Bunty Walia's next venture is titled Gangs of London and will star Sanjay Dutt in a lead role. The film is written by Bhupinder Singh will be directed by Ad filmmaker, Shamin Desai. It will be a multi-starrer and will have six heroes and two heroines.
Shedding light on the story of the film, Bunty said that the film revolves around the various gangs like Punjabi, Bangladeshi, Pakistani etc. which operate in London with their own respective set of principles and ideas. It's an interesting emotional film set in London.
Apparently, Sanjay Dutt will be playing the leader of a Punjabi gang that does not allow prostitution and drugs in their area and will also be sporting a beard. However, Sanju won't be wearing a turban.
Gangs of London is scheduled to go on the floors in 2009 and will have Vishal-Shekhar composing the music. Source: Indiafm.com News | 15 Apr 2008 | 1:06 pm
The Baadshah of Bollywood has done it again. And if you are wondering what we are talking about, it's SRK getting behind the mike once again to sing a song, this time for his Kolkata Knight Riders music album.
Shah Rukh first sang the popular number 'Apun Bola' in the film Josh in the year 2000. Thereafter, he has not really sung a full-fledged song but has done a few things which come close to singing like reciting a few lines of poetry in Shaurya, giving a motivational message in Chak De India, a few lines in 'Khaike Paan Banaraswala' in Don and even rapping a bit in his music video Kar Le Kar Le Tu Ek Sawaal.
So it is indeed a big bonus for die hard SRK fans to get to hear their favorite star sing a full song. The man who has got the superstar sing to his tunes is none other than Disco-King Bappi Lahiri. Bollywood Hungama got in touch with Bappi Da to get some more dope on the song and of course SRK's crooning skills. âYes, it was a great pleasure recording a number with Shah Rukh. He is truly the Baadshah of Bollywood. We recorded this song called Run Just Run which talks about running ahead in life and not just on the cricket field. Whatever has happened earlier is a thing of the pastâ¦so just keep moving ahead and do not look back is what the song is trying to convey. This is the first time Shah Rukh has sung a hip-hop number. He has not just hummed a few lines here and there but has sung the whole sung along with backing vocalsâ, says the excited composer.
So was King Khan nervous or did he sail through it smoothly? âHe was very comfortable and has sung very well. In my 36 years, I have had the privilege of getting some big stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor etc. to sing for me and now getting Shah Rukh to sing is truly amazing. He gave the exact attitude and feel which was needed for this song and I am really very happy. I am sure when the song hits the market (very soon), it will create total hungamaâ, claims Bappi Da
Is it true that there are 2 versions of this song? âYes, I have composed 3 songs for Shah Rukh's album. The main song is 'Run Just Run'- a solo version sung by Shah Rukh himself, there is another version of this hip-hop number sung by Kunal Ganjawala. The lyrics for these 2 songs have been written by Virag Mishra. There is also a third song which Usha Uthup has sung which has some Bengali words like 'Anando Hi Anando' meaning total happiness. It's also an encouraging song with a winning attitude, written by Deepak Sneh. Usha has also sung it very well and we both always make a winning combinationâ, smiles Bappi Da.
So, when is the album likely to release? âVery soonâ¦I believe within 3-4 days it should be out in the marketâ, says the veteran composer
And finally, would we also be seeing another music video for this SRK hip-hop number Run Just Run, âYes of course⦠Ganesh Hegde is choreographing the videoâ, signs off Bappi Da. Source: Indiafm.com News | 15 Apr 2008 | 12:25 pm
Talking anything about the spiritual Guru Pt. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's 'Art of Living' course will be like holding torchlight before the blazing sun. For starters, it's a course that's meant for physical and mental development of an individual. And vouching for this course are not one, but millions worldwide, including many from our very own celebs like Rhea Pillai, and now none other than 'Live And Real Aphrodisiac' Dutta, we mean⦠Lara Dutta!
With her career going full-swing, Lara, the 'confidence personified' chic, had recently paid a visit to the Fiji Islands, in order to create awareness amongst the youth about the 'Art of Living'. Insiders close to her know her as someone who does not believe in wasting even a split second of her life. True to this, Lara immediately took to skywalking in her spare time (with her choc-a-bloc schedules, does she have any spare time?).
She must have come and gone, but the ones who have been touched upon by the 'Lara Effect' include the 'Sky', the Ropes, 'Air', Wind' and needless to sayâ¦us ( anytime!). And also, not to mention, the makers of her forthcoming film Blue, for which she got trained in swimming for her underwater scenes, despite the fact that she is hydrophobic (fear of water). Atta' girl, Lara!
We are very sure of the fact that with Lara at the helm of things, it would have merely been a cakewalk (or is it catwalk?) for her to redefine the 'Art of Living' into the 'Heart of Living'! Source: Indiafm.com Features | 15 Apr 2008 | 11:58 am
In last couple of days, there has been quite some buzz around Akshay Kumar sporting a beard for his yet another blockbuster in the making Singh Is Kinng. His rationale behind this? A beard of a Sikh is one of the five sacred insignia of his religion.
