A 30 second Hindi trailer is online at nowrunning.com. It is not as effective as the English preview we saw earlier this year. Will this film work better in English than in Hindi?
Anil Kapoor is all set to spring up with his home production “Gandhi- My Father” set against the backdrop of Mahatma Gandhi’s political career in South Africa and his struggle for independence in India. The movie, after “Maine Gandhi Ko Nahi Mara” and “Lage Raho Munnabhai”, once again involves presence of Gandhi.
“Gandhi- My Father” is a sensitive flick that stars Akshaye Khanna as a prime protagonist. He portrays the role of Harilal Gandhi, the eldest son of Mahatma Gandhi. The movie depicts the relationship between the father and the son.
The relationship between Harilal Gandhi (Akshaye Khanna) and his father, M K Gandhi (played by Darshan Jariwala) gets crumbled when he denies his son the opportunity to study law in Great Britain. Harilal returns back to India from South Africa and is determined to make it on his own. He spent years roaming in the streets in various garbs, gets converted into a Muslim as an act of rebellion and again converts back to Hinduism as an act of penance. He finally dies alone in a hospital in Bombay.
Leading Theatre Director Feroze Abbas Khan makes his debut as a director. The movie also stars Bhumika Chawla (as Harilal’s wife, Gulab) and Shefali Shah (as Kasturba Gandhi) in prominent roles. The movie is made in two separate versions in Hindi and English and is shot in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi and South Africa. Sound recording and design is done by Resul Pookutty, editing by Sreekar Prasad, costume design by Sujata Sharma and music score is by Piyush Kanojia.
David McDonald handles cinematography department and Art Direction is done by Nitin Chandrakant Desai (who has earlier shown his creativity in “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam”, “Devdas”, “Lage Raho Munna Bhai”, “Traffic Signal”, etc). This is an Eros International presentation.
The movie is all set to hit the screens on Aug’ 3rd , 2007….!!!
Waiting for this movie for nearly 3 years now. August can't come soon enough.
Akshaye Khanna has a line up of mega projects this year—Abbas-Mustan’s ‘Race’ and ‘Naqab’, and Anil Kapoor’s ‘Gandhi My Father’.
The actor confesses that he is emotionally attached to Anil Kapoor’s ‘Gandhi My Father’. Incidentally, the film went on the floors after a research of nearly six years and meeting up with members of the Gandhi family besides historians.
Akshaye says, “I have acted in a period film for the first time. I play Harilal Gandhi, the son of Mahatma Gandhi in ‘Gandhi My Father’. The film depicts the intricacies of the relationship between a father and a son.”
Akshaye says that it’s intriguing to know that though much is known about Gandhi and his wife Kasturba, most are unaware that Gandhi had children. “The film deals with Gandhi’s relationship with his children. Today, among all his sons, only Tushar Gandhi is alive. The script is based completely on facts,” underlines Akshaye.
He adds, “The script is very challenging. It pushed me as an actor. I am fortunate to have bagged a role, which requires me to play a character that grows from 18 to 60. I have become a better actor after working in this film. I had to work a lot on prosthetics and make-up.”
Akshaye is all praises for theatre stalwart Feroz Khan the film’s director. “Feroz has a tremendous understanding of the craft of acting as he himself is an actor on the Gujarati stage. His sense of aesthetics is similar to mine,” says Akshaye. Akshaye is also all praises for co-actor Shefali Shah, who is playing the role of Kasturba Gandhi. “I have no qualms in stating that her performance is one of the best female performances (if not the best) ever seen on the Indian screen.”
Akshaye, however confesses that his role as Hiralal Gandhi in the film did not perturb him personally. “After pack up, my characters don’t disturb me. I find it very strange when an actor says that he feels low after the pack up. I feel it is very silly because let’s face facts—at the end of the day, you are being paid for acting.”
Akshaye's interview on Indiafm.com :
Fresh after getting rave reviews for his performance in Salaam-E-Ishq, Akshaye Khanna’s platter is full of films coming up in 2007- Naqaab, Race, Shortcut and Gandhi My Father. This equally charming son of actor Vinod Khanna has delivered impressive performances in Taal, Humraaz, Dil Chahta Hai, Hungama and Salaam-E-Ishq after a forgettable launch with Himalyaputra and a string of flops that followed. A rejuvenated Akshaye speaks to IndiaFM about Naqaab and his forthcoming films.
Your film Naqaab looks similar to your film Humraaz.
It may be because of you, Bobby, Abbas-Mustan and the thriller theme.
Can you tell us something about the film?
Naqaab is a thriller and this is what Abbas-Mastan are specialized in. Every director has his own forte and Abbas-Mustan have thrillers. I don’t think anybody can make thrillers the way they make. You can say Ram Gopal Varma makes good underworld movies and Yash Chopra makes great love stories just like Abbas-Mustan make great thrillers. I don’t think it’s anywhere similar to Humraaz. The story is different, characters are different and the plot is also different. Everything is different except Bobby, me and Abbas-Mustan. There’s a new girl called Urvashi Sharma.
Are you playing a negative role in the film?
