Chak De India- Reviews (Pg 32)B-O(42) - Page 20

The SRK brand can't make a film good or bad: Shah Rukh

Mr.Khan in conversation with Princy Jain

Cut to Yashraj studio. On ground level, he's shooting for Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om and has already made trips to the lounge on the first floor. He smiles that deep smile of his, settles down with a cuppa, puts on his spectacles.. and yeah, so here's Shah Rukh Khan in a sporty conversation with Princy Jain

Sixteen new girls as your co-stars in Chak de India.. this must be a first.

After working for so many years, one becomes a little mechanical. The girls had never acted before. They would say their lines of dialogue in a completely unexpected manner.

It was strange for a while but then they sounded so very right. Often, I would say my lines, and asked them to react. It was all very unlikely and new.

Some of them must be your fans.. right?

Before the shoot, we had several reading sessions which made things casual between us. The girls must have been about five or six when they saw my films. They would seek my advice. During fun moments, they would kiss and hug me. We became co-actors.

Did you learn to play hockey? Or is that acting?

The game's not new for me, I used to play hockey in school. But when I played for the film, I sucked,I was really awful. I have no stamina left.. the technique of hockey has changed. Astro Turf itself is very tiring.

It's often said, "SRK decides his role and films.

That's incorrect. I am not one of those actors who goes to a filmmaker, gets myself cast and then become a ghost director.It's shameful to accept but this, I thought I would be able to beat these girls but they kicked my butt. While playing with them, I realised that it would be better if I use my status as a superstar and not practise at all.. (laughs) To be honest, I did Chak de because I wanted to play hockey. Since I lead a very protected life, it was very refreshing to be on the ground.. to feel the air brushing my and sweat trickling down my body. It was like getting a few days of freedom which I know of, but have not lived for many years.

Earlier, if I could run for 10 km, now I can't go on for even three or four km. But it's still so very important to have some sports in your life. I play soccer every Sunday now.

For years, you have been a conventional lover boy with crazy hair and moist eyes. Of late you have been experimenting with your looks and characters. Why?

I am just an actor. It's often said, "SRK decides his role and films." That's incorrect. I am not one of those actors who goes to a filmmaker, gets myself cast and then become a ghost director. I am an employee of my director and producers.

So if Amol Palekar asked me to grow a moustache, I did that. In Don, Farhan (Akhtar) wanted a stylish look, so I followed his instructions.

Here too, (director) Shimit Amin and Adi (producer Aditya Chopra) said, "You have never had beard." So I said, "Let's do it." But these are minor points. A look makes no difference. SRK will always remain the actor he is.

How did it go with the beard? You have always been clean-shaven.

Oh, a beard's very scratchy. When you wake up in the morning and take a bath, you still don't feel clean. I'm not used to a beard because I shave every day . You wash your face and water sticks to your beard. It's very stressful. Also, I have grey in my beard and I have to keep dyeing it. It sticks on your skin, so it's not a very good pleasant experience. I hope I don't have to grow a beard for another couple of years at least.

Have you read your biography by Anupama Chopra.. are you satisfied with it?

I haven't read it. Anu did offer me a peep into the manuscript but I refused. I guess reading about my life would be very boring. Also I told her that if I do read it, I will want to change it. So I'm fine with the way it is.

But certain chapters talk about your links with the underworld. Are you fine with that?

It would be unfair to hamper anyone's creativity I have read Anu's other books, I have full faith in her. The book is about me.. and Bollywood through my eyes.

It's not about the underworld. I have received feedback from all corners of the world, saying it makes for an interesting read. I guess that's more important than anything else.

Can the SRK brand value make a film succeed?

I don't know. Chak De India doesn't have anything that works conventionally in the Indian film industry It doesn't have a heroine, there's no romantic angle, no songs. It does have 16 new girls, which is kind of unique.

