BOMBAY TIMES (July 29, 2020)

Amidst the anger and debate following Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, Ranvir Shorey has been one of the more vocal voices commenting on the functioning of the cine industry. Nila Madhab Panda, an ‘outsider’ himself, who has directed Ranvir in Kadvi Hawa and Halkaa, asks him what’s got him so upset and if he thinks anything’s really going to change in the power dynamics of the industry. Excerpts from the chat:

Nila: As someone who has directed you, as a friend, and as someone who lives in Delhi and Bhubaneshwar, distant from Bollywood, I wanted to understand what has been troubling you, making you so vocal the past few days.
Ranvir: Right now, the debate going on is about mainstream Bollywood, it is not about the Indian or Hindi film industry. It is about that group within a group, the top of the pyramid of mainstream Bollywood. Every actor aspires to be at the top, what happens is that you hit a glass ceiling, or you enter the gatekeeper zone where approval of a select few people can give you access to the top, otherwise you keep working for smaller rewards.

Taking Sushant’s example, he had been doing very well on his own. He had blockbusters under his belt but, like even Anurag (Kashyap) mentioned in one of his interviews, he wanted validation from this group, this cabal. These people wield a lot of power in terms of distribution and exhibition of cinema and marketing budgets. Seeking validation from these people is what I think went wrong for him.

Nila: That is a fact for all of us, however independent you are. I sold my house to make a film that everyone loved, but it could never make it big in terms of business as the validation was not there.
Ranvir: No matter how good a film is made, when you are not going to get shows in the cinema halls, what are you going to do? Dekho agar kisi ke paas power ho toh accountability honi chahiye, agar accountability nahi hai toh grace honi chahiye. Inke paas dono nahi hai. Anybody who has power doesn’t want to let go of it. And they end up abusing that power.

Nila: When you were in your mid-twenties or thirties, what was happening then that is reflecting now?
Ranvir: After Sushant’s death, I was also devastated, thinking what the hell happened! When the circumstances around his death started being discussed and the names of the people he was involved with started coming out, I was shocked. These were the same names, same people involved at the time when I went through all this in 2003-05, the same circumstances. The psychological pressures were created for him also.

First, you isolate someone at work. And in our business what happens is if you isolate someone at work, their social life is also affected. Aapko bade banner ne liya toh aapke dus dost hain, aapko bade banner ne drop kiya toh suddenly you have only three friends left. I was reading that his girlfriend was being told by one mainstream director that you better let this guy go or else you will also suffer. Then she also left him. What is the guy left with then? You isolate him socially, professionally, and then one last thing that a young man in his thirties would want to hold on to, his girlfriend, you affect that also. He just didn’t know what hit him.

When these things came out and the names of the persons involved were the same that I had suffered at the hands of, with no accountability, that’s when I started speaking. And I was upset that if Kangana (Ranaut) is talking about this, why are people asking her to keep quiet? Why should she not speak?

Nila: How do we find a way for each of us to work this out?
Ranvir: For the disparity in power for distribution and exhibition, the streaming platforms will be equalisers. Marketing and media will be equalised a little with social media. These things will bring a little relief, but it’s not that the world order will change once theatres reopen. The same people will still be in power.

Un logon ko fark nahi padta hai. People like you and me, those who don’t enjoy that privilege, hum log kabhi aise bol sakte hain, ki kaisi bhi film bana dete hain, 100 crore toh ye banayegi hi kyunki shows toh mere paas hain. Main aisa performance de sakta hun, ki arey yaar main kuch bhi kar deta hun, public toh taali maregi. Toh incentive hi nahi hai better kaam karne ka. Isiliye inki filmein itni gandi banti hai. Doesn’t matter how many crores they make, but they make s**t films.

Nila: Can you sustain here if you are this rude, this direct?
Ranvir: Woh joh hope hota hai na – ki mere ko bhi kabhi mainstream picture milegi, 100 crore ki picture banegi – woh toh inn logon ne pehle hi maar diya hai. So mere ko fark nahi padta. I have stopped wanting to please those people for a while now.

