The Sen girls in Bollywood are really something. How else would you explain their presence in practically in every aspect of glamour in Bollywood? The latest one on the 'Sen'sational circuit is actress Riya Sen, who has been recently appointed as the Brand Ambassador for Indian Premier League's (IPL) official website www.iplt20.com .
Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, Riya says, âI was present as a guest in the IPL's inaugural match. And I know all of the organizers of IPL very well, including Lalit Modi. It was our mutual love for cricket that got us together. As a Brand Ambassador of the website, I am supposed to attend at least 5 matches, but I am planning to attend much more than 12 matches, subject to I am not working (shooting) at that time.â When asked about her role as a Brand Ambassador of the website, she explains, âMy role requires me to be present at the IPL matches, interact with the cricketers, and post my reactions and views on the site.
Lastly, when we quizzed her about which team she supported, without battling an eyelid, she says, âSince I am from Kolkatta, it is but natural that I will be rooting for the Kolkatta Knight Riders!â Source: Indiafm.com News | 7 May 2008 | 4:14 pm
Akshay Kumar has many reasons to celebrate. The man had four releases last year and all the films were superhit at the Box Office. This year, his first release Tashan failed to create the same magic but Akshay did walk away with loads of praises for his performance. The actor will soon be making his appearance on the small screen as well by hosting a reality show called Fear Factor- Khatron Ke Khiladi. And if this was not enough, Akki will now be receiving an honorary doctorate from a Canadian University.
"The University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, will bestow Akshay with an honorary doctorate on May 9. It's basically for all the social work that he has done in Canada. The University called him up to present him the doctorate," says Akshay's spokesperson.
In the recent past, such kind of honorary doctorates from foreign Universities were given to film personalities like Yash Chopra, Amitabh Bachchan, Shabana Azmi and Shilpa Shetty. Source: Indiafm.com News | 7 May 2008 | 3:52 pm
If you thought that there is no connection between football and sweets, then, it only means that the name Vivek Agnihotri will surely not ring a bell to you. For starters, Vivek is one of the few âintellectualâ directors who has made it all on his own without having any proverbial Godfathers in Bollywood.
He is also the man who gave the cinegoers its very own sweet treat in the form of Chocolate and who also scored an ace with his Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal. The news is that this man is back with a biggie. Informs a reliable source, âVivekâs next will be of a biopic genre, which means it will be a biography and an epic combined together. The film will deal in tracing Indiaâs journey in the last 30 years.â
It is also learnt that this film is being produced by one of the biggest corporate houses in the industry today. He will be making it official soon.
Vivek is currently busy with the casting of the film. The ensemble of the film will not only be from Bollywood, but will also have the best of the talents from all across the country.
So what happens to the film that Vivek had planned on the issue of Global Warming? âWell, that film is on the backburner for now and will happen only after this project.â
After Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal, Vivek is surely planning to return with a bang. Source: Indiafm.com News | 7 May 2008 | 3:29 pm
After having played numerous characters in his illustrious career, actor Govinda is all set to play a Bengali baabu in Aditya Datt's romantic comedy Chai Garam.
Bollywood Hungama spoke to the young director to get some more dope on the film, âChai Garam is a romantic comedy starring Govinda, Esha Deol, Celina Jaitley, Sunil Shetty, Raima Sen, Javed Jaffrey, Rajpal Yadav, Ravi Kissen and Anupam Kher. The film is not about tea (chai) per se. The basic thought of the film started from the theory of Seven degrees of separation. It's about how we are all connected by knowing someone who in turn knows someone and all that jazz. But what is common to each of the characters is tea (chai),â says Aditya.
But why the title Chai Garam? âTea is an integral part of everyone's life. Be it any occasion, when you are happy you have a cup of tea, when you are sad you have a cup of tea. Be it a business meeting or just a date with your loved one, a cup of tea is always an important part of our lives. So it's a light film about how these various characters get connected with one another,â says the director who has directed films like Aashiq Banaya Aapne and Dil Diya Hai in the past.
So, how has been the experience of working with one of the best comic actors-Govinda? âThe experience has been simply superb. Govinda plays a Bengali character in the film, who is a creative head in an ad agency. We have just started shooting but I must say that he is one of the best performers I have seen in front of the camera,â says the excited director.
Chai Garam is produced by Shreyas Creations and has music composed by different music directors like Anand Raj Anand, Shamir Tandon, Sanjay Pathak etc.
