Shah Rukh, Rituparna Sengupta to play couple

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and Bengali actress Rituparna Sengupta will be seen as husband-wife in an ad for Emami's health product Chyawanprash.
Source: Entertainment News | 30 Sep 2009 | 9:54 am

Katrina Kaif gets new nickname - Sambo

Her fans have often referred to her as Kat, but now actress Katrina Kaif has a new nickname - Sambo - courtesy her "Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani" co-star Ranbir Kapoor.
Source: Entertainment News | 30 Sep 2009 | 9:51 am

I'm not doing 7 Husbands yet: Priyanka

Actress Priyanka Chopra has denied that she has been signed on to essay seven roles in Vishal Bharadwaj's <i>Seven Husbands</i>. 

Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 30 Sep 2009 | 9:51 am

Shah Rukh, Rituparna turn husband-wife

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and Bengali actress Rituparna Sengupta will be seen as husband-wife in an ad for Emami's health product Chyawanprash. <br> 

Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 30 Sep 2009 | 9:46 am

Katrina Kaif gets new nickname - Sambo

Her fans have often referred to her as Kat, but now actress Katrina Kaif has a new nickname - Sambo - courtesy her <I>Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani</I> co-star Ranbir Kapoor. <br> 

Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 30 Sep 2009 | 9:43 am

Tribute to RD Burman in Main Aurr Mrs. Khanna

R D Burman's music continues to inspire today's filmmakers. While <I>Kaminey</I> had two tracks of the late composing legend, now one of his songs will be heard in the forthcoming movie <I>Main Aurr Mrs Khanna</I>.<br> 

Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 30 Sep 2009 | 9:41 am

I'm not doing 'Seven Husbands' yet: Priyanka Chopra

Rumour mills have been working overtime that after playing 12 different roles in "What's Your Rashee?", Priyanka Chopra has been signed on to essay seven roles in Vishal Bharadwaj's "Seven Husbands".
Source: Entertainment News | 30 Sep 2009 | 9:18 am

Tribute to R.D. Burman in 'Main Aurr Mrs. Khanna'

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Source: Entertainment News | 30 Sep 2009 | 9:00 am

Road, Movie to feature at the Tokyo International Film Festival 2009

Click above for more movie stills After a super-successful world premiere at the recently held Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Indian Film Company's Road, Movie has now been invited to the Tokyo International Film Festival 2009. Road, Movie is the only Indian film to make it to final 15 in the Competition section, out of 743 nominations from 81 countries. The film will vie for the coveted 'Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix'. Road, Movie, presented by Indian Films in association with Studio 18, will be screened as part of the Competition section at TOHO Cinemas at Roppongi Hills on 21sr October and 23rd October 2009. While making this announcement, an excited Sandeep Bhargava of The Indian Films Company said, ''We couldn't be more delighted and honoured. First Toronto, and now Tokyo International Film Festival, the selection of Road, Movie by prestigious International Film Festivals is an endorsement of our vision to selectively back high quality international cinema.'' Road, Movie, written and directed by critically acclaimed director Dev Benegal (of English August and Split Wide Open fame), stars Abhay Deol, Tanishtha Chatterjee and Satish Kaushik in lead roles. The film tells the story of Vishnu, a restless young man, who rejects his father's faltering hair oil business and hits the road with a travelling cinema. Colourful and full of unforgettable characters Road, Movie celebrates India's open road and the pure love of movies.
Source: Indiafm.com News | 30 Sep 2009 | 8:36 am

Live Chat: Konkona Sen Sharma on October 1 at 1500 hrs IST

Every time she comes on screen you can be sure that Konkona Sen Sharma is going to surprise you over and over again. Such is the potential of this unconventional actress that she crosses the line between mainstream cinema and parallel cinema as if it was all just a cakewalk for her. Whether it was doing a film like 15 Park Avenue or Page 3, Konkona has a beautiful ability to get into the skin of the character. It's no big surprise then that with her upcoming film Wake up Sid opposite Ranbir Kapoor, Koko would be showing us a completely new facet to her acting prowess. It's only here at Bollywood Hungama that you get a chance to chat up this brilliant performer and get a sneak peek at what to expect. Join her on Bollywood Hungama Celebrity Chat on Thursday, October 1, at 1500 hrs IST.
Source: Indiafm.com News | 30 Sep 2009 | 8:15 am

Manna Dey to get Dada Saheb Phalke award

It is a reward for the unfathomable contribution of a legendary singer and a token of respect.
Source: Entertainment News | 30 Sep 2009 | 7:36 am

Tom Cruise's daughter wardrobe worth $3 mn

Hollywood star Tom Cruise's three-year-old daughter Suri has a wardrobe of designer clothes worth $3 million. 

Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 30 Sep 2009 | 6:53 am

Manna Dey bags Dadasaheb Phalke Award

Ninety-year-old playback legend Manna Dey - who belted out evergreen songs like Ae mere pyaare watan and Zindagi kaisi hai paheli - is being honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke award, the highest honour in Indian cinema.
Source: | 30 Sep 2009 | 6:41 am

Manna Dey to get Dada Saheb Phalke award

Renowned playback singer Manna Dey has been nominated for the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke award for the year 2007. 

Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 30 Sep 2009 | 6:28 am

Manna Dey gets Dadasaheb Phalke Award!

Playback singer Manna Dey has been honoured with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2007.
Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 30 Sep 2009 | 6:06 am

I want to keep singing for the rest of my life: Lata

Nightingale of India Lata Mangeshkar says that she wants to continue singing forever, provided she is offered meaningful songs.
Source: | 30 Sep 2009 | 6:05 am

Ravi Kishan to star in Santosh Sivan's Varanasi Ka Chora

While shooting Ravi Kishan through the lens of his camera in the wilderness of Chalakudy in Kerala for Mani Ratnam's Raavan, Santosh Sivan decided to cast Ravi, who plays Abhishek's brother in Mani's film, as Varanasi Ka Chokra who falls in love with a visiting Italian girl. Says Santosh reluctantly, "It's too early to talk about this project at this juncture. I'll let you know the details as soon as they are in place." Ravi Kishan too is reluctant to talk, but finally tells all. ''Yes, it happened while we were shooting for Raavan. Santosh stopped, looked at me and said, 'You're playing the lead in my film.' Before I could react, he told me it was set in Varanasi. I play a thief who falls for tourist, an Italian girl.'' Ravi is naturally thrilled at this windfall in the wilderness. ''I can't wait for this union of paan benaras wala and Italy ka pasta. Wah what a nashta! I guess my image as the Bhojpuri star plus this new lean mean sexy look I've for Raavan and Luck, convinced Santosh to let me play the Chora ganga kinare wala. Coincidentally, I am shooting with a real life chora ganga kinare wala Abhishek.'' The film to be shot on location in Varanasi this winter will be in English and will star a top Italian actress. No wonder Rai can't stop preening. ''I'll be speaking broken English while she will speak English with an Italian accent.'' Ravi says Ratnam's Raavan has taken out the Bhojpuri-actor tag from his career. Not that he is giving up Bhojpuri films. ''But I'm finally getting the kind of roles in Hindi cinema that I've waited for,'' Ravi said before heading to Kerala for the last schedule of Ratnam's film. ''It's the climax and we're all looking forward to it. Abhishek who plays my younger brother has really become like my brother. I play this guy who can kill for my bhai.' For his role in Luck and Raavan, Ravi lost 15 kgs. ''Bhojpuri films require their men and women to look healthier than normal. I had to lose all those kilos for my return to Hindi films. But the effort has paid off.''
Source: Indiafm.com News | 30 Sep 2009 | 5:57 am

Akki had doubts about his Blue director!

