As told to Nishi Tiwari (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 9, 2019)

My association with Katrina Kaif is over nine-10 years old. I started out in my early 20s and I was styling Sonam (Kapoor), Bebo (Kareena Kapoor) and Lolo (Karisma Kapoor). Katrina was literally the fourth person with whom I started off as a stylist. It’s a relationship that has grown over time. I have understood her work and her style, which is very simple and elegant.

Over the years, I have realised that Katrina is someone who takes her time to open up to people. Now, I understand her style completely. I can look at a garment and tell if she will like it or not.

She really moves with the times. When I had first met her, she liked to stay in her comfort zone. Katrina is a sort of a comfort baby in that she likes to wear silhouettes that she knows work on her. It could be a sheath, something shorter with an A-line or a fit-and-flare dress.

When I had just started working with her, she had told me that there’s this one dress that she really liked so she picked up one in every colour from the label. Once, she went to two events in the same dress in different colours. When I asked her why she did that, she said, “Because it’s comfortable and I feel good in it. It doesn’t matter if people think I am repeating a dress in different colours.”

Over the years, however, Katrina has become more open to trying new silhouettes and experimenting with different styles. Within dresses she will try an asymmetrical, a deconstructed, sheaths, flairs, a geometric… She loves wearing a well-made pantsuit. But above all else, she is extremely particular about the way a garment fits her.

She prefers soft fabrics like chiffon, georgette or silk; stuff which feels easy and comfortable on the body. She doesn’t like stiff material or anything bulky, like organza or taffeta. She doesn’t like raw silk that much either. In colours, she loves red and enjoys wearing a white dress or even a salwar-suit. She likes Indian clothes and is particular about them, be it Lucknowi anarkali or a lehenga. If you notice these clothes on her, you will see how well they fit. Other than that, bright colours really work for her, like mango yellow, coral… She even wore a popping pink sari in Singh Is Kinng, which became famous. Whenever in doubt, she likes to wear black but for Indian clothes, she prefers colour.

You can say that Katrina plays safe but within her zone, she is experimenting. She will not go out there to make a statement because she doesn’t care about that. One of her standout looks from recent years was this red pantsuit which had an in-built waist-coat and a cut-out back. A few years ago, she wore this electric blue lehenga with a tie-up crop top, for International Film Festival of India in Goa. For Filmfare Style and Glamour Awards a few years ago, she wore this edgy Jean Paul Gaultier gown with a very ’80s shoulder and a slit on one side… a cool, classic dress.

Katrina is really tall and she has a very proportionate body. I have never heard a stylist say they can’t give certain things to her because they won’t work on a certain part of her body. Anything you put on her, she works it. Also, the fact that she was a model before she became an actress; she can carry different kinds of outfits.

Lasyapriya Sundaram (BOMBAY TIMES; December 14, 2018)

While reports suggested that Vipul Shah had approached Arjun Kapoor for the second installment of Singh is Kinng (2008), the filmmaker dismissed it as mere speculation. He said, “Singh is Kinng is a brand that is owned by Akshay Kumar and I. He will be one of the key decision makers when it comes to taking a call on whether we want to make the second installment of the film. I can’t decide alone. I would like to take it forward but as of now, I don’t have a script. Otherwise, I would have made it by now.”

Quiz him on whether there has been any tussle between him and filmmaker Anees Baazmee and Vipul shares, “There is no tussle between Anees and I. He gave me Singh is Kinng and we had a great time collaborating on that film. Unfortunately, we haven’t come across a project that we felt like doing together. I would love to work with him again. He is one of the most successful commercial directors who hasn’t been given his due. There is absolutely no bad blood between us.”

Meanwhile, Anees who will kick-off the shoot of his upcoming film Pagalpanti in January also clarified that there was no misunderstanding between him and Vipul. He added, “I haven’t been approached to direct the second installment of Singh is Kinng. However, Vipul and I have been friends and still are.” 

Bazmee on wanting to tap into Abraham’s comic timing as they reunite for Pagalpanti
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; November 24, 2018)

His 2017 comedy Mubarakan behind him, Anees Bazmee has now trained his sights on Pagalpanti featuring John Abraham.

