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Tag: Bhushan Kumar

  • Bhootnath Returns…….Ghost Samaritan

    Bhootnath Returns…….Ghost Samaritan

    MUMBAI: It has become a trend for a film to end with a threat of a sequel. Good or bad or outright disastrous, most films leave open the possibility. That is like hoping to build a high rise on a weak foundation since most of these films promising sequels are flops. In that event, what led to the sequel to Bhootnath which was rejected in cinemas though it did better on TV and DVD circuits? Whatever the inspiration, here goes:

    Bhootnath, Amitabh Bachchan, has been referred back to ghost land like a bounced cheque since he has failed to scare people on his first outing with earthlings. Ghosts laugh at him because of his failure to scare humans. Amitabh has eons before he can return to earth as a human and he feels belittled at this treatment by fellow ghosts. He asks the boss of ghost land to give him one more chance to go back and successfully scare people. After all, scaring living beings is what ghosts are supposed to do!I know as much about ghosts as ghosts know about me but this is what the film professes.

    Back on earth, Amitabh uses his ghostly powers to scare some kids playing cricket in a deserted place. The kids are not the kind to believe in ghosts, let alone be scared of one. He comes across a kid, Parth Bhalerao, who can see him and is not scared of him since he does not believe Amitabh to be a ghost; the kid is street smart.  A street smart kid led to Amitabh’s failure on his last trip on earth but, this time, the kid and the ghost both decide to use each others’ strengths.

    Producers: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Chopra, Renu Ravi Chopra.

    Direction: Nitesh Tiwari.

    Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Parth Bhalerao, Boman Irani, Usha Jadhav, Sanjay Mishra, Brijendra Kala, Usha Nadkarni.

    It seems the area where Partho lives, Dharavi, is the most neglected and deprived in Mumbai. Bhootnath decides to make his return to the earth at Dharavi, his bad luck! Soon Parth teaches the ghost the game of using each other. While Parth uses Amitabh to first help scare the convent school gang of cricket players and get into their league, Amitabh, in return, earns secrecy about his being and the fact that he is not all that scary a ghost. With a little help from Parth, Amitabh becomes a good neighbourly ghost helping people get their due justice. It is all fun so far but it is also time to introduce the villain.

    Boman Irani is an ex-local goon turned politician and has been ruling the area assembly seat for the last three terms. His is a reign of terror, corruption and exploitation. His voters abhor him but also vote for him. Nobody would contest an election against him and, finally, it is left to Amitabh to do it. The law is silent on weather a dead man can contest an election and his lawyer, Sanjay Mishra, asserts as such. So, it is an electoral fight between Amitabh and Boman. This is where the film loses its purpose and direction and, mainly, its target audience: the kids it is aimed at.

    The film entertains with its witty one liners delivered by Parth but, once the election issue is introduced, it becomes another film altogether. The light moments vanish and moralising lectures take their place, which is boring. On that count, the script loses its purpose. Direction is fair with quite a few liberties taken. There is no scope for songs except for sermonising kinds. Cinematography is good. Dialogue is well penned. The film has sourced a few of its actors from Marathi films. Parth is impressive. Usha Jadhav as his mother is very good. Amitabh Bachchan is his usual self, one who does not have to act to convey his part. Boman Irani goes a bit overboard at times. Sanjay Mishra and Brijendra Kala are good as always. Shah Rukh Khan and Ranbir Kapoor make brief cameos to no effect.

    On the whole, the problem with Bhootnath Returns is that it turns out to be a children’s film with an adult theme coming as it does in the multiplex era where waiting for a DVD works out more economical than sending kids to cinema halls (as has been proved by the performance of Bhootnath on this count).

  • I am scared of not living up to the audiences’ expectations: Amitabh Bachchan

    I am scared of not living up to the audiences’ expectations: Amitabh Bachchan

    NEW DELHI: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has one fear: “I am still scared of not living up to the expectations of the people,” he says.

     

    Now in his early seventies, the star says box office figures do not affect him so much as what people say about a film in which he has enacted a role since the expectations from him have grown over the years.

     

    Bachchan also denied that he overawes other stars on a film set and he has confidence in his fellow stars. However, he admitted that he does help them feel comfortable, even as he denied ever giving tips to directors or interfering with their vision of a film. He said he liked working with children as he found them very ‘uninhibited’. “It is a wrong premise that I direct other directors or stars,” he reiterated.

