Petta Director Karthik Subbaraj promises to recreate Thalaiva's magic with the film, assures fans that Rajinikanth will 'play to the gallery'
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; January 10, 2019)

A little over a month since the release of 2.0, Rajinikanth is back with his next offering, Petta. While the megastar's last few outings - including Kaala (2018) and Kabali (2016) - were a departure from the commercial fares he is usually associated with, director Karthik Subbaraj promises that his latest venture showcases Rajinikanth in the avatar that his fans admire him the most in - a larger-than-life hero.

As the movie hits screens today, Subbaraj says, "I can't comment on his previous films, but I felt they were missing his swagger and style. In Petta, Rajini sir is playing to the gallery. I feel he will recreate his magic with this film. While writing the script, all the ingredients of a Rajinikanth special came in naturally." Assured of the movie's mass appeal, the director zeroed in on Pongal as the release date - it is Thalaiva's first Pongal release in over two decades since the runaway hit Baashha (1995).

The director of acclaimed hits such as Pizza (2012) and Jigarthanda (2014) has a fan-boy moment as he gushes over the leading man of his next. "Ever since I became a director, my desire was to direct him. I never thought it would happen so early on in my career."

Describing his association with the megastar as an enriching experience, Subbaraj says Rajinikanth's understanding of cinema reflects even in the smallest of his inputs. "I gave him a bound script before starting the film. On the first day, Rajini sir came with many changes that significantly improved the film." In fact, he credits the actor for the idea of roping in two antagonists for the film. "Rajini sir believed in having a strong antagonist to give the story a good kick. That is why when Petta demanded two antagonists, we decided on Nawazuddin [Siddiqui] and Vijay Sethupathi."

Riya Sharma (BOMBAY TIMES; November 10, 2018)

She made her debut in Hindi films with Oscar nominated director Majid Majidi’s Beyond The Clouds. For Malavika Mohanan, daughter of the popular cinematographer K U Mohanan, acting happened by chance as she had no intentions of joining the industry. The actress is currently shooting for her next film Petta with superstar Rajinikanth. The film also stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vijay Setupati. The actress says that she is very ‘greedy’ and wants to do all kinds of movies across the country, irrespective of the language. She also spoke to us about her first meeting with Shah Rukh Khan and a project called, ‘Chappal Marungi’ that she started in her college.

HAD NO PLANS TO PURSUE ACTING
Though her father is a popular cinematographer in Bollywood, Malavika had no plans to join the industry. However, she was always fascinated with the creative side of the industry. “I was always intrigued by the creative aspect. I was always more inclined towards painting, ad films and those kind of things. I didn’t plan to pursue acting at all until I was offered my first film, Pattam Pole, which was a Southern film. I took that up, and other films happened and I felt that I was enjoying it. My parents and I, we all live in Mumbai, so I thought if I am doing it, I might do Hindi films as well. This is how Beyond The Clouds happened. My journey has been fun so far. When you live in Mumbai, you learn so much about different kinds of things. In that sense, it has been incredible. I have grown up visiting my father’s sets. I still remember when he was doing Don, and being a huge Shah Rukh Khan fan in Class IX, I had gone on the sets to meet him. That was the first time when I saw SRK. I was so petrified and nervous when he came to say hello that I could not get up from my chair. And when he left, my parents were like, ‘Shah Rukh Khan comes to say hello, and you can’t even get up!’ I was like, ‘I am sorry. I was so nervous.’

EXCITED TO WORK WITH RAJINIKANTH
The actress, who is shooting with Rajinikanth for Petta, says, “I am very excited to work with Rajini sir at such an early point of my career. It’s an amazing role and very challenging, performance-wise. It was even tougher for me because I don’t speak Tamil. But I wanted to be true to my character, so I hired a language teacher and trained with her. Rajini sir is an absolute delight to work with and is so humble and down to earth. I am very excited to be a part of this project as it’s an out-and-out commercial film, and different from all the projects I’ve done previously.”

LANGUAGE NO BARRIER
Talking about the films that she had done in South, Malavika adds that she wants to do films that excite her and the language does not matter. “I haven’t done many films down South, I have done about four films, which by South standards is nothing. Films over there get completed so fast, they shoot for 20 days for one movie. I have always aspired to do things in Hindi, so this is where I see myself, even though I see myself doing films all over the country. As long as it is a film that excites you, the language does not matter,” she points out.

MALAVIKA’S ‘CHAPPAL MARUNGI’ CAMPAIGN IN COLLEGE
The actress studied at Wilson College in Mumbai and tells us that she was part of a project called, ‘Chappal Marungi’, which was against molestation. “We were in the final year of our college and it started off as a project. The whole project was about sexual harassment — all girls who would take the Mumbai local faced it at some point. Comments like ‘Item’, ‘Chalegi kya?’ — that girls usually ignore — I feel that is where it grows, because people think if she is not saying anything then it’s okay even if I touch her, and if I touch her, it is okay if I do more. I feel that’s where the thought grows and becomes very serious when people get molested or raped. We can’t ignore that anymore. If someone says something that makes you uncomfortable, just ask the person to shut up. We are not continuing with the project now since all of us are busy. But as somebody who is doing films and wants to reach out to a wider audience, I really want to do things like continuing the campaign or starting a new movement to speak about the issues that women are facing today, especially in our country,” says Malavika. 

