She never dreamed that one phone call could change her life, but for Sadia Khateeb, who hails from Jammu, everything changed when she took a gamble on becoming an actor. She made her debut with Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Shikara in 2020, followed by Raksha Bandhan (2022) with Akshay Kumar, and the recent John Abraham-starrer The Diplomat. Now, the actor is gearing up for two new projects — Dadi Ki Shaadi with Kapil Sharma, Neetu Kapoor, and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, and another film helmed by Omung Kumar.

After shooting in Shimla for Dadi Ki Shaadi, Khateeb, who has returned to the bay, says, “I just came back from the shoot a day ago, two months after shooting this beautiful film. [While] I don’t know the destiny of the film or mine; I know for a fact that I’ve never had this much fun on a film set before.”

Although she cannot divulge much about the comedy family drama, the actor shares that the film has a “great ensemble”. “I know it’s the most fun I’ve had probably because the character was such. I’m excited about how people will perceive it.” Describing her previous work as intense in different ways, she adds, “Dadi Ki Shaadi is much lighter, but still full of heart.”

For Kumar’s yet-untitled film, Khateeb is working with Harshvardhan Rane and Karan Veer Mehra. Impressed by her director’s creativity, she says, eyes lighting up, “When I went to his office, I thought he is a creative genius. [He has] an artistic office. I’ve only seen his work, which is great, and I’m just looking forward to starting this journey next month.” 

Shreya Mukherjee (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 24, 2019)

Gone are the days when people would throng to theatres to watch heroes bashing the baddies black and blue. Those make-believe heroes have now been replaced by real heroes on screen, which has resulted in so many biopics being churned out. But inarguably, the most important bit about making a good biopic is casting the right actors.

“When making a biopic there are certain things to be kept in mind. There has to be similarities between the reel and real characters. Also, it’s important to note how much of the character’s demeanour can the chosen actor imbibe. For a film like India’s Most Wanted, one could take some liberty as not many would not know the faces of the terrorists, but that isn’t possible for a film like The Accidental Prime Minister because all the politicians in the story are well-known,” says actor and casting director Abhishek Banerjee.

Be it Anupam Kher as the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (in The Accidental Prime Minister), Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray (in Thackeray) and author-playwright Saadat Hasan Manto (in Manto; 2018), Ranveer Singh as Kapil Dev (in ’83), R Madhavan as former scientist Nambi Narayanan (in the upcoming Rocketry), Vidya Balan as mathematician (in her next, Shakuntala Devi biopic), or Deepika Padukone as the acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal (in the much-awaited Chhapaak) — the makeover in each of these cases inevitably surprised the audience.

Explaining why makeup and prosthetics aren’t enough to look a certain part, casting director Mukesh Chhabra says, “We need to see if the face reminds us of the real life person. Casting for supporting roles is equally important.”

According to Nawazuddin, an actor needs to go that extra mile to look convincing. “You can’t take the chance by playing around with the audiences’ memory. It’s satisfying when people say, ‘you looked the part’,” he adds.

Director Omung Kumar feels while similarities do matter, a good actor can hold any character. However, having helmed biopics such as Mary Kom (2014), Sarbjit (2016) and PM Narendra Modi, he feels prosthetic makeup is a boon. “People said so much about Priyanka [Chopra Jonas] playing Mary Kom but she proved everyone wrong. For Sarbjit I took a liberty as his story was more popular than his face.”

For Ranveer’s look as Kapil, director Kabir Khan says he didn’t go for facial similarities while casting him. “How the actor matches the character’s persona is important. Ranveer’s energy matches Kapil Dev’s. In fact, all the characters were chosen accordingly, and went through extensive training and workshops to match the parts.”

Kabir adds, “When I watch Invictus (2009) I don’t question whether Morgan Freeman is looking like Nelson Mandela or not. He played the persona so well that a few minutes into the film, I forget I am looking at Freeman’s face,” he concludes.

Art director Omung Kumar on the challenge of making the sets of an upcoming singing reality show plastic-free
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 20, 2019)

Close on the heels of the government and India Inc’s drive to make the country plastic-free, singing reality show Indian Idol is turning a new leaf with an ecofriendly look. Omung Kumar, who is the set art director for the show, informs Mirror that the TV show has gone plastic-free for its upcoming 11th season.

