Bollywood though still is waiting for its loyal fans to flock to the theatres, but the supply of quality cinema has not been affected anyway courtesy the OTT platforms.

Sardar Udham Singh staring Vicky Kaushal is going to premiere on 16^th October, 2021on Amazon Prime. Legendry actor late Irfan Khan was supposed to play the lead, but owing to his deteriorating health condition, and considering that the movie’s demand for strong physique, Irrfan had to pass it on. In fact, Irrfan himself had asked the director Shoojit Sirkar to go ahead with the project with any other actor.

Vicky Kaushal: the best possible replacement

No one can dare to doubt about the talent that Irrfan was or the grace at which he would have pulled the character. However, it’s true at the same time that no one doubts Vicky’s talent as well. The Masan actor is one of the finest talents at the moment, and the best part is that he himself is a massive fan of Irrfan.

Vicky has been vocal about his admiration for Irrfan Khan, and the most recent is at the Kapil Sharma Show. Vicky said that he is a big fan of Irrfan and loves him a lot. For Vicky, Irrfan is one of the best that the world of actors has witnessed so far. Talking about the project, he said that each shot, each take, is a tribute to Irrfan.

There are many aspects similar between the two actors, and the foremost among these is the knack of getting in to the skin of character. Vicky is an actor, like Irrfan, who always emphasizes on the depth of the story or character, rather than worrying about what others think. 

While speaking to a leading news platform, Vicky said that for him, a film is either a good one or a bad one. The most important aspect for him is to ensure whether the movie is connecting with its target audience. He is not someone who simply doesn’t think much about public image – on whether he has done a lot of patriotic films or romantic ones.

For Vicky, if a story is appealing to him, he will go for it, no matter there are already hundreds in similar genre under his kitty. Very much like Irrfan, Vicky also thinks it from the audience point of view.

Not caring about being called a typecast

During an interview to News 18, Vicky claims that he is not afraid of being called a typecast. Needless to say, Irrfan was an actor of same mindset. The common factor of putting life in to every character they do is evident between Vicky and Irrfan. Vicky said that he discussed with his director that the best way to portray the character was to get entirely submissive towards the vision of the great personality. Now, being a loyal fan of Irrfan one can easily claim that Irrfan would have done exactly the same had he been a part of the project.

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Actress Deepika Padukone will share screen space with Irrfan Khan once again after “Piku” for Vishal Bhardwaj’s yet untitled production. The filmmaker says the actress is a “rare” combination of a superstar and good actor.

“I think Deepika is one the finest actresses that we have in the country. She is combination of superstar and good actor. It’s a rare combination that a performer is a superstar and at the same time has great acting abilities. Deepika is one of them,” Bhardwaj said at a screening of short film “Kajal” in Mumbai on Tuesday.

The film will be directed by Honey Trehan who is a casting director and assistant director known for “Omkara”, “Udta Punjab” and “Kaminey”.

“I am more excited for my friend Honey Trehan who has been with me for last 20 years and he is very lucky that in his first film itself, he has got such fabulous cast. I am so happy and excited to produce this film. The film will go on floors in January,” Bhardwaj added.

The Irrfan and Deepika starrer is based on one of the chapters from S. Hussain Zaidi’s book “Mafia Queens of Mumbai”. Deepika will essay the role of feared mafia don Rahima Khan popularly known as Sapna Didi, while Irrfan will play a local gangster.

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Deepika will be working with Vishal for the first time and will start shooting for the film after completing Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Padmavati”.

The last film Bhardwaj directed was “Rangoon”.

IANS

Film: “Hindi Medium”; Director: Saket Chaudhary; Cast: Irrfan Khan, Saba Qamar, Jaspal Sharma, Deepak Dobriyal, Swati Das, Dishita Sehgal, Amrita Singh, Tillotama Shome, Sanjay Suri and Neha Dhupia;

Rating: ***1/2

Education is purportedly a ticket for success and in India, one of the criteria for a sought after school is English as the medium of instruction. For many parents, getting admission for their children to the right school with the best of facilities is of paramount importance and a nightmare. The film, “Hindi Medium”, showcases this issue with the right amount of flair.

Despite being moralistic and loaded with messages, the film isn’t boring or preachy. It is in fact a romantic and an immensely entertaining film that decries the importance of speaking English in the dreadfully pretentious Indian society.

