While Abhay Deol-starrer has completed its Orissa schedule and is now headed to Wales, a second film, by Ujjwal Chatterjee, is gearing up to roll by the month-end in London
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 15, 2018)

Abhay Deol’s next, Jungle Cry, a film based on the historic win of the Under-14 rugby team of the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences’ (KISS) has gone on the floors. After a month-long schedule in Orissa, the unit will head to Wales on November 19 for another month-long schedule. The film traces the journey of these tribal boys who stunned the world to win the International School Rugby Tournament in London. Abhay plays the coach of the boys, Rudraksha Jena. The lead actress is yet to be finalised.

Associate producer Shabbir Boxwala (right) told Mirror, “We plan to wrap up the film by December-end. With Prashant Shah coming on board as producer, it’s an international project now and is being shot on a lavish scale. We have roped in Robert Miller who was the sports coordinator on films like Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Student of the Year among others. Paul Walsh who trained the original rugby team is a consultant on our films and is training our kids from our film.”

Interestingly, another film, this one titled Jungle Crows, on the same subject is also set to roll soon. This one is being helmed by National Award-winning director Ujjwal Chatterjee (left). “We will be starting our shoot in London after November 27 since I have a prior commitment to wrap up first. The recce in London, Kolkata and Bhubaneshwar was completed last month. Our cast will be finalised in the next few days.”

When informed about the rival production, Shabbir retorted, “We have acquired the rights from the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences before we set out to make this film. Achyuta Samanta, the founder of KISS, has blessed our project.” 

Ex-CFSI chairman Mukesh Khanna, who is now presenting a true-life sports drama and is open to good acting offers
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 23, 2018)

The ex-chairman of the Children’s Film Society of India (CFSI), Mukesh Khanna, who resigned from the position in February, a month before his tenure was ending as, according to reports, he was unable to “execute his ideas for the society”, is to present National Award-winning filmmaker Ujjwal Chatterjee’s next. Titled Jungle Crows, the film revolves around a rugby team from Orrisa, recreating the glorious victory of 12 boys from the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in Bhubaneswar who took part in Touraid, the Under-14 international school tournament, to lift the Nations Cup in London in 2007.

“When I was the Chairman of CFSI I had approved this script, along with 20 others. We didn’t have the money then to make even four films. That was my primary grudge against the ministry that they were not giving me enough money to make the films I wanted. I believe every filmmaker after eight-10 films should make at least one film catering to children but no one pays heed to such suggestions. So, when I left CFSI, I decided to associate myself with a film for kids,” informs Khanna.

He admits that he doesn’t have the finance to fund films himself, but if his brand helps sell one, he’s ready to present it. “Jungle Crows is the first film coming out of my banner. It’s an inspiring story of tribal boys who didn’t even know the ABC of rugby, but a coach spotted them playing football and trained them. Everyone should know their story,” points out the veteran actor who after Shaktimaan and Aaryaman Brahmand Ka Yoddha had produced the DD TV show Sautela in 2007.

A London-based company is financing the film with an Indian partner. Khanna admits the makers want him to act in it too, but he is yet to take a call on that. “We will go on the floors in a few months, once we lock our final cast,” says Khanna, quick to add that he turned producer with Shaktimaan coincidentally but he is an actor first. “However, once I turned producer, people started thinking that I had got busy and stopped offering me roles. I don’t ask for work, but I want to do films again. At the same time, I’m super selective,” he signs off.

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; October 6, 2017)

With filmmakers and actors wanting to make movies based on real-life stories and personalities, there is a clamour for subjects that can be brought alive on the celluloid. Though there is no dearth of fascinating life stories and happenings in India, what’s interesting is that the makers end up choosing the same subject and that, too, around the same time! For instance, both Salman Khan and John Abraham came up with the idea of making a biopic on wrestler Gama Pehlwan in 2014, but neither materialised. Now, Salman is producing a serial on the wrestler with his brother Sohail Khan playing the title role, while there’s no news on John’s film. A couple of years ago, Ekta Kapoor bought the official rights for the film adaptation of the suspense novel Devotion Of Suspect X, which is said to have been the inspiration for Malayalam Drishyam. A miffed Ekta has sent a notice to the makers, but the film went on to be a box office hit spawning several remakes.

