How the predictions failed for Joker. It was expected that despite all the murmurs and speculations around the film, its director and the cast, audience won't be impacted to a very huge degree and give at least a fair start to Joker. At the bare minimum, at least a 50% opening was expected. Guess that was expecting a lot since the audience seemed to have made up their mind not to even step into theatres. Leave aside the word of mouthing spreading out - whether negative or positive - there were hardly any footfalls that resulted in the film being labelled as a box office failure by the time Friday came to close.

With an opening of merely 20% (which didn't really show much improvement over the weekend either), Joker continued to be poor all through. After the weekend collections in the range of 15-16 crores, the film doesn't carry many hopes in the rest of the week either. Despite the fact that it managed a solo release for itself and Ek Tha Tiger wasn't a huge competition any more, Joker has proved to be a downer at the box office. Though it is obvious that the film would suffer losses, the only silver lining is that the losses won't be of disastrous proportions since the film hasn't been sold at a very fancy price.

Meanwhile Akshay Kumar has moved on and is already eyeing OMG Oh My God! as his next money-spinner. Sonakshi Sinha has seen a break in her century run but has Son of Sardaar and Dabangg 2 lined up to bring her back in the reckoning rather soon. On the other hand Shirish Kunder could well be taking a short break before announcing his next.

Other releases of the week, I M 24, From Sydney With Love and Jalpari, didn't find any favour whatsoever from the audience. Poor release, negligible show count, abrupt arrival and hardly any mention from those within and outside the industry further proved to be a death knell for these small budget affairs. Each of these is a major commercial failure.

The lyrics of Chitrangda Singh's item number Kafirana were changed from I Want Fakht You to I Want Just You from the recently released Shirish Kunder film Joker, to avoid any trouble with the censors.

However, the item girl herself preferred the original lyrics and liked them better. The lyrics were changed from the Marathi word Fakht, which means only, to 'Just', to avoid any controversy.

At a recent event, Chitrangda said, "Personally, I like the original version. I know it's a bit naughty, but the idea was for it not to be offensive. So keeping that in mind, this one is also nice. But I like the original better."

The actress also spoke about the censor board's unkindest cuts. She feels that although some of their actions are necessary, a few of them are uncalled for.

She said, "I think till a limit, censorship is right. There is too much exposure. You think of the kids most of the times, they should not have access to such things. But sometimes, we just push it a bit too much. It's not required sometimes."

Chitrangda Singh will next be seen in Sudhir Mishra's next film, opposite Arjun Rampal.

Joker Review In Short
An Indian scientist comes up with an elaborate alien hoax to bring development to his remote native place.


Joker Review Verdict
Shirish Kunder's flick is downright silly and predictable but does make you laugh at some places...


Joker Review Story Plot
Paglapur was a remote village in North India, which housed the country's biggest mental asylum. When the map of India was being created on the eve of Independence, the British surveyor decided to not venture in the village after hearing reports that the asylum patients have broken out and taken control of the village. As a result, the village was nowhere on the map of this country...

Now, many years later, Agastya (Akshay Kumar), a native of Paglapur, who studied to become a scientist in the US, has returned back with his lover Diva (Sonakshi Sinha) to take care of his ailing father. On getting to know that the village is still under-developed, Agastya embarks upon a plan to create an elaborate hoax involving alien landings and crop circles, with the purpose of drawing the attention of the media and highlighting the plight of the remote village. How this hoax snowballs into a bigger incident forms the rest of the story...


Joker Review Performances
This reviewer is personally a fan of Akshay Kumar and his special brand of smart alec humour and so was a tad disappointed to see the Khiladi play the role of a straight arrow scientist, who is compelled to cook up a hoax. Kunder could have surely made the character a bit more mischievous and cheeky enough, without which Agastya seems quite boring and one-dimensional. Sonakshi Sinha, who plays Diva, the love interest of Agastya, seems determined to play the 'dumb blonde' role to perfection and actually manages to irritate one with her 'duh' persona. Same goes for Shreyas Talpade, who plays Agastya's brother Babban and seems a retarded version of Tusshar Kapoor's Golmaal character. Minissha Lamba, who plays a TV journalist, is seen in a 'blink and miss' role and doesn't get to do much but pout and look pretty...the rest of the cast, however, has put in a passable performance...


