Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; January 13, 2020)

After starting his Bollywood journey as one of the three actors in the Pyaar Ka Punchnama (PKP) series, today, Sunny Singh is confident about leading the show as a solo hero. In a conversation with BT, the actor spoke about his upcoming film, Jai Mummy Di, his struggles to land where he is today and how his only focus is, “Meri agli picture kab aayegi.” Excerpts:

Your last release, Ujda Chaman, which was your first film as a solo hero, ran into controversy ahead of release. What were your takeaways from it?
I am calm person, and I never lose my composure. When I got to know of what had happened, I felt yeh to hona hi tha. Bala and Ujda Chaman were both about premature balding, which was a novel idea. I feel lucky that I was a part of Ujda Chaman, and today, I only want to cherish the experience of leading a film and the lessons that I learnt on the job. I had once met Ayushmann Khurrana before both the films had released. He seemed fairly unperturbed by what was going on, and that made me realise that one should just focus on their work. And controversies aside, I got the acknowledgement that I wanted as an actor. Today, I’m more prepared and confident to try out genres other than comedy. In this business, believing in your work, being patient and consistent always pays off.

You have tried your hand at comedy before, what was it about Jai Mummy Di that appealed to you?
Luv sir (filmmaker Luv Ranjan) called me to his office and introduced me to our director, Navjot Gulati. We discussed the film at length there, and he also asked me to read the script. I don’t question Luv sir’s decisions because I’m here, all thanks to him. Of course, I loved the story when I read it. I was not only playing the male lead, but I also had a chance to portray a character which is so relatable and real. Films like Jai Mummy Di connect well with the audience. When people recall me as Chauka (PKP) or Titu (Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety) on flights and other places, it feels like the hard work was all worth it.

Jai Mummy Di was shot before Ujda Chaman came your way and this will be your second release as the solo lead within six months. Doing more films as the leading actor — is that your plan now?
I have been through times when I would audition for roles and not make the cut. Today, I value the fact that I got these films in the first place. Aaj se kuch saal pehle tak, naye logon ko jaldi chance nahi milta tha. Along with hard work, you also need luck by your side. I was fortunate that Luv sir saw the potential in me and gave me films like Pyaar Ka Punchnama and Akaash Vani, and now, Jai Mummy Di. I have realised that it’s important to dedicate time to a film and role, no matter how big or small it is. Since childhood, I wanted to be a hero, but now, I want to be an actor. I spend time reading and preparing for a film. It’s important to do that. My father (Jai Singh Nijjar) is an action director. He has seen the industry from close quarters and he always told me that it is important to hone my acting skills. The reason for the long gaps between my previous films is that I focussed on one film at a time. I don’t feel the pressure to do multiple films in a year. Besides, I didn’t like the offers that I received in the interim. I don’t mind giving six months to a film if it demands that, but I am not in a hurry to sign projects.

Don’t you think that for a fairly new actor, having long gaps between films could be detrimental to your career?
I don’t think so. I know that a lot of newcomers have been introduced in recent times, but that doesn’t affect me. I also know a few of them personally, but I don’t know much about most of them because I don’t have the bandwidth to keep a tab. I am a homebody and I don’t socialise much. If it was left to me, I would also quit social media. My only concern is meri agli picture kab aayegi, paise aaye ya nahin and meri performance theek thi ya nahin. That’s it. I am not that person who puts himself out there all the time.

Once upon a time, social media profiles were private and that made sense because what we did with our buddies and where we chilled out was only for us to know. As far as this is concerned, my thoughts are a bit old-school.

Recently, on a chat show, actor Siddhant Chaturvedi said, ‘Hamare sapne jahan poore hote hain, wahan se inka (industry kids) struggle shuru hota hai,’ while referring to nepotism in the business. Do you agree with his statement?
Yes, I do, but to some extent. For people whose parents have been in the business, landing the first meeting and probably the first film is easier than it is for an outsider. But after that, it is talent that sooner or later takes you to your destination. I have observed that actors who get films through auditions have a different sort of confidence in what they’re doing. Maybe several rejections at auditions and continuous toil makes them strong. On the other hand, actors from families within the business have to work doubly hard and struggle to find their space. The pressure is higher and most of them have to live up to a big name. If they don’t do that in their first few films, work is hard to come by. So, yeh mat dekho kaun kidhar se aaya hai, but yeh dekho ki woh kya kar raha hai aur kya kar sakta hai.

WILL BALA MANAGE TO BENEFIT FROM DREAM GIRL’S SUPER SUCCESS?

Tomorrow will see the release of the biggest and most exciting film of the month. There are three more Fridays in November but as of now, none of the films releasing on these days seem that exciting. Hence, all eyes are set on Bala, starring Ayushmann Khurrana in the lead role. Since two years, he has become a force to reckon with. In 2017, his film Bareilly Ki Barfi was an average grosser but Shubh Mangal Saavdhan was a hit. Last year, he surprised one and all with Andhadhun, which was not just a fantastic film but also a huge hit. Badhaai Ho was an even bigger hit, as it earned Rs. 136.46 crore! This year too, Ayushmann Khurrana kept surprising and entertaining audiences. His first release was Article 15, a very serious fare and yet, it emerged as a big success. Then came Dream Girl which was a masala comedy fare and hence different from the actor’s usual subtle entertainers. It broke Badhaai Ho’s record by earning Rs. 139.31 crore and is hence Ayushmann’s biggest grosser.

And now Ayushmann is back with his final release of the year, Bala. It features him in the role of a man struggling with premature balding. Yami Gautam and Bhumi Pednekar play the female leads. Stree director Amar Kaushik is at the helm of this flick that’s produced by Dinesh Vijan. The timing of the release is great as it’s coming at a time when viewers have already seen the big Diwali release Housefull 4. Hence, Bala will get a benefit. Moreover, Ayushmann Khurrana enjoys a lot of trust among the audience. Hence, he single-handedly can pull audiences to cinemas. The subject of the film is also very relatable.

Bala faces a few challenges. The trailer is good but not extraordinary. In fact, it’s Ayushmann’s presence that has made Bala such a hyped film to a great extent and not much the content. Songs haven’t worked. There was also a controversy going on when the makers of Ujda Chaman alleged that their film is also on the same lines and that Bala producers have copied their story. Ujda Chaman released last week and interestingly, its makers withdrew the case once the film was out. Hence, many feel it was a case of publicity stunt. Dinesh Vijan however has maintained that Bala is original.

