The President Is Coming

Last updated

The President Is Coming
The President is coming.jpg
Movie poster
Directed by Kunaal Roy Kapur
Written by Anuvab Pal
Produced by Rohan Sippy
Starring Konkona Sen Sharma
Shernaz Patel
Shivani Tanksale
Namit Das
Vivek Gomber
Satchit Puranik
Ira Dubey
Cinematography Keshav Prakash
Release date
  • 9 January 2009 (2009-01-09)
Running time
86 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageEnglish

The President Is Coming is a 2009 Indian satirical mockumentary film directed by Kunaal Roy Kapur based on his play by the same title which premiered at the Royal Court/Rage Theatre Festival in Mumbai in January 2006. The film, written by Anuvab Pal, marks Kapur's debut as a director and features an ensemble cast including Konkona Sen Sharma as a Bengali writer and a social activist. [1] The film explores a day in the life of six contestants who will stop at nothing as the US president is coming to town. Konkona plays Maya Roy, one of the six contestants who will represent New India in front of the President. [2]

Contents

Plot

In 2006, George W. Bush, President of the United States, visits India. In addition to the many diplomatic and political things on the agenda is a rather unusual event — a meeting with the young faces responsible for shaping "The New India". The six contestants are Maya Roy, India's best young writer; Ajay Karlekar, India's best young social activist; Archana Kapoor, India's best young entrepreneur; Rohit Seth, call center accent trainer; Kapil Dev Dholakia, India's best young stock investor, and Ramesh S, software engineer.

They have to undergo bizarre tests and activities to top the list. In the end only two are left Kapil and Maya. Kapil is caught cheating in the final round and Maya is selected. However, with a bizarre turn of events she is not the one who shakes the hand.

Cast

Soundtrack

Goldspot did the soundtrack, featuring the songs "Paper Boats", "Under the House", and "Haath Mein Le Lenge". The film's music was written by Siddhartha Khosla.

Reception

Critic Taran Adarsh from indiaFM gave the film a 3 out of 5 rating and concluded that it "...offers laughter aplenty and that is its biggest USP. Recommended for the multiplex junta." [3] The Times of India gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, concluding, "The film has a raw look and lacks finesse when it comes to production values. But there is a delightful tongue-in-cheek tenor running through it, which makes you overlook the unpolished feel and the loose editing." [4] Rajeev Masand from CNN-IBN described it as "... an enjoyable film that pushes the boundaries of conventional storytelling. Don't miss this film or you'll regret it." [5]

Adarsh stated, "Director Kunaal Roy Kapur knows what he's talking and for a first-timer, makes a remarkable debut." [6] Nikhat Kazmi from The Times of India wrote, "Performance-wise, it's the uptight and complex-ridden Ms. Konkona who walks away with laurels and laughs even as the film takes a healthy snigger at the desi self." [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arjun Rampal</span> Indian film actor, model, producer (born 1972)

Arjun Rampal is an Indian actor, model, film producer and television personality who works in Hindi films. He made his acting debut in Rajiv Rai's romance film Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat (2001) and has since gone on to act in more than 40 films. He has received several awards including the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Rock On!!.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ajay Devgn</span> Indian film actor, director and producer

Vishal Veeru Devgan, known professionally as Ajay Devgn, is an Indian actor, film director, and producer who works primarily in Hindi cinema. A leading actor of Hindi cinema, Devgn has appeared in over 100 films and has won numerous accolades, including four National Film Awards and four Filmfare Awards. In 2016, he was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri, the country's fourth-highest civilian honour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Konkona Sen Sharma</span> Indian actress

Konkona Sen Sharma is an Indian actress and filmmaker who works primarily in Hindi and Bengali films. She has received several awards, including two National Film Awards and three Filmfare Awards. The daughter of filmmaker and actress Aparna Sen, she is primarily known for her work in independent films, in addition to working in mainstream films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parmeet Sethi</span> Indian actor and filmmaker

