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Ram Gopal Varma’s Sarkaar 3 rises far above the wasteland of a stagnant crime-drama to give us an insight into a life of outlawry that is richly layered with blood and drama.Bal Thackeray is dead. Long live Bal Thackeray. In Amitabh Bachchan’s persona–steely, gritty, imperturbable, granite-hard and yet malleable and vulnerable–the Thackeray doppelganger is uncanny. The walk, the talk and the ability to walk that talk to places where the dialogue writer would never have imagined….Take a bow, Mr B. They don’t make ‘em like you anymore.

It takes courage to build one more plot around that formidable and imposing figure from Maharashtra’s politics who rewrote the rules of politics and who gave political arrogance a sexy edge. The last Sarkar film came 9 years ago. And the figure of Subhash Nagre is now threatened with obsolescence, if not complete irrelevance.

And yet—here...

In another installment of This Day That Year Subhash K Jha revisits 2005’s Kaal, which starred Ajay Devgn, John Abraham, Vivek Oberoi, Esha Deol, and Lara Dutta.

Karan Johar’s Kaal, directed by Soham Shah (not the Tumbbadd actor-director), shows us how horror needs to be done without dumbing down the genre or stepping too hard and fast on peripheral scares…Creaky doors are out, and rustles in the jungle are in. Catch the mood of growing foreboding as a bunch of yell-matched cocky and quip-equipped youngsters step into the uncharted territory of an animal sanctuary.

Wildlife, anyone? You got it! The best thing that debutant director Soham Shah has done is to take his ingenious plot into the great wild outdoors. Unlike Ram Gopal Varma’s Jungle which used bizarre camera movements to stress the predatory mood in the wilderness, Kaal lets you into the secrets of the jungle without getting technically complicated.

Manoj Bajpayee’s Top 5 Highest-Rated Movies ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Manoj Bajpayee’s reputation as an actor in the film industry is synonymous with intensity, brilliance, and versatility. From playing a variety of roles, from an honest cop in Shool, to a dreaded gangster in Satya, and a helpless father in Joram, he nailed them all.

On his 56th birthday today, we have collated a list of the National Award-winning actor’s top five highest-rated movies as per their IMDb scores, and where you can watch these films on Ott platforms. We have considered only those feature films in which Manoj Bajpayee played the lead role or at least had a significant role, and that are available on various Ott/online platforms.

1. Satya Year of release – 1998 Streaming Platform – SonyLIV IMDb Rating – 8.3/10

The cult gangster thriller follows the titular protagonist Satya (J.D. Chakravarthi), who becomes friends with a dreaded gangster Bhiku Mhatre...

In another This Drivel That Year feature, Subhash K Jha looks back at Ram Gopal Varma’s horror Phoonk 2 which released 15 years ago.

Phoonk 2 is definitely Not the scariest film we’ve seen. Varma’s terror theme has clearly run its course. What we see here are the remnants of another Friday. And definitely not Friday The 13th.

Perched somewhere between crowing (ahem ahem) about the supernatural and crying over the nerve-wracking disruption of domestic harmony by a ghost which just won’t go away Phoonk 2 is like that promised rollercoaster ride which gets aborted in the first lap because of a short circuit.

It’s not really Varma or his director Milind Gadkar’s fault. It’s the nature of the material. Ram Gopal Varma’s love for horror has never extended beyond the there-something-under-the-bed kind of unwarranted foreboding that we all feel in a new environment. In a majority of his horror films,...

Taking a look back at Khamoshh: Khauff Ki Raa, Subhash K Jha wonders if anyone remembers this horror-ible thriller in an unique installment of his feature series this time titled This Drivel That Year.

The biggest suspense about this film is, what’s Juhi Chawla doing here??!! Sporting reading glasses and trying earnestly to look like a criminal psychologist who has just unearthed the biggest mystery about serial killing, she brings in a kind of mellowness that the shrieking proceedings don’t deserve.

And then there is Shilpa Shetty, last seen giving a rousing and sensitive performance in Phir Milenge. Here she’d back to doing what she’s best known for—wriggling her posterior and making 101 faces into the camera. Shilpa is a sex worker who thumbs a ride with newcomer Rajeev Singh, who’s secretary to a dangerously under-dressed music-video floozie (Rakhi Sawant) who gets bumped off midway…...

Ram Gopal Varma who last directed the prolific Manoj Bajpayee in Satya 25 years ago, is excited about collaborating with Manoj again.

Sharing details, Ramu tells me, “It’s called Police Station Mein Bhoot. It is a horror comedy. I have written it myself, and we will start in June. Manoj plays a cop who accidentally kills a criminal who comes back to haunt him as a ghost. The idea is, where does the cop hide when he is pursued by a criminal? Let’s see if the audience finds it funny. This is a new genre for Manoj and me. We start shooting in June. Besides Manoj, I can only confirm Abhishek Banerjee at the moment. I think he completely owned the first half of Stree. I have signed a newcomer for the ghost’s role. I don’t want to reveal his name at the moment.”