However, Himesh Reshammiya is required to take an altogether different route for his still-to-come-on-floors film Mudh Mudh Ke Na Dekkh Mudh Mudh Ke.
Well, buzz is that Himesh, who plays a Delhite in the film, will be shaving off his beard for one of the crucial scenes in the film. Even though the film is in its pre-production stage, it has been finalized that Himesh would have to come under the razor for a scene in the film where he would be seen sans his trademark beard.
To confirm if this indeed was true or just a speculation, we got in touch with Himesh. However, the actor/composer/singer did confess candidly, "Yes, it is true that I would be shaving off my beard completely for a particular scene in Mudh Mudh Ke Na Dekkh Mudh Mudh Ke. Even I am looking forward to how it would turn out since it has been ages since I was seen clean shaved. Also, I think the beard does suit my personality."
So why did he have to agree to this if he was so attached to his beard? "Producer Aditya Singh and director duo of Seema and Sidhar were convinced that I should be seen differently for this particular scene. Though I can't divulge more about this, I am now myself quite convinced that that scene demands it. I am in complete synch with the directors' vision."
Though Himesh wasn't willing to disclose more about this 'critical scene', a source attached to the film did spill the beans, "Though Himesh bhai is quite particular about the way he has looked and has been accepted by his fans worldwide, he had to give in this time around. The scene is such that there is no other choice."
And what exactly is this scene?
"The story goes that Himesh, who is in love with debutant leading lady Jenifer Kotwal, is required to meet her father. Now trouble lies in the fact that her father hates men who keep beards. Though initially Himesh's character is in a Catch 22 situation, he later agrees to take this step in order to please her father. What you would see next is a new look Himesh", rattles the source.
Does the look stay on for the rest of the movie? "No ways", protests the source, "It is only for this particular scene that Himesh would be seen without the beard. Otherwise for the remaining part of the film, he would continue to carry the new look that he has adopted for this love triangle that also features Niharika Singh. The sequence has been designed to be quite funny and would certainly have audience in splits!"
A full on musical which would have as many as eight songs, Mudh Mudh Ke Na Dekkh Mudh Mudh Ke will be shot in Paris, Punjab and Delhi. Source: Indiafm.com News | 15 Apr 2008 | 9:24 am
Bharath reveals the secret behind Meera Jasmine's acceptance to act with him closely in recently released Nepali. The young actor has shared his experiences with the actress in the sets of Nepali, on Sunday to the media. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 15 Apr 2008 | 8:34 am
Both Darsheel Safary and Kareena Kapoor have one thing in common. No, not Saif Ali Khan, but Aamir Khan. Darsheel, who with his rocking performance and bucktoothed grin, won over the audiences of Taare Zameen Par, even had producer-director Aamir eating out of his hands. Aamir admitted defeat in all ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 15 Apr 2008 | 8:33 am
Having more than 25 years of acting experience, superstar Mohanlal is for the first time planning to move behind the screen as a screenplay writer for a Malayalam movie called Swapnamalika. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 15 Apr 2008 | 8:26 am
Aseem Merchant, the very hot model turned actor looks forward to the movie, Aseema for placing a firm foot in Bollywood. Here is the actor in conversation.. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 15 Apr 2008 | 8:23 am
Director Anwar Rasheed's third movie, Annan Thampi, will not hit the theatres on Vishu. The release of this Mammootty movie has been postponed for another three days. According to the reports, the movie will be released on April 17 instead of April 14. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 15 Apr 2008 | 8:20 am
Washington (ANI): Actor Richard Gere has revealed that he is not ashamed of the obscenity charges he faced in India after publicly kissing Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty, insisting that he sees the whole episode as an act of courage. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 15 Apr 2008 | 8:19 am
For fans of Nayan, the biggest thrill came when Mammootty's new flick Parunthu was to star Nayantara as heroine. But their joy may be shortlived as rumours are flying that she may not be able to set aside a month for the shooting of Parunthu, as she's busy in Kollywood shooting ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 15 Apr 2008 | 8:10 am
Downloads Bhoothnath wallpapers
Itâs the era of sequels. Even though BHOOTHNATH hasnât released yet, producer Ravi Chopra and debutante director Vivek Sharma have already decided to make the sequel to this film. âIt was Javed-saabâs [Akhtar] idea. It all started when he heard the script. He insisted that I alter the ending from negative to positive. Mr. Bachchan agreed, so did Ravi-ji. I was hesitant initially, but I decided to go ahead and shoot the positive end. It was only after I saw the sequence that I realized that Javed-saab was so right. His years of experience came handy. Thereâs scope for a sequel thanks to the new ending and weâre definitely going ahead with one,â Vivek confirms.
Thatâs not all, the makers are recording an additional song, to be rendered by Big B, which will be used for the promotions of the film. âItâs on the lines of âMere Paas Aao Mere Dosto Ek Kissa Sunoâ from MR. NATWARLAL,â he adds.
