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Movie Review: ‘Bhaag Johnny’ can best be described as the boring to death film of the decade

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Bhaag Johnny

Producers: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar & Vikram Bhatt
Director: Shivam Nair
Cast: Kunal Khemu, Zoa Morani, Mandana Karimi, Raja Virus, Mansi Scott, Arun Bali, Aseem Merchant, Vikram Bhatt, Mukul Dev, Nishigandha Wad et al
Music: Devi Sri Prasad, Mithoon, Ankit Tiwari & Yo Yo Honey Singh

Director Shivam Nair has once again failed to deliver the directorial goods in his latest offering ‘Bhaag Johnny’. Even in his last half a dozen directorial attempts he had suffered the same fate. And now it is high time that he makes a serious choice of alternate career, instead of torturing the viewers & of course the poor money bags (Read Producers) too. Who had the guts to back his directorial projects till this date.

The plotted scenario of ‘Bhaag Johnny’ takes off with an extremely worried and concerned Savitri (Nishigandha Wad) meeting up a spiritual guru Acharyaji (Arun Bali) in order to know about the safety & whereabouts of her son who is settled in Bangkok. This is immediately followed by a ‘musical introduction’ of her son Janardhan Arora aka Johnny (Kunal Khemu). Just when things are getting settled down, Johnny’s boss Ramona Bakshi (Mansi Scott) summons him to her cabin and accuses him of ‘insider trading’ in the company. She also gives him a couple of choices as a punishment. The 1st option is to serve 10 years of Rigorous Imprisonment in jail and the 2nd option is to spend 3 days in Pattaya. After much reluctance and a failed escape plan to India, Johnny chooses the Pattaya option. The moment he reaches Pattaya, he is loaded with a set of instructions from Ramona Bakshi’s man aka ‘Mr. Nobody’ (Aseem Merchant), who instructs Johnny to kill Tanya (Zoa Morani). Left with absolutely no option, the very moment Johnny makes up his mind to kill Tanya, there appears a ‘jin’ (Vikram Bhatt), at the behest of Acharyaji. The ‘jin’ offers to help Johnny in a very unnatural way. He gives Johnny 2 lives to live. While in the ‘1st life’ Johnny can kill Tanya and see the consequences for himself, in the ‘2nd life’, Johnny can save Tanya see the consequences. Game for this, Johnny starts living both the lives and faces the consequences in both. The story takes a sudden U – turn when the 2 Johnnys meet each other face to face.

Director Shivamm Nair has taken everyone concerned for a ride in a fool’s paradise. As nothing but nothing seems to work in case of ‘Bhaag Johnny’. Need anything more be said?

Performance wise Kunal Khemu is the lone actor who has done a fair justice to his dual role. On the other hand the female brigade comprising Mandana Karimi, Manasi Scott & Zoa Morani have lent an adequate support to Kunal Khemu’s character. Vikram Bhatt the director turned actor is miscast in the role of a ‘Jin’. Mukul Dev in the role of a pony tailed ACP is an eyesore. While the rest of the actors comprising of Raja Virus, Arun Bali, Aseem Merchant, Nishigandha Wad et al have just sleep walked through their roles.
Tail Piece: Don’t waste your time. If you have nothing better to do, just sleep at home like ‘Bhaag Johnny’ have sleep walked in the whole film.

Nasheman.in interviews director & producer Vidhi Kasliwal

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“The Marathi film industry welcomed me with open arms. It says a lot about a fraternity when they accept members from different origins & ethnicities.” – Producer & Director Vidhi Kasliwal

Vidhi Kasliwal

Vidhi Kasliwal began her career as an Assistant Producer in ‘Woh Rehne Wali Mehlon Ki’ and went on to assist Sooraj Barjatya as an Assistant Director in ‘Vivah’ followed by turning Chief Assistant Director in ‘Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi’. She is best known as the Writer & Director of ‘Isi Life Mein’. Vidhi Kasliwal, the founder of Landmarc Films & the Producer of documentaries ‘Block By Block’ & ‘Saathi Haath Badhana’, ‘Building For The Future’ & Marathi film ‘Sanngto Aika’ has set her feet firmly in Bollywood and is now growing from strength to strength.

Excerpts from an interview with the woman of substance…….!

You began your career as a director with ‘Isi Life Mein’. What made you take up production with ‘Sanngto Aika’ and now 3 more Marathi films?

