00:00Bye!
00:30Sir, Farhan sir is here
00:32Farhan sir, stop here
00:34Ma'am, come here
00:38All of you, look here
00:40Turn left
00:42Left side
00:44Wait
00:50Ma'am, sorry
00:52Farhan sir, wait
01:00Ma'am, stop here
01:06Wait
01:08You go
01:16Yes ma'am
01:26Thank you
01:30most amazing Reema Kakhti, ladies and gentlemen, and of course, the versatile Mr. Farhan Akhtar.
01:37Welcome, welcome. Yes. So, as I said, you know, welcome to the grand opening of this
01:46iconic place. You know, it is only fair, you know, we always talk about our culture, we
01:51take pride. Reema Kakhti, zordaar thaliaan, Mr. Farhan Akhtar. Sanjay sir, please, kindly
01:57do the honours. Well, the moment is here.
02:27Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.
02:55Thank you so much. We'll have a quick photo-op.
03:02Come close, come close. Thank you. Of course, thanking the Almighty for all the positivity,
03:27all the hope, all the prosperity, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you so much. Kindly be seated.
03:45We take the centre stage, of course. Ajay sir, we'll start with you. You know, first
04:05of all, all our friends from the media, they are here. We have these superstars here at
04:09this grand launch. So, what do you have to say to all the people who've come to attend
04:14this grand event here? Afternoon, everyone. Nothing excites me more than seeing a cinema
04:22full, although it's not completely full just now, and opening of a new property, this iconic
04:28property. First of all, thank you, everyone, for taking the time out. Sanjay ji, thank
04:33you for your support. Thank you very much. Thanks, Zoya, for being here, Reema, Farhan,
04:55because you guys have made the opening special. And, you know, this cinema is, I thought,
05:01because of its location and everything, it's in Bombay, Juhu, I wanted this to be a tribute
05:06to the Hindi film industry. It's going to be showing a lot of festivals, retrospective
05:10festivals, and I'm so happy that you guys have agreed to show your fabulous bouquet
05:15of films. And it's going to start on the 7th, and I'm really excited about it. It's going
05:19to show new movies as well. But at the same time, I think that's what I've told the boys,
05:23that we'll always have festivals here, maybe two shows, one show, one or two, so that it,
05:29you know, brings back people. You know, these movies are available everywhere, but yet to
05:33see them on the big screen, I think it's very exciting. And even the response that we've
05:39got for so many movies of yours, that we want to see it back on the big screen, really excited
05:44about that. So that's going to be the USP of the cinema.
05:47Thank you so much, sir, for sharing that. Mr. Gupta, over to you, you know, talking
05:50about this partnership with BBR, INOX, Limited, and Lido, you know, coming together. It's
05:56going to be out of the world. Talk to us about that.
05:58Hello. Good afternoon, everyone. So we are into this single screen business since 45,
06:0550 years. And I have three theaters in Bombay. Lido was always close to our heart. And to
06:13be associated with a partner like BBR is like a feather on the cap, nothing better than
06:19this. And what I could think or imagine, he's done beyond that. So it's a privilege to be
06:27a part of BBR family. Thank you, sir.
06:31Thank you so much, sir. So we're coming to you completing 15 years in the industry. Ladies
06:36and gentlemen, a big round of applause for this wonderful, wonderful filmmaker. You know,
06:41we are here to celebrate this iconic theater at the same time, your journey, what do you
06:46have to say?
06:47It's very exciting. This theater was a single screen and Farhan and me were in a school
06:53down the road. So we crossed this theater in and out every day. And to actually be here
07:01and be a filmmaker for the last 15 years, it's almost surreal. Today is also nine years
07:08of Dil Dhadak Nido. And I want to thank Mr. Gupta and Mr. Bijli for giving us the best
07:14birthday gift, which is playing our films back on the screen. It really takes something
07:20to actually develop a space and to be able to play films that have happened to put festival
07:26films out and to keep the culture of cinema going. We are the capital of the film industry
07:33here and to be able for them to enable this and to keep the youth that's coming to be
07:39able to watch older films that maybe have been before their time on the big screen is
07:44a real gift. So I want to thank the two of them.
