What made you and DK come up with the zombie idea? Was this something that was gestating in your minds for a while?

Yeah, it’s been with us for a while, this film. I was living in Detroit and I saw the zombie subculture there, in terms of zombie walks and so many of those, along with small films being made. But, I wasn’t finding the edge, I wasn’t really excited. I mean, I liked the idea but I didn’t know what I’d be doing differently. So I wasn’t really excited by it till we married another idea that was a comedy about the slacker generation, about how we see the youngsters in Bombay. Then that came about and beyond a point it was just that idea. I guess both of them fell together in one film where slacker generation guys go and land up in an island full of zombies.

Do you think the Indian audiences may be apprehensive but also receptive to this concept?

Really most of the audience aren’t well versed with zombies in the first place, so a pure zombie film I don’t know how receptive people are going to be or how alien it’s going to sound. It’s like making a Star Trek out of nowhere. The idea was that we have been making our own kind of comedy for all our films so far, the idea was really to make our brand of humour in a horror setup more than anything else. And that freshness and humour was really grabbing, because we are dealing with a completely alien object: a zombie! So that kinda of increased the humour quotient for the film, I look at it more as a funny film, a comedy with a fresh subject.

How did you balance the humour in this film? Instead of going for a straight horror film with zombies?

It’s just in taking two very strong genres, that don’t usually mix, horror and comedy, that’s the idea that appealed more. Just like in Shor in the City, where it’s a gritty film about the city where humour doesn’t work really, it becomes a hardcore gritty drama. So we wanted to take it still gritty drama with large doses of dark humour that’s how we tried to make it balance.

Did you guys have a lot fun with the tropes that come with the zombie genre, like the big shootout or finding the hideout, or did you aim to deconstruct these aspects?

The basic idea in this film is that the template of the genre sets you up to play with it and also knowing the clichés of a horror film gives you fodder to play with. At the core of it, it does follow the original horror concept of three guys going off to a forest/island/location, overnights things are going bad and then a guy comes to their rescue, ending in a shootout. The whole idea was to deliberately pick it, because we’ve never really followed that pattern so far in Flavours, 99, and Shor. But this we wanted to make as a genre film, but the extra things are the layers. The obvious layer of it being a zombie comedy but take a dig at the slacker generation who lack complete survival skills or they are into their own iPhones and Samsung mobiles, and are not exposed to the world really. So if you take them out into the forest and give them zombies, what happens?

How did the stoner vibe evolve into the film?

The slacker generation or the stoner thing is something we had for maybe 2 or 3 years, about these guys in a shared apartment who don’t really feel any responsibilities whatsoever and basically stoned and lazy. They’re living in an apartment where the electricity has gone a week ago, and nobody is willing to go pay for it. So it started off there, but we wanted an edge, and then we found this older ideas of zombies that we had. Except they would be going to look for a party!

Did the setting of Goa help to establish that vibe?

More than the stoner aspect, I thought that everybody living in Bombay wants to take off to Goa. So it’s that thing that of people who have a couple of days will get in their cars, trains, or take a flight to Goa whether if you’re a stoner or a party guy to just have some fun, or quiet time. It goes for everything, and so that was a destination where it gave us that little paradise away from Bombay.

Since this is the first major zombie film after Luke Kenny’s Rise of the Zombie there’s bound to be a few comparisons to Shaun of the Dead or The Walking Dead, did you look to any Hollywood films for a bit of inspiration?

Right, there’s almost always an automatic reaction to a film as soon as you put it out there. There’s always a bunch of guys who’ll say, “It’s a copy of Shaun of the Dead, it’s a copy of Zombieland, it’s a copy of The Walking Dead.” So, you know, we have been taking pride in saying all of our films are pretty original, we’ve always written our own things. One thing we don’t want to do is commit hara-kiri by taking in or copying any zombie films. the main idea is that zombies are definitely not Indian concepts, it is an influence; it is a borrowed concept from the Western world and the whole idea is to get a Western object like a zombie and put it on Indian soils and see how the characters react to it. So yes, I’ve seen all these films and made sure that we don’t cross paths and look inspired, in the Bollywood sense. But, we did take a nod towards these films that we liked in the zombie series, and there’s at least 5-6 films we take a nod at in our films. Nobody would really notice it, but it’s for the hardcore fans out there.

So, what went into the casting process? Especially Saif as this zany character Boris?

We needed an actor who would have that ability to come and play an exaggeratedly macho role of a gun-toting Russian mobster kind of thing, with that blonde hair and when the times comes he snaps out of it to show that he’s a Delhi Chopra! The balance of machoismo and quirky sense of humour is the core of the Boris character, and we couldn’t think of anyone but Saif!

You’re also working with Kunal Khemu again; did you have him in mind earlier on?

Kunal we’ve been wanting to work with him for a while, so he was in talks with us, and we were in talks with him. So we always said let’s do another film, he was going to be one of the slackers in the slacker film but we didn’t have a script. So he was there, kind of on from the beginning that we should do another film with him, then came Saif then came Vir, and then Anand Tiwari.

You guys are also known for choosing actors from a theatre background, how did Anand’s casting come about?

Right, well we’ve been kind of addicted to looking for somebody fresh most of the time and we think theatre is a great source. Like in 99, we found Amit Mistry, and Shor in the City, we found Pitobash and a host of others like Radhika Apte. In this film, I thought the great discovery was Anand Tiwari.

Vir Das said in his interview with us that there was some room for improv, how did that work on set in letting the actors play around the script?

Yeah, we always believe in a strong bound script, so we’re going into shoot that one particular scene and that particular number of pages. But, once you go there the homework is done for them in those pages for the direction team and everybody. Once we go there, we pretty much shoot what we want and then we start to experiment within the boundaries of that scene we start to do a little improve. Whenever they want to try something new we encourage them, sometimes we push them, and take what we want. Or they give us 10 different options, only one works but as directors we take that call to what works and what doesn’t, but it’s great fun when the actor can do than what was rehearsed and they came for.

What excites you about the filmmaking process since your earlier indie films in the US to the success of your ventures in Bollywood?

I think it’s really the creative satisfaction in doing something that I still feel wasn’t even planned in my life. Right, I’ve wasted a whole lot of years on engineering, with my Masters, some 6-7 years of hardcore machines, and then a few years in corporate work with further consulting and traveling and all that stuff. At least 10-12 years I spent on that, but it was the really monotony that drove us, me and DK, to do something more, because that wasn’t helping. It wasn’t giving us the level of satisfaction that you get from a job. So I think most of that monotony in that job gave fodder for lots of small ideas in all our films, which somebody pointed out to us weeks ago that if features in our films one way or another, like maybe in a character or a plot point that hint at it. That’s what I was saying that I was feeling like a zombie when I was working.

How does your bond for you and DK work as writers and directors? Is there a workable balance that you guys can achieve?

There’s no method or systematic structure to it, basically DK and me, and Sita Menon usually are behind every film, and we form the core creative group that comes up with ideas, develops scripts, and then goes through the filmmaking process together. She [Sita] kinda remains behind-the-scenes but she is the creative director on these films, so she handles everything else. So we formed a balance, but we didn’t sit down and form a balance. It just works out everytime, we just write it in a messy way initially because it’s just ideas from all over the place, and then it forms a cohesive whole as we go towards the film.

You’re working with Sachin and Jigar, and this album is so whacky and hilarious, did you give them any pointers or directions in approaching the songs?