From the very 1st day I stepped on to the sets of ‘Vivah’ a decade ago as an Assistant Director, I fell in love with movie making and every aspect of it. I was fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity to direct my own film at quite a young age. That only added to my hunger of being a creative part of as many films as possible, hence the natural progression to producing. I wasn’t exposed to Regional cinema growing up, but when I did start watching regional films, I was drawn to Marathi films, because of several reasons. Firstly, the language was more familiar, being born & brought up in Amchi Mumbai. And most importantly, the kinds of meritorious subjects being made and doing well was very heart warming & encouraging. That’s when I decided that I just had to be part of such a meaningful industry. We were lucky that we kicked off our very 1st production ‘Sanngto Aika’ working with stalwarts like Sachinji (Pilgaonkar) & Satishji (Rajwade). The experience of working with such esteemed artistes & technicians, spurred me on to take up further Marathi projects and as a result we have an interesting line up of 3 more to look forward to in the coming year.

Your production house landmarc films is into documentary films as well. Tell us about them…….!’

The transition from Director to Producer was not an easy one. I spent the 1st year just meeting with people, trying to get them to trust in my creative vision & ability. During that time I kept getting approached by some known individuals to make documentaries. My schooling & experience was hardcore fiction & feature films, so I was sceptical of this alien genre – if I’d be diverting my energies, if I’d be any good at it. It was my father who convinced me to not turn away work that was coming my way. And I’m thankful to him, because had it not been for his advice, I may not have explored & learned this fascinating genre of filmmaking. Documentaries are quite a different discipline all together. They are research heavy and can be quite unpredictable. We made 2 documentaries in the span of 1 year (in 2013). ‘Block by block’, depicting the lives of Construction Labourers in India, was showcased on several Satellite channels and was officially selected for many Film Festivals and we won a few awards as well. This gave us quite a boost. We went on to make a short film on the Engineering marvel of the Tallest Residential building in India, which was quite an enlightening journey as well. The greatest reward about making documentaries is the in depth learning on such varied topics and putting to use innovative filming techniques & equipment. Since then we have been researching & shooting for 3 documentary films that should hopefully be released over the latter part of this year & the next.

Are Hindi films in the pipeline or would you 1st like to explore Marathi cinema?

Hindi films are most definitely on the horizon, but they take longer to put together. We have been working on developing compelling scripts for the past 4 years and are aiming to take at least 1 on floor by early next year.

Being a non – Maharashtrian, how difficult or easy is it?

I thought being a non – Maharashtrian would have been a road block, but quite to the contrary, the Marathi film industry welcomed me with open arms. It says a lot about a fraternity when they accept members from different origins & ethnicities, all working for a common cause to take the Marathi language & cinema forward.

Tell us about the genre of your films and the kind of movies that you like making as a producer?

My guru & mentor – Soorajji (Barjatya) always taught me that when we direct we should draw from a place of reality & familiarity, this adds to the authenticity of the characters, script & the film. So I’m trying to produce different genres, which I may not be able to necessarily direct. This way I get to be part of diverse kinds of films and get a chance to widen my creativity. Our upcoming films range in genre from Slice of life to Thriller, from Action comedy to Coming of age. It’s a lot of fun working on all these different genres.

What about direction. We are looking forward to Vidhi Kasliwal the director as much…….!

Directing is my 1st love. In fact, I’ve more often than not been “accused” of thinking 1st as a director and then as a producer! Some people may think of it as a weakness, but I think it’s a strength. It helps me understand, take care of & protect my director and his / her vision and needs better. After my 1st film, I couldn’t wait to start my next, but I decided to take some time to find my voice and what exactly I wanted to say with my next film. My script is now ready and I’m very happy & excited to start approaching actors with it very soon.

Are you looking at small budget films or mega budget ones?

I’m taking it one step at a time and working more on Small & Medium budget films in Hindi. Once I strengthen my foot hold, I would like to take on the Mega budget ones. Our strategy in Marathi is slightly different – where we are looking at making one tent pole film (big budget) along with a couple of small budget films a year.

*You began your career with Rajshri. Is your film a musical as well? *Rajshri films pay a lot of attention to music, and I’d like to think of myself as quite a musical person as well. I’ve been playing the Santoor for the past 18 years and I train in Indian & Western vocals too, consequently I can’t imagine anything, let alone my films without music. There is music & rhythm in everything we do and I’d like to use music imaginatively in all the films I direct whether it is in the making or otherwise. I remember while shooting 2 sequences in ‘Isi Life Mein’, I’d had songs play on loop for days on end to evoke & retain the correct mood in the actors. Such is the power of music.

Are you open to directing for other banners?

Yes, why not. It is the age of collaboration and I’d be open to working with other banners, producers, co – producers who believe in my vision and can help me realize it.

Whom would you like to work with in terms of actors & directors in mainstream Bollywood? And why?

Oh, so many names come to my mind…….I look forward to working with all kinds of actors & technicians – old or new, stalwart or debutante.

