Written by ​Rishhabh Sharrma
Starring​ Akshay Kumar · Emraan Hashmi · Nushrat Bharucha · Diana Penty ·
Music by​Anu Malik; Tanishk Bagchi; Yo Yo Honey Singh; The PropheC; Lijo George-DJ Chetas; Vikram Montrose; Aditya Yadav; Tarun
Release ​​24 February 2023 (United Kingdom)

Raj Metha’s latest offering is a remake of the Malayalam 2019 blockbuster film Driving License. The story follows film actor Vijay Kumar (Akshay Kumar) who wants a driving licence urgently and his ardent fan, RTO Inspector Om Prakash Aggarwal (Emraan Hashmi), agrees on delivering it illegally but requests a Selfiee in exchange, but things don’t go to plan and due to a misunderstanding, a feud develops between them that takes a toll on each other’s personal and professional lives.

With the general story revolving around this premise, the film actually runs deeper than that. What follows is an examination of human nature, as a blame game starts and with it the surrounding issues of pride, pettiness and power take control. Fandom and fury end up leading to a high-profile media war over a tiny misunderstanding.
Interesting right?

It isn’t the first time that we will be watching an actor portray a superstar onscreen. Saif Ali Khan in Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om, Vidya Balan as Silk Smitha – the list is endless. All these films have one thing in common, their attempt to bring various aspects of a star’s life and their connection with the common man to the fore front.

Selfiee makes these very aspects look far more real and relatable because of the story and narrative which don’t seem so farfetched. Selfiee isn’t just about a feud between a star and an RTO officer, but also their emotional sides as husband, a father and the role they play as a hero. The screenplay keeps you engaged and though there are moments that stretch, they are few. The original story by Sachy has been re written for the Hindi film going audience by Rishabh Sharma and he has made sensible tweaks. The film manages to appropriately capture the present-day realities lived by celebrities, fans and the media and the impact they each have on the other. From the adulation of the army of fans behind celebrities, to the lack of privacy afforded to them, the need to keep people sweet, and the constant media intrusion – which is aptly covered considering the recent events that took place with Alia Bhatt. The bunking of school to catch a film on its first day of release to waiting in crowds to get a glimpse of your favourite celebrity, there is a little bit of us as fans in this film that we can all relate too and Metha has managed to do this well. He is developing a knack for wrapping social messages into his films through underlying themes.

Akshay Kumar and Emraan Hashmi come together for the first time onscreen and it’s a pleasure to see them together. I will be honest when I say I wasn’t sure how the two would work together, but I would love to see them share the screen again, possibly because of the freshness of it. The script manages to cast both in shades of grey with neither one being the outright hero or villain which is something rare when there are two male leads.

Akshay as Vijay I feel is playing a character so close to himself in real life the line between real and reel gets blurred. Famous for being able to take a joke about himself, the film is littered with these and shows his ability to laugh at himself. From the constant scrutiny regarding the number of films he does in a year, the simple fact that Hindi films are currently not performing as well at the box office of late or his own doctor telling him to do some ‘classy films over massy cinema’, it all gets a mention.

Emraan Hashmi is back on the big screen after a year and manages to hold his ground in the scenes where he shares the screen space with Kumar. As an actor Hashmi always gets the vulnerabilities and the inferiority complex of the common man right and he does it again here as a father who is embarrassed by a star in the presence of his son.

The two leading men in Selfiee are surrounded by a fresh supporting cast. The leading women in the script are unfortunately neglected. Diana Penty lends quiet dignity to the role of Vijay Kumar’s wife despite her limited presence and Nushrat Bharucha who is cast opposite Emraan Hashmi as Minty Aggarwal displays the characteristics of a middle-class wife in the right measure.

Among the supporting cast, Mahesh Thakur as Vijay’s manager delivers an on-point performance, Meghna Malik in her role as Vimla Tiwari delivers some funny lines with perfect comic timing. Abhimanyu Singh as Vijay’s contemporary is wasted in this script but does provide some comic relief. Paritosh Tripathi and Kusha Kapila have performed well but seem to have characters that appear and disappear on a whim to be honest. A special mention goes to the child artist who enacted Emraan Hashmi’s son who captured the emotions of a son so well.

The script isn’t perfect, it does falter in places. By attempting to poke fun at so many varying aspects of the film and media industry (much of it is commendable), at some point it becomes too much self-depreciation and it all starts to fall a bit flat which is a shame considering the subject.

