Hindi

OK Jaanu: …Live-in romance replayed!

Published

9 years ago

January 13, 2017

MUMBAI: OK Jaanu is a contemporary love story which eventually settles about halfway between modern-day relationships traditions while conveying the eternal belief that love always triumphs. These kinds of films are made now and again but a love story is a love story and usually has its own appeal if supported by enough emotion and music.

The film is a remake of Mani Ratnam’s Tamil film, O Kadhal Kanmani.

The characters of Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor have an odd first meeting. Aditya has just alighted from a train from Kanpur and watches Shraddha on the other platform threatening her boyfriend to leave her alone else she will jump on the tracks! Aditya warns her to back off.

They become friends soon after. Both find perfect companionship in each other.

Shraddha comes from a broken home and prefers to stay in a hostel despite having a wealthy mother — the character of Kittu Gidwani. Aditya stays with the character of Naseeruddin Shah and his wife, Leela Samson, both retired judges. Leela suffers from Alzheimer’s and Naseeruddin’s affection for her is exemplary and for the young lovers to emulate.

Both have one thing in common: they don’t believe in the institution of marriage. With no commitment, the friendship flourishes as they hop restaurants, clubs and make merry. But, a relationship between a man and a woman can’t always be platonic. The inevitable happens.

After that, both decide to stay together. Aditya sort of stretches Naseeruddin’s hospitality and asks his permission to let Sharaddha in with him.

Aditya, a video game designer, who dreams of going to the US to earn millions, and Shraddha, an aspiring architect, who plans to move to Paris to study further. Finally, it is time.

Being a remake, it retains a lot of its south flavour. Where it affects the most is in the later parts of the second half when some unnecessary melodrama takes place. In the second half, the film also starts losing much of the fun of the first half and the proceedings start dragging which the director could have contained.

The music may sound alright in the film but lacks the take-home quality. With a leisurely pace of narration, the editing sags. The cinematography is good and Mumbai is well exploited.

As for performances, Naseeruddin and Leela impress. Shraddha is a natural, inhibited. Aditya is passable.

OK Jaanu is a feel-good love story but the stretched second half and limited face value takes it down to an average level. The film’s hopes lie in solo run and an open second week for relief.

Producers: Mani Ratnam, Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Hiroo Yash Johar.

Direction: Shaad Ali.

Cast: Aditya Roy Kapur, Shraddha Kapoor, Leela Samson, Naseeruddin Shah, Karan Nath.

Haraamkhor…an irrelevant enterprise

There seems to be emerging a new genre of films. It can be tentatively called weird cinema.

The kind of cinema where you give up on making sense of what is happening on screen but still wonder as to who thinks up of such ideas. And why? To what purpose? And, mainly, who backs them!?

The opening titles of Haraamkhor declare the film to be based on a true story. But, the makers forget to tell the story. For, there is none.

There is a small town somewhere in the Hindi belt where the character of Nawazuddin Siddiqui is a teacher with a glad eye for just about every girl, mainly his students. In fact, he is married to one of his students, the character of Trimala Adhikari, while also eyeing one of his underage students, Shweta Tripathi.

Shweta leads a lonely life as her father, a local cop, is often out on duty while her mother has left them both while she was a child. She is also attracted to Nawazuddin. Everybody in the town, including Shweta’s father, seems to be oblivious to the duo’s romance and rendezvous.

The only ones with in inkling to what is happening seems to Trimala and two of Shweta’s classmates, the characters of Mohd Samad and Irfan Khan, one of whom is in love with Shweta while the other one helps him devise ways to impress her. The duo is always chasing Shweta.

Shweta and Nawazuddin’s exploits take her to a gynecologist where Shweta is surprised to find the nurse is her father’s girlfriend. In her, Shweta finds a guardian angel. After that, what happens is not quite fathomable and, hence, not possible to report.

Haraamkhor is described as: 1. हरामकीकमाईनेवाला; आलसी; निकम्मा; मुफ़्तख़ोर 2. नमकहराम; पापकीकमाईखानेवाला। and none of the meanings apply here. In this totally irrelevant enterprise, besides miscast Nawazuddin, one sees decent efforts by Shweta Tripathi and the two young actors.

Producers: Feroze Alameer, Anurag Kashyap, Guneet Monga, Achin Jain.

Director: Shlok Sharma.

Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Shweta Tripathi, Trimala Adhikari, Mohd Samad, Irfan Khan.

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OK Jaanu: …Live-in romance replayed!

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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

5 days 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

7 days 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.