But if I have to name a few: Directors I’d love to work with:

Anand Rai: I love the way he carries his films on all characters grey; especially the complexity of his women characters.Sameer Sharma: I think he has a very interesting & quirky take on life, and I’d like to see a lot more films from him.
Shimit Amin: The way he gets the top actors to underplay their stardom and actually live & portray the characters is enviable. I’d love to be part of his process. And so the list goes on…….Actors I’d like to work with:
Tabu: She is the most natural actor I can think of. And I’m happy to see that we, as an industry, are able to offer her roles worthy enough for her.
Nawazuddin Siddique: He has been a revelation and can carry a film on his shoulder. Would be interesting to see him in some urban roles as well.
Ranvir Singh: Love the madness & mayhem he brings behind the scenes, yet carrying off the intensity & innocence on screen.
Parineeti Chopra: She is a bundle of talent & adrenaline and I’d love to see her explore herself more.
Saif Ali Khan: The timing of his comedy & romance is unparalleled and it would be a great honour for me to get to work with him.
Irfan Khan: I don’t think there is any role that he can’t portray with ease & naturalness. It takes calibre to not show the hard work he puts into bringing a character to life. It would be such an enriching experience to work with him. These are just to name a few…….!

“Katti Batti happens to be one of those rare films that I am really satisfied with”: Imran Khan

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katti batti imran khan

Bollywood actor Imran Khan, who is going to back on the celluloid silver screen after almost 2 years, recently interacted with the media to promote his film ‘Katti Batti’ which also stars Kangana Ranaut. He spoke about an array of things. Here’s a small snippet from the conversation.

To set the ball rolling in your court, tell us what are expectations from ‘Katti Batti’ that is releasing this week?

You never know what to expect because that’s the reality of our business. For me, I have no sort of expectations. But it’s one of the rare films where I know that I’m really satisfied doing it.

Why do you consider ‘Katti Batti’ to be one of those rare films of your career?

You see there are so many variables & so many degrees of separation from the script to the day that the film releases that very often things get out of your hand & out of control and you end up with a film which you look at and be like ‘this is not what I signed for or this isn’t what I was planning for.’ But I strongly believe that ‘Katti Batti’ happens to be one of those rare films which has turned out to be exactly what I’d hoped for.

So are you contented with the way ‘Katti Batti’ has finally shaped up?

Of course I am totally contented. In fact I can look at the film from beginning to end and there is not a single frame that seems to me to be out of place. There was not a moment that I could say, ‘I wish I could fix this or I wish I could change that’. So that way your personal satisfaction is very rare.

Did you get this satisfactory feeling even with your previous films too?

You bet I’ve had this satisfactory feeling a couple of times before too, I felt that way about my other films too like ‘Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na’, ‘Delhi Belly & also ‘Ek Main Aur Ek Tu’. So getting that feeling is quite lovely.

How about revealing your feelings of sharing the celluloid screen space with Kangana Ranaut?

It would sound very cliched if say that it was real great fun to share the celluloid screen space with her. In fact I would say that she is full of volcanic histrionics that’s ever ready to erupt the moment she faces the arc lights. So for me it was a great challenge to match her talent frame by frame.

And what would you say about your captain of the ship Nikhil Advani?

Oh! Come on! Nikhil is an accomplished director in his own right. He does not need words of praises from his actors per se. He has already proved his directorial worth time & again. Lastly I would say that more than the captain of the ship, Nikhil is a great buddy both on & off the sets.

As a parting shot please clarify whether it is true that your Uncle Aamir Khan had literally asked the director Nikhil Advani to tone down few of the dialogues of the film ‘Katti Batti’?

In this regard I would like to state that Aamir had a very interesting point and this is something that developed without even us realising it. Nikhil & my tendency is a little more urban, so in our making the film natural & organic, a lot of English lines had come in. On the other hand Aamir had said something interesting that our story, our emotional thread is very broad -based, it’s not an urban sentiment only, the heart is broad – based. So if people understand all the dialogues, they’ll all like it. He said that you are excluding an audience just because you’re saying things in a language they don’t understand. He then left it to our choice. Since Aamir had a point there, they tweaked a few dialogues into Hindi while dubbing. As we’d already shot it, so while dubbing we’ve tweaked some of the lines into Hindi. Specifically the plot points, any point that comprehension would be an issue where you’re revealing something relevant to the story & plot. All of those scenes we’ve particularly made sure that they’re in Hindi so that we don’t disconnect. It had not occurred to Nikhil or me and it’s these little things which make a difference between all of us watching it & liking it and even my driver, who represents a section of common layman cine goers, actually liked watching it and getting all of it. And I hope that the audiences too like it. That’s it!

Manoj Bajpayee invited to attend a charity function in Houston by Magic Bus

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Manoj Bajpayee Aligarh

Manoj Bajpayee, who has been in the news lately for his upcoming movie ‘Aligarh’ which is going to prominent festivals like the Busan International Film Festival & BFI London Film Festival, is currently garnering a lot of appreciation from his national as well as international fans.