07:47Thank you so much for sharing that. Reema, moving on to you, you know, talking about
07:51this maverick filmmaker here and this journey that we are all set to celebrate with this
07:57amazing film festival. Your thoughts on that?
08:04You know, I think that Zoya has been, you know, one of the defining voices of modern
08:12Hindi cinema. And what makes her, I think, so special to me is, you know, whatever she's
08:19doing, whatever the idea or the genre is, her take on it, you know, and she reads a
08:26lot, keeps herself informed, is constantly searching and then uses all of that and her
08:33mind in her work. And I think that's what sets her apart.
08:37Thank you so much. Farhan, this one's for you. Please tell us a little bit. We're celebrating
08:41Zoya here, her entire journey of 15 years. In fact, it's the 15th year of Luck By Chance.
08:48So what are your thoughts at this time?
08:50Good afternoon. Before I answer your question, I want to quickly say a couple of thank yous.
08:55I'd like to say thank you to Ajay for really, really being a torchbearer when it comes to
09:02encouraging people to come into theatres, making it a pleasurable experience, making
09:07it a comfortable experience, something that's memorable. It's time well spent, money well
09:12spent. And you really, really, Ajay, have been doing a great job with it for years now.
09:17We met during the pandemic, if you remember. We met on some island in Maldives or something
09:21somewhere. And we were talking, people will come back to the theatre. Everyone is used
09:25to watching films on TV. And it's so heartening to see that in what numbers people have come
09:30back to a theatre. Because this is something that I think Indian people culturally just
09:34enjoy. You know, coming to a movie theatre, sitting with strangers, experiencing something
09:39together. And again, just Ajay, PVR, you, all of you, your entire team, you're doing
09:44an incredible job. Sanjay ji, you said this theatre is very close to your heart. It was
09:50very close to our school. So we are very, very thankful for that. I've seen, I saw Gandhi
09:57here. I saw Rikki-Tikki-Tavi here. You know, so some very interesting films our school
10:01brought us to see. So I have very, very fond memories of this place. And it's very nice
10:05to and very nostalgic to be back here. And now to answer your question. I'm very happy
10:11that Zoya has taken so much inspiration from her younger brother over the last few years.
10:16I completely agree with Reema, that Zoya is a very distinct voice in today's landscape
10:26of filmmakers. She has her own style. She has her own way of writing, of directing,
10:33of presenting a film, which is very, very unique to her. And honestly, as a collaborator,
10:37as a producer, as her brother, and as somebody who's a flag bearer for her wherever she goes,
10:42I couldn't be happier or prouder. Thank you so much.
10:45I also want to say that there's someone missing here without whom this journey wouldn't have
10:50started. And that's Ritesh Sidhwani. He couldn't be here today. But he's really backed every
10:56crazy idea we've had, and with full gusto. And I miss him here right now. And I want
11:01to thank him, as Farhan and Reema, without whom I wouldn't have these movies. So thank
11:06you.
11:07Thank you so much. Ajay sir, the next question is for you. You know, if you were to talk
11:11to us about this property, the iconic property, you know, it's like legacy of Indian cinema,
11:16you're taking it forward. Why Lido? Why did you say that I want to revamp this particular
11:22property?
11:23I think because all kinds of cinemas, opportunities are still available in India. Still, we have
11:285000 single screens. And those single screens have got 1000 seats each. So that's a lot
11:34of capacity there. And plus, you have modern day malls and shopping centers. So I'm not
11:40hung up, it has to be a shopping center, it has to be a mall, it has to be a location
11:45where cinema is iconic. And if there's an opportunity, we get that opportunity. And
11:50the demographic is there to watch movies in that place and can create something different.