     

    The star was speaking at a press meet about his latest film, ‘Bhootnath Returns’ directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar of T-Series and Abhay Chopra, Kapil Chopra, and Renu Ravi Chopra of BR Films.

     

    Being released on 11 April, the film has been presented in the name of the late B R Chopra and the late Gulshan Kumar. Others in the film are Boman Irani, child actor Parth Bhalerao, and Usha Jadhav, though there are guest appearances by Ranbir Kapoor and Shah Rukh Khan.

     

    Although the story to a large extent deals with elections, Bachchan denied that it was in any way made to capitalize on the poll season, adding that the story had been related to him more than eighteen months earlier. He also said the same actors could not be taken as it was a completely new story.

     

    Tiwari said he had taken up the film as a sequel to the first film as ‘Bhootnath’ had captivated the audiences even as it left a strong message-oriented impact. “I cannot give any assurance about a sequel of ‘Bhoothnath Returns.’ There was a lot of pressure working with Amitabh Bachchan, and two big production banners but they really made me feel comfortable with them.”

     

    Bachchan particularly praised Yo Yo Honey Singh who had sung a song in the film. “You do not need to put a lot of efforts working with him,” Bachchan added.

     

    Bachchan said the film takes off from where the first film ended, when Bhootnath lands in heaven but is a butt of humour as he could not frighten even a child (Banku in the earlier film) so he is sent to earth again in the slum colony Dharavi where he meets Akhrot who is the only human who can see him. The film then goes on to comment on elections and Khan and Kapoor make appearances to encourage people to exercise their franchise.

     

    While reiterating that he had retreated from politics as that was not his arena, Bachchan said “every vote makes a difference, and it is in any case the democratic right of citizens.”

     

    Bachchan said in answer to a question that AB Corp was still in the business of making films, but did so in collaboration with other filmmakers. Insisting that he was doing films that could be seen by the family, he was also doing a series with Sony which is being overlooked by Anurag Kashyap, apart from coming for another season of ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’.  

     

    Bhushan Kumar said he had been very excited when he heard the story and had immediately agreed to come on board as producer as it had been his dream to do a film with Bachchan.

     

    Parth, who is a child star from Marathi cinema, said he had been frightened at first when told he would have to act with Amitabh Bachchan. But later he enjoyed working as he had a lot of fun with him.

  • First hit of 2014, Yaariyan set for World TV Premiere on Star GOLD

    First hit of 2014, Yaariyan set for World TV Premiere on Star GOLD

    MUMBAI: The first blockbuster hit of 2014, Yaariyan is all set for its World Television Premiere on Star Gold, the Home of Bollywood Blockbusters, on Saturday, 22nd March 2014 at 8 pm. Produced by Bhushan Kumar and directed by Divya Kumar, the coming-of-age romantic film features newcomers Himansh Kohli, Nicole Faria, Rakul Preet Singh and others in lead roles, with scintillating music by Yo Yo Honey Singh 

     

    Announcing the premiere, Hemal Jhaveri, Executive Vice President, Star Gold said, “We have always focused on offering a mix of varied movie genres to our audiences, with entertaining content. Being a youth centric film, Yaariyan has connected very will the younger generation &with the music yet being very popular among the audience we are positive of receiving a good response for the premiere”

     

    Star Gold has been entertaining the ardent movie buffs showcasing the best of Bollywood entertainers such as Dabangg, Singham, Bodyguard, Ra.One, Housefull 2, Bol Bachchan, Son of Sardaar, Dabangg 2, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Bullet Raja and others. As a one stop destination for the latest Hindi blockbuster releases, the channel is all set to recreate a youthful entertaining experience for its viewers with the premiere of Yaariyan

     

    World TV Premiere of Yaariyan on Star GOLD, Saturday 22nd March 2014 at 8pm

  • Amitabh Bachchan and Honey Singh come together

    Amitabh Bachchan and Honey Singh come together

    MUMBAI: While Amitabh Bachchan has followers from all age groups, a few younger fans may be added to his fan base as he will soon be seen with rapper Honey Singh in the movie Bhootnath Returns. And the credit for the collaboration goes to Bhushan Kumar of T-Series who has brought them together.

     

    The rapper has composed a special number for the film. Big B, who has always been at the core of experimentation has proved it yet again that age isn’t a barrier for anything. This special number is yet another nouveau offering from the icon to look forward to.

     

    Kumar and Honey Singh have earlier given chartbusters such as ‘Sunny’ from Yaariyan, Lungi Dance from Chennai Express among others.