Joker Review Direction
Maybe it has to do with the trailers of the film, which were unveiled sometime back, but the story of Joker doesn't really come as a surprise. The plot, about a scientist, who comes up with a hoax to draw public attention, is something that the audience already knew from the trailers, so there is no surprise element as such (except for the climax, but again, that is something quite predictable). Apart from that, Kunder does indulge in a lot of silly humour, which fortunately, makes you laugh at times as some of the gags are quite funny, though the overall effect is not that impressive. Thankfully, the movie is short enough, which is something that Kunder deserves kudos for...


Joker Review Music
Except for the title track Joker and the foot-tapping Kaafirana number featured on the sensuous Chitrangda Singh, the music of the film is not really worth remembering...


Joker Review Final Word
All in all, Joker is not a bad movie as such, though going to watch the flick with a lot of expectations might not be a wise idea at all...

It was recently reported that Shah Rukh Khan will be promoting good friend Farah Khan's husband Shirish Kunder's upcoming sci-fi flick Joker. However when Farah was asked about the same in a recently held Press conference, she snapped at the Media and asked them where have they seen Khan promoting the flick.

Farah said that such rumors spread by the media irritate her. When asked if the King Khan is promoting Joker an irked Farah said, "Not at all, where have you seen SRK promoting Joker. Please stop talking nonsense. Where have you seen him, he took one picture with the aliens that was it. This is why I get irritated with you all. Where is he promoting Joker has he come on any channel, has he given interviews on it. You all spread nonsense around that is the problem.

Shirish Kunder recently posted apologies to Shah Rukh Khan on micro-blogging site Twitter for making crass comments on the actor's opus RA.One. When asked about the same Farah said, "I've not read his tweet, but that's good of him, it takes a big heart to apologise. So I'm proud of my husband if he has done that."

Joker stars Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha in the lead roles and will hit the theaters on August 31, 2012.

Finally, after all the wait, Joker arrives on the big screen. In the recent past there hardly has been a film featuring a superstar which has seen an air of mystery around its eventual content. More so, since the film is neither a remake or a sequel nor a quintessential action or rom-com entertainer. Even the sci-fi territory being explored is not on the lines of a RA. One or a Krrish which means the Akshay Kumar starrer is pretty much a band mutthi in the offering. Except for Shirish Kunder and his team, no one outside the film is really aware of what the film would eventually offer.

This also means that unlike a masala blockbuster a la Ek Tha Tiger, Rowdy Rathore, Housefull 2, Bol Bachchan, Agneepath, RA. One or Don 2, each of the films in last one years which promised a solid start from the very first show and fetched 100 crores or more at the box office, Joker is a film that is expected to grow as the day progresses and register some good collections over the rest of the weekend, if the word of mouth is really positive.

Though currently there are a million stories floating around the pre-release promotion of the film, eventually it should all boil down to the content. What works in the favour of this Akshay Kumar-Sonakshi Sinha starrer is that one can expect the unexpected in the final results. Also, one has to keep in mind the fact that both the actors are coming after two blockbusters each and there is a large fan-base/regular audience which does check out a film regardless of what is published or written about in various forums or social media.

While the opening few shows are expected in the range of 50%-60%, there is enough potential to grow for two major reasons. First and foremost there is no significant competition this week. Secondly, the run of Ek Tha Tiger is almost coming to an end which means Joker can consolidate it's position, especially if kids catch fancy of this sci-fi flick.

Joker (2012)
Joker - Theatrical Trailer

Shah Rukh Khan and Shirish Kunder had an ugly fight, during Sanjay Dutt's Agneepath success bash, when Khan heard the filmmaker taking potshots at his magnum opus RA.One. However, later Kunder's wife Farah Khan and her brother Sajid Khan made peace, between the two.

