Dishani Chakraborty, daughter of veteran actor-politician Mithun Chakraborty, announced her engagement to freelance cinematographer Myles Mantzaris in California on Monday, sharing a series of photographs from the proposal on Instagram.

Dishani is the adopted daughter of Mithun Chakraborty and his wife, actor Yogeeta Bali. She grew up in the Chakraborty household alongside their sons, actors Mimoh and Namashi, and filmmaker Ushmey Chakraborty.

The news has left the family overjoyed, with Mimoh saying the family, and especially his dad, is “super happy”. He adds, “We are still soaking in the good news.”

Dishani, who studied at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles and the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, has reportedly acted in and produced several short films including Gift (2017) and The Guest (2022). Miles works in the entertainment industry as a freelance cinematographer, steadicam operator, Director of Photography (DP), and colourist. The wedding is tentatively being planned around December 6.

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The entire family, especially my dad, is super happy. We siblings connected on a quick call, and hearing her excited made me feel so content as an older brother. As we talked, I couldn’t help but get teary-eyed. It’s an overwhelming moment.

- Mimoh Chakraborty, Actor

Following the positive response to his portrayal of Himel Majumder in Khakee: The Bengal Chapter, Mimoh Chakraborty is eager to explore more versatile and meaningful characters. However, his journey in showbiz has been far from easy. Soon after his debut with Jimmy (2008), he was written off by many. What kept him going was the unrelenting spirit he witnessed at home, that of his father, the legendary Mithun Chakraborty.

Mimoh shares, “My father’s legacy speaks volumes that words can barely do justice to. However, there’s one thing he told me that has stayed with me. He said, ‘Mimoh, you know my struggles. If I didn’t give up in those conditions back then, what right do you have to give up now?’ His struggles were far worse than mine. He had nothing, sometimes not even one proper meal a day. He would have lunch but wouldn’t know where dinner was coming from. Still, he never gave up.”

Recalling one such story, the actor adds, “He told me how he used to walk three to four kilometres every morning to Talwalkar’s gym in Pali Hill. He didn’t have money or a membership, so he struck a deal with the watchman. He would clean the bathrooms in exchange for a chance to work out. That’s how determined he was to build a physique good enough to become a villain in Bollywood, but destiny had other plans for him, and he became a hero.”

The actor also credits Salman Khan for being a constant source of encouragement. He says, “Bhai has always been close to our family and has helped me with many projects, even though some didn’t take off. He is always just one phone call away. Even Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham, and Arjun Rampal have given me great advice and supported me in their own way. These are acts of kindness I will never forget.”

Recent reports had suggested that Vidya Balan will be sharing the screen with Rajinikanth (74) in Jailer 2. HT City has now confirmed the news; the 46-year-old will indeed be a part of the film, marking her full-fledged Tamil debut after a brief appearance in Nerkonda Paarvai (2019). The film has reportedly completed more than half of its shoot.

A reliable source from the production reveals, “Vidya plays the role of (actor) Mithun Chakraborty’s eldest daughter. Mithun is the leading antagonist in the film and will be seen alongside (actor) Rajinikanth sir.”

The source further adds, “The film is currently being shot in Chennai and will move into post-production by January.” After wrapping up the Chennai schedule, the team will reportedly move to Goa for the remaining two months of shooting starting late October.

The makers of the Nelson Dilipkumar directorial are aiming for an August 2026 release. Attempts to reach Vidya and her team went unanswered but a representative from the film shared, “It’s too early to say anything.”

Missing the testosterone-driven Hindi films of the 1990s? Ahmed Khan’s got you covered. His production Baap — which brings together the biggest action heroes of the 1980s and ’90s, Sunny Deol, Sanjay Dutt, Mithun Chakraborty, and Jackie Shroff — is finally complete and readying for a 2026 release. mid-day has learnt that the action drama, which went on floors in June 2022, was recently wrapped up with the completion of two songs.

Directed by Vivek Chauhan, Baap’s talkie portions were completed in April this year. Next on the plan were two songs — a peppy number featuring the four actors, and another track celebrating the protagonists’ camaraderie. Both songs have been choreographed by Khan.

