Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor's upcoming romantic comedy 'Loveyapa' has generated significant buzz ever since its announcement. While that was just the beginning, the recently released title track left everyone even more excited for this promising film. Without any delay, the makers have now dropped the trailer, and it’s packed with comedy, drama, and a lot of Loveyapa. The hilarious trailer of Loveyapa is finally out, presenting a relatable story of modern love among the Gen-Z. Opening with a humorous scene featuring Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor, the trailer showcases the story of a young couple whose lives are exposed to each other after they exchange their mobile phones. That’s when the real fun and drama begin. As unspoken secrets come to light, the trailer explores relationships in today’s generation. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Phantom Studios (@fuhsephantom) The trailer of Loveyapa is indeed a fun and engaging watch, promising to be a perfect release for the Valentine’s season. Loveyapa, set in the realm of modern romance, offers a heartwarming tale enriched with unforgettable performances, lively music, and breathtaking visuals. Celebrating love in all its shades, the film is poised to resonate with audiences of all ages. Loveyapa is poised to be one of 2025’s most exciting cinematic offerings. Mark your calendars for this Valentine’s season as the film hits screens on 7th February, 2025 embarking on this enchanting journey of love!
10 January,2025 07:43 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentBollywood’s Greek God Hrithik Roshan turned 51 on Friday. His ladylove actress Saba Azad dropped some unseen selfies of her Instagram feed while wishing him. The actress shared several selfies clicked in the course of their relationship at various places. She also shared a couple of solo pictures of Roshan. The first picture seed the duo in beach wear posing for a selfie. The second picture sees them enjoying a rickshaw ride in Mumbai. The last picture sees the two making goofy faces as they click a selfie. Sharing the picture, Saba wrote, "Happy whirl around the sun my love. you are the light…may joy envelop you forever and then some." Hrithik first confirmed his relationship with Saba at Karan Johar’s 50th birthday party in 2022 when the couple arrived hand-in-hand, marking a new chapter. They have been dating for three years now. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Saba Azad (@sabazad) Hrithik Roshan rings in birthday with near and dear ones The War actor's former brother-in-law Zayed Khan shared a picture from the celebrations which included his ex-wife Sussanne Khan and his ladylove Saba Azad among many others. Zayed took to his Instagram, where he wished the star and said that Hrithik has never failed to be an honest sounding board to him his whole life. The “Main Hoon Na” actor also shared a picture which featured Sussanne, her beau Arsalan, Zayed, Hrithik, Saba and some friends. He wrote: Happy birthday my brother Duggs!! To a guy a greatly admire ! Who’s will power is simply stunning to say the least . Who has never failed to be an honest sounding board to me my whole life . Whose advice I take sincerely and introspect deeply. Shine on my brother into this year and many more to come . Big hug. Always stay as kind as you are ! @hrithikroshan #happybirthday #family #friendslikefamily.” Hrithik and Sussanne got married in 2000 and 14 years later they separated. The duo share two sons together. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ZAYED KHAN (@itszayedkhan) Hrithik Roshan's work front Hrithik Roshan will complete 25 years in Bollywood this year. As a special treat for fans, Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai is re-releasing in theatres on his birthday. The film also featured Ameesha Patel and was directed by his father Rakesh Roshan. Hrithik will be seen in War 2 directed by Ayan Mukerji, who is best known for his films Wake Up Sid, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, and Brahmastra. The film also stars Jr NTR and Kiara Advani.
