Screen looks at the exciting and variegated celluloid recipes being served up by the film industry in the New Year. A check-list of what’s in store for movie-hungry buffs in 2009.
3 Idiots
Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots has perfectionist Aamir Khan, R.Madhavan, Kareena Kapoor, Boman Irani and Sharman Joshi and is set in an engineering college. A comment with insights on our education system, it is adapted from the famous Chetan Bhagat bestseller Five Point Someone with the climax altered. The film brings together Vidhu Vinod Chopra as producer and Aamir for the first time, and is Hirani’s first non-Munnabhai movie.
8 by 10
This Percept Picture Company thriller expected to release in March is directed by Nagesh Kukunoor with Akshay Kumar playing a psychic who can read people’s mind and solve extraordinary problems. The film also stars Sharmila Tagore and Ayesha Takia in supporting roles. Akshay Kumar is trying to break new ground with this film not just with the role but by his working with a director with a completely contrasting sensibility.
Aashayein
The long-delayed John Abraham film Aashayein should see the light of the day in 2009. Nagesh Kukunoor’s film tells the story about a drug addict who sees life in a different light after a dramatic turn of events. TV actor Sonal Sehgal will be seen playing the female lead. The film’s title is inspired from a song in Nagesh Kukunoor’s last film Iqbal. A sensitive filmmaker and a star known more for his physique than acting should be an intriguing combo.
Aa Dekhe Zara
Jehangir Surti’s Aa Dekhe Zara, earlier titled Freeze, is also ready for release. The romantic thriller has Neil Nitin Mukesh and Bipasha Basu together for the first time. Neil plays a photographer while Bipasha plays a DJ. There is a lot of anticipation because this is Neil’s first release after his accomplished debut in Johhny Gaddaar.
Acid Factory
Sanjay Gupta is back with yet another action flick. The film is directed by Suparn Varma, who had earlier made Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena. The story is set in an acid factory and revolves around the lives of six major characters played by Fardeen Khan, Irrfan Khan, Manoj Bajpai, Dino Morea, Aftab Shivdasani and Danny Denzongpa. The only female lead in the film is Dia Mirza. Will Sanjay Gupta, who is known for his stylised action flicks, work his magic again?
Adipa (Tentative)
YRF’s release after New York will star Shahid Kapoor - Rani Mukerji. Anurag Singh’s second outing after his flop debut Raqeeb has Rani playing a cricketer and the film, tentatively titled Adipa, is touted as the female Chak De! India. The buzz is that Rani plays a boy in the garb of a Sardar. Pritam scores music.
Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani
Heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor will be scorching the screen in Rajkumar Santoshi’s next Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani. Pairing up with him for the first time is Katrina Kaif. The light-hearted romance is a departure from the norm for the socially-conscious director.
Aladdin
Sujoy Ghosh’s fantasy flick Aladdin has superstar Amitabh Bachchan as a genie after playing both god and ghost in his 2008 films. Riteish Deshmukh plays the title-role and the film marks the debut of Sri Lankan beauty Jacqueline Fernandez. After so many special effects-heavy films biting the dust, we hope this one works because of the strong storyline.
Billo Barber
The much-delayed Billo Barber is all set to release on February 13 . Produced by SRK’s home banner Red Chillies Entertainment and directed by Priyadarshan, it stars Irrfan Khan as Billo Barber and Lara Dutta. Shah Rukh Khan will also be seen in a special appearance as himself. The comic caper is based on the friendship between a barber and a superstar. The film has four “item” numbers picturised on Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Bipasha Basu and Kareena Kapoor.
Blue
Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Visions’ Blue will see Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Zayed Khan and Lara Dutta share screen space. A complete action flick with many underwater scenes, it is said to be the costliest film ever made in Hindi. The cast of the film had to undergo rigorous training in deep-sea diving and the buzz is that Lara Dutta will be seen flaunting her newly-acquired curves in a bikini. Shot completely in the Bahamas, the film is about an underwater treasure hunt and will have viewers on edge. A.R.Rahman scores the music.
Bum Bum Bole
After Aamir Khan’s Taare Zameen Par, Darsheel Safary is all geared up with Priyadarshan’s new film Bum Bum Bole, an adaptation of Majid Majidi’s Iranian film, The Children Of Heaven. The film also stars Kaveri Jha, Atul Kulkarni and Rituparna Sengupta in pivotal roles. Will the highest-paid child star carry the film?
Chandni Chowk To China
Slated to release on January 16, Chandni Chowk To China is one of the most awaited films of the year. Directed by Nikhil Advani, the film is the story of a cook who leaves his Chandni Chowk home to fulfill his dreams and is mistaken for a martial arts expert in China. Starring Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone, the action comedy is shot in Shanghai, Bangkok and Delhi. Deepika is doing some great action for the first time and the highlight of the film is her fight sequence with Akshay.
Chatur Singh Two Star
Ajay Chandok’s film has Sanjay Dutt play a bumbling cop for the first time. The film is an out-and-out comedy and Sanjay Dutt dons several disguises, including that of Hitler! Ameesha Patel plays the female lead. Will the film be as intriguing as the title?
De Dhana Dhan
The classic Priyadarshan caper has Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Suniel Shetty, Neha Dhupia and Sameera Reddy as the main characters. The first schedule that had a fun song picturised on the main actors was recently shot in Mumbai while the majority of the film will be shot in Singapore. Once again the Akshay Kumar-Priyadarshan combination should tickle the funny-bone.
Delhi 6
Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, the film is apparently based on Mehra’s growing years in old Delhi. Starring Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor in the leads, the film also has a special appearance by Amitabh Bachchan playing Abhishek’s grandfather with an ensemble cast of Waheeda Rehman, Rishi Kapoor and Om Puri. This is Mehra’s first film after the much-acclaimed Rang De Basanti.
Delhi Belly
The Aamir Khan-produced film has nephew Imran Khan in the lead. An action comedy, it is directed by debutant director Abhinay Deo. A mid-2009 release, it is the second film from Aamir Khan Productions without Aamir himself in the cast, as Kunal Roy Kapoor, director of The President Is Coming, has stepped into the role the senior Khan was to play.
Dev D
Anurag Kashyap’s Dev D is a romantic drama that is a modern take on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s classic novel, Devdas. The film stars Abhay Deol and Kalki as the modern-day Devdas and Paro and is set to release in February 2009. Like the unusual treatment the film’s marketing has been rather unconventional too.
Dhobi Ghat
Kiran Rao’s directorial debut went on the floors in September 2008 with Prateik Babbar as one of the principal characters, a junkie. It is being shot in a real dhobi ghat ( a place where washermen work) in Mumbai. Aamir Khan will be essaying a cameo as a painter. Expectations are pretty high from the perfectionist’s wife for obvious reasons.
Ek Thi Rani Aisi Bhi
Bollywood’s eternal Dream Girl Hema Malini has been signed by Gulbahar Singh to essay the role of Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia in the latter’s biopic Ek Thi Rani Aisi Bhi with Vinod Khanna portraying her husband.
Firaaq
Nandita Das dons the director’s hat with this film about communal carnage. Set in 2002 in Gujarat in the aftermath of the communal riots, it is about the scars left in the people’s psyche. Firaaq has been already screened at many international film festivals and has won a few awards. Veterans Deepti Naval, Naseeruddin Shah and Paresh Rawal are also on board. ( I hv already seen it in SAIIF, it’s kool na)
Source : Screen