Ramu’s fights...

To celebrate Ram Gopal Varma’s birthday, Subhash K Jha shares memories of the noted director’s reel and real life.

I have known Ram Gopal Varma for a longer time than I know almost anyone else in the film industry except Shabana Azmi and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, whom I have been friends with for much longer. These two apart, Ramu is a friend who has come many times.

We became friends soon after Satya was released. Back then he was seen as the best thing to have happened to Hindi cinema since R D Burman. The whole industry was in awe of the raw. Ramu couldn’t care less. To him Satya was just another film which acquired a super-cult status. “I worked harder on Daud. And look at what happened to that!”

In his self-definition of creativity, Ramu is a true democrat. To him, there is no difference between Shiva,...

From balancing between two motorcycles in his maiden film Phool Aur Kante to chewing gham in Singham….that’s Ajay Devgan for you. Quietly accomplished…and quite accomplished, thank you! Since, Phool Aur Kante Devgan has learnt to effortlessly stride different kinds of cinema without making a song and dance of his versatility.

If, on one hand, he played the smirking villain to vamp Aishwarya Rai in Khakee, on the other hand, he was equally home playing her shy lover from the past in Raincoat. Ajay’s directorial roster includes everyone from Prakash Jha to Kuku Kohli.

True, he doesn’t have the support of the Chopra-Johar group of powerful filmmakers in Bollywood. But Devgan has managed to make his place without depending on the brand-name directors.

“I don’t put labels on films and directors. To me, every film I make is important. And whether it’s Prakash Jha,...

This edition of Subhash K Jha’s Thus Day That Year features looks back at Durga, which released in 2002.

Chakravarthy, who played the title role in Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya, has gone on record to claim some experience in filmmaking before attempting to make this film. We don’t know how far this is true. As far as we know, Chakravarthy was spotted on the sets of a movie by Varma and cast in Satya.

By borrowing heavily from Satya and even cartlifting a face from Varma’s camp to play his best friend and sidekick, Chakravarthy cannot claim to be qualified to make a feature film. He makes a mayhem-gorged mess out of a plot that’s ridiculously self-important.

Like Ram Gopal Varma’s Shiva, Durga opens on a college campus where we see the protagonist Durga and his friends behaving like overgrown adolescents looking for a first date.

Many cineastes think Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather is the most influential film of all times. I would have to go with that. So would Feroz Khan, who’s been in two of the worst Godfather-influenced films of all time. Here’s saluting The Godfather clones, good, bad and the awful.

1. Dharmatma (1975):

Feroz Khan was always ahead of his time. So, it’s no surprise that he was the first Bollywood filmmaker to jump on the The Godfather bandwagon with this wildly out-of-control remake—an almost scene-by-scene reaffirmation of the original with Feroz playing Al Pacino and Premnath as Marlon Brando. A laughably crude homage to the original, the silver lining was the beauteous Hema Malini as Reshma, the exotic Afghani lass whom Michael, sorry Feroz, falls in love with. Hema dancing to Lataji’s ‘Mere galiyon se logon ki yaari ho gayi’ would have probably given Coppola...

In this wide-ranging and completely fascinating interview, the brilliant actor Rajpal Yadav, who has been working in Hindi cinema since 2000, talks with Subhash K Jha about life, the incredibly versatile roles he has played in his varied career so far and so much more.

You are now a year older; how has your journey been so far?

The journey so far is amazing. I have enjoyed myself a lot. Dukh aur sukh dono sar aankhon par. I saw many ups and downs in twenty-five years and got the opportunity to do many scenes, from one scene to a hundred scenes, sometimes as length, sometimes as strength in the film, sometimes as a guest appearance, sometimes supporting, sometimes negative, sometimes positive, sometimes comedy. I think in half a century, I got a chance to live five hundred lives through characters.

How would you sum up your journey so far?

I started...

I can’t deny Aamir Khan is one of the most adventurous performers in India. Aamir has constantly taken risks, gone against the flow, and generally has been more than just a mega-star. What’s more, I’ve always found him to be incredibly true to his word. If he had ideological differences with Ram Gopal Varma, no amount of reasoning would convince him to the contrary….If he thought popular awards were rigged, he didn’t change his mind about boycotting them even when Lagaan won, and Aamir won a truckload of trophies..

At one point in time, very long ago, I was actually close enough to Aamir to reason with him. He seemed to listen to what I had to say, though I suspect he made his own decisions independent of extraneous opinion.

Aamir was too polite to argue back. But I knew he was capable of fighting...

This Day That Year: Subhash K Jha revisits Nishabd 18 years later and shares a throwback interview with Mr Amitabh Bachchan about the film.

Ram Gopal Varma’s Nishabd, with its pulsating but humane play of light and shade within the sprawling, gorgeous greenery of a tea estate, is the closest you’re going to come to the passion of a Renaissance painting in Hindi cinema.