10 January,2025 04:56 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIndian cricketer Virat Kohli and his wife actress Anushka Sharma along with their kids had a spiritual journey to Vrindavan recently. The couple along with their kids- Akaay and Vamika sought the blessings of renowned priest Premanand Ji Maharaj in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh. Their visit comes after Kohli's poor performance at the recently concluded BGT (Border Gavaskar Trophy) which India lost to Australia. Ahead of India's upcoming white ball series against England, Kohli took some time off with his family to visit the ashram of Premanand Ji Maharaj. This is not the first time the couple has showcased their spiritual side. The couple are dedicated followers of Lord Krishna and often visit ashrams of famed pandits seeking a spiritual experience. They have also been seen at events and prayer meets of Lord Krishna. The official handle of the priest shared a video of the couple's interaction with him. In the video, Anushka can be seen interacting with the priest as Virat holds his daughter Vamika close. The faces of the kids have been blurred to maintain their privacy. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bhajan Marg Official (@bhajanmarg_official) Anushka Sharma's conversation with the priest Anushka said, "Pichli baar jab hum aaye they to mann mein kuch sawaal they. Mujeh laga ki puchungi lekin jo bhi baitha tha wahan pe, un sab ne kuch na kuch waisa sawaal kar liya tha. Jab yahan pe aane ki baat kar rahe they, main aapse mann hi mann baat kar rahi thi. Agle din main Kanti Vartalap kholti thi aur koi na koi wo sawaal puch raha hota tha. Aap bas mujhe prem bhakti de do. (The last time I came, I had a few questions in my heart. I wanted to ask those questions but someone else more or less covered it. When I was thinking about coming here, I was talking to you inside my mind. The next day, I would open ‘Kanti Vartalap' and those questions would've been asked by someone. Now, all I want is your blessings.) Seeing the devotion of the couple, Maharaj got emotional and said, "These guys are very brave. To devote yourself to God after achieving such fame in the world is quite a difficult thing. We think that your (Anushka's) devotion towards God would have an impact on him (Kohli) as well." Shri Premanand Ji Maharaj also said - "Ye (Virat Kohli) Pure Bharat ko prashannta dete hai, Ye agar Vijay hote hai to pura Bharat khushiyon manata hai. Inke saath pura Bharat Juda hua hai (Virat Kohli gives happiness to the whole of India, If he wins then whole India happy & whole India connected to him)".
10 January,2025 04:10 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentPayal Kapadia was in the news for her acclaimed project All We Imagine As Light. The Kapadia directorial won big at Cannes, got nominated for the Golden Globes, and is winning the hearts of the audience. Now, as the film has been released on an OTT platform, it looks like Payal has decided to move on to her next project. It has been reported that Kapadia's next will be a film set in Mumbai and that she is eyeing a potential trilogy. Payal Kapadia to make a film about Mumbai Payal told Variety, “I started writing my next movie, and it’s also going to be a film in Bombay. It’s a bit early, but I’m thinking about doing two more films in Bombay and having this kind of a trilogy.” In the same interview, Payal Kapadia reacted to criticism she received for her highly acclaimed All We Imagine As Light from Jahnu Barua, head of India’s Oscar committee. While responding to his comments about her film being "very poor technically," she said, “I don’t know what he meant… maybe I’ll meet him one day and ask him.” Regarding the Oscar submission decision itself, she added, “It would have been nice if we were selected, but it’s just a process. Sometimes you get it, sometimes you don’t… My entire movie was made by applying to grants. We didn’t get many, but we got some, and we made the film finally. So, it’s just part of the process. You have to take things as they come.” About All We Imagine As Light Starring Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, and Chhaya Kadam, the film is an official Indo-French co-production between Petit Chaos from France and Chalk & Cheese and Another Birth from India. The film follows Prabha, a troubled nurse who receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband, and Anu, her young roommate seeking intimacy with her boyfriend. A trip to the beach town of Ratnagiri allows them to confront their desires. In 2024, the film won the prestigious Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. It recently won the Best International Feature at the New York Film Critics Circle, as well as the Best International Feature trophy at the reputed Gotham Awards 2024. Former President of the United States, Barack Obama, also mentioned it in his list of favorite movies of 2024.
