BOLLYWOOD: Guftugu | SILICONEER

!-- Start Alexa Certify Javascript --> !-- Start Alexa Certify Javascript --> !-- Start Alexa Certify Javascript --> BOLLYWOOD: Guftugu | SILICONEER | DECEMBER 2012

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BOLLYWOOD | Guftugu | DECEMBER 2012

Madhur Bhandarkar on Heroine: “You can't expect every movie to break into 100 crore club”
Sunny Leone: All Set for Sex-Horror Affair Ragini MMS 2
Karan Johar: Trusts Deepika to Deliver
Arbaaz Khan: Dabangg 2 was a Blessing in Disguise
Kick to Boast of ‘Never Seen Before’ Action

Madhur on Heroine: “You can't expect every movie to break into 100 crore club”

Kareena Kapoor in Madhur Bhandarkar's "Heroine."

Madhur Bhandarkar is a relieved man ever since he was freed from the rape case. While films keep him going, there were no special celebrations planned for Madhur once the Court judgement was announced.

“God gave me good enough reason to celebration this Diwali while audience has given me a lot as well by granting a very good opening to Heroine. The film went on to do 53-54 crores gross worldwide while Kareena Kapoor's role was applauded a lot as well. In fact I met her just a few days back and she told me that the kind of SMSes she was getting were simply unbelievable. I think that is great for me. I am very happy that the way I visualized the film, I stuck to my conviction,” he says.

Madhur understands that there were people who were cynical about the film, especially since they felt that he had represented the industry in a literal manner.

“I know. However I feel that I gave justice to Kareena Kapoor's character and assured that what came on screen was real. Why should I have shied away from that when I have always shown reality about other fields and premises as well in my other films? I have shown the film industry in the same manner in which I watch my fraternity day-in-and-night-out. I have to be real and I am very happy with it,” he says.

He is happy with the box office results as well.

“Even commercially speaking, at the end of the day my producers have recovered the cost so what else do you need? You can't expect this movie with a budget of 21-22 crores to be a 100 crore picture. Though people expectations were like that, it was never meant to be like that. See, there is certain amount of yardstick to every movie and its budget and that's why all my films have worked very well at the box office and made money. Moreover, there is a lot of money that we got from endorsements that Kareena Kapoor brought along. This was in addition to other revenues but sadly, a lot of people in trade forgot to count that.”

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Sunny Leone: All Set for Sex-Horror Affair in Ragini MMS 2

Sunny Leone

She didn't quite come up with a long lasting performance in Jism 2 but those looking for eye candy didn't go home disappointed after what they saw on screen. While Sunny Leone did take a start after all in the Pooja Bhatt-directed film, she now has an even bigger challenge lined up ahead in Ragini MMS 2. This time around, while her beautiful body is obviously meant to do a lot of talking, she also has to bring fear in her body language and mannerisms due to the horror element involved.

With sex and horror being two integral elements of this Ekta Kapoor production, Sunny is all set to embark on a new journey next year.

“Well yes, Ragini MMS 2 is indeed a performance oriented film but then I am looking at Sunny going plain natural. I am not expecting her to suddenly start demonstrating histrionics from the acting perspective. Even otherwise, I feel that as long as a person on screen is natural, he or she is far more effective. Otherwise the moment you do something else, audience pakad leti hai ki kya yaar, yeh to zabardasti acting kar rahi hai. I don't want that,” says Bhushan Patel who would be directing the film early next year.

Bhushan understands that audience has certain expectations from the franchise that goes by the name of Ragini MMS as well as Sunny's on-screen persona.

“And I don't want to disappoint them either,” says Bhushan who recently delivered a hit in 1920 - Evil Returns, “Just like 1920 as a franchise is about possession, Ragini MMS is about sex and horror. I can't and I should not be ignoring any of the two elements. If I do that, audience would feel cheated. That's not something that I want and with Sunny in there, I am sure she is the perfect fit for the film.”

Truth be told, Bhushan, Sunny is more sexy, than scary!

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Karan Johar: Trusts Deepika to Deliver

Deepika Padukone

Student of the Year has turned out to be a hit and six months remain before Karan Johar will return with another biggie Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. While the film is being directed by Ayan Mukerji of Wake Up Sid fame, it is hot and happening well in advance due to its crackerjack pairing of Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. Coming together on screen for the first time after their break-up, Ranbir and Deepika have made the film oven-hot as it moves towards the finishing line.

