Abhi conveys 100 dialogues in one look - Joydeep

DRONA may be finding it tough to find a standing at the box office but its writer Joydeep Sarkar continues to be mesmerized with the performance given by Abhishek Bachchan.

''DRONA is a tough role to play'', says Joydeep, ''Still, Abhishek's performance is so layered. He may have fewer dialogues in the film but it was meant to be this way. With one look, he conveys 100 dialogues. There is something to discover in every scene and people will not be satisfied with watching the film once or twice.''

Elaborating on the characterization, Joydeep says, ''When we were writing the film, we always knew what are the characters we were writing for. Abhishek was always the central protagonist and we knew the kind of lines he had to mouth. In fact he went through quite a few rehearsals as well before the film went on floors.''

Talking about the experience during the film's shoot, Joydeep reveals, ''On the sets we all were completely surprised with the way Abhi got the portrayal of his character just right. It has a huge graph to it and Abhishek had to play the role of a young man who later saves the entire universe. Abhi brought around a very Eastern quality to his character which is analogous to the way Indiana Jones or cowboys have their own body language out there in the West.''

Detailing the difference Abhishek has managed to bring in his portrayal of DRONA, Joydeep says, ''See, out here we have our own philosophy, spirituality and an understanding of life. In West all this differs in a big way. It was difficult for an actor to get this understanding but to give credit to Abhishek, he got it bang on!''

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Drona Movie Review

Big wind, loud thunder, no rain! This in short describes Goldie Behl's DRONA the best. The film drags, over two continents, and how! It can be best described as a costume drama. The producers might have spent huge monies to get the costumes and sets in place, not to forget the special effects, which are very, very good. But what is the use of special effects and good costumes if there is no script? DRONA lost the battle at the writing table itself.

To quote the makers, ''DRONA is rooted in the vibrant tapestry of Indian mythology. DRONA is the compelling modern tale of one man's spectacular voyage through the labyrinths of mystic myths and legendary legacies. It is a journey that will force him to face his fears and make him the hero he was born to become.''

DRONA is Abhishek Bachchan. For the first half of the movie the director is getting him to realise who he is; during the latter part of the second half, he realises who he is. And towards the end, he accomplishes what he is supposed to be by eliminating big bad Riz Raizada (Kay Kay Menon).





DRONA also has Priyanka Copra as Sonia, his bodyguard. One look at Priyanka and you want to give a hug to make-up artist Mickey Contractor who has done a fabulous job. Priyanka looks gorgeous. Will Madhur Bhandarkar be able to go one up on DRONA as far as her look is concerned in FASHION? That is for another review!

The huge hype will pull in the crowds, but it will be another task to keep them in during the course of the movie.

You go back with just one thought after watching DRONA, a colossal waste!

Rating - 1/5
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Drona will make you cry: Goldie Behl

Very few filmmakers decide to swim against the tide and go for unconventional subjects; Goldie Behl is one of them.

His second directorial venture Drona is a fantasy adventure (a genre rarely attempted in Bollywood) complete with never before seen special effects and some mind-blowing action.

Starring Abhishek Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra in lead roles, this film is among the most looked forward to films of this year. Close on the heels of the release of Drona, we caught up with Goldie and got chatting with him on his experiences filming Drona, his equation with AB Jr. and much more.

Goldie, you are back with your second film Drona which is releasing 7 years after your directorial debut Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai. First things first…why such a long gap?
Well…couple of reasons. One of them being I had taken failure to my heart, which I have learnt not to (laughs). I hope not to take success to my head as well. Most importantly my sister and I both thought that we first needed to get a strong hold into production which we did when we started our television software.

I think we are a reasonably established name as far television goes. Then we decided to shift our focus towards films. However, the time when we made our first movie 7 years back, we felt that we were misfits in this industry (ironical as we are from a filmy family) and we felt that we didn't know the ways of working.

But today the atmosphere is different, the working system is different. Today a producer and director can just do what they are supposed to be doing and not worry about distribution, finance and exhibition which is not really our area of expertise. So these were some of the reasons why it took so long for my second film.

However, the most important reason is that I didn't get the right kind of subject to inspire me to go against all odds and make it.

There has been a lot of speculation about Drona. Some people say Drona is a superhero film, some say it's a supernatural film, some say it's a fantasy film, while some say it's an adventure drama. Why don't you clear the air once and for all on what the film is all about?
The movie is a coming of age drama and it is made and presented in a larger than life format. However, if you want to label it in any one particular genre you could say it's a fantasy adventure. But in the soul of it, it is a very simple story of a boy realizing his destiny and his true calling so to speak.

