Showing posts with label Saurabh Shukla. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saurabh Shukla. Show all posts
Waheeda Rehman to make rare screen comeback as Mahatma Gandhi’s mother Putlibai in Manoj Bajpayee starrer
4:36 PM
Iti Shree Misra (BOMBAY TIMES; September 21, 2026)
It took more than a few sittings and a promise of the best food in Lucknow to coax Waheeda Rehman back onto a film set. After a brief, memorable appearance in the 2021 OTT film Skater Girl, the veteran actress had been reluctant to take on new assignments, citing age and a desire to step back – until now. The actress will be seen in a major role in Sudhir Mishra and Anubhav Sinha’s next.
The pitch that worked
Director Sudhir Mishra was adamant about having Waheedaj i in his Mahatma Gandhi film, and producer-director Anubhav Sinha backed him with a series of patient meetings.
“Waheeda ji was rather unsure of coming back to acting in another movie. But Sudhir was very keen on having her as part of the cast,” Sinha says.
Over several rounds of conversation, Mishra reassured her about the role, while Sinha leaned into charm and cuisine. “I promised to feed her the best food in Lucknow,” he says.
Waheeda Rehman, who had visited Lucknow a long time ago and wasn’t very familiar with the city, finally agreed. She is now in Lucknow, shooting for the film and playing what the team describes as a very important part although not Putlibai, as some reports suggest.
Sinha further shared, “Waheeda ji found the script very exciting and the character very interesting but she was reluctant and unsure if she wanted to come back to acting. But Sudhir and my insistence and the story convinced her enough to say yes to the role.”
For the two filmmakers, securing Waheeda Rehman was less about casting and more about legacy. Sinha says that sitting with her to discuss cinema and this particular script has been ‘an incredible honour’.
A 21-day chapter, a starry ensemble
The yet-untitled film, currently working under the title Gandhi And My Mother, focuses on a lesser-known 21-day chapter from Gandhi’s life. Manoj Bajpayee essays the Mahatma, reuniting on screen with Saurabh Shukla after Satya (1998) and Aarakshan (2011).
The ensemble also includes Divya Dutta, Aamir Bashir and Ashwath Bhatt in significant roles. Divya, incidentally, plays Sushila Nayyar, Gandhi’s personal physician and close associate, who authored several books on her experiences with him. Her brother Pyarelal Nayyar served as Gandhi’s personal secretary.
“For me to be playing such an iconic character is a real high”: Divya Dutta on playing Sushila Nayyar
For Divya, signing up for the biopic felt like a double win. “For me to be playing such an iconic character is a real high. Being on the set and just playing the role takes me back to that remarkable era and that feels amazing,” says the actress.
The film also marks her first collaboration with Mishra, a filmmaker she has long admired. “To be part of the cast of such a talented and amazing director is like a dream come true,” she says. With producer-director Anubhav Sinha, meanwhile, it’s reunion time. “This is my second film with Anubhav who’s an amazing friend and being back on the set with him is like party time,” Dutta adds.
Though Divya and Manoj Bajpayee have acted together in several films earlier, this will be the first time they share screen space in the same frame, a milestone she notes with quiet excitement. In a project that blends legacy, craft and camaraderie, Dutta’s enthusiasm is simple, “It’s an all-out win-win situation for me!”
PR shouldn’t overshadow your body of work by highlighting your lifestyle-Saurabh Shukla
10:06 AM
Vishakha Pandit (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 26, 2026)
In an industry where perception often overshadows performance, actor Saurabh Shukla insists that a good life is not a mark of an actor. He feels fine acting chops is what an actor should be known for and not a flamboyant lifestyle.
“If you start believing that these things define you as an actor or a person, then there is a problem. They are just personal choices, nothing more,” says Shukla.
“I love driving, I enjoy cars. I have a taste for expensive cars. But I prefer not showing all that. I prefer to be known for my work, my talent. Whether I drive a certain car or not, whether I show it or don’t show it, that is not going to decide how good an actor I am. These are completely separate things,” says the 63-year-old.
In the same vein, the actor, who recently directed Jab Khuli Kitaab, says that while “PR campaigns are important for your work to reach people, it shouldn’t overshadow your body of work by highlighting your lifestyle. Nothing can replace the work you do.”
Saurabh Shukla returns from break for his directorial; to shoot remaining portions of King
9:50 AM
Saurabh Shukla, who had taken a break from acting to focus on his directorial venture, reveals he is set to resume Shah Rukh Khan’s King shoot
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; March 12, 2026)
In the last few years, the actor in Saurabh Shukla had taken a backseat as he helmed his Pankaj Kapur and Dimple Kapadia-starrer Jab Khuli Kitaab, and then worked towards its release. Slowly but surely, acting called out to him.
Shukla, who shot Subedaar earlier, is now gearing up to resume the shoot of Shah Rukh Khan’s King, which also features the superstar’s daughter Suhana Khan. “I shot for it [last year], and I will shoot the remaining portions [soon],” he says.
Taking a break from acting to shape his directorial venture meant letting go of the financial security that acting projects offer. But Shukla believes the pay-off is richer. He shares, “From an actor’s perspective, [taking a break] is difficult, it’s also stupid at times. But when I was living it, it was easy. Physically, I cannot be present at two places.”
