Showing posts with label Mike Tyson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mike Tyson. Show all posts
It took us two years to sign Mike Tyson for Liger-Charmme Kaur
8:26 AM
Liger maker breaks down how the team pursued Mike Tyson through the pandemic and finally shot with the boxing legend in his Las Vegas home’s backyard
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 22, 2022)
Liger was originally envisioned as a south film — to be made in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada — with Vijay Deverakonda in the lead. But when the final draft of the script landed on the table, the leading man, director Puri Jagannadh and producer Charmme Kaur instinctively knew that it had the potential to be bigger. Deverakonda got in touch with Karan Johar, who soon came on board, and the film quickly graduated to a pan-India project. Of course, the biggest scale-up happened when boxing legend Mike Tyson agreed to be a part of the actioner, also starring Ananya Panday.
Casting the boxing heavyweight was a long process, says Kaur. “It took us two years to sign him on,” she smiles.
She began the discussion with his legal and managing teams in 2019. “We sealed the deal after months of numerous Zoom calls. And then, COVID-19 happened. India was in the red zone. Tyson’s teams told me it’s a deal-breaker. They didn’t want to travel all the way to India, and we couldn’t have travelled [to the US] either. It was heartbreaking [that things fell apart].”
But Deverakonda, Jagannadh and Kaur were not quite ready to throw in the towel. When the situation improved after the first wave, Kaur resumed the conversation with Tyson’s teams in late 2020. “I again got hold of everyone. I made calls at 5 am IST. This went on for a year, after which Mike Tyson said, ‘Fine. Come to my backyard and shoot.’ We created [a small] team and went to shoot in Las Vegas for a month.”
Shooting with the legend was the easiest part of the process. The producer describes him as “a kid on the set.” “He is at peace with his life. His wife Kiki Tyson is amazing, and was always on the set with us. He is a family guy. After every shot, he’d ask Puri sir if the shot was okay. Whenever Puri sir said it was amazing, he would jump around in childlike glee, saying, ‘I am an actor!’ He loves Indian food. One day, he told me, ‘I want to eat chicken tikka masala with garlic naan and gobhi.’ So that was our staple order every day.”
I was a bit scared to interact with Mike Tyson-Ananya Panday
8:25 AM
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; December 25, 2021)
Iconic Hollywood actors making cameos in Indian films isn’t new. We have seen the likes of Will Smith and Sylvester Stallone making a special appearance in Bollywood movies. But what happens when the cameo happens to be of legendary boxer, Mike Tyson! The former world heavyweight boxing champion will be seen in a cameo in Vijay Deverakonda and Ananya Panday-starrer Liger.
When asked about her interaction with the boxing legend, Ananya says, “He’s such a great guy. I am not going to lie, I was a bit scared to interact with him given his persona and boxing brilliance. It can get unnerving. We have grown up watching his bouts. Contrary to his overwhelming image, he was extremely chilled out and funny. He was like a big teddy bear.”
I think about direction every time I finish acting in a film-Farhan Akhtar
8:25 AM
Gratified that 'Toofaan' let him explore his favourite sport on screen, Farhan Akhtar hints at returning to filmmaking after a 10-year gap
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; July 14, 2021)
It’s presumably a bittersweet feeling when a film you’ve lived with for one-and-a-half years reaches its culmination. As Farhan Akhtar’s journey with Toofaan nears its end, with the sports drama dropping on Amazon Prime Video this weekend, the actor is grateful that director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra chose him to front it. “I have idolised Muhammad Ali as a sportsperson and a human being. We grew up at a time when Mike Tyson was a reigning champion. Boxing, as a sport, has also influenced my psyche. So, to do a film that is a part of this world is exciting,” begins Akhtar, who plays a thug who discovers his true potential when he steps in a boxing ring.
'Toofaan', also starring Paresh Rawal and Mrunal Thakur, is a product of Akhtar’s determination and dedication — he trained for months to pick up the sport. How hard is it then to have your labour of love judged by the audience? “You have to be prepared when you are in a public sphere, and the work that you do is for public consumption. There is a part of you that has to understand critique when it comes your way. That said, there is a fine line where a critique can go from being about your work to becoming about you. So, you start valuing the opinions of people who you know mean well.” With social media becoming the deciding factor of a film’s fate, he says artistes have to take the bouquets and brickbats in their stride. “You have to focus on telling a story as job,” he reasons.
The mind behind gems such as Dil Chahta Hai (2001) and Lakshya (2004), Akhtar put his directorial ambitions on hold to focus on his acting career in the past decade. Now, rumours suggest he is gearing up to helm the third instalment of Don. Akhtar remains evasive about the subject of his next as he says, “I think about direction every time I finish [acting in] a film. Hopefully, in the near future, I will direct [a movie].”
