Whilst shooting for the film Baby with, the base of Aiyaary started shaping up in the director’s Neeraj Pandey mind, as the filmmaker recently revealed. Revolving around two men in uniform serving their country, the film stars Sidharth Malhotra and Manoj Bajpayee.
Speaking about the background the film, Sidharth Malhotra said, “It is not a war film. It’s an espionage thriller predominantly. It talks about different issues of the country. It’s an entertaining thriller. But this is not a theme based film.”
Furthermore the Aiyaary actor shared, “I love spy thrillers. I grew up with the James Bond series, True Lies, Mission Impossible etc. Hollywood also does some real versions of a spy thriller. Even Aiyaary is the real version of a spy thriller.”
Also starring Anupam Kher, Naseeruddin Shah, Rakul Preet Singh and Pooja Chopra in lead roles, Aiyaary is in UK cinemas now via Reliance Entertainment.
Starring Sidharth Malhotra, Manoj Bajpayee, Nasseruddin Shah & Anupam Kher directed by Neeraj Pandey
Sidharth Malhotra is the newest Bollywood heartthrob on the scene. The 33-year-old actor made his debut in 2012 with Karan Johar’s ‘Student Of The Year‘ and has built up quite a fan following through his performances with UK hits such as Kapoor & Sons and Brothers.
Hailing from an Indian Armed Forces family, Sidharth entered the film industry after working as a junior assistant director on the award-winning My Name Is Khan. He caught director Karan Johar’s eye, who then decided to launch Sidharth along with Varun Dhawan, son of director David Dhawan, and Alia Bhatt, daughter of renowned producer Mahesh Bhatt in Student Of The Year. The three actors shot to stardom in India even before their highly-anticipated debut film released.
Malhotra has since starred in hits such as Ek Villain, Ittefaq and A Gentleman. He is gearing up for his newest release, Aiyaary, also starring Manoj Bajpayee and Rakul Preet.
Speaking to BollyNewsUK, the actor discusses his new movie and filming in the British capital…
You must be very excited starting the new year with Aiyaary… Yes, every Friday brings in new excitement. The script and content of Aiyaary is very powerful and director Neeraj Pandey always showcases intelligent content in his films. Audiences will understand the reason why we’ve made the film, as it’s very relevant now. It’s a packaged spy thriller, which I’ve never done before, so it’s something new for the audience.
The title of Aiyaary is unusal. Was that intentional to make the film mysterious? I believe that Neeraj Pandey has a knack for finding these words when it comes to naming his films. It was also very apt for the characters as we are playing intelligence agents in the film. Aiyaary means the art of trickery, and these guys definitely have that skill. It’s also a very intriguing title, which helps us. Neeraj Pandey films usually share critical acclaim and box office success. Are you worried about the trend of 2017 where most movies didn’t perform well though? No, I don’t worry about that. Every film has its own audience at the end of the day. When you sign up to do a film, you know the extent of the business it is likely to make. This is a thriller first of all, which doesn’t have the trappings of a commercial love story. It has a good subject which is relevant to the country and its youth. Also, looking at Neeraj Pandey’s track record, he has never had a film under-performing at the box office. Its more relaxing because of his past track record.
You disappeared from social media with the hashtag #SidsOffTheGrid leading up to first promotions of Aiyaary. What was that about? (Laughs) We were just preparing audiences for what is going to happen when Aiyaary releases, as my character in the film goes off the grid. In my head, I wanted to see if people will miss me online. I was very happy to see that people were concerned, including you who messaged and called. It was very nice actually. I was back in two days, it was a fun activity.
Your last film Ittefaq was only promoted on social and digital media. However, some film studios are going back to the traditional marketing style. What do you feel works best? The trend has really changed. It has more become about what happens on the Friday of release. Audiences want to know what the reports are, what their friends and family thought of the film, as it is an expensive experience to go to the cinema. The taxes aren’t helping either. I believe more than marketing or public relations, it has become all about what the first day is like. Social Media has a massive reach. You can disseminate authentic information from your official accounts. There is no middle man and hence, misunderstandings are avoided. I feel, in a country like India, social media is still a new phenomenon and doesn’t have the same numbers as the US or UK. We must cater to the traditional formats of information as well. Audiences are shifting from TV and newspapers to online, albeit slowly. Although, Facebook has a great reach in India, which is great. Twitter and Instagram are fairly new, and you can’t only depend on these medium to create awareness.
Was it distracting for you as an actor to shoot at popular tourist attractions such as Leicester Square in London? We were filming on Oxford Street and London is always beaming with people. We were filming at 17:00, during high rush hour time. We didn’t want to lock down the area for the shoot as it was supposed to look authentic. That was a bit of an issue.