On a parting note we also quizzed him about the status of his other film Goodluck starring Aryeman, Sayali Bhagat and Ranvir Shorey. âThe first copy of Goodluck is due in a week's time. The theatrical promos were first seen with Jab We Met last year since the producers wanted it that way but we got stuck in post-production with the DI and color enhancing etc. The promos of Goodluck should be out by early next month. We plan to release the film by July end or Augustâ signs off Aditya. Source: Indiafm.com News | 7 May 2008 | 2:54 pm
MOVIE DETAILS
Cast: Nikhil Dwivedi, Amrita Rao, Pawan Malhotra, Javed Sheikh, Mukesh Tiwari, Daya Shanker Pandey, Anupam Kher and Mithun Chakraborty
Director: E Niwas
Producer: E Niwas
Music: Pritam
Lyrics: Sameer
THE FILM
Does it suffice to have just a good story idea? Is it enough to have a bunch of seasoned actors performing their best with a newcomer ensuring that he does well to enact his character well? Can a director be content with packaging his film with some well narrated scenes that do succeed in entertaining the audience at number of places?
Answer to all the questions as above is - 'Not Really'!
That's because apart from a good story, decent execution and competent act, a film is also required to tell the audience what it is all about! And in current times, this has to happen 'before' the release of the film rather than 'after' it!
This is precisely THE area where My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves suffered the most i.e. letting the audience know what story it is trying to tell. To put it brutally, the film suffered in a major way since the right message was never conveyed. One set of promos indicated that the film could be a comedy, second featured on the escapades of Anthony, third gave a hint of an underworld saga in the offering and the worst of all, the film's title didn't convey anything at all!
E Niwas is in full form in sequences depicting the lives of gangsters and what goes behind the curtains. He refrains from blood shed but succeeds in letting his audience know about the inner turmoil of Anthony and the people around him - Pawan Malhotra (excellent once again after Black Friday), Mukesh Tiwari (reliable as ever, though in a short role), Daya Shanker Pandey (decent) and Anupam Kher (Tezaab revisited). Javed Sheikh as a cop on the trail of his colleague's murderers is excellent in a couple of powerful scenes he gets and one wonders why isn't he seen more in Hindi cinema?
However, it is a rather below average climax of the film which kills the impact created 40-50 minutes prior to that. It is so predictable and so hurriedly shot that it appears E Niwas wanted to somehow bring the film to an end. Frankly, the kind of build up till the climax deserved a better culmination to the plot but an overall 'filmy' approach leads to disappointment. Also, the sequences where Anthony is shown to be struggling in his endeavor to be an actor are a big yawn. Neither does his interaction with Amrita Rao (who plays an Assistant Director) works nor do his supposedly comic sequences with his drunkard friend (D Santosh).
Coming to the film's strength, the basic premise of reel life Julius Ceaser story (Anthony is short listed as a hero for a film adapted from Julius Ceaser) integrated with the real life acquaintances of Anthony, is narrated quite well. In incompetent hands it must have become confusing but those who are even slightly familiar with Shakespeare's classic would be able to draw parallels. In fact, this is what works in favor of the graph of My Name is Anthony Gonsalves constantly going up in spite of a rather slow and 'where are we actually heading for' kind of a start.
PACKAGING
The film comes in a standard local plastic case with an ordinary 70s style cover layout. Since the DVD comes on Moser Baer, don't expect any fancy packaging.
DURATION
The film comes in a single DVD pack with the film's duration being 142 minutes.
SPECIAL FEATURES
The DVD doesn't come with any special features.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
- My Name is Anthony Gonsalves is one of those rare films which does not come in a 16:9 Anamorphic Widescreen Presentation. In layman terms, the film comes in a regular format (with thick top and bottom stripes) which is associated with VCD format. Call it a coincidence but Amrita Rao's Vivah had arrived in a similar format as well.
- Subtitles in English
- Dolby Digital 5.1 and Stereo
PRICE
Rs. 49/=
CONCLUSION
Frankly speaking, after watching the film one feels sorry for debutant Nikhil Dwivedi and director E Niwas since the film is not a bad watch at all. Even though it qualifies as one of the Top-3 biggest failures of 2008 so far, it is far from being one of the worst films that we have seen this year. Of course, it is not a flawless film by any means but it does have its moments, especially the ones where the underworld angle comes in. A decent one time watch which can be switched off 10 minutes before the end credits start rolling!
