Matru ki Bijlee ka Mandola - the first trailer

Where have we been? It's been over a year since this blog posted anything; now it returns with the trailer of Vishal's next directorial film.

Here is the teaser to "Matru ki Bijlee ka Mandola":

From this, we glean the following tidbits:

• The film is slated to release on Jan 11, 2013 (so there's another three months to go)
• We now know how to pronounce "Matru" (it's "मटरू")
• There's Shabana Azmi as well, returning to work with Vishal after playing the eponymous role in his debut film "Makdee"
• No surprises on the musical credits: Gulzar saab, Clinton Cerejo et al.
• The two-seater airplane is almost out of Tintin
• Though perhaps lacking the immediate impact of trailers for Kaminey and even Saat Khoon Maaf, there are enough intriguing elements: just what is the Meena Kumari complex? What's with the pink cow (or is purple? Should we ask Seth Godin)? And will Imran Khan's Haryanvi accent hold?

And to remind you that the origins of this film are in a Haryanvi play recommended by Pankaj Kapur himself.

Update:
A post on the Fight Club blog with some more nuggets.

Matru ki Bijli ka Mandola

Following up on 'Vishal's Next(s)', the title for Vishal's Kumar Mangat-Ajay Devg(a)n-Fox production is "Matru ki Bijli ka Mandola" (see this HT report).

Apparently based on a Haryanvi play recommended by Pankaj Kapur, the movie stars Kapur, Ajay Devgan, and Anushka Sharma.

vishal's next(s)

As seems to be the norm, there are numerous notes about Vishal's next venture.

The first is the sequel to Ishqiya and is called, until further notice, Dedh Ishqiya. Vishal, of course, will only be producing (and, one assumes, handling the songs and music). Shooting is supposed to start either at the end of 2011 or some time in 2012. It seems almost certain that Vidya Balan is not part of it while the other regulars are. It is unclear whether Kangna Ranaut and Madhuri Dixit will be part of the sequel.

The next is the much-hyped adaptation of Chetan Bhagat's 2 States and might (finally?) see Shah Rukh Khan collaborating with Vishal after the last opportunity for Mr. Mehta and Mrs. Singh came to naught. Rumours suggested that Priyanka Chopra was slated to play Ananya to SRK's Krish, but the actress has reportedly cleared that up: she is not part of the film (yet?). There are rumours that Asin might be the one, but rumours will be rumours. Things may start moving only in 2012.

Evidently bitten by sequelitis, Vishal is also working on Kaminey 2, but without Priyanka Chopra. More is not known.

The thread with the most surprises, however, has been for a film called (currently) Daayan. This not only sees Vishal collaborating for the first time with Ekta Kapoor, but also has a very surprising choice for the male lead: Emraan Hashmi. Evidently, this choice drove several A-list actresses away, including Rani Mukerji, but the latest rumour indicates that Vidya Balan, who did not make the roster of Dedh Ishqiya might snag the eponymous role. Little else is known about the film except for the premise of a guy doing the rounds with three lassies (which makes the choice of Hashmi not so surprising given his ouevre), one of whom is a witch.

Vishal is also working on what might well be the first in the pack to make it to the marquee: a romantic comedy with Ajay Devgn (TAFKA Devgan) and produced by Kumar Mangat. The title might surface in a few weeks.

After being a part of the launch of Mafia Queens of Mumbai by S. Hussain Zaidi and Jane Borges, Vishal has reportedly bought the rights to one of its chapters. Anything more might happen only after the cinematic adaptation of 2 States gets done (or abandoned).

National Awards for Vishal and Rekha Bhardwaj and others (Ishqiya)

The 58th National Film Awards (for 2010) were announced today.

Vishal Bhardwaj won his 2nd National Award for Best Music Direction (Songs) for "Ishqiya". His citation reads: "for blending rustic flavour with the Indian classical tradition. Earlier, Vishal had won this award for "Godmother" in 1999.

"Ishqiya" also won Rekha Bhardwaj her first Best Playback Singer - Female prize, the citation reading "for a sensual and evocative rendering of a heart longing for the beloved." (probably for "Ab Mujhe"). Two "Best Audiography" awards went to the film, to Kaamod Kharade (Location Sound Recordist ) and Debajit Changmai (Re-recordist of the final mixed track).

Unfortunately, Gulzar did not win his third award for Best Lyricist, losing out to Vairamuthu (who now has the most Best Lyricist awards at six). Incidentally, Suresh Wadkar, a long-time associate, won Best Male Playback Singer (for "Mee Sindhutai Sapkal")

(Readers will note that "Ishqiya" was a Vishal production. Previous National Awards won by Vishal and people associated with his films are listed here.)

Vishal's non-film music album in the offing

According to the report in HT, Vishal Bhardwaj is working on a non-film Sufi album.

“We will be ready with it in about a year-and-a-half. It’s still in the planning stage,” Vishal says.

Also, per the update, 2 States, possibly won't be the film that Vishal directs next.

Ishqiya sequel and Sabrina Dhawan on Two States

Some news:

* Looks like there may be a sequel to Ishqiya. See this.

* Vishal's next, an adaptation of the novel "Two States", sees a new co-writer in Sabrina Dhawan. She is better known as a close collaborator of Mira Nair on films such as "Monsoon Wedding". This is better news than having Chetan Bhagat on board.

Barse Barse

"Barse Barse" sees Vishal collaborating not only with Gulzar, but also with Suresh Wadkar, whose association with Vishal has been fruitful but somewhat unheralded. (I have been mulling over a post on this topic for a while.) This is a non-film album (we don't seem to have a proper term for anything outside of a Bollywood soundtrack!). Karthik reviews it here.