Showing posts with label Zed Plus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zed Plus. Show all posts
Unfaithfully Yours is mature take on relationships; doesn't encourage infidelity-Mona Singh
8:23 AM
A decade into acting, Mona Singh finds herself on stage, and wishes she had arrived here sooner
Chandrima Pal (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 21, 2014)
Christmas has come early for Mona Singh. It has been a long, tiring day of zipping between theatres, meeting countless people, rehearsing for five hours at a stretch, and yet, she exudes the happy energy of a girl anxious to unwrap her Christmas present.
A little more than 10 years after she created a bit of television history as Jassi in the successful pulp show, Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin, Singh is making her stage debut in Raell Padamsee's Unfaithfully Yours this weekend. It is serendipity, she says, on the eve of her big day, quoting Paulo Coelho, "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."
It was in February that Singh worked with a talented team of actors for Chandraprakash Dwivedi's film Zed Plus. "Almost everyone in the cast and the director came from a theatre background, except me. On the set, they'd exchange notes and beautiful anecdotes about their stage experiences. I realised this was missing from my life," says Singh, who had hit the ground running with her TV debut.
Zed Plus had just wrapped up when actor Rohit Roy called her to ask if she'd consider acting on stage. Singh jumped.
Unfaithfully Yours deals with a contentious theme. Two strangers in their 30s meet at a Goa wedding, and hit it off. They are both married but attracted enough to spend a night together. The next morning, when it comes to taking stock, they realise it was not a one-night stand. They vow to meet every year on the same weekend. The 90-minute play follows the evolution of their relationship.
"It doesn't encourage infidelity," Singh clarifies hurriedly. "It is just a beautiful, mature take on relationships. In fact, after a private showing that Raell organised for her friends, there were some who said they'd love to have a relationship of this sort."
For someone who's learnt on the job, Singh is reasonably in awe of the rigour and professionalism that she is now exposed to. "I think I have come a long way since Jassi," she says. "Television teaches you to be smart, sharp, with a lot of dialogue that has to be memorised. For films, you get a couple of days to go through the script. In theatre, you are made to go through the same lines over and over again. Which is why stage actors can improvise well. You can tell the difference when you go to the set prepared as the character, not yourself," she says.
As an actor, Singh may make a strong case for a bound script, but on the personal front, she doesn't follow a plan. While she won a dance reality show, her first significant soap after Jassi was yanked off air due to poor TRPs. But the 33-year-old says she has nothing to prove, just build on an eclectic repertoire. And theatre was just what the doctor ordered. "I have been spending so much time on the play, that the bed, sofa, bar and window feels just like home," she laughs, referring to the set.
The conversation veers to her other home, where she cooks for family, takes off on vacations to Australia to be with her sister, and some guilty pleasures, including one involving 50 Shades of Grey. Singh shares a delightful story about her sister and she hiding a copy of the erotic thriller under a pillow while reading it in turns. "It was bad," she laughs hysterically this time, "but so addictive that we could not let go!" Their cover was blown by their mother. "She read the first few pages and flung it in disgust!"
You'd think she is referring to giddy-headed teenagers when she narrates that story, but then maybe, you are right. Even as she slips under the skin of a character that ages from 32 to 56 in the course of 90 minutes, Singh retains much of her adolescent spirit in person.
Censors wanted to delete words 'prime' from 'prime minister' & 'Bharat' from 'Bharat sarkar'-Zed Plus director
7:39 AM
Subhash K Jha (DNA; November 29, 2014)
Dr Chandraprakash
Dwivedi, who has in the past given us politically vibrant content for
cinema and television like Pinjar and Chanakya, had to go through an
ordeal by fire to get his new film Zed Plus cleared by the censor board.
The political satire that has Kulbhushan Kharbanda palying the prime minister bears an uncanny resemblance to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Recounts Dwivedi, “The Revising Committee had cleared my film without cuts. But when I reached home thinking that I will get the certificate in a couple of hours I was informed by the agent that the decision of the revising committee will be sent to the chairperson for the final orders, as two members of the censor board had advised cuts, while four members were in favour of no cuts.”
The decision to stop the film was taken just three days before release. Says the director, “Once again I had to go through the ordeal of waiting for the final orders. We finally got the censor certificate on November 25 in the evening. You can very well understand the anxiety of a filmmaker, whose film is slated for release on 28th and who doesn’t have a censor certificate till 25th. I slept on the 25th night after a month!”
There were objections to various politically-connected words when Dwivedi had originally submitted the film to the censors. “Even in the promo some members of the censor board wanted to delete the word ‘prime’ from ‘prime minister', ‘Bharat’ from ‘Bharat sarkar’. They also wanted me to delete the slogan ‘Pradhan Mantri Murdabad’ and funnily enough, they didn’t want any reference to the state of Rajasthan.”