Last week, he had two releases — while Anil Kapoor’s Subedaar dropped on Prime Video, Jab Khuli Kitaab began streaming on Zee5 — each showing a different facet of his art. Acting, directing, and writing can be too much to handle, but Shukla has too many dreams to fulfil in this lifetime.
“I’m a firm believer that there is only one life. So, I have no plans of saying, ‘I will act in this life, and direct in the next,’” he smiles, adding that writing hones one’s acting. “I always say, ‘If you want to be an actor, please write. Look at paintings, sing, pursue music because it gives you a sense of rhythm. Everything is interrelated.”
Dimple Kapadia said in her beautiful, sexy voice, ‘I’m doing Jab Khuli Kitaab, nobody else will do it’-Saurabh Shukla
4:36 PM
Director Saurabh Shukla, who felt Dimple Kapadia was too big a star to front ‘Jab Khuli Kitaab’, recalls being surprised when she said yes in three days
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; March 4, 2026)
Saurabh Shukla believed he would need Lady Luck to get his desired actors for his directorial venture, Jab Khuli Kitaab. Who knows whether it was good fortune or the power of a good script, but Pankaj Kapur and Dimple Kapadia agreed to front his family comedy in days.
Revealing that he went to Kapur’s Versova office to hand the script — that revolves around an aged couple whose marriage is shaken by the unravelling of a secret — to him, Shukla recalled, “Pankaj said, ‘I will read it and tell you.’ Within a week, he said yes.”
When Kapadia’s name was suggested for the female lead, the writer and director initially shot down the idea. He thought she would be too big to front his mid-size movie. “She is such a huge star! At that time, she had done [Christopher] Nolan’s film [Tenet] and would have had no shortage of films. I would give my right arm to get her! So, we sent her the script.”
Then came the twist in the tale. “On the third day, I got a call and she said in her beautiful, sexy voice, ‘Saurabh, I’m doing this film, nobody else will do it.’ I couldn’t believe it. Later, we had a chat where she discussed every nuance of the script. In her, I saw a woman who is not only talented, but has also lived a full life.”
I didn't want to be the reason the Khosla family couldn't get back together-Ranvir Shorey
8:15 AM
Oshin Fernandes (MID-DAY; January 25, 2026)
Ranvir Shorey, who reprises his role as the pookie gangster Chhota Davan in Amazon MX Player’s Bindiya Ke Bahubali season 2, has high regard for his long-time collaborator and veteran actor Saurabh Shukla. The latter essays Ranvir’s father in the show. They met through their common friend and actor Rajat Kapoor and have been going strong even after decades in showbiz.
Ranvir exclusively tells mid-day, “Saurabh is older than me in every possible way – experience, talent, and wisdom. There's a very older brother vibe, which I have with Saurabh. I not only enjoy spending time, but I also look forward to it. It’s a learning and fun experience for me.”
Why Ranvir Shorey lost out on work opportunities
Recently, many filmmakers and producers have prioritized social media clout over traditional acting merit when casting. Ranvir, known for his unfiltered presence online, acknowledges that his outspoken nature may have cost him significant professional opportunities.
He explains, “Of course, I have no concrete evidence or conclusive proof of this. But I think it does affect how you are perceived in the business. But it’s one life, bro; I do not want to be boxed up. I don't want to toe the line. I don't want to live a life where I feel like my opinions have to lick somebody's feet.”
Ranvir, who started his career with television and later transitioned into movies and OTT, says the industry has changed for good. “I think there are far more opportunities today in the world of filmmaking. And the flip side to that is that there is far more competition also.”
Ranvir Shorey on Khosla Ka Ghosla 2
Ranvir is currently filming Khosla Ka Ghosla 2, a project he committed to only after confirming that original cast members Anupam Kher and Boman Irani were returning. Describing them as the "pillars" of the franchise, he likens the experience to a family reunion. “I didn't want to be the reason the Khosla family couldn't get back together,” he notes, emphasizing his loyalty to the original ensemble.
While Ranvir can shapeshift into any given role, he is largely associated with comedy as a genre. At a time when cringeworthy content is taking over intelligent writing, the actor states that it is paramount to back good projects.
“People don't realize how much goes on behind the scenes. What actors, directors, and writers struggle with, you cannot imagine. The kind of egos you have to deal with just to be able to do the kind of work you want to do,” he signs off.
Priyadarshan to release his memoir with his 100th film, which reunites him with Mohanlal
3:15 PM
Currently writing his memoir, Priyadarshan plans to coincide its release with his 100th movie that will reunite him with his first hero, Mohanlal
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; January 24, 2026)
We suspect Priyadarshan has 30 hours in a day. In 2025, the filmmaker wrapped up two movies, Bhooth Bangla and Haiwaan. Now, he has revealed to mid-day that he also squeezed in the time to write his autobiography. The filmmaker plans to release his memoir in 2027, coinciding with a career landmark.
“I am writing, shooting, and writing again. I have completed my 97th movie, Haiwaan, starring Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar. The 98th will be with Pankaj Tripathi, Annu Kapoor, and Saurabh Shukla. I want to complete my memoir by 2027 as I should wrap up my 100th film by then,” he told us over a call.
The star of the yet-untitled autobiography will obviously be Priyadarshan and his rich career spanning over four decades. That said, another superstar, Mohanlal, will take pride of place in the book. After all, the Malayalam actor had fronted his directorial debut, Poochakkoru Mookkuthi (1984), and in a serendipitous turn of events, he will lead the director’s 100th outing too. The decades in between have seen the two friends collaborate multiple times.
