Chances are you haven’t seen the new video called Chor of the Pakistani rock band co-Ven. Chances are that the channels you get on your local cable will not be showing, under any circumstances, any of the versions of this video. Chances are you haven’t been using the internet proxy sites needed to access Youtube where the three different cuts of the video reside. Well, allow me to begin by describing it.
The song’s lyrics condemn society’s chors, decrying their greed and depravity. The condemnation is at the heart of the song, which is why its video initially appears to be contradictory, as all three versions are essentially images of the band performing at a mujra, which is being attended by a gaggle of unsavoury, unkempt and unabashed men. While the video doesn’t really compare in terms of scandal levels to an average Bollywood item number, social media doyens have been calling it the ‘most shocking Pakistani pop video’ ever.

Of course, there is no objective metric available for gauging that claim, but I would venture that it doesn’t really come close. Plenty of pop songs have women in more revealing clothes and dance moves (Nirma in Jab Larki Jawan Ho Jati Hai, Mathira’s ‘songs’) and there have been more subversive themes in other videos as well, including one Najam video from the 90s which seemed to show Iraj castrating her rapist.

But I think the Chor video is very important for another reason — it fits into a vein of Pakistani visual culture which for varying reasons is rarely seen anymore. In order to understand this context, let’s zoom out a bit, and start with films.

South Asian films are often referred to as ‘masala’ films, owing to the fact that they involve a mixture of several genres and themes in the same story. The masala film’s central discussion is on right and wrong, and characters are often very simple and easy to identify in terms of whether they are good or bad. In all these features, the South Asian masala film carries on the traditions of the oral narrative — religious epics and folk tales that used to be the primary means of social entertainment and guidance.

The narrative in a masala film inevitably begins with a disruption in the moral universe of the film — someone gets killed/wronged/falls in love with the wrong person etc and the film comes to a conclusion when said disruption is resolved and a new equilibrium is reached. But during this process of moral disruption, something very interesting happens.

As the academic R Vasudevan (1989) writes, “within the apparently clear moral universe of the [South Asian] melodrama there is an ambivalence which addresses the forbidden fears, anxieties and pleasures afforded by the narrative.” In other words, while the disruption in the moral universe occurs, the film/narrative is allowed to show things which would normally be forbidden by the morality the film itself upholds. To give some basic examples, risque songs and forbidden romances are allowed during these disruptions.

Let’s take the 1976 film Society Girl directed by, and starring, Sangeeta. The film shows the ‘Society Girl’ as someone who is deplorable and condemnable, yet in order to make that statement, it also has many scenes showing her dancing in skimpy dresses and delivering salacious lines to her one-night stands.

At first, this strategy seemed curious and hypocritical. Why would a film condemn something that it is showing itself? If what is being shown is condemnable, then surely it would make sense to not show anything like it, rather than going through the effort of finding an actress, dressing her in such clothes, giving her raunchy lines and seductive gazes, and eventually condemning all of it.

However, if we reconsider Vasudevan’s words here, we realise that such contradictory ideas are shown so that they are rejected eventually. In essence, the formula seems to be that you show the contradictory, condemn it and preach conformity.

The best way to understand this formula is through romances in masala films. Almost inevitably, the romance falls foul of the morality inherent in the film. Either the guy-girl are from different socio-economic classes, or their parents/families/clans are at war, or simply, they are conducting pre-marital friendships, which is ‘wrong’ in and of itself. Yet, by the end of the film, with the villains defeated and good triumphant, the couple’s romance is given the blessings of the elders, their union sanctified through the institution of marriage, and hence their relationship goes from being condemnable to an idea of conformity.

This strategy suffered from an intriguing dilemma in the 80s. The financial and moral policing of the film industry, coupled with the runaway success of the gandasa-action-hero genre, led to a change in films. Despite the censors, and the state, becoming more sanctimonious a cursory overview of film songs from the 80s as compared to earlier decades would show that these were becoming far more risque.

Yet at the same time, this increasing raunchiness largely became the sole purview of the heroine/female characters. They were the ones shown to be gyrating in suggestive, and often soaking wet, outfits while the heroes would scowl while stoically standing and resisting the seductions of their lady. While the early 90s saw a brief resurgence of the dancing hero, these soon returned to scowling mode. In essence, a more conservative society seemed to be producing, or demanding, greater contradictions.

During this era, we also saw the ‘golden age’ of television dramas on PTV, and later, NTM/STN. Inevitably, these also displayed morality as a prime motivator for the narrative, employing a strategy which the blogger/critic Umair Javed describes as ‘reflection and reform through awareness.’ As you can tell, this is a variant on the strategy being employed in films, but the subversive, risque elements were toned down, if not removed altogether in favour of more family-friendly depictions and nudge-wink insinuations. Consequently, films started losing a lot of their credibility, and were increasingly seen as vacuous and corrupt, particularly in comparison to TV dramas. Crucially, the nuance required to appreciate the condemn-conform strategy was also being lost, as both filmmakers and their audiences reacted to the prevailing social situation in contrasting ways.

