To:
Mr. Firoz Nadiadwala
Base Industries Group
Usually, open letters to filmmakers are to criticize something out of their films. Please don’t feel anxious dear Firoz Nadiadwala, this is to appreciate something that you have been doing since March this year.
I remember reading one story about writer-director Neeraj Vora’s Hera Pheri 3 sometime in 2016. In February this year, I Googled the film’s title to find details about the progress in production and came across the news story from January that filled my heart with sorrow.
It was about popular comedy dialogue writer, actor, and director-Neeraj Vora’s treatment at AIIMS (Delhi) for brain stroke.
The same report published by TOI pointed out that Aamir Khan, Paresh Rawal, and you were constantly visiting the hospital and monitoring his health. There was no update released about this story during February and March. Finally, in April this year, Mumbai Mirror published the news about how you have converted one of your rooms at your Mumbai residence-Barkat Villa into an ICU for the actor-filmmaker. According to the article, Vora is not able to communicate yet and is bed-ridden.
It mentions that you have arranged an acupuncture therapist, neurosurgeon, physiotherapist, and general physician to look after him along with 24-hour medical nurse, cook and ward boy to take care of everything.
Whenever I feel nervous, isolated or let down, I end up watching movies that are scripted by Neeraj Vora. I will pray God to help our multi-talented writer to recover soon. As one of Neeraj Vora’s fans, I don’t have words to thank you for what you are doing.
The director’s parents and wife are no more. He does not have kids. The phenomenal help that you are offering to Vora is something that even blood relatives may not do in this age of costly medical treatment.
Some journalists work 24*7 to spread deliberate calumnies about Bollywood personalities. It’s unfortunate that filmmakers mostly make it in the headlines only if they are involved in some or the other controversy. For example, media persons were quick to offer wide-coverage for stories related to your financial issues, as well as the news about your bodyguard’s brawl with a traffic cop. But, the same journalists have not shown much of interest in covering details about what you have been doing for Neeraj Vora.
I love your propaganda-free movies
My list of favorite movies includes some of your films like-Hera Pheri, Phir Hera Pheri, Awara Paagal Deewana, Welcome, Welcome Back.
As you said during one of your media interactions, money spent as a producer should be visible in terms of quality and sensibility. Your grand style of film-making helped Anees Bazmee to present Welcome and Welcome Back on a larger canvas. Not just Welcome series, but all the films that you have produced since the year 2000 are comedy entertainers, except for Aarakshan, which was a film based on serious subject.
This is remarkable because these days we have Baadshah(s) and STARS that make films to promote their own or their champagne swigging liberal friends’ evil propaganda. Some directors and STARS even go to the extent of spending crores just to show Pakistan in a good light. Take SRK’s Main Hoon Na and Salman’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan as examples.
As producer Sajid Nadiadwala said during his interaction with trade analyst Komal Nahta, these days, actors sit with their team of CAs and consultants in order to set the best deal. Producer takes a huge risk by producing movies with grand budgets, while stars not only take remuneration in cash, but also take away their share in profit, satellite rights of the film. Most importantly, they take away all the credit for the film’s success. Ordinary cine-goer in the country is slowly becoming more and more aware about real intentions of these stars.
Anyway, getting back to the topic, we live in an era where a mother does not hesitate to sell her own baby boy just to buy a pair of jeans and smartphone. In such age, you have shown extreme kindness by stepping in to help your ailing friend.
The entire industry needs to appreciate your initiative. Hope our PMO also takes note of this and offers necessary help, if required.
Hope your Barkat Villa’s atmosphere remains cheerful and full of positive energies. Hope you continue making your stylish family entertainers and give us more of Majnu bhai, Uday bhai, and Babu Bhaiyya. God bless you.
Cc to: PMO and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Thanks again,
Nitten Gokhaley (Consultant Journalist)
Email id- [email protected]
Contact number-**********
(For the benefit of readers)
Who is Neeraj Vora?
For those who are unaware, besides directing Phir Hera Pheri, Shortkut, Familywala, and Khiladi 420, Vora has acted in several comedy films as well. He has also written the screenplay for many of Priyadarshan’s movies, including Hera Pheri, Hulchal, Kyon Ki, Kamaal Dhamaal Malamaal, and Garam Masala.
His list of films as a writer includes Phir Hera Pheri, Hera Pheri, Golmaal: Fun Unlimited, Ajnabee, Deewane Huye Paagal, Awara Paagal Deewana, Baadshah, Josh, Garam Masala, Akele Hum Akele Tum and more.
Coincidently, Vora’s most recent film as an actor is Nadiadwala’s Welcome Back. He played Baadshah Khan’s character in this film.
Who is Firoz Nadiadwala
Nadiadwala family has produced several films during the last sixty years.
Under his banner-Base Industries Group, Firoz Nadiadwala has made family entertainers like Hera Pheri, Phir Hera Pheri, Awara Pagal Deewana, Deewane Huye Paagal, AAN, Fool N Final, Welcome, Aarakshan, and Welcome Back.
