Filmfare 19.10.2016

October 19, 2016 `60
www.filmfare.com
RED HOT
SONAM
FINDS LOVE
AGAIN
Feisty
Sonakshi
GIVES AS GOOD AS SHE GETS
Loves a bitch
KARAN
JOHAR
MORE KISSES THE

MERRIER, SAYS
SERIAL KISSER
EMRAAN
HASHMI
KNOC KOUT!
SUSHANT
SINGH RAJPUT MAKES HEADS TURN
Volume 65 #21 October 6, 2016 - October 19, 2016 / ISSN NUMBER 0971-7277
34
October 19, 2016 `60

www.filmfare.com
RED HOT
SONAM
FINDS LOVE
AGAIN
Feisty
Sonakshi
GIVES AS GOOD AS SHE GETS
Loves a bitch
KARAN
JOHAR
MORE KISSES THE

MERRIER, SAYS
SERIAL KISSER
EMRAAN
HASHMI
KNOC KOUT!
SUSHANT
SINGH RAJPUT MAKES HEADS TURN
FF-045-COVER-MAHESH_R6.indd 1
21/09/2016 8:18:50 PM
PHOTOGRAPHS: SURESH NATARAJAN

STYLIST: SUKRITI GROVER &
AKSHAY TYAGI
MAKE-UP: YUGENDRA SALVI
HAIR: TEAM HAKIMS AALIM
POST PRODUCTION: SAINT. ART
editors choice
66
04
82
The ed rah rahs about

Sushant Singh Rajput
Media should show
some restraint and
so the stars, says
the editor
COVER
STORY
Kangana
masalaand
fixImran
come out clean on
Kaif opposite
life, Katrina
love and
career
07
SRK in Aanand L Rais

next, Ajay Devgn puts
Remos film on hold,
Amy Jackson to replace
Shraddha Kapoor in the
Baaghi sequel and
other grist from the
rumour mill.
10
11
COVER
STORY
Sushant Singh
Rajput on playing
MS Dhoni and his
career moves
54 50
58
46
21
62
68
Composer Arko
Pravo Mukherjee on
his inspiration and
international plans
Meghna Gulzar
writes on the films
that have made an
impact on her
Remembering
Johnny Walker with
affection
your say
74
76
80
28
preview
the good life
14
16
28
Sneak peek of
Shivaay
Anant Vidhaat Sharma
acquaints us with his
dreams and desires
fashion
& beauty
18
Deconstructing the
fashion quotient of
the stars
Rahul Khannas
Scottish adventure
recounted
80
exclusive
46
50
54
Sonakshi Sinha is the

new power woman
Karan Johar admits
love is a bitch
Emraan Hashmi
remains the eternal
serial kisser
Readers write in
their raves and
rants
Viewers shoot off
their reviews
Shatrughan
Sinhas wacky
witticisms
19
Letter from the Editor

Calling the shots
To say that I have been bowled over by the promos of the
forthcoming MS Dhoni biopic wouldnt be an exaggeration. The
actor playing the lead, Sushant Singh Rajput, has immmersed
himself so much in the role that you feel youre watching the real
Dhoni instead of an approximation. Hes the real deal in every
which way, the stance, the shots, the sweat or in giving forth an
air of assured competence. The films clever marketing videos,
where both Mahendra Singh Dhoni and SSR banter about the
film, with the cricketer curious to know the films content has
piqued my curiosity as well. Its a nice and refreshing ploy and
you cant help but smile at it.
Sushant has always been an actor to look out for. I remember
watching him in his TV avatar and being impressed. His
dedication and sincerity even back then was appealing. Few
thought he would do well on the big screen, dismissing him
as having a TV face. But he didnt let his detractors get to him.
Kai Po Che underlined the fact that TV face or not, he could hit
his critics out for a six when it comes to delivering believable
performances. India is a cricket crazy country and to perfectly
execute the fan frenzy of a district-level player, who gets a chance
to polish an international quality player seemed achingly real.
He played a modern day, commitment phobic lover in his next,
Shuddh Desi Romance. Again, he delivered what the captain
ordered, letting the film focus more on Parineeti Chopra, taking
charge of the other end of the crease hitting singles and rotating
the strike but somehow finishing with a century in the process.
He had a brilliant cameo in PK, knowing that it wasnt his
day but still playing with a flourish. And in Detective Byomkesh
Bakshi, he played a workmanlike innings, going for his shots,
biding his time but was run out by the audience.
Now, the need to prove himself has come once more in Dhoni:
The Untold Story . His naysayers should note that while form
may fluctuate, class is constant. And Im sure SSR will showcase
his class in the film. The film industry treats actors as Twenty20
players today. But hes someone who is a Test batsman, a lambi
race ka ghoda. My bet is certainly on him winning plaudits for a
long time to come...
For more on tinseltowns news and updates

find me on Twitter @jiteshpillaai
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a birds-eye view of show towns happenings
ROCK JANA NAHI
Arjun Ramphal, Shashank Arora, Prachi Desai, Shraddha

Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar and Purab Kohli were in their
element at the Rock On 2 trailer launch and posed like
mad for the paparazzi. Looks like we are in for another
cracker of a film alright!
Sonam finds love pg 8

Alia in Zoyas next? pg 9
Hrithik cant match up to
Nawaz? pg 11
PHOTOGRAPHS: YOGEN SHAH
MASALA FIX
Rumours&More
AJAY
PUTS
REMOS
FILM ON
HOLD
Remo Fernandez had recently

planned a project with Ajay Devgn
and Sooraj Pancholi. The film was
supposed to go on the floors in
September. But an insider informs
us that Devgn has put the film on
the backburner from now. While
Sooraj has gotten busy with Excel
Entertainments film, also learning
football and attending several
workshops. Remo too has got busy
with his dance show. The directors
A Flying Jatt enjoyed an average run
at the office. So we wonder why the
planned project has suddenly been
set aside.
RANVEER
BONDS WITH
ADIRA
Ranveer Singh is not only a hit

with the good-looking gals. The
effervescent actor has a way
with kids too. Sources from the
set of Befikre in Paris reveal that
Ranveer bonded big time with
lil Adira Aditya Chopras and
Rani Mukerjis daughter. Rani
had accompanied her husband
on the shoot for a short while.
Ranveer was so charmed by
the cute looking baby that post
shooting, hed play with her and
also clicked a zillion pictures
of her.
SONAMS
IN LOVE
Buzz has it that Sonam is no

longer single. Apparently, shes dating
Anand Ahuja, the owner of Bhane, a
brand associated with shoes, clothes
and apparels. On the professional
front too, shes on a roll. While theres
no official confirmation, word has
it that shes strongly in the reckoning
for Rajkumar Hiranis biopic on
Sanjay Dutt.
ITS FINAL! ITS NOT SONAM

KAPOOR OR DEEPIKA PADUKONE
AS REPORTS SUGGESTED. ITS
KATRINA KAIF WHO HAS BAGGED
AANAND L RAIS FILM OPPOSITE
SUPERSTAR SHAH RUKH KHAN
MASALA FIX
COUTURE CULT: Yuvraj Singh brought in his clothing line in style in the able company of Amitabh
Bachchan, Kajol, Deepika Padukone and mother Shabnam Singh (centre) Happy to see one time flames
Deepika and Yuvi becoming best buds.
MAHESH
BHATT
WANTS
TIME OUT
It seems brothers Mahesh Bhatt

and Mukesh Bhatt arent too
happy with the way Vishesh
Films projects have been faring
at the box-office in recent times.
Apparently, Mahesh Bhatt, the
creative fountainhead of the firm,
has now put all production on hold.
Hes made it clear that the films
will roll only next year after the
company rethinks its creative and
marketing strategies.
ZOYA WANTS
TO SIGN ALIA
Its exciting news that Zoya Akhtar is readying for her next film on ghetto
music with Ranveer Singh. Whats also interesting is that the talented
director is keen that Alia Bhatt play the female lead in it. Alia has assured
Zoya that she will give her dates once the films ready to roll. Meanwhile,
Zoya is also making TV software for the internationally renowned
subscription service Netflix.
VIDYUT,
RANDEEP SAY
NO TO SARKAR?
The news is out that Sarkar 3, the

third outing of the Ram Gopal
Varma franchise, is in the
making. Amitabh Bachchan
will continue to be part of the
underworld series. But sources
share that the film requires
another actor to play
a pivotal role. The
makers approached
Vidyut Jhamwal but
he politely refused.
After which, the
makers headed to
Randeep Hooda. He
too declined the offer
citing date issues.
MASALA FIX
RANBIR NOT
IN SHOOJIT
SIRCARS FILM
Rumours were doing the rounds
about Shoojit Sircar and Ranbir
Kapoor coming together for a film
based on football. We all know
that Ranbir is a hardcore football
enthusiast and is often spotted
playing the sport with his friends.
A lot was written about how the two
met to discuss the film but insiders
reveal theres no truth to that.
DOGS BEST FRIEND:

Sidharth Malhotra couldnt
control himself and played
with dogs at a promotional
event despite his busy
schedule. Sweet na!
SAQIB TO TURN
PRODUCER
Saqib Saleem has started a

production company and the first
project under his banner will be a
short film called Awwal. Saqib will
also star in the film as well. The
company will make feature films too.
Saqibs star sister, Huma Qureshi,
will join the company in the future.
AMY TO
STEP INTO
SHRADDHAS
SHOES
Producer Sajid Nadiadwala is all
set to make the sequel to the hit
film Baaghi starring action marvel
Tiger Shroff. While Tiger will
continue to be part of the second
outing, the female lead will be
played by Amy Jackson. Earlier, it
was Shraddha Kapoor who had
played the lead opposite Tiger.
Were sure it will be a great pairing.
WITH DISNEY STUDIO SHUTTING SHOP IN INDIA,

SIDDHARTH ROY KAPUR, MD AND CEO OF DISNEY
INDIA, HAS PLAN B READY. APPARENTLY, HES
SET TO JOIN HANDS WITH EX-BOSS AND FOUNDER
OF UTV, RONNIE SCREWVALA. THE TWO WORKED
EARLIER WITH UTV AND ENJOYED A GREAT RUN!
MASALA FIX
PRIYANKA
PLANNING
A SECOND
PRODUCTION
HOUSE?
Apparently, Priyanka Chopra
plans to launch a new
production house. While Purple
Pebble Pictures under the
leadership of mother Madhu
Chopra, is making regional
films, the new company will
concentrate on Hindi films and
international collaborations.
Shes said to be
looking out for
professionals
to work for
the company.
DANCE ALONG: Shilpa Shetty couldnt hold back her joyous instincts and got
into the thick of things at the Ganpati visarjan. Her husband Raj Kundra
and son Viaan looked on with amusement.
SOHAIL RUBS
HRITHIK THE
WRONG WAY
While promoting Freaky Ali, director Sohail

Khan made a statement, which left many
surprised. While praising his lead actor
Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sohail said, If Nawaz
works hard for three years,
he can do what Hrithik
does. But even if
Hrithik works hard for
10 years, he wont
be able to do what
Nawaz does. Dont
know what Hrithk has
to say to this!
AN ACTRESS, WHO
SHED WEIGHT AT
A HEALTH SPA IN
AUSTRIA, HAS GONE
BACK TO THE FARM.
THIS TIME WITH
A CREW MEMBER
OF THE FILM SHE
HAS BEEN SHOOTING
FOR. WERE NOT
SAYING ANYTHING
BUT THE CHEMISTRY
BETWEEN THEM IS
QUITE EVIDENT
MASALA FIX
BIG B TO
RECORD HIS
FATHERS
WRITINGS
Amitabh Bachchan believes in

moving with the times. The Big B
understands the importance of
the digital world in reaching across
to millions. Now, we hear that the
legend is recording his father, the
late poet Harivanshrai Bachchans
writings in his own voice for the
digital space. He also plans to
record his fathers autobiography in
his voice. We love!
HAPPY DAZE: We are super

thrilled that the nephew and
uncle jodi of Arjun Kapoor
and Anil Kapoor are coming
together for Mubarkan! It
seems to be a laugh riot
from the look of things.
ASHUTOSH
DOES
DAMAGE
CONTROL
So Mohenjo Daro hasnt done

well. And we believe the VFX is
largely to be blamed for it. Its
certainly below par and
apparently director Ashutosh
Gowarikar is livid with the
company, which has done the
visual effects. And hes allegedly
refusing to let them off the hook.
Hes asked the company to rework
the effects for the DVD version
of the film. So at least the home
audience can savour the film, the
way it was meant to be.
TANVI TO PLAY
PARESHS WIFE
Actress Tanvi Azmi has replaced

Supriya Pathak in Ashwni Dhirs
Athithi In London.
She will be seen
playing Paresh
Rawals wife in
the film starring
Lisa Haydon
and Kartik
Aaryan.
A POPULAR SOUTH ACTRESS, WHO HAS BEEN SLOWLY MAKING A MARK

IN HINDI FILMS, IS IN THE BAD BOOKS OF HER STAFF. THE TEAM IS QUITE
MIFFED AS THEY HAVE NOT BEEN PAID THEIR DUES FOR OVER A YEAR NOW.
NOW NOW, THIS IS NOT DONE MISS GOODLOOKING!
movies on the block, set-talk, talent-buzz,

hotties to watch out for
HUNK
FROM THE
VALLEY
Danish Qayoum
X FACTOR: RUGGED AND

BEAUTIFUL
Born in the Bhaderwah valley
in Jammu and Kashmir, Danish
Qayoum, went on to do a
hotel management course in
Bangalore. There he developed
an interest in modelling.
Today, hes one of the most
successful ramp and print model
in the business. A couple of
years in the modelling world
exposed him to showbiz. His
acting workshops have begun
and so have the casting calls.
Someone who has closely
followed the oeuvre of greats
like Dilip Kumar, Amitabh
Bachchan, Leonardo DiCaprio,
Matthew Mcconaughey he
wants to test his talent in front
of the camera as well. And wait,
theres a philosophical side to
the ambitious lad. Danish enjoys
meditation and Sufi music. And
in the glam world, the slant could
well come handy.
Exclusive stills from

Shivaay pg 14
Surprises come in small
packages - meet Anant
Vidhaat pg 16
www.filmfare.com / September 7, 2016 FILMFARE 27
PREVIEW
SHIVAAY
Release Date:
October 28, 2016

Banner:
Ajay Devgn Ffilms

Producers:
Ajay Devgn, Dhaval

Jayantilal Gada,
Shreyans Hirawat
Director:
Ajay Devgn
Music:
Mithoon
Cast:
Ajay Devgn, Sayyeshaa,

Erika Kaar, Abigail
Eames, Vir Das, Girish
Karnad and Saurabh
Shukla
PREVIEW
Uphill task: Erika Kaar
The Plot
Simple, yet skilled, Shivaay (Ajay Devgn) is a

Himalayan mountaineer who is your regular,
fun-loving guy. But hes capable of transforming
into a mean destroyer when he has to protect
his family. Like he says, Joh ek baar Shivaay
ban jaaye use aur kuch banne ki kya zaroorat
hai! When pushed to the limits, Shivaay
becomes the eternal destroyer.
Problems galore: Ajay and Sayyeshaa
Race against time: Ajay Devgn
N
A
KH ST
DO
ts
ARMA mee
SUMAN ASAHT, who wowed
H
ns
ANANT VID
alman Kha
hearts asbSuddy in Sultan
best
ewbie Anant
Vidhaat is
basking in the
afterglow of
the success of
Sultan. Delhibased Anant wanted to
be an actor since he was
in SSC. And thankfully
his parents supported his
decision. He attended the
TIE (Theatre in Education)
workshop at the National
School of Drama (NSD)
while doing his 10th
standard, the NSD sixmonths club during the
12th standard and went on
PHOTOGRAPHS: RAKESH DAVE
SALMAN BHAI IS KIND-HEARTED AND GENEROUS.

