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Slumdog scores a perfect 10 at Oscars
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 23 Jan 2009 | 8:04 pm SC refuses to ban Deshdrohi
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 23 Jan 2009 | 5:30 pm 'Ghajini' producer teams up with Ram Gopal Varma for 'Rann'Madhu Mantena, co-producer of "Ghajini", has joined hands with his first cousin Ram Gopal Varma for the latter's forthcoming media-based film "Rann", which has Amitabh Bachchan in an important role.Source: Entertainment News | 23 Jan 2009 | 5:13 pm Nepal government bans 'Chandni Chowk to China'Six years after Nepal banned a section of Hindi films due to erupting violence, the new Maoist-led government on Thursday officially banned Bollywood's first Kung Fu comedy "Chandni Chowk to China" after continued public protests over its misrepresentation of the Buddha's birthplace.Source: Entertainment News | 23 Jan 2009 | 5:06 pm Julia Roberts enchanted by Taj Mahal
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 23 Jan 2009 | 4:19 pm Big B takes a u-turn on Slumdog Millionaire
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 23 Jan 2009 | 4:12 pm Anne Hathaway gets acclaim
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 23 Jan 2009 | 3:56 pm Bond Babe Olga Kurylenko goes nude for `Maxim` !Olga Kurylenko has finally revealed her hush-hush secret that got James Bond all hooked on to her.Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 1:20 pm `Slumdog Millionaire` my first international nomination: Gulzar!Noted lyricist Gulzar expressed enormous pleasure at being internationally nominated for the first time for `Slumdog Millionaire`.Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 1:20 pm Deepika Padukone`s fringe hairstyle catches on!In the 1960s, actress Sadhana styled her hair with a fringe and it became a craze.Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 1:20 pm I would pattern my political career on Obama: Sanjay Dutt !After promising Gandhigiri, actor-turned-politician Sanjay Dutt has found new inspiration in Barack Obama and he wants to model his political career after the new US president.Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 1:20 pm Preview: Oscar biggie `Slumdog Millionaire` hits screens across India!It has won 3 Golden Globes, bagged a whopping 11 nominations at the BAFTA awards and topping them all are the astounding 10 big Oscar nominations.Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 1:20 pm I`m a rare combination of British and Rajput blood: Preity!Fed up with responding to queries about her family background, actress Preity Zinta has finally revealed her British connection.Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 1:20 pm 2-7 odds of Slumdog winning an Oscar - Rediff
Source: Google News India - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 12:22 pm Despite SC nod, 'Deshdrohi' fails to hit Maha theatres - Indian Express
Source: Google News India - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 12:12 pm Curious Case.. sweeps Oscar nominations
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 23 Jan 2009 | 12:09 pm CC2C producer's apology to Nepal - bollywoodhungama
Source: Google News India - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 12:04 pm 'I was misquoted on Salman-Katrina marriage' - Hindu
Source: Google News India - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 11:30 am Geeta Basra all set to make her music video debutDownload image as wallpaper Though she has done only two films in her short career so far, Geeta Basra ensured that her performance in both the films didn't go unnoticed. Whether it was Dil Diya Hai or The Train (both of which incidentally had Emraan Hashmi opposite her), Geeta did gain appreciation for her contrasting acts in the two films. If she was a simple NRI girl next door in Dil Diya Hai, she played the part of seductress/con-woman with aplomb in The Train, hence enacting a negative role pretty early in her career. None of the films did well at the box office but Geeta didn't loose heart. Instead of choosing any random project coming her way that merely wanted to showcase the glam side of hers, she opted to wait. Now, close to one and a half year after the release of The Train, Geeta is ready to face the camera again. Though this won't be for a film shoot, she is still excited enough because after a lot of persuasion, she has consented to be a part of a music video. Says Geeta, "I may have been termed choosy all this while but I don't have any regrets about it. That's the way I want to shape my career. I am young with age on my side and any wrong step would have been disastrous. I would rather wait and watch than burn my fingers." What prompted her to say yes to a music video? "The sheer vision of the director and an emotional story that runs with it", Geeta is prompt in replying, "Apart from lead roles, there were offers for item songs and music videos but I didn't want to do anything where my heart was not set in. This one does sound exciting though. The setup is quite big, the scale is large and the grandeur amazing. This is not going to be one of those regular music video that you get to see all the time." "I must have posed at least a dozen odd questions in front of the makers of the music video before consenting for it. I wanted to be 100% sure", smiles Geeta who begins shoot for the music video today. Directed by Colossus, the outfit run by video directors Ajay and Lovel Arora, the video is pasteurized on Geeta and a new male model named Rahul. "Lovel is a good friend of mine and I am happy to be finally working with him. When he came to meet me, he knew and hence further convinced me that I was perfect for it", adds Geeta. The video is being pasteurized for a song by popular singer Sukhshinder Shinda who also features in the video. A well-known UK based Bhangra producer and artist; he has worked on over 200 albums while producing numerous hit songs in last couple of decades.Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 23 Jan 2009 | 11:21 am 42 Kms gets postponedClick above for more movie stills The makers of the film titled 42 Kms seem to have caught in what one would call as the âirony of lifeâ. The reason? Well, the release date of their film titled 42 Kms (based on the famous Mumbai marathon) has been postponed. The reason for this postponement is that the film's producers are locked in a battle with Standard Chartered Bank over amounts lent by the bank. The bank's contention is that the rights of the film had been assigned to it, after the producers borrowed Rs. 1.25 crore from the bank. The bank, on its part, had obtained an order of status quo from the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) on January 2, 2009, which is still continuing. The court has now asked the producers to go back to the DRT and then to the appellate tribunal before approaching the HC. Speaking about the situation, Nisha Chainani (the proprietor of Eastern Union Entertainment and also the director of 42Kms) says, "The release of the film 42 Kms is postponed as we are yet awaiting final clearance from the High Court, Mumbai regarding our matter with Joint Venture partners Standard Chartered bank." What remains to be seen is when this film actually gets to see the light of the day or should we say the finishing line!Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 23 Jan 2009 | 11:17 am 'Pretty Woman' Julia Roberts enchanted with Taj MahalHollywood actress Julia Roberts spent over an hour at the Taj Mahal along with her husband on Thursday, and was "enchanted" with the marbled monument to love.Source: Entertainment News | 23 Jan 2009 | 11:08 am Shah Rukh Khan to be chased by '50 mulkon ki Police' in Don-2?On the sets of 'Oye! It's Friday', Shah Rukh Khan and Farhan Akhtar found themselves in such a playful zone that it turned out to be a two-episode show instead of a single episode. Have a look at what to expect in the second and concluding episode that would be aired today. - Shah Rukh jokes about how it's difficult to explain to his children the need for wearing makeup for macho roles. He also talks about how Indian Cinema is growing by leaps and bounds with young talent making Indian cinema go places. - Shah Rukh tries to relive the Mohabbatein moment as he 'attempts' playing the violin all over again. A difficult task for him because he is pitted against none other than Violin maestro Lakshminarayana Subramaniam, also known as Ambi, who in spite of being in just his 12th standard has already begun to follow in the footsteps of his father, the famous Violin Maestro Dr. L. Subramaniam. - This young genius gave his first performance at the age of seven and has already performed extensively in Indian and abroad. Ambi has also performed with his father for Karnatic concerts at the prestigious Dussehra Festival at the Mysore Palace and recently performed at the Lincoln Center Out- of- Doors Festival. - Even though Shah Rukh believed that playing a violin was his 'Dain haath ka khel', all he could do was just 'pretend' playing the violin. However, once Ambi started playing it, SRK didn't have any other choice but to admit that actors are after all only the face of the talent. However, the mischievous man that he is in real life, SRK did joke about how he would teach Ambi to 'act' while playing a violin. - Shah Rukh Khan also shared an interesting anecdote about a real life situation that he found himself in during the shoot of Mohabbatein. He reveals that he was so bad at playing the violin that Amitabh Bachchan and Aditya Chopra actually banned him from using a real violin, courtesy the kind of sounds that he produced while playing it. However, when it came to Ambi, his riveting performance got him a standing ovation from Shah Rukh Khan, Farhan and the entire Oye audience. - There is an interesting game played as well where Shah Rukh Khan is required to recognize his heroines. So how does he do that? Well, he uses his glasses, sunglasses and the torch! - One of the major highlights of the show involves Farhan Akhtar asking Shah Rukh to call a girl from the audience. The girl here turns out to be Silky. Well, SRK being SRK, he tells her - 'Silky, I'm Milky'. He scares her though with his ever-so-famous 'Madan Chopra' dialogue from Baazigar. The girl is obviously shocked but this is when SRK does something that relaxes the atmosphere. What did he do? - Farhan Akhtar jokes that instead of '11 mulkon ki Police', there should been at least 50-60 countries involved or maybe even 3-4 planets. A possibility explored? Try doing that in Don 2! - On a serious conversation around 'Brand SRK', Shah Rukh again maintains that 'He is not SRK; instead he works for SRK'. He also talks about how when something works, branding starts! He adds though that basic level of honesty is required in all what one does and though it is not necessary to rebel, one should not do wrong things because everybody is not a superhero. He also mentions that there is no alternative to hard work! - Shah Rukh Khan talks about his presence in 20-20 Cricket. He also jokes about how all his childhood pictures were the ones that showed him playing sports. He brings up his love for Chak De India and talks about the sorry state where children cannot tell their parents about their aspirations to be sportspersons. On this, Farhan requests parents to support children who are inclined towards sports. - Of course, how could a Farhan Akhtar show get completed without a gift being given to the guest? While Farhan does hand him over something interesting, Shah Rukh jokes that how Farhan could have asked him earlier about his choices and he would have been glad to send over a list. - Shah Rukh Khan makes a grand exit to one of his most popular songs of the decade. Any guesses? To know about this and a lot more, don't miss 'Oye! It's Friday!' at 10:00 PM today, only on NDTV Imagine.Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 23 Jan 2009 | 10:55 am Big B is happy for Slumdog Millionaire - NDTV.com
Source: Google News India - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 10:52 am "It's a battle of our 'Rajma Chawal' and their 'Spaghetti'" - Mukesh BhattMore than three months back, Vishesh Films had finalized 23rd January 2009 i.e. today as the release date of Raaz - The Mystery Continues. The only difference though being that at that time there was no Slumdog Millionaire making news. Suddenly, the film started winning international recognition and things have reached at such a stage that it is not just competing with the Emraan Hashmi-Kangna Ranaut-Adhyayan Suman starrer but also coming along with a huge hype considering its Oscar nomination in as many as 10 categories. Joginder Tuteja catches up with Mukesh Bhatt (who is caught in a rather amusing mood here) and chats with him about the competition called Slumdog Millionaire. Raaz - The Mystery Continues clashing with Slumdog Millionaire; you certainly wouldn't have seen this coming! [Laughs] Well, Slumdog Millionaire is for the high brow intellectual audience; the kind who appreciate cerebral films. I make films only for Indian audience. My company caters to Indian taste buds. It's a battle of our 'Rajma Chawal' and their 'Spaghetti'! But isn't Slumdog Millionaire coming with a huge hype considering the international recognition it has gained over last couple of months? Good for them. However, I don't make films for Chicago or Houston. My commitment is to entertain my 'desi junta'. I don't vouch for any Oscars or Globes. My award comes in the form of claps by the man on the street who watches my film. It's the audience that lives in Bengal, UP, Karnataka and other states that should be applauding my films. For me, these are the people who are my guru, guide and philosopher. I don't make films for Chicago or Houston You don't seem to be appreciative of West waking up to a film (SM) based in India. Absolutely not. I don't need a white man to tell me whether I am good or bad in my job. This country is a wagging tail and it's a shame that we are still acting as slaves. Guess, the way we are reacting to Slumdog Millionaire, we are not yet out of the slavery mindset in spite of Brits leaving our country 60 years back. Sorry, I don't want them to tell me how good or bad is Raaz - TMC; I would rather wait for reactions from my own countrymen. We are not yet out of the slavery mindset in spite of Brits leaving our country 60 years back But you are releasing the film in overseas? Absolutely, and that's for my Indian Diaspora. How can I ignore that? They form 1/5th population of the world and are spread all over, I have to reach out them. But no, I am not making my film to cater to the sensibilities of 'gora log'. Lots of foreign studios are looking at entering mainstream cinema though. Doesn't that say a thing or two about their inclination towards the kind of films that we make? What entry? Filmmaking is a creative medium and frankly, I don't see these studios having any inkling about filmmaking. I have said this before and I will repeat it - It is always big ideas that work and not budget, stars or locations. It's a pity that these people do not understand this basic fact. Inhe lagta hai ki hum star le lenge to woh initial toh le hi lega aur haamara kaam ho jaayega. They don't have any 'lena-dena' for films, all they want is some quick money. You seem to be quite vocal about this! Because it's a shame that they are plain and simple falling for stars. They are succumbing to their whims and fancies. They make the film the way a particular star wants to make a film; khud ka kuch idea nahi hai. Net result is always going to be a suicide. Are you indicating towards Warner Bros. and their Chandni Chowk To China? Them as well as others. In fact what surprises me is that a company like Warner that has a culture of films could get into stupid things. They have shown complete disrespect for audience. You can't dream that just because you have Akshay Kumar, you would rock. I don't know what story did they narrate and how did the actors agree. Coming back to Slumdog Millionaire, do you think that the entire hullabaloo would help it gain any edge? How does it make a difference to my film? Actually, it is disgusting to see the way we are reacting to all the awards for the film. It is as if an Indian film has got them all. Come on, it is a British film. I am sure if it was an Indian film, no one would have taken it to such a distance for the awards. People out there are very clear; they won't give any of our own movies any such recognition. However, when they come to our soil and make movies, they give it all the recognition. I am sure if it was an Indian film, no one would have taken it to such a distance for the awards Earlier it appeared that Chandni Chowk To China may have been a competition in it's second week, now that doesn't seem to be the case! We are releasing it at 950 screens with 550 physical prints and remaining being digital. Wait for Raaz - TMC to make a bang at the box office. It has been made at 1/3rd of the budget of Chandni Chowk To China and still we are expecting great collections.Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 23 Jan 2009 | 10:49 am Shekhar Suman says Sorry to Akshay KumarWhen Shekhar Suman made critical remarks about Akshay Kumar vis-a-vis Chandni Chowk To China little did he know it would blow up into such a huge point of debate. In a reconciliatory gesture, Shekhar sent an SMS on Thursday morning apologizing to Akshay. "It was never my intention to offend Akshay. And if I've done that, then I've no hesitation in saying sorry. Akshay is too much of a good soul for me to hurt him. He should've realized my comments had nothing personal about them." Shekhar is taken aback by the backlash to his tongue-lash. "I never knew my opinion would matter so much. I reacted as an outraged viewer. I've always admired Akshay Kumar's resilient climb from the bottom rung to the top of ladder. In fact I tell my son Adhyayan that Akshay Kumar is a role model to follow. Self-made superstar." Sadly a section of Akshay's supports including the Chandni Chowk director Nikhil Advani saw Shekhar's comments as below-the-belt attempts to get publicity for Adhyayan's release this week. Shekhar laughs off this accusation. "My son is talented enough to do without such cheap props. We don't need to use big names to get noticed. Adhyayan's performance in Raaz 2 will speak for itself. I'd say exactly what I did about Chandni Chowk even if my son's film wasn't releasing."Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 23 Jan 2009 | 10:42 am Producer Madesh passed awayYoung producer Madesh, who produced Sacha, has passed away due to brain hemorrhage at a Bangalore hospital on Thursday. He was just 35. An entrepreneur owning two bars and one restaurant in Bangalore, Madesh entered the film world by producing SachaSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 10:19 am Emraan trying a new look in Raaz - TMC - Oneindia
Source: Google News India - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 10:12 am Sex and the City stars reuniting for sequelLondon (ANI): Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis will definitely reunite to appear in the sequel to Sex and the City: The Movie, according to sources. Reports have claimed that all stars have said that they willSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 10:08 am Trisha romances the angry young manAfter a good year in Kollywood, Trisha has turned her attention to cement her position as top heroine in Telugu. She rounded off 2008 with Abhiyum Naanum (Tamil) a 'multiplex' hit and Kuruvi (Tamil). In Telugu, she ended theSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 10:04 am Serial Naaku Tanti - Episode 1270Hosamane, talking about his next move against Sukanya, goes to take bath singing Almaprabhu's Vachana. Mitra, who is sitting in Kalyani's house, refers to the same Vachan as a symbol of harmony. He tries to sooth Kalyani by telling she needSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 10:02 am Julia Roberts visits the Taj Mahal - Rediff
Source: Google News India - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 9:46 am Emraan trying a new look in Raaz - TMCFrom the time the first look of Raaz – The Mystery Continues came out, what got noticed most apart from the horror genre of the film was Emraan Hashmi's new look. With Kangana's pretty, yet glum looking face (which adds onSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 9:39 am Slumdog Millionaire gets 10 nominations at the Oscars"Hello everybody, Good morning, my name is Sid Ganis, the president of the Academy Awards, and before we announce our nominees of films highest honours, I am very pleased to welcome a producer, director and Oscar winning actor Forrest Whitaker". These were the exact words coming out at 5.30am by the president of the Oscars at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. And accompanying him was the talented Forrest Whitaker in a black suit with light blue shirt looking dapper as always. Together in front of the hundreds of media representatives from around the world gathered at the theatre, both announced the nominations for the 81st Academy Awards. The biggest movie event of the year hosted by the smart, sexy and handsome Hugh Jackman is exactly a month away and come February 22, Sunday, along with all the tuxedos, long flowing gowns and black suits, we will witness our very traditional outfits from India too. You don't have to ask us why. But we'll tell you anyway. Ladies and gentlemenâ¦please put your hands together for Slumdog Millionaire for getting nominated under ten nominations at yesterday's official Academy nominations 2009. What's more interesting and exciting is the fact that our very own team of Bollywood will grace the red carpet at the awards. Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan and Freida Pinto. But the man who will lead our national flag is going to be A.R.Rahman. The musical genius has won himself three nominations from the ten listed. Rahman has been nominated for the original score for Slumdog Millionaire with one nomination and for original song with two nominations ('Jai Ho' and 'O Saya'). The following are the alphabetical categories under which Slumdog Millionaire is nominated at the 2009 Academy Awards: Achievement in Cinematography Achievement in Directing Achievement in Film Editing Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score) Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song - Jai Ho) Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song - O Saya) Achievement in Best Motion Picture of the Year Achievement in Sound Editing Achievement in Sound Mixing Achievement in Adapted Screenplay What's more, Slumdog Millionaire becomes the second film after the Brad Pitt starrer, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, with ten or more than ten nominations at the 2009 Oscars. Wow! Now that's what we call an achievement. The director of Slumdog Millionaire is a British, the lead actor Dev Patel is an Indian-Brit but the story is Indian, the backdrop is Mumbai, the music is Indian and the other lead actors and supporting cast are Indians. Does that make Slumdog Millionaire an Indian film? Not really, but then we'd like to look at it that way. India's performance at the Oscars in the past: Even though India has been the leading player in international cinema making almost the maximum number of movies annually, her track record in the Oscar Awards ball game has been disappointing. But at the same time, it is a matter of pride that an Indian filmmaker - the only one till today - was chosen to be awarded an Honorary Oscar for Life Achievement. He was Satyajit Ray, the only Indian filmmaker who is internationally known and respected for his movies of Indian life and Mother Earth like Pather Panchali (1955). This Award was presented to him in 1991 at Kolkata because he was too ill and bed-ridden and could not go to Los Angeles. The other Indian to win an Oscar is Bhanu Athaiya, well-known costume designer of Bombay. She was a part of the team of designers who won the Oscar for 'Best Costume' award. She was jointly named for 'Best Costume' designing for the box-office bonanza and critically acclaimed and multiple Oscar winner, Richard Attenborough's Gandhi (1982). Another Indian who received an Oscar nomination and created a stir was Shekhar Kapoor for his Elizabeth (1998). But he did not get the Oscar. Aamir Khan and Ashutosh Gowarikar walked the red carpet too for Lagaan for 'Best Film - Foreign Language' but they didn't win the trophy. But all that is history and as we know, history can be re-written. On 22nd February 2009 the day will dawn when A.R.Rahman, Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan and Freida Pinto will march all the way to Los Angeles for justifiably competing for the Oscar Awards and returning home with the much coveted golden statuette. Bollywood Hungama wishes the entire team of Slumdog Millionaire. Jai Ho at the Oscars 2009!Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 23 Jan 2009 | 9:35 am I'm a rare combination of British and Rajput blood: Preity ZintaFed up with responding to queries about her family background, actress Preity Zinta has finally revealed her British connection.Source: Entertainment News | 23 Jan 2009 | 9:29 am Raja to recreate the magic of Anand?The second schedule of a film directed by Suman Pathuri and produced by Kalyan Palla under the banner of Bay Movies with Raja, Manjari Phadnis, Ravivarma and Richa Pallad in the lead is in progress at Visakhapatnam. Director said,Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 9:24 am Disco Dance hits the small screenMithun Chakraborty is a National Film Award winning Indian film actor, social activist and entrepreneur. He is also known as a disco king of Bollywood. His film Disco Dancer and Dance Dance showcased him as a talented dancer. Now he isSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 9:21 am Ledger gets posthumous Oscar nomination
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 23 Jan 2009 | 9:14 am Dino Morea beats Akshay KumarOne guy who is making more news than any of the celebrities in tinsel town put together is the one who clicks with them, and he clicks literally well. Ok, enough teasing, we are talking about ace photographer Daboo Ratnani whoSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 9:05 am Aamir not denied US visa for being a muslim!Do not let our headlines confuse you we do not mean that Mr. Perfectionist, Aamir Khan has been denied US visa. We are talking about another extremely talented actor, Aamir Bashir Khan, who was chosen to play the important role thatSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 8:48 am Neramu-Siksha on crime and punishmentThe shooting of Neramu-Siksha directed and produced by Vijayanirmala under the banner of Vijayakrishna Movies with Krishna, Vijayanirmala and Jayasudha in the lead was formally launched at Annapurna Studios recently. Naresh gave the clap for the muhurat shot whileSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 8:44 am Suniel Shetty barred from working out, worried about weight gainHe has never gone without gymming in the past ten years, except now. A serious chest injury on the sets of Priyadarshan's comedy 'De Dana Dan' has had Suniel Shetty laid up for the past six weeks without exercise.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 23 Jan 2009 | 8:32 am God has blessed Indian music: RahmanThe honour of being the first Indian music director to be nominated for three Oscars sits lightly on the shoulders of A.R. Rahman, who attributes his success and fame to divinity.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 23 Jan 2009 | 7:31 am Priyanka Chopra's mom setting up hi-tech cosmetic surgery clinicCosmetic surgery is a rage and Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra's mother is all set to cash in on the trend. Madhu Chopra is busy setting up her hi-tech cosmetic-surgery clinic in Juhu suburb of Mumbai, which is going to open soon.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 23 Jan 2009 | 7:00 am Deepika Padukone's fringe hairstyle catches onIn the 1960s, actress Sadhana styled her hair with a fringe and it became a craze. Now more than four decades later Deepika Padukone has rekindled the magic of this bygone hairstyle with her recently released movie 'Chandni Chowk To China'.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 23 Jan 2009 | 5:33 am I'm a rare combination of British and Rajput blood: Preity ZintaFed up with responding to queries about her family background, actress Preity Zinta has finally revealed her British connection.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 23 Jan 2009 | 3:00 am Sonu Nigam gifts BMW to his fatherCelebrity singer Sonu Nigam gifted his father a red BMW sports convertible. Agam Kumar Nigam says his son's thoughtfulness brought tears to his eyes.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 23 Jan 2009 | 3:00 am Mandira Bedi gave her co-star a hard slapFor a scene in her forthcoming marathon-based film '42 kms', Mandira Bedi had to slap co-star Gautam Kapur and the actor says it was a 'slap to remember'.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 23 Jan 2009 | 3:00 am Celebrations at Jaipur literature fest for 'Slumdog..', Gulzar fetedThe spirit of bonhomie at the Jaipur Literature Festival turned into celebratory cheer Thursday evening after the announcement that the movie 'Slumdog Millionaire', based on career diplomat-author Vikas Swarup's novel 'Q and A', had bagged 10 Oscar nominations.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 23 Jan 2009 | 1:32 am Nilekani woos audience at literature fest - Times of India
Source: Google News India - Entertainment | 23 Jan 2009 | 1:00 am Slumdog Millionaire Premiere [Gallery]Watch out for the excitement and joy of the cast and crew of the Oscar nominated ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ as they attend the film’s premiere show organised with panache at IMAX, Mumbai.Present : Aamir Khan, Anil Kapoor, Preity Zinta ,Madhuri Dixit, Hrithik Roshan, Suzanne Roshan Khan, Amrita Rao, Neha Dhupia, Ritwik, Jia Khan, Sophie Chaudhary Sonam Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Sushmita Sen, Imraan Khan, Avantika Malik, Dilip Kumar, Sayera Banu, Sonali Kulkarni, Konkona Sen Sharma, Ranbir Shorey, Vidya Balan,Genelia Desouza, Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Arshad Warsi, Maria Goretti, Irfan Khan, Jeetendra, Tusshar Kapoor, Neil Nitin Mukesh and Soniya MehraSource: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 23 Jan 2009 | 12:00 am Time for bigger achievementsIf there is an actor who has been repeatedly hailed upon as the perfect man from B-Town to make a mark in Hollywood as a hero, it is Hrithik Roshan. Right from his early days, news of the hunk getting meaty Hollywood offers used to pop up from time to time, but Hrithik concentrated solely on Bollywood.Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 23 Jan 2009 | 12:00 am What does Slumdog stand for?It was just the direct meaning of the word Slumdog that carried away the emotions of social worker Tapeshwar Vishwakarma leading him to accuse the name to be abusive and file a case.Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 23 Jan 2009 | 12:00 am Oscar nominations: Three cheers for RahmanThe Mozart of Madras A R Rahman is just a step away from claiming the coveted Oscar Awards, the dream of several hundred film personalities in the country.Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 23 Jan 2009 | 12:00 am Post Chandni Chowk To China…Speaking to a newspaper Akshay said My so-called flop has generated Rs. 45 crores in the weekend. It is the fourth highest, three-day Box Office collection in the history of Bollywood. Besides, I never said this was the greatest film ever made. I told everyone, it is a senseless film, leave your brains at home. I accept it for what it is, I love it for what it is.Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 23 Jan 2009 | 12:00 am CC2C: Abrupt end in NepalThe struggle to keep afloat in India was more than enough. But more trouble has come calling as the innings of Chandni Chowk To China in Nepal has been stalled by the government.Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 23 Jan 2009 | 12:00 am Emraan: Scared of kissing!Well believe it or not! The king of hot sultry kisses has admitted that he is scared to kiss when the camera is running. If you are wondering whether Emraan shares any hot kisses with his co-star Kangana in Raaz-2, the answer is no, all the smooch scenes have been taken care of by Adhyayan Suman!Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 23 Jan 2009 | 12:00 am 'Benjamin Button,' 'Slumdog' lead Oscar nomineesLOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," a costly drama that took decades to make, led the field of Oscar contenders on Thursday, while Heath Ledger became only the sixth actor to get a posthumous nomination.Source: Reuters: Bollywood News | 22 Jan 2009 | 11:28 pm Bharat Shah held in cheating case - Times of India
