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Tag: Anurag Kashyap

  • Movies: A drab week of creative bankruptcy

    Movies: A drab week of creative bankruptcy

    MUMBAI: *Baar Baar Dekho meets with universally negative response from viewers. A half-baked idea gone totally haywire which makes watching the film tiring. Besides the story, the execution and length, the casting proved to be the last straw. The chemistry between Sidharth Malhotra and Katrina Kaif is non-existent. All that the film earned on the social media was puns galore on its title.

    The film opened with weak collections on Friday grossing just about Rs 6 crore with no significant improvement on Saturday while, on Sunday, the collections dropped, instead, to put together Rs 18.4crore during the opening weekend. The film may face trying times in the day ahead before it completes its first week run.

    *Freaky Ali, a sport-oriented comedy-romance, deals with the sport of golf, a sport alien to layman. The film banking totally on Nawazuddin Siddiqui to play the underdog urchin to excel in an elite sport did not quite manage to draw the crowds, and the sustenance thereafter seemed unlikely.

    The film opened with poor collections as expected and remained that way to end its opening weekend with Rs 6.4 crore. The film may end up with cancelled shows in the days to come for want of footfalls.

    *Akira adds to the list of rejected woman action-‘hero’ films. The protagonist, Sonakshi Sinha, turning to action after a number of romantic roles went against her image. Also, Anurag Kashyap as the main villain was taking the paying public for granted and added to the problems. The film had a below-average opening weekend, and could not add much over the next four days as it concluded its first week with Rs 24.1 crore.

    *Yeh Toh Two Much Ho Gaya, Sunshine Music Tours and Travels and Island City have proved to be disasters.

    *A Flying Jatt has managed to hold on to the second week run though the collections are on a lower side. The film added Rs 1.75 crore in its second week to take its two-week total to Rs 35.5 crore.

    *MohenjoDaro collections have dropped to below Rs 10 lakh in its fourth week making the film one of the biggest disasters in a long time.

    *Rustom collected Rs 2.1 crore in its fourth week to take its four-week total to Rs 123.7 crore.

  • Akira promises but fails in execution

    Akira promises but fails in execution

    MUMBAI: Akira ventures into the woman-oriented action genre where few have dared to tread. There have only been a few films where a woman lawperson takes on the underworld, with Dimple Kapadia, Vijayashanti, Rani Mukerjee et al. The trend has been more popular with the southern filmmakers.

    In Akira, the remake of a Tamil film, Mouna Guru, there is a sort of role reversal in that, Sonakshi Sinha, playing the protagonist, Akira, gets into a situation where she is pitted against a bunch of corrupt, unscrupulous policemen led by Anurag Kashyap.

    Kashyap is corrupt to the core and does all the unlawful things he is actually supposed to stop. He drinks while on duty, smokes weed and randomly kills footpath dwellers with his rash driving. He is the typical South brand of evil film baddie. Kashyap is smart enough not to dirty his own hands and makes the three stooges under his command in the force pull the trigger when needed.

    Sonakshi is introduced in the film with the meaning of her name, Akira is derived from Sanskrit and mostly used as a girl’s name in Indian languages. The word denotes Graceful Strength. And, to live up to her given name, she is enrolled into a martial art institution by her deaf and mute schoolteacher father, Atul Kulkarni.

    A mentally tough Sonakshi moves to Mumbai where her brother works. Seeing that her bhabhi is not comfortable with her presence, Akira decides to stay at the school hostel. Here, as happens in all schools in films, she meets with a hostile group which likes to torment and rag freshers. Having had enough of the bunch, Akira takes them on. This part consumes unnecessary footage in the film just to demonstrate Sonakshi’s prowess with martial arts and toughness.. And that she won’t take injustice.

    Kashyap and his cronies come across a big cache of money from the car of an accident victim. Their greed takes over and instead of taking the dazed accident victim to a hospital, Kashyap speeds up his demise by hitting him with a jack. So far so good since Kashyap is adept at wiping his footprints. But, unknown to him, his paramour shoots a video of Kashyap discussing the crime with his stooges.