INSPTE OF BEING A SUPERSTAR, HE REMAINS
GROUNDED AND SIMPLE
to join the Players Society
of the Kirori Mal College
later. I did plays during
my three years in college.
Director Ali Abbas Zafar,
writer Himanshu Sharma,
music director Raj Shekhar
and actor Mohammed
Zeeshan Ayub were my
seniors, he reveals.
He directed a play
called Hawalat in his
third year. Luckily, Satish

Kaushik was present at
the performance and the
duo bonded. He came
to Mumbai and joined
Kaushik as an assistant in
films like Milenge Milenge,
Shaadi Se Pehle and
Vaada. It was then that
Anant realised direction
wasnt exactly his cup
of tea and went to the
prestigious Grotowski
Institute in Poland to
further his acting skills.
He followed it up by
going to Kerala to learn
the nuances of Sanskrit
theatre. At the end of
2009, I did the world tour
for about eight months
with Grotowski teachers.
I learnt as well as earned
side by side.
FUTURE STOCK
With Salman Khan in Sultan
PEOPLE SAID THAT WHAT NAWAZ

WAS FOR SALMAN IN BAJRANGI
BHAIJAAN, I WAS TO HIM IN SULTAN.
THERE COULDNT BE A BIGGER
COMPLIMENT THAN THAT
e then came
back to
Mumbai in
2011 and met
director Ali
Abbas Zafar,
who was
casting for Gunday. He
was selected for the role of
Himanshu, who joins the
Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer
Singh gang to seek
revenge. Its important
to be present at the right
place, at the right time,
for the right character,
he smiles.
He was glad that
Abbas remembered his
performance and cast him
in Sultan yet again. It

took some time for Anant
to convince himself that
he had actually landed
a role with Salman
Khan. Naturally, he has
nothing but praise for the
superstar. Bhai is kind
hearted and generous.
He had suffered a wound
during this film still he
continued to work. In
spite of being a superstar,
he remains grounded and
simple, gushes Anant.
Salman told him that
as actors there should be
mutual co-ordination as
it would help them both
appear good on screen. He
adds that Salman made

sure the atmosphere on
the set remained jovial to
foster a team spirit. After
shooting a serious scene,
Bhai would lighten up the
atmosphere by cracking a
joke. He has good control
over his craft. You are
able to learn a lot by
watching him, says he.
Hes glad to have worked
with Anushka Sharma
too, whom he describes as
being a happy-go-lucky,
bubbly girl and supportive
of her co-stars.
Anants happy that
hes been compared to
Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
People said that what
Nawaz was for Salman in
Bajrangi Bhaijaan,
I was to him in Sultan.
There couldnt be a bigger
compliment than that, he
smiles.
He says that actors
like Irrfan Khan and
Nawazuddin Siddiqui
have been game-changers
the character actors have
gone on to play strong
protagonists. He'd like to
be like them. Directors

like Shoojit Sarkar,
Rajkumar Hirani, Rakeysh
Omprakash Mehra are
high on his wish list
while classics Guide and
Deewaar are his favourite
films. Deewaar is a
textbook for aspirants.
I find Dilip Kumars acts
in Devdas and Ram Aur
Shyam and Bimal Roys
films extremely engaging.
Apart from Irrfan and
Nawaz, he holds actors
like Balraj Sahni, Amitabh
Bachchan, Sanjeev
Kumar, Amrish Puri and
Om Puri in high regard.
Shah Rukh Khans
performances in Baazigar
and Darr still give me
goosebumps. he adds.
His short stint in the
industry has taught him
many a lesson. Says he,
There are no double
standards here. Everything
is open. But newcomers
should be aware that
getting selected for a role
is an uphill task. Theres
no shortcut to move
forward. well said.
n
They are hot, they are cool.

Meet our trend makers and breakers
VISION
IN WHITE
SONAM KAPOOR
IN ZIMMERMAN
WHERE: MUSIC LAUNCH OF MIRZYA

THE X FACTOR: LETHAL COMBO
Sonam Kapoor came out to support

brother Harshvardhan Kapoor at the
music launch of his debut film Mirzya.
The star sister donned a gorgeous
lace maxi featuring a shoulder baring
neckline. A clean maxi look would call
for muted make-up. But the stylista
broke norms and went Gothic with
her eyes making them dramatic and
smokey. An intricate half-braided do
finished the look. A box clutch and
mid finger rings added to her exquisite
appeal. Simple, trendy and glam
thats the true blue SK way.
COMPILED BY: KINNARI RATHOD
PHOTOGRAPHS: YOGEN SHAH
Whats in Kritis kit? pg 22

Your way or the thigh-way pg 23
Akira star packs a sartorial
punch pg 24
www.filmfare.com / October 19, 2016 FILMFARE 35
FASHION & BEAUTY
DEEPIKA PADUKONE
NEHA DHUPIA
ALIA BHATT
POOJA HEGDE
KATRINA KAIF
SONAKSHI SINHA
Jacket of all trade

Dress like em stars
Layering gets jacket specific this season, floor length to be precise.

Shorts, skirts, denims, dresses and even desi apparels long
oversized jackets are being teamed up with all. And lets admit it,
were always looking for high fashion trends that we can wear on
a regular day, right? Here they are
PATRALEKHA
FASHION & BEAUTY
SONAKSHI
SINHA
SHRADDHA
KAPOOR
Silver
Surfers
I have enough jewellery

said no girl ever!
MADHURI
DIXIT
Tribal jewelry is one

fad that beautifully
depicts its place
of origin. This
fortnight was all
about authentic
oxidised silver
pieces for tinseltown girls. We
witnessed that
in all things
chokers, bangles,
danglers, simple
and layered they
make for perfect
accessories with
Indo-Western
fusion attire.
RAVEENA
TANDON
SONAM
KAPOOR
SHILPA
SHETTY
FASHION & BEAUTY
Double Tap
Its the weather for leather, you girls!

Come fall, come our good old leather skirts. These sexy little things are back in action and
we simply cant wait to try em out with new trends. Take your cue from the way Parineeti
Chopra pairs her beige mini with a bubblegum Victorian top and makes it love at first sight
for us. Shraddha Kapoor teams it with a sleepwear top and details it out with a belt.
We swap their palettes and ensemble two looks
Givenchy
Jimmy
Choo
LOOK
Proenza
Schouler
MSGM
SHRADDHA
KAPOOR
LOOK
Versus
Dolce & Gabbana

PARINEETI
CHOPRA
Valentino
FASHION & BEAUTY
Diane Von
Furstenberg
Glamorous
Kritis Kit
Burberry
Kriti Sanon picks out her four key wardrobe essentials

I dont follow anybody when it comes to fashion. Style is
something personal. I might see something on someone
and be like wow she looks great But that same outfit
might not look good on me. Fashion has a lot to do with
your taste, your personality and your body type. I follow
what I instinctively believe looks good on me
Rta
I like having
colours in my
wardrobe. So
a colour-block
dress is a
must.
Like most,
Id like to
own a pair of
comfortable
denims that
fit well.
Ann
Demeulemeester
KRITI
SANON
Unravel
A cool leather
jacket when Im
travelling.
Dsquared2
A nice white ganji

is a must! It goes
with everything.
321
Legs for days the way

Hollywood does it!
KIM KARDASHIAN
WEST
Chanel
Vintage
KENDAL
JENNER
SONAM
KAPOOR
GIGI
HADID
KATRINA
KAIF
FILMFARE
LOOK
Casadei
Thigh grazing
For the love of Julia Roberts from Pretty Woman

The West swears by them. In leather or suede, flats or
block, thigh high or knee length these statement shoes
are setting their boot camp now in B-town. Sonam Kapoor
with her tee dress and Katrina Kaif with her shirt-dress
along with these cold weather staple are leading the pack.
Putting on fierce boots is an instant pick-me-up!

- Nina Garcia
RIHANNA
Perfect 10
Sonakshi Sinha packs power
in her fashion sensibilities...
Shows, interviews,
campus event , trailer
launches and what not!
Movie promotions are
playgrounds for ours
stars and their stylists.
Sonakshi Sinhas
promotional avatars
for Akira looks bowled
us over with the subtle
infusion of trends. Heres
decoding them all
Inside out
The diva turns all things

cute as she channels
her inner school girl
with a black pinna
frock and a white knit
tee inside. The white
sneakers play along.
Double
Trouble
Take a
chill pill
Stars are just like us,

they repeat clothes!
Sona pumps up the
grunge by swapping
just the jackets and
keeping every other
element of the look
same braids, knee
cutout pants and peep
toe lace ups.
An oversized tee as long

as a midi is what casual
heavens are made of.
Throw in a slogan and white
sneakers and the outcome
is lethal. And mind you, a
hun (half-bun) in this case
will never go wrong.
Over the edge

With an edgy
outfit come great
responsibilities.
Sonakshi takes it
head on and pulls
off this asymmetrical
pantsuit featuring
cut outs and metallic
elements with
enviable ease.
Silver stunner
Here we see the many faces
of the classic white shirt as
she pairs it with shiny metallic
culottes, featuring a tie- up waist.
Thick strappy sandals make for
a great company. And this look
begged for fuss free hair and
thats exactly what our girl did.
Beat em blues
Theres no daytime
laidback like a cotton
mini and white sneakers.
Spruce it up with loud
lips and sleek hair and
bam; youre ready for an
evening outing! Heres
proof!
Desi florals
Who said desi
apparels are all about
embellishments and
bling? Sona keeps
it simple in a white
high neck floor length
anarkali featuring
pretty pink floral
patterns.
Stripe please
All nude
Neutrals continue to rule the roost
no matter what. The classy clan
swears by them and Sonakshi too
pulls off the subtle-hued ensemble
without looking washed out.
Her obsession
with knotted
waists continues
as a leather belt
accompanies the
striped shirt dress.
Strappy ankle heels
finish off the look.
Kudos Sonakshi!
lifestyles of the fit

and the fabulous
TALES FROM
SCOTLAND
If you like alone time,

theres plenty of hiking and
scenic beauty to enjoy in
Scotland. If youre visiting
with your family, there are
activities like fishing and
boating to experience.
Couples can enjoy the
whisky trails, learn about
its making process and
taste rare varieties
Rahul Khanna on the
spirit of the land
TRAVEL
Scot&
RAHUL KHANNA SHARES THE
HIGHS OF THE WHISKY TRAIL
HE EXPERIENCED IN SCOTLAND
WITH ASHWINI DESHMUKH
Bowled
50 FILMFARE October 19, 2016 / www.filmfare.com
Enoying the
view by the
riverside,
Fiddich
On his way to
the distillery
The
Glenfiddich
distillery
Tasting
cocktails with
the makers
I MET THE MAVERICK WHISKY MAKERS OF DUFFTOWN,

WHO HELPED ME UNDERSTAND THE INTRICACIES OF
PREPARING IT
ituated on the banks of

the rivers Fiddich and
Dullan and at the foot
of Conval Hills in the
heart of Speyside, the
small market town Dufftown,
is the malt whisky capital of
the world! Rahul Khanna had
never been to Scotland and
when he was invited by the
Glenfiddich distillery to take
a tour of the whisky trail, he
jumped at the opportunity.
I didnt know much about
the culture and the tradition
of whisky making. So visiting
Scotland seemed the perfect
place to gain knowledge about
it. The fact that Dufftown is
the whisky capital of the world
made it exciting, he shares.
Its beautiful to watch how
meticulous the art of creating
whisky is. I found out how the
worlds most-awarded whiskies
are created by craftsmen with
TRAVEL
I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY HOW CHARMING THE SCOTS ARE... RARELY DOES
ANYONE IN DUFFTOWN DIE OF A HEART ATTACK. PEOPLE THERE ARE STRESS FREE AND IN
TUNE WITH NATURE. THEY ARE HOSPITABLE AND HELPFUL
generations of expertise. I met
the maverick whisky makers
of Dufftown, who helped me
understand the intricacies of
preparing whisky.
He believes the best thing
about a land is its people. And
he was blown away by the
charming Scots. He shares an
interesting fact he heard from
one of the locals there. Says
he, "Rarely does anyone in
Dufftown die of a heart attack.
People there are stress free and
in tune with nature. Everyone
was so happy to have us. They

were hospitable and helpful.
The luscious green
countryside and the abundantly
flowing rivers around Dufftown
produce some of the finest beef,
lamb, venison, salmon and
trout in the world. North-east
Scotlands history of farming
and fishing ensure that the
restaurants have the finest
ingredients available to them.
The food culture in Scotland
is healthy, he gushes. The
Scots take pride in their land
Fashionable
in Dufftown
Snapshots
of the
countryside
An English
evening
and their emphasis is on

quality food. He tried a bit
of everything and loved the
salmon and the angus beef.
But the highlight was the Scot
delicacy Haggis, which is
basically a savoury pudding
that contains sheeps pluck,
minced with onion, oatmeal,
suet, spices, salt, mixed with
stock, traditionally encased in
the animals stomach. Though
nowadays an artificial casing is
used instead of the real stuff,
he mentions. Another favourite
TRAVEL
By the river,
Fiddich
MUST
SEE IN
DUFFTOWN...
Soaking in the
vintage interiors
Shopping at a
luxury store
On the whisky
trail
SCOTLAND IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES

IVE VISITED... THE FOOD CULTURE IN SCOTLAND IS HEALTHY.
THE SCOTS TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR LAND AND THEIR
EMPHASIS IS ON QUALITY FOOD
dish was Cullel Skink a thick
Scottish soup made of smoked
haddock, potatoes and onions.
Travelling within Scotland
is easy. Long drives afford
amazing scenery. Adds
Rahul, I travelled around
in a limousine van, which is
extremely comfortable. The
drivers are like local tour
guides. Whether youre single,
an adventure freak, a couple
or a family, theres something
for everyone to experience and
enjoy. If you like alone time,
theres plenty of hiking and
scenic beauty to enjoy. If youre
visiting with your family, there
are activities like fishing and
boating to experience. Couples
can enjoy the whisky trails,

learn about the process and
taste some rare varieties, he
reveals.
Rahul enjoyed the best of
both worlds as he stayed in a
combination of five-star hotels
and Bed & Breakfast (B&B)
stays. The hotels were old
structures, the interiors of
which had been modernized.
They were luxurious with
great facilities. The B& B
places on the other hand were
personalised and served great
home-cooked meals.
He had more than his fill
of the place but wants to go
back again soon. Scotland
is one of the most beautiful
Displays of
falcons, owls,
hawks and
golden eagles
at the Huntly
Falconry
Centre
The Balvenie
Castle ruled
by Comyn
Earls
The
picturesque
ruins of
Auchindoun
Castle
The salmon
fisheries of
Strathspey
The Golf Club

with
breathtaking
scenery
The Stephen
Avenue for
outdoor
bowling
places Ive visited. It has

incredible scenery, beautiful
landscape with hills and
lakes. The summers are chilly
by Indian standards. So its a
good idea to pack a jacket and
light sweaters, he cautions.
He isnt a shopaholic but
since he was travelling with
an all-women team, he had
a great shopping experience
too. He smiles, I saw them
buying beautiful knickknacks
made with tartan. The fashion
includes kilts and tweed
jackets as people spend time
farming and hiking. Dufftown
is not on the cutting edge of
fashion but has a quaint style
of its own.
n
whats on their mind?
THE
CHAMP
I must have watched

around 500 hours of Dhoni
playing cricket. I kept
watching his interviews,
reading the book written
on him, watching the
documentary made on
him The whole point
of this exercise was
that when I begin
shooting, I wouldnt
think of what I should
be doing as Mahendra
Singh Dhoni but
just unconsciously
do it
Sushant Singh Rajput on
playing the charismatic Indian
skipper in MS Dhoni: The Untold
Story and much more
PHOTOGRAPH: SURESH NATARAJAN
Shirt: Ermenegildo Zegna
Jacket & Tracks: Nought.One
by Abhishek Paatni
Shoes: Diesel
Sonakshi Sinha packs

a punch pg 46
Karan Johar on love
and heartbreak pg 50
COVER
STORY
COVERSTORY
!
n
i
a
t
p
a
C
!
O
n
i
a
t
p
a
C
y
M
Sushant Singh Rajput is mightily excited
about the MS Dhoni biopic. He talks to
Devesh Sharma about his life choices and
more... in a heart-to-heart interview
PHOTOGRAPHS: SURESH NATARAJAN

