Where Bollywood Comes Alive
Posts tagged Guzaarish
Hrithik Roshan brings new love twist to quadriplegic’s life
04 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 18, 2013)
A quadriplegic man whom Hrithik Roshan befriended while preparing for his role as a paraplegic in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Guzaarish (2010) has seen his life take a dramatic – and distinctly filmi – turn for the better.
Kandivli resident John Julius (30) had been confined to his bed, paralysed, for nine years, following a motorcycle accident at Dahisar Check Naka when he was a student of event management at a Bandra college.
But not only has Julius’s condition improved since the Bollywood star began to support him financially and emotionally, he is now married to the woman of his dreams – who also happens to be his physiotherapist. He has also landed a job.
Julius says he had almost lost the will to live when, out of the blue, he got a call from Bhansali’s office. The man on the phone said Hrithik wanted to meet him.
Speaking to Mirror, Julius said, “Hrithik expected me to be low on morale when he walked in, but I gave him a pleasant surprise by greeting him in a wheelchair! We spoke about his character in Guzaarish, and quickly became friends. We are still very much in touch. Whenever I text him, he replies. He also checks in on my condition frequently.”
A few days after they met, Julius underwent stem cell therapy at the Neurogen Brain and Spine Institute in Chembur, followed by rehabilitation. Hrithik helped fund Julius’s treatment to the tune of Rs 1.5 lakh. He also gifted him a computer and a customised More >
Behind every successful hero is a woman with a pen
011 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
A motley group of women writers in Bollywood give their male counterparts a tip or two on the new rules of scriptwriting
Shakti Shetty (MID-DAY; June 25, 2012)
What’s common between Agneepath, Vicky Donor and Shanghai? Other than the fact that they released this year and had strong male characters, all three were written by female screenwriters.
Given the longstanding tradition of employing male writers who took care of the story, dialogues and lyrics, it’s a pleasant shift from the usual track for Bollywood. Interestingly, however, none of the emerging ladies are prepared to point a finger at the industry. They’d rather welcome the change…
Urmi Juvekar After coming up with a heralded script like Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, Urmi Juvekar went a step ahead and created Shanghai (both directed by Dibakar Banerjee). While penning a story, Urmi reveals that she keeps reminding herself that she’s a screenwriter first — not a novelist. “The role of a screenwriter is peculiarly different from a fiction writer. We are writing for a picture and words tend to change the image in my head to some other image when it enters the director’s head.” On being asked whether writers are given due credit in Bollywood, Urmi poses, “As long as we are getting paid, there shouldn’t be any issue. Anyway, do you care to know who the editor or the cinematographer of the film is? Nahi na? Then why bother with credit for writers only?”
Ila Bedi Datta Although Ila Bedi Datta has been actively involved in More >
Don’t want to watch my films alone in the theatre-SLB
011 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Chandrima Pal (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 30, 2012)
Sanjay Leela Bhansali can barely sit still, or quiet these days. This Friday, when Rowdy Rathore hits the theatres, he will be tested on a completely unfamiliar turf. The Bhansali of Guzaarish and Black, will make his debut as the co-producer of an unabashedly crowd pleasing potboiler. But he is not defensive. “I am not apologetic, not embarrassed,” he says. “After Saawariya, I retreated into a shell. With Guzaarish I went through a catharsis. Though it was a film about something as morbid as euthanasia, it was eventually a celebration of life and happiness. Once I was done with it, I wanted to do something that would appeal to the man on the streets and in the chawls. That is where I grew up loving everything about cinema.”
Bhansali, who believes the fraternity was ungenerous in its appreciation for Hrithik’s performance in Guzaarish, says that while there weren’t too many people going into the theatres to watch the film, but those who did, appreciated it. It proved to be a much-needed turning point in his professional life.
“I did not want to be the only person in the theatre watching my own films,” says Bhansali with surprising candour, adding that he was possessed with the idea of trying out a mass film after watching how an average man in the chawls moved to a Munni Badnaam Hui. “I want people to mouth the dialogues from this film too, sing the songs. I have grown up watching films in single screens where people would get More >
Dont watch Guzaarish, SLB tells Ranveer Singh
11 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
–Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 27, 2012)
Ranveer Singh who’s laid up with an injured back for at least a month is spending his time in bed preparing for his next role as a Gujarati lover-boy in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ram Leela, and catching up with all the films that he has always wanted to see but was never able to find time for.
When Ranveer asked his director Sanjay Leela Bhansali which films to see, Bhansali said, ‘Watch anything but not my Guzaarish, please.’
Guzaarish stars Hrithik Roshan as a paraplegic.
The joke was well taken and both Ranveer and Sanjay Bhansali had a long and hearty laugh over that one.
Jokes aside, a source explains, “Ram Leela is an epic musical rendering of Romeo & Juliet with loads of dancing and singing. With Ranveer’s only other project Lootera postponed indefinitely he is concentrating on Ram Leela. He has been reading and re-reading the script, getting familiar with his character of Ram.”
Rowdy Rathore’s satellite rights sold for 35 crs?
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 29, 2012)
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s last film Guzaarish failed to do too well at the box office. Despite that, the filmmaker’s upcoming project Rowdy Rathore has been sold for a staggering Rs 35 crore, say sources from the trade. Perhaps it’s the Akshay Kumar magic that has worked for him this time around.
