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Posts tagged Anees Bazmee
Ajay Devgn allows decade-old film Naam with his debut producer to release
01 week ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Subhash K Jha (DNA; May 16, 2013)
Dinesh Patel, who had produced Ajay Devgn’s debut movie Phool Aur Kaante is currently in a messy financial situation. To tide him over the monetary crisis Ajay has agreed to let him release a 10-year old film with him in the lead.
Old, long-forgotten films being fished out of the cans for release… these are every star’s biggest nightmare. Ajay, who is currently going through a very successful phase in his career, now has to confront the embarrassment of a 10-year old film entitled Naam (no relation to the Mahesh Bhatt film starring Sanjay Dutt) being released next week. The film directed by Anees Bazmee, stars Ajay, Sameera Reddy and Bhumika Chawla.
Anees agrees with Ajay’s decision. He says, “As a director, I feel uncomfortable about a 10-year-old film being released now. But the producer has put in the money and needs to recover his investment. I am told he’s going through financial hardships. We have to respect the producer’s financial interests.”
However, Anees agrees that the film may look dated. “Ajay and I are not what we used to be 10 years ago. But when we did the film it was a very well-written thriller. I’ve done another film Deewangee with Ajay later. That too moved away from my forte, namely comedy. So we are both on a firm ground here.”
Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar refuse to work with Sunny Leone in Welcome 2?
12 weeks ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
Subhash K Jha (DNA; May 9, 2013)
Sunny Leone was set to step into Mallika Sherawat’s shoes for the Welcome sequel. But now that plan has been put to rest. Director Anees Bazmi confirms, “Sunny did come to meet me and my producer Firoz Nadiadwala. But that’s about it. Sunny wasn’t signed for our film… She is not doing Welcome Back.”
What went wrong? A bit of probing reveals some uncomfortable home-truths about the prospects of the adult star in Bollywood. For all the hype and glamour, mainstream actors are still not comfortable with the idea of working with Sunny. Apparently after meeting Sunny, producer Firoz Nadiadwala and director Anees Bazmee had a closed-door meeting with the two actors who have to woo her on screen — Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar.
Says the source, “Both Nana and Anil have family images. And Nana, in fact, is fiercely correct in his politics. Chasing Sunny would not look correct for Nana or Anil. So she was regrettably dropped from the film.” It is learnt that one of the actors explained his situation as, “I wouldn’t mind working with Sunny Leone. But my wife would mind. I don’t care where she comes from. But my wife does.” So this time wife gets her way and Sunny loses the part.
Stuck for 9 yrs, Ajay Devgn’s Benaam to finally release
03 weeks ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Soumyadipta Banerjee (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 1, 2013)
Back in 2004, Priyanka Chopra walked out of an Anees Bazmee film called Benaam citing date issues. Touted to be a sequel to Phool Aur Kaante, and produced by the same producer, Dinesh Patel, the film was later completed with Sameera Reddy and Ajay Devgn. However, the release of the film kept getting postponed. Finally almost a decade later, it seems the film might see the light of the day. But now it is rechristened as Naam.
Interestingly, Ajay Devgn and Priyanka Chopra were never paired up on the screen after the Benaam debacle.
“The film has been lying in the cans for quite a long time. There were financial issues coupled with other things that kept delaying the release of the film. After a point Anees went on to make other films and people forgot about this film,” said a source.
But, Ajay Devgn kept a tab on the film and when he heard that the film is finally releasing, he was prompt to allot 10 days from his busy schedule to promote the film.
When Mumbai Mirror got in touch with Dinesh Patel, he admitted that the film is going to be released with a new partner. “We started the film with Priyanka Chopra. After she walked out, Sameera Reddy and Bhumika Chawla were brought in and the film was completed. But, the film got into a series of problems and could not be released at that time,” said Patel.
He admitted that although there were talks of making the film as a sequel to Phool Aur Kaante, it didn’t turn out that way. More >
Big B to essay Feroz Khan’s role in Welcome Back?
04 weeks ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
Anees Bazmee wants Amitabh Bachchan to play the suave character in Welcome sequel
Subhash K Jha (DNA; April 25, 2013)
The sequel of Welcome, titled Welcome Back will feature only Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar. The rest of the cast has been changed. While John Abraham has stepped into the shoes of the lead actor instead of Akshay Kumar, the leading ladies Katrina Kaif and Mallika Sherawat are also not part of the sequel.
A far more irreplaceable character is that played by the late Feroz Khan. In what turned out to be his last screen appearance, the most stylish Khan on the block had played a super-powerful underworld don named RDX in Welcome. Director Anees Bazmee wants Amitabh Bachchan to play the role of the suave don in the film. Says Anees, “Feroz bhai played the kind of imposing don whom even Nana and Anil bowed down to. Unfortunately, Feroz bhai is no longer with us. I can think of only one actor who can play that role. And that’s Bachchan saab.”
The Big B’s schedule is now being looked into. God and date-diary willing we’ll see the Big B step into Feroz Khan’s role.
Govinda might feature in Aankhen sequel
03 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
IANS (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 4, 2013)
Aankhen was one of Govinda’s biggest hits. After two decades, producer Pahlaj Nihalani is coming out with a sequel to the super hit comedy and says that Govinda may do a cameo in it. The sequel is to be directed by Anees Bazmee and is tentatively titled Aankhen Char.
“It is possible. I might rope him (Govinda) for a special appearance. Govinda had done a wonderful job in Aankhen and taken the film to a next level,” said Nihalani.
Nihalani, who had produced the original, is financing the sequel as well and added: “I am also working with Govinda in my next film Avatar. I hope we have a strong association in future as well.”
