Informs our source, “Farooq sahab was all set to begin shooting for the film in the month of February. He had kept his dates aside for it and had specifically asked director Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan to speed up the pre-production. He was mighty excited about playing the title role as he felt the film came with a right message in addition to the entertainment value.”

Since he had also won a National Award for Sanjay's debut film Lahore, the actor was all the more excited to collaborate with the director again.

Sanjay fondly remembers, “While shooting for Lahore, I was a newcomer and hence couldn't interact much with Farooq sahab during the shooting schedule. However over the years I met him a number of times on a personal level as much. In fact even on the 26th, just before he was getting ready to leave for Dubai, he had called me for breakfast and discussed the film. Meanwhile he made sure that he treated me with some of the choicest sweet delicacies.”

Talking about Pandit Gali Ka Ali, Sanjay says, “Though I wanted to begin the film in March, Farooq sahab said that I should drop everything else and just bring this one on floors in February itself. He was all charged up and didn't want to wait. Who knew that this would turn out to be his unfulfilled dream?”

For now, Sanjay is not even thinking about the film and the replacement actor. He says, “An actor could still be replaced but how about a human being? As and when the film would be made now, you would see that the part was tailor-made for Farooq sahab. There would be a stamp of his personality in the character traits. My regret though is that after Lahore, I couldn't work with him for the second time.”

|TOP|

Kareena Kapoor Khan: Moving On After Gori Tere Pyaar Mein


Imran Khan and Kareena Kapoor in “Gori Tere Pyaar Mein.”

The box office debacle of Gori Tere Pyaar Mein notwithstanding, Kareena Kapoor Khan has moved on. With 2014 already looking promising, with a film each with Hrithik Roshan and Farhan Akhtar in the anvil, Kareena is all excited.

“Of course yes, and I know that everyone out there is as excited about these films too. Me and Farhan coming together should be exciting due to its uniqueness factor. As for Shuddhi, Hrithik and I returning on screen together is a wonderful feeling. People have loved Hrithik and me in the past,” says Kareena who has been paired with him earlier in films like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Mujhse Dosti Karoge, Yaadein and Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon.

Though they didn't feature together again for a decade, Shuddhi, a magnum opus that spans over 200 days of shoot, would bring the duo together.

“Yes, Shuddhi is one of the biggest films being made. I am glad so much is being invested into the film, both in terms of time and effort,” she adds.

This also means that in the interim period, the only other film that she is managing to squeeze in (due to Hrithik's medical and personal issues) is the Farhan Akhtar-starrer that would be directed by Dev Benegal. Also, if things go as planned, there is also an Emraan Hashmi-starrer Badtameez Dil that she could be featuring in.

“I am not looking at a large quantity of films though,” says Kareena, “It is about doing good films and roles that interest me. I would rather do only those that I really want to be a part of. I am lucky to be choosing from the best I am getting and would rather continue to do the same than pick up films for the sake of it.”

While her Farhan Akhtar-Dev Benegal film would go on floors early this year, Shuddhi, which is produced by Karan Johar with Karan Malhotra as the director, is expected to kick-start towards the middle of 2014.

|TOP|

Arjun Kapoor: Busiest Newbie


Arjun Kapoor (l) and Parineeti Chopra in “Ishaqzaade.”

The new year would be a deciding period for quite a few newcomers, each of whom would be seen a making a dent in the industry which currently has just two young stars, Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh. While Sushant Singh Rajput, Sidharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan, Ayushman Khurranna and Ali Zafar are some of the notable names, the one who would be the busiest of them is Arjun Kapoor.

“Arjun would have the most eventful 2014 as he would be seen in Gunday, 2 States, Finding Fanny and Tevar. What makes his stint in Bollywood further interesting is the fact that each of these films belongs to a different genre,” comments an insider.

Though his Aurangzeb didn't quite cover the distance, another one of Yash Raj outings, Gunday, is all set to make a dent at the box office. The film has been carrying tremendous reports and with Ranveer Singh and Priyanka Chopra as his co-stars, Arjun is looking at an action packed Valentine's Day ahead when Gunday arrives in theatres.

“Then a few months down the line he would be enjoying a romantic comedy 2 States,” the source adds, “Adaptation of this Chetan Bhagat book has been interestingly mounted by Sajid Nadiadwala and Karan Johar. Moreover, his first time pairing with Alia Bhatt should make heads turn too.”

Another film that would make heads turn is Finding Fanny, which is an English-Hindi bilingual. What started off as a small film has now seen gigantic proportions, courtesy Deepika Padukone's superb uninterrupted run of five back-to-back hits. While the actress would be looking at scoring a double hat trick, Arjun too is hopeful that his unconventional outing with Homi Adajania would result in a delicious ‘cocktail’ of his own.

“One film that would be most keenly awaited before close of year is Tevar,” a filmmaker adds, “This one is touted to be a full-on commercial affair and would pretty much pitch Arjun in the same space that Ranveer had enjoyed in Ram Leela. With Sonakshi Sinha in tow, this love-on-the-run film is being designed as a high adrenalin action musical romantic affair.”

