Electricity theft, lack of basic infrastructure, facilities and growing turmoil among the common citizens is a pertinent issue. Director Shree Narayan Singh, whose last film - Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, discussed poor sanitation and lack of hygienic facilities, is back with yet another tale that presents a hard hitting reality. Singh's latest offering - Batti Gul Meter Chalu, is a relevant film which highlights the issue of electricity frauds and scams, without being too preachy or dull. 

Set against the stunning backdrop of Uttarakhand, the film traces the journey of three best friends - Susheel K Pant [Shahid Kapoor], Sundar Tripathi [Divyendu] and Lalita Nautiyal [Shraddha Kapoor]. While Sunder turns entrepreneur with his own factory, Susheel loiters around as a 'corrupt' lawyer, while Lalita aspires to be the ultimate 'Lakmé Fashion Week' designer. The three make merry, and have a gala time, just when a strange twist of fate changes their lives forever. Susheel takes it upon himself to change the course of action, and vows to fight for his best friend against all odds. In a bid to create awareness around electricity frauds and thefts, which becomes one of the prime reasons behind Sundar's ultimate fate, Susheel tackles the issue by discussing similar problems with thousands of locals and organising multiple activities. Ultimately, SK fights the case for his friend in a rather impressive court room drama climax. Will he win the case and bring justice for his friend? For that, you will have to watch the film. And, I strongly suggest you do!

Music of this film deserves a mention, as some of the songs have already created massive buzz before the release, especially Dekhte Dekhte and Gold Tamba (wish the former played a little longer in the film, though). It was an absolute delight to watch Shahid dance on the big screen again, almost after a gap of 2 years. Full marks to Ganesh Acharya for the peppy moves, straight from the 90s, in Gold Tamba. The BG score is decent. Anshuman Mahaley's cinematography captures the real beauty and essence of Uttarakhand; making it one of the strong pillars of BGMC. So much, that one is bound to feel like visiting the beautiful state on their next vacation. Siddharth-Garima and Vipul K Rawal's writing is another strength, with the Kumaoni laced dialogues creating a powerful impact. There are scenes where one just cannot go without whistling or at least, clapping to laud the moment. Of course, a huge part of that credit also goes to the performances, but gotta say - the dialogues were simply incredible. They add an essential charm to the characters and their respective personalities.

Performances, especially by the lead cast, are undoubtedly the strongest pillars of this film. Even the ensemble cast, including Farida Jalal, Supriya Pilgaonkar, Atul Srivastava among others, perform well. However, the film belongs to the lead trio, with Shahid Kapoor clearly dominating the scene. As the meek and humble Sundar, Divyendu Sharma makes a mark. His character becomes the crux of the film's plot, and Sharma does complete justice with an emotionally charged act. Shraddha's Nauti aka Lalita is a quirky and feisty young girl, who believes in justice and provides unconditional support to her partner, throughout the struggle. She performs well in certain emotional scenes, and her chemistry with the duo is really interesting. Yami Gautam makes an important appearance as advocate Gulnaar, and does a fine job.

However, the film [especially the second half] belongs to Susheel Kumar Pant aka Shahid Kapoor. He wonderfully displays myriad emotions - ranging from envy to vengeance, love and misery. If there is anyone who believes that one needs a larger than life character to create an impact, then Kapoor's portrayal of SKP is here to prove you wrong. He adds an extraordinary personality to an otherwise simple [add to that - corrupt], yet flamboyant boy next door. Right from the court room sarcasm to friendly humour and the perfect attitude with which he approaches the authorities at SPTL, Kapoor nails it just right. He shines with an impeccable dialogue delivery (the dialect was on point) and the perfect body language, making it difficult for anyone to believe that he is not a Tehri local for real. Of course, the costumes and his over-zealousness helped add a good flavour to the character. One can't help but marvel at Kapoor's monologue during the climax of this film, which is clearly one of the strongest highlights of BGMC. That scene is bound to walk away with maximum cheers! As an avid cinephile, I could clearly witness glimpses of Senior Kapur sir's impeccable act from 'Ek Ruka Hua Faisla' in Shahid, especially during some of the emotional scenes. Kapoor is the soul of this poignant yet entertaining drama, and his performance is simply effortless!! 

