When Tanuj Virwani dropped his mother, actress Rati Agnihotri, at the airport in March 2020, little did he know that he would not get to see her for well over a year-and-a-half. The actress was stationed in Poland with her sister during the Coronavirus pandemic. Rati recently returned home and celebrated her birthday with her son and husband yesterday.

“It has been two years since we celebrated mom’s birthday at home. It’s crazy! I had never thought that it would take this long to see my mother again in person. She was expected to return in August, but her pet needed a passport, which pushed things to September. Eventually, my aunt requested her to be around till Diwali. She only returned to Mumbai in the second week of November,” says Tanuj.

Rati says, “It has taken very long for us to be able to spend this time together. I had to set my emotions aside, looking at the way things were unfolding all over the world. Tanuj didn’t want me to travel until things got better in Mumbai, although I got vaccinated much earlier. I’ve never been away from my child for anything longer than two months; this was almost two years. I travel often, but this journey was hard on both of us and yet, a much smaller sacrifice in comparison to what so many suffered.”

On the day she returned to Mumbai, Tanuj landed at the airport to surprise his mother, who thought he was busy shooting. “I had a shoot scheduled in Banaras, but it was cancelled at the last minute, and I didn’t tell mom. I surprised her at the airport instead, and there we were, crying and smiling at the same time. She was looking tired and yet so happy. The house has suddenly gone from being a bachelors’ pad to a home. Her presence was missed. Although I wasn’t too well, we had an intimate celebration for my birthday also a few days ago. We had a good weekend at our farmhouse, too.”

Rati adds, “When I came out of the airport, I just wanted to go home and sleep in my bed. I saw my husband waiting outside and then, out of nowhere, Tanuj popped out. It became so dramatic! I was overwhelmed with emotions to see him. We went home and chatted till sunrise. I might have to travel again, but not immediately. I just want to be with my child.”

Talking about her birthday celebrations, she says, “I left the planning to Tanuj. I am not a party person, so that was out of the question. I like being with my family on birthdays. Tanuj had taken the day off for me and that’s the best present he could have given me.”

Even though away in Lonavala, Tanuj Virwani recounts fire department's three-hour rescue operation after the blaze erupted at the family home in Worli
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 27, 2020)

It was a sleepless night for the Virwanis on Wednesday when they received frantic calls from neighbours informing them that a fire had broken out at their Worli residence. While actor Rati Agnihotri has been stationed in Poland during the Coronavirus lockdown, son Tanuj and husband Anil Virwani were in their Lonavala farmhouse when the incident took place.

Tanuj reveals that a blaze erupted in the 10th storey of the highrise in the small hours of Wednesday. "About 10 people, including some senior citizens, and two dogs were stuck in the A wing penthouse. Initially, the fire engine was only able to reach up to the eighth floor. So, the firefighters broke open our house [in the B wing] to gain access to the [adjacent] penthouse and help people evacuate. Eventually, the entire building was evacuated. Thankfully, there was no casualty and no damage to our apartment," he recounts.

The Worli fire station was alerted a little after 12.30 am and the rescue operation continued till 3.45 am. "I was in Mumbai for a shoot last week and returned to Lonavala after honouring the commitment. It was a disturbing night as sitting here, we couldn't fully understand the gravity of the situation. My father did his best to coordinate with the fire department officials and give them access to our home. He also called the building's chairman to offer assistance." He adds that Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray rushed to the site at 2.30 am to appraise the situation.

Tanuj relayed the turn of events to mother Rati, who is spending the lockdown with her sister. "She panicked on hearing about the fire. My mother won't be able to return to India anytime soon. Though she has procured the necessary permission to travel, she hasn't got the clearance required for her pet dog to travel. My father will head to Mumbai in a few days to see if the house needs fixing."

Matylda Bajer, who hails from Pozna in west Poland, is now a resident of Malad. She says her biggest roles yet have been as Sunny Leone's friend in the 2018 web series Karenjit Kaur, and in the Malayalam film Lucifer (2019). Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

While international faces in Hindi films are now commonplace, it's the recent rush of Polish talent, especially across acting and cinematography, that industry observers say points to an interesting connect
Prutha Bhosle (MID-DAY; December 8, 2019)

During World War II, about 1,000 orphaned children from war-torn Poland travelled to India seeking refuge. When their ship docked at Rozi Port in Jamnagar, Maharaja Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja of Nawanagar, a princely state in the Kathiawar Peninsula off Gujarat, made arrangements to build a camp for them. Later in 1943, the only permanent and the largest Polish settlement, was built in Valivade, next to Kolhapur, for 5,000 refugees. This gesture resulted in the heart-warming documentary, A Little Poland In India, made in 2013. The 52-minute film is the first to be co-produced by the Indian and Polish governments.