With a couple of more announcements around the corner in the next few months, Arjun indeed has a lot riding on him with B-Town bigwigs keenly watching his progress.

|TOP|

Ajay Devgn: Deadline Ahead


Ajay Devgn seen with Rohit Shetty during a shoot for “Singham.”

The moving ahead of Singham 2 shooting schedule has sent quite a few in a tizzy. With the release date already fixed as August 15, much in advance, many have been left wondering if the Ajay Devgn-starrer would eventually manage to meet the deadline.

“With Rohit Shetty getting busy with action reality show Fear Factor and Ajay Devgn too concentrating on Action Jackson, it would be a rush for Singham 2. The film has not yet gone on floors and since it is a big and expensive film, there is a lot that needs to go into it before it reaches the finishing line. It is going to be a tight affair for sure as neither Rohit nor Ajay would compromise on quality,” says a source.

On the other hand, another Independence Day release, Phantom, has already gone on floors with its first schedule wrapped up in Beirut. This too is a biggie from the house of Sajid Nadiadwala and Kabir Khan, who, returning after Ek Tha Tiger, is making best use of the time available for him.

Those attached to Singham 2 vouch for the film's timely completion and reaffirm that the film is on track.

“First and foremost it was wrong information floating around that the film's shooting has moved to April. No, that's not the case. In fact we start in March itself,” informs our well-placed source, “Also, everything has been re-planned well. We will still make it for the August 15 release. There are no two words about that.”

Another theory floating around B-town was that Action Jackson may take over the August 15 slot and Singham 2 may come around Diwali.

“This is again pure speculation,” the source shrugs off the theory, “In fact if at all there has to be a movement, Action Jackson may be advanced by a week or two. But there is no ways it is moving ahead.”

Considering the fact that even Singham was mounted in four months flat from going on floors to release, it is now going to be a deja vu moment when it comes to the film's sequel.

|TOP|

Anushka Sharma: Not Eyeing the 100 Crore Club


Anushka Sharma in “Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl.”

Her contemporaries are adding on their tally of 100-crore successes with multiple biggies in their kitty. However Anushka Sharma, who is looking at a much eventful 2014 ahead, isn't putting her finger on any number just yet. Though she too has a 100-crore biggie in the form of Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Anushka isn't known for signing a film after calculating whether it comes with the potential of scoring a century.

“You know how I look at it? I always question myself and wonder that whether as an actress I am being helped by any means if a film of mine does 100-crore. I mean what bearing does it have on my acting skills,” wonders Anushka.

Her Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola, which released in 2013, wasn't designed as a 100-crore film and now that she is turning producer with NH10, there are no ‘let's-make-it-a-100-crore-phenomenon’ sentiments attached. For an actress who has two major biggies lined up in 2014, P.K. and Bombay Velvet, Anushka stays on to be level headed when it comes to her aspirations around increasing her kitty of centuries.

“Tomorrow if three films down the line don't make 100-crores, I don't think I would be concerned. I would rather see what have we delivered with the film and whether I gave my all or not,” says Anushka.

She is being modest. After all, with Aamir Khan as her co-star in the Rajkumar Hirani directed affair, 100 crores is the minimum that she can be assured of. On the other hand Anurag Kashyap's Bombay Velvet is being put together as a magnum opus. With Ranbir Kapoor around, the film is as commercial as it gets.

No wonder, her excitement is primarily centered on the films that she is making and the people that she is working with rather than the crores that would be filled in the coffers of the producers.

“I am fully tied up and engaged with P.K. and Bombay Velvet. To be working with two great directors and being paired opposite two actors that I have never worked before is a high indeed. I am enjoying those moments,” smiles Anushka, “I would rather be in that space than worry about my 100 crores.”

|TOP|

Bilal Lashari: Seeking a Bollywood Star?


Pakistani filmmaker Bilal Lashari.

When Waar released late last year and turned out to be the biggest ever blockbuster in the history of Pakistani cinema, young filmmaker Bilal Lashari had to face the biggest irony of them all. On one side he was being accused of making an anti-India film and on the other, he was highly appreciative of technical prowess that Indian studios boasted of and not just wanted to make a film in collaboration with Bollywood but also rope in an Indian actor or two.

For his second film, he could well be living at least a part of his dream, with his wish list comprising of a few key Bollywood actors who are in consideration for a lead role.

Says Bilal, “Yes, I am looking forward to roping in someone for one of the leads. However, it would be fair to give names only after the scripting is complete.”

While talks are Waar 2 would now be directed by another filmmaker, Bilal's next is a multi-million dollar remake of Pakistani film Maula Jatt. It is based on the Gandasa genre that was on the vogue decades ago and boasted of some raw and rustic desi action.

“This will be a stylized and epic take on the Gandasa genre which is normally blamed for the demise of Lollywood,” says Bilal, “I now want to pay homage to the cult classic Maula Jatt.” On the lines of Hollywood's old Westerns Cowboy films and Japanese Samurai affairs, Maula Jatt would have Gandasa on the forefront.

The film would be shot primarily in Pakistan with some of the key action sequences being scheduled in the U.S.


|TOP|