Varma’s mastery over visuals, which tells a tale of reclamation and retribution, has never been in doubt. The qualities that have always made his cinema look unique have been applied to a theme that has so far remained forbidden to Varma’s range of vision.

In narrating a 60-year-old ‘happily’ married man’s sudden passion for his daughter’s 18-year-old friend, Ramu goes for the jugular. The luminous language of Nishabd makes you grope for new words to describe the experience of watching a...

Subhash K Jha revisits Ram Gopal Varma’s finest filmmaking with the drama The Attacks Of 26/11 that released in 2013.

Somewhere in Ram Gopal Varma’s The Attacks Of 26/11, the re-telling of the saga of the bloodbath, torrential shower of bullets and bombs that rained down on Mumbai on 26 November 2008, a little child sitting lost amidst a carpet of corpses in the posh hotel lobby of the Taj weeps on the gleaming white marble floor now reduced to a bloodied mess. We then hear another round of gunfire, and then the child’s weeping ceases.

The way the soundtrack is used to denote unimaginable brutality and violence in that sequence reminded me of the massacre sequence in Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay, where Gabbar Singh sadistically raises a gun, points it at a defiant child (Master Alankar) and then the soundtrack cuts to the sound of a train chugging into the railway platform.

The iconic Amitabh Bachchan spoke To Subhash K Jha about the drama Vidhu Vinod Choorake Eklavya before its release in 2007. Read on to see what the esteemed actor had to say about working with the director, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, and so much more. This is a must-read!

Vinod Chopra and you seemed to have established a very special rapport in Eklavya?

He’s a kind human being, and very passionate about his work. He has a keen eye for aesthetics. He creates an atmosphere conducive to good work. We waited thirty years to work together. All directors must work towards building a rapport with their actors. Eklavya is an intriguing film. The visuals may suggest a mythological or a period film. But Eklavya is a modern contemporary thriller. It’s set in today’s Rajasthan.

Eklavya is a very short film….

It’s just about two hours long.

Vidhu

Vinod Choora’s period drama Eklavya was released 18 years ago, and Subhash K Jha revisits the film that featured an all-star cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Sharmila Tagore, Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Raima Sen, Jackie Shroff, Jimmy Sheirgill and Boman Irani.

How do we define the plot of Eklavya? It partly borrows the dark, undefinable pathos of Shakespeare’s tragedy and partly reverts to the palatial pathos of the Mughal Empire, where patricide frequently collided with complex Oedipal equations. Eklavya takes us into a territory totally unexplored and designed to create an ethos of infinite resonances.

Eklavya is a film of many virtues. Screenwriters Abhijat Joshi and Chopra aim for a sense of heightened tragedy that underlines the cinema of Kurosawa and the music of Mozart. The quality of the sound design (Biswajit Chatterjee), background score (Shantanu Moitra), and cinematography (N. Natarajan Subramaniam) elevates the bizarre tale...

Why Did Krishna Vamsi Apologize? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Krishna Vamsi is a well-known creative director. His last film was Ranga Maarthaanda starring Prakash Raj and Ramya Krishna. The movie received praise from critics. But it did not perform well at the box office.

Krishna Vamsi often interacts with his fans, answering their questions about his old films. Recently, a fan asked him a question on X (formerly Twitter). The fan wanted to know why he intimately showed actress Charmme Kaur in Sri Anjaneyam (2004).

Sri Anjaneyam was a devotional film starring Nithin in the lead role. Although it did not succeed at the box office, many people still liked the movie, and it has a dedicated fan following.

Trending Actress Parvati Nair Gets Engaged To Aashrith Ashok & Shares Heartwarming First Pictures From The Ceremony!

When Ram Charan Rejected This Blockbuster Movie Of Prabhas

Krishna Vamsi replied to the fan’s question.

R Madhavan, who spent two years of his life bulking up to look like the raging ex-boxer in Sudha Kongara’s pugilistic drama Saala Khadoos, was floating in the air after Mike Tyson tweeted that he wanted to see his boxing film. Subhash K Jha revisits Madhavan’s brilliance in the film, which released in 2016.

Director Sudha Kongara Prasad gives us an unusual film where the stereotypical character of the cantankerous boxer meets his match when he picks up a foul-mouthed uncouth boxer for training into championship. There is nothing in the plot to suggest even a whiff of the unexpected.

As a fast-fading boxing coach who finds redemption in a livewire protégée played by newcomer Ritika Singh, Madhavan generates enough power through his performance to nourish the narrative and take us through two hours of unstoppable drama, conflict, humour, and pathos.

The first time when Madhavan’s raging coach...

Did Suchitra Krishnamoorthi want to marry Ram Gopal Verma? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Well, Ram Gopal Varma took it seriously. He called her to his office and tried to convince her not to marry him.

Suchitra shared this story in her autobiography Drama Queen. She recalled sending a text to Ram Gopal Varma that said, “Will you marry me?” She explained that it was meant to be a joke. But Ram Gopal Varma was frightened. He immediately invited her to his office to talk about it.

