After playing police officer Rakesh Maria in Black Friday, sources say Kay Kay Menon roped in to portray Dawood Ibrahim's father in Farhan's web series on the underworld
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; December 24, 2019)

Years after he portrayed the role of then-DCP Rakesh Maria in Anurag Kashyap's Black Friday (2007), it appears Kay Kay Menon will be part of another screen adaptation of author S Hussain Zaidi's books. mid-day has learnt that the actor will slip into the role of Dawood Ibrahim's father, Ibrahim Kaskar, in Excel Entertainment's upcoming web series that traces the rise and fall of underworld dons. Backed by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, the 10-part series is based on Zaidi's work, Dongri To Dubai.

A source reveals, "Dawood's chapter touches upon his father, who was a head constable in the Mumbai Police. The makers were keen on Kay Kay as they felt he would be able to bring grit as well as fragility to the character. The cast is currently undergoing workshops before the series goes on floors next month."

mid-day reached out to Menon who remained unavailable for comment.

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; December 1, 2019)

After wrapping up the second editions of Inside Edge and Mirzapur, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment are now concentrating on their next web series. Earlier this year, the duo announced their plan to adapt S Hussain Zaidi's book Dongri To Dubai into a web series.

The story traces the rise and fall of underworld dons in a three-part series of 10 episodes each, writing for which is underway. A source reveals that casting has begun, "Makers think Avinash [Tiwary] fits the role of Dawood [Ibrahim] perfectly."

Tiwary will essay the role of a young Dawood. "The series will trace Dawood's journey and they needed a young actor who could showcase that [growing up phase]. The actor will undergo thorough preparation including a physical transformation," added the source. The series is expected to go on the floor early next year.

MID-DAY (September 19, 2019)

Alia Bhatt has been regularly papped outside Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Juhu office, fuelling speculation that the duo is reimagining Inshallah, albeit with another male actor. However, contrary to rumours, mid-day has heard that the two are in talks for another project, tentatively titled Gangubai.

A source from the production team informs, "Bhansali had committed to working with Alia and is not one to go back on his word. Owing to his creative fallout with Salman Khan and Inshallah being subsequently shelved, Alia ended up getting the raw deal.

So, Sanjay is now discussing a film revolving around a brothel owner of Kamathipura, Gangubai. The film will be an adaptation of a chapter from S Hsusain Zaidi's Mafia Queens Of Mumbai. Currently, the discussion is in the nascent stage. The film was earlier offered to Priyanka Chopra, but she has her hands full with the Mindy Kaling film and The White Tiger adaptation."

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 10, 2019)

Six years after Shootout At Wadala (2013), buzz is that Ekta Kapoor and her team of writers are giving shape to the third instalment in the series. As the tentative title Shootout At Byculla suggests, the crime thriller will be set in the South Mumbai address and will apparently be an amalgamation of several encounters that have taken place in the city.

A source reveals, "The makers were going back and forth over the last few months regarding the story and have finally reached a consensus. Unlike the previous two offerings, this film will not be based on a specific incident. Instead, the writers have taken inspiration from several encounters in Mumbai, and have even referred to S Hussain Zaidi’s book, Byculla To Bangkok, while developing the material. While Sanjay Gupta will helm the actioner, the cast is yet to be determined. It is heard that Sanjay is keen to bring the cast of the first two instalments together in this outing. If all goes as planned, the project will roll in the first quarter of 2020."

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 7, 2017)

The audience curiosity had piqued when filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj announced that he will be collaborating with Deepika Padukone and Irrfan Khan for a film based on the life of Ashraf Khan aka Sapna didi. However, in a surprising turn of events, on Monday, the producers issued a statement saying that the movie is “fictional”. The claim threw people off-balance as buzz in the industry was that the movie was a biopic on the gangster, based on writer S Hussain Zaidi’s book, Mafia Queens of Mumbai.

Insiders informed that the story of the Honey Trehan-directed project remains the same. “To avoid any litigation from her family members, the makers decided that they will adapt the film to suit the cinematic vision of the filmmaker.”