Talking to mid-day, Bazmee reveals that a reunion on a comedy was pending since they first got together for Welcome Back (2015). “John didn’t have too many comic scenes in that film. Yet, in the ones he did, I noticed that he shines in comedy. It was while working together on Welcome Back that he expressed his wish to do a full-fledged comedy with me,” says Bazmee, who will soon head to London for the film’s recce.

With rumours doing the rounds about Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar walking into and out of his upcoming films — the second instalments of No Entry (2005) and Singh Is Kinng (2008), respectively — we seek the filmmaker’s intervention on clearing the air. “No Entry was a good film. I came up with a good idea for part two, and have finished writing the script. I’m now seeking a go-ahead from Boney ji [Kapoor, producer]. As soon as he tells me about the cast, we can roll with it. As for Singh Is Kinng, there’s enough scope to make another edition of the film, but there’s no further development there.”

What he is, however, excited about is the next instalment of Aankhen 2 which sees Amitabh Bachchan reprise his role from the 2002 outing. “As far as his character is concerned, the film takes off from where he left it.”

Even as Elnaaz Norouzi has accused Vipul Shah of sexual harassment, sources say filmmaker busy planning Singh Is Kinng sequel
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 29, 2018)

Vipul Shah has maintained a studied silence following Sacred Games actor Elnaaz Norouzi's revelations to mid-day, where she opened up on facing sexual exploitation at the filmmaker's hands. It has now been heard that even as Norouzi's claims shook Bollywood, it has been business as usual for the filmmaker who is apparently planning a sequel to Akshay Kumar-starrer, Singh Is Kinng (2008).

An industry source reveals, "He is currently in London. The next project from his stable will be the Singh Is Kinng sequel, which will see him reunite with director Anees Bazmee. The director is expected to begin work soon. They are keen to have Akshay reprise his role, but the cast is yet to be locked. Vipul is also working on another film that he intends to direct."

However, if sources are to be believed, Kumar's association with the second instalment is iffy. A source close to the superstar maintains, "Akshay's next is Good News backed by Karan Johar. Given his stand on the #MeToo movement, he might forgo any of Shah's film offers till he is proven innocent."

It was earlier heard that the spin-off will be produced by Shailendra Singh and will star Ranveer Singh in the lead. The project reportedly fell through after Singh gave bulk dates to '83 instead. Meanwhile, when mid-day reached out to Bazmee, the director said, "It would be great to work with Vipul again. But there's nothing in the near future. There is no script in place."

Upala KBR (MID-DAY; January 6, 2018)

Ranveer Singh was to fill Akshay Kumar’s shoes in the sequel to Singh Is Kinng (2008). The actor was to play a Sikh in the film, titled Sher Singh, but the collaboration hasn’t come through. Singh refused to take on Sher Singh because he had committed to playing a sardar in his Band Baaja Baaraat director, Maneesh Sharma’s next.

A trade source says, “Ranveer and producer Shailendra Singh had a couple of meetings for narration. The actor loved Sher Singh’s story. But Shailendra was shocked to receive a call from Ranveer’s manager and Yash Raj Films’ talent management group head, Ashish Patil, who told him that Ranveer has bowed out of the film. Ranveer and Shailendra haven’t communicated since then.
The producer has been meeting other stars for Sher Singh.”

YRF and Sharma refused to comment.

Subhash K Jha (DNA; October 30, 2017)

Ranveer Singh is all set to take over the Singh Is Kinng one-film old franchise from Akshay Kumar. Of course, now the franchise is no longer called Singh Is Kinng, but Sher Singh, as producer Vipul Shah has refused to part with the original title.

After the 2008 hit, producer Vipul Shah had a fallout with director Anees Bazmee. The original ‘Singh’ Akshay Kumar tried to bring Shah and Bazmee back together, but to no avail. Akshay is no longer associated with the franchise. He did try to get his former friend and business associate Vipul Shah to part with the Singh Is Kinng title for a sequel, but failed.

With this baggage behind the troubled franchise, it is no surprise that Ranveer Singh has decided to do the sequel for producer Shailendra Singh only after Akshay approves. Says a source, “Ranveer likes the idea of Sher Singh, but for him to actually do it he first needs to get an all-okay from Akshay.”

