Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 19, 2020)

“It is so painful to talk about Nishi sir. More than a friend, he was a mentor and guide throughout my career,” says actor Sharad Kelkar remembering the late director Nishikant Kamat, 50, who passed away on Monday. He was battling liver cirrhosis in a hospital in Hyderabad.

Kelkar had known Kamat for the past eight years when he began his journey in films. “My last project was with him for a web show, Rangbaaz Phir Se, where he was the creative producer and edited the show too. I remember, he wasn’t well, yet he came to the set and met everyone. He was a strong-headed and positive person. The last time he fell sick and was serious, he fought hard and was on his feet soon. This time, too, we were hoping he would get well soon. I was constantly in touch with friends who were with him in Hyderabad. He was improving but this disease is unpredictable and Nishi sir was fighting hard but it didn’t work. It’s so sad. Talking about him, I am getting flashes of all the lovely memories with him. I remember, I would drop by at his office in Andheri whenever I could and we would chat for hours sipping tea,” says Kelkar, who worked with the director in two films - Lai Bhaari (2014) and Rocky Handsome (2016).

There has been an outpouring of posts and condolences for Kamat on social media and Kelkar attributes it to the person that Kamat was. “He was a lovable, lively guy with a great sense of humour. He would call everyone Sir, and was a disciplined man on the set. He would encourage everyone and as he was an actor first, then became an editor and a director. I spoke to him right before the lockdown and he was planning a film shoot in London,UK, and was supposed to go on a recce. Due to his ill health, even a small infection could lead to serious concerns yet he never let that stop his work. But he fought till the end and that shows how strong his spirit was,” says Kelkar.

Avijit Ghosh & Bella Jaisinghani | TNN (THE TIMES OF INDIA; August 18, 2020)

New Delhi/Mumbai: Director Nishikant Kamat, best known as the maker of commended and compelling films such as Dombivli Fast, Mumbai Meri Jaan and Drishyam, breathed his last at a Hyderabad hospital on Monday. He was 50.

Kamat was admitted on July 31. “He was suffering from liver cirrhosis for the past two years ...since yesterday, he developed respiratory failure... eventually leading to multi-organ failure-…at 16:24 hrs he succumbed to his illness,” a press release issued by AIG hospital, Hyderabad, said.

Much earlier in the afternoon, several film personalities had erroneously tweeted the news of his passing away.

As a director, Kamat displayed a sureness of craft, an ability to draw the best out of actors and a felicity with psychological thrillers. He was born in Mumbai, knew its mind and crafted two fascinating portraits of the city, warts and all.

He commanded attention with his edgy award-winning debut venture, Dombivali Fast (2005), chronicling a citizen’s descent to disturbia in a world where the honest and the meek are mocked at, rather than valued and feted. The movie, inspired by Joel Schumacher’s Falling Down, won the national award for best feature film in Marathi, and penciled Kamat as a director to watch out for.

He lived up to the challenge in his debut Hindi feature, Mumbai Meri Jaan (2008), a bittersweet ode to the city that wrapped its arms around the 2006 train blast survivors, their loss and their method of coping. Mumbai Meri Jaan received the Filmfare Critics Award for best movie.

Kamat changed tack thereafter. Force (2011) was a slick action yarn. The director, who also acted in several movies such as Rocky Handsome (2016), also helmed Irrfan Khan’s tense Madaari (2018). In between, he directed Drishyam (2015), a cat and mouse thriller, remade from a Malayalam film of the same name. The movie was a masterclass in mindgames; its ingenious twists and unusual morality choices were loved by the audience, making it a cash counter success.

Actor Riteish Deshmukh who starred in his Marathi film Lai Bhaari tweeted: “I will miss you my friend Nishikant Kamat. Rest in peace.”

Actor Ajay Devgn, who featured in Drishyam, took to Twitter too to post: “My equation with Nishikant was not just about Drishyam, a film which he directed with Tabu and me. It was an association that I cherished. He was bright; ever-smiling. He has gone too soon. RIP Nishikant.”

John Abraham had worked with Kamat in Force and Rocky Handsome. He posted photos with his director and wrote, “Will not get over this.... Rest In Peace.”

Film director Ashutosh Gowarikar posted: “You’ve gone too soon, Nishikant! There were still so many stories that needed to be told! You will be remembered through your creations! Especially #MumbaiMeriJaan which is sheer brilliance! Your CINEMA will be missed! Farewell.”

Dancer-actress retraces her steps to chartbuster glory
Rohit Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 14, 2018) 

Indian-Moroccan dancer-actress Nora Fatehi, who made her acting debut in Kamal Sadanah’s 2014 horror feature Roar, has found firm footing in showbiz with special appearance songs. The 26-year-old actress retraces her dancing steps on screen:

Untitled, Bharat (2019)
I have a situational song in the Ali Abbas Zafar-directed period drama that forms the backdrop for my first meeting with Salman (Khan) in Malta. Sunil Grover, him, me, all of us are going to be dancing. I have yet to hear the song but Bharat is a film that is very different from the ones I have done so far. I’m prepping up for my role of a Spanish girl, which includes learning basic Spanish and working on my accent. I am in Malta for the next 20 days and happy that people are finally willing to work with me as both actor and dancer.

‘Dilbar’, Satyameva Jayate (2018)
When I learnt that I would be dancing to the reprised version of an iconic 1990s song from Sirf Tum, I not only jumped at the opportunity but felt a strong sense of responsibility as well. It required some belly-dancing, but I didn’t learn the dance form, it comes to me naturally. “Dilbar” has a very sensual and Arabic feel to it that people are enjoying.


