Where Bollywood Comes Alive
Posts tagged aradhana
Happy times in Bollywood for sad endings?
04 weeks ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Bollywood may have its inhibitions, but Indian audiences have proved time and again that they are open to films ending on a tragic note
Bharati Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; May 22, 2013)
When rockstar Rahul Jaykar jumps to his death in the climax of Aashiqui 2, not many were sure if a sad ending would work for the love story. But shattering all myths about sad endings’ fate at the box office, the film became a runaway hit.
A trade source says, “Actually, such excuses (tragic ending) crop up when a movie sinks at the box office and the concerned filmmaker looks for justifications to save face.” Says Shagufta Rafique, the writer of Aashiqui 2, “We did not think of any other end. The film is about a man who ends his life so that his lover can live on; we never worried if the ending will affect BO performance. I won’t call it a risk, it was about being true to the story.”
But despite the success of tragic love stories — Ranbir Kapoor’s Rockstar (2011) is another recent example — not many filmmakers are ready to take the risk. For example, the original storyline of Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Delhi 6 (2009) had Abhishek Bachchan’s character dying. But after pressure from the studio, the director changed it. Both endings were shot and there were reports that the film would be re-released with its original climax.
This trend is not new. Twenty-five years ago, Mansoor Khan had also shot two climaxes for Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988). A trivia on the film states that while the older More >
Romance in Bollywood: From flowers camaflouging kiss to instant ishq wala love
04 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Subhash K Jha (MID-DAY; February 14, 2013)
From two flowers coming together to camouflage a kiss, to sexually explicit scenes and dialogue, celluloid mirrors quick-fix love and push button passion in a world, which has little time for romance.
n 1970, Asha Parekh starred as a (pretend) widow in Kati Patang and Rajesh Khanna was her silent lover. There was not a single touch or caress between the two. Distributors were aghast, ‘How can we have the biggest romantic star of all time not even embracing his heroine once? Audiences would boo the film out of theatres,’ they said. But director Shakti Samanta stuck to his guns. No way. The widow wouldn’t cuddle up to the lover boy, come what may. Jump to 2000. Girls in movies like Ragini MMS look straight at the guy and ask, “Have you come yet?”
Says Asha Parekh, “It’s all too blatant and upfront in today’s films. When I did Kati Patang with Rajesh Khanna there was Anand Bakshi’s poetry to express love between the couple. In the very romantic Yeh shaam mastani Rajesh Khanna didn’t even brush his hand against me. But the intense feelings came through. Those were times of forbidden love. Parents monitored relationships. Today, which 20-something girl or boy would listen to the parents if they forbade a marital alliance? Forget marriage, we now have live-in relationships. And that too we get to see in our films.”
Like we see in Pyaar Ka Punchnama. Parekh feels cinema is only a reflection of reality. “Today, we have songs devoid of More >
If I am honest, I will win-Subhash Ghai
05 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; January 6, 2013)
Subhash Ghai, 67, is a self made man who continues to dream big inspite of his many struggles. His film institute ‘Whistling Woods’ has put him probably through his toughest test both financially and personally. He talks to Bombay Times about what led him to this and how he will fight it to the last to restore his pride and achieve his passion. Excerpts:
What are the facts behind your acquiring your film institute ‘Whistling Woods’? I thought of opening a platform for film aspirants in Mumbai in 1992 when I had a earned a good amount of money. I know that when you achieve anything in life either you turn power hungry or you want to share with every one. I chose the latter and decided to initially build a film library for the industry as I had seen film aspirants and strugglers roam the streets to search for information and connect to Bollywood but in vain. I approached then CM Sudhakar Naik in the government. My application in 1992 went from Congress to the BJP-Shiv Sena in 1996 and finally back to the Congress in 2000. Balasaheb Thackeray also encouraged me. Mukta Arts went public in 2000 when I told my investors that we should focus on human capital too and open a film school as the industry was growing and did not have a talent pool to support it. Soon after, I started negotiating a space in Panvel and announced the same. That time MD of Film City Govind Swaroop called me and asked me why I was opening in Panvel and not in More >
14th Mumbai Film Festival to fight film piracy
08 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
In a first for any film festival in the country, the Mumbai Film Festival to be held from Oct 18 to 25 has joined forces with former Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) Chief AA Khan to fight this menace
Shubha Shetty (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 17, 2012)
In a first for any film festival in the country, the 14th Mumbai Film Festival (Oct 18-25) has joined forces with former Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) Chief AA Khan to fight the bane of film piracy. The move is aimed at protecting the interests of film production companies, independent producers, film distributors and cinema operators participating in the festival.
