Mumbai Xpress: Difference between revisions

| caption        = Tamil theatrical release poster

'''''Mumbai Xpress''''' is a 2005 Indian [[black comedy]] film directed by [[Singeetam Srinivasa Rao]] and produced by [[Kamal Haasan]]. It stars Kamal Haasan himself in the lead role alongside [[Manisha Koirala]]. The music was composed by [[Ilaiyaraaja]], while Sidharth and Ashmith Kunder handled the cinematography and editing respectively. The film was [[Multiple-language version|simultaneously made]] in [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and [[Hindi]] with the same title. The lead pair, as well as [[Sharat Saxena]], [[Ramesh Aravind]], Hardik Thakar, and [[Dheena (actor)|Dheena]], were retained for the Hindi version. In the Hindi version, [[Vijay Raaz]], [[Dinesh Lamba]], [[Om Puri]], [[Saurabh Shukla]] and [[Pratima Kazmi]] reprise the roles played by [[Pasupathy]], [[Vaiyapuri]], [[Nassar (actor)|Nassar]], [[Santhana Bharathi]] and [[Kovai Sarala]], respectively.

In May 2004,  Kamal Haasan and [[Singeetham Sreenivasa Rao]] were keen to make a Hindi and Tamil bilingual film titled ''Kumar Sambhavam'' with [[Madhuri Dixit]] as the lead actress. Kamal Haasan stated he needed a "woman of substance who would look convincing as a wife and mother" and stated there was "no second choice" for the role. Bharat Shah was set to finance the project and negotiated terms with Dixit to work on the project, having earlier worked with her during the making of ''[[Devdas (2002 Hindi film)|Devdas]]'' (2002).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tfmpage.com/forum/19880.05.19.18.html |title=Archived copy |website=tfmpage.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051112181652/http://tfmpage.com/forum/19880.05.19.18.html |archive-date=12 November 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.mid-day.com/entertainment/movies/2004/april/82036.htm |title=Archived copy |website=web.mid-day.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050228123806/http://web.mid-day.com/entertainment/movies/2004/april/82036.htm |archive-date=28 February 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

He later agreed to work with Rao on another proposed film titled ''KG'' alongside [[Ramesh Aravind]], but it also was dropped.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/10879.html|title=Kamal wants to ride ''Mumbai Xpress''|publisher=IndiaGlitz|date=11 October 2004|access-date=19 June 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/05102004-4.shtml |title=Archived copy |website=www.cinesouth.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050207184559/http://www.cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/05102004-4.shtml |archive-date=7 February 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Kamal Haasan then decided to fund the film and [[Crazy Mohan]] was approached to write the dialogues, though the writer later pulled out of the venture. [[Tabu (actress)|Tabu]] initially turned down the offer citing date problems.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/11103.html|title=Has Tabu rebuffed Kamal?|publisher=IndiaGlitz|date=26 October 2004|access-date=19 June 2012}}</ref> In October 2004, it was reported that Kamal Haasan had agreed to act in [[Singeetham Srinivasa Rao]]'s next film, which was retitled ''Mumbai Xpress''.<ref name="indiaglitz.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.indiaglitz.com/tamil|title=Tamil Cinema News - Tamil Movie Reviews - Tamil Movie Trailers - IndiaGlitz Tamil|website=IndiaGlitz.com}}</ref> The film was officially announced on 8 November 2004, where Kamal Haasan revealed that the film would be made in Tamil and Hindi, with the former version also featuring [[Nassar (actor)|Nassar]], [[Pasupathy]] and [[Vaiyapuri]] while the latter would include [[Mahesh Manjrekar]], [[Om Puri]] and [[Saurabh Shukla]] in its cast.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/kamals-new-film-announced-news-tamil-kkfvEFdbadb.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140414182540/http://www.sify.com/movies/kamals-new-film-announced-news-tamil-kkfvEFdbadb.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 April 2014|title=Kamal new film announced!|website=[[Sify]]|access-date=19 June 2012}}</ref>

