THE NAME GAME
Deep Saxena
deepsaxena@gmail.com
What’s in a name, you may wonder. A lot, else why Hotel Taj Residency, which falls in deluxe five-star hotel category, be called Vivanta by Taj, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow?
Three days back the Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL), that runs the Taj chain of hotels, unveiled the new brand in Bangalore. Presently run in the business hotel category, this property is now being upgraded in the ‘upper-up’ category. Hotel’s general manager Shekhar Walavalkar tells HT City, “It will remain the Taj. The hotel is being upgraded from the present level and that’s a good news for Lucknowites. There are going to be lots of changes in terms of exteriors, menu, servicing and styling. There are some surprise elements in store and probably in the next three- months the result will be there for you to see.”
IHCL now has four categories — Luxury (Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai), Vivanta (19 hotels), Gateway (Taj Ganges Varanasi) and the economy brand Ginger. The word ‘Vivanta’ comes from Latin and signifies life, freshness and vivacity. The new name has evoked diverse reactions.
In a message to HT City, TCS principal consultant Jayant Krishna wrote: “What a shame (sic), we cannot buzz, ideate, energise and evolve at the Taj Residency Lucknow any longer, it is called Vivanta by Taj now. But then, what’s in a name, vive la the city’s romance with its very own Taj...”
Later, he says, “If we go back, when the hotel started in the state capital it was a luxury hotel called Hotel Taj Mahal but it was downgraded to a business hotel. Good that now it will be upgraded to upper-up category.”
HT City’s Facebook friends Somya Tripathi, Kunal Karnik, Abhinav Tewari and Vijay Kumar give the new name a thumbs down with messages like “omg… r u serious” and “is it heading for an Anta”. Some were caught unawares as the change has been done discreetly. Akanksha Dayal reacts, “it sounds very nice..!! btw wen wud it b implemented? (sic).”
Page 3 regular Sudhir Halwasia says, “It’s not connecting with the aura of Taj. The brand has its own identity and goodwill. I think it will only put a question mark on the brand and create confusion. Let’s hope it pans out well!”
(With inputs from Qazi Faraz Ahmad)
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Yeh pain na hoga kum
Yeh pain na hoga kum
Deep Saxena
This girl knows not how to be diplomatic. Yami Gautam, lead actress of the TV show Yeh Pyaar Na Hoga Kum, doesn’t like the way the show has taken shape. She is upset with the pain that her onscreen character Laher Mathur has to go through in the show based on Lucknow.“Who likes to be in pain, or being tortured and live in tough conditions? But I guess, as an actor it’s a good opportunity to show my versatile acting talent,” she says. Yami was in Lucknow to inaugurate Lavanya Spa at Wave West End Mall.
“Initial days in the show were certainly happy. But the Brahmin boy - Kayasth girl theme can’t be stretched too long. The story has to move on to different tracks. Sometimes it works sometime it doesn’t. We do anything for the audience and TRPs,” she says without being mincing words.
Yami, who is also doing the on-going show Meethi Chhoorii on NDTV Imagine, was earlier seen in the recently concluded Kitchen Champion.
“I am loving my stints with reality shows. Such out-of-the-league shows break the regular image and show a different side of you,” she says. Yami, who is mostly dressed in simple salwar-suit or saree, has donned a glamorous avtaar for Imagine’s talk show.
She started with a South Indian film, so any plans to do more films there? “My debut film Ullaha Utsaha (Kannad) did good business and gave me recognition. But presently I have no time for the big screen.”And Bollywood? “To be honest, nothing interesting has come my way and neither am I focused in that direction,” she says.
Looking tired, Yami adds, “Small screen is much tougher than films. It’s work, work and work all the time. There is no personal life at all.”Explaining it further, she says, “I shot till 3 am last night then took the morning flight today and here I am in Lucknow. Will go back in the evening and join the sets straightaway in the night. It’s so exhausting that I can doze off anywhere. The other day my director was giving me a narration when I dozed off for a moment.”
This is her third visit to Lucknow. How does she find it here? “During my first visit no one knew me here. My show was then launched from Lucknow and now it is a good opportunity to take feedback from the place where the show is based. When people talk and cross-question you, one thing is clear that people are watching the show,” she says.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Ganj’s own food story!
These food joints have been there and seen it all. Generations have changed but these places continue to tickle the taste buds of people, writes Deep Saxena
Benbows (now Changamal), Ranjana (Barista), Krishna (Prince market), Kayz Kozy Korner (new Bata), Silver Oak (model shop), Annapurna (Wajid Hussain Furnishers next to Sahu), Hong Kong (next to Chedilal) and Kwality Restaurant (Mayfair building) together form a list of food joints in the Hazratganj of yore. Although they do not exist today, they have been a part of the glorious past of the majestic Ganj.