I was wearing a hood and was sweaty, as it was supposed to portray the middle of an action sequence. I was coming out of the Underground station and a steady cam was filming me walking out. During almost all of the takes, someone passing by would react to me being there. It took a lot of retakes and was a tricky situation as to whether we should announce that we are filming or just keep going as we were. We continued filming Guerrilla style and some of the fans were sweet enough to not stare into the camera during takes. It was interesting to shoot at an actual location with people around you not knowing about it.
Since the film was moved forward, do you believe the extra time you have to promote the film is a positive to take out of the situation? We were always prepared to create good awareness for the film but, yes it does give us a bigger window now. We have been to Chandigarh, Amritsar and the Wagah border. It’s interesting as no one has spent so much time with the Armed Forces before for a film. It’s great to give them memories and I’m enjoying spending time with them.
Reliance Entertainment releases Aiyaary in UK cinemas on 16th February 2017.
Sidharth Malhotra and Katrina Kaif will be romancing each other in the upcoming film Baar Baar Dekho, an interesting love story shot across several international locations.
Check out the poster and first look here:
Produced by Eros International, Excel Entertainment and Dharma Productions, directed by Nitya Mehra, Baar Baar Dekho stars Sidharth Malhotra and Katrina Kaif. The film is slated for 9 September 2016 release
If one says that Rishi Kapoor is a perfectionist then that will be an underrated sentence. Rishi Kapoor spent five hours every day for a month on make up for his new look in his upcoming film.
The Kapoor actor is not at all shying away from experimenting with his looks. The actor is playing an 85 year old grouchy, bullying old man in his upcoming film, Kapoor & Sons and this is what he’s going to look like.
According to a source, “Greg Cannom is a Hollywood special makeup effects artist done make-up for him. Cannom has been nominated for nine Academy Awards and has won three times for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ( 2008), Mrs Doubtfire ( 1993) and Dracula ( 1992). He has also been nominated for seven Saturn Awards and received one.”
During the shoot, he had to sit for five hours every day for almost a month and he had to wake up at 5 am. He is a drinking man and people say he has no patience, but for him to wake up early every day and sit for five hours straight was a bit
“When Karan (Johar) and the director Shakun (Batra) came to meet me, I suggested that they take Cannom because I had heard of him. I was not sure about this suggestion being agreed upon since it would be a costly affair, but Karan agreed even though he knew that this would cost him around Rs 1.5 to Rs 1.75 crore,” said Rishi Kapoor.
“Shakun and I met up with Cannom and discussed the look and we decided that it would be a mix of Rishi Kapoor and A K Hangal’s look”, added the actor.
Director Shakun further added, “Rishiji’s character is extremely integral to the storyline. Since he is playing a grandfather, we wanted him to look the part.”
Kapoor & Sons will release in UK cinemas through 20th Century Fox on 18th March 2016.
Sidharth Malhotra and director Nitya Mehra kick-off Baar Baar Dekho in Glasgow, UK.
Bollywood chocolate boy Sidharth Malhotra is excited to be filming in the UK for the first time. His new film with British-Indian superstar Katrina Kaif, Baar Baar Dekho, is currently being filmed in Glasgow, Scotland.
Baar Baar Dekho is Nitya Mehra’s directorial debut who has previously assisted on films such as Life of Pi and Don (2006). The film also marks the first co-production between Excel Entertainment and Karan Johar’s Dharma Production.
Described as a timeless love story, Baar Baar Dekho will see Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra portray the roles of Diya and Jai respectively.
Speaking to Bollywood reporter Sunny Malik, Sidharth Malhotra said, “I am really excited to be shooting in Scotland with Katrina for over a month. I have been to that side of the world before but never filmed a movie there. Apparently we will have great weather which is far more conducive for shooting outdoors.”
“I am pretty excited to be filming with Katrina Kaif too. She has a great body of work and I think it will be great to do a love story with her. She has great star presence on-screen.”
Baar Baar Dekho will be released in UK cinemas and worldwide next year through Eros International.
Eros International Media Ltd (Eros International), a leading global film company in the Indian film entertainment industry, has acquired the worldwide rights of Excel Entertainment and Dharma Productions’ upcoming Sidharth-Katrina starrer Baar Baar Dekho.
India’s premier production houses Excel and Dharma are collaborating with leading studio Eros for the worldwide release of their timeless love story, Baar Baar Dekho starring Katrina Kaif and Siddharth Malhotra, marking the directorial debut of Nitya Mehra.
