ITV

Tag: Nitin keni

  • ‘Jazbaa’: Lacks passion

    ‘Jazbaa’: Lacks passion

    Urdu film titles, one thought, had served their utility and vanished along with the Urdu script in film scrolls. Jazbaa may need to be explained to many though they may figure out the meaning roughly, especially today’s generation. A remake of a Korean film, Seven Days, this one is a whodunit that hurriedly goes around its purpose, introducing new characters randomly, till it is time to spring the who of whodunit. That will come as a surprise to many if one is patient enough till that stage.

    Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, returning to films after a five year hiatus, is a lawyer who is reputed for never having lost a case. She can work miracles with her logic and save the accused from certain death sentences. She does not care how big a criminal is as long as she wins and as long as the criminal can afford her charges. So the poor soul is fated to save only high-profile criminals.

    Aishwarya has got a criminal acquitted of a ghastly murder but her glee is short-lived. Her daughter, Sara Arjun, has been kidnapped from under her eyes. There is no ransom demand. Instead, the deal is that she defend a criminal, Chandan Roy  Sanyal, certain to be sentenced to death for rape and murder of a girl just out of her teens, Priya Banerjee, who is the daughter of Shabana Azmi, a professor.

    Aishwarya has to accept the deal. She has just four days until the convict’s next hearing is due. When she accepts the case, it surprises a lot of people.

    Irrfan Khan is a friend of Aishwarya since college days. He secretly loved her but never managed to get it through to her. He is a super cop; all movies have them. He is charged with corruption and is awaiting suspension. His seniors would let him off the hook for Rs 1.5 crore. But, suspended cops are preferred in film stories. They have the freedom to pursue personal adventures, especially at a time when the cop’s damsel in distress needs him.

    While Aishwarya does not initially confide in Irrfan about her daughter, he catches on eventually. Both join forces as Irrfan makes it a habit to spring up wherever and whenever Aishwarya is in trouble. The film keeps serving up some red herrings in Jackie Shroff, who is a politician (they make easy negative stereotypes in films), his drug addict son, and his henchman until, after about 100 minutes of runtime, the dots start joining themselves. Voices from nowhere start talking into Irrfan’s cell phone giving him clues and directions leading him to the culprits as well as the kidnapped girl.

    The jigsaw pieces have started self-assembling. So much for an ace lawyer’s logic and a super cop’s detection skills. The case solves itself. While the climax justifies the appointment of the ace lawyer Aishwarya to save a rape-murder convict, nothing justifies all that meandering about for almost two hours with content that is not relevant.

    The writer-director team have not bothered to build any sort of bond between Aishwarya and her daughter, a mandatory requirement for the Indian audience. The situation is just thrown at you that here is this great lawyer whose daughter has been kidnapped. Bringing in new characters on the scene without introduction or ties hardly helps.

    Director Sanjay Gupta loves to fill his screens with scenic visual and towards this end, cinematographer Sameer Arya lives up to his expectation. But, it is the adaptation of the Korean film to Hindi and efforts made to make it palatable for the local audience that spoils the show. Songs, three in all, are immaterial to the film.

    Irrfan has some good lines but, otherwise, the dialogue is mundane. For a lawyer of high standing, even Aishwarya’s court arguments don’t carry an impact as they should. Editing could have avoided repeat scenes. Background score is over the tolerable decibel level.

    Irrfan has created a fan following of his own because of which there is a market for him. But, three films between May and October,Piku, Talvar and now Jazbaa, shows his limitations. In all his films, he is Irrfan, not the character he plays. Aishwarya overacts all the way. Shabana is a veteran but has little scope here; Jackie has none at all.

    Jazbaa has failed to rouse much curiosity in the moviegoer due to which the opening response is below par. The word of mouth not being in favour, the film’s box office prospects are poor.

    Producers: Sanjay Gupta, Nitin Keni

    Director: Sanjay Gupta

    Cast: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Irrfan Khan, Shabana Azmi, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Jackie Shroff, Atul Kulkarni, Siddhanth Kapoor, Priya Banerjee, Sara Arjun

  • Zee allocates 20% of total spends on marketing ‘DID Super Moms 2’

    Zee allocates 20% of total spends on marketing ‘DID Super Moms 2’

    NEW DELHI: Zee is leaving no stones unturned to push the next edition of Dance India Dance (DID) Super Moms. For marketing and publicty, the channel has allocated around 20 per cent of the show’s total budget. The reality show is commencing on 28 March on Zee TV.

     

    Zee TV business head Pradeep Hejmadi told Indiantelevision.com that the marketing will also stress heavily on social media, apart from the usual marketing route on television channels.

     

    Speaking on the sidelines of a press meet here, Hejmadi said that there will be emphasis on advertising actively through radio, but print media may be used only on the day the series is to commence.

     

    However, sponsorships deals for the show have not yet been finalized. The channel is in active discussions with potential advertisers for all categories, including the title sponsor.

     

    Apart from Geeta Kapur and Terence Lewis, who have been part of the jury earlier, actor Govinda has come on as a judge. However, the concept of Maha Guru (a role, which Mithun Chakraborty essayed in the earlier series) has been done away with.

