Tuesday, March 31

Sanjay Dutt barred from contesting Lok Sabha polls


The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that actor-politician Sanjay Dutt cannot contest elections and rejected the actor's plea to suspend his conviction. He is the Samajwadi Party candidate from Lucknow.

The Supreme Court said that allowing Dutt to contest despite his conviction and jail terms would set a wrong precedent.

Sanjay Dutt had been convicted under the Arms Act and had been given six years jail term.

Currently, he is on bail granted by the Supreme Court. Dutt filed a petition in Supreme Court to suspend his conviction.

But the court backed the CBI's argument that giving Dutt the go-ahead will open the floodgates.

As per law, anyone convicted for two years and above can not contest polls.

So far only person who was allowed to contest under this law was former cricketer Navjot Sidhu.

Dutt in his petition stated that this was his first offence and has a good family background of politicians. He also says he wants to contest elections to work for the country.

All men dance around their wives: Abhishek Bachchan


Big B and his family - wife Jaya, son Abhishek, daughter Shweta and her husband Nikhil - were in the capital to watch daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai perform at NDTV's unveiling of 'The Seven Wonders of India'.Abhishek, clad in a black formal suit, sported a new clean-shaven look. The actor said it was for a new movie 'Ravana', a trilingual film in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi directed by Mani Ratnam.

"This look - it is actually for a movie that I am working on. This look is going to stay, at least for the time being," Abhishek Bachchan told us, running his hands over clean shaven cheeks, in response to a query.

Wife Aishwarya said she loved him just the way he was. "He is my husband and I love him as he is."

Abhishek reciprocated saying: "All men dance around their wives."

'Ravana', starring Abhishek and Aishwarya, is a contemporary interpretation of the epic 'Ramayana', in which, according to media reports, Abhishek, the hero, plays a Ravana-like character who kidnaps Aishwarya, another man's wife, to avenge his sister's humiliation. He hides with her in the jungle, and the couple end up falling in love.

At the function on Monday, Aishwarya performed with Shiamak Davar and troupe for nearly an hour showcasing the colours, heritage and popular music of India - to the beat of popular Bollywood numbers.

The anchors of the show, Vikram Chandra and Abhigyan Prakash, NDTV veterans, described Aishwarya as "another Indian wonder", in addition to the seven that NDTV in association with Tata Indicom unveiled at the star-studded ceremony.

The seven wonders include Jaisalmer Fort, the ancient Nalanda University, Red Fort, Konark Sun temple, Dholavira, Khajuraho, and the Meenakshi Temple. Also, two spiritual wonders - the Tawang monastery and the Golden Temple - were unveiled by Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, respectively.

Abhay Deol lectures at Wharton, impresses audience


From topics like multiplex versus single screen films to the new economy to Bollywood going global - Abhay Deol wowed the audience with his speech on various aspects of avant-garde cinema at the prestigious Wharton business school. "It was a fun experience. The audience was very receptive and excited. I didn't go with any theme in mind. I was asked questions about Bollywood. A lot of them were to do with how the industry has been up till now and about how it is changing rapidly," Abhay told us on phone from New York.

Abhay gave the speech March 21 at the Wharton School Of The University Of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

"We spoke of the 'multiplex' film versus the 'single screen' film, of the new economy, the new generation of film watchers, the possibility of Bollywood going global, and talent out there which is yet to be tapped," he added.

After Anurag Kashyap's 'Dev D', Abhay is being seen as the voice of a specific kind of niche avant-garde cinema in Bollywood.

"A lot of the questions had to do with my choice of films. The hall was packed and we got asked many questions. One person even asked me about how some of the sequences in 'Dev D' were shot, primarily the ones where I was rigged with the camera," said the actor who has featured in films like 'Socha Na Tha', 'Ahista Ahista' and 'Manorama Six Feet Under'.

Abhay is now more or less settled in New York.

"I love this city. I feel at home here as the people are very much like they are in Mumbai and I have my own place. I do cook, but I mostly eat out and I keep my place clean. Once in two weeks I have a maid who comes and cleans the apartment."