Let’s pause here and return to the co-Ven video once more. Seen in the light of the discussion above, the video can no longer be seen merely as a scandalous mujra. Instead, it can be argued that the dancing women serve to condemn the ‘chors’ shown in the video. While the women are in complete, and stunning, control of their bodies — as well as their audience — the men are totally out of control, barely being able to contain themselves, before descending into outright violence by the end.

So why is this video seen as a desi strip-tease, instead of a commentary condemning chors?

The answer lies in our innate ability to criticise any local art form if it doesn’t subscribe to our perceived cultural values. A Pakistani art form must carry all the imagined morality of the entire nation, thus Pakistani songs can’t be subversive, Pakistani heroines can’t be sexy, a Pakistani stage show can’t be vulgar and Pakistani dramas cannot show Western or Indian values. By lumping our cultural products with these expectations, we break their ability to follow the condemn/conform strategy. Now, they are not allowed to show anything contradictory to perceived cultural values, even if the purpose of showing such things is to condemn them.
This doesn’t mean that our society no longer wants these “forbidden fears, anxieties and pleasures” to be articulated. Instead, we get our fix by turning to Indian films and Turkish dramas, which are desi enough in the fact that they have morality as a central drive for their narratives, and yet are foreign enough not to be laden with the burden of showcasing our moral values.

And therein lies the tragedy of the reception that “Chor” has gotten. Instead of being understood as a clever and traditional (yes, traditional) way of condemning society’s vices, it is seen — by both its supporters and detractors — as a daring attempt to show skin in Talibanistan. In essence, it shows our decreasing intellectual capacity as an audience, where we are no longer able to understand art beyond its most literal interpretations. We’re left hanging between either this “Nangi aurat? Haw haye” or this “Nangi aurat? Hooray, we’re defeating the Taliban!”

Well, here is my humble yet clearly condescending opinion. Those of us obsessed with being titillated or shocked by the video, and those of us seeking to enjoy it as an example of liberal values translating into empty materialism, and those of us who hate/love it as something that pushes our outrage button, are in effect the chors the video refers to.

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, March 3^rd, 2013.

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LOS ANGELES: Film-maker Steven Spielberg will head the jury of 66th edition of the Cannes International Film Festival.

The director will oversee the panel at the French event, which will start May 15 and conclude, May 26, reports guardian.co.uk.

Spielberg, whose Sugarland Express and ET premiered at the festival more than 30 years ago, writes, “My admiration for the steadfast mission of the festival to champion the international language of movies is second to none.”

“The most prestigious of its kind, the festival has always established the motion picture as a cross cultural and generational medium,” he adds.

“For over six decades, Cannes has served as a platform for extraordinary films to be discovered and introduced to the world. It is an honour and a privilege to preside over the jury of a festival that proves, again and again, that cinema is the language of the world.”

Spielberg, who takes the reins from Italian writer-director-producer Nanni Moretti, who most recently directed Lincoln, which festival organisers noted as a box office hit in France.

Festival president Gilles Jacob said he has spent years trying to get Spielberg on board, but the film-maker has been too busy to accept the offer.

“Steven Spielberg is a Cannes regular with his movies Sugarland Express and Color Purple, but it was ET that screened as a world premiere in 1982 and resulted in good relations,” he said.

“Ever since, I’ve often asked Steven to be jury president, but he has always been shooting a film. So when this year I was told ‘ET, phone home’, I understood and immediately replied, ‘At last!’.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2013.                   

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“Passion has inspired us to make this film,” says Nawaz. The film-makers hope to provide a series of firsts to the new commercial cinema scene that has been developing over the last year. Nawaz has a prominent role in the film, from being the writer, lyricist and actor to also putting together a talented cast and producing the film.

“I believe if the team you are working with has credibility, people will support the film,” explains Nawaz. “We have the technology but right now we are limited when it comes to post-production.”

He also shares that it was important to complete Chambaili in Pakistan because the film circuit for multi-plexes is limited to 25 cinemas and distribution opportunities are relatively limited. Nawaz also says that Chambaili’s release date will be announced later this month.

“We wanted to make sure that when the public sees the film, our characters  remain bigger than the actors,” he says. “This is an independent film — a small effort to bring a bigger idea to life; it’s two years of work.”

The film is about a group of friends who find themselves at crossroads. It is set in a fictitious country and revolves around the themes of change and struggle. Without being specific to issues in Pakistan, the film hopes to connect with issues facing the region as whole. Highlighting the notion of freedom, Chambaili promises to be a modern day patriotic film.

“I remember the time when August 14 used to be a big thing; we would see a lot more flags. Even today, I have observed that it has somehow become fashionable to be unpatriotic,” says Nawaz. “I see this as a project of hope.”

The film has included several new actors, such as model Mehreen Syed who is also playing a role alongside Nawaz. The star-studded cast includes distinguished theatre actor Umair Rana and several veteran actors such as Shafqat Cheema and Hamza Abbasi. The surprise inclusion in the film is Salmaan Peerzada, who will be acting in a Pakistani film for the first time in his long career. He was signed on following an audition.

“Since it [Chambaili] is our first feature film, we had funds to bring in new faces,” says Jilani. “We have a good balance between some known faces and some new ones.” Jilani explains that while there are several issues with the infrastructure of the Pakistani film industry, he is sure that the audiences will like the film.

