All posts tagged: Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Amitabh Bachchan did Eklavya free; Vidhu Vinod Chopra refused to pay hotel, plane too

Amitabh Bachchan did Eklavya free; Vidhu Vinod Chopra refused to pay hotel, plane too

Amitabh Bachchan is known for his discipline on set, and many of his collaborators have often praised how Amitabh never put on any additional pressure on the film’s budget with his entourage’s cost. Previously, filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra elaborated on the same and said during the shoot for Eklvaya, Amitabh paid for his hotel, and did not charge a single rupee as upfront payment. When the actor wanted a private plane to travel from Rajasthan to Mumbai, Chopra refused as it was too expensive. Amitabh ended up paying for the flight by himself and even offered a lift to Chopra in his plane. Amitabh Bachchan arranged for his own private plane, paid for his accomodation In the book, Unscripted: Conversations on Life and Cinema, written by Chopra and Abhijat Joshi, he recalled the anecdote, “When the shoot was over, he wanted a private plane to take him back to Bombay. I had to refuse because the budget couldn’t be stretched. He chartered a plane from Jodhpur and paid for it himself, and Anu (Anupama Chopra, …

Vidhu Vinod Chopra fought with LK Advani on National Award stage for Rs 4,000: I’ll go to President’

Vidhu Vinod Chopra fought with LK Advani on National Award stage for Rs 4,000: I’ll go to President’

Today, Vidhu Vinod Chopra is one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated filmmakers and a seven-time National Award winner. But when he received his first National Award for his FTII diploma film Murder at Monkey Hill, it wasn’t the trophy that had his attention. Instead, the young filmmaker found himself arguing with then Information and Broadcasting Minister LK Advani over a Rs 4,000 cash prize. Recalling the incident during a conversation with The Lallantop in 2023, Chopra shared how a proud moment at the National Film Awards ceremony turned into an unforgettable exchange that unfolded in the presence of then-President Neelam Sanjiva Reddy. ‘I was focused on the cash prize’ Chopra admitted that more than the award itself, he was eagerly waiting for the prize money that came with it. “I was on the stage. First, the President of India gave the award, but I was focused on the cash prize. So, when I was given the envelope, I noticed it was quite thin. I opened it on the stage itself and saw there was a …

Saif Ali Khan was rejected for Parineeta by Vidhu Vinod Chopra: ‘You haven’t faced pain’ | Bollywood News

Saif Ali Khan was rejected for Parineeta by Vidhu Vinod Chopra: ‘You haven’t faced pain’ | Bollywood News

3 min readNew DelhiMay 15, 2026 04:46 PM IST Saif Ali Khan, for a large part of his career, was known as the ‘metro-sexual’ hero who often played romantic roles set in urban areas. Of course, he broke the clutter with films like Omkara, but regardless, a lot of filmmakers were wary of casting him in certain kinds of roles, and one such film was Parineeta. In a recent interview, Saif shared that producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra was not very keen in casting him in Parineeta as he believed that he did not have “that pain” that was required to play that role. In a chat with SHOWSHA, Saif described Vinod as an “amazingly encouraging” person and said, “He was making Parineeta and he said that he wanted to cast somebody else. He gave me a story about how that person’s (the other actor that he wanted to cast) career hadn’t worked out the way he wanted it to so he has pain and you don’t have that pain. So he thought he was better.” …

EXCLUSIVE: Vicky Kaushal front runner to play 4th Idiot in 3 Idiots Sequel with Aamir Khan, R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi

EXCLUSIVE: Vicky Kaushal front runner to play 4th Idiot in 3 Idiots Sequel with Aamir Khan, R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi

After a massive update by us on 3 Idiots in the making, Pinkvilla has exclusively learned that Vicky Kaushal is in advanced discussions to come on board in 4 Idiots, which is shaping up to be one of the biggest casting developments in recent times. According to our sources, the actor is being considered to play a key part, that of the ‘4th idiot’, joining the iconic trio of Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, and Sharman Joshi. Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, the film is currently in the writing stage, with Hirani and long-time collaborator Abhijat Joshi working on the screenplay. The team is taking its time to write the screenplay that lives up to the legacy of 3 Idiots, with the second installment expected to go on floors in the second half of 2027. Vicky, who has previously collaborated with Hirani on Sanju and Dunki, is said to have loved the script. Insiders suggest that his character will bring an emotional and fresh narrative with the original trio of Aamir Khan and others. “Kaushal is keen on …

Medha Shankr says she felt excluded at events as designers refused to give her clothes: ‘I do remember your names’

Medha Shankr says she felt excluded at events as designers refused to give her clothes: ‘I do remember your names’

Medha Shankr, who gained widespread recognition with Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 12th Fail, is now preparing for her upcoming romantic comedy Ginny Wedss Sunny 2, co-starring Avinash Tiwary. Medha Shankr discusses subtle exclusions in the film industry during Ginny Wedss Sunny 2 Promotions. During promotions, she opened up about whether she has ever felt humiliated on a film set. While she said she has not experienced such moments on set, she admitted that she has occasionally felt diminished in other professional spaces, including events and interactions with designers. (Also read: Avinash Tiwary says he gets more praise for shirtless scenes from men than women: ‘All gym bros send DMs’ | Interview ) Medha Shankr opens up about subtle exclusion at industry events Speaking to Siddharth Kannan, she recalled situations where she was made to feel excluded in subtle ways, especially at events involving styling and designer outfits. Without holding any personal resentment, she said such experiences often leave one questioning the unspoken rules of the industry. She clarified that while she understands it is part of …