11:56Like in this particular cinema, we've only got 326 seats. But when I first saw the layout,
12:01the legroom seat, which was very small, you know, less, it was about 1100 millimeter by
12:05550 millimeter. Then I spoke to Sanjay ji, and I said, okay, let's do 1500 millimeter
12:11and 750 millimeter width and 1500. So I have a, you know, swivel table and all so that
12:18it can become slightly different to all other cinemas, a lot of cinemas here. And this doesn't
12:27have anything other than the cinema to attract people. It doesn't have, you know, food or
12:32shopping or anything like that is standalone. So standalone, I wanted to make it very unique.
12:38And so that's, that's what it is. So hopefully, people will like it. So it's not just the
12:42content, which will be obviously, that's the main driver to get people in. But at the same
12:46time, seeds, carpets, you know, decor, art decor, bring that little nostalgia back. So,
12:53you know, perhaps people will like it. So I'm hoping people like it.
12:57I didn't mean to eavesdrop. But here I was listening, someone was saying it's very comfortable.
13:01So now we know how comfortable all this is. So are we like planning? Are there like plans
13:05to develop this particular property as an art and cultural hub for the entertainment
13:12industry?
13:13Why not? But jagah nahi hai. If I had more space, there was somebody who wanted me to
13:17do something called Movizium, like bring posters and lots of things. But jagah nahi hai. We
13:21only have space for three screens and enough space for the foyer areas and car parking
13:27because you know, all the old cinematograph act and building bylaws and NBC code had to
13:32be followed. But other than that, through content, I can do that through movies like
13:36the festival that we're doing now. We played Manthan last week, not here, but somewhere
13:42else. So all these old films are coming back and you know, people are enjoying the festivals.
13:48As Farhan said, you know, the habit of people to go out and watch movies in the big screen
13:53is not going to go away anywhere. Of course, we had a body blow during COVID. Toh kaafi
13:59kuch hua, kaafi disruption hui. But at the same time, I think it's like Zomato or having
14:05a kitchen at home. But at the same time, people are not that straight jacketed that they only
14:09do one thing. Ghar bhe bhi dekhenge jab dekhna hoga TV shows aur movie bhi dekhenge aat hafte
14:14ke baad. But bahar bhi jayenge. So that's where we fit in. That if they want to go out, it
14:19must be an incredible experience. But this, I can't get it home. That's what I'm, that's
14:24all we are doing.
14:27Can I just quickly add something because I think this is very important when you're asking
14:31him about why Lido. You know, the thing is that whenever we, at least in our country,
14:38there is no concept of finding a street address or telling somebody a road name. Wo kabhi
14:43hota hi nahi. Toh aap hamesha landmark pakadte hoon. Toh yeh area ka landmark Lido hai. Toh
14:48aapko kisi ko bolna hai yahaan par aana. Ab Lido janate hoon? Usse do building aagey
14:51right pe aap jaake turn kar lo. So Lido is a landmark. So anybody who knows about this
14:55area of Juhu knows where Lido is.
14:59Thank you so much. Sir.
15:00In fact, Javed uncle, few months back in Sarega Maapa had said ki ek theatre hua karta tha
15:06Lido. Main wahan se guzarta tha. Phir wo director mujhe leke, hum log story sunne jaate
15:12thi.
15:13So yeh inspiration sir, wahin se toh nahi aa rahi thi?
15:15Absolutely.
15:16Please, please tell us about your journey with Lido. Because yeh bade dil ke khaas karib
15:21hai aapke maine suna hai.
15:23So this is the third life of Lido. So we've catered to 50s, 60s, 70s era. Then 80s, my
15:31father purchased. We had 80s, 90s played. We shut down in 94 and now with the help of
15:37PVR, this is the third life which is as per the new generation. So let's hope.
15:45Thank you sir. Thank you. Zoya, I have another question for you. You know, talking about
15:48this 15 year journey aur kaise ek ke baad ek blockbusters aapne diye hain. When you
15:53look back at this journey of yours, what is that one thing is waqt jo zehen mein aati hai
15:58ki wow, yeh hua hai ya yeh hua hai?
