While discussing Jewel Theif:
Abhinandan: I tried to find a redeeming quality about the film. I couldn’t find anything.
Rajyasree: The romance didn’t inspire you to fall in love?
Abhinandan: This film almost inspired me to jump off a high building...In future, I would suggest that you don’t suggest anything we watch.
Rajyasree: But then we’d be watching nothing.
Abhinandan: Which would still be better than watching Jewel Thief.
This and a whole lot of awful and awesome as Abhinandan Sekhri and Rajyasree Sen discuss the movie Jewel Thief. They also interview Anuvab Pal, Rahul DaCunha and Bhargava Krishna – the team behind the upcoming film Pune Highway.
Have something to say? Write to us at newslaundry.com/podcast-letters.
Timecodes
00:00 - Introductions and announcements
03:32 - Subscriber letters
05:52 - Jewel Thief
19:46 - Interview with the team of Pune Highway
1:01:31 - Letters
References
Jewel Thief - The Heist Begins
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Produced and recorded by Priyali Dhingra and Anil Kumar, edited by Umrav Singh.
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-: [00:00:00] This is a News Laundry podcast and you're listening to Awful and Awesome.
Rajyasree: Hello, hello. This is the Awful and awesome Entertainment rap episode 3 86. This is Yashi Sen,
Abhinandan: and this is ab. We are recording on the 13th of May at four in the afternoon in Delhi, which is extremely cloudy as you see in Punjab. What that means,
Rajyasree: it's looking like 8:00 PM
Abhinandan: That's what,
Rajyasree: like that you'll see it.
Abhinandan: Yeah,
Rajyasree: we see a, you see the difference in the language? Yeah. That you take too many, you take too many
Abhinandan: words to communicate. Simple thought, which is consistent with your presentation style. But, uh, I wanna speak very
Rajyasree: little today.
Abhinandan: Oh, oh my God. We have to see to B But today is a very special episode 'cause a, we have both watched something that is relatively new, which is [00:01:00] Ju Thief.
Yeah. Jewel Thief. Jewel Thief, which you'll be reviewing And we have, uh, the cast and the director or writers,
Rajyasree: directors, both the directors of, of Pune Highway. So we have one member of the cast, we only have an but Pune, Jim Sa and Amit, and it's directed by Raul Deya and Bbar of, uh, Krishna.
Abhinandan: So we will have all of them here.
Uh, we will talk about their, or show
Rajyasree: it's a film. We'll talk about the film and other things because the film hasn't been released
Abhinandan: yet. Yeah. So the inside outside is the thing that I want to talk about. So I idea a lot of emails also, but before we do all that, uh, I'd like to. Urge all of you to subscribe and pay to keep news free as you see, the last week has demonstrated that during wartime the amount of fake news that legacy brands spread [00:02:00] was alarming and with zero shame.
And even now they think that all wrong information demonstrably false. Now if you think that's what they do in war time, think about what they're doing in peace time and then think, why do they do that? Because you don't matter. You don't. They don't give a shit about public interest journalism because like we've said, when the public pays, the public is served when advertisers pay address served.
So they have to keep the large corporation and governments happy. So this is a very good week to realize why you should pay to keep news free. The QR code is here. We have also sent two reporters to Kashmir because we said we cannot leave it to legacy media. They will keep giving us bullshit news. Uh, so.
Our journalism is funded by you, so please make sure that our reporters are provided for, they have the resource at the disposal so that we can continue to be unafraid and not working [00:03:00] on eggshells. When we talk about anything from politics to cinema. Sen, the only time we do take payment, we don't, but I've heard that someone gets a case of whiskey to review sea grid short films that I'm just saying, I don't know.
There's
Rajyasree: nothing wrong with the little alcohol to make life easier. That's all I'm saying.
Abhinandan: So actually, let's, uh, before the cast member and the directors of Pune Highway join us
Pune Highway trailer: Hmm.
Abhinandan: I'd like to talk about, uh, jewel Thief, but. For a change. I want to start. You always want to start. No, I always say, what do you think?
Because I don't wanna be interrupted. It never happens because then when I start talking about, I want you interrupt, but I want to start. But before that, if you want, you can read a couple of emails. 'cause we've got like 12. You're
Rajyasree: too kind. I have to say just like Just too much. Too Mucha. Okay. M has written.
Hello? RNA. I wanted to second the recommendation of the Chestnut Man, which a listener shared in the last episode. It was easily one of the best shows I've [00:04:00] watched in recent times. Wow. I'll watch. Netflix has a good collection of Nordics, cand noir or thrillers all set in depressing cold Scandinavian towns that I think Raje would appreciate All bonds.
I don't know what this is supposed to. With your monkey cap. Yeah. Apart from that show, the um, RA murders and dead wind are also good. Rohini has written a few years ago in an ENA episode. I recall Aan Nun saying that they picker being in anything will make it a great film for him. And something like if she appears in monkey bath, he will even give up on news, laundry and start listening to Monkey Bath.
Just wanted to let you know that she recently appear on Mo Percha a few months back. Don't know if you watch the episode,
Abhinandan: but it's over. I it's over. You moved on. I don't watch per, no, I haven't moved on, but. I'm like, I can't even get myself to watch her [00:05:00] an film, even if she's in it. So that this is that much that's
Rajyasree: love, but only that much love.
Abhinandan: Yeah. Only that much
Rajyasree: per sja, uh, respected. Ma'am, I have, I'm the respect, ma'am. I have come to enjoy this podcast more for the fun banter between you and Mr.
Ab and the reviews for I too, like Mr. Secret, don't want much of anything being reviewed. Very. This is not something to be proud of. No. However, I was in the mood for Guro westerns when Tombstone was suggested. I must see, perhaps it was not to my liking. Oh. But I have come to. Like old mid-century color movies from the fifties.
Very good. I believe technological risk constraints brought out true gold in storylines and actors. I wish you review some of them. Like Rear Window, which is one of my favorite films, which are surprisingly contemporary even today. FTII too is putting up their student films on their YouTube channel.
Perhaps you could look them up as well.
Abhinandan: Okay. Thank you Perry. Thank you for [00:06:00] recommendation and thank you for writing. And now Raan Thief, which you recommended, and I said I'll watch. We know why you recommended it.
Rajyasree: I did not recommend. I said it's a new film, which why should we not review? Because it has, so I'm, I'm, if
Abhinandan: I don't get defensive, you recommend it.
You put it on the list of what we should review.
Rajyasree: You made it sound like I like ju thi and thought it would be a classic if you find
Abhinandan: out if we did or not, if you did or not. But a couple of things here. Um, this film is directed by. Cookie
Rajyasree: ate.
Abhinandan: I love
Rajyasree: Cookie.
Abhinandan: So that'll give you an idea of how good it was as a thriller or whatever the fuck it was.
Cookie ate and Robbie Reval directed this film Then. Screenplays are David Logan. Any Logan. Any Logan, any [00:07:00] You can't make fun.
Rajyasree: And it stars who? It starts Han Carpenter.
Abhinandan: Buan. Buan Khan.
Rajyasree: Well, you know, national winner. I think he was also at one point who is spectacular as an actor usually. But Cookie
Abhinandan: said challenge accepted.
Can we make a brilliant actor act? Shit done And
Rajyasree: it Hass Ali K who has essay, some very memorable roles. Still now, Lagi and all. And then it has, uh, NTA and some other people.
Abhinandan: Okay, so I have never seen NTA and anything else? No. No. But Kunal Kaur, who was amazing in ran Basant, Kal Kaur has made a comeback in something.
He should not, he should have stayed away. So I have a few questions for you, Esan. I'll give you an idea of whether I liked it or not. [00:08:00]
Rajyasree: I, I can guess whether you like it or not. You don't have to make me, it's a riddle, riddle. I'm the ridler. Oh my God. Riddle me This
Abhinandan: riddle me that. Who's afraid of the big black, bad.
Very good. I know. Everything si So Rashi. What's worse than bad dialogue?
Rajyasree: I'm gonna say safe dialogue. Safe
Abhinandan: delivering. Bad dialogue. High five. You got it.
Rajyasree: No, I can't. I can't.
Abhinandan: That's the only thing that's worse than bad dialogue. Which is sad because the dialogue of this film has been written by someone, uh, Bengali.
No, it's so matter. Let me, he has written dialogue, uh, for three, which is great. And Jovan so clearly Cookie and Robbie. Have got out the best of everyone. Then the second thing, this film has lighting and one frame is going to come up here. We can, you can see it. Yeah. It has the lighting of a 90 [00:09:00] serial, just like light everything up.
