Posts tagged Players cast and crew

Movie Review: PLAYERS by FENIL SETA

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1 year ago
by Fenil Seta in

Pick up a DVD of Abbas-Mustan’s film and high chances are that it’s adapted from a Western film. Yet, one won’t find any reason to complain because, as my buddy Pranay Mathur @pranay22 rightly said, “They are the only one in the industry who copy well!” They don’t merely make a scene-by-scene imitation; they Indianize the plot well so that the masses as well as the classes, the rural as well as the audiences can fully comprehend what’s going on, even if the plot is a bit technical or complicated in other ways. Their previous film Race had a series of double crossings and yet was easy to understand and highly entertaining and thrilling as well. Their latest film, Players, declared as the official remake of the both the successful versions of The Italian Job too falls in this category. Sadly, it’s neither Abbas-Mustan’s best work till date nor as good as their previous film Race. However, the film has lots of twists and jolts to keep you hooked. Even those who have seen the original films will be in for a shock!

The story of the movie: With the help of his mentor Victor dada (Vinod Khanna), Charlie (Abhishek Bachchan) assembles the team of best players – con artiste cum automobile expert Riya (Bipasha Basu), ex-magician Ronnie (Bobby Deol), polygot bomb expert Bilal (Sikander Kher) and prosthetics expert Sunny (Omi Vaidya). Victor dada couldn’t find world’s best hacker, Spider (Neil Nitin Mukesh). But Victor’s daughter Naina (Sonam Kapoor) comes to the rescue and Spider too More >

Movie Review: PLAYERS by TARAN ADARSH

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1 year ago
by Fenil Seta in

By  Taran Adarsh, 6 Jan 2012, 08:48 hrs IST

It's a given that hi-voltage action thrillers enthrall and electrify viewers no end. The existing inclination within the industry is to opt for remakes [of South Indian films specifically], though Abbas-Mustan have continuously, in their three decade career, tilted towards western thrillers to be specific. PLAYERS, their latest offering, is the official remake of THE ITALIAN JOB. But it's not a scene to scene adaptation of the classic that was attempted twice in the West. The core conception remains the same, but the screenplay is amended significantly to suit the Indian sensibilities.

A recreation or adaptation always leads to comparisons with the original work. And Abbas-Mustan will have to pass this acid test, since THE ITALIAN JOB is no regular film. Made twice in Hollywood [first in 1969 and then in 2003], THE ITALIAN JOB is a heist film with a variation. Like I pointed out earlier, PLAYERS is an altered version of THE ITALIAN JOB, catering more to the desi sensibilities. It's about a gang of skillful, stylish and sharp players who join hands to carry out a heist. Prepare yourself for a masala film with ample twists and turns, stunning and gorgeous locales, stylized stunts and adrenaline-pumping chases, lots of style and attitude and of course, the mandatory songs and comic sequences... In that respect, PLAYERS is in a completely different zone when one draws parallels with THE ITALIAN JOB.

One more clarification! When the More >

Fenil’s Bollywood Talk # 186

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1 year ago
by Fenil Seta in

READY TO GO FOR GOLD?

Since long, the first Friday of the year was considered jinxed. Release your film on this ‘inauspicious’ day and it’s bound to fail, believed many. But last year the jinx vanished into thin air when No One Killed Jessica, hit the screens on first Friday and was a huge success. This year, it’s Players that’ll be the first release. Will it go the Jessica way or reinforce the jinx?

Players is an official remake of The Italian Job and is directed by the master director duo Abbas-Mustan. It stars Abhishek Bachchan, Bipasha Basu, Sonam Kapoor, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Bobby Deol, Omi Vaidya, Sikander Kher and Johny Lever as well as Vinod Khanna and Aftab Shivdasani in guest appearance. The promos give an indication that it is been stylishly shot across fascinating locations in New Zealand and Russia. Witnessing ‘heart-in-the-mouth’ stunts in films always gives a high but our Hindi films seldom come up with such kind of films. Players, along with the recent Don 2, will hopefully help fill the void and provide the viewers with an enthralling experience.

