Ranbir in a Vinod Chopra production
LINK
Vidhu Vinod Chopra had met Ranbir Kapoor in Los Angeles over a year ago. Ever since that big meeting overseas, there have been a zillion speculations about the Kapoor lad being cast in a VVC production. And now, the filmmaker is finally ready to start off his venture with the actor. Chopra, who is all set to start off his next venture titled Chithiyaan, will cast Ranbir Kapoor and Sharman Joshi in the male lead roles.
The film will also mark Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s return to romance, after a much talked about 1942 A Love Story and Kareeb.
A source informed Mumbai Mirror, “Chithiyaan is a romantic film. It is a love traingle. It is the story of three people – a girl and two boys. Though the lead actress is still to be finalised, Ranbir Kapoor and Sharman Joshi have been asked to play the male leads.”
“Vidhu Vinod Chopra has still not finalised on the director. Incidentally, Tanuja Chandra has been involved in the scripting of the film. However, she won’t be directing the film. The film will go on floors soon. They are in talks with a few actresses for the female lead role,” added the source.
Ranbir’s casting in the film however puts an end to a lot of speculations that started with the actor’s meeting with the filmmaker more than a year back. First there were rumours of Ranbir being a part of the new Munnabhai film. Raju Hirani, the Munnabhai maker denied it. Then there were speculations about the actor being a part of Chopra’s Ferrari Ki Sawari, which too died down once the film went into production. Chithiyaan, it seems will now kick start the Ranbir Kapoor – VVC association.
Talking about VVC, the source said, “Vinod Chopra Films is one of the biggest production houses of recent times. After the Munnabhai series and 3 Idiots, actors want to be a part of the production house. Both Ranbir and Sharman are very happy about this association.”
When contacted, Vidhu Vinod Chopra sounded happy as well. “We are excited about working on Chithiyaan. The final draft of the script is ready and we are looking into it,” said the filmmaker.
However, when asked about casting Sharman and Ranbir in the male leads, Chopra replied, “We are in discussions and cannot comment at the moment.”
September 28, 2011 at 3:47 AM
Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s production house is nothing special. It is Raj Kumar Hirani that is special. Take out Munnabhai and 3 idiots and what’s so special about VVC films?
In fact Vidhu Vionod Chpra is a v ery mediocre filmmaker. who has created a hype about himself. Eklavya, Kareeb, 1942″ a Love Story are all patchy , mediocre films with pretensions to greatness. Parinda was good, but very much derivative. It could have been a springboard for greater achievements, but it has been a descent downhill since then for Vidhu.
September 28, 2011 at 12:56 PM
LOL.
What stopped other production houses from working with hirani or Hirani from working with other production houses? Got to give credit where credit is due. VVC can be a dick but his production house has given in Munnabhai MBBS and 3I, two of the most enjoyable films in recent times.
Agre about Kareeb, 1942 and Eklavya which were all good attempts but somehow botched in execution.
September 28, 2011 at 1:14 PM
Re: Agre about Kareeb, 1942 and Eklavya which were all good attempts but somehow botched in execution.
I would argue that 1942 & Eklavya were perfectly ‘executed’…in the sense that they both had excellent production values (the set pieces, cinematography, costumes et al) but they were inherently flawed at the script level. Having said that, I have a great weakness for 1942 – A Love Story. Apart from the excellent soundtrack, it had some very haunting images…and also some good acting. Eklavya’s poetic frames are also quite unforgettable, IMO.
September 28, 2011 at 2:07 PM
I still haven’t changed my older thoughts on Elavya. Do think there is a certain contrast offered here with Raavan which I will get to shortly. On 1942 though I believe this is a rather flat film overall. Well mounted, well shot but it’s too ‘lyrical’ to realize its otherwise epic ambitions. Kareeb on the other hand is fine as narrative but this is simply an unbelievably mediocre film from VVC barring some of its visual strengths. This is no Alaipayuthey-like effort where an ordinary love story in Rathnam’s hands becomes something truly wonderful. Parinda is still his best overall effort though even this film doesn’t seem quite as extraordinary today as it once might have. Still I have no complaints at all here. Won’t get into some of the experimental stuff before this, not least because I don’t have it fresh in my mind. I have always seen VVC as a very problematic director. He’s never quite lived upto the Parinda promise and hasn’t even made to mind flawed works that are ‘great’.
