|
|
|
|
Zac Efron, Megan Fox get cosy
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 3:51 pm MJ was the reason I started loving music: PriyankaBollywood actress Priyanka Chopra says it was pop legend Michael Jackson's songs that made her start loving music.Source: Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 2:48 pm Rakhi Sawant is on Twitter nowRakhi Sawant has joined the bandwagon of celebrities who have caught the Twitter bug.Source: Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 2:44 pm Jackson to be buried in a $25,000 coffin
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 1:37 pm Akshay Kumar in conversation with Denise Richards
Akshay Kumar interviews Hollywood star Denise Richards on her first Bollywood film Kambhakkht Ishq in this exclusive conversation. Read onâ¦
Akshay Kumar (AK): We have Denise Richards here with me... So, Denise, what do you think about being in the Indian Film Industry?
Denise Richards (DR): Kambhakkht Ishq (KI) was my first Bollywood film and I didn't not know what to expect from it. But I felt very comfortable. Bollywood is a very catchy phrase, it sounds cool. All of you welcomed me and made feel so comfortable. Thank you. You all are very helpful and very fun people and I love that.
AK: Have you seen any Bollywood film?
DR: I have 3 movies in my bag and I am going to go home and watch all the 3 movies.
AK: All 3 are my movie. (Laughs)
DR: I have heard Akshay Kumar is a very big star and I am so honored and flattered to work with a big star like him.
AK: I must tell you, DR has done some romantic scenes with me which are typically Bollywood style, in the Indian way. So did you find any difference in that?
DR: I find this Bollywood movie to be more passionate than a romantic comedy in America. The emotions are bigger here and there is much more passion here which I like.
The emotions are bigger here and there is much more passion
AK: Is emotion different between Hollywood and Bollywood?
DR: No I think for this movie in particular the intention is the same. The woman is in love with the man and the other woman is sad seeing the man go. So the intention is the same. The intention is the same as far as a romantic comedy is concerned. Bollywood movies are bigger and more passionate of course.
AK: Would you do another movie here?
DR: Yes, I would love to do another Bollywood movie.
AK: There is a shot where DR gives all her shopping bags to me and when I am walking with her I fall down.
DR: He is the biggest action star and in that particular scene I think that you really fell.
But I also thought that when we both were walking down the steps in a scene, like Spartans you were little clumsy and that was very cute. And I do find that most action stars like Pierce Brosnan are a little clumsy and that's very cute, endearing and sweet.
AK: I think that it's very natural also. Basically a man when he is walking, he is a little clumsy somewhere or the other, especially carrying so many bags, like 10 - 15 of them. I think we are clumsy.
DR: But it was very easy working with them. Doing a romantic comedy, in my very first scene, coming out of a pool I had to kiss him and all that and it can be very awkward and uncomfortable sometimes.
AK: Were you uncomfortable?
DR: No, you were very nice. You made me feel so comfortable which was very nice and very much at ease. The director is so sweet and is like a big kid and laughs a lot and he likes to collaborate and give ideas. He made me feel so comfortable as well, it's intimidating. Everyone made me feel very comfortable, especially the director.
AK: I must tell you that our director Sabbir Khan has done a very good job. This is his first film and for the first time Sabbir is directing the whole crew and I think he is done a great job.Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 4 Jul 2009 | 1:16 pm Shiney's maid was raped: NCW chief - Times of India
Source: Entertainment - Google News | 4 Jul 2009 | 12:43 pm Paparazzi helps Brad Pitt
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 12:35 pm Jackson didn't like being black: Quincy Jones
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 12:21 pm Shiney Ahuja denies rape
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 12:12 pm Jackson to be buried in a $25,000 coffinKing of Pop Michael Jackson is likely to be buried in a $25,000 solid bronze casket, just like soul legend James Brown.Source: Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 12:04 pm Bhojpuri star Sudip signs Telugu film
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 12:04 pm "Slumdog" child star moves into new Mumbai homeMUMBAI (Reuters) - A child star of the Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire" moved into his new home in an upmarket Mumbai suburb on Saturday, a far cry from his family's former dwelling -- a shanty by the railway tracks.Source: Reuters: Bollywood News | 4 Jul 2009 | 11:58 am Rakhi demands a tattoo from suitors
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 11:52 am Jacko's exclusion of father is not snub - Times of India
Source: Entertainment - Google News | 4 Jul 2009 | 11:49 am SRK is Salman's favourite actor
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 11:29 am Jackson's memorial details released
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 11:13 am "Though it looks comedy Short Kut is a highly emotional film" - Arshad Warsi
"I wish I had conned a whole lot of producers, I'd have had a better career today", is what Arshad Warsi humorously quotes as he sits comfortably in Anil Kapoor's office looking corny in his black and white chequered shorts with a black tee. I compliment him by saying, "Those moustaches (which he has kept for Vishal Bhardwaj's film Ishqiya) are looking so good on you". "Yeah. I was conned for that too", comes the reply. The latest hoardings doing the rounds of Short Kut has Arshad in the same moustaches. Now we know why he says that he was conned. "When you get to a certain level doing comedy, people just start laughing even when you're not being funny," says Warsi, slumped back on the chair lighting his cigarette. And it's all Arshad's doing, of course. With his unique talent for hyperactive outbursts, he wields enthusiasm that's so relentless, so shamelessly unhinged; just looking at him makes you crack up. But come to think of it, he ain't that funny. He is a serious man looking seriously into his debut film Kaun Bola as a producer under his production house called 'Shooting Stars'. UK's Harrow Observer columnist and Bollywood Hungama's London correspondent thinks that 'explosive' is not the word to describe Arshad Warsi's talent as an actor. Instead, words like 'gigantorous,' 'magno-rific,' 'Tyrannosaurus Rexian.' works because you have to coin new terms to describe how potent a force he is to our Indian Film Industry. Today, the actor has reasons to be cheerful. He hasn't applied any short cuts to climb up the ladder of success and his latest film Short Kut shows exactly the opposite.
