The term 'Thriller', as per the filmy dictionary means the license to entertain with some racy pulsating edge of the seat drama! Well, Bollywood has seen many of these in the recent months gone by. Of these, some hit the Bull's Eye, whereas many others bit the dust!
With another thriller, Race, which opened last week, Bollywood Hungama thrillingly brings you the list of five recent thrillers which completely failed to thrill the audiences and turned out to be big horrors for the producers and distributors.
Aggar: Anyone who was expecting a power packed performance from the actors and thrilling story telling from the director was in for a disappointment. Well, its high time that thriller makers get rid of the two words 'betrayal' and 'obsession' which marks the introduction of every romantic-thriller that hits the silver screen. Aggar revolves around Shreyas Talpade who conspires to kill his wife played by Udita Goswami while using Tusshar as his guinea pig. But since good has to prevail over bad Shreyas' plan backfires. The lopsided star cast only goes ahead to distort the script even more⦠It's a wonder how the audiences managed to sit through the movie.
Cash: Oodles of oomph-matic style sans any substantial substance aptly describes Anubhav Sinha's thriller flick Cash in totality. Cash joins the bandwagon of the Indian films which are well-known for their abysmal quality. Cash failed to cash in on its pre-release hype at the B-O. The music probably was the only saving grace for this multi-starrer. The film is about a mad race behind diamonds between Ajay Devgan and his gang (Riteish Deshmukh, Zayed Khan, Esha Deol, and Dia Mirza) and the underworld don Sunil Shetty. The idiotic angle is that, till the end Shamita Shetty who claims to be a top security officer never realizes that Ajay is the mastermind behind all the thefts. His pretentious writer-profession manages to keep her in wraps. Some officer she is...wonder if she was given any training before taking on such a role. Won't be too shocked if the Crime Branch sues the filmmaker for portraying them as so dumb. As for the end, if you happen to watch it then fill us in on the details.
Naqaab: Now, this one was apparently a much-awaited film considering the super success of Humraaz in 2002. Unfortunately, the love triangle with a twist failed to recreate the magic. An emotional tale of a middle class girl, Urvashi Sharma, who is confused between the love of a millionaire, (always Bobby Deol) or an aspiring actor Akshaye Khanna (note the similarity with Humraaz). But while walking the aisle, Urvashi realizes her love for Akshaye (perfect timing) and runs to him leading to Bobby's suicide. Little did she know that Akshaye's love for her happens to be a contract made by Bobby with a 'veiled identity'. Apparently, Bobby was making a romantic film on Urvashi and Akshaye and had only used herâ¦For crying out loud, didn't the filmmaker have a better idea to remove the 'Naqaab' of the culprit? Well, the film climaxes with the murder of Bobby Deol. One can only wonder as to why the script was even being attempted in the first place!
Speed: The faster it came the faster it disappeared. Inspite of being a complete rip off the Hollywood film, Cellular it had a terrible fate at the B-O. Well, Speed not only lacked flow it also lacked the pace, so much for the title. Sanjay Suri, an undercover MI 5 agent, is compelled by Sophie and Aftab to murder the Prime Minister at the bargain to get his wife (played by Urmila) back. Zayed accidentally happens to get a call from Urmila and tries to rescue her. Aashish Chowdhury on the other hand is a corrupt a security officer who in charge of the Prime Minister's security. With so many characters in the film, the viewer only gets confused as to who is the good guy and the bad guy here. And what connection does the title have with the film anyway.
The Train: And last but not the least, The Train. Why do Bollywood filmmakers replicate Hollywood flicks? Here's sighting one more example. The Train, is a copy of the Jennifer Aniston starrer, Derailed, with a Bollywood 'tadka'. Inspite of oozing with sex and skin show, the film managed to get beaten up at the B-O. Guess the audiences are no longer falling for Emraan Hashmi's 'Killer-Kisser' instincts anymore. Emraan Hashmi and Sayali Bhagat's already disturbed married life goes through turmoil when he begins to have an affair with Geeta Basra. Well, it's not always the wife who catches you cheating on her, like in this case Emraan and Geeta's intimate moments are intruded by a crook, who then rapes her and blackmails him. Post this; the film goes for a toss. After paying the blackmailer a ransom, Emraan decides to tell his wife the truth. The final climax is something that you should watch yourself to have a nice laugh. This is one 'Train' that the audiences were happy to miss. Source: Indiafm.com Features | 25 Mar 2008 | 2:19 pm
Coca-Cola India recently announced torchbearers for the Olympic Torch Relay and present among them was Aamir Khan.
The six torchbearers were from diverse fields like Cinema, Government, Corporate house, NGO, Science and grassroots. The criteria of selection involved short listing luminaries, who besides having excelled in their respective fields should have also demonstrated commitment to the cause of environment stewardship and Aamir was asked to represent Cinema.