Rating: ** Source: Indiafm.com Features | 7 May 2008 | 1:57 pm
Action and stunts can be directly associated with Akshay 'Khiladi' Kumar. Hence, it comes as no surprise that the actor made a stunning entry on a bike, shattering glass at the launch of Viacom 18's new channel- Colors.
The event which took place in Bangkok saw the Bollywood star in attendance as his show Fear Factor- Khatron Ke Khiladi will be aired on this very new channel. The actor even publicly expressed what the emotion 'Fear' meant when he pulled out a python from beneath one of the tables all of a sudden, much to the shock of all those present.
Apart from Akshay, the show will be an all girls show with 13 top beauties from the world of fashion and Bollywood competing with each other. And for all of you waiting with bated breath to find out who are the lovely ladies on the show, well here's the list- Yana Gupta, Aditi Govitrikar, Pooja Bedi, Sonali Kulkarni, Tupur Chatterjee, Sayali Bhagat, Nethra Raghuraman, Anjana Sukhani, Dippanita Sharma, Payal Rohatgi and Meghna Naidu.
Shooting for the show is scheduled to take place in South Africa towards the end of this month (May). Must say with so many beauties around, Bollywood's Khiladi- Akshay Kumar will surely have the time of his life shooting for Fear Factor - Khatron Ke Khiladi. Source: Indiafm.com News | 7 May 2008 | 12:34 pm
When it comes to style, teen star Vanessa Hudgens looks up to `Full House` star Mary-Kate Olsen for inspiration. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 12:27 pm
A New York jury convicted a former mental patient of stalking actress Uma Thurman on Tuesday and a judge ordered him held for a psychiatric evaluation. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 12:27 pm
Major studios and the Screen Actors Guild broke off three weeks of contract talks without agreement on Tuesday, stoking fears of renewed Hollywood labor unrest after a 100-day writers strike that ended in February. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 12:27 pm
The judge hearing a custody battle between pop singer Britney Spears and her ex-husband granted her more time with their two sons on Tuesday after she was praised for trying to get her personal life back under control. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 12:27 pm
Madonna is set to make a tidy profit of 3 mn pounds after selling the country home she bought for 9 mn pounds in 2001 - for a whopping 12 mn pounds. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 12:27 pm
In one of the biggest Bollywood`s investment deals ever, Hollywood major Sony Pictures has penned down an agreement with Mumbai based productions house Pritish Nandy Communications (PNC) to co-produce three movies. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 12:27 pm
She might have just arrived, but boy what an arrival it has been. Deepika Padukone, the blue-eyed lass of Bollywood surely has some sweet angel smiling down at her, as the lady seems to be having it all. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 12:27 pm
Prince has been known by various names, including an unpronounceable symbol and The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. But as he turns 50 this year, the recording star adds one more to the list -- debut author. Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 12:27 pm
Film maker Jagmohan Mundhra has denied reports that he has been granted permission by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to make a film on her. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 7 May 2008 | 11:00 am
Download Neetu Chandra wallpaper
Neetu Chandra is amused that Celina Jaitley has claimed that she was forced to walk out of debutante Gary Grewal's tentatively titled Khusarprasad Ka Bhoot. That's because she has been always led to believe that once she was penciled in, there was no other alternative thought around by the makers.
"See, I have always maintained that I am here to do some good work. I have never got into 'yeh mera role tha, yeh role usko chala gaya' stuff; I don't intend to either. I believe there is good work for everyone around and there is no point about getting insecure", philosophizes Neetu.
So what exactly is the story behind the lead heroine part in Khusarprasad Ka Bhoot? Was she actually roped in only after producers had some problems with Celina Jaitley? "I don't know if Gary or Robby had any problems with Celina neither am I interested to know. When a film's cast is being decided, makers are bound to have a few names in mind. There could have been 3-4 names for my part as well and I don't see any problem in that", reasons Neetu.
"What I know for sure is that once I was roped in, the makers were committed to have me on. In between all this, I don't know why someone else should have a problem or claim that she was the first choice", says Neetu with a shrug.
On her part in the film, one hears that Neetu comes across as a razor-sharp girl in the film. So how is her look considering she has donned a different attire for each of her released films so far - Garam Masala (Western), Traffic Signal (Kathiawadi) and One Two Three (Cop uniform)?
Winks Neetu, "In this satire which primarily boasts of a make dominated star cast comprising of Paresh Rawal, Randeep Hooda and Govind Namdeo, since I am the only female element, my look has to be special. Keep guessing, this should well be the surprise element of the film."
