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Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- Indian Express
‘Manoj Bajpayee and I paid Rs 2,000 rent per month when we moved to Mumbai, it's not possible today,' says Saurabh Shukla
Shekhar Kapur's 1994 film Bandit Queen gifted the Hindi film industry a new crop of actors who moved to Mumbai and eventually went on to achieve great things. This included the likes of Manoj Bajpayee, Saurabh Shukla, Gajraj Rao, among many others. In a recent interview, Saurabh shared that back in the 1990s, they did not care much about the money they were making, and weren't too stressed about what their future would look like. Saurabh said that it is not possible for a struggling actor today to be as relaxed, because the economics of the business are different now. In a chat with the YouTube channel Filmore India, Saurabh shared, 'I never imagined that I would start working in films.' He shared that after working in theatre for a few years in Delhi, and then working with Shekhar in Bandit Queen, he gained the confidence to build a career in Mumbai. He moved to the city with dreams of becoming a filmmaker. Saurabh shared that while his parents were worried about him, he had a very relaxed attitude. 'My parents were worried about how I would earn my livelihood. Even though they were artistes themselves, they were fully aware that in the field of arts, there is a level of uncertainty, they used to worry but I never worried about this. I used to think, 'Something or the other will work out'. You are immature. You think, 'I'll eat at some friend's place or even if I go hungry sometimes, it's okay'.' ALSO READ | Thug Life Movie Review Live Updates: 'Indian 2 is a better movie'; early reviews call Kamal Haasan-Mani Ratnam's film 'terrible, outdated' Recalling his move to Mumbai, Saurabh shared that he moved to the city with Manoj, and the two were roommates when they first started living here. 'When Manoj and I moved here, we moved into a rented room in DN Nagar and we paid Rs 24,000 rent for it for the entire year, which was a lot for us in those days. Both of us paid Rs 12,000 each. But at least, we were confident that no one can throw us out for a year. We thought that we have a place to stay, we will sort out the food as well. Whosoever earns more, they will manage the food. But now, things are different, A new kid coming to Mumbai, who wants to live here, and if they have to give Rs 60,000, how will they do it? They don't have the luxury of enjoying that immaturity. They can't afford to think that it's okay even if I don't have the money. They can't pay someone Rs 6 lakh as rent, it's a lot of money,' he said. Saurabh said that the luxury of going with the flow is not something a new actor can afford. Saurabh was last seen in the film Raid 2 with Ajay Devgn and Riteish Deshmukh.
NDTV
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
A Tigmanshu Dhulia-Irrfan Jugalbandi, Why Haasil Remains A Cult Classic 22 Years Since Its Release
"Tumko yaad rakhenge guru hum..." When Irrfan delivered that line with his trademark smirk, it felt like a promise, a threat, a mic drop wrapped in North Indian swagger. The kind of line that echoed through hostel rooms and college canteens long after the credits of Haasil rolled. And who can forget the poetic guerilla warfare threat: "Wo gunde hain. Sarkari gunde. Hum krantikari hain. Tum log gorilla ho. Gorilla war kiya jayega." Advertisement - Scroll to continue Twenty-two years ago, on May 16, 2003, Director Tigmanshu Dhulia's cult debut Haasil arrived and redrafted the Bollywood rules in UP slang. Pure cinematic chutzpah that sounded like a revolution wrapped in pan masala and gunpowder. Long before streaming platforms made "gritty realism" into a buzzword, Tigmanshu Dhulia, backed by Irrfan, Jimi Shergill, Ashutosh Rana and a pitch-perfect supporting cast, pulled out a folding chair, planted it firmly in the Hindi heartland, and asked: "Ready for the real show?" I remember when Haasil first hit theaters, it barely made a splash. It was quickly buried beneath flashier Bollywood fare. But like a stubborn seed, it cracked through the concrete of indifference, and bloomed into that rare cinematic species we now call a 'cult classic'. Especially for the audiences of North India, Haasil wasn't just a film, it was a political thesis disguised as a campus romance. So, what lies beneath the making of Haasil 's legend? The trigger point of Haasil was a small news item about a smooth-talking thug from Mathura chasing a college girl. The plot is deceptively simple: a small town where life moves in its steady rhythm, and a young man in love caught in a world of jealousy, corruption, and conflict at a politically charged North Indian university. Tigmanshu Dhulia assisted filmmaker Shekhar