Aamir who is also Coca-Cola's brand ambassador said, âI am delighted to be a part of the Olympic Torch Relay. This truly is a rare privilege and an absolute honor. What makes this feeling even more special is that it has given me the opportunity to be associated with the world's greatest sporting event and at the same time also raise awareness to the cause of the environment. On behalf of Coca-Cola, I am delighted to announce the roll out of the company's latest environment awareness initiative. The countrywide program includes organizing painting competitions in schools on the theme âThe Need To Protect Environmentâ. The initiative would involve thousands of students across India.â
All the selected environmental champions would run with the Olympic Torch as part of the worldwide Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay. In the month of March 2008, the Olympic Torch Relay began its round-the-world tour that includes one-day relay in Delhi. This would be the largest Relay in the history of the Olympic Games, covering approximately 137,000 kilometers (85,128 miles) over a span of 130 days and traveling to all five continents represented by the Olympic Rings. Source: Indiafm.com Features | 25 Mar 2008 | 1:12 pm
Internationally acclaimed film director, Shekhar Kapur, joined CNN's Anjali Rao for a special edition of Talk Asia aired on Sunday, March 23rd at 1930 hrs IST.
Shekhar started out his professional life as an accountant, these days of course he's better known as India's most successful and internationally renowned filmmaker. In this interview, he talks about his venture into Hollywood, his films Elizabeth, Elizabeth - The Golden Age, Four Feathers.
Shekhar, you've achieved great success here in India and also all over the world. Let's first though talk about your most acclaimed work to date which is the first Elizabeth film. When you were asked to direct that you certainly didn't have any experience at a grand scale production yet this British production house decided that you were the man to lead it. How on earth does something like that come about?
After Bandit Queen, I was known as the new Peckinpah, so everything that was coming my way was like an action film. And I thought maybe I'll do something different. And when they offered this film to me, I kind of instinctively said yes and then I panicked and so I called the producer and said, âListen, there's one genre that I absolutely hate and that's what they call the 'costume drama'. The British period drama, I hate it.â So the producer said, âSo do I.â So that didn't work. Then I called the producer the next day and I said, âYou know what, I've seen a lot of British films in the last ten years and I haven't really liked any film. Except, Trainspotting. And he said, bang on, love Trainspotting. So, we called Elizabeth the Trainspotting version of British costume drama. And so that's how we attacked it.
I've seen a lot of British films in the last ten years and I haven't really liked any film. Except, Trainspotting
You bring a lot of Bollywood touches as well to your productions, of course dance sequences and lavish sets and amazing vibrant costumes. What's the appeal for you of injecting your own philosophies, your own beliefs and your own 'Asianess' into such a quintessentially British film?
Well, to me a film, any film you see, because I'm Asian, it's not so much Bollywood, it's an Eastern concept of storytelling. We're a very mythic people. And the West calls us melodramatic. I don't call it melodramatic. It's our mythology. Therefore, for me a film works on the psychological level, the plot level, the political level, and the mythic level. And its really important at one point, otherwise we make films that you think is only about people, but it's about people rolling towards their destiny. So, fate and destiny are really important part of Eastern storytelling.
Elizabeth: The Golden Age, which was the follow up to Elizabeth, unfortunately that didn't do as well as the first film. It did get two Oscar nominations and won for Best Costume. Were you disappointed with the way it was received though?
I think there was something I was trying to do in Elizabeth that the critics didn't quite get. And that was the mythic, the idea of the battle between mortality and immortality. And it all went back from the fact that when I really looked at the Armada, the Armada was only won by a freak storm. So then I started to weave inâ¦it's almost like a Shakespearean film in which God sent the storm down to separate the unjust from the just. And I think that kind of escaped from people and they looked upon the film as hang on, where's Drake? Didn't Drake win the battle? Wasn't he balding when he was⦠Where's that? Where in history? So one of the things that happened, that people went to look at history and they got mythology. That's slightly something that went wrong with the film.
It's almost like a Shakespearean film in which God sent the storm down to separate the unjust from the just.
Four Feathers didn't do anywhere near as well. What went wrong do you think?
Uhm, I think what went wrong were two things. I think the film was conceived before 9/11 and released, and made just after 9/11. And that seriously affected the politics of the film. So, while Four Feathers was an incredibly pro-colonial book, one of the reasons I wanted to do the film was to take that and make an incredibly anti-colonial story. Before 9/11, everybody who saw the rushes of the film said, âWhy are you making Heath Ledger look like Jesus Christ?â After 9/11, there was, I forget the name of this American person who was fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan (Rao: John Walker Lindh) Yes, I was accused of deliberately making Heath look like that. There was a mistrust of foreigners. I watched the film in the US, when the battle started and the English were winning, the hall was cheering. And as the Arab started to win, they were booing. There was some kind of dissonance⦠Now, given that, I think that there was a scripting problem, I mean it wasn't a perfect film. And there was a little tension between me and the writer, all those kinds of politics of the film. But, I think it was Heath Ledger's best performance till date. Basically, you know, it works on some levels, on some levels it didn't. But I'm sad about that film, I'm sad because Heath Ledger is no more.
Shekhar you were the last person to speak to him (Heath Ledger) and there is still such an air of mystery surrounding the circumstances of his death. Can you tell us what was said in that conversation?
Nothing. I was in New York. We were talking about another film, and I called him and I said let's meet tonight. I'd just arrived and he said âI can't meet tonight, let's meet tomorrowâ and he said âcall me really earlyâ and I said, âNo I won't call you early, just sleep it off and I'll meet you laterâ. I was like a brother to him. I used to have that relationship and his last words for me were, âNo call me, call me and wake me up, as early as you want.â But I didn't.
Somebody who said that he was depressed around that time. Did you detect anything during that conversation as to the state of his mind?
