Sundeep Kishan’s 30th film Mazaka generated good buzz with its fun-filled teaser. Directed by Trinadha Rao Nakkina, the film promises to be a wholesome entertainer. It is produced jointly by AK Entertainment, Hasya Movies, and Zee Studios. Ritu Varma is the female lead, and Rao Ramesh plays a crucial role. Ahead of the release on Wednesday, Sundeep Kishan interacted with the media and here is the transcript.

Tell us about your character in the film.

I play Krishna in the film. Krishna is a bachelor, and so is his father. They don’t have anyone in life, and hence, they aren’t invited to any festivals or occasions. Father and son enjoy their lives like there is no tomorrow. Mazaka is filled with a lot of surprises. The film is a clean comedy entertainer with an abundant amount of fun.

How was it working with Rao Ramesh Garu?

It was a great experience. Our chemistry worked out well. Rao Ramesh Garu is a terrific actor, and I firmly believe Mazaka will bring him more respect.

What’s the reason for doing a film based on father-son emotion?

My last few films were in a serious tone. I wanted to do a neat family entertainer, and that’s when Mazaka’s script came my way. Trinadha Rao Nakkina Garu and Prasanna Kumar form a blockbuster combo. I am reiterating this. Mazaka will surprise the audience in many ways. We wanted to make a film that could be viewed by all sections of the audience. That’s how Mazaka happened.

How do you feel about Mazaka being your 30th film?

I have completed 30 films in my 15-year film career. It’s been an interesting and adventurous journey. I give it all to my career and prioritize films over my family. In this journey, I have been able to tell many good stories and introduce talented directors to the industry.

How was it working with Trinadha Rao Nakkina Garu?

I am a fan of Trinadha Rao Nakkina Garu. I have admired Nakkina Garu since his debut film, Memu Vayasuku Vachaam. That film is timeless and will be appreciated even today. Trinadha Rao Nakkina Garu knows how to impress an audience, and that’s the reason he is delivering consecutive blockbusters.

Could you tell us about your upcoming projects?

I am doing a film with Vijay Garu’s son, Sanjay. It’s a new-age action entertainer. I am also doing a web series for Netflix. I am part of The Family Man 3. I wanted to star in a Robinhood style film. Also I wish to feature in a love story like Raanjhanaa.

News Credits: 123telugu.com

The actor discusses at length the challenges it took to bring the film to the theatres, his experience working with director VK Prakash, and sharing screen with Priya Prakash Varrier

The release of Vishnu Priya is finally here, and actor Shreyas Manju, who has been anxiously waiting for this moment, is feeling a mix of relief and excitement as the release date of February 21 draws closer. “It’s been a long time coming. My film is a love story, and as much as I love cinema, it was very hard to make this happen,” Shreyas shares, talking about the two-and-a-half-year journey that has brought this dream to life.

While Shreyas is known for his acting, his role in the making of Vishnu Priya didn’t stop at just performing in front of the camera. He took on multiple responsibilities behind the scenes, from editing the trailer and designing posters to cutting promos and managing reels. “Since the film took so long to make, many people who were initially on board moved on to other projects. I had no choice but to step in and ensure everything stayed on track,” he explains.

The experience has taught Shreyas the importance of time management and teamwork. “I learnt to make cinema faster and keep everyone engaged. It’s a tough game, but I had to adapt,” he says.

Shreyas is aware of the struggles newcomers face in the industry, particularly when it comes to building trust with the audience. “Audiences today are hesitant to watch fresh faces. The reason is, there are big films that get overhyped, and when they fail to meet expectations, it leads to a sense of disappointment. That makes the audience feel cheated, and they stop trusting films with upcoming actors,” he explains, expressing the harsh reality many in the industry face.

In this environment, Shreyas has observed a disturbing trend. “People judge a film or an actor even before they’ve seen the content. There’s no trust in the new or unknown,” he adds.