Dream Girl opened at Rs. 9.43 crore and Bala would not be able to reach that level. The opening will be in the range of Rs. 7-8 crore. Bala also has paid previews today where it can earn around Rs. 1-1.25 crore.

There are two more releases tomorrow. One is Bypass Road, a thriller written and produced by Neil Nitin Mukesh. The actor also features in this film along with Adah Sharma, Shama Sikander and Gul Panag. It is directed by Neil’s brother Naman Nitin Mukesh. The trailer is decent and can make for a great experience if made well. The makers have promoted it extensively but the buzz is very limited. It’s opening will be around Rs. 50 lakhs, which is too low. If response is positive, it can grow.

Finally, there’s Satellite Shankar that marks the return of Sooraj Pancholi after his first film Hero, which had released way back in 2015. The film was shot last year in September and did face a bit of delay in getting the right release date. The trailer surprisingly is entertaining and it can turn out to be a dark horse if exceptionally handled. But as the awareness is negligible, the opening will be very bad, around Rs. 50-60 lakhs.

WHICH FILM WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AND WHY? DO LET ME KNOW!

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; November 7, 2019)

When your directorial debut turns out to be the biggest sleeper hit of the year, the pressure on the second outing can be daunting. So, how is Amar Kaushik of the Stree (2018) fame dealing with it, now that his second film Bala, which stars Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar and Yami Gautam, is about to release? Bala has already had its fair share of controversies, including accusations of plagiarism. However, in a chat with BT, the filmmaker says that he is unfazed, and all he cares about is staying true to his craft. Read on...

‘BALA IS NOT JUST ABOUT BALDING’
When producer Dinesh Vijan approached Amar with a rough draft of the story, the latter was entrusted with developing the script, as a creative producer. From there to actually helming the project was a result of him falling in love with the story. Amar says, “The original story was set somewhere else, but I moved it to my hometown, Kanpur. While developing the script, maine isme bahut apnapann daal diya. I showed my writer around the city to make him understand the Kanpur wala vibe, dialect and swag. The process lent a personal touch and that’s when I decided to direct it.”

For him, Bala was never the story of just a man facing premature balding. He wanted to tell a lot more than that, and that’s how Bhumi’s character — that of a dark-skinned lawyer — came into the picture. Amar asserts, “It’s not just about being dark, short or bald. We assume that a fair person has it easy in the world, but by calling him/her gora, aap wahin discriminate kar dete ho. We often poke fun at tall people by asking them, ‘Oopar ka taapmaan kya hai?’ Our conditioning doesn’t let us stop and think that such terms could be hurtful. I have tried to explore all these complexities and not just premature balding in the film.”

‘SMALL-TOWN HUMOUR HAS SHAPED MY SENSIBILITIES’
Having said that, the director is not keen on ‘correcting the wrongs’ of society through his films. Amar tells us that it’s the small-town attribute of not taking oneself too seriously, that has helped him tell stories that people can relate to.

He says, “Preachy isn’t my style. I always try to look at the humour in any situation; it’s easier to empathise that way. I was once partying with a couple of friends till late night when the cops arrived and picked us up. On the way to the police station, the bizarreness of it all hit me, and I started laughing. One of the cops was flummoxed and asked me what I found so funny. I told him that it was quite hilarious to be heading to a police station after partying with friends. He found it funny, too, and dropped us by the road after that.”

‘I HAVEN’T BEEN CORRUPTED YET’
The filmmaker says that he will not choose a script just because it is safe. “Money is important, as you can’t expect your producers to make losses on a film. Mujhe paise nahi kharaab karne, par mujhe apna cinema bhi kharaab nahi karna. I don’t want to make a film just because the script is safe and will work. A lot of people ask me about the Stree sequel, as they are certain that it will work. It would be a disservice to my craft if I start taking popular conjecture seriously and get on with a sequel, even though the script is not in place. That’s when corruption will win over my craft! I haven’t been corrupted yet. Corruption, to me, is making a film with wrong intentions. I have retained my innocence as a filmmaker in Bala. Woh innocence jis din jaayega, main corrupt ho jaaunga aur main kharaab film banaane lagoonga. Following the success of Stree, I felt the pressure to work on a different film, but I realised that I needed to ensure that whatever I am making should have my complete focus and honesty,” he says.

It’s not difficult to figure out the inspiration behind his worldview. He has assisted the likes of Raj Kumar Gupta and Onir, who are known for making films they resonate with. He says, “I feel fortunate to have worked with the right people, who moulded my thought process. They taught me that cinema is more important than making money. I am forever hungry to learn, which is why I assisted Majid Majidi on Beyond The Clouds (2018). I wouldn’t mind assisting renowned filmmakers, like Sriram Raghavan, to hone my skills, whenever I feel that I am slipping. Ek success ke baad aapko bahut chadhaane wale mil jaate hain. So, I have brought my old friends closer, as I can always depend on them for honest reviews.”

‘KUCH TOH AAJ DHAMAAL KARENGE’
Amar says that the absence of a superstar in his cast has never been a roadblock for him. “I haven’t worked with a superstar yet, to talk about the pressure or ease one feels around them. For me, everyone who is hungry to do some good work, and everyone who thinks at the start of their day, ‘Kuch to aaj dhamaal karenge’, is a star. I see that hunger in Raj (Rajkummar Rao), Ayushmann, Bhumi and Yami. When we started working on Stree, we were told that we don’t have a big star. I said that we have so many stars that they will leave us blinded by their light when they shine together,” he reminisces.

‘COPYING SOMETHING IS AGAINST MY UPBRINGING’
The run-up to Bala’s release hasn’t been smooth; the film was mired in controversies after the makers of Ujda Chaman, which also revolves around premature balding, accused them of copyright violations. So, how did he deal with the sudden hullabaloo? Amar replies, “It’s against my upbringing and ethics to copy anything. We spent over six months developing Bala and suddenly, someone calls it a copy… it does feel bad. However, I maintained a dignified silence or it would have turned uglier. After all, you know that you haven’t done anything wrong and people will see it in theatres.”

Ask him if he has watched the other film to understand whether their allegations are justified and he says, “No, I haven’t. I watched the Kannada film, Ondu Motteya Kathe, whose rights they (makers of Ujda Chaman) bought to remake it in Hindi. I realised that we were making a completely different film. They started shooting 20-25 days after we wrapped up Bala. After we announced our release date, they announced theirs, which was scheduled to release before ours. However, that’s a producer’s call.”