He goes on to reveal that he has been working on visualising the set for the last 15 days and will take one month to put it up in Mumbai, where the show is shot, with the help of his team. “We are replacing all the plastic in the construction work with iron work, with fiber, plasma, LED and plywood. Plastic has been completely banned on films and setmaking and we are abiding by it,” Omung asserts, adding that the use of thermocol, which was a popular material due to low costs, has been banned too, as it is non-biodegradable. “We have gone back to the old days by using all the original components, which were replaced by cheaper materials over time. This needs more time, more man-power. So yes, it is a long process, but it is eco-friendly.”

Elaborating on the new set design, Omung says, “There is going to be a dome at the center of the stage this time, which is actually an open globe that resembles a funnel. The LED strips emerge vertically from the globe’s opening and look like sunlight, symbolising a new dawn for planet Earth,” he explains, adding that the idea coincides with the show’s theme—Ek Desh, Ek Awaaz. “I have taken a global theme, which conveys that sound is powerful,” Omung concludes.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; May 23, 2019)

Director Omung Kumar admits that he was apprehensive about helming the biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but he is heaving a sigh of relief now, as the film has overcome several hurdles and is finally opening in cinemas, tomorrow. Excerpts from a chat with BT...

The release of your film, PM Narendra Modi, was stalled by the Election Commission of India (ECI) less than 24 hours before release (on April 10). Despite seeking legal recourse, you had to wait for the elections to wrap up before you could release the film. Finally, it’s scheduled to hit theatres tomorrow. How do you feel?
I am relieved (smiles). It’s not as if we knew how to handle a situation like that. We thought that we had made an honest film and the window for release was apt. However, others didn’t see it that way and we faced a lot of heat for it. The producers have run into huge losses. The film had created the right buzz at that time, which has somewhat dipped in the last few weeks. The entire episode has left a bad taste in our mouth. I hope that all these delays and troubles that we have been through benefits the film.

Since its inception, the biopic has been in the eye of a lot of controversies. Did that affect you while making it?
I work with blinkers on. I don’t think about anything other than my work. Also, Sandeep Ssingh (producer) ensured that nothing reaches me. It’s a humongous responsibility to direct a film that narrates the story of the current PM of our country. I’ve not attempted a political film; it’s about the person, with all the facts of his professional life in place and all the dots joined with more focus on the personal journey of the man. I am politically insulated and so, I don’t get influenced by anything even remotely political. I see everything with a neutral eye. For me, this is the story of a chaiwala, who became the prime minister of India.

You faced a lot of flak for casting Vivek Anand Oberoi as the central character...
I faced flak when I cast Priyanka Chopra as Mary Kom in her biopic, but the film went on to win a National Award. I faced the same heat for Vivek. From where I see it, he’s perfectly cast in the role and he’s done his best. When I started researching for the film, I found a picture of him as Narendra Modi online. I was stunned that he had already been considered for a film on the PM before.

Isn’t it a strange coincidence that your film was announced weeks before the campaigns for Lok Sabha polls flagged off, and it was originally scheduled to open on the day the first phase of elections began?
We were always clear that we will release the film around April. What we didn’t know at that time was that the polls would coincide with our release date. It’s sheer coincidence. After the dates for the Lok Sabha polls were announced, we couldn’t even move our film because the next few weeks were already taken by other films. We didn’t want to take a chance. My only job was to deliver the film on time with the scale intact. We shot in 38 days, but we researched and did all our math during the six months prior to that. We announced the film in December 2018. We wanted to announce it before that, but we were in two minds. Finally, we announced the film only when we went on floors.

Your film has consistently been accused of being a propaganda vehicle…
If that was true, everyone would make feature films for their election campaigns instead of doing some work in their respective constituencies. I have no inclination towards politics. I’ve attempted to make a clean, inspirational film, which touches upon everything, including the Gujarat riots. I don’t think I have made a film that can influence voters; I don’t think any film can do that.

Did you meet PM Narendra Modi?
No, because I didn’t want to be influenced. I wanted to keep the approach neutral. Vivek came with his own research and understanding of the character. Without making it caricaturish, he’s tried to capture the spirit of the man. He improvised the dialogue to such a degree that he’s been credited as the codialogue and screenplay writer of the film. His inputs were fantastic.

