Showing posts with label Toolsidas Junior. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toolsidas Junior. Show all posts
68th National Awards: Ajay Devgn, Suriya win big
8:30 AM
Winners of the 68th National Film Awards were announced in New Delhi on Friday
HINDUSTAN TIMES (July 23, 2022)
Honouring the best of 2020’s cinematic excellence, the 68th National Film Awards were announced on Friday in the Capital. The report related to the awards was submitted to the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Anurag Thakur, and 10 jury members, headed by filmmaker Vipul Shah, took the final call.
Ajay Devgn and Suriya shared the Best Actor award. Devgn won it for the period drama Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior and Suriya for Soorarai Pottru. His co-star in the movie, Aparna Balamurali, won the Best Actress award.
Devgn on receiving his third National Award said, “I’m elated to win the Best Actor Award along with Suriya. I thank everyone, most of all my creative team, the audience and my fans. I also express my gratitude to my parents and the Almighty for their blessings.”
Soorarai Pottru won the Best Feature Film, while Tanhaji... was declared the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Nachiket Barve and Mahesh Sherla won the Best Costume Designer award for the same movie.
Child actor Varun Buddhadev got a special jury mention for the Sanjay Dutt and Rajiv Kapoor-starrer Toolsidas Junior, which also won the Best Feature Film, Hindi. It was also Kapoor’s last film before he died in Feb 2021.
Lyricist Manoj Muntashir won the National Award for Best Lyrics for Saina. Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj bagged the award for Best Music Direction (non-feature films section) for 1232 Kms: Marenge Toh Wahin Jaakar. HTC
Anurag Thakur, Union Minister for I&B, told ANI, “I want to congratulate all the jury members and all those people whose work was reviewed and would like to congratulate the recipients. A word of appreciation for everyone who has done an outstanding job.”
Winners
Best Feature Film: Soorarai Pottru; Tamil
Best Actress: Aparna Balamurali (Soorarai Pottru)
Best Actor: Suriya (Soorarai Pottru) & Ajay Devgn (Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior; Hindi)
Best Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir (Saina; Hindi)
Best Costume Designer: Nachiket Barve & Mahesh Sherla (Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior)
Best Music Direction in Non-Feature Films: Vishal Bhardwaj (1232 Kms: Marenge Toh Wahin Jaakar; Hindi)
(Crisp) Movie Review: TOOLSIDAS JUNIOR by FENIL SETA
8:18 PM
Toolsidas Junior has released today in cinemas; it is a delayed film starring Sanjay Dutt and late Rajiv Kapoor, and co-produced by Ashutosh Gowariker. It is inspired from a true story of a child who excels in the game of snooker, with the help of an expert player. This is a nice feel-good film and it's helmed in a neat and simple manner by writer-director Mridul. But a few developments are difficult to digest and overall, the plot is predictable. The film also never goes on a high. Thankfully, it keeps one gripped till the end. Sanjay Dutt has a late entry and has a supporting part. The role required someone who commands respect and awe. He fits the bill completely. Late Rajiv Kapoor is lovely though he's missing in the middle portion. Varun Buddhadev has the maximum screen time and handles the lead part with perfection. Chinmay Chandraunshuh (Goti) is funny and sweet though his character is bewildering. Tasveer Kamil (the mother) is decent. Sara Arjun (Piya, Toolsidas Junior's love interest) is cute although the romantic track was forced. Dalip Tahhil is tailor made for the role of the villain. All in all, Toolsidas Junior is a watchable fare. It would surely get the viewership it deserves on Netflix as in cinemas, it will sink without a trace thanks to zero publicity and awareness.
My rating - *** out of 5!
