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Posts tagged filmistan studios
Pritam too busy for Madhuri Dixit?
02 weeks ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; May 4, 2013)
Thanks to a busy and overworked Pritam, Madhuri Dixit’s item number in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani was kept in waiting. The film, which is slated to release on May 31, finally completed the shoot of the Ghagra track only last week!
Even though promotions of the film have already begun with Ranbir flying off to London for the publicity, the shoot of the Madhuri number, was on hold. Producer Karan Johar and director Ayan Mukerji had some anxious moments waiting for Pritam to deliver the item number.
Says a source, “Only the Ghagra song was still left leaving the makers on tenterhooks as the release date was almost upon them. As usual, the hard pressed for time Pritam was not delivering the last song.” The item number choreographed by Farah Khan was shot at the Filmistan Studios. The set had being prepared and the makers were hoping the song would come in time.
Adds the source, “Pritam eventually manage to complete it by giving one-one line on the sets with the shoot wrapped up in four and a half days.” It appears that it was one long anxious wait for Madhuri’s Ghagra!
Millionaire filmmaker searches for Mumbai man who saved him from poverty
04 weeks ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Revered today as the Father of West Indian cinema, Mickey Nivelli aka Harbance Kumar, asks Sunday MiD DAY to trace the family of the man who gave him food and a job when he collapsed from hunger outside Oval Maidan as a homeless pauper in 1952
Shilesh Bhatia (MID-DAY; April 21, 2013)
Half way across the globe, sitting in his plush home next to Times Square in New York, Mickey Nivelli had tears in his eyes when he read SUNDAY MiD DAY’s cover story on his laptop last week. As he read about Syed Mohsen Mirjalili, the rich Iranian youth who was rescued from a footpath in Chembur and reunited with his family by good Samaritans, Nivelli, often referred to as the Dadasaheb Phalke of the West Indies Film industry, was forced to roll back the years and recall his own life story which also began on the streets of Mumbai.
(above, centre) Harbance Kumar with Shammi Kapoor in Tumsa Nahin Dekha
The Indian expat, better known as Harbance Kumar, now in his mid-’70s, is often credited with pioneering the art of filmmaking in the Caribbean, way back in 1969. Maker of noted West Indian movies such as The Right and the Wrong, The Caribbean Fox and Girl from India, the award-winning film maker however has one regret in life — he could never thank the man who saved his life when he was a homeless teenager from Quetta in Pakistan, roaming the streets of Mumbai in search of his next meal.
Hardships in Mumbai “I was about 15 years old, in 1952. Post Partition, I was forced to leave my home in More >
Check out Sonakshi Sinha-Sajid Khan on the 80s sets of Himmatwala
04 months ago
Kunal M Shah (MID-DAY; January 18, 2013)
It was straight out of an ’80s film on the Filmistan Studios sets of Sajid Khan’s Himmatwala. The scene took us three decades back when Jeetendra and Sridevi were part of the original Himmatwala. The setting including the props for a special item song in the film reminded us of the disco era of Bollywood.
Sajid, a self-proclaimed film buff of the ’80s says, The whole set is reminiscent of discos of those times and I have drawn inspiration from discotheques that started back then such as Scorpio, Xanadu, RGs, Cellars and Take Off. I used to frequent those places and that’s how I made this entire set. It is my tribute to that era and that’s why you will see iconic elements from that time.” So from Rubik cubes, Pac-Man video games, posters of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Jackson, Mithunda, Rishi Kapoor from Karz, Tom Cruise in Top Gun, everything on the sets was a turn back in time.
The director adds, “The song aptly titled Thank God It’s Friday also reminds us of those times when both Saturday and Sunday used to be a holiday.” And speaking of Sonakshi Sinha, who is shaking her booty to the track, Sajid says, “I was clear that I wanted an A-lister for my opening song. Sonakshi and I have been friends from sometime now and know each other well.” The dance number will present Sona in a retro, non-Indian look.
Check out Sonakshi Sinha shooting for Himmatwala
04 months ago
We catch up with the actress as she shoots a special song for Sajid Khan’s next, togged up in 80s’ glam
Mehul S Thakkar (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 15, 2013)
Filmistan Studios, where a special song with Sonakshi Sinha is being shot for Sajid Khan’s Himmatwala, looks straight out of a 80s discotheque. When Mirror reached the set, it was shimmering with mirrors, gaming consoles, and giant cutouts of Mithunda, MJ and Madonna looking back at the 150 dancers dripping in bling.