10 January,2025 02:50 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentParineeti Chopra is presently occupied with the shoot of her upcoming project with Netflix. The stunner has been keeping the netizens hooked with sneak peeks into the shoot of the film. Recently, the 'Kesari' star took to her Instagram stories and dropped another insight into the location of her untitled drama Parineeti Chopra's latest Insta story featured a still from what looked like the Bandra-Worli sea link. If the sources are to be believed, Parineeti Chopra is filming the second schedule of her next at the moment. As the project is still in the filming stage, further details about the movie have been kept tightly under wraps for now. Formerly, Parineeti Chopra dropped another glimpse of her shoot location on the photo-sharing app. The diva was seen filming near the Bandra Worli Sea Link in the post captioned, "Second schedule starts. Cute location today". After ringing in the New Year with her politician husband Raghav Chadha in Delhi, the stunner left for Mumbai due to her work commitments. She took to the stories section of her official Instagram handle and dropped a post claiming that she is going to miss the Delhi winters. Posing in a cream coat, high-neck sweater, and a woolen cap, the actress penned, "Not emotionally ready for Bombay Heat yet". Additionally, Parineeti Chopra has also been roped in for Anurag Singh's much-anticipated thriller “Sanki". The actress will be seen sharing screen space with Varun Dhawan for the first time in the drama. Parineeti Chopra's lineup also includes Karan Sharma's "Shiddat 2". The cast of the movie will also see Sunny Kaushal, Amyra Dastur, Mohit Raina, Diana Penty, Arjun Singh, and Radhikka Madan in prominent roles. In the meantime, Parineeti Chopra last appeared on the big screen in Imtiaz Ali's "Chamkila". With Diljit Dosanjh as the lead, the film got a direct OTT released on Netflix. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 January,2025 01:20 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSFilmmaker Anurag Kashyap has shared a heartwarming birthday wish for her daughter Aaliyah Kashyap. On Thursday, Anurag dropped throwback pictures on Instagram and wrote an adorable caption that read, "Happy Birthday to my, now married one @aaliyahkashyap." In the throwback pictures, little Aaliyah can be seen enjoying an outing with her father. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap10) Aaliyah's best friend Khushi Kapoor also extended her birthday greetings with a collage of their pictures. She called Aaliyah an angel and wrote, "Happy birthday my angel." Aaliyah married her longtime partner Shane Gregoire in a beautiful traditional wedding ceremony in Mumbai. Aaliyah took to her Instagram account and shared beautiful pictures from the wedding. The caption of the pictures read, "Now and forever." View this post on Instagram A post shared by aaliyah (@aaliyahkashyap) Aaliyah and Shane got engaged in a private ceremony in Mumbai last year, announcing the news on Instagram in May 2023. Before the wedding, Anurag penned an emotional note about spending a special day with his daughter before her wedding. The father-daughter duo went for a movie outing to watch I Want To Talk, directed by Shoojit Sircar and starring Abhishek Bachchan. "My daughter gets married in a couple of weeks, and we went on our last movie date together before I give her away, to watch @shoojitsircar's I Want to Talk. It was like a deep cleansing of the soul watching this beautiful film with @aaliyahkashyap. I laughed and teared up. Like Arjun Sen, we all have our personal marathons, and the filmmaker captures it so unintrusively, armed with a career-best performance by @bachchan (he has fully come into his own) and the two powerhouses Reeya's @ahillyeah and the little one whose name I don't know. I'm still absorbing it and finding it hard to articulate my exact feelings because I can't count the number of emotions I felt watching this film. Do yourself a favour and watch it while it's still in cinemas. If nothing else, it will definitely talk to you in ways you might not expect. You are special, Shoojit, and you know it," read his heartfelt caption. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 January,2025 01:04 PM IST | Mumbai | ANIManoj Bajpayee and Kay Kay Menon are two actors who have been adored by fans, but the duo has barely collaborated. Yesterday, reports surfaced claiming that these two stalwarts are coming together for a Neeraj Pandey film, leaving moviegoers thrilled about one of the most exciting collaborations true cinema enthusiasts could hope for. However, Manoj Bajpayee has now reacted to this report. Manoj Bajpayee and Kay Kay Menon not collaborating Manoj Bajpayee took to his social media and responded to a report that read, “@BajpayeeManoj and @kaykaymenon02 to star in #NeerajPandey’s Netflix espionage thriller.” Reacting to this, Bajpayee wrote, “Hahaha kaha se ye khabar shuru hote hai bhai?” (Where do these news reports originate from?). Later in the night, after identifying the original source, he replied to the journalist's tweet on X with: “Kab hua ye?” (When did this happen?). This reaction from Manoj Bajpayee comes as disappointing news for fans and moviegoers who were hoping to see the two actors work together. The two have shared screen space in only one film so far—Sanjeev Sharma's 2016 comedy Saat Uchakkey, produced by Neeraj Pandey's banner Friday Filmworks. Although they have acted together in just one film, both Manoj and Kay Kay have collaborated with Neeraj Pandey on multiple occasions. Bajpayee has worked with Neeraj on projects including the 2013 period heist thriller Special 26, the 2018 spy thriller Aiyaary, Naam Shabana (2017), and Missing (2018). Meanwhile, Kay Kay starred in Neeraj's spy thriller series Special Ops. Manoj Bajpayee on work front On the work front, Manoj Bajpayee recently concluded the shoot for The Family Man 3. Written by Suman Kumar and Raj & DK, the eagerly awaited third season will bring back many original cast members, including Priyamani (Suchitra Tiwari), Sharib Hashmi (JK Talpade), Ashlesha Thakur (Dhriti Tiwari), and Vedant Sinha (Atharv Tiwari), among others. It is produced by Raj & DK's D2R Films banner. Gul Panag will also feature in the new season. The Family Man: Season 1 premiered on Amazon Prime Video on September 20, 2019, while the second season was released on June 4, 2021. Kay Kay Menon on work front Meanwhile, Kay Kay Menon was recently seen in Raj & DK's espionage show Citadel: Honey Bunny. The actor also starred in JioCinema's series Shekhar Homes.
