Finally a cabaret number - Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai!

Rajneeti takes huge opening - biggest of the year!

Reviews are mixed, but the film has worked really well with audiences all over!!

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Rajneeti Super Strong Start Kites Crashes

Saturday 5th June 2010 09.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network

Rajneeti opened to excellent houses of 85% plus across the country. The film was strong from its first shows at multiplexes and single screens and at many centres in places like CP Berar, CI and Rajasthan it had a phenomenal opening. The multiplex release of Rajneeti was much smaller than recent biggies like Housefull and Kites. Rajneeti should emerge a big winner at the box office.

Kites crashed in week two with around 6.75 crore nett business. The two week business is around 46.50 crore nett and the film will not add much over its remaining run at the theatres. FLOP

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Raajneeti Rocks The Nation

Saturday 5th June 2010 13.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network

Raajneeti has recorded by far the best opening of year by collecting nearly 10.50 crore nett on its first day. The collections are just extraordinary all over barring a few centres.

The collections are just huge in Mumbai, Delhi/UP, East Punjab, CP Berar, CI and Rajasthan with South being good but lower comparatively. The Raajneeti first day is humungous as it has collected the second highest first day total but with 30% lesser shows at multiplexes than films like Kites and Housefull which were the second and third biggest first day openers respectively before Raajneeti.

The film has simply surpassed all expectations and may be on its way to being the first big smash hit of 2010 in India.

The beginning of Kalyug - Raajneeti!

Prakash Jha's films are political, usually on explosive subjects, and rooted in the hinterland. His return to movie making after several years still had Ajay Devgan (except somewhere along the way Ajay dropped an "a" to become Devgn), the film was still on a political subject, and non-metro in focus. Despite by Bihari roots, I am not a huge fan of the earlier Jha films, so I did not have many expectations from Raajneeti.

It was amply clear that Rajneeti would have many elements of the epic Mahabharata once the son born out of wedlock (Karn) was abandoned to be picked up and adopted by a lower-caste couple. However, this is not an exact re-telling of the epic in a modern setting, though much is retained. The battle for political power between two brothers and their progeny is at the heart of this tale, replete with the older getting handicapped, the banishment of the progeny of the younger brother, and the siding of the bastard with the enemies of his half-brothers! But also mixed in is a tale of political intrigue, machinations, explosions, and assassinations. Some parallels to the Godfather are apparent, as is the most obvious parallel to the Gandhi family! Here we have two brothers instead of 5, and the older dies a violent death in a blast. Then his wife picks up the reins of power after his death. Raajneeti is a taut thriller with a relentless pace through the first half, that takes an abrupt turn into a game of political chess with checks after checks in the second half. The pace does slacken and the tale gets a little more outlandish in the latter third of the film, but not enough to let the interest flag.

There are enough deaths and attempted deaths to hint at utter lawlessness in the state that is the arena for this story. But the storyteller's prerogative directs that he tell the story in his own way, creating a reality that he draws us into, while not necessarily creating a "REAL" reality. After all a paralyzed party president would not wield power for months after his incapacitation, nor would elected politicians expect their seat to be inherited. The best way to enjoy Raajneeti is to simply let go of preconceived notions, put aside all thoughts of the Mahabharata and the Indian constitutions and plunge headlong into the story being spun by Mr. Jha and co-writer Anjum Rajabali. This is Raajneeti after all, where women are mere pawns in the game, and where men fight lawfully and illegally, with fists and guns and bombs, and sometimes simply with a quiet statement that pulls the carpet out from under the opponent's feet.

