Starring: Manoj Bajpai, K K Menon, Aditi Sharma, Vijay Raaz , Anu Kapoor,Nitin Bhasin,Anupam Kher
Directed by Sanjeev Sharma
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Before things fall apart in this saga of the chaos that is the aspirational North Indian middleclass which wants it all (and that includes the latest version of the I Phone) and they want it fast, the goings-on are great fun in squirmy discomforting kind of way.
Debutant director Sanjeev Sharma captures with joy and relish, the chaos of the acquisitive class in the narrow ancient gullis of Old Delhi where criminal aspirations fester. Sharmaand his co-writer Sandeep Saket takes charge of this scrambled world of dirty doings and murky dealings with a relish that borders on nirvanic joy. He enters the lives of his characters noisily and leaves them at the end looking hopelessly compromised and inescapably trapped in their milieu.
Not that we feel sorry for these people with their squalid lives.
How do I describe the anxious yet risible chaos of Saat Uchakke? Let’s say, if Kanu Roy’sTitli was a fun film instead of a road-rage version of a dysfunctional family, this is what we would get. A film that never forsakes its appetite for gusto even when the characters cross all limits of decorum and even plain decency.
These are despicably lowdown people, so inured in self-interest that they can’t see below their noses, or beyond their ever-restless libido.In this lusciously lewd environment women are not just objectified they are happy to be treated as sex objects as long as their lifestyle doesn’t betray their slut mentality.
So we have Sona(Aditi Sharma doing a lipsmaking hip-swaying go-getter),the film’s only female protagonist who threatens to stuff a lauki up a vegetable seller’s orifice and then walks away with it.
There is nothing low-key about this lauki wali ladki.
Then we have Sona flirting to the point of near-fornication with a smitten cop Tejpal(K KMenon ,devastatingly brilliant) while going steady with the film’s principal protagonistPappi(Manoj Bajpai).And Sona’s mother (Lushan Dubey) talks to both her daughter’s admirers with her pallu falling off her shoulder.
Accidently I am sure.
To his advantage the director gets a dream cast to play out the nightmare scenario. The greed and the grab-mentality are so vividly mapped on these sweaty sun-scorched slylyselfserving acrimonious yet defiant faces, you feel you’ve entered a lot more than just their homes.Every actor is so into the milieu , it’s like watching porn-poverty without the comfort of an orgasm.
Manoj Bajpai and K K Menon as adversaries of the law and in lust, pitch marvelously reined-in performances into a plot that dares them to go over-the-top. They wisely refrain from biting the bait. Their close encounters of the hurt kind are priceless.
“Whenever I see him my ears stand alert,” KK tells Sona about Pappi.
“And when he sees you?” Pappi asks Sona .
It must be hard. To be so desperate.
The other actors Aparshakti Khurrana, Jatin Sarna ,Vipul Vig, Nitin Bhasin and the redoubtable Vijay Raaz as Bajpai’s accomplices in an outrageous heist plan(akin to what the young teenagers attempted in the recent horror film Don’t Breathe with far more sinister results), these are players who know the game from the inside and can unlock the doors leading to the crime world’s underbelly without a care for the ramifications.
Every character minor or major had me intrigued. Who is the drunken lout who specializes in tearing women’s blouses in false court cases? Or the vegetable vendor who leers atSona? Or the guy who cycles for ten days uninterrupted(is he an avatar of Manoj Kumar inShor?). Or the guy selling the lottery tickets whom Manoj Bajpai hugs and kisses after winning? Or the old Muslim who swears obscenities at the man who has usurped her of his property? The man(Anupam Kher) is stuck in the 1990s and threatens to call Rajiv Gandhi for help.
The only character and the performance that fails to work was Anu Kapoor as some kind of a transcendental prophet on the prowl . Kapoor’s clairvoyant act becomes repetitive and distracting after a point. Kapoor’s character falls apart in the climax where the hoodlums(or uchhakes, if you prefer) enter a demented Zamindaar(Anupam Kher,pricelessly demented)’s haveli in search of gold.
But this is much later. By then there is so much of the backwater bacchanalia to take away.And that includes a deliciously subverted version of classic S D Burman-AshaBhosle mujra Nazar laagi raaja torey bangley par (from the film Kala Pani) that plays on as our pavement heroes break into a bungalow where danger doesn’t lurk.It smirks.
Saat Unchakke with its profusion of profanities and an abundance of audacity hits all the right notes for most of its playing time.Cinematographer John Jacob Payapalli shoots Old Delhi with a keen eye for decadence and debauchery in conflict with a world of techno-driven instant gratification that has seeped into the crumbling walls of havelis that have seen better times.
And are determined to see some more.This is an original and often engaging drama of the damned who refuse to be doomed.