STYLIST: SUKRITI GROVER & AKSHAY TYAGI
MAKE-UP: YUGENDRA SALVI | HAIR: TEAM HAKIMS AALIM
Suit: Ermenegildo Zegna | Sneakers: Zara
Tank top: Nought.One by Abhishek Paatni
COVERSTORY
Trench Coat:
Ermenegildo Zegna
Track Suit : Ekam by
Armaan Randhawa
Sneakers: Bershka

Jacket & Trousers:
Sahil Aneja
Sneakers: Zara

Shirt: Sahil Aneja
THE HEART OF MAN IS VERY MUCH LIKE THE SEA, IT HAS ITS STORMS,
IT HAS ITS TIDES AND IN ITS DEPTHS IT HAS ITS PEARLS TOO - VINCENT VAN GOGH
Hes sitting by the sea-facing window he likes; staring at the eternal conflict of the waves, which he says fills him with
serenity. Sushant Singh Rajput can spend the whole day watching the sea and not get bored. Such days, he sighs,
are few and far between nowadays. Cogito Ergo Sum, reads a plague placed on one of the walls of his bachelor
pad. I think, therefore Im very much being his mantra of life. He catches me looking at it and smiles. There is a
lamp made of water pipes that stands out. I like to collect oddities, he reveals and points out towards a mask that
he says is from the movie 300. Our conversation, which follows has an ebb and flow much like the waves, frothy on
the surface but teeming with meaning below We meet again the next day during his photoshoot. He shows his
no-nonsense side there, running through eight changes like Usain Bolt. He changes right there on the floor, not
needing the vanity of a make-up van. His expressions come out perfect frame after frame. Perhaps, his mood has
something to do with the fact the photographer Suresh Natarajans studio faces the sea too
Tell us about your interaction with cricketer
MS Dhoni on whom the biopic MS Dhoni: The
Untold Story is based
The first time we met, I asked him to
remember as much as he could about
his life. The second time, I came up
with around 250 multiple choice
questions about how hed react to
certain situations. It had nothing to
do with the film or his life but it was
all about spontaneous reactions. It
was during the third phase when
I convinced myself that Im the man
did I ask for some pointers. Like Id
ask him, what he was thinking at
some particular event, eg winning the
T20 World Cup.
So you sort of internalised Dhoni...
The only way an actor can do full
justice to his role is to convince
himself that hes the character hes
playing. Some actors can do it in a
day, some take a while to realise that
and some take a lifetime.
Was there always a connect with
cricket, as we believe your sister
played cricket, right?
You cant help having a
connect with cricket if
youre an Indian. My
sister played cricket
when I was young.
Whereas I wasnt even
selected in the school
team. When I played a cricket coach

in Kai Po Che, it was a challenge
because Id never played cricket at
a professional level. I just used to
hang out at Deccan Gymkhana and
observe the coaches. I picked up their
nuances, their lingo. People believed
I knew things like the back of my
hand but I didnt.
From playing a struggling district level player
in Kai Po Che, to playing one of the most
successful Indian cricketing captains, how
do you describe that arc?
Both Kai Po Che and Dhoni
revolve around cricket but arent
about cricket. Because hes been
so successful and watched by
millions, theres a strong visual
reference to playing Dhoni. If I get
that right, people will automatically
react as though theyre seeing him
on big screen. So even before I
began training in cricket, I must
have watched around 500 hours
of Dhoni playing cricket. I wasnt
even analysing anything. I was just
watching his interviews, reading the
book written on him, watching the
documentary made on him just
immersing myself in his persona.
And this went on even after we sat
down to write the script with director
Neeraj Pandey and learning cricket
from Kiran More. The whole point
of this exercise was that when Im
shooting, I wouldnt think of what

I should be doing as Dhoni but just
unconsciously do it. I never watch
the monitor, so when recently
I was dubbing for the film I felt I was
watching Dhoni and not me because
everything was so instinctive.
Were you always a fan of Dhoni? Can you
recollect a fanboy moment?
I was studying engineering at the
Delhi College of Engineering and just
on the eve of my first semester exams
there was an Indo-Pak match. So
obviously, I bunked college to watch
the game. We saw this guy come to
the pitch with a proper swag and go
on to hit 145 runs. Right from the
first ball he faced, he knew he was
going to make a century. In
2007, there was another Indo-Pak
T20 match in Mohali. Somehow,
I landed there and got a photo
clicked with him.
So are you both friends now?
See, its not as if I call him up and
talk to him every day. But now
when we meet, hes much more
comfortable around me because
hes aware of the hard work Ive
put in depicting him.
Has he seen the film? Is he happy with it?
Yes hes happy. Thats why hes
promoting it.
O n t h e ev e o f m y fi rst s em est er exa m s t h er e was a n I n d o-Pa k m atc h.

S o o bv i o u s ly, I b u n k ed c o lleg e to watc h t h e ga m e. w e saw M S D h o n i
c o m e to t h e p i tc h w i t h a p ro p er swag a n d g o o n to h i t 1 4 5 ru n s
COVERSTORY
Isnt it a bit early to make a biopic on Dhoni,
considering hes still playing?
The whole notion of making a biopic
on a person who has retired or is
no more is a bit outdated in present
times. Perhaps, we can make three
films on MS Dhoni, from age 1-13,
from 13-26 and from 26-36 because
theres something to say in all these
time periods, something thats
profoundly interesting. Our biopic
doesnt claim that there couldnt be
a story of the man post the release of
the film.
He was an outsider who made it through
sheer grit, just like you
See, we arent showing what
happened in his life. That everyone
knows. What were showing is why
and how. And through it were
reaching out to the aspirations of
millions of dreamers, telling them
that no matter what your social status
in life is, no matter where you come
from, all you need is to believe in
your dreams day in and day out. And
somehow, miraculously, theyll all
come true.
Whats your favourite part of the film?
Honestly, the preparation. I had
to present a 360 degree projection
of the man. So for that I not only
had to look like him or play like
him or keep wickets like him but
also think like him, react like him.
My spontaneity is to match his
spontaneity. I didnt know
how to go about it and
this challenge made
it interesting.
Shirt: Sahil
Aneja
w e a r en't s h ow i n g w h at h a p p en ed i n D h o n i's li fe. T h at

ev eryo n e k n ows. W h at w e'r e s h ow i n g i s w h y a n d h ow.
A n d t h ro u g h i t w e'r e r eac h i n g o u t to t h e as p i r at i o n s o f
m i lli o n s o f d r ea m ers, t elli n g t h em t h at n o m att er w h er e
yo u c o m e fro m, a ll yo u n eed i s to b eli ev e i n yo u r d r ea m s
After making a much talked about debut with

Kai Po Che, everyone expected you to sign
films left, right and centre but youve been
very selective
Ive never been choosy consciously.
I take on a certain project because the
character excites me. Ive to impart a
huge amount of time into becoming
that person. So I need a director who
is willing to have that leap of faith
in me. I need a producer who will
back that directors vision. I only sign
a film when all these things come
together. Also, when Im promoting
a film, I need to be convinced that
the family who will spend around
` 2000, watching it will get value for
money. I dont want to fool them.
So if a certain film does well,
I want to follow a similar path again
to ensure my audience gets a good
product. From a certain perspective,
it may feel like I have done only
these many films. But Im involved
in a project practically every day.
I work on it even when Ive not begun
shooting. For example, Shekhar
Kapurs Paani took 10 months of my
life. I was totally dedicated towards
the projects. Id have extensive
discussions about the film, about the
role with Shekhar. I was internalising
his vision. It didnt take off is another
matter but that doesnt mean I was
I remember watching Hrithik Roshan rehearse. He'd

execute these perfect steps for 10 minutes and then turn
around and ask us if he was doing it alright. It was a kind
of a high that he had looked at you and was asking your opinion
sitting idle. And I know that nothing
goes waste. I count it as learning
experience. He has an extraordinary
sense of cinema so interacting with
him was like doing a four-year acting
course at Lee Strasberg. Also, I dont
believe in shooting 10 films at the
same time
Go on
I need some prep time between
shoots. So far my directors have been
accommodating. I do have films
like Raabta, Takadum and Tarun
Mansukhanis project coming up. In
between shooting for Raabta I was
also prepping for other projects. But
I cant hop from one floor to another,
from character to character during
the same time. Thats not how I go
about things.
What led you towards acting?
Well, Ive always been an introvert.
I have four elder sisters and being
the youngest I was pampered.
I was a studious child heavily into
academics. For the longest time
I couldnt talk. I convinced myself
I dont need to. Also, my thoughts
tend to run away from me. I realised
quite early that by the time
I articulate my thoughts into words,
Im on to another thought. And what
comes out wasnt what I thought of
exactly. So not talking was a better
option. Then, during college I joined
Shiamak Davar. During performances
I found the audience reacting to what
I was doing. I was communicating
without saying anything. Afterwards,
I joined Barry John and again,
during my plays, I could feel that
my words were having an effect on
my audience. I was saying all those
lines but at the same time I could
take refuge behind the fact that it
was actually my character who was
saying all those things. So I became
this hugely successful guy who
could communicate successfully
with an audience on stage or in

front of the camera.
We have heard that you were once
the background dancer at one of the
Filmfare Awards.
Yes. I was. Like I said, to my surprise
I excelled at Shiamaks class and he
took me as a company dancer. So,
I found myself as a background
dancer as a part of his troupe.
I remember watching Hrithik Roshan
rehearse. Hed execute these perfect
steps for 10 minutes and then turn
around and ask us if he was doing it
alright. It was a kind of a high that
he had looked at you and was asking
your opinion. Another high was
watching Shah Rukh Khan perform
at close quarters.
You talk of being an introvert but one
thing that every critic agreed upon after
watching Kai Po Che was your super
confidence on screen.
Yeah, because my character in
the film was like that. Onscreen
confidence doesnt necessarily
mean youre a good actor. We tend
to confuse the issue. After Shuddh
Desi Romance I got a call from
Rajkumar Hirani and Shekhar Kapur
calling it a rich, varied performance.
But there was one prominent critic
who wrote that somehow, he didnt
find me confident in the film.
I took it as a compliment because
ironically, he was stating the truth
about my character in Shuddh
Desi I was playing a guy who
had no clue about what he wants.
Hes short on confidence about his
choices. So if I was able to convey
that to my audience, I had done
my job. The thing is that we have
been conditioned by superstars to
see them as superstars in a film
and not as characters. If an actor is
repeating himself again and again
in film after film, if hes channeling
his spontaneity in film after film
COVERSTORY
Hoodie & Jeans:

Kenzo for H&M
Sneakers: Bershka
yes, Byomkesh deserved to be seen

by a much bigger audience. It was
way ahead of its time. But I guess the
audience has been conditioned into
seeing a certain kind of film. If you
offer them something completely
different, they flip. But that shouldnt
mean that we should stop offering
them a different palette. Otherwise,
how will things change? And
slowly and gradually, that change
is happening. My response to its
commercial prospects was the same
as it was with Kai Po Che I got over
it a week after the film was released
and was raring to go with another
project. Its not that I dont crave
acceptance. Its one reason that
I will be cast again and again.
Looking at the success rate of Hollywood
films released here, shouldnt our filmmakers
sense the threat?
Thanks to Hollywood releases,
internet, Netflix, we have a section
of audience, which is more mature,
more aware. And theyre going to
burst your bubble very soon. So
we need to change fast in order to
survive. We cant take our relevance
for granted. Weve been making the
same kind of films, we make
remakes of bad films or sequels of
bad films I dont know why. Its
just that if something clicks, everyone
wants to replicate that. But this
M ay b e, A n k i ta d o es n't li k e g ett i n g u p i n t h e
m o r n i n g a n d h av i n g h er n a m e s p las h ed ac ro ss
t h e pa p ers. H as a n y b o dy t h o u g h t o f t h at?
and giving hits, that doesnt mean
hes a good actor. It just means hes
super confident. But now times
are changing. Even big actors have
started doing completely different
roles and portraying characters
convincingly.
Shuddh Desi in a way was bang on in so
many respects. Like, most people dont want
to commit to a long-term relationship
True. But there is always this duality
in India. We want to project some
other image of ourselves so we
shy away from talking about such
subjects. We wont endorse the

thought even though we might agree
with it in our hearts. It was called
Shuddh Desi Romance because we
wanted to say that dont go by all
those intellectual notions of romance
because what youll see in a film is
whats happening by and large in
the real world.
practice has got to stop. Even when a

filmmaker wants to make something
personal, something that has no
similarity to any other film, hes
discouraged and told to put an item
number there, a comedy track there
because that works. So a film ceases
to be a story and becomes a proposal.
That has got to stop.
So how do you take it when something

youve put so much hard work into, like
Shuddh Desior Byomkesh Bakshi doesnt
get the footfalls it deserves?
Shuddh Desi was pretty decent but
So shouldnt an actor put a stop to that and

take control of the project, if hes so aware?
Thats not my aim. Because I know
you cant control everything. What
you get is an illusion of control in
COVERSTORY
Isnt money part of your motivation too
or has that never figured at all?
Not having money was a problem
when I started out because ours was
a big family. I wanted to go to a
foreign university to study but
couldnt because we didnt have that
kind of money. But today, when
I do have a certain amount of money,
thats not a motivating force anymore.
Its ironical that as kids our passion is
curbed and our schools, our colleges
try to monitor our thoughts, our
desires. We are told to follow set
ways to achieve our goals. Believe
me, had I just been an engineer and
N ot h av i n g m o n ey was a p ro b lem w h en I sta rt ed

o u t... to day, w h en I d o h av e a c erta i n a m o u n t
o f m o n ey, t h at 's n ot a m ot i vat i n g fo rc e a n y m o r e
not given into my passion I wouldnt
have made this kind of money. Now,
I dont need to prove anything to
others. Nor do
I want to have the biggest bank
balance in showbiz. What I want
to keep on doing is to follow my
passion. I want everyone to be rich
and successful to understand that
there is something else beyond that.
hindsight. What I can somewhat

control is my choices, my roles.
So Ive decided to do roles that
I like rather than doing stuff, which
is safe or popular. Looking back,
when we were kids, we would
always finish our tiffin in like five
minutes because we wanted to
play through the rest of the recess.
Thats what I want to do. I want to
finish doing everyday stuff and rush
back to the shooting floor. It has to
be as exciting for me as playtime.
Otherwise wheres the fun?
Is that why you decided to switch from TV?
Because things were getting repetitive?
When I came in, there was a strong
prejudice against TV actors. Before

me there was just Shah Rukh Khan
who had made it but unlike me he
wasnt part of a daily soap. And
more importantly, his audience
didnt see him on a daily basis.
Today, you put on the TV at prime
time and the same set of actors stare
back at you every day. There was
no internet, no social media during
SRKs time. He still carried an air of
mystery. Today, you sneeze and it
becomes national news. So theres
this prejudice that TV actors are
way saturated. That kind of affected
my choices and set me towards
films, towards roles, which werent
totally mainstream.
The 100-crore club doesnt matter to you?

