Lara Dutta engagement with India tennis ace: Produced by Aarbaaz Khan, the movie has officially become the biggest opener at the box office, shattering the record set by 3 Idiots. The Khan brothers have also confirmed that they intend making a sequel which may be titled either Chulbul Pandey or Robinhood Pandey.
* THE leading lady in Dabangg, Sonakshi Sinha, says it was Salman Khan who convinced her to make her acting debut. The lovely actress, who claims her father, Shatrughan Sinha, will always be her favourite in the movie industry, has also bagged another role opposite Khan in Kick. THE husband-and-wife team of Ajay Devgan and Kajol have reason to smile. The talented actress gave birth to her second baby recently. The Devgans, who have a daughter, Nysa, have named their son Yug.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Katrina and Akshay in Farah khan's Film
Katrina and Akshay in Farah khan's Film: Akshay Kumar has brushed off reports that he had a fight with co-star Katrina Kaif while shooting a qawalli number for 'Tees Maar Khan' in the city.
They are one of the most successful onscreen pair in current times after starring in number of hits like 'Singh Is Kingg' and 'Welcome'. And Akshay, who plays a crook in the Farah Khan directed film, has rubbished reports of tension between him and Kaif.
They are one of the most successful onscreen pair in current times after starring in number of hits like 'Singh Is Kingg' and 'Welcome'. And Akshay, who plays a crook in the Farah Khan directed film, has rubbished reports of tension between him and Kaif.
Vidya Balan used her trump card
Vidya Balan used her trump card: Vidya Balan has been touted as a special talent ever since she joined the film industry. Of late she’s been busy with her “special” appearances in films, like in Rohan’s Sippy’s Dum Maro Dum and the dance number in Santosh Sivan’s Malyalam film Urumi she recently shot for. “It’s a special appearance song and not an item number as people are calling it,” Vidya sets the record straight at the onset. For an actor of her calibre, she probably doesn’t want to be associated with item numbers. Like the actor in her also probably feels disappointed by the snub at the recently announced National Awards, where cast members managed to bag trophies.
Priyanka Chopra proposed to Brazilian man
Priyanka Chopra proposed to Brazilian man: Priyanka Chopra had a close encounter with some overt amorous attention in Rio de Janeiro where she has just packed up shooting for a reality show
. A local hot-blooded well-to-do businessman, apparently of substantial good looks, insisted on trailing her everywhere with his marriage proposals.
Even while boarding her flight for the 25-hour journey back to Mumbai Wednesday morning, Priyanka anxiously looked back to see if the Brazilian suitor was still following her to India. "Brazilian men turned out to be a little too upfront for me. They don't waste time in making their moves. This one didn't ask me out. He asked me to marry him right away. I don't think I am interested in marrying any foreigners. Only an Indian guy for me, thanks," Priyanka said.
. A local hot-blooded well-to-do businessman, apparently of substantial good looks, insisted on trailing her everywhere with his marriage proposals.
Even while boarding her flight for the 25-hour journey back to Mumbai Wednesday morning, Priyanka anxiously looked back to see if the Brazilian suitor was still following her to India. "Brazilian men turned out to be a little too upfront for me. They don't waste time in making their moves. This one didn't ask me out. He asked me to marry him right away. I don't think I am interested in marrying any foreigners. Only an Indian guy for me, thanks," Priyanka said.
Bipasha Basu in Delhi Half Marathon
Bipasha Basu in Delhi Half Marathon: Her beau John Abraham has been associated with the Mumbai Marathon for many years and now it's Bipasha Basu who would be seen as the face of the Delhi Half Marathon. Bipasha who was present recently at an event announcing this association tweeted about the same, "Very xcited abt being d Face of the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon.21st of nov is Race day, register nw!"Well, given the fitness freak that she is, Bips is surely the most apt choice to represent this event.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Hrithik Roshan says yes to Agneepath
Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan was not able to make up his mind whether he would celebrity in the remake of Agneepath. After all, stepping into the Big B’s shoes and facing all the unavoidable evaluations that would follow, takes a lot of guts. But, latest reports say that after careful thought, Hrithik has lastly given decided to work in Agneepath.
Hrithik noticed the last draft of the script last week and he has allotted dates in March next year for the shoot. The leading lady will be Genelia D’souza who will be working with Hrithik for the first time. Our source said, “Hrithik is extremely excited about the Agneepath remake.
Earlier he was not sure if he was ready to play the iconic character, but after reading the script, he was more than happy to sign on. The film will be shot in a single schedule in March and April next year.
SRK may attend CWG ceremony
Shah Rukh Khan is anticipated to go to the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games on October 3.The actor, who is a sports lover, would certain lend some positive energy to the huge occasion, which has received plenty of bad press.Sources in the Games organising committee say that Shah Rukh Khan will be in attendance.
When asked about Shah Rukh`s involvement, Viraf Sarkari, the director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games, told reporters, “I am sure the organising committee will ask Shah Rukh Khan and he can choose according to his plan, whether he will be able to make it or not. It will be great to have him though.”
About involvement from other Bollywood celebs, Sarkari said, “At the moment the opening ceremony is totally cultural and the concentrate is not on Bollywood. It will showcase Indian cultural heritage in a big way and we are slogging hard to make it a great affair.”
HC dismisses appeal on Aamir Khan’s new film
The Delhi HC today dismissed a plea demanding the title of forthcoming Aamir Khan`s movie `Dhobi Ghat` on the ground that it offended the sensitivity of a particular “caste”.A Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra dismissed a public attention litigation seeking it to frame rule to prevent use of name of castes in the title of films.The plead filed by Hindustan Kanojia Organisation of Dhobis` Chairman Vinod Kumar Kanojia contended that storyline of the film does not revolve around `dhobi ghat` (the place where washermen wash clothes).
“The storyline has nothing to do with `dhobi ghat` and the use of the word `dhobi` hurt sensibility of a particular caste,” the advocate appearing for Kanojia pleaded, while seeking court`s direction to producer Khan to change the title of the film.The counsel claimed that the community has been notified as planned Caste in the Constitution and calling any person by its name was a punishable offence.The Hindi flick has Bollywood actor Aamir Khan in the role of a painter and Prateek Babbar, son of filmstar-turned- politician Raj Babbar as a laundry boy.
Rejecting the petitioner`s contention, the court said that `Dhobi Ghat` is a geographical description of a place and is not offensive.
Sridevi’s nervous ramp journey
Sridevi had a tough time on the catwalk – as you’ll see from the second picture. The star, who walked the ramp for Neeta Lulla as the show stopper at Lakme Fashion Week, came across as extremely nervous and saved herself twice from falling flat on the ramp.The actress, who wore a silverish-grey body-fitting gown made an impressive entry on the ramp but soon her nervousness was exposed as she began attempting with the train of her dress.
But she still found the experience of walking the ramp quite pleasant. “It was great but at the same time extremely difficult for me,” she said.Neeta was happy too and exposed: “It was fantastic that on my 25th anniversary Sridevi walked the ramp and so many people really made it to the show.”When asked about the Sri’s fear, Neeta said: “As far as I think, it happens some times when you walk the ramp after a long time.”
Ranbir and Priyanka reveal a secret
As the releasing date of Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra starrer, ‘Anjaana Anjaani’ is drawing closer, the two leading celebrities of the movie is all around to advertise their most recent movie. At the launch of TV today’s Radio Station, Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra was seen discussing a secret. The photo speaks the incident where Priyanka in blue and black clothing peeping something into Ranbir’s ears.
‘Anjaana Anjaani’ is a romantic comedy film directed by Siddharth Anand and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala. In the film, Ranbir plays Akash and Priyanka plays Kiara. The movie speaks about two strangers as how they come to cross each other’s path when they tried to commit suicide after several failures in careers and love.
Salman Khan back on Twitter
Salman Khan has not upset fans by quitting micro blogging site Twitter. Just days after he had tweeted that he might have to quit the social networking site Twitter for posting statements, Salman was bombarded with requests from his fans to not leave. It turns out that the Dabangg has given into his fans’ demands.
The actor, who had been in the eye storm for his comments on 26/11 attacks tweeted, “Kamaal karte ho yaar ! Thank u fr wanting me to cm back n sorry to leave but do understand that I tweet any thing n me friends n family panic.”
Salman invites Aishwarya Rai’s family
Dabangg is among the greatest successes the industry has seen in times and now when Salman is set to rejoice its success, he is making it as great as there is no tomorrow. Obviously, one would want to know whether Shahrukh will be invited, so let us spill the bean that he is not on the guest list and remarkably, Bachchans are among the prominent guests.
However, question remains, will Aishwarya make it to the party together with husband Abhishek Bachchan and sasurjee Amitabh Bachchan.And for sure Vivek Oberoi will be kept from the party.
