This entry was posted on December 4, 2014 at 11:10 AM and is filed under the ugly. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Looks on the line of Paresh-Akshay starrer.. OMG Oh My God. Saurabh Shukla seems to be playing Mithun/Govind Namdeo’s role.. But it might be more than just about religious fools.
Did not like it much….too trying to impress.
Looks like a cross between Barfi and peepli live.
Not even a patch close to Munna bhai.
Will skip this movie if the promos dont improve from here.
FLOP
With Hirani, I’ve rarely if ever been very impressed by the actual trailers, but I’ve also never been less than completely impressed by the resulting films. This is really the exact opposite case with just about every other filmmaker in Hindi cinema, where their trailers are usually the best thing their films have to offer.
Amir looks strained maintaining his wide-eyed look.
Hirani seems to be obsessed with ‘relieving’ men scenes.
Amir might not impress (he looks silly here, when trying to be something else.) but the film will have good satire (I hope).
“I am not used to eating paan, but for this film I have eaten as many as 50 to 60 paans in a day because of my character. We used to have a paanwala on the sets,” Aamir. Anything with paan is annoying. Yuk. That too in a message movie.
The most impressive and handsome looking was Sushant. Anushka is annoying as always. Aamir is fatigued in those mega close ups and looks fake. All the three/four khans should retire. Am tired of seeing their tired, old faces. Men like young girls, so we have new actresses coming every few years. Not sure why they don’t make same assumptions for Heros. Women (audience) don’t like to see old men making fool of themselves (unless if they have a role like king lear or something that demands you to be old or if you are Amitabh Bachchan)
One of these younger stars need to have balls to confront their movies with better product or simply do better work on their own. Market dictates their presence ….its as simple as that !
There has been some positive movement this year with rise of Ranveer, Varun , Arjun etc but due to absence of Ranbir movie this year the scales still remain in favor of Aamir, SRK, Akki and Ajay’s favor.
Looks good…pretty much in line with the Aamir-is-an-alien theories floating around.
If his past films are any indication, Hirani will again try to blend a social message with an entertaining story…in this case, the outsider possibly teaching humans how to live and enjoy life?
I’m one of the very few people on Earth who wasn’t so enamored with 3 Idiots and that view hasn’t changed since. But I do remain a fan of Lage Raho Munnabhai.
In Hirani’s worldview, it’s all about inversion. The very characters who are (socially) frowned upon (the Bhais, the ‘rebel/unconventional’ student) turn out to be wise men who go on to find solutions to extraordinary problems. It’s a nice fantasy to believe in. And it works, at least on screen…
[I think in an odd sense the poster (and the director) perhaps capture a certain earnestness which has sometimes been Aamir’s weakness, certainly in the 90s when he tried out the more flamboyant stuff at times (something he finally got over in Fanaa, a point I made at the time). Put differently the ‘alien’ element here, specially with that Spock-like look perhaps taps a certain Aamir strain, very much there from the beginning. At a more mundane level people have made fun of his ears over time. Well he now converts this ‘oddity’ into a strength with a Hirani film!]
Hirani’s a clear substance director, than style. At 2-hour plus it will be more ‘movie’ than a 3-hour plus HNY! Byomkesh… looks to be a better movie though.
There’s a vain strangeness about Aamir’s looks in 3 Idiots, Dhoom-3 and the third one – PK.
Trailer seems good and the movie ‘may’ and ‘may not’ work in a big way due to Aamir only. His act / character is the key and if he is able to transport / convey through the visuals whatever they are trying to say here.
Very important movie for Aamir though he has a good ‘audit’ in the form of Hirani.
After every wedding feast I make it a point to have the paan on offer. It is excellent for digesting a heavy meal. It is also given regularly to pregnant and lactating women, for digestion and to provide calcium.
As for the film PK, I wish with all my heart that it works for Aamir and Hirani. Aamir has revealed in today’s press interaction that he hasn’t been allowed to blink through the film. So obviously Hirani has written the character thus. Sadly, Aamir is already getting ridiculed for his wide eyed look. He could have done a conventional role in a conventional film. But he has chosen to be brave/ foolhardy. I hope his risk pays off.
I think the look is poking fun at Aamir in the way he has always been poked fun at. It’s almost like he finally lands “the” role where he is having fun about these aspects himself.
I sense this film has a touch of 3 Idiots hangover. I hope not and that everything is fresh.
Overall the trailer has done a lot to dispel the posters and the general monotonous aspect of that poster releases.
And I think the big one is being saved for last…I don’t think this film will disappoint but Hirani and Aamir will need to “convince” the audience on the look first. Establishing this rather odd look will be key. All sci fi films need to get you to believe that world. Once transported and involved, Hirani has the skills to draw you in and keep you invested.
Think that at least on paper it looks to be a far more ambitious film than 3I. In a way there’s a continuity between all his films (hirani) is terms of the wry socio-political commentary and so forth. This film looks to be a more ambitious reformulation of the same. An alien arrives and has to learn how ‘earthlings’ behave. And then of course there’s the ET-like element with the alien being the one ‘pure’ being amidst all these ‘alien humans’! On a related note since Aamir is also speaking in dialect it will be interesting to see how Hirani marries these two archives — the rural and the alien!
I definitely see hangover from 3 Idiots and mix of Barfee in the teaser. Movie can be completely different from the 2 films but so far teaser surely has some hangover.
Dear LS – u forgot to mention that Paan is also used before love-making 🙂 It is being used since stone-ages as an It is also a good aphrodisiac agent and it is approved by Ayurveda….http://www.allayurveda.com/herb_month_november2009.asp
betel leaf maybe. What they put inside is another thing. tobacco to chuna. Not healthy at all.
@LS: they shouldn’t die but they shouldn’t be running around trees with girls that are as old as their teenage daughters!! Hindi cinema should give chance to younger male artists instead of male monopoly that it is.
Someone talking with a mouth full of paan is THE most disgusting thing possibly only more disgusting thing would be red paan streaks that adorn the walls, streets, outside people’s home even and even here in USA..outside indian groceries!!!!….if it was that healthy why don’t you gulp the darn juice. Totally DISGUSTING. And now Aamir is doing it. So whole india will eat more paan and make more gandagi!!! YUK.
Impressive and very much loveable .. If Hirani able to delivery it with expected quality(2 hoot to BO).. then without any shred of doubt I will consider him as great as Raj Kapoor (Best Bollywood director IMO) ..
Let’s just start with one file Awara. There were so many scenes in that movie like him with a dog under street light, him stading behind nargis, him and nargis starring at moon where just one pose still is looked upon today. Let’s not forget about the music of Awara too, still heard today. Oh and by the way, he not only directed Awara, he starred in it too with powerful performance.
And that’s just one film, when you add, Aag, Barsaat, Awara, Shree 420, Sangam, Mera Naam Joker, Bobby, Prem Rog, Ram Teri Ganga Meli, there’s no competition.
Raj Kapoor was a complete package. His command over script, music, dialogues, creating big sets were just amazing.
Raj Kapoor is best director of Bollywood .. there is no two opinion. I consider his Awara, Shree 420, Sangam, Mera Naam Joker (Not as strong though), Bobby, Prem Rog and Ram Teri Ganga Maili as one of India’s best.
But with 4 ACES delivered (?), It will be only Hirani which will come very close to his stature .. if not equal. One department where Hirani completely falls flat is Music sense .. Raj Kapoor had great ear for music .. with SJK, LP and Ravindra Jain, he able to extract equally good sound tracks.
SJK, LP and Ravindra Jain are even on record saying that some of the tunes were created by Raj Kapoor himself.
above all, Raj Kapoor scores big time over Hirani in Direction department.
Now, I’m probably being old fashioned on this but Direction in old movies were thought of how do you direct a specific scenes and how can you use the things within the frame to give points to the main object.
Take Bobby for example, there’s a scene where Pran ad his wife are arguing and her saree falls off her shoulder and she immediatly pulls her saree up. That one scenes tell yo how stale and broken the marriage is ad that if wife has to cover herself fully in frot of her husband, than that marriage is so off track ad the obvious that they haven’t hed s@x in long long time.
I’m the greatest fan of Hirani but I wouldn’t dream of comparing him to Raj Kapoor. In any sense. This is not a knock on Hirani but Raj Kapoor is simply too tall an order for most mortals!
I’m not so sure about the saree falling bit. Raj Kapoor was obsessed with breasts. Outlined/half exposed/ pallus falling/drenched half visibility, were some tricks he resorted to.
In this age simplicity is the highest form of intelligence as well very courageous ingredient and that is beautifully displayed in this teaser. Very earth language, innocent humor, colorful clothing and surrounding combined with perfect editing makes PK teaser as good as RH’s any movie.
Very simple trailer, nothing bang bang about this. I like this. That’s Hirani’s style out and out, to make things grounded. Will wait for a 2nd trailer which would come around November mid.
this is a proper teaser trailer…looks like a feel good movie with multiple social messages (going by the teaser Aamir probably interacts with many different entities in society). this is where a Hirani movie succeeds; it gets the message across without being preachy. also add humor into every situation which the audience loves. this will be a winner all the way. just not expecting anything ‘path-breaking’ here…it will be a feel good movie.
About that transistor thingy covering his modesty, I don’t think a transistor was required. Aamir is no Ron Jeremy after all. An iPod would have sufficed..
Teaser was ok but as most of the people said as its Hirani movie we have to wait for the actual movie…reminds me of Spacey’s K-Pax…Aamir’s expression looks weird…could be great performance or could be over the top.
@ idea — thanks for press conf video. So the unblinking Aamir look was Vinod’s idea. Ah well, hope it works, or Aamir will pay …as it is people are ridiculing his wide eyed look , terming it a one-expresion act.
dont bother dear – this is easily going to be the biggest grosser of Indian Cinema – did u notice aamir’s bulked-up look? reportedly – he is doing a boxer-film next……
Boxer or wrestler? Actually at this press conf, in another video snippet, Aamir was asked about his bulked up body — and he replied that it was not for a film, but ‘aise hi’. God knows what the truth is, but he is looking odd with his top heavy body.
Liked this trailer.. think it’s the best one so far..
there’s something very interesting about this conceit in any case. Hirani has always been a wry commentator on contemporary India, specially ‘urban new India’. One of those rare exceptions in contemporary Bollywood (at any level of cinema) who’s not a cheerleader for the contemporary dispensation, at least not in any easy sense. To now have all of this reflected through the eyes of an ‘alien’ really brings his cinema to a logical conclusion in this sense. Because this would seem to be the ultimate ‘bird’s eye view’ for his contexts. Similarly Aamir himself has been about fostering a meaningful rooted cinema that by its very nature argues against the complacencies of ‘New India’. This happens just about everywhere in his significant work over the past decade or more (across genres) including most recently (and I think rather potently) in Talaash. ). And so this is a rather ‘natural’ marriage between director and actor in this case. Once more I’d also stress that Aamir-as-alien also brings about a certain essence of the actor to the fore inasmuch as and for all his strengths he’s also quite often been a rather earnest actor. If pulled off well this film has the potential to be the director’s greatest. My favorite film from Hirani is still the first Munnabhai though I of course love all of them.
