Aditya, Abhay, Siddharth rock the ramp

Bollywood hunks Aditya Roy Kapur, Abhay Deol and Sidharth Malhotra walked the ramp for a brand on Friday (October 4, 2013). (Photo: Varinder Chawla)

Ramaiya Vastavaiya Movie Review : Simplistic Love Story Narrated Competently!

Boy meets girl. Falls in love. But family doesn't endorse their relationship. Determined, the lovers resolve to win over the displeased relatives through hard slog, willpower and integrity... Aah, haven't we visited similar themes numerous times in the past? But storytellers the world over tend to replicate stories -- with modifications and alterations, of course -- interpreting the yarn in their individualistic way.

After regaling spectators with masala entertainers like WANTED and ROWDY RATHORE, Prabhu Dheva unleashes his new outing RAMAIYA VASTAVAIYA. Clearly, the promos give an inkling that Prabhu dwells on the age-old formula in his third Hindi outing, a genre that's oft-repeated post MAINE PYAR KIYA [1989]. Come to think of it, not only does RAMAIYA VASTAVAIYA bring back memories of MAINE PYAR KIYA, but also ANARI [1993; Venkatesh - Karisma Kapoor, with Suresh Oberoi playing the strict older brother], DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE [1995; SRK - Kajol, with Amrish Puri as the stern father] and PYAAR KIYA TO DARNA KYA [1998; Salman - Kajol, with Arbaaz enacting Kajol's authoritarian brother].

In reality, RAMAIYA VASTAVAIYA is the remake of Prabhu Dheva's directorial debut NUVVOSTANANTE NENODDANTANA [Telugu; 2005], which was subsequently remade in other languages. The query is, why tag on the oft-repeated premise for a present-day film? But let me also add that romance is eternal and if one looks at the success ratio of this genre, the results have been fantastic, with almost every top name today having commenced his career with a love saga.

RAMAIYA VASTAVAIYA may bear similarities with above named movies, but the drama unfurls way too differently here. Sure, there are deja vu moments, despite the germ of thought being analogous, but Prabhu and screenplay writer Shiraz Ahmed ensure that they pack several novel and mass-friendly punches, introduce new characters, besides packaging it well enough for the entertainment-seeking spectator to lap it up.

Ram [Girish Kumar], the Australia-returned youngster, meets Sona [Shruti Haasan] at his cousin's wedding and falls in love with her. He follows her to her farm, run by her brother [Sonu Sood], who is against this match, since Ram is too affluent for them. He throws a challenge at Ram if he has to win Sona's hand in marriage...

The emphasis is solely and absolutely on providing entertainment in movies such as RAMAIYA VASTAVAIYA and Prabhu Dheva has mastered the art since the time he donned the director's hat. The aiming-at-masses director struck the pot of gold in his first two Hindi movies and in RAMAIYA VASTAVAIYA too, he ensures he ups the entertainment quotient in every frame. Of course, unlike WANTED and ROWDY RATHORE, where romance was the second-most important ingredient, the love story is the focal point of RAMAIYA VASTAVAIYA, but Prabhu is not at sea tackling the genre. Furthermore, this may be atypical love story, with the spectator knowing beforehand what the wrap up would be, but the journey in the second hour specifically is pleasurable, with Prabhu and writer Shiraz Ahmed blending episodes to cater to every strata of the movie-going audience.

RAMAIYA VASTAVAIYA is not without its share of blemishes. To start with, the sequences between the lovers don't work in entirety. Note the sequence at the bath tub; it only adds to the length of the film. Besides, the narrative tends to stagnate in a few sequences, while a few episodes have been stretched for no particular reason. Cinematography [splendid work by Kiran Deohans] and the action [invigorating fights by Kaushal-Moses] are in tandem with the content of the film.

With Kumar Taurani [Tips] in the producer's chair, obviously, the soundtrack has to be rich. It's a given, right? And Sachin-Jigar, the talented jodi, doesn't disappoint either. 'Jeene Laga Hoon' is lilting and has already attained tremendous popularity, while 'Jadoo Ki Jhappi' and 'Rang Jo Lagyo' are wonderful compositions as well. Priya Panchal's lyrics compliment the melodies, while the choreography is eye-catching as well.

Obviously, RAMAIYA VASTAVAIYA is the launch vehicle for Girish Kumar and the actor gets the opportunity to sing, dance, fight, emote, display varied emotions... in short, the film is meant to be a showreel that shows off his acting credentials. Of course, Girish being a first-timer, there are some rough edges, but the fact is, he's photogenic and goes through the rigmarole with confidence. Whether it his introductory sequence [surfing in the sea] or breaking into a dance, whether he's exposing his chiseled physique or wearing desi outfits, whether he's asked to look innocent or flirtatious, Girish gets it right.