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 715
11:07 AM
JHUND VS THE BATMAN THIS FRIDAY
The box office got a huge boost last week with the release of Alia Bhatt-starrer Gangubai Kathiawadi. The hope was that it would collect Rs. 7-8 crore on day 1 at best but it managed to collect Rs. 9.75 crore and then jumped to Rs. 12.50 crore on Saturday and Rs. 15.25 crore on Sunday. It remained rock-steady on Monday as evening shows did very well due to the holiday on Tuesday. Tuesday, the day of Mahashivratri, obviously had encouraging collections. The first week collections are expected to be in the Rs. 63-66 crore range, which is incredible. If it holds well in the second week, it can even cross the Rs. 100 crore club.
Meanwhile, two significant films would be up for release this Friday. Jhund, starring Amitabh Bachchan, is directed by Nagraj Popatrao Manjule, of Sairat fame. The film is the story of an adamant teacher who teaches football to slum kids to keep them away from crime and drugs. The trailer has been appreciated and the film looks like a realistic saga. However, it also seems highly entertaining and that can be a plus point. The reviews are out and it has given some sort of a boost to the buzz. Nevertheless, the opening will be around Rs. 2 crore at best. It can grow dramatically on Saturday and Sunday if the public also enjoys the film as much as the critics. There are also talks that it’ll get a tax free status. This will benefit the film even more.
The other release is the Hollywood superhero actioner, The Batman. It is a reboot of this superhero franchise and stars Robert Pattinson in the role of the lead protagonist. In India, the film has generated some buzz even though the promotions are limited. The film was released today in IMAX and tomorrow, it’ll have a release in the non-IMAX format. The footfalls today are going to be huge as almost everywhere, all shows of The Batman are sold out. Tomorrow, once it has a full-fledged release, it might open at around Rs. 3-4 crore and has an outside chance of collecting Rs. 6 crore. The film has an issue of long length – it’s 176 minutes long. The reviews have to be positive for it to sustain. Coincidentally, Jhund is also nearly 3 hours long.
The other release of the week is Toolsidas Junior. It is a delayed film, produced by Ashutosh Gowariker and T-Series. It is also the last film of Rajiv Kapoor, who passed away in February 2021. Sanjay Dutt also stars in this film that is based on the game of pool. The trailer did catch some attention. However, the makers have not done any sort of promotion at all. Most of the moviegoers are not aware of it. Hence, it is expected to hardly get any screens. It’s collections would be disastrous, even if the film has good word of mouth.
Youngest of Kapoor brothers, Rajiv Kapoor, 58, dies of heart attack
8:13 AM
Avijit Ghosh (THE TIMES OF INDIA; February 10, 2021)
Unlike his older brothers, Randhir and Rishi, he wasn’t introduced in a home production. Randhir Kapoor had started out with Kal Aaj Aur Kal (1971) and Rishi Kapoor, who passed away last year, with Bobby (1973). Rajiv made his debut with Ek Jaan Hain Hum (1983) under F C Mehra’s reputed banner, Eagle Films.
He oozed a natural flamboyance. Old-timers also spotted shades of uncle Shammi Kapoor’s brio in the exultant dance track, ‘Dil chahe aasman pe,’ and an amiable effervescence in ‘Bolo Kuchh To Bolo’, which Rajiv lip-synced with gusto on a bicycle. Journalist Madhu Jain wrote in a biography of Hindi cinema’s first family, The Kapoors, that director Lekh Tandon once said that Raj Kapoor had told him: “This boy will make it big. From Prithviraj on he will be the best Kapoor.”
But Rajiv’s career floundered. Post Ek Jaan Hain Hum, he acted in a clutch of duds: Ravindra Peepat’s Lava, Nasir Hussain’s Zabardast and Shomu Mukherjee’s Lover Boy. Even a double role in director Toni’s Aasman (1984), where he played the bad guy with relish, tanked at the box-office. He seemed unable to carve out a distinct personality that creates a steady fan base.
It was left to Papa Kapoor to provide his youngest son’s most memorable moment on celluloid. After the success of Ram Teri Ganga Maili, Rajiv said in an interview, “Ram Teri Ganga Maili (RTGM) has removed a big blot from my name. It has shown that given a good director and the right kind of note, I too, can deliver the goods and be accepted by the public in a very big way.” Critics too found his performance “poised and consistently credible.”