Yeah, we wanted to go for a completely whacky soundtrack without worrying ‘will this work’ or ‘will this be an item number’ and all that stuff, so we just went for a whacky film. we sat down for a long time and we found great partners in Sachin and Jigar after Shor in the City. We found that we could push them to get what we wanted and when they gave it, it exceeded our expectations so it was a nice back and forth. For this film, I had given them a clear ideas about what each song is about so we had a nice seed of an idea for these songs. Once it is defined, Sachin and Jigar, or any composer for that matter, revel in the fact that there is that defined structure to it, and then they just go bonkers with it! they have a great team between them of Sachin, Jigar, and Priya and they come up with great lines and tunes and we have the freedom to sit with them, to go back and forth to find what we need. It is a big collaborative effort; it’s almost like an extension of our own team with Sachin, Jigar, and Priya.

Any favourite song on the album? Babaji ki Booti is definitely the funniest one.

Yeah, I like the ‘Babaji ki Booti’ one, a little more than others, because we all sang together! Some seven of us sang, DK, me, Sachin, Jigar, Priya, Kunal, and Anand; we had a great time doing it. I think it’s a very well-produced song.

With songs, how do you see the rise of sync-songs used more in the background? Is there still a place for lip-sync songs in cinema?

Well, the ‘Khoon Choos Le’ is not in the film, so it gives us the freedom in making a music video that doesn’t go in the film. It’s giving filmmakers like us the freedom to keep the core of the film intact in theatres, and that play around with these music videos that most of the viewers like and enjoy, unlike a collage thrown at them every time. So I have come to realize after a couple of films that we should cool music videos every time and not worry about destroying the fibre of the main film.

Are you guys hopefully going to be doing a more romantic comedy like Flavours, which you started off with?

Well, our next film with be a romantic comedy. Finally we’re going to a romantic comedy, which I call slice-of-life film, which does have romantic comedy bits in it. We’re going out with a full romcom and one in that genre we promised ourselves, which is going to be our next film. You know I would love to do another film in the US, for the Indian-American and NRI audience, I just hope the market evolves a little more that it supports a film like that.

Definitely, Flavours was one of the first of its kind, do you think the crossover market has evolved since that time?

I doubt it; I think it’s kind of gone down actually, which is sad according to me, because it hasn’t evolved at all. It has just taken refuge in the Bollywood and Hollywood films really, so I don’t see many indie films coming out of it. I see the whole indie revolution with Flavours, and American Desi, ABCD or the four five films that came and that was that. I don’t see it, I mean there might have been smaller films, but they didn’t catch the global attention or Indian attention. I don’t know it’s kinda sad, I think I have to blame it on the market. The whole business cycle, I think it’s very hard to recover money and the audience where there’s not enough patrons to support films like that.

We’re approaching the 100 years of Indian cinema; do you think this film might get its dues later on as one of the first zomcoms of our time?

I didn’t think of it (laughs) yeah that would be great for this film to find its place as one of the first horror comedies, or something that bent genres or cool stuff like that. That would be nice, but we didn’t think of that!

Stay tuned we have an exclusive with Vir Das coming up soon!

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The film immediately has us hooked with its wicked dialogues, addictive score, and Saif as the bleached Boris. If the trailer had us salivating for more zombie kills and wisecracks, then the promos for Slowly Slowly and Khoon Choos Le have us amped to see these songs in action. Sachin and Jigar are coming off a very strong year with their songs as the redeeming feature in I, Me, aur Main and along with their fantastic album for ABCD. Sachin and Jigar display their versatility and sense of play on a crazy album like this where they let loose on the dubstep and electronic loops. The duo always seems ready for a challenge, and this album works brilliantly as a concept album to make this zomcom alive!

The album kicks off with the irresistible, Slowly Slowly, which pushes you right into the action with the intense dubstep-beats and heavy reverb that open the track. Talia Bentson is astonishingly good here, keeping up with the frenetic and spitfire verses at the beginning, while the autotune does make her sound a tad like Anushka Manchanda, she comes into her own throughout. Jigar lends ample support and makes sure to enunciate the risqué, “Raat hai ek whore, hai maange more, Tu lut jaa slowly slowly,” which immediately sticks with you. As I’ve mentioned before, I do love some risqué and edgy lyrics that don’t try too hard, the lyrics by Priya Panchal are apt for the rave scene in the film. The references to weed and rolling a spliff come thick and fast throughout, so do be warned if that isn’t your cup of tea! Often, rave tunes can just pile on the trance and spaced out beats, but Sachin and Jigar make sure that this tune has the right pace and addictive quality that makes you sway along. Try this one out!

The anthem to the Monday blues is up next, Khoon Choos Le, pays its punny respects to the blood-sucking Mondays and zombies. From the snippets of the “Main nahi jaana,” and rolling “rrrrrrrs” I was already excited, since nothing could convey the gritting annoyance of getting up to go to work or to uni on a Monday. It’s a credit to Arun Kanungo, Suraj Jagan, and Priya Panchal for voicing that anger and pulling off all that tricky wordplay with Amitabh Bhattacharya’s witty lyrics. Bhattacharya has a wicked sense of humour here, and unleashes all our festering rage at leaving our “Sunday ki dildaar” for a “Sukoon ke shikaari, Somvaar.” Sachin and Jigar arrange the track superbly, letting the heavy drums and guitar riffs to kick in around the chorus. It’s an innovative and imaginative tune where the arrangements complement the witty rendition of this rant against Mondays.

We’re back to toking up and coughing our lungs out with, Babaji ki Booti, where Sachin and Jigar let loose over an original and hilarious tune concerning the ultimate high. Sachin and Jigar arrange a very sprawling melody of claps, spare guitar riffs, and drum kicks along with the female chorus in the back, to enhance the spaced out mood. The conversational lyrics like, “Woh dekh woh kya hai, Panchi hai kya? Na re pagle..plane, Arey dekh underwear bahar hai, superman Na..that is babaji” give it a hilarious spin as they walk us through their hallucinations and goofing around. The duo lend the track a very Cheech and Chong vibe, with the speechy digressions and easy chemistry between the two. While the song may seem a bit goofy, there’s hardly a song out there that goes this far in bringing the stoner vibe and sound to film music. Try this one.

One of the surprises is the gentle and breezy, Khushamdeed, which is gorgeously rendered by Shreya Ghosal. It’s not a stretch for Ghosal, but she gives the track its requisite breathiness and sweetness to an otherwise intense and goofy album. The pulsating guitars and drums create a honeyed melody that gives it that Goan authenticity, and the solos in the bridge are lovely. The song makes a nice and pleasant diversion from the crazy antics that we’re anticipating from these previous songs. Definitely listen to this one if you need a bit of a break!

Closing up the album is, I Keel Dead People, which opens with heavy and jagged riffs, coupled with loud dubstep beats to give it that menacing sound. Looping the great dialogue from the trailer and more words of wisdom from Boris, the track works to establish the horror and intense mood of a traditional zombie flick. Using the screams, and high-pitched dubstep sounds to act as screams, Sachin and Jigar are definitely one of the best duos to utilize the music and dubstep in the best way. Perhaps the instrumental sections of the song might be used for one of the many shootouts in the film, which makes this track work in that sense.

Go Goa Gone should be treated as perhaps a concept album that establishes the setting and personalities of the film and its characters. Sachin and Jigar go out on a limb to create consistently inventive and versatile albums that transcend the film’s release dates. It’s a chaotic, crazy, and witty album, which begs to see how they are picturized onscreen. Curiosity may just kill this zombie!