As a viewer, the film pushes you to step out of your comfort zone and look at the world with the POV [point of view] of a citizen, who hasn't lived with the privilege of having electricity 24x7. The story instantly reminded me of Elephanta Caves, a little away from India's financial capital Mumbai, where the locals got 24x7 electricity connection for the first time ever in 2018, almost 70 years after Independence. Conditions get even more miserable for individuals in small towns, who are forced to study and work in poor light and sometimes, end up suffering losses or consequences too. Now, while the social message of saving electricity and creating awareness around the lack of basic facilities available for a majority of the population in India is one of the prime aspects of this film, Batti Gul Meter Chalu also wonderfully explores other facets of life - that of friendship and unrequited love. Susheel, Sunder and Lalita's equation is beautiful, and their friendship makes you wanna call up your BFF gang right away. It also showcases the other side of love, which remains a rather one sided affair. All this, without being too over-dramatic, which certainly helps maintain a good flow of the film and makes it an entertaining watch. Singh does a good job of putting together this delightful film. A special mention for the distinctive narration, which was rather interesting!

Overall, Batti Gul Meter Chalu is engaging and highly entertaining. It comes with the perfect blend of humour, drama and some really strong, poignant moments, while highlighting an important issue that needs immediate attention. The performances and dialogues prove to be the biggest strength, with Kapoor's act being the star of this show. I am definitely adding an extra star, just for that monologue!

Verdict: Highly recommended for it's exemplary performances (with Shahid Kapoor leading the pack) dialogues and the stunning landscape of Uttarakhand!

☆☆☆☆

Have you seen Batti Gul Meter Chalu yet? What are your thoughts on this film?

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With Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif already in the lead, it looks like the cast of Ali Abbas Zafar's directorial venture Bharat, keeps getting bigger. It is now confirmed that actor Jackie Shroff has joined the team, and will be seen essaying the role of Khan's father in the film. 

Zafar confirmed that the Parinda actor has stepped in to play Khan's father in the period film.

Interestingly, Bharat depicts the eternal bond shared by a father and son, which was quite evident in the teaser released on Independence day last month. The film traces a journey of 60 years, and boasts of a strong ensemble cast including Disha Patani, Sunil Grover, Tabu among others. 

Talking about Shroff joining the cast, director Zafar shares, "We met Jaggu da in London and discussed his dates and looks. I have wanted to work with him for a long time, as I feel he is the  perfect amalgamation of a star and actor. I was very glad as Jackie sir instantly liked the story and agreed to do the film in just 20 minutes of narration."

After wrapping the first schedule in Mumbai earlier this year, the team recently concluded the second schedule in Malta. The film will further be shot across Abu Dhabi, Punjab and Delhi. The cast has been sharing pictures from the sets on their respective social media platforms, piquing the interests of the audience. The team shot for a grand circus sequence in the first schedule, along with a song choreographed by Vaibhavi Merchant featuring Khan and Patani. The film showcases Patani as a trapeze artist. Some of the scenes required the actress to perform some cool action sequences and stunts with fire. For this, Patani geared up for months and rehearsed some of the acts before the film went on floors. 

A post shared by Bharat (@bharat_thefilm) on Aug 2, 2018 at 8:25am PDT

There were also some images of Khan performing daredevil stunts on a motorbike, amidst a ring of fire in the circus set up, which further added to the excitement around this film. Interestingly, the actor will be seen sporting five different looks in the film, spanning 60 years. A crucial part of the film will showcase Khan in his late 20s, looking lean and younger. It is also said that the actor will recreate his avatar from the 90s hit 'Karan Arjun'.

Bharat marks Khan and Zafar's third collaboration together, after Sultan and Tiger Zinda Hai.

The film is produced by Atul Agnihotri's Reel Life Production Pvt. Ltd and Bhushan Kumar's T-Series, and is scheduled for an Eid 2019 release.

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Versatile actors don't leave any stone unturned to get the nuances of their character right in a film. Varun Dhawan hasn't shied away from experimenting with his looks and personality while essaying a character - be it the bindass Raja in Judwaa 2 or demure Dan in October. In his next, titled Sui Dhaaga - Made in India, the actor will be seen playing the role of an innocent local tailor from the heartland of India, named Mauji. Ever since the first look of this film was released, Varun's transformation into a local simpleton was widely appreciated. The simplicity and authenticity of his character (from whatever one could see in the trailer) and the overall look has become a talking point among the audience and his fans. 

