As they wait for international travel restrictions to be lifted, makers of Taapsee Pannu-led Shabaash Mithu prep for London leg
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 11, 2020)

The Coronavirus lockdown may have put the brakes on Taapsee Pannu's prep to transform into Mithali Raj on screen, but the pre-production work on Shabaash Mithu has been underway. Even as they are waiting for the international travel restrictions to be lifted, the makers of the biopic on the Indian women's cricket team skipper are laying the groundwork for an elaborate schedule in London.

Ajit Andhare, COO, Viacom18 Motion Pictures, says, "We have to figure out when it will be possible to shoot in the UK. At the moment, we are zeroing in on the venues while mapping the dates to suit all parties involved. Location hunting has been quite a challenge as recce is out of the question and we have to rely on pictures to determine if a venue is suitable for shooting. As a producer, I am jittery taking a call on something that we haven't seen."

The producer emphasises the lockdown has had little effect on the film's progress, with the casting director conducting auditions online. "Pre-production has changed form, but work on the film has continued through these months. We are in the early stages of casting and are determining the ensemble cast. Rahul [Dholakia, director] and his team are polishing the screenplay, and the music is being composed."

Though Ranveer Singh's cricket drama '83 has the first-mover advantage due to its Christmas release, the producer believes Raj's journey is fairly unknown and hence, will appeal to the audience. "As a cricket-crazy nation, we remember every story about the cricketing heroes, but have ignored the women in blue who are as accomplished in the profession. That irony presents a great opportunity from a storytelling perspective," concludes Andhare.

BOMBAY TIMES (December 3, 2019)

On December 3, 1982, an Indian cricket legend was born — Mithali Dorai Raj. Coinciding with her birthday today, Viacom18 Studios has announced their next film, Shabaash Mithu, which is based on the life of the former captain of the national women’s cricket team.

The studio, which has backed several movies with strong women characters — Kahaani (2012), Queen (2014), Mary Kom (2014) and Padmaavat (2018) — has roped in Taapsee Pannu to headline the film, which will be directed by Rahul Dholakia.

Ajit Andhare, COO, Viacom18 Studios, says, “The idea for this story struck me about a year ago while watching the movie, Hidden Figures. After securing the rights, we worked with several external writers to develop the script. However, it was our creative director Priya Aven, who finally cracked the script I was looking for. So, it’s a completely home-grown film for us. Mithali Raj is a name that stands for women power in the world of Indian cricket. Playing her will be Taapsee, who is not just a powerhouse of talent, but also the face of the new-age woman in Bollywood. We are proud to present the untold story of the rise of Indian women’s cricket on screen.”

Mithali adds, “I have always stood for and voiced my opinion for equal opportunity for women, not just in cricket, but in all fields. I want to thank Ajit Andhare and the studio for not just bringing alive my story on screen, but for also giving me a bigger platform to reach out to young women who dare to dream.”

Taapsee shares, “It’s an honour to play the role of India’s most successful captain as far as women’s cricket is concerned. Though I have already started feeling the pressure of stepping into her shoes, I don’t want to trade this place with anyone else. Mithali has always been brave and strong to back the truth, and that is why I connect with her. She has changed the way women’s cricket is perceived in India and her story is truly worth telling. Kudos to the studio for choosing to tell this tale. I look forward to working with Rahul Dholakia for this first-of-its-kind story and to learn a sport, which is treated as a religion in our country.”

Kriti Sanon on the after-effects of the movement, playing a surrogate in her next and working with Akshay Kumar
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 16, 2019)

It’s always nice to have a busy year,” says Kriti Sanon, who kick-started 2019 with Luka Chuppi and followed it up with a special appearance in Kalank . Then came Arjun Patiala , with Diljit Dosanjh, and now she is gearing up for a Diwali dhamaka with Housefull 4 , while the year wraps up with Ashutosh Gowariker’s period drama, Panipat . The actress on playing juggler to perfection:

After your debut, Heropanti, you were supposed to work with Akshay Kumar, but you chose Dilwale over Singh Is Bliing. You have finally worked with him after four years with Housefull 4.
It wasn’t like I chose Dilwale over Singh Is Bliing. The latter was delayed by almost five months, and when it finally started, the dates overlapped with Dilwale. I admire the way Akshay has steered his career. Every time people try to typecast him, he breaks away. He’s done action, comedy, content-driven films and in the middle of all of that, it’s comedy again. I like the fact that he doesn’t let anyone categorise him. Plus, his energy is infectious, and he thrives on improvisation.