The SRK brand can't make a film good or bad. I have not created any brand for myself. Other brands have made SRK the brand he is. Every film I do takes away a part of my life.It does have Shah Rukh which is okay but even his films have failed. So even that can go wrong. A good film is a good film. The SRK brand can't make a film good or bad. I have not created any brand for myself. Other brands have made SRK the brand he is. Every film I do takes away a part of my life. The brand SRK might not be that significant but that part of my life is. For that, I would want the film to have some moments of good cinema.

So as in sport, cinema is all about winning..isn't it?

No, it's not all about winning.. or losing. It's more about team spirit for the nation. Patriotism is not about praying for India to win and Pakistan to lose. That's a wrong perception.. and it needs to be changed.

Source:HindustanTimes

Saawariya promo with Chak De India

By IndiaFM News Bureau, August 6, 2007 - 13:27 IST

Saawariya is one film that has been in news since the time it went under production. The film is a big venture as it is directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and stars Salman Khan and Rani Mukherjee. But the biggest reason for the high anticipation levels for Saawariya is because the film will launch two star kids, Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor. As we all know by now that Ranbir is Rishi and Neetu Kapoor's son while Sonam is Anil Kapoor's daughter. The film buffs are surely excited to see the kids of these successful actors perform onscreen.

The hot news is that the theatrical of Saawariya will be played in cinema halls with the Chak De India. YRF's Chak De India starring Shah Rukh Khan will hit the screens this week. So when you go to watch the Indian girl's hockey team in action in Chak De India, you will most definitely be treated with the promo of Saawariya.

http://indiafm.com/news/2007/08/06/9865/index.html

"Chak De India has no romantic angle despite having the most romantic hero of Bollywood. But we never missed it" - Shimit Amin

"Shahrukh is one of the most professional actors. Even if you have to put him in a bucket full of ice for six hours he would do it," said Shimit Amin, director of SRK's next Chak De India. The soft spoken behind-the-scenes-man with a heavy American accent is totally immersed in his craft and finds the "unfortunate publicity" that his film has received as hard to believe. He believes there's one publication that has been publishing "malicious reports" of his alleged 'differences' with SRK and lots more. In this freewheeling interview with IndiaFM the Ab Tak Chappan director bares his heart out.

Your first film Ab Tak Chappan (RGV Company) was branded as hard core realistic film while Yashraj Films are known mostly for their candy floss brand of escapist cinema. How did you move from one school of filmmaking to another with your second film Chak De India?

I reacted to the script. I felt the project is worth it and I was onboard. It is not the typical project. I didn't have any problems doing it.

It's being said that Chak De is based on Mir Ranjan Negi, the coach of India women's hockey team that won the gold at Manchester Commonwealth Games.

It is coincidental. The script had already been written. There are similarities as all sports people have their own types of obstacles.

You must be tired of this question, but let's ask it anyways, why hockey as a subject for your film in a country that worships cricket. To add to it you are talking abut women's hockey…

Hockey is the national game of the country. There was a time when we had won 8 gold medals in Olympics. Now hockey has been relegated to some other sport. It could happen to cricket. Hockey has a certain history; there is something emotional about this sport. It is a desi sport while cricket has a colonial hangover.

I still remember I was traveling in AC III tier of Paschim Express from Delhi to Mumbai a few years ago and the same Indian Hockey Women's team that had won gold at Manchester was traveling along with us. I recognized Mamta Kharab, the star of Manchester maybe because of her short hair but I don't think if anyone else did….

It is difficult to play a sport that no one watches. People don't care but these players have a certain passion for the sport. They don't get respect even though they play as hard if not harder as compared with other sports. There is no funding, no one takes interest.

There have been reports in the media stating that Women's Hockey Federation has a problem with Chak De India as apparently they feel that the film is trying to project as if it is only after Shahrukh Khan's character takes over as the coach that the fate of Indian Women's Hockey starts improving….

The film has got unfortunate publicity. There is one source, one newspaper that is giving these reports.

What's the name of the newspaper?

I won't take the name….We were in the post production when all these malicious reports started coming in. Women's Hockey Federation has been completely supportive.

What about reports of your alleged differences with Shahrukh Khan?

He is a professional actor. He has a busy schedule. Things had to be worked around him. He has this attachment for hockey as he has played it himself. Once again it's this one newspaper that is spreading these stories.

