Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 9, 2020)

“Do you know Irrfan’s (Khan) character in Life In A…Metro was originally a Bengali by the name of Debu? In the film’s first photo shoot, he was wearing a dhoti and a topor. But while we were shooting his first scene, I could visualise Irrfan in the climax, entering the station on a horse. Since Bengali grooms don’t come to their wedding on a ghoda, I told him we’d have to take the shot again and this time he should introduce himself to Konkana’s (Sen Sharma) Shruti as Monty. Irrfan being Irrfan, just laughed and went along,” narrates the film’s writer-director Anurag Basu, whose musical drama, revolving around the lives of nine Mumbaikars, opened 13 years ago, on May 11.

That wasn’t the only impromptu decision Anurag took. While driving from his home in Goregaon to Koperkhairane station in Navi Mumbai where the last scenes were shot, he was mulling over Shilpa Shetty and Shiney Ahuja’s track. In the original script, she was to leave the city with him. But plagued by second thoughts, he texted all his female colleagues, and even his wife Tani, asking for their opinion. “They all insisted that she should give her marriage with Kay Kay Menon a second chance for the sake of their daughter. When men write female characters, they tend to make them more feminist than they really are,” Anurag offers by way of explanation. The last-minute change, he admits, left Shilpa bemused, and she still hasn’t forgotten this twist in the tale.

In the film, Shilpa and Kay Kay’s marriage had turned into a union of two indifferent strangers, with the latter involved in a clandestine affair with his sister-in-law’s roommate and his office colleague, Neha, played by Kangana Ranaut, whom Anurag describes as “ghar ki ladki”. He informs that his Gangster leads, Kangana and Shiney, were the first to come on board. Irrfan was a little miffed that despite their long TV association, Anurag had not cast him in Gangster. “I made up with a role in Metro which showcased his lighter side, which I was acquainted with from our TV shows. As Monty, Irrfan was a riot,” asserts the director, admitting that the idea of a Metro sequel came from the actor who passed away last week. “I had approached him to play Ranbir’s (Kapoor) accident-prone, adoptive father in Jagga Jasoos. He was busy with other films then, and since Jagga Jasoos’s dates were all over the place, we couldn’t collaborate on that project. But he told me, ‘Chal, Metro sequel banate hain.’”

When Irrfan repeated this to him, during the Qareeb Qareeb Singlle promotions, Anurag sat down to take the story further. “Metro 2 mujhe Irrfan ke saath hi karni thi,” he sighs, heartbroken over the loss. Will it happen now, you wonder, and he says, “I don’t know… I really don’t know.”

He repeats the “I don’t know” phrase when you wonder how this anthology of stories connected through characters whose lives were entwined, came together. After a reflective pause, he points out that Murder and Gangster, which came in quick succession, were in the same space, with the Bhatt stamp, so, he wanted to try something very different. “Films like Metro were common in the West, but we had not experimented with the narrative here,” he points out.

He used a unique narrative device, with a rock band popping up at crucial plot points to take the story forward through songs which otherwise did not fit into the screenplay. The Metro band was headed by the film’s composer and Anurag’s dear friend, Pritam, and included Suhail Kaul, Soham Chakraborty and Bangladeshi singer James. Was it easy getting them to face a movie camera? “Pritam wanted to lose some weight. I told him to grow a beard instead, to look like a rock star. He used to be clean shaven before Metro, but hasn’t lost his beard since. I wouldn’t even let him shave off his beard or cut his hair to get married because we were still shooting the film,” laughs Anurag.

He goes on to confide that Shiney’s character, Akash, a struggling theatre artiste, whom Shilpa’s Shikha is drawn to, grew out of his own experiences on stage. “The play he performs was one of mine, I called it Collage when we brought it to Mumbai. Akash was very close to me,” Anurag acknowledges emotionally.

His biggest fanboy moment was directing his idol Dharmendra. “I remember when we were shooting at Sion station, it was as if all of Dharavi had descended there that day. I was amazed by Dharam ji’s fan following,” he says, the awe still evident in his voice. And how did he persuade the senior actor to kiss Nafisa Ali? “I told Dharam ji that it was Nafisa ji’s suggestion and vice versa. They both agreed and I got away,” he signs off with a laugh.

Manish Gupta on the courtroom drama he has scripted, which examines a case related to Section 375 of the IPC
Hiren Kotwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 11, 2019)

Almost a year after the #MeToo movement arrived in Bollywood, filmmaker Manish Gupta is gearing up for his next, Section 375, which revolves around a rape case and features Akshaye Khanna and Richa Chadha as lawyers.

While many had speculated that the courtroom-drama is inspired by the Shiney Ahuja case, Akshaye Khanna, in an interview to Mirror (August 27), had said, “You’ll have to ask the writer. It could be one of the many cases that triggered someone to write a story, I wouldn’t know.” Pose the question to Manish, who has penned the script of this Ajay Bahl directorial, and he clarifies, “Like my previous films, Sarkar (as a writer) and Rahasya (which I also directed), Section 375 is based on my observation of what’s happening around us where the law around a heinous crime like rape is being misused by men and women alike.”

Coincidentally, he was to make a film with Shiney in 2009 and used to visit his wife, Anupam (who was also managing her actor-husband’s work) and him at their Oshiwara home. “One evening, I heard that Shiney had been arrested for rape. I rushed to the Oshiwara police station where the DCP said, ‘We’ve established intercourse, but we are not sure if it’s consensual or forced,’” Manish recalls, adding, “While Anupam explained to me that the DNA report is prone to error, when I read the charge-sheet, the girl’s traumatic statement sent a chill down my spine.”

