Showing posts with label Rashtra Kavach OM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rashtra Kavach OM. Show all posts
Actor-screenwriter Akshat Raj Saluja held; third arrest in OTT scam
8:38 AM
Ahmed Ali (THE TIMES OF INDIA; October 18, 2022)
Mumbai: The city cyber police probing the OTT scam on Sunday arrested the alleged key player of the gang that cheated several Bollywood personalities of lakhs by promising them to upload their movies on OTT platforms and taking large sums from them by showing them fake letters of service providers. Actor Vivek Oberoi and producer Gaurang Doshi were among those cheated by the gang, said police.
“We got a tipoff that Sanjay Saha was to visit his Andheri (W) home. We laid a trap and arrested him,” said an officer. “He was produced before the holiday court which remanded him to police custody. ”
Last week, the cyber crime cell of the north region had arrested Rajat Kumar Mourya (29) from his residence in Jogeshwari. He allegedly spilled the beans on Saha, AnupSingh, Akash, Akshat Suluja and Radhika.
Police said after Mourya’s arrest, four more victims have approached them with similar complaints. They are in the process of filing fresh FIRs.
Mourya was arrested based on a complaint by film producer Maan Singh, who wanted to release two movies on an OTT platform to cater to the increased demand amid the pandemic. Singh said he met Mourya through a common friend and he introduced him to Saha. Police said Mourya showed Singh various certificates purportedly from OTT platforms for past releases that he had facilitated. Singh decided to give him the contract for his movies. In January 2021, Mourya took Rs 2.50 lakh as token amount and sent Singh a WhatsApp message in which there was a letter of intent from Panorama Studios mentioning its willingness to buy one of Singh’s movies for Rs 4 crore. Two days later, Mourya sent a letter of intent from another company saying the OTT platform had agreed to buy two other movies, for which Singh needed to pay Rs 1.50 lakh. Singh paid through netbanking.
“Saha promised Singh that he would release his movies on OTT platforms and on the pretext of paying the officials, took Rs 48 lakh from him. Saha, in connivance with his aides, also issued fake certificates of OTT agreements for releasing Singh’s movies,” said the officer. Singh told TOIthat had his cameraman not suspected foul play and alerted him, he would have lost more money.
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Ahmed Ali (THE TIMES OF INDIA; October 21, 2022)
Mumbai: Actor, screenwriter and producer Akshat Raj Saluja has been arrested by Mumbai cyber police for his alleged involvement in the OTT scam which came to light after film producer Maan Singh filed a complaint stating that he was duped of Rs 48 lakh by a group of conmen who promised to upload his movies on OTT platforms and took Rs 48 lakh by showing him fake letters of service providers.
Saluja, the screenwriter for film ‘Rashtra Kavach Om’, web series ‘Shiksha Mandal’ and ‘Yaargii’ and the producer of Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer ‘Dream Girl’, is the third accused to be arrested in the case. Cyber police had earlier arrested Jogeshwari resident Rajat Kumar Mourya and Andheri resident Sanjay Saha. They are now looking for a woman identified only as Radhika.
Police claimed that Saluja was one of the beneficiaries and had received Rs 7.50 lakh of Rs 48 lakh extracted from Singh. Saluja was booked for cheating, forgery, and breach of trust under the Indian Penal Code as well as under the Information Technology Act. On Thursday, Saluja was produced before the Borivli court, which remanded him to police custody.
In his complaint, Singh said he wanted to release two movies — MD and Alpaviram —on an OTT platform to cater to the increased demand amid the pandemic. Singh said Mourya showed him certificates purportedly from OTT platforms for past releases that he had facilitated. Singh decided to give him the contract for his movies. In January 2021, Mourya took Rs 2.50 lakh as token amount and sent Singh a WhatsApp message with a fake letter of intent from Panorama Studios mentioning its willingness to buy one of Singh’s movies for Rs 4 crore.
“On the basis of this forged letter of intent, Mourya, Saha, Radhika and Saluja extracted Rs 48 lakh from Singh,” said a police officer.
Police said actor Vivek Oberoi and filmmaker Gaurang Doshi too have been cheated by this gang.