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How did you construct the city as a character of this narrative in Kahaani? Did you look to any Ray films for inspiration?
It’s basically what you know, I was born in Calcutta and grew up in Calcutta, so I knew the city well. Plus we had this whole motive of Maa Durga, running through the whole film, so that’s the whole reason for doing it in Cal, because I know the city. I suppose Kahaani could have been easily be set in Vancouver also, had I known Vancouver. Since I was writing it, I needed to set in a city where I knew very well.

Would you say your film has a neo-noir style to it?
You know, it went into that noirish thing but it was an intention. I was setting out to make commercial Hindi cinema, even though it was not formatted, like it didn’t have those little things that are requisite of commercial Hindi cinema. That’s what we were setting out to do, but yeah, it did turn out a bit noirish.

Was Kahaani gestating and written around the time of Aladdin?
Well the thought was before Aladdin but it was written after Aladdin. We had been discussing, Vidya and I, were discussing it for a while, but you know how it happens, with taste and the whole process of reiteration.

You said in an interview that you had packed your bags and ready to leave, did you have go no holds barred to make this one work?
Yeah, because I have family and I can’t doss around, I have to feed my family and pay for school fees and all that. So yes, you know I had to and I think everyone, all of us, needs to realize or be clear about the fact that all these films will disappear. You have to be ready to face it, if you know something is not working, like I know I had made two films that they’re not working, it’s not working that I need to pack your bags and go.

Did you have any inspirations for the film?
No, this is a pure Vidya Balan inspiration, because it was written because we had wanted to make a film and Calcutta came in and Maa Durga came in.

Was it much harder to get studio approval with a female and pregnant one in the lead?
It was, because on paper it’s a bit of a risky project, you know, because it doesn’t have those so-called ingredients, though I have no idea what those ingredients are. On paper, it sounds a little dicey but I guess we had to finish the product make it the way we wanted and then put it out in the market and see who’s gonna buy it and distribute it.

How did you go about casting these fabulous Bengali actors for these iconic roles?
Well you know, because I know the city. I have a totally different point of view for a lot of people, because you know, if I came to Vancouver to shoot a film. Just by showing some iconic structures of Vancouver, doesn’t make Vancouver. Vancouver or any other city is about the people in that city, so as long as I know those people and as long as I know I can bring them out, then I’ll do it. And I think, that’s one reason why you Kolkata in Kahaani is because I you get to meet the people. You know, it’s the people that you remember, not the city. It’s not the city, man, but I could be totally wrong and going south with it, but still that’s my theory.

You’re editor Namrata Rao has been winning all the awards
Yeah, man! She won more than me, I’m so jealous!

You’ve been for the story, how does that come together with the editing to create a well-paced film like Kahaani?
It had to be like that, there are certain things that the film demands. The problem with a film like Kahaani, and that’s why we get so elated when we win an editing award or a screenplay award, we really consider it a victory. First, you get to know a film then you get to see the first look of a film, a trailer, and then finally you get to see a film, that’s the process. From day one, everybody knew this was a film about a pregnant woman whose husband is missing (laughs) if you see Kahaani, the first thing she says in the film and keeps saying the same thing throughout the film. So beyond a point, you’re thinking, ‘look woman, get on with it you know you’re husband’s missing, just bloody find that person!’ So the hardest part was, how do you keep an audience hooked in when they know what the story of the film is, that ‘this woman’s husband is missing and she’s not doing anything about it, she’s just dossing around.’ Therein lies the challenge with the twists and turns, because the question was asked right in the beginning of ‘where is my husband’ and I’m taking two hours to answer that question. So we needed that pace and that kind of a screenplay, where you’re basically saying the same thing every five minutes, ‘hey, her husband’s missing, I KNOW IT!’

Your earlier movies are such fun and so irreverent, but did the failures of some of those fuel into making this film the best film?
No, no, you see we work hard for all the films, sometimes it works, sometimes we fail, it’s as simple as that. There’s no way of going back and figuring it out, what went right what went wrong, like I don’t even know what went right with Kahaani.

Well, people have been telling about their love naah?
Yeah but each has their own theory. I don’t wanna believe in any of them, because films should be like that. Filmmaking is always that search, that search for the perfect film. The moment you think you have the formula, you’re doomed, you’ve just axed yourself in the leg.

Special Report – TOIFA Press Day – Sujoy Ghosh is a post from: BollySpice

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Kulraj Randhawa

The fun and feisty Kulraj Randhawa who made her Bollywood debut with Yamla Pagla Deewana, was back in Vancouver to visit her relatives as well as enjoy the performances at the big show. We chatted about her transition from Punjabi films to Hindi films and her upcoming projects

How are you enjoying your stay in Vancouver?
It’s lovely and good. Well it’s been a blessing, especially after the weather we have in India right now.

Which performances are you looking forward to at the awards show?
Ohh lots of performances! In fact, most of the female fan following in Vancouver are all gaga over Ranbir, and they’re looking forward to it. I think I’m quite excited to see him and Shah Rukh, of course.

How has the transition from Punjabi films to Hindi films? Was it daunting?
I think it was not that tough. I was lucky enough to get good projects, in Punjabi I did good ones, and then I did Hindi, where I was quite lucky to be working with a lot of good actors. I’m looking forward to be doing more Punjabi films and more Hindi ones too!

What are some of your upcoming projects we can look forward to?
I’m going ahead and doing a film with Jimmy Sheirgill right now, which will begin in May right in the middle of the heat!

Zarine Khan

I met up with Zarine on the 8th floor patio, which had a gorgeous waterfront view of Canada Place. The weather was less than lovely but Zarine definitely took in all the Vancouver tourist spots as well. We talked about her career that’s flourishing in the south and the media scrutiny for curvier women.

Have you been checking out some sights around town since you came a few days earlier for the show?
It’s been really great; it’s my first time in Vancouver. It’s a beautiful city, a little bit has been ruined by the rain but I still could get to go around. Did a lot of shopping, and went sight-seeing yesterday to Grouse Mountain and also the Capilano Bridge, it was super fun because I’m an adventurous person. Today, we’re planning to go to this Granville Island, so I’m looking forward to that. I love the people here, they’re so warm. The welcome we had was really not expected and that the Hindi film industry was so big here too. Thank you for that.

Which performances are you looking forward to at the awards show?
Actually, Ranbir is hosting and I’m a great fan of his humour so I’m looking forward to that one and I think, Priyanka is performing too.

So you’ve been working in Tamil and Hindi films, how has that transition and experience been?
It’s great, because there’s no big transition. Most of our Hindi film industry people work there, and their people work here. A lot of the South actors have come to our industry now, like Asin and Ileana so there’s no transition here, because we’re all working for each other and it’s a great experience.

How do you go about choosing the rights scripts to suit you?
Yeah, that’s kind of a tricky thing, because with me I have to be very careful since I don’t really belong to a Bollywood background, as they say. So it’s kind of difficult, you know, because it’s all your instincts and with me I have made a grand debut with Salman Khan, so I want to keep up to that. And be very choosy, as too I would rather the do quality work than just want to take up anything for the heck of It, so I wait and do good work.

