Lucky Ali plays a contract killer while Tulip Joshi will be seen as a bar dancer in the film Runway directed by Suniel Tiwari and Praful Tiwari. The film made under J-71 entertainment private limited also features Deepal Shaw, Lucky Ali, Amarjeet, Shahwar Ali, Sharat Saxena and Vida (Miss. Afghanistan) sharing the screen space with Tulip. This is Suniel's second film after 2nd October.
Shedding some light on the storyline of his debut venture, Praful Tiwari says, "Runway revolves around the protagonist played by Amarjeet (a resident of Daman) who in order to get his girlfriend, Deepal Shaw, out of trouble signs a contract and lands up in Mauritius. In Mauritius, he discovers that he has been used as an instrument by some people for their selfish ends and now is the prey of Lucky Ali (a contract killer). In this total turmoil, he meets Tulip (a bar Dancer) who helps him out for humanity sake and they fall in love. And, what happens to Deepal Shaw and how does this guy come out of the confusion is something interesting to see."
Tulip excited about her role says, "I play a bar dancer who tries her level best to get the protagonist Amarjeet out of the problems created by some people."
Runway, full of action and suspense, is in its post-production stage is expected to release by July. Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 25 Apr 2008 | 12:18 pm
The cast and crew of Karan Johar's Dostana are having a whale of a time in Miami. Since it's a seaside comedy about two guys, Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham, and the girl Priyanka Chopra, whom they woo, everyone is having a party on the job. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Apr 2008 | 10:18 am
For Siddharth Anand directing his childhood chum Ranbir Kapoor was an inevitability. Not only are their parents close friends, Ranbir and Siddharth grew up together. "We had no choice but to be friends," jokes Anand.
In fact, the two had made a pact that they would start their careers together. But then Siddharth got busy with his two back-to-back Saif starrers. "Ranbir and I are like brothers. I know him from the time he was born. I'm shocked by Ranbir's expertise in front of the camera. In my film he'll be completely different from the way he was in Saawariya. Ranbir is full tayyaar on the sets. Superb energy and a great dancer, "Anand exulted just before the crew left for a 50-day shoot of his Ranbir starrer Bachna Ae Haseenon all over Europe.
So how does it feel to be making his third romantic comedy? Anand corrects me. "Salaam Namaste was a romantic comedy. But Tara Rum Pum was a family drama. I never executed it as a romantic comedyâ¦It didn't do as well. Probably my concept of poverty, not getting good food, didn't jell with the audience. That was my interpretation of poverty because I'm a foodie and not getting great food is the biggest deprivation for me. I need good food to keep me happy healthy and fat. Anyway, people have been catching up on it belatedly on the cable and DVD. I was happy the producers didn't lose money. Bachna Ae Haseenon is again a romantic comedy. I feel it stretches the genre."
His film releases on 15 August. "I just saw my poster with the date and my hands went cold."
The director feels there's an instant connectivity with the audience through the title. "And it's not just because Rishi Uncle sang the words Bachna Ae Haseenon. Anyone who'll see my film will know it's the most apt title. However, Ranbir being in the film the title does acquire an added dimension."
Interestingly, Sid Anand decided to knock off one whole portion of the plot thereby knocking Katrina Kaif out of vision. "And only because it was getting too long. If we had kept Katrina's portion, Bachna Ae Haseenon would've been one of the longest films in the history of Hindi cinemaâ¦.much beyond three hours."
Siddharth admits it wasn't easy breaking the news to Katrina. "Nobody had the heart to break the news to her. When she heard she was out, Katrina was really upset. But what to do? In fact, Katrina's track was one of our favourites. But she saw our point of view when she saw the film. The only reason we dropped her track was because it hadn't been shot. Otherwise she's the biggest star we've in our film. Katrina has had only one flop in her entire career. Dropping her track upset all of us."