However, question remains, will Aishwarya make it to the party together with husband Abhishek Bachchan and sasurjee Amitabh Bachchan.And for sure Vivek Oberoi will be kept from the party.
Priyanka relieved at not being linked to Ranbir
Actress Priyanka Chopra who has been romantically connected with all her co-actors, says she heaved a sigh of relief when the media did not do so with current heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor during the shooting of `Anjana Anjani`.“Thankfully there was no link up and the media projected our friendship during the making of the movie in US in the right perspective. I said to myself…the media has much better,” Priyanka told journalists.
The 27-year-old actress said she had lot of pre-conceived notions about the Kapoor scion.“I had met him previously through typical friends and always thought he was the spoilt son of a rich father. But, as we got to know each other during the filming of `Anjana Anjani`, we found that we had lot in familiar and would talk a lot,” she said.
However, breaking the ice was not easy, she said. “Initially, we would just stay with our work and go our individual ways after shots during the US plan. As theshooting progressed, we spent a lot of time with each other and became friends,” she said.As an actor, Priyanka said, Ranbir kept her on her toes. “Even though, we are of the very same age, I am senior to him professionally,” she said.
The 27-year-old actress said she had lot of pre-conceived notions about the Kapoor scion.“I had met him previously through typical friends and always thought he was the spoilt son of a rich father. But, as we got to know each other during the filming of `Anjana Anjani`, we found that we had lot in familiar and would talk a lot,” she said.
However, breaking the ice was not easy, she said. “Initially, we would just stay with our work and go our individual ways after shots during the US plan. As theshooting progressed, we spent a lot of time with each other and became friends,” she said.As an actor, Priyanka said, Ranbir kept her on her toes. “Even though, we are of the very same age, I am senior to him professionally,” she said.
Priyanka opposes Kareena’s concept
Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra does not like Kareena Kapoor’s size concept. She was the showstopper for Manish Malhotra’s fashion show at DHL’s 3rd rock Fashion Fiesta.
Manish Malhotra did the outfit designing for Anjaana Anjaani and she got timeless seeing the models wearing the gowns. She got butterflies in her stomach while walking the ramp but she enjoyed it throughout.
Well Priyanka doesn’t promote Kareena’s size zero concept and seems she can never be size zero.Priyanka’s forthcoming film is Anjaana Anjaana which celebs Ranbir Kapoor in the lead part.
Manish Malhotra did the outfit designing for Anjaana Anjaani and she got timeless seeing the models wearing the gowns. She got butterflies in her stomach while walking the ramp but she enjoyed it throughout.
Well Priyanka doesn’t promote Kareena’s size zero concept and seems she can never be size zero.Priyanka’s forthcoming film is Anjaana Anjaana which celebs Ranbir Kapoor in the lead part.
Rahul Bose enjoys working in Bengali movies
The actor Rahul Bose has just delivered lectures to students on “gender discrimination’ and now he is off to New York for the premiere of his new film. The former captain of the Indian National Rugby team recently participated in the reality TV show KKK3 and now he is ready for the release of his upcoming movies.Speaking about his Bengali films “Antaheen’ and “Kaalpurush’ winning National Awards the actor said that he loves acting in Bengali films.
His recent Bengali film “The Japanese Wife’ won a lot of critical acclaim but bombed at the box office.Rahul is saddened that the movie was not a commercial success but he considers “The Japanese Wife’ amongst his best performances so far.When asked about his love for Bengali film industry, the actor said that he likes doing an occasional Bengali film from time to time because they have unique scripts.
Neha Sharma requires no training
Neha Sharma who is also touted to be Angelina Jolie’s look alike is playing an Australian resident of Indian origin in the Emraan Hashmi latest film.With such a character one would expect of her to go through rigorous voice modulation and accent training but according to her, it was not required of her character to do so.
Her interaction in the film is mainly with Indians and so the characteristic accent is not required. She also did not attend any workshop to get the nuances of the character that hails from Australia.
Her interaction in the film is mainly with Indians and so the characteristic accent is not required. She also did not attend any workshop to get the nuances of the character that hails from Australia.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Priyanka Chopra live singing on TV
Priyanka Chopra live singing on TV: Priyanka Chopra is well known for her beauty and more recently for taking Bollywood by storm with her versatility as an actress. What many don't know is the fact that this lissome lass is also a veritable powerhouse when it comes to singing a tune.
While on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa to promote her upcoming Anjaana Anjaani with co-star Ranbir Kapoor and director Siddharth Anand, music directors Vishal–Shekar requested the beauty to sing the song Tinka Tinka.
While on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa to promote her upcoming Anjaana Anjaani with co-star Ranbir Kapoor and director Siddharth Anand, music directors Vishal–Shekar requested the beauty to sing the song Tinka Tinka.
Bipasha Basu: Glamorous Pose
Bipasha
Basu: Glamorous Pose: Recently, Bipasha Basu has been taking on films that show her in de-glamorized roles, and bring to light important social messages. For example, her last film, Lamhaa, dealt with the conflict in Kashmir.
Bipasha continues her own trend with her newest film, Aakrosh. She seems to be very excited about the upcoming film, and has been tweeting about the story of the film; "#Aakrosh is a thriller which shows how the evil practice of honour killings still exist. It is a hard hitting issue based film!"
Bipasha takes on the role of an abused housewife. The actress describes her character to the media as being "trapped in an unhappy, abusive marriage and the sadness is reflected in her persona." She says of her role, "It was a dismal role to play but an eye-opener too."
Since Bipasha’s debut in 2001 with her film Ajnabee, she has been associated with a glamorous image. Now that the sexy actress is stepping away from this image and taking up meaningful roles, perhaps she will be appreciated more for her acting skills rather than her body and beauty. Ajay Devgan and Akshay Khanna star alongside Bipasha Basu in Aakrosh. It is directed by Priyadarshan and releases on the 8th of October.
Basu: Glamorous Pose: Recently, Bipasha Basu has been taking on films that show her in de-glamorized roles, and bring to light important social messages. For example, her last film, Lamhaa, dealt with the conflict in Kashmir.
Bipasha continues her own trend with her newest film, Aakrosh. She seems to be very excited about the upcoming film, and has been tweeting about the story of the film; "#Aakrosh is a thriller which shows how the evil practice of honour killings still exist. It is a hard hitting issue based film!"
Bipasha takes on the role of an abused housewife. The actress describes her character to the media as being "trapped in an unhappy, abusive marriage and the sadness is reflected in her persona." She says of her role, "It was a dismal role to play but an eye-opener too."
Since Bipasha’s debut in 2001 with her film Ajnabee, she has been associated with a glamorous image. Now that the sexy actress is stepping away from this image and taking up meaningful roles, perhaps she will be appreciated more for her acting skills rather than her body and beauty. Ajay Devgan and Akshay Khanna star alongside Bipasha Basu in Aakrosh. It is directed by Priyadarshan and releases on the 8th of October.
Bipasha Basu: Glamorous Pose
Bipasha
Basu: Glamorous Pose: Recently, Bipasha Basu has been taking on films that show her in de-glamorized roles, and bring to light important social messages. For example, her last film, Lamhaa, dealt with the conflict in Kashmir.
Bipasha continues her own trend with her newest film, Aakrosh. She seems to be very excited about the upcoming film, and has been tweeting about the story of the film; "#Aakrosh is a thriller which shows how the evil practice of honour killings still exist. It is a hard hitting issue based film!"
Bipasha takes on the role of an abused housewife. The actress describes her character to the media as being "trapped in an unhappy, abusive marriage and the sadness is reflected in her persona." She says of her role, "It was a dismal role to play but an eye-opener too."
Since Bipasha’s debut in 2001 with her film Ajnabee, she has been associated with a glamorous image. Now that the sexy actress is stepping away from this image and taking up meaningful roles, perhaps she will be appreciated more for her acting skills rather than her body and beauty. Ajay Devgan and Akshay Khanna star alongside Bipasha Basu in Aakrosh. It is directed by Priyadarshan and releases on the 8th of October.
Basu: Glamorous Pose: Recently, Bipasha Basu has been taking on films that show her in de-glamorized roles, and bring to light important social messages. For example, her last film, Lamhaa, dealt with the conflict in Kashmir.
Bipasha continues her own trend with her newest film, Aakrosh. She seems to be very excited about the upcoming film, and has been tweeting about the story of the film; "#Aakrosh is a thriller which shows how the evil practice of honour killings still exist. It is a hard hitting issue based film!"
Bipasha takes on the role of an abused housewife. The actress describes her character to the media as being "trapped in an unhappy, abusive marriage and the sadness is reflected in her persona." She says of her role, "It was a dismal role to play but an eye-opener too."