A source revealed, “Earlier, the brotherhood song was to be shot on a set depicting an under-construction building, as the four actors play labourers working at a construction site. But the makers did a rethink and it was filmed earlier this year in the jungles of Mizoram, followed by a portion on a set constructed in Film City. It has been treated like Chappa Chappa Charkha Chale in Maachis [1996]. The peppy track will be used as a background number when the four actors appear together, and will enhance the mood.”

Now, the makers are focusing on the post-production and VFX. The source added, “It’s a VFX-heavy movie. All actors have begun dubbing, and the film should be ready by the year-end, after which producers Zee Studios and Ahmed will decide the release date.”

The film is said to be designed as an action extravaganza, complete with helicopter chase sequences, explosions, and hand-to-hand combat choreographed by action directors Parvez Shaikh and Ravi Varma.

For Khan, who is currently supervising the post-production process, it has been a matter of pride and joy to back Baap.

When mid-day reached out to him, the elated producer said, “The shooting of Baap is complete and right now, it’s in the final stages of post-production. It’s any producer’s dream to get these superstars together for one frame, and we have them in a full movie!”

“I can’t forget my struggles just because I’m getting praise today. I’ll never forget that younger version of me. He cried alone but never gave up on this version of me, so I won’t give up on him. I’ll always be grateful to that boy,” says Mimoh Chakraborty.

For someone who once entered Bollywood with the weight of great expectations, Mimoh Chakraborty’s journey has been anything but conventional. The actor, who debuted with Jimmy (2008) at 24 and hoped to follow in the footsteps of his legendary father, Mithun Chakraborty, was met with harsh criticism and brutal rejection. But years later, the Mimoh we meet today is far more composed and grounded.

His portrayal of Himel Majumder in Khakee: The Bengal Chapter marked a turning point, earning him praise. Reflecting on the contrast between that performance and the shaky beginnings of his career, he says, “I’m still a student. If I were to meet Mimoh from 2008, I’d tell him the same thing I tell myself today: you have a lot to learn. I feel more responsible now because people liked what I did in Khakee. It’s not a victory, it’s the victory lap. At 41, I believe I’m entering my prime and feel like I’m finally part of the race. Everything happens in its own time and place.”

He vividly remembers being written off early in his career. “Nobody likes being told they’re not good enough. Back then, it shook me. In my head, I believed I was good because we all see ourselves as the hero of our own story. But when that illusion breaks, you realize it’s not about you. That’s when bitterness slowly starts to turn into something better. It’s taken years, but I’m in a better place now,” says Mimoh, who will soon be seen in Haunted 3D: Ghosts Of The Past.

There was a time when Mithun Chakraborty reached out to people to put in a word for his son, but the response was silence. Mimoh laughs as he recalls, “I’m like the poster boy for anti-nepotism. My father reached out, but nobody responded. Not because they had anything against him, but because it didn’t matter to them. This is a professional industry. Nobody owes you anything. Opportunities come when someone believes in you. Neeraj Pandey and Vikram Bhatt believed in me and offered me Khakee and Haunted 2 after auditions. My father never even spoke to Neeraj sir. It’s not about favours. It’s about belief. That belief from a filmmaker changes everything.”

Having made his debut with the expectations that come from being Mithun Chakraborty’s son, does he still feel the weight of his surname? “The responsibility will always be there. But I don’t obsess over it. My father’s legacy is unique — not just in cinema, but in his humanity. I can’t replicate that, and I’d be foolish to try. I need to set an example for Mimoh, not for Mithun Chakraborty’s son. That’s my identity. Being his son is an honour, but Mimoh should define who I am,” he concludes.

Mumbai: The BMC's P North ward office has issued a show-cause notice to actor Mithun Chakraborty for alleged unauthorized construction of a ground-plus-mezzanine floor structure at Erangal in Malad.

The notice, dated May 10, a copy of which is with TOI, states that the actor must provide a satisfactory explanation for the construction or face action at his own cost and risk.

When contacted, the actor said, "I have no unauthorized constructions, notice has been served to one and all, we are sending the reply for that."

