<keyword id="3481192" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="prayagraj" source="Orion">Prayagraj</keyword>, Nearly 65 solvers from all over the state have so far been arrested during the ongoing Uttar Pradesh Secondary Board (UPSEB) exams. The Board has initiated legal action and sent them to jail. Besides, a total of 34 students have also been booked for copying. Board secretary <keyword id="4814406" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="divyakant-shukla" source="Orion">Divyakant Shukla</keyword> said, "Maximum number of solvers, known as '<keyword id="6468448" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="munna-bhai" source="Orion">Munna Bhai</keyword>' in local parlance, have been caught in two districts of Ghazipur and Ballia, which accounts for around 50 per cent of the total number of impersonators caught till Wednesday. Eighteen <keyword id="947669" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="munna-bhais" source="Orion">Munna Bhais</keyword> have been caught and sent to jail in Ghazipur and 15 from Ballia." Five solvers have been nabbed in Agra and four each from Prayagraj and Azamgarh. Three impersonators each have been arrested from Pratapgrah and <keyword id="43253" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="gorakhpur" source="Orion">Gorakhpur</keyword>, two each from Jaunpur and Bhadohi. One each has been arrested from Firozabad, Mathura, Kasganj, Basti, Kushinagar, Ayodhya, Bulandshahr, Rampur and Balrampur. "The Board is updating and changing its strategy daily to conduct the exam in a fair manner," he said. The secretary said Friday (February 24) is an important day when English paper of class 12 would be held in the second shift in which over 23.5 lakh candidates will appear. In such a situation, the Board is working on a new strategy. Officers of the education department have been asked to conduct surprise inspections of the centres a day before the exam. Strongrooms will be checked and Board will keep an eye through CCTV camera. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-chrome-rolls-out-memory-and-energy-saver-modes-heres-how-you-can-use-it/articleshow/98118135.cms">Google Chrome rolls out Memory and Energy Saver modes: Here’s how you can use it</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/oneplus-11-concept-video-reveals-a-large-camera-and-a-rear-panel-that-lights-up/articleshow/98112845.cms">OnePlus 11 Concept video reveals a large camera and a rear panel that lights up</a>

Sixty-five impersonators held during UP board exams

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/33822468.cms" /> Cleaning up the ‘System’ might be <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword>’s latest passion, but it reverts to stereotypes all too soon and the art of conveying a pertinent message becomes an imperfect endeavour. The saga started with <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Box-Office-Queen-OutshinesGulaab-Gang-Total-Siyapaa-Tanks/articleshow/31848837.cms">Gulaab Gang</a>, continued through <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Box-Office-Youngistaan-Falls-FlatDishkiyaoon-O-Teri-Are-Clear-Flops/articleshow/33127458.cms">Youngistaan</a> and climaxed with superstar <keyword id="6357912" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="amitabh-bachchan">Amitabh Bachchan</keyword> returning with the much-hyped <keyword id="828468" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Supernatural">supernatural</keyword> comedy sequel, <keyword id="1906261" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bhoothnath-Returns">Bhoothnath Returns</keyword>. This time, we have an adorable 70-plus ghost trying to set things right for the <keyword id="6361831" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="dharavi">Dharavi</keyword> <keyword id="56930" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="slum-dwellers">slum dwellers</keyword> and rooting out corruption in the process. But unlike the 2008 prequel, <keyword id="14780" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="bhoothnath">Bhoothnath</keyword>, finger-snapping alone doesn’t do the trick. Instead, <keyword id="2217" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Big-B">Big B</keyword> (<keyword id="291868" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kailash-Nath">Kailash Nath</keyword> aka Bhoothnath in the movie series) gets ready to contest polls, preaches people to go out &amp; vote, and does loads of good work in-between, amply helped by the street-smart brat <keyword id="2199671" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Akhrot">Akhrot</keyword> (<keyword id="1068845" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Parth-Bhalerao">Parth Bhalerao</keyword>). Undoubtedly a great gesture from a spirit who cares, but it carries too much baggage than is good for the <keyword id="678332" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Subtle">subtle</keyword> art of influencing, impacting and entertaining – all at the same time. 
 But that does not mean the fantasy-comedy won’t become a Bollywood hit. In spite of its many faults, Big B spins his magic on-screen and the movie has managed to shake off a slow start. Directed and co-written by <keyword id="368516" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Nitesh-Tiwari">Nitesh Tiwari</keyword> of <keyword id="248958" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Chillar-Party">Chillar Party</keyword> fame, Bhoothnath Returns hit around 1,300 theatres at home but had a dull opening on April 11. It netted around Rs 4.07 crore on the debut day and witnessed a low occupancy rate of 25-30%. But <keyword id="2199678" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Weekend-business">weekend business</keyword> literally touched the sky and the movie netted a little over Rs 18 crore at the <keyword id="827271" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Domestic-Box-Office">domestic box office</keyword> after the first three days. 
 
