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Posts tagged Prakash Jha
My films have to compete with popular cinema-Prakash Jha
07 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
IANS (MID-DAY; October 3, 2012)
Prakash Jha, who is known for making films on socially-relevant subjects, says it is a challenge for him to tackle issues and yet keep his films entertaining enough.
‘I want to bring these things forward via popular cinema because that is where I have to compete, with song and dance films, emotional utopia, comedies and these things entertain people,’ the 60-year-old said here Monday in an interview.
‘If my film does not entertain, then people will not watch it. So it is a challenge for me to compete with commercial cinema to keep my point forward,’ he added. Jha’s films include ‘Gangaajal’, ‘Apaharan’, ‘Raajneeti’, ‘Aarakshan’. His forthcoming ‘Chakravyuh’ tackles the issue of naxalites. Asked about the reason behind making such films, Jha said he believes in chronicling such issues of importance.
‘When the Mandal commission came, the changes that happened at the grassroots or when open market economy happened, the changes that happened, then, what happens because of casteism or reservations. I believe these things need to be chronicled, recorded and the inherent drama needs to be brought forward,’ Prakash said. ’Chakravyuh’ stars Arjun Rampal, Abhay Deol, Manoj Bajpayee, Esha Gupta and hits theatres this Dusshera.
Chakravyuh girl Anjali bags 3 Prakash Jha films
17 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; October 3, 2012)
Anjali Patil has managed to accomplish what newcomers in Bollywood can only dream of. She has not only bagged a role in Prakash Jha’s Chakravyuh, but has also signed three other films with him.
Born and brought up in Nashik, Anjali graduated from Pune University in dramatics with a gold medal. As a student of direction at the National School of Drama in Delhi, she bagged her first role in Delhi In A Day, which fared well in the festival circuit. Anjali then decided to move to Mumbai to pursue a full-time career in films. She sent her pictures to Shruti Mahajan, who, at that time, was casting for Chakravyuh. The NSD graduate was shocked when she got a call seven months later, saying Jha had liked her pictures and wanted to meet her. She failed in her first audition, but Jha was sure about her abilities. He gave her a second chance and she proved him right. Anjali knew that it was an important role as during her audition there were other actresses like Tannishtha Chatterjee vying for the role.
Wasn’t afraid to let go of sexy-Esha Gupta
07 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Aakansha Naval-Shetye (DNA; October 2, 2012)
Esha GuptaIt’s been less than a year since Esha Gupta made her debut on the big screen, but with both her films — Jannat 2 and Raaz 3 — getting the superhit status, she’s already gone on from being a newbie to having a place of her own in Bollywood. The fact that in her upcoming film Chakravyuh, she gets to work with filmmaker Prakash Jha — a director most actors wish to work with — adds a new dimension to her CV. “I’m feeling like Alice in Wonderland, trying to figure out what’s happening or how. All that I do know is that I am moving forward with each day, but there’s no rabbit I am following!” says Esha.
More than the hits, what excites the actor is the variety of roles on her platter. In less than a year, Esha has played a simple girl and danced to glam songs in Jannat 2, then she got to look her “ugliest best” in Raaz 3, and now she is playing a no-nonsense cop in Chakravyuh. Point out that it’s the kind of range most actresses take a while to portray, and she says, “I guess I just got lucky! But that’s the real wow factor in my life rather than just the hit tag.”
Esha however does admit that she was initially apprehensive about getting typecasted in a glam image onscreen, thanks to her modelling image off-screen. “I knew that my sexy image could go against me, but I was not afraid to cast the glamour aside at all. So I jumped when I was offered these films. In Chakravyuh I play a woman, who’s nearly 10 years More >
Manoj Bajpayee miffed with Prakash Jha?
07 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
Aakansha Naval-Shetye (DNA; October 1, 2012)
Manoj Bajpayee DNAActor Manoj Bajpayee, who has been a part of several films by Prakash Jha including Raajneeti and Aarakshan, has teamed up with him once again in the upcoming Chakravyuh. And over the years, the two are known to share a very strong rapport.