16:03I mean, the fact, the first thing is that I wanted to be a filmmaker and I made a movie.
16:10I think that's awesome. And today, I'm still making movies and that's awesome. So I still
16:16have a job. So I'm very grateful. I love what I do. I love cinema. And this industry
16:22is just, it's got all my heart, this industry. So I mean, I don't want to be anywhere else.
16:28This is my home. So I'm very happy to be here.
16:31And when your movies are showing, we don't want to be anywhere else. We want to be here
16:35at PVR, Iron Ox. Reema, this one's for you. Please tell me, you know, you worked with
16:39her for quite some time now. What is that one thing? We often say ki yeh picture alag hai.
16:45These are the words that we kind of use every now and then. What is that one thing about
16:50Zoya's storytelling or direction that actually, you know, sets it apart from everything else,
16:56everybody else's work?
16:58Actually, I think I already told you that in what I said the last time. I think it's
17:03take, you know, because, you know, 10 directors can do the same story. But it's Zoya's take
17:11on it. I think that makes it different.
17:14You know, talking about 10 directors doing a similar kind of stuff. I believe when you,
17:20the both of you had started long time back, there was this short story that you guys were
17:23supposed to direct, right? Likh toh liya tha. Woh kya hua? Woh direct nahi kiya? Kab dekhne
17:29milega?
17:31I don't know when we're going to do it.
17:33But that's going to happen?
17:34You know, when we started off, we were assistants. We met when we were assistant directors. And
17:39we thought we'd write a short story and co-direct it. What happened through that process was we
17:46understood we could write together, but we can never direct together, ever. So that's where
17:52that was the learning from that experience.
17:53No, but 20 years later, that changed too, because we did co-direct an episode in Made in Heaven
17:58together.
18:00So the next time you guys do a movie together, yehi chalaenge woh. Ki humne kaha tha. Ji aap
18:04phir se suniye Zoya ka kya kehna tha, Reema ka kya kehna tha. But I'm talking about your
18:08collaboration with Zoya. What is that one most special film that you guys have worked on?
18:15And it'll always be with you.
18:17Yeah, honestly, these questions are very impossible to answer.
18:20Koi ek.
18:21Aapka favourite bachcha kaunsa hai? Kya keh sakta hai insan? Honestly, it's tough to say.
18:27I can say that probably the most fun we had making a film was making Zindagi Na Milegi
18:32together. Because the kind of film that it was, you could have fun. So that was probably the most
18:37enjoyable experience, not just for me as an actor, I think for everyone on the film. It was, but
18:42every film, be it Luck By Chance, be it Dil Dhadak Nedo, and anything in the future that she'll cast
18:46me in, will always be very, very fun and very enjoyable.
18:50Talking about Luck By Chance, how was it then? Again, journey ki baat ho rahi hai. It is only
18:55fair ki woh pehle din ko yaad karein hum, ki jab woh direct kar rahi thi aapko.
18:59Mujhe matlab bahut clearly yaad nahi hai ki what was the first day of shoot?
19:06Mere khayal se, please correct me if I'm wrong.
19:09Chiplo. The first scene we shot was Farhan, Isha, the character Sharvani and Dimple,
19:16the Neena character, having breakfast together. That was the first scene we ever shot. My first
19:22shot was a mid-shot on Dimple Kapadia. So she's my first actress ever.
19:29Farhan, for you, how was it like, of course, Zoya directing you?
19:34I mean, the thing is that Zoya and me have worked closely, creatively since Dil Chahta Hai.