Getting back to Eklavya I think the Raavan parallel is instructive here and much of the rejection of both films is connected to this. Raavan is not a re-imagining of the Ramayana in the sense of telling the whole story from an alternative perspective but much more of an ‘essay’ on the source(s) material. There are scholars who’d argue that many of the alternative Ramayana traditions in India do this in any case with respect to Valmiki’s canonical text. Elsewhere I suggested the analogy of classic Greek drama where the plays take up important mythological stories ‘with a slant’. In each of these works the dramatist is never trying to provide all the contours of the story because he rightly assumes that everyone knows these. He then provides his own twist to these tales. Similarly Raavan puts us in medias res with that fantastic montage and the story more or less picks up crucial themes from the Ramayana without ever constructing a whole ‘history’. It is an ‘essay’ on this tradition which of course every Indian is aware of (or ought to know irrespective of religion). The problem is that this is also a much less commercial approach and not the sort of film that can satisfy the expectations of most audiences.
VVC does the same in Eklavya. His films works in a similar fashion and his film too is somewhat enigmatic at certain levels. But unlike Raavan VVC is not really paralleling a Ramayana-like storyline or such an obvious framework. He has the allusions, some of the motifs but not the whole deal. And so in a sense Eklavya becomes obscure as a film. It’s beautifully shot, the narrative is completely gripping throughout but there’s an obscurantism at its heart. This isn’t something I’d say for Raavan.
October 10, 2011 at 4:29 AM
Re: the “essay” that Raavan is: I’d also add (inasmuch as I can add to this very fine comment) that obliqueness is Rathnam’s essayistic mode (to the extent “essay” is a helpful trope here; I’ll need to think some more about that) — he never, EVER tackles “the epic” head on, but approaches it at a slant, as it were. I’ve never gotten the sense that he is embarrassed by it; I’d rather say that he accepts the backdrop of the epic as a (cultural?) given — he is, that is to say, exquisitely refined, and doesn’t feel the need to shout about what is already there, and “there” as an inevitability.* Stated differently, the obliqueness arises not from obscurity, but because the backdrop is so natural, it is like the air one breathes (as in older Hindi films, where there was no need for any hue and cry about drawing parallels between the film’s characters and Radha/Krishna; or — but one could go on ad infinitum). And this is the difference between Rathnam and Eklavya — with Eklavya a hue and cry is being made of the mythological parallels, but the linkages are not made clear. Thus, the film is obscure and even muddled (I regard Rathnam’s approach as more consistent with the traditions of Hindi/Tamil popular cinema, but Eklavya is not inferior because it departs from that tradition — it is inferior because it is over-wrought and under-developed; a pity, because there is much to commend it, and the potential for a truly great film existed here).
*[Although, he might be out of step with the times there — Raavan, that is to say the reception of Raavan — illustrates that the Hindi film commentariat is now so used to films that do NOT have any kind of epic backdrop, motif, or any other linkage, that if the specter of the epic is summoned, it expects the film to be “about” the epic in a direct and overt sense — “Look at me, I’m doing the Ramayana!” This isn’t a question of a good or a bad film, but many critical responses to Raavan seemed to feel that Rathnam was somehow cheating by tackling the epic in this way — even though anyone with even passing familiarity with Rathnam’s oeuvre could have predicted this mode of engagement (this is true even in the far more overtly masala Thalapati; but even of an “epic” that is not grounded in another/culturally reknowned text (Iruvar)).
October 10, 2011 at 7:48 AM
great comment here Qalandar.. and I was about to add the Thalapathy reference myself as an example of the very same mode but you did so yourself at the end of your comment..
September 28, 2011 at 1:17 PM
So basically what I’m saying is this: VVC *is* a good filmmaker…though not necessarily a good “commercial” filmmaker. His aspirations are not in sync with the industry he operates in. And I say all of this with great restraint, as I do realize he’s otherwise a pompous ass!
September 28, 2011 at 1:26 PM
Saket,
I know where you are coming from and both 1942 and Eklavya were exce;;ently mounted but story telling was awful. They had some excellent sequences and AB acted crazy well and Manisha has never looked better than in 1942 but were not engaging enough.
Of course, he aslo needs credit for extracting from RD in his twilight years a score that can hold up to the best of ARR.
September 28, 2011 at 1:46 PM
More or less agree, but I’d say his aspirations dwarf his ability. He clearly has a grasp over craft but his works as a director, however handsomely presented, ultimately feel starved and uneven in their ideas and their story development. Chopra’s films are made up of tantalizing pieces but on close inspection these don’t really seem all that unique and more often than not they don’t rescue the film.
September 28, 2011 at 2:44 PM
The 3 Hirani movies AND Parineeta are just far far better to anyting that VVC has directed (with the exception of Parinda).