The music was okay – it suited the film and the plot, though going straight into a loud song with so many visual effects at the start of the film does annoy me. That is more personal preference though. I have to say it was wonderful to watch Emraan Hashmi and Akshay Kumar do a full dance number. Can a mention that when Main Khiladi Tu Anari released in 1994 Akshay Kumar was 26 and Saif Ali Khan was 23. To see Kumar, perform the same song with the same enthusiasm at age 55 is a treat.

Would I go watch it again, probably not. There are plenty of standout moments in the film that stand alone in themselves, but it was a tad to long for me. Go watch it if you are not tired of watching Akshay do remakes of South Films, it is worth a onetime watch, and you won’t regret it.

On his looks
‘People like to see my work – not my face’
I never looked to create an image where people fall in love with my face or style. Yes it does cross my mind , but I have tried to create a space for myself where I don’t depend on that

On his work ethic
‘I want to entertain people, but with some substance’

‘The day I become conventional something inside me will die’

‘The sign of a good society is where talent is respected’

‘You cannot reduce the power of a story with the tag of money because it is not the share market. You must know the seriousness of the power of storytelling’

‘For whatever I need to speak – I need to find their music. Once I find the melody of the dialog then that melody belongs to my body. It is with that melody that I perform’ (on humming his dialogues)

On the film industry being an influencer for society
‘They cannot. They can just become part of a movement, if it’s already there. It can support – but it themselves cannot change it. They definitely affect people’s mind. People aspire to become like the characters they see on screen. So in that way they do affect people’s psyche’

On being an actor
‘You get the opportunity to reflect your work. Your dreams Your pains. Your desires. Your aspirations. You can share them through stories to others. What a story does to people’s hearts is a very very very special part of being an actor’.

And a parting lesson for us all to remember –
‘Izzat aur Zillat aapke haath main nahin hai’

When Roops (Aaron Phagura), the only Sikh boy at school, introduces Khan to the music of Bruce Springsteen Khan is inspired. Javed finds his voice giving him the courage to follow his dreams, find love, and assert himself against family traditions that he believes are getting in the way of his dreams. But Javed learns soon enough, it’s not so easy to break the ties that bind.

Based on the life of English journalist Sarfraz Manzoor, the son of Pakistani immigrants to England and Springsteen fan Blinded By the Light has a lot to cover. The political environment of the Thatcher-era, conservatism, white nationalism, the economic recession, the generational divide between first-and second-generation Pakistani immigrants, as well as the daily struggle of trying to understand yourself as a teenager. This is something that director Gurinder Chadha has done before with Bhaji on the Beach and Bend it like Beckham, where she took characters and made them not only likeable but understandable and accessible. The typical role of the typical immigrant Asian parent who put the emphasis on studying and getting a job that made lots of money rather than a career that you loved. Majority of us will understand this scene which it is why it will raise laughs, because it is real and that is what she does well. She takes instances that are real and knows will be understood by her audience and turns it into almost an inside joke. There are certain points that do make you cringe and certain sequences which could possibly have been shorter but overall with this film you notice how much Chadha has grown in terms of her direction. It is tighter, smoother, it flows better. Chadha has always been good – but with this she got better.

Ghir and Ganatra as immigrant parents is a story we’ve seen a million times before. Parents who expect their children to ignore the culture they have been brought to or born into and to honour the values of the land they left. Something a lot of people of my generation are familiar with. Ghir plays the stern father with a level of honesty in his performance. It’s well rounded and explained well – What good is leaving your homeland to make a better life for yourself, if you wind up not being able to provide for your family’s needs? Something a lot of parents from that generation will understand. His polar opposite is Ganatra as a hardworking, quiet and patient woman. She is the one who is holding the entire family together. A very simple and subtle but highly effective performance from her draws you into understanding the pressure the matriarchs at the were under at the time.

Kalra makes his film debut with Blinded by the Light and is an interesting discovery. Wide-eyed expressiveness accompanied with layers of emotional vulnerability. The entire movie rests on his shoulders, and he carries that weight with considerable maturity – from his gawky, beige-clad chino and sweater wearing shyness before discovering Bruce, to his cocksure manner after. His transformation is predictable, but it works. I hope this is just the beginning of a considerable career for him.