Thankfully, there are talented filmmakers like you who have faith in me. There are people like Rajat, Abhishek Chaubey, these are people who care about cinema, who care about making good films. I am very happy doing this. Mere ko big reward chahiye hi nahi, main small reward mein khush hoon.

But many don’t want to burn the chance they might get later of being accepted by the cabal. And you can’t judge them for it either.

Nila: Is all this speaking out going to start a phase of transition?
Ranvir: The hoo-ha on social media with hashtags is not a reflection of what is happening in the real world. Once theatres open up, we might see a small difference in the disparity, the desperation and the despair that exists — that will be because of the presence of streaming platforms as a safety valve. But I have a feeling that the theatre game is going to go back to the same. I am a cynical man now. I have seen too much. Nothing really changes.
--------------------------
ON THE 100 CRORE RACE

“Why do most big stars want to make 100 crores in the weekend? Because they know that by the time Monday comes people will start talking s**t about the film. The primary objective is not good cinema, and not even entertainment. It is to make money. I am not saying that the film should not make money. Aapka secondary objective making money hai, theek hai, because the film costs money. Yeh work culture mein difference hai.”

Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 25, 2020)

Ranvir Shorey, who recently hit out at “independent film crusaders” who’ve turned into “mainstream Bollywood flunkies,” says his state of mind today is “melancholic”. In one of his recent tweets, the actor mentioned the ordeals he went through and wrote, “I went through the same professional & social isolation, bad mouthing & lies in the press, and psychological trauma from 2003 to 2005 with the same people who are now involved.”

Talking about the toxic environment that he faced and why he related with the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, he reveals, “I didn’t want to be vocal about my experiences but when I see people trying to shut down Kangana (Ranaut) and others who are speaking up, I feel that’s unfair. So, I spoke about what I faced. I was called an alcoholic and abuser and no one cross checked the facts. One couldn’t do anything as one was helpless as a nobody. I suffered for years due to those lies with no respite and no way to get justice.”

He adds, “Today, the worst has happened (with Sushant) due to this toxic environment. If we won’t speak up now, then when? Powerful people abuse power and there is no respite for the smaller fish. Talking will put some fear in the people who have power and no accountability. What helped me is that I didn’t let the negative emotion consume me, and instead I focused on honing my skills with acting classes.”

Ask him what he thinks happened with Sushant and Shorey says, “You can’t blame someone for someone’s death directly. Obviously, Sushant took this unfortunate step himself but we can talk about the environment that was created for him and for many others. It stinks of abuse of power and we must talk about that. A lot of time and energy is being wasted on who is saying what, instead we should focus on the relevant points being raised against a system.”

Debates about nepotism, favouritism, insider-outsider have been going on time and again in the industry which Shorey feels won’t help. “Twitter hashtags won’t change things. The problem stems from a bunch of people having control over the distribution and exhibition system as well as media space. What will bring about some change is streaming platforms. It will bring democratisation of content consumption,” he says.

After Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide, industry rocked by accusations of toxic cliques. Are the "man girls" of Bollywood responsible?
Aastha Atray Banan (MID-DAY; June 21, 2020)

In an interview to a senior journalist in the aftermath of actor Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide on June 14, close friend and his first director, Abhishek Kapoor remembers the screening of a film for the media and Bollywood fraternity that's usually held before a movie hits theatres. Kapoor says, typically, no one ever claps or shows public appreciation at the end. He likens Sushant to an actor who would ask, "But, why aren't they clapping?", and one would shrug, "Leave them be; everyone outside [your fans] are clapping."

Validation from peers clearly was important to the young actor, 34, who took his life at his Bandra apartment although success didn't elude him. His last film, Chhichhore, becoming the year's 100-crore club sleeper hit, and Dil Bechara, inspired by John Green's acclaimed book The Fault in our Stars is coming up for a 2020 direct-to-digital release.

