Rock star (2011) was the last movie of Shammi Kapoor.
Maestro : Shammi Kapoor enacted role of Ustad Jameel Khan, Shehnai player in this hindi movie.
Many cinephiles felt that his role was slightly inspired by Ustad Bismillah Khan, Bharat Ratna awardee.
His performance was well appreciated by audience.
Octogenarian :Veteran actor was 80 years old , when he appeared in his last movie.
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Sridevi’s first Hindi film (AS A LEAD ACTRESS) was Solva Sawan where she starred opposite Amol Palekar. The film was directed by Bharatiraja and was a remake of his original Tamil blockbuster 16 Vayathinile which starred Sridevi alongside Kamal Hassan and Rajnikanth.
Sridevi was only 15 years old during the filming. Her opening credits in the film introduced her as, “Sweet Sixteen Shri Devi”.
Sridevi didn't understood Hindi during the shooting of the film. She was even reluctant to travel to Mumbai for the Hindi shoot but director Bharatiraja convinced her to take the role.
The film had a 35-day shooting schedule in Jharkhand.
Zarina Wahab was initially signed for the lead role but she opted out as one of the scenes required the hero to tell the heroine to lift her skirt.
It was Kamal Hassan who insisted Amol Palekar to work in the film.
As Sridevi had done the Tamil and Telugu versions she was bored sick while filming it in Hindi. She completely messed up her first take and took it as a bad omen that the film will flop.
Though the original Tamil film was a blockbuster, Solva Sawan turned down to be a commercial failure which made Sridevi to return back to South films.
However, she waited for four years and made her major Bollywood breakthrough alongside Jeetendra in the 1983 box-office smash hit Himmatwala.
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Director: Yash Chopra
Yash Chopra was very anxious about the release of his first independent film, as he felt that if it flopped people would say that he had only ridden on B.R. Chopra's success.
The film was censored on the day of Rajesh Khanna's surprise wedding to Dimple Kapadia, while Raakhee married Gulzar at the beginning of April. Gulshan Rai and the distributors praised the film, but thought it was very risky. Their comment "Although the film is very beautiful, it may not do very well," worried Yash Chopra.
Not only did it go on to be one of the highest-grossing films of the year, Yash Chopra passed his first litmus test as a producer and made a film with a controversial plot on his own terms.
The first film Yash Chopra directed and produced under his own Yash Raj films banner.
1. Yash Chopra won Filmfare award for the best director.
2. Raakhee fetched her first Filmfare award for best-supporting actress.
3. Kader Khan's debut film.
4. Sahir Ludhianvi did not take any money until the film and its songs were a hit.
5. It was initially supposed to release in nine theatres in Mumbai, but was bumped up to 18 on account of the advance booking rush.
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Footnotes
He made a sci fi movie way back in 1991, when you could count Indian movies in that genre, on your fingers. And it remains one of the best ever to date. He made a silent movie, and it has been regarded as a cult classic to date.
Yet for all his accomplishments, this man really has not got due appreciation, Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, inspite of the fact that he made movies across all genres, using the latest techniques.
Fun fact- He worked as an assistant director for the classic Mayabazaar, and he remains to date the only surviving member of the cast and crew of that movie.
In the days, when Telugu cinema, was dominated mostly by formula commercial cinema or family dramas, he actually experimented with different themes, and integrating with the commercial elements well. Over 3 decades he came up with some really good cinema in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada.
Way back in 1987, he made Pushpak/Pushpaka Vimana, a homage to the silent movies of that era, and a brilliant black comedy, that is a cult classic even now.
His Aditya 369 remains a landmark combining two different genres- sci fi and period drama. The splendor of Shri Krishnadeva Raya's court, and Hampi is well depicted, and for a movie shot in the 90s, the special effects are quite good, though a bit tacky in places. In spite of all the advances in technology and graphics, to date no Telugu movie maker has even tried to attempt something similiar. And Balayya as Shri Krishnadeva Raya was brilliant, making you wonder why he kept wasting his talent in a whole lot of meaningless movies.
And in the 90s, he again bought back the Janapada genre, with Bhairava Dweepam, when it had faded out completely. The movie was a huge hit, and the graphics again were quite good for a movie made during that time.
