Gulabo Sitabo brings together Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana for the first time.
Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana starrer Gulabo Sitabo is gearing up to create history as the first mainstream Bollywood film to bypass theatrical release for a digital premiere this Friday.
While director Shoojit Sircar’s decision created uproar in the exhibition sector, it found ample support in fellow filmmakers and artistes in the Hindi film industry.
The film, however, has found itself in another controversy as its writer Juhi Chaturvedi has been accused of plagiarism. Akira Agarwal, son of late writer Rajiv Agarwal, has alleged that Chaturvedi stole his father’s script, which he claimed was submitted at a contest judged by the Bollywood writer.
Amitabh Bachchan today took to Instagram to share a tongue twister revolving around his upcoming satire, Gulabo Sitabo, also starring Ayushmann Khurrana. "Bas 5 baar bolna hai yeh tongue twister.. Koshish karenge aap log... Karenge toh Humari chandi ho jayegi... Sivaye ek ke!" Bachchan wrote alongside a video of himself trying the twister.
Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann unite for the first time on screen in Shoojit Sircar's upcoming satire, Gulao Sitabo. Watch the trailer here.
Gulabo Sitabo actor Ayushmann Khurrana shared on Instagram a heartwarming post for his co-star Amitabh Bachchan ahead of the film's release.
The makers of Gulabo Sitabo have shared a video of what went behind creating megastar Amitabh Bachchan's look in the upcoming film.
Actor Ayushmann Khurrana in an interview with Rajeev Masand, while promoting Gulabo Sitabo, has shared his disappointment over the film's digital release.
"If I keep my hand on my heart, I would have preferred a theatrical release. because community viewing is a thinjg in our country and I come from that school of thought. I am that guy from Chandigarh, who used to buy film tickets and watch films on the big screen. It gives me a different high and that too with Mr Amitabh Bachchan, the megastar. Watching myself with him on the big screen was a dream. But since the situation is like this, it's the producers' call," Ayushmann said.
Gulabo Sitabo stars Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana channeled their on screen love-hate realtionship for a promotional video with director Shoojit Sircar.
Gulabo Sitabo production house, Rising Sun Films, today shared on Twitter a 20 second clip from the film, showing banter between Ayushmann Khurrana's Banke and Amitabh Bachchan's Mirza.
Gulabo Sitabo producer Ronnie Lahiri spoke to indianexpress.com about how he, director Shoojit Sircar and writer Juhi Chaturvedi finally decided to release the film online. “We chose to release Gulabo Sitabo because our film was ready and there was the matter of finances. And with so much uncertainty looming, we didn’t want to sit on a finished project. Even now we don’t know exactly when cinema halls would open, so we collectively did what seemed right at the time."
As Gulabo Sitabo nears release, Ayushmann Khurrana takes to instagram to share a clip of his character Banke's his banter with Amitabh Bachchan's Mirza.
Gulabo Sitabo writer Juhi Chaturvedi today took to Instagram to reveal that her friends from her native place, Lucknow, acted in the Amitabh Bachchan-Ayushmann Khurrana starrer.
Sharing a picture of her friends with the film's director, Shoojit Sircar, Juhi wrote, "Waise toh duniya mein har ek insaan ek ‘extra’ hii hai lekin on film sets this ‘extra’ is of great importance. ‘Extras’ come before the crew comes. ‘Extras’ are ready before the actors arrive. ‘Extras’ sit for hours waiting for the shot that sometimes gets cancelled. But having said that, there is NO film without the ‘EXTRAS’ and there are only few directors who recognise the power of this ‘extra’ because it is these ‘extras’ that bring magic to the realism of cinema. And when your friends from the city agree to play those blink and miss roles, it’s even better 😊 Here, a few of my friends as the ‘EXTRAS’ with @shoojitsircar."
Breaking her silence on the plagiarism allegation, Juhi Chaturvedi, in a statement, said, “My conscience is clear and so are the facts in this matter. Gulabo Sitabo is my original work and I am proud of it. I shared the idea with the director and lead actor of the film in early 2017. I subsequently registered the concept note for the film in May 2018. I also must clarify the speculations around my conduct as a jury member for Cinestaan’s contest. I had no access to the so-called infringed script at any point in time, as alleged. This fact has been independently confirmed by Cinestaan as well. Even the SWA, who has looked at this dispute in May, 2020, decided in my favour. I speak now to request the press and public not to be disillusioned by false accusations, which are for publicity only. Acts of harassment, defamatory comments, and leaking confidential notices by the accusers only show their lack of faith in their own case. I stand by my truth.”
Anjum Rajabali, Jury Chairman, Cinestaan Script Contest stated, “It has come to our notice that there are some reports in the mainstream as well as social media about allegations that Juhi Chaturvedi, the screenwriter of the soon-to-be-released film, ‘Gulabo Sitabo’, has plagiarised the script, ’16, Mohandas Lane’, written by late Rajeev Aggarwal. While it is true that ’16, Mohandas Lane’ was submitted to the first edition of the Cinestaan India’s Storytellers Script Contest of which Juhi Chaturvedi was one of the jury members, we want to clarify that she had absolutely no access to this particular script.'