And this, despite a dazzling journey to success, that started in a middle class Patna family that couldn't afford a foreign university education for the National Olympiad winner for physics. A few months short of getting a degree from the Delhi College of Engineering, he chose to quit and make his way to Mumbai to be in the movies. Displaying quiet charm in the Ekta Kapoor-backed daily soap, Pavitra Rishta, he was one of the rare televisions stars to make a successful crossover to movies, with Kapoor's Kai Po Che. He did barely 10 films in his seven-year-long career, but it was a variegated selection, including the celebrated biopic of cricket star M S Dhoni, for which he was hailed even by the likes of Amitabh Bachchan.

Although Sushant suffered from clinical depression as affirmed by his counsellor and girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty in her police statement, since his death, news channels have been buzzing with reactions from industry folk, some of whom have put it down to Bollywood's deep-seated politics and toxic attitude towards "outsiders". Giants like Karan Johar, Salman Khan, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and the team behind Yash Raj Films — his talent management agency — have been targeted for nurturing toxic cliques that rob deserving talent of good work.

In the 2009 release Luck By Chance, Farhan Aktar's outsider character, Vikram, realises he is "making it" when he is invited to Kareena Kapoor's home for a party. Directed by Zoya Akhtar, who is credited for making movies that reflect a milieu to perfection, we can be forgiven for believing that it depicted the truth—you are truly a star when the core camp accepts you as their own.

A talk show series that Karan Johar has helmed for long has been at the centre of controversy too, with old clips resurfacing, referring to the deceased star in not very glowing terms. In one clip of Koffee with Karan, Alia Bhatt says, "Who Sushant?", when asked to list her favourite young actors in order of preference. In another, when Sonam Kapoor is asked to rate the actors as Hot or Not, Johar names Sushant and Sonam's reaction is, "Huh?". She immediately follows that up with, "I mean I haven't seen his films. So I don't know'." Sushant was not invited on the show as guest in any season.

Kangana Ranaut, who wears the non-filmi-family badge proudly on her chest was her usual blunt self when she attacked the powerful producers and stars of the Hindi film industry, calling them out for nepotism, sharing her own personal experiences of trauma.

But, there are those who say, if you are in the game, you have to play by the rules. An entertainment editor, who didn't wish to be identified for the story, in fact, believes "it's much better now". Groupism is an intrinsic Bollywood trait, and was much more pronounced in the 1980s and '90s. And stars and directors have always been unabashed about working repeatedly with who they like. Amitabh Bachchan, for instance, preferred to work with Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra. Some filmmakers would make movies only with Rajesh Khanna. "If you work well together, you continue to work with that team. And it's not just directors and actors. It's also directors and music directors or DOPs," she says, arguing that Johar is an easy target because his personal life is public. "He has grown up here [in the industry]. Are you going to judge him for partying with his friends?"

She lists the breaks Johar has given to newcomers, including directors like Shakun Batra, who made Kapoor and Sons, a Dharma production. "It's actually become more professional now—there are no premieres either. In Sushant's case, he was passionate about certain projects like Paani and Chandamama, which got shelved because they seemed unfeasible for economic reasons at that given time. He was broken by that. But to say he wasn't getting movies is incorrect. There are enough stories in fact, about how he was inaccessible to most people at most times."

Shekhar Kapur's Paani, a futuristic film set in 2040, that looks at a man from the lower city, where there isn't enough to eat and then nothing to drink, was an ambitious project surrounding water wars. And Sushant had spent months prepping for the role, internalising it. He was equally immersed in the idea behind Chandamama, especially given his personal interest in constellations. He had also visited the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to train to be an astronaut as prep for the role.

Founder of publicity firm Raindrop Media, Rohini Iyer seems to agree. In a series of social media posts, Iyer said, Sushant didn't care for validation. "He didn't give a f*** about fame or your opinions. He didn't care about these people who are busy posting about not being in touch with him. For the record, he didn't care about being in touch. He hated fake friends, phone calls and small talk. He rejected your parties, you didn't shun him. He rejected your lobbies. He didn't need camps, he had his own kingdom. He was an outsider and he never cared about being an insider," she wrote.

