TBT: Early report on English Vinglish

Throwback Tuesday: We didn't publish this early 2011 report on English Vinglish as we weren't sure if it was really happening! Found this on the archives to re-post!

Various reports have been floating about director Gauri Shinde’s debut film English Vinglish. It is said that protagonist Sridevi will be shown as a lady speaking English and the film is a hilarious take on how she learns the language.

Others say that it is a remake of the old Hindi TV series Zabaan Sambhalke. But filmmaker R. Balki, who has been a huge support to wife Shinde and who is present on the set whenever he is free from his work, said that there is no truth in the reports. “What has been circulating is utter rubbish, and the story of the film is not even remotely close to what has been stated. The only truth is that Amitabh Bachchan is playing a cameo in the film and he shot with us for a day,” said Balki.

The ad filmmaker-turned-director was glad that Gauri was very confident despite the film being her first venture. “She was not intimidated by Sridevi, and Amitabh made her very comfortable from the moment he stepped on the sets. Otherwise all the actors in the film are new,” said Balki. The shooting of the film will get over in October.

By Geety Sahgal
Posted: Fri Jul 29 2011, 16:19 hrs

English Vinglish: More rumours and gossip swirl about Sridevi's comeback film

ROSHNI K OLIVERA, TNN | 

Jul 17, 2011, 12.00am IST 

Everyone's eager to know what Sridevi's comeback film is all about. Naturally, the actress who has done some remarkable work in films like Mr India, Chaalbaaz and Chandni, is bound to want to return to the big screen with a bang. 

BT has just learnt that Sri's film, directed by R Balki's wife Gauri Shinde, is loosely based on the popular Zabaan Sambhalke TV show. Titled English Vinglish, it revolves around a middle-class Indian housewife with weak English, who becomes the butt of everyone's jokes. She has to go to America and thus begins her secret attempt to master the language. Eventually she succeeds, even giving a speech in perfect English much to everyone's amazement. 

The film also focuses on other dysfunctional characters studying with her in the 'Learn English in 2 weeks' course. It's a fun-filled flick and Sri's comic timing is the icing on the cake, says a source. "There's this one scene where an American Consulate guy asks her 'You don't know English, how will you manage in our country?' and she replies, 'You don't know Hindi, but seem to be managing just fine in ours'!" the source adds. 

From The Times of India.com 

Entire archive of news and tid-bits on the upcoming film English Vinglish right here.

Day 1 of English Vinglish, Summer of 2011: Sridevi returns to set after 15 years

After 15 long years, the actress gave her first shot for Gauri Shinde's  film English Vinglish at Yash Raj Studio on Thursday

Subhash K Jha 

Friday, July 08, 2011 at 03:55:44 AM 

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Yash Raj Studio, Wednesday July 07, 2011, Sridevi came back in front of the camera. Having stayed away from the flashlights for fifteen long years, the actress shot the first scene for her comeback film, Gauri Shinde's English Vinglish yesterday. 

And though both the lead heroine of the film, Sridevi and her debutante director Gauri were doing just fine by themselves, the concerned husbands, Boney Kapoor and filmmaker Balki respectively, couldn't keep themselves from worrying. 

Boney, who had been looking after Sri's career from before they tied the knot, not only called his wife on the sets every hour, but also couldn't help himself from dropping by at the studio to check on her. 

As for the other husband, Balki, he stayed by his wife's side throughout the day's shoot. As the day went by, even YRF head honcho Yash Chopra dropped by to meet his Chandni. His son Aditya, too joined in. Yash Chopra, incidentally had offered Sridevi a role in Veer Zaara asking her to come back to films. Sri at that moment had to refuse the offer, since she had just delivered her first baby [editor's note, second baby!]. 

Speaking about his wife's comeback, Boney said, "Of course, I am nervous. But Sri, even today, is a head turner. We were at a global awards function in Toronto recently and people just couldn't stop complimenting her. I'm confident about her debut. She'll sail through it." 

-- From Mumbai Mirror

Right: Rare pic of Aditya Chopra, holding his first Filmfare award - one of many.

Below: Sridevi on the sets of the film Chandni back in 1989