In the book Suchitra mentioned that Ram Gopal Varma was very scared after receiving her message. He rejected her request saying he has a different opinion on women. He also told her that he preferred women for not their brains but for some other.

Trending Allu Arjun & Trivikram Srinivas To Reunite For A Mythological Drama – A Visual Spectacle In The Making?

Exclusive: What Is Sai Pallavi’s Remuneration For Thandel?...

Ram Gopal Varma’s Rann, which starred Amitabh Bachchanm, that was produced by Madhu Mantena-Sheetal Talwar’s Phantom Films, is a rare cinema about the collective conscience that we often like to think has gone out of style. Like Mehboob Khan’s Mother India and Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Satyakam, Rann shows how tough it is to hold your head high in dignified righteousness in a world where ethics crumble faster than cookies in a wide-open jar left out too long in the sun. Ironically, there isn’t much sunshine in Rann. The film has been shot in an anemic light, symbolizing a world that’s largely losing light.

Cleverly, Ram Gopal Varma situates his morality tale in the cut-throat world of the electronic media, where the Trp is God and deadlines the devil. And may the voice of the conscience rest in peace. Without fuss or wastage of time, Varma...

Has Kapil Sharma Started Filming For Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Kapil Sharma is one of India’s biggest celebrities, and his talk shows have redefined the country’s comedy and interview genre. While his comedy timing and hosting abilities are well known, Sharma has also ventured into acting occasionally. He had a cameo in 2024’s Crew and played a leading role in Zwigato and Firangi, both of which were hailed critically. However, his acting career began in 2015 with Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon.

In the movie, he played the role of Kumar Shiv Ram Kishan Punj and starred opposite four actresses, Sai Lokur, Manjari Fadnis, Simran Kaur Mundi, and Elli Avram. Besides them, the movie also starred Arbaaz Khan and Varun Sharma in major roles. Directed by the duo of Abbas-Mustan, the film was made on a budget of ₹16 Crore and had a box office gross of about ₹72 Crore.

Will Shah Rukh Khan Get A 9 Crore Refund From Maharashtra Govt.? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Shah Rukh Khan is an icon of cinema, hard work, and dedication. Coming into Bollywood with no connection, Khan proved himself in the competitive industry and became known as the King of Bollywood. He is an idol for every budding individual in India and a symbol of ambition and success. His sprawling mansion, Mannat, located in the prime locality of Bandra, Mumbai, is as much a part of his identity as his film career.

Mannat is more than a residence; it’s a landmark that attracts thousands of fans and tourists who dream of catching a glimpse of the superstar or simply experiencing the aura of his luxurious abode. Over the years, Mannat has stood as a testament to Shah Rukh Khan‘s journey from humble beginnings to superstardom. However, Mannat has recently been at the center of an unexpected development.

Exploring Emiway Bantai’s Passion For Rap Music (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Emiway Bantai is one of the most celebrated hip-hop artists in India. He catapulted to fame with his chartbusters like ‘Asli Hip Hop,’ ‘Machayenge’ and ‘Aur Bantai.’ However, did you know that his passion for rapping came from legends like Eminem and Lil Wayne? Here’s exploring the rapper’s passion for rap, net worth, and love life.

Emiway Bantai’s Passion For Rap Came On The Tenth Grade

In a throwback interview with The Teenager Today, Emiway Bantai revealed that he had first listened to his batchmates singing a song by the legendary rapper Eminem when he was in tenth grade. The song in question was ‘Not Afraid,’ and Emiway did not have any idea who the artist was, but he inevitably got hooked on the track. He looked up to the singer and learned more about rap music,...

Ram Gopal Varma Recalls The Sholay 2 Idea Pitched By Sascha Sippy (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Ram Gopal Varma is one of Bollywood’s most famous directors, best known for movies like Rangeela and Satya. However, he was also behind Rgv Ki Aag, a 2007 remake of perhaps the most iconic Indian film, Sholay. Despite the vision of Varma and a star cast of Mohanlal, Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, and Sushmita Sen, the film was a commercial and critical flop. However, Varma has now revealed that this was not the only movie in which he would incorporate the elements of Sholay.

Speaking to Galatta India, the maverick filmmaker revealed that Sascha Sippy, nephew of Sholay director Ramesh Sippy, once pitched the idea of a sequel centered around Gabbar Singh’s son. Furthermore, Sippy also wanted to cast Jackie Chan in a role for the movie. However, the concept didn’t sit well with Rgv,...

E. Niwas’ third feature film Dum, which clocked 22 years on January 24, is like a newspaper report. Grim, dark, traumatic, and yet thrilling. In the working class hero’s fight with a corrupt law enforcer, the audience might mutter: “Thank God it isn’t us.”

Protagonist Uday Shinde, played by Vivek Oberoi, takes on the immoral might of a villainous cop Shankar, played by Atul Kulkarni, a human being so degenerate and debased that he makes Sholay’s Gabbar Singh seem like a comic strip character.