Having abided by Election Commision's decision, director on releasing Modi biopic a day after election results are announced
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; May 4, 2019)

We are happy that the film has a release date," begins director Omung Kumar, his face awash with relief. PM Narendra Modi, the Vivek Oberoi-fronted biopic on India's current prime minister, is finally set to hit screens on May 24, a day after the results of the general elections will be announced. "As a filmmaker, you want your work to be out there and it is finally happening. Right now, we are just waiting for May 24. We are hoping to have a smooth release now."

It has been a long wait for Oberoi and Kumar to see their dream project on the big screen - the biopic was initially slated to hit the marquee on April 11. However, a day before its scheduled release, the Election Commission barred the movie's screening citing the model code of conduct, which states that any film "having the potential to disturb the level playing field during the election should not be displayed in electronic media". While the makers knocked the doors of the Supreme Court challenging the stay, the court directed the EC to watch the film and submit its view. After the EC reiterated its decision on April 22, the Supreme Court refused to interfere with the order.

Despite its hindered start, Kumar is optimistic about the film's fate at the box office. "It would have been nicer if the movie had released earlier. But we respect the decision that was passed. The delay isn't going to affect the film. People are inquisitive and want to watch it. Now, our entire focus is on releasing the film."

The election results will be a clear indicator of the sentiments of Indian citizens. Quiz him if he is worried about the results affecting his offering, and he says, "It is an independent film that has nothing to do with the election results. So, we are not even thinking of it. We want the audience to watch our film as we know they are curious [about the subject]."

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; April 8, 2019)

Vivek Anand Oberoi has been in the news since December last year, ever since it was announced that he would headline the cast of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s biopic, titled PM Narendra Modi. In January, posters of the film featuring Vivek as PM Modi were launched in over 20 languages. All of these, including the teaser and trailer that were unveiled in the subsequent months, collectively drew more criticism than appreciation for the film. Recently, the movie was even dragged to court and accused of being ‘propaganda material’. Today is a crucial day for the film’s makers, as a petition against it is expected to be heard in the Supreme Court. In the meanwhile, according to a statement given by the producers, its release date has now been moved to April 11 from April 5. Vivek spoke to Bombay Times about his journey which has been anything but a cakewalk...

Bank Chor, Krrish 3 and Great Grand Masti were some of your last films that released between 2016 and 17. With PM Narendra Modi slated for release this week, and with all the controversies surrounding it, are you anxious?
More than anything else, I’m eager for the audience to watch this film. We’ve put in our heart and soul into it and the journey has been incredible. It was almost impossible, but we finished the film with its scale intact, in 38 days. We travelled from the hot landscape of Kutch to the freezing terrain of Harsil (Uttarakhand). This film was more difficult and taxing for me than all the 45 films I’ve done in my 18-year-long career.

It's learnt that you were being considered to play PM Modi for another biopic, much before this film was made. Why didn’t that project happen?
It wasn’t one project. A lot of people thought of making a film on Modi ji, including me. In my case, it started when I attended the swearing-in ceremony in 2014. Everyone believed his story amazing, but Sandeep Ssingh (producer) was the only one to say it with conviction, ‘Main bana raha hoon, aap aaiye’. Omung Kumar was approached to direct, but he wasn’t sure at the outset. I told him that he shouldn’t shy away from what he’s good at, which is making biopics. It will be interesting to see what his take on the subject is because he is politically insulated. For Omung, it was about unravelling the layers of a man’s personality. I am politically astute and I understand it. I was involved with student politics and during my student years, I was also a GS in the university.

What is it that really drives you to give the nod to a project such as this biopic?
I am on two extremes. When I am working on a film, I am committed and I give it my all. Cold and hot weather and a demanding scene don’t deter me, but I only take up a project when I am inspired enough. It’s not for the money or the thrill of adding another film to my CV. Like I took up Lucifer in Malayalam, knowing that it’s a tough language to speak. But my reason for doing it was that I didn’t want to miss a chance to reunite with Mohanlal (they worked in Company, 2002). I was also warned against trying new media (web series). I was told I would end up getting written-off completely, but here I am. I didn’t sink.

