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Posts tagged lagaan
The horror genre can get only better-Amin Hajee
06 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Writer Amin Hajee feels there is scope for scary films that won’t end up making the audience laugh out loud
Shakti Shetty (Mid-Day; November 25, 2012)
HE IS one of the very few in Bollywood who have switched from acting to writing. Best remembered for his role in Lagaan, Amin Hajee kickstarted his writing career with Swades, for which he co-wrote the screenplay. Later, he went back to acting in several films and dabbled in documentary-making before heading back to horror films.
Amin has penned Haunted, Dangerous Ishhq and the recent 1920: Evil Returns. We caught up with him to know more
Who influenced you to become a writer? I keep telling my friends that I was born in Lagaan because that’s where I got to work with Aamir Khan. He told me that I could be the creative head of a production company. He was prophetic when he said that as that’s what I am today! After he saw my work, he also said that as an actor, I will limit myself, but as a writer, I’ll do lot more.
What is the biggest difference between being a writer and an actor? You can get away with a lot as an actor but as a writer. You can’t fool anyone. Writing is something you have to know — you create a concept, crisis, catharsis from scratch. If you can’t do it, you can’t do it.
So, have you given up on acting? I love acting a lot but I feel there aren’t many writers who are writing new characters. A film begins and ends with the leading stars. The supporting cast is hardly recognized and their characters remain More >
Fenil’s Bollywood Talk # 230
27 months ago
JAB TAK HAI JAAN V/S SON OF SARDAAR!
The battle lines are drawn. In fact, after Welcome-Taare Zameen Par (TZP) clash (Dec 2007), this has to be the biggest clash of the titans. Stakes are at an all-time high. My views on these movies:
JAB TAK HAI JAAN: It’s a special film for more reasons than one. First of all, it has Shahrukh Khan…need we say more?! It’s directed by Yash Chopra and moreover, it marks the pairing of Shahrukh Khan and Katrina Kaif for the first time and Shahrukh Khan and Anushka Sharma for the second time. SRK-Katrina jodi especially seems brilliant. It’s the first time that A R Rahman and Gulzar have collaborated with Yash Chopra. The album of the film however has got a mixed response…some have loved while others feel that it’s below expectations. Film has been shot in beautiful locations, specifically Kashmir. A lot of fake plots of the film are doing the rounds on the internet. The real plot of the film however has been smartly kept under wraps. No one knows what the film is all about! Yet, excitement for the film is immense!
Just around 20-25 days before the film’s release, tragedy struck when Yash Chopra passed away. He was 80 and succumbed to dengue. Film fraternity and fans were in shock since he seemed fit and just few weeks before his demise, he had celebrated his birthday by having a lovely conversation with SRK. Except a song, Jab Tak Hai Jaan’s shoot was completed and the song that was supposed to be shot in Switzerland was scrapped. The team More >
Film writer, Bollywood actors remember the ‘chacha in every story’
09 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Veteran film writer Ali Peter John remembers his association with A K Hangal
MUMBAI MIRROR (August 27, 2012)
Having met him several times, over the last 40 years, I noticed a few things about A K Hangal that were unforgettable. Firstly, he would never be in a bad mood. He would always wear impeccable clothes that he would proudly declare were designed and stitched by him. His smile never changed. And lastly, the most interesting thing about him were the stories he told us about himself and the people he had come across.
There was one story in particular that he would recall several times. It was about him being thrown in jail in pre-partition Pakistan. Hangal had taken part in a rally to protest the hanging of Bhagat Singh. The authorities released him on one condition – that he would leave Pakistan and settle in India. This, he gladly accepted – “Mera dil hamesha Hindustan mein hi tha, aur main har dam ek sachcha Hindustani tha, dil se”, he often said.
He had once told me about his journey to Bombay and the starting of his career as an actor with the IPTA (Indian People’s Theatre Association).
