Showing posts with label Tanu Weds Manu 2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tanu Weds Manu 2. Show all posts
Aanand L Rai's production with Abhay Deol-Diana Penty will be called Happy Bhaag Jayegi
7:44 AM
Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 21, 2015)
Abhay Deol has finally come out of hibernation to sign Aanand L. Rai's debut production tentatively titled Happy Bhag Jayegi. "This film was long overdue. While we were doing Raanjhanaa I kept telling Abhay that our journey together wasn't complete. He was fab in the film but it wasn't a full-fledged role," reminisces the filmmaker.
Rai points out that he is always looking for talent who will surrender to him. And once Abhay is convinced about a role he trusts the maker completely.
"He doesn't like anything straight. Right from the early days, he wants to go into different zones. If you give him a challenge and make him believe it's going to be a difficult journey, he will quickly come on board," Rai smiles.
Abhay will be paired with Cocktail girl, Diana Penty who has impressed Rai with her intelligence, ease and confidence. "She's in no hurry and this is a role you would never imagine her in," he promises.
A title making the rounds earlier was Dolly Lahore Mein. Rai admits that Diana's character was earlier christened Dolly but since there are too many Dollys around they decided to name her Happy. And what is the Lahore connection? Is this a cross-border love story of runaway Happy? "I don't want to comment on this, it's the USP of my film," Rai retorts.
The film will roll in a couple of months with Mudassar Aziz at the helm. The director is coming back four years after Dulha Mil Gaya, which starred former girlfriend Sushmita Sen.
What made Rai hand the reins of his debut production to a director with a dud behind him? "Mudassar has been working on the script for the last two-and-a-half years. He has a hunger in him. As far as box-office collections go, no one can ensure that a film is a safe bet," he argues.
"The reason I'm turning producer is to give directors the kind of space I searched for, over the last decade. I won't interfere with my director's creative freedom and the experience of being associated with a film from its conception, through its making, to promoting it, will make me a complete filmmaker," says Rai who is lining up a second production with Navdeep Singh.
And what's his next film as a director? "I don't know till Tanu Weds Manu Part 2 is done," he quips. Is Tanu Weds Manu Part 3 on the cards? "When I was working on the first film I didn't know there'd be a sequel. So I'm not answering that question now," he laughs.
Check out Kangana Ranaut doing a split with ease on Tanu Weds Manu 2 sets
7:51 AM
Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 25, 2014)
Kangana Ranaut admits that filmmaker Aanand L Rai gave her hell when they started work on the Tanu Weds Manu sequel. Crushed by his long list of instructions she couldn't shoot the first day. "This tag of a good actress can really get to you. How good is good. After Queen and Revolver Rani, it's getting harder and harder for me to match the expectations people have from me. And that day, I just told Aanand that I couldn't do it," she recalls.
However, the National Award winning actress wasn't going to call it quits so easily. She went to Delhi University, roamed the campus incognito, and with Aanand's help, quickly got into character as Datto, Tanu's doppelganger.
"Her real name is actually Kusum Sangwan but everyone calls her Datto. She's from the Jhajjar district in Haryana who gets into Delhi University on a sports quota. She is a state-level sprinter, long jumper and triple jumper," she informs.
Why the unusual nickname? "Aanand likes to give such names to his characters -- Tanu, Manu and now Datto," she says.
Datto reminds the actress of her seniors, from her days as a college student in Chandigarh. There was Sukdeep didi and Amandeep didi, six-foot-tall sardar girls who were in the college basketball team and would spend their time between the court and the canteen. "They didn't have to attend classes. They would just practice their game, go off to the Nationals and return with medals. They were really envied by girls like me who had to mug up on organic chemistry," she laughs.
Today, playing Datto, she realises that it wasn't all fun and games for them. "Even though the sports angle is used to add humour to this romantic triangle, I had to work with my trainer on the jumps and sprints. This film could easily be the biopic of a national level sportsperson given the effort," she points out, admitting that it isn't easy for someone in her late 20s to train in athletics. "It's something you start at the age of 10 and grow up with."
Fortunately, Kangana has been practicing yoga under her guru Surya Narayan since she was 17. That explains the ease with which she does a split in the picture above. "I can certainly claim to be the most flexible Bollywood actress. This was something I was doing while warming up for a shot. Though it's a gymnastic stance, I've seen athletes going through similar warm-up routines before a race or a jump," she says.
Along with training in sports, Kangana has also been taking diction classes to perfect her Haryanvi. She admits that it's not an easy language to learn but she can speak it fluently now with the right accent. "Playing Datto has been a lot of hard work but then acting has never been an easy job, right?" she quips.
Tanu Weds Manu 2 dispute settled after a lump sum amount was paid to Vinod Bachchan
7:39 AM
Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; November 22, 2014)
The five month-long legal dispute between director Aanand L Rai and producer Vinod Bachchan over the rights of Tanu Weds Manu sequel has finally ended.