We caught up with Sonakshi in her vanity van, prepping for her first-ever glamorous song and dance number, while Sajid spoke animatedly to his choreographer, Chinni Prakash, another icon from the 80s.
“I am in love with that age and Chinni Prakash has come up with some mind blowing steps for Sonakshi,” Sajid tells us later, pointing at a bar with a giant poster of Amitabh Bachchan.
Sonakshi is ready by now and she makes an impressive entry, reminding us of Sridevi in the black promotional outfit for Chaalbaaz. Incidentally, one of her other looks is inspired by Parveen Babi in Namak Halaal. We asked Chinni if Sona needs to rehearse. “Not at all, she picks things up quickly. Just three attempts and she is good to go,” he gushes.
As the camera begins to roll for a 20-second sequence, Sajid remains glued to the monitor. Sonakshi gives an error-free take.
Time for a break and we get chatting with her. “I was never into watching films in the 80s but right now I managed to catch some famous songs,” she tells us More >
John Abraham turns action director for Race 2
06 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
John Abraham took over directing a stunt sequence in Abbas-Mustan’s next after an accident took place on the sets
Kunal M Shah (MID-DAY; November 8, 2012)
Looks like John Abraham is a man of many colours. The actor turned producer even went behind the cameras to direct an action stunt sequence recently for Abbas-Mustan’s next film, Race 2.
Our source from the sets says, “John is performing some out-of-the-box stunts in the film. During an all important stunt sequence, he took over the reins to execute a sequence all by himself. Incidentally, the decision was taken after a stuntman was injured during the shoot.”
Another source associated with the film states, “John said he was aware of the risks that people take while executing such daredevil stunts and he would never want anyone to go to extreme lengths for a shot. An accident had taken place on the sets at Filmistan Studios, where a stuntman was injured. John was very concerned about everyone around him. He intervened to make sure that the stuntmen used safety measures and he ended up directing the whole scene.”
Producer Ramesh Taurani says, “It was a cage fight sequence and is one of the biggest highlights of the film. In fact, even John ended up with a minor injury but we shot the scene till 2 am and completed it.”
Hrithik Roshan is ‘super’ angry
011 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Actor slams reports of Farhan Akhtar being called in to direct the climax of the sequel to his superhero film ‘Krrish’
Kunal M Shah (MID-DAY; June 20, 2012)
Hrithik Roshan is extremely upset over the reports that he has summoned his old friend Farhan Akhtar to over look the climax of his upcoming superhero film Krrish 3. All this, after the sequence being already shot some time back under the supervision of Hollywood action director Tony Ching.
A friend of Hrithik Roshan tells us, “Hrithik is very upset with media reports that he has requested the help of his old buddy Farhan Akhtar to shoot the climax portion of his upcoming superhero film. The fact of the matter is that Tony Ching is a reputed name in Hollywood and was signed one year prior to the film went on the floors. Hrithik was the one who brought in Tony.”
The friend adds, “Before the film went on the floors, Rakesh Roshan, Hrithik and Tony had as many as six meetings and after that a huge set was made at Ramoji Rao Studios in Hyderabad for the climax.” Some portions of the climax were also shot at Filmistan Studios in Goregaon and the sequence has been completed.
Our source further says, “Hrithik has been hands on this film and it is one of his most ambitious projects till date. The father-son duo is coming up with a film after a huge gap and they are leaving no stone unturned. Hrithik is very upset by the reports and even went on a social networking site denying the news that Farhan was brought in to direct More >
Check out Vivek-Mallika shooting for Dhishkiyaon song
012 months ago
BOMBAY TIMES (May 21, 2012)
Dhishkiyaon, a track from Amit Chandrra’s Kismat Luv Paisa Dilli that Vivek Oberoi and Mallika Sherawat recently shot for, is also the title of Shilpa Shetty’s next production starring Harman Baweja. Says a source, “While Dhishkiyaon was being shot, it had Filmistan Studios buzzing. It captures the essence of Delhi and has over 100 Punjabi dancers along with VO and Mallika. The entire set was done up like the streets of old Delhi to authentically recreate the capital city’s distinct flavour.” All that is very well but what about poor Shilpa and Harman whose film releases much later than KLPD?