    The handycam is stolen and finally ends up at the door of the hostel room of Sonakshi. The typical south brand scheming and plotting start from here as Sonakshi goes through all sorts of torture and deterrents to keep her from leaking the content of the video. She is consigned to a mental asylum while her family as well as friends are convinced that she has lost her sanity. So much so that Sonakshi is totally isolated, with just about everybody believing in her traits and ailment.

    As the film deals with all this drama, it loses its main purpose of showing a strong woman protagonist. It borrows heavily from old films when it comes to props and ploys as per the convenience of the next scene. Even her martial arts background becomes secondary and gets very limited exposure in the climax.

    Akira has a grossly depressing story. It is a crime story the likes of which you watch on crime-based TV serials on a regular basis, but stretched beyond comfort with not an iota of relief from the negativity. Direction has an all-South touch and is predictable, the director AR Murugadoss’ record of Hindi hits, Ghajini and Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty besides over a dozen South films, notwithstanding. Songs have no place in the film and, thankfully, they are avoided. Dialogue is routine. Editing is weak.

    Sonakshi Sinha does better than her previous films; this being an author backed role. Anurag Kashyap does not have to do much to look evil, otherwise, he does okay. Konkona Sen Sharma is good in a small role. Rest just fill the bill.

    Akira has had a poor opening and the word of mouth is not expected to help it pick up either.

    Producer: AR Murugadoss.
    Director: AR Murugadoss.
    Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Anurag Kashyap, Konkona Sen Sharma, Amit Sadh, Atul Kulkarni.

  • Akira promises but fails in execution

    Akira promises but fails in execution

    MUMBAI: Akira ventures into the woman-oriented action genre where few have dared to tread. There have only been a few films where a woman lawperson takes on the underworld, with Dimple Kapadia, Vijayashanti, Rani Mukerjee et al. The trend has been more popular with the southern filmmakers.

    In Akira, the remake of a Tamil film, Mouna Guru, there is a sort of role reversal in that, Sonakshi Sinha, playing the protagonist, Akira, gets into a situation where she is pitted against a bunch of corrupt, unscrupulous policemen led by Anurag Kashyap.

    Kashyap is corrupt to the core and does all the unlawful things he is actually supposed to stop. He drinks while on duty, smokes weed and randomly kills footpath dwellers with his rash driving. He is the typical South brand of evil film baddie. Kashyap is smart enough not to dirty his own hands and makes the three stooges under his command in the force pull the trigger when needed.

    Sonakshi is introduced in the film with the meaning of her name, Akira is derived from Sanskrit and mostly used as a girl’s name in Indian languages. The word denotes Graceful Strength. And, to live up to her given name, she is enrolled into a martial art institution by her deaf and mute schoolteacher father, Atul Kulkarni.

    A mentally tough Sonakshi moves to Mumbai where her brother works. Seeing that her bhabhi is not comfortable with her presence, Akira decides to stay at the school hostel. Here, as happens in all schools in films, she meets with a hostile group which likes to torment and rag freshers. Having had enough of the bunch, Akira takes them on. This part consumes unnecessary footage in the film just to demonstrate Sonakshi’s prowess with martial arts and toughness.. And that she won’t take injustice.

    Kashyap and his cronies come across a big cache of money from the car of an accident victim. Their greed takes over and instead of taking the dazed accident victim to a hospital, Kashyap speeds up his demise by hitting him with a jack. So far so good since Kashyap is adept at wiping his footprints. But, unknown to him, his paramour shoots a video of Kashyap discussing the crime with his stooges.

    The handycam is stolen and finally ends up at the door of the hostel room of Sonakshi. The typical south brand scheming and plotting start from here as Sonakshi goes through all sorts of torture and deterrents to keep her from leaking the content of the video. She is consigned to a mental asylum while her family as well as friends are convinced that she has lost her sanity. So much so that Sonakshi is totally isolated, with just about everybody believing in her traits and ailment.

    As the film deals with all this drama, it loses its main purpose of showing a strong woman protagonist. It borrows heavily from old films when it comes to props and ploys as per the convenience of the next scene. Even her martial arts background becomes secondary and gets very limited exposure in the climax.