These landmarks made way for a new generation with Chowdhury’s Sweets (1882), Capoor’s Hotel (1932) and Jone Hing (1948) becoming the new face of Ganj. Later, Royal Café (earlier on Halwasia Court), Moti Mahal, Marksman and Burma Bakery joined in and are now the very essence of Ganj today.
Hindustan Times takes you on a journey into the history of such food joints that have become synonymous with Hazratganj today.
Capoor’s Hotel
Established in 1932, this hotel has been a witness to the British era in the city.
“I remember my parents telling me that this was the favourite hotel of the British,” says Sanjay Capoor, grandson of founder HR Capoor. He further says, “During World War II, a number of British officials and army men used to come here. More importantly, the headquarters of the Royal British Air Force were also in Ganj. Therefore, a large number of British visited our hotel frequently.”
The restaurant of the hotel that now wears a plush-yet-traditional look then had a revolving bar. “During those days, the bar was open only from 12 noon to 2 pm and then from 6 pm to 11 pm. So, we had a hydraulic revolving bar. When the bar was shut, it used to revolve a 180 degree and its back side, which had a Belgium glass, used to be in the front,” he says. While those who could, enjoyed the luxury of Capoor’s Hotel, the aam-aadmi’s drinking place used to be China Bar (next to Kala Kunj), which had a caged fencing.
During those days, every Tuesday used to be a dry day and the bar would remain closed all day. Several Bollywood names including Mohd Rafi and Keshto Mukherjee have also been guests here. Besides, the hotel also finds its name in All The Prime Minister’s Men — a book on emergency by Janardan Misra.Capoor still remembers his parents telling him that after India achieved independence, they had booked an ear-panel advertisement in a Hindi daily. And now, being a part of the majestic Ganj has booked them a place in history.
Jone Hing
Established in 1936, Jone Hing was a shoe shop back then. Its owner Jude Yep recalls, “In those days, Bata was the only readymade shoe shop in Ganj and we specialised in ‘made to order’ service. We kept some sample shoes and customers used to come to us and place orders.” However, later, half the shop was converted into a beauty parlour.
“After London Beauty Parlour (beside Cheap House), which was also run by a Chinese family, ours was the second parlour which was a huge success. Today also, we have loyal customers who, in their third generation, still come to us.”
The parlour, which earlier covered an area of 100 sq ft, has been shifted to the first floor and is run by Yep’s wife Molly. “In 1972, we opened the Chinese Restaurant which was the city’s second exclusive joint after Samson (beside Capitol Cinema). Hong Kong came a few years after us. We received a lot of success as the young crowd flock at the restaurant,” recalls Yep.Yep also remembers that there were hardly any people who owned scooters or cars during those days. “That was the time when people used to stroll on the road and enjoyed ‘Ganjing’. Now, in this traffic, you can’t do that.” Now that the parlour space is vacant, Yep is expanding the restaurant. This will probably further strengthen his bond with the place that has seen Ganj grow.
King of Chaat
It is common to see groups of people at Arjun Tandon’s chaat shop near KD Singh Babu stadium, as chaat for Rs 18 is more than affordable for people of all classes. However, this was not the case in the 1950s when a ‘patta’ of chaat was priced at 2 anna (12 paisa). Back then, only the elite could afford to savour the delicacy at Arjun’s father SN Tandon’s chaat thela in front of Gangotri showroom.
“I remember my father telling me that not everyone could afford chaat during those days. Prices used to be at the premium in ganj and therefore, even chaat was beyond the reach of the common man. And those who could, they used to savour our chaat and then stroll in Ganj for hours. That was the time when people enjoyed Ganjing in the true sense,” says Arjun Tandon.
The shop was set up much before it came to Ganj. “In 1941, my grandfather, a freedom fighter, started this shop at Zoo gate in Narhi to keep away from the eyes of the British. It was only in 1951 that the thela came up in Ganj. This used to be the only chaat shop in the locality the others in city were Tiwari in Golaganj, one in Chowk and another at Aminabad,” says Tandon. The present location was awarded to them under a beautification scheme during the tenure of Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna as the chief minister in 1980.