Manish wrote the script after three years of research during which he attended over 160 court hearings, interviewed criminal lawyers, rape survivors and even the accused. “At the Sessions Court in Kala Ghoda, three courtrooms are dedicated to rape cases. I noticed that many cases had been filed by women against their ex-boyfriends, former live-in partners or even ex-fiancés after acrimonious break-ups. In some cases, they were not genuine accusations and the judges seemed to know this but they were bound by law to prosecute the men,” he shares, admitting that the real rape survivors are the worst affected by this. “The truth of their statements come under doubt due to the overwhelming number of fake cases,” he points out.

When asked if his film takes a stand, Manish states, “As filmmakers, our job is not to pass judgement on anyone but only to educate and entertain while holding a mirror to our society.”

Akshaye Khanna on bending showbiz rules for over a decade, playing a criminal lawyer in his next and why he was forced to go on a sabbatical
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 27, 2019)

Even though he has reached a suburban studio after a two-hour drive from SoBo, Akshaye Khanna is far from exasperated. Gearing up to field questions about his second release of the year, the actor is in his element as he sits down for a chat. Excerpts from an interview:

What are the first reactions to your upcoming film, Section 375? Under this section of the Indian Penal Code, a man is said to have committed rape if he has sexual intercourse with a woman without her consent or if she is a minor.
Well, just from within the family and friends circle, the strongest reactions, in a positive way, have come from women. And I find this interesting.

One of the reasons could be the #MeToo movement which exploded in the country last year and has alerted women on what amounts to sexual harassment. In the promo you see the girl being asked in court why she went back after being violated by the man once. That’s an argument one has heard in many real-life cases too.
I’ve read the headlines but I haven’t followed the details of every case so I can’t comment on this. But yes, it’s something a defense lawyer would bring up, arguing that a subsequent pattern of behaviour does not substantiate the accusations. For me per se, it was an interesting case from the point of view of an actor. As a person, I’d say variations in behaviour have been known to happen.

The main players in this courtroom drama are a director and a costume designer who has accused him of rape. The film industry is infamous for the casting couch. Have you heard or seen anything that, in context of what you know today, presents a different picture?
Since I am a part of the film business, my perception would not be accurate. But I’d like to point out that even though it’s working 24x7, only a small section of the film industry is visible to the public eye and only a small number of faces recognised. Within its purview is also TV, advertising, digital, even pornography, so sexual harassment is a definite possibility. At the same time, it’s unfair to target this as a place of bad behaviour vis-à-vis. sex. Every profession has its rotten apples, and going by statistics, this industry normally provides a beautiful and safe environment for both sexes to collaborate in, which I’m proud of. The term ‘casting couch’ may have been derived from showbiz, but simply put, it means sleeping with someone for a job. That can happen in any profession.

But one has heard of chorus dancers in films having to sleep their way from the last row to the first…
True, but there’s much less chance of that happening today when the focus is on talent. If you’re good, you will get the opportunity without having to trade favours.

Was the Shiney Ahuja rape case one of the muses for this film?
You’ll have to ask the writer. It could be one of many cases that triggered someone to write a story, I wouldn't know.

How much law have you learnt in the process of making this film?
Not much, but the film was an eye-opener. In our country, as common citizens, no matter your profession, we know very little about the laws which apply to everybody, including the government. They’re complex, I don’t know why, with the result that justice can be delayed, which is justice denied.

Films like Article 15 and Section 375 are an encouraging trend given that they function within the parameters of mainstream Bollywood and feature recognizable actors...
There’s always an audience for a good story, specially one about law enforcement agencies, as Article 15 proved. But as one grows older, one realises that in the world we live in, it’s so easy to pass judgements because of all the information constantly being thrown at us. But out of a lakh maybe only 1 per cent knows the facts while others are judging prematurely, on fragments of information, rather than the whole picture and that’s not healthy for any society. Section 375 holds a mirror up to the audience to underline this.

Your character, criminal lawyer Tarun Saluja, is defending someone even his family believes is guilty. Did the morality conflict spark your interest in the project?
Morality plays a significant role not just in this film but even in fields like journalism, medicine, government, law and politics. My character is comfortable rather than conflicted in what he believes to be right even if it’s contrary to that of a large section of the society. It’s a job for him. We are not a Banana Republic, even the worst criminals like Ajmal Kasab responsible for the terror attacks on Mumbai got proper legal representation, from the sessions to the Supreme Court. India did not succumb to public outcry and hang him the next day. He was sentenced after going through the due process of law.

What was your first reaction to the narration?
I wanted to do this film and believed I would enjoy playing this character. One reason for it was that the writing was of a calibre I’d not come across in a long time. It takes a subject like rape and engages instead of titillating or repelling the audience. That’s quite a feat, given that for our audience, cinema is an escape from everyday problems, into a world of song-and-dance. Bit it’s good for them to experience a mature, unbiased take on a subject which traditionally has been treated in a shallow, immature manner. Of course, it took many drafts for the script to evolve into what you finally see on screen.

And did your character evolve with these drafts too?
Oh yes. Even one dialogue can change a character and an entire draft can change a whole lot more. But the basics remained unchanged, we just polished and refined the script.

It must be satisfying to be at a stage in your career when you can attempt such characters…
This is not new for me; 10, maybe even 20 years ago, my producers, directors and writers never restricted me but gave me the opportunities to experiment with different roles and genres. This has not been the case with many other actors, with filmmakers playing safe and not letting them deviate too much from their image. That’s changed with new actors today thankfully. I was lucky to not be typecast even by the audience. They have accepted me in romantic, serious, comic and also negative roles. It has been a good mix.