You had said in an interview that Abhishek and you had this fake swordfight during your childhood days and that's when you decided you would make an action film with Abhishek when you grow up. Is that where the idea of making Drona come from?
Yeah…that was part of where the idea came from (laughs). We were young kids then and we decided that when we would grow up, we would make an action-oriented film. I would direct it and Abhishek would act in it. Now we have grown up and I even have a son but we still decided to re-visit that side of ours and make a film on that.

Everybody knows that Abhishek and you are best buddies. Is that, why you cast him in the lead role in Drona?
I have been really fortunate enough to know him very closely. It's but natural for anyone to discuss an idea with their close friends first and that's what I did too when the idea of making Drona came up. I discussed the idea with Abhishek and am glad that something in the story inspired him to say yes to this film. He is truly a great actor.

Could you tell us a little more about Abhishek's character in the film? Is he a super-hero? Does he have super-natural powers?
Well…he's completely human and has got all the weaknesses of a human being (be it emotional or physical weaknesses). That's the fun part of it because you have all these defects and still you emerge as a strong hero (smiles).

What role does Priyanka Chopra play in the film?
Priyanka plays a royal guard, and her duty is to serve and be by the side of the King of the Vir Bhadra Dynasty (the dynasty to which Abhishek's character belongs).

The film also has Kay Kay playing the menacing villain Ritz Raizada. He is touted to be the most expensive villain ever. Is it true?
Yes, he is indeed evil and menacing. He plays a wizard in the movie and is absolutely unpredictable. He has all the trappings of an evil wizard.

As for him being the most expensive villain ever seen on the Hindi film scene, I don't know about the exact figures. That you will have to ask the producers (laughs). But jokes apart, we have put in a lot of effort to try and create the world in which he lives.

Drona also has Jaya Bachchan in a pivotal role? How easy or difficult was it convincing her to act in this film?
I think getting Jayaji on board was the simplest. I just told her that I'm making a movie and I would like you to be in it and she immediately said yes. I was taken aback and asked “Don't you want to hear the script and know what your role is?”

She replied “No need… you are my son and it's your responsibility to take care of me.” It just put more pressure on me to live up to her expectations.

Could you share any funny/ interesting / unforgettable moments which took place during the shoot?
We had hailstorms in Bikaner which is quite unheard of. It made me run out of my actor dates and gave me quite a scare. We also had a dust storm in Namibia while shooting on a train for 13 days. We had snow in Prague. We shot through all of that. So there have been a lot of unforgettable moments like these (laughs).

The audio release sparked off a controversy over some statements made by Jayaji…Do you think what happened was uncalled for?
Whatever happened was absolutely uncalled for and I am glad that it's over now (smiles).

Drona clashes with yet another biggie - Kidnap on Oct 2. Would you have opted for a solo week or do these things really don't matter?
To be honest it's not really my call. It's the producers and the distributors who decide on a suitable release date. My job is to finish the film on time and deliver the quality that I promised.

On a parting note, give us 3 good reasons to watch Drona.
It's got great performances; you will see the same actors but in a very different kind of world and environment.

It's got never before seen stunts and visual effects And what is really the surprise factor, is that the film is very emotional and will make you cry. Abhishek is simply brilliant in this movie.
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Drona --- Trailer Review

The second Superhero to hit the Bollywood scene , Drona , is all set to please the audience after the very successful Krrish . The first trailer of the film , which has been into making since a long time , is out now and the rushes look just usual . The film has been Directed by Goldie Behl who is husband of Sonali Bendre and this is his biggest project . The film starrs Abhishek Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra in the lead . Priyanka probably has a thing for superheroes and she would be the only common thing between them . I hope we get to see a combined version of Krrish Vs. Drona fighting it out for Piggy Chops (Priyanka Chopra) . lol .

Anyways the trailer starts off with a Blue Petal flying into the windows of some apartment (poor graphics there , in terms of international standards) and then there is a dark locality shown which continues in the trailer for some time . Then we get to see Abhishek getting trapped between some Demons made of sand and a line like this goes - " When the survival of mankind will hang in the balance one man will rise and realise his destiny " . There is also a dark look of the Bad Guy which is played by Kay Kay in the starting of the trailer . Then at the end of the trailer we get to see the real Drona in his outfit riding on a horse . The already fat Abhishek looks even more fat with the strangely made costume . This is supposed to be a Indian Superhero so probably he won't wear the Nylon Skin-tight Suit . Instead he will wear a loose and fat looking Cotton Costume . Abhishek also carries a Sword which has some inscriptions on it and the sword is very much similar to the sword that his Dad AB Senior holds in the trailer of Talisman (CGI loaded next film of Amitabh based on Chandrakanta) .
Then at last the name of the film comes "Drona" in a golden colour font which is similar to the Font that was used in the title of Rangeela , the only difference being the colour . You might wonder what difference does the font make , but guys it does create an impression . The name of Krrish was presented in a never used before Font on screen and it looked great . Even the first Teaser of Krrish gave me Goosebumps to a little extent in the theater , this one didn't even excite me visually .