Why tag songs or actors as ‘item’ song or girl?-Elnaaz Norouzi
8:19 AM
Elnaaz Norouzi feels dance numbers require hard work, too, and shouldn’t be belittled
S Farah Rizvi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 25, 2022)
Actor Elnaaz Norouzi, who was seen in back-to-back dance numbers in two big recent releases, finds the tag ‘item song’ imprecise and feels it undermines the vital role a song plays in shaping a film.
“Why tag songs or actors as ‘item’ song or girl? I don’t have any aversion to it, but I don’t agree with the tag either. Each film is a right mix of storytelling, music and characters. Not one can work without the other in Bollywood. So, for me, if I am doing a song or playing a bigger role, for both parts, I have to put in equal efforts. As an artiste, my hard work remains the same and I have to give my best shot whether I am dancing or acting,” says the actor, who was last seen in Jugjugg Jeeyo and Rashtra Kavach Om.
Looking back at her journey, Narouzi feels she could make it so far with the support of her loved ones and her own determination. She says, “I had to struggle a lot to reach a stage where I am a known face. There were times when I had no money, it was difficult to sustain. I don’t want to revisit all that as it’s good to move on, but there have been really hard times I have been through. The struggle is real for actors who don’t have a filmi background, especially in the beginning. God has been kind as I had friends who stood by me throughout,” she says.
The Sacred Games actor admits that even after finding a footing in the industry, she does have to give auditions. But, she isn’t complaining: “As an actor, one needs to continue exploring themselves, and what’s better than auditioning! Even big film stars give auditions, so what’s the hue and cry about,” Norouzi says, adding that she “never had a plan B”.
“I was determined that Bollywood has to work for me, come what may. So, shying away from auditions or running away from hard work was never me. And see, today, I am in a secure place, working for banners that are always on every newcomer’s bucket. I am slowly ticking them off, which means I am on the right track,” she ends.
(Crisp) Movie Review: RASHTRA KAVACH OM by FENIL SETA
12:06 PM
Rashtra Kavach OM seems interesting till a point. Aditya Roy Kapur’s entry is massy and the action scenes, in the beginning, are fun. The intermission also comes at a great juncture. One expects the film to go higher. Sadly, the film stops making sense from here on. There are far too many twists and turns for the heck of it. Also, for an action film, there could have been more fights. The VFX is also not upto the mark. After having seen films like Attack, Squad etc, the action scenes seem sub standard, especially because of not-so-great CGI. Aditya Roy Kapur, however, is quite convincing in this role. Sanjana Sanghi also does well and gets to kick butt. Ashutosh Rana is fine but the way he pronounces ‘memory’ will lead to unintentional laughter. Prakash Raj is over the top, though it works for his character. Jackie Shroff, Prachee Shah Pandya and others are decent. All in all, Rashtra Kavach OM is a disappointment.
My rating - ** out of 5!
It’s no big deal to make Govinda dance. It’s an achievement if you make Sunny Deol and Suniel Shetty groove-Ahmed Khan
8:35 AM
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; June 30, 2022)
As a choreographer-turned-director who has now branched out as a producer, Ahmed Khan has come a long way in his journey in showbiz. After curating some slick maar-dhaad projects in Hindi cinema, his first film as a producer, Rashtra Kavach OM, further demonstrates his love for the action genre. Debutant director Kapil Verma, who comes from a family of action directors, sat down with Ahmed to take us through their journey with this film. Excerpts from a chat with them:
Your film, Rashtra Kavach OM, will be in the theatres tomorrow. Are you both anxious about the audience’s reception to the film, especially given that the industry is finally getting back on its feet?
KAPIL: Our film’s copies have been delivered over the weekend. It’s my first film as a director and I am a bundle of nerves right now.
AHMED: It’s a big production for me. Today, we can’t talk about business anticipation, ki picture itni chalni chahiye and so on. I am simply hoping that people like it because it has been made well. The team has put together a good product. It was envisioned as a full-blown emotion-led action thriller, weaving in all the elements of an entertainer while staying within the boundaries of the story we had on hand. We should take this moment to just be proud of what we have made. We had a brilliant journey together. And irrespective of how the film fares, I am working with Kapil again on another action entertainer.