     

    Hejmadi said that auditions were held in 16 cities and towns and post that the 16 shortlisted candidates were called to Mumbai.

     

    The show had also introduced the concept of skippers and the dancers had been divided into three teams, each headed by a skipper, who trained them.

     

    Hejmadi also informed having achieved its core target audience in the first season of the series, the channel has now decided to add some new features.

     

    In order to provide support to the Super Mom, the channel will now highlight the contestants’ ‘super families’ on the show too.

     

    Hejmadi said, “This season aims to celebrate the dancing talent of India’s most graceful mothers yet again and set higher benchmarks for excellence in dance. We have some very interesting contestants this season. While some are dancing for the sheer joy of it, there are others who are reconnecting with a latent talent. There are also some unique cases where the lady in question is participating in the show to redeem herself and dance, as an art form, in the eyes of her family.” 

     

    He added, “We are privileged to have Govinda on board – without a doubt, the most natural, effortless dancing star Bollywood has seen in recent years. With him joining our DID veterans Geeta and Terrence as a judge, we look forward to a season packed with phenomenal performances and some great entertainment.”

     

    The new season will be a 11 week series starting with the auditions of the show, moving into week-on-week eliminations with the top 15 contestants from across the country vying for the coveted title of DID Super Moms.

     

    Television actor Karan Wahi will host the show, which is being produced by Essel Vision Productions, the creative and production studio of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel).

     

    Govinda said, “Mothers represent love, caring, nurturing and strength, so it’s going to be wonderful to be surrounded by so many of them in the weeks to come. DID has a set a benchmark for all dance reality shows in terms of the talent it brings forth every season. The creative team of the show has an eye for picking out only the best from across the country. I have just shot a couple of audition episodes and I am floored by the sheer range of talent these mothers have displayed and the reasons that motivate them to dance.”

  • Sa Re Ga Ma Pa to make a comeback as DID takes a sojourn

    Sa Re Ga Ma Pa to make a comeback as DID takes a sojourn

    MUMBAI: Are you an avid Dance India Dance fan? Well, then get ready to wait as the most rated non-fiction property of Zee TV will come back with a new season after a good one year.

    The show which has caught on to the audience’s heart with jaw dropping performances for more than seven years, has decided to take a break and come back next year with an all new, refreshing and exciting new season.

    Confirms the maker himself, Essel Vision Productions producer Nitin Keni, “With back-to-back launches, there is too much of DID happening.”  From introducing the Indian audiences to dance forms like locking and popping, hip hop moves to ‘slo-mo’ style, to making dance popular among all age-groups, DID has done it all. And through the DID sub-franchisees (DID LiL Masters, DID Super Moms and DID Doubles), the channel has ensured that all the age groups have been explored to the optimum.

     

    “Whether it’s Cinestars ki Khoj or otherwise, DID needs to be given rest,” adds Keni. Replacing the dance reality programme is Zee’s talent hunt show – Cinestars ki Khoj. Come 28 June and the channel is all set to revive its popular format every weekend at 9 pm. The mega auditions is slated to start from 20 June at RK Studios.

    “Zee TV has always stood for celebrating the talent of India’s common man. In 1995, the channel created the Mecca of singing talent in the country with Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and introduced the entertainment fraternity to some of its leading singers. The year 2009 saw a landmark in the history of Indian television when we launched Dance India Dance, giving hope to a million dance enthusiasts across the country. The show not only emerged as one of reality television’s biggest successes but opened up several new career avenues in dance for its participants,” says Zee TV programming head Namit Sharma.

    So while the currently running DID will be replaced by Cine Stars ki Khoj, post that the channel and the makers (Essel Vision) are planning to get back Sa Re Ga Ma Pa on-board. 

    Reveals Keni, “We are thinking of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa again, although it has not done really well in the past few seasons, considering people no longer are classically oriented, but we are thinking about it now.”

     

    A media planner believes that though it is a good decision to take a break from Dance India Dance, but considering the show’s popularity, the viewers might take some time to digest. “Undoubtedly, it has been a wonderful journey for the channel with DID. The show not only helped them in getting good numbers but also a large number of advertiser’s, season after season. Getting Sa Re Ga Ma Pa on-board is a good move, but the challenge for the channel is to make it competitive, bigger and better than the previous seasons.”

  • Zee hunts for actors with ‘Cinestars ki Khoj’

    Zee hunts for actors with ‘Cinestars ki Khoj’

    MUMBAI: Add a dash of glamour to reality and you have a crowd puller! That’s what happened back in 2004 when Zee TV launched its massive talent hunt, India’s Best Cinestars Ki Khoj. A decade later, the channel is all set to revive the popular format, albeit with slight alterations in approach and presentation.

     

    Post IPL, the Essel Vision produced show will replace Zee TV’s current favourite, Dance India Dance (DID) Li’l Masters, which airs every Saturday and Sunday at 9pm.

     

    Auditions are already on while for participants from outside India, the makers are deploying another casting process. It is learnt that 20 versatile contestants (Indians) from across the globe will compete for the crown of ‘cinestar’.

