
Jeethu Joseph raises legal warnings against Ajay Devgn's Drishyam 3 makers for trying an early start before Mohanlal starrer
How did Jeethu Joseph prevent Ajay Devgn's Drishyam 3 from being made before Mohanlal's version?
Talking to Mathrubhumi, Jeethu Joseph said, 'There were demands on making Malayalam and Hindi versions together, but we haven't decided on those matters. There were initially some plans to start in Hindi first, but after a hint was given that this would be dealt with legally, they backed off from it.'
For those unaware, there were early reports that Ajay Devgn starrer Drishyam 3 would begin production soon. However, as Jeethu Joseph, the original film's writer-director, is still penning the screenplay, the Malayalam version itself is expected to go on floors from October this year.
What did Jeethu Joseph have to say about writing Drishyam 3 climax?
Director Jeethu Joseph was recently seen appearing at a college for the inauguration of the Film and Drama Club. As he was making a speech at the venue, the filmmaker said, 'I finished writing the climax of Drishyam 3 last night. I've been under immense pressure for a long time.'
As the director is currently involved in the production of two other movies, including Mirage and Valathu Vashathe Kallan, he revealed that he has been waking up at 3:30 a.m. every day to write Drishyam 3.
About Mohanlal starrer Drishyam
Drishyam was a 2013 crime thriller directed by Jeethu Joseph. The film tells the story of Georgekutty, a family man who lives with his wife and two children.
In a rather striking turn of events, the man, along with his family, comes under suspicion in Varun Prabhakar's missing case. The rest of the film focuses on how Georgekutty manages to evade the police and protect his family from harm.
In 2021, the film received a sequel, continuing the story of Georgekutty once again. The movies were remade in multiple languages over the years, including the Ajay Devgn starrer of the same name.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
23 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Review: Muslim Identity in Hindi Cinema by Mohammad Asim Siddiqui
The pervasive influence of new information and communication technology has transformed culture, literature, the fine arts, and other forms of entertainment into powerful transnational productions. Now, cinema serves as a reflective mirror to our rapidly evolving social landscape, illuminating and informing us about significant societal shifts. Ranveer Singh as Khilji in Padmavat. 'An unprecedented surge in structuring films on themes related to Muslim rulers reveals a sense of naivety on the part of the directors, who seem to believe that retelling the past or the imagined past settles the question of cultural identity.' (Film still) Films with their vivid characterisation, intriguing visuals, and gripping storylines transcend fantasies of desire and reveal what lies beneath the vicissitudes of life. Cinema appears to be the site of every twist in collective life, upending our settled understanding of lived experience. The postmodern era has given rise to transformational cinema, queer cinema, and politically charged films that lend a voice to subcultures, fostering a sense of empathy and inclusivity. 185pp, ₹3145; Routledge The widely admired portrayal of fervent nationalism has given rise to a new notion, 'cine patriotism,' which is essentially a stagnant concept. It resonates with Bollywood, which often constructs identity within a particular national and religious context. Identity is a slippery and multilayered concept, and when it pertains to those people who, in Franz Fanon's vivid phrase, are without any anchor, without horizon, and colourless, it becomes more complex. For Indian cinema, national identity can only be constructed if it is contrasted with a less-than-desirable, if not loathsome, other. It is the other's ghostly presence that goes well with the gullible audience. In cinematographic projection, the other is the Muslim, who is fictionalised and plays the assumed role. The narrative and visuals fix him in violence, hostility, and aggression. His story is constructed through fantasy, myth and falsification, which leaves him experiencing himself as the other. The portrayal is done through two vectors – cultural difference and social rupture. Negotiation of identity among Muslims remains a shifting motif, serving as a potential tool for othering by contemporary Hindi cinema. Right now, this is how our film industry treats the second-largest Muslim population in the world. How does the expropriation of cultural and religious identity hinder the understanding of a community? Indian cinema addresses this by focusing on a simplified and often distorted representation that fails to capture the complexity of identity. An unprecedented surge in structuring films on themes related to Muslim rulers reveals a sense of naivety on the part of the directors, who believe that retelling the past or the imagined past settles the question of cultural identity. Pran and Amitabh Bachchan in Zanjeer. 