Om Puri had found it impossible to recover from family betrayal (wife Nandita in her book) and public humiliation (on Arnab Goswami's show) over his heartfelt statements
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 11, 2017)

To those who knew him, the downslide for Om Puri started some time ago, when his outspokenness invited a backlash he had never imagined and never recovered from. Smita Singh, who had recently been brought on board for his 'image correction', tells mid-day about how, in the days before he died, Puri poured his heart out on everything that was troubling him.

"Over the last few weeks, he wouldn't stop saying 'Jab main chala jaunga, tab duniya ko meri value hogi…' He never got over the public humiliation on Arnab Goswami's show. His pride was bruised, more so, because of his army lineage. He was never the same after that night. He publicly admitted that he had said those words ("Did we force them to join the army?..."), but that wasn't all what he said. The nature of news in this country, especially in the Twitter age, is such that only a part of the statement is shown to the world. Yes, he apologised. We started talking about that show. He was telling us how he went to Etawah (UP) to meet the parents of Nitin Kumar, the soldier martyred in the Baramullah attacks. He hosted a hawan at their home and gave them a huge sum of money. When he apologised to the family, Kumar's father had said, "Omji, insaan uttejna mein bohot cheezein bol jata hai. Aapko afsos hai aur humein aapse koi shikwe nahin hai." That was solace for him, to a certain extent, till the media made a mockery of that as well. He was patriotic. After that episode, he wanted to start his own political party, called Insaniyat, but could never muster strength for it. His spirit was shattered."

Losing a friend
Singh also talked about how a fallout with his best friend stung him. "That evening, we even got to know how he fell out with his best friend, who had been with him through college and drama school. After he spoke out against Aamir Khan’s intolerance statement vociferously, his dearest friend sent him a text message saying, "F*** you!" That was that between them. He made multiple attempts to reconcile, but never got a reply," she said.

Wife's betrayal
Personally, too, his life was turbulent. The evening before he passed away, he talked about how his wife (Nandita Puri) had made a public joke of him (after she published his biography that had some salacious details about his life). "He was doing his best to move on. He was vulnerable that evening, gurgling down pegs of whiskey like he did every day, but he had the haunted look of a broken man. The producer of his next film (Rambhajan Zindabad) Khalid Kidwai offered to drop him to his friend, Manoj Pahwa's, house," she said.

His estranged wife Nandita tells us, "We were supposed to go for Pankaj Kapur's daughter, Sana, and Pahwa's son, Mayank's engagement ceremony. Om called me and by the time we got there, he reached my house. He went up to my mom and said, "Kya budhia, kyun sadd rahi hai yahan. Tu bhi mere saath swarg chal." He was in high spirits. He called me again and said, "Tum aur Ishaan jaldi aa jao." I told him we'd see him later. When he called me again, I told him, "It's too late; we’ll see you tomorrow." Ishaan and I still regret not seeing him that day. Ishaan was going to be with him on January 8, 9 and 10 for the shooting of 'Tubelight', and they were to head to Khandala from there,” says Nandita.

Nandita adds, "We were not divorced and are still legally married. We had a separation. Trishul is his home and my marital home. By the Hindu law, he was allowed one wife. It can be an ex-wife and a current wife. Om had only one wife. He helped his nephews and strangers, but now when his son needs him, he is gone. I’ll miss him terribly because he is a habit. I have spent the longest part of my life with him more than my son or my parents."

Waited for son
Manoj told us, "He came for barely 15 minutes and left soon after. I don’t know where he was headed." Khalid drove him down to Nandita’s house, but by the time they reached, Ishaan was already at the party. "Omji didn’t want to go back to the party and asked Ishaan to return home. But, when Ishaan didn’t come for a bit, we left. I dropped him home," said Khalid.

Buddhism beckoned
Singh said Buddhism and its values had immensely influenced Om in his last days. "He wanted to take a 15-day trip to Lumbini (Nepal), the birthplace of the Buddha. He was scheduled to be there for 15 days later this month," Smita said.

