Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 5, 2020)

In his 20-year-old career, Sharman Joshi has been appreciated in a number of roles including Rang De Basanti (2006), Golmaal (2006), Life in a... Metro (2007), 3 Idiots (2009), and Ferrari Ki Sawaari (FKS; 2012), among others. And though people appreciate his talent and versatility, he has not been seen in as many films.

Joshi talks about the challenges in his profession, and says, “Choices mein galti ho gayi ho toh, please give me another chance (smiles). We are all humans and make errors. In this profession, you are only as good as your last project. Some films don’t turn out the way you expect them to. Post FKS, three of my films — War Chhod Na Yaar (2013), Gang Of Ghosts and Super Nani (both 2014), didn’t turn out the way they were on paper. That was a bit of a setback for me and disappointing, too. To emerge out of a setback, one needs a lot of effort, patience and luck. I am glad I got Mission Mangal last year.”

Having been an actor for so long, Joshi knows what it takes to make it work. Ask him about favouritism and nepotism in the industry, and he says, “To get a break in the industry can be quite exasperating and disappointing but that is the challenge all of us have taken on. It is the same with any competitive profession, including sports. In the film business, people want to work with a certain set of actors and that is fair as you want a team that is on the same page as you are and in sync with you. I can’t point fingers at someone if he or she is working constantly with one person. I did two films back-to-back with Mr (Rajkumar) Hirani and Mr (Vidhu Vinod) Chopra as they liked me as an actor and I was more than happy to be part of their films.”

Joshi is happy with the response to the second season of his web show Baarish and has a few films lined up for release including director Umesh Shukla’s Aankh Micholi. He is also looking forward to shooting filmmaker duo Abbas-Mustan’s thriller for an OTT soon. “Thrillers are their forte and I am excited about the project as I wanted to work with them,” he concludes.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; February 17, 2019)

It’s rare to see a filmmaker who is able to laugh at himself while trying to make others laugh. But, director Indra Kumar, who started off with serious films like Beta (1992) and Raja (1995), now jokes that no one takes him seriously. His career had a serious scare in 2016, when a copy of Great Grand Masti leaked online prior to its release and the filmmaker went off the radar. Come 2019, he’s back on the scene with Total Dhamaal, the third installment of the Dhamaal franchise. In a candid chat, the director talks about the importance of the new antipiracy law and the need for comedies. Excerpts:

Back in 2016, your film Great Grand Masti had leaked online a fortnight before its release. A few weeks ago, new anti-piracy laws were appended in the Cinematograph Act. This happening right before your next release seems like life’s a come a full circle, isn’t it?
I think I was the only one who suffered the way I did in the entire history of the film industry. I welcome this new amendment, but it will make a difference only when it is actually practised. Great Grand Masti was three years of hard work. I had invested a few crores in it. I lost that money as well as whatever I was hoping to earn from it, because it leaked online. I hope things change with this new law. But I had to move on, so I started working again. I began writing Total Dhamaal, which eventually pulled me out of that mess. Work keeps your mind busy and has the power to pull you out of any adversity. You can die brooding, but that won’t help.

You’ve tried to do something new by adopting the adventure comedy genre for Total Dhamaal. Are you nervous about the way the audience will react to it?
From the first day, all of us in the team were confident about making a good film. Box office is a game of destiny. Our funda is very clear — dimaag ghar pe rakh ke aao and enjoy karo. There’s so much negativity in the air today that you just need something to make you laugh without a reason. Filmmakers like Rohit Shetty, Anees Bazmee and I are doing social service by making comedies that can ease the pressure off people’s minds. It’s scary how serious people have become these days.

