Now
this
development
really
gets
the
antennas
stand
right
up
with
all
attention
reserved
for
what
next
is
really
in
the
offing.
Believe
it
or
not
but
a
major
Hollywood-Bollywood
collaboration
is
right
up
in
the
anvil
and
two
of
the
bigger
superstars
from
different
ends
of
the
world
are
all
set
to
share
screen
space.
The
film
in
question
is
Xtrme
City
and
the
men
in
question
-
hold
your
breath
-
Shah
Rukh
Khan
and
Leonardo
Di
Caprio.
Yes,
even
though
all
of
this
seemed
like
a
dream
till
a
few
years
back,
it
is
indeed
turning
out
to
be
a
reality
since
work
is
progressing
on
brisk
speed
to
get
the
scripting
in
place
for
the
film.
There
is
quite
some
action
on
pre-production
front
as
well
and
Xtrme
City
is
looking
positive
at
going
on
floors
by
end
of
2010.
If
that
indeed
happens,
Shah
Rukh
can
well
be
expected
to
be
really
busy
all
through
2010
and
2011
with
Ra
1
and
the
sequel
of
Don
required
to
be
wrapped
up
before
Xtrme
City
starts
taking
a
shape.
How
it
happened
Informs
our
source,
"Not
many
know
but
when
Shah
Rukh
visited
Berlin
for
the
premiere
of
My
Name
Is
Khan,
his
agenda
also
included
a
groundbreaking
movie
deal.
He
was
power-dining
with
Hollywood
bigwigs
like
director
Martin
Scorsese
and
screenplay
writer
Paul
Schrader
over
the
project
which
is
touted
to
star
Bollywood's
reigning
superstar
with
Hollywood
heartthrob
Leonardo
Di
Caprio.
Karan
Johar,
David
Weisman
and
screenplay
writer
Mushtaq
Shiekh
were
present
at
the
meeting."
The
film
doesn't
really
come
as
a
complete
piece
of
surprise
though.
Yes,
Shah
Rukh's
presence
has
raised
quite
a
few
eyebrows
though
one
could
have
expected
to
see
this
coming
since
his
close
friend
and
associate
Mushtaq
Shiekh
had
already
been
commissioned
to
write
the
film.
The
director
was
finalised
as
Paul
Schrader,
the
same
man
who
had
made
Robert
De
Niro
come
up
with
a
career
defining
act
in
Taxi
Driver.
On
the
other
hand,
Mushtaq
has
made
Shah
Rukh
Khan
go
over
the
top
as
never
before
in
Om
Shanti
Om.
When
Paul
Schrader
had
earlier
visited
India
in
2008,
he
had
indeed
talked
about
collaborating
on
a
project
that
would
marry
Indian
ethos
with
Western
sentiment.
His
Xtrme
City
was
touted
to
combine
the
cinematic
traditions
of
both
Bollywood
and
Hollywood
and
provide
wholesome
cross-culture
entertainment.
For
this
purpose,
he
had
written
the
film
along
with
Mushtaq
who
does
come
with
a
super
strong
Shah
Rukh
connection.
In
the
past,
he
has
authored
bestselling
biographies
for
Shah
Rukh
Khan
like
'SRK:
Still
Reading
Khan'
and
'Shah
Rukh
Can'.
He
has
also
written
books
like
'The
Making
of
Asoka',
'Devdas
-
The
Indian
Hamlet'
and
'The
Making
of
Om
Shanti
Om'.
Of
course
his
claim
to
fame
are
screenwriting
credits
for
Om
Shanti
Om,
Billu
and
Shah
Rukh's
under
production
Ra
1.
At
that
time,
another
piece
of
announcement
had
stated
-
"This
groundbreaking
production
will
showcase
a
Bollywood
mega-star
and
a
Hollywood
movie-star
sharing
top
billing
in
a
major
motion
picture.
The
film
is
destined
for
both
the
subcontinent
and
international
markets.
In
fact,
Xtrme
City
is
already
in
the
process
of
casting
the
two
star
leads.
The
film
is
going
to
be
a
hugely
mounted
affair
with
a
multi
million
budget."
The
superstars
However,
not
many
would
have
assumed
that
the
two
leads
would
be
none
other
than
Shah
Rukh
Khan
and
Leonardo
Di
Caprio.
Meanwhile,
Paul
Schrader
had
been
hinting
all
along
that
he
would
work
only
with
the
biggest
Bollywood
star
and
that
is
why
he
was
keen
to
sign
Shah
Rukh
for
the
leading
role.
It
was
also
quite
clear
that
if
the
two
actors
indeed
sign
up
on
the
dotted
line
to
star
in
the
multi-million
project,
both
Shah
Rukh
and
Leonardo
Di
Caprio
would
get
top
billing.
Xtrme
City
will
be
an
action-thriller
set
in
Mumbai
covering
the
criminal
underbelly
of
the
city.
When
contacted,
Mushtaq
Shiekh
said,
"It's
too
premature
to
discuss
the
casting
of
the
film.
