Trailers of Upcoming Films

Here’s a list of the forthcoming Bollywood movies in the year 2021.

Sooryavanshi: Trailer | Akshay K, Ajay D, Ranveer S, Katrina K | Rohit Shetty
Release Date – Nov 05

Also Read:

• Movie film business report
• Bollywood Box Office Report

Bollywood Movies to look forward in 2021

In the post covid-19 world, budget of the film and content rich cinema is likely to rule. No more throwing in a bunch of superstars and hoping that the audience will throng to the theatres to watch them.

Take a look at some of the films that we (and am sure eve the fans) would be looking forward to.

Bhramastra

Ayan Mukherji, the maker of our all time loved movies Wake Up Sid and Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani is back with a bang, this time with a completely different genre. A Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt starrer, the movie appears on the must watch list of many.

This movie drifts from reality, and dives into a fantasy. Stars Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt and is directed by common friend Ayan Mukherji (Wake Up Sid and Yeh Jawani).

The post Top Forthcoming Bollywood Movies (& Trailers): Upcoming Entertainers for 2021 appeared first on Bollywood Presents.

Bollywood is looking towards tentpoles films Sooryavanshi and 83 to bring the audience back to the theatres in 2020. Its because, if at all the cinema halls open in 2020, it is only going to be the big-ticket films that will bring back the audiences in large numbers back to the theatres.

While the makers of both the big-budget films Sooryavanshi and 83 are still hopeful for a theatrical release, they have also started exploring the option of taking the digital route in case cinemas do not reopen anytime soon.

However, if that happens (Sooryavanshi and 83 taking the digital route), it will deal a big blow to cinemas across India as already several big films like Akshay Kumar’s Laxmmi Bomb, Ajay Devgn’s Bhuj, have taken the direct OTT (Over the Top) route.

Sushant Singh Rajput’s Dil Bechara, Vidya Balan’s Shakuntala Devi, were among the few Bollywood films that were first released on OTT.

In case Sooryavanshi and 83 take the digital route to release their films, cinema halls will be left with no new film for theatrical release and it will further impact the cinema business, so it is important for theatres to reopen in the next two months or so.

However, things do not look very optimistic as of now. While the government is considering reopening cinema halls in India by September, it’s only the independent cinema halls that will be allowed to reopen; theatres located in multiplexes are unlikely to get a go-ahead anytime soon.

The post Sooryavanshi and 83 are the last hopes for theatres looking for a revival in 2020 appeared first on Bollywood Presents.

Salman Khans’s upcoming film Radhe will clash with Akshay Kumar’s Laxxmi Bomb and the next version of Fast and Furious.

For the last several years, Salman Khan has been releasing his films on Eid, and this year also its not going to be any different.

While Salman Khan’s film may not be affected by Akshay Kumar’s film, Fast and Furious 9 could give him some serious competition. Fast and Furious films have always done good business in India, and the makers would be hoping for the same this year as well.

Fast and Furious 9 stars Vin Diesel, John Cena and other actors.

Padmavat and Pad-man

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavat’s clash with Akshay Kumar’s Pad-man was averted after Akshay decided to delay his film’s release as he felt Bhansali and his team had suffered a lot because of the protests. However, insiders say that the Padman team was worried about competing with Padmaavat, with the director saying he did not want the message of the movie to be lost in the competition.

“It’s insanity. We announced the release date for Pad Man six month ago. Now for them to jump in with Padmavat at this late hour is absurd. I am still hoping they will change their mind and release later,” a source close to Pad Man still can’t believe that Padmavat will release on Republic Day.

Also Read: This is how much Bollywood loses every year because of same-day clashes.

Clashes in the Past

When two big banners clash at the box office, usually there’s lot of negativity around with each party trying to get an upper hand.

During the Ae Dil Hai Mushkil vs Shivaay clash, Ajay Devgn had tweeted that self-styled critic Kamaal R Khan was paid (presumably by Dharma Productions) to make negative comments about Shivaay on social media and to say good things about ADHM. Anurag Kashyap, however felt that it seemed like a “created” thing so that more people would talk about the two films.

Business insiders say that, ultimately, the quality of the film is the deciding factor, as was seen in the battle of the much hyped Dilwale with Bajirao Mastani. Although both the films had to lose some business, Bajirao Mastani prevailed in the battle eventually.

Bollywood’s top stars, SRK and Salman Khan were set to clash this Eid 2016, but Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Raees got postponed. Then Sultan was supposed to clash with Kabali but Kabali was released a week later. The good thing was that both Sultan and Kabali did good business at the box-office.

Also Read: Is Salman Khan, Bollywood’s Answer to Rajinikanth?

Sultan & Raees Clash

For a long time, ‘Sultan’ & ‘Raees’ makers stuck to their release dates; in fact, the makers of Sultan were in a MAD RUSH to meet their Eid release deadline.

Aditya Chopra had instructed ‘Sultan’ director Ali Abbas to make sure the movie was on schedule, and everyone, including the stars, were slogging it out to ensure the film met the Eid release deadline.

Salman’s reply on the clash
Here’s what Salman had to say about the clash…”It is perhaps the best thing to happen. There will be more excitement for fans. I think people will save money from now on, to see both the movies! SRK and I will work much harder and pray that both films will be better. I love Shah Rukh a lot and I don’t think he needs to worry at all because the last time our movies came together he had beaten me. So, even if Sultan and Raees are releasing on the same day, loss mera hi hoga.”

The possible clash had caused lot of excitement though, and people were wondering who would blink first, considering both are superstars, with huge fans, and of-course huge egos

People were already speculating as to who would emerge the winner, although industry insiders were hoping that the two Khans would talk to each other and try to get one of the movies pushed to another date, as two big releases at the same time is always bad for business (both Dilwale & Bajirao Mastani did good business but trade experts felt that both films could easily have made another Rs.15-20 crore had they been solo releases.)

Thankfully, the much-awaited clash will not happen (perhaps the debacle of SRK’s Fan made him reconsider his earlier decision).

Their last encounter
The last time the two Khans clashed against each other was in 2006, when Shahrukh Khan’s ‘Don’ and Salman’s ‘Jaan-e-mann’ were released on the same dates. Back then, Salman’s movie was no match to SRK’s and Don walked away with all the accolades (and also the moolah); Jaan-e-mann, directed by Shirish Kunder, on the other hand, was a critical and commercial disaster.

However, back then, it was a different Salman Khan. Salman’s fortunes post ‘Wanted’ have changed, and today anything that he touches turns to gold. Nowadays ‘Bhai’ is known to set new records at Box office with every new movie that he features in.