We used to talk often. He went through a separation with his wife Michelle. He was very concerned about his daughter Matilda. And I had also gone through a divorce recently and he would constantly come to me and ask, âWhat's your experience?â We used to talk about it all the time. But Heath was one of the most optimistic people I ever knew. He was always on to something; he was always looking forward for tomorrow. I just wish I had insisted on seeing him that evening. If I had said, âNo, just come and see me,â he would have. But that's destiny, its fate.
I had also gone through a divorce recently and Heath would constantly come to me and ask, âWhat's your experience?â
Shekhar, Bandit Queen was an extremely daring move on your part. You must have known of the censorship that you'd face here in India, and also the controversy, particularly the gang rape scene, would spark. Talk to us about your recollections of filming that movie that made the world sit up and take notice of you.
Well, the best thing about that film was that I was under no commercial pressure. Channel 4 television gave me the money to make a documentary and I said, could I make a feature, and they said yeah, well if you could make it in the same budget. And they would recover it all in one showing. So, there was no pressure in making that film. It's probably my most instinctive film. It's my most 'real' film in that sense. The gang rape scene⦠you know Bandit Queen for me was an exploration of my own sense, false sense of masculinity. So, a large part of the provocativeness of Bandit Queen was me offloading my own guilt onto the audiences. And I remember, when I was shooting that scene, my DOP stood by me, coz I would keep throwing up. I would keep telling my DOP that I didn't want to shoot it. Because it's all cut up in little bits, my whole crew was wondering what's going wrong? But I could see the whole scene of the gang rape and when put togetherâ¦because you didn't see anything except door opening and closing and opening and closing. But because it was creating that imaginative sense in the audience's mind, it was⦠I know in people, peopleâ¦audiences were throwing up, women were screaming in the theatre telling them to stop the movie. And I would come out of the theatre and people would grab me by the neck and say, âWhat happened to you? You used to make beautiful films like Masoom, why are you doing this to us?â Men and women would come out fighting with each other. You know, it caused that kind of thing. For me, if there was one film that was closest to me where I explored myself completely, that was Bandit Queen.
I remember, when I was shooting the gang rape scene, my DOP stood by me, cause I would keep throwing up. I would keep telling my DOP that I didn't want to shoot it.
How though do you go about drawing the line between painting a sympathetic portrayal of her and making sure you don't cross the line into glamorizing the fact that, you know, no matter how badly she was violated she was a mass murderer?
Couple of things. No film is about the individual. Not for me. I've given up enough films because the films were about the individual. They're about the society that time. And one massive thing if you see Bandit Queen again is that everybody in the film is a product of the system. It's a system that creates it. So the murder happened because of what happened to her. It's not about glamorization of the individual. It's a condemnation of the system because at that time, millions of women, low caste women, are still being raped in India. And that system is getting better, but it hasn't gone away yet. So it's not about that at all, it's about the system.
One of your early directorial forays was in the sci-fi film Mr. India. Let's just take a quick look at that.
You see, people are still enjoying it. I am just amazed at what this film did. I just made it for a lark. It was just like a fun film to make. Somebody came to me and said this and I said, okay let's go and have some fun and let's see if the kids really enjoy it, and it's justâ¦it's become one of those seminal films that nobody seems to forget. On my website, some people talk about Bandit Queen and Elizabeth, but all talk about Mr. India. And I go to the US, you know every hedge fund is led by an Indian, and say, âOh you're the director of Mr. India. We grew up on it.â And I said, yeah, yeah sure. It is stunning to me how that film has survived, and I think it's part of the joy of making that film. We just had so much fun. It was mad!
On my website, some people talk about Bandit Queen and Elizabeth, but all talk about Mr. India.
Your relatives wanted you to stay far away from show business so eventually you became a chartered accountant. But how do you go from being counting to this?
Well, how do you get from being a rebellious kid to accountancy in the first place? No⦠well. Remember India now is the center of the world, almost. At that time, it was on the periphery of the farthest galaxy. We were not allowed to go out more than twice a year. If you wanted to go out more than once every two years, you had to take permission from the government. And the only amount of money you could take out was 20 dollars. So we felt in a way imprisoned in our own country. The center of the universe was London. Right? So it was a deal, my father said you could go to London if you become an accountant. Yeah of course. I mean, accountancy didn't even come to my mind. It was going to London. It's where all the music came from, it's where the Beatles came from. It's where the Rolling Stones were. So I went to London, you know. Free sex. Right?
Shekhar, we just saw you in Dharavi, which is one of the biggest slums in the world, which is going to be the location for your next movie, Paani. Why is this, such an important story for you to tell? You've wanted to do it for such a long time.
I mean water is the biggest issue internationally. Most of the wars in the world are now being fought over water. Water is gonna be the new oil. It's happening everywhere. Cities are running out of water everywhere, and when concentrated bodies of 20 million people run out of water, there's going to be an immediate war.
Most of the wars in the world are now being fought over water. Water is gonna be the new oil.
You've compared this film to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in terms of how much money you expect it to take at the box office. Crouching Tiger took US$128 million in the US alone. That's a pretty tall order for Paani don't you think?
I've got to get the funding for that. It's a musical, it's in English and Hindi and it's going to be pretty big. It's time the largest filmmaking country in the world made a film that world over becomes a major international commercial success. And the only reason we've not been able to do it is because we've not come up with a story that everybody says, 'yeah that's a story we want to hear'. So in the context of an entertainer, in the context of a mythical film, in the context of a love story, in the context of a family story, is told a story that everybody in the world is talking about. A story about the making of a MegapolisÂa mega city Âand the running out of water and what's going to happen?