There’s nothing colourful, uplifting or comforting about Dum. If you regard cinema as a form of escapist entertainment, then Niwas’s film is a no-no. But if you regard cinema as a mirror of social reality, then Dum is a hard sock in the jaw.

A corrupt cop barges into an honest colleague’s home and tries to gas his wife to death. When she escapes,...

Sahiba Bali Opens Up About Losing Roles To Kiara Advani, Triptii Dimri and Anushka Sharma (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Sahiba Bali is best known for her work in Shark Tank India and her roles with Star Sports and Zomato. She is also recognized for her versatile journey as an actor, cricket presenter, influencer, and content creator. Sahiba even had a role in Laila Majnu, where she played the sister of Triptii Dimri. In a recent interview, she opened up about her early struggles in Bollywood.

Sahiba revealed that she had auditioned for prominent roles in blockbuster films like Sultan, Kabir Singh, and Laila Majnu. Despite the heartbreak of not landing these iconic parts, Sahiba reflects on these experiences with positivity and gratitude, as these rejections have played a huge role in shaping her current career trajectory.

Sahiba Bali Believes She Did A “Horrible” Job In The Movie Auditions

In an interview with News18 Showsha,...

When Ram Gopal Varma’s First Wife Slapped Urmila Matondkar (Photo Credit – Instagram)

In a shocking development, Ram Gopal Varma has been convicted and sentenced to three months of imprisonment in a cheque bounce case by a magistrate court in Mumbai. Reportedly, the court has also asked to pay the director a compensation of 3.72 lakhs to the complainant within 3 months, failing which he will have to face another three months in prison. However, there have also been times when his personal life has made quite a lot of noise. In one such instance, Rgv’s first wife, Ratna, had allegedly slapped actress Urmila Matondkar after rumors of her affair with the director had started surfacing.

For the unversed, Ram Gopal Varma was speculated to share a close liking for Urmila Matondkar. He collaborated with her in several films and it was his film Rangeela which catapulted her into the main league.

Ram Gopal Varma Jail Sentence(Photo Credit – YouTube)

Director Ram Gopal Varma has been in the news lately for multiple reasons. A few days ago, he took X to share his guilt about losing track of his career after giving hits like Rangeela and Satya. Then, the director revealed his next project, Syndicate, which is set to be the biggest film he has ever made. The director has now made headlines again, although not for favorable reasons.

Ram Gopal Varma has been sentenced to three months in jail by the Andheri Magistrate Court in a cheque bounce case. The case, which has been ongoing for seven years, concluded on Tuesday.

Ram Gopal Varma was not present at the court hearing, which led to a non-bailable warrant

Back in 2018, a case was filed against Ram Gopal Varma by a company named Shree. As per a recent statement by the director, it...

Bollywood Mascot: Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, known for his unconventional storytelling and controversial statements, has been sentenced to three months in jail by a court in Hyderabad. The case pertains to a bounced cheque incident from seven years ago, which has finally reached its conclusion.

Details of the Case

The case was filed by a media production company, which alleged that Varma issued a cheque that later bounced due to insufficient funds. The cheque was reportedly issued for services rendered during the promotion and distribution of one of Varma’s films.

After years of legal proceedings, the court ruled against the filmmaker, finding him guilty of failing to honor the payment. In addition to the three-month jail sentence, Varma has been directed to pay a fine to the company.

Varma’s Response

Ram Gopal Varma has yet to issue an official statement regarding the court’s decision. However, sources close...

Post the emotional cathartic silver jubilee screening of Satya, Ram Gopal Varma is all set to launch his new film.

Shedding light on the project, Ramu says, “The film is called Syndicate. It’s about a terrifying organisation which threatens the very existence of India. Street gangs, which flourished till the 70s, were finished when they got absorbed into hardline political parties, and later, when the smugglers rose up due to heavy demand for electronic goods, gold, etc, they too were destroyed by the economic reforms, and then the deadly corporate gangs like D Company etc arrived, to be once again victoriously crushed. Similarly, the early black September terrorists paled in comparison to the deadly Al-Qaeda, which in turn looked like nothing in front of the horrific Isis group.”

Ramu admits there has been no notable criminal organisation since the last 10 to 15 years in India. “But right now the intense...

Some things are a given in a S. Shankar film. First, there will be a social message, usually against corruption. His heroes are often murderous vigilantes doling out death sentences to greedy politicians, officials and businessmen. Second, there will be ostentatious musical set pieces — this is the director who has previously taken us to Macchu Picchu, the Great Wall of China and the Leaning Tower of Pisa via songs.

And third, there will be spectacle. The filmmaker has never met a scenario that he could not make bigger and more colorful. “I’m unpredictable,” says Ram Nandan (Ram Charan), the hero of Game Changer, Shankar’s latest film and his first Telugu-language one. But Shankar, who has been making movies for 32 years — along with Mani Rathnam, he’s one of the original pan-India directors — is not.

With Game Changer (which this critic saw dubbed in in Hindi), Shankar’s signature...