On the other hand, Shahrukh’s movies of-late have been doing average collections at the box-office.

Here are some big Bollywood clashes from the past.

Bajrangi Bhaijaan vs Bahubali

Despite India going gaga over Rajamouli’s ‘Bahubali’, Salman Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan went on to become one of Bollywood’s highest grossing movies.

Some analysts expected Bahubali to eat into Bajrangi Bhaijaan’s collection as they felt those who prefer to watch a movie over the weekend, and are not die-hard fans of Salman Khan could opt for Bahubali over Kabir Khan directed Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

However, that didn’t happen. Bajrangi Bhaijaan kept on galloping at the box office, breaking records along the way. It recently crossed the Dhoom3 box office collection becoming the second highest grosser of all times In Bollywood, next only to PK.

This clearly showed that Salman’s fan-base is super-strong.

Competing With an SRK Flick

Though nobody anticipated such a huge response to Chennai Express, once it did well in the opening weekend, it became comparatively easier for the producers to capitalize on the subsequent festive holidays. The fact that Chennai Express was released during Eid, followed by Independence day, followed by Raksha Bandhan also helped in the collections. Offers such as “1 ticket free with every 2 tickets” were also offered during Raksha Bandhan.

So is it a wise decision to release your films alongside an SRK flick? Probably not (at least that was the case until a few years back)!

You can ask Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Sajid Nadiadwala, and lately Ekta Kapoor!

Besides a tremendous fan following, King Khan also has exceptional promotional skills and the ability to sense the pulse of the public.

Here are some of the movies that have been crushed by an SRK starrer in the past.

“Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobaraa” was completely run over by the pace of Chennai Express. While Ekta may cry foul, it seemed to be history repeating itself.

“Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” (Karan Johar’s debut film with the King Khan) was pitted against “Bade Miyan Chote Miyan” (Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda combo) few years back. But the Karan Johar debut film eventually had the last laugh.

Saawariya (Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali & Ranbir Kapoor’s debut film) also met with a similar fate against “Om Shanti Om” (Farah Khan / SRK).

All these seem to suggest that when it comes to a box office clash, SRK will go all-out to make sure his film delivers, and is the first choice for cine-goers not just in India, but all over the world. Besides, SRK seems to love competition and a clash brings out the best in SRK’s creativity as well.

However, all this is not possible without SRK’s huge fan following, and they always respond in huge numbers by supporting his releases during a clash.

Lagaan vs Gadar-Ek Prem Katha

In 2001, Aamir Khan’s Lagaan and Sunny Deol-starrer Gadar-Ek Prem Katha clashed with each other and every body felt that the two movies will eventually suffer losses.

But that was not to be!

Lagaan and Gadar made Rs.25 crore and Rs.43 crore, respectively, shattering this myth.

The post Clash of the Titans: Salman’s Radhe to clash with Akshay’s Laxxmi Bomb and Fast and Furious 9 appeared first on Bollywood Presents.

Just like the Golmaal franchise, the Houseful franchise is also very popular with the audience, and people were eagerly awaiting for Houseful 4 to release.

Now that the movie has released, even die-hard fans of House-full movies are a bit disappointed with the latest release; with critics really panning the movie.

While Housefull 4 has its fun moments, they are very few and far in between. The movie is a reincarnation comedy, where the narrative changes from ‘Baahubali-era’ to the present day, and I guess that’s where the problem lies.

While the scenes from the earlier era take a lot of footage in the film, there are not a lot of funny scenes there. And the jokes and one-liners are just about okay. And that is why, as a whole, it doesn’t really come across as a funny movie.

The girls do not have much to do in the movie. Even Bobby Deol doesn’t have much to do besides flexing his muscles. Riteish Deshmukh is wasted, and so is Johny Lever (speaking English with an accent is not his forte).

As far as music is concerned, besides “Bala, Shaitan Ka Saala”, there are a few more catchy songs and a joy to watch (especially the Badla song, an innovative Qawaali song).

Housefull 4 is directed by Farhad Samji and stars Akshay, Riteish Deshmukh, Bobby Deol, Kriti Sanon, Kriti Kharbanda, Pooja Hegde, Chunky Pandey and Johny Lever. Produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, the film released alongside Rajkummar Rao’s ‘Made In China’ and Taapsee Panuu and Bhumi Pednekar’s ‘Saand Ki Aankh’ at the box office.

Akshay Kumar’s Housefull 4 is an expensive film

Akshay Kumar’s Housefull 4 is the most expensive comedy film to be ever made in Bollywood.

Audience love the Housefull franchise, and with every film, the franchise is drawing more actors to it, and add to it the cost of shooting in foreign locations, the cost of the project shoots up.

After the success of its first three films, fans are eagerly awaiting for the fourth movie from the franchise.

And this time the budget is even higher’ producer Sajid Nadiadwala has generously loosened his purse strings to make Housefull 4. In fact, Houseful 4 is turning out to be the most expensive film (for a comedy film) in Bollywood.

Here’s the star cast of the movie: Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Bobby Deol, Kriti Sanon, Kriti Kharbanda, Pooja Hegde, Rana Daggubati, Amanda Rosario, Boman Irani, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Chunky Pandey and more artistes.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui will be making a special apperance in the movie; he will play a baba (exorcist) and make a special appearance in a song with all the six actors and around 500 back-up dancers.

So their remuneration is going to be a big part of the expense.

Besides, there has been a change of director from Sajid Khan to Farhad Samji, and even Nana Patekar was replaced (both were replaced after the #MeToo controversy).

Both Sajid Khan and Nana Patekar were paid, says an insider.

However, there is another reason why the expenses have escalated.

“It is a period comedy…something that we are doing for the first time. The look, clothes and scale of the film are done on a different level. That’s the challenge,” says director Farhad Samji.

That explains the escalation in the budgets.

Housefull 4 is a reincarnation comedy, where the narrative changes from ‘Baahubali-era’ to the present day. So the film required two cinematographers two capture the two eras, then there are seven music composers who are providing the music for the film. Then there are multiple locations where the film was shot.

All these factors have made Housefull 4 the most expensive comedy film till now to come from Bollywood.

The post Housefull 4 Review: Least funny of all the Housefull films appeared first on Bollywood Presents.

“I’m delighted that our labour of love, blood and sweat has created so many milestones during the course of its run at the box office. It is absolutely sensational that War has entered the Rs 300-crore club but what’s truly phenomenal is that this film has redefined action films and action genre forever in India,” Hrithik Roshan.

