Showing posts with label Surat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Surat. Show all posts
The audience played the role of PR for Hanuman Ansh-Vishal Chaturvedi
9:21 AM
Deep Saxena (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 2, 2026)
Starting at 250 theaters and coming down to 25 in a week and now running in 1,200 screens in the fourth week, doctor-turned-debutant writer-filmmaker Dr Vishal Chaturvedi’s Hanuman Ansh on Neem Karoli Baba is doing wonders at the box office.
Calling it “magical, divine and driven by the audience,” he says, “At Rs. 1.7 cr, we just wanted the audience to watch and the investment to return but it did wonders (according to data Rs. 45 Cr only in India and counting). We have stopped looking at collections and counting the blessings, appreciation and love.”
Vishal is himself surprised with the “grace.” He says, “I guess what worked in the film primarily is Baba’s divine story (played by actor Shobhinaw Satyaa), music and the actors and makers who are very emotional about the subject. We hardly did any promotion and PR as we did not have any budget, but the audience played the role of PR with word-of-mouth and posting on social media. The audience have driven the film on their shoulders.”
He recalled how August 15 big releases hit them. “Due to the big films (Batwara 1947 and Awarapan 2,) our shows were reduced to just 25 screens but they kept running well. The audience wanted to watch but there were no shows, so people travelled 200-250 kms and posted on SM. There were videos that even after the film ended, the audience were so emotional that they did not get up from their seats. Probably that all worked which no PR can do.”
They did bhandaras instead on PR exercise. After the shows were reduced, they did a road trip from Mumbai. “We went to Rajkot, Surat, Ahmedabad and even small towns where we met the audience, local media and cinema owners. We did not have funds, so we amplified it on social media, and it was boosted by content creators and users with very emotional reels. It organically became viral and shows increased,” he says.
The film has been shot in Chitrakoot and has used Braj, Awadhi and Bundeli language to connect with the wider audience, he says.
A Lucknowite, Vishal completed his MBBS from Gorakhpur in 2006 and in the same year was posted in Haldwani when he got introduced to Baba and went to his ashram in Kainchi Dham (Uttarakhand) where he became a bhakt.
“In 2011, I stopped medical practice and came into writing and assisting in film. I have also worked with Anubhav Sinha for a few years and have assisted in films Hurdang (2022), Dedh Bigha Zameen (2024) and some shows too. My medical profession helps me a scientific and skeptical approach,” says the writer of TV series Fauji 2.
He also runs a Hanuman Chalisa Club which has 12,000 members.
As per Sacnilk, after 25 days it has earned gross collections to ₹53.82Cr and net collections to Rs. 45.63Cr so far.
When it comes to garba songs in films, my personal favourite is Gori Radha Ne Kalo Kaan-Pratik Gandhi
3:47 PM
Soumitra Das (BOMBAY TIMES; October 1, 2025)
“Navratri certainly feels more special this year,” says Pratik Gandhi, who is back to Mumbai after attending three prestigious film festivals abroad. Gandhi, co-starring his actress-wife Bhamini Oza Gandhi, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Phule was screened at the India Film Festival of Alberta (IFFA) 2025 and Ghamasaan was showcased at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival (CSAFF).
He adds, “It happened for the first time in my career that three of my projects were screened at prestigious festivals, and I could attend all of them. I guess I have some special connection with Ganesh Chaturthi too. Right since Bey Yaar (2014), my debut Gujarati film, some of my major films have been released around the festival and done well.” Excerpts from a chat:
‘I love playing garba with friends in Mumbai’
This year, it has rained a lot in Mumbai, and it has impacted some garba venues adversely. I have been busy shooting and will also have to attend some events, but I hope I get to play garba with friends for a day or two. You need a group of friends to enjoy garba to the fullest. If nothing works out, I will invite friends and play garba at home this time. When it comes to garba songs in films, my personal favourite is Gori Radha Ne Kalo Kaan from my film Wrong Side Raju. I also love all songs from Hellaro, especially Vaagyo Re Dhol. I have grown up listening to Falguni Pathak’s garba songs. Bachpan mein toh cassettes play karte thay, and mujhe abhi bhi chronology yaad hai! I also love Bhoomi Trivedi and Aditya Gadhvi’s garba songs.”
‘I love the positive energy all around during Navratri’
What I love the most about the festival is the positive energy all around. Everything feels really vibrant. Miraya (his daughter) loves playing garba too, although she is still not a pro when it comes to garba steps. I think I could last play garba properly about three years back, when we visited a couple of garba venues, where Parthiv Gohil and Bhoomi Trivedi performed. I prefer wearing something comfortable while playing garba-like kurta-pyjama, or a loose dhoti.
‘I will never forget celebrating Navratri in Vadodara’
In 2016, while promoting my film Wrong Side Raju in Vadodara, I visited the United Way of Baroda during Navratri, and it was just magical. I will never forget that experience. I think there were 50,000 revellers playing garba together, in huge circles, and all of them were in sync and doing the same steps. I have never seen anything like that till date. I was mesmerised.
‘Attending TIFF was an experience of a lifetime’
Attending the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) was an experience of a lifetime because it is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, and Gandhi became the first Indian series to premiere at the TIFF’s Primetime programme. Be it as a subject or character, Gandhi has played a special role in my career. I met several distinguished cinephiles at the festival and when they had such good things to say about the series and we got a standing ovation, it felt surreal. It gave me a lot of confidence and interacting with people there was a very enriching experience.
‘I really miss playing garba in Surat’
Pratik and Bhamini, who tied the knot in 2008, have been living in Mumbai since then. Pratik says that he really misses playing garba in Surat, his hometown. He shares, “We had a group of 25 friends, and we visited multiple garba venues every day. I loved learning new garba steps and we would play till 2am. I was very fond of Surat’s sheri garbas. I really miss it.”
He adds, “Also, I loved attending the evening aarti at our housing society and I would discuss with my mother about what to offer as prasad. I also visited two famous temples in Surat with my mother every year. Those childhood memories remain very close to my heart.”
Salman Khan firing case: Pistols used in attack recovered from Tapi river
8:21 AM
The second gun was recovered from Tapi River in Surat on Tuesday. Pic/ANI
Ahmed Ali (THE TIMES OF INDIA; April 24, 2024)
Mumbai: The Mumbai crime branch probing the April 14 firing on actor Salman Khan’s house has recovered the second gun, along with two magazines containing 17 bullets, that the alleged shooters threw in the Tapi river in Surat in their attempt to cover their tracks. The first gun was found earlier in the river on Monday.