Meanwhile, a section of the industry is keen to know if the promos highlighting SRKâs presence in the film will be aired. âSRKâs promo will be on air in the first week of May,â Vivek states. Ask him if SRK makes a fleeting appearance in the film and he replies promptly, âNot at all! SRK has a 25-minute role in the film.â An important clarification indeed! Source: Indiafm.com News | 15 Apr 2008 | 7:34 am
Actor Ranbir Kapoor seems to have his share of doubt on his girlfriend Deepika Padukone. He doesn't want to leave her alone with handsome hunks. It is said that he stormed onto the sets of Chandni Chowk To China in Bangkok, where Deepika was shooting with Akshay Kumar. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 15 Apr 2008 | 7:30 am
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Mukesh Bhatt has decided to push the release of his ambitious venture JANNAT ahead by two weeks. Initially slated for release on May 2, Bhatt wants to bring the film on May 16. "I learnt a bitter lesson during AWARAPAN. The film suffered because of its clash with the two films that opened simultaneously [APNE, AAP KAA SURROOR]. Resultantly, I never got the right theatres or right show timings to exhibit my film," Mukesh Bhatt recalls.
So why has he decided to postpone JANNAT? It isn't clashing with any biggie in the same week. "The reason is TASHAN, which is arriving on April 25. They [Yash Raj] have already booked a major chunk of theatres across the country. So I decided to shift it to another date, after BHOOTHNATH [May 9]," he divulges.
Talking of JANNAT, Emraan Hashmi had resolved against kissing/getting intimate with his heroines, after he got married. But he seems to have broken the vow this time, for the actor has enacted a couple of intimate sequences with leading lady Sonal Chauhan. "Emraan is a professional. He may've resolved against doing intimate scenes in his movies, but if the role demands it, he would never shirk away from his responsibilities. At the same time, he would never do anything just for the heck of it. Since we're talking of Emraan, I'd like to say that he has outdone himself in JANNAT. Post JANNAT, he'd be in an altogether different league - the top bracket," he promises.
Meanwhile, the Bhatts are readying another ambitious venture, RAAZ - THE MYSTERY CONTINUES. "Please don't call it RAAZ 2. I'd like to clarify, I am not making RAAZ; it's not a sequel to the film either. There's nothing similar to the film barring the word 'Raaz'. It's an altogether fresh concept," the prolific producer states. Point noted! Source: Indiafm.com News | 15 Apr 2008 | 7:28 am
Bollywood bombshell Sherlyn Chopra will don a diamond studded biking for her upcoming hot video titled Dard. The Outrageous girl who is not scared of flaunting her sexuality recently got her butt enlarged to create more appeal among her audience. The song will see Sherlyn wearing a bikini with 30 ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 15 Apr 2008 | 7:22 am
Australian actress and television presenter Tania Zaetta, who was last seen in Yash Raj Films' Salaam Namastey (2005) opposite Arshad Warsi, would be seen again on the big screen. The film is Mr. Black Mr. White, which yet again stars Arshad Warsi in the lead. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 15 Apr 2008 | 7:07 am
Musician Ram Sampat's Rs.20 million out of court settlement with filmmaker Rakesh Roshan for alleged plagiarism has again highlighted Bollywood's ignorance of copyright laws. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 15 Apr 2008 | 5:33 am
Well know film director Subhash Ghai is readying a commercial complex that is right in front of Yashraj Films. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 15 Apr 2008 | 4:01 am
Bengali cinema's National Award winning actress Indrani Halder is going seriously mainstream with Sony TV's new soap 'Sujata' but doesn't want anything to do with commercial films. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 15 Apr 2008 | 4:01 am
"National Treasure" veteran Justin Bartha will star opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones in "The Rebound," a romantic comedy about the relationship between a younger man and an older woman. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 14 Apr 2008 | 11:45 pm
Rock star Sting has bought a five-bedroom luxury apartment in New York for 13.4 million pounds (USD 26 million). Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 14 Apr 2008 | 11:45 pm
Setting herself as an example, Heather Mills has offered an advice to a woman on how to deal with divorce. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 14 Apr 2008 | 11:45 pm
Oscar-winning Australian actress Cate Blanchett has given birth to her third child in Sydney, a spokesman said on Monday. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 14 Apr 2008 | 11:45 pm
British singer Amy Winehouse has cancelled plans to record her third album. A record company had even arranged a trip for her to the Bahamas after her success with her hit album Back To Black. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 14 Apr 2008 | 11:45 pm
Chinese action star Jet Li was celebrating on Monday after being named best actor at the Hong Kong film awards with period drama "The Warlords," a departure from his usual martial arts fare. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 14 Apr 2008 | 11:45 pm
Author JK Rowling is eager to tell a judge this week that one of her biggest fans is in fantasyland if he believes a "Harry Potter" encyclopedia he plans to publish does not violate her copyrights. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 14 Apr 2008 | 11:45 pm
Malayalam raconteur par-excellence Kedamangalam Sadanandan passed away here Sunday at the age of 84, family sources said. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 14 Apr 2008 | 11:45 pm
The Sachin Tendulkar-led Mumbai Indians have roped in Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan as their brand ambassador to drum up support for the team in new T-20 League starting on April 18. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 14 Apr 2008 | 11:45 pm
He is one of the very few men in whose dictionary, the terms âdedicationâ, âsincerityâ and âhard workâ seem to be etched in gold. We are indeed talking about the extremely talented but highly non-âBoseâtful actor of Bollywood, Rahul Bose. He is one guy for whom the saying âExpect The Unexpectedâ fits to a âTâ.
