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Posts tagged shootout at lokhandwala
Ex-cop blasts Shootout At Wadala, filmmaker for glorifying gangsters
03 weeks ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Former Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Iqbal Shaikh slams Shootout movies discrediting men in uniform; filmmaker Sanjay Gupta says cop seeking unnecessary media attention.
Iqbal Shaikh and Hemal Ashar (MID-DAY; May 4, 2013)
When former Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Isaque Bagwan held a press conference earlier, to lash out at the makers of the just released film ‘Shootout at Wadala’, all I wanted to say is: I endorse that. With all these gangland novels, books and movies, there are a number of people who want to depict the underworld and gangsterism on celluloid and in books. I do not say no to that but when it is done just to make it box-office material, then it is time to sit up and take notice because it is done at the cost of a peaceful society and leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.
When the equilibrium of society is affected adversely, the result can take lethal shape in the form of communal riots. I am disappointed that the film was released because I thought that it was the duty of the Mumbai police and the State Home Dept. to see that the makers of Shootout at Wadala were reined in so that in the name of art, freedom of expression, the makers do not go berserk disturbing peace and sanity in society. The director of ‘Shootout at Wadala’, Sanjay Gupta, needed to be stopped before he released such a film as he is a history sheeter in such things.
Twisted Though I have not seen the film, ‘Shootout at Wadala’, in the first, ‘Shootout at More >
31 years ago, on this very day, Manya Surve was encountered
04 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
A first-hand account of what led to the formation of the D-Gang and Manya’s shootout
By Sanjay Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; January 11, 2013)
After the success of Shootout At Lokhandwala, Ekta (Kapoor) and I were keen to take the franchise forward. One of the assistants came up with a startling statistic. Till date, there had been more than 850 encounters on the streets of Mumbai.
That got me thinking. When we hear about encounters today, we are neither shocked nor surprised. It’s an accepted way of life. But a cop shooting down a criminal in the middle of the road and in broad daylight was unheard of when I was growing up.
So when was it that the cops decided to kill and not catch? What was that single incident, which was the catalyst? Who was the first victim? Who was the first perpetrator? Who created the concept of encounter killings and why? Who was the mastermind?
I set out to look for answers to these questions, and in doing so, stumbled upon a story more shocking than I’d imagined. A story that gave birth to my forthcoming film, Shootout At Wadala.
From the 1950s to the 70s, Bombay was ruled by one particular gang who did not believe in the law of the land — The Pathans. These men from Afghanistan had come to the city as money-lenders. Often, retrieving their funds required muscle, which soon changed into ‘dadagiri’ or roughing up people violently.
In the 70s, one young man stood up to challenge their supremacy and to end their reign of terror with terror. His name was More >
Vivek Oberoi to replace Sanjay Dutt?
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Rumour has it
If all goes well, the actor will star in the Bhatts’ next, instead of Sanjubaba, who first agreed and then opted out of the film
Kunal M Shah (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 30, 2011)
On January 15, 2011, Mumbai Mirror told you how Sanjay Dutt had agreed to work for the Bhatts’ next project.
And considering Dutt’s relationship with the filmmakers that go back a long way, this piece of news did not come so much as a surprise.
However, what did surprise or rather shock us was when Dutt opted out of the project, citing scheduling issues (Mumbai Mirror, April 20). Ever since then, the Bhatts and director Kunal Deshmukh have been on the look out for a prospective replacement.
Now we hear that Vivek Oberoi, who does not share a very good relationship with Dutt, is being considered for the same.
Though nothing is concrete yet, Oberoi has already been narrated the script a couple of days ago. Our source told us, “Since Dutt had some date issues and is no longer a part of the film, the Bhatts had no other option but to look for a replacement. They are keen to have Vivek on-board.”
When contacted, Mahesh Bhatt confirmed, “Vivek has met up with Mukesh and Kunal. He has been narrated the script. However, all of us have to mutually agree. Till then, it will be premature to say that Vivek is on-board. In our business, there is much between a cup and the lip.
