Latest news with #RohanSippy
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
‘First movie memory is watching Amitabh Bachchan laughing with blood on his back': Rohan Sippy says being the son of Sholay director ‘isn't a dark cloud, but a rainbow'
Rohan Sippy has directed memorable films like Bluffmaster! (2005) and helmed successful shows like Aranyak and Criminal Justice. But he has a tall order to live up to, given his father Ramesh Sippy's rich filmography, particularly the 1975 historic blockbuster Sholay. As the watershed film completes 50 years since its release this week, SCREEN caught up with Rohan for a chat about his first memory of the movie, it legacy, its lessons on filmmaking, and whether the controversial ending should be changed using Artificial Intelligence today. Has the dark cloud of being the son of the director of Sholay ever chased you? That's a rainbow, not a dark cloud. The expectation lifts you up. It's very clearly been a privilege for me at multiple levels. Whenever I make my connection with Sholay known to a stranger, there's a smile on their face. That's priceless. Starting from there to the fact that in the industry, I've carried the goodwill forward, it's only benefitted me. I don't think any audience would've judged me negatively for being his son. I think that's more of a media perception. That framing doesn't come to an audience. If they like it, they like it; if they don't, they don't. You can still imagine it being a problem or a hangover for an actor, in terms of resemblance. But a director is relatively more abstract from the audience's point of view. I don't think an audience member thinks, 'Oh, this director is good, but not as great as his father,' which is true, but it doesn't put any kind of pressure or negative influence on me. Is that also because you've made very different kinds of films from your father? My father has also been very versatile. From making a film about a single mother in 1971 (Andaz) to an out-and-out comedy with a woman like Seeta Aur Geeta (1972) to Sholay to Shaan (1980) to Shakti (1982) to Saagar (1984), each one as different from the other. So he's definitely a wonderful inspiration to try different kinds of genres and master different kinds of stories. I've been able to attempt that in series at least, which has been fun. What's your first memory of Sholay? My memory is going to the set in Bengaluru, where they were shooting the climax. I must've been three years old. I'm wandering around, and then I see this giant of a man looming in front of me — Mr. (Amitabh) Bachchan. He's got blood on his back. I look at that vivid, gory thing. Next thing you know, he turns around and is laughing and joking. I was wondering, what is this world! That was my first impression of this magical movie world. Then obviously, I watched the movie in Minerva (now-defunct theatre in Mumbai) and other places. When did it sink in that it was history in the making? That came probably much later. As a child, the first thing you get to know is that your school friends liked the film. That's the ultimate validation or feel-good moment for you. Later on, you realize that it still holds its place. Talking about doing something consciously, me and my sister realized that there are so many stories about the film. That's when we approached Anupama (Chopra, author) for writing a book (Sholay: The Making of a Classic, 2000). We wanted to preserve them as much as we could because they were such great stories that we didn't want to lose them. She came on board and put together the accounts so that helped us preserve those stories. What can a budding filmmaker learn from Sholay today? When you watch the film, the craft is incredible so there's a lot to learn from that. But if you go one step back, just learn the kind of lazer focus, determination, the absolute sense of not wanting to compromise, and pursuing something you believe in can pay rewards. You can never guarantee success, but it's only for that kind of a marathon effort that you can get rewarded. So, there are innumerable good lessons. Even the dialogue writing and one liners will keep you through the dark afternoon of the soul, when you're wondering if you can finish writing or shooting. The most important lesson is like Thakur (Sanjeev Kumar), to have the desire to get what we want, and to have the belief that the audience will then come in if you pursue it with that conviction. Also Read — 'Like Pankaj Tripathi, I instinctively look for humour in every material I work on': Rohan Sippy on injecting laughs into a legal thriller like Criminal Justice When I interviewed Aanand L Rai, he claimed that like the studio Eros has changed the ending of his 2013 directorial Raanjhanaa using Artificial Intelligence recently. The day isn't far when Jai's character (Amitabh Bachchan) would also rise from his death in the climax of Sholay. What's your take on that? The trouble is the increase in Artificial Intelligence would pale in comparison to the increase in natural stupidity. The problem isn't AI. The problem is our stupidity. Each generation of tools is more powerful than the previous one. Like what computer VFX have done has been more impactful than what happened 20 years before that. Similarly, AI would be very impactful in our business. I don't think anyone really knows yet where it's going. I guess saying no to tools is also a dangerous way to go. But the tools shouldn't be in the hands of those who don't know what they want. For example, there's no point putting computer graphics in the hands of an engineer. You want to put them in the hands of a painter or an artist. Then they'll use it to give you something artistic that has some thoughtfulness behind it. Similarly, if you give AI in the hands of someone who knows how and why to use it, then I'm sure it can be used to achieve something breathtaking. But that agency has to come from us, not from the fact that we have this tool to play with. There'll obviously be a bit of novelty in that, but I don't think that's going to define the medium ever. It's going to be more the right person finding the way to use the tool, like my father used 70MM (in Sholay). You want to come up with things that can take the breath away. But if the story doesn't hold then the best cameras and techniques won't matter. There have been films, which are technically up there, but have failed. So, I think AI is the 800-pound gorilla version of that, but it's still a tool. I still haven't seen AI conceive and generate stories. Maybe that's also around the corner.