It doesnt. Because Im an actor. Im
more concerned about finding more
and more ways to express myself.
Thats what matters to me more than
anything else. Maybe, the 100-crore
thing would have mattered to me
if I was also a producer. Because
someone has invested a crazy amount
of money in my product. So I have
to provide him with some sort of
profit or in worst case break even so
that this person invests again in my
company. So Ill set about means to
earn that 100 or 200 crores to justify
his investment.
If its not money or fame, then what makes
you happy?
Excitement. For me the opposite
of happiness isnt sadness but
boredom. If youre excited about
doing something then youre happy.
Im not saying be obsessive about it
relationship with Ankita Lokhande broke off?

Im not going to elaborate on that. Im
not in the right frame of mind talking
specifically about it right now. Its
not that Ive not spoken about our
relationship before or I have anything
to hide. Its just that I have a big
film coming up, lots of people have
worked hard on that and it would be
unfair on my part to put my personal
life ahead of the film.
MS Dhoni: The Untold Story
or try to control things around it or

try to shape the future. The process
of creating something should be
exciting. Even when Im excited
thinking about it Im happy. It means
a lot to me that during the process
of giving a shot I lose myself
completely in the moment and
become someone else. I may not
consciously realise it then but on
reflection you feel content. I want to
freewheel, to fly without a compass,
not to prove a point to anyone else
but for my own fulfillment.
Does the above philosophy extend to
relationships too?
Relationship is a very very broad
term. There are different kinds of
relationships. And they go beyond
what we generally define as romance.
One is to seek security. The other
is you believe that because of your
presence the other person is happy.
Its your inherent nature, which
makes you believe so. It doesnt mean
anything but points towards selfobsession. Even if you think you miss
someone after say the relationship
is over, you dont miss the person.
You miss the memory of being with
someone rather than missing that
person. But you fool yourself into
believing otherwise. So this idea of
being a good person and living with
a goal-driven future with a partner
itself is wrong. Im not saying it cant
happen but the thing is youre not
a superman to achieve everything.
You need two different set of skills
Ev en i f yo u t h i n k yo u m i ss
s o m eo n e a ft er t h e
r elat i o n s h i p i s ov er,
yo u d o n 't m i ss t h e
p ers o n. Yo u m i ss t h e m em o ry
o f b ei n g w i t h s o m eo n e.
B u t yo u fo o l yo u rs elf i n to
b eli ev i n g ot h erw i s e
to survive in this field on your own
terms and have a great relationship
quotient as well. And these two set
of skills arent symbiotic towards
each other. Right now, Im also in
the process of figuring myself out.
Let me finish that first. Figuring out
someone else comes much later. Yes,
relationships can be very fulfilling;
can give you a sense of security
in yourself, in God, in your work,
whatever keeps you going but they
arent the solution.
Is it harder for a man to pick himself up
after a break-up because men tend to
bottle up emotions?
Depends upon the individual.
Sometimes, you feel something
because youre supposed to feel
something. That doesnt necessarily
mean its the right thing. You are
almost obliged to feel something
even if you dont mean to.
So talking specifically, what did you
experience after your six-seven years
You did talk to the tabloids about it

Yes, I spoke about it for maybe two
minutes and they made a whole
interview around it. They forgot to
include the 40-minute conversation
I had about my film. Does that sound
right to you? Is it fair to report on
just one part of my life and ignore
everything else? You may argue that
its what the fans like and youre
just fulfilling a demand curve. But
believe me; my real fans would
respect my right to privacy. And is
it fair to her? Maybe, she doesnt
like getting up in the morning and
having her name splashed across the
papers. Has anybody thought of that?
Ive yet to take her permission about
speaking about our break-up and
would like to extend that courtesy to
her. In any which case, Ive tweeted
about it. Its a matter of public record
now. Ive said that everything you
know changes one morning that
two people who are close sometimes
grow apart. Its sad but theres
nothing you can do about it. What
more can I add?
Is it possible to be friends with an ex?
Humans are the most complicated of
creatures on this earth, so nothing is
impossible Anything can happen.
Youve been linked up with Kriti
Sanon currently
Yes, because Im doing Raabta with
her. I was linked up with Parineeti
Chopra during the time of Shuddh
DesiThese things tend to happen
and you take it with a pinch of salt.
What got me angry was that some
people even believe my break-up is
a publicity stunt. Thats one reason
I want to stay clear off my personal
space during interviews.
INTERVIEW
force
me
be with
SONAKSHI SINHA
SAYS ROMANCING ON
SCREEN IS TOUGHER
THAN KICKING A GUY.
RAGHUVENDRA SINGH
IS KNOCKED OFF BY
HER PUNCH LINES
Girls dont just want to have fun; they want to beat up the bad guys too. Action in Hindi cinema
is no longer just a mans game. The girls are martial arts inspired and ready to kick some
serious butt. Sonakshi Sinha and her powerpacked kicks in Akira have ushered in a change.
Her high-flying action has pulled the carpet from under the feet of the heroes. Shes in a
serious career overhaul. No longer limited to being the arm candy, shes the face
of her films and thats a story worth telling
Akira proved that you could carry
a film on your shoulders. Are you
proud of that?
Absolutely! When you have the title

role, your responsibility increases.
A piece of coal, under pressure,
turns into a diamond. I work well
under pressure. AR Murugadoss has
worked with all the top action heroes
of this country. He showed faith in
me when he asked me to do this
film. That pushed me to work hard,
to learn mixed martial arts. Im glad
it looked convincing on screen.
How much time did it take to

prepare for Akira?
I trained for three-four months before
IF YOURE GOOD FRIENDS

WITH YOUR CO-STAR AND
YOU HAVE TO ROMANCE
HIM, IT BECOMES
A HILARIOUS SITUATION
I GET ALONG WITH
ALL MY CO-STARS. SO
ROMANCING THEM IS
A BIT FUNNY WHILE
KICKING ASS IS FUN
the film. I trained while shooting

the film, which was a long time too.
I didnt want people to say maza
nahin aaya. I wanted people to say
that she can kick, she can punch,
she means business and she can do
everything that a guy can.
Did you receive any compliments from

the action stars Akshay Kumar, Salman
Khan and Ajay Devgn?
Akshay tweeted to me after seeing

the trailer. He said that I had done
well. (Laughs) Ajay said that if
you do such action where will we
go? Even the audience has taken
notice because for the first time they
watched a girl do such stuff.
PHOTOGRAPHS:
ROHAN SHRESTHA
INTERVIEW
Is it a conscious move to move away
from the single screen masala heroine
to action girl?
Honestly, Akira is also a single theatre

film. I took up the opportunity with
both hands. Murugadoss sir is a
fantastic director. I have worked
with him before (Holiday: A Soldier
Is Never Off Duty). Apart from the
entertainment factor, the film leaves
you with things to think about. It has
the message of self-defense, it touches
upon the topic of acid attacks, corrupt
cops and how this girl stands up for
herself and fights through it all.
Whats more difficult - romancing a guy

on screen or kicking the bad boys?
(Laughs) I guess romancing. It also

depends on what equation you have
with your co-star. For instance, if
youre good friends with your
co-star and you have to romance
him, it becomes a hilarious situation.
You cant figure out what to do.
I get along with all my co-stars. So
romancing them is a bit funny. But
kicking ass and doing action is fun.
Have you ever kicked a boy in real life

for offending you?
(Laughs) In school I have. But it was

not for offending me but for just
troubling me. I use to be quite shy in
school. So people would try to bully
me. But I never got bullied. I gave
it right back to them. I must have
kicked a couple of boys.
Are you doing Dabangg 3? Rumours

suggest that youre not
Even I keep reading these stories.

Everyone is playing ping-pong with
one another. I guess even the script
isnt in place. So all these are just
speculations. Arbaaz Khan would be
the right person to give you details
about Dabangg 3. As of now, I dont
even know when they are starting.
People insinuate that because you

turned down Dolly Ki Doli, Salman Khan
is upset with you
No no, not at all. Youre talking about

something that happened two years
back. Suddenly, why do you all dig
up these gade murde? Im on very
good terms with the entire family.
YOU CANNOT DISREGARD

SOMEONES CAREER
BECAUSE THEY HAVENT
WORKED WITH A
PARTICULAR ACTOR... YES,
ID LIKE TO WORK WITH
AAMIR KHAN AND SHAH
RUKH KHAN. BUT I DONT
BELIEVE THAT WOULD
DEFINE MY CAREER
Lets not even get into that because

its pointless. If someone whos bored
and decides to cook up a story one
day, then thats not my problem.
What makes you angry?
Im a calm person. It takes a lot

to make me angry. But there are
certain things that happen in
todays world and in our society
that truly anger me. For instance,
I hate uncleanliness. I hate the
road conditions. Were paying
huge taxes but barely do we see
any improvement in basic living.
That angers me. Inequality, when
it comes to women, disturbs me
deeply too.
INTERVIEW
Sonakshi Sinha in Akira
SOMEONE WITH A GOOD

SENSE OF HUMOUR,
SOMEONE WHOS SELFMADE. SOMEONE WHO
PUTS MY NEEDS IN FRONT
OF HIS. SOMEONE WHO
MAKES ME LAUGH
SUCH A GUY WOULD
ATTRACT ME
Ill be little attention seeking at
times. But Im easy to pacify.
Where does your sex appeal lie?
I shy from being myself. People

appreciate that about me. If youre
talking about a physical attribute,
then I guess its my eyes.
How important love is in your life?
Its as important as breathing. Love

makes the world go around but its
not something, which you can chase.
Its just happens. It comes to you
when the time is right.
So how can you live without breathing?
You cant. But if you say that theres

only one aspect of love then youre
highly mistaken. I love my family.
I love my friends. I love my pet.
I love my job. Theres love in all I do.
Rumours suggest that you are engaged

to Bunty Sachdeva?
No comment! Do you see a ring on

my finger? No na? Then? Does that
answer your question?
Okay what kind of a man attracts you?

Someone with good sense
of humour, someone whos
independent and self-made.
Someone who puts my needs in
front of his. Someone who just
makes me laugh.
What kind of girlfriend would you be?
Im right now in a good space. So Id

be a chilled out girlfriend. Id just
want to have fun, go out and travel.
An actress career is considered

incomplete until she has worked with
the Khans. You still have to act with
Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan
They are wonderful actors. Im sure

everyone wants to work with them.
But I dont believe a persons career
is incomplete or complete based
on who they work with. Its their
body of work that should talk. You
cannot disregard someones career
because they havent worked with
a particular person. Thats an unfair
statement. Yes, I would like to work
with Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh
Khan at some point of time in my
career. But I dont believe that would
n
define my career.
INTERVIEW
Love
is
a bitch
KARAN JOHAR CONFIDES HIS LATEST FILM DERIVES FROM HIS OWN HEARTBREAK, HIS LONELINESS.
RAGHUVENDRA SINGH GETS A RARE GLIMPSE OF THE HOTSHOT FILMMAKER
Its tough to be in the limelight always. Its tough to speak about love and heartbreak especially
when the world wants to listen, criticise and possibly dissect every word you speak. But Karan Johar
is not one to shy away from his own emotions. He may not wear them on his sleeve all the time but
that doesnt mean hes not feeling fuzzy or fragile. Teasers of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (ADHM) have set
the precedent for passion. Thats the key word for Karans countless interactions, both personal and
professional in the film industry. Hes everyones friend and possibly one of the few people in showbiz
who truly understand what makes and breaks relationships in the glitzy but fragile world of the stars.
In a candid mood he shares matters of the heart and the deepest secrets that make Hindi cinema and
its glamorous alleys such a rollercoaster ride. Excerpts from an intimate chat...
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (ADHM) seems to
be about love and longing
Its a personal film. Its about things

we all have been through. Its not a
love story; its a story about love. Its
about how you react to heartbreak.
Its about unrequited love, onesided love. I loved this couplet by
Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Gar baazi ishq
ki baazi hai, jo chaho laga do dar
kaisa, Gar jeet gaye to kya kehna,
haare bhi to baazi maat nahi.
Loosely translated it means that one
never actually loses in the game of
love. Even if you lose in love youre
still a winner. Thats the thought on
which Ive based ADHM.
Does it resonate your life?
Perhaps. Im 44 years old, in the
Ranbir Kapoor in ADHM
mid-point of my life. You realise

the importance of being in a
relationship, of love and romance.
Do I miss love? Companionship?
Intimacy? Yes, I do. So I felt
that I needed to address that
cinematically. Basically, its my
quest for love. The lack of love
in my life, my reflecting on my
heartbreaks and the love that I could
have had, which I never did. That
has resulted in me writing ADHM.
Its about how tough the journey
of heart can be, how you may
achieve everything in the world
professionally but if you dont have
love, you remain empty. Work is
part of your mind. Love is about
your heart. My mind feels liberated,
my heart feels empty.
DO I MISS LOVE?
COMPANIONSHIP?
INTIMACY? YES,
I DO... THE LACK OF
LOVE IN MY LIFE, MY
HEARTBREAKS... HAVE
RESULTED IN AE DIL
HAI MUSHKIL
PHOTOGRAPHS: ABHAY SINGH

INTERVIEW
Is ADHM then a tear-jerker?
No, the film will not make you

cry. But it will definitely make you
laugh. There are funny scenes that
will have a deep connection. Youll
surely reflect that love is a bitch,
yet wonderful. It makes you cry and
laugh, it scares you and it tickles
you, it leaves you anguished Love
has that power to destroy you and
make you.
How is the younger generation youve

worked with different from their seniors?
Those times were different. They
were different. I was different. This
generation operates differently.
With Shah Rukh Khan there was
always a sense of seniority, respect,
awe and inspiration. There still is.
Whenever Shah Rukh walks into
a room, I instinctively stand up
because I call him Bhai. With Ranbir
its easy and casual. Im senior to
them. Ill always cherish both the
memories. You cant compare them.
SHAH RUKH AND

I LEAN ON GAURI
FOR STABILITY. SHES
SUCH A STRONG LADY.
THERES A PHOTO OF
SRK AND GAURI IN MY
ROOM. I STARE AT THEM
BECAUSE THEY GIVE
ME STRENGTH
Your friendship with Gauri Khan has

stood the test of time as well...
Shes strong and solid. Shes a

great mother, a wonderful wife and
daughter. Shes the silent support
in my life. We dont need to talk
to each other. Yet well always
stand by each another. Shes like
a daughter to my mother (Hiroo
Johar) and a sister to me. I love
the way she handles her life. I
love the way she balances being
Shah Rukhs wife and being a selfsufficient professional. Shes the
support system we all lean on. Shah
Rukh and I lean on her for stability
because shes such a strong lady.
Theres a photo of Shah Rukh and
Gauri in my room. I stare at them
because they give me strength. The
only other pictures in my room are
of my father (the late filmmaker
Yash Johar) and my mother.
Gauri and Shah Rukh Khan
When will we see Shah Rukh and you

working together again?
Shah Rukh is a huge part of my

career. When it comes to superstars,
SRK is the only one Ive worked
with. Hes all I know. We will come
together for something special soon.
But one doesnt know when. Im
still in the thick of a movie. Working
with Shah Rukh is easy. If I direct,
hell say yes for sure. We have that
understanding. He never reads my
scripts. Just a while ago, we had
dinner and chatted for four hours
about everything. I dont enjoy that
ease and comfort with anybody else
because we have history between us.
Im in the movie business because of
Aditya Chopra and Shah Rukh. I can
never forget that.
When people suggest that youve moved

on from Shah Rukh how do you react?
INTERVIEW
People talk rubbish. Im co-producing
two movies with him. Were
co-producing the up-for-release
Gauri Shinde film and were also
collaborating to make the Ittefaq
remake with BR Films. Im in touch
with his wife and him every day.
I talk to Aryan and Suhana every day.
People dont understand peoples
love and respect for each other.
You carry the halo of a star director.

