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Scroll.in
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
‘Umrao Jaan' director Muzaffar Ali: ‘The film has aged gracefully. It's timeless but fresh too'
Among the beneficiaries of the recent trend of older films being re-released in cinemas is Umrao Jaan. Muzaffar Ali's celebrated period drama from 1981, starring Rekha in one of her most well-regarded roles, is not available on any streaming platforms. This makes its re-emergence special, the director told Scroll. Umrao Jaan 's rights are held by the son of the original producer of the film, Ali said. 'Had he sold the film to a streaming channel, it would have lost its mystery,' the director added. 'There is still a craving for the film since people want to see it in its better form.' The movie, which has been restored by the National Film Archive of India, will be out in PVR and Inox theatres on June 27. Audiences can expect Rekha's amazing grace, sumptuous visuals, gorgeous costumes and jewellery, Khayyam's music, Asha Bhosle's singing, Shahray's lyrics. Most of all, they will see 'a convergence of nostalgia and a dream for the future', as Ali wrote in his memoir Zikr – In The Light of Shadow and Time (Penguin Random House, 2023). Ali adapted Umrao Jaan from Mirza Hadi Ruswa's historical fiction Umrao Jaan Adaa, about the courtesan Amiran. The movie, like the novel, is set in the nineteenth century. It traces Amiran's arrival in a brothel in Lucknow and her relationships with characters played by Farooque Shaikh, Raj Babbar and Naseeruddin Shah. Amiran's experiences run parallel to the decline of Lucknow as the cultural hub of the former kingdom of Awadh. Umrao Jaan is classified as one of the most important courtesans films made in India, but it's actually a 'lost Lucknow film', Ali said. 'It's a film about relooking at Awadh with a sense of truth,' the 80-year-old filmmaker and designer observed. 'A lot of films of this kind are placeless. You can't smell the place. In Umrao Jaan, the fragrance of Lucknow is very strong. My film is deeply rooted in the geography of a place where I belonged.' Umrao Jaan grew out of Ali's own heritage as a descendant of Awadh's Kotwara principality. Before Umrao Jaan, Ali had directed Gaman (1978), a poignant account of a taxi driver in Mumbai who dreams of returning to the village and family he has left behind in Uttar Pradesh. In his memoir, Ali writes about what attracted him to Ruswa's novel: 'Woven into the tapestry of the light and shade of the period's refined decadence is the life of a woman, who, in spite of being the victim of the most adverse circumstances, evolves into a highly cultured human being, an accomplished poet in her own right.' The film was meant as a 'journey in celluloid which would embody the frail and ephemeral beauty of Awadh', Ali writes. The Lucknow that Ali evokes in Umrao Jaan is a thing of the distant past – there is no Umrao Jaan trail to be followed in the present. 'The film is a slice of Lucknow that touched me, that has gone by, that is no more,' he said. 'Some people who watch Umrao Jaan and go to Lucknow might get a shock.' Zikr details the challenges Ali faced in ensuring authenticity in the film's look, music and manners of nineteenth-century Awadh. 'The whole film was made in something like 29 lakhs at the time,' Ali told Scroll. 'Everything was cobbled together with artistic sensibility, not extravagance. The costumes have the richness of textiles that have come from cupboards, not shops or designer labels.' He attributes the popularity of the film to its poetic realism. 'You can't create poetry without a proper narrative or a context,' Ali said. 'Poetry doesn't make sense unless there's life behind it.' In the film, Rekha's Amiran is the embodiment of Lucknow's poetic impulses. Ali cast the iconic actor after seeing her photo in a magazine. 'Rekha breathed life into the character, and she is still living it, in a sense,' Ali said. 'The film touched a chord of truth within her. The film's enigmatic journey, which was sublimated in the flesh-and-blood character played by Rekha. It doesn't happen by giving her lines, creating a set and saying action. There is a kind of subconscious design about getting into that time in life.' The film's recreation of a long-vanished ethos infected playback singer Asha Bhosle and choreographer Kumudini Lakhia too, Ali recalled. 'Asha Bhosle is a miracle of this century in terms of her voice and the kind of feelings she evokes,' he said. 'She too wanted to go into the character and become Umrao Jaan. The kathak bhavas by Kumudini Lakhia are highly underplayed. Each person brought so much grace to the film that I was overwhelmed by gratitude.' Alongside the theatrical re-release, Ali is bringing out a book of 250-odd photographs from Umrao Jaan in collaboration with Mapin Publishing. 'During the process of digitising the film, I grabbed frames and created prints out of them,' Ali said. The surviving copy of Umrao Jaan was in poor condition, with the first 15 minutes in black and white and 15 more minutes missing, he recalled. 'Fortunately, the National Film Archive of India restored the film frame the frame – had they not stepped in, it would have been a lost cause.' The state-run archive is restoring Gaman too. While re-watching Umrao Jaan as it was being restored, Ali was struck by how a movie about a nostalgia for a bygone era has endured. 'The film is like the unveiling of time – it's aged very gracefully,' Ali said. 'It's equally fresh now, but it's also got a timeless feel, which is quite gratifying. You are looking back on yourself through a film that has already reached millions of people over 44 years through different zones, generations and imaginations.'