With Ayushmann top-lining the cast, did he ever feel that his film has an edge over the other? “If a film is good, it will work irrespective of its cast. So, the fact that Bala has Ayushmann and hence it will do better, didn’t cross my mind,” he concludes.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; November 5, 2019)

Dinesh Vijan has always believed in backing content that he is convinced about without fearing failure. “Raabta (2017) and Agent Vinod (2012) taught me to look at cinema differently,” he says. Ahead of the release of his production, Bala, he spoke to BT about picking the right content, reuniting with three directors he had started his Bollywood journey with, and the unforgettable lessons he has learnt along the way. Excerpts:

After Luka Chuppi, Arjun Patiala and Made In China, Bala, which hits the theatres this week, will be your fourth release as a producer this year. How would you describe the year, which has been hectic, challenging and fast-paced?
This has been a year of lessons, an enhanced understanding of the work we do and stability. I’ve managed to line up my films for the next year — the ones that go on floors and ones that release. I can’t wait for 2020 because there is a lot of action ahead. I’m reuniting with Imtiaz Ali, Homi Adajania and Sriram Raghavan, with whom I had worked at the beginning of my journey as a filmmaker. I remember learning so much from Imtiaz when he was making Love Aaj Kal (2009). The year ahead is more packed than this one. With everything that I have learnt, particularly from my failures, I’m more than geared up for the next year.

What about your plans to direct? You wanted to start something this year...
In the next two years, I have over ten films slated to release and around five or six big films to roll out. I can’t take my attention away from that right now. As a filmmaker, my biggest learnings came from Agent Vinod (2012) and Raabta (2017), which taught me just how fast the audience is changing. I learnt the art of making films like Badlapur (2015) and Stree (2018) from these. Failures teach you more than success. Today, as a filmmaker, I go by my gut instinct. I have to know the emotional arc of a story and see if it works for an audience.

While this year has been one of mixed results for you, what are your expectations from Bala? Do you feel nervous before the release of a film?
No, I don’t. I am not nervous because I make the films that I truly believe in. Take Bala for instance, I truly love it for what it stands for. So far, with most of our films, you take something home after the viewing experience. This time, you might also leave a little bit of you behind in the cinemas. I am extremely proud of this film because it will establish an unreal sort of a connection with you as an audience.

A film on similar lines opened a week prior to Bala. Does that bother you?
I’ve not commented on this matter so far because when the dust settles, people are smart enough to see things for themselves. People are going to say all kinds of things. Yes, the lead characters in both films are bald, but I know that my film is different. In Bala, there’s nothing similar to the south Indian film (on which Ujda Chaman was based). My company has stood for positive and original content. We’ve stuck to our date for Bala, and we’re confident about our film. I’m known to thrive on my sense of originality.

When you announced your film about a year ago, what had drawn you to the subject at that time?
The film is not so much about balding. It’s actually about the fact that we all have something we don’t like about ourselves. It could be size, weight, height, hair or skin colour. The idea is to love yourself for who you are, because it’s foolish to expect other people to love this perfect, superficial version of you. Amar Kaushik (director) was the best person to make this subject, which will appeal to the simplest, yet the most complicated Indian. The reason I kept quiet all this while was because, I didn’t want to corrupt the experience that Bala, as a film, offers.

Talking of imperfections, are you conscious of any of own?
I don’t observe myself so much; I am not even on social media. I remember when I was in class four, I shot up (in height), and suddenly, I was the tallest in my class. I developed a hunch because I became conscious of my height. Of course, eventually, my height became my strength. I’ve realised that anything different is always frowned upon and that has to do with the way we are conditioned. With Bala, we want to initiate a change there. That is the aspect I related to the most. We all have one such story in our life that underlines our imperfections or what we see as our imperfections. Bala will make you love yourself.

As a producer, you’ve refrained from backing anything formulaic. At the outset, you were doing something different from the rest of the industry. Did people also frown at your choices of films and the direction you were heading in?
I don’t know about that because we were busy making films. We’ve always backed stories that we firmly believe in. We’ve forged some extremely fruitful equations with filmmakers like Imtiaz Ali, Sriram Raghavan and Homi Adajania. As a company that arrived out of nowhere, we have never feared failures. We never take our audience for granted and never hide things or mislead them. Yes, when you make five films, you will go right and wrong with some of them. But why make a film that you don’t believe in? I’ve always wanted the directors of my films to get their vision right; we can work around the rest. After making Agent Vinod, Sriram made Badlapur and then AndhaDhun; he’s come into his own and is now making Ekkees with us. Fortunately, I’ve always found like-minded people to work with, whose love for cinema is greater than everything else. The intent is always to make the best possible film with the material at hand.

Dinesh Vijan on his next, which tells Ayushmann Khurrana’s bald story, and informs that plagiarism case against him is withdrawn
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 4, 2019)

For someone who has been redefining content with films like Badlapur, Hindi Medium and Stree, it must feel like a bad dream to be accused of plagiarism by the makers of Ujda Chaman. Yet, you have chosen to remain silent on the charges.
When something like this happens, a part of you wants to explain yourself. But since we were just three weeks away from release, I needed to see my film through without losing focus. It will be out this Friday and then you will know that Bala is a completely original concept. We are credible filmmakers. Forget a subject, I’ve never even signed a director working for another production house.

How did the issue blow up?
Before we started, Luv Ranjan and Kumar ji (Mangat, producer of Ujda Chaman) approached me on the similarity in the plots of the two films. Since Kumar ji’s film was a remake of a Kannada film (Ondu Motteya Kathe) I didn’t need to listen to his subject, but I narrated mine to Luv who assured us that there was no resemblance between the two. Twenty days after we wrapped up, they went on the floors. I reiterate our film is nothing like the South film or the 2011 Hindi film Hair Is Falling or any other on the subject. More than hair loss, Bala propogates self-love. There are things we don’t like about ourselves, be it our hair, height, or complexion, yet, it’s important that we love ourselves for others to love us. That’s what our film is about and it’s Ayushmann’s (Khurrana) best performance to date. He’s known for brave choices but this one is all heart.

Why, then, did you push the release forward, from November 22 to November 8?
After Karan (Johar) called to say that his Bhoot was moving, we thought of coming with Bala on November 8. My studio partners felt that with November 11 being Guru Nanak’s birthday and a holiday, it'd give us an extended weekend and a two-week run at the box-office.

