92 12 february 2018RAJEEV MASAND
NOT PEOPLE
LIKE USThe Fallout on Friendship
Padmaavat is doing brisk business at the box-office, and it
seems like all is finally well around the movie that got so
many people so worked up just weeks ago. But if industry
insiders are to be believed, part of the fallout of the film’s
release involves its three stars. Word is that battle lines have
been drawn and friendship has gone out of the window.
Apparently, it hasn’t gone down well with the other two
that Ranveer Singh has walked away with all the accolades
for his performance in the film. Plans for joint promotions
with the three stars that had been originally scheduled after
the film’s release were abruptly cancelled, and all three have
been subsequently focusing on their own respective promo-
tions. This is often the case with multi-starrer projects
so it comes as no surprise to industrywaalas, but lazy
hacks are enjoying the fact that they can rile the stars
so easily by asking them to comment on their
co-stars’ performances.
Break in Schedule
Refuting rumours that the shoot of their film
Kedarnath was halted after the producers
looked at early rushes and decided that
debutant Sara Ali Khan (the leading lady)
needed to brush up her acting skills be-
fore they can continue, the film’s male star
Sushant Singh Rajput has explained
that the break is due to the extensive pre-
production required for the next schedule.
Much of the film has already been
shot after director Abhishek Kapoor
organised workshops and readings
between Sushant and Sara. The Hindu-
Muslim love story, which is set against the
floods of 2013 in north India, is expected to
resume filming after Sushant returns from
Chambal where he’s currently shooting Udta
Punjab director Abhishek Chaubey’s next with
Bhumi Pednekar.
As for poor Sara, the young girl is routinely
spotted visiting her plush Bandra gym, or
out and about with her mother. Her dad Saif
recently revealed that she’s wanted to be an actor
ever since she was little and has been working hard towards
that for some time now.Creative Differences
A well-known indie filmmaker who’s delivered a steady
stream of ‘small’ films over the years was signed on to
direct an ambitious web series for a top producer’s new
online platform. It was an association that would benefit
both parties. For the infamously controlling producer,
working with a fiercely independent director would no
doubt boost her street cred; for the filmmaker, it was just the
kind of A-list ‘studio project’ that would look good on his CV.
Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. After considerable work on the
project, which was originally conceptualised by the pro-
ducer herself, the director reportedly ditched the gig
citing “creative differences”. It put a lot of people in
a difficult spot—including the star of the series, a
promising indie actress who’d taken the job only to
work with the director. But much of the shoot was
already underway, and the producer quickly
recruited a new director to keep the show
running. For a while it seemed like things
were okay.
Now with the show having recently
launched and making quite a splash (the
influential producer knows a thing or two
about drumming up buzz), the estranged
director has been telling anyone who’s
willing to listen that what you see is his
work, sadly uncredited. He’s been claim-
ing everything people are praising about
the show is his work; what’s ‘meh’ is the
mess that was made after his departure.
Word seems to have reached the
producer, who sniggered at his claims.
Sources say the director is especially
cheesed off because he wasn’t paid commen-
surate to the work he’d put in, and was actually
threatened by the producer to walk away quietly
or be prepared to have ‘the pants sued off him’. nRajeev Masand is entertainment editor and film critic
at CNN-NEWS18