Among the diverse characters you’ve played, does any performance stand out in your mind?
Not really but recently, when I was browsing online, I came across a song from Border featuring Pooja Bhatt and me. “Hamein Jab Se Mohabbat Ho Gayi Hai” is a love song filmed simply. I’d not seen it since the film’s release and it brought back memories of Pooja, a wonderful actress to watch and work with, with whom I’d chat till three at night during the shoot in Himachal. I should surf the net more often.

There are many young boys like Border’s Dharamveer Singh Bhan who are still dying in border skirmishes every day…
(Sighs) Yeah, young soldiers whose lives haven’t even begun. Playing a character in uniform is a humbling experience, more so when you are shooting with real soldiers for around 60 days. It gives you a window into their minds. It’s a different world, a remarkable departure from civilian life. For them, serving the country is a privilege and I believe the army should organise weekend camps to give civilians a chance to interact with soldiers. It’d inspire youngsters. I was enriched by the experience.

Were you happy with your first release of the year, The Accidental Prime Minister?
I’m proud of it because it was the first authentic political film coming out of Bollywood. The ones made earlier didn’t talk of real people and incidents. I’m sure this will open doors for more such films. I wish it hadn’t released just before the elections but after all the rhetoric was done. Then, perhaps, the audience might have been more amenable to our film which was an honest portrayal of politics.

It must be a welcome change for you to have two releases this year.
Three, a sweet romcom, Sab Kushal Mangal, should release by the year-end. I’ve liked some scripts and zeroed in on a film which should roll by the year-end.

So, you’re not planning to go away from the screen anytime soon?
I never did, it’s against every fiber in my being to not working. Taking a sabbatical was never out of choice, it was thrust on me because there have been periods in my career when inexplicably I did not get the kind of work I wanted to do. Since I didn’t come across material I wanted to be a part of, I chose not to work.

It must have been frustrating and stressful for you...
More than you can imagine, because I have this need to express myself like any creative person. Imagine how you’d feel if someone snatched away your pad, pen and laptop from you. For me, acting is akin to eating. I need to do it to stay alive.

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 20, 2019)

Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi … If you are a poet, you will know instantly that the words are Mirza Ghalib’s. And if you are a cine aficionado, you will know that I am referring to Sudhir Mishra’s 2005 political drama which he describes as a “love letter to a generation”. A generation trying to find the fading vestiges of beauty, idealism, love, and failing.

It’s a film that made Shekhar Kapur cry. “I don’t know if the youngsters will get it, but thank you for making it,” he told Sudhir emotionally after a screening. “I’ve lost count of the number of young people who have come up to me since and told me how much they love the film,” Sudhir smiles 14 years later.

I’m one of those who do, and that’s an unabashed admission. For me, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi , despite the backdrop of the Emergency, has always been more of a love story, heart-breakingly poignant and at the same time heart-warming in its message of humanity.

“Yes, it’s a love story,” the director agrees, admitting that many women all over the world, some of them perfect strangers, have come out of a show and silently clasped his hands for a long time, finally telling how moved they were by one particular character. “Which one?” I wonder. “Vikram Malhotra who is like the guy in college everyone hates -- aggressively ambitious and driven to make it big at any cost. Yet, the strange friendship/ love between Geeta and him, so pure and true, makes for a unique love story,” explains Sudhir, who believes that every woman has a Vikram in her life, even if she never married him. “And every man has a Geeta who may have walked away, but who could well return when he needs her most.”

Today, it is hard to imagine anyone but the earthy, sensual Chitrangda Singh as Geeta Rao. Asserting that she is perhaps the most complex female character on the Indian screen, and also the strongest, Sudhir admits that Chitrangda wasn’t the first choice. He also surprises with the revelation that many actresses whom he doesn’t wish to name, had turned down the role, some even dismissing Geeta as a “slut”.

It was the same with the male leads with several prominent actors calling it the “worst script they had ever read”. As a reaction to the rejection, he decided he would not cast any known name, not even someone from parallel cinema, and instead gamble with newcomers.

He auditioned over 500 girls in Kolkata, Bangalore and several in Delhi, when one day, Chitrangda casually walked into an audition. “Her first screen test wasn’t very good, but her face stayed with me. It was Geeta’s face. And after a series of tests, she was finalised. The film’s beauty lies in the grace she lends it,” he asserts, adding, “If you were to ask me in which character I see myself in, I’d say Geeta.”

For Vikram, they had cast another actor when Shiney Ahuja turned up to audition for the part of Siddharth Tyabji, the ideological Naxalite who tries to ferment a revolution in a remote village but the events that follow, burn out the revolutionary and he eventually moves to London to study medicine. “My assistant Ruchi Narain who took his test, came out saying this guy is Vikram. I had to agree with her after seeing the audition. Shiney was brilliant, particularly in that scene at the end, when he is running through the fields, begging for mercy. No one could have played Vikram better,” he asserts.

After getting Chitrangda and Shiney on board, despite his resistance because he was a known name, Sudhir finally accepted that Kay Kay Menon was his Siddharth. “His face kept calling out to me,” he says.

The film was earlier titled Twist Of Destiny. But when his daughter, Rangita, came on board as a producer, the first thing Pritish Nandy suggested was a new title. “I can’t think beyond Ghalib and since the film is set against the Emergency, a few lines from one of his poems flashed through my mind,” he reminisces. Hazaaron khwahishen aisi ke har khwahish pe dam nikle Bahut niklay mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikle … The words resonating within him, he picked up the phone minutes later and asked Pritish how he liked Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi for the title. Pritish, a poet himself, respondedy, saying, “Go for it.” Shubha Mudgal’s title track enhanced the beauty of Ghalib’s poetry and a journey of self-realisation for a motley group of people that is doomed to fail.