The recovery of both the illegal country-made pistols from the riverbed, which in some places was 20m deep, was made with the help of Dubai-based Envitech Marine Consultants, which had earlier helped investigators recover the alleged weapon used in rationalist Narendra Dabholkar’s murder and had offered its services in tracing MBBS student Sadichha Sane, who went missing from Bandra Bandstand in Nov 2021.
The crime branch’s unit 9 team, led by inspector Daya Nayak, reached Tapi river along with one of the alleged shooters, Vikas Kumar Gupta, who showed them the railway bridge from where he and his accomplice, Sagar Kumar Pal, threw the two weapons and the magazines. Five scuba divers, equipped with floodlights and powerful magnetic equipment, scoured the river for the guns.
After a search of nearly eight hours, they found one pistol and four more hours later, they were able to trace the second weapon and the 17 bullets. Police performed the videography of the recovery and made a spot panchnama.
“We used the technology of using powerful magnets underwater to detect the weapons. Our company had similarly removed a weapon in the Dabholkar case for the CBI. In this operation, in some places, the river was 20m deep. It was a big challenge, but our efforts yielded results,” said Vishnu Sharma, an official of Envitech.
Police said the seizure of the two pistols will help them build a watertight case against jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is alleged to have ordered the firing. They said they have already established the chain of events and the sequence of crime to show that Lawrence and his Canada-based brother Anmol Bishnoi are wanted accused in the case.
Police are now working out how many bullets were with the alleged hired henchmen. “Anmol Bishnoi had arranged for two weapons and 35 bullets, of which they fired four rounds at Salman Khan’s balcony. One bullet fell to the ground, and now, we have recovered 17,” said a source, adding that police suspect the remaining were used by Gupta and Pal while practising firing in Bihar. The two, hailing from Bihar, were arrested from Bhuj on April 16.
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Crime branch also recovers four magazines, 13 live rounds from river in Gujarat
Shirish Vaktania (MID-DAY; April 24, 2024)
The Mumbai Crime Branch Unit-9 has recovered the two pistols used in the Salman Khan firing incident, along with four magazines and 13 live rounds from the Tapi River in Surat, Gujarat. The two pistols recovered by the crime branch are suspected to be foreign-made weapons, possibly of Chinese or Pakistani origin. The crime branch deployed skilled divers from Mumbai who used magnetic equipment to locate the firearms in the Tapi River. The first pistol was recovered on Monday from the same spot.
Senior Inspector Daya Nayak, leading Crime Branch Unit-9, accompanied one of the accused, Vicky Gupta, to the Tapi River to pinpoint the location where they disposed of the pistol. Gupta identified the pistol and confirmed its use in the firing incident.
The Tapi River in Surat flows through Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh. It has a depth ranging from 20 feet to 30 feet during high tide and a variable flow speed of 2-15 kmph, depending on winds. Strong undercurrents in the river made it challenging for divers to retrieve the objects in a stretch spanning approximately 1.2 km. The crime branch launched a search operation to recover the firearms from the river after Gupta revealed during interrogation how they had escaped and discarded the firearms.
According to a police officer, the brother of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, Anmol who claimed responsibility for the attack, had instructed the shooters to fire at least 10 rounds at Khan’s residence. Anmol had also planned their escape. An officer stated that the Bishnoi gang, with over 700 operatives across five Indian states, is known for its distinctive firing patterns.
The gang operates primarily from Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab, with international networks extending to countries such as Italy, Armenia, Canada, Dubai, the Philippines, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. The duo, Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal used the same firing pattern the gang is known for, including in the assassination of Punjab singer Sidhu Moose Wala and others.
Salman Khan house firing case: Plan was to hit actor at Panvel farmhouse
9:01 AM
Probe reveals shooters targeted Salman Khan during Eid at his Panvel farmhouse; but plan was foiled as Eid bash was cancelled due to recent family wedding
Shirish Vaktania (MID-DAY; April 23, 2024)
In the investigation into the Salman Khan house firing incident, it is suspected that the shooters had planned the attack during the Eid celebration at the Panvel Farmhouse, a location frequented by the actor and his family. However, this year’s Eid celebration at the farmhouse was cancelled due to Salman’s brother Arbaaz’s recent marriage to makeup artist Sshura Khan. Instead, the family arranged the celebration at Sohail Khan’s house in Mumbai.
Mumbai police sources revealed that Salman often celebrates Eid at his Panvel farmhouse with his entire family, including his father Salim Khan. The police suspected that the arrested shooters, Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, planned the attack at Salman’s farmhouse. The accused also rented a house in Harigram village in Panvel, approximately 7 kilometres from Khan's farmhouse. The Mumbai police also discovered that both shooters conducted reconnaissance outside the farmhouse multiple times on a bike they purchased locally for around Rs 20,000.
An investigating officer said, "We suspect that both shooters planned to fire at Salman during the Eid occasion because he often celebrates Eid at his Panvel house with his family. Panvel was an easy target to escape after the firing because the farmhouse is located near a forest area. However, this year, Salman cancelled the Eid party celebration at his farmhouse."
"On April 10, Salman was in Mumbai at his Galaxy Apartment with his entire family. Both shooters, Gupta and Pal, were also surveilling Salman’s residence area on the same day. We suspect that the shooters planned to fire on Eid, but due to the large crowd outside his apartment, they postponed the plan. During recent investigations, the cops found that their bike was parked near Salman's residence for two days. The shooters were seen roaming near his residence," a police officer said.
A police source, speaking anonymously, said, "Salman’s brother, Arbaaz Khan, married makeup artist Sshura Khan on December 24 last year. This was the first Eid for the couple, and their celebration was arranged at other brother Sohail's residence, where many celebrities were invited. Due to this reason, the farmhouse plan for celebrating Eid was cancelled."
"We also suspect that the shooters were receiving all such information from the Bishnoi gang members and they were in regular touch with them. The Crime Branch is tracing the locations of the callers," a Crime Branch officer revealed. The shooters tried to get rid of the gun by throwing it into the Tapi River in Gujarat near Surat. The Mumbai Crime Branch Unit 9 sought help from divers, fishermen, and locals to find the gun. However, they haven’t found anything yet.
An officer said, "The gun used in the firing at Salman Khan's Galaxy Apartment in Bandstand, Bandra, was of good quality. The bullet used was a 7.62 mm bullet."
The shooters informed the officers that they arrived in Surat and then proceeded to the railway station. They walked along the railway track to reach the Ashwini Kumar railway bridge. Approximately 50-100 metres from this bridge, they threw the gun into the Tapi River. From there they escaped to Kutch Bhuj in Gujarat on a government bus.
Salman Khan home firing: 1 gun found in Gujarat river, hunt on for second
9:00 AM
THE TIMES OF INDIA (April 23, 2024)
Mumbai: The Mumbai crime branch on Monday recovered from Tapi river in Surat a pistol purportedly belonging to the two alleged shooters who targeted actor Salman Khan’s home on April 14. The search continues for a second gun.
