PLAIN TALKING ON BOLLYWOOD

Ayesha Takia

2009-12-22T07:27:00.000-08:00

Mumtaz

2009-12-22T01:37:00.000-08:00

TRISHA - Best & biggest wallpapers

2009-12-22T01:10:00.000-08:00

Hot ANUSHKA SHARMA Filmfare scans

2009-12-22T00:34:00.000-08:00

Hot Actress Calendar 2010

2009-12-18T23:44:00.000-08:00

Mamatha Mohandas stills

2009-12-18T23:20:00.000-08:00

Priyamani, New pic

2009-12-18T23:09:00.000-08:00

Richa Gangopadhyay - Lovely New actress

2009-12-18T22:59:00.000-08:00

Genelia D’Souza At Filmfare Award Images

2009-12-18T22:45:00.000-08:00

The Katrina Kaif-Salman Khan equation

2009-12-07T22:32:00.001-08:00

It is tricky. No doubt about it. Using a man to get a foothold in Bollywood and then getting rid of him when one has more choices. That is what Katrina darling has done. She was a nobody then when she was fresh-faced newcomer in films. Salman noticed her and gave her the breaks. The London girl who could not even speak Hindi, became the top actress in Bollywood.

It is another question why Salman gave her the initial breaks in Bollywood. I am sure it was not brotherly love. Anyway it is not for us to say more on that. People give and take. That is life.

Considering that philosophy of life, is Katrina doing anything wrong in drifting away from Sallu bhaiyya and acting independently. I am sure there are no laws that say that a girl has to marry the guy who gives her the break in Bollywood.

Then why is Katrina cutting away from Sallu miya so carefully? Is it because he has a violent temper and could cause her harm career-wise. After all Salman has many contacts in Bollywood. If that is true then Katrina darling is cowardly, simpering baby doll, who slither her way in life. Can't blame her. Life is tough. And one has to live in this animal world.

Seems unlikely that DEEPIKA and RANBIR KAPOOR will patch up

2009-12-07T21:44:00.000-08:00

YEH TO HONA HI THA! I mean the Deepika-Ranbir break-up. We had said before that Deepika was barking up the wrong tree. Ranbir was not the right guy for her. She was looking for a steady man in her life. Most women are like that. Ranbir is not like that. The guy is ambitious. Work and career come first. Nothing wrong in that. But Ranbir thought Deepika was just another time-pass woman.

Deeps darling understood this when Ranbir continued his philandering, even when the two were supposed to be going steady. Relationship KA KOI MATLAB NAHIN. You say you are going steady with a girl and at the same time you have a girl at every port, so to speak.

Deeps baby is no dumb girl. She is smart, beautiful and talented. She knows she is a success and that there are a hundred and one guys waiting in line panting for her. In other words she is a beautiful lass in demand. The reason she entered into a relationship with Ranbir was because.... The usual reason. Quest for love. True love. And if the guy is successful and handsome; all the better. Deepika darling is not the one night stand kinda girl. DIL SE PYAR KARTI HAI, JISM SE NAHIN.

So when Ranbir did not stop womanising, even after she warned him, pffft! Phut went the relationship! And it does not seem there is going to be re-uniting of the lovers. Deeps darling said that a lot of people miss her when someone mentioned that Ranbir missed her.

“A lot of people miss me. I am just like that.”

These were the lovely girl's exact words. So no chance of a re-union. Until of course, Ranbir rubs his nose in the mud and goes to her on bended knee, and full of real, genuine repentance. But that is unlikely. Ranbir is out to make a career. He is not interested in a real relationship with a woman.

So he will continue with his gallivanting and 'new girl every night' philosophy for now.

Is Bhupathi just one of Lara Dutta's boyfriends?

2009-11-25T22:55:00.001-08:00

The man is the luckiest male in the whole world. Mahesh Bhupathi. The tennis ace. He has got one of the most gorgeous babes in Bollywood! Lara (oooo!) Dutta. What a catch! Lara darling seems to have moved on from Dino too (after Kelly Dorje).

The tennis star and the Bollywood damsel are living together in London. I envy that Bhupathi! Why did Lara pick on Bhupathi of all guys? She says she likes his company. Well the guy must be cracking jokes a minute. Girls like amusing guys. He is hardly a earth-shaker in the looks department.

What does the lovely Lara say about the relationship? She doesn't confirm it. She says Bhupathi is one of the guys she is going around with. What a girl! She is like a sailor. Has a guy in every port!

Akshay Kumar not invited, is Raj Kundra insecure?

2009-11-25T22:18:00.000-08:00

Me thinks there is something fishy about the whole thing. There is love in the air. There has been a happy wedding. Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty are finally married. Everybody is happy. Well not exactly not everybody. Kundra's wife is pretty miffed about the whole thing, remember?

Anyway coming to the point. We have been seeing the happy, smiling faces of the loving couple united in holy matrimony since the last few days in all the newspapers. The fishy part? Akshay Kumar was not invited to the reception! And it was Kundra who said nein! KYON?

We all lesser mortal were under the impression that it was all hunky-dory between Shilpa and the Kumar after they had a reconciliation some months ago. Then why was poor Akki left out? Practically all of Bollywood's who's-who were invited. May be dear Raj is feeling insecure. Shilpa is still ravishing. Akki is still strong, handsome and virile. Ahem! Get the drift? Old love may spark again, who knows! Kundra has all the reason to feel insecure. In the looks department he can at best, be a Om Prakash, compared to a dashing Feroz Khan (Akshay Kumar).

AMRITA RAO'S 'Maxim' shoot

2009-10-29T08:19:00.000-07:00

The lady has gone in for a glamorous avatar since her SEEDHI-SAADI Indian look in flicks like Vivaah was getting her nowhere. The hot look in Shortkut did not salvage the film (it was a lousy film). Now Amrita Rao appears in the bible of glamor pics, Maxim. Enjoy!

Deepika Padukone's insecurity is making her over-possessive

2009-10-29T07:39:00.000-07:00

Who would have guessed that beneath that beautiful face lay an insecure woman? Yes I talk of Deepika Padukone!

Now that the rumors of an imminent Ranbir-Deepika split are flying to and fro, I thought it fit to call a spade a spade. Deepika Padukone the beauty queen, the darling of the ramp and every film glossy is an insecure woman.

No man likes a possessive, nagging girlfriend. Ranbir Kapoor is a normal guy who has every right to get bugged with the over-possessiveness of an insecure girlfriend. Deepika had created a ruckus when at the Bachna Ae Hasino function, Bipasha Basu had gone on-stage with Ranbir. Quite a natural thing to do as Bipasha was in the flick too. But Deepika had kicked up a fuss, which only subsided when Bips raised an eyebrow and Deeps realised that she was being silly.

And Deepika has become insecure about Katrina from the time Ranbir started the shoot for Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani with her. OK, agreed there many juicy stories of the two getting cosy, but then Deeps should just make up her mind and dump Ranbir if she thinks he is a many-women man.

She should stop making a public TAMASHA, whenever Katrina does or say anything with Ranbir. After all they have to publicise the Raj Kumar Santoshi film.

And if Ranbir is really drifting away from Deepika and getting close to Katrina (he better watch out for Salman Khan!), then she should accept it and separate from Ranbir, rather than throwing tantrums.

Grow up Deepika.

SHAMITA SHETTY gives 'Man' photo-shoot to boost her career!

2009-09-30T07:52:00.000-07:00

Shamita Shetty has been around Bollywood for quite some time now, since her Mohabattein debut. But sadly she is still a struggler. None of her subsequent flicks have clicked at the box-office. Her career is in dire straits. Sister Shilpa wants to give a heave-up to her dear sis by producing a film for her. But when Bipasha Basu was approached for a co-starring role (action film, two women go bang-bang stuff, I guess), she refused! Who wants to co-star with a loser?

So Shamita has again done what she is good at. She has done a photo-shoot for a magazine.Man magazine this time! It was Maxim a few months ago. Sad! Sigh!

Photo-shoots don't make a successful film career, do they?

SALMAN KHAN buries the gauntlet! War with SHAHRUKH to end?

2009-09-30T07:29:00.000-07:00

The unthinkable has happened! Just a month ago, Salman had snapped at a reporter when he had asked a question about Shahrukh Khan. SRK had said before that he and Sallubhai would never become friends.

Then suddenly lo and behold! Salman praises SRK on his show Dus Ka Dum! He said some very nice things about Shahrukh. That he has the most romantic eyes that any girl would fall for. That he was the best when it came to romantic films. That he was a PUCCA professional.

Phew! What fulsome praise! Wonder what led to Salman's change of heart? Was it the producers of Dus Ka Dum who pushed him to say all this to jack up ratings of the show? Or was it Katrina who laid down the condition that fights with anyone is an absolute no-no if Salman harbors any dreams of wooing her?

God knows.

I wonder how Shahrukh will respond? That guy was very suave and witty during the JHAGDA, unlike Salman who lost his cool may a time.

Miss India World Pooja Chopra to make Bollywood debut?

2009-09-30T06:57:00.000-07:00

Vashu Bhagnani KA PUTAR, Jackky (What a name!) Bhagnani had a flop debut in Kal KissneDekha. This despite the full backing of papa and having a beauty like Miss India International Vaishali Desai as co-star!

Papa Bhagnani has not lost heart and wants to make another flick with dear Jackky (KYA NAAM HAI!) called Faltu! (Hope this attempt too does not turn out to be faltu!). And papa thinks if he can get a hot new girl opposite his son, his career will be made.

Rumors are Miss India World Pooja Chopra is in the reckoning. Said a source,

"They auditioned for a couple of new faces but have zeroed down on Pooja. She was finalized in an audition that had at least a dozen Bollywood aspirants contending for the role. Having done a couple of commercials, Chopra had the perfect face; the production house was looking for."

High hopes! Anyway we will at least get to see the gorgeous Pooja on the silver screen.

BIPASHA BASU has her bosom grasped at!

2009-09-30T06:24:00.000-07:00

There are many perils of being a cine star. Bipasha Basu understood this only too well when she went to a Santa Cruz Durga Puja pandal with her beau John Abraham. The lady was full of devotion and wanted to offer her prayers to the goddess.

But there lurked, it seems, a pervert who was full of ungodly feelings. As Bipasha went up to the stage to say her prayers, the guy made a grab at her breasts! Before any one could react, the man had dissolved into the crowd.

Bips was livid! She wanted to make a police complaint. But the level-headed John understood that there was no point in making a hue and cry about the whole thing. How on earth could the police find the breast-groper?

So John calmed down the agitated Bips and escorted her away.

Some sick guys get their perverse kicks from doing such low a thing! It takes all types to make this world, I guess. This incident reminded me of the molestation two NRG women had to endure near Juhu beach a couple of years ago on New Years.

Has SAMEERA REDDY got her lips operated upon?

2009-09-28T00:59:00.000-07:00

Sameera Reddy's lips look fuller in recent pictures. That is why my mind ran towards such a conclusion. Has she gone for lip surgery like she went for surgery to get rid of her generous curves? (What a pity. We all loved the curves. Why, Sameera!).

But it seems there has been no lip surgery. A friend of the lady stoutly maintains,

"Sameera hasn't done any lip surgery. It's because she has lost weight drastically in the last three months that her face looks more chiseled and lips fuller.

Sameera is more blunt!

"I haven't done anything to my lips! Are you joking?"

OK! We get the point!

Have SALMAN and KATRINA parted ways for good?

2009-09-28T00:43:00.000-07:00

That is how it seems. It is said that Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif behaved like strangers at the Kanjeevaran success party. Salman came in without his ladylove and posed for the cameras. Strangely, Katrina came in with designer Rocky S. The couple didn't interact with each other during the entire party.

It seems it is finally KATTI between the two.

Or is it just another lovers' tiff and both are just sulking? Devious are the ways of lovers!

Worried SHAHRUKH KHAN prefers to do action flick 'Ra 1'

2009-09-28T00:15:00.000-07:00

Perhaps the alarm bells were beginning to ring loudly for Shahrukh Khan. The other two Khans had done action flicks (Ghajini and Wanted) and hit the jackpot. Shahrukh did the softie flick Rab Ne Bana and hit the jackpot. The point is SRK understands that change and variety is a must for surviving in Bollywood. Do you remmenber any action flick from the Khan recently? No? That is the point.

So after finishing My Name is Khan, instead of doing Farah Khan Happy New Year, he has opted for the all-out action flick Ra 1 (KYA NAAM HAI!) to be directed by Anubhav Sinha (Cash, Dus).

Of course SRK is nmot going to tell you this. He puts it this way,

“I want to put on my tights and my kids blanket on my back. I want to do this film for my children. I’ve always wanted [^] to make a superhero film, but I never had six-pack-abs. Now that I have them, I want to do this. It’s not an animation film, as many people believe; I would like to clarify that. It’s a live action film.'”

Lovely DEEPIKA PADUKONE in 'Cineblitz' September issue!

2009-09-03T00:03:00.000-07:00

Deepika Padukone is the new heart-throb of Bollywood. Love Aaj Kal has propelled her to the stratosphere of the industry. We knew she could act. And she is a very beautiful girl. Just see the September 2009 issue of the film glossy Cineblitz.

Mr. Bharat Manoj Kumar and Farah Khan clash again!

2009-08-27T01:08:00.000-07:00

Mr. Bharat of yore, Manoj Kumar and director Farah Khan have clashed again! It may be recollected that they had clashed before for the caricature of Manoj in Farah's film Om Shanti Om. Then Mr. Bharat had slapped a court case and won.

This time luckily the war was merely verbal. It started when Farah Khan had said that Manoj’s flick Clerk, was “a treasure chest of ham scenes”.

Manoj Kumar struck back swiftly and sharply. Said he,

“Ham means pig. I am still a student of cinema. Farah is bubbly and successful and she is entitled to her opinion. I wish her well but those who think that they have become masters (after becoming successful) are wrong. Go back and take a look at the choreographers who ruled the roost in my era. I think Farah should first learn to spell choreography. Keeping the same background and repeating the same shots is not choreography. It means that a song should take the story forward. If you don’t know that, you have no right to choreograph a song.”
“Nowadays, writers copy old films and nonchalantly walk away with awards. I have no respect for anybody who is not original, irrespective of the fate of his/her product at the box-office,”

“What films has Farah made? Main Hoon Na? Good. But Om Shanti Om was just idli, sambar and dosa of Madhumati, Mahal and many other films.”

This time Farah avoided a fight with a tame "I have high regard for Manoj Kumar".

Miss Universe Stefania Fernandez Krupij thinks women have reached equality with men!

2009-08-27T00:49:00.000-07:00

New Miss Universe, 18-year-old Stefania Fernandez Krupij, is either too young or too naive. This is clear from her answer to a very pointed question.

Vogue editor Andre Leon Talley had asked her: “In many parts of the world, obstacles still exist that stop women from achieving their goals. What can women do to overcome this?”

In her response, Miss Krupij simply disagreed with Talley and said she believed that women have “reached the same level as men” and “we must realize that there are no longer barriers amongst us (women)."

This is wishful thinking! Men and women are hardly equal in the world of today. Women have still a long struggle ahead before they can say that have gained equal status with men. Miss Krupij seems to be living in utopia!

Naseeruddin bored of acting in Bollywood films with "copied" scripts

2009-08-27T00:25:00.000-07:00

Naseeruddin Shah is one of India's talented actors. When he talks about acting, people listen. Because he talks sense. Let us listen to what he has to say...

"(I'm) terribly fatigued at the thought of acting in movies. Movie acting is the most boring job in the world. No one would do it if it weren't for the money. Nature has saved me from major stardom"

He thanks his stars for that!

And why is he so bored of acting? Lousy, copied scripts.