Well, if one has to quote these reports then apparently SRK was upset with the many retakes you used to take….

One of the things is that Shahrukh is one of the most professional actors. Even if you have to put him in a bucket full of ice for six hours he would do it just for the heck of doing something exciting. These reports are silly.

What about stories that stated the crashing of hard disk carrying the data of Chak De India?

Anyone who has worked on Avid would know that it's not very hard to redigitise. It was one of those articles that was written without fact checking.

Alright, tell us something about the process of making a film like Chak De India…I believe a lot of time was spent in setting up the team…

It was a tedious process. We had to make sure that every character experiences everything that a player goes through. It was an interesting experience for all of us. The dedication for the game just doesn't happen overnight. A hockey match is 70 minutes. We had to shoot 8 hours a day. You have to be super athlete to last it. They had to be conditioned properly. It is easy to shoot cricket. Hockey is too fast.

There's no romantic angle in a film involving one of the best romantic heroes that the Indian film industry has ever produced…

There is no romantic angle in the film. Shahrukh's character is a hockey team coach and he is in love with his country. We never missed the romantic angle. It has all emotions and the masala.

Chak De India is releasing on August 10th a few days before August 15th. The timing is quite right to whip up patriotic feelings….

We are happy. In a weird way, the film is about patriotism but not in a jingoistic way. It has a patriotic quality to it, healthy patriotism if I may say so.

What kind of music do you have in the film?

We went with the script. It has different soundscapes, no lipsync songs. The songs are meant to boost the morale. There is no romantic angle, no qawwali, there was no room for it.

Finally, why do you think should people go to watch Chak De India?

It is a sports film. It portrays national sport that has never been done before. It is a great way to showcase a sport that has never got the right platform. It is a story of a coach. Anybody can identify with the dream of winning anything, this whole idea of playing for the country.

http://indiafm.com/features/2007/08/06/2918/index.html

Chak de India on women's hockey

Suprita Das
Tuesday, August 7, 2007: (New Delhi):

Shah Rukh Khan's bunch of young and fiesty women hockey players are ready to hit the screens on Friday when Chak de India releases all over.

The film revolves around the story of an Indian women's hockey team, that goes on to win a World Cup.

Real life women hockey players are now hoping that it gives their sport a big boost.

There were initial reports that Vidya Stokes, the President of the Indian Women's Hockey Federation was unhappy with the on-screen portrayal of the players. But it now seems that it was a clear case of misunderstanding.

"She was asked if women's hockey is zero, and if they're being shown as hero, so she obviously reacted to it. Everyone knows the results, and my girls are doing very well, that's a fact. So neither are we unhappy, nor have we asked for a separate screening. We have no hassles with Yashraj at all," said Amrit Bose, Secretary, IWHF.

The much-awaited blockbuster is the tale of a former Indian hockey goalkeeper, played by none other than King Khan, who leads a low profile women's team to a World Cup win.

It's believed his character is based on former real-life goalie Mir Ranjan Negi, who conceded seven goals against Pakistan in the final of the 1982 Asian Games.

During the production, the filmmakers spent time at hockey camps throughout the country, during which they chose one player to play a role in the movie.

But what if only one of these players had the opportunity to share screen space with the stars, for all the other girls, the idea of being the subject of a big banner film like this is thrilling enough.

They are now looking forward to the first day first show of the film.

"We are waiting for the release of the film. People don't know hockey as much as they know
cricket. So we really want the game to spread," said Pushpa Pradhan, hockey player.

"I think hockey can get a lot of promotion through the film. We all want to watch it together when the film releases," added Joydeep Kaur, hockey player.

So come Friday, the women's hockey federation will be looking forward to netting in a few more sponsors, courtesy the massive publicity generated by the film.

http://www.ndtvmovies.com/newstory.asp?section=Movies&id=ENT EN20070021755

Radio One launches 'Chak De Gang of Girls' contest

MUMBAI: Radio One 94.3 FM has launched Chak De Gang of Girls contest in association with sunsilkgangofgirls.com.