So, we looked out for the inspiration behind this look. Costume designer Darshan Jalan, who has worked on Dhawan's look in the film, revealed the big secret behind his inspiration. No one knows that the tailor overseeing Dhawan’s prep and training for the film, Noor, is the real inspiration behind Mauji’s look! 

Adds Jalan, “Mauji is from the lower middle class income strata. He is a simple person who works in the city as a help/peon at a sewing machine store. Regular people on the streets became an inspiration for us, like the Ittar perfume guy from the streets of Haridwar and particularly Noor, our in-house tailor who was also training Varun to perfect his art of stitching and tailoring." From a styling point of view, Jalan said that they ensured Varun’s look had nuances that only a tailor would come up with. He quips, "There are certain elements, such as zipper on the side of the pants, so that he could reduce the size of the flare to keep it from getting caught while cycling. Zipper on the trouser hem, so that the ends don't tear. I truly believe that these intricate details makes the audience see something new and adds to the authenticity of the character from a small town in India.”

Talking about his inspiration for the character, Dhawan adds, “Noor has been integral to Sui Dhaaga. He was my trainer for 3 months. He laid the foundation stone to my transformation for becoming Mauji. I’m indebted to him for teaching me the art of sui-dhaaga and making me a believable tailor on screen. And, I heard that his sense of dressing inspired my look in the film also." The actor further adds that everything in this film is about authenticity, and being real. "That’s what is making audiences love our trailer. I’m happy that my look has been well received and the credit goes to Darshan and obviously my teacher - Noor, who has left his impression over my character,” said Dhawan.

Yash Raj Films' Sui Dhaaga - Made in India, highlights the journey of finding love and respect through self-reliance, VD is paired opposite Anushka Sharma, who plays an embroiderer in the film.  The duo have been paired together for the first time, and if the reactions are anything to go by, the audience is clearly loving their sweet chemistry (anyone else hooked on to Chaav Laga already?)

The film also marks the collaboration of National Award winning producer - director combo Maneesh Sharma and Sharat Katariya, after Dum Laga Ke Haisha, which earned fine accolades from all corners. The makers aim to promote the film as a special salute to the inherent entrepreneurial spirit of local artisans and Indian youth.

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"Today, I remember the hot day of 1998 at Pokhran: 53C. When most of the world was sleeping; India's nuclear era emerged." These are the words of India's Missile Man, and one of the biggest faces behind a landmark event - Dr. A.P. J Abdul Kalam. In a tweet sent out on May 11, 2015 (on his now de-activated official Twitter account), Dr. Kalam - who at the time of the event served as the DRDO [Defence Research and Development Organisation] chief, recalled the memories of what could be one of India's biggest superpower moment in the 90s: Pokhran-II [Operation Shakti-98].

On a sultry afternoon in 1998, the then Prime Minister - Atal Bihari Vajpayee, announced that a historic nuclear test was conducted at a test site in Pokhran, a small city in the Jaisalmer district (Rajasthan). While addressing the nation, he confirmed that around 15:45 pm, India had conducted three underground nuclear tests at Pokhran. He added, "These were contained explosions like in the experiment conducted in May 1974. I warmly congratulate the scientists and engineers who have carried out the successful tests. Thank you very much indeed." The tests and Prime Minister's subsequent announcement left the world stunned, especially since the entire mission was conducted with utmost secrecy. 

Needless to say, the news spread like wild fire and soon, the story was covered by Indian and International media outlets, with local newspapers headlining the event as a huge success for the country. The entire mission also highlighted the technological and nuclear capabilities of our country, in addition to strengthening the security. Impeccable strategy, detailed research and planning; a lot went behind the success of Pokhran-II. It is said that scientists from DRDO would go undercover, every time they visited Pokhran. They would also work at night, in order to ensure that the satellites are unable to capture any ongoing activity [and thus, successfully maintain secrecy around the mission, especially from the CIA]. It also said that only a handful of people were part of the discussions and process. Even the then Defence Minister - George Fernandes, was unaware about the meetings and conversations, that would take place between the Prime Minister and those involved in the mission.

Image Source: India Today

Apart from several key aspects, what made this event important was the fact that it changed the perception of India on a global level.  The Pokhran test made the world sit up and take notice of our nation, with some countries even raising eyebrows and questioning the 'secret' mission. However, it was marked as an event that would carve the path for India to join the 'big league of nations'. It won't be wrong to say that the combined efforts of the Government and leading scientists made it a real success. 