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Rakesh Roshan: “Everything I Know About Acting & Direction, I Learnt From K Vishwanathji”

The mighty moviemaker K Vishwanath who was to Telugu cinema what Satyajit Ray was to Bengali cinema, passed away on February 2,leaving behind a luminous legacy.
Acto-director Rakesh Roshan who had the rare honour of working in four projects with Vishwanath recalls him with tremendous respect. “Everything I know about acting and direction I learnt from him. He was a stalwart , an institution, and so passionate about his work. I had the privilege of being directed by him in two films Aurat Aurat Aurat and Shubh Kamna. He would show his actors exactly what he wanted, down to the minutest gesture.His understanding of the medium was extraordinary.”
Rakesh Roshan remembers how he invited Vishwanath to make films for him. “I produced two films that Vishwanathji directed. One was Kaamchor, the other was Jaag Utha Insaan.While the first was a runaway success, the second didn’t do well.”
Speaking on how Kaamchor happened Rakesh recalls, “Vishwanathji and I used to meet socially in Hyderabad.We wanted to work together. But we had no script.One evening when we met he looked very depressed. When I asked him what was wrong, he said his new release Shubodayam (in Telugu) had flopped. That night I went to see Shobodayam in a theatre in Hyderabad. The next morning I told Vishwanathji, ‘We’ve found our script’. I told him where the storytelling in Shubhodayam had gone wrong.We corrected the script and that’s how Kaamchor happened. Although the entire story revolved around me, it was Jaya Prada who benefited from Kaamchor.”
About the beautiful Jaag Utha Insaan , Rakesh Roshan admits bluntly, “It flopped because of miscasting. During those days Sridevi was known in Hindi cinema as a glamorous heroine. We cast her as classical dancer. Mithun Chakraborty had the image of Gun Master G-9 and Disco Dancer.We cast him as a downtrodden underdog. I was known for Kaamchor and other citybred characters,I was cast as a Brahmin pandit.With other actors Jaag Utha Insaan would have been a superhit”
Rakesh met K Vishwanath six years ago. “We were shooting for Krissh in Hyderabad. He came on the set several times. We had so much to say to each other. After that we lost contact. He was very very busy with many projects. K Vishwanathji lived for his cinema.”
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As His Latest Work Faraaz Releases Today, Hansal Mehta Speaks To Subhash K Jha On The Exciting Times Ahead