     

    Produced by Bhushan Kumar and Abhay Chopra (B.R Films), directed by Nitesh Tiwari Bhoothnath Returns stars Amitabh Bachchan along with Boman Irani and will release on 11 April, 2014.

  • ‘Dedh Ishqiya’: Not half as fun as Ishqiya

    ‘Dedh Ishqiya’: Not half as fun as Ishqiya

    MUMBAI: Here is another sequel, Dedh Ishqiya, following the 2010 film Ishqiya. The producers and the director remain the same and so do the protagonists, Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi. They continue to be petty thieves always on the run from a local don, Salman Shahid, and while dodging him; their greed leads them into another complication. The idea is interesting since the story involves a lot of plots, betrayals and backstabbing. The end could have been a shocker but seems to have been compromised in favour of pleasing the Indian moviegoer’s senses as well as to deliver the promise of one more sequel.

     

    Shah and Arshad have just stolen a costly necklace from a jeweller’s shop. Their ways of carrying out such heists being crude, they are caught in the act and the police are on their back. Shah uses the opportunity to ditch Arshad since the necklace is with him. A livid Arshad is desperately looking for him and while in action in a whorehouse, he learns the whereabouts of his partner-in-crime. He learns that Shah is headed for Mahmudabad to participate in a mushaira organised by the widow Begum of the province. The Begum, Madhuri Dixit, declares that her husband, the Nawab, was a poet and that is why, before he died he made her promise that she will marry again but to a poet. Hence, she has organised the mushaira so that she could anoint the winner as her husband and the Nawab of the province. Shah’s idea is to gatecrash into the contest, win it and become the Nawab and settle for life.

     

    Shah is at the venue, introduces himself as Nawab of another province and gives looks to Madhuri which make his intentions clear. As the mushaira opens, there are many contestants but Shah impresses. Also impressive is Vijay Raaz, a Nawab from across the river. He will be the villain of the piece for Shah since he has coveted Madhuri forever. Vijay is no poet by any stretch of imagination. What he has done is to kidnap and imprison a reputed poet named Italvi, Manoj Pahwa, who is forced to pen shairis which Vijay goes and mouths at the competition.

     

    It is day two of the contest and Vijay has excelled in his rendition. Shah chooses to opt for a song instead which will also help him express his feelings for Madhuri; by now, he is in love with her! There is a huge round of applause as he finishes the song, the gathering is unanimous in their appreciation but Shah’s joy vanishes as he spots Arshad eyeing him angrily from the crowd. Being inseparable as they are, both join forces again with a common goal, to clean up the Begum’s treasury. What follows is a three-way war of wits between the duo, Madhuri and her aide and confidante, Huma Qureshi and Vijay Raaz and his goons which is fun in parts.

     

    What a viewer misses in Dedh Ishqiya is a character like Vidya Balan in the earlier film. While the Shah- Arshad duo is street smart, Madhuri as the Begum with Adab is not a fitting counter. The other drawback is the villain played by Vijay Raaz, he just does not make the league and overacts; as it is mentioned in one of the scenes, he does not have the DNA for the character he plays. The dialogue is chaste Urdu, so much so that the film comes with English sub-titles! What was the need? The film could easily have had simple Urdu dialogue. It is not as if the characters—Shah and Arshad—are real nawabs.

     

    Abhishek Chaube’s direction is capable. Musically, while some songs may have pleasant tunes; the lyrics are not easy to catch. Cinematography is patchy. The ambience is convincing. Arshad is in his element in a tapori role once again. Shah is good as usual. Madhuri and Huma are okay. Manoj Pahwa, in a brief role, is good.

     

    Dedh Ishqiya has not had a good opening. The package has failed to create attraction for the compulsive early moviegoer which does not augur well for the coming days.

     

    Producers: Raman Maru, Vishal Bhardwaj.

    Director: Abhishek Chaube.

    Cast: Madhuri Dixit, Arshad Warsi, Naseeruddin Shah, Huma Qureshi, Vijay Raaz, Manoj Pahwa.

     

    ‘Yaariyan’: Music Saves the Day

     

    Yaariyan launches a few new artistes but mainly the film launches Divya Khosla Kumar, wife of T-Series head honcho, Bhushan Kumar, who makes her debut, writes the story, shares the credit for screenplay and, most of all, wields the megaphone. Even as the company has made numerous joint ventures or outsourced projects, with this film it introduces an in-house filmmaker.

