Upala KBR (DNA; October 4, 2016)


Rohit Shetty’s last film Dilwale locked horns with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani last year. There have been reports of Robot 2.0, starring Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar and Amy Jackson, releasing on the date Rohit has announced — Diwali 2017. Both films releasing the same day would mean a Rajini and Akshay vs Ajay clash.

But this time, Rohit has decided to back out of the announced date (October 19) and not release on the same Friday as Rajinikanth’s 2.0. The fourth installment of the franchise, titled Golmaal Again stars Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Kunal Kemmu and Shraddha Kapoor and is co-produced by Rohit.

Says a source, “While most directors fight over festival dates for the release of their films, here’s one director who is willing to make the big gesture. Rohit’s films have always released in Diwali week as they represent the bright, happy, larger-than-life festive spirit. But Rohit is very clear that he won’t release on the same day as 2.0. He’s a huge fan of Rajinikanth and he’s grown up on the South superstar’s films and has too much respect for the senior actor to clash with his film on the same day.”

Apart from that, Rohit feels that film clashes are avoidable as they create unnecessary negativity. The source adds, “When clashes happen, the focus goes more on who’s doing what rather than on the film’s marketing and promotions. The filmmaker feels that any good day is good for a release as it used to be in earlier times and he’s perfectly happy with releasing Golmaal Again on any other day.”

Aurora Theatre's Nambi Rajan on how superstar Rajnikanth's films have kept him from shutting down his 74-year-old cinema hall
Kunal Guha (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 17, 2016)

A week to go for superstar Rajnikanth's next, Kabali, and the buzz around the film is palpable. Trade pundits estimate the film's prerelease business to be around Rs 200 crores. For Nambi Rajan, owner of Matunga's Aurora Theatre, a Rajnikanth release has implications way beyond numbers. Kabali's first-day-first show is slated to be a grand affair at Aurora. Rajni's fan clubs from across the city are setting up a blood donation camp at the single screen, where each of the 700 people watching the first show will donate for charity. There's also a free eye check-up camp being setup by Aditya Jyot Hospital's Dr S Natarajan, a big Thalaiva fan himself.

A mecca of Rajni fans in Mumbai, the theatre is one where whistling, applauding or simply breaking into a jig mid-film are the norm. Many bring flowers to pay their obeisance but are requested to leave them next to the poster outside the theatre. Rajan reasons, "Flowers flung at the screen get stuck to it and leave a mark and coins tossed at the screen can hit someone."

Stroking his white bushy beard, Rajan, a Rajnikant devotee himself, shares, "I am usually clean-shaven, but this is the look that Rajni sir flaunts in Kabali." Occupied with elaborate plans to give his modest single screen a makeover to welcome the big release, he points at his theatre's facade, adding, "I will be getting the entire theatre painted and will get a new screen too. There will be a huge poster and big cutouts of Rajni sir on either side." The fact that this theatre resonates with Rajni fans isn't lost on the makers of Kabali either. The production house has plans to kick off their on-ground promotions on an open bus from this venue tomorrow.

Synonymous with South Indian films today, Aurora, which opened in 1942, was a haunt for English classics in the first four decades of its existence. "During the 60s and 70s, the best English films would first play at Strand, Regal and Sterling, and then come to Aurora after completing 25 weeks," adds Rajan. The theatre's previous owners and exhibitors, Bejan Bharucha and his German wife Gertude, controlled 70-80 cinema halls in Maharashtra and around four in Delhi under their banner, All India Pictures Pvt Ltd. They sold Aurora to Rajan in the early 80s. A framed photograph of both hangs in Rajan's office. "When I took over, Matunga was a South Indian ghetto, so I ensured that the matinee show was invariably a South Indian film," he says. "People would come to the theatre, all the way from Thane and Dombivli, without knowing what was playing." An early lunch at a nearby mess, Concerns, followed by a matinee show at Aurora was customary. "It helped the homesick who had moved to Mumbai from the South, feel at home," says Rajan, who defines the early 90s as a "golden period". Films such as Rajnikanth's Annamalai (1992) and Kamal Haasan's Thevar Magan (1992) were among many that ran for 100 days. But Rajnimania peaked with Sivaji. When Rajan pitched for the film's distribution, he was clueless. "All I knew was, this was the first time that Shankar, Rajnikanth, AVM and Rahman had collaborated." Learning that his competitors had made staggering offers, with one actually leaving the production with a blank cheque, Rajan decided to opt out. Rajan veers into flashback mode, "Three days after I returned from Chennai, they invited me over again. They enquired how much I could afford and I shared my conservative budget. They agreed. Before I left, they asked me to check out the songs at their preview theatre and I was blown away by what I saw." On exiting the theatre, Rajan learnt that the competing bids were around Rs 50 lakhs. "At the time, I would acquire distribution rights for Rs 2-3 lakhs. For a Rajnikanth movie, I'd shell out Rs 4-5 lakhs. But AVM trusted me, so I took the risk." Rajan returned to Mumbai and sent them a revised cheque of Rs 52 lakhs. The film's phenomenal success paid off.