Producer Sajid Nadiadwala said in a recent interview that for a film like Housefull 4, the actors must forget their inhibitions and be shameless on camera because without that conviction, they will stick out like a sore thumb. Do you agree?
Absolutely! Comedy, in general, is tough and in a film like this, in certain portions if you don’t take the humour a few notches higher, it won’t be as funny and for that you have to be absolutely shameless. Hamming with conviction is probably the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. But it was fun, we’d play games between shots. Akshay would suddenly pick up an orange and start playing catch, or flag off a game of noughts and crosses or throw a ball at a bottle. It was a holiday we didn’t want to end (Laughs).

Your sister Nupur is making her music video debut with Akshay.
Yes, Nupur is a trained singer but she also loves acting and has attended several workshops. She was talking to someone for a singing project and was asked if she’d want to act in a music video. Later, she learnt that Akshay too was in the video and that was a bonus!

Did you give her any tips?
I just asked her to relax and be herself. Akshay is not someone who will make you feel jittery. He’s like a Delhiite, so I told her to be her Delhi self. (Laughs)

Farhad Samji took over as director of Housefull 4 after sexual harrassment allegations came up against Sajid Khan. Has the #MeToo movement, which exploded last year, changed things in the industry?
I have always been for the movement and have been vocal about it. It takes a lot of courage to come out in the open and speak about what you’ve been through. It’s unfortunate that there’s no legal way to resolve this conclusively but at least it has instilled fear in every industry and that’s important. I am fortunate that I haven’t been through any of this, but I’ve noticed that meetings, which would earlier happen at home, are now scheduled outside to avoid coming across as shady.

You have also spoken up for gender equality and pay parity in the industry. Any change there?
There’s still a huge gap as far as pay is concerned and the only way to reduce that is for women to present a united front in their demand for a certain remuneration. I’m glad films revolving around a female protagonist are making the numbers. Slowly, producers will have the confidence to let a woman carry a film on her shoulders.

Speaking of women-centric films, aren’t you doing one with Rahul Dholakia?
That’s not happening, there were some date issues there. But I am doing Dinesh Vijan’s Mimi on the subject of surrogacy. It is inspired by the Marathi film, Mala Aai Vhhaychay! (I Want To Be A Mother!) but has been transformed into a different script. Laxman Utekar sir (Luka Chuppi director) is directing it and I start shooting on November 1 in Mandawa, Rajasthan. He can tell an intense, emotional story with humour and make it an entertaining watch. I play a young girl with big dreams but due to certain reasons, she agrees to be a surrogate and that completely changes her life. I haven’t experienced the emotion of being a mother yet so it will be interesting to figure it out with Mimi.

Buzz is, you’re also doing Farah Khan’s Satte Pe Satta remake with Hrithik Roshan?
No, I’m in talks for some films, but this is not the one.

You have a special appearance in the Pati Patni Aur Woh remake…
I can’t say anything about that character right now, but it was a lot of fun being on set with Kartik (Aaryan) even if only for a day. After Luka Chuppi, we know each other’s energy well. It’s also Juno Chopra’s film, I’ve done Bareilly Ki Barfi with him earlier.

While Luka Chuppi did well, Arjun Patiala didn’t live up to expectations. How do you deal with failure?
Honestly, failure does disappoint you, but as long as you understand what didn’t work, learn from it and move on, it’s not difficult. The spoofy genre of Arjun Patiala was an experiment for all of us who were associated with the film. We tried our best and next time we will try even harder.

As communication services in Kashmir continue to be restricted, director Rahul Dholakia, who filmed Lamhaa there, and actor Ashwath Bhatt, a Kashmiri himself, try to reach out to students facing financial difficulties on account of being disconnected from their families in the Valley
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; August 29, 2019)

‘WE ARE ALL CONTRIBUTING TO FLOOD VICTIMS IN OUR STATE, WHY IS KASHMIR ANY DIFFERENT?’
Filmmaker Rahul Dholakia recently took to Twitter with a message — “#Kashmiris who are living in various parts of the country and can’t reach their homes in the valley — if there is anyway we can help, please connect. You looked after us when we made movies there, now it’s our turn #insaniyat #ourownpeople.” Dholakia, who once researched for his film Lamhaa by interacting with students in Kashmir, tells us, “I wrote on social media and I do believe it has created some impact, there are many people who are raising money. A lot more effort needs to be made. I have been doing my part. I think whoever wants to help, can.”