Th film was screened at 12 international festivals over six months to rave reviews, before its theatrical release. At the premiere in Mumbai, I watched a rivetted audience sit in pin-drop silence till the strains of Shantanu Moitra’s evocative “ Baawra Mann Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna”, sung by Swanand Kirkire died away, then, rose as one, to give it a standing ovation.

Even today, Sudhir admits, at a gathering of like-minded people, it’s the first of his films that comes up in a conversation. “It was about a generation before my time, a generation long forgotten, yet it still strikes a chord perhaps because it was not preachy propaganda or sensational expose. It was not about the Left Wing or the Right Wing, Communists or converts, it was a film about people and even today, many of the issues it raised are relevant, which is why, like Ghalib, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi remains unforgettable,” he avers.

The three-times National Award-winning director with a 30-year career behind him, concludes with typical wry humour, “Today the film is better known than me.”

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 7, 2017)

The rapid unravelling of media mogul and Hollywood’s leading producer-distributor Harvey Weinstein, followed by House of Cards-star Kevin Spacey accused of molesting a minor, has shaken up the entertainment world in the West and prompted many victims to speak up against other power players.

Over the last two weeks, multiple allegations have been reported against actor-comedian Andy Dick, producer David Guillod, Oscar-winner Dustin Hoffman, songwriter Ethan Kath, TV star Jeremy Piven, filmmaker Brett Ratner, writer-animator Chris Savino, screenwriter-director James Toback, to name a few.

While Hollywood has sprung into a much-needed clean-up operation at the workplace, Bollywood has remained tightlipped on the issue. Finally, actress Swara Bhaskar speaks up about being harassed by a drunk filmmaker and why it’s important to break the code of silence.

The casting couch is not new to Bollywood. So why isn’t our film frat ready for a spring cleaning of sorts, a la Hollywood?
Sexual harassment is a universal phenomenon because fundamentally it is about power or rather the misuse of power. No relationship, even the most intimate, is devoid of power dynamics. Power operates most brazenly in an unregulated workplace and that is what Bollywood is. The way a film set operates is often feudal and always hierarchal, where some people give instructions and others execute them. It is an uncertain place ruled by fortune, the cruel seductress, populated with a crowd of forever anxious ambitious dreamers and hustling freelancers. If you succeed, money, glory and power is yours. If you fail, the world falls apart. Conditions at the workplace are ripe for sexual harassment, more so because victims can be easily silenced.

The shaming movement in the West is so effective because actors are naming offenders.
Actors are vulnerable because they are perennially either looking for or out of work and much too ambitious to risk their careers for a cause. Also, the backlash on the social media is scary. See how Mallika Dua was trolled on Twitter by random people. (The comedienne wrote an open letter, after Akshay Kumar, judge of reality show, The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, commented at her, “Aap bell bajao, main aapko bajaata hoon...”) Bollywood is not conducive to an honest conversation about sexual misconduct.

Over 300 women have spoken up in Hollywood and 31 official complaints have been registered so far.
I would like to make a distinction between sexual misconduct, inappropriate remarks and rape. Kevin Spacey has been accussed of attempting to rape a minor. Whenever Bollywood faced a similar situation — the case of Shiney Ahuja comes to mind. The reaction was to quietly allow the law to take its own course. In other cases too, celebs have chosen not to comment, which in some ways is better than slut-shaming the victim or accuser. Ours is a small industry where everyone is friends with or related to someone which makes the task harder. We need to follow the example set by the Malayalam film industry which has instituted an anti-sexual harassment committee after the rape of an actress to create a safer working environment and to get justice.

Have you personally faced harassment on a film set?
Of course. I’ve been propositioned by men who were in a position to cast me. I lost a few roles because I didn’t give in. It made me vulnerable, nervous. Some people even stopped responding to my messages because they knew I would not give in. Being an articulate, educated girl they sensed that I would not take things lying down.

There have been catcalls during shoots and eve-teasing on one of my sets. I’ve been groped by a mob during promotions and during a 56-day outdoor at a remote location, when I was still fairly new, the director harassed me with texts and dinner invites. He stalked me during the day and called me through the night. I was asked to go to his hotel room on the pretext of discussing the scene and would find him drinking. During the first week itself, he started talking about love and sex and one night, arrived in my room, drunk, and asked to be hugged. It was scary! I was young and alone. I would switch off the lights after pack-up and remove my make up in the dark so he would think I was asleep and stop calling me.

Did the harassment stop?
Yeah, after I told him that he was scaring me and making me uncomfortable. I told him I wouldn’t be able to act if this continued. He acted hurt and said I had misunderstood him. He stayed away for two weeks, then he was back to his tricks. I finally confided in the executive producer and made sure that I was escorted everywhere.

What is the best way for an actress to deal with harassment on a film set?
Lose the part but don’t get on the couch. It’s not a feminist choice and it’s certainly not a liberating choice. It’s like giving a bribe and that is succumbing to a wrong.

In Anaarkali Of Aarah, your character sleeps her way to the top. How did you feel playing this role?
Anaarkali Of Aarah is a path breaking film. Anaarkali is a promiscuous, ambitious girl who sleeps with the manager of her troupe to become the lead singer. She’s a grey character, difficult to sympathise with and yet, by the end, you do empathize with her.

There is a dialogue in the film with Anaarkali saying, “I am a whore/slut according to your morals and definition but it is still not okay to molest or harass a girl.” That took the debate away from the girl’s lack of virtues to put the blame squarely on the aggressor. That is what has to happen in real life too. It doesn’t matter what a woman does, she does not want to be touched or propositioned without consent. Period.