Parmeet Sethi is an Indian actor. He is best known for portraying Kuljeet Singh in his debut in Aditya Chopra's directorial debut Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Nitin Mukesh</span> Indian actor (born 1982)

Neil Nitin Mukesh Chand Mathur is an Indian actor, producer and screenwriter known for his work in Hindi films. He is the son of playback singer Nitin Mukesh and grandson of singer Mukesh. He debuted as a child artist in Vijay (1988) and Jaisi Karni Waisi Bharnii (1989), and would go on to make his full-fledged debut playing the title role in Johnny Gaddaar (2007). Since then, he has starred in New York (2009), Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015), Golmaal Again (2017), and Saaho (2019). He made his Tamil film debut with Kaththi (2014) and Telugu film debut with Kavacham (2018).

<i>Chatur Singh Two Star</i> 2011 Indian film

Chatur Singh Two Star is a 2011 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Ajay Chandhok, starring Sanjay Dutt, Ameesha Patel and Suresh Menon in the lead roles. Produced by Mohammad Aslam and Parag Sanghvi. It was released on 19 August 2011. The film is based on the novel Chalaak Jasoos and the 2006 Hollywood film, The Pink Panther.

<i>Delhi Belly</i> (film) 2011 film by Abhinay Deo

Delhi Belly is a 2011 Indian action comedy film written by Akshat Verma and directed by Abhinay Deo. It stars Imran Khan, Kunaal Roy Kapur, Vir Das, Poorna Jagannathan and Shenaz Treasurywala. It is a Hinglish-language film, with seventy percent of the dialogue in English and thirty percent in Hindi. The film is produced by Aamir Khan Productions and UTV Motion Pictures. The theatrical trailer of the film premiered with Aamir Khan's Dhobi Ghat on 21 January 2011 while the film was released on 1 July 2011, along with a Hindi dubbed version. The film was given an 'A' certificate for its profanity, intense violence and sexual content and is often dubbed as a modern cult classic. The film was remade in Tamil as Settai.

<i>Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!</i> 2008 Indian film

Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language comedy film starring Abhay Deol, Paresh Rawal, Neetu Chandra, Manu Rishi, Manjot Singh and Archana Puran Singh. It was directed by Dibakar Banerjee. The film won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film. The film is inspired by the real life shenanigans of Devinder Singh alias Bunty, a real-life "super-chor", originally from Vikaspuri, Delhi.

<i>Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai</i> 2010 film by Milan Luthria

Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai is a 2010 Indian Hindi-language neo-noir crime thriller film written by Rajat Arora and directed by Milan Luthria. It stars Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Kangana Ranaut, Prachi Desai and Randeep Hooda. Produced by Ekta Kapoor under the Balaji Motion Pictures banner, Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai was released on 30 July 2010 to generally positive reviews from critics, and was a box office hit. The film is loosely based on the lives of Mumbai underworld gangsters Haji Mastan and Dawood Ibrahim. A sequel, Once Upon ay Time in Mumbai Dobaara!, was released in 2013.

<i>Action Replayy</i> 2010 film by Vipul Amrutlal Shah

Action Replayy is a 2010 Indian Hindi-language science-fiction romantic comedy film directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah and starring Akshay Kumar, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Aditya Roy Kapur. Neha Dhupia, Rannvijay Singh, Om Puri, Kirron Kher and Rajpal Yadav play supporting roles in the film. The film is an uncredited remake of the 1985 film Back to the Future. Director Vipul Amrutlal Shah however insists that it is an adaptation of a Gujarati play of the same name and of H. G. Wells' The Time Machine

<i>U Me Aur Hum</i> 2008 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film by Ajay Devgn

U Me Aur Hum is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film co-written, directed, and produced by Ajay Devgn. The film tells the story of Ajay (Devgn), who meets barmaid Piya (Kajol) on a cruise with his friends. They fall in love and marry; a few months later, Piya is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

<i>Raat Gayi, Baat Gayi?</i> 2009 Indian film

Raat Gayi, Baat Gayi? is a 2009 Indian Hindi-language comedy drama film written and directed by Saurabh Shukla. The film features Rajat Kapoor, Vinay Pathak, Neha Dhupia, Iravati Harshe and Anu Menon in leading roles.