Ahmed, as a producer, what drove you to pick Aditya Roy Kapur to play the male protagonist, given that he hasn’t been seen as a full-blown action hero before this?
Ever since I started choreographing songs, I’ve worked on one principle. It’s no big deal to make Govinda dance. It’s an achievement if you make Sunny Deol and Suniel Shetty groove to a song. I’ve done it quite a few times. I’ve enjoyed doing this. When something is tough to imagine or manage and you do it, don’t you feel like an achiever? I’ve believed that working with a legit action hero is fine, like I’ve worked with Tiger Shroff who can spoil you for life. He can pull off anything you imagine. But when we had a chance here, I felt we should bring in someone who has not done it before, but has the makings of a perfect action star. Adi has the height, the personality and the build of a macho action star.
When he performs those scenes in the film, some of which you see in the trailer, you realise that he looks believable and great while doing it. He was so comfortable in the space that it never felt like it was his first brush with a full-blown action film. Also, for this film, I didn’t want an action director friend or an assistant. I have known Kapil and his work with the steady cam and his ability to control a set while shooting action. So, when Adi met him and they connected, I took a few steps back and let them be. I was there to hold them if they ever tripped, but they just went all out.
Today, it has become more difficult to predict the fate of a film than it was earlier, and as you mentioned earlier, the audience’s taste is changing rapidly. What are your thoughts about that?
KAPIL: It’s a phase! Even the audience is trying to figure out what they could watch in a theatre and what they really should wait for at home. The audience has many options and so much to watch at home. They’ve come around the idea of waiting for most theatrical films to come on OTT platforms. So, honestly, we don’t know where we are standing today and what genre works. Gangubai Kathiawadi and Bhool Bhulaiyya 2 weren’t of the same genre. So, maybe a few more months to analyse, and we should be able to understand what’s bringing people into theatres.
AHMED: We’re Indians aur hum kitna OTT pe international content dekh lenge? In the last two years, I must have watched at least 50 dubbed films from the South; safe to say, the audience saw at least 200 such movies. That exposure, especially for the theatre-crazy audience, has mentally prepared them to watch that kind of stuff in cinemas. Bollywood, on the contrary, chose to believe that the audience has become that much slicker in its choices with all the OTT exposure, which we have tried doing with some of our films. We didn’t study what the theatre-going audience wants too clearly. The South Indian films are good. They juice all the emotions to the fullest. They don’t leave things half-baked. Toh hamari audience ne unke content ko zyada pasand kiya. By the time we wake up to this, the trend will have changed. So, it is tough to analyse what will work and it is foolish to keep thinking too hard. Make whatever you decide to with all your heart, pulling out all stops. Whether you have Tiger, Salman Khan or Aditya Roy Kapur, do justice to the material you have on hand. Don’t downsize its scale. If it doesn’t work at the theatre, you apologise and move on. Dil se apna karo, aur baaki public pe chhod do.
The film went on the floor between the first and the second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic. Would it have helped if you had waited for a safer period to start an action-heavy film like this?
KAPIL: Two years is a long waiting period, especially at a time when the audience’s taste is changing every few months. If you have a script that you’re perfectly in sync with, you shouldn’t sit on it. Chances are that it gets dated by the time you make the film. So, even though we had our plans in place, we waited for the first wave to subside. We shot the film with all the precautionary measures in place. Barring one Armenian schedule, we didn’t have any COVID cases on our sets. What kept us going was a strong pre-production set-up and the enthusiasm of the entire team. Everyone was so passionately driven that we could hit the finish line well within our deadline.
Kapil, as someone from a family of action directors, were you nervous to show your content to them, especially your father, Tinu Verma?
My dad was always there for me. Since I have so many gifted action directors right at home, I had a thought about them assessing what I’m doing with my film, especially since it belongs to their pet genre. Eventually, when they saw it, they loved it. Dad was overwhelmed with the scale and the intensity of the action. A lot of people had asked me why he wasn’t part of my first film. I would have loved that, but he believed that his presence would stress me out. So, he supported me in every way a parent does.