The film’s release had to be postponed for a week. “There was no censor clearance for theatrical trailers and television promos. Without promos and trailers how could I promote a film?”
But in the end, it all turned out well. The film released without cuts. “It’s all because of the Revising Committee headed by Nandini Sardesai,” he says.
Dr Chandraprakash
Dwivedi, who has in the past given us politically vibrant content for
cinema and television like Pinjar and Chanakya, had to go through an
ordeal by fire to get his new film Zed Plus cleared by the censor board.The political satire that has Kulbhushan Kharbanda palying the prime minister bears an uncanny resemblance to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Recounts Dwivedi, “The Revising Committee had cleared my film without cuts. But when I reached home thinking that I will get the certificate in a couple of hours I was informed by the agent that the decision of the revising committee will be sent to the chairperson for the final orders, as two members of the censor board had advised cuts, while four members were in favour of no cuts.”
The decision to stop the film was taken just three days before release. Says the director, “Once again I had to go through the ordeal of waiting for the final orders. We finally got the censor certificate on November 25 in the evening. You can very well understand the anxiety of a filmmaker, whose film is slated for release on 28th and who doesn’t have a censor certificate till 25th. I slept on the 25th night after a month!”
There were objections to various politically-connected words when Dwivedi had originally submitted the film to the censors. “Even in the promo some members of the censor board wanted to delete the word ‘prime’ from ‘prime minister', ‘Bharat’ from ‘Bharat sarkar’. They also wanted me to delete the slogan ‘Pradhan Mantri Murdabad’ and funnily enough, they didn’t want any reference to the state of Rajasthan.”
The film’s release had to be postponed for a week. “There was no censor clearance for theatrical trailers and television promos. Without promos and trailers how could I promote a film?”
But in the end, it all turned out well. The film released without cuts. “It’s all because of the Revising Committee headed by Nandini Sardesai,” he says.
Zed Plus director refuses to ‘sanitise’ key words; eventually gets it cleared with zero cuts
11:53 AM
Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; November 25, 2014)
While Hollywood is steadily embracing anti-establishment political themes in its projects, Bollywood seems to be playing it safe. This came to the fore yet again with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) ordering a few changes in Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi’s political satire titled Zed Plus. However, it was the director who had the last word.
A source says the Board’s examining committee took objection to the “Pradhan Mantri murdabad” line in the film apart from the usage of certain terms — the committee asked Dwivedi to drop Pradhan from Pradhan Mantri and Bharat from Bharat sarkar.
Earlier, the promos had been sent to the revising committee for approval, forcing the filmmaker to defer the release date by a week, say sources. The filmmaker refused to accommodate the changes and approached the Board’s revising committee. He feels the ‘political affiliation’ of certain CBFC members could have led to a disagreement over the scenes and dialogues. “Most of the members in the examining committee are political appointees and their reactions to the film are guided by their affiliations,” he alleges.
Dwivedi says he was also asked to drop Rajasthan’s name from the film. The story is set in that state and the Peepal Wale Peer ki dargah that the ‘Pradhan Mantri’ visits to pray for his government from collapsing. “When the revising committee watched the film, four out of six members voted in my favour. I am grateful to them for giving my film a U/A certificate just in time,” he says.
Nandini Sardesai of the revising committee says, “The examining committee misunderstood the film. It is a political satire and should not be taken literally. Many political satires made abroad take on the head of the state but no one objects to it.”
Digital is the reality of today's cinema, it has a plastic look-Zed Plus cinematographer
7:37 AM
Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 19, 2014)
For National Award winning cinematographer H M Ramachandra the biggest challenge Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi's upcoming satire, Zed Plus, posed was that it had to be digitally shot. Having shot the award-winning documentary, The Celluloid Man, on film in black and white, he found shooting digitally rather superficial.
"But that's the reality of today's cinema, it has a plastic look," says Ramachandra. "My intention was to make it look as natural as possible and this could be achieved only when we shot in natural light," explains the Bangalore-based cinematographer.
The director narrated the story to him while they were looking for the right hamlets to shoot the film. They finally settled on a few locations in the Sikar district near Jaipur, which could easily pass off as a 'filmy' rural town. Dwivedi emphasized the need to capture the look of the rural houses, courtyards, sprawling havelis and the essence of life in small-town India.
Ramachandra, who graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India with a degree in cinematography, had assisted Dwivedi in the past and that has made him familiar with his working style.
"I worked with him on a show called Kalidas which never went on air. However, even at that point, I could tell how meticulously he functioned. The script of Zed Plus is so strong that I could easily visualise the images I had to capture, before I had actually gone on location," he says.
"If I had to shoot in a haveli, I'd ensure that I take long, wide-shots in order to establish the scale of the place. However, the same had to be reversed when I took the camera in the cranny by lanes and a small household. We shot the film with an ARRI Alexa."