"This was the first film to be shot in 4K resolution and when I tested the film on my screen, mazaa nahin aaya. So I changed the screen, installed Dolby Digital Sound, revamped the seats and got the theatre painted. Rajni fans deserved nothing less," he says, adding, "Waise bhi public aayega, but I wanted to give them a good experience. If they are spending Rs 100, they should get their money's worth."

Ironically, prior to Sivaji's release he had planned to shut shop. "After Sivaji went off screens, I shut it down for four months. During this time, Kamal Haasan's Dasavatharam released and I went to watch it with my family at IMAX," he says. "This is where I overheard a few youngsters discussing that it was no fun watching the film there... no seeti, no one laughs, no one even claps." So, when Rajnikanth's Kuselan (2008) released soon after, Rajan couldn't resist and reopened Aurora. The plan was to shut it down after Kuselan but a few of his employees suggested he keep it running till his multiplex plans materialise. "Fortunately or unfortunately, it has been nine years since. Now, I pray to God that I can retain the theatre till Robot 2 releases next year," says Rajan.

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; June 30, 2016)


Rana Daggubati, who features in Baahubali 2, confirms, “Two big films like Robot 2 and Baahubali 2 can never release on the same day. Also, they are yet to finish shooting and have a lot of work left. Then there is post-production and VFX, which takes up the maximum time for such films. So Robot 2 isn’t releasing in April, but we are definitely releasing our film on April 14 next year.”

Two sequels eyeing the same release date is almost always bad for business and inevitably, leads to divided earnings. And because these two sequels had blockbusters for their first innings, way too much is at stake.

On the face of it, Robot 2.0 and Baahubali 2 are very different films — one is futuristic, the other medieval — but they’re also similar in many ways. Both are expected to set benchmarks in terms of the use of VFX and carry the burden of being money-spinners like their predecessors were. Buzz of a clash wasn’t taken too well by the makers of either film, both plagued by delays.

Baahubali 2 was supposed to hit screens this year. Ask Rana about the delay and he reasons, “Although we had shot almost 50 per cent of the second portion before the first half released, the war scenes are bigger and grander now. So it is taking a lot of time, dedication and hard work. The VFX work this time is something to watch out for. Hence, we always had a feeling that Baahubali 2 might release only in 2017.”

Akshay Kumar on his well-received performance in his latest film, acting in comedic genres and what it means to return to the genre after a while...
Sarita A Tanwar (DNA; June 6, 2016)


You’re getting a lot of praise for your dual personality portrayal in Housefull 3. You must be pleased.
To be honest, as an actor, this was the toughest film to do. I mean really tough. You remember the scene in the film when I have to fall down the stairs? I actually had to go through the ordeal of falling down the stairs in that way. My knees were hurt, my back was bruised, but I still had to maintain that look on my face, so the audiences could laugh.

The audiences can’t get enough of Sandy/Sundi. Kids and adults alike are laughing at their antics.
I’m happy that people have liked it, but it wasn’t easy to play. It was more complex because I had to switch from Sandy to Sundi in one shot. In the film’s end credits, if you see the bloopers, you’ll realise it. At one point, I had forgotten who I was playing — Sandy or Sundi. I just went blank. I had to ask the directors who I was at that point. If you see my performance closely, you’ll notice my nerves popping out.