Shruti Haasan looks gorgeous and is akin to a breath of fresh breeze. She radiates innocence, but can be naughty the next minute and conveys a lot through her eyes. It would be great to see her in varied roles in times to come. Sonu Sood is exceptional. In fact, this is amongst his finest performances. The film has a gigantic supporting cast comprising of Vinod Khanna, Randhir Kapoor, Poonam Dhillon, Govind Namdev, Satish Shah, Zakir Hussain, Nasser, Sarfaraz Khan, Mushtaq Khan and Paresh Ganatra and each of them enact their respective parts with proficiency. Jacqueline Fernandez and Prabhu Dheva's song is high on energy.

On the whole, RAMAIYA VASTAVAIYA is a simplistic love story narrated competently. Besides, the chemistry between the lead actors, the gripping second hour and of course, the Hit musical score should contribute to its triumph. Recommended!

- Taran Adarsh

Sensuality a key element in 'D-Day'!!

She asserts that sensuality is a key element of her character, and says it hasn't been used just for titillation.

Directed by NIkhil Advani, "D-Day" is an espionage thriller slated to release July 19.

"I'm playing a prostitute in the film and sensuality is a key element. We've not done it for titillation or unnecessary scandalising. The character is like that," the 27-year-old actress said here in an interview.


"If you do it in a wrong way, then the audience and actors both don't like it as the conviction is lost. It's very much integral to the character (in the film). As an actor, I feel we get to express all the emotions, and sensuality is a part of human emotion so its very important," she added.

The film also features Irrfan, Rishi Kapoor and Huma Qureshi in key roles.

"I'm not going to justify my friendship with Dhanush" - Shruti Haasan

Sunshine girl Shruti Haasan talks about her comeback, her reported linkup with Dhanush and growing up as Kamal Haasan’s daughter. Filmfare lends her an ear

Q. What made you choose D-Day as your comeback vehicle?

When Nikhil (Advani) narrated the script to me, I asked him ‘Why do you want me to play this part?’. He had seen the emotional intensity I had brought to 3. After that he was convinced he wanted me for the role. This role didn’t require a howling kind of intensity. It’s the intensity of someone, who has seen a lot. In the beginning, it was tough playing the role since it has so many emotional layers. She is a young prostitute, who has seen so much in her life, yet she’s vulnerable enough to fall in love.

Q. What was the experience like working with Prabhudheva in Ramaiya Vastavaiya (RV)?

Ramaiya Vastavaiya was a challenging role. Because it’s so different from my sensibilities as an actor. Prabhudheva’s meter is different. To get into that meter took me a month. He is particular about what he wants from your body language. His idea of how a girl should be is different from my idea of how a girl should be. RV is not my genre of movie. It’s not the movie I would go and watch. But there are a number of permutations and combinations that lead you to sign a film. And you don’t get path-breaking characters everyday. I know RV will connect with the masses.

Q. Is it better this time around in Mumbai?

Yes. Because my state of mind is positive. When I first came here, I was this musician type who’d just stepped out of a boat from LA. I had a different mindset. Even the way Luck happened, was funny. I was looking for a place to stay here. And one day Imran (Khan) called me asking whether I’d do this film. I said yes. It was like someone was asking me out for a Friday night, that casual. So my debut wasn’t planned. I wasn’t all there while making the film. But when it didn’t do well, it hit me. I sat at home, I didn’t do a movie for a year. I asked myself did I really want to be in the movies? Because I’m not those kind of people, who start something and don’t finish it properly. The answer was yes. I’ve grown up now. I really want it to work for me this time around.

Q. When Luck flopped, did you think that was the end of road for you?

I was depressed. My best friend saw the movie at a preview and said, ‘Wow you’ve messed it up even before it began’. He asked me, ‘Do you really want to do this? Take your time and figure out if you like doing this. I said I love being in front of the camera.’ He said get your act together then. It was really that simple. I was fat when I came back from LA. I was a hamburger. I lost the extra kilos. I was suddenly a different person. I think acting gives me what music doesn’t. So they balance each other out.

Q. You’ve hit a purple patch in the South. The super hit Gabbar Singh has turned the tables for you there.

Yeah, it was completely unexpected. I love the director (Hari Shankar), he is such a sweet guy. We had great fun while shooting. I did emotional ulti in 3. But Gabbar Singh was fun and such a change from the serious stuff. Pawan Kalyan is a huge star and so much fun to work with. It feels good when people call you by your character’s name. It had that kind of reach.