“Like most film-makers, we also had to start from scratch,” says Jilani. “But this is definitely not an ordinary film, it will give hope to other film-makers.”

Meanwhile, the film’s OST launch is looking to connect with a global audience as it will be streamed live via the internet. The recent release of music video Dil Bolay, sung by Kamran Saggu featuring Salwa and directed by Najam Sheraz, has created a stir in the music scene. Chambaili is also one of the few films in which qawwali has been included on the soundtrack.

“There will be no picturised songs, instead we will have montages and music that is part of the film itself — not the way its seen in Bollywood,” says Nawaz.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2013.                   

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Bollywood star-couple Kajol and Ajay Devgn are likely to team up for a film.

The two have earlier paired up for films including Hulchul, Pyaar Toh Hona Hee Tha, Raju Chacha, Dil Kya Kare and U Me aur Hum. “We are working on something for Kajol, but let’s see if we are together or not. We should get the right kind of script to come together,” said Devgn.

“We are planning something but I can’t talk about it right now. When the time is right we will talk about it and let you all know,” he told the Hindustan Times. “It’s too early to talk about it.”

Devgn might produce the film as well as act in it. The 43-year-old actor will be seen next in Sajid Khan’s remake of Himmatwala opposite southern actor Tamannah.

Kajol was last seen in a prominent role in director-producer Karan Johar’s We Are Family.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2013.                   

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Directed by Craig Zobel, Compliance definitely ratchets up the tension level in subtle degrees of gradation, like a frog placed in a pot that goes from warm to boiling.

Much of the discomfort comes from the claustrophobic atmosphere as the action takes place in one setting, at a slow pace, with very few scene changes. The opening scene is at a fast food restaurant staffed by teenagers and managed by a woman who is stern but fair. The whole episode is a flashback to Milgram’s experiment on obedience, and the title of the movie seems to be a nod to that. Worse, it’s based on true events, with little narrative deviation from the actual crimes.

At the humdrum ChickWich restaurant, the local manager Sandra (Ann Dowd) receives a call from a police officer accusing one of the employees, Becky, of stealing money from a customer’s purse. While the police officer is busy searching Becky’s home, he instructs Sandra to call her to the office. Sandra summons young Becky (Dreama Walker), who is under the illusion that this is about a previous freezer accident at the restaurant, and lo and behold, she fits the description of a thief. Sandra seems to have a hard time fathoming how Becky could have done it. Still, she carries on with her apparent civic duty to comply.
Officer Daniels (Pat Healy) demands that the manager keep the young employee in her sight at all times. He presumes guilt without formal charges, and gives orders that violate Becky’s privacy. Gradually, he moves from being stubborn to verbally abuse and perverse. One is left wondering whether the real issue at hand here is the pathology of power.
Soon, things don’t seem to add up. Standard police protocol isn’t being followed, and we are left wondering whether the cop has some ulterior motive because Becky seems innocent and there’s no proof against her.

What is most disturbing about the movie is that it shows how our normally sound instinct to trust authority figures can work against us. It’s not just that a girl is victimized, but that good people with fair intentions can let this happen. It speaks volumes about our human condition and about the relativity of morality. It raises self-awareness in the viewer about the price of complicity. The potential lessons learned can, perhaps, redeem the film of its squirminess.

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, March 3^rd, 2013.

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LOS ANGELES: Jack the Giant Slayer, the first big-budget action film of the year, was anything but a killer at the weekend box office.

Jack, a retelling of the Jack and the Beanstalk fairy tale, earned the number one spot on domestic box office charts with $28 million in ticket sales in US and Canadian theatres, according to studio estimates compiled by Reuters on Sunday.

But that was an underwhelming start for a 3D movie that cost $189 million to produce, plus tens of millions more to market.

Jack the Giant Slayer also grossed $13.7 million from 1,824 screens in 10 Asian markets.

Comedy movie Identity Thief took in $9.7 million to capture second place, and new adult comedy 21 and Over, finished in third place on domestic charts with $9 million in ticket sales from Friday through Sunday.

Low-budget horror sequel The Last Exorcism Part II took fourth slot with $8 million, according to studio estimates.

Jack clearly was not a great opening by any means, said Phil Contrino, vice president/chief analyst with boxoffice.com.

“But I wouldn’t rush to call the film a financial flop just yet because overseas growth can really save a movie,” Contrino said. “And I feel that this is a movie that could do really well in other territories and make up for the fact that the North American haul was a little bit underwhelming.”

The movie stars Nicholas Hoult as a young farmer who ventures into the land of the giants to save a kidnapped princess. The film received a mixed reception from critics. As of Friday, 49% of reviews recommended the movie on aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes.

Warner Bros believes Jack will perform well in overseas markets as it opens in more countries in the coming weeks. International sales, particularly for action movies, can run twice as high or more.

“It was within the range of our expectations,” Jeff Goldstein, vice president theatrical distributions at Warner Bros, said about the film’s domestic weekend performance.

“We know that this is a global picture and the technology and the special effects will really drive this movie internationally,” he added.

Global takings helped to push The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey over the billion dollar milestone at the worldwide box office during the weekend, making it only the 15th film in history to achieve the feat.

“We could not be more proud to have reached this amazing benchmark,” Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution of Warner Bros Pictures, said in a statement on Sunday.