Not only does the movie redefine action films in India, it is also one of the most visually stunning films to be made in recent times.

Meanwhile, Director Siddharth Anand has already hinted about a sequel, and I’m sure fans will be eagerly waiting for War 2.

War is an incredible action-packed film with high production value, lots of twist and turns, two stars who perform jaw-dropping action scenes. Overall, one of the best action films to be made by Bollywood and a visual spectacle for cinema lovers who enjoy action films.

I was expecting Saaho to be the biggest action entertainer of the year 2019, but surprisingly, its War which will walk away with that credit.

War is like a Hollywood film, sort of a Bond film, but made on a lower budget. You have to watch it for the action, style and the locations.

And it’s after a long time that both, the director Siddharth Anand as well as the production house YRF, have delivered a blockbuster film. That should definitely cheer them up.

Any downsides to the film?

• Hrithik and Tiger take up most of the screen time, not even a single scary villain to send shivers down the spine.
• Background music and the two songs are mediocre.

But on the whole, War seems to be sure-shot hit and should earn Rs.200-250 crores at the box office club.

WAR STORY: Khalid (played by Tiger), an Indian soldier, is assigned to eliminate a senior agent and his mentor Kabir (played by Hrithik) who has gone rogue for some reason. Khalid is ready to do his duty for his country but is also keen to find out why Major Kabir has gone rogue and is killing army officials .

WAR RELEASE DATE: Oct 2, 2019 (India)
WAR CAST: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Vaani Kapoor
Director: Siddharth Anand
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Run Time: 2 hour 34 Minutes

Here are reviews by other critics:

Ratings: 4/5 Review By: Taran Adarsh Site: Twitter
Escapist cinema at its best… Aces: Hrithik and Tiger’s power-packed act and chemistry + dazzling action pieces + stunning visual appeal + ample thrills, twists, suspense… Dear BO, get ready for the typhoon.
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Ratings:.— Review By: Anupama Chopra Site: Filmcompanion
War isn’t trying for depth but the story isn’t afraid of being slightly more twisty. The film is too long and the post-interval portion sags. In places, the narration gets clumsy – there’s a flashback within a flashback and the songs are force-fitted. In fact, the background music by Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara has more impact than the two songs by Vishal-Shekhar. This is a testosterone-heavy universe – the women, Vaani Kapoor, Soni Razdan, Anupriya Goenka briefly saunter in to provide the emotional centre. But War is very much a bromance which sparkles because Hrithik and Tiger are combative without being competitive. I had a good time. I think you will too.
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Ratings: 3/5 Review By: Rachit Site: Times Of India
Like the quintessential entertainer, War serves up a little bit of everything in its narrative — Action, drama, music, romance, exotic locations and car chases. The screenplay makes room for every commercial movie element. In a bid to make it Hollywood-esque, director Siddharth Anand and his team have designed the many stunts of the film to recreate thrills that you’d usually watch in movies like Mission Impossible and Fast And Furious. The relentless action and the dialoguebaazi is entertaining, but the predictable storytelling and the not-so-original screenplay leave a lot to be desired in this desi action flick. On the back of films like Hrithik’s Dhoom 2 and Tiger’s Baaghi 2, War is a decent addition to both actors’ action film legacy. But this high-profile bang bang show is at best, popcorn entertainment for action movie buffs.
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Ratings: 2.5/5 Review By: Rajeev Masand Site: News18
For those that will buy a ticket simply to gawk at the collective handsomeness of its leading men, War gives you your money’s worth. Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff practically burn up the screen when they’re matching steps in synchronized dance numbers, or going brawn for brawn when pitted against each other in fight scenes. Yet you can’t shake off the feeling that any film starring these two talented and genetically blessed movie stars should be smarter and more thrilling that this one that they decided to make. I’m going with two-and-a-half out of five for “War”. It’s too long at 136 minutes. Come on, how much can you take of a beefcake buffet!
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Ratings:.2/5 Review By: Shubhra Site: Indian Express
The chief trouble with War is that all the space is divvied up between Hrithik and Tiger, and they are so busy strutting across the screen, in all their glory, so ripped, so brawny, that the poor baddies don’t really get a chance. Not one scary villain who sends the shivers down our spines? Then the spies might as well be playing ring-around-the-roses with each other.
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The post War crosses Rs.300 crore, highest grossing Indian film in 2019 appeared first on Bollywood Presents.

Kabir Singh is a remake of Telugu super-hit Arjun Reddy. It’s an unconventional love story about an obsessive lover. Kudos to the director Sandeep Vanga and to Shahid Kapoor, the movie engages the audience completely.

There are several scenes where you may not agree with what the protagonist is doing, but I guess its okay (you don’t have to agree with the director’s vision). The movie is gripping, narrative is good, and acting is superlative. It could have been 15 minutes shorter but that’s not a big negative for me.

While its an intense movie, there are several lighter moments in the movie – the college life, camaraderie with close friends and so on.

The background score is riveting, and after you see the movie, the Bekhayali song is surely going to be your favourite track for some time.

The movie will appeal to youngsters, and those who are in the mood to watch something unconventional.

Here are reviews by other critics.

Ratings:.2/5 Review By: Rajeev Masand Site: News18
Shahid Kapoor throws himself into the role, unafraid to come off as unlikeable. There are moments when he commands the screen. But the character is unlikeable, his actions are deplorable, and by the time we’re meant to forgive him it’s too little too late. It’s impossible that you won’t feel sorry for Kiara Advani’s Preeti, but the character offers the actress little to work with.Kabir Singh is an unmistakably misogynistic film, but the sad part is that it’s exactly these troubling portions that the filmmakers peddle as intense love. Even more sad is that there will be many who’ll buy into it.
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Ratings:.3.5/5 Review By: Taran Adarsh Site: Twitter
Not the typical romantic saga. Unconventional, but powerful. Shahid is outstanding, career-best act. Kiara is lovely. Director Sandeep is an incredible storyteller. Overstretched runtime is a deterrent.
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Ratings:.— Review By: Komal Nahta Site: Zee ETC Bollywood Business
The film is a remake of Telugu super-hit Arjun Reddy. The story and screenplay are penned by Sandeep Reddy Vanga and they are both excellent. The story about an obsessive lover is so arresting that it consumes the audience completely. On the whole, Kabir Singh is a surefire hit. The script is supremely powerful, the performances are splendid, and the narration is terrific. This one will definitely join the Rs. 100-crore club and it has very bright chances of crossing the Rs. 175-crore mark and, maybe, even joining the Rs. 200-crore club.
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Ratings:.1.5/5 Review By: Saibal Site: NDTV
Every shot, every scene, every camera angle and every line from Arjun Reddy is replicated in Kabir Singh, leaving one wondering why the director felt the need to mount a separate Hindi version in the first place when all that he has done is give us the same film all over again with merely the language and setting changed for the benefit of a pan-Indian audience. He could have well dubbed Arjun Reddy and re-released it nationwide.In any case, Kabir Singh is a hugely problematic film.
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Ratings:.3.5/5 Review By: Ronak Site: Times Of India
The remake stays mostly true to the original. However, the original had better chemistry between the lead actors, hence the love story seemed more effective. While Kabir Singh is a welcome change from stereotypical love stories, this kind of love affair needs some getting used to. Through his protagonist, Sandeep bets all his cards on his leading man, making sure you either love him or hate him, but you can’t ignore him.
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KABIR SINGH STORY:
A brilliant, young surgeon with anger management issues goes into a self-destructive mode after his girlfriend is forced to marry another man due to parental pressure.