Siddharth feels Yashraj Films is like a second home for him. "I've been part of the banner for ten years. I started by assisting on Mujhse Dosti Karogi." He now plans to make a film for Sajid Nadiadwala.
âStarsâ, Siddharth admits, bring in the audience. "But I think a film like Taare Zameen Par would've worked even without Aamir. We've some supremely talented actors like Irrfan Khan and Kay Kay Menon. Hopefully, I'll be working with them soon." Provided Ranbir and Saif let him. Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 25 Apr 2008 | 9:51 am
Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie tattooed her husband Billy Bob Thornton's name out of love. Then that sweet memory turned bitter when they parted ways. Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan too is in similar situation. The tattoo on his arm bearing the name of his lady love Kareena Kapoor is creating lots ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Apr 2008 | 9:27 am
Everyone knows Ranbir Kapoor's post-Saawariya project is a romantic musical for Yash Raj Films. What isn't so well-known is that the project has been struggling to find itself an appropriate title. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Apr 2008 | 9:19 am
Yash Raj Films' much-awaited action thriller 'Tashan' has opened in a select few cinema halls. Major multiplexes like PVR Cinemas and Inox did not release it Friday. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Apr 2008 | 8:30 am
After Chandramukhi, once again Rajini film's theatrical rights will be sold in auction. Rajini, the undisputed emperor of Box Office, has created new records with his every film. The rights to his previous film Chandramukhi was sold in auction for the first film in the history of Tamil Cinema and earned ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Apr 2008 | 8:06 am
London (ANI): After a series of mysterious mishaps, including a stuntman sustaining serious head injuries during the shoot, rumours are abuzz that the latest Bond film has been hit by a jinx. The shooting of Quantum of Solace by Lake Garda, in northern Italy, has been suspended following the series of ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Apr 2008 | 7:41 am
New York (ANI): She's denied it, but rumours continue to persist that Padma Lakshmi is in a relationship with Princess Diana's former suitor Ted Forstmann. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Apr 2008 | 7:35 am
Melbourne (ANI): Aussie actress Antonia Kidman has cemented her status in the Australian television industry after winning the favourite female personality at the pay television ASTRA Awards for the second time in a row. The host of 'From Here to Maternity', Antonia accepted the gong in front of 1,000 guests at ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Apr 2008 | 7:34 am
Even though Akshay 'Jubilee' Kumar is shooting at breakneck speed at far-flung locations of China and Thailand [CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA is almost complete; just 10 days shooting is pending], rumours of all kinds [obviously, spread by Akki haters] show their ugly head intermittently.
The latest rumour [or should I say, joke?] is, Yash Raj has 'banned' Akshay because [a] The actor has had the guts to refuse a new script offered by the Chopras and [b] He isn't promoting a particular IPL team that has had a tie-up with TASHAN.
Expectedly, Akshay is flummoxed when I question him about the reported 'ban'. "YRF bans me? Impossible. Mr. Chopra and his son are thorough gentlemen. They would never ban their actors. Besides, they love me. By next week, watch out, I'll be their new 'Tashan'," is all that the modest Akki is ready to say.
Having known Akshay since the time he started out in SAUGANDH and also knowing how gracious and professional the Chopras are, I refuse to buy the story that they have decided against working with each other. Talking of the actor, he's humility personified even today -- a rarity when you hit big time.