It's just one big, just throw light on everything May very
Rajyasree: sunny, please.
Abhinandan: So the lighting is like amateur, uh, you know, um, theater and the cinematographer is Hoho. He's
Rajyasree: Bali. Just make fun of
Abhinandan: him. Don't make, so that is as far as cinematography is concerned. Okay, so let's also the background score. Is everywhere.
It's crowded with background, Scott, like no one can even fucking just look bored without tinging at the back. So there is lots of background score, and I suspect it is for the following reason, which is that this jewel thiefs is a jewel thief, a famous jewel thief. They have tried to make him cool, irresistible, really brilliant, very cerebral, very brave.
He's George Clooney, and also very loyal to his family [00:10:00] and loving and emotionally fulfilled and fulfilling. They have tried to make all him all these things. First of all. Trying to convince an audience, Seth is even one of these things is hard enough. He,
Rajyasree: he loves his family a lot.
Abhinandan: Trying to make it look like he can be two of those things is harder.
Trying to convince an audience that he can be all these things is impossible. So they said, how do we do it? They said, don't allow the audience to think, just fucking bombard them with background music then I dream. So Ri said, it is, is very rarely you have ever recommended anything worse. And uh, I will want your inputs also.
Thank you. But, uh, the only thing that I think is in, uh, you know, consistent with s and the character is that his name in the show is Rahan Roy. Which means he a
Rajyasree: no, but Han not, they did not see Bengali, the rest of their behavior. Roy has
Abhinandan: to be Bengali.
Rajyasree: No, you've forgotten the guy who was a cop in, uh, this thing, the [00:11:00] DIG in.
This is when I first found out that Roys are not Bengali's only. I, my classmates first start don't be like,
Abhinandan: and then like we think you finish a sentence and then you ought to say only
Rajyasree: I. It's like that. Don't send the nuclear weapon. No, it's like that. No sir. They are not Bng. Roys. But I had to say what?
But was he a
Abhinandan: Bengali in No, no, no,
Rajyasree: because Khun is not Bengal in the, in the film. How does he not Bengali? Because there was nothing Bengali accoutrements of this thing. But I if is Bengali also, there should be some
Abhinandan: and should be saying your, there's be pictures
Rajyasree: wearing a white red fatality. But I have to say with this film, which I, I took notes because it was so funny.
Uh. One that they had. Gustav Klim, they do a little in [00:12:00] the opening, first five minutes, they talk about Gustav Klimt's painting. And I was just thinking, who have they written this film for? Because most people don't know who CLM is, but just show us that it's a very well informed person.
Abhinandan: Obviously if the directors are cookie ti, cookie
Rajyasree: GTI is very well and, and very Val.
Abhinandan: The Punjabis are the most cultured. They know about art, clearly they know about science, they about culture, agriculture.
Rajyasree: I counted CL as mentioned in the first five minutes, three times in detail. Then there's lots of our art history. They did this painting here. This painting, theres in the beginning, so the starting is nice, but the S'S in a bath and he is.
Sort of naked, but then it all goes downhill from there. And oh, that was the best, that was point was that the other thing is that clearly s and with Netflix does this with almost all, uh, big stars. When you do one film, you don't sign a one film deal. You sign a three, two or three films. So this is [00:13:00] one of the films now, they're stuck
Abhinandan: together.
Now. Jerry say, what the fuck have I done? Jep
Rajyasree: made that film with, I'm stuck Karina. Which was a nice film. Then after that he said, had to do this because this is in the contract. Now you have to do another film. It might not have said that you have to do it with Seth. S is also made. He had made, what was that?
Vikram Chandra, that sacred game. He has a contract with Netflix, so they have to, so such, there was speculation. There's no other reason why j Specula have done this. There's no speculation. So you cannot,
Abhinandan: yeah, don't say, don't deduce journalistic outfits. Don't deduce. They tell you what we know. We don't know any of this ra, she's speculating, but I'm
Rajyasree: hoping that this is the reason.
Otherwise, it's worrying that Jdi has chosen this. But Jdi was the only bright spot in the film. But even for him, you could make out, it was just like he had to say the lines
Abhinandan: when you are early in your career, although J is not early, but there's he career, he's, everyone does stuff for money. Just to let you know, when I used to run a production, I was in the nineties, I have made a film for [00:14:00] Alliance.
So just saying, so we all do, we've all, we've all made as, as I wrote about, we've all done.
Rajyasree: But what I felt was, was the film is really bad, but what is worse than the film And worse for the actors, I felt they had to do promotional. Activities like a one-on-one interview with each other. Like
Abhinandan: today's highway Puna team has to do with us.
Yeah. And they're stuck with us. So these guys also, what the fuck? They're talking to us because they have to do promotion. Other, why would they wanna talk to us?
Rajyasree: That's not, so these guys also must have been like, what are we going to like, they have to answer serious questions about this rubbish. And the Okay.
Dance as
Abhinandan: well. So, yeah. But the thing is they have to answer this because the thing is, because otherwise safe does these re interviews and he's clearly an intellectual. He's very
Rajyasree: bright.
Abhinandan: So now he has to talk about dumb things like, so can I finish the rest my notes? Aren over's still? Yeah. Now one thing that, um, I've mentioned [00:15:00] this many times, the obsession with entries.
You know, this will be safe. This will be jep. That obsession entries continues and both the entries are really weak. Jeps is weak enough. And then Mr. Thief, and you of course know it's gonna cut to music, but he's in a bot and he's, and, and you know when, when you do an entry and the guy turns around. He should look like Melin Soman or Arjun Paul or Hugh Jackman.
You can't have that kind of music. The camera movement and the guy who turns around, okay, let's face it, he looks like a bit of a chomo. No, he's face, he's very good looking. You can't have Alfredy Newman look at you at the back end. No, he doesn't.
Rajyasree: No one
Abhinandan: will agree with this. Everyone agrees. Even people who don't like ri just sucks.
Then, uh, this film has been written for people who don't know that food. When you pick it up, it goes in your mouth. This film has been written by people who [00:16:00] sometimes pick up food and they say, okay, should I put this in my mouth? You put my nose away. It's like explained everything thing.
Fuck man. It is made. This film is written for people that if you fucking do not even know if I'm saying I'm going to sit on the chair, unless you diagrammatically represented, those people don't understand what is going to happen. This film has written for Beva, those people.
Rajyasree: Also the end is, uh, lifted. I the
Abhinandan: lifted.
Rajyasree: So it's from that Batman I
Abhinandan: gave up at 47, 48 minutes. It's
Rajyasree: from Michael Kein, you know, where Michael Ke looks up and he sees, uh, what's a very good looking Batman. Christian Bale is having a drink at the end of Batman. Mm. And they just look at each other and the next scene, uh, Christian Bale is no longer there.
And Michael [00:17:00] King doesn't say that he's seen
Abhinandan: Oh, that favorite nod. Yeah. Is not do mean. So they do that.
Rajyasree: So only thing is, uh, Kal Kaur is Michael King and says is Christian Bale.
Abhinandan: So that's quite cool. Uh, so the writing is also for amateur dramatics acting as amateur dramatics, plot casting. Everything is amateur dramatics.
Uh, I have no idea why such shit gets made. I have no why idea why people put money behind such shit. I have no idea why we watch this shit. I have no idea why people pay. To tell us about watching this shit. It's all a mystery. Ri Sent The World is a mystery,
Rajyasree: but aren't you thankful that it was a film and not a series?
It was just a one and a half hour film? I thought it was a series.
Abhinandan: See, even then I only worked 47 minutes.
Rajyasree: But that's just, yeah. And finally there was a twist in the film and everything was
Abhinandan: shit. I said, let me try to get some redeeming quality out of it, which was so, [00:18:00] uh, this, um, Mar Flx, it's been made by Mar Flx because India's originality, you know, Marvel, Netflix Mar Oh, I didn't even think of that.
I think they thought that we'll create a universe like there is universe X-Men universe tall mm-hmm. Marvel Universe. Because obviously we'll want to watch this Ju Thief again. Obviously he's so good. Not as a
Rajyasree: season. There's a
Abhinandan: part two sequel. Excellent. I'm sure it'll do brilliantly. Like it'll be, if it's even half as good as this to, so the mnemonic, you know, a monic is.
Okay, I'll explain to later. So the opening mnemonic of Marx, you know, no Indian, uh, production house has been able to get a really classy mnemonic going. At least you
Rajyasree: paid attention to it. They clearly
Abhinandan: get, you know, a lot of money spent on this. Like z used to have really good mnemonic in the beginning.