‘Kamariya’, Stree (2018)
I started “Kamariya” before “Dilbar” and landed it because of the music video “Naah”, which I had done with Punjabi singer Hardy Sandhu. The song was very different from anything I had done earlier because I played a rural girl with a rustic look. It was good to experiment with styles and looks with the lyrics and beats reminiscent of massy Bollywood tracks making it a desi number that can be played at parties and get-togethers. Having “Dilbar” and “Kamariya” come out around the same time has helped me a lot.


‘Rock The Party’, Rocky Handsome (2016)
I shot this number before entering Bigg Boss 9 in 2015 but the release got pushed ahead and my song came out after my eviction from the house. I was still enjoying the buzz of my first commercial Bollywood song. John (Abraham, film’s lead) was encouraging and supportive, making sure I didn’t feel like an outsider. It was a party song and resonated with everyone but it didn’t make me an overnight star. I continued to struggle for a while.


‘Kukkurukuru’, Kick 2 (2015)
This song happened three years ago and was my second turn in South films. A massy number and high on dance, it has a rustic feel to it.

‘Manohari’, Baahubali (2015)
Baahubali was the biggest film I have even done so far and “Manohari” is a beautifully picturised song. It came to me when I was doing South films and every one of them was a hit. When I signed it, Baahubali was only in Tamil and Telugu. Later, Karan Johar got involved and it was dubbed in Hindi. Because of it’s success I got Bigg Boss and then Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, followed by popular music videos with Raftaar and Hardy.

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 28, 2016)

FORCE (2011) & FORCE 2 (2016)

In Force I weighed 100 kgs with the fat count at six per cent which means I was 94 kgs of pure muscle. We needed an able villain to withstand ACP Yashvardhan and found him in Vidyut Jammwal. We had thought the action would be the film’s USP but the two biggest takeaways were me lifting the motorcycle and my romance with Genelia (D’Souza).

The 2011 film was a remake of Suriya’s 2003 Tamil film, Kaakha.. Kaakha. He’s a friend and after seeing my film he came home and told me that Force was memorable for him for the romance, along with the strength and the pain in my eyes.

We’ve found another able villain (Tahir Raj Bhasin) for the sequel who may not have Yashvardhan’s physicality and back flips, but he can think and so is far more dangerous not just for the ACP but also the country at large. After the Uri attacks in which so many of our brave soldiers were killed, Force 2, inspired by true stories, is more topical.

While promoting Force despite being injured, I was expected to lift up and throw a motorcycle down in every press conference. During Part 2, director Abhinay Deo and I asked ourselves how we could better that. The answer was to lift a car. I could have lifted a Nano or an Alto, I chose a front-heavy E-class Mercedes Benz with people inside and it became another talking point.

Matt Damon has the Bourne Identity series, Sylvester Stallone The Expendables and Rocky, Vin Diesel Fast and Furious, Bruce Willis Die Hard and John Abraham the Force franchise which will get bigger and better with every film. There’s no romance or songs, but it’s not a bloody thriller, it’s a sensible, credible film.


ROCKY HANDSOME (2016)

This, according to me, is the best action film in Indian cinema, poetry in motion. Sad that people who saw it on TV didn’t get to see all that we had shot because we left out 40 per cent of the sequences and the censors cut out another 20 per cent. I don’t know why the film didn’t work but Akshay Kumar called me up after seeing it, raving about the action and insisting I continue doing such films irrespective of their box-office fate.

I went to Thailand and learnt a Malay-Indonesian form of martial arts called Silat where you play with knives from the guy who trained Tony Jaa in Ong Bak. Every evening, I would scream in the shower because my back was cut and my body bruised black and blue. I would ask myself if the pain was worth it and the answer always was, “It’ll turn out fantastic!”

The film had eight action sequences, seven filmed over four-five days. The climax took eight days. I was pretty much invincible, either hammering or getting hammered. My navicular bone was broken, the bone in my forearm cracked and my rib-cage was fractured when I was hit by a stick which did not completely break. I looked down and saw my chest was blue. I simply strapped myself up and continued fighting...

MADRAS CAFÉ (2013)

I grew up with the memory of our late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination on May 21, 1991, while campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections in Sriperumbudur. When Shoojit Sircar chanced on this story and approached me, it was a life’s dream come true. But when we went shopping, we realised it had no buyers and after Vicky Donor decided to make it ourselves.

While shooting the climax, Shoojit and I got goosebumps because the two actors playing S Nalini Sriharan and T Suthendraraja alias Santhan looked so much like the originals. I wanted to feel the impact of the blast so I stationed myself in a ‘safe’ area, away from other actors. Just before the bomb went off, I turned, a blast of hot air hit my back and I fell. It was eerie!


SHOOTOUT AT WADALA (2013)

This film was all about adrenaline and testosterone. Manya Surve was the quintessential gangster, built like a bull, who had his reasons for crossing over. It’s an iconic character today and when Varun Dhawan and I were in Nagpur recently to promote Dishoom, he was awed to see the Manya Surve craze there!

In the climax, I’m shot 30 times. At one point Anil Kapoor stands behind me and fires at my head. The gun was faulty, and when he pulled the trigger, I collapsed. Action director Tinu Verma thought that like Brandon Lee I had died and broke down. Anil was in a daze till I stood up!

My ears rang with the sound of the gun for 15 days after that and the skin of my neck on one side, from ear to collarbone was burnt, gunpowder embedded in it. We retained the shot, it looked fantastic on screen!

NEW YORK (2009)

Kabir Khan had come to me with a war-documentary he’d and I agreed to shoot Kabul Express in Afghanistan even after RAW agents intercepted a Taliban message ordering my execution. I was provided security by the Afghan Intelligence. I had 60 soldiers around me, yet there was a suicide bomb attempt on my life 30 minutes before we went on the set.