Today, most filmmakers would not appreciate it if someone called their film a ‘keep your brains at home’ product. You don’t seem to mind that.
Mazaak mein logic kahan hota hai? How can you enjoy jokes if you start reasoning with them? I want people to be mentally disarmed when they come to the theatres; enjoy themselves and go home feeling light. On a roller-coaster ride, you just enjoy the thrills, you don’t ask questions about why it makes you happy, right? I understand that a certain amount of logic is needed in life per se, but if you treat comedies like intellectual dramas, they will only disappoint you. Laurel & Hardy and Charlie Chaplin are regarded as the grandaddies of comedy, and they never offered logic in their humour.

Comedian WC Fields had once said, ‘Comedy is serious business’. Do you agree with that?
Yes, I do. The worst part is that everyone thinks it’s the easiest form of entertainment. If you ask people to write a humorous article, most of them will take a long time to turn it in, because it’s not easy. Writing humour is tough and it has nothing to do with age. The actors in my film, Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit and Ajay Devgn, have all honed their comic sensibilities with age and experience. They’re more spontaneous now and their skill elevates the script to another level. Peter Sellers was a comic star from the word go and with age, he only got better.

After trying different brands of comedy films, you seem to have gravitated towards more family oriented entertainers. Would you ever want to return to your roots — serious films?
To a degree, I think I have succeeded with most genres of comedy and now, I want to make a serious film. No one is taking me seriously (laughs!). I tried making Super Nani and it didn’t work, so I decided to keep my mouth shut for some time. Now, if I make a drama, it will be a modern story. I agree that Super Nani was dated. I had the story for 10 years. By the time we made the film, the subject had become dated. That was my mistake. People have been asking me to make Ishq 2. My point is, how many sequels can I make? Now I want to make a first of something. Mere intentions ko koi seriously nahi leta hai. Labelling works very well in our industry. It has advantages and disadvantages. People smirk at an actor or director who tries to change his core genre. The transition can be difficult. After making comedies for 15 years, this genre is perceived as my safe zone. One day, when I think I’ve had enough of humour, I will make a serious film on my own.

Are you satisfied with the way your career has turned out?
My ambition is to go higher. Of course, how far you get in this industry is a matter of fate. When I decided to make Total Dhamaal, I didn’t know where to start. I went over to Ajay Devgn and said, ‘I am in a mess and I want to make a film with you.’ He said, ‘Indu ji, narrate the idea.’ I did that and here we are today. I knew I had a good script, but I also was in a messed up state of mind. He liked the concept and it all fell into place. After delivering two consecutive flops, people thought mera pack up ho gaya hai. Ajay understood my vision and helped me get it out there. Today, I feel confident that I can imagine or visualise a film like this. There are learnings with every movie. This film is special because it taught me that even if you don’t know how things work, you should try your luck. It’s at least made me more fearless and I now want to tap uncharted territories.

Indra Kumar on the third installment of his ensemble comedy, #MeToo allegations against Rajkumar Hirani, bringing back Madhuri Dixit of the nineties, and why his last directorial, Great Grand Masti, which tanked at the box-office, was a hit
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 16, 2019)

Indra Kumar has pulled off a casting coup by getting Ajay Devgn, Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit to join Riteish Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi and Javed Jaffrey in the third installment of the Dhamaal Franchise. The director confessed that comedy is serious business and he worked with his team of writers for 18 months on the script of his upcoming film before approaching the stars. Excerpts from an interview:

Was it difficult getting an ensemble cast on board for the third installment of the Dhamaal franchise?
It was more nostalgic as I was teaming up with Ajay, Anil and Madhuri after a long time. There was no trouble getting any of the actors on board because their tracks had them laughing out loud. It took just one narration to get the cast in place. And as a director I’ve played to everyone’s strengths.

Given that Ajay has done several comedies, including the Golmaal series, wasn’t there a risk of him getting repetitive?
A talented actor like Ajay can be moulded repeatedly in different ways. He has been around for three decades and given us many comedies, but no two films of his have been alike. This film, too, will present him in a never-seen-before avatar. Without his support, Total Dhamaal, wouldn’t have been made, as he is involved both creatively and financially. He will continue to be a part of this franchise from hereon.

