Hindi

Guest Iin London….Forced comedy

Published

9 years ago

July 7, 2017

Guest Iin London is a kind of unofficial sequel to the director Ashwani Dhir’s own 2010 film, Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? Paresh Rawal played the uninvited guest in Ajay Devgn house in that film. Paresh Rawal is the common factor as the guest in Guest In London. His hosts have changed, though.

The character of Kartik Aaryan works in London and is at the mercy of his maniacal boss because if he loses his job, his visa would be cancelled, too. Kartik can’t afford this situation because he plans to settle and make a career here. He finds a solution which many Asians are known to use to get permanent visa and that is to marry a local girl.

It seems there are intermediaries too to fix such temporary marriages. Using the services of one such, Kartik decides to marry the character of Kriti Kharbanda whose bio data has the unique distinction of having two fathers and two mothers! Ergo, she has never known true family love. For sums agreed upon, Kriti agrees to marry Kartik for a period of six months till he gets his visa.

The authorities in the UK seem to be aware of such visa weddings so Kartik and Kriti have to present themselves in a magistrate’s court to attest that theirs is not one such arrangement. At the court, one who sees through their ploy is the character of Sanjay Mishra, a Pakistani court clerk. The wedding is to take place after 10 days. Meanwhile, Mishra turns out to be the next door neighbour of Kartik and he takes it upon himself to spy on the couple to catch their lie.

That is when the guests, Paresh Rawal and the character of Tanvi Azmi, come into the couple’s lives. Somehow, the guests drop in at Kartik’s office on the basis that they are the neighbours of one of his uncles! They end up forcing hospitality on the couple since Kriti has also moved in.

Initially, Kriti and Kartik find the guests useful to make their marriage pact look legit. For their selfish cause, they let the guests take over the reins of the house. Every day is a party as Paresh and Tanvi inculcate the great Indian values into the couple and the mainly their subcontinent neighbours.
By this time, Kriti feels like she belongs and that she has a family now. She has fallen in love with Kartik and wants their wedding to be for real. That having been achieved since both love each other, the equations change. The couple finds the guests to be an impediment on their lives. They want to get rid of them.

The justification for Paresh Rawal and Tanvi Azmi’s forcing themselves as guests on Kartik and Kriti has been summed up through an irrelevant sob story and melodrama.

The film figures in the comedy genre and one is not meant to look for logic in comedy. The problem here is that, even after sacrificing logic, the film fails to create comedy. The scripting is poor and the comic situations are forced and, hence, fail to work. Paresh Rawal’s passing of gas with thunderous sounds is not considered comic anymore. Other attempts at comedy are juvenile. Direction is poor. There is no support from the musical score. Editing is weak. Dialogue fail to evoke laughter except when related to Mishra’s Pakistan connection. The use of Punjabi lacks the flavour.

Performances are just about passable. Kriti and Kartik make a good pair but the makers fail to create adequate chemistry between the two. Paresh Rawal sails through the film mainly on his reputation of being a great actor; he does not add to that in this film. Tanvi Azmi’s use of Punjabi lets her down. Sanjay Mishra is good as always. Ajay Devgn’s guest appearance serves no purpose.
Guest Iin London has had poor opening and lacks merits to improve.

Producers: Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak.

Director: Ashwani Dhir.

Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Kriti Kharbanda, Paresh Rawal, Sanjay Mishra, Tanvi Azmi, Ajay Devgn (Sp Appearance).

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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 week 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 week 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

2 weeks 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.