Its Raftaar v/s Rann as both are based on the backdrop of a TV channel

The makers of 24x7 Raftaar starring Emraan Hashmi and Neha Dhupia are in a mad rush to release their film. The reason? Percept Picture Company's film and Ram Gopal Varma's Rann starring Amitabh Bachchan and Riteish Deshmukh both have similar story lines.

Both stories revolve around the internal politics of a newsroom.

The buzz is that the guys at Percept at miffed at Ramu for starting a film on the same plot as theirs. A source reveals, "There is a big rush between Percept and Ramu to release their films as soon as the multiplex embargo lifts. Since both projects have similar plots and selling points, it's a race to reach first at the finishing post."

When contacted, Navin Shah, CEO of Percept Picture Company says, "Raftaar is a story of one media house using their resources to manipulate the market. The film has an extremely stylish look on the lines of Race and Dhoom." Reacting to comparisions with RGV's Rann, Shah says, "Well, I can vouch for the fact that ours is an original idea. We planned, conceived and made it before Mr Varma, and nothing can change that!."

Adding that his product is superior to Ramu's, he says, "Emraan Hashmi has a huge market of his own. His reach isn't just limited to metros and big cities. While RGV's films have an appeal that's limited to the big cities. We definitely have an edge with the broader appeal. Also, the Pritam-Emraan combination is a sure shot winner, while music has never been a forte for Ramu's film."

Percept plans to release Raftaar some time in August. "I am not aware when Rann is releasing and neither am I bothered. As per the market conditions, we plan to release Raftaar by August."

RGV sends out 'Jana Gana Mana Rann' music video copies to 500 MPs

A few days before the matter of Ram Gopal Varma's revisionist version of the national anthem goes to the Supreme Court, Ram Gopal Varma and his co-producers Madhu Mantena and Sheetal Talwar have prepared CD's of the their 'Jana Gana Mana Rann' music-video and sent them off to all the members of parliament in the country.

Explains Mantena, "We did this so that the people who lead the country would have a clear idea of what we've done. See, it's easy to believe hearsay, and fall for malicious attempts to prove that we've played around with the National Anthem. Protest in our country is always based on ignorance. We wanted to change that."

This week 500 CDs of the Rann anthem were sent off to the MPs. "This is not meant to influence the judiciary, only to ensure that no one gets the wrong picture," says Mantena.

The Rann publicity machinery claims the film will be released on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti. But the inside information is otherwise.

Says a source, "The October 2 release date was Ram Gopal Varma's attempt to be as defiant and politically incorrect as possible. We've not fixed a release date for Rann."

Supreme Court disapproves of Ramu's song

The Supreme Court on Monday disapproved of the controversial song "Jana Gana Mana Rann" in director Ram Gopal Varma's new film "Rann", saying nobody has the right to tinker with the national anthem.

A vacation bench of Justice V.S. Sirpurkar and Justice R.M. Lodha said this while hearing a lawsuit by the director challenging the denial of permission for exhibition of a promotional film for the song, which is based on India's national anthem "Jana Gana Mana".

"We have read it (the script of the song). It gives a total negative sense. It appears that every line of the national anthem has been proved wrong," said the bench.

"Nobody has got the right to tinker with the national anthem," the bench observed, while denying any prompt legal relief to Varma against the May 8 order of the Central Film Certification Board.

The board had denied Varma the permission for release of the promo on the grounds that the song, "Jana Gana Mana Rann", had distorted and tampered with the national anthem.

Refusing to grant any urgent legal relief to the film director, the bench told him to first approach the appellate tribunal, set up under the Cinematography Act, 1952 to challenge the board's decision.

The bench also asked the tribunal to decide on Varma's lawsuit challenging the board's decision within a month and subsequently asked the film director to come back to it if he was not satisfied with the appellate tribunal's ruling.

Appearing for Varma, senior counsel Arun Jaitley sought scrapping of the board's decision, contending that it has prompted various television channels to not show the promo.

Jaitley contended that the board's decision has made even mobile telephone service providers averse to uploading the song as caller tunes for fear of insulting the national anthem.

In his lawsuit, Varma contended that the "Jana Gana Mana Rann" song in his film merely uses the national anthem in a respectful manner for the purpose of artistic expression.

He said the issue involves a citizens' fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression.