Why isn’t Sanjay Dutt a part of this film, considering he was a part of the first two?
I had approached Sanjay but he didn’t have combination dates as he was doing five films.

Madhuri’s back in the commercial space after a long time...
I have directed Madhuri in films like Dil, Beta and Raja and I still see her in the same space. I have always presented her like never before and this trend will continue with Total Dhamaal as well. The script allows her to dance, gives her quirky one-liners and lets her add glamour to the film. She is romantically paired with Anil, which adds to the excitement.

It’s quite refreshing to see a filmmaker cast a 50-plus actress for a lead role ...
You need to watch the film to see how gorgeous she looks in it. Madhuri has maintained herself well. There is no question of the audience not accepting her in such an avatar. She will remind you of the Madhuri from the ’90s.

While Dhamaal was a laugh riot, Double Dhamaal had plenty of double entendre jokes...
(Cuts in) There was no vulgarity.

The Mallika Sherawat track…
Don’t confuse vulgarity with glamour.

And Total Dhamaal…
It is a film everybody from a grandfather to a grandchild can watch together. A first-of-its-kind adventure comedy, it has great visual effects and is mounted on a lavish scale. Apart from actors, we also have a lot of animals and that should excite the kids. It’s good that we are experimenting with different subjects in the commercial space. We need to explore commercial cinema as the brand of cinema is never going to die no matter how much the world changes. It’s there in our blood.

Your last directorial Great Grand Masti failed at the box office. Were you disheartened ?
The reason it didn’t do as well as expected is that many viewers watched it on their cell phones before the release. There was a lot of curiosity around it, but piracy killed its commercial prospects. ‘Disappointed’ is too small a word to describe how I felt. A lot of time and money was invested in the film. It would have been a huge hit had the film not been leaked online.

Any plans to revamp the Masti franchise?
At this point, there are no plans to make another adult comedy. I am focused on family films.

That’s been your strength as a director. What made you switch to adult comedies in the 2000s?
As a director, you want to explore different genres but apart from the three Masti films, I’ve always catered to a family audience. We have no problems watching American Pie or The Hangover but have a problem with Masti. That’s hypocrisy! Many enjoyed the franchise but won’t admit to it openly.

How crucial is Total Dhamaal’s BO fate for you?
It’s important for everyone involved. We have not compromised on any aspect, we worked on the script for a year-and-a-half. It was rewritten till we were satisfied. I worked hard to evolve with the times as I don’t want people to think I’m outdated.

After Super Nani, any other film with your daughter Shweta in the lead?
There’s something I will be directing. But it’s too early to discuss…

And what’s happening with Hera Pheri 3?
There is a slight delay as we are still working on the script. I will move into it once Total Dhamaal is out of my system. The film will happen.

And Dil 2?
I’m confused about that sequel, right now it is on hold.

Rajkumar Hirani was recently outed by an assistant. Shocked?
Very shocked, that a gentleman like Rajkumar Hirani has been pulled into the #MeToo movement. I hope the truth comes out soon. We shouldn’t pass judgments at this point.

There is a sense of fear in the industry following similar allegations against big names…
I don’t see any fear, everyone is behaving normally, rather respect for women has increased. Earlier, there were instances when women weren’t treated right, now everyone is more responsible. 

SMALL BUDGET RELEASES TO FACE TOUGH TIME AT BOX OFFICE!

3 small-budget films will try their luck at the box office tomorrow but due to lack of buzz, all 3 films will have a tough time. My views:

SUPER NANI: This is a family entertainer, directed by Grand Masti director Indra Kumar who gets into a diametrically different territory with this film. It stars Rekha, Randhir Kapoor, Sharman Joshi and marks the comeback of Indra’s daughter Shweta 6 films after her first film Karzzzz released. The film tries to give a nice message but it looks very unconvincing and dated. Even the humour doesn’t quite work. Songs haven’t worked at all. Needless to say, it stands no chance.