“BhoothnathReturns Fri 4.07 cr, Sat 5.85 cr, Sun 8.10 cr. Total: 18.02 cr nett. India biz… Excellent growth over the weekend,” tweeted film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh. 
 
But the numbers dwindled on the crucial Day 4 and Day 5 (April 14 and 15). Although official figures are not available yet, the movie totalled a little more than Rs 7 crore on these two days, according to <keyword id="25892" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="box-office">Box Office</keyword> Collection, thus reaching Rs 25 crore (approx) at home. Interestingly, the budget of this movie has not been disclosed yet, but some industry insiders put it at around Rs 30 crore. However, the initial numbers are definitely much better than Kangna Ranaut-starrer <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Box-Office-Queen-OutshinesGulaab-Gang-Total-Siyapaa-Tanks/articleshow/31848837.cms">Queen</a> (Rs 12 crore in first 4 days). Incidentally, <keyword id="6377522" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="queen">Queen</keyword> has already netted more than Rs 60 crore at home, as per industry reports. We can’t really predict whether this Big B movie can get into that Big League or enter the Rs 100 crore club, but going by the current trend, it may overtake Bhoothnath’s earnings that managed to gross around Rs 68 crore worldwide. 
 And that brings us back to the basics. With the <keyword id="6355187" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha">Lok Sabha</keyword> polls in full swing, Bhoothnath Returns was expected to do much better at the domestic box office, especially as it aims to blend some meaningful messages with fantasy to present a <keyword id="2199680" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Socio-political-satire">socio-political satire</keyword>, loaded with <keyword id="1802565" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="tongue-in-cheek-humour">tongue-in-cheek humour</keyword> and sharp, <keyword id="2199682" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Witty-one-liners">witty one-liners</keyword>. The movie follows that script, but only up to a point, and then loses its pace and crispiness as is the wont of traditional Bollywood flicks. 
 The first half of the movie is quite entertaining, though. Bhoothnath returns from the <keyword id="2199683" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bhoot-World">Bhoot World</keyword> as he is under pressure to prove his mettle as a ghost and must be able to scare a kid (his previous caper with Banku clearly hadn’t won the approval of fellow-ghosts). But this time, he has been won over by the slum kid Akhrot (Parth) and soon has a face-off with the <keyword id="2199670" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="evil-politician">evil politician</keyword> <keyword id="602825" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bhau">Bhau</keyword> (Boman Irani). The rest of the story gets painfully predictable and then downright preachy, dragging on eternally before reaching an over-the-top climax. As most critics have pointed out, the second half of this flick could have easily passed muster as an infotainment video on ‘<keyword id="2199685" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Why-you-should-vote">why you should vote</keyword>’ and ‘<keyword id="924262" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Vote-for-change">vote for change</keyword>.’ 
 
As the story gets stretched and execution gets lacklustre, Bhoothnath Returns loses its appeal of fantasy (something that never happens in a <keyword id="1837502" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="harry-potter-movie">Harry Potter movie</keyword> in spite of its markedly pronounced good-versus-evil theme), its appeal for kids (hardly a <keyword id="2199690" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Fun-movie">fun movie</keyword>, compared to the earlier one) and its appeal for thinking adults (<keyword id="6354633" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rajkumar-Hirani">Rajkumar Hirani</keyword>’s Munna Bhai series will impact you better). 
 