Shooting of Khusarprasad Ka Bhoot is currently in the sweltering heat of Bhopal. An unlikely candidate for a film shoot location, Bhopal caught the eye of it's makers as it fit in perfectly well with the mood of the script which is satirical in nature and questions the society in large, though in a comic vein. Source: Indiafm.com Features | 7 May 2008 | 10:11 am
Washington (ANI): Angelina Jolie has been nominated in the category of Best Villain at the 2008 MTV Movie Awards. The pregnant actress, who has received the nod for her role in 'Beowulf,' is up against Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd), Denzel Washington (American Gangster), Topher Grace (Spider-Man 3) and Javier Bardem ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 10:01 am
Everyone knows that John Abraham is doing David Dhawan's Hook Ya Crook but what few know is that David and UTV had earlier approached Rang De Basanti actor Siddharth for the same role. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 9:57 am
The dream team of Gilli returns after a 4 year long gap, but this time with a poor, sick Kuruvi! Dharani fails to attract the viewers with his immature, illogical and unimpressive script and narration. First time, I have seen, the ardent fans of Vijay cursing their matinee idol for choosing ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 9:53 am
Saif Ali Khan has been telling his friends that a lot of his role in Tashan was cut on the editing table. However, the truth is, only one big sequence of Saif had to be cut. But since it was with Kareena Kapoor, Saif is not happy about the ways of the scissors.
Director Vijay Krishna Acharya is unfazed though slight taken aback by the severity of the criticism against Tashan. "Yes, certain scenes had to be cut. But I don't think any actor is especially unhappy about a normal procedure like editing to tighten a film. In fact Akshay Kumar, director Nikhil Advani (who's a friend) and the rest of the unit of Chandni Chowk To China saw the film in Bangkok the other day. They loved it."
Vijay ponders over the film's fate. "I didn't know I had made the worst film on this planet. A lot of the venom was directed at my producer Yashraj Films, for whatever reasons. But I'm happy to say in spite of Tashan not opening at multiplexes it has collected almost as much as Yashraj Films' Fanaa. And that's saying a lot."
The severe backlash notwithstanding Tashan director Vijay Krishna Acharya better known as Victor is all set to direct another film for Yashraj Films. "Yes, I'm going to be directing my next film sooner than I had thought I would. While I'll be helping out my mentor Mani Ratnam with his new project, I'll simultaneously work on my own film. It's very important for me to direct another film and let my critics know that my convictions as a filmmaker remain unshaken. Though it'll be nothing like Tashan my next film too will be as whimsical. It's always going to be my way."
And yes, Yashraj Films is not backing out of Acharya's next. "I'm thankful for their belief in me. I don't think anyone of us feels I made the wrong film. Now that Tashan has opened in multiplexes we're hoping to tilt the imbalance in the performance level." Source: Indiafm.com News | 7 May 2008 | 9:43 am
Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor's reel life romance failed terribly with Tashan going down the drains. But this hot couple still manages to stay in the news. Now, Kareena has revealed that Saif makes her happy. Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 9:32 am
Guess what's the common factor between Nikhil Dwivedi and Indian Team of the Twenty 20 World Cup? No, the young boy who made his debut with My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves early this year is not planning to join the cricket team. Also, he won't be performing at any of ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 9:18 am
Hyper-active Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan seems to have turned desperate. He was on pins and needles when the Indian Premier League (IPL) started a few of weeks ago with his team Kolkata Knight Riders winning two consecutive matches. However, King Khan seems to have sensed the danger following four consecutive ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 9:13 am
Neetu Chandra made her debut with Akshay Kumar and John Abraham in Garam Masala and ever since then there hasn't been any looking back for this young woman. With three successful films in a row (her Traffic Signal was an average performer while One Two Three has been a decent ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 8:59 am
Stars are vain creatures - so what happens when they fall ill - that too, when the ailment might be something contagious? Neha Dhupia got mumps during her trip to London last week for Zee Awards (April 26) and has since been confined indoors. Moreover, she doesn't want people to ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 8:25 am
London (ANI): English musician Pete Doherty was let out of prison on May 06, much to the dismay of anti-drug campaigners. Doherty, who had been imprisoned for failing to turn up for court drug tests, was given a 14-week sentence of which he served only 29 days. "They should have made ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 7:41 am
New York (ANI): The judge hearing a custody battle between pop singer Britney Spears and her ex-husband Kevin Federline granted her more time with their two sons on May 6. The court acknowledged the singer's effort to get her personal life back under control and therefore granted her more time with ... Source: Oneindia - Entertainment | 7 May 2008 | 7:35 am
Akshay Kumar and John Abraham -- the combo that featured in the Priyadarshan hit GARAM MASALA -- are expected to share the screen space yet again. This time, the project will be produced by Studio 18 and directed by Anees Bazmee. Although the production house hasn't signed the stars yet, there's a strong possibility that the two actors might feature in the film.