September 28, 2011 at 3:16 PM
Some very enlightening comments from Satyam, GF. Don’t disagree with you guys, and I’m kind of always running short on time, so will conclude by mentioning the frame of reference here. VVC isn’t operating in Hollywood (he’d absolutely love to, though no one would offer him a film!) but he’s a part of Bollywood. As a viewer, you’ve got to count your blessings in this industry…literally!
So yes, in Eklavya, he channels (or at least attempts to) David Lean; makes a confused epic in 1942 — that’s absolutely fine when one compares what his peers are/have been dishing out! That’s the point. He’s certainly nowhere as great as he thinks he is, but he’s certainly not a Madhur Bhandarkar, who keeps on getting National Awards for his movies. VVC, I will repeat, is a good filmmaker, within Bollywood. He’s probably caught up in notions of his own greatness to ever propel forward…but whatever he makes, there will be certain elements to his film that will be guaranteed to be awesome. No kidding!
September 28, 2011 at 4:16 PM
nothing to disagree with here..
September 28, 2011 at 3:23 PM
Hard to believe someone like Aamir signing this when he has not even started shooting for Dhoom 3 http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/71474.html
September 28, 2011 at 4:18 PM
lots of rumors have been meshed together here. If you notice the current Ranbir film with VVC also seems to have Sharman Joshi in it. This hasn’t been confirmed. The Aamir rumor has come up before as well. I too don’t believe he’s going to sign anything at this point. D3 released in Dec 2012. It’s not like Aamir to line up films this way.
September 28, 2011 at 4:43 PM
The one benefitting most from these rumors is Sharman Joshi!
September 28, 2011 at 5:24 PM
VVC has his heart at the right place, atleast believes in quality and not in shortcuts.
Doesnt really succeed in his attempts whilst directing but these “attempts” still have enuf moments to savour.
Even in Eklavya ca count a few outstanding moments—-The opening credits, the “blindfold” shoot, the “train sequence” and the background score.
Obviously things didnt quite gel in the end
but who cares—-in the sea of mediocrity, isnt it bad to atleast show sporadic signs of brilliance?
His contribution as a producer is always underestimated.
To me, he will always be remembered for NOT taking the easier route of a sureshot hit ie munnabhai3 and going for a totally new porject called 3 idiots—the rest is history…..
PS—Many forget that VVC is the guy who gave breaks/patronage to genuine talent in an incestous industry where an outsider can remain a perennial one
Some of those who (should) owe their existence to VVC—–
1) Raju Hirani–the no1 director in this country today—all things considered–period!!
2) Sanjay Leela Bhansali–began by filming his songs
2) Binod Pradhan—ace cinematographer
3) Shankar Ehsan Loy—the best composers (non rahman)
4) Vidya Balan—easily one of the best acresses in the current lot
5) RD Burmans “resurgence” in 1942 –many dont know that he was almost unemployed for years before VVC pulled him out of near oblivion
6) others like Moitra /Kirkire
September 28, 2011 at 5:43 PM
yes impressive list though it perhaps proves that he should stick to being producer!
September 28, 2011 at 5:56 PM
Dont think he should stick to being a producer.
vvc as director never fails to give some special (though few) moments (that other full length feature films cannot)
And one is not talking of box office here
Inspite of “flops”, will never count guys like vvc, mehra, shekhar kapoor etc (although these are not exactly comparable)
its these “edges” and unpredicability which make it worth looking forward to…
ps–wont even mind another bachchan vvc film
Incidentally some shoebite stills
http://www.bollywhat-forum.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=0d6d8e46c040906bf8c2c22bb80f5a62&topic=22826.msg303248#msg303248
my pic(k) –the bachchan pic at the bottom
September 28, 2011 at 6:10 PM
except the problem with VVC is that it’s been a two decade long wait for him.. I wouldn’t mind his kind of output very much if he were prolific. But you can’t come back after years with Kareeb! And then even Eklavya is too little in such a long time. One hopes for a filmmaker to either learn stuff while he (or she) is constantly at it or develop stylistically and intellectually in the years that one doesn’t do anything. For example even though I have criticized Rohan sippy as being too lax with his talents he at least offered a film in DMD which I consider to be a great leap forward from BM. Still doesn’t justify a five year absence but he has something to show for it. In general though I have little patience for this whole structure of not doing much when so many great directors from the past (and for that matter the present) were constantly ‘engaged’ with something. And I’m unsure about how much credit he gets for just being producer. I am pretty sure I could ‘produce’ superhits with Hirani as director! I am quite sure I could ‘produce’ better soundtracks even with Hirani as director! Parineeta seemed like the rough cut of a film, not bad but nothing special either. I do think VVC could produce some fine works but he needs to be work with better scripts and just ‘think through’ his films much better than he has for many years now.