Despite his insights into the industry, Shreyas remains grounded. His role in Vishnu Priya requires him to embrace both innocence and intensity. “I play a character who is innocent but goes on an intense emotional journey. The script pulled me in. When I was initially considering working on a commercial film, director VK Prakash and producer K Manju suggested I go for a content-based subject. And that’s how the idea of a 1990s love story came up,” he recalls.

Working with his father as the producer of the film brings its own set of advantages and challenges. Acknowledging the same, he says, “I got exactly what I wanted, especially when it came to the action sequences and the production. There’s no disadvantage, except that I have to work twice as hard because it’s a film made under our banner. It’s a lot of responsibility.”

Vishnu Priya takes viewers back to an era that many of today’s younger audience may not be familiar with. Shreyas found it challenging but rewarding to bring that era to life. “The director and the dialogue writer gave me a strong sense of the time period. It wasn’t just about the clothes or the music; it was about capturing the essence of that era and translating it into something real,” he explains.

The performances also had to align with the authenticity of the time. “The director made it clear that we needed to keep it real. He didn’t want cinematic acting; he wanted us to portray the emotions more naturally, more like real people,” Shreyas says.

Additionally, working with National Award-winning director VK Prakash was an invaluable experience for Shreyas. “He always works with two camera sets, which allows him to focus on the actor’s expressions from different angles. He wants the performance to be as close to reality as possible,” Shreyas shares.

Gopi Sundar’s music and the stunning cinematography have played a pivotal role in the film’s overall feel, Sharing his initial reactions, Shreyas reveals, “When I started filming amidst nature, I wasn’t sure what kind of film I was making. The visuals were not what we consider ‘stylish’ today—it felt old-fashioned,” he admits. However, as the project progressed, his perspective changed. “Now, I realise that this is the magic of cinema. The way it’s all come together—especially with Gopi Sundar’s crazy background score—has truly brought the film to life. The music is like the heartbeat of the story.”

Vishnu Priya is an interesting mix of people from various backgrounds, including technicians and filmmakers who have come together to create a Kannada film. “The team is mostly from outside, and that gives the film a unique vibe. It brings a fresh perception to the storytelling,” Shreyas explains.

At its heart, Vishnu Priya is a story about love, family, and sacrifice—universal themes that resonate deeply. Shreyas believes that the emotional core of the film is something that audiences will connect with. The backdrop of the 1990s, with its simpler times and old-world charm, adds to the film’s authenticity.

Priya Prakash Varrier’s debut in Kannada cinema is another highlight. Known for her viral wink in the 2019 Malayalam film Oru Adaar Love, the actor brings a fresh face to the screen, and naturally, many are curious about how the dynamic between the duo will unfold. However, Shreyas isn’t intimidated by the presence of a popular face in the film. “Let this Friday come by, and I’m sure I’ll take over everyone’s attention,” he says confidently. “It’s an open challenge, and I’m confident about what I’ve put on screen. Priya is good, but this is my moment to shine, and I’ve given my all to the role.

When asked about his personal expectations for the film’s reception, Shreyas has high hopes but remains grounded. “I am sure the audience will love me as an actor. I’ve poured my heart into this, and I’m excited to see how people appreciate my craft. This is not your usual film, and that’s what makes it special. I’m eager to see how they connect with it,” he concludes.

News Credits: Cinema Express

The director, along with writer Varun Grover and filmmaker Nasir Shaikh, discuss the making of Superboys of Malegaon, the real-life story behind the film, and the condition of writers in the Hindi film industry

Malegaon is a fascinating city, fascinated with cinema. Situated at a distance of 280 kilometres from Mumbai, the dreams of its residents travel even further. In Superboys of Malegaon, the city’s people, most of them employed in the cloth manufacturing industry, after the day’s toil, rush to the dark of the theatre, finding both joy and solace in the bright lights of the big screen. What’s playing can be either a Bhai or a Buster Keaton film.