Well, TASHAN releases today and all eyes are on this movie. Will Akki have yet another trophy to decorate on his over-crowded shelf? Will he walk away with ceetees and taalis once again? Watch out for the review on Bollywood Hungama, in a few hours from now. Watch this space! Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 25 Apr 2008 | 7:30 am
Just recently we had told you in detail about the placement of Shahrukh Khan's special appearance in the Amitabh Bachchan starrer, Bhoothnath. Just to recap, Shahrukh, along with good friend Juhi Chawla, play parents to the child 'Banku' (Aman Siddiqui), who befriends the ghost (Amitabh Bachchan) and King Khan will ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Apr 2008 | 7:19 am
Jiah Khan is no longer a part of the Ken Ghosh's film Star, and the reason is none other than Shahid Kapoor. Apparently, Jiah came on too strong, and wanted to hang out with Shahid soon after they were introduced on the sets. Shahid tactfully distanced himself from the starlet, ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Apr 2008 | 7:18 am
Dasavataram, one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year, has been cleared by the censors with a clean U certificate. Produced on a budget of a whopping Rs 70 crores, Dasavataram was cleared by the censor board yesterday, All the members of the regional censor board appreciated the ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 25 Apr 2008 | 7:17 am
Director Sanjay Gupta's niece and budding actress Neha Oberoi, who features in the upcoming film 'Woodstock Villa', does not believe that having connections in Bollywood helps in the long run. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Apr 2008 | 5:01 am
Veteran actor Om Puri, who has just taken over as chairman of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), says he hopes to promote meaningful films that impart a social message. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Apr 2008 | 5:00 am
There's a drought of hits at the box office, but Bollywood is witnessing a production boom. There are about 70 movies on the floor in varying stages of completion. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Apr 2008 | 5:00 am
Noted actor Anupam Kher, who is fascinated by the idea of movie stars buying Indian Premier League (IPL) teams, says the combination of cricket and Bollywood is a welcome change. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Apr 2008 | 2:31 am
Filmmaker Boney Kapoor's 'Milenge Milenge', in the making for almost two years now, is getting ready for release. Ironically, the film stars former lovers Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapur. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Apr 2008 | 2:30 am
Ekta Kapoor made her blue-eyed girl Prachi Desai of 'Kasamh Se' fame work harder than other actors before relieving her from Balaji Telefilms because the TV tycoon didn't want to be accused of favouritism. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Apr 2008 | 2:30 am
Actor Wesley Snipes was sentenced Thursday to three years in jail for tax fraud, CNN reported. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Apr 2008 | 2:30 am
Bollywood actor Akshaye Khanna is shooting in Bangkok for Neeraj Vora's 'Shortcut' and says he is missing home and desperately looking for a break. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 25 Apr 2008 | 2:00 am
Former President APJ Abdul Kalam`s secretary PM Nair is all set to release his new book "The Kalam Effect: My Years with the President" (published by Harper Collins) at the Fountain Lawn, India International Centre, Lodhi Estate. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 25 Apr 2008 | 12:47 am
A British court has overruled the government`s decision to deny Snoop Dogg a visa after he was involved in an airport lounge brawl in 2006. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 25 Apr 2008 | 12:47 am
Former model Geetanjali Nagpal, who underwent rehabilitation after a psychiatric problem that left her begging on streets, is now "independent, confident and insightful" and could be released for leading a normal life, a Delhi court was informed on Thursday. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 25 Apr 2008 | 12:47 am
Sir Paul McCartney has a fortune of 1 billion dollars - 200 million dollars more than believed. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 25 Apr 2008 | 12:47 am
Preity Zinta, who is currently stationed in Mohali with her Indian Premier League (IPL) team - Kings XI Punjab, is aghast to hear stories that some of the players of the team were shabbily treated and asked to move out of the Taj hotel to a less opulent place. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 25 Apr 2008 | 12:47 am
Juno debuted at No 1 on both the DVD sales and rental charts Wednesday, two months after the hit comedy won the screenplay Oscar at the Academy Awards. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 25 Apr 2008 | 12:47 am
The Screen Actors Guild and major Hollywood studios agreed on Wednesday to extend their contract talks by a week, allowing more time to narrow what the studios called "significant gaps" after eight days of negotiation. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 25 Apr 2008 | 12:47 am
Onir, who shot to instant fame with his debut film My Brother Nikhil, which was followed by Bas Ek Pal, a thriller, has signed the music composer Mithoon for his next film, which is an adaptation of the classic hit Chashme Baddoor. Onir has given Mithoon his first break in Bas Ek Pal.