10 January,2025 12:31 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentWhen the cast of the Avengers franchise participated in a mammoth promotional world tour for the 2019 actioner, a story that greatly amused fans was that only a handful of actors of the American multi-starrer were given access to the entire script. In a bid to ensure that the film’s contents did not make their way to the public domain before it hit screens, the makers had allowed most of the cast members access to only those scenes that featured them. Back home in India, matters are no different. mid-day has it that while Salman Khan and Rashmika Mandanna, the lead actors of AR Murugadoss’ Sikandar, were kept abreast of the storyline, the film’s supporting stars, Kajal Aggarwal, Sathyaraj, Anant Mahadevan, Sharman Joshi, Prateik Babbar, Nawab Shah, and Anjini Dhawan, were given limited access to the script. Confirming the development to mid-day, an insider adds that the supporting actors have also been made to sign a non-disclosure agreement. “They are only being told about their scenes a few days before the filming leg begins. The makers are being secretive about the story and script as they want to keep everything relating to it confidential. Each aspect will be unveiled as a surprise, and fans will learn about the characters only when the first trailer is released,” says the source. Kajal Aggarwal (L) and Anant Mahadevan (R) feature in AR Murugadoss’s Sikandar At a time when behind-the-scenes set images are making their way to social media without the knowledge of filmmakers, the measures being taken by Murugadoss and producer Sajid Nadiadwala seem appropriate. “There has been speculation that the film is an adaptation of Murugadoss’s Tamil movie, Sarkar [2018], but it is not true. If audiences believe this film is a remake, they may create comparison videos on YouTube which may lead to unnecessary criticism. The makers have maintained that this is an original story, and the script has been put together by Sajid and Murugadoss.” Given that the film features an array of actors across film industries, the makers are also taking measures to ensure that the crew adheres to a structured shooting schedule. “Everything is being done in an organised manner so that nobody needs to [return to] reshoot any portion. The dubbing is also being done in the same way—once an actor shoots a scene, they complete the dubbing immediately. Currently, the last schedule is being filmed in Mumbai and will be completed in February, when crucial scenes with Salman and the antagonists will be shot.” mid-day reached out to Murugadoss, but did not hear from him till press time.
10 January,2025 11:47 AM IST | Mumbai | Upala KBRThree years after his last Hindi film was released, Sonu Sood decided to come up with a film named Fateh, and we wonder why. The movie revolves around a guy named Fateh, of course played by Sonu Sood, who works for an intelligence agency nobody knows about or cares to explain. Years after Fateh has completed his last mission for the country, he decides to go back to his old self to save a girl, Nimrat, his neighbour, who has been trapped in the web of people running online frauds. Now, to save Nimrat, Fateh must uncover the truth, and to help him in this mission, we have Khushi, played by Jacqueline Fernandez. What went wrong? This approximately 2-hour-long film starts with an action sequence where Fateh is killing hundreds of people, and nobody is able to touch him. The movie then goes back in time to show what led Fateh to reach this stage and why he is so angry and frustrated. Well, Fateh's fight is against the people behind this dark world of online fraud, and on his radar are the bosses played by Vijay Raaz and Naseeruddin Shah. Before talking about their characters and performances, a genuine question arises: what did their paycheck look like? What made actors of their caliber sign a film like this? No doubt they performed their scenes nicely, but the dialogues—what even? If you ask a student from 8th grade to write dialogues and make sure they rhyme, they will look like: "Agli baar kirdaar imaandaar rakhna, janazaa shaandaar niklega.""Fateh ki fateh ka samay aa gaya hain." Jacqueline Fernandez in the film was a hacker—or we should rather call her Dora the Explorer—who is trying to find something and always