Latest news with #MainMadhuriDixitBannaChahtiHoon
India.com
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Chandan Arora on casting Rajpal Yadav as lead in Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon: 'Audience connect…'
Chandan Arora, an ace director, is garnering all the headlines for his recent crime thriller release Kankhajura on SonyLiv. The series revolves around two brothers and their tangled relationship, which eventually turns sour. Headlined by Roshan Mathew and Mohit Raina, the series has been widely acclaimed. Kankhajura marks Chandan's second directorial project on OTT. He has previously delivered some masterpieces on big screens including Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon, Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh, and Striker. His directorial debut Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon stunned audiences when it featured Rajpal Yadav in the lead role—an unusual move at a time when Rajpal wasn't seen as a conventional hero in mainstream cinema. Talking about how Rajpal Yadav and Antara Mali were cast, Chandan revealed some interesting details in an exclusive interview with When asked about his thought process behind casting Rajpal Yadav in the lead during an era dominated by typical leading men, Chandan replied,'To be very honest, when I got a call from Ram Gopal Varma asking, 'Would you direct a film with Antara Mali and Rajpal Yadav?' I actually thought it was a hypothetical question—like, would you direct a film like that? He would do that. I said, 'Of course I would,' and then he told me to come to the office the next day and gave me a 13-page draft. He said, 'Read this and tell me what you think about it.' And so, I think I can take no credit at all for that bold move because it was all RGV. He was full of bold moves in those years. I mean, he was taking fantastic risks and exploring the kind of storytelling he wanted to be known for.' The Kankhajura director added,'But immediately after that, after the response Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon got—especially Rajpal's character—I had to come to a conclusion myself that I truly believe people are interested in watching performers on screen. They can connect with a good performer, and they can connect with anyone—whether it is Rajpal Yadav or Shah Rukh Khan. I saw that with the film. But because the title Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon had a commercial angle to it, I personally had to do another film with Rajpal where he was the lead, without backing off any commercial trope like Madhuri Dixit or the support of someone like RGV.' He concluded, 'I had a feeling that people wanted to watch great performers and they will applaud anyone who is a great performer and connects with them. And that's why we did Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh, and the success of it speaks for itself. The movie still resonates. So that sort of tells you how our audiences can surprise you anytime.' Apart from being a director, Chandan has also worked as an editor for various notable films including Cheeni Kum, Krrish 3, Ki & Ka, Pad Man, Mission Mangal, Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, Ved, among others.
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First Post
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
'Kankhajura' web-series review: Mohit Raina and Roshan Mathew's thriller swings between pulsating and predictable
Many directors who lose touch and tenacity due to their absence from the industry. Chandan Arora fortunately has the aesthetics intact even when the filmmaking isn't as engaging as it should be read more Cast: Mohit Raina, Roshan Mathew, Sarah Jane Dias, Ninad Kamat Director: Chandan Arora Language: Hindi First of all, let's welcome back Chandan Arora. The man who was closely associated with Ram Gopal Varma's cinema as an editor. He made two very watchable films (Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon and Main Meri Patni Aur Woh) and then the underrated Striker in 2010 only to disappear into oblivion. At least his Wikipedia page says his new web series called Kankhajura is his first piece of work as a director in the last 15 years. And because this is a show, the man can explore as much gravitas of his narrative as possible. He knows how to use his pair of scissors as he's been an editor. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In his first two films as a director, Rajpal Yadav was the surprise package, the volcano of talent as Rishi Kapoor said in Luck By Chance. In Kankhajura, Roshan Mathew is that ticking time bomb that can explode anytime. He plays Ashu, has been in prison for 14 years, stutters while speaking and tries to reconnect with his brother. The brother is played by the always solid Mohit Raina. It was also good to see Sarah Jane Dias and Ninad Kamat. Ashu has a dark past as per the description given for the story and Mathew's interviews. Every time there's a man with a dark past, it gives the filmmakers an opportunity or even an excuse to play with that character and throw all possible shades at him. They oscillate between black, white, and grey, precisely how SonyLIV did with their recent show of the same name remarkably. So far so good. But I'm not a fan of naïve and gullible characters revealing themselves to be smarter than what we perceived of them. That sudden twist for shock derails the proceedings more than it makes them dazzle. Right from the first time we meet Ashu, it's clear he's not what he seems to be. No matter how much Mathew's childlike charm and the deceptive nature of the story try to camouflage his intent, you predict the cards before they are shown to you. The tagline of the show that goes like- So fragile yet so fatal should be more than a giveaway. And the trailer does that job too. But Arora does stage some scenes effectively, like the multiple altercations between the brothers. Raina's a brooding aura and he carries the intensity of the character well here too. Sarah Jane adds a lot of oomph to a show that's mostly about a man who's more than what meets the eye. And then there's Mathew, the supposed Kankhajura, who's actually a chameleon, a shape shifter nobody can bet on. Many directors who lose touch and tenacity due to their absence from the industry. Chandan Arora fortunately has the aesthetics intact even when the filmmaking isn't as engaging as it should be. Kankhajura swings between pulsating and predictable. The performances are impressive but at times you end up being one step ahead of the people who try their best to deceive your wits. It even has a tinge of humour and happens to be a harmless watch. Let's see how active Arora will be after this show. Rating: 2.5 (out of 5 stars) Kankhajura is now streaming on SonyLIV