     

    In keeping with the company’s profile, the film is planned as a musical, which caters to contemporary tastes and youth and hence is a film about college students. It provides all the scope to sing, dance, swing and romance. Finally, the ambience is provided by the picturesque locations of Shimla and South Africa. Thereafter, the story is a bit too far-fetched, twisting and turning as and when needed.

     

    This college is in Sikkim (that is where the story is based notwithstanding the location) where there are all kinds of students except Sikkimmis. The students, as in most such films, come to college as if to a park or a disco; they do everything but study. For most of the first half, the film has no purpose except some supposedly youthful pranks. There is a mandatory bitch, a witch, a plain Jane, a gay character and what have you to complete the clichéd character muster. Not all are relevant. All this makes first half of the film quite testing for the viewer.

     

    It is time something happened to push the film forward. So the story is finally inserted: This College with multiple facilities was set up by the local royal eons back. The royals have sold off many properties on the campus to an Australian prospect hunter. This deal includes the ladies hostel on the premises which is the biggest loss for the boys in the college! The only way these blocks on the property can be salvaged is by winning a bunch of competitions between the local students and their Australian counterparts. So the college guys and girls go on a trip to Australia which, like many such films from Dirty Dozen to Magnificent Seven, include specialists—a rock climber, a chess player, a racer, a rocker modelled on the Archies. As is the reputation pinned on all Indians by films, they get drunk all night, are not in senses the next day for a contest and lose. Also, given what we know of cricket, Australians are always known to play unfair and in the process, they not only cheat but also kill one of hero’s best friends.

     

    The team comes back with ashen faces but all is not lost. There is still a return match to be played on Indian soil. Back home, the hero, Himansh Kohli, chasing all kinds of girls, finally finds his true love in the plain Jane, Rakul Preet Singh, as the oiled-hair girl turns into the Thoroughly Modern Millie. The Indian flag flies high as the rivals are made to see practical Indian values.

     

    While the new actors are okay to passable, direction needs a lot of honing. The hero of the film is its music which has translated into good opening shows for the film which, with its reasonable price tag, should sail through to safety.

     

    Producers: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar.

    Director: Divya Khosla Kumar.

    Cast: Himansh Kohli, Dev Sharma, Serah Singh, Rakul Preet Singh, Nicole Faria, Evelyn Sharma, Shreyas Pardi, Gulshan Grover, Deepti Naval, Smita Jaykar, Honey Singh, Arvind Balli.

  • ‘Yaariyan’s’ ‘Baarish’ gets over a million hits

    ‘Yaariyan’s’ ‘Baarish’ gets over a million hits

    MUMBAI: When Bhushan Kumar, son of T-series founder, late Gulshan Kumar, entered in the business, nobody was sure if he would be able to create the same musical magic that his father created. But it seems he is rising above his father’s shadow. After creating ripples with the melodious music of Aashiqui 2 earlier in the year, now even T-series’ second venture Yaariyaan seems to be getting a lot of attention, especially from the youngsters.

    One of the songs, Baarish from the film that was launched earlier this week already seems to be popular among the masses. Reports suggest that the song that features lead actors Himansh Kohli and Rakul Preet, has already got 1,138,752 hits in just four days. Despite a fresh cast, such an overwhelming response is really surprising.

     

    The film is being directed by Divya Khosla Kumar and is based on the life of college-going youngsters. It is scheduled to release on 10 January 2014.

  • Yaariyans Baarish gets over a million hits

    Yaariyans Baarish gets over a million hits

    MUMBAI: When Bhushan Kumar, son of T-series founder, late Gulshan Kumar, entered in the business, nobody was sure if he would be able to create the same musical magic that his father created. But it seems he is rising above his father’s shadow. After creating ripples with the melodious music of Aashiqui 2 earlier in the year, now even T-series’ second venture Yaariyaan seems to be getting a lot of attention, especially from the youngsters.

     

    One of the songs, Baarish from the film that was launched earlier this week already seems to be popular among the masses. Reports suggest that the song that features lead actors Himansh Kohli and Rakul Preet, has already got 1,138,752 hits in just four days. Despite a fresh cast, such an overwhelming response is really surprising.

     

    The film is being directed by Divya Khosla Kumar and is based on the life of college-going youngsters. It is scheduled to release on 10 January 2014.

