Posts tagged sooraj barjatya

Abhishek-starrer Tansen muted?

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

Rajshri Studios and Satish Kaushik’s ambitious magnum opus, that was to star Abhishek Bachchan, might never see the light of day

Mauli Singh (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 24, 2010)

The fate of Satish Kaushik’s directorial Tansen seems to be in limbo. Announced two years ago, the film was being revived in March. But the latest is that the film has once again been put on the backburner. Abhishek Bachchan was being considered for the role.

A source close to the project says, “Tansen has been shelved.” Yet when contacted, director Satish Kaushik denied the story. He clarifies, “It’s not true. The film has not been shelved but it has been put on a hold. It was supposed to take off in February.” Explaining the cause for the delay of Tansen, Satish Kaushik says, “The budget of the film is over 50 crore. So the rethinking process is going in order to cut down the budget of the film. The film has a beautiful script written by Irshad Kamil.”

Satish Kaushik Abhishek Bachchan

Satish had admitted in an earlier interview that he was considering Abhishek Bachchan for the lead role. That now is history; he denied this, saying, “The script was never given to Abhishek or any other star.”

Sooraj Barjatya, who was meant to produce the film, disagrees. “It isn’t true. It is a very ambitious project which requires huge budgets. We have to wait for the correct time to begin.”

Rajshri’s spokesperson says, “We have kept the project pending as three of our More >

Ajab ‘Prem’ ki gazab kahaani

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in ,

Sooraj Barjatya beats the odds, fights family to get Salman back into the Rajshri banner as his favourite Prem

Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 19, 2010)

Salman’s ‘prem’ has won Sooraj Barjatya’s heart yet again (get the Maine Pyar Kiya reference?). The film went on to make box-office history. And now, Sooraj is planning to return to directing films after four years.

Recently, Mumbai Mirror reported that Salman will be seen in Sooraj’s next, in a cameo role. The latest development in that story is that the actor will be playing the lead in another film apart from this one. Sooraj plans to direct the second one next year some time.

Did you know: the male lead in his last film Vivah was written keeping Salman Khan in mind? It had to be played by Shahid Kapoor because Sooraj’s father, Raj Kumar Barjatya, opposed the idea of Sallu playing the lead. Apparently, Raj Babu, as he is fondly called, had banned Salman from his cinema after the blackbuck-killing incident in Jodhpur. He in fact instructed Sooraj to part ways with Salman professionally and personally.

His father’s decision came as a big blow to Sooraj, who was a very good friend of Salman’s at the time. But the obedient son did not go against his father’s wishes. Though reluctantly, Sooraj signed Hrithik Roshan for Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon, another role he had planned for Salman, and then Shahid Kapoor for Vivah.

Sooraj Barjatya

So traumatised was he with these decisions More >

Salman, Sooraj Barjatya to work together again

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

Kunal M Shah (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 13, 2010)

Put on your rose-tinted glasses: Salman Khan and Sooraj Barjatya will work together again. But this time, instead of directing his typical multi-starrers with cloying tenderness, Sooraj will play the producer.

Salman too will move up from wooing lehenga-clad women to doing a special cameo role in the film. Though the two have been in touch with each other, both Sallu and Sooraj are making efforts to refurbish their successful professional past.

The film is titled Love You Mr Kalakaar and stars Tusshar Kapoor and Amrita Rao in the lead roles. Salman has started working on the film.

Our source said, “Salman and Sooraj’s friendship go back a long way. They made their debuts together in Maine Pyaar Kiya in the late ‘80s. Salman has immense respect for Sooraj and the entire Barjatya family but he didn’t work with Sooraj for many years.

Sooraj met Salman recently and requested him to do a cameo in his film. Salman immediately agreed.”

Vikas Kapoor, Salman’s business manager, said, “Soorajji met Salman for this cameo. Salman agreed.”

Sooraj Barjatya remained unavailable for comments. How sweet.

