Aamir Khan is the thinking man’s actor. Khan said, "Guru Dutt is an actor I hugely admire – and Pyaasa one of my favourite films. The visuals and posters from that classic film remain the most memorable to me."
Abhay Deol says, “Muse is one of my favourite bands and I am enamoured by the Origin of Symmetry’s cover art.” He tells us that “the artwork is a collection of the work of 14 artists who were provided the title and they all interpreted it differently.”
Ajay Devgan claims Scarface to be his favourite and most impressionable print job. With half poster in white and the other half in black, Tony (Al Pacino) stands at the centre. Ajay thinks it is “very effective and sets the tone for the film and Tony’s character.”
Alyque Padamsee (theatre personality)claims to have met an artist who made a simple yet beautiful line drawing of Mahatma Gandhi. Padamsee says, it is his favourite print job because “it celebrates the idea of an enduring India.”
India’s leading artist, Atul Dodiya, lists some exquisite printworks such as Arun Kolhatkar’s BhijakiVahi (wet book), the composition and tactile effect of Henri Cartier-Bressons’s Scrapbook and the charming art catalogue of his own exhibition Satapaddi: Scenes from Marriage are a few
Music director Bappi Lahiri (Bappi da)is known for his music in Disco Dancer & Sharaabi. His favourite print job happens to be the album cover of Michael Jackson’s Thriller and he also admires film posters of ‘TaareZameen Par’ and ‘Raja Hindustani’. He believes that “we should make use of musical instruments instead of film stars on album covers.”
Dharam Singh Deol (Dharmendra) has acted in blockbusters like Sholay claims to owe his success to the print industry. Thanks to the poster of ‘Spot The Talent’ contest in the Printed Filmfare magazine that Dharam grabbed his first movie - ‘Dil Bhi Tera, Hum Bhi Tere’ (1960).
Govind Nihalani, known for his films (Aakrosh, ArdhSatya) is amazed at some of the printing jobs. While he admires the aesthetic value of Osian’s Art catalogue, it’s attention to detail and it’s impeccable finish, he also believes that Osian’s catalogues have raised standards by “establishing the historical perspective as the pivotal criterion in building a credible pricing policy for Indian art.”
Hrithik Roshan's favourite movie is Zoolander. He is impressed by its posters, stating them to be “appropriately hilarious and very apt to the story of the film. They were also kitschy and the colour scheme was quite cool.”
Kareena Kapoor confessed her love for the movie ‘Titanic’ and it’s posters. “The poster depicts American epic romance along with the state-of-the-art Hollywood showmanship that unerringly lures viewers into the beauty and heartbreak of Titanic’s lost world.”
With listing in the Guinness book of world records, titles such as Padma Bhushan, Lata Mangeshkar was the chief guest at the release of Gautam Rajadhyaksha’s Chehere, printed by Jak Printers. Mangeshkar, who has a secret passion for photography, was impressed by the work
Hindi film director-producer Madhur Bhandarkar (three-time national award winner) is known for his realistic movies like Page 3. When asked about the printing world, he remembersthe beautifully madeblack and white poster of Guru Dutt’s ‘Kaagazkephool’. Madhur believes that “due to developing technology in printing, “there is a lot more experimentation and the style of designing has changed, radically.”
Naseeruddin Shah is a thespian and actor. ‘Vintage Shakespeare Collection', based on the work and life of Shakespeare, is one of Shah’s favourite print jobs. While Shah has worked in an Indian adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth (Maqbool), his theatre group has staged Julius Caesar plays.
Nikhil Chinapa is an All-India RJ, MTV VJ, and the founder of Submerge, an underground club. , which has revolutionised the music and clubbing. He’s mesmerised by the print aesthetics of the fliers of Submerge club as the fliers translate the vibrancy of his visualised concept in reality
Pamela Anderson confessed her love for Federico Fellini movies and the movie posters. She is amazed by his “distinct style, which turns his vision into a tangible great piece of art.” Anderson also relishes the books of Pablo Neruda, Dylan Thomas, Jack Kerouac and Williams Burroughs
Sir Paul Maxime Nurse (Nobel Prize award winner in Physiology and Medicine) believes printing has been instrumental in transmitting knowledge by the means of books,” adds Nurse, referring to his works - The Incredible Life and Times of Biological Cells and The Microbial Cell Cycle
The President of India,Pranab Mukherjee is fond of the works of Tagore. The veteran politician is currently reading BhayshunyaChittJeth (Marathi translation). Mukherjee is amazed and believes that the society needs “to understand the relevance of the Nobel Laureate’s ideologies. Be it a song or rain, nature or god, his writing displays the simplicity of thoughts.”
Priyanka Chopra’s (three times Filmfare award winner and known for movies like Dostana, Fashion) favourite print job is the poster for DilwaleDulhaniya Le Jayenge (DDLJ). The poster shows Shahrukh Khan wielding a musical instrument.
Sachin Tendulkar remembers his favourite print job as the “first photograph, shot by a friend, when I was five year-old with a cricket bat in my hand”. Now he captures his memories with his children as “when printed, all the memories captured on camera spring alive.”
Shahrukh Khan has a wish of owning the poster of ‘The Expendables'. He finds it “too cool” because of the great heroes, their stance and the expressions on their faces. Also, the colour combination of the poster makes it look grand
Award winning filmmaker Sudhir Mishra(known for YehWohManzilTohNahin, Chameli) recalls his childhood print job: the cover of Beatles (Abbey Road). He admires the poster of ‘Taxi Driver’ which, according to him, appropriately depicts “the struggle in Mumbai”. He states: “Images can’t be spoken about. Sometimes words are limiting. Any print job should be creative enough to evoke an emotion for it to be successful.”Mishra’s print jobs are designed by Rahul Nanda and Atmanand.
Suresh Menon (actor, comedian, television personality) had his first break in AdiPocha’s serial Main Bhi Detective. He confessed his admiration for TajKovalam’s (16km from Thiruvannanthapuram) advertisements to PrintWeek and also told how greatly RK Laxman’s ‘You Said It’ amazed him.
Virat Kohli mentioned his favourite book as Andre Agassi’s autobiography, ‘Open: An autobiography’. Kohli claims that Andre Agassi’s memoir is honest, substantive and insightful and vividly recounts a lost childhood and a chaotic struggle in adulthood to establish an identity
Picture Gallery: Celebspeak Part I
The best of PrintWeek India’s Celebspeak which consists of actors, cricketers and the incumbent President of India along with a Noble laureate. Film posters, book covers, music album covers and Sachin Tendulkar’s restored childhood photograph all make an appearance.
Read on to know why celebrities say print is powerful.