Kapoor and served as casting director for the acclaimed Bandit Queen. It was on Shekhar's urging that Dhulia moved to Mumbai. But when Shekhar left for Hollywood, Dhulia was left to chase his own filmmaking dreams. After years of writing and directing for television, Dhulia chose to set his first film in Allahabad, the city he grew up in and knew intimately. Jimmy Shergill and Irrfan Khan in a film still Finding a producer for his first film was a nightmare, but Dhulia didn't give up. He kickstarted the dream with a bit of crowdfunding. For the romantic lead, he was looking for someone who looked cultured, well-mannered, and sincere. When he met Jimmy Shergill at filmmaker Shaad Ali's house, he knew right away Jimmy was the one. Having lived in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, and Delhi, Jimmy instantly understood the story's vibe and rhythm. "I told Tigmanshu if I don't do this movie, I am going to haunt you...I have to do this movie because nobody can do this movie better than I do it. Nobody can make you feel the vulnerability," Jimmy says in an old interview from the making of the film. Then they auditioned for the female lead and were truly impressed by Hrishita's [Bhatt] performance. For the role of the right-wing student leader, Dhulia had only one name in mind: Ashutosh Rana. A junior from his days at the prestigious National School of Drama (NSD), Rana was on board right away. The choice made perfect sense. Ashutosh had a strong command over Hindi, the kind needed for fiery speeches and the forceful tone. The role demanded a certain authority and Dhulia knew exactly how to tap into Ashutosh's persona and play to his image. With most of the casting done, the key villain role was still open. Dhulia had his heart set on Manoj Bajpayee. Satya had hit big, and Manoj was a star. Dhulia knew that if Manoj said yes, the film would instantly gain weight and saleability. He went to Manoj and narrated the role. "Manoj listened and then gently turned it down saying he wasn't ready to play a villain at that point in his career," Dhulia mentioned in an interview with NDTV. Manoj's refusal left Dhulia with only one other choice, none other than Irrfan Khan. A casting choice that, in hindsight, feels less like a Plan B and more like fate stepping in. Irrfan had been quietly hustling for over a decade. Familiar on television, overlooked by cinema. His brilliance was waiting to be seen. It was as if Haasil had always belonged to him, and the universe was just waiting to reveal it. As the discussions over the film began, the title was also finalised, "I remember the title came to my mind at his rented Evershine Nagar flat... brainstorming twenty years ago," Dhulia had tweeted remembering Irrfan. There was no producer yet. The ones who promised to back the film, backed out. Dhulia had planned to shoot the film's climax at the iconic Kumbh Mela(2001) in Allahabad which was near. Dhulia recalled in a 2003 interview to during the film's release, " Haasil 's script had a certain deadline. The climax had to be shot at the Kumbh Mela... At this time, my friend Amita Sehgal, now the film's executive producer, got some money from her family and friends -- about Rs 4-5 lakh. We took our actors to Allahabad and shot the big scenes, the moving shots and everything and came back and edited the footage. Then we started showing this footage to people; that's how the film started." Irrfan Khan in a film still Dhulia used "guerrilla-style cameras" in the Kumbh and told the actors to run into the crowd. People around were confused, wondering who the guy was, running with a girl and shouting. The shots were wide and real, capturing the true energy of the Kumbh. The climax of Haasil was the first to be shot. The rest of the film followed. It wasn't plot-driven. There wasn't a rigid script; much of it lived in Dhulia's mind, meant to be improvised on set. Everything hinged on storytelling and the way characters spoke and interacted. As the shooting schedule drew near, Irrfan struggled to find the tone and mood the role demanded. Dhulia had chose Allahabad as the film's canvas, drawing on the city's authentic pulse to bring the story to life. Reflecting on those days in an old interview with Lehrein Retro, Irrfan recalled Tigmanshu's words: " Yaar Irrfan, role ko lah jana... In Allahabadi slang, lah jana means to utterly mesmerise everyone." Before shooting began, Irrfan wanted to spend time soaking in the city's vibe. He asked Tigmanshu to take him to Allahabad early. Once there, he began meeting students and university leaders to soak up the character's true colours. But when Tigmanshu reached Allahabad to shoot his debut film, he was met with a storm of hostility. Local authorities and some student leaders of Allahabad University didn't let him film on