Bachchan, who holds a 51 per cent share in the original film starring Kangana Ranaut and R Madhavan, had slapped a legal notice on Rai for announcing the second instalment without his consent. A source says the matter has now been resolved with Eros International, which is collaborating with the director for the sequel, apparently having offered a whopping amount to Bachchan to compromise.
Krishika Lulla of Eros confirms the news, stating: “It’s all sorted now”. Asked her about the monetary settlement, she says, “I don’t know how much I can talk about it.”
Bachchan, too, refrained from disclosing the amount. He says, “Of course they must have given me some money. Otherwise, how is a settlement possible? The film was very close to my heart but I got involved with the wrong person. I am confident of making many more films like Tanu Weds Manu though.”
The first schedule of the film, which stars Kangana in a double role, has been completed in Lucknow.
Salman Khan refuses to play a dwarf in Tanu Weds Manu 2?
8:05 AM
Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; November 10, 2014)
Director Aanand L Rai is gearing up for an untitled project that will go on the floors as soon as he wraps up the shoot of the Tanu Weds Manu sequel. Sources said he had approached Salman Khan to play a dwarf in the film.
However, after initially agreeing to do the role, the actor has now apparently done a volte face. A source close to the project says, “He is not too happy that details about his role have already been reported in the media. He wanted it to be a secret till the film released. So he decided to back out of the project.”
Rai was not available to comment on Salman’s alleged U-turn.
Like his earlier films, Rai’s new film is said to be a love story set in a small town. This time round, the filmmaker has roped in Hollywood VFX expert George Murphy for the project. Murphy is credited with the special effects of Forrest Gump, Matrix Reloaded, Jurassic Park and King Kong.
Check out Kangana Ranaut's double role avatars in Tanu Weds Manu 2
10:30 AM
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; November 9, 2014)
Kangana Ranaut is considered
one of India's finest actresses and Aanand L Rai, one of the
finest directors. They also share a very special emotional bond. We were
the first to tell you how Kangana was a part of Aanand's sequel to his
much appreciated film Tanu Weds Manu. We have now learnt that this time
around, we will get to see Kangana in her first ever double role. We
exclusively bring you her first look that hopefully will surprise you as
much as it did us.
I've never changed my music to suit market demands-Krsna
7:40 AM
Tamanchey's composer Krsna talks about his journey from Kolkata to Mumbai, and everything in between
Garima Sharma (BOMBAY TIMES; October 31, 2014)
Krsna, why do you spell your name in such an unconventional manner?
It is actually my stage name. I was born Amitabh Sarkar, but back in 2006-2007, when I started getting a clearer vision of where I wanted to go with my musical career, I picked a stage name. Music had to go with it and the sound of Krsna was the best. After all, he is also a musical icon and internationally, it is spelt Krsna, so I went with it. Two years after that, I did Tanu Weds Manu, which introduced my work to the world.
From Kolkata to Mumbai, how has the journey been?
It's been with a stopover, which was NID, Ahmedabad. At the age of 13-14, I knew I had to be a musician and I knew I had to be in Mumbai. I was good with studies but my parents wanted me to be an engineer or doctor, and I wanted to do creative stuff. I chose NID even though I had cleared IIT too. I chose it haq se. The course there, the creativity I got, helped me start my filmmaking career. I started directing ad films. I chose advertising as my field since it would help me learn music production since I was not formally trained in music. And then I announced to all my clients that I have become a full-fledged music director and told them to come to me only for music. I had trained myself in Hindustani classical and western music rigorously by then. I was ready to take a leap in films. It was during this time that I met the lyricist of Tanu Weds Manu. One thing led to another and Aanand bhai (the director) entrusted me with the music, even though I was a newcomer. It was an awesome journey where he protected me from everyone, till the end of the album.
What did Tanu Weds Manu do for your music career?
Life changed. The biggest concern for a creative person is to prove his worth for the first time and that happened with the film. You need to be really true for your first break and I gave my 100% to it. I made the kind of music the movie demanded and didn't bend to market demands. It helped me get good films like Jolly LLB. Now I am doing the sequel to Tanu Weds Manu and also a Tigmanshu Dhulia film.
You also expanded your repertoire with Tamanchey, where you wrote a song and sang it too?
Tamanchey is special. I do songwriting and for this film, I wrote my first Bollywood song and sang it also. It was my second playback song in a way. It goes with the film that way and that's why I sang it. In the future, I want to do more of this. But the best bit about this was working with a legend like Bappi Lahiri.Coming from Kolkata, where he is so big, it was a dream come true. Working with him and directing him was one of my sweetest memories from the film.
What keeps you busy now?
I am doing a lot of non-filmi stuff. It's a matter of destiny that I became a music director.I was always a song writer and singer. I'd now like to do non-filmi stuff by producing for artistes, working with more international musicians, and launching my music publishing company. Every five years, there is a drastic change in my life. I take decisions and then things change. So, there will be many more interesting things coming up.
