It's said that 'You need to kiss a thousand frogs before you find a handsome prince'.
Well, this saying may hold water for everyone except for Natasha, Kavita, Niamat, and Dia! We know that these names are all Greek and Latin for you. But when we will tell the 'reality' behind these names, we bet all the girls definitely would like to trade places with them! The 'unraveling' of the 'Miss-steries' goes as this: the above mentioned names belong to none other than the bevy of good-looking models who (we believe did not kiss a thousand frogs), but still managed to be with none other than Bollywood's new-found Prince Ranbir Kapoor! It's all happening in the anniversary April issue of the lifestyle magazine 'Hello!'
The Mag has got the 'Prince' Charming Ranbir being bestowed with the 'Fresh Face Of The Year' title. Not just that, it also has our very own King Khan SRK holding the title of 'Most Sought After Celebrity', the Bachchans as the 'Celebrity Powerhouse', Saif and Kareena as 'Awesome Twosome', Karan Johar as 'Most Invited'. Though not much or exclusive has been written about these 'title holders', one thing is for sure, their photographs does make the issue a collector's item! 'Hello!' After all, how can anyone settle for anything lesser than the Best for the anniversary issue! Worth a watch and watcha' worth! Source: Indiafm.com Features | 23 Apr 2008 | 1:24 pm
She has been in the news almost daily for the last six months without having a single release during this period. It all started with the super-duper success of her last release Jab We Met, which catapulted her to the top league. Post that she has been riding high in both her professional and personal life. With looks to die for and a pencil-thin figure, Kareena Kapoor is surely the flavor of the season. Now, the million-dollar babe is all set to re-enforce her numero uno status with her latest release Tashan, which opens across cinema halls this Friday (April 25). Bollywood Hungama caught up with Bebo and found out about her Tashan.
What do you think about the music of Tashan?
I think Vishal-Shekhar have done a great job. It's very fun and youthful; it's keeping the script of the film in mind. I think my favourite song is 'Challiya'. I think I am being a bit selfish because it's my song but the way we have shot it in Greece is fantastic and I think that's the best song according to me in the movie. After that is 'Dil Haara'; it's a song with me and Saif which is also shot in Greece, at fantastic locations and it's a great love song, so I think I am partial towards these two. The music is great.
What was it about this film that made you decide to do it?
I think it's a tailor made role for any actress. I think I am extremely lucky to get this role. It's like a hero's role, it has action, romance, song, dance everything in it besides which I think it has a lot of closeness to me, the kind of girl she is, very headstrong, knows her emotions. I love the role, I love the character, and I think it's a great package of this huge commercial movie and being the only girl in it, I think I am extremely lucky to be getting this role.
It's like a hero's role it has action, romance, song, dance everything in it besides which I think it has a lot of closeness to me, the kind of girl she is, very headstrong, knows her emotions. I love the role.
Can you tell us something about the character you are playing?
My character name is Pooja Singh in the film. She is a complex character. It's very different for a girl to play; I have never played a role like this before basically following her emotions, doing the right thing but of course very sharp at the same time. The reason she is sharp is because of the circumstances she has gone through. So whatever she does in the film has a very powerful reason behind it, so it's a strong character.
Can you tell us how was the experience of working with Anil Kapoor?
I think with Anilji it's the greatest experience ever because he knows me as a kid. He is like family to me, my whole family and his family is really close. I think he is one of India's finest actors I learnt a lot working with him. The way he has played this character, he's made this movie, it's just unbelievable. Every time I work with him, my mouth is like left open see him perform.
Can you tell us how what was your experience working with Akshay Kumar again?
I have done about nine movies with Akshay and I have known him since he has done his first film. When he gave his first shot, I was behind the camera so that's the relationship I have with Akshay, it's an emotional relationship. I am most comfortable with Akshay Kumar as a co-star maybe because he has seen me in my school uniform with two pigtails hanging around so it's a relationship which I think you feel really close to. As of today he is completely rocking, he's the shinning star of Bollywood. It feels great because I have been with him through the journey of his career and I feel really happy. He plays a pivotal part in this film which is a great role for him and I think working with Akshay for me is always fun and games, it's great. You never realize when the shooting began and ended. Throughout my career, I think I have enjoyed working with Akshay Kumar the most and I hope to continue working with him in the rest of my career.
Lastly, Saif, it must have provided a lot of entertainment. How was it working with him?
Saif is one of the most respected actors. As an actress myself, I respect him the most as an actor, he's one of India's finest actors. I think he can do any role and the way he has played this role is just unbelievable. The kind of nuances he adds to his character, the way he speaks and modulates his voice I think you can just learn so much from him besides being a fun loving person. It's so nice and warm to work with him as a co-star. I get really intrigued when I get to learn something from an actor I work with because when you are working on a set, two actors should connect, two actors should be learning things from each other and I think Saif is one actor that I have really learnt a lot from. The way he is so spontaneous, the way he makes a shot appear so natural, he makes the dialogue so natural is just unbelievable. I have never seen an actor like him before. I absolutely love working with him and I hope to do many more movies with him.
