Anees Bazmee avoids clash with Rajkumar Hirani, Aamir Khan

‘Welcome Back’ will not be released on the same day as ‘P.K.

Anees Bazmee’s Welcome Back was originally scheduled for a release in India on December 19. It will now no longer be released on that date as Rajkumar Hirani’s Aamir Khan-starrer P.K. is releasing on the same day.

Bazmee is not interested in creating unnecessary competition. “My producer Feroz Nadiadwala wants us to stick to our December 19 release date. But I see no point in a box office tussle. I’m going to convince him to opt for another release window,” he said.

It isn’t as though Bazmee is not confident of his film. “I’ve my own audience. But why get into an unnecessary tussle at the box office? It is bound to damage one or the other film. I’d rather wait for another opportune Friday.”

“Raju Hirani is a very fine writer and director. On top of that, he is back with his 3 Idiots leading man Aamir Khan. So there’s bound to be fireworks at the box office. Why take the risk of getting burnt?”

The director is currently recording an additional song for the film which he will film in due time when the film’s cast — from Anil Kapoor and John Abraham to Naseeruddin Shah and Nana Patekar — is available.

“I am in no hurry. I have no ambition to create a dhamaka [blast] for Christmas. Any Friday will work as long as another big film is not lined up for the same day,” he said.

Copyright: gulfnews.com

Raajneeti: 'A typical Prakash Jha film'

By Dipti Nagpaul D'souza

Anticipating the reactions to Raajneeti, Ajay Devgn talks about his equation with Prakash Jha

You must be looking forward to Raajneeti’s release as it marks your return in a Prakash Jha film after five years.

It is exciting because people often approach me saying that they have seen Gangaajal not 10-12 times but 50 times or so. And if they’ve liked Apaharan and Gangaajal, they will like Raajneeti too—it is a typical Prakash Jha film which is hard-hitting yet entertaining. He has the knack of telling a real story without making it a docu-drama.

So do you find yourself blindly agreeing to do a film that Jha offers to you?

It is almost so. When he approached me for Raajneeti, he only had the idea and the characters. He told that my character is based on the Mahabharat’s Karan. I told him that I like the idea but given that it requires an ensemble cast, I also asked him if he really thought I should do the film. Once he said he was sure I should, I didn’t even look at the script till much later. We have done three films together and been friends for over a decade. I know he will never make a stupid film and we share a comfort level where we can trust each other.

Ranbir will succeed even in his failures - Prakash

By: Devansh Patel, Bollywood Hungama

Albert Einstein once quoted, "Politics is a pendulum whose swings between anarchy and tyranny are fuelled by perpetually rejuvenated illusions." Prakash Jha's Raajneeti is based on similar lines. Characters you've never seen before, anger you've never faced before, conspiracy you've never been a part of before and a film that you've never ever been a witness to before. Raajneeti is epic in all way. Politics is just a pitch on which these politicians will play a match which is fixed, a match which can still go either way and a match which is as predictable as it is unpredictable...and the only way you can win it is by losing it all. This correspondent brings you this ongoing match called Raajneeti. Here is the conversation with Prakash Jha.

Writing

Actually, I've enjoyed writing Raajneeti. I had this whole structure of Mahabharata available to me. It wasn't there in Apaharan, it wasn't there in Gangajal, etc. Here, we had to take a conscious decision of how much of the politics, drama; love had to be included in the film. I am always trying to make a bridge all the time when I write and direct my films. I keep my fiction within the realm of reality. We Indians have a culture of nautanki. It all began with theatre, folk, classical art, etc. We have been a bit loud in all aspects of art. Whether its songs, dance, dialogues, etc. We love that. To keep the writing within that framework, it still seems real and fictional.

Speech

Yes, the speech is the sword for all the politicians. All great politicians are remembered through their body language and their speech. Their talk is more powerful than their weapons. There are very few good speakers in our country. I've heard a lot of them in my real life. But it's not only the lingo; it's the way you connect with the public. The way you connect with the issues that they want you to deal with. I personally have been in several situations where I have spoken publicly. Somebody like Lalu Yadav connects to the public in spite of people thinking that he isn't a great administrator. He is a damn good orator. Nitish Kumar too is a great orator. Each of the actors in Raajneeti have got one great speech which people will take back with them. 