Source: Google News India - Entertainment | 22 Jan 2009 | 9:47 pm Resul Pookutty's Oscar score, music to Indian ears - IBNLive.com
Source: Google News India - Entertainment | 22 Jan 2009 | 9:34 pm Boyle says Oscar nominations 'unbelievable'
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 22 Jan 2009 | 9:29 pm Know more about Danny Boyle
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 22 Jan 2009 | 9:00 pm Oscar nominations list
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 22 Jan 2009 | 8:42 pm 'Slumdog...' belies West's disregard for Indian song-n-dance movie cultureBritish filmmaker Danny Boyle's award-winning underdog drama 'Slumdog Millionaire' has shattered the age-old Western perception that Indian movies are too long and jarring - courtesy the song-and-dance sequences - by picking up 10 Oscar nominations, including for its music, in the main category.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 22 Jan 2009 | 7:02 pm 'Pretty Woman' Julia Roberts enchanted with Taj MahalHollywood actress Julia Roberts spent over an hour at the Taj Mahal along with her husband Thursday, and was 'enchanted' with the marbled monument to love.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 22 Jan 2009 | 7:00 pm 'Slumdog' premieres in India amid Oscar fanfareMUMBAI (Reuters) - Critically acclaimed "Slumdog Millionaire" held its Indian premiere in the film's native Mumbai on Thursday night, shortly after it won 10 Oscar nominations.Source: Reuters: Bollywood News | 22 Jan 2009 | 6:58 pm Chandni Chowk to China 'banned' in NepalAs protests continued to erupt on the streets of Kathmandu today over Bollywood's first Kungfu comedy 'Chandni Chowk to China?, cinemas in Nepal stopped screening the controversial film, saying they had replaced it with other films.Source: Entertainment News | 22 Jan 2009 | 5:47 pm 'Chandni Chowk to China' fumbles in Nepal, protests over Buddha remark"Chandni Chowk to China", India's first made-in-China film, has angered Nepal for its erroneous references about the Buddha.Source: Entertainment News | 22 Jan 2009 | 4:18 pm 'Slumdog...' title not offensive, but metaphor: scriptwriterSimon Beaufoy, the screenplay writer of Danny Boyle's Golden Globe winning "Slumdog Millionaire" on Wednesday said the title of the film was only a "metaphor".Source: Entertainment News | 22 Jan 2009 | 3:56 pm The Success Story of The President Is ComingRohan Sippy's attempt at bringing India's first ever 'mockumentary' in the form of The President Is Coming, has proved to be a success. The film, which opened across cinema halls on Jan 9th this year, has been appreciated by the critics and the multiplex going audience. What's even more surprising is the fact that the makers didn't go overboard in the marketing of the film through conventional methods such as hoardings, T.V. spots, major launch parties and star studded events etc. Instead, keeping in mind the theme of the film and the audience that it caters to, Rohan Sippy and his team of The President Is Coming have capitalized on the power of the online medium (internet) to spread the word about the film. Bollywood Hungama spoke to Rohan to get some more details on this novel idea. "The idea for using the online medium to promote the film came from the content of the film itself. You have to see the content and then decide what would be the best way to make it reach out to maximum people. But more than anything else we had complete confidence in our film." So what were some of the ways that the makers used to promote the film? "We went in for new and innovative ways of creating awareness about the film. So you had community groups formed around The President Is Coming, just like Obama formed community groups across the US to be 'Ambassadors' of the campaign. These communities spread the word even further and India's bludgeoning young internet population, the exact same demographic that also goes to the urban multiplex, knew of this film through sites like Bollywood Hungama, You Tube, Facebook etc. Web videos, chat sites, discussion groups, photos and trivia were created for millions of India's internet population (and growing), most of whom live in the cities, and for most of whom, a movie like The President Is Coming is a movie that they would watch", adds Rohan. So how has been the response to the film so far? "The response has been very good for a small budget film like ours. With each day, the film is picking up mainly through positive word-of-mouth. Many of our shows are running 'Housefull' even in the second week which is commendable for a film which did not have a single T.V. ad. It shows that there is an audience for such kind of intelligent humour", says the excited filmmaker. Now that the small budget film is having a successful run at the B.O. despite the biggies, what is next on the agenda? "A lot of people in countries like US are keen to see the film. So we intend to have a limited release of The President Is Coming in the US on Feb 6th." adds Rohan. Finally, a film like The President Is Coming would surely find a large audience in the Home Video segment. So when do the makers plan to release the DVD? "Yesâ¦we are in talks with a couple of labels and by next week, we should be announcing the date of the DVD's release. Besides the DVD, the film also goes on Pay-Per-View this weekend through DTH operators such as Tata Sky, Dish TV, Airtel etc. I believe the film will also find a sizeable audience in the home viewing segment", signs off Rohan with a smile.Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 22 Jan 2009 | 3:47 pm Subhash K Jha speaks about Slumdog MillionaireDanny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire makes Mumbai look like a sewer. Anil Kapoor stood up and cheered lustily into the camera when Danny Boyle won the Golden Globe last weekend. I wish I could share his enthusiasm for Danny's phenomenal flight into frenzy. After all the accolades and awards Slumdog Millionaire (SM) proves to be a deafening blow to the year that saw Mumbai go numb with terror. SM takes nasty below-the-belt potshots at the underbelly of the city, portraying Mumbai as the armpit among the metropolises. Mira Nair once paid a warm endearing homage to the street children of Mumbai in Salaam Bombay. Long before, Satyajit Ray in Pather Panchali portrayed rural India as poor but never as a gutter of misery. It's now Danny Boyle's turn to do a 'Slam' Mumbai. The coming-of-age tale about three orphaned chawl kids bears just a passing resemblance to Boyle's rightly-celebrated Trainspotting where the director trailed a bunch of misfits through the streets of Edinburgh. Slumdog Millionaire is Trainspotting on steroids. It's a beefed-up look at the scummy side of Mumbai, bewildering in its obsession with discovering life in the chawls of Dharavi (curiously the protagonist Jamal is referred to as "the boy from Juhu") as being a facsimile of that drain-inspector's