Romantic, because the film opens with an apt tone setter of Raj — a tailor by profession falling in love with his muse Mita. He commits that he would ensure that Mita is happy all the time. Years later, how he complies with Mita’s latest desire – to get her only daughter Pia admitted to an “elite,” English Medium school, forms the crux of the tale.

Part of the genius of “Hindi Medium” is that it unfolds this relationship at a deliberate pace making education and its admission process just a by-product of the telling.

Irrfan Khan plays the ever-obliging husband with natural ease. He captures Raj Batra’s endearingly rustic spirit with such aplomb that you are one with him in his endeavour.

Saba Qamar, the Pakistani actress, makes her role luminous with her brilliant portrayal of the wannabe society lass, Mitu. She has such lightness, grace and natural affinity that she glows and matches Irrfan in histrionics, especially when she tries convincing him that whatever she is doing is somehow for Pia’s benefit.

The two actors are aptly supported by Dishita Seghal as their daughter Pia Batra, Tillotama Shome as the education consultant, Amrita Singh as the Principal of Delhi Grammar School, Deepak Dobriyal as their selfless, “poor” neighbour Shyam Prakash, whose son’s seat under the RTE act was usurped by the Batras.

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Sanjay Suri and Neha Dhupia in a miniscule role as their upscale acquaintances, are wasted.

Apart from the performances, it is the writing by Zeenat Lakhani and Saket Chaudhary that is brilliant. The script is taut and packed with a combination of light and serious notes. Humour is strewn with sarcasm, witty dialogues and awkward moments. The characters are well etched and mounted with utmost realism.

While the film moves at a rapid pace in the first half, the second half dips in momentum but nevertheless is engrossing and keeps you hooked. Unfortunately, it is the climax scene where the children of the underprivileged school sing and dance an inspiring number that seems rushed and unconvincing.

Laxman Utekar’s cinematography is simple yet effective. It captures the fine nuances of the locales and emotions to perfection. Sachin-Jigar’s music along with Amar Mohile’s background score seamlessly mesh in the narrative. The visuals and sound are astutely layered by A. Sreekar Prasad’s fine razor sharp editing.

Overall, “Hindi Medium” with excellent production values and a strong local story, is undoubtedly a great canvas with a strong message.

By Troy Ribeiro

IANS

Actor Irrfan Khan has lent his voice for the trailer of “Raabta”, helmed by debutant director Dinesh Vijan.

Vijan and Irrfan were on a flight when the director asked if Irrfan could do a voice-over for his film. Irrfan instantly agreed and promised to do it once they were back.

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Vijan said in a statement: “We needed a soothsayers’ voice for the trailer. Irrfan’s voice is amazing and distinct. We were flying to Georgia when I asked Irrfan if he could do a small voice-over for ‘Raabta’.

“He agreed and then asked me the details.”

The trailer of the movie, starring Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon, be out on April 17.

IANS

Kareena Kapoor has given her thumbs up for Karan Johar’s upcoming movie – Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and performances of all the lead actors. Here the heavily pregnant actress is seen excited to meet Aamir Khan’s wife Kiran Rao at the Mumbai Film Festival. Kareena also defended her continuing her commercial commitments despite being in her late pregnancy.  

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Actor Irrfan Khan, known his work in Indian as well as international films, says he takes pride in representing the country on foreign shores.

The actor, who was honoured with ET Panache Trendsetter Global Personality award here on Friday, also said that he hopes to continue on the same path.

“I hope to continue setting trends globally and back home as well. The journey has just begun. It’s a great feeling representing India at a global platform,” Irrfan said in a statement.

In Bollywood, Irrfan is credited for power-packed performances in films like “Paan Singh Tomar”, “Talvar”, “Maqbool” and “Piku”.

And internationally, he is known for his work in “The Warrior”, “The Namesake”, “Life of Pi”, “A Mighty Heart”, “Slumdog Millionaire” and “The Amazing Spider-Man”.

Also Read : ‘Inferno’ fails to impress; not at all towering – A Review

On the professional front, the actor is getting mixed response for his latest Hollywood film “Inferno” which also stars Oscar winning star Tom Hanks. The Sony Pictures Entertainment film “Inferno” released in India on Friday – two weeks before it opens in the US.

“Inferno” — the third part of Dan Brown’s book after “The Da Vinci Code” and “Angels & Demons” — narrates a thrilling story of how Robert Langdon, a professor of symbology at Harvard University, tries to save the world from a deadly plot.