Royal Cafe
Earlier located at Halwasia Court, Royal Café opened at its present location in Ganj in 1960. Its director Murli Ahuja says, “At Halwasia, the highlight used to be a live band. The present location used to be a Godrej shop run by Pratap Agencies managing director Amar Pratap Singh. He then launched Royal Café under Pratap Foods and Restaurants Pvt Ltd. I joined it as director in 1990.”Royal Café became the first joint in the city to launch basket chat. “In 1985, Moti Mahal was opened and after a few years we took over Marksmen,” he says.
Chowdhury’s Sweets
Established in 1880 by Nandlal T Gurnani, Chaudhury Sweet House is famous for its milk pudding and lal peda. Enter the shop and it wears a traditional look. The counter setting, billing, ambience, huge wall mounted refrigerators, wooden seats and typical service boys all give you a traditional feel. But, what has remained constant, in the little changes that kept happening over the years, is the quality and approach. Says Taran Gurnani, the third generation owner, “This confidence in ourselves is because of a dedicated matrix of karigars with us.”
Another feature of the restaurant was its partitioned cabins that have now been done away with. The first floor has a seating arrangement for a big gathering. That’s why it has been a pre–wedding interaction hub for families. “The concept behind this is that earlier families used to dine together and go on outings in large numbers. The nuclear family concept came much later. We have maintained the traditional ambience at the same time incorporating some cosmetic changes to move with the times,” he says.
Benbows (now Changamal), Ranjana (Barista), Krishna (Prince market), Kayz Kozy Korner (new Bata), Silver Oak (model shop), Annapurna (Wajid Hussain Furnishers next to Sahu), Hong Kong (next to Chedilal) and Kwality Restaurant (Mayfair building) together form a list of food joints in the Hazratganj of yore. Although they do not exist today, they have been a part of the glorious past of the majestic Ganj.
These landmarks made way for a new generation with Chowdhury’s Sweets (1882), Capoor’s Hotel (1932) and Jone Hing (1948) becoming the new face of Ganj. Later, Royal Café (earlier on Halwasia Court), Moti Mahal, Marksman and Burma Bakery joined in and are now the very essence of Ganj today.
Hindustan Times takes you on a journey into the history of such food joints that have become synonymous with Hazratganj today.
Capoor’s Hotel
Established in 1932, this hotel has been a witness to the British era in the city.
“I remember my parents telling me that this was the favourite hotel of the British,” says Sanjay Capoor, grandson of founder HR Capoor. He further says, “During World War II, a number of British officials and army men used to come here. More importantly, the headquarters of the Royal British Air Force were also in Ganj. Therefore, a large number of British visited our hotel frequently.”
The restaurant of the hotel that now wears a plush-yet-traditional look then had a revolving bar. “During those days, the bar was open only from 12 noon to 2 pm and then from 6 pm to 11 pm. So, we had a hydraulic revolving bar. When the bar was shut, it used to revolve a 180 degree and its back side, which had a Belgium glass, used to be in the front,” he says. While those who could, enjoyed the luxury of Capoor’s Hotel, the aam-aadmi’s drinking place used to be China Bar (next to Kala Kunj), which had a caged fencing.
During those days, every Tuesday used to be a dry day and the bar would remain closed all day. Several Bollywood names including Mohd Rafi and Keshto Mukherjee have also been guests here. Besides, the hotel also finds its name in All The Prime Minister’s Men — a book on emergency by Janardan Misra.Capoor still remembers his parents telling him that after India achieved independence, they had booked an ear-panel advertisement in a Hindi daily. And now, being a part of the majestic Ganj has booked them a place in history.
Jone Hing
Established in 1936, Jone Hing was a shoe shop back then. Its owner Jude Yep recalls, “In those days, Bata was the only readymade shoe shop in Ganj and we specialised in ‘made to order’ service. We kept some sample shoes and customers used to come to us and place orders.” However, later, half the shop was converted into a beauty parlour.
“After London Beauty Parlour (beside Cheap House), which was also run by a Chinese family, ours was the second parlour which was a huge success. Today also, we have loyal customers who, in their third generation, still come to us.”
The parlour, which earlier covered an area of 100 sq ft, has been shifted to the first floor and is run by Yep’s wife Molly. “In 1972, we opened the Chinese Restaurant which was the city’s second exclusive joint after Samson (beside Capitol Cinema). Hong Kong came a few years after us. We received a lot of success as the young crowd flock at the restaurant,” recalls Yep.Yep also remembers that there were hardly any people who owned scooters or cars during those days. “That was the time when people used to stroll on the road and enjoyed ‘Ganjing’. Now, in this traffic, you can’t do that.” Now that the parlour space is vacant, Yep is expanding the restaurant. This will probably further strengthen his bond with the place that has seen Ganj grow.