    Akira has a grossly depressing story. It is a crime story the likes of which you watch on crime-based TV serials on a regular basis, but stretched beyond comfort with not an iota of relief from the negativity. Direction has an all-South touch and is predictable, the director AR Murugadoss’ record of Hindi hits, Ghajini and Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty besides over a dozen South films, notwithstanding. Songs have no place in the film and, thankfully, they are avoided. Dialogue is routine. Editing is weak.

    Sonakshi Sinha does better than her previous films; this being an author backed role. Anurag Kashyap does not have to do much to look evil, otherwise, he does okay. Konkona Sen Sharma is good in a small role. Rest just fill the bill.

    Akira has had a poor opening and the word of mouth is not expected to help it pick up either.

    Producer: AR Murugadoss.
    Director: AR Murugadoss.
    Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Anurag Kashyap, Konkona Sen Sharma, Amit Sadh, Atul Kulkarni.

  • Box Office :Indifferent

    Box Office :Indifferent

    MUMBAI: The week had a lineup of releases, mostly irrelevant and unpublicized. Strange, how they were expected to draw audience! Raman Raghav 2.0 was the only noticeable release, thanks to its controversy with CBFC; this only gave the film better of the bad lot status. The other film to register some footfalls was Junooniyat. The rest, Rough Book, 7 Hours To Go, DilTohDeewana Hai, were poor.

    Raman Raghav 2.0 could not breach the one crore mark on day one despite grabbing media columns with its controversy with CBFC; probably, Anurag Kashyap’s own standing controversy with CBFC because of Udta Punjab eclipsed Raman Raghav 2.0.

    The film collected Rs85 lakh on day one, adding a little extra to cross the Rs One crore mark on Saturday and Sunday being static, it ended its opening weekend with Rs3.6 crore.
    Junooniyat, though on a very low side, made its presence felt at the box office by collecting Rs2.3 crore for its first weekend.

    Udta Punjab did its most in its opening weekend with collections of Rs33.75 crore but failed to sustain Monday onwards as, over the next four days, the film managed to collect barely 50 percent of its weekend figures of Rs 14.05 crore, to take its first week total to Rs47.8 crore.

    Dhanak, despite positive word of mouth, remained a low grosser. The film collectedRs1.25 crore for its first week.

    Te3n, after an indifferent first week reception at the box office, goes for a free fall in its second week. The film collectedRs2.1 crore in its second week taking its two week tally to Rs17.2 crore.

    Do Lafzon Ki Kahaniadded Rs25 lakh in its second week to take its two week total to Rs3.65 crore.

    Houseful 3 saw through its third week with Rs3.5 crore taking its three week tally to Rs106.6 crore.

  • Box Office :Indifferent

    Box Office :Indifferent

    MUMBAI: The week had a lineup of releases, mostly irrelevant and unpublicized. Strange, how they were expected to draw audience! Raman Raghav 2.0 was the only noticeable release, thanks to its controversy with CBFC; this only gave the film better of the bad lot status. The other film to register some footfalls was Junooniyat. The rest, Rough Book, 7 Hours To Go, DilTohDeewana Hai, were poor.

    Raman Raghav 2.0 could not breach the one crore mark on day one despite grabbing media columns with its controversy with CBFC; probably, Anurag Kashyap’s own standing controversy with CBFC because of Udta Punjab eclipsed Raman Raghav 2.0.

    The film collected Rs85 lakh on day one, adding a little extra to cross the Rs One crore mark on Saturday and Sunday being static, it ended its opening weekend with Rs3.6 crore.
    Junooniyat, though on a very low side, made its presence felt at the box office by collecting Rs2.3 crore for its first weekend.

    Udta Punjab did its most in its opening weekend with collections of Rs33.75 crore but failed to sustain Monday onwards as, over the next four days, the film managed to collect barely 50 percent of its weekend figures of Rs 14.05 crore, to take its first week total to Rs47.8 crore.

    Dhanak, despite positive word of mouth, remained a low grosser. The film collectedRs1.25 crore for its first week.

    Te3n, after an indifferent first week reception at the box office, goes for a free fall in its second week. The film collectedRs2.1 crore in its second week taking its two week tally to Rs17.2 crore.

    Do Lafzon Ki Kahaniadded Rs25 lakh in its second week to take its two week total to Rs3.65 crore.