âRight now, we've signed Anees Bazmee for the project in question. We've also locked the concept. But we haven't confirmed the star cast yet,â Preeti Shahani of Studio 18 sets the record straight, âOnce the script is okayed, we will we move on to the next level -- of finalizing the cast. Things should be crystal clear once SINGH IS KINNG is released.â
Well, there's a strong possibility that Anees and Akshay, the winning combination of WELCOME and the soon-to-be-released SINGH IS KINNG, will team up for the third time. Watch this space for more updates! Source: Indiafm.com News | 7 May 2008 | 7:31 am
Abbas-Mustan have finally taken the plunge! The director duo along with editor-brother Hussain Burmawala has been planning to start a series of films. Their first project is finally ready to roll and it will be directed by Rumi Jaffrey, one of the most prolific writers of Bollywood.
Titled LIFE PARTNER, the film will star Govinda, Fardeen Khan and Tusshar Kapoor in central roles. âIt's a romantic comedy,â Rumi confirms. The writer/director, who has GOD TUSSI GREAT HO coming up in June, is extremely excited about this project. âIt's an original subject, not a remake. I hope to start filming once I am free from the post-production work of GOD TUSSI GREAT HO,â he states.
LIFE PARTNER is expected to star three leading ladies, of which only one -- Genelia D'Souza -- has been confirmed so far. Source: Indiafm.com News | 7 May 2008 | 7:26 am
Animated film 'Ghatothkach - Master of Magic', made in the song and dance style of a Bollywood production, that depicts the escapades of Ghatothkoch, son of Indian mythological strongman Bhim, will have its first screening at the Cannes Film Festival, starting May 14. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 7 May 2008 | 6:32 am
Singer, model and actor Sudhanshu Pandey, who is eagerly waiting for the completion of his new film 'Alibaug', says he doesn't mind working in a multi-starrer because it stands a better chance at the box office. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 7 May 2008 | 3:30 am
After opening acting schools in India and abroad, actor-cum-filmmaker Anupam Kher is all set to start personality development schools to help people express their 'real emotions'. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 7 May 2008 | 2:31 am
Turkish ballet dancer Tanyeli charges a high $5,000 per day, but director Apoorva Lakhia still roped in the exorbitantly expensive dancer for a special song in 'Mission Istanbul' with Zayed Khan. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 7 May 2008 | 2:30 am
Former Miss India and new Bollywood entrant Niharika Singh, who's doing two major films with Himesh Reshammiya, refuses to react to reports suggesting she had a catfight with a Kannada film actress. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 7 May 2008 | 2:00 am
Nick, one of Indias leading kids entertainment channel in India, is set to woo its kiddy audience all through this summer with a slew of highly engaging initiatives including Nick Fundoo Superstar 2008. Four kids got to fulfill their wish of dancing with the Nick tones along with the vivacious Mandira Bedi. Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 7 May 2008 | 12:00 am
Shooting of the film Khalbali Hai Khalbali is in its last schedule. Shot prominently in Dubai, Mumbai & Pattaya, the film is produced under the banner One More Thought Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. and directed by Ajay Chandhok. Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 7 May 2008 | 12:00 am
The Madras High Court has ordered notice on a writ petition seeking a direction to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to remove scenes which offended the sentiments of Hindus in the Tamil film ‘Dasavatharam’ while issuing the censorship certificate. Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 7 May 2008 | 12:00 am
Ghatothkach is based on a character in Mayabazar. This is an animation film and is being made in seven different languages (English, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Bengali). The producer of this film is Suryadevara Vinod. Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 7 May 2008 | 12:00 am
Zee Motion Pictures along with Rohit Kumars maiden venture FOX took off on 5th May, with its 1st schedule on various locations in Mumbai. Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 7 May 2008 | 12:00 am
Ready for second innings Daily News & Analysis - 18 hours ago After almost two years Hrishitaa Bhatt is back in the circuit. She has managed to bag a few ‘good films’ - one opposite Manoj Bajpai and the other opposite Mithun Chakraborty - and says the genre that excites her most is comedy. Mithun returns as a comic Don!!Glam Sham all 3 news articles
Remember that powerhouse performance by 9-year old Ayesha Kapoor as the blind deaf and untamable Michelle in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Black? The stunningly pretty child is regarded by many as the best child actor to ever emerge from Indian cinema. Preity Zinta certainly thinks so. She desperately wanted Ayesha to play the younger Preity in Jahnu Baruah's Har Pall. "She has my dimples and she has the talent. My God! I saw what she did in Black. I've worked with blind children and Ayesha knew exactly how blind kids behave. When you can't see, there's no control over the eyeballs. How Ayesha got that right, is a puzzle to me."
