Hindi

Kahaani: All thrills, no frills

Published

14 years ago

March 9, 2012

MUMBAI: It is not often that a film based on Kolkata background is made and when one is made, Pujo and Rabindra sangeet are mandatory as are visuals of the Victoria Memorial and the Howrah Bridge; however, what is not mandatory is having an all local supporting cast when you plan to appeal to an all India audience. That leaves little option for a viewer, not much used to heroine oriented films in the first place, but to be content with Vidya Balan.

Producers: Kaushal Kantilal Gada, Sujoy Ghosh.
Director: Sujoy Ghosh.
Cast: Vidya Balan, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

A heavily pregnant Vidya Balan ascends on Kolkata in search for her missing husband and makes a police station her first halt and seeks help to trace her husband. Next she checks into a guest house where her husband was supposed to have stayed and used to call her from. She has a young police inspector, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, at all times and takes her around in her search. At the data centre, she is told that though there is no record of her husband having worked there, they did have an ex-employee named Damji resembling the husband‘s picture she carried. Vidya Balan‘s search is not easy for wherever she checks; the traces of her husband as well as his lookalike have been deleted, from files as well as the computers. What is more, whoever helps her or is willing to help her is killed while she herself has some close shaves from the killer.

It is when she finds the picture and address of Damji from old records from the data centre‘s old, unused office that she stirs things up and soon a senior intelligence office from Delhi, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, joins the action. This results in some twists and turns and thrilling moments as the climax is played out during a Pujo procession and Vidya Balan springs a surprise on all those involved on the wrong as well as the right side of the law.

Director Sujoy Ghosh chooses the inner, drab and crowded parts of Kolkata which add to the atmosphere and create anxiety. His handling of the subject is deft with ample help from a tight script without distraction in the form of songs except for “Ekla chalo” number in the background in pre-climax.

The film is an out and out Vidya Balan show in a role that offers her no frills; she is a desperate pregnant woman on a mission and she goes around it credibly. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is impressive balancing his act between negative and positive shades adding to the suspense. Parambrata Chattopadhyay is natural.

Kahaani a fair thriller and due for much acclaim; however its business will be limited to few metro multiplexes.

An inconsistent film with limited prospects

Producer: Samir Karnik.
Director: Samir Karnik.
Cast: Tusshar Kapoor, Kulraj Randhawa, Anupam Kher, Om Puri, Mukul Dev, Johny Lever, Anita Raaj, Sushant Singh, Chandrachur Singh, Rahul Singh, Farida Jalal.

A vibrant, bubbly girl lands up in a stubborn family of erstwhile Rajasthan royals who still live in the same delusions of being royal Rajputs. The family is full of oddballs all taking a fancy to her in their own way. A romantic comedy needs ample gags and characters; Chaar Din Ki Chandni has some of the latter. In an attempt to add a bit of everything from royalty to status barrier and the Indian wedding with romance and comedy, the film is a farce made of a series of situations.

Tusshar Kapoor arrives in Rajasthan to attend his sister‘s wedding with his girlfriend, Kulraj Randhawa, whom he plans to introduce to his family and obtain their approval to marry her. However Anupam Kher, his father, has these notions of Rajput superiority and none of his children can marry anybody else but a Rajput and he always keeps a gun handy if the case is otherwise. Besides this trait he is a jovial person. Given this situation, Tusshar Kapoor fumbles at the last moment and introduces Kulraj Randhawa as a journalist from UK here to cover an Indian royal wedding. Tusshar Kapoor has four brothers, all with their own peculiarities – one is a drunkard, other is headstrong and violent while yet another is a womaniser; only one of them is sober and okay with Tusshar‘s romance since he himself is heartbroken. Soon, Kulraj Randhawa has won the hearts of all members of the household; while Anupam Kher treats her as a daughter of the house and even promises to get her married to a suitable Punjabi boy, the three wayward brothers each try to score with her in their own clumsy ways while Tusshar Kapoor and Kulraj Randhawa keep romancing on the sly. To add to the tricky situation come Om Puri and Farida Jalal on the scene enthused that their daughter is planning to get engaged; but they are soon passed off as decorator and his chief assistant by Tusshar Kapoor as revealing their true identity would not work with Anupam Kher. With so many characters involved, there is a series of gags, some good some flat. In an old-fashioned way, the climax is a free for all with Johny Lever as one of the parties.

The story idea for Chaar Din Ki Chandni is the second half of the director‘s earlier film, Yamla Pagla Deewana which had a huge Punjabi family and false identities; with many characters to share the screen, Samir Karnik keeps the pace moving. Using old film songs is a good ploy. Dialogue is not much help. Tusshar Kapoor is okay. Kulraj Randhawa is fairly good. Anupam Kher‘s versatility is obvious. Om Puri Plays his loud Punjabi guy very well. Mukul Dev, Sushant Singh, Chandrachur Singh and Harrish as brothers along with Rahul Singh, Farida Jalal and Anita Raj are good in support. Johny Lever is wasted.

Chaar Din Ki Chandni is a passable entertainer with limited prospects.

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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

2 weeks 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

3 weeks 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

4 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.