While he displayed his amazing comic yet serious talents in Jhankaar Beats, he displayed the brilliant side of acting in Chameli opposite none other than the Bollywood Diva Kareena Kapoor herself! Rahul also happen to run an NGO called âThe Foundationâ. Bollywood Hungama caught up with this man for an exclusive chat session. Here are the excerpts
Farah: hi Rahul, how are you?
Rahul Bose: fine
Nikhilodeon: Hi Rahul...what is the most Shaurya (courageous) thing that you have done in life?
Rahul.Bose: the values and sensitivity of quite a few of my films mirrors my own Mr. & Mrs. Iyer, Shaurya, Split Wide Open, and of course, Everybody Says I am Fine.
Vikas: hi rahul...are u excited or nervous about Shaurya?
Rahul.Bose: Iâm neither excoriated nor excited about Shaurya. I was rather watchful. When, I saw the film 4 the first time in its completed form at the Delhi premier. Once I was satisfied with my work. All exceptions and nervousness vanished. Iâm not saying that itâs the best performance in the world. All that I am saying is that I get passing marks.
Vikas: hi rahul...are u excited or nervous about Shaurya?
Rahul.Bose: Iâm neither excoriated nor excited about Shaurya. I was rather watchful. When, I saw the film 4 the first time in its completed form at the Delhi premier. Once I was satisfied with my work. All exceptions and nervousness vanished. Iâm not saying that itâs the best performance in the world. All that I am saying is that I get passing marks.
Saahil: Hello sir, so whatâs your mantra for life?
Rahul.Bose: saahil, my mantra for life is to only do what my heart desires and to do it 100%. And while doing it never knowingly hurt any1.
Nikhilodeon: how important is this film's success to you
Rahul Bose: Nix, not at all. And IMP at the same time. Not at all coz; ultimately, those are the factors that I canât ctrl, and thankfully, the roles that I am offered donât go up or down based on my B-O success or failure. Very IMP coz' if I am proud of a film and it does well at the B-O, it means that many ppl are getting to see good cinema.
Bajaj: Shaurya, Mumbai Chaka Chak and what else?
Rahul.Bose: Bajaj, 10 more movies on the whole. 5 Art Aparna Sen's, The Japanese Wife, Santosh Sivan's Before the Rains and Tahan, Rajeev Virani's The Whisperers, and Kaal Purush. 2 Commercials, Mumbai Chaka Chak and Maan Gaye Mughal- E-Azam, 1 romantic comedy, Ghost Ghost Na Raha and Bubblegum (A remake of Woody Allen's Husbands And Wives). I have been shooting 10 movies in 450 days. I am on day 373!
Bajaj: Shaurya, Mumbai Chaka Chak and what else?
Rahul.Bose: Bajaj, 10 more movies on the whole. 5 Art Aparna Sen's, The Japanese Wife, Santosh Sivan's B4 the Rains and Tahan, Rajeev Virani's The Whisperers, and Kaal Purush. 2 Commercials, Mumbai Chaka Chak and Maan Gaye Mughal- E-Azam, 1 romantic comedy, Ghost Ghost Na Raha and Bubblegum (A remake of Woody Allen's Husbands And Wives). I have been shooting 10 movies in 450 days. I am on day 373!
Sweetheart: kamon acho? How did you learn Bengali for Anuranan?
Rahul.Bose : Sweetheart, I am half Bengali. So, I know the language, though I am not that fluent with the lang. I had to wrk hard with the dubbing!
Kingraj: hi, so how did u develop an interest in Rugby
Rahul.Bose: Kinraj, it was from school initially I played it to impress the girls. And later coz' its the most violent sport in the world and yet the most poetic coz; it has everything that u need in life.
Sweets: hi rahul, so what is ur age?
Rahul.Bose: I am 40 years old.
Neha: hi rahul, so have u been in Mumbai since childhood?
Rahul.Bose: I have been in Mumbai since the age of 3.
Neha: if not an actor what would u be?
Rahul.Bose: if not an actor, it would have been a professional sportsman or a writer.
Bajaj: Shaurya is based on military peoplesâ life or it deals with operations, plz clear this smoke?
Rahul.Bose: Shaurya is about army lawyers. Neither, its about an army lawyer and a court martial case classic court room drama.
Neha: writer, what do u like writing?
Rahul.Bose: Neha, fiction.
C-kane: so what is Moth Smoke about?
Rahul.Bose : c-kane, its about friendship, passion love and betrayal.
Fenil Seta: Donât you think that SHAURYA is not properly promoted and this may affect its collections?
Rahul.Bose: Fenil, I think that one cud say this about every film. Ultimately, every film has to impress ppl enough with its content to click.
Fenil Seta: Donât you think that SHAURYA is not properly promoted and this may affect its collections?