Preity for all her praise couldn't get Ayesha to play her childhood portions. Madhavan is the lucky guy to have got the chance to work with the Black enchantress. "It's a film that Piyush Jha (of the diasporic dramas King Of Hollywood and Chalo America fame) is making. Ayesha is on and I'm really looking forward to working with her," says Maddy who will have good friend Sanjay Suri for company.
The film expected to take off at year-end is set against the backdrop of Kashmiri militancy. Ayesha with her glowing complexion and flowing tresses will play a spirited Kashmiri girl and Farzan Dastoor as a Kashmiri footballer. "So I guess after Black, Ayesha gets to do one more very challenging role. Child actors of today have a lot more to do than just act cute and cuddly. In films like Tare Zameen Par and Cheeni Kum, the child actor shared a one-to-one relationship with the protagonist," explains Maddy whose son Vedant occupies all his attention.âI know how to connect with kids, thanks to my son. Even the slightest fever in Vedant brings all of us down. Vedant has the flu right now. And all of us are worried to death." Source: Indiafm.com News | 6 May 2008 | 4:10 pm
Truly, Rang De Basanti worked for Rensil D'Silva. Post Rang De⦠Rensil has been on a spree of writing films. There's no looking back for this writer who is multi talented and highly creative. Experimenting with genres, he has managed to write almost all genres including romance, comedy, drama, social and now action.
Rensil is now all set to write an action film. "I am writing a film for Arjun Rampal for his production company 'Chasing Ganesha'. We are still in search of a director. It is an action film," says Rensil D'Silva. In addition to this, he is also writing scripts for some big names in the industry. "I am writing a film for Mani Ratnam which will star Abhishek and Aishwarya. It is a romantic film and the film is expected to go on floors by October this year." Also going on floor in October is David Dhawan's directorial venture for UTV. "For David Dhawan's film, only John has been finalized, we are still looking out for the female cast." The most fascinating part is that the genre of this film will be drama.
Surely, Rensil has a lot on his mind as he is also writing Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra's next titled Paanch Kaurav. "The film will go on floors next year as Rakeysh is busy with Delhi 6." Rensil has also written Ashtavinayak's Luck starring Imran Khan, Sanjay Dutt, and Danny.
Apart from all the writing, Rensil would also be making his directorial debut soon under Dharma Productions. "I am directing a film for Karan Johar starring Kareena, Saif, and Vivek. It is a romantic thriller and I have also written," says D'Silva. Source: Indiafm.com News | 6 May 2008 | 4:07 pm
She is one of the hottest Bong beauties we have in Bollywood. While her moves and grooves in the sizzling item number in Musafir had everyone asking for more, her con-girl act in Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena did surprise quite a few. Her last film release Apna Sapna Money Money did make quite a lot of money at the Box-Office but since then we haven't seen much of her. Yes, we are talking about the sizzling hot Koena Mitra who is back with a bang with a line-up of exciting releases this year. In this no-hold barred interview with Bollywood Hungama, Koena discusses her plans for 2008 and much more.
It's been a while since one has heard from you⦠How has been the New Year so far?
New Year has been good. It started out well. On New Year's Eve I was performing in Sahara Star. Every New Year a lot of people prefer partying and getting drunk, I don't say that's wrong but I don't really have to find a particular day to party. Moreover, if I'm at work and making money out of it and doing something that I love what better way to start the New Year. In fact, Tanushree and I were performing together and after the show got over we went to Mount Mary Church and it was really a beautiful experience. So, the year took off really well and this year, I have couple of exciting projects that I am looking forward to.
You last film release Apna Sapna Money Money released way back in Nov 06? They say out of sight is out of mindâ¦Don't you think you have been missing for a long time now?