King of Chaat
It is common to see groups of people at Arjun Tandon’s chaat shop near KD Singh Babu stadium, as chaat for Rs 18 is more than affordable for people of all classes. However, this was not the case in the 1950s when a ‘patta’ of chaat was priced at 2 anna (12 paisa). Back then, only the elite could afford to savour the delicacy at Arjun’s father SN Tandon’s chaat thela in front of Gangotri showroom.
“I remember my father telling me that not everyone could afford chaat during those days. Prices used to be at the premium in ganj and therefore, even chaat was beyond the reach of the common man. And those who could, they used to savour our chaat and then stroll in Ganj for hours. That was the time when people enjoyed Ganjing in the true sense,” says Arjun Tandon.
The shop was set up much before it came to Ganj. “In 1941, my grandfather, a freedom fighter, started this shop at Zoo gate in Narhi to keep away from the eyes of the British. It was only in 1951 that the thela came up in Ganj. This used to be the only chaat shop in the locality the others in city were Tiwari in Golaganj, one in Chowk and another at Aminabad,” says Tandon. The present location was awarded to them under a beautification scheme during the tenure of Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna as the chief minister in 1980.
Royal Cafe
Earlier located at Halwasia Court, Royal Café opened at its present location in Ganj in 1960. Its director Murli Ahuja says, “At Halwasia, the highlight used to be a live band. The present location used to be a Godrej shop run by Pratap Agencies managing director Amar Pratap Singh. He then launched Royal Café under Pratap Foods and Restaurants Pvt Ltd. I joined it as director in 1990.”Royal Café became the first joint in the city to launch basket chat. “In 1985, Moti Mahal was opened and after a few years we took over Marksmen,” he says.
Chowdhury’s Sweets
Established in 1880 by Nandlal T Gurnani, Chaudhury Sweet House is famous for its milk pudding and lal peda. Enter the shop and it wears a traditional look. The counter setting, billing, ambience, huge wall mounted refrigerators, wooden seats and typical service boys all give you a traditional feel. But, what has remained constant, in the little changes that kept happening over the years, is the quality and approach. Says Taran Gurnani, the third generation owner, “This confidence in ourselves is because of a dedicated matrix of karigars with us.”
Another feature of the restaurant was its partitioned cabins that have now been done away with. The first floor has a seating arrangement for a big gathering. That’s why it has been a pre–wedding interaction hub for families. “The concept behind this is that earlier families used to dine together and go on outings in large numbers. The nuclear family concept came much later. We have maintained the traditional ambience at the same time incorporating some cosmetic changes to move with the times,” he says.
'Geet gata hoon main…'
Remembering Kishor Kumar on his b'day
Aa chal ke tujhe, mein le ke chaloon, ek aise gagan ke tale… The mellifluous voice of legendary Kishore Kumar truly takes you on a different orbit... Door Gagan Ki Chao Mein.
On the 81st birth anniversary of the celebrated singer today, HT City talks to some of his die-hard fans.“Kishoreda lives in my soul,” says reality show star Harshit Saxena, whose first song on stage at Lucknow Mahotsav was Ek ajnabi hasina se.
Again for his Voice of India audition, Harshit sang Kishore’s Ek hasina thi.
“Initially, my voice was quite soft, but after listening to Kishorda, I carefully modulated it to a different pitch. I like most of his songs and the list is endless. I love O Majhi se (for its calmness), Zindagi ka safar (one of the saddest songs), Dilbar mere (for its passion) and Yeh jo mohabbat hai (for romance),” he says.
According to Harshit, he wouldn’t have been where he is today had Kishore not sung Agar tum na hote…Singer Raj Kumar Chatterjee, who is fondly known as Jr Kishore Kumar, pays tribute to the legend on the eve of his birthday. “Singing Mere Mehboob, Koi Humdam and yodeling Chala Jata Hoon, I have given over 5,000 stage performances throughout the country. Twice I met my idol — in Mumbai and Kanpur where he heard me— and even today at the age of 60 I am performing for him,” he says on a nostalgic note, and then begins to hum Jeevan ke safar main rahi…
Dr Mayank Srivastava, assistant professor with BBD College recalls his college days with Kishore’s Zindagi ke safar me…. woh phir nahi aatey!’
“Singing Kishore’s songs gave me an identity in Lucknow University. His situational songs fit the youths in almost all the stages of their lives, be it Mere samne wali khidki main or Meet na mila re man ka,” he says.