campus. Reflecting in an old interview, Tigmanshu had recalled, "I faced immense struggles making this film, releasing it, and bringing it to the audience. I grew up in Allahabad, and yet when I arrived there to shoot, I found a calculated political game in motion-a carefully woven conspiracy. I had come as an excited kid making his first film in his own city, but what happened to me was nothing short of sabotage. Those opposing the shoot told me-something I learned later-that I couldn't portray the university in a negative light. That's why, in Haasil, I made the choice never to name the city. Nowhere in the film do I mention Allahabad." This was a time of intense turmoil for Dhulia. He battled tirelessly to convince everyone, but couldn't shoot the film extensively in the city as he had envisioned. Yet, it was in this storm of setbacks, shattered plans and Dhulia's unwavering courage that Irrfan found a spark and his inspiration. He recalled in a 2003 interview to Lehrein Retro, "When we went to Allahabad, it happened that they said, 'You must leave, you can't shoot here... pack your bags and go back... and who knows when we'll shoot again... what will happen... because we don't have the budget to keep coming back over and over.' The way Tishu handled that situation mujhe pahli baar bahaduri shabd ka arth samajh mein aaya our mujhe laga kaise lah jana hai role ke liye (that's when I first truly understood what bravery really means. And I thought, this is exactly how I need to approach this role and mesmerise everyone." And mesmerise he did, leaving everyone spellbound as Ranvijay Singh. Later, many university scenes in the film were actually shot at locations in Pune and Mumbai, cleverly transformed to resemble Allahabad University. But the spirit of Allahabad was there unmistakably. Haasil broke the Bollywood mould with its raw, unpolished vibe unlike the cliches Bollywood is known for. Dhulia's sharp, off-the-cuff Allahabadi banter was utterly captivating. In a way, Haasil was like Romeo and Juliet, but set against student politics, simmering caste rivalries, power struggles, and sharp Allahabadi one-liners. Remember the scene when Ranvijay (Irrfan) teases an angry man holding a gun- "Ek baat suno pandit, tumse goli woli na challai. Mantar phoonk ke maar diyo saale." Irrfan crafts a villain that's cool yet reckless, charming yet menacing delivered with effortless confidence. Take this line: Tiwariji aap mast rahiye, jyada phantom na baniye. Or Gaurishankar's sharp threat to Ranvijay: " Do minute ka maun hoga tumhari yaad me. Tumhare launde aakar gana gayenge - 'Chalte chalte mere yeh geet yaad rakhna.' Bas! National holiday hoga ka tumri yaad me?" Or the unforgettable exchange between Ranvijay and Anirudh (Jimmy Shergill): Ranvijay: Matlab sex -vex ho gaya kya?? Aniruddh: Nahi bhaiya, usko is nazar se nahi dekha kabhi. Ranvijay: Nazar ka hi toh khel hai sab. Warna saala dil toh humara bhi saaf hai. Bhagwan ne humein aisi aankhein de di hain, kya kahein! Irrfan Khan embodied the brooding anti-hero. His eyes did half the acting. His pauses did the rest. His restrained dialogue delivery felt less like lines and more like slow, deliberate daggers. Even the side characters who were usually irrelevant in Hindi films felt important. Like everyone had a motive and a moment. Haasil also gave Hindi cinema a dialect and a texture making the Hindi heartland feel raw, real, and effortlessly cool, years before streaming platforms caught on. And the great thing was that telling the story of a region where abuses are practically punctuation, the film told its story without using any expletives. The shooting was over. But the journey of releasing the film wasn't easy. Despite the buzz from industry screenings and trial shows organised tirelessly by Tigmanshu Dhulia, the film found no takers. "At every trial, people loved what they saw," Dhulia recalled. "But they all asked the same question-'There's no star. How will it run?'" The original producers had backed out. It was only later that Shyam Shroff of Shringar Films stepped in and gave Haasil a lifeline. Made on a modest budget of Rs 4 crore, Haasil released quietly on May 16, 2003, with barely any promotion and minimal publicity. Critics praised the performances, especially of Jimmy, Ashutosh and Irrfan, but weren't too kind to the story and script. Theaters didn't see packed houses. But slowly, something began to shift. Haasil caught fire, and gradually, genuine applause began emerging from the viewers, from college dorms, hostel corridors, and chai stalls across the Hindi heartland. Word spread. Lines from the film became inside jokes. The character of Ranvijay became Irrfan's breakthrough, searing into screens and hearts alike. In the years that followed, Haasil earned the rare title of a 'cult film'. And