It is actually my stage name. I was born Amitabh Sarkar, but back in 2006-2007, when I started getting a clearer vision of where I wanted to go with my musical career, I picked a stage name. Music had to go with it and the sound of Krsna was the best. After all, he is also a musical icon and internationally, it is spelt Krsna, so I went with it. Two years after that, I did Tanu Weds Manu, which introduced my work to the world.
From Kolkata to Mumbai, how has the journey been?
It's been with a stopover, which was NID, Ahmedabad. At the age of 13-14, I knew I had to be a musician and I knew I had to be in Mumbai. I was good with studies but my parents wanted me to be an engineer or doctor, and I wanted to do creative stuff. I chose NID even though I had cleared IIT too. I chose it haq se. The course there, the creativity I got, helped me start my filmmaking career. I started directing ad films. I chose advertising as my field since it would help me learn music production since I was not formally trained in music. And then I announced to all my clients that I have become a full-fledged music director and told them to come to me only for music. I had trained myself in Hindustani classical and western music rigorously by then. I was ready to take a leap in films. It was during this time that I met the lyricist of Tanu Weds Manu. One thing led to another and Aanand bhai (the director) entrusted me with the music, even though I was a newcomer. It was an awesome journey where he protected me from everyone, till the end of the album.
What did Tanu Weds Manu do for your music career?
Life changed. The biggest concern for a creative person is to prove his worth for the first time and that happened with the film. You need to be really true for your first break and I gave my 100% to it. I made the kind of music the movie demanded and didn't bend to market demands. It helped me get good films like Jolly LLB. Now I am doing the sequel to Tanu Weds Manu and also a Tigmanshu Dhulia film.
You also expanded your repertoire with Tamanchey, where you wrote a song and sang it too?
Tamanchey is special. I do songwriting and for this film, I wrote my first Bollywood song and sang it also. It was my second playback song in a way. It goes with the film that way and that's why I sang it. In the future, I want to do more of this. But the best bit about this was working with a legend like Bappi Lahiri.Coming from Kolkata, where he is so big, it was a dream come true. Working with him and directing him was one of my sweetest memories from the film.
What keeps you busy now?
I am doing a lot of non-filmi stuff. It's a matter of destiny that I became a music director.I was always a song writer and singer. I'd now like to do non-filmi stuff by producing for artistes, working with more international musicians, and launching my music publishing company. Every five years, there is a drastic change in my life. I take decisions and then things change. So, there will be many more interesting things coming up.
Tanu Weds Manu 2 is a deliciously complex love triangle-Kangana Ranaut
7:46 AM
Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 11, 2014)
Kangana Ranaut's Tanu Weds
Manu 2, which will see her reuniting with R Madhavan
and Jimmy Shergill, went on floors in Lucknow this week. Unlike Part 1,
the sequel has Kangana in double roles Tanu who's been married to Manu
(R Madhavan) for four years and a Haryanvi athlete preparing for a big
event. There's confusion galore when Manu is drawn to the sporting star
who is drastically different from his spunky biwi.
Director Aanand L Rai pointed out that while the first film delved into pre-marriage complexities, the sequel explores the conflict in marital life. “The plot is funnier, more twisted, and my cast is having a blast. They will journey through Lucknow, Kanpur, Delhi and parts of Haryana and London too,“ he informed.
Kangana who is attempting a double role for the first time said that she's approaching the two roles as two separate characters. “What sets these two roles apart is that they are both headstrong characters and that what makes this a deliciously complex love triangle,“ she reasoned, speaking from Lucknow, adding, “It's a progressive take on modern marriage.“
Director Aanand L Rai pointed out that while the first film delved into pre-marriage complexities, the sequel explores the conflict in marital life. “The plot is funnier, more twisted, and my cast is having a blast. They will journey through Lucknow, Kanpur, Delhi and parts of Haryana and London too,“ he informed.
Kangana who is attempting a double role for the first time said that she's approaching the two roles as two separate characters. “What sets these two roles apart is that they are both headstrong characters and that what makes this a deliciously complex love triangle,“ she reasoned, speaking from Lucknow, adding, “It's a progressive take on modern marriage.“
Deja vu and surprises galore the first day of Tanu Weds Manu 2 shoot
7:42 AM
Upala KBR (DNA; October 9, 2014)
Surprises galore were in store for Tanu Weds Manu
director Aanand L Rai as he began shooting for the film’s sequel in
Lucknow on Tuesday with Kangana Ranaut. Madhavan, who reprises his role
in the sequel, dropped in the day before shoot to wish the director and
participate in the puja, despite not being part of the first schedule.