Nell Williams as girlfriend Eliza is good. She is often the voice of strength and reason behind the madness Javed has for Springsteen. Phagura as Roop is admirable. I wish the friendship had been explored more. I am sure there would have been more to it other than being the person who introduced Khan to Springsteen and the solidarity in the face of racism. Dean-Charles Chapman as Matt is commendable. The fall out between best friends as Khan finds himself is performed well.

Blinded by the Light deals strictly with the familiar. At times it threatens to become a full-on musical but on some level, I was expecting it. It’s the Bollywood-esque touch that is in most of Chadha’s films.

It’s a coming of age film that is in essence a love letter to The Boss. But it also deals with the family tensions and secrecy, the eye-rolls at cultural heritage, the search for acceptance in a culture where you are born but don’t feel as though you belong. It’s a formula that has been done before in Bend It Like Beckham, but it is so emotionally honest you can do nothing but appreciate the real lives it shows.

Don’t go and watch it if you are going to be critical; it is far to honest and sincere an effort for that. If you believe music can change your life then go watch it because you will find parts of it highly relatable.

Blinded By The Light releases on August 14th in the US and in UK on 16 August.
Directed by​ Gurinder Chadha. Produced by​ Jane Barclay, Gurinder Chadha, Jamal Daniel. Written by​ Paul Mayeda Berges, Gurinder Chadha, Sarfraz Manzoor. Starring​ Viveik Kalra, Hayley Atwell, Rob Brydon, Kulvinder Ghir, Nell Williams, Dean-Charles Chapman, Aaron Phagura and Music by​ A.R. Rahman

Article 15 puts into the fore the caste system that is largely still prevalent in India but touches very briefly on place of birth advantages and sexual discrimination. Though the film doesn’t take any ‘sides’ it does show the disadvantages faced by those individuals who are deemed scheduled castes or Scheduled tribes in India, especially in the villages. The film touches on the quota system that is in place for the lower caste but does not go into enough detail about it. It is something I learnt about through my own research post screening of Article 15 and maybe it is not covered as the people in the villages don’t benefit as such from the system. It does make you think though, that how is such a system still in existence in today’s day and age, why are humans not thought of as humans first.

Directed by Anubhav Sinha whose previous work has included Tum Bin, Tum Bin 2 and Shah Rukh Khan starrer Ra. One, Sinha has directed, written and produced a film which manages to keep the audience engaged from start to finish. This is largely due to the way the film unfolds. Parts make for uncomfortable viewing but the audience attention is held due to the intensity that is maintained from start to finish. Sinha successfully manages to make the audience think about what they see on screen and on some level question their belief system through the various characters on screen and their attitudes, the questions various characters ask each other, and manner in which certain situations unfold onscreen. You find yourself responding to the situations and characters as a result, which is the sign of a story that is written well and filmed well. Especially if it is issue based. You want your audience to go away thinking and that is what happens in this film. Sinha leaves you thinking.

Fresh of the back of Andhadhun and Badhaai Ho, Ayushmann Khurrana plays a police officer from a privileged urban, international, background. Khurrana is posted to rural north Indian village, where three teenage girls have gone missing. His honesty does not sit well with the existing, deeply entrenched corrupt system where, in 2019, a 1000-year-old practice where human beings are divided on the basis of caste continues.

Khurrana is everything you want an actor to be today. To be able to fit into any role with ease; be it Vicky Donor, Andhadhun, Badhaai Ho or the poker faced cop Ayan. I can see why Khurrana pursued this role. It is a well rounded character who does not fit the norms. Sinha has intelligently shown the character development with this film; you learn a little bit more with each scene. Known for becoming an actor who covers ‘issues’ in a comedic sense Khurrana has done a steller job in this drama that is so very different from his previous body of work. Sinha said in the Q and A session that he didn’t see Khurrana in this role and that he cast himself. I can honestly say that I do not think anyone else could have filled his shoes in this film. This man is truly a force to be reckoned with.

Sayani Gupta is aptly cast as Gaura, a woman who is deprived of her rights because of her caste. A key character to the story, Gupta manages to act with her whole body. The scenes in which there are no words just the pain reflected in her eyes and through her body language makes the audience feel the range of her emotions.

Actors Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra and Nassar play with your emotions. Not much can be said without giving away certain surprise elements in the film but a particular mention goes to Pahwa who stays with you long after the films credits roll. There are certain scenes that he has that are possibly the way a lot of those who believe in the caste system do think. Through his character you realise that it is the thought process of these people that need to be changed. Namashi Chakraborty makes his debut with Article 15 in a small yet pivotal role and does well in it. Isha Talwar’s role is also small but of significance. She not only makes her husband think, but also the audience. Ayyub cast as a fed-up rebel brings to the fore the emotions that possibly every individual from the SD/ST caste has thought at some point.