"I had very little time to prepare. The idea was to make the frames look rustic but with a tinge of gloss. This could be achieved only with the right blend of lens filters and artificial lighting," says Ramachandra, adding that the crew shot extensively during the day and at times continued through the cold nights of Rajasthan.
He points out that since it's a satire, he had to ensure the colours were vibrant but not too cheerful. "Peepli (Live) set in a similar environment had very harsh but controlled colours," he says adding, "Zed Plus has a more realistic vibe, we didn't need to make reality harsh, that's conveyed through the theme itself."
India has a great history, but not many historicals are being made-Chandraprakash Dwivedi
7:49 AM
The filmmaker talks about his satire Zed Plus and his passion for history
Parag Maniar (BOMBAY TIMES; November 18, 2014)
Your earlier ventures
Chanakya and Pinjar delved into history and were serious subjects. What
made you choose a humorous contemporary topic this time around?
I've always wanted to make a comedy. But the subjects that came my way were serious. Ram Kumar Singh, the writer of Zed Plus, wanted to publish it as a novel. But I told him that I want to make it into a film. Even in this satire, you'll come across the social history of our times. It shows the relationship of the common man with politics.
You seem passionate about history...
Bharat ke paas sabse bada itihaas hai, but sadly, there aren't many historicals being
made. I'm glad that Ashutosh Gowariker and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's next films are historicals.
What made you cast Adil Hussain as Aslam Puncturewala - a character completely contrasting to his personality?
Adil is an Englishman.When I met him, he was smoking a pipe. But I knew he'd be perfect for this role. Also, I wanted someone who could shoot for 60 days at a stretch and not be expensive. And we cast Mona Singh because we needed someone tall enough to match Adil's height. The film also has competent actors like Mukesh Tiwari and Sanjay Mishra.
Zed Plus, produced by Mukund Purohit and Mandira Kashyap, releases November 28.
I've always wanted to make a comedy. But the subjects that came my way were serious. Ram Kumar Singh, the writer of Zed Plus, wanted to publish it as a novel. But I told him that I want to make it into a film. Even in this satire, you'll come across the social history of our times. It shows the relationship of the common man with politics.
You seem passionate about history...
Bharat ke paas sabse bada itihaas hai, but sadly, there aren't many historicals being
made. I'm glad that Ashutosh Gowariker and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's next films are historicals.What made you cast Adil Hussain as Aslam Puncturewala - a character completely contrasting to his personality?
Adil is an Englishman.When I met him, he was smoking a pipe. But I knew he'd be perfect for this role. Also, I wanted someone who could shoot for 60 days at a stretch and not be expensive. And we cast Mona Singh because we needed someone tall enough to match Adil's height. The film also has competent actors like Mukesh Tiwari and Sanjay Mishra.
Zed Plus, produced by Mukund Purohit and Mandira Kashyap, releases November 28.
Mona Singh back to films with Zed Plus after 'delivering' a hit with 3 Idiots
7:53 AM
Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 5, 2014)
Actress Mona Singh who shot to fame with the hit television series Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin and then made her film debut with the 2009 hit 3 Idiots, will be back on the big screen after five years.
She will play Adil Hussain's wife, an aggressive and domineering character in Dr. Chandrapraksh Dwivedi's Zed Plus, a political satire set in the Northern heartland.
Mona played Kareena Kapoor's sister, who delivers a baby in one of the film's famous moments, in 3 Idiots. She explains her absence from the big screen saying that she was flooded by similar roles after that and had to turn them down.
"I can't play a pregnant woman in all the films, can I? Unlike other actors, I won't abandon TV for films. I try to balance both. TV gave me my identity and made me a household name," asserts the actress who to date is remembered for her turn as Jassi, the desi Ugly Betty.
Dwivedi who directed the tele-epic Chanakya (1991) and the Urmila Matondkar-Manoj Bajpai period drama Pinjar (2003), took over two years to write this script and Mona was told to stick to it, strictly. "No improvisations, that's how he functions," says the actress.
Despite not being visible on the big screen, Mona made news last year when an MMS video allegedly showing her in the nude went viral. The actress denied any involvement with it saying that her face was morphed on someone else's body. "That is a closed chapter today, I'm thankful that everyone acted maturedly," she says tersely, refusing to discuss it further.
She's guarded about her personal life and won't entertain any questions about former beau Vidyut Jammwal. "I haven't commented on this before, so why would I do that now?" she asks. "I will only talk about the man in my life when I decide to marry someone. Don't worry, you'll be invited!"