Since Bipasha’s debut in 2001 with her film Ajnabee, she has been associated with a glamorous image. Now that the sexy actress is stepping away from this image and taking up meaningful roles, perhaps she will be appreciated more for her acting skills rather than her body and beauty. Ajay Devgan and Akshay Khanna star alongside Bipasha Basu in Aakrosh. It is directed by Priyadarshan and releases on the 8th of October.
Kareena Kapoor's Next Bodyguard
Kareena Kapoor's Next Bodyguard: It seems Bollywood is flat over remaking hit movies of South, possibly for a spell. The Malayalam flick 'Bodyguard' is subject to remake in Hindi in which Salman Khan is proposed to play the lead. He is currently playing the lead in the remakes of 'Ready' and 'Kick'. On lines with the scheme he is eager to do the film 'Bodyguard'. Kareena Kapoor is playing opposite to Salman Khan in the film. Initially, Katrina Kaif was selected for the role but, due to unavailability of her call sheets Kareena Kapoor was approached. The film would be titled 'My Love Story' in the remake. Siddique would direct the film and the shooting would commence in December.
Aamir Khan send to lots of gifts for 'Dabangg'
Aamir Khan send to lots of gifts for 'Dabangg': Aamir Khan is one actor who has penchant for movies with a difference. After delivering a blockbuster like 3 Idiots in 2009, Aamir Khan decided to produce Peepli Live. A small budget film with no big stars, yet Peepli Live managed to recover its cost even before its release. The actor spoke to CNN-IBN on why he chose to take up Peepli Live.
The actor said, “Yes most people were expecting me to sign a big film after 3 Idiots instead I am releasing Peepli Live, which is bizarre. But all my decisions have been bizarre. They don’t make sense to anyone. Often they don’t make sense to me.”Directed by debutant Anusha Rizvi, Peepli Live is a political and social satire, which was screened at the Berlin Film Festival. It was also declared the best feature film at the Durban International Film Festival. Not only that, it's first Indian production to compete at the Sundance Film Festival.
The actor said, “Yes most people were expecting me to sign a big film after 3 Idiots instead I am releasing Peepli Live, which is bizarre. But all my decisions have been bizarre. They don’t make sense to anyone. Often they don’t make sense to me.”Directed by debutant Anusha Rizvi, Peepli Live is a political and social satire, which was screened at the Berlin Film Festival. It was also declared the best feature film at the Durban International Film Festival. Not only that, it's first Indian production to compete at the Sundance Film Festival.
Shahrukh Khan in Ra.One
Shahrukh Khan in Ra.One: Superstar Shahrukh Khan seems hell-bent to make his home production Ra.One a sci-fi thriller extraordinaire, at a par with the ones that Hollywood makes.
After roping in the best hands and minds at stunts and special effects, the King Khan is learnt to have signed the world renowned German composer Hans Zimmer to compose the background score of the film.
Zimmer has composed music for films like Gladiator, Pirates of The Caribbean series, The Da Vinci Code, The Dark Knight and Inception. Considering Zimmer’s credentials, his inclusion in Ra.One, if true, is indeed a big catch for SRK.
We hear that it was director Anubhav Sinha who suggested signing up Zimmer for the film. Though the buzz is that Zimmer has been paid a whopping amount for coming aboard, there’s no official confirmation yet of this.
SRK has already made Akon sing a song for Ra.One. Now, with Zimmer in crew he has certainly turned a new page.
After roping in the best hands and minds at stunts and special effects, the King Khan is learnt to have signed the world renowned German composer Hans Zimmer to compose the background score of the film.
Zimmer has composed music for films like Gladiator, Pirates of The Caribbean series, The Da Vinci Code, The Dark Knight and Inception. Considering Zimmer’s credentials, his inclusion in Ra.One, if true, is indeed a big catch for SRK.
We hear that it was director Anubhav Sinha who suggested signing up Zimmer for the film. Though the buzz is that Zimmer has been paid a whopping amount for coming aboard, there’s no official confirmation yet of this.
SRK has already made Akon sing a song for Ra.One. Now, with Zimmer in crew he has certainly turned a new page.
Priyanka Chopra's fervor for 'Anjaana Anjaani'
Priyanka Chopra's fervor for 'Anjaana Anjaani': Quite excited about gathering knowledge about the nitty-gritty when it came to framing a shot and also learning other technical aspects of cinema, Priyanka Chopra
was involved with the making of Sajid Nadiadwala's Anjaana Anjaani right from scripting to the final day of shoot.
"This is the reason why she went on to do a lot more than just prepare for the role of Kiara who meets a complete stranger Akash (played by Ranbir Kapoor)", says Siddharth Anand, the director of Anjaana Anjaani, "She worked in tandem to flesh out the character, work around on all the intricacies and also bring her wide range of experience to sets the when it came to actual shooting."
Priyanka's passion about the making of the film pleasantly surprised the makers here as she was curious about everything from lighting to set design to locations to the mood of the scene to costumes and even the conduct of people who were walking in the background. Though any experienced actor is expected to be involved in her characterisation, Priyanka was inclined towards playing a much bigger role.
was involved with the making of Sajid Nadiadwala's Anjaana Anjaani right from scripting to the final day of shoot.
"This is the reason why she went on to do a lot more than just prepare for the role of Kiara who meets a complete stranger Akash (played by Ranbir Kapoor)", says Siddharth Anand, the director of Anjaana Anjaani, "She worked in tandem to flesh out the character, work around on all the intricacies and also bring her wide range of experience to sets the when it came to actual shooting."
Priyanka's passion about the making of the film pleasantly surprised the makers here as she was curious about everything from lighting to set design to locations to the mood of the scene to costumes and even the conduct of people who were walking in the background. Though any experienced actor is expected to be involved in her characterisation, Priyanka was inclined towards playing a much bigger role.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra: Released Movie on same day
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra: Released Movie on same day: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra are inevitably going to be pitted against one another on the 1st of October, as both the flicks, ‘Endhiran’, and ‘Anjaana Anjaani’, are now slated to release on the same day!
Even though ‘Anjaana Anjaani’, was supposed to be releasing on the 24th as per the earlier schedule, the release date has been pushed back, thus, this has made the flick clash with the much awaited most expensive flick ever made on Indian soil ‘,Endhiran’.
Even though ‘Anjaana Anjaani’, was supposed to be releasing on the 24th as per the earlier schedule, the release date has been pushed back, thus, this has made the flick clash with the much awaited most expensive flick ever made on Indian soil ‘,Endhiran’.
Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor world tour togather
Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor world tour togather: The world stage is set for the Kapoors as the young Kapoor scion will start his first world tour across 16 nations. Ranbir Kapoor’s world concert tour starts in June 2011 and dad Rishi Kapoor will not only accompany him but also co-produce the event. And guess with whom the young star will scorch the stage - Katrina Kaif and Priyanka Chopra.Speculations were rife about Ranbir and his teen deviyaan - Katrina, Priyanka and his ex Deepika Padukone. Well, Katrina is already on for the world tour and so is desi gal Priyanka. However, Deepika is not yet signed up and Ranbir’s father says she is likely to be on board.
Kareena Kapoor & Salman Khan Romance in ‘Bodyguard’
Kareena Kapoor & Salman Khan Romance in ‘Bodyguard’: Salman’s next film with Siddiqui ‘Bodyguard’ was officially announced recently, and there was a lot of buzz, as speculations were rife as to who would be Salman’s arm candy. But it’s official now. Kareena will star opposite Salman in the remake of the Malayalam box-office hit film ‘Bodyguard’.
Salman’s sister Alvira and her husband Atul Agnihotri, who bought the Bollywood rights of the Malayalam film, have signed Kareena for the film as they always felt that she would be apt to play the female lead, which was played by South-Indian actress Nayantara in the original version.
Salman’s sister Alvira and her husband Atul Agnihotri, who bought the Bollywood rights of the Malayalam film, have signed Kareena for the film as they always felt that she would be apt to play the female lead, which was played by South-Indian actress Nayantara in the original version.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Hollywood Movie The Hedgehog
Mona Achache gives us a lesson in how to make a first feature as she contemplates her subject. It's nearly all set in one location, an elegant apartment building in a desirable street of Paris; it has a small but perfectly chosen cast; and it's based on a book by Muriel Barbery that sold 1.2 million copies in France alone. Perfect, as long as you can persuade the writer to trust you with her book.
That she did tells us something about the director's qualities and about French cinema, where there's a constant search for new talent. I only noticed these structural things later. The film drags us into its world quickly through the eyes and narration of Paloma Josse (Garance Le Guillermic), a precocious 11-year-old who doesn't want to make 12. Paloma can see herself sucked into what she calls the goldfish bowl of her family's narrow bourgeois existence, so she vows to commit suicide on her birthday.
