Woodstock Villa
Encyclopedia
Woodstock Villa is a 2008 Indian musical
thriller directed by Hansal Mehta and produced by Sanjay Gupta
and Ekta Kapoor
. It features newcomers Sikandar Kher
, Neha Oberoi and Arbaaz Khan in the primary roles while Shakti Kapoor
, Gulshan Grover
, Sachin Khedekar, Boman Irani
and Anupama Verma
essay other significant roles. The film, whose soundtrack was composed by Anu Malik
, was filmed in Mumbai
and Mauritius
. The film, which was released in India on 30 May 2008, had a poor box office
opening and earned mostly good reviews. Sanjay Dutt
and Saif Ali Khan
have cameo appearances in the film.
) in a pub and lands in his flat asking him to kidnap her so that she can test her husband, Jatin's (Arbaaz Khan) love. Samir can’t refuse because he is in desperate need of money. He hasn’t paid his rent for months and also has to return a huge sum of money to a bhai (Gulshan Grover
). Zara takes Sameer to Woodstock Villa, the location of kidnapping. Sameer orders Jatin to hand over 50 lakhs to him. After returning, Sameer discovers Zara dead. An anonymous caller then threatens him that he has only 30 minutes to bury the body and clear up all the evidence. He disposes her body in a forest and returns. To be on the safer side, he leaves the city and goes to Bangalore. Sameer sees Zara's video on television and heads back to find the truth. He finds Zara and convinces her to tell him the truth. Zara reveals that she and Jatin truly loved each other. Once in a fight, Jatin's real wife, Zara accidentally, died and as her and Zara's face was quite similar, she played the role of Zara. The kidnapping plan was hatched by Jatin and his girlfriend to get out of this murder and trap somebody else. Sameer calls Jatin to Woodstock villa with the money and he pays his rent and loan. He goes to the airport while Jatin gets caught by the police. Jatin tells the police that he is not the only one to commit the crime. Sameer gives the bag of money to Zara but there was no money inside that bag, he took the real bag of money. The ball was in Zara's court. If she would have boarded the plane, Sameer would have trusted her. She decided to cheat Sameer and got cheated herself. Sameer's flight takes off while Jatin's partner gets arrested.
, the producer of the film is the uncle of the other newcomer, Neha Oberoi. She said it was exciting and challenging to play the role of a kidnapped wife.
, Arbaaz Khan and his wife, Malaika Arora Khan
and writer, Javed Akhtar
were the prominent people attending the film's premiere. Anil Kapoor
attended the premiere too thereby ending the three-year war between him and Anupam Kher
.
Upon its release, the Hindustan Times
termed the film as "out of stock villa" in a demeaning tone. Its review felt that even though Sikander had potential, it was limited by the screenplay and direction. Times of India, on the other hand, wrote in its review that the film was a stylish thriller with good cinematography. It further spoke highly about Sikander, the debutant actor and added that though the songs impede the film's pace, they provide "freshness and a refreshing new zing."
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
thriller directed by Hansal Mehta and produced by Sanjay Gupta
Sanjay Gupta
Sanjay Gupta is an American neurosurgeon and an assistant professor of neurosurgery at Emory University School of Medicine and associate chief of the neurosurgery service at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia....
and Ekta Kapoor
Ekta Kapoor
Ekta Jeetendra Kapoor is an Indian TV and film producer. She is the Creative Director and Joint Managing Director of Balaji Telefilms, her production company.-Biography:...
. It features newcomers Sikandar Kher
Sikandar Kher
Sikander Kher is an Indian actor. Son of Kirron Kher and step-son of Anupam Kher, he began his filming career with Woodstock Villa . His foray into Bollywood has been met with hope and promise by the media, and received several positive reviews. As a multi-faceted person, he assisted Sanjay Leela...
, Neha Oberoi and Arbaaz Khan in the primary roles while Shakti Kapoor
Shakti Kapoor
Shakti Kapoor is an Indian Bollywood actor. He is notably known for playing vulgar comic and villainous roles. He is known for acting alongside comedian Kader Khan as his sidekick along with Asrani in over 100 films.-Early life:...