I cannot reveal the shade of the character. I am playing a regular guy, who is struggling to become an actor. It is just impossible for me to talk about the film because it will be like revealing the plot. In a thriller, the whole USP is its plot. You know, there are some films that are character driven and some are plot driven. Naqaab is a plot driven film. We have tried to make a compact film. I think audiences of today don’t have patience to sit for three hours, so we made a compact and sleek film.
This is second time you are working with Bobby Deol. Did it feel like going back to Humraaz days?
Bobby and I are friends. He is one of the nicest people that I have met in the industry. He has got a very clean heart. He is genuinely a very nice and easy person to work with. We get along really well. So it’s always wonderful to work with him.
How talented is newcomer Urvashi Sharma?
We needed someone who really didn’t have an image or was not an established actress. We wanted someone new and Urvashi is really good. Her work will be appreciated. Very few new girls get a chance to express or showcase their talent fully through their debut film. But I think she has been lucky to get that chance in her first film. Here in this film she has been given a role where she has scope as an actress.
You have worked with Abbas-Mustan in several films. How are they as a director-pair? What is that first thing that comes to your mind when they come up with a script?
I have done four films with them. We have built up a tremendous rapport and understanding with each other. I understand what they want from me as an actor. They too know what I am good at and what I am not. There is lot of understanding and a very good relationship on the personal front also. We get along like a house on fire. I know they wouldn’t come to me with something sub standard because they themselves wouldn’t settle for anything substandard. When you work with someone you must realize that it’s not only your name and credibility put to test, but it’s theirs as well. They have never come to me with anything that I have not liked.
It is said that Naqaab will be the most shocking thriller off the year. Your comment.
I think it’s a very great tag line. Naqaab is actually a shocking thriller. I think it should live up to its tagline and it will.
Is Naqaab inspired by some Hollywood film? No. I don’t think so.
Most of your films are romantic comedies and suspense thrillers. Aren't you getting action films? There are very few action films being made. One of the most recent ones is Dhoom 2 which was a good action film that released last year and now it is Shootout At Lokhandwala. The next will be Race. Race has also got some action in it. I would love to do a full-fledged action film if I get an offer. But still I haven’t really come across any tempting script.
You have done some salsa in a song of Naqaab. Did you undergo any dance training? How good are you as a dancer? It’s not salsa really. I am not a great knower of dance so I don’t know exactly what category it falls into. I don’t know exactly but it’s a bit like salsa. I haven’t taken any kind of training whatsoever for it though I did practice on the sets. I am not an actually gifted dancer like Govinda or Hrithik. They are naturally born dancers. Though I enjoy dance, I am not a very good dancer like some people are. Even if you are not perfect it is still perfect as long as you enjoy it. I do enjoy dancing and singing. It is fun.
Dancing also seems to be the theme of Aaja Nachley. What are you playing in the film?
I can’t talk about it. I am just doing a small guest appearance in the film so it won’t be right for me to talk about it. They haven’t started publicity of that film and whenever they do I’ll talk about it.
How did it feel getting back with Madhuri Dixit in Aaja Nachley after you worked with her in Mohabbat almost a decade back? What difference do you find in her now?
She is wonderful. She is a treat. Just like you give chocolate to a child, for us actors it’s Madhuri Dixit. She is a delight to work with. It’s a pleasure to watch her onscreen. She is an actress, dancer and a performer. She is a very lovely person. She looks the same like what she looked in Mohabbat. I cannot make out the difference between her age in Hum Aapke Hai Kaun and Aaja Nachley. I think she is the same. She has maintained herself so well that she is looking just as young. I think she is just the same and a very simple person. She is very down to earth and lovely to work with.
Why is your film Gandhi My Father kept so much under wraps? Is the film complete? Is it targeted particularly to the film festivals?
It’s releasing in August. It’s not for festival audience. Gandhi My father is a true and fascinating story. It’s about the relationship of Gandhi with his eldest son, Harilal. The whole world knows about Gandhi and his work. Everyone knows about Kasturba Gandhi but nobody knows anything about their four sons- Harilal, Manilal, Devdas and Ramdas. No one knows about them. They have just been erased from the history. It’s a father- son story.
Anil Kapoor is in complete awe of your performance in that film. Are you playing Gandhi’s son in the film?
I am playing Gandhi’s eldest son Harilal. The film showcases Gandhi’s relationship with him. It’s a very intimate and emotional film. There’s nothing fictional in this film. We will be lynched if there is any fiction in this film hence it is absolutely true to history. It is actually what has happened and so everyone is excited about this film.
Was that the reason Anil signed you for his next film Shortcut? That film has an interesting star cast. Can you tell us about that film?
Shortcut is starting in June. Anil Kapoor is not only a great friend of mine but also a co-actor and producer as he is the producer of Gandhi My Father. He is producing Shortcut as well. We have terrific rapport with each other. You are working with Anil Kapoor again in Race.
Is that another thriller by Abbas-Mustan? Tell us about the film. Yes, I am currently shooting for this film. Race will be releasing at the end of the year. It’s also a thriller and there is also a love story woven in the film. I can’t really talk about the film because it’s still in its embryonic stage.