How did you prepare to play a split personality?
It was always there on the script level. But you know how Sajid and Farhad are as narrators. They always come with a reference point in terms of how they want their actors to perform. They gave me the lead and then I found my own way through it. The rest was my own interpretation.

Playing Sundi must have been tougher.
A little bit. I had to practise the expressions a lot. Then I came up with the walk. The walk was never shown to me. I came up with eyebrows. Sundi is physically strong, but he is dumb. Sandy is a smart guy who doesn’t believe in violence. But Sundi loves violence and he only wants to hurt Sandy. Basically, he only wants to hurt himself. For me, that bit was difficult.

Which was your most difficult shot?
It’s the scene where I am hitting myself with the hammer. I had to hit myself, then look and then hit again. That took me a lot of time to practise. Even that Lalla Lalla Lori, Bahon Mein Aaja Gori scene was tough because it had to be done in a single shot. Most of Sundi’s scenes were done in a single shot because there was no way I could do them again and again. Physically, it was too demanding.

There is a bit of Jim Carrey in your body language when you are Sundi…
I have taken certain references. Like that part where I am raising my eyebrows, I have taken from Jack Black. He did this in King Kong. A part of the walk was from Jim Carrey of Ace Ventura. I modified that a bit. That whole part of shaking my head while switching characters is what I took straight from Farhad and Sajid.

Very rarely do actors doing comic parts get acclaim. Comment.
That’s really very sad. When you do romantic or intense roles, you end up walking away with the Best Actor awards. But it never happens when you play a comic role. Comedy is always disregarded; it’s not taken seriously even when it’s the toughest thing to do. It’s like when you go to see a circus. The ring-master standing in front of the lion will generate a lot of awe. The guys performing the acrobatics will be hailed. They’re considered heroic. But the poor joker who falls up and down, makes a fool of himself and throws water on his face just to make people laugh is never taken seriously. Jab ke a circus is named circus from the joker’s point of view. Try and understand this. You can still watch animals in a zoo. You can still watch gymnastics in an arena. But you’ll find a joker only in a circus. The circus is there because of him.

You’ve always maintained that comedy is serious business.
Yes, which is why I don’t understand why people take it for granted. A couple of days back, somebody from the media told me, ‘Sir, but slapstick comedy is not that great anyway.’ I asked him to come on the dais. I told him, ‘Just imagine there’s a banana peel fallen over here. Try and deliberately slip over it. Pretend to fall down.’ Everyone thought it was a very simple thing to do. But he couldn’t do it. See, it’s not just about falling down. It’s about falling down in such a way that makes people laugh. That’s the tough part. To make a fool of yourself just to bring a smile to others is the most difficult thing to do. I am surprised that people yet haven’t awakened to the impact comedy has had in cinema. In my case, it just changed my career, particularly after Hera Pheri. It also changed my definition as an actor. Earlier, there were only comedians in our industry. Leading actors doing comedy started with Mr Amitabh Bachchan and what a level he took it to.

Did you move away from comedy because you felt you weren’t being taken seriously?
No. Would you say Charlie Chaplin wasn’t a great actor? Would you say Rowan Atkinson (Mr Bean) isn’t adored and respected by millions across the world? Look at actors like Jack Black — they find ways to reinvent themselves through comedy. Even a serious actor like Al Pacino has had to turn to comedy. Robert De Niro has done films like The Intern and Dirty Grandpa at this stage of his career. Would you ever say they are not actors? Look what Robert Downey Jr did in Tropic Thunder. Look at Jim Carrey.

What’s the best part about being a comic actor?
The best feeling about my job is when a father tells me, ‘My son, whenever he wants to eat his food, watches your films like Hera Pheri, Welcome or others. Without them on, he cannot eat food.’ Nobody has ever told me, ‘My son won’t eat his food if we won’t let him watch Sangharsh.’

All actors can’t pull off slapstick comedy.
When you go to watch a film, watch it in relation to the genre it belongs to. Slapstick comedy is a big genre in itself. A situational comedy is different. In that, you at least have a situation that evokes laughter. In slapstick, you have to evoke laughter with just your actions. That is way tougher.