, Gulshan Grover
Gulshan Grover
Gulshan Grover is an Indian actor, who has acted in over 400 films through a career spanning over 30 years.Gulshan Grover is one of the first Indian actors to have made a successful transition from Bollywood into Hollywood and international Cinema....
, Sachin Khedekar, Boman Irani
Boman Irani
Boman Irani is an Indian film and theatre actor and photographer. Irani began his acting career in theatre and moved to film in 2000 at the age of 44 with a role in Josh...
and Anupama Verma
Anupama Verma
Anupama Verma is a model, actress, and television personality from Delhi. She was discovered by well known celebrity photographer Shantanu Sheorey when she was in ninth grade...
essay other significant roles. The film, whose soundtrack was composed by Anu Malik
Anu Malik
Anu Malik , born Anwar Sardaar Malik, is a famous music director in the Hindi film industry. Son of veteran music director Sardar Malek, Anu Malik made his debut as a music composer in the year 1977. After a considerable period of struggle, the 90's welcomed Anu with hits like 'Phir Teri Kahani...
, was filmed in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
. The film, which was released in India on 30 May 2008, had a poor box office
Box office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....
opening and earned mostly good reviews. Sanjay Dutt
Sanjay Dutt
Sanjay Dutt is an Indian Hindi film actor and politician. Dutt, son of Hindi film actors Sunil and Nargis Dutt, made his acting debut in 1981.-Personal life:...
and Saif Ali Khan
Saif Ali Khan
Saif Ali Khan is an Indian actor known for his work in Bollywood films. He is the son of the late former Nawab of Pataudi, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, and actress Sharmila Tagore. He has two sisters: Saba Ali Khan and actress Soha Ali Khan....
have cameo appearances in the film.
Synopsis
Zara Kampani (Neha Oberoi) meets Sameer (Sikandar KherSikandar Kher
Sikander Kher is an Indian actor. Son of Kirron Kher and step-son of Anupam Kher, he began his filming career with Woodstock Villa . His foray into Bollywood has been met with hope and promise by the media, and received several positive reviews. As a multi-faceted person, he assisted Sanjay Leela...
) in a pub and lands in his flat asking him to kidnap her so that she can test her husband, Jatin's (Arbaaz Khan) love. Samir can’t refuse because he is in desperate need of money. He hasn’t paid his rent for months and also has to return a huge sum of money to a bhai (Gulshan Grover
Gulshan Grover
Gulshan Grover is an Indian actor, who has acted in over 400 films through a career spanning over 30 years.Gulshan Grover is one of the first Indian actors to have made a successful transition from Bollywood into Hollywood and international Cinema....
). Zara takes Sameer to Woodstock Villa, the location of kidnapping. Sameer orders Jatin to hand over 50 lakhs to him. After returning, Sameer discovers Zara dead. An anonymous caller then threatens him that he has only 30 minutes to bury the body and clear up all the evidence. He disposes her body in a forest and returns. To be on the safer side, he leaves the city and goes to Bangalore. Sameer sees Zara's video on television and heads back to find the truth. He finds Zara and convinces her to tell him the truth. Zara reveals that she and Jatin truly loved each other. Once in a fight, Jatin's real wife, Zara accidentally, died and as her and Zara's face was quite similar, she played the role of Zara. The kidnapping plan was hatched by Jatin and his girlfriend to get out of this murder and trap somebody else. Sameer calls Jatin to Woodstock villa with the money and he pays his rent and loan. He goes to the airport while Jatin gets caught by the police. Jatin tells the police that he is not the only one to commit the crime. Sameer gives the bag of money to Zara but there was no money inside that bag, he took the real bag of money. The ball was in Zara's court. If she would have boarded the plane, Sameer would have trusted her. She decided to cheat Sameer and got cheated herself. Sameer's flight takes off while Jatin's partner gets arrested.