Article 15 not a light-hearted film. There are precisely three points in the film where you laugh. The rest is sheer intensity. There are certain dialogues and visuals in the film that stay with you long after the film finishes. These are the signs I think of a film that is well thought out and executed.

To the team of Article 15 – take a bow, it’s a job well done!

Article 15 opens on June 28th!

Opening Night red carpet of the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival 2019 on Thursday 20th June, 2019 at Picture House Central, London ENGLAND
DARREN BRADE PHOTOGRAPHY
94 Derby Lodge, Wicklow Street,
London, WC1X 9LF
tel +44 (0) 7 713 648 085
email: darren@darrenbrade.com

It’s a film that tackles the issue of caste which have been there for millennials in India and yet underrepresented in Hindi cinema. There aren’t too many films that have got into those issues quite so directly and purposefully as Article 15.
No, Not in the mainstream. That was actually the bigger fight. You can’t make this film for people who already agree with you. This film has been made for people who don’t agree with you. This has to be made for people who have been running this show for the longest time. Strangely most of them, not knowingly. It has become a part of our DNA. We just keep doing it. We don’t question it ourselves. It’s a balance that society has which is very, very cruel. It was time that we spoke about it and I hope that will confront those questions in a very healthy manner. It is very easy to change it. Only if we decide to.

What was the spark the genesis for you? I know that the story was very loosely inspired by some true events in India. Can you elaborate on when the idea came to you?
This has been bothering me for decades. Twenty years or so, maybe more. The past five, six years there have been a lot of reported incidents where Dalit girls were raped and killed and sometimes burnt alive, sometimes buried, thrown away. One such incident got quite a lot of attention. When I started researching. I found that it was not investigated. Just that it was reported. It was reported widely. It is based on that. If you are from India, If you have been reading the newspapers there are a lot of other things that are there that have been woven together. Yes, you can say that it is inspired by a lot of true incidents not just one.

Does caste play a role in the Indian film industry? Have you heard of scenarios where it has been a factor on film sets for instance?
No. Not at all. Not in Mumbai. Not that I know. We can’t afford to, as film making is such an expensive process.

Recently we wrote a small ad capsule for the Cricket World Cup. The India Pakistan match was coming up and the whole country was India – India – India! We made a small capsule that was played and appreciated a lot. We said that when India plays Pakistan Article 15 gets used in the country like never before. That means we know how to do it; we just don’t do it every day. So, similarly making a movie is such a capital-intensive process, you are running against time, things have to be delivered that you forget it. It means you can afford to not do it. We just chose not to because it is more convenient.

We have to talk about the star of the show Ayushmann, who has become a very big star in Indian cinema and in China I understand. I gather that when he was talking about him doing the film for the first time you had some reservations about him in this role. Can you please explain how he overcame those for you?
I have had the script for Article 15 since 2017. There was no actor around me that I could think of playing this part. That is why I was not making this film. I was just postponing it. Even when I was shooting Mulk, I was thinking that this would be my next, but then I couldn’t think of an actor. Ayushmann and I met for an intense relationship film. He had seen Mulk and he was a big fan of the film and wanted to work with me, so he said okay let’s do this, but he said why don’t you do something issue based with me, intense? I started laughing and I said I have a fantastic story, but you don’t fit in it. I ended up telling him the story and he asked do you mind if I read it. I gave him the script to read – I don’t know why. Before he left, he said this is fantastic! I would love to do this! He was going to get very busy. I said I wanted to make it now or never. He said I will look after all the schedules, just do it with me. I told him I don’t see you in it and then he left. Three to four days later, we met again. He pursued it. He persevered. I bought into his conviction. The guy was so convinced of this subject matter. I jokingly tell everyone that I didn’t cast Ayushmann, he cast himself.

Opening Night red carpet of the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival 2019 on Thursday 20th June, 2019 at Picture House Central, London ENGLAND
DARREN BRADE PHOTOGRAPHY
94 Derby Lodge, Wicklow Street,
London, WC1X 9LF
tel +44 (0) 7 713 648 085

Can you talk a little bit about the look of the film. It is a very striking looking film and I just want you to talk about the conversations you had in terms of how you wanted to represent this world visually?
So, Ewan [Mulligan – cinematographer] and I were the only people who knew what the film was going to look like. We were going around these villages and we would stop somewhere and we would look at this bit of grass and I would say that this is going to be a stunning looking film. Members of the team would look at me and go ‘yeah right’.