And months after the fracas, Kunder apologized publicly for ridiculing RA.One. Shirish took to Twitter to extend the olive branch writing, "I'll always regret one thing that I feel very guilty about. I sincerely apologize for my tweet on Ra.One @iamsrk."

Interestingly, Shirish had also made fun of Ra.One on Twitter. He wrote, "just heard a 150 Cr firework fizzle." And this didn't go down too well with the Baadshah of Bollywood.

Meanwhile on Farah's request, SRK has agreed to do a special song for Kunder's upcoming sci-fi flick Joker, which stars Sonakshi Sinha and Akshay Kumar in the lead roles.

Dusky dame Chitrangda Singh's sultry item song kaafirana in Shirish Kunder's next flick Joker might have impressed many, but it seems that a group of patriotic activists have taken offence to the lyrics of the song.

It seems that some of the lyrics of the song refer to female freedom fighter Rani Laxmibai in what the activists claim to be a derogatory manner and this has angered the activists, who want the producers and Kunder to delete the line. A lawyer representing the group also hinted that they might move the Bombay High Court if the line is not deleted.

Starring Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha in lead roles, Joker revolves around a remote village named Paglapur, which becomes popular overnight following reports of alien landings and crop circles.

Director Shirish Kunder's upcoming film Joker is one of the much-awaited films of the year. However, buzz is that the film is too short.

After the huge success of the Akshay Kumar-Sonakshi Sinha starrer Rowdy Rathore, there are huge expectations from this film.

There have been a lot of rumours about this film and most have not been favourable. Apparently, Akshay Kumar is disappointed with the way the film has shaped up, and has given up on it. This is the apparent reason why he has not been promoting the film.

News doing the rounds is that Joker is the shortest commercial multi-starrer Bollywood film to be made. An exhibitor has been quoted saying that the film is just 105 minutes long.

Joker is one of the most talked about movies of the year. Keeping in mind that it is an Akshay Kumar movie, there are a lot of expectations, more so since music has always been a strong point in his films. In case of 'Joker' they are only all the more since the movie is directed by Shirish Kunder who had ensured some good music for his debut directorial outing Jaan-E-Mann. To fulfill these expectations, G V Prakash Kumar (nephew of A R Rehman) has been the chosen one for the music composition while Shirish himself has penned the lyrics.

Album kicks-tarts on a high note with a song titled Kaifirana that sets the mood right away. Song is currently being played across all entertainment channels and marks an introduction of Chitrangda Singh in an item number. Musically, this guest composition by Gaurav Dagaonkar does grow on the listener and is already a reasonable hit. It is sung by none other then Sunidhi Chauhan who has done full justice to the song in her affective and buoyant voice. The beats and lively atmosphere created by the composer alsolift the spirits and heighten the effect of the song.

Udit Narayan makes a comeback and throws a pleasant surprise with the next track Jugnu. It is a motivational track which required an honest voice, and his voice does suit the genre. However, song lacks the punch and leaves the listener desiring for more. With better lyrics andcomposition, the song could have been an anthem, just like Yeh Tara [Swades]. However it fails to do so and ends up being an average track. Hopefully thepicturisation would elevate the song.

Album moves forward with Singh Raja. It's a folk based track with techno music in the background. Sung by Daler Mehndi along with Sonu Kakkar, the song moves ahead on a riotous note even though the lyrics are very pedantic and ordinary. Still, the composition is catchy with a flute in the background doing the trick, hence ensuring that the song would definitely on stay with the listener for some time to come.

Meanwhile Yeh Joker is an upbeat and lively track in the album. Sung by Sonu Nigam and Shweta Pandit, it's a theme based song which introduces the central element of the film to the audience. Lyrics are very colloquial and suit the music and accentuate the atmosphere created by the composition. Sonu Nigam has been able to add his signature style to thesong which reminds one of his previous hits.