But according to an insider, the actor was recently upset with the filmmaker. Explaining why, the insider reveals that Manoj who plays the role of a Naxalite in Chakravyuh and shares screen space with actors Arjun Rampal and Abhay Deol was miffed when he found himself out of all the publicity material for the film.
“Manoj walked into Jha’s office for a meeting and saw the Chakravyuh T-shirts that had just come in for approvals. To his distress he observed that the T-shirts had the animated figures of Arjun and Abhay. Naturally, being left out irked him,” says the source. However, the situation that could have easily turned into an ugly battle of egos was quickly rectified by Jha.
“He is very tuned in to the moods of his actors and he immediately noticed the change in Manoj, even before he could voice the hurt. So, when he realised that the T-shirts had upset Manoj, he asked his team to rectify it and get Manoj on the T-shirts too. Most of the stock had already been readied for distribution, but they were all called back and new ones were dispatched,” adds the insider. When asked about the incident, Jha admitted that ‘it was an inadvertent oversight’.
“Manoj is a More >
If RGV is not working with me, it’s my loss-Manoj Bajpayee
17 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Actor clears the air on why he doesn’t work with certain directors and his approach to playing negative characters
MID-DAY (September 30, 2012)
Having been a part of eight National Award winning films, Manoj Bajpayee states that he doesn’t mind doing a film for free just to be a part of ‘great’ cinema. The actor talks about his upcoming projects and striking a balance between commercial and parallel cinema…
As an actor, have you got your due? So far, only 25 per cent of Manoj Bajpayee has been seen. Hopefully before I say goodbye to this world, I will be satisfied as an actor. Well, I cannot write roles for myself. I wait for filmmakers and writers to write great characters.
You no longer work with some of your earliest directors like Shekhar Kapur, Mahesh Bhatt and Ram Gopal Varma I always feel sad when these filmmakers don’t work with me. If Ramu is not working with me, it is my loss. Similarly, it breaks my heart when Bhattsaab has nothing to offer me. At a time when I was dejected and was about to pack my bags and leave Mumbai, Bhattsaab asked me not to go. He said Mumbai would give me what I had dreamt of. And his prophecy has come true to a certain extent.
How do you strike a balance between commercial and parallel cinema? A commercial film is very essential but I don’t want to be a part of one for the heck of it. My only advice to actors from parallel cinema is to not deny commercial films. If one Gangs of Wasseypur is successful, it not only makes you saleable More >
Mahesh Bhatt turns actor; does cameo
07 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Kunal M Shah (MID-DAY; September 27, 2012)
Mahesh Bhatt has made many stars out of big screen aspirants. Interestingly, the director was in for a surprise when he received a call from documentary filmmaker Sanjay Amar who wanted to cast him in his film Future Toh Bright Hai Ji.
A source says, “On meeting Sanjay, Bhattsaab heard the narration and asked him about the significance of the role, which was small but pivotal. Bhatt also demanded to go through the entire script of the film before taking a call. He liked the concept and even shot for the cameo recently.”
An elated Sanjay Amar said, “I have been a fan of Bhattsaab since my childhood and have seen all his films till date. It is an honour for me that he agreed to be a part of my very first film.” The film also stars Aamir Bashir and Sonal Sehgal.
Me too Apart from directing an upcoming film Chakravyuh starring Arjun Rampal and Abhay Deol, Prakash Jha will also be acting in it. The filmmaker is apparently playing a businessman. He will share screen space with Arjun and Manoj Bajpai. Jha also did a guest appearance in his previous film Raajneeti and Aarakshan.
Prakash Jha’s dig at Tatas-Birlas-Ambanis cleared with a disclaimer
17 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; September 26, 2012)
Prakash Jha’s upcoming film, Chakravyuh, has a song titled Mehangai, which reportedly names the biggest business houses in the country. They have been accused of carving out huge profits at the cost of the common man. The movie is based on the naxal movement.