In the film, Hanks is seen reprising the role of Langdon, and Irrfan plays Harry “The Provost” Sims, head of The Consortium.

IANS

Rating:*1/2  

By Troy Ribeiro

Not all novel adaptations are alluring as films, certainly not Dan Brown’s novels. “Inferno”, Brown’s fourth novel and the third to be adapted by Ron Howard after “The Da Vinci Code” and “Angels & Demons”, is far from towering. In fact, it is an absurdly mounted mystery thriller that fails to impress.

This Robert Langdon series, featuring Tom Hanks as the Harvard University professor of symbology, begins with a shoddily gummed-up montage that forms the prologue. In one of the early scenes in the pre-credits, we see Ben Foster as the crazed billionaire geneticist Bertrand Zobrist falling to his death from the top of a bell tower in Florence and in one of his public address on the evils of over-population, we are informed that, “Humanity is the disease and Inferno is the cure”.

After the initial credits, we are shown Professor Langdon waking up in a hospital in Florence, Italy with a scar on his head and no memory of what transpired over the last few days.

Irrfan beats me as the coolest guy in the room: Tom Hanks

He, once again, finds himself the target of a major manhunt. Doctor Sienna Brooks, played by Felicity Jones, helps him escape from the hospital and together they travel across Europe, trying to solve the mystery and thereby avert the deadly virus Inferno, which Zobrist had invented, from destroying humanity.

How Langdon uses clues from Dante’s epic poem Inferno and various works of art to track down the deadly virus, forms the crux of the tale.

While the poem tells of Dante’s journey through Hell, guided by the ancient Roman poet Virgil, the poem is used in the film as an allegory of Langdon’s expedition and hence fails to deliver the finer nuances of the poem.

Irrfan adds mystery to India special trailer of ‘Inferno’

Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon is brilliant, but his character is stumped due to the poorly written script. He is aptly supported by Irrfan Khan in a prominent role as the enigmatic Harry Sims; Sidse Babett Knudsen as doctor Elizabeth Sinskey; Omar Sy as her French consort Christoph; and Ida Darvish as Martha.

The script, written by David Koepp with its many tangles of double crosses is convoluted, predictable and lacklustre.

Devoid of tension and any semblance of character development, the film is stuck in cinematic limbo. The dialogues too, without any punchlines, are dull and boring. All the characters have a serious air about themselves and there is never a moment of spryness in the narrative.

Visually too, the first half, packed with snappy edits, is disconcerting to the eye.

Overall, when at the very end, you hear “If you loved humanity or this planet, you’d do anything to solve it”, you feel let down with all the hype of the “Inferno”.

IANS

Irrfan Khan is seen doing some hardcore action scenes, shows streaks of being the bad guy and then flaunts a discerning smile in the special India trailer of forthcoming Hollywood film “Inferno”, which maintains the mystery element around his character. The special trailer was launched on Tuesday here in the presence of Irrfan, and the actor quipped that the film can now be called “Irrfano” instead of “Inferno”.

The trailer is packed with action, suspense, mystery and thrill as the visuals are used to sketch a brief about Irrfan’s character, and leaves the audience with more unanswered questions. In the Sony Pictures Entertainment’s film, Tom Hanks will be seen reprising the role of Robert Langdon, a professor of symbology at Harvard University. Irrfan is playing Harry “The Provost” Sims, head of The Consortium, in the movie. The film will present a trail of clues tied to the great Dante himself. When Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Sienna Brooks (played by Felicity Jones), a doctor he hopes will help him recover his memories. They race across Europe and against the clock to foil a deadly global plot, and Irrfan joins their mission to save the world.

The special trailer opens with Hanks laying out the plot of the film which also touches upon overpopulation issue. And Irrfan makes his first appearance with dialogue — “Where is professor Langdon now?” There are also cues that Irrfan, who has made a name for himself in India as well as West, might just be the bad guy in the film. As Irrfan’s dialogue of asking someone to remove Langdon might come as a blow to the people rooting for the actor’s character in the film.

However, the trailer leaves one guessing as to what’s the actual intention of Irrfan’s character.

After hitting jackpot with Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” and “Angels & Demons”, Ron Howard returned to infuse life to his popular 2013 book “Inferno”.

The film is releasing in India on October 14 — two weeks before it opens in the US.