Actually, my look on the posters is from Vishal Bhardwaj's film Ishqiya.
You've worked with newly set up production houses before. What are the criteria on which you decide to work for them?
It all depends on who owns or runs the production house. There are so many people who are new comers and want to make films. 99% of them do not want to make films because they love cinema but because they want to know the industry and get to know these gorgeous actresses. People like ABCL, AKFC are in the cinema, know cinema and like cinema. That is the reason I've too set up my own production house called 'Shooting Stars'.
I really like the look of yours on the posters of Short Kut.
Oh, don't say that. I look pathetic in Short Kut. Actually, my look on the posters is from Vishal Bhardwaj's film Ishqiya. I was shooting for Ishqiya and had come for the photo shoot. So the banners are looking good. I do these stupid things and then regret by saying, 'Why did I do this?' I play a role of a guy who has no scope of becoming an actor and yet becomes one. He is a bad actor with a bad look and is not meant to be anywhere near the film industry. So I wanted this guy to be as grungy as possible. Badly dressed, etc.
Have you decided yourself not to break away from the comic image everyone has tagged you into?
No I don't. The fact is that eight out of ten films that are being made are comedy. You can't be so obscure and wait for those two films that are serious to come your way. I don't even remember the last time I saw a sensible cinema being made, like New York.
So the famous Neha Dhupia quote should change?
Yes, SRK, sex and comedy sells. Absolutely correct.
When do we see you in a sensible one then?
I'm actually fed up doing comic roles. It's like eating the same food everyday. Comedy is getting on my nerves now. But I keep myself growing by doing different kind of comedy. I've never repeated my Munnabhai character ever. Once the film is over, my role is over and my character is gone. Short Kut is a new role for me. I've never played a crazy, funny and a villainous guy before in any film. Vishal Bhardwaj's Ishqiya will also have a different sense of humour. Dhamaal and Golmaal were like chalk and cheese too. I'm waiting for some sensible film to come my way now.
How would you describe your humour?
I don't have any humour. I'm an actor who performs the role. You write a role for me and I will play it much better than how it is written. That much I can guarantee you. I cannot define anything and in today's time we actors are slaves to the pen.
Do you think somewhere down the line the box office also relies on you; more than you rely on the box office?
I do think so. Nobody will hire me if I've failed a producer or if people didn't like my work. It's not rocket science. I'm getting something back on the table for my producers and that's why both I and the box office are going hand in hand (laughs).
Nobody will hire me if I've failed a producer or if people didn't like my work.
Anil Kapoor mentioned that Short Kut - the con is on is not a comedy film. You conning the public?
(Laughs). It is not. Anil is right. It looks like a comedy film when you see the film poster. It's a story filled with emotions and the time I enter the scene is where the comedy starts from.
Have you been conned before?
Yes. Hulchul was the film, and my co-actor was Akshaye Khanna. That film should've been called - the con is on. I completely thought something else will come my way but when I reached the sets it was a different ball game all together. But because I had committed I decided to do the film.
Akshaye Khanna is termed as a man who sticks to himself. He is more of a recluse. Is that true?
Yes. He is a guy who keeps to himself. I don't know him very well as a person because personally, I haven't hung out with him. We haven't spent a lot of time together. But whenever I've seen him, he is in his own world. Having said that, he is a damn good actor. His last film Gandhi My Father deserved an award. I remember seeing his first film Himalaya Putra and I said, "This guy can act." He has done a very good job in Short Kut too.
