Director Advait Chandan and Dharma Productions have decided to part ways on Dostana 2, sources told NDTV.

Chandan had been attached to direct the latest version of the project and spent close to seven months developing the film before both sides mutually decided to move in different directions.

According to sources, the decision was driven by creative differences, with the filmmaker and the studio envisioning different approaches for the franchise. However, sources emphasised that the separation was entirely amicable.

“Yes, Advait was initially set to direct the film, but he and Dharma Productions eventually decided to part ways. The decision was driven by creative differences, as their respective visions for the franchise did not align. The separation was entirely amicable, and there is no bad blood between him and Karan. All is well between them,” a source told NDTV.

The latest development adds another chapter to the long journey of Dostana 2, the sequel to Dharma Productions’ 2008 hit Dostana. The film was first announced in 2019 with Kartik Aaryan, Janhvi Kapoor and Lakshya in the lead. Collin D’Cunha was set to make his feature directorial debut with the project, but that version was eventually shelved.

Dharma Productions later began work on a fresh version of the film. Industry sources had indicated that the reworked project was expected to star Vikrant Massey and Lakshya, with former Miss India World Sini Shetty being considered for the female lead.

Chandan subsequently came on board to helm the project and had been working closely on its development over the past several months. The collaboration had generated considerable interest within the industry, especially given the filmmaker’s track record with films such as Secret Superstar, Laal Singh Chaddha and most recently Loveyapa.

Sources say discussions around the film’s creative direction eventually led to both parties arriving at the decision to pursue separate paths. There is, however, no acrimony surrounding the move.

Dharma Productions is expected to continue developing the project and is likely to begin the search for a new director. Despite its multiple reinventions over the years, Dostana 2 remains one of the studio’s most anticipated projects, largely because of the popularity of the original film and the curiosity surrounding its eventual revival.

ALSO READ | What’s Next For Farhan Akhtar After The Don 3 Fallout With Ranveer Singh?

New Delhi:

A week after issuing a non-cooperation directive against Ranveer Singh, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has now withdrawn the directive. 

Following this development, Poonam Dhillon revealed that Ranveer’s father personally reached out to thank her for publicly supporting the actor during the controversy. The actress, who is also the President of the Cine & TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA), shared that the family was deeply appreciative of the solidarity shown by members of the film industry. 

In an interview with Variety India, Poonam Dhillon said, “As an actor and as the President of CINTAA, I’m happy that they’ve revoked the directive because he definitely didn’t deserve it. We opposed it from the beginning because FWICE had absolutely no credibility to take such action against an actor of his caliber.” 

She added, “As an actor, he has the right to choose his work, and it is between him and the producer how they handle the matter. He is responsible and committed to his work, and we have seen that through his body of work.”

Poonam Dhillon pointed out Ranveer’s longstanding professional relationship with Excel Entertainment through films such as Gully Boy and Dil Dhadakne Do. 

“As far as I know, he has an excellent relationship with Excel Entertainment, with whom he has made films like Gully Boy and Dil Dhadakne Do. Farhan Akhtar is also an actor, so our support extends to him as well. We wouldn’t want any of our actors to face such issues. Problems can always be resolved. We support Ranveer because he is a member of CINTAA,” she mentioned. 

Poonam Dhillon shared that she had a lengthy discussion with Jagjit Singh Bhavnani, Ranveer Singh’s father, following the resolution of the matter. 

The actress said, “I spoke to Ranveer’s father at length and we have been corresponding on WhatsApp. He thanked me for our support. We spoke to understand the situation better. He told me they had been in touch with Excel Entertainment and spoke about how close he is to Farhan and the entire Excel team. There is no animosity from his side. They were unhappy with the way FWICE handled the matter.”

She added, “I asked whether CINTAA could be of any help, but he said, ‘We didn’t involve you because we didn’t want to trouble you, and we’re already in the process of sorting it out.’ Technically, he didn’t need our intervention. I’m glad the matter has been resolved positively.”

Ranveer Singh made headlines after reportedly exiting Don 3, with Excel Entertainment seeking Rs 45 crore for pre-production losses and prompting an FWICE non-cooperation notice. With the directive now revoked, the dispute seems to be heading toward a resolution.

New Delhi:

Actor Priya Bapat, who has carved her niche over the years in Marathi cinema and the Hindi streaming space, recently opened up about a deeply uncomfortable experience on set when she wasn’t sure about a kissing scene from the very beginning.

What’s Happening

• Priya Bapat told Filmfare, “This was kind of my first, first films. This is all before City of Dreams and everything happened. And there was only one kiss in the film. And I had concerns and doubts about it right from the script-reading sessions.”
• She continued, “And I was continuously asking the director, why do you need it here? It’s not about whether I want to kiss or not. But it’s just about… how do you justify it? How do you justify? It just doesn’t fit here.”
• The actress explained how she agreed to do the kissing scene as a way to get over her inhibitions and complete what was needed for the film.

When Things Started Getting Uncomfortable

Priya Bapat revealed that things started getting out of hand when her co-actor began improvising the intimate scene, beyond what was originally rehearsed.

She said, “And then there were moments where the actor kept improvising in the song. And he kept kissing me. And me being, I don’t know why, I didn’t take a stand for myself at that point of time. Because I didn’t know how to deal with this.”

It did not stop there. Priya Bapat further revealed that the co-actor made personal advances beyond the film set, failing to take the hint that she was not interested. She also felt helpless because they were staying in the same hotel, in different rooms. He kept persisting to meet up for breakfast or dinner, despite her continuous rejections.

How Priya Bapat’s Husband Handled The Situation

Priya Bapat said she felt so uneasy about what was going on that she would call her husband, Umesh Bhagat, and confide in him every night.

This led to him taking a flight from Mumbai to Bhopal, where the shoot was taking place, and not leaving her side for three days. She reiterated that this was the only time she has ever experienced such a thing.

About Priya Bapat

Priya Bapat is a well-known Marathi actress who has also had successful projects in the OTT space. She is most popular for the film Kaksparsh and the OTT series City of Dreams.

Some of her other notable projects include Happy Journey (2014), Aamhi Doghi (2018) and, quite recently, the SonyLIV series Raat Jawaan Hai.

ALSO READ | Hina Khan’s Note To PM After Shilpa Shinde Took A Dig At Her Cancer Battle: ‘Release Criminals’