Posts tagged naseeruddin shah

My dad has set the standards too high-Imaad Shah

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1 month ago
by Fenil Seta in

Imaad Shah talks about the challenge of emulating his father Naseeruddin Shah and choosing to act in ‘different’ films

Shakti Shetty (MID-DAY; April 14, 2013)

 

He’s 26 and barely eight films old. However, Imaad Shah speaks with a sort of maturity that lays more emphasis on craft than stardom. Being the son of veteran actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah is bound to create pressure but Imaad seems to know how to handle it. Thrilled about his upcoming film The Reluctant Fundamentalist followed by Tasher Desh, the youngster is balancing theatre and music along with cinema. In a candid with SUNDAY MiD DAY, he reveals how…

Did you read Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid’s novel before you signed up for The Reluctant Fundamentalist? Actually, I read it twice. Once when it launched in 2007 and later when director Mira Nair approached me for the film. I was delighted to be part of the project, so I went back to the pages to get a better feel of my character and the whole situation.

What was the greatest challenge about playing a Pakistani character in the movie? Since I’m playing a Lahore-based guy named Samir, I wanted to get under his skin. The Punjabi spoken in Pakistan is quite different as compared to the Indian dialect and the dissimilarity can be noticed even in their Hindi and Urdu. So my part also involved a fair amount of improvisation. Come to think of it, getting the the language right was the biggest challenge for me.

What sets Mira Nair apart from others More >

Amitabh-Vidya-Naseeruddin in Sujoy Ghosh’s Badla

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1 month ago
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The Kahaani director has managed this unbelievable casting coup

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; April 11, 2013)

 

Bombay Times has learnt from sources that Kahaani director Sujoy Ghosh’s next film titled Badla, is a revenge saga with three of Indian cinema’s finest talents — Amitabh Bachchan, Naseeruddin Shah and Vidya Balan. The film is slated to go on floor by the end of this year. Amitabh and Vidya stole hearts with their sensitive portrayal as mother and son in R Balki’s Paa. And, Vidya and Naseer made a combustible couple in Abhishek Chaubey’s Ishqiya and in Milan Luthria’s The Dirty Picture. Now, let’s wait and watch how this kahaani unfolds.

Bellucci, Gibson to shoot in India for film on Malala?

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1 month ago
by Fenil Seta in

Jyothi Prabhakar (BOMBAY TIMES; April 6, 2013)

 

If all goes as planned, Mel Gibson and Monica Bellucci will be spotted shooting in various parts of India for filmmaker Amjad Khan.He is making a film in English on Pakistani teenage education activist Malala Yousafzai. Says Amjad,“The film is currently titled Gul Makai. It means cornflower, and it’s the name Malala used for writing her blog. If at all this changes for permission reasons, it will just be Malala.” He adds, “We start on May 22 in Bhuj, India. Thereafter, we go to Bhedaghat in Jabalpur (MP) as it resembles the Swat Valley on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border (where Malala was shot at). Next,we go to Jaipur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer. After that,we go to Tehran, Iran and then come back to Mumbai for the fifth schedule. The last leg of shooting will be in London.” But who is playing Malala? “Her identity needs to be kept under wraps for security reasons. The minute the formalities for her to play the role are finalised, I will reveal her name. At this point,all I can say is she is not Indian,but South Asian.” Kay Kay Menon, Seema Biswas, Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah also feature in this film.

Naseeruddin Shah hated Maqbool-Vishal Bhardwaj

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1 month ago
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With his film Ek Thi Daayan up for release, Vishal Bhardwaj tells us what really gets him all wound up

MUMBAI MIRROR (April 2, 2013)

 

When your co-producer is someone of a different sensibility, isn’t your creative freedom at stake? I only do films with the ‘money man’ I share a common ground with. There are instances where I have refused to work with a producer because our sensibilities didn’t match. But so far, nobody has had the power to curb my creativity. If someone attempts that, I would rather not make the film.

So, would you consider yourself lucky? Not really. I had to struggle a lot and this was not an easy journey. I am not passionate about money. It is creative freedom that is my only goal and concern. And I make sure I get that. Earlier, I had tried to compromise on my music ––I did some music that I wasn’t really convinced about, and I failed miserably. I am not going to do that with films.