Clearly, she is an advanced and dramatic little girl. We understand partly how she became so bright and sad when we meet her parents. Her father Paul (Wladimir Yordanoff) is a politician, distant and preoccupied. Her mother is a nervous beauty with "10 years' intimate knowledge of antidepressants and psychoanalysis". Solange (Anne Brochet) has a better relationship with her plants than with her younger daughter. She speaks to each plant as she waters on the balcony, unaware that the water drips on to the head of Madame Michel (Josiane Balasko), the building's concierge, in the street. That's a good example of how the story turns class consciousness into comedy.
Paloma films everything with an old Hi-8 video camera, secretly observing family and neighbours and voicing opinions that are much older than her years. No one notices, except when the camera is pointed at them. In her room, she draws, turning her walls into art, or making flipbooks that the director turns into animations. Paloma is smarter than everyone she meets except the concierge. She guesses that Mme Michel is hiding something in her tiny flat off the vestibule. A new tenant, Mr Ozu (Togo Igawa), notices it too, when she mutters a line in the lift. "All happy families are alike," she says. "But each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way," he responds, the opening lines of Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina.
Mme Michel's secret is that she reads. Her living room is a library, in fact, where she spends each night with the great works and her cat Leo, named for Tolstoy. She also knows about movies, which is why Mr Ozu's name interests her. She wonders if he's related to the great Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu.
Achache directs this outwardly simple story with poise and intelligence. She adapted Barbery's novel herself and lives with the cameraman, Patrick Blossier, which must have helped with the making of a first feature. Her best decision was to cast Balasko, who's well-known in France as an actor, writer and director.
Balasko transforms herself in the role, twice. Mme Michel is grumpy and rude, a sagging, withdrawn person who keeps the world at arm's length, but she munches on chocolate when she reads, a sign that pleasure is not completely absent from her life. The contact with Paloma and Mr Ozu terrifies her but Balasko handles the changes superbly, each emotion scudding across her face like a series of small pains.
It's a surprising film, largely because of the way it successfully combines these odd elements: three misfits in the enclosed, strictly hierarchical world of an elegant old Parisian building. The writing never underestimates the audience by being too explicit, or making the characters too narrow; Paloma's mother is neurotic but also somewhat tragic. The movie is novelistic without sacrificing the immediacy that comes with film.
Bollywood Movie Red Alert
Director: Anant Narayan Mahadevan
Rating: ***
With a hard hitting realistic film Red Alert – The War Within actor turned filmmaker Anant Narayan Mahedevan has finally found his calling after directing a good number of average movies distinctively belonging to a diverse genre.
The film based on a true story manages to strike a chord with the manner Mahadevan has narrated the subject without taking sides and has been ably supported by his ensemble cast.
The film narrates the tale of Narsimha (Suniel Shetty) a farm laborer, who desperately needed money to fund the education of his children. But he ends up finding himself in the midst of Naxalites where his mission becomes a mere subset of a greater cause that the militant's pursue.
From being a mere cook to actually training in weapons to being involved in shootouts and kidnapping, Narsimha himself in the thick of life he had never bargained for.
A confrontation with the group leader (Ashish Vidyarthi) however turns his life upside down which leads him on the run from both law and the militants.
But then comes a crucial time for Narsimha to take one vital decision that can either make or break him. But the decision ends in creating a conflicting situation that has him torn between conscience and survival.
The film's situations are straight out of newspaper headlines and Mahadevan has handled the subject maturely. He has given a treatment to the film like a thriller rather than resorting to a boring documentary style.
Much credit also goes to writer Aruna Raje. However, the climax could have been better. The happy ending though might please audience but in reality the situations portrayed in the climax appear a bit implausible.
The film's another big strength however are the performances. Suniel Shetty has delivered his career-best act. Bhagyashree playing his wife is good. Sameera Reddy is almost unrecognizable in her non-glam act and is impressive.
Ayesha Dharkar and Seema Biswas barely get any scope to justify their talent. Ashish Vidyarthi is very good. Gulshan Grover is fair. Amongst the veterans, Vinod Khanna in his short act and Naseer in his one scene role are super impressive. Zakir Hussain and Makarand Deshpande leave an impact too.
The camerawork by K. Rajkumar and action by Allan Amin could have been better.
Red Alert is a must watch for serious cinema lovers.
Bollywood Movie Khatta Meetha
Director: Priyadarshan
Rating: *1/2
Satire is a genre rarely touched by Bollywood mainstream filmmakers, so when a big star like Akshay Kumar decides to co-produce one with a director like Priyadarshan with whom he has never delivered a flop, naturally expectations run high.
But what one gets at the end of the day is a migraine inducer. Remake of Malayalam film Vellanakalude Nadu (1988) starring Mohanlal, Khatta Meetha neither entertains nor offers anything new.
Sachin Tichkule (Akshay) is a road contractor who is forever cash strapped and in a mess after he attempts to go corrupt. His extended family consisting of a brother (Paritosh) and two brothers-in-law (Milind Gunaji and Manoj Joshi) all staying together under one roof are neck deep in corruption where PWD contracts are involved.
Sachin is often ridiculed by them for being a blot to their family since he is not able to contribute anything to the family but only creating more problems paining his retired judge father (Kulbhushan Kharbanda). Problems multiply for Sachin as his ex-flame Gehna Ganpule (Trisha) comes as the new Muncipal Commissioner.
First things first, if you are expecting Khatta Meetha to be a rip roaring comic affair, then let us warn you, the only genuinely comic moments of the film are all what you see in the promos. The entire film is a messed up affair with a non-existent plot joined together with some truly inane sequences.
In fact, the setting also reminds one of Priyadarshan’s assistant Rajeev Kumar directed flop comedy Chal Chala Chal starring Govinda. Making it worse is the long running time of over 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Priyadarshan tries to pack in too many things and fails on all accounts. He stretches his comic sequences very long, resulting in spoiling a good joke.
The bridge and road contractors – Muncipal body officials and politicians nexus shown doesn’t really expose anything new and the contrived manner in which it all culminates makes you pull out your hair in irritation. What works to some extent is the authentic small town setting and a few one liners.
Akshay Kumar is the only good thing about this chaotic enterprise. Be it sarcastic humour or performing the most implausible comic sequences he performs them all with full conviction.
Trisha (in a dubbed voice) makes an average debut but the blame goes to makers for casting her in a role of a Muncipal Commissioner. She appears too young for it. Urvashi Sharma is good. Aruna Irani playing Akki’s mom is wasted.
Kulbhushan Kharbanda has his good moments. Usual suspects of any Priyadarshan film – Manoj Joshi, Asrani, Rajpal Yadav with addition of Johhny Lever continue to assault your senses with their high decibel dialogue delivery in the name of comedy.
Pritam delivers with a few good songs but with each song badly placed, half their fun is lost. Camerawork by V. Manikandan is good capturing the interiors of Maharashtra well.
Khatta Meetha fails to deliver what it promises. It is neither a political satire nor a good family drama. The film is better being avoided.
Hollywod Movie The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Rating: ***
The underdog is a perennial Hollywood favourite and has led to two types of film. The chick-flick, like chic-lit, where a nerdy girl, like Cinderella, finds out she is indeed a queen. Or the other where an average Joe, mostly a male teenager, an object of ridicule, comes of age led by some event or some person. "The Sorcerer's…" is the latter.
Over a thousand years back, a master sorcerer was betrayed by one of his apprentices, Maxim (Alfred Molina). Before dying he gives his most loyal apprentice Balthazar (Nicolas Cage) a dragon ring which will choose the next master. Since then Balthazar, has been fighting evil and trying to look for the next master to teach him magic.
In the year 2000 destiny leads the next apprentice, David, a boy of 10, to him but when Maxim is released, he imprisons himself with him to save the boy.
Ten years later, the boy, now a youth and still struggling with the tag of being a nerd, discovers with the help of Balthazar his true destiny, that of being the next master, when both Maxim and Blathazar are released. He trains under Balthazar, in a bid to fight off Maxim and save the world, while holding on to the teenager of his love in the process.
"The Sorcerers'…" has some really good special effects, but beyond that, it has nothing that can take it over the edge to help you remember that film. The writing is also average with a sharp wit missing, and hackneyed plots and sub-plots.
The film pays tribute to its origin - a poem by Goethe with the same name. In one scene when Balthazar leaves David because he has to meet his girlfriend, he employs the little magic that he knows, sets the broom to life to clean up the place. But when he returns after a bath, the place is full of water as the broom has run amuck.
This is almost exactly like Goethe's poem. Yet, the film advances the poem by using modern science to explain magic. In one sweep, Balthazar explains to his not so eager apprentice that whereas the normal human mind uses only 10 percent of the brain capacity, the sorcerer uses 100 percent, thus manipulating matter that seems like magic to others. Simple, yes, but too corny to explain complicated magic!
The beautiful Monica Bellucci makes a guest appearance, prompting you to the obvious conclusion, that there will be a sequel. Hope they employ better writers for this one.