"We do not exactly produce the greatest scripts in the world. We are still content to churn out what the hacks who pass off as writers in the film industry (write based) on the last Hollywood film they have seen"

But there is hope yet, says Naseer.

"there are a number of youngsters who are producing promising scripts,' especially in the comedy genre"

There is hope for Bollywood!

The many avatars of Priyanka Chopra in 'What's Your Rashee'

2009-08-26T01:16:00.000-07:00

The plot of the movie
What’s Your Raashee? is the story of Yogesh Patel, a young man who in his heart has always wanted a love marriage. Till suddenly he is told that he must find his dream girl within ten days to save his family from utter ruin.

Finding the dream girl is tough enough. Finding her in a hurry is even tougher.

His solution is simple; he will meet one girl from each raashee – sun sign, as he feels that is the best way to make sure he finds a suitable wife, while also giving himself twelve chances to fall in love. Two meetings per day gives him six days to meet them, three days to make a final decision and he can get married on the tenth day, or so he thinks.

Great Bollywood quotes of the week/" 'Dhan te nan' is my song" - Bhardwaj

2009-08-25T00:53:00.000-07:00

" I am very surprised by the fact that Ekta didn't even come in the top 15. Indian beauties have always managed to come in either top five or top ten. But this is a complete surprise "
-- Designer Ritu Kumar

"It was hard for me to relate to my character in the film since I'm a completely different in real life. Nasreen, my character, is conservative. That's the opposite of me"
-- Ayesha Kapoor on her role in 'Sikandar'

"(Kaminey) catapults Indian cinema in modernity beyond (Quentin) Tarantino"
-- Shekhar Kapur

"Will Elesh be able to support me financially? I don't want him to be known as Rakhi Sawant's husband. I need time. I agree Elesh is educated and he comes from a wealthy family. But all of it belongs to his father. He has nothing of his own in Mumbai, not even a home. He needs time to settle down"
-- Rakhi Sawant

"Shahid is one of the most promising actors on the block. With 'Vivaah' and 'Jab We Met' he established himself as a very good actor and a star. Now with 'Kaminey', he is in the A-league; he is definitely someone who will compete for the number one throne at a later date"
-- Meena Iyer, national Bollywood editor, The Times of India

"All the credit goes to me for the impact of 'Dhan te nan'. Of course, I needed the right singers, actors and technicians. But finally it's my vision that you see in the song. It's not Shahid Kapoor propelling the song forward. It's the entire packaging"
-- 'Kaminey' director Vishal Bhardwaj

"I can never be like my father (in terms of acting)...he is way beyond anyone to be like him. I don't even have any aspirations to be like him because I know that's not happening. I just hope whenever my father sees my films, he likes my work"
-- Shahid Kapur on his father, famous actor Pankaj Kapur

"I consider myself my biggest competition. I don't think anyone else is in my league at all in terms of what I'm doing. I have done eight Hindi films in eight years and somehow people remember all the names and the characters I played in them. By and large it is an achievement. I'm happy with that"
-- Actor R Madhavan

"It's not the politics of the film. It's when the film moves you on a human and emotional level that matters. 'My Name Is Khan' endeavours to do just that. I don't think Fox was swayed by the positive message. It's the human aspect that won them over"
-- Karan Johar on rumors that Fox Studios is trying to give the Islamic world a positive image in the West by buying 'My Name Is Khan'.

Shekhar Kapur praises 'Kaminey...After a fight, Shahrukh buddy becomes Salman's pal!...

2009-08-25T00:22:00.000-07:00

Despite that the 'Kaminey' (pun intended) director Vishal Bhardwaj and actor Shahid Kapur came to blows while discussing promos, the film is a big hit. And it has got high praise from Shekhar Kapur. For those unaware let me tell you Kapur is India's only world famous international director. He compares Kaminey to a Quentin Tarentino flick. He says the film "catapults Indian cinema in modernity beyond (Quentin) Tarantino". Nice that an Bollywood film is getting such high praise. Bollywood is finally coming into its own.

Mushtaq Shiekh with Salman Khan's sister Alvira and nephew Nirvaan at the charity football match

Shahrukh Khan's former buddy Mushtaq Sheikh has crossed over to the enemy lines, so to speak. It seems SRK and this Mushtaq guy had a quarrel and it is KATTI between them. So he has gone and become Salman Khan's pal! Mushtaq was part of Salman's Being Human team at the charity football match for Salman Khan Foundation on Aug 15 and was seen mingling with Sallu’s family, just like he use to hang out with SRK’s clan. Mushtaq Shiekh, a former film journalist, was a part of SRK’s inner circle for many years. In fact, he even co-wrote the screenplay of Farah Khan’s “Om Shanti Om” and has written two books on Shah Rukh – ‘Still Reading Khan” and “Shah Rukh Can”.

Kim Sharma-Yuvraj Singh romance on!...Randeep plays a Shiney type character!...End of India's Miss Universe hopes...

2009-08-24T06:18:00.000-07:00

The part two of the Kim Sharma-Yuvraj Singh love story is going strong! Some folks spotted the two at a suburban cafe where the cosy twosome had many a cup of coffee and then went together for a long drive. You folks will recollect that the part one of the romance had ended on a sour note with Yuvraj's mom acting the catalyst which made it curtains for the love story. Kim was then heart broken and came back to Bollyland with a vengeance (but with little success). Now about the part two of the love story. Will it end in a walk in the holy aisle? Or will Yuvraj flit away again as soon as he spots a new beautiful butterfly? Time will tell.

Randeep Hooda is playing a reel life character similar to Shiney Ahuja's real life exploits! In a film Khichdi he woos a bai played by Sonali Kulkarni! Cashing on the news these folks are!

PHUT! That's what has happened to India's hopes at the ongoing Miss Universe contest. India's Ekta Chaudhary failed to make it even to the final fifteen. After Sushmita Sen, Aishwarya Rai and Lara Dutta, standards are falling. Don't tell me India has stopped producing beautiful women! Ekta never seemed promising enough. What's happening?

Katrina falls in Houston!...Salman Khan wants children!...Priyanka Chopra off on a holiday...Aishwarya's mobile crashes!

2009-08-24T05:21:00.000-07:00

Stardom is not a bed of roses. Katrina Kaif understood this well when she was knocked down in Houston by a 12 year boy (must be a heavy kid!) who was enthusiastically trying to reach her. Kats says with a smile that she was surprised but did not mind the fall as it showed the love of fans for her. Boy! It must have hurt! But can't afford to make a noise about it, eh? Thins down the fan base, you know.

Salman Khan seems to getting old now! He says he wants to marry and have kids. He gives his philosophy on the institution of marriage. He says people marry either for love, romance or for having children (Ahem, he did not mention another reason! Or does it come under romance!?). He wants to marry for kids. He sounds like one of the characters in one of those boring Bollywood social dramas of the seventies. VANSH BADANE KE LIYE BACHA CHAHIYE! Katrina Kaif, are you listening?

Priyanka Chopra is off on a 20 day holiday soon. The destination? Well, somewhere far from India. We do not know the exact location. Her Kaminey is doing well and her career is on track firmly now. So Priyanka is taking her doctor's advice and taking a break. She has been falling ill frequently nowadays. The doctor says it is stress that is causing it. So Priyanka is off with family, friends (no Shahid Kapur) and parents.

Something else collapsed too. Aishwarya Rai's mobile phone. After pa-in-law Amitabh Bachchan wrote in his blog that Ash was down with flu, some over-enthusiastic news channels came up with stories that it was swine flu she had got! Frantic fans dashed off scores of get well messages and the poor little gadget finally crashed! But stay happy. It was ordinary flu and not the bovine version that Ash had contacted. She is fine now.

SHAZAHN PADAMSEE: New girl in Bollyland!

2009-08-24T04:52:00.000-07:00

There is a hot new girl in Bollyland. She is Shazahn Padamsee. Yeah, you guessed it right! She is the daughter of ad legend Alyque Padamsee and pop diva Sharon Prabhakar. She appears opposite Ranbir Kapoor in Yashraj's Rocket Singh directed by Shimit Amin.

The girl has been doing theatre all this time (in the genes, you see!). 21-year-old Shazahn has also been helping her parents with their play productions. Her Bollyland appearances will not mean that it is goodbye to theatre.

A dream start, must say! She looks great. She's going to go places.

PREITY ZINTA Life size!

2009-08-24T00:44:00.000-07:00

I guess only Ness must have seen her closer than this!

DIA MIRZA life size!

2009-08-24T00:39:00.000-07:00

I am sure many of you would love to meet DIA MIRZA in flesh and blood. Here is the second best option. A HUGE pic of her. Enjoy!

Lovely Bengali actress INDRANI HALDAR

2009-08-24T00:32:00.000-07:00

This post is for those whose personal taste in women goes eastward. I mean they like their women Bengali. Here is a good specimen, Indrani Haldar. Not the grade A types but nice. Balm to the eyes.

New yummy pics of Namitha!

2009-08-24T00:18:00.000-07:00

There is no other like NAMITHA! She steals you sleep and torments you physically in your dreams. I hardly know of any woman who has created an upsurge in the testosterone levels in so many men!

Slurpy SOPHIE CHAUDHARY in 'Maxim'

2009-08-23T23:48:00.000-07:00

There were more pictures in the Maxim photo shoot but these two were the once which I found which had the 'grrr' value.

Enjoy!

Delicious KAREENA KAPOOR in 'Kambakkt Ishq'

2009-08-23T23:28:00.000-07:00

Kareena Kapoor is a great gal! No doubt about that. I mean that is why she has Saif Ali Khan with his tongue out after her! Can't blame the guy!

Here are some great snaps of the lady from Kambakkht Ishq. Lovely!

Vidya Balan loses weight. Hardly good news!

2009-08-18T07:07:00.000-07:00

Vidya Balan lost Rs 3 lakhs recently. She has slimmed down, you see and has reduced her waist by four inches. And she can't wear her old dresses. She has been forced to discard outfits by Sabysachi, Priyadarshini Rao and Abu Sandeep worth three lakhs.

But that is not what bothers me. The relevant point here is the slimmer version of Vidya Balan more desirable?

I am sure there will be many folks who will love her new avatar. Personally, I have my reservations.

I am not saying a balloon like Vidya had me ecstatic. But she has that Indian look. And some flesh does look good on her. That is her charm, her secret which attracts us all.

I am afraid that in her quest for size zero she will end up looking withered like Kareena Kapoor did before she wisely dropped her size zero obsession.

Give me the curvy Vidya any day.

Shahrukh Khan took all of us for a ride!

2009-08-18T06:36:00.000-07:00

The guy was detained for exactly 66 minutes at Newark airport according to US customs. Shahrukh Khan says he was detained for two hours.

The US customs say it is standard drill for them to question folks whose luggage does not arrive on the same flight that they arrive in.

I see nothing wrong in what the US customs guys did. Then why did Shahrukh Khan create such a ruckus about the whole thing? Even the Indian government asked the US for an explanation.

Why?

Is it because Shahrukh thinks he is a big man and should not be bothered even when the US customs was doing their job? A show of the clout he holds?

Or was the whole thing done to publicise his upcoming new flick My name is Khan? Seems very likely.

It seems Shahrukh has taken us all for a ride.

Chitrangada Singh sells wafers! Nothing else?

2009-08-08T00:28:00.000-07:00

I know that by writing this I am unwittingly publicising the wafer brand of Pepsi Cola Co. But I am writing this because of a very beautiful woman called Chitrangada Singh. I guess the Frito-Lay folks sign up people like her precisely for that reason.

May be I have 'walked into the trap' but what the hell! Chitrangada is one hell of a gal!

So here goes! Chitrangada Singh has become the new brand ambassador of Frito-Lays wafers. She joins the esteemed group of people like Saif Ali Khan, Juhi Chawla, Kareena Kapoor and M.S. Dhoni who are also part of the Frito Lay family.

The lady says like a automated tape, "I am extremely excited to be a part of the new communication campaign for Aliva. This product has really great spicy flavours and the delightful part is that it's baked with wheat and daal. It is a perfect product for people like me and makes for a great tea time snack."

Well she is not going to make me eat Frito-Lays wafers! That's for sure.

Coming to Chitrangada. She is talented. She is beautiful. She showed that in "Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi". But she went off-track after that and because of her husband took a SANYAS from Bollywood for a few years.

Losing the crucial years in the prime of her youth. Not very wise. But the reason she has been able to come back to Bollywood is her heart-stopping beauty. That is the reason I wrote this piece about her. And that is why you are reading it.

But as far I know she does not have many films in her kitty. Good luck to her. I would love to watch her on screen again.

Hollywood scriptwriters head to India

2009-08-08T00:06:00.000-07:00

The success of 'Slumdog millionaire' has changed the way the world (especially the US) looks at India. more relevantly the film proved that films based on India can be money spinners.

This has led to more interest in Hollywood to know more about Bollywood. Hollywood script guru Chadwick Clough who runs a 'script' company called Script P.I.M.P (Pipeline Into Motion Pictures) was in India recently to collaborate with Indian script company ScriptWalla workshop, founded by Hollywood filmmaker Ben Rekhi and Bollywood scriptwriter KamleshPandey.

The idea is to sell India-centric scipts to Hollywood and may be to Bollywood producers too. Anyway, since the last few years Bollywood has begun to understand the importance of a good sci pt to ensure commercial success.

We hope we will get to see more Bollywood flicks with great scripts. About India-centric films in Hollywood, I would not call Slumdog Millionaire a film that did India proud. It was about slums after all. India is much more than that.

Shilpa Shetty gets kissed again!

2009-08-06T07:09:00.000-07:00

I wonder what does Shilpa Shetty has that men of all professions and ages go kissy with her whenever they get the chance.

On second thoughts, there is no mystery. Shilpa Shetty excites the male hormones like nothing else does. The priest included. May be I am a cynical dirty guy. But I know I am right.

The kiss pushed all the other controversies about Shilpa's visit to Sakhi Gopal temple. Like bringing in shooting equipments which are not allowed. Wearing shoes inside etc.

Jai ho, Shilpa Shetty!

Sunny Deol should have sued the radio station earlier!

2009-08-06T06:54:00.000-07:00

It was vulgar and it was personal! The radio spots called 'Son Sunny' that appeared on Big FM. I used to squirm whenever I heard them. The father drinking, farting and then snoozing off while the son cried about his woes. The targets were clearly Sunny Deol and Dharmendra. I wonder why Sunny took so long to act. The FM guys must have thought out things from before. I mean the legal angle. Let us see what happens.

Will be interesting.

Rakhi and Elesh don't fool me!

2009-08-06T06:25:00.000-07:00

OK! Great show and we all enjoyed it. I talk of Rakhi Ka Swayamvar.' Both Rakhi Sawant and Elesh Parujanwala say they love each other and would love to marry each other.

But they are not going to! It is just a show, you see. So while Rakhi says she is ready to marry the guy today, Elesh provides the escape route.

He says, “Rakhi has already become the centre of my life. I love her but I just need to know her better so we can sort out our differences before we spend out life together.”

Ahhh!

In the meantime they are to appear in another show based on the UK reality show 'The Baby Borrowers.'

Watch the drama and enjoy! But don't be taken in by the balderdash. Both are getting a lot of money!

Wedding bells will not ring out. Seems highly unlikely.

'Kaminey' director changes climax!

2009-08-06T06:05:00.000-07:00

No I have not seen an advance copy of the film yet! Nor is Vishal Bharadwaj my CHADI YAAR! But the news in the gossip circuit is circulating that 'Kaminey' director (I don't mean what you think, dirty mind!) Vishal Bharadwaj has changed the climax.

It seems the twins unite in the end. I guess they were not supposed to hug and kiss in the earlier version. That is all I know too, but I can tell you one thing. This Kaminey guy is confused!