They used to be like musical notes thing, and then white background in this color. It wasn't bad. Uh, the 20th century Fox was an old one. Paramount was a 22. There is the lion [00:19:00] roaring.
Rajyasree: Yeah. HMB,
Abhinandan: no Indian production house. The red chili had a really cool one, uh, where, you know, this red glass shatters and this red sica, yeah, red chilis mnemonic is very good, but most mnemonics of enabled production houses.
What is
Rajyasree: flx is? I don't remember. It's just like
Abhinandan: something is molten iron is being pour or gold or whatever. It's, that's
Rajyasree: the least of their problems. No thought.
Abhinandan: I thought, let me try to find something. Nothing I could find out. The
Rajyasree: romance didn't, uh, inspire you to fall in love.
Abhinandan: This film almost inspired me to jump off a high building.
So Rashi, that was, uh, the wonder that is Jewel Thief. In Future, if I could suggest to you, don't suggest anything we watch. Okay.
Rajyasree: But then we'd be watching
Abhinandan: nothing, which is still better than watching Jewel Thief.
Rajyasree: I think everyone should watch Ju Thief and,
Abhinandan: uh, write in and tell us. Would you rather listen to me or rather, but we have on cue joining us.
A cast member, [00:20:00] I won't see the entire cast and the directors of Pune Highway the latest. The link is, uh, there. Here, here's the promo.
Pune Highway trailer: Dusty Huy. Cool. Gone. Dusty Hu
Gone.
Anuvab Pal: Dead Body.
Rajyasree: The film is releasing on the 23rd, right? 23rd,
Pune Highway trailer: yeah.
Rahul DaCunha: 23rd.
Abhinandan: Right. And the directors. I hope I get the pronunciation right. Rahul Una. Is that right?
Rajyasree: Una
Abhinandan: Kuna. Why is there No, I hear then. It's
Rahul DaCunha: okay. It's okay.
Abhinandan: It's,
Rahul DaCunha: but it's okay.
Abhinandan: Uh, who is a very big name in advertising? Rahi will tell you all about it.
And Harv Krishna. Hello. Bugs. Bugs, as it's called. And an has been often on, uh, hafta as well as an or [00:21:00] awesome. An pal famous standup comic and writer and columnist and, uh, screenwriters. In fact, I had heard of him before I met him. Did you know that?
Rajyasree: Yeah. Might through me or Nina. Who else would've you? I did not know you.
That those are my good days
Abhinandan: in life. Uh,
Rahul DaCunha: this friend
Abhinandan: of mine, everybody
Rahul DaCunha: knows ve everybody knows an he's up on every wanted list in every
Abhinandan: Yeah. No country. Sabrina had told me that I watched this film called Lo of Punjab, which a very funny guy called Anal. This is back in what year would that be? Ve you know,
Anuvab Pal: I, uh.
Kamra and I had a call earlier today. We were talking about something and we just realized this year will be the 20th year of lines of Punjab.
Abhinandan: My god. Damn. So there was that long ago. Oh, Al was also in it, of course. So Rahi, please introduce our directors. Tell us about their Amazing No, you have all seen their work in the past.
Rajyasree: Yeah. So, uh, Pune Highway is basically a play which Raul had, uh, written, [00:22:00] which bugs was part of, right. You were one of the actors and, uh, now it's been made into a film and they are both writers of the film and is one of the, uh, stars of the film. There's Unwarp, Jim Za, and Amit and, uh, who are playing the three main friends.
Right. It's who is it?
Rahul DaCunha: So if not to interrupt you, Rahi.
Rajyasree: Yeah. But
Rahul DaCunha: the fascinating thing is that an. Is playing in the film, what bugs played on stage? Oh, oh. So that's a hell of a thing because I, I don't mean to jump, jump your questions, but when it came to like Jim and Amit were a slam dunk for us because we wanted the two of them.
Hmm. And the time came to cast Nikki, which is what Bugs played on stage. I asked him, I said, you have to take a call as to who you want. And the first, and first and only name he thought of was Mr. Al. [00:23:00] Is that not a story? That is a story. I think that's an amazing story. And also, sorry, Rahi to jump. So when we called, he was doing standup in some foreign country, and I said, Paolo, we need to get onto a Zoom call immediately because it's about Pune Highway.
And he got all excited and he said. I'm on. What do you want me to do? Thinking that we want to, we need his help in the writing. And when we said we want you to be in it, I've ne you've known Paul. Yeah. As long as I have. There was a look of fear. It was that, you know, I you, you are too young, but you know, in Exorcist Yeah.
When, when our head turns round and round and round and then the bile comes out. Yeah. That was an for a second. And he said, I'll be back.
Rajyasree: And then he never got back on the Zoom call until he returned to Bombay. And you caught him.
Anuvab Pal: But said, [00:24:00] look, now, I think Yeah. That's the backstory. Yeah.
Rajyasree: So the story of the, the basic plot, why don't Tell Terra us the basic plot and then of course people will go and watch the film.
So I don't want you to give away.
Bhargava Krishna: Yeah. What
Rajyasree: happens?
Bhargava Krishna: There are some friends, four friends who grew up in a building in Bombay. South Bombay.
Rajyasree: Yeah.
Bhargava Krishna: And, um, and 140 kilometers away are dead bodies found in a lake and their lives go to ahead. So the question is, how, so how are they connected?
Abhinandan: So is there a coming of age film of three, three buddies?
You know, Chad, there, there is
Bhargava Krishna: coming of age in the sense that we do see them as, you know, eight year olds and we see them as 24 year olds. But when this happens at about 38, so they've come well of age by then. So it's
Rahul DaCunha: a, so I'm gonna, it is a three is a three timeline film. Mm-hmm. Uh, on [00:25:00] stage with this, all these limitations, one can only show them in the present and the past is talked about is backstory, right?
Over here. Film allowed us the, the luxury of being able to play them as 12-year-old because it's a story also about growing up in a building.
Abhinandan: Hmm.
Rahul DaCunha: Which is a, I don't know how it is in other cities, but, uh, in Bombay, growing up in the same building is a really big deal, you know, because it can be the most lackluster, you know, fall into pieces building, but it's everybody's, it's an emotion, you know, living in, in a Bombay building or a housing society, it's an emotion because the terrace is where you grow up.
You know, you have your parties and you have your, you know, you cut your cake and you take your height, you know, on the water tank. And then the compound below is where you play cricket, and the garage is where you have the, the, the carum.
Abhinandan: And that's pretty consistent across, you know, most of one, because it's the same experience you see in a lot of rush, a lot of rush.
The books, you have the same kind of experience of Bombay, [00:26:00] even, you know, back before the 2020s.
Rahul DaCunha: And, and then the, and then the families grow up in the same building. So you sort of, you live in, let's say in one flat, and then you, you get married, right? And then you buy this Yeah. Across generations, across the landing.
And so it becomes a, so this is something that I've always been obsessed with buildings and you know, what they mean to people. And, uh, so Ashanti b where the, where the boys grow up becomes a very integral part of, it's almost like a, like a fifth, like a fifth buddy, you know, in terms of, uh, and so, yeah, so I think the luxury of film is you can show the timelines.
You know what, you can only, what you can only talk about in theater, you act. We actually get to see them at 12, at 25, and at at, uh, at 40, at 38, 40
Abhinandan: a a And when you said theater, I know an has done theater and we'll just get to Anaba, but you and Bugs are both admin and I'll just, you know, our audience taste the [00:27:00] thunder.
Thumbs up. Test The Thunder is Bugs Line. He was, I guess the creative director for the entire campaign.
Bhargava Krishna: Yeah. I was the writer and then, then we conceived the campaign together and, and,
Abhinandan: and Rahul is the famous, you know, the Amal man who comes up for this regular amazing Amal lines, which are so timely and quick.
So, but you both have theater as well, part as part of your repository of talents and skills and interests.
Rahul DaCunha: I don't know about repository of skills and talent, but Interests, yeah. Passions. But I mean, that's what we do. We've tortured audiences Yeah.
Rajyasree: For their kids now. Yeah.
Abhinandan: I see. Okay. Yeah,
Rahul DaCunha: so, so there's a shared passion of theater, film, and advertising.
Uh, bugs Was, bugs has been like, I've been doing theater all these years and Bugs has been making films acting primarily and we both been doing, so we work. [00:28:00] Two advertising agencies have joined forces now. So we, the two agencies work together because, uh, we're trying to hang on to the last vestiges of a non ja non chat GBT, uh,
Abhinandan: yeah, also the, the, the golden age of ad agencies.
Also, it's, you know, is, is not what it used to be earlier what an ad agency meant.
Pune Highway trailer: Yes.
