DAR Motion Pictures and Mahesh Manjrekars City of Gold premiered today
By SAMPURNSaturday, April 24, 2010
April 24, 2010 (Sampurn Wire):Produced by DAR Motion Pictures (DAR) and directed by Mahesh Manjrekar’s the highly anticipated Hindi movie ‘City of Gold’ was premiered in the city today at PVR Goregaon. With over 400 screens across India, both digital and print, already locked in, the film marks the entry of DAR Motion Picture (DAR), the filmed entertainment division of DAR Capital Group into the mainstream Hindi film industry. It also significantly signals the return of maverick filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar, known for his critically as well as commercially acclaimed movies such as Vastav and Astitva, to the direction in Hindi cinema.
The premier of the movie, which being released through PVR Pictures, and which is a compelling drama based on the backdrop of the great Mumbai textile mill strike of 1982, was attended by maverick filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar, DAR Capital Group’s Chairman Arun Rangachari, a host of glitterati from both Hindi and Marathi cinema and television industry, political personalities, the entire cast and crew of the movie and many more eminent Mumbaiites.
Commenting on this momentous occasion for DAR Motion Pictures, Arun Rangachari said: “Today is a very special day for all of us, not just does it mark the successful culmination of over six months of untiring efforts by Mahesh, his team and the DAR production team, but also signals our entry into mainstream Hindi film industry. DAR Motion Pictures has since its inception focused on content and strategy that would help create a definite positive differential for itself in this highly competitive film industry. City of Gold matches these exacting standards and we had no hesitation at all in choosing it as our first movie project. I am very thankful to Mahesh for having lived up to his word of making a very realistic yet brilliant content driven mainstream movie. I am humbled by the response that this film has received thus far and I sincerely do hope that it transcends boundaries, entertains, as well as meaningfully engages audiences around the country.”
Every modern day city has its dirty secrets of bloodshed and pain; City of Gold is one such untold story of the city of Mumbai. It is the story of the forgotten masses, of that city on whose sweat and blood the modern day swanky malls and glittering multiplexes are built. Starring Satish Kaushik, Seema Biswas, Vineet Kumar Singh, Karan Patel, Sameer Dharmadhikari, Siddharth Jadhav, Ankush Chaudhari, Sachin Khedekar, Vinay Apte, Shashank Shende, Veena Jhamkar, Kashmera Shah, and Anusha Dandekar, ‘City of Gold’ explores the struggle, trials and tribulations faced post the great Mumbai mill strike by the mill-workers’ and their families. The film that portrays the story of those long-forgotten masses, not only explores the misery of these mill workers narrated through the story of one family, the politico-socio environment existing during the early eighties but also realistically depicts the birth of the true underbelly of organized crime in Mumbai. It is a crisp, stylized and hard hitting film based on the mill strike of 1982.
Adding Mahesh Manjrekar said: “When I took a sabbatical from Hindi cinema close to four years ago, I promised myself that if and only if an exceptional subject came my way would I venture back to do a Hindi film. City of Gold is that subject; it could be the story of the evolution of any modern day city. It is an untold story behind the Mumbai that we live and work in today. Over four years ago Jayant Pawar, a former millworker, a journalist and the writer of this film, and me first discussed the possibility of making this film which is based on a very successful play on the mill strike titled Adhantar, also written by Jayant. The subject is very serious and the treatment could most definitely not be frivolous. Hence I am very happy that the DAR team has been as dedicated and involved in this project as us and that together we have been able to make what I consider a really good film. City of Gold is my tribute to my once wonderful city of Mumbai and is an honest attempt at telling the story of the forgotten millions who helped build it.”
DAR’s maiden film project ‘City of Gold’ is the first of a three-movie deal that DAR has signed with Maverick film director Mahesh Manjrekar, and also marks the return of the director to Hindi cinema after a gap of four years. The second film is a Bengali-language venture, with Mithun Chakraborthy in the lead, which is expected to start filming at the end of the month. DAR’s third project is a yet to be titled A-list starrer, currently in pre-production, with principal photography scheduled to commence in second half of 2010.
In addition DAR plans to launch a film fund in the second half of 2010 that will focus on both Hindi and regional cinema. DAR has also developed a production slate of at least 10 other film projects, several of them in multiple languages through 2012.
Other credit in the movie include story Jayant Pawar, Director of Photography by Ajit Reddy, Editor Sarvesh Parab and Music Directors Ajit-Samir.
-Sampurn Wire