The city is also home to a fledgling film industry, pioneered by Nasir Shaikh, who, along with his friends, gave a local spin to films like Sholay (Malegaon Ke Sholay) and Superman (Yeh Hai Malegaon Ka Superman). Malegaon and its moviemakers were the subject of the 2012 documentary Supermen of Malegaon by Faiza Ahmad Khan. Now, with Superboys of Malegaon, director Reema Kagti and writer Varun Grover delve into their story with a mix of fact and fiction.

Reema says her friend and longtime collaborator Zoya Akhtar was the one who initially got intrigued by Nasir’s story. Zoya and Nasir met at a film festival in 2012. “She told him she knows him from the documentary, he said he knows her too since he had parodied his father’s (Javed Akhtar’s) film (Sholay),” Reema reminisces with a laugh. “Zoya asked him about his background, his friends, his family and his filmmaking. She realised there was a lot more to the story. The documentary is beautiful but we were not only looking at the making of one of his films, we were looking at the making of Nasir.”

Adarsh Gourav (Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, Guns & Gulaabs) plays the director Nasir in the film, while Vineet Kumar Singh essays the role of the late Farogh Jafri, who penned the parodies and Shashank Arora is the late Shafique Shaikh, the thin, meek actor who plays Superman in Yeh Hai Malegaon Ka Superman. Nasir says when he came to know that a film was being made on his life, he was curious as to who was playing him. “When Adarsh ji’s name came up, I started watching his films,” he says. “I saw The White Tiger and gathered that he is a film lover. When I went on the set of Superboys for the first time and saw him act, there were some scenes where I thought to myself ‘It would be great if he does it this way’ and he did it exactly like that.”

While Adarsh spent two weeks shadowing Nasir in Malegaon in order to get into the character (they also made another film in this brief time, a spoof amalgamation of Krantiveer and Hera Pheri), Varun too visited the place to fetch for stories. “There were so many tales that at one time I told Reema and Zoya that Superboys of Malegaon should actually be a series,” he says. “When I went to Malegaon, I met and spoke to the people who became the characters in the film. That rarely happens.”

One of the characters written by Varun, Farogh (Vineet Kumar Singh), based on Nasir’s late writer Farogh Jafri, in a crucial scene, after his film idea is shunned, screams in frustration: ‘Writer baap hota hai, writer (The writer is the father!).” A line, improvised by Vineet on set, but which gives form to frustrations of probably all screenwriters in the industry. “I would have probably written the writer is both baap (father) and maa (mother). They are the originators of the story,” says Varun.

When Hindi cinema is going through a bleak time, statements like “content is king” float around, but writers still don’t get adequately remunerated and in worse cases even not credited for their work. Since Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, there haven’t been any star-screenwriters. “It’ a systemic problem,” says Reema. “The dire state of writers reflects in the kind of films we are making. I wish to see writers get the kind of respect they got back then (in the times of Salim-Javed). But instead of things getting better, now certain platforms have a policy to not credit even the crew of the film. You want a writer to write better, better pay him enough so he doesn’t have to do ten other jobs to support his family.”

News Credits: Cinema Express

The film industry has been male-dominated for decades, but more and more women are paving their way into it and creating space for other women. Guneet Monga, Ekta Kapoor, Kiran Rao, Sarita Tanwar, Jasleen Royal and Modhura Palit decode what it takes to beat gender biases and succeed.

In Short

1. Women are taking centre stage in cinema, behind the camera too
2. Awards serve as validation and open doors for women in the industry
3. A director wore zero-power spectacles just to have her ideas accepted
4. Gender biases in the industry exist, but are being challenged by women

Hindi cinema has long been captivated by the magic of its leading ladies. However, in recent years, there has been a significant shift, not just on screen, but also behind the camera. Women are increasingly taking centre stage, not just as actors, but also as directors, choreographers, editors, art directors, and technicians, shaping the narrative and aesthetics of Hindi cinema.