Did Ram Gopal Varma Lose His Creative Vision After Making Satya? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Ram Gopal Varma is one of the most famous directors in Indian cinema. He is celebrated for his groundbreaking films like Rangeela (1995) and Satya (1998). The director was just 33 years old when Rangeela, starring Aamir Khan, became a critical and commercial blockbuster. While Rgv was hailed all around India for these two movies, he has admitted to being “blinded” by their success.

As these masterpieces cemented his reputation in Indian cinema, Varma found himself going far away from his core values as a filmmaker. In a heartfelt note shared on his social media, Varma revealed how the acclaim of Satya and Rangeela caused him to lose sight of storytelling. The realization struck him during a recent screening of Satya, his first viewing of the film in nearly 27 years.

Ram Gopal Varma Became Emotional After Rewatching Satya 27 Years Later

Recently,...

There are so many stories related to the making of Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya, it is hard to tell the trees from the wood, so to speak. The film has been mythologised beyond a reasonable pout. And I do mean pout, what with the film’s leading lady doing a facsimile of an authentic Mumbai working girl.

Urmila Matondkar plays a struggling singer who sings in Lataji’s voice, and gets propositioned by a music director(the late Neeraj Vora) who tells her, ‘Talent is okay, but what else do you have to offer?’

One could ask Ram Gopal Varma the same question. He brings together a gallery of outstanding actors in Satya. But most of the players are swamped by sinking sense of sketchiness, even the protagonist: where does Satya(a subdued J. D. Chakravarthy) come from, why does he behave like a trained Ninja when he is supposedly a virgin to violence?...

A special screening was held on January 15th to celebrate Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya. The director along with composer Vishal Bhardwaj, Aditya Kashyap as well as Manoj Bajpayee and Urmila Matondkar among others came together to celebrate both its release 27 years ago and that it once again is playing on the big screen.

After the screening, Ram Gopal Varma spoke with Subhash K Jha in an open and reflective conversation to share his experience of seeing the film once again.

What was the experience like?

By the time Satya was rolling to an end, while watching it two days back for the first time after more than twenty-five years, I started choking and tears were rolling down my cheeks and I didn’t even care if anyone would see. The tears came from somewhere deep inside me not just for the film, but it was for everything that had...

Ram Gopal Varma’s drama Satya, which starred J. D. Chakravarthy, Urmila Matondkar, Manoj Bajpayee, Paresh Rawal, Aditya Srivastava

And Saurabh Shukla is back in theatres again after 27 years. Talking with Subhash K Jha, Manoj Bajpayee revisits Satya.

Manoj, how was the special screening of Satya last night?

It was a great screening actually, an amazing interaction when the entire press was there and also so many assistant directors and so many production people, some of the actors, Urmila and Chakravarti, Makrand Deshpande, all of us…Anurag Kashyap made it, Vishal Bhardwaj and yes, of course Ram Gopal Varma.

To be meeting them all together after so many years!

It was great meeting first of all everyone after such a long time. It really seemed to me as if there was no time lost, there was never a gap coming back together and really talking about all those things that...

This Friday it is time for a gallery of diverse releases. Abhishek Kapoor’s Azaad introduces two newcomers Rasha Thadani and Aaman Devgan, both torchbearers of a distinguished legacy, there is also the re-release of Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya on Friday.

Ticket prices on the day of release of the above films will be Rs 99 across the board as January 17 is declared Cinema Lovers Day.

Producer and trade analyst Girish Johar says the boxoffice performance of the new releases is bound to benefit from the slashed ticket prices. “Definitely. The endeavour of the industry and forthcoming releases is to ensure that movie watching becomes more comfortable for the audiences. Once it becomes pocket-friendly, enticing the audiences with the content is the next logical step. More they watch, more topical it becomes and thereafter accordingly it Wom will spread. Hoping Wom will be positive, will lead to attract larger set of audience base.

Bollywood Mascot: Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya remains a milestone in Indian cinema, celebrated for its raw portrayal of Mumbai’s underworld and its unforgettable characters. Among them, Manoj Bajpayee’s portrayal of Bhiku Mhatre stands out as a cultural phenomenon. Recently, the film’s director, Ram Gopal Varma, revealed a fascinating behind-the-scenes story about the inspiration behind this iconic role.

The Real-Life Inspiration for Bhiku Mhatre

In a recent interview, Ram Gopal Varma disclosed that Bhiku Mhatre’s character was partially inspired by a real-life individual he had encountered during his research for the film. Although he did not name the person, Varma mentioned that the individual’s magnetic personality, quick wit, and unique mannerisms served as a foundation for the role.

The character’s blend of charm and menace, as well as his raw authenticity, made Bhiku Mhatre resonate deeply with audiences. Manoj Bajpayee’s stellar performance added layers of depth,...

Here’s All We Know About The Re-Release Of Manoj Bajpayee’s Satya (Photo Credit – Sony Liv)

Manoj Bajpayee had a decent run in 2024 with the theatrical release of Bhaiya Ji. The action-thriller received mixed reactions from audiences but acquired widespread favor upon its debut in Ott. Speaking of crime thrillers involving the Family Man actor, the association between Ram Gopal Varma and Manoj Bajpayee has always been considered a cult classic, thanks to the iconic film Satya.

