The actor who had been shooting action sequences for Vishal Bhardwaj's next, says injuries come with the territory
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 22, 2016)


Saif Ali Khan, who has been busy shooting for Rangoon, Vishal Bhardwaj's Casablanca-like love story set against the Second World War, in Arunachal Pradesh, has injured himself while filming the movie's climax. He was spotted limping around with a crepe bandage wrapped around his left foot and bruises on his arms at mother-in-law Babita's birthday party, on Tuesday.

The actor told Mirror, "There were a lot of action sequences on a bridge in the climax. I hurt my ankle, got a few cuts and bruises, such injuries are normal. The action sequences in our films are always strenuous but in this case it was a bit more, but that's made it fun."

Having shot in the remote interiors of Arunachal Pradesh, the actor is all praise for the unusual location, even comparing it to China. "Arunachal is a really special place, I'm happy I got to see it. If you look beyond the man-made borders, it must be exactly like China! It's nice to make an effort to get good locations to film. Look at Leonarado D'Caprio's Oscar-winning drama The Revenant. We can't keep shooting in the same places when our country is so rich and diverse," he points out, adding that after Omkara, he wanted something special from Vishal and he gave him just that. "It was great working with Shahid Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut who are brilliant in the film."

The other film on Saif's mind is the Hindi remake of Jon Favreau's Chef with him in the title role. For the gastronomic adventure being directed by Raja Krishna Menon, will he be training with real chefs like Favreau did as part of his prep? "The prep will begin only in July," he says shortly.

"I agree with and understand Raja's thought process. People have responded encouragingly to the idea, I have my fingers crossed," he signs off.

DNA (March 8, 2016)


Speaking about his time in the city he says, “I had a fabulous time prepping for Befikre in Paris! It was a fresh experience, collaborating with some of brightest and best technicians in international cinema. We worked intensively on the look of the character.”

Incidentally, the movie will see him in a role that’s drastically different from his role as the warrior Peshwa in Bajirao Mastani. Before shooting for BM, the actor had shut himself in a hotel room for almost a month to work on his character. This time, however, the actor didn’t have to turn recluse. Prepping for Befikre in the capital of France sure had its advantages.

Apart from working on his look in the movie, the actor also spent time getting to know the city of love. “I found some time to chill as well. Saw the sights, watched some really great live performances, and enjoyed the gastronomical delights that Paris has to offer,” he said.

Ranveer also took out time to watch the latest Hollywood blockbusters. “I watched the uncensored versions of Deadpool and The Revenant. I loved both the films and the performances. I’d love to do something similar in Hindi films!”

But before he thinks Hollywood, the actor has some ad shoots to wrap up. After that, he returns to Paris to shoot for Befikre. Looks like Ranveer’s romance with Paris has just begun.

DNA (February 27, 2016)


This process of revising existent rules apparently came about after the Central Board Of Film Certification (CBFC) viewed two new Hollywood films Alex Proyas’ Gods Of Egypt and Alejandro González Iñárritu’s The Revenant where animals are used extensively in action sequences.

Says a source close to the CBFC, “The two films have spectacular shots of horses and other animals in action. The Revenant has a bear mauling and seriously wounding the hero. It also has a scene of the hero seeking shelter in a horse’s carcass. We’ve reduced the scenes. But we could not remove them for the sake of continuity.”

Adds the source, “We’ve initiated moves to stop Hollywood films from seeking NOCs from the Animal Welfare Board. We are not qualified to judge how Western films use animals. A lot of times the scenes with animals are CG (Computer Graphics). How can Hollywood producers be expected to get approval from the Animal Welfare Board? Better we scrap the rule for non-Indian films.”

Board says award and applause hasn’t swayed their decision, animal violence in the film cut...
Subhash K Jha (DNA; February 25, 2016)


Contradicting a statement by the film’s Indian distributors claiming that the film got no cuts because of its Oscar-worthiness, a source from the CBFC says, “We are aware of how much applause the film has generated. But it is wrong to say we got swayed by the film’s Oscar nominations. Rules cannot be bent for award contenders.”

The source goes on to say that the violent scenes featuring animals have been reduced. “We could not remove them completely as that would have hampered the film’s flow. But we have reduced the length of the scenes featuring animal violence.”