Does it ever get annoying with the scrutiny around your body?
No, I like my body and Indian women are supposed to curvy. Right from our yesteryear actresses, to our sculptures in Kajrat, for all to see they’re all well-endowed and curvaceous women there. I’m very comfortable with my body and I think even our industry is becoming very much comfortable with the kind of body type as I have now. As you see a lot of actresses, I don’t really want to name them, they’ve all gone big and they have been accepted. For example Vidya Balan really had to put on a lot of weight for The Dirty Picture and was really accepted well. Actually, she’s the one who made things so comfortable in being okay with being big.

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Aishwariya and Abhishek Bachchan caused a frenzy, when they walked down the carpet, stopping to sign autographs and chat with hosts Chunky Pandey and Shreyas Talpade. Aishwariya Rai Bachchan looked resplendent in a mint-green Sabyasachi anarkali suit and Abhishek in a navy blue outfit, they both looked so chic and classy as they waved to their adoring fans. Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan decided to match with their red outfits, though Shah Rukh’s velvety maroon jacket gave him a bit of a Hugh Hefner look. Neha Dhupia decided to accessorize her Sabyasachi lehenga with a belt that tucked her chuni in and looked quite constricting. The stars all upped their game with their shiny and elegant outfits that complemented the glamourous events ahead.

The award show started on the usual “Indian” timing, a full 50 minutes after the expected time. It began with a hopeful and inspiring video by Arjun Sablok, the director at Yashraj films and Vancouver native, which celebrated Indo-Canadian life from the first immigrants to the gregarious Punjabis dancing at a wedding. It was all very thoughtful, albeit a calculated move to acknowledge that the largely Punjabi audience that they truly belonged to the fabric of BC life with their contributions as business-owners, farmers, and as committed citizens. Near the end of the video, dancers of all ages from bhangra groups across Surrey and Vancouver brought the house down with their boisterous performance.

The political side of the show reared its head right after this section. Premier Christy Clark wearing a blue salwar kameez came on with Shiamak Davar to address the crowd. Admittedly, the reception was quite mixed as Clark garnered some audible boos across the stadium. She highlighted that the event was only part of “what’s going to inject millions into our economy,” managing to deflect attention away from the $11 million spent for the event. Clark stressed the inclusivity and multiculturalism of the city.

Clark noted that, “I hope that all of you from around the world who have come here have found that you are at home in British Columbia…a province that welcomes with open arms people from all over the world,” she said. Let’s use this wonderful celebration of Indian film to continue to build more bridges of opportunity between us. More trade opportunities, more tourism and definitely more Indian films shot right here in B.C.”

After this political speechifying, the show got underway with Ranbir spoofing the years films to the tune of Barfi theme song. Kapoor and Anushka Sharma had an easy banter, with squabbling moments that were quite humorous and forced at other times. The onslaught of guests continued in the same tradition of announcing the category by the first hosts, bringing out new presenters, displaying their banter, and then finally announcing the winner. The first award of the night was for Best Actor in a Negative Role won by Rishi Kapoor, for his Agneepath performance. Ranbir accepted on behalf, dedicating it to his father’s long and illustrious career.

The biggest whoops of the night went to Jimmy Sheirgill’s appearance to present Best Debut Female Ileana D’Cruz, shouting out to his huge Punjabi fanbase in the crowd. In general, the evening was best summed up this way; whenever Punjabi was used the crowd went wild and hollered out.

Fans rushed towards the barricades and danced along the aisles as Abhishek Bachchan rode in on a dolly in the middle section of the stadium. Riding on a dollied cart, Abhishek did his signature moves in shaking that head around and swinging those hips alongside his entourage of bhangra dancers. Rocking out to some Punjabi Mc, and then a medley of his hit songs from Bunty aur Babli and Bol Bachchan, Abhishek was clearly having tons of fun even if he let his dancers do much of the heavy lifting. Bachchan also landed the Best Actor in a Comic Role award, bringing on stage his co-actor Krusna Abhishek to share the award and guiding his own performance in that film. It was a very endearing moment in the evening for both the Abhisheks!

When Boman Irani took the stage for his hosting duties, he called upon the Minister of Finance, Mike De Jong to announce the winners for Best Supporting Actress and Actor. Now this banter was just so awkward and cringingly bad, with Irani trying to teach the fumbling De Jong how to be a Bollywood hero. It was like watching your drunk uncle show off his tricks when he started mouthing the stilted Dabangg dialogues and doing pelvis thrusts. It was a big night for Vicky Donor stars, Dolly Ahluwalia and Annu Kapoor who took home the two awards. Kapoor’s speech was truly one of the highlights of the evening, as he made some sly digs at De Jong announcing his Toffee award, and prefacing his speech by saying he’ll be taking in the ‘foreign language’ that’s Hindi and Punjabi. His speech was so deadpan and witty that you couldn’t begrudge his long speech since it was so full of heart and fun.

Katrina Kaif took to the stage, with a thumping and thunderous set of her songs like ‘Sheila Ki Jawani’, ‘Mashallah’, and ‘Chikni Chameli’ with the camera cutting to shots of her belly dancing moments and chest heaves. In spite of this, Katrina pulled off an electrifying set that made the crowd go wild especially in the dhol sections of Sheila where she interacted with Shiamak’s dance troupe a bit more.

For the playback female and male category, there was a bit of confusion as to who should accept for Sonu Nigam for ‘Ab Mujhme Nahin’ – Agneepath. Presenter Mughda Ghose announced Karan Johar to come up, but music directors Ajay and Atul pipped him to the post and thanked Sonu for giving them a chance on the song. It was a touching moment that was followed up when they emerged as the underdog winners for Best Music, beating out Pritam for both Cocktail and Barfi. Atul addressed their utter surprise at even winning and the honour of being nominated in such a category. He highlighted how thankful they were to Riteish Deshmukh for recommending them to Karan Johar based on their extraordinary Marathi output. A poignant and heartfelt speech that will hopefully solidify their position in the music industry.

However, if that win was a deserving surprise then the big upset of the night was Deepika Padukone’s win for Best Actress in the critics’ choice. Irrfan Khan also collected the Best Actor Critics award, along with Gangs of Wasseypur winning for Best Film. Manoj Bajpai accepted on Anurag Kashyap’s behalf, stressing Kashyap’s influence on his career and his vision in creating such an ambitious saga.

However, all the awards were almost nothing in comparison to the enthusiasm and love in the air for Aishwariya Rai Bachchan’s first stage performance since having her daughter, Aaradhya. Starting with ‘Khwaja Mere Khwaja’, Aishwariya looked stunning in a black lehenga suit and managed to keep up for the most part. Yet when ‘Crazy Kiya Re’, and ‘Barso Re’ came on, the Davar troupe got into the swing of it and sped up their dancing to match the tempo, Aishwariya was left floundering. What she lacked in pace and tempo, Aishwariya more than made up for it with her charm and grace.

Shiamak Davar and Christy Clark came back to present the Best Director award, complete with more political positioning as Clark said Davar exemplified the global citizen of Vancouver and Mumbai, crossing borders and enhancing the culture scene of Vancouver with his dancing. It was rather fawning and thankfully, Anurag Basu’s win cleared that schmaltz out of the way. It was a hilarious moment, as Ranbir Kapoor ran across the stage to congratulate him and then got a piggyback ride on Basu to the podium, and Kapoor held Basu’s dhoti that was getting tangled on the way up there! It was a nice moment of physical comedy that lightened up the long evening. Barfi was the clean sweep of the night, nabbing Best Actor for Ranbir, Best Actress for Priyanka Chopra, Best Film, and Best Debut.