Rahul DaCunha: Yeah. So that's so that, sorry, that's a whole Then if we ever do one on that, that's a whole other story. We should actually do a
Abhinandan: round table on that. Yeah, that would be fascinating. How that entire world has changed
Bhargava Krishna: on the wrong terms, on the wrong terms made by a fabulous industry that made some really poor decisions in the nineties.
Abhinandan: Okay. That's an interesting part. I make a note of this. So Ka anab, anab, you have absolutely no interests, no advertising, no theater. Yeah. You not even,
Anuvab Pal: not even
Abhinandan: You are the right. Really. You are the other version of a new kind of, [00:29:00] uh, template for professional description that has come up from Bombay called I'm a Liver,
Pune Highway trailer: right?
Yeah.
Rajyasree: Right.
Abhinandan: You get most of a kidney. Yeah.
Rajyasree: Paul, you know the reference right? Are
Anuvab Pal: are these people? Who is this? Uh, this is already,
Rajyasree: yeah. Yeah, this is that Ori. Alright, so yeah,
Abhinandan: Uhhuh, you've been doing a lot of cinema flight. You were on in that historical drama of freedom at midnight, right? I've got the name wrong.
Yes.
Rajyasree: And he was a fabulously wonderful man. Yeah. He has said a man who upon, on fact I've seen you
Abhinandan: in a lot of films in the last two, three years. So
Anuvab Pal: what gives. So just, just, you know, because your audience has esteemed media people, uh, from around India and journalists and, and that lot. Uh, just, just to fill in a little bit about, you know, admin who's making, uh, who are making movies.
There seems to be a seismic, uh, change going on in Bombay in terms of how [00:30:00] films and web series are made. Hmm. Uh, earlier, if you think about it, it was the power was in the hands of a few actors who controlled everything and everybody played small parts. I think post covid, that whole world is dismantling.
I mean, you are talking to two gentlemen from advertising, you know, who then went into the theater, the good fortune of working with them in the theater. But now they are, they're starting sort of almost like a renegade and independent what would be seen in America in the seventies as an independent production company.
Right. Hmm. Um, just going out and working with actors that they want to. Um, and I never wanted to, you know. Be an actor or any of that. But I think certain characters like the, the earlier there'd be audition processes and the only parts available would be the best friend of Han or whatever, which that world I think is dwindling now where directors are literally saying, I think this guy looks like this guy, or I think this guy would be very good.
Which is what happened when Nick Banney and [00:31:00] Freedom at Midnight, where he saw a pho photograph, I think of ura and said, I think this guy looks like the comedian and Bugs and Raul with whom I had, uh, previously worked in the theater. And I think, you know, for your media audience, they need to know that Bugs, uh, is three films old.
Like, uh, a lot of people would've seen Borrowed House, A lot of people would've seen Bugs is a John Ramal film. A lot of stuff that sits on Z now. Uh, and people can go and revisit those films as well. Um. I'm forgetting the third film. Nail polish, nail polish, Polish pigeon, pigeon, pigeon, nail polish and pigeon.
So, so you are, you are dealing with, you know, like, and now these two forces came together and said, we want a film. And you know, gym Za Amid Sar and Me are not a combination that you could sell to Yara. You know what I mean? But that world doesn't exist anymore, you know, so nobody knows what works.
Rajkumar route today has a 500 crow hit. Uh, tomorrow A tiny film can become the [00:32:00] next passive thing. Yeah, yeah. So people are experiment, just like advertising. A lot of the movie world is changing. Uh, comedians are being, you know, are, are doing sort of parts, you know, in like traditionally serious parts, playing characters very opposite themselves.
I, in this, I'm playing a thing very, very far removed from me. Uh, so what is
Abhinandan: that, what is far removed from you?
Anuvab Pal: I mean, this particular, I, I let Blau describe the guy, but Guy is. Well suspected to have committed a crime apart from everything else, but also
Abhinandan: will never, never do, ever do. He is the model citizen.
He is the poster child of the poster of the a Barak that is being printed as we speak at seven Race Coast Street. I
Rajyasree: just wanna say that Paul in school was school vice captain. Good conduct matter, or he was a proper good boy. Gotcha. So and still is. So, so he's right. Okay, fine. So I
Anuvab Pal: really hope this gets edited because[00:33:00]
Abhinandan: just to, just to, most of our stuff doesn't get edited, so he say something very horrible, let us know. Then we cut it out. You have to, we cut nothing out. Yeah. Yeah. So, uh, so Bugs and Rahul, what, what, what you to cast him as this person. So, unlike what he says he is in real life,
Bhargava Krishna: so, um. There's a certain innocence to him, which is why we, we quite rightly scoffed at the fact, uh, at the, at the fact that anybody could suspect him of a crime.
That's exactly what happens. People scoff at it immediately because there's some purity to him and there's a certain madness to, so he's a person in search of love in this film, and he finds the love among these two friends because he doesn't have it at home. And though, because he's so funny and because he's so enduring, you don't see the sadness that's actually so much a part of him, and that starts to come out as the film, uh, progresses.
You, he see he's heartbreaking. An is fabulously funny and [00:34:00] heartbreaking. So that's why we thought, I, I thought he had that in him, frankly.
Abhinandan: So, so Rahul and Bugs, how do you direct a film together? How does it work? I mean, uh, you know, are both of you on the set at the same time for every shot all the time?
Are you have such a. Great chemistry and aesthetic, which is matching that, you know, that if this scene is directed by you and the other, by the other person, there'll be a consistency in style and pace and narrative. Or do you guys disagree and say, no, we'll do it this way, that way? What's, how does it work?
Bhargava Krishna: So, uh, you know, we started writing it, I mean, for 20 years I've been chasing Raul to make this film from 2004, because I frankly found it extremely cinematic. I was on stage and I used to be so close to the audience and see that riveted faces, they were, it was absolutely riveted. And at another time, I'll tell you a story of somebody whose partner committed suicide and he came to see the play and there was one scene where I'm interrogated as, as a character, another [00:35:00] plays.
He broke down, he broke down in the theater, and then we had to take him out to dinner and he kept crying, saying, this is how I felt when the cops went at me saying, I betted this suicide. So there was certain immediacy and power to the writing, and, uh, then Rahul took 20 years to say yes.
Rahul DaCunha: Hmm.
Bhargava Krishna: Uh, then, uh,
Rahul DaCunha: but I'll answer that in, I'll answer that completely honestly.
Uh, I mean, this is my first film, right? Mm-hmm. The huge difference between film and stage is in the writing of it, right? Because the stage is primarily a, a verbal medium. So it's, if you can't write dialogue, then you can't write plays. Mm-hmm. Right? Similarly, if you can't visualize scenes, if you can't really see them as, as beats or as pieces of action, then you can't make film.
Mm-hmm. Right? And I don't understand, I'll be honest, I don't understand that. I didn't understand that, and so therefore, there was no [00:36:00] disagreement on the stake that I didn't know anything. It's not, it's being funny because I, because I also realized that co-directing means that you bring to the film your different, uh, talents.
Mm-hmm. So I think that bugs and I share a passion for writing. So therefore, we finished it quite quickly. We kind of knew that the play would have to go outta the window for the most part, because it was a verbal,
Abhinandan: yeah.
Rahul DaCunha: Was a visual medium. Right. We knew that the characters were the, these three friends were critical to the piece.
Right. And what also happened was, because I had to finish the play in a hurry, I didn't end up writing a second half, which I really wanted to. And the second half wasn't a police investigation, which I never ended up writing. So the film became that in an odd kind of way. Right. So because I had written the play, I knew the characters bugs was almost, and because he was in it, it made the job very fascinating because we were kind of, we both knew the material.
Mm-hmm. Then bugs, I think, brought to bear [00:37:00] on this most critical second phase, which is the screenplay, the short breakdown, which is the most critical part. Yeah. 'cause what do you, how do you tell a story and you know it's within the writing of a screenplay, then the shooting of the screenplay, then the editing of the film.
Abhinandan: Yeah.
Rahul DaCunha: You go back to the screenplay, because the screenplay is very different now we know what was on paper is now an edited film. And so the story is really told at, because you can spend two days shooting a whole scene, which goes out of the editing table.
Abhinandan: Yeah. Basic film is created on the editing table.
Right. It's completely,
Rahul DaCunha: and then another element comes in when you start to add the music, because then you take a call, whatever, you know, how much dialogue, what is just, you know, what is in silence and all of that.
Abhinandan: Oh, I hope there is some silence. 'cause we just discovered, I I, there no one wants silence these days.