We asked Jha why he named the richest persons in India and he said, “I have nothing personal against these (business) houses and have used their names only for symbolical reasons. In our villages, when someone flaunts his wealth, he/she is usually asked, ‘Tu Tata-Birla ban gaya kya?’ That’s just like when someone dances well, they say, ‘Madhuri Dixit banna hai kya?’. This song is about the naxals venting their anger against the establishment and industry. I did not want to use inanimate objects and so, used names symbolic of development and progress. But I also believe that development needs to be inclusive. I want to highlight how the industry manipulates and works only for itself. Yesterday, I read how Naveen Jindal is India’s highest paid executive with a salary of Rs 73 crores per annum, vis-a-vis 75 per cent of India, which earns less than Rs 30 a day. How can such growth be called inclusive, if 25 per cent of the GDP of our country is in the hands of just 100 families?”
The Censor Board has given a green signal to the song, with just a disclaimer (reproduced below). But what remains to be seen is the reaction of the industry to the song.
TRANSLATED LYRICS OF THE More >
Would love to work with all the Khans-Prakash Jha
07 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Prakash Jha talks about working with the same faces and location in his films
Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; September 24, 2012)
Prakash Jha can’t stop raving about Bhopal. After shooting parts of his films like Gangaajal, Aarakshan, Raajneeti and two of his upcoming projects (Chakravyuh and Satyagraha) in the city of lakes, the filmmaker talks about repeating his actors and location.
Why Bhopal? I love the picturesque locations and the tehzeeb of Bhopal and most importantly, there is no disturbance there. The people, administration… almost everyone co-operates during the shoot. I have shot with so many big actors in Bhopal but not once did anyone disturb our shooting.
You are known to be a very strict director. Is it true? I don’t think I am a strict director! I sit with the actors and rehearse and we discuss their roles and lines. So when we start shooting it’s fun, as by then all of them know their lines.
Often you repeat actors over several films… Well, they are actors. They want to work and I am a filmmaker and I need actors to work in my films. Also it depends on the script of the film to see who would be more appropriate for the role.
Will we see you experiment with other genres too? Yes, definitely. Right now I am reading through two-three different scripts. Other subjects too interest me as a director. Maybe a thriller and an action film are on the cards.
Would you ever work with a Khan? Oh yes, in fact, I would love to work with all the Khans. It would be great if More >
Arjun Rampal ditches Heroine for Istanbul?
08 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
Mehul S Thakkar (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 21, 2012)
Madhur Bhandarkar’s ambitious project Heroine hit theatres today. And the question on most people’s mind is “where’s the hero?” Mirror found out that Arjun Rampal is tucked away in Istanbul, perhaps to recharge himself before starting promotions of Prakash Jha’s Chakravyuh.
Interestingly, the actor had been missing from the promotions of Heroine for a long time. In fact, on one occasion, when asked about her hero, lead actress Kareena Kapoor had to jokingly say that her director, Bhandarkar was the hero of the film. And through all of this, Arjun had been missing from the events.
A friend of the actor said in his defence, “Arjun did go for a couple of promotional events. But the focus of the film is Kareena. After all it is titled Heroine. Very few questions came Arjun’s way and they were mainly about his intimate scenes with Bebo. So he decided to stay out of it.”
Apparently, the actor was also busy with the post-production of Chakravyuh.
However, the heroine of the film, Kareena is tired shouldering the responsibility of promoting the film. According to a friend of the actress, she has now taken off to UK to celebrate her birthday – a much-deserved vacation after all the ‘hard work’. As for Arjun, he plans to return from Istanbul soon. After all, his solo hero project, Sudhir Mishra’s Inkaar is also scheduled for a January release.
Is Abhay Deol scared of Prakash Jha?
08 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
The actor was too frightened to tell the filmmaker that he had missed his flight!
Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; September 15, 2012)
Prakash Jha could be known for making serious films but someone seems to be mighty scared of his off screen image too. Our sources told us that after missing his flight to Bhopal for a shoot schedule of Chakravyuh, Abhay Deol was too scared to inform his director Jha about it.
A source says, “Abhay missed his flight and his scenes were slotted for the next morning. He was frantically calling up crew members to inquire about the next flight to Bhopal.” Finally, after managing to take the 5 am flight out of Mumbai to Bhopal the following day, he finally reached the sets and confessed the truth to Jha.
Anticipating the worst, the actor was unable to sleep all night. Jha confirms the story and states, “I told him to sleep in the vanity van for two hours before coming for his shot.” After all, all’s well that ends well.