Shahid looking for the right girl

Shahid Kapoor throws down the gauntlet at the makers of Tigmanshu Dhulia's upcoming film

His last film has not worked wonders at the box office and looks like with his next, Shahid Kapoor is willing to take no chances. Sources say the actor's agency has asked the makers of Milan Talkies to cast an A-list actress opposite him. Sasha through the agency has apparently also made it clear that until a heroine of his choice is roped in, he might not be keen on doing the film.

Tigmanshu Dhulia's Milan Talkies has had a series of ups and downs. After Imran Khan bowed out of the project citing date issues, Priyanka Chopra too walked out soon after. When Shahid was finally roped in, the makers declared that he had apparently been their first choice.

An insider from the project says, `Shraddha Kapoor was in the race to bag the top spot. However after her name dropped out, rumours are that Shahid's representatives have now told the makers that without an A-list actress on board, the actor won't do the film.` Producer Ekta and Shahid Kapoor remained unavailable. 

Video : R...Rajkumar - Trailer Launch

Check out the trailer launch event of `R...Rajkumar` - A film by Prabhu Dheva. The cast & the producer Viki Rajani were present to talk about their upcoming film `R...Rajkumar` slated to release on 6th Dec 2013.
R...Rajkumar features Shahid Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha & Sonu Sood in the lead roles.

Video : 'R...Rajkumar' Theatrical Trailer

Theatrical Trailer of `R...Rajkumar`
Director: Prabhu Deva
Cast:Shahid Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha, Sonu Sood, Poonam Jhawer, Ashish Vidyarthi, Shraddha Kapoor

Video : Phata Poster Nikhla Hero' Fun Moments

Watch all the fun moments on the sets of Phata Poster Nikhla Hero. The movie is all set to release on the 20th September 2013. Be sure to watch it in cinemas near you as this is one laugh riot you do not want to miss.

After Effects: 'PPNH' reaps 20 Cr, but 'The Lunchbox' is heart winner

Shahid Kapoor-Ileana D'cruz film opens to poor numbers and Ritesh Batra's 'The Lunchbox' seems to have impressed the audiences' taste buds

After scandalising the audiences last week, Indra Kumar's Grand Masti made way for the more sober The Lunchbox and Phata Poster Nikla Hero last weekend at the box office.

Though expectations from the Shahid Kapoor-Ileana D'cruz film were high, the film opened to poor numbers on Friday but managed to reach the Rs 20 crore mark by Sunday. The collections around Batra's film grew by over 100 per cent by the end of the weekend to reach approximately Rs 7 crore.

Says distributor Sunny Khanna, `Grand Masti had a strong second weekend of around Rs 12 crore nett. The collections for the first 10 days are around Rs 75 crore nett. Phata Poster Nikhla Hero has collected below average figures of approx Rs 20 crore nett in its first weekend. The opening day figures were really low (Rs 5.5 crore). On Saturday the numbers had a marginal growth of Rs 6.5 crore but the film picked up by Sunday with Rs 8.5 crore.

The Lunchbox was released across limited screens (400 screens). It collected around Rs 6.85 crore over the weekend. It started slow on Friday by collecting Rs 1.25 crore but the reviews and word-of-mouth helped it double the figures on Saturday (by Rs 2.5 crore) and Rs 3.10 crore on Sunday.`

According to trade analyst Amod Mehra, Phata Poster has been an average fare, which apparently in comparison to the cost of the film is not good. He says, `The film's music was appreciated but the promotion didn't work for the film.

The Lunchbox has done well. It will translate into good numbers for satellite rights as well. It is impressive for a film that was made on a budget of approx Rs 5 crore, including publicity and promotion.`


Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi says, `Phata Poster had stars missing who could draw a big opening on their own strength. While the film has stayed steady and sustained without a crash on Monday, its satellite rights will help the film tide over difficult conditions. The Lunchbox has a niche appeal and has been released across centres that are expected to fetch good returns.

The extremely low cost of making and solid backing by UTV and Karan Johar make this a winner of hearts and box office returns. The kind of numbers Grand Masti has delivered has spun a surprise.

PHATA POSTER NIKHLA HERO: MOVIE REVIEW

Let's get one thing straight. This isn't what you want to see a super-gifted filmmaker like Rajkumar Santoshi do when he gets together with a talented star-actor like Shahid Kapoor. But what to do? Everyone wants a good laugh! It makes us forget about the troubles outside. Never mind the trouble that humour seems to encounter on screen each time someone makes a comedy.