    Houseful 3 saw through its third week with Rs3.5 crore taking its three week tally to Rs106.6 crore.

  • Netflix adds ‘Divines’, Anurag Kashyap’s Raman Raghav 2.0 to portfolio

    Netflix adds ‘Divines’, Anurag Kashyap’s Raman Raghav 2.0 to portfolio

    MUMBAI: Netflix has added the critically acclaimed movie Divines to its bouquet at Cannes film festival. The movie will be available to the members exclusively in most of the world later this year.

    Described by critics as one of the best young-adult films to come out of France in recent years, the funny, often suspenseful and emotional drama tells the story of Dounia, a tough but naive teenager who sees getting rich or dying while trying as her most viable option. Set in a ghetto near Paris where drugs and religion reign supreme, Dounia is hungry for her share of power and success. Enlisting the help of her best friend, she decides to follow the footsteps of a respected dealer. When Dounia meets a young sensuous dancer, her life takes a surprising turn.

    Houda Benyamina’s directorial debut received rave reviews from critics and was awarded the Caméra d’Or, an award at the Cannes Film Festival for the best first feature film of a director. Critics heaped praise on Oulaya Amamra’s “breakout” performance as Dounia.

    “We saw Divines before it was award winning, praised by critics and received a standing ovation at Cannes, we immediately recognized it as an extraordinary film and acquired it early on,” said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos. “We’re passionate about bringing our members great films from around the world and thrilled to bring Benyamina’s debut film to our members.”

    “Emotions bring people together and are a reflection of society. Thanks to Netflix, Divines will cross borders and the world will be able to enjoy this universal story of love and friendship,” said filmmaker Houda Benyamina. “I am very happy with the collaboration with Netflix.”

    Netflix members everywhere, except France, will be able to watch Divines later this year. In France, Divines will not be available on Netflix until 2019 in accordance with French media chronology rules.

    Other Netflix acquisitions at Cannes

    Netflix aims to bring the best film, series, documentaries and kids programming from around the world. It has already announced the acquisition of Wheelman, which stars Frank Grillo in a film directed by Jeremy Rush that will have a worldwide premiere on Netflix in 2017.

    Another Cannes film prize winner Netflix members everywhere can look forward to is French director Sacha Wolff’s Mercenary (Mercenaire). The film tells the story of Soane, a young man of Wallisian origin from New Caledonia, who defies his father’s authority to go and play rugby in France. Left to his own devices on the other side of the world, his odyssey will take him on the path to becoming a man in a world where there is a price to be paid for success.

    Other acquisitions from Cannes that Netflix members will be able to watch include:

    Raman Raghav 2.0 – A thriller from ace Indian director Anurag Kashyap. Ramanna, a serial killer fascinated by a psychopath from the 60s, and Raghavan, a young policeman, are waging a battle without mercy. But who is really the one being chased?

    Aquarius – A drama from Brazilian director Kleber Mendonça Filho centered around Clara, a 65-year-old widow and retired music critic who is the last resident of the Aquarius, an original two-storey building, built in the 1940s, in the upper-class, seaside Avenida Boa Viagem, Recife. All the neighbouring apartments have already been acquired by a company which has other plans for that plot. Clara has pledged to only leave her place upon her death. (Aquarius will be on Netflix in North America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Latin America (outside of Brazil) and UK with other regions to be confirmed.)

    The Day Will Come – A Danish drama directed by Jesper Nielsen developed and written by Søren Sveistrup, known from hit shows like The Killing. Set in the 1960s, The Day Will Come centers around two inseparable brothers, Elmer and Erik, who are locked in a boy’s home and engage in a battle against the tyrannical Headmaster Heck to set themselves free.

    Very Big Shot – feature debut of Lebanese director Jean Bou Chaaya. The comedy deals with brothers Ziad and Joe who run a small but lucrative drug-dealing business out of their takeout pizzeria in one of Beirut’s working-class districts. With their youngest brother Jad about to be released from prison, Ziad and Joe plan to go straight, but their supplier is not keen to see his dealers retire.