And to make Yeh shaam mastani on his b’day a memorable one, Rang Bharti is organising Ek Shaam Kishore Kumar Ke Naam. Its president Shyam Kumar says, “For the last 49 years, we have been organising Kishore Kumar Nite. We were doing it even when he was alive. At Ravindralaya, on Sunday, ‘Saptarang’ orchestra will play some of Kishore’s evergreen songs, including Koi humdum, Rimjhim gire sawan and so on.” Chalte chalte…, on a parting note, nothing compares to ..kabhi alvida na kehna, which has become the signature ending to almost every musical extravaganza.
Aa chal ke tujhe, mein le ke chaloon, ek aise gagan ke tale… The mellifluous voice of legendary Kishore Kumar truly takes you on a different orbit... Door Gagan Ki Chao Mein.
On the 81st birth anniversary of the celebrated singer today, HT City talks to some of his die-hard fans.“Kishoreda lives in my soul,” says reality show star Harshit Saxena, whose first song on stage at Lucknow Mahotsav was Ek ajnabi hasina se.
Again for his Voice of India audition, Harshit sang Kishore’s Ek hasina thi.
“Initially, my voice was quite soft, but after listening to Kishorda, I carefully modulated it to a different pitch. I like most of his songs and the list is endless. I love O Majhi se (for its calmness), Zindagi ka safar (one of the saddest songs), Dilbar mere (for its passion) and Yeh jo mohabbat hai (for romance),” he says.
According to Harshit, he wouldn’t have been where he is today had Kishore not sung Agar tum na hote…Singer Raj Kumar Chatterjee, who is fondly known as Jr Kishore Kumar, pays tribute to the legend on the eve of his birthday. “Singing Mere Mehboob, Koi Humdam and yodeling Chala Jata Hoon, I have given over 5,000 stage performances throughout the country. Twice I met my idol — in Mumbai and Kanpur where he heard me— and even today at the age of 60 I am performing for him,” he says on a nostalgic note, and then begins to hum Jeevan ke safar main rahi…
Dr Mayank Srivastava, assistant professor with BBD College recalls his college days with Kishore’s Zindagi ke safar me…. woh phir nahi aatey!’
“Singing Kishore’s songs gave me an identity in Lucknow University. His situational songs fit the youths in almost all the stages of their lives, be it Mere samne wali khidki main or Meet na mila re man ka,” he says.
And to make Yeh shaam mastani on his b’day a memorable one, Rang Bharti is organising Ek Shaam Kishore Kumar Ke Naam. Its president Shyam Kumar says, “For the last 49 years, we have been organising Kishore Kumar Nite. We were doing it even when he was alive. At Ravindralaya, on Sunday, ‘Saptarang’ orchestra will play some of Kishore’s evergreen songs, including Koi humdum, Rimjhim gire sawan and so on.” Chalte chalte…, on a parting note, nothing compares to ..kabhi alvida na kehna, which has become the signature ending to almost every musical extravaganza.
PROMO SUPREMO
Making promos for blockbusters is childs play for this Lucknowite
Deep Saxena
What do Bollywood blockbusters Don, Jaane Tu…, Om Shanti Om, Taare Zameen Pe, Ghajni, 3-Idiots, and My Name is Khan have in common? Their Lucknow connection. St Francis College pass-out Amit Chandrra has designed the promos for these movies and both SRK and Aamir Khan have gone on record giving credit for their film’s success to this young professional.
Amit was also associated with Karthik Calling Kartik as associate producer with his partner Lalwani. The two are now gearing up to produce two more films under their banner Magic Beans which they are directing individually. Here HT City catches up with Amit.
Film promos is your forte, how did you get into it?
Anubhav Sinha (currently directing Ra.One) was doing TV shows and was fond of our work. He decided to call upon us for the promo campaign of Dus and we got it on a trial basis. The film got a huge opening weekend and everyone praised the promo campaign hugely.
Then the journey began. From Dus to Khosla ka Ghosla, big films to small films, we were doing them all and successfully.What was the turning point? Farhan Akhtar giving us Don. We became the obvious choice for a lot of producers/ directors thereon. A division under Surge (doing TV contents and films promos) was now a new company Trigger Happy Entertainment exclusively dedicated to film promo campaigns and I got a new partner in that company, a very young talented boy called Mukul Misra who is also from Lucknow.
Amir and Shah Rukh both have praised you promos. How does it feel?
