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Posts tagged Prakash Mehra
Most remakes made because it earns makers pots of money-Salim Khan
01 month ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Money, name and identity. We talk to Bollywood’s old guard on why they are upset with zippy remakes
Anand Holla (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 14, 2013)
Forty years after Amitabh Bachchan ushered in the angry young man to whistles and cheers in Zanjeer, its writers Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan are channelling the character’s inner rage. Furious and unrelenting, Bollywood’s most successful scriptwriter duo filed a suit in the Bombay High Court this month, seeking a stay on the release of its remake, Zanjeer 2.0.
Their grouse is that producers Amit Mehra (whose father Prakash Mehra directed and produced the original) and Reliance Entertainment didn’t seek their consent for the remake, even though they hold the copyright of the ‘literary work’. While the 1973 film starred Bachchan, Dadasaheb Phalke award-winner Pran and Jaya Bachchan, the remake stars Telugu star Ram Charan Teja (top) and Priyanka Chopra.
Salim-Javed claim they have been trying to resolve the matter for a year now. Says 68-year-old Akhtar, “We tried speaking to Amit. When that didn’t help, we first went to the Film Writers Association and then the Federation of Western India Cine Employees, which also agreed that the rights belonged to us. But the producers didn’t relent. When we own its rights, how can someone make it in Telugu and Hindi without our consent?”
It’s not that the legendary scriptwriters are against remakes. Khan, 77, points out that a remake is a win-win situation for writers. “If it works, it proves More >
Salim Khan puts 6-crore hurdle before Zanjeer remake
04 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
The time for negotiations is over, says the veteran scriptwriter, who has now demanded a hefty compensation from the producers remaking the Salim-Javed classic
Soumyadiptya Banerjee and Mehul S Thakkar (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 24, 2013)
Salim Khan has vowed to keep up the fight for his intellectual rights over the Zanjeer remake. Mirror has learnt that the veteran scriptwriter, with the support of his creative partner Javed Akhtar has demanded a compensation package of Rs 6 crore from the makers of the remake – Amit Mehra and Reliance. He has sent off a strongly-worded letter to the Scriptwriter’s Association which is expected to pursue the matter in all seriousness. Sources say, the trinity of Salman, Arbaaz and Sohail are likely to add muscle to thier father’s fight.
Ever since the Zanjeer remake went to the floors, Salim-Javed have been demanding their ‘royalty.’ Amit Mehra, son of the late Prakash Mehra, the original producer, has been arguing that since the writers had already been paid once, they were not liable to be paid again. However, citing the intellectual property and copyright acts, Salim-Javed had argued that as writers, they ought to be compensated. It was not enough to merely seek their ‘blessings.’
The new version of Zanjeer, starring Ram Charan Teja and Priyanka Chopra, is nearly complete and several rounds of talks between the warring parties have failed. However recently, Salim-Javed met the producers again and suggested an ‘amicable’ end to the More >
Zanjeer remake faces legal problems
06 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Amit Mehra has failed to pay his brothers who have terminated the remake contract
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 27, 2012)
The remake of late Prakash Mehra’s 1973 blockbuster Zanjeer being produced by his son Amit Mehra has run into hot water.
Amit, who had bought the remake rights from his brothers – the elder one Sumeet who stays in the US and the younger sibling Puneet who stays in Mumbai – has defaulted on payments. Consequently, Sumeet and Puneet have terminated the contract that gave Amit the remake rights in the first place.
The Arbitrator upheld the termination of the contract, which is why Amit panicked and approached the Bombay High Court. As per the HC order (Mirror has a copy), Amit has been given a reprieve to shoot the film. However, he cannot release the remake until further orders from the HC.
Amit maintains he is making the payments and releasing the film. Puneet said, “The matter is subjudice and I cannot elaborate on it.“ Rumour has it that Sumeet and Puneet are interested in upholding the Arbitration Order, interalia, termination of the project.