Hansal Mehta identifies with how the failure of a project can impact an intelligent mind. The man behind critically acclaimed movies like Aligarh, Shahid and Simran, says in the end, the audience will watch who they want to watch, no matter what group they belong to. Nepotism may lead to a star kid getting a foot in the door, but his or her success depends on merit. What has muddied the waters, he thinks, is the PR machinery and the media. "When paid news items were introduced, it was about promoting a movie. Now, it has become about propping and pulling down. Blind items are often ugly and damaging to a person's psyche." Mehta admits to going through a rough time himself after the release of Simran, which starred Kangana Ranaut. "I felt suicidal, but I kept working, and that kept me going."

A public relations professional this writer spoke to, says as an outsider, it's difficult to even bag an opportunity. "Until Kiara [Advani, actor] did M S Dhoni and Fugly, nobody cared who she was. But, it was after Lust Stories [backed by Karan Johar] that her life changed, how she was perceived took a turn. But, that being said, it's still not like movies are being made for her. She stars in Shershaah next which is being produced by Karan. But, it's a very small role. It's not like she is Alia, where movies are being written for her. Before Lust Stories, she would be seated in say row six at a movie do; now she has made it to row one."

She backs the claim that PR and talent agencies are critical to a star's success because they help set the stage for an image leg up. "If I have a consistent rapport and conversation with a journalist about one actor, it's likely that one day, that journalist will do a story on the actor, and just like that, an image is made. And more will follow. But, if someone says a PR professional can wreck careers, I am not sure. Information on blind items for instance, usually come from those in close proximity to the star."

Having worked briefly with Sushant in the past, she calls him ambitious and enthusiastic, except in recent times. "He had become reticent and wasn't available. He would vanish for long periods, change his number. I know that a prominent director was trying to get in touch with him, and couldn't, because his phone was switched off. In the end, how you handle the fame, and whether you display a strong work ethic also matters."

A talent manager, who has worked with some of the biggest stars in the business says, that for them, both the insider and outsider come with their own set of challenges. "The insiders have to prove themselves worthy of their lineage, while the outsider has to ensure his talent speaks because that's all he has. But, that being said, if tomorrow, say I have to push newcomer Shanaya Kapoor, I know that she already has an image [created by and on social media]. But with an outsider, I would have to work a lot on it."

Ask her if people get roles because they know a so-and-so or belong to a certain camp, and she says wryly, "Of course, that happens. But you can only sustain it for two or three projects. You have to remember that this is a business, and if a production house is betting Rs 20 crore on a star, they will push the movie or a certain star so that they get hefty returns on their investment. So yes, the aspirational a star, or someone with an image, is likely to get get stronger backing."

Actor Meera Chopra is cousin to Priyanka and Parineeti Chopra, and starred opposite Akshaye Khanna in last year's critically acclaimed film Section 375. She said in a note on Twitter, "We are working and living in an industry which is cruel, cold and ruthless… I am sorry to say but nobody gives a shit about what you are going through." She told this writer that despite being nominated for her performance as best supporting actress, she found it hard to find an outfit to wear for the award function. "Designers would rather dress Shanaya Kapoor, not me. It can get to you if you let it. It's not about nepotism, because that exists everywhere. The problem is that a core group feels they have ownership of the industry, which we outsiders don't have access to. We keep craving to be part of this family, and that's a very lonely process. They will call you on your birthday and text if your movie does well, but that's it. And this roast culture has now taken over, and people don't realise that it hurts. Till you get really famous, you are not going to be a part of this coterie, and you have to condition yourself to rise above it."

But acceptance doesn't come easily when you know only the best have access to membership of the exclusive club. Ranvir Shorey says when he came to Mumbai 20 years ago, he realised that entry to the powerful club rests on who you know. "But I will also say that not everyone in the business is like that, so you have to find what fits you. I decided to ignore people who were ignoring me."