Zaidi, who was informed about the development yesterday, told mid-day, “There is no confusion between Vishal and me. We are constantly discussing the story.” Stating that the team will be making the narrative “more dramatic”, he added, “Since movies provide you with a grand canvas, the story will depart from reality. Some characters will be fictionalised.”

For the uninitiated, Sapna didi had planned Dawood Ibrahim’s execution to avenge her husband Mehmood Kaliya’s death. The film is expected to go on floors early next year.

BOMBAY TIMES (July 22, 2017)

Neeraj Pandey on why he chose to cast Akshay Kumar and Sushant Singh Rajput against type, reveals he has bought the rights to a Hussain Zaidi bestseller for a web series
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 9, 2016)

Neeraj Pandey candidly admits that he had trouble finding backers for his debut film, A Wednesday. That's the reason Friday Filmworks, the banner he set up with Shital Bhatia, came about. "We were not equipped to set up a production company, it was born out of default so we could make the film we wanted," he acknowledges.

Eight years on, after talks to ensure that they were on the same page, the duo joined hands with Reliance Entertainment for an equal partnership joint venture, Plan C Studios, whose first co-production, Rustom, opens this Friday. "The collaboration gives us more freedom to express ourselves without thinking about market constraints and other trappings," Neeraj smiles.

Rustom is loosely inspired by the KM Nanavati case. The Parsi naval commander shot dead his wife Sylvia's lover, Prem Ahuja. The jury of the Greater Bombay Sessions Court pronounced him "not guilty" under Section 302 with an 8-1 verdict but Judge Ratilal Bhaichand Mehta referred the case to the High Court which agreed with the prosecution's argument that the murder was premeditated, and sentenced Nanavati to life imprisonment for culpable homicide amounting to murder.

On November 24, 1961, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction. But after three years in jail, Ahuja's sister, Mamie, was persuaded to forgive him and Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, then Governor of Maharashtra, pardoned Nanavati who migrated to Toronto with his family.

In 1963, RK Nayyar's Sunil Dutt-Leela Naidu-starrer, Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke, despite a disclaimer that all people and incidents were fictitious and altering the case's outcome, had a similar storyline even though the screenplay was said to be have been written before the case made headlines. More recently, Soni Razdan's on-the-floors Love Affair draws from the same source. With facts only a Google away, wasn't it a gamble going ahead with the Tinu Desai directed Rustom?

"Vipul Rawal's story is only loosely inspired by Nanavati's and has integrated another fictional element. I don't know much about the contemporary film, but Yeh Raaste Hai Pyaar Ke released decades ago. For us, it was an interesting story to tell today as it was a landmark and the jury system has since been abolished," reasons Neeraj.

He has established himself as a filmmaker who steers clear of formulae, bringing stories with a semblance of truth. He is also responsible for Khiladi Kumar's transformation through films like Special 26, Baby and Rustom. Neeraj refuses to take credit for the makeover. "Akshay was hungry for different roles and ready for risks. His appetite got Special 26 going. He followed it up with Baby, Rustom and Airlift which wasn't our film. I believe in anti-casting, I offered him Special 26 to explore a different side to him as an actor. He believed in me and vice versa, this trust has kept us going," he says.

Signing Sushant Singh Rajput to play MS Dhoni in the upcoming biopic, M S Dhoni - The Untold Story, was another casting decision that went against type and was met with scepticism. Today, Neeraj reveals that even the actor admits to being surprised by what he has done while dubbing: "But I'm not surprised, I was expecting it," he asserts. "I could see that he was training himself, both as a player and actor, during the readings, getting there. Sushant has an unquestionable amount of discipline, is hungry and yet wasn't doing much work. It worked in his favour."