Earlier this year, TVF founder-CEO Arunabh Kumar, was forced to step down after several complaints. Bollywood remained a silent spectator through the controversy.
The TVF controversy started a conversation that was long overdue. But the first allegation was an anonymous letter and it is difficult to say anything about an anonymous allegation. What was interesting was that many other girls came forward subsequently, spoke up, giving up their identities. That created a public discourse. We need to stop silencing and start sharing. We need to stop slut-shaming and ask for a collective platform to deal with this issue. We are all guilty of being in the know and remaining silent. And that is complicity.

MID-DAY (July 16, 2016)

There seems no end to the woes of 'Great Grand Masti' makers. The adult comedy, which had been leaked online three weeks before its initial release date (July 22), has now raised the hackles of Shiney Ahuja.

The actor has slapped a legal notice on the film's producers, Ekta Kapoor and Ashok Thakeria, as well as director Indra Kumar for naming a maid's character after him.

The notice was served by a Chandigarh-based legal firm which calls for immediate removal of the name Shiney from the film. Model and former Bigg Boss contestant Sonali Raut plays the maid in the sex comedy and according to Shiney's legal team, it appears to be a quirky take on a 2009 rape case where the Life...In A Metro actor's maid levelled rape charges against him. His lawyers believe that with the appeal hearing before the High Court in progress, using his name in a derogatory manner would obstruct justice.

According to them, the conduct of producers at this juncture constitutes Criminal Contempt as defined under Section 2(c) of the Contempt of Court Act 1971.

Says director Kumar, "I am not aware of any such notice. My job was only to direct the film."

Shiney, who was sentenced to seven years in jail by a lower court, has filed an appeal against the verdict in the Bombay High Court.

Subhash K Jha (DNA; September 12, 2015)

The title of Anees Bazmee’s latest hit film Welcome Back could well be referring to Shiney Ahuja’s return to acting after his tryst with the law. Shiney can’t thank Anees enough for giving him a second lease of life in the movies. “Anees is large-hearted. He gave me a chance in such a big film at a time when not many filmmakers were willing to sign me. Aneesbhai made it very clear that my role was not a very lengthy one. But all my scenes were with the great Naseeruddin Shah and that was incentive enough for me to welcome the chance to get back to acting.”

The actor refutes all rumours of co-actors keeping a distance from him. “No such thing happened. Everyone was very welcoming and warm. I admit I was very apprehensive when I joined the team. I went on location after doing my prayers and meditation. Ready to encounter any eventuality. I was going through that phase when I felt everything I said could and would be held against me. I would measure every sentence before saying it. To put it mildly, it wasn’t easy for me.”

Shiney, who played the role of Don’s son Honey, sees Welcome Back as good resumption. “It’s a successful film. And success at this point in my life is very important.” He is now trying to find his bearing again in Bollywood. “I don’t socialise much. What’s there to say in parties when I am not doing any work? So far, I’ve not really gone out and met directors and producers, to let them know I’m keen on offers. I will now do that.”

He feels that he’s just starting out. “I feel I’m a newcomer all over again. It feels exactly the way it did when I made my debut in Hazaron Khwaishein Aisi. The film was a massive critical success. And I went around recommending the film to everyone. But not enough people saw the film on release. My journey with Welcome Back is just the opposite. The critics may not think that highly of it, but the audience loves it. There’s applause from the audience after every dialogue. It’s music to my ears.”

Shiney feels he is born anew. “I feel life has given me a second chance. If it weresn’t my wife Anupam and daughter and my family I wouldn’t have been able to endure what I went through. I am ready for my second innings,” he signs off.

Duo is peeved that their names are being linked with a reality show; Prachi Desai, Dino Morea upset too
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 9, 2015)

The first promo of the reality show, Bigg Boss Season 9 released this week with host Salman Khan announcing the concept of 'double trouble,' which required the contestants to pair up. "This time it will be wow! Bigg Boss nine is mine," the actor tweeted, sharing the show's first look.

But all is not well for the makers and the channel. Godwoman Radhe Maa has slapped them with a public notice for defamation. "We are suing them for maligning Radhe Maa's name. She was never offered the show, has not been signed and will not be a part of it. She is not interested in reality TV," Sanjeev Gupta, MD of a marketing company told Mirror.

Gupta went on to rant over the fact that the spiritual leader, who has been grabbing headlines, doesn't even own a cell phone. "It's a gimmick to increase TRPs. They know that wherever Radhe Maa goes, people follow," raged the bhakt in whose house the spiritual leader has been living. "Our lawyers have been following news reports about Radhe Maa entering the house. We will not accept this," he asserted.

Radhe Maa is not the only person who's upset. Last year, actor Shiney Ahuja whose recent film, Welcome Back, is enjoying a successful theatrical run, released a statement stating that he was not interested in this or any other reality show. "I have been reading reports about doing the show since 2011. It has been three years and they don't stop. This year too, my lawyer rang me to inform that once again my name was being associated with Bigg Boss. I have a paper trail that show stories leading back to the publicists and makers of the show," grouses Shiney, who will also be sending the channel a legal notice.

Prachi Desai, who recently wrapped up the first schedule of the Azhar biopic in London— she plays the cricketer's first wife, Naureen— is also furious over rumours of her being one of the participants. "I am not doing Bigg Boss. It's completely untrue and baseless," she says.

Actor-producer-director-composer-social reformer-preacher Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, whose film MSG 2 is just round the corner, former-actor-turned party-goer, Dino Morea and stand-up comedian Sunil Grover, are all equally aggrieved that their names are being bandied around.