19:41She's been involved in Dil Chahta Hai, she was involved in Laksh and a lot of the other films
19:45that Excel has done. So it wasn't something that I was surprised that, oh my God, she said she can
19:50direct or she knows about filmmaking. You know what I mean? Aisa tha nahi. So it felt like a very
19:55natural, organic extension from what she was doing before into directing, into writing and then into
20:01directing. Toh main bilkul comfortable tha set pe. Mujhe pata tha ki isko woh jaanti hai ki woh
20:08kya kar rahi hai, woh jaanti hai ki performances se, scene se usse kya chahiye. So I was just doing
20:12my part of playing the character. Retrospective ka jab yeh idea aaya tha Zoya, toh kya
20:19discussion hua tha? How did it all, you know, stem? Kaha se kaha iski shurwaat hui?
20:24I mean, my office told me this and I got really excited that this was happening and it was
20:29coinciding with nine years of DDD and I mean, there's one aspect of you says, am I retrospective?
20:37Am I kind of done? But then there's another part of you that's like jumping with joy that your
20:42films are going to be on the big screen again. So it's very exciting and I'm really grateful for this.
20:48Ajay sir, what was the idea behind all this and why Zoya Akhtar?
20:55Agar aap body of work dekhen, excel, I mean, you're right, Ritesh is being missed here. Right from
21:00Dil Chahta Hai, you know, and you know, Zoya's films, Farhan's films,
21:05the body of work is just incredible. So it has to be done. Retrospective ko aise hi koi nahi
21:10kar sakte hain. It has to be of somebody who's done incredible work and their body of work is
21:14just amazing. So I thought in 15 years, luck by chance, it's been quite some time. So I think
21:20even though she's got many, many more years and decades of doing incredible work, I still thought
21:24that it says something to be celebrated. And so that's right. It was an easy decision.
21:29Of course, indeed. You know, talking about the films that they've selected for this festival,
21:35ab wohi Farhan bhai wala baat ho jayegi ki kaise main apna favourite bachcha chunu yaha pe.
21:39Lekin what is that one movie that you're really excited to see on that big screen one more time?
21:44I think, I think the first one is always special. And there are two firsts here. One is Luck by
21:51Chance, the first film I directed. And the second one is Talash, which is the first film we wrote
21:56together. So I think our first collaboration, Farhan is an actor, was on one and a writer was
22:01on one. So I think that's the, those are the two. Right. Reema, for you, kaunsi ek movie rahegi
22:06that you would love to watch again? I'm more like in Farhan's zone, you know, how do you choose
22:12between the kids? Yeah, it's very hard. I love. No, I love all of them. I do. I love all of them.
22:20Right. Sanjay sir, what is that one thing jo abhi, you know, way forward kya hoga
22:24leedo ke liye jo humein aage dekhne ko milega aur kya kya hoga is partnership mein aage?
22:29Yaha aapko sirf achhi pichre milenge. Aur house full milega, ticket milge toh bata na humein.
22:35Yeh kar diya sir aapne. Yeh kar diya aapne. We have this, you know, eminent journalist humare
22:41saath hain aapne. Woh mujhe bas abhi bata rahe the. Ek film jo ki Friday ko release hui the.
22:45Do din tak toh aaram se tickets mil gaye. Uske baad word of mouth se. Woh itni aage gayi
22:49ki tickets ke liye line lagayi thi Sohail bhai ne, hai na?
22:56Tezhaab 28 show pack maari thi. Sirs. Aise toh list hai lambe.
23:05There's a lot of people remember. Jaws.
23:07Right, right. So that's all we have for you. Ladies and gentlemen, I think.
23:14Thank you. Thank you.
23:17Thank you so much Zoya and congratulations on this. I remember watching my first movie in
23:21Mumbai in 2009 at a PVR. It was luck by chance. And I don't know kitne saare aise log hain jinko
23:27woh ek udaan mili. You know, they've got that inspiration to do something in the industry.
23:33All thanks to you. Zoya Akhtar, ladies and gentlemen.
23:36We'll have a quick photo op and for that I'd like to invite
23:39Miss Niharika Bijli and Mr. Aryan Gupta ladies and gentlemen.
24:35Why?
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