To his credit, Santoshi deftly delivers the dynamics of drollery. No two ways about it. Unlike last week's lewd laughter in "Grand Masti", "Phata Poster Nikla Hero" (PPNH) avoids vulgarity like the plague. Dirty word plague....sorry wordplay is firmly eschewed. What we get is an earthy robust over-accentuated tribute to Salman Khan's Chulbul Pandey act from "Dabangg", with Shahid Kapoor stepping into the khaki uniform with the same wonky elan as our dear Chulbul Khan. Shahid has confessed it is easy to play a Salman Khan fan. The young actor who has so far not revealed his comic chops and has in fact shown dramatic synergy to be his forte, pulls out all stops to play an imposter cop, a role that makes him a Chulbul Pandey twice-over because Salman's cop-act was underlined as a spoof in the first place. So what we get in PPNH is a khaki-clad clown impersonating a cop who is actually impersonating Salman Khan in "Dabangg". Does that make sense? Even if it doesn't, it's just fine. 

Don't sweat over it. This is not one of Santoshi's seriously-intended films. For that, please refer to this wonderful director's "Lajja" or "Halla Bol". And if you are looking for hardcore gut-spilling action, go to Santoshi's Deol-driven juggernauts "Ghayal" and "Ghatak". Come to think of it, PPNH is not even an all-out zany comedy of errors like Santoshi's 'Andaz Apna Apna'. So what is it? After painful pondering over the over-punctuated parodic material in PPNH, I'd say it's a mongrelized mirth machine. A sort of "Dabangg" mated with Santoshi's last very successful comedy "Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani" which evidently taught Santoshi a lesson: farcical frivolity and lengthy titles translate into big bucks."Phata Poster..." gives poster-boy Shahid Kapoor a custom-built opportunity to get seriously comic. He digs deep into the very slim plot, ferreting out meager meat from the skimpy material. I must think that Shahid has a ball doing the droll act for the doll Ileana d'Cruz who abandons her serious sari-clad audacious wife's role in "Barfi!" to play the kind of "social worker" who brings a bad name to all charity work. Didn't Katrina play a similar busybee's role in Santoshi's "Ajab Prem..."? Didn't Ranbir do the goofy Chaplin-meets-Kondke act for the commodious camera in that film? Shahid seems comfortable doing the irrepressible comic impresario. But he's far more at home in the more sensible sober scenes he shares with his screen-mom Padmini Kolhapure, who looks too young to play Shahid's mom. But then at least her talent is being aired.

Come to think of it - everyone in this over-the-top comedy seems to be in it for the sake of getting into a massy mode. The art direction is kitschy. The camera wallows in the carnival mood. In the endeavour to enroll enthusiasm into the rom-com, the film succeeds. But be warned: the writing is repetitive. The scenes all end in exclamation marks and italics... like an essay by a schoolboy who is out to impress his favourite teacher. The humour jumps out of the screen like an eager 5-year old brat which must get your attention at any cost. If you think Shahid is one of the more interesting star-actor's of the current generation, then PPNH is a frenetically fashioned farce fest with excessive energy oozing out of every saturated pore. Shahid's songs and dances, especially the zanily unpredictable "Agal bagal" number are the highlight of the humour-hamper. And that's not such a good thing. Shahid gets to share camera space with some accomplished actors like Saurabh Shukla, Mukesh Tiwari, Darshan Jariwala and Sanjay Mishra. And that's a good thing. At least we are ensured that the slender pretext for laughter is bolstered by hefty actors. Oh yes, and the real Salman Khan shows up.

Grand Masti's grand success to impact Shahid's comeback?

The end of the very talented Shahid Kapoor's streak of bad luck seems to have encountered an unexpected stumbling block.

The amazing success of Indra Kumar's Grand Masti puts a big question-mark on the expected turn-out for Raj Kumar Santoshi's Phata Poster Nikla Hero (PPNH). Would the eye-popping success of Grand Masti affect the Shahid's grand comeback plans?

Trade analyst Amod Mehra feels films are bound to be affected by the success of their counterparts released previously. `Whenever any film is declared a hit, the releases during the following week get affected. And if the new film's content is weak the successful film from the previous week overshadows the new film. `

While the week's other release Ritesh Batra's much-anticipated The Lunchbox has a totally different audience-profile PPNH is a comedy, albeit a far less off-colour comedy than Grand Masti, and therefore liable to be smothered by the storm of smut that the sex-comedy has released. 


Says Bihar exhibitor Roshan Singh, `Grand Masti is doing roaring business. We don't expect a sizable fall in the audience attendance in the second week. Since Shahid's film is also a comedy its opening would be affected to a large extent. Grand Masti's comedy has the advantage of sex. `

PPNH director Raj Kumar Santoshi is unfazed by the competition that has crept up on his film from behind. `I've been around for 23 years as a director. I've seen too many trends and fads, ups and downs to be affected by anything. I am sure my film would do well regardless of the competition. `

Incidentally Santoshi's first directorial venture Ghayal was released on the same Friday in 1990 as the Grand Masti director Indra Kumar's Dil. Both were blockbusters.


Trade expert Komal Nahata doesn't think PPNH would be affected by the unexpectedly huge success of Grand Masti. `When there's scope for two releases during a week why can't PPNH and Grand Masti which are separated by a week do well when their release is separated by a week? PPNH can do well in the 1st week while side-by-side GM scores in its 2nd week. 

