Produced at a cost of Rs 60 crores, the film was completed in 19 months. It will be released in 3,500 screens globally including 2,500 in India on March 23.

Saif, 41, who also plays the lead role in the film, said "it will give value for money," adding, "The film has been produced keeping Indian sentiments in mind." Dinesh said, "It is a fun movie with a very Indian hero.

The film has been shot keeping Indian sensibilities in mind. It is a realistic film but larger than life.

" Describing it as a fast-paced film, Dinesh said the film was shot in 12 countries including Riga, Latvia, Morocco, Russia, Uzbekistan, UK and India. Saif, known for his roles in the cult movie Dil Chahta Hai, Parineeta and Omkara , said he had gone to Vietnam for a couple of weeks to undergo training in action for the film.

He said he did all the stunts himself. "In India we do the stunts and we have good technicians in India.

What we need is good writers." Saif described his girlfriend Kareena Kapoor, the heroine of the film as a "phenomenal actor.

She is just made for the film." The film is written and directed by Sriram Raghavan.

Pritam Chakraborty has provided music for the film which will be distributed by Illuminati Films owned by Saif and Eros Entertainment. Tweet (less)

Produced at a cost of Rs 60 crores, the film was completed in 19 months. It will be released in 3,500 screens globally including 2,500 in India on March 23.

Saif, 41, who also plays the lead role in the film, said "it will give value for money," adding, "The film has been produced keeping Indian sentiments in mind." Dinesh said, "It is a fun movie with a very Indian hero.

The film has been shot keeping Indian sensibilities in mind. It is a realistic film but larger than life.

" Describing it as a fast-paced film, Dinesh said the film was shot in 12 countries including Riga, Latvia, Morocco, Russia, Uzbekistan, UK and India. Saif, known for his roles in the cult movie Dil Chahta Hai, Parineeta and Omkara , said he had gone to Vietnam for a couple of weeks to undergo training in action for the film.

He said he did all the stunts himself. "In India we do the stunts and we have good technicians in India.

What we need is good writers." Saif described his girlfriend Kareena Kapoor, the heroine of the film as a "phenomenal actor.

She is just made for the film." The film is written and directed by Sriram Raghavan.

Pritam Chakraborty has provided music for the film which will be distributed by Illuminati Films owned by Saif and Eros Entertainment. Tweet (less)

"Agent Vinod is a spy-action film and there are many car-chases so I asked my director if we could have a flashy car in that too," Saif told Gulf News adding that he took several lessons to master the art of making car-chase sequences look authentic on-screen. "Apart from learning how to drive cars and bikes fast, I learnt how to jump off high buildings too," he said.

He travelled to Vietnam to learn martial arts in preparation for his stunt-filled role in the film, also starring girlfriend Kareena Kapoor . "It's not Mr And Mrs Smith and it's not a cheesy Bond rip-off.

It is about a RAW agent who has his own personality. Yes, it has influences from various films - it's a little bit Bond, little bit Jason Bourne and a little bit 24 and Tin Tin.

But it is also original," said Saif. He also said he would never do a role on the lines of what Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie did in spy-drama 'Mr & Mrs Smith'.

"It just doesn't make sense for Kareena and I to do such a role in India. I think she has done a wonderful job with the action.

She said she doesn't like doing action but she is very good at it," he told the newspaper. Agent Vinod , which is co-produced by Saif and Dinesh Vijan, is expected to release in 2,500 screens in India and over 700 screens overseas (less)

The music band has alleged that the initial portion of the song Pungi from Agent Vinod , which has become a rage now, has been "lifted without any change" from the title song -- Soosan Khanoom of their album. However, in an interview, producer of Agent Vinod , Dinesh Vijan denied this claim.

"There is no similarity between the two tracks. It's just that for the first, three-four seconds of the groove cannot be patented anywhere else.

For once, Pritam's melody is original," Vijan said. "If you listen to both the tracks, you will come to know there is no similarity, except for the first three-four seconds," he said.

The Iranian music band, in a notice, had demanded the music director, producers and directors to refrain from releasing the song in the movie. The band had said they would be compelled to initiate proceedings to seek a restraining order and necessary compensation.

"There are two versions of the song, the one that will be there in the film, has nothing to do with the song of the singing group so they cannot do anything about it. We will reply in the right manner," Vijan said.