ROAR – TIGERS OF THE SUNDERBANS: It is directed by Kamal Sadanah starring newcomers. It is shot in the majestic Sunderbans and features real tigers. The film doesn’t have any backing of studio and yet the makers have managed to come up with a film that is top class in terms of production values and VFX. The film has caught attention but due to poor marketing strategy, the film hasn’t quite created excitement. In fact, the 2 heroines of the film (Himarsha V and Nora Fatehi) are quite hot and even Abhinav Shukla is dashing and the makers should have promoted them well as it would have ultimately helped the film. The film’s opening will be low but if response is positive, it can attract significant number of viewers.

FIREFLIES: It is a small-budget indie film starring Rahul Khanna, Arjun Mathur, Monica Dogra, Shivani Ghai and Aadya Bedi. The trailer is interested but the film is for niche audiences. On top of it, awareness for the film is negligible.

WHICH FILM WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AND WHY? DO LET ME KNOW!
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HAPPY NEW YEAR IS A SUCCESS…BUT…

The grand Diwali release Happy New Year took a huge 40 crore opening and broke records. The film dropped on Saturday, as is the case whenever a film opens huge and on a holiday. But the film failed to pick on Sunday and dropped significantly on Monday. It is expected to collect 135 crore in its first week, which is 20 crore less than Kick’s first week collections. And this is quite surprising since Happy New Year opened so well. The response for the film is mixed, with many criticizing the film’s plot and the loopholes in the narrative.

Happy New Year will be a success eventually but surely it could have done better. Its second weekend collections will indicate where the film is heading. Let’s see where Indiawaale end up after all!

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; October 26, 2014)

Gaurav Dubey (MID-DAY; October 10, 2014)

Veteran actress, Rekha, who steps into the grandma role yet again with her upcoming movie, Super Nani, is going all out to promote the film. She is expected to visit the sets of two popular reality shows for the purpose. “Rekha is rarely seen at public events but she is enthusiastically promoting her film on different shows along with her co-stars,” said a source.

A source close to the actress said that she was keen to keep up with the current trend of the promotional blitzkrieg. She has already shot for an episode of comedian Kapil Sharma’s show, Comedy Nights With Kapil. “It was great fun to see her loosen up and sing and dance with Kapil. Soon, she will shoot with Salman Khan, who is hosting a reality show. We have a different strategy altogether for that,” added a source close to the project.

Super Nani director, Indra Kumar says, “Due to extreme confidence in the story, subject and the final product, she has gone out of her way to promote the film across various platforms,” he said.

Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; October 4, 2014)

After declaring that they would release their film on Diwali (October 24) and be okay with clashing against Farah Khan’s Happy New Year, the makers of Rekha-starrer Super Nani have suddenly developed cold feet. They are now pushing ahead the release by a week; the film will now hit the marquee on October 31.

Indra Kumar’s long-in-the-making film, which marks Rekha’s return to the big screen after a hiatus, was initially scheduled to release in May this year. However re-shooting certain portions, coupled with finding a suitable release date, kept the project on hold. Apart from Rekha, the film stars Sharman Joshi, Shweta Kumar and Randhir Kapoor.

Says a source, “Initially, it was decided that the film — it revolves around a spunky grandmother — was suitable for festive family viewing. Though their film was clashing with Happy New Year, they felt that there would be takers for another family film during Diwali.” But it turns out that the makers then had second thoughts about this plan. “They have now pushed ahead the release by a week; they no longer want to risk clashing with Happy New Year. Also, Indra Kumar considers it lucky when his film is rescheduled to hit the big screen on another date. He also thinks that re- shooting scenes works in his favour.”

Indra Kumar remained unavailable for comment, but the film’s spokesperson confirmed that the film has been pushed ahead by a week as it makes for a better option.

Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 17, 2014)

This Diwali, four years after the late Raj Kanwar-directed Sadiyaan: Boundaries Divide, Love Unities, Rekha will be back on screen in and as Indra Kumar's Super Nani. The diva was also seen in Krrish 3 but that was just a fleeting appearance.

The upcoming family drama is in the Beta and Dil mould. Rekha plays a matriarch who is much maligned till her grandson, Sharman Joshi, decides to change his old-fashioned nani into a hip and happening granny. On the way to this startling metamorphosis, there is a reference to an ad with Amitabh Bachchan.

Says a source close to the production, "Anupam Kher, who is an old buddy, comes to the new glam Bharti and offers her an ad with the Big B, much to the surprised envy of her family. Rekha does a take-off on Bachchan's famous mannerisms, including the trademark 'hain', as is seen in the film's first trailer which will be unveiled this weekend."

When contacted, the film's co-producer and director Indra Kumar confirmed the news, saying, "The scene you refer to is a part of the story, wherein we witness Rekhaji's transformation and her entry into the modelling world, following which she is offered prestigious TV commercials. When we approached her with this scene in which she had to imitate Mr Bachchan's famous mannerisms, which we felt would add a fun element to the story, she sportingly agreed. We have shot it in a humorous way."

The Amitabh-Rekha jodi was last seen in Yash Chopra's Silsila in 1981.

After that Rekha has dubbed for two Bachchan starrers. She was Sridevi's voice in the '86 drama, Aakhri Raasta, and spoke for Soundarya and Jayasudha in Telugu director EVV Satyanarayana's Bollywood debut Sooryavansham.

Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 22, 2014)

It was going to be Happy New Year all the way for Shah Rukh Khan this Diwali. Till the makers of Randeep Hooda's Rang Rasiya, which had been lying in the cans for six long years, decided to release the film during the festival of lights (Mirror, July 23). Now Mirror has learnt of another competitor who has jumped into the fray to take on the Badshah. And she's none other than Rekha.

The diva's Super Nani will also be opening this year on October 24.

The film's co-producer Ashok Thakeria confirmed the news, saying "Yes, we are planning to release our film on Diwali." Pointing out that Super Nani is a complete family entertainer, he reasoned, "It's a film of a family for every family. And Diwali is a festival when the entire family comes together to celebrate with pooja, food, crackers and movies. So what better time than Diwali! Super Nani is not just a celebration of women power but that of the family too."

Hyped as Rekha's return to mainstream cinema, the film has her playing Bharti Bhatia,grandmother to Sharman Joshi.

It also features Randhir Kapoor and Anupam Kher and director-co-producer Indra Kumar's daughter Shweta Kumar.

Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; July 25, 2014)

Rekha has just shot a song for Indra Kumar’s film, Super Nani, that also marks the acting debut of his daughter Shweta.

A source close to the film’s unit says, “In this song, Rekha will be seen dancing to some old classics and the songs include Pyar kiya toh darna kya from Mughal-e-Azam and Mera naam chin chin chu from the film, Howrah Bridge.” The song has apparently been choreographed by Shabina Khan, who has earlier worked with actors like Govinda and Salman Khan.

Super Nani is the story of a young boy who wants his grandmother to turn her life around. The film stars Sharman Joshi, Shweta Kumar and Anupam Kher. Indra Kumar, the director of the film, was not available for comment.

Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 15, 2014)

Fans of Rekha who have been waiting for Indra Kumar's next film, Super Nani, will have to wait longer to see the actress as a hip and happening grandmom.

The film was scheduled to hit the theatres in April, but some scenes had to be reshot, thus delaying the release.

Buzz is, Indra Kumar was not happy with the final product. A source told Mirror, "At least 20 days worth of footage had to be reshot with Rekha and the other actors. Induji wanted to add better comic punches to the dialogue."

The filmmaker doesn't want to take any chances as he is reintroducing his daughter Shweta with this film. She made her Bollywood debut in the Himesh Reshammiya starrer Karzzzz four years ago, which disappeared without a trace.