While this story celebrates compassion, and a cultural and historical connect between India and Poland, there is another one unfolding in Bollywood.

Growing up in Poznan, western Poland, Matylda Bajer's love for Hindi cinema grew early with the Shah Rukh Khan-Mahima Chaudhary-starrer Pardes (1997). Then a teenager, Bajer, now 28, watched the film on her television. "Then there was the Punjabi MC-Mundian tu bachke song which was played on loop in Poland's clubs. Bollywood was not known to everyone there. These were the only two links we had to the Indian entertainment industry," she says when we meet her at her Malad home.

When she turned 18, Bajer moved to Ireland. While still pursuing business studies and working as an assistant in an accounts office, she was approached by a photographer. "I was shy and hated being clicked. But he convinced me and said he would keep the photographs only as souvenir. When I saw my pictures, I was stunned." It set the ball rolling for a new life. Bajer enrolled for a theatre workshop in Dublin and worked with independent filmmakers on small roles till she turned 20.

In 2012, on a backpacking trip to Hong Kong "to experience Asian culture" she was introduced to India. "People spoke of the challenges of living here, how culturally diverse it is and how it could change your life." From June 2013, Bajer explored India for the next five months. "It was tough, I stayed at the most basic accommodations and ate street food. But my stay made me realise how madly I had fallen in love with the country. I packed my bags and left for Europe, with a dream of returning and pursuing a career here."

After saving up by modelling in Ireland, Bajer arrived in Mumbai in 2015. She lived at a Colaba guest house and frequented tourist spots in South Bombay, drawing the attention of film agents and coordinators. "I did a random reality show. I had to begin somewhere. And then, started giving auditions in Aram Nagar. Soon, I started shooting for TVCs. My first big ad was for Incredible India." Bajer played the role of a news reader in the Neil Nitin Mukesh-starrer Firrkie, an air hostess in SRK's Fan (2016) as well as bagged a part in a series on Bindaas called Life Lafde Aur Bandiyan. Her biggest break was as Sunny Leone's friend in the 2018 web series Karenjit Kaur - The Untold Story Of Sunny Leone,, and the Malayalam film Lucifer (2019).

Bajer says her tribe is growing in Bollywood. Born in Wodzislaw Slaski, Claudia Ciesla (below), 32, has in the last 13 years appeared as a contestant on Bigg Boss and starred in the hit song Balma from Khiladi 786 (2012). A well known face on the European modelling circuit, she came to India in 2006 to shoot with an international crew for Karma. "I had to be in Mumbai to promote the film, and that is how I got noticed by the paparazzi. When I went back to Germany, I was offered an entry into Bigg Boss season 3, to be hosted by Amitabh Bachchan." Initially, she turned down the offer. "I didn't even know what a reality show was. But the organisers convinced my manager that this would be a good platform, so I gave in."

Ciesla survived in the house for 10 weeks. "When I got out, people wanted selfies with me. I had become popular in just two months, I couldn't believe it. This is when I realised I could try for bigger projects in Bollywood. If things didn't work out, I had a successful career waiting for me back home." So, the 32-year-old actor stayed and hit gold. She signed another reality show, Zor Ka Jhatka with SRK, and shot the project in Argentina. Next came Comedy Circus, and then the sizzling item number, Balma. It's been 13 years, but Ciesla like Bajer has no plans of heading back.

While speaking English isn't common in the country, all the interviewees we spoke to were fluent in the language. And so, the real obstacles in a smooth work-life in India are the weather and hair colour. "Initially, they [production houses] would want me to colour my hair brown so I could look more Indian. But I am an outsider and will never look local, no matter what contact lenses I wear. One day I put my foot down and decided I'd accept only those roles that allowed me to play a foreign character," says Bajer.

A March 2019 report by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry titled, A Billion Screens of Opportunity, stated that in 2018, the country's media and entertainment industry enjoyed a stellar run. "With the film segment expanding by 12.2 per cent to reach an annual revenue of INR 174.5 billion. Of this amount, the domestic film revenues crossed INR 100 billion with Net Box Office Collections for Hindi films at INR 32.5 billion —the highest ever," it said.