September 28, 2011 at 6:22 PM
“I am pretty sure I could ‘produce’ superhits with Hirani as director! “–sure..
Infact I am confident of producing not a superhit but atleast a 3I record breaker with Hirani…
But the crucial question is will Hirani do a film with u as producer.
He is working with VVC more as a sort of “loyalty” for giving him the first break when he was a nobody.
And if it is SO easy to “produce” films like Parineeta, Munnabhai, 3 idiots why cant the likes of “supersmart” ones like KJo manage it…
ONe can say , maybe VVC has luck!
There is a certain amount of restraint and “renunciation” needed here to be “blessed” with this sort of “luck”.
As far as volumes are concerned, wont mind if the long wait is followed by something really special.
For eg if Shekhar Kapoor after all these episodes of premature ejaculation, if finally comes up with something special (which he IS capable of unlike most others) all his “sins” and “spills” may be forgiven!!
September 28, 2011 at 7:26 PM
I think VVC hit the jackpot with Hirani. I very much doubt there’s any great vision on his part in choosing Hirani! As for parineeta as I already said I don’t find this film to be anything special. I would consider VVC’s entire career so far relatively unremarkable if it were not for the fact that he brought Hirani to the fore. It’s true that most in Bollywood are not even capable of what he has directed. That’s more an indictment of Bollywood. Doesn’t make him Fellini! I would always be interested in a film of his. But that’s true for many other filmmakers too.
On Shekhar Kapur I’ve completely given up on him. He’s happy to produce mediocre stuff in Hollywood (even if the Elizabeth films were enjoyable). He finds it impossible to complete or these days even begin a Bollywood project. This has been true for decades now. The one film of his that I really like is Masoom. Obviously Bandit Queen was a worthwhile film. Again nothing special about Mr India (even technically) though it became big at the time. He basically did an equivalent of a Rakesh Roshan (Krrish) with that film. again a talented directed who wasted his talents in incredible fashion. Guys like him and VVC cannot hold a candle to very many luminaries of the past (referring to Hindi cinema). It’s not enough to just show flashes of talent from time to time. And incidentally over the last 10 years or so there have been very many filmmakers that have shown as much or more promised and even realized their promise in some ways. So I’m not sure why 25-30 years into the game Shekhar Kapur and VVC deserve so much credit. if you make one Sholay you can perhaps rest on your accomplishment for ever but there’s no excuse for the rest. Even Ramesh Sippy had more than that one film.
September 28, 2011 at 6:26 PM
Well said and agree all around. Sure, all the mediocrity and just plain awfulness rife in the industry makes Chopra look like Orson Welles in comparison but is that really the best metric to judge anyone? It’s not the same as Ratnam or Mehra or RGV (when he’s not checked out upstairs) who have “failures” that are still better than most others’ whole films. VVC simply makes very mundane, ordinary stories with a few striking elements but there’s nothing to really mull over in his work.
September 28, 2011 at 7:37 PM
agreed on all counts..
September 28, 2011 at 5:37 PM
Have respect for vvc the man and the filmmaker
September 28, 2011 at 6:29 PM
I ilked Parinda and 1942 a lot and liked parts of MK and Eklavya.
but Kareeb was his WTF ( Aaag ) film.
September 28, 2011 at 7:38 PM
I should confess by the way that I’ve seen all VVC films from 1942 onwards (i.e. those he’s directed) in the theater! Of course I’ve seen all the Hirani films too. Skipped Parineeta.
September 28, 2011 at 7:02 PM
Unrelated —but came across this…
About a DJ who becomes deaf–sounds interesting
Shades of Beethoven
“soundtrack” –think anurag kashyap is involved
Like the music(disregard the unappealing cast)
September 28, 2011 at 7:16 PM
Have always been surprised by beethovens deafness.
His can he be deficient in the ONE sense wherein he should be very good.
Truly paradoxical….
September 30, 2011 at 3:04 AM
“Sure, all the mediocrity and just plain awfulness rife in the industry makes Chopra look like Orson Welles in comparison .”
Not in the least. What mediocrity you are talking about? Compared to VVC I can point out at least a dozen Bollywood film mkaers who look like Orson Welles.