Ask him if he cares about the parties he wasn't invited for and he scoffs, "I have thrown better parties than them. It's sad that you work hard and passionately but don't get what's due to you. I have had to cull my aspirations, because I knew that I wasn't going to get a mainstream film, or an award. I wanted the adulation but was snubbed. The membership to the powerful club should be open to anyone who performs well. We have to change the system."

His thoughts are echoed by actor Gulshan Devaiah, who likens the cliques to cartels. "They exist everywhere, from casting to production to distribution to marketing. Some wield power in a benevolent way, some are not so nice," says the Kannada actor, known for his work in Afsos and Ghost Stories. In an earlier interview to this paper, he had admitted that he was finding it hard to break into Bollywood. "An A-lister is defined not just by work but who they know. Everyone has licked a** and the cliques have the power to offer them acceptance. Some know how to play the game well, some try but fail, some like Irrfan [Khan], refuse to play it. What Sushant did, has forced me to think about my journey. I have tried to shake the right hand, and kiss the right a**, and trust me, it doesn't taste good. But Ranvir is right. It means he can make a different choice when he is in a bad place."

Devaiah says he knows of talent that's left the industry because they couldn't handle the unsaid rules. "It's a hustle to get a job, to get an award. It's difficult to even survive, leave alone thrive. And it's worse for women. What we can do is accept it, protect ourselves and build a support system."

A publicist who works with prominent actors says social acceptance is as critical as landing big projects. "Even a style award held by a publication has a guarded guest list. Even if someone's movie has made it to Cannes, it doesn't mean they will be invited. Once, an indie actor, who had informed an award show organiser that she would be late to arrive, was delayed by another 15 minutes. The magazine cancelled her award. That wouldn't have happened if she was a star kid."

Well known actor and once an industry kid, Raveena Tandon said in a telling tweet: "Mean girl gang of the industry. Camps do exist. Made fun of, removed from films by heroes, their girlfriends, journo chamchas and their career destroying fake media stories. Sometimes careers are destroyed. You struggle to keep afloat. Some survive. Some don't.#oldwoundsrevisited."

And so, evidently, it's not just outsiders but anyone who's not having a good run. Vivek Oberoi, it seemed, fell off the Bollywood map after his public fracas with Salman Khan over Aishwarya Rai, despite being called one of Bollywood's most promising raw talents following his successful partnership with Ram Gopal Varma. In a note, Oberoi wrote after Sushant's death, he said, "I've been through my own journey of pain, it can be very dark and lonely."

Aamir Khan's nephew Imran Khan, who was launched in Bollywood with much fanfare, has been out of work for a while. A filmy connection doesn't always come to the rescue. Adhyayan Suman, Shekhar Suman's son, says that when you are down and out, even your depression story is not taken seriously. "When I came out a few years ago about my mental health struggle, I was called frustrated and a loser. You have to be famous for your depression also to matter," says Suman, who acted in Raaz and Jashnn before he turned his attention a career in music. "I have been struggling [to build a career] for nine years, I am the example of nepotism not working. I don't understand why I never got movies—my roles in my movies got rave reviews. For one movie that did really well, the PR was told that she had to make sure my name didn't come up in promotions and was asked to discuss the big star instead. I once met a top director in LA, and asked for a meeting once he was back in Bombay. He gave me his number, and then for a whole year, never picked up my call."

The outsider who made it big, the RJ who transitioned beautifully to movies, Ayushmann Khurrana confirms in his book Cracking the Code, that breaking in is far from easy when he recounts the time he met Karan Johar, who gave him his office landline number. "I was extremely excited and thought to myself, 'ab toh life set hai. Ab mujhe koi rock nahi sakta. Ab toh introducing Ayusmann Khurrana hai by Dharma Productions.' The next day I dialled the number Karan had given me. They said Karan wasn't in office. The day after that, I called again and they said he was busy. And finally my bubble burst when, the subsequent day, they told me bluntly, "We only work with stars, and can't work with you," he writes in the book.