Neta's

What will make this film interesting is the fact that the politicians you will see in Raajneeti aren't the ones clad in dhoti, kurta. They are more young, stylish, affluent and energetic. We have deliberately kept them as the young neta's in Raajneeti so that the people can associate with them.

Ranbir Kapoor

The best quality about Ranbir Kapoor is that he always gives you a feeling of security that he is secured. For him to do a film like Wake Up Sid, Rocket Singh and for him to suddenly decide to do a Raajneeti with a great ensemble cast was quite something. It takes guts man! Ranbir is so secured in any kind of atmosphere and that is what will keep him going far for a long time. Ranbir Kapoor will continue to succeed even in his failures.

Ajay Devgn

He will always be a part of all my films because he never comes with any baggage. That's great. In terms of looks, persona, achievements, etc, he comes as a simple guy who turns himself up into a strong performer and slips into any character you can think of. When you look at Ajay, you don't look at the actor, you look at the character. He is so economic in his acting. Wherever he is placed, he is so comfortable. A great human being, no promise but good in commitments.

Special screening for politicians?

I don't think the politicians are going to take any lessons from Raajneeti. They won't. They don't like to be talked about. But one thing is sure. They will enjoy the entertainment quotient of Raajneeti.

Raajneeti - Review

By: Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama

I've never really followed politics. But I am truly fascinated by 'Mahabharata'. Lord Krishna, Arjun, Karan, Bheema, Duryodhan... are legendary and the clash between Pandavas and Kauravas is equally unforgettable. Prakash Jha's Raajneeti talks of warring cousins, dynastic rule and electoral politics of the Hindi heartland, besides the vicious and horrifying games some people play to attain power.

To me, Raajneeti is a human drama, a complex game that people indulge in to achieve power and how this greed envelopes them and transforms them into ruthless and conniving humans. I admit, it takes time for the story to sink in, but slowly and steadily, you get sucked into a world that's dark, dangerous and demonish. The attire may be white, but the deeds are grey or black.

Raajneeti is not only 'Mahabharata', but also 'Godfather'. Despite knowing 'Mahabharata' or 'Godfather', one is not able to presume what games the present-day Pandavas and Kauravas would play in Raajneeti. In fact, the story alters constantly, unravelling in a serpentine manner and speed... so much so that you don't know what's gonna happen next. It keeps you awed at the constant turn of events. Clearly, unpredictability is the biggest strength of Raajneeti. Yet, let me clarify, this is not a documentary, tetchy or preachy film. This one not only entertains, but also enlightens. 

The flipside? None, actually. The naysayers may point out that the subject material is 'heavy', 'serious' and 'dry', but you ought to know that when you adapt 'Mahabharata' in the current milieu (present-day politics), you can't expect 'item songs' and 'slapdash humour and mimicry', for God's sake. These naysayers may also state that the running time (almost 3 hours) is a no-no in today's times, but let's not forget that even 3 hours is too short a duration for a good film and vice-versa, even an hour is too lengthy for a terrible film. Raajneeti is a genuinely good product, so you definitely don't mind its length. But one thing is for sure: Raajneeti doesn't cater to an audience that keeps its brains at home while watching a film. You need to be alert while watching this one. 

Final word? Prakash Jha, the persona, is known for qualitative cinema andRaajneeti, his new offering, stands tall on the list. Cinema is all about narrating interesting stories on celluloid and for that very reason,Raajneeti deserves distinction marks. Of course, the massive star cast and the sparkling performances are the icing on the cake.

I strongly advocate this film. Do yourself a favour: Watch Raajneeti.

Bhaskar Sanyal (Nasseruddin Shah), the fire-brand leftist leader, is feared for his single-handed ability to challenge the most powerful of leaders. Until one private mistake of his hurtled him into a self-imposed exile.

Cut to the present day. Prithvi (Arjun Rampal) is the heir to a powerful political legacy and impatient to seize the top position. But his cousin, Veerendra (Manoj Bajpayee), proves his biggest political opponent. He's a man who believes he was born to rule and who will now stop at absolutely nothing to claw his way back to the top.

Cornered by family and political colleagues, Veerendra plays a new game: He picks up Sooraj (Ajay Devgn), a youngster with anger in his heart and leadership on his mind. Sooraj doesn't know the secret behind his identity, which, of course, is revealed much, much later.