The kind of nuances Saif adds to his character, the way he speaks and modulates his voice I think you can just learn so much from him besides being a fun loving person.
Vishal-Shekhar's music has always been a killer. Your comments on them.
Vishal Shekhar, this is the first time I have worked with them in a film. I loved their music in Yash Raj's earlier film Salaam Namaste. I think it was great. I used to listen to the title track all the time. I think Vishal-Shekhar have this quality of adding a lot of youth to their songs. The youth of India really connect with their kind of music and I think with this film they have done a range from 'Dil Hara' to 'Challiya' to 'Falak' which is also a very nice song which has Akshay and me in it. I think they have covered an entire spectrum and done a great job.
The look in this film is most talked about. Can you tell us something about your experience working with Aki Narula?
I am really excited about the look of this film. I think words fall short to praise the kind of talent Aki has because I think as a designer he is one of the most talented designers we have. He gets into the skin of each and every character; he knows exactly what to give when and in which scene. I think he is just fantastic and what he has done for me in this movie is commendable he just changed my entire look; it is something that has never been seen before. I think the whole idea of keeping it very grunge and rugged for me has really worked because I don't think an Indian actress has really done that on screen before. Normally, an Indian actress is always very particular about looking beautiful, looking really perfect and her hair being in place and not looking messy. But in this film we have brought a lot of sexiness for the character through the clothes, make up and the hair. We have all worked together as a team to give me a unique look. I am really excited and I think Aki has done a phenomenal job; he's going to win a lot of accolades for this film for sure.
Is there any particular outfit in the film you would like to wear otherwise?
In my song 'Challiya', there is a change of 10 costumes. I would like to wear each one of them even if I go out for a dinner or a party because it's going to take on to the youth like anything. Aki has just put a lot of things together like shoes, accessories. I love Pooja's signature outfit - A white shirt with nice jeans and boots. I think I live in that always and I think that's why I like those outfit's the best.
Did you have to take any special training for the film considering that it is an action film?
Before this film started, I kind of knew that for this character to look different from what I have done before, I have to train really hard to change the shape of my body which I wanted to do. A lot of actresses abroad work on one film at a time, change their look for a particular film body wise people loose weight, put on weight. For Tashan, it was a conscious effort to change my body structure and work towards it. I wanted to look a bit lean because there is a lot of action in this movie and I think a lean girl doing action always looks much better. So I trained really hard for about eight to nine months and was on a strict diet regime for this film. But the lean look is only for Tashan, that's the only way this will look different from any other film. Adi, Victor, Aki all of us sat together and thought that it would be great if I could loose weight and get into shape and the response has been phenomenal. I am actually enjoying it I have got used to it.
Tashan, it was a conscious effort to change my body structure and work towards it. I wanted to look a bit lean because there is a lot of action in this movie and I think a lean girl doing action always looks much better
Share your experience working with Vijay Krishna Acharya fondly called Victor.
Victor is a fantastic writer. The way he writes is unbelievable and I think to be a great director you need to be a great writer. The greatest of directors are fantastic writers. The way Victor has etched this film, written the dialogues, and written the entire screenplay is just great. He knows the pulse of the audiences and what gets them. Apart from making such a huge commercial film, he's made it very real, he wants his characters, his actors, the ambience around him to be very real which I think is great about Victor. I love that because I think the more real it is, the more you can connect with the audiences. So I love that quality in Victor. I think he gives his actors a lot of space, of course, he tells them what he needs, what he wants, and then he lets the actor flow. He is very open minded which I think is great. I have worked with a lot of directors but thinking that this is Victor's first film you cannot believe it, he's like a seasoned director. He is one director to really watch out for. I would like to work with him again; I had the time of my life shooting this film. Besides being a wonderful director he is a wonderful human being and I hope this film is a huge blockbuster for Victor because he is really great.
I have worked with a lot of directors but thinking that this is Victor's first film you cannot believe it, he's like a seasoned director he is one director to really watch out for.
It must have been phenomenal shooting in Greece and Ladakh.
Shooting this film has been a marathon. It's been tedious but great fun because the team has been so much fun; we have been like a unit, a real family. We traveled to Greece, Ladakh, Jaisalmer, Kerala, Haridwar, so it's going to look like a really beautiful film because the spectrum is like all over from Ladakh to Kerala to Greece which is really exciting. Greece was beautiful, it was freezing cold. I have given a shot where they have put me in minus degree temperature water, which I think is the best shot in the film but let people see it. Ladakh was heavy terrain it was tough to shoot but like I said, when you are working with a family, when you are doing great scenes, saying some great lines, you are enjoying your work so much that nothing seems tough anymore. The oxygen level was low in Ladakh, so it was tough but we still use to train, that is the dedication Akshay, Saif and I had, because we love the film, Tashan.