When will your career reach its peak Arshad?
I don't know man, and I don't know if it ever will. See, there are lot more other things that require to become a super star or a star who is worshipped. You got to have a very sharp mind, got to be a good business man, you got to keep your entire personal life somewhere else and go crazy behind your profession. You need to be very hungry and greedy. I am not. I can't do all these things. I have a simple and a straight life. I like to balance my personal and professional life. Plus, I'm very lazy too. Arshad Warsi is not aggressive. I like to chill out with my family, hang out with my kids; I'm fine if I am not working. I will buy a car if I can afford but can do without it too. I am a satisfied person.
When was the last time you've applied a shot cut to climb up the ladder of success?
I've never done it. Short cuts can only be obtained by people who've got the facility to short cuts. Say for example, a star kid will always have a short cut ready to enter films. A regular guy can never get a short cut. Mine was a freaky case. I was doing something else and was picked up and put into acting.
You never dream of pursuing your previous career as a choreographer?
Oh I wish! Dancing is something that requires time. I had opened a dancing school but had to shut it. Now if you open a school, you need to be able to run it. Don't lie to the public. If I want to learn dancing, I want to see the person teaching me how to dance. I do not want to see any tom, dick and harry teach me how to shake a leg. Acting is such a profession that takes a lot of your time. The time you're free you see yourself promoting the film or doing something else. Not many people know that I love photography too but then again, it is just a hobby. I cannot think of turning it into a profession.
You're quite lucky for the new directors.
You're right. Let's put it this way. I cannot think of any well known established directors I've worked with. Whichever films I've worked on, new directors took over. Whether it was Raj Kumar Hirani, Rohit Shetty, Siddharth Anand, Kabir Khan, etc. Of course, now they are all established and have set their place in Bollywood. Neeraj Vora for that matter is one of the very few known directors I'm working with in my career. What I like about the new lot is that they bring in a new energy and a new thinking wave, new technology and new creativity. Then the already established ones stick to their age old formula and template which they follow. It is only Ram Gopal Varma who has got the b**** to take chances in film making.
Only Ram Gopal Varma who has got the b**** to take chances in film making.
How's your rapport with Anil Kapoor?
He is a fighter. Anil Kapoor is the only man in the film industry who will come across as a new comer, from his first film to his last. He always wants to prove that he is the best, and he has always proved himself right. Anil is the best in the business.
Has your wife seen the film?
Yes. Maria has seen it and she liked it. She liked the music of Short Kut and whenever I came on screen. Other than that, I think the romantic bit in the film got dragged a little bit.Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 4 Jul 2009 | 10:50 am Jackson kids: Debbie's not our mom! - Times of India
Source: Entertainment - Google News | 4 Jul 2009 | 10:31 am 'New York' gets good press in US'New York', the first big Bollywood film to hit America after the industry strike, has won good reviews from US media with the media praising its portrayal of problems faced by a Muslim minority.Source: Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 10:07 am Subhash K Jha speaks about Kambakkht Ishq
Let's be brutally honest. There's no business like showoff business. Kambakkht Ishq (KI) has plenty to show off about. Fabulous Hollywood locales, Hollywood icons like Sylvester Stallone and Brandon Routh pitching in sporting cameos in spot-on scenes written in a completely endearing 'con' text . And above all KI has cracking hissing snarling and smoldering chemistry between the film's luscious lead pair.
Is there a more glamorous couple than Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor in filmdom today? Nah! Forget it. Not possible .Even when they're ready to bite off each others' heads, call each other canines, and scream like a double-banshee delight at a horror festival, there is just no way the compatibility of the combo can be encored, even by them.
Indeed if the supreme silliness of the plot in KI works it's because of Akshay and Kareena's glorious goofiness. The lead pair, never in better form shape size and looks, gets into the grandly caricaturish groove fearlessly effortlessly and convincingly, creating the kind of blitzkrieg of belligerence that was last witnessed when Harry met Sally. And they heaved happy ever after.
For Akshay and Kareena it's hate at first sight. They pass sexist remarks about the opposite sex loud enough for the other to hear. They bitch and carp about the vices of being of the opposite sex in a world polluted by bigotry and gender bias. Goodness, these two despicable creatures deserve each other!
KI is the kind of gender-bender that never embraces the tender. The battle of the sexes is loud and aggressive, designed to create a cacophony of conflicts that leave us reeling in stupefied embarrassment.
Sure, we've seen other films about a goofy man and stuck-up woman who can't stand each other. But none so engrossed their own self-serving hemispheres
Seemingly rudderless, often risqué and coolly risky in it audacity KI is a film that doesn't endear itself with its plotting. It's all about the money, Honeyji. It's all about the styling often at the cost of what most moviegoers think of as substance.