Speaking on the association, Jyoti Deshpande, Group CEO, Eros International Media Ltd said, “We are delighted to join forces with two of the most notable production houses, Excel and Dharma, for this very interesting love story. With such creative forces behind the project, audiences can only expect the very best. Through this partnership, we hope to drive together thestrategy for creating, marketing and distributing the film on a global platform”.
Producer Ritesh Sidhwani, Excel EntertainmentPvt. Ltd, added, “We are happy to associate with Eros International once again and look forward to our film getting the best release platform through their unparalleled reach and network.”
Co-Producer Karan Johar, Dharma Productions, added, ‘Baar Baar Dekho’ is a love-story in the making not just on the screen for Siddharth and Katrina, but at every level of creation, distribution and promotions for all the companies involved”.
The film has already started filming in the UK and will be shot across several international locations. Baar Baar Dekho will be released in 2016.
Bollywood chocolate boy Sidharth Malhotra made a stunning debut with Karan Johar’s ‘Student of the Year’ in 2012. The 30-yea-old actor has since played a number of diverse roles. His second movie, ‘Hasee Toh Phasee’, saw him playing a lover boy in a very quirky rom-com. Sidharth then surprised audiences worldwide with his critically acclaimed portrayal of a gangster in ‘Ek Villain’.
‘Brothers’ marks his fourth feature film as an actor where he plays a loner and an alcoholic. Sidharth plays the role of Monty who struggles hard with his complex existence. He shies away from crowds and he does not have any friends. He is active in the world of underground street-fighting, but he lacks a winner’s attitude. He strongly yearns for the acceptance and love of his family. This yearning for approval and respect leads him to find the needed focus and determination to make it big in the street fighting circuit. When the ‘Right to Fight’ competition is announced, he makes it his life’s mission to win it to earn respect and to find his rightful place in the world.
Speaking to Bollywood Reporter Sunny Malik, Sidharth opened up about the film and much more…
‘Hasee Toh Phasee’ was an interesting rom-com and ‘Ek Villain’ completely transformed you. How has the journey in Bollywood been so far? The journey has been interesting. I learnt a lot of things and there were quite a few ups and downs. People typecast you once you do a romantic movie and if you do an action flick, they put you in that space. I have attempted to do all genres. Even though Ek Villain and Brothers have action in them, you can see that they are diametrically very different. I feel now there is far less anxiousness from my part when I interact with people from the film industry as well. When I entered the movies business, I had a lot of general and work pressure as well as performance anxiety. That has reduced. The feedback I got helped me and also when a film was successful at the box office. That gave me a confidence boost that there is an audience that is excited to see my movies and will pay money to watch them at cinemas. I also feel a bit responsible that I need to give out better content and not let that go. What I don’t like is that everybody starts typecasting you instantly. What I want to do is to adapt to both; a romantic film and also a hard-hitting action film.
You have been choosy and not been signing films left, right and centre. Why is that? Yes, I have been a bit choosy. If a film demands it, like Brothers did, I take off time. I was preparing for about six months. I needed to be convincing for the role hence, I needed to eat and gain a lot of weight. It was also a different role for me as people wouldn’t imagine me playing such a role. If I can choose from the material that I am offered then it needs to be something new, it should have an X factor for me and get me excited. I get bored if it gets monotonous. Of course, the script and screenplay has to work. For me, my character also needs to have a journey from the beginning till the end. The director is also quite important for me. When I meet a director, the vibe and their passion should show. Then they can push your limits. I knew Karan Malhotra even before Brothers. I knew that he doesn’t settle for anything short than a great or perfect take. That makes it easier for me as an actor because you know someone is pushing you for the right reasons. The combination of trying something new, a great script and a good director are probably the things that I will look for in my next projects. I also think it’s great that actors take out time from their schedule to work on a character. I can assure you that I haven’t looked like this in my other films and neither do I look like that right now. It was all for a particular project and to make it look convincing. I did get a vibe from some people who thought it’s too early for me in my career to take off time to work on my character. I thought and still think that it’s best for the film and if it will pay off, then that is what actors should do.
Was it weird looking at yourself in the mirror after your physical transformation for Brothers? Oh yes, it took me a while to get used to my beard. I have never had such a big beard ever in my life. Neither did I ever have such short hair. I also gained about ten kgs in four months. It took me a while to get used to it and my clothes stopped fitting me. I had to get a new wardrobe. Some people think keeping short hair is very macho and very easy but it takes more time to maintain it. It was definitely more effort for me to keep it short and get it trimmed every second day. I had to spend more time in my van to get ready and I hate that. I love to just come in, get ready quickly and be on the set. It took me a while to get used to my look but I also knew that it will make the film and my character look more convincing. That was my main goal. Hats off to Karan Malhotra, the director, as he showed me an image of a 6 foot 4 inch tall bald wrestler. I got scared thinking that I have to shave off all my hair for the film and I was just freaked out because that guy was too big (laughs). He told me that he wants me to look that way. He told me that I need to physically look very broad and massive. I promised him that I’ll do whatever the best I can and that’s when I decided to not to do anything else and just prepare myself for this film.
