Hindi
UTV’s Heroine goes on floors
MUMBAI: The shooting of UTV Motion Pictures‘ Madhur Bhandarkar directed Kareena Kapoor-starrer Heroine got underway over the weekend.
Heroine is an insider‘s account of a heroine on top of the movie business today. The film will have Kapoor essaying the character of a superstar in B-town and her journey.
Expressing his happiness on the launch of the shoot, UTV Motion Pictures CEO Siddharth Roy Kapur said, “Heroine is one of the most anticipated movies of 2012 and for all of us associated with it. That means that a lot of hard work over the next few months to meet the massive audience expectations. With an excellent script, a talented director at the top of his game and a superb cast and crew, we‘re confident we‘ll be up to the challenge!”
It may be noted that UTV and Bhandarkar are associating again after their film Fashion swept the box office and major film awards winning National Awards and Filmfares for its lead actresses Priyanka Chopra and Kangna Ranaut.
The project also marks 10 years of Bhandarkar‘s critical and commercial success in which he made cult films and entertainers like Chandni Bar, Satta, Page 3, Corporate, Fashion and Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji.
Bhandarkar said, “I‘m delighted that I‘m making Heroine with UTV. We had a great experience of working together during Fashion and we are taking this beautiful relationship forward. Heroine is a dream project for me about an industry in which I have lived my dreams and it will be my biggest film to date.”
It may be noted that Arjun Rampal has been paired in the role of a superstar opposite Kareena while Randeep Hooda and Shahana Goswami play supporting roles.
Hindi
Dhurandhar 2 trouble: BMC moves to blacklist Aditya Dhar’s B62 Studios
Blacklist move follows torch, drone and permit violations; producers lean on a legal workaround
MUMBAI: Mumbai’s civic bosses have turned up the heat on a big-ticket sequel. The BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) has moved to blacklist Aditya Dhar’s B62 Studios after a string of safety and permit breaches during the shoot in Mumbai. The message is blunt. Flout the rules, forfeit the privileges.
Officials cite repeated violations, including lit torches in a high-security heritage zone, a drone flown without clearance, location changes, a terrace used without permits, and two generator vans run without approvals. Mumbai Police stepped in during a night shoot in the Fort precinct, seizing five mashals and warning the crew to avoid flammable props. A separate case was filed at MRA Marg Police Station against location manager Rinku Rajpal Valmiki for flying a drone without permission.
The civic playbook is escalating. A-ward officials have recommended blacklisting the studio from the state’s single-window filming portal, forfeiting a Rs 25,000 deposit and imposing a Rs 1 lakh penalty. The deputy municipal commissioner has cleared the proposal for action, with notices to follow.
Yet the production’s pulse remains steady. A source close to the unit says filming continues and the March 19 release, timed for Eid, Gudi Padwa and Ugadi, remains intact. Co-producer Jio Studios can route fresh permissions through an unblacklisted applicant, a loophole that keeps cameras rolling even if named applicants are barred. The ban bites, but it does not block.
The film, starring Ranveer Singh, arrives with commercial heft. The previous instalment minted over Rs 1,300 crore worldwide, sharpening the incentive to stay on schedule. The sequel also faces competition from Toxic: A Fairytale for Grownups by Geethu Mohandas, headlined by Yash.
For now, the crackdown raises compliance costs, not curtains. Permits can be rerouted, penalties paid and shoots rescheduled. In Mumbai’s film economy, the show rarely stops. It simply finds a new entry point and races to make its date.