KABIR SINGH RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2019 ( India)
KABIR SINGH CAST: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani
Director: Sandeep Vanga
Producer: Murad Khetani, Ashwin Varde, Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar
Run Time: 2 hour 52 Minutes

The post ‘Kabir Singh’ Box Office Collection: Shahid’s film is still unstoppable at the ticket counters appeared first on Bollywood Presents.

SUPER 30 has an excellent first halg; everything about it is perfect, keeps you engrossed, but the movie lags in the second half. Like Article 15 caste could have been a major underlying theme of the movie, but it gets sidelines by the time the second half starts and the movie turns out into a typical good vs bad fight. It seems, the makers lacked focus in the second half of Super 30 (not sure if it was due to the controversy surrounding the director Vikas Bahl). Despite the flaws, the film has high emotional quotient and Hrithik Roshan is just too good in the movie. The movie should generate a good word of mouth.

The songs of the movie are just about ok – Jugraafiya is melodious, but its the Niyam Ho song (plays in the background most of the time) that gives goosebumps.

Review by other movie critics.

Ratings: 3.5/5 Review By: Sreeparna Site: Times Of India
While the narrative does have its flaws, ‘Super 30’ is a human drama and the story of a teacher who triumphs over the many challenges that life throws at him, to set an example for the world to see. Just for that it’s worth a watch.
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Ratings: 3/5 Review By: Priyanka Site: News18
That director Vikas Bahl despite having superstar Hrithik Roshan in his cast steers away from giving Super 30 a filmi touch, opts instead for presenting acts of integrity and courage as they occur in life, is laudable. Like the instance when Kumar (Hrithik Roshan) in order to bring home the bacon has to resort to selling papads on a bicycle. Or, when he quietly lets go the love of his life for fulfilling a self-imposed duty. The film is certainly better off in choosing realistic heroism over the superheroism that Hindi cinema is so accustomed to.After all, as the famous saying goes—“Not all superheroes wear capes.” Super 30 is the story of one such.
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SUPER 30 STORY:
The movie is based on the life of mathematician Anand Kumar who helps 30 smart but underprivileged students every year prepare for the entrance exams for the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology.

SUPER 30 RELEASE DATE: July 11, 2019 ( India)
SUPER 30 CAST: Hrithik Roshan, Mrunal Thakur, Virendra Saxena, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Shrivastava
Director: Vikas Bahl
Producer: Phantom Films, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, Reliance Entertainment
Run Time: 2 hour 42 Minutes

Super 30 hopes to be an inspiration for the underprivileged

Here’s Hrithik posing besides himself as Anand Kumar, against a Super 30 poster. You can also see his transformation; for the role Hrithik shed lots of weight.

Mathematician Anand Kumar coaches 30 aspirants from poor families free of cost every year for the JEE entrance exam, for admission to the prestigious India Institute of Technology IIT colleges in India. He has sent hundreds of candidates to the prestigious IITs in the last 15 years.

“Super 30 talks about the power of education to usher in a silent revolution and bring about generational change. It is the best bet to beat poverty and help build an egalitarian society by giving the deserving their due and rewarding merit. I am confident the film will become an inspiration for many from the underprivileged sections of the society,” Anand Kumar

Director Vikas Bahl (has also directed Queen) put in a lot of hard work in the making of the film. He visted remote villages in Bihar and spoke to the family members of the students in order to get a feel of the real-life situation there.

Vikas Bahl was earlier accused of sexual harassment as a result of which the directing credit for the movie was taken away from him. However, after an internal complaints committee cleared him of all charges, he has been reinstated as the director of the film.

The post Super 30 move review: Good, but could have been better appeared first on Bollywood Presents.

Profit Soars

After such a long time a patriotic movie has done so well at the box office. Vicky Kaushal and Yami Gautam’s Uri: The Surgical Strike has not only impressed the audience (as well as politicians), it has also managed to arouse a feeling of patriotism.

No wonder that even our Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “How’s the Josh” when he met a delegation from the film industry.

Uri has been made on a budget of Rs 42 crore (cost – Rs 28 crore, Print and Advertising – Rs 14 crore), and considering the collections, the movies has nw become one of the most profitable films in recent times.

Tax-Free in UP

Despite so many politicians liking the movie, it is a bit surprising that the movie has been declared tax-free only in UP. We just hope that other states also follow suit.

The makers of the movie have promised to donate Rs. 1 crore for the army widows as a mark of respect on Army Day.

Uri Trivia

• Paresh Rawal’s character in Uri is based on India’s National Security Advisor, Mr. Ajit Doval.
• Most of the film was shot in Serbia and in Mumbai.
• Vicky Kaushal trained at the naval base in Cuffe Parade (in Mumbai) for months, under the guidance of Army men. He had to gain substantial weight for the role.

Vicky Kaushal working out for the role.

Based on Real Incidents

Uri is located in the Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir, about 10 kilometres east of the Line of Control with Pakistan.

The 2016 militant attacks in Uri on the security forces were carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammed militants and is considered as one of “the deadliest attack on security forces in Kashmir in two decades”. Eleven days later, the Indian Army announced that it had successfully carried out retaliatory surgical strikes on the launch pads used by militants in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

‘Uri: The Surgical Strike’ is based on these events.

