Spy films spice up upcoming Bollywood line-up

New Delhi: The success of films like ‘Madras Cafe’ and ‘D-Day’ seem to have encouraged Bollywood`s intrigue with sleuths as the industry has a number of spy movies lined up that range from straight espionage adventures to action comedies.

Many top actors and directors are teaming up for several gritty, realistic or comedic spy films, which has been a favourite genre for Bollywood filmmakers. After the success of ‘Barfi’, Ranbir Kapoor and director Anurag Basu are getting together aagin - this time for sleuth film ‘Jagga Jasoos’. According to the makers, this film would be along the lines of "Sherlock Homes" meets "Austin Powers", a typical Bollywood entertainer with right dose of action, comedy and music to cater to popular taste. Ranbir and Anurag would jointly produce the film under a new banner called Picture Shuru Productions. The film will also star Katrina Kaif and Govinda and will begin shooting in November. "We are making franchise films. We are trying to make a big film like `Sherlock Homes` meets `Austin Powers`... It is going to be an entertaining film," Ranbir said. Known to pull off heroine centric films with elan, Vidya Balan has also given a nod to the Dia Mirza`s production venture ‘Bobby Jasoos’. The actress, who is being hailed as `India`s first lady detective`, said she is happy to do something a la James Bond in the film. "I am thrilled to be lady James Bond. The film will mark the arrival of India`s first lady detective and I am quite happy to be a part of it," Vidya said. Shooting will start early next year and the film is set for a 2014 release. Actor Rajeev Khandelwal will play a detective in the upcoming suspense drama ‘Samrat and Co’, being produced by Kavita Barjatya of Rajshri Productions and directed by Kaushik Ghatak. Rajiv has begun shooting for the film and it will hit theatres mid 2014. In `Mr Joe B Carvalho`, actor Arshad Warsi will be seen playing the character of a spy, inspired by Hollywood star Steve Martin`s role of a bumbling French police detective in ‘The Pink Panther’. Director Dibakar Banerjee has announced ‘Detective Byomkesh Bakshi’ with Sushant Singh Rajput, who will play author Saradindu Bandopadhyay`s popular fictional detective. The Kolkata-set movie, which will be produced by Yash Raj Films, goes on floors in December and Dibakar has hinted that he would like to make a franchise out of it. The spy genre has been tapped long ago, and almost every top Bollywood actor has donned the sleuth-look. Dev Anand appeared in two spy films in 1970. While ‘Prem Pujari’ failed at the box office, Vijay Anand`s ‘Johny Mera Naam’ went on to gain classic status. In Shakti Samanta`s ‘The Great Gambler’, megastar Amitabh Bachchan played an undercover cop. Dharmendra has also dabbled in this genre with films like ‘Aankhen’ and ‘Yakeen’. Jeetendra`s dance-packed spy drama ‘Farz’ earned the actor a major breakthrough in his career. Shot in exotic international locales and featuring government agents engaged in espionage, last year two spy films caught the eye of the audience- Salman Khan`s ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ and Saif Ali Khan-starrer ‘Agent Vinod’.