He made a biopic Mayuri, featuring Sudha Chandran, a classical dancer who had lost her leg, in an accident, and then again came back. This was a biopic, where the lead role was played by the real life character herself. It was remade in Hindi later as Nache Mayuri.
He had a real good combination with Kamal Hassan, all their movies together Raja Parvai( Amavasya Chandrudu), Pushpak, Apoorva Sahodaragal( Vichitra Sodarulu) and Michael Madan Kama Raju have been some real classics that can be enjoyed even now.
Apoorva Sahodaragal had a standard formula story, hero taking revenge for the murder of his father, but it was the narration, that made it totally different from the routine stuff. By making the dwarf Appu as the main protagonist, who uses his brain to eliminate the villians, he ensured the movie did not become another routing formula story.
And Michael Madana Kama Raju remains one of the best madcap comedies ever, especially role of Kamal as the Brahmin cook Kama, and his Bheem Boy, Bheem Boy scene. Just watch this song, where you have 3 Kamals in one frame, the picturization is brilliant.
In Kannada he again had a great combo with Dr. Rajkumar, directing him in a whole lot of hit movies- Halu Jennu, Chalisuva Modagalu, Bhagyada Lakshmi Bharamma. He also directed his sons Shiva Raj Kumar( debut movie Anand) and Raghavendra Rajkumar.
Apart from this he wrote lyrics for Bhairava Dweepam, edited magazines in Telugu like Bharati, scripted plays, composed music for two Kannada movies both starring Dr. Rajkumar( Bhagyada Lakshmi Bharamma and Samyuktha). He also directed two animation movies Son of Aladdin(2003) and Ghatothkach(2008) which were well received.
A truly versatile movie maker, who deserves much more appreciation.
Essentially, Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) is the protagonist of Pirates of the Caribbean . It is her journey that we follow throughout the entire film.
And according to this hypothesis, Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) is the secondary protagonist, since his character arc is inextricably linked to that of Elizabeth.
But all these words are meaningless.
Elizabeth, Will, Captain Barbossa and the motley crew of colorful characters must step aside.
Because after exactly 9 minutes and 2 seconds, a certain Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) strolls onto the screen, dances regally across a sinking ship, and the film is no longer the same.
He is the crown jewel; the pièce de résistance; the showpiece; the non plus ultra, take your pick.
Seventeen years later, the name Jack Sparrow is synonymous with Johnny Depp. It's shocking to consider that they originally wrote the role for Hugh Jackman (hence the "Jack").
The screenwriters initially envisioned Sparrow as a supporting character; he was almost an afterthought.
The first film was already finished, and then Jack was inserted into it, so to speak, like a joker. He doesn't have the obligations of the plot in the same way as the other characters. He simply wanders through the story, and he somehow influences everyone else.
Gore Verbinski, director
But Depp took the unbridled essence of Sparrow and practically ran away with it. He surprised everyone at the table read with his completely unconventional portrayal of the character.
He gilded his teeth and decided that the person who came closest to resembling this 18th-century pirate figure was his friend, the Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards.
His approach wasn't to everyone's taste. Depp's performance initially confused Disney executives, who questioned whether the character was drunk or gay.
While observing the filming, Disney CEO Michael Eisner announced that Depp would ruin the movie.
Suffice it to say, Depp did nothing of the sort. On the contrary, quite the opposite. Jack Sparrow was the breakout character. He was the jewel of the film. Aye?
Depp created something unique. It's a work of unadulterated brilliance. Make no mistake, Jack Sparrow is an inspired creation. This Oscar nomination was entirely justified.
His appearance in Pirates of the Caribbean , so sophisticated yet completely different, changed everything.
He transformed Depp from a character actor into a genuine leading man. And he made Jack Sparrow the undisputed star of the future Pirates franchise.
Elizabeth and Will said goodbye in 2007 with The World's End . Cap'n Jack carried on, raiding, looting, pillaging and robbing to his heart's content for another 10 years.