Movie Review: 'Phata Poster Nikla Hero' is a humdrum farce fest

Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Ileana D'Cruz, Padmini Kolhapure

Written & Directed by Raj Kumar Santoshi

Ratiing:** 1/2

Let's get one thing straight. This isn't what you want to see a super-gifted filmmaker like Raj Kumar Santoshi do when he gets together with a talented star-actor like Shahid Kapoor.

But what to do! Everyone wants a good laugh.It makes us forget about the troubles outside. Never mind the trouble that humour seems to encounter on screen each time someone makes a comedy.

To his credit, Santoshi deftly delivers the dynamics of drollery . No two ways about it. Unlike last weeks lewd laughter in Grand Masti , Phata Poster Nikla Hero(PPNH) avoids vulgarity like the plague.

Dirty word-plague....sorry word play is firmly eschewed.What we get is an earthy robust over-accentuated tribute to Salman Khan's Chulbul Pandey act from Dabangg, with Shahid Kapoor stepping into the khaki uniform with the same wonky elan as our dear Chulbul Khan.

Shahid has confessed it is easy playing a Salman Khan fan. The young actor who has so far not revealed his comic chops and has in fact shown dramatic synergy to be his forte, pulls out all stops to play an imposter cop, a role that makes him a Chulbul Pandey twice-over because Salman's cop-act was underlined as a spoof in the first place.

So what we get in PPNH is a khaki-clad clown impersonating a cop who is actually impersonating Salman Khan in Dabangg.

Does that make sense? Even if it doesn't, it's just fine. Don't sweat over it.This is not one of Santoshi's seriously-intended films. For that, please refer to this wonderful director's Lajja or Halla Bol.And if you are looking for hardcore gut-spilling action go to Santoshi's Deol-driven juggernauts Ghayal and Ghatak.

Come to think of it, PPNH is not even an all-out zany comedy of errors like Santoshi's Andaz Apna Apna. So what is it? After painful pondering over the over-punctuated parodic material in PPNH I'd say it's a mongrelized mirth machine.A sort of Dabangg mated with Santoshi's last very successful comedy Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani which evidently taught Santoshi a lesson: farcical frivolity and lengthy titles translate into big bucks.

Phata Poster... gives poster-boy Shahid Kapoor a custom-built opportunity to get seriously comic. He digs deep into the very slim plot , ferreting out meager meat from the skimpy material. I must Shahid has a ball doing the droll act for the doll Ileana d'Cruz who abandons her serious saree-clad audacious wife's role in Barfi to play the kind of `social worker` who brings a bad name to all charity work.


Didn't Katrina play a similar busybee's role in Santoshi's Ajab Prem...? Didn't Ranbir do the goofy Chaplin-meets-Kondke act for the commodious camera in that film? Shahid seems comfortable doing the irrepressible comic impresario. But he's far more at home in the more sensible sober scenes he shares with his screen-mom Padmini Kolhapure who looks too young to play Shahid's mom. But then at least her talent is being aired.

Come to think of it everyone in this over-the-top comedy(ha ha) seems to be in it for the sake of getting into a massy mode. The art direction is kitschy. The camera wallows in the carnival mood.In the endeavour to enroll enthusiasm into the rom-com the film succeeds. But be warned: the writing is repetitive. The scenes all end in exclamation marks and italics.like an essay by a schoolboy who is out to impress his favourite teacher. The humour jumps out of the screen like an eager 5-year old brat which must get your attention at any cost.

If you think Shahid is one of the more interesting star-actor's of the current generation then PPNH is a frenetically fashioned farce fest with excessive energy oozing out of every saturated pore. Shhaid's songs and dances specially the zanily unpredictable Agal-bagal number are the highlight of the humour-hamper . And that's not such a good thing. Shahid gets to share camera space with some accomplished actors like Saurabh Shukla,Mukesh Tiwari, Darshan Jariwala and Sanjay Mishra. And that's a good thing.


At least we are ensured that the slender pretext for laughter is bolstered by hefty actors.

Oh yes, the real Salman Khan shows up. Devta khud prakat hote hain bhakton ke beech. But God doesn't seem much interested in the goings-on.

Dancing with Shahid Kapoor difficult: Ileana D'Cruz

Actress Ileana D'Cruz, who is sharing screen-space with Shahid Kapoor in "Phata Poster Nikla Hero", finds it difficult to match steps with the actor

"Dancing with Shahid is very difficult. I used to get so nervous. I think, Shahid is very quick while dancing. It was difficult to match steps with him," Ileana told reporters in a group interview.

Shahid is considered as one of the best male dancers in Bollywood and the two will be seen together for the first time in Rajkumar Santoshi's film that is set to release Friday.

The actress, who is a known name in South industry, debuted in Bollywood with "Barfi" and says that unlike in South, one needs to be fit in Bollywood.

"There is some difference (between Bollywood and southern films) but it also depends from director to director. I have to be fit here unlike in South. I am very conscious about my looks. In South, actresses need to be a bit healthy but here I will have to be fit," she said.