Controversy's favourite child and a man who has led 'a colourful life', Ram Gopal Varma says three-part biopic will have a no-holds-barred approach
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; August 28, 2020)

Never one to fail to amuse, be it with his candid demeanour or film choices, Ram Gopal Varma is set to turn the spotlight on himself with a three-part biopic on his life, essayed by two separate actors in the first two instalments, and by the man himself in part three.

The third part, he promises, will blow the lid off many controversies, including the time he invited criticism for visiting the Taj Mahal hotel in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks in December 2008, with former Maharashtra CM, Vilasrao Deshmukh.

“Apart from other things, the biopic will reveal specific details of what happened when Riteish [Deshmukh] and I had visited the Taj Hotel. I have never spoken about some of these things, because doing so at the time wouldn’t have been right. Part three will have sex, and controversies. I have led a colourful life, and the offering will shed light on some of my relationships. That will be the most interesting part, I suppose,” says Varma, who has been linked to actors like Urmila Matondkar and Antara Mali across his 30-year career. “Nobody wants to see me naked, but I will be completely naked, in terms of storytelling, here. I have told them [the team] about the events of my life, but they have done their research too by speaking to those who have assisted me over the years,” says Varma of his biopic, that rolls in September. His decision to venture into film-making and his “love affair with the police and underworld” will also be part of the initial instalments.

It was after reading his autobiographical book, Guns And Thighs, that makers Bommaku Creations felt there was potential for the making of a promising screen offering. Unfazed about facing the camera, Varma says, “I am playing myself, and not a character. So, this cannot be termed acting. Anyone who has paid heed to my journey [will be interested in this project]. I am excited that someone else is making it. Had I made it, it would have been boring and, [I would have seemed] pompous.”

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; November 29, 2019)

Australian director Anthony Maras, whose film Hotel Mumbai is based on the 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai, tells BT why he thinks it was a story worth retelling. Excerpts from a chat...

Hotel Mumbai was always bound to be a difficult watch, as it reopens old wounds. Why would people, especially those in Mumbai, want to revisit a tragedy they have struggled to overcome? Did this thought cross your mind while making the film?
The survivors and martyrs of 26/11 showed extraordinary courage and selflessness in the darkest of times. You had regular everyday people from all walks of life, from all parts of the world and from all races, religions and social classes risking their own lives to save one another. I feel theirs is a story worth telling, especially since in many parts of the world, it remains unknown or forgotten.

Why did you choose Dev Patel in particular to play Arjun? He is predominantly a British actor. Did you at least initially think of casting a local Indian actor instead?
Words cannot describe what a fulfilling creative experience it was to work with Dev Patel, and to watch him breathe life into the character. From our first meeting, I felt that he had all the qualities needed for this most delicate role. I am extremely proud of his work and of all the cast we have bought together for Hotel Mumbai — including the many local Indian actors, including Anupam Kher, the four actors who played the terrorists, Adithi Kalkunte, who played Arjun’s wife, and Nagesh Bhosle and Vitthal Kale, who played the heroic police officers who mounted a rescue attempt.

As an Australian filmmaker, how difficult was it for you to get the facts and nuances right of a film, which is based on the events that occurred in Mumbai? What were the prep and research like?
We did extensive research over a year-long period, to try and understand the many and varied complexities and perspectives of this attack. Together with my team, I interviewed dozens of survivors in India and across the world, including hotel guests, staff members, security force personnel and police. We pored over thousands of pages of evidence from Ajmal Kasab’s (terrorist) trial, including witness statements, confessions and transcripts of satellite communications between the terrorists and their handlers. We also interviewed Kasab’s lawyer for further insight. We stayed at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel for over a month, interviewing staff members and walking the same corridors, kitchens and hallways where the tragic events took place. We nurtured a strong collaboration over four years with our Indian production partners, to do all we could to ensure authenticity on all fronts. We did this out of respect to the story, and out of a sense of immense responsibilities to all those affected.

The film very briefly shows a different side of the terrorists, their realisation of being used as pawns. Was that an attempt to empathise with them and was it necessary to include this in the film?
The terrorists who carried out 26/11 did not show up out of nowhere. They were recruited from hundreds of initial prospects and underwent systematic training and brainwashing. To understand what drove these young men is essential to understanding a key reality of the attacks, and in no way justifies their actions.