Indian Express
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Rana Daggubati on abusing ‘mama' Venkatesh in Rana Naidu: ‘I didn't understand Hindi curses, it was when I dubbed it in Telugu that I realised…'
Rana Daggubati was one of the first Telugu stars from his generation to venture into Hindi cinema with Rohan Sippy's Dum Maaro Dum (2011), Ram Gopal Varma's Department (2012), and Neeraj Panday's Baby (2015). And this is before his period action fantasy franchise Baahubali gave rise to the pan-India phenomenon. Rana also turned out to be a first mover in the world of streaming through Karan Anshuman's 2023 action thriller show Rana Naidu on Netflix India, which he agrees is the 'first pan-India show.' In an exclusive interview with SCREEN, he talks about returning as the titular character in season 2, working with his uncle Venkatesh Daggubati, and more. Now that you've done it enough, have you grown used to cursing your uncle on screen? (Laughs) Since it was Hindi, I didn't understand much of what I said in part 1. So I thought it was okay. It was worse when I was dubbing it in Telugu. It was like, 'Shit! What did I say!' There's a very definite attire and thought gone into how they look and think. Till they're in those clothes, we're all fine. We're licensed to do anything. How is Venkatesh as a scene partner? From the time I made it as an actor, I always thought I'd work with him at some point of time. I was really looking forward to what that project would be. Rana Naidu is something unique that came our way. It's not something he or I have done before. These characters can just go on because they started from such opposite ends that you can travel with them across multiple seasons. As a co-actor, he's pretty phenomenal and charges us to be better each time. Since Rana Naidu is all about family, how did the extended Daggubati family react to it? All of them watched it independently. The kids watched it together. The moms and the grandmoms watched it separately. I think that's also the joy of streaming. At the time of season 1, we were feeling a bit edgy about how it'd turn out. But whether it's someone in the family or not, the show in itself was so new. Hindi had seen a lot of shows, but for the Telugu audience, this was pretty much the first big show that came out. Abhishek (Banerjee, co-star) kept pointing out, 'This is the only 'pan-Indian' show.' I said yeah, that's probably true. There was a lot of shock value in season 1. And then there was a family in which you hated everyone, but strangely, wanted them to be together as well. That intrigued many people. Do you see any similarity between Rana Daggubati and Rana Naidu, the character? Rana Naidu is the darkest version of Rana Daggubati that you can find, with all the issues at their peak. What was weird for me was that at the beginning, since my character is called Raina, every time Venky was saying, 'Rana! Rana!' I didn't know if it was my uncle shouting at me or the character. That was pretty messed up. Also Read — Rana Daggubati says Rana Naidu is 'a dark reality of my real life': 'This show is actually a biopic' But was there nothing common with the character to hold on to, that you resonated with, took along, and flew with? As a human being, who I am is a sum of all these parts I've played in the last 15-16 years. When you live so long with a character, you do some things on your own, but subconsciously, there are a lot more happening. An assistant told me every time you play different roles, your handwriting changes. Now, I didn't notice that. It's crazy! At one point, I was playing an organized politician. The handwriting from the notebooks at that time have the perfect handwriting! So there is a lot that happens you can't speak about. It's others who notice that. So, I'm sure I must've picked up a lot of pieces. And now that I've done two seasons, I'm sure there'll be a lot of Rana (Naidu) in me. Rana Naidu season 2 will drop on Netflix India this Friday on June 13.