What is your Tashan quotient?
My Tashan lies in the way I am, my attitude towards life, towards work, towards people. I think Tashan basically means attitude for me.
Any one memorable incident during the shoot of the film
It's tough to say because there have been so many memorable incidents. It is a truly special film. Shooting in Ladakh, Greece and Jaisalmer had been an experience that each of us would cherish. Each day, each moment is unforgettable, the kind of passion, dedication that we have put in this film cannot be easily forgotten. We have shot a song called 'Dil Dance Maare' in Ladakh, we (Akshay, Saif & me) had to dance on a stony path. I was wearing heels which were about 4 inches and I had to dance wearing this really short dress. I think the way we shot that song was the most memorable experience for me because the song was great and we enjoyed doing it so much. It was tough but we laughed it off, we had a great time shooting the song.
I have given a shot where they have put me in minus degree temperature water, which I think is the best shot in the film
Action, that is probably something new for you.
To be honest, I am not really the action sorts. I was really nervous because I don't enjoy action as much as I enjoy dance or an emotional performance. I think the action-director, Peter Hinnes is outstanding; he is the best action choreographer we have in India. He is truly unbeatable, we had really heavy action in the climax of our movie but the kind of precautions that he had taken, we were literally mollycoddled as actors which I really owe it to him. I have done a lot of action and the safety measures were great. I enjoyed doing a sequence with Anilji, it's like a hose pipe sequence where he is putting water on me. It was an enthralling experience, really energizing, took a lot out of us. We were really drained by the end of it but according to me, I enjoyed doing that and that's the best action sequence I feel.
I think the action director Peter Hinnes is outstanding; he is the best action choreographer we have in India
You are doing a Yash Raj Film production after a while how different is it now.
I think it's like coming back home. My sister had done Dil Toh Pagal Hai with them, which is one of her greatest films, and I use to always be there on the sets, kind of watching and learning Yashji direct. We have always been like a family and since childhood I have been a filmy kid, so working with YRF was like being home. I think it's the richest experience to be working with Yash Raj Films and to be working with Adi .I think it's a heart warming experience because the kind of dedication they have and the entire production team has towards a film is heart warming. That's why they make the greatest films in India because the work that goes in drives you to give your best. I think it's my richest experience ever and I hope to do many more films with Yash Raj. Source: Indiafm.com Features | 23 Apr 2008 | 12:32 pm
Spiderman creator, Stan Lee, whose comic book heroes have dominated US culture for more than half a century, plans to unleash another 10 characters on the world in 2009, Variety reported Tuesday. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 23 Apr 2008 | 12:07 pm
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan in his blog has lashed out against Shatrughan Sinha`s insinuations that the nominations list of the International Indian Film Academy awards were fixed. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 23 Apr 2008 | 12:07 pm
Actress Lindsay Lohan`s kid sister, Ali, is following in the movie footsteps of her older sibling as she shoots her big-screen debut in a film based on R.L. Stine`s pre-teen book series "Mostly Ghostly." Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 23 Apr 2008 | 12:07 pm
This year`s Zee Cine Awards ceremony will be held at Excel Docklands Arena in London on April 26. The Awards have an extraordinary appeal in the sub-continent, and are equally popular around the world and in the UK. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 23 Apr 2008 | 12:07 pm
The marriage of singer-actress Beyonce Knowles and hip-hop mogul Jay-Z is official -- the couple have filed a wedding license, a town clerk in a New York City suburb said on Tuesday. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 23 Apr 2008 | 12:07 pm
Bollywood`s blissfully happy couple Malaika and Arbaaz Khan`s rather ugly tryst with advertising has left the family deeply affected. Hurt and angry, Arbaaz says he won`t tolerate anything that affects his wife`s image. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 23 Apr 2008 | 12:07 pm
Sanjay Gupta has a lot to say about the IPL film that he has shot for Vijay Mallya with Katrina Kaif. "I don't do ads as a rule. They take as much effort as feature films. Right now, I'm heavily into multi-tasking. Besides work I'm also getting into shape physically. The IPL video took a month of my time. At the risk of sounding immodest, I think I was the obvious choice. They needed a larger-than-life action - spectacle."
Gupta wanted to project Katrina Kaif as a rock star. "When Mallya asked me whom I wanted to work with, I said Katrina. She's had the hits so far. But she hasn't been projected correctly as a diva. Where's even one song that she can be identified with like Sridevi and Madhuri were associated with chartbusters? I explained to Katrina that I wanted to present her as a rock star like Annie Lennox and not a cheerleader."