Proud to see Madhuri as a judge of a dance show-Saroj Khan
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Saroj Khan on her favourite student Madhuri Dixit as they work together again after a hiatus
By Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; May 4, 2012)
It was yesterday once more for Madhuri Dixit and Saroj Khan as the duo got together to shoot for the promos of a dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 5 at Filmistan Studios over the weekend. The actress and the choreographer share a special bond that goes back to when Mads was an upcoming actress and Saroj a leading choreographer.
The two feels that the music’s beats connect them. The veteran choreographer has always admitted that Madhuri has been her favourite. According to her, Mads understands the steps exactly and the way she wants them to be done — even before she can fully explain it. And even today, the star feels guilty if she skips a step in front of her guru!
About working with Madhuri again after a hiatus, Saroj says, “It feels exactly how you feel when your child comes back from boarding school. I have seen her grow from her Ek Do Teen days and I am proud to see my student as a judge for a dance show.”
She adds, “I have had a chance to work through the past several decades. In earlier days, expressions and movements defined a choreographer’s style. This is what Madhuri and I are bringing alive. No one can beat her expressions.”
For the two-day shoot, the Dhak Dhak star would begin filming for each segment by touching Saroj’s feet while the latter showered every bit of attention on her special student. Each shot was okayed More >
One line of Game caught my fancy-Abhishek Bachchan
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
By Devansh Patel, March 19, 2011 – 10:46 IST
The actor is in an upbeat mood in Filmistan Studios in Goregaon. His film Game, a twisted thriller, is just a few days away from the big screen release. Add to that, this is the same Studio where he shot his first scene with his wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan twelve years ago when they were mere acquaintances. That explains why the actor greets me in his vanity van with a special chai ordered for me on the sets of Abbas Mustan’s Players being shot in the same studio. He sits tall and with his brewed coffee arriving just in time in his extremely special ‘Chelsea’ mug, you can make out that Abhishek Bachchan the man likes to hold things close to his heart, be it his first shot with wife at Filmistan, his forthcoming film Game or his ‘Chelsea’ coffee mug. Where’s my ‘Liverpool’ mug? Anyway…he doesn’t talk much but he talks precise. His words are sharp and his answers make absolute sense. He said something that is still engraved in my head, as I write this interview, “Failures shake your confidence, shake your belief but it won’t shake your love and passion for what you do.” But the strange thing about Abhi’s selective reticence is that it’s accompanied by a broad smile, as if to say he knows what game he’s being asked to play, and he’s just not interested. For a change, he has no option today but to play the ‘Game’ with me. UK’s Harrow Observer columnist and Bollywood Hungama‘s London correspondent is all More >
Ali Peter John talks about studio hopping
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
As curtains drop at the famed Filmistan Studios, veteran film-journalist Ali Peter John recounts his visits to several such movie hubs
MUMBAI MIRROR; February 20, 2011
The set depicting a small town being constructed at Flimistan Studios. A village home at Kamalistan A railway station set at Kamalistan Studios Kamalistan Studios in its days of glory
The land on which Filmistan stands has been sold to builders for Rs 600 crore. Scaffolds will soon go up and dreams hundreds dreamt here during the last 50 years will be brought down.
It is one of my favourite haunts, the cleanest studio with its small gardens, proverbs and quotations placed in different corners and a diligent staff headed by an elderly woman supervising every little detail.
As I grapple with the looming loss of Filmistan on S V Road, I can’t help but remember all the studios I have visited.
I have, what you may call, a relationship with them. At Amboli, the quiet Andheri village I was born in, the only two landmarks were the St Blaise’s Church, a few hundreds years old, and a massive structure I later came to know as Filmalaya Studios.
I was 10 when I joined a large crowd gathered in the compound there to watch Dilip Kumar singing what I perceived to be a very angry song.
When we moved to Andheri East, we were surrounded by three churches and any number of studios Mohan, Guru Dutt, Kamal, Prakash and M & T.
And then came the sprawling Kamal Amrohi Studios More >