BT invited Emraan Hashmi to meet students from colleges across Mumbai and discuss the problems plaguing the education system in India
Rachit Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; January 15, 2019)

His upcoming film, Why Cheat India, highlights the trails and travails of the education system in the country. Keeping in line with the theme of the film, Emraan Hashmi, who plays a wily exam paper agent Rakesh Singh, has been engaging in conversations around the problems of students in the country. Recently, when Emraan visited the Bombay Times office, we invited a bunch of enthusiastic college students from campuses across the city to engage in an interesting and constructive debate with the actor. The discussion revolved around the flaws of the education system and the vocation and solutions that we can strive to incorporate in the existing structure. Excerpts from the chat where Emraan partakes in some hard-talk with students.

‘EDUCATION SHOULD NOT BE A COMPETITION’
I am no expert on education, I dropped out of college to become an actor, but I feel examinations and cut-throat competition in rote learning doesn’t value add to a person’s life in any way. I feel doing away with the entire concept of exams, grades and scores should be explored as a solution for the educational system. It’s happening in the West, countries like US are doing away with examinations. We should inculcate a system where we encourage young minds to pursue their passions and interests. Too many parents and students are obsessed about engineering and medicine as fields of vocation. I know Arts is picking up now, but for the longest time, Arts and Commerce have been fields for those who couldn’t get through in science. Not every child is inclined towards maths and science. We’ve turned the education system into a game of winners and losers. That’s not how it’s supposed to be.

‘SOCIAL STRATA SHOULD NOT AFFECT A CHILD’S EDUCATION’
A child’s social and financial status has a large bearing on his educational prospects. There are certain educational institutions that cater only to the elite. The fees at the colleges and schools can be quite intimidating as well. My son Ayaan goes to a decent school and I feel his fees for a single year are a lot. Thank God, I’m an actor and thankfully I have the financial wherewithal to afford that kind of education. But, my point is, access to good education should not be limited by your financial status. The education system in Finland is considered to be one of the best in the world and it’s completely free. There’s no division of the quality of education between the rich and the poor. All kids, regardless of how affluent or how challenged their families are, study together. That will establish a sense of equality in individuals during their formative years and that’s the kind of step that will create positive influence on society in general. I understand that countries in Europe or even the US don’t face the challenges of population and governance that India does. But, we cannot make that as an excuse to not experiment with these ideas. We can take smaller steps and see if a radical idea like free education for all can find its feet and become a country-wide phenomenon.

‘TEACHERS NEED CARE TOO’
I don’t blame the teachers who focus on tuitions and private classes, because the salary of an average teacher can be quite paltry. Teachers are role models for the youth of the country. These people are literally training the future of the entire nation and we gravely undermine their contribution when their salary amounts to peanuts. I know we don’t have great labour laws, but the government and the authorities should ensure that the teachers and the staff, especially at public education institutions are paid well. We’re one of the biggest tax-paying economies of the world and should use our budgets to carve out better educational policies for citizens.

‘PAPER MAFIA BELIEVES THEY’RE INTO SOCIAL SERVICE’
During the prep for my role, I met a lot of people who work in the exam paper mafia. Basically, these people leak papers to students for large sums of money. But they don’t look at themselves as bad guys at all. For them, it’s merely a business opportunity. They’ve spotted a hack in the education system and they’re using it to make money. The way they see it, they’re actually helping the students out. Their logic is — there’s so much pressure with competitive exams and ranks that students are forced to commit suicides. If we’re leaking the paper and helping the student cheat, we’re doing it so he can score decent grades and not end up killing himself. As flawed as that opinion is, the guys who work in the exam paper mafia actually believe that they’re doing social service.

‘BREAK-PROOF FANS FOR SUICIDE ATTEMPTS’
My director Soumik Sen informed me during the shoot that there’s a company in Kota, Rajasthan which offers sturdy ceiling fans that don’t break when a student tries to hang himself / herself from them. Can you imagine that? They’ve turned exam pressures and suicides into a surreal business opportunity. So, in a place like Kota, where there are dozens of colleges and universities and stiff competition amongst students, you have a firm that’s selling break-proof fans to students, assuring them, that at least the fan won’t break during a suicide attempt.