Akshay Kumar says when Blue director Anthony D'Souza approached him for the underwater thriller, the first thing he asked him was "Are you capable of making the movie?".
Source: | 30 Sep 2009 | 5:30 am

Book Review: Slumgirl Dreaming

'Slumgirl Dreaming' is a very well written book. And for a celebrity, who is just a 9 year old, this book could perhaps be the first to come out in India. The girl in question is Rubina Ali, one of the many stars in Slumdog Millionaire who hasn't quite enjoyed a fairy tale outing. From a poor life in slum to international adulation to charges being put against her father for selling her off to being back in a shanty and barely surviving, Rubina has lived a life which doesn't quite justify a Cindrella reference. Yes, she has enjoyed her months of glory but before and after that, this star has lived a slumgirl life that has seen dreams coming her way, though momentarily. 'Slumgirl Dreaming' gives a blow by blow account of this spirited girl who narrates her journey over the years, especially her experience of shooting for the film, the film's Oscar run and life post that. What actually works a masterstroke for this autobiographical tale is the coming together of writers Anne Berthod and Divya Dugar who interact with Rubina to translate her thought and statements into the printed words. They do well in sticking to Rubina's innocence and childish antics and tell the world from her point of view rather than bringing to fore what they thought of her as a kid who became a star. So the entire narration of this 175 page book happens with Rubina telling her story and writers merely presenting it to the readers by refining it and smoothening the rough edges. Anne and Divya do add their bit while keeping the essence of Rubina's world intact. So while bringing to fore the kid's point of view, they also get into finer details about the slums, the inhabitants there, the shooting experience, the coming together of an international crew, the wide eyed reactions of all the slum kids who were a part of the shoot, the five star hospitality, the return to India, the adulation, media pressure, a change in outlook of people and finally a regular day in the life of Rubina after coming face to face with the world pre-Slumdog Millionaire. The thoughts remain intact; it's just that the emotions are projected clearly to make a connection with the reader. It is this connection factor that makes 'Slumgirl Dreaming'a difficult book to keep down. 10 pages into this really handy and comfortable book and you want it finish it in two hours flat. One of the major reasons for this is the simplistic writing which would make even a 10 year old connect with the chapters that follow. In fact the book's target audience is, as the cliché goes, from 6 to 60, as the story moves ahead in a highly engaging manner with just about everything for everyone. The book aims (and pretty much succeeds) in 'not' romanticizing the episodes in Rubina's life, whether good, bad or ecstatic. Picture this: When the pages take viewer into the filthy surroundings of a slum, you cringe in your seat, get a bad taste in the mouth but still do not get turned away from checking what is in store next. Credit must go to Rubina here who doesn't paint a sorry picture of herself and plain and simple explains what this world means to her ever since she was born. On the other hand, the moments of ecstasy too are kept under the control. Whether it is Rubina's shooting experience or the Oscar celebrations or the luxurious life that she enjoyed for those few days after the ceremony, you know that it is all going to end soon. Even Rubina is shown to be pretty much in check without allowing her emotions go overboard. It is this fair balance that 'Slumgirl Dreaming' maintains throughout its journey which helps in the entire 'connection' factor, as highlighted earlier. Some of the many highlights in the book are: - What had actually transpired when stories about Rubina's father willing to sell her off to a Sheikh were making the rounds - Rubina's love-hate relationship with another slumkid Azhar - A middle man cheating her of the money that she was promised for Slumdog Millionaire - The first audition that just required her to run around the room along with other children - Her fear for the much famous train scene that actually got canned in a single take - The actual story behind her real mother coming back to take her custody post Slumdog Millionaire fame One time and again complains that there are no books worthy enough being written for children today. Well, 'Slumgirl Dreaming' could pretty much be a gift for your young ones. And for the elderly who want to explore deeper into the past of Rubina and how she has managed to keep a stable head in spite of a roller coaster ride in the couple of years gone by, 'Slumgirl Dreaming' has enough meat in it to grab your attention. Price: Rs. 195/= Rating: 
Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 30 Sep 2009 | 4:56 am

Pattinson wants to test his acting skills

Hollywood heartthrob Robert Pattinson who shot to fame portraying vampire Edward Cullen in <I>Twilight</i>, claims he is rarely given roles which test his acting abilities. 

Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 30 Sep 2009 | 4:45 am

Spanish authorities to weigh models to battle anorexia

Officials in Spain are making an effort to battle anorexia among models.Reports indicate that Spanish officials will weigh the models before allowing them on the podium for fashion week.<br> 

Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 30 Sep 2009 | 4:45 am

Prateik Babbar in Bhansali's next

Sanjay Leela Bhansali has signed on late actress Smita Patil's son Prateik Babbar for his next production <I>My Friend Pinto</I> that will go on floors later this year. 

Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 30 Sep 2009 | 4:33 am

John Abraham signs Jacqueline for his home production

Not even one film old, Jacqueline Fernandes seems to have impressed John Abraham. The actor has signed the actress in his next directed by close friend Sabal Shekhawat. The project might have been shelved with Studio18 but John is quite keen to work on the project. A source reveals, ''John has seen some rushes and promos of Jacqueline's debut film Aladin and really liked her. They both work out in the same gym and also have known each other for quite sometime. During the recce of this movie, John had spoken to the director and friend Sabal about Jacqueline. Now that the Studio 18 has backed out from the project, John is considering producing the movie along with Sabal and have finalized on the model turned actress.'' The source continues, ''The movie is a drama thriller and required a glamorous chick. Jacqueline will also be seen in a sporty avatar for the film and will be having a different look in the film. The movie will be going on floors early next year after John is finished shooting with his other projects. The director yet has to finalize the location, Turkey being one of them.'' Director Sabal confirms, ''We have signed Jacqueline for the movie. It is a story about 5 ex-commandos and what happens to them. Naseeruddin Shah and Ranvir Shorey also play important roles in the film.'' Speaking about the producers of the film, he says, ''John was planning to line produce the film along with my production house but nothing has been finalized. We are in talks with other production houses.'' A source close to the actress confirms, ''Jacqueline has signed the movie and is excited to work with John.''
Source: Indiafm.com News | 30 Sep 2009 | 4:27 am

Prateik Babbar bags role in Bhansali's next

Sanjay Leela Bhansali has signed on late actress Smita Patil's son Prateik Babbar for his next production My Friend Pinto that will go on floors later this year.
Source: | 30 Sep 2009 | 4:08 am