The BMC also warned of prosecution under Section 475A of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act. "It should be noted that if you fail to show sufficient cause as described above, the said building or work will be removed/altered/pulled down/use of premises restored, at your risk and cost, and you may be prosecuted under section 475A of the said Act, which is punishable with imprisonment and fine," states the notice served by the designated officer of P North ward office, Sagar Rane.

When TOI reached out, P North assistant municipal commissioner Kundan Valvi and designated officer Sagar Rane did not comment on the issue.

Further, the notice lists out the structures, which include two ground floor structures having mezzanine floors, and three temporary 10x10 units constructed using a combination of brick masonry walls, wooden planks, glass partitions, and AC sheet roofing, as roughly indicated in the site sketch. "All these constructions were carried out without obtaining permission," states the notice.

A similar notice was issued to the actor in 2011. Malad activist Nadeem Sheikh said BMC recently undertook a demolition drive in the area, but Chakraborty's structure wasn't touched. "Why this differential treatment?" he questioned.

On May 13, 14 illegal structures in the Erangal and Valnai areas of Madh were demolished. BMC said a total of 24 structures were razed in two weeks and "over the past year, 101 unauthorized structures have come up." BMC said all 101 structures will be demolished by the end of May.

It’s been 35 years since Agneepath hit the screens, and while it may not have been a box office success at the time, the Amitabh Bachchan-starrer has cemented its place as a cult classic. Here are some fascinating behind-the-scenes stories you might not know:

When Amitabh had to re-dub the whole film!

One of Amitabh’s most iconic dialogues remains his introduction as Vijay Deenanath Chauhan. But did you know his original deep baritone voice in the film was rejected by audiences?

Recalling the incident on Kaun Banega Crorepati, Amitabh shared, “There was a man who used to visit Kalyanji-Anandji’s home with a deep, husky voice. I thought, why not model Vijay’s voice after him? Later, I found out he came from an underground background, which suited the character perfectly. But when the movie released, the producer called, saying theatres were facing issues—audiences were tearing up seats and complaining, ‘This doesn’t sound like Amitabh, fix the sound system!’ To resolve it, I had to re-dub the entire film in my normal voice. That initial voice, though, was truly impactful.”

Who can forget the chartbuster Jumma Chumma from Hum? But did you know the song was originally meant for Agneepath? Amitabh felt it wouldn’t suit his character as a don, leading the makers to use a different track.

Interestingly, Archana Puran Singh was the first choice for the song instead of Kimi Katkar!

Back then, Devio paid  Rs. 150 for the bed, while Mithun, who was still trying to make it big, paid Rs. 75 and slept on the floor. One day, while Devio was at work, Mithun decided to use the bed — only to be scolded upon his return! This incident stayed with Mithun and later served as a reference for Krishnan Iyer’s character.

Danny Denzongpa’s iconic portrayal of Kancha Cheena in Agneepath almost didn’t happen! The role was first offered to Anupam Kher, who turned it down, feeling he couldn’t do justice to such a ruthless villain

According to Karan Johar, his mother Hiroo Johar suffered a heart attack while the family was already facing financial strain. Upon hearing the news, Amitabh rushed to the hospital and, without hesitation, offered his dates to his father, Yash Johar, for a new film—one inspired by Scarface. That film eventually became Agneepath, marking one of Amitabh’s most iconic performances.

Veteran actor-politician Mithun Chakraborty, who was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award at the 70th National Film Awards ceremony on Tuesday, spoke about facing a lot of highs and lows in the industry in his almost five-decade-long career during his acceptance speech.

Chakraborty, who won his first National Film Award for director Mrinal Sen’s Mrigayaa (1977), said, “I thought I had become Al Pacino (Academy Award-winning Hollywood actor) and began to treat producers dismissively. But reality hit when a producer kicked me out of his office. That day, I realised I was not Al Pacino, and it marked the end of my delusions.”

After receiving the award, which is the highest accolade in Indian cinema celebrating outstanding contribution, the actor also addressed the prejudice he faced regarding his skin colour during his early days in the film industry.

“Many people told me that dark-skinned actors wouldn’t survive in Bollywood. I prayed to God, ‘Could you change my colour?’ But eventually, I accepted that I couldn’t alter my complexion. So, I focused on my dancing skills instead, determined to become so remarkable that the audience would overlook my skin colour. That’s how I transformed into the sexy, dusky Bengali babu,” he said.