Onir has recently returned from start to end shoot schedule of Sorry Bhai in Mauritius which stars Shabana Azmi, Boman Irani, Sanjay Suri, Sharman Joshi and Chitrangda Singh. Talking about the status of the film, Onir says, âWe are in the dubbing process of the film and are working on the background music. The post production stage is on. At this moment all that I can tell you is that we would be ready with Sorry Bhai by June end.â
When asked about his further course of films, Onir reveals, âBesides all this, I am working on a script, with a German author, which is set in Kashmir. I will soon be going to Germany to complete the script. Itâs a film that I will be directing. Along with it, thereâs another film that I will be producing with Sanjay Suri but not directing. The film is a thriller and is called Kill Chhabra. It will be directed by Ashwini Mallik, who also wrote Sorry Bhai for me. Kill Chhabra will feature Sanjay Suri, Gul Panag and Manav Kaul. We are looking out for two more girls and one guy. This film will get rolling by July.â Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 24 Apr 2008 | 5:09 pm
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Yash Raj Films and Kunal Kohli are finally out with the name of their forthcoming film starring Rani Mukherjee and Saif Ali Khan. The film is now titled Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic. âWe just got the title 3 or 4 days back. Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic came by as I was looking for a title that was more relevant in todayâs times, something that even a lay man can relate to. The name has to go the beyond the film and should be able to express more. And when we speak of Magic, itâs not âjadugarâ magic. It basically, talks about the little magic we need in our lives. Say sometimes you are upset, sad, or down and that little ray of magic works things out. We all need magic in our lives and thatâs what the film does. Itâs like a silver lining, itâs like the magic of lifeâ, explains Kunal Kohli.
The buzz of Ameesha being in Kunalâs film already gave rise to various rumors of her doing an item number and so on. Clearing all rumors, Kunal states, âIt is not an item number. I hate the term âitem numberâ in the first place. Yes, she doing my film but itâs not what you think. Ameesha is doing a guest appearance in the film and itâs a character role, which would also have a song. The song is not an item number but a beautiful and poetic song. She would have scenes as well; I do not believe in the concept of item numbers and do not like it being associated to my song. I asked Ameesha to do the role because the kind of character I had built, I thought she would be able to do justice to the role. I approached her, explained the role, and told her there was a song as well. What is more important is her role and not the song. When she heard the role, she was excited and agreed to do the role immediately. She basically loved her part in the film.â
So what is Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic is all about? âThe film is very different from all my previous films. I do not have the same style of directing in any of my films. Itâs a combination of fantasy and reality. All my films have been different, but none had fantasy as an element in it. The genre of this film is slightly different. Fantasy is interwoven with reality like in Mr. India, Krissh and Koi Mil Gaya. These films have kids but are not directed only towards kids, it could be watched by audiences of all ages. Kids now- a-days are very intelligent and you cannot talk down to them. They have to be treated with respect. My film is an entertaining Hindi film, which is for kids as well as the massesâ, says Kunal.
The filmâs shooting is complete and it is now into post production. Shankar Ehsaan Loy have given the music for Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic and the lyrics are by Prasoon Joshi. âThe music is releasing on May 22nd or 23rd. Itâs a complete mix of emotional and upbeat music. The music of my films have always been strong and interesting and SEL have done a fabulous job on this. As for Prasoon, he is extremely talentedâ, says Kohli. Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 24 Apr 2008 | 4:48 pm
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Aamir starring Rajeev Khandelwal was shot completely in the real locations of Mumbai. The entire shooting was done with hidden cameras and shot at the most real locations like Bhendi Bazzar, Crawford Market, Jacob Circle, Bandra Masjid and Dharavi in Mumbai. Rajkumar wanted someone who can shoot the narrow streets of the city to look the most real for his thriller.