Priyadarshan elaborated, “Mohanlal was the hero of my first film. I want to end my book with the last chapter on him. I think it’s the first time in the history of Indian cinema that an actor, who did a director’s first film, is also the hero of his 100th.”
Looking back at his life, the memoir will span his childhood, his entry into films as a screenwriter, and his rise as a director with three National Film Awards and multiple hits to credit. “I started my career at 19; I wrote my first Malayalam movie Kuyiline Thedi [1983]. Before that, I was a ghost writer for a couple of films,” he recalled.
“The book will also cover everyone I have worked with or met — from R D Burman to Rajesh Khanna, from Dev Anand to Akshay Kumar and Rajinikanth. I have met so many legends in the last 40 years.”
Raid 2 director hints at third instalment of Ajay Devgn starrer: "Maybe the idea can be taken ahead"
10:17 AM
With Raid 2’s ending hinting at a third instalment, director Raj Kumar Gupta indicates that Ajay Devgn’s thriller can lead to an on-screen universe exploring themes of crime and corruption
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; May 15, 2025)
In a world of heroes and superheroes, Ajay Devgn’s no-nonsense Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Amay Patnaik from the Raid franchise is a refreshing change. Director Raj Kumar Gupta knows that he has not only an enduring character in Patnaik, but also a universe that can be expanded. That’s probably why he has hinted at the possibility of the third instalment in the final shot of Raid 2, which sees the antagonists — played by Riteish Deshmukh and Saurabh Shukla — strike a deal behind bars to get back at the hero. So, is a threequel on the anvil?
“I thought it would be fun to have a scene like that, but it has taken its own meaning,” laughs Gupta. “I can’t predict what will happen in the future, but I’d love to work with powerful actors like Ajay Devgn and Riteish Deshmukh again.”
With Raid 2 coming seven years after the 2018 original, the director turned Devgn’s crime thriller into a franchise and showed how income tax raids — a subject that had hardly caught Bollywood filmmakers’ attention before — can play out dramatically on the big screen. Given the concept’s adaptability, Gupta can create an on-screen universe of crime, politics, and corruption. Something that Raid 2’s climax teases. The director is measured when asked whether he is taking that route.
“As a filmmaker and writer, there are stories I want to tell. Also, having grown up in the small town of Hazaribagh and being familiar with this kind of world, I have more of such stories to tell. Maybe the idea can be taken ahead with different characters or different [premises]. Making a successful film is difficult, and making sequels is more difficult since there are more expectations attached to it. What these characters have in store, only time will tell.”
What he is forthcoming about, however, is the research that entails such films. He shares, “Today a lot of my college friends are IRS and IAS officers, bankers, and businessmen. They form a part of my research and help me understand the characters.”
Raid 2 has fared well, earning over Rs. 130 crore in the domestic market. Understandably, it slowed down last week because of the India-Pakistan conflicts. “The film would naturally get affected as there are bigger causes at stake. But when things started becoming normal, people started going to the theatres again to watch it,” states Gupta.
I wanted PK to speak for itself-Rajkumar Hirani
11:04 PM
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; January 2, 2025)
It’s been a decade since Rajkumar Hirani made PK. The director shares that it was only a few weeks ago that Aamir Khan called him and shared that he was shooting in Sambhar – the location where the film’s opening scene was shot and where alien PK landed over 10 years ago.
“Aamir said, ‘I’m here and have so many memories.’ That’s where we shot his nude scene, which became the iconic poster, and Aamir so sportingly did it all. From Sambhar to Jaipur, Delhi, and even Belgium, where we shot with Anushka and Sushant at the time, PK took us to many places. Like every film, I have tons of great memories from this one too,” he says. Now a decade later, the director takes us on a journey to the making of this cinematic hit.
Aamir said, ‘I’ve always wanted to do Bhojpuri. What if PK speaks Bhojpuri?’
PK had some of the memorable dialogues – ‘Lul ho gayi humri life, humra gola par log jhoot nahi bolat hai, aise tukar tukar ka dekhat ho?’ Initially, since the character lands in Rajasthan, the idea was that he would hold someone’s hand, learn their language, and speak Rajasthani.
Hirani shares, “But at some stage, Aamir said, ‘I’ve always wanted to try Bhojpuri, and it might sound more interesting.’ Then, we assumed that the person whose hand he holds is from Bihar. When Aamir delivered the lines in Bhojpuri instead of Rajasthani, it sounded so much more interesting. So, we decided to go with Bhojpuri.”
Hirani shares, “I’ve always felt that India’s diverse languages and dialects add so much richness to storytelling. Giving PK a dialect instead of plain Hindi brought a lot of colour to the character. It’s like in Munnabhai, Mumbai slang – ‘Watt lag gayi meri’ is so much more fun than saying, ‘Main phans gaya’ or ‘Main mar gaya’.”