The alleged shooters, Vikas Kumar Gupta and Sagar Kumar Pal, had a pistol each, but one of them couldn’t fire at all since he had to ride the getaway bike, a senior police official said. During their interrogation, the two men, who were arrested from Bhuj last Tuesday, claimed to have thrown both the pistols into the Tapi river near Surat. It was initially believed that they had only one country-made pistol.
Two crime branch teams were then sent to Surat to look for the weapons.
Gupta and Pal, who hail from Bihar, have told police they had carried out the firing at the actor’s house at the behest of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi to make a quick buck. Pal claimed that the notoriety from the case would earn him a place in a big gang.
Police are likely to approach court to seek Lawrence’s custody from Tihar jail and issue a lookout circular against his Canada-based brother Anmol Bishnoi, who had allegedly recruited the two shooters and claimed responsibility for the firing through social media.
I’m planning to go to Surat after 20 years for Navratri-Pratik Gandhi
8:36 AM
Syeda Eba Fatima (HINDUSTAN TIMES; October 15, 2023)
Actor Pratik Gandhi, who shifted to Mumbai few years ago, is planning to visit home this year to relive the “authentic essence” of Navratri. “I am planning to go to Surat for at least a couple of days since the vibrant atmosphere and energy there is unparalleled,” shares Gandhi.
Reminiscing about the unique charm of garba and dandiya nights back at home, he says: “Chhote shehron mein aise festivals ka alag maza hota hai. Wahan har din ka alag khaana hota hai. Bazaaron mein jaakar kapde khareedne ka maza hota hai,” he explains, adding that despite the grand celebrations that Mumbai witnesses, they have “taken on a more commercialized approach”.
“It’s more about purchasing passes for attending organized events. [In Gujarat], I don’t remember buying tickets to go to these events,” Gandhi explains.
What about celebrations in Mumbai? “Several friends of mine perform during the festival, so I visit them and attend events with family. We go pandal-hopping and spend time together at home,” the 43-year-old says, adding: “But there is one thing we do every year with utmost faith. Humare ghar me 9 din tak akhand diya jaalaya jaata hai, making sure it’s done properly.”
Friendship is the core of our relationship, say Pratik Gandhi and Bhamini Oza Gandhi
8:19 AM
Soumitra Das (BOMBAY TIMES; August 11, 2023)
For Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story star Pratik Gandhi and his wife Bhamini Oza Gandhi, who has done popular TV shows like Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha (season two), Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai, Khichdi, plays and Gujarati films, “friendship is the core thing in any relationship.”
The couple, who got married in December 2008, became friends in 2005. On Friendship Day, they speak to us about how doing plays together strengthened their friendship, why a couple should continue to remain friends after marriage and more. Excerpts from a chat:
‘Theatre has played the biggest role in strengthening our friendship’
Pratik: We met for the first time at the Prithvi Festival in 2005. I was performing and Bhamini was in the audience. She came and met the team after the performance. Being in the same profession, we would share information about auditions and we even did a few Gujarati plays, for which we rehearsed together. Theatre has played the biggest role in strengthening our friendship.
Bhamini: Kajal, a common friend, introduced us and we bonded over our common love for theatre. I got to know about Pratik’s thought process regarding acting and since we shared the same work ethics, we became very good friends.
‘During those days, we would worry about roaming charges as WhatsApp didn’t exist’
Pratik: I came to Mumbai in 2004 and mere paas Surat wala number tha. Back then, phone calls were the only way to stay in touch with friends. After all, WhatsApp did not exist, and I had to worry about roaming charges while calling. And whenever I would call Bhamini, she rarely picked up my call!
Bhamini: (Laughs) That’s because I was also worried about roaming charges! Whenever Pratik called, I would be out of Maharashtra and I would think, “Yeh har baar galat time pe kyun phone karta hai?”
‘Once we started meeting regularly, there was no awkwardness between us’
Pratik: Bhamini has always been full of life and her laughter is contagious. I am a big fan of her comic timing. Our profession is such that you need a lot of strength to survive. Aap jab bahar se Mumbai aate ho, it’s never easy and her positivity really attracted me towards her. Our friendship gave me a lot of strength during my initial days in Mumbai.
Bhamini: In Pratik, I found a new friend after a long time. What I love the most about him is the fact that he is never pretentious and once we started meeting regularly, there was no awkwardness between us. I could talk to him about anything and be myself in his presence.
‘A couple can remain friends after marriage too’
Pratik: Mujhe toh first meeting ke baad hi laga tha, ki this is more than just friendship. I had a lot of female friends and colleagues, but I knew Bhamini was special. Having an engineering degree also made a huge difference. At that time, I was doing a couple of freelance projects with the National Productivity Council. As friends, if you are comfortable about having differences of opinion and despite having fights, that’s the best relationship one can have.
Bhamini: I was impressed because he was well-educated and doing good work as an engineer. I took my time before saying yes to him but the fact that I shared a great comfort level with him as a friend made that decision easier. Friendship is the core thing in any relationship and a couple can remain friends after marriage too. If there’s no friendship, there won’t be anything to talk about. I feel that even in an arranged marriage, the partners eventually become friends.
I started sending hints to the director that I needed a couple of days off for Navratri-Pratik Gandhi
8:46 AM
Abhimanyu Mishra (BOMBAY TIMES; October 3, 2022)
Pratik Gandhi is a diehard garba enthusiast and loves to soak in the Navratri fervour. Even though Pratik is currently shooting for his next project in Mumbai, he says he will visit a garba venue during the last two days of Navratri and dance his heart out. Talking to us in between shots, Pratik speaks about his favourite Navratri moments, how he misses his friends and “gang members” from Surat during Navratri and how he is unable to enjoy the festival to the hilt now as he has been keeping extremely busy. Excerpts from a chat:
‘NAVRATRI IS HAPPENING AFTER TWO YEARS, I HAD TO PLAY GARBA THIS YEAR’
Navratri is one festival that I wait for every year and since there were very muted celebrations in the last two years, I was really looking forward to playing garba this year. But my shooting schedule coincided with Navratri and all my plans went for a toss. But the moment I realised that this was going to happen, I started sending hints to the director that I needed a couple of days off for Navratri. Even though I have a jam-packed schedule right now, I will ensure that I go and play garba for the last two days. Navratri is happening after two years, and I had to play garba this year.