Cast
- Sikandar KherSikandar KherSikander Kher is an Indian actor. Son of Kirron Kher and step-son of Anupam Kher, he began his filming career with Woodstock Villa . His foray into Bollywood has been met with hope and promise by the media, and received several positive reviews. As a multi-faceted person, he assisted Sanjay Leela...
as Sameer - Neha Oberoi as Zara Kampani
- Arbaaz Khan as Jatin Kampani
- Gulshan GroverGulshan GroverGulshan Grover is an Indian actor, who has acted in over 400 films through a career spanning over 30 years.Gulshan Grover is one of the first Indian actors to have made a successful transition from Bollywood into Hollywood and international Cinema....
as Karim Bhai - Shakti KapoorShakti KapoorShakti Kapoor is an Indian Bollywood actor. He is notably known for playing vulgar comic and villainous roles. He is known for acting alongside comedian Kader Khan as his sidekick along with Asrani in over 100 films.-Early life:...
as Mr. Chawla, Sameer's landlord - Sanjay DuttSanjay DuttSanjay Dutt is an Indian Hindi film actor and politician. Dutt, son of Hindi film actors Sunil and Nargis Dutt, made his acting debut in 1981.-Personal life:...
as Gaurav - Saif Ali KhanSaif Ali KhanSaif Ali Khan is an Indian actor known for his work in Bollywood films. He is the son of the late former Nawab of Pataudi, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, and actress Sharmila Tagore. He has two sisters: Saba Ali Khan and actress Soha Ali Khan....
- Boman IraniBoman IraniBoman Irani is an Indian film and theatre actor and photographer. Irani began his acting career in theatre and moved to film in 2000 at the age of 44 with a role in Josh...
- Anupama VermaAnupama VermaAnupama Verma is a model, actress, and television personality from Delhi. She was discovered by well known celebrity photographer Shantanu Sheorey when she was in ninth grade...
- Gaurav GeraGaurav GeraGaurav Gera is an Indian actor and comedian. He made his debut as an actor in the Indian television soap Life Nahin hai Laddoo. This was followed by roles in popular shows like Sanskruti, Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin and The Great Indian Comedy Show. He has also acted in various Bollywood movies like...
Production
Sikander Kher had several expectations from the media on his debut film. Although his family name would provide recognition, he chose to have his only his first name listed on the credits. Sanjay GuptaSanjay Gupta
Sanjay Gupta is an American neurosurgeon and an assistant professor of neurosurgery at Emory University School of Medicine and associate chief of the neurosurgery service at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia....
, the producer of the film is the uncle of the other newcomer, Neha Oberoi. She said it was exciting and challenging to play the role of a kidnapped wife.
Release and reception
The Bachchan familyBachchan Family
The Bachchan family is a prominent Indian family, headed by Amitabh Bachchan, from which many members have participated in the Indian film industry....
, Arbaaz Khan and his wife, Malaika Arora Khan
Malaika Arora Khan
Malaika Arora Khan , also known as Malaika Arora, is an Indian model, actress, television personality and former MTV VJ. She is one of India's top item girls...
and writer, Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar is a poet, lyricist and scriptwriter from India. Some of his most successful work was done in the late 1970s and 1980s with Salim Khan as half of the script-writing duo credited as Salim-Javed...
were the prominent people attending the film's premiere. Anil Kapoor
Anil Kapoor
Anil Kapoor is an Indian actor and producer who mainly appears in Bollywood films. He won a Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for his role in Yash Chopra's film Mashaal ....
attended the premiere too thereby ending the three-year war between him and Anupam Kher
Anupam Kher
Anupam Kher is an Indian actor who has appeared in nearly 400 films and 100 plays. Though mainly appearing in Bollywood films, he has had roles in some films from other nations as well...
.
Upon its release, the Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....
termed the film as "out of stock villa" in a demeaning tone. Its review felt that even though Sikander had potential, it was limited by the screenplay and direction. Times of India, on the other hand, wrote in its review that the film was a stylish thriller with good cinematography. It further spoke highly about Sikander, the debutant actor and added that though the songs impede the film's pace, they provide "freshness and a refreshing new zing."