ITV

Tag: Shoojit Sircar

  • John Abraham to play footballer Sibdas Bhaduri in Shoojit’s next

    John Abraham to play footballer Sibdas Bhaduri in Shoojit’s next

    KOLKATA: Director-cum-producer Shoojit Sircar is all set to make a movie on the life of Sibdas Bhaduri, the man who successfully led Indians against British footballers in 1911. The director has cast John Abraham in the lead role of the period piece ‘1911’ that focuses on Bhaduri, the then captain of Mohun Bagan that won the IFA Shield.

     

    It should be noted that John, a sports fanatic, had earlier played a footballer in 2007 film ‘Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal.’ The pre-production of ‘1911’ has started. “John will essay Bhaduri’s character in the film which will be entirely shot in the Kolkata Maidan area,” said Sircar.

     

    “John is working on the character by reading details on the pre-Independence era football legend,” he added. Bhaduri and his dhoti-clad team had defeated the East Yorkshire Regiment in the IFA Shield final in 1911.

     

    “It will be a sports film with patriotic fervor like the 2007 hit ‘Chak De India’,” said Sircar. “I will do everything to retain authenticity of the period,” said Sircar who has also encouraged John to buy I-league team Lajong FC, besides the Guwahati franchise of ISL.

  • MTV and HUL launch ‘MTV Films’

    MTV and HUL launch ‘MTV Films’

    MUMBAI: In a first of its kind collaboration, MTV India, the leading youth entertainment brand and Hindustan Unilever Limited, India’s largest Fast Moving Consumer Goods Company are coming together for the launch of MTV Films.

     

    MTV Films, a unique initiative, will present six original films by six young, cutting edge and cult directors of new age Bollywood –  Anurag Basu, Anurag Kashyap, Rohan Sippy, Nikhil Advani, Abhinay Deo and Shoojit Sircar, each a stalwart in his own right. Starting March 23, 2014 at 7 PM one director’s movie will be showcased each month for six months which will be inspired by the philosophies of different HUL brands such as Sunsilk, Tresemme, Ponds, Lakme and Close Up amongst others. Through each movie, the iconic directors will portray the take of today’s youth on age old topics of love, family, friendship, relationships and ambitions in an hour long entertaining story.

     

    Speaking about this initiative, Aditya Swamy, EVP and Business Head of MTV, said, “Content is the No1. social currency of today and that makes it the most powerful medium to connect with consumers. Our partnership with HUL reflects the thought leadership both partners bring to the media and marketing world. Getting six superstar directors to create wonderful stories for brands is a coup and we are excited to launch a brand new franchise with MTV FILMS.”

     

    Hemant Bakshi, Executive Director, Home & Personal Care, HUL, said, “HUL firmly believes in pioneering and creating newer ways of engaging consumers by leveraging popular culture. With the launch of MTV Films, we will re-define the way in which brands tell their stories to consumers. This initiative will focus on communicating brand purpose and we are confident that it will resonate with our audience and build brand love.”

     

    Ravi Rao, Leader – South Asia, Mindshare, “Mindshare has been instrumental in raising the bar and pioneering Innovations for Unilever through its strategic partnerships and alliances. This is a yet another initiative for Unilever that will usher in a new era in innovation which will set the template for ‘best practices’ in the region. We are very proud of this initiative that we have driven with MTV and we look forward to scaling up the model year on year.”

     

    Amin Lakhani Leader-South Asia, Team Unilever, “Converting India’s passion points into key communication opportunities is our endeavour and a challenge we thrive on. Story telling is the new mantra to connect with our consumers, something that we have done over the years with much success. This initiative is the new benchmark not just from the uniqueness of the concept, but ably complimented with scale and execution. Moving away from branded placement, into branded content in its most pristine form with this initiative, is something we are very proud of.”

     

    This distinctive collaboration goes ‘beyond television’ platform with multiple touch-points like mobile, online and radio to engage the consumers.

     

    So gear up to see a unique film every month from March 23, 2014 at 7 PM kick-starting with Anurag Basu’s film, ‘REAL FM’ only on your favourite youth entertainment channel, MTV

  • Lowe Lintas help spread love for LT Food

    Lowe Lintas help spread love for LT Food

    MUMBAI: LT Foods, a processor and exporter of packaged basmati rice and an upcoming FMCG company, has unveiled a new television commercial with actor Amitabh Bachchan for its flagship brand, Daawat.

     

    The new campaign is conceputalised by Lowe Lintas. The TVC titled “Pyaar ki Special Bhasha” brings to life the unique Indian way of expressing the love through the food we serve and eat and how this expression is incomplete without the finest basmati rice, Daawat.