Yes I thought that initially about KPAX but now I think the cat is pretty much out of the bag. Sanjay Dutt’s character talks about,’MEMORY GAYO TOH AADMI AURAT KA PHARAK BHOOL GAYO??,
So I am guessing that Aamir is hit by something on his head double the size of the weapon used in Ghazni wiping out his memory??
Anyhow, the concept of introducing an ‘alien’ in the form of Aamir who will pin-point the many vagaries of the human/indian behavior will be too radicalized for the hinterland. They might prefer ‘memory’ loss as a more consumable option..
The alien stuff has of course been copied by Roshan Sr from ET but then again that was that – an ‘object’ far, far removed from any sort of human resemblance.. the alien ‘power’ is of course injected in Roshan Jr who then indulges in the usual shenanigans of pumping his muscles to play basketball which is far more in the realm of acceptability for the Indians..
Both actor and director have a similar trajectory and likeness in films. Though I suspect this will be the last collaboration as this is the ultimate film theme.
yes don’t know whether Hirani is going to direct that Dutt biopic with Ranbir because it doesn’t seem to be his kind of subject. On the other hand it’s certainly true that after this film I’m not sure what more he could do with this set of themes. Of course it’s also true that great talents sometimes find a way to keep saying the same things in newer formulations!
agreed on all counts satyam – and the masterstroke here would be that if the film is shown from an alien’s eyes – it can take potshots at almost everything under the sky and get away scot-free….
There really needs to be a very compelling reason for this wide-eyed look by Aamir. Just looking at him straining like that is getting tiring already!
Also, there is a risk of playing back-to-back retard roles (D3 and this). Audience can get weary soon.
I thought if I said this people would accuse me of coming up with my usual rants about Amir, but the fact is just a few scenes of him doing that role and I already want to look away at something else other than him.
And I’ve been really waiting for this film.
Aamir can go into a ham mode with this wide eyed look. He was very poor in that challenged role in D3. But Hirani surely will have something up his sleeve
V V Chopra is said to have suggested the unblinkng wide-eyed look.It’s there in one of the promo videos above. Apparently it was a strain for Aamir.
It’s going to be a strain for the viewers too. and I am an Aamir supporter saying this. Too much of the wide-eyed idiot- savant persona about this character. I am hoping that the film as a whole is more varied, not a one -note affair. 3 idiots did not disappoint and I am hopeful that there is a similar treat awaiting. I found 3 i funny and charming; there was variety and colour and characters like Viru Sahasrabuddhe and a fairly normal Rancho. Absolutely loved the Zoobi Doobi song sequence with the delightful song- dance and Aamir’s funny cameos as a newsreader, a pandit and the like. Here, PK seems just a wildly dressed clueless character. Though there could be a zoobi type song- dance sequence– a glimpse in the teaser.
I just hope it all comes together. Fingers crossed.
Just watched the song clip again, fully this time. It made me smile — Sunjay’s scenes and dialogue plus Aamir being chased by group. The song too has interesting words and a good beat. Well, perhaps, the film just may work.I have rarely been optimistic about Aamir’s films as a result of promos. Yet finally it all comes together.I loved Talaash, was even ok with Dhoom 3 (along with Utkal, I am one of the few net commenters to have accepted the film). Loved the songs in both films. I think PK will have at least two memorable song sequences.
Interestingly Aamir has occasionally spoken about the commercial Indian film and it’s song- dance nature. He has talked about song and dance being an intrinsic part of Indian life and how we need not be ashamed of Hindi cinema’s musical identity, and how songs can be used to carry a story forward.
I absolutely don’t trust VVC’s judgement about this, that guy wudve been a goner already, had it not been for Hirani. But I do trust Aamir’s own character presentation, he certainly has not disappointed in the last decade. So again, I really hope there is a very compelling reason for this. At least BO wise, aam junta has not been kind to superstars trying ‘hatke’ roles. Think BigB voice in Agneepath.
Average song which is no surprise because Raju Hirani’s films have never had good music but the video is great and I’m sure I’ll like the song during the movie. Aamir’s expressions might become a bit annoying during the film but it probably won’t be a big deal. The story seems very very interesting. Sanjay Dutt is looking great-the man’s been in jail for 1.5 years yet he has 2 movies coming out in the span of a month. The movie seems a little “wacky” unlike 3I and the Munna Bhai’s but I have no doubt that Raju Hirani can pull it off.
Aargh…those wide eyes again! Getting really tiring now. One note act already. The makers of PK need to listen asap. I am an Aamir fan, but this is getting a bit ridiculous now.
Lol ! It may be both ! This is bollywood sir! Yehaan between the sets bhaari bharkum hone mein time nahin lagta. Still better than the old times where you had many a pointed Mumtaz’s’ in your face…
Thankfully Hollywood and western world is in reverse mode so you now have a Keira Knightley chosing to bare in protest and saying – ‘OK, I’m fine doing the topless shot so long as you don’t make them any bigger or retouch.’ Because it does feel important to say it really doesn’t matter what shape you are.”
LOL. Lips ka to pehle se hi pata tha. ( Btw, in that trailer release interview video up the thread, her profile shots are really bad, make her look like a duckling )
Hum kuch aur surgeries ki baat kar rahe they. Ab is paavan blog mein aisi asleel baatein karna shobha nahi deta. Nahi to Satyamva humka khaded ke nikal baahar kar dengey.
I am reminded by the reaction to 3 Idiots promos. Aamir’s bug eyes. It’s a Priyadarshan film. It’s a David Dhawan film. I’m disappointed and deflated. Totally uninspired comedy elements in this promo. Trying too hard..(nice one NYKavi!). It’s not a great promo (me). It’s surely OTT and Aamir as a coll student turns me off altogether. Not a great promo but the sheer number of comments and impassioned responses is enough to pretty much guarantee that this film won’t be skipped out on on the merit of an average publicity machine. When’s the last time there was this much talk over a Dhawan or a KI trailer? (Ha GF). Akshay Kumar’s acting in Garam Masala is the best acting done by an actor in this decade (cheers Sunil). The promos are turning me off this movie. Aamir does not do comedy well – the bug eyed look is ridiculous. He is too old for this role.
And that’s what we have in the 3 Idiots thread and I am not even half way down.
How we were all so wrong!
I tell you what if you want to be entertained open some of these old threads and read the predictions. As a blog we are useless!!!
I agree that 3I predictions totally missed the target. But his bugeyes were not omnipresent like this, his physical attributes actually fit the role. Probably the same attributes fit the role of an alien (or simpleton retard or whatever) here. And I do trust Hirani/Aamir, surely they cannot have missed this cringing-bothersome look while filming. Just hope that they did not get carried away with whatever ‘message’ they wanted to deliver, totally ignoring the visual-acceptance of the character.
Aapkey enjoyment ke liye following also got them made: bipasa, kangana, sushmita, shetty sisters, SRK wife and this was hotly denied by Saurabh but dorr heroine also had new life and several sizes added to them.
P.S. I don’t understand how sehwag would make it larger. stumped.
P.S1: Did you see Renee Zellweger (her pics) recently?? quite shocking!!
P.S2: Madhuri Dixit’s are real 🙂
Sehwag probably went on a regimen of Propecia to cure his baldness. Breast enlargement is a well known side-effect of Propecia.
Renee needs to be left alone, she has had too much flak already.
No way, Madhuri and real? She was probably the pioneer of such surgery in bwood.
IMHO, au naturale is best, be it any part of a woman’s body. Katrina, Anushka etc have spoilt their beauty with all those cosmetic facial surgeries. Except if you are Kareena. Now she really needed it, in order not to look like her dad.
Firstly except for a Sush and among the newer lot Kangana, I feel the others are not bold enough to step into an actual surgery room. Fuller lips transformation is easy peasy for a Anushka or a Kat but the other enhancements are the real deal and its easier just changing pads to suit the needs of the character. Indian costumes sort of assist in these concealment.
On the other hand heroines like Madhuri never needed these supports and had so much going on with their faces….that’s why I will forever be indebted to her for a Aaj tum pe pyaar aaya hai from Dayavan and Dimple for Jab Jab Teri Surat Dekhon from Jaanbaaz for that transition from boy to manhood……
Since there was no Youtube in those days, no wonder movies were doing silver jubilees!!
“I feel the others are not bold enough to step into an actual surgery room”
Are you crazy. Some even live in doctor’s office. I forgot to add Sridevi in the list. She has had multiple surgeries everywhere nose, boob. You can easily see the before-after on youtube on most of their boo jobs. She is MJ of india 🙂
Jab Jab Teri Surat Dekhon cudve been better had Mr Bhaalu Anil Kapoor not gone shirtless. The metrosexual look was not in those days, no clean shaven male torso. So we had to endure Anil’s vast hirsute prairie of a body. Dimple mustve gotten a cpl extra lakhs from Feroze to wrap her arms around that bhaloo-back.
jay u r so right – RH’s promos have been astutely deceptive and mocks at the BO projections after the release…designed to deceive and contrived to conquer 🙂
Yes I agree it will be very difficult to watch this movie if aamir remains in this mode until the very end for obvious reasons. My Indian mind will not be satisfied until the flight of fantasy will have something more solid to the story….more important to my lead actor.
I strictly believe all this will be the first few minutes in the movie with some sort of settling / transformation to a full blown bihari babu …otherwise how are we going to get P.K speak in Benaarsi Bhojpuri….. Arrey bhai humm peekay hoon…..!!
Yup, at this rate VVC shud start hoping that people pay more attention to Anu, Sanju, Boman et al. Seriously, whenever Aamir is up with those bloodshot wide eyes, I literally have to shift my focus to everything else on the screen in order to get my BP down. Incomprehensible! Hirani, hee to cha kayo ahe?
The movie was shot in Rajasthan and Europe. Aamir has green eyes (and fair complexion) in the movie. So there could be some cross race connection as well. But then his character speaks chaste Bhojpuri….hmmmm….maybe a cross between alien and human! After all Hirani says such a character has never been explored and amnesia is done to death in hindi cinema and they won’t give away such a huge secret in a song, would they?
Looking good and building up. I am not clear how is Aamir promoting the movie this time. He hasnt been on tv shows for D3 and i feel this time he might go all out promoting this in tv shows like Comedy Nights and Big Boss of Salman.