The team faced further problems though trying to find a heroine for the film with [[Bipasha Basu]], [[Sridevi]], [[Tabu (actress)|Tabu]] and then [[Kajol]] also turning down the opportunity to star in the bilingual.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/11504.html|title=Kamals problems with heroines continue|publisher=IndiaGlitz|date=20 November 2004|access-date=19 June 2012}}</ref> Basu later stated she was unsure if audiences would accept her in the role of a mother of a 10-year-old boy, citing this as the reason she refused the film.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thehindu.com/mp/2005/03/26/stories/2005032601840100.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170425121000/http://www.thehindu.com/mp/2005/03/26/stories/2005032601840100.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 April 2017 |website=[[The Hindu]] |title=The Bangla Bombshell |access-date=25 April 2017}}</ref> Finally in mid November 2004, the team agreed terms with [[Manisha Koirala]] and the actress flew to [[Chennai]] to take part in a photo shoot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/kamal-and-manisha-team-up-for-mumbai-express-news-bollywood-kkfvDOifega.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412055741/http://www.sify.com/movies/kamal-and-manisha-team-up-for-mumbai-express-news-bollywood-kkfvDOifega.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 April 2016|title=Kamal and Manisha team up for ''Mumbai Express''!|website=Sify|access-date=19 June 2012}}</ref> [[Vijay Raaz]] also subsequently replaced Manjrekar, while a ten-year-old boy, Hardhik Thakar, was added to the cast.<ref name="indiaglitz.com"/> During production the film faced criticism for having an English title, though Kamal Haasan remained undisturbed by the controversy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/interview/6221.html|title=Interviews|publisher=IndiaGlitz|access-date=19 June 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/kamal-lashes-out-at-detractors-news-tamil-kkfv7dfdfhh.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412054230/http://www.sify.com/movies/kamal-lashes-out-at-detractors-news-tamil-kkfv7dfdfhh.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 April 2016|title=Kamal lashes out at directors!|website=Sify|access-date=19 June 2012}}</ref>

During the making of the film, Kamal Haasan suffered a minor injury which resulted in severe bruising, though his co-passenger on the motorbike in the stunt escaped injury.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/12960.html|title=Kamal Haasan has accident while performing stunt|publisher=IndiaGlitz|date=29 January 2005|access-date=19 June 2012}}</ref> The film geared up for a 14 April release clashing with the [[Rajinikanth]] starrer ''[[Chandramukhi]]'' and the Vijay starrer ''[[Sachein]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/mumbai-express-on-schedule-news-tamil-kkfv7eiegdh.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119020942/http://www.sify.com/movies/mumbai-express-on-schedule-news-tamil-kkfv7eiegdh.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 November 2015|title=''Mumbai Express'' on schedule!|website=Sify|date=16 March 2005|access-date=19 June 2012}}</ref> Kamal Haasan launched an audio company called Rajkamal Audios, just to release the film's music and held a special opening event at Prasad Labs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/kamal-launches-audio-company-news-tamil-kkfv6Jaeabc.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118195239/http://www.sify.com/movies/kamal-launches-audio-company-news-tamil-kkfv6Jaeabc.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 November 2015|title=Kamal launches audio company!|website=Sify|access-date=19 June 2012}}</ref>

The  soundtrack was composed by [[Illayaraja]], the Tamil lyrics were written by [[Vaali (poet)|Vaali]], and the Hindi lyrics were written by Dev Kohli.

=== Tamil version ===

=== Hindi version ===

Even though the film won good reviews,<ref>{{cite web |title=Welcome on ''Mumbai Xpress'' for a fun ride |url=http://www.smashits.com/welcome-on-mumbai-xpress-for-a-fun-ride/movie-review-4421.html |website=Smashits |access-date=10 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401140848/http://www.smashits.com/welcome-on-mumbai-xpress-for-a-fun-ride/movie-review-4421.html |archive-date=1 April 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> the cinematography had been done experimentally with a digital movie camera and mainly due to the digital film implementation resulting in a slight dark output which left the viewer uneasy. The film, although widely considered a loss, was a great success technology-wise in the Indian cinema industry.<ref>{{Cite news|last=S|first=Srivatsan|date=2020-04-14|title=Why Kamal Haasan’s ‘Mumbai Xpress’ failed to make the cut|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/a-look-back-at-mumbai-xpress/article31338310.ece|access-date=2021-12-24|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

Regarding the Hindi version, the [[National Film Award for Best Film Critic|National Award-winning critic]] [[Baradwaj Rangan]] praised the movie in his review as "one of Kamal Haasan's most tight-knit, most convoluted screenplays, where every pratfall, every pun, every preposterous moment seems to have been spat on, polished, and precisely positioned into an overall jigsaw pattern". He added that "''Mumbai Xpress'' isn't exactly an all-out comedy. Like ''[[Pushpaka Vimana (1987 film)|Pushpak]]'', it's the blues with belly laughs, a stack of serious issues coated with smiles."<ref name=branganreview>{{cite web|url=http://www.desipundit.com/baradwajrangan/2005/04/21/review-mumbai-xpress-chandramukhi/|title=Review – ''Mumbai Xpress''|website=desipundit.com]|last=Rangan|first=Baradwaj|access-date=9 January 2008}}<br />- {{cite web|title=''Xpress'' bang on target|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2005/04/15/stories/2005041503180200.htm|access-date=10 October 2011|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=15 April 2005}}</ref>

[[Category:2005 multilingual films]]