Zanjeer’s Inspector Vijay returns with a new surname
111 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Mirror brings you the first look of Ram Charan Teja in the anticipated remake of the 1973 blockbuster Zanjeer
Kunal M Shah (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 9, 2012)
One of the most memorable characters of Hindi cinema history, Inspector Vijay from Prakash Mehra’s 1973 blockbuster Zanjeer is back. But this time with a different surname. Mirror brings you the first look of Ram Charan Teja as Inspector Vijay Shrivastav (as opposed to Khanna, in the original) in the much anticipated remake of the classic hit.
This time around, Inspector Vijay will not just unleash his angry young self on the Hindi cinemagoers but also the Telugu audience. The film, that is being made in both the languages is directed by Apoorva Lakhia.
Interestingly, reliving Big B’s famous on-screen moments is not the only thing Ram Charan is busy with. Mirror found out that the lead actor is all set to tie the knot with Upasna Kamineni on the 14th of this month. In fact, the wedding functions will be held over a week. Needless to say, the actor has taken a break from the film schedule for the time being.
About Upasna, apart from being the granddaughter of Prathap Reddy, Managing Director of the Apollo Group, she works as the vice president of the same company.
Being tagged as the ‘biggest event in Hyderabad this season’, the wedding will be a sevenday gala affair. A source revealed, “The functions will be held across several locations in the city. The who’s who of Bollywood have been invited. The functions will start More >
Mehras to now remake Muqaddar Ka Sikandar?
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
The late Prakash Mehra’s sons will remake Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, after Zanjeer
Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 28, 2012)
Despite Salim-Javed’s objections, the new age Zanjeer is already 40 percent complete. And undaunted, the late Prakash Mehra’s sons are already planning for their next remake. Amit Mehra, who is busy directing Ram Charan in the new Zanjeer has zeroed down on his father’s 1978 blockbuster Muqaddar Ka Sikandar for his next.
According to a source close to the Mehras, the three brothers Sumit, Punit and Amit, who own the worldwide rights to all the Praksh Mehra blockbusters intend to remake their father’s biggest hits. After Zanjeer they’re re-doing Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, which Amit who’s the only one of the three Mehra sons who’s interested in cinema, will direct. Then the Mehra boys plan to remake Prakash Mehra’s Laawaaris, Sharaabi, Namak Halaal, Hera Pheri and Haath Ki Safaai, not necessarily in that order.
Talking about his father’s blockbuster, Amit told Mirror, “What I love about Muqaddar Ka Sikandar is that every protagonist in the film, including Amjad Khan Saab, is a passionate lover. The remake would have to be cast very carefully. We don’t have too many actors today who can pull off the role of intense lovers.”
However, if the source is to be believed, Amit has already set his eyes on Abhishek Bachchan to reprise the role of the protagonist Sikandar played by his father Amitabh Bachchan in the original.
But the casting apart, post More >
Zanjeer 2.0 row: Puneet Mehra hits back at Salim-Javed
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Prakash Mehra’s sons stand up for their father and against allegations made by Salim-Javed
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 24, 2012)
The film established Amitabh Bachchan as the angry young man years ago. And its remake made scriptwriters Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar very angry. In fact, when the film’s original maker Prakash Mehra’s son Amit went ahead and started his version of the 1973 blockbuster Zanjeer, Khan and Akhtar sent a legal notice asking for royalties.
Angry with their father’s name and his renowned work being pulled into a controversy, the brothers Amit, Puneet and Sumeet have decided to counter Salim-Javed’s accusation.
Speaking on behalf of Prakash Mehra Productions, Puneet told Mirror, “We have remained quiet till now simply because Salim saab and Javed saab are veterans. But the way they have been going on about my father is totally unjustified. They have said that our production house made loads of money from Zanjeer. As if my father did not have any role in the film’s success. That too being the director. They make things sound as if we made money but did not pay them.”
Puneet also sounded confident that the script of Zanjeer wasn’t the real reason for its success. “Have they forgotten that at least three top heroes refused Zanjeer on the basis of its script – Dharmendra, Dev Anand and Rajkumar? Yet my father stood by them. Though they never worked with my father after Zanjeer, its not like we stopped making blockbusters,” he said.
