Bombay Velvet: All you need to know about the film

Although Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet had failed to connect with the audience, the ace director has always stood by his film. Kashyap is an active user on Facebook and loves sharing his views on cinema of all kinds, apart from talking about his own cinematic works. In his latest post on the social networking website, Kashyap has yet again defended Bombay Velvet. He wrote, “8600 people at Piazza Grande Saw Bombay Velvet and they loved it.. I know so many back home that didn't see it and the so many that trashed it.. Maybe here no one knew me and came with a blank mind and a clean slate and I was just another film maker.. The detractors will still say what they want to but for me it came a full circle.. An extremely emotional night, a lady bar owner offered me free drinks after the film and I can finally sleep well. Thank you Locarno, thank you Sergio Fant thank you Carlos and thank you Jattin Kapoor who travelled from Munich just for the night.. thank you Sunil T Doshi who didn't leave me for a second.. It was beautiful.. Now on to the next..” [sic]

Read on to know what Karan Johar had to say about Bombay Velvet’s failure…

Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma-starrer Bombay Velvet failed to make a mark at the box office. However, the film is gearing up for an international release, stated a report on Bollywoodlife.com. The report further stated that the makers of the film are planning to re-edit it for the international market and it will be edited by Thelma Colbert Schoonmaker, who has worked with popular filmmaker Martin Scorsese for over 40 years. The report also stated that the film may re-release in October this year.

Read on to know what Karan Johar has to say about Bombay Velvet's failure at the box office...

Karan Johar, who made his acting debut with Anurag Kashyap's Bombay Velvet, spoke about the film's failure at the box office. The filmmaker-actor, who believes that cinema has always been about the balance between art and commerce, explained how the box office has become a talking point and has become a barometer to judge a film. In an interview with The Hindu, KJo said that Bombay Velvet was attacked relentlessly for three days after its release. He also spoke about the recent speculation of Anurag Kashyap moving to Paris. Karan was quoted as saying that if we lose a filmmaker like Anurag, we will lose good content in mainstream cinema.

Read further to know what Anushka Sharma reportedly said about her remuneration...

Bombay Velvet has incurred heavy losses after having failed to make its mark at the box-office. And the latest update around the film is that lead actress Anushka Sharma has only received the signing amount for the film, and is yet to receive the rest of her payment, or so claims a report on Pinkvilla.com. The report also states that the actress is annoyed as her co-star Ranbir Kapoor has already been given his fee. However, Anushka’s spokesperson has been quoted as saying that she had never and would never speak about remuneration and that she prefers to sort out such issues herself.

Bombay Velvet might have received poor response at the box-office but the author on whose book the film is based on, stands by it. Read more...

As Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet crashes at the box-office, Gyan Prakash, the author on whose novel, the film is based on, stands by it. In a report on Pinkvilla.com, Gyan has been quoted as saying that he was deeply appreciative of the film and that he loved Anurag’s stylised way of storytelling. He also added that the film had met with mixed reactions because of the wildly different expectations. Gyan reasoned that some expected the film to be like Gangs Of Wasseypur while others expected it to be standard Bollywood fare due to the presence of stars like Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma.

Click on to know what Anurag Kashyap had to say after Bombay Velvet failed to live up to the expectations…

Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet didn’t live up to the expectations at the box-office and the director has opened up on the same on his Facebook account. In a post, wherein Anurag thanked numerous people associated with the film, he clarified that he is not depressed and will be back. Anurag wrote, “Its time to close the book and move on. its been a journey, as if one life is over with Bombay Velvet. a lot of people do not connect with it and a small number of people did. Maybe when the shock of the narrative wears down , you will revisit it in the calm of your homes and will get into it. Maybe our experimenting with the narrative didn't work for most but i firmly believe in the film. This is the film i wanted to make and i am glad i got to make it. I am very happy that all those who have been part of this journey firmly stand with it. No i am not depressed or hiding, this has taught us a lot and is my absolute personal favourite, there have been no regrets whatsoever.” [sic]

Contd…

“Let my silence not worry any of you. i am solid, we are solid. The Applause or Brickbats do not matter, what matters is who is standing in the arena. its us who go out there and risk it, its us who choose not to take the easy route, its us who stand tall when they let the lions loose on us, we are and will be the gladiators, lets just keep playing the sport.. lets continue reinventing, lets give everything our best. and like Schwarznegger said, I WILL BE BACK..” [sic]

While Anurag has bravely taken the failure of his ambitious film, some of the costumes from Bombay Velvet will be auctioned and proceeds will be donated to a charity. Read more...