"Blue is a pure commercial entertainer" - Anthony D'Souza

Our first impression: This guy is confident and bright, knows his stuff about films and ain't an old school mentality. We're sure he has thought more about the sharks in the last two years than probably anybody. But that's Anthony. He thinks larger than life, he thinks big and he thinks fast. He comes across as a debutant who isn't cliché. "Why do you want to interview me?" he questions, then adds, "Nobody wants to know about me. They only want to know about my film and the actors. I'll be known or not known after Blue releases". He laughs and you are then left with no option but to join the fun. For a man who is responsible to get the biggest names together on the silver screen for the best and never before seen action scenes, D'Souza is surprisingly soft-spoken and charming, which we're sure he won't agree on. What's more? Well, his film marks the return of two Oscar winning technicians: A.R. Rahman and Resul Pookutty who've worked on the score and sound of Blue. There's more. The underwater director of photography, Pete, has worked on Hollywood films like The Pirates of the Carribean. With big names, bigger budget and the biggest canvas ever, Blue seems like a dough making juggernaut. UK's Harrow Observer columnist and Bollywood Hungama's London correspondent meets a mayhem artist in the crowd pleasing business: Anthony D'Souza, to talk about Bollywood's first underwater action adventure, as he gets ready to wring every bit of bang out of each buck spent on making one of the biggest films Indian cinema has ever witnessed - Blue. How risky a business it is to make a film worth sixty crore and then bank on big stars to recover it? To be really honest, I don't know the final budget of the film. I've heard several budgets ranging from sixty crores to hundred and twenty crores. My producer is the right person to speak to on that. Secondly, no producer in the world will put in an X amount of money unless he can recover his money back. If he thinks that the film can do a business worth a hundred crores, he will invest it. Considering the way our films have done in the last few years, I'm sure they had something in mind to put the right amount of money. If there is no potential in the film, they need not be pushing it. We are still shooting a music video of the title track. That says it all. No producer in the world will put in an X amount of money unless he can recover his money back Why go for an actor who hasn't had a very successful run in Bollywood - Zayed Khan? How important is his fame going to cost you? Zayed has done a great job in Main Hoon Na. And then there was Dus. I liked him in that too. One, I wanted somebody who came across as a brat, some attitude when he comes on screen, someone who can ride a bike, someone who could do a scuba. Somebody who didn't care a damn about the world. I met Zayed and that's exactly how he is. You tell him, "Zayed, f*** you" and he'll reply back, "F*** you too." That's the attitude I was looking for and I got it. He is a very nice guy, very warm and very friendly. This is the first ever time A.R. Rahman has composed for an all out action adventure film in Bollywood. Yes he has. From day one I wanted A.R. Rahman to score for my film. But more importantly, I wanted him for the background score. In an action film, the music and the sound can make or break a film. I can shoot the best of visuals, but without a good sound quality, the visuals will fall flat. For me, Rahman is the only person, or if there are others I'm unaware of them, who understand the importance of a background score. For me, a background score is more important than the soundtrack of the film. Blue is a pure commercial entertainer. Rahman has done all kinds of film earlier so why not an action film too. It doesn't mean that there is no scope of music in an action film. Popular music is what sells and Rahman's music is popular. Popular music is what sells and Rahman's music is popular. Why do an additional music video and shoot the title track one more time? In all honesty, I didn't want to this video. I think 'Fiqrana' is the best song. My producers and choreographer, Ahmed Khan loved the title track, the Blue theme. It's already been used in the film in a different situation. But they felt that it'll work well with lip sync. So I'm sitting back and watching them shoot the song. How important for you is your overseas release and success? Every director's first goal in life is that his film should recover the money and do well. If my film doesn't recover the money, I'm a flop director. Every person connected to the business wants the film to do well. The better the film, the more money you earn. For me, it's very important that the film should do well everywhere including overseas. Overseas is considered to be the biggest market for Bollywood films today. It keeps growing day by day. Over the years, so much has changed. They love the song and dance because it doesn't happen at their end. Some day you might have a cross over film where it'll happen both ways. Everyone aspires to make their kind of cinema. What kind of films have you grown up watching and wanted to make? If you take my all time favourite film, it'll be Scent Of A Woman. Now there is no way I can aspire to make such a kind of cinema because I don't think I have the maturity yet or sensibilities to make a movie as delicate as that. I've grown up watching summer blockbusters like Sholay, Deewar, Kaagaz Ke Phool, etc. Filmmaking has always been an adventure for me. It should entertain the audience. It has to be larger than life because for me it has to be money worth spent. I do enjoy watching smaller films but I don't think I can make them. So you can make big films but no small film? If you make a film like Dev D, your script has to be so precise. You have to focus a lot on emotions and acting. When you make a larger than life film and if something goes wrong somewhere, like you blow up a car in the background, have some other stuff happening in a good location, it takes care of lot of other stuff. I always knew that my forte in life was visuals. So why not use that as your strength rather than use stuff that I'm not good at. If I had to make a Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, I'd do a horrendous job simply because I'm not Indian by heart when it comes to filmmaking. My sensibilities are very western. I've grown up watching more of western flicks and that'll obviously come out in my films. From the clothes, to their styling, the way people behave, their relationships, etc. Thanks to the cable networks, the influx of the American way of life is influencing us day by day so we can accept all that. I'm in a right time to make a film like Blue. I'm not Indian by heart when it comes to filmmaking Will Blue break into world cinema? World cinema films are the ones like Amelie, Life is Beautiful, Slumdog Millionaire, etc. We call them art house cinema. Slumdog was never intended to be a commercial film. These films are accepted around the world because it has a certain soul. An action film is something that you can see quite often. Like, I can see a Broken Arrow, Die Hard, Bad Boys, etc. You don't watch such films for the acting potential nor for the script. You watch them because they look nice and it entertains you. With Blue, we want people to sit back, be entertained and walk out. Any new breed of filmmakers you look up to and are you ready for the October 16? My three favourites are Imtiaz Ali, Sriram Raghavan and Anurag Kashyap. I think the trio is absolutely brilliant. Today's times are such that I know the people from the industry who want others films to flop. I still don't get the reason why because when I sit with a few people from the trade, they say, "Uski picture toh pitegi". They don't understand a simple formula. The more the films work, the better for us. We can make more films, more directors will come in the business, more actors will get work. With Blue, I want more people to make larger than life kind of cinema. I just hope people open up and wish well for the entire film industry than just their own films.
Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 30 Sep 2009 | 4:07 am

Peter Andre replaces sex with chocolate

London (ANI): Aussie singer Peter Andre has switched over to chocolates to cope without sex. The ‘Mysterious Girl’ singer told OK! magazine that even fans have been helping him to uphold the celibacy vow he took when his marriage ended in
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 30 Sep 2009 | 3:50 am

Winehouse’s rap attempt driving neighbours mad

London (ANI): Singer Amy Winehouse might have made it big with her singing abilities, but when it comes to rapping, she is reaping disastrous results. During boozy late-night recording sessions at the studio in her North London home, Amy has been
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 30 Sep 2009 | 3:46 am

“Rajini will remain my best friend forever”: Kamal

Rajinikanth and Kamal Hassan, the true icons of South Indian cinema, once again proved their bosom friendship on stage. It is none other than Vijay TV's well arranged Kamal 50, a show organized to honour legendary Kamal Hassan on the eve
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 30 Sep 2009 | 3:37 am

Tribute to R.D. Burman in 'Main Aurr Mrs. Khanna'

R.D. Burman's music continues to inspire today's filmmakers. While 'Kaminey' had two tracks of the late composing legend, now one of his songs will be heard in the forthcoming movie 'Main Aurr Mrs. Khanna'.
Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 30 Sep 2009 | 3:31 am