Irrfan is excited over the hype being generated around the film. He said: “It (India special trailer) is a very interesting move and they know how to do business. So it something amazing. You also feel very nice the way it is placed.” While Irrfan is all praise about the film and the marketing strategy, Vivek Krishnani, Managing Director, Sony Pictures Entertainment, India, hopes that the buzz reflects on the box office collections.

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“We thought of coming out with a special trailer because a. India is to be perceived as a very important market for Hollywood and second because Irrfan plays a pivotal role in it…That also gives us the ability to release two weeks in advance. We are hoping combination of all these things gives us a huge box office,” Krishnani said.

“Inferno” will release in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu along with English in more than 1000 screen in India. And Krishnani says they have planned a number of “specific activities in regional markets” so that the film establishes a connect with audience from around the country.

Tom Hanks rejoiced in being the “coolest guy” on the sets of Hollywood film “Inferno”. But he says it lasted only until Indian actor Irrfan Khan walked in. At a select global media event organised by Sony Pictures Entertainment, Hanks said: “Here’s what I hate about Irrfan Khan… I always think I’m the coolest guy in the room, and everybody’s hanging on to every word I say and everybody’s a little intimidated to be in my presence. And then Irrfan Khan walks into the room. And he’s the coolest guy in the room. “And everybody’s intimidated to be in his presence and everybody’s hanging on to his every word.”

Director Ron Howard, actor Tom Hanks and Irrfan Khan attends the “Inferno” red carpet and photo call at the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands.

Irrfan, who has worked in a slew of Indian movies, has also proved his mettle internationally in critically-acclaimed works like “The Namesake”, “A Mighty Heart” and “Life of Pi”, the Oscar-winning “Slumdog Millionaire” and the commercially successful “The Amazing Spider-Man” and “Jurassic World”. Come October 14, he will be seen in “Inferno” with “Forrest Gump” star Hanks, who is known worldwide for his effortless acting.

After visually translating Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” and “Angels & Demons”, director Ron Howard has infused life to the author’s popular book “Inferno”.

In the film, based on the eponymous 2013 novel, Hanks will be seen reprising the role of Robert Langdon, a professor of symbology at Harvard University. Irrfan plays Harry “The Provost” Sims, head of The Consortium. The film will present a trail of clues tied to the great Dante himself. When Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones), a doctor he hopes will help him recover his memory. They race across Europe and against the clock to foil a deadly global plot, and Irrfan joins their mission to save the world.

Hanks, known for films like “Saving Private Ryan”, “You’ve Got Mail”, “Sleepless in Seattle”, “The Terminal”, “Catch Me If You Can” and more recent “Sully”, asserted that the worst thing about “Inferno” is “that I am only in a couple of scenes with Irrfan. It was heartbreaking”. The two-time Oscar-winning star is impressed with Irrfan’s acting skills, and has in fact chalked down a way to ape his style.

Hanks said: “And as soon as I walked up to him I said, ‘Irrfan Khan, I’m going to steal from you everything I possibly can. I’m going to start speaking very quietly in films. I’m going to wear very nice suits. And I will draw out the last sound of every sentence that I say.’ And by doing that, I will be doing a very pale imitation of the coolest guy in the room.” Hanks is returning as Langdon in the film franchise, and says it is a pleasant experience to get Brown’s vision on the silver screen.

“I’m not contractually obligated to make any Dan Brown/Robert Langdon things. But every time we’ve done it, it’s been the same exact team of people… So there really is no repetition. I must admit, they’re very pleasant movies to make,” said the 60-year-old. Hanks said that they “get together and discover whether or not it’s worth going after or not”.

“I’m not an idiot. I’m not going to say no to something that’s going to go, that is really good”.

For the first time, actor Irrfan Khan has been on an all out promotion spree. For his upcoming movie Madaari, Irrfan has even gone for some innovative promotion. As the director Nishikant Kamat held a special screening for many renowned directors to give their verdict, Irrfan met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as a common man of the country and put to him many questions on nation’s political system and about freedom of expression. Irrfan had requested Kejriwal for a meeting via Twitter. He also reach out to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While Rahul responded to the actor’s offer, the PM asked him to address a letter to him. He had earlier met Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad during his visit to Patna recently.

Irrfan Khan’s Madaari explores a father-son relationship and the plight of a common man who loses his son in an accident.