'The issue of the Muslim gangster is explored in the fourth chapter, which provides a close reading of Zanjeer (1973), Angaar (1992), and numerous other films.' (Film still) The diacritics of cinematic aporia call for an objective delineation and insightful analysis, and it is what Asim Siddiqui's recently published book, Muslim Identity in Hindi Cinema does with academic rigour. The author rightly considers cinema a site of hybridity, diversity, and splitting, where relations, assimilations, and syncretizations are negotiated and renegotiated. Hindi films also did this in the portrayal of Muslim identity over the last eight decades. Now, however, the situation has changed. This book attempts to analyse 'how the inclusive vision presented in films like Mughal-e Azam (1960) has been replaced by a Hindutva vision in many films using history as a backdrop where Muslims appear in the image of the other.' Comprising six terse and incisive chapters, the book provides a panoramic yet invigorating view of the representation of Muslims in new social settings and idioms. Siddiqui discovers, excavates and discusses the changing perception of Muslim identity from the historical films of the 1940s down to the recent movies that perpetuate stereotypical notions of Muslim identity. With critical acuity and social and cultural sensitivity, he unravels the representation of global Muslim identity in a post–9/11 world and emphasises the need for a more nuanced understanding. The first chapter, From History to Circus: Politics of Genre and Muslims' Representation in Hindi Films enumerates historical, political, social and cultural aspects of Muslim identity, and discusses issues relating to Partition, to Muslims into a secular nation, interreligious marriages, ever growing communalism, militancy in Kashmir, and the subjugation of Muslim women. The second chapter goes well beyond the paraphrasing of themes and cursory interpretation of visuals, costumes, lyrics, music, and sound effects. The author sensitively reads the films of Raja Kumar Hirani and Zoya Akhtar, where the predictable markers of identity hardly work. A dispassionate analysis is presented in the third chapter, which examines the portrayal of Hindu-Muslim hostility and violence in films. Author Mohammad Asim Siddiqui (Courtesy the subject) The issue of the Muslim gangster is explored in the fourth chapter, which provides a close reading of Zanjeer (1973), Angaar (1992), and numerous other films. The figure of the gangster has now been replaced with that of a terrorist and has produced the terrorist genre of Hindi films. The author takes pains in chewing over the globalisation of terror and the setting of terrorist films in Afghanistan, Turkey and London. The last chapter provides a panoramic view of the representation of Muslim women characters in Hindi cinema. 'Muslim women also appear in many interreligious romances where the man usually happens to be a Hindu and the girl a Muslim,' Siddiqui correctly points out, adding that the pattern 'guided by the demands of political correctness and market forces, reveals deep-rooted sexual anxiety about protecting and preserving women from defilement.' In sum, the book presents an insightful and multilayered analysis of the representational aspects of Hindi cinema. Shafey Kidwai, a bilingual critic, is the director of Sir Syed Academy, Aligarh Muslim University.


Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
Did you know Deepak Tijori shot one scene whole day with Shah Rukh Khan in Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa due to THIS reason?
Deepak Tijori recently shared insights into the making of the cult classic, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, revealing the intense effort behind a pivotal scene with Shah Rukh Khan. Director Kundan Shah's preference for long, uncut takes led to a grueling day of shooting, demanding multiple retakes to capture the nuanced emotions. While Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa remains one of Bollywood's most beloved cult classics, not many know the effort that went into crafting its heartfelt moments. In a recent reflection, Deepak Tijori revealed the behind-the-scenes story of one of the film's most intense scenes—an emotionally layered exchange between his and Shah Rukh Khan 's characters. A Throwback to a Gruelling Shoot When shown a throwback picture with SRK from the film, Deepak reflected on what turned out to be one of the most intense shooting days of the film, in an interview with Bollywood Bubble. Contrary to how it may appear, the scene wasn't about him giving advice—it was a pivotal emotional exchange, where Shah Rukh's character tries to convince his that Aana isn't the right girl for him. The scene took an entire day to shoot, largely because director Kundan Shah , known for his preference for long, uncut takes, kept pushing for retakes until every nuance felt just right. Kundan Shah's One-Shot Obsession The actor further recalled a particularly grueling day on the sets of Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, where he and Shah Rukh Khan spent an entire day filming just one emotionally intense scene. The moment required his character to transition from dismissive disbelief to reluctant acceptance that Aana wasn't the right girl for him. Director Kundan Shah, known for avoiding quick cuts and preferring long, continuous takes, insisted on multiple retakes to get the emotions just right. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like $30K Goes a Long Way in This Clementi Condo squarerooms Read More Undo Both actors were left completely drained by the end, making it one of the most demanding and memorable days of the shoot. Cult Classic Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa is a 1994 Hindi-language romantic comedy directed by Kundan Shah. Featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Suchitra Krishnamurthy, and Deepak Tijori, the film became a cult classic and is often counted among Shah Rukh Khan's finest performances. Over the years, its heartfelt storytelling and relatable characters have earned it a dedicated fanbase. Shah Rukh Khan later acquired the rights to the film under his production house, Red Chillies Entertainment.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Ashwath Bhatt: Ashwath Bhatt: If you are a true artist, your art must reflect what is going on around you