He therefore approached internationally acclaimed wild life cinematographer Alphonse Roy for the film. Alphonse, after hearing the script readily agreed to be a part of Aamir which marks his debut into Hindi feature films. Says Gupta, "I wanted someone who could make Mumbai look as real as possible since we were not shooting on sets but shooting the whole film at real locations. Alphonse Roy is a very famous National Geographic cameraman and an expert to shoot at such locations. He was just perfect for the kind of look I wanted for my film. I am happy that he agreed to do the film. It was a pleasure working with such a skilled person in my first film."
After covering all kinds of wild life and environment across the planet, Alphonse now shoots the journey of a young man in the mean streets of Mumbai. Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 24 Apr 2008 | 4:19 pm
Off late there have been quite a few books arriving on shelves with the name 'Gulzar' gracing the cover. While two of them have been biographies ('Echoes & Eloquences - The Life and Cinema of Gulzar' by Saibal Chatterjee and 'Because He Is' - on a reprint - by Meghna Gulzar), the latest is 'Two Tales of My Times'. However, this time around the content is quite unique as instead of taking a reader through the personal and professional life of Gulzar, this Devina Dutt 'translated' book presents to the reader two of Gulzar's most respected and critically acclaimed scripts - New Delhi Times and Maachis.
Script reading in its original format may not be a common man's idea of appreciating its content, flow and narrative. On a lighter vein, sometimes even people from within the film industry may not really demonstrate sound 'script sense', so one can't say much about the uninitiated. This is why to make matters simple; Devina Dutt presents both New Delhi Times and Maachis in a smooth story narrative format.
Coming to the choice of scripts, while Maachis indeed is a very good story to revisit, it is the brilliance of New Delhi Times which makes one sit up and take notice of the cinematic movement that began in the late 70s/early 80s. Films like Ek Ruka Hua Faisla, Aaj Ki Awaaz, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, Inquilaab, Main Azaad Hoon, New Delhi Times and many more of this genre threatened to explore the ugly face of politics and law which was the cause of quite some unrest amongst the country's youth.
If Amitabh Bachchan's films in the 70s raised questions around growing unemployment in the country, the aforementioned films raised a pertinent question - "Is this our government? Why do cops survey and inspect us like rulers? Are they from the same land as us? This country does not seem to be ours and this government too is not ours?" Gulzar saab does raise these questions, though cinematically in one of the most crucial scenes in Maachis.
While Maachis exposed how terrorism seemed unstoppable in Punjab after Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984, New Delhi Times is a brilliant piece of writing which remains relevant till date. It demonstrates to the reader the real (and sometimes helpless) face of media which in spite of being true to the profession is made to compromise due to external forces involved. How media, politics and corporate houses are forced to tread on the same path even though not everyone involved may be willing to be a path of the same journey is brought to fore in New Delhi Times.
New Delhi Times is set in a drama genre with moments of thrills interspersed in the story to make it an involved exercise. What makes New Delhi Times stand out is the fact that majority of scenes are quite short, in fact not more than 3-4 minutes long, which makes one eagerly turn around pages to see what happens next. There is a smooth flow of narrative in spite of numerous characters involved in the story with not many consecutive scenes involving participation from the same characters.
On the other hand Maachis is a tale of pathos which forms a strong current in the narrative in spite of bullets, guns and bombs making an appearance in short intervals. Though one does miss frequent flashback sequences, which is the hallmark of Gulzar's writing, the depth in scenes displayed through short dialogues and conveying of emotions through expressions and body language (detailed quite well) makes for an engaging experience.
None of the two stories offer a solution; they cannot since the films deal with fundamental issues revolving around politics, law and law enforcers and hence can't have a 'heroic' ending to them. Still, a revisit to these films does make one reflect back on the times our country had and the place we live in today. Especially in case of New Delhi Times, it is hard to identify any differences around the socio-political scene in the 80s and the current century.
