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Youngistaan
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Wikipedia article
'Youngistaan' is a 2014 Indian Hindi-language political film directed by Syed Ahmad Afzal. It stars Jackky Bhagnani, Neha Sharma and Farooq Sheikh with Kayoze Irani appears in a special appearance and Boman Irani appears in a cameo appearance. The film is a love story set against the backdrop of Indian politics. It marked the posthumous appearance of Sheikh following his death on 28 December 2013.[http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/youngistan-a-film-for-indian-youth-says-jackky-bhagnani/1/327748.html Youngistan is a film for Indian youth, says Jackky Bhagnani : Bollywood, News India Today]. Indiatoday.intoday.in (4 December 2013). Retrieved on 10 July 2015.[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news-interviews/Was-to-shoot-with-Farooq-today-Boman-Irani/articleshow/28050039.cms Was to shoot with Farooq today: Boman Irani The Times of India]. Timesofindia.indiatimes.com (28 December 2013). Retrieved on 10 July 2015.[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/theatre/Still-cant-believe-Farooqueji-is-no-more-Sangam-Bahuguna/articleshow/28089623.cms Still cant believe Farooqueji is no more: Sangam Bahuguna The Times of India]. Timesofindia.indiatimes.com (29 December 2013). Retrieved on 10 July 2015.
Sheikh's performance as Akbar Patel was notably praised.[https://web.archive.org/web/20140328224430/http://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/reviews/movie-review-by-anupama-chopra-youngistaan-or-youthanasia/article1-1201643.aspx Movie review by Anupama Chopra: Youngistaan is brain-dead and insufferable]. Hindustantimes.com (29 March 2014). Retrieved on 10 July 2015.[http://www.india.com/showbiz/youngistaan-movie-review-sexily-sketched-politics-of-our-disembodied-democracy-29450/ Youngistaan movie review: Sexily sketched politics of our disembodied democracy | India | Latest India News | Get Free India.com Email | Live Cricket and Entertainment News at India.Com]. India (28 March 2014). Retrieved on 10 July 2015.[https://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2014/03/28/review-roundup-youngistaan/ Review Roundup: Youngistaan India Real Time WSJ]. Blogs.wsj.com (28 March 2014). Retrieved on 10 July 2015.[http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/youngistaan-watch-it-for-farooque-saab/article5848269.ece Youngistaan: Watch it for Farooque saab]. The Hindu (29 March 2014). Retrieved on 10 July 2015.[http://www.asianage.com/movie-reviews/pleasant-escape-129 A pleasant escape]. The Asian Age (28 March 2014). Retrieved on 10 July 2015.
Plot
'Youngistaan' is a love story set in the backdrop of Indian politics. It is the story of Abhimanyu Kaul and the love of his life, Anwita Chauhan.
Abhimanyu Kaul, a young man living an ordinary life in Japan, finds himself in the political spotlight due to the sudden death of his father, the Prime Minister of India. Abhimanyu struggles to balance his complicated personal relationships with the political resistance against him from his own party. Being a public figure, by reluctantly accepting to represent the governing party, much against his own wishes and at the cost of his private life, is a double-edged sword that Abhimanyu must walk on.
Thought of as an amateur and incapable of handling the issues at large by one and all (except the ever-faithful Akbar Patel, Secretary to the P.M.), the story closes as a victorious Abhimanyu changes the course of events and turns the tide his way, through his hard work, honesty, and above all, a political legacy a sharp, leading mind that not everyone inherits.
Cast
*Jackky Bhagnani as Abhimanyu Kaul/Abhi
*Neha Sharma as Anvita Chauhan, Abhimanyu's love interest
*Farooq Sheikh as Akbar Uncle
*Prakash Belawadi as Murli Mukundan
*Deepankar De as Shubhodeep Ganguly popularly known as Shubho Da (president of ABKP Party, interim prime minister and later president)
*Brijendra Kala as Kulfi/Alcohol Vendor
*Mita Vashisht as Suhasini Singh Deo
*Triveni Sangam Bahuguna as Ajay Thakur
*Nilesh Rai as Nilesh
*Kayoze Irani as Zafar, Abhimanyu's colleague in Japan (Special appearance)
*Boman Irani as Dashrath Kaul, Abhimanyu's late father and deceased prime minister of India (Cameo appearance)
*Shah Rukh Khan in an archive appearance in 2005 film 'Silsiilay'
Production and promotion
While the first schedule of the film took place in Indore, Lucknow and overseas the second schedule was held at the Taj Mahal in Agra, where a campaign titled 'Yo Youngistan Go Youngistan' was launched.[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news-interviews/Not-just-Lucknow-all-of-Uttar-Pradesh-under-Bollywood-spotlight/articleshow/26027355.cms Not just Lucknow, all of Uttar Pradesh under Bollywood spotlight The Times of India]. indiatimes.com (19 November 2013). Retrieved on 10 July 2015.[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news-interviews/Has-Rahul-Gandhi-inspired-Jackky-Bhagnani/articleshow/25685091.cms Has Rahul Gandhi inspired Jackky Bhagnani? The Times of India]. Timesofindia.indiatimes.com (13 November 2013). Retrieved on 10 July 2015.