In recent times, two films — Qaidi Band and Lucknow Central — with the theme of prisoners forming a music band in jail were released within a month of each other, but neither did well at the box office. Earlier too, there have been instances of multiple films made on the same subject like Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey and Chittagong based on the Chittagong Uprising. Freedom fighter

Bhagat Singh inspired three filmmakers at the same time. In fact, The Legend of Bhagat Singh, Shaheed and Shaheed-E-Azam even released on the same day!

And, now, again we see the same subjects becoming the bone of contention between actors and filmmakers. Akshaye Rathi, leading exhibitor and analyst, says, “While creativity is subjective, in case of most films, it’s not like rights have been bought to make them. It could be plagiarism or trying to cash in on an interesting subject. It’s nice and interesting that people are thinking of the same subject at the same time, but ultimately, what they need to focus on is making a truly engaging film by putting significant time and money in it.”

A lowdown on such films in the pipeline...

Film: Based on Rudrakesh Jena
Contenders: Nila Madhab Panda and Ujjwal Chatterjee
A few days ago, there was news of I Am Kalam director Nila Madhab Panda gearing up to make a biopic on Rudrakesh Jena, the coach of the rugby team of the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) with Abhishek Bachchan playing the lead. The film is slated to go on floors early next year and will be shot in India and the UK. Now, another National-Award winning director Ujjwal Chatterjee is also planning a film on Jena, who coached the under-14 team to victory in London, and has approached Farhan Akhtar for the role. He claims to have the rights to Jena’s story. The movie for which he has roped in former British footballer Paul Walsh will roll in November. In an interview, he said he was shocked to know that another film is being planned on the same subject.

Film: Based on Maharaja of Jamnagar
Contenders: Ashutosh Gowariker and Omung Kumar
First there were reports of Ashutosh Gowariker making a film based on Jam Sahib Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji who helped save the lives of 640 Polish children during World War II by providing refuge to the orphans at his Jamnagar palace. A few days later, Omung Kumar announced a film on the same subject with Sanjay Dutt playing the role of the Maharaja. His film was to go on the floors by the end of next year. But now there is a twist to the tale, as the heirs of the Maharaja, Hershad Kumari and Himanshu Kumari have raised an objection and sent a legal notice to the maker saying that they did not take the permission of the family before kickstarting the project.

Film: Based on Battle of Saragarhi
Contenders: Karan Johar, Ajay Devgn, Rajkumar Santoshi
Ajay Devgn had announced the sequel of Son of Sardaar last year in June. The film’s plot was to be the historical Battle of Saragarhi that was fought between Sikh soldiers of the British Indian Army and Pashtun Orakzai tribesmen. The Sikhs, led by Havildar Ishar Singh, chose to fight to death, in what is considered by some military historians as one of history’s greatest last-stands. Earlier this year, Karan Johar and Salman Khan came together to co-produce a film on the same subject with Akshay Kumar playing the lead role. He will start shooting for it in December. Then, there is Rajkumar Santoshi who is making his version with Randeep Hooda playing Havildar Singh. However, the film has hit a roadblock due to differences between the producers and the director.

Film: Based on coalmine hero J S Gill
Contenders: Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn
In May this year, there were reports of Akshay Kumar playing coal mine engineer JS Gill, who rescued 64 miners trapped in a mine in Raniganj. A month later, there was news that Ajay and not Askhay is playing the coalmine hero and that the makers have obtained the rights and work on the script has already begun. Tentatively titled Capsule Gill, it is to be helmed by Rustom director Tinu Suresh Desai.

