Hindi
Chhod na yaar… this is not comedy
War Chhod Na Yaar is an attempt at making a war comedy. We don’t make too many war films and a comedy at that; this is the first such attempt at cross-pollination. Since a comedy will need one of the two countries involved as stupid and since it can’t be India or the Indian army, it is the Pakistani army which will have to look inefficient and stupid. It also shows Pakistan as being totally dependent on Chinese arms which are not effective.
A wire fence separates sandy terrain with the Indian army on one side, led by Sharman Joshi, and a bunch of ragtag Pakistani army soldiers on the other, led by Sanjay Mishra and Javed Jaaferi. At nights, both Sharman and Javed meet at the fencing and play cards, with Sharman always carrying a bottle of alcohol as a gift for his Pakistani counterpart. The army on both sides also play antakshari across the wires. However, the playing sessions, antakshari and bonhomie are not going to last as a Pakistani minister manipulated by the Chinese and an Indian minister under influence of an American politician (both played by Dalip Tahil) are planning a war between both the countries. The Pakistani general, Manoj Pahwa, has little interest in what his minister is indulging in and is addicted to a game on his cell phone.
The Indian minister takes Soha Ali Khan, a TV reporter, to the border post under Sharman’s command, where she can shoot his speech which he wants her to telecast the day war starts to make it look as if the minister braved the war and visited the soldiers on the border. The Pakistani minister chooses to send his message shot in a studio but makes it look like he is on border. It is all about the politicians creating tensions though the public may not want it. Even the soldiers don’t want war and want to coexist in peace.
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Producer: AOPL Entertainment P Ltd.
Director: Faraz Haider. Cast: Sharman Joshi, Soha Ali Khan, Javed Jaaferi, Dalip Tahil, Sanjay Mishra, Mukul Dev, Manoj Pahwa. |
While Soha and Sharman share romantic vibes, she also thinks that as a media person, she can make the world aware of the people’s feelings on both sides which may force politicians to backtrack, bringing an end to the war. A bunch of young people also exchange notes with their friends across the border through social networks. Soha crosses the fence with the help of Javed and interviews Pakistani soldiers, she also interviews the Indian side and asks her channel to telecast live the whole story from the minister confiding in her about the war to the views of the army on both sides.
Comedy has not been the forte of Hindi makers and War Chhod Na Yaar also falls short on being an outright comedy. There are some funny scenes but consistency is missing. There is also repetition. For example, Pahwa and the Chinese leader do the same thing throughout and can’t be expected to be entertaining every time they appear. Also, the end part becomes boring when sermonising begins. Direction is fair. The film has a hummable number in Main jagu aksar….Cinematography is good.
War Chhod Na Yaar not only lacks in face value but its release period is also not conducive to good box office results.
Hindi
Marico founder Harsh Mariwala’s book Harsh Realities set for film adaptation
Almighty Motion Picture taps Karan Vyas to script Marico story
MUMBAI: Almighty Motion Picture is turning its lens on India Inc., with plans to adapt Harsh Realities: The Making of Marico into a screen project. The story charts the rise of Harsh Mariwala, the chairman and founder of Marico, and is currently in early development, according to a report by Variety.
Writer Karan Vyas, known for his work on Scam 1992, Scoop and Made in India – A Titan Story, is attached to pen the screenplay. The project continues the studio’s growing interest in real-life Indian narratives that blend business with human drama.
At the heart of the story lies a defining moment in 1987, when Mariwala chose to step away from the family-run Bombay Oil Industries and strike out on his own. What followed was not just the creation of a company, but the reinvention of a legacy. Marico would go on to become a global FMCG player, with brands like Parachute, Saffola, Set Wet and Livon becoming household names, reaching nearly one in three Indians.
The source material, co-authored by Mariwala and renowned business strategist Ram Charan, offers more than a boardroom chronicle. It captures the grit behind the growth, the risks behind the rewards and the leadership lessons forged along the way.
The adaptation aims to move beyond balance sheets and brand milestones, focusing instead on the person behind the enterprise. Expect a narrative that leans into the emotional stakes of entrepreneurship, where decisions are as personal as they are professional.
Today, Marico draws about a quarter of its revenue from international markets across Asia and Africa, reflecting its steady transformation from a domestic player into a multinational force. Yet, if the makers have their way, the screen version will remind audiences that every global success story begins with a leap of faith.
With development set to begin soon, this is one business story that may just trade spreadsheets for storytelling, and profit margins for moments that linger