Chopra’s speech was an emotional one as she brought up her ailing father who were assisted by Ranbir Kapoor and Karan Johar to the stage. Chopra thanked her father for traveling 30 hours to be with her for the event, which brought the audience to a standstill and gave us all an AWWW moment.

All the best things are left right till the end, so as the clock struck midnight Shah Rukh Khan finally took the stage for his performance. He apologized in advance for not being able to dance as energetically as he’d hoped, but the audience soon forgave as he unleashed that signature ‘With Arms Wide Open’ move. I’ll admit that I did melt into a puddle at this moment, because somehow Shah Rukh seems transcend all of our cynicism and grumbles when those arms are lifted. So many hit songs like ‘Suraj Hua Madham’, ‘Dard-e-Disco’, ‘Chaiya Chaiyya’, and ‘Main Hoon Don’ make up so much of our cinema experiences so the audience responded on such a visceral level to seeing their icon in their vicinity. While the performance wasn’t quite as painful as his IIFA performance, Shah Rukh did sweat up a storm by the end of the medley, but he did what he came for: to entertain the hell out of us.

The TOIFA’s were quite a good event that brought together Bollywood stars and adoring fans to celebrate the 100 years of Indian cinema with the maiden awards ceremony. The political machinations behind the show were overt and obvious, but it delivered the glamour and spectacle that it aimed to do. It may result in some trade relations and economic gains, but for that one night, we revelled in that spirit of mirth and celebration of Bollywood cinema.

Check out these exclusive pictures!

Full Winner’s list:

Best Playback – Female- Shalmali Kholgade Ishaqzaade

Best Playback – Male- Sonu Nigam Agneepath

Best Lyrics Gulzar Jab Tak Hai Jaan

Best Music Director Ajay Atul Agneepath

Best Debut – (Female) Ileana D’Cruz Barfi!

Best Debut – (Male) Ayushman Khurana Vicky Donor

Best Actress – Supporting Role Dolly Ahluwalia Vicky Donor

Best Actor – Supporting Role Annu Kapoor Vicky Donor

Best Actor – Comic Role Abhishek Bol Bachchan

Best Actor – Negative Role Rishi Kapoor Agneepath

Best Debut Director – Critics Gauri Schinde English Vinglish

Best Film – Critics – Gangs of Wasseypur

Best Actor Female – Critics – Deepika Cocktail

Best Actor Male – Critics – Irfaan Khan Paan Singh Tomar

Best Director – Popular – Anurag Basu Barfi!

Best Actor – Female – Priyanka Chopra Barfi!

Best Actor – Male- Ranbir Kapoor Barfi!

Best Film – Popular- Barfi!

TOIFA Special: The Awards Show Report Plus Fabulous Pictures! is a post from: BollySpice

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Manish Malhotra

The designer was at his candid best musing on celebrity endorsement, his charity work, and his unwavering passion for creating iconic fashion moments to add to the pantheon of Indian cinema’s 100 years. Malhotra also described this evening’s fashion show segments at the TOIFA Technical Awards, “I think for the people of Vancouver, it’s going to be a rediscovery of Indian cinema and seeing that nostalgia, with the colours of the 60s, the funk of the 70s, and the bling of the 80s. We then come to 2013, with a spring/summer collection, which is very modern, it’s very Indian in origin and Indian in thought, but its influences are very modern and young.” Malhotra spoke about how busy this weekend will be since he is coordinating tonight’s fashion show as well as designing outfits for the major stars tomorrow. Malhotra was gracious and lovely enough to let me squeeze another question in at the ire of the PR company! But bringing you the spiciest scoop, we got talking about his charity work and the difficulties on the admin side of the fashion world.

How has the charity work with Mijwan played into the social responsibility of designing and how has it helped your aesthetic?
I think it just adds that layer to you, which I am enjoying doing, whether it is the chicken curry of Mijwan or the Kashmiri embroidery and the phulkaris. The fact of getting a little bit of focus on forgotten crafts is interesting. I’m enjoying doing it, because when I put it out there at a fashion week and make an actor or someone like Nitha Mani wear it, then it is followed. I want to take that opportunity of being today at that position where I can influence and using those patterns. I come with such a big Bollywood tag that if you didn’t see me for six months you’re going to assume that he’s sitting with Kareena Kapoor someplace. Maybe it’s because of that, that I do so much fashion work. recently I did a Mills India Fashion Week in Delhi, I did a show for HTC Style Awards, I did Lakme Fashion Week, and I’m here in Vancouver doing a fashion show. When I go back to Bombay, I go to Nagpur for a fashion show. So I do a lot of fashion work, because the good side is the Bollywood tag, and the bad side is that I think for the fashion industry, it’s so convenient to say: Manish Malhotra is just Bollywood. And there are so many actors, but my question again and again is, not a single filmmaker, actor, or today an evolved client is going to just wear an outfit, because I’m around. No. They’re going to wear it because I’m changing, working out, and evolving and I’m discussing every makeup, meeting, traveling and meeting lots of people, pouring it all into your work.

Would you say it is harder to design for men or women?
I think if there’s one point that’s hard for me is the administration and the business part of it. That, I find very hard. What is exciting is the youth around you and you reinventing and keeping face for that. But, I mean I lose it, i’m always in a mood with my brother, who handles the business aspect of it and the taxations and all that discussion is what stresses me out!

Prabhu Deva
The most unassuming guy in the room was Prabhu Deva, who was quite shy and reticent with his answers. Nipping in an out of the room for interviews, Deva was nonplussed and that charming grin was apparent for each similar question. The barrage of questions before asked of his upcoming ventures, Ramaiya Vastavaya and Rambo Rajkumar, but we took a step back to touch on his moment in the sun right now with his success as a director for Rowdy Rathore and as an actor for ABCD.

How do you feel about the 100 crore club, that everybody tags you in since the Rowdy Rathore success?
Haha, 100 crore. I’m a little bit scared of it actually, because they will expect. More than happiness, scared only!

So you worked with reworking the Tamil version and the Hindi one in Rowdy Rathore, did you have work on adapting the material to suit the audience?
A little a bit, for the actors for the emotion portion. But the comedy portion, the romance portion, and songs we changed it up.

How has your love as a masala fan helped with your work?
Of course, I love to watch films that are very masala. Everything must be ready in it, the comedy, romance, fights, and emotion.

How fun was it working with Ganesh Acharya, Saroj Khan, and Remo for ABCD?
Very good, too good. I’m missing it actually, because when I was on that first moment, we had so much fun.

How do you feel dancers have evolved these days?
Dancers nowadays are superb. Before 10-15 years it was just one, nowadays each and every house has a superb dancer. They’re dancing very well these days,

Aditi Rao Hydari
Aditi Rao Hydari seemed a bit flustered that journalists couldn’t pronounce her name, but that was smoothed down as she fielded questions about her transition from Murder 3 to a big banner film like Boss with Akshay Kumar, and her own fashion choices. We chatted briefly about her Bharat Natyam background informing her work ethic and screen presence.

Does your Bharat Natyam background helped for you acting and professionalism?
You know I think it’s helped me in ways I don’t even know. Dance makes you quite uninhibited whether it’s with your body or the way you express yourself. Like a lot of people say that I can never hide what it is I’m thinking, because it all shows on my face. And I’ve got a very transparent face, which can get me into a lot of trouble, but in front of the camera it helps. That’s how I act, and if I think about a certain situation then I believe that especially for a camera that’s so close to you, so you don’t actually have to act, you just have to be and be something so that it shows and looks effortless. So I don’t actually think about it too much, because I think that’s just what I do! And I don’t like the effort that comes into it, so you’re work should be behind the scene. so when you come in front of a camera or in front of an audience, you have to just give!