Two days after Mirror report on Nila Madhab Panda’s rugby coach film, Ujjwal Chatterjee says he’s working on the same subject
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 4, 2017)

Mirror had earlier reported (October 2) that I Am Kalam director Nila Madhab Panda is gearing up to make a biopic on Rudrakesh Jena, the coach of the rugby team of the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) and was in talks with Abhishek Bachchan to play the lead. The film is scheduled to kick off early next year and will be shot in India and the UK. Now, we have learnt that National award-winning director, Ujjwal Chatterjee, is also making a film on the same subject. His film kicks off in November and Farhan Akhtar has been approached to play Jena. He has also roped in Paul Walsh, a former British footballer.

Ujjwal told Mirror, “Mukesh Khanna, the chairman of Children’s Film Society of India (CFSI), and I started our research in 2011 and have been working on the project since the last one year. Our story is about 12 tribal boys from Mayurbhanj, Jharkhand and Bhubaneshwar who are students of the KISS and won the international School Rugby Tournament in London. I was shocked to learn that another film is being planned on the same subject. CFSI has already informed KISS that we have the rights to Jena’s story.”

He went on to add that he is in touch with Farhan’s manager and is waiting for the actor to revert. “The film will be directed by me and produced by CFSI. It will be shot in Mumbai, Kolkata and Bhubaneshwar.”

In 2007, KISS’s Under-14 rugby team won the International School Rugby Tournament in London. It was a milestone achievement for this one-of-its kind school which provides free accommodation, food, healthcare and education from class one to post-graduation, along with vocational training, to its players.

Mukesh Khanna pointed out that the film was taking time to roll because of insufficient funds. “Meanwhile we learnt that another film is being made planned with Abhishek Bachchan on the same subject. We can’t stop people from making films on a real life person. From what I know, the producer of that film was supposed to make it with Ujjwal but is now going ahead with someone else which is not right,” he asserted.

Mirror reached out to Shabbir Boxwala, the producer of Panda’s film, he said, “Ujjwal has taken money from me and has to return it. It is a legal matter.”

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 6, 2017)

Priyanka Chopra’s upcoming Bengali production, Nalini, traces Rabindranath Tagore’s relationship with his teacher, Annapurna Atmaram. The film’s subject [of the legendary writer’s infatuation with his English tutor] has upset members of West Bengal’s Visva Bharati. About a month ago, the university’s approval committee was given the film’s script for validation. They blue-pencilled two objectionable scenes — one where Atmaram shares a kiss with Tagore, and another where she kisses a suitor as Tagore looks on.

In 1878, Tagore visited Bombay before leaving for England. Atmaram, a teenager who was his brother’s friend’s daughter, helped him learn conversational English. She fell in love with Tagore and was named Nalini, the heroine of his first published book of verse, Kavi Kahini.

The committee had requested director Ujjwal Chatterjee to drop the said scenes. They now claim they will move the Kolkata High Court if the makers refuse to oblige. A member of the committee, on condition of anonymity, told mid-day, “Legal proceedings will be our last option. But if all reasoning fails, we will have to go ahead. The scenes are unnecessary. There’s no proof of their authenticity like the director claims.”

Chopra is currently in Paris for an ongoing fashion week, but her mother, Madhu Chopra, told midday, “We are in talks with Tagore’s family members to make the material as authentic as possible. I hope we can retain the scenes. They are factually correct. Ujjwal has been thorough with his research. Unless the censors delete them, we would want to retain them,” she said, adding that the movie will take viewers back to Tagore’s early days and his first tryst with love.

Chopra, also the film’s co-producer, said the scenes are important since they establish the infatuation Tagore experienced for his teacher. “The story is about his infatuation, so we can’t have a holier-than-thou approach. We knew this was a difficult film and it will require permissions because certain sections would be touchy about it, but the hurdles are all worth it.” Chopra argues that the subject was detailed after gathering information about Tagore’s past from reliable sources. “Our argument is simple — we haven’t created this story. There are books on the subject. We aren’t taking cinematic liberties. The story and the script were presented to the university.”

Asked about the possibility of a stay on the film, Chopra said, “If things get out of hand, we might be forced to cheat the kissing. People need to understand that we don’t intend to malign Tagore. I have Bengali roots too. We won’t do injustice to the subject.”