You have known Karan Johar, the producer, and Karan Malhotra, the director for many years. Who approached you to star in the film? It was Karan Malhotra himself when it came to offering me the role. He was about to start another film, Shuddhi perhaps and I was supposed to do another project post Ek Villain. It was quite interesting how Brothers fell into place for all of us. Endomol had been trying to make this film with various production houses in India for a few years and it never really worked out. I remember that one night he was meeting Karan Johar and Reshma (head of a talent management agency), and on top of his head Karan Malhotra told them that a film he really wants to make is Warrior. Reshma said that she knows the people who have been trying to make this film in India. They then had a meeting with Endomol after two days of that conversation and Karan was asked to adapt the script and wrote the Hindi script in about a 40-50 days. He considered me because of Ek Villain and also because he knew me personally. I was excited because he had great standards of filmmaking and a lot of conviction more than anything else. When you come on set, you just know that Karan had thought about every little detail from how to shut a door and what kind of look the actor needs to give for a scene. He was very clear about these things and that’s why as an actor you don’t need to do a lot of homework. The film has a lot of drama but it’s very subtle, which is today’s flavour. The audience will get the impact but were not really performing for drama.
You must have been thrilled when Akshay Kumar came on board too… Even Akshay Sir was supposed to do another film instead. It’s really amazing how everything fell into place. We all changed dates and pushed films ahead to do Brothers. We all were destined to play roles in the film. When I came on set, I realised that all four of us, Karan Malhotra, Jackie Shroff Sir, Akshay Sir and I were very similar in personalities. We all come from very basic and non-film backgrounds. We are all about doing the right thing. Hence, we got along really well. I also don’t have a female heroine in the film and all I did was hang out with Akshay Sir and Jackie Sir which was refreshing. I think, the male energy that audiences will see on-screen hasn’t been seen in Hindi cinema for a while.
The trailer doesn’t reveal whether your character is truly negative or positive. Can you shed some light on this? Well, it will be difficult to predict who is negative and who is positive in the film. The only difference between the two brothers is that Akshay Sir’s character has a very personal and correct reason to fight the competition while my character has an internal motivation to fight the competition. My character is not doing it for money but only to prove a point to my friends and family that I’m worth something. That’s why the character comes across as more aggressive but isn’t really negative. Akshay Sir plays the family guy and is doing it for his family. The film is not really about who wins the fight. It’s more about the conflict the two brothers have been living with; their abusive father, their angst, their mother who died when they were young and all that is bottled up till the climax. It makes my character and Akshay’s character, being the older and mature one, handles it differently. I think it’s not a negative character. It’s just different.
Directed by Karan Malhotra, ‘Brothers’ is produced by Karan Johar and released by 20th Century Fox. The film is out now nationwide.
Get ready for a testosterone fuelled song which shows the lead actors, Akshay Kumar and Sidharth Malhotra of upcoming film ‘Brothers’ in full training mode.
The Brothers Anthem is the latest track to be released, sung by Vishal Dadlani. A fast paced song that is sure to pump up audiences, Akshay’s sequence was shot on top of the Worli Fort where a gym similar to Akshay’s personal one was created, so that they could recreate the type of fitness regime he follows in his personal life.
This song also shows the two distinct styles of David and Monty; David being more of a technical and methodical fighter while Monty is shown to use brute force. The song ends with the appearance of several international fighters who have competed in MMA and WWE who arrive for the tournament.
“The song comes at a point when the two brothers, David (Akshay) and Monty (Sidharth), are given an entry into the tournament R 2 F (Right To Fight). They are excited and start training for it. The song also simultaneously conveys an idea of the media coverage — how the tournament is being accepted by the government and the people, building an excitement around the tournament.” says director Karan Malhotra.
Brace yourself for a cinematic explosion of love, fraternal rivalry and high drama as “Brothers” sets screens ablaze this 14th August. Released by 20th Century Fox in UK cinemas, the high-octane family drama stars international icon Akshay Kumar along with Sidharth Malhotra (Ek Villain), Jacqueline Fernandez (Kick) and Jackie Shroff (Dhoom 3) in pivotal roles.
Directed by trailblazer Karan Malhotra (Agneepath), known for extracting inspiring performances from his actors and sending his audiences on an emotional, cathartic journey, Brothers has been produced by renowned filmmaker Karan Johar, under his Dharma Productions banner, along with Lionsgate Films and Endemol India. The film’s music has been penned by duo Ajay-Atul who have delivered hit soundtracks for blockbusters such as PK, Agneepath and Singham.