But Bhoothnath Returns has its special charms as well. The <keyword id="2199696" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bachchan-magic">Bachchan magic</keyword> and his easy frolic with kids are bound to win many hearts. But the star of the show is the <keyword id="5334" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bollywood-debutant">Bollywood debutant</keyword> Parth Bhalerao who is absolutely brilliant. Then there are the cameos – <keyword id="1671" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Shah-Rukh-Khan">Shah Rukh Khan</keyword>, <keyword id="6357861" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="ranbir-kapoor">Ranbir Kapoor</keyword> and <keyword id="7929" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Anurag-Kashyap">Anurag Kashyap</keyword> all fall in line to support the message Bhoothnath is trying to convey. All in all, Bhoothnath Returns is a movie worth watching in spite of its none-too-impressive initial performance and execution flaws. Business may pick up further as the (release) timing has been perfect and Bachchan fans are known to form that <keyword id="828348" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="critical-mass">critical mass</keyword> of movie-goers that can always spell massive success, even if it is a bit late in the day.

Box Office: Bhoothnath
Returns In Style In Spite Of Chinks In Armour And A Tepid Start

New Delhi, Films should serve as a catalyst of change and not a business model, believes filmmaker <keyword id="7936" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vidhu-vinod-chopra" source="Orion">Vidhu Vinod Chopra</keyword> as he returns to the big screen after three years with "<keyword id="15771130" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="12th-fail" source="Orion">12th Fail</keyword>", a story of ambition, dedication and overcoming setbacks. The ace director, known for films such as "Khamosh", "Parinda", "1942: A Love Story" and "<keyword id="3897" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mission-Kashmir" source="Orion">Mission Kashmir</keyword>", said money has never dictated his creative decisions. "My job as an artist or a filmmaker is to make the world slightly better than what it was when I came. So, if I can make a film that can make a slight difference to people's lives, it inspires me. "Money has never driven me. I could have made 'Munnabhai' 3, 4, 5, 6... and be a multi-millionaire, which I'm not. I chose to make '12th Fail', with <keyword id="189215" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="vikrant-massey" source="Orion">Vikrant Massey</keyword>," Chopra told PTI in an interview here. Not only his directorial efforts, the 71-year-old said he makes sure even his production ventures, which include acclaimed titles such as "Munna Bhai" franchise, "3 Idiots" and "Parineeta", have something important to convey. "In 'Parinda', I talked about violence. '1942' was about patriotism and 'Mission Kashmir' was about religious divide.... In all my films, it is important that they say something," he added. "12th Fail" is based on Anurag Pathak's best-selling novel about the incredible journey of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma and IRS officer Shraddha Joshi. The movie stars Massey in the lead along with Medha Shankar. Though inspired by Sharma's life, Chopra said "12th Fail" is a story of "each one of us" coming to big cities with aspirations and dreams. "I started writing this film when I was 66 and now I'm 71. You can't write a film like this in months. It takes years because every character has a story. It's not a biopic. It's each one of us... There is a lot of me and you in the film." Integral to the movie's storyline is the idea of "restart". As inspirational and motivational it may sound, the concept stemmed from a personal tragedy, said Chopra. "My brother was the closest person to me in the world, apart from my wife and kids. During the pandemic, when I was developing this film, he was in Maldives. He delayed coming to Mumbai and couldn't survive. It hit me very hard. "Within a week or so, I realised it is not fair to the people who are around me. I was already in the story and the whole concept of restart took place in my head. It didn't come from a happy place. It came from a tragedy that struck me," the director recalled. Chopra said somewhere while healing through the personal loss, he realised that life was much like a video game -- "you lose, you press a button and move on". "I told myself why can't we do that in life. We have setbacks, we fall, and then we lose everything. Life is a game too. The thought is inspirational but not easy. It is about the way you look at life," he added. Chopra said through "12th Fail", which released on Friday, he wants to address that nothing is impossible to achieve, but if one faces a setback, the goal should always be to "restart". "When I read about the suicides in Kota and anywhere else. I want to tell those kids.... It's tough, I understand. I lost the man I loved the most in my life. (But) you got to restart. And UPSC is not just one thing, you can explore so much in life." Apart from Massey, who has established himself as a dependable performer with projects such as "A Death in the Gunj", "Haseen Dillruba" and "Criminal Justice", the film features an impressive supporting cast in Anant V Joshi, Anshumaan Pushkar, Sanjay Bishnoi and Priyanshu Chatterjee. Chopra said ever since he decided to make a film on the subject, he was sure about casting "real people". "I didn't want filmy heroes pretending to be these people. Most of the cast are new actors, first time actors or not very famous. But they are real people. I rehearsed with them for one year," the director said, adding that he is currently writing a film for which he would be needing movie stars. "I will cast a movie star, if it is a movie star role. Like I'm writing a film for which I need big movie stars. I made 'Eklavya' and I wouldn't have made that movie without Mr Bachchan. Every film has its own demand, so to say. '12th Fail' demanded me to be very real." Produced by <keyword id="3415325" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="zee-studios" source="Orion">Zee Studios</keyword>, "12th Fail" has been released worldwide in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam.

