Director and producer Sanjay Gupta has spoken about the lack of good music in Indian films.
Gupta has always been vocal about his views, likes and dislikes and recently commented on the state of current soundtracks. “In the name of all the noise and item songs we have become scared of simple melodies. The same is happening to our film making. I do not absolve myself having been a part of the item song rat race, but swear never to go down that road ever again. Music must be music,’ said the Shootout at Wadala director.
“It is very disheartening whats happening today. Such big budgeted massively cast films are coming out and most of them have music that leaves so much to desire. I myself am very unhappy with my soundtrack of SAW as I feel its far from my best. My lack of total conviction in the music may well be the reason. But from here on, no more. Music is the most integral part of our film making process, its what makes us unique,” added Gupta.
Watch Sophie Choudhry in Ala Re Ala from Sanjay Gupta’s last directorial Shooutout at Wadala:
In 2008, Sanjay Gupta under his banner White Feather Films had made Dus Kahaniyaan which was the first feature-length film in India to have ten short films within it. It had stars like Nana Patekar, Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Sanjay Dutt, Manoj Bajpayee amongst a host of others.
Sanjay Gupta’s love for the short story format continues as he has just started writing a series of short stories to be published as a book.
Says Gupta – ‘I’ve finished writing the first three and to be honest am quite enjoying the process. My cinema is essentially dark and nourish, but I am consciously moving away from that space and making my films brighter now. So this is the obvious platform for me to release all the dark stories I still want to tell and to tread fearlessly in telling these stories. It’s a luxury you do not have when writing for the screen. Also I am in talks with a major publishing house that we have been working in the past with.”
Can we expect another Dus Kahaniyaan? He says – “Certainly not with these stories as they are extremely dark and graphic and would find it impossible to pass through our censors.”
Playing the dreaded gangster Manya Surve in Shootout at Wadala proved to be a turning point in the career of John Abraham. The actor had never been seen or presented that way before. The success of the film also created a strong bond between John and his director Sanjay Gupta.
Sanjay earlier had a long association with Sanjay Dutt and worked with him in all his films until their fall out. The industry today says that John is the new Dutt in Gupta’s life. The two are back together again and this time Gupta is bringing John in a totally new avatar.
John will play a hardened cop in Gupta’s new magnum opus Mumbai Saga. The character is based on a real life encounter specialist who rose to notorious heights in the 90’s. Both John and Gupta are tight-lipped about the identity of the cop. However our sources tell us that it’s based on Vijay Salasker the famous encounter specialist who died in the 26/11 attacks.
When asked Gupta said, “Yes John will play a hardened encounter specialist in Mumbai Saga. It’s the kind of character he hasn’t played before. It is a conscious decision on our part to push the envelope with every film we do. John is one of the most underrated actors and I intend to change that. But the character has nothing to do with the late Vijay Salaskar.”
When questioned about Dutt, Gupta replied, ‘ No one replaces anyone, life moves on. Sanju will always be a very special part of my life. But now John and me have new heights to scale.’
After the stupendous success of Shootout at Wadala,director Sanjay Gupta joins forces with Action Abraham yet again for an epic revenge saga which looks to redefine the action space in Bollywood.
On the lines of Hollywood blockbusters like Kill Bill and Django Unchained, the untitled one-man-army film is amongst Bollywood’s most ambitious yet and who better than director Sanjay Gupta to helm the project.
If sources are to be believed, the makers promise to give it a similar status that Sunny Deol’s Ghayal had back in the day –The film will also see John Abraham pushing the envelope in the action space ,with high adrenaline stunts without body doubles in signature Sanjay Gupta style.
A source revealed, “Sanjay Gupta joins hands with John Abraham for an epic revenge saga which is on the lines of a Bollywood Rambo…..When dabbling with the script the director could think of no one better than John to essay the role of the protagonist since he has the physique to carry off the character and is synonymous with “action”…The film will be made on par international standards with a contemporary linear treatment”
In 2008, Sanjay Gupta under his banner White Feather Films had made Dus Kahaniyaan which was the first feature-length film in India to have ten short films within it. It had stars like Nana Patekar, Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Sanjay Dutt, Manoj Bajpayee amongst a host of others.
Playing the dreaded gangster Manya Surve in Shootout at Wadala proved to be a turning point in the career of John Abraham. The actor had never been seen or presented that way before. The success of the film also created a strong bond between John and his director Sanjay Gupta.