Anticipation around the release of “Brothers” is mounting given the union of an esteemed cast and crew, spearheaded by Karan Johar, Karan Malhotra, Akshay Kumar and Sidharth Malhotra.
Brothers is the story of a broken family, set in the world of mixed martial arts and underground street fighting. Akshay Kumar plays the role of Sidharth Malhotra’s elder brother; both siblings are martial arts fighters locked in a fierce rivalry for victory in the ring. The gritty family drama required intense physical training and fitness aficionado Akshay Kumar left no stone unturned. Akshay, along with co-star Sidharth Malhotra, worked relentlessly on a gruelling fitness regime, both requiring highly controlled diets, prolonged martial arts training sessions and weight lifting. The actors look mean and rugged in the film’s trailer and are seen flaunting super toned physiques.
Karan Johar’s cinematic experience traditionally places the family unit and entangled relationships centre-stage. “Brothers”promises to live up to the expectation as audiences will get aboard the rollercoaster of emotions that engulf a family, brimming with tension between two warring brothers.
Synopsis: Gary Fernandes (Jackie Shroff), a former alcoholic and street-fighter, returns home after serving a prison sentence of 10 long years to find that the wounds of the past still haunt his family. His two sons, David (Akshay Kumar) and Monty (Sidharth Malhotra), who had parted ways as kids, are grown men now, but are still bitterly estranged. Gary himself carries the burden of his guilt. His elder son, David is an ex-fighter turned school teacher. He and his wife Jenny work hard to make ends meet and to provide the best they can for their ailing daughter Poopoo.
Troubled financial circumstances drive a desperate David to return to the world of street fighting. While, Monty struggles with his lonely complex existence. An alcoholic, he is active in the world of street fighting, but lacks focus and determination. He strongly yearns for the acceptance, love and respect of his family. As the story unfolds, we see the journey of these three men, as they seek to find redemption and healing.
Meanwhile, the arrival of ‘Right to Fight’ is announced in India — the biggest international event in mixed martial arts history. Both brothers, at the crossroads of their lives, end up enlisting to fight in this ‘Winner-takes-all’ event. And it is here after an age of estrangement, unknown to the two siblings, they finally stand to face off with each other and against their personal demons, in the ultimate final battle.
It is said, that when a deep injury is done to us, we can never recover until we forgive. With twists and turns, pouring emotions and edge-of-the-seat action, will this final battle between the two brothers repair old wounds?
Brothers releases in UK cinemas on 14th August 2015 through 20th Century Fox.
Watch a promotional song from the movie featuring Kareena Kapoor Khan here:
20th Century Fox will release Karan Malhotra’s Brothers in UK cinemas on 14th August 2014.
An Indian adaptation of the hugely popular hit, Warrior (starring Tom Hardy), Brothers is the hard-hitting action-drama surrounding a broken family forced to face up to one another mentally and physically, all within the world of mixed martial arts and underground street fighting.
The film stars one of India’s most reputed actors Akshay Kumar (a martial artist, who has launched stars such as Kylie Minogue, Snoop Dogg and Sylvester Stallone in Bollywood) and emerging star Siddharth Malhotra. The film is a co-production between Endemol India and one of India’s leading production companies, Dharma Productions.
David (Akshay Kumar) is forced to confront his underlying problems when he finds himself reunited with his estranged family; his father (Jackie Shroff) returns after serving a ten-year prison sentence, and Monty (Sidharth Malhotra) the struggling alcoholic who is active in the world of street fighting, yearns for acceptance and love from his family. Brought together by the arrival of India’s biggest international event in mixed martial arts history, ‘Right to Fight’, the family must face each other, and their demons, to win the ultimate battle, and find redemption.
Dharma Productions has released the first trailer of their much-awaited sports drama film, Brothers. The action packed film stars superstar Akshay Kumar, Sidharth Malhotra, Jacqueline Fernandez and Jackie Shroff.
Brothers is an official remake of Hollywood film Warrior (2011) and is co-produced by Lionsgate Films and Endemol India. The film will release in UK cinemas on 14th August through 20th Century Fox.
The film is directed by Karan Malhotra and produced by Karan Johar.
Watch the trailer here:
Check out photos of the trailer launch by Yogen Shah:
Here is a sneak peek at Sidharth Malhotra and Shraddha Kapoor in Mohit Suri’s forthcoming Ek Villain, in which they have been paired opposite each other for the first time.