No, one can't claim that reading this book may turn a segment of readers into revolutionaries but the least it manages to do is not turn out to be a frivolous piece of fiction which one reads, gets entertained and forget! Yes, there are a couple of 'cinematic liberties', if one can afford to use the term in a book, in both New Delhi Times and vMaachis but that doesn't in anyways deviate the stories from the basic issues they try to raise. Also, at places where liberties could have been comfortably used to ensure a happy ending, Gulzar clearly steers away. On the contrary a reader sees the Editor of New Delhi Times helplessly seeing the degradation of the system around him while the lead protagonist of Maachis seeing death as the ultimate healer!
Strength of 'Two Tales of My Times' is that stories are broken down into short scenes, as they play in the movie, with characters communicating with each other through body language and dialogues, as they would do in real life. Of course one does get a sense of the scenes playing right in front of you (that's actually the intent as well), hence making for a unique experience.
There aren't many publications which are enthused about giving prominence to scripts of films and presenting them in a well designed book format. Still Rupa & Co. make sure that these scripts by Gulzar saab are made available for all to read, cherish, learn, dissect and admire - in no particular order!
Price: Rs. 395
Rating: ***1/2 Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 24 Apr 2008 | 2:45 pm
Preity Zinta, who is currently stationed in Mohali with her Indian Premier League (IPL) team - Kings XI Punjab, is aghast to hear stories that some of the players of the team were shabbily treated and asked to move out of the Taj hotel to a less opulent place. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 24 Apr 2008 | 12:31 pm
After having won accolades by a ton for Taare Zameen Par and with his new film Ghajini generating curiosity every passing day, life couldn't have been better for 'The Perfectionist' Aamir Khan.
But luck had something else in store for him in the form of a hamstring muscle injury while performing an action sequence for Ghajini. The scene was such that Aamir had to pick up a very bulky man and throw him against the wall and due to this Aamir pulled his hamstring muscle while he was enacting the action scene. This happened at Ramuji Rao Studios in Hyderabad yesterday. A Physiotherapist was then called in for Aamir.
The Ghajini team has been canning some complex action shots since past few days which are important part of the film. However, due to Aamir's injury, the shooting of the film has been indefinitely postponed. Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 24 Apr 2008 | 12:06 pm
Sanjay Leela Bhansali: "I think Mr Basu seriously needs to re-assess what he has said about Amitji. Please ask him to go back to all this unbeatable actor's films from Anand to Namak Halaal to the recent ones Like Black and Baghbanâ¦The nuances in his comic timing and the dramatic pauses in his emotional scenesâ¦waah! There can never be another Amitabh Bachchan. Just as there can never be another Lata Mangeshkar. Both represent the last word in perfection in their respective arts. To imagine Hindi cinema without them is unimaginable to me. I'm dying to do another film with him after Black. I feel no filmmaker is complete without working with him. He's the God of acting"
Balki (Cheeni Kum): "Who is Anurag Basu to talk about Amitabh Bachchan? Just because you rip off a couple of DVDs and make a couple of films you don't get the right to decide when Amitabh Bachchan should retire. It's become a cheap publicity gimmick to talk about Amitabh Bachchan and get noticed. It's like my driver saying the Dalai Lama should stop fighting, or remove the Taj Mahal from Agra. To me, Amitabh Bachchan is India's greatest treasure. Anurag Basu may not want to see his films. But there are millions who want to.
Hema Malini: "An artiste like Mr Bachchan can never retire. Every film of his is a learning experience for all generations of actors. I want him around for many years for a very selfish reason. He's the only leading man who suits me, ha ha."
Farhan Akhtar: "I think it's entirely Amit Uncle's decision as to when and if at all he should retire. None of is qualified to give him this kind of advice.