RELATIONSHIPS MATTER
Akshay and Ranveer share a terrific bonding. Ranveer promoted Akshay’s Rustom as well as Toilet - Ek Prem Katha by starring in two videos that became huge hits on the social media.

Bazmee, who directed Singh Is Kinng nine years ago, wishes the new film all the best. “Singh Is Kinng was a cult film, which enthralled audiences to the core, not only because of its brilliant script but also the fantastic portrayal of Happy Singh by Akshay Kumar. Audiences would have a lot of expectations from the sequel. I am sure the team would leave no stone unturned to match or surpass the benchmark. I wish them success. I sincerely think Akshay playing Singh’s character would do justice, but Ranveer is a fine performer. He has to go deep to play Happy Singh’s character. Anyway, they have my blessings. May the audience accept Ranveer as wholeheartedly as they accepted Akshay.”

ARJUN DID IT, TOO
Arjun Kapoor will be seen in another film that’s a sequel to an Akshay Kumar movie. It was recently announced that he will be stepping into the Khiladi’s shoes for the sequel of Namastey London. When Arjun was approached, the first call he made was to Akshay to tell him that the film was offered to him. They spoke and obviously, Akshay had no issues with Arjun doing the film. The sequel is titled Namastey Canada and will see Arjun opposite, Parineeti Chopra. The two are also sharing screen space in Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, which will be directed by Dibakar Banerjee.

Upala KBR (MID-DAY; October 20, 2017)

Over a month after producer Shailendra Singh had said that he had acquired “a title that’s sexier than Singh Is Kinng”, for the sequel to his 2008  comedy, mid-day has learnt the name. The second instalment, which will apparently see Ranveer Singh fill in the shoes of Akshay Kumar, will be titled Sher Singh. The producer was forced to revise the name after Vipul A Shah, who helmed the original, refused to part with the title.

Shailendra tells mid-day that he acquired the rights to this name on Wednesday after difficulty. “While we had initially wanted the title Singh Is Kinng, Vipul Shah refused to part with it. I have been asking him to return it to me for the last five years. Then, I decided to pick another name, because, the name Singh Is Bliing had also been explored. So, a similar sounding title would cause confusion.”

His upcoming film, he is certain, will emerge as an important franchise in the industry. “Bollywood doesn’t have an iconic superhero. Sher Singh will be that character. He does not have super powers, but will be an extraordinary human being.”

The producer says Ranveer was his first choice, given that the actor “ can be Bollywood’s ultimate sardar”. “Ranveer has all the characteristics needed to play a sardar, just like Akshay and Ajay Devgn do. I narrated the story to him in one line about a month-and-a-half ago, and discussed his look too. He expressed interest in the project and asked me for a 10-page script, which I will send him this week.”

Shailendra’s enthusiasm is palpable when he talks about his protagonist. “I will tell you one thing — Sher Singh ordinary hai, lekin kaam extraordinary karta hai!”

Upala KBR (MID-DAY; September 5, 2017)

Nine years after Akshay Kumar’s Singh Is Kinng (2008) spun magic at the box office, producer Shailendra Singh is keen on making a sequel to the action comedy. He is in talks with Ranveer Singh to step into the shoes of Kumar. However, Singh has run into his first hurdle in the nascent stages of production itself — filmmaker Vipul A Shah, who has the copyright to Singh Is Kinng, has refused to part with the title.

What’s interesting is that while Shah is giving Singh a hard time over the film’s title, he was embroiled in a similar situation in July. The filmmaker had to rename his Namastey London sequel as Namastey Canada since Kumar, who co-owns the intellectual property rights of the film, refused to part with the titles, Namastey England and Namastey London 2.

Talking about his ordeal, Singh says, “I created the franchise — the concept of the movie and the title was owned by me. I gifted it to Akshay, who, in turn, gave it to Vipul Shah. They have even thanked me for the title in the credit roll. I have been begging Vipul to return it to me, but he hasn’t relented.”