Devika Rani, who is also known as the first lady of Indian cinema, was one of the people to raise the standards of Indian cinema. She was one of the founders of Bombay Talkies, a studio she co-founded with her husband Himanshu Rai in Mumbai in 1934.

She is known for breaking social norms in a number of ways. In 1933, Devika Rani and Himanshu Rai shared India’s first on-screen kiss in Karma, which defied societal norms. Her films targeted social stigmas and featured bold scripts that spoke about the hypocrisy of Indian society. Devika Rani’s projection of female dreams and desires was considered bold for its time.

Not just the production, but she even took care of certain technical aspects of filming that she had learnt. She was also the first recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1969.

AWARDS SERVE AS VALIDATION FOR WOMEN IN THE INDUSTRY

Taking inspiration from yesteryear’s female filmmakers, directors like Gauri Shinde, Zoya Akhtar, and Meghna Gulzar are leading the pack today, helming commercially successful and critically acclaimed films that explore diverse themes and redefine storytelling. Moreover, women have now been making the nation proud on the international stage, with Guneet Monga and Kartiki Gonsalves winning the Oscar for their documentary, ‘The Elephant Whisperers’, and Ektaa Kapoor becoming the first Indian to win the International Emmy Directorate Award.

“Awards bring momentum to careers. So, definitely, more doors have opened for us in India and internationally,” Guneet Monga, who heads the production house Sikhya, tells IndiaToday.In. “It’s incredible to have this strength and scale up our slate. We are working harder than before.”

When Ektaa Kapoor received her Emmy nomination, she had announced the news with a note that read, “Overflowing with humility and exhilaration as I receive this recognition. The award holds a cherished spot in my heart, symbolizing a journey that transcends work. Representing my nation globally through this esteemed platform is an honor beyond words. Television has been my compass of self-discovery, especially as a woman crafting tales for women. This accolade empowers me to stand for them and our shared achievements on the global stage (sic).”

Talking about how she created a safe space for women in the television industry, Kapoor said at a FICCI event, “Before we get into gender dynamics, it is just important to know that the commerce of film to television starts from the basic genesis of what story it is. When you tell more stories about women, there are more writers and directors. I’d love to be politically correct and say that every story is gender agnostic, but you sometimes need a female lens for a story and television, I though, created a lot of base for women to find a safe space for work because a lot of their stories were told.”

The next film that Kapoor is producing is ‘The Crew’, which stars three top female actors – Tabu, Kareena Kapoor and Kriti Sanon

However, at the same event, she said how difficult it had been to make films headlined by women and revealed, “I am just making a film called ‘The Crew’ and there was so much love for the promo and I can’t even tell the number of people who asked me that ‘who will watch a film about three women’? This mindset can only change by changing the commerce of it.”

Singer and composer Jasleen Royal also pointed out the importance of winning an award for boosting one’s confidence.

“One empowering experience as a woman in the music industry was when I received recognition for my talent and creativity on my own terms, regardless of gender. This acknowledgement fuelled my confidence and inspired me to continue pushing boundaries in my music composition,” Jasleen Royal told IndiaToday.In.

“Knowing that my voice matters and can make a difference motivates me to keep challenging stereotypes and breaking down barriers for future generations of female composers. I am glad I didn’t succumb to it,” she added.

Cinematographer Modhura Palit also agreed and said that people in the industry started to take her seriously the moment she received an international award. She had received the Pierre Angénieux Excel Lens award at the Cannes Film Festival, the first Indian woman to have ever received the title.

She opines, “It didn’t really make a huge difference in their behaviour towards me, but they started taking me a bit more seriously. It always helps a woman to get a certain accolade. Nobody takes a woman very seriously in their own use or in their own scenarios. So, when someone validates from outside their mindset, of their socio-economic situation, then people take women more seriously. That is very important in today’s world, because nobody is actually willing to give you two seconds of extra time when you are trying to have a point. You have to fight it out to be heard.”

News Credits: India Today