In all that series we are watching on, but we have
Rahul DaCunha: silence. We have silence, we have
Bhargava Krishna: annual meaningful silence. Yeah.
Rahul DaCunha: We have, people don't want. So the thing is [00:38:00] that it's, it is taken us three and a half years to make this film. Mm-hmm. And none of that, there's not been a single day where we've not been at work.
You know, it's not been like we finished the film, we had to wait a year to sell it.
Abhinandan: Right.
Rahul DaCunha: It took us 11 months to edit the damn thing. So the theatrical release. Yeah. Yes. On the 23rd. On the 23rd, yeah. So, and that call we to Midway, because we started off, I mean, the reason why I thought now's a good time to make a film and bugs convinced me is because we've always felt that our kind of film perhaps wasn't a cinema release kind of film, but OTTI think made that possible for content to become a.
All kinds of content became viable. You didn't have to necessarily have Right. Sure. All your set pieces. But bugs convinced me and everybody that we never grew up with OTT, right? Yeah. We grew up with film. We always saw film on a big screen.
Pune Highway trailer: Mm-hmm.
Rahul DaCunha: So what are we scared of? You know? And you have to see a film [00:39:00] big, you know, we just, we just came from looking at the final edit and final, the final, the final print.
Now it'll go to, it'll go to the, there's nothing we more we can do. Nothing more we can do. And just watching it, you know, because we were like in the front row, like watching Titanic. And it was phenomenal to watch it. And we thought, how can it, can it be anything? But we can't let this film be seen on a phone?
Bhargava Krishna: You know how we used to keep our visual, our visual senses sharp? Mm. Is we came up with a key visual, which in the film you could also see. So the very beginning of the film, there's a dead body being lifted outta water. Yeah.
Pune Highway trailer: Mm.
Bhargava Krishna: It's a spooky, beautiful visual. And that kept coming back to every time we started writing, we'd think of that visual first and then write.
So we, we wrote on FaceTime because Covid was on, so we used to talk, look at each other like this and, and write it. In two months we had it written, but every day we went back to that key visual. It has to be as spooky and as poetic as that water pouring out off a dead body is so beautiful.
Rajyasree: [00:40:00] That's
Abhinandan: true.
Rajyasree: It's a way of looking at things.
Abhinandan: But when it comes to Buddy films, you know, this is a film of three buddies coming of age. Uh, any favorites you have a of, you know, 'cause there are a lot of films made on this street. Yeah. Where Deta Thera even, uh, I mean Boyhood wasn't exactly that, that was a different coming of age film, but a lot of names aren't coming to mind.
But this is a very popular theme. Buddy films, you know, three buddies kind of thing. Oh, hangover.
Rajyasree: Hangover. There's so many
Abhinandan: hangover. Yes. That was one of my faves.
Rajyasree: Hangover bridesmaids. There's a lot of them. So you're only talking about men and
Abhinandan: you, you have any buddy films? And since you've written, since you've also written some very good material both for theater and film, were you one of those pain in the ass?
I, Mary and Trina? The thunder as a sugar. Did you, were you like one of those? So there are two
Anuvab Pal: different points and, and one is very valid, which [00:41:00] is, you know, uh, if you are a writer and you are on a project with two other friends who are writers, you have to respect the writer, right? Hmm. And every instinct in your body, if let's say you can adjust something, make it better, make it funnier, is telling you, should I go up?
And, and then you realize there's another voice says, just shut up and do the job. Because they've thought through this, they've thought through this. Because when you are on the other side of it and an actor comes up and, and I've talked about this so many times and they said, you know, I think this should be done like this.
It almost supposes that the writers have not spent months thinking about it. Like obviously they've spent months turning something I think the guy should be wearing. Obviously they've rejected it for a reason.
Pune Highway trailer: Hmm. So
Anuvab Pal: you have to respect that writing. Right. And people who are just actors. I think don't have that burden.
And some ways that's helpful. Mm-hmm. You know, like they come and say, why are we doing like this? And the directors have to very patiently explain to them. And then, [00:42:00] because actors tend to be dumb, you know? And, and I tend to not be very bright when I'm acting. The great thing about good directors is they make it seem like you've thought of this.
So at the end of it, if you have lots of questions, by the end of it, you're like, but it was your suggestion only. And as an actor, you're like, yeah, yeah. I go. So I think really, really good direction helps. Now, as a writer, you obviously want to nudge in this, but here, this, because it's a who it, it's not a genre.
Okay. That I write very often. And I'll tell you this, the narration was, I was in the uk, they were here, we did it like this on Zoom. And this, you can ask Jim and Amit this as well, because it's so taught. I guess there's no other way to describe the screenplay because you wanna know who did it, right? The first thing you see is this, this image right at the top of the film, which you will, and then you just want to know like any good Agatha Christie or any of that.
Or even in our culture, perfect murder, Kahan, [00:43:00] ultimately the backbone of all those is the same. There are some interesting characters. There's stuff going on, there's empathy, there's friendship, but who did it? Right? And they've written it so, so well. The, the mathematics of it is so well written that you don't want to, you don't want to suggest anything to disturb the dominoes.
You know, because they've thought this means this and this means this and this would mean that. And you know, uh, this is not one of those where you can drop a joke line or, because everything has ramifications on everything else.
Abhinandan: But that won't stop Raj from telling you in the first five minutes who's done it guarantee.
Rajyasree: I know that's done.
Bhargava Krishna: That's lovely.
Rajyasree: See it with
Bhargava Krishna: you Ra love.
Rajyasree: I know who has done it. I can already tell you, but I won't tell.
Abhinandan: Don't,
Rahul DaCunha: don't tell your audience
Abhinandan: though. Don't ever watch a rad street. 'cause in the first two minutes she'll tell you everything about the film and she'll spend the rest of the time asking what the fuck is happening.
No, that's like you, you just knew everything when we started. Started. Now you know nothing.
Rajyasree: Just let me, no. A banana's only mission when he goes to watch a film [00:44:00] is to tell you. I already know what's gonna happen, and then he tells you what's gonna happen and you don't really care because he hasn't made the film and you've just gone with him because he's paid for your ticket if you're lucky.
So that's a different matter altogether. But I wanted to ask something because, sorry,
Rahul DaCunha: can I just answer? Yes. Can I answer the question you asked? Mm, yeah. Uh, so I think buddy movies, at least I think we both love body movies, buddy movies, where the, the bodiness is changed because something tremendous happens to the Bodiness.
You know, like, like love it, but nothing really happens to them. Kai
Abhinandan: PCI was a fantastic example. In fact, uh, you have one cast member that you,
Rahul DaCunha: Kaci. Ahha, yeah. So I think that, I was gonna say that, that I think, so Ahed I think feels quite, he feels that Hai is quite meaningful for him because it's been exactly 10 years that he, you know, did a film.
There was another fabulous film, Paolo, what is it called? With, with Brad [00:45:00] Pitt. Where their kids, and then they accidentally kill somebody and they get thrown into jail. Oh my God, what is sleepers?
Abhinandan: What a
Rahul DaCunha: filmers. So that, that to me is, that was
Abhinandan: amazing. There's, you
Rahul DaCunha: know, there, there's that last shot where it's a flashback where they're all enjoying themselves
Abhinandan: Yeah.
Rahul DaCunha: Uh, over dinner. And to me, that kind of film is very critical. It is not punny highway. Exactly.
Pune Highway trailer: Hmm.
Rahul DaCunha: But it's the same thing where, you know, a crisis or a murder or an incident is thrown into it is the cat among the pigeons and what is, you know, and, and that really tests your friendship.
Abhinandan: Right.
Rahul DaCunha: You know, in a way that, uh, and that film particularly because again, uh, not a similar format, but that 12 when they accidentally that Yeah.
And then they go into jail, and then when they come out for, it's that, which I think is, is, I mean, I think we both, that, uh. But not obsessed. But those kind of things are interesting when it comes to Buddy.
Abhinandan: Yeah, that was a phenomenal film. [00:46:00] Uh, but interesting. Now, you know, last few minutes, but if you have any questions, but I really wanna ask you guys this because you know, from, uh, you guys are from Bombay and admin, so many of these guys will be a contemporaries.
I may get the names wrong, but that's Sonali Re and Amer Khan film. Sfa Roche, that is also made by an ad filmmaker, Abu um, uh, you know the gentleman I'm talking about? Yeah.
Bhargava Krishna: Yeah. John, John. John Matthew, John Mad. John. Matthew. Matthew. No, no.
Abhinandan: Um, there was, there has been. That's the only name that comes to mind.