Amid the wave of re-releases, PVR Inox has announced the re-release of Satya on the big screen, bringing the cinematic masterpiece back to theaters.

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Suhana Khan & Agastya Nanda’s Dating Rumors Intensifies After Their New Year Celebration Pics Go Viral!

Arjun Kapoor Comedy Film ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Arjun Kapoor had a roller coaster of 2024, where he witnessed both sides of fanfare. Firstly, Kapoor’s The Lady Killer was forced to be uploaded to YouTube due to the lack of demand on Ott. However, he had a better end to the year as fans lauded his performance of Danger Lanka in Singham Again, where he went against a stellar cast of Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone. In 2025, Kapoor is back in positive roles with a new movie.

Fans will see Kapoor in “Mere Husband Ki Biwi,” a comedy love triangle between Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar, and Rakul Preet Singh. Kapoor has already worked with these actresses, firstly with Rakul Preet in 2021’s Sardar Ka Grandson and then with Bhumi in The Lady Killer. However, the three stars are now set to star together in the new film directed by Mudassar Aziz.

The Malayalam Film Marco Scene! ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

The Malayalam movie Marco, starring Unni Mukundan and directed by Haneef Adeni, is set to release in South Korea. Noori Pictures, a South Korean company, has acquired the distribution rights for the film. The makers shared the announcement on Instagram, accompanied by a promotional poster. Per the poster’s details, Marco is poised to achieve the largest opening for an Indian film in South Korea.

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As per online speculation, Marco is expected to hit around 100 screens across South Korea in April. The film, which has received an A certificate, is hailed as the most violent Malayalam movie. Some even claim it might be the most violent Indian film ever made. Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma also shared the same poster released by the makers, adding his reaction: ‘F_kkkkk I don...

Priyanka Chopra On Theater Vs Ott (Photo Credit – Instagram)

There used to be a time when fans had to wait months before their favorite movies on television. However, nowadays, the wave of Ott (Over-the-top) platforms has taken over, where fans do not have to wait much to watch their favorite stars from the comfort of their home. Further, fans get to stream longer formats like web series, which otherwise was not possible in cinema.

As streaming services continue to rise in popularity, many wonder about the future of movie theaters. Bollywood and Hollywood star Priyanka Chopra Jonas has given her viewpoint. The actress is no stranger to the dynamics of storytelling across mediums. From movies to television shows to now Ott with Citadel, Chopra has always brought her A-game to whatever platform she has entered.

Priyanka Chopra thinks theaters will always be special

Priyanka Chopra recently discussed her views on...

Kartik Aaryan New Andheri Properties (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Kartik Aaryan had a fantastic 2024, where he proved himself to be one of Bollywood’s most bankable stars. Firstly, he garnered a lot of praise for his work in the Chandu Champion movie, for which he had trained extensively. Later in the year, he starred in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. Despite going up against Singham Again, the Kartik Aaryan starrer was a hit at the box office and became the second highest-grossing Hindi film of 2024, only behind Stree 2.

Aaryan is making waves on the big screen and in the real estate market. Known for his blockbuster performances and charm, Kartik has expanded his investment portfolio by acquiring two luxurious properties in Mumbai’s upscale Andheri area. While Kartik continues to command attention for his rumored sky-high fees, he is now in the news for where he invests the fees he gets.

Kartik Aaryan...

( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Akshay Kumar needs no introduction; he is one of the biggest actors in the industry and is known for his punctuality and discipline. The actor is known to finish his films within forty to fifty days, but that has always been like a double-edged sword for the actor. While some praise him for finishing work quickly without much delay, others criticize or mock him for completing four to five films in a year. He once addressed the matter and clapped back at the haters in the most iconic way. Scroll below for the deets.

Akshay is one of the highest-paid and most bankable actors in the Hindi film industry. Unlike other A-list stars like Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, or Shah Rukh Khan, he does multiple movies in a year. He also leads a very disciplined lifestyle, going to sleep and waking up early.

A few years back,...

Tripti Dimri Holidaying With Rumored Beau Sam Merchant? ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Animal actress Tripti Dimri is ringing in her New Year vacation in the picturesque and snowcapped locales of Finland. However, rumors are rife that she is not alone in this getaway. According to speculations, Tripti is holidaying in the location with her rumored boyfriend and businessman Sam Merchant.

Yes, you heard that right! Tripti Dimri might be spending a romantic getaway with Sam Merchant in Finland. Rumors for the same have sparked after there has been an uncanny resemblance between Tripti and Sam’s social media posts. The Bad Newzz actress took to her social media handle to share a beautiful video of herself enjoying in the snow. She can be seen basking in the lovely locales of Finland to her heart’s content. She captioned the same, stating, “Snowflakes And Smiles. Today feels like one of the happiest chapters of my life.

