Not very long ago, almost every second Hindi film that hit the marquee was based in aamchi Mumbai. It was self-evident in the narrator's voice when he mentioned 'shehar' and the visuals constituted of places like CST or Juhu Chowpatty.
That isn't the case anymore. As of today, Delhi appears to be the toast of film writers. In the recent past, the plots have shifted northwards and it's no mere coincidence that the so-called Bambaiya lingo isn't heard as regularly as on the big screen as before.
Here's taking a look at some of the forthcoming films in which Delhi has a prominent part to play...
'Madras Cafe' (2013)
Expecting a spy movie without New Delhi in the background would be weird. The upcoming political thriller, directed by Shoojit Sircar, showcases John Abraham as an Indian intelligence agent while Nargis Fakhri is playing an international reporter. The film also deals heavily with the subject of terrorism and along with India, it was also shot in Sri Lanka.
Besharam (2013)
Ranbir Kapoor's next release is said to have a hefty dose of saddi Dilli in it. Directed by Abhinav Kashyap, 'Besharam' is a happy addition to RK's foray of films that aren't based in Mumbai. The comedy casts him opposite Pallavi Sharda. It's scheduled to release in October. The shooting apparently took place in Haryana, Delhi and Mumbai.
'Micky Virus' (2013)
Much like 'Vicky Donor', this Saurabh Varma film is a comedy set in Delhi. In it, when Delhi police comes across a case revolving around hacking, they begin the search to find a computer hacker who can help them crack this case.
In a professional twist, debutant Manish Paul's character runs a grocery store during daytime and creates programming bugs for anti-virus companies in the night.
'Peekay' (2014)
Is it possible to separate a political satire from the capital city? Well, no. Precisely why Raju Hirani's next is rumoured to have elements of Delhi in it. Partly shot in the capital city, 'Peekay' has Aamir Khan and Anushka Sharma in the lead. It was supposed to release before the end of 2013 but has now been pushed to 2014. According to Hirani, the story focuses on God and godmen.
'Shaadi Ke Side Effects' (2013)
Vidya Balan was last seen as a hain-spewing northie in 'Ghanchakkar'. In this romcom, she's once again portraying a Delhi girl while Farhan Akhtar's character hails from Mumbai. Perfect mix.
'Boss' (2013)
Shot in Delhi amongst other places, this action drama is directed by Anthony D'Souza. An official remake of the Malayalam action masala Pokkiri Raja, Akshay Kumar will be portraying a kind-hearted gangster. Mithun Chakraborty is playing his father while Danny Denzongpa, his mentor.
'2 States' (2014)
Adapted from Chetan Bhagat's novel with the same title, '2 States' - like '3 Idiots' is shot at various locales - but is still expected to have loads of the capital city in it. Directed by Abhishek Varman and produced by Sajid Nadiawala and Karan Johar, it stars Arjun Kapoor and Alia Bhatt in lead roles.
Recent releases with Delhi prominently in the background...
'Aurangzeb'
'Fukrey'
'Raanjhanaa'
'Ghanchakkar'
'Sixteen'
'B. A. Pass'
'Chor Chor Super Chor'
Forthcoming releases with Mumbai in the background. . .
'Once Upon a Time In Mumbaai Dobara'
'Zanjeer'
'John Day'
'Ungli'
Figure this
According to a recent report, the national capital will be at the centre of several stories from Bollywood this year. A total of 30 films are expected to be shot in Delhi this year.