Says Rai, “Madhavan said he had flown from the south for a day just to
be with the cast and crew. It made me emotional. He came the next day
sharp at call time and was with us the full day. Sonam Kapoor and
Dhanush (his Raanjhanaa stars) called me up to wish me too. I feel
blessed that I have received so many good wishes from my stars.” The first day of shoot also brought some deja vu. “We’re shooting at the same haveli (Tanu’s home) five years after the first film. It’s an inexplicable feeling. I never knew I would end up making a sequel to the film at the same place five years later. It brought tears to my eyes. Tanu’s room was exactly the same way we had left it.”
This time around, Kangs has a double role. One sees the story taking off from where Tanu Weds Manu ended (she’s now a housewife), while the other role has her playing a Haryanvi athlete performing at state championships in high-jump and triple-jump. “It took us almost eight months to put together Kangana’s looks for the double role,” says Rai.
Eros International to serve a mix of entertainment in coming months
7:53 AM
Hiren Kotwani (BOMBAY TIMES; September 24, 2014)
Over the years, Eros
International has collaborated with the finest talents in the industry.
The studio is also the first Indian entertainment company to get listed
on the New York Stock Exchange.
After successful films like
Ram-leela, Raanjhanaa and R... Rajkumar last year, Eros continues to
forge alliances with leading filmmakers and production houses like
Illuminati Films, Maddock Films and Phantom Films. Its robust line-up of
releases in 2014-15 includes Saif Ali Khan-Ileana D'Cruz
starrer Happy Ending, directed by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, Prabhu
Dheva's Action Jackson with Ajay Devgn and Sonakshi Sinha, Boney and
Sanjay Kapoor's Tevar with Arjun Kapoor and Sonakshi, R Balki's
Shamitabh starring Amitabh Bachchan, Dhanush and Akshara
Haasan, and Sriram Raghavan's Badlapur with Varun Dhawan. It also has
Navdeep Singh's NH10 with
Anushka Sharma. Not to forget, Ajay's next directorial venture Shivaay,
Kajol's new movie with Ram Madhwani and Housefull 3 in association
with Sajid Nadiadwala. Besides, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bajirao
Mastani, Raj and Krishna's Farzi with Shahid Kapoor and Nawazuddin
Siddiqui, Anand Rai's Tanu Weds Manu 2 with Kangana Ranaut are also
scheduled to start in the coming months.
Making a mark in the
rapidly growing regional cinema (Tamil, Telugu, Marathi), it has films
lined up with
Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and Pawan Kalyan, after its recent release
Aagadu with Mahesh Babu. The studio has forayed into the digital space
too, with Eros Now. Sunil Lulla, Managing Director, Eros International
Media Ltd, says, “We are committed to providing wholesome entertainment
to audiences across media and making Indian cinema global. Our upcoming
line-up looks exciting with a mixed bag of releases.“
After successful films like
Ram-leela, Raanjhanaa and R... Rajkumar last year, Eros continues to
forge alliances with leading filmmakers and production houses like
Illuminati Films, Maddock Films and Phantom Films. Its robust line-up of
releases in 2014-15 includes Saif Ali Khan-Ileana D'Cruz
starrer Happy Ending, directed by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, Prabhu
Dheva's Action Jackson with Ajay Devgn and Sonakshi Sinha, Boney and
Sanjay Kapoor's Tevar with Arjun Kapoor and Sonakshi, R Balki's
Shamitabh starring Amitabh Bachchan, Dhanush and Akshara
Haasan, and Sriram Raghavan's Badlapur with Varun Dhawan. It also has
Navdeep Singh's NH10 with
Anushka Sharma. Not to forget, Ajay's next directorial venture Shivaay,
Kajol's new movie with Ram Madhwani and Housefull 3 in association
with Sajid Nadiadwala. Besides, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bajirao
Mastani, Raj and Krishna's Farzi with Shahid Kapoor and Nawazuddin
Siddiqui, Anand Rai's Tanu Weds Manu 2 with Kangana Ranaut are also
scheduled to start in the coming months.
Making a mark in the
rapidly growing regional cinema (Tamil, Telugu, Marathi), it has films
lined up with
Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and Pawan Kalyan, after its recent release
Aagadu with Mahesh Babu. The studio has forayed into the digital space
too, with Eros Now. Sunil Lulla, Managing Director, Eros International
Media Ltd, says, “We are committed to providing wholesome entertainment
to audiences across media and making Indian cinema global. Our upcoming
line-up looks exciting with a mixed bag of releases.“
Kangana Ranaut to play double role in TWM 2 after makers fail to find lookalike
7:48 AM
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 2, 2014)
Turns out Kangana Ranaut is indeed one of a kind. Mirror (May 19) had told you that Aanand L. Rai was auditioning for a Kangana look-alike for a role in Tanu Weds Manu 2. The exercise went on till mid-July at his Andheri office.
"We hoped to find our girl by June-end but we failed," says a source close to the film. But the search for a Kangana doppelganger proved futile. And the film's director has now decided that Kangana will play a double role in the sequel.