Katrina has even been dressed like Lennox. "Very smouldering presence. And two singers Aanchal and Sophie Chowdhary sang 'Jeetenge Hum Shaan Se' for Katrina. Shaan is the first word that comes to mind when we speak about Vijay Mallya. Katrina was barrels of fun to work with. She pulled a prank on me that had me shitting bricks. My assistant came to me and told me Katrina fainted in Mumbai's April heat. I immediately swallowed it. But she was back." Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 23 Apr 2008 | 10:13 am
Mithun Chakraborty's son Mimoh has none other than the mighty Amitabh Bachchan as competition. But the newcomer is unfazed. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 23 Apr 2008 | 9:02 am
Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan was hurt on the sets of Sujoy Ghosh's mega fantasy 'Alladin' while doing an action sequence. He was rushed to a hospital. He is back in action now. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 23 Apr 2008 | 9:00 am
The normally taciturn Amitabh Bachchan has stepped into the world of blogs to air his views - and hit out at co-star Shatrughan Sinha's insinuation that the nominations list of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards was fixed. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 23 Apr 2008 | 9:00 am
Arbaaz and Malaika Khan's rather ugly run-in with the monstrous after-shocks of over-exuberant product-marketing seems to have left the Khan family deeply affected. Known to be deeply conservative the Khans are extremely upset with Malaika and Arbaaz. "They feel it was wrong that we should've let them read about our ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 23 Apr 2008 | 8:36 am
Melbourne (ANI): British beauty Elizabeth Hurley doesn't mind a bit of airbrushing. However, there's one part of her body that she insists designers leave alone her face. The Bedazzled star recently unveiled her new bikini line for clothing store Mango and posed for the photographs herself. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 23 Apr 2008 | 8:01 am
Melbourne (ANI): British actor Daniel Radcliffe insists that he was only joking when he said that he had been smitten by a mysterious Aussie girl. The actor told the Daily Telegraph on a recent Australia visit, that during the 2006 AFI Awards in Melbourne he had met one particular Australian gal ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 23 Apr 2008 | 7:50 am
Warner Bros. Pictures India has entered into an exclusive multi-picture deal with Soundarya Rajnikanth's Ocher Studios. The pact covers the production and distribution of Live-Action South Indian language films to be released by Warner Bros. The agreement was announced by Soundarya Rajnikanth, MD, Ocher Studios and Blaise Fernandes, Country Head for Warner Bros. Pictures India.
âWe are excited and proud to be working with Soundarya Rajnikanth, who is extremely talented, has good insight into film-making and knows the pulse of the Southern market,â said Blaise Fernandes, âGiven Soundarya and Ocher Studios' creative skills combined with our marketing and distribution network, this is a perfect synergy between the two companies to come together.â
âIt is indeed a privilege for us to be associating with Warner Bros, who are a world leader in the entertainment industry. Ocher Studios has always strived towards achieving high standards in quality content creation and with Warner's expertise in the marketing and distribution space, this association will definitely create an impact in the film industry,â says Soundarya Rajinikanth, MD, Ocher Studios.
âWe are thrilled with this opportunity to expand our local production business across all four Southern languages by getting into a strategic alliance with Soundarya Rajnikanth of Ocher Studios,â says Richard J. Fox, Executive Vice President, Warner Bros International, âAs is our practice, we will work closely with our partners to impart our experiences and expertise in a collaborative way.â Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 23 Apr 2008 | 7:46 am
Bhoothnath brings together the two supremos -- Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan - after a short hiatus. In between, rumours were flying left, right and centre about the tension between them and that they weren't interested in working with each other anymore. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 23 Apr 2008 | 7:27 am
The director of KAAL is ready to strike back. Soham, who has been in the news for the right reasons [he made his directorial debut with Karan Johar's KAAL] as also the wrong reasons [Karan Johar and Soham went separate ways after some time], is finally ready to start his new venture. Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevision, a prolific production house, will produce Soham's new project, which is titled LUCK.
Although the project is in the planning stages, the makers have already finalized the following names: Sanjay Dutt, Mithun Chakraborty and veteran Danny Denzongpa. Two leading ladies are yet to be finalized. An action-thriller, the shooting will commence from May 3. Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 23 Apr 2008 | 7:27 am
Shahrukh Khan is undoubtedly the king of romance in the industry. However the superstar acted in one of the most explosive lovemaking scenes at the start of his career. Those scenes has leaked over the internet and come back to haunt the actor after 15 years. The movie in question ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 23 Apr 2008 | 7:19 am
Just yesterday, we told that that the Bhatts -- Mahesh and Mukesh -- were planning to premiere their new film JANNAT in Pakistan. Now here's more on the Bhatts and their Pakistani connections. The latest is that they are planning to start an Indo-Pakistani co-production, which will be directed by Raksha and Hasnain, who had directed THE KILLER for the Bhatts in the past.