Star Cast / Trailer

URI: THE SURGICAL STRIKE RELEASE DATE: Jan 11, 2019 (India)
STAR CAST: Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Yami Gautam, Mohit Raina, Kirti Kulhari
Director: Aditya Dhar
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Run Time: 2 hour 35 Minutes

Reviews

Ratings:3/5 Review By: Rajeev Masand Site: News18
Ultimately there’s a lot to admire here, but because it can’t shake off its unmistakably filmi sensibility – which is inherently at odds with the no-nonsense tone it aspires for – it proves thrilling only in parts. The film is too long at nearly 2 hours and 20 minutes and as a result it runs but never flies.I’m going with three out of five for Uri: The Surgical Strike.
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Ratings:3.5/5 Review By: Taran Adarsh Site: Twitter
Uri is one film that *should* be watched… Absorbing screenplay, superbly executed combat scenes, efficient direction [Aditya Dhar]… #Uri is thrilling, gripping, instills patriotism, without getting jingoistic.
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Ratings:2.5/5 Review By: Anupama Chopra Site: Filmcompanion
Uri: The Surgical Strike is an unabashed love letter to the Indian army. If you want nuance or insight into the hearts and minds of brave men and women who willingly put themselves in the line of fire, you won’t find it here. Writer-director Aditya Dhar positions soldiers as superheroes who might grieve but they never doubt or question their place in an increasingly complicated and polarized world. Unlike Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty, which clearly was an inspiration, there is no room here for moral ambiguity. In Uri, we get men on a mission. They are propelled by patriotic fervour and aided by fulsome background music.
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Ratings:2/5 Review By: Raja Sen Site: Hindustan Times
The target is unprepared, outnumbered and out of bullets. The Pakistani police, like our cops throughout the history of Indian cinema, arrive late to the scene. The Indian army, on the other hand, has everything under control. That efficiency may feel fantastical to an Indian audience, and Uri becomes therefore less a feature film and more an advertisement. Fantasies are about wish-fulfilment. Uri made me wish that Rajit Kapur, this soft-spoken man with no resemblance to Vivek Oberoi, was indeed our Prime Minister.
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Ratings:3.5/5 Review By: Ronak Site: Times Of India
The soldiers give up their today for our tomorrow and no words can signify or repay the sacrifices they make for our country. Uri puts a spotlight on the thankless job they do with passion in their hearts and fire in their bellies. The film is a fitting tribute to the Indian Army conceptually but cinematically, it’s not a film without flaws.
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Ratings:2/5 Review By: Shubhra Gupta Site: Indian Express
If that doesn’t mar the experience of the film, I don’t know what does. For a film about active blood-letting, it is curiously bloodless. There are not enough of the rousing goose-bump inducing moments that such films come armed with. When a character shouts, how’s the ‘josh’, you want to add to it: where’s the ‘josh’?
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Ratings:3.5/5 Review By: Udita Site: Firstpost
What Dhar squanders on the screenplay, he makes up for in the details. Stefan Richter’s carefully designed and executed action scenes, Sashwat Sachdev’s thunderous background score, sound mix, sound design and special effects simulate authenticity. As far as war dramas go, Uri: The Surgical Strike is a confidently made film that comes out guns blazing. And when the guns are not blazing, Kaushal certainly is.
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Ratings:3/5 Review By: Lakshana Site: India Today
Uri: The Surgical Strike is clear from the word go as to which political party it caters to, and makes no secret of it. Modi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval (Rawal) is seen in practically every scene and is part of every meeting that involves discussions on the surgical strikes. The timing of this film couldn’t have been more perfect.Keeping the affiliations of Uri the film aside (which is a task in itself), it is a decent film for most parts. The first half is far more gripping than the second. Post intermission, the makers themselves seem over-excited, to the point of losing control of the narrative.
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Unlike her previous films (Dil Dhadakne No, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara), “Gully Boy” is not shot in any exotic location or on a luxury cruise liner. In fact, if you see the trailer, the opening shot itself shows you the massive slums of Kurla, giving you an idea of the world the film is set in.

Gully Boy is about a boy from the slums of Mumbai, who is passionate about hip hop and uses it to express himself (in an abusive environment) and also dreams big (despite the tough circumstances in which he lives). The movie has some resemblance to the journey of Divine (Vivian Fernandes) and Naezy (Naved Shaikh), underground homegrown rappers from Mumbai streets who made it big in the world of hip hop.

Gully Boy has all the makings of a blockbuster; you can already hear youngsters mouthing the hookline, ‘Apna time aayega’. The film is not your typical Bollywood masala film, but more of a ‘realistic’ film with excellent production value, including kickass music. In several scenes, the rap battles go on for much too long (probably the only downside), but every time that happens, Zoya Akhtar brings you back in the movie by following up with an emotionally wrenching scene. The role of Kalki Koechlin, who plays a rich music producer (studying in berklee college of music) is also very small and not allowed to grow.

Overall its a fantastic movie and makes you leave with a feel good feeling, as Murad and the other characters find happiness. The film is expected to do better business in metros and the bigger 2-tier cities.

GULLY BOY STORY

“Gully Boy” is about a young “Murad” (Ranveer Singh) who is sincere in his studies (his father wants him to pick up a nice job) but realises his calling to be a rapper. The film is about Murad’s journey who decides to chase his dream and in the process inadvertently transcends his class. The film focuses on the challenges faced by the youth (as well as their families) from the poorer, minority (Muslim) population, living in the slums of Mumbai. Alia Bhatt plays a fiesty Muslim girl, who wants to become a surgeon, and is Ranbeer’s love interest in the film.

RELEASE DATE: Feb 14, 2019 ( India)
Run Time: 2 hour 33 Minutes
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Vijay Varma
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Ritesh Sidhwani, Zoya Akhtar, Farhan Akhtar