Mirror has learnt that Kangana will play two characters; Tanu who is now struggling with her four-year-old marriage, and a Haryanvi athlete.
Confirming the news, Kangana said, "Yes, it's true. And Tanu and the Haryanvi athlete have several scenes together."
Aanand plans to shoot Tanu Weds Manu 2 in parts of North India and in London. The film is expected to go on floors in October.
Dhanush to do a cameo in friend Aanand L Rai's Tanu Weds Manu 2
8:36 AM
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; July 9, 2014)
Dhanush debuted in Bollywood last year with his outstanding performance in Aanand L Rai's Raanjhanaa. We all know that Aanand and he are like family, so much so that Dhanush also rented out a place in the same building where Aanand lives and continues to look up to him as a mentor. The fact is that the reports claiming that Aanand does not have rights to make the sequel of Tanu Weds Manu are false and the film is very much on track. Aanand starts shooting the film in September in Lucknow. While the sequel has R Madhavan and Kangana Ranaut in lead roles, we have learnt that Dhanush will be doing a cameo in the film. For Aanand, having Dhanush in the film, in whatever capacity, is more a personal than a professional need, as he is deeply attached to him. While the exact details of the same are still being finalised, Dhanush could either be doing a cameo or a performance in a song or who knows, even sing and dance to a song.
Vinod Bachchan to now file criminal complaint against Tanu Weds Manu 2 makers
8:23 AM
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 5, 2014)
The producers of Tanu Weds Manu sequel have been slapped with a legal notice by Vinod Bachchan, who collaborated with Sanjay Singh and Shailesh R Singh on the original. Bachchan claims that director Aanand L Rai and the studio backing him, Eros International, have no right to go ahead with Part 2 since the rights officially belong to him.
Rai however shrugs off the notice, saying, "The studio has all the papers in place to take the project forward. Besides, Vinod was just one of the producers of the original film. Let him do what he wants."
Surprisingly, Shailesh is not siding Vinod either. Says Shailesh, "Vinod doesnt have any rights to the film."
The studio in question had issued a statement in 2011 stating that it was producing Tanu Weds Manu 2. When contacted, the company's official spokesperson then had confirmed that studio was on board. But this time they chose not to respond to our text.
While Vinod remained unavailable for comment, his lawyer Raja Thakur said: "I'm shocked that neither Rai nor the studio has responded to our notice so far. We will now be filing a criminal complaint on Tuesday."
Tanu Weds Manu 2 row: Now Sanjay Singh slaps legal notice on Aanand
7:50 AM
Rachana Dubey (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 22, 2014)
While director Aanand L Rai hunts for a Kangana look-alike for his, Tanu Weds Manu sequel, the film has hit a roadblock.
Reportedly, Aanand has been slapped with a legal notice by Sanjay Singh, one of the three producers of Tanu Weds Manu, the other two being Vinod Bachchan and Shailesh R Singh. The supposed legal notice states that the director doesn't have the rights to make a sequel without their consent.
Aanand L Rai counters these reports, saying "Vinod, Shailesh and Sanjay only have rights over the first film. They don't have the rights to sequels and prequels. So, why can't I make a sequel to Tanu Weds Manu?" questioned Aanand, adding, "Eros International is the producer of the sequel. They have all the papers in place to take this project forward. And I've already started work on the film. As for their legal notice, I'm yet to receive one from any of them. I can only comment on it after I have seen it."
When contacted, Vinod furiously retorted, "Shailesh, Sanjay and I are the producers of the first film and are keen to make a sequel. My legal notice is being drafted right now while Sanjay has already sent a notice from his end. Aanand is trying to damage our brand. If he was so keen to make the sequel, why didn't he seek our permission or choose to work with us?" he rants, adding, "If he was so keen to work with Eros International, why didn't he start a sequel to Raanjhanaa or his first film Strangers? We have our papers in place."
Eros International had issued a press statement back in 2011 stating that they were producing Tanu Weds Manu 2. When contacted, the company's official spokesperson confirmed they are still on board as the producers of the film.
When informed about this, Vinod insisted that the sequel cannot be made without the consent of his co-producers and him.
When we last checked, Aanand hadn't received a legal notice from Sanjay or any of the other co-producers. Aanand said, "If Vinod, Shailesh and Sanjay can prove they have the rights to make the sequel and/or a prequel, I will direct it for them. In any case, their legal notice should be addressed to Eros, not me."
How can Aanand make Tanu Weds Manu 2, without my consent?-Vinod Bachchan
8:14 AM
Hiren Kotwani (BOMBAY TIMES; May 21, 2014)
History seems to be repeating itself with Tanu
Weds Manu. After the original, the film's sequel is also running
into legal troubles.However, unlike the 2011 movie, which was disputed among its co-producers, Tanu Weds Manu 2 has got embroiled in a legal tangle between director Aanand L Rai and the producers, after Rai announced the project.