Sadly, a lot of odds go against the film. The film was expected to grab eyeballs when its first promo was unveiled. Sadly, it didn’t. Secondly, the film doesn’t have ‘superstars’. Hence, the cast looks seemingly disinteresting to viewers with some even calling them ‘flop star cast’. And sadly, in a way, it’s true. Abhishek’s last 4 films (Delhi-6, Raavan, Game, Dum Maaro Dum) have underperformed, Sonam didn’t have a More >

Vinod Khanna makes a ‘powerful’ comeback with Players

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1 year ago
by Fenil Seta in

By Joginder Tuteja, December 2, 2011 – 16:37 IST

Promotion of Players may be currently centred on Abhishek Bachchan, Bipasha Basu and Sonam Kapoor but not many are aware that there is a surprise element in store as well. This remake of The Italian Job required a veteran actor to play a very important part in the film and directors Abbas-Mustan were convinced that Vinod Khanna was the man for the job. The veteran actor isn’t known for doing too many films but Players turned out to be one of those films to which he couldn’t refuse.

“Amongst the senior actors, the ones who are still active are Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor and Dharmendra. Though Abbas-Mustan have worked with Rishi Kapoor earlier in Daraar, they are yet to rope in the other two. However, they threw a surprise by reaching out to Vinod Khanna instead. The senior actor has been on a retirement of sorts and seldom does any films. The only films that he has done in recent times are Tell Me O Kkhuda that started two years back while he had a miniscule role in Dabangg. It was a gamble to zero down on him for a role as one should be prepared to hear ‘no’”, says a source.

Still, Abbas-Mustan took a chance and were totally convinced that Khanna senior was the man for the job due to his debonair conduct and a stylish persona. They felt that for a film with gold heist as the central element, the master mind had to be a powerful personality who also had an air of mystery around him.

“When you plan something with Vinod More >

Don gives Abhishek Bachchan jitters

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1 year ago
by Fenil Seta in
Noyon Jyoti Parasara (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 27, 2011)

 

Despite the moderate success of Dum Maaro Dum, Abhishek Bachchan is not so confident about facing Shah Rukh Khan. Viacom 18 wanted to release their ambitious Abhishek starrer Players against SRK’s humungous Don 2 during the Christmas weekend, but apparently, the actor requested them to postpone the release of the film. It seems he doesn’t want to pitch the film into any hurdle like that.

Players, an official remake of Italian Job, is Abbas Mustan’s first film after Race. It is also a very important film for Abhishek, considering his drooping career. “While Players is one of the most expensive movies he has been a part of, he is hoping for a big turn in his career. Needless to say, he wants the film to have the best of chances,” says the source.

So in all probability, Players will release early next year. “The month of December is pretty packed with big films, both from Hollywood and Bollywood. Agent Vinod is aiming for an early December release and then there are films like Mission Impossible 4 and Sherlock Holmes, prequels of which have done extremely well in India. And all these are action thrillers too,” adds the source.

However, Viacom 18 officials preferred not to respond to our queries.

Players has been directed by Abbas Mustan and also stars Neil Nitin Mukesh, Sikandar Kher, Aftab Shivdasani, Sonam Kapoor and Bipasha Basu.

Players team get impromptu holiday

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1 year ago
by Fenil Seta in

By Subhash K. Jha, July 22, 2011 – 10:58 IST

The vast cast of Abbas-Mustan’s couldn’t have hoped for a better gift…A monsoon holiday, thanks to producers Abbas-Mustan who have not been able to select from music composer Pritam Chakraborty’s tunes.

The two songs were supposed to be shot with the entire cast Abhishek Bachchan, Bipasha Basu, Neil Nitin Mukesh and Sonam Kapoor over the next two weeks. The loss of time is crucial because getting the combined dates of the 4 busy artistes again would be problematic.

Abbas-Mustan were very keen to complete the two songs on time. These songs were crucial because all the action sequences and the ‘talkie’ portions are done only the songs remain.

Says a source, “During the past year or so Pritam has been insisting he can’t cope with the workload. He has either dropped out voluntarily or has requested producers to employ other composers’ services but has not been given that freedom. Players is one of those projects that he has taken on because he couldn’t say no to Abbas-Mustan. Not that he has failed to meet his deadline. There’s no one to be blamed for this delay.”

While Abhishek Bachchan is using the suddenly-vacated time-space to be with his expectant wife, Bipasha Basu took for a family holiday in Kolkata. Says the sultry Basu, “Yes, two songs have been delayed. The schedule of Players was postponed. These are normal delays in any movie project.”

Pritam’s spokesperson adds, “Pritam has given the director Abbas-Mustan songs to More >

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