Could have made Munnabhai 3, 4, 5 ... and be a multi-millionaire: Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Veteran actor <keyword id="928841" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="arun-bali" source="Orion">Arun Bali</keyword>, best known for his work on TV show <keyword id="105559" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="swabhimaan" source="Orion">Swabhimaan</keyword> and blockbuster hit 3 Idiots , died on Friday morning at his residence in suburban Mumbai. He was 79. <keyword id="19988" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bali" source="Orion">Bali</keyword>'s son Ankush said his father was suffering with Myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease caused by communication failure between nerves and muscles, for which he was admitted to a hospital early this year. Ankush said his father was responding well to the treatment but passed away at around 4.30 am.My father left us. He was suffering from Myasthenia gravis. He had mood swings for two-three days. He told the caretaker he wanted to go to the washroom and after coming out he told him he wanted to sit down and he never got up then, he told PTI. Bali made his acting debut with noted filmmaker Lekh Tandon's TV show Doosra Keval as superstar Shah Rukh Khan's uncle and went on to work in TV shows such as period drama Chanakya , Swabhimaan , Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand , Kumkum Ek Pyara Sa Bandhan , and P.O.W. - Bandi Yuddh Ke . Some of his popular films include Saugandh , Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman , Khalnayak , Satya , Hey Ram , Lage Raho Munna Bhai , 3 Idiots , Ready , Barfi , Manmarziyaan , Kedarnath , <keyword id="13358496" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="samrat-prithviraj" source="Orion">Samrat Prithviraj</keyword> , and Laal Singh Chaddha . His last film Goodbye , also featuring <keyword id="6357912" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="amitabh-bachchan" source="Orion">Amitabh Bachchan</keyword> and Rashmika Mandanna, released on Friday. Bali is survived by a son and three daughters. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/covid-19-and-flu-coinfection-rising-in-india-who-warns-it-may-escalate-in-the-winters/articleshow/94682987.cms">Covid-19 and flu coinfection rising in India, WHO warns it may escalate in the winters</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/nykaa-enters-into-a-jv-with-dubai-based-fashion-retailer-apparel-group/articleshow/94686015.cms">Nykaa enters into a JV with Dubai-based fashion retailer Apparel Group</a>

Swabhimaan actor Arun Bali passes away at 79 in Mumbai

SRK, Rajnikanth, Ranveer Singh set to fire up the silver screens in 2023: Here are the most-anticipated upcoming Indian movie releases

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50639749.cms" />Few weeks are left for actor <keyword id="7645" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sanjay-Dutt">Sanjay Dutt</keyword>’s release from Pune’s Yerwada jail, where he is serving sentence after he was convicted in 1993 Mumbai blasts case, and legal experts are expecting some sort of a rebound in legal discourse surrounding such cases. 
 
Dutt, who was out on prolonged furloughs during the time he served his sentence in prison from May 2013, will make his way out of the jail for once and for all on February 25 this year. The reason for his release, seven months before the five-year sentence, is cited as ‘good behaviour’ in the jail. 
 