Producer Vinod Bachchan, who had gone to
court over the sale of rights of the first movie - he now holds 51%
share after the settlement -is preparing to send a notice to Rai.
Meanwhile, Sanjay Singh, who holds 24.5% share via his agreement with
co-producer Shailesh Singh (who holds 24.5% share), sent a notice (of
which Bombay Times has a copy) to Rai on Tuesday.Says Bachchan, "Aanand is just the director. Tanu Weds Manu is my property . How can he make my film's sequel without my consent?" Sanjay adds, "Aanand is aware of my contract with Shailesh. He knows we are equal owners of the IPR of Tanu Weds Manu. Four months ago, he had tried to negotiate with me, but it was inconclusive. How can he talk about a sequel? I've sent a notice to him."
After several calls and text messages, Rai finally sent us an SMS saying he was “in a narration“. He didn't clarify his side till the time of going to press.
Wanted: Kangana Ranaut look-alike for Tanu Weds Manu 2?
8:34 AM
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 19, 2014)
If you think you resemble
Kangana Ranaut in height, weight, complexion and features, you might
just turn lucky and find yourself on screen. Director Aanand L Rai is
desperately looking for a Kangana look-alike for the sequel of his
2011 rom-com Tanu Weds Manu. He will start auditioning for the same at
his Andheri office from next week. This exercise will go on for a month.
A source close to Rai told Mirror, “We hope to find our girl by June end. It's not going to be easy but it is the demand of the story" Previously, Kangana was supposed to play a double role in Tanu Weds Manu 2 and there was no mention of a doppelganger then. Now, with the new twist, it is to be seen if the double role is retained. Rai is tight-lipped about the look-alike's relation with Kangana's character in the film.
Shocked that his well-guarded secret is out, all he said was: “If I told you that I would be letting out my story. All I will confirm is that I need a Kangana look-alike before we roll." This newspaper has it that Rai has requested Kangana to be present during the auditions so he can ensure that he has the closest match. And the actress has agreed.
Rai plans to shoot Tanu Weds Manu 2 in parts of North India and in London. The film was expected to go on floors in April but will start after the search for the look-alike is complete.
A source close to Rai told Mirror, “We hope to find our girl by June end. It's not going to be easy but it is the demand of the story" Previously, Kangana was supposed to play a double role in Tanu Weds Manu 2 and there was no mention of a doppelganger then. Now, with the new twist, it is to be seen if the double role is retained. Rai is tight-lipped about the look-alike's relation with Kangana's character in the film.
Shocked that his well-guarded secret is out, all he said was: “If I told you that I would be letting out my story. All I will confirm is that I need a Kangana look-alike before we roll." This newspaper has it that Rai has requested Kangana to be present during the auditions so he can ensure that he has the closest match. And the actress has agreed.
Rai plans to shoot Tanu Weds Manu 2 in parts of North India and in London. The film was expected to go on floors in April but will start after the search for the look-alike is complete.
Kangana Ranaut to resume studies in New York in June
8:01 AM
Seema Sinha (BOMBAY TIMES; April 9, 2014)
Come June and Kangana Ranaut will once again take off to New York. “I will continue my course in screenplay writing before I start shooting for the sequel of Tanu Weds Manu,” she says, adding about life in the Big Apple, “I like it there because I get to live like a girl next door. Over here, the baggage of stardom is too much to carry at times.”
She adds, “I can’t be living like this all my life — wake up, be in front of the mirror for hours, wear makeup and gowns, and go for shoots and parties… I want to live like a normal person; it’s my birthright. I want to wear track pants, go grocery shopping, cook. The best part is, people there don’t recognise Bollywood celebrities. In New York, I can just switch off and be a completely different person. I can have conversations with people on the street, in the subway, and just enjoy my life.”
It takes 3 days to get over a break-up - Kangana Ranaut
8:12 AM
Sunanya Suresh & Kasmin Fernandes (BOMBAY TIMES; March 5, 2014)
Kangana Ranaut tackled a volley of questions, eloquently and candidly, when she visited the Bombay Times office. From talking about how spending time thinking about clothes is a waste of life to accepting how she doesn’t care about working opposite the three Khans, here are excerpts from her conversation...
In Queen, in the song Hungama Ho Gaya,you look stress-free in your dancing. Tell us about that.
Hungama dancing, you know, the promo is a little misleading. It’s not really a dance situation. It’s a certain point in the film where the character goes through a burst of emotions. But she’s not really dancing, she’s going completely crazy on the floor. And she’s not a good dancer, so she looks a bit carefree.
What did you discover about yourself when you did Queen, since it is about a woman’s journey to discover herself?
