#Siddharth Anand

[satranga]

Mera jo tu hua toh hi shuru hua, ishq jaisa kuch.

[kaipanzero]

Fighter (2024)

[pixlerelish]

For @justshahrukhkhan

[bollywoodisforlovers]

Episode 156 - Preity Woman: Kal Ho Naa Ho and Salaam Namaste

We travel back to the mid-2000s with one of Bollywood's most fearless actresses, Preity Zinta.

Show notes:

The Stanley Cup finals are on (we lost)

Bollywood Drafts

Preity Zinta (has not made an impression on Matt)

We would really like to see Sangharsh

Heaven on Earth (and its gorgeous poster)

Erin's thesis on Preity Zinta

INTERVAL ("It's Time to Disco" from Kal Ho Naa Ho)

Kal Ho Naa Ho

Toronto plays New York

The film's approach to homosexual jokes

Anand comparisons

Erin hates "movie diseases"

Mid-2000s fashion

Salaam Namaste

Siddharth Anand really pivots

Jaaved Jaffrey's Crocodile Dundee

Baby drop rate

NO, FART ZONE

Too much pro-life propaganda

NEXT TIME: TBD

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Thank you to Becca Dalke for the artwork!

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[knarangg]

FIGHTER ( 2024 ) 🇮🇳🇮🇳

Siddharth Anand has delivered greatly on an patriotic aerial action thriller. For India's first aerial action movie, this was really good. And that's the best part, how they have captured the essence of the Indian Air Force.

Every actor did their performance well, especially Hrithik Roshan, he just knows how to portray the emotions in every situation. And Sid Anand just knows how to use the charms of Hrithik Roshan. Truly one of the best duos in Indian cinema.

Being someone who absolutely loves the Top Gun franchise, I was eager to see this genre in India & I am not disappointed at all. The aerial action scenes were done really well. Credits to Sid Anand & D-NEG for that work.

Also, the movie doesn't take a cringe & over the top take on patriotism but an emotional & heartful connection. The movie makes full use of its run time without dragging or rushing anything. Also, the movie pays the utmost respect to the IAF which they deserve.

Although some songs are good, the placement was bad. And to conclude, this was a really great movie. Great work from Sid Anand, who is always trying something new every time. Well Done!!

[salmankhanholics]

★ They just had so much love for each other, there was just so much positivity, they wanted to give each other space rather than hog a scene or a sequence. They were selfless and that just shows onscreen.-Siddharth Anand on Salman Khan and SRK

March 15, 2023 

[suchananewsblog]

Deepika Padukone misses Irrfan Khan as 'Piku' turns 8 | Hindi Movie News - Times of India

As the comedy-drama ‘Piku’ completed eight years since it was released, reminiscing the memories with her co-stars, actor Deepika Padukone penned a long note on social media.Taking to Instagram, Deepika dropped behind-the-scene pictures featuring late actor Irrfan Khan and Amitabh Bachchan.https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr-t9UjrqRZ/Sharing the stills, she wrote, “It’s been 8 years since this gem of…

[playermagic23]

SCOOP: Shah Rukh Khan & Suhana Khan’s King is inspired by Leon: The Professional

Shah Rukh Khan means man in business as the last year showcased the kind of global power he commands. SRK delivered blockbusters in the form of Pathaan and Jawan in 2023, followed by Dunki, which didn't live up to the expectations but ended up with respectable numbers in the long run. Ever since, there has been mega speculation on what's next for Shah Rukh Khan after a great run in 2023.

Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learnt that Shah Rukh Khan's next on the big screen is the Sujoy Ghosh-directed King which stars the King Khan with daughter Suhana Khan.  "King is a raw action thriller to be directed by Sujoy Ghosh with Siddharth Anand and Red Chillies Entertainment. The film is based on the Hollywood Classic, Leon: The Professional," a source told Bollywood Hungama.

According to the source, Leon is one of the all-time favorite films of Shah Rukh Khan and he is kicked about bringing a film inspired by this cult classic to the big screen. "Shah Rukh Khan will be seen training his daughter to fight all odds in the film. It's more of an easter egg too, as the King will share a very interesting dynamic with Suhana in the film. Contrary to the speculations, it's a full fledged role for SRK in King."