The characters are all shades except white, and the game is a simple one - to win at all costs. The seemingly innocent are not, and most of the conniving is behind the scenes by three of the quietest characters in the film - Nana Patekar, Ajay Devgn and Ranbir Kapoor. The firebrands are Manoj Bajpai and Arjun Rampal, yet they are constantly manipulated by the quiet ones. The women are place holders until we see the alliance between Prithvi Pratap (Arjun Rampal) and Indu (Katrina Kaif), and the setting up of a successor in Indu. However, Jha does present us women with political ambitions. Thus Bharati (Nikhila Tirkha) is a leftist activist influenced by Naseeruddin Shah, Shruti Seth wants the Satara ka ticket, and Indu (Katrina) promises Samar (Ranbir Kapoor) that she will be a minister before he returns. The only woman with no political ambitions is Sarah (Sarah Jane Thompson), the white girlfriend of Samar Pratap. We barely get a glimpse of the woman who tends to her paralyzed husband (as Gandhari did), so she does not quite count. It is also interesting that every woman, except the "knowing and using" Shruti, ends up pregnant. However, it is only the Naseer Nikhila episode that follows a rain drenched 70s "roop tera mastana" type track, the other two are couples who have been in or have begun a committed relationship. But except for Shruti, they are more idealist and pure of heart; the blackness that envelops the menfolk, spares the women. The men start out with a conventional Kaurav badness (Veerendra Pratap - Manoj Bajpai) and Pandav goodness (Prithvi and Samar - Arjun Rampal, and Ranbir Kapoor). But while Manoj Bajpai stays in his role of all for power, and end justifying the means, the brothers rapidly turn to darker and darker shades of gray as the film progresses. Nana Patekar is an adviser and well wisher of the Pandav branch. He is a Vidur like character, as he advises the paralyzed leader to give up his powers to his younger brother, much as Vidur negotiated the transfer of power from Dhritarashtra to Pandu. But later Nana also takes on the role of Krishna and becomes an adviser to the sons Prithvi and Samar as the political battle for succession ensues. The transformation of Samar Pratap seems to happen in the span of a few minutes, but Jha uses the subtlest hints from the youngest member of his cast effectively to show the dying and then dead father, the punch to the face from a policeman, and the arrest of his elder brother. This is enough to awake the inner demons and start Samar off in a game to outmanoeuvre Veerendra Pratap and get his brother Prithvi into power. His intentions are read (and approved) by his uncle, and together they start the game of chess with Veerendra Pratap and Sooraj (the abandoned illegitimate son).

The acting by the male cast is top notch. Leading the pack we have Nana Patekar in a subtle and effective role that subdues his histrionic ability and instead brings out the most nuanced performance from him in a long time. Next comes the performance from Manoj Bajpai. He excels as the conniving and selfish Veerendra Pratap. He wants power and will not wait for it. The anger, the fits of the sullens, and the drunken episodes are all exceptionally well done. Ranbir Kapoor is going from strength to strength and here as the academic who turns into a violent schemer, he is subtle, and with the barest quiver in his cheeks or flicker of an eyelid he conveys a lot. It is not easy to shine in a cast like the one in Raajneeti, but Ranbir manages to do exactly that. Ajay Devgn does not have a big role on screen, though many of the events in the film are set into motion by him in moments not portrayed on screen. I wonder if large chunks of his role ended up on the editing table. He is intense and intense and has very few other emotions. There are two standout moments - one of extreme indecision when he cannot shoot Samar as he now knows the man is his half brother, and the other of shock and disbelief when Samar shoots him. Arjun Rampal does well as the suave Prithvi who wants to be a politician, and one can only blame Jha for turning him into a psychopath in the ending moments of the film. There is no indication in his character graph that he would take such a turn. The women do not amount to much nor do they have much of a role to talk about. The mother, Nikhila Tirkha, is just not a good actress, so her moments on screen drag the film down a bit. Shruti Seth plays the slutty party worker appropriately. Samar's girlfriend Sarah is ok, but her talking is almost like she is teaching an ESL class, enunciating each word carefully. Last but not least, Katrina Kaif is no doubt a big draw in the film, but she is also a big letdown until the final moments. Her lips are inflating at an alarming rate and soon she will not be able to talk at all. The dubbed parts are poor with little sync between lip movements (when the silicone permits movement) and what we hear, and when she does speak it hardly wows as it is supposed to.