Aamir and SRK have been really kind. It was post Don that Aamir offered me to work on Jaane tu..ya jaane na.. and Taare Zameen Par and SRK wanted me to do Om Shanti Om. We delivered those campaigns to the best of our ability and received huge praise. We have been working on all of AKP and Red Chillies films ever since. Aamir even got us on board for Ghajni and 3-Idiots. But honestly, there has been more to learn with both Aamir and SRK.Tell us something about Magic Bean?By the Grace of God, Surge was doing well and so was Trigger Happy. We were the leading players in the film promo business I decided to now venture into film production. I was then introduced to Vijay Lalwani (writer, director Karthik Calling Karthik) through a common friend. I really liked his work. We set up Magic Beans Films as partners and decided to produce KCK as our first film.
How did you turn associate producer in KCK?
KCK was the first film we wanted to make. Owing to my association with Farhan Akhtar on Don and subsequently Honeymoon Travels, Rock On, Luck by Chance, we went and pitched the film to Farhan to act and produce in partnership with us. He really liked the script and agreed to be associated with us. The film was produced under the banner of Excel Entertainment and Magic Beans Films and released well and we received huge accolades for our first venture.
Why did you miss Lucknow for the promotional campaign of KCK? Is it not a potential market?
Lucknow is definitely a huge market. At the time of release, our distributors were keen on us covering Delhi and Punjab in the North so we had to skip Lucknow. Having said that, I would definitely love to come down to my birthplace to promote my next venture.
Tell us more about your city connection?
I was born in Lucknow at Fatima Hospital, brought up there and completed my schooling up till class 10th at St Francis College before moving to Delhi to finish my plus 2 and college. Subsequently, I moved to Mumbai to do my CA. I lived at Gokhale Marg and then Gomti Nagar before we finally moved out of the city.
Any project for Lucknow?
Well, would love to come and shoot in Lucknow someday provided the script demands it. It is a beautiful city waiting to be explored, I’m glad my friend Roshan Abbas is shooting his debut film there.So what are your upcoming projects? Currently, myself and partner Vijay Lalwani both are working on different scripts. Within two three months the scripts will be ready. First Vijay will direct his script and then I will direct mine. Both films will be produced under our banner Magic Beans. He is now working on the promos of Ra.One, Aamir’s Peepli Life and Karan Johar’s I hate Love Stories.
Mum’s the world
CA Amit’s journey from Lucknow to Bollywood
Deep Saxena
Amit Chandrra’s journey from the state capital to Bollywood is filmy too. “In 1999, I came to Mumbai to have my sister wedded here, and I was pursuing Chartered Accountancy at that time. I applied for internship in a CA firm and dropped in my resume. And, soon got a selection letter,” he goes down memory lane.
But, being brought up by a single parent it was not easy to leave his mother back in Lucknow. “My mom took the bold step as her responsibility and agreed to live all by herself to let me pursue my dreams. I was auditing at a reputed advertising agency and started to realize I really enjoyed the media and all that revolved around it.”
The CA charm was wearing off for him and the media charm became Amit’s new passion as he decided to “move on”.
“I turned a freelance writer, started writing radio shows, scripts for TV promos, turned ghost writer for some people. Assignments kept increasing one after another and then the day of the CA results arrived — I had cleared my Exam.”
Now that biggest hurdle was convincing his mom that he eventually did and he got a year to prove him or move back to CA. “I’ve now realized that all mothers eventually give in to the children's whims because they are just too attached, and I use this to my advantage sometimes. So, I started picking up all the work and by the grace of God started doing pretty well. But, the idea of freelance was a threat. People still thought I was jobless though I was making 3 times more money than any regular job would give me. On top of that I really enjoying my work! So I floated private limited company ‘Surge’ and turned entrepreneur. From scripting promos for TV to dubbing them to editing them, Surge was doing it all... from TV promos to film promos, to producing TV content, we were evolving slowly but surely!”
And, he gives full credit to just one person: “To be honest, I owe it all to my mom who stood by me all through the ups and downs and peer pressure from relatives and friends and she allowed me to live my dream each time.”
Why did you miss Lucknow for the promotional campaign of KCK? Is it not a potential market?
Lucknow is definitely a huge market. At the time of release, our distributors were keen on us covering Delhi and Punjab in the North so we had to skip Lucknow. Having said that, I would definitely love to come down to my birthplace to promote my next venture.
Tell us more about your city connection?
I was born in Lucknow at Fatima Hospital, brought up there and completed my schooling up till class 10th at St Francis College before moving to Delhi to finish my plus 2 and college. Subsequently, I moved to Mumbai to do my CA. I lived at Gokhale Marg and then Gomti Nagar before we finally moved out of the city.
Any project for Lucknow?