I'm not doing 'Seven Husbands' yet: Priyanka Chopra

Rumour mills have been working overtime that after playing 12 different roles in 'What's Your Rashee?', Priyanka Chopra has been signed on to essay seven roles in Vishal Bharadwaj's 'Seven Husbands'. But the actress denies any such development.
Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 30 Sep 2009 | 3:30 am

Emma Watson shaken by US fans

London (ANI): Harry Potter actress Emma Watson was shaken when she was recently besieged by students and other spectators at an American football match. The 19-year-old actress was attending a match between a team from Brown and one from Harvard. However,
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 30 Sep 2009 | 3:27 am

Dadasaheb Phalke award for music legend Manna Dey - Sify

Hindustan Times

Dadasaheb Phalke award for music legend Manna Dey Sify Ninety-year-old playback legend Manna Dey - who belted out evergreen songs like 'Ae mere pyaare watan' and 'Zindagi kaisi hai paheli' - is being honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke award, the highest honour in Indian cinema, his family said Wednesday. ... Manna Dey wins Dada Saheb Phalke awardIndiaGlitz Manna Dey to be honoredWorld News Manna Dey to get Dada Saheb Phalke awardPress Trust of India Indiantelevision.com -Press Information Bureau (press release) -Spicezee all 38 news articles »

Source: Entertainment - Google News | 30 Sep 2009 | 3:26 am

Ramya dropped out of Sanju Weds Geetha

Kannada actress Ramya has reportedly been dropped from Srinagar Kitty starrer movie Sanju Weds Geetha after she insulted co-artistes on the sets of the movie Just Maath Maathalli. Gandhinagar sources claim that the director of the movie is hunting for new
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 30 Sep 2009 | 3:19 am

Polanski facing more time in jail - BBC News

Times Online

Polanski facing more time in jail BBC News Director Roman Polanski faces more time in jail after his legal team asked a Swiss court to release him and were told a decision could take weeks. Polanski is being held in Switzerland on a US arrest warrant over his conviction, 30 years ago, ... Polanski faces months behind bars as extradition battle unfoldsLos Angeles Times France Divided Over Polanski CaseNew York Times Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski has enjoyed life of luxury ...New York Daily News Times Online -Oneindia -CNN all 5,949 news articles »

Source: Entertainment - Google News | 30 Sep 2009 | 3:03 am

“We actually freaked out”: Soha Ali Khan

For the shoot of the title song of Tum Mile, the cast and crew was required to be stationed on the sets for three straight days. The number required Emraan Hashmi and Soha Ali Khan to be amidst a celebration which
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 30 Sep 2009 | 2:55 am

Dadasaheb Phalke award for music legend Manna Dey

Ninety-year-old playback legend Manna Dey - who belted out evergreen songs like 'Ae mere pyaare watan' and 'Zindagi kaisi hai paheli' - is being honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke award, the highest honour in Indian cinema, his family said Wednesday.
Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 30 Sep 2009 | 2:30 am

“I would love to work with Aamir, SRK”: Ashutosh

Recently, Ashutosh Gowariker spoke to this correspondent about how he went through a transition as a director during the making of What's Your Raashee? . He also came clean on the reason behind his films being more than three hours long
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 30 Sep 2009 | 2:28 am

"Lara is the most talented leading lady in comic roles" - Riteish Deshmukh

Riteish Deshmukh can't stop gushing after Lara Dutta. With Do Knot Disturb being just a few hours away from release, Riteish continues to be fascinated by his leading lady, who as per him is the most talented amongst the current bunch of leading ladies, especially when it comes to comic performances. "The last actress whom I can think of, who had a brilliant comic timing was Juhi Chawla. In that era there were reigning actresses like Sridevi and Madhur Dixiti but Juhi Chawla was just different. Similarly in the current times, Priyanka Chopra and Kareena Kapoor are great actresses but they haven't really done full on comedies", says Riteish who has now made a career out of working in back to back comedies. Elaborating on Lara's rise as an actress with a flair for comedy, Riteish says, "This ways Lara is quite good. Not many film makers have given so many other leading ladies a chance for comedy. Someone had to make an effort and it is nice to see that Lara has picked up good comic roles that have come her way." He doesn't deny the fact that his on-screen 'Bebo' is looking smashing and absolutely stunning in her new avtar. From the promos, it is also obvious that she has donned a drop dead sexy look and has men folk lusting after her. Laughs Riteish, "Well for a woman as beautiful and gorgeous as Lara, it is but natural to have men lusting after her. As for how am I looking at her in the film, then for that you would have to watch Do Knot Disturb. Clichéd as it may sound but the fact is that it was amazing working with her yet again." In the past, Riteish has worked with Lara Dutta in Masti. In the film, her character had taken him, Vivek Oberoi and Aftab Shivdasani for a ride. The two also featured in Bardaasht though the two didn't share screen space together. "Well, I am compensating for that now with a vengeance", he smiles, "Other than working with her in Do Knot Disturb, I have just wrapped up a major part of Housefull as well. I hope we do a lot more films together from here on. Once you work with Lara, it is difficult not to look forward to many more outings with her." A multi starrer by David Dhawan that boasts of actors like Govinda, Ritesh Deshmukh, Sushmita Sen, Lara Dutta, Sohail Khan, Ranvir Shorey and Rajpal Yadav coming together, Do Knot Disturb with music by Nadeem-Shravan is a Vashu Bhagnani production and is releasing this Friday.
Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 30 Sep 2009 | 2:23 am

U2 world tour show costs £470k each day

London (ANI): Rock giants U2 are yet to make any profits from their huge 360 degrees World Tour, because the mammoth show''s overheads are so costly. The band's manager Paul McGuinness has revealed that the tour's show centres on a huge
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 30 Sep 2009 | 2:19 am

R. Madhavan to endorse Spark Mobiles

He is someone who can rightly be called as one of the 'Most recognizable faces' of not just the TV land, but also of Bollywood. And if his 'ever-rising-never-dipping' market-value in the world of ad commercials is anything to go by, then, it leaves us with no doubts of the fact that this dude is all set to repeat the same magic in the advertising arena too! No prizes for guessing as to whom we are talking about. It is indeed the 'chocolate guy next door' R. Madhavan, who, was in the news recently, for being chosen as the Brand Ambassador for Maruti's Wagon R. It looks like the ad world just does not seem to be getting enough of Maddy. According to Bollywood Hungama's ever-dependable sources, news is that Madhavan will now be endorsing Spark Mobiles, one of the front runners in the mobile sector in UAE. The source also added that the company chose Maddy for his clean image, both on-screen as well as off-it. And if the news is to be believed, then, the said company is in its final stages of product testing a mobile handset that can easily be billed the toughest mobile handset in the world, as it will boast of a host of features which includes protection against water, shock, grime and dust! Seems like Lady Luck has deleted the word 'Stop' from Madhavan's dictionary! Roll, Maddy, roll!
Source: Indiafm.com News | 30 Sep 2009 | 2:17 am