Mr. Jha shows mastery over the crowd scenes to the point where one can feel the crush of bodies and smell the dust. This gives the large political canvas a reality that is not usually seen in such films. Enough is shown of the families, their milieu and their interactions to make the lives of these people real and not a cardboard facade. The action sequences are taut and provide thrills enough to keep the audience engaged for the almost 3 hour run time. The end of the Mahabharata signified the beginning of Kalyug, and Rajneeti shows the ugly side of politics in this Kalyug. The characters seem beyond redemption and hopeless. Then in one stroke we have the rise to power of the most idealistic among the group, a woman who wants to distinguish between good and evil, and whose hands have no blood on them. This lifts the film out of bleakness and into a realm of hope.

While thoroughly engaging, this is by no means a flawless film. The casting of Katrina Kaif is incongruous in the mix of mostly excellent actors. The mother is totally miscast....

Read more HERE

The Signature Item Song in Rajneeti - Ishq Barse!

Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai PICS

Balaji & Milan Luthria'sOnce Upon A Time In Mumbaai is almost done. The movie starring Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Kangna Ranaut, Prachi Desai and Randeep Hooda is slated for July 30.

Seen through the eyes of a police officer, Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai traces the changing face of the Mumbai underworld and how it all started.

The film is set in 1970s Mumbai which follows the rise of Sultan played by Ajay Devgn.

The film also shows the conflict when his protege Shoaib played by Emraan Hashmi, challenges him and takes the power to rule the murky underbelly of Mumbai.

The film is shot in retro style and is a rewind to the golden era.

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Milliblog's Raajneeti (Music review), Hindi – Assorted composers

Pritam’s Bheegi si is surprisingly South Indian, like a time-tested Vidyasagar track – frothy and catchy. Aadesh Shrivastava’s Mora piya is predictable and functionally decent, getting better solely due to the exposure. Kavitha Seth’s trance version however is misuses her vocals. Shantanu Moitra delivers the soundtrack’s best – a thoroughly enjoyable, fabulously arranged item number, Ishq barse – it’s foot-tapping and has fantastic vocals by Hamsika Iyer. Wayne Sharpe’s Dhan dhan dharti starts off like Vande Mataram and goes on to soar beautifully; Sonu’s version aces Shankar Mahadevan’s, incidentally. For a four composer, four song soundtrack, Raajneeti is unexpectedly good!

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First Look of "Once Upon a time in Mumbaai" - Updated

Raajneeti Preview And Stills

Coming up on June 4th is Prakash Jha's epic film Raajneeti. Epic in scope and in story, the film required the director to assemble an all star cast of some of the finest actors in Hindi cinema including: Manoj Bajpai, Naseeruddin Shah, Ajay Devgan, Nana Patekar, Arjun Rampal, Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor.

Synopsis: Raajneeti is a story about Indian politics. About Indian democracy. About Indian elections. Above all, it is the story of a few people who control the destiny of millions. It is the story of their unstoppable ambition, and their bitter and violent battle to achieve it. This is the story of people who understand power - and know how to wield it at will.

It is the story of Bhasker Sanyal (Naseeruddin Shah), the fire-brand leftist leader, as feared for his single-handed ability to challenge the most powerful of leaders as he was respected for his political integrity. Until one private mistake of his hurtled him into a self-imposed exile and spawned a secret consequence that shook the destiny of the political future of the state.

And of Sooraj (Ajay Devgan) who rose from the backward classes - with anger in his heart and leadership on his mind. And yet, his destiny could never overcome the tragedy of his birth, trapping him in a terrible dilemma where his loyalty to his friend threatens to destroy his own family.

Of Brij Gopal (Nana Patekar), who shunned every political ambition even as he continued to mentor and guide the younger generation of leaders while the battle got bloodier by the day.

It is the story of Prithvi Pratap (Arjun Rampal), heir to a powerful political legacy and impatient to seize the top position. A man with a heart of gold but who is all brawn. A man whose uncontrollable passions bring his family to the brink of political extinction.