Chandraye Sarkar, one of the many women who accused Soumik Sen of sexual harassment, writes to Cheat India producer Atul Kasbekar to take action against the director
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 27, 2018)

After an actor of Cheat India anonymously named and shamed director Soumik Sen last week for his sexually exploitative behaviour, Ellipsis Entertainment - the production house backing the Emraan Hashmi starrer - issued a statement asserting that they had not received "any complaint of inappropriate behaviour by director Soumik Sen from any female member in our unit of Cheat India".

Now, media professional Chandraye Sarkar - one of the four women to have outed Sen - tells mid-day that she has appealed in writing to Cheat India producer Atul Kasbekar to take stringent action against him.

Sarkar says, "I don't understand why the producers are not taking the allegations seriously. Their statement is blasphemous and protects Soumik." In her account, Sarkar claimed that Sen sent her erotic passages in 2012, a post which she complained to Gulaab Gang co-producer Anubhav Sinha. Her story was corroborated by Sinha last week. "I was angry that Anubhav didn't act in time, but at least he said sorry now. Anubhav sent me a message saying he will never work with Soumik again. I respect him for the stand. Emraan Hashmi said he wants to clean the industry, then why is he hiding now? They are establishing that they are either accomplice to the matter or partaking in it."

She adds, "I have sent a mail to Ashoke Pandit and Balwinder Sandhu of IFTDA. I have written a mail to Atul Kasbekar and Tanuj Garg because they claim no complaint has come to them."

It has also been heard that after actor Priyanka Bose's revelations against Sen, the makers are considering corrective measures. An associate reveals, "We will have to let Soumik go from the promotional leg of the film. Emraan was clear that he wouldn't tolerate any instance of harassment against women on his film. He wouldn't want to keep his ties with the perpetrator in this case."

Hashmi, who is shooting in Ladakh, is yet to be updated on the matter. mid-day reached out to Kasbekar, who claimed he was travelling and couldn't respond.


Atul Kasbekar and Soumik Sen. Pic/Instagram

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; March 8, 2018)

Juhi Chawla, who is still remembered as the girl-next-door from films such as Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, feels it’s a myth that the number of women-centric movies have increased. “The bulk of films are still either romcoms or hero-based,” she points out. Here, the actress, talks about what has changed for women in cinema, and what remains the same...

Since the time you worked till now, do you see any changes as far as women in cinema are concerned?
When I was working in the ’90s, there hardly used to be three or four ladies on the sets that included me, my hair dresser, my mom or an aunt, and maybe one other woman. Today, almost 40 to 50 per cent of the crew on sets comprise women. These are young people working in production, art, creative, in short, every other department. In that sense, the doors have opened and opportunities have increased.

What about the role of heroines on screen?
How has it changed, you tell me? If you are talking about films like Piku or Queen, there have been strong female-oriented films earlier, too. You are forgetting Shabana Azmi who became what she is because of the roles and films she did. Tabu did films that revolved around women. Mita ji (Vasisht) became known for Manthan. We are forgetting films like Mrityudand and Astitva. Even today, I feel the bulk of the films are romcoms or hero-based. Time and again, films with strong female protagonists come, but I have not seen the number going up. The last film, I think, was Mom. I haven’t seen it, but I believe it was women-centric. In fact, the pressures on actresses to look perfect is more now, they have to wear skimpy dresses and look glamourous all the time, thanks to social media. We had it more relaxed.

Go on...
As far as women-centric films are concerned, I know this has been said before, but unless the audience goes to see them, they will not be made. Going to a nice theatre is expensive and audience wants to see big budget, glamourous films — they want entertainment. I think, like in London, there should be special theatres for alternative films or female-centric movies, because right now, such movies are either big hits, which is good, or they are pulled out of theatres within three days, if they don’t do well. They don’t get a chance to grow.