Has any portion of the film been actually shot at the Taj hotel?
Wherever possible, we shot on location — such as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, behind St. Xavier’s College where Hemant Karkare (the late chief of Mumbai’s Anti-Terrorism Squad) and his men were ambushed, and the Colaba Fishing Village, where the gunmen first arrived. Shooting in the interiors of the Taj was never a possibility given that it is a functional hotel. However, we shot in the exterior of the hotel and its surrounding streets.

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; November 27, 2019)

Australian filmmaker Anthony Maras’ Hotel Mumbai pays an ode to the unwavering courage and spirit of those who risked their lives to help others survive the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai. The film is based on the spinechilling events that unfolded at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, in the city on November 26, 2008. Anupam Kher plays Taj’s former grand executive chef Hemant Oberoi in the film, who survived the attack. One of the biggest names in the culinary world from India, the soft-spoken chef, recalled the horrors of the events to us as he sat for a joint interview with his reel self — Kher. Talking to BT, both gave an insight into what went into the making of a film on an event that shook the nation. Excerpts...

Hemant, what was it like to see Anupam Kher portray you on the big screen?
Hemant: When I saw the first glimpse of Anupam playing my character, it reminded me of my Zodiac (a restaurant at the Taj) days. I used to check the shoes and nails of the staff those days (a scene you can see in the film as well) and they have shown that aptly in the film. Anthony spent some time with me in the beginning as he wanted to know my side of the story. I told him that it was not just me, there were other people, and my team members along with me, on that night. I wasn’t the hero, nor did I do any herogiri.

We believe that our ‘guest is God’ and it was our duty to protect them. We evacuated people and took them to the Chambers. That saved their lives.
Anupam: After the film’s first screening, Oberoi came backstage and hugged me. That meant a lot to me and it was my biggest applause. I was very nervous when he was watching the film. I wasn’t worried that he’d judge my performance, my fear was whether I will be able to convey the compassion that he exuded. To recreate that emotion and revisit a situation that you don’t want to, was difficult. Thus, the shoot was extremely tiring psychologically.

Anupam, did you spend time with Hemant before the shoot to ensure you got his mannerisms and body language right?
No, I didn’t. I have met him at the Taj before, but not for the role. My director had a point when he said that when actors meet the people who they portray on screen, they try to emulate every gesture. He didn’t want that. He wanted the essence of the character to come out. The film is about emotions rather than how a particular person walked or talked, so I didn’t go in that direction of mimicking someone. I wanted to capture the nobility in Oberoi on screen. He did his job in a horrific situation and yet, he was calm about it. Aisa nahi ke goli chal rahi ho aur aapko darr nahi lagta. To discover your courage at a time like this and to have the presence of mind, to make sandwiches and tea for people, that for me was difficult to capture. Before every shot, I would imagine that a close friend or family member is about to be killed by a terrorist and what would be my reaction to that.

Hemant, what crossed your mind when you were informed that Taj was under a terrorist attack?
When I was told about the shooting, I initially thought that a film shooting was going on at the Gateway of India, but then I heard gunshots on the phone. My first reaction was ‘close the doors and shut the lights’. There were 100-odd people in our restaurants at the time, just one hint of their presence and they would have all been dead. We were trying to locate people who were injured. One of the young boys (a staff member) was struggling for life for seven days in the hospital after this horrific incident. I am so proud of my team. When I told one of the elderly staffers who was undergoing dialysis every week to leave, he refused. They stayed in the hotel to rescue the guests. My own secretary who had worked with me for 18 years, did not leave my office.
Anupam: They (the hotel staff) did not look at it as a tragedy, but dealt with it like it was a warlike situation. The priority was to help the people who survived.

Hemant, we read about how you were making sandwiches and tea to feed people and comfort them while the massacre was underway. You need nerves of steel to do that. How did you stay composed through all of it?
Every time I went to Chambers (where the staff was hiding the guests), some 300 people sitting there would ask me about the NSG commandos. I had no answer. Every half an hour, I would tell the staff to give them whatever they wanted — food and drinks. We made them sandwiches, cookies and tea. When a few youngsters got to know that I am doing this on my own, they came upstairs to help me out and some of them lost their lives in the process.