The filmmaker feels that this is a time to keep politics aside and help out those in need. He says, “I have been speaking to some friends who are in the Valley and some who are outside. One of them said, if we don’t get signal in our phones in Mumbai, we get irritated... Imagine being cut off completely from any form of communication for weeks! Parents are not sending children to school, banking is affected as internet is not working, and Kashmiri students outside the Valley have no way of finding out how their families are. Some of them don’t even have money for food and medicines and other basic stuff. And at this stage, if we are not by their side, who will be? Politics aside, it’s just a human thing. And, like someone posted on my timeline, do you think eight lakh Kashmiris are terrorists?”

Stressing on the necessity to rebuild trust, Dholakia says, “When I visited the Valley (to research for Lamhaa), I met many students. There is a generation out there that has grown up listening to the sound of AK47s. They have big trust issues. Let’s rebuild trust. And the only way to build trust is to stand up for a brother in trouble, in need, and that too without them asking for it. Aren’t we all contributing to flood victims in our state? So why is Kashmir any different? We need to do something, and do it now.”

Does he think educational institutions can help Kashmiri students in need? “I have heard of cases of ragging where some Kashmiri students were asked about their stand on Article 370! That’s very low and insensitive. We need to create an environment of trust and it needs to be built right from our schools and colleges. We can’t humiliate people or make callous comments about them. This is not the time to ask them to prove their loyalty, this is the time for us to show our loyalty.”
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Abhimanyu Mathur (BOMBAY TIMES; August 29, 2019)

Film and theatre actor Ashwath Bhatt was born in Srinagar and lived there during his childhood years before his family had to migrate to Delhi during the Kashmiri Pandit exodus some three decades ago. Now, when Kashimiri students outside the Valley are facing cash crunch due to shutdown of communication lines in J&K, Ashwath has been trying to help them by setting up a fund which can loan them money to sustain for now. “I want to help these kids because I have faced hardships too. I know what it is like to have no money for sustenance. And these kids are from my community. They are Kashmiris too,” says Ashwath on his motivation to set up a fund for the students.

The actor, who has also shot for films like Raazi and Haider in Kashmir, says that he has now partnered with several Kashmiris living in Delhi, Bengaluru, and other cities to reach out to such students. He says, “This is the time of real-time communication. With mobiles and internet, we are used to being in touch with our families 24x7. But now, many Kashmiris studying in other parts of India are facing shortage of money. Because of the lack of internet connectivity in many parts of the Valley, their families have been unable to send them money. What people don’t get is that Srinagar is not all of Kashmir. There are places like Kupwara, Pulwama, Shopian, and Handwara, where the communication channels are still not fully up. Kisi ko exam fees bharni hai, someone needs to pay his rent because the landlord is pressurising him, but paise nahin hain. We are reaching out to these students and trying to help them by loaning them the amount they need right now.”

Ashwath says that he initially feared the students might be facing other issues like bullying and harassment, too, but was pleasantly surprised to find that isn’t the case. He tells us, “I was initially worried if these kids might be facing bullying of some kind, too, but thankfully, none of them reported anything like this. They say ki inko koi pareshan nahin kar raha. Bas paise ki kami hai. There was one odd case of a girl facing some issue but that was sorted out easily.”

So far, Ashwath has helped around 20 students to pay for rent and fees, and he hopes to reach out to more as word spreads. However, he has faced reluctance on the part of several students to accept this aid. He explains, “These are kids from well-off backgrounds. They have never faced shortage of money like this before. They are hesitant to ask for help. Kuchh bachche kehte hain ki sharam aa rahi hai paise maangne mein. I say, ‘I’m like your elder brother. Just take this as a loan, not a gift. When you get money from your family, return it. Mann ho toh interest bhi de dena’. I want them to still feel dignified while going through this.”

