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Tag: Tisca Chopra

  • ‘Ghayal Once Again:’ Much mellowed

    ‘Ghayal Once Again:’ Much mellowed

    Ghayal Once Again can be termed as a true sequel as the film connects with Sunny Deol starrer Ghayalreleased in 1990. In that era, a suppressed common man’s outburst against a mighty criminal (Amrish Puri inGhayal) who has the politicians and the system at his command was palatable.

    Sunny is back after serving 14 years in prison. He gets flashbacks of past which Soha Ali Khan, a doctor keeps in control with instant medication. Sunny has now turned a vigilante, runs a newspaper called Satyakam, which publishes real news sans sensationalism. He has a loyal team around him, which shares his spirit and purpose. Sunny is now a much admired person with a great following among youth.

    Om Puri is now a retired cop who has become an RTI activist. Puri has come across some material, which can virtually destroy the tycoon, Narendra Jha, who accumulates wealth through illegal means. Jha has the local home minister and, through him, the entire police force in his pocket. Puri is called for a meeting where an argument ensues and Jha’s drug addict and violent son, Abhilash Kumar, shoots down Puri. This is made to look like a road accident. 

    Unknown to Jha and company the whole shooting incident has been shot on a cell phone of a bunch of students out to take pictures and videos of some rare birds. But, the guardians of the kids know how powerful Jha is and handover the video to him.

    However, one of the girls from this group of four, thought it prudent to make a copy of the video, which they plan to handover to Sunny. But, it seems Jha has the entire city under video surveillance as well as the phones taped of anybody who can harm him. As Sunny and the students decide to meet up, Jha lets loose his foreign mercenaries, no less, on the kids. There is a long chase through the city roads in cars and later through a shopping mall. All beamed live in Jha’s room. But, Sunny reaches in time and saves kid. 

    A lot follows, the students are now kidnapped and kept under vigil at Jha’s fortress like mansion surrounded by Jha’s own army as well as the entire police force of the city. Now it is for Sunny to get them out. And, as Sunny is wont to do, he becomes a one man army, as usual, preferring hand to hand fight against multiple guns.

    The problem with Ghayal Once Again is that it follows the same theme that worked in 1990 when a lot of anti-establish feelings prevailed. Also, Sunny was the leading action hero around as his contemporaries, Anil Kapoor and Jackie Shroff, did varied roles. Now, just about everybody does action films thanks to technology. The story is old-fashioned about one powerful man calling shots in a major metropolis like Mumbai; it does not convince anymore. 

    From the moment film begins till the chase sequence the film holds only to become predictable thereafter. The action scenes become repetitive. Cinematography by veteran Ravi Yadav is competent. Editing wise, the film needed some sharp trimming. Music, having no scope, does not quite work. Performance wise, the Sunny – Soha pair is odd despite their love being silent. Sunny is his usual self doing Ghayal again while Soha has little scope. While the students all do well, Ramesh Deo, Manoj Joshi, Tisca Chopra, and Sachin Khedekar are okay. The villain duo, Jha and Abhilash, is effective. 

    Ghayal Once Again hasn’t had an encouraging opening. It caters to single screen masses mainly of which not many are left.

    Producer: Dharmendra
    Director: Sunny Deol
    Cast: Sunny Deol, Soha Ali Khan, Om Puri, narednra Jha, Manoj Joshi, Tisca Chopra, Sachin Khedekar, Nadira Babbar, Abhilash Kumar

    ‘Sanam Teri Kasam:’ Of unseen villain

    An early cancer as a part of a love story was Dil Ek Mandir, a Meena Kumari, Rajendra Kumar, Rajkumar film. There it was a love triangle. However, the Hollywood hit, Love Story (1970), based on Erich Segal’s novel of the same name, set a trend for star-crossed romances where one of the protagonists is afflicted by cancer. Immediately thereafter in 1971, there followed a film with cancer as the main theme in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’sAnand, though this was not a love story or a triangle. Love Story finally inspired Rajshri’s musical hit, Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se in 1978.

    Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s other foray in this theme, Mili, failed despite a memorable musical score and the reigning stars of the day, Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, in the cast. There may have been a few more films on the theme but none made a mark. 

    In Sanam Teri Kasam, Harshwardhan Rane inherits a flat from one Julie aunty in a building society occupied by creatures from era gone by. No explanation is offered for the deceased aunt’s largesse. Rane is projected as some sort of a stud for he has a new woman in his bed each night and they are Page 3 girls. How, why? 

    Rane is like a 1950s romantic hero. He is never seen making a living. All he does is guzzle alcohol, chase romance and is busy suppressing his past tragedies. He has spent eight years in jail for being accused of a murder at the age of 14. Cinematic liberty allows you to consign a 14 year old to eight years in prison. 

    Luckily for him, there lives a Tamil-Brahmin family in his society, the head of which also lives in 1950 or probably before that. The family has two daughters of which the older one, Mawra Hocane (Mawra Hussain originally) looks like what we call a geek today. She is bespectacled, with a figure like a walking stick, and her father adds to the unpalatable look by rubbing incense stick ash on her forehead. She works as a librarian. 

    To cut a story short, Mawra’s younger sister can’t marry till Mawra does, but there are no takers for her. She promises her sister that she will clear her way and visits Rane at 4 am in the morning to seek his help to get her a makeover from one of his girls who figures as a top rated makeover artist. What follows is a scandal. Mawra is branded for being in a debauch’s house at an unearthly hour. She is disowned by her family! 

    Rane now becomes her caretaker.

    The rest of the film is like a silent movie since none of the characters say what they want to say but say everything else. It is hackneyed to say the list. Mawra is supposed to be a very intelligent girl, well read, but can’t read Rane’s feelings for her. Rane has been with numerous girls but can’t express his love for Hocane. He even works on getting her married to an IIT-IIM guy because that was what her family wanted! 

    Finally, when they realize they are in love, cancer plays the villain. Mawra has limited time to live. Hence, in what has become traditional now, Rane marries her before she dies.

    The script of the film is like a remix thing as is done with music albums. It borrows from a number of films from the past. This is not limited to just the script; direction also follows the beaten path, hugely clichéd. For this film with newcomers with little of known supporting cast, its 155 minute run is not justified and, what is more, makes it feel like never-ending. Dialogue is mundane except on two occasions. With limited locations, the cinematography is average. The one positive with the film is the musical score by Himesh Reshammiya if it can help at all. Editing is non-existent. 

    While Mawra is a perpetual wronged crybaby in the film, Rane refuses to either cry or laugh; he prefers to carry one single expression throughout. Rest in the cast are incidental.

    Sanam Teri Kasam is an insipid movie with scant appeal.

    Producer: Deepak Mukut
    Directors: Radhika Rao, Vinay Sapru
    Cast: Harshvardhan Rane, Mawra Hocane, Murli Sharma, Vijay Raaz, Sudesh Berry

  • Badlapur: Don’t Miss The Beginning….Noir has its limits

    Badlapur: Don’t Miss The Beginning….Noir has its limits

    MUMBAI: If the title of the film makes you wonder why the tagline is part of the name, it could be because similar titles are not allowed by the producers’ associations and their title registration committee (Badlapur Boys was a recent release). Or, it could be just a smart move because if you miss the beginning, Badalpur will make no sense to you. The cause of what follows relates to the events right at the start.

    Badlapur is a noir film where the hero is the anti-hero taking same route as the criminals who destroyed him. He blurs the line between good and bad. The story has a touch of James Hadley Chase and films like Ittefaq (1969) or the recent one, Ek Villain. 

    Varun Dhawan is a well settled ad agency executive. Having married his college beau, he has a cute son. His family is everything to him. He is just getting over a presentation for a campaign for a bra when shattering news reaches him. His son and his wife, Yami Gautam, were taken as shields by a bank robber duo, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vinay Pathak. This robbers had not planned on an escape vehicle and have taken Yami’s car along with her and their son. 