An actor who has been part of the industry for three decades, says that the witch-hunt against Johar and Co. is uncalled for. "Either play the game or don't. Uday Chopra [brother to Yash Raj scion and producer Aditya Chopra] couldn't get his career to take off and is now in LA. Can YRF change that? Could they have made him a star? The kind of trolling he experiences is horrifying. It happens to everyone and everywhere. You have to fight."


The Cliques Broke Down
Karan Johar values old-time friends and likes to hang out with people he grew up around and knows for long. This includes Shweta Bachchan, Twinkle Khanna, Kareena Kapoor Khan-all industry kids—and good friend Shah Rukh Khan's wife Gauri. Director Mahesh Bhatt's daughter Alia Bhatt, who he launched in Bollywood (she calls him a second father), and her beau, Ranbir Kapoor (scion of Bollywood's first family, the Kapoors) are also in the club.

It also includes new entrants of the industry like Deepika Padukone and husband Ranveer Singh, director Ayan Mukerji, who is Ranbir's bestie. Newcomers like Vicky Kaushal and Kiara Advani are under KJo's wing,

Sonam Kapoor has a classy and intellectual bunch of friends that form a fairly large sorority, including fashion designer Masaba Gupta (daughter to actor Neena Gupta), designer Shehla Khan, her sister Rhea, and heiress to the Leela hotels empire Samyukta Nair. Indie actor Swara Bhaskar is a good friend outside of the privileged kids gang.

Salman Khan has his favourites and doesn't make any attempt to hide who they are. Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonakshi Sinha, once rumoured girlfriend Katrina Kaif, director Abbas Ali Zafar, filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala, are part of his coterie.




In a Holi shoot from 2013, emerging stars, Sushant Singh Rajput, Siddharth Malhotra and Varun Dhawan, goof around. Pic/ Getty Images


Sushant Singh Rajput hugs director Vikas Bahl outside a Bandra restaurant as he leaves with former partner Ankita Lokhande, after the success party for Piku hosted by Deepika Padukone. Pic/ Getty Images 

Sushant Singh Rajput’s death invokes strong emotions. Debates abound on Bollywood nepotism versus outsides
Monika Rawal Kukreja (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 17, 2020)

“If you don’t watch it, they’d throw me out of Bollywood. I have no Godfather. I’ve made you (all) my Gods and fathers. Watch it if you want to see me survive in Bollywood”. These words of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput haunt as one scrolls through his comments on Instagram urging fans to watch his films.

After his death on Sunday, there has been a flurry of posts on social media blaming a section of Bollywood, with #nepotismkilledsushant trending on top. Once again putting spotlight on a topic that was brushed under the carpet until actor Kangana Ranaut called out filmmaker Karan Johar as the ‘flag-bearer of nepotism’.

Now, with Rajput gone, and it being alleged that he was suffering from depression, many claim he was made to feel an ‘outsider’ and was never welcomed by Bollywood.

Divided on the debate, many feel nepotism should end and genuine should come in, while some say it’s not got anything to do with the star-kid culture.

Actor Ranvir Shorey tweeted against the “self-appointed gatekeepers of Bollywood”. He tells us, “Opportunity needs to be made available on talent and merit, not networking and family connections. Reward talent based on performance, not pedigree. This need to have only pliable talent as stars stinks of fascism.”

Though actor Taapsee Pannu, who doesn’t come from any film family, agrees that nepotism exists, she asks what will be the deciding parameter while casting actors. “Who’s there to check if one is talented enough for a role and who’s taken on sheer contact basis? It’s more of a conscious call; people should prefer the right talent,” she says.

In the last two days, there have been many voices against this culture of sidelining not-so-successful actors.

Actors Kangana Ranaut and Sikandar Kher put up videos urging everyone “to stop talking behind people’s back”. Actor Vivek Oberoi penned a heartfelt message wishing “I could have shared my personal experience with Sushant and helped him ease his pain”. Amol Parashar in a twitter thread admitted “being shaken as a young actor” adding “in a profession as uncertain as this, you need sources of hope”. Raveena Tandon revealed the “mean girl gang” exists and that she was replaced in films.

