Showing posts with label Sankalp Reddy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sankalp Reddy. Show all posts
Only a handful of people knew of IB 71 incident, and even fewer were willing to talk about it-Sankalp Reddy
8:38 AM
IB 71 director on how year-long research, meetings with former agents led to the making of film, which depicts India’s master plan behind 1971 Indian Airlines hijack
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 4, 2023)
In 2021, when Vidyut Jammwal announced turning producer with IB 71, he had said that the film would be based on an episode from the 1971 India-Pakistan war. Two years on, a look at the trailer tells you that Sankalp Reddy’s directorial venture offers a retelling of the 1971 Indian Airlines hijack. “It was a pivotal moment in Indian history, but not many people knew about it,” says Reddy.
The 1971 incident, also referred to as the Ganga hijack, has been a contentious topic between the two countries. On January 30, 1971, Hashim Qureshi and Ashraf Qureshi — two Kashmiri separatists allegedly belonging to the National Liberation Front (NLF) — hijacked a Fokker F27 named Ganga that was flying from Srinagar and diverted it to Lahore airport. The two then demanded the release of 36 members of the NLF from Indian custody, and a meeting with Pakistani minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in lieu of the abducted passengers.
While the Indian government refused to comply, the All India Radio reportedly made a broadcast stating that Pakistan was behind the hijack. After Hashim and Ashraf’s meeting with Bhutto and amid rising international pressure, all passengers were sent back to India.
Reddy’s spy thriller, also starring Anupam Kher and Vishal Jethwa, focuses on a lesser-known aspect of the episode. The film depicts how Rameshwar Nath Kao, the then-chief of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), had knowledge of the impending hijacking since early January of 1971. He devised a master plan and used the hijack to strengthen Indian government’s claims of Pakistan’s ill intentions.
After the hijack, the government banned all Pakistan International Airlines flights from its airspace. This, in turn, had a significant impact on troop movement into East Pakistan and gave India an upper hand in the Bangladesh Liberation War in December that year.
Reddy says year-long research went into putting the story together. Since it was a covert operation, he admits that sourcing information was a daunting task.
“Many details about the intelligence agency’s strategy were kept under wraps. Only a handful of people knew of the incident, and even fewer were willing to talk about it. It was important to portray the events accurately. Through meticulous research, we created a film that does justice to the bravery of our agents.”
Jammwal adds, “IB 71 talks about people who sacrifice everything for the nation.”
Now that the government has allowed us to tell (IB 71's) story, I thought we should go ahead-Vidyut Jammwal
8:11 AM
Going from a villain to the leading man and now a producer, Vidyut Jammwal talks about sticking to his instinct as he backs IB71
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; April 27, 2023)
Going from the on-screen henchman to the villain to the leading man, it has been quite a ride at the movies for Vidyut Jammwal. Through it all, he has sworn by one mantra — “don’t listen to anyone.”
“When I played the bad guy in my Hindi debut in Force [2011], everybody said my career is over, that I won’t be able to become a hero. But I didn’t listen to anyone, and did what I wanted to,” he begins.
It is this self-belief that the actor is sticking to as he takes on the new role of a producer with IB71. Directed by Sankalp Reddy, the film tells how the Intelligence Bureau gave India an advantage in the 1971 war with Pakistan. Hailing from an army background, Jammwal says the story’s importance was not lost on him.
“I knew about this story, but somehow no one would talk about it. Now that the government has allowed us to tell this story, I thought we should go ahead.”
In Reddy, he found a “crazy, brilliant mind” sharing his enthusiasm for the story. Jammwal says his motivation to launch his production house was to collaborate with such exciting minds. “I wanted to work with people I truly admire, people who aren’t in the ‘circuit’ yet.”
He credits the director’s research that ensured the film steered clear of jingoism. “We wanted to be authentic. For instance, people think that army officers are strict. But that’s not true. My father, who has been in the army, is gentle, as are most of them. Also, whenever we talk about the enemy, we think they are dumb or weak. That’s not the truth. The Pakistani Army is very intelligent. My army upbringing makes me see the opponent as intelligent, but we have to be smarter.”