    As a traffic cop is an eyewitness, soon the police posse follows the duo. In the process, the child falls out of the car and not being able to control Yami, Nawazuddin shoots her. While Pathak makes a run for it with the money and gun, Nawazuddin is nabbed. Even while he keeps saying he is just a driver and the other guy killed Yami, he is read a sentence of 20 years in jail. Neither the police nor a private detective engaged by Varun can find out who his partner was. 

    Producers: Dinesh Vijan, Sunil Lulla.

    Director: Sriram Raghvan.

    Cast: Varun Dhawan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Yami Gautam, Vinay Pathak, Huma Quereshi, Radhika Apte, Pratima Kazmi

    Varun now has no cause more important than to get the culprits. A one-minute scene with his family and in-laws fails to convince him to start anew. He shifts bag and baggage to Badlapur where Nawazuddin is jailed for twenty years. Also, he has to find the other culprit. This is a long-winded process which you traverse together with the narration. Nawazuddin is right in front of him but there is nothing Varun can do to get his hands on him; Pathak’s whereabouts are not known.

    Varun goes about it clinically, approaching Nawazuddin’s mother and prostitute girlfriend, Huma Qureshi, to glean any information he can. Nobody seems to know anything about the second criminal until a situation is created in the script when Varun helps Pathak’s wife, stranded on a deserted road one night with a flat tyre. The same liberty with the script could have been taken a bit sooner to keep the narration pacey. Varun is now on Pathak’s trail.

    As for Nawazuddin, Divya Dutta comes out of the blue to sort things out for Varun. She is a social worker who helps to resettle criminals. Nawazuddin has been in the cell for 15 years now, making futile attempts to escape time and again. He is now ailing with cancer with a year to live at best. Divya wants Varun to issue a pardon note in his favour so he is freed and can live a year the way he wants. 

    Nawazuddin’s mother also comes to Varun with same plea. He agrees in exchange for the name of the other culprit which happens to be the husband of the woman with a flat tyre he helped one night.

    Sriram Raghvan has based his film on a crime story by Italian writer, Massimo Carlotto, and he is in his element with his favourite kind of cinema. However, Nawazuddin seeking redemption rather than revenge in the climax may disappoint lovers of commercial entertainment. The film has excellent cinematography and the background score complements the proceedings. Music as far as songs go, does not work; the film could very well have done without them. Editing needed to be brisker.   

    As for the performances, Nawazuddin is outstanding and at his most natural. Varun shows he can deliver even while not playing a song and dance role. The girls, Yami Gautam, Huma Qureshi, Radhika Apte and Pratima Kazmi, though having little to do justify their apt casting. Vinay Pathak is fair.

    Badlapur: Don’t Miss The Beginning, being the genre it is, has limited its prospective audience. The film has opened to tepid response, too.

    Qissa: The Tale Of A Lonely Ghost – One for the festivals

    Qissa: The Tale Of A Lonely Ghost (Punjabi) is a film made to earn accolades from the world audience as well as the discerning audience and the student of cinema in India. The film’s genre can’t be easily defined as it moves from India’s partition to male desire for a boy child to supernatural to a story of two star-crossed girls. Since the story revolves around a Sikh family, the language used is Punjabi to keep the flavour of the narration natural.

    Producers: Heimatfilm, Augustus Film, Ciné-Sud Promotion, National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC).

    Director: Anup Singh.

    Cast: Irrfan Khan, Tisca Chopra, Tillotama Shome, Rasika Duggal.

    Irrfan Khan is a de-stabilised Sikh who migrates safely to Punjab on the Indian side with his wife and daughters during the partition. He is an MCP who craves for a son this time when wife, Tisca Chopra, becomes pregnant again. He already has three daughters. 

    It has been four years since the partition but now Khan is a very successful timber contractor with a lavish mansion for his residence. The fourth child is born but an attempt has been made to keep the gender a secret from the viewer though it’s not tough to fathom this is a girl again. For a moment you are made to believe Khan will kill her. Not so. He decides to believe and pretend this is a boy and rears her as such. The girl, Tillotama Shome, is the apple of his eye as he enrols her for physical training as well as wrestling practice. He also takes her on hunting expeditions. His wife, Tisca goes along with the charade.