    Journey to Greenland – A French comedy directed by Sébastien Betbeder. Two thirty-something actors from Paris hit a rough patch and decide to leave the city and fly away to Kullorsuaq, one of the most remote villages of Greenlands. Among the Inuit community, they discover the local customs and their friendship is challenged.

  • Netflix adds ‘Divines’, Anurag Kashyap’s Raman Raghav 2.0 to portfolio

    Netflix adds ‘Divines’, Anurag Kashyap’s Raman Raghav 2.0 to portfolio

    MUMBAI: Netflix has added the critically acclaimed movie Divines to its bouquet at Cannes film festival. The movie will be available to the members exclusively in most of the world later this year.

    Described by critics as one of the best young-adult films to come out of France in recent years, the funny, often suspenseful and emotional drama tells the story of Dounia, a tough but naive teenager who sees getting rich or dying while trying as her most viable option. Set in a ghetto near Paris where drugs and religion reign supreme, Dounia is hungry for her share of power and success. Enlisting the help of her best friend, she decides to follow the footsteps of a respected dealer. When Dounia meets a young sensuous dancer, her life takes a surprising turn.

    Houda Benyamina’s directorial debut received rave reviews from critics and was awarded the Caméra d’Or, an award at the Cannes Film Festival for the best first feature film of a director. Critics heaped praise on Oulaya Amamra’s “breakout” performance as Dounia.

    “We saw Divines before it was award winning, praised by critics and received a standing ovation at Cannes, we immediately recognized it as an extraordinary film and acquired it early on,” said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos. “We’re passionate about bringing our members great films from around the world and thrilled to bring Benyamina’s debut film to our members.”

    “Emotions bring people together and are a reflection of society. Thanks to Netflix, Divines will cross borders and the world will be able to enjoy this universal story of love and friendship,” said filmmaker Houda Benyamina. “I am very happy with the collaboration with Netflix.”

    Netflix members everywhere, except France, will be able to watch Divines later this year. In France, Divines will not be available on Netflix until 2019 in accordance with French media chronology rules.

    Other Netflix acquisitions at Cannes

    Netflix aims to bring the best film, series, documentaries and kids programming from around the world. It has already announced the acquisition of Wheelman, which stars Frank Grillo in a film directed by Jeremy Rush that will have a worldwide premiere on Netflix in 2017.

    Another Cannes film prize winner Netflix members everywhere can look forward to is French director Sacha Wolff’s Mercenary (Mercenaire). The film tells the story of Soane, a young man of Wallisian origin from New Caledonia, who defies his father’s authority to go and play rugby in France. Left to his own devices on the other side of the world, his odyssey will take him on the path to becoming a man in a world where there is a price to be paid for success.

    Other acquisitions from Cannes that Netflix members will be able to watch include:

    Raman Raghav 2.0 – A thriller from ace Indian director Anurag Kashyap. Ramanna, a serial killer fascinated by a psychopath from the 60s, and Raghavan, a young policeman, are waging a battle without mercy. But who is really the one being chased?

    Aquarius – A drama from Brazilian director Kleber Mendonça Filho centered around Clara, a 65-year-old widow and retired music critic who is the last resident of the Aquarius, an original two-storey building, built in the 1940s, in the upper-class, seaside Avenida Boa Viagem, Recife. All the neighbouring apartments have already been acquired by a company which has other plans for that plot. Clara has pledged to only leave her place upon her death. (Aquarius will be on Netflix in North America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Latin America (outside of Brazil) and UK with other regions to be confirmed.)

    The Day Will Come – A Danish drama directed by Jesper Nielsen developed and written by Søren Sveistrup, known from hit shows like The Killing. Set in the 1960s, The Day Will Come centers around two inseparable brothers, Elmer and Erik, who are locked in a boy’s home and engage in a battle against the tyrannical Headmaster Heck to set themselves free.

    Very Big Shot – feature debut of Lebanese director Jean Bou Chaaya. The comedy deals with brothers Ziad and Joe who run a small but lucrative drug-dealing business out of their takeout pizzeria in one of Beirut’s working-class districts. With their youngest brother Jad about to be released from prison, Ziad and Joe plan to go straight, but their supplier is not keen to see his dealers retire.