TOIFA Special: We chat with Prabhu Deva, Manish Malhotra and Aditi Rao Hydari is a post from: BollySpice

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The event started a full half an hour late, which you can naturally forgive given the amount of prepwork that goes into pulling off such a huge event. When we hit the show running, choreographer Shiamak Davar decided on the unconventional route and sang his signature tune, ‘Jaane Kisne’. Instead of bringing out his troupe, Davar sang his tune around the stage alongside two dancers conveying that yearning and hope to the seductive beat. Davar can hold a tune quite well and did not crack during the faster sections or the guilty pleasure that is, ‘Hookah Bar’ (Khiladi 786). For the last two peppy numbers, Davar’s local dance troupe milled around the VIP circle around the stage, before breaking into the beat. It would have been a tad more seamless and less rushed if Davar had just done one song instead of pacing through his final songs, before rushing to the big awards rehearsal at BC Place.

Dhupia gave the show some much needed comic relief with anchor banter with the audience, talking in Hindi and Punjabi to appeal to the audience. Yet, for the millionth ‘Talia talia Wancouwer!’ that Dhupia emitted there was more holding up of the already long show. Next up was Shalmali Kholgade, who sounded even silkier and polished in her opening verses to ‘Pareshaan’ (Ishaqzaade) that it gave one goosebumps. Davar’s troupe thronged and pulsated during the heavy chorus line, swaying around Kholgade to great effect. The surprise number was ‘Radha’ (Student of the Year), where Kholgade reinvented the hit song with her coquettish and sultry voice, which certainly had people dancing in their seats during the male chorus.

Bringing the home grown talent from Ottawa was the rather lacklustre Abbas Hassan, who decided to simply circle and jog around the stage to his two song set piece. Hassan tried to engage the audience with his two smooth R&B tracks ‘Away’ and ‘Sona’, but his vocals were less than stellar by account of his exercising around the stage.

Mohit Chauhan came back on for his
Yet one of the three best performers of the night had to be the powerful and swaggering Hard Kaur, who made a stunning entrance with the ABCD track ‘Sadda Dil Vi Tu’ where she let the outstanding dancers recreate some of the song’s signature moves. Thankfully, Hard Kaur knew how to work the stage in not alienating the usually passive crowd at the back, and traveled round the cross-shaped stage to amp up the audience. When ‘Peene Do’ and ‘Char Baj Gaya’ (FALTU) started, I was very nearly tempted to jump up and dance like the obnoxious drunk people in the VIP section, who were trying to grab at her! Kaur brought some much-needed swagger and bravado to a rather restless show.

Another highlight was the stripped down aesthetic for Mohit Chauhan’s entry, singing an acoustic set of ‘Dooba Dooba’, which harkened back to his Silk Road days. The song made for a resounding sigh at the power of Chauhan’s brilliant vocal prowess to work a stadium so efficiently. Once again, here was a performer who listened to the shouts from behind him saying ‘Face me!’ and so he worked the crowd with such an ease and warmth in his stage presence. While his set of three songs felt a tad abrupt when he exited the stage, including a rather dull rendition of ‘Tum Se Hi’(Jab We Met) by the band, Chauhan would be back to reignite the show’s energy.

The disappointment of the evening came surprisingly with Kavita Seth, who opened thunderously with an acoustic Sufi track with her stunning voice dominating the stadium. She segued into ‘Ik Tara’ and ‘Tumhi To Bandhu’ (Cocktail), where she seemed to be drowning in the backing track and meeting her own notes in the original song. There was no real need to feature the backing track so heavily when we had just heard Seth overpowering voice capture the audience away. Then we cut to what I had hoped would be a promising combination with the sweet vocals of Shalmali and the rough and edgy raps from Hard Kaur. But there was more reliance on the backing track to do the filler vocals, with the two singers chiming in later than their original verses, which messed with the continuity. It was certainly entertaining but was way too noisy with the Kholgade almost screeching out her vocals. The final number by them ‘Talli’ (Ugly aur Pagli) was more unified and full of attitude and sassiness as the two worked together so well to end this overlong jam session on the right note.

Thankfully, the best performer of the night knew how to truly hold a stadium’s attention and make them wait for the right performer to rock the night. Sunidhi Chauhan was aided by a great backing band who made overdone item songs like ‘Halkat Jawani’ (Heroine) inventive with their new spins on the opening harmonium hook, or keyboard solo on ‘Crazy Kiya Re’(Dhoom 2). Chauhan knew when to let her band have its glory before bringing the house down with her improvisatory verses and stage presence. Her first set was a medley of her item songs, along with her new one ‘Babli Badmaash’ (Shootout at Wadala), which was drastically improved by the retro sounds of the band and a brilliant rendition of ‘Ainvayi Ainvayi’ (Band Baaja Baarat) that was just utterly fabulous for her call and response section. Chauhan just has a voice built for a huge stadium with her overwhelming and lovely voice, but coupled with an innovative backing band and comfortable stage presence, made this one of the best sets of the nights.

In between the show, the anchor banter with Neha Dhupia was generally awkward when the audience didn’t bother clapping or whooping. Dhupia injected some humour into the show by calling on several volunteers to be candidates as a husband, this skit went on way too long but it did make the crowd laugh along.

second set with a new avatar: a Sufi Rockstar! Chauhan was utterly adorable with his awkward shuffling moves and shoulder bops during ‘Pee Loon’ (Once Upon a Time in Mumbai) where he let the tabla and chorus do their thing. Yet, this final set allowed Chauhan to don his other alter-ego of Jordan from Rockstar as he broke out ‘Nadaan Parindey’ and ‘Sadda Haq’ (Rockstar). ‘Nadaan Parinday’ was just perfect and simply built for that stadium atmosphere with the cascading drums and broken up verses for Chauhan. For ‘Sadda Haq’, an outstanding guitarist who splendidly improved on Oliengi’s grungy and jagged solos joined Chauhan for this finale. This version was rather stripped down with Chauhan and the guitarists engaging in a jugalbandi rather than have the drums and percussion chime in, which was full of air-guitar via Chauhan. An adorable rocker!

The final set of the night was by Sunidhi Chauhan, who capitalized on her versatility and displayed her silky voice with ‘Yaaram’ (Ek Thi Daayan) and ‘Te Amo’ (Dum Maaro Dum). These quieter songs made for an easeful rest on the ears as Chauhan impressed with her range and edge in not going over the top. However, she could not resist ending the event without a dose of Sunidhi sultriness with the jam session that was ‘Beedi’(Omkara). Riffing on some keyboard cues, Chauhan paced around the stage and getting nearly everyone bopping around in their seat to the dhol chorus. The band was excellent throughout this final set, and produced creative and inventive variations on these familiar songs that are Chauhan’s staples. She did veer into screechy territory by the end, with her whoops and shouts giving everyone a near ear bleed, but being the witty performer we forgive her, especially when she made the audience drawl through several ‘Aye Hai, Oye hoye’ in that characteristic Chauhan twang. Now that is what you call a diva, who isn’t gonna let the audience off easy as well!