Album concludes with two instrumental tracks, both of which are situation based and should have a good role to play in the movie. Tears of Joker leads the way where G V Prakash manages to touch one's heart with his soulful composition. He changes the mood in his next instrumental Alien Arrival. It's an upbeat and high impact instrumental, which does its assigned job of introducing the aliens (and perhaps the Joker too)!

All in all, music of the movie is situation based and one would have to wait to see the full effect of the same in the movie. Some of the tracks are upbeat, loud and have the fun element, which the movie requires. However, one would agree that a few could have been better as they fall short of becoming a hit, hence making Joker a mixed bag. Still, all said and done this is a Khiladi movie which means one can expect some pleasant surprises in terms of the picturisation (courtesy Kunder) and the fun element (coming in due to Farah Khan's choreography).

Shreyas Talpade is indeed ecstatic to be forming a team with Akshay Kumar. After working with him in a huge comic hit Housefull 2, he would now be seen with Akshay in a sci-fi-adventure-fantasy flick Joker. Though Shreyas was one of the four leading men in Housefull 2, he is now the second lead in Joker and has a pivotal role to play. Meanwhile he is happy about the fact that despite a senior actor like Akshay in the film, he has found his own place in the Shirish Kunder directed affair.

"I had absolutely no insecurity while working with Akshay. If I wanted to improvise on something, he was more than happy to accommodate. What also is really impressive is that he is always so charged, enthusiastic and raring to go. I would love to work with him again and again", says Shreyas.

Meanwhile he is also finding company of Minissha Lamba (who plays a TV reporter in the film) with whom he was seen last year in Hum Tum Shabana.

Smiles Shreyas, "Yes, that film (Hum Tum Shabana) required me to be a lot more boisterous though here I was being subtle. A lot is being said through looks and ishaaron ishaaron mein. Unlike a rom-com, here our romance didn't involve much of masti. There are some cute moments though because I am completely smitten by her and there is love at first sight."

He is happy with the way Joker has shaped up into the final product and can't wait to see audience reactions.

"The film in totality is of course something new. It has the kind of genre and subject that you usually see in Hollywood films", he says, "Honestly you need guts to come up with something like this. I am glad that Shirish gave me an opportunity to play a fantastic role like this. It is a comedy which in true terms is different. With a plot like this (comprising of aliens) and a desi flavour, it makes Joker all the more intriguing."

The film releases all over on 31st August.

'A friend in need is a friend indeed', goes the popular adage and it seems that Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is all set to prove this true.

Despite the fact that an angry King Khan had assaulted filmmaker Shirish Kunder during a party, it seems that SRK recently went out of his way to promote Kunder's film Joker for the sake of his good friend and Kunder's wife Farah Khan. Sources claim that Farah Khan had recently visited Shah Rukh Khan's residence Mannat to discuss their upcoming film Happy New Year and after the discussions got over, they started talking about Joker. During the chat, when Farah asked the Don if he would like to shoot for a promotional fun video featuring him and the aliens of Joker, the superstar graciously agreed to do so.

Naturally, Farah couldn't help but gush about her good friend's gesture, despite the fact that Khan and Kunder had come to blows during the success party of Agneepath after the latter made some nasty comments about SRK's magnum opus RA.One.

Joker stars Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha and is a comedy about the fate of a remote village, which becomes famous across the nation following reports of alien landings and crop circles.

Director Shirish Kunder recently revealed that ever since he has finished the post-production work on his upcoming fantasy adventure film Joker, he has started feeling unemployed.

The 39-year-old filmmaker recently tweeted, "With each reel of Joker getting finalized, work for me is getting less. Really don't know what to do with my time anymore. Feeling jobless!"

Joker, starring Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha, Shreyas Talpade and Minissha Lamba, is set to release on August 31. Kunder's last directorial venture Jaan-E-Mann, starring Akshay Kumar, Preity Zinta and Salman Khan, hadn't done too well at the box-office. Let's see how Joker fares!

It is well known that Tamil composer G V Prakash Kumar, who is the nephew of A.R. Rahman, will be making his Bollywood debut with Shirish Kunder's film Joker.