And of Veerendra Pratap (Manoj Bajpai), whose lunge at the throne was thwarted even as he was within striking distance of it. A man who believes he was born to rule, and who will now stop at absolutely nothing to claw his way back to the top.

Of Indu Sakseria (Katrina Kaif), the princess - beautiful, passionate, arrogant. She had only one all-consuming love. Little did she know that her personal happiness was dependent on the changing electoral fortunes of her love, and that even a slight shift in the faultlines of political negotiation would cause a devastating earthquake in her personal life. And yet, this spirited never-say-die diva rose from the ashes of her tragedy to challenge every contender, over-turning the political future of the state.

Of Sarah Jean Collins (Sarah Thompson), who came from one of the bloodiest and most violent places on earth. Who escaped from there, bruised, hurt, and fell in love with a soul-mate who shared a similar legacy. And her abhorrence for it. And yet, when he was sucked into his destiny, this innocent bewildered girl's private world was thrown asunder.

And, it is the story of Samar Pratap (Ranbir Kapoor), the ultimate outsider. The apolitical conscientious objector, who got reluctantly sucked into the battle-ravaged arena of family rivalry. Only to turn into a master of the craft of political warfare. It is the story of the woman that he loved, and the one that loved and lost him. It is the story of his determined and fierce fight to protect his family. Of the bloodiest of final battles in a war alien to his character.It is the story of a man's descent into the moral hell that is Indian politics.

It is the story of a fiercely fought election campaign, where money-power and corruption are the accepted norms, and where treachery and manipulation are routinely used weapons. As the personal drama of these conflict-ridden characters unfolds against this gritty backdrop, love and friendship become mere baits, and relationships get sacrificed at the altar of political alignments. The darkness that rises from their souls threatens to envelope all that they hold precious. Until eventually, in the crescendo of increasing violence, the line between good and evil blurs, making it impossible to distinguish heroes from villains.

Raajneeti is the story of Indian democracy. And its ugly underside. It is about politics. And beyond.

Samar Pratap: "The outsider, who overturned every rule of the game"

Sooraj Kumar: "The underdog, whose game-plan stunned the rulers"

Prithviraj Pratap: "The challenger, who staked his life for power"

Bhaksar Sanyal: The revoltionary, who mysteriously disappered"

Brij Gopal: "The mentor, who fought the battle without weapons"

Veerenda Pratap: "The inheritor, who believed power was his birthright"

Sarah Jean Collins: "The innocent, who asked for nothing and lost everything"

Indu Pratap: "The diva, who was forced into the battlefield"

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Ajay and Kajol in Date Night Remake

Real-life star couple Ajay Devgn and Kajol are reportedly getting set to star together as husband and wife in the Hindi remake of the brand new Steve Carrell/Tina Fey comedy Date Night. Though the Hollywood comedy doesn’t get an official release until April 9, the couple managed to see a preview of the film last Friday when 20th Century Fox approached them to star in the remake. Not only did the couple agree, Ajay reportedly loved Date Night so much he wants to buy the rights!

Date Night focuses on a couple whose marriage is in trouble until on their ‘date night’ they get mixed up in a case of mistaken identity, sending their night into a hilarious action adventure.

With the recent news that Kajol is pregnant with the couple’s second child, the film won’t go into production for a while. Kajol is busy wrapping up work on the Stepmom remake so she can focus on her pregnancy; Ajay is currently involved with shooting for Garam Hawa and Raajneeti and will be beginning Golmaal 3 shortly.

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"I have always worked in diverse films" - Ajay Devgn

Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? has seen a decent response coming its way. Meanwhile Ajay Devgn is looking at an eventful year ahead with diverse films like Raajneeti, Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, Garam Hawa, Toonpur Ka Superhero and Golmaal 3 in the pipeline. However, Ajay denies that he is experimenting with genres only now and states that he has been trying to follow this route right through his two decades career.

"It is surprising that you are making a note of it now when I have worked on diverse films like Raincoat, Zakhm and Thakshak at regular intervals. Somehow all this news about me doing varied films is catching heat today when the fact remains that I have been working in such set ups even when not many were stepping out in this direction", protests Ajay.