The TOIFA Musical Extravaganza was a fun event with so much great music from the best musicians of our time. However, the event was rather rushed and a tad haphazard in the abrupt ends to short sets by each of the artists, and general song choices for these singers. Yet bringing the big guns like Sunidhi Chauhan, Mohit Chauhan, and Hard Kaur definitely enlivened the show with performers that can work a crowd and get them hyped for the big event on Saturday!

Stay tuned we will have much more!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkXPQKlg2yo

SPECIAL REPORT: TOIFA Musical Extravaganza- Video Added! is a post from: BollySpice

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Official events get underway this Thursday, April 4th with the Musical Extravaganza at the Pacific Coliseum hosted by Bollywood actress Neha Dhupia. The concert, featuring the choreography of the highly acclaimed Shiamak Davar, will include performances by Kavita Seth, Sunidi Chauhan, Mohit Chauhan, Hard Kaur, Shalmali Kholgade and more. (Event start time: 8:00pm).

On Friday, April 5, 2013 the biggest stars in Bollywood will gather at the Vancouver Convention Centre for the inaugural TOIFA Technical Awards and Fashion Gala. The exclusive event will honour and award the very best for their achievements in Hindi Film. The TOIFA Technical Awards are being hosted by Bollywood heavyweights, Karan Johar and Chitrangada Singh and will include fashion segments throughout, designed by the one and only Manish Malhotra.

Several Bollywood showstoppers will be wearing one-of-a-kind designs by Manish during the fashion gala including: Urmila Matondkar, Raveena Tandon, Ileana D’Cruz, Nargis Fakhri, and Sonal Chauhan.

The Red Carpet gets rolled out Saturday, April 6th at BC Place – where the best of Bollywood will be honoured at the inaugural TOIFA. The highly anticipated event, drawing attention from around the globe, includes performances and appearances from the world’s most well recognized Hindi film stars. Bollywood celebrities expected to hit the official red carpet ceremony include Ranbir Kapoor, Anuskha Sharma and Boman Irani, hosts for the evening. The beloved Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Priyanka Chopra will all deliver incredible performances throughout the night.

Celebrity Arrival Note: TOIFA guests will be arriving through Vancouver International Airport from April 2nd to April 5th. YVR has set up an official Welcome Area for fans and media – located in the East Concourse, International Terminal, Level 3 (Departures) near the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel.

Other Bollywood stars making their way to Vancouver includes Nargis Fakhri, Madhur Bhandakar, Prabhudeva, Shreyas Talpade, Annu Kapoor, Gauri Shinde, Anurag Basu, Asin, Madhavan, Kabir Khan, Mini Mathur, Sudhir Mishra, Jimmy Shergill, Harman Baweja and many more.

In fact Abhishek and Aishwarya are already there! Check out these cool pics of Abhishek and Aish at the venue! This is going to be a show not to be missed

For more information on TOIFA:
Visit: www.toifa.com
On Twitter: @toifaawards
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/toifaawards
On YouTube: www.youtube.com/toifaawards

Abhishek and Aishwarya Arrive as the Countdown to TOIFA begins! is a post from: BollySpice

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From the opening ukulele strums and peppery accordion notes, Mera Naam Kehne Laga, is a complete dream of a song. The tune has a whopping 4 versions, so it’s a treat to pick and choose your favourite one. The original is sung and composed by Pakistani sensation Falak Shabir, whose song ‘Saajna’ from I, Me, aur Main definitely made it on my top-played list this past week. Add this one to the pile, since Shabir has such gorgeous vocals that takes you across this lilting ballad. The lyrics by Shabir are simple and serene, and hark back to the old-school ballads that conveyed all that yearning and thrill of love. The tune is dreamy with its soft arrangements that have you immediately swaying and humming along to Shabir’s confection. The bridge particularly utilizes more of that calypso sound that McCleary is famous for, and these varied influences never get too chaotic. Guaranteed this lovely melody will end up on your most-played list by the end of the week. The song comes with the Reprise Version, which slows down the tempo and makes this a minimalist gem. While you might miss the exceptional arrangements, Shabir utilizes more drum kicks, acoustic guitar, and a graceful piano theme that runs throughout. With this variant, you can admire Shabir’s technical dexterity as the arrangements are to die for, and just wonderful. We get the Female Version, with Tulsi Kumar at the helm who unfortunately sounds out of her depth with this track. Kumar sounds fine, but rather on the shrill side and misses all the nuances and emotion of Shabir’s one. Skip this one perhaps. Even the Remix Version, is another example of how to do a remix the right way. It keeps the innate dreamy quality and updates it with a trance style with spaced out electronic beats that might have you swaying along as much at the original. The beats are similar to the “Don’t Believe the Levels” track by Avicii but this one keeps the orchestral moments of the song, which makes for a cool contrast.

Rochak Kohli and Ayushmann Khurrana reunite for Saadi Galli Aaja, another gem in the same vein as their chartbuster ‘Pani Da Rang’. Neeti Mohan begins the track with her quivering voice that charms you right away and shows us a tender side to her voice after the energetic ‘Jiya Re’. Mohan has such versatility and this song aptly showcases her talent in her small verses. However, Khurrana proves he’s not a one-trick pony, as he’s got such emotion and verve in his voice. He reaches the high notes with aplomb and has a crackling chemistry with Mohan on this track. Kohli keeps the arrangements addictive like their previous hit with the splendid guitar, soft drum kicks, and affecting vocals. It’s a resoundingly lovely song with brilliant Punjabi lyrics by Kausar Munir that speak to the initial buzz of being in love and courtship. The bridge that comes two minutes is a perfect moment as the cascading guitars complement Mohan’s alaaps and Khurrana’s supple vocals. It’s up there with ‘Pani Da Rang’, because Kohli and Khurrana use their basic template and create something wonderful from that fruitful collaboration. The Unplugged Version is simply resplendent with its exceptional arrangements by Kohli who adopts McCleary’s style into this track. From the melodica, piano, and mandolin melody that lines the track, Kohli gives the musicians space to have solos and work perfectly in sync with the singers. There is just so much to love on this version as it just sweeps you away with these softer vocals from Mohan and Khurrana who imbue more emotion and chemistry than the original. The verses are quite different and allow for more interplay between the singers and musicians during the bridge. Khurrana and Mohan are dreamy in all of their yearning and sultry glory. Keep this on repeat. We get another Remix Version that works with the faster tempo and adds the trance layer to the track. It sounds great but loses some of that emotion and melody amidst the chockablock beats that come thick and fast. Take your pick out these three.

A Rohan Sippy film would be incomplete without an updated retro track, this time it is the Dhak Dhak Karne Laga, from Beta. Now this track already has its place in cinema history as one of Madhuri’s most iconic songs and display of her emotive dancing, which makes this update a dicey proposition. However, McCleary showcases his finesse for remaking old tracks and infusing it with an enticing energy and joy. The song would be right at home on one of his Bartender albums, because he’s got a brilliant singer in Saba Azad. Azad captures the naughty spirit of the song in purring out her verses and drawling on the key lines. Azad’s husky voice is perfect here, as she succeeds in keeping the fun and sexiness of the original track. Her supporting male chorus of Geet Sagar, Bruno Carvalho, and Santosh Sawant chime in at the opportune times and lend some able support. McCleary makes this a masterful tune, with the faster tempo that makes you want to rush to the nearest dancefloor. It’s an enthrallingly good song with the paced out loops of flutes, thumping drums, and the melodica again. While it may upset purists, it is a cheeky and charming track that deserves multiple listens.