The contestants will have to answer questions to be among the 500 winners each from Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.The contest is open only for female listeners who will get free movie passes for Yash Raj's Chak De, starring Shahrukh Khan. The movie screenings will be held on 11 and 12 August in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.

Radio One VP programming and brand Vishnu Athreya said, "Radio One has always believed in creating innovative ideas around movies and not just tying up with the movie houses to create hype.We believe in offering what the listener wants and in the process try and create something innovative so that our partners can associate with us as well as reach out to their target audience."

http://www.indiantelevision.com/mam/...g/augmam23.php

'Audiences are going to get their money's worth'

Born in Uganda, filmmaker Shimit Amin has dabbled in all forms of the craft, from sound to editing. His first film for Ram Gopal Varma productions, Ab Tak Chhappan, won him raves across India.

Now, he moves to a genre far from the gritty cop drama that fuelled his debut. Chak De! India stars Shah Rukh Khan and several unfamiliar faces that form a women's hockey team. The odds are stacked against them, of course. Shimit is confident though. He tells Raja Sen why...

What is it about a sports film that appeals to you? Isn't it a very predictable arc from the beginning?

Of course it is. But it's all about the characters. Yes, you know how it is going to be, but it's all about whom you take that journey with. That is as important as the journey itself. At the same time, it's always fun to play with your expectations. To see if you can make something people don't expect you to.

Where did this particular story come from?

It came from the writer, Jaideep Sahni. Years ago, he read an article about a women's hockey team that won some kind of championship. It was a small article buried somewhere on the back page. It haunted him -- who are these people? Who goes out and plays for the country and gets such little notice? Why is it not mentioned as much as the men's team is?
They work as hard as anybody but the money isn't there. As we started researching, we realised there are a lot of odds these players are up against. He read and read and amassed data before pitching the story to Adi Chopra, saying this story must be made. That is when I got involved in it.

You weren't involved at the conceptual level?

Not at all. When the script landed on my doorstep, I thought it a fascinating story, full of character and Indian values. I wanted to take a crack at it for it was full of humour and pathos with a level of intelligence.I wouldn't have expected it from a project like this, which is why I'm here. The way it is written is quite amazing.

The promos seem to reveal -- correct me if I'm wrong -- this is a 'no-heroine' film. Isn't that a big risk?

Yes, there are no heroines. That was something we didn't require because of the way the story was carved out. The idea just didn't require the usual garnish, but still worked. We said, okay, this is a strong script and there is enough content in it without us having to cloud the film's focus.

But a bunch of new girls, with no heroine -- didn't it seem like a commercial risk?

We had an enormous amount of faith in the script. Making a film is a mere translation of the script, and we loved the story, and these characters. We also knew it was vital we treat these characters well; it would only work if we cast each of them just right.

Tell us about Shah Rukh's character.

He plays an ex-hockey player who comes into the team after something has gone wrong in his life. He completely takes up this women's team and tries to push it, against a lot of obstacles, towards the world championship. He has suffered some loss and there is a certain association with his country, and his affection for it. It is something that has happened to a lot of players in the past, and this story is about his perseverance to make it work.

Was it a conscious decision to take girls from every possible state, in an effort to give the team an all-India feel?

If you research most Indian teams, you will see that people come from all over the country. And as I said, it is a very Indian film in the sense that if you look at the drama involved -- because of our diverse backgrounds -- it is already there; you can't buy that kind of drama. Different backgrounds, different socio-economic classes: The team was going to have some issues.

Was casting hard?

It was very, very difficult. We spent five to six months, and it was very strenuous because the requirement was they had to play -- and act.
Learning hockey is very tricky unlike, say, football. You have to know how to hold the stick, how to manoeuvre it, so it doesn't look fake on screen. We had training sessions for three to four months. They had to wake up at 4:30 am, go to camp and stick to a diet. It was pretty crazy, but we had to do it.

Unlike cricket, this is a very physical sport with 70 minutes of strenuous running, pushing a stick and bending that could break your back. The ball can hit you, as can the stick; we had to take many precautions to make sure our players knew what they had to do.