In the last two years, you’ve moved on to experimenting with different roles and genres. How did it feel returning to this space with Housefull 3?
I love comedy because in real life too, I love to laugh, smile and joke around. I think I have the maximum jokes on my mobile and I share those with people. I love to watch funny videos. But when it comes to my films, I want to keep on trying something new. I don’t want to be stuck with one image. There was a time when I was just doing action films. So nobody was even considering me for a romantic film or an emotional drama. I have faced that. This is a deliberate attempt to just come out and break all the barriers. I am an all-rounder; I want to play, I want to stand at every point whether it’s a mid-on while fielding or mid-off or a slip or even be a wicket-keeper or a bowler or a batsman. I want to try my hand at everything. That’s why I took on this brilliant Tamil film Robot 2 as a villain with Rajinikanth Sir. My point is: Why can’t I be a villain? I have to be a villain and I want to be the best villain there is. The whole idea is to be the best at everything I try. And it is not about competing with anyone; I am just competing with myself. I played a villain earlier in Ajnabee. I want to better that now. Because that’s the only way I will evolve and grow as an actor.

Subhash K Jha (DNA; May 26, 2016)

Kamal Haasan admits he was offered the villain’s role in the sequel to Robot 2.0 with Rajinikanth. But he declined the offer even without considering it.

“There was no question of taking up the part. I wouldn’t have been part of this film under any circumstance, and it’s got nothing to do with the role being a negative one. I’ve played negative roles a number of times. Besides, a big star (Akshay Kumar) is playing the part now,” says the actor.

The real reason for saying no to Robot 2.0 was something else. Explains Kamal, “Rajiniji and I have a pact. Whenever we do another film together it’d have to be produced by either me or him. It’s the only way to ensure we do not displease our fans.”

Neha Maheshwri Bhagat (BOMBAY TIMES; April 21, 2016)

Subhash K Jha (DNA; April 1, 2016)

Come April 14, 2017 (which also happens to be Good Friday as well as the Tamil new year), S S Rajamouli’s Baahubali: The Conclusion, the eagerly awaited follow-up film to the massively successful National Award-winning Baahubali: The Beginning faces off against Shankar’s 2.0 (formerly titled Robot 2).

The Baahubali team made this announcement mid-March and most trade experts felt that Robot would shift dates to avoid the clash.

It now seems, however, that the war of sequels is on, after all and the 2.0 team is expected to go ahead with their April 14, 2017 release.

“Why not? The mother language of Baahubali is Telugu while Robot is in Tamil. The clash will not be headlong. And it’s a long weekend, beginning April 14. Long enough to accommodate two big films,” says a source close to the 2.0 team.

“One of the two biggies is bound to suffer,” predicts a trade pundit.

Ranjit Kumar (BOMBAY TIMES; March 23, 2016)

Amy Jackson is the only woman on the sets of Rajinikanth's next
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 22, 2016)

Akshay Kumar tells us why he’s playing the villain in Rajinikanth’s Robot 2...
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; March 19, 2016)


What was the main reason you said yes to 2.0?
Because villains ke award mein lobbying nahi hoti! (Laughs)

Baby was sidelined at most award functions this year. Does getting an award matter to you at all?
Getting an award, not getting an award, how does it matter? There are times when I am asked to announce and give away an award. Main toh kholta bhi nahi hoon. Main sirf dekhta hoon ki aage kaun baitha hai. And I’m like, ‘Ha, yeh award isi ko milega’. I can say it without reading (Laughs loud) It’s a guessing game now.

What took you so long to make your debut down South?
Which other actor has gone South? Rajinikanth was always there and he came here. There have been a lot of female actors who have done that. But among the male actors, I don’t think any Bollywood star has done this before me. Without being pompous, I will say I am very glad to go and act in a Tamil film. I am grateful to them for putting me there. Kuch milta nahi hai wahaan. Down South, they take our heroines, but they have their own heroes.

Do you think it will bring in a trademark shift?
I would love to break this myth. I would love to do more South Indian films. I have done Marathi films, Punjabi films. I would love to try a Gujarati, Bihari or Bengali film as well. I had done a Kannada film, by the way, which people don’t know about. It’s called Vishnu Vijaya, which I did at the start of my career. Hopefully, Robot 2 won’t be my last Tamil film.