But there is no real 'substance-abuse' in KI, trust me on that. The wispy slim storyline matches the female cast's waistline while the gasbag gags are as top heavy and cheesy as the goofy grin that Akshay wears like a second skin. The veneer of vicious vivacity seldom falls off, though admittedly some episodes wear us out with their svelte stiletto-in-the-art jibes at that old and baffling thing called the man-woman relationship.
The film is a no-holds-barred gender war, tangy spicy and supremely smug in its silliness. And as Akshay's character comes to a realization that there's more to love than scoring and scr..ing (he played a far less aggressive though much more toxic cad going down the same caddish Casanova's road in Heyy Baby) we the audience come to the realization that films about cads with claws who get entrapped in a love clause (remember Ranbir recently in Bachna Ae Haseenon) have their utility when you're looking for an evening of farce and fun with no strings attached (to the bikini binge that eventuates, that is).
The farce fest miraculously manages to sustain the mood of zany fun most of the way. Some episodes like Boman Irani's cameo appearance as a shrink whose couch gets into an ouch mode, are flatter than Kareena and Amrita Arora's tummies.
But as far as eye-catching locales and protagonists go, KI goes a long way. The Akshay-Kareena pair just makes you stare. And if you are into clothes shoes and accessories you could spend an evening with KI just checking out what Kareena wears, and how well she carries it off.
Akshay Kumar's comic timing has now been honed to a fine art. He invests his completely caddish character's personality with a frank and fearless arrogance that borders on megalomania but finally settles on being plainly outrageous. Kareena matches him step by step, Jimmy Choos and all. Just because she looks like a million bucks doesn't mean her performance is cosmetic too. Kareena satirical expressions as a man-hater are to die for.
Debutant director Sabir Khan knows how to being out the 'beast' in his characters. He milks the outrageous situations for all their mirth and then moves on heaving and panting, to the next level of buffoonery. Somewhere in this jokey jugglery binge of gender wars and slender storytelling Sylvester Stallone pops up for two of the film's most arresting sequences.
But 'Superman' Brandon Routh is utterly wasted. May the 'farce' be with him.
Where else but in Bollywood would Routh come across such a farcical feast designed in a slick-flick format where the completely obnoxious hero is operated on by a super-model who moonlights as a surgeon and leaves a watch in the hero's stomach?
The watch chimes a Hindu mantra into Akshay Kumar's ears ad nauseum.
He's of course maddeningly annoyed. We're by then beyond that point.
Applaud this film for its audacity vivacity and energy. And please don't look for a reason behind the comic chaos. Some things are not meant to mean anything beyond what they seem. This film is a marvel of packaging.Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 4 Jul 2009 | 9:24 am Hip-hop group Outlandish to perform in IndiaDenmark-based award winning hip-hop group Outlandish is to perform in India.Source: Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 9:22 am India meets Egypt musically in Rahul Sharma's new albumHis father is a music legend and he too has carved a niche for himself as a Santoor player.Source: Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 9:11 am I was to do Akshaye's role in 'Short Kut': Anil KapoorIf the original cast of "Short Kut - The Con Is On" would have remained intact, audiences would have seen Anil Kapoor playing the role that Akshaye Khanna now essays.Source: Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 9:05 am Dimple & friends cheer for Akshay, son Aaarav sits through Kambakkht Ishq
Kambakkht Ishq is the first Akshay Kumar starrer that his son Aarav stayed awake watching till the end, thanks to his naani Dimple Kapadia who not only cheered the film at a private screening on Wednesday night but also made sure Aarav remained enthused.
It hasn't been an easy time for the gorgeous Dimple Kapadia. In spite of a cloud hovering over her happiness, what with sister Simple seriously ill for some time now, Dimple was prominently present at Akshay's special screening of Kambakkht Ishq on Wednesday evening.
Not too many people know this. But Akshay Kumar's biggest fan is his mother-in-law Dimple Kapadia. Taking time off from looking after her ailing sister, Dimple showed up at Akshay Kumar's special screening with 30 of her friends. And Dimple enjoyed herself thoroughly.
Says Akshay shyly, ''My mother and mother-in-law are my biggest supporters. My mom came with about 120 of our friends and relatives. My mom-in-law had invited 30 of her friends. And they seemed to be having a good time.''
Dimple makes it a point to watch all of Akshay's major films and insists on bringing her pals along. But she also makes it very clear that the most important man in her life is Akshay's son Aarav.
''That's true,'' laughs Akshay. ''In fact I value my mother-in-law and my son's opinion the most.''