We started shooting, and Ewan created a new torture plan where for two or three weeks we would start shooting and by shooting I mean, the camera would start rolling at 5:30 am, which meant that the actors would arrive at 2:30 am get ready do the rehearsal, camera would roll at 5:30, we would shoot till 10:30 am and then we would retire for the rest of the day. We would then start shooting at 5pm again, until 6:15, 6:20. So this was our schedule.

Half the time I was hoping that we would finish the film. Ayushmann was working with me for the first time. He was surprised. During the day we would play cricket. I would ask for all types of red meat from all over Lucknow. We would have this heavy, spicy, oily lunches. We would then crash. Around 3:30 one person would wake up and say let’s go, then the second one would get up. This was the way we shot for the first three weeks. I realised in about the first seven days that we were doing fine. Ayushmann was very worried, that these are aliens. They told me a good story, and they are doing something else. Those were tough days.
I remember a conversation we had when we were leaving where I asked Ewan, have we got everything, and he laughed saying yes we have, we finished the film on schedule, we made a good film, we made a very good looking film. This is all thanks to Ewan, who encouraged me to make a better film. He is a great collaborator. He has shot Mulk also. He has shot four films with me. He understands Hindi, he eats spices like nobody else.

Just out of interest, when you were on the bus at 2/3 in the morning with the actors and they are grumpy that they got dragged out of bed, who got the blame? Was it you or was it Ewan?
It was Ewan. I am always right.

Opening Night red carpet of the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival 2019 on Thursday 20th June, 2019 at Picture House Central, London ENGLAND
DARREN BRADE PHOTOGRAPHY
94 Derby Lodge, Wicklow Street,
London, WC1X 9LF
tel +44 (0) 7 713 648 085

So it’s in the script is it?
Yes. I wrote it in the script. I love that line – “How many times can a man turn his head, and pretend that he just doesn’t see?” For that line I wanted the song. I wrote it. I was not going to try and acquire rights. During the shooting, I would keep playing it on the PA system. It then started staying with me. Then I would start saying I will get this song. It got to that stage. Everyone made fun of me because of it.

I came back and I called the Head of Sony in India who is a friend. I said I want a song. He asked which song? I said do you have Bob Dylan’s songs, he said yeah, which song, not “Blowing in the Wind”? I said yeah. He went into this is not happening, they will ask for so much money, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…. In the end he told me to write him an email, so I wrote him an email. Something was happening, but it was not going anywhere.

I then wrote to a very dear friend Ginger Shankar, who is a musician in LA, and I asked, ‘Do you know someone who can help me? She said let me try. She forwarded it to someone, they never responded to that mail but they forwarded it to Bob Dylan’s manager. By the time I work up the next morning, I had an email from Dylan’s management saying done. How much do you have? Give me whatever you have. That is how I got the song.

I needed the song so badly, that the whole universe transpired so that it could happen.

Opening Night red carpet of the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival 2019 on Thursday 20th June, 2019 at Picture House Central, London ENGLAND
DARREN BRADE PHOTOGRAPHY
94 Derby Lodge, Wicklow Street,
London, WC1X 9LF
tel +44 (0) 7 713 648 085

It’s a very entertaining film, but it obviously covers some very serious issues that are close to your heart. I know that you are keen that the right people watch it. For the people here tonight that have watched the film who don’t know much about the situations and issues regarding Dalits, is there something that you can recommend to them?
Just go on to You Tube. Type in what is happening to Dalits and it will all come up and you will feel shocked. It is that simple.

Article 15 is releasing in Cinemas on the 28th of June. Stay tuned for our review!

Opening Night red carpet of the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival 2019 on Thursday 20th June, 2019 at Picture House Central, London ENGLAND
DARREN BRADE PHOTOGRAPHY
94 Derby Lodge, Wicklow Street,
London, WC1X 9LF
tel +44 (0) 7 713 648 085

Opening Night red carpet of the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival 2019 on Thursday 20th June, 2019 at Picture House Central, London ENGLAND
DARREN BRADE PHOTOGRAPHY
94 Derby Lodge, Wicklow Street,
London, WC1X 9LF
tel +44 (0) 7 713 648 085
email: darren@darrenbrade.com

Opening with Zafar (Varun Dhawan) dragging a shy Dev (Aditya Roy Kapur) into his backyard, the innocent entry to the world of revelry on by Dev, soon turns into a dance-off between the two characters, trying to woo Sanon with their respective charm and dancing skills.