The actor, who has created a great impact in Indian Cinema due to his outstanding acting skills, is slowly making way to become an international icon too. In the past, Manoj has been invited by many remarkable social events, displaying his social side towards society but now the actor has got a special invitation beyond the boundaries. Manoj Bajpayee has been invited as the chief guest for a fund raising charity event in USA organised by the notable NGO – ‘Magic Bus’.

Confirming the news, Manoj Bajpayee said, “I am completely overwhelmed and honoured to be part of such an amazing event, which is a fund raiser for under privileged kids. It feels great to represent India and do my bit towards the society”.

Movie Review: ‘Hero’ is totally disappointing

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hero

Banner: Salman Khan Films
Producer: Salman Khan & Subhash Ghai
Director: Nikhil Advani
Cast: Sooraj Pancholi, Athiya Shetty, Aditya Pancholi, Chetan Hansraj, Vivaan Bhatena, Sharad Kelkar, Tigmanshu Dhulia et al
Music: Amaal Mallik, Meet Bros Anjjan & Sachin – Jigar

Director Subhash Ghai, the original showman of Bollywood, has given many memorable & unforgettable classic films as a filmmaker. And one of them was the 80’s film ‘Hero’ starring Jackie Shroff & Meenakshi Sheshadri. In fact it was a picture perfect film in all aspects & respects. But this week’s ‘Hero’, starring debutantes Sooraj Pancholi (son of Aditya Pancholi) & Athiya Shetty (daughter of Suniel Shetty), a remake of the original ‘Hero’ directed by Nikhil Advani & produced by Salman Khan is one big let down in all aspects & respects.

The plotted scenario of ‘Hero’ starts off with a normal day in Mumbai, which is followed by the ‘heroic’ entry of Sooraj (Sooraj Pancholi) who is an extremely ‘large hearted’ ‘gunda’ who cannot see pains & sufferings. So, when the villainous Changezi (Chetan Hansraj) and his henchmen torture the helpless, Sooraj stages a heroic entry and beats the henchmen black & blue. Sooraj’s friends aka his ‘partners in crime’, who are dead against his large heartedness, convince him to go clubbing to celebrate. That’s when Sooraj meets the free spirited Radha (Athiya Shetty). It is in the club where Sooraj picks up a dance only in order to prove Radha that they are in no way ‘Losers’. He also lands up fighting with Radha’s ‘pile – on’ boyfriend and saves her from being dragged along with him. All of this impresses Radha very much and she almost falls in love with him instantly! On the other hand, Radha’s father (Tigmanshu Dhulia), an Inspector General of Police, is on a war path & at loggerheads against Pasha (Aditya Pancholi), who has been imprisoned for being the mastermind in the killing of a journalist. Despite repeated attempts of requests & tortures, when Pasha refuses to budge, the IG declares that he has hardcore evidence against Pasha which will nail him forever. That’s when Pasha tells his ‘protege’ Sooraj to kidnap Radha, but keep her safely. Not the one to negate his ‘Baba’s’ (as Sooraj fondly calls Pasha) words, Sooraj immediately sets into action and disguises himself as a ‘police – escort’ and kidnaps Radha and takes her to a snow clad area. As time passes by, Sooraj & Athiya fall for each other. And when Athiya comes to know about Sooraj’s background, she convinces him to reform his life using the ‘Control + Alt + Delete’ formula and ‘Enter’ into a new life.

Its very sad but true that director Nikhil Advani the great has totally butchered the film with not even one redeeming factor to lure the audiences to the cinema halls and word of mouth of publicity will drive the final nail in the box office coffin. Not only this Nikhil Advani the great has even put a dampner on the future filmic career of debutantes namely Suraj Pancholi & Athiya Shetty. In short if Subhash Ghai’s ‘Hero’ kept you hooked & mesmerised through out the film then Nikhil Advani’s ‘Hero’ leaves you cold & frustrated right from the word go. Subhash Ghai’s evergreen movie ‘Hero’ is still alive in cine goers memory but Nikhil Advani’s ever forgetful ‘Hero’ has the potential to die its natural death once you step out of the darkened auditorium.

Performance wise too there’s nothing much to be happy about as Sooraj Pancholi has an attractive screen presence topped with a great physique which girls & girlish boys would love to die for. In short Sooraj has done a great job in the action sequences. But otherwise he sleep walks through the film with one stoic expression pasted on his countenance. Athiya Shetty is one more addition to the glam gals of the tinsel town. Besides both Sooraj Pancholi & Athiya Shetty will have miles to travel in the histrionics arena to prove their worth. While the other performers act can be described in just one word like Tigmanshu Dhulia is miscast, Sharad Kelkar is decent, Aditya Pancholi is okay and last but not the least Vivan Bhatena is spell binding.

