Delhi 6 --- The Film

About Delhi-6

Delhi-6 is a Hindi film by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra; starring Abhishek Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor, Om Puri, Waheeda Rahman, Rishi Kapoor, Atul Kulkarni,Deepak Dobriyal and Divya Dutta.The movie is reportedly based on Mehra's growing up years in Chandni Chowk area of Old Delhi. It is Mehra's third movie after Aks and Rang De Basanti. The movie released on February 20, 2009 to a strong box office collection but faced generally mixed reception from critics.

Listen to the Songs of Delhi 6

Plot summary
The film opens with the ailing grandmother Annapurna at the office of a cardiac surgeon in New York. The surgeon indicates that Annapurna suffers from heart blockage and may not have long to live. Annapurna insists on returning to Delhi, her hometown, where she intends to retire in peace. Though her son and daughter-in-law object vehemently, her American-born grandson Roshan (who has a special bond with his grandmother) agrees to bring her back.

Annapurna is received with pomp and ceremony when she returns to her home in Old Delhi. Roshan is initially stunned by the mad rush of various neighbors: Ali Baig the renaissance man, feuding brothers Madangopal and Jaigopal, their wives and families, Mamdu the halwai, Gobar the simpleton, Sethji and many others. However, Roshan eventually warms to the place and wholeheartedly embraces the sense of community in it. He accompanies his grandmother to the Ramleelas, hangs out at Mamdu's sweet stall, plays with the children, and gradually becomes steeped in the culture of the place.

Roshan is also slowly exposed to some sobering realities. When Annapurna faints (due to fluctuating blood sugar levels) and they scramble to get her to a hospital, he finds the roads choked by traffic because of an impromptu ceremony around a cow in labor; he is further surprised when his grandmother, despite her stupor, stumbles forth to seek the blessings of a sacred cow; and he is astounded when the local police seem to encourage the practice. Roshan begins to understand the feuds and social issues in the community. Madangopal's sister Rama is unwed (at an age when spinsterhood is a significant social no-no) and Jaigopal's electrical business is going nowhere. The lecherous old local money lender Lala Bhairam is married to a young girl who, in turn, is having an affair with a young photo-studio hand Suresh. Suresh is a double timer who is also pursuing Madangopal's daughter Bittu. Bittu secretly wants out of the stuck-in-time Old Delhi; she secretly prepares to audition for a popular reality show in the hope that she will win her way to Mumbai. Roshan comes to appreciate Ali Baig's cosmopolitan tastes and is surprised to learn that Ali Baig fancied his mother (a Muslim) many years ago, and has since never married. And Roshan comes to empathize with the lower-caste trash collector girl Jalebi who must endure untouchability at social functions except for when some of the brutish locals seek company. Roshan also crosses paths with the loutish inspector Ranvijay who blithely stretches his authorities to manhandle the locals, and becomes acquainted with the local assemblywoman who displays political power at every opportunity.

In the meantime, the news media is all abuzz with tales of a fearsome terror known only as the "Kala Bandar (Black Monkey)". This miscreant (never shown clearly in the film) attacks people, steals various articles and has also caused the death of a few innocent people. (These deaths are mostly accidental, as in the example of a pregnant housewife who was supposedly startled by a silhouette and fell down a flight of stairs or the example of an unfortunate man who was briefly zapped by a live electric wire.) Nonetheless, the local news picks up on every move by the kala bandar and loudly blares about all his exploits. Jaigopal, the self-proclaimed electronics genius, theorizes that the kala bandar likely has an electrical circuit (to zap his victims) and may be electrocuted by water; this rumor is quickly propagated through the town.

The film takes several turns. After some initial friction, Roshan and Bittu warm to each other. Roshan intervenes when Bittu is about to receive a prospective suitor arranged by Madangopal. He echoes Bittu's desire to pursue other dreams; this drives the suitor away and brings Madangopal's wrath upon him. He gradually begins to fall in love with Bittu, but is confused when Bittu expresses her affections for Suresh (she believes he will support her dreams). Around this time, the kala bandar attacks Old Delhi. The simple-minded locals bring in a tantrik Shani baba to exorcize the demonic influence of the kala bandar. After an extended havan ceremony, the tantrik baba indicates that the local mosque, built over the ruins of a temple that was demolished for the purpose, is the provocation for the evil soul of the kala bandar. This promptly stokes animosity in the otherwise harmonious Hindu-Muslim community. After the initial peaceful demonstrations (by rallies and angry meetings), various mobs go on rampage and tear up some of the local streets. Roshan attempts to make peace, but is rebuffed because of his mixed religious parentage. The locals ultimately settle on the fact that the kala bandar is hiding out in the sooni galli (a dark lane known to harbor evil presences) and must be destroyed. They command the simpleton Gobar to fetch a lock of hair from the evil enemy so that the tantrik can burn it and complete the exorcism.