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta cautioned “outsiders” in a series of tweets and labelled Bollywood “an establishment that’ll make you feel like the next big thing until they need you. They’ll drop and mock you as soon as you falter”.

Actor Gulshan Devaiah called it a myth that “Bollywood is a family”. On nepotism, he says it should never come in way of one’s career. “Some will always have an advantage. There’s lot of favouritism, power struggle. People want validation and this exaggerated idea of importance gets blown out of proportion,” says Deviah.

In fact, Rajput himself had once said that “nepotism can coexist but if you deliberately don’t allow right talent to come up, then there’s a problem”.

Meanwhile, there are several hashtags such as #BoycottKaranJoharMovieGang #NepotismInBollywood #BollywoodBlockedSushant trending. While Johar hasn’t said anything yet, Sonam Kapoor tweeted, “Blaming a girlfriend, ex girlfriend, family, colleagues for someone’s death is ignorant and mean spirited.” Sonakshi Sinha’s Insta story read, “...Your spewing negativity, hate and toxicity is really not required right now.” Defending their fraternity, both faced flak for being a part of the nepotism gang.

Having said that, the big question is: Is it really right to blame the star-kid-brigade?

Trade analyst Komal Nahta calls it “stupid” to blame nepotism for someone’s death. “It’s only a handful of people who give a bad name to the film industry. Are Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra so big that the entire industry would listen to them? Why didn’t others cast Sushant? That’s because he was very selective about the films he signed. So, he was out of work by choice.”

Pannu adds, “Those commenting on Sushant’s demise should ask themselves what they can do to bring about a positive change.”

Though not blaming anyone for this tragedy until there is clear evidence, Shorey says, “I’ve seen enough to know the kind of games people play in this business”.

Despite having comedian Vir Das on board, showrunner Nikkhil Advani admits Hasmukh suffered due to weak writing, discusses roping in new creative team for the black comedy's second season
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 28, 2020)

In hindsight, showrunner Nikkhil Advani admits he has greater clarity on why the Vir Das-fronted Hasmukh failed to strike a chord with the audience. "Fundamentally, what went wrong was that people perceived it as a comedy. It was not supposed to be a laugh-out-loud funny show; it was a tale of morality versus ambition," explains Advani, who is already using his learning from the first edition to develop a sharper sophomore season.

Even though the team behind the script included bright minds like Das and him, the producer states that he has roped in new writers for the next outing. "The writing could have been much better. So, we are bringing other writers on board to develop a more layered second season. This was not meant to be a polished show. The jokes weren't supposed to be nuanced because a stand-up comic from Saharanpur doesn't want to be Trevor Noah, he aspires to be like Jaspal Bhatti or Kapil Sharma. The jokes should have been more crass. Also, the positioning was wrong because when Vir plays Hasmukh, people expect great comedy."

Giving credit where it is due, the filmmaker points out the series brought forth the leading man's acting skills. "Whether people enjoyed the show or not, they liked Vir's performance. The acting department [elevated the show], be it Vir or his chemistry with Ranvir Shorey."

Soon after it dropped online, the black comedy landed in a legal soup after a lawyer moved the Delhi High Court alleging that one of the episodes — in which they have been referred to as "thieves, scoundrels, goons and rapists" — maligns the image and reputation of advocates. However, Advani refused to comment on the subject saying it is sub-judice.

As a mentor to Vir Das's Hasmukh in the comic's forthcoming eponymous Netflix web show, Ranvir Shorey says his part is crucial and has an attention-worthy track
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; April 16, 2020)

Ranvir Shorey made a conscious decision to green-light digital projects. "For independent actors who do not belong to any camp, like myself, this is important," he says. The actor's upcoming web series, Hasmukh, is a comic caper, with a twist. "It's a dark narrative. I am told everyone is glued to OTT platforms in the current scenario. Hopefully, this will give people reason to laugh."

The Netflix series, which drops tomorrow, is about a small-town comedian, played by Vir Das, who longs for a big break in stand-up acts. Things take a bizarre turn when he realises comedy too can be serious business, something that he may even need to kill for.