Although he has composed quite a few numbers for the film, the much-hyped number Kaafirana isn't his. The song, filmed with Chitrangada Singh and choreographed by Farah Khan, has become a huge hit ever since it was leaked a few days back.


Apparently, Kumar could not finish this particular song on time and hence another composer Gaurav Dagaonkar was roped in.

Hence, the credit for the film's music has been given to Prakash as well as Gaurav.

Even though the world around him seems to be more concerned than he is about his Joker entering the 100 crore club, the film's chief architect Shirish Kunder is least perturbed. While fans and followers of Akshay Kumar are anxious to check if the film would also mark a hat trick of centuries for the actor after Housefull 2 and Rowdy Rathore, Shirish doesn't mind confessing that his film is more innovative than masala.

"Shirish has consciously stayed away from adding unwanted masala into Joker. He feels that doing that would have compromised the vision he had for the sci-fi alien comedy. Even though some around him suggested to bring on some quintessential elements, he had innovation in mind", says a close associate of the director.

This means that even though he has aimed Joker at the masses, he is projecting the film more as a family outing which children as the driving force for the target audience.

Says Shirish, "If I was really conscious of the 100 crore club, I would have put a bikini scene in the film or added some kissing. Some even said to me that yahan kuch action daal do, wahan thoda masala aur kar do. However I am not doing that."

Wouldn't it have helped though if he would have taken the step? After all, he had Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha at his disposal.

He reasons, "See, the film is for the masses and commercially speaking, we are in the safe zone. I never made the film with this risk factor in mind that what would happen is 100 crore milestone is not met. Tomorrow when I make a movie with that factor in mind, perhaps I would work on the overall packaging. However, Joker doesn't require that."

Filmmaker Shirish Kunder, who took six years to release his second film, has stated that he wants to be regular and will make one film a year from now onwards.

Kunder's directorial debut Jaan-E-Mann released in 2006 and it took him six years to make his second film Joker. The 39-year-old tweeted, "2006: I directed my 1st film Jaan-E-mann. 2012 : My second film Joker. Now on, I'll direct a film every year. Will torture you all more often."

His film, starring Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha, is set to release on August 31.

Joker (2012) Movie Information

Color: C

Release Date: 31-08-2012

Language: Hindi

Genre: Drama

Banner
Three's Company
Hari Om Entertainment Company
UTV Motion Pictures

Director
Shirish Kunder

Cast
Akshay Kumar
Sonakshi Sinha
Jaaved Jaaferi
Shreyas Talpade
Minissha Lamba
Vindu Dara Singh
Asrani
Sanjay Mishra
Farhan Khan (Special appearance)
Chitrangda Singh (Special appearance)

Producer
Farah Khan
Shirish Kunder
Akshay Kumar

Music
G.V. Prakash Kumar

Cinematographer
Sudeep Chatterjee

Story
Shirish Kunder

Editor
Shirish Kunder

Art
Sukant Panigrahy

Production Designer
Samir Chanda

Associate Director
Balakrishnan Thevar
Aarun Kumar Thevar

Synopsis

Akshay Kumar returns to his hometown, a place that's so remote and crazy that it's not even on the map. And then what follows puts this forgotten little town not just on the country's map, but makes it the focus of the entire globe! Aliens! Is the town really the site of an alien invasion? Will Akshay manage to change the game - just like the joker does in a pack of cards? Get set for India's coolest (and first ever) comedy starring aliens! In 3D!

Minissha Lamba's long cherished dream of becoming a journalist will finally come true, if only on celluloid. The actress is going to play a reporter in Shirish Kunder's upcoming film Joker. To prepare for the role, Minnisha had to spend three days at a news channel studio to understand how real-life journalists work.

The actress was recently quoted saying that as a kid, she used to stand in front of the mirror and practice taking interviews and used to report activities happening around.

Well, we're glad Minissha took up acting instead. However, her dream did come true somehow as she plays a journalist in this sci-fi film.

Joker, starring Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha, is set to release on August 31.