I’d say this girl is very different from me. Queen is someone who was very hard to identify with, since she has low self-esteem and is not strong at all. It takes me three days to get over a breakup. People find it difficult, but I am a very strong person. I’ve been on my own without my parents since the age of 15. I’ve literally lived on my own as a kid. Queen, on the contrary, has self-acceptance issues. What I learnt from my character is to be sensitive to these people. Like I was very harsh earlier and would go, ‘Why would you make someone responsible for your own happiness?’ I thought of them as losers. Being this person has changed my perspective.
Do you wear your heart on your sleeve in relationships?
No. I think at some point in my life, I was naïve and I learnt it the hard way, but I did finally realise that you cannot let others treat you badly. And torture doesn’t always have to be physical, it can come in any form. It can come even in the sweetest package. But torture is torture and one has to recognise it and has to be able to say no.
Do you think de-glam can be sexy?
I don’t think de-glam is the word for Queen. Our efforts were not to go deglam. In clichèd Hindi films, a behenji sits at home and wonders, ‘Why cannot I go out?’ It’s not the way we are, right? But in reality, they think they’re cool and are doing much better than those who are doing unnecessary masti and wearing short skirts and all of that. And that’s what Queen is. She thinks what she is doing is right and she is saving herself for this man who will commit to her. When all of that crashes, she still remains herself. She thinks she is very, very cool.
What’s the coolest factor about you?
I don’t think I’m cool. My friends think I’m 80 years old. They think I don’t talk my age. I don’t behave my age, I only have gyaan to give. My friends run away from me when they know I have to sit and talk. I’m apparently this very boring person. I cannot even pretend to be someone else. I’m just myself.
How do you think a woman can be the ‘queen’ of her life?
I’m totally the queen of my life. I’m not trying to be a feminist, but women by nature are giving, sensitive, gentle and all of that. But if you see Queen, it gives a beautiful message about being yourself.
You’ve stayed away from candyfloss cinema. Do you see yourself playing the sacrificing heroine anytime?
I think in the beginning of my career, I really hoped that I’d get films like that with big heroes and I’d do songs where my hair flies. But it didn’t happen for the longest time. Then, I got Queen and other films. And now, I think it’s too late. I get so much importance on the set. Who’d want to go back? I wouldn’t want to be the second most important person on the set.
How has your journey been from an outsider to being considered a film and fashion icon...
Honestly, in the beginning, more than others, I was being harsh on myself. I was too young. I couldn’t handle many things. It has been a bit of a disappointment in every way. I didn’t land the kind of roles I thought I would after Gangster. Though I did give good films in between, until Queen, I never really thought I had gone beyond Gangster. At the age of 17, I’d done a film that I could have possibly done at the age of 30. There was no growth as such and as a creative person, I felt a bit dissatisfied. I think with time, it changed. Now I am in a much better place. With Queen, I hope I get better opportunities. It took me seven years to get a Queen, but I won’t give another seven years of my life just sitting around and waiting for an opportunity like that. I would do better things. I would probably go into writing or into cooking, maybe.
Which has been your favourite among the characters you’ve played?
Apart from Queen, another is Revolver Rani. It’s a very nice character.
You studied screenplay writing at the New York Film Academy and made a short film. Do you see yourself directing or writing at some point?
I love to be prepared for challenges in life. If something comes along, I would love to write and direct. Why not? Versus just doing things that I am not happy with, or for money; I am over that phase now.
You say you are not satisfied and want to do something better. Do you have something in mind?
No, I just hope I get good opportunities. I have Tanu Weds Manu 2. They have a good role for me. Also, when someone gives important years of his or her life to something — like Queen has taken two years of my life, when I look back I feel good. But I wouldn’t want to give my years to things that aren’t good. Because at some point, we know we all have limited time. We should not waste that time, right? My friend Bobby (Singh, cinematographer) died when he ate a crab. I was in depression for six months. His son was surfing and he was playing on the beach. He ate a crab and died in 10 minutes! So, life is like an illusion. He shot 98% of Queen and you never get your friend back when he’s gone for just four days. I am not a fool to think I am any different from Bobby or any of us are, we aren’t. And what happened to Bobby is nothing bad, it’s something so natural. Everyone is going to die. To cut a long story short, I am trying to say that I understand we have limitations. Even if you don’t die, we don’t want to make movies all our lives, right? We want to retire at least. Let’s settle it at that. This is what I think success would be to me: if I get to give my time to things that I want to do and they are significant to me, I would consider myself successful.
You have done many unconventional lead roles. Was it because of your choices or because they were offered to you?
The directors offered them to me. It’s not that I chose to be in Queen. Vikas somewhere was convinced. When I read the script, I said to him, ‘I can’t do this, I don’t know this girl’. I was a bit confused. If it wasn’t for Vikas’s conviction, I would never have really wanted to be in a film like that. A more obvious thing for me, as an actor, was to do a Tomb Raider sort of role, which I did get to do in Krrish 3. As a girl, you want to do kickass films, right? You wouldn’t want to be a loser; like Queen is such a loser! You want to save the world and do things like that.