Rajinikanth felt Robot would harm Big B’s image and asked him not to do it. Does this make you apprehensive about the audience’s reception?
My fans are very intelligent. They have loved me playing negative characters before as well. Even in Ajnabee, I got a lot of praises from everywhere. So this won’t be a problem.

Will adding you to the cast help the film perform well everywhere and not just in the South?
I’m sure. Baahubali was a good film and it worked wonders. There’s a lovely reason why I am doing this film. I loved the story of 2.0 and I find it important and relevant in today’s day and age. It has a social message. That’s why I love that script.

Buzz is, the producers of 2.0 are planning to remake Ikka with you...
We are working on sorting out the dates. But yes, we’ll be doing Ikka.

Akshay Kumar is all excited about playing the baddie in 'Robot 2'; the actor who explodes on screen on Republic Day has his own take on Incredible India and intolerance
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 12, 2016)


Akshay Kumar remembers watching T Rama Rao's 1983 Bollywood drama, Andha Kanoon, and being mesmerised by Rajinikanth's kicks and jumps. "Today, the action may seem a little funny, but at that time I would be gaping at the screen, wondering how Rajini sir did what he did. It was a marvel in technique and technology!" the actor reminisces, still in awe of the South supremo he will be challenging as the adversary in the Robot sequel.

Ask him if working with the Thalaiva is a dream come true and he laughs, "These things don't come to you even in a dream. He's a wonderful actor and even more, a wonderful human being. It will be an honour to be punched by Rajini sir. It's going be a different world for me -- the graphics, the action and the adulation that he commands." Buzz is, The Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, was in the running for the role. "I have no idea, I just know that Shankar (director) and some of the others called me and told me they had a film for me," he shrugs.

However, before Robot 2, Akshay will bring in the Republic Day with his co-production Airlift. He insists it gave him gooseflesh when it was narrated to him. "I was shocked to know that in 1990 not Air Force pilots but commercial pilots of Air India flew into a war zone and rescued one lakh 70 thousand Indians trapped in Kuwait. We can make another film on these pilots alone. They were the real heroes," he exults.

Bring up the intolerance debate and he retorts, "India has always been known for its tolerance. We've always tried to keep peace but when attacks like the one at Pathankot happen, you realise that the time has come to retaliate. Going by what you read in the social media, our youngsters are angry, they have taken this personally, and want India to attack too."

With Aamir Khan's exit India needs a new brand ambassador, interested? "I don't know if I'm fit for it but if I get a chance, it would be an honour. India is truly incredible!" he exults.

Meanwhile, a new season of the reality show he has hosted is coming up but the Khiladi doesn't have anything to do with the dangerous stunts this time around. "I wasn't approached this time," he says shortly, pointing out that there's nothing on television for now but lots on the big screen, including Houseful 3, the "relief film" and "fun franchise". However, he's clueless about Dhadkan 2 and Hera Pheri 3 but Namastey England will definitely roll this year and so will Rustom, in which he plays a naval officer and which is set for the Independence Day weekend release. He'd be happy if Sanjay Leela Bhansali were to helm the Rowdy Rathore sequel. "He's a great director, and I'm a huge fan. I've just seen his film (Bajirao Mastani), Ranveer (Singh) has so much energy," he asserts.

His wife Twinkle is now a published author and Akshay is a proud man. "It's great the way she made a name for herself, first as an actress, then a designer, a columnist and now an author. She has a wonderful sense of humour which is very different from mine and that is the best part about our household. It's like East meets West," he laughs.

Does he harbour ambitions of writing too, maybe his biography some day ? "No, I know my limitations. There are bigger legends to write about, I'm still a struggler," he says modestly.

Gaurav Dubey (MID-DAY; December 22, 2015)

Vipul Shah’s next, Namastey England starring Akshay Kumar was slated to roll in April 2016, but if the latest buzz is to be believed, the project has been pushed back by nearly four months. Reason? The star is keen to begin work on Robot 2 featuring Rajinikanth first, claims a source.