Hrishikesh Mukherjee: Anand, Chupke Chupke, Golmaal
Ramesh Sippy: Sholay, Shaklti, Seet Aur Geeta
Yash Chopra: Deewar, Trishul, Kala Patthar, Lamhe
Shekhar Kapoor: Masoom, Bandit queen, Mr. India
Ram Gopal Varma: Company, Satya, Rangeela, Sarkar
Mani Ratnam: Guru, Yuva, Bombay,
Raj Kumar Hirani: Munnabhai 1 & 2, 3 Idiots
Ashutosh Gowarikar: Lagaan, Swades
Farhan Akhtar: Dil Chahta Hai
Rakesh Mehra: Rang De Basanti
Anurag Kshyap: BLack Friday, Gulal, Dev D, No Smoking
Sudhir Mishra: Yeh saali Zindagi, Chameli, Hazaron Khwaish.., Is Raat Ka Subah Nahin
Aamir Khan: Taare Zameen Par
Akshat Varma / Abhuinay Deo : Delhi Belly
Kundan Shah: Jaane Bhi Do yaaron, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa
September 30, 2011 at 1:37 PM
I was obviously not talking about exceptions to the rule, I’m talking about the average Hindi film (and not in history, but among VVCs peers) which hardly reads like a list of great cinema!
September 30, 2011 at 12:06 PM
Utkal uncle– like your posts, u should cum here more often..
Btw one cannot really compare hash chopra with vv chopra like-to-like anyways.
Vv chopra suffers from an utter lack of understanding of story, screenplay and the sensibilities of bollywood audiences …
Havin said this, he had all this technical finesse fetish much before the hordes of people indulging in it today.
Also gave a breakup manuly kore talented but unconnected souls.
Whilst seeing a VVC film , enjoy seeing the junctures where je is trying tone a Dean or somewhere a Kurosawa. He always fails mostly but sometimes does produce isolated sporadic special moments.
Also sometimes a few moments are worth more than an entire film.
As for rakesh Mehra, I personally enjoyed Aks more than his any other film including RDB
Although aks didn’t really work in totality and had issues.
But don’t care —it had enuf moments to keep me happy
September 30, 2011 at 12:24 PM
Yash Chopra though has also been overrated in many ways. Definitely one of the industry’s great survivors. But he’s great at adapting more than anything else. He’s made many iconic films but his most ‘important’ ones by far have been the three Salim-Javed scripts he worked on and which are not really great examples of any sort of directorial signature. So he’s done whatever was ‘in’. I certainly don’t underestimate his ability to do a variety of genres successfully but for most of his career he also lived in an industry where scripts were crucial and did half the job. There are more functional/mediocre directors who’ve made successful films, even iconic films in the 60s and 70s than since. Because good writing just evaporated after this decade. And since this past decade we see how often even talented directors stumble without good scripts. If at all yash Chopra has had a signature it’s been the aesthetic associated with Kabhi Kabhie and Silsila. Clearly romance is his thing but he has a very plastic sense of romance which he overlays with great poetic lines. for him romance is about the lead pair looking good in very picturesque locales and doing great poetry before and after splitting up! This might sound unkind but Kabhi Kabhie in my view is one of the very overrated films around. Perfectly enjoyable on its own (though with some clear continuity breaks in the narrative) but hardly a great statement of unfulfilled romance. The one truly interesting relationship here and also explored with some depth is the Bachchan-Waheeda Rehman one. Silsila too is flawed but it is still a very sustained elaboration of Yash Chopra’s aesthetic and I think greater than Kabhi Kabhie (it does have one of the most authoritative Bachchan performances one can think of.. extremely fluid in every sense). But once he stopped making films with Bachchan and the scripts evaporated in the 80s he went through a very lean phase. Then he struck back with Chandni, his formula had finally found its time! But even after this barring Lamhe and possibly Darr it was Aditya Chopra who really took charge. He re-edited DTPH extensively, made some other key changes here and was also closely involved on VZ. It’s been 20 years more or less since Darr! And going back to the 60s even for some of the successful stuff he did here there is still no evidence of a directorial signature.I enjoy many of his films and again his longevity shouldn’t be underestimated even going through the early 90s. But the Yashraj brandname that Aditya Chopra very successfully reinvented in his turn has also elevated the father greatly in a newer age. and we live in one where because of Johar his father whose achievements must rank in the lowest percentiles of Hindi cinema on pure merit has suddenly become this ‘big name’ (by all accounts a wonderful man but half a dozen productions of which the high points are Dostana and Agneepath deserve some recognition, specially so the latter with the quite glorious reputation it has built up since release, but nonetheless he isn’t one of the brightest stars of the Bombay film firmament by any means). So these things happen. But I can never place a director too high who does not display a strong sense of ‘vision’. It can be a Raj Kapoor or a Guru Dutt, a Hrishikesh