So, acting, directing, modeling, movies, musicals, you've done all of that, scuba diving and accountancy. But now you've set up Gotham Studios with among others like Deepak Chopra and Richard Branson. What's the allure of comics for you?
I just was obsessed with comic books as a kid and I think part of that is now showing in my films. My films have a slight comic-book quality and that comic-book quality is the dependence on the image to tell the story, not the dialogue. In fact, if you see the films that I personally like, if you see Elizabeth and Masoom, which are actually co-written by me, you'll find very little dialogue. It's just going with the image. So I've always been a fan of comic books, and when we set this up, I went out to write the first comic book, I wrote Devi and it became a huge success. Then I wrote Snakewoman, so the idea was to draw characters from Indian and Eastern mythology, internationalize them, tell international stories, and that we did, co-wrote with some writers. We also created Ramayana in the future. It was such fun and they're suddenly succeeding. I was reading reviews that Devi is the next Lord of the Rings. And I thought, 'Yes! I don't actually have to spend three years writing a book.'
You've taken on this sort of a role for yourself as a bit of an Asian film âcrusaderâ. How well do you think that Asian pictures realistically can do elsewhere, especially given the diversity of cultures in all of the various markets that they'd be catering to?
Well, in India we're so used to that. We make films for Bengalis, who have nothing to do with Punjabis and for Tamilians whose language we can't speak or understand and never will. And for Telugus who we don't understand and for Assamese who think they're a different country anyway. And you know, so we make films that actually run everywhere. So one thing we're used to is to make films of diversity. The other thing is the world is changing. We're into what I call 'the influence of economy'. I bet you, in a few years, we'll still make Spiderman 6 or 7, right, it'll make a billion dollars in its first year, 700 million will come from Asia. And when Spiderman takes his mask off, he'll either be Chinese or Indian. And that's happening not only because consumption is rising, remember the cultures of India and China, in countries like that⦠we're suddenly getting confident. And we're expressing ourselves, we're getting richer. And now India and China are creating their own brands. And these brands, because of the new media, when 90% of the new Facebooks will be people from Asia. 80% of everything that goes onto You tube will be Asian. That'll change the world to what they make. And then you will be sitting here with an American director and say, how can you make American/Hollywood films international when Asian films are dominating the world? Right? Source: Indiafm.com Features | 25 Mar 2008 | 12:56 pm
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan is no longer in a mood to donate his 20 acres of land near Lonavala to people displaced by a dam. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 10:15 am
Neil Aspinall, a close friend and former road manager of The Beatles who was sometimes referred to as the fifth member of the band, died in New York of lung cancer, former band members said on Monday. He was 66. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 10:15 am
Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who is just back in Mumbai after four exhilarating performances of the opera `Padmavati` in Paris, says the experience of directing it was stimulating. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 10:15 am
Pamela Anderson has ended another brief marriage. The "Baywatch" star`s nuptials with Rick Salomon were officially annulled Monday, according to documents filed in Superior Court. The documents listed fraud as the reason for the annulment but did not include further details. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 10:15 am
Bangkok is beckoning Bollywood. Half the Indian film industry is currently stationed in the city for work - and not quite for sampling its glitzy nightlife and shopping malls. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 10:15 am
Contrary to rumours, Bollywood star Akshaye Khanna isn`t unhappy with his role in Abbas-Mustan`s just-released slick thriller `Race`. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 10:15 am
A California court on Monday denied an attorney`s bid to challenge an order that gave control of troubled pop star Britney Spears` personal and business affairs to her father, Jamie Spears. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 10:15 am
After Gopika, it is Karthika, another Mallu beauty who enters in to wedlock soon. According to Tamil film industry sources, the Nam Naadu heroine will marry an England based NRI Malayalee after a couple of months and the formal engagement was already done at the residence of the actress last ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 10:00 am
The gorgeous Shilpa Shetty is moving places as the actress now takes to production, and will begin a big budget action cum comedy flick under her production house, S2 Global Productions with some very popular international technical hands. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:57 am
After the bitter experience with his fist movie Peralagan under the banner AVM, Surya decided not to appear in any of the AVM movies thereafter. The production house also openly admits its misunderstandings with the actor a couple of years ago after the release of Peralagan. Both AVM and Surya ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:50 am
UTV's new project, Dhoondte Reh Jaoge, which took off on Sunday was suddenly hero-less â¦until Sonu Sood stepped in with gallant dexterity. Hua yun ke, Dhoondte Reh Jaoge ke liye the cast read Zayed Khan, Kunal Khemu, Paresh Rawal and Soha Ali Khan. But then Zayed begged off at the last minute. Apparently, UTV and Zayed couldn't agree on the price factor.
Instead of wasting time and negotiating with Zayed , UTV immediately got in touch with their new blue-eyed boy Sonu Sood asking for immediate dates. Sonu panicked because the dates were given over to the Rajshri's for Yeh Vivah Aisa Bhi. "But there was no way I was going to give up this chance," relates Sonu Sood as he gets ready to enact what he calls the role of a lifetime. "After Jodhaa Akbar, UTV has indeed taken me under their wings. I've done pretty embarrassing things in the past like Sheesha. Suddenly, I'm making the right moves. And Dhoondte Reh Jaoge is definitely right."