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 732
9:55 AM
WILL THE HOLLYWOOD RELEASE OF THE WEEK OVERPOWER THE BOLLYWOOD RELEASES?
The next two Fridays will see Bollywood taking a backseat as some not-so-exciting films would be up for release. Meanwhile, Hollywood can dominate this week as well as the next. While Thor: Love And Thunder would be released on Thursday, July 7, this week will see the release of Minions: The Rise Of Gru. The film has been ready for a long time and was supposed to be released on June 13, 2020. Due to the Covid pandemic, it got delayed by a year, at first. Finally, it will be out in cinemas on Thursday, June 30, in India.
Minions: The Rise Of Gru is a part of the Despicable Me franchise. However, the story takes off from where Minions ended and it shows how these yellow, mischievous creatures declared Gru as their boss. These characters are extremely popular and have a fan following in audiences of all ages. Though the previous films in this franchise haven’t done record business in India, Minions: The Rise Of Gru can work as there's a dearth of exciting content in cinemas.
Since it releases on a Thursday, its collections would be poor on day 1 as it’s a family film. The target audience of such films throng cinemas mainly on Saturday and Sunday. Hence, the earnings of Minions: The Rise Of Gru can rise on these two days if the word of mouth is positive. Recently, Top Gun: Maverick also didn’t start well and many assumed that it’ll flop. However, once the film picked up, there was no looking back and it is about to cross the Rs. 40 crore mark! Minions: The Rise Of Gru won’t put up such numbers and even if it does Rs. 10-12 crores business, it’ll be more than enough.
Meanwhile, two Bollywood films would also release this week, on Friday, July 1. Rashtra Kavach OM stars Aditya Roy Kapur in an action packed avatar for the first time. Sanjana Sanghi is paired opposite him in this film, which is produced by Ahmed Khan. The film was earlier titled OM: The Battle Within. Reportedly, the name was changed due to issues concerning the copyright of the title. The excitement for the film is minimal. Moreover, it seems like the audience is not entirely kicked with the idea of seeing Aditya Roy Kapur in such a role. Its opening would be poor, in the range of Rs. 75 lakhs to Rs. 2 crores. In the single screens of B and C centres, it’ll find some takers.
The final release of the week is Rocketry: The Nambi Effect. It features R Madhavan as the lead actor as well as the director. The movie tells a fascinating story of Nambi Narayan, an ISRO genius, who was falsely accused of espionage. Rocketry: The Nambi Effect was screened at the 75th Cannes Film Festival and the response was quite positive. However, since the awareness and hype are low, the makers would have to make do with critical acclaim as commercial success will be hard to come by, especially in the Hindi version. Rocketry: The Nambi Effect is also being released in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English.
The producers felt that the title, Rashtra Kavach OM, would connect more with the audience-Aditya Roy Kapur
8:13 AM
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; June 26, 2022)
Rashtra Kavach OM is Aditya Roy Kapur’s first full-blown action film. In a chat with Bombay Times, the actor spoke about his action avatar, the work that went behind looking the part, lessons learnt and his admiration for Sanjay Dutt as an action hero. Excerpts:
You have been in the film industry for over a decade now and were a VJ before that. What have been your learning lessons as an actor in showbiz?
As you get older, you realise that everything is transient. You have to keep going back to work every day. Don’t fly too high when things go well and too low when they don’t. You should not allow yourself to get swayed by the ups and downs. If I were to give a message from my experience to aspiring actors, I would say, work gets you work. Don’t give up any opportunities at work. Don’t wait for that perfect time. If you have an opportunity, take it. You never know what it might lead you to.
The title of your upcoming film OM: The Battle Within has been changed to Rashtra Kavach OM barely two weeks before the film’s release. What led to this decision?
Maybe the new title is more relatable. I think the producers felt that Rashtra Kavach OM would connect more with the audience. It’s one of the two main conflicts in the film. The story is about patriotism and these are the relevant themes of it. They felt the new title would resonate more with the audience. Whether it will help or not, only time will tell.
This is your first full-blown action film. Tell us what was it about the script that struck you the most?
