Hindi

A film blank on essential ingredients

Published

15 years ago

April 22, 2011

Producer: Ramesh Sippy.
Director: Rohan Sippy.
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Aditya Pancholi, Rana Daggubati, Prateik Babbar, Govind Namdeo, Bipasha Basu.

MUMBAI : The best thing to have happened to this Rohan Sippy vehicle, Dum Maaro Dum, is the evergreen hit number of the same name from Dev Anand’s Hare Rama Hare Krishna which it uses in a remixed version.

Not content doing that, Sippy also uses the song line as the title of his film. It does not matter that the film is about tackling a serious issue of busting drug mafias while the title would suggest ‘take drugs…have a blast’.

Having done that, the rest is not as easy as lifting a song and title. And it shows as Dum Maaro Dum unfolds on screen reel by reel.

For story, the film resorts to a 1970s/80s kind of drug mafia vs a crusader cop. Everything about it is from that era, including a villain’s plant among cops.

The film starts interestingly enough with Prateik aspiring to go to US for studies. He is enrolled as a courier and then nabbed at the airport. But he is soon forgotten as the reinstated super cop, Abhishek Bachchan, once a champion in corruption, is let loose on Goa mafia territories (which are more lucrative than film territories not because everybody is into drugs but because not everybody who loved films does so any more!).

The third angle is that of Rana Daggubati, a DJ, who has lost his girl, Bipasha Basu, to her ambitions to fly high. Then there is trademark villain, Aditya Pancholi, the bete noire of all three, who controls all drug mafias in Goa under a fictitious boss he has created. Like all traditional villains, this one too has a clean public image, which is fine, but why does he own an electric crematorium as if it was a much needed launderette!

The hero-villain conflict film works best when the villain you created is larger than life and seemingly infallible. Here Aditya Pancholi is made to look scared of Abhishek the cop; the later also smashes his nose once and that is when such films lose steam. There is no one-upmanship as Abhishek goes on Rave-Busting spree. One wonders why Abhishek Bachchan, the hero of the film, is killed like an ordinary side actor! But when this happens you realise why Rana Daggubati, the scion of D Rama Naidu clan, his grand son and son of Suresh Naidu of Suresh Production, agreed to make his Hindi film debut with such a trivial role! Because once Abhishek is out, it is left to Rana Daggubati to play the hero and wrap up things left undone with the villain.

Too much is crammed in the climax but that satisfaction of villain having been given his just deserts does not come through.

With a routine approach at direction and mishmash for script, Dum Maaro Dum keeps losing its viewer time and again; the film draws blank on very essential ingredients – romance and music and the emotions are make-believe. While the remixed Dum maro dum… number is well choreographed, its composition makes you run home and listen to the R D Burman original; remixing such numbers amounts to sacrilege.

There is not much to say about performance of artistes. Abhishek Bachchan is his normal self as he is in all his films. Rana Daggubati has nothing much to do and he duly complies. As for Prateik, no clue what he is doing in this film and the same goes for Bipasha Basu! Aditya Pancholi is okay. Govind Namdeo is the only one with a semblance of natural acting.

Dum Maaro Dum has had an indifferent opening response despite a holiday today and the viewers’ reports don’t hold much promise either.

Hindi

Boney Kapoor acquires remake rights of Tamil political satire Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil

Strong word-of-mouth turns Pongal satire into remake pick

Published

1 month ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: A Pongal release, a village satire and a theatre visit in Coimbatore have turned into Boney Kapoor’s latest acquisition. The producer has secured the remake rights to the Tamil political satire Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil (TTT), a film that has been enjoying a strong theatrical run powered by word-of-mouth and praise for its sharp, rooted writing.

Set in a rural milieu, the story follows a panchayat leader thrown into disarray when a wedding and a funeral land on the same day. What unfolds is a swirl of satire and humour that skewers local politics, power games, bruised egos and family tensions, all anchored in the textures of everyday village life.

Kapoor first encountered the film earlier this year while in Coimbatore for the Celebrity Cricket League. With time to spare, he caught a screening at a local theatre. That viewing proved decisive. According to sources, the narrative style, performances and the film’s balance of political commentary and comedy caught his attention.

Interest quickly turned into intent. Kapoor reached out to the producers soon after to explore a remake. Talks gathered pace over the following weeks and came to a head last Friday at the film’s success party in Chennai, where Kapoor joined the celebrations and continued negotiations with the makers.