Q. Weren’t you hesitant about signing Gabbar Singh?

Yes. Because it was a remake. And I had that pride that you guys (Hindi industry) remake our stuff. Now it was reverse. The role was bigger than it was in the Hindi version and the treatment was completely different. The director told me there’s not much for you to do in the film. But I will make another film for you. I’m doing my second film with him. It’s called Ramaiya Vastavaiya, not to be confused with the Hindi one. 

Q. So what was the moment that changed this diffident actress in Luck, to a consummate artiste in 3?

Ever since I’ve been singing on stage, I’ve been known to be intense. And I’ve been known to be unafraid of going to dark remote places within. But as an actor I don’t have that training. I was cocky when I was young. But I didn’t have that confidence in front of the camera, the confidence to manipulate your emotions. I had to break that wall. When I went to a music school, my teacher had made me cry in front of the whole class. After that I was never ashamed to bare myself as an artiste. But in acting I am still on that journey. When I sing it comes from an uninhibited place.  It’s like being besharam. I’m learning to be besharam in front of the camera. I’ll be honest, there is still a lot to let go.

Q. As Kamal Haasan’s daughter, you don’t have to struggle to make it.

But dad and mum (actor Sarika) have never pulled in favours for me. They were always like, whatever you do, do it yourself. That’s when the journey will make sense to you. Of course, they are by my side. But I have done it myself. The failures are mine and the success is completely mine. That feels good.

Q. So you’ve never been tempted to call your dad to get you a role you covet?

No. I made it clear at the beginning that I was on my own. So if anything happens to me on the sets, I’m not going to call my dad to help me. Some people respect my independence whereas some try to take advantage. Their attitude is no one will come to bail her out so let’s take advantage of the situation. But that happens to every girl. I don’t want the easy way out. When I went to LA, no one knew Kamal Haasan. So when I had to play there, I wouldn’t call dad and say tell that uncle in LA to help me out. That’s where I learnt to be on my own. That set the tone for me. People respect me for that. I like that look on their faces, which says she has done it herself, as opposed to the look that says yeah you’re good but I spoke to your mom or dad.

Q. What was it like growing up as Kamal Haasan’s daughter?

My friends knew him as Shruti’s daddy or as Kamal uncle. Even now, they’re like Shruti’s daddy’s movie has released. The school days were so simple. My mother insisted that we went by school bus and travelled by autos. We had a normal childhood. Actually, I grew up pretending to be someone else’s daughter. They would say, ‘You’re Kamal Haasan’s daughter’ and I would say, ‘No I’m Dr. Ramachandra’s daughter’. I used to be Pooja Ramchandran. I didn’t want anyone to know that he was my father. I was proud of my dad’s work but it just got in the way of me being me. Everyone, especially my dad’s friends, used to be like, ‘Your mum is so beautiful’ But she is also so chilled out. She would make fish curry, prawn curry and have her friends over. It was a regular upper middle-class upbringing. 

Q. When did you realise your dad is a superstar?

Only when we went  for his movie premieres. Then there were psychotic loving fans who would jump on his car. And then my dad would have this completely different persona. And I would be like, oh! this is the other side of him.

Q. Did it scare you as a kid?

No. I loved it. I remember when I was six, I sang for one of his films. And then we went to Singapore for a show and I sang on the stage for the first time. It was a skit where my mum and dad say, ‘Where is Shruti?’ and I’d pop out of the magic box. I remember the audience was screaming because I was Kamal Haasan’s daughter. But then they screamed after I had finished singing and that was for me. That’s when I got hooked. People saying, ‘We love you’. That kind of adulation makes you feel like a rockstar. 

Q. Do you feel dwarfed by your dad?

No. People expect different things from us. They have Kamal Haasan and Sarika for star power. Hyderabad has been extremely supportive. As much as they love dad, they have accepted me as Shruti. Just like Mumbai. Chennai still has that Kamal Haasan hangover. But I don’t mind it. You get so much of love because of the association. But Mumbai or Hyderabad don’t see me as solely his daughter. They go to see my movie and judge me independently. They don’t think about Sadma when they see me or my movie. 

Q. Your  mother is a Maharashtrian and your dad a Tamilian. Did you have an identity crisis while growing up?

Yes. My English sounds South Indian. My Tamil has a Hindi twang. My Hindi has a Tamil twang. Actually, my Hindi is much better thanks to my mom. That we speak Hindi in Chennai is my mom’s biggest achievement. She was worried we would speak Hindi with a South Indian accent. I’m like a nomad who belongs nowhere. In Chennai they feel that I’m not Tamilian enough. In Mumbai they feel I’m too Tamilian.