Released in 1993, Aankhen was directed by David Dhawan did a roaring business at that time. Ask him who will play the lead in the sequel, Nihalani said: “I want to cast some youngsters in the film. It should appeal to the audience and should be justified. We have not finalised the cast yet. Once we finalise the casts, we shall make an official announcement.”
Film will go on the floors in August and is likely to be released this year itself.
Anees Bazmee to direct sequel of old Aankhen
13 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Titled Aankhen Char, the film produced by Pahlaj Nihalani will begin in August
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 31, 2013)
Pahlaj Nihalani had been toying with the idea of making a sequel to his 1993 blockbuster Aankhen starring Govinda and Chunky Pandey for quite a while. He has signed Anees Bazmee, the writer of the original film to direct it. The sequel will be called Aankhen Char and is set to go on the floors in August this year. Confirming the news, Nihalani said: “Anees has written Shola Aur Shabnam, Aazad, Andaaz and Andhiyan apart from Aankhen for me and it would be great to have him direct the sequel. He has a flair for comedy. Also, let’s not forget that Anees knows the pulse of the audience and ensures good box-office returns.”
This must be sweet music to Bazmee’s ear, whose sequel to No Entry is unlikely to happen this year. Talking about the sequel, he added: “This film will be a comedy of errors and will be funnier than Aankhen.”
Aankhen, the success of which ensured David Dhawan’s rise as the master of the comedy genre, had Govinda in a double role. However, Pahlaj plans to tweak the script a bit so that both the heroes are in double roles. In Dhawan’s version, the two heroes played rich and spoilt brothers who go on to bust a plot hatched to the chief minister of Maharashtra. Also, Pahlaj is ensuring the storyline reserves ample screen space for both of them. The cast of the sequel will be announced soon.
Bipasha-Lara-Celina bag No Entry Mein Entry?
06 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
Director Anees Bazmee has finalised three of the ten heroines for the sequel to his 2005 blockbuster No Entry that stars Salman, Anil and Fardeen
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 8, 2012)
It’s a double whammy for Anees Bazmee. Not only will the director kick-start his collaboration with Sohail Khan that does not star Salman Khan (Mumbai Mirror, November 6), he will also begin Boney Kapoor’s No Entry Mein Entry that sees three actors: Salman, Anil Kapoor and Fardeen Khan in double roles. However, it doesn’t end there. The latest development on the No Entry Mein Entry front is that Bazmee has chosen Bipasha Basu, Lara Dutta and Celina Jaitly as the three leading ladies in his film. Incidentally, the sequel to the 2005 blockbuster No Entry will be both Lara and Celina’s first film post motherhood. And while three of the beauties have been finalised, the film features ten heroines. “The search for the remaining seven actresses continues. This isn’t an easy cast to put together,” said a source close to the project. Speaking about the chosen three, the source said, “Bipasha, Lara and Celina will be seen in very glamorous roles. They have all agreed to do the film.”
Earlier on October 26, on the sidelines of the launch of a music album, Bazmee had told a section of the media, “I feel the script of No Entry Mein Entry is written beautifully and it will definitely turn out to be a good film”. However when probed about the ten femme fatales in his film, he had refrained from More >
Sohail Khan steps out of Salman Khan’s shadow?
06 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
Will work with Anees Bazmee, who had a spat with Salman during Ready
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 6, 2012)
Salman Khan’s protégés are breaking free of his reassuring grip. After Katrina teamed up with his arch rival Shah Rukh Khan, younger brother Sohail is going solo. And that too with someone who’s had a famous falling out with him.
Sohail has teamed up with Anees Bazmee who walked out of Ready following an ugly spat with Salman on the Bangkok sets— for the remake of a South film. And the film will not star Salman.
Bazmee confirmed the news and said, “I am talking to Sohail for a South remake. Right now, I am in Cochin. Sohail and I will meet again as soon as I return. But it’s too early to say anything more about the film at this point.” The industry has reacted to this development with shock and surprise. It was while shooting the climax scenes of Ready that Bazmee and Salman had a verbal pow wow on the sets, following which Bazmee abandoned the shoot and returned to Mumbai. Choreographer Raju Khan had taken over the mantle.
A friend of Sohail defended Salman, “How many films can Salman do? He has worked his butt off since the past four years. Sohail can certainly make a film without him.” Apparently, Salman has told Sohail he has no issues with his collaboration with Bazmee, and that he does not mind not playing the lead in the project.
A source close to the developments added, “It will have newcomers in the lead with two actors in the 50-55 age group. More >
Check out Salman Khan’s ‘chick’ list
18 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
Makers of No Entry Mein Entry chalk up a tentative inventory of probable actresses so that Khan can take his pick
Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 30, 2012)
The search for the leading ladies (and there’s quite a handful of them in this one) for Anees Bazmee’s No Entry Mein Entry is still on. The filmmaker had earlier confirmed that there will be nine female leads in his film opposite the three actors, all of whom will have a double role. Later, he had said that Bipasha Basu was being considered for a very special 10th female role. But the names, as it happens, have not been decided yet. And Mirror has learnt, that it’s because the makers are still chalking up a list, an advert for which would read something like this:
WANTED: Ten leading ladies for Anees Bazmee’s next, No Entry Mein Entry. QUALIFICATION: A-lister who preferably shares a good equation with Salman Khan. After all, it is the actor who will take the final call on the ten women who will get to star in the sequel to the 2005 comedy hit No Entry.
Salman, who is famous for his micromanagement of every aspect of the filmmaking process, according to sources, have decided to be the casting engineer for this one. “He wants only A-list names to be cast in the film,” added the source close to Salman.
In fact, when we asked the filmmaker why it was taking so much time to finalise the names of the ten ladies, he reiterated the actor’s diktat. “It can’t be anything but the best girls. Just because there’re ten girls More >