Kunal Guha (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 7, 2017)

The air hung heavy at the Oshiwara crematorium, where veteran actor Om Puri’s last rites were performed last evening. The two-time National Award winner succumbed to a massive heart attack at his Andheri residence yesterday. The thespian had, in his over four-decades-long career, worked in countless commercial and arthouse films in India and in the West. Friends and close associates present at the incineration site to pay their respects included Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar, Nagesh Kukunoor, Rakesh Omprakash Mehra, Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar, Satish Kaushik, Deepa Sahi and Ketan Mehta, Kabir Khan and Mini Mathur. Shakti Kapoor, who was among the first to reach the crematorium, spoke fondly of his 40-year-old association with Puri. “He was my junior at FTII and he always spoke to me in Punjabi and referred to me by my real name — Sunil. I just met him 10 days ago at the airport lounge. He was going to Goa and I was flying to Delhi. He appeared a bit weak and was shivering. We had breakfast together and I told him to take care. That was the last I saw of him,” said Kapoor, adding that the first streaks of Puri’s acting prowess became apparent to him in the Punjabi film Chann Pardesi (1981). “In the film, he played a secretary and was the highlight of the film.”

Noticing the fragile state that Puri’s first wife Seema Kapoor was in when she arrived at the crematorium, Shabana Azmi (his co-star from the gut-wrenchingly brilliant Paar, 1984) reached out to comfort her and escorted her from the car. Those present remembered the actor’s quirky sense of humour and how he never allowed the issues in his personal life to crease his forehead. “He was a simple, honest and vibrant personality. He wouldn’t think too much before speaking, but would always speak in a light-hearted manner and people enjoyed being in his company,” remembered action director Sham Kaushal, who last worked with the sexagenarian in Bajrangi Bhaijaan. This also happens to be the same film where Nawazuddin Siddiqui last worked with Puri. The two were supposed to collaborate in Nandita Das’ Manto, which was to commence filming in March this year. “I got into theatre inspired by actors like him. He was my senior at the National School of Drama. He graduated in 1973, while I was in the 1996 batch. He had a striking personality and a photogenic face that one cannot forget. He even had a unique sense of humour. When we were shooting for Bajrangi Bhaijaan in Mandawa, near Jaipur, it was very chilly during the night. Salman Khan, Om Puriji and I would be up chatting till 3 am every night. One night, Om Puriji decided to shed his clothes only to point out to Salmanbhai that even he had a great body,” remembered Siddiqui fondly.

Salman Khan, Sunny Deol, Subhash Kapoor, among others have found their fave destination for shoots
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 22, 2016)

Owing to the Valley's perennial restive state, Manali has emerged as the new go-to filming destination for Bollywood. After wrapping up the Ladakh schedule of Tubelight, Salman Khan proceeded to Manali for the second schedule with director Kabir Khan, brother, Sohail Khan and fellow actors Om Puri and Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub. They were to shoot in Kashmir earlier but the continuing curfew and terror attacks led to them shifting base for two months. The film is set during the 1962 Sino-Indian war and features Chinese actress Zhu Zhu.

Salman is making the most of his time in picturesque Himachal. He went river-rafting on Monday with his team in Raison, a small village on the banks of river Beas. "This schedule will go on till October-end with Salman shooting for several emotional and confrontational scenes, some of them with Zeeshan who plays a grey character. But there aren't too many action scenes. The team is having a blast, filming through rain and sunshine, the highlight being Bhai's delicious dabba which he shares with everyone," a source informs.

Bhai's not alone in Manali. Sunny Deol is there on a recee for his next directorial which will launch his elder son Karan. He is accompanied by younger son Rajvir and will be stationed there till October 7. The film, set in Manali, is expected to roll by the beginning of next year. Sunny had told Mirror in an interview (Nov 7), "It's a love story but will have action too."

Meanwhile, Ashwini Chaudhary who is set to direct Sunny in a film that revolves around an emotional father-son relationship paid a quick visit to the 58-year-old actor in Manali to narrate the final draft of the script. The filmmaker returned to Mumbai on Wednesday.