I don't really think so because to do good things you need to have patience. Things happen overnight for few lucky people but for others like me, there is a lot of hard work to be done and I don't see anything wrong in that, because at the end of the day it gives you immense satisfaction when your work is appreciated after all the effort you have put in. A lot of people ask me that why you always take time to decide on projects? I always feel that it's better to learn from other's mistakes rather than your own mistakes. Hence, I would prefer working with good banners and good directors even if it takes time, as long as it benefits me at the end of the day.
I would prefer working with good banners and good directors even if it takes time, as long as it benefits me at the end of the day.
Have you made a conscious decision to distance yourself from the media?
Not really. I have never done that. I have always been nice to the media when they have come to me. At times they write without knowing the fact. They do write certain stories which are not true but you cant jump and answer them every time, you can't be doing that all your life. So I take myself, far away from them and I give them the liberty to write what they want. Because I believe good story or bad story, nothing is going to affect your career. It cannot make you a star and cannot destroy you. So I think they are doing their job and I'm doing my job. It's a part and parcel of every celebrity's life. One has to learn to accept it and live with it.
This year is also special considering you have your first international project Karna coming up. Could you tell us a little about the film?
Yes, Karna is one of the most exciting projects that I have been a part of. I have done months of rigorous training and preparation and I'm sure its going to pay off. The best thing about the role is you see a feminine side and yet she is doing action, martial art, kick boxing etc. So this mix of my character having a real feminine side, yet kicking some butt makes her look really sexy and interesting.
In Karna my character has a real feminine side, yet kicking some butt makes her look really sexy and interesting
What is your character in the film and how did you bag this film?
I play a village girl who is born with superpowers, so the director basically wanted an Indian face who would look equally sexy as a village girl and even when she later on becomes a superwoman. So as a village girl you will see me in a look that is very earthy with really beautiful jewellery etc and at the same time she is completely in shape as the superwoman.
How was it working with an international cast and crew?
It has indeed been a great opportunity for someone like me. The people who trained me on this film are the ones who have worked with Uma Thurman in the Kill Bill series. The special effects team has done some really big Hollywood films like Ghost Rider and Matrix etc. The camera person who shot my portfolio on location of the film has worked with one of the biggest fashion magazines called Vanity Fair. So its indeed been a great learning experience for me and I am lucky to have grabbed this movie which if I may say in true Bollywood style is a solo lead film(for me)
The people who trained me on Karna are the ones who have worked with Uma Thurman in the Kill Bill series.
Who all form rest of the cast in the film?
As of now, they are in talks with some big names in Hollywood like Orlando Bloom. There are a team of 3 directors working on this film. One of them looks at the drama and dialogues, the other team which looks at the special effects is from Hong Kong and the action team has worked on some big Hollywood films. There are also 3 producers and PNC is one of the producers who have taken the charge of releasing the film in India. However, it's going to release only in English and not in Hindi.
So when is Karna going to release?
I think its going to take some time. We recently shot 4 promos and to shoot 4 promos it took us a lot of time with the special effects and the post production etc. There is a lot of detailing in the film. We have shot in very big croma studios in Hong Kong, China. Over here we at times finish 4 scenes in one day but for one scene in this film we had to travel to three different countries. That's the difference and that's why it's taking a lot of time. Even their post production will also take a lot of time. I feel either this year end or probably early next year they would release. It's almost a 130 crore project so it's huge.
One of your films which brought you into the reckoning Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena is now being released in its animated version EKEH 2.0? You played a con-girl posing as a shrink in that oneâ¦.so would your role be the same?
EKEH 2.0 is going to be really cool. My character of a con-girl who poses as a psychiatrist will be much better this time around. I don't know many details yet but the director told me that my character (Natasha) would be the biggest surprise of the film. As of now they are busy with the sketches of the animated characters and they look so very cool
The director told me that my character (Natasha) would be the biggest surprise of the film EKEH 2.0.
So what would be your input this time around apart from giving the Voice-over for the character?
Yeah apart from giving the VO, what they would be looking at is promotion. I am not sure as to how they are going to plan the promotion of the film but I would do my bit in promoting EKEH 2.0.
Will the animated movie also have songs and music which featured in the original film, considering the music of Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena was quite a rage.