What’s the status on the plagiarism cases against you? Even Dr Zeus threatened legal action for recreating his song, “Don’t Be Shy”.
The Ujda Chaman makers have withdrawn their case and as far as the song goes, we have officially taken the rights from Kamran Entertainment, the copyright owner of the original song.

Some don’t like the fact that Bhumi Pednekar’s skin tone has been inordinately darkened on screen since she is playing a dusky girl...
Bhumi is an actor playing a character which demanded this, just like Ayushmann’s Bala needed him to sport a balding pate. The idea here is to sensitise people with respect to terms like ‘takla’ and ‘kala’, which begin as jokes in school and whose scars we carry all our life, unless we can love ourselves for who we are.

What went wrong with Arjun Patiala and Made In China?
The former, as a spoof, fell flat. I stand by Made In China’s script and its intentions. Raj (Rajkummar Rao) was outstanding. I think we faltered with the release date. If Agent Vinod taught me to be brave with Badlapur, and Raabta with Stree and Luka Chuppi, Made In China has made me realise the importance of timing a release right.

Given how big a hit Stree was last year, we had expected Roohi Afza, which is in the same genre, to arrive before the year was out.
We started filming only three months ago and still have two songs to shoot, followed by four months of post-production. A film, like a baby, takes nine months to deliver. Roohi Afza, my first film with Janhvi (Kapoor) and my third with Raj, comes in April 2020. In March 2021, we plan to release another horror-comedy, Munjha, which goes on the floors next year in August. All three— Stree, Roohi Afza and Munjha—will have a part 2 which will arrive over the next five years, three years after the original opened, each answering the question the first part ended with. Then, all three will come together in my horror universe in a series of two films which deal with the bigger picture and a larger conflict. All of them and their sequels are being written by separate writers and will be made by different directors over eight years. Now, isn’t that exciting?

Very much so. Now, tell us about the Love Aaj Kal sequel. Can Sara Ali Khan and Kartik Aaryan’s real-life split affect its box-office prospects?
I didn’t even know Sara and Kartik were dating. They are both strong actors who have the love of the audience, and with Imtiaz Ali, the master of heartbreaks, telling us how love has changed in the last decade, I am confident this film will be a much-awaited 2020 Valentine Day release. I remember little Sara present at the pooja when we started Love Aaj Kal with her father (Saif Ali Khan). Now, she’s the leading lady of the sequel. Taking the journey forward with her, Imtiaz and Kartik, with whom I had a hit in Luka Chuppi earlier this year, has been heart-warming.

The Irrfan Khan-starrer Angrezi Medium followup to Hindi Medium was another reunion project for you. What was that journey like?
There is an almost Sufi quality to Irrfan now. He’s made me realise that the mind is living our lives, making us chase success instead of valuing the here and now. Thanks to my mother, Irrfan and my wife Pramita, I’ve become a better person—calmer, more balanced and mature. I’m still passionate about my work, but when I go home now, I can disconnect and feel grateful for all that I have. Perhaps that’s why the recent controversies didn’t rattle me, nor do box-office results. You can’t get it right every time, but it’s important to work with good people, give my best and enjoy the moment.

That’s why it’s exciting to reunite with not just Irrfan on this film but also Homi Adajania. I started my career with his directorial Being Cyrus, and have collaborated with him on Cocktail, Finding Fanny and now Angrezi Medium. My Badlapur director-actor duo, Sriram Raghavan and Varun Dhawan, and I have also joined hands on the biopic of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal. The film is a big responsibility towards the late martyr's brother Mukesh Khetarpal and to the Indian army. It’s wonderful when actors, writers and directors trust you enough to want to work with you again.

You’ve reunuited with your Luka Chuppi director, Laxman Utekar, and actress Kriti Sanon too on Mimi but isn’t she a little too young to play a mother?
Mimi, the remake of Marathi film, Mala Aai Vhhaychay, is about surrogacy and till it was banned, it was young girls who agreed to be surrogates to support their families. This young girl wants to be an actress but ends up becoming a mother. I believe a child gives birth to a mother and if with Laxman sir’s help, Kriti who has not experienced motherhood yet, can bridge that gap between herself and her character, Mimi will be her best performance.

Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; November 2, 2019)

After producing films, Abhishek Pathak turned director with Ujda Chaman, which released this Friday. The movie stars Sunny Singh in the role of a 30-year-old man who is dealing with the issue of premature balding. When asked about how difficult or different it was to wear the director’s hat, he replies, “The only hindrance I faced was when we had to shoot in the high temperatures of North India. It was really hot and sweaty, and I was worried about how my actors will perform in such weather, especially Sunny, who wore prosthetic makeup for his role of a partially bald man.” This is not the first time Abhishek is collaborating with Sunny. He had produced Akaash Vani (2013) and Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 (2015), which featured the actor. Interestingly, Abhishek is Sunny’s childhood friend.

He said, “My father (film producer Kumar Mangat) and his father (action director Jai Singh Nijjar) have worked together before. That is why we know each other well.” He added, “The reason I cast him for the film was because Chaman (Sunny’s character in the film) is extremely coy and does not speak much. I felt Sunny was right for the part and would nail this role.”

Fortunately, the film released a week before Ayushmann Khurranastarrer Bala, which also deals with the same subject. Speaking about the similarities in both the films, Abhishek elaborates, “I bought the rights (of 2017’s Kannada release Ondu Motteya Kathe). Later, I got to know that they (producer Dinesh Vijan) are making Bala. In one of the interviews, I read that the film is about a person’s inner beauty. I realised that the premise of both films seemed similar, that’s when I sent out a friendly notice to the team of Bala. I also suggested that we sit across the table and discuss the content of our respective films. However, they told me that there was no need for a discussion as their content was different. Meanwhile, I had also released a public notice stating that we have the rights of the original. When the trailer of Bala released, I was shocked to see that it is similar to mine.”

There was a time when both the films were slated to release on the same weekend. However, a clash between the two, at the box office, was averted. Abhishek says, “Releasing two films based on the same subject on nearly the same date would have been disastrous.”

After Ujda Chaman, Abhishek is producing Khuda Hafiz, which is based on a news report published in The Times of India. “It is a romantic thriller inspired by a news report, which was published in 2007. It was actually the director of the film, Faruk Kabir (Allah Ke Banday fame), who had researched the article and came up with the idea,” said Abhishek. The film stars Vidyut Jammwal, and the shooting has commenced in Uzbekistan. Shedding more light on the story of the movie, the filmmaker shared, “It’s a real-life story based on a couple from Hyderabad. It’s a fabulous story that needs to be told.”