Prithvi's brother Samar (Ranbir Kapoor) is an 'outsider', with no political aspirations, but he gets sucked into the battle-ravaged arena of family rivalry. Only to turn into a master of the craft of political warfare. Indu (Katrina Kaif), daughter of a wealthy industrialist, is also caught in this web. Last but not the least, there's Brij Gopal (Nana Patekar), who plays the role of mentor and guide to Prithvi and Samar as the battle gets bloodier by the day. 

It requires courage to assemble a mammoth, ensemble cast, pick a story that does justice to each character and give the film the feel of an epic. Also, you ought to have comprehensive knowledge of the subject material - politics, in this case. And for all these and more Prakash Jha deserves all the praise possible. He knows the territory like the back of his hand, having observed the political culture very closely. Like I said at the outset, every character in Raajneeti is grey or black, not squeaky clean at all.

At an edited length of almost 3 hours, Raajneeti keeps the viewers glued to the goings-on for start to end. Anjum Rajabali and Prakash Jha's screenplay brings to the fore the ugly face of democracy most realistically and convincingly. The constant twists-n-turns in the story, the characters who change colours faster than chameleons and the blood-bath they indulge in are the highpoints of this film. In fact, there are sequences that merit brownie points, but it wouldn't be ethical to reveal them here since that would rob the fun while watching the film.

If the screenplay is watertight, the dialogue are equally remarkable. Every line is soaked in acid and only enhances the impact of several sequences. There's no scope for music in the film and the songs, including the hugely popular 'Mora Piya', are interspersed briefly in the narrative. Cinematography is top notch. Raajneeti is not an easy film to shoot, given the fact that there are more than 3 or 4 actors in every frame, besides a massive crowd of course.

To slot Raajneeti as a multi-starrer film would be erroneous. It's a multi-actor film and every actor delivers a sparkling performance. The film has some of the biggest names in the business, but the ones who stand out are Ranbir Kapoor, Arjun Rampal and Manoj Bajpayee. Ranbir surprises you with every film. Here's an actor who can give the best in the business sleepless nights. Arjun is a revelation and what a terrific performance he pitches in. He's like an untamed lion. Manoj delivers his career-best performance. He plays the evil part superbly. 

Ajay Devgn is sidelined in the second hour, but you need to give it to the actor for accepting and enacting his part with complete conviction. Nana Patekar is brilliant. He utters the most acidic lines with a smile, which only an actor of calibre could've achieved. Actually, you can't imagine anyone else in this role. Katrina Kaif is first-rate. The sincerity and earnestness shows in every sequence. She sheds her glam doll image and transforms into an actor with this film. Nasseruddin Shah, in a brief role, does well. Sarah is good.

The film has a number of talented names in supporting roles and each remain etched in your memory, especially Dayashanker Pandey, Chetan Pandit, Darshan Jariwala, Shruti Seth, Kiran Karmarkar and Vinay Apte. Nikhila Trikha, as Arjun and Ranbir's mother, is admirable.

On the whole, Raajneeti makes a sweeping impact. A truly admirable effort, this brilliant film is not to be missed.

Producer - Prakash Jha

Director - Prakash Jha

Cast - Nana Patekar, Ajay Devgn, Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Manoj Bajpai, Arjun Rampal, Nasseruddin Shah

Raajneeti hit by another controversy

Raajneeti, by Prakash Jha, has run into many controversies so far. In its early phase, Nana Patekar walked out of the project and stopped shooting for the film. Then it faced allegations by a script writer Yogendra Konkar, who stated that the script of the movie is similar to a script written by him.

The controversy saga continued as some of the Congress Party workers accused that the role portrayed by Katrina Kaif in Raajneeti, is based on their leader Sonia Gandhi and the film tries to defame her.

However, after all these problems, the flick has now got an 'all clear' signal from the Bombay High Court against the cases of script-lifting and defaming Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. The movie starring Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Arjun Rampal, Nana Patekar, Ajay Devgn et al, is finally set to release without any further delay (hopefully) on June 4.

The film has also received the U/A certificate after cutting down the lovemaking scene between Katrina and Arjun and deleting the beeped words.

But now, once again, the film has managed to be the hub of media attention. We have confirmed reports of Nana Patekar giving Raajneeti a cold shoulder. The actor seems to be sticking to his words of not being a part of the movie or attending its promos or events or even watching the movie. On the other hand, Prakash Jha is in no mood to settle issues with Nana.