Is it a conscious effort?
I never planned it. I enjoy the

limelight. I believe in front footing
my celebrity status. I dont have a
problem posing for the paparazzi,
hosting an awards show, judging a
reality show, hosting a talk show.
Being famous excites me and losing
fans depresses me. Im unapologetic
about it. I dont want to be behind
the scenes. Ive no interest in
subtlety, neither in my cinema nor in
my personality. I love who I am.
Whats tougher, directing a film or

maintaining celebritydom?
Direction is my primary passion.

Maintaining my stardom is not
something that I have control over.
Its great as long as the going is
good. Tomorrow when the flowers
stop coming, then Ill just have to
deal with it. Right now life is kind.
Hopefully, Ill leave behind a strong
legacy provided I have my feet
planted firmly on the ground. I cant
be deluded. Delusion is the biggest
disease. It can be the death of a
career. Im aware of my insecurities,
inferiorities, mistakes I know where
I stand in the scheme of things. I dont
believe Im the best filmmaker in the
country or the most powerful person
in the industry. Im just a grateful
member of this industry.
From where do you get this sense

of wisdom?
Im a friend, a father and family to

my colleagues. Thats my biggest
achievement. Thats what I learnt
from my father. He taught me that
hits and flops are immaterial. If
your relationships fail youll stop
mattering in the world. That I have
smiling people who work in my
Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma in ADHM
WOMEN
I ADMIRE
LATA
MANGESHKAR
My love for Hindi

cinema has a lot to do
with Lata Mangeshkar.
Lataji will always
resonate cinema for
me. Her rendition of Lag
ja gale (Woh Kaun Thi) gives me emotional
strength. I hear it almost every night.
SRIDEVI
Im a big Sridevi fan.

She has done over
500 films and has
been a top star in every
language be it Tamil,
Telugu or Hindi. Shes a
genius actor. Theres no
one like her. Im dying to direct her someday.
JAYA BACHCHAN
Jaya aunty has an

identity of her own.
Shes the fulcrum of her
beautiful family. Shes
maintained her dignity.
Hers is a strong energy.
I call her Aunty J with
affection. Shes like a mother to me.
company makes more difference

to me than a blockbuster. For me,
theres no difference between a
superhit film and a superhit family
at work. Where will I take all this
money? Money is a byproduct of
success. But success is not just
commercial. Success is a personal
journey. I hope that my personal
journey will always be more
successful than my career.
Away from all the razzmatazz

whats the real Karan like?
Ive spent 44 years trying to figure

myself out. Im a Gemini. So there
are two of me in any case. Im many
people in one. It depends on the
circumstance and the situation. I can
swing on politeness. I can swing on
power. I can be sad, I can be happy
on command. The cameras never
go off. Even when were in business
or creative meetings, the camera is
always on. Youre an entity, youre
always performing. Those vulnerable
moments of solitude or those
intimate moments happen with my
family my mom. Otherwise, when
I leave the house I put on a mask and
the camera starts rolling. And the
camera goes off only when I put off
n
the lights and sleep.
INTERVIEW
EMRAAN
REBOOTED
BEHIND THE IMAGE OF THE SERIAL KISSER, LIES AN ARTISTE OF
SENSITIVE DIMENSIONS. RAGHUVENDRA SINGH TALKS CINEMA WITH
ACTOR-TURNED-PRODUCER EMRAAN HASHMI
es witnessed the dizzying heights of success and hes

experienced the horror of the fall. Hes seen life and its
unpredictability up close. Yet hes found a way to remain
attached, to his career and ambitions albeit with
detachment. When it comes to movie stars, you dont get
someone whos more in sync with reality than Emraan Hashmi. When
his movies fail to recreate the hysteria of a few years back, Emraan
draws inspiration from the fact that hes given his best shot. With a
cool disposition and invaluable insights, he looks to debut as a film
producer with Captain Nawab. Hes a little piqued by the serial kisser
moniker, which refuses to wane. Amidst controversy and conjecture, he
looks forward to many exciting tomorrows
With Kriti Kharbanda in Raaz Reboot
Youre now producing

Captain Nawab for director
Tony DSouza. Did you
always want to get into
production?
I wanted to get into
production two years
back. But with my son
Ayaan falling ill, it got
postponed. Ive heard from
producers that production
is like sitting on an
electric chair, you have to
absorb a lot of shocks. But
as a hands-on producer,
I can have an official say
in the film we make. Right
or wrong, good or bad, at
least its my baby. And
creatively, I can represent
it the way I want.
You seem to have faith
in Tony despite Azhar not
doing as expected
Yes, completely. Before
Azhar, he had made

Blue, which people were
apprehensive about. Also
I stand by Azhar. Its one
of my best films. There are
other reasons why it didnt
do well. But as a technical
director, Tonys fabulous.
He works his ass off to get
a film up there. Azhar is a
good product.
Raaz Reboot what
made it different from the
previous ones?
I dont see films beyond
the third part. And for me,
Raaz had already peaked
in the third part. Despite
being a horror film, it did
a business of `80 crore
plus, which shocked all.
It took horror into the
mainstream. But then after
three years Vikram Bhatt
came back with Raaz 4.
I DONT BELIEVE TIGER

(SHROFF) CLAIMED TO
BE THE NEXT SERIAL
KISSER. I GUESS ITS
THE MEDIA OR THE PR
MACHINERY PITCHING
IT I WAS A PIONEER
IN KISSING AND I WILL
ALWAYS REMAIN SO
PHOTOGRAPHS: ROHAN SHRESTHA

INTERVIEW
I said no. But he insisted
that I listen to the script.
And after the narration,
I was like wow! Horror
films can get predictable.
But this was two steps
ahead of the audience.
It keeps you guessing.
The suspense was
unpredictable.
As an actor what side
of you still remains
unexplored?
There are quite a few
shades of my personality
that remain untapped.
Because as life progresses
your concerns change, you
see life in a different way.
Im constantly growing
and evolving and most of
the films dont even come
close to those emotions.
Because we are superficial.
Few films touch upon
deeper things. So what if
they dont make the kind
of money, which other
commercial or masala
films make. Cinema
shouldnt only be engaged
with the box-office.
YES, I MIGHT HAVE MADE AN ENTRY THROUGH THE BHATT CAMP BUT THEY
WERE CLEAR THAT IF PEOPLE DONT LIKE YOU OR IF THE FILM DOESNT WORK,
THEN WE CANT WORK WITH YOU. AND I RESPECTED THAT. SO I WORKED
MY ASS OFF TO MAKE SOMETHING OUT OF IT
Would you like to do a film

like Shanghai again?
Id love to do Shanghai
again. I was listening to
the song Duaa on loop in
the morning. Just last night
a friend said that its your
best film. Things went
wrong which even Dibakar
(Banerjee, director) can
tell you about. Its about
the the way the film was
pitched. It became an
Emraan Hashmi love story.
We had a song where I
sing to Kalki Koechlin in
a resto-bar. It was aired
like a music video, when
it had nothing to do with
the film.
Would you blame your
image for that?
Your image sometimes
INTERVIEW
ruins things because
people are so scared in
the industry. They want
to play safe and they want
you to play safe also. Most
of the times you give in
and sell out. Dibakar and
I sold out. We said okay
we can make this into a
commercial success. We
will add this song. And we
f#@$%&d it up and it blew
up in our faces.
Had we given a clear
message that this is a
different kind of film,
it would have worked.
Aamir Khan did that with
Dhobi Ghat. You prepare
the audience that its a
niche film. At least those
who come will enjoy it.
You wont receive flak for
having given the wrong
message. Eventually, what
you promise and what
you deliver has to be
in sync.
Is it difficult for you to
break away from your
serial-kisser image?
(Smiles) Its something
that haunts me like Raaz
to date. Like a ghost that
lingers. I dont even know
if it helps or doesnt help,
its something thats there.
Today everyone is doing
it. But for some reason it
becomes the focal point in
my film. Eventually only
if its a good film, will it
do well. Ive done films
where I havent kissed
and they have done well.
And Ive done films where
I've kissed and theyve
not done well. So at least
people cant say that you
have to kiss - thats the
only way the film is going
to do well. (Laughs) Thank
God for those films that
flopped despite my kissing
in them.
Reportedly, it was said
that. So I worked my ass

off to make something out
of it. Gradually, people
understood that this
guy is professional. Hes
disciplined. Hes a decent
actor. And he delivers the
goods. Thats why they
took me in their films. Not
because of PR.
Captain Nawab
IVE SAID IT TIME AND AGAIN THAT THE INDUSTRY IS

NO PLACE TO MAKE FRIENDS. BUT ITS NOT A BAD PLACE.
ITS JUST CUT-THROAT. IVE A PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE
WHO PRETEND ITS NOT THAT WAY. IM NOT A SAINT
AND I GET AFRAID OF ANYONE WHO PRETENDS TO
BE A SAINT. THEY ARE HYPOCRITES
that Tiger Shroff is the new
serial kisser. Comment.
I dont believe Tiger
claimed to be that. I guess
its the media suggesting
that. Or its the PR
machinery pitching it.
I dont believe any actor
pushes himself and says
Im the next this. In these
times of media hype, its
important to grab peoples
attention by having great
headlines. But I dont react
to this. All I can say is that
I was a pioneer in kissing
and I will always be so.
(Smiles) And no one can
argue with the person who
started it all in the first
place. Can you?
For someone like you who
isnt into networking or PR,
is it difficult to survive?
Not really! I hate film
parties. And believe me,

they dont guarantee
success. What guarantees
success is success itself
and good work. The
audience loves you for
what you are. Ive worked
without networking
because filmmakers have
seen my work, theyve
liked it and they know
that I can raise the money
at the box-office. I never
had a kickass entry as the
guy who was given things
on the platter. I came as a
supporting actor. It took
me years to become the
main lead.
Yes, I might have made
an entry through the Bhatt
camp but they were clear
that if people dont like
you or if the film doesnt
work, then we cant work
with you. And I respected
What has the industry

taught you?
Its an unpredictable
line. And, it has its ups
and downs. Ive been
through the summers and
the winters. You have to
understand that neither
lasts. That awareness
keeps you sane. The tide
will change and you have
to be patient about it. You
cant drop out because it
will be the saddest thing
if you do. What if success
was just around the
corner? I guess you are
as good as your last
Friday and theres nothing
else to it.
Like I have always said,
its not an industry where
you can hope to make
friends for life because
here its all about last
Friday. You have the best
of friends around you
when your films are doing
well and it gets extremely
lonely when films dont
do well. Ive said it time
and again that this is no
place for making friends.
When economics steps in,
all else gets contaminated.
But I stress that its not
a bad place. Its just cutthroat. Thats how it is
and thats how it has been.
I have a problem with
people who pretend its
not that. Im not a saint.
And I get afraid of anyone
who pretends to be a
saint. They are hypocrites.
They choose not to
n
recognise the truth.
INTERVIEW
WHATS UP,
DEVESH SHARMA
MEETS COMPOSER
ARKO PRAVO
MUKHERJEE, WHO
GAVE UP MEDICINE
FOR MUSIC
DOC?
rko Pravo Mukherjee is

tall, laconic and fit as
a fiddle. His apartment
is riddled with
dumbbells and other
exercise equipment.
They are juxtaposed
with his prized possession two
acoustic guitars, brought in Belgium.
Its a bit of a lived in mess. But so is
any other bachelor pad. Hes wearing
gym pants and a comfortable T and
jokes that his lifestyle as well as his
clothing is more relaxed ever since
hes been single. Thats past one year
now. Its also the time since he has
given hits like Saathi re from Kapoor
& Sons or Tere sang yaara from
Rustom. So hes presumably flushed
with money and has no girlfriend
to pamper. In a way its good.
Because Im also flushed with work.
I wouldnt have had all this me
time if I werent single. One should
enjoy spending time with oneself as
well. Its therapeutic. Hes irritated
with some construction noise
Katrina Kaif and Sidharth

Malhotra in Baar Baar Dekho
thats seeping through the French

windows and promptly shuts them.
Can you believe it? he grimaces.
Were on the 23rd floor and yet
theres so much noise pollution.
His place is within walking
distance from most studios like Yash
Raj Films, Zee, Dharma Productions,
T Series... I can actually walk to
these places if I want to. The traffic
in this city is atrocious. I shudder to
travel even to Bandra, he mutters.
Hes happy that Rustom has done
well in theatres. His song, Tere
sang yaara was promoted well. He
credits singer Atif Aslam for making
it so popular. I could have chosen
Arijit Singh, I could have chosen
Kay Kay but my gut told me to go
with Atif. And he did wonders with
IM INSPIRED BY ARTISTES LIKE SINGER-SONGWRITER