They had to be fit enough to go for 70 minutes -- actually, more, because we were shooting over an eight-hour day. For those who were originally players, we had to make sure they were able to act as well. The dialogue was weighty; it isn't frivolous. It has to be delivered with a certain tone, in a certain manner.

This film is also about awareness. A lot of your urban audience probably doesn't even know how hockey is played.

Exactly. We have made a conscious effort to entertain as well as 'teach' about the sport. It shouldn't feel like a lesson.

Do you think it could win the sport of hockey some fans?

I think it can. We became fans. I didn't know much about hockey when we started.

Shah Rukh has played hockey before. Is that partly the reason he plays the lead?

Shooting a match with him was easy because of the way he took to it. He knew the drill really well. As for why Shah Rukh Khan, we were just lucky. It was a huge coincidence that he turned out to be a hockey player.

Do you play at all?

I don't. I'm not a sportsperson at all.

Does that make it harder to connect with a film like this then?

No, because I think I can make things dramatic. It's not harder to connect when I can identify with the dramatic elements in the story. I know what can make it work, what to pull, what to polish. It is an immensely dramatic film.

You know cricket; you know Sachin Tendulkar. But you don't know about the adversities people like them have to go through. They go through an enormous number of situations you and I could never imagine. Let's say you're in a tournament and something happens in your family, but you have to play tomorrow. What do you do?

Your first film did really well, while your second is shrouded by immense hype. How does that feel?

I don't know how much hype there is. Ultimately, people have to watch it and judge for themselves. I can't judge it because I get different reactions. There's no razzle-dazzle, but we have tried to stay true to the story and audiences are going to get their money's worth.

That's a big promise right there.

I'm pretty confident you will sit down and won't find anything that feels very out of place. I think the team has done a pretty good job. This wasn't easy training, and the entire cast and crew worked very hard. Something makes it very special when your cast is this dedicated, and I think that shows in the movie. You can tell you're making not a regular movie, but something special.

http://http://inhome.rediff.com/movies/2007/aug/07shimit.htm

'Chak De India' Takes SRK Down Memory Lane

By IANS
Aug 06, 2007, 03:41

Bollywood Baadshah Shah Rukh Khan is hugely excited about Shimit Amin's 'Chak De India' and says playing the coach of a women's hockey team was like revisiting his past.

The film, slated to hit screens Aug 10, is his first release of the year.

Talking about his role King Khan told us: 'I feel hockey as a sport has been monstrously neglected in our country. I used to play the game during college. In fact, I was quite a good hockey player. So the role was a lot like going back to my past.'

Shah Rukh says he had a whole lot of fun doing a sports film.

'We had real Australian female hockey players playing for the film in Australia. And it was truly amazing watching them go through their paces. They were thorough professionals.'

However, he dismisses the myth that he only likes to work within the comfort zone.

'I do as many films for Yash Raj Films or Karan Johar as I do for other directors. 'Swades' and 'Don' were with first-time directors for me.

'And now I'm working with Shimit Amin in 'Chak De India' for the first time. It's interesting to see where he comes from, and where he hopes to go with this film. I think making a film based on the game of hockey is really cool.'

Copyright 2007 by MusicIndiaOnLine.com

http://www.musicindiaonline.com/n/i/hindi/7208/

Chak De India

Director Shimit Amin's Chak De India from the Yash Raj banner is one of the most awaited releases this year.

Kabir Khan aka Shahrukh Khan is the ex Indian Captain. He is called back as the Coach of the Indian Women's National Hockey team - a team that exists more on paper and less in reality.

The team consists of a bunch of girls who have forgotten what it is like to play for the love of the game or for the country. They play due to their own hidden agendas of wanting a pensioned job or a government flat. The sharp thrill of just holding the hockey stick, keeping their eyes on the ball and playing for all they are worth is either forgotten or not known to them. They have played every game but hockey to make sure they get selected every year in the Indian National team. But Kabir is all set to remind them what does it really mean to play for the Indian National team or the country.