Your career started with a bang with Saathiya and Company. You were touted to be one of the most promising actors in the early 2000s. Interesting roles and intense performances also won you accolades. Given this, your career graph has not been as extensive as it could have been. Do you feel you could have given more to the industry and received more from it?
I’m the guy whose professional obituaries have been surfacing since 2004. Due or no due, the fact is that I am still here, unbreakable. I have worked in six languages and won around 20 awards and I still get some great work to do. Instead of being in the rat-race, and running to the finishing line, I am spending time watching my kids grow. Acting gives me joy, but so does playing football in the garden with my son and lighting up my daughter’s dollhouse with her. I am on crazy schedule even now, but I don’t miss a chance to feed my bachchas and break bread with my wife and parents. I believe in maintaining work-life balance. Each day makes me feel like a winner and gives me a sense of fulfillment. I’ve often been asked about not getting my due in the industry. On the contrary, I am blessed with so much that I don’t see life in a unidimensional manner. I have a happy family and I choose the work I do. I am Destiny’s child because there’s nothing that hasn’t happened to shut me down and I'm still going strong. This is my life and I have accepted it with a smile. What else can I do? Crying is not an option, woh sab screen pe theek hai.

Shortly after you attended the PM’s swearing-in ceremony, people made memes of your look at the event with comments about how you even made it there...
(Laughs!) Yes, I remember that. It still makes me smile. In 2004, people said how did I make it to the film industry, in 2014, people asked how did I make it to the PM’s swearing-in ceremony, and in 2019, they are asking how did I get the role. Someday, there will be a biopic on me if people keep asking these questions, which I don’t mind.

But how did you really make it to PM Modi’s swearing-in ceremony?
I don’t like to wear my relationships on my sleeves. I built a beautiful equation with Mr Modi when he was the Chief Minister (CM) of Gujarat. I’ve personally seen him work, and people don’t realise this but after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he’s the only leader I campaigned for.

So, at some point, you do plan to get into politics?
I don’t know where life will take me, but for now, you will see me as a full-fledged politician for two hours on screen.

Are you in awe of PM Modi?
I am not a bhakt for sure. For me, it was a question of whether Modi ji's story inspires enough. It does. To me, even Dhirubhai Ambani’s story is just as inspirational. I am excited about this film because it tells every chaiwala and chowkidar that you too can become the PM.

It’s often said that getting too close to a subject could hamper your objectivity. In your case, you knew PM Modi very well. Didn’t that become a deterrent at any point?
One approach is to adapt the physicality of the person you’re playing. Omung and Sandeep ensured that I don’t caricature Modi ji. We were clear that the spirit of the man needs to be captured and portrayed. I did that when I played Maya Dolas in Shootout At Lokhandwala (2007). The man had curly hair, but it looked funny when I wore a wig to match his appearance. He also had a thick Marathi accent. Eventually, we decided to go without all of this and just focus on the kind of person Maya was. I studied him in great detail —his criminal history and met the cops who had shot him. The idea was to bring out that high he was riding on in the short span of his life.

Your film has been in the eye of controversies since inception. Even its release date has been moved twice. Did you anticipate that you might have to fight so many battles for this film to see the light of the day?
Yes, one knew that this might happen. Our legal team had warned us, but I could never understand why so many people (referring to political leaders) are scared of this film releasing. And if a film is so powerful, then people in politics should make films instead of campaigning and doing any other work in their constituencies. It’s great for cinema. If that theory was true, every election season would have a flurry of films. I think we’re giving too much importance to this issue. People will watch the film and decide whether it’s good or bad. Making films can never help anyone win elections. If someone thinks it is propaganda, let them prove it.

Biopics in India are often blamed for white-washing their subjects. Your film is being accused of it even before release.
Let them blame us, but we have never given that a thought. I’ve made this film for the mass audience. I’m told that Richard Attenborough was also accused of white-washing Mahatma Gandhi in Gandhi. The film is considered to be iconic. Uske aage hamari film ki kya haisiyat hai?