With massive budgets and a growing worldwide audience, it's not surprising that Bollywood and Indian television attracts talent from across the world. What's surprising however, is the concentration of Polish talent. Joanna Robaczewska has anchored Comedy Circus and was a part of Karenjit Kaur season 2. Erika Kaar played a pivotal role with Ajay Devgn in Shivaay. Bielsko-Biala-born Natalia Janoszek, too, was seen in lead roles in Dreamz: The Movie (2013), and Flame: An Untold Love Story (2014). Well-known Polish actors Cezary Pazura and Tomasz Karolak bagged roles in Bangistan (2015).

Julia Piekielko (left; above), a Polish national, set up a talent agency in Mumbai five years ago, to increase collaboration between Bollywood and international talent, especially her home country. In the last five years, she says, she has placed eight directors of photography (DOP) in various productions across India. "It isn't necessary that they [production houses] ask for a DOP of a certain nationality; it's truly their choice in the end," she says. Representing the production company Film Poland Productions and the Talent Agency Choice Talents, she placed DOP Michal Luka for Ittefaq (2017); animator Adam Wyrwas in Tokri (2017), and Marcin Laskawiec (right) and Karol Stadnik (right; below)—both DOPs—on the production of Tiger Zinda Hai (2017). The projects helped their careers in India take off.

Until recently, Artur Åurawski was the only Polish DOP—Pradeep Sarkar's Mardaani (2014) and Yash Raj Films' Sultan (2016)—in Bollywood. But, as Laskawiec's and Stadnik's career graphs show, Bollywood's interest in Poland is not limited to acting.

Born in the small central Polish city of Slupca, Stadnik is currently on an assignment in Delhi. Speaking to us over the phone, he says, "As a kid I was a major movie buff. I grew up making amateur movies and VFX. During the five-year-long cinematography course at the Polish National Film School, I had already started making short films. After graduating in 2011, I did multiple commercials and feature films in Germany and Estonia."

Moving from Poland—which has its own flourishing and acclaimed film industry—was an easy choice for Stadnik, who says the competition was tough back home. "I have not yet worked on a big budget film in Poland. The competition among DOPs there is quite intense. But Indian films have given me the opportunity to work as the main DOP."

Director Ali Abbas Zafar has hired Polish DOPs for his big ticket films like Bharat (2019), Tiger Zinda Hai and Sultan. "Ali Abbas specifically demands that his films have Polish DOPs. I think after Zurawski did a great job in Sultan, the director has a fascination for Polish camera operators," says Laskawiec, who studied philosophy and literature for two years each, before enrolling in the Krzysztof Kieslowski Film School in Katowice to learn cinematography.

Piekielko agrees. "My job is to bring in talent most suited for a film. While I deal with cinematographers from across the globe, there are some Indian directors who prefer Polish DOPs. It's their choice. My job is to then guide them through the work visa procedure so the production carries on smoothly. I coordinate on the project from the beginning to completion, to ensure that both the director and the DOP are happy and all goes according to the production plan."

Interestingly, Film Poland Productions, for whom Piekielko works, offers another service back home—their exotic locations where Indian movies can be filmed. Marta Bejma, head of production, tells us, "We believe that Poland is one of the most attractive and competitive places in Europe for filming movies. We have historical cities, castles, fairytale palaces, mountains, the seaside, and also modern city life. We can add a European feel to any film at a much lower budget than other countries."

And there have already been takers. Salman Khan's Kick (2014) was shot in Warsaw. The Alia Bhatt and Shahid Kapoor-starrer Shaandaar (2015) was shot at the Zamoyski Palace in the Lublin region and Ksiaz Castle in Lower Silesia. Then came Fitoor (2016) and Super 30 (2019). And now, Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Chehra is set to be shot in the region. Film Poland Productions wants to make Poland the new Switzerland for Bollywood films.

Actor flies off to Europe for the final schedule of his thriller beginning Dec 10; producer hopes he will direct the last scene of the film
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 2, 2019)

Mirror had earlier reported (November 28) that Amitabh Bachchan, who plays Ranbir Kapoor’s guru in the Ayan Mukerji-directed action fantasy adventure Brahmastra, joined the 37-year-old actor and co-star Alia Bhatt in Manali last week to film the larger-than-life climax. And amidst speculations following his blog post that it is time to retire, we’ve now learnt that Big B will be flying off to Europe next week to shoot for the last schedule of Rumi Jaffery’s upcoming thriller Chehre.