“Akshay is excited about working with Rajini sir in Robot 2. So, after wrapping up Neeraj Pandey’s romantic thriller Rustom in the first quarter of 2016, he will work on Robot 2,” says a source. The actor will play a villain in the film.

Namastey England (not a sequel to his 2007 film Namastey London) is currently in the pre-production stage. The film’s director Vipul Shah and the producer remained unavailable for comment, but a source close to the project confirms the buzz, saying, “Yes, he wants to finish shooting for Robot 2 first. As it is, we are still working out the dates of other actors and as soon as that gets sorted, we will go on floors.”

Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; December 17, 2015)

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 16, 2015)

Shankar's Rajinikanth starrer Enthiran (Robot in Hindi, Robo in Telugu), was touted as India's most expensive film, until SS Rajamouli's two-part fantasy drama, Baahubali, broke the record.

The director is now set to raise the stakes with Enthiran 2 (Robot 2) with Rajini reprising his role in the sci-fi drama. What's more, Terminator star Arnold Schwarzenegger makes his Indian film debut with the sequel. He will be flying down for the film's first schedule in January to play a rogue robot.

"Arnold and I discuss a lot of Indian movies. He attended the audio launch of my Vikram starrer, I, and told me that he wanted to work in Tamil films. He was impressed with the storyline of Enthiran 2 and agreed to be a part of the film," Shankar confirmed.

The Hollywood actor will be in India for 25 days; his final dates are reportedly being locked around Rajini's schedule. The South actor is currently filming Pa Ranjith's Kabali, in which he plays an ageing don, in Chennai.

The makers had been chasing actors like Aamir Khan and Deepika Padukone for other central roles in the film, since two months. I's leading lady Amy Jackson is one of the three heroines.

Enthiran, which bagged two National Awards, one for Best Special Effects and the other for Best Production Design, was the story of a scientist and his robot Chitti who turns against him. Shankar reveals that the sequel is very different, "Enthiran 2 is a superhero film, a sci-fi adventure, a triangular love story with bits inspired from the Ramayana."

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; October 13, 2015)

DNA (August 28, 2015)

The sequel of director Shankar’s Robot (Enthiran) featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger? It just might happen. Arnold, who was present in Chennai for the audio launch of Shankar’s I in 2014, had, at the time, expressed a wish to work with the director. That wish might come true, as talks are already on with Arnie’s team. Robot was a massive hit at the box-office when it released in 2010 and fans have been keen on a sequel since. And given Shankar’s run at the BO, it also seems like a win-win for Arnie as well. If he says yes, it remains to be seen if he will appear in the sequel in an avatar similar to the one he has in Terminator, or in an absolutely new look.

And speaking of working with another superstar, Rajinikanth (reprising his role as Robot) did feature with Shah Rukh Khan in RA.One, but in a friendly appearance, where the two gave each other a thumbs-up. We’re sure the audience is expecting no such bonhomie between the Terminator and Robot, when they share the screen and trade punches and bullets instead!

PEHLE BHI

Hollywood stars — action heroes in particular — have risen in popularity with Indian audiences. And the likes of Sylvester Stallone and Schwarzenegger are top of the list for most fans. A-List actors like Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and others are big fans of the two. In fact, Sajid Nadiadwala pulled off a coup, when he got Sylvester Stallone to feature in his film Kambakkth Ishq, where Akshay played Stallone’s stunt double in the film.

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; November 15, 2014)

Mumbai Mirror Bureau (July 18, 2014)

For months now, speculation has been rife about Aamir Khan's next film after P.K. Now, Mirror has learnt that it could be Shankar's sequel to Robot, starring Rajinikanth once again, which is set to roll early next year.

A source close to the filmmaker told this newspaper, "Preliminary talks are on to sign Aamir."

Aamir has been approached to play the baddie in the film.

Said the source, "Given the popularity of the original, which co-starred Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, it was natural for the makers to consider a second film. The modalities are currently being discussed."

This is Shankar's second attempt to induct Aamir into the hit franchise. Robot was initially planned with Shah Rukh Khan in the lead. The actor was also supposed to produce the fantasy adventure, but the deal fell through following creative differences.

Shankar then approached Aamir who too turned it down. The film then went to Rajinikanth who made it a blockbuster.