First he and his hero Shahid Kapur gave GANDI GAALIS to each other and almost came to fisticuffs; now he changes the film's ending!

Looks like both the director and actor are confused! Kaminey!

War of the Khans! Aamir Khan v/s Saif Ali Khan now!

2009-08-06T05:45:00.000-07:00

The Khans never change! They are always at each other's throat! One of them does a little well and one or the other starts fingering!

It is Aamir Khan who has made the crack at chote nawab. Aamir happened to go to catch Love Aaj Kal at a nearby multiplex. While coming out someone asked him what he thought of the flick. Aamir smiled and said politely that he had liked the trailer of Life Partner.

Ouch!

Saif Ali Khan is hopping mad as expected! Only Kareena can tell how much crockery has been broken and how much balder has her beau got (One tears one's hair when frustrated, dumbo!).

Expect some fireworks between these two Khans!

Jannat actress Sonal slapped at airport

2008-05-21T22:39:00.000-07:00

Model turned actress Sonal Chauhan who stars in Jannat with Emran Hashmi experienced Hell at Mumbai airport when she was allegedly slapped by her good friend Sahil Jaru in the witness of all.

The incident took place at Santa Cruz terminal of Mumbai airport on Tuesday evening. The story goes as Sonal went to collect her boarding pass of Jet airways for Hyderabad. While collecting the pass, Sonal and Sahil had a strong argument regarding some issue and Sahil started screaming at her and abused her in the presence of all. He even snatched her mobile phone and threw it away. When the fight gained momentum, he slapped her and walked out of the terminal.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) guards ran after him and caught Sahil. Both were taken to the police station and a case was filed. Though Sahil is a carpet dealer by profession, his name is already registered in the charge sheet for supplying drugs, cocaines and heroines. Investigation is going on and it is not yet known how Sonal is connection to the drug mafia and what made Sahil hit her.

'Krazzy 4' case highlights Bollywood's copyright woes

2008-04-15T06:03:00.000-07:00

Musician Ram Sampat's Rs 2 crore out of court settlement with filmmaker Rakesh Roshan for alleged plagiarism has again highlighted Bollywood's ignorance of copyright laws.

Many industry people hailed the decision even though some were against the way Sampat went about securing his rights. The industry reacts:

Subhash Ghai: "Though I've no right to comment on this case without knowing the inside story I must say we sometimes mistake an inspired re-worked version of a song or film as our own original work of art without realizing the complications of copyright laws.

It's no secret that we in this country have been adapting and re-working on music and movies completely ignorant of the laws. This case has warned us about the future. However I'm sure Rajesh Roshan is talented enough not to pick on anyone's work.
source

Bollywood is a hit in Poland!

2008-04-15T06:02:00.000-07:00

The Bollywood in Poland April Film Festival has fulfilled all the hopes and dreams of the organisers with tickets long-since sold-out. There has always been a big Bollywood fan following in Poland with many Bollywood dance clubs and parties. This enthusiasm was reinforced during the time that Fanaa was filmed in the tourist area of Zakopane. The current festival that has just ended showed movies in 11 cities: Bromberg, Cracow, Elbl±g, Gdansk, Poznan, Rybnik, Stettin, Warsaw, Wloclawek, Wroclaw and Zabrze.

The movies included some of the best of 2007 - Guru, Yuva, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom and Chak de India. "It is a great chance to catch up with the latest Bollywood crop," Janusz Krzyzowski, president of Indian Polish Cultural Committee, said, "My wife, Gabriella, will be present every day to enjoy Bollywood masala films."

source

Girl power in Bollywood

2008-04-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

KAREENA KAPOOR'S sudden price hike has thrown Bollywood into a tizzy. If tinsel town is all about the moolah, then Kapoor seems to be ruling the roost. Success of Jab We Met has allowed this queen-in-waiting the opportunity to sink her teeth into that elusive pie. And what's more, the producers are falling over themselves to meet her demands at her price!

Queen B Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was earlier known to ask for a heavy paycheck. While fees femme fatales quote are nowhere close to the hunks, the brat pack led by Kareena, is effortlessly breaking all Bollywood myths and setting new benchmarks.

Female actors have most often been looked at as the proverbial extra limb in the entire film. Producers were known to hem and haw where the lead heroine's fee was concerned. Casting coups failed because filmmakers did not adjust their budget for the leading lady’s demands.

Actress Hrishitta Bhatt is happy. "I think women have definitely come into their own. With good storylines and author backed performances, they are delivering hits and carrying the film on their shoulders. So the fee quoted by them is completely justified. Producers too understand and are willing to pay now."

Director Imtiaz Ali explains, "I think women deserve a lot more - in terms of money, footage and attention. I would be very happy to see them achieve what they want to." He underlines that Bollywood is a male-dominated industry making it difficult for the female actor to rise and shine the way she should. "Women in the industry have always been relegated to secondary roles, thanks to the general belief that male actors who are crowd pullers." Yesteryear heroines like Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit reaped huge dividends, but were nowhere near their contemporary male actors. Their fees barely matched the sixth or seventh highest paid hero.

So, what's the difference now?

Tanuja Chandra, director and filmmaker, says that the Bollywood market was always money and men-driven. Today, the market is changing because the end consumer is changing. "Everyone is interested in the end result. Today, the consumer too is willing to spend more on different stuff catered to him/her. Thus, female leads are able to do more, quote more, get more."

But, the industry insiders differ. They think that the Bollywood box office ticks faster and more for male actors. Publicist of Hrithik Roshan, Shilpa Shetty and Vivek Oberoi, agrees. "This industry is extremely male dominated and will remain so. In a way that gap has lessened. However, I believe that there are only a handful of female actors who can demand that kind of money. The industry has become less male-dominated than before, but a complete turn around is something that I don't see happening in a long time to come."

Disgrees Chandra, "I don't think so. People are willing to pay to see Kareena, Preity, Ash as much as a Shah Rukh or Hrithik. Kareena deserves to hike her price. The disparity exists in the minds of the industry folks and not in the minds of the audience."

And what about the world of advertising, which cannot do without celebrity endorsements? Would the ad-world give big bucks to these ladies?

"The advertising world is extremely suffocating. I reckon that female actors will have to rough it out. They definitely don't earn as much as their male counterparts and the likelihood that they will do that is distant. Women are used as commodities here. It's a tough climb and will take some time," says adman Prahlad Kakkar.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh endorses this view, "Earlier, too, women got paid more but were never anywhere close to their male counterparts. Even today they might demand more than the fourth ranking actor and producers would be willing to pay. But surely not more than the top paid male in the industry."

The market dynamics are surely undergoing a massive change. Female leads have no qualms flaunting their price tags.

Are their male counterparts happy with the changing scenario?

"Yes, of course! At least I am," says Jimmy Shergill, one of the lead actors of today. “It's great to see women empowerment, especially in the figures. In fact, I would only support it and hope that it only gets better from here," he adds.

Are the badshahs of the Bollyworld listening?
source

Kareena romancing somebody other than Saif?

2008-04-04T04:41:00.000-07:00

Is Kareena Kapoor two timing or double crossing Saif Ali Khan in Tashan? Well, the film has been a cynosure of all eyes right from day one. It was this film that brought Bebo close to Chhote Nawab and cut off from Shahid Kapoor.

This film has been enjoying publicity since it was launched, as it has Kareena and Saif in the lead roles. Incidentally, it was on the sets of Tashan that the two fell in love, and they have been together ever since. The the movie stills and media talks about Saif-Kareena's reel life added salt and pepper to their off-screen love story. It also gave an obvious indication that Kareena will romance Saif in the film.

Now, looking at the latest promos of the film, it appears that Bebo may romance Akki (Akshay Kumar) also on screen. Trailers denote that she may play a two-timer and double cross real life beau in reel life.
SOURCE

DON'T CALL HER ASH: JAYAJI

2008-04-04T04:37:00.000-07:00

That was Jaya Bachchan’s admonishment when reporters tried getting her daughter-in-law’s attention at a recent art show. Mum-in-law feels only those near and dear to the international beauty have the right to call her Ash. Fans not included, unfortunately. The two of them had a great time checking out the artwork together, but they just missed Aishwarya’s mother, who stepped in only moments after they made their exit.

Anyway, it was probably a good opportunity for Jaya-ji and Ash… um, Aishwarya, to strengthen their bond.

source

Ekta couldn't say no to me: Tusshar Kapoor

2008-04-04T04:35:00.000-07:00

That Ekta Kapoor, the camera-shy czarina of the home medium, is all set to do her first acting role is not new. But very few know that it was her brother who convinced her to take it up.

Earlier, Tusshar had coaxed father Jeetendra out of retirement to play his son's dad in 'Kucch To Hai'. Sis Ekta was a harder nut to crack.

Tusshar told IANS: 'But Ekta couldn't say no to me. Besides, the role is tailormade for her. You see, she plays Ekta Kapoor in the film. And who else but Ekta Kapoor can play Ekta?'

'It's for our home production 'C Kompany'. We're doing this rib-tickling satire on the underworld featuring Anupam Kher, Rajpal Yadav and I. Mithun Chakraborty plays an underworld don,' added the doting brother affectionately.

'It's just a cameo. And it won't take up much of Ekta's time.'

Ekta laughs delightedly about her acting debut.

'I'm giving them some time this week to shoot my scenes. It's a small role and how could I say no to my brother? I don't turn him down for anything. My scenes are with Mithun Chakbraborty. So you can imagine how nervous I am,' said Ekta.

Donning different caps seems to be the order of the Friday.

While Ekta is gearing up for her acting debut, director Farhan Akhtar is currently facing the camera for the hardcore rock musical 'Rock On'. And last but not the least, Himesh Reshammiya is busy singing, acting and composing.

source

Salman Khan Gets Serious About Work

2008-04-04T04:32:00.000-07:00

If the buzz is to be believed, then reformed Salman Khan has turned serious as far his work is concerned. According to our sources, Salman is working with sincerity and dedication for his home production, Main Aur Mrs. Khanna, which also features Kareena Kapoor and Sohail Khan. Now, Salman reaches the sets on time and does not tolerate anyone wasting time. That is not all, he is also among the last to leave the sets.
source

Berkshires after dark: Dance night in Bollywood

2008-04-03T23:41:00.000-07:00

PITTSFIELD — Pittsfield revelers had their pick of nightlife last Saturday from Brooklyn bands at Dottie's Coffee Lounge to brews and a revamped menu at the recently reopened Pittsfield Brew Works.
But for me and my date, after a brief stop in Brix for absinthe (the legal kind), it was a Bollywood night all the way.

House of India proprietor Manoj Kamble said the turnout at the recent Bollywood Disco Dance Party at Mass MoCA was inspiring.

"There was something like 600 people there for Bollywood music which was impressive," he said.

For those of who may be a bit fuzzy on Indian culture, Bollywood is the term for the massive film industry based in Bombay (now Mumbai) — the Hollywood of India.

Dazzling dance numbers and carefully orchestrated soundtracks are signatures of the Bollywood movie.

Two weeks ago, after Kamble had a chance meeting with Pittsfield newcomer Roopak Kandasamy a.k.a. DJ Phanatik, they decided Saturday was as good as any time to hold a "Bollywood Nights" dance party at the North Street restaurant.

We arrived around 11 p.m. to a $3 cover and a scene that was just starting to heat up.

The restaurant's center tables were pushed aside for dancing, which was already taking place. The crowd was mostly 20- and 30-somethings, with a few hip, ageless faces.
The main lights were turned down and a few disco lights and Bollywood videos were flicked on for effect. But the golden-pink rose petals and stick-on bindis (a type of jewel placed in the center of the forehead) scattered on the tables are what made me smile.

Most guys sipped on bottled beers, but the Bombay Bellini (champagne and mango nectar), served by fabulous bartender Becky, seemed overwhelmingly popular with the women.

DJ Phanatik's blend of Bollywood, bhangra, and Top 40 mixes seemed to be crowd-pleasing, albeit jumpy (Phanatik said it's been a while since he last deejayed).

"I think people responded to the Indian music really well," he said, noting that U.S. rap producers like Jay-Z and Dr. Dre have cashed in with Hindi-tinged hits like "Beware of the Boys" and "Addictive."

Phanatik said anyone who likes an eclectic range of music should enjoy a Bollywood party.

"The producers there are into the artistic. Classical, hip-hop, electronica — you name it, they'll run with it," he said.

In our case, we managed to cut a rug with it — literally. The already small dance floor was carpeted, which made some movements a little tricky.

Also, as more and more people filtered in, the room felt a little sticky.

But overall, I had a great time, as did most of those I've talked to since.

For a county that lacks a good dance scene, this opportunity was much appreciated.

"It was a very, very good night," said Kamble. He said a lot of his business neighbors, from the Ferrin Gallery to the Office of Cultural Development, came out to show support for the event.

The Bollywood dance is House of India's second foray into live music; the restaurant offers live jazz at least one Sunday a month.

Both Kamble and Phanatik said they'd like to promote another Bollywood event next month. I, for one, am down for that.

"I want to do something very, very big," said Kamble.

Said Phanatik, who would like to offer Indian dance lessons this summer, "Sure it's an event but we're also doing it for the cultural learning."

BERKSHIREEAGLE

Is cool Kat Bollywood's HOT NEW QUEEN?

2008-04-03T23:36:00.000-07:00

MEET Bollywood's latest flavour of the moment.

Design: PRADIP Picture: REUTERS
According to the Indian media, British-Indian model-turned-actress Katrina Kaif is the new 'number one' film heroine in Mumbai's Tinseltown.

To get there, she has beaten - if you can believe it- the likes of leading actresses like Aishwarya Rai, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukherjee and Priyanka Chopra.

So what exactly has the 24-year-old starlet done to gain such an honour?

BOX-OFFICE GOLD

Well, apparently, she has proven to be box-office gold.

Her last three films in 2007 - Namastey London (Hello London), Partner and Welcome - raked in profits at the box office.

Box Office India reported that her two comedies, with one of India's leading male stars - Akshay Kumar - in Namastey London and Welcome, made over 370 million rupees ($13m) and 760 million rupees respectively.

Partner - a Bollywood rip-off of Will Smith's romantic comedy Hitch which starred Indian comic star Govinda and Katrina's boyfriend Salman Khan, made over 620 million rupees.

Katrina's latest film, Race, which co-stars Saif Ali Khan and Bipasha Basu, is also set to be a worldwide hit.

Mumbai tabloid Mid Day reported that the actress is also getting good money just to shake her booty. She reportedly pocketed 10.5 million rupees performing what Bollywood calls an 'item number' - where all she has to do is dance and lip synch to one of the soundtracks in the film.

Katrina will be dancing in a new movie called Blue, which stars Sanjay Dutt, her frequent co-star Akshay Kumar and Lara Dutta, to be produced by Mumbai-based movie company Shree Ashtavinayak.

Having sent the cash registers ringing, Katrina is now considered to be somewhat of a 'lucky mascot' for Bollywood producers, an industry insider told Mid Day.

NOT AN ITEM GIRL

Said the insider: 'The actress is now getting any price she is demanding. Shree Ashtavinayak's Blue has a 1 billion rupee budget. When the production house asked her to do an item number, Kat initially refused, as she doesn't want the label of an item girl.

'But when the makers agreed to pay her a 10.5 million rupee fee and offered a few more scenes, she accepted.'

Katrina herself confirmed she was doing the film at that price, but denied she was a mere item number.

She told Mid Day: 'I am doing something very special in Blue. I wouldn't call it an item number.'

Katrina is also in demand for endorsements, plugging everything from soft drinks to watches.

She was recently signed up by PepsiCo in India to be the face of a fruit juice beverage called Slice.

