Latest news with #FilmalayaStudios
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Shilpa Shirodkar recalls being labelled ‘panauti' after her first 2 films were shelved: ‘Whenever I signed a big film…'
Not every actor finds an easy path into the film industry, and Shilpa Shirodkar's early years in Bollywood were marked by setbacks and harsh labels. In an interview with Zoom, the actor, best known for her roles in Kishen Kanhaiya and Hum, spoke candidly about being labelled jinxed after two of her initial projects fell through before they could go on floors. (Also Read: Shilpa Shirodkar reveals looking for work before Bigg Boss 18: But people were not ready to even meet me) Shilpa recalled what was meant to be a dream launch in 1986 with filmmaker Sawan Kumar Tak's Sautan Ki Beti, which never saw the light. 'On the 9th of August, I did my Mahurat at Filmalaya Studios. It was one of the biggest launch pads. Sawan ji was making Sautan Ki Beti, and I was playing the title role. It couldn't have been bigger than that. But two years later, nothing had happened. Sawan ji said, 'I'm not making the film. If you get something from outside, take it,' she shared. Following that, her mother reached out to photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha, who connected her with Boney Kapoor and Surinder Kapoor for a film. She said that Boney's father liked her and promised to cast her opposite Sanjay Kapoor in a film called Jungle. But they dropped that idea and decided to make Prem instead, and she didn't fit the role. That film also slipped out of her hands. Shilpa added that industry insiders began gossiping about her string of missed opportunities, following which a well-wisher approached Mithun Chakraborty. 'He said, 'Dada, this girl's two films have been shelved and now the industry is calling her all sorts of names—please launch her.' They said I was jinxed, a panauti. Whenever I signed a big film, it got shelved. But if you have strong family support, these things don't matter.' Eventually, Shilpa made her acting debut in Ramesh Sippy's Bhrashtachar in 1989, starring alongside Mithun Chakraborty and Rekha, where she portrayed a blind girl. The film earned her recognition, and she soon appeared in hits like Kishen Kanhaiya (1990), Trinetra (1991), and Hum (1991). Her filmography went on to include notable titles such as Khuda Gawah, Aankhen, Pehchaan, Gopi Kishan, Bewafa Sanam, and Mrityudand.
Mint
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
How Raj Khosla almost rejected a classic tune
The piece de resistance, the film's crowning glory, happens to be an exquisite piece of music that has made whole generations swoon. But if Manoj Kumar is to be believed, Raj himself almost came in the way of one of his greatest musical artefacts. The actor reminisced, 'I got a call from Madan Mohan one day. 'Raj Khosla has lost his mind," Madan said. 'Ek gaana sunaya. Usko pasand nahi aaya. I made him hear a song. He didn't like it. You come and handle this please".' Manoj Kumar didn't want to intervene. It was Raj Khosla's film, after all. He chose to speak to N.N. Sippy instead. There were only a few days left for the shoot and the song was yet to be finalized. What was to be done? Sippy concurred with the music director. He, too, wanted Manoj Kumar to approach Raj Khosla and sort this out. Meanwhile, Madan Mohan made Kumar listen to the song. Kumar was silent for a bit, then said, 'Don't tell me that Raj didn't like THIS song!' It was obviously a brilliant composition. One of Raj Khosla's great strengths as an artist and a filmmaker was the ability to appreciate good music. And he hadn't liked this? Kumar was flabbergasted. Raj winced when Manoj Kumar told him about the song. 'Let's not talk about that song. It's really bad,' he said. No way was he going to give it a listen again. But on his lead actor's repeated insistence, the director reluctantly agreed to let Madan Mohan play the song to him once more. Raj was astonished – it was one of the best tunes he had heard. And this was a song he was about to let go? 'How incredibly stupid of me,' he exclaimed. According to Kumar, Raj even picked up his own shoe to hit himself. The song in question was 'Lag ja gale', a ditty that one might say continues to be Madan Mohan's most popular creation (with over 277 million views on YouTube). The incident was also an example of the filmmaker's keen instinct to spot and nurture talent. He had seen how good Kumar could be and allowed him a free hand to suggest and make changes. In turn, Kumar would often come up with ideas that would enrich the film. Once, when the crew was in Shimla and the shooting about to start, Manoj Kumar felt that the script could do with a bit of tightening. He reworked it and even wrote a few scenes. As we have examined before, the music in Raj's films is inextricable from the visuals. Nowhere is this more evident than in 'Lag ja gale'. While the tune has developed a cult following of its own over the years, no one can think of it and not be reminded of the exquisite way in which it was shot. Raj and his team went to great lengths to heighten the mystery in Sadhana's character. In the song, as Sadhana pines over Dr Anand (Manoj Kumar), the camera almost caresses her. The shadow of the coconut leaves on her face and the subtle moonlight lend her an ethereal quality. The song was shot at Filmalaya Studios, according to Manoj Kumar. Raj and the cinematographer K.H. Kapadia toiled for hours to get the right look. The high-contrast lighting and evocative play of light and shadow, chiaroscuro-like, is