Of course there's you, but there've been some ad filmmakers who've done phenomenal transition into, into, you know, cinema Ka
Rajyasree: Comet ad filmmaker. He
Abhinandan: cinematographer, he was he's de guy. Oh guy. So.
Rajyasree: S
Abhinandan: No, he again, he was, yeah. Yeah. Menon, of course. Raji. Raji. Menon. Yeah.
Rajyasree: Raji. Menon. Yeah. Yes, Ram,
Abhinandan: there's so there.
There's so many now. Now [00:47:00] when, you know, I was young and I'm probably the same age as the two writers, directors of the film. You know, the cool people of Bombay were the Avalaz, which kind of was demonstrated in the film, which was Raki, Sobey. Hmm. Right. The ad parties were the cool parties to go to. Yeah.
Bollywood was not cool. No. Like Kru, Annabel's would not be playing Bollywood music in the nineties. Something happened. Yeah. The switch and where if you had money, you were cool. Hmm. So the cool of ad being the aspirate, like it wasn't, oh, I went to a party where there was, you know, Bollywood stars. No one gave a fuck.
Yeah. Because that was a shit party. It was, you know, full of, it was safari suits and, but I went to a party where the aval and models, so that was a cool party. Oh. So somewhere the definition of cool change to how much money you have, you were cool, but there was some great talent that came from ads, went to cinema, but then went back.
I mean, they never. Continued in cinema. [00:48:00]
Pune Highway trailer: Mm-hmm.
Abhinandan: My question is, is it because they're not quite outsiders and yet not insiders, they're in the world, but not entrenched. Could be so they can't be rebels because you've gotta work with these people. I mean, at the end of the day, taste the thunder was a Salman card, you know?
Uh, but yet you are not them. Do you think that's why it's, it doesn't quite, you don't fit here or there, or am I just imagining this and none of this exists? It's
Bhargava Krishna: the very, the business is, uh, see, opportunity. Everybody wants to make a film all the time. That's the important thing. Everybody wants to make a movie every single day of their lives, but it doesn't come your way that often.
You know, like I've been on the verge of making a film from 2005. It'll come up. We'll start production. It'll fall through. We start another one. We're gonna be shooting the England guys and everybody gets ready and it falls through
Abhinandan: in Delhi, we call it,[00:49:00]
Bhargava Krishna: actually 2019 is when I made my first flick. And uh, and then it just happened. I don't know. I think it's fate. Hmm. And also you're staying part, how much do you want to make a film? Mm-hmm. Do you wanna make a film Large canvas with the Great Star, or do you just want to make a film? I'll just take two of my friends, like Ramban made, let's Talk
Abhinandan: Right
Bhargava Krishna: in a room.
He wanted to make a film and it's simply made, beautifully made. So I think it's how much you want do it at what level. If you really wanna do it, you'll do it with, you know, you'll shoot the cat outside your house and make a movie. You know, and I was very close to that, frankly. I thought, oh, this is falling through.
I'm gonna look for a good cat outside my door and, and shoot it. But that's it. I think it's how much do you want to do it?
Pune Highway trailer: Okay. So
Bhargava Krishna: I, I feel that's it, buddy. I think
Rahul DaCunha: also, I mean, you know, I think we already have two large podcasts. One is what you said earlier, and one is we need to talk about this because it's, you know, I'm wondering whether it's about typical Bollywood versus ad [00:50:00] filmmakers.
Is it nepotism versus
Pune Highway trailer: mm-hmm.
Rahul DaCunha: Uh, uh. Ramadan is a good example because his films are so few and far between because he is doing ads in between.
Pune Highway trailer: Mm.
Rahul DaCunha: He's, he has stuff, you know, he's got stuff in the pipeline. He's got writers' rooms going. Typical Bollywood, I think they just spend time, you know, they're out there making it, you know, they're, they just trying to raise the money because it is, films take four years to make and it's a
Abhinandan: hustle.
It's, I
Rahul DaCunha: mean, for anyone it's a hustle. Yeah. It's a hustle. I mean, today, trying to raise the Dodge earlier, the banks will give you the money. Now you're trying to get the money, you're trying to, you're trying to sell your script to, to Netflix or to, or to Amazon. So you, anybody who tells me that, that I made a film quickly, it doesn't make sense.
You have to deal with the stress. You have to, you have to deal with the fact that there's, it's not gonna happen. For the most part, Murphy's Law is gonna take over and, uh, and, but you gotta deal, you've gotta deep, deep, deep. You've gotta have, you've gotta have to have the stamina.
Abhinandan: Yeah. I, yeah, exactly. I think it's like a startup.
Yeah. It's [00:51:00] stamina's more important. And capital is it's, and a
Rahul DaCunha: startup problem, then every time you're starting from scratch. Yeah. Yeah. Right. There's nothing that, from the previous thing that you can take into this one, you know,
Bhargava Krishna: and in a startup where you've burn all your money the very first day, you've gone through everything that you have.
Yeah. And you asking for more money. Yeah.
Abhinandan: But you know, what you said about the, the whole, you know, dealing with the nepotism and, uh, uh, upset about you. Someone make an add film and call you to be the second lead to a. To a star.
Rahul DaCunha: Yeah.
Abhinandan: I, a few months ago, got a call, uh, I'll not name the Star. Not even a star.
She's the daughter of a star. I think she's done a couple of films. I haven't watched any of them, but she's already considered a star. Hmm. I said, we are shooting an ad. We'd like you to model for the a. I said, we, why did you think I'll model for an ad? No, we saw in Star We, like I said, okay, what, what is this about?
You're a hairdresser and you are in the, uh, head. I think it's pretty cool in the makeup room of this young girl. I, lady, she's a child in my view. I mean, she's so [00:52:00] young, but she's already a star and you have to say, oh, you look lovely, baby. I said, oh really? It's that what I have to do. Fucking next flight.
I'm there. Like, so, so they said, sounds like a good ad. It sounds
Rajyasree: like a pretty good ad to me.
Abhinandan: Anyways. Yeah. That, that was that. But, uh, what, what are your favorite films from the last, let's say, couple of years or series that you guys have really liked? That or anything that maybe Raul and Bugs you thought that, damn, I'd like, I'd like to have written that or made that.
Rahul DaCunha: So I think Rab East Town, I think Rab East Town Two Detective. Yeah. Two. Two. Detective. The two detective. Both Season one and season four.
Pune Highway trailer: Mm-hmm. Uh,
Rahul DaCunha: I think season one will stay with me forever of, again, a buddy movie. Uh, but how they fed off each other and the, you know, it wasn't a closed room, but it was, you know, those long car rides.
I think True Detective would be the, I think [00:53:00] anywhere where there is the search for the self and the search for the body and the search for the, for the, for the killer
Bhargava Krishna: and certainly adolescents.
Rahul DaCunha: And adolescents, yeah.
Anuvab Pal: That, sorry, I just want to quickly add the reason I think things like to detective. RA or Pat are important.
Pune Highway trailer: Mm.
Anuvab Pal: In the context of this film is that there are very few stories where the landscape plays a part, you know, in the, uh, what, what is brilliant about that writing is the geography of the land. So North Punjab or Bun K or, you know, deep Interior Alabama, you know, they are very much characters in the sort of simmering, prosecutorial the policemen are going.
They figure, and I think Pune Highway does that, which is why, you know, I, I've always been a believer of watching like a very good murder mystery on a big screen. Mm-hmm. Because it's a collective experience, right? You are just like watching a [00:54:00] good comedy on a big screen. It's a collective experience. The, the gathering is as important as the watching, right?
Because you're watching those landscapes unfold here. Berg shot in board, they shot in interior MAA and the landscape and the drones and all of that. That that adds to that airiness, the sinisterness, the menace. And that's something that started, I think like you pointed out of another, what made these murder mystery series really good.
Think from 16, 17 they started happening where the prosecutor became really good. Mm-hmm. You know, it became really, really gripping. And then we were, Indian stuff was also up to the plate, you know, with, especially with stuff like Pat Lo and Cora. Yeah, of course. Pat, uh, so Pune Highway comes in, seems to me gentlemen jump in that, that that landscape was shot and was written in the screenplay as a character.
I mean, that is why the highway is the. Is the title of the film, right? It's a character very much in the story.
Bhargava Krishna: Interesting. I you should say this, when stood by [00:55:00] watching the film, like putting that in the final print to rest what Cockney was exactly what you're saying. The beauty of that, of the landscape, the beauty of the drone shots of the highway and those, and near sat, those hills where we shot.
Mm. You know, Mara is so beautiful. Yeah. On those
Anuvab Pal: lakes and yeah. Can you imagine somebody watching this in the middle of the night while skipping through three other series? Like I, I don't think crim of, you know, like. I mean, I'm glad OTT is there, but it's like having a video library. Like it's not the,
Abhinandan: you're right, the cinematic experience, the theater experience was so much fun.