Ujda Chaman’s story is very relatable and moreover, it is based on an idea which many films haven’t tackled. A few scenes are funny and sweet but overall, the direction is amateur. The humour seems forced at places. It’s difficult to digest to see the lead character being ridiculed almost daily for his bald patch by everyone around him. The second half starts off on an excellent note but again, after a point, it falls, this time because it’s very predictable. It’s sad that the film has such great characters and so much could have been done. Sunny Singh could have done better as throughout the film, he seems needlessly lifeless. A little bit of control was needed. In a few scenes however, he excels. Maanvi Gagroo is quite natural and lovely. She delivers the best performance in the film. Aishwarya Sakhuja leaves a huge mark in a supporting role. Sharib Hashmi is endearing. Karishma Sharma is decent and her track is entertaining. Atul Kumar is great while Grusha Kapoor is very loud. Music is forgettable. All in all, Ujda Chaman is an average fare!

My rating - ** ½ out of 5!

WILL UJDA CHAMAN MANAGE TO FIND AUDIENCES?

Last Friday was crowded thanks to the release of one biggie – Housefull 4 and two small films – Made In China and Saand Ki Aankh. This happened as it was the beneficial Diwali week. Usually, no significant film tries its luck in the week following Diwali and this year, there were three releases. Yet, tomorrow, a moderately priced film, Ujda Chaman, will try its luck.

Ujda Chaman stars Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety actor Sunny Singh alongwith Maanvi Gagroo. It is directed by Abhishek Pathak, who along with his father Kumar Mangat produced films like Pyaar Ka Punchnama and also Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety. Ujda Chaman is Abhishek’s first directorial venture and is a remake of a Kannada film Ondu Motteya Kathe. The film deals with the very relatable topic of premature balding and how a man’s marriage prospects gets affected as a result. The film was approved and shot less than 5-6 months ago. The shoot was done in a quick start-to-finish schedule in Delhi and Ghaziabad. There was no indication of the film being made and even trade and industry found out about Ujda Chaman when the makers released the poster and subsequently, the trailer. The promo however has been appreciated a lot, which is great, considering the lack of popular names in the film

Ujda Chaman faces many challenges. Songs haven’t worked at all. It’s releasing at a time when Housefull 4 and Saand Ki Aankh are still going a bit strong. But more than that, the film faces a tough fight from Ayushmann Khurrana starrer Bala, which releases next week and is based on the similar idea. Bala was officially announced in December 2018 and shooting began in March or April 2019. Ujda Chaman got locked and shot later on. Hence, one can argue that Ujda Chaman makers copied Bala’s plot. But the truth is more far more complicated. As mentioned above, Ujda Chaman is an official remake of Ondu Motteya Kathe. Producer Kumar Mangat claims that their film is a legitimate adaption while Bala is a rip off. Kumar has even moved Supreme Court and a hearing on the same will be held on November 4.

The Ujda Chaman vs Bala row didn’t end here. Initially, Bala was to release on November 15 while Ujda Chaman was to hit screens on November 8. But 3 weeks ago, the makers of Bala advanced their film by a week, on Thursday November 7! Hence, two films with the same basic plot were to hit screens in the same week! To avoid this clash, Ujda Chaman makers hence decided to come tomorrow, that is, November 1. There were speculations that even Bala will release tomorrow but thankfully, that’s not happening.

Bala looks far more exciting and has Ayushmann Khurrana in the lead, who enjoys a lot of popularity. Hence, viewers might skip Ujda Chaman and prefer to watch Bala. The opening of Ujda Chaman hence would be around Rs. 1-1.50 crore with an outside chance of it earning Rs. 2 crore. If word of mouth is positive, it can grow significantly in multiplexes. Or else, it’ll have a very tough time.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE UJDA CHAMAN AND WHY? DO LET ME KNOW!

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; October 31, 2019)

Television actress Aishwarya Sakhuja will be seen in the Sunny Singh-starrer Ujda Chaman, which deals with the issue of premature balding among men. And what better subject to make her Bollywood debut with than this film, for someone who has spent a quarter of her life battling multiple health woes and being labelled as an unconventional beauty.

Talking about the film, she says, “If we can make Chaman look cool despite the baldness and other shortcomings, we have driven the point home. The message that we want to impart is that beauty is skin deep and it should not be limited to outward appearance.”

The actress agrees that celebs undergo a lot of scrutiny for the way they look. However, she has come a long way from being called a ‘giraffe’ or someone with a buck-tooth smile. She says, “I don’t intend to demean anyone, but in a quest to look perfect, I feel that everybody has started looking like a clone of the other. People are getting a lip job and other jobs done, which in turn make them look very plastic. It’s sad that we are expected to look a certain way and in the bargain, we are losing out on our individuality. That’s when films exploring such subjects become important in bringing about the much-needed change. There is more to life than just looks.”

It is evident that the actress is averse to cosmetic enhancements and going under the knife. “I have missing teeth and a buck-tooth smile, but I am happy and comfortable with the way I look. My brother is a dentist and he has been suggesting that I could align my teeth, but I don't care. Why would I change something I am confident about? People would also joke about my height, but it never bothered me,” she says.

Aishwarya has also battled a lot of health woes. She shares, “I always joke with my dad that unhone defective bachcha paida kiya hai. I was born with a hole in my heart. I developed a serious problem in my eyes when I turned one. I have suffered from tuberculosis, battled problems in my lymph nodes and even suffered facial paralysis. In the past two years, I became diabetic type one, which usually happens among kids. I still deal with health issues, but my woes have put a lot of things into perspective when it comes to life. I have started to love and respect my body a lot more. My health and happiness are paramount now, unlike earlier, when work was my priority. ”

The actress has been missing in action since two years, after her last show Trideviyaan wrapped up. Though the idea was to take up a challenging offer, the decision to stay away wasn’t a conscious one. She explains, “TV entails a lot of hard work, both on the physical and emotional fronts, where an actor also misses out on important moments in life. So, if I have to work that hard, I should be happy doing what I am doing. Though some good characters came my way, they somehow didn't materialise.”

Before she started acting on the small screen, Aishwarya had tried her luck in the South film industry. However, a few unsavoury experiences soon made her return. She recalls, “I decided to try my luck in South films. On many occasions, I was asked to expose my navel, as they said it’s crucial for the success of the film. Back then, I was too naive and young to understand how the industry functioned. Sometimes, they would give me nice clothes, but on other occasions, the clothes would be too short for my liking — knotted blouses and skimpy knickers. That’s when I decided that no matter how many calls I get from that industry, I am not going back there. My agenda was never to become a star, but be happy with the work I was doing,” she says.

Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; October 30, 2019)

He began his journey in the entertainment world with television shows. Sunny Singh was a part of one of India’s longest-running daily soaps, Kasautii Zindagii Kay (2001-2008). He made his debut in Bollywood with Madhur Bhandarkar’s Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji (2011). However, it was the 2015 release Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 that set the ball rolling for him. This year, the actor reaches a landmark in his career as he gears up for the release of his solo lead project, Ujda Chaman, directed by Abhishek Pathak. In a chat with BT, Sunny talks about his struggles, the mentors who have shown him the way and opens up about the averted clash of his film with the Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer, Bala. Read on…

Ujda Chaman is your first film, which features you as the solo lead. How does it feel to carry the weight of a movie on your shoulders?
It feels really good, especially to see yourself featuring on the poster, solo (laughs!). I was waiting for such a project. I also wanted to do something different. I had faith and knew that one day, something like this will come along. When I was approached for this film, I got excited hearing the concept and details about my character.

Ayushmann Khurrana’s film Bala, based on a similar subject (premature balding), is releasing a week later. Amidst all that excitement, does this bother you?
When I saw the trailer of Bala, I couldn’t believe my eyes! I was like…what just happened? Later, when the feeling sank in, I was fine. Personally, I like Ayushmann and love his work. He is my senior and I am his fan. I had also met his wife Tahira and brother Apar (Aparshakti), they all are very sweet. They are like my family. I remember meeting Ayushmann at the screening of De De Pyaar De. I had a guest appearance in the film. He came to me and appreciated my work in the film. About the clash, I have no pressure, as such. I know that I have given this film my 100 per cent, and I am hoping it will connect with the audience.

Tell us all that went in to get the bald look right on screen?
It was a long, tedious procedure. On the first day, I thought it would be a cakewalk. However, when I sat through the look test, I realized that I had to go through this every day on set. The prosthetics team would use glue and a silicon cap to get the look. It would take three hours for me to get ready. I would arrive on the sets at 4 am and get ready only by about 6.30. Removing it would take another half an hour. During the three-hour process, I would watch movies on my phone. Shooting in Delhi and Ghaziabad was the toughest as it was very hot, leading to sweat getting accumulated under the silicon cap. It would be extremely uncomfortable.

From being a part of a TV show to bagging a solo lead film project, what have been your biggest hurdles along the way?
I have come a long way and reached here, I am truly happy for that. Well, the thing is that I have been extremely focused. I wanted to be an actor ever since I was five years old. I would tell my father (Jai Singh Nijjar, action director) that I wanted to be a hero. I used to enact scenes from the film Ram Lakhan (1989) at home. Seeing my enthusiasm, my father supported me, but also told me that it is going to be a very tough way ahead. He warned me that I would have to stand in long queues for auditions and he also said that he could approach people through his contacts, but eventually, I had to impress them with my talent. If didn’t, I had to ready to face failure. And I have faced it all. I would be very nervous during auditions. After waiting in long queues and then getting a chance to perform in front of casting agents, I would often get the response, ‘Aap mein yeh kami hai, woh kami hai.’ Finally, when I turned 18, a casting agent approached me and asked if I willing to do television shows. That is how Kasautii Zindagii Kay happened. I just took it up to get the experience of facing the camera. After a couple of TV shows, I quit doing that and focused only on movies. One day, I met Luv Ranjan through a casting agent. That was the best day of my life. After my family, he is the only person who I trust and have faith in.

The film industry is accustomed to seeing star kids make their way in showbiz. Lately, sons of fine technicians are also making their mark here, like Vicky Kaushal (whose father Sham Kaushal is an action director). It is interesting and remarkable…
Yes, it is interesting. I am good friends with Vicky Kaushal. In fact, he is from my hometown and our homes are just a kilometre apart. Our families get together during occasions and we know each other very well. He is a very sweet and simple guy. He has been so focused all these years and has worked really hard to reach where he is today. I have seen him go through the process. In fact, on three-four occasions we have gone for narrations together.

As a kid, would you accompany your father on film sets?
My father would tell me stories from what would happen on the sets. I would ask him to take me along, as I wanted to see the stunts live. I remember being on the sets of Vijaypath (1994), where Ajay Devgn was shooting a scene with a tiger. My father was training him, even Veeru Devgan (Ajay’s father, who was also an action director) was there. My father was lying down and the tiger was on his chest. They were demonstrating this to the actor and the duplicate. It was very scary to see my father doing that.

Which is that one actor you idolised while growing up?
I have been crazy about Akshay Kumar, probably because he gives me the Delhi vibes. While growing up, I would watch each and every movie of his. My father worked with him on Khiladi 786 (2012) and many other films.

Your upcoming film Pati Patni Aur Woh reunites you with your Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety co-actor actor Kartik Aaryan. What’s your equation with him?
I am doing a guest appearance in the movie. It was Kartik who called me and informed me about the cameo. Later, I met director Mudassar Aziz and came on board. It’s fun working with the entire team. Kartik has been a good friend. We know each other since 2011 and ever since, we have always hit it off well.

Maanvi Gagroo, refers to controversies surrounding both their films; insists she’s not playing a stereotypical overweight girl, written for comic relief
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 26, 2019)

Maanvi Gagroo is all set to impress in her first lead role, in Abhishek Pathak’s directorial debut, Ujda Chaman. She plays Apsara, an overweight girl, opposite a prematurely bald Sunny Singh. And despite having been part of films like No One Killed Jessica and PK and several shows, she admits she felt like a fresher. “There were many in the unit who were clueless about my shows, so, it felt like I was starting afresh,” she says candidly.

Why did she wait so long to graduate to the big screen? “I was getting offers to play the hero’s sister or friend, whereas online I had more substantial roles. So, I didn’t really need to do films,” she reasons, pointing out that this one too isn’t a stereotypical Bollywood character, loud and desperate to hook a guy, incorporated for comic relief. “Overweight people are also normal,” she argues.

Maanvi reveals that being in a body suit invited a lot of reactions on the set. “During the shoot of the song 'Outfit' I was sitting next to Guru Randhawa. When I got out of my bodysuit, he initially failed to recognise me,” she laughs.