‘Wanted PK to speak for itself’
Before the release of the film, no one knew what it was about. Hirani recalls, “Certain things, when included in promotions, aren’t always very inviting to watch a film. For example, when we were working on Lage Raho Munna Bhai, the initial title was Munna Bhai Meets Mahatma Gandhi. At some point, I felt that the mention of Mahatma Gandhi might not seem very exciting for an entertaining film. People might not feel compelled to watch it and could even be repelled by the idea. I thought, let’s first bring the audience in. Once they’re in, they’ll understand what we’re trying to say. That’s when we changed the name to Lage Raho Munna Bhai. Similarly, for PK, we didn’t want to reveal upfront that it was a film about God and religion. I decided to let the audience come in first. As a result, there were a lot of speculations: maybe the film was about an alien, or maybe the title PK referred to a drunkard, or perhaps Aamir’s character was a loony. The confusion created curiosity. The way Aamir looked in the trailers made people wonder if he was a drunkard or an alien. I wanted the audience to come in and let the film speak for itself.”
None of Sushant Singh Rajput’s films had been released at the time of PK, but Rajkumar Hirani had seen some footage and decided to cast him. He recalls, “I remember we were shooting with him when his first film was released. We all went to see his first film at that time”
Talking about how Aamir Khan came on board, Rajkumar Hirani shares, “I had kind of narrated the core idea to Aamir. He said, ‘Yes, it’s a great idea, but it’s a difficult script to write. So, if you manage to write it, let me know.’ After a year or so, when the script was finally ready, he was the first person I went to and narrated it to. He loved it and immediately said he wanted to do it.”
The film was initially titled Tully
At one point in the film, PK says, “Naam kucho nahi hai hamaar, lekin pata nahi kaahe sablog hamka Pk-Pk bulwat hai”. Why? “The film was initially titled Tully,” Hirani reveals, “It felt too slangy, so we decided to call it PK. Wherever Aamir’s character went, people called him PK. He goes to the police station to file a complaint against God, and the policeman asks, ‘Pi ke hai kya?’ Then he goes to a temple and asks for his donation back, and again, someone says, ‘Pi ke aaya hai kya?’ That’s when his character begins to think that his name is PK. The idea was to make him seem drunk because the things he was saying were so absurd.”
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“Boman Irani tested for the role of the godman or guru, but the director felt he somehow didn’t fit the image. So, we tried several actors and came to Saurabh Shukla. Saurabh had that perfect look and was ready to shave his head for the role, which made him even more fitting for the character,” Hirani shared.
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Rajkumar Hirani says, "Reality is far more interesting than fiction. Primarily, the idea behind making PK or any of his films is to entertain people. You don’t go out and say that you want to really put a message."
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Rajkumar Hirani says, "The climax scene of PK reflects exactly that - the reality is, we never know who made us or why we are here. Obviously, there is some larger presence, which you can call anything - God, nature, or some mystery. So, we ended up saying in the film that there are two Gods - one we know nothing about, and the one we created."
No sex scenes in Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein, which has become a lot on OTT shows these days-Sidharth Sengupta
8:14 AM
Director Sidharth Sengupta on how his love for thrills influenced Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein, which is filled with twists
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; November 26, 2024)
Even after 20 years in the television industry, writer-director Sidharth Sengupta often feels like he doesn’t know enough about the craft. This feeling of humility, he says, pushes him to do better. The result? In 2021, he delivered a sleeper hit in Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein. Three years on, he has returned with the second season of the Tahir Raj Bhasin, Shweta Tripathi and Aanchal Singgh-led web series. In a chat with mid-day, Sengupta discusses why it took him three years to craft the next season, and how he maintains objectivity in his writing. Edited excerpts from the interview.
Why did it take you three years to return with the second season of Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein?
The second season was a little more difficult to write. I wrote various versions, but was not happy. I was ashamed that it took so long. There was a lot of to and fro. I was not enjoying some of the versions, or some drafts were brilliant, but were high on budget or impractical. When I started writing this, I had to think, where am I ending this? So, by the end of collaborative effort and with a lot of feedback, we finally came to this version.
How do you know a certain draft is the right balance of romance, intrigue and twists?
There is no certain way to know that. I remember sitting with Varun Badola [writer-actor] where we thought it was a great episode, but halfway through, we both got bored. So, you keep discovering as you write. The idea is that you shouldn’t get bored. I’m an impatient viewer and filmmaker; I get bored very soon. If you don’t catch my attention in the first 30 seconds, I’ll get bored. That is something I practice in my writing also.
For a person who gets bored so easily, how did you survive the pace of television for 20 years?
While I was working in television for 20 years, I had these stories in my mind and no outlet for them. TV is a writer’s medium. When I stepped out of the TV industry, I realized I did not know anything. This is after 20 years of winning a lot of awards. When I started writing, I realized it’s such a beautiful art that it keeps reminding you that you don’t know anything and keeps humbling you. That pushes me to explore a lot of things.
How do you ensure that you don’t fall in love with your work so much that you don’t see the flaws?
Firstly, I’m not in love with my work, actually I hate it sometimes. Then I have Umesh Padalkar and Saurabh Shukla, who keep reminding me that I have to be objective about the script. I push myself in writing, and then I run to them saying I screwed up somehow. They are both great writer-directors. I keep taking their help, we write together. They keep me in check ki main zyaada na phail jaau.
Did you feel the pressure of making the second season after the first edition’s success?
I kept the pressure away from my head. I didn’t even know that my show had become a hit. I just keep doing whatever I can. The good part is that everyone at Netflix has always been [supportive]. There were times when I wondered if it would work or not, but they were confident, so was my team. They all believed in me. I’m not a writer by profession; I started writing very late in my life. So, for me, it’s a hit and miss. That’s why it takes a little more time.