It doesn’t work that way. Aditya Chopra was producer of Dhoom3 and Aamir and he decided that no publicity is required for Dhoom 3. They didn’t even release song promos, just 30 sec song teasers. So, forget promoting on TV shows. Victor also mentioned since Dhoom3 has that kind of muscle, we could afford no publicity stance, it can’t be done with every movie.
Which films/filmmakers have been the big influences?
I enjoyed watching Manmohan Desai but was inspired by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Guru Dutt. I have cried innumerable times while watching Pyaasa. I love that film. God alone knows how many times I would have watched One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. I haven’t been watching too many contemporary Hindi films but Lagaan got me hooked completely. Jab We Met was such a seamless piece of story-telling.
this was a great read.. thanks.. hardly anyone is as unassuming in Bollywood let alone someone who’s enjoyed his kind of success. On another note he talks about the Dutt biopic here too.
Unlike other FTII graduates who might speak of Fellini and Antonioni as their inspiration, Hirani lists Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Guru Dutt and Pyaasa as his favourites. Sriram remembers that they got along because of their shared love for mainstream Hindi films. “At the time, in FTII it was almost a sin to love Hindi films. But we bonded on the films of Vijay Anand, Manmohan Desai, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Ramesh Sippy, Raj Kapoor and more,” he says. Those who know Hirani well feel his cinema reflects the kind of man he is himself: nice. “Someone who takes life as it comes, with a smile,” says filmmaker and long-time friend Rajesh Mapuskar. “He has this basic faith in human spirit. I can’t see things like that,” says filmmaker Sudhir Mishra. Nonetheless he enjoys Hirani’s “joyous vitality, the life-affirming stories”.
All songs are pathetic. Trailer is looking pretty ordinary and there is no buzz at all at the moment. But i think they need huge promotions from now onwards in order to create some buzz and get good initials at B.o
PK songs are functional. I’m sure they’ll fit well in the film but as an album it is decent. It sounds like a combination of LRMB and 3I which isn’t a bad thing at all.
Chaar Kadam song has been the only good thing about the promo so far. Heard that Aamir speaks Bhojpuri in this film. This should mean that his acting will be good.
Aamir Khan: I don’t select films in order to break records
Last updated on: December 08, 2014 19:23 IST
‘I don’t think I will have a release in 2015.’
Aamir Khan talks business, and PK.
He has broken box office records and has set new benchmarks with his movies. Yet, Aamir Khan considers his part in PK the most challenging role of his 29-year-old career.
With just two weeks to go for its release, Aamir is on a promotion-overdrive. He chats with the media in Mumbai, and discusses the mystery surrounding the PK trailers, why the 100 crore club is an unfortunate trend, and his son Junaid joining the film industry. Sonil Dedhia/ Rediff.com listens in.
It was a rare sight to see you sharing the stage with Salman and Shah Rukh Khan in a special episode ofAap Ki Adalat.
I don’t think there is anything special about the three Khans sharing the same stage. We have often been together and I hope this is not the last time. We have been buddies for so many years.
Will we see the three of you in a film together?
Doing a film is a bigger responsibility than just hanging around. If there is something that all three of us like, then we will do it.
Is it true that you are playing an alien in PK?
It is one of the many rumours floating around. We have not answered that question. We would like you to discover what my character is when the film releases on December 19.
The suspense behind Talaash was revealed on the very first day of its release. Don’t you think not revealing much about PK is like taking the same risk?
I don’t think so. When I signed Talaash, I knew it would not bring in huge numbers because it is not such a film. If I had to work in films which will give me numbers only, I would have never picked a film like Talaash. When I read the script, I loved it and wanted to do it.
When we sat down to discuss the potential of Talaash, my judgment was that it would do a net box office of Rs 60-70 crore India-wide, and 40-45 crore overseas. We made the film appropriately within a limited budget. The film went on to make Rs 95 crore. I have no idea (about the suspense being revealed so soon) but it did 40 per cent more (business) than what I expected it to do. For me, it was a happy situation to be in. If a similar thing happens with PK, I would still be happy!
The nude poster of PK created a lot of buzz, but some people objected to it.
We have to be honest to our work and hope that when people see the film they will understand why I have gone nude.
I don’t think Raju (the film’s director Rajkumar Hirani), Abhijat (Joshi, writer), Vinod (Vidhu Vinod Chopra, producer) or I are the kind of people who would add a nude scene in a film to make it sensational. Nor would we come up with the poster just to market our film. The poster is an important moment in the film and when you see the film, you will connect to it. I wasn’t apprehensive about shooting for the poster. If you had asked me the same question a couple of years ago, I would have said no. I would have felt uncomfortable going nude. But when I read the script of PK, the nude scene seemed very natural to me.
Your character has a poker face expression throughout the film. Why?
I don’t really have a poker face; there are several expressions that you will see in the film. I don’t blink in the film and that was something that came up during one of the rehearsal shoots on camera. Vinod happened to drop in one day. I had just rehearsed one part and he saw it on the monitor. He told me, ‘Why don’t you try the same thing without blinking your eyes?’ I tried it and everyone loved it. So by and large, my character doesn’t blink in the film. If you see, I am wearing green lenses in the film which made it difficult not to blink. Physically, PK was probably the most difficult roles in my career.
Your character speaks Bhojpuri in the film. Whose suggestion was that? People may not connect to the film because of its language.
(Thinks hard) I thought that the character might some colour and so I suggested it to Raju (Rajkumar Hirani). If you notice, I speaks my lines in a phonetic way. I had a Bhopuri language expert Shanti Bhushan, who helped me speak my lines. I remember when we were doing Lagaan, a lot of people told us that the audience wouldn’t understand Awadhi. But we kept it at a level that people would understand. Similarly, we have kept that balance in PK by using a simpler version of Bhojpuri. When I was doing Rangeela, a lot of people said that your tapori language is such that people outside Mumbai won’t get it. But it clicked with everyone.
It’s not often that you have worked with the same director twice. Rajkumar Hirani seems to be an exception.
The biggest USP of the film is Raju Hirani. He is the number one director of the film industry right now and his track record shows that. Raju is the star of PK. His ability as a writer-director is the force behind the film. I can be replaced in the film but you cannot replace Raju. He is one of the major reasons I signed on to do the film.
Ghaijini was the first film to earn Rs 100 crore at the box office. How do you see this trend going forward?
It’s a very unfortunate trend. The moment people start thinking about numbers, it influences the kind of films that an actor will sign.
The moment I start choosing films which have a potential to do Rs 100 crore at the box office, my choice becomes limited. I don’t select films in order to break records. If I only look at numbers, I would not have done a film like Lagaan or Rang De Basanti. That was the fifth remake of Bhagat Singh. It makes no sense to tell that same story again. Or I would never have done Taare Zameen Par. It’s a film about a dyslexic child. What potential does it have in terms of box office numbers? My choice of films is dictated by my creative instincts. Numbers is the last thing on my mind when I’m listening to a story. A lot of actors inflate the box office figures of their films and pass it on in trade circles and as press releases.
It’s childish. For some reason, people in the film industry feel that by inflating the figures, they will convince people to watch the film.
You even get to buy editorial space in newspapers, and say how much business a film has made. It’s extremely unfortunate.
It’s meaningless because when you go home, you know how much business the film has done. Even the industry knows exactly how much each film has done. You can try and fool people but how many times will you fool them? Ultimately, you are just fooling yourself.
Your elder son Junaaid was an assistant director on PK. What was it like having your son on the set?
It was fun. And just because he was my son he didn’t get any special treatment on the set (laughs). He was one of the junior assistants and stayed with the unit. He ate with them, travelled with them.
Any plans to launch him as a director?
It depends on him. He is still learning the craft. When he feels he is ready to take the step, and if I feel the step that he is taking is the one I can back, we will surely come together.
What has been your son Azad’s reaction to the teasers of PK?
Azad loved whatever he has seen and he dances to all the songs (smiles).
A member of the Hindu Mahasabha recently said that actresses who do item songs should be called prostitutes. In the last episode of the third season of Satyamave Jayate, you spoke about the objectification of women and said that sometimes films are responsible for it. You criticised the lyrics of songs, but at the same time, PK has songs with lyrics like Tharki Chokro and Nanga Punga.
As an industry, we need to reflect on how we are portraying women. It is the need of the hour. Calling actors, who are doing item numbers, names, is very unfortunate. A prostitute is a human being; she has her own reasons and problems. We are no one to judge anyone’s profession. Tharki Chokro or Nanga Punga are not songs that come in the bracket of item songs. The lyrics by themselves would project bad things. But when you listen to the songs when watching the film, you will get their real meaning.
Have you signed any film after PK?
No. I am reading scripts but haven’t finalised anything yet. I don’t think I will have a release in 2015.
Is that because you want to concentrate on Satyamave Jayate?
No. don’t think we will come up with a new season of Satyamave Jayate next year.I have just finished the third season, and my team and I need to take a break. It’s emotionally very difficult for us to deal with the material and the research.
Its good to see small heros/films gone &meeting the fate they deserved (like action jackson etc!)
A TRUE biggie after a while (after gang bang!)
Every year (or sometimes with many years gap) a hero waits and plots and waits and reshoots and reanalyses and thinks and waits and reshoots and so on…
Goddamm with people talking about two three extra holidays here comes the actor who brings it on after extreme delay and wait and with an entire plethora of holidays (full school holidays locally and overseas) with Xmas and new year holidays
With the best commercial indian director alive
After the best possible lineup and so on
With no Haidar or son of sardar to play spoilsport
Heck I don’t think there’s any Kaam leela type opposition after week 1 or even week2 have passed–
400 crores is surely on
A penny less will be underperformance ?!!
BUT
Both hirani and aamir show their class
They’ve taken real risk and not taken the iron man 2/3/4/5 or three idiots part deux route !!
Lookin 4ward to this 1–
Anyhow just checked one song
On the surface it looks an irritating crap song and one that’s no ‘hit potential’
Personally LOVED the two seconds ONLY that PK stares fixedly at the bangles/wrist? With that background music on ..(& that back story !!)
400cr is on surely – Being a fan – I’ll never forgive aamir for doing a crap like D3 but at the same time if here were not there – D3 wud have ended around 200 cr flat
Lol, people having multiple orgasms over Bang Bang’s 140 crores are setting the bar for PK at 400 crores.
Kahan se aa jate hai log desi tharra peekay??
Just watched this PK team press meet video, at Hyderabad today. They spoke about the film of course, and it was great to hear Abhijat Joshi towards the latter portions of the 21 minute video. And when asked about being shorter than Anushka, Aamir joked that he looked up to his women.