Well, Ajay definitely has a point to make here. After all the two time National Award winning actor (for Zakhm and The Legend of Bhagat Singh) has just been modest enough to have possessed it all but not necessarily flaunted it. Moreover, a closer study of his two decade long career does suggest that in spite of a 'masala' beginning to his career, Ajay has truly experimented with Halla Bol, Omkara, Yuva, Gangaajal, Apaharan, Bhoot and Company as well, to name a new. Now the fact is that not many of these films can really be termed as the kinds that had an eye on turning out to be blockbusters at the box office.

However, if one looks at the remainder of 2010, Ajay's repertoire of films is nothing but envying. Comments a trade follower, "One has to look at the way Ajay has planned it all so well. Raajneeti is all set to mark a hat trick of winners for Ajay Devgn and Prakash Jha after Apaharan and Gangaajal. Once Upon A Time In Mumbai will follow soon after and the film is special since it brings together director Milan Luthria and Ajay together again after Kachche Dhaage."

"He is also working on Priyadarshan's Garam Hawa (along with Akshaye Khanna and Bipasha Basu) which seems like quite an interesting social-action entertainer. And then there is live-animation flick Toonpur Ka Superhero which is looking for an opportune release time as well. Ajay will certainly end the year on a high note since Rohit Shetty's Golmaal 3 should be a mega money spinner this Diwali", adds the expert.

Since Ajay is doing so much in his professional career, where does Kajol fit into picture? Does he seek any creative (or other inputs) from her during his decision making process?

Read more from HERE

Prakash Jha spices up Rajneeti with new scenes

Director Prakash Jha is hell bent on making his forthcoming film a complete entertainer. He recently did a certain amount of spicing up by shooting some scenes with the lead pair Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif.
On Monday Ranbir and Katrina did some additional shooting for Raajneeti at Mona Shourie's Future Studios long after their dates for the film had dried up.
"We did some patchwork shooting on Monday, close-ups, etc. Yes. It's for the betterment of the end-product. We all want Rasjneeti to be a big success. Katrina and Ranbir have surrendered themselves completely to the project and will do whatever is required," Jha told IANS.
And the hit jodi is more than willing to shoot extra days to ensure the product gets them maximum attention. Ranbir, just back from Las Vegas rushed to the shooting. Closeups and continuity shots were shot with the duo.

Read more from HERE

Atithi Tum Kab Jaaoge - this one overstays its welcome by a bit!

Ashwini Dhir's second directorial venture, Atithi Tum Kab Jaaoge is touted as a laugh riot and worthy successor to Hrishikesh Mukherjee's family oriented comedies. It turns out to be neither of those. However it is a languid comedy well suited to family audiences and fairly engaging for the most part. Puneet (Devgan) and Munmun (Konkona Sen Sharma) live in Mumbai in a flat and have one kid. The Hindi teacher at school admonishes the parents for not having imparted any "sanskriti" to their child as the kid does not understand the meaning of Atithi Devo Bhava! And an atithi finally does show up at their door - it is Chachaji from Gorakhpur! He draws a convoluted connection to Puneet and settles into their home. The comedy consists of his taking everything for granted, his following the maid around as she cleans to make sure not a speck is left behind, his frequent loud relieving of flatulence, stringing his washed clothes everywhere. The jokes are repeated until they begin to fall somewhat flat, and this includes the Sholay dialog "Kitne Admi thay?", which ends in Puneet losing a lucrative scriptwriting assignment. There is a hilarious take on Bedi Jalayle, which gets turned into a rocking bhajan to Durga maa! The humor is not slapstick enough, and falls far short of subtle or satirical.

Paresh Rawal shines as Chachaji even though this is not a unique role but one he plays in almost every film, making it predictable to the core. Sanjay Mishra is funny as the watchman. Ajay Devgan is competent, he seems to have mastered the art of comedy that consist of him playing a hapless man caught in the middle (something he did in All The Best too). Konkona is decent.....

