Jaane Tu? has taken 3 years to reach where it is today" - Manjari Phadnis:


There are two big films releasing this Friday and somehow the only talks that one has seen about these films are the ones revolving around Harman Baweja and Imran Khan! In the battle of big guys, one pretty face which seems to be waiting to making a surprise announcement is none other than that of petite Manjari Phadnis.

Some may ask, Manjari Phadnis who?

Well, she is the same girl who made her debut as a teenage school kid 4 years back in Rok Sako To Rok Lo, only to be seen as a Senior Executive in Mumbai Salsa last year. Though none of the two films really made an impression at the box office, Manjari was noticed for her spirited act. Now she would be seen in Jaane Tu?Ya Jaane Na.

"JTYJN has taken 3 years to reach where it is today,? Manjari smiles, "This was the first film which I signed after Rok Sako To Rok Lo but in the interim my Bengali film, Faaltu and later Mumbai Salsa released. Of course, the film's shooting took a lot lesser time but from conceptualization to actual realization, JTYJN has been quite a journey. Now that I really see the film coming to theaters, I get such a surreal feel."

How did she keep her chin up in spite of such huge gaps between her films? "It wasn't difficult since I was constantly meeting people and learning newer things. Moreover, Planman Motion Pictures, the first production house with which I worked, have been a constant pillar of support. They have always guided me and I too have made sure that I do not sign any irrelevant projects in spite of a long wait. I was signed by them for three films and after Rok Sako To Rok Lo and Faaltu, I have also finished shooting for I Am 24 which stars Ranvir Shorey, Neha Dhupia and Rajat Kapoor."

As indicated by the promos of the film, in Jaane Tu?Ya Jaane Na, Manjari is supposed to be playing Imran's love interest. Is this another love triangle in the making with Genelia Dsouza involved?

"That's for you to check out once the film releases on Friday. As for me the only thing I know is that currently I am a lot nervous. I have never been like this before so don't be surprised if you suddenly find me getting really cranky in the course of this conversation," concludes Manjari with a nervous laugh.

The Hindi feature film Suno Na revolves around an unwed mother. After being spurned by her lover, Tara takes an extreme step and decides to commit suicide. But soon she realizes that she is carrying a her child and would be killing it in the bargain as well. Why kill the innocent unborn for no reason? Tara decides to move to a city, find work, give birth to the child, and start a new life.

The film takes a humorous turn when the mother and the child in the womb start talking to each other; even sing a duet. The child wants to know many things, including about the father. The story also revolves around three men who come in her life during these nine months.


Aamir-Imran on Cine Blitz cover:
With just a few days to go for the release of Jaane Tu?Ya Jaane Na, Aamir Khan and his nephew Imran Khan are all over the place. The duo is now seen in this month's issue of Cine Blitz magazine. Both mamu Aamir and his bhanja Imran are seen dressed in their formal best wearing dapper suits.

Imran shares an interesting anecdote of how this is only the second time that he has worn a suit in his life (the first time being during the premiere of mamu Aamir's debut film QSQT). The duo seems to be enjoying each other's company and by the looks of it, this is one mama-bhanja jodi who are going to be spoken about for years to come.



"My first film may have been a mafia drama" - Harman Baweja :By Joginder Tuteja, June 30, 2008 - 11:16 IST
He may have been seeing an unconventional launch for himself in the form of Love Story 2050 but a few years back there was a strong possibility that Harman may have debuted with a film which was a 'mafia' drama.

"Can you believe that", exclaims Harman who is now only close to 100 hours away from his big screen debut, "There were so many ideas that dad and me were bouncing off for my launch. We were looking at films belonging to comedy genre or some kickass action but nothing seemed to be overtly exciting."

"The closest that we reached was a mafia drama but that also was kept aside. Guess how it would have been if my first film was a mafia drama? Especially so when I you see me dancing at places separated by decades in Love Story 2050", says Harman who realizes that the world is looking at how his dad Harry Baweja has established a strong base for him with the multi-crore film.

"Dad had this idea around making a film set in future way back in 1999-2000. He hadn't forgotten it over the years and spoke about it again during one of our brainstorming sessions. Once we thought that this was it, he pronto called in his team of writers, bounced the idea to them and they began work along with us", recollects Harman who would be the first ever Bollywood hero to see a launch with a subject like this.

"Let's not make it sound as if the film belongs to a different planet. No pun intended", jokes Harman, "Love Story 2050 is as mainstream as it gets. Yes, we have done something that hasn't been attempted before but isn't it really cool to get something new on?"

Harman goes on to justify the choice of the subject, "See, if I would have arrived in a routine love story, people out there would have said - 'Chalo naya ladka hai, dekh aate hai kaisa hai'. That's about it. In case of Love Story 2050 we are looking at a paradigm shift. We are talking about time travel, robots, flying cars etc. There is so much out there which makes the film exciting."

Throughout his career, Harry Baweja has been involved in hardcore action films with Dilwale, Diljale and Qayamat being his biggest successes. Though he did attempt a different subject like Main Aisa Hi Hoon, it didn't impress the audience. Doesn't Harman believe that a subject like Love Story 2050 which deals with time travel would take his father into an unknown territory?

"You have to look at his track record over the years and you would see that he has been continuously delivering successful films. He has also been moving with time and constantly evolving himself. I have never seen him as excited as I saw him during the last 4 years when we were putting together Love Story 2050", says Harman in admiration for his father.

"As I said earlier, it isn't as if this idea struck dad overnight. He has been carrying it for close to a decade and just because the funds, technology and audience taste didn't warrant that he made such kind of cinema in those days, he continued making formulaic commercial cinema."

"Today we have all of that in abundance. We can ask for funds and we can get it. We have some great technology capability and thankfully audience too is looking at newer films. Dad has given it all to Love Story 2050 and in a few days from now, you would see that for yourself on screen", concludes the proud 'beta'.

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