One day, when Arshad Warsi and I went for coffee to a UN-approved hotel, once the home of President Najibullah, a rocket went over our heads and crashed into the US consulate. Condoleezza Rice, then US Secretary of State, was visiting and this was the Afghans way of saying they didn’t care for the Americans. I recall Arshad saying exasperatedly, “Why are we here? You have a reason to die, I’m going to die for no reason!”

Kabul Express led to New York, inspired by the 9/11 terror attacks. The action sequences looked simple but required b***s of steel. For one, I had to scale down from the 52nd floor of a glass building in Philadelphia, strapped to a window cleaning contraption, and warned that once the slide began, there’d be no going back. We were on the 30th floor when we were stopped. Barack Obama, who a couple of weeks later, on November 4, 2008, took the oath as America’s President, was on his campaign trail.

I was hanging from a glass building, surrounded by other glass buildings, oscillating like a pendulum, slamming the suction pipe to stay in place. The baddie with me, broke down when we reached the ground, relieved to be alive. A kung-fu kick or flipping off a wall is easy, its stunts like these that are death defying!


ZINDA (2006)

This anti-hero transcended the realms of evil. He kept the protagonist (Sanjay Dutt) imprisoned for 14 years and sent his daughter into a prostitution ring. Only at the end do we learn he had his reasons. I could see the audience cringing because this guy was cold-blooded, merciless and out to destroy. Yet, they’ve gravitated towards me when I play an anti hero.

The climax was shot on the 60th floor of a building. Sanjay had to punch me and I had to go flying down 10 floors. That was the first time they were using cables in India and I chose to do the scene myself. They couldn’t get it right, so I hurtled down 17 floors, banging into glass, before they reined me in.

Sanjay beat me to pulp and I kept asking for more. Reminded me of Sunny Deol bashing up Shah Rukh Khan in Darr.

Sylvester Stallone once said that action is not just about how hard you can hit but also about how hard you get hit.


DHOOM (2004)

When Aditya Chopra approached me for Dhoom, he warned me that I had no heroine or songs. I was okay as long as I had my bike and asked if I could choose it. It was my most attractive co-star. All the bikers in the film were my friends who did the film for me. In Goa, I’d sit with them and clean my bike between shots.

My double, Shashi met with an accident, his leg coming under the wheel of a truck, after the first action sequence, and had to be hospitalised. So I was my own double, doing all the stunts myself and begging Adi to let me take off my helmet occasionally so people could see it was me drive a 1000 cc motorcycle into a moving truck.

I did wheelies at 140-160km/hr and endos or stoppies too. My biggest reward was watching young boys do wheelies on their bikes after seeing Dhoom which went on to become a cult film. With due respect to Part 2 and 3, even today, if you ask anyone what Dhoom is about, they’ll say bikes. John Abraham too has become synonymous with motorcycles and a naturally cool quotient. I sincerely believe that if there is another Dhoom, it should have me.

John Abraham explains why action heroes will always be the longest lasting heroes...
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; August 24, 2016)


Your last few roles have also been action-oriented. Coincidence?
Because of my physicality, action comes naturally to me. That’s why any filmmaker’s safest bet in this genre would be John Abraham. In a way, most of my recent films have me doing action. But all of them are different kinds of action. Look at Welcome Back, which is very over-the-top commercial, masala action. Rocky Handsome was hand-to-hand, raw action. Dishoom is more stylised and Force will introduce action of another level in Bollywood.

Is action your most-loved genre then?
No. I love doing comedy. It has always been that way. If you see my track record, all my comedies have worked. Whether it’s Housefull 2, Dostana, Desi Boyz or even Welcome Back. They have all been superhits. There’s always the risk of being typecast but you can take advantage of being typecast as well (smiles). That isn’t wrong, right? After Dishoom, so many people messaged me calling me the last action hero which makes me feel good in a way. If you make an action film, with an element of comedy, then it will be a sure-shot success.

But it is difficult to do action in all the films, right?
With Force 2, we’ve upped the action quotient. But it’s difficult to keep upping the game with each film. There are cars flying but at the end, it’s that one man with a cigarette in his mouth saying, ‘Go ahead, make my day’, ‘This is real’, or ‘I’ll be back’. Action is here, in the eyes. The audience sniffs that out. The audience knows that if I turn back and I look, this guy will hammer now. In Bollywood, you can either be an action hero, romantic hero or a dancing hero.

In Hollywood, actors can stick to one genre whereas here, one has to do everything. Comment.
Here, if you do action, even if you are bloody good at it, people will say, ‘Arre, sirf action hi karta hai’. For example, in my career, I have done slice-of-life films, dramas comedies. I have had to balance it out. More than the genre, the bigger issue with me is that I am wearing my physicality like an albatross around my neck. That is very overpowering. In our country, you don’t judge an action hero for the action he does, but for everything else. That’s extremely wrong and unfair. I feel we must be accepting of this. I can say this on record that the longest lasting heroes will always be action heroes. Romantic heroes will come and go. If there’s someone, you will tear his poster someday and put another romantic hero’s poster. Their audiences move on, they are floating audiences. Action heroes always have fixed audiences. Mark my words — everybody who has watched Force will come to watch Force 2. We have a really strong market. So it doesn’t matter how you get typecast, what matters is how you choose films. I will always have that mix.

Do you think action has become a bastardised term in Bollywood today?
I don’t know if it’s become bastardised. True action heroes must be given their due credit. Honestly, there are only one or two of us. I’m not saying that it’s this fight of action heroes versus everyone else. I have danced in many of my films and I enjoy doing that. I danced my heart out, but there’s a difference. I dance like a hero, not like a dancer. A hero should be big, larger-than-life. Action heroes possess that sense of presence which is why I enjoy what I do. I wish there are more.