Making back its budget

Jack the Giant Slayer was produced by Time Warner Inc-owned Warner Brothers and Legendary Entertainment, which partnered with Warner on hits including The Dark Knight trilogy and The Hangover series.

Two of last year’s films with bigger budgets flopped — Walt Disney Co’s $250 million Mars epic John Carter and the $209 million action movie Battleship from Comcast Corp’s Universal Pictures — forcing the companies to acknowledge financial losses.

Janney Montgomery Scott analyst Tony Wible, who compiles a database to project film performance, had estimated Jack would need to open with at least $25 million at US and Canadian theatres to make back its budget, not including marketing costs.

21 and Over, produced for $13 million, is a college party comedy about three friends who celebrate a 21st birthday on the night before a big exam. It was written by the screenwriters of The Hangover.

The Last Exorcism sequel follows the 2010 original about a minister who lets his demon-fighting be filmed by a documentary crew.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2013.                   

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NEW DEHLI: Twenty five years after it hit the screens, Mira Nair’s 1988 film Salaam Bombay!, which also bagged an Oscar nomination, is re-releasing March 22. The film-maker is “absolutely thrilled” with the news.

“It’s absolutely thrilling to bring Salaam Bombay! to a new generation of young people. The story is as alive today,” Nair said in a statement.

The movie is a gritty tale set in the red light district in Mumbai and chronicles the day-to-day life of street children, drug dealers and prostitutes. It follows the life of a young child, Krishna, who has come to the big city to earn INR500 and is nurturing the dream of going back to his mother someday.

The actors in the movie were real prostitutes and the street kids of the city, apart from some known names like Shafiq Syed, Irrfan, Raghuvir Yadav, Nana Patekar, Chanda Sharma and Anita Kanwar.

The movie, which won the National film award for best feature film in Hindi and even picked awards at the Cannes International Film Festival, is being brought back to theatres through PVR Director’s Rare. It is an alternative programming initiative of PVR Cinemas to support the theatrical release of critically acclaimed, independent films.

Salaam Bombay! will release in PVR Cinemas and Cinemax at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Pune and Gurgaon.

“The movie is a stunning chronicle that opened doors for Indian cinema globally. Through our platform PVR Director’s Rare, it is an excellent opportunity to revive Salaam Bombay! for today’s audiences,” said Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, joint managing director, PVR Ltd.

“Mira Nair has effectively captured the struggle of the street children and the true essence of a city like Mumbai. We hope to continue bringing such meaningful cinema to our patrons in the future too,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2013.                   

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The National Award winning actor seems to be following his resolution sincerely as in recent times he has been part of successful family entertainers such as the Golmaal series, Bol Bachchan and Son of Sardaar as well as an action-drama like Singham.

“I have decided not to do anything that you can’t watch with family. I don’t want to do any film, which has an A-certificate,” Ajay said in a group interview in Bhopal. The actor is shooting for Prakash Jha’s intense social drama Satyagraha in the City of Lakes.

“I was recently watching a Hindi film, and my father [action-director Veeru Devgan] got up and left,” said Devgn. “Later when I asked him where he went, he answered: ‘They were wearing such clothes so I thought you guys would be embarrassed watching it with me’. My father is from the film industry and if he can walk out [of a film], then you can imagine [how others must feel].”

Devgn denied all notions about a Bollywood film gaining success by showing obscenity. “I don’t want to do such films. It is a myth that if you would show vulgarity or kam kapade (skimpy dresses), the film will work,” said the actor.

As an audience, Devgn likes to watch all kind of films. “I watch commercial, family and happy films,” said the actor, adding that he also watches other films as long as they are interesting. “Recently I watched The Descendants — it was slow, but it grips you.” 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 7^th, 2013.

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Produced by Imran Raza Kazmi, the film includes actors from the local circuit in Islamabad such as Hareem Farooq, Qazi Jabbar and Ahmed Ali Akbar amongst several others. The screenplay has been written by Osman Khalid Butt, owner of Living Picture Productions.

Siyaah will be the actors’ first feature film.

In the actors’ shoes

“I have predominantly done comedy roles and for me, it’s always been more natural,” says Hareem Farooq, who is playing a serious role for the first time — a wife who cannot bear a child. “When I met Imran, I was sure that this film would be worthwhile — it’s because he had a plan, which is very important.” Farooq is a known name in theatre and has been acting for nearly five years. Her recent plays include Act 144 and Aangan Terrha.

Farooq admits the popularity she gained through her work in theatre and Siyaah have opened more doors for her, as well as for her co-stars. “Being an actor, it’s important for me to do character roles. It gives me space to play with and this has been the case in theatre as well,” she says. She has received TV show offers but will only jump into that stream of entertainment if the production quality is good.

When comparing theatre with cinema, Farooq feels that stage performances are much more exaggerated than those in films — acting in a film was more natural for her as it didn’t focus too much on body movements.

Another actor starring in the film is Qazi Jabbar whose first major play was in 2009; he has been involved in theatre since he was in school and reveals he featured in a couple of music videos as well.

“Everyone in this project is a newcomer but I know that each person has put in a lot of hard work,” says Jabbar, who plays the role of Farooq’s loving husband who is an architect by profession. “It was a collaborative effort — we all had to contribute whatever acting experience we had to ensure that the characters came out right.”

