Hindi

A movie wedded in fun

Published

15 years ago

February 25, 2011

Producer: Sailesh R Singh, Vinod Bachhan, Surya Sonal Singh.
Director: Aanad I Rai.
Cast: R Madhavan, Kangana Ranaut, Jimmy Shergill.

MUMBAI : Director Aanand I Rai laments that Indian cinema has all the money required but has no ideas! He puts money where his mouth is and opts for a tried and tested age old idea, a sort of Taming Of The Shrew; a love story for all seasons where the hero goes all out, puts all that he has on stake to win the girl in his film Tanu Weds Manu.

R Madhavan is a London settled heart specialist on a visit home and as all Indian parents do, his want him to marry the traditional Indian way to a traditional Indian bride before he returns to London.

Madhavan starts his bride choosing rounds and is presented with an unconscious Kangna Ranaut as the first prospects, reportedly on sleep inducing drugs because of a viral infection but, down because of a generous dose of Vodka mixed with sleeping pills according to her own confession later.

The cupid strikes Madhavan in an instant who says yes to marry Kangana. However, Kangana has different ideas on love, romance and marriage. She can make the ‘Burn your bra‘ era look orthodox with her views; she even gets her last boy friend‘s name tattooed on her bust. She tells Madhavan it is No Go with marriage and asks him to buzz off in no uncertain terms.

Mdhavan now eats, drinks and dreams Kangana and they meet soon. And, what better place to meet then at an Indian wedding which can make the film colourful, fill your frames and share burden of the lead players?

As it often happens in Hindi films, Madhavan‘s best friend is marrying Kangana‘s best friend. Does not matter that Madhavan‘s best friend has not bothered to invite Madhavan, he lands up there, in Kapurthala. The usual twists and turns follow, so does some teasing. And, like a good old Indian film, there is a gun totting villain too in the form of Jimmy Shergill.

The film traverses its script in the Hindi belt, it is about people from UP, Delhi, Punjab, Patna as if as a justification to some crude characters or may be that‘s the area the maker is more comfortable with. While the second half drops pace a bit, the director still shows a capacity to tell a regular Indian story which works. Musical score is pleasant with a couple of good numbers. Dialogue is contemporary. Photography is good to the extent that the film is visually eye-filling.

There are some natural performances here: Madhavan, as the all sacrificing Indian male is good till he cries for his woman. Kangana Ranaut portrays her sluttish side ably. Jimmy Shergill is miscast; neither does he look like a villain nor would any girl drop him for Madhavan! Eikaz Khan and Swara Bhaskar are natural. Deepak Dobriyal is good. Rest of the cast, consisting mostly of reputed and veteran artistes, gives good support.

Tanu Weds Manu is a fun film in most parts. While it may earn enough appreciation, its box office prospects may improve only a little considering it has nominal face value and other oppositions like Cricket World Cup to contend with.

Satrangi Parachute: A movie to avoid

Producer- Director: Vineet Khetarpal.
Cast: Kay Kay Menon, Rajpal Yadav, Sanjay Mishra with child artistes Siddharth Sangani, Rajiv Patel, Shubham Sharma, Azaan Shah, Shlesh Raja, Adeeb Shahnawaz, Hussain, Mayur Mondal, Rajvi Suchak.

As India comes of age in technique and other aspects, the children‘s filmmakers seem to go more senile! Satrangi Parachute is about a bunch of small town Nainital boys who set out to find a parachute to ‘show‘ to a blind girl! She sees/ hears about it from TV and wants to see it in real! How is she going to manage it when she is blind?

So the boys know parachutes are available in Mumbai where they land and are told to look for them in Bada Bazaar which is somewhere in Mumbai where Pakistani terrorists are lurking and black cat commandoes; they are always ready with full make up for shooting (the film, not terrorists) whose greatest brave act in the film is pointing their automatic weapons at these runaway kids!

Satrangi Parachutes is a children‘s film, any child would have done more justice to. As it is now, it is an insult to Indian filmmaking not to mention an insult to an intelligent new generation kids of India.

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.