Mukherjee or a Bimal Roy, it can be a Ramesh Sippy or a Manmohan Desai, it doesn’t have to be an ‘auteurist’ director but there must be a set of concerns, a series of themes, a sense of a world that sets the director apart from his peers. And with Yash Chopra whether it’s his first Dhool Ka Phool or Waqt or Ittefaq or Daag or Kabhi Kabhie or Deewar I just can’t see what’s common here in terms of that definition I’ve just laid out. I don’t mean to sound harsh or churlish here but if at all this is a polemic it is so once again against contemporary vocabulary and the absolute cheapening of standards associated with it. Suddenly everyone is a ‘legend’, one bumps into a ‘superstar’ at every corner, only ‘thespians’ come in greater numbers, and every film is a great classic on and on. I am a bit old-fashioned in this sense. I cannot quite subscribe to this prostituting of language where words are hollowed out of all meaning not to mention their specific histories. For me a word like ‘superstar’ carries associations of Rajesh Khanna or Amitabh Bachchan (restricting myself to Hindi cinema), not every two film old heartthrob in ‘Bollywood’, not even those whose careers have been designed around spreading the ‘good word’ about their supposed superstardom. And so if my reaction seems a bit violent it is not because I have anything against Yash Chopra’s long career which all said and done is an illustrious one but he does not belong in the august company of true industry titans. These highest standards must be preserved not to ‘disqualify’ lesser talents by any means but to make sure that the greatest names are not stained by this very vulgar lowering of standards. The other day Lata Mangeshkar and Amitabh Bachchan were together for an event. I reserve those most unusual nouns and adjectives for figures like these.
September 30, 2011 at 4:57 PM
extended this comment..
October 1, 2011 at 2:13 AM
Could go as separate post!
September 30, 2011 at 12:36 PM
Whatever said and done— don’t think there is another director who has stayed relevant and produced “real” hits on box office with the most happening “in” actors/actresses/technicians for the sustained period of time as yash chopra—
The causes/manipulations/machinations/predictability are all there…
But others have tried all that and failed.
For some period the likes of subhash ghai threatened to match hash chopras longevity.
But his success too died a painful “death” a decade ago
And there are many others
Btw yash chopras next — heard with Srk and is it katrina and another heroine–is is anushka—— hmmm— reminds me of the recent yashraj machinations in the Casting of leads in mere bro…
Anyhow yash chopra has alreAdy “booked” his next hit in the Srk-Kat-anushka— one likes it or not
September 30, 2011 at 12:54 PM
yes but I don’t think he would have remained relevant over the last 20 years without his son. That’s a very different deal.
September 30, 2011 at 1:10 PM
Yes — the productions would’ve been nonexistent…
Aditya has added a whole nu dimension to the “family”business(( besides rani!!)
But unlike others like ghai, there is still no evidence of hash chopra having lost it in his trademark “bread butter” directorial ventures .
And his next with Srk/Kat/anushka seems to be no different.
As much as one cringes(me included) one has to hand it to him– for designing and “booking” success and constantly reinventing himself
No wonder saw him in a pic a few days back with the mother and father of “survivorship”– not for the sake of survival but at the v top– Amitabh and Lata( although the latter two are not comparable to yash chopra in totality))
October 1, 2011 at 5:42 AM
With respect to Sataym’s summation of Yash Chopra:
1. I don’t think there is doubt in anyone’s mind save the PR managers of Yashji that he does not belong to the pantheons of great directors like Raj Kapoor, Mehboob Khan, Guru Dutt, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Ramesh sippy, ManmohN Desai etc.
2. His truly brilliant work, the only one that can classify as an all-time classic is Deewar, and it owes a lot to its writers. Still you cannot take away the credit from the director as well. Then again, when you look at his work in the non-romance genre without the partnership of Salim-javed ( Sawal, Parampara0, it is all so pedestrian, you begin to have doubts
3. If you are talking of a signature, romance, is ceratinly is forte. Yes, he has his own fetishes like chiffon sares, and Swiss mountains, but you cannot deny he does manage to capture the essence of romance,.
4. I don’t know who considers Kabhi Kabhi a god film and why. It’s an absolutely unwieldy piece of mess , riding on the crest of Amitabh’s popularity that time. Films like Daag, Chandni and Darr are average fare at best. Silsila and Lamhe have their moments and DTPH is remarkably youthful, with a zing that is commendable fora 70+ director. Out of these it is Silsila which is remarkable for its smouldering chemistry betweem Bachchan and Rekha, its rambunctious Holi song, wondrous performances by Bachachan, Rekha and Sanjeev Kumar, and some genuine insights into the lure of romance outside marriage and its implications.