Anurag Kashyap's Bombay Velvet hasn't opened well. Anurag has recreated the 1960s era for the film. From the sets to the actors’ looks and costumes, everything has been designed and created from scratch, according to a report on Bollywoodlife.com. The report also states that the entire cast’s costumes collectively weigh about 25,000 kg. The makers of the film have now reportedly decided to auction some of the costumes and donate the proceeds to a charity.

Read on to know what order was passed by the court to avoid irreparable financial damage to Bombay Velvet...

The Delhi High Court has restrained websites from downloading, showing or providing online access, without permission, to Bollywood crime-drama, Bombay Velvet, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma. According to a PTI report, Justice Indermeet Kaur said the movie's producers, Fox Star Studios India Ltd and Phantom Films, have made out a prima facie case for grant of ex-parte ad-interim injunction. The court also said if no such order was granted, then "irreparable" financial damage would be caused to the producers of the movie. "A prima facie case is made out in favour of plaintiffs (Fox and Phantom). Irreparable loss will be suffered by them in case ad-interim ex-parte injunction is not granted. The court directed internet service providers (ISPs) to "block access" to any unlicensed content of the film on infringing websites when the plaintiffs give notice of such activity. It also ordered the departments of Telecommunications (DoT) and Electronics and Information Technology (DEIT) to ensure compliance by ISPs by issuing necessary notification. The court also issued notices to all the defendants in the suit, including the websites, ISPs and government departments, and sought their replies before the next date of hearing on September 9. It passed the order on the producers' plea, filed through Saikrishna and Associates, alleging that "rampant piracy" was happening on the internet and new movies were being copied and provided online even prior to their release. Senior advocate, Rajiv Nayar, appearing for the producers, argued that the "mischief" usually occurs while the film is transported or distributed to the various cinema halls.
Read on to know why Karan Johar is all praise for Ranbir Kapoor...

In an interview with Bombay Times, Karan Johar went all praise for his Bombay Velvet co-star, Ranbir Kapoor. Karan said that Ranbir is the most charismatic man on and off screen. Adding that the actor was more like a friend to him now, KJo revealed that if one sees both of them in a casual interaction, he would be mistaken for a junior, and RK, for a senior. In a funny tone, Karan said that Ranbir thinks of him as a toy to play with, as he is amused with him all the time. The filmmaker turned actor also confessed that he loves the way the Kapoor lad is so casual about his stardom.

Read on to know how Ranbir reacted when he heard about Karan Johar playing the villain in Bombay Velvet…

Ahead of the release of his much awaited film Bombay Velvet, Ranbir Kapoor has revealed that he broke into laughter as soon as he came to know that Karan Johar had been cast as the antagonist of the film. In an interview with ABP News, Ranbir said that he was surprised over the fact that in a big film like Bombay Velvet, a nice chap like Karan had been given the role of a villain. He further said that though Karan has earned a big name for himself, he was insecure and nervous on the sets and would often ask his co-stars if he was doing a fine job. To everyone’s surprise, the Kapoor lad even divulged that he directed Karan in various scenes of the film.

While Ranbir proved to be a good co-star to Karan, read further to know about the Bombay Velvet game!

Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma unveiled an exclusive game named after Anurag Kashyap's upcoming film Bombay Velvet. The two actors even played the game live at the event. Anushka said, "It's great to have games featuring yourself. However, I play Pet Rescue a lot and I had reached to a very high level in that as well. I used to play Candy Crush also a lot. It's a real good time pass when you are just sitting and getting bored. I feel our concentration and focus also improves." Ranbir Kapoor, who is a game junkie, added, "I play Candy Crush a lot. But, I guess everyone's all time favourite is Snake that we used to play in the Nokia phones."

Read further to know why Anurag Kashyap got Ranbir Kapoor drunk...