Raveena Tandon Once Opened Up About How Ram Gopal Varma Was Not Sure About Her Casting In Shool (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Raveena Tandon might be a top actress of the 90s but had to convince Ram Gopal Varma for her role in Shool, directed by E Nivas. Raveena established herself in the comic space with her films opposite Govinda. However, that hindered her as she did not fit Rgv’s criteria for Shool’s Manjari. However, the actress proved her acting prowess and convinced Varma she was not the wrong choice. Scroll below for the deets.

Shool was released in 1999, and Eeshwar Nivas directed the film. The film features Manoj Bajpayee and Sayaji Shinde in crucial roles. It won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. It was also featured at the International Film Festival of India and the Toronto International Film Festival. The action crime drama...

Dulquer Salmaan & Rana Daggubati Discuss Their Friendship & Film Kaantha.(Photo Credit – YouTube)

With every episode, Prime Video’s The Rana Daggubati Show continues to attract fans by offering them an exclusive glimpse into the lives of Indian cinema’s biggest stars. Known for its impeccable blend of heartfelt conversations, playful banter, behind-the-scenes revelations, and this week’s episode is no different. In the latest episode, host Rana Daggubati is joined by the ever-charismatic Dulquer Salmaan and the supremely talented Meenakshi Chaudhary for an unfiltered chat brimming with heartwarming moments, laughter, and some interesting insights.

During a candid interaction, Dulquer reminisces about his first meeting with Rana, noting, “When I was in ninth standard, you must’ve been in eighth.” To this, Rana, with his signature humour, quips, “No, I would’ve failed two years. I must have been in sixth or something!” The easy camaraderie between the two shines throughout the episode,...

When Shyam Benegal Convinced Manoj Bajpayee To Play A Prince In Zubeidaa (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Legendary director and screenwriter Shyam Benegal died at 90 on Monday (December 23). The pioneer behind movies acclaimed movies like Manthan, Ankur, Mandi, Mujib, and other notable works, his death has marked a significant loss for Indian cinema. Those who had associated with Benegal spoke highly of his unique vision. One of them was actor Manoj Bajpayee, who worked with the director in the 2001 film Zubeidaa. In a throwback interaction, Bajpayee revealed how the filmmaker had convinced him to play a royal prince in the movie even though he was skeptical before taking the role.

What Did Manoj Bajpayee Reveal About Shyam Benegal?

Manoj Bajpayee revealed to Pti that he met Shyam Benegal a few years after the success of his film Satya wherein he had played the iconic role of gangster Bhiku Mhatre. The director of Satya,...

Here’s The Top 5 Controversies That Shook Tollywood This Year ( Photo Credit – Instagram; Facebook )

The South Indian film industry, often known for its private nature, has recently been the subject of a wave of controversies. In 2024, various incidents involving prominent actors, directors, and choreographers brought the industry under scrutiny. From family disputes to tragic events and legal issues, Tollywood’s reputation has been affected. As the year nears its end, we look back at some key controversies that shook Tollywood in 2024.

Allu Arjun’s Stampede Tragedy

National Award-winning actor Allu Arjun found himself at the center of controversy following a tragic incident at the premiere of his much-anticipated film Pushpa 2: The Rule. On December 4, a stampede-like situation occurred at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad when the actor arrived at the venue. This resulted in the death of a 35-year-old woman and the critical hospitalization of her son. Allu Arjun faced...

Manoj Bajpayee Net Worth (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Manoj Bajpayee remains one of the most versatile and accomplished actors in Indian cinema currently. Many fans also hail him as an institution in acting. Needless to say, this has also resulted in the talented actor amassing an impressive net worth over the years.

Manoj Bajpayee’s Glorious Journey In The Industry

Being an alumnus of the National School Of Drama, Manoj Bajpayee started his acting career with TV shows like Imtihaan, Swabhimaan and Suno Re Kissa. However, his breakthrough came with the 1998 Ram Gopal Varma film Satya, in which he portrayed the role of gangster Bhiku Mhatre. The movie also got him a National Award for the Best Actor in a Supporting Role. This was soon followed by a string of both commercially successful and critically acclaimed films like Loc Kargil, Shool, Pinjar, and Raajneeti.

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Fardeen Khan Quoting Prem Aggan Failure (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Fardeen Khan’s debut movie, Prem Aggan, won the Filmfare Award for Best Debut, but it was a box office disaster. His father, Late Firoz Khan, produced and directed it.

In a recent interview with Mashable India, Fardeen revealed that he had to return nearly a crore rupees to people as Prem Aggan had tanked at the box office.

“When my first film didn’t work, I had to return lots of money. People wrote me off, and I was out of work and had to return nearly a crore rupees. This is in 1998. I have returned that money very badly (laughs). I had to write cheques and give it back to people,” Fardeen said.

Trending IMDb’s Most Popular Indian Stars of 2024: This Actress Tops The List Beating Deepika Padukone & Alia Bhatt!

Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video Ott...