The actor is trading grit and grime for light-hearted love stories in as many as four out of six films in the coming year
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 7, 2018)

The new year will see Nawazuddin Siddiqui changing lanes, from serious dramas to light-hearted romances. And the actor couldn’t be happier. He surprises you with the admission that back in the ’80s and early ’90s, when he was dabbling in theatre in Delhi, he featured in so many comedies that he had acquired the tag of a ‘comedian’ and when he set out for Mumbai and the movies in 1996, his friends and fellow actors told him to steer clear of the laughs.

After breaking into Bollywood with a small role in the Aamir Khan-starrer Sarfarosh in 1999, Nawaz went on to impress in films like Dekh Indian Circus, Kahaani, Gangs of Wasseypur, Talaash, Manjhi, Raman Raghav 2.0, Badlapur, Raees, Mom and more recently, Manto. Most of his screen appearances, with a few exceptions like Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Freaky Ali, have played up his intensity. But the actor himself is now keen to take a break from such roles whose hangover is difficult to shrug off. “Bahut ho gaya,” he exclaims. Now of the six films he has lining up for 2019, only one is a biopic and the other an action drama. The remaining four are fun-filled romcoms and sunshiny love stories.

Nawaz tells us what to expect from the line-up:


Motichoor Chaknachoor:
This one is an out-and-out family entertainer which incorporates a romantic track with Athiya (Shetty) and revolves around a wedding. Ma baap sochte hain that once they get their kids married, it’s the end of all their problems, little realising that they have just begun. In fact, some of them crop up during the wedding itself when relatives rooth jaate hain and will stomp out if you are not able to smoothen their ruffled feathers. This marry-go-round unfolds in a small town. It’s a life I’m familiar with having grown up in one. Even the motichoor laddoos in the title bring back memories of many celebrations because while other sweets are eaten through the year, these laddoos are specially made for festivals and shaadis.


Photograph:
Another love story, this one with Sanya Malhotra and me as a photographer. It has the distinctive simplicity of Ritesh’s (Batra, director) earlier film, The Lunchbox, and will surely touch hearts too. It unfolds in Mumbai where lovers are strapped for time and have no place to romance. So, while in a small town a boy and girl can happily spend a couple of years just looking at each other from their terraces with no sense of urgency, in the city you have to make time for love in the hurry-scurry of everyday life, between job and commute. You usually meet on the train or the bus, in a cramped restaurant or while being jostled in the crowd.


Roam Rome Mein:
This is my third straight film with a woman director (Tannishtha Chatterjee), the other two being Manto (Nandita Das) and Motichoor Chaknachoor (Debamitra Hasan). Ninety per cent of it was filmed in Rome and my co-star, Valentina Corti, is an extremely popular and professional actress, having done TV shows like Don Matteo, All The Music of the Heart and Titanic: Blood and Steel. But not for a minute did I feel that I was working in a country that was not my own and with an actress who was a foreigner. Actors across the world have the same concerns and passions as far as creativity goes. And love knows no boundaries, rather it binds hearts. For me personally, love is unconditional support... It gives you the freedom to do what you want. That’s why maa ka pyaar sabse sachcha hota hai.


Thackeray:
This is my most difficult project so far because it’s a Hindi-Marathi bilingual. Manto was a biopic too, but Thackeray is a bigger challenge because there is so much material available on Balasaheb, people have watched him live or on screen. I’ve been watching countless videos to imbibe his mannerisms, speech patterns and personality traits. It’s a lot of work and there’s a Part 2 as well. Currently the script for the sequel is being worked on.

Petta:
Since Petta is an action film with a surprise twist, I can’t reveal much about my role. But watch out for our young director, Karthik Subbaraj. Bahut mazaa aaya uske saath kaam karke. I’m a crazy fan of Rajini sir (Rajinikanth) and lived the dream of working with him with this Tamil film. I’ve often met superstars who constantly remind you about their star status. But he’s a legend and yet I have yet to meet someone who’s so simple and real. Rajini sir is always trying to reiterate the fact that he’s an aam aadmi like you and I.

Raat Akeli Hai:
I’ve worked with Radhika Apte in Manjhi: The Mountain Man and Badlapur. Recently, we also did a show together. I’m impressed with her growth as an actress and it’s wonderful to collaborate with her on Honey Trehan’s directorial debut. Honey and I have been wanting to do a film together for a long time, I wanted it to be a love story. And what better than one that borrows its title from the Jewel Thief chartbuster, “Raat Akeli Hai”. I was the only one in my village who was a die-hard Dev Anand fan. I’d copy the way he walked and spoke, his distinctive style. This subject is different, but I’m thrilled it has the Dev Anand connection in its title.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui on downsides of candour, significance of the female gaze and why he is afraid of reviews
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 17, 2018) 

Tell us something about Saadat Hasan Manto, the acclaimed writer-playwright, that even you weren’t familiar with till you played him on screen?
Well, I’d read his stories, so when I bumped into Nandita (Das, director) at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013 and she told me she was planning a biopic on Manto, I agreed to be a part of it. Four years later, after completing her research, she returned to introduce me to the man, his world and his thoughts. I had no idea till then that Manto had been an alcoholic and was so prolific he could write a story while being jostled in a crowd. I also didn’t know about the obscenity cases against him or that he was quite the family man.