Bigg Boss has been surrounded with controversy since its inception in 2006. It was said that Vindoo Dara Singh won Season 3 because he was guest Akshay Kumar's favourite housemate. Then, Sara Khan accused host Salman Khan of being unfair after being ousted. Housemates, Dolly Bindra and Samir Soni, insisted they had been allowed to reenter Season 4 only after agreeing to do what Salman said. In Season 5, Salman and co-host Sanjay Dutt ridiculed Shakti Kapoor saying, "Bigg Boss ko maanna padega Shakti Kapoor jaise logon ko apne ghar bulaya, hum toh kabhi na bulayen!" A hurt Shakti demanded a public apology. But all this happened after the show started airing. This time the controversies have begun even before the opening night. Mirror contacted the channel but they chose not to respond. 

BOMBAY TIMES (Seorember 2, 2015)

Bollywood sequels are turning out to be lucrative at the box office. This week comes yet another sequel, Welcome Back, produced by Firoz A Nadiadwallah under his banner, Base Industries Group. Its ensemble cast, astounding locations, high-octane action, foot-tapping music and the direction of Anees Bazmee, promises double the extravagance and laughter of Welcome (2007).

BEHIND THE SCENES:

Nana would affectionately call John as 'Johnu' throughout the shoot.

The makers apparently spent a whopping crore on Dimple's outfits.

This movie helped director Bazmee fulfill his dream of working with Dimple. He was an assistant director on Lava (1985), in which she played the lead and he had been keen on working with her ever since.

Nana and Paresh would constantly converse with each other in Marathi both on and off the set.

John suffered an injury while shooting for a fight sequence. The stuntmen were supposed to punch him on the shoulder, but accidentally hit his head.

The Royal Family of Dubai lent their personal helicopter for the film shoot.

Ankita Srivastava designed her own outfits.

Shiney Ahuja, who sports a temporary tattoo in the film, came to the set four hours early every day to get inked.



A highlight comedy sequence was shot at The Meydan, said to be the world's first five-star track-side hotel. It has a 2,400 metre left-handed turf race track and a left-handed 8.75-fur long (1,750 metres) tapeta synthetic dirt course.

John will be seen driving a bright red luxury sports car with a number plate reading '786'. Producer Firoz considers it his lucky number.

Welcome Back is the first Bollywood film to be shot inside the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. Previously, the Hollywood film Fast And Furious 7 was shot there.

A replica of Emirates Palace was re-created in Mumbai's Film City to shoot Tutti, a special song in the movie.



This film marks John's debut as a singer. The number, Banja Meri Bayko, has been composed by Anu Malik.

For a particular scene that was shot in Dubai's Margham Desert, the makers had to arrange for 1000 camels.

DIRECTOR'S TAKE: ANEES BAZMEE
Judging the kind of response Welcome received, Firoz bhai told me that we should make a sequel without getting pressurised by the expectations. I believe Welcome Back should do justice and be better than the first instalment. That's why it took me nearly eight years to think of an idea for the second part. This film is a clean family entertainer. I don't see the need to make vulgar content. If one has faith in one's writing capabilities, no shortcuts are needed.

PRODUCER'S NOTE: FIROZ A NADIADWALLAH
Ask a producer or director what are the highlights of his film and with out a doubt he'll say that everything he has done in it, are its highlights. Welcome Back is a complete entertainer with some of the most talented stars, lush and beautiful locations, a fantastic soundtrack and technical finesse at par with the West. This film has all the elements meant to give the audience the time of their lives.

Welcome Back, released worldwide by Eros International, opens in cinemas on September 4.

Shiney Ahuja is out on bail and "flooded with film offers"; awaits the release of a love story with Preity Zinta the year-end and is turning over a new leaf
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 19, 2015)


Shiney Ahuja recalls his first day on the set of a film, after a two-year-long sabbatical. Anil Kapoor had rushed towards him, wrapping him up in a bear hug, guffawing, "Welcome back, my boy," and left him teary-eyed. "And that's when I knew I was making a comeback," the actor told Mirror.

The 40-year-old had made headlines in June 2009, when he was accused of raping his domestic help. Two years later, in March 2011, the trial court convicted the actor and sentenced him to seven years rigorous imprisonment. Out on bail, and his plea for expeditious hearing having been rejected by the Bombay High Court, the actor signed his Bollywood comeback wagon, Welcome Back in March 2014.

But while the cast of the film, John Abraham, Shruti Haasan, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Naseeruddin Shah and Paresh Rawal, have been rigorously promoting the film, Shiney seems to be off the radar. "Anees is my older brother and now my best friend. There is nothing wrong between us. I was out of the country for the last two months with my family and just got back this week. After the launch of the trailer, Anees had called and said that they had all missed me," Shiney insists.

The actor plays Honey, Naseeruddin Shah's spoilt son, who is a druggie. "But I'm not similar to Honey at all," he laughs, adding, "I am an army man's son and we fauji kids are not spoilt brats". He adds that his character is extremely soft-hearted and gullible; like someone who has never killed a fly in his life.

While filming in Dubai, the actor shared a vanity van with the other men on the sets, since there were only two vans allowed in the desert and the ladies had occupied one. All his nervousness was quickly overshadowed by the new-found camaraderie among the co-stars on the sets. "It was too hot and everyone was sharing the van. We were a boy gang, making jokes and pulling each other's legs. And I was very much a part of it," he says.

The actor, who made a critically acclaimed debut in 2005 for his role in Sudhir Mishra's Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, bagging the Filmfare Award for Best Debut - Male, had backed his hit with a thrilling performance in Anurag Basu's Gangster. But later, things went downhill for Shiney. He says his real friends have stayed by his side. "Anurag Basu and Sudhir Mishra are very close to me. They've always been by my side. In tough times, you come to know who your real friends are. It happens to everybody," he says.