5. He has a fine ear for melodious music. I admire him for the work he has got out of Shiv–Hari.
6. His son has had a big role in canonization of the father, as part of a deliberate brand name build up.
7. But he has been a survivor and deserves big applause for moving with the times and not succumbing to premature or timely senility like Ghai, Shakti Samant, Manmohan Desai, Prakash Mehra and so many others.
October 1, 2011 at 8:44 AM
“I don’t know who considers Kabhi Kabhi a god film”
Are you kidding? who doesn’t?! This film has had a remarkable reputation ever since its release.
October 1, 2011 at 9:14 AM
Re: “I don’t know who considers Kabhi Kabhi a god film”
Only a billion people with some modicum of taste and insight.
Would take Kabhi Kabhie over ANY version of Devdas anyday.
If somebody made me watch one film four times in one day at gunpoint, I would even take it over Mughal-E-Azam.
October 1, 2011 at 7:01 AM
Brilliant summary Utkal uncle points1-7
U covered nearly everything that can be said on this topic
Out of these have personally enjoyed Silisila most
And not only for the smouldering chemistry
was a neat tight piece of work with brilliant performances, writing, music and Bachchan at his iconic best
Also liked all his Salim JAved films
NOt really a big fan of most of his srk films
Having said all that: It is easy to get into trivialites and one can get into “quality/originality” issues.
But the fact remains that (by hook or by crook)—Yash chopra HAS kept himself relevant at/near the top for more than 4 decades
One can also argue that he manages to select the best “in” actors/ttechinicans for a particulat era and so this HAS to work mostly.
The “best” are not the “best” for nothing. Nobody signs his film hoping to help chopra. And in due fairness, even SRK at this stage of his career, finds it safe to say “yes” to his forthcoming film with yash (with KAt/anushka) WITHOUT reading the script.
This sort of “confidence/credibility/reputation” cannot happen in isolation.
ps—Dont personally enjoy most of his films nowadays, but the talk was of “longevity” and “staying relevant” and one shouldnt deny him credit just because one doesnt like his sensibilities/style
October 1, 2011 at 7:59 AM
For me a word like ‘superstar’ carries associations of Rajesh Khanna or Amitabh Bachchan (restricting myself to Hindi cinema), not every two film old heartthrob in ‘Bollywood’, not even those whose careers have been designed around spreading the ‘good word’ about their supposed superstardom.
But you accept every major actor in Hollywood as a superstar.
Why is it different for hindi films?
A superstar is someone who has huge popularity among the public,who can make an average or a bad film a BO hit.
Saying I havent seen a superstar since Amitabh is stupid.
October 1, 2011 at 8:45 AM
“But you accept every major actor in Hollywood as a superstar.”
when?
October 1, 2011 at 10:27 AM
“A superstar is someone who has huge popularity among the public,who can make an average or a bad film a BO hit.”
Who? Joker?
October 1, 2011 at 9:40 AM
You accepted Brad Pitt, leonardo deaprio,Johnyy Depp as superstars?
October 1, 2011 at 10:19 AM
But they are.
October 1, 2011 at 2:01 PM
bollywodofan-the actors I mentioned are.
October 2, 2011 at 11:11 AM
Thank sunil for accepting that Joker was, is and will NEVER be a star
October 2, 2011 at 1:02 PM
Haha bollywoodfan: spare poor Sunil lol
Suggest u too check out the rockstar album–highly recommended
October 2, 2011 at 2:31 PM
Haha Alex.So guru is just an overflow and Paa a flop.
October 2, 2011 at 2:32 PM
Alex,dont miss Desi Boyz.You might find it useful.You should write a review here.
October 2, 2011 at 4:08 PM
Go Sunil:won’t see “desi boys”– since cannot stand a David film.
Am not a big fan , but don’t mind Akshay or John though …
Hope bollywoodfan watches “desi boys” with u Sunil
Why don’t u try posting some nice songs/lyrics for her
All the best mate
Ps–
Am enjoying rockstar–helped me get thru loads of paperwork effortlessly
October 9, 2011 at 3:54 PM
Ranbir Kapoor’s 17 favourite films
TNN | Oct 9, 2011, 12.00AM IST
The actor picks movies from his grandfather’s Shree 420 to Mr India
1It’s A Wonderful Life: It’s my all-time favourite film. It’s the spirit of goodness that always wins me over.
