Showing posts with label Sitaram Panchal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sitaram Panchal. Show all posts
Neeraj Pandey's film Laddoo kicks off plagiarism row
7:51 AM
Ajay Dhama, who claims that a film presented by Neeraj Pandey is a copy of his 2016 short’s trailer, sends legal notice; the latter’s producer asks him to ‘share his film and script’
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 1, 2019)
On Wednesday, Laddoo, a short film featuring Kumud Mishra, Manasi Parekh and Kabir Sajid, released online. Presented by Neeraj Pandey and produced by Shital Bhatia, it revolves around an inquisitive little boy who sets out to feed a pandit on the occasion of his grandfather’s death anniversary. After seeing the trailer, filmmaker Ajay Dhama reached out to Mirror alleging that the makers had stolen the idea from his film In The Name of God.
“Someone sent me a link of Laddoo’s trailer on Wednesday and after seeing the entire short, I was shocked because it’s a direct lift from my film’s trailer which I uploaded online in 2016. More than 150 people on Facebook, including a few actors and technicians had shared it back then,” informs Ajay, pointing out that even the name of the young protagonist in the new short is the same, Rahul.
The filmmaker goes on to narrate how in his film, on his way to feed a pandit, Rahul bumps into a beggar and tells him that he is headed to a temple. Confused between a temple and a masjid, the boy enters the latter and offers the food to a moulavi, calling him ‘panditji’. “Sitaram Panchal who died a year-and-a-half ago, played the moulavi. The idea of the film was to erase communal differences and convey that all religions are one. They have copied my film, from names to the theme to even some of the dialogues,” adds an aggrieved Ajay, saying that his lawyer Akshey Parakh has already sent a notice to the makers of Laddoo for ‘violating trademark, copyright and patent act’.
Ajay has yet to release his film and when questioned on it, he shrugs, “I’m the producer and director and I’m in no hurry to release it.”
Mirror reached out to both Neeraj and Shital. The producer sent across a text message, stating, “We have reached out to Mr Ajay Dhama and asked him to show his film and script. Obviously, we had absolutely no clue about his film. Laddoo, which is written and directed by Sameer and Kishor Sadhwani, is presented by us to encourage and promote first-time filmmakers. They came to us with this concept and story which was supported by us. As responsible storytellers we take such claims very seriously and would appreciate it if people refrained from jumping to conclusions.”
Sitaram Panchal finished his last film but I'll have to dub-Sanjay Mishra
7:26 AM
Sanjay Mishra bids goodbye to his best friend Sitaram Panchal who succumbed to cancer on Thursday
As told to Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 11, 2017)
Sitaram Panchal and I met at the National School of Drama (NSD) decades
ago. He was the late actor Nirmal Pandey’s roommate and I shared a room
with filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia. We were on the same floor and the four
of us would stay up till late, laughing and drinking even though Situ
never drank too much. On August 10, Nirmal’s birthday, Situ bhai
succumbed to lung cancer. On Nirmal’s birthday, we would get on the
phone together and sing his favourite song from Sholay, “Yeh Dosti”.
Now, every year, for the rest of my life, I will celebrate Situ and
Nirmal with happiness.
Situ bhai was the happiest man in the world. Even after he was diagnosed with cancer in 2011, he would joke about his weight loss, telling me to wear his clothes to play the ‘poor man’ more convincingly on screen, pointing out that since he had just four months to live, he wouldn’t need too many clothes anyway. He was only 32 kg when he died but I remember him as the man who went with me the day I got divorced wearing my blue shirt and cracking stupid jokes to and from the court. While the rest of my family was pretty upset, he made my divorce a casual affair and never brought it up again.
Once, he curiously asked me if I was doing more than a film a year. When I told him, I was getting a lot of good roles, he was happy for me but told me he’d be equally cool if we had to beg outside Haji Ali. He never lost out on an opportunity to laugh at his poverty but never laughed about cancer, never wishing illness on anyone.
Few know that Situ and Uma had another son, Kabir, who passed away at the age of 16. He was a bright kid and his death destroyed them. Their second son, Rishabh, kept them going but the next year, Situ was diagnosed with cancer. I remember once, after wrapping up an international film in London, I invited Situ and Kabir home for dinner. They had never seen pounds before and I showed them the 300 pounds I’d earned. The next day, Situ called asking me to check if any of my notes were missing. They were and we learnt that Kabir had borrowed them to show his friends. I believed the boy but Situ beat him black and blue, insisting it was important to teach children never to steal. He was okay living in poverty with his head held high.
He had many small wishes in the last three years, some of which will remain unfulfilled. He wanted to buy a harmonium for Rishabh, who wants to become a musician. When a renowned surgeon agreed to remove a part of his kidney and putting him on a new medication that could have given him a fresh lease of life, he flatly refused, because he wanted to use the money to pay off a housing loan. He asked his wife to google ayurvedic medicines which would lessen his pain and enable him to continue acting.