Madalsa Sharma, who played Kavya in Anupamaa, has quit the show. The actress revealed how unlike her co-star Sudhanshu Pandey, her decision was not sudden and had been on her mind for a while now. In an exclusive chat with BT, she spoke about why she decided to move on.

The actress said, “When the show started in 2020, there were three main characters - Anupama (Rupali Ganguly), Vanraj (Sudhanshu Pandey) and Kavya. It was Kavya who brought an upheaval in Anupama’s life and that changed things for everyone. Kavya was shown to be an independent and strong woman, who had the guts to fall in love with a married man and pursue him. My character had tremendous growth, but in the past one year I felt that the story moved on from Vanraj, Kavya and Anupama.”

She further added, “There was not much spice or spark left in my character. Had Kavya continued playing the grey character that she played earlier, I would have continued to be a part of the show. For the past few months, the creative team tried to do something different with my character, but nothing worked out. So, (producer) Rajan Shahi sir and I mutually decided it was best for me to move on.”

On the personal front, Madalsa, who has been married to Mimoh Chakraborty for six years, said, “My mother, husband and father-in-law (Mithun Chakraborty) felt that I should move on if I want to pursue other things and grow. I wanted to leave the show when my character was being appreciated and liked. This character will always be close to my heart.”

Actor-MP Ravi Kishan recently revealed that he did not find easy acceptance in the Hindi film industry — which was what nudged him towards Bhojpuri films. He says, “I was there, thinking that one fine day my sunrise will also come. In the 1990s, Akshay Kumar and all these friends of ours had come (sic). I am from the ’90s lot too. I thought, I am also six feet tall, I have a good voice, a body, but I didn’t get work. I did Army (1996) and Tere Naam (2003)... in addition to several films with Mithun Chakraborty, Dharmendra, but I was not getting a hit.”

However, talking to Brut India, he says he didn’t let himself get bogged down: “One fine day, I realized… And in anger and hurt, started my own industry, the Bhojpuri industry. I made myself a superstar there. The country’s audience supported me. And today, one lakh people have found employment in that industry.”

He reveals, “I got Rs. 75,000 for a film, out of which Rs. 25,000 I put in action. Whatever I learned from the Hindi film industry, all that training and thought I put into that (the Bhojpuri industry). So people thought that they have got a young hero of their own.”

Govinda has always been known for his signature dance moves and his unique style of dancing. When he is on the floor, he dances with all his heart and like no one is watching him.

When we spoke to the Hero No 1 actor for being the Baap of Bollywood dancing in his era, he said, “I didn’t know how to dance. Dance seekhna meri majboori thi. All the top stars of that time, like Amitabh Bachchan and Mithun Chakraborty were award-winning actors. I had to have some talent beyond acting that could help me stand out. Ghar kaise chalta? I wondered, 'Main aisa kya karun jissay aagey nikal payunga?'”

He added, “Someone suggested, 'Tere picture se zyada tere gaane chalte hai.' All my songs (Aap Ke Aa Jane Se, I Am A Street Dancer, Bam Bam Bambai) were superhits, so I decided why not ace my dancing skills? Jaldi hi mera naam as a dancer hua. Woh karte karte, I started working with the best actors in the industry. I could work with Dilip Kumar sahab, Dharmendra ji, Jeetendra ji, Shatrughan Sinha ji, Amitabh ji, Rajesh Khanna ji and I was also recognized as an actor. Nothing was planned.”

Remember the Hindi action dramas of the late ’80s and early ’90s? Baap revisits the genre as it brings together Bollywood’s biggest action heroes of that time—Mithun Chakraborty, Sanjay Dutt, Sunny Deol and Jackie Shroff—and gives us a desi Expendables of sorts. Director Vivek Chauhan, who took the film on floors in June 2022, has wrapped up the shoot, save for a song. We hear the makers have conceptualised a dance number that will see the four leading men shake a leg together, and will be shot in November.

Sources say that it will be a fun track highlighting the deep friendship between the protagonists. At the moment, the director and production design team are zeroing in on the best possible setting for the song.