He took great pleasure in narrating the story of his life – of days when he worked as a ‘cutter’ in a tailoring shop at Flora Fountain. Senior actors like Prithviraj Kapoor and Balraj Sahni would come to him when they wanted a good suit stitched. “I was known as the best cutter and was paid a royal sum of Rs 300 per month which was a very big amount and was not paid to any other More >
Emraan Hashmi heading the Aamir Khan way?
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
Emraan Hashmi will attend IIFA but not for the awards gala, only for the premiere of ‘Shanghai’
Hiren Kotwani (MID-DAY; May 31, 2012)
Remember a time when Aamir Khan avoided all award shows? Now, buzz is that Emraan Hashmi is all set to walk the same path by giving an upcoming award show in Singapore a miss. The actor is said to be only flying to Singapore to attend the premiere of his next, after which he will catch a flight back.
A friend of Hashmi confirms that the actor has no intentions of attending the award ceremony. “He’s not too enthusiastic about the awards show any more now. In fact, he made it clear to the organisers that he was flying only for the premiere of his upcoming film helmed by Dibaker Bannerjee,” says our informer, adding that the only thing that could goad him to be present inside the premises of an award show is if he’s paid to perform.
“And since he’s not performing at this event, he’ll fly back to Mumbai a night before.” Over a decade ago, Aamir Khan’s Lagaan was premiered at this particular awards weekend. However, Aamir, who had sworn off attending any awards event, went only to the get-together to discuss his then-maiden production venture.
I play a circus artiste in Dhoom 3-Aamir Khan
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Aamir Khan gets candid about his films and busts a few myths about his image. In conversation with Mirror
By Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 4, 2012)
The arrival of his bonny baby boy a few months ago was an event in itself. And now, in addition to Azad Rao Khan, who is quite a handful and more, Aamir Khan has Talaash, Dhoom 3 and a lot more up his sleeve. It’s a full house indeed. Over multiple rounds of piping hot tea and scrumptious snacks, Aamir Khan bares it all to Mirror.
We hear there have been differences between Reema Kagti and you. Portions of Talaash need a reshoot. That’s not true. Reema has done a fabulous job and I am very happy with the way Talaash has shaped up. It is my home production and I want to be there for it. Since the past few months, I have been too busy with my brainchild, my TV show.
Have you delayed Dhoom 3? I have postponed it only by a month. I was supposed to start it in June. Now I will shoot for it from July. I play a circus artiste in the film and so I need to get into shape in the remaining time, which I hope to achieve soon under a trainer who has come down from the US.
Your decision to work with Vijay Krishna Acharya, whose first film Tashan bombed, has surprised many people. What are your thoughts? I worked with Ashutosh Gowariker in Lagaan but he had also directed Pehla Nasha and Baazi. Rakeysh Mehra hadn’t done well before Rang De Basanti happened. Success and failure is not in our hands. Victor may have gone wrong in More >
Character actors are not paid well-Raghuveer Yadav
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
By PTI (MID-DAY; April 17, 2012)
Bollywood stars have always made news with their hefty remuneration but veteran actor Raghuveer Yadav says not all are paid that great.
Raghuveer, who has been in the industry for more than two decades and has worked in hits like 'Peepli Live' and 'Lagaan', said it is only the Khans and Kapoors that are paid well in this industry.
"We are paid really less. The money we get is only enough to manage our day to day expenses. What will we get when everything is paid to the stars? And neither can we demand because what we want is a good role, so either we take the role or demand money. Asking for both doesn't apply to us," Raghuveer said.
The actor became a household name with comedy TV show 'Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne' and established himself as a character actor in films like 'Bandit Queen', 'Dil Se' and 'Water'.
Raghuveer will soon be seen in debutante Gitanjali Sinha's 'Yeh Khula Aasmaan', where he is portraying the role of a grandfather. He says that it was easy for him to play an old man as he has spent a lot of time with elderly people during his theatre days.
"I have spent a lot of time with elderly people during my theatre days and I enjoy spending time with them. They have a lot of experience in life and the things they talk about and the advices they give reflect that.