“We will be shooting an action sequence at a Slovakian national park and in south Poland beginning December 10. Amit ji will be leading a chase sequence. The schedule is spread over eight days with Amit ji also engaging in mild hand-to-hand combats. We have roped in two action directors from Europe to design the sequence,” informs producer Anand Pandit, adding that Emraan Hashmi and Annu Kapoor will also be a part of the shoot.

The film, which kicked off in May, revolves around a group of friends, some of whom are retired lawyers. They meet at a bungalow in Shimla to play a psychological game. While the 77-year-old actor plays one of the lawyers, Emraan is a business tycoon. They are pairing up for the first time. Emraan is shooting for the film in Delhi till December 7, after which the team will take off for Europe. “We will be filming in unexplored, scenic locations for which we have taken special permission. The temperature will be between minus 5-7 degree Celsius and there will be snow, which we are all excited about,” beams the producer.

Owing to his health problems, Bachchan was hospitalised last month. But he has bounced back quickly. He recently attended the opening ceremony of the International Film Festival of India in Goa, which was followed by a moving performance which was part of a tribute to the 26/11 martyrs in Mumbai, before taking off to Himachal Pradesh for the Karan Johar production.

“Amit ji himself insisted that we go ahead with the Poland schedule. His health is a concern for everybody, but by agreeing to go there, he proves that he is fit and fine,” Pandit points out.

Meanwhile, the producer also has another surprise up his sleeve. “On the last day of the schedule, we will request Amit ji to direct the film’s last scene. It will be a wonderful memory for all of us. Every star wants to direct a film once in his life and Amit ji hasn’t directed one yet. We’d really like him to do it for us before we call it a wrap,” he concludes. 

Tara Sutaria and her twin sister Pia, who is a professional ballet dancer, on the performing arts, their differing interests and boy talk
Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 29, 2019)

The first thing that you notice about fraternal twins Tara and Pia Sutaria is that they are joined at the hip. We catch them mid laugh which gives way to conspiratorial whispers and then a warm welcoming smile. They don’t look exactly alike yet there is a similarity which is hard to miss. “People often point out that our smiles are identical and we also pose the same way,” admits Tara who recently made her Bollywood debut with Karan Johar’s Student Of The Year 2. While on the topic of the film, Pia waxes eloquent about how proud she is of her sister. “It didn’t sink in till I went for the trailer launch and saw her face plastered all over. We sat together, holding hands, watching the trailer of SOTY 2. It was surreal to see Tara on the big screen,” she gushes.

Prod Tara on why she thought a high school musical was the best launch and she quips, “The pros outweighed the cons, there are so few films in that space. It was great to kickstart my career with a film that made the most of my talents.” She is quick to point out that her second outing, Marjaavaan, is a complete departure from Mia Chawla. “It’s such an exciting time for women in entertainment, there’s so much I want to do.”

And any regrets about losing Kabir Singh to Kiara Advani given its box-office success? “It’s a remake of a hit film (Arjun Reddy) so it was bound to do well,” she reasons. Didn’t the misogynistic tone of the film rankle? “As a woman, a human being and an artiste, I know I have a certain social responsibility, but as artistes we also have a certain artistic freedom and the right to express as we please. It’s on the audience as to how they interpret that. Personally, I am a fan of both Arjun Reddy and Kabir Singh,” she avers.

While Tara is navigating her way through Bollywood now, Pia has been travelling around the world as a professional ballet dancer who also teaches kids. “That’s one thing I really hate, I don’t get to see her as much as I’d like to. Pia is always globetrotting,” she complains. Her twin is quick to point out that though she has been away from home since she was 18, they have always remained connected. “One day, in Poland, I woke up feeling something was amiss. I immediately called her in Mumbai and learnt that she had been upset all night. It’s creepy but it happens,” Pia laughs.

Is Bollywood on the cards for her too? Before Pia can reply, Tara does, “There are times when we are abroad and people walk up, rave about her exotic looks and offer her scripts instantly without even a look test while I am ignored. She should certainly give Bollywood a shot.”

Tara goes on to share that if she finds certain steps too hard, she turns to her sister for help. “We performed our first opera when we were six. All our weekends were at the NCPA. We’ve been performing on stage for so long, we can actually fall asleep there—that’s how comfortable we are on it,” Pia laughs.