This has happened to us Sanjay Dutt didn’t work out. But yes, Vivek had expressed his desire to be a part of the film and More >
Movie Review: SHOR IN THE CITY by FENIL SETA
02 years ago
2 years ago, there arrived a small gem of a film, 99. Directed by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, it was a terrific roller-coaster ride and showed how one can come up with a gripping and funny tale based on a true incident. And when the director duo announced their next, Shor In The City, naturally I was waiting for it with bated breath. The film is ready since months but couldn’t release as it was touring festivals, wowing the audiences worldwide! This further upped my curiosity by many notches! Finally, Shor In The City has released and thankfully, meets all the expectations! It is quirky, engaging, completely absorbing and gives a paisa vasool time to the viewers!
The story of the movie: Tilak (Tusshar Kapoor) is newly married to Sapna (Radhika Apte) and runs an illegal book printing house alongwith his rowdy buddies Mandook (Pitobash Tripathi) and Ramesh (Nikhil Dwivedi). A routine robbery in the train results in their world going upside down. Abhay (Sendhil Ramamurthy) is an NRI who has come back to India to start a new business. As news spread that a rich NRI has arrived, the local goons (Zakir Hussain, Suresh Dubey) threaten him to pay ‘protection money’. Sawan (Sundeep Kishan) is an aspiring cricketer who wishes to get into Under 22 Mumbai Cricket Team. But he realizes that won’t be possible unless he coughs up a huge amount of money, something which he doesn’t have. On the other hand, his girlfriend Sejal (Girija Oak) is pressurizing him to act More >
Ekta signs me only when required-Tusshar Kapoor
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Tusshar Kapoor has moved beyond his home productions
Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; April 27, 2011)
Tusshar Kapoor is to the manor born. As producer Ekta Kapoor’s brother, he is certainly more privileged than a lot others in the film industry. And though public perception is that elder sister Ekta mollycoddles him, Tusshar has carved a niche for himself not just in his home productions, but with outside banners as well. Excerpts of an interview…
How big a role does Balaji (their banner) have in your success? Balaji has given me interesting roles in films like Kya Kool Hai Hum, Shootout at Lokhandwala and a couple of other films. However, they have also not included me in movies like Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, Love, Sex Aur Dhoka and Mission Istaanbul because the directors felt I wasn’t suited for these films. Ekta signs me only when required. Likewise, I have the prerogative to say no to a Balaji film.
You are spearheading Shor In The City’s publicity campaign? Shor In The City is an amalgamation of three different stories. I am not the solo lead. There are actors like Sendhil Ramamurthy and others. The producers felt it made sense to have my face on the posters because of the lot, mine is the most recognised face at least in India.
After doing mindless comedies like the Golmaal series, isn’t Shor… a welcome change? Golmaal is a hugely successful franchise. I have got huge appreciation for my performance in the Golmaal series. But yes, More >
Black Friday writer joins Shootout 2
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 21, 2011)
Sanjay Gupta is leaving no stone unturned for his next directorial venture, a sequel to Shootout At Lokhandwala, to be based on the first ever encounter killing that took place in Mumbai.
To make the film even more real and sinister, Hussain Zaidi, the acclaimed crime reporter who penned the blast-by-blast account of the 1993 bombings in the city for the film Black Friday, has joined hands with the filmmaker.
Titled Shootout at Vadala, Gupta’s film captures the first official encounter killing of gangster Manya Surve in Mumbai. This is inspired by Zaidi’s soon-to-be-released book Dongri To Dubai. Gupta confirmed, “I have wanted to work with Hussain Zaidi, since I first saw Black Friday.
It was the most well researched thriller I’d ever seen. I was just waiting for the right chance for us to come together. When I decided to make a sequel to Shootout At Lokhandwala, I immediately thought of Zaidi.”
“When I got to know that Hussain is writing a book on the history of crime in Mumbai, I requested him to let me read portions of it. I found amazing details on Manya Surve, who was gunned down in Vadala. We’ve never had such insight into crime and the underworld before,” added Gupta.
Zaidi will also be the one to script Gupta’s film. The author confirmed, saying, “Yes, we’ll be working together.”