coupled with Raj's penchant for close-ups, an obsession that he inherited from Guru Dutt. The combination of these elements, along with the buttery camera movement gives 'Lag ja gale' the timeless visual appeal that the song so richly deserves. In an online discussion hosted by Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) commemorating Raj Khosla's birth anniversary, filmmaker and historian Karan Bali highlighted the Khosla– Kapadia magic in 'Lag ja gale', with specific emphasis on the low-key lighting: 'It adds to Sadhana's mystery, it adds to the confusion that Manoj Kumar is going through, and the way he Khosla makes Sadhana walk so that her face is always within light…' Bali went on to juxtapose how Raj Khosla lit Sadhana so richly compared to the relatively flatter cinematography of the Tamil (Yaar Nee?, 1966) and Telugu (Aame Evaru?, 1966) remakes of Woh Kaun Thi?, both of which featured Jayalalithaa reprising Sadhana's role. Hindi film songs number in the tens of thousands, right from the first strands performed in Alam Ara (1931) to the latest Spotify sensations. But of all the songs that could be said to comprise the soul of Hindi film music, 'Lag ja gale' stands tall. In 2016, on her 87th birthday, Lata Mangeshkar listed six favourites from her glittering repertoire. 'Lag ja gale' was one of them. Sanjeev Kohli explained how even for the great Lata, it was a difficult song to pull off, what with all the murkis and the variations added by Madan Mohan and the singer herself. Effervescent as a little schoolgirl, Lata ji told me, 'When we recorded the song, everybody was happy with it. Raj Khosla loved it. All of us were satisfied. Once the recording was over, Madan bhaiyya aaye aur mujhe gale laga kar rone lage. Madan bhaiyya came and hugging me, started crying. The song… created history.' History indeed. Today, six decades after release, the song still plays in pubs and clubs haunted by 20-somethings. Filmmakers have repurposed it variously in their films, including Karan Johar in Bombay Talkies and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, and Tigmanshu Dhulia for the Saheb, Biwi aur Gangster franchise. Excerpted with permission from 'Raj Khosla: The Authorized Biography' by Amborish Roychoudhury with Anita Khosla and Uma Khosla Kapur, published by Hachette India. Also read: Inside India's first Lego store in Gurugram
Gulf Today
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Kiara Advani radiates happiness while playing with puppies during pregnancy
Mom-to-be Kiara Advani shared a heartwarming moment on social media as she played with adorable puppies, radiating joy and excitement. The 'Kabir Singh' actress, who recently announced her pregnancy, looked absolutely radiant while holding little puppies on her lap. On Monday, Kiara took to her Instagram stories and shared a heartwarming photo of her playing with cute puppies. In the image, the actress is seen sitting and holding two little puppies. Advani was clicked at her candid best as she looked away from the camera. On March 1, the 'Shershaah' actress made her first public appearance after she announced the good news on social media. Kiara was spotted at Filmalaya Studios in Andheri, Mumbai, where she posed for the paparazzi in front of her vanity van. She chose a chic all-white summer outfit as Mumbai prepared for a scorching heatwave, with temperatures reaching a sweltering 35°C after a brief period of cool breezes. Kiara Advani and her actor husband Sidharth Malhotra excitedly announced on Friday that they are expecting their first child. In a heartfelt Instagram post, the couple shared a photo of hands gently holding a pair of white knitted baby booties with delicate ribbon bows, symbolizing their journey into parenthood. The post was captioned, 'The greatest gift of our lives... Coming soon.' B-Town celebs, including Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Shilpa Shetty, Ektaa Kapoor, Sharvari, Athiya Shetty, Rakul Preet Singh, Huma Qureshi, Sonakshi Sinha, Rhea Chakraborty, Sonu Sood, and Karan Johar, among others, flocked to the comments section to congratulate the couple. Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra tied the knot on Feb.7, 2023, in an intimate ceremony at the Suryagarh Palace in Jaisalmer, attended by only their closest family and friends. After the private wedding, the couple hosted a lavish, star-studded reception in Mumbai to celebrate with their industry friends. It was on the sets of 'Shershaah', where the two met and fell in love in 2020. The two maintained their silence on dating rumours. In 2023, they married in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony. 'Shershaah', a biographical war film was based on the life of Vikram Batra, martyred in action in the Kargil War, directed by Vishnuvardhan. Sidharth Malhotra stars in a dual role as Vikram Batra and his twin brother Vishal, with Kiara Advani as his girlfriend Dimple Cheema. On the work front, Sidharth will next be seen in 'Param Sundari' with actress Janhvi Kapoor. The two have wrapped up the Kerala schedule. In December 2024, Maddock Films announced the film and shared the first look of 'Param Sundari.' The film is directed by Tushar Jalota, who is known for his work on 'Dasvi.' The film stars Sidharth as Param and Janhvi Kapoor as Sundari. Kiara was last seen in 'Game Changer' starring Ram Charan. She will next be seen in 'Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups', a period gangster film, starring Yash. The film is directed by Geetu Mohandas. She also has 'War 2' with Hrithik Roshan and NTR Jr.