GULLY BOY Reviews

Ratings:4/5 Review By: Rajeev Masand Site: News18

But those minor nigglings aside, I think Gully Boy is one of Zoya Akhtar’s stronger films; in fact for me it ranks right up there with her extraordinary first film Luck By Chance. I enjoyed the world she creates here, the characters that inhabit this world, and the paces she puts them through.That’s a lot to pack into a film that works on surface level as a highly entertaining musical drama. I came away with an appreciation for Indian hip-hop, which frankly I knew nothing about until now.I’m going with four out of five for Gully Boy. I loved this film from inside my bones.
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Ratings:4/5 Review By: Taran Adarsh Site: Twitter
Depicts the struggles of an underdog brilliantly… Zoya Akhtar’s best film to date… Ranveer is phenomenal… Alia is electrifying… Siddhant Chaturvedi is super… Not to be missed!
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Ratings:4/5 Review By: Anupama Chopra Site: Filmcompanion
Be warned – some of rap battles go on for much too long. Gully Boy has a measured pace with a 2 hour 36 minute-running time and you will get restless. The weakest link is the rich, US-based, white savior Sky, played by Kalki Koechlin. It’s an underwritten character and Kalki does with it what she can. But each time you are tempted to check out of the film, Zoya bungs in an emotionally wrenching scene and brings you right back in.By the end, I was wiping tears and cheering furiously not just for Murad but for each one of these characters to find happiness. Even his abusive father.That’s the magic of this film. I’m going with four stars.
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Ratings:4/5 Review By: Raja Sen Site: Hindustan Times
Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy, an underdog story shining a light on India’s incipient hip-hop subculture, is the first great Hindi film of 2019 and a rousing celebration of spunk. The writing is enthralling, the texture fantastic, and this world is a revelation. Here are characters without room to breathe who express themselves breathlessly, through a style of music that has always belonged to the marginalised. Dissent finds a way — and a beat.
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Ratings:3/5 Review By: Saibal Site: NDTV
In an era of which Bollywood is increasingly passing off pulpy apologies for demagoguery for cinema, Gully Boy could have been a fitting riposte. It just doesn’t go far enough to pose discomfiting questions in keeping with the art of the street rapper. But all said and done, Gully Boy can be whole-heartedly commended for its craft, fascinating characters and RANVEER SINGH. He absolutely kills the slow-burning rapper act. What’s more, he does with a lot of energy to spare.
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Ratings:3.5/5 Review By: Shubhra Gupta Site: Indian Express
But, ultimately, this is a film to enjoy. In today’s India, to bring a Murad and Safeena, their Muslim-ness a matter-of-fact statement, into centre-stage, to give traction to those who live on the wrong side of the tracks, is an act of bravery. ‘Inka time aa gaya’. Rap along.
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The movie is produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani.

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Here are more reviews from other critics.

Ratings:1.5/5 Review By:Raja Sen Site:NDTV
The problem lies not in Padmaavat being a costume drama, but in the fact that there is too much costume, too little drama. In the film’s opening scene, we see a king chewing roughly on a piece of poultry. This is a surprisingly small, tandoori-sized handful of bird, nothing compared to the way we have, in international film and television, watched vikings gnaw at giant animal legs the size of motorcycles. Therein lies the problem. There’s not nearly enough meat.

Ratings:2.5/5 Review By:Shubhra Gupta Site:Indianexpress
Of course, Padmaavat is spectacular: no one can do spectacle like Bhansali. This was what he was born to do. You can easily delight in it while the going is good. But nearly three hours of it, and looping rhetoric around what constitutes Rajput valour can and does become tiresome. And that compulsion to make ‘sati’ so good-looking, when the singeing of flesh can be so gruesome, is troubling.
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Ratings:3.5/5 Review By:Rajeev Masand Site:News18
But the film belongs to Ranveer Singh whose delicious performance is its biggest strength. The actor keeps you invested in the film even when it plods on for over two-and-a-half hours. I’m going with three out of five for the film and another half for his extraordinary performance, making it three-and-a-half out of five for Padmaavat.

Ratings:4.5/5 Review By:Taran Adarsh Site:Bollywood Hungama
One more thing: The Hindi film industry has badly used and abused 3D, turning it into a gimmicky tool, but Bhansali is one of those rare storytellers who knows how to utilize the technology to his advantage and how it can enhance the overall theatrical experience. Having watched PADMAAVAT on IMAX 3D, I can only state that the results were simply stunning.On the whole, PADMAAVAT is a remarkable motion picture experience that’s backed by proficient direction, spellbinding screenwriting and superlative acting. For Sanjay Leela Bhansali, it’s the best title on an impressive filmography. A sure-shot winner at the box-office!

Ratings:4/5 Review By:Saibal Chatterjee Site:TOI
If there’s one thing that keeps us from brooding too much through the film, it is Ranveer Singh. Not once does he try to make us like him, and that makes us like him even more. As a performer, he has always been unpredictable, in a good way. As Bhansali’s Khilji, he is electric. And try as anyone might, so is the attraction between the outsider and the queen: it is their doomed love story, whose embers rain on the screen, that we take away with us.Take that, senas.

Padmaavat Story

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Cast: Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor
Run Time: 2 hours and 40 Minutes
Producer: Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Sudhanshu Vats, Ajit Andhare
Padmaavat Release Date: Jan 25, 2018 ( India)

A low he film is based on the legend of Rani Padmavati, a legendary Hindu Rajput queen, mentioned in Padmavat, an Awadhi language epic poem written by Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi in 1540.According to Padmavat, she was the wife of Ratan Sen (called Rawal Ratan Singh in later legends), the Rajput ruler of Mewar. In 1303, Alauddin Khilji, the Turko-Afghan ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, laid siege to the Chittor Fort in Rajputana. According to Padmavat, Khilji led the invasion motivated by his desire to capture Padmavati. The men of the city stormed out in a final mortal sally to kill as many of the enemy before falling. Padmavati is said to have committed jauhar (self-immolation) along with all the other women of the city to protect their honour and to avoid being captured by Khilji.

Besides Hindi, Padmaavat was released in Tamil and Telugu as well.

Ghoomar Song from ‘Padmaavat’ a Rage Around the World

Watch figure-skater champion Mayuri Bhandari twirl to the Ghoomar song from’Padmaavat’ on ice. The video, posted on Youtube has gone viral. “In honour of the film Padmaavat’s release, here is my ice skating tribute to the beautiful song Ghoomar! As a Rajasthani, I skate to this song with pride!” she captioned the the video.

Ice skater performs on Ghoomar.

Karni sena made a big fuss because Deepika’s midriff was revealed in the Ghoomar song, which was eventually covered using VFX. Wonder what they would do on seeing her red costume? How dare she depicts Rani Padmavati in those skimpy clothes? Glad she is not in India.

Aparna Yadav, daughter in law of Mulayam Singh Yadav performed on the ‘Ghoomar’ song of Padmavati at a function in Lucknow. Aparna’s father Arvind Singh Bisht, Uttar Pradesh’s information commissioner told NDTV, “We have no interest in any film or any scandal around it. At these private wedding functions, people often dance to folk songs and film songs. That was the spirit in which she danced.”

Deepika Padukone’s Ghoomar Performed at NBA Match to Loud Cheers.

