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| Tashan | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Vijay Krishna Acharya |
| Written by | Vijay Krishna Acharya |
| Produced by | Aditya Chopra |
| Starring | Akshay Kumar Saif Ali Khan Kareena Kapoor Anil Kapoor |
| Cinematography | Ayananka Bose |
| Edited by | Rameshwar S. Bhagat |
| Music by | Songs: Vishal–Shekhar Score: Ranjit Barot |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Yash Raj Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 148 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Budget | ₹31 crore[1] |
| Box office | ₹51 crore[1] |
Tashan (transl. 'Style) is a 2008 Indian Hindi-languageaction comedy film written and directed byVijay Krishna Acharya in his directorial debut, and produced byAditya Chopra underYash Raj Films. It starsAkshay Kumar,Saif Ali Khan,Kareena Kapoor, andAnil Kapoor. The story follows acall centre executive, a gangster's aide, and a con woman involved in a chaotic pursuit across India.
Principal photography took place inLadakh,Rajasthan,Kerala, andHaridwar, with additional sequences filmed inGreece.
Tashan was released on 25 April 2008 and received mixed reviews from critics who praised the music, visuals, and Kumar’s performance, but criticised the screenplay and tone. The film underperformed at the box office but gained acult following over time, particularly for its soundtrack and stylized presentation.
Jeetendra Kumar Makwana, also known as Jimmy Cliff, is acall centre executive and part-time Englishtutor. He is approached by Pooja Singh, who requests private lessons. Jimmy quickly agrees, attracted to her, but soon discovers that the lessons are actually intended for her employer, Lakhan Singh Ballebaaz—also known as Bhaiyyaji—a volatile gangster with aspirations to speak English.
As Jimmy and Pooja grow closer, she reveals that she is working for Bhaiyyaji only to repay her debts and eventually travel toHaridwar to scatter her father’s ashes. The two conspire to steal Bhaiyyaji’s money and escape. They succeed, and Jimmy returns to his office to resign, only to be intercepted byACP Kuldeep Singh Hooda, who warns him of Bhaiyyaji's violent history. Jimmy rushes back but finds Pooja has disappeared with the money.
Bhaiyyaji hires amercenary named Bachchan Pandey to retrieve Jimmy. After Jimmy is captured upon having surrendered, the two travel together in search of Pooja, eventually reaching Haridwar. Although they spot her briefly, she evades them. During their continued pursuit, their vehicle crashes into a river during an argument. Pooja unexpectedly emerges from the car’s trunk, revealing she had been hiding there and that the stolen money is hidden in seven different locations across India.
Jimmy and Pooja plan to reclaim the money and escape again. As part of their plan, Pooja attempts to seduce Bachchan, but realizes he is herchildhood sweetheart. The two rekindle their relationship and fall in love. After recovering all the money, Bachchan attempts to leave with it, unaware that Jimmy has swapped the cash with stones. When Pooja learns of the deception, she tells Jimmy that Bhaiyyaji had murdered her father, Vikram Singh (alias "Tiger"), to seize his criminal empire.
Jimmy and Pooja rush to save Bachchan, who is captured by Bhaiyyaji. At Bhaiyyaji’s hideout, Jimmy pretends to betray his companions and requests a gun to kill Bachchan, but instead turns the weapon on Bhaiyyaji, taking him hostage. As they attempt to escape, Bhaiyyaji breaks free, triggering a gunfight. In the final confrontation, Pooja kills Bhaiyyaji with a sword.
In the aftermath, Jimmy opens his own call centre staffed entirely by women, while Bachchan and Pooja marry.[2]
Tashan marked the directorial debut ofVijay Krishna Acharya, who had previously written forDhoom (2004) andDhoom 2 (2006). Pre-production began in late 2006, with the screenplay emphasizing a blend of action and stylized comedy.
The film continuedSaif Ali Khan’s collaboration with Yash Raj Films followingHum Tum (2004) andSalaam Namaste (2005). It also marked a return to the studio forAkshay Kumar (Dil To Pagal Hai, 1997),Kareena Kapoor (Mujhse Dosti Karoge!, 2002), andAnil Kapoor (Lamhe, 1991).