DVDs help Tusshar prepare for Shor In The City
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
By Joginder Tuteja, March 28, 2011 – 11:48 IST
For his upcoming film Shor In the City, Tusshar Kapoor rues the fact that he couldn’t prepare for it extensively. Though he has earlier played a gangster in Shoot Out At Lokhandwala, he wanted to start afresh with Shor In The City. However, since the makers wanted to bring the film on floors soon, Tusshar was stuck as he didn’t have any reference point to begin with.
“As such Tusshar does only one film at a time but last year was extremely busy for him”, informs a close friend of Tusshar, “He had Golmaal 3 coming up. Then he was also busy shooting for Hum Tum Aur Shabana. Also, Barjatyas wanted to kickstart Love U… Mr. Kalakaar! soon as well. Dropping out of Shor In The City was not an option since the script was fantastic. However he didn’t want to come unprepared to the sets either.”
This is where the director duo of Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK (who have earlier made Kunal Khemu starrer 99) came up with an idea. Since they couldn’t afford a workshop with the actor due to time constraints, Raj & Krishna made a compilation of some select gangster flicks and handed over the DVDs to Tusshar.
“These were Spanish films like much acclaimed Amores Perros (which had even inspired Mani Ratnam’s Yuva) as well as a lesser known film called Maria Full of Grace. In addition, they also gave him a cult Brazilian classic City of God. Since each of these films has a gangster element to it, the brief for Tusshar was to understand the More >
Sanjay Gupta plants Kaante in Sanju’s sequel plan
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 23, 2011)
As far as a sequel to the 2002 multi-starrer Kaante goes, Sanjay Dutt may have a thorn in his side.
Sanjay Gupta, his one-time friend who directed the Reservoir Dogs-inspired first part, refuted reports that Pritish Nandy and Sanju had kept him out of Part II.
Sources said the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) to the film were with Gupta and he was in no mood to part with them considering there’s no love lost between the two now.
A source said, “How can Pritish Nandy make Kaante 2 without the IPR? Sanjay Gupta, who co-produced the film with Nandy and (late) Raju Patel owns them.
Sanjay Dutt may have been a part of Gupta’s company then but they had a fall out long ago and he resigned.”
Gupta, who has borrowed concepts from other films for Zinda and Aatish as well, claimed he had the rights for Kaante. “Yes, I have the IPR.
Pritish Nandy was just an investing partner.” He added, “They say they have a top director. Who is this person? How can they make a sequel when it wouldn’t be legal?”
Dutt and Gupta, incidentally, were very good friends when they started the production house called White Feather Films. Their relationship hit rough weather because some employees were allegedly not paid their dues for the movie Shootout at Lokhandwala in 2007.
Dutt allegedly confronted Gupta and resigned from the company after an altercation. The source said, “They still haven’t patched up. A reconciliation is rather More >
Old partners patch up on Holi
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Ekta Kapoor and Sanjay Gupta, while enjoying Holi festivities, celebrated their joint venture Shootout At Lokhandwala Part 2
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 21, 2011)
While Ekta Kapoor and Sanjay Gupta celebrated Holi yesterday afternoon (see more pics on right), we learn that the duo have more than colour balloons hidden under their sleeves.
The speculations that Kapoor and Gupta would collaborate again for their sequel to Shootout At Lokhandwala, based on the real life shootout at Lokhandwala in 1991, has finally been made official.
Yogen ShahAlthough the original movie did fairly well at the box office in 2007, Kapoor and Gupta had a professional fall-out following the film’s release.
Then on January 24, 2010 Mumbai Mirror broke the story about the disagreement between them over the subject for the sequel. While Kapoor wanted to base the sequel on another real life cop-gangster shootout, Gupta was reluctant to do so.
A source tells us, “All that is a thing of the past now. Kapoor and Gupta have met at a common point.” Gupta has bought the rights of a recent Hong Kong action movie for the sequel and has been spotted frequently visiting Kapoor’s office in Andheri lately.
Since Gupta had a fall-out with the film’s original director Apoorva Lakhia, the sequel will be directed either by Gupta himself or a new director. We wonder which of the actors from the original film will secure a role in the sequel.
The first part starred Amitabh More >