Talking about women-centric films, your Gulaab Gang is completing four years...
Yes, I still remember when director Soumik Sen met me with the script, and said he has got something fantastic for me. When I read the entire script, I told him, ‘Are you joking? Why would I do a role like this where I am beaten at the end as I was playing the villain?’ So, they tried to justify why she was the way she was but that ruined the whole thing. So, we went back to the original and I did my part the way Soumik read it —strangely menacing and icy cool. I tried to do that and when I saw the final result, I was happy.

Do you feel women are more empowered now?
I don’t agree with this whole thing about empowering women. They are born empowered! Somebody has said that women are one half of the population and responsible for the other half. You can’t beat that. Somewhere we are thinking that only career women are doing something. But running a home is equally important, if not more. Bringing love and warmth to the home, which is often overlooked, is paramount to a happy family. I salute all those women. Also, working and running a home is a herculean task and my jaw drops when I see women doing that.

The actor is co-producing a film inspired by real incidents which is expected to roll in July and is scheduled for a February 2019 release
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 16, 2018)

After announcing his first home production, Captain Nawab, in August 2016, Emraan Hashmi has signed another co-production. The actor will headline Cheat India which takes a look at the startling crimes in the Indian education system that have created a parallel ecosystem infested with greedy harvesters. The film is slated for a February 2019 release and will be directed by Soumik Sen who had earlier made Gulaab Gang with Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla in 2014. The edge-of-the-seat drama kicks off in July, and is inspired by real incidents. Soumik promises it is a film for every Indian student who is under pressure to excel in a competitive environment. After Tumhari Sulu, Bhushan Kumar has joined hands with Atul Kasbekar and Tanuj Garg to produce the film, with Emraan on board as actor-producer. Says Bhushan, “The film will reflect the new-age appetite for compelling content rooted in realism.”

Emraan asserts that the subject has wide appeal because it’s about everyone’s base, the education system in our country. “There will be a lot of revelations that look at the glitches in the system. It’s one of the finest scripts I’ve read in the last 10-15 years. I am thrilled to be essaying what I believe will be a landmark role in my filmography,” he revealed.

Getting nostalgic about his days as a student, the actor shares, “I struggled a lot through school, not particularly academics, because I was a borderline distinction student, getting around 70-75 per cent in almost all subjects. But I wasn’t particularly fond of studies and had to really push myself. Everything that I did was to make my parents happy.”

The actor adds he was even more confused when he went to college about what he should be doing. “A lot of people in our country go through the same confusion because we don’t get any vocational training which is an absolute must to give direction to a student’s life and career. We spend five years working towards a degree while trying to figure out what to do in life,” he grouses, admitting that even though he has a commerce degree, in retrospect he says that he should have taken up Arts. “Nothing I did in college could be applied to my profession. They were the five most confusing years of my life.”

Being a father to seven-year-old Ayaan, Emraan admits that parenting is tricky because everyone has got an opinion on it. “But despite all the advice, you learn along the way and that’s how it is with Ayaan. When enrolling your child in school, you get down to researching what route to take. We zeroed in on a particular school after talking to a lot of other parents and reading about all the options. It’s like a well thought-out road map,” he points out, adding that he is particular about not burdening his child with his own fears or dreams as a lot of parents do.

Speaking about what Ayaan wants to do in life, the actor says he’s given his son complete freedom to make his own choices. “He can be anything he wants and it’s not necessarily acting. He could be a doctor or a pilot or engineer, whatever he wants I’m fine with it. Ayaan is his own person, he has very definite likes and dislikes, and I’m sure he will be clear about his future course of action over the next few years. As parents we are there as his support system,” he smiles.

Co-producing a film is a new experience for Emraan and he believes prep is the most important to the process and will be giving a lot of time to it. “For an actor there’s always the greed to essay a character that tests his skills and this one, I know, will keep me on my toes,” he exults.