India has the dubious reputation of being one of the most thriving markets for film piracy, particularly the variety carried out through camcorders. Khan’s organization called AA Khan and Associates actively works against film piracy in the country.
Says Khan, “The menace of piracy is growing and it is up to all of us to eradicate this problem that affects the social and economical ethos of the country and the world,”
The festival will also see the premiere of the Bond documentary titled Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007 directed by Stevan Riley of Fire In Babylon fame, along with exclusive footage from the much anticipated Bond movie Skyfall. So far, the Bond documentary has only been released in the UK.
In a tribute to the late Rajesh Khanna, a special segment of the festival will be dedicated to the ‘First superstar of Hindi cinema’. Among the movies More >
Aradhana remake turns into Top Gun
010 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Director Ashim Samanta plans to turn the original story of an airforce pilot and his lookalike illegitimate son into a modern-day Top Gun
Subhash K Jha (MID-DAY; July 29, 2012)
The remake of one of Rajesh Khanna’s biggest hits Aradhana will take a little longer than expected, as producer-director Ashim Samanta intends to turn the original story of an airforce pilot and his lookalike illegitimate son into a modern-day Top Gun.
Explains Samanta, “When my father made Aradhana, he couldn’t shoot at an air base and the scenes had to be fudged. Those were times when permission to access defence-related locations was impossible for filmmakers. Now, we will shoot at air force bases. It was something my father couldn’t do and it remained a lingering regret.”
Samanta wants to turn Aradhana into Top Gun. “I want the sequences showing the hero emerge from the fighter planes to have the same impact as Tom Cruise’s scenes in Top Gun. We are working towards creating the same level of adrenaline and authenticity in the air-base sequences.”
Samanta’s son Aditya will play the double role that had made Rajesh Khanna a household name after the original Aradhana. But who will play the role of the heroine, the young girl with a son born out of wedlock who transforms into an old mother?
“My father had a tough time casting for the role. Aparna Sen was almost finalised, but she opted out at the last minute. Finally Sharmila Tagore, who was in her 20s, played the 60 year-old woman. I’m hoping an More >
Check out Rajesh Khanna-Sharmila Tagore playing Teen Patti
011 months ago
MUMBAI MIRROR (July 18, 2012)
Of late, he has been hitting headlines more for his battle with ill health but fact is, Rajesh Khanna remains the only actor till date to have delivered 15 consecutive solo super hits (1969-1971). Doesn’t come as a surprise then he is still referred to as the ‘First Superstar of Hindi Cinema’.
In his hey day, fans, more so of the female variety, would mob him during public appearances, so much so he needed police protection. In private, women would marry his photographs and send him letters inked in their blood.
This picture captured by ace lensman Shyam Aurangabadkar has the superstar playing a game of teen patti with his friend and co-star of several hits, Sharmila Tagore.
The great grand niece of Rabindranath Tagore kick-started her film career with Satyajit Ray’s Deviand Apur Sansar, making her Bollywood debut opposite Shammi Kapoor in Shakti Samanta-directed 1964 romantic blockbuster Kashmir Ki Kali.
The ‘Bengal tigress’, as she came to be known, rose to popularity in the sixties but it was her rather intense roles opposite Khanna that helped her evolve as an actress. The 1969 film Aradhana was the pair’s first hit, again directed by Samanta. Subsequently, they went on to give six BO hits, the likes of Safar, Amar Prem, Daag and Avishkaaramong others. Some of the other films they did including Tyaag, Raja Rani, Chhoti Bahu and Maalik ended up being critically acclaimed although they didn’t exactly set the cash registers More >
Exploring the double role phenomenon of Bollywood
11 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Bollywood is all set to revisit the double role formula
Seema Sinha (BOMBAY TIMES; June 11, 2012)
In last week’s release Rowdy Rathore, apart from the desi action or unabashed entertainment, one thing that stood out was the double role of the leading hero. In the past decade, not many filmmakers have attempted to exploit the dual character, but now the double role formula, which was considered to be a favourite among many filmmakers at some point of time, looks set to return.
HIT FORMULA? Be it the identical twins caught in extreme dramatic situations of lost and found, or a lookalike becoming the cause of confusion, the comedy of clones is often a sure shot formula to success. Trace the history of Bollywood and you will find that almost every top actor has played a double role in at least one film in his or her career, and these films have been huge grossers at the box office – Dilip Kumar (Ram Aur Shyam), Dev Anand (Hum Dono), Sanjeev Kumar (Angoor), Rajesh Khanna (Aradhana), Amitabh Bachchan (Don, Satte Pe Satta), Shatrughan Sinha (Kalicharan), Hema Malini (Seeta Aur Geeta), Sridevi (Chaalbaaz), Salman Khan (Judwaa), Shah Rukh Khan (Duplicate, Om Shanti Om), Govinda (Aankhen), Sunil Shetty (Gopi Kishan), Anil Kapoor (Kishen Kanhaiya).