Another writer-director Subhash Kapoor is also there, scouting for locations for Jolly LLB 2. The film was being shot with Akshay Kumar and Huma Qureshi in Lucknow till recently. Buzz is, Subhash too had wanted to shoot in Kashmir earlier but then changed his mind. He will be in Manali for three-four days.

Actors Manoj and Seema Pahwa are also at the holiday destination conducting an acting workshop. "They are having a blast, practising yoga and cooking with the students. Om Puri also paid a surprise visit, the workshop is expected to end on September 25," the source reveals.

And while Sallu's spending time with the local kids, clicking pictures with fans, the others have managed to catch up with each other. "Zeeshan met up with Ashwini and so did Manoj and Seema. It was like a mini reunion away from home," the source concludes.

Hum Log's Badki and House Full's Banta Singh rope in their theatre-possessed kids to pay a tribute to Bhisham Sahni. Chandrima Pal crashes breakfast at the Pahwas to eat-sleep-talk theatre
Chandrima Pal (MID-DAY; August 9, 2015)

It was during one of the shows for critically acclaimed play Mahabhoj based on Mannu Bhandari’s Hindi novel. There were 11 members in the cast, and only seven in the audience. One of the actors cracked a joke about how their fate was worse than that of prostitutes, with more service providers in their midst than clients.

Television and cinema’s favourite character actor, Manoj Pahwa’s deadpan delivery of this rather mature and brutally honest anecdote has his wife clicking her tongue in good-natured disapproval. Their kids in the room — daughter Manukriti and son Mayank — are having a laugh at what is evidently one of the family’s in-jokes. “That’s theatre for you,” says Manukriti, who has for the last one year been giving shape to the Pahwa family theatre group, Kopal. “Because there is no money in what we do, it helps us stay grounded.”

We are in the green-thumbed Versova residence of the family of actors and writers — Seema, a television and theatre veteran who earned her stripes with Delhi’s Sambhav Theatre, later, the seminal Hum Log mega TV series and more recently, Rajat Kapoor’s well-received Ankhon Dekhi; her husband Manoj and their children — grabbing a few precious minutes from their grand rehearsal the day before Bhishmotsav. It’s a tribute to late writer and playwright Bhisham Sahni on his birth centenary that falls on August 8. The production features a stage adaptation of his stories and snatches from his life, with veterans Naseeruddin and Ratna Pathak Shah, Yashpal Sharma and Heeba Shah taking stage, besides the Pahwas, who will perform solo acts.

“I have been an actor for 45 years, but this is the first time I have mustered the courage to direct,” says Seema. The legendary author has been an important part of her education. “In Bombay and the rest of the country, most people aren’t aware of his works, other than Tamas, perhaps. Bhisham’s elder brother and actor Balraj Sahni was always better known. Delhi, where I was born and raised, has some idea of his work. It is unfortunate that a stalwart of Hindi literature is almost forgotten,” says Seema, who speaks of her wish to pique audience curiosity about Sahni’s rich and unexplored body of work. Maybe, she says, after watching Oob, Dholak, Yaadein and Samadhi Bhai Ramsingh, people will be drawn to his repertoire. “The works are as relevant today as they were when he wrote them. The human condition has not changed. Emotions, experiences haven’t either. Perhaps technology has brought in some change.”

The production sees each member of the family take up different roles: Seema as director, Manoj, as financer/producer, Mayank, as creative force and Manukriti as the livewire captain of the ship.

“There are no arguments, but disagreements, yes,” say the siblings, insisting that the dining table is sacred space, where their intense work as actor, director, producer and writer is easily forgotten and differences amicably resolved.

This production is ambitious, admits Seema, who created a stir last year with her take on Sahni’s Saag Meat, a satire on the middle-class. She chose to discuss meat for the privileged vs humble palak for the poor by cooking the dish live on stage everywhere she performed. “With actors like Naseeruddin and Ratna, and picking just five from a vast treasure of stories and plays, staging this was a task in itself,” she says. This is also a test case for Kopal, which intends to get on the road with this production before branching out into documentary filmmaking.