Producer Tanuj Garg has the last word. “From Neerja to Tumhari Sulu, the projects we are developing are incredibly diverse, varied in scope, and speak to the elevated tastes of audiences today. Cheat India will entertain and uplift,” he promises.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; September 2, 2017)

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 25, 2015)

Harshada Rege (DNA; March 29, 2014)

John Abraham is one actor who puts his money where his mouth is. The actor believes in being fit and that sports education should be part of the curriculum in schools. He’s not just a sports enthusiast, but also a co-owner of Delhi Waveriders, which won the Hockey India League this year. On the movie front, after putting his weight behind films like Vicky Donor and Madras Cafe, the actor is now seeking inspiration from the world of sports. Three of the films that he is producing will focus on sports and sportsmen, who have been recognised for their achievements. He says, “I’ve always strongly supported sports and fitness and with these films I attempt to put the spotlight on subjects that have long been ignored in India.”

No cricket
When asked if these films will be made back-to-back, he says, “We are still in the pre-production stage and these projects are on paper for now.” The actor knows that none of these are formula films, but is keen to make a movie that in Bollywood language would be called hatke. He says, “I believe that content is king. Audiences are evolving and as filmmakers we shouldn’t take their intelligence for granted.” However, none of the three inspiring tales come from the world of cricket. It’s especially surprising considering the fact that one of John’s good friend is Mahendra Singh Dhoni (a movie on MSD’s life is already being planned by Neeraj Pandey). Though the actor doesn’t have any plans to make a movie based on cricket or cricketers as of now, he says he could probably attempt that in the future.

Footie fever
John starred in Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal (2007) directed by Vivek Agnihotri. It was based on football. Bipasha Basu was seen opposite him in the film that failed to create any buzz at the box-office. Now the actor will be seen playing football on screen once again, but this time Shoojit Sarcar will be in the director’s seat. The movie titled 1911 is a true story about the Mohun Bagan team. The movie, which has been written by Soumik Sen (director of Gulaab Gang), is based on Mohun Bagan’s victory over East Yorkshire Regiment in 1911. They became the first native team to have won the IFA Shield by defeating Yorkshire. The Indian players were dressed in dhotis and were barefeet, while the British wore shorts and boots.

Throwing a punch
Wrestle-mania: Next on John’s list is Gama Pehlwan. The movie will be directed by Parmeet Sethi and is another real-life story based on the life of wrestler Ghulam Muhammad Butt, who was popularly known as the Great Gama. After Independence in 1947, Gama moved to the newly created state of Pakistan. The John Bull Belt winner remained unbeaten till death in his career spanning over 50 years. The actor certainly has the physique for the role and we’re sure he’ll bulk up some more.

Professional racing
Dhoom again? John will take his love affair with bikes a step further by paying the mean machines an ode through a film. In December, the actor posted a tweet that read, ‘We need a serious film on motorcycle racing... Am planning one!!! Need feedback’. The post was followed by a picture of the International Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy), which is known to be extremely dangerous because of the high speeds on narrow, twisting streets and lanes flanked by stone walls and buildings. After Dhoom 2, this will be John’s second ride on bikes in films.

Seema Sinha (BOMBAY TIMES; March 11, 2014)

For over a decade now, incidents of rape have become more a part of our reality than our scripts. With sordid cases like the Nirbhaya gangrape in Delhi and the Shakti Mills gangrape in Mumbai occurring with alarming frequency, sensitive directors no longer see the need to include these in films in the name of titillation anymore.

Most Bollywood films set in the 1950s to the 90s had a set rape “formula”. The biggest villains — from Pran and Prem Chopra to Ranjeet, Shakti Kapoor and Gulshan Grover — played rapists over and over again, sometimes as simply dominating the fairer sex and sometimes, as a tool for revenge.

Says filmmaker Sudhir Mishra, “Almost every film in the 80s showed rape in a crude manner. But sometime in the early 1990s, Rajkumar Santoshi handled the issue very sensitively in Damini, where rape horrified rather than titillated the audience.”