Has she faced discrimination in the industry as a chubby girl? “Obviously, and I only landed typical bubbly parts. One casting director told me since I wasn’t either skinny or fat, they couldn’t cast me,” she shares. And has her perception towards bald people changed? “I never had a perception to change. Some friends messaged to say they felt Ujda Chaman was their story. One even said losing hair had changed his personality and diminished his confidence,” she admits.

The Delhi girl enjoyed filming in the city. “I was the self-appointed guide, taking the team to the best place for momos and shopping sprees. During a shoot in Dilli Haat, I bumped into my school friend’s mother and sister. Later, he told me how proud they were to see me there,” she beams.

Maanvi is currently shooting for Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan in Varanasi and is all praise for co-star Ayushmann Khurrana. “We share the same sense of humour and crack PJs,” she chortles. That’s surprising given that their respective films, Ujda Chaman and Bala, are embroiled in a court case? “We don’t talk much about the films as we have other things to discuss. And we are both mature enough to not let it affect our equation. He complimented me on my trailer, I did the same,” she signs off.

After Ujda Chaman director drags Bala makers to court, another aspiring filmmaker Chandra moves SC; seeks stay on the release of Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer citing plagiarism
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; October 25, 2019)

Even as the makers are battling a legal dispute at the High Court with Ujda Chaman director Abhishek Pathak, Ayushmann Khurrana's Bala has hit another roadblock. Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana's assistant director and aspiring filmmaker Kamal Kant Chandra has moved the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the movie's release, accusing Khurrana, director Amar Kaushik and producer Dinesh Vijan of lifting the central plot of a prematurely balding man from his project, Wig.

"After watching the trailer, I noticed many similarities between Bala and the concept I had narrated to Ayushmann in 2017. My request to the judiciary is that they watch the film, and if they find any resemblance to my script, I should be credited as a writer for the movie," says Chandra, who had filed a case against them in the Bombay High Court in April. He informs that the High Court hearing is scheduled for November 4, three days before the comedy is slated to hit theatres. Meanwhile, Pathak — who has filed a petition to stall the release of Bala citing copyright infringement — has advanced the release of Ujda Chaman to November 1.

mid-day reached out to Vijan's Maddock Films, who did not respond till the time of going to press.

Steals a six-day march on the Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer which also features a bald lead
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 24, 2019)

Mirror was the first to report (October 11) that the Sunny Singh-starrer Ujda Chaman and Bala, featuring Ayushmann Khurrana, are locked in a legal tussle over copyright violation. Makers of the former have alleged that Bala bears uncanny resemblance with their film, which is the official remake of Kannada comedy, Ondu Motteya Kathe. Both the films revolve around a bald protagonist. Abhishek Pathak who makes his directorial debut with Ujda Chaman was even more upset when producer Dinesh Vijan advanced the release date of Bala from November 15 to November 7—a day prior to his own unveiling.

Even as the dispute is being heard in High Court, we have learnt that Ujda Chaman will now hit screens on November 1, giving it a six-day clear run over Bala. “Since I had announced my film first, it is better to release a week before them and enjoy a solo release,” explains Abhishek, who has produced the film with father Kumar Mangat.

But won’t he be taking on Sajid Nadiadwala’s star-studded Housefull 4 which opens this Friday? “Both films appeal to different audiences and by then many would have seen Housefull. There is a demand for our subject and November 1 is a good date,” he reasons.

The debutant director has been vocal about the fact that Bala, with Ayushmann as the protagonist, is the bigger film. So, won’t people wait a week to see that? “No one can predict how many people will watch a film but today they are open to fresh content and mine is a good film,” he asserts.

And what about the marketing plan? “We have things in place and there’s nothing to worry about,” he assures. On the case against Bala makers, Abhishek says, “The matter is subjudice so I can’t say what the court has demanded or requested.” Will he now withdraw the case given that the two films will not be clashing? “There are two different issues here—one is the release date, the other is copyright violation. I will leave the latter to the court to decide,” he signs off.

Sunny Singh in his next grapples with premature balding and its side effects
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 14, 2019)

Sunny Singh, who rose to fame as one of the central characters in the romcom Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, alongside Kartik Aaryan and Nushrat Bharucha, is back on the silver screen with his next, Ujda Chaman. The film shows him grappling with premature balding.

On Be Bald And Be Free Day today, a movement that celebrates baldness in India, the actor revisits the process of getting into the character of a man with a fast-receding hairline. “It took almost three hours every day to get into the look. I had to be the first one on set at 4 am, while others would join in around 7 am. There was no room for error as even the smallest mistake would mean doing it over. After the shoot, it took half an hour to remove the prosthetics,” the actor recalls, adding that during the Delhi schedule, a man approached him to say that he could relate to the actor’s character whenever faced with romantic failures. Then, there were times he invited weird looks when he ventured out in character.

Sunny goes on to add that he has a friend in the Navy who is also dealing with a receding hairline. “But, with the help of medical treatments, he takes care of himself. Moreover, baldness is fashionable now,” he points out, adding that in real life, he takes hair-care seriously. “But if I ever suffer from hair loss, I won’t be scared as I can undergo hair transplant, like many actors have. If that doesn’t work, I think I can carry off the bald look.”

Ask him for a favourite bald character and he picks Akshay Kumar’s Bala in Housefull 4 and Aamir Khan’s protagonist in the 2008 action-thriller, Ghajini, for their “macho look and standout personalities.”

Akshay in Housefull 4 and Ayushmann Khurrana in Bala also don bald avatars. Is he worried about being pitted against them? “I feel really lucky. I am a huge fan of Akshay sir. I have hundreds of his videos in my phone and whenever I meet him, it becomes the best day of my life. Ayushmann and he connect well with the audience but are grounded. Being compared to them feels good,” he asserts.

The release of Bala, which has a story similar to Ujda Chaman, was shifted a day prior to the latter’s. The director-producer, Abhishek Pathak, even decided to take legal action against the makers of Bala. “It is the producer’s call, I have nothing to do with it. Both teams have worked hard on their films, and people shouldn’t compare the two,” Sunny notes. Lastly, he doesn’t think his film’s box office performance will suffer. “The audience has seen both ours work. I don’t think anything bad will happen due to this clash.”