I, I, I loved it. For me, going to a, going for a film was way more fun than going for a party or going to a night lab. Women, you know, when I was young, it was just something very satisfying about it. It was a complete experience. I loved it. But speaking of the Pune Highway, other than this film, which I would urge you watch, of course we are completely transparently pushing Raj's [00:56:00] friends, but, uh, uh, it also has this place called Tony Cahaba, which we had featured.
It's a very beautiful highway, and, uh, I used to make this show called Highway on My Plate back in the day with Rocky and Ma Youth. Yes,
Rahul DaCunha: yes. One of my favorite shows. Oh my God. Oh, thank you.
Abhinandan: So there, there's this place called Tony Cahaba. Who used to serve IMU meat, which was a rarity, and not just IMU Duck.
He had like these 12 kinds of birds there. And because in the middle there was some, there were IMU
Rajyasree: Farms Chicken Yeah. At one point.
Abhinandan: And, uh. It overlooked. Like it just reminded me 'cause right when, uh, was saying that these lakes and these mountains, it was really stunning. Except that it was just heartbreaking to go choose your bird, you choose your live bird.
You could do that if you liked, which is what we did for the show. And there were little ducks and stuff. But, uh, I dunno if it still exists. It doesn't exist other than dead bodies. Tony, that haba still dead? Do you guys know? I
Bhargava Krishna: don't know. I don't know. 'cause they ate
Rajyasree: up all the birds. So very famous
Abhinandan: Haba [00:57:00] back then.
He was one of the first who started serving it. It
Rajyasree: sounded, it sounds more horrific than a murder mystery to me. But he knew
Anuvab Pal: kebab thing was a thing. It became a big thing, I think in the, '
Rajyasree: cause there were emo farms. And then I don't know what happened. The government took away whatever tax rebate. No, they were
Abhinandan: started because of chicken.
That disease happened. All the chickens were infected. So that's, so they,
Rahul DaCunha: yeah. But did anybody say, did you like a and show? Yeah, I found it a bit too emo.
Rajyasree: That's very good. I'm so glad your ads and your writing is much better than this. You women Better
Rahul DaCunha: than my
Abhinandan: humor.
Rajyasree: Yeah. Than this spontaneous humor that we've
Abhinandan: haven't been to the cinema in a couple of months.
Yes. But we shall go watch, uh, Pune Highway.
Rajyasree: I want to just say, Nan has said, my friends and all that and put this on me, but Abin Annan has shown more loyalty Towe than I had because he made us go and watch Bar Bar. What was that film An.
Rahul DaCunha: Bar de
Rajyasree: Barbar [00:58:00] deko. And after 20 minutes, I, I had said, even though Anab is my childhood friend that we can leave now, and AB then said, no, we must watch the entire film.
And so I sat and watched this entire film. That's was the test of French friendship. That's the biggest
Abhinandan: thing in cinema. I will, I've only abandoned one film in the hall, I think one or two. Otherwise I will watch the whole thing online. I must have abandoned 20 shows. Yeah, that is, that is
Anuvab Pal: the issue. There is really, I mean, I mean, uh, if it gives you any pleasure, I walked out of a couple of screenings in my own films, if that helps.
That was a Okay. I have to say though, in this case, in my defense, it, it, I, you know, I, I'm a character in the film, but this is very much also Jim and Amit's film as it is Bunger and Keith Keys and, yeah. So the, the thing is that the hard part in a trio friendship story is. The fact that you have to be a credible [00:59:00] friend to the other two.
Mm. The difficulty with the other two being very well known, celebrated of the Times, zeitgeisty Stars and you being a c comedian is, uh, is, is, you know, you know, it's very much their film and you are just living in it, you know, like, oh, uh, the, the one very funny scene I remember is the first time Jim and I had an interrogation scene where we did a little thing where he sort of, uh, we had seen, and it's the first time I was doing it, and naturally very excited, you know, first high energy scene and I do it, and I, it's, there's a lot of o overacting in it, right?
I realize after that first take and b and I kindly come up and tell me, et cetera, and Jim being a gentleman that he is very politely takes me to the side and says, is a, are you gonna do it like that or differently?
Because we didn't know each other [01:00:00] then, you know, none of us knew each other. But, uh, but yeah, so I'm hoping that the nepotism extends to them as well.
Bhargava Krishna: Is this, speaking of the Ginger said, just do it differently. Yeah. Yeah.
Anuvab Pal: Just don't do it like that.
Bhargava Krishna: Yeah. Speaking
Rajyasree: of the other, uh, actors, uh, is this Amit's, uh, Amit's film after, not after Kai Poche.
He's done some after Kai Poche.
Rahul DaCunha: His first theatrical in the cinema. Oh, he's done o He did, I think in between He did, he did Sultan, he did breathe, and, oh, he'd done all those. He's done a few.
Bhargava Krishna: A couple,
Rahul DaCunha: but I think one meant a lot to him. Like Che was his first, uh, and this one is 10 years later, so.
Abhinandan: So good luck to all of you.
We are looking forward to it. Thank you so much for making the time and joining us. Thank you guys.
Bhargava Krishna: Thank you so much. A pleasure. When you guess the killer, please don't tell anyone.
Abhinandan: We won't that in any case, I'm not the one who's, she's the spoiler queen. I went
Rajyasree: to watch, what [01:01:00] was that film with Bruce Willis?
Signs Die hard, keep quiet signs. The one where he's, uh, and five minutes into the film I said, oh my God, he's dead. And, and the people in front of me, which were Nick Chen all turned around and they said, if it's correct what you've said, he'll kill you. You hot foot it out. I didn't know any of them. It was in Bombay, but I was correct.
So I won't tell anyone please. But we'll go and watch the film on, uh, big screen and, uh, congratulations.
Abhinandan: Yes. Bye-bye. Have a great day, guys. Thank you. Thank, bye
Bhargava Krishna: bye. Thank you. Bye.
Abhinandan: Right. So now we will get back to the emails. We have several. Thank you for the feedback. Thank you for the criticism, for the ideas.
You make us better. You help us to be better. We only entertain the inputs and the valuable feedback of subscribers. So if you're a subscriber, mail us at podcasts@newsronnie.com. I repeat [01:02:00] podcasts. News learning.com and tell us what we should do differently, what we are getting right, what we're getting wrong, et cetera, et cetera.
If you're not a subscriber, you can scan this QR code and become a subscriber so that we will take you a lot more seriously. Otherwise, you can always leave your abuse on Twitter. Insta and YouTube comments.
Rajyasree: Yeah. Because now people go on Insta also and give views. Yeah. So, but they leave praise. But we read
Abhinandan: the views also, but yeah, you don't take it seriously.
Rajyasree: Yeah.
Abhinandan: Right.
Rajyasree: So AP has written, I want to recommend a podcast I enjoy a lot. It is called Making Sense by Sam Harris. I mostly agree with his views and I think you might find them thought provoking can get started with the best of making sense. Will, uh, listen. Also, Sam Harris has an app named Waking Up, which is okay, which is great for mindfulness and meditation.
I love your podcast, longtime paid subscriber since the beginning. Thanks. Uh, Orita has written AB Sir, I know gets told off for uncle [01:03:00] things. Hmm. I'm guilty too. In my previous email on 25th, April, I felt bad, took his response to heart about Uncle Abusers not open to being wrong, et cetera. Valid point. I'm open to criticism here.
Wow. You made
Abhinandan: a, or, or peta then you, you have self-awareness, which I have, which is very important, which is I think what is lacking in that generation. Most.
Rajyasree: Yeah,
Abhinandan: but I'm, but I, of course, I could be wrong on a lot of things
Rajyasree: now she said bit.
Abhinandan: Okay.
Rajyasree: This week ticked off a little by, where are you from? People shouldn't be offended.
Mm. Did we say this?
Abhinandan: I said it.
Rajyasree: We're on this, on this podcast. Okay. You
Abhinandan: are not eating Badda. You are.
Rajyasree: I have four soak almonds every morning.
Abhinandan: Not doing the job.
Rajyasree: Yeah, badda. Yeah. Maybe we get a bit extra offended, but it's because often the question comes from people specifically interested in othering us or trying to generalize typecast us.
For example, I may be trying to register a valid [01:04:00] complaint with some BA type office in my neighborhood, abroad, abroad. Abroad. They might disregard my complaint asking, where are you from? Okay. That's a different way of asking without malicious intent or not. My complaint is invalidated because I apparently don't understand this foreign system.