In a two-hour film, how much of Modi’s life have you really covered? Does your film also touch upon the Gujarat riots, which took place in 2002?
We’ve covered a great spectrum. Omung has done tremendous justice in his effort to bring out as much of Modi ji’s life as possible in a short screen time of about two hours. There’s everything right up to his swearing-in ceremony. It’s his trials and tribulations that make the film inspirational.

Lastly, will we get to see Narendra Modi in the film?
We tried incorporating a portion at the end but it didn’t work. There is enough Modi in me, but not the real Modi ji in the film.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; April 3, 2019)

Sandeep Ssingh, producer of PM Narendra Modi, the biopic on the ruling Prime Minister, which releases this Friday, talks about the challenges that he’s faced while putting his ambitious project together.

Given that you decided to make a biopic on PM Narendra Modi, did you anticipate trouble at the onset…
No one asked me to become a producer and make this film. I decided to do so, because I loved the subject matter. It’s an inspiring story. We decided to make it around three years ago. Everyone tried to dissuade me, but I went ahead. Their apprehensions boosted my confidence. I wanted to bring out the human side of our Prime Minister and what he went through during his highs and lows. I’m just happy that everyone’s talking about the film.

Filmmakers, who face a ban or opposition for their films, often get support from the rest of the film industry. But there hasn’t been much support for you or your film...
A film like Padmaavat found a lot of support because it had big names attached to it. Vivek Anand Oberoi, who plays the central character, is a talented actor. Omung (Kumar, director) and I are not industry insiders. My production house has not made a very big film for people to bank on its credibility, yet. Till that happens, we won’t have the industry stalwarts marching for us. In all of this, what should not be missed is that every producer faces the same kind of heat and goes through the same sort of struggle. PM Narendra Modi is a big film for Vivek, Omung and me because of its subject. I have to live up to the story that I have decided to narrate.

Many people had questioned your choice of actor for this biopic…
Why not Vivek? I needed a fine actor, who could do justice to the film and the role. I don’t have a saleable star on my side, but hasn’t the scenario in Bollywood changed? In 2018 alone, films like Stree, AndhaDhun and Badhaai Ho emerged bigger than many star-heavy films. Content is driving the business now, not star power.

Biopics in India are always accused of whitewashing their subjects...
I don’t want to think about what people might think. People love to talk and offer their opinion. We must tackle unemployment seriously; people won’t have free time to dole out opinions then. I just want to make my films and let that do all the talking. Most people are slaves of social media and that’s how they decide whether something is good or not.

People follow social media closely to track engagement on a film, and that space has increasingly criticised your film and its time of release...
Why should I be scared of criticism and not take it constructively? This is the best time to bring this film to the theatres. I don’t have a big star like Shah Rukh Khan to target a big weekend two years in advance. Let people think I am on the wrong foot here; it’s their problem. Filmmakers are soft targets. Right now, my film is facing a lot of heat from different corners, but I am determined to release it. For that, I will abide by everything that the law asks me to do.

Actor started shooting for his part in Ahmedabad this week
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 21, 2019)

Mirror had earlier reported (February 13) that the Vivek Oberoi-starrer Narendra Modi biopic has found its Amit Shah in actor Manoj Joshi. We have now learnt that director Omung Kumar has roped in Boman Irani to play Ratan Tata in the film. The 59-year-old actor started shooting for his portions in the Sandip Ssingh and Suresh Oberoi production in Ahmedabad on February 17.

“Whenever I shared my pictures on social media, a lot of people said that I resemble Ratan Tata. As luck would have it, I got a call from Omung for the part and I accepted it immediately. Mr Tata has put up the Nano plant in Gujarat, which played an important role in the state’s development and that aspect is a part of our story,” Boman says.

The actor goes on to add that he has met the industrialist on more than a couple of occasions. “He is extremely soft-spoken and one of the finest gentlemen I have ever come across. He is full of grace and kindness. As a part of my prep I have been going through his videos and audio clips online which are mostly speeches from conferences. For the part, my focus is to get the essence and the personality accurate,” he explains.

Meanwhile, the actor has turned director-producer and recently organised a day-long screenwriting workshop with Alexander Dinelaris, the Oscar-winning writer of the 2014 American black-comedy, Birdman. In late January, Boman flew to Udaipur with Alexander to work on the script of his directorial debut. “His feedback is priceless. I will take a few more days to tighten up the script further. We start shooting it next year,” he signs off. 