Shwetha will play Rekha's neighbour in the film which also stars Anupam Kher and Sharman Joshi as her grandson.

When contacted, the film's financer Bharat Shah admitted that the decision to reshoot the portions was taken by Indra Kumar.

But buzz is, the call was taken by Rekha? "No, as Bharat bhai said, the decision was mine," asserted Kumar. "I had reshot portions of Dil, Raja, Beta too. More recently, I did it for Grand Masti. All went on to become big hits."

Besides some scenes, Indra Kumar decided to even change a song picturised on Rekha. "The film's composer Harshit gave me a new song which I thought was better than the one I had previously filmed," explained the filmamker.

Indra Kumar added that though she is known to be a difficult actress, in this case Rekha went out of her way to accommodate the dates. He said, "She had to travel out of the city for some commitments but still gave priority to the shoot. We are planning to release the film on August 29."

Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; March 14, 2014)

Rekha, who returns to the big screen with Indra Kumar’s upcoming film, Super Nani, will reshoot certain portions of the film.

This schedule is slated to start on March 24 at Film City, Goregaon. According to unit sources, the makers reviewed the film’s rushes and didn’t find them up to the mark. The film is said to feature several emotional scenes where the diva interacts with her family, and the director felt they needed more sparkle.

Says the source, “The makers want to make some scenes more appealing. Rekha is known to raise film’s emotional quotient, they felt it was best reshoot these scenes. There is lot at stake as the film revolves around her.”

Starring Randhir Kapoor, Sharman Joshi, Shweta Kumar and Rajesh Kumar, the film is set to release on May 1. The makers recently shot a song sequence Dubai. Incidentally, Indra Kumar is known to reshoot scenes that do not match his expectations. For his last film, Grand Masti, he reshot the entire climax as he felt was not funny enough.

Indra Kumar was unavailable for comment.

Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; February 20, 2014)

With the makers of the Ajay Devgn starrer, 'Action Jackson', and the Akshay Kumar film, 'Holiday', deciding to move their box office battle to June, producer duo Indra Kumar and Ashok Thakeria have now pencilled in May 1 as the release date for their upcoming film 'Super Nani'.

This move has led to some hectic activity to wrap up their project, starring Rekha and Sharman Joshi. -- Directed by Indra Kumar, 'Super Nani' went on the floors over a year ago. But the makers then got busy with their other project 'Grand Masti', and 'Super Nani' was put on the backburner.

Says a unit source, “The sudden decision to announce the release date took everyone by surprise. Overnight, the makers started taking a renewed interest in the project. There is now a marked hurry to finish the project on time. The unit has already flown to Dubai for a shoot schedule. Few days ago, a song was shot at Film City in Mumbai.”

Adds the source, "There was no movement on the project earlier, but now the makers think that the film — that revolves around a boy and his grandmother — would be an ideal May release, as it is vacation time for youngsters."

It seems that the makers want to wrap up the film soon so that ample time is available for the promotions — especially since the reclusive Rekha features in the film.

Incidentally, 'Super Nani' also features Indra Kumar's daughter Shweta, who featured in Satish Kaushik's 2008 film, 'Karzzzz', opposite Himesh Reshammiya.

MUMBAI MIRROR (February 3, 2014)

Saroj Khan made Madhuri Dixit go Dum dama dum in Indra Kumar’s Dil and Dhak dhak in his Beta. And now 16 years later, the choreographer and the filmmaker have reunited for another song for his upcoming film, Super Nani. But this one has not been picturised on Madhuri Dixit but on Kumar’s daughter Shweta. And it’s not a provocatively sensual number but a classical song that Radha sings for Krishna in a temple.

“Sarojji was really thrilled to come on board and watching her I realised just what I’d been missing. She’s still the best and I’m glad that at the end of the first day’s shoot, she was really happy with Shweta.”

 Super Nani also stars Rekha, Ranbir Kapoor and Sharman Joshi.