The first course of action has already started rolling out. One of the convicts in former PM Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, Perarivalan, has sought to know the grounds of Dutt’s release. He was serving reminiscent prison sentence of 42 months from the time he went behind bars amidst much drama surrounding his return to prison when the sentence was commuted. 
 
Perarivalan has used the Right to Information Act, one of the most democratic weapons Indians have against the lagging administrative and judicial system. Perarivalan is currently lodged in Vellore Central Prison. 
 
Activists are already building arguments around Dutt’s impending release saying ‘good conduct’ is not a ground for release under serious cases such as TADA under which Dutt was jailed. 
 
Though the proposal granting his remittance is yet to be cleared by the Maharashtra government, speculations are rife that the proposal would be given ‘due’ importance and a certain amount of surety will be demanded from Dutt. 
 
An activist Pradeep Bhalekar has filed a PIL in Bombay High Court questioning this step taken by the authorities in Dutt’s case which would send ‘wrong’ message to the society. 
 
Bhalekar claims there are nearly 27,740 prisoners who have been jailed across the state under charges that are lighter than that the actor faces. If they cannot be freed, how was Dutt’s case considered to be above them, and above the law which is deemed to be equal for all? 
 
This would also send somewhat a mixed message to the convicts of various crimes that no matter how serious the crime is, one can supersede the law using the same contexts that set the stage for their arrest and conviction. 
 
Meanwhile, Bollywood awaits its Munna Bhai with great anticipation. New scripts, new releases and new stories will hit the screen, adding excitement and some great economy to the biggest employer of this nation—the Bollywood. 
 
The next series of Munna Bhai, directed by Rajkumar Hirani, is being planned coinciding with days when the actor turns a free bird. 
 
Bollywood has been in the centre of storm over legalities owing to the huge economical margins they set in motion with their presence on the screen. Their on-screen persona should not influence their off-screen activities, which are sometimes more than questionable. 
 
For instance, when Bollywood actor Salman Khan, considered to be a mega force in the industry, was granted bail soon after his conviction in hit-and-run case, the reaction on social media and the celebration that followed showed societal emotions override all legal modalities when it comes to heroes who are demigods in the country since a long time. 
 
Dutt’s release before time will surely send a mixed bag of signals to the society on this front. On the other hand, should a man/actor/celebrity be dealt more sternly than required just because of his personality being in the public eye? This is another question that would haunt the society in some ways, which would disturb the equilibrium of the law as well. 
 
Should Dutt complete the sentence, foregoing all the privileges that have been granted by the law to all citizens? What would then be the incentive for a convicted person to go on the path of reformation and regret should he be kept out from this provision? 
 
It is a well established fact that while Dutt serves his sentence in the prison, has always maintained good relations with his fellow prison mates and has show exemplary behavior that can set the stage for a lot of people to emulate his conduct while they bow before the verdict of law. 
With that, the question remains. Should he, or shouldn’t he be released? 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

