Sonali Raut recreates Zeenat Aman's wet saree scene

Roshmila Bhattacharya, Mumbai Mirror | Apr 2, 2014, 12.00AM ISTHimesh Reshammiya's The Xpose revolves around a death that takes place in a fivestar hotel after a gltizy awards night. It is the trigger for the film's narrator, Alec D'Costa, played by Irrfan Khan, to expose the dark underbelly of the Hindi film industry and unmask its larger-than-life superstars.

Himesh, who lost 20 kg through a year of organic dieting and workouts, plays Ravi Kumar. He is a former cop thrown out of the force following an accidental death in custody, who goes on to become a charismatic and enigmatic star who supposedly bears an uncanny resemblance to Raaj Kumar.





The characters of two actresses, Chandni, enacted by a former Miss India Zoya Afroz, and Zara, brought to life by another debutante Sonali Raut, are reportedly inspired by Parveen Babi and Zeenat Aman, who broke away from the image of a stereotypical heroine to set the benchmark for Bollywood's sex symbols.

The rivalry between the two exploded in several catfights, including one at a city hotel when they almost came to blows. This incident along with other real-life references, are believed to have found their way into the film's script.

Director Ananth Narayan Mahadevan is tightlipped on this, but admits that there's a song sequence which is a tribute to Raj Kapoor's Satyam Shivam Sundaram with Sonali in a white half-sari which is almost a replica of Zeenat's iconic get-up.

"We created a set of a temple in ruins at Filmistan Studio. There is no roof and hence the rain streams in, soaking Zara to the skin as she pours water over the Shivling while singing the title track of a film being shot within the film. Ujjwal, Nirmal, Sheetal is a classical number composed by Himesh but on the lines of Satyam Shivam Sundaram's Bhor bhaye panghat pe," elaborates Ananth.





He admits that they spent weeks trying to source the exact material for the sari, then waited for Sonali to overcome her inhibitions. "We'd shown her the original picture and pointed out that this was her opportunity to recreate Raj Kapoor and Zeenat's iconic scene in her very first film. Initially, Sonali came out in a body suit but then went back and returned without it. The sequence has been shot very aesthetically," asserts Ananth.

Besides Ujwal Sheetal Nirmal, another film is being shot within the film, Reena Mera Naam. The Xpose itself abounds in several colourful characters many of whom may seem familiar.

Popular singer Yo Yo Honey Singh plays Kenny Damania, a suave villain with shades of Pran while Aadil Hussain's Rajan Anna is supposed to have drawn from underworld don Vardha Rajan. Ananth clams up again only saying, "The '60s was the most glamorous, sensational and musical era in Hindi cinema with stars who were the stuff legends are made of."