Hollywood Movie Salt
Director: Philip Noyce
Rating: ***
Salt is one of those rare action flicks that has non-stop hard hitting action for ninety minutes straight and is all done with a brain.
Originally, written for a male lead star, in which Tom Cruise was the primary candidate but after he turned it down because it was too similar to his role in Mission: Impossible the makers changed the script and took on Angelina Jolie to play the same role reworked for a female main lead.
Evelyn Salt (Jolie) is a C.I.A. officer who is amazing at her job. She has done everything to protect the United States. One day, as she is leaving work to go home to her husband for their anniversary, a strange man walks into the C.I.A. offices with an extremely odd accusation about Salt.
As she and her partner, Ted Winter (Schreiber), sit around to hear him talk, things start to get a little crazy. This man, who is considered a defector, claims that Evelyn is actually a Russian spy who has been planted in the United States to kill the President.
Salt freaks out, thinking that this can't be true, and makes a run for it. Ted is on her side at first, but as the counter-intelligence officer Peabody (Ejiofor) steps in, he starts to realize that Evelyn could actually be a Russian spy.
Her actions of running away are not helping her but she wants to make sure that her husband is safe, even if that means risking her life. As the movie goes on, we learn more and more about who Salt really is. The question is whether or not she can prove her innocence before being captured.
The action is absolutely non-stop but the best part about it is that it's believable. Director Philip Noyce (Clear and Present Danger) does not go over-the-top to the point where the action seemed unreal.
Being that this movie is about 90 percent action, there is great story-telling occurring as well. The twists and turns in the plot are very surprising and keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
Throughout the entire film, you will be questioning who Salt really is. As the story gets deeper you start to become attached to the character but the best part is that you don't really ever know her true intentions. That hopefully will leave the film open for a sequel.
Jolie has finally bridged that gap where one is able to look at her character as an action star, rather than a female or male. Every performance in the film is strong from Jolie to the amazingly talented actors, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Liev Schrieber.
The film is short (100 minutes running time), fun and you get to see Angelina Jolie kicking butt and looking hot. Do watch it on the big screen.
Hollywood Movie Inception
There are so many things about this film I’d like to cover. Director Christopher Nolan spent $160 million on this, and you can see every bit of that on screen. It’s surprising the studio let him run with this. After all, it’s not like his expensive Dark Knight. Since that’s a Batman film, it was a safe bet. I enjoyed Nolan’s Dark Knight, but I didn’t care for Insomnia.
And I thought Memento (the movie that plays backwards) brilliant. This guy can obviously write and direct interesting stuff. But the king of the $150 million budgets, James Cameron, did a movie called Strange Days which tackles a few of these similar themes (and is better in many ways).
In fact, a lot of the movies I thought about, I liked more than Inception. Dreamscape, with Dennis Quaid, had a better story and great visuals. Dark City, an underrated sci-fi picture with a mumbling Keifer Sutherland, was better than this (there were a few similarities as you watch buildings being constructed in front of your eyes, and confusion with characters that wake up).
There’s a little Matrix here, Eternal Sunshine there. A guy next to me said “This is just like Total Recall.” That’s one of the few films I never thought of during this, but… I did think of James Bond many times; especially during a skiing shoot-out.
But as I told a few people, there’s something about seeing shootings and stunts that you know are in a dream, that makes them less exciting than when Bond is dodging bullets and blowing up vehicles. It’s weird logic on my part, because it’s all actors and stuntmen and none of it is real. But when you’re watching a movie and you know it’s the dream/imagination of a character, it doesn’t keep you on the edge of your seat the way you’d otherwise be invested in the protagonists safety.
I didn’t care for the casting of this film at all. Leonardo DiCaprio, in the first movie I’ve seen him in where he doesn’t look 14-years-old, does a fine job. My problem with him being cast in this is that it’s virtually the same character he played in Shutter Island, down to dreams of his wife and kids, confusion, anger, and especially – wonderful dreams that quickly become nightmares. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who went from 3rd Rock to the Sun to becoming a great screen presence (I loved him in Brick, The Lookout, and 500 Days of Summer). In this, his character made me think of Keanue Reeves in Matrix. He had slicked back hair and tries to talk in a deep voice that he just doesn’t pull off.
Marion Cotillard, as DiCaprio’s wife, is just beautiful and haunting on screen. She won a well-deserved Oscar playing Edith Piaf a few years ago, and I was happy I didn’t think once about that character. Oh, that is…until Nolan thought it would be clever to play a Piaf song in a pivotal scene. It totally took me out of the film, but it’s something I’m guessing nobody else will be bothered by. (on the subject of music, the films score by Hans Zimmer is excellent)
There’s Juno’s Ellen Page, looking like she’s 12 and not fitting in at all. Dileep Rao is carving a niche for himself in movies. He was a scientist in Avatar, a voodoo expert in Drag Me to Hell, and he’s a scientist that deals with potions in this (it’s helpful when you need a person to stay asleep so you can jump into their dreams). Tom Hardy is great as the master of disguise (he was better in Bronson from last year; how he didn’t get nominated for an Oscar in that is beyond me).
Tom Berenger (side note: where the hell has he been?) is great in a small role, as is Michael Caine. Of course with Caine, spouting off wisdom to the young and troubled DiCaprio, reminds us of his butler character in the Batman films.
So, here’s the premise, since the movie trailers (purposely) don’t tell you much. People can get into dreams and steal secrets from you. DiCaprio is in a bit of a jam and is forced to take a risky job that is nearly impossible. It’s not to steal the dream of a high powered businessman, but to plant a seed in his mind to split up the company. By doing this, he has to get in this guy's dream, and take him to a different level where it’s a dream within a dream. The reason behind this is explained, and don’t believe anyone that tells you you’ll be confused. You won’t be. With the pesky Page as the new member of the team, she often asks questions that help fill us in on how things are done and what we’re seeing. Although Nolan does films that aren’t very flawed, you’ll obviously find a few things that logically don’t make sense – but I’m willing to let that stuff slide in a sci-fi film.
I get more upset with the little things. DiCaprio calling his wife “Mal” just sounded weird. Oh, and his name – Dom Cobb. It sounds like a corn-flavored champagne. The shots of Tokyo, Morocco, and Canada are beautifully done. I also enjoyed the rules the movie presents for dreams. If you die in a dream, you don’t die in real life (like in Dreamscape). Instead, you wake up.
So when characters are running through a dream trying to get information they need to steal, they don’t want to be killed for that reason. And it’s not just guns that can kill you. If the people in the dream (the projections) start to realize it’s a dream, they end up doing wacky things (like attacking you). You get the usual clichés spit out: “one last job,” “I just wanna return home,” and “assemble your team!” But just as I did with Avatar, I can let some lame dialogue go when I’m being so visually stimulated by what’s on the screen.
And after all, isn’t that what movies are about? There’s a fight scene in a hotel with zero gravity that is a thing of beauty. The guy behind me that hated the movie thought it was stupid and didn’t understand why they were floating. I said, “It’s because they’re in a dream, and don’t you sometimes do that when you dream?” It wasn’t until I got home that I realized, the characters sleeping at that time were in a van that was going off a bridge. This gave them a free fall, which was then immediately incorporated into the dream.
When you think about a movie at home and come up with stuff, that’s a good sign you have a hit on your hands. Of course, I’m beginning to think this is what Nolan loves doing, to get people coming back to see his films multiple times.
I thought the last 15 minutes and the ending were very predictable and didn’t have me on the edge of my seat the way they intended. It’s not nearly as clever as Nolan thinks it is. A woman got offended when I said I would only recommend this to sci-fi fans and men, because most women would be bored. She said she loved it and was planning to see it again.
I still contend, women will enjoy The Kids Are All Right so much more (maybe I need to turn in my man card, because I did, too). Let the husbands/boyfriends go see Inception, and everyone will be happier for it. I’m giving this a B.
Bollywood Movie Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai
Rating: *** ½
It's the way he looks at the camera. Almost as if it doesn't exist. Ajay Devgn as Sultan Mirza is NOT Haji Mastan, please note. He's just this Robin Hood in the 1970s who happened to be a smuggler and who at some point in the taut plot, locks horns with a junior recruit who, please note, is NOT Dawood Ibrahim.
So who, in the name of immoral crime and haphazard policing, are these two men? So stylishly masculine, so sweaty in their realism and so menacing in their demeanour and complete denial of the existent morality they remind you of the anti-social heroes from Sam Peckinpah's Westerns?
"Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai" takes us back to the beginnings of gangsterism in Mumbai. Milan Luthria excels in creating smouldering combustive stress between two mean menacing men… Remember Devgn (who back then was Devgan, just as Mumbai was Bombay when the film under review unfolds) and Saif Ali Khan in Luthria's "Kachche Dhaage" and on a more satirical note, John Abraham and Nana Patekar in "Taxi No 9211".