You are distancing yourself in a way from the film industry. Is there something about it you don’t like?
I don’t like many things about it. First of all, it’s so disorganised. Vikas is one of these contemporary makers, a bit more methodical, but others are so disorganised. I remember when from the Krrish 3 set, I used to go to the Queen set, I’d be so much under stress. Vikas used to freak out. He’d say, ‘You don’t even walk like the same person, your walk has changed and my continuity won’t match’. I’d be like, ‘I can’t shoot’. It used to take me months to get into Queen’s character. He’d say, ‘Okay fine, then we won’t shoot today. Tell me when you’re ready’. How many people are ready to do that? They don’t respect you. They don’t respect your craft. You give interviews and they tell you to dance or sing a song. How stupid is that? Is this what actors are reduced to? Are we like monkeys? I think this is a bit disrespectful. In this industry, everyone works like that. If you don’t want to work on Sundays, other girls would. And they’re like, you’re very different. You write in your contracts that you want one day free in a week. We can’t function like that. But, you’re like, I have upper lips to do!
Did that cost you a couple of roles?
Not yet. When people don’t want to give me a day free, I don’t say I want one. You do feel bad about it but everyone works like that. Sometimes I really have to stand up for my staff. It’s one-and-a-half shifts — they are going on for 16 hours. This whole raw way of working, when people were gareeb and all that, I would understand. But now that we are doing so well... As an industry, we are better than many in the world. So, we should at least have some organised system, some sort of infrastructure. Not behave like we know nothing.
What is it that you have that your contemporaries don’t?
I am a bit detached. I don’t want to do the same stuff as other actresses. Everyone I guess wants to work with the Khans. I am sort of over that phase. We definitely aren’t hoping to get the same projects.
Do you miss being in a relationship?
Not at all. I don’t think I am a relationship person. It’s so hard to maintain a relationship. When you are in a relationship, your views do change. You really love someone and you can’t imagine talking like this. But when you are not in a relationship, you do like your freedom. You love the fact that you’re on your own and you can be in a relationship with literally anyone you’d like. But when you’re in a relationship, you have to cheat to do that.
You didn’t get enough due for some of your performances?
Jo bhi I have done, I got due for that. I just think that many films — I won’t name them because I don’t want to disrespect people — bombed because of wrong casting. I think if I were given the opportunity, they would not have bombed. We all feel why can’t I get that opportunity. We do feel that about contemporaries; they are all useless, they don’t deserve what they get. So, I do feel that sometimes, why did this person get this opportunity, why can’t I? I can do better, maybe.
Any roles you wanted to play?
This is a different example I am giving, but I am giving you this one to tell you the kind of roles I would love to do. Sonakshi (Sinha) in Lootera. This girl has actually done so much better than anyone else could have done. She was so beautiful in that film. She’s so talented, she should get more roles like that. I would love to do a period film like that. In fact, I am hoping two things come my way — a good biopic about not maybe an iconic woman, but a real person and a period drama; that will be great. I’ll be pretty much done.
How was your experience at London Fashion Week?
It was very good. It was the first time that I went to an international fashion week. Also, I was sitting opposite Bradley Cooper, the American Hustle star.
Did you meet him?
I didn’t. He was there for his girlfriend. Apparently, he’s dating Suki Waterhouse, who is a model. She was walking in the show. No one was expecting him, it was very surprising.
Kangana Ranaut to have double role in Tanu Weds Manu sequel
5:18 PM
Upala KBR (DNA; January 1, 2014)
Kangana Ranaut is known to experiment with different looks for all her films. Now in Tanu Weds Manu 2, she will not only be seen as her double but also in a completely de-glam avatar. This is the first time that Kangs will be seen in a double role.
Says a source, “Kangana loves to don various looks for her films. From playing the mutant Kaya in Krrish 3 to a sweet and simple Delhi girl in her next release Queen, we have seen her in various avatars. When Anand L Rai narrated the Tanu Weds Manu 2 script to her, she got very excited. The story takes off from where TWM ended. Now Kangana (Tanuja or Tanu) and Madhavan (Manoj or Manu) are a married couple but there is a love triangle with Kang’s in it. She will be sporting buck-teeth for this role which is completely different from her glamorous, fashionista image.”
It’s a proper double role; they are not twins or related so Kangana, the director and designer Reza Shariffi wanted a completely different look for the actress. Whether the second Kangs is a negative or positive character will be revealed as the story unfolds.
When quizzed about, it Kangana doesn’t deny that she’s playing a double role but adds simply, “I love to experiment with my looks for all my films and here too I am getting an opportunity to do the same. Though I am very excited about playing two roles in the sequel, it is too early to say anything more right now.”
Tanu Weds Manu 2 is expected to go on floor from April this year and will be shot in various parts of North India and London.
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