Q. Were you traumatised by your parents’ separation?

No. If they couldn’t be happy together, it was better to be happier apart. A lot of kids who’ve seen their parent separate, will say that. In the beginning the fairytale idea works in your mind. But if it’s not working out, it’s not working out. As a kid, I was aware and clear about these thing. They live their own lives and do their own thing. Both are happy. Akshara (younger sister) and I are happy as long as they are happy.

Q. So what’s happening on the personal front?

Zero. Seriously, with six movies on hand where do you have the time to find someone who will adjust his life according to your schedule? I will have to find someone jobless for that. And there is nothing less attractive than a jobless man. I like psycho achievers.

Q. What about the live-in rumours with Siddharth?

As far as I’m concerned it didn’t happen.

Q. You are being linked to Dhanush these days?

I know there are 10,000 rumors. For me, it’s a rare connect with someone. Dhanush is an important friend because when nobody thought I could play the part in 3, he stood by me and said I could do it. For anyone in any job, it’s important that people have faith in you. I owe him so much. Also we get along well. We have so much to talk about. He is also a comprehensive artiste. But I’m not going around justifying to people. I’m not going to tell people to put a microchip in my bum and follow me, so that they can know the truth. He is my best friend in the business. He has always helped me artistically. I won’t throw that in trash just because people are talking nonsense about us. I’ve never bothered much about what people say.

Q. Have you thought about marriage?

Not at all. I see kids sooner than marriage, I don’t know why. I love kids. I want to have children. I just can’t see myself getting married. 

Q. What about being with someone?

I don’t know. I’ve  been so independent. Also I imagine myself as being a difficult girlfriend because I’m always on my own trip. I’m an artiste, I’m always figuring out things in my head. Ultimately, it boils down to being with a good and a kind person, which is rare to find. Someone who lets you be. Everyone has this I-want-you-to-be-this-way condition, everyone has a screenplay for you in their head. From what I see, you go expecting one thing and you get nothing what you expected. That’s the scary thing about relationships. Everything else is easy to figure out.

Q. Has your past experience made you skeptical about getting into a new relationship?

I’m an optimist. If one movie doesn’t do well, doesn’t mean the other movie will also do badly. Having said that I would compromise on my relationship for my job. Especially, at the stage I am now. If I feel my relationship is getting in the way of my work, I would let it go without thinking twice. Maybe I will change when I get older. But right now, if something is getting in the way of my career, I would let it go.

Q. Do you feel things are coming together for you now?

Yes. In a lot of ways. There has been a shift in my energies. Initially, I wanted certain things in certain ways. But the more you force the more it doesn’t happen. Now I believe that God has a plan. And this industry makes you compare yourself with other people. Finally I said, I can’t do what that person is doing and that person can’t do what I do, so just chill. Even personally my life has finally found balance in terms of who I am. It’s a good feeling.

Source : Flimfare

Nikhil Advani axes Shruti Haasan's dialogue to get U/A certificate

Director Nikhil Advani's D- Day was passed by the Censor Board Of Film Certification with a few dialogue cuts and a 'UA' (permitted for children's viewing with parental guidance) certificate.

Surprisingly, no cuts were ordered in verbal content regarding Pakistan.

The film starring Rishi Kapoor and Arjun Rampal, is based on on cross-border terrorism about a group of RAW agents assigned to bring a Dawood-like terrorist back to India from Pakistan.

Nikhil advani says: "I expected some objection to what could be considered inflammatory dialogues about Pakistan. But the Censor Board has not touched a single word pertaining to Pakistan."

What has gone are a few dialogues by Shruti Haasan who plays a Pakistani prostitute.

Nikhil Advani says, "These are lines where she does hardcore business bargaining with her clients. I was advised to get rid of these dialogues to obtain a 'UA' certificate. I happily took them off. My apprehensions were not about what Shruti's character has to say but about the far more important dialogues on cross-border terrorism. I am happy to say the Censor Board didn't touch any of those."

D-DAY- shruti hasan and arjun rampal set the screen on fire!

Shruti Hassan Sizzling Wallpapers

Shruti Rajalakshmi Haasan is an Indian actress, singer and music composer who works in the South Indian film industry and Bollywood. Her parents are noted actors Kamal Haasan and Sarika.

Look At Some Of The Sizzling Pics Of Shruti Hassan Below