Says Karan, “Whenever there is a strong love story with actors getting an opportunity to sink their teeth into a super challenging role, there are always certain long lasting elements that come along. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani boasts of that. Everyone knows what Ranbir is capable of after Barfi!. Deepika too came up with a scintillating act in Cocktail. Now in Yeh Jawaani... she has a fantastic part again. While she would of course be seen in her alluring avatar, what makes her presence in the film all the more interesting is the fact that not just is she playing a great part in the film, she would also be remembered for long after it.”

While these words coming Deepika's way are flattering, she isn't jumping the gun yet and calmly accepts all the feedback coming from none other than Karan Johar himself.

“Of course such a response is overwhelming. Now I just hope that I can do justice to the roles that I am being offered. After Cocktail, hopefully people would have a little more faith in me. I have to live up to all the expectations that audience as well as people with whom I work have in me,” says Deepika.

Fair enough, Deepika!

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Arbaaz Khan: Dabangg 2 was a Blessing in Disguise

Arbaaz Khan

It is a known fact that Arbaaz Khan was handling the production of Dabangg, there was some creative involvement from him in the directorial seat as well though Anurag Kashyap was the man behind the film. No wonder, when the film's sequel was being made, it was looked at as a calculated risk of replacing Abhinav Kashyap.

Interrupts Arbaaz, “See, for starters, I did not replace Abhinav. Let me reiterate the fact and bring it on record all over again that Dabangg 2 was always proposed with Abhinav. That is the whole truth and nothing else. In fact if I wouldn't have done that, it would have been only unfair for me to do anything else.”

He details, “Abhinav was given an option to direct, we did met, discuss things to a certain stage further. Then there were reasons known only to him that he wanted to move on. That left me with no other option but to pick the film myself since I was closest to the approach that Dabangg as a film required.”

Today, he feels that the entire sequence of events turned out to be a blessing in disguise and it was a fair call after all to be directly involved in the making of the film.

“Sooner or later i had to turn director. It was an opportunity that came my way and I took over the responsibility. Which director won't like to take the Dabangg flag going? I got the script in place, worked hard on it and put together the entire film. In case of Dabangg too, I had the creative control. Now I just extended it further by wearing a director's cap,” says Arbaaz.

“Also, let's face it; more than anything else this film is also a chance to direct a brother who is a superstar,” he continues, “Now when I am in a position to make a mark, why should I let it go away? So yes, in the hindsight it all has ended up working for the film and me. For whatever reason that Abhinav stepped out, the fact that I have stepped in is in it's own huge way destined.”

Destiny, of course. Opportunity knocks only once, and the smart ones grab it.

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Kick to Boast of Never Seen Before Action

Salman Khan in "Kick."

The screenplay for Kick, a remake of the Telugu hit by the same name, is being written in full swing. Acclaimed author Chetan Bhegat, who has been given this responsibility by producer and director of the film, Sajid Nadiadwala, has a tough task at hand. While each of his novels so far had a strong emotional base, Kick means action would take a strong prominence, looking to add some extra creative juice from the author.

“And how much I am looking forward to that,” says Chetan, “I have seen the original film and realize that action has to have a very strong presence in the film. In the Hindi version, there is a different scale that is being brought in. Sajid and I have promised each other that the action in Kick is going to be unseen as far as a Hindi film is concerned. A lot of this has to do with the film's budget as well. The way it is being mounted is extraordinary. Moreover, with Salman around, there are all other ingredients like comedy, romance and family angle coming in as well. The story is such that it has a potential to turn into a complete (masala) entertainer.”

This is the reason why the perception has already started building in the industry that the film is going to be Salman's Dhoom. Though the actor has been recently seen in stylized action films like Ek Tha Tiger, he is betting his money on Kick to take him to a different level altogether. After all, when it comes to desi masala action films then he is up there with the likes of Dabangg and Bodyguard. However Kick is being touted to be one film that will also get him closer to Hollywood-style action. The stakes are high as well and Chetan has to think in future since Kick would arrive after Dhoom 3 and Krrish 3, both of which are expected to take action to a different height altogether.

“I would say that it is still early for me to start getting into a comparison mode,” says Chetan, “The action would be larger than life but the characterization has to be real. Moreover, the character sketch has to be perfect to justify such magnanimity on screen.”

Popcorns and sodas on stand by, we indeed look forward to that.

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Joginder Tuteja is a Bollywood writer based in Mumbai, India.