     

    The first auditions started on 15 April in Amritsar to scout out the most impressive candidates. It will be followed by other countries like UK, North America, South East Asia and many more. 18-40 years of age can participate and showcase their talent which can open up a million new doors to a career in Bollywood.

     

    They will be groomed by Bollywood’s most popular casting directors, filmmakers, actors and choreographers, and will in turn showcase their acting and dancing talents to an international audience over a span of 15 weeks. Celebrity judges, exhilarating dance numbers and performances will mark the show.

     

    “We are inviting Indians from all over the world to come and participate. We are not doing massive public auditions but have another casting process which is being used. We have not formulated the exact flow but have already started working with the communities and offices there,” says Zee TV programming head Namit Sharma, who is hoping to attract talent from everywhere.

     

    “Zee TV has always stood for celebrating the talent of India’s common man. In 1995, the channel created the Mecca of singing talent in the country with Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and introduced the entertainment fraternity to some of its leading singers. Year 2009 saw a landmark day in the history of Indian television when we launched Dance India Dance, giving hope to a million dance enthusiasts across the country. The show not only emerged as one of reality television’s biggest successes but opened up several new career avenues in dance for its participants,” says Sharma.

     

    After revolutionizing the worlds of singing and dancing, Zee TV is all set to make a similar impact in the world of acting with its reality series India’s Best Cinestars Ki Khoj. “We have a knack of identifying the right talent; we look forward to an interesting season of this show!” he adds.

     

    About the format of the show, Essel Vision producer Nitin Keni reveals: “We are working on a different design, but nothing is finalized as yet. We are still ideating, but the series will be about finding out the best actor/actress through various levels and then from the EVPL side, we will also be giving them a chance to act in our projects.”

     

    Repeating the property was a conscious decision, following the response to the last season. “There is a lot of aspiration among people in the country to become actors/actresses. And now that we have a production house, we require actors all the time and we are also into films,” says Keni.

     

    As the producer of DID which is being replaced by the newbie, Keni says it will be a good break. “With back-to-back launches, there is too much of DID happening. Whether it’s Cinestars ki Khoj or otherwise, DID needs to be given rest,” he says.

     

    With the show’s earlier outing having produced stars the likes of Ankita Lokhande (Pavitra Rishta), Sarwar Ahuja (Punar Vivaah), Aditi Sharma (Ladies vs Ricky Bahl), Sharad Malhotra & Divyanka Tripathi (Banoo Main Teri Dulhann), Yuvika Chaudhary (Om Shanti Om) and Himanshu Malhotra (Bhagonwali), all eyes are peeled on the return of the star maker.

  • ‘Gangs of Haseepur’ to replace ‘Bh se Bhade’

    ‘Gangs of Haseepur’ to replace ‘Bh se Bhade’

    MUMBAI: There was a time in the 80s and 90s that comedy shows like ‘Hum Paanch’, ‘Dekh Bhai Dekh’ and ‘Zabaan Sambhal Ke’ ruled the small screen. More recently, the likes of ‘Khichdi’, ‘Sarabhai v/s Sarabhai’ and ‘Office Office’ captured the audience’s imagination.

     

    Speaking of channels, Zee TV had stopped dabbling in comedy for nearly a decade till it launched ‘Bh se Bhade’ not too long ago. While the show bombed at the television box office, Zee didn’t lose hope and is back with another comedy show titled ‘Gangs of Haseepur’, slated to replace ‘Bh se Bhade’. With the nation in the grip of elections, ‘Gangs of Haseepur’ will reflect what’s happening around us in a funny, humorous way.

     

    “Things that can make you cry will now make you laugh!” is how Zee TV programming head Namit Sharma sums up the new show. “So be it onions being expensive, our faith in our political system, corruption or mehengaai, these are the pain points in our lives, but let’s laugh at them. Since we cannot do anything about it, why not just laugh at it.”

     

    Produced by Essel Vision Productions, the show will be hosted by Ragini Khanna. Contestants like Bharti Singh, Suresh Menon, Raju Srivastav and Krushna Abhishek will perform. Actress Tanishaa Mukerji, who shot to fame with ‘Bigg Boss season seven’, along with Mandira Bedi will judge the laugh-a-thon.

     

    Nitin Keni of Essel Vision Productions says the concept is very different from other comedy shows running on television today. “It will talk about social issues, and comedians will pick an issue which the country is facing and make fun of it. It has been just 15 days since we finalized the concept of the show.” Currently in the scripting stage, shooting for the show will start from April 14.

     

    Sharma says they wanted to time the show with the polling phase so as to reflect what is happening in the country. “Our endeavour is to make a good comedy show that reflects all the issues of society currently and that can poke fun at the everyday life of our country. On our channel, there was a lack of it, and there was a desire to do a comedy show. More importantly, there was a desire to reflect the mood of the country,” he says. “We do understand that men watch more GEC television over weekends. So, we are catering to the entire family.”

     

    Won’t ‘Gangs of Haseepur’ get lost in the sea of comedy shows that have debuted on television of late? “Today, one wants to see clean comedy shows, no doubt it works as a stress buster at the end of the hard day, but good and differentiated content will be recognized,” says a media planner on condition of anonymity.