Jabbar explains the film plays on emotions; it shows a struggling couple who adopt a child and then eerie things begin to happen. “The Pakistani public is very emotional — the movie shows how relationships get strained by black magic and possessions by spirits,” he continues. “So there are different elements in the film.”

Ahmed Ali Akbar, who has worked closely with the play’s screenwriter Butt on a number on instances, has been doing theatre for some time now; he also appeared in the Urdu adaptation of Taming of the Shrew.

“If you look historically, a thriller has the longest shelf life when it comes to films,” says Akbar, adding that people normally pick up horror flicks at DVD stores. He plays the role of a young journalist who goes on X-Files like investigations and interviews Farooq, who has adopted a young girl.

“For a theatre actor, it’s always a little difficult to do films because you go in and out of characters so fast,” he adds.

Akbar feels the film’s biggest achievement is that it is releasing nationwide. “The problem is that we don’t have producers — people who can take films to the cinema,” he admits, adding that at least 15 to 20 films are currently under production in the country which shows that there isn’t a shortage of actors. “We are just short on producers.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 7^th, 2013.

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Correction: An earlier version of this article mistakenly mentioned Siyaah as a low-budget film. The error has been fixed.

MUMBAI: Actor Sanjeev Jaiswal, who portrayed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the sole surviving gunman of the Nov 26-29, 2008 Mumbai terror attack in the movie “The Attacks of 26/11″, has revealed that he started loathing himself while shooting for the film.

“I want to confess that I also hate Kasab as much as the whole of India. But for me, it was only like I have to just act,” Sanjeev said at a press conference here Wednesday.

“While portraying the character of Kasab, I hated myself,” said the actor and added that he was thinking, “What is happening? And what the hell did this person do?”

Kasab was hanged in November last year for his role in the terror attacks, in which 166 people were killed.

Directed by Ram Gopal Varma, “The Attacks of 26/11″, which also features Nana Patekar as Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police, released March 1.

As an actor Sanjeev is happy with the response to his character.

“As a character, people are hating it but liking me as an actor. They are appreciating my work. While watching the movie, they are abusing me, throwing chappals (slippers) on the screen. So, as an actor that is a compliment for me,” he said.

“I didn’t know that people are going to react this way. But I was prepared for it as the character is such,” he added.

NEW YORK: The Tribeca Film Festival opens next month with 89 feature films from new and established directors, ranging from hard-hitting documentaries to romantic and teen comedies and gripping dramas.

More than 6,000 films from 30 countries were submitted to this year’s festival, which was established more than a decade ago to revitalise the New York neighborhood devastated by the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Along with the 34 documentaries and 55 narrative feature films, the festival that runs from April 17 to 28. Documentaries will focus on famous people such as comedians Moms Mabley and Richard Pryor, along with Broadway actor Elaine Stritch, as well as movies that delve into the oil industry and hydraulic fracturing.

“When we talk about the narrative competition, we talk about the kind of films that left us thinking about that film two days later, that really made a personal impact on us, that moved us,” Geoff Gilmore, the creative chief officer of Tribeca Enterprises, said in an interview.

The festival will kick off with the world premiere of Mistaken for Strangers, by Oscar-nominated film-maker Marshall Curry. It depicts the experiences of director Tom Berninger on tour with his brother, Matt, the front man of rock band The National, which will perform following the premiere.

Big Men, a documentary written and directed by Rachel Boynton and produced by Brad Pitt, will have its world debut and open the world documentary section. “’Big Men is an inside look into the African oil industry and the American oil industry,” said Genna Terranova, the director of programming for the festival.

“What we are going to do for the first time ever at the festival is create an immersive space that audiences can visit,” said Ingrid Kopp, the director of digital initiatives for the Tribeca Film Institute.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2013.                   

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NEW DEHLI: Superstar Shahrukh Khan has taken a pledge on the occasion of International Women’s Day and says henceforth in all his films, the leading female actor’s name would appear before his in the credits. He is starting it with Chennai Express.

“I would request to all those who I am working with, starting with Chennai Express to do it. I don’t know whether this is going to bring a change but the point needs to be raised,” said SRK who has teamed up with Deepika Padukone in director Rohit Shetty’s Chennai Express.

“With the mark of 100 years of Indian cinema and Women’s Day coming up, it would be a nice combination. In Chennai Express, Padukone’s name will appear first,” he added.

When asked what Padukone’s reaction was when she found out she would be the first female actor to have her name before the lead actor in the credit, he said, “She was not jumping on the roof top. She said, ‘It’s great, but I hope even others start following this.’”

Atrocities against women are on the rise in the country and this Women’s Day Tata Tea’s Jaago Re campaign has started a new initiative, Women First, with Shahrukh.

The superstar unveiled the ad, directed by R Balki, on Wednesday and interacted with media and shared his views on women. The ad will be launched on Women’s Day.

SRK stressed upon the fact that “women’s position in every field needs to be respected”.

“Right from my mom to all the female actors I work with are the most important women in my life,” he added.

The actor, who has been part of filmdom for 20 years and worked with female directors — Hema Malini in Dil Aashna Hai and Farah Khan in Main Hoon Na and Om Shanti Om — assured he would try to collaborate with more women directors in the future.