Like several recent films like Om Shanti Om, Halla Bol, Mithya and Superstar, Dhoondte Reh Jaoge is set in the film industry. "I play this superstar who's roped into a peculiar situation. I get to play 11 different characters. I don't know why Zayed opted out. But I'd have been foolish to not accommodate it into my schedule. I had to request the Rajshris to adjust. They obliged. I'm shooting some of Dhoondte Reh Jaoge now and the remaining part later."
The film also stars Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Khemu and Paresh Rawal. But Sonu Sood claims he has the main role by default, all thanks to Zayed. "The director Umesh Shukla and Pareshji had done a lot of theatre together. So they are a team. I'm looking forward to working with both of them because I haven't done anything like this. My son Ishaan is the happiest. After watching me ride horses and fight with swords, he'll get to see me doing 'Prem', a role patented by Salman Khan in Sooraj-ji's cinema, and then as a true-blue superstar in Dhoondte Reh Jaoge. I think I'm already a star for Ishaan." Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:43 am
Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty shot to fame after winning Celebrity Big Brothers early last year. She also hit the headlines for kissing Hollywood actor Richard Gere at an event. It was also rumoured that she would become the next Bond girl. However, nothing much happened to her career in Bollywood. Now, ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:43 am
Malaikallan, the film which created waves in Tamil Nadu in 1954 with late legend MGR and Bhanumathi in the lead is still in all movie lovers mind as fresh as a new one just because of the revolutionary storyline and MGR's impeccable, marvellous action show. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:39 am
The Indian entertainment and media industry will touch $27 billion by 2011 with at an annual growth rate of 16.7 percent - faster than its counterparts in Brazil, Russia and China, a new report said Thursday. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:33 am
Indian speed star Sreesanth had recently claimed that Bollywood actresses run after cricketers. However, hot and sexy actress Celina Jaitley has not taken it lightly. She said that cricketers are running after Bollywood heroines. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:32 am
With new FM stations mushrooming by the dozen in India, a study says radio advertising industry will gross Rs.18 billion ($450 million) by 2012 from the present Rs.6.2 billion ($155 million). Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:30 am
'Dhundte Reh Jaoge', United Television (UTV)'s new project, was without a hero till Sonu Sood stepped in. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:30 am
Superstar Rajinikanth's Shivaji, the Blockbuster of the year 2007, is now all set to hit theatres in Northern India. The reshooting and dubbing work of the film is over now and the producers are now negotiating with their Mumbai and upcountry counterparts to release the movie in big way. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:26 am
It seemed as if the Race premiere was more of an attire competition, each celebrity competing the other. And who else but us, the masses would get a chance to judge the best. Here is a short take on a few celebs who succeeded in attracting our cameras and obviously the ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:19 am
Darsheel Safary made all of us cry with his performance in Taare Zameen Par. Now it seems the young actor has finally understood his worth. Darsheel has been flooded with endorsement offer ever since his success and has even endorsed for a leading computer brand. The young actor has even ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:17 am
Madhur Bhandarkar has given many female actors a different image in his films. Tabu [Chandni Bar], Raveena Tandon [Satta], Konkona Sen [Page 3], Bipasha Basu [Corporate] and Neetu Chandra [Traffic Signal] are living examples to prove that. Now he comes along with none other than Sonali Bendre whose last big ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Mar 2008 | 9:14 am
Tanzania is hoping to attract India's mammoth film industry to its vast green spaces and beaches, even as it is fast becoming a key gateway to the African continent for business enterprises. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Mar 2008 | 7:38 am
Indian entertainment and media (E and amp;M) industry is poised to grow at an annual rate of 16.7 percent by 2011, faster than its counterparts in Brazil, Russia and China, according to a report. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Mar 2008 | 7:36 am
Vipul Shah has decided against casting any established actress opposite the two major stars of his new film LONDON DREAMS -- Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan. Initially, there was talk that Vipul was casting Katrina Kaif, but the rumor mills now point towards Kareena Kapoor.
âIt's not Katrina, it's not Kareena, it's not Priyanka,â Vipul Shah sets the record straight, âIt's a new face for LONDON DREAMS.â A rank newcomer opposite two established names, why? âIt's the requirement of the role. I cannot settle for any actress who has been exposed to the audiences before. The role demands a fresh face and a fresh face it will be,â he states.
Vipul begins filming LONDON DREAMS in the last week of June. Subsequently, Vipul will take a break [for few weeks only] since his ambitious project SINGH IS KINNG is slated for release in August, but will resume shooting once again after its release. âBoth Salman and Ajay were co-operation personified when I told them that I would take a few days off in between,â he says. Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 25 Mar 2008 | 7:16 am
The industry always spoke of the three Khans when it spoke of star power -- Shah Rukh, Aamir and Salman. Then Hrithik Roshan made it to the premium list and also Akshay Kumar. These five actors called the shots, commanded the best fee, while their films fetched incredible prices. Post RACE, Saif Ali Khan has joined the club.
Saif's talent was acknowledged long back; the actor has delivered sparkling performances in films like KAL HO NAA HO, EK HASINA THI, HUM TUM, SALAAM | NAMASTE, BEING CYRUS, OMKARA and EKLAVYA. But RACE has consolidated and cemented his status as a star with tremendous pull.