Other difficulties remain, too. Ashwath says, “I am going through the proper legal channels that exist for fundraising and donations. But since I don’t have any FCRA registration (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act that governs foreign contribution to NGOs and other welfare organisations), I cannot accept money from people abroad. A lot of friends living overseas have showed interest in donating, but I ask them to request their friends living in India to donate on their behalf. As of now, I cannot accept their help. I hope somebody can help me overcome this problem so that we can help more students going ahead.”

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 19, 2019)

After Laxman Utekar’s Hindi directorial debut Luka Chuppi, Kriti Sanon is gearing up for three releases this year—Farhad Samji’s Housefull 4, Rohit Jugraj’s Arjun Patiala and Ashutosh Gowariker’s Panipat. Now, Mirror has learnt that after directing Shah Rukh Khan in Raees, National Awardwinning filmmaker Rahul Dholakia is making a film featuring the 28-year-old actress. The yet-untitled thriller will draw inspiration from real-life stories for a fictional set-up in Mumbai. The Sunir Kheterpal production will go on the floors in August.

Confirming the news, Kriti said, “I had been waiting for the right female driven film to come my way and this one ticked all the boxes. I play a media professional for which the research has already started. I can’t wait to start shooting for this film. It’s an entertainer with a powerful core idea and will connect with audiences without being preachy.”

The film, which will be shot in a start-to-finish schedule, has been written by author-turned-screenwriter Bilal Siddiqi, while a top VFX studio from South Korea is being brought on board for the film which is heavy on visual effects. Rahul, who is also co-producing the film, is excited to work on the thriller. “This idea was pitched while it was being developed and we realised that there is an exciting thriller format that this story lends itself to. It’s a cracker of a script and Kriti is the ideal choice for the protagonist,” he asserted.

Sunir further informed that the film is currently in the pre-production stage. “The team will be conducting a week-long workshop which will start by the end of July,” he revealed, adding that the film will release in the first half of 2020. 

Ritesh Sidhwani on the franchises he wants to spearhead, what binds Farhan Akhtar and him together and that one genre he wants to explore
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 11, 2019)

Was Gully Boy a gamble?
Since our first film, Dil Chahta Hai, I’ve never advertised box-office collections. It’s not about how much a film has earned but about whether the viewer believes it was money well spent, about how many have seen and liked it. Gully Boy brought rap into the mainstream and that makes me feel I’m on the right track.

Buzz is, your MC Sher, Siddhant Chaturvedi, is your talent management agency’s first client?
It’s not a talent management agency, we are nurturing actors with potential and Siddhant is a versatile artiste with great screen presence. We’re helping him focus on his strength. He’s clear he wants to only play protagonist and we’re developing a script with him as lead. He’s getting many offers independently as well.

What’s happening with Don 3?
We are still working on it and don’t know when it will happen. It’s a keenly awaited franchise and we can’t disappoint the fans.

Any plans to produce an out-and-out massy entertainer?
We have catered to the masses in the past with films like Don, Raees and KGF. And while everyone is waking up to the power of content now, we have always believed that without a writer, nobody in this industry would have a job. We believe Spiderman exists and that’s primarily because of the writer. We are here to tell stories, collaborate with writers with a similar vision. I want to do one kickass underworld action film. The hunt for a script is on. There was Raees, but what I am looking for belongs to a different world.

And the Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara sequel?
Hrithik and I have been talking to Zoya (Akhtar, director) and Reema (Kagti, writer) about this as everyone wants to know what happens to the friends (played by Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol) after that life-changing trip. But, I can’t force my team to write it, the germ of an idea has to come organically. We’d, however, love to work with Hrithik again and are looking at scripts to take to him. We may soon have one.

Meanwhile, Farhan teams up with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra for a film on a boxer. What can we expect from Toofan?
It’s too early to talk about the script, but I can promise that Toofan will be at par with, if not better than, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Both Mehra and Farhan know the expectations they have to live up to and are working towards surpassing them. It’s a bigger film in terms of reach. We start shooting in July-August.

There’s Deepa Malik’s biopic…
That’s an incredible story about struggle and triumph. We will soon start on the casting.

Last year, you announced a film on fire-fighters, to be directed by Rahul Dholakia...
We’re working on the dialogue draft. Rahul was in LA for research as there aren’t many films in this space here. It’s a two-hero fictional story and we are in talks with some actors.