Anurag Kashyap revealed that he would get Ranbir Kapoor drunk in order to make him cry, reports Pinkvilla.com. The reason why the filmmaker made the chocolate boy cry was that the Barfi actor always found it difficult to shed tears onscreen. So to bring out his emotions for some scenes of Bombay Velvet, Anurag would give Ranbir some drink and have a conversation with him, which would help him cry for the camera, the report concluded.
Read further to know more about the sets of Bombay Velvet and its expenses...

Anurag Kashyap's Bombay Velvet is one of the most eagerly awaited films of 2015 and the ace filmmaker has spared no efforts for this one. Reportedly, Bombay Velvet is Kashyap's most expensive film by far. The film set is extravagant and apparently took 11 months to construct. According to a report on Dnaindia.com, since the film depicts Bombay of the 1960s, the whole set was created in such a way that it resembled that era. Not only that, the entire city was recreated on 9.5 acres of land and the set of Bombay Velvet was created in Sri Lanka. Further to reports, the buildings, their interiors, the roads and even signage and decor matched the 60s.

While Bombay Velvet is all set to hit theatres soon, read on to know how the film's male lead Ranbir Kapoor surprised co-star Anushka Sharma.

Anushka Sharma and Ranbir Kapoor will be seen in Anurag Kashyap's Bombay Velvet, which will hit theatre screens soon. Both the lead actors of the film are promoting their movie in full swing. Anushka and Ranbir seemed to share a good rapport at an event, where the duo launched the film's second trailer. In a spontaneous move, Ranbir carried his co-star Anushka in his arms at the event and took everyone by surprise, including Anushka herself. This certainly made for a cute picture.

While Bombay Velvet is yet to release, Deshdrohi actor has already taken pot-shots at the film's director, Anurag Kashyap. Read on to know what he had to say...

Kamaal R Khan, known for his controversial tweets, has taken on Bombay Velvet's producer, Anurag Kashyap, this time. He has also targeted filmmaker and actor, Karan Johar, claiming that he has offered to pay him Rs 25 lakh to rate Bombay Velvet with a four star rating. KRK had tweeted earlier claiming that he will stop reviewing films as Karan Johar and Anurag Kashyap had threatened him against it. He wrote, "Dear people I know that you all want honest reviews of films but I am really scared of Karan Johar n Kashyap so can't review at any cost. I have not reviewed any film this week because Karan Johar n Anurag Kashyap threatened n asked me to not review any film anymore." Anurag chose to respond to these claims on Twitter and wrote, "For the record I have nothing to do with Mr KRK stopping to review films, I think he is shit scared that he will have to eat his words ...So he blames it on me, because it's also easy to believe that I must have done it. There are genuine reviewer who give bad reviews ..To a lot of my work and I respect that.You are just insignificant Mr KRK.Maybe you have lost u'r mojo&they don't enjoy laughing at u anymore." Even after this, KRK took on Karan Johar and sharing a picture of Karan's apparent text messages, wrote, "Oh! So now Karan Johar sir is offering me 25lakh Rs for good review of #BombayVelvet" The text messages which KRK claims are from Karan reads, "Listen KRK! I shall f**k your life if you give review of my film Bombay Velvet. Karan. Ok listen KRK let's be friends. I will pay you Rs 25 lakhs and you give 4* to my film Bombay Velvet. Deal?"

The trailer of the film has been garnering rave reviews. Read on to know more...

Bombay Velvet has created a buzz and generated a lot of curiosity. The trailer of the film, which was released recently, received rave reviews. With an ensemble cast comprising of Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Karan Johar and Raveena Tandon in a pivotal role, the film is said to be director Anurag Kashyap's most expensive till date. While Ranbir, Anushka and KJo's looks have been revealed so far, now it's time to take a look at Raveena's getup in the film. The actress is seen in a long flowing gown with a head gear that screams fancy. Raveena's costume looks royal and has been given that extra edge, as she takes to the stage to give a performance.

Like many of Kashyap's films that screen at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, read on to know if Bombay Velvet will make it the list.

Image Courtesy: Twitter

According to a report on Bollywoodlife.com, ace director Anurag Kashyap has cleared the air on the speculations about Bombay Velvet’s special screening at the Cannes Film Festival. Anurag has issued a statement that clarifies that there will be no special screening of the film and that it will play in the exhibitions. Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Karan Johar-starrer Bombay Velvet, was reportedly earlier supposed to be screened first at festivals and then be released in theatres. Confusion regarding the same had started when Paris Match, a Paris based magazine, mentioned Bombay velvet’s name under the special screening list. But Anurag has maintained that the film will release on May 15.