Although Saif is yet to penetrate into deeper pockets like SRK or Akshay, Saif is a certified crowd puller at bigger centres and at multiplexes specifically. Also, he has worked his way up in the Overseas territory. RACE, his new release, is his second biggest opener in several international markets, after KAL HO NAA HO [this writer has the international data to substantiate the statement]. Way to go! Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 25 Mar 2008 | 7:12 am
His mother was unhappy with his decision to sing professionally for a rock band. Many years down the line, Palash Sen, a qualified medical professional, is a household name as the lead singer of Euphoria. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Mar 2008 | 4:38 am
Bangkok is beckoning Bollywood. Half the Indian film industry is currently stationed in the city for work - and not quite for sampling its glitzy nightlife and shopping malls. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Mar 2008 | 3:00 am
Contrary to rumours, Bollywood star Akshaye Khanna isn't unhappy with his role in Abbas-Mustan's just-released slick thriller 'Race'. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Mar 2008 | 2:13 am
Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who is just back in Mumbai after four exhilarating performances of the opera 'Padmavati' in Paris, says the experience of directing it was stimulating. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Mar 2008 | 2:04 am
What does it take to entertain audiences across the country year after year? What does it take to be recognized across the world as India’s pre-eminent movie studio with an unrivalled box office record and an unmatched commitment to great cinema? First of all, it takes great stories to make great movies. Here we line up for you five great stories that form the base for Yash Raj Films’ five release Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 25 Mar 2008 | 12:00 am
Coca Cola has been associated with Olympics games since 1928, but this time the cause of the environment associated with the world’s greatest sporting event makes the 2008 Beijing Olympics more special.The torch bearers carrying the Olympic flame will help in raising environmental awareness and encourage others for their involvement. Commemorating the spirit of Olympics Coca Cola announced its six torch bearers who will proudly run in Delhi on April 17th’ 08.Among whom India’s most loved actor Aamir Khan is one of its torch bearer. Aamir Khan posed as an icon to launch the torch of motivation at Grand Hyatt, Mumbai on 24th April, 2008.All the six torch bearers are from diverse fields like Cinema, Government, XCorporate House, NGO, Science and Grass Roots. Beijing Torch Relay is said to be the largest relay in the history of Olympic Games this time comes with an Environmental Cause.Aamir Khan feels very honored and privileged to be associated with world’s greatest sporting event and at the same time raising awareness for environmental safety issues.The other Torch Bearers are Dr. Narayan G Hegde, Dr Kiran Bedi, Ravi Singh, Atul Singh, Y. Subhash Reddy along with Aamir Khan.All the sectors of the society had jointly decided to get upto the safety measures of the environment through a great game. What do you say? Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 25 Mar 2008 | 12:00 am
As Aamir Khan gears up to run with the Olympic torch in New Delhi on 17th April 08 commemorating the spirit of Olympics , we catch up with the actor as once again he gets into an environmental cause this time around with the Coca-Cola company who are global partners of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 25 Mar 2008 | 12:00 am
A former beauty queen, the brand ambassador to tourism of a country and also a jewelry brand, she oozes with beauty and sex appeal. Her gorgeous looks only makes people crave for more. She is a complete bombshell. She can set triggers running and control it as well. This oomph gal can make heads turn and leave people out of breath.
Well with all those hints, guessing who she is even easier. And if you're still unable to figure out who she is then wait till we reveal itâ¦keep guessing and post your comments below the pic till then.
To know the answer to last week's picture quiz, click here Source: Indiafm.com Features | 24 Mar 2008 | 4:46 pm
Some say he is one of the most intense actors we have, some say he is one of the most versatile actors we haveâ¦Well, we say that he is one of the most under-rated actors we have in Bollywood. We are talking about the multi-talented Kay Kay Menon. Be it serious films like Black Friday, Sarkar and Hazaron Khwaishein Aisi or fun films like Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd., Kay Kay gets into the skin of the character with equal ease. The talented actor would now be seen in Shaurya which releases on April 4.
Bollywood Hungama brings you a chance to get to know this bundle of talent. Don't miss the chance of a lifetime to chat with Kay Kay Menon on Friday, March 28, at 1530 hrs IST. Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 24 Mar 2008 | 3:26 pm
The original Disco-King of Bollywood, Bappi Lahiri, is all set to star in a feature film aptly called Rocking Dard-e-Disco. This would be the first time that Bappi Da would be seen in a full-fledged role after having done small roles in some films.
Bollywood Hungama decided to get the facts straight from Bappi Da, âYes, I am doing the film called Rocking Dard-e-Disco. It's a very exciting subject and I am playing the role of a Disco-King. The film is directed by Ashok Tyagi. Unlike many other singers and music directors who are appearing in films these days, I have done small roles in the past with actors like Sridevi and Kunal Goswami in Kalakaar, almost 25 years ago, then in Bomb Blast etc. Moreover, today I have a set image as a Disco-King and hence I felt that I would suit the character. The story is really exciting and full of energy which would be liked by today's young generationâ
We also quizzed him on who would be co-starring with him? âIts not yet finalized but it could be an American actressâ said the veteran composer
So, would he also be composing the music? âYes I am singing, composing the music and acting in the film. The music is very young and a mix of disco, hip-hop and it truly reflects my style of musicâ
Is there any nervousness before facing the camera? âNot really because I am very excited about the script of the film. It's a very good subject. Moreover, I have been seen on T.V. for the last two years in shows like Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Little Champs and even K For Kishore. In fact, recently I even did a brief role in Om Shanti Om and the movie went on to become a super-hit (laughs). So I am pretty confident and looking forward to the love and support of all my fansâ said an excited Bappi Da.
