Salman never sacked Shirish from Kick: Farah Khan

Contrary to rumours, Farah Khan states that her husband chose to bow out of Salman Khan's upcoming Bollywood remake 

Recently the industry was abuzz with rumours that Shirish Kunder had been given the boot from Sajid Nadiadwala's remake of South film Kick. However, the editor-turned-director's wife Farah Khan slams the reports and states that it was Shirish who bowed out of the project.

There were numerous reports on how after seeing the debacle of Joker at the box office, the makers of the Bollywood remake starring Salman Khan wanted Shirish out of the project. Our source says, It was unfortunate that Joker did not do well. Even his leading actors Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha did not stand by their director. No wonder these rumours started floating around.

Rubbishing these rumours, Farah states, `They never sacked Shirish from the film. It was completely his decision to leave. They should not have projected it like that.
In fact, two weeks before Joker's release he had opted out of this film. He had even called Salman and told him about it apart from stating it on a social networking site. But somehow when they announced the development, they made it sound like they had sacked him.

The failure of Joker, Farah says, has also taught the couple to handle disappointments in a better manner.

She says, Success and failure come in every profession. What happened to Joker was not nice and could have been avoided. I have decided to move on. It is all about Friday. If our next film works, people are going to forget everything from the past.

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Shirish stuns Salman - A blow by blow account of what transpired in Sajid's office

It was Shrish Kunder who volunteered to opt out of Kick. And it was decided by mutual consent that the matter would be kept under wraps until the release of Kunder's calamitous Joker. 

But Kunder texted to Salman immediately after the meeting with Nadiadwala informing the star that he is no more a part of Kick. Salman in turn, got in touch with Nadiadwala. 

And the rest is hysteria. 

One got that not from Kunder or his irate wife Farah Khan, but from a source very close to Nadiadwala. 
The plot involving Shirish Kunder's exit from producer Sajid Nadiadwala's proposed action thriller Kick, has now thickened and curdled. What with a source very close to Nadiadwala spilling the beans on what really transpired behind closed doors between Sajid and Shirish on the afternoon of August 24, a week ahead of the release of Shirish's disastrous Joker. 

Says a very close friend of Nadiadwala, It was on the 24th, one week ahead of the release of Joker, that Sajid called Shirish over to his office to narrate Kick to Salman Khan. Rightfully it was the Kick writer Rajat Arora who should have done the narration. But Rajat is nowadays busy with Once Upon Time In Mumbaai 2. So Sajid invited the fiilm's purported director Shirish to do the needful. 
According to Sajid's friend when Shirish arrived and the two friends hugged, Shirish dropped a bomb. He told Sajid that the narration for Kick should be done by Rajat and if Rajat was not available Sajid should do the narration, as, Shrish was to occupied with Joker to do justice to a narration of Kick for Salman. 

Before Sajid could react to this shocker, Shirish dropped an even bigger bomb. Shirish suggested that Sajid should himself direct Kick since he, Sajid, had envisioned the whole project. 

Too numbed to react, Sajid got up to see Shirish to the door. They hugged and it was mutually decided that the announcement of Shirish's exit from Kick would be made after the release of Joker. 

Here's where Shirish's behaviour gets even more baffling. Apparently immediately after he left Sajid Nadiadwala's office Shirish, messaged to Salman informing the superstar he was no longer directing Kick. 
Says Nadiadwala's friend, Salman immediately contacted Sajid to ask what was going on. Sajid apprised Salman of the whole situation.

Salman promptly suggested to Sajid, You direct Kick. Salman has been urging Sajid to turn director for ten years. But earlier Sajid never considered the prospect of turning director seriously. 

But after this incident, when Shirish walked out of the project and Salman suggested that Sajid take over, Sajid saw no reason to avoid the inevitable plunge. He decided to take over the direction of Kick. 
The film starts shooting in early 2013. Where does this 'Kick' back leave Shirish Kunder's career? 

According to Sajid Nadiadwala's friend, Shirish definitely has some plan up his sleeve. Otherwise he would have never walked out of Kick so coolly. 

Kunder's next move would decidedly provide an interesting twist to this tale.

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Post Joker, Shirish Kunder thrown out of Salman-starrer Kick

Just a day after the release of his latest film "Joker", Shirish Kunder announced Saturday that he is no longer on board as the director of Salman Khan-starrer "Kick". The movie's producer Sajid Nadiadwala will step behind the camera for it now. 

"Sajid Nadiadwala will be directing 'Kick'. He had originally envisioned the project and I feel he is the best person to bring it to life, " tweeted Kunder. 

"Kick" is the Hindi remake of a 2009 Telugu film of the same name. 