Cinematic Exaggeration
Often the director needs dramatic transformation for exaggerated effect
Wisam as effeminate, possibly gay man transforming into a ruthless killer was a major impact on the audience
Otherwise the transformation needs major BGM
Or a very dramatic build up lasting several scenes
In all the cases, the AUDIENCES expected a definite X Factor , none of them believing Kamal, Rajini or Ajith were meek humble people
So ITS EVEN MORE IMPERATIVE TO JOLT THEM WITH A MAJOR SCENE
It's like “We know you guys know what's coming but WE WILL PACK A MAJOR PUNCH”
Character Transformation is a very key areas and very few have hit 100% with Minimal effects
Kevin Spacey is the Gold Standard in Usual Suspects
Pankaj Kapoor excelled at this in DUS
Yet they were both Character Actors so they had the advantage of Audience confusion
A Major actor , with many fans playing effeminate or mild character would obviously mean
So you have to PACK A PUNCH HARD , and that's why Kamal played effeminate
He risked it something Ajith , Rajini wouldn't do (Only Vikram might risk such a move)
The best example that comes to mind is Imhotep.
The Mummy (1999)
He holds a high position and is highly respected by Pharaoh Seti I. However, he is having an affair with Anck-Su-Namun, Seti's mistress. They are caught in the act by Seti and murder him on the spot. When the guards arrive, Anck-Su-Namun tells Imhotep to flee, and she takes her own life.
Imhotep desecrated her tomb and planned to resurrect her. He and his priests traveled to Hamunaptra for the ritual, but they were discovered by the palace guards. The priests were mummified alive, but an even worse punishment awaited Imhotep.
He was condemned to the Hom Dai curse, which was reserved only for the worst traitors or blasphemers. The Egyptians were clearly afraid of this curse, for if the condemned man were to rise from his grave, the Ten Plagues would follow.
The Hom-Dai was an extremely rare event. If it was ever performed, it was not recorded, as Evelyn discovers after finding the crypt.
We understand that the relationship between Imhotep and Anck-Su-Namun is in itself a betrayal, but then they kill Seti and make it even worse. I can't say if they intended to lure him into a trap for this purpose, but they seem surprised that the guards reacted quickly.
While I can acknowledge their actions as malicious, the condemnation of Imhotep seems excessive to me. Whoever made the decision to carry out Hom-Dai failed to consider the consequences. They are simply passing the buck.
They were completely indifferent to who would be affected in the future. Someone would find the body. Someone would read from the Book of the Dead. Even if it was an accident, the consequences were inevitable. In essence, they created a monster worse than Imhotep himself could ever have been.
Chandrachur Singh worked as an assistant director to Mahesh Bhatt in the film, Aawargi.
After working in a short film, The Waiter in Slow Motion, Singh got his ticket to Bollywood with Tere Mere Sapne.
Tere Mere Sapne was the first film to be released by Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited (ABCL). ABCL had launched a campaign to recruit new actors. The film marked the debut of Chandrachur Singh, Arshad Warsi, Simran and Priya Gill.
Singh’s brother left his photographs at ABCL’s office. Jaya Bachchan noticed the photographs and called Singh for an audition after which he was selected.
The film was supposed to be directed by Bharat Rangachari but after his unfortunate demise Joy Augustine was roped in.
Tere Mere Sapne was a hit and even helped Singh to fetch a role in Maachis. Jaya Bachchan had shown his audition tape of Tere Mere Sapne to Gulzar. When Singh went to meet Gulzar, he was sporting a beard stubble.
It matched the exact look Gulzar wanted for the character of Kripal Singh Pali in Maachis. Singh delivered a critically acclaimed and sensitive performance in Maachis.
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As Imtiaz Ali was dealing with a mature subject he had originally planned to cast older women (above 30–35 years) someone like Aishwarya Rai for the lead role of Veera in Highway.
However, he changed his mind after meeting Alia Bhatt.
Imtiaz met Alia at the screening of Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana. After meeting Alia at the screening, he felt a strong soul-to-soul character connection and changed his vision to feature a younger protagonist.
He realised that Alia’s inner spirit inherently mirrored Veera’s essence. She possessed a rare emotional depth and high emotional quotient.
Alia was given the script. She was scared to take the intense role as she was there in almost every scene. Finally, she was convinced by her father Mahesh Bhatt to accept the challenge.
Alia was indeed a very unexpected actor for Highway. Even the unit was wondering how she would pull off the character but Alia stunned everyone with her performance in the film.
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