Rahul.Bose: Fenil, I think that one cud say this about every film. Ultimately, every film has to impress ppl enough with its content to click.
eep : Rahul you are a great actor and Iâve loved you ever since Thakshak...Best of Luck for your Future...are u satisfied the way the film has shaped up?
Rahul.Bose: Thakshak, I am have fully satisfied.
Bajaj: why donât you grow ur hair like SRK and Dhoni?
Rahul.Bose: coz' I donât have any.
Fenil Seta: When can we see wearing director's cap again?
Rahul.Bose: fenil, I have recommended yr name 4 the Nobel Prize 4 the best judgment!
Fenil Seta: When can we see wearing director's cap again?
Rahul.Bose: fenil, I have recommended yr name 4 the Nobel Prize 4 the best judgment!
Bajaj: share some Filmy duniya ke rang?
Rahul.Bose: my life is not in the filmy duniya. I live in South Mumbai. I play sport, readbks, watch movies and meet my rugby friends.
Adikrrish: what is it that makes you happy?
Rahul.Bose : adi, making ppl in need, happy is what makes me happy.
Raghu: what do u fear the most?
Rahul.Bose: raghu, I fear nothing.
Bajaj: how would u imagine ur dream girl?
Rahul.Bose: Bajaj, not diff of a dream gal. it will be somebody who can crack a joke abt herself , not self obsessed, not concerned abt money and incredibly hard wrking. it also help if she likes beer!
Np : What kind of films attract you to sign?
Rahul.Bose: Np, diff films at diff times. Mostly, art house movies, that's my dal-chawal. And occasionally, a PKSE, MGMA, Jhankaar Beats, those are my Chinese food!
Kinu: I heard u were abt to start a film with Sushmita Sen.
Rahul.Bose: Kinu, I wish...........But sadly, No.
Bajaj: what do you do in free time?
Rahul.Bose : Bajaj, I am acting in 10 films, running my NGO The Foundation, training for the next international rugby tournament as a part of the Indian team, traveling to film fests 3 times a year , writing articles 4 newspapers, fulfilling my Brand Ambassadorial commitments, lecturing in colleges and corporate and planning my next directorial ventures. WHAT FREE TIME!!!!!
Dax: how was d experience to work wid Javed Jaffrey?
Rahul.Bose: dax, Javed is one of the most underrated dramatic actors of the century. He is as good in drama as in comedy; He also is an egoless, generous, constructive actor. I would love to wrk with him again.
Dax: how was d experience to work wid Javed Jaffrey?
Rahul.Bose: dax, Javed is one of the most underrated dramatic actors of the century. He is as good in drama as in comedy; He also is an egoless, generous, constructive actor. I would love to wrk with him again.
Np: What would you look for in a script before signing?
Rahul.Bose: Np, a script that maximizes the potential of that genre and has drama as well is what I am looking at.
Bbs: Would you happen to know when your movie Ctrl-Alt-Del would be out in cinema halls? I have watched the promos of The Whisperers; I believe that Manoj Bajpai is your co-star in the film. It looks great, though one cannot quite tell what the premise of the movie is. Anyway, how was having Manoj Bajpai as a co-star? You both are terrific performers, how was the entire experience of working with him?
Rahul.Bose: bbs, Ctrl- Alt- Del went release, as itâs a short film. Manoj is thoughtful sensitive hugely talented hard working and a close friendâ¦
Bajaj: what u think about Indian cricket team, who is on verge of its loss, comment plz? Who do u plan to support in the IPL?
Rahul.Bose: Bajaj, I think that the Indian cricket team is poised to become no one of the top sporting teams in world sport. Although their per4mance in the last two test matches hasnât been the greatest. I think that the IPL is going two trigger a moini revolution in the Indian cricket.
Rahul.Bose : Its always the most incredible feeling to know that there are a few ppl who like and understand yr wrk. Thank u all 4 yr time. Source: Indiafm.com Features | 14 Apr 2008 | 5:05 pm
Saif Ali Khan is riding high. With the love of his latest girlfriend, Kareena Kapoor, the success of Race and with his upcoming release, Tashan, there is no looking back for him. But there is more that's bringing a smile on Saif's face.
Saif's son, Ibrahim, would soon be making his first big screen appearance. Now if that doesn't make 'papa Saif' happy then what will? "Ibrahim will be seen in a cameo role in Tashan. However, we cannot reveal his role and what he does. Surprises must be kept," says Monica Bhattacharya, the spokesperson of Yash Raj Films.
Though we don't know much about Ibrahim's role in the film, we have surely learnt that papa Saif is very happy with Ibrahim's performance in front of the camera. Source: Indiafm.com News | 14 Apr 2008 | 4:35 pm
Director Apoorva Lakhia's Mission Istanbul has been in the news since it was launched. The film starring Suniel Shetty, Vivek Oberoi and Zayed Khan in lead roles is an action packed film which is shot in the capital of Turkey.
Apart from the main cast which was shooting some pivotal scenes in Mumbai, yesterday, there was yet another familiar face on the sets. That face was none other than that of the American president, George W. Bush. For all of you who have almost fainted on hearing this, let us clarify that it was not Bush himself but a look-alike of the US President who was present on the sets.
