Vishesh Films To Release Emraan Hashmi Starrer "Crook- It's Good To Be Bad" On 8th October, 2010 The Film Is Based On Racial Discrimination With Indians Abroad
Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt's Vishesh Films, a banner known vividly for its out of ordinary films and chartbuster music, is back with a bang after successful ventures with films like Jannat & Raaz The Mystery Continues. Their films always had an issue to address but in a typical Bollywood Style. This time it is the issue of Racial Discrimination with the Indians abroad and especially highlighting the recent attacks on Indians in Australia. The film stars Emraan Hashmi and known for giving way to the newcomers in the industry, this time too, Vishesh Films is giving break to a new girl Neha Sharma in this film. The film also casts 'Fashion' Boy Arjan Bajwa. Directed by Mohit Suri, the film has all the elements to make it a masses' film- Romance, Comedy, Action, Thrill and ofcourse an issue, which sums it all. The Music of the film is on Sony Music and has been scored by Music maestro Pritam, whose association with the 'Bhatts' has been very fruitful lately with hit albums like Jannat and Tum Mile.
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EMRAAN HASHMI & NEHA SHARMA IN CROOK 004
EMRAAN HASHMI & NEHA SHARMA IN CROOK 001
-- Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt's Vishesh Films, a banner known vividly for its out of ordinary films and chartbuster music, is back with a bang after successful ventures with films like Jannat & Raaz The Mystery Continues. Their films always had an issue to address but in a typical Bollywood Style. This time it is the issue of Racial Discrimination with the Indians abroad and especially highlighting the recent attacks on Indians in Australia. The film stars Emraan Hashmi and known for giving way to the newcomers in the industry, this time too, Vishesh Films is giving break to a new girl Neha Sharma in this film. The film also casts 'Fashion' Boy Arjan Bajwa. Directed by Mohit Suri, the film has all the elements to make it a masses' film- Romance, Comedy, Action, Thrill and ofcourse an issue, which sums it all. The Music of the film is on Sony Music and has been scored by Music maestro Pritam, whose association with the 'Bhatts' has been very fruitful lately with hit albums like Jannat and Tum Mile.
The story of Crook is about Jai, who has a knack of getting into trouble. His Father was a gangster who wanted to reform. On assurance from his friend Inspector Joseph, Jai's father agreed to rat on his evil bosses. Inspector Joseph guaranteed him that he would find Jai's father and Jai a safe passage into the world of good once his bosses have been exposed. But the unexpected happened. Jai witnessed the fatal double cross on his father, despite his confession, by a senior police officer. Joseph's valiant effort to save him went in vain. This traumatic incident left a lasting impression on Jai's mind that there was no point in being good and that 'It's Good to be Bad.' Joseph adopted Jai out of guilt and tried to instill his Christian values of finding a God within but the memories from the past had already cast themselves deep in Jai's mind. Despite repeated attempts to reform him, Joseph failed to ignite the light of good within Jai's soul. And when matters went almost completely out of hand with Jai's checkered criminal life, Joseph arranged an alternate identity for him as Suraj Bhardwaj and sent him away to Australia - a land far away from his past.
Jai had promised Joseph in Australia he would stay clear of any trouble. It was a golden chance to feel the grass on the other side of the fence. Almost immediately after landing, Jai met Suhani, an Indian Australian with an unadulterated honest vision of 'one world'. Although she hailed from a conservative traditional Punjabi family that took pride in being Indian, Suhani secretly fostered a much liberal outlook towards life. Her elder brother Samarth was just the opposite. Samarth was convinced that Australians had a one-point agenda to bring Indians down. Jai found his home with the bumbling punju boys GoldE and gang. They were happy go lucky 'sardar' boys who knew that the ticket to heaven was through attaining a permanent residency in Australia. GoldE almost echoed Joseph's voice when he warned Jai to stay out of trouble and concentrate on his work - he arranged for Jai to get a job as a taxi driver in Samarth's garage. Suhani was intrigued by Jai's manner. He was flirting but with a flair. He was lying but in style and he was conniving but with a pure heart. She could spot in the first instant that she met Jai that beyond his prankster lying front, Jai had a deeper side to himself that he refused to acknowledge.