In the last three years alone, rape, molestation and sexual harassment cases have gone up by as much as 50% across the country, with Maharashtra alone rising by 233%. On screen, however, rapes have greatly diminished. And this is perhaps because today’s youth just doesn’t watch cinema for titillation. Back then, rape was used more to stimulate and excite rather than being a script necessity. With today’s generation having ready access to different kinds of porn, mere skin show in films isn’t enough anymore. Director Imtiaz Ali further elaborates, “These days, we consciously make a distinction between a sex scene and a rape scene because with liberalisation in society, a consumer has access to all kinds of video footage. It is understood that a sex scene should titillate, while a rape scene has to titillate as well horrify and disturb you. Earlier, the intent of showing a rape scene was sexual impulse, but with time it has changed. If costumes and conversations can be bold, pornographic intent has no reason to survive in India. Sex content can be watched on the net and the audience doesn’t need to go for movies for that purpose.”

Mishra attributes the change in the thought process to “more evolved young filmmakers”. He says, “Post 2000, many young filmmakers, who are sensitive towards women-related issues, have entered the industry. They are much more evolved and gender conscious.” Director Soumik Sen adds, “And then the filmmakers don’t want to feed reality when there are so many channels that are bombarding us with the ugly truth.”

Most importantly, the brutal gang-rape of a Delhi girl in December 2012 that triggered a national debate over the portrayal of women in popular cinema and TV, has definitely had a huge impact on the filmmakers and their conscience. As Shabana Azmi says, “It led to a lot of soulsearching in different sections of society, including the film industry. Discussions were held amongst us as to what we can do to create more positive images of women, to resist commodifying and objectifying them. The newer lot of filmmakers are more conscious and leading ladies themselves are empowered enough to say no to crassness and gratuitousness. Even if rape is crucial to the film’s story, it can be filmed without deriving vicarious pleasure. Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen is a prime example.”

Mahesh Bhatt says, “There were certain creeps who showed the heinous crime in a crude manner, but after the Nirbhaya case, deep introspection has gone into it. Commodification of women has been given thought to.” However, he also strongly believes that issues related to real and reel life cannot be linked. Bhatt adds, “You can’t link the problem in virtual space to the problem in real life; it trivialises the whole issue. People attribute too much power to films, but it is only limited. Films are a temporary climate of well-being. Books and films can play only that much of a role. Real life issues need to be tackled by actioning and strict vigilance.”

With viewers using more discretion, leading to directors becoming more imaginative, the future looks brighter. One hopes filmmakers will continue tackling serious issues with sensibility and sensitivity.

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; March 11, 2014)

Soumik Sen, 38, is sharp, eloquent and has a great sense of humour. Like a true emotional Bengali, he loves his music, food and Satyajit Ray. This journalist-turned-director is the writer, music director and director of Gulaab Gang and is a complete Madhuri Dixit bhakt. Over an hour-long conversation before the release of his film, he spoke to Bombay Times about his discerning mother, the non-vegetarian Madhuri Dixit versus the vegetarian Juhi Chawla and why he believes a woman can beat a man hands down on all counts. Excerpts:
 
How did you become a filmmaker?
I was born and brought up in Kolkata. After studying at St Xavier’s, I did my masters in Economics from Delhi School of Economics. I did a brief stint at the World Bank, after which I became a business journalist and produced a business show on television, where I was required to research, write and interview people for the programme. I disliked Delhi as a city and after five years of being a journalist, I took a transfer to Mumbai, as I wanted to write films. I met Raj Kaushal, who was a friend’s friend and told him that I wanted to write films. He gave me my first film to write Anthony Kaun Hai, which Raj himself directed. I then wrote the Kishore Kumar biopic and spoke to Ranbir Kapoor. This is before Barfi. And then Anurag came on board to direct it. In the meantime, I wrote Gulaab Gang and have directed it. My next film will be a biopic based on the life of PC Sorcar, which I have written and will be directing too. 