Agent Vinod , starring Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor in lead roles, releases on March 23. Tweet (less)

The music band has alleged that the initial portion of the song Pungi from Agent Vinod , which has become a rage now, has been "lifted without any change" from the title song -- Soosan Khanoom of their album. However, in an interview, producer of Agent Vinod , Dinesh Vijan denied this claim.

"There is no similarity between the two tracks. It's just that for the first, three-four seconds of the groove cannot be patented anywhere else.

For once, Pritam's melody is original," Vijan said. "If you listen to both the tracks, you will come to know there is no similarity, except for the first three-four seconds," he said.

The Iranian music band, in a notice, had demanded the music director, producers and directors to refrain from releasing the song in the movie. The band had said they would be compelled to initiate proceedings to seek a restraining order and necessary compensation.

"There are two versions of the song, the one that will be there in the film, has nothing to do with the song of the singing group so they cannot do anything about it. We will reply in the right manner," Vijan said.

Agent Vinod , starring Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor in lead roles, releases on March 23. Tweet (less)

There are people who have a ear for it and work hard on their tracks. However, getting a track like Pyar Ki Pungi is like hitting the jackpot.

Every once in a while, a juicy hit song falls into your lap, and the Pungi number is a bigger hit than the entire Love Aaj Kal bouquet. Whatever helps the movie at this stage is welcome.

'' Saif adds that director Sriram Raghavan is not very Hindi music oriented, nor was he keen that Agent Vinod should sing songs. Says he, "A spy singing a song seems odd, and both Sriram and I felt it may take way from the character.

Though, of course, the lead character singing songs is a popular idea in Hindi cinema." Since Agent Vinod still had to have songs, they managed an eclectic yet very convincing album, with Delhi-based rock band Parikrama even doing the title track.

An excited Saif says, "Another track was born when my partner Dinesh Vijan came home and heard me reliving my childhood with Boney M playing loudly. He thought it would be great to have something that sounds like Rasputin.

The music company did some research because we didn't want to get sued, and then came up with our own version of a Turkish hit. It's a good track and Maia Haydon has done well in it.

'' Saif is also gung-ho about Kareena Kapoor's modern adaptation of the mujra song Dil Mera Muft Ka. He says, "The music of our film works beautifully when you watch the movie.

If you listen to it on the CD, you will hear it differently. Unlike some films where the music is orchestrated to accomodate a song sung by the hero, in Agent Vinod it's more of a background action piece.

Most of the songs are cut to action sequences rather than romance, because that's how it's meant to be.'' Presented by Illuminati Films and Eros International, Agent Vinod releases worldwide on March 23 (less)

And if not that, then some power-packed performances. Unfortunately, Khamosh, Adalat Jari Hai fails in both aspects.

This drama is the Hindi translation of Vijay Tendulkar's best known Marathi play Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe (1967), a tale which is a metaphorical trial between the humanists and the anti-humanists. The story begins with a group of people, who are planning to stage a play in a village.

Since one of the cast members doesn't show up, a local is asked to replace him. To make him understand the courtroom procedures, a rehearsal is arranged with a mock trial.

But the story takes a twist when the pretend-play suddenly turns into a grim charge - Miss Benare is charged with foeticide, as well as accused of having an illicit relationship with a married Professor Damle, the missing member of the cast. Unfulfilled desires, gender discrimination, certain redundant social customs and the sources and manifestations of power are some of the ideas this heavy drama tries to touch upon, which were relevant 40 years ago.

You would think that the fact that some of these themes are not very pertinent today would be the biggest drawback of the play (since the script hasn't been altered). Of course, the audiences have changed and Khamosh could do with a contemporary set up.

But that's not even the biggest problem. Why? Because even today, extra-marital affairs and live-ins are frowned upon and foeticide and child abuse are considered unacceptable crimes.

It's the length of the play which is an eyesore. For the first 20 minutes, the story simply crawls at a slow pace, trying to build an ambience, but it only gets the spectator frustrated.

The play oscillates between reality and illusion, which can confuse you, if you aren't paying close attention (which is bound to happen). Yet there is a silver lining.

You're occasionally provided laughs by the Kashikars and Samant, which are a breather. But that's about it.

Finally, in a hard-hitting drama like this, you expect to be moved to tears by the plight of the main protagonist. In this case, Leena, enacted by Preeta Mathur attempts that with her 10 minute soliloquy.

But by then you're so restless, you're just waiting for this dragfest to end (less)

Saif's more conspicuous as the lead actor of the spy thriller, but reveals a hidden and unlikely passion for production design, and his smooth, and almost natural, transition to the role of producer. From being an actor, perhaps a slightly self-centred cinematic animal that doesn't always make for a good team leader or people manager, Saif says he took easily to the role of a producer.