He returns to shoot for Anil Kapoor's 'Ayesha' with Sonam Kapoor.

"I will be back in Mumbai when it's time to shoot and the dates of my next are still in discussion as of now."

When reminded that his name is being linked with Sonam and 'Miss Great Britain' Preeti Desai, Abhay said: "The Indian press would link me with a pizza if I was spotted carrying one with me."

Siren of the Week: Riya Sen


Riya Sen is granddaughter to Suchitra Sen, daughter to Moon Moon Sen and sister to Raima Sen. The Kolkata siren is a top model and has an on-screen persona reminiscent of her mother's. Her bold characters and onscreen smooches have made her a youth icon in India.

India Catches the Fancy of Hollywood


Sajid Nadiadwala has managed quite a coup when he roped in Hollywood icon Sylvester Stallone, Denise Richards and Brandon Routh to star in his film, Kambakkht Ishq. The film also stars Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor and the producer has spared no effort, in terms of money, to make it a memorable movie experience for the viewers.

If that's not enough, it seems that Nadiadwala may have also managed to bring in these stars to India, for the film's permiere, which is scheduled to be held in May. The dates have of couse not been finalized because of the ongoing feud between producers and multiplex owners. But once there is a breakthrough reached between the two warring parties, the producer will be able to finalise the date for the film's release. India suddenly seems to have become one of the happening destinations for Hollywood stars. If Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were here for a while, with Madonna following next, recently, Nicole Kidman too was here to shoot an ad in Udaipur. And if all goes well, then Stallone too should be here very soon. It seems that the Hollywood star is very keen to do the tourist thing in India and visit Rajasthan. Post 26/11, security concerns seem to be uppermost in everyone's mind and Nadiawala will be ensuring full security cover for these stars. There can be little doubt that Bollywood and India have managed to catch the eye of Hollywood in a big way.

The Week That Was at the Box Office


This week turned out to be good week at the box office for all the films that released on Friday. Even though the returns from the box office were not fantastic, but they still would have brought in some kind of relief.

The star of the week, if one can call it that, was Sangeeth Sivan's Ek The Power Of One, which starred Bobby Deol and Nana Patekar. The film has a pretty decent opening, with collections ranging between 30 to 40 per cent at single theatres and between 20 and 30 at the multiplexes. Aa Dekhen Zara, directed by Jehangir Surti opened with collections ranging between 30 to 35 per cent at most mulitolexes, with collections dipping slightly at the single screens. However Deepa Mehta's Videsh Heaven On Earth could not garner those kind of collections. This film had a very dismal opening and even the presence of Preity Zinta could not salvage the movie. Of the releases last week, neither of the five films, Aloo Chaat, Barah Aana, Firaaq, Straight and Lottery, could create any stir at the box office. From the week before that, Sooni Taraporewala's Little Zizou still continues to get in crowds at multiplexes in the city. This is its third week and this feel good movie's strategic release in select theatres seems to be working to its benefit. This Friday, Nagesh Kuknoor's Tasveer 8x10 is all set to release. This Akshay Kumar starrer is the only release set for this week after which the ban on the releases at multiplexes comes into effect, unless of course, there is a breakthrough in the ongoing fracas.

Stars Hit the Poll Trail


With the IPL having been moved out of the country and the current ban on film releases coming into effect from April 4 onwards, our stars have finally decided to turn their attention to their next favourite past time, politics. Many of the stars have already jumped into the fray and will be contesting the elections, while many others will be seen campaigning for their preferred party.