A year ago, I was spending the summer in Mathura. Situ who was diabetic, wanted mangoes which were a strict no-no for him. He pestered his family, staff and me till I bought him the sweetest haapus. His disobedience didn’t stop there. A strict vegetarian who rarely consumed alcohol, he confided that he wanted to eat mutton and drink whiskey all night with me. He was the happiest I’d seen him in the longest time.
He’d been feeling better lately, having got medical funding from the Haryana government. I got him a father’s role in the upcoming film, Ikkees Tareek. Bouncers would pick him up from home and carry him to the set. He finished the film and on Wednesday celebrated his 26th wedding anniversary at his Mira Road residence. I’ll now have to dub for him.
Situ bhai was the happiest man in the world. Even after he was diagnosed with cancer in 2011, he would joke about his weight loss, telling me to wear his clothes to play the ‘poor man’ more convincingly on screen, pointing out that since he had just four months to live, he wouldn’t need too many clothes anyway. He was only 32 kg when he died but I remember him as the man who went with me the day I got divorced wearing my blue shirt and cracking stupid jokes to and from the court. While the rest of my family was pretty upset, he made my divorce a casual affair and never brought it up again.
Once, he curiously asked me if I was doing more than a film a year. When I told him, I was getting a lot of good roles, he was happy for me but told me he’d be equally cool if we had to beg outside Haji Ali. He never lost out on an opportunity to laugh at his poverty but never laughed about cancer, never wishing illness on anyone.
Few know that Situ and Uma had another son, Kabir, who passed away at the age of 16. He was a bright kid and his death destroyed them. Their second son, Rishabh, kept them going but the next year, Situ was diagnosed with cancer. I remember once, after wrapping up an international film in London, I invited Situ and Kabir home for dinner. They had never seen pounds before and I showed them the 300 pounds I’d earned. The next day, Situ called asking me to check if any of my notes were missing. They were and we learnt that Kabir had borrowed them to show his friends. I believed the boy but Situ beat him black and blue, insisting it was important to teach children never to steal. He was okay living in poverty with his head held high.
He had many small wishes in the last three years, some of which will remain unfulfilled. He wanted to buy a harmonium for Rishabh, who wants to become a musician. When a renowned surgeon agreed to remove a part of his kidney and putting him on a new medication that could have given him a fresh lease of life, he flatly refused, because he wanted to use the money to pay off a housing loan. He asked his wife to google ayurvedic medicines which would lessen his pain and enable him to continue acting.
A year ago, I was spending the summer in Mathura. Situ who was diabetic, wanted mangoes which were a strict no-no for him. He pestered his family, staff and me till I bought him the sweetest haapus. His disobedience didn’t stop there. A strict vegetarian who rarely consumed alcohol, he confided that he wanted to eat mutton and drink whiskey all night with me. He was the happiest I’d seen him in the longest time.
He’d been feeling better lately, having got medical funding from the Haryana government. I got him a father’s role in the upcoming film, Ikkees Tareek. Bouncers would pick him up from home and carry him to the set. He finished the film and on Wednesday celebrated his 26th wedding anniversary at his Mira Road residence. I’ll now have to dub for him.
Bollywood rallies behind cancer-stricken actor Sitaram Panchal
7:37 AM
Sitaram
Panchal, who has featured in Paan Singh Tomar and Peepli Live, has been
struggling to pay for his treatment; Anusha Rizvi, Manish Mundra, among
others, rush to his aid
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 18, 2017)
Seventy-two hours after posts about actor Sitaram Panchal’s financial plight and deteriorating physical condition — he suffers from lung and kidney cancer — went viral, several members from the film fraternity have extended support to the 54-year-old National School of Drama graduate, fondly known as Situ bhai. The actor, who was diagnosed with cancer in January 2014, has featured in critically acclaimed films like Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, Anusha Rizvi’s Peepli Live and Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Paan Singh Tomar. Even after the diagnosis, he filmed Shyam Benegal’s TV series, Samvidhan, while undergoing treatment in the far off Mumbai suburb of Mumbra.
“He stopped eating completely last year as his stomach would hurt all the time. He was constantly vomiting and is extremely weak. He now weighs only 30 kg,” Sitaram’s wife Uma Panchal told Mirror, adding that he had to give up on the TV serial, Ek Ghar Banaunga, which he was shooting for. “Since acting was his only source of income, he worked between September-October last year when he was slightly better with medication, and shot for small roles in Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Raag Desh and Subhash Kapoor’s Jolly LLB 2. But the treatment has aggravated his diabetes, which led to him losing his voice,” Uma rues, pointing out that Sitaram was also administered wrong medicines in two different hospitals earlier, which worsened his condition. “At one point, he was asked to go completely off allopathy, which led to breathing troubles.”
Among the industry friends who have rushed to the ailing actor’s aid is filmmaker Krishan Hooda, who had directed him in the yet-to-be-released Rebellious Flower, along with co-star Mukesh Bhatt. “The cancer is now spreading to his bones. If he’s back on his feet, he’ll have work again but he is too unwell right now,” Mukesh says.