The second season seems gorier than the first, especially with the body hacking scenes.
The stakes have to go higher in the second season. A boy has committed a crime, so he has to face the consequences.
Do you practise self-censorship when making the project?
I do, but sometimes we need to go a little beyond. I had to put [the hacking] scene because you are seeing an ordinary man doing something so heinous. His ethos or ordinariness has to go out. Having said that, I’m not too fond of gore, unless it’s needed in the story. But there are no sex scenes, which has become a lot on OTT shows these days.
What made you cast Gurmeet Choudhary this season?
When I was looking for this character, he fit the bill. I wanted somebody who could pull off action as well as drama. [The team] had a discussion and was charged to have him on board. My cast is very passionate and I wanted somebody equally passionate. He shouldn’t be a dharti pe bhoj on the set [laughs].
Writing is like cricket; everyone knows what shot should have been played but can’t face a single ball-Saurabh Shukla
2:50 PM
Shourya Jha (BOMBAY TIMES; December 10, 2023)
Mama Kallu mama, aye mama Kallu mama... It’s impossible to visualise the Goli Maar song from 98’s genre-bending movie Satya without the well-ethched father-figure character of Kallu played by Saurabh Shukla. Shukla wasn’t just an actor in the hit movie that clocked 25 years earlier this year but also co-wrote the script, which was a product of his extensive research on the Mumbai underbelly. Be it inspector Sudhanshu Dutta in Barfi, Kailash in Bandit Queen or Justice Tripathi in Jolly LLB, Shukla has shown his versatility in 100-plus movies and continues to do the same.
A screenwriter and director, besides being an actor on stage and screen, Shukla has been dabbling many roles in his professional career for over three decades. Speaking at the 4th Deccan Literature Fest, he shared experiences of his journey in cinema and beyond.
Writing is the toughest job, bada hi boriyat bhara kaaam hai
Shukla's foray into writing was accidental. It stemmed from the fact that he wanted to understand works of other writers better, during his initial days of theatre. “Mujhe likhne mein kabhi interest nahin tha,” said Shukla mentioning how his initial theatre days led him towards this path. “But I have been writing regularly for the last 30 years... I have to. I had no aspiration to be a writer. Scripts (for plays) are functional and informational. To understand it better, I wrote my own scripts. That’s how writing started.”
Discussing his writing journey, Shukla spoke about the loneliness that comes with being a writer. “Writing is a process that goes on till a film is released. You keep doubting yourself all the time. Unko sab suggestions dete hai, ye aise karo, ye sahi karo ... It's exactly like cricket. Everyone knows what shot should have been played but can’t face a single ball.”
Acting is like playing on the ground
Shukla, who considers Jolly LLB as an important film in his career, thinks it helped him establish himself as an actor all over again in the film industry. For him life is replicated though acting and he draws inspiration from life when it comes to portraying his roles, with both depth and humour.
“When actors approach a character, there is a particular colour to it. No one in real life is nice, bad, or brutal all the time. The bigger arch is one colour but then where are the rest of the colours? Where is the humour? When is the character vulnerable? When is he soft or hard? That is what we have to look for, that’s what we have to find.”
Theatre has been dying for a thousand years but never dies
Theatre is where Shukla started his career back in 1986, with roles in A View From the Bridge by Arthur Miller and Ghashiram Kotwal by Vijay Tendulkar. In 2012, the actor decided to go back to theatre after a gap of 18 years. On being asked about the fate of theatre, he mentioned that whenever something new comes up, people say the old one will die. But does it?
“When I was around 25, people screamed that theatre was dying but it didn’t. When satellite television came, people said cinema was dying. Then OTT came and people said television was dying. If we are alive, everything else will be alive. Hum zinda hai na, toh sab zinda rahega!”
You can't fool around in films
While talking about the amalgamation of films and theatre, Shukla emphasized, “You cannot fool around in films. In theatre, you have time on your side. Theatre is a place where you can fail, try again, and learn.” He pointed out how theatre can be a platform for actors to practice, open their mind up and experiment.
10 Years of Jolly LLB: I told Subhash Kapoor, ‘Koi aur nahin karega yeh role’-Saurabh Shukla
8:31 AM
Saurabh Shukla recalls how the film revived his interest in acting
Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 15, 2023)
For actor Saurabh Shukla, Jolly LLB (2013) is a special film as it brought him back to acting. Even after films like Bandit Queen (1994), Satya (1998) and others, Shukla wasn’t getting good roles and recalls going “through a phase” in the 2000s. “People would say I’m a good actor but wouldn’t give me meaty roles. And that’s why I’d decided to stick to writing and didn’t want to take up any roles,” he recalls.
However, Barfi (2012) and Jolly LLB changed the course of his career. He elaborates, “Subhash (Kapoor; director) shared the script of Jolly with me and offered the role of a judge. My face fell as I thought that the role wouldn’t be much. After the narration, however, I changed my mind as the script didn’t depict the judge as a cardboard character. I told him, ‘Koi aur nahin karega yeh role’. I had a great time shooting, people loved the film and my character, which got me a National Award!”