Actor has been playing the role of Saadat Hasan Manto in the play Ek Mulaqat Manto Se for over a decade, and he believes that we have inhabited the world that the late writer lived in. The relevance, in today's life and times, is a stark reminder that Manto showed us a world that was equally, if not more, apathetic. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'Imagine what Manto would say when he read about Gaza today – about lives being lost, of children dying. Nothing much has changed – in every generation, it seems like he is alive and writing about the world now. Truth is always uncomfortable and that is the reality of the world,' says Ashwath. Ahead of performing the play in the city, the Raazi actor spoke about Manto-yat, its universal appeal, his work and more. Excerpts: 'Manto's stories have universal appeal' as Saadat Hasan Manto in a still from his play. Ashwath says that reading Manto in the late 90s was a completely different experience for him. 'By then I had read Eugene O'Neill and Franz Kafka, among others, but I had never read anything so bold and strong. And I could relate it to what was going on in Kashmir at that time. Kashmir was always in the news – there was violence being reported every other day. I was extremely angry, and I could completely relate to Manto's stories and writings,' he says. While researching, Ashwath realised that nobody knew much about the perception of Manto and how he saw himself. 'And I thought this was an interesting character to play as an actor. Plus, Manto's stories have a universal appeal,' he adds. The actor explains that there are two parts to the play, set before - pre and post-partition. One is static and the other is moving. 'We all need to pay our bills and need the work' Ashwath reiterates the point that most actors in the industry make today, that the audience has evolved and has plenty of good content to choose from. 'Producers must realise that you need to give a big screen release some time before you decide to bring it to OTT platforms. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now If in 20 days, a new film is on OTT, how do you expect people to go to theatres to watch a film?' he asks. The actor says that the audience does not want to compromise on content. 'People have been exposed to Turkish, Spanish, Korean, Malayalam, and a variety of content from across the world. Bollywood needs to realise that people's tastes have changed,' he says, adding, 'A friend of mine who was a typical Bollywood masala film lover consumed a variety of content during the pandemic. Today he discusses Stanley Kubrick's films with me.' Ashwath also feels that good content is a huge struggle in Bollywood. 'The corporatisation of the industry, where you have a bunch of business school graduates deciding your script and storyline in 20 minutes, cannot produce great cinema. But we all need to pay our bills and need the work. It's not that there are no good stories written. But we need passionate producers to back them,' he adds. Ashwath Bhatt in Ek Mulaqat Manto Se 'Bollywood is not pure art, it's a commercial business' While the Indian film industry is not known to make political statements on global issues, Ashwath feels even if they are not politicians, artists have to be political. 'If you are a true artist, your art must reflect what is going on in the world. You cannot be distant. You can't not be connected to what is going on in your country, in your society, in the world. Whether you are part of the system or not. Whether you have raised your voice or kept silent – everything will be written about. You are part of history,' he opines. Referring to the Iranian cinema and theatre, Ashwath shares, 'Censorship is perhaps the toughest in Iran. But they have filmmakers like Jafar Panahi and Mohsen Makhmalbaf, among others, who always find a way to be political through their work without compromising on entertainment or engagement value. That's what I call a connect, and that is art. But then, Bollywood is not pure art — it is a commercial business.' On avoiding the jingoistic tropes in commercial cinema Ashwath Bhatt as Malik in The Diplomat Ashwath has had a long run in Bollywood, playing crucial roles in films like Raazi, Mission Majnu and Kesari, among others. The actor admits that he was not ready to play the role of Malik, Director General of Pakistan's ISI, in The Diplomat, immediately after his role in IB71 (where he plays the ISI intelligence chief). 'If the director has a vision and clarity, it helps. Shivam Nair (director of The Diplomat) was clear he did not want jingoism, no bashing people from across the border. The film was based on a true story, and the brief was to keep it realistic. Initially, I was not sure and wanted to shy away from this typical trope. I had done a couple of films with similar supporting characters and did not want to go into that zone again. But Shivam convinced me. He gave me the freedom to create the character the way I wanted to, in terms of appearance, mannerisms etc, and I am glad the character stood out,' says Ashwath.