“The idea of Kopal was seeded by my mother once we were back from graduating in dramatics from Baroda,” says Manukriti. Adds her father, “Instead of trying to look for work outside, we thought why not do our own thing?” The arrangement seems to be working fine so far. “Seema is the director, both, at home and on stage,” laughs Manoj. The kids say they are simply driven by the passion for theatre.

“It is an experiment,” says Manoj. “The kids have just graduated and may pursue a Masters in Dramatics. But there can be no better training than a practical one. We consider this the best education we can give our children.” The siblings nod in agreement, getting wide eyed at the mention of the stalwarts who they are observing up close, and simply “listening” to them “express” as opposed to “perform.”

While Seema has been an old hand on stage, Manoj says Naseeruddin Shah nudged him towards theatre. “We were at a party for Being Cyrus (Homi Adajania’s film where they shared screen space). And I was telling him how, despite having made money as a TV and film actor, I was not having fun. He said, ‘get into theatre.’”

Manoj took his advice seriously. “Naseer says film actors are the laziest lot around. Classical musicians start their day with riyaaz. For actors, who take their craft seriously, theatre is the only way to practice their craft.”

The chat winds up with the family huddling at the low dining table one last time before leaving for Dadar, where they begin their mammoth nine-hour drill. Manoj has clearly not shaved in days; Seema smiles nervously while the kids look eager, raring to go. “For the first time in my life, I get to take the final call,” says Seema. “I just hope I am able to do justice to both, the actors and the stories.”

Divya Kaushik and Saloni Bhatia (BOMBAY TIMES; July 9, 2015)

Vickrant Mahajan performed the feat to enter the Guinness Book of World Records, for the second time
Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 12, 2014)

The last Guinness World Record for the fastest film, from script to screen, was 10 days, 4 hours and 47 minutes. Last Thursday on his birthday, Vickrant Mahajan, former Mr India, motivational speaker, bestselling author and film producer, broke the record set in Namibia in March, 2014 by scripting, shooting, editing, mixing and releasing an 80-minute film, Yes, Thank You Universe, in a day. Vickrant plans to set at least 10 new records and that prompts the first question:

Why the urge to set world records?
So I can inspire more people, rather than impress them. I'm a motivational speaker and author of six books. In my last bestseller, Stretch Yourself, I urged people to fulfil their potential to the fullest and in the next one, Yes, Thank You Universe, I impressed on the need to express gratitude for all that's happened, even that which may seem unpalatable at present but eventually turns out to be a blessing in disguise as the protagonist in my film finds out after he's fired from his job. In September, I set a record with the world's longest speech. Over 48 hours and 31 minutes, I enlisted 400 reasons to be grateful for everything in life after this casual query to a guest at a party drew a blank. Six weeks later, I made this film to underline the same message. In February 2015, I'm aiming for a third record with the world's longest play.

Which process of filmmaking posed the toughest challenge?
Since I've written books, penning the screenplay, which I started at 1.30 am, was easy. I completed my story in 16 scenes, with an average running time of five minutes each. I started shooting with two cameras as there was no time for retakes, at Andheri's Gemini Studio, at 8 am, with six actors - Manoj Pahwa, Dilshad Patel, Kristine Zedek, Sundeep Koachar and Nidhish Bhatia. None of them, and that includes the crew and the studio, charged a rupee which brought the budget down to a couple of lakhs. Nidish and I played double roles and it was a wrap by 4 pm. We filmed on different floors of Gemini Studio, shooting and editing on-line simultaneously. Editing posed the biggest challenge because of the three machines I had hired, one broke down and the second stopped too when we were halfway through. We finally finished around 8.30 pm. We then took a digital file on a hard drive to LightBox Theatre where it was downloaded and played back to an audience of 35 at 10 pm on the same day.

Was an adjudicator from Guinness present at the show?
It's simpler and cheaper to appoint witnesses who were present on the sets. We also filmed the entire film-making process to authenticate the proceedings.

Will this film get a theatrical release?
I'm planning a limited release in a few select theatres and also on TV. Also, I plan to upload it on YouTube. The more people it reaches, the more effective will be my message.