Hindi

Aurangzeb: Just another duplicate drama

Published

13 years ago

May 17, 2013

MUMBAI: This is only his second film and Arjun Kapoor has been cast in a double role in Aurangzeb. For its content, the writer-director Atul Sabharwal dips into two old-time classics, China Town (which has inspired many twin brothers lost-and-found movies) and Yash Raj‘s own Trishul. This gives him scope to pen a drama with some veterans in the cast.

Jackie Shroff rules the underworld around Gurgaon, a small town in the shadow of Delhi which has grown into a mini-metropolis. With construction and corporate houses mushrooming all over, his might and power help seal all deals. He is aided by his son Ajay (Arjun Kapoor), an uncouth and aggressive youth. Also on his team is Amrita Singh, Shroff‘s fixer-cum-concubine who is known to use girls to get things done. Singh, while helping Shroff build his empire, is also plotting against him so that eventually she and her son, Sikandar Berry, can grab it.

Besides enemies within his camp, always on Shroff‘s trail with a resolve to finish him is the local DCP, Rishi Kapoor, with his nephew and ACP, Prithviraj Sukumaran, being his ardent follower and aide. Kapoor wields huge power as he controls the ‘collection‘ operations, the funds which percolate through the system, eventually reaching the top bosses. Anupam Kher, Sukumaran‘s father and Kapoor‘s elder brother, asks his son to fulfil one obligation, to look after his second family, a woman, Tanvi Azmi and her son, Vishal (Arjun Kapoor). When Kapoor sees that Vishal and Ajay are lookalikes, he decides to switch their places. Vishal is told that Shroff is his real father who was responsible for the situation he and Azmi are.

Besides his father, Vishal also inherits Ajay‘s live-in girlfriend, Sashaa Agha, and he has no scruples sleeping with her for, as he justifies it, he had fallen in love with her at first sight. In this film full of schemers and plotters, she is also a plant, put in by Singh to destroy Ajay with drugs and alcohol. She, on her part, loved Ajay and now readily loves Vishal too. She is in the film as a pretext of being a female lead but is soon sacrificed as the script has nothing to justify her presence in the film.

Rishi Kapoor, the DCP, has a problem on his hand. His plant at Shroff‘s has turned sides and he won‘t betray Shroff or help the police in any way. Instead, in true Godfather style, he decides to defend Shroff and his empire and get rid of Singh, Kher and the others. Meanwhile, Rishi Kapoor and his gang of loyal cops are busy making sure he still rules after his retirement which is due in few months. After all, if Shroff and his clout are destroyed, the town will need a new power broker. Rishi Kapoor is ready for that role. In the war between cops and robbers, finally, all end up on the same side.

The script creates some confusion on the way as it delves into relations. There is no emotion to draw women in the film, which was a strong point of films like Trishul and Deewaar. Here, in fact, women characters are more negative. The music does not help in anyway. Direction is just passable as one does not totally connect with the characters or the events. The choice of the girl, even if her role is insignificant, is surprising to say the least; she is not cut out for the screen, big or small. While Arjun Kapoor is generally good in both roles, his unkempt look does not work; uncouth need not be ugly. Prithviraj has a major role and the only consistent one which he does extremely well. Rishi Kapoor, Shroff and Singh are sincere with their parts. Azmi is okay. Bhaskar, Naval and Berry support well.
Aurangzeb has had little promotion and the opening response is not encouraging.

I Don‘t Luv U: A dowdy college romanc

I Don‘t Luv U is an attempt at modern-day college campus romance and how the electronic revolution, cell phone as well as media, is misused. While the film introduces some new faces, it also brings in some fresh funds in production sector, thanks to a Delhi construction company.

Ruslan Mumtaz moves around in his Delhi college campus with his three buddies, Jas Bhatia, Rohit Sharma and Shashwat. The common agenda of all four is to find girls. The college has a new entrant, Chetna Pande, probably disillusioned by the education system in UK. She joins this college in Delhi where students still look stuck in the 1960s filmy college groove. They crack jokes on tutors, laugh for no reason and swoon at girls.

Mumtaz decides to score with Pande which accounts for most of first half of the film. His idea is that they both should just hang out together and have fun since he does not love her. Of course, like in all films, they are gradually falling in love even if they deny it. One day, Pande invites Mumtaz to see her dance at her house! Mumtaz shoots a MMS clip while she dances. Aroused by her dancing, he joins her with not very good intent and all the while his cell phone is still shooting the video.

Soon, in a totally contrived way, the video clip is leaked to the college first and later, in a totally altered version, on a TV news channel seeking some primetime TRP. The girl is shamed, the boy is arrested and later jumps to his death from the fourth floor only to survive for a happy ending.

This is a lesson in how not to make films.

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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.