‘FEELS GREAT WHEN I SEE FANS GROOVE TO GARBA SONGS FROM MY MOVIES’
I have been lucky to be part of some of the most popular garba songs in the recent past. I hear those songs being played at several venues and feel completely distraught that I am unable to go and enjoy them myself. Such is life, but it also feels great that so many people groove to garba songs from my movies. While growing up, I never imagined that I would reach this far in the entertainment industry.
‘IN MY TEENS, WE PLAYED GARBA THE ENTIRE NIGHT’
When I was in school in Surat, we had a huge gang and all of us used to play garba for the entire night. It was so much fun. It was around that time when the organisers introduced the concept of passes. So, we would go scrounging for passes and since our group was big, we had to do a lot of jugaad to get passes. It used to be a lot of fun. I miss those days.
People think agar success chahiye toh English bolni padegi-Pankaj Tripathi
8:25 AM
Actor Pankaj Tripathi says language shouldn’t be a parameter to gauge knowledge
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 15, 2022)
Pankaj Tripathi insists on talking in Hindi. It’s not that he doesn’t know English; he simply prefers to communicate in Hindi. The actor is quick to refute the idea that success in life is impossible for someone who does not speak English.
“That’s the colonial mindset, especially in north India,” he says, explaining, “Mindset is that ‘agar success paani hai, toh aapko angrezi aani chahiye, varna failure ho jaaoge’. English elite ki bhaasha samajh baithe, jabki woh toh colonial language hai. Cool aur educated lagne ke liye voh maap-dand ban gaya hai. People think ‘Angrezi bol raha hai, padha-likha hoga’.”
The 46-year-old, who made his debut in the Hindi film industry in 2004 with the film, Run, goes on, “Language is only a mode of communication, not a parameter of how much knowledge one has. Woh hangover hat jaana chahiye.”
Ask the Mimi (2021) actor what the scenario is like in the industry, as in, do people speak in Hindi or English on sets, and which language does he get scripts in, and he shares that he has never been made to feel awkward about choosing to speak in Hindi.
“I can’t generalise and say everyone speaks Hindi, but the majority do. Two-three percent, who belong to important departments on a set, speak in English. Earlier, I’d get my scripts in English, and I wasn’t in a position to ask for them in only Hindi. So, I’d write all my dialogues in that, as it is easier for me to memorize. Today, I only get my scripts in Hindi,” ends the National Award-winning actor.
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To mark Hindi Diwas, Pankaj hosts special conclave discussing the language’s evolution with CBFC head Prasoon
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 15, 2022)
Pankaj Tripathi's command over Hindi is evident in his effortless delivery of dialogues. Those who have worked with the actor will tell you that he insists on scripts being given to him written in Devanagari. Vocal about his love for the language, Tripathi was chosen to host a conversation with Prasoon Joshi, lyricist and chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification, to mark Hindi Diwas yesterday.
The Hindi Diwas Samaroh Second Akhil Bhartiya Rajbhasha Sammelan, which took place in Surat, was organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Department of Official Language.
The chat revolved around the evolution of Hindi over the centuries, and encouraging the youth to embrace the language. The duo also discussed the changing vocabulary of Hindi dialogues in cinema. For Tripathi, it was a joy to celebrate the language and its legacy.
He says, “Hindi is a beautiful language with a vast history. We, as Indians, should take pride in it. While it’s good to learn about western culture, it is also important to know one’s own history and language. In our movies too, you can see a huge difference between the language used earlier and now.”
The event was also attended by Mahesh Manjrekar and Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi.
To those with two left feet, worry not! Just make sure you dress to kill on Navratri-Prachi Desai
8:06 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; October 15, 2021)
Though she hails from Gujarat, Prachi Desai’s memories of Navratri are spread over various parts of the world. In a candid chat, the Rock On!! actress shares how watching people play garba is much easier than doing it, connecting with loved ones virtually to celebrate the festival and the craziest thing she once did during Navratri. Read On…
You hail from Surat, Gujarat, where Navratri is celebrated in full gusto. How special is the festival for you and what are the most vibrant memories that have stayed with you so far?
Over the years, this season has taken me places. I have beautiful memories of celebrating the festival not only in Gujarat, but also in Shillong, during a film shoot. I also remember celebrating it in the USA with my family. Navratri has been a carousel of memories that I created while travelling around the globe. I remember, as a kid, attempting to fast during Navratri. I would get this tiny little hand woven potli from my grandmother which had dried fruits in it. That is all that we were supposed to eat for the day, but we would barely make it through the first four hours of the morning and find ourselves sneaking into the kitchen to gorge on food. I feel that Navratri is a celebration in the honour of the Goddess. So, everyone celebrating the festival should reflect on that. It is the celebration of victory of good over evil after all, so one should just feast and dance away.
Navratri calls for showing off your dancing skills. How much do you enjoy playing dandiya or garba? Any tips for those born with two left feet?
I absolutely love to watch people do garba and dandiya. As a little girl I would fancy watching people dancing for hours in their beautiful glittering attire. I feel it is as fun to watch as tough it is to perform. While growing up, I learned a few steps with friends and classmates to perform in school, but over the years I forgot them. It’s a dance form, which is incredibly high in energy and graceful. To those with two left feet, worry not! Just make sure you dress to kill and clap along as you diligently follow the person next to you going round in the circle.
Which is your favourite garba/dandiya track and who is your favourite singer?
A lot of the traditional, folk Gujarati garba and dandiya songs are wonderful. Of late, I have become fond of the songs from the Gujarati film Hellaro. I also absolutely love Shubhaarambh from Kai Po Che. There are so many outstanding singers to choose from, but to name a few, I would say Shruti Pathak, Bhoomi Trivedi, Parthiv Gohil and Divya Kumar.
What’s your Navratri style quotient?
There’s an undeniable magic about the traditional white-red-black mirror-work lehenga cholis and outfits, but I love the more colourful mix-and-match style as well. I often upcycle outfits during festivals and in day-today wear. I’m a strong believer of recycling and reusing. I also pass on my outfits, once I am ready to part with them, to those who would like to wear them. When it comes to shopping, I like picking up outfits from Gujarat and Rajasthan whenever I travel there. They have an amazing collection of beautiful traditional designs that are extremely attractive.
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the celebrations have gone virtual, what’s the one thing you miss about the festival?
Watching the celebrations full of bright lights, colours and high spirits is what I miss the most. But one mustn’t dampen their spirits and find a way to still celebrate in their own way, through virtual celebrations with friends or sharing recipes with family members and definitely not miss out on eco-friendly decorations and lights at home.
What’s the craziest thing that you have done during Navratri?
I think the craziest was when a bunch of us in our high school hostel stayed up all night trying to get the steps right for the weekend celebration on the ground. Post the event, we didn’t make it back to the hostel in time, so we spent the night on the ground, bare feet in lehengas, dancing the night away tirelessly in our hideous amateur make-up. Don’t ask me if I was wearing purple eye shadow (laughs!).