There is Salman Khan, who is reportedly campaigning in a remote UP town called Unnao for a Congress candidate, for reasons which are known to him only. Elsewhere, one hears that Shekhar Suman may be fielded by the Congress as their candidate from Patna, against none other than Shatrughan Sinha, who is from the BJP. Sanjay Dutt has already been all over the news following his surprise walkover to the Samajwadi Party, after being a Congress loyalist all these years. Of course, his being able to cotest the elections will really depend on a Supreme Court ruling, which should be announced very soon. But there are a bunch of stars who are doing something even more worthwhile. They are campaigning to reach out to the youth of the country and ask them to cast a vote for the change that they want to see. There is a music video being directed by Tarun Mansukhani, which will star youth icons like Katrina Kaif, Imran Khan, Kareena Kapoor, John Abraham and Deepika Padukone, exhorting the youth to come out and vote. Actors Rahul Bose, Dia Mirza, Koel Purie and John are also jumping into the action in other ways as well, by talking to the youth. According to reports, if all goes well, then actor Aamir Khan will take part in a public initiative, undertaken by a NGO, whereby he will record his voice in a message urging people to vote. This message is likely to be sent out to all mobile phones. The actor is also keen to make ads to support this cause. The ads are reportedly being written by his friend, adman, Prasoon Joshi. One does not know about the Indian voter coming of age, but it seems that our Bollywood actors have definitely come of age this time.

Rahman's mega show in Kerala


After having won the Oscars, music maestro would be for the first time performing live music concert titled 'Jai Ho' in Kozhikode, Kerala on May 3 to express solidarity with the HIV positive orphan kids. Apart from Rahman, over 50 well-known musicians will be participating in this show being organized by the NGO Global Kerala Initiative.
A.R. Rahman recently to one of the new agencies said that from the last 15 years he wanted to perform in Kerala. Though he had cancelled at least seven shows this year itself as he would be in US for at least six months, he wanted the Kerala show to be held as it was 'irresistible'. Malayalam singers are gifted, dedicated and their foundation is very strong.

The Chennai-based star composer also said he would team up with Oscar winning sound engineer Resul Pookutty to compose music for Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision's Bollywood multistarrer BLUE, starring Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Lara Dutta, Zayed Khan and Katrina Kaif. BLUE is directed by Anthony D'Souza.

It's Shah Rukh all the way at Poland's Bollywood fest


Shah Rukh Khan once again stole the hearts of the Polish fans with his performance in 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' at the Second Bollywood Film Festival in Poland where Aamir Khan's 'Taare Zameen Par' and Deepa Mehta's 'Water' were also screened.

Shah Rukh, who is almost a household name in Poland, didn't leave much scope for others to replace him in the hearts of his fans at the weeklong festival entitled 'Experience the Taste of India' that concluded Sunday.

'Shah Rukh is well-established in our psyche and we feel close to him with his performances. For us, it doesn't matter who are the other great stars in India these days - whether it is Amitabh (Bachchan) or his son Abhishek, Aamir Khan or Hrithik Roshan,' said Anusia Sancewicz, a well-known media personality.

'Shah Rukh is really superb in most of his movies that have been shown in Poland in the past four years starting from 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' which took Poland by surprise. In a sense, this film opened the floodgates for Bollywood films,' added Anusia.

All the tickets of 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' were sold much in advance though the film was screened on the last day. In Warsaw, two multiplexes screened the film to meet the heavy rush - despite that many had to face disappointment as they couldn't get a seat in any of the two halls.

'Aamir Khan's 'Taare Zameen Par' is an excellent movie and it has been appreciated by educated people, but the craze for Shah Rukh remains unabated,' observed Riki Rana, a successful businessman and son-in-law of legendary Bollwyood singer Talat Mahmood.

'The role of a commoner portrayed by Shah Rukh in 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' created more ripples in the minds of the Polish audience as Raj Kapoor had done with his roles in 'Aawara' and 'Shri 420' in 1950s and 1960s in the erstwhile Soviet Union,' added Riki Rana.

J.J. Singh, president of the Polish Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that to promote Aamir a separate festival of his films needs to be organised.

'To promote Aamir Khan we should organise an exclusive festival of his big films such as 'Ghajini', 'Rang De Basanti' and 'Fanaa'. The climax of 'Fanaa' was filmed on the Tatra mountains of Poland, yet the film has not generated much curiosity in this country, which is surprising,' said Singh who was also the main patron of the festival along with the Epelpol Entertainment.

Deepa Mehta's 'Water', Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham starrer 'Dostana' and Yash Raj Films' 'Tashan' were also screened along with 'Outsourced' and 'Hello'.