But besides the film stuff, there is some good non-film talk (
(obviously in reply to a question about recent Delhi cab rape) from 7.55 to 12 minutes or so, when Aamir spoke about the necessity for quick convictions. He mentioned how in the US a rapist is awarded as much as 120 years punishment, meaning life term.
Before this rape bit, from 4 minutes onwards, Aamir and VVC spoke about using Rentrack for computing exact box office figures for PK.
Strangely I always get to see Amir Khan’s films on the big screen.
Not so strange perhaps, because usually I’m in India dec/Jan.
So looking forward to PK because it’s Hirani’s film and because of the satire on society, which, we are told, is the topic.
I’m afraid I’ll have to avoid looking at Amir most of the time. He’s so weird in the pictures and trailers. One hope is that perhaps in the film he’ll not be so bad.
@satyam
The ‘address’ and ‘name’ in the details for replying/commenting is not clear.
I mean, for example the words ‘name (required)’ and my name ‘oldgold’ overlap each other and the same is the case with address (required) overlapping with my email add.
Is it my computer or …?
If PK is half as good as OMG it will be a big hit. OMG was an exceptional film with more boldness than most films in Hindi cinema. Surprisingly people did accept the straight talk very much.
Contd from
satyamshot.wordpress.com/2014/12/04/pk-trailer/#comment-288230
Fewer things catch my radar nowadays
Couldn’t watch anything. 2busy. Only managed to rewatch this one track again now.
First look was wtf, second made me say my usual “hmm wait hold on a sec”
And then I enjoyed this masterclass…
It’s easy to get put off by the somewhat subpar production values, and lack of flair & style
But
Scratch the surface and there’s ‘soul’
The bass the percussion the vocals and the subtle deft touch by hirani
Amongst all the revelry, I caught the hint of intrigue & pathos that seeps in..
The guy knows cinema (v well)
Love the lyrics
Tera naam to hoga bhaaya re
Jo school me tha likhaaya re
Tera koyi pataa to hoga, hoga ration card…..
Ps: something tells me I will love aamirs own role here (again)
PK will BREACH/STRIP
EITHER
Either the records for critical appeal & box office records
(400 cr net domestic)
OR
Aamirs and hiranis reputation and enhanced standing—
EIther ways–
Tu jaiso bhi hai bhaaya re
Tane yaar humne banaya re
Achha hai jo kho gayi yaadein
Jhagda na takraar..
Arey na to kisi se lena-dena
Na koi sar pe udhaar
aamir and hirani stand on the CUSP OF HISTORY–
Sincerely hope this doesn’t become another ‘talaash’…
Seems aamir and hirani are set to deliver the best film of their careers ?
Haven’t seen more promoted movie this year than PK. But I’m sure people on this site won’t agree. With the poster launch, promo launch, 9 city tour and there is song promo every 30 mins on any channel you watch. During this last week.. there is running ad at the bottom screen while the TV shows are running. Eventually Hiram’s and Aamir’s image and combination does gives it positive vibe and doesn’t make it negative. If it was Farah Khan or Karan Johar doing same promotion with same number of days and TV ads, they would call it over promotion without blinking!
was interesting to hear Raju mention in an interview that their first draft had the same idea as “Inception” and after it released they had to completely re-write pk all over again…
October 23, 2014 at 4:11 AM
Idea:
looks like a 700 cr deal 😉
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 6:46 AM
Really..why not 1000 cr?
jitna man hai utne zeroes laga detein hain.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 5:19 AM
This made me smile!
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 5:23 AM
Very good.
Looks on the line of Paresh-Akshay starrer.. OMG Oh My God. Saurabh Shukla seems to be playing Mithun/Govind Namdeo’s role.. But it might be more than just about religious fools.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 5:30 AM
Definitely looking forward to this, although (as is generally true of Hirani films) it lacks flair…
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 6:45 AM
I agree Qalandar. Flair as well as charm.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 5:57 AM
On second viewing, it does make me remind the Spacey starrer K-pax. That movie was really good as well.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 6:44 AM
Did not like it much….too trying to impress.
Looks like a cross between Barfi and peepli live.
Not even a patch close to Munna bhai.
Will skip this movie if the promos dont improve from here.
FLOP
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 6:56 AM
Pretty good for a teaser….movie will be a box office monster without a shred of doubt.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 8:02 AM
With Hirani, I’ve rarely if ever been very impressed by the actual trailers, but I’ve also never been less than completely impressed by the resulting films. This is really the exact opposite case with just about every other filmmaker in Hindi cinema, where their trailers are usually the best thing their films have to offer.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 8:42 AM
agree completely..
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 8:27 AM
Amir looks strained maintaining his wide-eyed look.
Hirani seems to be obsessed with ‘relieving’ men scenes.
Amir might not impress (he looks silly here, when trying to be something else.) but the film will have good satire (I hope).
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 8:31 AM
Loved it, seems like another winner ………..
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 8:48 AM
Happy Diwali to you Omi. And New Year greetings as well (day after Diwali)
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 8:49 AM
the same to you Di…..Diya jalana aur Pathakey bhee…….
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 8:53 AM
“I am not used to eating paan, but for this film I have eaten as many as 50 to 60 paans in a day because of my character. We used to have a paanwala on the sets,” Aamir. Anything with paan is annoying. Yuk. That too in a message movie.
The most impressive and handsome looking was Sushant. Anushka is annoying as always. Aamir is fatigued in those mega close ups and looks fake. All the three/four khans should retire. Am tired of seeing their tired, old faces. Men like young girls, so we have new actresses coming every few years. Not sure why they don’t make same assumptions for Heros. Women (audience) don’t like to see old men making fool of themselves (unless if they have a role like king lear or something that demands you to be old or if you are Amitabh Bachchan)
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 10:49 AM
Yes, let the older stars die.
Wah.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 11:01 AM
One of these younger stars need to have balls to confront their movies with better product or simply do better work on their own. Market dictates their presence ….its as simple as that !
There has been some positive movement this year with rise of Ranveer, Varun , Arjun etc but due to absence of Ranbir movie this year the scales still remain in favor of Aamir, SRK, Akki and Ajay’s favor.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 8:55 AM
Looks good…pretty much in line with the Aamir-is-an-alien theories floating around.
If his past films are any indication, Hirani will again try to blend a social message with an entertaining story…in this case, the outsider possibly teaching humans how to live and enjoy life?
I’m one of the very few people on Earth who wasn’t so enamored with 3 Idiots and that view hasn’t changed since. But I do remain a fan of Lage Raho Munnabhai.
In Hirani’s worldview, it’s all about inversion. The very characters who are (socially) frowned upon (the Bhais, the ‘rebel/unconventional’ student) turn out to be wise men who go on to find solutions to extraordinary problems. It’s a nice fantasy to believe in. And it works, at least on screen…
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 9:14 AM
an older comment…
[I think in an odd sense the poster (and the director) perhaps capture a certain earnestness which has sometimes been Aamir’s weakness, certainly in the 90s when he tried out the more flamboyant stuff at times (something he finally got over in Fanaa, a point I made at the time). Put differently the ‘alien’ element here, specially with that Spock-like look perhaps taps a certain Aamir strain, very much there from the beginning. At a more mundane level people have made fun of his ears over time. Well he now converts this ‘oddity’ into a strength with a Hirani film!]
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 1:29 PM
At a more mundane level people have made fun of his ears over time. Well he now converts this ‘oddity’ into a strength with a Hirani film!
Absolutely! And full credit to Aamir in the way he’s played along…
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 2:59 PM
Hrithik has alien ears too. 🙂
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 9:04 AM
Hirani’s a clear substance director, than style. At 2-hour plus it will be more ‘movie’ than a 3-hour plus HNY! Byomkesh… looks to be a better movie though.
There’s a vain strangeness about Aamir’s looks in 3 Idiots, Dhoom-3 and the third one – PK.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 9:11 AM
Liked it but its a rather low key trailer its quite clear they dont wanna give much away in terms of the plot or Aamir’s character .
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 9:14 AM
After all the shock and awe advertising campaigns these days it’s actually pleasant to see a trailer where you don’t have to duck for cover!
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 9:38 AM
Trailer seems good and the movie ‘may’ and ‘may not’ work in a big way due to Aamir only. His act / character is the key and if he is able to transport / convey through the visuals whatever they are trying to say here.
Very important movie for Aamir though he has a good ‘audit’ in the form of Hirani.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 11:05 AM
Di: There is nothing wrong with paan. In fact it has many health benefits. That is why it is offered after all South Indian wedding feasts.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 11:23 AM
After every wedding feast I make it a point to have the paan on offer. It is excellent for digesting a heavy meal. It is also given regularly to pregnant and lactating women, for digestion and to provide calcium.
As for the film PK, I wish with all my heart that it works for Aamir and Hirani. Aamir has revealed in today’s press interaction that he hasn’t been allowed to blink through the film. So obviously Hirani has written the character thus. Sadly, Aamir is already getting ridiculed for his wide eyed look. He could have done a conventional role in a conventional film. But he has chosen to be brave/ foolhardy. I hope his risk pays off.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 11:38 AM
I think the look is poking fun at Aamir in the way he has always been poked fun at. It’s almost like he finally lands “the” role where he is having fun about these aspects himself.
I sense this film has a touch of 3 Idiots hangover. I hope not and that everything is fresh.
Overall the trailer has done a lot to dispel the posters and the general monotonous aspect of that poster releases.
And I think the big one is being saved for last…I don’t think this film will disappoint but Hirani and Aamir will need to “convince” the audience on the look first. Establishing this rather odd look will be key. All sci fi films need to get you to believe that world. Once transported and involved, Hirani has the skills to draw you in and keep you invested.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 11:44 AM
agreed on all counts.. the trailer is perfectly fine.. again going by Hirani’s standards as GF pointed out.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 11:54 AM
Think that at least on paper it looks to be a far more ambitious film than 3I. In a way there’s a continuity between all his films (hirani) is terms of the wry socio-political commentary and so forth. This film looks to be a more ambitious reformulation of the same. An alien arrives and has to learn how ‘earthlings’ behave. And then of course there’s the ET-like element with the alien being the one ‘pure’ being amidst all these ‘alien humans’! On a related note since Aamir is also speaking in dialect it will be interesting to see how Hirani marries these two archives — the rural and the alien!
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 11:56 AM
Still not sure if Aamir is playing an Alien here offcourse i could be wrong .
LikeLike
October 24, 2014 at 10:45 PM
I definitely see hangover from 3 Idiots and mix of Barfee in the teaser. Movie can be completely different from the 2 films but so far teaser surely has some hangover.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 10:56 PM
Dear LS – u forgot to mention that Paan is also used before love-making 🙂 It is being used since stone-ages as an It is also a good aphrodisiac agent and it is approved by Ayurveda….http://www.allayurveda.com/herb_month_november2009.asp
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 11:57 AM
betel leaf maybe. What they put inside is another thing. tobacco to chuna. Not healthy at all.