Rakhi Sawant caught kissing Elesh - Oneindia

MSN India

Rakhi Sawant caught kissing Elesh Oneindia By Raymond Ronamai Just on the heels of the reports that Rakhi Sawant had broken up with her recently-engaged Elesh Parujanwala, the couple was caught kissing, and that too on camera. Giving a twist to their break-up story, Rakhi and Elesh got cosy and ... NGO demands ban on 'Pati Patni Aur Woh'MSN India Rakhi, Elesh smooch on cameraTimes of India Rakhi Sawant turns spiritualNews Line 365 Apun Ka Choice -World News -Livemint all 14 news articles »

Source: Entertainment - Google News | 30 Sep 2009 | 2:14 am

Shahrukh Khan-Kajol sizzle on Vogue cover

Continuing Bollywood's traditional famous line 'Ek se bhale do', the latest edition of Vogue has given (read 'gifted') the readers with not one, but two of India's biggest superstars: Shahrukh Khan and Kajol on the cover! For starters, it is this
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 30 Sep 2009 | 2:10 am

Prateik Babbar bags role in Bhansali's next project

Sanjay Leela Bhansali has signed on late actress Smita Patil's son Prateik Babbar for his next production "My Friend Pinto" that will go on floors later this year.
Source: Entertainment News | 30 Sep 2009 | 2:07 am

'What is life without controversies?' - Rediff

Indian Express

'What is life without controversies?' Rediff The third season of Bigg Boss promises to be an exciting one, thanks to its new host. Yes, we're talking about Amitabh Bachchan, whose earlier stint as a television host made Kaun Banega Crorepati a rocking game show. Now, Bachchan will be seen on ... Big B lets in on his role as the 'pop philosopher' on Bigg BossIndian Express 'I can't participate in Bigg Boss!' – Amitabh BachchanIndia-Forums.com Amitabh Bachchan inside Bigg Boss house in future? No way!!stardustco.in IBNLive.com -Times of India -Oneindia all 45 news articles »

Source: Entertainment - Google News | 30 Sep 2009 | 2:04 am

Deepika Padukone surprises her beau Ranbir - Oneindia

SantaBanta.com

Deepika Padukone surprises her beau Ranbir Oneindia By Raymond Ronamai Actress Deepika Padukone surely knows how to make her boyfriend happy. She surprised Ranbir Kapoor by throwing a party on his birthday on Sunday night. She also gifted him a sleek and high-end laptop. ... Ranbir falls in love with an older woman in 'Wake Up Sid'Indian Express Ranbir ushers in birthday with lady love DeepikaWorld News Ranbir Kapoor & Deepika Padukone - a tech-savvy coupleApun Ka Choice Times of India -stardustco.in -Daily News & Analysis all 102 news articles »

Source: Entertainment - Google News | 30 Sep 2009 | 2:00 am

Rakhi Sawant caught kissing Elesh

Just on the heels of the reports that Rakhi Sawant had broken up with her recently-engaged Elesh Parujanwala, the couple was caught kissing, and that too on camera.Giving a twist to their break-up story, Rakhi and Elesh got cosy and intimate
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 30 Sep 2009 | 1:54 am

'Living with parents is natural' - Rediff

World News

'Living with parents is natural' Rediff Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan [ Images ] discussed their family life on The Oprah [ Images ] Winfrey Show on September 28. With about five billion fans globally, Ash, 35, and Abhishek, 33, described living with the latter's superstar parents ... Ash, Abhi reveal family secretBollywood Mantra Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan glorify Indian way of life on ...stardustco.in Video: Ash-Abhi on Oprah's showIndia Today Gaea Times (blog) -Khabrein.info -SamayLive all 33 news articles »

Source: Entertainment - Google News | 30 Sep 2009 | 1:25 am

Akshay all thrilled about Blue and the action - Sify

india-server.com

Akshay all thrilled about Blue and the action Sify Akshay Kumar says when Blue director Anthony D'Souza approached him for the underwater thriller, the first thing he asked him was "are you capable of making the movie?". Touted to be India's first underwater film, which is said to match international ... 'Akshay Kumar is a role model for us'Times of India It's action time for Akshay Kumar, John AbrahamOneindia Akki's Khatron Ke Khiladi girls meet a Blue endSantaBanta.com Bollywood Spice -Economic Times -Indian Express all 62 news articles »

Source: Entertainment - Google News | 30 Sep 2009 | 12:35 am

I want to keep singing for the rest of my life: Lata - Sify

Indian Express

I want to keep singing for the rest of my life: Lata Sify Nightingale of India Lata Mangeshkar says that she wants to continue singing forever, provided she is offered meaningful songs. "I want to continue singing for the rest of my life," said Lata who turned 80 on Monday. "I'm open to all kinds of songs, ... Melody queen Lata still voice of India at 80Times of India My aunt, Lata MangeshkarRediff Lata Mangeshkar turns 80Hindu Zee News -Daily News & Analysis -Times of India all 94 news articles »

Source: Entertainment - Google News | 30 Sep 2009 | 12:00 am

Lara is the most talented funny woman: Riteish - Sify

Sify

Lara is the most talented funny woman: Riteish Sify Riteish Deshmukh can't stop gushing after Lara Dutta. With Do Knot Disturb nearing release, Riteish continues to be fascinated by his leading lady, who, according to him, is the most talented amongst the current bunch of leading ladies, especially when ... 3 Ladies who shaped Govinda!GlamSham Govinda mends his late-comingsIndiaGlitz 'I had to put on weight for my role in Do Knot Disturb'Rediff Times of India -PunjabNewsline.com -Pune Newsline all 17 news articles »

Source: Entertainment - Google News | 29 Sep 2009 | 11:44 pm

Rajini & Kamal-Friends forever! - Sify

Sify

Rajini & Kamal-Friends forever! Sify By Moviebuzz | Wednesday, 30 September , 2009, 09:08 The kind of bond and friendship between 'Ulaganayagan' Kamal Hassan and superstar Rajinikanth, seems to be a lesson for today's generation. At Vijay TV's Ulaganayagan Kamal 50 event, they showed the ... Celebrating Kamal's 50 years in cinemaTimes of India Rajini, Kamal win best actor awardsHindu Rajinikanth is my best friend: Kamal HaasanGalatta.com BehindWoods -Sify -Times of India all 56 news articles »

Source: Entertainment - Google News | 29 Sep 2009 | 10:08 pm

Prateik Babbar bags role in Bhansali's next project

Sanjay Leela Bhansali has signed on late actress Smita Patil's son Prateik Babbar for his next production 'My Friend Pinto' that will go on floors later this year. And the youngster is naturally delighted.
Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 29 Sep 2009 | 9:00 pm

'Blue' promises never-seen-before visuals and stunts

Akshay Kumar says when 'Blue' director Anthony D'Souza approached him for the underwater thriller, the first thing he asked him was 'Are you capable of making the movie?'. Touted to be India's first underwater film, which is said to match international standards of filmmaking, 'Blue' promises to bring with it some never-seen-before visuals and stunts.
Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 29 Sep 2009 | 9:00 pm

I am not like Sid in real life: Ranbir

Bollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor says he has no resemblance with his reel character in his upcoming film <I>Wake up Sid</I> 

Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 29 Sep 2009 | 4:28 pm

Does travelling take a toll?