Using military and sporting parallels, he explains his production 'vision', how stars and even directors are 'divas' you have to handle, and how he fantasizes about being a successful producer. It's not about money, it's about controlling your destiny The decision to turn producer wasn't a financial one.

"The money (a producer makes) is only marginally more than what an actor makes - unless you have a bumper hit. There is, of course, a business side to it, like owning the negatives, but the main thing is being a little more proactive about your career, your own destiny, to a certain extent.

Actors are still people dependent on directors and scripts to get cast, for their future. I know the kind of roles I'd like to play, at least some of them, and I'd like to create that kind of film for myself, and I'm really fortunate that I'm in a position to be able to do that.

What more could an actor ask for?" he says. But while Saif prefers to leave the deal-making in the company to partner Dinesh Vijan, "who has an MBA, so he's supposed to understand these things better than I do", is he himself a practical money manager? "I.

..

make a certain amount of money and I spend a certain amount, and I save a certain amount. In that sense I do well, and I sit with my accountants every so often; we have a plan.

Sometimes I go over-budget on things, but generally, I want to be well-off and happy when all this is over, when I'm no longer a saleable movie star," he says. Production makes you less selfish Saif's dreams for the future seem to be about making movies, not necessarily being a big star.

"If I continue to have ideas like "Agent Vinod"..

. If we do this right, we could make a few movies and one day.

..

in say, 2030, we could be making the 10th "Agent Vinod" film with some young superstar that we've cast, and we have a press conference to announce who that actor's going to be, and people are quite curious - I can see that, I can see it becoming quite an event," he says, obviously excited by that thought. But right now, it's his film, with him as the lead.

Do lead actors usually think of casting 'younger stars' in future, when their film hasn't even released? "You have to dream, right? You have to aim for the stars and things in life, and be hopeful. I'm sharing an idea, I'm saying, what if "Agent Vinod" becomes the most saleable thing, a brand that in 10 years you could offer to another actor? That's the producer side of me.

It is a job that makes you a little less selfish. Acting is a little more selfish.

Production is more about..

. when you see other actors, you see potential actors in your movies in the future.

The young actors who've worked in our movies - if they get bigger things after this and do well, I'd feel, in a way, a little paternal about them," he says. Actors aren't always known for their people management and administrative skills - did being a producer come easily to him? "Normally, actors are pretty spoilt, in the sense that they don't have to deal with the difficulties of talent management as such.

You're being managed most of the time, as an actor. But as a producer, you've got the director, who's another potential diva half of the time.

You have to be careful about how you speak to them, they're all a little temperamental, and you can't push beyond a point, you know (laughs). All the technicians generally have to be dealt with and spoken to in a certain way.

..

It's like an army, really, on campaign, when you're on an outdoor shoot. Sometimes it's killing, of course, but it's like an army, and every day is a battle.

You've got separate generals working for you, and if you treat them like generals, they respond quite well, I find," he explains. So he's a military man? "I find the comparison to be quite apt.

You come to uncharted territory sometimes, you have your sappers or your engineers lay out your set or put down a trolley or put up the lights to take a shot, and then you have your cameramen come in, and then you get your actors dressed and everybody arrives and you make the scene - or don't. Their temperaments on location are also, I think, to be compared to the Roman army on campaign, kind of," he says, only half in jest.

I couldn't be a director With that strong a vision for his film, and the ability to handle a film crew, how is it that Saif never considered direction? "It's not the same as creating the atmosphere, or telling people what you want or what it should look like. I think the producer has a vision.

How to execute that vision requires many technicians, including a director. It's like you know what kind of music you'd like and what instruments you'd need for it, but to actually conduct that orchestra might not be your strength.

But you know you want an opera, or a blues song, or a film like this, with this kind of canvas. How to direct the actors and craft - that is a separate area, and maybe not something that I am.

..

a man should know..

." he trails off.

"I'll give you another sporting parallel - in life, like sport, you should know your place and what you're good at. So I don't think that would be my strength.

But I think it would be my strength to help set up an environment, to ask, 'is this how you're seeing it'? From a lifetime of reading, I think I'm a very visual person. If I'm reading something, I immediately put it into an atmosphere, the nicer the better.

Generally, it's an area in which our films are a little lacking, you know - the atmosphere. You can't smell the location.