This is happens to be the highest that Bhansali has received for any of his films till date. Interestingly, even Akshay Kumar’s films in the past had not generated such a high price. His film Housefull, produced by Sajid Nadiadwala fetched the highest satellite price for the actor so far.
Mumbai Mirror has learnt that Bhansali, who had been in talks with broadcasters over the satellite rights of the film directed by Prabhu Deva, sealed the deal last week.
While UTV’s CEO Siddharth Roy Kapur remained unavailable for comment, a source from the production house confirmed the story. Rowdy Rathore is coproduced by Bhansali, UTV and Shabina Khan.
Hrithik’s chair looking for a new owner
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Roshni K Olivera (BOMBAY TIMES; May 4, 2011)
This is no ordinary wheel chair. It’s the one Hrithik Roshan used in the film Guzaarish, where he played a paraplegic. And guess what? This chair has no takers. It’s lying in filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s office for the past many months. Bhansali wants to donate the chair to somebody in need, a hospital or a charitable organisation, but hasn’t been able to do so. “I tried to offer it to some patients, but they declined saying they have small homes and it would be difficult to maneuver,” he told BT. This was a specially made-to-order remote controlled chair. So will it find its new owner soon?
Farah to debut in a Bhansali film!
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Will be the leading lady opposite Boman Irani
Sarita Tanwar (BOMBAY TIMES; May 6, 2011)
Farah Khan, choreographer-director-TV host, is now in a different role. Literally. She is the leading lady of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s next production Shirin Farhad, to be directed by SLB’s sister Bela. This bit of news is interesting for two reasons. First and the big one being this is Farah’s big screen debut. Second, because until recently she and the Guzaarish director were bitter enemies and had even lashed out at each other in print. Clearly now, it’s all in the past.
When asked why Farah as the heroine, Sanjay laughs, “It is the best way of taking revenge on her.” Then getting serious, he adds, “I thought she suited the role perfectly. It’s a funny and very tender and quaint love story of a Parsi couple. And the character of Shirin suits her perfectly. Farah has amazing wit and wicked humour and I could see that translating on the screen.”
The film has been written by Bhansali, who may be known for serious films, but he promises it will be a laugh riot. His sister Bela, who debuts as a director and has edited most of her brother’s films, says, “I instinctively felt Farah was right for the role. Also, she is half-Parsi and has a mad side to her. And there could be no one better than Boman for this role. Expect to see a lot of song and dance in my film.” Farah laughs when asked about her debut, “When Bela and Sanjay called me for the role, I More >
IIFA Technical Awards announced
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
By Bollywood Hungama News Network, April 27, 2011 – 15:39 IST
The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) today announced the winners of the technical awards categories for the IIFA Awards 2011. The trophies will be presented to the winners during the Videocon IIFA Weekend in Toronto, Canada. Band Baaja Baaraat, Dabangg and Robot led the technical winners tally with three awards each.
Maneesh Sharma’s Band Baaja Baaraat won the awards for Editing by Namrata Rao, Song Recording for Vijay Dayal’s ‘Ainvayi Ainvayi‘ and Costume Designing by Niharika Khan. The Rajinikanth starrer Robot walked away with Best Art Director for Sabu Cyril who incidentally won the same award at IIFA 2010 as well. Robot also won the awards for Special Effects by Indian Artists and Make-up by Banu.
The Salman Khan starrer, Dabangg won an award for Choreography for the hit song, ‘Munni Badnaam Hui‘ choreographed by Farah Khan, and Leslie Fernandes who won for Best song recording. The film also won the award for Best Action by S. Vijayan.
The award for Best Cinematographer went to Sudeep Chatterjee for Guzaarish and Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy won the award for the best background score for My Name Is Khan while Pritam Das won for Best Sound Recording for Love, Sex Aur Dhokha.
The IIFA Awards Voting process is a stringent and methodical procedure that is closely monitored by PriceWaterHouse Coopers (PwC), the official auditors for the event. The popular category nominations will then be available for More >
Sanjay Leela Bhansali unplugged
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
The filmmaker, in a hard-hitting interview, takes on everyone — from Sonam Kapoor to Ajay Devgn
Sarita Tanwar (BOMBAY TIMES; April 25, 2011)
Sanjay Leela Bhansali vanished after Guzaarish. The director will soon be on your TV screens as a judge on a reality dance show. Now that he has emerged from hiding, he is open to being grilled. He promised to be honest, and true to his word, he did not mince words. He cleared the air on friends, foes and his films (last and forthcoming). Read on for excerpts…
Are you going to be a mean judge on tv? No. I don’t believe in running down people. I will say what I have to, without destroying the dancers. The range is from 16 to 60. It’s pure joy to see some people who’ve never had the chance to live their dream, come on stage and let loose.
Do you watch Koffee With Karan? No.
In one episode Karan asked Sonam what she would do if she woke up one morning and realised she’d become you. She said, “Get colour in my life — apart from Blue and Black.” Any comment? I don’t think any filmmaker in India would even think of using the colours I do. Saawariya is a work of art and if Karan can’t understand that then that is his problem. It’s something I cannot worry about. If he is going to reduce Saawariya to just a blue film then it’s just childish. I don’t know why he asks people about me. Whenever he meets me, he is very kind, cordial and respectful about my work. I don’t know why Sonam answered the More >