Last but not the least, after the brief OSO experience, how has it been working with King Khan for his IPL team song? âIt has been wonderful. I am doing three songs for his team Kolkata Knight Riders which would be sung by me, Usha Uthup and a Bengali band- Bhoomi. Shah Rukh is a wonderful person who knows a lot about music. I love him as a person. He knows how to respect elders and hence has reached the undisputed position of Baadshah of Bollywood today. My best wishes that he keeps getting more and more successâ
So, would he get the Baadshah of Bollywood also to croon some lines, âThat's a surpriseâ¦dekhte hainâ he says and signs off with a smile. Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 24 Mar 2008 | 2:17 pm
Internationally acclaimed filmmaker, Shekhar Kapur, is all set to do something which he has never before done in his career. Shekhar would be taking over and completing New York, I Love You, a series of short films which was to be originally made by British director Anthony Minghella who passed away last week.
Minghella, who has made films like Cold Mountain and The English Patient in the past, was a good friend of Shekhar. In fact, the late filmmaker had even asked Shekhar to take charge of the project since he was not keeping well. This will be a first of its kind experience for Shekhar to enter the creative zone occupied by another man.
The series has lot of directors (including Mira Nair) who would be shooting love stores in New York City. Some other bigwigs attached to this project include Brett Ratner (director of the Rush Hour series of films), Scarlett Johannson and Natalie Portman.
Shekhar would be flying to New York for getting ready with the production of the film in the first week of April. Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 24 Mar 2008 | 2:01 pm
Contrary to rumours, Akshaye Khanna isn't unhappy with his role nor the promos in Abbas-Mustan's Race. "Where do these things start from?" Akshaye laughs heartily. "I've been in Bangkok for almost a month now shooting for my friend Anil Kapoor's Shortcut. We're going to be in Bangkok until April 20. This is the last schedule. We'll finish the film and return. So, where was the time to come home for Race? I really enjoy working with Saif. He's 24-hour entertainment. A joke-a-minute pal. And after Dil Chahta Hai he's really blossoming as an actor."
But isn't Saif moody like Akshaye? "I've never seen Saif's moody side. Am I moody? Honestly, it was a reputation well-earned at the beginning of my career. But now no longer applicable. Everyone is entitled to their highs and lows. I'm not temperamental. I get annoyed easily. But I don't get angry easily."
And right now Akshaye sitting in Bangkok is far from angry. "Race has had a smash-hit opening. It's got a bigger opening than Anil Kapoor's other release Welcome. Mine is a very effective role. My character is the karta-dharta (the mover-shaker) of the script. Abbas-Mustan had earlier cast me as negative character in Humraaz. I enjoy being wicked. Such roles are fun to play. And fun to watch. When I had heard the script of Humraaz, I told Abbas-Mustan, 'Boss I'm the hero; though conventionally I'm the villain. But my character is the most entertaining.' Sure enough people came out of Humraaz wishing me not to die."
Akshaye goes into a wicked rewind. âIf you look at the history of great screen villains, for example Anthony Hopkins in The Silence Of The Lambs, audiences don't want them to die in the film. So many people have told me they didn't want me to die in Race. That's a very positive sign about my negative roles."
Akshaye can't stop glowing over the way Race has been received. "Abbas-Mustan really know how to use me wellâ¦so for that matter does Anil Kapoor. I enjoyed shooting Shortcut and Gandhi My Father for Anil as much as the films of Abbas-Mustan. I wouldn't give up either. There's a greater likelihood of people watching Race than Gandhi My Father. But no one can tell what would work, what wouldn't. I'm really proud of that film. No other film has given me what Gandhi My Father has. And it will continue to make me proud." Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 24 Mar 2008 | 1:37 pm
If Emraan had his way Jannat would remain smooch-free. "But then my director Kunal Singh got greedy," he says with a twinkle in his eyes. "He first persuaded me to do one kiss, then another." Emraan who turned 29 on March 24 was quite sick and tired of kissingâ¦and cutting cakes.
"I had already cut four cakes post-midnight, the first one of course with my wife", he rattles off dutifully. "Then my friends had dropped in and we had a private get-together. The next morning I was on the sets and doing it all over again. I can't say I don't enjoy all the attention on my birthday. But if I really had one wish granted on my birthday it would have to beâ¦no shooting! Sadly, that's what I'm doing today," Emraan cribbed from the sets of his new film Jannat. "The film is over. Just needed some patchwork. I enjoy working. But not at a time when I'm wanted by family and friends."
Jannat is the film about match-fixing where Emraan plays a bookie. "Though the film is inspired by real -life incidents in the cricketing world, we've covered our bases well. We don't want real-life figures from cricket to identify themselves in the film and create trouble in Jannat. So, ironically in a film based on true-life incidents we've consciously steered away from getting too close to reality for comfort."
Though real-life cricketers play the field in Jannat, they aren't modelled on any real cricketers. Does Emraan get on the field at all? "Actually I don't like cricket at all. Don't play it and hardly ever watch it. Fortunately, I play a bookie. So I don't have to play in Jannat, he mumbles sheepishly like a brat boy who hasn't done his homework.