While Mukesh Bhatt has officially confirmed this news to this writer, the director duo is busy locking the script and finalizing the star cast. Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 23 Apr 2008 | 7:17 am
Dasavatharam producer Oscar Ravichandran has finally sent out invitations of the audio release of his film, most awaited magnum opus of the century. The Dasavatharam audio launch is all set to take place on April 25th in Chennai. The invitations to the launch shows the creativity and detailed work that has ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 23 Apr 2008 | 7:16 am
Gung ho about new release Tashan, I caught up with Saif Ali Khan in Delhi's Le Meridien Hotel. In a freewheeling chat, the actor reveals all on Yash Raj's latest, current flame Kareena Kapoor, and co-star Akshay Kumar. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 23 Apr 2008 | 7:14 am
Lekha Washington, the former SS Music VJ and previous heroine of Simbu's Kettavan will take on the role of a cricket commentator in real life. The young actress was to make her debut in Tamil Cinema with Silambarasan's Kettavan, which has shelved few months ago for unknown reasons and she is ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 23 Apr 2008 | 7:10 am
Despite the fact that there weren't any major releases last week, both U Me Aur Hum and Krazzy 4 dipped considerably in the major international markets. U Me Aur Hum had a 56% fall in U.K. and 73% fall in America. Krazzy 4 was also badly hit, with a 68% ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 23 Apr 2008 | 6:57 am
After giving a powerful performance in Aamir Khan's Taare Zameen Par, this little wonder Darsheel Safary is regaining his power with his health drink. Darsheel has signed a deal with Horlicks as their brand ambassador. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 23 Apr 2008 | 6:56 am
Bollywood's blissfully happy couple Malaika and Arbaaz Khan's rather ugly tryst with advertising has left the family deeply affected. Hurt and angry, Arbaaz says he won't tolerate anything that affects his wife's image. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 23 Apr 2008 | 4:01 am
The new ultra-svelte Kareena Kapoor is hogging the limelight for her dramatic weight loss for 'Tashan', and the actress says she is enjoying her toned physique. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 23 Apr 2008 | 4:01 am
Indian One-Day cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's performance on the pitch and his good looks have earned him a huge female fan following, among them a bevy of Bollywood actresses. Here's what they say: Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 23 Apr 2008 | 4:01 am
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan in his blog has lashed out against Shatrughan Sinha's insinuations that the nominations list of the International Indian Film Academy awards were fixed. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 23 Apr 2008 | 1:31 am
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Keeping the tradition of bringing exclusive news intact, Bollywood Hungama does yet another cracker of a news breaker. Vidya Balan has been signed as the Brand Ambassador for Airtel.
This Bollywood beauty is on a signing spree, not just on screen, but off screen as well. The news of her being the Brand Ambassador for Airtel comes just days after her being signed as the Brand Ambassador for Toshiba. She has already shot for the commercial with yet another southern heartthrob Madhavan, with Vinil Mathew of FootCandle Productions, calling the shots.
Talking about Vidya Balan, R. Chandrasekhar - Head of Brand And Media, Bharti Airtel, said, âSpontaneity and vibrancy are key attributes of Airtel. Vidya is a hugely talented actress who brings a lot of freshness and naturalness to any role. We are sure that these traits of Vidya will have a positive rub off on the brand as well.â
With Vidya's career soaring up and up in the 'Air', it's really easy to 'Tel' that who is the next top most contender to the Queen Bee slot! What say Miss Balan! Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 22 Apr 2008 | 5:33 pm
Leading Kerala magician Samrat was arrested Tuesday when he began a hunger strike to dissuade Malayalam film superstar Mohanlal from performing a stunt act scheduled for April 27. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 22 Apr 2008 | 4:00 pm
After having tested waters on the silver screen, film actors are now shifting their seat positions towards the Television! It was the legendary Big B, whose 'Kaun Banega Crorepati's success paved way to many filmstars who were fighting shy to embrace any show on TV. KBC's success not only revived the fortunes of Star TV but also of AB's sagging career graph! This was followed by a dud called Sawaal Dus Karod Ka, hosted by the Anupam Kher and Manisha Koirala, KBC (SRK in Season 3) and many others.
The lure of TV seems to be not sparing anyone from Bollywood. The latest one to be 'smitten' by the 'Idiot Box' bug is none other than our very own shirtless wonder- Salman Khan, who is all set to say 'Hello' to TV and has vowed to make people rich (read 'super-rich') with his show '10 Ka Dum', to be aired on Sony Entertainment Television (SET).
If you think that becoming rich was that difficult, then, '10 Ka Dum' is all 'SET' to prove you wrong! The contestants here have to think like India, wherein they will have to answer a question, whose answer is an average percentage of a mass opinion poll conducted across India! If your guess matches with the cumulative opinion of India, then, you pocket a decent Rs 10,000 in your pocket! After that, every right or wrong question shifts your winning amount up and down by the power of ten, with the ultimate prize amount being a mammoth Rs 10 Crores!