But it’s not just their professions that connect them. They share secrets too and give each other relationship tips. “Tara is the responsible one and sets curfew timings for me. I am a free spirit while she is the voice of reason. She will stay up late, giving gyaan,” says Pia. Have they ever had a crush on the same guy? “Except for Richard Gere, we have completely different taste in men so thankfully it has never come to that,” Tara retorts with relief. And how does she deal with dating rumours now that she is a part of the industry? “It is amusing, and also a little flattering. In the beginning I used to wonder who this mystery guy is who they are talking about, now I can laugh it off,” she shrugs nonchalantly.

If there was a quality that they could have traded, what would it be, you wonder. Pia points out that Tara was always bullied and she would rush to her rescue. But after entering the industry, she has become more resilient, even though she remains a sensitive artiste. “I wish I could become just as strong,” she breathes in awe.

Her sister returns the favour, informing that Pia was a star student in school while she was always a little behind in academics as her focus was art and singing. “But now she is so worldly-wise, I’d like to be more like her,” she says appreciatively. Overriding her sister’s protests, Pia adds that she wants to learn how to faff like Tara. “She can spin five pages around a one-line while I can sum up five pages in a sentence. There are two types of Scorpios, we are the two ends of the spectrum,” Pia confides while her sister nods in agreement.

Seeing their camaraderie, one wonders if there’s any rivalry since they work so closely with each other. “We have never competed, rather we have been inspired by each other’s work and feed off the other’s energies. Our fields overlap all the time. Tara has to dance in her films while I sing sometimes. But there is no question of rivalry because we want the other to succeed,” asserts Pia. Finally, what’s the one thing that they hate about the other. “Both of us think that the other is messy and no one admits to it,” Tara signs off with a chuckle.

Producer son Sanjay Grover got the actor the role of a single parent to two young girls in an international production
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 30, 2018)

Gulshan Grover’s son Sanjay, who has been a Hollywood studio producer and executive for many years, recently got his father a lead role in a Polish film. It required the veteran actor, who plays a single parent to two Polish girls, to portray a strong emotional bond with them on screen, and Sanjay felt only his father could do justice to the part.

“Sanjay, as people say, was born in Bollywood and raised in Hollywood. He’s now in India and Hollywood has found its own man here. Studio heads keep calling him for suggestions regarding finances and casting. Sanjay suggests Indian actors who he thinks could fit parts in Hollywood projects. Nine years ago, when it was practically unheard of, he used to screen Bollywood films at the MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) headquarters in Los Angeles,” Grover Sr. tells Mirror.

He adds that his son felt he was the best fit for the role in the Polish production as he has been a single father in real life too and his experience would come in handy on screen. “I’m very proud of my son, Sanjay has been helping Indian talents across the world and now he has helped his father bag an important role too,” Gulshan beams.

Gulshan recently started shooting for the project in Poland. They have completed a major portion of a 30-day schedule and plan to resume shoot soon. “There will be a lot of interesting information coming out shortly,” he signs off with a laugh.

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 3, 2017)

In May, Armaan Kohli will fly off to the quaint Polish town of Bielsko-Biala, to shoot for a Polish-English-Hindi trilingual. The yet-to-be-titled murder-thriller has him playing a cop. The actor will be taking Polish language lessons to play the part convincingly.

“I’m excited to be shooting in three languages. Apart from the language, I’ll get a chance to learn the local culture and the local slangs too,” guffaws the actor who has hit the gym to beef up.

The film will feature high-voltage stunts and outdoor action sequences and Armaan who, was last seen in Sooraj Barjatya’s Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, will be filming with an international cast and crew. “I’ll be dressed in leather jackets, boots and glares when I’m not in the blueand-white, Polish cop uniform,” he informs.

Polish actress Erika Kaar says she grew up on Ramayana, insists she’s here to stay
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 18, 2016)

When Erika Kaar, Ajay Devgn’s leading lady in his upcoming directorial, Shivaay, auditioned for the role in September 2014, little did she know that she would be making her Bollywood debut opposite one of its top actors. “I just knew it was a performance-oriented role in a Bollywood film. And not only was the character and the script exciting, I was also getting to learn a new language, travel to India and explore its culture,” reminisces the Polish actress who has featured in a TV series back home, Az po sufit, with Polish actors, Cezary Pazura and Edyta Olszówka.

