'Andaz Apna Apna' sequel with Ranbir, Shahid Kapoor

Rajkumar Santoshi has been planning to make a sequel to his 1994 cult classic 'Andaz Apna Apna' for quite some time now. However, to get Aamir Khan and Salman Khan--who immortalised the characters of Amar and Prem in the rib-tickling comedy--on board is proving to be a major challenge. And now it seems Santoshi might just replace the two. 

With his Shahid Kapoor-Ileana D'Cruz starrer,Phata Poster Nihkla Hero, almost ready for release, Santoshi is eager to put the sequel on floors. Mirror has learnt that instead of waiting for the two Khans, the director has decided to revamp the film with a contemporary storyline and a younger cast. 

He has bounced off the idea to Shahid, who has already impressed him with his comic turn inPhata Poster. For the parallel lead, Santoshi is keen on roping in Ranbir Kapoor, with whom he has previously worked in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani. 

A source close to the production said: "Although Rajji ideally wants to do the film with Aamir and Salman, he is keeping his options open. Since it has almost become an impossible task to get combination dates from the two, Rajji might go ahead with Ranbir and Shahid - who are both young and commercially viable." 

However, no official announcement has been made yet. When contacted, Santoshi said, "It's very early for me to take the call on the actors. I am still in the process of putting together the script, so wouldn't like to comment on the casting of Andaz Apna Apna 2."

Satyagraha Movie Review

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, Manoj Bajpai, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Amrita Rao

Direction: Prakash Jha

Genre: Drama

Duration: 2 hours 20 minutes

Story: As corruption erupts, what's the best satyagraha - to preach or practice?

Review: There's a shot in Satyagraha - a rainbow glimmering for a second between jets of water pounding protestors - which typifies this film. Vibrantly layered, Satyagraha weaves together urban legends of corruption, encompassing corporate lobbyists to murdered engineers. It features slices of histories, Chauri Chaura, Mandal, Anna Hazare's Jan Lokpal Andolan. It takes a real issue - corruption - to reel life, movingly fusing fact with fiction, leading to a security guard accompanying a politico at its screening to sing out aloud, "Aam aadmi kitna aam, Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram..."

Retired teacher Dwarka Anand (Bachchan) is an idealistic man. His engineer son Akhilesh's buddy Manav (Devgn) is an ambitious capitalist. Manav cherishes his friend - who suddenly dies. Minister Balram Singh (Bajpai) announces compensation which Akhilesh's wife Sumitra (Rao) cannot get despite daily applications before government babus. Incensed, Dwarka slaps an arrogant official and gets imprisoned. Manav starts a campaign to free him, using social media, roping in wannabe-bahubali Arjun Singh (Rampal) and journalist Yasmin (Kapoor). As hopeful students, hungry labourers and angry middle class citizens join, politicians panic. Will their moves derail the movement?

Devgn is Satyagraha's strong body while Amitabh - gaunt in grief, moving in fortitude - is its soul. And Bajpai is its glittering, malevolent cloak, delivering a satiny performance hair-raising in its perfection. Bachchan voices the movie's philosophy - "Janta sarkaar ki malik hai. Malik nirdesh deta hai. Maang nahin karta." But what is the best way to give such nirdesh? Symbolic protest? Violent revolt? Or a longer, harder route?

Satyagraha grapples with this dilemma. More philosophical than fiery, it adorns reality with gloss and loss. Dwarka touching the earth where his son fell brings tears while Prasoon Joshi's wonderful lyrics - "Uthkar karne hain kuch kaam, Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" - bring hope.

Satyagraha deserves an extra half-star for capturing corruption from root to branch - a government babu complains, "Yahan toh table ka bhi bhaada dena padta hai". Showing trueSatyagraha has no short-cuts, it also shows solutions glimmering ahead, as ephemeral, yet powerful as a rainbow cleansing the dust.

Note: You may not like this movie if you avoid socio-political realities in cinema.

Anjana Padmanabhan is the first Indian Idol Junior

Anjana Padmanabhan from Bangalore became the first Indian Idol Junior on Sunday. Others in the race were Debanjana Karmakar from Kolkata, Nirvesh Dave from Ahmedabad and Anmol Jaiswal from Jammu.

Anjana, all of 10 years old, has always impressed judges Shreya Ghoshal, and Vishal-Shekhar with her consistent and versatile performances.