Producer Tanvir Hashmi gives statement in porn films case
8:14 AM
Ahmed Ali (THE TIMES OF INDIA; July 26, 2021)
Mumbai: The city crime branch probing Raj Kundra for production of porn films on Sunday recorded the statement of film producer Tanvir Hashmi from Surat.
The police said Hashmi had been arrested with three police officials in 2015 for kidnapping and raping a model at the Sakinaka police beat chowky. The case is still pending trial.
In the porn films case, the police had summoned three accused, Vandana Tiwari alias Gehna Vashist, Yasmin Rowa Khan and Hashmi.
The police have found that two accused in the case, Arvind Kumar Srivastav and Yash Thakur, are one person. The police had issued a lookout notice against both names. Hashmi is friend of Thakur.
Tenet completes 100 days today at Indian box office; still running successfully in CINEMAS!
9:47 AM
Tenet, the Hollywood biggie, directed by Christopher Nolan, and backed by Warner Bros, released on December 4, 2020 in the cinemas in India. And today, that is, March 13, 2021, it has completed 100 days at the box office. It is in its 15th week, and believe it or not, it is still running in cinemas.
Tenet released in 750 screens and collected around Rs. 1.20 crore on day 1. It managed to gradually get audiences to cinemas. Everyone expected it to hang around in cinemas for a few weeks or till the release of Wonder Woman 1984, another Warner Bros biggie, which released on December 23. However, no one realized in their wildest dreams that it’ll have a run of 100 days. It's lifetime collection till date is close to Rs. 15 crore.
A trade source is amazed as he says, “Look at the challenges the film faced. It came during the pandemic and was one of the first biggies to hit cinemas post lockdown in India. It was a delayed release with HD print being available on the day of release. Also, it’s a Christopher Nolan film and he makes confusing films. So his films are meant for niche audience. Yet, the fact that it ran for 100 days and would remain in theatres for a few more weeks is commendable.”
In this 15th week, Tenet is running across many cities in India. It has maximum shows in Delhi-NCR (8) followed by Jaipur (6 shows; 3 in dubbed Hindi version). In the Rajasthan city of Kota, it has 3 shows, 2 of which are in Hindi. In Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and Surat, it has 2 shows. Even in Kolkata, it has managed to secure 3 shows, 1 of which is in Hindi. Chennai has 1 show while the small town of Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan is also playing one show of Tenet, in the Hindi version!
Finally, in Mumbai, it sadly has just 1 show, in Inox Megaplex, Inorbit Mall, Malad. Surprisingly, till Wednesday March 10, it was running successfully in PVR Juhu. But the programming team removed the film to accommodate the new releases – Roohi and Mera Fauji Calling. When this writer enquired, the team of the film were ignorant of the fact that Tenet completes 100 days in cinemas.
Amit Dadhich, an ardent movie buff says, “So many shows of Tenet are there across the country but I don’t understand why it’s not given enough shows in Mumbai, especially in this iconic week. Sadly, cinemas are not even aware of its 100 days completion. Theatres should never forget that this was an important movie for them as it was the first major Hollywood release post lockdown. People flocked in huge numbers, as per their convenience though, and gradually. And in some properties, it did really well. To remove it from one such theatre is a disappointing move.”
Amit Dadhich is also pleasantly surprised with it’s 100 day run as he states, “In the pre-Covid times, Tenet would have never run for 100 days. Moreover, it was available on the internet soon after its release in India. Yet, it managed to run in so many theatres for such a long time and managed to get a good turnout. It speaks volumes of the charm of the big screen.”
He signs off by saying, “I hope it continues for another 10 days before the release of Godzilla vs. Kong.” The monster flick, also by Warner Bros, releases in India on March 24, 2021.
Meanwhile, Wonder Woman 1984 will also cross the 100-day mark, on April 2.
The cities where Tenet is running in this week is as follows:
Delhi NCR – 8 shows
Mumbai – 1 show
Chennai – 1 show
Chandigarh – 2 shows
Ahmedabad – 2 shows (both shows 1 multiplex, in Time Cinema)
Kolkata – 3 shows (1 in Hindi)
Jaipur – 6 shows (3 in Hindi)
Kota – 3 shows (2 in Hindi)
Sri Ganganagar – 1 show (in Hindi)
Surat – 2 shows (both shows 1 multiplex, in Time Cinema)
TOTAL: 29 shows
Porn racket probe widens, C-grade film director held from Surat
8:29 AM
Gehana Vasisth at Quilla court in Fort on Wednesday. Pics/Suresh Karkera
Tanvir Hashmi used his contacts to trick aspiring actress into shooting x-rated videos; he was also in touch with alleged big fish Umesh Kamat
Faizan Khan (MID-DAY; February 11, 2021)
The city Crime Branch arrested a C-grade film director from Surat on Wednesday as it widened the probe into a porn racket involving actress Gehana Vasisth. Its property cell has found that 15-20 small production houses have been providing sexually explicit contents to alleged big fish Umesh Kamat, the MD of VIAAN Industries, who is already under arrest.
The police picked 40-year-old Tanvir Hashmi, alias Tan, who has so far directed 8 films and was using his contacts to trick aspiring actresses into shooting x-rated videos. The Killa court remanded him in police custody till February 15.
“He was also having his own production and shooting pornographic videos which were then sent to UK-based Kernin Limited through Umesh Kamat,” a Crime Branch officer said. The videos shot by Hashmi have been uploaded on apps like Eight Shot, Nuefliks, and a few porn portals. Kamat also worked as a consultant for Kernin.
Sources said groups in Mumbai and Gujarat shot sleazy videos before handing them over to Kamat. The cops exposed the racket with the arrest of Rowa Khan and four others who had used foreign IP addresses to upload sex videos on HotHit app. They then arrested Gehana Vasist on the charge of using her production house for the racket and getting the raunchy visuals uploaded on escapenow.tv.
The police said Vasisth also used to send the sexually explicit videos to Kamat to relay them to Kernin Limited for commercial use.
“It is a huge racket where aspiring actresses were forced to shoot pornographic videos on the pretext of providing them roles in web series and OTT-based films. We are exploring all angles and those behind this will surely face the law,” Milind Bharambe, joint commissioner of Crime Branch, told mid-day.
Meanwhile, the police have got the custody of Vasisth till February 15. Rowa Khan and the four others arrested on February 5 are already in jail for 14 days.