As Hasmukh's manager, Jimmy, Shorey also doubles up as his guide. "Jimmy is a scumbag with a heart of gold. When [Hasmukh] is off-stage, I [mentor] him. The two characters are together, but have their own individual graphs."

Shorey had earlier collaborated with Hasmukh producer Nikkhil Advani in Chandni Chowk to China (2009). "I guess, the previous outing landed me a role in Hasmukh. Shooting for a web series is more time consuming than a film. Every show poses its own challenges."

The promising run of his last Bollywood film, the Irrfan-starrer Angrezi Medium, was cut short owing to the Coronavirus lockdown. But Shorey is not dissuaded. "Many of my good films have suffered due to certain situations in the past. There's nothing one can do about it. But the response to Angrezi Medium is heartening. The digital platform is a blessing, and a game-changer," says Shorey, who was previously seen in web shows like Sacred Games and Bomber.

Meanwhile, Shorey is enjoying the hiatus that we have been compelled to take. "I binge watch shows, and the sheer joy of doing so is unexplainable. I also have other fears, like [finding] work again, contracting the disease, or availing enough groceries."

BOMBAY TIMES (May 28, 2019)

Ajay Devgn’s father, Veeru Devgan, who is counted among Bollywood’s veteran action directors, passed away yesterday morning at Surya Hospital in Santacruz where he was admitted as his health deteriorated. The final rites were held yesterday at 6 pm in the crematorium at Vile Parle. Devgan had choreographed stunts of over 80 films, including movies like Mr Natwarlal (1979), Kranti (1981), Himmatwala (1983), Shahenshah (1988), Tridev (1989) and Phool Aur Kaante (1991) among others. He had also directed Ajay in the film Hindustan Ki Kasam, which also featured Amitabh Bachchan, Manisha Koirala and Sushmita Sen.

Sanjay Dutt, Sunny and Bobby Deol dropped in at the actor's Juhu residence to pay their respects. Sham Kaushal, Vicky Kaushal’s dad, who is also an action director, wrote a heartfelt post on twitter. He wrote, “RIP Veeru Devgan ji. Just came to know about this sad news. As an Action Director always ahead of his times & as human being par excellence. I became a stuntman with his blessings on 8th August, 1980 as he signed my application to become a stuntman and made me part of his team. My first day of shoot as a stuntman, stunt double and my first outdoor shoot was under him. He fed me in his house when I did not have anything to eat. Can’t help crying while writing this (sic).” Ranvir Shorey tweeted, “@ajaydevgn Heartfelt condolences to you and the family. He was a kind, gentle and generous man. RIP.” South actor Sidharth, too, reached out to the actor over social media and wrote, “Deepest condolences and strength to @ajaydevgn and his family. Prayers and respects to #VeeruDevgan sir, a stellar veteran stunt choreographer. R.I.P.”

Manto director Nandita Das on how Nawazuddin Siddiqui and ensemble cast supported the movie by doing it for free
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 29, 2018)

In an industry that has become largely money-oriented, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and the team of Manto showed that artistes are driven by their love for movies. Eager to bring director Nandita Das' vision of Urdu author Saadat Hasan Manto to the big screen, most actors associated with the biopic decided to forgo their remuneration.

Das tells mid-day that the film's leading man was so taken by the story that a discussion about the remuneration did not arise. "Nawaz offered to do the film for Re 1. To not charge even a nominal fee is gracious of him," says the director, who was surprised to find similar support from Rishi Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Ranvir Shorey, Divya Dutta and Javed Akhtar, among others.

"Rishi Kapoor gave his nod in our first meeting. Paresh Rawal had worked with me in Firaaq (2008), I am truly grateful he did this role to perfection," says Das, adding that the move proves that actors will go the extra mile for a compelling story.

"As I have been on the other side [of the camera], I can say that good actors are hungry for good projects." Quiz her if she intends to have a profit-sharing arrangement with the actors, and she reiterates, "The compensation comes in the form of the joy of working on interesting projects."