Anil Mange, who worked with Sitaram in the Haryana-based film Ischool has also reached out. Meanwhile, on Monday, a charity drive was initiated on the online platform, Ketto, to raise funds. The Cine and TV Artistes Association has shared a letter addressed to the film fraternity with Sitaram’s account details seeking financial aid.
Masaan and Dhanak producer, Manish Mundra has also made a considerable donation to the family and has promised to bear the medical expenses. “In a developed world, where population is miniscule, a proper healthcare plan and insurance policies are devised to take care of individual well-being. Since we are not well-equipped in this regard, we should contribute to society in our own way. Thanks to social media, we can now reach out to those in need and vice versa,” the filmmaker asserts.
Anusha Rizvi was told that Sitaram’s 20-year-old son, a budding classical singer, would have to quit studies to support the family as his father, the sole bread-winner, is bedridden. “Actors don’t have a pension fund or any kind of a scheme for emergencies. I got the Peepli Live team to come together for Sitaram and tried to find out if there was a scheme by the Haryana or Central Government to help actors in a crisis with a substantial amount but didn’t come across anything,” Anusha says, pointing out that since she knew Sitaram personally, his condition came to light, but there are other small-time actors and technicians living in slums in abysmal situations whose stories often go unheard because there is no authority to take care of them in old age. “It is time for the Maharashtra Government and Bollywood celebrities to come together to start a need-based emergency fund for the families of actors and technicians,” she asserts.
Meanwhile, Uma says that while several film personalities have come forward in support, it is Sitaram’s NSD batch mates who have relentlessly been by his side through the ordeal and continue to visit him even today. “He has started eating and is optimistic that he will be back on the set soon. Everyone is praying for us,” she signs off.
Seventy-two hours after posts about actor Sitaram Panchal’s financial plight and deteriorating physical condition — he suffers from lung and kidney cancer — went viral, several members from the film fraternity have extended support to the 54-year-old National School of Drama graduate, fondly known as Situ bhai. The actor, who was diagnosed with cancer in January 2014, has featured in critically acclaimed films like Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, Anusha Rizvi’s Peepli Live and Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Paan Singh Tomar. Even after the diagnosis, he filmed Shyam Benegal’s TV series, Samvidhan, while undergoing treatment in the far off Mumbai suburb of Mumbra.
“He stopped eating completely last year as his stomach would hurt all the time. He was constantly vomiting and is extremely weak. He now weighs only 30 kg,” Sitaram’s wife Uma Panchal told Mirror, adding that he had to give up on the TV serial, Ek Ghar Banaunga, which he was shooting for. “Since acting was his only source of income, he worked between September-October last year when he was slightly better with medication, and shot for small roles in Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Raag Desh and Subhash Kapoor’s Jolly LLB 2. But the treatment has aggravated his diabetes, which led to him losing his voice,” Uma rues, pointing out that Sitaram was also administered wrong medicines in two different hospitals earlier, which worsened his condition. “At one point, he was asked to go completely off allopathy, which led to breathing troubles.”
Among the industry friends who have rushed to the ailing actor’s aid is filmmaker Krishan Hooda, who had directed him in the yet-to-be-released Rebellious Flower, along with co-star Mukesh Bhatt. “The cancer is now spreading to his bones. If he’s back on his feet, he’ll have work again but he is too unwell right now,” Mukesh says.
Anil Mange, who worked with Sitaram in the Haryana-based film Ischool has also reached out. Meanwhile, on Monday, a charity drive was initiated on the online platform, Ketto, to raise funds. The Cine and TV Artistes Association has shared a letter addressed to the film fraternity with Sitaram’s account details seeking financial aid.
Masaan and Dhanak producer, Manish Mundra has also made a considerable donation to the family and has promised to bear the medical expenses. “In a developed world, where population is miniscule, a proper healthcare plan and insurance policies are devised to take care of individual well-being. Since we are not well-equipped in this regard, we should contribute to society in our own way. Thanks to social media, we can now reach out to those in need and vice versa,” the filmmaker asserts.
Anusha Rizvi was told that Sitaram’s 20-year-old son, a budding classical singer, would have to quit studies to support the family as his father, the sole bread-winner, is bedridden. “Actors don’t have a pension fund or any kind of a scheme for emergencies. I got the Peepli Live team to come together for Sitaram and tried to find out if there was a scheme by the Haryana or Central Government to help actors in a crisis with a substantial amount but didn’t come across anything,” Anusha says, pointing out that since she knew Sitaram personally, his condition came to light, but there are other small-time actors and technicians living in slums in abysmal situations whose stories often go unheard because there is no authority to take care of them in old age. “It is time for the Maharashtra Government and Bollywood celebrities to come together to start a need-based emergency fund for the families of actors and technicians,” she asserts.
Meanwhile, Uma says that while several film personalities have come forward in support, it is Sitaram’s NSD batch mates who have relentlessly been by his side through the ordeal and continue to visit him even today. “He has started eating and is optimistic that he will be back on the set soon. Everyone is praying for us,” she signs off.
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