Tail Piece: Strictly recommended for die hard Salman Khan fans and even those who are a part of his fan club.

Nasheman.in interviews Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh

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“I am 100% sure that ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’ will enjoy a riproaringly run away success, which was never before seen in the history of world cinema” – Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh

A few years back when ‘MSG – The Messenger’ was released it had created quite an uproar and Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh had gained an instant limelight. Then there was silence on his front. And now once again a couple of years down the line the same kind of frenzy is witnessed amongst the people as soon as they came to know about the imminent release of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s 2nd film namely ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’. But this time round Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has donned the multiple roles thereby sharing credits in most of the departments of the film ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’. The 1st movie ‘MSG – The Messenger’ had motivated the youths in the right directions. The movie had touched the figure of 1650 millions, in earnings.

To begin with tell us whether your 2nd movie ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’ an action or a thriller movie?

I would say that ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’ is basically a thriller movie but one which is rich in action & suspense.

What are main objectives of your 2nd movie ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’?

Once again I would like to state that. My 2nd movie ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’ aims to motivate the masses, once again, against wicked conventions like the marriage of under aged daughters in backward regions or backward society, discard corruption & discourage exploitation through child labour. Actually speaking ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’ is based upon the improvements in the lifestyle of tribal people. They were provided with scientific knowledge about the ill effects of non – vegetarian meals, tobacco and other intoxicants. The movie shows the righteous transformation in their existing living conditions.

It seems that more than 1.3 million artistes had participated in ‘MSG – The messenger’. How many skilled performers are playing their role in ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’?

The number of artistes has reached the same level as in ‘MSG: The messenger’. In the new movie ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’, there are a good number of eminent scenes & songs in which many performers were required.

Is it true that certain professional artistes were also being engaged for ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’?

No, mostly new youth performers had been encouraged. Certain original tribal people are also participating as per the requirement in the movie. But yes the role of a major villain is being played by Amit who had already performed the role of “Duryodhana” in the religiously devotional small screen serial “Mahabharata”.

Your 1st movie ‘MSG – The Messenger’ has been very successful despite lack of your professional training as an actor. Comment on its huge success.

It has all been due to the blessings of God – The Almighty. Although we did not possess any professional training in acting but worked with virtuous intentions. By and by people realise your morale & consciousness, you shall definitely acquire success if your perceptions are right.

You intended to give eminent message to the masses through your debut movie namey ‘MSG – The Messenger’. Do you feel satisfied with the extent of public response?

We as a whole team certainly feel contented that the desired message has reached scores people through the movie ‘MSG – The messenger’. Many persons have discarded the use of cigarette & intoxicants after watching the movie and many more have thrown away the narcotics even in our presence. We feel delighted on the fulfilment of our noble objectives. It is quite astonishing that one person has even arranged a marriage with a prostitute under the influence of the said movie.

Why was the film not been released in Punjab, even when the people in Punjab had a great desire for the release of the movie in their state?

It would have been beneficial if the movie had been released in Punjab. But of course the people of that state went to other nearby states to enjoy the movie because it proved useful for persons belonging to different religions & sections of the society.

The names of politicians are getting projected in the groups of drug mafia now a days, where as they should develop the responsibilities of performing the noble tasks?

Be that as it maybe. I would only like to state that dealings with all the narcotics should be banned as these damages the very fortune of the present generation. Business personnel can invest their wealth & earn better in other fields. People can also get involved in the cultivation & trading of medicines as well.

Your involvement in the composition & projection of a movie is bringing dual improvements, firstly, you are motivating for the relinquishment of social evils and secondly you are promoting the atmosphere for the exhibition of movies with noble intention & thoughts. Your kind message is solicited for the persons linked with the movie?

You see ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’ is exhibiting the romance angle as well, which was not prevalent in our 1st movie ‘MSG – The Messenger’. It also includes a good love song based on the lives of tribals but it is not indecent. I sincerely feel that the film industry should compose movies with healthy concepts so that parents, their daughters or even the entire family can collectively view the movies. Actors & actresses may perform action & romance but they should induce positive thoughts in youth because they consider them as character icons. Besides I also feel that artistes should earn their name & fame in graceful manners

Does ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’ also include stunts performed by you?

‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’ certainly contains a good number of real stunts. All these stunt actions have been performed not only by me but also by many other artiste as well and mind you not by any duplicate members.

What were the number of languages being used for the audition of the movie ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’?