Surrounded by background dancers, the two men, and the stunning Kriti, light up the on screen jubilations with their dance moves. Releasing a sneak peek ahead of the song release Sanon took to social media stating she had the time of her life shooting the song.

With 2 days to go ahead of the release and promotional activities well under way lets see how else the team tease us with their activites.

Opening with Tiger Shroff saying ‘Life agar maidan hain toh usse do hisson mein divide karo, ek main sapne, dosre mein asliyat’ we are re introduced to the world of Saint Teresa, where we see Tiger entering the school on his cycle, Tara Sutaria showcasing her dance moves, and Ananya Panday entering in a car. And just like in SOTY, Tara, Ananya and Tiger are seen doing everything in their capacity to win the competition. The trailer ends with Tiger’s dialogue- Din tere tha, Saal mera

On Tuesday, Karan Johar announced on social media with picture of Tiger Shroff “The Batch of 2019 is ready to enter these gates and this time, it’s going to be bigger than EVER! #SOTY2.”

With recent rumours on the grapevine of a possibility of guest appearances by the original cast Varun Dhawan and Siddharth Malhotra and there being a dance sequence between Shroff and Bhatt, the one that seems to have caught everyones fancy is the appearance of Hollywood actor Will Smith dancing to Radha Teri Chunnari especially after his recent announcement that he always wanted to be part of a big Bollywood number.

With Less than a month to go we won’t have to wait long to see how many of these rumours hold true.

We have good news for all Irrfan Khan fans.

Spotted on Tuesday at Mumbai Airport amidst rumours of Hindi Medium 2 going to floor, Khan shared an emotional post on Twitter:

“Maybe somewhere in the pursuit of winning we forget how much it means to be loved… In our vulnerability we are reminded. As I leave my footprints onto these steps of my life, I want to pause to be grateful for receiving your immense love and support. It soothed me in my process of healing. So, I travel back to you, thanking you from the bottom of my heart.”

Last year, Irrfan Khan first announced that he had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Four months later he revealed his diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumour. Treated abroad since, Khan returned to India in February 2019 having visited briefly for Diwali last year.

He has been welcomed back by members of the industry with open arms with Richa Sharma saying he was her hero.

And like everyone in the industry and all of his numerous fan, we can’t wait to have Khan gracing the silver screen again.

Welcome back Mr Khan. We have been waiting.

The actress began with talking about the three-year gap between projects and the fact that this new film is another “comeback film”. There was of course, The Incredibles 2, where she provided the voice of Elastigirl earlier in the year, but it has been 3 years between her presence on the silver screen in Dilwale and Helicopter Eela. “According to the media I am always returning after a hiatus! I don’t actually remember how many comebacks I have had!”

“It isn’t a comeback. It is just finding the right script and I am in no rush,” she said as she talked about Helicopter Eela, based Anand Gandhi’s Gujarati play Beta, Kaagdo.

Talking about her role as Eela in the film, Kajol said, “As a mother, I felt a real connection with Eela’s character. She loves her son unconditionally and has built her life around him. But as he grows up, she finds herself becoming more and more dispensable. She has also put her life and dreams on hold, like so many mothers do. This is a life situation that so many women face once their kids grow up. And, one that I will inevitably face is what do I do now? How do I hold on to my baby? In a way Helicopter Eela is a coming of age film more for Eela rather than it is for her son!”

When asked if she was a helicopter parent she candidly admitted that she was but not now. “That is the beauty of the role, every mother will be able to see a reflection of herself in Eela somewhere, you realise at some point that you have centered your entire life around your child or children that you lose a part of yourself. I have only just rediscovered my music collection and it is a wonderful feeling to rediscover a that part of yourself again.”

Keeping with the parenting track Kajol said she found it hard when she left her daughter Nysa at home as she went for an outdoor shoot for the first time after she became a mother. “You have all these thoughts – but when I got home I realised she was fine.”

