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More news →Anurag Kashyap: 'Haraamkhor' ban: Senile and incapable Nihalani getting back at court
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who feels it's a waste of time and energy to wrangle with the Indian censor board for certification of adult films, says it's important that in a scenario when the censor body is chaired by a "senile" and "intellectually incapable" person such as Pahlaj Nihalani, movie makers must be empowered to approach the court directly. "Give us the power that if we are making an adult film, and we are seeking an adult certificate, we can go straight to the court or straight to the Tribunal (Film Certification Appellate Tribunal - FCAT). Why should we go through the humiliation of going through him (Pahlaj Nihalani) and waste time," Kashyap, 43, told IANS in a no-holds-barred interview here. Kashyap's co-production "Udta Punjab" -- a movie on the drug menace in Punjab -- could release in India only after the Bombay High Court intervened and overruled the Central Board of Film Certification's (CBFC) directive to make 89 cuts. Now another of the filmmaker's co-productions, "Haraamkhor", is left in the lurch for a certificate as its theme of a teacher-student romance has been deemed unfit for the Indian market. There are more films -- Sunny Deol's abuse-laden "Mohalla Assi" and Manoj Bajpayee-starrer "Saat Uchakkey" which is also laced with expletives. According to Kashyap, one of the most outspoken filmmakers of his times, the recent hassles on certification are a result of one man's ego. "He's a very strange man who hates that somebody took his power away. What the court said to the censor board was that 'You can't cut a film and if you have a problem, refuse the censor certificate'. So in four days, he refused certificate to some films randomly... including 'Haraamkhor' and 'Saat Uchakkey'. "His ego is so big that he can't take the fact that someone took his powers away," stressed the filmmaker, who is acclaimed for handling dark themes deftly, and had earlier hit out at Nihalani by calling him an "oligarch". After the Examining Committee suggested 89 cuts to "Udta Punjab", it went to the Revising Committee which scaled down the cuts to 13. Kashyap says filmmakers are now increasingly skipping going through the latter and reaching out straight to the FCAT. "There's no difference left. The same people sit there and the same mindset follows. So, it's a waste of time and energy. Pahlaj-ji dictates terms," he said, adding that he finds Nihalani "intellectually incapable of the position" he holds. "He is an ancient mindset. Cinema has grown beyond him. The world of internet has changed the way information flows. People are well-informed and they are much more mature... He doesn't understand that cinema has far more responsibility now than just to entertain," Kashyap said of Nihalani, who has earlier produced films like "Shola Aur Shabnam", "Aankhen" and "Andaz". Kashyap hopes the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting acts upon recommendations of the Shyam Benegal Committee -- which has suggested a revised system of certification and abolition of censorship. Meanwhile, he is happy that "Udta Punjab" released intact -- the way it was meant to -- in India. "I am happy that the film has resonated well with the people, especially in Punjab. And when people see the movie, the only thing that I'm happy about is that now they can see what was being cut out. They can imagine what it would have been like (with the CBFC-suggested cuts)," he said.
After MUMBAI MERI JAAN, RUSLAAN is another film on Mumbai train blasts
'RUSLAAN', the film revolving around train blasts in Mumbai on July 11th 2006 , has completed its shoot with the last schedule at Hazi Ali Shrine on August 20, 2008. Team has shot a song sequence at Hazi Ali. Song 'Maula Mere Maula' is sung by master Salim and music is by Rais Khan. According to the producer Mukesh Sharma, "I had planned the entire shoot schedule with dates, locations and artistes dates before going on floor. Everything has gone as per the plan. In fact we were a little apprehensive for our schedule in Kashmir but Shrinagar and Pehelgaon shoots were very smooth and peaceful. It went on the dot and everybody had great time. In fact Hazi Ali shoot had to be postponed a bit because of the heavy rains and permission problems. Finally we will go 100% into post production." 'RUSLAAN' is a story that deals with our perceptions and their impact on the life of innocent bystanders. Ruslaan leaves home in happy mood. As he boards the train he receives a call & there are series of blasts. Ruslaan is picked up for questioning. Produced by Jagdish Sharma & Mukesh Sharma film RUSLAAN is directed by Mohan Sharma. Star cast includes Rajveer Sharma, Megha Chatterjee, Asrani, S.M. Zaheer, Shahbaaz Khan, Smita Jaikar, Ganesh Yadav, Rajendra Sharma, Rajan Sharma, Prithvi Zutshi, Shabnam Kapoor, Baby Annaya & Tanveer.