By the end of the evening, the deal was sealed, with Kapoor formally acquiring the remake rights.

For an industry constantly mining regional cinema for the next crossover story, the move is telling. A small-town satire with local flavour has found a national backer. And if Kapoor’s instincts hold, a tale born in one village may soon echo far beyond it.

Hindi

Fans take centre stage as Zee Cine awards turns the spotlight around

Published

1 month ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: When the applause gets louder than the dialogue, you know the fans have taken over. That was the unmistakable mood as Zee formally announced the Zee Cine Awards 2026, flipping the script to celebrate not just cinema’s stars, but the people who cheer them on the loudest.

The 24th edition of the awards marks a fresh chapter in Zee’s long-standing relationship with Hindi cinema, anchored in its fan-first philosophy, Fantertainment. This year’s theme, ‘Yeh Pal Hai Fans Ka’, reinforces a simple idea: cinema’s most powerful moments are shaped as much by audiences as by actors on screen. Presented by Maruti Suzuki, the awards aim to turn fandom into the main event.

The announcement, held in Mumbai, was anything but a routine press conference. Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar, Tamannaah Bhatia, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, Aparshakti Khurana, composer Mithoon and singer Palak Muchhal joined fans to kick off the celebrations, turning the launch into a high-voltage, participative spectacle.

Staying true to the theme, fans didn’t just watch the announcement, they drove it. Akshay Kumar took the lead, pulling fellow stars on stage and energising the room, before the unveiling of a live LED Fan Meter. Powered purely by audience cheers, the rising meter culminated in the reveal of the Zee Cine Awards 2026 ground event date, announced in unison with fans, blurring the line between performer and spectator.

The momentum continued as Tamannaah Bhatia, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa and Aparshakti Khurana recreated iconic hook steps, joined by Mithoon and Palak Muchhal for music-led interactions. Games, spontaneous performances and playful banter kept the focus firmly on shared moments, underscoring the evolving bond between cinema and its audience.

Beyond the launch, the awards will roll out as a multi-platform journey across television, digital, print and fan-led experiences. The aim is sustained engagement from the first announcement to awards night cementing fandom as a cultural force rather than a footnote.

Commenting on the milestone edition Zee head of advertisement revenue, broadcast & digital Laxmi Shetty said the 24th Zee Cine Awards continue to draw strength from the network’s omni-channel ecosystem, reflecting how audiences consume content today across TV, digital and social platforms. She noted that long-standing brand associations, including Maruti Suzuki’s three-year partnership and support from brands such as Hell Energy, underline the platform’s scale, trust and cultural relevance.

As Zee Cine Awards 2026 gathers pace, one thing is clear: this year, the loudest cheers won’t just echo in the auditorium, they’ll shape the show itself.

Hindi

Prime Video to stream Don’t Be Shy, produced by Alia Bhatt

Published

1 month ago

January 30, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Prime Video has found its next feel-good original, and it comes with a healthy dose of heart, humour and youthful chaos. The streaming platform has announced Don’t Be Shy, a coming-of-age romantic comedy produced by Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt under their banner, Eternal Sunshine Productions.

Written and directed by Sreeti Mukerji, the film follows Shyamili ‘Shy’ Das, a 20-year-old who believes her life is neatly mapped out until it suddenly is not. What follows is a relatable tumble through friendship, love and the awkward art of growing up, when plans unravel and certainty gives way to self-discovery.

The project is co-produced by Grishma Shah and Vikesh Bhutani, with music composed by Ram Sampath, adding to the film’s promise of warmth and energy. Prime Video describes the story as light-hearted yet emotionally grounded, with a strong female-led narrative at its core.

Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok, said the platform was delighted to collaborate with Eternal Sunshine on a story that blends sincerity with humour. He noted that the film’s fresh writing, earnest characters and infectious music make it an easy, engaging watch for audiences well beyond its young adult setting.

For Alia Bhatt, Don’t Be Shy reflects the kind of storytelling Eternal Sunshine set out to champion. She said the film stood out for its honesty, its coming-of-age perspective and Mukerji’s passion, which she felt was deeply woven into the narrative. Bhatt also praised Prime Video for supporting distinctive voices and bold creative choices.

With its breezy tone and familiar emotional beats, Don’t Be Shy aims to charm viewers whether they are rom-com regulars or simply in the mood for a warm, unpretentious story about life refusing to stick to the plan.