"It's all about learning from them and living life. In this film also we are trying to portray the fact that joint families are much better than nuclear and how it is More >
Movie Review: ZOKKOMON by TARAN ADARSH
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in External Reviews
By Taran Adarsh, April 22, 2011 – 09:11 IST
Okay, superhero films are the flavor of the season. The super-success of KRRISH and the tremendous hype for RA.ONE only reiterates this fact. But ZOKKOMON is the first superhero film that has a child actor having super powers and vanquishing the villains with super tricks. What makes this film special, besides the above-mentioned fact, is that it’s a Disney production that’s directed by Satyajit Bhatkal, who was associated with LAGAAN.
ZOKKOMON is like any superhero film, but at the same time, it’s not. Like most superhero films, the superhero here keeps his identity concealed by sporting a mask and wearing a costume. But there’s a difference. He’s not blessed with super powers, yet flies, evaporates into thin air and plays every possible trick that a magician would.
BY BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COMThough Bhatkal has shot the film very well and the production design is up to the mark, he’s letdown, to a major degree, by the writing that doesn’t make the situations appear convincing. There has to be some logic when one shows a kid flying in air and also performing daredevil stunts. But no explanations are offered. All we are told is that there’s a ‘Magic Uncle’, a scientist, who transforms Darsheel into Zokkomon. Sure, the kids don’t question logic, but this segment of movie-going audience has more questions to ask than the adults.
In a nutshell, this one’s adventurous and fun in parts, not in toto. However, it’s More >
Bhatkal hosts Zokkomon sp screening for Aamir
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
BOMBAY TIMES; April 17, 2011
Director Satyajit Bhatkal, is eagerly waiting for his Bollywood action adventure superhero film, Disney’s Zokkomon to release this week on April 22, and not just because it’s his debut film!…The director is all set to showcase a special screening for none other than Mr Perfectionist of Indian Cinema, Aamir Khan! Aamir and Satyajit have been close childhood buddies, with Aamir including Satyajit as part of the Lagaan team. Satyajit, who wrote the book, The Spirit of Lagaan, has also directed a National Award winning documentary called Chale Chalo, produced by Aamir as well….and it so happened the Aamir went a step further and made it one of India’s first theatrically released documentaries! With such a close friendship, the actor has taken a keen interest in Zokkomon, which interestingly also showcases another actor close to Aamir, Darsheel Safary as India’s first child superhero. Sources suggest that the special screening is due to happen anytime this week, and we are sure Satyajit, and the rest of the team will be looking forward to Aamir’s reaction to the much awaited film.
I was ‘faltu’ till Thursday night-Jackky Bhagnani
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
MM.com has an exclusive chat with Jackky Bhagnani on failure, success and of course, being ‘F.A.L.T.U’. The young actor reveals that he felt like a failure till Thursday, after which ‘F.A.L.T.U’ earned about Rs 10.5 crore at the box office over the opening weekend, despite competing with ‘Game’ and the ICC Cricket World Cup final
Varun Vazir | MM Online Bureau (MUMBAI MIRROR.COM; April 05, 2011) Jackky Bhagnani
How did you face the negative criticism for your first film – Kal Kissne Dekha? I was very upset because I had worked really worked hard and gave my best but when your first film does not work then you don’t get work as an actor. However, lucky for me that my performance was appreciated.
Did you ever feel like quitting? No, never. I’ve faced failure since college; I never got praise from anyone and was a fat guy who did not participate in any sports. Till Thursday night everyone including my family felt I was faltu!
F.A.L.T.U released on the same day as Game, which stars Abhishek Bachchan, and just before the World Cup finals. Didn’t you think that was a big risk? I don’t think so it was a risk as we have a huge population in India and there have been instances in the past where films like Gadar and Lagaan have released simultaneously and both have done well.
F.A.L.T.U has been getting mixed reactions from the critics but quite a thumbs up from audiences. What’s your reaction to that? I have been travelling to a lot of theatres in More >