I don't know if they are planning to have songs in EKEH 2.0. However, I wish they have the boxing song ('Saara Jahan'). That is my favorite song in the film and I am sure it will look all the more cute now (laughs)
You recently were seen sizzling on the cover of Gladrags magazine in its January issue this yearâ¦You sure seemed at ease even wearing the bikiniâ¦So what is your fashion mantra like and are you a fussy dresser?
I am not a fussy dresser. I experiment a lot with my dresses. At times, I'm in a mood to wear track pants, a cap, torn jeans , sneakers, so I wear that and at times I prefer wearing a simple kurti with denims. For special occasions like award functions, I would love to wear a Saree. In dresses, my favorite colors are Black, Red and White. I don't really follow any fashion trends. I am fond of cool and comfortable clothes which suit my style.
In this day and age when stars really need to be fit as a fiddle, you are among the trendsettersâ¦. So what is the secret to your fab figure?
Its sheer hard work and people can call it crash dieting and starving or whatever but I would want them to go and try out if those methods work. If you want to make your body look good, nothing can work better than hard work. You have to be in the Gym and you need to understand what form of work-out your body likes. It could be plain cardio or it could be kick-boxing or it could be even a dance form like Salsa. As long as you are putting in the effort and enjoying what you are doing, the results will show. I personally prefer weight-training and I like it when people compliment me for my body. It gives me that push to work out harder.
I personally prefer weight-training and I like it when people compliment me for my body. It gives me that push to work out even harder.
In B-town, the popular saying goes that two actresses can never be friends; Yet your friendship with Tanushree Dutta is quite the talk of the townâ¦.How did the two of you connect?
I think at times when we lose something, we gain something. Tanushree and Riya were best friends. I didn't know Tanu at that time. I was good friends with Riya during Apna Sapna Money Money. However, Tanu and Riya had a fall out and then for some stupid reason Riya and me had a fall out. It was then that I started to know Tanushree. I found her to be a very strong girl. We were traveling for quite a few shows together and since we are both Bongs, we kinda connected.
So do you girls have the same likes and dislikes?
No (laughs) as a matter of fact we realized that we are two completely different people. We don't think alike, we don't do similar things; we are absolutely two opposites which makes it all the more interesting. Even if the two of us are put in a situation and asked to react, we would have totally different point of view.
Do you discuss work with each other?
We hardly discuss work. There are lots of interesting things to talk about. She is somebody who is very well read and has a lot of knowledge and even I like to pick up and learn interesting new things. Moreover, we both are single, so we can sit and discuss a lot about men. Again her choice of men and her take on relationships is completely different from mine. So it's a lot of fun
Apart from Tanu who are you other friends in the industry?
I do have a very good relation with all the producers, directors and actors whom I have worked with. From Sanju to Ritesh, all of them have been really nice whenever we bump into each other.
Tanushree's choice of men and her take on relationships is completely different from mine. So it's a lot of fun
Bong babes continue to rule Bollywoodâ¦How does it feel?
It feels great. I think there are 14 of us now (laughs) and people always have so many expectations from us, so living up to that is a real challenge. But I love it.
What surprises are in store for all Koena fans?
There will be many. Sometimes surprises come all of a sudden in the middle of the night and it is really exciting. You have to take life as it comes. For me, each and every thing that I am doing is exciting but I hope that my fans will like the work that I do this year.
Any message to your fans at Bollywood Hungama.
Till date I have got great support from my fans. They have shown a lot of warmth whenever I have interacted with them or met them. At times, they have even surprised me with the smallest of things. Every year you grow and your fans grow, so I hope I continue getting the same love and support from my fans. Source: Indiafm.com Features | 6 May 2008 | 2:45 pm
Sony Pictures India, which collaborated with Sanjay Leela Bhansali for 'Saawariya' last year, signed a three-movie deal with Pritish Nandy Communications (PNC) here Tuesday. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 6 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
After playing the simple, golden-hearted Munnabhai, Bollywood top star Sanjay Dutt is set to metamorphose into a cold, calculating serial killer - a la Charles Shobhraj in a film called 'Charles and I'. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 6 May 2008 | 12:31 pm
Britain-born actress Katrina Kaif, who is the face of Vijay Mallya's Indian Premier League (IPL) Bangalore Royal Challengers cricket team, missed her flight to Bangalore but the business tycoon's jet came to her rescue. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 6 May 2008 | 12:00 pm
Bollywood item girl Sambhavna Seth claims she is a better dancer than the popular Rakhi Sawant. Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 6 May 2008 | 11:30 am