report which Mahatma Gandhi had discovered American journalist Katherine Mayo's account of India in Mother India to be. Slumdog Millionaire is worse. It looks at Mumbai as a swarming slum of sleaze sex and crime with characters who seem to have jumped out of Rakesh Roshan's and Manmohan Desai's cinema bruising their deep-focussed emblematic quality while making this huge global leap from 'Bollywood' to 'Hollywood'. After seeing Boyle's much talked-of film it's crystal clear why this murky and squalid portrait of Mumbai has the Americans preening in delight. At one point after being thrashed mercilessly our hero Jamal tells American tourists, "You wanted to see real India? Here it is. "Now we'll show you the real America," the American lady replies handing Jamal a 100-dollar bill. This, without any apparent sense of irony. This isn't the 'real' India. This is India as seen through the eyes of a Westerner who's selling desi squalor packaged as savvy slick entertainment. There is a very thin line dividing slick from scum. Slumdog Millionaire doesn't stop to make those subtle distinctions. It moves at a frenetic pace creating a kind of sweaty energy that one sees in marathon runners in the last lap of their journey. Boyle is constantly busy whipping up a hysterical banshee of sights and sounds in Mumbai denoting the embittered angry generation of the underprivileged class that grows up in the slums dreaming of the Good Life. Cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle shoots Mumbai with a gun rather than a camera. Every frame conveys the killer instinct. Every shot ricochets across eternity solidifying sounds and feelings that are otherwise intangible. Yup, this is a film on a mission. It wants to exploit the Mumbai slums as a hotbed of tantalizing images conveying the splendour of squalidity. And to think every prominent of the cast and crew went around proclaiming Slumdog Millionaire would do wonders for Mumbai's tourism industry! Yeah, right. It does as much for the cause of Mumbai as Roland Joffe's The City Of Joy did for Kolkata. That much-vilified film at least secreted a core of humanism under its pretentious surface. Slumdog Millionaire doesn't even pretend to care for the city that it so unabashedly cruises in search of imperialistic tantalization. From frame 1, Danny Boyle goes for the jugular. Every scent and stench of the city is converted into a liquid asset. Groups of defecating young boys running out in otherworldly ecstasy when they spot Amitabh Bachchan's helicopter hovering abovehead becomes a celebration of lowly life. Our protagonist Jamal dunks himself into excreta from head to toe and wades through the disgusted crowd to get Mr. Bachchan's autograph. The star signs calmly, as though exceptionally smelly young boys covered in human waste are the odour of the day. Such moments define Boyle's attitude to Mumbai. He sees it as city where humour emerges from human waste. But who's laughing? Even communal riots are not spared of this tantalizing trivialization of abject misery. Rioters descend on a Muslim locality like Bandits attacking a village in the Chambal valley. A mean Mumbai Mafioso (Ankur Vakil) gouges out orphans' eyes and makes them beg on the streets singing what appears to be his favourite 'Bhajan Darshan do ghamshyam' add nauseam. Even Madhur Bhandarkar got it better in Traffic Signal. There's absolutely no sense of historic sensitivity in the narrative. "If it was not for Ram and Allah, my mother would be alive," says our regretful hero Jamal after the riots. Such corny dialogues, so much a part of Vikas Swarup's novel is minimized in the film. But not enough. Some of the outrageously filmy plot maneuverings from the novel like the game show host (played in the film with cheesy relish by Anil Kapoor) turning out to be Jamal's illegitimate father, are done away with. But the film nevertheless remains as wedded to kitsch and as ridden with coincidences and implausibilities as any formula Hindi film. In fact, the two runaway brothers from the chawl being called Salim and Jamal seems like a backhanded homage to Salim-Javed the pair that wrote the hit films of the era that Slumdog Millionaire adopts...the 1970s. Every sequence is punctuated and edited to accentuate the cinematic aspect of the drama. Each time the game-show host Anil Kapoor has to provide our callow hero Jamal a clue, a flashback highlighting the theme of the quiz-question, is conveniently arranged in the plot. Squalor never appeared designed than it does in Slumdog Millionaire. Bollywood has never been more audaciously honoured. This over-hyped and disappointing film that insults Mumbai, culminates with a Bollywood -styled item song on a railway platform. Mike Myers does it far less self-consciously in The Love Guru.Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 22 Jan 2009 | 3:37 pm "I have just started hating the term 'Serial Kisser" - Emraan HashmiHe's famous for being Bollywood's 'Serial Kisser' but beneath that infamous tag lies an actor who has delivered hits such as Murder, Zeher, Kalyug and Jannat. Yes, we are talking about the one and only Emraan Hashmi who is once again back on the silver screen with his latest film Raaz -The Mystery Continues. Emraan was here on Bollywood Hungama's celeb chat to talk with his fans on Raaz- The Mystery Continues and much more but for all those who missed this interesting chat session here is a chance to check out the chat excerpts Emraan Hashmi: hello... Zoheb: HI...Emraan. Salam Walekum Mia. How are u dear? Emraan Hashmi: never have been better' zoheb. Harish: Hi Emraan. Raaz-TMC about to releasing ...nervous / excited? Emraan Hashmi: yes, I'm excited more than nervous but also very confident. Harish: Hi Emraan. Raaz-TMC about to release ...nervous / excited? Emraan Hashmi: yes, Iâm excited more than nervous but also very confident. Emraanzfan: Emraan, these days u too started playing with ur looks...in Raaz-TMC that's visible but is it script's ask or you did like that? Emraan Hashmi: I got sick of myself by donning same kind of looks some where and hence the experiment with looks. Samira: hi Emraan, I am big fan of yours i think u are one of the best actors around. Emraan Hashmi: that's really nice to hear Saikat: Hi Emraan, this is Saikat from Warsaw, Poland. What are your hopes from Raaz-TMC? Emraan Hashmi: saikat, It will be a huge hit.... Sham3961: A personal Question to you that celebs always insure their USP assets. What about you, are u planning to get your lips insure? Emraan Hashmi: what makes u think I havenât already insured my lips? Harish: Salam Imran. How was working with Adhyayan Suman and kangna? Emraan Hashmi: they are not the best to work with and you can tell this to them. Harish: Salam Imran. How was it working with Adhyayan Suman and kangna? Emraan Hashmi: they are not the best to work with and you can tell this to them. Puneet: hi Emraan.... which is ur fav song from Raaz - TMC ? Emraan Hashmi: maahi is my fav song from RTMC. Samira: if u could work with anyone dead or alive who would it be? Emraan Hashmi: Dilip kumar. Holloman: What's the USP of Raaz-TMC? Emraan Hashmi: the usp of Raaz is its great story and I play an artist in it. Samira: Are u happy being called 'the serial kisser'? Emraan Hashmi: No, I have just started hating the term serial kisser. Amina: hi Emraan. What's ur opinion on Salman khan? Is he cool or is Aamir hot? Emraan Hashmi: who are Aamir and Salman? Gig: Emraan I heard that you are playing a ghost in Raaz- TMC? Emraan Hashmi: Where did u here that i was a ghost? Emraan Hashmi: yes, I think Awarapan would have been a hit and it is my fav film. Puneet: Do you think Awarapan would have been a success if it has been a solo release? Bollywoodrani: Would u like to work in a multi starrer - like in K3G? Emraan Hashmi: I would work in multi starrer only if I get the meatiest role. Samira: will the there be a third Raaz? Emraan Hashmi: My producers seem to think so and most probably there will be a third. Samira: will the there be a third