Music Review: WE ARE FAMILY by JOGINDER TUTEJA

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

By Joginder Tuteja, August 11, 2010 – 12:32 IST

EXPECTATIONS

Ten years back, with a title like We Are Family, one would have expected the kind of soundtrack which is associated with Sooraj Barjatya films or closer home, even Karan Johar’s own venture like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. ‘Pooja ki thaali’, a mother waiting for her son, 100 odd background dancers, antaakshari, dumb charades – all of this and more would have been the order of the day. Not anymore though with films going through a complete makeover in the decade gone by. This is the reason why you expect some modern songs that belong to today’s generation in We Are Family. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy pairing up with Irshad Kamil (who has extensively written with Pritam) is another reason to look forward to what the music has to offer.

MUSIC

BY BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COM

It’s a good start for We Are Family with Rahat Fateh Ali staring from the credit details in the very first song. Now that’s a reason good enough to rejoice because the least you expect is a quality outing with purity written over it. This is exactly that one gets with ‘Aankhon Mein Neendein‘ turning out to be a sweet-n-melodious track. Shreya Ghoshal and Shankar Mahadevan give Rahat Fateh Ali Khan good company to ensure that this romantic number passes by seamlessly. Ok, so this may not be the most memorable chartbuster that 2010 would end up with but it doesn’t harm one either. And yes, thankfully there is no ‘remix’ here.

On the More >

Meet the 5 impressive debutant directors

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

They are young and bursting with enthusiasm. Five young directors making their debut this year tell us why it’s magical to be in the movies

Lekha Menon (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 20, 2010)

Some of the best ideas in films in 2009 were seen in the ones made by debutant directors. Never mind the box-office results, the freshness and the willingness to experiment made all the difference.

With some big budget films with top names failing to make paisa vasool films, perhaps it’s time to turn to the first-timers to bring a new perspective.

Some leading production houses have placed their bets on these newbies in films featuring topline stars. Here are five of them who are waiting to open their accounts in the Bollywood dream factory.

‘I’ve wanted to do this for 10 years’

Siddharth Malhotra

Age: 32

Calling card: Remake of Stepmom starring Kajol, Kareena and Arjun Rampal

Expected release: End of the year

Inspirations: Guru Dutt, Raj Kapoor, Sooraj Barjatya, Karan Johar

As a child Siddharth Malhotra remembers spending his pocket money of Rs 40-50 on buying Bombino video cassettes and audio tapes of the latest Hindi flicks. Films were his biggest craze, even then.

A true blue industry kid (Premnath is his grandfather, his dad, actor Prem Kishen set up Cinevista and the Kapoors are extended family), Siddharth grew up interacting with the likes of Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Vijay Anand.

So it comes as no surprise when he proclaims that he

More >

I’m thoroughly confused about Mausam-Shahid Kapoor

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in
Shahid Kapoor claims to be completely at sea about his father’s vision for Mausam, says he’s decided to simply toe the line By Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 28, 2010)

// // // Shahid Kapoor’s father Pankaj Kapur is turning out to be the most demanding director he’s ever worked with. All information regarding the film, Mausam, is tightly controlled by Pankaj himself, who has expressly forbidden his son from uttering a word about the film, or even taking any decisions on the look he is supposed to sport.

In fact, the beard that Shahid has grown for the part may have to go. Apparently after seeing the look, Pankaj decided the beard doesn’t go with the Air Force officer’s role after all. Says Shahid, “Believe me, I’m thoroughly confused. My father keeps telling me to try different looks, and I just obey. He asked me to grow a beard and I happily did it. I don’t know what else he’s going to make me try.”

But wasn’t an Air Force pilot with a beard a contradiction in terms in the first place?  “We’ll not go against the logistics of the character, that’s for sure,” Shahid says with certainty. “Dad says he was considering it. Whether it stays or not I don’t know. I’ve reached a point where I’ve surrendered completely to his vision. I’m just going ahead with whatever he wants to do with me. Exactly how I’ll look I won’t know until we actually start shooting.”

Shahid says he’s also at his wit’s end about the rumours linking More >

Is ’3 Idiots’ the next ‘Sholay’?