perhaps, a trace of this character quietly echoed in many of Irrfan's performances that followed. In an interview, Tigmanshu Dhulia was asked when he first realised his debut film had turned into a cult movie. He answered, "The moment the calls started pouring in. The offers to sign me for new projects. When ' Haasil fan clubs' sprouted up on Orkut (a social media platform now defunct) overnight. Suddenly, everyone from university halls to college corridors was buzzing about the film's dialogues. Even stand-up comedians like Raju Srivastava and Sunil Pal were mimicking Irrfan's character on TV, and it blew up. That's when I knew something had clicked." For some reason the film wasn't sent to the National Awards but Irrfan went on to win the Filmfare Award. Long before the accolades, he alone knew this was the breakthrough he had been waiting for. After watching a few scenes in the editing room, Irrfan had declared that this villain will be remembered like Gabbar Singh of the iconic Sholay. Maybe not quite, but Haasil did for Irrfan what Sholay did for Amjad Khan. It marked him as a powerful new presence on big screen. At the time of Haasil's release, Irrfan had reflected, "People won't be able to forget my character in this film. It will stay with them for days. This is the true reward for all my years of hard work and struggle." If you read the interviews of Tigmanshu Dhulia or the reviews, you'll realise no one, during the making or right after its release, sensed the impact Irrfan would have. But Irrfan felt it in his bones. Though not his first role, Haasil truly introduced us to his powerhouse talent. Despite its commercial failure, Haasil gave Dhulia a strong foundation to build many memorable films in the years ahead. Twenty two years later, the lines from his debut are still quoted. The scenes are still revered. And the legend of Haasil lives on, not in box office numbers, but in the hushed awe of every fan who stumbled upon it and whispered, "Ab toh yeh jung hogi." Share
News18
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Shekhar Kapur, Vivek Agnihotri Call Out Donald Trump's 100 Per Cent Film Tariff
Last Updated: Donald Trump announced 100 per cent tariffs on Hollywood films made outside the US. US President Donald Trump on Monday authorised the Department of Commerce to impose a 100 percent tariff on 'any and all movies" made outside the United States. In a May 5 post, Trump confirmed that the department, along with the Office of the US Trade Representative, will enforce this new measure. The 78-year-old also lamented that the American film industry is 'dying a very fast death" and criticised how other countries have been 'offering all sorts of incentives to draw" filmmakers and studios away from the US. 'This is a concerted effort by other Nations and, therefore, a National Security threat. It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda," he wrote on Truth Social. With the announcement now making waves across the globe, it seems to have arrived as a devastating blow for Indian cinema. In response to the tariffs, filmmakers Shekhar Kapur and Vivek Agnihotri have voiced their concerns on social media, calling out the decision. Kapur, known for directing films like Mr India and Bandit Queen, took to X and explained how most of Hollywood films' collections come from outside the country, and tariffs will just do the opposite. 'Over 75% of the box office of Hollywood films comes from outside the US. And a significant part of the budget of those films is spent outside the US. President Trump's imposition of a 100% tariff on all films imported into the US may encourage Hollywood to move outside the US! Quite the opposite of what he intended," he tweeted. Over 75% of box office of Hollywood films come from outside the US. And significant part of the budget of those films are spent outside the USPresident Trump's imposition of 100% tarif on all films imported into the US may encourage Hollywood to move outside the US! Quite the… — Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) May 5, 2025 Vivek Agnihotri, who directed The Kashmir Files, called the decision a 'disastrous move," stating that the Indian film industry will collapse. Resharing Trump's post on X, he wrote, 'ALERT: Trump's 100% Movie Tariff Threatens Indian Cinema: Trump's 100% tariff on movies is a disastrous move. If this absurdity prevails, India's struggling film industry will collapse entirely, with no one to save it. Indian film leaders must wake up, unite, and fight this threat instead of chasing paparazzi and self-glorification." ALERT: Trump's 100% Movie Tariff Threatens Indian Cinema: Trump's 100% tariff on movies is a disastrous move. If this absurdity prevails, India's struggling film industry will collapse entirely, with no one to save it. Indian film