Watch Ghoomar performed by the dancers at an NBA match here: (This will definitely make your day)

Karni Sena takes u-turn, ‘Padmaavat’ protests politically motivated?

All of a sudden, Karni Sena has decided to withdraw its protest against the film Padmaavat, and now say that film glorifies the Rajput community (which they realized after watching the movie) and will now help the film get a release in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

“I never understood what the protest was all about. I still don’t understand. I am just happy that the film has been released and appreciated widely. Of course we’d like our film to release in the states where it has been so far not been released. Isn’t that the least we can expect after all we’ve gone through?”, Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Malaysia bans controversial Bollywood movie Padmaavat

Malaysia has banned Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bollywood movie Padmaavat. According to The Film Censorship Board of Malaysia (LPF), the movie has elements that touch on Muslim sensitivities. The local distributor’s appeal to lift the ban on the movie was rejected.

Bollywood fans in Malaysia are disappointed, with many saying that had it been an SRK film, they would have allowed the film to release. Few of them said they would travel to Singapore to see the movie.

Director Shankar watches Padmaavat, impressed by Ghoomar Song

One of India’s top directors, Shankar, watched Padmaavat recently and tweeted good things about the movie.

Director Shankar, whose 2.0 movie (with Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar) will be releasing soon took time off work to watch Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat.

Shankar, impressed by the historical, tweeted “Padmavati- Engaging with Amazing visuals. Good to see fantastic work of Sudeep,Prod.designer,Costume designer, Deepika, Ranveer and ofcourse Sanjay. Ghoomar…wah what a song.”

Well, he forgot to mention Shahid?

Meanwhile, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor came together to celebrate the success of Padmaavat. The lead actors had a success party after the movie crossed Rs 100 crore (the movie has now crossed 150cr).

This is the first time the three actors have come together to promote Padmaavat. Because of the protests, it was suggested the three actors don’t come together to promote the film, but now that people have watched the film and appreciating it, the three actors thought it was safe to pose together to celebrate the success of the film.

While Rs.150 crore may not be much for a big budget film like Padmavat, the fact that the movie was banned in four states in India and many cinema owners across India refused to screen it, makes it an achievement of sorts, and of-course a tight slap on the face of the protesters.

The movie is doing very well in the overseas market as well and the collections are only going to increase.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says ‘Padmaavat’ honours Rajput warriors and pays tribute to Rani Padmini

Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar recently watched Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Padmaavat’ during a special screening at his ashram in Bangalore and says there’s nothing objectionable in the film. In fact, Sri Sri loved the film and said the film honours Rajput warriors and pays tribute to Rani Padmini.

Sri Sri said the magnum opus will make us feel proud and everyone should go and watch it.

I’m sure after the movie is released, many will wonder why there was so much fuss around the movie.

Supreme Court Won’t Ban the Film

The Supreme court of India sides with the producers of Padmaavat, says if bandit queen can be released, why not this movie? The producers had challenged the ban by four states- Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.

“A film may bomb at the box office or people may choose to not watch it, but states cannot use their machinery to prohibit its exhibition citing risk to public order,” said the judges.

The producers had referred to a past Supreme Court order that a film cannot be banned based on anticipated law and order trouble. “If states are banning a film, then it destroys the federal structure. States can’t touch the content of a film. If anybody has a problem, they can approach the appellate tribunal,” argued senior lawyer Harish Salve on behalf of Padmaavat’s producers.

Rajput groups in India (especially the Rajput Karni Sena) have strongly opposed the release of the 190-crore film ‘Padmavat’ because they feel that their legendary queen has been falsely depicted in the movie. Several states in India including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, have decided not to screen the Deepika Padukone starring film, until the objections are resolved. The film’s main lead Deepika Padukone and director Bhansali were given extra police security after threats of against them (a BJP leader from Haryana has offered 10 crores for their beheading).

Padmavati trailer looks superb, expectations rise

Trailer of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Padmavati’ took the internet by storm, everybody loved it. Overwhelmed by the response to the trailer, Ranveer Singh (looks awesome in the villainous character) took to his social media accounts to thank everyone.

In the trailer, Ranveer Singh is outstanding, Deepika looks beautiful, and Shahid Kapoor is calm and his dialogue delivery superb.

“Senior peers, friends in the media and the trade, and most of all our BELOVED AUDIENCE…Thank you, from the bottom of my heart to each and every one of you who have been so generous in effusively showering love and appreciation for our trailer. To witness this avalanche of praise across the board is unprecedented and overwhelming. It’s very rare ..and very, very humbling,” wrote Ranveer.

Padmavati Trivia

While the film seems to have the perfect cast…Deepika Padukone as Padmavati, Shahid Kapoor as Rana Rawal Ratan Singh and Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji, Sanjay Leela Bhansali was turned down by several Bollywood A-listers (male actors) when he was in the process of casting for the film.

SLB approached several top actors, but all the big stars rejected the film as they felt it was a female oriented film movie with Deepika in the lead. Some of them were willing to work provided SLB was willing to change the title to make it sound less like a woman-centric film, but the director did not budge.

No mobile phones allowed on Padmavati film set
After a film fan club managed to get a picture of the lavish set erected in Film City, lead actor Shahid Kapoor is ensuring that the film set turns into a no-phone zone.

“Shahid Kapoor is trying to set an example by depositing his phone with the security guard as soon as he arrives for shoot. Usually, actors are accompanied by their managers, who take calls on their behalf. But Shahid doesn’t believe in that practice. Moreover, he doesn’t want any distractions,” says unit hand says.

Padmavati Controversies

Describing as “mischievous” a report in a Mumbai tabloid stating that Sanjay Leela Bhansali intends to hold reconciliatory meetings with the Chief Ministers of the States which have banned Padmavati, a source close to the filmmaker completely denied the truth of the report. No doubt, SLB went to Delhi to meet the Parliamentary Committee for an amicable discussion. However, that was done out of respect for the Parliament. Otherwise, the director has no intentions of meeting anyone to convince him/her to release his film.

Despite all the controversies, the filming of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s (SLB) Padmavati was completed more or less as planned.

Padmavati’s film set in Kolhapur was attacked, losses estimated to be around Rs 4 crore. Besides the set, lavish costumes of the actors (Shahid Kapoor and Deepika Padukone) were gutted in the fire. Valuable antiques and vehicles were also burnt. A large number of camels, elephants and horses were also present at the venue in Kolhapur (to shoot a battle scene). Luckily for the filmmakers, only one horse was grievously injured. Kolhapur police registered an offence under Section 436 of IPC (mischief by fire or explosive with intent to damage house), rioting and arson.