Read on to know why Bombay Velvet is Anurag Kashyap's costliest film...

According to a report on Mid-day.com, there is a lot of bad publicity going on against Anushka Sharma regarding her upcoming film Bombay Velvet. The actress was apparently blamed for the cancellation of the first song launch event which was scheduled to happen in Mumbai on April 13, 2015. The report stated that Bombay Velvet's publicist had cited the reason behind the event cancellation as Anushka’s unavailability. However, Anushka's spokesperson denied the news saying that the actress had informed about her unavailability a month in advance, the report further stated. The spokesperson added that they are shocked to hear Anushka getting this reward for her professionalism. A source was quoted in the report saying that the invite which was sent out to the media clearly stated that only Ranbir Kapoor along with Anurag Kashyap and Karan Johar will be present for the song launch.

Looks like there is no end to Bombay Velvet's controversies. Read on to know why Raveena Tandon's song was edited out from the film..

According to a report on Pinkvilla.com, Raveena Tandon's song from Bombay Velvet, where she introduces the film's characters, has been edited out. The report further states that the length of the film seemed to be worrisome for American editor, Thelma Schoonmaker and he wanted all the songs out. A source was quoted in the report as saying that Bombay Velvet is a three hour-long film which had to have a running time of close to two hours. Hence, Thelma suggested chopping off three Anushka's songs and both tracks featuring Raveena.
Read on to know why Karan Johar is worried about his role in Bombay Velvet...

According to a report on Bollywoodlife.com, filmmaker Karan Johar, who is making his acting debut with Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet, is nervous about how the audience will react to his negative role. Karan will be seen playing the flamboyant character of Kaizad Khambatta in the film. He has also experimented with his look for the much-anticipated film and is seen sporting a moustache.

The ace director was quoted in the report as saying that he is really nervous about his acting debut and stressed about how the character is going to be accepted by the audience. The report states that Karan, who usually prefers wearing black, had to wear all kinds of colors for the film. He is further quoted as saying that he could not throw tantrums as Anurag Kashyap doesn't entertain tantrums.

Read on to know how wearing a gown for Bombay Velvet became a struggle for Anushka Sharma…

According to a report on Hindustantimes.com, 26-year old Anushka Sharma, will be seen wearing a very heavy outfit in her upcoming multi-starrer film, Bombay Velvet. In a recent poster of the film Anushka is seen wearing a green gown, which reportedly weighs a whopping 35 kilos. Reports also suggest that Anushka really struggled to bear the weight of her gown. This is the first time when Anushka will be seen donning such heavy costumes.

Read further to know why Ranbir Kapoor has refused to promote his upcoming film Bombay Velvet?

According to a report on Pinkvilla.com, apparently, Ranbir Kapoor has refused to promote his upcoming film Bombay Velvet. The trailer of the film opened to mixed reviews, and it was reported that Rishi Kapoor has disapproved of the film, and filmmaker Anurag Kashyap had even denied the same. The Pinkvilla.com report stated that Ranbir is not happy with the look of the period love story and has apparently refused to give dates for the film's promotions. As of now the responsibility of film promotion is on Anushka Sharma and Karan Johar, but the makers are trying to get Ranbir on board as well, concluded the report.

Read further to know why Karan Johar supervised the final edit of Anurag Kashyap's magnum opus...

According to a Mumbai Mirror report, the first promo of Anurag Kashyap's magnum opus Bombay Velvet released to mixed reactions. And if studio gossip is anything to go by, the film itself has been through three rounds of editing with Kashyap, who was not happy with what he had achieved, the report stated. Eventually, Karan Johar stepped in and supervised the final edit, the report concluded.

Anurag had once admitted in an interview with Hindustan Times that he hated Karan because he didn’t know him. While it is heartening to see Karan and Anurag working together on good terms, read on to know how Bombay Velvet trailer was released in a unique manner...