Obviously, some people do it, but it doesn't happen as much as it happens in the West. Look at TV series like "Hercule Poirot" - the attention paid to detail isn't something you see here.

It should be there, otherwise you're losing out on something. Film is such a wonderful visual medium - if you don't explore it on that level, you're not maximising the potential.

" A cool film for me It's easy to make out, when he talks about his movie, that the production aspect of the film excited him, perhaps more than his work as an actor. "I just wanted to do a film about a RAW agent called Agent Vinod, and funny and tacky as it may sound, but I wanted to make it a cool movie.

That sounds easy, but it requires smart writing and a great deal of production design - colourful characters, villains who look interesting, quirky and funky, people to look sexy, locations to look interesting, car chases, unique forms of action, even the foley (audio) work of what a gunshot sounds like. I've been involved in every detail, from the length of the junior characters' shoes to what colour frock coat the villain should wear, to even the casting of some minor characters," he says.

He says he's been told he's quite alright at the job. "I'm told apparently I'm quite good at it, in the sense that I know what I'm talking about in the editing room and costume, creating the atmosphere.

..

and it's not an arcane science. I think I have a taste of what an environment should be like.

I think atmosphere is important. If I'm having a drink with a friend, I'd like to go to a library bar rather than just chat anywhere.

I think I can take that to film if you narrate a sequence to me. I can imagine what the environment for that sequence should be like.

I don't interfere when it's not my movie, but with mine, I'd like the atmosphere to be absolutely correct, particularly in a film that's modern," he says (less)

Patil, a self-styled king (read mafia lord), who has been going on upstaging Bollywood shoots for the past few months and tormenting filmmakers in the Hindi cinema industry, recently stopped a commercial shoot featuring the actor that was taking place at Mehboob Studios in Bandra. In fact Salman was left cooling his heels in his vanity van.

And this unpleasant incident has not gone down too well with the other members of FWICE. Mumbai Mirror learnt that five days back, Patil barged in on the sets of the Salman Khan commercial.

He stopped the shoot and asked Raman Lamba, who was in charge of the production, to cough up Rs 66,000. Patil stated that he heads the 'Still photography Department' of the FWICE.

Since Lamba wasn't registered with the institution, Patil asked him to pay up the required sum before continuing with the shoot. Angry with Patil, the Vice Chairman of Allied Mazdoor Union, a part of FWICE, Prem Singh Thakur said, "Stopping Salman's shoot is just not done.

The same goes for any other shoot actually. FWICE is not here to inconvenience people.

We don't demand money from people. We resolve issues amicably.

What Patil is doing is just not done." He revealed that Salman's shoot was not the only production that has suffered because of Patil's antics.

"He stopped a shoot in Goregaon yesterday. Two models were shooting for an ad.

Patil demanded for money there as well," said an irritated Thakur. Another senior member of the association, Dinesh Chaturvedi, General Secretary FWICE said, "We have not issued a business member card to Patil.

But we had appointed him as the Head of Still Photography. But if this is the way he is going to function, we shall not issue the card to him.

" When we contacted Patil, he however chose to defend his style of functioning. "Lamba was not registered with FWICE.

I have done no wrong. Lamba even had to submit his passport and a few other documents to us today.

A few more formalities still remain though." Patil also denied inconveniencing Salman Khan during the shoot.

However, Chaturvedi who is also doing a cameo in Salman Khan's Dabangg 2 revealed that Salman had in fact told him about the incident 'indirectly' on the sets of the film. "He said 'aapke vigilance ke log set pe chale aate hain' without naming Patil.

And I understood what he meant," revealed Chaturvedi. Keeping Salman's complaint in mind, the federation has now decided to take a step against Patil.

"We have requested every producer to check the vigilance member card of any person who disrupts a shoot or asks for money claiming that they are from the federation," Chaturvedi told Mirror. As for Patil, the federation has now decided to take strict action against him.

"Patil has been harassing filmmaker for a long time. We want to sack him very soon.

" Lamba chose not to get involved in the FWICE fight and said, "We are unable to comment on this. Please respect our decision.

" (less)

The interesting part here is that Dinesh who was till now in a partnership with the Saif Ali Khan under their production banner Illuminati Films, will be going solo this time. Apparently, Dinesh has roped in Homi Adajania to direct the film and it will star Imran Khan and Deepika Padukone in lead roles.

This will be Homi's second outing as director after Being Cyrus . While Deepika has already worked with Dinesh during Love Aaj Kal , it will be the first for Imran (less)