    The girl is now 12 and puberty knocks she spots blood on her bed. Khan wants her to keep mum about it! The pretence goes on till Shome and another girl, Rasika Duggal, get entwined. Duggal, a gypsy girls falls for Shome and so does Shome forgetting in her pretence that she too is a girl. Shome has molested Duggal and both their parents are witness. Khan suggests a marriage between the two. This is where the plot gets complicated. Shome is left to fend for herself in this situation. 

    But, Khan has an obsession with a male name bearer for the family and one night, he tries to force himself on Duggal to give her a male child, which Shome can’t. Shome adores her father but not enough to tolerate him forcing himself on Duggal; she shoots her father with the very double barrel he gifted her and taught her to use.

    The film enters a new chapter, it goes on to become a supernatural saga. Khan’s desire for a male heir does not let his soul rest; he is now a ghost haunting his old house. He somehow wants his ‘son’ Shome’s wife, Duggal to bear a son!

    Meanwhile, Shome suffers a lot as the woman in her wants to surface and she can’t keep up with the pretence anymore. She exhibits her femininity for the whole village to see. When the villagers want to hunt her down, Khan enters her body with a purpose to indulge Duggal and, finally, produce a male child. 

    The thing about Qissa is that, after a while, it may look bizarre and morbid. Good of the makers not to indulge in same sex scenes while there was ample scope or, at least, not in the Indian version (after all, NFDC is involved). 

    The film is excellent technically with international names in its credits. Director is gutsy to take up this subject but then such a film is all about making a name, not money. The technical aspects sure are a lesson for a student of cinema. 

  • ‘Hawaizaada’….Khurrana dreams as audience sleeps!

    ‘Hawaizaada’….Khurrana dreams as audience sleeps!

    MUMBAI: Hawaizaada is a biopic and depicts the life of a school dropout but a gifted instinctive scientist, Shivkar Bapuji Talpade, a scion of a zamindar family from Mumbai, who builds a plane called “Marutsakha”. The problem with making a biopic on Talpade is that there is little information about him and his achievements on record or is endorsed. Whatever is available is from family sources and the near and dear ones though the claim is made that among those who witnessed his plane fly was the Maharaja of Baroda State.

    Ayushmann Khurrana plays Talpade, a guy who failed eight times in fourth class and finally ended up with his nephew as his bench mate in the same class (while the records say he was a scholar in Sanskrit and Vedas, which he is seen quoting at random in the film despite having been depicted as a failure in education). He can even correct the quotes from Vedas of his Guru, Pandit Subbaraya Shastry, played by Mithun Chakraborty; Mithun is supposed to be a scholar who is said to have authored a book, Vaimanik Shastra, and under whose guidance Khurrana has designed his aeroplane.

    Khurrana is seen doing a lot of things on rote. One minute he is in school, the next he is a member of the band which plays on occasions like weddings. Despite a traditional Marathi family background and a strict father, he is a wayward man in the film. He gets drunk with his band mates, mistakes a theatre hall for his home and having done that, falls in love with a tamasha dancer, a Maharashtrian form of dancing enjoyed by shahukars (feudal lords) as well as lower strata. As a result, Khurrana’s character swings like a pendulum; even his interest in designing a plane looks cursory.

    Producers: Reliance Entertainment, Vishal Gurnani, Rajesh Bagga

    Director: Vibhu VIrender Puri

    Cast: Ayushman Khurrana , Pallavi Sharda, Mithun Chakraborty, Jayant Kriplani, Naman Jain

    Mithun Chakraborty spots the genius in Khurrana and asks him to join him in his research which, for Khurrana, is convenient since he has been thrown out of his own house by his father, Jayant Kriplani. Khurrana and Mithun are enthusiastic but have no funds to work on their project. A Maharaja helps them and they are on again. However, Khurrana’s attention is divided between his project and his lady love, Pallavi Sharda, the tamasha girl. The social taboos, the girl knows, won’t let her marry Khurrana so she leaves the scene to spend time with the Nizam, leaving the field open for Khurrana to design his aeroplane!