Costume designerAki Narula developed distinct looks for the lead cast to complement the film’s stylized tone.[3]
Kumar was the first actor signed, followed by Khan and Kareena Kapoor.[4] In early 2007, Anil Kapoor joined the cast to portray a villain, marking his first negative role.[5]Ibrahim Ali Khan, Khan’s son, made his screen debut as the younger version of his father’s character.[6][7]
Principal photography began in June 2007 inKerala, followed by shooting schedules inLadakh,Rajasthan, andHaridwar.[8][9][10][11][12] Additional scenes were filmed inMumbai, whereKareena Kapoor andSaif Ali Khan were photographed during production in theFort area in September 2007.[13] Two musical sequences were filmed on location inGreece, on the islands ofMilos and in the coastal town ofNafplio.[14]
The first teaser forTashan premiered on 30 November 2007 with the release ofAaja Nachle.[15] In a poll byIndiaFM, the film was voted the "Most Awaited Movie of 2008."[16]
The film was released theatrically on 25 April 2008 by Yash Raj Films in India and international markets.
| Tashan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | 27 March 2008 (2008-03-27) (Digital Release) 25 April 2008 (2008-04-25) (Film) | |||
| Recorded | 26:33 | |||
| Genre | Film soundtrack | |||
| Label | YRF Music | |||
| Producer | Vishal–Shekhar | |||
| Vishal–Shekhar chronology | ||||
| ||||
The soundtrack was composed byVishal–Shekhar, with lyrics written byPiyush Mishra,Anvita Dutt Guptan,Vishal Dadlani, andKausar Munir. It was released on 27 March 2008 under the YRF Music label.
The album received positive reviews from critics. Joginder Tuteja of IndiaFM rated it 4 out of 5 stars, describing it as consistently engaging and highlighting “Dil Dance Maare,” “Dil Haara,” and “Falak Tak” as standout tracks.[17]
The soundtrack debuted at number three on the music charts and rose to the top position during the week of the film’s release.[18][19][20] According toBox Office India, approximately 1.5 million units were sold, making it the ninth highest-selling Bollywood soundtrack of 2008.[21]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dil Haara" | Piyush Mishra | Sukhwinder Singh | 5:51 |
| 2. | "Chhaliya" | Anvita Dutt | Sunidhi Chauhan, Piyush Mishra | 4:43 |
| 3. | "Dil Dance Maare" | Vishal Dadlani | Sukhwinder Singh,Udit Narayan, Sunidhi Chauhan | 5:21 |
| 4. | "Falak Tak" | Kausar Munir | Udit Narayan,Mahalaxmi Iyer | 5:52 |
| 5. | "Tashan Mein" | Piyush Mishra, Vishal Dadlani | Vishal Dadlani,Master Saleem | 5:06 |
Prior to release,Tashan recorded advance bookings of approximately 25–35% across major centres.[22] On its opening day, the film registered 75–80% occupancy but fell short of expectations due to a revenue-sharing dispute between Yash Raj Films and multiplex chains, which delayed the film's release in major multiplexes across India.[23][24] As a result, the film earned ₹180 million in its first week.[25][26] Following a resolution between the distributor and exhibitors, the film was released in multiplexes from 3 May 2008, adding another ₹70 million to its domestic gross. It was ultimately declared a below-average performer at the box office.[27][28]
Internationally, the film opened to a tepid response.[29] In its first week,Tashan collected £181,838 on 46 screens in the United Kingdom, debuting at number 13.[30] In the United States, it debuted at number 24 with a gross of $301,226 from 75 screens, while in Australia it opened at number 17, collecting $148,087 on 13 screens.[30] The film witnessed significant drops in subsequent weeks and was also rated below average in overseas markets.[31]
Tashan received mixed reviews from critics. In India, the film drew criticism for its screenplay and direction.Taran Adarsh ofIndiaFM rated it 1.5 out of 5, calling it “one of the weakest films to come out of the Yash Raj banner.”[32]Rajeev Masand fromCNN-IBN described it as “a road movie going in all the wrong directions.”[33] Conversely, Sanjay Ram awarded the film 3.5 out of 5, noting that despite flaws, the film remained “engaging and entertaining.”[34]
International reviews were comparatively more positive. Rachel Saltz ofThe New York Times described the film’s visual excess as fitting with its “tongue-in-cheek tone.”[35]Frank Lovece ofFilm Journal International highlighted its “dry humor, cartoonishly violent set pieces,” and “gorgeously shot musical numbers.”[36]Maitland McDonagh ofTV Guide called it “a nutty, ridiculously entertaining neo-noir pastiche,” praising its blend of genre influences.[37]
Performances were also met with mixed reactions.Akshay Kumar andKareena Kapoor received praise, whileSaif Ali Khan andAnil Kapoor garnered more divided responses. Adarsh wrote that Kumar was “the lifeline of this project” and called Kapoor “fantastic.”[32] Sonia Chopra ofSify stated that Kumar and Kapoor “sizzle” but noted that Saif’s performance was “lukewarm” and Anil Kapoor played the antagonist “to the hilt.”[38]
| Award | Category | Recipients | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen Awards | Best Actor in a Negative Role | Anil Kapoor | Nominated | [39] |
| Stardust Awards | Best Actor in a Negative Role | Won | [40] | |
| Annual Central European Bollywood Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Nominated | [41] |
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