Krrish didn't work because of the special effects but it worked on the story and direction . This is one thing that Rakesh Roshan realised as a wise Director that he cannot spend a huge sum on VFX so he worked hard on the Story and background score . The background score that features in this trailer is very much Spiderman Superman type just with strange sounding Hindi lyrics . The background score that was used in this trailer was not at all good if you ask me . The Visual Effects also didn't please me that were present in this trailer . The sand creatures have been already shown on-screen with utmost perfection in Mummy Returns and Spiderman 3. The effects that are used here are of much lower level than what was used in the hollywood flicks . So why use same sequences that require top notch VFX that any Indian film can't afford and can't produce on its own ? Do something original and which is within the reach of Indian Special effects company .

Overall , The trailer didn't excite me at all and neither did Abhishek's look . The trailer isn't sufficient to create the interest amongst the audience , they might need something more . I hope the story and Direction are better than the first trailer of the film . The film set to release on October 2 .

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'DRONA' IS A CHILDHOOD DREAM

Goldie Behl, the director of 'Drona' is very excited about his forthcoming production that showcases Priyanka Chopra and Abhishek Bachchan in a role that has never been seen before. For this movie, Abhi has taken rigorously training in numerous action sequences from Shyam Kaushal (India) and Tom Delmar (overseas). Incidentally, these actions include adventurous games and sports like scuba diving, horse riding, free running, sword fighting, chao, kalari and ghatka. Regarding the other salient feature of his film he speaks about Kay Kay (Menon), who plays a negative character. He is confident that KK's unpredictable performance will lead him back to experimental theatre. 'Drona' is set in a fantasy world as it has been a childhood fantasy for both - Abhishek and Goldie!


When asked about the philosophy behind his movie, Goldie says that its character has a special purpose, which all of us are born with. Few of us realise it and few don't. It is the story of one such person who realises that he is special. His journey of realization is told in a larger-than-life story, Goldie adds. Goldie has had a lot of support from his family in the making of the film. Sister Shrishti Behl and mother Madhu have stood with him right from the film's conceptualisation. So has Sonali Behl, Goldie's wife. While Sameer Arya, Shrishti's husband and also movie's cinematographer, has lent great support, Sonali has been the bouncing board for his script, Goldie says with proud.
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DRONA picks up steam' heads for a win

With two weeks to go for the release, DRONA has started picking up steam at just the right time. The film is being considerably hyped and though the initial promotion had left much to be desired, last 10 odd days has shown momentum in a big way, hence resulting in an enhanced buzz.

The film's promotion has suddenly shown an impetus, something which was surprisingly missing in the early days. KIDNAP, which was releasing on the same day, was moving ahead with a relentless approach and it had seemed that the combined power of Sanju and Imran would eat away the prospects of DRONA by a large margin.

However, that's not the case anymore!

As witnessed in last 10 days, DRONA has started making its presence felt all over, whether it is music channels, magazines, newspapers, radio or the world of internet. The word DRONA is being flashed all over while the latest set of promos has ignited a newfound curiosity about watching a film. Suddenly DRONA, a film which looked like a mix–n–match of numerous special effects films from the West, has started catching on an Indian flavor with myth and reality coming together to create an exciting composition.

Abhishek Bachchan as a descendant of 'Drona' who will soon turn into a savior, Priyanka Chopra as a young woman who represents a clan and makes Abhishek aware about his real identity, Kay Kay Menon as the descendant of 'asuras' (demons) and Jaya Bachchan as Abhishek's mother – all of them have been unveiled in the promos which are blazing across entertainment channels 24X7.

With a much increased awareness being created by the makers of DRONA, one expects that the film shows an exponential increase over next 15 days. This would ensure that it not just face the huge challenge in the form of KIDNAP but also makes a huge impression for itself on it's 2nd October release.

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Drona - Music Review

Rating: **

Creating music for a film like Drona is always a tricky preposition. A conventional soundtrack isn't really what the film warrants while boundaries have to be set around how unconventional can the music actually go.

This is why one carefully looks at what composer Dhruv Ghanekar (who was a part of the composer duo Ashu-Dhruv) has to offer in Drona which is Abhishek's first solo release since Guru.

Surprisingly, unlike some huge expectations that one had from recent biggies like Singh Is Kinng, Bachna Ae Haseeno and Karzzzz, Drona (which has lyrics by Vaibhav Modi) is relatively low key in nature.

One can't exclaim 'I have been waiting with a bated breath' for the music of Drona which has just hit the stands. And this is what turns Drona into a fairly okay score which is certainly not exceptional but not a bad hear either.