Some netizens, however, insisted that there is no way Katrina is more popular than Aishwarya Rai or Rani Mukherjee.

Forum contributors on Indian news portal Rediff.com like Ravi Joshi said: 'Forget being No.1, I feel Katrina Kaif is not even actress material.'

Another netizen, Kanchana Banerjee, was even more blunt in her assessment.

'Katrina is a bimbo. She can't act to save her life. Please don't insult the title and position of number one actress by suggesting that Katrina is the No 1.'

But other forum contributors said she deserves the top spot.

One contributor, Maram Jyothi, said that the actress 'had a beautiful face' and that performance-wise, she had improved a lot.

'Her presence in the film is a sure-shot hit,' she said.

While her current career may be going great guns, Katrina's Bollywood debut was less than stellar.

She starred in Kaizad Gustad's universally panned 2003 film, Boom, about three fashion models mixed up in a diamond heist.

The film starred Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan and model-turned-food writer Padma Lakshmi.

Katrina started her modelling career in Hawaii and London when she was just 14.

She moved to Mumbai, hoping to break into Bollywood, even though she didn't know a word of Hindi.

But thanks to her good looks and figure, she managed to snag secondary roles in Bollywood films.

Katrina had three flops before her popularity started to grow, thanks to her relationship with Bollywood's bad boy Salman Khan.

However, it was their tempestuous coupling that hit the headlines more often than her acting skills.

Speculation alternated between them getting married or Salman being physically abusive to Katrina.

The Times of India reported that the 42-year-old star allegedly slapped Katrina while having coffee at an upmarket Mumbai coffee shop.

But Katrina denied the incident.

Mumbai public relations consultant Dale Bhagwagar told The New Paper that it was only a matter of time before another rising starlet replaced Katrina.

He said: 'Bollywood is very fickle. One minute you are in favour, the next you're out.'

ELECTRICNEWPAPER

Beyond Bollywood, is Indian fashion going global?

2008-04-01T22:53:00.000-07:00

MUMBAI: With voluptuous bodies and a sultry glamour, the models looked like a mirror image of the front row movie stars. Flamboyant dresses held together with crystal straps seemed destined for Mumbai's cinematic royalty. By the time the designer Manish Malhotra took his bow surrounded by slicked males and sensual women, the finale could have been a poster on a Mumbai billboard.

But this red carpet moment was only one act in Lakme Fashion Week. For Indian fashion is aiming to go beyond Bollywood and on to the global stage.

This vibrant city, its spirit caught between the energy of New York and laidback Los Angeles, is determined to establish itself as India's hot and hip fashion capital. It may be competing with Delhi, the country's political epicenter, which held its own fashion week earlier this month, but the Lakme show (named for the beauty giant that is the main sponsor) is showcasing fresh talents.

That included the Gen Next show on Monday, when eight designers showed imaginative work, with a focus on pleating and layering, and all with detailed craftsmanship that would be rare to find at sophomore level in Western countries.

Mumbai - unlike Delhi, with its glossy new shopping malls - is also creating a retail structure of individualistic stores to support Indian talent. Strung across the city, off the central marine drive known as the "Queen's necklace," these boutiques, with discerning taste and vision, are digesting Indian fashion and serving it up in a contemporary way.

It is the dream of Sangita Sinh Kathiwada, founder of Melange, with its eclectic mix of Indian textures, to bring the burgeoning modern art, movie and music culture together as part of the fashion scene, or as she puts it: "to get the sense of tradition, India's independent filmmakers, cinema people, the art world and the craft world."

For Priya Tanna, editor of Vogue India, which launched last year, fashion week in Mumbai is as a mere infant with powerful potential for growth.

For India itself, the question is how and in which direction fashion will grow. Should the subcontinent play down its own profound culture to aim creatively at the western markets?

Or should it look inward and feed its home market for intrinsically Indian clothes, often destined for weddings and with a resonance to other countries with a similar aesthetic such as Dubai (where Malhotra has a store)?

Or could India ultimately become the hub of a new pan-Asian fashion movement setting a 21st-century fashion aesthetic?

These are big questions that cannot be answered by fledgling or even established designers, although the diversity of vision makes for intriguing shows, presented in a streamlined way under the auspices of IMG, the seasoned fashion week planners.

Sonam Dubal used the sound of flowing water and images of the rivers of Tibet as his version of the elegantly ethnic. This show, with its floral prints, graphic stripes and brick-work of color, was the antithesis of the flamboyant film star look and had both dignity in the silhouettes and subtle craftsmanship like embroidered flowers with tufted centers.

Kiran Uttam Ghosh showed her roots in Calcutta as she captured a sartorial spirit with her soft palette and intriguing mixes of texture. The soundtrack intoned "There are two of us," to refer to the central concept of two materials melding in a single garment or of filmy florals juxtaposed with ribbed knitting. The show just intimated at the powdery stones of colonial heritage.

Drawing on India's tradition of bird motifs, Krishna Mehta incorporated parrots and peacocks into her graceful collection of flowing, embellished dresses where details like puffed sleeves were subtly integrated. But Mehta probably spoke a metaphor for Indian designers when she said: "one side of me wants to fly, the other to come back home."

The Melange's store mix of tactile offerings shows what can be done with the textiles that Kathiwada calls "our unique strength - we are an intensely sensual people." Echoing the stone floor and brick arches of the former wine cellar, effects included crushed traditional pleats, dip-dye techniques for modernized flower prints and updated work in the white-on-white chikan embroidery.

At Bombay Electric, the cutting-edge store in Mumbai that has a contemporary vibe, Priya Kishore develops ideas with designers, citing a successful collaboration with Sonam Dabal rather than buying directly off the runway. Using her own eye, taste and character and working with her husband Deepak Rajegowda, the store melds historic tribal jewels, modern woven shawls and light-as-air interpretations of traditional pieces, all of which could be a template for new millennium of Indian style.

"Subversive retail," says Maithili Ahluwalia to describe Bungalow 8, her lifestyle store built under a Mumbai cricket stadium.

From its antique lamps, "longing to be loved," through carved wooden windows abstracted as modern décor, to table linens and clothing, the byword is "texturation."

All the pieces are Indian, 30 percent are antiques and 70 percent done "with my direction," bringing eclecticism to a sophisticated level.

"I am not a formally trained designer - I try to put things together," says Ahluwalia, who is following the artistic fingertips of her mother, whose bold gold jewelry has a sculptural and tactile style. But Bungalow 8's owner hesitates to claim that there is a renaissance of style in the country and says that "contemporary" is a relative word.

"It's a difficult time in India - it's all happening too quickly," Ahluwalia says.

The changes in society, with a 10 percent annual growth rate, is creating an expanding national market for an enlarged middle class. India's taste makers at the top create clothes and objects palatable to a western consumer, but the elaborate and ostentatious wedding world is a local affair. Yet those magnificent saris, glitzy with jeweled embroidery and adaptations of the Salwar Kameez tunic and pants also find a market overseas.

Tanna at Vogue talks about the enormous diaspora of 22 million Indians, while Tina Tahiliani-Parikh of the long-established Ensemble store says that a sizeable part of the embellished wedding clothing is bought by nonresident Indians, patriotically returning to their native country. Weddings require outfits for five days, mostly "cocktail saris," according to Vogue, which will launch a special celebration issue each November to encompass the festival of Diwali and the wedding season.

"India is a culture - there is a huge tradition of dressing for occasions," says Tahiliani. "People come back here to shop from Hong Kong, Jakarta, Africa, Europe. And a wedding is for the whole family. I am a great fan of Indian textiles and craft, I am taking what I think is our heritage, including a lot of draping. But I don't think we can compete with Italy in cutting a jacket."

Draped dresses and tunics are showing up strongly at the Lakme show, but Tahiliani, although "glad for the industry" that got it together thinks that "fashion week is still not about the business of fashion.

"As a nation, fashion is so young, it is only in this the last decade - the rules of the game are getting established," says Tahiliani. "And most of the nation is taken up with Bollywood."

Vogue says that a sari worn by a star in a movie can be an instant best seller, which is probably why several Mumbai designers have their roots in costume. Yet the red carpet events that European designers are trying to penetrate or the clothes that stars wear don't have the same nationwide resonance. Fashion beyond Bollywood does not yet have the same power to seduce off screen.

source

Verizon Wireless and Saavn Bring Bollywood Music Videos And More To Mobile

2008-04-01T22:51:00.000-07:00

LAS VEGAS, BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and NEW YORK, April 1 --From CTIA WIRELESS 2008, Verizon Wireless, the builder and operator of the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, and Saavn, the world's largest digital distributor of South Asian content, announced the availability of the Bollywood Music by Saavn video channel on Verizon Wireless' V CAST Video service.

Available exclusively to V CAST Video customers, the Bollywood Music by Saavn channel marks the first time Bollywood videos have been available to mobile customers in the U.S. Backed by Saavn's wide network of industry relationships, the channel offers V CAST Video customers the best of current and classic Bollywood, including full-length music videos and exclusive pre- release video promos, available on V CAST Video before they air on television or the Internet.

Jennifer Byrne, director of V CAST Video and social media for Verizon, said, "As the next step beyond the availability of Bollywood ringtones and ringback tones from Saavn on Verizon Wireless phones, the addition of Bollywood videos on V CAST Video means Verizon Wireless customers can now take more of their favorite entertainment with them while on-the-go."

"With cutting-edge programming like Bollywood Music by Saavn on V CAST, Verizon Wireless is leading the mobile revolution," said Vinodh Bhat, general manager of Saavn. "Bollywood music and videos are not readily available in mainstream outlets, but are hugely popular in the U.S. Verizon Wireless' commitment to carrying Bollywood content brings us closer to our goal of making Bollywood available to anyone, at any time."

Initial offerings on the Bollywood Music by Saavn V CAST Video channel include videos from Race, the top album of 2008 to date, Om Shanti Om, the highest-selling album of 2007, and Heyy Babyy, Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Jab We Met and Partner, all top-10 albums in 2007. Also included are classic favorites like Chalte Chalte and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, and exclusive pre-release promos from films like Race and Krazzy 4. With a catalog of thousands of albums, and new content delivered continuously, Saavn's Bollywood offering on V CAST Video promises a rich, robust experience for Verizon Wireless customers with an interest in Bollywood, in foreign film, or in music in general.

Customers with select V CAST-enabled phones can check out V CAST Video whenever they want for just $3.00 for 24-hour use or by signing up for the $15.00 V CAST VPak monthly subscription, which also includes access to Verizon Wireless' ESPN MVP, Get It Now(R) and Mobile Web 2.0(SM) services. Customers get unlimited basic video, but application download fees apply for 3D games and premium video. There are no airtime or megabyte charges to download, stream or watch V CAST content with any V CAST subscription. Bollywood Music by Saavn is premium content and available for an additional $4.99 monthly subscription.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 65.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 69,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, go to: www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast- quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About Saavn

Saavn is the largest digital distributor of South Asian content in the world, with exclusive rights to movies, television shows, and music videos from the premiere movie producers, television networks, and record labels in India and other parts of the world. The company has relationships with leading South Asian content producers such as Yash Raj Films, Adlabs, UTV, and T-Series and key distribution relationships with companies such as Verizon Wireless, Time Warner, Cox, Rogers, iTunes, Amazon Unbox, Google/YouTube and Artist Direct. In addition to packaging programming for these cable, Internet, and mobile carrier companies, Saavn also runs media and marketing programs to help them serve the passionate audience for Bollywood and other South Asian content. The Saavn team consists of media veterans with experience in content licensing, programming, retail products, marketing, and multi- platform distribution. Saavn is headquartered in New York, NY and is a venture of Hungama Mobile Pvt. Ltd.; 212MEDIA, LLC; and Schramm Sports & Entertainment, Inc.

source

Too much skin show by actresses: Suchitra Krishnamurthy

2008-03-30T21:59:00.006-07:00

Singer-actress Suchitra Krishnamurthy, who has been seen in very selective films and serials in spite of her talent, says most Bollywood actress indulge in too much skin show these days.

'Skin show is the trend and proves a crowd puller to cinema halls. But there is no elegance,' actress-singer Suchitra told IANS on the sidelines of Lakme Fashion Week.

However, she said, Konkona Sen Sharma, Tabu, Kajol and Rani Mukerji were exceptions to this trend.

'It is not that without skin show a film can't do well...our industry has also churned out blockbusters like 'Mother India'. But people are not willing to work, instead they opt for shortcuts,' she said.

Suchitra's stint in Bollywood started with 'Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa'. She was last spotted in director Jijy Philip's 'My Wife's Murder' but is still waiting for a hit.

The artist, who is also a singer, said she was sad by the bad state of the country's pop music industry.

'No doubt a lot of singers come out with their albums but the pop music business in the country is dead...that is how its nature is. Pop singers have to survive on live shows.

'I have also done some shows, but since I am a single parent it is not feasible for me to travel very often and perform,' the actress said. She has in the past blamed Preity Zinta for her troubled marriage to director Shekhar Kapur. The couple have a daughter but are separated now.

As far as acting is concerned, her forthcoming projects include 'Karma, Confessions and Holi' and 'Mittal V/S Mittal'.

Commenting on the kind of roles she is looking forward to, Suchitra said: 'I want to do interesting roles. Anything that suits me, I am not a 19-year-old that I can play a young girl in a film. However, some actresses are still doing that.'

She also said she would be more than happy to work in a film catering to a niche audience, 'It is always a great opportunity to do distinct films.

'But the truth remains the same that in our country, 'Masala' films still work wonders. As far as technology is concerned, our industry is updated but there is a long way to go in terms of movie content. For instance, in Western countries people work for three years on a script. I think Bollywood will slowly evolve,' she said.

source

Tanushree Dutta accuses Nana Patekar of misbehaviour

2008-03-30T21:59:00.005-07:00

Two days after she refused to shoot a raunchy item song for film Horn Ok Please , actress Tanushree Dutta explains the reasons behind her action.

Tanushree has been at the centre of a controversy regarding her fallout with the unit of ‘Horn Ok Please’ and her fracas with the media on Thursday evening.

In a media interview, Tanushree has revealed her side of the story.

According to Tanushree, the film’s leading man Nana Patekar showed more than casual interest in the song even though he had just three words in the track. Tanushree says Nana’s presence during the rehearsals made her uncomfortable.

The actress says at first she did not mind because Nana kept his distance. But then Nana began showing her the steps she should do in the song. Tanushree alleges that at times Nana came so close to her that she had to push his hands away.

And when choreographer Ganesh Acharya decided to incorporate Nana’s dance steps into the song, the steps in which Nana had to touch and fondle her, Tanushree says she lost her patience and went to her vanity van and refused to shoot.

That is when, according to her, the film’s producer and director called the media and told them that Tanushree was acting unprofessional.

Responding to Tanushree’s accusation, Nana Patekar says she is like “a bachchi” to him. He says that being the film’s leading man he had the right to be on the sets during the rehearsals.

The film’s director Rakesh Sarang, producer Abdul Siddique and choreographer Ganesh Acharya are siding with Nana and accusing Tanushree of being “unprofessional”, “egoistic” and having “an attitude problem”.

The song is now being shot on Rakhi Sawant instead.
source

Shah Rukh Khan praises Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan

2008-03-30T21:59:00.004-07:00

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has praised mega superstar Amitabh Bachchan and fellow superstar Aamir Khan .

In Delhi for an event over the weekend, SRK was asked by a news channel about the cold war between him and his co-stars.

And SRK responded by saying that Amitabh Bachchan is one of the greatest human beings he knows.

“Mr. Bachchan is one of the greatest human beings that I know professionally and personally. He is a big source of inspiration.”

When asked about his recent repartee with Aamir, SRK said,” Aamir and I are very good friends. We know how to take jokes. We love our work very much and don’t have the time to hate each other.”

Seems like SRK is on a patch up spree with the comments coming just a day after Bachchan said that he has a lot of respect for SRK and Aamir.

Even Aamir recently patched up with Bachchan by inviting him to a special screening of his Taare Zameen Par .
Source

Bollywood Is India's Sexual Battleground

2008-03-30T21:59:00.003-07:00

It's hard to imagine that two people kissing publicly would cause popular outrage, but that's exactly what happened last April when Richard Gere and Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty kissed at an HIV/AIDS awareness event in Mumbai. Protesters burned effigies of Gere and pictures of Shetty. When Shetty defended Gere, some threatened to boycott her movies. Others went so far as to file legal complaints against the actors, accusing them of violating Indian obscenity laws.

The episode is just one struggle in the ongoing battle over representations of sex and sexuality in Indian movies. The protests against the increase of sexuality come from a highly radicalized segment of Indians and reflect a deeper rift in society. Traditionalists within India are enraged by explicit displays of romance in movies, and they view the increased use of sexual content as an attempt to mimic "Western" culture. That doesn't seem to bother much of India's youth, who -- judging by ticket sales -- enjoy watching movie stars getting physical on screen. The recent controversies over public affection in film demonstrate that traditional parts of society have trouble understanding the desires of younger Indians. This partly has to do with the conservative nature of traditional Indian culture. Young Indians, like Americans, are accepting of new standards for public affection, but still believe in the value of tradition.

The Indian film industry, often synonymous with the infamous Bollywood, produces more than 600 movies a year. (Its American counterpart produces about 400 each year.) Bollywood films, Hindi- or Urdu-language movies made in Mumbai, are typically musicals, and always have happy endings, regardless of any plot twists that occur along the way.

Romance is no stranger to Indian movies, but the methods of depicting relationships have changed over the years. In the 1930s, '40s, and '50s, a love song and dance sequence would involve the stars singing -- well, lip-syncing -- a romantic melody to one another, but from afar, and if they did come close to touching, at most they might have clasped each other's hands and stared into each other's eyes. From the '60s to the '80s, touching progressed from clasped hands to hugs and the occasional face caress, but the audience never saw actors kiss. In the '90s, directors moved to the next level. Lovers would run to one another, drawing closer and closer as if to kiss, but at the last minute the woman would turn her face to the side in shyness and run away. Sometimes filmmakers would obscure the lovers' faces with the woman's duputta (veil) just before their lips met, leaving the rest to the audience's imagination. These moves, while highly entertaining and risqué compared to the romantic gestures of previous decades, were tame enough for the public.

In the '90s, Bollywood redefined the concept of its "item girl." In traditional Indian films, item girls performed a one-time song and dance sequence meant to titillate the audience and enhance its interest in the film. While the item girl dances in pre-'90s films were fairly subdued (in terms of sexuality, at least), the films of the last decade saw a dramatic rise in female sexuality. In an attempt to be more "Western," dancers began to dress provocatively by wearing low cut shirts with bare midriffs that revealed more breast and stomach. Dance moves also became more provocative. While revealing costumes and dance moves are fairly standard and inoffensive for most Western audiences, the changes represented a marked difference for Indian moviegoers.

Today, sexuality is at the forefront of the Indian movie scene. Dance numbers have become more and more risqué; women are dressing more provocatively and dancing much more openly with men. The settings themselves have become more "sexual" as well, particularity with the use of clubs and large parties. Set designers increasingly use rain and candles to set the mood. Hit item girls, such as Rakhi Sawant and Mallika Sherawat, are increasingly popular.

The first "kissing scandal" -- long before Gere dipped Shetty on stage -- came in 2004 with the film Murder, starring Mallika Sherawat and Emraan Hashmi. In the film, the main characters kiss openly and the plot alludes to them engaging in sexual intercourse (although there is no nudity). The film did well at the box office, yet it branded Sherawat as an item girl and stirred some outcry against the film.

Dhoom 2, which was released in 2006, featured the hit Bollywood stars Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan kissing on screen. Indian elders across the nation were shocked to see such well-known and respected actors engaging in public affection. Older Indians thought Rai's role in the "scandal" was a degradation of Indian women and tradition. And yet the film did very well at the box office, mostly due to the superstar cast.

In the same vein, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (Never Say Goodbye) revolves around two people in unfulfilling marriages who engage in an affair. They choose to confess their unhappiness to their respective spouses, divorce them, and start a new life together. Conservative Indians claimed that the film mocked traditional values of Indian marriages, and portrayed an aspect of a life distinctly "not Indian." The film didn't show erotic scenes, but the concept of divorce is relatively foreign in traditional Indian society.

It is clear globalization has a strong influence on Bollywood, and may cause fissures in Indian society. While the traditionalist part of Indian culture may be stifling some creative expression, it is also clear that Bollywood directors tend to overdo the sexuality in some films. Conflict between older and younger generations of Indians may cause "kissing scandal" stories to pop up every three months, but this is something that Indian society should resolve without more burned effigies.

Alternet.org

Fiji's flag flies in Bollywood

2008-03-30T21:59:00.002-07:00

SUMEET Tappoo has broken the mould. His family name may be synonymous with high quality retailing in Fiji but he has chosen a very different path.

You see, Sumeet Tappoo's first love is music.

Since he started singing Mukesh songs about the age of five, Sumeet has evolved into a very accomplished semi-classical singer.

So much so that he has performed in more than 200 concerts in places as far apart as the United Kingdom, America and India.

But wherever he is on the planet, his introduction on stage is the same.

"It's always Fiji before my name," Sumeet says.

"I am very proud to be flying the flag wherever I am."

Over the past year or so, Sumeet has taken that flag and his voice into Bollywood.

It is a tough industry to break into, where respect has to be earned years in advance.

"The Indian music industry is very competitive," Sumeet says. "There are new music stars being created every day through programs such as Indian Idol which Sony puts out and is very big.

"Zee TV has its own program and Star has one as well, all of which create wonderful opportunities for aspiring singers."

For most, if not all of those singers, landing a playback contract for a Bollywood production is the crme-de-la-crme of the industry.

Playback is a feature of Indian movies where actors appear to sing on camera but actual singers record the track offstage.

Such an opportunity allows singers a lucrative chance to have their name associated with million-dollar productions and highly popular film stars, which in turn appeal to more than a billion people in India and about 20 million who make up the Indian diaspora overseas.

But like most things at the top of any industry, getting that sort of exposure through Bollywood playback recordings is tough.

Those aspiring for it must therefore do something special to be noticed.

"What a lot of singers who are now established have done to get into Bollywood is first become known in a different genre.

"It's what you have to do, especially when you have 60 or 70 well-established singers competing for one spot in a Bollywood movie."

For the Fiji boy who moved to Mumbai in 2004, that path to being noticed came from his work in the semi-classical genre of Indian music.

Sumeet submitted himself to the guidance of a man he first met when he was four — Sri Anup Jalota.

He took Sumeet under his wing in Mumbai and helped develop his career.

That career grew out of the adoption of the age-old guru shishya tradition where Sumeet submitted himself to the teachings of Jalota in mastering the semi-classical genre of Indian music.

The son of Tappoo Group executive director Mahendra Tappoo went on to become a senior shishya of Jalota who is known as a bhajan samrat or emperor of bhajan.

Together they released three devotional albums — Bhajan Sheetal, Sai Charanam and Sai Surya Samaan.

His work in bhajans saw Sumeet become noticed as a musical talent.

In 2005, he was chosen as one of six singers to perform at the Young Ghazal Idols of India concert.

He performed for the main Krishna Janamasthmi celebrations in Mumbai in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

The highlight though was when he became one of four young stars selected to sing at India's most prestigious Ghazal festival, Khazana, in 2006.

It was there that Sumeet performed alongside legends such as his guru Anup Jalota, Pankaj Udhas, Talat Aziz, Penaaz Mesani, Rajendra and Nina Mehta, Ahmed and Mohammed Hussain, Bhupinder and Mitali.

It was the equivalent of a rock and roll fan being selected to sing alongside Elvis and The Beatles.

Sumeet worked on a couple of playback opportunities, one which arose in a small budget Bhoj Puri movie.

He worked on a comedy called Osama, a movie yet to be released in which he performed with Amit Kumar, who is the son of Bollywood playback legend Kishore Kumar. Earlier this year, he got his first big Bollywood break in Maalik Ek, a movie which is presently in production, based on the life story of Shirdi Sai Baba.

Sumeet was selected to sing a duet with legendary playback singer, Anuradha Paudwal.

The boy who spent his primary school years at Mount Saint Mary's in Nadi had his foot in the door.

"In every Bollywood movie, there may be five or six songs of which most will be assigned to Indian playback singers who have already established themselves.

"That leaves everyone else to try for one song.

"It's only just beginning for me as far as movies are concerned. It's a whole new world of opportunities."

One such opportunity, which was the reason Sumeet was in Fiji last week, was the release of his bhajan album with Bollywood playback diva Sadhana Sargam titled 'Ram Darshan'.

The eight-track album was launched in Bombay by Indian music legends Jajit Singh and Anup Jalota and has now made it to Fiji music shelves.

Sumeet had just five days in Fiji to promote the album and catch up with family and friends.

When asked how often he came back home to Fiji, Sumeet's father Mahendra Tappoo is quick to pipe up: "Not often enough!"

The 29-year-old admits it is sometimes hard not having enough time to be in Fiji.

Life in Mumbai, he says, is very different.

"You have to be positive about everything. There may be circumstances that can bring you down but there are many other things that over-ride that.

"I believe in good music. The industry did go down a trend of copying music from the West but now the industry has changed.

"Over the past year or so, it's become super in terms of music, lyrics, compositions, everything."

A Fiji boy at heart, Sumeet promises to return at the end of the year for concerts in Fiji which will have more music, greater variety and Mumbai-style entertainment.

Fiji Times

Bollywood-themed musical coming to town : Bombay Dreams kicks off on April 6

2008-03-30T21:59:00.001-07:00

LAHORE: Bombay Dreams, a Bollywood-themed musical, is all set to create ripples at the Alhamra Art Council from April 6 to April 20.

Originally, the play was an Andrew Lloyd Webber production, created by famous Indian music director AR Rahman. The plot has been written by Meera Syal. Directed by Shah Sharabeel, the current play is an adaptation of the original one in accordance with the local scenario.

The story of the play revolves around an ambitious young guide, Aakash, who is brought up by his mother and lives in the slums.

He fantasises about being a Bollywood star. The story unknots two Sikhs, Honey Singh and Money Singh, announcing that they will build elite apartments on slum land.

Meanwhile, a young lawyer named Vikram arrives along with his fiancée, Priya. He offers his services to save the slums. Priya later offers Aakash a shot in Bollywood and takes him to Mumbai, where he experiences a side of the city he had never imagined. Complications arise as Akaash faces the reality of showbiz, fame, his love for Priya, and his obligations to his family, friends, and his paradise slum. The play beautifully hints at the identity issues confronting human beings. Bombay Dreams is being staged in Lahore for the first time, after enthralling audiences in Islamabad.

Director Sharabeel said that the play was one of the most expensive plays put on in Pakistan, costing Rs 3 million.

The play comprises a huge cast of 75 characters – 25 female and 50 male artists. “The play has been coloured in a local fashion to make it look like real. Though the play is in English, it proceeds in such a fashion that a person not familiar with English can very well understand it. The actors have been working hard and we hope to have a big crowd in the support,” said Sharabeel.

Interestingly, all the actors are from various educational institutions, and none of them is a professional. Students form the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), National College of Arts (NCA), Beaconhouse National University (BNU), Lahore School of Economics (LSE), Kinnaird College (KC) and Lahore Grammar School (LGS) are participating in the musical. “The play is known for its rhythmic tones composed by AR Rahman and will definitely cheer the audience,” Sharabeel concluded.
Dailytimes, Lahore

Bollywood stars sizzle on the ramp at Mumbai Lakme Fashion Week

2008-03-30T21:59:00.000-07:00

Bollywood stars sizzle on the ramp on Sunday at the ongoing Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) 2008 in top Indian designers creations.
The highlight of the day was Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor as he walked the ramp for designer Arjun Khanna.
The visitors present during the show cheered Ranbir Kapoor who looked graceful in an embroidered long coat with standing collar, straight pants in batik print and a scarlet scarf tied around the neck.
Khanna romped in Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor, who was ecstatic after walking on the ramp for his designer friend.
Im a bit degraded as far as fashion is concerned. All I know is through Arjun. Hes very passionate about everything in his life from designing clothes to his cars and bikes and even interior decoration. I love this guy to death and he asked me if I could walk on the ramp and I was more than happy to walk as I also love his fashion, said Ranbir Kapoor.
The collection offered cropped jackets and very slim fitted pants something that you can wear over a long time and which never goes out of fashion.
The show was unique and exclusive as it successfully translated the timelessness of conventional designs to modern context.
Fabrics were coarser in my collection. I am looking at the fall-winter. I played with fabrics like Coudray, Cotton Coudray and Woolen Coudray. There is a lot of technique which went into making of all these clothes, said Khanna.
Bath and body product giant Lux showcased a line at the Lakme Fashion Week for the first time and it was designed by none other than Bollywood designer Manish Malhotra.
Lux Temptation was all about bold, feminine clothes that signified the transformation of a young girl into an adult temptress.
Manish took the inspiration from Luxs new fruit extracts strawberry, cream, peaches and put on display an array of flirty, feminine garments in shades of pink, ivory, oyster and coral.
Ramp scorcher Jesse Randhawa kicked off the show dressed in satiny eye-popping ivory gown.
Designer Manish Malhotra, was not too amused at Bollywood stars walking the ramp. These days it has become very common that designers get the Bollywood actors and actresses to walk the ramp for them.
The public throngs these venues just to have the glimpse of the stars and the whole purpose of fashion week that is to showcase the clothes is relegated to the background, says Manish.
I have done it long time back when Urmila Matondkar walked on the ramp for the first time then. Then Preity Zinta, Kajol, Karishma Kapoor and Urmila all of these girls who have walked for me have worked with me for ten years. They believe in my brand, they believe in me, I believe in them and we had a long association but I just feel that now it has become that let’s make so and so walk. So I think now it is time that I don’t make any one walk so today I was the Lux boy, said Manish.
Top line models of the country including Tapur and Tupur Chatterjee, Nethra Raghuraman, Nina Manuel and Alicia Raut to name a few set the ramp on fire with their impeccable catwalk.
The event saw the presence of the creme de la creme of Mumbai thronging the venue to get a glimpse of this exquisite show. The who’s who of Mumbai including the Bollywood fraternity including Urmila Matondkar, Farah Khan, Amrita Rao, Kajol and Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor graced the occasion.
Thaindian news

When Aishwarya Rai cold-shouldered former roommate

2008-03-27T23:26:00.000-07:00

The gorgeous Aishwarya Rai reportedly cold-shouldered her former roommate Shweta Menon at a recent party.

After a long gap, Shweta met Ash at the launching party of Sikander Kher ’s debut film ‘Summer 2007’.

On seeing Ash, Shweta eagerly went forward and hugged her. But Ash instead of returning Shweta’s friendly gesture with the same amount of love, she just responded with a cold ‘Hi’.

Shweta was surprised and at the same time upset with the behavior of her once close friend.

Ash and Shweta came close to each other during Miss India pageant. They shared the same room in a five-star hotel in Goa for nearly a month during the rehearsals.

After Miss India pageant, they were in touch for quite sometime but slowly there developed a communication gap. Ash got busy with her career and Shweta continued her modeling and even acted in some films both in Bollywood and in the South.

Gradually, Ash climbed the ladder of success and Shweta also earned a fairly good name.

Shweta is extremely fond of Ash but her unfriendly behavior at the party saddened her and she left the main hall quickly.
source

Shilpa Shetty shocked at her marriage reports

2008-03-27T23:24:00.000-07:00

Bollywood hottie Shilpa Shetty is reportedly shocked to hear that she is married.

A report on a website has published a picture of Shilpa's visit to Shirdi Sai Baba Temple this week along with her mother and sister Shamita Shetty and boyfriend Raj Kundra, and speculated the actress has secretly married him.

"Shilpa is flabbergasted with such irresponsible journalism," said her publicist Dale Bhagwagar.

Apart from misreporting, the piece is accompanied by dirty and derogatory comments by various surfers on a discussion board below the write-up, adding insult to injury for Shilpa.

"Many of these comments are lewd and bring shame to our culture. It is surprising how a respectable website has allowed such vulgar comments to be put up without scrutinizing them," stated Bhagwagar.

Seeking an apology from the website, the publicist has already intimated the Cyber Crime Investigation Cell and added that Shilpa may file for defamation if prompt action is not taken by the website.

"In the name of journalism, citizen journalism, discussion boards on the internet and Freedom of the Press, today's media coolly misuses these liberties to encroach upon and attack the personal lives of film stars.

Most of them are paying the price for being celebrities," he added.
source

Tanushree Dutta kicked out for refusing to shoot raunchy song

2008-03-27T23:22:00.000-07:00

Tanushree Dutta was at the centre of mayhem on the sets of Horn Ok Please on Wednesday evening.

Clad in skimpy clothes, the actress was rehearsing an item song with the film’s choreographer and actor Nana Patekar before she went into her vanity van and refused to come out and shoot with Nana.

According to a Mumbai tabloid some junior artist on the sets passed a lewd comment on Tanushree after she finished her rehearsal. To further upset her, Nana Patekar reportedly said that she should have covered her body up to prevent people from getting provoked.

Apparently angered by such a reaction, Tanushree refused to shoot the song with Nana. The song allegedly had some obscene steps, and Nana was supposed to touch her in some shots.

A mob gathered outside the studio when the news spread that Tanushree was acting pricey. Media persons also thronged the place to get Tanushree’s response. But to make things worse, her father got into a scuffle with a cameraman when she was making an exit from the studio and getting into her car. Tanushree’s father slammed the door of the car so hard that it broke the camera of a news channel.

Then what! The mediapersons surrounded the car and demanded an apology from the actress and her dad. It was only after much difficulty the actress was able to drive away from the studio.

Meanwhile, the film’s producer, Sami Siddiqui, has booted Tanushree out of his film. He has now roped in Rakhi Sawant to do the item number.
source

I am not threatened by newcomers: Minissha Lamba

2008-03-27T23:21:00.000-07:00

After a three-year struggle, things are finally looking up for Minissha Lamba who has finally bagged her first big banner with Yash Raj Films' 'Bachna Ae Haseenon', where she stars with Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor, and also has a meaty role in Samar Khan's 'Shaurya'.

Minissha, who started off with 'Yahaan' and went on to do cameos in films like 'Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.' and 'Corporate', says she is now in a different phase of her life - and refuses to be threatened by new kids on the block Deepika and Ranbir.

'I am not at all threatened by the newcomers. There are phases that one goes through - first you are a newcomer, then you struggle to find a foothold, then you struggle to sustain and so on and so forth. I am in a different phase,' Minissha told IANS.

According to the actress, with directors becoming increasingly experimental it is the best time for actors with a non-filmy background to join the industry.

'Directors are making various kinds of films and there is work for everyone.

'In fact, I would say that star kids are here because they are talented and loved by audiences. But everything depends on the potential an individual has. Everyone has to work hard in the industry to achieve the desired.'

The star is looking forward to 'Shaurya' where she plays a Hindi newspaper journalist Kavya.

'I always wanted to be a war journalist; news channel CNN's correspondent Christiane Amanpour always fascinated me. I remember standing in front of the mirror and emulating her. So, when this role happened to me it was like revisiting my past.'

The film also stars Deepak Dobriyal, Seema Biswas, Jaaved Jaafri, Kay Kay Menon and Rahul Bose.

Set against the backdrop of the army, the film revolves around the lives of two friends, both lawyers by profession, and how a court martial case changes their lives.

Minissha, who will also star in Sanjay Gadhvi's 'Kidnap' opposite Sanjay Dutt, said she is opting for multistarrers as audiences 'would get bored watching her alone on the silver screen'.

source

Race

2008-03-27T22:12:00.000-07:00

Given the number of plot turns that assault the senses with breathtaking speed ‘Twister’ would be a more appropriate title for this film.

Set in Durban, South Africa, we encounter stepbrothers Ranvir (Saif Ali Khan), the flamboyant owner of stud farm ‘Stallions’ and Rajiv (Akshaye Khanna), a romantic drunk. They are the beneficiaries of their late parents’ will which provides that if either dies, the survivor inherits $100 million.

When Rajiv meets Sonia (Bipasha Basu), he is smitten. Unaware that Ranvir and Sonia are already lovers, Rajiv confesses his love for Sonia to Ranvir. In true Bollywood fashion, Ranvir sacrifices his girl for his brother’s happiness and Rajiv and Sonia get married.

For the first hour, director-duo Abbas-Mustan latest inspiration from various B grade Hollywood sting-flicks cruises promisingly along. It’s amoral, beautiful and one-dimensional leads indulge in cat and mouse games with each other and sing songs with titles like ‘O baby rock the dance floor’, ‘Baby I love you so’, and ‘O slowly touch me’. It is so shamelessly blatant you know this trip is one racy tease.

The first twist occurs when it is revealed that Rajiv and Sonia have conspired to kill Ranvir in order to inherit the cash. Five minutes later we’re hit by the second when we learn that Ranvir and Sonia are still lovers and intent on murdering Rajiv. The scheming trio meet at the top of a skyscraper and Sonia pushes Ranvir off the rooftop, Baazigar-style, for the third and final twist.

Abbas-Mustan’s insistence on double and triple crossing with reckless abandon and little reference to plot logic makes it impossible to care about the storyline though, and by the interval, with over an hour still to go, all bets are off on what will happen next.

Worst of all is its pretentious attempt at seriousness. Underhand horse-racing betting practices are supposed to be a metaphor for the immoral characters lives, whilst the proffered explanation for the step-brothers resentment of each other is likened to Ram and Lakhan from the Hindu epic, the Ramayan.

Ultimately, this is a superficial style-over-substance journey which will please fans of star-driven Bollywood vehicles.

Directors: Abbas-Mustan, 160 mins, 12A, Subtitles

source

Brand bollywood comes to Canada

2008-03-27T22:07:00.000-07:00

Dynamic Canadian Company presents an innovative approach to Global Event Production.

A sizzling star-studded global event featuring Indian cinema’s leading screen actors Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Bipasha Basu, Ritesh Deshmukh and now the electric music composition duo of Vishal-Shekhar.

Akshay Kumar, one of India’s most successful male actors and most popular live performers, has also been added to the Toronto lineup, as featured guest artist.

(March 27, 2008 – Toronto, Canada) – Ethnic Guru Inc and Wizcraft International Entertainment PVT Ltd confirmed today the kick off for The Unforgettable World Tour to take place at The Rogers Centre in Toronto on July 18th, 2008 as well as in Vancouver on August 16th, 2008 at General Motors Place.

The Unforgettable Tour will bring the magic of Indian cinema to the world stage through performances by its biggest superstars. The event will spring to life the iconic trademarks of Indian Cinema – the show- stopping song and dance numbers, lavish costumes, elaborate backdrops and hypnotic beats, in one of the largest live Indian stage productions to be presented outside of India.

Ethnic Guru Inc, a fast growing Canadian company has recently partnered with India’s Largest Entertainment firm, Wizcraft International in an effort to launch new brands into North America. Ethnic Guru Inc. introduces an innovative way of creating opportunities for local, national and international brands while providing a quality experience for fans: The Unforgettable Tour is a perfect example of this - A worldwide global premiere event of Bollywood’s greatest, with cutting edge-technology and world-class production introduces this Wizcraft brand to North America.

Also confirmed were, Vishal-Shekar, India’s dynamic music directing, composing and producing duo. With a growing list of musical successes behind them, in a very short time, including one of the year’s biggest grossing movies ‘Om Shanti Om’, the duo recently won the ‘Filmare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent’.

“Unforgettable is a tremendous opportunity for Canada to welcome the world. We are extremely excited to work with Wizcraft and Mr. Bachchan and hope to create an Unforgettable experience for all our clients and fans, as we bring to our shores the first of many Global Events” said Moe Jiwan, Director, Ethnic Guru Inc. “

“The Unforgettable Tour is truly a monumental feat, given the magnitude of the event and the star power. This tour is the brain child of the legendary actor Mr. Amitabh Bachchan himself and this becomes even more special, because, it is for the first time that Aishwarya and Abhishek Bachchan will make their stage debut as a couple and also the first time when the three Bachchans will perform together,” said Viraf Sarkari, Director, Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

For more information or ticket inquires for The Unforgettable Tour in Toronto and Vancouver, please visit www.ethnicguru.com.

ETHNIC GURU INC.
Founded in 2006, Ethnic Guru Inc. Develops brand exposure and activation programs for its client. Offering collaborative evaluation of branding opportunities within global markets their services include: Brand strategies, communication and implementation, partnership identification, digital marketing.

Branding is not just marketing, it is about creating an out of the box business model that uses mass media vehicles, and works around building a passionate vision that resonates around a memorable series of events. Further accentuated by long term relationships, Ethnic Guru allows brands of all sizes to build a powerful successful corporate image that reflects the values of our present day society.

For more information, please visit www.ethnicguru.com.

WIZCRAFT INTERNATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT PVT. LTD.
Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., India’s leading Brand Activation company is dedicated to showcasing its expertise on the world stage. Having begun its operations in 1988, Wizcraft has conceptualized and produced events staged in Mauritius, UK, New York, Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, Iraq, Australia and Sri Lanka among others. Wizcraft’s clientele comprise leading global corporates, governments of various countries and leading international entertainment and sports associations and celebrities. The company is focused on providing Global Event Management Solutions at the doorstep of its clients.
source

Piracy in India's Entertainment Industry Causes Huge Losses to Indian Economy

2008-03-27T22:06:00.000-07:00

The U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) has released a new study showing huge job and revenue losses to the Indian economy as a result of piracy in India's burgeoning entertainment industry. The study - 'The Effects of Counterfeiting and Piracy on India's Entertainment Industry' - prepared for USIBC by Ernst & Young India, shows as much as Rs. 16,000 crores are lost each year due to piracy. As many as 800,000 direct jobs are also lost as a result of theft and piracy, afflicting India's entertainment industry.

Speaking at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) FRAMES 'Business of Entertainment' Conference, USIBC President, Ron Somers, said, "This study estimates that the Indian entertainment industry loses some 820,000 jobs and about $4 billion each year to piracy. This is an enormous and unacceptable magnitude of loss - by any measure."

The piracy study was commissioned as part of the USIBC-FICCI Bollywood-Hollywood Initiative. "This study covers film, music, television and video games and has been funded by the Global Intellectual Property Center of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which aims to highlight the value of intellectual property, as well as illuminate the adverse impact theft and piracy have on creativity and innovation. The Bollywood-Hollywood Initiative promotes the sustainable growth and convergence underway between the entertainment industries in both our countries."

Presented with a copy of the study, FICCI Secretary General, Dr. Amit Mitra, said, "This study shows that the best way to make the boom in the Indian entertainment bigger is to stop the affliction of piracy. For the average Indian who wants to increase his or her chances for being employed in Bollywood and associated industries, fighting piracy is a place where all our collective efforts must start." Dr. Mitra went on to point out, "The Media and Entertainment industry in India is an industry of the future. India's entertainment industry already generates more than $11 billion annually for the country, growing at a combined annual rate of over 18%. If we can stop piracy, these industries will grow even faster and employ more Indian workers."

Also present at the media briefing was Ramesh Sippy, famed producer and director of the all-time number-one blockbuster 'Sholay.' Sippy said, "I know first hand the importance of fighting piracy to support the growth of Bollywood. I commend the USIBC-FICCI Initiative for enlisting all elements of the entertainment industry against piracy."

Farokh T. Balsara, National Sector Leader, Media and Entertainment for Ernst & Young India, said, "Our Mumbai office collected data for this study from on the ground - via direct interviews with stakeholders from the Bollywood entertainment industry. We looked at the industry from every angle - films, music, TV, radio, and electronic games. The story was the same across the board: if we can slow or stop piracy, a direct correlation in the generation of wealth and employment will be the result."

Commenting on the USIBC-FICCI Bollywood-Hollywood Initiative, USIBC President Ron Somers said, "This study is only the beginning. Now that we have documented the job and revenue losses to the Indian entertainment industry from piracy, we intend to continue fighting piracy across the board. We will strive to bring these findings to the attention of the average person in India. We will attempt to enlist more effectively the U.S. and Indian governments to cooperate in fighting the scourge of piracy in India, as well as in the U.S. and worldwide. We strongly support passage by India of optical disc legislation that will thwart piracy in this important industry. We are pleased to stand shoulder to shoulder with counterparts in India to help protect jobs and revenues that are now being needlessly lost to piracy."

Also previewed at FICCI FRAMES as a part of the Bollywood-Hollywood Initiative was 'Illicit - The Dark Trade' - a special documentary that airs world-wide, produced by National Geographic for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Global Intellectual Property Center. This made-for-television documentary shows that the problem of piracy is an epidemic affecting many sectors of world-wide dimensions.

The U.S.-India Business Council, formed in 1975 at the request of the Government of India and the U.S. Government to advance U.S.-India commercial ties, is hosted under the aegis of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region. The U.S.-India Business Council celebrates its 33rd Anniversary at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on June 12, 2008 in Washington, D.C. http://www.usibc.com
SOURCE

Turkey promoted by Bollywood

2008-03-27T22:02:00.000-07:00

The giant Indian film industry, Bollywood shoots more than 1,000 films each year which are viewed by 2 billion viewers around the world, so their decision to promote Turkey with the Indian movie Mission Istanbul is a great opportunity for Turkey to get recognition globally. The movie is due to reach audiences in 50 countries around the world.

In addition, such is the Bollywood phenomenon, that Indian fans follow the actors wherever they shoot their movies, and this positively affects tourism in the country where the movie is shot.

The 2009 Global Indian Film Awards are also rumoured to be held in Turkey, which would be a further boost for tourism.
source

India entertainment loses $4 billion per year to piracy

2008-03-27T21:56:00.000-07:00

The Indian entertainment business loses $4 billion per year to piracy a new study released Thursday on the final day of the FICCI Frames conference.

India?s television industry loses $2.68 billion, while film lost $959 million. The U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC), in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), commissioned the study. It was prepared by Mumbai-based consultants Ernst & Young India as part of the USIBC-FICCI Bollywood-Hollywood Initiative and covers film, music, television and video games. The study was funded by the Global Intellectual Property Center of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

As many as 820,000 direct jobs are also lost as a result of theft and piracy, with film hit hardest at 571,896 jobs lost in an industry that employs 5 million. Film jobs also take the biggest hit in the entertainment sector, the overall size of which is estimated at over $11 billion annually, growing at a combined annual rate of over 18%.

Indian films account for 62% of total pirated films while MPA studio films are at 20% and other foreign films at 18%.

"Piracy affects the industries of both countries and now that we have seen the situation in India, we will have a reciprocal study to gauge the impact of piracy on Indian entertainment in the U.S.,? said president Ron Somers in an interview.

FICCI secretary general Dr. Amit Mitra added, "For the average Indian who wants to increase his or her chances for being employed in Bollywood and associated industries, fighting piracy is a place where all our collective efforts must start."

Ernst & Young India national sector leader, Media and Entertainment Farokh T. Balsara, said, "Our Mumbai office collected data for this study from on the ground ? via direct interviews with stakeholders from the Bollywood entertainment industry. We looked at the industry from every angle ? the story was the same across the board: if we can slow or stop piracy, a direct correlation in the generation of wealth and employment will be the result."

In terms of tackling piracy, Somers said that the U.S. strongly supported the proposed optical disc legislation by the Indian government, "This legislation implies that just like currency notes, every disc will have a unique identification number so that if it is pirated, its origins can be traced."

TV is hit by advertising loss due to cable piracy and subscription revenue under-reporting by cable operators, which accounts for a $2.55 billion loss. The study points that while the MPA has "successfully brought down (cable) piracy of its content, regional producers have not been able to make an impact."

While Somers agreed that given the Indian film industry is fragmented with various industry bodies, "there is still an awareness to battle piracy and we hope this will be intensified with a more unified approach."

The music business loses $325 million while gaming suffered $40 million in losses. Pirated music product outstripped legit sales by almost double, given that the music industry is estimated at $183 million.

The Indian Music Industry (IMI) -- affiliated with International Federation of Phonographic Industries (IFPI) -- estimates that piracy of international product is less than 10 percent as reflected in legit sales.

Also previewed at FICCI Frames as a part of the Bollywood-Hollywood
Initiative was ?Illicit -- The Dark Trade,? a documentary that will air worldwide, produced by National Geographic for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Global Intellectual Property Center.
Source

US box office performance of 'Race' unspectacular

2008-03-25T23:10:00.000-07:00

While the 80% opening of Race at the Indian box office was impressive, the Abbas Mastan thriller from Tips Films made an unspectacular opening at the US box office.

During its opening weekend the film grossed a creditable $802,254 from 96 theaters in the US.

In contrast Jodhaa Akbar grossed $1,602,356 from 100 theaters during its opening weekend, almost twice the amount that Race collected, and went on to rake in $3,397,218. The all time record holder continues to be Om Shanti Om which collected $1,764,131 on its opening weekend from 114 theaters and went on to rake in $3,421,520.

It is likely that Race will fare better at the Indian box office than it has in the US because the racy thriller is likely to appeal more to India based audiences.

SAWF

Salman skips Katrina's premiere

2008-03-25T23:07:00.000-07:00

Salman Khan was conspicuous by his absence at Imax Wadala during the premier of Race. A friend of Katrina says the actress was very disappointed that Salman couldn't make it to the première. "It's her first big release this year and she wanted him to be there to give her moral support. But unfortunately, Salman had to be in Dubai for a show. It was a commitment made a month ago."

The source says Katrina was very keen to go to the première with Salman, "She kept requesting him to postpone the event and come for a few minutes to the Race premiere. Salman tried his best to get out of the Dubai show and take a late-night flight but it wasn't feasible. Katrina then requested Salman's best friend Sajid Nadiadwala to come with her in Sallu's place. "The friend adds that Katrina and Salman are going strong despite rumours of Salman's trespasses with Mahek Chahel and model Bruna Abdallah.

Katrina doesn't deny missing Sallu at the premiere, "I have never talked about my personal life and won't start doing that now." She hides her disappointment over his absence well. "More than disappointed, I am very nervous. I hope the film does well. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Last year, I had four releases but no premières."

Bipasha Basu, who stars in the film, was also minus beau John Abraham, who is shooting in Miami for Dostana. Katrina will join Salman in Dubai in the next few days but she takes pains to stress that it's not for a holiday, "I am going with designer Rocky S to pick up outfits for Singh Is Kinng." Meanwhile nothing can take her attention away from Race. "It's a fun, cool action thriller where I am playing a character with various shades. Race will take you by surprise," she promises.
Oneindia

Not yet time to get married, says Sushmita

2008-03-25T23:05:00.000-07:00

Bollywood actress Sushmita Sen, who has many a time made headlines for her relationships, says the time is not yet right to tie the knot.

'I have been planning to get married for seven years now. Plans do not work but the right man does. I think it's not time for me to get married yet,' Sushmita told IANS Tuesday.

'Moreover, I am already experiencing and enjoying the better half of marriage - I am a mother!' she quipped.

The actress, who is the brand ambassador of Pantene shampoo, was in the capital to promote the product. She was dressed in a white empire line gown with dirty pink ethnic motifs.

Asked how she liked to wear her hair, she said: 'I like natural hair because I am comfortable wearing it any time. The last time I remember I did my hair was during the Miss Universe pageant.

The former beauty queen added: 'Hair is an extension of one's being and you don't need to follow the trends blindly. You have to live with your natural hair like your skin. In fact, I love grey hair but my profession doesn't allow me to show them off.'

Sushmita, who's making her directorial debut with 'Jhansi Ki Rani', said destiny made her a filmmaker.

The film, produced by her company Tantra, will portray the life of Rani Laxmi Bai, the queen of Jhansi who fought against British rule during the 1857 war of independence.

'Throughout my life I have fought with myself (to believe) that whatever happened with me was what I chose for myself. But now that I am directing this film I think destiny decides it all.

'I was never meant to direct the film but the film chose me. And believe me, it took me tremendous amount of courage to do that. Now I have crossed my fingers and hope everything goes fine.'

She added: 'So far life has been good. There have been ups and downs. But I think lately I saw more lows than highs. I hope better things happen in future.'

'Jhansi Ki Rani' is slated to release in November 2009.

IANS/Yahoo

Celina hits back at Sreesanth

2008-03-25T23:04:00.000-07:00

Indian speed star Sreesanth had recently claimed that Bollywood actresses run after cricketers. However, hot and sexy actress Celina Jaitley has not taken it lightly. She said that cricketers are running after Bollywood heroines.

Celina seems to be not happy with Sreesanth's claim that film actresses chase Indian cricketers. She hits back at him by saying that it is cricketers who run after actresses and not vis-versa. She added that Yuvraj Singh and Deepika Padukone's relationship is a good example.

Whom do you think is right, Sreesanth or Celina?

Kapoors ain't fat!

2008-03-25T23:02:00.000-07:00

Are you the one always hiding behind the age old excuse 'aww, it's a family tendency' whenever you gain an additional kilo? .

think again. Genetic predisposition to obesity has less to do with how much you weigh.

It's what you eat and how you lead your life. And who better than the trendy fourth generation of Bollywood's first family - the Kapoors, to tell us this.

The young Kapoors - Karisma, Kareena and Ranbir, have broken this 'fat gene' myth. The chubby past Says Ritu Nanda, late Raj Kapoor's daughter, "It's totally wrong to presume that Kapoors have always had a fat gene.

Look at Prithiviraj Kapoor in Sikandar, he looked devastatingly dashing. Even Raj, Shammi, Shashi Kapoor - all looked so handsome when young.

It's only after retirement that they let themselves go and gained weight." These days, there's fierce competition among stars to look good, coupled with the increased awareness about fitness which has led to the current crop looking so yum and #8230; and we're not complaining! Neetu Singh-Kapoor, the charming mom to India's latest Adonis Ranbir echoes Ritu's views and stresses on the need to have a healthier lifestyle.

"I have a strict diet regime at home and Ranbir and Rishi follow it happily. I'm sure Babita is equally conscious about the diet of her girls (Karisma and Kareena).

We, the foodies :-In the Kapoor khandaan, much like any other true-blue Punjabi family, eating rich food is a passionate hobby. But while the elders seem resigned to the layers of fat, the younger lot is too conscious to let that happen and is burning all of it away through rigorous workouts.

"Kareena, Ranbir or my daughter Riddhima, who's not in the film line, just go "ewww" at the very thought of eating desi ghee," informs Neetu laughingly. So what's the medical fraternity's take on the 'fat-gene' concept.

"There is definitely some evidence of a genetic tendency towards obesity but environmental factors play a bigger role. Unhealthy food and a sedentary life is to blame," says Dr Sudhir Tripathi, consultant endocrinologist, Sir Gangaram Hospital.

So be it Kareena's size 'zero' frame or Ranbir's killer abs, we have a strict diet control and fitness regime to thank.

HT/Yahoo

Bollywood Gossip - Has Katrina Kaif dumped Salman?

2008-03-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

Bollywood Actress Katrina Kaif finally seems to be getting away from Salman's shadow. The year 2007 was indeed special for Katrina as she is the only actress to achieve four back-to-back successes in the year in Namastey London, Apne, Partner and Welcome.

Today she has become the highest paid item girl in the industry paid a whopping 1.5 crore to shimmy in Shree Ashtavinayak’s next film Blue.

The film stars Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar and Lara Dutta in lead roles.

We hear, when the production house asked her to do an item number, Kaif initially refused, as she doesn’t want the label of an item girl.

But when the makers agreed to pay her a 1.5 crore fee and offered a few more scenes, the actress accepted.

However, Balaji people were not that lucky. When they approached Katrina to do an item number for their next, C Company, the actress flatly turned it down. Money, of course, was the bone of contention. Balaji was not willing to shell out that kind of money.

But being an item with a fat pay cheque is not what she all wants, she wants to share space with someone like Hrithik.

“I don’t know if I would get an opportunity to work with him so early in my career, but he is one actor I would love to work with, no questions asked," she tells.

"The way he put his heart and soul into the character of Akbar left me speechless. I'm looking forward to working with Hrithik sometime soon.”

Of course, she is also in for an image makeover, so it is bye bye girl next doot and hello sexy siren phase for Katrina.

But this change is not just confined to her professional life. She is also delibrately distancing herself from Salman.

So when someone from media asked her Salman Khan and his ongoing flings with Brazilian supermodel Bruna Abdalah and Mahek Chahal Kat just pounced on the poor guy saying," You know, you guys need to learn that when someone is standing before you, you have to treat that person with respect."

"It's a ridiculous question, ridiculous. You guys need to learn to draw the line," she added before walking away in a huff.

Kangana Ranaut's favoured designer kicked out

2008-03-25T22:58:00.000-07:00

Actress Kangana Ranaut’s much-favoured fashion designer Rick Roy has been shown the door from ‘Raaz 2’.

Kangana Ranaut had shown favouritism towards Rick for designing her clothes in Fashion even though the project had two experienced designers like Narendra Kumar and Rita Dhody. The production house UTV eventually agreed to Kangana’s demand and let her have Rick as her designer in the film.

Now, Kangana also wanted Rick for her next film with Vishesh Film – Raaz 2 .

Producer Mukesh Bhatt agreed to have him on board. But Rick had some irreconcilable differences with the producer and was eventually dropped from the project.

And it seems that parting was not amicable.

For, Bhatt goes on to call Rick “an immature person” and “an idiot” in a media report. Bhatt says Rick has no understanding of tax laws and wanted to have the film’s costumes ordered under his (Rick’s) company’s name, something that was totally unacceptable to Bhatt.

Bhatt reveals that Rick even told him that he would tarnish the name of Vishesh Films by holding a press conference if he was kicked out of the project. However, Bhatt, who has been in the industry for decades, brushed off the threat lightly.

Now, designer Rocky S has been roped in to do Kangana’s costumes. And the actress seems pretty cool about working with Rocky instead of Rick.

‘Raaz 2’ will be directed by Mohit Suri . The film will have Emraan Hashmi in the lead role. The movie will be shot at some of the scariest places in the world, like the Bhangarh ruins, Roopkund in Uttarakhand and Whitechapel in London.

Mob goes crazy over Celina Jaitley

2008-03-25T22:57:00.000-07:00

Celina Jaitley had an unpleasant experience at a dance performance at Tau Devilal Stadium on the outskirts of Delhi on Sunday.

The actress had gone there for a special performance for the match between Delhi Giants and Lahore Badshahs for the Indian Cricket League’s Edelweiss Challenge.

Celina made a scintillating entry at the venue and danced to a number of Bollywood songs. The crowd cheered Celina and kept asking for more. But the performance had to eventually come to an end.

It was then the mob began going berserk. As many as three dozen policemen had to form a circle around Celina to protect her from the frenzied mob.

But the most ungentlemanly gesture came from a few cricket players (allegedly Pakistanis) who passed bad comments on Celina as she walked by the cricketers’ enclave.

One of them allegedly said: “Isko itni security ki kya zaroorat hai? Osama bin Laden hai kya?” Someone else allegedly said: “Kya tamasha laga rakha hai”.

Celina, who was cordoned by the cops, says she heard the comments but could not see who exactly passed them.

Later, when she was leaving the venue, a mob of her fans got unruly, surrounded her car, and damaged it.

Celina admits that the whole event left her upset. She is not thinking of filing any complaint against the cricketers. She is just relieved that it’s all over.
Apunkachoice

Aishwarya Rai again declines to star with Will Smith

2008-03-25T22:54:00.000-07:00

The gorgeous Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has declined to co-star with Hollywood star Will Smith yet again.

Two years ago, Smith offered Ash a role in his comedy ‘Hitch’ which Ash could not accept due to time constraints.

At that time, a besotted Smith who wanted to work with the beauty queen had said in an interview, “Aishwarya has this powerful energy and doesn’t have to say anything, or do anything, she can just stand there. Anything she’s making, I’ll be there.”

Since then, Ash turned down two more Will Smith projects.

“I had to say no to Will for ‘The Seven Pounds’ and now again for ‘Tonight He Comes’ (Smith’s super-hero flick re-named John Hancock). I feel awful about it. But I’ve my priorities. Family always comes first,” Ash is quoted as saying in a news report.

Contrary to reports, Ash didn’t decline the film to celebrate Karwa Chauth in Mumbai.

“That’s what the Hollywood press wrote... that I preferred to return to Mumbai to ‘starve’ myself for a religious occasion than to meet Will. That’s incorrect. The script reading was just after Diwali when Dadima’s (Teji Bachchan’s) health dipped. So I didn’t make that trip for the reading with Will. Is that wrong? Not to me. I’d any day put family over career.”

Ash had to say no to ‘Tonight He Comes’ because of her hectic schedules.

“I couldn’t do it because of my schedules. Flying in and out of the country for a role is not what I want to do now,” the Bachchan bahusaid.
Apunkachoice

India projects its ’soft power’ through Bollywood

2008-03-25T22:40:00.000-07:00

Almost a century after film pioneer Dadasaheb Phalke made “Raja Harishchandra” in 1913, the Indian cinema and entertainment industry has spread its wings worldwide - not just winning accolades from its widely dispersed diaspora and international audiences and earning huge profits abroad but also luring foreign investment. Billed as the world’s largest film industry, churning out more than 1,000 movies a year, Hindi as well as other Indian language films like Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, etc are being premiered simultaneously in the country and across the globe. While presenting the budget this year, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram described the entertainment industry as India’s “soft power” - the expression coined by Harvard economist Joseph Nye to describe a nation’s cultural assets.

From the time Phalke first visited England in 1912 to scout for equipment to make his films and visited again in 1914 to organise trade shows for his movies, Bollywood is now throwing its weight in the global village as the Indian movie and entertainment industry grows at a phenomenal rate.

While Ashutosh Gowariker’s “Jodhaa Akbar” was released in 26 countries and 1,100 screens worldwide, Aamir Khan’s “Taare Zameen Par” was released with 385 prints. Sony released about 600 prints of Bollywood musical “Saawariya” in India and 900 more globally.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Saawariya”, starring newcomers Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor, marked a new beginning for Bollywood. It was the first film co-produced and distributed by a major Hollywood studio, Sony Pictures.

According to entertainment website Hollywood Reporter, “Saawariya” was released internationally in 13 markets and outperformed Tom Cruise’s “Lions for Lambs”, grossing more than $5 million in the first week of its release late last year.

Although Hindi movies have not entered the foreign drawing rooms abroad, they have started catching the attention of the Western media and gradually journeying beyond the diaspora.

When “Saawariya” opened in 85 theatres in the US and Canada, the press labelled it as a visually enchanting extravaganza.

“Eye and ear candy for fans of Indian musical cinema, it is 2 hours 11 minutes - bracingly compact by Bollywood standards - of wide-screen close-ups, fanciful sets, colourful costumes, bellybuttons, almost-kisses and 10 pumped-up, achingly sweet songs,” wrote A.O. Scott, a film critic for The Times.

The Los Angeles Times headlined its review of “Saawariya” as “Bollywood grace - in a crazy way”.

Over the past decade, Bollywood has become a lucrative market for foreign investors too with the Western world’s perception of the Hindi film industry undergoing a change. Today it recognises the worth of this Rs.100-billion ($2.5 billion) industry set on a fast-track growth.

According to Hollywood trade magazine Variety, Hollywood investors are now “reassessing their previous cool attitude” towards India and major players like Viacom, Universal, Dream Works and Warner Bros. prefer to invest in the Indian entertainment industry, compared to China.

Although “Saawariya” was not a blockbuster, international investors continue to be upbeat about entering India’s film trade. Sony has signed an agreement with Eros International, one of the leaders in the market, under which they plan to make four to six Indian films a year.

Major Hollywood studios, like Viacom, NBC, Universal and Dream Works, besides Warner Bros., Sony and Disney, have already made sizeable investments in India’s entertainment sector.

While China is still wary of allowing foreign companies significant stakes in its entertainment sector, Indian entertainment corporate entities are welcoming foreign direct investment (FDI) and entering into joint business deals with their foreign counterparts with a vengeance.

Warner Bros., for example, recently called off a deal it had signed with a Chinese production firm. Media baron Rupert Murdoch put it succinctly when he told Variety: “Trying to build an entertainment business in China is simply too hard.”

Hollywood media giant Walt Disney Company is poised to invest Rs.13.14 billion ($330.4 million) in two UTV group firms.

Pritish Nandy Communications Ltd (PNC) has struck a Rs.1.8 billion ($45 mn) deal with DQ Entertainment (DQE), one of the world’s leading animation and gaming production companies, to co-develop and co-produce six animation movies over the next three to four years.

PNC had also signed a five-movie deal with Motion Pixel Corporation (MPC), a Florida-based animation company that has its animation studios, Estudio Flex, in Costa Rica.

Viacom - which controls Paramount Pictures - and Indian television entrepreneur Raghav Bahl have created a new movie investment fund to capture 20-25 percent of the Bollywood market. Already talks are on for the production of four big budget films.

With the changing global business environment, Disney too has changed its international strategy with content more geared to local markets, rather than selling its US products the same way in each international market.

Following Sony Pictures, Walt Disney Co has signed a joint venture deal with Yash Raj Films to make animated films. The venture will make at least one animated film a year.

Top Hollywood star Johnny Depp is expected to star in US-based Indian filmmaker Mira Nair’s “Shantaram”. Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan too will play a vital role in it. Depp’s presence in an Indian movie is widely perceived as a sign that Bollywood has gone global.

Some individuals too are making a credible effort and taking the Hindi film industry to a greater height.

Music composer A.R. Rahman first had a successful stint with the “Lord of the Rings” musical on London’s West End and recently Sanjay Leela Bhansali directed the 1923 opera ballet “Padmavati”, written by Albert Rousselan, for the prestigious Theatre Du Chatelet in Paris.

Not only that, the West appears to be increasingly welcoming Bollywood stars. First it was Mallika Sherawat for “Unveiled”, then Akshay Kumar was taken for “Australian Bandstand”, Salman Khan featured in “Marigold” and recently Aishwarya Rai finished working in “Pink Panther”.

And not to forget Shilpa Shetty’s big victory on Britain’s reality show “Celebrity Big Brother” in 2007.

Among all the Indian stars, it is Shah Rukh Khan who is making a big impact abroad. According to a report, he is recognised by 3.2 billion people across the world while only 2.7 billion know Tom Cruise.

Tom Cruise starrer “Lions for Lambs” released about the same time as Shah Rukh’s “Om Shanti Om”. While “Lions for Lambs”, made at a budget of $35 million, garnered $10.3 million in 45 markets in its opening weekend, Shah Rukh’s movie grossed $19 million worldwide in its opening weekend.

The Bollywood Badshah’s star power was more than evident when people from across Europe descended on Berlin to see their favourite star making an appearance at the Berlinale for the screening of “Om Shanti Om”. His popularity was even compared to that of the Pope.

Early this month, veteran Bollywood actor Anupam Kher launched a London chapter of his Actor Prepares, making it Britain’s first official Bollywood acting school. The school, to be based in the West London neighbourhood of Ealing, will charge students a steep 6,000 pounds for a three-month course.

Theindian

Bollywood scripts a new success formula

2008-03-25T22:37:00.000-07:00

The industry is slowly recognizing the importance of screenplay and budding writers are being trained by veterans

In the darkest days of Bollywood, the bearded instructor recalls, the prevailing attitude of directors and producers went something like this: “If you can write a postcard, you can write a script.”
Standing at the helm of a class, Anjum Rajabali, the writer behind The Legend of Bhagat Singh, is trying to debunk the notion—one student at a time.
Anjum Rajabali, head of scriptwriting at Whistling Woods International, at a lecture. His students are among the first wave of trained scriptwriters India has produced in nearly 40 yearsRajabali is the head of scriptwriting at Whistling Woods International, the media and film school founded by film-maker Subhash Ghai.
“The most creative force in making a film is the original script,” explains Rajabali.
“All others are bound by the script, so everyone else is either a derivative or a response, or a reaction to the script.”
The statement, in many ways, reflects a belief the film industry is trying to infuse into itself. And the 20-somethings seated before the professorial and offbeat Rajabali are hanging on to his every word.
Sporting designer stubble, Dolce and Gabbana attire and their Apple Mac laptops, they have the distinction of being among the first wave of trained scriptwriters India has produced in nearly 40 years.
Despite churning out 850 films each year compared with the 180 by Hollywood, budding scriptwriters in India had no recourse to professional training until four years ago, when the Film and Television Institute of India launched its intensive, one-year-long scriptwriting course. That course, also run by Rajabali, was established after a series of box office flops inspired industry veterans to rethink the need for, and the role of, a cohesive script.
Previously, the industry had regarded the institution of scriptwriting as superfluous to making a film
The failure of insipid storylines and poorly constructed plots to generate audience, despite the pull of top directors and star-studded casts, led to the realization that a lack of focus on writing was the weak link, according to industry watchers. In their estimates, 70% of Bollywood films fail due to poorly-constructed scripts, with both grammar and structure falling short.
In this month that has seen a flurry of releases from Race this past weekend to 123 this weekend, Komal Nahata, editor of the trade publication Film Information, notes that of the last 150 films made in Bollywood, 125 would have failed to recover their investments and costs.
“Film-makers plead cinematic licence but, if the story does not gel well then the audience will notice,” he says. “The importance of training cannot be overemphasized.”
And, so, features that have been accepted as part of the quirks of Bollywood, namely implausible dialogue and a lack of context, are starting to be challenged.
“A script is the very bedrock of a film. It sets the tone and if the script is not cohesive, it shows through at the tills. There are very few films that can rise above their script,” says Siddharth Roy Kapur, executive vice-president of motion pictures at UTV Software Communication, the entertainment company behind films such as Jodhaa Akbar, Taare Zameen Par and Life in a Metro. “There are some great writers out there, but not enough of them and they are not trained enough.”
Previously, the industry had regarded the institution of scriptwriting as superfluous to making a film and writers were only hired, if at all, after shooting had begun. An appetite for the formulaic style of Bollywood film, as well as a strong and ancient tradition of story-telling and performing arts, meant the need for a specialist artist to pen a script was deemed unnecessary. The trend was to adapt tales from mythology for the medium of cinema, which resulted in a story with dialogue, as opposed to a script.
“A screenplay is a very precise craft, and a narrative format,” says Rajabali. “That was never followed. Instead, we got a short story with the dialogue inserted as the film was being made.”
In addition, the adoption of the “author theory” from Europe during the 1960s, which held that the director, not scriptwriter, was the real author of a film, destroyed the last vestiges of credibility held by writers in the eyes of the industry, and prompted the Film and Television Institute to abolish its scriptwriting module in 1972.
In contrast, scriptwriting in Hollywood was treated as a specialist craft from its inception, as the US lacked the tradition of performing arts found in India.
“They sat down and put together a narrative format called screenplay, and that was followed,” says Rajabali. “So, it was already treated as a specialist craft and it was also logically recognized that it goes from script to director. So, from the beginning, the scriptwriter occupied a position right next to the director.”
Leading scriptwriters in Hollywood can command a fee of at least $1 million (about Rs4 crore) per script, compared with the Rs15-25 lakh per script that writers in Bollywood are still paid—also a fraction of the Rs5-7 crore charged by the top actors of today. Additionally, heavily unionized Hollywood recognizes and celebrates its scriptwriters through prestigious awards, which are highly coveted and accords them credit on publicity stills and hoardings.
In regional Indian cinema, the scriptwriter has historically occupied a more privileged position, says Shaji N. Karun, the Malayalam director whose debut film Piravi won the Camera d’Or at Cannes in 1988. As a result, the south produces “better crafted” films than mainstream Hindi cinema.
“The role of the writer is considered much more important in Malayalam cinema than in Bollywood because the craft of making cinema is more important in the regions,” he says.
Scriptwriters who seek fame and fortune in television face similar challenges, but are presented with greater opportunity in terms of a larger choice of productions to write for, as well as a more regular and assured source of income. On the downside, they find themselves a part of an industrialized process, with television programming ruled by tight budgets and time frames.
The growing corporatization of Bollywood and the influx of external investors have meant the film industry will have to “get its act together and follow best practice”, says Meghna Ghai-Puri, daughter of Ghai and president of Whistling Woods International.
One consequence of the growing professionalism of Bollywood, ever since it gained industry status in 2000, is the revitalization of the Film Writers Association of India, the body that protects the rights of scriptwriters. Established nearly 60 years ago, but until recently lacking in real clout or “teeth”, the organization is becoming more militant, according to Rajabali, and has recruited scriptwriters such as himself to its steering committee.
Although she says that the industry has discouraged young talent with poor wages, Ghai-Puri believes this is gradually changing: “If good talent comes about and we can prove a good screenwriter can make a film work, the pay will increase. The future is that way and the film industry is moving in the right direction.”
Whistling Woods, which was established in 2006 to inject greater professionalism into the industry and meet international standards in training, insists that all students take classes in scriptwriting, regardless of their specialization. The school also plans to introduce shorter scriptwriting courses for writers and professionals, and currently conducts workshops with the British Council to help students translate their ideas into scripts.
Yet, of a total of 190 students at the school, only nine have opted to follow the scriptwriting speciality with the remainder following their dreams in the fields of acting, directing, producing, and other technical crafts. Rajabali believes that simple supply and demand forces will eventually correct the imbalance, but says the craft of scriptwriting is not yet convincingly portrayed or understood by the media, and “is not glamorized enough”, especially given how cost-effective writing is.
Debating questions such as “How does one use silence in cinema?” with his post-graduate class of aspiring scriptwriters and expounding on concepts such as “How sub-terrestrial emotionality is what gives you insight into human nature,” the veteran scriptwriter reminisces on learning his craft by seeking nuggets of wisdom from established writers and by rewriting the scripts of his favourite films from memory.
“The thing is, you don’t need investment or technology to teach someone to write,” says Rajabali. “It just takes a piece of paper, a pen, and a place to sit under a tree, and you have a script. No other skill in cinema can be taught in such a cost-effective way.”
Livemint

Bangkok is hottest destination for Bollywood

2008-03-25T22:35:00.000-07:00

Bangkok is beckoning Bollywood. Half the Indian film industry is currently stationed in the city for work - and not quite for sampling its glitzy nightlife and shopping malls.

First of all, the four As - Anil Kapoor, Akshaye Khanna, Arshad Warsi and Amrita Rao - have been in Bangkok for a month shooting for Neera Vora's "Shortcut".

Another A-star Akshay Kumar is also in Bangkok with his pretty co-star Deepika Padukone shooting for Nikhil Advani's "Chandni Chowk To China".

Ranbir Kapoor flew to Bangkok Friday for a photo session for the Filmfare magazine, and not to join girlfriend Deepika Padukone.

Bangkok is currently the hottest spot for not only film shooting but also other glamour events. Priyanka Chopra flew to Bangkok last week to do an ad with Saif Ali Khan.

"It was touch-and-go because I had to wrap up the ad, then rush back to Mumbai and then rush to Miami for Tarun Mansukhani's "Dostana". But the rush was worth it because I always like going to Bangkok for holidays and work."

ET

Bollywood role for Glasgow airport attack hero

2008-03-25T22:34:00.000-07:00

A baggage handler at the Glasgow airport in the UK, who helped thwart the terrorist attack involving Indian-origin Kafeel Ahmed last year, has been offered a role to play himself in a Bollywood movie.

John Smeaton has received several awards, including a gallantry medal from Queen Elizabeth, for the bravery he had shown during the foiled attack.

The Bollywood film, currently titled 'Beyond Belief', is directed by Nileish Malhotra. Shooting for the movie starts in Glasgow in June.

Malhotra, who was in Dundee this week to launch the project, told the 'Daily Record': "We've heard all about John Smeaton and what he got up to and we are very keen for him to play himself.

"Everyone knows him in Scotland. It will be great for the movie if we can get him on board."

Malhotra added: "The film is a thriller with some music in it and it will look into the events leading up to and including the Glasgow attack.

"It won't be an exact representation of what happened but it will be as accurate as we can make it. We don't want to kill the terrorists, we want to kill the roots of terrorism.

"We hope to film in Glasgow as well as Dundee and we'll be getting some of Bollywood's leading actors and actresses involved. But we won't be making any announcements until they have signed on the line," he said.

The movie will be shot by three-time Oscar-nominated Hollywood cameraman Jack Conroy in Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The airport baggage-handler has been lavished with praise since the terror attack on June 30 last year when it was reported he tackled a terrorist.

He has met Prime Minister Gordon Brown four times and, in December, he went to New York to receive an Everyday Superhero award from CNN.

Dundee entrepreneur Tony Hussain - who has been involved in three previous Bollywood films -- is co-producer of 'Beyond Belief'.

Hussain, 41, said: "This is a very exciting project and we can't wait to get going on it. Nileish and I are old friends and he's one of the very best in the business and I know we're going to make a great movie."

Hindu

Now it is "Shotgun's'"son....

2008-03-25T22:30:00.000-07:00

Another superstar son is all set to make his debut in the film industry following the footsteps of other star sons like Abishek Bachchan, Hritik Roshan and Ranbir Kapoor.

Former cine star and BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha's son Luv Sinha is all set to make his debut with film "Sadiyaan", which is based on the relationship between India and Pakistan.

"Like others, I also wish that my son becomes a far more better and successful actor than me," Shatrughan Sinha said on Sunday.

Sinha had also interacted with the film's unit which is shooting near Chandigarh.

Sinha said the film which has been shot at different locations in Punjab and Jammu, is expected to release by September next.

Actress Hema Malini and Rekha will be seen together in this film almost after 20 years.

Actor Rishi Kapoor is playing the role of Luv's father in the film while the role of heroin is being played by a Kashmiri girl Fareen.

The film is being produced and directed by Raj Kanwar who has given hit films including Shahrukh Khan starrer Deewana.

Popular Pakistani actor Javed Sheikh is also playing an important role in the film.

Hindu