Jaitley argued that if the film song could be misconstrued as showing disrespect to the national anthem, then the flag of various political parties too would be regarded as no lesser an insult to the national flag.

He said after all the flags of parties like the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and Trinamool Congress bear a striking similarity to the national flag barring their central symbols.

But the court did not appear to be convinced by his argument.

Ramu's battle over 'Rann' continues

Censor board refused to clear his new movie

The Supreme Court on Monday (May 25) asked noted film director Ram Gopal Varma to approach a tribunal set up under cinematogrophy laws to challenge the censor board's direction against showing the movie "Rann".

The censor board refused to clear "Rann" unless it removed a song that's a take-off on the national anthem. Varma has refused to remove the song.

A vacation bench of Justice V.S. Sirpurkar asked the tribunal to decide within a month Varma's application challenging the censor board's decision.

The bench also asked Varma to come to it after a month if he is not satisfied with the decision.

The Censor Board of Film Certification refused permission to air the controversial song. It said the national anthem was distorted in the movie.

B-town makes news

The film fraternity has always shared a love-hate relationship with the media.

Of late however, there seems to be more hate than love, with the media being the industry’s favourite punching bag even on chat shows like the one hosted by Karan Johar.

The portrayal of the fourth estate in films has been diverse — in some cases stereotypical, farcical and in a bad light. How else would you explain Aishwarya Rai Bachchan telling Jackie Shroff, “Journalist log bahut kum sach bolte hain,” in Albela? Jackie, who played the journalist, says, “The media is targetted in films, but so are politicians, cops, sportsmen and film stars. But like every other profession, there are responsible and irresponsible people even in the media. Ash’s character eventually fell in love with me in the film. That says it all.”

You might never catch a journalist doing an item number in real life, but Zayed Khan, who played a TV reporter in Mission Istaanbul, did just that.Also, scribes being snubbed by actors is common in films. Remember how Abhishek Bachchan abuses a hapless scribe on being asked a ‘personal question’ in Naach? Or the Big B chasing a journo out in The Last Lear when he gets a fact wrong? Madhur Bhandarkar’s Page 3 is one of the few films that backed the scribe. “When I was making Page 3, everyone asked me who’d want to be sympathetic towards a journalist. But it became a bible for journalists in India. I met page 3 journalists who gave me the inside story. I attended parties in Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai as part of my research,” reveals Madhur.

If Madhavan played the gutsy journalist in Guru working under a righteous editor (Mithun Chakraborty), Minissha Lamba became the truth-seeking reporter in Shaurya. But not all are righteous, maintains Madhur. “Konkona wasn’t one. She was modern, had a boyfriend, drank wine and was fun-loving,” says Madhur. From the cranky Seema (played by Sridevi) in Mr India, to the fiery Romila Dutta in Lakshya, essayed by Preity Zinta, film-makers have attached different faces to the profession. Says Farhan Akhtar, who directed Lakshya, “I met war journalists before shooting. I was clear that Preity’s character needed to be a responsible journalist who gets the news first-hand rather than from someone else. You have to be sure about what you say to people, particularly in a panic situation.”

Why did he adhere to the kurta-crinkled skirt-jhola bag stereotype while deciding Preity’s look in Lakshya? “Indian movies are guilty of stereotyping all professions. But there’s some element of truth in them. Preity’s look in the film was very Delhi,” explains Farhan.

Nishikant Kamat’s Mumbai Meri Jaan highlighted the tendency of news channels to sensationalise reports, with the journalist (Soha Ali Khan) herself becoming a victim. The media has also been accused of being overtly intrusive, with many condemning sting operations, something that Alia (Priyanka Chopra) in God Tussi Great Ho planned to do. Ram Gopal Varma’s next, Rann, shows the media resorting to yellow journalism to grab TRPs. Gul Panag, who’s acted in the film, says, “It exposes the nexus between the media, politicians and industrialists. Ramu hasn’t shown anything far-fetched. Why are some always targetted while others go scot-free? Some politicians are caught accepting money in sting operations, others are never exposed. News anchors are expected to give unbiased reports. But during 26/11, reporters went breathless, were panting, and creating images that were worse than the real situation, thereby creating panic.”

Ramu can't be punished for distorting national anthem

Director Ram Gopal Varma has irked the censor board by tampering with the national anthem for the song "Jana gana mana rann hai" in his upcoming film "Rann" which stars megastar Amitabh Bachchan. Lawyers say there is no specific law to prevent people from doing so.