What's important to note is the fact that after the historic test, it was announced that India would never be the first to use nuclear weapons against other countries. Unless, nuclear weapons are used against India, in which case, the country would certainly retaliate. This theory helped establish India's military, diplomatic and political policy in the international arena. While the test led to major negative reactions from the U.S, subsequent dialogues and meetings led to the foundation of the nuclear deal in 2008, almost a decade later. In his book "How India sees the World", former Foreign Secretary Shyam Sharan had stated that over the years, India's relationship with the West and U.S has crystallised into a mutually beneficial and substantive relationship. Two decades since that day, India is now a member of leading global non-proliferation regimes and is still in the running for NSG membership. The Pokhran-II nuclear test launch was a major turning point for India, making it an event to remember, even today. 

20 years later, it was great to see actor John Abraham's production venture - Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran, highlight the forgotten story behind one of modern India's most important milestone. It brought back memories of the day, that turned the tables for India on a global level. For his film, Abraham chose May 25 as the release date, which was just a few days apart from the original Pokhran-II test launch date. The film went on to gross more than 91 cr worldwide, and was declared - 'Hit'. A wonderful story of determination, Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran - starring Abraham, Diana Penty among others, is one film that you cannot miss! And, what better than re-living this historic moment on the Indian Independence day this year? 

If you missed the film in theatres [or would like to re-watch it], mark your calendars! Watch the world television premiere of Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran on August 15, 2018 at 12 noon, only on Zee Cinema. Highly recommended by all of us at Team Dancebee!

Have you seen the film? 
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The trailer of Shree Narayan Singh's much anticipated social drama - Batti Gul Meter Chalu was finally launched earlier today. Starring Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Yami Gautam and Divyendu Sharma in the lead; the film is a social drama based in Northern India. The main plot focuses on electricity woes and theft, faced by the common man in the country.

Batti Gul Meter Chalu is based in Uttarakhand, where the locals face power cut and electricity theft almost everyday. The three friends [played by Shahid, Shraddha and Divyendu] make merry and have fun, until things take a crucial turn and change their lives forever. Kapoor is seen playing a lawyer, whose life is all hunky dory [one can also see some shades of corruption in the initial stage of his character], until things go awry in his friend's life, thanks to a huge electricity bill slapped on the latter's face. Unable to make ends meet or find a solution, the friend [Sharma] commits suicide, and that is when Kapoor decides to take matters in his own hands, in order to teach the authorities a lesson. While the film largely focuses on a social issue, it has some light hearted moments and a good dose of entertainment as well.

We felt the trailer is hard hitting, and manages to impress with every frame. It pretty much presents the main crux of the film, and creates curiosity. The characters look fresh. One could see a pattern set by colours in the trailer, ranging from myriad colours to monochrome tones towards the end. We like the cinematography, which brings the scenic locales of Uttarakhand to life. From whatever we saw during the 3 min long trailer, it was evident that Kapoor is all set to impress with yet another brilliant performance. Yet again, the actor is seen sporting a fresh look, with a different personality and new dialect. We see him showcase an impressive range of emotions in a short span, which speaks volumes about his fabulous calibre as an actor. Needless to say, we are sure the actor will deliver a memorable performance, and impress us with his act. Shraddha plays the feisty Lalita, while Yami would be seen as a lawyer in the film. Both make a mark with their respective characters. Divyendu's pivotal character is something to watch out for, and the actor stands out with his act as well!

Helmed by Singh [whose last film - Toilet: Ek Prem Katha was a smash hit of 2017], Batti Gul Meter Chalu promises to create an impact with a strong message, without being too preachy, thanks to some light heartedness in the form of dance numbers and humour. The screenplay and dialogues have been written by Sidharth - Garima, while the film is based on 'Roshni' written by Vipul Rawal [who had earlier written the Akshay Kumar starrer Rustom]. Anu Malik has been roped in to compose the music of this film, making it a comeback of sorts for the 'Shahid - Anu' combo after a long time. The film has been largely shot in Uttarakhand. BGMC also brings the 'Haider' jodi of Shahid and Shraddha together after four years.