Rachit Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; February 15, 2019)

There’s a lot of buzz around the upcoming biopic on India’s current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is being directed by Omung Kumar and features Vivek Anand Oberoi in the lead. BT has learnt that actor Darshan Kumaar has been roped in to play a popular television anchor. Sources reveal that actor has gone through several look tests and the makers of the film are currently in negotiation with the senior, seeking his approval for the role. Darshan has worked with director Omung before in his films Mary Kom and Sarbjit. We reached out to the actor, but there was no reply at the time of going to press.

Off late, actors like Manoj Joshi, Suresh Oberoi, Zarina Wahab and Barkha Bisht have also been cast in important roles in the movie, which is expected to release later this year. 

BT has news that a biopic on PM Modi is underway and it will be directed by Omung Kumar
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; December 29, 2018)

Bollywood seems to have discovered a treasure trove of real-life stories, thanks to the critical and commercial acceptance for biopics in recent times. Be it historical characters or more contemporary figures, stories inspired by lives of real people seem to be a growing trend in our cinema. While the makers have not gone on record to confirm it, BT has it that a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be underway early January (2019). Vivekanand Oberoi (Vivek Oberoi, who has resumed his original name) will headline the cast.

The actor will play the reigning PM in a film that will be shot across Gujarat, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, among other locations in the country, over a period of a few months. Vivekanand, who has films like Krrish 3 (2013), Omkara (2006), Company (2002) and Saathiya (2002) to his credit, has been actively involved with all the prep work that has gone into the project.

The yet-to-be titled movie will be directed by Omung Kumar, who has previously helmed Mary Kom’s biopic by the same name, and in 2017, he directed the Sanjay Dutt-starrer Bhoomi. The film’s team has been working on the story, script and screenplay of this biopic for the last one-and-a-half years. A few weeks ago, they apparently procured the requisite permission for the film from the authorities, and are now ready to take it on floors. 

Abhishek Bachchan, Akshay Kumar meet the actress and her husband in New York, where she is undergoing treatment at the Sloan-Kettering hospital; son Ranveer flown in two days ago
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 5, 2018) 

Days after it had emerged that Huma Qureshi has stepped in as one of the judges on the kids’ talent hunt show, India’s Best Draamebaaz, after Sonali Bendre walked out, the latter took to her Instagram account to relay some news to her followers.

In the post, the 43-year-old actress who is married to filmmaker Goldie Behl and is mother to their 12-year-old son Ranveer, revealed that she has been diagnosed with metastatic cancer and is currently undergoing treatment in New York.

“Sometimes, when you least expect it, life throws you a curveball. I have recently been diagnosed with a high-grade cancer that has metastised, which we frankly did not see coming. A niggling pain led to some tests, which led to this unexpected diagnosis... I’m taking this battle head on, knowing I have the strength of my family and friends behind me,” her note revealed.

While Bollywood stars rallied behind Sonali with good wishes and support — Arjun Kapoor (who lost his mother Mona Kapoor to cancer in 2012) urged her to “fight that bastard,” Karan Johar wrote, “Godspeed, love and strength to a true fighter and a solid soul!” and Anil Kapoor said, “You are a fighter, always have been! Sending you all our love and support, Sonali. Hoping to see you fit and fine super soon!” — Akshay Kumar, who returns to India from a vacation in the US with wife Twinkle Khanna and their kids, Aarav and Nitara, met her a few days ago.

While Sonali was accompanied by husband Goldie for treatment at New York’s Sloan-Kettering hospital, their son Ranveer was reportedly flown in two days ago. Abhishek Bachchan, a close friend of the couple, flew to the Big Apple last week to meet them. Filmmaker Omung Kumar, who was a judge alongside Sonali and Vivek Oberoi on India’s Best Draamebaaz, told Mirror, “We shot for four episodes together before she was replaced. We were laughing, having fun, even discussing our respective shoes. I don’t think she knew about it (the diagnosis) at the time. Later, we were told that she had left for New York for some tests and a second opinion, but we didn’t know she had cancer. It’s shocking. I know she’s a fighter and will come out of it.” Vivek added, “She has never ceased to amaze me with her positivity and strength. She is one of the strongest women I know. A Wonder Woman who does it all...and does it very well... Cancer will surely lose this fight.”