Well, would love to come and shoot in Lucknow someday provided the script demands it. It is a beautiful city waiting to be explored, I’m glad my friend Roshan Abbas is shooting his debut film there.So what are your upcoming projects? Currently, myself and partner Vijay Lalwani both are working on different scripts. Within two three months the scripts will be ready. First Vijay will direct his script and then I will direct mine. Both films will be produced under our banner Magic Beans. He is now working on the promos of Ra.One, Aamir’s Peepli Life and Karan Johar’s I hate Love Stories.
Mum’s the world
CA Amit’s journey from Lucknow to Bollywood
Deep Saxena
Amit Chandrra’s journey from the state capital to Bollywood is filmy too. “In 1999, I came to Mumbai to have my sister wedded here, and I was pursuing Chartered Accountancy at that time. I applied for internship in a CA firm and dropped in my resume. And, soon got a selection letter,” he goes down memory lane.
But, being brought up by a single parent it was not easy to leave his mother back in Lucknow. “My mom took the bold step as her responsibility and agreed to live all by herself to let me pursue my dreams. I was auditing at a reputed advertising agency and started to realize I really enjoyed the media and all that revolved around it.”
The CA charm was wearing off for him and the media charm became Amit’s new passion as he decided to “move on”.
“I turned a freelance writer, started writing radio shows, scripts for TV promos, turned ghost writer for some people. Assignments kept increasing one after another and then the day of the CA results arrived — I had cleared my Exam.”
Now that biggest hurdle was convincing his mom that he eventually did and he got a year to prove him or move back to CA. “I’ve now realized that all mothers eventually give in to the children's whims because they are just too attached, and I use this to my advantage sometimes. So, I started picking up all the work and by the grace of God started doing pretty well. But, the idea of freelance was a threat. People still thought I was jobless though I was making 3 times more money than any regular job would give me. On top of that I really enjoying my work! So I floated private limited company ‘Surge’ and turned entrepreneur. From scripting promos for TV to dubbing them to editing them, Surge was doing it all... from TV promos to film promos, to producing TV content, we were evolving slowly but surely!”
And, he gives full credit to just one person: “To be honest, I owe it all to my mom who stood by me all through the ups and downs and peer pressure from relatives and friends and she allowed me to live my dream each time.”
Monday, May 10, 2010
Chatur Omi Vaidya in Lucknow
Jahanpanah! Tussi great ho
Omi Vaidya on Chatur, Pappu, controversies and more
Deep Saxena
deepsaxena@gmail.com
Chatur Ramalingam, played by Omi Vaidya in 3-Idiots has moved to the next level, The 4th Idiot. But this time he is not delivering any speech. He can be heard giving voiceover in the animation film as Pappu. The actor along with producer-director Biswaroop Roy Chowdhury was in the city for the world premier of the movie that is surrounded by controversies. Though the production house has been served notice by the producer of 3-Idiots Vidhu Vinod Chopra, the premier of The 4th Idiot was held for students at City Montessory School auditorium on Sunday. HT City caught up with Omi at the premier.
So, how did Chatur become Pappu after being part of the biggest grosser movie?Washing his hands of the controversy, Omi says, “I leave that issue for the producer. It’s the cause that attracted me to the movie as an actor. I always wanted to do something for kids and this film gave me the opportunity. It will have a powerful impact on the kids with its mantra on how to de-stress and how to achieve excellence.”
Hasn’t he turned singer too in the movie? “Aah! I was humming the song Kar Bheje Ka Istemal in my own style when they heard me and decided to use it. Otherwise, I am just a bathroom singer,” he says.What’s next on his platter? “I will be hosting a quiz show Brightest Mind on a news channel,” he say before checking with his manager if can he reveal more about the programme. As she says no, ‘Chatur’ changes track, “I have some ad-films and a Hindi play which we will announce later.”
But how does he manage that given the fact that Hindi is still a struggle for him? “Yeah I know, but I am working hard. I can speak Marathi well but when it comes to Hindi I still fumble with gaye or gai and usey or isey. Probably the Hindi play will help me learn better.”Is he happy with his khichdi English and his accent? “Accent is something that won’t go so soon but one thing is sure. I won’t be doing a Chatur again — speaking with grammatical errors. The expectations are very high and I will be seen in roles that are out of my comfort zone.”
What’s he looking for? Character or lead roles? “I leave leads for other and will be happy playing characters that are at times more powerful than lead roles.” How about playing a villain? “Chatur was basically a villain but people liked him. If I play a villain someday it will be someone like a real life character — not a larger than life person!”