As a new producer, Jammwal is trying to bring change not only on screen, but also off it. “On film sets, I usually see the actors and director sitting at a separate table, while other crew members are seated away from them. I don’t like that. On my set, I made sure there is no hierarchy, that we have the best food possible and the crew is taken care of.”
Only Vidyut Jammwal could do justice to a part that is steeped in patriotism-Sankalp Reddy
8:55 AM
IB 71 director says Vidyut’s army background made him perfect fit for spy thriller steeped in Indian history
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; April 22, 2023)
Casting for a film inspired by real-life events is tricky as one has to be authentic to the story. Director Sankalp Reddy was aware of the challenges as he began work on IB 71, a spy thriller that is centred on the Indian Intelligence Bureau’s secret mission that gave the Indian Army the required edge during the 1971 India-Pakistan war. He says that luckily, actor-producer Vidyut Jammwal was the perfect fit for the role given his Indian Army background.
“Vidyut brought the script to me and said, ‘I want to do this.’ When I read it, I immediately knew that Vidyut, who comes from an army background, was the right fit for the role. Only he could do justice to a part that is steeped in patriotism. He embodies the grit and determination of the character,” says Reddy, who previously helmed Ghazi (2017).
The upcoming release also stars Anupam Kher and Vishal Jethwa. Reddy notes that the ensemble cast needed to bring emotional depth to their parts. “Anupam ji brings so much gravitas to his performances. Vishal has an arresting screen presence that we were blown away by.”
Today, actors want to match the bar I have set in the action genre-Vidyut Jammwal
8:23 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; July 7, 2022)
He has won acclaim as an action hero not just in Bollywood, but globally. Someone who grew up training in martial arts, Vidyut Jammwal indeed has flaunted his mastery in this sphere many times over. While he has entertained the audience with high-octane stunts in his earlier films, in his next film, Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha, he promises that he’s going to move the viewers emotionally, too. In a conversation with BT, Vidyut talks about how he continues to push the envelope in the action genre, why he decided to turn producer and giving a chance to new talent. Excerpts:
How did the idea of Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2 - Agni Pariksha crop up, considering Khuda Haafiz was inspired by true events and it did conclude like the real story of the couple?
Khuda Haafiz saw a happy ending with the protagonist rescuing his kidnapped wife from the fresh traders and bringing her back. One fine evening, Faruk (Kabir, director), who was in touch with the couple, told me that it isn’t as easy as it looks for them. The woman, who went through a tough time after being kidnapped, continues to battle trauma as she struggles to lead a normal life here.
Some people judge her. So, she ends up switching her job constantly. Her husband, too, is facing trying times as he is also judged. Faruk told me that the couple is indeed going through an agni pariksha where people have sympathy for them, but they are not letting them be. He asked me, ‘Why don’t we make a story about what really happens after a happy ending?’
Your films are known to be action oriented, but this time around, given the emotional angle, it seems there is ample scope for you to show your acting skills?
From action to emotions, I have taken everything a notch higher in this project. Everything that I have learnt in the last 11 years, I have put it all to use in the movie. Not only acting, but I also invested my interests in other departments of filmmaking. Along with the team, I shared my thoughts on the music for the film. I have always loved Sufi music and we have three amazing Sufi songs in this film. I have also choreographed action stunts in this film.
Through your journey of 11 years, where you have largely done action films, do you feel the need to constantly reinvent yourself as an action hero to hold the audience’s interest with new stunts and moves?
I have been training in mixed martial arts for many years, and I am constantly thinking about new situations and moves that I could include in my films. I am just trained for it. This thought process is always on. The one thing I cannot imagine is getting hit by someone. In fact, when Faruk first came to me for Khuda Haafiz, I could not relate to the character as he is someone who gets hit. I am someone who can’t get hit in real life and even in reel life. But then, the way he narrated the story and the emotional angle, it made me think ki chalo screen pe maar kha hi lete hai (laughs!).