In "Once Upon A Time…." the conflict between Devgn (who is NOT Haji Mastan) and Emraan Hashmi (who is NOT Dawood) is placed in a far more complex and challenging scenario. The screenplay (Rajat Arora) takes into view the entire gamut of grime in the canvas of crime that cannot be hidden by the surface glamour and glitter.
The vintage cars, the costumes and that attitude of rebellious abandon comes through in the inner and outer styling of the characters. The people in Luthria's panoramic view of Mumbai in the late 1960s and 70s are steeped in a cinematic realism. Neither a part of that period nor a completely true representation of an era gone-bye-bye the characters hover in a no-man's-land populated by fascinating details of past recreated with a tongue-in-cheek broadness of purpose.
There are bouts of suppressed satire in the way the whole era of the genesis of the underworld is represented. For example Emraan Hashmi befriends and sleeps with a woman who looks a lot like a Bollywood actress whom Raj Kapoor had introduced in a film and Dawood had befriended and allegedly impregnated.
Often the characters are an amalgamation of furious folklore and long-forgotten newspaper headlines of the 1970s. Kangna Ranaut plays an actress from the 1970s who gets the hots for the Robin Hood-styled smuggler-hero. Later she is discovered to have a congenital heart disease (a la Madhubala who came two decades before the events of this film are supposed to unfold). But look at the irony! It's her smuggler-hero lover who dies of a wounded heart.
Maybe we shouldn't give away the plot. Because the plot never gives itself away. It never betrays a phoney intent of purpose. The narrative unfolds through the first-person narration of a troubled wounded cop, played with remarkably restrained bravado by Randeep Hooda. Indeed this is the most accomplished performance in the film. He's partly a gallant law enforcer and partly a victim of a system that breeds inequality, corruption and finally, self-destruction.
Hooda is wry, cynical, bitter, anguished and yet able to see the humour of a situation that one can ride only by sublimating its gravity. As for Ajay Devgn, he continues to evolve with every performance. As a gangster from the 1970s Devgan brings on the table a clenched self-mocking immorality. He stands outside the character even while internalizing the performance.
Director Milan Luthria imparts a keen eye for details to the storytelling. Some bits in the second-half get shaky, such as the predicable club songs and the repeated use of overlapping editing patterns to convey the rising tension between the mentor and the protégé turned tormenter. But the director's command over the language of outlawry is unquestionable.
Emran Hashmi as Devgn's uncontrollable protégée gets the look and body language right. His courtship of Prachi Desai to the accompaniment of romantic hits from the 1970s (e.g Raj Kapoor's "Bobby") is engaging.
Understandably, the two ladies are reduced to pursing their lips and wringing their hands as the story progresses. The film's best, most charming and heartwarming moments come in the early stages of the drama between Devgn and Ranaut. Their growing fondness for one another is recorded in scenes and words written by a poet who can see the humour behind mutual attractions.
The real hero of this film is the writing. Rajat Arora's dialogues flow from the storytelling in a smooth flow of poetry and street wisdom. Aseem Mishra's sharply -evocative cinematography gives to this rugged-and-razorsharp look at Mumbai's mythic mating with crime, an urgency that simply can't be ignored.
Aisha
Directed by Rajshree Ojha
The thing about shallow people from the beau monde is that they shouldn’t be played shallowly when brought to the screen.
Sonam Kapoor in a ‘tailor’- made role (where more moolah seems to have been spent on tailoring her chic outfits than on exploring the locations , sound sights scents and , yes, sense of this embarrassing world of excessive self-preening) gets the Jane Austen character right. Quite a leap for the actress.
When she had played the confused lover-girl in Saawariya Sonam had imposed her own natural-born confusions on the character rendering it shaky and disembodied.
In Aisha Sonam is far more in control of her character’s misguided emotional compulsions. The fact that the young actress knows this label-centric designer world of chic shenanigans so well helps Sonam master and contour her character’s art of self-deception in a way the original author of the character would have approved.
Sonam’s world harks back to Jane Austen’s giddy-headed British gentry class where match-making was not idle chatter. It was religion.
When placed in the neo-rich spiced-up politically-charged atmosphere of Delhi Jane Austen’s characters seem to come alive in unexpected spurts of sassy splendour and unbridled joie de vivre. You can’t help laugh at these young often-aimless people’s selfimportance.
Aisha is a 2-hour celebration of pre-nuptial rituals. Though no one says it, every girl in the picture wants only one thing. And it isn’t necessarily love, but somewhere close. The bristle and bustle of Delhi come alive through the slender intellectual faculties of the protagonists.
Let’s not forget Jane Austen had applied great intellectual strength to her frail and shallow people.
Aisha converts Austen’s world into a frail feisty frolicsome fashion fiesta shot with an empowering affection for the natural light that bathes these somewhat affected people.
The cinematography by Diego Rodriguez and specially the songs and background music by Amit Trivedi create a multi-hued skyline in this saga of sophomore socialites, their loves, lovers and love tattle.
Debutant director Rajshree Ojha gets into this world of titillating trivia and designer dreams with a wink and smile that go a long way in building a showcase around these metropolitan mannequins on a singleminded match-making prowl.
The casting is as dead-on as it can get. While the guys Abhay Deol, Cyrus Sahukar and Arunoday Singh play the Brain, Nerd and Hunk with absolute relish it’s the girls who keep you chuckling and tch-tch-ing.
Neha Dubey and debutant Amrita Puri put in pitch-perfect performances as sahelis bullied into alliances that seem manipulated on earth rather than arranged in heaven. They have a bright future ahead, single or not.
But the film belongs to Sonam Kapoor, make no mistake of that. She makes the best of a rather rare opportunity for an Indian leading lady to be a part of Bollywood film that salutes Victorian mores and Delhi’s elitist affectations in one clean cool sweep.
Engaging and endearing Aisha makes you wonder if there’s anything more important in the world than finding the right match.
Maybe finding the right movie about finding the right match?
Bollywood Movie And Once Again
Director: Amol Palekar
Rating: **1/2
Loss, an obviousness in life, is extremely difficult to depict on screen. Yet to see a veteran director like Amol Palekar fail at it is a tad disappointing. But it is not just Palekar's fault. The main problem lies with a flat, one-dimensional script and lack of imagination that mars what could otherwise have been a good film.
Rishi (Rajat Kapoor) a retired civil servant, even 18 years after losing his wife Savitri (Antara Mali) and son in a bomb explosion overseas, is not over it completely. He has recently married Manu (Rituparna Sengupta), who is a caring and understanding wife.
On a trip to a monastery in Sikkim, he sees Savitri, now a monk, and his life is in tatters once again. He tries to come to terms with this mystery and the deep ripples in his mind, as do Savitri and Manu.
The answers, are neither convenient nor easy for anyone to grapple with, as guilt, anger and frustration threaten to rip apart three lives that had reached an equilibrium.
Palekar is not just a veteran actor, but a director of sensitivity and repute who had made some good films. Yet, nowhere in the film is his usual mastery of camera, tension or emotions visible.
Besides the stilted script, the emotions of characters are also one dimensional, and writer Sandhya Gokhale fails in blending the beautiful landscape of Sikkim with the possibilities that were rife in the story.
The dialogues are often pretentious, bordering on outright juvenile, especially in the beginning. The actors do their bit in what is possible in such a script.
A film like this one, made for a very niche audience, should not take the convenient route of tying every loose end in a 'perfect' ending. That's the job of commercial cinema. A film about loss, like this one, succeeds only when it leaves the audience with a sense of loss and longing.
Instead, "And Once Again" aims for catharsis with some melodramatic scenes and a convenient ending, rather than the truth, and in that lies the biggest flaw of this film.
Bollywood Movie Lafangey Parindey
Director: Pradeep Sarkar
Rating: ***
Pradeep Sarkar after delivering a critical and box office success with his debut feature Parineeta had faltered in his next one, Laga Chunari Mein Daag but with Lafangey Parindey he has managed to get back in form and has succeeded in giving masala entertainer.
The only thing that goes against it are the predictable plot points and the slow pace.
But despite its few flaws LP is still worth a watch for its unusual lead pair Neil and Deepika and good direction aided by nice music.
Nandan Kamthekar aka One Shot Nandu (Neil) works for Usmaan bhai (Piyush Mishra) as a fighter for his betting games. In the Tilakwadi basti that he lives in Mumbai, also stays Pinky Palkar (Deepika) an ace skating dancer who aspires to win a TV reality show contest and break out of the lower middle class life.
A botched up job for Usmaan bhai along with his mentor Anna (Kay Kay Menon) leads to a big mess for Nandu. Pinky’s life changes over night too as all her dreams get crashed with her accident that leaves her blind.
Circumstances lead to Nandu helping out Pinky and teaming with her to participate in the talent hunt show which she always dreamt of winning. How it changes all equations for Nandu and the people connected to him forms the rest of the plot!