She learnt Hindi for six months before shooting commenced and would resume it during breaks while filming. “I was given a great tutor in Warsaw and in Mumbai. Working with writer Sandeep Srivastava also helped,” she says. She hadn’t heard of Ajay before but that allowed her to focus on her character’s relationship with the titular Shivaay without feeling intimidated by her co-star. Prod her on their kissing scene in the romantic track, “Darkhaast” and she reasons that she is a professional and what she does on camera stays on camera. “The kissing scene is important to the story, so I wasn’t hesitant at all. It was Olga and Shivaay kissing, not Erika and Ajay,” she argues.

Erika visited India first in January 2015 for workshops and Hindi lessons and instantly fell in love with the warmth, bright colours and the kind, honest smiling faces. “It’s so different from Poland and yet so beautiful. I’ve got India under my skin and am a fan of butter chicken now. I love everything Indian from the jewellery, clothes and shoes to the language,” says the actress who grew up on the Ramayana. “I was in love with Ram when I was growing up. It was on my laptop when I came to India and the creative producer told me that it’s an Indian epic. Life prepares you for what is yours to come.”

She admires Ajay, Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan, loved 3 Idiots and thinks Rajkumar Hirani is a terrific director and Aamir Khan is super too. She was impressed with Bajirao Mastani and wants to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. “I’m here to stay,” she announces.

MUMBAI MIRROR (August 13, 2016)

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 3, 2015)

Mirror (May 27) was the first to report that Rekha had bowed out of Abhishek Kapoor's Fitoor, after viewing the final rushes of the desi adaptation of the Charles Dickens's classic, Great Expectations. A source close to the film had earlier revealed that Rekha, who was playing Begum, an Indianised Miss Havisham, was unhappy with her look and requested Gattu, as Abhishek is popularly called, to re-shoot some of the portions and was subsequently replaced by Tabu.

While Rekha had filmed in Kashmir in December, Tabu had canned her scenes on a set in Mumbai's Mehboob Studio in May. She was believed to have finished her work in the film but Mirror has learnt that she recently joined Aditya Roy Kapur, Bollywood's Pip Noor, in Poland, on the last schedule.

"She shot for five days from September 24. There was an intense sequence in Goetz Palace in Brzesko," informs a source from the sets. "They wrapped up at the end of the month."

Were these scenes additions to the script since one had not heard of Rekha travelling to the eastern European country? "No, they were always a part of the original script. Rekha shot for the film only for a brief time," adds the source.

Aditya plays an artist in the film and the unit has shot in Warsaw's art galleries. The movie follows the journey of the orphan boy, Noor, who falls for Firdaus, played by Katrina Kaif, the glamorous but aloof protege of Begum, an aging, heartbroken recluse.

Abhishek Kapoor moves to art galleries in Europe with his hero Aditya Roy Kapur for a month long schedule of authentic art work for his Indianised Great Expectations
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 11, 2015)


Aditya Roy Kapur flew off to Poland last week to prep for his upcoming 30-day, long schedule of Fitoor. And director Abhishek Kapoor will be joining him shortly for his adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic, Great Expectations.

Aditya, who plays Noor, an Indianised Pip, is an artist in the film and his perfectionist director was keen to have some authentic paintings from the World War era in the film.

"Poland is the last leg of the shoot and the unit are mostly shooting inside Warsaw's traditional and contemporary art galleries. The paintings are life-size and Noor is seen painting as well as showing off his work in these scenes," revealed a source close to the development.

The makers went through a long paper trail to get permission to shoot in these galleries. They have promised that none of the paintings will be affected by the lights. A museum and an art gallery are being used as sets and Gattu is mostly using sunlight and available indoor lighting," the source added.

Buzz is, the Kashmir schedule will be reshot with Tabu who replaced Rekha as the desi Miss Havisham, in the film. But the source dismisses this, "All the scenes with the rest of the cast have been completed during the Mumbai schedule. Now, it's only Aditya in Poland."

Apart from his solo sequences as an artist, the 29-year-old actor will also shoot an emotional scene about the loss of love, Firdaus, played by Katrina Kaif. In the Dickens' novel, Firdaus is the wealthy and sophisticated Estella, the adopted daughter of Miss Havisham.