leaders must wake up, unite, and fight this… — Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) May 5, 2025 Veteran producer Mukesh Bhatt said, as per the Times Of India, 'Trump has become a joke. It cannot [go through]. It's wrong business. America is the most expensive country on the planet. And it makes no business sense for any producer. Forget Indian producers. Even a Hollywood producer can't afford to shoot in America. You're not helping, you're destroying Hollywood." Bhatt continued, 'In India, we make films for the Indian diaspora. To release in America, I would need to shoot in America, which I never will." It is yet to be seen if tariffs will also be applicable to streaming services and theatrical collections. First Published:
India Today
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Shekhar Kapur, Vivek Agnihotri slam Trump's 100% film tariff as ‘disastrous'
US President Donald Trump announced a 100 per cent tariff on foreign-produced films to revive the US film industry. Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and Vivek Agnihotri have reacted to Trump's decision. While, Kapur said that this will 'encourage Hollywood to move outside the US', Agnihotri called it a disastrous Kapur, known for films like Mr India and Bandit Queen, wrote on X, "'Over 75% of box office of Hollywood films come from outside the US. And a significant part of the budget of those films are spent outside the US. President Trump's imposition of 100% tariff on all films imported into the US may encourage Hollywood to move outside the US! Quite the opposite of what he intended." advertisementSharing Trump's tweet, Vivek Agnihotri wrote, "ALERT: Trump's 100% Movie Tariff Threatens Indian Cinema: Trump's 100% tariff on movies is a disastrous move. If this absurdity prevails, India's struggling film industry will collapse entirely, with no one to save it. Indian film leaders must wake up, unite, and fight this threat instead of chasing paparazzi and self-glorification." Posting on his Truth Social platform, Donald Trump criticised other nations for offering lucrative incentives to lure American studios and filmmakers abroad and described the situation as both an economic and national security threat. Trump stressed the need to return to domestic film production and added that the new tariffs are intended to level the playing field and encourage studios to keep their operations on US Watch
News18
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
‘Don't Need Amitabh Bachchan Or SRK': Shekhar Kapur Says AI Will Create Stars
Last Updated: At WAVES 2025, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur talked about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and predicted that film stars may go out of job, as AI will replace them. Veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur recently attended WAVES 2025 in Mumbai, during which he talked about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential use in the film industry. He said that film stars may go out of job, as AI will create more 'human-like stars' in the future. He said that he doesn't need Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan or Amitabh Bachchan for his films, as he will create his own character and star using AI, and have his copyright. While speaking at WAVES 2025, Shekhar Kapur said, 'Actors are going to be just actors, because AI will create stars going ahead. AI will create more human-like stars. And I can create a star using AI and have my copyright. And very soon there will be a slew of ideas of AI movies that will have a girl or a boy or a man or a woman that I've created using AI, and that will be my copyright." He further talked about why he wouldn't need Amitabh Bachchan or Shah Rukh Khan to act in films. 'In fact, now it's happening more and more. A lot of the influencers that you see are not humans. AI has created them. So why can't we have films with actors, characters who have become stars because we created them on AI? I don't need Amitabh Bachchan. I'll create my own character. I don't need Shah Rukh Khan, I'll create my own character, my own star." He added that if he is good enough, he will be able to create a character that the audience will love, and he will have his own 'star'. While Shekhar Kapur talked about its potential uses, he also warned against becoming extremely dependent on machines. He added that it's the human ability to feel emotions that separates humans from AI. Shekhar Kapur is one of the most prominent directors in Bollywood, having directed films such as Masoom, Bandit Queen, Mr India, among others. He was recently honoured with the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Indian and international cinema. He received the award on Monday, 28 April, from President Droupadi Murmu. First Published:
