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Kareena launches own websiteWhen Bollywood stars are busy tweeting, actress Kareena Kapoor has launched her official website and promises to update her fans regularly.Source: Entertainment News | 1 Jul 2010 | 9:12 am Why Bollywood loves the Mumbai monsoonFor some it spells romance, some see it as a sign of prosperity and some enjoy long drives on a rainy day - Bollywood celebrities like actress Deepika Padukone and Anushka Sharma and director Onir have different reasons to be enamoured with the rainy season.Source: Entertainment News | 1 Jul 2010 | 8:47 am I am not engaged, Dev Patel tells his mom
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 1 Jul 2010 | 7:05 am Aamir joins Twitter, gets 47,019 followers in two hoursAamir Khan officially joined Twitter today and got 47,019 fans in just two hours, surpassing even Amitabh Bachchan.Source: Entertainment News | 1 Jul 2010 | 6:59 am Kristen Stewart's unusual pet
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 1 Jul 2010 | 6:44 am Gig AlertsHere's a look at the most happening gigs around town...Source: | 1 Jul 2010 | 6:43 am Drum and bass pioneers in townLTJ Bukem is a renaissance man for a digital age. Although he wouldn't like to admit it, he is the living embodiment of the post-acid house entrepreneurial creative spirit — a mild mannered energy flash.Source: | 1 Jul 2010 | 6:32 am I am not engaged, Dev Patel tells his mom"Slumdog Millionaire" star Dev Patel says his mother was upset when she read online that he had got engaged to his long time girlfriend Freida Pinto and had to explain to her that the reports were incorrect.Source: Entertainment News | 1 Jul 2010 | 5:56 am Protests in Kashmir as Lamhaa gears up for releaseAmidst escalating protests, Bollywood gears up to step into the valley with a story of violence in the region “as never seen before” on screen. Lamhaa, toplining Sanjay Dutt and Bipasha Basu, arrives in cinemas on July 16. |
 SantaBanta.com | What transpired Priyadarshan to make KHATTA MEETHA? GlamSham How many of us constantly rant about inefficacies in the system and corrupt practices of the "netas"? Well, Akshay Kumar joins the club with his next movie, Priyadarshan's KHATTA MEETHA. He recently even shot for the movie's most controversial track ... No dancing around trees in 'Khatta Meetha': Trisha Chappal bahar, says Akshay Kumar Take a Joyride with Akshay Kumar in 'Khatta Meetha' in theaters July 23rd |
 NDTV.com | Prachi Desai is very impressed with Emraan Sify Prachi Desai is just on her third film, but she's already worked with Arjun Rampal, Farhan Akhtar, Govinda, Tusshar Kapoor, Fardeen Khan, Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi. And she's got a favourite - Emraan, her co-star in Once Upon A Time In Mumbai. ... Emraan and I are each other's lucky charms: Kangana Looking at Dawood Prachi Desai has no problems with intimate scenes |
 NDTV.com | Twilight sequel sets new record BBC News The latest film in the Twilight series has broken the record set by its predecessor for takings from midnight screenings in the US and Canada. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse made more than $30 million (£20.1m) from midnight screenings on Wednesday, ... I want to start my own religion: Robert Pattinson Review: Eclipse 'Twilight' Sequel Slays at Midnight |
It seems to be the season of speculations. Last week, it was Vivek Oberoi who was totally perplexed when rumors abound him being a part of 'Swayamwar 3' started making the rounds. There was no truth to the story and immediate reactions from him settled the issue. Now it's the turn of yet another actor to get upset. We are talking about Emraan Hashmi, who is caught in
a mighty irritated mood, courtesy a news piece that signifies that he could well be one of the 13 participants in the upcoming season of 'Fear Factor' which would be hosted by Priyanka Chopra.
"Yet another baseless story which seems to be have just come out of thin air", says a close friend of Emraan who has been sounded by the actor about his displeasure, "Kahin se kuch bhi aa jaata hai, what should one clarify in such case? Tomorrow, something else will come in. So is it expected that a celebrity just stands and starts giving out clarifications? This is not done."
As is apparent, a normally quiet Emraan is not at all amused this time around.
"Let alone being one of the short listed candidates for the show, he has not even been approached at all", comments his friend, "One may mention any names and say that he or she is on the list. But really, this is quite irresponsible on the part of those who are spreading the rumors. Not anyone and everyone would always be overtly excited to read things written about them. Emraan is keeping quite busy in his film assignments and doesn't have any time whatsoever to be doing reality shows for television."
As things stand today, Emraan is gearing up for the release of Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai. Post that, he heads into the dub and promotion for Crook. He would also have his Raftaar 24X7 up for release soon. In the interim, he would be doing Madhur Bhandarkar's Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji. This is not all, as before end of year, he is also expected to begin work on Kunal Deshmukh's next film. With rest of the year totally jam packed, Emraan's frustration after being made aware about these rumors is justifiable.
"Things can't be written for the sake of it", fumes Emraan, "You can't pick a celebrity and mention something about him without first check pointing with him. It almost seems like being maligned because for no reason, you have to now roll out justifications and clarifications. Why at all? There are better things to do in a day and the conversation which I am having now doesn't hold any priority whatsoever. For the records, no one has approached me for 'Fear Factor' yet and there is no show happening for me."
What he doesn't mention though is the lack of star value which the show is struggling with. Apparently, the names which are being considered currently (after the cricketers - original choice for the show - had to back out) or were approached in last few days don't quite belong to the top league. Coming from the world of films, modelling and sports, they are yet to find a firm foot in the industry, something which was further cause of annoyance for Emraan.
"He doesn't wish to state anything about that actually", says Emraan's friend in a cautious tone, "To each his own. Everyone has a place under the sun. They have their own and fortunately Emraan has his own which is of course a little better. For some, it could be once in a lifetime opportunity, but Emraan is happy with the way his Bollywood career is going. At this point in time, he doesn't want to be distracted."
That should lay all speculations to rest.
Enter Ajay Devgn, Anil Kapoor, Suniel Shetty and Viday Balan. Exit Prateik and newcomers. Did someone say the recession is over? Far from it. Movies are religiously getting shelved dumped and relegated to the backburner especially if they don't star A-listers.
The prolific Priyadarshan discovered the hard way that star discoveries went out of fashion with Dev Anand. After a very long time, he was all set to make film with newcomers this July. But he has abandoned the idea.
There were no buyers for a project with newcomers. The film about the longings desires loves and dislikes of the young was supposed to cast completely new faces along with Prateik.
The project couldn't go beyond Prateik.
Says the disheartened director, "I met only Prateik for the film. The other newcomers I couldn't even get a chance to cast because the producers backed out. No one wants to back a project without stars."
To fill the time in July that Priyadarshan had allotted to the film with newcomers he has quickly put together a new multi-starrer film which stars Ajay Devgn, Anil Kapoor, Suniel Shetty and Vidya Balan.
The prolific Priyan who starts shooting this quickie in July says, "I'm quite excited about this project. It's my first thriller. I needed to get away from my comedy image. Doing a thriller would provide me that chance."
In fact Priyan is none too happy with his latest release Khatta Meetha being pitched in the promotions as a full-on comedy.
Says Priyan angrily, "Khatta Meetha is no a comedy like De Dana Dan. It's a satire on the road mafia. You'll have to ask the producers why they're pitching it as a comedy. Probably because Akshay Kumar and Priydarshan equals comedy?"
Priyan seems resigned to resorting to stars time after time to get audiences in. "It's frightening how my attempts to make a film with newcomers was thwarted. If I can't do it who can? So the question is, how can we get new talent into cinema?"
Incidentally, the Priyan film is not the only Prateik Babbar starrer to be shelved. Goldie Behl's film starring the talented young actor which was to be shot in the monsoon in Mumbai, has also been shelved.
I recall my five hours spent at Sonam Kapoor's Juhu bungalow during her Delhi 6 days. It was the first time I had met her. It was also my first time at her place. But at the back of my head, I did know that she had made a dream debut....which went wrong at the BO. And that happens to many, I'm sure. But what took me by surprise was the fact that a one film old actress became, almost overnight, one of the most in-demand interviewees on the planet. Obviously, the Saawariya and Delhi 6 phenomenon changed things quite a lot for her. If you programmed a computer to cobble together a movie out of every cinematic cliché - I Hate Luv Storys is pretty much what you would end up with. Today, Sonam is still the same I saw her the first time. She is beautiful in an evasive, interesting way. Her eyes are not that huge but knowing, her eyebrows are winged, her lips are fuller, and her expression is sharp and aware and absorbing. But more than this, Kapoor has enormous talent. Vast and uncompromised, it's the most significant of her generation; but also the subtlest. Until very, very recently, her talent will be tested in 24 hours with her first ever attempt to do a rom-com. UK's Harrow Observer columnist and Bollywood Hungama's London correspondent chats up with the girl in love, the girl madly in love with movies, the girl deeply in love with her talent and the girl who is hell bent on making her best friend believe that love exists.
Salwars to Shorts
(Laughs) Well, I didn't wear shorts. I've played Sakina in Saawariya who is very different from Bittu in Delhi 6 and now I'm playing Simran in I Hate LUV Storys who is also very different from Aisha in Aisha. I don't know what this hoo-haa has made about me for wearing salwar's and now western outfits (laughs). I mean, those were the types of films which were offered to me. The progression of dresses in all my films has been slow and steady according to their culture and character.
Serious cinema to Rom-Com
Sonam wouldn't have done that. I wouldn't have played it reverse. Saawariya and Delhi 6 has really benefited me as an actor and not just as a random bimbet walking around the street selling shorts. You know what I mean? I think that is more important for the longevity in this industry to be known as an actor. If people want to see a lot of me in my sexy avatar, then they can flip the magazines on the shelf because that's where they'll find me in their state of mind.
First Love Story on celluloid
As far as my memory goes, the first film I saw which was a love story should be Mughal-E-Azam. I've also seen Gone with the Wind, Titanic and a few more when I was a kid.
In Love
Even if I find my love, I'll never speak about him. But I can assure you of one thing, if I have met any person who doesn't believe in romance and have gotten along with him, it has to be Imran Khan (laughs).
Romance in school / college
Romance in school and college used to be a lot fun. It was innocent. It was a lot to do with the 'Rose Day', 'Valentine's Day', 'Friendship Day', and all. All these days were super cool and we used to go along giving roses, receiving some, exchanging cards, getting some, tying friendship bands, etc.
DDLJ, Pretty Woman, Noting Hill, etc
The way my character is written is so different from anything that you've seen. I'm not saying this to sound cliché. I'm saying this because it's like picking each and every character from different rom-com's and using them on celluloid. So we've taken characteristics from all the actresses like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman and Noting Hill, Meg Ryan from French Kiss, Kajol from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and DDLJ, Rani from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, etc. We've also been influenced by actresses who've done rom-com's like Preity Zinta, Madhuri Dixit, Sridevi, etc. Punit told me to watch all their films and get inspired. He told me that I had to take everything seriously and that I was only going to talk cliché in the film. It's Imran who plays a different character, not me. I play the clichéd one.
Bhansali to Rakyesh to Punit
I don't think there is anything which is different from all the directors that you've just mentioned, except that you know he is the boss and the captain of the ship (laughs). You go into the project believing in the film maker. I am a director's actor and I'll only work if a director makes me work according to what he wants in the film. Any success I get is because of my director and not because of me. I listen to my directors blindly.
Real Sonam
Some do think that the roles I've portrayed in both my films, I Hate LUV Storys and Aisha, is the real me. I do like working in a romantic film. I am quite romantic that way. I am an idealistic too. But if people see me as a 'real Sonam' in I Hate LUV Storys, it works for me (laughs). SantaBanta.com | Aamir Khan beats Bachchan on Twitter IBNLive.com Aamir Khan's Twitter page read 'Testing' on June 30. In a span of 12 hours of testing, the actor garnered more than 40000 followers. And after putting his first tweet on July 1, the actor has crossed more than 50000 followers. ... Anurag selects Aamir for Bombay Velvet Aamir joins Twitter, gets 47019 followers in two hours Aamir Creates A Stir On Twitter |
 SantaBanta.com | Protests in Kashmir as Lamhaa gears up for release Hindustan Times Eleven people have died in less than three weeks during demonstrations against the killing of Kashmiris by Indian forces, which began with the death of a school boy on June 11. Amidst escalating protests, Bollywood gears up to step into the valley with ... No plan to ban Lamhaa, says Govt Valley of dreams LAMHAA: Would it be the swan song for Kunal Kapoor? |
 SantaBanta.com | I Hate Luv Storys launches mobile game Hindustan Times The trend of Bollywood movies being made into mobile games started with the mother of all blockbuster films, Sholay, a few years ago. Punit Malhotra's I Hate Luv Storys' mobile game, which was launched on Wednesday, is the latest to join the bandwagon. ... I Hate Luv Storys: Highlights As IHLS release nears, Punit Malhotra is scared but confident Abhishek-John & Tarun had encouraged Punit for IHLS! |
Southern superstar and Bollywood's resident 'Idiot' from Rajkumar Hirani's blockbuster R Madhavan is playing games once again. Having dabbled in television extensively during his growing years as an actor, Maddy is all set to return to what he calls his first love. The actor who has a deep connectivity with audiences on the screen of any size believes size doesn't matter.
"It's not about how big it. It's the performance," he winks naughtily. "I've never taken television for granted. I've done 1800 episodes of television serials like 'Banegi Apni Baat', 'Sea Hawks', 'Saaya' and 'Yeh Kahan Aa Gaye Hum'. It's quite a total! Television has been quite a learning curve for me. It has taught me the importance of time management, camera angles, space-managementâ¦I owe a lot to television."
It was with great pleasure that Madhavan was persuaded to return to television by Siddharth Basu of Big Synergy Communications to host their swanky new game show 'Big Money'.
As he prepares for his grand return to television, Maddy's excitement is uncontainable. "Because I was so busy with my film assignments in Mumbai and down South, I didn't think I'd have time for television. But then, I can't say no to Siddharth Basu. He's absolutely the most accomplished producer of quiz shows."
'Big Money' is the third game show that Maddy would be hosting. "Earlier I hosted 'Tol Mol Ke Bol' and 'Deal Ya No Deal' and enjoyed both the experiences. Moreover 'Big Money' is a desi adaptation of the popular international game show 'Family Links'. All the questions asked on the show would pertain to television and its popular shows. So you could say this is a game show about the home-viewing medium on the home-viewing medium."
Luckily for Maddy, it wouldn't take up too much of his time. "They just need me for 11 days in three months. And yes 'Big Money' is paying me big money. But I'm not revealing the amount." Indian Express | Post HC ruling companies queue up to cash in on 'pink economy' Economic Times 1 Jul 2010, 1416 hrs IST, PTI NEW DELHI: A year after the Delhi High Court decriminalised homosexuality, a variety of business models catering to the dormant 'pink economy' are giving it a fresh lease of life. Gay tourism leads the way for the pink ... Delhi's gay scene turns straight India's first gay bookstore opens in city Quill and Queer |
Anant Mahadevan the man behind the film that has already started creating ripples all over the country thanks its contemporary subject.
We are indeed talking about Red Alert, a film on the dreaded Naxal issue, which touched Home Minister R. R. Patil so much that he recommended it to fellow politicians. For starters, Red Alert is a film that talks about the inequalities and injustice happening towards the unprivileged classes which thereby leads them to the Maoist-Naxalite movement.
The good news is that Anant Mahadevan, the director of the film, will be on Bollywood Hungama's Celebrity Chat talking about Red Alert and more today, July 1, at 1600 Hrs IST. Be there. Spicezee | Resul happy at being academy voting member NDTV.com PTI Oscar award winner Resul Pookutty today said being a voting member of the Oscar academy has made him happier than his dream of winning the prestigious award. "This (being invited to be a member) shows Indian films are getting more recognition. ... 'Indian cinema lacks serious scripts' Bigger than the Oscar: Resul Resul Pookutty on Academy's voting board |
 Indian Express | Music Review: Tere Bin Laden Hindustan Times It is touted as a different kind of film and it seems that the music has been composed to suit the mood of the movie as the majority of the songs in Tere Bin Laden are not hummable, making the soundtrack average. The album boasts of seven originals and ... A look into the dairy of Laden Satirically Yours Osama talks about love |
 SantaBanta.com | Aamir offered 10 crores for Peepli Live Oneindia Aamir Khan now seems to be the most guaranteed good returns brand in India. Having super bumper hits like Ghajini and 3 idiots under his belt, his produced movies too, carry a stamp of quality. So it is no wonder that a TV channel has offered his soon ... Aamir pokes fun at himself to promote Peepli Live Aamir goes good wit hunting 10 crore Aamir Khan |
Bollywood's illustrious fraternity on Twitter just grew bigger. After Big B, SRK and Sallu, it is now Aamir Khan's turn to join the micro-blogging site.
The 'Dus Sar Wala' of Bollywood, Abhishek Bachchan, completes 10 years in the film industry today. Yes, exactly on this very date (June 30), 10 years ago, Junior Bachchan made his debut with J.P. Dutta's Refugee. It's been quite a roller-coaster ride for this talented actor since then who had to wait for almost 4 years for his first big hit Dhoom.
Since then there has been no looking back for Abhishek who has delivered memorable performances in films like Sarkar, Yuva, Bunty Aur Babli, Bluffmaster, Guru, Sarkar Raj and Dostana. While his last few films including the recently released Raavan have not worked at the Box Office, there is no denying the fact that he is indeed one of the most hard working and versatile actors we currently have.
Abhishek himself expressed gratitude to all his fans on Twitter for their love and support. "Today I complete 10 yrs in the industry. Refugee released 30 June 2000. Thank you all for the tolerance, love and blessings."
We wish AB Jr. on this special day and hope that he continues to entertain us for many more years.
Filmmaking is a creative endeavour where a single focussed vision is important. Since films can't be made by single person, it is definitely a team work, right from cameraman, to technicians, to spot boys and actors of course. Each and every person plays an equally important role, but like every ship that sails out on a voyage, it has to be captained by a single person and his/ her expertise. In the case of movies, it is the director. It is his guidance and interpretation that is eventually seen unveiling on screen. Whether it's a good or a bad one, is a mere interpretation. While shooting the film, it isn't for the actors to question the creative flow of the entire filmmaking process. As the famous and noted Hollywood director once said, "It is said⦠if you give a script to five different famous directors, you'd get five different pictures. And I believe that."
Being part of a project, once it is complete, is it ethical then to criticise the final product. It is debatable where one might say that as an audience and just a third party, you have the right to voice your opinion, but then again what happens when sailors start questioning their captain?
A project that the audience was waiting with bated breath, Raavan, directed by the much respected Mani Ratnam, hit the theatres, recently. It met with a lot of criticism as many felt that the film did not live up to the expectations. A look at the mythological Raavan in contemporary times, this film did not go down well with the audiences. Abhishek Bachchan who played the title role was probably the one who received the maximum heat, as the audience were left confused by his portrayal of Beera. The same Abhishek who played Mani Ratnam's Guru to sheer perfection was said to have not gotten it right this time as Beera.
Where one thought that such highs and lows are every actor's as well as directors part of life, it was a bit surprising to see father Amitabh Bachchan standing in defence of his son's performance. He claimed on a popular social networking site that his son's inadequate performance was a result of inaccurate editing. "Gather lot of merited film edited out, causing inconsistent performance and narrative, but what presentation!" He further continued saying, "Abhishek's erratic behaviour was due to symbolic 10 heads visually appearing.. and each giving him different attitudes to adopt for a situation, he would then finally shake them off and decide .. n the edit all the visual heads got cut and you see a confused Beera expression and wonder why .. it was after he removed the other head visuals from his thinking.. in the edit you see the after effect of that thinking process, hence inconsistent."
Being an actor himself, it is somewhat surprising to hear Mr. Bachchan take on the editing of the film, as an editor cuts a film keeping with the sensibilities that the director wishes to maintain in the film. Even if editing was an issue, it does sound defensive when it comes from Mr. Bachchan for Abhishek. As part of the film fraternity, a director's point of view needs to be respected, whether it does/doesn't resonate with oneself. A view point that Mr. Bachchan also shares as he tweets to one of his followers saying "each director has his own interpretation of his film .. we must respect that ..." he goes on to talk about Abhishek and Mani's rapport as he tweets "The director is master of ship, he knows what he wants. Abhishek shares comfort level with him and Mani keeps testing him!"
What's ethical and what isn't debatable, but one thing is true a film's success and failure is a collective responsibility.
Click above for movie stills
The recently formed coalition between the Hindi and Hollywood studios will now be known as the "Alliance Against Copyright Theft - AACT". Formed to create a common voice to fight piracy, AACT has Reliance Big Entertainment, Moser Baer Entertainment, UTV Motion Pictures, Eros International and the Motion Picture Dist. Association as its founding members.
Today, AACT launches its toll-free anti-piracy hotline - 1800-103-1919 - to report piracy in the Mumbai and Thane districts. The launch is in association with UTV Motion Pictures and Dharma Productions' I Hate LUV Storys. Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor will publicize the toll free number as part of the film's promotional campaign across India.
The anti-piracy hotline will allow people in Mumbai and Thane to register their piracy complaints by calling the toll free number without revealing their identity. Upon receiving the complaints, law enforcement will be immediately notified of the unlawful conduct. Already this year law enforcement has conducted over 100 anti-piracy raids in Mumbai alone, and this hotline will assist in their efforts.
Commenting on the initiative, Harish Dayani of Moser Baer asserts, "Piracy cannot be eradicated or reduced just by a group of people working within the film industry, the public has to be involved in the fight. With AACT, we are trying to create awareness about the damage piracy causes to us all. This toll free number does just that."
Prakash Nathan of UTV Motion Pictures says, "Our aim is to reach out to the younger audience and involve them in the process of curbing piracy. Using I Hate LUV Storys was an ideal platform. Both Imran & Sonam are young stars and through them we can convey this message to our younger audience."
Adds Rajiv Dalal of the Motion Picture Dist. Association, "AACT provides a platform for our industry to come together and curb piracy. The launch of this toll free number will assist our efforts, as it engages consumers, retailers, and other responsible citizens."
In addition to the launch of its new name, logo, and toll-free anti-piracy hotline, AACT is also launching its website: www.aact.in. The website will provide up to date information about all AACT campaigns and activities, as well as informational reports on piracy and the film industry.
His last directorial venture Luck was a damp squib at the Box Office but that hasn't deterred Soham Shah from going ahead with yet another mega project. The buzz is that Soham is all set to make a big budget 3D extravaganza based on the life and times of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Nilesh Rane (son of politician Narayan Rane) and V.L.Satyam are the producers of this big budget film.
Soham is ecstatic because he has finally started work on his dream project. Says the director, "It's an honour to be a part of Nilesh Rane's company. It's a great combination to have Nileshji & V.L.Satyam as producers who can share your vision to bring the epic story together on big screen with the available international technical support. It is one of my most ambitious projects, a story that is the epitome of heroism, never told on the big screen."
The director will take around two months to complete the draft that he has been working on since more than a year now. It is said that two mega stars are being considered to play the roles of Shivaji Maharaj and Aurangzeb.
The movie will be a 3-D film, with special effects done by the crew straight from Hollywood. The same crew has worked on the special effects in several Hollywood movies including the film Gladiator. It is said that this film will be a visual spectacle in the genre of films like 300, Robin Hood and the latest hit Prince of Persia.
V.L. Satyam, one of the producers of the film, says, "We are happy to have Soham on board, as he has a huge vision that can do justice to a subject like this. Also being a new generation director his story telling will set new standards to our cinema. This is the beginning of Nileshji's banner and we have bigger plans to take it to another level."
Well we hope Soham finds some 'luck' with this mega venture.
It was a fresh new pairing when Imran Khan came together with Genelia D'Souza for Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na. The musical romcom was a massive hit at the box office and it appeared that there won't be any looking back for the young actor who seemed to be doing everything right. Then came Kidnap and Luck and as it happened, Imran's 'luck' (at least for the time being) went for a toss. Now that I Hate LUV Storys is up for release in a couple of days from now, all seems to have been forgotten and happy days seem to be here again for the actor. Over to Imran who catches up with Joginder Tuteja and talks about this Karan Johar production which is currently creating just the right buzz for the audience.
Imran Khan coming together with Sonam Kapoor. A pair which has not yet been tried and tested. Something fresh and new in the offing for audience to enjoy? Yeah, you can say that. I have always wanted to work with Sonam ever since the release of Saawariya. I really liked her there. When IHLS came to both of us, I was quite happy. The shooting went by and I wanted to see how we looked together on screen. Believe me, the reaction was that of total surprise.
The shooting went by and I wanted to see how we looked together on screen. Believe me, the reaction was that of total surprise
Why surprise? When you are at sets, you don't quite have the bigger picture around how you are working together. You get an inkling of it only after you see the first promo with all the music, colours etc. put into the scene. I said to myself that haan yaar, this is actually looking quite interesting and good. I became further confident when such fantastic comments started coming to me via Twitter.
Seems like direct connect with fans indeed helped you here.
In fact fans on Twitter have been interacting with us right through the making of the film. They were there during the shooting, they commented when the first look came out, they pointed out nice and flattering things when songs came on air and now as the film is up for release, they are talking about how they are looking forward to it. When such all around feedback comes in, it obviously feels very good. You get a very positive sense and know that you are on the right track.
Well, that in fact appears to be the case. Also, I believe IHLS is not just a laugh a minute affair and there is a fair bit of drama interspersed into the narrative as
well. The song 'Bin Tere' is pretty much conveying that. Yes, the drama is there but it is kept very minimal. See, the film is essentially a romcom. You know that there would be some 'rona dhona' in the second half of the film. However, it comes in very miniscule quantity. Otherwise essentially, IHLS stays on to be light hearted.
Wouldn't you have actually preferred an out and out smile and laugh affair though? Why any 'rona dhona' at all? On the contrary, I myself like to cry when sitting amongst audience. As an audience, when you watch people suffering, you root for them. You think ki arrey yaar, isske saath aage kya hoga and all that. In fact if you ask me, I would have liked a little more 'rona dhona' in the film. But then Punit wanted to keep it light.
I would have liked a little more 'rona dhona' in the film
You seem to be having really different thoughts here. Arrey different kya (smiles). Khud socho, it is only from drama the tension comes on screen. You start thinking ki happy ending hogi ya phir sad ending. When a hero cries, there is this extra something that comes in. This is when it becomes rounded entertainment. However, Punit's (Malhotra - the director) space runs easy; he wants to keep things fun and breezy. Wow, that actually rhymes!
In that aspect, Punit also seems to have reduced the generation gap pretty considerably. The world in IHLS appears to be quite different from what it was 5-10 years back.
Today the generation gap has indeed reduced. In fact the kind of relationship that my generation has with their parents is far easier than the one which was shared between my parents and my grandparents. I can see that for elders belonging to that era, there was a lot more formality whereas for me, it is quite relaxed and casual. There is fun, laughter and general easiness. It's more like meeting them on a friendly basis. This is the way I am
with most of my friends' parents in real life. I can hang out with them. This is what is reflected in IHLS as well.
I am sure you would be looking forward to quite a few people hanging out to catch your flick. After all IHLS also marks a comeback of sorts for you when it comes to following a different route in comparison to both Kidnap and Luck. (Laughs) That you will only know when the film releases. If it does well then you could choose to call it the way it sounds good to everyone!
On Saturday evening after pack-up, a part of Salman's Ready crew in Sri Lanka took off to see Mani Ratnam's Raavan. Salman was also asked to accompany the excited group of actors and technicians.
Says a source, "Initially Salman did show interest in the film. But then when it was time to accompany the rest of the Ready unit, Salman opted out because of the controversial nature of the subject and also the fact that he has earned the wrath of the Tamilians by embracing endorsing and visiting Sri Lanka twice in a month."
More importantly, Raavan is worshipped by certain sections of the Sri Lankan people and the film did raise hackles when released in Sri Lanka.
Understandably, Salman was advised against accompanying his friends for Raavan. Mahesh Manjrekar who's shooting with Salman in Sri Lanka confirms the fact that Salman did not accompany him and the others who saw Raavan on Saturday.
"I went with my friends. But it went very peacefully. I had also heard that the Sri Lankans were offended by the way Raavan was depicted. But there were 500 people in the theatre and they watched in rapt attention."
Since the movie theatres in Sri Lanka do not allow edibles, Manjrekar and his friends had taken their own snacks. "We had a good time. Wish Salman accompanied us."
With Sonam Kapoor out of Edinburgh for Mumbai for the promotion and release of her new film I Hate Luv Storys, shooting for Mausam in Edinburgh slackened up a bit. The hero Shahid Kapoor who also happens to be the director's son decided to take off for a 3-day visit to nearby London. Only Shahid's father Pankaj Kapoor knew about his son's whereabouts while the rest of the unit was kept in the dark about his visit.
Though Shahid maintained before her departure that director Pankaj Kapoor had planned solo sequences with Shahid while waiting for Sonam to return, the fact of the matter is the unit was left with very little to do after Sonam's fleeting return to Mumbai which was planned well in advance.
Says a source, "Shahid didn't have much shooting to do once Sonam left. So he took off for a secret holiday to London for four days."
A co-actor from the unit lets the cat out of the bag, "I don't know what Shahid told others. But the truth is, without Sonam there was little he could do for the camera. Mausam is a love story and 90 percent of the time their scenes are together. With Sonam gone Shahid left for London. For what, we don't know."
Apparently, on his return Shahid was teased mercilessly about his "secret rendezvous".
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