@LS: they shouldn’t die but they shouldn’t be running around trees with girls that are as old as their teenage daughters!! Hindi cinema should give chance to younger male artists instead of male monopoly that it is.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 12:02 PM
Someone talking with a mouth full of paan is THE most disgusting thing possibly only more disgusting thing would be red paan streaks that adorn the walls, streets, outside people’s home even and even here in USA..outside indian groceries!!!!….if it was that healthy why don’t you gulp the darn juice. Totally DISGUSTING. And now Aamir is doing it. So whole india will eat more paan and make more gandagi!!! YUK.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 12:16 PM
Yes…the same way India followed Aamir after Ghajini by clobbering everyone in the head!
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 11:26 AM
Impressive and very much loveable .. If Hirani able to delivery it with expected quality(2 hoot to BO).. then without any shred of doubt I will consider him as great as Raj Kapoor (Best Bollywood director IMO) ..
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 12:54 PM
No way.
Let’s just start with one file Awara. There were so many scenes in that movie like him with a dog under street light, him stading behind nargis, him and nargis starring at moon where just one pose still is looked upon today. Let’s not forget about the music of Awara too, still heard today. Oh and by the way, he not only directed Awara, he starred in it too with powerful performance.
And that’s just one film, when you add, Aag, Barsaat, Awara, Shree 420, Sangam, Mera Naam Joker, Bobby, Prem Rog, Ram Teri Ganga Meli, there’s no competition.
Raj Kapoor was a complete package. His command over script, music, dialogues, creating big sets were just amazing.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 2:04 PM
Raj Kapoor is best director of Bollywood .. there is no two opinion. I consider his Awara, Shree 420, Sangam, Mera Naam Joker (Not as strong though), Bobby, Prem Rog and Ram Teri Ganga Maili as one of India’s best.
But with 4 ACES delivered (?), It will be only Hirani which will come very close to his stature .. if not equal. One department where Hirani completely falls flat is Music sense .. Raj Kapoor had great ear for music .. with SJK, LP and Ravindra Jain, he able to extract equally good sound tracks.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 2:38 PM
SJK, LP and Ravindra Jain are even on record saying that some of the tunes were created by Raj Kapoor himself.
above all, Raj Kapoor scores big time over Hirani in Direction department.
Now, I’m probably being old fashioned on this but Direction in old movies were thought of how do you direct a specific scenes and how can you use the things within the frame to give points to the main object.
Take Bobby for example, there’s a scene where Pran ad his wife are arguing and her saree falls off her shoulder and she immediatly pulls her saree up. That one scenes tell yo how stale and broken the marriage is ad that if wife has to cover herself fully in frot of her husband, than that marriage is so off track ad the obvious that they haven’t hed s@x in long long time.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 2:43 PM
I’m the greatest fan of Hirani but I wouldn’t dream of comparing him to Raj Kapoor. In any sense. This is not a knock on Hirani but Raj Kapoor is simply too tall an order for most mortals!
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 3:28 PM
I’m not so sure about the saree falling bit. Raj Kapoor was obsessed with breasts. Outlined/half exposed/ pallus falling/drenched half visibility, were some tricks he resorted to.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 3:31 PM
His artistry was inspired/based on artists painting nudes. His earlier films were more grounded and more intelligent.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 12:19 PM
In this age simplicity is the highest form of intelligence as well very courageous ingredient and that is beautifully displayed in this teaser. Very earth language, innocent humor, colorful clothing and surrounding combined with perfect editing makes PK teaser as good as RH’s any movie.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 12:34 PM
Really looking forward to it for Hirani. Not at all looking forward to another showy Aamir role.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 12:39 PM
Very simple trailer, nothing bang bang about this. I like this. That’s Hirani’s style out and out, to make things grounded. Will wait for a 2nd trailer which would come around November mid.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 4:50 PM
this is a proper teaser trailer…looks like a feel good movie with multiple social messages (going by the teaser Aamir probably interacts with many different entities in society). this is where a Hirani movie succeeds; it gets the message across without being preachy. also add humor into every situation which the audience loves. this will be a winner all the way. just not expecting anything ‘path-breaking’ here…it will be a feel good movie.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 7:18 PM
Most annoying thing about trailer is Aamir khan.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 8:09 PM
Hmmm, not sure about this one but with Hirani at the helm, no doubt it will be a good feel good movie.
What’s with him with men butt, peeing, nude, etc…
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 8:34 PM
for a goofball he’s in fantastic shape..just sayin’
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 8:36 PM
lol…this is true. that is why i don’t get the ‘showing off’ of his physique. it does not go within the context of this movie.
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 8:38 PM
It may, may be he is a robot?
LikeLike
October 26, 2014 at 8:41 AM
no robot ‘behind’ that radio..and those knobs..who knew !
LikeLike
November 22, 2014 at 11:55 PM
About that transistor thingy covering his modesty, I don’t think a transistor was required. Aamir is no Ron Jeremy after all. An iPod would have sufficed..
LikeLike
October 23, 2014 at 11:56 PM
Very good trailor that has a huge barfiesque hangover.
LikeLike
October 24, 2014 at 7:47 PM
Teaser was ok but as most of the people said as its Hirani movie we have to wait for the actual movie…reminds me of Spacey’s K-Pax…Aamir’s expression looks weird…could be great performance or could be over the top.
LikeLike
October 24, 2014 at 9:04 PM
For some reason, reminds me of pee-wee herman and maligoan ka chintu.
LikeLike
October 24, 2014 at 10:31 PM
press conf.
LikeLike
October 25, 2014 at 2:05 AM
@ idea — thanks for press conf video. So the unblinking Aamir look was Vinod’s idea. Ah well, hope it works, or Aamir will pay …as it is people are ridiculing his wide eyed look , terming it a one-expresion act.
LikeLike
October 25, 2014 at 2:57 AM
dont bother dear – this is easily going to be the biggest grosser of Indian Cinema – did u notice aamir’s bulked-up look? reportedly – he is doing a boxer-film next……
LikeLike
October 25, 2014 at 5:43 AM
Boxer or wrestler? Actually at this press conf, in another video snippet, Aamir was asked about his bulked up body — and he replied that it was not for a film, but ‘aise hi’. God knows what the truth is, but he is looking odd with his top heavy body.
LikeLike
October 28, 2014 at 10:20 AM
LikeLike
October 28, 2014 at 4:10 PM
Now i am waiting for this movie with a baited breath.
LikeLike
October 31, 2014 at 11:42 AM
LikeLike
November 1, 2014 at 12:25 PM
LikeLike
November 3, 2014 at 9:30 AM
lol funny https://www.facebook.com/santanu.maji.3367/posts/1580716432147289
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 9:38 AM
Liked this trailer.. think it’s the best one so far..
there’s something very interesting about this conceit in any case. Hirani has always been a wry commentator on contemporary India, specially ‘urban new India’. One of those rare exceptions in contemporary Bollywood (at any level of cinema) who’s not a cheerleader for the contemporary dispensation, at least not in any easy sense. To now have all of this reflected through the eyes of an ‘alien’ really brings his cinema to a logical conclusion in this sense. Because this would seem to be the ultimate ‘bird’s eye view’ for his contexts. Similarly Aamir himself has been about fostering a meaningful rooted cinema that by its very nature argues against the complacencies of ‘New India’. This happens just about everywhere in his significant work over the past decade or more (across genres) including most recently (and I think rather potently) in Talaash. ). And so this is a rather ‘natural’ marriage between director and actor in this case. Once more I’d also stress that Aamir-as-alien also brings about a certain essence of the actor to the fore inasmuch as and for all his strengths he’s also quite often been a rather earnest actor. If pulled off well this film has the potential to be the director’s greatest. My favorite film from Hirani is still the first Munnabhai though I of course love all of them.
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 9:52 AM
doesn’t this look like an indianized version of the Jeff Bridges- Kevin Spacey starrer K-Pax to you?
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 11:41 AM
Yes I thought that initially about KPAX but now I think the cat is pretty much out of the bag. Sanjay Dutt’s character talks about,’MEMORY GAYO TOH AADMI AURAT KA PHARAK BHOOL GAYO??,
So I am guessing that Aamir is hit by something on his head double the size of the weapon used in Ghazni wiping out his memory??
Anyhow, the concept of introducing an ‘alien’ in the form of Aamir who will pin-point the many vagaries of the human/indian behavior will be too radicalized for the hinterland. They might prefer ‘memory’ loss as a more consumable option..
The alien stuff has of course been copied by Roshan Sr from ET but then again that was that – an ‘object’ far, far removed from any sort of human resemblance.. the alien ‘power’ is of course injected in Roshan Jr who then indulges in the usual shenanigans of pumping his muscles to play basketball which is far more in the realm of acceptability for the Indians..
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 9:56 AM
Both actor and director have a similar trajectory and likeness in films. Though I suspect this will be the last collaboration as this is the ultimate film theme.
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 10:07 AM
yes don’t know whether Hirani is going to direct that Dutt biopic with Ranbir because it doesn’t seem to be his kind of subject. On the other hand it’s certainly true that after this film I’m not sure what more he could do with this set of themes. Of course it’s also true that great talents sometimes find a way to keep saying the same things in newer formulations!
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 3:50 PM
for me the humor seems to be failing and forced. too much of trying to be funny. felt it with three idiots and here it seems more pronounced.
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 5:45 PM
on the contrary dutt’s life is so full of drama that hirani can bring out very poignant portrayal of a human being almost misfit for the society……
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 5:54 PM
I hope Dutt has a huge role here.
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 5:46 PM
agreed on all counts satyam – and the masterstroke here would be that if the film is shown from an alien’s eyes – it can take potshots at almost everything under the sky and get away scot-free….
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 9:52 AM
Tharki Chokro song has a nice tune to it. Funny.
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 10:02 AM
for those who want to hear the full song http://www.djmaza.info/Tharki-Chokro-PK-Full-Song-MP3-2014-Singles.html
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 4:23 PM
This song reminds me of this song from Luck By Chance;
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 5:05 PM
Huh? Why’s my comment awaiting moderation?
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 7:07 PM
don’t know why that happened..
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 5:12 PM
There really needs to be a very compelling reason for this wide-eyed look by Aamir. Just looking at him straining like that is getting tiring already!
Also, there is a risk of playing back-to-back retard roles (D3 and this). Audience can get weary soon.