30-odd hooligans carried out a midnight attack (hurled petrol bombs) on the lavish set of Padmavati near Kolhapur (Maharashtra), forcing the makers of the film file a police complaint. This is the second such attack on the sets of Padmavati. Earlier the Jaipur set was also attacked.

Activists stormed Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati film set in Jaigarh Fort (Jaipur), vandalized the set and even slapped the director Bhansali.

Activists of the Rajput Karni Sena (RKS) beat up Bhansali because they were outraged that the film had love scenes between Padmavati and Alauddin Khilji, played by actors Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh, respectively. They demanded that Bhansali delete any such scenes.

Rajput Karni Sena had also protested during the shooting of Jodha Akbar.

“Kya Sanjay Leela Bhansali ki haisiyat hai Germany jaake Hitler ke khilaf film banane ki?”. (Does Sanjay Leela Bhansali have the courage to make a movie in Germany portraying Hitler in poor light) – Lokendra Singh Kalvi of Rajput Karni Sena

The Padmavati tale has never been proven or recorded in history. It was an allegorical poem (and not a retelling of history) written by 16th century Sufi poet Malik Muhamad Jayasi. The poem is about a Rajput queen who decided to immolate herself instead of becoming the wife of the Delhi sultan, Alauddin Khilji.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Akhilesh Khandelwal from Madhya Pradesh, has offered a reward of Rs 10,000 to anyone who slaps ‘Padmavati’ director Sanjay Leela Bhansali with a shoe…for trying to “distort history”. He said that it was his “responsibility to rein in such forces”. Akhilesh, put the offer on Facebook where he has over 10,000 odd Facebook followers.

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UK censor board cleared Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film “Padmavati” however the producers say that they will not release the movie in UK before it is cleared in India.

The British Board of Film Classification cleared the movie for December 1 release. The movie is listed on its official website, with the comments: “moderate violence, injury detail.”

Meanwhile, twitterati cheered the BBFC for their “impartial” judgment. Some hit back at the state of affairs in India by drawing references to web series ‘The Crown’ that is based on Britain’s reigning Queen Elizabeth II and there were no protests against the movie.

Padmavati is based on Queen Padmini, who first featured in the 16th century epic poem “Padmavat”. While historians are divided on whether Queen Padmini actually existed, the legend is that after her husband was killed in battle, Padmini chose to jump into a pyre to avoid being taken captive by Khilji, who was obsessed with her beauty.

Ranveer Singh answers media from atop his car on Padmavati

Ranveer Singh is one of the three lead actors of Padmavati, which is in the midst of a raging controversy in India.

The actor had gone for the launch of a sports merchandise store in Santacruz recently. But because of the controversy, a huge crowd of media people had gathered outside waiting to talk to the star.

Ranveer Singh obliged by answering their questions by standing on top of his car. He took police protection while addressing the media.

Despite the threats, Ranveer Singh said he was 200 percent with his director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

“Given that it is very sensitive time right now, I have been specifically asked not to say anything. Whatever official communication with regards to the film needs to be made, you will receive it from the producers,” said Ranveer Singh.

Earlier, Ranveer Singh shared a wrap-up picture of his character, Alauddin Khilji with his fans. The picture shows Ranveer as Khilji in a black and white portrait image. He captioned the image, “And it’s a wrap! Goodbye Alauddin. 1 year and a few weeks later, I bid thee farewell. May your restless soul find its peace… #Khilji”.

Bollywood voices their angst against this incident…

Initially, lot of people were concerned that top Bollywood actors & celebrities had not voiced their concern over the incident.

When the film industry stays silent during such controversies and even hobnob with ​​the leaders ​of these political parties (Kalvi and Rajput Karni Sena, Shiv Sena, Maharashtra Nirman Sena, Bajrang Dal), ​instead of coming out against absurd demands by them, more such incidents are likely to emerge in future.

Many also feel that there was no need for Deepika Padukone to clarify, “As Padmavati I can assure you that there is absolutely no distortion of history”. Because these small political parties latch on to such things, and get an opportunity to tell the filmmakers what to shoot.

“If you Bollywood ppl will just talk on Twitter without taking proper action then today SLB has got slapped n tomorrow you all will get slapped,” Kamaal R. Khan.

However, several celebrities did speak up against the incident.

Actor Sushant Singh Rajput dropped his surname on social media platform Twitter as a mark of protest against activists of Rajput organisation Shree Rajput Karni Sena, who misbehaved with the crew of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming film “Padmavati” and vandalised the set.

Karan Johar, “Having been through many instances of turmoil during a film shoot or release…i understand Sanjay’s emotion at this point…I stand by him…Am appaled at what has happened with Sanjay Bhansali…this is the time for all of us as an industry to stand by our people and fraternity!!”

Anurag Kashyap, “Hindu extremists have stepped out of twitter into the real world now…and Hindu terrorism is not a myth anymore.”

Anurag’s comment on Hindu terrorism wasn’t taken well by many. And thats when one tweeted, “@anuragkashyap72 hey buddy let me give you free advice “stop sleeping with @karanjohar”. Karan (who usually doesn’t lose his cool) didn’t like it and replied with, “Let me give you some better advice!! Start sleeping with someone!!! You frustated F*ck!!!”

Shabana Azmi: “I condemn the reprehensible attack on Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Is it a mere coincidence that the attack on the film Water many years ago was also in a BJP ruled state? The guilty must be punished and the film industry should stand firmly together and do whatever it takes to ensure that such an incident is never repeated. This has reached flash point.”

Prasoon Joshi: “I condemn what happened with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He is a stalwart and a gentle soul. Violence can never be the solution. The idea of democracy is not to feed the animal in us but to nurture human values.”

Sudhir Mishra: “It’s about time the film industry stands up together and demand justice. When you slap Sanjay, you slap all of us and we should not take it lying down.”

Rakesh Roshan: “Very very shocking and uncalled for behaviour. If anyone had a grievance things could have settled in a dignified way. I am with Sanjay all the way.”

Shekhar Suman strongly condemned the attack on the set of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati, saying “These heroes should be put behind the bars at least for 10 years. They think they are thekedar (contractors) of our society and trying to make history. A film is made with a lot of research work. If there was any disagreement that could be sorted out in a proper discussion.”

Shah Rukh Khan also reacted to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati row, but he was politically correct. Check out this video which shows SRK’s response to the SLB incident. Post your thoughts in the comments below and stay hooked with us for more.

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