Meeting Salman Khan and becoming a 'Crorepati'? Now, that's a double treat. Source: Indiafm.com Features | 22 Apr 2008 | 2:48 pm
Celebrating birthdays is always special, especially when one turns 94! Bollywood Hungama celebrates the birthday of this master storyteller, who went against the tide and left an indelible imprint in the history of Hindi cinema. Yes, we are talking about the one and only legendary filmmaker Baldev Raj Chopra (BR Chopra). His films comprised of 'social gyan' along with the tinge of 'Bollywood Tadka', if you think we are wrong, we can always put it to debate.
Even at the age of 94, he is as energetic and enthusiastic about everything he does like he was in his 20's. Despite crossing his second childhood, he creates the same magic in his films with his son as his right hand. And, on this occasion, Bollywood Hungama would like to take you down memory lane to his Black & White days and see what his friends and associates have to say about him.
Yash Chopra: âChopra Sahaab is the living legend of the Indian film industry. He has been my greatest influence as a filmmaker and as a father figure - in fact, I consider him my guru and have always maintained that everything I am today and all that I have achieved is because of his support, guidance, and blessings. Today, on the occasion of his birthday, I give him all my love and blessings and wish him a long and healthy life. May he continue to be an inspiration to me and to so many others of our fraternity.â
Amitabh Bachchan: "My good wishes and prayers to Dr. B R Chopra on his birthday today. Chopra Saab has been one of the most prominent pillars of the Indian Film Industry. His contribution is immeasurable. Apart from giving the Indian Film Industry some of the most memorable films, the outstanding feature of his contribution has been the fact that all his films have remained close to issues and morals that our society in India has been continuously troubled with. In todayâs times of speedy communications, xhibitionism, it is heartening to note that films coming from his house still maintain the original principles ingrained deeply by Dr B R Chopra.
May he enjoy good health and even greater prosperity."
Ravi Chopra: âDad has been my mentor and has always stood by me throughout my life. I remember, the expenses of the first four episodes of 'Mahabharata' were getting sky high and I went to seek some advice from him as to what can be done. He simply suggested that money does not matter as long as one is aiming for a high goal. If I come up with a nice product, money will eventually pour in. Another incident, which talks volumes about his sensibility as a filmmaker was while shooting for Humraaz it started raining heavily at Kulu Manali. We were wondering how dad would react. But dad was a step ahead, he ordered for 'pakodas' and all the unit members including him played Table Tennis until the weather was favorable for shooting. I wish him good health and peace of mind for the rest of his life.â
Farida Jalal: âWhat can one say about a stalwart like BR Chopra, he is undisputedly one of the pillars of Hindi cinema! Even after working with some wonderful directors, I had the regression of not working with the legendary before marriage. However, post marriage after taking 'sanyas' from films for quite a while, when I returned to films, Chopraji was the first filmmaker to approach me with Kal Ki Awaaz and I just grabbed the offer. I still cherish the moment when he complimented me of being one of best actresses in Hindi Cinema, after watching Henna. Praises coming from him meant the world for me. Many happy returns of the day Chopraji, I wish you all the happiness and prosperity in life.
Raj Babbar: âTo me B.R. Choprasaab has always been a teacher and I feel fortunate and proud to have worked with such a marvelous filmmaker. His level headedness both in real and reel life would place him in a different league altogether. His smile was his trademark. I remember during the shoot of the rape scene by me on Zeenat Aman in Insaaf Ka Tarrazu, I requested him if I could do rehearsals before giving the shot. The perfectionist in him let me rehearse the entire scene with the cameras on so that he could explain how it would do justice to the scene. Well, I must make a mention here that, I could see the reflection of Mr. Chopra in Aamir Khan while watching TZP. And on his Birthday I wish him success, good health, and prosperity.â
Jeetendra: âB.R. Chopra is one of the very few directors who could blend both commerce and art so beautifully on screen. He proved his mettle making films on the subjects, which the filmmakers of his times could not even think of. Not just this, I remember his film, Kanoon which was ahead of its times, he changed the tradition of songs in films and made movies without them. The other day, both Ravi Chopra and I were cherishing those days when he was on his toes for whatever he digs his head into. May God bless him and give peace of mind to this incredible man named B.R Chopra.â
Rishi Kapoor: âI have worked with B.R. Chopra only for one film called Tawaif. It was an experience of lifetime. He was simply excellent. I had a phenomenal time working with him. I respect him a lot and it increases with time. I would like to give him my warm wishes on his Birthday and hope he has a happy and healthy life. God Bless him.â
Subhash Ghai: âI did not get an opportunity to work with him but yes I did interact with him on a personal level. He was the one who had suggested me to go to FTII Pune for learning the art of filmmaking. I still remember that particular moment when he planted a tree at the anniversary of Whistling Woods last year. I was moved by his gesture and was very fortunate to have him there. May God bless him and bring him all kinds of happiness for the rest of his life.â
Courtesy by: Rashmi Sachdeva Source: Indiafm.com Features | 22 Apr 2008 | 2:18 pm
The very prestigious National Film Development Corporation Ltd (NFDC), which is also the fundamental agency established to encourage & promote "Cinemas Of India' - both on a National and International level, is all set to welcome aboard its new Chairman, the veteran actor, Om Puri.