Kunder, who earlier directed "Jaan-E-Mann" in 2006, and has now released "Joker", says "I'll continue with my efforts to make original films and bring novel stories in a mainstream format." 
"Remakes for now do not interest me. It is easy for me to do what everyone else is doing or what is working. But I'll always choose to attempt something new with every film, " he added. 

Kunder, a film editor-turned-director, is married to choreographer-director Farah Khan

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Trying innovative ideas full of struggle: Shirish

After making a musical "Jaan-E-Mann", Shirish Kunder has tried to be different with fantasy adventure drama "Joker" and the filmmaker hopes it helps him explore new genres.

"The problem with trying innovative things is that no one believes you when you are making it. The entire process is full of struggles, " Kunder tweeted.

"The acceptance to #JOKER will make it possible for me to explore new genres and fresh stories. I will attempt a new genre with every film, " he added.

The film, releasing Friday, features Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha in lead roles.

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Furious Akki feels cheated by Shirish and Farah

The actor has apparently vowed never to work with Shirish Kunder and Farah Khan again 

The friendship between Akshay Kumar and Farah Khan-Shirish Kunder is over. The actor director who worked together in Tees Maar Khan and then as a producer for their upcoming film are no longer buddies and do not even talk to each other. 

Akshay who is now back with a bang has been upset with the film creatively and that is the reason why he has completely distanced himself from the project. In fact, Akshay has vowed never to work with the husband-wife duo ever again in his life.

Past perfect

A source from the production unit says, Akshay Kumar is someone who would never leave a film incomplete. His past record proves that he has never left a film mid-way.

He was creatively dissatisfied with the film as he felt cheated that whatever was promised to him was never delivered. In spite of all this, he completed the film and then decided to distance himself.
The source adds, After Jaan-E-Maan flopped, he still worked with a script that was written by Shirish and in spite of the disastrous result of the film, he went ahead and did this film.

Akshay was promised that the film will be made in 3D. However, when the film went on the floors, he was told that the film will be converted to 3D and was shot accordingly. However that never happened.

Miffed over a certain Khan?

Apparently, differences crept up around one of the film's music tracks also. The source states, When Akshay heard the song I Want Fakt You, he immediately objected saying that his fans are family audiences and he would not want the song included in the film. 

Though the track was changed to Just You, the makers still went ahead and promoted it as Fakt You. The final nail on the coffin was when Farah went and promoted the film with Shah Rukh Khan. Akshay felt hurt and distanced himself from doing any promotions of the film.
The source finally said, While the film's makers have been claiming that Akshay will start promoting the film post August 27, the actor apparently will be leaving town on the same morning to shoot for Milan Luthria's gangster sequel.

In fact, he is not going to be around for the release also.

While Farah Khan and Shirish Kunder refused to comment, Akshay Kumar remained unavailable.

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Golkot is Salman's fan: Shirish Kunder

A week away from its release, filmmaker Shirish Kunder introduces alien Golkot with the new promo of "Joker" and says that the alien is fan of Salman Khan in the movie.

"Golkot is a big fan of Salman Khan and strikes the same pose as he did in 'Ek Tha Tiger'. I am sure Salman will find this quite funny," Kunder said in a statement.

"Joker" also stars Sonakshi Sinha, Shreyas Talpade and Minissha Lamba. It revolves around a fictitious place, Paglapur where an Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) once landed and how it changed the lives of people.

New new promo of "Joker" resembles the poster image of Salman's recent blockbuster "Ek Tha Tiger" and Kunder worked with international experts to make it.

Jointly produced by UTV Motion Pictures, Akshay Kumar's Hari Om Productions and Farah Khan-Shirish Kunder's Three's Company Productions Pvt, the film hits theatres Aug 31.

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Joker is only 105 minutes long

Film editor-turned-director Shirish Kunder has decided to serve his fantasy adventure film in a crisp and entertaining way by narrating it in just 105 minutes.

"All action-packed big Hollywood family entertainers that kids from the world over have loved, like 'Spiderman' and 'Transformers' have a run time of approximately 90 mins. 'Joker' is about one hour 45 mins and it has all the ingredients you need to enjoy a pure family entertainer," Kunder told.

"It's a family film that will make you and your kids come out with a smile on your face," he added.

It was reportedly actor Akshay Kumar, the lead actor of the film, who insisted on keeping the film short for the kids' liking.

Kunder helmed his first film "Jaan-E-Mann" in 2006. It did average business at the box office.

"Joker", which also features Sonakshi Sinha, will release Aug 31.

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Item number in Joker raises activist's heckles

Hindi movie 'Joker', scheduled for release Aug 31, could face legal hurdles over a raunchy item number that allegedly insults patriotic sentiments, an activist said here Thursday

A legal notice has been served on the Central Board of Film Certification demanding deletion of the item number. The song has "caused an intolerable insult to our first warrior of independence, Rani Laxmibai, famous as Jhansi ki Rani," said Rajkumar Tak, the Maharashtra director of International Human Rights Association.