A source from the creative team reveals, “Mithun, Sanjay, Sunny and Jackie play labourers in a construction company. Keeping that in mind, the makers are envisioning the song against the backdrop of an under-construction building or an old mill, with many background dancers. The idea of shooting it on a ship is also being considered. Once the backdrop is locked, an elaborate set will be built at Film City. It will be a testosterone-driven song on dosti, with the four senior actors celebrating their brotherhood.”

After the song is canned and the patchwork shoot done, the team will begin post-production.

Producers Ahmed Khan and Zee Studios have shortlisted three music directors, of which they will choose one to compose the song. They are seeking a foot-tapping number that has a rustic, macho vibe to it. And who will get the actors, each known for their unique approach to dancing, to strap on their dancing shoes?

Choreographer-producer Khan, sources say. “He has also choreographed another song, which is a slower, emotional track that sees the four stars encouraging each other during hard times.” 

When mid-day reached out to Khan, he confirmed the impending song shoot, adding, “Sanju, Jackie, Sunny and Mithun sir shaped the action genre in the ’80s and ’90s. Baap is along the lines of a desi Expendables with emotions, and the friendship song will give you Tridev [1989] and Vishwatma [1992] vibes.”

In the recent past, a lot of television shows — including an ongoing one that Madalsa Sharma Chakraborty is a part of — have seen a rejig in their cast. However, the actor feels that no one other than the public can decide the fate of any project.

“Only the audience has the power to make or break a project. Word-of-mouth publicity can only add or deduct a few digits here and there,” the Banaras (2022) actor tells us.

Madalsa also believes that no matter what former members of a show may say in public, the audience has the final say. “People come and go, but if the project has public support, it will go on. Also, when actors, who were formerly a part of the crew, go out and try to tear down the show, their questionable attempts fall hollow, since the audience is the greatest judge,” she adds.

The audience’s love, she feels, is a great morale booster as well. “The love of the audience works like an instant booster for me. It peps me up and I want to work with honesty [for them],” she gushes.

During her stint in showbiz, the actor has done Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and Punjabi films as well as TV shows. She has also featured in music videos, the latest one being Dil Ki Tu Zameen, co-starring Sudhanshu Pandey. However, after her marriage in 2018 to actor Mahaakshay Chakraborty (Mimoh Chakraborty), she decided to take it easy.

“I was doing good work. But, after my marriage, I decided to slow down. However, my husband and my father-in-law (veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty) made me reconsider my decision. It was then that Rajan (Shahi, TV producer) sir offered me a pivotal character in Anupamaa. This association has made me very close and possessive for the show,” she shares.

Ask if she wants to explore other avenues and Madalsa says: “For now, television doesn’t leave me with much time. But, if something good comes up in other mediums, I will surely balance it with my ongoing project.”

After featuring in the 2021 period drama series The Empire, Shabana Azmi worked on another big-budget streaming series — Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi spectacle, Halo. Even as the veteran actor continues to make strides in the OTT space — long considered a democratic and empowering format — she is afraid that ‘star culture’, which has been discussed widely in the big screen film space, has crept into the web space, too.

Azmi says, “Mujhe OTT se ek shikayat hai. The fact is that it is a tremendous platform that can and has created its own stars. But now, everybody is running after mainstream actors, who are in any case doing so much work!”

The 72-year-old is baffled that OTT should have to count on star power to stay relevant. She says, “Why shouldn’t this medium grab the opportunity to say: ‘At the moment, there are five-six mainstream stars, and look at the amount of work we are doing? Why shouldn’t there be 100 stars that we should be able to choose from?’ OTT should do that, instead of mimicking what mainstream cinema is already doing.”

Azmi, who will be seen next in the film Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani, reasons that unlike for theatrical releases, streaming doesn’t have to earn a lot of revenue right in the first weekend. “You don’t have to grab eyeballs right in the first weekend. [OTT] has such a longer shelf life, bahut waqt [mil] sakta hai, to be able to recover that money,” she ends.