Known for crafting intense romantic sagas, this time the director of Aashiqui-2 ups the ante with a musical romantic thriller around three protagonists – Rakesh (Riteish Deshmukh), Guru (Sidharth Malhotra) & Ayesha (Shraddha Kapoor). The keenly anticipated film releases in cinemas on June 27.
Bollywood actor Sidharth Malhotra speaks to BollyNewsUK about his second Bollywood film, Hasee Toh Phasee.
Produced by Dharma Productions and Phantom Films, Hasee Toh Phasee, is set to release in UK cinemas on 7th February 2014. The film also stars Parineeti Chopra and Adah Sharma in pivotal roles.
Your second film is co-produced by Karan Johar who directed your first film. Did he offer you Hasee Toh Phasee? The offer actually came from Phantom Films (Anurag Kashyap, Vikas Bahl and Vikramaditya Motwane). It all started when Phantom Films wanted to co-produce a movie with Dharma Productions and they had enquired about me. From that enquiry, Karan gave me the script of the film and told me to read it and if I like it, he said that we will go further. I read it and being just one film old, I guess you can’t really figure out everything just by reading a script or your instincts aren’t great yet. I have now started meeting the directors when I read scripts which began with Hasee Toh Phasee. The film has a lot of quirky stuff like the heroine eating toothpaste, getting stuck on the love seat up in the air and a lot of other quirky things that audiences will see when they watch the movie. I met the director (Vinil Mathew) and I was sold after meeting him as he is very quirky himself in real life. Vinil has a lot work under his belt as an ad director. I think, just meeting him was the one thing why I did the film.
One can guess from the trailer that it’s a love story where the boy meets the girl and they fall in love. What else is the film all about? That is correct. You know, films of the rom-com genre are the toughest to promote and market. Of course, every rom-com is different but everyone already knows the ending which is similar for our film (laughs). Hasee Toh Phasee is different in a way because our characters are not how people would imagine them to be. We don’t play the typical hero and heroine. Every family has the not so successful kind of boy and that is my character in the film. He is a very confused boy who doesn’t know what to do in life. He runs an unsuccessful event management company and is pressured by his family to earn a lot of money. Actually, he has to earn a certain amount of money in the film. He thinks he is cool, but he is not. He is one of those confident kind of guys but still very emotional and correct. My friends from Delhi are like that as they get a lot of pressure about their work. Then my character meets Parineeti, who is also not very popular in her family. She comes to Mumbai and meets my character and that is what the film is all about. It’s a story of how they meet for seven days and how they interact as it’s not love at first sight. It becomes very intriguing as they spend more time together and find out weird things about each other. It is a rom-com but our characters are not what audiences would usually expect from this kind of a film.
Your first co-star Alia Bhatt just said that she is not confident about the fate of her second film at the box office. Are you worried about box office success? Well, of course, there is that aspect. But what I am more concerned about is pulling off a solo film. I am also hoping for a little appreciation in terms of acting abilities and hope that people feel that I can play variations and characters as it’s very different from Student Of The Year. The money aspect comes in much later. I think, initially you need to focus on making a good quality product. It’s Vinil Mathew’s first feature film who has to prove his directing abilities and my first solo hero film and I have to prove my mettle as an actor. It will hopefully make money but I don’t think we need to stress about it. It’s not the kind of film where we spent an extravagant amount of money and need to worry about recovering the costs. My concern is that audiences like my character, the performances and feel that we have done something different and new, yet at the same time convincing.
You sound more confident and less shy from your Student Of The Year days… Yes, for some odd reason I have been getting this feedback from a lot of people. Maybe I was taking my character too seriously or maybe because of Karan Johar as no one else speaks in front of him and in front of Varun Dhawan (laughs). Hopefully, people will also feel a difference when they see me in Hasee Toh Phasee.
You also look much younger in some scenes… Yes, I had to become leaner for the film and I may look younger because of the hairstyle. This is actually a film where I am playing a character that is my age, someone in his twenties, unlike Student Of The Year. I guess being leaner and not going to the gym for the film also made me look younger.
Hasee Toh Phasee is quite a fun title… It’s an apt title because the film is only about the couple. In all honesty, the title isn’t really connected to the film though in terms of the storyline (laughs). It sounds very commercial but the film isn’t really an all-out commercial film and far more muted and subtle in performances. We actually had another title when we started the film and Hasee Toh Phasee was suggested by one of the producers, Vikas Bahl.
The music album is being liked but people are really talking about your dance song ‘Shake it like Shammi’ . Yes, we have three dance tracks and three romantic songs in the film. There is always pressure when performing for dance songs. Shake it like Shammi is almost like a solo song for me. I would also like to clarify that Shake it like Shammi is not a tribute to Shammi Kapoor. People keep writing about it as a tribute because of the ‘Shammi’ in the song. It’s just a lyrical use of the name. The character that I am playing is not that cool that he could shake it like Shammi. It’s his attempt to shake it like Shammi to impress a girl. It’s not like Badtameez Dil where the guy is cool and can do a full-on item song performance. I think it’s come out in a fun and interesting way. I hope everyone likes it.