Frankly speaking only 2 languages namely Hindi & English, for the time being. Actually speaking the film ‘MSG – The Messenger’ has been successful in creating a new record on the occasion of film promotion program organised on 16th Jan, 2015 where the function was attended by about 1 lakh 50 thousand people. Mahesh Kaushik presented the certificates, medals & trophies in praise of establishing Indian books & Asian book records. Till this date the film has 1650 Million and the movie was released in 4000 PVR cinemas and the income generated will be spent for research on Thalassemia. I am sure the collective incomes of the 2 films namely ’MSG – The Messenger’ & ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’ shall prove to be a boon for the patients suffering from Thalassemia. So the income procured from the movie shall be invested for the research to uproot the cause of Thalassemia.

One last thing, what are your expectations from your 2nd movie ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’?

I think that just like ‘MSG – The Messenger’ even the 2nd movie ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’ will be received with open arms & with extreme warmth by the global audiences and I am 100% sure that it will enjoy a rip roaringly run away success perhaps which was never before seen in the history of the world cinema.

Movie Review: ‘Welcome Back’ is a fun filled rollercoaster ride of full on entertainment

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welcome back

Banner: Base Industries Group
Producer: Firoz Nadiadwala
Director: Anees Bazmee
Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, John Abraham, Nana Patekar, Anil Kapoor, Shruti Haasan, Ankita Shrivastava, Shiney Ahuja, Paresh Rawal, Dimple Kapadia, Sakshi Maggo, Lauren Gottlieb, Reema Debnath, Supriya Karnik, Rajpal Yadav, Neeraj Vora, & Surveen Chawla
Music: Meet Bros Anjjan, Anu Malik & Abhishek Ray

Director Anees Bazmee certainly needs no special introduction as far as his mainstream filmic career goes. So much so that he has indeed delivered hit after hit films in the mainstream arena. Unlike certain director’s films you don’t have to leave your brains behind at home to watch an Anees Bazmee stamped film. And now almost more than half a decade later he has carried forward the legacy of the prequel ‘Welcome’ by bringing back its picture perfect, as far as a full on entertainment for one & all is concerned, sequel as his latest offering ‘Welcome Back’.

The intricately plotted scenario of ‘Welcome Back’ starts off with the picturesque Dubai and the grand entry of the ‘now – transformed – but – still -unmarried’ Uday Shetty (Nana Patekar) & Majnu Pandey (Anil Kapoor). Just as these dons start enjoying their reformed ‘clean’ lives as respectable members of society, there enters Babita aka Rajkumari Chandni (Ankita Shrivastava) and her gorgeous mother Poonam aka Maharani (Dimple Kapadia). Even though they claim to be the princess & Maharani of Najafgadh, the actual fact remains that they are thugs of the highest order whose main motive is to con rich men and siphon off their money. Unaware of their background, Uday & Majnu fall in love with the Rajkumari, so much so that there comes a situation when their best friendship is at stake. Just when Uday & Majnu initiate their matrimonial meet with Rajkumari & Maharani, there enters Uday’s ‘poor’ father (Nana Patekar in a double role), who ‘thrusts’ the responsibility of his daughter Ranjhana’s (Shruti Haasan) marriage to Uday & Majnu. Seizing this opportunity, Maharani lays a condition that her ‘princess’ daughter’s wedding with either Majnu or Uday will happen only after Ranjhana’s wedding. In the meantime, due to certain circumstances & situational misunderstandings, Ranjhana falls in love with Ajju bhai (John Abraham) who is a Mumbai based goon and also Dr. Ghungroo (Paresh Rawal)’s step son from Mrs. Ghungroo (Supriya Karnik). In order to create a good impression before Uday & Majnu, Ajju ‘disguises’ himself as a decent, sober, well -mannered guy when he comes to Dubai. But when Uday & Majnu discover Ajju’s true identity, all hell breaks loose and they seek the help of the deadly Wanted Bhai (Naseeruddin Shah) in order to eliminate Ajju. Things take an unexpected u – turn when they realise that Wanted Bhai’s only son (Shiney Ahuja) is not just a drug addict, but also blindly in love with Ranjhana and thereafter a comedy of errors is what forms the crux of the film.

Director Anees Bazmee certainly deserves kudos for his multiple efforts in putting up such a magnitude of film with an ensemble cast of 9 actors who are stars in their own right. The lovers of ‘Welcome’ will definitely lap up its franchise namely ‘Welcome Back’. I can safely vouch for the fact that it is a fun filled laughriot, in fact a rollercoaster ride of full on entertainment, all through the way. Besides its production values are lavish beyond imagination. Not to forget the fact that it has been shot at a very grand & most expensive locales of Dubai. And now for the ‘Kamzor Kadi’ of the film is that of a lack of a proper script which is why the film wavers at time like it is cruising on a speed breaker. But still Anees Bazmee succeeds in holding the cine goers interest by conceiving most of the non – stop hilarious scenes that keeps you in splits right till the end and the masses leave the auditorium clamouring for more. I won’t reveal those scenes and spoil your fun. In fact the highlight of the film are its comedy tracks & one – liners. A due credit also goes to its behind the scenes men namely the film’s action by Abbas Ali Moghul, “Climax” scenes conceived by Firoz Nadiadwallah, cinematography by Kabir Lal, editing by Steven Bernard,  dialogues by Raaj Shaandilyaa and above all not to forget its brilliant background score by the Late Aadesh Srivastava & musical scores by Meet Bros Anjaan, Annu Malik and above all Abhishek Ray for whom ‘Welcome Back’ happens to be his 1st musically super hit experience in the mainstream arena.

