Any Ram Gopal Varma film always arouses a certain amount of curiosity and when you have the likes of Big B, Riteish Deshmukh, Paresh Rawal, Gul Panag and Rajpal Yadav as a part of the ensemble cast, expectations only get bigger. The film in question is India 24/7 (earlier titled Rann). Ramu is currently working at break neck speed (as he usually does) to complete this ambitious project. Bollywood Hungama brings you an exclusive character sketch of the interesting and diverse characters you would get to see in India 24/7
Vijay Harshwardhan Malik
When it comes to Vijay, who else can do it better than Amitabh Bachchan? Big B is back after his last RGV film which created quite a bit of stir in the industry, Sarkar Raj. The Raj prevails once again in Ramu's next biggie India 24/7. It was Big B who insisted RGV to add the name Vijay before Harshwardhan Malik to add the aura of a man who plays the founder of the first ever private news channel in the country - India 24/7, the Harvard-educated Malik is India's most respected media personality. He is a hardcore upholder of journalistic ethics. No wonder his Channel is battling for survival! The character sketch seems like Amitabh Bachchan is playing the role of real life founder of NDTV, Pranoy Roy. And if that's the case, we'll soon figure out the Barkha Dutt for you.
We finally find out the on screen Barkha Dutt, and that's played by Suchitra Krishnamurthy. She is the programming head of Vijay Harshvardhan Malik's news channel, India 24/7. Having been in the industry for long enough, she has developed a practical view of how things operate here. And this comes in direct conflict with what her boss Vijay Harshvardhan Malik, thinks. Juggling the cut-throat world outside with the idealistic universe of her boss, Nalini Kashyap has her job cut out.
After a long time we are once again seeing the talent of Mohnish Behl on the big screen. For once the family man in Hum Aapke Hain Kaun and Hum Saath Saath Hain is now back but in the family of RGV. Again a first timer in Ramu's film, Amrish was the first to have the vision and the foresight to realize that even the business of delivering news can be made entertaining. Amrish therefore can be safely held singularly responsible for taking the television news industry to the dogs, or to the heights, depending on how you see it. His channel is no less than a shady brothel, the content that is news is no less than a cheap hooker, and Amrish Kakkar - the most powerful pimp around.
Paresh Rawal plays Mohan Pandey. He is in his bad form once again. Bad in the sense, not a bad role...him playing a baddie. Not many know but Paresh has worked with Ramu in four of his Telugu films down South and also in Satya where he played an honest Police Commissioner who gets shot. Here in India 24/7, things have taken a twist. It is every politician's dream to become the Prime Minister of his country. To that extent, the leader of the opposition Mohan Pandey is no different from his contemporaries. The only difference being - if the need arises, Pandey can and will kill to get the coveted chair.
India 24/7 is going to be Sudeep's second Bollywood film after Phoonk with RGV. The question is will India 24/7 be lucky for him like Phoonk? A go-getter and highly aggressive and ambitious son of Vijay Harshvardhan Malik (Big B), Jay looks at his Dad's news channel purely as a business enterprise that must make profits to justify its existence. He hates that his competitor is doing better than him.
Apparently, the relationship which Sudeep and Ramu shared on the sets was quite amazing. Sudeep shares the same onscreen persona as Kay Kay shared with Big B in Sarkar.