You enjoy doing serious films like No Smoking and Madras Cafe too.
Yeah, I get such offers everyday. But there’s a reason why I haven't been able to do something in that space for quite sometime. I haven’t got the right script. My favourite film according to my understanding has been No Smoking. You see very few films like that. With me, it’s been like this from the beginning. If the trend says something, trust John Abraham to do exactly the opposite. Abhishek (Bachchan) told me I have looked my best in Dishoom. Now 20 films will come to me which will require me to have this look. Will I do them? The answer’s no. I am telling you today itself. I will probably do a romantic film, you never know. I will always do something out of the ordinary to get extraordinary films.

Is that why you turned producer?
The biggest reason why I turned a producer is because I didn’t see films being made which I wanted to see. Someone had to produce them which is why I’m here. I have a lot of respect for Aditya Chopra, Karan Johar and Sajid Nadiadwala. I would love to act for them but as a producer, I feel there are certain kind of films that I want to make, even if they fail. It’s important that these films are still made.

John Abraham was planning to make a film on Gama Pehelwan
Sarita A Tanwar (DNA; July 16, 2016)


John confirms, “Yes, I have. Because Salman was making a film on wrestling. Aamir was making a film on wrestling and even though Parmeet Sethi has actually written the most beautiful script, now is not the time to make that film. I would love to revisit it at some point of time, but not for now because it’s too soon.”

B-Town hasn’t had a film on wrestling in the last few decades and now, with two coming in the same year, it makes sense to give another film on the subject a break. John nods, “That too with two big superstars. I am very happy to see that films are being made on sports, but would it really help seeing a third one?”

A wrestling film might be off the table for now, but John is fascinated by the sports genre, and that will never be off the table. He says, “I came into this industry because I saw Rocky 4 and Sylvester Stallone. He is my idol, that’s why I made a film called Rocky Handsome. I’d love to see a film on boxing and I think it’s a sport that’s universal. In terms of sport, I’d like to work on boxing and football films.”

John Abraham reveals that his wife has been living with him in Mumbai for the last year but is a private person
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 27, 2016)

Big Box-office collections of Hollywood films is forcing B-Town producers to rethink their release dates
Upala KBR (DNA; May 4, 2016)


What changed
Today with evolving audience tastes, good penetration in the Indian market, large-scale distribution and dubbing in regional languages for a wider audience, Hollywood movies is taking Bollywood head-on with their huge B-O figures. And now, B-Town producers are postponing their release dates to avoid clashes with them. Case in point: Baahubali: The Conclusion, releasing April 14, 2017. However, since Fast & Furious 8 has announced the same date, trade sources feel the Baahubali sequel might move its date.

Facts in figures
2015 saw three Hollywood films cross the Rs 100 crore mark, despite blockbusters like Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Baahubali and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. It was also the year where Fast & Furious 7 took the Indian box-office by storm and grossed Rs 172 crore (lifetime). Sushant Singh Rajput’s Detective Byomkesh Bakshi released the same day and got washed out (Rs 27.05 crore (lifetime business). Jurassic World (grossed Rs 152 crore in India) released on June 12 with Hamari Adhuri Kahani (Rs 41.23 crore worldwide) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (Rs 111 crore).

Growing competition
The first quarter of the year has passed and already seen the releases of Batman vs Superman (March 25), Kung Fu Panda 3 (April 1) and The Jungle Book. Film trade expert Girish Johar says, “Today there’s been a paradigm shift in the minds of Bollywood producers because of the box-office success of Hollywood films which are big brands or franchises like The Jungle Book (in its fourth week, the total collections now stand at Rs 158.92 crore), the Fast & The Furious series and the Batman trilogy. Bollywood producers are now thinking twice before releasing their films on the same day. All these films had a fabulous opening and much better than expected. In the last five years, the contribution of Hollywood films to the box-office has almost doubled —from 5-7 per cent it has increased to 10 per cent. So now, Bollywood producers are considering which big Hollywood films are coming before finalising their release dates. This year, we will see the release of films like Captain America, X-Men, Independence Day, Tom Hanks-Irrfan-starrer Inferno and the animation flick Angry Birds while 2017 will see the release of XXX: The Return Of Xander Cage, the next Pirates Of The Caribbean and Priyanka Chopra’s Baywatch, so yes the competition is growing. Earlier, it was about the three Khans, now producers have to contend with Hollywood films as well.”

Apprehensions
Trade analyst Amul Mohan adds that the worst sufferer from the Hollywood brigade was the John Abraham-starrer Rocky Handsome (lifetime business of Rs 25 crore) which released with Batman Vs Superman: Dawn Of Justice (four days BO collection was Rs 28.25 cr) on March 24 this year. “Yes, today Bollywood producers are re-thinking their release dates, especially if they are clashing with a franchise or a big movie. They are apprehensive about releasing at the same time as Hollywood films are eating majorly into their business. Hollywood films have a set market, a loyal audience and are time-based. Big franchises like the Fast & Furious series, Batman vs Superman are always going to trouble Indian producers. Earlier, Hollywood studios would get to release their films much later in India whereas now they get to release it just a week prior to their release in USA. The lifetime collections of The Jungle Book in India should cross over Rs 175 crore which is huge. It has definitely eaten into the collection of Fan which released a week later (April 15).”