ED SHEERAN, WHO DOESNT HAVE A BIG SET UP, SINGS
JUST TO A GUITAR BUT STILL COMMANDS A FULL HOUSE AT
WEMBLEY. THATS THE KIND OF HIGH I WANT TO ACHIEVE
INTERVIEW
it. Hes glad director Tinu Suresh
Desai agreed with his choice. And
that his reprise version, Tere bin
yaara, got to be part of the album
as well. It was the sad version that
got selected first, he reveals. Then
the makers felt that it would do well
as a romantic song too. Thankfully,
lyricist Manoj Muntassir was able
to turn it around and I too gave it
a buoyant treatment. Earlier, his
pathos-filled Saathi re too was
written by Manoj and Arko got
to sing the song. Shakun (Batra,
director) wanted me do a scratch
recording for Karan Johar. So I just
sang it myself. He asked me to stop
looking for singers as Karan sir had
approved of my voice, he gushes.
H
I MISS THE EASY
FAMILIARITY OF
KOLKATA. YOU CAN
BLINDFOLD ME AND
NINE OUT OF TEN
TIMES ID REACH
THE RIGHT PLACE BY
JUST LISTENING TO
ITS RHYTHM
e acknowledges
that a good lyricist
helps make a song
memorable but
he believes that a
composer should be a
competent song writer
as well. He tries to write words for
any new tune hes composing as
it helps him get the mood right. I
do it regularly for my Bengali or
English songs. But learning to write
in Hindi is a steep curve. Being
a Bengali, I tend to mix up my
grammar, especially the gender part.
But Ill surely get there, he guffaws.
His name means the first ray of
the sun and his daak naam (pet
name) is Tublu. He laughs at that
and says Sujoy Ghosh has made
the whole daak naam concept
familiar to non-Bongs through
Kahaani. He simply loves the film
and watches it at every rerun, even
comparing Ghosh to David Fincher
at one point of our conversation.
And, no they arent friends. Nor
has he given the music of Kahaani,
which was composed by VishalShekhar. Its just one Bong praising
another. And justifiably so in this
case. He absolutely loves Saswata
Chatterjee in the film, who played
the assassin Bob Biswas. The guy
says Nomoshkar and then pulls out
a gun and shoots you. How cool is
that, he exclaims. He also admires
the way Sujoy made Kolkata seem
INTERVIEW
Akhay Kumar and Ileana DCruz in Rustom
Himansh Kohli and Rakul Preet Singh in Yaariyan
real in the film. The sights and the

sounds seem just right. Sujoy pulled
it off realistically, he muses.
You can make out from his
fervent tone that Arko misses the
city of his birth, his upbringing.
Yes, and no, he admits. Yes,
because I miss the ambience,
I miss my family. I miss the easy
familiarity of Kolkata. You can
blindfold me and nine out of ten
times Id reach the right place
by just listening to its rhythm,
breathing in its fragrance. And no,
because I saw no future as an
artiste there.So I took the rather
harsh decision of moving to
Mumbai in 2008.
Hes a trained doctor. In fact, he
was a gold medallist in his college.
His father too is a doctor and his
mother is an academician. He
belongs to a family of intellectuals
and to chuck all that to follow his
passion in this cutthroat music
I COULD HAVE
CHOSEN ARIJIT SINGH,
I COULD HAVE CHOSEN
KAY KAY BUT MY GUT
TOLD ME TO GO WITH
ATIF ASLAM. AND
HE DID WONDERS
WITH TERE SANG
YAARA IN RUSTOM
industry must have been difficult

for a bhadra purush like him.
He laughs at the bhadra lok
reference and says he came to
Mumbai in order to learn to
survive on his own. I had this
sheltered existence so it was a sort
of an adventure at first to cook for
oneself, to wash ones clothes, to
pay your rent. I dig those days.
Loneliness is the biggest bug bear
of the people cut off from the safety
cocoon of their families. But Arko
was fortunate that longtime friend
and music enthusiast Vishwadeep
Bhowmik came with him to
Mumbai. We both wanted to cut an
album together. Hindi film music
wasnt our priority. Sadly, the
album took almost three years in the
making and didnt get to see the light
of the day. It led to many creative
differences between us, he sighs.
Being musically inclined and a
Bengali, the adda culture hadnt
left him yet and he used to have

impromptu musical evenings at his
place where close friends indulged
in a sort of an open mic, sang or
narrated whatever they seemed to
be working on and drank away the
night. Actor Prashant Narayanan,
who was a regular at such meetings,
recommended him to Mahesh Bhatt.
Bhatt was on the lookout for new
composers for Jism 2 (2012). Bhatt
saab called me to his office and
made me sing out almost the whole
of my music bank. He chose the
tunes for Maula, Yeh jism hai toh
kya and Abhi abhi. All thankfully
proved popular. So in essence, hes
my mentor, exclaims Arko.
he composer hasnt yet

has a solo release so far
but is cool with that.
He explains that the
days where a solo
composer ruled a
film are gone now. He
mentions that even in Hollywood,
the directors choose multiple
tracks, ranging from the works of
contemporary artistes to rock and
pop legends. The biggest indicator
of this trend catching on here is that
Dharma, who always believed in
taking single composers, changed
their stance with both Kapoor &
Sons and now the recently released
Baar Baar Dekho too.
His Dariya from the film,
composed, sung and written by
himself has been well liked, despite
the presence of massy tracks like
Kala chashma. Its my first attempt
where Im responsible for a song in
all departments in a commercial set
up. Im pepped up by the fact that
Karan sir greenlighted not only my
voice but also my lyrics. Buoyed
by its success, Arko now plans to
do what he actually came here for
in the first place make a career as
a solo performer. Im inspired by
artistes like singer-songwriter
Ed Sheeran, who doesnt have a
big set up, sings just to a guitar
but still commands a full house at
Wembley. Thats the kind of high
I want to achieve.
Fingers crossed...
n
FEATURE
MATINEE
THE DIRECTOR OF THE MUCH-ACCLAIMED TALVAR, MEGHNA GULZAR, HANDPICKS THE
FILMS THAT TATTOOED HER SENSIBILITIES IN A CHAT WITH FARHANA FAROOK
MEMORIES
S
he was to cinema born. Daughter of

filmdoms celebrated personalities,
writer-director Gulzar and actor
Raakhee, films have served as
the verdant backdrop of Meghna
Gulzars upbringing. And the movies,
she watched through her growing years,
became the reference points for her own
narrative. The tangible characters, the
intriguing relationships, the romance, the
razzmatazz... went on to shape her craft as
a storyteller later. Growing up at a time
when colour had just about broken on
television sets, Doordarshan was the only
choice of entertainment. Later, my mother
imported a huge colour TV and a VCR,
she says recalling the magic of watching
films at home. Madhumati, Jewel Thief,
Sangam, Superman... Ive watched and
re-watched these films, she smiles as she
goes on to elaborate on the timelessness
of her most-loved films...
MADHUMATI (1958)
DIRECTOR: BIMAL ROY

CAST: DILIP KUMAR AND VYJAYANTHIMALA
Reincarnation has
been a sweet spot
for me ever since.
And the idea of an
unfinished business,
or an unrequited
love... looping back
across time, till
there is closure
theres something
irresistibly romantic
and fatally idealistic
about the thought.
Madhumati, for
me, is poetry in
black and white.
Vyjayanthimala and
Dilip Kumar loving
and losing over
several lifetimes.
The songs and

their picturisation
Bimaldas
mastery exudes in
every frame. Dilip
Kumars anguish at
losing his beloved...
the mysterious and
melancholic Aaja
re pardesi... and
Vyjayanthimalas
mysterious smile
in the climax
sequence...
Goosebumps!
Others like Karz
(1980), Kudrat
(1981), Karan Arjun
(all Ks!) Om Shanti
Om (2007)... I love
them all, because of
my weakness for the
reincarnation theme.
And Madhumati is
actually where it all
began...
FEATURE
IJAAZAT (1998)
DIRECTOR: GULZAR | CAST: NASEERUDDIN SHAH,

REKHA & ANURADHA PATEL
MR INDIA (1987)
DIRECTOR: SHEKHAR KAPUR | CAST: ANIL KAPOOR AND SRIDEVI
I know Ive jumped

time. But Mr India
comes next in line
because it was yet
another VHS tape
that was added
to our collection.
Hence I viewed
it innumerable
times. An invisible
superhero, whos
actually an ordinary
man. What a
thought! And so
well-executed.
Shekhar Kapur had
already handled
children deftly in
Masoom (1983).
Mr India was
another milestone.
Each of the kids had
their own distinct
personalities. The
scene where the
children are hungry
and harassing
Calendar (Satish
Kaushik) for food
and he reveals that
theres no food in
the house... When
Arun bhaiya (Anil
Kapoor) comes
home and Tina goes
running to him,
Mujhe bhook nahin
hai Arun bhaiya...
Ek din nahin
khaungi to marr
nahin jaaungi...
There is not one
time that I havent
cried while watching
this scene. The kids
gave a precious
performance.
I love Mr India
also for the world
it created it was a
film that enthralled
both children and
adults. Mogambo
and his missiles,
Hawa hawaii, Daga
and Teja and of
course Kaate nahin
kat-te ye din ye raat!
A complete package,
if any film was one.
I am committing harakiri by jumping to

Ijaazat over my fathers other films. But
theres uniqueness to Ijaazat that makes
it compelling. Adultery and extramarital
affairs are seen in a new light one of grace,
gullibility and dignity. And Rekha is seen
in a different avatar. Restrained, delicate,
the writing is so balanced that no character
seems to be in the wrong. My heart goes
out to Mohinder (Naseer), when Sudha
(Rekha) leaves with her husband at the
end of the film. The dignity and charm
accorded to Maya, breaks the mould of the
other woman.
Aandhi (1975) was also path-breaking
in its telling of a marital relationship. Just
like Kusum (Hema Malini) in Khushboo
(1975), is perhaps one of the strongest
female characters.
Also in the unreleased Libaas (1988)
Seema (Shabana Azmi) is a reflection of
Mohinder from Ijaazat. The arch of fragilty
that dad gave to relationships is what I
always admire and try to emulate.
JEWEL THIEF (1958)
DIRECTOR: VIJAY ANAND | CAST: DEV ANAND AND VYJAYANTHIMALA

I was blown away when the real Jewel Thief was revealed.
The laying out of Prince Amar looking like Vinay... except
that he has one extra finger the thrill is unforgettable.
Raat akeli hai and Tanujas unconventional oomph remains
sensuous even today. Vyjayanthimala excelled longing for
Amar in Rulake gaya sapna mera and setting the screen on
fire in Hoton pe aisi baat. Vijay Anand was doing one-shot
songs way back in the 60s. I saw Guide later and I am a fan
of Dev Anand ever since.
FEATURE
TAARE ZAMEEN PAR (2007)
DIRECTOR: AAMIR KHAN|CAST: AAMIR KHAN, TISCA CHOPRA,

DARSHEEL SAFARY
Again, a film with children, but about a
very complex subject; handled deftly with
just the right amount of lightness and
sensitivity. It could have been overbearing
and depressing, but the writing (Amol
Gupte) did not let it. Yes, the film had
moments that twisted my insides and
touched me deeply the song Maa when
Ishaan (Darsheel Safary) is left at boarding
school against his wishes was heartrending.
And if I thought that was tough, the art
competition in the end flooded me with
emotion. Ishaans painting. And Nikumbh
sirs (Aamir Khan) painting. So evocative! A
masterstroke in storytelling.
TAARE ZAMEEN PAR HAD MOMENTS THAT TWISTED MY INSIDES... MR. INDIA IS
A COMPLETE PACKAGE, IF EVER ANY FILM WAS ONE. LAGAAN MARRIED CRICKET
A NATIONAL FAVOURITE WITH BASHING THE HUKUMAT ANOTHER FAVOURITE
LAGAAN (2001)
DIRECTOR: ASHUTOSH GOWARIKER |CAST: AAMIR KHAN, GRACY SINGH, RACHEL KELLY
Most of Aamir
Khans films make
it on the lists of
favourites. But
Lagaan is here for
more reasons. It
married cricket a
national favourite
with bashing the
hukumat (rulers)
another national
favourite. And
planted the film in
a village. We were
seeing rural India
on the silver screen
after many years!
Then there were the
11 characters that
made up the cricket
team tremendous
writing! Each was
so well-defined and
with definite quirks,
that they remain
timeless. I loved
the way the story/
screenplay was
crafted (Gowariker,
Abbas Tyrewala
and Sanjay Dalmia)
how cricket was
introduced to the
villagers, how the
team was formed,
their version of the
spin and bodyline

cricket with
Kachras (Aditya
Lakhia) bowling
action and finally a
catch that turns into
a six! Youre not
Indian if that didnt
grab you!
FEATURE
Silsila
THE ANGUISH AND THE

ECSTASY WHEN YOUR PAST
CLOUDS YOUR PRESENT. THE
LAYERING OF RELATIONSHIPS IN
BOTH KABHI KABHIE AND SILSILA
IS WAY AHEAD OF ITS TIME
KABHI KABHIE (1976) & SILSILA (1981)

DIRECTOR: YASH CHOPRA
You cannot like one

and not the other!
The anguish and the
ecstasy when your
past clouds your
present. The layering
of relationships in
both these films is
way ahead of its
time.
The play between
Pooja (Raakhee),
Amit (Amitabh
Bachchan) and Vijay
(Shashi) as their
pasts confront them.
Intertwined with
Anjus (Waheeda
Rehman) past of an
illegitimate daughter
Pinky (Neetu
Singh), while the
dynamics between
Pinky, Vicky (Rishi
Kapoor) and Sweety
(Naseem) infuse a
youthful slant to the
film. Kabhi Kabhie,
you had me at Scene
No. 1! And not just
because my mother
looked ethereal in
the film!
Agar ye vishwaas
aur pyaar ki jung hai,
to mujhe manzoor
hai... a thundering
line, softly spoken in
a flashpoint scene by
Jaya Bachchan that
had no melodrama.
Just a quiet strength
expressed by
both the female
characters. Silsila
will always remain
a favourite because
of its screenwriting
(Yash Chopra and
Sagar Sarhadi)
and crafting. The
vulnerability of
all the characters
is palpable. But
Kabhi Kabhie
Sanjeev Kumar!
The moment when
Dr Anand is about
to take a flight and
his wife Chandni
(Rekha) is seeing
him off at the airport
is unforgettable. He
knows her heart lies
somewhere else. He
knows she may not
be there when he
returns. You can feel
his heart and yours
crumbling at that
moment! They dont
make em like him
anymore...
MY OTHER
FAVOURITES
CHEENI
KUM
KAHAAN
VINGLIS
ENGLISH
MAACHIS (1996)
DIRECTOR: GULZAR | CAST: OM PURI, TABU,

CHANDRACHUR SINGH, JIMMY SHERGILL
Because I think its
my fathers angriest
film. Because I think
its his strongest
writing. Because I
know it had festered
inside him for too
long, before he
purged it into a film.
Aadhe saintalis ne
kha liye thay... aadhe
chaurasi kha gaya...
Never has a dialogue
reverberated the
trials of a country so
strongly.
Maachis strongest
point was the
screenplay the
intertwining of
unconnected lives
and incidents into

one consuming
tragedy. Jassi (Raj
Zutshi) being
hauled up because
he has a dog called
Jimmy also the
name of a wanted
terrorist. Kirpal
(Chandrachur)
eventually meeting
the real Jimmy
(Jimmy) as he joins
the terrorist group.
The news of a sixth
man arriving, a
missile shooter; who
turns out to be none
other than Veeran
(Tabu), Kirpals love
and Jassis sister.
That one moment

symbolised the
annihilation of
an entire people,
an entire state
innocent bystanders
that get sucked into
a violent vortex.
Maachis is also
special because of
its songs, because of
Tabu and because of
Vishal Bhardwaj's
music.
VISHAL BHARDWAJS
SHAKESPEAREAN TRILOGY:
HE
KAI PO C
Maqbool
OX
LUNCHB
N DEKHI
AANKHO
DS MAN
TANU WE
SHAHID
Omkara
Haider
I got to know and understand Shakespeare better because of Maqbool (2004), Omkara
(2006) and Haider (2014). The complexities and dynamics of the characters, their
motivation and their psyche became easier to absorb. And the most beautiful part
of these films was that their adaptation into our Indian milieu, our underworld, our
hinterland, our borders just escalated their relevance and poignancy. Shakespeares
witches, sometimes as corrupt cops, sometimes as gravediggers. The disintegration of
both Maqbool (Irrfan Khan) and Nimmis (Tabu) minds after Abbajis (Pankaj Kapur)
murder, Omkara (Ajay Devgn) singing to Dolly (Kareena Kapoor) as she lies lifeless on
the swing next to him, the sublime Oedipus moments between Haider (Shahid Kapoor)
and Ghazala (Tabu). Unforgettable cinematic experiences are made of these...
NOSTALGIA
life
Drunk
on
DEVESH SHARMA PROFILES THE NUMERO UNO