Raaz? Emraan Hashmi: My producers seem to think so and most probably there will be a third. Fakhri: hey man, I think Raaz-TMC will change ur life and will put u on top. Emraan Hashmi: fakhir thank you and nice to hear that. Aatif_kiss: Name the movies, which have not had the kissing scene? Emraan Hashmi: In Footpath, Awarapan are the films that don't have the kissing scenes. HelloEmraan: What's next after Raaz-TMC? Emraan Hashmi: after Raaz-TMC there is Raftaar and Tum Mile. HelloEmraan: What's next after Raaz-TMC? Emraan Hashmi: after Raaz-TMC there is Raftaar and Tum Mile. Hammadkhan: hey Emraan bhai, do u plan to work in a Pakistani film? Emraan Hashmi: if offered a good script from pak why not. Zoheb: What is Emraan Hashmi's trademark? Emraan Hashmi: that you tell me what is my trade mark. Aji: I heard that Raaz-TMC is the most expensive horror movie till now in India, is it true? Emraan Hashmi: yes it is true that Raaz-TMC is the most expensive horror film and definitely the spookiest. HelloEmraan: What do you think of Akshaye Khanna as an actor? Emraan Hashmi: l never seen any of Akshaye khanna's films... so i can't say anything about him. 8k9dvr4: I like your French cut in Raaz-TMC. Emraan Hashmi: thank you. hnassu786: On Jan 23, Slumdog Millionaire is also releasing...dont you think that it will affect the Raaz-TMC business as well. Emraan Hashmi: oooohhhh... i am really scared... Slumdog is gonna go to the dogs. Zoheb: What is your favorite way to relax on a Sunday? Emraan Hashmi: Remain idle is the perfect relaxation. Zoheb: What is your favorite way to relax on a Sunday? Emraan Hashmi: Remain idle is the perfect relaxation. Zoreen: hi Emraan...I'm zoreen from Pakistan...i wanted to ask if Raaz-TMC is also releasing here? Emraan Hashmi: I cannot confirm yet but that is what i am hearing that Raaz-TMC will also release there. Mimmi: what do u think of SRK as an actor? Emraan Hashmi: SRK is simply and a terrible actor. HelloEmraan: What's your secret of your charming smile? Emraan Hashmi: I brush my teeth every day and that the only secret. Canadianboy: have you ever planned of coming for a world tour? Emraan Hashmi: I would want to go on a world tour some time next year. Hammadkhan: Emraan bhai, do you think you would be as successful a director as you are an actor now? Emraan Hashmi: I guess i would be a better director. 8k9dvr4: you have given us 5 hits and yet the industry under-rates you. What's your take on that? Emraan Hashmi: the industry has always underrated all great men... sooner or later they will wake up to my greatness. 8k9dvr4: you have given us 5 hits and yet the industry under-rates you. Whatâs your take on that? Emraan Hashmi: the industry has always underrated all great men... sooner or later they will wake up to my greatness. HelloEmraan: When is your birthday? Emraan Hashmi: Marche 24, send me a present. HelloEmraan: Will you accept to do Hollywood flicks someday? Emraan Hashmi: not really.... i want to focus on Bollywood now. Khurram: you got the plans to change ur name back to Farhan. Emraan Hashmi: only if my films start flopping then I will change my name. 8k9dvr4: I must say maahi is the most beautiful song from Raaz-TMC till date Emraan Hashmi: i agree too 8kdur4. Bajaj: how your better half react to your onscreen kisses? I think mine would have killed me or at least divorced me. Emraan Hashmi: she hates me and I get slapped every time when i kiss some one. Puneet: Who is the most beautiful actress in Bollywood according to u? Emraan Hashmi: the most beautiful actress has always been Madhuri. Emraanzfan: Emraan, do u think Bhatt camp explores u better as an actor than any other director Emraan Hashmi: They exploit me more than explore me Emraanzfan: Emraan, do u think Bhatt camp explores u better as an actor than any other director Emraan Hashmi: They exploit me more than explore me. Samira: who is ur best friend in the Indian film industry?? Emraan Hashmi: Mahesh Bhatt is my best friend. m152: Hi Emraan, You made some great movies; sometime unconventional but they are really enjoyable. Are you planning to work with some other film houses or main-stream directors? Emraan Hashmi: yes mostly next year I will be working with others as well. hnassu786: would you like to play circuit's role in Munna Bhai along with Sanjay Dutt...or do you think Arshad is better circuit? Emraan Hashmi: I guess circuit will be best left to Arshad. Aji: what is your opinion about Aamir's TZP exits from the Oscars? Emraan Hashmi: I think TZP was an overrated film. aatif_kiss: in how many countries Raaz-TMC will release? Emraan Hashmi: Razz will release world wide. Zoreen: What makes u think that SRK is a terrible actor? Emraan Hashmi: Watch some of the SRK's film and u will find out for yourself. HelloEmraan: Who do you think deserves to get best actor award this year? Aamir Khan - Ghajini or Hrithik Roshan - Jodhaa Akbar? Emraan Hashmi: I should get the best actor award. badboy4life: Would you like to do a David Dhawan comedy? Emraan Hashmi: no i donât understand Davidâs comedy so I will not do any. 8k9dvr4: what about your next project Raftaar 24/7? Emraan Hashmi: its releasing some time in July. Sneha: hi!! sir...u are looking really cool in Raaz-TMC esp...in the maahi song! Emraan Hashmi: thanks a ton sneha. Samira: how old were u when u had ur first crush? Emraan Hashmi: Samira, i started off pretty young and i was 4 at that time. Samira: how old were u when u had ur first crush? Emraan Hashmi: Samira, i started off pretty young and i was 4 at that time. sweet1984: among the current actresses, who do u think is the most beautiful? Emraan Hashmi: among the current actresses i think Ash is the best Hammadkhan: which Hollywood actor have you always idolized ? Emraan Hashmi: Johnny Depp ... this is the guy i have always idolized.Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 22 Jan 2009 | 3:31 pm Debate 'Bollywood Today' - Corporatization or organized scheming and manipulation? [Part 1]This had to happen. A chunk of industry which was talking about the 'evil' of corporate world (especially the ones that were believed to be having no business to be making movies) resulting in rotting of Bollywood has now come out in open. Of course there were collective failure of much hyped films like Drona, Love Story 2050, Yuvvraaj and 'Karzzzz' (all of which were either produced, backed or acquired by corporate houses) that had set the ground for a debate around whether corporate world is burst or just about to burst. Saawariya, which had released in 2007, had started it all while raising the question around foreign studios entering Bollywood with big money. And now, within 14 months of the release of Saawariya, Chandni Chowk to China, which saw Warner Bros. aiming for a solid foundation, has made quite a few industry followers go on record with their views about corporatization of Bollywood world. In this two-part Exclusive Feature in Bollywood Hungama, Joginder Tuteja kick-starts the debate and seeks point of view of independent film makers as well as those who belong to the corporate world or are making films with them. "The bubble still exists though the myth of big money is over. It's the time of high concept - low cost films", says Anurag Kashyap whose Dev D is produced by UTV Spot Boy and is eyeing a 6th February release. Ramesh Taurani of TIPS too maintains the same stand by saying "I don't think the corporate bubble has burst. However, I must say that reality has (thankfully) crept back into the industry. In the year gone by, we have seen losses being made not only by flop films but also several super hit films." He does make a point here because there have been murmurs that even a biggie like Singh Is Kinng didn't make profits for a distributor or two. Though the quantum of the money being lost on the project is not something that has been discussed so far (since the film did make good money for majority of it's investors), no distributor going on record about the losses only makes the claim further redundant. Says Vipul