Wondering how she balanced work life with home life she answered you just do it. “I come from a family where all the women worked. My grandmother worked, my mother worked and you just do it. It sets an example for my children that you will work. My son learns that his wife will work and it sets a very strong example as professionally she will be his equal and that is important especially in today’s world for both boys and girls.”

Stating that there is nothing on the horizon following the release of Helicopter Eela, Kajol mentioned that she didn’t really mind who she worked with next. In fact, there wasn’t an actor with whom she really wanted to work, instead she revealed, “I want to work with a good director.” Asked who she thought was a good director she instantly said she believed husband Ajay Devgn was, “…because he has that mind, and vision.”

So would Kajol be stepping into the shoes of a director anytime soon? Flatly refusing she said, “I don’t! I am happy in front of the camera, I don’t have the sensibilities required to be a director. Having said that Ajay doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to team up – you know it is that ghar ki murghi daal wala haal…” she laughed.

Having celebrated 25 years in the industry the actress said it is her professionalism when she takes on a role that makes give it her all no matter what. Revealing she had given 300% in each and every film that she had done whether she believed in them or not.

So what does she think the industry had taught her that she would not have learnt in any other industry? “That hard work and dedication to the craft pays. I never believed in just being better than somebody. Money never drove me to work. I do films that I like. I am still wanted and respected, which in itself is a good feeling, this was why I never believed in the number game. I was given a chance to focus on learning my craft. Adding, “When I first entered the film industry, there were expectations of me, of who I was and related to. Like Tanuja’s daughter, Nutan’s niece and Shobana Samarth’s granddaughter. I had to live up to that lineage but I never took it seriously. Cinema today is different yes, but the pressure is also different, no one cared about your hair and makeup back then which is not the case now. I was just adamant about doing films on my terms,” Kajol replied.

Helicopter Eela is in theaters now!

And this is what Sachin – A Billion Dreams is. A journey through the trials and tribulations, the happiness and sadness of the man the sports world and cricketing fans know as ‘The Little Master’. It is about the multiple journeys and experiences of the people alongside a single individual. And it is all real.

To call this a film would be wrong, because it isn’t. It is a documentary about cricket, Sachin and Sachin’s life between 22 yards for 24 years. It is about how hard work and talent make greatness putting it quite simply.

There isn’t a cast as such to review as unlike Azhar and Dhoni, we are given the real Sachin. A guards down version which is a rare treat as any Sachin fan would know how deeply protective he is of his personal life. And rightly so given the lifestyle he has lead for the last 24 years where every move has been scrutinised a billion times over. We are also given real family members from wife Anjali to mother Rajni Tendulkar. Cricketeers galore from Sir Viv Richards to Shane Warne and let’s face it, they aren’t actors. Yes they have media handling skills but not acting. So they do what they do best, which is talk from the heart and the emotion comes across, be it when Nasser Hussain say’s ‘when Tendulkar is noisy India is noisy; when Tendulkar is quiet India is quiet’, or when Shane Warne is talking about his bowling experiences. The love respect and admiration for his achievements is evident.

I would give credit for this production to several people. First person would be whoever came up with the idea not to go down the Bollywood route. Sachin’s journey could not be covered in a conventional Bollywood film. Second person is the person who suggested James Erskine be the director. Finally James Erskine himself.

Erskine is known for his fact based documentaries, and here he has managed to not just present Sachin the cricketer, but also Sachin the son, the brother, the husband, the father and the friend. We are given the rare opportunity to experience the present day with Tendulkar but also the past through his personal home movies where we experience things other than cricket. Yes, it is about the cricket because that is what the name Tendulakr is synonymous with, but you learn so much more, you learn about his kit, he answers the question about his cricket bat, you learn about his Bappi Lehri connection (trust me when I say that this one surprised me too). Erskine has managed t do what he is known for, present both sides of an individual Private and Public beautifully. He has managed to capture the emotion behind the game and the individual, there are often moments where you just relive the emotion that was felt.

AR Rahman’s music as always is a treat and well suited to the subject. The only thing I would have changed was the whole Vande Mataram part, possibly picked something else.

So would I recommend it? Yes. If you are a cricketing fan, if you are a Sachin fan, then yes go watch it. I can honestly say you will learn about Sachin the man and Sachin the cricketer. Bear in mind, this is not a typical Bollywood film. It is about the dream of a man that were shared a billion times over with every Indian cricket fan as well as every Sachin fan.

As for a rating, I am going with a 3.5 heavily batting towards a 4!