The big crush
Mohan adds that the Hollywood BO boom in India has increased the confidence of Hollywood studios like Disney who released The Jungle Book recently and will release Captain America: Civil War this week. “One of India’s young stars has dubbed it in Hindi making it easier for them to push their product in Indian markets. It’s easy money to put for promotions of Hollywood films and give a good fight to Bollywood releases. This is a new trend in the last couple of years as Hollywood studios are so confident of their product that they are using the same marketing panache as Indian films. But what is scary in this scenario is the fate of small-budget films like One Night Stand, Traffic, and 1920 London which will release with Captain America. Small budget films can’t release with bigger Bollywood films and will end up getting crushed with big Hollywood releases. “

Producer Ramesh Taurani however, has a different perspective. He says, “The problem is that there are only 52 weeks in a year and a handful of holidays. And South and Bollywood films combined add up to a 150 films releases. As producers we don’t have any option to change our release dates. Also, not all Hollywood films do well in India except maybe a few big films, action dramas, superhero films and big franchises. I will not sacrifice a good date and will take on a Hollywood film. No Bollywood producer will sacrifice a holiday to avoid a clash with a Hollywood film. I don’t think Baahubali 2 should change their date. They will will score over Fast & Furious 8 in the South as they have a loyal market. The first part was a huge success so first preference will be given to Baahubali 2. Though some amount of loss will happen, both films will do business.”

BIG IN 2016
May 6: Captain America: Civil War
May 13: Angry Birds
May 20: X Men: Apocalypse
June 24: Independence Day: Resurgence
July 1: The Legend Of Tarzan
July 15: Ice Age: Collision Course, Ghostbusters
August 5: Suicide Squad
October 14: Inferno
December 16: Rogue One: Star Wars

That’s the space between the old guard and the new kids on the block, in case you are wondering...
Sarita A Tanwar (DNA; March 31, 2016)


There is an old guard in the industry and a new guard. Where do you see yourself fitting?
Very good question. Because if you see there is an old guard, I don’t know whether you would consider Hrithik as part of the old guard or part of the new guard or if he is somewhere in the middle? I’d say there are a few somewhere in the middle. So Hrithik and me are classmates from junior kindergarten. This is just to give you an outside perspective. So I think the two of us hang in the middle. To a large extent, maybe Abhishek, also. So three of us are in that space, though I came in later, some four or five years after them?

You came in after Abhishek?
Abhishek did Refugee in 1999. I debuted in 2003 with Jism. So I feel, we have clearly defined spaces. The old guard that is doing something, the youngsters are doing something else...

Within that defined space, all three of you have your own unique space.
Hrithik has decided to be a superhero. Abhishek is into drama. I am probably the real hero in the sense. You know people ask me this question about my film Rocky Handsome releasing with Batman Vs Superman. I say, ‘Listen. Do you want to see the superhero or do you want to see the real hero?’ Because I believe that we define spaces for ourselves. Each one of us has defined a space in a certain way, so I think, honestly, we are safest of the lot. Hrithik, Abhishek and myself, in a very strange way, are very safely tucked in there especially because the senior guard is going to find it harder and harder to stay there, though they have convincingly been there for a long time and total respect to their superstardom. The youngsters have to be cautious about their choices. The three of us have gone through those choices, we have arrived there, they have still got a long way to go to reach the older guard. So we are absolutely in the middle. I think we are in a very safe zone, you can say, a sweet spot.

I know many people who were not really open to the idea of even spending time with kids. But all changed after they had kid(s) of their own. Being around a child, caring for him/her can melt hearts of even those who are or perceived to be cold and stone-hearted. Rocky Handsome delves on this idea to an extent and serves as a nice base. The film has a great plotline that can relate with majority of moviegoers but sadly, things don’t go as one expects. What could have been a touching, action entertainer turns out to be an okay film that has its moments but could have been much better.

The story of the movie: Rocky (John Abraham) has a tragic past and is simply surviving, not living. He finds himself getting attached to the kid in his neighbourhood, Naomi (Diya Chalwad). One day, she gets kidnapped thanks to the wrongdoings of her mother Anna (Nathalia Kaur). Rocky decides to get her back, resulting him in facing the wrath of a ruthless drug dealer, crazy-n-menacing brothers, a Thai killing machine and cops too.

Rocky Handsome takes time to really connect with the viewers. More time probably should have been spent in establishing the bond that Rocky has with Naomi. However, that doesn’t happen and hence Rocky going all out to rescue her looks a bit unconvincing. Comparisons can be drawn here with Bajrangi Bhaijaan where the entire idea of Pawan willing to risk his life to get Munni back to Pakistan seems totally convincing. That doesn’t quite happen here. Also, the direction is a bit haphazard and could have been a bit simpler for a better impact. The flashback portion in the beginning is nicely done and that’s when the film really becomes engaging. But the characters of Matoo, Kevin and his brother are too over the top at places that doesn’t work. Same goes for the actor playing Inspector Dilip’s (Sharad Kelkar) subordinate – his antics are just not funny.

However, the film has its share of plusses. John Abraham is totally in character. The action is splendid and some of the scenes really stand out. The climax fight is engaging. Rocky’s flashback is quick and very moving. Even the final scene is touching.

Performance wise, John Abraham owns the film. The film has many other actors but it’s John who dominates. His intense looks are killer and as expected, he rocks in the action scenes. And it looks so real when he finishes 20, 30 and even 40 guys at one go! Diya Chalwad is cute and gives her hundred per cent. But in some scenes, her dialogue delivers looks rehearsed especially in the beginning. Shruti Haasan (Ruskhida) looks stunning and is lovely in the special appearance. Nishikant Kamat gets a bit over the top but does leave mark as the villain. A villain is supposed to send a chill down a spine and he does this very well. Terry Maurya (Kevin’s brother) does fine but in some scenes, he is too loud. Same goes for Uday Tikekar (Matoo). Sharad Kelkar looks smart and does very well. Kazu Patrick Tang shines in the action scenes. Nathalia Kaur is good in a cameo. Nora Fatehi is hot in the ‘Rock The Party’ song. Others are good.