Did you know that before he became a star, actor Mithun Chakraborty was insecure of his looks? Shabana Azmi, who starred alongside the former in films such as Hum Paanch (1980) and Jhoothi Shaan (1991), said in an interview to CNN, “Janki Kutir (Mumbai) was a place where all kinds of strugglers were always coming, and Abba and Mummy (poet Kaifi Azmi and actor Shaukat Kaifi) were always encouraging... But Mithun Chakraborty was very conscious of the fact that he had jutting teeth, so he used to smile (with his mouth closed). He was also conscious of the fact that he had dark skin. But I really have to give it to my mother, who made him drop his inhibitions.”

Forty-one years is a long time between a film and its sequel. But considering the immense popularity that Mithun Chakraborty’s Disco Dancer (1982) enjoys, the veteran actor’s fans will only be too happy to get a follow-up movie. mid-day has learnt that B Subhash, who produced and directed the 1982 musical drama, is backing the sequel, the working title of which is Disco Dancer 2. Nitin Kumar Gupta, who directed Sayonee (2020) and Love In Ukraine, will helm the offering.

Disco Dancer, also starring Kim, revolved around Chakraborty’s street singer Jimmy who becomes a disco star. On its release, it became a smashing hit, thanks to the leading man’s smooth dance moves and Bappi Lahiri’s chartbusters, including Jimmy Jimmy Aaja Aaja, I Am A Disco Dancer, and Yaad Aa Raha Hai. The movie is also credited for ushering in disco music in Hindi cinema.

A trade source reveals, “The upcoming action-musical will pick up where the first movie left off, following the story of Jimmy and his son. It will be shot in various international locations, including Russia.”

The world of Disco Dancer is incomplete without Chakraborty. We hear that the makers are keen to rope in the senior actor for the second edition. “While Mithun has not been approached yet, he will most likely be seen in the pivotal role of Jimmy. Music plays a key role, and the makers have initiated talks with some international music directors,” says the source.

Subhash and Gupta are apparently in talks with K V Vijayendra Prasad — the writer of RRR [2022], Baahubali, and Bajrangi Bhaijaan [2015] — to serve as the writer-presenter.

Despite multiple attempts, Gupta remained unavailable for comment. Subhash, however, confirmed the news, stating, “I have given the sequel’s rights to Nitin, who is directing it. I will be a joint producer.” 

When probed whether Chakraborty will be a part of the sequel, he stated, “The casting is underway. It’s too early to talk about it.”

The Oye Oye girl of the 90s, yesteryear actress Sonam, quit her acting career at her peak to marry filmmaker Rajiv Rai. Known for films like Tridev, Mitti Aur Sona, Vijay and Vishwatma, she left Mumbai in 1997 with her husband and son, and settled into a comfortable life abroad, away from the limelight. Years later, Rajiv and she divorced, and after living abroad for more than a decade, she moved back to Mumbai. Sonam remarried, and now she’s all set to reboot her career.

In an exclusive chat with us, the actress quickly recaps the past 20 years, talks about showbiz – then and now – and shares how she is keen to make a comeback. Excerpts:

I joined Bollywood when I was 13, and within a year, I had signed 30 films. I did many films and worked with big actors like Mithun Chakraborty, Govinda and Naseeruddin Shah, but in those days actresses hardly had anything to do.

I may have been known as a sex symbol, but I didn’t have a clue that people would call me that. I would wear bikinis and mostly dance to songs in films. There was not much scope for female actors, though, I must say that the makers and my co-actors supported me a lot. Later, I decided to get married and quit my career. Before my 21st birthday, I had become a mother.

I lived abroad from 1997 to 2012. It was a very tough phase for me. We did not live in one place for long and moved to several places in Europe. I was living out of a suitcase, and I missed my parents a lot, who were in Mumbai. My father passed away (2002) during that time and I can’t forgive myself for not being able to come to India for him. I missed my life in Mumbai and my family immensely, but I was focused on my son’s education. I also lived in Puducherry for almost three years before returning to Mumbai. I came back to Mumbai in 2015 and now am living a peaceful life here with my son.

Rajiv and I divorced in 2016, and I got married again. My husband is an orthopaedic surgeon (Dr Murali Poduval),but I don’t feel he should be discussed because he does not belong to showbiz. I also feel that marriage is overrated, but companionship is important.