Fashion Value Chain
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fashion Value Chain
Titan Company, PVR and Xperia Group Team Up to Surprise Mission Impossible Fans with Fastrack Showcase at PVR Juhu
Moviegoers at PVR Juhu were in for a jaw-dropping surprise this weekend-just as the credits rolled, they saw themselves on the big screen, not as extras in the movie, but as the face of Fastrack's brand-new Mission Impossible sunglasses. The experiential in-cinema moment In a bold fusion of fashion, film, and tech-driven spectacle, Titan Company Limited, PVR Cinemas, and Xperia Group pulled off an immersive in-theatre experience. Before the movie began, select audiences were invited to try on sunglasses from the edgy new range at a custom-built booth in the cinema lobby, designed and fabricated by Xperia. Photos were clicked instantly-and as the movie ended, those images lit up the big screen, catching the crowd by complete surprise. The result: audible gasps, cheers, and a truly unforgettable 'magic moment.' Titan Company, PVR and Xperia Group Team Up to Surprise Mission Impossible Fans with Fastrack Showcase at PVR Juhu The idea and execution came from Xperia Group, a frontrunner in experiential advertising that crafts immersive brand experiences using technology and storytelling. With PVR as a long-standing creative partner, the collaboration brought Fastrack's fearless, stylish identity directly to its audience-live, loud, and in full cinema scope. Commenting on the collaboration, Mr. Maneesh Krishnamurthy, Head of Marketing (Eyewear) at Titan Company said, 'Fastrack has always embraced the unconventional and we wanted to continue to pioneer innovative advertising with the launch of Mission Impossible limited edition sunglasses. We are thrilled to work with Xperia and PVR to present our latest introduction in a quirky, interactive, and totally unexpected way.' Mr. Saibal Gupta, Managing Director of Xperia Group, added, 'For a brand like Fastrack, engagement needs to be instant, energetic, and unforgettable. Our activation at PVR was engineered for speed and surprise-from styling and photography to the big-screen reveal. It was a seamless blend of creativity, tech, and timing-something we've built our reputation on. The crowd's reaction said it all.' The Fastrack X Mission Impossible collection featuring 6 styles Ghost, Rogue, Ilsa, Benji, Recknor, and Hunt and is designed for those who live life on the edge. Each style channels a bold persona and is available at Titan Eye+ stores and starting at â¹3,500. Here is the link of the video: and the video have been created by Collective creative labs.