     

    On the commercial, Lowe Lintas chief creative officer and chairman R Balki says, “Rice being at the centre of our food shoulders the responsibility of this expression of love. Daawat is the finest Basmati…the finest vehicle for this expression. Thus, the concept of ‘pyaar ki special bhasha’ and who better than Amitabh Bachchan to remind us about our expression of love through food which he does with his inimitable touch of humor.”

     

    In  a  fast growing and competitive category, where consumers are bombarded with messages on product superiority and attributes, brief was to develop a campaign  which  connects  to  the  heart  of  the  consumers and make them experience  the fulfillment that comes from cooking, serving and eating the finest basmati rice.

     

    Speaking about the TVC, LT Foods CEO Vivek Chandra says, “Daawat Basmati Rice understands the importance of rice in a family’s meal. Daawat Basmati has taken a step further and created a unique range of basmati rice for different dishes and cuisines. These grains are specifically picked, processed and packed, so that consumers can bring out the subtle wonder of each dish they prepare. This TVC strengthens the brand ethos by talking about the role a great dish plays in our life and how it helps us to express love.”

     

    The TVC is director by Shoojit Sircar and is a pan India campaign. “We will be taking leading TV channels across multiple genres like GECs, movie channels etc. to promote the campaign. A 360 approach will be developed to communicate to our target audience through relevant media vehicles that they are exposed to,” informs Chandra.

  • Shoojit Sircar wraps up the shooting of Running Shaadi.com

    Shoojit Sircar wraps up the shooting of Running Shaadi.com

    MUMBAI: It was quite a sprint and now the shooting of Running Shaadi.com is complete. Produced by Vicky Donor director Shoojit Sircar and his partner Ronnie Lahiri (Rising Sun Films) and co-produced by Crouching Tiger motion pictures, the film is a young rom-com starring Amit Sadh (Kai Po Che) and Tapsee Pannu (Chashme Baddoor) in the lead and is directed by debutant Amit Roy, who has previously worked as a cinematographer in films like Sarkar and Dum Maaro Dum. The film went on floors in October and the start-to-finish Patiala schedule ended on December 10.

     

    Running Shaadi.com revolves around a website which helps people elope and get married. When Ram Bharose (Amit) and Nimmi (Tapsee) fall in love while on the run, one hilarious situation leads to another and they have to handle their own runningshaadi. Add to that a wide array of unique characters make for an endearing light-hearted story.

     

    With Sircar himself being the creative mentor of the film, Running Shaadi.com has a head start. “We at Rising Sun Films are committed to making entertaining cinema and this film fits the bill perfectly. We had a fun, fast shoot and now we are getting into post-production to finish the film,” said the filmmaker.

     

    The film will release in mid-2014.

  • Madras Café to go the Bhaag Milkha Bhaag way

    Madras Cafe is sighting a tax free status for itself, after Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.

     

    Sources reveal that the movie opened a very important chapter in the history of India. While it was promoted as a film that was based in Sri Lanka, but at the end it was all about Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination.

     

    The source further goes on to clarify that it is against violence and terrorism of any kind. Since it involves more than just subtle messaging around, the film deserves to go tax free.

     

    The lead actor of the film John Abraham and director Shoojit Sircar, who have collaborated on the film wanted to see how the film will be received, before creating a case for considering tax exemption.

     

    A fellow filmmaker who does not wish to be named wishes that the film should be seen by maximum number of people and if John is contemplating a tax free status, he is very much right in his thought.

     

    Last heard, a case study was being readied for submission to various authorities in different states. To begin with, Maharashtra and Delhi are under consideration and other cities are expected to follow soon.

  • Madras Caf fails to rake in the moolah, collects Rs 18 crore

    Madras Caf fails to rake in the moolah, collects Rs 18 crore

    Madras Cafe, starring John Abraham directed by Shoojit Sircar of Vicky Donor fame, opened low on Friday but managed to do better on Saturday and Sunday, especially at select multiplexes in Metro cities. However, public response failed to match that of the critics thus the slide is inevitable on days to follow. The film has collected Rs 18 crore for the opening weekend.

     

    Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobaara, a story about underworld rivalry borne out of love for same girl, fails on all counts from casting to scripting. The film, which opened on 15 August holiday and took Rs 34.6 crore for the four day weekend, could add only little over Rs 14 crore for the other four days to close its first week with Rs 48.8 crore, the best figures coming from Bombay Circuit. The film is a sequel to Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai (2010) but has failed to cash in on the success of the first installment.

     

    Chennai Express starring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone sustains well with the advantage of a weak opposition in its second week. The film collects Rs 36.7 crore in its second week to take its two week tally to Rs 178.7 crore.