This film has a strong emotional anchor and that takes the story forward, that’s what struck me the most. Action is the icing on the cake and that is the beauty of the film. It’s a story about a family. It’s about the mother-son bond as well as a son looking for his father, his quest for truth and his responsibilities towards his job and the country. The story has many layers, so this was an interesting character to play. Of course, external factors like the action scenes are also there. Director Kapil Verma and producer Ahmed Khan have put in a lot of action in the film, but what drew me to the film was its emotional core.
You have always been athletic, given your football background, but action is a different beast. How tough was it to get into shape to play a para commando?
I have done the whole gym thing before. I had bulked up a lot for Malang, but this one needed me to learn action. Ahmed sir and Kapil were clear that they wanted me to do the stunts. I underwent rigorous action training for three-and-a-half months as the action had to look realistic. Interestingly, action is the antithesis of bodybuilding. You lose muscle when you do action, so I had to train accordingly. If I trained for action scenes for two hours in the morning, I had to work out for two hours in the evening to rebuild muscle. It was extra tough as I had to bulk up a bit as well. This is the most physically demanding role of my career so far.
Speaking of physically demanding roles, are you happy to be able to shed the strict diet and work discipline as soon as a film wraps up?
It is tough to maintain a strict diet beyond the shooting schedule. I like my food! Every now and then, I need to go off the rails on a three-day food bender, but not more than that. As soon as I wrapped up this film, I went to my parents’ house and had delicious mutton curry cooked by my dad. I work well when I have a goal. I put my blinkers on and focus. Once it’s done, it’s important for me to let my hair down. Earlier I used to yo-yo. I used to lose a lot of weight and then gain a lot, and that can get mentally tiring. I have reached a sort of equilibrium in the last two-three years where I am a little more consistent. I no longer allow myself to undergo three months of crash diet to get into shape. I am at a physical stage where 20 days of workout is sufficient for me. Consistency has found its way into my life.
For a major part of your career, we have seen you portraying these world-weary, intense characters that take to alcohol and drown in their sorrows. Are you happy to break away from that brooding mould and venture into an out-and-out action film with a patriotic fervour?
I don’t think I am veering too far away from the complicated characters I have played so far. Funnily, this film has patriotism and action, but my character here too has an emotional side. It has all the ingredients of my previous roles (smiles). This was also an emotionally draining film for me and it had its set of challenges. Once you see the film, you’ll realise that this character has been put through a whole set of situations that could weigh heavy on anyone. This role gave me something to sink my teeth into as well.
Do you wonder why these emotionally intense roles are offered to you when you don’t really have a brooding personality in real life...
(Laughs!) I do wonder that! Well, there have been films like Ludo, OK Jaanu and Daawat-e-Ishq where I have played lighter roles and believed in the brighter side of life. I guess the roles that stood out have been the more intense ones. As an actor, I think I have also got a chance to showcase my other side. My filmography has been fairly varied, but yes, I would like to do more comedy and varied stuff for sure. One doesn’t want to keep doing the same thing again and again.
Rashtra Kavach OM is your foray into action and comparisons with the likes of John Abraham, Tiger Shroff and Vidyut Jammwal are inevitable since they have dominated this space for a while now. How does it feel to venture into t heir territory?
I take it in a positive way because these guys have done such amazing work in this genre. This is my first step into it. It will take me a few more action films before I can be compared to these guys. If the comparisons are still made, I would be flattered by them. Who doesn’t want to be compared to something or someone good!
Growing up, who was your favourite action hero?
Sanjay Dutt’s personality is most striking. He has this aura and an edgy look. He built a great physique back in the day when it wasn’t common, and that was inspiring.
It bothered me when the first look of Rashtra Kavach OM only featured Aditya Roy Kapur-Sanjana Sanghi
8:20 AM
Noting that Hindi cinema has a dearth of female-led actioners, Sanjana Sanghi says it was a conscious decision to pull off the gritty role in Om
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 22, 2022)
Hindi cinema has rarely had a slick woman-led action film. Among the few times that it has been attempted, the women have been sexualised in femme fatale avatars, complete with leather outfits. When Sanjana Sanghi stepped into the universe of Rashtra Kavach OM, she partly expected a similar tonality. The actor was pleased to see that director Kapil Verma had a different vision for his actioner.