misses it until Fateh is free enough to save her from the wrath of the bad guys. Time and again, the VFX are shoved into your face to remind you that it is an A-rated film because of its violence. There comes a point when you want to question the makers: why is everybody killing everybody for, honestly, no reason at all? The movie addresses quite a few important and harsh realities like online fraud, 'online killings', and deep fake videos, but in an attempt to cater to several battles, we often lose the war. If Sandeep Reddy Vanga ever makes a non-misogynistic film on a low budget, it will look exactly like Sonu Sood's Fateh. In one scene, hundreds of masked men are running toward the hero, and no one is able to even touch him. At that exact point, you wish to stand up and sing Arjan Vailly at the top of your voice. About CGI, VFX and Background score Coming to the background music, CGI, and VFX of the film: it looked like the makers decided to give internships to newcomers, and they tried their best to make the CGI look better, but it didn’t. Every second scene of the film has a singer singing a song with the word "Fateh" in it, and every time, the bass and the wavelength have been changed to make it look more effective. The CGI of the movie is so bad that you can actually point out when they have used a hologram and how much colour was used to show blood. During one of the scenes, Naseeruddin Shah makes a deep fake video and changes his face with Sonu's, for which the police start chasing Sonu, and in the next scene, everyone has forgotten about it. One scene shows men with bulletproof jackets dying because of gunfire. How does this make sense? Well, if you think Fateh is just a 2-hour story, then you are highly mistaken because it ends with a cliffhanger, hinting at a second part. Final Verdict Sometimes, it’s good to break your real-life image of a messiah for films to show the audience the versatility you have in you; otherwise, the film comes across as pointless and boring as this one. Another more important point, is to decide the agenda before writing the script because when you decide to put everything on one plate, it often looks messy rather than tempting.
10 January,2025 10:00 AM IST | Mumbai | Shachi ChaturvediPC lends support Trust Priyanka Chopra Jonas to lend her support to powerful stories even from miles away. Priyanka has joined Guneet Monga Kapoor’s short film Anuja, which has been shortlisted in the Live Action Short Film category for the upcoming Academy Awards. Directed by Adam J Graves, Anuja—starring Sajda Pathan and Ananya Shanbag—tells the story of two sisters trapped in the harsh reality of child labour in New Delhi. Priyanka found the story thought-provoking and moving. “This beautiful film shines a spotlight on a subject that affects millions of children around the world, who are faced with the impossible decision between a future they cannot yet see and the immediate realities of their present. Anuja is a poignant, thought-provoking piece that makes us reflect deeply on the power of choices and how they shape the course of our lives. I am immensely proud to be associated with such a phenomenal and impactful project,” the actor said in a statement. Guneet serves as one of the executive producers on the project, which was researched and produced with the help of several community partners, including the non-profit organisation Salaam Baalak Trust. The organisation offers education and opportunities to thousands of street and working children. OG Aashiqui reunion Aashiqui 3 might not be getting off the ground anytime soon, but if rumours are to be believed, fans will witness an OG Aashiqui reunion. The lead pair of Aashiqui 2, Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor, are reportedly reuniting for a love story by Mohit Suri, who also directed them in the 2013 romance. Both actors, who enjoy a massive following as an on-screen pair, are apparently eager to join the project. Mohit is said to be finalising the screenplay. A sequel to Mahesh Bhatt’s 1990 film Aashiqui, Aashiqui 2 was a massive box office success and marked a career breakthrough for both Aditya and Shraddha. The duo reunited four years later for Shaad Ali’s Ok Jaanu, the official remake of Mani Ratnam’s Tamil romance O Kadhal Kanmani (2015), starring Dulquer Salmaan and Nithya Menen.