Kumar Mangat, Abhishek Pathak’s Ujda Chaman and Dinesh Vijan’s Bala, both films based on bald protagonists, locked in a legal tussle over copyright violation; Vijan advances his Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer’s release to a day before Pathak’s film, which features Sunny Singh
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 11, 2019)

On October 1, Abhishek Pathak unveiled the trailer of his directorial debut, Ujda Chaman, the story of a man (played by Sunny Singh) grappling with premature balding. The makers pitched it as “the first film with a bald protagonist” as it was scheduled to open on November 8, a week before the release of another film, Bala, featuring Ayushmann Khurrana as another bald protagonist. On Thursday, things took a surprising turn when producer Dinesh Vijan announced that Bala would arrive in the theatres on November 7, a day before Abhishek’s film. A few hours later, with his leading man, he unveiled the poster and trailer, and the striking similarities between the two films have left the Ujda Chaman makers fuming.

Abhishek points out that his directorial is the official remake of the 2017 Kannada film, Ondu Motteya Kathe. “I believe good stories need to be seen by maximum number of people. My company Panorama Studios always looks out for such gems... Alone and Drishyam are official remakes by us. We acquired Ondu Motteya Kathe in the last quarter of 2018, with a clear intention to release my version within a year. My team suggested November 8 for release and our campaign commenced. In contrast, the Bala team has been changing their release date, from November 22 to November 15 to November 7, which is a day before my film. Not sure how this will help, I think it harms both films and the industry at large,” he rages, grousing that Ayushmann is a saleable name today and their film wouldn’t have been affected by Ujda Chaman. “At least let it be healthy competition. In this case even their poster design is similar.”

He adds that apart from the basic concept, he’s spotted resemblances in several scenes and dialogue too. “In fact, going by the two trailers, their content looks similar to the original Kannada film and my film, including the closing dialogue and the way both characters flip their respective cap. It’s obvious where their inspiration came from, but while we have the official remake rights of Ondu Motteya Kathe, they have tried to maneuver the screenplay by flipping a few things, like in the original, there’s a girl selling a hair-growing product to bald people, in Bala you see Ayushmann selling products to dusky girls,” alleges Abhishek who is producing Ujda Chaman with his father Kumar Mangat Pathak.

Is he planning to take action? “We are discussing it with our legal team and will take action in a few days. This is a clear case of copyright violation. I can understand two films around a bald character releasing within a short span of time, but in this case, there are striking similarities with my film and the original whose rights are with me,” he reiterates.

When Mirror reached out to Dinesh Vijan with Abhishek Pathak’s allegations, the official statement issued by his production house, Maddock Films, said, “Bala has been in the works for several months now as it has been widely reported in the press. The film is very close to our hearts as a project because we want to meaningfully contribute to the conversation on challenging social themes of our times, like the widespread stigmatisation of baldness and dark skin.

If there are multiple films which deal with one of these themes, it’s all the more variety for the viewers to choose from which can never be a bad thing. It’s quite unfortunate if someone, especially a fellow filmmaker, sees this as anything but a positive for audiences. Maddock stands firmly by the originality of its film, and will back it’s project all the way, including through legal recourse if need be”.

Mirror had earlier reported (September 14) that National Award-winning filmmaker, Praveen Morchhale, has filed a case against Maddock Films and writer Niren Bhatt in the Bombay High Court under the Copyright Act, 1957, alleging that the story of Bala sounds similar to the screenplay he has written and narrated to several people within the industry. No injunction has been passed and the matter is sub-judice.
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Furious about glaring similarities, Ujda Chaman director Abhishek Pathak rebukes Bala makers for advancing film's release to ensure it hits screens before Sunny Singh-starrer
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; October 11, 2019)

Social media users may be lauding the trailer of Ayushmann Khurrana's Bala that dropped online yesterday, but Ujda Chaman filmmaker Abhishek Pathak is far from amused. With both stories revolving around men grappling with premature balding, the trailers and posters have glaring similarities. Not just that, the makers of Bala have now advanced the comedy's release from November 15 to November 7, a day before the Sunny Singh starrer hits screens.

"It is unethical on Dinesh's [Vijan, producer] part to advance the release so that the film can release a day before our offering," asserts Pathak, who had pitched his offering as 'Takle ki pehli aur asli film'. "Are they scared of my film when they have a big star like Ayushmann Khurrana [fronting their movie]? While I think they have an upper hand, it appears that they feel they are on shaky ground and hence, are resorting to such things."

Pathak's film is an official remake of Malayalam film Ondu Motteya Kathe (2017). He claims that his production house had sent a public notice to Vijan in April when he learnt of the similarity between the two stories. "They assured us that their film is different, and I took their word for it. But we can all see that there is a blatant resemblance in the [treatment of the] lead characters. We may take legal recourse."

When mid-day reached out to Maddock Films, the spokesperson said, "Bala has been in the works for several months. If there are multiple films which deal with one of the themes [shown in Bala], it's all the more variety for the viewers to choose from, which can never be a bad thing. It's unfortunate if a fellow filmmaker sees this as anything but a positive for audiences. Maddock stands firmly by the originality of its film, and will back its project all the way, including through legal recourse if need be."

3 actors have lost their hair while working on their respective new films… but in a good way
MUMBAI MIRROR (October 9, 2019)

Akshay Kumar
The actor’s fourth turn in the Housefull franchise sees him in a double role. While he plays a barber in present-day portions, his Bala Dev Singh from the flashback is a 15th century warrior-king. For the portion, which has been termed the ‘Bahubali era’, the Khiladi Kumar underwent prosthetic sessions for two and a half hours every day. A source close to the development had previously informed Mirror that the look was chosen after creating 3D models for prototypes. Preetisheel G Singh, who had done the makeup for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat, was hired to design it.

Ayushmann Khurrana
After impersonating as Pooja for his last screen outing, Ayushmann has jumped on the bald-wagon for Bala, in which he plays the titular character of a man grappling with premature balding, while his co-star Bhumi Pednekar will feature as a dusky girl obsessed with fair skin. As per director Amar Kaushik, “the film presents a take on the fact that most of us are usually attracted to outer beauty and don’t go beyond that to know the real person”. The film also marks a reunion for Ayush and Yami Gautam, who debuted alongside him in Shoojit Sircar’s Vicky Donor in 2012.

Sunny Singh
Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety actor Sunny Singh is also keeping a clear head, for Ujda Chaman, which is a remake of the 2017 Kannada movie Ondu Motteya Kathe. The comedy-drama tells the story of a young man who suffers from hair loss and subsequently struggles in his quest for love. The film also features Maanvi Gagroo, Saurabh Shukla and Karishma Sharma. There’s still time for the audience to give a verdict but the film has Sunny’s fellow Pyaar Ka Punchnama alumnus, Kartik Aaryan’s approval.