During Student Of The Year, Karan Johar said that dancing is something you need to focus on. Did you spend a lot of time rehearsing for Shake it Like Shammi? Remo D’Souza choreographed the song and was aware of that. We did a lot of rehearsals. Usually we don’t have a lot of time to rehearse. I was filming for something else but was rehearsing over night for five days for the song. It always helps to have more rehearsals as you will be more comfortable with the steps. I was quite conscious of it myself as I personally didn’t like the way I performed on the songs in Student Of The Year. I think, it also comes from the fact that I was never trained in dancing. My training began on the job. I learnt and picked up dancing as I was doing the film. It was tough for Shake It Like Shammi and Remo did make me rehearse a lot. We have some interesting steps and shots and hopefully the song will work with audiences.
What is your definition of love? It’s odd to sum up love in a few words or sentences. But for me, love is spending time with someone, being understanding of what the other person needs and being secure. I hate somebody being insecure and not giving me space, but then again, I think that is all men (laughs). There should be no pretense to it and can’t have any hidden agendas. To be in love with someone, it has to be an honest relationship and a lot of friendship. If you can have all these things and still enjoy the time you spend with someone, that is love. It also tells you a lot about a person if you go and spend some time alone with somebody. If you can manage to take break while you are dating and go away somewhere where you only have that person to talk to, that tells you a lot about how good your chemistry is.
HASEE TOH PHASEE opens in UK cinemas on 7th February 2014.
Bollywood heart-throb Sidharth Malhotra has said that “love can’t have any hidden agendas” and should be based on “a lot of friendship.”
The Student Of The Year actor will be seen in Karan Johar’s Hasee Toh Phasee in UK cinemas this Friday. The film is directed by Vinil Mathew and also stars Parineeti Chopra.
Speaking to Bollywood reporter Sunny Malik, the 29-year-old said, “It’s odd to sum up love in a few words or sentences. But for me, love is spending time with someone, being understanding of what the other person needs and being secure. I hate somebody being insecure and not giving me space, but then again, I think that is all men (laughs).”
Sidharth further said, “There should be no pretense to love and can’t have any hidden agendas. To be in love with someone, it has to be an honest relationship and a lot of friendship. If you can have all these things and still enjoy the time you spend with someone, that is love.”
Malhotra also revealed that he believes spending time with someone alone gives one a better understanding of that person. “It also tells you a lot about a person if you go and spend some time alone with somebody. If you can manage to take break while you are dating and go away somewhere where you only have that person to talk to, that tells you a lot about how good your chemistry is.”
Hasee Toh Phasee releases in UK cinemas on 7th February 2014.
One film old Sidharth Malhotra charmed several women with his looks in Student of the Year in 2012 and now filmmaker Anurag Kahsyap is impressed with his acting skills.
The 29-year-old will be seen with Parineeti Chopra in Vinil Mathew’s directorial debut Hasee Toh Phasee, which releases in UK cinemas on Friday, 7th February 2014.
“Sidharth is fabulous in the film and the kind of restraint and focus he has shown in ‘Hasee Toh Phasee’ is impressive. He is so real and believable to the extent that I did not expect it from him,” Kashyap said in a statement.
According to a source, the Gangs of Wasseypur director is writing a film keeping Sidharth in mind.
“While SOTY (Student Of The Year) established Sidharth’s fan base, Hasee Toh Phasee is here to introduce Sidharth Malhotra-the actor. Just two films old, the actor has managed to impress some of the biggest names in the industry, the latest being Anurag Kashyap who is very impressed with Sidharth and is keen on writing a film keeping him in mind,” said a source.
Dharma Productions must-see romantic comedy film of-the-year Hasee Toh Phasee will release on 7th February 2014 through Reliance Entertainment .
Hasee Toh Phasee promises to be a rom-com with a difference, bringing together a star cast of emerging acting talent and accomplished film professionals, both in front of and behind the camera. The film is directed by Vinil Mathew.
Set across Mumbai, over a decade, the film is about the relationship between the quirky, rebellious Meeta (Parineeti Chopra – Ishaqzaade), and the mischievous Nikhil (Sidharth Malhotra – Student Of The Year) struggling with their respective families to fit in. Nikhil bumps into Meeta on the occasion of her sister Deeksha’s wedding, while Meeta is on the run. He falls in love with Meeta’s sister Karishma on the same day.