Sonali had made a seamless transition from films to TV– she made her small screen debut with the show Ajeeb Daastaan Hai Ye in 2014, which ran for a year.

After Mary Kom, the National Award-winning director returns to Manipur for a film on rugby
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 26, 2018)

Omung Kumar, the National Award winning director of the Mary Kom biopic that featured Priyanka Chopra, will be returning to the North-East for his next, Yubi Lakpi. “I’ve been writing this film for the past two years. It’s on rugby, a game that has its origin in Manipur where it was played with a coconut for centuries. We will start the film in Manipur and after the interval move to London. We will also be shooting in Mauritius,” informs Kumar who was in Manipur for research and will leave for London next month.

He plans to roll early next year. “We have five writers on the project—one is from Manipur, another from Australia, two from Mumbai, and me,” says the filmmaker, quick to add that going back to Manipur was not a planned move, the story just came along.

While Mary Kom was the inspiring story of one woman in the boxing ring, this film will focus on a team. “Rugby is still an alien sport for most Indians. Few know about the rugby competition for the Calcutta Cup that was launched in India but is now played between England and Scotland. The film will touch on this and other incidents that are a part of the sport’s history,” explains Kumar.

Producer Sandeep Singh adds that in some scenes Mauritius will pass off as Manipur. “The film will be largely shot in Mauritius and UK with a few portions set in Manipur because shooting in the state is difficult,” he reasons, confident that Omung who specialises in sports-dramas will do justice to this one too.

Besides the protagonist the duo plans to use local talent from Manipur and UK. “We will undergo classes in Manipuri and will work on their rugby skills for six months,” Sandeep signs off.

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 8, 2017)

Director Omung Kumar had earlier announced (Mirror, August 21), that he has signed Sanjay Dutt to play Jam Sahib Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji in a biopic on Nawanagar’s royalty, titled The Good Maharaja. He even went on to unveil a poster from the English-Polish production, hoping to beat Ashutosh Gowariker who is making a film on the same subject, to the finish.

But the film hit a roadblock even before the first shot was taken with the daughters and legal heirs of the Maharaja, Hershad Kumari and Himanshu Kumari, sending a cease and desist notice to Omung Kumar, co-producer Sandeep Singh and their joint venture, Legend Studios.

Now, Mirror has learnt that Sanjay is no longer a part of the film. The actor’s spokesperson confirmed the news, saying, “Sanjay Dutt is not doing The Good Maharaja with Omung Kumar.”

Omung and Sandeep were reportedly set to begin work on the film next month. With this second roadblock, their schedule could well be hit for a six till they find Sanjay’s replacement. Both Omung and Sandeep refused to take our calls.

Natahsa Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 25, 2017)

Mirror had earlier reported that Sanjay Dutt who had then just wrapped up Bhoomi with Omung Kumar and Sandeep Singh, was to team up with the duo again for a story of a woman CBI officer and a man looking for love. Titled Malang, the film was to kick off in December and would mark the directorial debut of short filmmaker Aarambhh Singh, who had worked on Bhoomi as an associate director.

Now, it has emerged that Dutt is no longer a part of the project post the release of Bhoomi, which failed to set the cash registers ringing at the box office.

Co-producer Omung confirmed the news to Mirror, saying, “Malang will start next year. We are looking at young actors for the lead and are already in talks with a couple of them who have shown interest.”

Prod him about the announcement with Dutt as the lead and Omung says, “We met Sanjay Dutt and learnt that his schedule is hectic, with Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3 and Torbaaz. He has always supported us but since his dates were not aligning with ours, we mutually decided to let it go.”

He goes on to clarify that the film remains unaffected despite the change of guard. “The story and screenplay remains the same. We are just giving it a younger look and feel. The hero should be able to do both romance and action.”

We reached out to Sanjay but he remained unavailable for comment.