Sanjay Dutt’s impending release may have repercussions

<ul><li>In our latest episode of BTS with Insiders, <keyword id="6375200" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="PIYUSH-PANDEY">Piyush Pandey</keyword>, Chief Creative Officer Worldwide, Ogilvy, talks about four actors, <keyword id="16207" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Irrfan-Khan">Irrfan Khan</keyword>, Pushpa Joshi, <keyword id="2717040" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Atmaram-Bhende">Atmaram Bhende</keyword> and <keyword id="2026942" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Asha-Bhende">Asha Bhende</keyword>, would are no longer with us but who created magic in some campaigns created by the ad guru.</li><li>Pandey shares some stories from each of the three ads, while also making an appeal to younger creative professionals to be open to identifying new actors.</li></ul>Last week we collectively grieved the loss of two stalwarts who made a huge impact on Indian cinema, Irrfan Khan and <keyword id="6357910" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rishi-Kapoor">Rishi Kapoor</keyword>. When I reached out to Piyush Pandey, Chief Creative Officer Worldwide, Ogilvy, for our weekly chat show, BTS with Insiders, we initially wanted to talk about three ads that he had worked on over the course of his career that he held close to his heart. However, considering how the week had panned out, Pandey was mourning the loss of the two actors too, and it only seemed fitting that we speak about some of the gems he had created over the years, not just with Khan but also with a few other actors. Episode 3 of BTS with Insiders saw us talking to Pandey about Irrfan Khan, who was the face of Hutch and acted in around 18 ads for the brand, Pushpa Joshi, who took the nation by storm just by a few seconds of her presence as a kabaadiwaali in Fevikwik’s recent ad, and actors Atmaram Bhende and his wife, Asha Bhende who were a part of SBI Life’s campaign, close to 10 years back. Each of the four actors had something in them that took the stories Pandey wanted to tell, and turned them into unforgettable gems. Irrfan Khan - Hutch When Ogilvy wanted to create a series of ads talking about Hutch’s new recharge packs, and the agency wanted the ad to speak the language of the common man, simply to make it more relatable, and to drive its simple point across, that Hutch will give you the most value for your money. Ever since the passing away of Khan, people across the country, in their numerous tributes to the actor have mentioned about his portrayals being relatable. He made us feel that he was one of us. It was perhaps this quality that made V Mahesh and Rajiv Rao, along with the Hutch team decided to cast Khan in the ads. “Irrfan was not a masses man only through his cinema. He was a fantastic symbol of a common man, and an amazing actor. Rajiv and Mahesh, along with Shashanka Chaturvedi (aka Bob) of Good Morning Films who directed the films thought of Irrfan,” shared Pandey. The brand and agency had initially thought of coming up with 3 films. “We ended up doing 18 eventually,” shared Pandey with a laugh. “Everybody loved him because he was so credible and amazing,” he added. What made the ads memorable was the fact that they were written the way a common man speaks. “And while I was not present at the shoot, I am pretty certain that Irrfan would have added his bits to it. You cannot work with a big actor without using his abilities beyond acting because they come up with the little things that add magic. And magic is exactly what he created. Today, when he is a lot more popular, one could have done a lot more with him but in those days, he was not known to billions of people because that wasn’t exactly his kind of cinema. And yet, he walked in and stole the show, every single time,” said Pandey. He also shared that he kept making plans with Irrfan to meet up in Jaipur, which is where both of them grew up, but it never really materialized. “We made a whole lot of plans to fly kites together in Jaipur but unfortunately the opportunity never came, and he flew away from our midst,” said Pandey. Pushpa Joshi - Fevikwik Pandey has been weaving magic for one of Ogilvy’s oldest clients Pidilite for years now. Who can forget some of the old gems created for brands like Fevicol and Fevikwik. Bharat Puri. Managing Director at <keyword id="260169" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pidilite-Industries">Pidilite Industries</keyword> often says that Ogilvy isn’t really a creative partner for them, rather they almost are the owners of the brand. It is perhaps this confidence in Pandey and his team that made Pidilite agree to casting octogenarian Pushpa Joshi, who played the role of a kabaadiwaali, in Fevikwik’s recent adorable campaign and wooed the entire nation with her endearing charm. It was Pandey’s brother <keyword id="1397913" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prasoon-Pandey">Prasoon Pandey</keyword>, who thought of casting Joshi in the ad. “Pushpaji was cast in the ad with a bit of difficulty, with due apologies to my young clients at Pidilite. They were apprehensive because how you can get somebody so old to act? And my brother Prasoon Pandey who directed the ad said, ‘There’s no retirement age for a kabadiwali’. When she came to the set though, Prasoon himself was a little worried because she arrived in a wheelchair. But soon she just picked up and gave us the performance of a lifetime. The ad took the nation by storm just because of what she did and what the director did with her,” shared Pandey. While Pushpa Ji, as everybody lovingly called her, won everyone’s hearts just by coming on the screen for a few seconds, Pandey rued the fact that they had not discovered her earlier. “I don’t recall seeing Pushpa Ji in any other ad. Maybe we weren’t really good at sourcing her. We didn’t find her earlier enough but when we did, she left us with the impression of a lifetime. For our younger audience, there’s a lesson here. It’s never too late to start. If you have a talent, just go out and play. You never know, you might find that the years were never lost and that you can make up for them in one shot,” added Pandey. Atmaram and Asha Bhende - <keyword id="194127" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="SBI-Life-Insurance">SBI Life Insurance</keyword> Atmaram Bhende was a well-known face in Marathi movies and theatre. However, people in the rest of the country discovered this veteran actor in Lage Raho Munna Bhai as one of the many adorable people staying at the old age home that the entire movie revolved around. Atmaram Ji along with his wife, Asha Bhende, had been a part of SBI Life Insurance’s campaign, ‘Heere Ko Kya Pata’ close to 10 years back. This simple, slice of life conversation between an elderly couple was brought to life by these two effortless actors. What also makes this campaign doubly special is the fact that it is based on a conversation Pandey had with his mother. “The story of this ad is inspired by a conversation I had with my mother. She wanted to own a diamond but never asked us for it. She had a lot of self-respect. One day our sisters told us about her secret wish to us but we weren’t very affluent at that point of time. So we went and bought a pair of earrings for her. Prasoon paid for one and I paid for the other. When we gave it to her, she had said, ‘Iss umr me kahan pehenungi main heera? (Where will I wear a diamond at this age?). That stayed with me and when I created the ad, I added the line, ‘Heere ko kya pata tumhari umr, (The diamond doesn’t really know your age), at the time of writing the film. When we were casting, my brother said that nobody can perform this better than Atmaram Ji and Asha Ji,” he reminisced. Before ending the conversation, Pandey also made an appeal to the advertising industry, asking them to give new talent a chance. “Our younger audience and professionals in the industry should never forget that there are some fantastic actors around who have the capability to make your script ten times as good from where you wrote it. And as I pay my tribute to all these four fantastic artists for giving our industry a touch of their magic, I would ask the younger generation to identify such actors, use them well and give them the opportunity. So look for more of such people and make our industry look better by using these stalwarts,” he concluded.