Tell us about your family?
I am the only child and being a single child helped, as I got all the attention of my parents. My parents are both retired now, but my dad used to work for Eveready batteries. I grew up in a joint family in Calcutta. If you are a Bengali there, there are two things naturally ingrained in you, one is Tagore, the other, Ray. Which is why I feel Bengali filmmakers have an advantage. Ray is not a part of our syllabus, but he is a part of our bloodstream. We all aspire to be Ray even though we don’t have 1/100th of his talent. He is the greatest filmmaker this country will ever have. I was put into Hindustani musical training at the age of eight and into learning sarod at 14. I played cricket for my school and state. Sourav Ganguly was my senior and house vice-captain, though, I never got to play with him. I would be a voracious reader and had a school band and was also into Shakespearean theatre. Joining Delhi School of Economics was the worst thing in my life. I loved economics, but their approach was way too mathematical. It lacked the human content. I remember I used to doze off in class. I was horrible in D School. I just didn’t like the place and found it just too boring. Every Monday, we would have a unit test. I got 8 out of 80 in the first year in one of the subjects. But, I was clear at a very early age that I had to be economically self-sufficient. And that at no point in time should my parents get the feeling that I am not financially secure, and that I can secure them. But they should not ask how I am getting that money as far as it was legally earned. My dad stuck to one company all his life, so it took him time to adjust to the thought that I could give up my job as a journalist one fine day to just write. When I told my parents that I wanted to make a film, they looked down upon it as I was not planning to make a Bengali intellectual film, but a Bollywood commercial one. At that time, ‘Bombay chala gaya’ was looked down upon. Now it’s exactly the opposite, where if you are a Bengali who has made a film in Mumbai, they look at you as a big achiever, be it Shoojit Sircar, Anurag Basu or Sujoy Ghosh.

How did Gulaab Gang happen?
I actually wanted to do a ‘Western’ which is a big film experience on the big screen. Anurag Basu and Sanjay Leela Bhansali give their audiences that. Sholay would be the best Indian example of a Western. Every Western has a protagonist and antagonist. And the underdog will take down the really powerful guy. Also, Mirch Masala was a massive influence. I believe that men are not big enough to empower women. And actually, if women are financially independent, men become redundant in their lives. So we wanted to create a masala film, where men are almost irrelevant. I have always been a massive Madhuri fan. I presented the film to her completely avoiding eye contact with her. I had written this film keeping only Madhuri in mind and she said yes. If Madhuri had not said yes, this film would not have happened.
 
How different are Madhuri and Juhi to work with?
Madhuri is somebody I can watch the Gunda video with. Gunda is a cult classic starring Mithun Chakraborty and it is so bad that it is so good. It is a D-grade film, but Madhuri gets it and loves it. I introduced her to it while shooting. Juhi is far more prim and proper. She is fun, but in a formal way. Madhuri is much more spontaneous than Juhi. Juhi is a lot more studied, conscious and puts in a lot more thought. Madhuri is incredibly professional. She will be there for a 5 am shot at 4.45 am with her makeup on. We had no stunt doubles or body doubles for any of the shots. Madhuri is non-vegetarian, Juhi is vegetarian. I remember when my associate director came to meet me for the interview, I asked him only one question, ‘Are you vegetarian?’ He said no. I said, ‘You are in.’ But I am way too grateful to Juhi to allow me to break her mould.


Who are you most attached to?
My mother. She is a very strangely crazy person and I am a lot like her. She is extremely loving and gets into these fits of this tempestuous anger, has a giving heart and likes to keep everybody happy. She also has a very discerning eye for music, art and cinema and she is a no-nonsense person when it comes to her telling you what she likes or doesn’t like. Of course, she has the Tagore hangover which every Bengali has. While she likes my singing voice, she would like me to call her more often. Boys cannot have conversations with mothers like girls can. My wife talks to her more than I do. She was a master in Sanskrit, but devoted a lot of her life to my cultural and emotional upbringing. I know that she could have done more with her life, but she sacrificed it for me. And, of course, she is a great cook. She came here and I made her meet Madhuri who immediately touched her feet. My mom immediately said, ‘See her upbringing.’ The best thing I like about my mother is that she keeps me grounded. The first time my picture came out with Madhuri in the paper, she called me to say your hairline is receding. The other anchor in my life is my wife. The day I took my first shot of Gulaab Gang, I had three missed calls from her. I called her back hoping that she would ask me about the shot. But she said, ‘Do you have Ramesh’s new number?’ He is the guy who delivers gas. That is life and it is brilliant.