I turned 50 in September last year. In the last two decades, I had lost my individuality and let myself just go. I found living in Mumbai very claustrophobic during the pandemic. I had also put on a lot of weight and was not paying attention to my health, so I went to Ooty and lived there for almost a year. I stopped eating non-vegetarian food, ate healthy and changed my lifestyle. I focused on myself, and lived a stress-free and peaceful life. Gradually, I lost all the extra weight, got fitter and became a completely new person. I lost 30 kgs and gained a new perspective towards life. I want to work now instead of just sitting at home.

Yes, it was not a good decision. But, when I got married, I was very young and I became this obedient wife, who used to listen to everything. Later, I realized I had got into a daily rut and needed to have a mind of my own. Back then, once an actress got married, her career was over. Before my 21st birthday, I was a mother and then, life went into fast forward mode. I also feel that our culture is a little hard on women (at least it was). They have to dress a certain way, look a certain way and when they get married, their entire life is supposed to revolve around their husband and kids. I don’t want people to judge women for their choices. Whatever body size you are, you should respect your body. My son Gaurav is the best person in my life because he has taught me patience, kindness and to be strong in every situation.

Back in the day, there were no scripts, and dialogues used to change anytime. It was challenging, but I had nothing to complain about because I was working with the best actors. Our films still have some limitations, but 40-plus women have good content being written for them, especially on alternative platforms, so I want to prove myself again. Acting in films is also much more natural and less melodramatic than it used to be during my days.

Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah in Shyam Benegal’s Mandi. Pic Courtesy/Shyam Banegal

Right at the outset, Delhi-based novelist-author Avijit Ghosh tells us of his interest in “lost causes”. He illustrates this with the titles of his previous books, Cinema Bhojpuri (2010) and 40 Retakes: Bollywood Classics You May Have Missed (2013). Both reflect on movies and experiences that were cast away but deserved a prominent place in Hindi cinema history. His latest book, When Ardh Satya Met Himmatwala: The Many Lives of 1980s’ Bombay Cinema (Speaking Tiger Books), is no different. “During discussions on films with friends and colleagues, I’d often hear that the 1980s was a useless period, a black mark of sorts.”

As a student of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Ghosh had had first-hand experience of the decade. “I had seen so many [of these] movies in cinema halls... So I knew that this view was lopsided. I felt that we needed a more serious examination of the decade.”

The 1980s, according to him, saw entertainment arrive in the drawing room like never before. “Till then, cinema was the pastime preferred by the middle class... it was an occasion when the entire family dressed up and went to the movies. Now, cinema came home, rather illegally, courtesy the video home system [VHS] and the video piracy [network]. This, and later serials on cable TV, bruised and battered the film industry, and it caused major ripple effects.”

Simultaneously, as a consequence of Kapil Dev and team’s World Cup victory in 1983, there was a sharp increase in ODI cricket matches being shown on television. This too, he says, hurt the film industry’s ability to lure day-time audiences into theatres. “The political turmoil in Assam, Punjab and Kashmir further stumped the film market.”

While all of this was happening, there was strangely a serious leap in production: “More films were being declared as flops, and yet, more films were being made. At the heart of this contradiction is the 1980s story—how old money was gradually being replaced with new money, part of which was bad too,” says Ghosh.

The death of single screens, which hastened during the recent pandemic, began sometime during this period, as the footfall to cinema halls dropped significantly. “In Bombay, theatres such as Rex, Majestic, Broadway and Neptune had already been razed and recast as shopping centres. By 1986, two prominent cinema halls in Ahmedabad, Ajanta and Ellora, had also shut down. A similar trend was seen in Jabalpur.”

It is against this socio-political and economic backdrop that Hindi cinema was trying to find a voice. “It was a defining decade, because it changed how cinema was being consumed. VHS was to the ’80s what OTT is to the 2020s. This led to the personalization of entertainment. And because the middle class had largely abandoned the theatres, the filmmakers were making tweaks to the script to suit the taste of the core audience, which was non-gentry in nature [youth and the underclass].” The content, he says, was marked by the “sublime and ridiculous coming together”.