Do you ever feel the danger of getting jaded or your initial passion fading? You mean have I lost my sheen? At the end of the day, the film stands naked in front of the audience and everyone can see what kind of a filmmaker is behind that particular kind of cinema. The intensity may vary, but the personality of the filmmaker shines through. Some said Maqbool was my best film, some vouched for Omkara. While 7 Khoon Maaf was hated universally, Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola was loved by some and hated by some. For me, it is difficult to see any of my films with such More >

Sona Spa: When someone has access to your dreams…

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2 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Parag Maniar (BOMBAY TIMES; March 22, 2013)

 

Makarand Deshpande’s next, Sona Spa, deals with a major modern life issue — sleep deprivation. Says Deshpande, who has written and directed the film that has been adapted from a play, “Anybody longing for a nap can call up Sona Spa and the sleep workers there will sleep on their behalf. But there’s a catch. While sleeping for you, they will have access to your dreams.”

About Naseeruddin Shah, who plays the dramatic Baba Dayanand in the film, he says, “Working with Naseer was a celebration. He has been watching my plays for the past 15 years. He had watched the rehearsals of this play also, though he was not a part of it. When I offered the film, he instantly agreed. If reiki, puja or a pilgrimage can be done on behalf of others, why not sleep?”

The film, produced by Madan Paliwal, doesn’t have any big Bollywood stars. Deshpande explains, “Stars would overshadow the content, which I did not want.”

Sona Spa, produced by Miraj Entertainment, releases March 22.

Naseeruddin Shah with Shruti Vyas and Ahana Kumra

Told SRK, ‘Ab tere sone ki zarurat nahi hai’-Makrand Deshpande

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2 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Makrand Deshpande on his streak of bad luck, chatting with Shah Rukh Khan and why theatre comes first

Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; March 16, 2013)

 

Theatre is his biggest passion any day, but that doesn’t stop director-actor Makrand Deshpande from dabbling in films as well. Over croissants and a steaming cup of tea at Prithvi Theatre, Makrand talks about his recurrent ill luck with films, good friend Shah Rukh Khan and his upcoming film Sona Spa.

Pick one: Theatre or cinema? Theatre any day! Film ka apna ek lamba process chalta hai. But those who have watched my plays will vouch that we don’t get this wonderful experience even after watching blockbuster films. The experience of watching a play is so real that it lingers for long. Theatre has its own charm.

Luck didn’t favour you with the last few films you made? Yes, I had a phase of bad luck going on. I directed my first film Danav in 2001, for which the distributor said kabhi release nahi hogi and it really didn’t. But miracles still happen! After two years, the representatives at Cannes approached me for releasing the film there. They called it a masterpiece. But I still didn’t have enough luck. The film had some technical issues and we couldn’t go. We couldn’t have matched up to their quality levels. I also made a film for Subrata Roy’s production house but even that got shelved. The producers of my next film vanished mid- way. However, I was still doing well in theatre – writing, directing and producing plays. However More >

Naseeruddin Shah is all for dozing on World Sleep Day today

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2 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Aakanksha Naval-Shetye (DNA; March 15, 2013)

 

Today on World Sleep Day, the annual event has found a surprise supporter in Naseeruddin Shah, who reveals that he considers dozing off as a few of his favourite things. The annual event is a festivity of sleep and a call to action on important issues related to sleep. Talking about it, the veteran actor says, “This year’s theme is ‘Good Sleep, Healthy Aging’. Getting a good night’s sleep is possible at any age and is vitally important for overall health. Most of us have busy, hectic lives and there is always a new challenging day ahead. One has to keep up with their commitments on an ongoing basis; equally one has to make sure to keep their health in check, which can be done by getting proper sleep.”

But for those wondering about the actor’s sudden inclination for talking about sleep-related issues, an insider reveals that doing a film Sona Spa based on the topic is what made him more aware about it. Naseer, who plays a sleep guru in the film, adds, “I play the role of Baba Dayanand who sells sleep for a fee in this film. The film is a satire on godmen of our country. In Sona Spa, girls sleep for men, but not with them.” The film, about sleep workers sleeping on behalf of sleep-deprived men, is inspired by a Hindi play of the same name, written and directed by Makrand Deshpande.