Nobody wants to be typecast or ignored based on appearances. Now, s Nepali troop has an age well in India too, has it? Please correct your advice. PS ka, which I. Which, which Moore knew of it, which is true. I'm surprised. I didn't think, I thought most people know about Kaka Temple India.
Abhinandan: I mean, why India would most people know about Kaka Temple?
'cause it's
Rajyasree: such a well-known part,
Abhinandan: uh, of, uh, Hindu. Most people would not even know the Seven Sisters if I was to name them. And I will not embarrass you here and ask you, I know
Rajyasree: whys basically a nasty piece of world and they're
Abhinandan: capitals. So for those of you who don't know, you [01:05:00] should just remember the seven sisters.
They're three s, which is Misra, uh, manipur. Because most people, and that is why Kamar, no one's gone. You know, that set of Bengal Bengals gone. So that three hands, then there's one T, which is ura, right? There is how many? A two A to Sam and Arun.
Rajyasree: And there's one K. Mag, which I just threw that in to see whether you say Ka ka
Abhinandan: mandu.
Many, many people say M is seven. It's not one of the seven sisters. Okay. So most people cannot name the seven sisters. So to, to them, to expect them to know of Kaka temple in Asab
Rajyasree: is I'm saying because, uh, how don't even know the
Abhinandan: temple in from the north tell me it's
Rajyasree: not as well known as kaka. What are you
Abhinandan: saying?
Temple Not
Rajyasree: as relevant as kaka, as an,
Abhinandan: do you know that it has an 80 ton thing called I It
Rajyasree: has, it's supposed to have a piece of her now. The min temple.
Abhinandan: I'm just saying that anyway, but,
Rajyasree: okay. But I wish [01:06:00] pe more people did know about Kaka also because it's one of the few temples dedicated to women. In an odd way after you hit puberty, you're not supposed to enter.
But even then, uh, GF NRI has written, Hey, ab, an unfair of you to say that Pakistani cuisine doesn't exist. Having lived in the UAE for 30 years, I can see that their food is quite distinct. Exactly this spice blends they use and the meat dishes are all a bit unique. It's typically milder, not crazy, spicy, like some of our dishes.
You can even note the absence of certain commonly used spices in India, like king and curry leaves, and it really does affect the flavor profile. Regional cuisine can be even more varied. For example, food from Gil Stan and Kaba P Ton. Hmm. The Pakistani Tandi Roti is something I have never seen in India, and, and it's not like the Nas we get here.
It may not be radically different, but our neighbors can cook up the most [01:07:00] delicious dishes, and in many cases, I prefer their version over our love, the Chana Masala and the Bindi Masala. And everyone, if you wanna cook well by Sean Masala and you, Sean Masala, I'm just saying it's a tip. Okay? You get pop culture and cooking.
We we're not
Abhinandan: getting any money from this Sean company or whatever. It's, but anyway, I've just thank you for that. Perhaps you're right, right now in Indoor Park are discussing more than cuisine these days. Yeah. When this podcast was done, what a, what a time. Maybe they heard our podcast and not offended that, how dare we say, they don't have any cuisine that's also there.
So, but, um, on, you know, the, the, the bits that you're saying it's distinct. I'm just saying that she said, I don't want that.
Rajyasree: It's similar, just a little different seems, but different you're saying.
Abhinandan: No, I have, you've traveled the world really more than I have. Maybe. And you been to food courts, you've been to I have seen Bangladeshi restaurants.
I've seen Indian restaurants. [01:08:00] I've never seen a Pakistani restaurant. In fact, the Singapore food when I was there and I was trying to be. Pali at the Indian counter. I said, where are you from? Bangladesh. He was just being very often and rude to me because he's from Lahore. The water ego hate you are from Lahore.
You hate India, but you are selling Indian food. Ah, because there is no such brand as Pakistani food.
Rajyasree: What
Abhinandan: thing? I'm sad. Okay.
Rajyasree: Wow. I feel bad. Uh, JE has said written. I am very upset. I have a comment to make on this after this. I am very upset by a couple of statements made in two of your oldish episodes.
One, a statement made about hotter and hola. This was from an old episode, made in the context of Coldplay, increasing the number of shows in Gura, very distasteful, especially towards Gujarati. Particularly considering how Indians are racially abused with statements about stench. Stench. Why would you do something like why she's offensive?
I mean, I said this first of all, offensive. I said, [01:09:00] but I have a comment about this, but it's good. What were you saying about yourself of you said this. No, I love good Jews. Make the best snacks.
Abhinandan: I, I said hotter and Yeah. Abbi, please write again. And who said this? I think she said it now again, to
Rajyasree: write.
Abhinandan: She said it.
I didn't say it. Mohan
Rajyasree: is a buffoon. He peaked in the eighties. How do you claim to run a podcast reviewing entertainment content when you know nothing about an actor whose movie you are reviewing? That is correct. Mm. And many of you hadn't even watched the movie you were reviewing? No, but which is why we got JE she on because she was the one reviewing the film.
We were not reviewing the film. Someone who had watched it was, please direct our subscriptions towards other NLC in our projects. That is fine. Instead of insulting us with such dishonesty. Very, very hurtful. All I want to say Aje is. You mustn't be so sensitive. It is a viewpoint and it is a joke about hot air.
The same way that we are told Bali smell of mustard oil and all. I don't start crying when I'm told this. [01:10:00] Don't be too sensitive is my only suggestion. And the advice, and if you, I agree with your thing about that Mohan LA's film, but that is why we got on someone who had watched the film. And I, someone can think someone is a buffoon match, like Abana thinks is not intelligent, but he is intelligent.
Do I get upset about it? No, don't you. Nos is not good looking just because you say something. It's not true. You only upset. Upset because there's some truth in this, in this, in this case it's true.
Abhinandan: No, but a
Rajyasree: don't be so sensitive. My recommendation to everyone in the world,
Abhinandan: aji. Point taken. This podcast will carry on.
So will Nna. Because even as two countries go to war, films get released. Even as someone loses a family member. Another is celebrating a wedding. Life is
nothing [01:11:00] defines the world as is in one place. Some people will find Mohan La Buffoon. I don't have any great view of Mohan La Yes, she does. She's seen as films. I have a view on much of the Alam film industry because of investigation that was done by NAS and partnership with the Newsman News Laundry. So I think by and large it must be a place full of extremely horrible misogynistic creeps and the people with power to change that have done fuck all to change it.
So I would not really put him as a game changer. He may be popular, but So Salman Khan. You know, so is Sha Ka. So who really gives a fuck buddy? Just like, like ante said, don't be too sensitive. Yeah. Except that she has no locust stand to say, but carry on
Rajyasree: please. I'd be a horribly devastated person if I took everything I've been on told me to heart.
I'm just saying.
Abhinandan: And I'm gonna give you Neha Singh's lovely email. 12 words. [01:12:00] Neha, you are to the point. You are to the point person. Neha. Sorry. You're to the point person. People like you are an asset to the world. I agree. What will it take to make awful and awesome weekly instead of Fortnite? Very to the
Rajyasree: point.
Abhinandan: It'll take WI
Rajyasree: feel, I think more people should subscribe then. Then
Abhinandan: how will it, I can buy a day
Rajyasree: and let it happen. I can buy
Abhinandan: a day in a week,
Rajyasree: doesn't matter. Let more people, we
Abhinandan: get so much of. Uh, justifiable criticism that why the fuck am I doing a podcast when I don't watch anything?
Rajyasree: No, people don't see it.
And
Abhinandan: that is one way. It's once in two weeks. If it was once every week, Neha, can you imagine the kind of people start muja? Not that anyone knows me in the sadd, but anyway, we have four males left. We'll read those next time. Yes, but we must tell Ada someone has written, uh, then [01:13:00] anonymous and Sneha. Your mail will be less read next time.
We have crossed 70 minutes, so we should close this episode right now, uh, with the promise that we'll be back and I will watch something I, I swear.
Rajyasree: He'll watch the royals.
Abhinandan: You were just telling me how shit it is. Why do you want movie to watch it?
Rajyasree: Maybe it's not. Maybe I did not understand it. Maybe it's for another time.
This
Abhinandan: is the bad attitude. You disincentivize it. I deserve that. If you already watched it and you know it's shit. Why do you want me to watch it?
Rajyasree: Because I feel you might get a different angle on it. Because it has a, it has,
it has.
Abhinandan: We'd like to thank a sound. Wonderful Ali. Thank you Mr. Sin.
Rajyasree: Thank you, Mr. Sik.
Abhinandan: And it's a wrap.
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