King will go on floors by May 2024 and release on the big screen in 2025. It's already the most awaited film of 2025 as it features King Khan as King.

[bolllywoodhungama]

Ahead of Fighter release, Siddharth Anand recalls waking up “numb” when Pathaan released; says Hrithik Roshan-Deepika Padukone starrer is more than just a film : Bollywood News — Bollywood Hungama

Fighter will be released on January 25. Interestingly, Siddharth Anand’s last directorial, Pathaan, was also released on the same day last year.

Ahead of Fighter release, Siddharth Anand recalls waking up “numb” when Pathaan released; says Hrithik Roshan-Deepika Padukone starrer is more than just a film

While the film is already been trending at the top all across with its action-packed teaser and trending songs, the director piqued the excitement for the film as he reminisced his profound memories of 2023 and expressed his excitement to start New Year with Fighter.

Siddharth Anand took to his social media and jotted down a descriptive caption, which read, “As the new year draws to a close, I take a moment and look back. The year 2023 that changed everything for me. It started with a lot of nervousness and anxiety. PATHAAN, my film was releasing amidst a sea of forces against it. Something very weird called Boycott Bollywood was the phrase of the season. Hindi films were written off by naysayers. And then the day came. 25th January.”

He further added, “I remember waking up at 7am. After going to bed at 3:30am post the cast & crew screening. Woke up feeling numb. The 1st show had just started. Mamta & me decided to go to our friend Jayu’s place and wait for the public reviews. As we sat on his terrace the reviews started to pour in. Unanimously it was declared a BLOCKBUSTER.”

Anand continued, “I couldn’t sit anymore. Decided to visit a theatre and see the reactions. Got to the theatre but for the first time didn’t see the entire film with the audience. I saw the first 30 mins and I could gauge the pulse of the audience. It was something else. And then the videos started pouring in. Of people dancing in theatres to Jhoome Jo Pathaan. History was created. Pathaan became an ALL TIME BLOCKBUSTER IN 2023.”

As the new year draws to a close, I take a moment and look back. The year 2023 that changed everything for me. It started with a lot of nervousness and anxiety. PATHAAN, my film was releasing amidst a sea of forces against it. Something very weird called Boycott Bollywood was the… - Siddharth Anand (@justSidAnand) December 31, 2023

Directed by Siddharth Anand and presented by Viacom18 Studios in association with Marflix Pictures, Fighter epitomizes cinematic brilliance. This film seamlessly intertwines heart-thumping action and patriotic fervour, promising an unparalleled cinematic experience. Brace yourself for an epic journey as Fighter takes flight in theatres on January 25th, 2024, offering a spectacle that redefines cinematic excellence.

[musicvideos-stuff]

Pathaan

The music album

The music videos

[satranga]

Baatein adhoori si, tujhse hain poori si...

[kaipanzero]

Pathaan (2023)

[hungamagames]

Deepika Padukone and Hrithik Roshan enjoy a happy moment with the Fighter crew.

Deepika Padukone and Hrithik Roshan's intimate coffee break in Italy is captured in a new photo The anticipation for the upcoming action film Fighter, starring Deepika Padukone and Hrithik Roshan, has reached fever pitch since its initial announcement. The film's release has been highly anticipated by fans, and the excitement continues to increase. Previously, it was stated that the gifted duo would film for 15 days in Italy. The stars were recently spotted at the airport, ready to embark on this adventurous voyage directed by Siddharth Anand. To add to the excitement, a new shot of Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone in a euphoric moment with Fighter director Siddharth Anand, choreographer Bosco Martis, and other members of the team in the lovely Italian backdrop has emerged.