But Rajiv didn’t benefit much from RTGM’s triumph as the credit was given to Raj Kapoor. Even Mandakini, who played the title role, gained more. The film, however, kept Rajiv in circulation. He worked in a few more films—Shukriya, Zalzala, to name two. Both flopped.
The actor took to direction with the ambitious Prem Granth (1996), a desi adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s Tess Of The D’Ubervilles, hoping for a change in fortune. Following his death, Madhuri Dixit, who played the lead in Prem Granth tweeted, “…It was a difficult subject which he handled with great maturity though it was his first film. Remembering the wonderful moments we shared.”
But again, the film was a commercial failure. Rajiv Kapoor remained a promise unfulfilled.
----------------------
BOMBAY TIMES (February 10, 2021)
Actor-filmmaker Rajiv Kapoor, the youngest son of legendary Raj Kapoor, passed away on Tuesday. Neetu Kapoor, wife of late actor Rishi Kapoor, was the first to confirm the news on Instagram. She wrote, “RIP” alongside a picture of her brother-in-law. The actor, who was 58, reportedly suffered a massive heart attack, following which he was rushed to a hospital closest to his residence in Chembur. However, he was declared dead on arrival. Lovingly called Chimpu in his family, he was the youngest among the siblings, which includes Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, sisters, Ritu Nanda and Rima Jain. Elder sister Ritu Nanda passed away in January 2020 and brother Rishi Kapoor breathed his last in April the same year.
Rajiv Kapoor made his acting debut in 1983 with the film, Ek Jaan Hain Hum. He was largely associated with films that had good music following the success of his debut film, which included Zabardast (1985) and Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985), which was Raj Kapoor’s last directorial venture. Rajiv Kapoor’s last film as a lead hero was in Zimmedaar (1990). He then made a switch to production with Henna, directed by Randhir Kapoor and featuring Rishi Kapoor. In 1996, he made his feature directorial debut with Prem Granth, starring Rishi Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit-Nene. He also produced the Rishi Kapoor-directed 1999 romance drama, Aa Ab Laut Chalen.
The actor-filmmaker reportedly shot for Ashutosh Gowariker’s film Toolsidas Junior, starring Sanjay Dutt in the lead, recently. It would have marked his return to films as an actor after more than two decades.
Lata Mangeshkar was among the celebrities who took to social media to express their grief. The legendary singer, who’s close to the Kapoor family and an intrinsic part of their films’ music, tweeted: “Mujhe abhi pata chala ki Raj Kapoor sahab ke chote bete, guni abhineta Rajiv Kapoor ka aaj swargwas hua. Sunke mujhe bahut dukh hua.Ishwar unki aatma ko shanti pradan kare yehi meri prarthana.”
Ranbir Kapoor and his mother, Neetu Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor with mother Babita Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor, Chunky Panday were seen heading to the Kapoor residence at Chembur to pay their last respects to Rajiv Kapoor.
Rishi Kapoor had tweeted this family picture on Mother’s Day in 2019; Seen in the picture are (L-R) Rishi, Rajiv and Randhir Kapoor with Krishna Kapoor
Sanjay Dutt to be seen in six films in the next two years
8:27 AM
Back in the 1970s-’80s, it was commonplace for actors to juggle multiple projects, as they hopped from one film set to the other. And while they have taken to concentrating on one project at a time, Sanjay Dutt seems to be reviving the old guard. The 59-year-old actor has as many as six films coming out in the next two years. He wrapped up shooting for three films — Kalank, Toolsidas Junior and Prassthanam — in November this year, followed up with look tests for Shamshera. Now, he is gearing up to shoot three films one after the other.
“The first schedule of Shamshera will go on till February-end at Film City but Sanjay wrapped up his portions two weeks ago. After that, he went bald for Ashutosh Gowariker’s Panipat, which went on the floors in Mumbai on December 10. The shoot is slated to continue till March,” said the source, adding that for the second schedule, Sanjay will undergo a makeover.