The actor refuses to speak against the Bhatts, who had dropped him from a project when he needed it the most. Mahesh Bhatt had told Mirror (February 28) that he did not want fingers pointed at the banner. "Bhatt Saab is dear to me and has always been there," says Shiney curtly.

Later this year, the actor will be seen in Har Pal, also featuring Preity Zinta and helmed by National award-winning filmmaker Jahnu Barua. Shiney denies that the film has been stalled and says that it will release by the end of the year. "The film is complete and I am eagerly awaiting its release," says Shiney.

On the personal front, the actor says that his family has moved on and has started a fresh chapter in their life. His wife Anupam and he, love watching movies and have seen Gulzar's Angoor over a 100 times, comedy capers being a favourite in the family.

And even though his wife is looking forward to his comeback, he is unsure if he'll take his seven-year-old daughter for a screening of Welcome Back. "My daughter is too young and hasn't seen my films. I do not think she will ever be able to see her father cry, like I did in the climax of Gangster. She'll be too scared to sit through Bhool Bhulaiyaa," he says, adding that he hopes to have a movie marathon with her.

Two Welcome Back trailers are out, but neither features the actor
Joginder Tuteja (DNA; August 4, 2015)


For theatres only?
“Now this is surprising because Shiney actually has a decent role in the film,” informs our source, “He plays the son of Naseeruddin Shah, who is a blind don in the film. Just like the other actors in the film, he brings in comic flavour on screen.” That could only mean that the makers want to reserve his scenes for the theatres.

Absence explained
Ask Anees about Shiney’s absence — not just from the promos, but also the launch event, and he makes light of it. “Nahi nahi, aisa hum log jaan-boojh kar nahi rahe hain ki promo mein naa dikhaaye. As for the event, he couldn’t be there since he was in London. If he was in Mumbai, he would have certainly attended it,” he says.

No favours
Shiney it seems, has Anees to thank for being his rescuer. “Let’s not put it that way please; maine koyi ehsaan nahi kiya hai,” Bazmee insists, “He is in the film because he fits the bill. Period. I am happy with what he has done in the film. It is not an easy thing to make a comeback with over half-a-dozen seasoned actors in the cast. Still, he went ahead with complete conviction.”

Work-wise
Adds Bazmee.”I saw a marked change in him since he hadn’t worked for so many years. My heart goes out to him because kisi ko bhi bahut takleef hogi koyi itne saal kaam nahi karega. Logon ka kya hai; woh toh hamein pata hi tha, that they will talk. What matters is whether, as an actor, he has done justice to my film,” he reasons.

As he gears up for his comeback, Shiney Ahuja, who lives in the same house, insists he is not nursing any grudges and is thankful to all those, including his heroines, who stood by him
Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 17, 2015)

BOMBAY TIMES (November 22, 2014)

Rukmini Chopra (DNA; October 17, 2014)


How did you get Welcome Back?
A man from Anees Bazmee’s team contacted me and narrated the story. The way he did it was very good. I had not seen Welcome, and I didn’t tell him that because I didn’t think it was right to do so. But something struck me about the role. The character’s name is Honey. He appealed to me. Then I met Anees in his office and within half an hour, it was all sorted.

Were you apprehensive about returning to a film’s set after so long?
No, in fact I was looking forward to start working. There was a lot of excitement. Everyone was very warm to me. Anil Kapoor hugged me at the airport and said “Welcome Back.” Nana Patekar spoke to me like he has known me for years.

There were reports suggesting that Shruti Haasan wasn’t fine working with you...
I am cordial with her like I am with any other co-star. I have a huge amount of respect for her father as well as her mother, who I have worked with in a film called Kal - Yesterday And Tomorrow.

Tell us something about your character.
Honey has a clean heart and is extremely simple. He looks the opposite though. There is a guy like that in my building. I studied that guy for my role. He looks tough, but has a simple and sweet personality.

Reports suggest that you have approached many directors like the Bhatts and Mohit Suri, but they haven’t been keen on signing you…
Honestly, I don’t blame anyone for anything. Acting is my passion. But when I wasn’t in the mindset to do it, I declined a lot of offers which sent out signals that I’m not ready to work. That continued longer than I had wanted it to. When I wanted to resume work, I decided to approach Mahesh Bhatt. I didn’t get a negative response nor was I called in to his office instantly. Then I read the news in the papers, after a week or so. When I read it, to be honest, I felt really, really bad. But that’s all I could do. I’m sure he had a reason for what happened.

Naseeruddin Shah on his children, biopics, awards, friends, films and more...
Rukmini Chopra (DNA; October 8, 2014)


Your name is associated with arthouse films. Why choose to be part of the out-and-out commercial film, Welcome Back?
I find this question very amusing. I have done films like Mujhe Meri Biwi Se Bachao, Tehelka, Zinda Jala Doonga. I have worked with great directors like Anil Sharma, then why are people surprised? A few people tell me, that they liked my art films and ask me why am I doing commercial films. I take names of a few art films and ask them if they have seen them. They say, no we haven’t. I guess I am doing something wrong (laughs).

You play Shiney Ahuja’s father in the film. How was it working with him, given the controversy?
Well, I certainly felt sad for him, for what he went through. I don’t know how much truth there is to it all, but I like Shiney and it is sad, because he is a good actor. I had seen him in an ad the first time, and the minute I saw him in the ad, I knew he had it. I like him and it was good working with him.

You said that you found Bhaag Milkha Bhaag a fake film...
Didn’t you find it fake? Why was there so much hype about it? Just take a look at Milkha Sigh’s Olympics picture from 1960, then look at Farhan Akhtar.

