10 interesting things you need to know about Anurag Kashyap’s new movie Bombay Velvet

By Anurag Paul

Bombay Velvet, based on historian Gyan Prakash's book Mumbai Fables, set in Bombay of the 1960s, tells the story of a boxer, Johnny Balraj, and an aspiring jazz singer, Rosie, and how their hopes and dreams collide with their individual realities. The trailer of the film was released on 19^th March 2015.

The film is directed and co-produced by Anurag Kashyap, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Karan Johar. Kay Kay Menon, Mansh Chudhary, Raveena Tandon and Siddharh Basu are in the supporting roles.

Here are 10 things you need to know about the new film.

1. Director Karan Johar will be acting in this movie, playing the character of Kaizad Khambatta who is described as a flamboyant, quick-witted, Parsi media mogul with a high-end attitude. This will be probably his second appearance on big- screen after Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.

2. The dialogues of Bombay Velvet are very hard to crack. "Ab ghora decide karega kaunsa jockey uske upar baithega," (Now the horse will decide which jockey will ride him). Only Johnny Balraj can crack this dialogue.

3. Ranbir Kapoor will be seen on big screen after one and a half year of hibernation period.

4. The movie is based on 1960's Bombay, if it would have been 2015's, Anurag Kashyap had to change its name and make it, Mumbai Velvet.

5. Bombay Velvet is the first movie in which Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma will be sharing space onscreen. Virat Kohli will be certainly jealous.

6. Ranbir and Anushka are posed in almost the same manner as Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh in the Gone with the Wind (1939).

7. Majority of Bombay Velvet was shot at real location in Srilanka, no made up false set.

8. Bombay Velvet is presumed to be high on aesthetics, as Thelma Schoonmaker was part of the Editing team.

9. Plenty of visual effects have been used in this movie but Anurag Kashyap has clarified that it will have his touch of realism.

10. The movie is based on Mumbai Fables by Gyan Prakash. Gyan Prakash is a historian at Princeton University but don't worry there is enough of Chemistry between Ranbir and Anushka on the screen. Kissing scene in the trailer assures that.

The film will be released in two versions, one for Indian audience and the other for an international release. The editing for the international version is by Oscar-winner Thelma Schoonmaker, who has been a frequent collaborator of director Martin Scorsese, and edited films like Goodfellas, Raging Bull and The Departed. While the Indian version simultaneously, is being edited by Prerna Saigal, who was an associate director and editor for the Indian film, The Lunchbox. The film with a budget of US $ 14 million is set to release on 15^th May, 2015.