The announcement of this will happen tomorrow April 23, 2008, when the prominent luminaries from the past repertoire of NFDC, as well as many co-producers of the forthcoming films of NFDC i.e. Lucky Red Seeds, As The River Flows, White Elephant & Via Darjeeling will come together. This will be followed by exclusive Audio-Visual promos of the forthcoming unreleased films.
The newly to-be-appointed Chairman Om Puri, along with Nina Gupta, the present Managing Director- NFDC, will be sharing the future plans and growth prospects of NFDC's role in promoting Significant and Content Cinema in India.
What else can we sayâ¦Simply Rock On Om Puri saab! Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 22 Apr 2008 | 2:17 pm
Pahlaj Nihalani, the prolific filmmaker of the 1980s and he '90s who made hits like 'Shola Aur Shabnam' and 'Aankhen', has launched his music label Dhol. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 22 Apr 2008 | 12:02 pm
Arbaaz and Malaika Khan's rather ugly run-in with the monstrous after-shocks of over-exuberant product-marketing seems to have left the Khan family deeply affected. Known to be deeply conservative the Khans are extremely upset with Malaika and Arbaaz. "They feel it was wrong that we should've let them read about our little campaign instead of taking the family into confidence. In fact my parents clearly said, 'If we knew you two were going to be part of such a gimmick we'd have never allowed you to.' I never thought I'd ever get into something that would turn so ugly," sighs Arbaaz.
So far the Khan family has one child as a favourite child of controversy. "Salman doesn't care what is written about him. I'm not that kind of a guy. I'm very particular about the way I conduct myself especially about my marriage. Suddenly, I find myself fighting a lonely battle to redeem my wife and my image."
To compound the Khans' problems the multi-national company which conceived and implemented the queer campaign has completely washed its hands off the matterâ¦.a direct echo of what happened to the Roshans when the cell-phone company which goofed up in its communication system with the copyright ownership issue of Ram Sampat's tune decided to steer clear of their celebrity clients' troubles. "It's not just my name that's being affected, it's my wife's name too, and that I won't tolerate," Arbaaz says angrily days after the media reacted violently to the couple's gimmicky marital-discord campaign that hit the headlines last week.
Says Arbaaz, "My wife and I have been called publicity hounds and our little child has also been dragged into the matter when all we did was to go along with the multi-national's campaign. Is compliance a crime? Then we're guilty. And I apologize. I'm not the kind of a guy who gets defensive after doing something goes wrong. And this situation has definitely gone wrong."
What Arbaaz cannot fathom is why a section of the media chose to highlight the false story on a marriage breakup. "Neither Malaika nor I ever said we were splitting. It was the cosmetic company which put out a yarn about me re-marrying. From there some media persons let their imagination run riot. Since when is our marriage a matter of front-page interest?" Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 22 Apr 2008 | 11:03 am
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Kareena Kapoor's next release is Yashraj Films' Tashan this week. "We've all worked really hard on the film. Let's hope it works. After Jab We Met, another hit wouldn't hurt."
Kareena is looking forward to another film with Saif after Omkara and Tashan. "We're doing Renzil D'Silva's film together. But it's very important to keep the personal and professional lives apart," she says with a new-found wisdom. "Both Saif and I need to concentrate on our individual careers. No marriage for me for the next five years." She also cuts down any speculation regarding her sister Karisma's comeback. "How will she work? All her attention is taken up in looking after her daughter Samaira. My niece is the apple of everyone's eyes at homeâ¦Come to think of it, the letter 'S' has always been important in my life," she laughs, referring not just to her niece Samaira but also to Shahid and Saif.
Saif was recently in Bangkok shooting an ad with Priyanka Chopra. Kareena who's known to be possessive about her loved ones was blissfully at peace with herself. "I've never been more comfortable in my space. And when I read stories about me, I can't recognize myself," Kareena sighs.
It hard for us to recognize the new ultra-svelte Kareena. Post-Jab We Met she has lost so much weight there is a ceaseless spurt of speculative stories about her weight-loss. "People are saying I want to be like Victoria Beckham. I think the talk started when Saif got himself tattooed with my name. David had done the same for Victoria. Soâ¦but honestly, I'm proud of my sculpted body. It's a look that I needed for my new film Tashan. But I haven't starved myself to look the way I'm looking these days. Why should I want to be like anyone else? I've done nothing drastic to myself. I do yoga religiously. And I'm eating like any healthy girl, thank you."