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; October 6, 2017)

With filmmakers and actors wanting to make movies based on real-life stories and personalities, there is a clamour for subjects that can be brought alive on the celluloid. Though there is no dearth of fascinating life stories and happenings in India, what’s interesting is that the makers end up choosing the same subject and that, too, around the same time! For instance, both Salman Khan and John Abraham came up with the idea of making a biopic on wrestler Gama Pehlwan in 2014, but neither materialised. Now, Salman is producing a serial on the wrestler with his brother Sohail Khan playing the title role, while there’s no news on John’s film. A couple of years ago, Ekta Kapoor bought the official rights for the film adaptation of the suspense novel Devotion Of Suspect X, which is said to have been the inspiration for Malayalam Drishyam. A miffed Ekta has sent a notice to the makers, but the film went on to be a box office hit spawning several remakes.

In recent times, two films — Qaidi Band and Lucknow Central — with the theme of prisoners forming a music band in jail were released within a month of each other, but neither did well at the box office. Earlier too, there have been instances of multiple films made on the same subject like Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey and Chittagong based on the Chittagong Uprising. Freedom fighter

Bhagat Singh inspired three filmmakers at the same time. In fact, The Legend of Bhagat Singh, Shaheed and Shaheed-E-Azam even released on the same day!

And, now, again we see the same subjects becoming the bone of contention between actors and filmmakers. Akshaye Rathi, leading exhibitor and analyst, says, “While creativity is subjective, in case of most films, it’s not like rights have been bought to make them. It could be plagiarism or trying to cash in on an interesting subject. It’s nice and interesting that people are thinking of the same subject at the same time, but ultimately, what they need to focus on is making a truly engaging film by putting significant time and money in it.”

A lowdown on such films in the pipeline...

Film: Based on Rudrakesh Jena
Contenders: Nila Madhab Panda and Ujjwal Chatterjee
A few days ago, there was news of I Am Kalam director Nila Madhab Panda gearing up to make a biopic on Rudrakesh Jena, the coach of the rugby team of the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) with Abhishek Bachchan playing the lead. The film is slated to go on floors early next year and will be shot in India and the UK. Now, another National-Award winning director Ujjwal Chatterjee is also planning a film on Jena, who coached the under-14 team to victory in London, and has approached Farhan Akhtar for the role. He claims to have the rights to Jena’s story. The movie for which he has roped in former British footballer Paul Walsh will roll in November. In an interview, he said he was shocked to know that another film is being planned on the same subject.

Film: Based on Maharaja of Jamnagar
Contenders: Ashutosh Gowariker and Omung Kumar
First there were reports of Ashutosh Gowariker making a film based on Jam Sahib Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji who helped save the lives of 640 Polish children during World War II by providing refuge to the orphans at his Jamnagar palace. A few days later, Omung Kumar announced a film on the same subject with Sanjay Dutt playing the role of the Maharaja. His film was to go on the floors by the end of next year. But now there is a twist to the tale, as the heirs of the Maharaja, Hershad Kumari and Himanshu Kumari have raised an objection and sent a legal notice to the maker saying that they did not take the permission of the family before kickstarting the project.

Film: Based on Battle of Saragarhi
Contenders: Karan Johar, Ajay Devgn, Rajkumar Santoshi
Ajay Devgn had announced the sequel of Son of Sardaar last year in June. The film’s plot was to be the historical Battle of Saragarhi that was fought between Sikh soldiers of the British Indian Army and Pashtun Orakzai tribesmen. The Sikhs, led by Havildar Ishar Singh, chose to fight to death, in what is considered by some military historians as one of history’s greatest last-stands. Earlier this year, Karan Johar and Salman Khan came together to co-produce a film on the same subject with Akshay Kumar playing the lead role. He will start shooting for it in December. Then, there is Rajkumar Santoshi who is making his version with Randeep Hooda playing Havildar Singh. However, the film has hit a roadblock due to differences between the producers and the director.

Film: Based on coalmine hero J S Gill
Contenders: Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn
In May this year, there were reports of Akshay Kumar playing coal mine engineer JS Gill, who rescued 64 miners trapped in a mine in Raniganj. A month later, there was news that Ajay and not Askhay is playing the coalmine hero and that the makers have obtained the rights and work on the script has already begun. Tentatively titled Capsule Gill, it is to be helmed by Rustom director Tinu Suresh Desai.