Aarav known to doze off at all of Akshay's Premieres stayed awake right till the end of the special screening of Kambhakkt Ishq. ''My mother-in-law made sure Aarav was comfortable. Both of them kept laughing throughout the film and that's a good sign.''Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 4 Jul 2009 | 9:02 am Victory for gays gets three cheers from BollywoodBollywood can't stop talking about the Delhi High Court's landmark judgement that has decriminalised gay sex.Source: Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 8:56 am 'It's Not My Nature To Be The Messiah Of Happiness In Romances' - Outlook
Source: Entertainment - Google News | 4 Jul 2009 | 8:41 am Mayor calls for review on proposed theatre tax hikeDelhi Mayor Kanwar Sain on Friday said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) would review a proposal to increase tax on capital's cinema halls.Source: Entertainment News | 4 Jul 2009 | 8:37 am Oye - ReviewDesamuduru fame DVV Danaiah has now come out with a smooth love story with lover boy Siddharth as hero. The speciality of the film is that it has introduced popular child artiste Shamili as heroine and Anand Ranga as director. TheSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 Jul 2009 | 7:30 am Salman's dad talks about Sallu's marriage - Oneindia
Source: Entertainment - Google News | 4 Jul 2009 | 7:27 am Salman's dad talks about Sallu's marriageAmidst the reports of Katrina-Salman's split and reconsiling in the Bollywood rumour mills, Salman Khan's father noted writer Salim Khan has said that he does not know whether his son's eyes have seen Katrina Kaif as his ideal wife. Recently, SalimSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 Jul 2009 | 7:12 am Dimple and friends cheer for Akshay KumarKambakkht Ishq is the first Akshay Kumar starrer that his son Aarav stayed awake watching till the end, thanks to his Naani Dimple Kapadia who not only cheered the film at a private screening on Wednesday night but also made sureSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 Jul 2009 | 7:08 am Baana Kathadi shooting in Ahmadabad Kite festAfter Jayam Kondan's hit movie, Thyagarajan of Sathya Jyothi Films is now busy with his next venture Baana Kathadi, which features actor Murali's son Adharva in the lead role. According to the press release, the film is about Ahmedbad’s famous KiteSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 Jul 2009 | 7:06 am NRI director files case against DiganthNRI director Priya Bharathi has filed a case against Kannada actor Diganth at Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce and she has requested to take strict action against him. Priya Bharathi has blamed that Diganth has delayed her movie E Preeti forSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 Jul 2009 | 7:04 am Akshay, Kareena smoulder in comically chaotic 'Kambakkht Ishq' - Hindu
Source: Entertainment - Google News | 4 Jul 2009 | 7:01 am Pete Doherty vows to reunite The LibertinesWashington (ANI): ‘Babyshambles’ frontman Pete Doherty has vowed to reunite ‘The Libertines’, and continue working on his solo career and his current band. The 30-year-old rocker insists that he can cope with three separate musical ventures.“Even though people presume that BabyshamblesSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 Jul 2009 | 6:42 am MJ used author Jack London's name to obtain drugsLondon (ANI): Late King of Pop Michael Jackson believably at least two aliases, including the name of the American author Jack London, to obtain drugs. This has emerged as investigators from the US Drug Enforcement Agency have been called in toSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 Jul 2009 | 6:39 am SRK is Salman's favourite actor - NDTV.com
Source: Entertainment - Google News | 4 Jul 2009 | 6:26 am Clooney leaves Warner Bros for SonyLondon (ANI): Actor George Clooney has ended his long-standing business partnership with Warner Bros. movie studios, and has instead joined hands with Sony. The ‘Ocean's Eleven’ star is moving his Smokehouse Pictures company to Sony.Clooney found initial fame after starring inSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 Jul 2009 | 6:18 am Bar Refaeli appears nude in online video campaignLondon (ANI): Leonardo DiCaprio's girlfriend supermodel Bar Refaeli has shed her clothes for a new steamy campaign. The 24-year-old Israeli model has appeared nude in an online video promotion. In the video, Rafaeli is seen writhing around on a sofa withSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 Jul 2009 | 6:17 am Now Shilpa Shetty on Sallu's 10 Ka DumThough few other stars may have had their apprehensions about appearing on actor Salman Khan hosted reality game show 10 Ka Dum, it didn’t take a minute for actress Shilpa Shetty to give her for the show. Not many are awareSource: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 Jul 2009 | 5:48 am Good reviews from US media for 'New York' - Hindu
Source: Entertainment - Google News | 4 Jul 2009 | 3:54 am Tyeb Mehta always helped Gujarati artists - Times of India
Source: Entertainment - Google News | 4 Jul 2009 | 12:36 am Vikram Seth on A Suitable Girl, homosexuality - IBNLive.com
Source: Entertainment - Google News | 3 Jul 2009 | 10:13 pm John, Katrina voted most eligible single celebritiesBollywood actors John Abraham and Katrina Kaif have been voted as the most eligible single celebrities in an online poll.Source: Entertainment News | 3 Jul 2009 | 9:28 pm Bollywood reacts to repealing of Section 377
With Section 377 of the IPC which declared homosexuality to be illegal been repealed by Delhi HC, Bollywood celebrities rejoice and share their views on the matter.