    When Khurrana finds his lady love again, she has given up tamasha and has taken to making a honest living: she now cleans cotton for making beds! But she is not doing too well and her landlord is making passes at her. Khurrana steals Mithun’s tome on airplane designs and sells it to British rulers who do not want an Indian to hog credit for any inventions! He redeems Sharda with that money. But, Mithun dies of shock when he learns that the man he trusted has betrayed him and sold the only thing he loved in his life. It is now for repentant Khurrana to fulfil Mithun’s dream, obviously.

    Hawaizaada is one heck of film. Described as a biopic, which it is not, the best description it fits is weird. There is no consistency in the narration, it takes sudden jumps, maintains no continuity nor establishes a sequence. It starts going haywire from the very beginning and continues to do so all through its unnecessarily prolonged 157 minute of running time offering no respite. Direction is hackneyed. The director’s idea of depicting the 1890s British era, with one studio set of dark blackish hue (more suited to a horror film) and using lowlight, is a total put off. Also, his idea of depicting the men and women of that era like they are today shows his lack of study. The film is full of songs that are not required at odd places, none of which are hit home or are hummable. Rest of the aspects of the film follow the same routine.

    As for actors, it is negative for all of them. Khurrana does not fit the character of a Marathi of that era though he keeps uttering Marathi phrases on and off. Nothing is expected of him and he delivers nothing. Sharda is a let-down. Mithun decides to go overboard in the absence of a defined role. The film has been exempted from paying entertaining tax in UP, which will hardly be of help.

    Hawaizaada is a very poor film which fails as a biopic as well as an entertainer.

     

    ‘Rahashya’….Taut thriller but….

    Rahashya is inspired by the infamous double murder case in Noida of Arushi and her domestic help, Hemraj. Aruhsi, the only daughter of Dr Talwar (Ashish Vidyarthi) and his wife (Tisca Chopra) along with the family servant, Hemraj, was killed in her own house. The story took many twists and turns as accusations flew, pointing to domestic help and even to her own parents. The case has been dragging on and no final conclusion has been reached yet though her parents are the prime suspects and convicted and are now in appeal.

    Though the film was censored on 14 January, it releases only now after facing litigations post censorship. The accused, Talwars, had tried to stop the release of the film on the grounds that the film’s story bore many similarities to the Arushi murder case, which delayed the film’s release.

    The story location of the film has been shifted to Mumbai and told in the Agatha Christie style as, in the end, the CBI officer in charge, Kay Kay Menon, gathers all the suspects in one room and identifies the killer.

    Producer: Monica Vimal Maluka

    Director: Manish Gupta

    Cast: Kay Kay Menon, Tisca Chopra, Ashish Vidyarthi, MIta Vasisht, Ashwini Kalsekar

    The film has been given some gloss having been shot at a posh Mumbai duplex penthouse owned by a doctor couple, Ashish Vidhyarthi and Tisca Chopra. A family maid discovers the couple’s young daughter in her bed with her throat slit. The parents are the instant suspects as the case seems to be that of family honour and not of robbery. But there are no immediate conclusions in such a case.

    The intentions seem to be honest as all those who share credits give their best. The script is taut with no gimmicks or songs to hinder its pace. Direction is excellent with total control on the happenings. Background music (Ranjit Barot), cinematography and editing back the effort in perfect harmony.

    Performance wise, Tisca emerges the best of the lot, usually in control. Ashish Vidyarthi is good too while Kay Kay is okay. Meeta Vasisht, Ashwini Kalsekar, Vinit Kakar and Manoj Maurya are good in support.

    Rahashya may be a taut and gripping thriller but its potential can be realised mainly on DVD circuit with no great expectations at the box office.

     

    ‘Chal Guru Ho Ja Shuru’….A non starter

    Wanting to cash in on the negative image of the god men recently with a few of them cooling their heels in jails, Chal Guru Hoja Shuru is a satire on the theme with its target being Asaram. It revolves around a newly founded sect made of ex-goons and frauds, which they claim to be their entry into the ‘Guru Industry’. The film’s star cast consists mainly of comic or bit role players from films and TV who are not much in demand nowadays but are familiar to the audience.