<i>Mausam</i> (2011 film) 2011 film by Pankaj Kapur

Mausam (transl. Season) is a 2011 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film written and directed by Pankaj Kapur under the Vistaar Religare Film Fund banner. The film stars Shahid Kapoor opposite Sonam Kapoor. The film was originally scheduled to release on 16 September 2011, but due to the delay in obtaining the NOC from the Indian Air Force, it was pushed back further by a week, releasing on 23 September 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aditya Roy Kapur</span> Indian actor (born 1985)

Aditya Roy Kapur is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. After working as a VJ, he made his acting debut with the musical drama London Dreams (2009). Kapur had his first commercial success with the romance Aashiqui 2 (2013). In the same year, the romantic comedy Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani emerged as his highest-grossing release, and won him the IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor in addition to a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.

<i>Shor in the City</i> 2010 Indian film directed by Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor

Shor in the City is a 2011 Indian Hindi-language crime drama film directed by Raj & DK and produced by Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor starring Tusshar Kapoor, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Preeti Desai, Girija Oak, Radhika Apte, Nikhil Dwivedi, Pitobash Tripathy, Sundeep Kishan and Amit Mistry.

<i>Singham</i> 2011 Indian film directed by Rohit Shetty

Singham is a 2011 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by Reliance Entertainment, based on a script by writers Yunus Sajawal and Farhad-Sajid. It serves as first installment of Shetty's Cop Universe. A remake of the 2010 Tamil film of the same title by Hari, the film stars Ajay Devgn in the lead role as a police officer named Bajirao Singham alongside Kajal Aggarwal and Prakash Raj who reprises his role as in the original.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kunaal Roy Kapur</span> Indian actor (born 1979)

Kunaal Roy Kapur is an Indian actor, best known for his roles in Delhi Belly (2011), Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) and TVF Tripling (2016-2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akshay Kumar filmography</span>

Akshay Kumar is an Indian actor, television presenter, and film producer who works in Hindi-language films. He first appeared in a minor role in the 1987 Indian film Aaj. He debuted in a leading role with the film Saugandh (1991) before his breakthrough with the suspense thriller Khiladi (1992), the first film of the Khiladi series. He established himself as an action hero with the films Elaan (1994), Mohra (1994), Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994), Suhaag (1994), and Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996). Kumar earned his first Filmfare Awards nominations for the romantic films Yeh Dillagi (1994) and Dil To Pagal Hai (1997). However, several other of his 1990s releases performed poorly at the box office, leading to a brief setback in his film career.

<i>The Final Exit</i> 2017 Indian film

The Final Exit is a 2017 Indian Hindi supernatural horror film. It is directed by Dhwanil Mehta and produced by Vishal Rana & Mrunal Jhaveri. It stars Kunaal Roy Kapur, Archana Shastry, Elena Kazan, Reyhna Malhotra and Scarlett Wilson.

References

  1. ↑ "Time of India". Konkona Calls the President. 16 March 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
  2. ↑ "Rediff.com". Konkona fights for George Bush!. Retrieved 18 September 2008.
  3. ↑ "The President Is Coming: Review (Bollywood Hungama)". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 16 January 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2009.
  4. 1 2 Kazmi, Nikhat (8 January 2009). "The President Is Coming: Review". Time of India. Retrieved 8 January 2009.
  5. ↑ "Masand's Verdict: The President Is Coming". CNN-IBN. Archived from the original on 16 January 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
  6. ↑ "The President Is Coming: Review". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 16 January 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2009.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.