During live performances, audiences dance to even my sad song Layi Vi Na Gayi-Sukhwinder Singh
7:49 AM
Purvaja Sawant (BOMBAY TIMES; October 31, 2014)
Whether it's the passionate
ballad Bismil in Haider, the groovy birthday anthem Happy Budday in
Kill Dil or the peppy Satakli from Happy New Year, Sukhwinder Singh
pretty much masters every song he lends his vocals to. The singer,
composer and lyricist talks about his upcoming projects, competitors and
his mantra to succeed in the industry.
What are you currently working on?
Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi, who made the movie Pinjar, is directing a very different kind of film, called Zed Plus. Hrishitaa Bhatt and I are playing sutradhars in it. We have composed 3-4 songs that have been picturised on us. It was a great experience, as we shot in Mandawa (Rajasthan) at a heritage palace. Though I have faced the camera before, this was a different experience as I got to work with a very passionate and intelligent filmmaker. I have also recently sung an English number for the international play Monsoon Wedding, based on the Hindi film by Mira Nair. We have composed this English song on a Pahadi raga; this will be the first of its kind in the world.
How do you choose your songs?
I don't put conditions on the kind of songs I want to sing. Luckily, I have always been offered peppy, dance-based numbers. In fact, in my entire career, I have never sung sad songs, except for Layi Vi Na Gayi (Chalte Chalte). But during live stage performances, audiences dance to even that song! Music directors usually come to me with celebratory songs. Maybe because I cannot be bound or ordered to sing a particular way; I am spontaneous and I sing very randomly. There is a common saying about me in the industry: 'Yeh pinjre ka sher nahi hai, yeh toh jungle ka sher hai.'
Are you fazed by competition and the new crop of singers in the industry?
Competition works only in sports, not in the field of music. When you sing, the only thing you win is hearts... I don't make a list of how many songs I have in my kitty. I just go with the flow. If I keep counting how many songs I have sung or how many awards I have won, I won't be able to sing wholeheartedly. For a passionate person like me, it's difficult to maintain a patient, slow and steady approach towards work, but I have trained my mind into doing that. Being aggressive doesn't work. After singing for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, it took me six months to get my next song! But I believe it's okay even if I sing only 10 songs a year; they should be sung well.
Who are your music inspirations?
I have learned a lot from my seniors. I haven't seen a single picture of Kishore da or Rafi sahab not smiling during a performance. Even today, I am learning from Lataji and Ashaji. Lataji may have retired from singing in movies, but even at her age, she practises daily for hours. As for Ashaji, whether she is travelling in an aircraft or cooking in her kitchen, she is always doing her riyaz. These people have set an example for me. Despite being legends, they don't believe in increasing the count of their songs; they only believe in singing to the best of their abilities.
What are you currently working on?
Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi, who made the movie Pinjar, is directing a very different kind of film, called Zed Plus. Hrishitaa Bhatt and I are playing sutradhars in it. We have composed 3-4 songs that have been picturised on us. It was a great experience, as we shot in Mandawa (Rajasthan) at a heritage palace. Though I have faced the camera before, this was a different experience as I got to work with a very passionate and intelligent filmmaker. I have also recently sung an English number for the international play Monsoon Wedding, based on the Hindi film by Mira Nair. We have composed this English song on a Pahadi raga; this will be the first of its kind in the world.
How do you choose your songs?
I don't put conditions on the kind of songs I want to sing. Luckily, I have always been offered peppy, dance-based numbers. In fact, in my entire career, I have never sung sad songs, except for Layi Vi Na Gayi (Chalte Chalte). But during live stage performances, audiences dance to even that song! Music directors usually come to me with celebratory songs. Maybe because I cannot be bound or ordered to sing a particular way; I am spontaneous and I sing very randomly. There is a common saying about me in the industry: 'Yeh pinjre ka sher nahi hai, yeh toh jungle ka sher hai.'
Are you fazed by competition and the new crop of singers in the industry?
Competition works only in sports, not in the field of music. When you sing, the only thing you win is hearts... I don't make a list of how many songs I have in my kitty. I just go with the flow. If I keep counting how many songs I have sung or how many awards I have won, I won't be able to sing wholeheartedly. For a passionate person like me, it's difficult to maintain a patient, slow and steady approach towards work, but I have trained my mind into doing that. Being aggressive doesn't work. After singing for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, it took me six months to get my next song! But I believe it's okay even if I sing only 10 songs a year; they should be sung well.
Who are your music inspirations?
I have learned a lot from my seniors. I haven't seen a single picture of Kishore da or Rafi sahab not smiling during a performance. Even today, I am learning from Lataji and Ashaji. Lataji may have retired from singing in movies, but even at her age, she practises daily for hours. As for Ashaji, whether she is travelling in an aircraft or cooking in her kitchen, she is always doing her riyaz. These people have set an example for me. Despite being legends, they don't believe in increasing the count of their songs; they only believe in singing to the best of their abilities.
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