"There can't be anything disparaging on the national anthem or flag or any such property. One can't play around with these things. But sadly, no legal action against any person can be taken if he or she tampers with the anthem because there is no law for it," Lalit Bhasin, president of the Society of Indian Law Firms, told IANS.

According to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, a person could be charged with a criminal offence with regard to the national anthem only if he or she "intentionally prevents the singing of the Indian national anthem or causes disturbances to any assembly engaged in such singing".

Bhasin also said that nothing can be done to prevent Varma from using the anthem under the existing law.

Varma faced the ire of protesters and a ban on the song by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) after he showcased the first look of "Rann" last week. But the filmmaker maintains it does not portray the national anthem in bad light.

"Through this song, we are talking about the (ongoing) disputes in the country but there were no intentions to ridicule anything. It's something I felt in my heart and it was my idea to place the song like this. It is based on the script of my film and I don't think there's any offence in it," Varma had said.

The promo, however, led to protesters burning effigies of Varma and Bachchan in Mumbai and Ranchi a few weeks ago.

A Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader, who was among the 100-odd protesters in Ranchi, had said: "We cannot tolerate twisting of the national song. It is dishonour of the national song and the country. We are planning to file public interest litigation in the Jharkhand High Court seeking banning of the movie."

But such acts of protest are futile, say lawyers.

"I don't see why justice is going to the roads. When there is no punishment for the act according to the law, nothing can be done about it. I have heard the song and there is no dishonour to the national anthem," said Supreme Court lawyer Pinki Anand.

"Freedom of speech and expression is a fundamental right of every Indian citizen. And when there is no system of law against what the filmmaker has done, no amount of people taking to the roads and agitation can help," she added.

Jayant Bhushan, a senior advocate, echoed similar sentiments and said: "Freedom of speech is important. One shouldn't be too sensitive. I don't think the filmmaker has dented the national anthem by just changing a few lines. The dignity of the national anthem is not so fragile."

Varma is now moving Supreme Court after the censor board refused permission to air the song, said producer Madhu Mantena.

However, Lalit Bhasin said that the CBFC can ban either a part or the entire film "if its content is socially misgiving and creates unrest among people".

"But if the filmmakers are going to appeal to the court, only the judges will have the final say," he said.

Rann to release on Gandhi Jayanti

While it was confirmed last week itself that Ram Gopal Varma's much hyped and already in controversy Rann would be releasing in the month of October, the latest piece of news that has just come in is that 2nd October has been locked in as D-day for the film's release. Considering the fact that the film comes with a volatile theme and is expected to boast of a power house drama, a Gandhi Jayanti release is obviously not just a coincidence.

"The world knows that 2nd October was the day when the Father of the Nation was born. He taught the world the power of tolerance. Now on the same day, Rann will show the world something that will make them lose their faith in this blinded tolerance to each and everything", comes a very strong statement from an insider who wished to be unnamed.

With Rann already been in controversy due to it's theme track 'Jana Gana Rann', isn't it's 2nd October release adding fire to the fuel?

"To each his own", says the source, "Why don't we also look at the business angle of affairs. Any film would like to come over a long weekend and with 2nd October being a Friday (a National holiday), the film is already looking at an extended weekend. Which film won't want to arrive in such productive time frame?"

However, one can't deny the fact that by choosing 2nd October as D-day, Rann has made a smart move by making quite a few other films do a rethinking around their release strategy. With this Ram Gopal Varma film being one of the biggest to arrive this year, what with a power packed star cast spear headed by Amitabh Bachchan and well aided by others like Riteish Deshmukh, Paresh Rawal, Sudeep, Rajat Kapoor, Gul Panag, Neetu Chandra, Rajpal Yadav and Mohnish Behl, it is only bound to create ripples amongst other production houses that may be looking at bringing their film over the stated weekend.

Says a member of Rann, "The film has been shaping up exceedingly well and it will not just wake you but shock you. And please, it is not an out and out political drama per se, as is being speculated by a few out there. In fact that's just one part of it. Believe me, when you will walk out of the film, you won't want to move on to doing something else. Instead you will want to sit down and put your thinking cap on to retrospect on the drama that just unfolded."

Though Ram Gopal Varma was unavailable for comment, the know-how of the industry are quite sure that he won't miss the opportunity of bringing his topical Rann on 2nd October.

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