“I will not make women-centric films just for the heck of it. In all my films, I’d assure all my female actors get enough importance for their roles. I would like to work with many more women directors.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2013.                   

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BHOPAL: A diehard fan ’80s  cinema, director Sajid Khan is attempting to recreate the magic with his Himmatwala remake that he says has all the elements of a bygone era — mother-son drama, heroism and, last but not the least, “a grand entry for (lead actor) Ajay Devgn” that will force viewers to clap.

“The film is based in 1983. I have kept references of ’80s; I have included a rush where Mohinder Amarnath LBWed a West Indies player, got him out on leg before wicket, and India won the World Cup. For that commentary, I have roped in Ameen Sayani saab, Mr Amitabh Bachchan on radio,” Sajid said during a group interview.

He clarified that the film was not a spoof and would see Devgn fighting with a tiger for the second time after Vijaypath.

“What used to happen in the ’80s movies, doesn’t happen anymore; for example the hero’s entry. Except for a couple of Salman Khan’s films, no importance is given to the hero’s entry. The kind of entry that Amitabh Bachchan had in Coolie, for me, it’s the entry of all time,” said Sajid and added he liked Devgn’s entry in Phool Aur Kaante as well.

“This is an open challenge that if viewers won’t clap on Ajay’s entry in Himmatwala, I will refund the ticket money,” said Sajid.

“I have designed such an entry for Ajay that I was clapping while I was writing it; I was clapping while I was shooting it. I have given a lot of stress on entry,” he added.

For his version of Himmatwala, Sajid has also roped in southern actor Tamanna.

“When I wrote scenes, I wrote it them in an ’80s style. The mother-son drama, the hero will fight with the tiger, save the whole village and  be friends with the tiger, and do some dialoguebaazi,something that made Mr Bachchan or Vinod Khanna and Dharmendara a star,” Sajid said.

He has so far directed three films, including Housefull and Housefull 2, and all of them were big hits. Sajid however doesn’t take himself seriously as a film-maker. “I take myself seriously only when I’m making a film. I make it from the audience’s point of view,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2013.                   

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The soon-to-be released venture is part of a larger project conducted by Engro Foods, which hopes to revive some Lollywood classic hits and bring them to life for the young generation. It is set to be 90 minutes long and will include four songs, including a rendition of Ahmed Rushdi’s Akele Na Jana by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.

The original film was directed by Pervaiz Malik and produced and penned by Waheed Murad, who also played the lead role opposite Zeba. Armaan was the defining moment for the legendary actor and the film industry.

“Whether it was his hairstyle, grooming or fashion sense, Waheed Murad is a legacy when it comes to Pakistani films,” says Kadwani. “It was through Armaan that he also solidified his status as chocolate boy.”

While it was launched at the time when the industry was dominated by rom-coms, the film was a huge success for Murad. The black-and-white movie won six awards and went on to become Pakistan’s first platinum jubilee film.

“The idea was to remake Armaan for today’s audience,” says Kadwani. “Also, to make sure that the essence and the charm of the original still remains.”

Selecting two main characters was the easiest part for Kadwani. Excited about the prospect of on-screen chemistry between Fawad and Aamina, Kadwani says they are similar to the classic Waheed-Zeba duo. “Fawad is the closest actor to Waheed Murad,” says Kadwani. “They are similar in looks and style and Aamina is brilliant in her acting.” He also feels that they will also do justice to their roles.

“When we first started making dramas, we had always felt that there were very few objective-based dramas,” says Kadwani. “At the time we thought that we would do something different, from the sensationalised and fantasy that was being promoted. We wanted to make something more relevant and that connected with our culture and society.”

Marking the completion of seven years for Seventh Sky Entertainment, founded by Humayun Saeed and Kadwani, the production company is ready to move onto bigger projects. Kadwani explains that Seventh Sky Entertainment’s purpose is to bring a different form of content for the viewers. Following their success, the production company now wants to go into film.

Kadwani, also involved in the production of Chambaili, says Seventh Sky Entertainment made a promise to support the Pakistani film industry. He feels that Armaan is a positive attempt to give viewers what they want: good entertainment with relevance.

“We have tried to do our part and the next big thing for us is film and digital media,” explains Kadwani. “The film industry has disintegrated over the years and it’s important that we do our part.”

“We are confident about this initiative, and now it’s up to the audience,” says Kadwani. “We have more projects similar in the pipeline.” Kadwani and Saeed say that their production company is dedicated to its part to revive Pakistani film industry.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2013.                   

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This Women’s Day, we take a look at some of Bollywood finest actors who will be seen in interesting roles in their forthcoming films.

Actor Madhuri Dixit is all set to star in the much anticipated sequel to Vishal Bhardwaj’s 2010 hit Ishqiya, Dedh Ishqiya.

She plays the role of a royal who expresses her love with poetry, reports the Hindustan Times. The actor is also preparing to star in her comeback film, the story of Gulab Gang, opposite actor Juhi Chawla.

Actor Priyanka Chopra is working hard to get an athletic body for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s biopic on boxer Mary Kom. PC will start shooting from June and is currently busy training for the role.