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I was apprehensive about 'Atithi...': Ajay Devgn

 

Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn, who is all set to make people laugh in yet another comedy 'Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?', says he was apprehensive about taking up the project initially.

"I was a little apprehensive after reading the script. But when I saw the reaction of people to it, I was convinced.

Everyone had experienced such a situation in their lives and had some story to tell. That got me hooked," Devgn told said in an interview.

The actor, who has laugh riots like 'Ishq' and 'Golmaal' to his credit, admits that it took some time to adjust to the script.

"The film is different from other comedies, it is situational and not slapstick. Ashwni wrote the script differently, so it took us some time to adjust to it," Devgn, who was in the city to promote the movie, said.

The 40-year-old actor plays a middle class man in a nuclear family who is peeved by an unwanted guest who overstays his visit.

"The film is about how problematic it becomes for a working couple in a nuclear family to handle a guest who just refuses to take the hint and leave," Devgn said.

The film, produced by Wide Frame films and Warner Bros. Pictures, is releasing on March 5. It has been written and directed by Ashwni Dhir and also stars Konkona Sen Sharma and Paresh Rawal.

"The characters in the film are very real and the humour has been created between them. It has its own flavour," said Devgn.

The actor began his career as an action hero in Bollywood and he doesn't mind the tag at all. But instead d of restricting himself to it, Devgn has tried to act in all kinds of films be it his National award-winning performances in 'Zakhm' or 'Legends of Bhagat Singh' or comedy films like 'Golmaal' and 'All The Best'.

"I like being called an action hero. But as an actor I try to do films in every genre. I'm lucky that I am offered different kinds of roles," said Devgn. And his fans will see him in his action avatar soon.

"I am doing two action films, 'Garam Hawa' with Priyadarshan and 'Once Upon A Time In Mumbai'," said Devgn.

Read more here.

Atithi Tum... has no romantic angle: Konkona

There is no romantic angle to the movie Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge, award-winning actress Konkona Sen Sharma says about her new film.

"Though Ajay and I play the role of a married couple in the film, there is no romantic angle; it's about the comedy that happens while trying to get relief from a person who comes as a guest and shows no signs of leaving," said Konkona.

The film revolves around the story of Puneet (Ajay Devgn) and Munmun (Konkona Sen Sharma), a happily married couple living in Mumbai. Their life takes a turn when a distant relative Chachaji (Paresh Rawal) turns up unannounced at their doorstep from a far-off village.

The chaos that follows makes it a rib tickling comedy where the agonised couple tries various methods to get rid of him but fails time and again.

Ajay Devgn was all praise for Konkona's performance and maintained that it's always a pleasure working with a commendable actor.

"It was a great experience working with Konkona. When you act with a very good actor, it becomes a fantastic experience. People think that when we work, we compete with each other but if the other person works well, then only can you work better because filmmaking is teamwork," said Ajay.

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'Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?' not slapstick comedy: Ajay Devgn

Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn, who has just bagged the Stardust award for Reader's Choice best actor in comedy for "All The Best", says his forthcoming film "Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?" is a hilarious movie but unlike any slapstick comedy.

"It is not a slapstick comedy. It's a lighthearted film. This comes under a different genre. There is sensibility along with humour. There is also an undercurrent emotion in it. After a long time I did a film of this kind," Ajay told reporters at the official launch of the upcoming film's website here Monday.

The film, directed by Ashwani Dhir, revolves around the story of Puneet (Ajay Devgn) and Munmun (Konkona Sen Sharma), a happily married couple living in Mumbai. Their life takes a turn when a distant relative Chachaji (Paresh Rawal) turns up unannounced at their doorstep from a far off village.

The chaos that follows makes it a rib tickling comedy where the agonised couple tries out various methods to get relief from him but fails time and again. The film is set to release Feb 26.

Read more from HERE

Atithi Tum Kab Jaaoge - trailer!

Raajneeti Trailer

First Look Launch Of 'Raajneeti'