Looking back at winning the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film, Shukla says, “It reaffirms your beliefs and choices. Performing a scene is an adrenaline rush that can’t be matched by anything else. Also, what I loved about the film is that it didn’t end on a low note.”
I hit my life’s worst phase at my peak; Satya chal gayi thi lekin industry ko koi fark nahi padta tha-Saurabh Shukla
2:37 PM
Niharika Lal (BANGALORE TIMES; November 12, 2022)
“I became an actor by accident; I wanted to become a filmmaker. I always thought my face is not expressive and I say things simply and straight (straight dialogue delivery). I thought that’s a flaw for an actor, but it worked in my favour and people loved it,” revealed Saurabh Shukla while speaking at a session in Jashn-e-Adab, which was held in Delhi recently.
Shukla, who’s an actor, screenwriter and theatre director, all rolled into one, went on to add, “Sudhir Mishra is my good friend, and he has cast me in almost all his films. He once told me, ‘You are a reluctant actor, and that’s why you are so great. Tere ko padi nahi hai ki tu bahut achhi acting kare.’ “Sehaj hona zaroori hai, and that one should not chase.”
Besides portraying memorable characters in movies such as Satya, Oh My God! and Jolly LLB, Shukla has written the scripts for several films, such as Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar, Raat Gayi Baat Gayi and even Satya, where he was the co-writer for the film, which went on to bag several awards. At the gathering, Shukla, who is a theatre actor and director, spoke about his writing process and the difference between acting in films and on stage. He also told the audience why the peak of his career was also one of the lowest phases of his life.
THE KALLU MAMA EFFECT
Elaborating on one of his characters essayed on screen – Kallu mama from Satya, which was a huge hit with film buffs – Shukla revealed that the immense success of the role, in fact, became a big reason for his dissatisfaction. Shukla had earlier said that the character of Kallu mama became so synonymous with him that wherever he went, people would shout, “Kallu mama” or sing, “Goli maar bheje mein” (a popular number from the film).
He said, “Ironically, I was going through the worst phase of my life when I was at my peak. The day Satya released, we all became overnight stars. Picture chal gayi thi lekin industry ko koi fark nahi padta tha. Bulate thay, main paise mangta tha aur uska one fourth offer karte thay. (Filmmakers) Bolte thay karna hai toh karo nahi toh jao. Toh bada apman lagta tha. Barnali (a documentary filmmaker and his wife) once told me, ‘Have you realised that you’ve forgotten how to smile.’ And I told her that they (the industry) are not accepting my talent and not giving me my due. There is a character I have written, which is loved by the audience. But the industry is not acknowledging it.”
He shared how his wife told him that he is one of those few lucky people who dreamt of something and their dream came true. He added, “She told me, ‘If you are not happy now, then this journey is not worth taking forward. If you are not happy now, then you will never be happy again. When you trek, you don’t keep looking at the last point; you praise yourself for reached so far and then you move forward.’”
Samir Karnik returns to direction with Doghouse; stars Suniel Shetty, Sanjay Dutt
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Filmmaker Samir Karnik on finding support in Shetty to kickstart the shoot of Doghouse, also starring Dutt
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; January 29, 2022)
A decade after Yamla Pagla Deewana (2011), Samir Karnik is back with another situational comedy. The filmmaker is set to reunite Sanjay Dutt and Suniel Shetty for his film Doghouse, which is expected to go on floors by mid-2022, depending on the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
The film revolves around “everyday characters”, and their mishaps lend to a comic narrative. “They get embroiled in a serious issue, [which leads] to funny situations that will have the audience laughing,” explains a trade source of the story penned by Karnik. “The makers — [Viacom18, Shetty, Sujit Jain and Dutt] — are yet to lock a location for the shoot in Mumbai and overseas,” he adds.
Besides Shetty and Dutt, Doghouse features Saurabh Shukla, Zayed Khan, Jaaved Jaaferi and Esha Gupta in pivotal roles. Crediting the Hera Pheri actor for bringing the brilliant cast on board, Karnik says, “Suniel anna played an important role in putting the project together. He stood by me like a rock and got everyone on board. Anna liked the story and spoke to Sanju sir, who got on board immediately.”
He informs that rumours of the film being Punjabi-based are untrue. “It’s an out-and-out comedy. Neither is it a Punjabi-based film, nor are Sanju and Suniel playing Punjabis in the film.”
It’s one life, I want to do everything-Saurabh Shukla
8:05 AM
Deep Saxena (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 10, 2021)
Having dabbled in acting, writing and direction in his long career, veteran artiste Saurabh Shukla is not yet ready to be tied down to any particular genre and is constantly looking forward to exploring new opportunities. “It’s one life, so I am not going to settle for one! I want to do everything and not restrict myself to just acting, writing, directing, doing theatre or playing table tennis. I try to do whatever I want to,” says the National Award-winning actor, who is currently shooting for his upcoming web series, Bindiya, in Lucknow.
He adds, “I try to compartmentalize and concentrate on things that are going on and are in hand. Jis waqt jo cheez aap sehej tarah se kar paa rahe hain, woh kariye… it’s as simple as that. We all try to balance out things as much as we can.”
After the second wave of Coronavirus, he shot for Siddharth Sen Gupta’s series Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein and another project, titled Fear. “In between, I directed a film. And two of my big films — Karan Malhotra’s Shamshera and Milan Luthria’s Tadap will hopefully get a theatrical release,” he says.