  • Big B to do Bhushan Kumar’s ‘102 Not Out’

    Big B to do Bhushan Kumar’s ‘102 Not Out’

    MUMBAI: Good news for all Big B lovers. Amitabh Bachchan began the shoot for Bhoothnath Returns on 9 October, at Filmcity, Mumbai. Producer Bhushan Kumar is very excited with his very first association with Bachchan that he has showed his eagerness to work with Big B again. Even before starting Bhoothnath Returns shoot in full force, Bhushan Kumar announced his next project with Amitabh Bachchan.

    On the special occasion of Amitabh Bachchan’s birthday, Bhushan announced his new project with him. After listening the story, the shahensha of Bollywood has given a nod to star in T-Series’ next production being directed by Umesh Shukla.
    Titled 102 Not Out, the movie is about an old man who decides to break the world record of longevity. With Bachchan playing the lead role, the movie shows us how to live a life as opposed to merely existing. This Amitabh Bachchan starrer will also have Paresh Rawal is a pivotal role. 

    102 Not Out will be directed by Umesh Shukla and will be his second movie under the T-Series exclusive five film deal. Big B was last seen in Prakash Jha’s Satyagraha.

  • Big B to do Bhushan Kumar’s 102 Not Out

    Big B to do Bhushan Kumar’s 102 Not Out

    Good news for all Big B lovers. Amitabh Bachchan began the shoot for Bhoothnath Returns on 9 October, at Filmcity, Mumbai. Producer Bhushan Kumar is very excited with his very first association with Bachchan that he has showed his eagerness to work with Big B again. Even before starting Bhoothnath Returns shoot in full force, Bhushan Kumar announced his next project with Amitabh Bachchan.

     

    On the special occasion of Amitabh Bachchan’s birthday, Bhushan announced his new project with him. After listening the story, the shahensha of Bollywood has given a nod to star in T-Series’ next production being directed by Umesh Shukla.

    Titled 102 Not Out, the movie is about an old man who decides to break the world record of longevity. With Bachchan playing the lead role, the movie shows us how to live a life as opposed to merely existing. This Amitabh Bachchan starrer will also have Paresh Rawal is a pivotal role.

     

    102 Not Out will be directed by Umesh Shukla and will be his second movie under the T-Series exclusive five film deal. Big B was last seen in Prakash Jha’s Satyagraha.

  • Aashiqui 3 in the pipeline along with other sequels

    Aashiqui 3 in the pipeline along with other sequels

    MUMBAI: With the trend of sequels getting popular in Bollywood, producer Bhushan Kumar has expressed his desire to turn Aashiqui and Bhootnath into franchise.

    Kumar wants to take ahead three projects as a franchise, including Aashiqui, a romantic saga which recently had a hit sequel Aashiqui 2, ghost comedy Bhootnath and the yet to be released 3D horror movie Creature.

    Provided the audience is ready to accept it, Kumar plans to turn these three films into a brand and make their third and fourth installment. This pattern is followed in Hollywood.

    Kumar further reasons that he does not want to make sequel after sequel just for the sake of it, but if Bhootnath 2 and Creature receives good responses from the audiences, then he definitely has no plans to look behind.

    In 2008 Ravi Chopra produced film Bhootnath, where megastar Amitabh Bachchan played a friendly ghost. The sequel will be produced by BR Films and Bhushan Kumar of T-Series.

    The basic premise of the film will remain same, the ups and downs and the hilarious moments between Bachchan and the kid. The original film starred Bachchan, Juhi Chawla, Shahrukh Khan, Aman Siddiqui as Banku, Priyanshu Chatterjee and Rajpal Yadav.

    The second installment, to be directed by Chillar Party (2011) co-director Nitesh Tiwari, will again have Bachchan reprising his role. The addition will be Boman Irani and a new child, who is yet to be cast.

    The film will go on floors in October and will release in April next year. It is learnt that this time, the budget is going to be over Rs 30 crore. The first part was reportedly made on a budget of Rs 20 crore.

    Meanwhile, Aashiqui 2, directed by Mohit Suri and co-produced by Bhatts’ Vishesh Films and Bhushan Kumar, has reportedly earned over Rs 100 crore at the box office since its release on April 26.

    With the hit of Aashiqui 2, Kumar plans to take the brand ahead and make Aashiqui 3 after two-three years.

    Kumar also wants to take ahead Vikram Bhatt horror thriller Creature, starring Bipasha Basu in the lead. The film is said to be on the lines of Jurassic Park, the landmark Hollywood film on dinosaurs.

    Creature is set in a menacing forest that will house certain humongous and dangerous creatures. However, Kumar refused to divulge any further details about the project.