You launched your own production house this year. What kind of content do you want to back?
My number one motive is to work with the talented bunch of people who I have come across in the last 11 years. There are a few who are talented and still waiting for an opportunity. I want to be a part of their journey. Jahan talent dikhega mujhe, mujhe unke saath kaam karna hai. The first project I am making is IB 71. I am collaborating with Sankalp Reddy (director), whose work I have watched before. A few people told me that he’s arrogant, but I wanted to form my own opinion and reached out to him. I realized that he isn’t arrogant, but quiet and keeps to himself. I just want to work with such people, who I genuinely believe in, even if nobody else does. As an actor, when I started off, I worked towards finding my tribe. You need to find your tribe. It takes a while. It isn’t too difficult an industry to be in. People talk about these never-ending struggle stories… haan, thoda samay lagta hai to find people who believe in you. So, Faruk and all the people that I have collaborated with in the last 11 years are a part of my tribe. I don’t know if I am getting my due in Bollywood, but whatever I am getting here is all on my own.
You have been an action star for 11 years. Do you want to explore genres that are drastically different?
I am one of the top martial artists in the world. I represent our country internationally. Ab achanak one day I can’t get up and take a plunge into something else na. I have changed the way India sees action as a genre. Before me, and I say it with great pride, there was nobody who would do real action… everybody was using harnesses, stunt doubles etc. I have raised the bar, and today there are actors who want to match that and be a part of the action genre. I am happy that India is churning out great action movies. Talking about doing something different, Khuda Haafiz gave me that opportunity to go beyond as the role is high on emotion too. I don’t see myself following a pattern for sure. My formula is simple, you find talent and you work with them. They don’t necessarily have to be the ones who are the biggest in the industry today.
Vidyut Jammwal's first film under his production titled IB 71; to be directed by Sankalp Reddy
8:04 AM
Three months after launching his studio, Vidyut Jammwal unites with National Award-winning director Reddy to roll out espionage thriller IB 71
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 19, 2021)
In April, Vidyut Jammwal launched his production house, Action Hero Films, with the idea of bringing high-concept stories to the screen. Almost three months on, the actor-producer has zeroed in on the banner’s first film — IB 71. The espionage thriller will be helmed by Sankalp Reddy, whose Ghazi (2017) won the National Award for best feature film in Telugu.
The movie, which sees Jammwal as an Indian Intelligence officer, recounts how the Intelligence Bureau played a crucial role and gave the Indian Army a tactical advantage during one of its wars against Pakistan. The first-time producer is unwilling to reveal too many details, only saying that as soon as he read the script, he instinctively knew that the heroics of the unsung heroes had to be captured on celluloid for posterity. “Some of the most interesting episodes in Indian history have inspired IB 71. With this film, my stable pursues the endeavour to unravel a riveting story envisaged by gifted writers. I have full faith in Sankalp’s vision as a filmmaker,” says the actor-producer, adding that the director will bring the required sensitivity to the storytelling.
Jammwal has joined forces with Reliance Entertainment and T-Series for the venture.
With Ghazi, Reddy had highlighted the mysterious sinking of PNS Ghazi during the 1971 India-Pakistan war. This time around, he will revisit another chapter of history, underlining how some victories are won, not on the battlefield, but off it, with clever manoeuvres. “The film depicts what goes on before a triumph. A different kind of heroism is at play here. I connected with these themes when the story was narrated to me,” says the director. Shibasish Sarkar, group CEO, Reliance Entertainment, adds, “The significance of this part of Indian history has inspired us to produce this [film].”
The thriller, written by Aditya Shastri and with screenplay by Storyhouse Films, will go on floors by the year-end.