REVISITING DOUBLE ROLE In the recent past, we have seen Shahid Kapoor playing a double role in Kaminey and Saif Ali Khan in Love Aaj Kal. According to film director David Dhawan, who has given a string of hits with male leads in a More >
Shahid Kapoor in love with his character Javed
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Shahid Kapoor will be seen playing three different roles in Kunal Kohli’s ready to release “Teri Meri Kahaani”. The actor connects to his character Javed based in 1912 and says he is the man every woman would love to meet
By IANS (MID-DAY; April 21, 2012)
“Teri Meri Kahaani” spans three different time zones from 1912 to 1960 and then 2012. Shahid plays three characters – Javed, Govind and Krissh and so does Priyanka who will be seen as Radha, Rukhsar and Aradhana.
“I relate to the Muslim character of Javed in 1912. There was so much of me in it. Whether it is shayari or playing a lover, he was just the way I am. It is a heroic and massy kind of character.
There is so much of magic in him. Javed is the man every woman would love to meet. Also, he is shown belonging to an era of 1912 that is what makes it special” said Shahid. This is Shahid and Priyanka’s second film after box office hit “Kaminey”.
Priyanka said: “I play three characters, Radha, Aradhana and Rukhsar and I very much relate to Aradhana. She is the girl of today, so obviously I relate to her. Like me, she is very contemporary in her outlook and believes in living her life to the fullest. I enjoyed playing that character.” The film will release June 22.
Sachin Bhowmick: The pen stops here
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Sachin Bhowmick, the man behind the gripping storylines of Krrish to Karan Arjun to Karz, breathed his last on Tuesday afternoon
Kunal M Shah (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 13, 2011)
After 50 glorious years of penning gripping storylines for Bollywood, Sachin Bhowmick, passed away on Tuesday afternoon after a prolonged illness.
His family cremated him at the Shivaji Park crematorium around 4 pm. As for the people he had worked with over the last half century, hardly anybody was present to bid a final goodbye.
Jagdish AurangabadkarInfact, very few people in the industry knew about his demise. Shammi Kapoor who worked with him in numerous hits, was unaware of the writer passing away, “It is extremely sad and I am shocked by your phone call. I met him a couple of months back during a special screening of An Evening in Paris.
He had a great mind and a special art of giving you a wonderful screenplay by joining little pieces together. One thing that I would never forget was the way he would speak Hindi with a Bengali accent. We would never understand and would request him to switch to English.”
Bhowmick started his career as a writer in Bollywood in 1958 with Nargis and Balraj Sahni starrer Lajwanti. In the 1960’s, his stories and screenplays became synonymous with success. Sachin churned out hits like Anuradha (1961), Ziddi (1964), Ayee Milan Ki Bela (1964), Majboor (1964), Love In Tokyo (1966), An Evening In Paris (1967), Brahmchari (1968) and More >
Int’l DJs who remixed Sheila song to be sued
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
International DJ has released his version of the popular song; producer Farah Khan and the record company plan to sue
Prithwish Ganguly (BOMBAY TIMES; April 2, 2011) Farah Khan and the record label TSeries have learnt that at least 50 Indian and 10 international DJs have illegally remixed the Sheila Ki Jawani song and released it on the net as their own composition. A special case among them all is international DJ NYK, who has even made a video of the remixed version and uploaded it on his official website. This comes after international artiste Timbaland ripped off Aradhana’s hit track Baagon Mein Bahaar Hai for one of his singers in the US. Now Farah and Bhushan Kumar plan to take legal action as they have lost Rs 60-70 lakh, which they would have charged for remix rights.
The record label’s spokesperson says, “We have lost lakhs here. Almost all DJs in India remix songs, but they mostly play them at night clubs and don’t release it. However in this case, they are also claiming that it is an exclusive remix of the original. We need a watchdog to look out for such copycats. How can one filmmaker or record label keep tab on so many things?”
Farah adds, “We haven’t given any rights and these DJs have been ripping off my song. It is a serious crime. Though at one level I’m flattered that so many people have made these remixes, I have to take action. We need to threaten people with dire consequences or else they won’t stop ripping off More >