Gujarati film Chaal Jeevi Laiye sets a new record; completes 2 YEARS in CINEMAS
5:31 PM
At a time when people are of the belief that cinema business is going to diminish from here on, it’s heartening to see that the Gujarati blockbuster film Chaal Jeevi Laiye has managed to excel in cinemas, and how! Believe it or not, this film has completed 2 years in cinemas! Yes, you read it right. Today, that is, February 1 marks its second anniversary. Needless to say, not just the makers but even the exhibitors screening the film are grinning from ear to ear.
In fact, so happy are the multiplexes that for the anniversary week, they decided to increase the shows. Ritesh Laalan, CEO of Coconut Motion Pictures says, “The multiplexes have added the shows on their own. We haven’t told them to do so. The film this week is running in more than 200 shows across the country. Till last week, it had 50 shows, in Gujarat and Mumbai.”
A quick glance at the ticketing website, Book My Show, shows that the shows of Chaal Jeevi Laiye have indeed increased in places like Ahmedabad (currently running with 27 shows in a day), Surat (24 shows), Vadodara (17 shows) and Anand (12 shows). In Mumbai, it has the third highest number of shows, at 23. Interestingly, Chaal Jeevi Laiye has re-released in Pune, Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR with 3 shows each and in Hyderabad with 2 shows. In Kolkata, it will have one show daily. And very surprisingly, the city of Patna, too, has one show daily this week. The prices of most of these shows are priced at less than Rs. 100.
The collections of Chaal Jeevi Laiye till date are expected to be around Rs. 44-45 crore net. In comparison to Bollywood and South films, it might not seem significant but it’s a feat for a Gujarati film to reach till this mark. Also, what sets it apart is that the film has managed to find audiences for two years and yet, it’s not showing any signs of slow down. Ritesh Laalan adds, “In the week of Makar Sankranti, the collections had doubled as compared to the previous week.”
It’s no wonder that the makers are ecstatic about this feat. A success bash was organized yesterday in Ahmedabad and another one a week later, in Mumbai for the cast and crew.
Chaal Jeevi Laiye is the story of a workaholic son who takes his terminally ill father on holiday to the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand to fulfil his last wish. On the way, they meet a young woman named Ketki and the trio undertake the most unexpected but satisfying journey of their lives. Starring Siddharth Randeria, a star of Gujarati theatre and cinema, along with Yash Soni and Aarohi Patel, the film has been directed by Vipul Mehta with music by popular composer duo Sachin-Jigar.
Last year, the makers had revealed that they plan to remake this film in Hindi. In fact, they had spoken to Rishi Kapoor and were about to get Ranbir Kapoor on board as well. However, the plans went kaput after the veteran actor passed away, on April 30, 2020. Yet, the remake plan is on and they are currently hunting actors for the lead characters.
Housefull 4's promotional gig with Indian Railways off to bumpy start
7:53 AM
Film's promotional gig with Indian Railways off to bumpy start; makers compelled to cancel photo-op at Borivali station after fans throng platform despite security
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; October 17, 2019)
On Wednesday, Akshay Kumar and the Housefull 4 cast kicked off Indian Railways' plan, Promotion On Wheels, which sees them partnering with studios and enabling them to use the trains to promote their films. The superstar joined Kriti Sanon, Bobby Deol, Riteish Deshmukh and others at Borivali station at 4 pm where the eight-coach Delhi-bound train — adorned with posters of their Diwali release — awaited them. The stars were to be accompanied by fans and media persons as the special train made its way to Delhi, halting at Surat, Vadodara and Kota. So far, so good.
However, the stars' multitude of fans played spoilsport in their plans. As soon as word spread that the stars would be arriving at Borivali station, a sea of fans thronged the venue. While cops had barricaded the area anticipating huge crowds, it did little to dampen their excitement. mid-day has learnt that the makers of the ensemble comedy altered their plans on seeing the commotion at the railway station. A source close to the project reveals, "The entire star cast was to do a photo-op with select fans on the platform. However, on reaching the venue, they unanimously decided to drop the plan and instead headed directly to their designated coach."
This is not the first time that a Bollywood plan has gone off rails. In 2017, Shah Rukh Khan took the Mumbai-Delhi August Kranti Rajdhani to promote Raees. One person died of suffocation as 15,000 people turned up at Vadodara station to catch a glimpse of Khan.
Fortunately, it was a smooth ride thereon to Surat for Housefull 4 team as they interacted with fans on board and regaled them with their travel tales.
Akshay Kumar at platform 10 of Borivali station
Beefed-up security controls the crowd at Borivali station
BREAKING: Chaal Jeevi Laiye to be remade in Hindi and Southern languages!
9:11 AM
On October 2 this year, all movie buffs were venturing out to experience War, Joker and Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy on the big screen. But in Inox Raj Imperial in the city of Surat, Gujarat, there was one more film that was drawing huge crowds – Chaal Jeevi Laiye. Despite such a tough competition from the new releases, Chaal Jeevi Laiye was running in 3 shows and was able to pull 350 viewers, that too in its 35th week! And it’s hardly a surprise anymore since the film is on a record-breaking spree ever since this film released on February 1, 2019. Filmy Fenil had exclusively revealed the journey and success story of the film and how it has emerged as the biggest grosser of Gujarati cinema, earning more than Rs. 50 crore gross.
And now we bring to you another exclusive revelation. This much loved film is all set to be remade in multiple languages! CEO of Coconut Motion Pictures, Ritesh Laalan, says, “We are now remaking Chaal Jeevi Laiye in Hindi. Vipul Mehta would again be the director. We are already in talks with the actors and the film will go on floors in September 2020. We want to shoot the film in Uttarakhand with the greenery at its finest and hence we chose this particular month.”
Instead of parting with the rights of the film, the producers have decided to instead produce the remakes themselves. Producer Rashmin Majithia tells, “A lot of people approached us for the remake rights not just in Hindi but also for Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and Punjabi. However, we don’t want to part with the rights. Instead, we’ll like to also produce the remakes. So we start with Hindi first and then in future, we’ll produce the Tamil and Telugu adaptations of Chaal Jeevi Laiye.”
Chaal Jeevi Laiye is the story of a workaholic son who takes his terminally ill father to a holiday in Uttarakhand to fulfill the latter’s last wish. On the way, they meet a girl named Ketki and the trio take an unexpected and most satisfying journey of their lives. Starring Siddharth Randeria, a superstar of Gujarati theatre and cinema along with Yash Soni and Aarohi Patel, it is directed by Vipul Mehta and has music by Sachin-Jigar, who has also made a mark in Bollywood. Chaal Jeevi Laiye was also one of the 28 films shortlisted by the Film Federation of India for official selection at the 92nd Academy Awards.