Performance wise I would like to add that every actor of ‘Welcome Back’ has tried to grab the cine goers eyeballs. But with due respect the credit goes to all the performers for having delivered their act with finesse even at the cost of hamming at the right places in the appropriate situations. But of course the top scorers are the inimitable pair of Nana Patekar & Anil Kapoor who literally bring the roof down everytime they grace the screen with their comically interluded histrionics. Next in line memorable act comes from the supremely talented Naseeruddin Shah & Paresh Rawal, Need I say anything more about the quartet of actors mentioned above. Amongst the younger generation of actors it is John Abraham who has delivered an outstanding act as the typical Mumbaiyya Tapori’. He is too good to be true both as a sane guy as well as a tapori and for once he did not have to flaunt his innerwear a la ‘Dostana’. That apart it is a real pity to see a once extremely talented actress Dimple Kapadia ham away to glory in each & every scene. Next in line in the ladies brigade are Shruti Haasan & debutant Ankita Shrivastava who had nothing much to do against the entirely male brigade show but yet they both succeeded in putting up a decently applaudable act. And last but not the least is Shiney Ahuja who has really impressed in his comeback role after having disappeared into oblivion due to his personal life controversy.

Tail Piece: For all lovers of the earlier film ‘Welcome’ I would just like to add that ‘Welcome Back’ to the party for a full on joyous ride of entertainment galore.

Movie Review: ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’ is once again an interesting film with a message

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MSG 2 - The Messenger

Banner: Hakikat Entertainment Pvt Ltd
Producer: Hakikat Entertainment Pvt Ltd
Director: Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh
Cast: Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, Arpit Ranka, Honeypreet Insan, CharanPreet Insan, Shan – E – Meet Insan, Rooh – E -Meet Insan, Rohit Khurana, Kainaat Toor, Sukhwinder Singh & Sahil Insan
Music: Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh & Abhijit Vaghani

The duo of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh & Jeetu Arora have now come up with their latest offering namely ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’ which happens to be a sequel to the 2015 film ‘MSG: The Messenger’. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh & Jeetu Arora have once again tackled a message oriented theme. ‘MSG: The Messenger’ was indeed a well made & hugely successful film & the director duo hopes to achieve the same kind of success with the sequel ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’.

In brief the plotted scenario of ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’ revolves around the theme of the reformation of the tribals from their alienated lives in jungles to the mainstream social life. And how the protagonist Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, one of the director of ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’, succeeds in his mission forms the crux of the story.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh had completely shocked the cine goers with his maiden religiously devotional attempt in ‘MSG – The Messenger’. And now he, along with Jeetu Arora, has repeated his earlier successful feat in ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’. So the masses will be in sync with the latest ”MSG 2 – The Messenger’ too, but will it have the same entertainingly preachy influence on the classy audiences remains to be seen.

Performance wise Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is the centre of attraction all through the film and he has been adequately supported by his remaining startcast comprising of Arpit Ranka, Honeypreet Insan, CharanPreet Insan, Shan – E – Meet Insan, Rooh – E -Meet Insan, Rohit Khurana, Kainaat Toor, Sukhwinder Singh & Sahil Insan

Tail Piece: Go for it as, if you have enjoyed the prequel namely ‘MSG – The Messenger’ then you will surely enjoy the sequel ‘MSG 2 – The Messenger’.

Producer Dhananjay Galani on his upcoming film ‘Tere Jism Se Jaan Tak’

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Nataliya Kozhenova

In a recent meeting producer Dhanjay Galani gave a few insights into his upcoming film ‘Tere Jism Se Jaan Tak’. He averred, “My upcoming film namely Lavlin Films ‘Tere Jism Se Jaan Tak’ is all set to release in Oct, 2015. It has been produced by myself & Rajjab Ali Khan & directed by Raj Dayal. It has  cinematography by Monty, editing by Shiva Bayyappa & music composed by Sushil Pendhari. It stars Natalia KoZhenva, Vinit Kakar, Shilpa Sharma, Ramesh Goyal & myself in a cameo role. This film happens to be my heroine Nataliya Kozhenova most favourite film and she really loved working for ‘Tere Jism Se Jaan Tak’.”