News18
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Aamir Khan Once Dubbed ‘Flop Actor', Today He's Worth $770 Million: ‘Don't Take Him'
Today, Aamir Khan is not only a Bollywood icon but a global star. His net worth is estimated to be around $770 million, placing him among the richest actors in the world. Aamir Khan is one of Bollywood's most successful stars today, but his journey to the top wasn't smooth. In fact, following his breakout debut in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), Aamir delivered seven back-to-back flops, earning him the dreaded label of a 'flop actor" before his major turnaround with the 1990 romantic drama Dil. Interestingly, Dil also starred Madhuri Dixit, who was undergoing a similar rough patch. Despite delivering a hit like Tezaab, Madhuri was also being written off due to several of her films either failing or being shelved midway. Actor Adi Irani, who featured alongside them in Dil, recently reflected on this forgotten phase during a podcast with Filmymantra Media. 'Six-seven films of his flopped in a row after Aamir Khan's first film. He was considered a flop hero… That was the case for Madhuri Dixit as well," he shared. Adi revealed that Dil only happened because director Indra Kumar couldn't get frequent collaborator Anil Kapoor's dates. Indra, who had earlier produced Mohabbat and Kasam with Anil, wanted him for his directorial debut Beta. But due to scheduling issues, Anil advised Indra to take on a smaller project in the meantime and that's how Dil came into being, with Aamir and Madhuri headlining it. 'Anil Kapoor told Indra Kumar, 'Make a small-budget film in the meantime. You'll also get experience being a director too,'" Adi recalled. Aamir Khan himself has often spoken about this phase. At a recent PVR event celebrating his films, he said, 'Back then, actors worked on 30 to 50 films simultaneously… I ended up signing 9-10 films at once. I was not happy. I would go home and cry." He added, 'The media dubbed me a 'one-film wonder.' Rightly so… I could see my career going down the drain. I was stuck in a swamp, unable to get out." But the massive success of Dil resurrected both his and Madhuri's careers. What followed was an era of dominance for Aamir, marked by critically acclaimed and commercially successful films such as Raja Hindustani, Rang De Basanti, Taare Zameen Par, 3 Idiots, PK and Dangal. Today, Aamir Khan is not only a Bollywood icon but a global star. His net worth is estimated to be around $770 million (over Rs 6,000 crore), placing him among the richest actors in the world. From being considered a 'flop hero" to earning that title, Aamir's journey is nothing short of inspiring. First Published: May 30, 2025, 22:05 IST
Hans India
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Dinesh Vijan and maddock films' 7th hit in a row, bhool chuk maaf, proves they have cracked the code to connecting with audiences
In the ever-shifting landscape of Indian cinema, where Bollywood films struggle to capture audience attention, Bhool Chuk Maaf has emerged yet again with massive success, defying all expectations. At a time when most big, mid, and small-scale productions are struggling to make an impact at the box office, this film has managed to draw crowds. Not just any crowds, but entire families. Interestingly, before the film's release, naysayers had already written it off, citing its modest scale and perceived lack of mass appeal. In fact, when rumours swirled that the makers were considering a direct OTT release, many assumed the film lacked theatrical merit. But Bhool Chuk Maaf's opening numbers astonished even trade pundits. Additionally, despite a strong Day 1, skeptics continued to dismiss the film, attributing early traction to discounted ticket pricing and supposedly inorganic marketing. But now, the film has shut all naysayers, by making a total of ₹50 cr by the end of Day 6. Indian film critic and trade analyst, Taran Adarsh says, 'What's noteworthy is that this growth has come without any discounted tickets or promotional offers on Day 2, proving there's an audience willing to show up at full price when the content connects. Bhool Chuk Maaf debunks the narrative that mid-range movies should skip the theatrical window and opt for a direct-to-digital route.' Kamal Gianchandani, CEO PVR, adds, 'Some wrote off Bhool Chuk Maaf citing 'discount offers' or 'lack of appeal'. The box office tells a very different story - it's a genuine HIT. May has revived theatres, audiences are back in big numbers, and the big screens are booming all over the country.' This wasn't a fluke. It was a clear signal: when content genuinely resonates, audiences are more than willing to pay full price. So what's behind the broad appeal of Bhool Chuk Maaf? Quietly yet confidently, the film defied expectations by landing squarely in classic Maddock Films territory. Under the sharp and empathetic leadership of Dinesh Vijan, Maddock Films has carved out a distinctive niche by championing stories rooted in small-town India, rich with local quirks, struggles, and charm, rather than relying on 'stars'. These narratives resonate with both urban India and the heartland, bridging the divide between India and Bharat. Maddock Films' signature lies in elevating everyday lives from