10 January,2025 08:33 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist Team“You seem stressed”, a voice next to me half-whispered into my ear. I must’ve been crying or something. I was very stressed. I turned around and through my tears, I saw a blurred face of a man, who I recognised to be Pritish Nandy. We were on a flight to Delhi, and the funding for my film had just fallen through. That film was Twist With Destiny, which would later be known as Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi. The guy, who was funding me, told me to f*** off, because it was too obtuse, too unlike anything else, too political, and not political enough, where the main girl character was a kind of a sl**. “Who’s going to sympathise with a bitch like that,” Money Man had said. I turned to look at Pritish again, and trying to get a hold of myself, I told him I was trying to make a film. And now that Money Man had said no, I’ll be unable to make it. He looked at me, and smiled. Of course, I knew Pritish: the publisher and editor of the Times of India group, and that he had taken over the Illustrated Weekly magazine from the hands of Khushwant Singh! KK Menon and Chitrangda Singh in Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi He had done a lot of famous interviews with Mr Patnaik, the chief minister of Orissa, at the time. The interviews had almost toppled his ministry! I knew that the Delhi circles were quite upset with him. I knew that he didn’t give a damn. I also knew that he had taken over the Sunday Observer magazine and then left it again! Rumours were that he had started a production company, but there were too many rumours in Mumbai, and we seldom took everything seriously. I must’ve stared at him blankly, because I didn’t know how to reply when he suddenly asked me what the film was about. Anyway, I was going to spend two hours with the man [on the flight], and he had bothered to ask. My gut instinct told me that he’d get the film, creatively. I sort of gave him a 15-minute narration. There was a long pause, and he told me “Come to my office tomorrow. I’ll give you the money.” That’s exactly how Hazaaron began. Pritish Nandy We met the next day, I signed the contract in a couple of days. He never asked me what the cast was. I showed him pictures of the people I was casting. 40 per cent of the money was supposed to come from France, in kind. This came to us in the form of the DoP, the editor, and the sound designer. Everyone else from India was new. The actors Shiny Ahuja, Chitrangda Singh were absolutely fresh faces and while KK had done some work, it was still initial days for him. Shantanu Moitra was the music director nobody knew at the time. Swanand Kirkire happened to be my associate director and he would go on to write the songs. He was also the main casting director. Pritish never said much. He never talked about the film, but talked around it. He was very respectful to us as filmmakers, and very generously tried to tell us things around the subject-matter of the film—in the hope that some things would land, be understood and therefore, become part of the film. In those conversations, I understood how deeply he knew about those times. There was also a lament inside him for what was changing. There was this Radical Kolkata interacting with the Cosmopolitan Kolkata. The Radical Kolkata was also the product of the Cosmopolitan Kolkata, and the various fissures tearing apart Bengal then. Pritish Nandy was a product of the Kolkata of that time, and he carried that with him wherever he went. Sometimes, I think, you could feel the loss in his poems, although he never directly talked about them. Another great thing about Pritish was that he never imposed his power as producer. When he didn’t like something, he never issued instructions. Instead, he gave you many options, of which you could take one, or many. There was never any insistence from his side. But the depth and force of his arguments were so great that you often incorporated his understanding of things into your film. One day he called me and said, “Your film is about my time, but then it should also be about any time.” For him, the ’60s were also visible in the ’70s; and so was a yearning for the future. “So, your film should indicate the time period subtly, but not constantly thrust it in the audience’s face. Everyone should not have sideburns. Not everyone should wear a bell bottom, and so on.” I thought it was a sharp observation and something that I implemented. As a result, Hazaaron became about the people, and the Emergency became its backdrop, and therefore, now it’s not only about the young people of that time, but about the young people and their passions in any time period. Another sharp memory. I was going to the shoot one day, and he called me and said, “You know, Sudhir. Your title ‘Twist with Destiny’ doesn’t do justice to the film. So, change it, but please don’t give me an English one. It’s an Indian film. Give me a title, which doesn’t just appeal to the anglicised set, but to everyone.” Five minutes later, I asked him if we can call it ‘Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi’. He immediately said yes, and put the phone down. When Hazaaron didn’t release for a long time I was quite upset and he said to me, “I let you make the film you wanted to, right?” Now, let me put it in front of the audience in a way that the audience deserves, and he did. Hazaaron, in some strange way, in the way he marketed it [though not everyone agreed] became a silent, cult hit, and that has a lot to do with Pritish. Then we made Chameli. During that time, I met his two lovely, young daughters. He said, “I used to hate them, when they were children. But when they grew up to be bright, intelligent children, I fell in love with them.” You wouldn’t think so, when you met a man like Pritish. But he really adored his children. I often met him later… We were going to do another film, but it didn’t work out. He called me, and we met again. He asked me for a sequel to Hazaaron. It’s one of my regrets that I couldn’t come up with a worthy sequel for Hazaaron. We were supposed to meet this month and over a cup of tea, talk about life and cinema. That too is one regret.
10 January,2025 08:29 AM IST | Mumbai | The Hitlist TeamADVERTISEMENT