Shatrughan Sinha: "Old rusty laws are like useless politicians. They should be thrown out. I'm glad Section 377 has been repealed. It was long due. What two people do in the privacy of their bedroom is nobody's business, certainly not the governments. Homosexuality is not a phenomenon restricted to one country culture or community. All over the world some of the finest minds are inclined towards same-sex relationships. What is wrong with that, as long as two people are happy?"
Sushmita Sen: "This is truly a happy day. I always salute decisions that celebrate an individual's right to choose. I could never understand any form of love or any kind of relationship being 'criminal'. I'm very proud of the government for finally recognizing that homosexuality can't be judged. Cheers to all those human beings who have won the freedom of choices. After all what could be more natural than that?"
Mugdha Godse: "I welcome this decision with open arms. I'm happy that a man now has as much right to love a man as he has the right to love a woman. Gays no longer need to hide their feelings. I'm happy for many of my friends."
John Abraham: "I think the right to a personal choice is a very fundamental right, and thank God the law against homosexuals has been repealed. Yes, I've a lot gay fans and I did a film Dostana which mercifully did not ridicule the community. But even if I hadn't, I'd still be very happy if the gay community gets a voice and a choice. I've been brought up in very liberal Parsi-Catholic household. I believe minorities don't exist any longer. Every community including homosexuals has a majority voice."
Rituparno Ghosh: "Better late than never!"
Manisha Koirala: "Some of my closest friends are gay, and they are among the best human beings that I know. I think such an ancient law needed to be repealed long ago. We live in contemporary times when people of all genders and sexual preferences must be looked at in the same line of vision."
Celina Jaitly: "I'm overwhelmed. I've received over one lakh messages. My phone crashed. It's a turning point in the history of human rights in the world's largest democracy. It's also a personal victory for me since I've been fighting for gay rights. Now they can walk with their heads held high. This is a new beginning."
Rensil D'Silva: "About time we got out of the dark ages."
Shekhar Kapoor: "This should've been done long ago."
Irrfan Khan: "It's a sign of a system adopting a viewpoint that indicates openness. This will rid the guilt that gays live with and stop police exploitation of the community. I played a gay character in Mira Nair's short film directed by Zoya Akhtar. I researched on their anguish. It was terrifying."
Tarun Mansukhani: "It's a huge achievement and I'm proud to have been part of this movement through my film Dostana. The repeal of this outdated law gives homosexuals an identity and a legal recognition. Today they've the right to their freedom."
Raima Sen: "Good for democracy."
Kunal Kohli: "Freedom of choice is very important in a democracy. That should not be cramped when it comes to sexual preference. This is a progressive step by a progressive government."
Neha Dhupia: "I think it is great. We're a free country. And the biggest freedom is the freedom of choice. I fully support the judgment. It's a very progressive step."
Rajeev Khandelwal: "I believe in, to each his own. That article 377 has been repealed reveals a very mature attitude to a universal issue."
Mahesh Bhatt: "This is a defining moment in the history of free India. No government has the right to tell its citizens when or whom to love. The only 'queer' people are those who propagate hate."
Chitrangda Singh: "I think it's great. Every individual has the right to self-expression. Homosexuality didn't stop existing just because we all denied it. I'm all for it."
Amrita Arora: "Fantastic news! It's high time we treated gay couples like any heterosexual pair. I've a lot of gay friends and I'm very happy for them. In our society legal acceptance is equivalent to social acceptance."
Neil Nitin Mukesh: "Thank God people realized homosexuals are human beings with deep emotions and urges for which they were being punished for years. Now they can live peacefully without the law breathing down their necks. This change was long overdue."
Riya Sen: "Most of my closest friends are homosexuals. I'm very happy for the gay community. We're a democracy so why curb anyone's freedom?"
Rahul Khanna: "This is an important and long due step in the right direction. Hopefully this is the first among steps towards eschewing the archaic and making us a truly progressive and egalitarian nation."
Raveena Tandon: "Absolutely fantastic! Equal rights for all and the freedom of choice."
Subhash Ghai: "I'm always receptive to the changing world and the truth about human nature being revealed. Since the inner truth is always more real than the social truth the reality within takes time to come out and be accepted by society."
Madhur Bhandarkar: "I fully support the Delhi high court's decision. It's a progressive move."
Sonu Sood: "Better late than never. It's good to see our constitution has finally grown. Everyone has the right to live and love the way he wants."