In its 34th week, Chaal Jeevi Laiye was running in 10 cinemas in Gujarat. Ever since the film completes 100 days, the producers are donating their entire share for the cause of the old people. Rashmin Majithia tells, “From 100th day onwards, we announced that whatever the film will earn, we’ll use it for the service of old people. Every week we publish an ad of the film in newspapers where we mention that if you are watching this film now, the proceeds are going to charity.”
EXCLUSIVE: This GUJARATI film has created HISTORY and is running in cinemas since 8 MONTHS!
9:48 PM
In today’s times, when even completing 50 days in theatres for movies is a feat, a Gujarati film, Chaal Jeevi Laiye, has managed to do the unthinkable. Released on February 1, 2019, it is currently running in its 34th week in around 10 cinemas! What’s more, it’s still getting record occupancy, sometimes even more than that of latest releases!
To explain the madness, let us give you an instance of the film’s historic run in a theatre named Inox Raj Imperial in the city of Surat, Gujarat. In the previous weekend, the film had 42 admits and 57 admits on Friday September 13 and Saturday September 14 respectively, in a 75 seater screen. On Sunday September 15, it ran with full occupancy. On Sunday August 25, Chaal Jeevi Laiye was running with 4 shows a day in this Surat multiplex and the average occupancy was a mind-boggling 81%! During ‘dry weeks’, that is, when there were no major Hindi or English release, Chaal Jeevi Laiye was similarly allotted multiple shows and it did very well. Not just that, on May 17, the day the Ajay Devgn-starrer De De Pyaar De released, Chaal Jeevi Laiye was in its 16th week and the morning show occupancy in a 220-seater screen was nearly 68%, that is, more than that of the former! The nett collections of the film in Inox alone are a huge Rs. 6.40 crore.
However, lovers of Gujarati cinema are not aware of the monumental achievements of Chaal Jeevi Laiye. A chief reason is that producers never talked about it in the first place. Any other filmmaker would have promoted this fact but the producers of Chaal Jeevi Laiye – Coconut Motion Pictures – chose not to. Producer Rashmin Majithia explains, “We had pre-decided that we won’t boast about our film’s success by giving box office figures. Chaal Jeevi Laiye is an emotional film and its vibe would have been affected if we had gone all out by bragging about its record figures.”
That’s precisely the reason why the CEO of Coconut Motion Pictures, Ritesh Laalan, refused to share the exact all-India nett collections till date, to this writer. He however reveals, “The gross collections of the film are more than Rs. 50 crores. The film is in its 34th week and is running in more than 10 cinemas. Recently, our director Vipul Mehta was in Bhuj and he told us that the film was still running there.” He further adds, “In places like Surat this has not happened but in other centres, the exhibitors don’t give shows to Chaal Jeevi Laiye on Friday and Saturday due to multiple new releases. But from Sunday onwards, they cancel the shows of those films that are not doing well and replace it with that of Chaal Jeevi Laiye!”
A success of this sort must have been impossible to predict for most but Ritesh Laalan partly disagrees. He explains, “I used to tell people around me before the release that Chaal Jeevi Laiye would emerge as Gujarati cinema’s biggest film. But obviously, nobody believed me. Some of them used to even laugh at me and ask me ‘kitna kar lega’. When the film breached the Rs. 25 crore mark, I expected the collections to fall down rapidly. But the film crossed Rs. 35 crore mark. Again, I thought that this is it. However, I soon realized that people just want to see a good Gujarati film and this film is ideal in this regard. In the last six months, it’s only the repeat audience that’s coming to see the film as a well-made Gujarati film is missing.”
Rashmin Majithia adds here, “Moreover, we haven’t given the film on any OTT platform or on television. So the only option to see the movie is in cinemas. Viewers are going again to laugh and to cry with the characters. I believe that viewers are ready to accept Gujarati films with open arms but it has to be worth their time and money. And the way it has worked in urban and even semi-urban places like Bhuj shows that Chaal Jeevi Laiye has connected across various sections of audiences.”
What Ritesh Laalan and Rashmin Majithia were not able to pre-empt was how Chaal Jeevi Laiye would be received outside Gujarat. Rashmin exults, “In the first 20 weeks, Mumbai was dominating and was contributing to 25% of the film’s collections. Usually, Ahmedabad contributes 50% of a Gujarati film’s collections but for the first time, Mumbai outperformed. Ahmedabad did come up ultimately but still both cities were neck to neck. And that was unexpected since there’s a difference between Gujarati viewers in Mumbai, who are more inclined towards Bollywood, and that of Ahmedabad.” He then adds, “Chaal Jeevi Laiye ran for 26 weeks in Mumbai, in Carnival Moviestar and for around 22-23 weeks in Sangeeta Cineplex.”
What Rashmin Majithia shares next is surely impossible to believe. He tells, “In a city like Pune, it ran for more than 15 weeks, that is, it crossed 100 days. We couldn’t believe it. Not just that, it completed 8 weeks in Nashik and 4-5 weeks in Kolhapur. At a town near Kolhapur, it was there for around 3-4 weeks!” What about down South? “In cities like Bengaluru and Chennai, the film ran for only a week or two. After that, viewers would ask for special shows,” he says which also is an achievement for a Gujarati movie. Needless to say, Chaal Jeevi Laiye is the first Gujarati film to achieve these feats. “Even Chello Divas had a record run but not for such a long time in these centres,” says Rashmin Majithia.
Not just in India, but Chaal Jeevi Laiye made its mark overseas too where it released on March 15. As per Rentrak, it earned $130,000 in USA, $80,000 in United Kingdom, $50,000 in Australia, $15,000 in New Zealand and $25,000 in the rest of the world. So the total overseas collections of the film stands at $275,000, which is, Rs. 1.94 crore approx. Ritesh Laalan states, “Chaal Jeevi Laiye also released in Germany, Singapore, Canada and many countries of Africa and even there, it did very well.”
Even on weekdays and despite completing more than 30 weeks, Chaal Jeevi Laiye continues to get viewers. In the current week in Inox Raj Imperial, Surat, for instance, the film has been allotted two shows in Screen # 4 – one at 11:40 am and the other 5:05 pm. For the Monday September 23 5:05 pm show, already 4 tickets have been sold 2 and a half hour before.
The makers are not surprised however, at least not anymore! Rashmin Majithia says, “No show has run without any viewer. At Rajkot, on a Sunday, the film runs with 90% occupancy. We don’t disclose these numbers also because many people are not able to believe.” And it’s not just Gujaratis that are watching this film. Ritesh narrates, “Even Marwaris are coming out in large numbers. I was watching Chaal Jeevi Laiye in Mumbai and the entire auditorium was filled with them. I asked them whether they can understand Gujarati and they replied in the affirmative.” Mind you, there are no subtitles in this film either!