“I can’t deny that historically, we have seen very few leading ladies do action. This is only my second film. I can’t deny the trappings that exist. I didn’t have any reference points for the film. I had to turn to Hollywood and look at Scarlett Johansson. This is what made the film more interesting. Kavya, my character, is a full person. In a testosterone driven world, she is an anomaly. She is leading the pack here. The script gave me the responsibility inherently, and I built from there. I didn’t feel the desire to do bigger stunts to feel more important in the story. My director Kapil Verma mounted the story in such a way that the female perspective is important,” she says.
Even as leading ladies are getting meatier roles, the gender bias is evident in the smallest of instances. The first look of Om featured only leading man Aditya Roy Kapur, with no sign of Sanghi. “Of course, it bothered me, and I told Ahmed sir [Khan, producer] I need to be in it. We launched a new poster with the trailer,” she states.
Om marks her second film after her debut vehicle, Dil Bechara (2020). Preparing for the role was challenging, she admits. “I trained with Parvez Shaikh [action choreographer] and his team. I learnt hand-to-hand combat, weapon use and underwent gun training. Aditya and I learnt [to handle] pistols, M16 and different kinds of rifles. I learnt how many bullets go into what, how to empty out the guns. What helped was having Adi by my side. He held my hand and walked me through it. Just knowing he was there to catch me, if I fall from a harness was the kind of comfort that made my performance better.”
From fronting a love story in Dil Bechara to an actioner, there is a paradigm shift. Sanghi insists it’s a conscious move. “There are false notions about action. I know that I have kicked ass in the film. I want young girls to know that you got you. You don’t need a man for protection. That’s [the confidence] a woman doing action on the big screen evokes.”
The actor is currently shooting for Dhak Dhak, which also stars Ratna Pathak Shah, Dia Mirza, Fatima Sana Shaikh and is produced by Taapsee Pannu. She is glad that the film asserts the conversation around sisterhood. “A film like that asserts the conversation around sisterhood. I choose films based on what it makes me believe. When Taapsee sent me the script, I read it in a day and called her to say I am doing it. I didn’t know who else was in the movie. The eclectic cast is a win-win for us. In Tapsee, I have found a guide and a friend, a sounding board I could seek advice from. To have such secure, skilled actors coming together is beautiful. Every scene is a new visual because we haven’t seen four women riding an Enfield bike as a visual in Hindi films. When we think of a bullet, we think of a boy! But I guess women across generations in the industry are willing to go all out and risk it,” she says.
OM: The Battle Within is now called Rashtra Kavach OM
8:18 AM
BOMBAY TIMES (June 13, 2022)
Rashtra Kavach OM, starring Aditya Roy Kapur and Sanjana Sanghi, is among the most anticipated action entertainers of the year. The trailer, which was launched recently, showcases Aditya as a valiant soldier fighting for the nation and his family. The actor is seen in some action-packed, daredevil stunts shooting big guns. This is also the first time that Sanjana will be seen in an action avatar, for which she trained for many months.
Aditya says, “I am elated to be a part of this film. I hope the audience gives me the same amount of love and appreciation as an action hero as they have in my earlier films.”
Sanjana adds, “This film is extremely special for me. It has helped me discover an entirely different side to myself as an actor, as I got to do action so early in my career.”
Talking about the film, director Kapil Verma adds, “I had fun working with Ahmed (Khan), Aditya and Sanjana, and we hope the audience enjoys the film on July 1.”
Producer Ahmed Khan shares, “Rashtra Kavach OM will keep you on the edge of your seat with its power-packed action and will also fill your heart with emotions.”
Shariq Patel, CBO of Zee studios, said, “With this film, we continue to invest in high-octane action films and present a new action star in Aditya Roy Kapur. I’ve seen the entire team put in its best effort in making this an entertaining film, and it was indeed our privilege to work with such a dedicated cast and crew. ”
The movie also features Jackie Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Prachi Shah, and Prakash Raj in pivotal roles.
Zee Studios and Ahmed Khan present, Rashtra Kavach OM, A Paper Doll Entertainment production, produced by Zee Studios, Shaira Khan and Ahmed Khan. The film releases on July 1.
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