After all the controversies faced by the makers of Raajneeti, one wonders how this will affect the movie!

By oneindia.in

Preview: Raajneeti

By Indo-Asian News Service

Power equations, strained relations, the murky tactics of politics and bitterly-fought elections ... Prakash Jha claims to offer all these in his much-awaited political thriller Rajneeti, which releases Friday.

A behind-the-scenes look at politics, scandals and much more, the film stars Naseeruddin Shah, Nana Patekar, Ajay Devgn, Manoj Bajpai, Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and Sarah Thompson. Arjun Rampal too plays a pivotal role in the movie.

"Rajneeti is not a dry political drama... At an edited length of about three hours, we want viewers to be glued to the edge of their seats," Jha said.

"I just want people to get entertained. We want to be awarded and rewarded for this film. I have no intention to teach or preach...," he added.

Produced by UTV for around $21 million (Rs.98 crore), the movie is being distributed by Prakash Jha Productions, Walkwater Media and UTV Motion Pictures with over 2,100 prints worldwide.

Shot in Bhopal, Rajneeti is the story of a fiercely fought election campaign, where money power and corruption are the accepted norms and where treachery and manipulation are routinely used weapons.

As the personal drama of the conflict-ridden characters in the movie unfolds against the gritty backdrop of politics, love and friendship become baits and relationships get sacrificed at the altar of political alignments.

The darkness that rises from their souls threaten to envelop all that they hold precious. Until eventually, in the crescendo of increasing violence, the line between good and evil blurs, making it impossible to distinguish heroes from villains.

Raajneeti is the story of Indian democracy and its ugly underside and looks at politics and beyond.

"Rajneeti has different meanings and that is what has been shown in the film. It is about the political mentality and manipulations. It is about the belief that victory is the only option...no matter at what cost," said Jha.

The music of the movie is already a hit, especially the track Mora piya.

The movie has had its share of controversies too. It was first denied a certificate by the censor board for Katrina's character having a resemblance to Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi.

Jha, however, dismissed the allegation saying that the movie is actually a modern re-telling of the Hindu epic Mahabharata.

Some intimate scenes and excessive violence were also removed before the film was given a U/A censor certificate.

Rajneeti will also be screened at the upcoming International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards starting June 3 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Being a solo release at the box office this weekend and with the amount of buzz it has generated, this one sure looks like a winner at the ticket windows.

Katrina: Nana's character is best

By Rachana, Bollywood Trade News Network

Bollywood hottie Katrina Kaif is the only woman (though the popular English actress Sarah Thompson Kane, of CRUEL INTENTIONS 2 fame, also features in this multistarrer, nevertheless she has a brief appearance) amongst the male dominated starcast of Prakash Jha's film RAAJNEETI. Infact the leading lady Katrina Kaif will be seen throughout the film, sharing the screen space with each and every actor. After having worked with such a dynamic and talented starcast (out of which maximum stars are National Award winners), though each actor is a marvel in his own capacity and no comparisons can be drawn, yet, one can't resist asking the lanky lass as to who her favourite actor among the pack is and also whose character she found the strongest and best in the film. Without being diplomatic and goody-goody, Katrina answers with utter honesty, "I think Nana Patekar's character is best. He's an awesome actor. A man of few words, yet very expressive and exact, who emotes a lot through his eyes. His timing and dialogue delivery is just so perfect. I got to learn a lot from Nana sir, who inspired and guided us." And we see you taking a cue from Nana for your future assignments!

RAAJNEETI to be premiered in Muscat, Oman!

By Abid, Bollywood Trade News Network

One of the most anticipated films of the year is Prakash Jha's RAAJNEETI, starring Nana Patekar, Ajay Devgn, Arjun Rampal, Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif. 

Though it was decided earlier to hold RAAJNEETI's premiere in Jha's home state, at Bihar's first multiplex mall coming up in Patna (P & M Mall), but there seems to be a change of plans. As per reliable trade sources the premiere of RAAJNEETI will now be held in Muscat's City Cinema multiplex. 

The news has been confirmed by Jawad Sultan of City Cinema, who also informs that plans are underway at the multiplex to hold the premiere of RAAJNEETI in June.