Ram Gopal Varma: "During his brief career Mr Anurag Basu has directed 2-3 films which can be considered hits within their budget. For him to comment on Mr Bachchan who has given terrific performances and umpteen blockbusters for more than thirty years and is today a full-on iconic figure, just makes me sad for Mr Basu. Fineâ¦he didn't like Mr Bachchan in Aag and some other recent films. I myself didn't like Mr Bachchan in some films. I may not be considered much of a filmmaker by Mr Basu. But in my humble experience, an actor is as good as the role he's given and the way the director chooses to present him. Being a thorough professional Mr Bachchan simply surrenders to the director. As a talented director Mr Basu should understand that. Not a single person in the industry doubts Mr Bachchan's talent. If he failed in Aag or any other film it's the director's failure to use him properly. I can't understand what prompted this tirade from Mr Basu. More than him, I am angry with Mr Bachchan for reacting to Mr Basu. Please don't undermine your status by reacting to small fries like me and Mr Basu. As the old saying goes, when an elephant walks dogs will bark
Harry Baweja: "Will Anurag retire when someone asks him to? He better leave this decision to the legend himself."
Madhur Bhandarkar: "I can't understand what made Anurag Basu speak like this. It's a bizarre statement to make. Filmmakers and audiences worship Mr Bachchan. Any director would today give their right hand to work with him. I haven't so far. But I'd love to. Anurag is free to work with and see the films of the actors he likes. But as a responsible filmmaker he should be more careful in expressing his opinion about someone who represents the entertainment industry.
Suneel Darshan: "This is outrageous. Nobody has the right to decide Mr Bachchan's fate."
Vikram Bhatt: "Amitabh Bachchan is forever. You're making a big mistake by asking me whether Anurag was right or not. I'm Mr Bachchan's biggest fan. Even if he wants to retire I'd want him to go on.
Irrfan Khan: "Mr Bachchan will retire when he has to. He has no other choice."
Aadesh Shrivastav: "Who is Anurag Basu?"
Anupam Kher: "I can't understand what must've got into Anurag Basu to say something so outrageous. I know him as a soft-spoken non-controversial person. And why should he take it on himself to decide a retirement plan for Mr Bachchan? And if Clint Eastwood can go on as 'Dirty Harry' at the age of 80 why should Mr Bachchan retire.
Vipul Shah: "I think when he wants to retire is Mr Bachchan's personal choice and he knows what to do best. I'm sure Anurag also respects Mr Bachchan as much as all of us. But I feel even if he meant well, a statement like this hurts the sentiments of Indians all over the world."
Anubhav Sinha: "The decision to retire or not retire is entirely Mr Bachchan's. Personally, I wouldn't want him to retire until I've made at least one film with him. Anurag should stop drinking whatever he was drinking when he said that.
Vashu Bhagnani: "I don't think Mr Bachchan should ever retire. Bollywood won't be the same without him. He's like wine. Gets better with age. I want to see what other peaks he conquers." Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 24 Apr 2008 | 9:48 am
Lately, Upen Patel has been uncharacteristically nervous. "That's because I've been shooting a music video with the one and only Govinda. Can you imagine me just a four-film old newcomer with two left foot doing a jig with the awesome Govinda?" So who says senior can't take to their juniors kindly?
Upen's face lights up as he talks about Govinda's on-camera largesse. "Govinda just adopted me on the sets of Money Hai To Honey Hai. That's the film for which we're currently shooting the promotional music video. The song is a very racy Race kind of dance track by a new duo named Nitish-Soni. I died when I realized I had to dance with Govinda for this song. On top if it, the film's director Ganesh Acharya was the choreographer. Govindaji and Ganeshji have doneâ¦like a million films together."
But Govinda made sure Upen was completely comfortable cavorting in combination for the camera. "He guided me through my steps, made sure our styles matched. He's so spontaneous and free-styled while my steps are far more controlled. But you've to see us together for this number. Not for a second does Govinda let me slip up."
Upen is truly appreciative of Govinda especially at a time when stories about the senior star's eccentricities are being circulated. "I find Govinda so normal, down to earth and nurturing. I've had some bad experiences with established actors. But Govinda makes you forget a thousand you-know-whos," Upen laughs without giving anything way. Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 24 Apr 2008 | 9:36 am