Anupam, what was the prep like for a subject as difficult and real as this?
Anthony didn’t want actors to use their craft, he wanted us to go through the trauma. When we landed in Adelaide (Australia), he made us go through a workshop for five-six days, where he wanted us to understand what goes on in people’s minds when they are trapped and aware that they could get killed at any moment. He had recorded real bomb explosions and gunshots, which he’d play in the middle of the shot. That was traumatic and it evoked the reaction from us that he’d expected. When I saw the film at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival), it got us a standing ovation. The film salutes ordinary people who showed extraordinary courage. It is a tribute to the people of Taj and the unsung heroes. They were not screen heroes like Bruce Willis or Arnold Schwarzenegger, who the world knows will survive against all odds. They were not trained to deal with a situation like this and they treated their guests like God.

Hemant, when you see death from such close quarters, does it change you as a person?
It does change you. I am a strong believer of destiny and karma after what happened. Somewhere, we must have done something right to have survived something like this.

Hemant, you were among the first celebrity chefs that we knew of. We have heard stories of how starry you were as a celebrity chef and were unapologetic about it.
Hemant: I have never shouted at anyone in my life. Once in a while, I would get angry. If you don’t understand my silence, you’ll never understand my words. My one look was enough for my team to understand their mistakes.
Anupam: I am also aware of how good I am at my job (smiles!). Also, when you are good at something, it only humbles you. Jo ped sabse zyaada phal deta hai, woh sabse zyaada jhuka hua hota hai. There are certain roles that you do with complete humility and submission and this, for me, was one of them. It’s one of the most important films of my career. Aur mujhe bhi pehle laga ke Hemant bohot khatarnak kism ke honge, but hai nahi (laughs!).

Anupam, many will question whether a film like this will reopen old wounds, especially for those who survived, those who lost their loved ones, and all those who were left deeply scarred by the tragedy. Your thoughts.
Once the film is made, it’s open to various interpretations. Other than the fact that it’s on 26/11, it’s also about the triumph and test of the human spirit. It has a universal appeal. The film recalls the event and talks about the courage of those trapped inside. Jo bahar chale gaye the, woh bhi wapas aaye help karne. It’s unreal what compassion can make you do. We are always told to be wary of strangers, but during 26/11, it’s the strangers who helped people save lives.

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; November 26, 2019)

Considering Anthony Maras’ Hotel Mumbai is a tribute to those who laid their lives in order to save others during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, it is only fitting that the makers have planned a special screening for the bravehearts of that fateful night. To mark the 11th anniversary of the attacks today, the team has invited chef Hemant Oberoi, his team at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and several cops for a screening of the movie. Oberoi will also be felicitated for his bravado, at the event.

Confirming the news, Shariq Patel, CEO, Zee Studios, says, “We wanted to share the film with the people whose stories it is based on. Their validation matters the most to us. Often, we forget to celebrate the real heroes in this country. To honour chef Hemant Oberoi, who is one of the heroes of that night, is a privilege.”

Pena, Newman and Luna near the Gateway Of India. Pic/netflix

On the itinerary of Netflix's Narcos: Mexico - actors Diego Luna and Michael Pena along with showrunner Eric Newman - was a visit to the Gateway Of India and a taste of Mumbai's favourite beverage, the cutting chai
Sonil Dedhuia (MID-DAY; November 12, 2018)

Keeping their date with India, the team of Netflix's Narcos: Mexico — actors Diego Luna and Michael Pena along with showrunner Eric Newman — landed in Mumbai on Saturday night.

While the trio is set to meet filmmakers and fans alike as they discuss the future of digital entertainment in the country, in an event scheduled for today, it was all play on Sunday as they explored the Maximum City. On the itinerary was a visit to the Gateway Of India and a taste of Mumbai's favourite beverage, the cutting chai.

A source says, "While Eric has visited Mumbai before, Michael and Diego were keen to take in as much as they could during their maiden trip. They experienced the hustle-and-bustle of Mumbai life first-hand as they toured the busy markets of Matunga. In the evening, the three visited the Taj Mahal Palace for a view of the Gateway Of India, where they enjoyed a round of cutting chai."

A trip to India would be incomplete without experimenting with the local cuisine on offer. "They gorged on Goan food for lunch at an iconic seafood joint in Fort."