Film critic-turned-director Karan Anshuman admits he'll never write a review again
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 28, 2015)

During his three-year tenure as Mirror's film critic, Karan Anshuman admits he never gave a Salman Khan film a good review. Kick was no exception. But when he greeted Jacqueline Fernandez with a cake which had 'Congratulations for Kick's 200-crore' iced on it, Karan, who makes his directorial debut with the satirical Bangistan, knew he had moved to the other side. "It was my sell-out moment," he agrees. "I will never return to reviewing films again."

"I took a David Dhawan film to the cleaners once. The review went viral. It must have affected the film's business too," he reminisces, saying that when he met David recently, for the first time, he wanted to kill himself. "He is the nicest person I've ever met. If I was to review a David Dhawan film today I'd never write it the way I did."

The former critic insists that he has tried hard to not compromise on all that he had written against in his reviews. "But it's impossible to be idealistic," Karan says. "I've disliked using sound effects to cue in humour but am doing it now because our audiences who're tuned into TV comedy shows expect it. There's no room for subtlety. Many will disagree with several things in the film, but I'm reasonably proud of it. I hope it's a memorable watch."

His script was green-lit by producer Ritesh Sidhwani immediately and though he tried to share with Zoya and Farhan Akhtar his plan on how it'd translate on screen, they were not interested. "They told me to go do my thing in Poland," he laughs.

He, however, found an unexpected brat in Genelia D'Souza who would frequent the sets and remind her husband and the film's hero, Riteish Deshmukh, how Karan had run down his performances in his reviews. "She loves to mess with Riteish's head," he laughs good-naturedly.

Pulkit Samrat plays the parallel lead and Karan admits that when his name came up, he started browsing through his reviews wondering what he had thought of him as an actor. "I realised that I had written paragraphs about his fabulous performances in Bittoo Boss and Fukrey and could trust my own judgement," Karan jokes.

He reveals that initially, he did not like the title Bangistan as he thought it was too quirky and had wanted to set the film in London or New York as he is familiar with both these cities. "The final decision was to go to Poland since it is neutral to all religions. There are around 4,231 religions in the world. I put together the obscure ones for a visually appealing climax. You might spot Darth Vader in there too, that's my religion," he chuckles.

The chuckle is replaced with a frown when you bring up the subject of Pakistan banning his film over one scene in the trailer. "The Indian censors loved it, but the ones across the border had a problem with Aarya Babbar's character measuring the size of his beard. Ridiculous! I hope they see the entire film and realise it's all about choosing your own faith," he grouses.

Towards the year end, Karan will move on to create a 12-episode miniseries, Khel, which will release only online, on an Indian streaming service like Netflix. "It is an intense, tellall sports drama that will take you behind-the-scenes of the IPL," he signs off.

The filmmaker, who has been missing in action for a year-and-a-half now, admits to a new Affair
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 2, 2015)

Just when everybody thought that Ram Gopal Varma had vanished from the face of the earth, the filmmaker has raised his head in snow-capped Poland. He's been shooting a Jeet Gannguli composition that plays in a dream sequence, which explores the psychology of a romance and the thrill of an affair, for his next film.

The writer-director-producer, whose last release Satya 2 tanked at the box-office, is filming a "song with shock value" in the European country for his upcoming, psychological romance, The Secret. "I'll be back in Mumbai on June 8 with a shout out to all Ramu fans and face the media with a big bang," he promises.

His comeback film was earlier titled The Affair but he changed it because he thought that the title was a give away. The film revolves around an architect; his wife played by Grand Masti actress Kainaat Arora and Meera Chopra, a co-worker with whom he has an affair. Things go haywire when his boss, played by Makarand Deshpande, catches him red-handed after which a lawyer, Tisca Chopra, walks into the film.

The plot may have some similarities with the Akshay Kumar-Priyanka Chopra- Kareena Kapoor love triangle, Aitraaz, as also the Hollywood hit, Fatal Attraction, featuring Michael Douglas, Glenn Close and Anne Archer. "The Secret is about an incurable attraction and how social media and technology can doom a relationship," admits Sachiin Joshi, who plays the architect.

Prod the actor who stepped into Aditya Roy Kapur's shoes for the Telugu version of Mohit Suri's Aashiqui 2, on why he chose to gamble with an RGV film and he says, "Like everybody else, I had my reservations too till Ramu pointed out that he's the same man who made Shiva, Satya, Rangeela and Company. He is always mistaken because he looks at things differently. He has a unique take on everything in life and has always gone ahead with his choices. Once he is fixated on something, you can't budge him," insists Sachiin.