Are Bengali women dominating?
I like dominating women as they are more competent. Also, versus physical power, you give the woman the same training as a man and she will beat the shit out of him.

Kishore Kumar has an inordinate fan following, but the director of Gulaab Gang,Soumik Sen, is such a big fan that he chooses to be called ‘Bangdu’ (what Kishore Kumar called his protégé in Padosan) by his own fans on Twitter. Much as you expect from a true-blue Bengali, he has written 3 Bengali biopics that will be made by the end of 2015
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; February 19, 2014)

PC SORCAR: To be directed by Soumik Sen himself.
SOUMIK: This is the story of the legacy of magic being passed on from the father to the son and the untold story of the greatest magician in the world. (Senior PC Sorcar, pictured left, died in 1971. PC Sorcar Junior, pictured right, is who we know today as PC Sorcar). He is my friend and I have his permission to make this film. The film will be shot in Kolkata, Japan and Brazil and I will start working on it as soon as I am back from Brazil, as I am going there for the football World Cup.
 
1911: To be directed by Shoojit Sircar starring John Abraham.
SOUMIK: This true story is based on 3 things that happened in 1911. The National Anthem was sung for the first time in the Indian National Congress. The capital of India shifted from Calcutta to Delhi. Rabindranath Tagore turned 50. What makes this story interesting is the fact that all these 3 things are related to that match where Mohun Bagan (the Indian Calcutta team) defeated the British Yorkshire Regiment 2:1, that too playing barefoot against their opponents in full boots.

KISHORE KUMAR: To be directed by Anurag Basu starring Ranbir Kapoor.
SOUMIK: I am fascinated by making Bengali biopics, but nobody is closer to this script than me. I am a devotee. My one reason for writing Kishore Kumar was Martin Scorsese. I see the biopics Scorsese has done and the kind of people he has chosen and I have always wanted to tell him, ‘Wait till you see the life of this guy. You ain’t seen nothing.’ Richard Attenborough made one on Chaplin, somebody made Peter Sellers, somebody else made Jim Morrison. None of them compare with Kishore Kumar. He is the cumulative talent quotient of Elvis, The Beatles, Chaplin and Michael Jackson put together.

Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; February 13, 2014)

Even as Gulaab Gang gears up for release on March 7, it is being said that the film is based on Sampat Pal’s life, which has already been captured in the documentary, Gulabi Gang.

However, Soumik Sen, director of Gulaab Gang, denies this. “The film is not inspired from any real- life story as it is a work of fiction. So the question of giving credit to anyone doesn’t arise,” he says.

On the other hand, Gulabi Gang leader Sampat Pal tells HitList that she has seen the film’s promos. “How can the makers say that their film is a work of fiction? It’s our story and Madhuri Dixit is playing me in the film. If it is not my story, I want to ask them which other women’s gang do they know of in the country? Why don’t they just accept that their film takes inspiration from my life and take my permission to show it? I would have no issues with them then,” says Pal, who has already filed a case against the makers of Gulaab Gang in the Delhi High Court.

Sohum Shah, who is releasing a documentary on the Gulabi Gang, says that no comparisons should be drawn between the two. “Gulabi Gang’s release date was decided by PVR; we did not choose this date. Besides, one is a documentary and the other is a work of fiction,” he says.

In the meanwhile, the documentary has received support from the right corners. A source says, “Kiran Rao is hosting a screening of Gulabi Gang on Thursday night and Aamir’s friends Prasoon Joshi, Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Ayan Mukerji are expected to attend the same.”

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; February 8, 2014)

The world is deewana over Madhuri Dixit’s adayein and her naach. In her upcoming film Gulaab Gang, she will be singing a song for the first time. What makes it even more special is that her mother Snehlata Dixit, who is a trained classical singer, will be starting the song from where Madhuri takes it on. The song is a folk song titled Rangi Sari Gulaabi Chunariya that has been composed by the director of the film Soumik Sen. We can’t wait to listen to the voice of this Gulaabi gang lady.

Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; February 4, 2014)

Sohum Shah and Anand Gandhi are backing the release of the documentary Gulabi Gang that will release just before Soumik Sen’s film Gulaab Gang. Directed by Nishtha Jain, the documentary is set to release on February 21 and it is said that Sen’s film has drawn inspiration from this documentary.