    Hemant Pandey is Hariya Baba, who runs an ashram with Vrajesh Hirjee as his second-in-command and Rajendra Kala as his right-hand man and confidante. They set up the business of playing guru. The business is lucrative and resembles a take on a bearded Baba arrested from Gujarat languishing in jail now.

    Producer: Himalaya Dreams

    Director: Pravin Bhardwaj

    Cast: Hemant Pandey, Chandrachur Singh, Vrajesh Hirjee, Sanjay Mishra, Mithilesh Chaturvedi, Brijendra Kala, Tiku Talsania.

    The major activities of the ashram are delivering a sermon every evening, seeking donations and selecting a girl for the night by throwing a banana or an apple prasadam at her. The prasadam sort of mesmerises the girls to seek further personal blessings from the Baba and walk into his abode. The film’s script is based on hearsay of the stories of real life babas. But, anything goes in the name of cinematic liberty.

    There are the usual factors of modern day media as TV journalist from BBC of all the places, carries out a sting operation on the nocturnal activities in the Ashram and, along with a PR person, settles the issue of not releasing the disc to media. The PR keeps blackmailing Hariya Baba on regular basis. All this while, Tiku Talsania wants to expose Hariya Baba and his ashram because he has literally lost his wife to the sect. She has become a mad follower.

    The film has no running script as such but depends on gags. It is more like a farce where the actors on screen seem to be enjoying the film more than the viewer.

    Chal Guru Hoja Shuru is an also ran. (The film has been exempted from entertainment tax in Uttarakhand for whatever reason!)

  • Viacom18 Motion Pictures’ Rahasya to release on 30 January 2015

    Viacom18 Motion Pictures’ Rahasya to release on 30 January 2015

    MUMBAI: Inspired by the double Noida murder case, Viacom18 Motion Pictures is all set to present a riveting thriller named Rahasya, scheduled to release on 30 January 2015. Produced by Monica Vimal Maluka, the movie is a join presentation by Viacom18 Motion Pictures and UVI Film Productions.

     

    The film’s story is centered on an urban doctor couple living in Mumbai whose only child, an 18 year old teenager called Ayesha Mahajan has been murdered inside their large duplex apartment.

     

    The initial investigations point at the girl’s father as the prime accused for the murder. But as the case is taken over by the Central Bureau of Investigation (C.B.I.), the film questions whether a father could kill his own daughter and if not, then who killed Ayesha Mahajan?

     

    The thriller reveals ulterior motives of near and dear ones in Ayesha’s life who could have committed this heinous crime. Directed by Manish Gupta, the acclaimed writer of Sarkar, the film features Kay Kay Menon, Tisca Chopra, Ashish Vidyarthi, Mita Vashisht and Ashwini Kalsekar in key roles.

     

    Talking about the film, Viacom18 Motion Pictures COO Ajit Andhare said, “VMP is committed to bringing out scripts that make for engaging narratives. We have made unconventional thrillers into major commercial successes with films like Kahaani & Madras Café. We are looking to accomplish the same through Rahasya that brings together a terrific set of actors in an intriguing plot.”

     

    Elaborating further, he said, “I love suspense as a genre and all my prior work has also had some element of intrigue. Rahasya is a nail-biting thriller of an eccentric officer on the hunt for a killer. We believe the movie will have audiences at the edge of their seats.”

  • ‘24’ to premiere on Rishtey

    ‘24’ to premiere on Rishtey

    MUMBAI: It’s been a little over a year since COLORS changed the face of Indian television with its path-breaking show, 24. And now, the riveting 24 hours in the life of Jai Singh Rathod which set the country pulsating in its first season is all set to make a comeback on popular demand on Viacom18’s second general entertainment channel Rishtey. The viewers will once again be a  part of ATU Chief Jai Singh aka Anil Kapoor’s  journey  as he  races against time to save Prime Ministerial candidate Aditya Singhania (Neil Bhoopalam) from assassination in this enthralling espionage drama, that redefined  Indian television through its slick narrative. The show will air every Monday to Saturday at 9.00 PM on Rishtey.