Dhananjay continued further, “After hearing the script of ‘Tere Jism Se Jaan Tak’ from me, Nataliya was so impressed & moved by the script that she immediately confirmed to work and gave a letter of intent to me to shoot the said script of ‘Tere Jism Se Jaan Tak’  with her as a leading Lady. Later on I signed her opposite Vinit Kakar & Shilpa Sharma and the films 2 Songs & major scenes were shot with Nataliya, Vinit Kakar, Shilpa Sharma et al. Her Character in ‘Tere Jism Se Jaan Tak’ moves from positive to negative. And yes she literally liked the movie, and God Bless, the movie becomes a hit. In fact she is willing to do any kind of roles as being an actress she does not have any reservations or even any restrictions whatsoever. But of course she is not ok with the role of a mother or such other roles. She also feels that Raj Dayal is a really nice director and that he is very calm & patient. It’s very important to get an understanding with the team during the shooting. So yes she thinks that he is really superb and this is all she said.”

As a parting shot Dhananjay added that, “Natalia also feels that I am a really nice guy but of course I am too much in a hurry. But still she was, in fact the entire was really happy with working in my film ‘Tere Jism Se Jaan Tak’.

Nasheman.in interviews music composer & singer Vijaya Shankar

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Vijaya Shankar

Vijaya Shankar, a crooner par excellence, has now stepped into the arena of musical composition. She recently had a musically oriented interactive session with Nasheman.in, reliving her illustrious musical journey. Present here with is the ad verbatim account in her own words. Time to tune in your musical ears in pin drop silence.

“To set the ball rolling let me state that I was born in the city of Jamshedpur. Which also happens to be the city of the likes of actors Priyanka Chopra & R. Madhavan, director Imtiaz Ali & J D founder & CEO Mani. That apart after belting our scores super hit songs, now I am making my debut as a Bollywood music composer. Talking about my past musical roots I would like state that I was raised in Kolkata & Delhi wherein I was initiated into carnatic vocal training from an early age of 5. So at a very early stage I bagged the title of “Sangeeta Shironmani”, besides bagging a President Award in the musical arena. Later on I also took further training in Hindustani Semi Classical & Western Voice Culture to maintain the distinctive difference in each style of singing. And for that I owe it to all my musical Gurus.”

“And finally I made my entry into the Bollywoodian Mekkah by singing almost 2000 jingles that too in all the Indian languages including Sinhalese & Nepalese. And not to forget that I have also collaborated with musicians from UK, USA & Denmark. I have also sung the All Time hit number “Phir Mile Sur Mera Tumhara” and I take pride in having shared the vocal space with eminent singers like Shankar Mahadrvan, Shaan, Udit Narayan, Benny Dayal, Hamsika Iyer, Karthik, Vijay Yesudas, Dr. Balamurali Krishna, Kamal Hasan, Leslie et al.”

“To continue further I would like to state that I have also bagged the Kannada Akka Award as a promising vocalist for the year 2010. And besides being a vocal trainer & linguist writer I have also produced varied super hit albums for Times music like ‘Moksh’, ‘Mantras Of Shiva’, ‘Mukti Mantras’, ‘Garbha Raksha’ et al. As a singer I also have to my credit for singing in 440 volts by DJ Suketu & Srimanta Morya, sharing space with leading vocalists.”

“And at last I worked as an assistant music director for Kannada film ‘Double Decker’. I recently released my debut pop album “Teri Meri Raah” with music by Leslie Lewis. Incidentally speaking I am a composer & a crusader too. As I am also the social ambassador for Indian Development Foundation formerly known as Indian Leprosy Foundation, which also works towards the education for the under privileged, eradicating illness, women empowerment et al.”

“At present I am leading a cleanliness drive which I have named it as ‘Ek Chhotisi Koshish’ for which my society Indradarshan & also the nearby shop keepers are also lending me an able support. I have also appointed 4 sweeper who sweep my area & also the neighbourhood every evening and round the year. Not only these I am also in talks with the BMC to provide public toilets for men & women too. As she feels that there are multiplexes galore but not enough urinals in public places. I feel that sanitation & civic sense are very important for a country’s growth & development.”

And summing up her pearls of wisdom on public health et al, Nasheman.in would like to state that watch out for her just released film, as a debut music composer ‘Baankey Ki Crazy Baraat’ directed by Aijaz Khan & produced by Anita Mani in which Vijaya Shankar has done some brilliant scoring and in which Sonu nigam has sung the “Baraat” song as peppy as the recent chartbursting song from ‘Queen’ namely “London Ka Thumaka”, which as per Sonu Nigam, would become a part of every wedding very soon.

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