Sunny Bawra-Inder Bawra and Ankit Tiwari’s music doesn’t contribute much but doesn’t serve as roadblocks either. Rehnuma is breezy while Rock The Party and Titliyan are nicely shot item songs. The best one is Aye Khuda and is played during the touching scenes of the film. Sunny Bawra-Inder Bawra’s background score is exhilarating. Sunil Rodrigues and Kecha Kamphakdee's action is one of the highpoints. Rocky Handsome is based on The Man From Nowhere and there’s no doubt that the story is damn good. Ritesh Shah’s dialogues are more or less fine but screenplay could have been more coherent and simpler. Nishikant Kamat’s direction also suffers due to these reasons. And as mentioned above, the bond between Rocky and Naomi isn’t established well and somewhere that hampers the impact. Also, the scene where the street level drug supplier is explaining the entire racket of kids used for drug peddling is interesting but looks a bit out of place in the film. However, he has handled some of the scenes beautifully and that saves the film to an extent. He is a great director and here’s hoping that he gets back into the Drishyam and Mumbai Meri Jaan mode!

Some of the best scenes:
1. The flashback of Anna and the cops
2. Rocky at construction site
3. Rocky at ANC Police Station
4. The intermission point
5. Rocky’s fight in the washroom (damn good)
6. Rocky-Rukshida’s flashback in the 2nd half
7. The climax

On the whole, Rocky Handsome has spellbinding action scenes and a great, intense performance by John Abraham. Unfortunately, it’s an average fare due to incoherent narrative and also because the bond between Rocky and the child doesn’t get properly established. Also, the villains are a bit over the top and appear caricaturish. Give it a try if the Hollywood biggie of the week doesn’t impress you. And don’t miss if you are a John Abraham fan – he is in top form!

My rating - ** ½ out of 5!

WILL JOHN ABRAHAM GIVE A ‘ROCKING’ TIME TO AUDIENCES WITH ROCKY HANDSOME?

John Abraham’s Rocky Handsome will finally be out in theatres from tomorrow evening (Thursday March 24). The film was conceived in 2013 and took a while to be shot and edited. It was to release last year on October 2 but then was postponed to February 5, 2016. Once again it got pushed and is now finally releasing tomorrow. The trailer hasn’t really got unanimous appreciation but has been loved for its action. John has worked extremely hard for this film and has trained for 14 hours a day in Thailand. And the results are stunning. Rocky Handsome is an official remake of the Korean film The Man From Nowhere but director Nishikant Kamat has made relevant changes. Nishikant himself features in the film as villain and he looks quite menacing. There’s also Shruti Haasan in the film, credited as a special appearance role. But the film’s focus is on the bond shared by John with the little Diya Chalwad. It might not seem as touching as Salman Khan-Harshaali Malhotra bond in Bajrangi Bhaijaan but it’s something that should be loved by audiences.

Sadly, the film has got an ‘A’ certificate due to the theme and violence. This will surely restrict the reach to an extent. Also, there’s the Hollywood biggie Batman Vs Superman: The Dawn Of Justice but it might not give a tough time to Rocky Handsome. What goes in favour of Rocky Handsome is that it’s getting a wide release on Good Friday which is a Holiday. Hence, it can earn well for the first 3 days and if the content is good, it can excel in the weekdays as well.

A lot of effort has gone into this film and the makers have genuinely tried to show action like never before. Here’s hoping Rocky Handsome manages to rock the viewers!

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ROCKY HANDSOME AND WHY? DO LET US KNOW!

Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; March 22, 2016)

BOMBAY TIMES (March 21, 2016)

Makes an impromptu call to record unplugged version of a rock ballad with Ankit Tiwari and Shreya Ghoshal
Bryan Durham (DNA; March 20, 2016)


The actor has flexed his vocal muscles only once before — for Welcome Back. “But that track had him sound autotuned. In any case, it was in the vein of Ghulam’s Kya Bolti Tu, which is like a spoken word/rap track,” insists our source.

It is learnt that the track was recorded after the soundtrack for RH was finalised. Says the source, “The film’s OST has already been launched. Ankit sang the original version of Alfazon Ki Tarah, but the Unplugged version features Shreya Ghoshal and John as well. The three recorded for the song in Mumbai recently.”

Adds the source, “It was John’s idea to put out his version. It was an impromptu decision. John and Ankit met only an hour before the recording and after a few short rehearsals, went for it. JA got done quickly, in a few hours.”

Concludes the source, “The makers and John still haven’t finalised how they plan to shoot/cut the music video for the Unplugged track.”

John Abraham unveils his immediate and long terms plans for himself as an actor and producer
Sarita A Tanwar (DNA; March 14, 2016)

John Abraham returns to the screens this summer — as an actor and as a producer. Rocky Handsome is a remake of a Korean film, but director Nishikant Kamat has ‘Indianised’ it to make it more palatable to local tastes. John is eager to see the reaction to the film more as a producer than an actor because he wants to make certain kind of films and he wants to see if he’s on the right track. It’s not easy to make films for Indian audiences, which are currently split into two parts. The multiplex-frequenting crowd prefers dramatically different fare than the single screen audience. And the twain rarely meet. But John is a man with a plan. And he is not playing one-day cricket. He is here for the test match and he is ready to play the long game. Here John talks about his next film, the kind of films he wants to produce and why he is keen to do the Dostana sequel. Read on...

As a producer, what is more important. Commercial success or critical appreciation?
Clichéd as it sounds, both. It’s a mix of both simply because if you have seen Vicky Donor and Madras Café, they were very risky projects. On the face of it, if I told you I am making a film on a sperm donor and a film on the assassination of our former prime minister, the first thing to cross your mind would be, ‘You must be crazy.’ Madras Café was my first production, and I went to every studio with it and they threw me out saying, ‘What are you making?’ Then we chanced upon Vicky Donor and decided to do that first and later we came back to Madras Café and made it. The point that I am trying to make is that if you price your film correctly then you can marry commerce and content. But the driver should always be content. I can’t have a production house for the sake of it, make quick money and disappear. That’s not my intent.