The image, which leaked on social media, showed Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone, Siddharth Anand, Mamta Anand, Bosco Martis, and others relaxing during the Fighter shoot in Italy. Hrithik can be seen taking a photo while Deepika strikes a pose next to him. They sat around a table, taking a leisurely coffee break, with the gorgeous Italian scenery adding to the atmosphere. Hrithik wore a blue tee with a black hoodie in the photo, while Deepika wore a beautiful white suit and comfortable black shoes. The camaraderie and genuine smiles on their faces as they posed for this adorable photo definitely add to the rising buzz surrounding the flick. As Fighter continues to generate excitement, these glimpses from the film's sets are keeping audiences eagerly awaiting its eventual release. In Fighter, Hrithik Roshan will portray an Air Force officer, marking his first time in such a role. Deepika Padukone is expected to showcase high-octane action sequences, adding to the film's intrigue. The movie also boasts the presence of veteran actor Anil Kapoor in a pivotal role. Directed by Siddharth Anand, Fighter is scheduled for release on January 25, 2024. With the pairing of Deepika Padukone and Hrithik Roshan and the promise of thrilling action sequences, the film has already piqued the interest of fans and cinephiles alike.

[bollywoodisforlovers]

Supplemental Episode 14: Nobody Does It Better, or Pathaan with MapleBrownie

Is Shah Rukh Khan here to save Bollywood? A special guest drops by to weigh in on Pathaan!

Show notes:

Thank you Nim aka MapleBrownie for inviting us out and joining us for this review!

“Cinema in northeast Edmonton closed permanently“ via CTV

“India’s Right Wing Tried to Scuttle a Film. Fans Helped It Break Records” via the New York Times

Mike McCahill’s take “The spy who came in from the cold: ‘Pathaan’“

NEXT TIME: Netflix and Dil Cinema Marte Dum Tak and The Romantics

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Movie Review | Pathaan (Anand, 2023)

At the end of this movie, sometime after the end credits supposedly start and we've gotten one last musical number under our belt, our superspy heroes Shahrukh Khan and Salman Khan (the latter in a cameo appearance) discuss that they've been at this for thirty years and ponder who could follow in their footsteps. No names are spoken, but they reach the conclusion that they must continue, because nobody can replace them. This movie is in some ways a throwback, not unlike Top Gun: Maverick from the previous year, making a case for the importance of genuine star power. There are a few differences. One is that movie stars are still prevalent in Bollywood to a much greater extent than in Hollywood. When Tom Cruise positions himself as the last of his kind, it's a bit more convincing given the competition is in the form of ouroborotic IP-propagating vehicles. (If that isn't already a word, it is now. Let me just scribble it into the dictionary.) The Khans have their origins in an earlier era, but they're competing with the star vehicles of their arguable successors. The other thing is that Cruise in Maverick, after many years, is finally allowing himself to age, even if it seems like he's resisted the process for years through sheer willpower. Shahrukh Khan here sports a haircut that no man in his fifties should ever be seen in (and is called out for it at one point by another character), and in any given scene has his shirt open, his intimidatingly sculpted abs glistening from all the right angles. I'm not even being a hater, I'm a little in awe that he pulls it off. Genuine charisma goes a long way.

So there's an out of time quality to this, which also manifests somewhat in the movie's politics. The plot here has an obvious nationalistic streak, but one which seems tied more to Bush-era hysteria about terrorism than (my very rudimentary knowledge of) modern Indian right wing politics. And that kind of framing is also complicated by some of the hedging of bets that the film does. Torture is a prevalent theme, deployed both against at one point by the heroes. Pakistan is initially framed as an enemy, but then sympathized with. The hero's religion is inquired about, but deemed to be beside the point. (SRK is Muslim in real life.) The terrorist villain is given a sympathetic origin story, and the hero in a flashback foils an overzealous counterterrorism operation to save an Afghan village. The movie is likely covering its ass to an extent, but these gestures make it less noxious than it could have been, as the movie clearly does not take place in the same world we live in.

That unreality extends to the action, of which there is a lot and which managed to entertain me quite reliably. The movie, with its shared universe context, ugly yellow lighting and unconvincing and heavy use of CGI, is not immune from modern blockbuster conventions, and I should say that I have a personal distaste for all three of those things. Furthermore, I have a strong distaste for the 2000s-style sense of cool that colours this movie, an aesthetic seemingly zapped in from the Mission: Impossible 2 (a movie I do like, but only because John Woo knows how to do great set pieces like the back of his hand). But when the action is this over the top, one digitally-exaggerated bombastic set piece after another, it's hard to hold any of those things against it. When characters are zipping around on jetpacks, complaining about the physics seems like a moot point.