     

    B.A. Pass collects Rs 45 lakh in its third week and takes its three week total to Rs 7.05 crore.

     

    Ramaiya Vastavaiya adds Rs 10 lakh for the fifth week to take its five week total to Rs 26.07 crore.

     

    Bhaag Milkha Bhaag has added Rs 1.1 crore in its sixth week taking its six week tally to Rs 106.35 crore.

  • Siddhartha Basu in Bombay Velvet

    Siddhartha Basu in Bombay Velvet

    MUMBAI: Siddhartha Basu who is well-known for producing shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati and Dus Ka Dum, seems to have developed a liking for Bollywood. After making a debut with Shoojit Sircar’s Madras Cafe, he will now also be seen in Bolbay Velvet.

     

    Directed by Anurag Kashyap, the movie is set in the 50s era. Starring Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma in the lead roles, Anurag Kashyap will be directing the movie.

     

    While the details of his character have been kept under wraps, Basu who is excited to be a part of this period film describes it to be intriguing and passionate.

  • Ayushmann Khurrana turns AD for Madras Café

    Ayushmann Khurrana turns AD for Madras Café

    MUMBAI: Ayushmann Khurrana recently turned assistant director for Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, JA Entertainment and Rising Sun Films’ Madras Cafe. The actor travelled to Kochi for ten days to assist director Shoojit Sircar on a crucial dramatic scene between John Abraham and Siddharth Basu and a few others.

    Though Ayushmann was keen on assisting the director through the entire schedule, his professional commitments didn’t permit him to. However, as soon as his calendar opened up, he caught the next flight to Kochi to assist Shoojit on the political thriller.

    Says Shoojit Sircar, “Ayushmann had told me during Vicky Donor that if the film tanked and he didn’t get any work thereafter, he would assist me. But the film worked and he became a star. However, to get a better hang of direction, he did join us for a few days on the sets of Madras Cafe and proved to be a talented assistant.”

    Says Ayushmann Khurana, “I wish I could be there for all 40 days of the Madras Cafe shoot. Shoojit has a fabulous set up. It was fascinating to see actors from a different point of view. I hope this experience results in making me a better actor.”

    Presented by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and JA Entertainment and produced by Rising Sun Films and JA Entertainment, Madras Cafe, directed by Shoojit Sircar is scheduled to release 23 August 2013.

  • John Abraham gets lean look for his home production Madras Cafe

    John Abraham gets lean look for his home production Madras Cafe

    NEW DELHI: Known for his well-proportioned figure, Bollywood’s quintessential poster boy John Abraham was forced to sport a leaner frame to get into the skin of his character of a special agent against gangsters in Viacom Motion Pictures, JA Entertainment, and Rising Sun Film’s political thriller, Madras Cafe.

    The director Shoojit Sircar wanted the actor to sport a body which was more real and naturally lean as opposed to a bulked-up body, and so John adopted a special diet and fitness routine to look the part.

    Says Sircar, “Yes, audiences will see a leaner John Abraham since I did not want him to particularly stand out in a crowd and he needed to look like one of them; hats off to his dedication, since he worked really hard on his physique for the film.”

    Talking about the warm equation he shares with his film’s lead, the director added, “John and I are good friends…We have similar vision when it comes to films and are planning a few more together – We do not interfere in each other’s space and enjoy working together”.

    Says producer and actor John Abraham, “Madras Café has been my dream project and we have been in discussions for years over the subject – We have worked extremely hard on the film and are satisfied with the outcome – What I can assure you is audiences will be talking about the film even after they’ve stepped out of the theater… it is a high-on-content, thought provoking film”.

    The film is scheduled to release 23 August and also stars Nargis Fakhri, Prosenjt Chatterjee, and Rashi Khanna. The film is political spy thriller set against backdrop of the Sri Lankan Civil War of the 1990s.

  • Madras Cafe gets U/A certificate, sans cuts

    Madras Cafe gets U/A certificate, sans cuts

    NEW DELHI: Viacom Motion Pictures, JA Entertainment and Rising Sun Films’ political thriller Madras Cafe has received a U/A certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification – minus cuts.

     

    Says director Shoojit Sircar, “I am happy that the Censor Board has passed our film without any cuts giving it a U/A certificate. This is a very special film for us and I am glad the audiences will get to experience this political thriller soon.”

     

    Starring John Abraham, Nargis Fakhri, Rashi Khanna, Leena Maria and ad gurus Agnello Dias an Piyush Pandey, Madras Cafe set with the backdrop of an inter-country relation, revolves around John Abraham, an intelligence officer, uncovering the workings of secret operations.

     

    Presented by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and JA Entertainment and produced by Rising Sun Films and JA Entertainment, the film is scheduled to release 23 August.