Latest news with #KalyanaSamayalSaadham
Mint
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Sitaare Zameen Par director RS Prasanna fires back in remake debate: Adaptation is an art in itself
After the lukewarm reception of Laal Singh Chaddha, fans have been eagerly awaiting Aamir Khan's next movie. Now, with Sitaare Zameen Par set to hit theatres soon, the actor is making his much-anticipated return to the big screen. Amid speculation that the upcoming film is a Hindi adaptation of a Spanish original, director RS Prasanna addressed the topic of remakes in an interview with LiveMint. When asked about his views on remakes, Prasanna offered his perspective: 'As a director, I'm always looking for a story. Sometimes I write it myself, and sometimes I remake it myself. Kalyana Samayal Saadham is a story I wrote, and I adapted it into Hindi as Shubh Mangal Saavdhan—my own film. If there's an opportunity to tell a story again in another culture or in a different language where the original hasn't been seen, and if the material excites the director, then they naturally want to tell the story in a new format or context. Why did I adapt my Tamil film into Hindi? Because Kalyana was a very universal story that could transcend cultures. Since it was in Tamil, a lot of Tamil people saw it, but the Hindi audience didn't. It took us almost a year to rewrite and adapt it.' Last week, Aamir Khan defended doing remakes, citing films like Ghajini and Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. He said remakes offer a fresh canvas and he will continue doing them if the story excites him. 'It's my choice to do it. If you don't want to watch, that's your choice,' he added. After Aamir Khan's comments, Sitaare Zameen Par director RS Prasanna echoed similar sentiments during the conversation. He said, 'Adaptation is an art in itself.' 'To adapt a movie and do justice to it in a different language and culture, much of it gets lost in translation. You have to stay true to the spirit of the original while also changing things around and conceptualising it for the new culture. These are very interesting challenges for a director like me. I enjoy it. Telling a story is what's important. The source can be me, another writer, a book, a play... What matters to me is that it's a story I'm excited to take to the audience. That's what drives me,' he said. Without delving into the debate surrounding the film's origins, Prasanna shared, 'In this case, we got the opportunity to platform 10 neurodivergent actors—and many more. The thought behind it was so beautiful. We wanted to tell this story in theatres, where you could bring your whole family. That's what I want for Sitaare Zameen Par – to get people into theatres and give them a chance. It's a quintessential Aamir film, with its connection to Taare Zameen Par.' Whether an official adaptation or not, Sitaare Zameen Par aims to move beyond the neurotypical gaze. With ten neurodivergent actors, the film promises a nuanced and refreshing portrayal of individuals with autism and Down syndrome. Prasanna revealed that around 2,500 individuals with special needs auditioned for the Aamir Khan film. 'We auditioned around 2,500 people. What we were looking for was the spark of acting. We narrowed it down to about 100, from which we made our final picks. They underwent both acting and basketball workshops. It became like a community; everyone was living together. Their parents were always with them.' He also shared that the team brought in a specialised doctor to help communicate with the neurodivergent actors and better understand their needs throughout the process. 'They absolutely loved talking and performing,' Prasanna said, referring to Aroush Datta, Gopi Krishnan Varma, Vedant Sharmaa, Naman Misra, Rishi Shahani, Rishabh Jain, Ashish Pendse, Samvit Desai, Simran Mangeshkar, and Aayush Bhansali, who are all making their acting debut with the film. Interestingly, none of them knew which film they were auditioning for. So, how did they react upon learning they had landed roles in an Aamir Khan film? 'We revealed it to them only after they were selected,' Prasanna shared. 'They went ecstatic!' The film also features Genelia D'Souza in the female lead role. Was she the first choice for the part? Director RS Prasanna revealed, 'It was actually Aamir who suggested her. We were discussing casting while I was outlining the character, and he said, 'What about Genelia?' I immediately jumped on the idea. Genelia is a fantastic actor. Recently, her reels were amazing, and I found a wonderful, positive energy in her—that was exactly what the film needed.' Sitaare Zameen Par is scheduled to release on 20 June.