And the shared universe framing is less about paying off five second bits of throwaway dialogue from twenty movies ago than providing an excuse to get the stars together. SRK, Deepika Padukone, Salman, John Abraham (who at one point provides what can be describes as a malevolent Cameo message). Even if you don't have the same history with them (and there are references to their earlier films; I cackled when a character named "Karen" set up an endearingly lame Darr joke), the combined charisma is off the charts. When the movie isn't pulverizing you with its action scenes, it turns the lusty gaze of its camera on its unreasonably attractive stars, constantly swerving to ogle them from optimal angles. Listen, I said I'd be less thirsty in writing these reviews, but while Deepika Padukone has always been really hot, in this movie, her hotness reaches distressing levels, particularly as her loyalties appear to shift over the course of the story. I should also note that the movie refers to as a doctor, but I missed what she did her Ph.D in. Infectious diseases? Art history? Who knows.

[salmankhanholics]

★ Siddharth Anand on directing Shah Rukh Khan, Salman in Pathaan: They’re like Godzilla and King Kong!

Feb 03, 2023  

Pathaan, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham, has been wreaking havoc at the box office, since it released on January 25, 2023. The film has been making historic box-office collections, and is garnering great response from the audience. Pathaan is a part of Aditya Chopra’s ambitious spy universe which kicked off with Ek Tha Tiger in 2012. Salman Khan has an extended cameo in Pathaan, and he is seen in his avatar of the iconic spy, Tiger. Fans are loving Shah Rukh Khan and Salman’s camaraderie in the movie! Pathaan director Siddharth Anand recently spoke to Pinkvilla about his experience directing the two superstars together on Pathaan set, and how Shah Rukh and Salman improvised their scenes. He also addressed Shah Rukh and Salman’s fun banter in the post-credit scene of Pathaan!

Siddharth Anand on directing Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan together for Pathaan

Siddharth Anand opened up on directing Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khantogether for Pathaan.  He compared the two superstars to King Kong and Godzilla, and said that it was great fun directing them because they are friends who want the best for each other. Siddharth Anand told Pinkvilla, “The atmosphere on the set is something like, 'Oh my God there are these two- Godzilla and King Kong.’ You have to manage that and it's just so much fun because they are friends and they both don't want to step on each other's toes, they don't want to steal the other person's limelight. They want to give the other person the limelight.”

Siddharth Anand on Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan’s bond

Further speaking about their bond, he said that Shah Rukh and Salman are two very confident actors who only want the other to do better. “That is so beautiful, what they share. They are so confident and secure in their positions. They were helping each other to do things, to better each other. There's just so much love and respect. So what you read about competition and stuff like that...my God, they just love each other. And you can feel the love and respect they have for each other and they want to do it better for the other person. That he looks better. There's no competition and it’s so beautiful,” said Siddharth

When asked if Salman and Shah Rukh improvised on Pathaan set, Siddharth Anand said, “They have such an experience that you want them to improvise. So you take those dialogues to them, when they say they'll add something, and you say 'no, no no,' 'oh yeah do this, expand on this.' So when they say it, the outtake is different. The output is different. So you always improvise on that because they have so much experience and know what will click, what their audience wants, what their fans want. You want their experience in this, and there was a lot of improvisation.”

Siddharth Anand on Pathaan’s post-credit scene featuring Shah Rukh and Salman Khan

The post-credit scene of Pathaan featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan has been a huge hit among the audience. The two superstars are seen enjoying a conversation during which they contemplate hanging their boots after a three-decade run, and passing down the responsibility to the ‘new ones’. Eventually, they decide to continue themselves, saying ‘Desh ka sawaal hai’.

Siddharth Anand was asked about the much-talked-about post-credit scene of Pathaan, and what gave him the confidence to pull it off.  The filmmaker replied, "Them (Shah Rukh and Salman). It's the way they did it. They are also not doing it condescendingly. They are also saying that ‘abhi nahi hota, 30 saal ho gaye hain, chhod dena chahiye’. It’s because it's so tongue-in-cheek, and it's so self-deprecating that nobody can take offense. So they're taking painkillers and they're saying that we're tired, somebody should take over but eventually, we only have to do it. Desh ka sawaal hai. And the fact is that they have shown it with Pathaan. They only have to do it.”