     

    Speaking about bringing back 24 on Rishtey, Raj Nayak, CEO – COLORS and Rishtey, said, “Ever since the first season of 24 drew to a close in December 2013, audiences have been reaching out to us via different mediums requesting for a re-run of the show. We are now happy to announce that the show will air on Rishtey during the week and give viewers an opportunity to relive the action-packed moments that made the show truly exceptional.”

     

    Adding to this ATU Chief Jai Singh Rathod aka Anil Kapoor said, “24 is very special to me. As an actor and a producer very rarely have I experienced such immense creative satisfaction as I have from this show. We were very fortunate that some of the nicest people in show business came together on this show and made the entire journey truly memorable. Everyone, right from the actors to the technicians put in 200% and that shows on screen. The feedback I have received, from viewers across all strata of society and across all age groups, has been very heartening and truly encouraging.”

    He further added, “I am very happy to know that the team at COLORS is now premiering the show on Rishtey, which will give more audiences across the country the chance to experience the show. I hope that the new audiences enjoy watching the show and appreciate our efforts at presenting something different. Also, all fans of 24 who missed out on some episodes earlier or want to relive the entire journey will now get enjoy the thrill not just on weekends but on 6 days in a week on Rishtey. I am also ever excited to share that while viewers once again relish Season 1 of the show, we are already working towards season 2 which will be as thrilling and edge-of-the-seat as the first season.”

     

    24 features the finest from the world of entertainment including Anil Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Shabana Azmi, Tisca Chopra, Anita Raj, Mandira Bedi and Neil Bhoopalam amongst others. The show is co-produced by Anil Kapoor Film Co. and Ramesh Deo Productions, directed by Abhinay Deo and adapted by Rensil D’Silva.

     

    Join ATU Chief Jai Singh Rathod in the race against time as 24 unfolds again Starting 25th August, 2014, every Monday to Saturday at 9.00 PM on Rishtey!

  • Imtiaz Ali launches Tisca Chopra’s debut book ‘Acting Smart’

    Imtiaz Ali launches Tisca Chopra’s debut book ‘Acting Smart’

    MUMBAI: With few character roles on TV and films, actor Tisca Chopra has proved her worth to the entertainment fraternity of the country.  It was time for her to tell the world that she is much more than that and thus Tisca took to writing. The pre-launch of the actor’s book, Acting Smart was held at the Indian Non-Friction Literature festival with director Imtiaz Ali.

     

    Tisca has always been a book lover and voracious reader with her favourites including the likes of PG Wodehouse, Oscar Wilde and Stephen King. However, her book, Acting Smart is more of a guide for all the newbies in the industry, cinegoers and movie buffs. The actor took over a few months to come up with ideas that are fresh and unique.

     

    Imtiaz Ali, who is a very dear friend of Tisca not only unveiled the book but has also contributed a few episodes and anecdotes in the book along with Raju Hirani, Shabana Azmi, Boman Irani and many more. 

     

    The event saw Tisca Chopra and Imtiaz Ali talking to the audiences and sharing few of their personal and interesting experiences which they have come across in the course of their careers.

     

    Also present at the event was Tisca Chopra’s husband Sanjay Chopra who is also a writer and cheered and supported Tisca throughout the event.

  • Fashion Frenzy at The Dressing Room!

    Fashion Frenzy at The Dressing Room!

    MUMBAI: Celebrating an eclectic mix of the best in contemporary pr?t and couture, Indian bridal wear, jewellery, designer home ware, furniture and gourmet food, The Dressing Room was the perfect boudoir for any fashionista. Organizers Shilpi Jatia and Rituu Bagrodia, celebrated the 10th edition of The Dressing Room, featuring creations by over 55 designers- both established and emerging. Present at the occasion Neeta Lulla, Tisca Chopra, Nishka Lulla, Masaba Gupta, Suhani Pittie, Sonali Mangsingka, Aarti Vijay Gupta and many more.