Darshan Kuumar to play the baddie opposite Farhan Akhtar in boxing drama Toofan
7:56 AM
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; September 16, 2019)
After playing strong parts in films like Sarbjit, Mary Kom, NH10 and Baaghi 2, actor Darshan Kuumar will be seen playing the antagonist in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Toofan. The film, featuring Farhan Akhtar, revolves around boxing. The actors have spent a considerable amount of time preparing for their roles. Darshan, who plays Maharashtrian boxer Dharmesh Patil in the drama, has been training in the sport for the last two months.The film’s team had set up a technically-sound boxing facility at a factory, off the Western Express Highway in Mumbai. That’s where Darshan and a couple of other actors would train with the coaches for seven-eight hours every day.
Darshan, on his part, made it a point to watch Mike Tyson’s videos on his way to the training ring and back home, to understand a boxer’s mannerisms and his hand and foot movements inside the ring while defending and attacking. The principal shooting of the film has already begun.
Mike Tyson borrows Salman Khan's bodyguard Shera for India visit
8:01 AM
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 27, 2018)
Mirror (September 12) had earlier reported that singercomposer-actor Bappi Lahiri has composed a jingle to welcome Mike Tyson to India. He will be in the city over the weekend and we have learnt that Salman Khan’s bodyguard Shera has been given the responsibility to look after the 52-year-old American boxing legend.
“This is Mike Tyson’s first trip to India and we are going to make sure he is comfortable. I’m personally taking care of him and will be stationed at his hotel in suburban Mumbai through the duration of his stay. We have done a recce of all the places he will be travelling too, including a mall, the location of his dinner with a select group and the after party,” informs Shera, who will be receiving Tyson at the airport early on September 28. He has earlier handled international artists like Michael Jackson, Will Smith, Jackie Chan, Paris Hilton and Justin Bieber during his maiden concert in India last year.
So, with Shera on Tyson’s duty who will be with the Dabangg actor? “I took his permission before taking this responsibility. I work exclusively for him and Bhai is always my first priority. I spoke to him and he gave me a go-ahead as he isn’t shooting for a film then and will be busy with his (reality show) Bigg Boss so it is manageable,” adds Shera.
Will Salman and Tyson meet? “Their timings are clashing as both have hectic schedules. But if something can be worked out, they will surely meet,” he says.
I can't wait to interact with Mike Tyson-Prateik Babbar
7:57 AM
As prep for Nitesh Tiwari's sports drama, Chichore, Prateik Babbar to take combat sport tips from boxing heavyweight
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; September 27, 2018)
Fresh off the success of Baaghi 2 and Mulk, Prateik Babbar has trained his sights on Nitesh Tiwari's sports drama, Chichore. While he has kicked off his training in basketball and football for the Sushant Singh Rajput starrer, the actor hopes to learn from the best when it comes to boxing — Mike Tyson.
It has been heard that Babbar will be meeting up with the American boxing heavyweight for dinner today, followed by a special session in combat sports training for the movie. The former world champion is arriving in the city today to launch a newly formed global mixed martial arts (MMA) league.
A source close to the development reveals, "Prateik's role requires him to train in combat sports, including mixed martial arts, boxing and wrestling. Since Tyson was coming to India, he didn't want to lose out on the opportunity of meeting his idol and learning a few tricks of the trade. Prateik will also take tips on building his physique for the sport." Babbar said, "I'm an ardent fan of Tyson's body of work. I'm honoured that this opportunity came my way. I can't wait to interact with him."
Mumbai boy Ranjha Vikram Singh is Mike Tyson's co-star
3:14 PM
'Heropanti' actor Ranjha Vikram Singh to feature alongside boxing legend in the next instalment of 'Kickboxer' franchise
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 19, 2017)
Former world champion boxer Mike Tyson joined 'Kickboxer: Retaliation', an instalment of the popular Kickboxer film series, last year. As the movie readies for release, the next part of the franchise, tentatively titled Kickboxer: Armageddon, has also been announced. Hitlist has learnt that the movie will star Indian actor Ranjha Vikram Singh (last seen in Sabbir Khan's 2014 film, Heropanti).
A source informs us that Vikram travelled to Los Angeles a few days before Christmas to meet the cast and crew. "He met producer Rob Hickman for the third part of the Kickboxer series. The shoot for it begins by the end of this year. The third part will also feature Thai martial artiste Tony Jaa," says a source.
The source adds that Vikram fitted for the role, as the story calls for a South Asian actor. "The writers want to take the story to a refreshing setup. They are considering either UAE or a South Asian country. Vikram was an easy choice since he is a trained boxer," the source says.
When Vikram met Tyson, he got emotional. "Most martial artistes look up to him as an idol," says the source.
When contacted, Vikram confirmed the news. "I've been approached by the makers of Kickboxer: Retaliation. The talks are on. Rob has liked my work in Punjabi and South films."
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