Upen Patel: "I think it's a great move forward by the government and for Indian society. Everyone should have the right to choose whom they want to be without the fear of being labeled a criminal."
Neetu Chandra: "It's a great move to understand and provide rights to those who were long denied the freedom to be themselves."
Imtiaz Ali: "One more step forward in personal freedom and towards building a fair and liberated country."
Abbas Tyrewala: "I'm amazed and delighted. It's a step I thought we wouldn't be ready to take for another twenty years. Now if only we showed the same maturity in providing the right to freedom and option in marriage, religion, censorship, etc."
Sanjay Suri (played gay in My Brother Nikhil): "Criminalization of gay sex among consenting adults was a violation of fundamental human rights. It's a progressive judgment. The law should have been done away with ages ago."
Purab Kohli (played gay in My Brother Nikhil): "Super. It's a giant step ahead in the image India is building globally."
Apoorva Lakhia: "May the force be with them. About time. A right step in the right direction for the New India."Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 3 Jul 2009 | 4:57 pm "I Hate Love Stories is a love story, a date flick" - Sonam Kapoor
She's just two films old at 24. Togged in a trendy black jumpsuit, she flashes her trademark mischievous grin that reaches all the way to her eyes. Sonam Kapoor epitomises today's youth. Here's the perky and perceptive actor at her chirpy best
Have you finished unwrapping your birthday (June 8) gifts yet? Which is best one of all?
The best gift was that dad flew into Mumbai from Los Angeles for four days and then we went together to Macau. His visit was supposed to be a surprise but in all her excitement, my manager Nisha just let it slip out. But that was very sweet of him. I got some 500 books and the most delicious home-baked carrot cake from Monika, my publicist.
At 24, how would you sum up your personality?
I was born and brought up in the film industry. I have seen dad go through a lot - I had the ringside view of his struggle and stardom. He was never aware of his super-stardom, work has been worship for him. That experience, together with my mom and sis Rhea, keeps me well-grounded. I certainly don't have any false sense of self importance.
I am very hard-working. I am like the pit bull - I never give up on anything. Like I get claustrophobic in lifts but I made sure I rode up and down in the elevator from the 38th floor hotel room in Macau recently with a brave face. I am scared of going underwater, so I will take to deep-sea diving.
I get claustrophobic in lifts but I rode up and down in the elevator from the 38th floor hotel room in Macau recently with a brave face.
The easiest perhaps is facing the camera? Your recent photo spreads have been scintillating.
Facing the camera for films surely comes easy to me because that is such a great escape. You are playing someone else! But I hate still camera. I overcame that apprehension working with Mr Bhansali when we had hundreds of photoshoots. I also don't look at myself in the mirror, I get self-critical and self-conscious.
We heard that you will be soon busying yourself in a workshop with your co-stars in Ayesha.
Ayesha is not a pure love story, it is about six or seven friends played by Ira Dubey, Amita , Lisa, Cyrus Sahukar, Arunoday Singh and Abhay Deol. Since the film spans over 63 days, we all have to really be friends before the film goes on floors. So if we have to work together for nearly four months we should have mutual trust too. Now that Abhay is back from New York, we can hold the workshops.
How is it working for the first time with a lady director, Rajshri Ojha?
Oh, we keep discussing back stories for every character in Ayesha. I can be annoying with all my questions to the director. I used to badger Mr Bhansali and Mr Mehra too. So Rajshri is no exception - at times she asks me when I will stop asking questions! (laughs) As for women directors , I think they make films most beautifully. I am a big Mira Nair fan because she uses space with her actors so effectively.
What's Ayesha like? Do you identify with her?
Ayesha is the Indianised version of Jane Austen's character, as you know already. Ayesha is a motherless girl who has taken care of the family. She wants to be in control - she likes everything to be perfect. She's smart and perceptive. But she challenges everybody which makes her self-destructive in a way.
How and why did Abhay Deol come into the picture?
Abhay is a brilliant actor. He can be fun and he has the confidence to carry off this role. He is a very secure actor, he knows who he is. He suits the role of Knightley aka Arjun who is a very sorted-out guy and he is at ease with Ayesha as a woman of substance.
So is Ayesha anti-marriage? What's your view about the institution of matrimony?
Ayesha definitely feels that marriage is not a merger. I am a romantic, so I too feel marriages cannot be arranged, but since I also know that my parents love me so selflessly, I will be smart about bringing home someone whom I love and of whom they approve. I will have to do a balancing act.
Ayesha is not a pure love story, it is about six or seven friends played by Ira Dubey, Amita , Lisa, Cyrus Sahukar, Arunoday Singh and Abhay Deol.
You are a Jane Austen fan. What do you admire about her heroines?