The actress unwinds at the Gateway Of India and professes her love for the Maximum City in the rains
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; July 9, 2018)

For Bollywood’s lissome beauty Diana Penty, Mumbai is all about the heritage city she grew up in. “I’ve always lived in Town, so most of my hangout spots are in this side of the city,” she says, elaborating, “From the bylanes of Byculla to the colonial architecture and heritage of the Fort area, from the artsy Kalaghoda to the iconic Taj Mahal hotel overlooking the Gateway Of India — that’s the city I've come to love.”

Dressed in a black top and ochre-yellow culottes, the actress looked like she was all ready to enjoy the rains at the Gateway of India with her red umbrella when we met her. She shares, “My mum’s office was at the Taj, so I’ve been frequenting the place from childhood. I have the most happy memories here. The best chocolate cake in the world, according to me, is the Dutch truffle cake from one of the cake shops here.”

Digging out more nuggets from her childhood memories, she tells us how she enjoyed walking her dog at the green race course and eating a bhutta on Worli Sea Face. She says, “I loved the bhutta with tons of masala and limbu. One of the most cherished memories are Irani cafes like Byculla Restaurant & Bakery and Regal Restaurant & Bakery situated right down the road, they are institutions in their own right. I grew up on the chai, bun maska, mutton pattice, khaari biscuits, kheema pao, bhurji pao and mawa cakes here. I remember at that time we used to get five rupees as pocket money and after the school got over, we would earnestly wait for our chance to eat chips at Boman’s (Irani) wafer shop, which literally defined my childhood. Located on the same road where I live, it was my pit stop after school or tuitions. Either Boman, his mum or aunt were behind the counter, and on days when I was really lucky, I got a free packet of wafers!”

Diana also recalls some great time spent at the Xavier’s College. She says, “I remember having spent some wonderful time at the college canteen and the nearby Kayani bakery. The chequered flooring at the bakery was so lovely. I also remember my days at Rang Bhavan, there were a couple of restaurants around there, which continue to be my favourites.”

The actress also recalls the time she spent her evening at Jumbo Point, a name given to a location from where you can see an aeroplane taking off or landing from a close range. She says, “I didn’t know it was called Jumbo Point until fairly recently, but I remember spending evenings there watching the planes land. I come from a family of aviation enthusiasts, so you can imagine!”

Diana sums up the essence of the ‘Maximum City’ and calls it a ‘selfless city’. She says, “It’s probably one of the most selfless cities in the world. It’s bursting at the seams, but it still welcomes thousands of people each day with open arms. It is, after all, the city of dreams. No matter where you come from or what your background or religion is, it has place for everyone here — a place you can call home. Having said that, it is also not an easy city to live in — what with the traffic, the pollution, the exploding population and the ever-increasing prices. But it’s the city I was born in, grew up in and choose to live in today. A city, that has accepted me for who I am, helped me grow, made me independent and given me everything. A city I’m proud to belong to. I love you, Mumbai.”

As told to Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 23, 2017)

Even as a child, during vacations, I would help my mum and aunt at the family store called Golden Wafer Co. We used to fry and sell wafers and I’d mostly manage the ‘gulla’ (cash counter).

Later, I joined the Taj Mahal Hotel. During the interview, I was asked by Sam Bhada, the man who hired me, which department I’d like to start with. I picked The Rendezvous, the best French restaurant in Mumbai, and he retorted, “Idiot, to get to the top, you start at the bottom.” So, I ended up getting room service. I remember carrying trays to sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan’s room and also to the tabla ustad, Zakir Hussain. I also served many movie stars, including the Kapoors.

Once I mustered up the courage to wish Ustad Amjad Ali Khan luck for his show that evening. Today, I am wished luck for my shows. Feels good!

From room service I moved to the coffee shop and then the Apollo Bar where I worked as the wine waiter and learnt a trick or two about mixing drinks from this wonderful barman called Victor. The Apollo Bar was next to The Rendezvous and one fine day when a staff member there didn’t show up, I was asked to help out. I was feeling really proud of myself to have finally made it into the French restaurant when the manager shoved me into the linen room. It was like a tornado had hit the room. I was told to fold every table cloth and serviette and put them on the racks. By the end of the day my arms almost came off.

Once, during Christmas Eve, when lots of waiters take the day off, I was sent to the kitchen area to wash plates. It was a hard night’s work when everyone was partying out there. But honestly I didn’t mind.