Actor Kangna Ranaut replaced actor Irrfan Khan for the lead role in Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Revolver Rani. Directed by Sai Kabir, Kangna essays a rural criminal who carries a revolver throughout the film.

Reliable sources have confirmed that actor Vidya Balan has been finalised to play music legend MS Subbulakshmi in a biopic made by ad maker-cinematographer Rajiv Menon.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2013.                   

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LOS ANGELES: Actor James Franco, lauded for his serious roles and forays into art, was almost too earnest to land the lead in the big screen 3D adventure film Oz the Great and Powerful, which opens on Friday ahead of the summer blockbuster season.

Film-maker Sam Raimi, who directed Franco in the Spider-Man trilogy from 2002 to 2007, said he initially considered other heavyweight actors such as Johnny Depp and Robert Downey Jr for the lead role in Disney’s big-budget unofficial prequel to the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz.

Both Depp and Downey have already spearheaded two juggernaut Disney blockbuster franchises, with Depp as raucous Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean and Downey as the main character in Iron Man.

Franco has not carried a blockbuster film alone, but Raimi told Reuters the 34-year-old actor’s maturation would enable him to do so in Oz, in which he plays the charming, morally dubious circus magician who cons others on and off stage.

When the character lands in Oz he continues his unethical ways, but becomes a reluctant hero after tapping into his inner goodness.

“I started thinking about what I knew about James in real life and realised they were very similar to Oz’s,” Raimi said.

“James started out as a 21-year-old actor, was a little into himself, a little selfish, a womaniser. But he had a good heart.”

When Franco and Raimi worked together on Spider-Man, the actor was a relative newcomer in Hollywood, playing the supporting role of Harry Osborn to Toby Maguire’s Peter Park/Spider-Man.

Franco, who stars alongside actors Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis and Rachel Weisz in Oz, admitted that he lacked the maturity as a performer to play a character like the wizard when he supported Maguire in the Spider-Man franchise.

“I was still in a stage where I think I took acting too seriously,” Franco told Reuters in a recent interview. “I couldn’t relax in the roles. There was a kind of strangulation of the performances that was going on.”

In recent years, Franco has undertaken several ventures outside of acting, including writing a book of poetry, curating an art exhibition in Los Angeles, engaging in performance art and teaching screenwriting at the University of California-Los Angeles.

The actor also stepped behind the camera as director on numerous projects including this year’s LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender-related) film, Interior. Leather Bar.

Preoccupied with his serious artistic endeavors, Franco credited the 2008 stoner comedy Pineapple Express with loosening him up as an actor and allowing him to embrace the lighter side of filmmaking.

“That movie really taught me that movie-making could be fun, that I don’t need to have complete control over everything, that if I relax, my performances will be better,” he said.

“I thought I needed to be this young, serious brooding performer,” Franco added. “And I was just blind to the value of comedy.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2013.                   

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Even after watching The Master twice in as many days, I’ve still not got full mileage out of this captivating drama film by filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson.

The strength of The Master, as recognized by the Academy with three nominations in the acting category, is in the performances, with Joaquin Phoenix (Freddie Quell) terrific in his role as a bizarre sex-crazed World War II navy sailor, exhibiting quirky mannerisms in a visually mesmerising display.

Phoenix’s character is clearly suffering from post-traumatic stress after witnessing combat. After the war ends, Freddie is given a visual world association test by a US government employee, and strangely recognizes each inkblot pattern as a pornographic item. But whether the military service worsened Freddie’s mental faculties is questionable, as he later admits to having had sex multiple times with his own aunt.

Freddie’s mental problems are worsened by his addiction to creating and consuming dangerously intoxicating drinks, as he will mix anything, even naval ship torpedo fuel, with his concoctions. It is through his talent of creating booze that he truly connects with Lancaster Dodd, a man on the fringe of starting a cult called “The Cause”, and a character heavily inspired by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology.

Philip Seymour Hoffman convincingly plays Lancaster Dodd, a character who through his ability to sell himself, earns the hero worship of his followers through wild existential stories.

The chemistry between Dodd and Freddie in The Master is powerful, with the two taking turns to steal screen presence. The pair has an inexplicable fascination with each other that almost borders on the homosexual. But Freddie’s behavior is highly erratic, and when the police come to arrest Dodd for fraud, Freddie’s violent defense of his master also lands him behind bars. It is here that Freddie starts questioning Dodd’s wild theories, and Dodd’s wife Peggy (Amy Adams) begins to question Freddie’s loyalty and his behavior.

The Master features a beautifully outlandish soundtrack that perfectly complements the eccentric nature of the film’s characters. It also features some breath-taking cinematography, shot on the rare 65mm format to create a film that is almost as undeniable visually, as it is cerebrally.

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, March 10^th, 2013.

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The film takes you to the regions of Uttar Pradesh where royalty is a fading tradition. Sahib (Jimmy Shergill), who belongs to a royal family, is a wheel chair-ridden raja living with his drunken wife Madhavi (Mahie Gill), who is a member of the legislative assembly. He desperately wants a son to continue his legacy, but not with Madhavi. When his mother presents Ranjana (Soha Ali Khan) as a candidate, he falls in love with her simply by looking at her photograph. Eventually, they get married, even though Ranjana is in love with the gangster Inderjeet (Irrfan Khan). To win Ranjana back and settle some old scores, Inderjeet decides to get rid of Sahib for good.