Shabana Azmi said that you are entitled to your opinion, but that most Indians don’t agree with you...
Let them not agree with me, I don’t care. If Shabana got goosebumps after watching Farhan, good. Because I didn’t. I never criticised Farhan’s performance because he gave it his all. I criticised the guidance he got for his role. They made him look like Rocky, not Milkha Singh.

Does your statement spoil your relationship with Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi?
I don’t see why it should. If they criticise my work, it doesn’t mean I would stop talking to them. Aur waise bhi, meri koi khaas dosti nahin hai Shabana se ya Javed se. I consider them associates, not friends.

If at all there is a biopic being made on your life, would you be okay with it?
I would be okay with it if a director of my liking is making it. Someone who I consider capable of doing a good job with the film, is Shekhar Kapur. I wouldn’t let just anybody make a film on my life.

Vivaan is doing Happy New Year with Farah Khan...
(Laughs) Yes, I wish him all the best. I am happy he is doing a film with Farah. I have always liked Farah’s movies. I thought Om Shanti Om was a fantastic film. What I like about Farah is her unashamed love for commercial cinema. She enjoys making her films.

So did you give Vivaan any advice?
No, I didn’t advise Vivaan on anything. I left it on Shah Rukh Khan. I told him, that whatever advice he needs, he can go to Shah Rukh for it (laughs) as he is the best person to give advice, especially on acting in commercial films, as I don’t understand it.

Vivaan said in an interview that he is intimidated by you, and that bothers you since you would like people to be more free with you...
Yes, it does bother me. Even with my children, there’s always a little bit of distance and I don’t know why. People in the industry tell me that my kids are frightened of me. I’m still working at the kind of friendship I wanted to have with my kids.

You were very close to actors Ravi Baswani and Farooq Sheikh. Their death must have been a major blow to you.
They were both great friends. But if one doesn’t take care of his health, the same is bound to happen. I was extremely shocked by their deaths. But death is a part of life.

What steps do you take to maintain your health?
I do yoga on a daily basis. I go for a swim too. I’m a fan of horse-riding but can’t do it much because of my back.

Do you believe in the Oscar nomination process held in our industry?
No, I don’t. I don’t even understand why they run behind Oscars. They are as worthless as any other Pan Parag award.

For that matter, do you feel the same about National Awards as well?
There is lobbying in them. The people who decide these awards are out-of-work filmmakers. I don’t care one bit for these awards.

Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; September 8, 2014)

Celebrities often court controversy and get entangled in a legal imbroglio but some of them, fortunately, receive immense support from the industry.

Recently, actress Shweta Basu Prasad was arrested in connection with a high- profile sex racket, but the industry came to her support and director Hansal Mehta even said that he would cast the young starlet in his next film.

The Shahid director, who is currently in the US, wrote on a social networking website: “ Stop posting pictures of Shweta. Put out the pictures of her wealthy clients and the pimp. Expose the scumbags not the soft target. I intend to offer Shweta Prasad a role in my next film. She was so good in Makdee.”

He’s not the only one. Other film personalities like Vishal Bharadwaj, Karan Johar, Imtiaz Ali, Abhishek Kapoor, Rensil D'Silva, Amole Gupte, Abbas Tyrewala, Shreyas Talpade and other have released a statement in solidarity with Shweta requesting the film industry to “empathise rather than judge or label her”.

hitlist takes a look at a few other celebrities who were accused — but not convicted by law — and have been accepted again after a break.


Shiney Ahuja
Shiney Ahuja, who was away from films after getting embroiled in an alleged rape case, is now making a steady comeback on the silver screen with Anees Bazmee’s comedy-drama Welcome Back. In June 2009, the actor’s domestic help had lodged a police complaint against him alleging rape at his residence. Shiney was arrested and subsequently sentenced to seven years imprisonment. He is currently out on bail. The actor had started his career with the critically-acclaimed Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi in 2005, later joined mainstream and gave hit films like Gangster, Woh Lamhe, Life in a Metro, among others.


Monica Bedi
The former girlfriend of the underworld don Abu Salem was behind bars in connection with a case of passport forgery. After coming out of jail, she featured in quite a few reality television shows like Bigg Boss, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and Desi Girl. She was offered the second season of Swayamvar, but declined it citing that she wanted to focus on work. Monica returned to the small screen with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s TV show Saraswatichandra in which she essayed the on- screen mother of actor Gautam Rode.


Subhash Kapoor
Subhash Kapoor was arrested after he was allegedly accused of molestation by an actress and was later released on bail. In February, the controversy emerged when Geetika Tyagi posted a video online suggesting the Jolly LLB director sexually abused her during a confrontation in presence of his wife, Dimple Kharbanda, and director Atul Sabharwal, (who happened to be Tyagi’s boyfriend). The incident created a furore. Kapoor is currently shooting for his film Guddu Rangeela.


Ajay Jadeja
Ajay Jadeja was one of the most loved players of the Indian team The findings of a CBI inquiry got him guilty of match-fixing following which he was banned by the the BCCI for five years. Ajay acted in Khel (2003) alongside Sunny Deol and Suniel Shetty and was a lead actor in Pal Pal Dil Ke Saat (2009). He has made constant appearances on news channels as a cricket anchor/analyst. Ajay even participated in the celebrity dance show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa in its first season and appeared on Comedy Circus as well. He also did a cameo in Abhishek Kapoor’s cricket-centric Kai Po Che.


Sreesanth
Disgraced ex-cricketer Sreesanth emerged as a proven dancer on the tube in the dance show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. As per reports, Sreesanth will debut in a Bollywood movie soon which is a remake of a Malayalam film. Post the spot-fixing episode at the Indian Premier League in 2013, he has been a regular face on television. The infamous cricketer is all set to star in a Telugu film too. He is also a part of a musical band called 9’s and also writes lyrics