A source says, “Soumik and his team have referenced this documentary extensively as it was shot two years ago and has already been to many film festivals. But ironically, the documentary was not getting much support here. Moreover, Gulaab Gang’s makers have not taken permission to make a film on the life of Sampat Pal, who leads this group of pink sari clad women in real-life.” Seeing the lack of support for the documentary, Sohum and Anand decided to present the same.

“Documentaries often do not get a proper platform. Our own film, Ship Of Theseus, saw a theatrical release because of Kiran Rao’s support. Now we are taking the opportunity to help Nishtha. However, I am not sure if Soumik has copied anything from the documentary as I haven’t seen his film,” says Sohum, adding that there is no hidden agenda behind releasing the documentary ahead of Sen’s film that releases on March 7.

Sen’s film stars Madhuri Dixit in the lead role and Juhi Chawla as the antagonist. Upon being contacted, the filmmaker denied drawing inspiration from the documentary. “My film is a work of fiction,” Sen said. However, another source insists, “There are a few incidents in the film which are rooted in reality and are strikingly similar to Sampat’s story.”

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 22, 2014)

The brief given to me by director Soumik Sen was to design the stunts in a manner that they look both aesthetic as well as realistic," says Kanishka Sharma, who has choreographed the action for the upcoming Madhuri Dixit-Juhi Chawla starrer Gulaab Gang.

Making the fights look realistic meant absolutely no reference points, either from Hollywoood or Hindi cinema. "It couldn't be as gritty as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, neither could it be as suave as the Matrix," he says, adding that he trained Madhuri in rare martial art forms like Shaolin Kungfu, Pekiti Tirsia Kali and Shaolin Chin-na.

"I was taken aback by Madhuri's agility and her pitch-perfect timing, something that is paramount as far as shooting such action sequences go,” says Sharma who has trained actors like Shah Rukh Khan and John Abraham for films like Don and Goal.

He equates the enduring action he designs with the beauty of dance, insisting that had it not been for Madhuri's dance background, the shots wouldn't have been filmed as smoothly as they were.

How different it is to train a woman in action as opposed to men? "Women understand rhythm and intricate details, while men are always worried about flaunting their physical prowess," Kanishka says. "I remember a scene where Madhuri had to twist a man's arm and kick him hard. I rehearsed with her for a few hours before the shot, but was a little apprehensive. Later, I was shocked at how comfortably she pulled it off. She makes all my otherwise tiring action look effortless on screen."

The training before the film went on the floors lasted for over a month, sometimes stretching up to 30 hours at one go. "I extensively trained Madhuri in Shaolin Kung Fu, besides stick training, Shaolin joint locking, Kali knife, short stick and of course, close combat." And what about safety on the set? "I was present throughout the shoot to make sure that nothing went wrong and nothing did," Kanishka says with a sense of unmistakable pride.

Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; January 21, 2014)

Not many are aware that actress Madhuri Dixit’s mother, Snehlata Dixit, is a trained classical singer.
And while daughter Madhuri has taken to the mic for films such as Devdas and Wajood, Snehlata Dixit will be singing for a Bollywood film for the first time. Director Soumik Sen confirms that he has roped her in to sing a song for his film, Gulaab Gang. What’s more, she will be singing alongside Madhuri.

Speaking to HitList, Sen, who is also the music director for the film, said, “It is a kajri (folk song) which starts in Madhuri’s mother’s voice and then Madhuri takes over from her. Given her mother’s background in music, we didn’t need to guide her. I just had to make Madhuri work a little on her pitch for the threeminute song.” He adds that it wasn’t a planned move to have Madhuri’s mother on board.

“On the day of the recording at Empire Studio, Madhuri was accompanied by her parents. She then told me that her mother knew the lyrics to the song Rangi sari gulabi chunariya re. I then requested her mother to sing and luckily for me, she obliged,” he recounts, adding that other songs in the film have been sung by classical singer, Kaushiki Chakravarty.