The girls have never known the thrilling energy of being Team India, of giving their all to see their country's name on a trophy. But Kabir Khan, once a captain, now forgotten, does. He knows what it takes to get there. And what it means to return empty handed. This time, he wants to make sure that it's different. He knows there are no second chances. Despite his past, he believes that if only the girls played as one, anything would be possible.

Because Kabir Khan believes that it is not that we can't win. It's just that we have never believed we can.

Chak De India is the story of a coach's fight of making his team, Team India by overcoming their diverse backgrounds, by learning to use everything that life hurls on them as a secret weapon. It's a story about honesty, sincerity and integrity. A story to remind the nation of its National sport.

http://b4utv.com/showtime/newreleases/070807chakdeindia.shtm l

CHAKDE! INDIA censored with a 'U' certificate

Yash Raj's Shah Rukh Khan starrer, CHAKDE! INDIA, has been classified as a 'thriller' and given a 'U' Censor Certificate (C.C. No. CIL/1/84/2007). The movie has a final length of 4133.34 metres, in 17 reels.

While on the Shimit Amin directed movie, it is all set to release this Friday, with a high number of multiplex/cineplex prints. One feels that it is the right strategy, as CHAKDE! INDIA has a theme which is likely to be appreciated more by city based audiences. In other words, the maximum revenue is going to be generated from good cinemas and 'A' centres, rather than 'B' and 'C' centres.

What has gone into Yashraj?

By Subhash K Jha

With Chak De India, Yashraj Films has decided to do what the banner has been seriously contemplating for a long while.

The most illustrious and productive production house in the country has finally gone experimental with their commercial entertainment.

No no. Don't get them wrong. They aren't going into the offbeat mode. If they wanted to, they would've done so with Feroz Abbas Khan's Gandhi My Father which Yashraj took on, and then decided against it after burning their fingers distributing the other Gandhian film Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara.

What Chak De India signals is a bolder braver and more audacious phase in Yashraj's distinguished existence.

It's simple, really. With Shah Rukh Khan in his only Yashraj outing so far not directed by either father or son Chopra but by the US-returned one-experimental-film old Shimit Amin, the banner could have played up SRK's Rohit-Rahul-Raj image.

Instead they have cast SRK in his most unorthodox image-defying role ever. As the red-eyed burnt-out coach of an all-girls' team in Chak De India SRK has neither songs nor a leading lady to reckon with.

Whenever the superstar has tried something unexpected, for example Ashutosh Gowariker's Swades he has been greeted by a far-from-overhwhelming audience response.

But is the banner daunted by the possibility of the masses staying away from a film about an out-of-favour game (albeit featured a furiously favoured lead star)?

Not the least. Chak De India is being released with the same fanfare that we associate traditionally with the banner.

And that isn't all. Their two other big releases this year would again push the envelope…but oh so glamorously.

Pradeep Sarkar's Laga Chunri Mein Daag moves ahead of the expected ambit by showing the eldest daughter of a respectable Brahmin family bending the rules of morality for the family's sake.

The last film that showed the daughter of the house taking to an unconventional profession to keep the kitchen fires burning was K Balachander's Aaina in 1974.

The film despite its powerful plot and treatment, bombed.

Says a source close to Yashraj, "The banner is hoping that audiences today have matured beyond watching Shah Rukh as a lover-boy, or cringing if Rani does something unthinkable."

Keeping this in mind the banner has also got Aaja Nachle on release. The film casts 40-year old Madhuri Dixit in the lead and has the theatre at its background.

Again,an offbeat gambit….and one that shows the way Bollywood's most illustrious banner is heading.

And contrary to rumours not one frame is being re-shot in any of the above films.

In fact the seeds of change are to be seen in Yashraj's earlier releases this year, Tara Rum Pum Pum dragged the Indian middleclass' poverty line to the US and Jhoom Baraabar Jhoom was so wacky it was indecipherable to the average viewer.

Hopefully with Chak De India Yashraj will find a more meaningful mtier in its 30 year existence.

http://www.santabanta.com/cinema.asp?pid=16316