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

The Aamir Khan starrer has smashed several box office records so far, leading exhibitors to smile and say, “All izz well”

By Bharati Dubey | TNN (THE TIMES OF INDIA; January 06, 2010) // // //

(l to r) Aamir Khan, Raju Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra

3 Idiots has grossed about Rs 240 crore in just 10 days of worldwide theatrical business and may touch the staggering Rs 300 crore figure, according to most trade pundits, by the time it finishes its run.

It has overtaken Aamir’s own film Ghajini’s collections, which held the previous record of the biggest business done by films in the post-multiplex era.

The film, apart from breaking Indian domestic market records, in this time has also emerged as the highest Bollywood earner even in the overseas markets. The film has done well in multiplexes as well as single screens despite its seemingly English title, which is considered a detterent in single-screen markets.

The film has given exhibitors a huge relief. Managing director of G7 Cinemas Manoj Desai said, “2009 had been very bad for exhibitors but Paa and 3 Idiots came and saved us. In fact 3 Idiots has created history at the box office and I can easily call it the new Sholay of Bollywood.”

“In many ways this is a mysterious success. Everyone knew that this film might do well but this is enormous and cuts across various segments. It has come during one of the darkest periods of Indian box-office history,” a trade insider said.

Trade analyst Amod Mehra More >

Dostana-2 to begin in April 2010?

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in ,

After Kurbaan was dismissed by the audience, Dharma Productions has decided to shoot Tarun Mansukhani’s Dostana 2 first, pushing back Nishikant Kamat’s next with John Abraham

By Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 16, 2009)

Karan Johar’s production house Dharma now feels the need to pull up its socks especially after its biggest turkey in years, Kurbaan. Dostana director Tarun Mansukhani has been asked to complete the script for Dostana 2  immediately.

Tarun says, “We will start shooting the sequel in April 2010. I’m just about locking in the script. We want to give the film a nice summery look in London. So far, Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham are the only cast members who are confirmed.”

In this rush to release a comedy which may prove to be more commercially viable, Nishikant Kamat’s (director of  Mumbai Meri Jaan) film with John which was to start early 2010, has now been pushed to July 2010. Confirming this, the reclusive director says, “I think John has one other film to finish before he comes to my project. So I have more time to work on my script. I’ve been locked away in my native village most of this year writing the film.”

Kamat continues to tell us about the project, “I love the cinema of Karan Johar, Aditya Chopra and Sooraj Barjatya and that’s the kind of mass entertainment we’re attempting. John and I have been friends for a long time. We sat and discussed what kind of a film to make. We both thought an adventure-action-romance was a far More >

Get ready to see Kareena and Saif in combat scenes!

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in
Kareena, who plays a spy in Agent Vinod, will have several combat scenes with Saif By Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 01, 2009)

Kareena Kapoor

Remember the sizzling fight scene between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in Mr & Mrs Smith? Get ready to see Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor do the same in Agent Vinod. Yes, you heard right. Agent Vinod will have several combat scenes between Saif and Kareena. Incidentally, Kareena plays a spy, just like Saif, in the film.

The decision was taken after Kareena was finalised for Saif’s home production. The actress, who has always wanted to play a full-on action star like Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, will undergo rigorous training to get into an athletic shape. Kareena is expected to not only have some super-slick, hand-to-hand, heart-in-the-mouth combats with Saif but also her adversaries.

Kareena will play an undercover agent from another country (apparently Pakistan). Her Mata Hari like role will have shades of Mala Sinha in Aankhen and Rehana Sultan in the 1977 film, Agent Vinod.

But director Sriram Raghavan clarifies that Agent Vinod is not a remake of either film. “It’s a spy drama, which will have its roots in the films you’ve mentioned. But the only similarity to the Rajshri espionage film with Mahendra Sandhu and Rehana Sultan is the title, which the Rajshris so graciously gave us,” he said.

In fact Sooraj Barjatya, who has worked with Saif in Hum Saath Saath Hain and Kareena in Main Prem More >

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