"The song, 'Kaafirana', carries offensive words and utters the name of the great warrior princess Jhansi Ki Rani in a derogatory manner.

We want the producer, Shirish Kunder, to delete the item number or Rani Laxmibai's name must be deleted from that song," lawyer S. Kunjuraman told. "Joker" stars Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha in the lead role, and the controversial item number has been picturised on Chitrangada Singh.

The lyrics sung by Sunidhi Chauhan and Adarsh Shinde feature words like "bevdi, bawaal, kaafirana, paapi ye ang hai, saali kalank hai, fultoo dabangg hai, kholeye ab, do peg, baby I just want you, Jhansi Ki Rani," Kunjuraman pointed out.

Tak said that the pre-release video of the song shows a "vulgar item girl gyrating like a drunkard" and revolving a long stick symbolizing the sword of Rani Laxmibai. Kunjuraman warned that unless the producers complied, they would be compelled to move the Bombay High Court and seek appropriate relief.

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Shirish Kunder unemployed!

Director Shirish Kunder says ever since he has finished post-production work on his forthcoming fantasy adventure movie "Joker", he has started feeling unemployed.

The 39-year-old expressed his feeling through tweets.

"With each reel of 'Joker' getting finalised, work for me is getting less. Really don't know what to do with my time anymore. Feeling jobless."

Starring Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha, "Joker" is slated for an Aug 31 release.

Kunder's last directorial project was 2006 film "Jaan-E-Mann".

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Shirish won't enjoy watching me with another man: Farah Khan

Farah Khan says her family has supported her in her acting debut "Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi", but she isn't sure if her husband Shirish Kunder would go and see the film.

"Shirish, of course, encouraged me a lot, but I don't know whether he is ready to see the movie because he is not one of the husbands who would enjoy watching his wife holding hands with someone else. So I am not pushing him for it," Farah said here. 

Her kids - triplets son Czar, and daughters Diva and Anya - gave mixed reactions to her new role as an actress. 

"My kids are too young (4 years old), but my son didn't like watching me wearing a skirt and dancing around. He couldn't handle it. He used to say 'Yeh mumma nahi chahiye (I don't want this mother)'. 

"So I used to go home and remove all the make up. The girls were very excited and said 'Wear this only', but my son used to get very psyched," she said.
The choreographer-turned-director-turned-actress says she had to step out of her comfort zone to essay Shirin in the film. 

"To look like Shirin was not my comfort zone. Wearing Parsi ladies' clothes... I was at the fattest for that movie and nobody asked me to lose weight. I just said I will tell people I was asked to put on weight for the role, but that is not true," she said. 

Farah also could not relate to the make-up, heels, costumes and "sitting with the fake nails". 

Directed by Bela Sehgal, "Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi" features Boman Irani opposite Farah. The film will release Aug 24.

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Joker item song I fakta want you leaked online

A previous controversial version of a particular song from Shirish Kunder’s film has found its way to the web 


Shirish Kunder may have been trying very hard to keep this one under cover but looks like fate had other plans for him. 

Incidentally, after the filmmaker changed the title of one of the tracks from his upcoming film — from ‘I fakta want you’ to ‘I only want you’ — the original version somehow has been leaked on the web.

Shiris’s wife Farah Khan denies having any knowledge of how the song was leaked. She states, “I have absolutely no clue how this happened. We had earlier recorded this song.

But when we saw the film, all of us including Akshay Kumar felt that since it is a family film, we should not risk an ‘A’ certificate just for this song. So we called Sunidhi Chauhan to record the song again. We wanted to do away with any controversy.” 


Farah also adds that while every effort is being made to pull the song off the web, it is proving to be difficult. The choreographer-turned-director recalls how just a few days before the official launch of her film Tees Maar Khan’s promo, someone had leaked it.”

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Kunder plans to shoot Kick from November

Editor-turn-director Shirish Kunder, who is now working on post-production of "Joker", says he plans to shoot Salman Khan-starrer "Kick" from November.

The filmmaker told: "My film 'Kick' will go on the floors from November. We have not decided the exact dates yet...it also depends on Salman's dates."

As far as the leading lady is concerned, "it is not yet finalised. It will take some time," he added.

Kunder had teamed up with Salman and Akshay Kumar in his directorial debut "Jaan-E-Man". Released in 2006, it also featured Preity Zinta, but despite big names it didn't click at the box office.

Right now Kunder's focus is on "Joker", which has Akshay and Sonakshi Sinha in the lead roles.

"Currently, I am completely involved with my project 'Joker'. It is in the post-production stage and I am busy with 'Joker'," he said.

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