Pradeep Sarkar should be commended for opting for a completely different genre to the female oriented subjects he has been adept at.
However, Sarkar has ensured his female lead’s character is pretty strong enough. The Mumbai chawl setting appears authentic and so do the characters inhabiting it. The action and skate dance sequences have been imaginatively shot.
The songs too don't act as speed breakers. The only major flaw of the enterprise is the sense of déjà vu one gets of films like Jeetendra – Hema Malini starrer Kinara and Aamir Khan’s Ghulam.
But then that is a minor flaw, as the screenplay is infused with plenty of good moments that need to be experienced on screen.
Neil Nitin Mukesh convincingly adapts himself as a Mumbai tapori despite his suave persona befitting a rich dude. Deepika Padukone is only getting better with each film and with this one she treads successfully on a difficult character graph. She is effortless in her blind girl act and very good in emotional scenes.
Piyush Mishra as the bad ass don is super cool in his act and is fun to watch mouth some really acidic lines laced with humour. Kay Kay Menon in a short but significant part is effective.
All the actors playing Neil’s friends are very good. Manish Choudhary (last seen in Rocket Singh) playing a Police investigating officer delivers a fine act too. The two kids of Tilakwadi are hilarious to watch, especially Ameya Pandya in his tapori kid act.
R.Anandh’s music is fresh with Man Lafanga and Dhatad Dhatad being the pick of the lot. N. Natarajan Subramaniam’s cinematography is good and captures the dark night Mumbai sequences well. Editing by Sanjib Dutta however could have been better as the film drops pace in regular intervals. Bosco Caesar’s choreography is innovative.
Do give Lafangey Parindey a chance. It is definitely not a waste of time. Its characters succeed in endearing themselves to you. It may not be an ace but its still a quality product from Yash Raj Fims and marks the return to form of Pradeep Sarkar.
Bollywood Movie Hello Darling
Director: Manish Tiwari
Rating: *1/2
A blatant copy of Hollywood film of the 80s, Nine To Five, Hello Darling is for those who enjoyed comedies like Kya Kool Hain Hum and Apna Sapna Money Money.
Sat (Eesha) comes to Mumbai for a job from Haryana. She joins a fashion house headed by Harddick Vasu (Javed Jaffrey), a lecherous boss who leaves no chance in sexually harassing his employees. Though married to a devoted wife Purvi (Divya Dutta) Vasu is philandering and harassing his female employees.
Also, working in his office are Candy (Celina) as his personal secretary and Manasi (Gul Panag) as a senior manager. They two are fed up of his constant passes. Sat joins Manasi and Candy to teach him a lesson.
Circumstances lead to Manasi accidentally pouring rat kill powder instead of coffee meant for Vasu. Vasu collapses but it is because of his chair falling down. But the three ladies mistook him for dead and the chaos that follows leads them to stealing a wrong dead body from the hospital thinking its Vasu's.
Meanwhile Vasu captures this all on his mobile video camera and blackmails them into spending a week with him at a hill station. The three ladies have no option but to say yes to him but with a condition that he will spend the seven days in Manasi's house instead.
What plan do the three ladies have in store for Vasu and what all it leads to forms the rest of the film.
The film is full of double intender jokes and one-liners that amuse you at times but don't really entertain. While the first half is quiet pacy and hilarious at places, the pace drops considerably after Vasu's visit to Manasi's house.
Nothing much happens in the second half and it simply drags. The climax too is unnecessarily stretched and the entry of Sunny Deol (in a cameo) doesn't add much.
One wonders why his voice appears dubbed by a mimicry artist. The whole section of Chunky Pandey being mistaken as Divya Dutta's hubby and kidnapped by Seema Biswas's hench men is howlarious at first but then gets repetitive.
While Javed Jaffrey enacts his part well he doesn't appear lecherous from any angle. He however gets his comic timing perfect. Gul Panag, Eesha and Celina all three have managed to do their job well.
Eesha especially displays a better comic timing than the rest two. Chunky Pandey as Celina's unfortunate boy friend in a desi Elvis avatar is first rate. Divya Dutta is endearing.
Music by Pritam is nothing worth to rave about and the only passable song being the redoux version of yesteryears super hit track Aa Jaane Jaa.
Hello Darling seems to be aimed completely at the front benchers. Watch it if you like corny humour.
Ranbir drenched Priyanka with cold drinks
In reality, they kept on arguing and playing pranks on each other. However, the funny part started when the shooting commenced. Ranbir got so carried away with the scene that he took a complete carton and poured it completely on Priyanka. It is said that her clothes were drenched and her make-up was ruined. The shoot had to be called off for three hours. She had to get her make up on again and change clothes.
Rahul didn’t give Priyanka a date
Even as Priyanka Chopra unveiled the candidates of her TV show Khatron Ke Khiladi 3, just ten out of thirteen made it to the event. While one was kept a top secret the other two – Rahul Bose and Terence Lewis didn’t give dates to the actress!Interestingly Terence had a valid argument of being busy with work, But Rahul Bose seems to be more interested in spending some time alone than making it to press conference.
Around the time Priyanka was revealing the contestants, Rahul Bose was busy trekking somewhere in the hills of North India upward of Delhi. He in fact flew to Delhi the same morning as at the press conference rather than waiting to get done with the press conference. Maybe the stylish Bose is training himself for the show up in the hills!
Sussanne Roshan makes Gauri Khan and Twinkle Khanna patch up
At Rock On!! director Abhishek Kapoor's birthday (August 6) party last week, Sussanne (Hrithik) Roshan played peacemaker between star wives Gauri and Twinkle.
Says an eyewitness at Abhishek aka Gattu's party, "Twinkle was sitting in a corner with a group of friends that included Bobby Deol's wife Tanya. Suzy (as her friends call her) and Gauri were on the dance floor."
Girl gang
Mrs Roshan has become part of Mrs Khan's girl gang in the last one year and their husbands too have become friends. Meanwhile, the friction between King Khan and Khiladi Kumar is legendary. The line between friends, filmmakers and cliques are clearly marked and the line is never crossed. Enter do-gooder Sussanne.
When Mrs Roshan, who has been friends with Twinkle for years spotted her across the room, she rushed to greet her and drag her to meet SRK's biwi. Though Gauri and Tina are both close to industrialist Sunny Dewan's wife Anu, they've maintained an icy distance from each other.
The source adds, "However Sussanne wants her two fav gal pals to bond and decided to do her bit to make this possible. Initially, there was an awkward silence between Mrs K and Mrs K, but by the end of the evening, they were chatting warmly."
Not best of pals
Much later, Akki's biwi joined her friends and then exited the party. Gauri remained behind with Bhavna (Chunky) Pandey and left for home at 4 am. But this doesn't mean T and G are the new BFFs in town.
An insider explains, "The rivalry between their husbands will ensure that never happens. Also fashion mags often compare them to each other, so there is some weird competition going on between them.
But as long as they can manage to be cordial with each other, it will make common friends happy so they don't have to choose and prove their loyalty."
Other guests at the party included Dino Morea-Nandita Mahtani and Arjun Rampal-Mehr Jessia.
Bollywood couple hot Malaika, Sallu's hot moves
Even when I was acting I thought of taking up production in future. It was not a cakewalk when I decided to take up production. But I am grateful to Salman and other family members who supported me in pursuing my dream,” said the confident Arbaaz.
So what made you choose Salman over other actors? “It is a home production, so Salman had to be a part of it. He is a strong and versatile actor, he has experience and has been in the industry for a longer period than I have been. I was sure he wouldn’t deny acting in my film,” he said.
So it must be fun with bhai-bonding on the sets, no? “Salman is very professional... he would come to the set and give his best shot... wahan bhai giri nahi chalti thi,” he said. What was the challenge while filming “Dabangg”?
“It was a big challenge to cast Salman with debutante actress Sonakshi Sinha. But Sonakshi deserves a pat on her back; she was very confident during the shooting of the film and didn’t look like a newcomer,” he said.
In the film Malaika has given a hot item number with Salman, and Arbaaz has loved her moves. “Malaika is hot, sexy and confident and she fits into the role in the item song. There was no other option. It is not for the first time that she is dancing on an item song. In fact, she didn’t even hesitate in dancing with Salman on that number,” he said.
And it was not just Arbaaz’s moment... even Malaika is proud of hubby Arbaaz’s new role – Producer, “I’m very proud of him. I’m glad that I got an an opportunity to dance on an item number in the film. After all, it is our home production. It was good to see that everybody from the family be it Salman bhai or Sohail bhai, my husband or me was involved in this new project,” she said.
Did you hesitate while dancing on an item number with Salman? “Why should there be any reason. My husband’s family is very broad minded. The bonding in our family is very beautiful be it brother, sister or bhabhis,” she said.