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 6:28 PM
I thought if I said this people would accuse me of coming up with my usual rants about Amir, but the fact is just a few scenes of him doing that role and I already want to look away at something else other than him.
And I’ve been really waiting for this film.
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 10:33 PM
Aamir can go into a ham mode with this wide eyed look. He was very poor in that challenged role in D3. But Hirani surely will have something up his sleeve
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 9:20 PM
V V Chopra is said to have suggested the unblinkng wide-eyed look.It’s there in one of the promo videos above. Apparently it was a strain for Aamir.
It’s going to be a strain for the viewers too. and I am an Aamir supporter saying this. Too much of the wide-eyed idiot- savant persona about this character. I am hoping that the film as a whole is more varied, not a one -note affair. 3 idiots did not disappoint and I am hopeful that there is a similar treat awaiting. I found 3 i funny and charming; there was variety and colour and characters like Viru Sahasrabuddhe and a fairly normal Rancho. Absolutely loved the Zoobi Doobi song sequence with the delightful song- dance and Aamir’s funny cameos as a newsreader, a pandit and the like. Here, PK seems just a wildly dressed clueless character. Though there could be a zoobi type song- dance sequence– a glimpse in the teaser.
I just hope it all comes together. Fingers crossed.
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 10:40 PM
Just watched the song clip again, fully this time. It made me smile — Sunjay’s scenes and dialogue plus Aamir being chased by group. The song too has interesting words and a good beat. Well, perhaps, the film just may work.I have rarely been optimistic about Aamir’s films as a result of promos. Yet finally it all comes together.I loved Talaash, was even ok with Dhoom 3 (along with Utkal, I am one of the few net commenters to have accepted the film). Loved the songs in both films. I think PK will have at least two memorable song sequences.
Interestingly Aamir has occasionally spoken about the commercial Indian film and it’s song- dance nature. He has talked about song and dance being an intrinsic part of Indian life and how we need not be ashamed of Hindi cinema’s musical identity, and how songs can be used to carry a story forward.
LikeLike
November 8, 2014 at 10:37 PM
I absolutely don’t trust VVC’s judgement about this, that guy wudve been a goner already, had it not been for Hirani. But I do trust Aamir’s own character presentation, he certainly has not disappointed in the last decade. So again, I really hope there is a very compelling reason for this. At least BO wise, aam junta has not been kind to superstars trying ‘hatke’ roles. Think BigB voice in Agneepath.
LikeLike
November 9, 2014 at 6:41 AM
Raj5:
Average song which is no surprise because Raju Hirani’s films have never had good music but the video is great and I’m sure I’ll like the song during the movie. Aamir’s expressions might become a bit annoying during the film but it probably won’t be a big deal. The story seems very very interesting. Sanjay Dutt is looking great-the man’s been in jail for 1.5 years yet he has 2 movies coming out in the span of a month. The movie seems a little “wacky” unlike 3I and the Munna Bhai’s but I have no doubt that Raju Hirani can pull it off.
LikeLike
November 9, 2014 at 7:00 AM
A fun song with some fun situations thrown in. Liked the way the mob is after aamir. Sanjay looks comfortable and seems enjoying himself.
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 11:54 AM
Aargh…those wide eyes again! Getting really tiring now. One note act already. The makers of PK need to listen asap. I am an Aamir fan, but this is getting a bit ridiculous now.
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 12:04 PM
BTW, did Anushka get some more surgeries done? Thoda bhaari lag rahe hain. Ya fir Virat ka asar?
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 12:16 PM
Lol ! It may be both ! This is bollywood sir! Yehaan between the sets bhaari bharkum hone mein time nahin lagta. Still better than the old times where you had many a pointed Mumtaz’s’ in your face…
Thankfully Hollywood and western world is in reverse mode so you now have a Keira Knightley chosing to bare in protest and saying – ‘OK, I’m fine doing the topless shot so long as you don’t make them any bigger or retouch.’ Because it does feel important to say it really doesn’t matter what shape you are.”
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 12:49 PM
nose or lips? She had them surgeried.
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 12:55 PM
LOL. Lips ka to pehle se hi pata tha. ( Btw, in that trailer release interview video up the thread, her profile shots are really bad, make her look like a duckling )
Hum kuch aur surgeries ki baat kar rahe they. Ab is paavan blog mein aisi asleel baatein karna shobha nahi deta. Nahi to Satyamva humka khaded ke nikal baahar kar dengey.
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 12:34 PM
I am reminded by the reaction to 3 Idiots promos. Aamir’s bug eyes. It’s a Priyadarshan film. It’s a David Dhawan film. I’m disappointed and deflated. Totally uninspired comedy elements in this promo. Trying too hard..(nice one NYKavi!). It’s not a great promo (me). It’s surely OTT and Aamir as a coll student turns me off altogether. Not a great promo but the sheer number of comments and impassioned responses is enough to pretty much guarantee that this film won’t be skipped out on on the merit of an average publicity machine. When’s the last time there was this much talk over a Dhawan or a KI trailer? (Ha GF). Akshay Kumar’s acting in Garam Masala is the best acting done by an actor in this decade (cheers Sunil). The promos are turning me off this movie. Aamir does not do comedy well – the bug eyed look is ridiculous. He is too old for this role.
And that’s what we have in the 3 Idiots thread and I am not even half way down.
How we were all so wrong!
I tell you what if you want to be entertained open some of these old threads and read the predictions. As a blog we are useless!!!
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 12:41 PM
I agree that 3I predictions totally missed the target. But his bugeyes were not omnipresent like this, his physical attributes actually fit the role. Probably the same attributes fit the role of an alien (or simpleton retard or whatever) here. And I do trust Hirani/Aamir, surely they cannot have missed this cringing-bothersome look while filming. Just hope that they did not get carried away with whatever ‘message’ they wanted to deliver, totally ignoring the visual-acceptance of the character.
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 2:10 PM
Aapkey enjoyment ke liye following also got them made: bipasa, kangana, sushmita, shetty sisters, SRK wife and this was hotly denied by Saurabh but dorr heroine also had new life and several sizes added to them.
P.S. I don’t understand how sehwag would make it larger. stumped.
P.S1: Did you see Renee Zellweger (her pics) recently?? quite shocking!!
P.S2: Madhuri Dixit’s are real 🙂
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 2:26 PM
Sehwag probably went on a regimen of Propecia to cure his baldness. Breast enlargement is a well known side-effect of Propecia.
Renee needs to be left alone, she has had too much flak already.
No way, Madhuri and real? She was probably the pioneer of such surgery in bwood.
IMHO, au naturale is best, be it any part of a woman’s body. Katrina, Anushka etc have spoilt their beauty with all those cosmetic facial surgeries. Except if you are Kareena. Now she really needed it, in order not to look like her dad.
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 3:09 PM
Firstly except for a Sush and among the newer lot Kangana, I feel the others are not bold enough to step into an actual surgery room. Fuller lips transformation is easy peasy for a Anushka or a Kat but the other enhancements are the real deal and its easier just changing pads to suit the needs of the character. Indian costumes sort of assist in these concealment.
On the other hand heroines like Madhuri never needed these supports and had so much going on with their faces….that’s why I will forever be indebted to her for a Aaj tum pe pyaar aaya hai from Dayavan and Dimple for Jab Jab Teri Surat Dekhon from Jaanbaaz for that transition from boy to manhood……
Since there was no Youtube in those days, no wonder movies were doing silver jubilees!!
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 3:18 PM
“I feel the others are not bold enough to step into an actual surgery room”
Are you crazy. Some even live in doctor’s office. I forgot to add Sridevi in the list. She has had multiple surgeries everywhere nose, boob. You can easily see the before-after on youtube on most of their boo jobs. She is MJ of india 🙂
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 3:26 PM
Jab Jab Teri Surat Dekhon cudve been better had Mr Bhaalu Anil Kapoor not gone shirtless. The metrosexual look was not in those days, no clean shaven male torso. So we had to endure Anil’s vast hirsute prairie of a body. Dimple mustve gotten a cpl extra lakhs from Feroze to wrap her arms around that bhaloo-back.
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 2:37 PM
watch this. It is totally funny
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 5:28 PM
jay u r so right – RH’s promos have been astutely deceptive and mocks at the BO projections after the release…designed to deceive and contrived to conquer 🙂
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 12:04 PM
Yes I agree it will be very difficult to watch this movie if aamir remains in this mode until the very end for obvious reasons. My Indian mind will not be satisfied until the flight of fantasy will have something more solid to the story….more important to my lead actor.
I strictly believe all this will be the first few minutes in the movie with some sort of settling / transformation to a full blown bihari babu …otherwise how are we going to get P.K speak in Benaarsi Bhojpuri….. Arrey bhai humm peekay hoon…..!!
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 12:29 PM
Yup, at this rate VVC shud start hoping that people pay more attention to Anu, Sanju, Boman et al. Seriously, whenever Aamir is up with those bloodshot wide eyes, I literally have to shift my focus to everything else on the screen in order to get my BP down. Incomprehensible! Hirani, hee to cha kayo ahe?
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 2:15 PM
The movie was shot in Rajasthan and Europe. Aamir has green eyes (and fair complexion) in the movie. So there could be some cross race connection as well. But then his character speaks chaste Bhojpuri….hmmmm….maybe a cross between alien and human! After all Hirani says such a character has never been explored and amnesia is done to death in hindi cinema and they won’t give away such a huge secret in a song, would they?
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 2:24 PM
He probably is from Fiji or Mauritius 🙂
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 1:15 PM
doesnt this song remind anyone of pal pal har pal from LRMB ?
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 1:31 PM
It’s got a bit of the same tune in between for sure
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 5:25 PM
also zubi-dubi hangover is also there – but it is a good song and has RH’s vintage touch to it for sure…..
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 2:53 PM
Pal Pal Har Pal reloaded with a horribly worked upon Mrs. Virat..
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 3:08 PM
Worked upon? Its what happens with the fastest run-getter in cricket history. Master strokes enabled him to victory in all the rubbers Down Under.
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 3:27 PM
C’mon guys.. this is a PK thread..!
About the ‘movie’!
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 3:34 PM
We are talking about Anushka’s lips and Aamir’s wide eyes. Whats more to discuss bhai?
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 3:37 PM
Taliban patrol. Bhago.
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 5:12 PM
Looking good and building up. I am not clear how is Aamir promoting the movie this time. He hasnt been on tv shows for D3 and i feel this time he might go all out promoting this in tv shows like Comedy Nights and Big Boss of Salman.
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 10:11 PM
It doesn’t work that way. Aditya Chopra was producer of Dhoom3 and Aamir and he decided that no publicity is required for Dhoom 3. They didn’t even release song promos, just 30 sec song teasers. So, forget promoting on TV shows. Victor also mentioned since Dhoom3 has that kind of muscle, we could afford no publicity stance, it can’t be done with every movie.