Jai knew that if he could make Suhani fall in love with him he could eventually attain permanent residency by marrying her but her brother was too much of an obstacle. So while Jai was busy scheming for Suhani's love he was also flirting with Nicole, the stripper from a nearby strip club. But his problems with Nicole were almost similar to Suhani's as Nicole's brother, Russel, was a rowdy skinhead from the block. Trouble followed Jai where he tried to run away from it as he witnessed the cold-blooded racial assault on Samarth. Going to the police would mean an investigation on Jai's credentials and walking away would mean losing Suhani. Jai had fled from India to find a new hassle free life and now found himself in the heart of a racially disturbed city. Jai's plight grew as the racial attacks spread across the city. The only way to deal with the issue at hand was to take the bull by its horns. He found himself at a crossroad of good and bad. But ironically the line dividing good and bad was running straight through his heart. It was a time when Jai had to figure whether it's Good to be bad or it is Good to be Good.
Combining their creative strength & business acumen, the Producers of Crook, Bhatt brothers started Vishesh Films in 1986. Since its first film Kabzaa, the company has come a long way, with a number of hit films to boast of. Forming the banner for films like Aashiqui, Sadak, Ghulam and Murder, relevant cinema is the essence of Vishesh films. The company is highly receptive to the ever changing society and believes in translating these changes onto film. The movies are high concept, low cost, films which present its actors with challenging roles. Vishesh Films is all about harnessing young, dynamic human capital and weighing it with economic self sufficiency, hence reaching new heights of efficient film - making. There are several other movies through which Vishesh Films have made a spectacular mark in this Blazing Bollywood industry with Raaz, Tamanna ,Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin, Tadipaar, Daddy, Jannat and Raaz The Mystery Continues. Tum Mile. They are now back with CROOK- It's Good to be Bad, which hits the cinemas on 8th October, 10.
Notes to Editor
"Quotes"
Mahesh Bhatt: "CROOK- 'It's good to be bad' both entertains and enlightens the viewer. It takes an unflinching look at the burning issue of racism which has devastated the life of thousands of young Indians, who go to Australia in search of a better life putting not only all their money but even their lives at stake. The film also locks horns with our own inner demons."
Mukesh Bhatt: "Seldom in life do you have the good fortune to hold your head high with pride after watching the first cut of one's own movie. Crook is one such film from our production house which makes one proud. The film manages to do what most films aspire to do but seldom succeed. Mohit Suri has shown the complex truth of Racism in Australia in a very entertaining way."
Mohit Suri: "Ever since pre independence, Indians have always felt racially discriminated by the so-called "superior white race", wherever they lived in the world, even in our own country. However, this has never affected the illegal immigration of our youth into foreign countries. UAE, United Kingdom, USA, Canada and now Australia are just some of the aspirational destinations for our youth, who are unable to face poverty and unemployment in their own country and are lured by the promise of a comfortable lifestyle in these developed countries.
As the news flashed 'over 20 incidents of curry bashing have taken place in Sydney and Melbourne in the past 30 days', I found myself standing outside a 24-hour convenient store in the Sunshine District of Melbourne city in search of a story. Inside the very same store one of the most brutal racist attacks had taken place just a few months back. The events as told to me were horrifying, about how an Indian was brutally beaten up only because of his color and religion. Outraged and humiliated I felt the need to voice this as a filmmaker. However, as I left the store my eyes fell upon an advertisement on the store window, which said "accommodation available for Indian students - for Gujrati boys only".
That advertisement ignited the germ of "Crook". It made me realize that racism and all other social evils are a part of every human heart, irrespective of his class, creed, color or sex. Good and bad, god and evil lie within us. It's our choice to decide is it good to be bad in today's world or does it pay to be good?"
Emraan Hashmi: "Strong characters may carry a weak plot, but weak characters cannot be hidden by strong plot. My character in Crook is one of the best characters we have created in recent times. I am sure my character in Crook will reach into the collective heart and pluck the heartstrings of people of every generation."
Neha Sharma: "I am very happy to make my debut with CROOK. I extend my deepest gratitude to Mukesh Ji and Mahesh Ji, who believed in me and gave me this wonderful opportunity. I liked playing Suhani, my character in the film, as she is very close to the real Neha. It was sheer pleasure working with Mohit as he is a wonderful story teller and ofcourse Emraan Hashmi, who has been such a great co-star.
Arjan Bajwa: "Crook is a very bold attempt on showing the plight and the situation of victims and catalyst in racist situations, well crafted and knitted by the ace director Mohit Suri. I feel honored to have worked with Bhatt Sahab and Mukesh Ji. What I play in the film is a very hot headed aggressive Indian guy living abroad with multiple personalities. It will be quiet a shocker and surprisingly different from what people saw me in Fashion."