Jayaji said, ‘You are like Al Pacino of Bollywood’-Arshad Warsi

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2 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; March 10, 2013)

 

Arshad Warsi, 44, lost both his parents at the age of 18 and has literally brought himself up. On a break from shooting for Dedh Ishqiya for promoting of his upcoming film Jolly LLB, he talks to Bombay Times about his unusual childhood, why wife Maria is special and what only Jaya Bachchan knows about him. Excerpts:

Let’s talk about your childhood? I was born and brought up in Mumbai. My father’s original name was Ahmed Ali Khan till he became a follower of a holy man Warispak and we became Warsis. My father was a fun guy and a good poet and singer, had friends in the film industry and was so generous that he would give away expensive gifts like his car and watches to his friends. We owned two buildings on Grant Road but lost them due to the law that the tenants got to own the flats they lived in. He also owned a bungalow in Juhu that again we lost. At the age of eight, I went to a boarding school in Deolali and would come home only during holidays. I never interacted with my parents a lot. I would come home twice a year, and would just have a good time and go back. My memory about my school and friends is more than my memory with my parents. When I was nine, I was selected from among thousands of students by two British men to get trained as a world-class gymnast. I asked my father for permission but he denied. While it was his great foresight to not allow me to take it up, at that time I just felt angry as I wanted it so badly. More >

Politics be damned: Naseeruddin Shah promises to visit Pakistan every year

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3 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Subhash K Jha (DNA; February 16, 2013)

 

Political diplomacy be damned. After a triumphant visit to Pakistan recently, Naseeruddin Shah is determined to visit the country every year now. Says the actor, “I am going to take every opportunity to visit Pakistan. The country is non-apologetically open to Indians visiting on a cultural level. I think we need to visit one another more frequently. It is the ill-informed politicians who create the impression that there is much distrust and hostility against Indians in Pakistan. I’ve been there several times, first to shoot the film Khuda Kay Liye, then four years ago, to perform my play Ismat Aapa Ke Naam in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. This time we performed in Lahore only. They’ve asked us to return.”

Now Naseer will be visiting Karachi with the play in early 2013 for what he calls a “longish 10-day spell”. Recalling the experience in Lahore he says, “We were in Lahore to raise funds for the Faiz Ahmed Faiz Foundation. The trip was organised by his daughter. They’ve invited us again next year and we’ve promised them we’d be back, and happily so. They’re pretty starved of plays in Lahore. Comparatively Karachi is a lot more culturally active. They were very happy to have me with them. Although they predominantly speak Punjabi in Lahore, their vocabulary of Urdu and their grasp of the language is much better than us. They were extremely effusive. My wife Ratna, daughter Sheeba and the rest of the play’s cast had two stage More >

Sona Spa: This Valentine, gift some sleep

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3 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

BOMBAY TIMES (February 14, 2013)

 

Stress has literally driven away sound sleep from our lives. It’s this issue that Sona Spa, a movie written and directed by Makrand Deshpande, highlights. The film, based on a Hindi Play, is the story of two girls — Rucha, a billionaire from Mumbai and Ritu, a middle-class person from Pune. Another major character is Baba Dayanand (Naseeruddin Shah), who runs Sona Spa where the girls work.

Rucha wants to sleep on behalf of her billionaire father who doesn’t get enough sleep. Ritu, on the other hand, does it for her sister who has not slept after a tragedy in which she lost their mother and brother. Gradually, Rucha and Ritu start sleeping on behalf of their clients.

While Rucha’s client is Choksi, a rich man yearning for sleep, Ritu’s is a cop disguised as the head of a company. Complexities emerge when the two ‘sleep workers’ start inhabiting their clients’ subconscious mind.

Sona Spa, produced by Miraj Entertainment, releases March 22.

(From left) Ahana Kumra, COO Sonal Deshpande, Mr Madan Paliwal, Chairman, Miraj Group, Naseeruddin Shah and Makrand Deshpande

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