Point out that all the secrecy around M S Dhoni - The Untold Story, along with the change in release date has lead to speculations, including reports that the real Dhoni was unhappy with the film. "Work started when we were shooting for Baby, it's been two-and-a- half years since but because it's a biopic you can't stop rumours. They can't impact a project like this which has a life of its own and can't be hurried," he argues, adding that the stories about Dhoni being unhappy are baseless. "But we choose not to give justifications or clarifications, the film will be out soon."

Meanwhile, he's in talks for the rights of several books, including S Hussain Zaidi's Mafia Queens Of Mumbai which is being developed into a web series. "Barring the stories Hussain has already sold to other makers, we have bought the rights to the rest for a digital series, including some he was planning to use in a sequel to the book. We are also in talks for another novel and developing my own, Ghalib Danger. As makers we are constantly looking for material," he says.

Meanwhile, while a follow-up to A Wednesday is out of question "because that story is done", sequels to Special 26 and Baby are in the works, and a new production which should roll in a couple of months could also spin a franchise. "There's no rush... No deadlines or finishing lines on projects. We don't have a target of making five-10 films, we will grow as we go along," he signs off.

MID-DAY (May 10, 2016)

The Kamasutra comes handy for tips on a spicier sex life and all the positions that you ever wanted to know or master. And now, there might soon be an Emraansutra — on kissing know-how. Though just a thought at the moment, Bollywood’s serial kisser Emraan Hashmi is likely to start writing a book on ‘how to kiss’ and ‘how to love’ very soon! During his recent visit to the mid-day office for the promotions of his upcoming film Azhar, Emraan revealed that author S Hussain Zaidi has been coaxing him to pen a kissing tutorial.

The actor says, “It is just in the talking stage. Right now, I am busy with my film commitments. But I might just give it a thought. After the Kamasutra, the Emraansutra! And hopefully, there will be a publisher for it.” Emraan, who has earned the sobriquet of the ‘ smooch king’, holds the distinction of kissing all his female co-stars over the years. It is said that no one kisses like he does. “Perhaps, I should give it serious thought. I don’t think there is any such book or guide in the market,” he chuckles.

Emraan recently penned a book on his son Ayaan’s tryst with cancer — The Kiss of Life: How a Superhero And My Son Defeated Cancer — which is also being made into a documentary. He has been appreciated for the narrative and might just use his writing skills next time round for what he is best known for on the big screen.

Like every film of his, he has been on a promotional overdrive for Azhar. “To say that it has been exhausting is an understatement. I have been at it for over a month, but then I always give my everything even when the film is complete,” he explains, adding that the biopic on former Indian cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin will delve into many areas which the audience is unaware of, especially his early days in Hyderabad and his relationship with his grandfather.

After training in cricket extensively, Azharuddin has told him that he can take part in the celebrity cricket league. “But the biggest compliment I received was from Azhar bhai’s son (Mohammed Asaduddin), who said that when he saw me walking from the pavilion, it reminded him of his dad,” he smiles.

Mohar Basu (BOMBAY TIMES; August 13, 2015)

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; February 13, 2014)

Sanjay Gupta’s films are about gangsters, real life incidents and style. We have now learnt that Sanjay is ready to shoot his next film titled Mumbai Saga, which again is based on a real-life gangster of the 80s and the 90s, who changed the skyline of Mumbai. This gangster, being played by John Abraham, will be shown from the age of 22, where he was a vegetable vendor, to the age of 45, when he became a narco smuggler and the ganglord of Mumbai, who ruled the businesses of drugs, arms and real estate. He was responsible for breaking the strong nexus between the mills and the politicians at that time. He, in effect, became the broker for builders and was responsible for buildings being built in place of mills. But he did something so terrible that he had to get his face changed without which he would have been caught. He had turned gangster for the sake of his brother, who he wanted should become a chemical engineer from London. While his brother did become that, ironically, he finally became a gangster himself.

Great actors Anil Kapoor and Manoj Bajpayee return in this Sanjay Gupta film. Interestingly, Anil will be seen playing the leader of the ruling political party then, who was no less than the tiger of Mumbai’s jungle. It’s a no-brainer to guess who that could be.