Singh adds that whenever he broaches the subject with Shah, the filmmaker states that he needs the title as he intends to make a sequel. “Yesterday, I sent him a text saying, ‘It’s been more than nine years and it’s obvious that you are not making Singh Is Kinng 2. So why not give the title back gracefully? Be a gentleman!’”

Disappointed by Shah’s behaviour, the producer has now submitted another title for registration. “I don’t want to fight any longer. I have got a new title; it’s sexier than Singh Is Kinng,” he claims.

Singh adds that he has already bounced the idea off Ranveer. “My priority is to work with Ranveer Singh. He is a lethal combination of Salman Khan and Johnny Depp. The film will be a heist drama. As soon as the script is ready, we’ll give him a narration.”

We reached out to Shah, but he remained unavailable for comment.

This day has seen the release of some huge hit films. It is coincidence but August 8th has been a very lucky day for films at the box office over the last 20 years. There could be other big releases earlier but our database is not picking them up yet. The list of films that have been released on August 8th in the last 20 years are as follows. They are listed in their inflation adjusted gross.

BLOCKBUSTER
1. Chennai Express (2013) - 2,33,65,24,740
The biggest blockbuster of Shah Rukh Khan in the last fifteen years. The film released on Eid 2013 and became the highest grossing film ever beating the record of 3 IDIOTS. The film more than doubled the previous highest Shah Rukh Khan opening.

SUPER HIT
2. Pardes (1997) - 1,89,63,94,500
The Subhash Ghai directed love story was a slow starter barring a few big cities but picked up well in the later weeks to emerge a huge hit. The opening day was just 61 lakhs nett which was 50% of a big opener like BORDER released a few months back. It also benefited from tax exemption in Maharashtra

3. Koi Mil Gaya (2003) - 1,79,97,91,840
The film which established Hrithik Roshan as a major star after a poor period. The film opened at 2.25 crore nett on day one which was the second highest opening of the time and there was no looking back as the film did well across the board.

4. Singh Is Kinng (2008) - 1,29,92,73,360
The film still remains the only Akshay Kumar film to set an opening day record although WELCOME (2007) would also be there if there was not issues with the release. The film set an All Time Record in East Punjab by becoming the highest nett grosser beating GADAR but the share and gross figures remained lower than Gadar.

HIT
-

SEMI HIT
-

AVERAGE
-

BELOW AVERAGE
Entertainment (2014) - 76,48,55,960
The Akshay Kumar starrer did not open well which hit its chances. The collections were okay after the first week but remained a poor performer. The film scored big on television picking up the second highest rating in 2014 ahead of the likes of DHOOM 3 and KICK

FLOP
Gangs Of Wasseypur 2 (2012) - 26,98,02,060
The film is a second part of GANGS OF WASSEYPUR which was a poor performer a few months earlier. The first film was said to have gained appreciation but the initial of this one which was even lower that the first one put that fake theory out of the window. If only we had second parts of all these so called appreciated films it would help the truth come out.

Dadagiri (1997) - 26,85,98,000
A Mithun Starrer which was released at a time when the best days were over for the dancing star.

DISASTER
Basti - 2,14,87,840
A low budget film featuring Aamir Khan's brother Faisal Khan. The film had no chance at the box office.

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; June 1, 2015)

After playing a Sikh in Singh Is Kinng, Akshay Kumar will be seen in the turbaned look again in Singh Is Bliing. The posters of the film are already out and we see a difference in the look of his character. The first time around, Akshay had sported a French cut beard, but in Singh Is Bling, the Khiladi is seen with a rough beard.

Looks like Akshay is ultra careful with the way he is wearing his beard in his next outing. He had run into trouble with the Sikh community earlier over his trimmed beard in Singh Is Kinng. Not only did Akshay apologise to the community, but some scenes of the film were also re-shot.

Nevertheless, it is Akshay, who catapulted the turbaned Sikh as the hero in Bollywood and set the ball rolling for others like Saif Ali Khan (Love Aaj Kal) and Ranbir Kapoor (Rocket Singh — Salesman Of The Year), who were seen in the turbaned look. Farhan Akhtar sported one in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and soon Tiger Shroff will be seen playing a sardar in Turbanator.

Rati Agnihotri (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 27, 2015)