B-town actors reveal how travelling takes a toll on their personal lives.
Source: | 29 Sep 2009 | 11:30 am

Look who’s flying where

Amitabh Bachchan has just flown in from Singapore. Akshay Kumar is in Macau to wrap up his next biggie. After a nine-month sabbatical in the US, Abhay Deol has now jetted off to Toronto. Take a look at how Bollywood’s moved out of Bombay.
Source: | 29 Sep 2009 | 11:26 am

‘Donkeys disrupt’ Julia Roberts’ shooting in India

Donkeys and a dog interrupted Oscar winner Julia Roberts’ shooting in Mirzapur village in Haryana for Eat, Pray, Love, according to reports.
Source: | 29 Sep 2009 | 11:03 am

Malaysia’s censor board bans Bruno

Malaysia’s National Film Censorship Board has banned Sacha Baron Cohen’s film Bruno from being screened in the country.
Source: | 29 Sep 2009 | 11:01 am

Family films, not sex, sell at box office

Steamy scenes alone in a movie cannot pull the audience to cinema halls, for the most popular movies at the box office are those that can be watched with the entire family.
Source: | 29 Sep 2009 | 10:52 am

Akshay, John team up again after four years

His maiden underwater thriller Blue is yet to be out, but director Anthony D'Souza has already convinced his producer Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Ltd. to produce his next that will star Akshay Kumar and John Abraham.
Source: | 29 Sep 2009 | 10:46 am

50 composers to perform together at AIFEC event

More than 50 composers, including Oscar winning music director A.
Source: Entertainment News | 29 Sep 2009 | 9:21 am

Southern superstars laud Kamal Haasan's 50 years in filmdom

Southern cinema's biggest names, Rajinikant, Venkatesh, Mohanlal and Mammootty, came together under one-roof to celebrate Kamal Hassan's five decades in showbiz.
Source: Entertainment News | 29 Sep 2009 | 8:57 am

Sammir Dattani in Dharma Production's I Hate Love Stories

Sammir Dattani has entered the A-list segment. The actor will be playing an important crucial role in Dharma Production's I Hate Love stories. The movie stars Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor in the lead, directed by debutant director Puneet Malhotra. A source reveals, "Dharma Production is always known to have a surprise element in their movies. Right from Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna with Rani to Wake Up Sid with Rahul Khanna, now the production house is having Sammir Dattani opposite Sonam, playing an important role along with Imran." The source continues, "Sammir is very excited because this is his actual big break. Even though he's done a handful of films, getting a break in Karan Johar's production house is a huge deal for him. It's a love triangle with twists. Sonam and Sammir are in love and Imran is the third angle. He comes along and then falls in love with Sonam. The film then follows the love stories between the three of them. The shooting starts in October. Manish Malhotra is doing the clothes for all the actors." Meanwhile, Sammir has finished his shooting of Shyam Bengal's Well Done Abba opposite Minissha Lamba. He's also signed a horror movie with Percept titled 8, which will go on floor soon.
Source: Indiafm.com News | 29 Sep 2009 | 8:32 am

Makers of Do Knot Disturb use flash mobs to promote their film

Click above for more movie stills These days, filmmakers are trying to come up with innovative and unique ways of promoting their films so that it manages to garner maximum attention. The makers of the forthcoming laugh-riot Do Knot Disturb, namely Big Pictures and Vashu Bhagnani's Puja Entertainment, have also come up with one such unique marketing strategy called 'flash mobs'. For the uninitiated, a 'flash mob' is a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual action such as a dance, a pillow fight or synchronized clapping for a short duration, and then quickly disperse. Recently, Big Pictures and Big Music experimented with this unique marketing strategy to promote their film Do Knot Disturb. A group of young boys and girls performed to tracks such as 'Bebo' and 'Mere Naal' from Do Knot Disturb at some of the popular malls in Delhi and did manage to garner a lot of attention. Now Big Pictures plans to create the same buzz in Mumbai too. Just like marketing a consumer product that goes beyond standard awareness creating medium of print, TV, radio and outdoor through consumer engagement initiatives, it is imperative to practice this in film marketing too. Says BIG Pictures COO, Sunil Kheterpal. "To leverage the films' hilarious extra-marital plot, we decided to launch film trailers right on the streets of Mumbai performed by theatre actors, thus practising innovation cost-effectively. The trailers of DKD are being premiered live for Mumbai's public on their doorsteps. Mumbai is the ideal city for such initiatives to be launched - an exciting place with a bustling youth frequenting many high footfall areas especially during holidays and weekends. 24 locations, including colleges, railway stations and shopping areas traversing the length and breadth of Mumbai were chosen for the trailer performances, increasing awareness and curiosity for the film on the roads itself." Says Girish Shah, Head of Branding Reliance ADAG and CMO of Reliance Big Entertainment's Film Entertainment business. "The real challenge for marketers is to use force multiplier ideas like these and further leverage them through PR and interactive mediums such as radio and internet." Appointment viewing was practiced, where group company, BIG 92.7 FM announced locations and timings of the performances for people to witness these trailers live at Fashion Street, V.T. Station, Andheri West, Lokhandwala Market, National College, Bandra Bandstand and Juhu Chowpatty among others. This initiative was further accentuated by posting the live videos into cyberspace, interspersed with clippings from the film. The trailers have already commenced and the excitement on the streets is apparent with students, commuters and shopkeepers alike, dropping their work for a moment or two of live entertainment on the street. They leave with an idea of the Do Knot Disturb storyline, undoubtedly thirsty for more. Internationally, flash mobs have been used by various brands for promotional purposes to great effect. One will have to wait and watch if the trend of using flash mobs for promotion catches on here too.
Source: Indiafm.com News | 29 Sep 2009 | 8:06 am