The Raid (2018) actor is of the view that some films are made for theatrical experience and should be viewed only on the big screen. “What we call quintessential Bollywood cinema has its own idiom with panache, songs, fanfare and collective cinematic experience. On the other hand, on OTT, it’s more about realism and edgy content, touching upon things and issues that cinema had skipped (to avoid controversies and censorship) all this while,” he says.
Talking about the pandemic, Shukla admits that it did trouble him a lot, but couldn’t slow him down: “In the first lockdown, I became restless. So, with the help of my cinematographer friends, I learnt operating cameras. With trial and error, I started shooting on my own, sans any script, and after months of shooting, I made a 90-minute film that I wrote, directed, acted in and even edited myself.”
I am going to stay 40 till I turn 60-Samir Soni
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Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 29, 2021)
“I am embarrassed on birthdays. I even switch off my phone,” says Samir Soni, who turns 53 today. The birthday boy says growing up “we didn’t celebrate too much”. “Now, I am older; if you are turning 18, one can be excited,” he adds. Soni always prefers having a quiet dinner with his family and he has only thrown three-four birthday parties in his life. “I am going to stay 40 till I turn 60,” he quips.
The actor had four film releases this year, including Mumbai Saga, The Big Bull, State Of Siege: Temple Attack and Chehre, and two web shows, Puncch Beat and Cartel. He is enjoying working constantly and is glad that people are seeing him in a different light. “I recently shot for Saurabh Shukla’s directorial and a Vikram Bhatt series with Sunny Leone. Cartel, too, got a great response and people loved my negative role. Earlier, people saw a nice-looking guy and cast me in older brother, young husband or rich tycoon roles. I got typecast. Now that I am older, I am getting mature roles. Now, the focus is not on my looks, but my acting. Negative roles are fun, as there are no boundaries,” he says.
Soni is also excited about his book that will be out next month. He admits unlike other celeb books, it won’t be a memoir. “It is an exploration of being an introvert and how to survive in an extrovert world. It also has part of my diary. I have questioned what is right and wrong. Why do we emphasise on being rich or famous? I’ve discussed conditioning and basic values, especially now that there are many mental health issues. Our society puts pressure on people to look and be a certain way. In fact, my condition to the publishers was to not have my face on the cover of the book,” says Soni, who featured in films like Baghban (2003) and Vivah (2006) in the past.
People ask me often about my struggle and romanticize it-Saurabh Shukla
7:48 AM
Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 11, 2021)
“I hope to make my own film this year,” says Saurabh Shukla, who has quite a few projects releasing in 2021, including films and web shows. After his last film, Chhalaang, released on OTT, Shukla says he is glad that digital platforms brought different and interesting stories to the fore.
He explains, “OTT’s identity is the style of storytelling. It had to come up with a new language as cinema had mastered it in the last 100 years while TV is driven by bulk. But on OTT, the finesse and storytelling of cinema exists along with subjects that cinema usually doesn’t talk about. That’s how new stories and new ways of storytelling have come about. This has also given a chance to other characters, besides the protagonists, to shine.”
The National Award-winning actor shot for Manohar Pandey, and was happy to be working with filmmaker Kaushik Ganguly. He is also looking forward to playing the antagonist in Sidharth Sengupta’s web show, a thriller co-starring Tisca Chopra, and is in talks for another show.
Ask about the tough phases in his career and he shares, “Yes, I have had tough times in my career and I still do, and it will be so in the future. Were my past struggles a sad thing? No, never. It depends how you look at life. People ask me often about my struggle and romanticize it. I reply, everyone goes through it, that one didn’t have enough money for rent or lunch. But, I think, how you remember those times is what matters. I am fond of those memories because I made such good friends. All of them have achieved something in life. (Actor) Manoj Bajpayee and (director) Vijay Krishna Acharya were my roommates, (director) Tigmanshu Dhulia was a good friend.”
But, the key, is to keep going. “There was struggle, insecurity. but we’d party every evening. Today, we don’t meet that often. Those parties are something I remember. Tough times are always a part of life and as you are human, you do get scared and depressed at times, but you also have to keep going and moving on,” he concludes.
It is sad that on World Theatre Day, there will be no theatre anywhere in the world-Manav Kaul
8:28 AM
Sanchita Kalra (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 27, 2020)
The world of theatre has taken a pause and is struggling in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic. As March 27 marks the occasion of World Theatre Day, prominent theatre personalities talk about the impact of Covid-19 on the industry and their memories of performing on stage.
Theatre director and actor Manav Kaul, with a heavy heart, says, “It is sad and unfortunate that on World Theatre Day, there will be no theatre anywhere in the world.” He also reveals his play was scheduled to open in Mumbai on March 17 but was cancelled due to the shutdown. Kaul adds, “This is the need of the hour. I’ve been rehearsing rigorously for four months. I even gave a break to my acting jobs for this.”Many actors unanimously agree that taking appropriate preventive measures during such critical crisis should be the topmost priority. Film and theatre actor Deepak Dobriyal says that it has not only impacted Indian film and theatre industry but also wreaked havoc in numerous professional worlds as well. He says, “The entire country is in the same situation. Whether it’s theatre or any other profession, every individual needs NOC from coronavirus. Only then will everyone be able to perform.”