The actor called Brent Mendenhall is someone who bears an uncanny resemblance to the US President and has even appeared on a number of T.V. shows, films, corporate and political gatherings in the West. Needless to say Brent will be playing the role of President Bush who comes on an official visit to India in the film.
Well, while many of our Hindi films have had look-alikes / duplicates of quite a few celebrities in the past, this one sure takes the cake. Source: Indiafm.com Features | 14 Apr 2008 | 4:23 pm
'He will be a phenomenon some day'
So predicted acclaimed filmmaker K. Balachander when he discovered Rajinikanth and signed him for multiple projects in his very first meeting.
'This boy has fire in his eyes'
He was truly impressed as an observation made decades back holds has stayed on to be so true over all these years. So much so that the phenomenon called Rajinikanth now even has a biography written about him - 'The Name Is Rajinikanth'. Written by Dr. Gayathri Sreekanth, an ophthalmologist, for whom this is her debut effort as an author, the book makes for one of the most interesting reads ever. Reasons? There are two of them.
a) Instead of turning out to be a routine chapter by chapter chronicle of the superstar's life, both personal and professional, it takes a unique approach. The book continues to showcase different instances in the life of Rajnikanth in no particular order, hence doing a flip-flop between the present times, younger days and superstar days. So, while in one chapter a reader may be taken on a journey of Rajinikanth falling for his would-be wife, the chapter to follow would showcase how Rajni's lived his childhood days as Shivaji Rao Gaekwad!
b) The soap opera feel of the book hooks you in instantly. With the story traversing genres and bringing all the necessary ingredients of a commercial potboiler - action, drama, emotion, romance, tragedy, comedy - 'The Name Is Rajinikanth' ensures that a reader takes out time to finish the book in a single setting. In fact, that's quite a task considering the book is pretty voluminous with 375 pages of solid text!
It is sheer fun to know how he was as a young boy who was hardly interested in studies and was constantly on some mischief or other. Born in a poor family where even bare minimum three meals a day was a challenge, he never ever had any respite for as many as 25 years of his life before he got his first break.
Till this age, he was living off all the help he could get from his friends and family, who themselves didn't have many resources to boast and lived on hand to mouth existence. Since, special word has been reserved throughout the book for Bahadur, his earliest friend and a confidante of many decades, who went all out to ensure that his friend never lost hope and short of resources.
The book explores various incidents/milestones in his life which helped shape the legendary status of Rajinikanth, both personally and professionally. They can be broadly classified as:
His childhood days
- When his first stint with acting lasted only three scenes
- When he juggled cigarettes around him as mere show off; something which became 'Rajini' trademark as he grew into a superstar
- When he eve teased a young girl, only to be locked up in a police station later
His youth days
- With a not-so-happy childhood behind him, he had a knack of getting into frequent brawls
- When an astrologer had predicted that he would be his own boss and would either be very rich and famous or turn to religion
- When he used work as a coolie to make ends meet
- When he started getting fascinated by the stardom in order to get rich, famous and powerful
- With no one to teach him good habits, he had least regard for hygiene and didn't have any qualms sharing not just friends' shirts but even their toothbrush
His love life
- Did you know that he first fell in love with a nameless girl during his stint as a bus conductor?
- How his second love happened to be a girl who came to him for an interview? He married this girl, Lata, eventually!
His days as a superstar
- The film 'Baba' is inspired from his own life as he has dreamt about 'Babaji' over the years
- He had his own low points even at the peak of his stardom as he suffered from nervous breakdown
- He has a habit of putting on disguises and visit places of prominence/friends. Once a lady gave him alms in a temple mistaking him for a beggar!
His brush with politics
- Though Rajinikanth hasn't been involved in active politics, he hasn't been completely isolated from the field too. He has repeatedly told his fans though that he wishes to stay away from politics.
- When cops stopped traffic on road since Chief Minister Jayalalitha's entourage was expected to pass by, he himself stepped out of his car. The challenge for the cops was to control crowds then!
- Dr. Ramadoss was open about his opinion on Rajinikanth's superstardom. He was of a strong opinion that actors were given undue importance and were a bad influence on Gen X.
His inclination towards spirituality
- Rajnikanth has always had a strong spiritual inclination, so much so that at the peak of stardom he even contemplated leaving films and adapt spiritualism
- In one of the low phases of his personal life, he had even asked for divorce from his wife
- Though reams have been written about Rajinikanth-Kamal Hassan professional rivalry, the fact is that it was Kamal who advised him against leaving film world and instead balance it with family life and spirituality.
Ironically, in spite of numerous positives going in the book's favor, 'The Name Is Rajinikanth' too falls into the first half - second half trap, just as in the case of numerous movies which threaten to fizzle out towards the end. Something similar happens in case of the book too which starts off brilliantly, makes one turn around pages in a tearing hurry, find any available space and moment to see what's next in store, know about the superstar's life in awe and admire Dr. Gayathri's work for most part of the book.