Book Review: Lata Mangeshkar...in her own voice

'Lata Mangeshkar...in her own voice' is an extremely heavy (reading wise) text book on the living legend and her work. A kind of book that could be a reference material for many a students, of the lady who doesn't have any parallel. However, the key words here are 'text book' and 'reference material' because that's what this Nasreen Munni Kabir book stands for. There is history, history and more of history in this 250 odd page book which has the sole intention of making readers aware about her work over more than half a century gone by. While this aspect of the book may excite a select few who want to study Lata Mangeshkar's work, for an average reader looking at gaining an insight into Lata Mangeshkar - the person - there is hardly anything in the offering. The book gets into years and dates and people and the places where the interaction took place - all being good information and interesting, but only from a historian's perspective. Even otherwise, the basic narrative itself of the entire book is boring. The book is primarily a reproduction of a six-part documentary series (Lata in Her Own Voice) that was directed by Nasreen Munni Kabir in 1991. Close to two decades later, the spoken words have been put on print with certain updates being carried out based on the recent happenings. A good idea, though marred by a narrative that doesn't quite cut the ice after first few pages. Prime reason being that at quite a few places, the written material seems to be forced. How exactly? Well, in order to get some facts and trivia out to ensure a smooth flow in the Q&A session, Nasreen has been forced to add quite some material in her questions/follow up to Lata's answers which clearly doesn't seem to be a part of the original conversation. Due to this, the narrative becomes jerky rather than smooth, resulting in a disappointing read. As stated earlier, the book is good though for those who wish to study Lata Mangeshkar's work. Her initial years as a child who showed traits of being a great artist in years to follow have been together quite well. Also her entire struggle period as a singer and how she made a place for herself in the industry is captured well too. In the times when singers weren't given the kind of status in the industry as they rightly deserved, it is remarkable to see Lata's stand as an artist who stood for her rights while maintaining her dignity. Also, one reads in sheer awe as pages unfold while narrating how she worked with dozens of known and unknown names over last five decades and more. For someone who has practically seen multiple generations unfolding in front of her own eyes and trends changing w.r.t. music, lyrics, rendition, song situations, working conditions and other logistics, Lata's journey belongs to the kind that would perhaps never be repeated by any other artist from the Hindi film music industry. From this perspective, Nasreen's effort as a historian has to be hailed. She not just captures what Lata has to say but also does her own research to bring dozens of facts out on print. She also makes a conscious effort to break quite a few myths and misconceptions around the singer's professional as well as personal life. However, when it comes to two important aspects of Lata's life - a) her rivalry with Asha Bhonsle and b) her unmarried status - there is hardly half a page dedicated. The content here too is diplomatic at most and doesn't unravel anything that a reader hasn't known before. For a book that boasts of capturing 'Lata in her own voice', one was definitely expecting more detailing! On the positive side, the book does feature hundreds of photographs of Lata Mangeshkar from childhood till present date; most of them being straight out of her own personal collection. Yet another delight for a reader who wishes to delve into the past! Arriving straight out of her interaction with her family members to her work in the studios to some private affairs to her rendezvous with the top leaders of the country to her performances in Indian and abroad, the pictures have quite a few stories to tell. Here is presenting some interesting trivia that is shared in the book: - She was seriously ill before singing 'Kahin Deep Jale Kahin Dil' [Bees Saal Baad] and was bed ridden for 3 months. Reason? She was being slowly poisoned by her servant though it hasn't been found out till date that who was behind this act. - Hrishikesh Mukherjee had first offered her Anand. No, not just as a singer but as a composer! - Lata refused to sing in Filmfare Awards (1957) because till that year, there were no award nominations for playback singers and song writers - She has a playful streak to her and loves spending time in Las Vegas while playing the slot machines Now if only the book would have covered more personal aspects of her life as above, 'Lata Mangeshkar...in her own voice' may have made for a more entertaining read! Price: Rs. 1500/= Rating: 
Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 29 Sep 2009 | 7:30 am

All you wanted to know about 'Wake Up Sid'

How many of us feel that the most important thing in out lives is friends, hobbies, parties and life? Well Siddharth Mehra (Ranbir Kapoor) is the same… Wake Up Sid is the story of a lazy, unmotivated slacker from Mumbai whose life undergoes a series of changes after taking his final year college exams. Bollywood Hungama knows how much you guys have been waiting for this film and hence provides you with a unique page dedicated to telling you everything you ever wanted to know about the film on this special page of All you ever wanted to know about Wake Up Sid.   Preview   This is the story of Sidharth Mehra (Ranbir Kapoor), a lazy, unmotivated slacker from Mumbai whose life undergoes a series... More...     Music Reviews   'Kya Karoon? '. A lively number that has 'youth appeal' written all over it, 'Kya Karoon? ' is urban and contemporary with... More...   News   - "I had to be a part of W.U.S." - Ranbir Kapoor - "WUS is a Karan Johar product at heart" - Ayan Mukerji - Bollywood Hungama launches exclusive Video Blogs for Wake Up Sid - The promotional campaign of 'Wake Up Sid' is truly innovative - Ranbir - Konkona starrer Wake Up Sid to release on Oct 2 - Karan Johar's Dharma Productions inks distribution deal with UTV   Features   - "Wake Up Sid is a big wake up call for our film industry" - Karan Johar - "Ranbir was the first choice for Wake Up Sid" - Karan Johar - "Ranbir-Konkona is a pair that no one would imagine" - Ayan Mukerji - Check out Ranbir as lazy 'Sid' in Wake Up Sid - "Ranbir Kapoor is a very big star" - Konkona Sen Sharma   Gallery   Wallpapers Movie Stills - Movie Screensaver: Wake Up Sid - On the Sets: Wake Up Sid - First Look: Wake Up Sid   Broadband   Wake Up Sid! (Wake Up Sid) Kya Karoon (Wake Up Sid) - Dialogue Promo 1 (Wake Up Sid) - Dialogue Promo 2 (Wake Up Sid) - Dialogue Promo 3 (Wake Up Sid) - Dialogue Promo 4 (Wake Up Sid) - Konkona Sen Sharma Speaks About 'Wake Up Sid' - Ayan Mukerji Speaks About 'Wake Up Sid' - Iktara (Wake Up Sid) - Kya Karoon (Wake Up Sid) - Bollywood Hungama Launches 'Wake Up Sid' Video Blogs - Ranbir Kapoor Speaks About 'Wake Up Sid' - Ranbir Kapoor's 'Wake Up Sid' Blog Part 1 - Title Song (Wake Up Sid) - Teaser 1 (Wake Up Sid)
Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 29 Sep 2009 | 7:24 am

Rajnikant, Kamal Haasan win best actor state awards

Southern superstars Rajnikant and Kamal Haasan have bagged the best actor awards for "Sivaji - The Boss" and "Dasavatharam" respectively announced by the Tamil Nadu government.
Source: Entertainment News | 29 Sep 2009 | 7:16 am

Sohail Khan revives RD Burman's classic in Main Aurr Mrs Khanna

Click above for more movie stills The R.D. Burman revival rage seems no sign of waning. In Kaminey, Vishal Bharadwaj had used two of RD-Asha Bhosle tracks 'Duniya mein logon ko' and 'Do labzon ki hai yeh dil ki kahani'. And now, in Sohail Khan's production of Main Aur Mrs Khanna R.D.Burman's 'Bade achche lagte hain' makes a vital appearance and mainly because the word 'Raina' plays a prominent part in the song…. 'Bade achche lagte hain yeh dharti yeh nadiya yeh raina aur tum'….. Kareena's character in Main Aur Mrs Khanna is named Raina. The film required a strong nostalgic theme song between Kareena and Sohail to create a sense of intimacy between the couple. And since Amit Kumar's song from Shakti Samanta's Balika Badhu was everyone's favourite 'Bade achche lagte hain' became the chosen one in Main Aur Mrs Khanna, overriding the other popular choice 'Raina beeti jaaye', which is also from a Shakti Samanta film (Amar Prem). Says Sohail Khan, "It's a song that we all chose unanimously. It comes on when my character meets Kareena. When we meet, the song plays in the background. Since her character is named Raina, we loved the idea of having the song." Interestingly Sohail Khan's other production Kissan also revived an old song 'Mere desh ki dharti'. But there's a difference. Explains Sohail, "While 'Mere desh ki dharti' is part of the film's soundtrack, we won't put 'Bade achche lagte hain' in the album for Main Aurr Mrs Khanna, even though we've legitimately bought the rights for the song. Let's just say, we mean it to be a tribute to R.D. Burman and the tradition in Hindi lyrics celebrating raina (night)."
Source: Indiafm.com News | 29 Sep 2009 | 7:13 am