    The one day glamorous exhibition took place at the newly opened Mansion at Four Seasons Hotel, Mumbai in an artistic and innovative format. This intimate sanctuary gave Mumbai’s fashionistas an opportunity to explore the latest from the trendsetters in India and abroad for the upcoming festive season. The Dressing Room offered complimentary stylist guided tours with expert personal stylists exclusively by StyleCracker- headed by celebrity stylist Archana Walavalkar.

    Season after season, The Dressing Room intends to bring designers closer to the discerning fashion-forward buyers in the city. This year featured collections from celebrated designers- Indian by Manish Arora, Rohit Bal, Krishna Mehta, Neeta Lulla, Nishka Lulla, Masaba Gupta, AM:PM, Nikki Mahajan, Pallavi Jaipur, Poonam Bhagat (Taika), Sonali Mansingka, Suhani Pittie and Alpana Gujral. Next month, The Dressing Room is all set to have its Delhi exhibition on 12th and 13th September, 2013 at The Welcome Hotel Sheraton, Saket.

    Other designers, jewelers and brands include Arti Talwar, Mayoho, Ravage, Studio Peticoat, Lajjoo Chothani, Sejal Kanoi, Karishma Jamwal, Moksh, Gracee by Srinidhi and Pramilla Bajoria, Angaaraa, Divya Bhasin, Malleka Jewels, Diamantina, Green Apple, Crimzon, Outhouse, Peppermint Diva, Oasis, Shorsharaba and many more!

  • Ankur Arora Murder Case, Vikram Bhatt’s next directorial venture

    Ankur Arora Murder Case, Vikram Bhatt’s next directorial venture

    MUMBAI: After churning out films based on murder mysteries, frightening creatures and evil omens, Vikram Bhatt is back with a realistic drama on a subject which every middleclass Indian fears and prays it never happen to anyone, death in a hospital. The script of the flick has been carefully knitted around some real drama in Operation Theater and courtroom, giving an equal share of both.

    The movie starring KK Menon, Tisca Chopra, Paoli Dam and Arjun Mathur, directed by Suhail Tatari and co-produced by Dhanraj Films Pvt Ltd and BVG Films (a division of ASA), is enthused by real-life happenings of medical negligence, with all strata of society falling prey to the episodes that very few are aware of.

    The storyline is created in the line to expose and address the fatal flaws in the medical profession – producer-director Vikram Bhatt with his upcoming next titled ‘Ankur Arora Murder Case‘ will take audiences from the operation theatre to the courtroom as a well-known surgeon, essayed by the talented K K Menon will be put on the stand and tried for murder.

    This will be another demanding directorial endeavour for Vikram Bhatt, who pins his hope on the concept of the movie and seeing medical negligence in a different connotation. "I am aiming at creating a sensible realistic drama on one of middleclass Indian‘s biggest fears, death in a hospital. I‘m deeply disturbed by the spate of deaths due to medical negligence. We assume only the poor die due to medical negligence. Not so. The rich who can afford the best treatment also die because someone in the Operation Theatres goofs up. It‘s very important to not to let gross medical negligence go unpunished. We are saying that Ankur Arora didn‘t die just because doctors failed to save him. Instead, it was plain murder."

    Directed by Suhail Tatari, Vikram Bhatt, Dhanraj Films Pvt Ltd and BVG Films‘ ‘Ankur Arora Murder Case‘ comes to a theatre near you 14th June 2013.

  • Star News launches hunt for TV news anchor

    Star News launches hunt for TV news anchor

    MUMBAI: Hindi news channel Star News has launched the first of its kind reality show on news television called Star Anchor Hunt.

    The channel will search for news talent in the country and the two winners – one male and one female – will get to be news anchors of Star News.

    Contestants will have to register on the website StarAnchorHunt.com and selected candidates will be invited for audition rounds which will take place across 10 cities: Indore, Nagpur, Allahabad, Lucknow, Mumbai, Patna, Delhi, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and Jaipur.

    The contestants will be judged by Star News editor national affairs Deepak Chaurasia, actress Tisca Chopra and Chetan Bhagat – author of Five Point Someone (2004), One Night @ the Call Center (2005), The 3 Mistakes of life (2008) and 2 States-the story of my marriage (2009).