COMEDIAN JOHNNY WALKER
t didnt take much for ace

comedian Johnny Walker to
make us laugh. A twitch of
the eyebrows, a well-timed
smirk, a witty remark and one
was in splits. His slapstick
was restricted to playing with his
hat, which always seemed to run
away from him. His name was billed
along with the stars and his entry
in the film got as many claps and
whistles as the heroes. Its said that
he used to charge as much as the
leading men when he was at his
peak. At a time when Hindi films
used to follow set norms, it was his
comic act that rescued tragedies and
socials from being melodramatic.
There are many Dilip Kumar or Guru
Dutt films, where he provided that
much needed relief to the viewers
reeling from bouts of tragedy. He was
a teetotaler, who ironically became
famous for his drunken acts. His was
such a brilliant act that most viewed
him as an ardent alcoholic.
In roles big or small, it was his
natural ease in front of the camera,
which shone through. Hindi films
do not have a tradition of casting
comic actors as lead stars but such
was Johnny Walkers popularity that
he got films like Choo Mantar (1956),

Johnny Walker (1957), Mr Qartoon
MA (1958) made especially for him.
He might have not been able to
compete with the troika of Dilip-RajDev but films starring him did make
a profit.
THE B.E.S.T YEARS
Johnny Walker was born in Indore

as Badruddin Jamaluddin Kazi on
November 11, 1920. His father was a
mill worker, who shifted to Mumbai
in 1942. Being the eldest, Johnny
shared the responsibility of looking
after the large family with his
father. He only studied till class six
and started doing odd jobs, selling
ice-cream, stationery, fruits and
vegetables before landing a job as a
bus conductor with the BEST.
Theres an interesting story
about how he landed the BEST job.
Apparently, he learned that there
would be an eye test. He was shortsighted. So a day before the eye
exam, he visited an ophthalmologist
and memorised the eye chart by
heart. He pretended to read it out the
next day, while actually saying
it from memory.
Johnny always wanted to be an
Johnny Walkers name was

billed along with the stars.
His entry in the film got as
many claps and whistles
as did the heros
NOSTALGIA
Songs starring
JOHNNY WALKER
1
ARRE NA NA RE NA TAUBA TAUBA

Film: Aar Paar (1954)
Composer: OP Nayyar
Singers: Mohammed Rafi, Geeta Dutt
2
ARRE JAANE KAHAN MERA JIGAR GAYA JI

Film: Mr & Mrs 55 (1955)
Composer: OP Nayyar
3
YEH HAI BOMBAY MERI JAAN

Film: CID (1956)
Composer: OP Nayyar
With Om Prakash and Mehmood on a movie set
ALL LINE CLEAR

Film: Chori Chori (1956)
Composers: Shankar-Jaikishan
Singer: Mohammed Rafi
5
GARIB JAAN KE HUMKO NA

TUM MITA DENA
Film: Choo Mantar (1956)
Composer: OP Nayyar
6
SAR JO TERA CHAKRAYE

Film: Pyaasa (1957)
Composer: SD Burman
7
MAIN BAMBAI KA BABU

Film: Naya Daur (1957)
Composer: OP Nayyar
8
MAIN HOON MR JOHNNY

Film: Mai Baap (1957)
Composer: OP Nayyar
9
JUNGLE MEIN MOR NAACHA

KISNE DEKHA
Film: Madhumati (1958)
Composer: Salil Chaudhary
MAIN MAIN MAIN CARTOON
Film: Mr Qartoon MA (1958)
Composer: OP Nayyar
Singers: Mohammed Rafi, Shamshad
Begum, Asha Bhosle
With Murad, B Mitra, Shammi Kapoor

and Srinivas on the set of Basant
With Nutan and KN Singh in Chandan
AS A BUS CONDUCTOR, JOHNNY WALKER, WAS SAID TO HAVE

A UNIQUE STYLE OF CUTTING TICKETS AND CALLING OUT THE
NAMES OF THE STOPS. ONCE BALRAJ SAHNI HAPPENED TO
HEAR THAT AND GOT HIM HIS FIRST BREAK WITH GURU DUTT
actor and started getting bit roles
from 1947 onwards. As a conductor,
he was said to have a unique style
of cutting tickets and calling out
the names of the stops for the
passengers. One day, Balraj Sahni,
who was travelling in the BEST bus,
happened to hear that. The veteran
helped him get his first break with
Guru Dutt.
Another story goes that he was
spotted by Sahni entertaining
fellow actors on the sets of Hulchul
(1951), where Walker had a bit role.
Whatever the fact, Sahni, being the
writer of the film, knew that Guru
Dutt was looking out for a comic
actor for his film Baazi (1951). So
Sahni suggested that Walker barge in
as a drunkard between an important
meeting that the director was

supposed to have the next day. The
actor did just that and was almost
thrown out by an angry Dutt, before
Sahni pointed out that it was just a
performance and not the antics of a
drunkard.
MENTOR GURU DUTT
Dutt was impressed and signed the

actor for Baazi. He even christened
him Johnny Walker, after the famous
whisky brand. A lifelong friendship
ensued between the two and Johnny
Walker became part of almost all
Guru Dutt Films projects barring
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962).
Thats because Dutt wanted to be
true to the novel on which the film
was based. Its said that so confident
NOSTALGIA
With Shammi in Mr Mastram
With SN Bannerjee and Praveen

Paul in Chaudvin Ka Chand
was Dutt about Walkers abilities

that he allowed the actor to adlib in
on his scenes, a luxury he seldom
afforded his lead stars. It was Dutt,
who started the tradition of having a
song picturised on the comic actor.
It started with Arre na na re na tauba
tauba in Aar Paar (1954) and after
the success of the iconic Yeh hai
Bombay meri jaan from CID (1956),
other filmmakers too followed suit.
It may be mentioned that Walker
first met his actor wife Noor on the
set of Aar Paar.
Walker too reserved his best for
his favourite director and filled
out his roles with inputs from
his observations of the seamier
underbelly of Mumbai. His Rustom
from Aar Paar, for instance, was a
street smart Parsi who didnt mind
bending the rules. Likewise, his
Master from CID is someone who
prides himself upon being a master
pickpocket someone who could
Kahin Pyar Na Ho Jaye
on screen that he got the Filmfare

Best Supporting Actor Award for
his portrayal. He got his second
Filmfare a decade later, playing
Teju, Dharmendras Man Friday in
Shikaar (1968). His coming timing,
his romantic antics with Bela Bose,
as also his accent, was spot on. The
film was directed by Guru Dutts
brother Atma Ram. In BR Chopras
Naya Daur (1957), he played a
Mumbai-based journalist who covers
the epic race between the motorcar
and the tonga. At first, hes allergic
to all things rural but later
thaws to the cause of the
villagers. His machine
gun commentary on the
race is a hoot. He brought out
the Lucknowi tehzeeb again in Mere
Mehboob (1963), even spouting Urdu
poetry in this Muslim social.
GURU DUTT CHRISTENED

HIM JOHNNY WALKER, AFTER
THE FAMOUS WHISKY BRAND. THE LAST HALF
In the 60s too, he had good roles in
A LIFELONG FRIENDSHIP
such as Shehnai (1964), Suraj
ENSUED BETWEEN THE TWO films
(1966), Mere Huzoor (1968) but his
AND JOHNNY BECAME PART star was dwindling. Comedy had
changed over the years and he had
OF ALMOST ALL OF GURU
become a tad predictable. Then, Guru
DUTTS FILMS
Dutts untimely death in 1964 took an
cut a pocket like a master tailor cuts
cloth. In Mr And Mrs 55 (1955), he
played Johnny, hero Guru Dutts close
confidante and comrade in arms. In
Pyaasa, his character, Abdul Sattar
malishwala, comes to the poet Vijays
succour when everyone shuns him.
Walker copied the mannerisms of
the street masseurs to a T. But its not
that he could only play Mumbaiyya
characters. In Chaudvin Ka Chand
(1960), he played a character who
belonged to Muslim gentry and
merged with the Lucknowi setting.
VERSATILE OEUVRE
Its not that he didnt excel outside

Guru Dutts banner. He completed
some 300 plus films in his career
and showcased his adaptability
elsewhere too. His Charandas in
Madhumati (1958), directed by
Bimal Roy, was a man who was
drunk throughout the film. Such was
his mastery over being inebriated
emotional toll on him. Dutts passing

also meant a loss in terms of wellwritten roles. But he gamely struck
on, shining in such films as Gopi
(1970) and Anand (1970). He just
had a brief cameo in Anand as the
dramatist Issa Bhai Suratwala, who
incidentally was named after a reallife sound-recordist. It was a role,
which relied on his timing to convey
the most with a nod and a wink.
He cut down on his assignments
after Shaan (1980), where he played
Bindiya Goswamis uncle and
even got featured in the famous
Yamma yamma song. Years later,
Kamal Haasan got him to play an
old industry make-up artist, who
transforms Kamal into a matron in
Chachi 420 (1997). It was a realistic
portrayal and the deft comic touches
won him back fans who had all
but forgotten him. He passed away
on July 29, 2003, after a prolonged
illness, leaving behind three sons,
three daughters and millions of
mourning fans
n
readers reviews, box-office, celebrity column & more
INSTA LIKE
LIFE OF
AN
ACTOR
Alia Bhatt posted this cute-
The Sleepyheads
Our stars show us how to be the ultimate Zen masters
SLEEPOVERS
Parineeti Chopra
shared this adorable
girl gang moment with
fellow Dream Team US
tour members Katrina
Kaif and Alia Bhatt and
captioned it as, Girls
who dance together,
sleep together! See
you tonight LA! We are
so excited to perform
for you!!
#badrinathkidulhania
#dreamteam
EARLY
MORNING
MUSINGS
Priyanka Chopra
posted this
picture of herself
announcing shes
all ready for the
weekend. Hmmm
were curious
beautiful girl!
as-a-button picture of herself

and captioned it as, Cosy-ing
up to a script on my day off.
Time well spent I would say.
#BeBefikreDontJudge
HOTNESS OVERLOAD
Captioned, Sloth might just be my favourite sin! lazing is

amazing...., this picture posted by Ranveer Singh is what
relaxing goals are all about. How hot is this man!
AT PEACE
#turnitup
Readers send in their feedback pg 74

Shatrughan Sinhas racy rejoinders pg 80
Dreams
Shah Rukh Khan in his

usual style gave some
fantastic advice by
captioning this picture as,
Shut ur eyes & pass into
the silence of a dream...
try not to think that all the
darkness in peoples eyes
is caused by ur shadows.
LETTERS
September 21, 2016 `60

www.filmfare.com
SHAHID
ON TURNING
DADDY
HRITHIK
OUT!
AAMIR IN
EMRAAN
REFUSES
FILM WITH
ALIA
Our girls slay

Hollywood
SIDHARTH
MALHOTRA
BARES
ALL
GenNows poster boy talks
matters of the heart
FF-061-COVER-vijay_R2.indd 1
IN THE MAIL
READERS WRITE AND BITE BACK... WITH LOVE AND AFFECTION
24/08/2016 11:34:57 PM
1Prize
st
1500
Sidharth Malhotra
2Prize
nd
Anushka
Sharmas cover
story (August 24)
shows that she has managed
to carve a niche for herself
in the industry by sheer hard
work. Her statement that she
needs to contribute to the film
shows her seriousness as an
actor. This kind of feminism
is a welcome change at a
time when actresses dont
mind playing second fiddle to
heroes. With actresses like
her were sure to see more
women-oriented films.
Sanjana Shankar Talwar, New Delhi
1000
Anushka Sharma
THE GUTSY
GIRL
NO
SILVER
SPOON,
YET MINING
GOLD
Sidharth Malhotra, without

a silver spoon in his mouth,
succeeded in mining gold
for himself. He has taken
a massive leap from his
first film Student Of The
Year to his sixth, Baar Baar
Dekho. The major reason
behind Sidharths success
is the fact that he takes his
profession seriously and
has shown variety in his
performances in films like Ek
Villain, Brothers and Kapoor
& Sons. Besides his acting
prowess, he displays maturity
of thought in his interviews.
Let us wait and watch what
his next stopover is.
Anjali, Ghaziabad
BATTLE OF THE BOTTLE

The songstress Geeta Dutts
(September 7) life was marred
by tragedy and depression. She
hit the bottle and passed away
at 41 due to liver cirrhosis.
Some like the late Kundanlal
Saigal, Jaikishen (of ShankarGeeta Dutt Jaikishen fame) and Laxmikant
(of the Laxmikant-Pyarelal duo)
had taken to the bottle out of the pleasures therein and died an
early death. Whereas others, suffering from depression found
solace in the spirits, eventually killing themselves. The latter
include C Ramchandra, Madan Mohan and Meena Kumari.
At the legendary Jaikishens funeral in 1971, a distraught
Naushad had reportedly lamented, What is it that people find
so attractive about alcohol? The truth couldnt be farther.
Dr. Sudhir Bhave, Nagpur
MAN ON A ROLL
Akshay Khiladi Kumar is
currently on the top of his
game (September 7). Special
26, Oh My God, Baby,
Holiday: A Soldier Is Never
Off Duty and Airlift have all
been commercial and
critical successes. Recently,
Rustom has also performed
well. The actor seems
to be in a golden phase.
His films bring up diverse
subjects such as corruption,
religion and terrorism. His
popularity refuses to dim.
Kudos, Mr Khiladi!
Arnav Bapat, Pune
Just
one
Point
I loved reading the halfyearly report (August 10)

on films this year.
I liked Airlift, Neerja, Wazir,
Aligarh, Udta Punjab,
Nil Battey Sannata and
Sultan among them all.
Dr K Karthik Rao, Chennai
It was heartening to read

about the baddie of Akira,
teena singh. Shes really
breaking stereotypes with
her looks and attitude!
Lalita das, Kolkata
Kalki Koechlin candid

admission that she will
choose sex over food was
a delightful read (August
24). you go, girl!
Soma Dutta, Kolkata
Akshay Kumar
Jacqueline Fernandez
REVERING THE REALS

It is heartening to note that Filmfare cares as much for the
real-life heroes as it does for their onscreen avatars (Last
Word, September 21). If Kangana Ranaut, Anushka Sharma
and Priyanka Chopra got sufficient print space because of
their portrayals as sportswomen, Filmfare also gave the due to
athletes at the recent Rio Olympics. The editor rightly mentioned
that PV Sindhu, Deepa Karmakar, Sakshi Malik, Babita Kumari,
and Geeta Phogat are breaking the patriarchal mindsets,
where women are considered as the weaker sex. These ladies
shattered that myth with grace. I would urge our government to
encourage women in sports as they are the pride of India.
Rajneesh Batra, New Delhi
Sakshi Malik, PV Sindhu and Deepa Karmakar
Post your
reviews to
SUPERB
MIXED-BAG ISSUE
The interviews with Jacqueline
Fernandez and Akshay
Kumar (July 13) proved that
they deserve every bit of
their success. They came
as newcomers without any
industry influence or family
background. It was also
heartening to note KA Abbas
achievements. AR Rahmans
interview leaning more
towards the Sufi influences in
his music was enlightening.
Maula mere Maula from
Delhi 6 is one of his critically
superior albums. Keep the
good work going, Sir.
Dr K Karthik Rao, Chennai
Send us your views, opinions and suggestions to:

Email: filmfare.gallery@wwm.co.in Fax: 022 - 22731585
Mail: Reviews, Filmfare, The Times of India Bldg.,
4th floor, D N Road, Mumbai 400 001, INDIA
(Please mention your full name and address)
OR
Salman Khan in Sultan
SMS: FI PAA <space>

<your review> <your name>
to
53636
Terms & conditions: Any letter addressed to Filmfare will be the property of Filmfare and all copyrights for the same shall be vested with us. Filmfare reserves the right to use such
letter/material/jokes for any purpose including commercial in the magazine or otherwise.
READER REVIEWS
Sonakshi Sinha in Akira
PACK A PUNCH
It was all about action last month... Sonakshi Sinha kicking butt in
Akira and superhero Tiger Shroffs bravura act in A Flying Jatt
1
Prize
st
AKIRA
THE SCRIPT SUFFERS

FROM AMNESIA
A corrupt cop. A hostel thief.