The Coconut Motion picture management’s next target is to reach the 50th week, which will happen on January 17, 2020. “We had done a celebration when the film completed 100 days, since we were not that confident about its run from thereon. But then it did silver jubilee and we celebrated that feat as well. Now I am sure very soon, we’ll be celebrating the 50th week completion of Chaal Jeevi Laiye too,” says Rashmin Majithia confidently.
To say that the producers are laughing all the way to the bank would be an incorrect statement. For they are donating the 100% of the share! Rashmin Majithia tells, “From 100th day onwards, we announced that whatever the film will earn, we’ll use it for the service of old people. Every week we publish an ad of the film in newspapers where we mention that if you are watching this film now, the proceeds are going to charity.”
Chaal Jeevi Laiye is the story of a workaholic son who takes his terminally ill father to a holiday in Uttarakhand to fulfil the latter’s last wish. On the way, they meet a girl named Ketki and the trio take an unexpected and most satisfying journey of their lives. Starring Siddharth Randeria, a superstar of Gujarati theatre and cinema along with Yash Soni and Aarohi Patel, it is directed by Vipul Mehta and has music by Sachin-Jigar, who has also made a mark in Bollywood. Even the Hindi film industry have noticed the film and praised it. Notable among them was Madhuri Dixit, who tweeted in praise of the film on May 22.
Chaal Jeevi Laiye was also one of the 28 films shortlisted by the Film Federation of India for official selection at the 92nd Academy Awards.
Just watched #ChaalJeeviLaiye & I must say what an endearing story with such a simple yet effective narration! Direction, cinematography, music... everything binds the film together. Kudos to #VipulMehta, @SachinJigarLive and the entire team on such a brilliant job 👏🙂— Madhuri Dixit Nene (@MadhuriDixit) May 22, 2019
Akshay Kumar reaches Surat as part of nationwide mission to encourage people to contribute to 'Bharat Ke Veer'
8:37 AM
Meena Iyer (DNA; March 1, 2019)
Akshay Kumar is a man on a mission. Yesterday, he reached Surat to personally collect a huge contribution of over Rs 5 crore that was collected locally and handed over to him. The Kesari actor, in turn, will pass it on for the welfare and rehabilitation of the families of the slain soldiers. While it is known that contributions can be done online, sources say that Akshay is keen to meet those, who like him, have made it their personal mission to contribute to the Indian Army.
Since February 15, a day after the unfortunate Pulwama tragedy in which 49 soldiers lost their lives, the Bollywood superstar has been committed to just one initiative — Bharat Ke Veer. In the last fortnight, the actor has personally supervised that all contributions made through the website — which was launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs — have reached the families of the Indian bravehearts who have laid down their lives. Akshay’s own involvement with Bharat Ke Veer is already widely reported. And post Pulwama, he is like a man possessed. He has been continuously monitoring the fund disbursements through the app and website.
I have become in-house talent for Vipul Shah sir-Freddy Daruwala
7:56 AM
Freddy Daruwala on his five-film deal with the filmmaker and working with Salman Khan
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 11, 2018)
Freddy Daruwala, who had made his Bollywood debut with A. R. Murugadoss’s 2014 action thriller Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty featuring Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha, was in his hometown Surat when he had got a call from Mukesh Chhabra. The casting director informed the actor that the makers of Race 3 wanted to cast him for a character named Rana. “I was sold when I learnt about the cast and crew involved in its making. You want to work with people with great experience, leverage and who can make the project look bigger. So, I met (producer) Ramesh Taurani sir when I returned to Mumbai and really liked my character of a villain, though in Race you never know when the negative turns positive and vice versa. I immediately came on board,” informs Freddy, adding that his Rana is classy, is always with bodyguards, travels in expensive cars but is also very nosy.
The actor is all praise for Salman Khan, who plays Sikander in the action-thriller. “It feels really nice when a team looks after you, keeps you happy and allows you creative freedom. Race 3 set was just like that and Salman bhai is responsible for creating that environment. There are seven main characters in the film, but nobody has been insecure about their screen time. In fact, there hasn’t been one day on the set when all of us didn’t have lunch together. He is aware of the pressures a newcomer faces but has advised me to remain focused on my goal. It was a great experience to work with him,” he says.
Freddy has signed a five-film deal with Vipul Shah and has already featured in two of them — the John Abraham and Sonakshi Sinha-starrer Force 2 and Commando 2 with Vidyut Jammwal as lead. What is it with him and sequels, you wonder, and he says, “I arrive late on the scene and all I get is sequels,” he laughs, adding that he has found a mentor in Vipul. “I have become in-house talent for Vipul sir. We’re working on something else now, but I can’t divulge details yet,” he says.
After essaying negative roles in Holiday and in the 2018 Telugu action comedy Touch Chesi Chudu with Ravi Teja in the lead, Freddy says he’d love to play a hero now. “I can act, dance and do action like a quintessential hero, though having said that I don’t have any qualms about playing negative roles as it is my strong suite and a major reason for filmmakers to cast me. But I feel I am ready to be a hero, too,” he signs off.
Sheetal Sharma decodes Shah Rukh Khan's look in Raees
4:06 PM
From his glasses, surma to his clothes, stylist Sheetal Sharma deciphers Shah Rukh Khan's look as the Gujarati don from his upcoming film 'Raees'
Sonil Dedhia and Aastha Atray Banan (MID-DAY; December 9, 2016)
Glasses
When I heard SRK's name, I was like, glasses? SRK's eyes do the talking, so I was apprehensive. But, he loved this idea too. I showed him 10 options and he chose a pair of plastic chashmas I'd bought from a dingy shop in Chor Bazaar. He said it was a bit distorted and not aligned, which suited his character. He said contact lenses has worked for him in Baazigar, and he was game to try eye gear again.
Surma
The brief given to me was that it would be a masculine, manipulative character. I went ahead with kohl eyes for a gritty look. When told about SRK's casting, I wasn't sure if he would wear surma, but he readily agreed. When we met for the first time, he got his make-up man and put on the surma, which has now become a hit.
Clothes
SRK told me to keep things as organic as I could. So, I referred to old photo albums of my friends from Gujarat. I wanted to know how their grandparents dressed. I have used terricot, teriwool and velvet fabrics, which are not used anymore. I shopped for it from Ahmedabad, Surat and Junagadh. SRK would wear them, stretch in them, sit in them and say 'let them take the shape of my body'.
Taweez
The film shows a strong bond between his character and his mother. For a symbolic effect, we thought of a taweez (locket) on the arms, but it was clichéd. Later, Shah Rukh showed us a pendant — his lucky charm — which he never worn in any of his films. There is an aayat (verse) from Quran inscribed on it and a photo of his parents.
Sheetal Sharma
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