Gold underperformed and Rock On 2 was a disaster…
(Cuts in) But no one lost money on Gold nor was it panned by the critics. A certain segment didn’t watch the film in the theatres but it got good ratings on TV. People didn’t connect with the story of Rock On 2. It released around demonetisation when footfalls at cinemas were nil, but again, the TV feedback was good. We will be mindful and approach films better. Rock On!! remains an iconic film and if we come up with something that warrants a sequel we will go ahead.

Over the years, so many partnerships have fallen apart, what has kept Farhan and you together for almost two decades?
We have similar sensibilities and since we see this partnership as a collaboration, we chat about every aspect of filmmaking. We may not agree on certain things but we haven’t blamed each other for any failures. Sail or sink, filmmaking for us is all about ‘we’ and not ‘I’. 

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 30, 2018)

After the 2017 crime-drama, Raees, with Shah Rukh Khan in the title role, Rahul Dholakia is once again joining hands with his producer-partners, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, for an action-thriller which is expected to roll early next year. Set in Mumbai, this close-to-life story revolves around a fire-fighter named Tukaram and how he motivates his team to tackle various SOS calls. The project is not a biopic of any one person but will weave in several real-life incidents, along with an emotional father-son story, with an antagonist thrown in to create friction.

The National Award-winning director who after Raees dabbled with a lot of ideas before zeroing in on this one, has been developing this unique concept for the last year-and-a-half, and points out that with the exception of Ravi Chopra’s 1980 The Burning Train, the subject of fire hasn’t been tackled in Hindi mainstream cinema in a big way. “But a series of fires in the city of late makes me believe that it’s time for a film that celebrates these unsung heroes. For me, the firefighters are on par with cops and soldiers, but their heroics have gone largely unacknowledged even in a city of skyscrapers. They put their lives on the line every other day to put out and save us from fires which sometimes spark off from our own carelessness and violation of safety norms. They are also called to pull a child out of a borewell, rescue a kitten from the roof, clear an uprooted tree from the road and help during a building collapse or a deluge. Even during the 26/11 attacks they played a significant role in the rescues but went unheralded,” says Rahul.

He goes on to admit that even as a child he was fascinated by these firefighters, and during his research, has met many in person, visited fire stations and even been on few trails with Randeep Hooda, the face of the Mumbai Fire Brigade and the brand ambassador of fire services in India. During his prep, he observed from up close that sometimes, despite the lack of equipment like long ladders, arduous working hours and other hurdles, these men with their never-say-die spirit are always up for a challenge, showing indomitable courage when battling fires like the one at ONGC.

“A film like this offers plenty of scope for emotions and drama, action and visual thrills, with a larger-than-life protagonist at the centre, the surroundings and story-telling technique bringing in the realism,” Rahul points out.

National Award-winning dialogue writer, Vijay Maurya, who has films like Chillar Party as a writer and Tumhari Sulu as an actor to his credit, and is now working with Kabir Khan on his World Cup cricket drama, 83, and Zoya Akhtar on her upcoming musical Gully Boy, has been collaborating with Rahul on the dialogues. When Farhan read the first draft, he was so impressed with the world they have created, he gave his go-ahead.

“Farhan has contributed a lot of inputs to the script and Ritesh is a brilliant producer. This is a big film and will cost a lot. It requires sensitive makers because while being visually dramatic, it needs to be an ‘experience’ for the audience to see and feel. Having worked with Farhan and Ritesh on Raees, I can’t think of anyone better to take this film forward with me,” says the perfectionist director.

Rahul has a final narration with the producer duo in a couple of days after which they will start on the casting. “I need a 40-plus actor to play Tukaram,” he informs. Farhan is 40-plus, you point out. “He is,” laughs Rahul. “So is Shah Rukh and smany others. We will definitely cast an A-list actor but right now both the title and the cast are under discussion.”

Rahul Dholakia on creating "engaging" films across genres, avoiding controversial subjects
MID-DAY (May 19, 2018)

Eighteen months after he delivered his last film, Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Raees, Rahul Dholakia tells mid-day that rumours of a second instalment have little merit. "There will be no Raees sequel," says the director, quick to add that he does, however, have a series of ventures, primarily with Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's Excel Entertainment, in the pipeline.