The film jumps to the eve of Nikhil and Karishma’s engagement. Karishma’s wealthy father, Devesh Solanki, does not approve of Nikhil as he finds him to be a no-good young man. On the day of his engagement, Nikhil promises Karishma that he will prove himself to be worthy of her within the next seven days.
In an attempt to please Karishma he decides to let Meeta live in the flat above his own house, with his crazy extended family. During the course of Meeta’s stay the pair become close and open up to each other.
In the midst of this confusion, the truth about relationships is unfolded; the strength of unions is tested and love triumphs.
Read on to find out the story of Dharma Productions’ forthcoming release, Hasee Toh Phasee:
Spread across Mumbai, over a decade the film is about the relationship between the quirky, rebellious Meeta (Parineeti Chopra), and the mischievous Nikhil (Sidharth Malhotra) struggling with their respective families to fit in. Nikhil bumps into Meeta on the occasion of her sister Deeksha’s wedding while Meeta is on the run. He falls in love with Meeta’s sister Karishma on the same day.
The film jumps to the eve of Nikhil and Karishma’s engagement. Karishma’s wealthy father, Devesh Solanki, does not approve of Nikhil as he finds him to be a lackadaisical young man. On the day of his engagement, Nikhil promises Karishma that he will prove himself to be worthy of her within the next seven days.
Nikhil is re-introduced to Meeta by Karishma and is instructed to put her up in a hotel. Nikhil recognizes Meeta. In an attempt to please Karishma he decides to keep Meeta in the flat above his own house, with his crazy extended family. During the course of Meeta’s stay at Nikhil’s house, they come close to each other and open up to each other.
In the midst of this confusion, the truth of relationships is unfolded; the strength of unions is tested and love triumphs.
Sidharth Malhotra and Shraddha Kapoor who pair up for the first time in Balaji’s The Villain, are looking spectacular together. We bring you the first official film photo of this new-age romantic duo that is sure to set hearts fluttering.
As much as Shraddha was comfortable riding a bike and plans to buy one herself in the near future, she would loudly say, ‘Jai Mata Di’, every time the director said ‘action’ for her to ride her bike alone.
The romantic thriller, currently under production in Goa, will be additionally shot in Mumbai and Bangkok, and release in mid-2014. It also stars Riteish Deshmukh in a pivotal, never-seen-before role.
Directed by Mohit Suri, among the industry’s most formidable directors, with three consecutive blockbusters to his credit – Raaz-2, Murder-2 and Aashiqui-2 –The Villain is among the most keenly anticipated features of 2014.
In line with Suri’s enviable track record of creating chart-busting music, the keenly awaited soundtrack of The Villain will boast of five evergreen melodies.
Was it distracting for you as an actor to shoot at popular tourist attractions such as Leicester Square in London?
Bollywood chocolate boy Sidharth Malhotra made a stunning debut with Karan Johar’s ‘Student of the Year’ in 2012. The 30-yea-old actor has since played a number of diverse roles. His second movie, ‘Hasee Toh Phasee’, saw him playing a lover boy in a very quirky rom-com. Sidharth then surprised audiences worldwide with his critically acclaimed portrayal of a gangster in ‘Ek Villain’.
You have been choosy and not been signing films left, right and centre. Why is that?
Brace yourself for a cinematic explosion of love, fraternal rivalry and high drama as “Brothers” sets screens ablaze this 14th August. Released by 20th Century Fox in UK cinemas, the high-octane family drama stars international icon Akshay Kumar along with Sidharth Malhotra (Ek Villain), Jacqueline Fernandez (Kick) and Jackie Shroff (Dhoom 3) in pivotal roles.
Synopsis: Gary Fernandes (Jackie Shroff), a former alcoholic and street-fighter, returns home after serving a prison sentence of 10 long years to find that the wounds of the past still haunt his family. His two sons, David (Akshay Kumar) and Monty (Sidharth Malhotra), who had parted ways as kids, are grown men now, but are still bitterly estranged. Gary himself carries the burden of his guilt. His elder son, David is an ex-fighter turned school teacher. He and his wife Jenny work hard to make ends meet and to provide the best they can for their ailing daughter Poopoo.
Bollywood actor Sidharth Malhotra speaks to BollyNewsUK about his second Bollywood film, Hasee Toh Phasee.
Hasee Toh Phasee is quite a fun title…
What is your definition of love?
Nikhil is re-introduced to Meeta by Karishma and is instructed to put her up in a hotel. Nikhil recognizes Meeta. In an attempt to please Karishma he decides to keep Meeta in the flat above his own house, with his crazy extended family. During the course of Meeta’s stay at Nikhil’s house, they come close to each other and open up to each other.