Mallika looks at getting into Jaya Bachchan's shoes
In the comedy thriller Maan Gaye Mughall E Azam, Mallika plays Paresh Rawal wife, who is a theatre owner in a small town. She plays Shabnam, a delusional actress. Like a typical small towner, she has big dreams to make it in Bollywood. She feels that she will fill the gap, left by Jaya Bachchan, since there has been no actress better than her. But though she is married to Paresh Rawal, she has an affair with Rahul Bose and Kay Kay. Also Paresh is always suspicious of Mallika since she is young and sensual. Mallika has 3 men chasing her. Even though Mallika is married to Paresh Rawal, she enjoys flirting with other men. She feels that there has to be some passion and spice after getting married. But somehow the theatre gets involved in the plot to save the country from a conspiracy which threatens to destabilize it. Mallika feels that the USP of the film is that it's a lighthearted comic thriller with heavyweight actors who are good in their craft. The diva adds, "Anarkali never looked so hot while Akbar so cool!"
Rani does it for her brother Raja
When Rajaa Mukerji launched his television directorial venture 'Kisi Ki Nazarr Na Lage' this week, sister Rani Mukerji made sure she graced the occasion to support him. Rani, who entered the event with hundreds of flash bulbs and dozens of television cameras vying to catch a glimpse of her infectious smile, was not keeping too well that evening. In spite of that she tried to put up her best and wished Rajaa loads of luck. The event also witnessed Rajaa and Rani's family joining in, along with the entire cast of the soap, turning up to show their solidarity. "The soap is a highly emotional family drama, depicting authentic Bengali culture, a facet which has rarely been explored on Indian television," said Rajaa Mukerji. It will be aired at 1pm, Monday to Fridays, starting May 5, on DD1. 'Kisi Ki Nazarr Na Lage' features the late Shubhiraj along with Aroop Pal, Sanjeev Seth, Komolika Guhathakurta, Kashish Duggal, Ashish Kaul, Vikas Anand, Ekta Sharma, Damini Kanwal Shetty, Abir Goswami, Shivani Gosain, Buddhaditya Mohanty, Shabnam, Kaliprasad Mukherjee, Krutika, Kapil, Trupti, Subrat Sarcar and Mamta Dutta in the lead cast. Written by Damini Kanwal Shetty and Raaj Shetty, other credits include lyrics by Gagandeep Brar, title music by Anuraag Ware and Rajaa Mukerji, playback singing by Priya Bhattacharya, editing by Pintu Gupta, concept by Rajaa Mukerji and camerawork by Digvijay R. Singh. While Rajaa Mukerji has directed the soap, it's being produced by Krishna Mukerji and Jyoti Mukerji.
Stars have fun
Shabnam and Vineeta, Juhi Chawla's friends who accompanied her for the final episode of 'Kaho Na Yaar Hai' on Star plus could not do much to make Juhi, the winner of the show. The other team of Suneil Shetty with his childhood friends Ravi and Ajay right from the beginning managed to get almost every answer correct to leave Juhi's team high and dry. While the friendly race between the Bollywood stars gave enough enjoyment to themselves as well as the viewers, Juhi Chawla got a little surprised when a man who calls himself a film writer offered her a role of a mother in a film that he had been writing for almost ten years. Juhi got the shock of her life when the story turned out to be completely ridiculous and on top of it when the writer Mrukut Bhang Chaturvedi asked her to invite Sanjay Dutt, Salman Khan and Sharukh Khan to act in the film, the Volcano erupted inside Juhi and she asked the writer to leave immediately. What the culminating episode of the final of 'Kaho Na Yaar Hai' on April 18 holds on for Juhi and her team is something to be seen.
Zeenat Aman and Raj Babbar return 28 years after INSAAF KA TARAZU
Zeenat Aman and Raj Babbar are back again, for the first time after ' Insaaf Ka Tarazu'. They will be seen together in ' Dil to Diwana Hai', a D.S Productions film which is being directed by none other than Raja Bundela. Speaking on her role Zeenat Aman said, 'When Raja Bundela approached me for this role I just thought that it would certainly be interesting to work with Raj Babbar again.' It would be worth mentioning Raj Babbar played a rapist in the movie 'Insaaf ka Tarazu' and the chemistry with Zeenat Aman was a mega success on the screen. Zeenat plays mother to Hyder Ali, Aamir Khan's brother and Raj Babbar plays father to Sadaa, who makes her debut in Hindi Film Industry with this movie. Sadaa is hugely popular in Tamil and Telugu film Industry and has worked with the top league stars there. 'Dil to Diwana Hai', explores the changing mentality of the new generation, their attitude towards family values, traditions and the requirements of a bridge that can hold them between ethics and modern culture. 'Dil to Diwana Hai' is all set to rollout in May '08. Alok Nath, Sushmita Mukherji, Aroona Bakshi, Hemant Pandey, Shabnam Kapoor, Meenu Bharadwaj, Sweta Girea, Mohsin Khan and Gaurav Ghai are in lead cast. The music of the movie has been contributed by Anand Raj Anand. The cinematography has been done by Rajesh Joshi. The dialogues are written by Vikram Sood and Jayant Deshmukh has done the art direction.