    Journey to Greenland – A French comedy directed by Sébastien Betbeder. Two thirty-something actors from Paris hit a rough patch and decide to leave the city and fly away to Kullorsuaq, one of the most remote villages of Greenlands. Among the Inuit community, they discover the local customs and their friendship is challenged.

  • Anurag Kashyap on jury of 20th Busan International Film Festival

    Anurag Kashyap on jury of 20th Busan International Film Festival

    NEW DELHI: Director Anurag Kashyap, known for some bold films over the last decade, will be a member of the New Currents Asian film competition jury at the Busan International Film Festival.

     

    Multi-talented Taiwanese actress, director and screenwriter Sylvia Chang (Murmur of the Hearts) will head the jury at the Festival being held from 1 to 10 October.

     

    Other members are Late Autumn director Kim Tae-yong, Golden Globe-winning German actress Nastassja Kinski, and 2015 Pulitzer-nominated Village Voice film critic Stephanie Zacharek.

     

    The jury will award $30,000 prizes to two winners of the New Currents competition at the festival’s closing ceremony on 10 October.

     

    New Currents is open to Asian films by first-or second-time directors. Former winners include China’s Jia Zhangke (Pick Pocket, 1998), Korea’s Park Chan-wook (Jealousy is My Middle Name, 2002), and Thailand’s Aditya Assarat (Wonderful Town, 2007). 

     

  • Anurag Kashyap and Zeishan Quadri team up for ‘Meeruthiya Gangsters’

    Anurag Kashyap and Zeishan Quadri team up for ‘Meeruthiya Gangsters’

    MUMBAI: Anurag Kashyap and Zeishan Quadri, who have earlier worked together in Gangs of Wasseypur 1 & 2 series, have come together yet again for Meeruthiya Gangsters.
     

    While Quadri has directed the film, Kashyap has edited it. It was in the process of editing the film that Kashyap found the script very interesting and hence decided to present the film too. 
     

    Kashyap, who has already worn the director’s and producer’s hats has now stepped into the editor’s shoes with Meeruthiya Gangsters and will also be active for all the  promotional activities and events for the film. 

    Kashyap will launch the first trailer of the movie in the first week of August.

    “When Zeishan invited me to see the first cut, I kind of made an excuse, because I was scared I might not like it. Then Vasan Bala called me and said he was blown by it. Then I went and saw it and was not just surprised but completely taken in by it. Vasan and I sat with him and gave our feedback. The film is so funny and edgy and also so contemporary. A modern India that’s developing in the shadows of shopping malls and aspirations and need to be rich overnight. I loved the film and so decided to come on board. You see the film and you can see where the characters of Wasseypur came from,” said Kashyap.

  • Box Office: ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’ shines; ‘Piku’ marches forward

    Box Office: ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’ shines; ‘Piku’ marches forward

    MUMBAI: Tanu Weds Manu Returns has braved two vital IPL matches to put up decent weekend figures. The film, while not finding much favour as it went from A to B to C class screens, however, performed well at elite multiplexes improving over Saturday and Sunday over its comparatively weak opening of Friday. The film collected Rs 38.7 crore in its opening weekend and will need to continue the good run to break even.

     

    Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet met with total rejection from day one by moviegoers. The film ended its opening Friday with pathetically poor collections and failed to improve over the next two days. Monday onwards it was a free fall, collections deteriorating each day to put together a lowly Rs 21.65 crore for its first week. Earlier, when people in the trade cited a high-priced disaster, it was Razia Sultan. For this generation, it is Bombay Velvet. At least, Razia Sultan enjoyed some shelf value and curiosity, thanks to its music and popularity of stars.Bombay Velvet is utterly forgettable.

     

    Piku continued to maintain strong trends in its second week, too. Being a wholesome entertainer, it holds appeal to all which reflects on its box office collections. The film has added Rs 23.8 crore to its first week figure of Rs 41.42 crore and takes its two-week total to Rs 65.22crore. Adding another Rs 6.5 crore for its third weekend, the film’s 17-day tally stands at Rs 71.22 crore.

     

    Gabbar Is Back has managed to collect Rs 4.3 crore in its third week to take its three-week total to Rs 78.8 crore.