Do you see glimpses of Nawaz in him?
Yes, there are times when I’m so immersed in a role, I cease to be a part of the real world. Physically I’m there, but mentally I’ve zoned out. At such times if my wife and children want my time, I’m lost to them aur tab thodi bahut kaha-suni ho jati hai (Smiles wryly).

Manto spoke the truth fearlessly and often brutally, and that got him into trouble. You used to be pretty outspoken yourself once...
(Laughs) If you read the interviews I gave in 2012, you will see that I said what I thought. But then I began to realise that mere sach bolne se problem ho rahi hai so I began manipulating the truth. I’d say what was permissible, what people wanted to hear, till I entered the Manto zone.

Then, for about two-three months, I was back to speaking the truth without embellishments. But society can be very judgmental, people started saying, he’s done all this, he must be a really dirty guy, kitna kharab insaan hai. It didn’t matter that I had admitted to certain shortcomings myself. I wasn’t appreciated for my honesty. Instead, my confessions went against me. So, I figured there was no point in spoiling my public image when I was getting work — mujhe jhooth bolna chahiye.

Don’t the lies make you feel guilty?
Bilkul, I feel terribly guilty. When I am alone, I reprimand myself for all the lies I’ve told so that logon ke samne meri achchi image bani rahe. What to do, zamana yehi sunna chahta hai.

Has working with women directors like Nandita and Tannishtha Chatterjee (Roam Rome Mein) changed your perspective?
Debamitra Hassan, the director of another upcoming film, Motichoor Chaknachoor, is a lady too. And yes, working back-to-back with women directors has changed my perspective on the world, improved me not just as an actor but a human being too.

In what way?
Well, creatively, both men and women are equal, but the male gaze is very different from the female gaze. And I’ve come to realise that it’s because of men that duniya mein aaj itna hungama hai, so much of violence. It’s time we put power in the hands of women; the world will become a better place.

At home, do you surrender to your wife’s decisions?
Hamesha se, I tell her that if she feels it’s the correct decision, make it. After working with women, mera nazariya badal gaya hai. I’ve come to believe that today our hope lies in women.

From Manto to Thackarey, how different is Sanjay Raut’s biopic?
Very different in that few have seen Manto or heard him. We know him only through his writings so while playing him, I could interpret him my way. But people have watched Balasaheb deliver his speeches live, there are thousands of videos of him on YouTube, so I have to concentrate on minute details, from the way he moved his fingers to the way he sat, since in this case, getting the body language right is important to make the performance authentic. Also, since Thackeray is a Hindi-Marathi bilingual, I’ve hired a tutor to get my Marathi diction right. It’s my most difficult role so far.

And what’s it like sharing the screen with ‘Thalaiva’ Rajinikanth in your first Tamil film, Petta?
What a stylish actor, what a superstar he is! I used to copy his mannerisms, from the way he swings his sunglasses to the way he caught a lit cigarette. And then I met him and was shocked by his simplicity. Being around him is a lesson in itself and since I’m a lot like him, we got along well.

On the other side of the world, what was it like working with the popular Italian actress, Valentina Corti, in Roam Rome Mein?
Not just Valentina, all the other actors, from Francesco Apolloni and Andrea Scarduzio to Urbano Barberini, are equally brilliant, so well trained and well-rehearsed when they arrive for the shoot. Mazaa aa gaya.

Were you recognised in Rome?
(Smiles) Well, Sacred Games had just started airing, after about eight days people started watching the show and then I could see a flicker of recognition on their faces.

Going by your choice of films lately, you seem to be deliberately steering clear of big-budget, starry commercial projects...
No, it’s not deliberate, I’m getting to pick and choose my films now and want to explore new terrain, take on roles that demand me to internalise more. The Rajinikanth film is an out-and-out mainstream entertainer and Motichoor Chaknachoor too is a sweet, commercial romcom. When I was doing theatre, I worked in around 50-200 comedies. Films have given me this serious, intense image so doing lighter roles is a welcome change.

Finally, any last-minute jitters as you prepare to resurrect Manto on screen?
Reviews se bahut dar lagta hai. I was very nervous when I went with it to Cannes and it was unexpected but encouraging when reviews in publications like The Hollywood Reporter analysed the film and my performance in great detail. Here, we are more focused on entertainment. We want films to make us laugh and cry while they are looking for films that make them think. Here everyone is a critic. A film and all the hard work we put in it, is dismissed with two stars. Isi liye to dar lagta hai (Smiles wryly again).