Why won’t you choose commercial success like most producers?
As a businessman, I want people to believe in the credibility of my production house, so whatever I create from this production house should be a value asset creation. That is why we create assets out of valuable propositions. For me, valuable propositions are those that last perennially. Rocky Handsome is probably the safest in terms of commercials, but there also I have taken care and seen that I got the right director on board, right content and the right amount of emotion — everything to package a quality film beautifully. That’s how I want to build my production house. So it’s not going to be like a shift shop where I just create crap content, make a hell of a lot of money, load my fee on board and get out. That’s not how I want to position my production house. That’s why monetarily I charge a pittance in all the films that I produce so that I can give everything to the film.

A lot of foreign remakes haven’t done too well of late — like Brothers and Jazbaa — for instance. Are you worried about your film, which is also a remake?
If a film is remade badly, it should not do well. If it is made badly, it will not do well and I am not the one to decide if it’s made badly or not. The audience decides that. Why would I make a film like Rocky Handsome? It is because I really feel that besides the action, it has a very strong emotional hook of a relationship between a man and a six-year-old kid and I feel that’s going to be the driver of this film. Plus, I think I’ve got the right people to make this film.

How close is it to the original?
When I showed this film to Nishi (I always felt he was the right man to make it), he said, ‘Sir I love this film, but I want to give it my own emotional touch and I want to turn it around a bit’ and I told him, ‘Sir, you are the right person for the job; you please turn it around but it has to be very emotional’. And to give credit where its due, Nishi has added his own touch. Korean films are sometimes very dark and gory. If you watch the film, you’ll feel the weight on your heart. But Nishi has even made the action very palatable to women and children. The action is in the space of Jason Statham-meets-Liam Neeson-meets-Steven Seagal. And for that, I had to train differently too.

You are looking like the Hulk. Isn’t this constant bulking up and pulling down bad for the body?
My body has been at a constant for about six years now. It has moved within the range of about 90 to 94 kilos. I have got heavy bones. I am six feet two inches tall and my body shape hasn’t really changed that much. I have stopped lifting a lot of weights. I work out a lot on core training exercises, cross fit and I lift my own body weight. So if I am lifting 200-220 pounds, it’s fantastic. I don’t need to lift anything else.

Your next three films (Rocky Handsome, Dishoom and Force 2) are all in the same action-thriller space, no?
Rocky Handsome has very hand-to-hand combat. I have done a lot of training with knives. I was training in Thailand for over a month and I swear I turned black and blue. I used to realise that I had cuts everywhere only when I had a shower because my back used to burn. I used to actually stand under the shower and think, ‘Why am I doing so much of action?’ But when I saw the results and the way it panned out on screen, it was worth it. Force 2 has completely different action. And of course, Dishoom is more of a thriller-cum-action comedy. So I am very happy with my three films.

If the sequel of Dostana were made today, would you do it? Or you are no longer in that headspace?
Oh, I would totally love to do Dostana 2, 3, 4, 5, 6... Dostana is a film that was closest to my heart.

Recently, Karan Johar said the film is stuck because you weren’t happy with the story. True?
No. I think Karan was not happy with the second half of the film. I only pushed Karan to make it. I said to him, ‘Karan, people are making bad sequels and we have a good film on hand. I have read what Tarun Mansukhani has written and it is absolutely fantastic; let’s go ahead and do it.’ But we have got to tread carefully on that path because now, too much homosexuality is being portrayed in films differently and the audience shouldn’t say, ‘Come on, we have seen this film now; enough of this.’ I also feel that certain films have to be left if you can’t get them right. But if it were being made, I would love to do it. I only want to figure out what colour trunks I wear in the Dostana sequel.

Why is there such a big gap between your releases?
My last film, Welcome Back, was in the making for two years. The one before that was Madras Café. Rocky Handsome has come pretty quickly on the heels of Welcome Back. When I was not shooting, I was sitting and creating content and that is what I really want to do. I am a very hands-on producer. It’s not like I get four scripts from somewhere and I say let’s make it. I actually sit and research the material myself. I have a team that sits here and searches material. I give a project to them and I say ‘Okay you do this’ and then I call in a writer. Then we sit and create drafts and by the sixth draft if I don’t like it, I throw it in the bin. That has taken me so much time. Right now, I am sitting on a wealth of content and I have invested this time to create content that is not specifically for me. I am trying to create content for Varun, Tiger, Arjun, Aditya Roy Kapur, Ranveer and I am looking at creating content for other actors that I feel could elevate and represent beautifully on screen. That’s what I want to do as a producer.

Doesn’t the actor in you get insecure doing this?
I am actually surprised at myself because I was speaking to Varun on the Dhishoom sets and I said, ‘Varun this is how I’d like to project you and this what I’d like to do.’ I think we both are very happy about the fact that I really want to do this, so I look at myself being complementary to the process rather than competitive. That’s a big advantage I have.

I mean, doesn’t the actor in you become insecure considering he’s taken a backseat?
I’m very happy doing a film that convinces me. If that film takes four years to make, I’ll wait for four years. If I have two films in the same year, I’ll do them. I am not worried. But I think my natural progression would be to produce because I love creating content and there is a certain joy in that. It’s like having a baby when you create content and I would love to see that content being created and if someone gives a face to that content (it could be any of the actors), I’d be very happy as a producer. As an actor, if I feel that I am the best cast for a certain film, I would love to be there but I treat myself equally like the other actors. This is John Abraham the producer speaking and I really care two hoots when I look at recovery. John Abraham ka itna recovery hai toh itne mein banao. I am absolutely fair.