Hansal, Faraaz is your fifteenth directorial venture. How does it feel to have come so far with so many milestones behind you?
I don’t count my films. Genuinely. Every film is a new beginning. Every film has its share of uncertainty and nerves. Perhaps it is also because of the choices I make. There is no scope for either complacency or me carrying a false sense of security. I’m not complaining,though. Living life on the edge keeps me going.
I consider Faraaz to be a part of your great trilogy on the dynamics of terrorism, after Shahid and Omerta…where do you see Faraaz positioned in your creative ambit?
Thank you , Subhash.Faraaz is a film I’m very, very proud of. It was a challenge to pull off, a tough journey but creatively a very satisfying one. As Rajkummar Rao told me after watching the film , the Trilogy is complete now. Time to explore new stories and new characters. And finish post-production for all the exciting things that we shot for over the past eighteen months.
Out of curiosity which of your films have given you the most creative satisfaction?
Almost every film Shahid onwards has been immensely satisfying , both in terms of process and the outcome. Save a couple that I need not name. But even those I own for all their flaws, failures, deficiencies and redeeming qualities. But Faraaz has been a great process. I’ve made so many new friends in this journey and found some of the most exciting colleagues that I’m proud to introduce through the film. Writers Raghav Kakkar and Kashyap Kapoor (who co-wrote the film with Ritesh Shah), Cinematographer Pratham Mehta, Sound Designer Mandar Kulkarni, Editor Amitesh Mukherjee, co-producers Sahil, Maz and Sakshi – all of whom have given their blood and sweat to make this film happen. And of course Anubhav Sinha one of my oldest friends in the industry who backed me in telling this story just the way I wanted it. So yes, Faraaz has been satisfying and also filled me with a deep sense of gratitude. I must have done something right, no?
Of course. Faraaz has a lot of young new actors in it. Tell me about the process of casting in this film? It couldn’t have been easy since there are dozens of faces?
That was the challenge and the joy of making this film. I worked on the story during Chhalaang and I always knew that it would be a return to my indie roots for Faraaz. The film had to be made. And it needed fresh faces, bereft of image or trappings of stardom. A huge credit to Mukesh Chhabra who has a huge role to play in my filmography since Shahid. We constantly challenge each other and never ever give up. Casting is a process I really enjoy and finding the right talent to bring characters alive is something I thrive upon. Faraaz has an amazing ensemble. Right from Aditya Rawal , Zahan Kapoor, Juhi Babbar to every small character in the film including the officers, parents and the hostages this one is a triumph of honest casting , casting without an eye on profits, simply in service of the film, of the character.
Faraaz is about a terror attack in Bangladesh?how do you respond to those who want to know, why Bangladesh?
In our research of this dastardly attack we realised that here was a story that had a larger message and something very universal to share. Misguided youth taking up violence in the name of religion or a parent’s love for her child or the unexpected bravery from an unlikely hero are themes that cannot be limited by borders, nationality or language. These stories must be told. They must transcend the limitations of perceived local relevance – particularly when our polarised times need such stories to be told to a larger audience.
In 2020, your OTT series Scam 1992 proved to b e game changer. Do you see Scam as a turning point in your career?
I see Scam 1992 as an enabler. We did not expect its humongous success and to say it did not change things would be fake humility. It gave me back a lot of things I had lost in the years before it released. Including some money. And the courage to tell the stories I desperately wanted to. Also exceptional friends and collaborators like Sameer Nair and his Studio Applause.
Your films and your attitude to cinema has always been fearless. How do you cope with the threat of growing intolerance in our society vis a vis your convictions as a filmmaker?
It is not new to me. Remember Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar in 2000? The only difference now is that then I was deeply affected by the intolerance to a point of self destruction. Now I channelise my despair and anger into telling relevant stories and through them taking on those who have made it a business to be intolerant.
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To Attend Siddharth-Kiara’s Destination Wedding, Karan Johar Preponed His Twins’s Birthday Bash

For those who are wondering why Karan Johar hosted the grand birthday party for his twins Roohi and Yash who will turn 6 on 7 February, six days in advance on 1 February here is why: on the day of his twins’ birthday, Karan will be in Rajasthan attending the wedding celebrations of his dear friends Siddharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani who are getting married on February 6.
Reveals a friend close to Karan, “Karan was in a dilemma. To him there is nothing more important than his children’s happiness. How could he break their hearts by skipping the most important day of their lives? At the same time, how could he not attend Siddharth and Kiara’s wedding ? They are very close to him.”
Karan did the best thing possible to resolve the situation: he put the dilemma before his children Yash and Juhi who happily agreed to have their party a few days in advance so their ‘Dada’ could attend his friends’ wedding.
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The Big Independence Day Clash To Be Averted?

Sunny Deol, John Abraham Ranbir Kapoor and the Covid Vaccine are all set to clash at the boxoffice this Independence Day .
While the Ranbir Kapoor starrer Animal and Sunny Deol’s long-awaited Gadar sequel are both scheduled for release on August 11, John Abraham’s Tariq releases three days later on August 15.On the same day Vivek(The Kashmir Files) also releases The Covid Vaccine.
It looks like a crowded weekend, with one too many releases for audiences to choose from.
Apparently intense discussions are on among the producers of the four big films to see how the clutter can be resolved.
A source close to the development says, “Gadar 2 is the right fit for the Independence Day weekend. But the producers of Animal are in no mood to move from August 13 . John who is a co-producer on Tariq and Vivek Agnihotri with his Covid Vaccine are also adamant on coming on August 15.The Independence Day weekend is a long weekend. So let’s see…”
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