Roshan becomes aware of Bittu's plan to elope with Suresh, and that Suresh is a low-life two timer. He dons a monkey mask and monkey outfit and stealthily follows Bittu by leaping across the rooftops. In the meantime Gobar ventures into the sooni galli where Jalebi gives him a lock of her hair so he may return in triumph and bring peace to the community. At that moment, Roshan (in his monkey outfit) intercedes in Bittu and Suresh's rendezvous and causes the cowardly Suresh to flee. Bittu raises a loud alarm before Roshan unmasks himself, whereupon the angry locals storm the place. Believing Roshan to be the kala bandar, they beat him to within an inch of his life, just as Gobar comes up with a startling deduction about the reality of the kala bandar.

The revelation stops the violence. Roshan is nearly dead. He recovers and decides to remain in Old Delhi and affirm his love for Bittu. the film ends on a happy note with peace and joy restored to the community of Old Delhi.

Cast
Abhishek Bachchan as Roshan
Sonam Kapoor as Bittu
Om Puri as Madangopal
Atul Kulkarni as Gobar
Rishi Kapoor as Ali
Waheeda Rahman as Dadi
Divya Dutta as Jalebi
Tanvi Azmi as Fatima
Deepak Dobriyal as Mamdu
K.K. Raina as Haji Sulamaan
Aditi Rao Hydari as Rama Bua
Supriya Pathak as Vimla
Pavan Malhotra as Jai Gopal
Amitabh Bachchan as Dadaji
Vinayak Doval as Bobby
Prem Chopra as Lala Bhairam
Vijay Raaz as Inspector Ranvijay
Cyrus Sahukar as Suresh
Hussan Saad as Bhisham
Nello Del Gatto
Charlie Bayot
Ash King
Raghuvir Yadav

Crew
Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Creative Producer: P S Bharathi
Music: A.R. Rahman
Director of Photography: Binod Pradhan
Lyrics and Dialogue: Prasoon Joshi
Story: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Kamlesh Pandey and Prasoon Joshi
Editor: P S Bharathi
Production Design: Samir Chandra
Action: Allan Amin
Sound Design: Nakul Kamte
Choreographers: Vaibhavi Merchant, Saroj Khan
Costume Designers: Arjun Bhasin, Anamika Khanna
CA: Bimal Parekh
Co-Producers: P S Bharathi, Zarina Mehta, Deven Khote and Siddharth Roy Kapur
Make-up: Vikram Gaekwad
Hair: Avan Contractor Sariena
Line Producer: Urfi Kazmi
First Assistant Director: Rebecca Strickland, Sandeep Modi, Neha Kaul
Production Controller: Syed Abul Ehsan
Production Coordinator: Viraj Gawas

Production

Development & Casting
In the early stages of development it was rumored that Rakeysh was going to cast newcomers for his next movie.It was even reported that Aamir Khan's nephew Imran Khan would make his debut with this film, but this was later revealed to be "Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na.Frequent changes in casting made headlines, with Hrithik Roshan being set to play the main character and then he being reportedly replaced by Ranbir Kapoor.Even Akshay Kumar was supposed to play the lead, but refused.Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra stated that Abhishek Bachchan was always the first choice for Delhi-6. Date problems for Abhishek Bachchan delayed the film, but it all worked out in the end with Abhishek portraying the lead actor in the film. Sonam Kapoor was paired as the leading female character opposite Abhishek Bachchan. Rishi Kapoor and Tanvi Azmi are also a part of the film. The film went on the floors February 20, 2009. Amitabh Bachchan plays the grandfather to Roshan, played by Abhishek Bachchan, whereas Waheeda Rahman plays the grandmother of the same. Gulshan Grover plays Abhishek Bachchan's dad in the film. Editing for the film was done by Meghna Aschit and Rakeysh's wife Bharthi. In an interview Rakeysh said that he was not involved with the editing.

Promotion

Abhishek, Sonam and Rakeyshat Dubai International Film Festival 2009The movie was first unveiled on the Dubai International Film Festival. Following the screening was an interactive Question and Answer round, comprising of the director with the rest of starcast and a vast audience. During this interaction, Rakeysh spoke about his key influences and the theme of the film, while the film's actors described their experience of working with Rakeysh. A video featuring Abhishek and Sonam's interview can be watched in the reference along with this section. The official trailer for the movie was released on January 4, 2009 which featured scenes from Delhi along with Jama Masjid, theatre groups, Red Fort at night, Sonam Kapoor coming out of a public escalator at central park in delhi and finally Abhishek watching Sonam dancing with the pigeon "Masakalli" on her head.

Release
The movie was supposed to be released on February 13, 2009, but A. R. Rahman's continued absence from the project led to a delay in the film getting released. The movie's back ground score remained incomplete and hence a delay in release by one week. The movie finally released on February 20, 2009 and premiered in New Delhi on February 19, 2009. The movie had its first screening on February 15, 2009 in New York.