What about regional films? Do you want to produce films in other languages?
There are two regional films that I am very interested in making. One is in Malayalam because my father is a Keralite and I am a big fan of Mammooty sir and Mohanlal sir. Secondly, Marathi films because Nishikanth (Kamat) and I have been discussing and we’re both likely to co-produce some Marathi films together. These are two spaces that I really want to get into.

Do you plan to direct films as well?
Yes, for sure. I will definitely direct. What I will direct is something I can’t answer because I really don’t know. I have no timelines set for that but if I chance upon something next year, I’ll probably start researching on that. It may take three or four or even five years but I will surely do it. The most powerful man in the film or the captain of the ship is the director. It’s his vision. Actors are a means to an end; that’s it. We can give ourselves all the credit but ultimately the director is the star of the show.

What’s happening to Hera Pheri 3? There are reports that it has been shelved after you upped your price.
I don’t know actually what is happening with the film. I called Feroz Nadiadwala before I left for Abu Dhabi saying, ‘Ferozbhai, you have got my dates from May 15 to July 15. Please use them for Hera Pheri 3.’ Now it’s up to him as a producer whether he wants to do it or doesn’t want to do. About my hike, that’s absolutely untrue. I can go out and say that I haven’t upped my fees in any way.

But it’s okay to do so. After a hit, most actors do that…
But I am also a producer. Honestly, we have seen certain actors go through that phase where they have upped their fees and the films have failed. Everybody suffers, right down to the distribution chain. I don’t want to be in that space. I wouldn’t price myself out of this industry.

Why don’t you come on board as a producer if a film is getting too expensive?
I can insist on coming on board as a co-producer but there are certain films like Hera Pheri where I can’t because it’s Feroz’s film and secondly those are not the kind of films that I want to do. I am more the Madras Café type.

Akshay Kumar and Ekta Kapoor have more than one production house. They make different films under the banners.
I am very clear about my ambitions. I am very clear that I want to be the Harvey Weinstein of this country. I am very clear that 10 years down the line, I want to be the Rupert Murdoch of the entertainment business. I am very clear that my word has to be held with a lot of weight because there are a lot of things that I will say that will carry a lot of weight in the future. And when you look back and introspect and archive what I have said, it’s going to be pretty much the same. There is a certain vision I have. And I know I will get there; it’s just about how and when I will get there. So I want to choose; I have a very clear vision on the kinds of films I want to produce. I am not going to deviate and have five banners to produce five different kinds of films.

BOMBAY TIMES (March 10, 2016)

John Abraham on his action film getting an ‘A’ certificate
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; March 9, 2016)


Did the ‘A’ certificate surprise you?
Yes. It threw us. I was left scratching my head! But I guess it’s part of life and a part of the filmmaking process and you got to deal with it. I feel it won’t affect the commercial outcome of our film.

You weren’t expecting that rating?
Not at all! We have consciously tried to bring about a change in our presentation of action in the film. Action is always synonymous with blood and gore. We made it very palatable for women and for kids. Our action isn’t gory. It’s cool, sexy and urban and we like it that way.

Salman once said that giving an ‘A’ certificate to action films is the worst decision ever.
I feel the same. This film doesn’t have any bad language, no skin show or any double meaning or anything derogatory. There is a kid in the film, for heaven’s sake. Still, like I said, I’m sure there will be a huge young audience that will come and watch this film.

An ‘adult’ action film limits the audience reach. Agree?
We applied for a U/A certificate but they told us that the basic theme of the film is a 16. We accepted it. But we still feel that for our film, there will be a huge young audience. Whether they like it or not, they will go to watch this film. Sometimes, it goes beyond certification. And our film has got that core, that pull! A lot of reactions that I have got are from 10-12 year old kids who love that knife fight. It’s so cool!

How can you be so sure of box-office success?
I believe in smart movie-making. If you see the films I’ve produced — I have always tried to back a concept-driven film with an idea of its box-office estimates. For Rocky Handsome, we will be in the safe by the end of Sunday or the first Monday latest. So there’s nothing to worry.

Those who won’t be able to see the film in theatres, will resort to piracy.
It’s a film that people are going to sneak into theatres to watch. They will watch it, I can guarantee you. I promise you. (Smiles) In fact, you will hear of cases where young kids go in to watch the film.

Other countries have different ratings — something that doesn’t exist in India. Comment.
Before I can answer this, I think I need to delve further into what censorship laws are overseas vis-à-vis India. All I can say now is, we showed it already to a young audience, especially girls. They came out saying, ‘We freaking loved it.’ So we even asked them, ‘Did you like the emotions?’ They were like, ‘No, man! We loved the action!’

Anirban Das (MID-DAY; March 7, 2016)

John Abraham will be seen next in Nishikant Kamat’s Rocky Handsome and if sources are to be believed, the actor is eager to reach out to the South Indian audience with remakes of the action drama.

Sources suggest that filmmakers down South have shown interest in acquiring the film’s remake rights in Tamil and Telugu. Although South stars are being considered to be part of the projects, John is apparently keen on featuring in them. “He feels this action entertainer is the perfect platform for him to make an entry into the South. He understands what kind of films work there, and believes that it would be best to star in the remakes,” says a source.

In the film, John will be seen opposite his Welcome Back co-star Shruti Haasan, playing a man out on a revenge mission against drug mafia after they take away an eight-year-old girl with whom he shares a special bond. Its 3.05-minute trailer, packed with high-octane action scenes, was launched on Friday. If everything goes as per plan, Nishikant will direct the Tamil and Telugu versions of Rocky Handsome.

John remained unavailable for a comment, but a source close to him explains, “Currently, everything is in the planning stage, but if John makes his South debut, he would also recommend Nishikant’s name as director. He has been singing praises about the director and the effort that he has put in to make the Hindi film. So, it would only be apt to let him helm the remakes too.”

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 4, 2016)

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 29, 2016)