Talking about the idea of presenting archived theatre shows on digital media platforms, actor Pankaj Tripathi says, “I saw that the members of the music fraternity are doing digital concerts on social media. Mujhe lagta hai rangmanch mein bhi log thoda bohot aise karenge. But ye medium toh nahi hai aisa. Woh toh live medium hai. But for now, our primary concern is health, whether it’s an artiste or general public. So, our complete focus should be on that. Rangmach Diwas toh har saal aata hai.”
Actor Saurabh Shukla emphasises on the stress-free usage of social media, if people can’t go out to catch a play. He says “We are in this together. In a time when you know there’s an ominous fear, it’s good to have stress-free time. If people have recorded plays, then the footage should be on social media.” However, for many, it’s the happy memories that keep them going.Actor Shabana Azmi shares one such incident and says , “I was once arrested along with 16 slum dwellers for a demonstration. My parents, Javed (Akhtar; husband), Feroz Abbas Khan and Farooq Sheikh all came to the police station because I was to perform Tumhari Amrita in Mumbai at 6 pm. My mother, Shaukat Kaifi pleaded with the police officer and said, ‘We come from theatre and for us the show must go on. Please release my daughter so she can do her play and I will personally bring her back to you’. Ultimately, I reached the auditorium at 8 pm and was on stage seven minutes later. We got a standing ovation!”
Richa Chadha spearheads Subhash Kapoor's next titled Madam Chief Minister
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Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 12, 2020)
After the 2017 comedy-drama Jolly LLB 2, featuring Akshay Kumar and Huma Qureshi, director Subhash Kapoor was to helm Mogul, the biopic on T-Series founder Gulshan Kumar, with Aamir Khan playing the late music baron and also producing the film with Bhushan Kumar. Now, Mirror has learnt that while Aamir is busy with Laal Singh Chaddha, the director has quietly gone on and shot a political-drama, titled Madam Chief Minister.
“During one of the discussions on Gulshan ji’s biopic, I brought up this subject with Bhushan ji who agreed to support the film,” informs Subhash who wrapped up the film in a start-to-finish 40-day schedule in Lucknow last November-December. His last directorial was also filmed in the City of Nawabs.
Bhushan, who’s producing the film with Naren Kumar and Dimple Kharbanda, describes it as an interesting script. “Subhash has incorporated many incidents and anecdotes he had seen and experienced as a political journalist into the narrative,” he adds.
Richa Chadha, who was recently seen as Kangana Ranuat’s friend-turned-kabaddi coach in Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s Panga, plays the lead role of a politician. The film also features Manav Kaul and Saurabh Shukla. While readying for a July 17 release, Subhash has begun prep for Mogul.
Image: Subhash Kapoor to shoot his next, Madam Ji, in Lucknow
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Subhash Kapoor, in the centre, conducting a recce at La Martiniere College, Lucknow
Itishree Misra (BOMBAY TIMES; September 14, 2019)
While his on-off status on the Aamir Khan film Mogul still remains in doubt, director Subhash Kapoor is preparing for the shoot of his next film titled Madam Ji in Lucknow. The Jolly LLB2 director reached the city on Tuesday and began a recce for his next starring Richa Chadha, Saurabh Shukla and Akshay Oberoi. The shooting of the film will begin in Lucknow from mid-October and will last around a month.
“Subhash ji has seen several locations in the city and will begin shooting the film from around October 10,” informs Ashish Jain, the line producer. “Subhash ji is planning to shoot the film in the Jahangirabad and Mahmoodabad places, La Martiniere College, Christian College, Malihabad, Aunty House in Narhi and several other places in Lucknow. The shoot will be on till about a month,” informs Jain.
Writers of Pagalpanti have already started work on the sequel’s script
8:09 AM
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 24, 2019)
The John Abraham-starrer Pagalpanti, which is directed by Anees Bazmee and features Anil Kapoor, Ileana D’cruz, Arshad Warsi, Kriti Kharbanda, and Pulkit Samrat, is currently in its last leg of production. The multistarrer comedy had gone on the floors in London in February and was wrapped up a few days ago in the Queen’s city. Now, Mirror has learnt that even before its theatrical release, the film is being spun into a franchise.Kumar Mangat, who is producing the film with son Abhishek Pathak and Bhushan Kumar, confirmed the news, saying that the team is already working on a sequel. “It is going to be a big franchise, and our team has started work on the script for part two,” he informed, adding that the series holds a lot of promise. “John was good in a comic role in Anees’ Welcome Back. We also have Arshad, Anil and Saurabh (Shukla) and they will raise a lot of laughs.”
Informing that the recently-concluded 58-day schedule of the caper was “the biggest shoot for an Indian film in the Queen’s City”, the producer went on to reveal, “Now, we are just left with a couple of songs to film.”
One of them is a fun number for which the entire cast will reunite for seven days. “It’s an original song with 200 backup dancers. Yo Yo Honey Singh has composed the track while Ganesh Acharya has choreographed it. It is one of Anees’s funniest films till date. One incident leads to another, creating a comedy-of-errors,” Mangat stated.
Mirror had earlier reported (March 12) that John essays the character of a down-on-luck commoner, Raj Kishore, while Arshad features as Jag Mohan, who has metamorphosed into Junky in London. Anil is called WiFi and Pulkit plays Chandrakant aka Chandu, who is in love with Kriti Kharbanda’s Jhanvi.
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