However, it is the ending portions where one starts feeling that something is amiss. There is a sense of shallowness which comes in towards the concluding chapters as the narrative starts loosing its steam, surprises cease to make an appearance while the ending turns out to be pretty much abrupt. One tends to conclude that while additional effort had gone into highlighting the childhood, teenage and struggling period of 'Shivaji', there doesn't seem to be much light thrown on his 'Rajinikanth' days.
No, it isn't as Dr. Gayathri hasn't done her research on his superstar days; she has indeed! It is just that one gets a sense of not really knowing 'everything' in entirety as 'something' out there seems to be 'amiss'! Is it because maybe Dr. Gayathri believed that his die hard fans would anyways be clued on to what makes Rajinikanth a 'legend' and hence she concentrated mainly on his growing up years as 'Shivaji'? Maybe!
Leaving this blemish aside, one gets much more than just 'paisa vasool' entertainment while reading 'The Name Is Rajinikanth'. Since entire book is written in a cinematic style, one actually feels like reading a script as characters in and around Rajini communicate in flesh and blood with numerous scenes from his life unfolding. It is the 'dialogues' approach of 'The Name Is Rajinikanth' which gives the book a sharp edge. A master stroke by Dr. Gayathri Sreekanth!
Price: Rs. 495
Rating: **** Source: Indiafm.com Features | 14 Apr 2008 | 3:41 pm
Subhash Ghai: "Though I've no right to comment on this case without knowing the inside story I must say, sometimes we mistake an inspired re-worked version of a song or film as our own original work of art without realizing the complications of copyright laws. It's no secret that we in this country have been adapting and re-working on music and movies completely ignorant of the laws. This case has warned us about the future. However, I'm sure Rajesh Roshan is talented enough not to pick on anyone's work.
A R Rahman: "No comments. But it's high time everyone cleans up their act and people start getting fair to creative people."
Mahesh Bhatt: "There's always someone somewhere who's smarter than you. This case is a wakeup call for Bollywood. The world has changed. We need to mend our ways. It will now be tougher for us to 'steal' and not get caught.
Manish Acharya: "When I made Loins Of Punjab Presents â¦.I got the copyrights for every single evergreen song that I used as part of the music contest. Even the music companies were surprised when I sought permission even to use an 8-second clip. I don't watch TV so I don't know the merits of Ram's case. Nor have I heard the Krazzy 4 songs. But valuing the IPR is inevitable, given the film industry's growth strategy and influx of corporate money into Bollywood.
Alisha Chinai: "I absolutely agree with Ram Sampat's action. Plagiarism is a way of life in Bollywood. They don't play by rules. They're unethical and they rip off songs, copyrights and royalties of musicians and singers shamelessly. If this continues the music industry will crash. My warning to Bollywood: fâ¦k you, pay me!
Kunal Ganjawala: "Some of us singers have been fighting an ongoing battle against discrimination in the film industry. Do you know we singers in the film industry are still legally known as 'instruments'? Can you imagine Lataji and Ashaji are INSTRUMENTS? We, of the playback kingdom, have been fighting such discrimination for as along as we can. Seen in that light, Ram Sampat's court victory is a big step ahead. I've known Ram for years, have worked with him. He's hugely talented and he doesn't really care about doing music in films. He's happy with his jingles and his ventures abroad including one with the European band INXS which he has just completed. Ram has opened up the discussion about the importance of musicians in Bollywood. However, the Roshans whom I've worked with in Krissh, are honourable people. I can bet my last song, they'd never-ever do anything underhand. Apparently, the cellphone company Sony-Ericsson has goofed up. They sent the Roshans a clearance letter to use Ram Sampat's tune and didn't inform Ram. This isn't done! How could a multi-national company be so irresponsible? I don't understand this. I must tell you; this isn't the first time that a talented musician has been shortchanged by a cellphone company. Five years ago, a composer named Rupert Fernandes was paid a pittance for a signature tune for Hutch which became their product's international theme. If musicians today are thinking and getting big money, I'd say about-time. But I still insist the Roshans aren't capable of cheating anyone.
Pritam Chakbraborty: "I've often been accused of plagiarism, so I'm in a peculiar position as both a musician and an apparent offender. Both Ram Sampat and Rajesh Roshan are wonderful creative people. Ram is a great musician. At the same time, I've grown up listening to Rajesh Roshan's tunes. In a way, this judgment in Ram's favour is a huge leap for the music industry. It strengthens the entertainment industry's belief in the judiciary. On the other hand, the timing of the accusation when the producer Rakesh Roshan's film was on the verge of release and he had no option but to pay up, is unfortunate. I'm sure nothing mattered more than the film's release for the Roshans. However, I'm happy as a musician because we aren't paid proper royalty in this country. In the West musicians are treated decently. Ours is a much disorganized entertainment industry and Ram Sampat has set a definite precedent. And my respect for the judiciary has gone up manifold. An underdog winning a case so speedilyâ¦.wow! However, this precedent can be misused. Any composer can arm-twist a filmmaker at the last minute to pay up. To corner a filmmaker at the eleventh hour is unethical. It will encourage a lot of people to extract last-minute compensations from frantic producers. It isn't easy to prove copyright infringement. Even a fiercely original film like Chak De India was accused of plagiarism. I'm afraid, I've a reputation for plagiarism and anyone can point a finger at me. Someone just the other day said my Race song is derived from U2. Not true! Every song based on the same raga would sound similar. People say my 'Yeh Ishq Haye' from Jab We Met is plagiarized. Not one note of it is pinched. Scarily enough, the Roshans tried to take proper permission from Sony-Ericsson. There was a mess-up. So their intentions were not wrong. Source: Indiafm.com Features | 14 Apr 2008 | 2:28 pm
She is suddenly doing a lot of things. The one thing that Chitrangda is not doing is â¦an item song! "That's completely untrue. I am not doing an item song in Sudhir Mishra's film. I don't know where that came from. Or maybe I doâ¦One day Sudhir Mishra made a vague suggestion jokingly. 'Why don't you do an item song?' Suddenly the next thing I heard in Mauritius, where I was shooting for Onir's Sorry Bhai, is that I'm doing an item song in Sudhir's film Tera Kya Hoga Johnny."