When Piyush Pandey paid tribute to Irrfan Khan, Pushpa Joshi, Atmaram and Asha Bhende, stalwarts we lost in the last few years

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/46393491.cms" /> Certain roles are meant to be played by certain stars. But that’s not how every <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> story begins. Many a times, roles are written for someone else and are enacted by other actors and actresses. With Rock On 2 finally landing in Shraddha Kapoor’s kitty after originally being offered to <keyword id="6354526" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Alia-Bhatt">Alia Bhatt</keyword>, here are a few characters which were written keeping a particular actor in mind but went to someone else. 
 
Can you imagine Karan Arjun without <keyword id="6354583" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Salman-Khan">Salman Khan</keyword>? Well, the role was originally written with <keyword id="6354714" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ajay-Devgn">Ajay Devgn</keyword> in mind. It was when Ajay refused to play the part that it went to Salman. Later, the movie directed by <keyword id="1989" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rakesh-Roshan">Rakesh Roshan</keyword> became an epic. 
 
Is Salman Khan a star by fluke? It wasn’t just Karan Arjun that landed with him by chance but also his launch pad, Maine Pyar Kiya. Yes, the blockbuster wasn’t originally written for him but for Vikas Bhalla. Imagine the disaster that was averted! 
 
In yet another tale, Munna Bhai MBBS wasn’t meant for Sanju Baba but for <keyword id="1671" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shah-Rukh-Khan">Shah Rukh Khan</keyword>. And we thank the makers for that. Jadu Ki Jhappi and the whole tapori act would have lost its charm if SRK had played the role. Whether you believe it or not, <keyword id="7645" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sanjay-Dutt">Sanjay Dutt</keyword> was supposed to play the character of cancer patient, which was later enacted by <keyword id="18965" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jimmy-Sheirgill">Jimmy Sheirgill</keyword> in the movie. 
 Shah Rukh Khan has all the reasons to thank <keyword id="2823" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Akshay-Kumar">Akshay Kumar</keyword>, Arbaaz Khan, Salman Khan and even <keyword id="6354700" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anil-Kapoor">Anil Kapoor</keyword>. Wondering why? Well, Baazigar, the film that established him as a star was first offered to all of them. When no one agreed to play the negative character, the role went to King Khan. 
 