Vipul Shah announces a slate of new projects
7:30 AM
BOMBAY TIMES (April 26, 2019)
Producer-director Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the man behind films like Aankhen, Waqt, Namastey London, Singh Is Kingg, Holiday, Force 1 and 2, and Commando 1 and 2, is all set to announce multiple projects. The line-up includes four films and two web series, which will be produced under his banner, Blockbuster Movie Entertainers. The projects that will tell diverse stories will be made by filmmakers Sankalp Reddy, Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan, Deven Bhojani and Mozez Singh. The makers have previously directed The Ghazi Attack, Lahore, Commando 2 and Zubaan, respectively. Vipul, too, will direct a movie. His directorial will be a true story that sees him explore a new territory. “All my films have tackled a range of topics. With my new film, I am once again handling a genre that I haven’t explored before. I am excited about it and cannot wait to start working on it,” says Vipul.
While Sankalp’s film revolves around a conspiracy theory about true events that changed Indian history, Sanjay will direct an action thriller. Deven’s movie is an emotional story of a man and a dog. “These films have diverse stories and are made by talented filmmakers, who have unique voices. I look forward to backing these projects” says Vipul.
Apart from this, the filmmaker is backing Commando 3, which has been directed by Aditya Datt. The film was wrapped up recently after schedules in London and Mumbai.
Meanwhile, Vipul is also stepping into the digital space. He is working on a novel by Gujarati writer Harkishan Mehta. The story, set in 1812-1855, is based on the life of notorious thug Amir Ali, who killed 719 people. Mozez Singh will create the other web show, which revolves around the human drug testing menace in the medical world.
Aditi Rao Hydari undergoes intensive anti-gravity training for her role of an astronaut in Tamil film
7:55 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 17, 2018)
"My introduction to space studies was when Rakesh Sharma had come to our school to deliver a talk. It was thrilling for me to revisit the stories I had heard as a kid, while I was shooting,” beams Aditi Rao Hydari, who plays an astronaut in director Sankalp Reddy’s yet-untitled space thriller.
Having already shot the first schedule of the Tamil film that sees her opposite South star Varun Tej, the actor says the character came with its set of challenges. “Since I play an astronaut, I had to undergo intensive anti-gravity training. We had a stunt team from Bulgaria that trained Varun and me for a few weeks before we started filming. The first 10 days were rigorous — I would train early in the morning, then fly out to another city for another film’s shoot and return the same night to resume training the next day.”
Considering this is her first sci-fi project, Hydari says she not only had to get into the skin of her character graph but also understand the basics of astronomy. “Sankalp did a lot of research for his script. By the time he narrated it to me, he was ready with the answers to all my questions. I constantly asked him questions during the shoot as it helped me understand what my character is going through.”
"My introduction to space studies was when Rakesh Sharma had come to our school to deliver a talk. It was thrilling for me to revisit the stories I had heard as a kid, while I was shooting,” beams Aditi Rao Hydari, who plays an astronaut in director Sankalp Reddy’s yet-untitled space thriller.
Having already shot the first schedule of the Tamil film that sees her opposite South star Varun Tej, the actor says the character came with its set of challenges. “Since I play an astronaut, I had to undergo intensive anti-gravity training. We had a stunt team from Bulgaria that trained Varun and me for a few weeks before we started filming. The first 10 days were rigorous — I would train early in the morning, then fly out to another city for another film’s shoot and return the same night to resume training the next day.”
Considering this is her first sci-fi project, Hydari says she not only had to get into the skin of her character graph but also understand the basics of astronomy. “Sankalp did a lot of research for his script. By the time he narrated it to me, he was ready with the answers to all my questions. I constantly asked him questions during the shoot as it helped me understand what my character is going through.”
I’m a hardcore Sardarni-Taapsee Pannu
7:54 AM
Taapsee Pannu on juggling careers in Bollywood and down South and how she’s breaking stereotypes by just being herself
Yogesh Pawar (DNA; January 21, 2017)
Model-turned-actress Taapsee Pannu, who won much critical acclaim for Pink, may not have scored anything this year, awards-wise. But the South sensation is not letting that get in the way of her enthusiasm for her upcoming release RunningShaadi.com. She has four releases lined up this year. Here, she tells us about her several screen outings in Bollywood, her fewer outings in the South, her patriotic streak and more...