gallis and mohallas with humour, dignity, and a distinctive creative flair. What's remarkable is that the 20-year-young content studio has built a consistently profitable track record while delivering iconic titles, from Love Aaj Kal and Cocktail to Stree, Munjya, Teri Baaton Mein Aisi Uljha Jiya, Chhaava and now Bhool Chuk Maaf, using the formula of 'not chasing formulas'. In 2024 alone, the studio pulled in a staggering ₹1,300 crore at the box office, marking their hit record, as of May 2025, to seven consecutive hits. From Zara Hatke Zara Bachke to now Bhool Chuk Maaf, the studio has shown that you don't need a massive budget or a star-studded cast to create impact. They have stuck to their belief of casting actors that the roles demand and making stars out of them; not vice versa. Their theory? If the story resonates, the audience will come, irrespective of the 'star cast'. This success stands in stark contrast to many of Bollywood's recent big-budget misfires. While some studios chased visual spectacle, star power, or formulaic action dramas, Maddock Films doubled down on sincerity and specificity. And Bhool Chuk Maaf's organic word-of-mouth growth, its popularity on social media, and packed theatre shows are testament to the fact that audiences are loving it. Maddock Films is no longer just a production house. It's a creative force, championing bold, original voices and collaborating with like-minded creatives who share their vision. And Bhool Chuk Maaf continues to be part of that legacy - tackling the deeply relatable issue of "chokri aur naukri" - love and livelihood - with a refreshing dose of humour, thus striking a chord with the aam aadmi. At its core, it's a common man's story told with uncommon empathy. Much like RK Laxman's iconic cartoons, which used humour to shed light on the everyday struggles of the common man, Maddock Films uses a lighthearted narrative to explore socially relevant themes. It isn't a BIG film in the conventional sense. There are no extravagant sets or formulaic fireworks, but it is a big film where it truly matters: in heart, craft, and connection. In an industry often distracted by spectacle, Bhool Chuk Maaf is a quiet revolution, proving that when filmmakers pay attention to the middle-class aspirations, rooted settings, characters that feel real, and humour of ordinary Indians, they don't just tell good stories; they create cultural touchstones. By focusing on that, Maddock Films has not only understood the pulse of the nation; it has struck a chord that continues to echo across cinema halls. It was as if Dinesh Vijan intuitively knew that the audiences were hungry for stories they could see themselves in. And he said, hold my chai! The aam aadmi cometh.
Business Upturn
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Upturn
Housefull 5's unique twist: Different endings in theaters explained
By Aman Shukla Published on May 28, 2025, 12:30 IST The Bollywood comedy franchise Housefull is back with its fifth installment, Housefull 5, set to release on June 6, 2025. This time, producer Sajid Nadiadwala has introduced a groundbreaking concept that's generating buzz across the industry: the film will feature two different endings, with each theater screening a unique version, complete with a different killer and distinct comedic twists. This innovative approach promises to redefine the moviegoing experience, blending the franchise's signature slapstick humor with a thrilling murder mystery. Here's everything you need to know about Housefull 5's dual endings. What Makes Housefull 5's Dual Endings Unique? For the first time in Indian cinema, Housefull 5 will offer audiences two distinct versions of the film, titled Housefull 5 and Housefull 5A . According to producer Sajid Nadiadwala, each version will have a different killer and a completely different climax in the final 20 minutes, ensuring a fresh experience depending on the theater you visit. For example, if you watch the film at Gaiety Galaxy, you'll see one killer, while a screening at a PVR theater might reveal another. This concept, which Nadiadwala has been developing for 30 years, aims to keep audiences guessing and spark conversations long after the credits roll. The dual endings add a layer of intrigue to the film's murder mystery plot, set aboard a luxury cruise. With a star-studded ensemble cast of 19 actors, including Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Jacqueline Fernandez, and Nargis Fakhri, the film combines chaotic comedy with suspense. The Star Power Behind Housefull 5 Directed by Tarun Mansukhani, Housefull 5 boasts an impressive cast, including returning franchise favorites and new additions. Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, and Abhishek Bachchan lead as the main suspects in the murder mystery, with Sanjay Dutt and Jackie Shroff playing investigators unraveling the chaos. Other notable actors include Nargis Fakhri, Fardeen Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nana Patekar, Johnny Lever, and Chunky Pandey, among others. The film marks significant comebacks for Fardeen Khan, who returns to the big screen after a 12-year hiatus, and Nargis Fakhri, who landed her role after a chance encounter with Nadiadwala. Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