But
yes,
Shah
Rukh
and
Leonardo
did
meet
up
in
Berlin.
The
meeting
was
just
a
casual
one;
they
were
there
for
the
premiere
of
their
films
Shutter
Island
and
My
Name
Is
Khan
respectively.
The
highlight
of
the
meeting
was
Karan
Johar
who
entertained
everyone
with
absolutely
delightful
Bollywood
trivia."
On
the
other
hand
Paul
Schrader,
who
has
directed
18
films,
confirms
that
the
Hollywood-Bollywood
collaboration
is
certainly
on.
"I
hadn't
thought
about
working
in
India",
says
the
man
who
has
previously
worked
in
Japan,
Italy,
Romania,
Israel
and
Morocco.
However,
now
I
see
Bollywood
as
the
next
great
frontier.
Xtrme
City
is
a
cross-cultural
entertainment
that
merges
the
cinematic
traditions
of
Bollywood
and
Hollywood.
I
am
indeed
excited
to
make
a
film
which
is
accessible
and
meaningful
to
both
Indian
and
American
cultures."
Adds
Mushtaq,
"Working
on
Xtrme
City
with
a
master
screenwriter
like
Paul
Schrader
has
been
exhilarating
and
a
marvellous
illumination
for
me.
He
is
tireless.
We
kept
at
it
until
achieving
a
perfect
emotional
balance
for
our
story.
We
wanted
to
reveal
the
best
of
each
world
in
surprising,
entertaining,
inspiring
ways.
That's
what
I
like
about
Paul's
screenplay.
Ours
is
a
film
that
never
takes
either
culture
for
granted."
The
Martin
Scorcese
factor
Meanwhile
another
big
name,
Martin
Scorcese,
too
turned
out
to
be
quite
a
handful
in
this
meeting
that
saw
Shah
Rukh
Khan,
Leonardo
Di
Caprio,
Karan
Johar,
Paul
Schrader
and
Mushtaq
Shiekh
coming
together.
The
man
who
has
directed
Leonardo
in
Shutter
Island,
The
Departed,
The
Aviator
and
Gangs
of
New
York
in
the
past
is
pretty
abreast
with
the
going-ons
in
Bollywood
as
well.
"I
was
amazed
by
how
Martin
Scorsese
was
completely
in
sync
with
all
that
is
happening
in
Bollywood.
His
knowledge
about
old
Hindi
films
left
me
shocked",
says
Mushtaq
in
awe,
"In
that
one
room,
seeing
such
gigantic
movie
business
folks
was
almost
like
seeing
a
mega
Hollywood-Bollywood
movie
live.
Their
interest
in
Bollywood
cinema
is
just
as
animated
as
how
we
marvel
at
their
film
culture."
The
release
Adds
the
source,
"The
film
is
aiming
for
a
late
2010
shoot
in
Mumbai,
New
York
and
the
Persian
Gulf.
The
makers
are
hoping
for
a
2011
release.
As
with
many
Bollywood
films,
Xtrme
City
will
integrate
thriller,
drama
and
comedy
elements.
The
movie
will
be
family-friendly
though
there
would
certainly
be
elements
of
violence.
However,
sex
will
be
downplayed,
though
there
would
be
quintessential
song
and
dance
routines."
Well,
My
Name
Is
Khan
has
already
earned
its
stripes
in
America
by
being
declared
the
highest
grossing
'specialty
film'
of
2010.
Though
this
tag
does
make
one
look
at
the
overall
success
a
little
more
closely,
the
term
'specialty'
may
get
a
whole
new
perspective
if
he
succeeds
in
pulling
off
a
casting-coup.
Also,
it
is
now
obvious
that
Shah
Rukh's
hush-hush
meeting
in
Berlin
will
spark
off
a
new
interest
in
Bollywood
stars
actually
managing
to
make
a
Hollywood
breakthrough.
Will
Shah
Rukh
lead
the
pack
with
Xtrme
City?
From
what
it
seems,
both
Shah
Rukh
and
Leonardo
Di
Caprio
might
be
pulling
off
one
of
the
biggest
movie
collaboration
in
recent
times.
What
we
have
heard
is
just
the
tip
of
the
iceberg!
About
Xtrme
City:
Xtrme
City
is
an
action
thriller
set
in
the
brutal,
impenetrable,
criminal
orbit
of
Mumbai,
India.
Curtis
Hawkley,
a
former
U.S.
Ranger,
is
obliged
to
return
to
Mumbai
when
his
father-in-law's
youngest
daughter
is
kidnapped
by
a
powerful
underworld
Don.
In
order
to
save
the
girl
he
must
first
find
his
old
friend
Raj
Rangan,
an
Indian
Special
Forces
Commando
who
became
a
crime
world
enforcer.
After
reuniting
and
saving
the
girl,
the
two
men
are
drawn
deeper
into
the
"bhai" underworld
of
Mumbai
than
they
expected.
Sense
of
duty
compels
them
to
take
on
a
system
of
corruption,
revenge,
and
familial
obligations.