India Today
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Criminal Justice spotlights Asperger's; real patients still battle daily inequity
In India, 1 in 68 children is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Asperger's though often folded into the broader ASD category, remains clinically distinct in many respects. It is marked by significant impairments in social interaction and communication, alongside restricted interests, despite otherwise intact language co-morbidities such as anxiety and depression are common, yet public understanding remains dismally Rohan Sippy, otherwise known for his comedy flicks, delivers a taut narrative in his latest season of 'Criminal Justice'. The ongoing series steers clear of the histrionics that often plague Indian OTT content. Importantly, it takes a bold step by putting Asperger's syndrome in the front and right in the centre. It's not just a passing mention; the name is spoken, the condition is respected, and the portrayal of the syndrome is responsibly rendered. The result: A rare moment of clarity in Indian entertainment's murky representation of mental REAL ASPERGER'S For better context, Asperger's doesn't go by its own name any more in official diagnostic reports. It's now subsumed under an overarching ASD. The grouping may be clinically convenient, but it also heavily risks erasing the nuanced experiences of those who live with the condition. As psychiatrists like Dr Neerja Mathur point out, Asperger's is often presented with distinct psychiatric co-morbidities and behavioural traits that merit focused clinical attention and targeted interventions, not is this lack of specificity in diagnosis for AS that can have devastating consequences. Mitali Das, a mother and a social worker, recounts being shown the door by over 30 schools in New Delhi for her son's admission. "They couldn't place him because no one understood the difference between autism, Asperger's syndrome, Tourettes and dyslexia. We had to homeschool him.'While the West has made strides with specialist schools and trained support systems, India is still playing catch-up. Children with Asperger's often prefer to be homeschooled rather than attend regular schools. Even their high cognitive abilities do not mask the daily toll of social exclusion, bullying, and misunderstood irony is quite sharp. A condition identified as far back as 1944, named by British psychiatrist Lorna Wing in 1981, and increasingly common today, still goes largely unrecognised in classrooms, clinics, and is why 'Criminal Justice' matters. Not just for its storytelling, but for showing the courage to say the name, to represent reality, and to start the conversation. Whether the show will shift public attitudes or policy remains to be seen. But at the very least, it places Asperger's — finally — into the public that's a good first step.
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India.com
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
From Panchayat Season 4 To Wednesday Season 2: 7 Most-Anticipated Web Series On OTT
photoDetails english 2907275 Updated:May 28, 2025, 12:35 PM IST Panchayat Season 4 - Prime Video 1 / 7 Panchayat, cult webseries is returning with new season, In the world of Phulera new chapter is set to hooked audience with its promising storytelling, humour and relatable characters. Panchayat Season 4 is all set to stream on Amazon Prime Video from July 2, 2025. Criminal Justice Season 4 - Jio Hotstar 2 / 7 Pankaj Tripathi headlines this legal thriller as a lawyer. This crime thriller is directed by Rohan Sippy, written by Bijesh Jayarajan and Iti Agarwal. The anticipated season 4 of Criminal Justice will be premiered on Jio Hotstar, on May 22, 2025. Mandala Murders - Netflix 3 / 7 Actress Vaani Kapoor's debut web series titled 'Mandala Murders' is helmed by Mardaani 2 director Gopi Puthran. This gritty crime thriller also stars Vaibhav Raj Gupta in pivotal role. According to media reports, this much-awaited series is set to release this year, although an official announcement from the makers is yet to be made Stranger Things Season 5 - Netflix 4 / 7 Starring Millie Bobby Brown in pivotal roles. Production on the fifth and final season of Stranger Things has officially wrapped, set to premiere in 2025. Stranger Things Season 5is one of the most-watched shows on OTT. The cult web series is coming in 2025. Bridgerton Season 4 - Netflix 5 / 7 Netflix's hit series gears up for its much-anticipated new installment, In the world of Bridgerton, new season turns its focus to bohemian second son Benedict. The official annoucement was made by the visionary team at Shondaland. Bridgerton Season 4 is coming to Netflix in 2026. Mirzapur Season 4 - Prime Videos 6 / 7 Mirzapur, the cult web series's new season in comfirmed following the major success of season 3. Pivotal character like Kaleen Bhaiya and Guddu Pandit. The exact release date of the new installement is under wrap, According to ET the fourth season will likely premiere between late 2025 and early 2026. The official announcement is yet to be made by the makers. Wednesday Season 2 - Netflix 7 / 7 Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Adams is back in Nevermore Academy's spooky world. Touted as one of the most-watched series on OTT of all time. It also stars Tim Burton, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar in key roles. The new installement is will premiere in two parts on Netflix, with Wednesday Part 1 is set to premiere on August 6, 2025 and part 2 will arrive on September 3, 2025. (All Images: IMDb/ Netflix)
Scroll.in
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
‘Criminal Justice: A Family Matter' trailer: Pankaj Tripathi's Madhav Mishra tries a murder case
Streaming Directed by Rohan Sippy, the Hindi show also stars Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Surveen Chawla and Shweta Basu Prasad. Out on JioHotstar on May 29.