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 5:57 PM
http://www.samachar.com/OscarWinning-US-Director-Thrilled-to-Get-Aamir-Khans-Support-olobp5bhicj.html
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 10:19 PM
2nd song is Okay. Not great, lot of deja vu feeling, with both song and music.
LikeLike
November 13, 2014 at 11:03 PM
Yes this time they need the promotion of the PK Concept.
LikeLike
November 14, 2014 at 8:54 AM
Loved the song and picturisation too.
LikeLike
November 14, 2014 at 11:16 PM
pretty average music. nothing in the two songs to guarantee repeated listenings
LikeLike
November 15, 2014 at 7:41 AM
Which films/filmmakers have been the big influences?
I enjoyed watching Manmohan Desai but was inspired by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Guru Dutt. I have cried innumerable times while watching Pyaasa. I love that film. God alone knows how many times I would have watched One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. I haven’t been watching too many contemporary Hindi films but Lagaan got me hooked completely. Jab We Met was such a seamless piece of story-telling.
http://www.outlookindia.com/article/I-Close-My-Eyes-Wish-Someone-Could-Take-That-Shot-Away/292581
LikeLike
November 15, 2014 at 8:10 AM
this was a great read.. thanks.. hardly anyone is as unassuming in Bollywood let alone someone who’s enjoyed his kind of success. On another note he talks about the Dutt biopic here too.
LikeLike
November 15, 2014 at 7:46 AM
Unlike other FTII graduates who might speak of Fellini and Antonioni as their inspiration, Hirani lists Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Guru Dutt and Pyaasa as his favourites. Sriram remembers that they got along because of their shared love for mainstream Hindi films. “At the time, in FTII it was almost a sin to love Hindi films. But we bonded on the films of Vijay Anand, Manmohan Desai, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Ramesh Sippy, Raj Kapoor and more,” he says. Those who know Hirani well feel his cinema reflects the kind of man he is himself: nice. “Someone who takes life as it comes, with a smile,” says filmmaker and long-time friend Rajesh Mapuskar. “He has this basic faith in human spirit. I can’t see things like that,” says filmmaker Sudhir Mishra. Nonetheless he enjoys Hirani’s “joyous vitality, the life-affirming stories”.
http://www.outlookindia.com/article/Lage-Raho-Hero-Hirani/292580
LikeLike
November 16, 2014 at 11:48 PM
LikeLike
November 17, 2014 at 7:01 AM
too good………
LikeLike
November 17, 2014 at 10:18 AM
full music album of PK my picks Nanga paunga think Shreya has sung it beautifully , Bhagwan kahan hai tu by Sonu and the best song of the album in my opinion Dil Darbadar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9yT6gSY-pg&list=UUq-Fj5jknLsUf-MWSy4_brA#t=90
LikeLike
November 17, 2014 at 10:32 AM
If you listen to the PK album carefully enough, it tells u so much about the film
LikeLike
November 17, 2014 at 12:33 PM
All songs are pathetic. Trailer is looking pretty ordinary and there is no buzz at all at the moment. But i think they need huge promotions from now onwards in order to create some buzz and get good initials at B.o
LikeLike
November 17, 2014 at 5:28 PM
PK songs are functional. I’m sure they’ll fit well in the film but as an album it is decent. It sounds like a combination of LRMB and 3I which isn’t a bad thing at all.
LikeLike
November 17, 2014 at 9:20 PM
hirani has never had strong soundtracks anyway. they’re fine in the films but even then there’s hardly anything that’s sensational.
LikeLike
November 18, 2014 at 12:01 AM
Agreed. But the 3I songs were great in theater especially Aal Iz Well and Zoobi Doobi. I think they became hits after the movie released.
LikeLike
November 18, 2014 at 11:46 PM
So far the album looks good. Bhagwaan Hai Kaha re tu and Dil Darbadar along with Tharki Chokro
LikeLike
November 21, 2014 at 10:09 AM
Bollywood stars Aamir Khan and Deepika Padukone in conversation with Karan Johar at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi.
[post created]
LikeLike
November 22, 2014 at 3:58 AM
making of : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DleV1oK3T70
LikeLike
November 22, 2014 at 8:49 AM
Chaar Kadam seems inspired from
LikeLike
November 25, 2014 at 11:27 AM
Jaggu…..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O65d8TOazmM&feature=youtu.be
LikeLike
November 27, 2014 at 7:31 PM
I really like this new trailer! In fact i wish it was for a separate film. The song is nice and Sushant is very endearing.
LikeLike
November 27, 2014 at 9:43 PM
agree – perhaps that is the best song of the album
LikeLike
November 28, 2014 at 8:25 PM
this is a fantastic song by Sonu – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9yT6gSY-pg&index=4&list=PL9bw4S5ePsEF9KGA_ZxwoNzjFE7yGL4fH
LikeLike
November 30, 2014 at 3:32 AM
Tharki Chokro is the best song and the worst is Dil Darbadar .
This movie is looking like 400cr deal. 350cr to sure hoga hi.
LikeLike
December 3, 2014 at 3:27 PM
I love te Anuskha-Sushant trailer, definitely the best song thus far.
LikeLike
December 4, 2014 at 2:17 AM
The freshness and sincerity of the Char Kadam song is growing on me too!
LikeLike
December 4, 2014 at 2:24 AM
Chaar Kadam song has been the only good thing about the promo so far. Heard that Aamir speaks Bhojpuri in this film. This should mean that his acting will be good.
LikeLike
December 6, 2014 at 9:23 AM
Aamir khan in Patna for PK promotions
LikeLike
December 8, 2014 at 10:19 AM
nice watch about sanju in PK – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khIzSrhoSAg
LikeLike
December 8, 2014 at 11:52 AM
Aamir Khan: I don’t select films in order to break records
Last updated on: December 08, 2014 19:23 IST
‘I don’t think I will have a release in 2015.’
Aamir Khan talks business, and PK.
He has broken box office records and has set new benchmarks with his movies. Yet, Aamir Khan considers his part in PK the most challenging role of his 29-year-old career.
With just two weeks to go for its release, Aamir is on a promotion-overdrive. He chats with the media in Mumbai, and discusses the mystery surrounding the PK trailers, why the 100 crore club is an unfortunate trend, and his son Junaid joining the film industry. Sonil Dedhia/ Rediff.com listens in.
It was a rare sight to see you sharing the stage with Salman and Shah Rukh Khan in a special episode ofAap Ki Adalat.
I don’t think there is anything special about the three Khans sharing the same stage. We have often been together and I hope this is not the last time. We have been buddies for so many years.
Will we see the three of you in a film together?
Doing a film is a bigger responsibility than just hanging around. If there is something that all three of us like, then we will do it.
Is it true that you are playing an alien in PK?
It is one of the many rumours floating around. We have not answered that question. We would like you to discover what my character is when the film releases on December 19.
The suspense behind Talaash was revealed on the very first day of its release. Don’t you think not revealing much about PK is like taking the same risk?
I don’t think so. When I signed Talaash, I knew it would not bring in huge numbers because it is not such a film. If I had to work in films which will give me numbers only, I would have never picked a film like Talaash. When I read the script, I loved it and wanted to do it.
When we sat down to discuss the potential of Talaash, my judgment was that it would do a net box office of Rs 60-70 crore India-wide, and 40-45 crore overseas. We made the film appropriately within a limited budget. The film went on to make Rs 95 crore. I have no idea (about the suspense being revealed so soon) but it did 40 per cent more (business) than what I expected it to do. For me, it was a happy situation to be in. If a similar thing happens with PK, I would still be happy!
The nude poster of PK created a lot of buzz, but some people objected to it.
We have to be honest to our work and hope that when people see the film they will understand why I have gone nude.
I don’t think Raju (the film’s director Rajkumar Hirani), Abhijat (Joshi, writer), Vinod (Vidhu Vinod Chopra, producer) or I are the kind of people who would add a nude scene in a film to make it sensational. Nor would we come up with the poster just to market our film. The poster is an important moment in the film and when you see the film, you will connect to it. I wasn’t apprehensive about shooting for the poster. If you had asked me the same question a couple of years ago, I would have said no. I would have felt uncomfortable going nude. But when I read the script of PK, the nude scene seemed very natural to me.
Your character has a poker face expression throughout the film. Why?
I don’t really have a poker face; there are several expressions that you will see in the film. I don’t blink in the film and that was something that came up during one of the rehearsal shoots on camera. Vinod happened to drop in one day. I had just rehearsed one part and he saw it on the monitor. He told me, ‘Why don’t you try the same thing without blinking your eyes?’ I tried it and everyone loved it. So by and large, my character doesn’t blink in the film. If you see, I am wearing green lenses in the film which made it difficult not to blink. Physically, PK was probably the most difficult roles in my career.
Your character speaks Bhojpuri in the film. Whose suggestion was that? People may not connect to the film because of its language.
(Thinks hard) I thought that the character might some colour and so I suggested it to Raju (Rajkumar Hirani). If you notice, I speaks my lines in a phonetic way. I had a Bhopuri language expert Shanti Bhushan, who helped me speak my lines. I remember when we were doing Lagaan, a lot of people told us that the audience wouldn’t understand Awadhi. But we kept it at a level that people would understand. Similarly, we have kept that balance in PK by using a simpler version of Bhojpuri. When I was doing Rangeela, a lot of people said that your tapori language is such that people outside Mumbai won’t get it. But it clicked with everyone.
It’s not often that you have worked with the same director twice. Rajkumar Hirani seems to be an exception.
The biggest USP of the film is Raju Hirani. He is the number one director of the film industry right now and his track record shows that. Raju is the star of PK. His ability as a writer-director is the force behind the film. I can be replaced in the film but you cannot replace Raju. He is one of the major reasons I signed on to do the film.
Ghaijini was the first film to earn Rs 100 crore at the box office. How do you see this trend going forward?
It’s a very unfortunate trend. The moment people start thinking about numbers, it influences the kind of films that an actor will sign.
The moment I start choosing films which have a potential to do Rs 100 crore at the box office, my choice becomes limited. I don’t select films in order to break records. If I only look at numbers, I would not have done a film like Lagaan or Rang De Basanti. That was the fifth remake of Bhagat Singh. It makes no sense to tell that same story again. Or I would never have done Taare Zameen Par. It’s a film about a dyslexic child. What potential does it have in terms of box office numbers? My choice of films is dictated by my creative instincts. Numbers is the last thing on my mind when I’m listening to a story. A lot of actors inflate the box office figures of their films and pass it on in trade circles and as press releases.
It’s childish. For some reason, people in the film industry feel that by inflating the figures, they will convince people to watch the film.