Shooting for both period dramas will be wrapped up by mid-next year, after which Sanjay jumps into Mahesh Bhatt’s comeback directorial Sadak 2 along with Alia Bhatt, Aditya Roy Kapur and Pooja Bhatt. “The film will be shot in a start-to-finish schedule,” informed the source. In between schedules, Dutt will also squeeze in time to promote Abhishek Varman’s Kalank in March.
Sanjay Dutt quietly shooting for Ashutosh Gowariker’s next production with Rajiv Kapoor?
8:07 AM
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 5, 2018)
Mirror (October 31) had recently reported that Raj Kapoor’s youngest
son Rajiv who made his Bollywood debut with Rajiv Mehra’s 1983 romance
Ek Jaan Hain Hum and was last seen in Zimmedaaar in 1990, is making his
acting comeback 28 years later.
He will be seen in National Award winning filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker’s next production, Toolsidas Junior. We have now learnt that Sanjay Dutt is the latest entrant in the cast.
“It’s a father-son story with Sanjay in a cameo. He plays a snooker coach who is training the son played by Varun Buddhadev and has already started shooting. He loved the role and immediately agreed to be a part of the film,” informs a source close to the development. Ashutosh’s spokesperson confirmed the news.
Rajiv started shooting from Tuesday. It is a two-week schedule in Mumbai for Sanjay. The director, Mridul, had previously helmed the 2005 Hinglish film Missed Call which is in Films Division’s honour list of ‘Best of Indian Cinema’.
Sanjay is simultaneously filming Abhishek Varman’s period drama Kalank which also features Madhuri Dixit, Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Sonakshi Sinha and Aditya Roy Kapur. He will soon kick off another Ashutosh production, this one with him as the director, the historical drama Panipat with Arjun Kapoor, Kriti Sanon and Padmini Kolhapure.
Rajiv Kapoor to make Hindi film comeback after 28 years with Ashutosh Gowariker’s Toolsidas Junior
7:45 AM
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 31, 2018)
Raj Kapoor’s youngest son Rajiv Kapoor made his Bollywood debut with
Rajiv Mehra’s 1983 romance Ek Jaan Hain Hum, before going on to work in
his father’s directorial, the romance-drama Ram Teri Ganga Maili (left)
opposite Mandakini in 1985. That was his most memorable film. He was
last seen on screen in 1990 in Zimmedaaar. The following year, he turned
producer with brother Randhir’s directed Henna and five years later,
went on to make his own directorial debut with the Rishi and Madhuri
Dixit starrer, Prem Granth, which had also featured his uncle, Shammi Kapoor.
Twenty-eight years later, the 56-year-old actor is all set to make his
acting comeback with National Award-winning filmmaker Ashutosh
Gowariker’s upcoming production, Toolsidas Junior.
The film will be directed by Mridul, who has previously helmed the 2005 Hinglish film Missed Call which represented India at Cannes 2006 and is in Films Division’s honour list of ‘Best of Indian Cinema’. Mridul had also written the dialogues for Gowariker’s TV show Everest.
“When Ashutosh heard the story, he immediately fell in love with it. It’s a father-son story revolving around a sport. Rajiv started shooting for the film on Tuesday,” informs a source close to the development. The source added that the makers are aiming to release the film next year. Ashutosh’s spokesperson confirmed the news.
Meanwhile, Ashutosh himself is gearing up to direct his period drama Panipat that features Arjun Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, Sanjay Dutt and Padmini Kolhapure. The Kapoors were in the news in August when Mirror reported that the landmark RK Studio in Chembur — built by Raj Kapoor nearly 70 years ago — was up for sale following a collective decision by his sons Randhir, Rishi and Rajiv, and daughters Ritu Nanda and Rima Jain, as it was no longer practical to hang on to the sprawling, two-acre studio, a major part of which was gutted in a fire on September 16 last year.
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