#BattiGulMeterChaluTrailer 💡@TSeries https://t.co/28077kdBsH

— Priya Adivarekar (@priyaadivarekar) August 10, 2018

After a few initial hurdles during the early stage of production, the film got rolling as soon as Bhushan Kumar's T-Series stepped in to support and release the film. With the trailer crossing several thousand views every minute and the title trending on social media, the film has managed to create a good buzz and excitement. Batti Gul Meter Chalu is scheduled to release on September 21, 2018. Well, September looks 'power'ful already!

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It looks like Sonakshi Sinha is truly one 'Happy' girl. The actress, who stars in the sequel to 2016's semi-hit 'Happy Bhag Jayegi', is cooking up a fun concoction of Punjabi meets China town in a special track from the film. And guess what? She has lent her voice for the song too!


China and it's various aspects play a crucial role in the sequel - Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi. With a distinctly oriental flavour attached to the adventures of it's crazy and happy characters, the film features many Chinese elements such as it's language, culture, clothing, locales and even characters based in the country. Hence, the makers decided to look back at one of the most unforgettable Bollywood dance numbers, inspired by Chinese elements. However, that's not without adding their own fun twist. Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi will feature the iconic ' Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu', originally shot on Helen and sung by Geeta Dutt for the 1958 hit - Howrah Bridge. 

A post shared by Sonakshi Sinha (@aslisona) on Aug 9, 2018 at 11:50pm PDT

The recreated version includes Punjabi lyrics and a more pumped up melody, blended together with popular lyrics from the original song. The track has been recreated by Sohail Sen, with lyrics and rap by Mudassar Aziz [who has also directed the film]. Jassie Gill and Sinha, who play lead roles in the film, have sung the male and female parts respectively. The song was launched across social media platforms earlier today. It features Sinha sporting a rather cute hairdo, dancing around a club, grooving to some crazy steps, along with other cast members - including Gill, Jimmy Sheirgill, Piyush Mishra among others. All this, while trying to save her life from some local goons!

After playing 'Raja Rawal Ratan Singh' in the historical drama Padmaavat earlier this year, Shahid Kapoor is back with a bang. The actor, who is gearing up for the release of his next film Batti Gul Meter Chalu, has been busy burning the dance floor in suburban Mumbai studios for a special project. It is now confirmed that he is all set to feature in a very exciting single, that is being produced Bhushan Kumar of T-Series.

Remember the chartbuster - 'Urvashi Urvashi' featuring Prabhudheva, where the actor was seen showcasing some insane moves? An entire generation grew up listening to and dancing on this popular track. The song from Prabhudheva - Nagma's Tamil film Kadhalan [also released in 1994 as 'Humse hai Muqabala' in Hindi] is all set to be recreated with a twist. And this time, the audience will be treated to some kickass moves by Kapoor. The actor has already stepped into the shoes of dance icon Prabhudheva for the song, and was rigorously rehearsing with choreographer Sanjay Shetty's team since a few weeks. The video was shot by director Gifty in Mumbai this week.

Interestingly, the song has been recreated by popular music producer Yo Yo Honey Singh, and has been sung, written and composed by him. Actress Kiara Advani will feature alongside Kapoor in the track. "We’ve changed the lyrics, but the hook line remains the same. The song does not showcase a love story, but a new-age relationship between Shahid and Kiara. Even the choreography is contemporary. We are shooting on a club set in Film City. Earlier this week, we had also filmed some shots in a parking lot, in order to give the video an underground kind of a feel,” stated Shetty, adding that Shahid is super excited and looks like a complete rockstar.

The actress admits that although she was excited about featuring in the  super hit number, she was nervous too. “I know the pressure one goes through when a classic song is recreated. There will be comparisons. This could be my ode to Prabhu sir. Also, we all know Shahid is a great dancer, I was nervous about matching up to his skills, but he was super fun to work with. We were in sync from the word go,” stated Kiara.

Ask Kumar about the recreation, and he quips, “The original number feat Prabhu Deva was an iconic chartbuster composed by AR Rahman. Yo Yo Honey Singh has recreated this version as per the taste of today's young generation. This track will the onscreen magic with Shahid Kapoor and Kiara Advani, and I am sure the next generation will have a have blast dancing to this song, when it releases.”

Contrary to reports that stated how this track would feature or be a part of Kapoor's upcoming film - Batti Gul Meter Chalu, a source close to the project confirmed that this isn't the case. The 'Urvashi' recreation would be a separate single, and has nothing to do with the film.

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