All her protagonists are independent, self respecting women. They read, write and play music. They have a definite sense of self-entitlement. And I am quite a feminist, so I love her work and most of my favourite authors are women writers like Sylvia Plath.
Are you doing Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Sahibaan?
Mehra speaks to me about so many films, Sahibaan is one of them. Let us see which one of these works out. But I want to with him for sure. He is extremely realistic - a good man and a great filmmaker. I want to play characters of conflict - like the ones in his films.
You have been signed up by Dharma Productions for I Hate Love Stories opposite Imran Khan. So are you prepared to get away from the traditional mould and don a bikini if "the role demands"?
Punit Malhotra is the young, earnest director of the film. It's a young man's sweet romantic take. This will be a lovely film for Imran and me. It is a love story, a date flick. As for wearing a bikini - well I wear it in real life and I have worn angarkhas, salwar-kameez, bandana, jeans, skirts, gunjee - whatever it takes. If the character I play is on the beach - the correct gear would have to be a bikini. (squeals away naughtily).
What kind of roles are you being offered these days?
Oh absolutely anything - my sister is going through umpteen scripts offered to me. It is flattering that most of these are strong women roles.
Having been an assistant director, when will the director in you surface?
At present, I am still evolving as an actor. But the writer in me is wanting to surface. I don't know if I can be a good director because I am not so good at dealing with people. I would rather write screenplays.
Screen IndiaSource: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 3 Jul 2009 | 3:58 pm Why makers of Kambakkht Ishq thanked Pooja Batra in the opening credits
Click above for more
stills
Leggy actress Pooja Batra, who starred in films like Virasat, Haseena Maan Jayegi etc., maybe missing from the Bollywood scene after she tied the knot
with hubby Dr. Ahluwalia; however she still continues to make her presence felt in Bollywood in a rather unique way.
At the previews of Kambakkht Ishq which took place yesterday, viewers were
surprised to see Pooja's name being featured in the opening credits of the film. Considering that Pooja has been missing from the Bollywood action for a
while now, we decided to find out why she was being thanked by the makers.
Speaking to a spokesperson from Sajid Nadiadwala's office, we got the information we wanted. "Pooja was instrumental in fixing meetings with Hollywood
bigwigs such as Sylvester Stallone, Denise Richards and Brandon Routh. Pooja, as we all know, is now based in LA since a few years and when we got to know
that she is in touch with some Hollywood bigwigs, we immediately asked her if she could help us set a meeting with some of them. She was more than helpful
and coordinated a lot in getting the Hollywood stars on board. Hence, it was apt that we thank her for this sweet gesture," said the spokesperson.
Pooja was even present at the special screening of the film which took place on Wednesday night.
One thing is for sure, Pooja is well connected not just in Bollywood but even in Hollywood.Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 3 Jul 2009 | 2:31 pm "I was replaced by Celina in Run Bhola Run" - Tanushree Dutta
Download image as wallpaper
There seems to be some kind of a confusion regarding who replaced whom in Neeraj Vora's Run Bhola Run.
Tanushree Dutta was apparently replaced by Celina Jaitly. But Celina says she didn't replace Tanushree. "Tanushree was supposed to do the role that Ameesha
has finally done. She was cast opposite Govinda."
But Ameesha firmly refutes Celina's claim. "I haven't replaced anyone. I've been working on the film from Day 1. Celina has replaced Tanushree."
Tanushree Dutta endorses Ameesha's statement. "I was supposed to be doing the role opposite Tusshar Kapoor that Celina is now doing. I had to opt out because
the film got delayed and I had other commitments which I couldn't wriggle out. Although she isn't paired with Govinda, the character I was supposed to play
has a lot of scenes with Govinda. Celina was a natural choice because she's doing other films with Govinda and their dates were easier to synchronize than
mine and Govinda's. I'd have loved to work with Govinda. Sadly they faced a lot of hiccups in their schedules earlier. Once I opted out, the film was
completed smoothly. My bad luck."
Tanushree also regrets missing out on working with the producers Ashtavinayak. "I had done a guest appearance for them earlier in Bhool Bhulaiyaa.
Fortunately, there was no bad blood because of this Run Bhola Run incident. But like I said I was replaced by Celina. Ameesha was always in the
project."Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 3 Jul 2009 | 1:29 pm Bollywood meets Hollywood in 'Kambakkht Ishq'MUMBAI (Reuters) - The makers of "Kambakkht Ishq", a new Bollywood film with Sylvester Stallone and Denise Richards in cameo roles, hope to woo Indian audiences with a dash of Hollywood glamour.Source: Reuters: Bollywood News | 3 Jul 2009 | 1:00 pm Jackson ex-wife wants custody of kids
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 3 Jul 2009 | 12:52 pm
|