Mint
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Aamir Khan came up with the film title: Sitaare Zameen Par director RS Prasanna
Bollywood's Mr Perfectionist is back! Aamir Khan returns to the big screen with Sitaare Zameen Par, the spiritual sequel to his hit 2007 film Taare Zameen Par. In an exclusive interview with Livemint, the Sitaare Zameen Par director RS Prasanna shared how his film is going to tug at the heartstrings while delivering plenty of feel-good moments, marking the acting debut of 10 neurodivergent actors. RS Prasanna, best known for Shubh Mangal Saavdhan and Kalyana Samayal Saadham, is the director of Aamir Khan's Sitaare Zameen Par. RS Prasanna rose to fame, thanks to his successful Bollywood debut with Shubh Mangal Saavdhan. After the Hindi adaptation of his own Tamil film, Kalyana Samayal Saadham, Prasanna took eight years for his next Bollywood film. He revealed how time isn't a big factor for him as a filmmaker. 'As a filmmaker, what someone hopes for is that you come across a story so powerful that you get obsessed with it. I feel a director brings excitement, conviction, and energy to the set. I think your desire to tell a story should be very, very high. The story must be so powerful that, for me personally, I should feel like I'm dying to tell it. Only then do I feel I have the courage to go ahead and pitch it to people. Filmmaking is a tough process-- you need to be in love with the material for 1–2 years.' Prasanna toyed with the story of Sitaare… and re-shaped it before pitching it to Aamir Khan, who is also jointly producing the film. "Once the story came to me, my writer Divy Nidhi Sharma and I were developing it. And it made me feel, 'Mujhe meri second film ki story mil gayi.' Then I thought, who should I take as an actor? And Aamir sir's name struck me. 'He would be the perfect guy to play this character'. "As soon as I thought that, I became sad also. This is because I realised, what if Aamir sir says no to this? I didn't see anybody else fitting into the role as well as Aamir." 'As a producer, Aamir brings so much empathy and sensitivity, which this movie needed to be made,' Prasanna added. He also recalled the unique memory of his first narration with Aamir Khan—ironically, he wasn't even in the room. A film meeting without the director? How does that even happen? Prasanna shared how his team managed to get Aamir on board despite all odds. "For me, it was like the Dangal climax—where Aamir's character gets locked in during his daughter's match. "The narration happened in September 2020. Lockdown had just lifted, and things were just opening up. When the narration happened… I can never forget the date! My writer went to meet Aamir sir. Of course, we had spoken about the story before and discussed things. But I couldn't get my COVID certificate on time, so I wasn't able to fly. I wasn't there during the narration, and I was very anxious. I was supposed to be connected to the room by video call. The signal went wrong. 'I trusted Divy. What mattered was that Aamir got to know the story—he and Divy should have an uninterrupted discussion. "I was waiting. Before the meeting, Aamir had texted me saying, "Prasanna, I'm so excited for the narration." I was like—this narration better be okay. Aamir sir and his family liked the story. 'By the end of it, Aamir sir came on the call with me. He said he really loved it. That's when I could finally breathe…after so many hours," shared Prasanna. 'I must have thrown fist bumps in the air and done some dance moves in excitement,' the director laughed. Prasanna revealed that it was Aamir Khan who coined the film title. "The title came from Aamir sir, because the thought was always there. We used to keep discussing it during pre-production. I used to talk about Taare Zameen Par with AK. 'One day, AK sir organically felt, 'You know, the thought of inclusion in Taare Zameen Par is getting extended to the next chapter by this movie.' He was like, 'Why don't we make this part of that world—new characters, new energies.' That's how the name Sitaare Zameen Par came. It happened organically. It was one of those 'wow' moments.' The director also confirmed that the title instantly struck a chord with them—and there was never an alternative. He remains grateful to Aamir Khan, who is producing the film. 'AK is the only person who can allow this film to be a part of his legacy. I was very happy, moved by his generosity. I am touched.' Sitaare Zameen Par also stars Genelia Deshmukh. The film is set to release on 20 June 2025 in theatres.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Sitaare Zameen Par: Director R. S. Prasanna reveals his choice; Says, 'Aamir Khan was the only name for the film'
Director R. S. Prasanna's 'Sitaare Zameen Par', starring Aamir Khan, is a Hindi remake of the Spanish film Champions. The emotional sports drama follows a basketball coach training neurodivergent adults. Produced by Aamir Khan, it releases on June 20, promising a heartfelt, inspiring story. R. S. Prasanna, the director behind 'Kalyana Samayal Saadham' and 'Shubh Mangala Zyada Savdhan,' had only one actor in mind when he decided to make a film about Down syndrome—Bollywood's Aamir Khan . Prasanna felt that Aamir was the perfect choice to take on the role and do justice to the film's poignant title, 'Sitaare Zameen Par,' believing no one else could carry the story as effectively. A Magical Journey with Aamir Khan During his conversation with Moneycontrol, Prasanna described working with Aamir Khan as "a magical journey." He said, "Because the second I thought of who should play the role, who should I take the story to, the only person who came to my mind was Mr. Aamir Khan." From Apprehension to Destiny For his third film as a director, Prasanna admits he can hardly believe that he had the chance to work alongside Aamir. Considering his previous recognition came from collaborating with actors like Jitendra Kumar and Ayushmann Khurrana in 'Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan,' reaching out to a superstar like Aamir Khan was a daring move for him. Prasanna also shared that he felt a mix of apprehension, hope, and nervousness throughout the project. He believes that without Aamir Khan's involvement, the film would not have received the same level of love, sensitivity, and support that Aamir consistently brings to his work. Prasanna described their collaboration as a dream come true, where everything seemed to fall into place perfectly. He expressed a strong belief in destiny, feeling that the film was almost creating itself through the people meant to tell its story, with Aamir serving as the ideal support and platform for the project. Film Details and Release Directed by RS Prasanna and co-produced by Aamir Khan and Aparna Purohit, 'Sitaare Zameen Par' stars Aamir Khan and Genelia Deshmukh , along with ten debutants. The film, a Hindi remake of the Spanish film Champions, is set to release on June 20.