A college student. And all these three are
connected to a highway accident. Result:
An entangled coil with multiple loopholes,
which prevent Akira, directed by AR
Murugadoss, from being one of the finest
films this year. Akira isnt a bad film but
the problem is, it isnt good either. Anurag
Kashyap steals the show. So much so that
the film could have well been christened as
Rane, his character in the movie. Either the
character of ACP Rane is well-written, or the
director in Anurag took over while enacting
a 90s film character.
Talking of Sonakshi Sinha as Akira

Sharma, this could have been her
Vishwanath (the 1978 thriller starring
her father, Shatrughan Sinha), if only her
character had nuanced writing. But the
writers, Murugadoss and Santha Kumar,
didnt add any layers to her inner turmoil.
The screenplay suffers from short-term
memory loss. A high-profile persons
accident, on which this entire films
story is pegged, is at first passed off as
just one of the five road accidents in the
city. Suddenly, the same accident takes a
communal turn. Konkana Sen Sharmas
character is forgettable. Forget her, at one
point of time, the director even loses track
of Akiras character.
Prakash Gowda, Vadodara
TWIVIEWS
Fans and readers tweet their
mini reviews to @filmfare
@Being_Zeeshaan:
Sonakshi Sinhas
acting in emotional
scenes is so real. Good
story with a perfect
casting. I loved Akira.
@TheRockShabbeer:
Akira is the best of
Sonakshi Sinha. Hats
off! Pure class.
@imshiva17: Sonakshi
Sinha was too good in
Akira but I watched Akira
for the second time
because of Lakshmi Rai.
SONAKSHI SINHA ROARS KHAMOSH!
BORING SECOND HALF
Im sure Shatrughan Sinha must be happy to

see daughter Sonakshi Sinha in and as Akira.
Here shes got a role, which perfectly fits her
persona. The tomboy Akira, who takes on goons
and corrupt cops through her sheer grit, seems
to be written by Santha Kumar keeping Sonakshi
in mind. AR Murugadoss has addressed the
burning issue of acid attacks in an emphatic
manner. The story revolves around Akira,
who during her crusade against corruption, is
victimised several times. Sonakshi has executed
the action sequences in a convincing manner.
This has revealed a new side of the actor. Anurag
Kashyap as ACP Rane and Konkona Sen Sharma
as SP Rabiya have done a good job.
Anjali, Ghaziabad
Till the interval Akira looks like Indias answer

to Kill Bill (2003) - a woman wronged wreaking
vengeance head on. But how can the police
simply admit Akira (Sonakshi Sinha) into a
mental hospital without even taking her to the
court, beats me. Amit Sadh gets no scope to
act. Ditto for Konkona Sen Sharma who plays
a heavily pregnant investigating officer straight
out of Fargo (1996). The best performance
comes from Anurag Kashyap - his deadpan
humour, nonchalant attitude and gleaming eyes
while killing an innocent is fantastic. An acting
career certainly awaits him. As for Murugadoss
directorial touch, its evident only in the first half
after that the film falls like a pack of cards.
Sumeet Nadkarni, Mumbai
TWIVIEWS
Fans and readers tweet their

mini reviews to @filmfare
@Akira_surbhian:
Never change your
originality for the sake of
others because no one
can play your role better
than you, Sonakshi
Sinha! Loved Akira.
@diandrasoares13:
Just watched Akira.
Sonakshi Sinha, you
were brilliant and gave an
awesome performance.
Anurag Kashyap, you did
a fabulous job.
@AkankshaKhokhar:
Watched Akira. Sonakshi
Sinha, you are the
ultimate power girl.
Hats off.
A FLYING JATT
ENJOYABLE KIDDIE FILM
Tiger Shroff in A Flying Jatt
Post your
reviews to
@LordKejriwal: Watched
Akira. Brilliant acting by
Sonakshi Sinha.
A superhero film is enjoyable. The silly plot is

actually fun and the momentum could have
been carried on in the second half. Tiger Shroff
is perfect for the role of the hero, who wants
to fly but fears heights. We have lessons in
environment abuse which could have been
avoided. Amrita Singh as the mother is a riot.
A Flying Jatt may not fly very high but as a film
for kids it is enjoyable. When adults try to judge
a kids film, it seems unfair. Do not try to find
too much logic.
Sunil Melwani, Pune
Send us your views, opinions and suggestions to:

Email: filmfare.gallery@wwm.co.in Fax: 022 - 22731585
Mail: Reviews, Filmfare, The Times of India Bldg.,
(Please mention your full name and address)
OR
@mdiq4u: A Flying
Jatt has good action
sequences. Though
Remo DSouza tries his
best but fails to impress
the audience.
@kasalereshma: Tiger
Shroff my nephew has
become your fan after
watching A Flying Jatt.
Love!
SMS: FI PAA <space>

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53636
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The
First Prize
Wins a
Lavie
Bag
Lavie Wallet
LAVIE BAG
Terms & Conditions Apply
l Winner will bear all applicable taxes l Original products may differ from the one shown in the picture & will be as per suppliers/manufacturers terms & conditions
l The magazine will not be responsible for the product.
BOX-OFFICE
PINK IS THE NEW BLACK
Amitabh Bachchans clout at the box-office is still unquestionable. Playing the manic depressive defence lawyer, whose
heart is in the right place in Pink, the patriarch has stood up for a womans right to say no. Raaz Reboot released the
same day, had a better start but Pink took over by word-of-mouth publicity. Freaky Ali and Baar Baar Dekho, released
a week before, couldnt entice the viewers. In terms of production costs, Freaky Ali certainly did better than Baar...
AGE
AGE
VER
WA
BEL
VER
WA
BEL
BAAR BAAR DEKHO

FIRST WEEK
COLLECTION ` 29.40 cr
RAAZ REBOOT
FIRST WEEKEND
COLLECTION
` 18 cr
executed poorly.
- Sameer Prabhu, 32, photographer
DIRECTOR: Nitya Mehra

CAST: Katrina Kaif, Sidharth Malhotra
RELEASE DATE: September 9, 2016
RAPID REVIEW: A time travel romance about
love and redemption.
VIEWERS VERDICT: A nice idea,
DIRECTOR: Vikram Bhatt

CAST: Emraan Hashmi, Kriti Kharbanda, Gaurav Arora
RAPID REVIEW: A horror love story with a twist.
VIEWERS VERDICT: The film failed
to scare me.
- Ashwini Khopkar, 38, IT professional
AGE
ER
E AV
V
O
AB
AGE
R
AVE
FREAKY ALI
FIRST WEEK
COLLECTION ` 12 cr
DIRECTOR: Sohail Khan

CAST: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Arbaaz Khan, Amy Jackson,
Nikitin Dheer
RAPID REVIEW: A common mans triumph in golf.
VIEWERS VERDICT: The comic touches
kept me smiling throughout.
- Hemal Shah, 32, businessman
PINK
FIRST WEEKEND
COLLECTION
` 21.51cr
DIRECTOR: Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury

CAST: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Kriti Kulhari,
Andrea Tariang, Angad Bedi
RAPID REVIEW: A film that roots for women
equality and freedom of choice.
VIEWERS VERDICT: The performances seemed
real. - Srihari Gogi, 40, businessman
WEB WATCH
In 140 characters
PRESENTING THE MOST INTERESTING TWEETS OF THE FORTNIGHT GONE BY
@mrsfunnybones: Guess
who came over for dinner last
night?Now I have to stop saying
that I have no Willpower:)
#freshprinceofbelair
Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna threw a bash

to celebrate Rustoms success and Hollywood actor
Will Smith was a surprise guest. Twinkle shared a
lovely moment from the party.
@chetan_bhagat: Coz in the end,
Madhav Jha has to run to New York
to find his love. Team #HalfGirlfriend
arrives NYC today.Welcome!
Author of Half
Girlfriend,
Chetan Bhagat,
took to his
Twitter account
to share a picture
with the films
lead Arjun
Kapoor. Team
Half Girlfriend
was busy
shooting in Cape
Town. After a few
days break they
have started their
next schedule in
New York City.
@iamsrk:
Thought on a
day off.
Shah Rukh Khan posted a sun-kissed picture

of himself with a caption that says, So
important in life to realise the difference
between being meaningful or becoming just a
figure of speech. Trust SRK to woo us with
his wit and wisdom.
@RanveerOfficial: France ki Holi ! #ColorRun Bura

na maano @Vaaniofficial @befikrethefilm
Ranveer Singh shared a brand new still from Befikre that shows
co-star Vaani Kapoor and him having fun during Holi. The duo
is seen coloured in shades of pink, in France. How lovely!
ASK ME
Shatrughan
Sinhas
Rapid
fire
You had done playback
singing in movies like
Naram Garam, Jwalamukhi
and Dost. If given a
chance today, which
music director would you
like to sing for?
K V Lakshmi, Chennai
If they still like my voice,
sure. Id like to lend it to
the late and great Naushad
and to the present day
champions AR Rahman
and Vishal-Shekhar.
Which scientific invention
has proved best to
mankind and which
invention is long overdue
to make it even better?
Kabir, New Delhi
Internet, flying kiss and
getting pregnant through
udhar ka sindoor process.
In bride wanted columns,
we have references to
Is adopting a drought prone village

by each MP a good idea?
Raja Dubey, Bhopal
Yes why not! Its an excellent idea, provided,

it gets implemented with the right intent and
in the right direction.
Bromance: Dharmendra and Shatrughan Sinha in Dost
height, looks, complexion,

education But how
come no one wants
a caring, loving and
sensible wife?
Jaideep Sarkar, Kolkata
Why ask for something
that is not practical,
possible and humanly
impossible!
man who can dare fish

in swimming?
Our dear and popular
friend Navjot Singh Sidhu
could be Usain Bolt
fastest with the longest
jump. To play Phelps, wed
rather look for a woman
and were still looking.
What should the world

should remember you
as?
1. A good father
2. A good son
3. A good brother
4. A good politician
5. A good actor
Sandeep Kulkarni, Hubli
A good human being.
Friendship is that ship,

which takes the sailors
across the sea never
mind the thundering
stormYou agree?
Haresh Lalwani via email
Friendships and friends
are a boon and yours truly
has both in abundance.
If a sort of Parliament
Olympics is organised,
who would be Usain Bolt,
the fastest man on earth
and Michael Phelps, the
What can motivate an

actor to push himself to
the limit and raise the bar
of his performance?
Sayanta Banerjee, Pondicherry
Love and the passion for
1st Prize
What is destined to happen will happen.
Then why do people fervently pray and
crowd places of worship?
Sujatha Sagdeo, Kerala
Havent you heard that miracles do happen

and can change your destiny? Prayers do
make a difference. So you must pray to find
solace from rainy days, from thorny paths.
2nd Prize
Politicians are like washing machines. They
twist, turn and knock us around. But in the
end, they come out cleaner. Comment.
N K Mani, Indore
You said it all. Couldnt agree with you more.

Absolutely correct. Bang on.
strengthen nationalism?
Bribeism if there is
word like that Maybe,
I just invented it.
Akshay Kumar have

been ruling the industry.
But filmmakers search
for new heroines every
three years. Why this
discrepancy?
Aman Arora, Amritsar
Thats the mindset even
after so many years.
Was sanskari Pahlaj

Nihalani dozing when
the censors passed the
kissing scenes between
acting, dedication and
in tolerance. Watch the
Hrithik Roshan and Pooja
a capacity to struggle.
movies of the 40s and
How honest is the media?
Hegde in Mohenjo Daro?
Besides, of course, an ace
compare them to current
Pranshuta Sabharwal, Panchkula
director and script.
films.Todays movies
N K Mani, Indore O my God! As honest as
go hand in hand with
they choose to be the less
Our friend Pahlaj Nihalani
barbarism.
said the better.
must have dozed off and
If movies mirror society,
started dreaming of those
why is there is so much
Readers
may send in their questions
to: scenes.
kissing
disharmony although
Out
of casteism,
(Feature
co-ordinated
by
SMS:
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SJ <space>
Email: filmfare.askme@wwm.co.in Fax: 022-22731585
movies teach us
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and
DEVESH
SHARMA)
<your question>
<your
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Please note: The column doesnt
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given in jest and humour.
to eradicate first to
Salman and Aamir, and
Movies hardly give lessons
Love lost: Hrithik Roshan in Mohenjo Daro
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LAST WORD BY JITESH PILLAAI
TEMPER,
TEMPER
Q
uis custodiet
ipsos custodes,
roughly
translated
as, who
will guard the guards
can be easily applied
to the media as to who
will monitor the media!
Because they act as
monitors, as mirrors, to
society. There has always
been a certain degree of
decorum when it comes
to media reporting on
cine celebrities and
reciprocally, our stars
too have maintained
cordial relations with the
fourth estate. The stars
know they would need
the media for their next
release. And the media
too knows it needs gossip
on a daily basis and hence
cant alienate celebs.
Its always been
a healthy symbiotic
relationship between the
two. Both sets of players
follow some unwritten
rules; both are aware
certain lines shouldnt
be crossed. There have
been instances in the past
where editors have gotten
hold of incriminating
photos but have decided
not to publish them.

There have been instances
in the past where news of
secret liaisons has been
suppressed on request.
But bear in mind, Ive
been using the phrase,
in the past. Have things
changed now?
Today, when every
star son or daughter has
a social handle and they
dont hesitate posting
provocative pictures of
themselves, would anyone
hesitate putting them on
their websites when they
are already viral. Today,
when stars commit to or
break relationships over
social media platforms,
would anyone hesitate
writing about them in full
glory?
The lines have blurred.
Stars listen to their media
managers more than
common sense and the
result is an atmosphere
of unease, of uncertainty,
which never existed
before. A star does have
a right to his or her
privacy, yes, but you
cant arbitrarily decide
whats private and what
isnt. Hell, nowadays we
get 4 am shots of stars at
Nargis Fakhri
the airports. Lets not be

naive and believe that
paparazzi are on an all
night vigil at such places.
Clearly, someone makes
a call to them. The other
thing is that due to the
everwidening need of
celebrity-based news,
the media presence has
bloated a thousand fold.
We have been witness to
fracas many a times when
in a bid to get the so-called
unique byte, members of
the media have broken
rank and have nearly come
Jacqueline Fernandez
to blows with each other.

Sensationalism, rather
than sensible reporting,
has become the order of
the day. Getting two more
hits on your website than
your rivals has become the
goal, the survival mantra.
And anything goes in such
an atmosphere.
A little bit of restraint
and introspection is the
need of the hour for both
sides. But is anyone
n
listening?
jitesh.pillaai@wwm.co.in
Twitter@jiteshpillaai

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