You even get to buy editorial space in newspapers, and say how much business a film has made. It’s extremely unfortunate.
It’s meaningless because when you go home, you know how much business the film has done. Even the industry knows exactly how much each film has done. You can try and fool people but how many times will you fool them? Ultimately, you are just fooling yourself.
Your elder son Junaaid was an assistant director on PK. What was it like having your son on the set?
It was fun. And just because he was my son he didn’t get any special treatment on the set (laughs). He was one of the junior assistants and stayed with the unit. He ate with them, travelled with them.
Any plans to launch him as a director?
It depends on him. He is still learning the craft. When he feels he is ready to take the step, and if I feel the step that he is taking is the one I can back, we will surely come together.
What has been your son Azad’s reaction to the teasers of PK?
Azad loved whatever he has seen and he dances to all the songs (smiles).
A member of the Hindu Mahasabha recently said that actresses who do item songs should be called prostitutes. In the last episode of the third season of Satyamave Jayate, you spoke about the objectification of women and said that sometimes films are responsible for it. You criticised the lyrics of songs, but at the same time, PK has songs with lyrics like Tharki Chokro and Nanga Punga.
As an industry, we need to reflect on how we are portraying women. It is the need of the hour. Calling actors, who are doing item numbers, names, is very unfortunate. A prostitute is a human being; she has her own reasons and problems. We are no one to judge anyone’s profession. Tharki Chokro or Nanga Punga are not songs that come in the bracket of item songs. The lyrics by themselves would project bad things. But when you listen to the songs when watching the film, you will get their real meaning.
Have you signed any film after PK?
No. I am reading scripts but haven’t finalised anything yet. I don’t think I will have a release in 2015.
Is that because you want to concentrate on Satyamave Jayate?
No. don’t think we will come up with a new season of Satyamave Jayate next year.I have just finished the third season, and my team and I need to take a break. It’s emotionally very difficult for us to deal with the material and the research.
Sonil Dedhia/Rediff.com in Mumbai
LikeLike
December 8, 2014 at 3:19 PM
PK–the curtain raiser ….
Its good to see small heros/films gone &meeting the fate they deserved (like action jackson etc!)
A TRUE biggie after a while (after gang bang!)
Every year (or sometimes with many years gap) a hero waits and plots and waits and reshoots and reanalyses and thinks and waits and reshoots and so on…
Goddamm with people talking about two three extra holidays here comes the actor who brings it on after extreme delay and wait and with an entire plethora of holidays (full school holidays locally and overseas) with Xmas and new year holidays
With the best commercial indian director alive
After the best possible lineup and so on
With no Haidar or son of sardar to play spoilsport
Heck I don’t think there’s any Kaam leela type opposition after week 1 or even week2 have passed–
400 crores is surely on
A penny less will be underperformance ?!!
BUT
Both hirani and aamir show their class
They’ve taken real risk and not taken the iron man 2/3/4/5 or three idiots part deux route !!
Lookin 4ward to this 1–
Anyhow just checked one song
On the surface it looks an irritating crap song and one that’s no ‘hit potential’
Personally LOVED the two seconds ONLY that PK stares fixedly at the bangles/wrist? With that background music on ..(& that back story !!)
Alluring
Tharki chhokro aayo re
banke mharo mehman…..
LikeLike
December 8, 2014 at 5:06 PM
400cr is on surely – Being a fan – I’ll never forgive aamir for doing a crap like D3 but at the same time if here were not there – D3 wud have ended around 200 cr flat
LikeLike
December 8, 2014 at 7:09 PM
Lol, people having multiple orgasms over Bang Bang’s 140 crores are setting the bar for PK at 400 crores.
Kahan se aa jate hai log desi tharra peekay??
LikeLike
December 9, 2014 at 6:41 AM
LOL!
LikeLike
December 9, 2014 at 6:12 AM
Just watched this PK team press meet video, at Hyderabad today. They spoke about the film of course, and it was great to hear Abhijat Joshi towards the latter portions of the 21 minute video. And when asked about being shorter than Anushka, Aamir joked that he looked up to his women.
But besides the film stuff, there is some good non-film talk (
(obviously in reply to a question about recent Delhi cab rape) from 7.55 to 12 minutes or so, when Aamir spoke about the necessity for quick convictions. He mentioned how in the US a rapist is awarded as much as 120 years punishment, meaning life term.
Before this rape bit, from 4 minutes onwards, Aamir and VVC spoke about using Rentrack for computing exact box office figures for PK.
Video link
LikeLike
December 9, 2014 at 9:10 AM
Strangely I always get to see Amir Khan’s films on the big screen.
Not so strange perhaps, because usually I’m in India dec/Jan.
So looking forward to PK because it’s Hirani’s film and because of the satire on society, which, we are told, is the topic.
I’m afraid I’ll have to avoid looking at Amir most of the time. He’s so weird in the pictures and trailers. One hope is that perhaps in the film he’ll not be so bad.
LikeLike
December 9, 2014 at 9:17 AM
@satyam
The ‘address’ and ‘name’ in the details for replying/commenting is not clear.
I mean, for example the words ‘name (required)’ and my name ‘oldgold’ overlap each other and the same is the case with address (required) overlapping with my email add.
Is it my computer or …?
LikeLike
December 9, 2014 at 10:03 AM
pk post karney mein aisa hi hota hai 🙂
LikeLike
December 9, 2014 at 10:36 AM
LOL
LikeLike
December 9, 2014 at 10:42 AM
fine at my end..
LikeLike
December 9, 2014 at 1:06 PM
Looks like browser issue. Try a different browser.
LikeLike
December 9, 2014 at 4:14 PM
Thanks. I’m trying now, I’ll know after posting this when the details get saved.
LikeLike
December 9, 2014 at 4:18 PM
Yes, it’s good here.
But it’s only at satyamshot I have this problem with the other browser.
LikeLike
December 9, 2014 at 10:20 AM
Plots is similar to Akshay starter Oh My God. It’s hard to beat this movie in terms of content and performance. So am expecting a huge disappointment.
LikeLike
December 9, 2014 at 10:26 AM
kya faaltu baat kar rahe ho Naveen .PK ho kya 😉
LikeLike
December 9, 2014 at 8:38 PM
amit if u read Naveen’s earlier comments – he is just being his normal self 🙂
LikeLike
December 9, 2014 at 10:37 AM
I liked OMG. It was a very good film.
LikeLike
December 9, 2014 at 4:50 PM
If PK is half as good as OMG it will be a big hit. OMG was an exceptional film with more boldness than most films in Hindi cinema. Surprisingly people did accept the straight talk very much.
LikeLike
December 10, 2014 at 7:02 AM
aamir and bhojpuri https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-9eqm8-3xE&feature=youtu.be
LikeLike
December 12, 2014 at 8:09 PM
Contd from
satyamshot.wordpress.com/2014/12/04/pk-trailer/#comment-288230
Fewer things catch my radar nowadays
Couldn’t watch anything. 2busy. Only managed to rewatch this one track again now.
First look was wtf, second made me say my usual “hmm wait hold on a sec”
And then I enjoyed this masterclass…
It’s easy to get put off by the somewhat subpar production values, and lack of flair & style
But
Scratch the surface and there’s ‘soul’
The bass the percussion the vocals and the subtle deft touch by hirani
Amongst all the revelry, I caught the hint of intrigue & pathos that seeps in..
The guy knows cinema (v well)
Love the lyrics
Tera naam to hoga bhaaya re
Jo school me tha likhaaya re
Tera koyi pataa to hoga, hoga ration card…..
Ps: something tells me I will love aamirs own role here (again)
LikeLike
December 13, 2014 at 7:29 AM
My (highly) wierdly quirky ‘quality conscious’ audio/visual sensors aka eyes /ears have now surprisingly zoned onto this sound now–
FULL AUDIO
Love the way this plays with
folksy, mixing traditional Bollywood style with a
dash of ballad even waltz….
& the vocals plus lyrics are tops
To heck with these ‘fans’ and non-fans and agendaic folks & so-called ‘(b)pundits’…
O.. tu duniya mein akelo hai
Humein fikar ghani sataave re
Tujhe Amma Taai apni Lugaai
Kuch bhi yaad na aave re …..
LikeLike
December 16, 2014 at 6:29 AM
Bollywood 2014 in a nutshell for me (in specific order)–
Highway
Bang Bang
Happy Ending
Worthy mention–Holiday
And now poised to enter this ‘elite’ list–PK…
LikeLike
December 17, 2014 at 12:49 PM
Contd from above —
Can sense that something’s gonna give (or yield)
PK will BREACH/STRIP
EITHER
Either the records for critical appeal & box office records
(400 cr net domestic)
OR
Aamirs and hiranis reputation and enhanced standing—
EIther ways–
Tu jaiso bhi hai bhaaya re
Tane yaar humne banaya re
Achha hai jo kho gayi yaadein
Jhagda na takraar..
Arey na to kisi se lena-dena
Na koi sar pe udhaar
aamir and hirani stand on the CUSP OF HISTORY–
Sincerely hope this doesn’t become another ‘talaash’…
Seems aamir and hirani are set to deliver the best film of their careers ?
LikeLike
December 18, 2014 at 3:27 PM
Excited to watch this aamir film PK
Have earmarked the first day or atleast first weekend
As I’ve been sensing as above–history maybe rewritten here …
Even ‘zoobi zoobi’ comes with an upgraded (& better) version
Tujhe tak tak tak takte rehna
Teri bak bak bak sunte rehna….
Kaam-kaaj sab bhool bhula ke
tere piche piche chalte rehna
ee to hai bhaste of time
Ps: loved the ‘ee’…& ‘bhaste’…
But importantly it’s the lingering melancholy & intrigue even in the most ‘light’ & comedic moments …
Hope this lives up to mŷ immense expectations —
One of my truly certified ‘spoofs’-PK…
LikeLike
December 13, 2014 at 2:20 AM
battery recharge dance from PK! –
LikeLike
December 17, 2014 at 9:13 PM
Haven’t seen more promoted movie this year than PK. But I’m sure people on this site won’t agree. With the poster launch, promo launch, 9 city tour and there is song promo every 30 mins on any channel you watch. During this last week.. there is running ad at the bottom screen while the TV shows are running. Eventually Hiram’s and Aamir’s image and combination does gives it positive vibe and doesn’t make it negative. If it was Farah Khan or Karan Johar doing same promotion with same number of days and TV ads, they would call it over promotion without blinking!
LikeLike
December 18, 2014 at 5:51 PM
was interesting to hear Raju mention in an interview that their first draft had the same idea as “Inception” and after it released they had to completely re-write pk all over again…
LikeLike