The Nobel laureate is the subject of the actress’s Bengali-Marathi bi-lingual which rolls in October
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 9, 2017)

After Bam Bam Bol Raha Hai Kashi in Bhojpuri, Ventilator in Marathi (which bagged the National Awards for Best Director, Best Editing and Best Sound-Mixing), Sarvann in Punjabi, the yet-to-release Sikkimese film, Pahuna and Goan film, Little Joe, actress-producer-singer, Priyanka Chopra, is now rolling with a Bengali-Marathi bi-lingual, Nalini, which will also be dubbed in Hindi.

The period-romance recreates Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s real life romance. In 1878, when he was 17 and staying with Dr Atmaram Pandurang Turkhud at his Mumbai-home, Tagore fell in love with his 20-year-olddaughter, Annapurna. She had just returned from England and since she was conversant with English etiquette and the language, she became his tutor. As the classes progressed, an intimacy developed between the teacher and her young student. On Annapurna’s insistence, he gave her the name Nalini, and immortalised her in a poem he wrote for her and set to music too. However, Tagore’s father did not approve of his lady love and the liason ended. In 1880, Annapurna married a Scot, Harold Littledale, and the couple left for England.

“It was a platonic love story and the film will narrate it from the point of view of a young student, who visits modern-day Santiniketan and sees a picture of Annapurna captioned ‘Nalini’,” says National Award winning director Ujjwal Chatterjee, whose wife Sagarika has written the film. “Casting is in progress and the film is expected to go on the floors by October.”

Nalini was initially supposed to be titled Sound of Silence after the Simon and Garfunkel’s classic. Sagarika reveals that they had started writing the film in 2011 and it was expected to be a larger story with Tagore’s first love as only a part of the narrative. “But when we met Madhu Chopra (Priyanka’s producer mother) around two years ago, they wanted to know how much of the story was factually accurate and true. I showed them my research and they agreed to produce the film. It has since materialised into a saga of unrequited love,” Ujjwal informs, while Madhu Chopra adds, “Priyanka wants good stories to reach audiences. Nalini has great potential and is an entertaining subject. We’re happy to be associated with it.”

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 26, 2014)

Late on the night of September 4, 2013, some men forced their way into Sushmita Banerjee’s home in Afghanistan, tied up her husband, Janbaz Khan and abducted her. Her body was found the next day with 20 bullet marks.

Almost two decades earlier, Sushmita or Sayeda Kamala had been sentenced to death by the Taliban regime after two abortive attempts to flee the country. She was to die on July 22, 1995, but with the help of the village headman, and after killing three Taliban men, she finally fled to Kolkata. Her memoir, Kabuliwalar Bangali Bou (Kabuliwala’s Bengali Wife) was adapted on screen by Ujjwal Chatterjee as Escape From Taliban (2003) with Manisha Koirala reliving Sushmita’s ordeal. Post the release, both Ujjwal and Manisha got death threats from the Taliban. “They stopped in 2005,” he says.

Ujjwal was in Kolkata, gearing up for the release of his Bengali movie, Swabhoomi, when he learnt about Sushmita’s death. He recalled the bold lady who'd made several enemies across the border for her refusal to wear a burqa, her book, social work and just for being an Indian. A renegade Taliban militia, The Suicide Group of the Islamic Movement of Afghanistan, who claimed responsibility for her murder, believed her to be an "Indian spy”.

After her return to Kolkata, Sushmita kept a diary between 2001 and 2013, which was released as a book, Escape Forever, this year. Ujjwal is planning a sequel based on this book and is going to Kolkata to take permission from the publishers and her family.

“Her love for her adopted daughter, Tinni, kept taking her back Afghanistan despite all the warnings she got," Ujjwal sighs, saying he'd like to release the film next September on Sushmita’s second death anniversary.

Will Manisha reprise her role in the sequel? “I'd love to work with Manisha if she says yes,” he says.