Next up is the stunning Tu Hi Tu, which pushes Ayushmann Khurrana outside his comfort zone with a subtle and romantic track like this. McCleary ensures that the sweeping melody of the swirling violins and the darbuka drum beats become the heartbeat of the track and instantly get you swaying. The song achieves that almost vaudeville sound with its old-school elements and crescendos of the orchestra midway through the track, which works brilliantly with the theatre setting of the film. The trumpet solo by Kishore Soda interacts soulfully with the violin and cello sections by Rachel Golub and Duke Mushroom of the Sounds of Mushroom that was recorded in NYC. That essence of collaboration is just infectiously enjoyable in this track with its layered appeal with much to savour. Khurrana is emerging here as a competent and expressive singer whose evocative vocals convey all that passion in Kausar Munir’s succinct and poetic lyrics. He has the right timbre and does not hog the limelight in this track, and lets the musicians shine with their solos and timbre.

After four standout tracks, we get the equally energetic situational song, Dramebaaz, that captures the philosophy of the theatre troupe and their lives. The lyrics are hilarious and evoke a lot of mirth and fun so I cannot wait to see how it is picturized onscreen. McCleary often utilizes Calypso, Carnival influences which is apparent from the steel drums, and enthusiastic trombones that lace the track. Geet Sagar, the X-Factor winner, is positively gleeful and spirited on this track, clearly having fun with the witty verses. The later portions of the song embrace that carnival sound as the trumpets, steel drums, and orchestra swells to gorgeous conclusion. Keep this one on repeat.

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s songs have often flowed into one another, with one ‘Saiyaan’ sounding like another with his familiar alaaps and screeching. Thankfully, Rashid Khan knows how to harness Rahat’s misplaced energies in Sapna Mera Toota, as this subtle tune recalls the earlier songs where we fell for his vocal dexterity. It helps that Aftab and Hashim Sabri’s qawalli verses makes this a standout track, and they lend amiable support to Rahat throughout. The dholak and tablas during these portions add some authenticity and energy to the track. Rahat is emotive and proves his detractors wrong. Rahat evokes the pathos and loneliness of Munir’s lyrics so superbly that you cannot help but admire and appreciate Rashid Khan’s effort.

Saba Azad is back with the quirky Dil Ki Toh Lag Gayi, that makes me want to hear more from her as she’s imbues the track with such fervent energy and personality. Rohan Sippy mentioned that this was the first track that they worked on, and it had to convey that “atmosphere and camaraderie behind the scenes” and the celebrates the alluring and charming woman that the heroes are after. It certainly complements the slow-burning jazz melody that McCleary crafts with his zippy accordions, lilting mandolins, and trumpets that work in perfect harmony. Azad is simply exceptional here as she really gets the emotions right and drawls on the witty lines like, “Cinema ki hai tu aag, Mogambo khush huaa Dil ki toh lag gayi…” Azad gives the song it’s witty and vivacious with her giggles and control of the material. Give this one a try.

We end this album with one of the best remixes ever, So Gaya Yeh Jahaan, sung by Nitin Mukesh for the film Tezaab. I immediately loved that McCleary threw in a bit of surf guitar to pair with the crazy trumpets, rapid drum claps, and spacey electronic beats. It’s a brilliant update of an already great track, and McCleary’s tributes always retain the original flavour but injects it with some much-needed peppiness and fun. This song is immensely enjoyable and is a great example of how to update a hit song faithfully.

Nautanki Saala is definitely one of my favourite albums of the year, because of McCleary and his conspirators’ commitment to producing tracks that are layered and versatile. The album is inventive and endlessly enjoyable with songs to savour and swoon along to.

Nautanki Saala Music Review is a post from: BollySpice

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I was immediately excited from the initial trailer to hear the full, Punjabiyan Di Battery, and it’s a funky track that launches you on the dance floor from the opening tumbhi strands. Honey Singh chimes in with his safer rap verses, and then the real star of the show emerges – Mika. This is a much better song where Mika can show off his vocal prowess and some of the usual swagger. It’s a real feat to have Singh and Mika on the same track and they don’t sound like they are trying to outdo each other too much. The arrangements are fabulous, and the tempo keeps the party going right until the bridge where it speeds up. Kumaar’s lyrics are quirky and celebrate all that Punjabi spirit which is complemented by Mika and Honey Singh’s vocals. Keep this on your most played list.

Main Senti Hoon carries Kumaar’s witty and fun lyrics to a more romantic-clubby number with Jaspreet Jasz and Shalmali Kholgade taking the lead. Gupta’s arrangements are great here with the electronic style that merges very well with Punjabi sounds. Gupta seems to have a good command over reinventing the usual staple numbers and making this track with its innate appeal. Jasz and Kholgade are fabulous together and create a cute chemistry throughout the track. Jasz has the right energy and excels in the faster section, and Kholgade is getting more songs and making us adore her precise and versatile style. The song could do without the moans and panting in the background, but that is minor quibbling. Try this one out.

The most anticipated track on the album is Panjabi MC’s Haay, and it doesn’t disappoint. Collaborating with Manak-E (of ‘Paisa’ – De Dana Dan fame), Panjabi MC makes sure to create a surefire chartbuster with its thumping bass line and an addictive chorus. The initial rap lyrics are typical Panjabi MC and work to establish the hip-hop style of the track. Manak-E is reliable and sounds like he’s having fun with the track, as well the addition of the female chorus breaks up the pace and re-establishes its roots. Although it does not feel like a stretch for Panjabi MC, it’s a well-crafted track that does what it sets out to: make us want to dance and go racing around!

Next up is Hip Hip Hurrah, which isn’t sung as clunky as it sounds on the page with Sonu Kakkar vocals. The song is another clubby number with more rustic Punjabi elements in it with the dhols and tumbhi making their mark during the interludes. From opening ‘dhan-te-nana’ and it’s varied arrangement of the clubby sound to the folksy sound, Gupta keeps the track energetic and addictive. Kakkar does sound a bit like Miss Pooja in the earlier portions but regains her footing and makes the song much more entertaining. The Hinglish not too distracting and Kumaar’s lyrics are perfect for a sangeet or reception setting with its teasing and joyous energy.

The title track, Mere Dad Ki Maruti, is entertaining for Kumaar’s lyrics where the Maruti is at the focus. Whether it’s the whispery vocals from Diljit Dosanjh and then launching into the techno track, the chorus is instantly catchy. The lyrics are witty with the Maruti as the love object at the centre with its ‘red rang di bonnet’ that urges him to “kendi hor ghumna.” Dosanjh manages to deliver these lyrics with aplomb without it being too clunky and distracting. It’s a groovy track that becomes an earworm with its tumbhi and dholak in the chorus line. Give this Maruti a spin!

The last track is Mere Dad Ka Mash-up, remixed by DJ Shadow and DJ Raamji Gulati. It continues the new trend in an interesting way and it doesn’t end up too messy. It’s uses the dubstep and techno beats in a way that improves on the originals. It manages to be one of the better examples of how to do a remix and mash-up properly in that it does not lose the essence of the tracks.

Mere Dad Ki Maruti is one of the most energetic and original albums around, because Sachin Gupta manages to do something new with the Punjabi style that we often hear. It helps that he’s aided by Kumaar’s fun lyrics that keep the celebrations and pomp going. The album fulfills its purpose in getting the audience pumped for the film and the Maruti’s hijinks!

Mere Dad Ki Maruti Music Review is a post from: BollySpice

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