Then, mum met with an accident and broke a couple of ribs. I had to return to the wafer shop where I worked for 11 years, from 21 years to 32, when I met my wife Zenobia through common friends. I proposed on our first date, she accepted. Before that, she used to come to see me on the pretext of buying wafers. Since she couldn’t take the ‘unhealthy’ wafers home, she gave them away to the beggar who sat at the end of the street. By the time we were married, that beggar had grown really fat from eating all those wafers!

Then, I wanted to do something creative and started writing short articles which I sent off to Busybee aka Behram Contractor. Later, I taught myself how to operate a camera by attending a few workshops. Back then photography was a rich man’s hobby. Cameras were difficult to buy and processing pictures was expensive. Still I persevered and became a sports photographer, mostly clicking school events. The Times of India bought some of my pictures and then I went on to do an ad campaign which required a sports action shot. A lot of photographers had tried but since they were fashion photographers, they couldn’t get it right. So I went to try my luck and was almost shown the door. But eventually I landed the campaign.

I graduated to beauty pageants and in 1997, when Diana Hayden was crowned Miss India, I shot her portfolio. I went on to become an established photographer and clicked lots of photographs during a five-year stint before turning my attention to theatre. I started with a play, a musical titled Roshni, for which I was paid Rs 200 per show. This was followed by I’m Not Bajirao and Mahatma VS Gandhi. And then came, Munnabhai MBBS, Rajkumar Hirani’s directorial debut, and it was Act 2.

Years later, after I’d become popular as an actor, I went to New York and stayed at the Lexington Hotel. Sam Bhada was at the door to welcome me. This time I didn’t have to do room service, I got room service. And Sam and I had a good laugh over my humble beginnings.

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 22, 2014)

Actress Stacy Martin who shot to fame with Danish auteur Lars von Trier's arthouse hit, Nymphomaniac, is shooting her next film in Mumbai.

Mirror was watching from the sidelines as the 23-year-old actress raced through her shots for a French thriller, intriguingly titled Taj Mahal, behind the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Colaba.

The film is being directed by French writer-director Nicolas Saada known for scripting critically-acclaimed films like Spy (ies) and Sleepless Night.

Stacy and Gina McKee were seated in a car behind the hotel - which was attacked by terrorists on the night of November 26, 2008. Saada was taking shots of the hotel's exteriors. Enquiries revealed that the crew had quietly arrived in the city on October 18 and is expected to be here till November 2.

"The film's shoot has just begun in Mumbai. It's work-in-progress so I cannot comment," a tight-lipped Saada told us, somewhat abruptly. "We should be ready by mid-2015 and by then, I'll be in a better position to talk."

Mirror has learnt that Taj Mahal is about a young girl, Louise (played by Stacy), who moves to India with her parents and they are put up at the plush SoBo hotel. She is alone in her room when terrorists force their way in the hotel, shooting and taking hostages, plunging the city into absolute chaos. How she survives the dreadful night, with only a phone to keep her in touch with her frantic parents, forms the crux of the story.

Agencies (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 14, 2014)

Two years after Saif Ali Khan allegedly assaulted a South-Africa-based businessman and his father-in-law at a Mumbai hotel, a local court yesterday framed charges against the actor and his two friends, Shakeel Ladak and Bilal Amrohi, under Section 325 (assault) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code, public prosecutor Wajeed Sheikh said.

However, the trio pleaded not guilty after the metropolitan court read out the charges to them.

Saif and his friends had been arrested following a complaint filed by NRI businessman Iqbal Mir Sharma after the two allegedly got into a fight at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel on February 22, 2012. The trio was later released on bail.

The 42-year-old actor was accompanied by his wife Kareena Kapoor, sister-in-law Karishma Kapoor, their friends Malaika Arora Khan and her sister Amrita Arora and some male friends when the brawl broke out.

According to police, when Sharma protested to the raucous chatter of the actor and his friends, Saif allegedly threatened them and subsequently punched Sharma in the nose, fracturing it.

The NRI businessman had also accused Saif and his friends of hitting his father-in-law Raman Patel.

Saif had maintained that Sharma made provocative statements and used abusive language against the women accompanying him and this led to the ruckus.

The police had filed a charge sheet against the trio on December 21, 2012.