Does he plan to bring his wife into the mass media field? “No, she is of a different mindset. She is better off pursuing Phd from UCLA.”What about direction? “I have directed a couple of ventures earlier. I am looking into some projects.”Which perfume is he using these days, after 3-Idiots? “I am just using one deo,” he grins naughtily.
Jahanpanah! Tussi wakai great ho!
‘The 4th Idiot is somewhat inspired by 3-idiots’
Two times Guinness World Record holder (for memory and push-ups) Biswaroop Roy Choudhury is unfazed with the legal notice served by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. “He feels The 4th Idiot is somewhat like 3-Idiots but once he watches the movie he will understand he is wrong. This movie begins where 3-Idiots ends. This movie is a tool to teach students (and adults) mind techniques.”The movie is set up in the college of Phunsukh Wangru (Aamir Khan). “It is only inspired by that movie, that’s all. For that matter, we are also inspired by Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi and Vivekanand as you will see in the movie. Being inspired is not wrong and does not comes under the copyright law.”If required, he is geared up to fight the legal battle. The movie is a non-commercial venture and will be showcased in school and colleges free of cost. It has been made in 15 languages. On the occasion, a kit which also includes a book was released by CMS founder director Jagdish Gandhi.
Omi Vaidya on Chatur, Pappu, controversies and more
Deep Saxena
deepsaxena@gmail.com
Chatur Ramalingam, played by Omi Vaidya in 3-Idiots has moved to the next level, The 4th Idiot. But this time he is not delivering any speech. He can be heard giving voiceover in the animation film as Pappu. The actor along with producer-director Biswaroop Roy Chowdhury was in the city for the world premier of the movie that is surrounded by controversies. Though the production house has been served notice by the producer of 3-Idiots Vidhu Vinod Chopra, the premier of The 4th Idiot was held for students at City Montessory School auditorium on Sunday. HT City caught up with Omi at the premier.
So, how did Chatur become Pappu after being part of the biggest grosser movie?Washing his hands of the controversy, Omi says, “I leave that issue for the producer. It’s the cause that attracted me to the movie as an actor. I always wanted to do something for kids and this film gave me the opportunity. It will have a powerful impact on the kids with its mantra on how to de-stress and how to achieve excellence.”
Hasn’t he turned singer too in the movie? “Aah! I was humming the song Kar Bheje Ka Istemal in my own style when they heard me and decided to use it. Otherwise, I am just a bathroom singer,” he says.What’s next on his platter? “I will be hosting a quiz show Brightest Mind on a news channel,” he say before checking with his manager if can he reveal more about the programme. As she says no, ‘Chatur’ changes track, “I have some ad-films and a Hindi play which we will announce later.”
But how does he manage that given the fact that Hindi is still a struggle for him? “Yeah I know, but I am working hard. I can speak Marathi well but when it comes to Hindi I still fumble with gaye or gai and usey or isey. Probably the Hindi play will help me learn better.”Is he happy with his khichdi English and his accent? “Accent is something that won’t go so soon but one thing is sure. I won’t be doing a Chatur again — speaking with grammatical errors. The expectations are very high and I will be seen in roles that are out of my comfort zone.”
What’s he looking for? Character or lead roles? “I leave leads for other and will be happy playing characters that are at times more powerful than lead roles.” How about playing a villain? “Chatur was basically a villain but people liked him. If I play a villain someday it will be someone like a real life character — not a larger than life person!”
Does he plan to bring his wife into the mass media field? “No, she is of a different mindset. She is better off pursuing Phd from UCLA.”What about direction? “I have directed a couple of ventures earlier. I am looking into some projects.”Which perfume is he using these days, after 3-Idiots? “I am just using one deo,” he grins naughtily.
Jahanpanah! Tussi wakai great ho!
‘The 4th Idiot is somewhat inspired by 3-idiots’
Two times Guinness World Record holder (for memory and push-ups) Biswaroop Roy Choudhury is unfazed with the legal notice served by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. “He feels The 4th Idiot is somewhat like 3-Idiots but once he watches the movie he will understand he is wrong. This movie begins where 3-Idiots ends. This movie is a tool to teach students (and adults) mind techniques.”The movie is set up in the college of Phunsukh Wangru (Aamir Khan). “It is only inspired by that movie, that’s all. For that matter, we are also inspired by Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi and Vivekanand as you will see in the movie. Being inspired is not wrong and does not comes under the copyright law.”If required, he is geared up to fight the legal battle. The movie is a non-commercial venture and will be showcased in school and colleges free of cost. It has been made in 15 languages. On the occasion, a kit which also includes a book was released by CMS founder director Jagdish Gandhi.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)