This was the time when the genius of Kundan Shah, Govind Nihalani, among others who rode the new parallel cinema wave, sat alongside films that boasted pelvic thrusting actors spewing double entendre dialogues, says Ghosh, who did interviews, dipped into records available with the National Film Archives of India, and scoured through English newspapers, trade magazines and Madhuri, Dharamyug and Sarika, to build his argument. “I also looked at Parliament replies by ministers to understand the sentiment of the time.”

Another significant event that marked the decade was the 1986 film industry strike. “The strike was against excessive taxation and lasted 31 days. No film was shot or screened during this time. It was a total shutdown,” he shares. 

On the 12th day, which was October 21, a cavalcade of about 150 cars and trucks gathered in the Shivaji Park area. Many even walked. Some of the participants in this march included V Shantaram, Sunil Dutt, Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna, Rohini Hattangadi, Raj Babbar, Tina Munim, Anil Kapoor, Govinda, Khushboo, Farah, Meenakshi Seshadri, Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi, Sanjay Khan, Akbar Khan, Yash Chopra, Mithun Chakraborty, Shashi Kapoor, and many more. Khanna was the press convener of the action committee. “Who would have thought that the chaotic film industry, which was divided into camps, would collectively raise the banner of protest against the state government.”

“The outcome was modestly successful... it gave the industry a handle of hope when video piracy was eating into revenues. The movement also lifted the industry’s spirit and made many aware of being part of a larger community.”

The man who owned the decade, Ghosh feels, was Mithun Chakraborty. “He is significant because the 1980s was also the decade of star sons [Kumar Gaurav, Sanjay Dutt and Sunny Deol]. Mithun represented the exact opposite of that; he was a self-made star.”

That he could slip into any character or genre, be it action or a family drama like Ghar Ek Mandir, or the romantic superhit Pyar Jhukta Nahin, made him most sought after. “This decade was also typified by a certain kind of sound—disco. Mithun was the face of disco,” he adds. “Here was a star who the non-gentry cinema-goers could root for. He was an idea whose time had come.” Govinda, he says, took this forward. “But he arrived only in 1986, and came into his own [as a comedy actor] in the 1990s.”  

Avijit Ghosh Pic/Nishad Alam

Hema Malini played a dacoit in Sitapur ki Geeta. Sridevi and Zeenat Aman also starred in such films where the male actors played second fiddle. Pic Courtesy/Manmohan Kapoor

Director B Subhash and Mithun Chakraborty made a hit team after the success of Disco Dancer. Pic Courtesy/B Subhash

The leading men with action director Ravi Varma (centre, in blue) during the climax shoot at Film City

What do you get when you bring together Mithun Chakraborty, Sanjay Dutt, Sunny Deol and Jackie Shroff? A dose of nostalgia. And, as director Vivek Chauhan hopes, Bollywood’s answer to The Expendables franchise.

In June, the director took the action drama — the working title of which is Baap — on floors. Five months on, the movie is nearing the finish line. The unit is shooting a massive climax sequence at Film City, after which only a song remains to be shot. Keeping in mind the prowess of the four stars, Baap has been designed as an action extravaganza, complete with dialoguebaazi that was signature of the late ’80s and early ’90s.

A source reveals that the climax has been mounted on a lavish scale. “A huge set of the villain’s den has been built across two grounds. The sequence also includes a helicopter chase, explosions, and will see the actors engage in hand-to-hand combat. The unit has been shooting in Goregaon over the past 12 days. Producer Ahmed Khan has roped in two action directors, Parvez Shaikh and Ravi Varma, to mount the set-pieces. Though Mithun sir is 72, he — like his co-stars — has forgone body doubles, pulling off the stunts himself,” says the source.

Chauhan hopes to call it a wrap on the talkie portions today, readying the movie for a 2023 release. The source adds, “The film is being planned as a nostalgic event for the audience. It will be along the lines of The Expendables, and Tridev [1989].”

For producer Ahmed Khan, Baap is a tribute to the four artistes who shaped up the action genre in Bollywood. “We owe it to these stars who laid down the foundation of action movies for us. Where were safety measures, cables, crash mats or VFX support in those days? They would jump from the fourth floor with just boxes below [for cushioning]. [With Baap], we wanted to see the ’80s and ’90s heroes perform the kind of action that is enjoyed by today’s youth. It was a dream to get these four superstars together in an action-packed entertainer.”