SBAGR is full of twists and tales of deceit, topped with powerful one liners that are an enjoyable mix of love and revenge. While most Bollywood films fall flat in the witty one-liner department, this one is a sure winner.

The performances are magnetic. Despite having opportunities to dominate the overall narrative, each actor in SBAGR sticks to his/her role in a calculated manner. Just like any well-written story, the viewer is unable to feel sympathetic towards any one character, and instead feels equally for all of them. The film may be a simple story with a flavour of royalty culture, but the well-balanced characters make a lasting impression.

After Special 26, Shergill again proves that he is an asset for the Indian film industry when used right. His innocent expressions and school boy looks don’t hold him back from playing the wicked role to perfection in the film. For Khan, all we can say is that anything he touches turns to gold. His portrayal of a mad lover driven by the thirst of revenge combined with occasional quirkiness reflects his youth and makes him the most suitable actor for his role. Fortunately, Neil Nitin Mukesh opted out of Inderjeet’s role — his looks would have given needless attention to the character.

Soha may not be as conventionally good-looking as a character like Ranjana (the biwi number two) might have required, but she has done justice to her role. Ranjana is a helpless woman in a patriarchal society where she sheds no tears but rather undergoes a self-realisation — only to find out how insignificant she is. By playing this to perfection, Soha has established that looks don’t matter when you have phenomenal acting skills — a brilliant combo in her favour.

Despite the rest of the heavy duty actors, the sultry, powerful and clumsy yet committed Madhavi is the trophy winner for the film. Gill carries out Madhavi’s emotional fragility and vicious commitment to gain attention beautifully. She eventually merges the two together in style, making her the most memorable character in SBAGR.

Hats off to director Tigmanshu Dhulia for making such a complex narrative flow like a river. The sound design is overdone in some scenes, so-much-so that the audio effects give a feel of horror films. A smooth script is enough to create tension, without using cheap-tricks (playing with sounds) to thicken the plot. The soundtrack is below average; the item song fails to become eye candy, or even a hummable tune.

Overall, the plot is well-crafted and rock-solid characters cover up for any unwanted complications.

Verdict: This is your film of the week. Watch it for some genuinely vicious characters and stellar performances.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2013.                

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Esha made her debut with thriller Jannat 2, produced under Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt’s Vishesh Films banner; her second film Raaz 3D  was also with them.

She also played an important role in Chakravyuh, a film on Maoists.

“I want to do various kinds of films, but no female oriented films right now,” Esha told IANS.

“I am not Vidya Balan and I don’t think I can pull an entire film on my shoulders right now. Vidya Balan did The Dirty Picture and Kahaani, which was completely on her shoulders. In the future, I will definitely do such films, but not right now,” she added.

After working with directors Vikram Bhatt and Prakash Jha, the 28-year-old now has a new wish list.

“I want to be a part of good films. The script of the movie matters the most. I would like to do an Anurag Kashyap film, like Gangs Of Wasseypur or a glamorous film like Race.”

An outsider, Esha admits that her journey into filmdom has been “pretty rough”.

“I had my own share of struggle. But I think I owe a lot to Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt who gave me a break in showbiz with Jannat 2,” she said.

She said she takes inspiration from those who made it big without any film background.

“There are many other female actors who don’t have filmy back-up including Aishwarya Rai and Deepika Padukone. I take inspiration from these actors,” she said.

Esha has a three films contract with Vishesh Films, and she will soon be doing her third film with them.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 12^th, 2013.

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“The face of today’s Bollywood music is the result of independent musicians who were allowed to come in. Composers, including me, are primarily those people who initially started independently,” Sami told IANS.

“Every era has to come to an end and in order to get a next generation of composers, there should be someone who you encourage. It is important to evolve and Bollywood needs fresh talent,” he added.

The 43-year-old composed albums like Raag Time, Tera Chehra and Kabhi To Nazar Milao and carved a niche for himself. Later, he entered Bollywood and belted out Gela Gela Gela, Sun Zara and Baatein Kuch Ankahee Si, among others.

“Indie pop music is a place for Bollywood to come and shop for new talent. When this particular phase comes to an end, what other system of recruitment will you have?,” he said.

When asked if Bollywood is an ultimate dream for any musician, Sami said, “It may be for some, but if this was the case then independent music would have collapsed by now.”

However, there are pros and cons of independent albums as compared to film music, says the singer.

“Independent music has a major disadvantage; it does not have the backing of a film vehicle or a producer. The advantage with Bollywood is that a film’s music is financed by a producer.”

“With independent music, you don’t have anybody spending money apart from record labels and the money can be recovered only through sales of CDs or internet downloads,” said Sami, who recently released an independent album after five years.

Titled Press Play, the album was leaked online days prior to its scheduled release date.

“Piracy is not a new phenomenon. It is not something that has suddenly cropped up. It has always been there and the internet is just another form. It depends on an individual how he decides to handle these things. These things are not in control of the artists,” he said.

With Press Play, Sami has tried his hand at singing Sufi and Punjabi tracks. 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 12^th, 2013.

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