BIG Animation's Big Bees Jr. wins TVCA at Anifest

Pune based BIG Animation's ready to release collection of animated nursery rhymes titled Big Bees Jr. - ''Nature is Fun'' has bagged the TASI Viewers Choice Award in the Independent Professional Film category at the recently concluded Anifest India 2009. This 3D animated musical features 39 English nursery rhymes and a song with a completely new composition that is enacted by the bunch of cute, colorful ever so energetic fun loving bee characters. Speaking to Bollywood Hungama Big Animation CEO Ashish S.K. said, ''This is for the second time that our content has bagged an award in this category at Anifest. Two years ago it was Little Krishna. This has a very special significance as it's a Viewers' Choice Award.'' ''Big Bees Jr. is based on the concept of nature is fun and it encourages kids to love nature from an early pre-school age. We are planning to launch it in a month's time and we are targeting the product for both broadcast and home video market across the globe. We would also be taking it to MIPCOM.'' This unique collection of rhymes truly stands out as a brilliant product in the category and has sixty five minutes of animation content that has been developed by the studio is a time span of three months. It primarily features three set of bee characters namely the Chubees, Mombees and the Wonabees. Although the series is targeted at pre-school kids, BIG Animation has gone ahead and done some high end character modeling and a lot of detailing has gone into the development of the characters, backgrounds and complete color palette of the series. Big Bees Jr. Nursery Rhymes will be soon released on DVDs for pre-school kids. The company is also developing a complete animated TV series around these characters and the same will be titled as Big Bees. Winners list of the other categories can be found at: http://www.tasionline.org/category/anifest-india-2009/tvca-2009/
Source: Indiafm.com News | 29 Sep 2009 | 7:04 am

Anifest '09: Inside the Famous House of Animation

The business of animation in India has come a long way from the early 90's - from being the muse of small groups of enthusiastic storytellers, to being a tool used widely in Bollywood and advertising industries. E Suresh, Creative Director of Mumbai based Famous House of Animation, was one of the early starters in this industry and his studio has emerged as one of the foremost creative workshops. Suresh narrated his journey at the recently held Anifest India 2009. "Animation has come a long way since the 90's. Yet, an oft-asked question is 'Where is the market?' Ad films remain our bread and butter." Suresh has 12 years of experience in the field and established Famous House of Animation in 1998 to do the "kind of work I stand for". His studio does 2D, 3D animation, claymation and stop motion and boasts of a wide ranging portfolio including an award-winning commercial for Sulekha.com. A close circle of Suresh's friends - including Vaibhav Kumaresh and Geethanjali Rao - put together a pilot for a 2D animation concept, Shivaji, in the early 90's, but failed to excite broadcasters. "No one was interested in indigenous content then. Even today a 'made in India' animation series is expensive when compared to the cost of acquiring and dubbing a foreign animation series. We failed miserably in the market," he recalled. Things changed after 2000 as Channel V adopted Vaibhav Kumaresh's hilarious animated character Simpu for its promos. Suddenly, animation became a part of the pop culture in India, an easy way for music channels to break the clutter and engage with the younger audience. But approvals for TV series were still hard to come by. Suresh's creative team racked their brains, coming up with concept after concept, remodeling the existing ones to match the client's needs. At a point he felt that there was "no way good content could be shown in India". Meanwhile Famous House of Animation became one of the preferred studios for advertisements and did a surfeit of ads including those for Happydent, Spice Telecom, Big Babool and many others. On being asked about the two major qualities for an animator, Suresh quipped, "perseverance and patience". His studio is right now working on a gag based 3D animated series Neki & Pooch Pooch, starring a dumb elephant and a smart rat. In parting advice, Suresh said, "We hear usual words about the audience not being ready for animation. What we need today is to find an animation style equivalent to that of Bollywood. The stories we tell must find an audience in the masses of India and not just within the animation community."
Source: Indiafm.com News | 29 Sep 2009 | 6:57 am

"Even experienced directors have goofed up in the past" - Akshay Kumar

Why Anthony D'Souza? That's the question which comes to mind the moment one sees the team of Blue lending their support to a first time filmmaker who has gone ahead and turned his vision reality by putting together this multi crore extravaganza in place which is touted to be the most expensive film coming from Bollywood shores. Akshay Kumar, whose last film Kambakkht Ishq too was helmed by a first timer (Sabbir Khan) talks about what makes him root for the newer lot. "Years back, I worked with Vipul Shah when he was just stepping into Bollywood. I did Aankhen with him. And then Waqt - Race Against Time followed by Namastey London and then Singh Is Kinng. Now I have done his Action Replay as well. So tell me, today after so many successful films behind him, do we even remember that once upon a time, Vipul too was a newcomer?" questions Akshay Kumar who has quite a few examples to cite where he has supported first time directors. "I worked with Naresh Malhotra in Yeh Dillagi way back in 1994. He hadn't done any film before that. Then I also did Guddu Dhanoa's first film Elaan followed by Tu Chor Main Sipahi as well as Aflatoon. We know Abbas-Mustan for what they are today but after a low key Agnikaal, their first major film Khiladi was with me. I went ahead and also did Ajnabee and Aitraaz with them. Two years back I did Sajid Khan's debut film Heyy Babyy and now I am shooting for his Housefull. Ok, so I did Tashan too with a first timer (Vijay Krishna Acharya) but then such things happen. Hamaare yahan kuch itne dhurandhar film waale hain jinhone 40-50 movies banayi hai but still they don't get it right", says Akshay in a single breath. "Sometimes filmmakers fail but one can't keep thinking about it all the time. If you start doing it, you can never ever step out and work other than those 10-15 experienced directors that we have in Bollywood. Today we all are talking about Wanted and how it is such a big success. But isn't that too the first ever Bollywood film by director Prabhu Deva", questions Akshay. On a parting note, one can't help but ask him a question - 'When he works with a debutant director, doesn't the film turn out to be just all about himself? Isn't it a fact that there isn't any space for anyone else?' "Main nahi dikhoonga toh kya mere padosi dikhege film mein", jokes Akshay, "Most of the films that I mentioned to you just now were single hero starrers. It is but natural that I would be seen. And let's admit it but for good or for bad, this is a male dominated industry. Isn't Wanted too a Salman Khan show all the way?"
Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 29 Sep 2009 | 6:55 am

Southern superstars laud Kamal Haasan's 50 years in filmdom

Southern cinema's biggest names, Rajinikant, Venkatesh, Mohanlal and Mammootty, came together under one-roof to celebrate Kamal Hassan's five decades in showbiz.
Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 29 Sep 2009 | 5:33 am

Kareena-Salman adorable couple in '...Mrs.Khanna': director

He is 43 and she is 29, but their age difference is no matter.
Source: Entertainment News | 29 Sep 2009 | 5:23 am

Rajnikant, Kamal Haasan win best actor state awards

Southern superstars Rajnikant and Kamal Haasan have bagged the best actor awards for 'Sivaji - The Boss' and 'Dasavatharam' respectively announced by the Tamil Nadu government. Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi also won an award - for the dialogues of 'Uliyin Osai'.
Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 29 Sep 2009 | 5:00 am

50 composers to perform together at AIFEC event

More than 50 composers, including Oscar winning music director A.R. Rahman, will come together for a musical night organised by the All India Film Employees Confederation (AIFEC) as part of the three-day national conference starting Oct 9.
Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 29 Sep 2009 | 4:31 am