Talking about Shah Rukh Khan, even Chak De! came to him when Salman Khan said no to it.Knowing this, we wonder how Salman would have delivered the famous “sattar minute” speech? 
 <keyword id="11193" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Karisma-Kapoor">Karisma Kapoor</keyword> wasn’t the original choice for Raja Hindustani. The film, which catapulted Karisma’s career was actually supposed to be <keyword id="6366471" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aishwarya-Rai">Aishwarya Rai</keyword> Bachchan’s debut vehicle. Thanks to Aishwarya’s <keyword id="145" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Miss-World">Miss World</keyword> commitments, the film went to Karisma. 
 ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ was first offered to Karisma Kapoor, Twinkle Khanna and Raveena Tandon. It was when they rejected; the role went to <keyword id="587883" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rani-Mukerjee">Rani Mukerjee</keyword>. 
 
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan wasn’t the original choice for playing Nandini in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. It would be hard for you to believe, but it was <keyword id="2165" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kareena-Kapoor">Kareena Kapoor</keyword> who was initially considered to play Nandini. 
(Image: farzitimes.com)

Here's when an actor's loss became someone else’s gain

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/45559184.cms" /> This one’s for all <keyword id="6355923" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Aamir-Khan">Aamir Khan</keyword> fans! From the title to story, everything about this <keyword id="53697" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="raju-hirani">Raju Hirani</keyword> film has been the talk of the town ever since its first looks have been released. If you too are waiting for the release of year’s much-awaited film, <keyword id="6396827" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="PK">PK</keyword> with a baited breath, here are 10 facts that you must know: 
 
1. Aamir Khan will be seen in not one but nine unique avatars in the film. 
 
2. Aamir’s character in the film chews pan. Being Mr Perfectionist that he is usually known as, Aamir chew paan for every scene. In fact, on some days he ended up chewing more than 100 paans in a day just to get that perfect colour on his lips and the scene right! 
 
3. Everybody’s eyes popped out when Aamir went full monty for the poster of the film. But not many know that this particular poster was shot during the shooting of Dhoom 3, which was 2 years before PK. Since, he was required to be in perfect shape, there was no better time than Dhoom 3. 
 4. You’ll see Aamir talking in Bhojpuri language in considerable part of the film. To get the accent and nuances right, Aamir underwent intense training under the guidance of Bhojpuri TV writer <keyword id="335945" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Shanti-Bhushan">Shanti Bhushan</keyword>, who accompanied the star on shoots. 
 
5. PK was scheduled to release in June’ 14 earlier. But as luck would have it, the release date got postponed. It’s now releasing close to Christmas, which is a lucky time for Aamir, considering his last few hits including Ghajini and 3 Idiots, which released during the same time. 
 
6. Director Rajkumar Hirani wanted Aamir’s character to wear old clothes in the film. Hence, Raju and Aamir came up with the idea of sourcing Aamir's clothes from a different place this time. 
 
For the first time ever, the makers picked up clothes from random people on streets of the places they shot at. For instance, while they shot in Rajasthan, they wanted Aamir to wear the authentic print of Rajasthan. So, the team got down on the streets and requested common men to give interesting shirts that they had worn in return for money or a new shirt. Surprisingly, the strangers were very supportive and happily gave their shirts to the team. 
 
7. Just like his past movies including Munna Bhai MMBS and 3 Idiots, Rajkumar Hirani has conceived a special character for actor Boman Irani even in PK. While many say that Hirani considers Irani as his lucky mascot, the duo prefers to call it friendship. 
 8. Though Hirani is known as a director par excellence, for this special project he donned yet another hat! When <keyword id="6357860" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Anushka-Sharma">Anushka Sharma</keyword> and Kiran Rao failed to give a hook step for a particular song, it was Hirani who gave it and later asked the choreographer to direct rest of the moves. 
 
Image: indiatimes

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