The anthem track 'Drona' (sung by Dhruv himself) opens up proceedings and it has the kind of sound which just fits in well with the theme of the movie.

A number with a Western base to it, it does have an advertisement jingle feel to it but one doesn't quite mind it due to the comic book spirit of the movie. Narrating the background of 'Drona' and how he would be acting as a savior for the rest of the world, 'Drona' is a kind of number which appears at numerous junctures in the film.

Sunidhi Chauhan version of the same song comes at the album's end and carries a funky feel to it, courtesy a full on club setting. In both the versions, 'Drona' stays on to be primarily situational though and doesn't even attempt taking a popular route.

The number which does aim at being popular though is 'Oop Cha' which has an interesting orchestra throughout its duration. Different instruments are brought together to give this item number an edgy sound.

The number by Sunidhi Chauhan and Nandini Shrikar is foot tapping, yes, but beyond the initial setting 'Oop Cha' doesn't quite turn out to be THE item number which Priyanka Chopra could carry for couple of years or so.

The culprit here are the lyrics that do touch upon the philosophy of 'living life every moment' but somewhere down the line, they fail to make an impact. 'Remix version' sounds good at high volume as well though how one wishes the lyrics could have made a little more impact!

'Bandagi' follows next and though it doesn't promise much in terms of popularity, it is easy on ears nevertheless.

While Roop Kumar Rathod is subdued as usual, Sunidhi Chauhan too keeps her pitch low for 'Bandagi' which comes across as a laidback love song to be heard with the lights switched off.

For those who are fond of 'ghazals' and soft music, 'Bandagi' is a decent offering though a wide spread reach of the number doesn't seem feasible.

A number which is seemingly picturised on Jaya Bachchan and the kid (who grows on to be Abhishek Bachchan), 'Nanhe Nanhe' is a lullaby that follows next.

Sadhna Sargam (with support from Nandini Shrikar) comes up with good rendition in this extremely slow moving number and at places does sound like Lata Mangeshkar from 'Ek Tu Hi Bharosa' (Pukar).

A situational track, this is yet another number which derives its value from it's placement in the film's narrative.

Finally arrives 'Khushi' which is experimental to say the least. With a jazz feel to it, 'Khushi' sees quite a few ups and downs during it's 4 minutes duration even as Suzzane D'mello, Francois Castellino, Dean and Sunaina Gupta give Shaan, the prime singer here, ample support.

A conversation song which seems to be picturised on Abhishek Bachchan having fun with his friends, 'Khushi' has a lot to look forward in the way it is picturised because audio wise it is not a number that one expects to be sung or played around.

As mentioned in the start, Drona takes an unconventional route for most part of the album and the only place where it does follow the popular trend ('Oop Cha'), the final result is 'theek-thaak'.

Goldie Behl, Dhruv and Vaibhav have their intentions right in making Drona look and sound different from the league; however while doing so the soundtrack turns out to be the kind which would has it's chances of making a better impression as a part of the narrative and able choreography/picturisation.

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Drona is not a super-hero film

Another director who's back after a sabbatical is Goldie Behl. There has been a substantial gap between his directorial debut BAS ITNA SA KHWAAB HAI and his second outing DRONA. "Two reasons, " Goldie spells out, "Nothing inspired me to start a film in the intervening period. Besides, I decided to dabble in television and establish my company."

He gets into an introspective mood. "I was completely disillusioned. I took failure to my heart. But with the passage of time, I realized that one should never take failure to heart or success to head, " the soft-spoken director states.

Goldie penned a couple of scripts in the intervening period. "And also made 3 / 4 films in my mind, " he laughs. DRONA was 'born' after a lot of thinking and brainstorming sessions.

Now this is important: A lot of people feel that DRONA is a super-hero film, on the lines of Batman and Superman. Is it? "It's not! It's a modern-day fantasy adventure. Let me clarify, we haven't copied the West or the East. It's an original concept, very Indian at heart, a desi film, but presented in a contemporary format, " he divulges.

Please continue. "I've grown up on popular Indian cinema and having grown up in a family environment, you'll see a lot of familial bonding in DRONA.

The bonding between Jaya Aunty (Jaya Bachchan) and Abhishek on screen is terrific, it's an extension of what they're in real life. In fact, Jaya Aunty is the trump card of my film, the real USP. And as a director, I must add that it's one of her finest works ever, " Goldie states with all humility.

Final words? "I am sure, DRONA would not only work with the Indian audiences, but also internationally, " he says. Amen!

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Drona Movie Trailer

Abhishek Bachchan starrer the new Bollywood movie `DRONA` video movie trailer

The VISUAL EFFECTS ARE LOOKING GREAT and the music is JUST AMAZING abhishek bachchan drona priyanka chopra bollywood hindi movies goldie behl erosentertainment ...

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