Emraan is all praise for his costar Sonal Chauhan. "She's totally new. The 14th girl to be launched with me. I don't know how many ladies Mr. Rishi Kapoor launched in his heydays. But I'm getting there."
Emraan shivers when he remembers the uncanny resemblance between Bob Woolmer and the actor who plays him in Jannat. "When I saw the actor Richard Burton I froze. He looks so much like Bob. And on top of that they turned out to be close friends. Not me, Iâd say Richard is the perfectly cast actor in Jannat." Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 24 Mar 2008 | 1:03 pm
Vivacious Kajol and ultra sober Ajay make one of the most romantic real-life Jodis in Bollywood. Kajol at her mischievous best sluicing down Ajay in the above picture says it all. The couple was spotted having a gala time playing Holi at their Juhu residence.
Looking at the scene one can surely appraise the beautiful relationship the couple share. The couple will also been seen onscreen soon in the romantic flick U, Me Aur Hum. Wonder, what must've been the scene on the sets of the film considering the fact that Ajay himself is the director of the film. Source: Indiafm.com Features | 24 Mar 2008 | 12:27 pm
MUMBAI (Reuters) - A new Bollywood film about a plane hijacking involving a separatist militant outfit echoes the real life hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane in 1999.
The reviews just won't stop gushing. Sanjay Leela Bhansali who's just back in Mumbai after four exhilarating performances of the opera Padmavati in Paris can't believe the experience. "The only opera I had seen before this was Opera House in Mumbai. I had never gone to an opera, never knew there was an operatic influence within me. Now I'm hungry for more."
Now Padmavati goes to Italy in June. After two consecutive performances of the opera Padmavati at the posh Theatre du Chatelet in Paris Sanjay Leela Bhansali is clearly the toast of France.
The reviews in all the major French papers-La Republica, Le Monde, Les Echoes-have hailed Bhansali's operatic overture as an unqualified triumph. Yet a section of his colleagues in Mumbai continue to believe Bhansali's stunning sojourn in Paris to be an extension of his exilic journey that began after Saawariya. A deliberate attempt to play down Bhansali's Parisian triumph is epitomized by a leading young director who told this writer, "I believe the opera opened to a half-empty theatre. Audiences booed the opening."
Far from opening poorly, Padmavati wowed the audience. Such is the response to the opera that it now goes to Italy and other European countries. Exhilarated by the response, Bhansali shrugs off the carpers in Mumbai. "It's rather sad that some people would rather pull down what is an honour for India rather than celebrate our triumph. I was nervous and apprehensive about the first performance. Now after the second performance I'm far more confident. Yes, it works."
Sanjay Bhansali's ultimate destination for Padmavati is Chittorgarh, Rajasthani hamlet where Albert Rousell's opera is set. He dreams of staging the opera live in the real sand with real elephants and camels. At the first performance itself one could hear loud gasps and sighs at the immensity scope and opulence of Bhansali's love tale as it unraveled on stage in unparalleled operatic style.
Wrote Amit Roy in The Telegraph, "The premiere of the Indo-French opera Padmavati had ended to rousing and sustained cheers of 'Bravo Bravo!' from the 2500-strong audience at the Theatre du Chatelet."
The second performance last week went even better, with audiences no hooked to the thunderous tale of Padmavati's undying passion for the commoner Ratan Sen. With the third and fourth performance Paris was hooked."
"It's a triumph for all of us â¦.Tanushree Shankar who has done the choreography, Omang Kumar who has done the art work and Rajesh Pratap Singh who's done the clothes. And the French team is so brilliant, we couldn't have gone wrong," says Sanjay Bhansali. Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 24 Mar 2008 | 10:06 am
Madhur Bhandarkar has given many female actors a different image in his films. Tabu [Chandni Bar], Raveena Tandon [Satta], Konkona Sen [Page 3], Bipasha Basu [Corporate] and Neetu Chandra [Traffic Signal] are living examples to prove that. Now he comes along with none other than Sonali Bendre whose last big screen foray was way back in 2003 when she did a mini appearance as a doctor in Kal Ho Na Ho.
However, it is not for a movie that the two are coming together. Instead, they would be seen in different roles - that of judges in a reality-TV show! Called 'Mr. and Miss Television', the show aspires for hunting the most talented and multi-faceted TV personality.
Though newcomer Shonali Nagrani would be hosting the show, Madhur Bhandarkar and Sonali Bendre would be judging these contestants. There would also be a celebrity guest every day on the show.
Says Madhur Bhandarkar, "I am already shooting for the show and it is good fun. It is different from what I did 2 years back in 'Zee Cinestars' where I was one of the judges along with Anupam Kher and Pooja Bhatt. Here, a participant not just goes through singing, acting and dancing routine. Instead, the show format also requires stages like stand-up acts which makes it different from other reality shows in the running."
While Kushal Punjabi, Sanjeet Bedi, Manoj Bora, Chetan Hansraj, Karan Vahi and Swapnil Joshi are the male participants, the female line-up consists of Shilpa Saklani, Aashka Goradia, Priyanka Bassi, Jasver Kaur, Purbi Joshi and Nausheen Ali Sardar. These actors will compete with each other for the title of Mr. and Miss Television.
When questioned about his co-judge Sonali Bendre, Madhur says, "Oh, she looks as pretty as she always has over the years. It is nice to have her back in showbiz."
'Mr. and Miss Television' will be starting from 24th March. Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 24 Mar 2008 | 9:50 am
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