The fact More >
More legal woes for Zanjeer remake
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Salim-Javed send a legal notice to Amit Mehra, producer of the remake of their 1973 blockbuster claiming royalties, say they need their dues as per proposed copyright amendment bill
Amrapali Sharma (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 20, 2012)
Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan, the writer duo of the original Zanjeer had been rather miffed with Amit Mehra (left), who with nothing more than their ‘blessings’ had gone ahead and started shooting the remake. We had told you how, Akhtar had even sought legal help regarding the issue. And now, the veteran writers have jointly sent a legal notice to Mehra claiming royalties for the script that they had penned decades back.
Javed Akhtar, who had been on the committee that reviewed the latest Copyright Amendment Bill of 2011, has been the first one to stand up for the rights that the Act ensures. The Bill upholds the Rights of an author in an entire product such as films. And though Amit Mehra, son of producer Prakash Mehra may have the rights of the film, sharing royalties with the scriptwriters becomes essential.
When contacted, Akhtar told Mumbai Mirror, “We have hired a well-known Delhi based legal firm, Luthra & Luthra. We have also sent a notice to Amit Mehra. We have asked him to start a negotiation. He had earlier met us thrice and every time avoided discussing royalties.”
Mehra’s public announcement about gathering Salim-Javed’s blessings for free too seems to have bothered the writer. “And now, he has gone ahead and started shooting for More >
Kader Khan gets full-time into theatre
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Amrapali Sharma (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 31, 2012)
Best remembered for his comic capers, Kader Khan had all but vanished from B-Town, only to immerse himself into a life of theatre and academics. We had reported about his ambitious project of creating an entire syllabus from nursery to post graduation in Islamic studies among other things.
Self-admittedly, theatre has always been Kader Khan’s first love and Mirror has learnt that he is rekindling his passion by staging a fresh series of plays featuring his sons next week April 7 onwards.
He has written the first play, a satire titled Hamare Bhi Meharban Kaise Kaise, to be directed by his elder son Sarfaraz Khan which also has his younger son Shahnawaz acting in it.
Said Kader Khan, “I started with theatre but people dragged me into films. I was busy with films for decades but at some point, I realised I wasn’t getting good offers and was wasting my time so I decided to get back to my roots.”
The actor-writer-director continued, “I lost all my friends like Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra one by one. A few are still there but the industry is like a moving train and if you get down once, you are out of the touch with many. I still get offers and I am open to work if I get good scripts and roles.”
Meanwhile, in the eight years that he has been away from the arc lights, Khan has been using his time fruitfully, to say the least. He has been working on books in multiple languages including Urdu, Arabic, Persian and so on and has More >
Priyanka to essay Jaya Bachchan’s role in Zanjeer remake?
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
Remake of the 1973 blockbuster will feature the actress playing the street smart female lead albeit in a 21st Century setting
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 21, 2012)
Speculations that Priyanka Chopra has been sidelined by the industry courtesy a certain powerful clique may now be put to rest.
Mirror has learnt that in the upcoming remake of the 1973 blockbuster Zanjeer to be directed by Apoorva Lakhia, the actress has bagged the coveted role essayed by Jaya Bachchan in the original film.
For her part in the new age Zanjeer that is set against an oil mafia backdrop, it is rumoured that Priyanka has been offered a cool Rs 11 crore.
The film co-produced by Prakash Mehra’s son Amit Mehra and Reliance Entertainment will go on floors on April 13 at Film City.
We’ve learnt that Priyanka, who met the creators of the remake a few days ago, is up for the challenge and will mostly give her nod of approval soon.
She will play a NRI cafe owner, who is spunky and bold. A friend of the actress said, “It’s a big coincidence that she has been asked for three Amitabh Bachchan remakes Don, Agneepath and now this.”
The friend added, “Priyanka has seen Prakash Mehra’s Zanjeer several times. She is very excited about this offer and is fast working out her dates for it.”
While Priyanka remained unavailable for comment, her spokesperson confirmed the news, “Priyanka has been approached for the film,” adding, “But she is still to take a final decision.”