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Sitaare Zameen Par' a fan boy's love letter to Aamir Khan: director RS Prasanna
From seeing Aamir Khan accept an award for "Taare Zameen Par" in 2007 to directing him in its sequel "Sitaare Zameen Par", life has come full circle for director RS Prasanna , who calls the upcoming movie a fan boy's love letter to the superstar. Prasanna, known for directing "Kalyana Samayal Saadham" in Tamil and its Hindi remake "Shubh Mangal Saavdhan", was still in film school in 2007 when he watched "Taare Zameen Par". "I remember crying and bawling my eyes out watching 'Taare Zameen Par' with my friends, and my then-girlfriend, now wife. When Aamir sir won the Best Debut Director award at the Gollapudi Srinivas Award, he came to Chennai to accept it. "I was part of the audience, who was cheering him on and from the outside, like Ekalavya, watching Drona. The closest I got to Aamir sir was in that (award) event, which is about 300 metres away. I didn't hope for anything more," the Chennai-born director told PTI in an interview. The director said when he met Aamir with the idea of a film, which eventually became "Sitaare Zameen Par", he told him about how he had cheered during the award ceremony. "I was very emotional and I said, 'Sir, thank you for making me believe that dreams do come true'. This is not even a dream I dreamt. It was such a big thing that I didn't even dare to dream of this," "In one of the wrap parties, I told him, 'This movie is like a fan boy's love letter to his idol'. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo I told Aamir sir, 'Whatever I wanted to see you do as a fan is there in this film'. It is a film that entertains, makes you think, touches your heart and above all, I think it's a film that places so much faith in the audience," Prasanna said. Aamir reached out to the 41-year-old director after the release of "Shubh Mangal Saavdhan". "We had some discussions, and there was an intent that, 'If there was a kind of a good script, pass it on to AK sir', and that itself was great for me." A few years later, when Prasanna decided to make his next with writer Divy Nidhi Sharma, Aamir's name was an instinctive choice and it later become "Sitaare Zameen Par". "As a fan of his, I would want him to do this movie. I thought, 'If he is the only choice for it, then maybe this movie will never happen' because why is he going to say yes to a random director whom he doesn't even know, he has just seen one film. But he did, and I'm eternally indebted to him for that," he said. It was Aamir, Prasanna said, who suggested the title "Sitaare Zameen Par". Drawing a parallel with his acclaimed film "Taare Zameen Par", he pointed out that both stories shared a similar essence. "It had new characters, a new journey, it is a comedy, so it has everything new, yet it has got the same heart of 'Taare Zameen Par', I thought it was a fabulous idea." In addition to Aamir, the movie stars Genelia Deshmukh and ten newcomers, including Aroush Datta, Gopi Krishna Varma, Samvit Desai, Vedant Sharma, Ayush Bhansali, Ashish Pendse, Rishi Shahani, Rishabh Jain, Naman Mishra, and Simran Mangeshkar, all of whom are specially-abled. Prasanna said the experience of directing the newcomers was a rewarding experience. "This movie cannot happen without them, so it is my job to take the time and effort to teach them some of the tools that they may not have. For me, they bring certain rawness and beauty, which is their advantage. "Like, when you see the films of Majid Majidi, or 'Anjali' by Mani sir, or Darsheel Safary in 'Taare Zameen Par', so those actors are real, they can bring out the real emotions. Now, professional actors have to bring it with a lot of effort. We focused on giving them a safe and playful kind of environment," he said. Prasanna and his team spent over six months conducting acting workshops. He said his director of photography (DOP), Srinivas Reddy, adopted an innovative approach to filmmaking that focused on the comfort of the actors. "We decided early on that wherever they (ten actors) want to move (they can), we would figure out the way; it's our job," Prasanna explained, describing the process as "almost invisible filmmaking." "Sitaare Zameen Par" will see the return of Aamir to movies after his 2022 release, "Laal Singh Chaddha", which received a lukewarm response. Prasanna said the magic of cinema lies in a compelling script, whether it is a 'masala' film or a deeply emotional narrative. "When a star chooses to work with a good script and a passionate director, then magic happens. Not every movie will run, not every movie will be successful. Every industry goes through its cycles; every industry will revive, and it's only a matter of time before that's going to happen. That is not just Bollywood, Tamil, Malayalam cinema went through it, but Hollywood went through it too. "Stars are very important. I have worked with a superstar, and I know the difference. It is about how many people love you and expect from you. Like, when a Tom Cruise film is up for release, there's certain expectation. A star is like a curator, he or she brings a certain promise to the audience that 'if it is my film, it will be good no matter the genre'," he said. "Sitaare Zameen Par" is set to release on June 20. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