The first trailer of 'Youngistaan' was unveiled at a suburban multiplex in Mumbai on 1 February 2014.[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news-interviews/Youngistaan-team-pays-tribute-to-late-actor-Farooque-Shaikh/articleshow/29712490.cms 'Youngistaan' team pays tribute to late actor Farooque Shaikh The Times of India]. Timesofindia.indiatimes.com (2 February 2014). Retrieved on 10 July 2015.[http://movies.ndtv.com/bollywood/jackky-bhagnani-youngistan-a-film-for-indian-youth-454039 NDTV Movies]. Movies.ndtv.com. Retrieved on 10 July 2015.[http://www.mid-day.com/articles/Youngistaan-team-pays-tribute-to-Farooque-Shaikh/15063010 'Youngistaan' team pays tribute to Farooque Shaikh Entertainment]. Mid-day.com. Retrieved on 10 July 2015.
Critical reception
Shubha Shetty-Saha of Mid-Day gave 2.5 out of 5 stars stating, "While the movie has a very interesting premise, it is totally diluted by lazy scriptwriting and sketchy direction."[http://www.mid-day.com/articles/movie-review-youngistaan/15187092 Movie Review: 'Youngistaan' Entertainment]. Mid-day.com. Retrieved on 10 July 2015.
Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express rated it 2 out of 5 stars and stated "The film, despite its efforts, becomes muddled, and dull."[http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/youngistaan-review-the-film-despite-its-efforts-becomes-muddled-and-dull/ Youngistaan review: The film, despite its efforts, becomes muddled, and dull]. The Indian Express (29 March 2014). Retrieved on 10 July 2015.
Anupama Chopra of 'Hindustan Times' rated the film 1 out of 5 stars saying "Youngistaan is brain-dead and insufferable."
Paloma Sharma of Rediff.com rated the film 1 out of 5 stars saying "Youngistaan neither says something new nor does it reinforce time-tested wisdom in a way that you actually want to pay attention to it."[http://www.rediff.com/movies/report/youngistaan-review-i-wouldnt-vote-for-it/20140328.htm Youngistaan review: I wouldn't vote for It Rediff.com Movies]. Rediff.com (28 March 2014). Retrieved on 10 July 2015.
Box office
'Youngistaan' opened to a "low" occupancy of 510% on the first day of its release across 1000 theatres in India with the other two releases of the day: 'Dishkiyaoon' and 'O Teri'.
According to exhibitor Rajesh Thadani, "Youngistaan raked in Rs 40 million during the first weekend."[http://www.mid-day.com/articles/Box-Office-Youngistan-collects-Rs-4-cr/15198050 Box Office: 'Youngistan' collects Rs 4 cr Entertainment]. Mid-day.com. Retrieved on 10 July 2015. On its first Monday, the film saw a sharp decline in its gross collection earning in the range of 7.5 million, thus taking its domestic total up to a cumulative of 48.0 million at the box office.[http://www.koimoi.com/box-office/youngistaan-1st-monday-box-office-collections/ Youngistaan: 1st Monday Box Office Collections]. Koimoi.com (9 February 2015). Retrieved on 10 July 2015. The film was a Box office bomb.
Music
Music was composed by Jeet Gannguli (Suno Na Sangemarmar, Suno Na Sangemarmar (Remix)), Sneha Khanwalkar (Tanki (Mika Version) and Tanki (Bhaven Version)), Shiraz Uppal (Daata Di Divaani, Mere Khuda), and Shree Isshq (Youngistaan Anthem, Youngistaan Anthem Remix) whilst the background score were composed by SalimSulaiman. Lyrics were penned by Sanamjeet, Syed Ahmad Afzal, Hard Kaur, Sneha Khanwalkar, Jackky Bhagnani, Kausar Munir and Sonny Ravan.
Awards and nominations
Sequel
The makers have announced a sequel titled 'Youngistaan dobara', which would narrate the story after Jackky Bhagnani's character becomes prime minister.[http://news.biharprabha.com/2014/04/director-producer-plan-a-sequel-to-youngistaan/ Director, Producer plan a sequel to Youngistaan]. News.biharprabha.com (15 April 2014). Retrieved on 10 July 2015.
References
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