When Vidhu Vinod Chopra called Dev Aand the ‘biggest idiot’ at Screen Awards, watch video | Bollywood News

When Vidhu Vinod Chopra called Dev Aand the ‘biggest idiot’ at Screen Awards, watch video | Bollywood News

3 min readMumbaiMar 31, 2026 06:04 PM IST As the curtain prepares to rise on the Chetak Screen Awards 2026, scheduled to be held in Mumbai on April 5, it’s worth looking back at a special moment from a previous edition of the awards. In 2010, Shah Rukh Khan and Shahid Kapoor famously roasted filmmakers with their trademark wit while hosting the evening. One of the standout moments came when Shah Rukh and Shahid interacted with filmmaker and producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who had just come off the blockbuster success of his film 3 Idiots. When Shah Rukh asked Vidhu who, in his view, were the “idiots” in the film industry, the 3 Idiots producer pointed towards none other than the legendary Dev Anand and said, “The biggest idiot is sitting over there, Dev Saab. I have never seen an idiot who spends his whole life making only those films in which he fully believes.” Shah Rukh Khan was visibly touched by the comment, and along with Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Shahid Kapoor, went to …

Agni Dev Chopra, son of Bollywood director Vidhu Vinod Chopra, denies rumours of signing up for PSL | Cricket News

Agni Dev Chopra, son of Bollywood director Vidhu Vinod Chopra, denies rumours of signing up for PSL | Cricket News

2 min readFeb 8, 2026 04:22 PM IST Agni Dev Chopra, the cricketer who is the son of Bollywood director Vidhu Vinod Chopra and journalist Anupama Chopra, has denied rumours of him enrolling for the Pakistan Super League (PSL). This was after rumours surfaced online of him enrolling for the league after having decided to pursue a cricketing career in the United States of America. “Fake and misleading reports are being circulated in my name regarding a tournament. I would like to clarify that I have not enrolled for the PSL. I remain fully focused on my cricket journey in the USA and my long-term career goals. I request everyone not to fall prey to misinformation,” posted Agni Dev Chopra on an Instagram story. The rumour had come up after the Pakistan Cricket Board announced its list of 879 players who had registered for the list. A player named “Agni Chopra” is listed as player number 822 on that list. The country he is attributed to is the USA and he is described as a …

Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s mom slapped him when he gifted a Rs 4.5 crore car to Amitabh Bachchan, director felt star ‘tolerated’ him  | Bollywood News

Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s mom slapped him when he gifted a Rs 4.5 crore car to Amitabh Bachchan, director felt star ‘tolerated’ him  | Bollywood News

Filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra is often known to be a hard taskmaster, and instances of his clashes with actors are widely talked about. His infamous fight with Parinda actor Nana Patekar is well-documented. However, Nana wasn’t the only one, Chopra also had major disagreements with superstar Amitabh Bachchan while shooting his 2007 film Eklavya: The Royal Guard. Despite their clash, the two eventually ended the project on a positive note, with Chopra even gifting a luxurious vehicle to Big B. ‘Chopra shouts and screams, won’t suit your temperament’: Jaya Bachchan In an old interaction, Chopra recalled how he was surprised to see Amitabh Bachchan arrive on the Eklavya set with very little luggage. Curious, he asked the actor about it, to which Big B replied, “Jaya told me that I wouldn’t be able to stand you for more than a week.” Jaya Bachchan’s warning soon proved accurate, as Chopra admitted that tensions escalated between them during the shoot. “We actually started fighting after a week or 10 days. But he stayed on, and completed the …

Kamna Chandra on working with Raj Kapoor and Yash Chopra, and where Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas went wrong | Bollywood News

Kamna Chandra on working with Raj Kapoor and Yash Chopra, and where Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas went wrong | Bollywood News

Kamna Chandra was one of the very few women screenwriters of Hindi cinema back in the early 1980s. In many ways, she paved the way for screenwriters like Honey Irani, Sooni Taraporewala, and Juhi Chaturvedi. She’s worked with late legendary filmmakers like Raj Kapoor on Prem Rog (1982) and Yash Chopra (Chandni, 1989). She also co-wrote 1942: A Love Story (1994) with director Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who later became her son-in-law. In an exclusive interview with SCREEN, Kamna breaks down her 40-year-plus journey. You didn’t have any connections to the film industry. And it was nonetheless an uphill climb for any woman screenwriter to get her script greenlit in the early 1980s. How did you then land a film as seminal as Raj Kapoor’s Prem Rog (1982)? I’d written extensively before that also, but for magazines, radio, and television in Delhi. People had just started warming up to television back then. My husband, who worked at a multinational company, got transferred to Mumbai. So, excitement sparked within me that I can try writing for films …

Exclusive: Aamir Khan, Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots tentatively titled 4 Idiots, makers in search for a fourth lead

Exclusive: Aamir Khan, Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots tentatively titled 4 Idiots, makers in search for a fourth lead

Pinkvilla exclusively broke a major update on the highly anticipated 3 Idiots sequel, and now, a source confirms that makers have locked a tentative title. As we earlier reported, the 3 Idiots sequel is officially in the works, with the script locked and filming slated to begin in 2026 under the direction of Rajkumar Hirani.  An insider confirms, “The script is currently being developed under a tentative working title, 4 Idiots. While this title is still subject to change, the makers are looking out for a superstar to expand the iconic franchise beyond its original trio. The makers are actively searching for a fourth idiot, could be a superstar name.”  “The writing process is underway, and the team is making sure it gets bigger and better and continues from where it was left in the first part. Yet, this isn’t just a simple continuation but will also be introducing new elements to justify the addition of a fourth core character,” the source adds.  While original cast members Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, and Kareena …