Hindi

Raja Natwarlal…The con is on you!

Published

11 years ago

August 29, 2014

MUMBAI: Raja Natwarlal is yet another Emraan Hashmi fare where he plays a street smart guy who walks on the other side of the law. In his other films, he ends up in romance with an educated/ well placed girl but never lives to tell his story. Here, for a change, he wins it all, his life, his loot as well as his girl and even lives to threaten you with a sequel as is the norm nowadays. There has been a recent con movie in Special 26 (a comparison would be sacrilege) but, Raja Natwarlal is a lift from the 1973 Paul Newman- Robert Redford movie all the way, The Sting, which was about conning people in the name of horse racing, while this one is about doing the same in the name of cricket, the only sport all of India identifies with.

Raja, Emraan Hashmi, is nowhere close to the legendary, Mithilesh Kumar Srivastav aka Natwarlal, the ace conman recorded on Indian police’s history. This guy is a petty conman who picks pockets, or lures vulnerable passer bye on a Mumbai road to gamble on the new version of Rani dhundho, a three card game. Only he changes it to Deepika dhundho as against two cards displaying late Nirupa Roy (bad taste). His partner is these petty tricks is Deepak Tijori, also his mentor and ‘like’ a brother.

In a seedy Mumbai beer bar, Hashmi overhears about an 80 lakh cash transaction between two shadowy people sharing a table next to his. Hashmi smells a major breakthrough to graduate to bigger cons. After all, he needs money as his Rs 10 notes he showers on his love interest, Humaima Malik, in a dance bar where she performs, always looked small compared to a Marwari, also besotted by her who dealt in bigger currencies when it came to pleasing her.

However, Tijori is not very forthcoming with this proposal of Hashmi of planning an 80 lakh hit and he knows the goons dealing in that kind of money can be very dangerous. Hashmi manages to convince Tijori averring to him as this being their first step towards big times. So, the deed is done, 80 lakh is lifted from the goons’ car. It is made to look as easy as removing a car stereo system. Both share the loot equally. While Hashmi goes to the dance bar to shower Rs 1000 notes on Mallik and Tijori spends some on buying gifts for his beloved wife, the victims are soon on their trail.

Tijori is wise enough to know he has been cornered by his victims, he offers to return his share of the loot which he does and gets a few bullets in his chest even as Hashmi watches from a distance. It is revenge time for Hashmi and the idea is to get to the big boss of the guys who killed his friend. The big shot, Kay Kay Menon, who made it big from being a petty con himself, has made it big and to keep away from the Indian police, stays put in Cape Town, South Africa.

But, before taking up this adventurous trip, Hashmi approaches Paresh Rawal, a retired con wizard. Rawal has retired in the land of the Dalai Lama, Dharamshala, for no apparent reason (just a change of location for you). Rawal logs in with Hashmi, because, after all, Tijori, who was killed by Kay Kay, was his kid brother.

The gang of Hashmi and Rawal descends on South Africa which, while it may not offer much else, does try to please you with a change of location. Kay Kay has one weakness, cricket and its memorabilia. They plan to exploit this weakness but Kay Kay reads them like an open book and the insipid one-upmanship continues till the climax when, unconvincing as it may sound, the heroes win! Not to mention there are no heroes in the whole setup because it is one conman against another and may the better conman win. They have cleaned out Kay Kay wealth amounting to 1500 crore.

Lifting ideas from Hollywood classic is a crime when one taints it, degenerates it and deforms it beyond recognition. Raja Natwarlal is one such. The film has a mediocre script and the ‘I got it’ direction approach. The film takes its audience for granted most of the time but the makers seem to realise their folly and try to explain in last few minutes what happened all along and why and how; some story telling this!! . Musical score, a vital part for a Hashmi film, is a let down here. So does the renowned Hashmi kissing scenes as he might as well be kissing a mannequin instead of Humaima. This film needed a great dialogue track which is just mediocre here. Background music is on familiar tracks.

While Hashmi does his usual stuff one is familiar with from his past many films, Paresh Rawal and Menon land some credibility to the cast and deliver to expectations. Humaima is a bad choice as the heroine as well as the one deserving of the famous Hashmi kisses. The collective star cast does well though some of the casting (as in Mumbai corrupt cop) is out of place.

Raja Natwarlal is a poor fare having opened to poor opening response. In Mumbai, Maharashtra Gujarat, CP, parts of CI and Marathwada in Nizam circuits will be further affected due to the 11-day Ganpati festival starting on the same day as the film’s release.

Producer: Siddharth Roy Kapoor.

Director: Kunal Deshmukh.

Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Humaima Malik, Paresh Rawal, Kay Kay Menon, Deepak Tijori.

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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 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

2 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

3 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.