In Mauritius, Chitrangda was working hard to make her comeback look worth it. "And the next thing I read was that I was partying all night and arriving late on location, and also that I was doing an item song for Tera Kya Hoga Johnny. I suppose all this makes my life sound exciting."
Adds Chitrangda, "Since Tera Kya⦠has no songs and dances Sudhir was planning to
To add some spice in his film. But sorry, I'm not doing it." Source: Indiafm.com News | 14 Apr 2008 | 2:16 pm
They say, love changesâ¦everythingâ¦similarly success also changesâ¦Everything. Host-cum-dost Sajid Khan's prowess as super-hit director which got noticed with his debut film, Heyy Babyy, has rubbed off big time on his confidence and timing as entertainment world's premiere host as was evident at the Star Screen Awards this year. He will be back to hosting another big event and that too with another superstar Compere, Karan Johar, at the Zee Cine Awards in London on April 26th 2008. âYes, we are hosting it together,â Sajid confirmed to Bollywood Hungama.
This is for the first time that Sajid and Karan will be hosting a show together. So, have you planned something unique and different to surprise and entertain the audience? âI can't talk about it right now. But yes, Karan hasn't hosted a show with a male host before and nor have I. I respect and admire Karan.â
Sajid has another ace up his sleeve as he is all set to host a chat show on a new TV Channel (name yet to be disclosed). âThe show is called Sajid's Superstar.â We've heard it is somewhat similar to Karan Johar's Koffee with Karan. âIt is absolutely different. It has many fun oriented rounds. It's in Hindi and the duration of the show is 1 hour.â
Alright, let's talk about Sajid, the filmmaker. Well, after the humungous success of Heyy Babyy, Khan will get busy with Houseful, a romantic comedy by the end of the year. The cast already includes Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Jiah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh. So, Sajid, what is it about Houseful that you haven't shared with a journalist so far? âI shall be finalizing the music director of the film soon. I am hunting for a heroine and a big actor.â Any idea who the big actor may be? âIf I tell you the hunt will be over,â Sajid said with a chuckle. Source: Indiafm.com News | 14 Apr 2008 | 2:05 pm
Bhojpuri superstar Manoj Tiwari is on cloud nine as he has piped maestro Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia to be the Indian face on a Dutch postage stamp. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 14 Apr 2008 | 12:31 pm
This week's 'Guess Who' section features someone whom you have not seen and heard much of. After all she is yet to make her filmy debut. This curvaceous beauty debuts in one of the keenly anticipated flicks this summer.
Launched by a banner known for encouraging new talent, she is surely keeping her fingers crossed. Giving out any more hints would spoil the fun and hence all we can say is that, like many of her seniors in Bollywood, she is also an ex- Miss India contestantâ¦.
So keep guessing who this beauty in black is??
To know the answer to last week's picture quiz, click here Source: Indiafm.com Features | 14 Apr 2008 | 10:26 am
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Gone are the days when Mallika Sherawat was known only for her hot kissing scenes. Today, the actress has become quite infamous for her alleged nakhras while shooting her films.
The latest story doing the rounds is of Mallika's starry tantrums which had Studio 18 in a fix. According to sources, Studio 18 had signed Madame Sherawat to play the female lead in a film tentatively titled Masquerade for a remuneration of Rs.95 lakh. The actress was even paid 25% of her fee as the signing amount for this film which was to be directed by Kundan Shah.
Sources say that Mallika's nakhras started even before shooting could begin and that she was not happy with the choice of the director and the cinematographer. The cinematographer of Mallika's choice asked for a fee which was way over the budgeted amount. When director Kundan Shah decided that he had enough, Mallika coolly went to the press and declared the she had walked out of the film.
Studio 18 had no option but to shelve the project. However, it has gone ahead and lodged a complaint with IMPPA and has even asked Mallika to return the signing amount paid to her.
We tried to get in touch with Mallika for her stance on this issue but the actress did not wish to comment. Source: Indiafm.com News | 14 Apr 2008 | 10:15 am
Actor and television anchor Mandira Bedi, who turns 36 Tuesday, says that she doesn't want to play any more negative characters on screen. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 14 Apr 2008 | 9:00 am