Shah, the producer of the Anees Bazmee- directed Singh Is Kinng, "With movies like Singh Is Kinng, Ghajini and Golmaal Returns, distribution house Indian Films has become extremely strong distributor. So I would disagree if someone starts speculating that a bubble was being created with the entry of corporate world and is now getting burst." Interestingly, his next release London Dreams was said to have been acquired by Indian Films for an astronomical 120 crores. Though trade believes that this figure has been pulled down now, an official statement on this is yet to be made. However, Indian Films is not the only corporate house that Vipul is working with as he has also signed a two film deal with 20th Century Fox which is looking at entering the Bollywood market. Buzz is that at least one of them would feature Akshay Kumar (with whom Vipul has earlier made Aankhen, Waqt, Namaste London and Singh Is Kinng) and would be set on a mega budget due to the ton loads of special effects that it promises to carry. Mukesh Bhatt, whose Raaz - The Mystery Continues, is releasing this weekend is expectedly vocal in his displeasure with the corporate world, "The bubble has certainly burst. There was so much of artificial hype that was created; things were being inflated. This had to happen at some point or time or another. People should get into reality check and it is introspection time for the whole industry. Everyone has to come together and the basics of economics have to be developed." Vivek Agnihotri isn't far behind when it comes to being frank about his view around the changing scenario of Bollywood in today's world. He doesn't blame it all on the so-called 'corporate bubble' but insists that money instead of ideas was turning out to be focal point of movie making. "I don't know if the corporate bubble has burst but yes, a bubble has certainly burst". Not mincing any words, he goes on to add, "It was a cancerous bubble which emerged due to fictitious hype and lack of assessment of potential. A game of highly projected figures to lure investors gave impetus to organized scheming and manipulation." Someone like Sajid Khan, who has worked with independent producer Sajid Nadiadwala for both Heyy Babyy and soon to get on floors Housefull, has his own point of view about the entry of corporate houses in Bollywood. He says, "Most corporates believe in producing a large number of films and releasing them on their own. Due to this, the loss or profit is greater. Off late, it is unfortunate because it is turning out to be 'loss' and more 'loss' because of the market crash." Satellite revenue, something that was being looked as a goldmine, has considerably gone down as well (as per industry followers, it is as low as 30% of what was being in the offering till about 6-9 months) that has proven to be the final nail in the coffin. "That's exactly the case", asserts Sajid, "Besides audio market, which is anyways in the doldrums, the satellite market has crashed too. Since satellite is completely dependent on advertisers (which are mostly MNCs) and these companies are anyways facing the market heat due to recession, how could you expect them to shell out money? Their budget cuts are eventually affecting everyone, which down the line impacts the corporate world behind movies." Visit this space tomorrow to see the second and concluding part of the debateSource: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 22 Jan 2009 | 2:50 pm Suneil Shetty injured while shooting for De Dana DanA serious chest injury for Suneil Shetty, a wracking fever cold-cough and a septic leg wound for Katrina Kaif...all this and much more happened while shooting prolonged underwater sequences for Priyadarshan's De Dana Dan last month. The most hard hit is Suneil Shetty. Our first action hero to get healthily muscular, he has never gone without the gym in the past ten years... Except now. A serious chest injury last month on the sets of Priyadarshan's comedy De Dana Dan had the Blast Action Hero laid up for the past six weeks...without exercise. This has automatically generated unwanted avoid-dupois in Suneil. "But there's nothing I can do about it," shrugs Suneil Shetty helplessly as he finally gets permission to move out of bed, but not to exercise. "For six weeks, I've been a lying around at home doing practically nothing except watching television reading books and scripts and bonding with my kids. But for how long? They've a life of their own. The worst blow was the fact that I couldn't exercise, something unthinkable for me. But then you know how it is. Destiny has all kinds of plans for you when you are busy looking elsewhere." So what happened? "All of us Akshay Kumar, Katrina, Sameera and I were shooting underwater for De Dana Dan. In water your body just floats. I don't know what hit me down there. But I felt something hit my chest. When I came out of the water I couldn't move my left arm. I couldn't breathe. For the next six weeks I was prescribed complete bed rest. Any movement would and did cause a spasm of pain in my chest. And since I'm in the habit of sleeping on my side, I'd often go to sleep on the hurt hand and get up numb and scared," says Suneil Shetty, shuddering at the recollection of the ordeal . "I haven't become fat or flabby. But I've put on weight. That really worries me because I've never put on an ounce before. I'm still not allowed to work out." It will take Suneil time to recover fully. But he gives the makers of De Dana Dan a clean chit. "The water was changed every day and disinfected properly. All safety precautions were taken. And yes the entire cast was ensured. Such things happen. Ironically I've done all kinds of stunts for my films without a single injury so far. And I got injured when we weren't really doing any stunts." One of Suneil's first outings after the mishap would be to Delhi for the opening of Milind Soman and Rahul Dev's gym. "Like me they believe in staying fit. In 19 years in the industry I never had to cancel a single shoot....until now."Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 22 Jan 2009 | 2:28 pm Nepal bans 'Chandni Chowk to China' over Buddha birth claimKATHMANDU (Reuters) - Nepal's Maoist-led government banned a new Bollywood film on Thursday after angry protests over a reference in it to India being Lord Buddha's birthplace, an official said.Source: Reuters: Bollywood News | 22 Jan 2009 | 12:57 pm I'd love to make a dark thriller on Mumbai: Danny BoyleAfter his Golden Globe-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire", English director Danny Boyle wants to return to Mumbai again for a dark thriller.Source: Entertainment News | 22 Jan 2009 | 12:20 pm Turner International enters Hindi entertainment TV segmentReality shows, dramas and much more ? US-based production major Turner International promises to entertain Indian viewers with the launch of their Hindi general entertainment channel REAL.Source: Entertainment News | 22 Jan 2009 | 11:58 am Live Chat: Kangna Ranaut on Jan 23 at 1100 hrs ISTThe Mystery Continues about the Raaz of the Fashion world's topmost model's Life In A Metro who encountered a Gangster when flying Kites. We are sure that the aforementioned 'story' would have really led you to the lady in question. For the still clueless, we are indeed talking about the one and only Kangna Ranaut, who is all geared up to set your hearts afire with yet another stellar performance in her forthcoming film Raaz-The Mystery Continues. We are sure that everybody out there must be waiting to pour their hearts out to this yesterday's 'poster-girl' and today's 'calendar girl'! Life only seems to be flying high like Kites for this chic with an attitude. Bollywood Hungama brings to you a never before chance to get up, close and personal with Kangna Ranaut, the lady whose mere smile is enough to light up the globe. You can chat live with her on Friday, Jan 23 at 1100 hrs IST.Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 22 Jan 2009 | 11:16 am
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