"I've written about four scripts over the past year-and-a-half, which are expected to go on floors. They're all of various genres — social drama, thriller, a relationship film and another hardcore, realistic low-budget venture. I am also in talks with Red Chillies [Khan's production house]."

For his upcoming projects, Dholakia hopes to keep an arm's length from subjects that may fuel controversies during the time of release, even as he laments the lack of change brought about in the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) after the replacement of the infamous chief Pahlaj Nihalani with Prasoon Joshi. "Nothing has changed since [Joshi took office]. I remember, when he was appointed, I was so excited because Prasoon is such a wise [ad] filmmaker. I thought he'd be the change we all wanted, because he understands cinema, and is sensible and sensitive. But, that has not happened. We still have issues with films like S Durga and Nude."

The director says the fear of the CBFC's scissors has them "censoring in our mind while writing the script itself". "Even when a character like Raees is crafted, we have to consider if we should show him as someone who smokes. Because then we have to consider that two minutes will go in adding the disclaimer, apart from including it each time he is shown doing so. So we conclude that we'll be better off showcasing a gangster who does not smoke. In turn, the character loses its charm."

Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; March 15, 2018)

Narendra Jha’s deep baritone and impressive performances won him appreciation for his work across television as well as films. The 55-year-old actor passed away on March 14 at his farmhouse in Wada after he suffered a massive heart attack. Narendra was at the farmhouse with his wife Pankaja Thakur, former CEO of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

His death has come as a shock to his colleagues in the industry. Manoj Bajpayee said, “Narendra was a versatile actor who suited a variety of roles and he has gone at a time when he was needed the most. Also, he belongs to my home state Bihar and I really appreciate people who come from other states, take the unknown path in films and make it on their own. Narendra was one such guy who made it on his own and was doing good work.”

Filmmaker Rahul Dholakia, who directed Narendra in Raees, told BT, “I can’t believe that he is no more. Why are we losing people so young? First Sridevi and now, Narendra. When we were casting for the role of Musa Bhai in Raees, I wanted an actor with a towering personality, who had a good voice and could hold fort opposite Shah Rukh Khan. He justified the role completely.”

Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who worked with Narendra in Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero and Samvidhaan, shared, “He was a fine gentleman, extremely talented, perfect in his performances and a thorough professional. His performances got better with every film.”

TV actor Amit Behl and Narendra were friends for more than 23 years and had spoken to each other just a day before his death. Amit said, “I can’t believe that he is no more. On Monday when we spoke, he told me that he would visit my home on Gudi Padwa to enjoy the Maharashtrian food my wife cooks. He was a good person and also was one of the finest actors in our industry.”

Narendra’s memorable films include Haider, Hamari Adhuri Kahaani, Ghayal Once Again, Shorgul and the TV shows Begusarai, SuperCops Vs Supervillains and Samvidhaan. He was currently shooting for Salman Khan’s Race 3.
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MID-DAY (March 15, 2018)

Actor Narendra Jha, best known for films like Haider (2014), Raees (2017) and Kaabil (2017), passed away yesterday due to a heart attack. He was 55.

Jha was at his farmhouse in Nanegaon, Maharashtra, when he complained of chest pain, the actor’s driver, Lakshman Singh, said. “He had no health issues and last night (Tuesday), he was fine. He ate properly and spoke to us. Around 4 am today, he felt a chest pain so we took him to a nearby hospital, but everything was over by then,” he said.

Born and brought up in Delhi, 6 ha also worked in Shyam Benegal’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (2005). He also featured in a play, Samvidhaan, in which he played Mohammed Ali Jinnah. The actor was also signed for the upcoming Salman Khan-starrer, Race3. He is survived by wife Pankaja Thakur, former CEO of the CBFC.

His sudden demise left the film industry in shock as his friends and colleagues said he was hale and hearty, and was geared up to feature in several new projects. Director Awani Agrawal said he was fine while shooting for his film, De Ijaazat Rahun Tujhme, in Gujarat earlier this month. “He was shooting for my movie in Vadodara. He was accompanied by his wife to the location. They left on March 8. He didn’t have any health issue. He was a co-operative and supportive actor, and beautiful person.”