RunningShaadi.com’s a lighter film than your last one, Pink.
Yes it is lighter and something I did before Pink. In fact, I got Pink because of RunningShaadi.com. Shoojitda’s the producer for both films. He only met me briefly during preps and a really short interaction when he came to the set. It was only later when he saw the footage for RunningShaadi.com that he asked me to come see him for Pink.
Are you loud and typically Punjabi like your character Nimmi in RSC?
I don’t know where this stereotype of the loud Punjabi comes from. I’m a hardcore sardarni and I can tell you, by God, no one talks loudly in that typical style in my house. This caricature of the giggly, angry, loud Punjabi girl is extremely done to death (sic). Both Minal Arora of Pink and Nimmi are Punjabis and both have a bit of the real-life me in them. You can see that they are anything but typical.Y ou can see that they are anything but typical.
In The Ghazi Attack you’re working with a debutante director, Sankalp Reddy.
Unlike my other films where I get to do quite a lot, The Ghazi Attack’s only a special appearance. Sankalp’s a really young guy, but the extent to which he researched and prepared for the subject left me impressed. Actually, it was only through the special appearance that they could introduce a girl’s character in what is otherwise an all-male story. Since women are not officially allowed to serve on a submarine in the Indian Navy, they could not have woman officer, so I am playing a Bangladeshi refugee who gets saved by the Indian Navy. And I think the allure of being part of India’s first submarine film, worked for me.
Was nationalism/patriotism a factor while agreeing to be part of The Ghazi Attack which looks at the destruction of a Pak submarine during the 1971 war?
I’m totally the patriotic type. Reciting the national anthem makes me cry. Since I’m not playing an officer, my character doesn’t get to be very patriotic in the film.
Do you think polarizations over Pakistan make this an opportune time for The Ghazi Attack?
Trust me, this film, even if it comes out anytime, will work with Indians everywhere. After all, this is the 1971 war when we put Pakistan in its place. So, it would’ve worked irrespective of where Indo-Pak relations are.
You’re training with French stuntman Cyril Raffaelli and have picked up mixed martial arts, Kudo and Krav Maga for Naam Shabana.
I don’t know how I have a knack for getting into sh*t like this. The moment someone points out it is a first-of-its-kind film, I get all excited and say yes. Only later I when training begins does it hit me, what have I got myself into. No two fights in the film are same and I had to train in all the styles that my character uses. The actual shoot was quite easy but the training, to put it mildly, was quite painful.
Has shooting for Judwaa 2 begun?
No. Both Varun Dhawan and me have our hands full now. Till Naam Shabana releases in March, I won’t be able to take on anything, Varun too is going to be be busy with Badrinath Ki Dulhania. It is only after that, that shooting for Judwaa 2 will begin. Again Varun will begin shooting his part first, I’ll only join the team in London a week after Naam Shabana releases.
What do you make of the bold image that came to be attached to your work in Southern films?
In the South, to remain an A-lister actress, you have to to be ultra-glamorous. And that can mean bold roles. That is the only way you get paired opposite the A-List heroes. But this is not homogenously true about all of the South. In Telugu, my characters are all ultra-glam, western and bold, but in Tamil thanks to my first film Aadukalam opposite Dhanush, which won six awards at the 58th National Film Awards, audiences don’t see me as all that glamorous.
Now that you’re busy with Hindi, will you continue to work in the South?
Because I’m now doing a lot more work in Hindi, Southern filmmakers come to me only if there’s a character/role they feel only I can do. In fact, for the film I’m going to begin shooting in Telugu now, the filmmaker waited for a year for my dates for this reason. At a time when actresses are replaced just like that, I was very touched he waited for me. Such faith brings more pressure on me to perform better.
You’ve said that you don’t think it can work out between an actor and an actress. Is that a veiled message to co-stars to keep a safe distance?
(Cracks up) I don’t think anyone’s tried to get too close. Most co-stars say I give off a very buddy vibe, so its unlikely anything can happen between us. I’m very clear that there can be only one star in the relationship and that has to be me.
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