With everyone, right from Salman to Sohail being discussed, how could the couple’s son – Arhaan stay away from the candid conversation! “If I’m at home I spend most of my time playing cricket with my son. You have to check him out, he is just 7 years old and is as good as a professional cricketer. He is a gyani guru of cricket. He teaches me what is off spin, googly etc. For a change, I enjoy talking about cricket with him and not movies. I’m sure he will become a cricketer,” he said.
“I shall make him join a cricket academy and enroll him for training,” he said. Follow us on Twitter for more stories Any more production plans for future? “I’m taking it very slow and easy. I want things to happen on their own. Even “Dabangg” was not planned, it just happened, so let’s see,” he said.
Deepika Padukone To Erased Ranbir Kapoor Tattoo
Deepika was asked several times about this tattoo in various interviews during promotional events of “Lafangey Parindey” but she avoids such questions. In one such interview when she was asked about her love for Ranbir embossed in the form of tattoo on her neck then she very smartly said that he can just appreciate the tattoo inked on her skin but could ask its whereabouts.
Deepika even shot for “Lafangey Parindey”, “Khele Hum Jee Jaan se” and walked the ramp at IIJW with same tattoo. She never showed her eagerness to remove it. But now when the discussion on her tattoo has been given enormous hype she has decided to wash it away from her skin. It is said that she is going to take laser treatment for removing the tattoo. Deepika is one such actress who never went for any kind of surgery to shape up her face unlike other actresses. That is why she turned down the idea of undergoing plastic surgery for this. But ultimately she wants to clear her skin.
Deepika is really fond of inking tattoos on her skin. She got this much talked RK tattoo embossed on her skin when her love was in air and its peak. She admits that she was committed and devoted to her relationship but straying habits of Ranbir brings their relationship to a bitter end. She feels good that her inner self has saved herself from being broken. And now she is delighted to be in happy space with her new love interest Sidhartha Mallya. So she thought it best to remove the sign of her last love affair to put a full stop on every gossip cropping up every now and then.
Half Czech and half Pakistani Nargis Fakhri is Ranbir Kapoor's latest girl
Ranbir Kapoor's latest girl (read: co-star) Nargis Fakhri is half Czech and half Pakistani. The duo feature in Imtiaz Ali's Rockstar and are currently shooting in Prague.
The under-wraps project has her essaying the role of a dancer. The American national is 5'9'' and featured in the 2009 Kingfisher calendar. Imtiaz made her go through a series of auditions before he picked her for the role.
Born and raised in New York, Nargis narrowly missed her chance of making it to the Top Model house during Cycle 3. She messed up her words when introducing herself to the panel for the first time.
She later expressed that she had no interest in fashion or modelling, just looked at modelling as simply a job and a way to make a living.
Her upbeat attitude during auditions got her noticed as she was signed by a modelling agency and went on to appear in several TV commercials and mag covers till Imtiaz spotted her for Rockstar. Her mom would have preferred that she made a career in the fine arts, though.
Salman no longer figures in my life: Katrina
When the question was posed to her at a media event, she initially seemed agitated when asked about her relationship status, but later relented when television crews threatened to walk out.
She was at an event where she was named as the international brand ambassador of a UAE airline. Guess after having said it all, she could take a flight immediately and leave town before Sallu had the time to react.
Here's what she quipped...
"I am single. But beyond that, I don't think I need to give too much of details."
"Sometimes it's hard enough to take decisions professional sometimes but mostly personal and whatever the decision, it's very difficult to take them and if you have to make them in front of everybody, I think that's a little bit more than what I can handle.
That's why for six years, I have never commented who I am with... if I had a break-up or if there is an argument."
"If you commit to something, you must stand by. But if you commit to something and the situation changes, then perhaps the commitment also changes."
Katrina Kaif: Hot And Cry Babe
When Kat, the normally smiling gal, refused to say much, one of them asked her about her side of the story as Salman Khan had announced publicly that he had broken off with Katrina Kaif! Katrina Kaif, who was a little shaken, said that since Salman had said that they had broken off, even she was single right now. After which, she went to her room and sobbed away to no ones business!
As news about a very upset Kat got around, a friend and close associate of hers clarified that Katrina was just upset that Salman had not kept his word about their break-up being kept a secret. The buzz is that Katrina and Salman had parted like friends, and Kat had made Salman promise that this would be kept a secret.
However, Salman had not kept his word; he simply had broken Katrina’s heart! This was too much for the soft hearted Katrina to handle, and she broke down, her tears just wouldn’t stop flowing down! Now, who would’ve thought that Katrina Kaif would turn from a hot babe to a cry Baby so soon? Well, atleast we now know that Kat is real and has true emotions too!
Vidya Balan Announced On Next Movie With Sajoy Ghosh
As for the lead role, Sujoy Ghosh has already signed Vidya Balan. As the film is a woman oriented subject, “Sujoy was keen to have an actress who would do justice to the role and hence he chose Vidya Balan for the lead,” says our source.
The film is based in Kolkata and is expected to go on floors in Ocotber this year. Ghosh’s entire pre-production team is in Kolkata preparing for the film. However, everyone is very tightlipped about the entire project. “Sujoy has always been very hush hush about his movies. He does not like to talk about the film till he is completely satisfied with the shoot,” said the source.
Kareena Kapoor Is Big Name Of Bollywood
The movie netted a tidy Rs27 million (Dh2.13m) on its opening day in India, but the film’s corresponding five-day receipts have dropped drastically according to industry reports.
Yet, the young actress remains unfazed by anything the media or the critics throw at her. After all, in a career spanning 10 years, Kapoor has heard it all.
Katrina Kaif Unique Role In The Movie Of Dabangg
However, Katrina Kaif's absence raised the eyebrows of many, as speculations of their split have been rife of late.Special screening of Dabangg was held for its unit, and Katrina was also invited. However, the actress could not make it, as she was busy shooting with Akshay Kumar for Farah Khan's Tees Maar Khan at Film City. Produced by Arbaaz Khan and directed by Abhinav Kashyap, Dabangg features Salman and Sonakshi Sinha in the lead roles. It is scheduled for release this Friday, September 10.
Deepika Padukone Scandal With Siddhartha
It maybe recalled that IPL brought Siddhartha and Deepika together. They were spotted enjoying each other’s company while cheering for Bangalore Royal Challengers. They also attended the birthday bash of Salman Khan's siblings Arpita and Arbaaz Khan and the special screening of Aamir Khan's production Peepli Live together. And recently, Siddhartha cheered for Deepika at the India International Jewellery Week (IIJW) in Mumbai. It was also reported that he had booked the tickets of Lafangey Parindey for his entire staff so that they could watch his alleged girlfriend on the big screen.
Lara Dutta Modeling For Magzine Of Hi B L I T Z
In this issue, Lara speaks about her life films and also about the 'much-anticipated' fitness video, about which she clears the air saying, "I would not refer it as a fitness video. What I am doing is a lifestyle product that has a well rounded holistic approach and does not only deal with weight loss or an exercise regime, but also restores and brings the mind and body into balance."Lara seems to have some big plans for her fans.
Asin Khan Talk About Boney Kapoor's Film
Boney echoed the same saying: "We are working on scripts of ‘Be Positive’ (the sequel of ‘No Entry’) and ‘Mr. India 2’, I am not someone who will approach actors with incomplete scripts. Let the script get completed first, then I will announce the star cast."A report said that Asin turned down an offer from Boney citing date problems and her "no" apparently surprised Sridevi who is the young actress' neighbour in Mumbai
Asin Khan Refuse Project Of Boney Kapoor
Asin Khan Refuse Project Of Boney Kapoor: She is reported as one of the closest friend of Sridevi as they stay in the same building and bonded really well. But rumour has it that Asin has said no to Boney Kapoor’s film offer.
Asin says all the news is rubbish, “ I don’t know from where this reports have come? How can the media print something that's not factual and expect us to reply to it?
I am good friend of Sridevi ji, she is like my mentor, I respect her a lot. I was in Chennai when this news spread that I refused Boneyji’s offer, that’s just impossible,” says Asin.
Boney Kapoor whose film Milenge Milenge released after a lot of nakhras by the stars of the film and now he is working on Mr.India-2 and No Entry sequel, “ We are working on Be Positive which is the sequel of No Entry and also on Mr.India sequel. But we are now working on the script. We have not yet finalized who we will cast,” says Boney Kapoor.
Three Bollywood Top Star Togather: Akshay, Salman Khan & Katrina Kaif
Well the audience will definitely go wild with frenzy when the deadly combo of the lovely Katrina with her beau Salman (yes they are together... baki sab rumours) and her lucky charm Akshay will sizzle the screen by their presence.
Wah kya baat hai Farah ki ‘Tees Mar Khan’ is getting hotter day by day. Sure there will be more surprises to come right Farah…
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