2Shree 420: I love this film for the innocence of my grandfather Raj Kapoor’s character in it.
3Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge: The movie of my generation! Love, family… and Shah Rukh Khan. It’s just magic!
4Life is Beautiful: For it’s unfailing optimism, inspiration and Roberto Benigni’s madness.
5Mr India: This movie has everything! It’s just too good. Zindagi Ki Yehi Reet hai has some of my favourite lyrics ever.
6The Lord of the Rings trilogy: It retained and added to the wonder and magic of the books… absolutely spellbinding films. Waiting for India to be able to make movies like this!
7Singin’ in the Rain: I love Hollywood musicals from that golden era, and this is my pick of the lot. Gene Kelly dancing in the rain is my all-time favourite cinematic moment!
8Masoom: I love this movie for its heart and it’s simplicity.
9Dil Chahta Hai: No Hindi film had spoken to me in my own language the way DCH did. For me, It was a landmark moment in Hindi films!
10Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Beyond the complexity (genius) of its storytelling, what the film has to say about love is simple and beautiful.
11Kabhie Kabhie/Silsila/Chandni/Yash Chopra: For the romance. No one did or does romance like Yash Chopra.
12Rang De Basanti: For the sheer mastery of its film-making… the story, screenplay, cinematography, performances, music… all set a new benchmark!
13Home Alone: To take me back to being 10 years old.
14The Prestige: My favourite Chistopher Nolan film. His movies are unrelenting. He has you by the edge of the seat because he keeps taking you higher and higher and higher.
15Lost in Translation: I love the mood of this film. Either you get into it, or you don’t.
16Catch Me If You Can: For Leonardo Di Caprio’s performance. He has such charm in this film!
17Rafoo Chakkar: This one is a favourite films with my parents in it.
October 9, 2011 at 4:24 PM
like some of the choices here though find it rather unfortunate that he can say nothing better for his grandfather’s cinema!
January 20, 2012 at 5:56 PM
I actually recall once he was asked about his favorites among Raj Kapoor’s films and he gave a rather winning set of responses. He took time to highlight Jaagte Raho, a film that tends to get overlooked.
January 20, 2012 at 6:13 PM
yes I remember that..
October 10, 2011 at 1:00 AM
I must say this is not much of a list — one feels even Shree 420 is the obligatory nod to family tradition — and in my view not a great choice as the ONLY film from the first four or five decades of Hindi cinema. As for the rest, Dil Chahta Hai?! Home Alone?! Good grief…
January 20, 2012 at 4:46 PM
Ranbir not a part of Vinod Chopra’s next
The actor has decided not to play the lead role in Chithiyan alongside Sharman Joshi
Amrapali Sharma
Posted On Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 02:07:17 AM
Ranbir Kapoor has been in the news since his much appreciated performance in Imtiaz Ali’s Rockstar. The latest being that the actor is competing with Shahid Kapoor for the lead role in Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s next project titled Chithiyan. However, Ranbir revealed to Mumbai Mirror that he is not doing the film for sure.
According to media reports, Ranbir and Shahid – the two actors who have been pitted against each other professionally as well as personally, were being considered for the lead role in Chopra’s love triangle saga. While Chopra’s favourite Sharman Joshi, who had worked with the filmmaker in 3 Idiots as well as Ferrari Ki Sawaari, had reportedly been finalised to play one of the male leads in the film, Shahid and Ranbir were contending for the other.
A source close to the film told Mumbai Mirror, “It has not been finalised yet as to who will play the male lead. Vidhu might just zero down on a few other names as well. A decision will be taken on this regard soon enough.”
Reportedly, Vidhu had met Ranbir in Los Angeles and had even narrated the script of Chithiyan to him.
While the leading lady has not been finalised either, Shahid seems to be the only contender for the second male lead at the moment.
However according t our source, this film is not on Chopra’s priority list as of yet. “Currently, he is busy with Ferrari Ki Sawaari. However, soon he will focus his attention on Chithiyan. The film is supposed to go on floors by July 2012,” added the source.
Though Ranbir reverted to our question on whether he was doing Chopra’s film with a curt ‘Nope’, when inquired why he declined the offer, the actor chose not to dwell on it.
On the other hand, while Vidhu Vinod Chopra remained unavailable for comment, a source close to the filmmaker confirmed the news saying, “Yes, Ranbir is not doing Chithiyan. Vidhu and Ranbir mutually decided not to work on this project. Ranbir had some date issues. They would however love to work in the future.”