According to a report on Pinkvilla.com, the trailer of Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma’s upcoming film Bombay Velvet was to be launched in a unique way. In order to rake in the moolah during the ongoing cricket World Cup, the trailer was broadcast during the India-Bangladesh knock out match on March 19. Guess what! The fans got to see Anushka and Virat simultaneously on television!

Read further to know what Raveena Tandon had to say about Bombay Velvet and Anurag Kashyap’s next film…

Raveena Tandon, who got into news with her appearance in Bombay Velvet, seems to have said no to Anurag Kashyap's next project. According to a report on Mid-day.com, Raveena refused Anurag's film Return Gift, which will be directed by Vikas Bahl. The report quoted an industry source as stating that Vikas is still working on the script, but right now he is focusing on the post production of Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt starrer film Shandaar. Kashyap offered the role to Raveena, but she rejected it as she didn't like the role, the report further stated.

While Raveena has denied Anurag's next, let's take a look at some interesting facts about the filmmaker's upcoming release Bombay Velvet.

Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet is one of the most anticipated movies this year. The director has a very particular fan following but that promises to increase by leaps and bounds following the release of this one. After the initial teaser poster, the makers also released the first poster 'Big Shot' where Ranbir's Kapoor seems to be introducing his character in the film in true gangsta style. With him looking the way he is, and the promise of Anurag Kashyap's quality, Bombay Velvet surely seems worth the wait.

Let's take a look at why we feel that the film will absolutely kill it at the box-office and become the first Anurag Kashyap movie that merges critical acclaim with commercial success...

- Projwal Deb

No more delays: The movie was set for a November 28, 2014 release but was delayed due to post-production issues. A new date was fixed at May 15, 2015. While rumours were rife that the film might be postponed again, Anurag rubbished the claims and insisted that Bombay Velvet will indeed release on May 15, this year.

Kashyap characters: Anurag Kashyap’s movies have always had interesting characters rather than big names. Though this one features some well known actors, it is a given that their star power won’t dominate Anurag's characters. Ranbir Kapoor plays street-fighter, Johnny Balraj and Anushka Sharma plays a jazz singer, Rosie Noronha. Kay Kay Menon will play an investigative officer in the film, while Karan Johar will be making his debut in a negative role as the media mogul, Kaizad Khambatta. While the rumour mill was abuzz with reports of Raveena Tandon’s character in the film being chopped off to meet script requirements, Anurag maintains that she is very much a part of the project.

Money matters: Bombay Velvet is Anurag’s most ambitious project till date. For somebody who is used to shooting in 'Guerrilla style,' a Rs 90 crore project promises to be extraordinary. However, Anurag Kashyap was quoted as saying that Bombay Velvet was to be made on a scale of Rs 300 crore but they managed to pull it off in Rs 90 crore. Though plenty of visual effects have been used, Kashyap has maintained that it will have his touch of realism. He promises that nothing apart from the birds will ever fly in his movies.

Inspiration and then some: It is a neo-noir period drama that will tell the story of Mumbai as it was during the 1960s. Since the film is also being classified as a 'jazz film,' it wouldn't be wrong to expect the makers to cut in an exciting music album, especially with Amit Trivedi composing. Majority of Bombay Velvet was shot at real locations in Sri Lanka rather than built up sets. Ranbir Kapoor has revealed that Bombay Velvet will have the feel of legendary gangster movies like Scarface and Godfather, which has been further validated by the poster which seems to have sought inspiration from the climax sequence of Al Pacino’s portrayal of 'Tony Montana' in the 1983 classic.

Thelma Schoonmaker: The film is also high on the aesthetics. One of the most famous editors worldwide, Thelma Schoonmaker, who has been associated with filmmaker Martin Scorsese for half a century now, is a part of Bombay Velvet's editing team. It was earlier being reported that Bombay Velvet will have separate cuts for the Indian and international audience. However, Anurag rejected the news and asserted that there will be only one cut of Bombay Velvet.

Going by the books: The book Mumbai Fables by historian Gyan Prakash forms the foundation of Bombay Velvet. He is also one of the writers for the film. Kashyap was also inspired by James Ellroy’s L.A Quartet comprising of the 4 books; The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, L.A Confidential and White Jazz. Good enough reason for the thriller novel lovers to go about doing some reading and trying to figure out the elements on what they can exactly expect.


- Projwal Deb