She faints with amusement at anorexic stories about her. "It was written that I fainted on the sets because I've become weak. Utter rubbish! Kuch bhi likh dete hain. Have these people seen me in person? I look no different from the way I looked earlier. I guess I'm just happy in life, and that shows. I haven't lost weight. I've just toned my physique and that too for a role. "
If Kareena is glowing, it isn't just love. "I've right now entered the best phase of my career. Jab We Met has for sure been a turning point."
Her desire to pair with Aamir is fulfilled. "It was a dream to work with Aamir. We recently came close to working together in two films (Vishal Bhardwaj's Mr Mehta And Mrs Singh and Mani Rathnam's Lajjo).It's finally happening. As for Rensil's film, it's a stunning script. I'm doing something in it, I've never done before." Source: Indiafm.com Features | 22 Apr 2008 | 10:49 am
Today is the birthday of Baldev Raj Chopra, the eternal great and legendary Bollywood Man! Some of you may not know much about his life, so we give a short biography of the living legend to help you in knowing the B-Day boy better!
After doing his M.A. in English Literature from Lahore University, he surprised his family by getting into film journalism. After that, he joined 'Cine Herald Journal' as a writer in charge of editing film reviews. He later went on to produce his first film Karwat in 1949. He is also responsible for giving India its first ever epic television serial 'Mahabharat', which entered the Guinness Book of World Records by registering 96% world viewership! Later, he was aptly awarded the prestigious 'Dadasaheb Phalke Award' for his contribution to Indian Cinema, which included classic and evergreen films like Naya Daur, Gumrah, Pati Patni Aur Woh, Insaaf Ka Tarazu, Tawaif, Nikaah and so on.
Needless to say that you must be by now ordering for bouquets galore to wish the B-Day Boy, Mr B R Chopra who turns 94 today.
All you need to do is post your Birthday wishes for Mr. B R Chopra, the 'Architect of Bollywood' in the window below. Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 22 Apr 2008 | 10:35 am
'She' is Hottie Madame and 'He' is every Madam's Adam! When they come together, it's gonna be fireworks to the ton. We are indeed talking about Mallika Sherawat and Ranvir Shourey, who will very soon be seen in their forthcoming film Ugly Aur Pagli. Produced by Pritish Nandy Communications, and directed by Sachin Kamlakar Khot, this one is definitely a summer treat!
After having created oodles of waves with her last PNC flick, Pyaar Ke Side Effects, it will be a real cracker to see Madame Sherawat in her new look, which is a real refresher from her Khwaaish days, coz Ugly and Pagli has 99 slaps and 1 kiss!
Way to go Mallika! Source: Indiafm.com Features | 22 Apr 2008 | 10:16 am
The tryst between Pakistani music talent and Bollywood continues. The leading Lahore-based vocalist Mustafa Zahid from the famous rock band 'Roxen' made his playback debut in the Bhatt camp's Mohit Suri-directed Awarapan last year. He was even seen along with Emraan Hashmi and his band members in the remix video of the hit number 'Toh Phir Aao'.
After his 'Tera Mera Rishta' and 'Toh Phir Aao' tracks from the film shot to fame, the word is that Zahid has now been roped in to compose and render a track for the forthcoming film, Runway, starring Lucky Ali and Tulip Joshi. The crooner is likely to fly to Mumbai early next month to shoot the music video for the number, which has been provisionally titled Khuda Kay Liye.
And if that isn't enough, the Pakistani sensation will do a repeat for his favourite Bhatt brothers by composing and rendering the signature track for the keenly awaited sequel to Raaz, which is currently under production.
Speaking exclusively to Bollywood Hungama, Zahid confirmed the news, "After the success of 'Toh Phir Aao' and 'Tera Mera Rishta', I'm glad that Bollywood has embraced me with open arms. Though my rock concerts have been keeping me more than busy, Bollywood has fast emerged into another passion that will remain with me for keeps!" He adds, "It's always nice to come down to Mumbai and catch up with friends. This trip, hopefully, will be no exception!" Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 22 Apr 2008 | 10:16 am
2008 seems to be another eventful year for Shree Asthtavinayak Cinevision. The hi-profile concern will have three important releases one after the other, starting July. While MAHARATHI will hit the screens on 25th July, KIDNAP [Sanjay Gadhvi's first film outside Yash Raj] has been confirmed for 22nd August. And the sequel to GOLMAAL, GOLMAAL RETURNS [directed by the talented Rohit Shetty] is, as of now, expected in Diwali [24th October].
However, Ashtavinayak will release one more film before the year draws to a close: RUN BHOLA RUN, starring Govinda and Tusshar and directed by Neeraj Vora. Great going indeed! Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 22 Apr 2008 | 7:59 am