'Since Poland produces very artistic movies with great directors like Andrzej Wajda, Krzysztof Zanussi and Roman Polanski, that is why Mehta's 'Water' was highly appreciated by the artistic Polish fans,' said Gabellia Krzyzowska, an eminent Indophile.

'There is scope for films of Shabana Azmi, Nasiruddin Shah and Om Puri,' she added.

First Look: 'Kambakkht Ishq'


'Kambakkht Ishq' is a romantic comedy involving a stuntman (Akshay Kumar) and a supermodel (Kareena Kapoor).

Tulip Joshi's Double Whammy!


Tulip's Punjabi film 'JAG JEONDEYAN DE MELE' where she stars alongside Harbhajan Mann has opened to a smashing response in Punjab!

This is the first time Tulip has featured in a Punjabi film where she essays a double role. The film which is running to packed theatres is currently in its 7th week! And the congratulatory calls are not just poring in from Punjab but also from as far as Canada and UK! On one hand, Tulip plays the character of a modern blind girl from UK and on the other hand she gives it a rustic touch by playing the role of a tribal gypsy woman from Punjab. Both roles being on either end of the spectrum gave the actress ample scope to experiment and gives 2 completely different looks in the film!
Tulip Joshi who has won accolades for her performance in Matrabhoomi and critical acclaim with her role in 'Dhoka' was last seen in Shree Ashtavinayak's 'Superstar'.

Monday, March 30

The '8x10 Tasveer' Album


'8x10 Tasveer' revolves around Jai (Akshay Kumar), who has a supernatural gift to see into the past by touching the 8X10 sized photograph of dead people.

I'm the first Indian to be the face of Barbie: Katrina Kaif


British-born actress Katrina Kaif, whose face will now adorn Barbie dolls, says contrary to what people believe her Barbie is not an Indian counterpart of the international brand. She also feels that in many ways it's an endorsement of how kids connect with her. "I'd call it a fun honour. To have your face on dolls that you've played with from childhood is quite flattering. We've been in negotiation for nearly six months. It finally came together for the 50-year celebration of Barbie," Katrina told us.

"Contrary to what people believe my Barbie is not an Indian counterpart of the international brand. It's an honour because I'm the first Indian to be the face of Barbie. I'll be dressed the way the Barbie is all over the world.

"And I think in many ways it's an endorsement of how kids connect with me. You can't be the face of an international doll unless kids like you. I like that. The thought that kids like me enough to make me a part of their doll collection is very gratifying," the 24-year-old said.

The actress walked the ramp as the showstopper at a special show dedicated to Barbie at the Lakme Fashion Week here. She sported a small pink dress that the 'Katrina Barbie' will be wearing from September.

With the Barbie image coming to the surface, Katrina is a little worried about the bubbly-girl image that she'd like to change.

"So much for my attempts to move to more mature level as an actor," laughed the actress. "I guess Prakash Jha's 'Rajneeti' will take care of that. But I'm very happy being the clean healthy Barbie-girl next door."

The doll's look and dress were planned in collaboration with Katrina.

"It is quite something, if you think about it. But I'd rather not. I don't want my head to get swollen. For me, it's enough that I was chosen because I reflect a certain bubbly wholesome personality, quite contrary to the 'sexy' tag that I get in net polls and which I'm not very comfortable with," she said.

Apart from 'Rajneeti', Katrina's other releases this year are debutant director Anthony D'Souza's underwater thriller 'Blue' and Yash Raj Films' 'New York'.

Playing Madhubala biggest challenge for me: Kangana


Kangana Ranaut is set to play the legendary Madhubala in a film titled 'Once Upon A Time', but she says looking as beautiful as the late actress is a challenge. "I've never thought of myself as beautiful. In fact, I've always suffered from low self-esteem. Till recently I'd look at my pictures and cringe. I still have the pictures from my first portfolio I got done in Chandigarh. They remind me of how ugly I can look. And to now play Madhubala in 'Once Upon A Time In Mumbai' - how will I do it?" Kangana said.

Set in Mumbai, 'Once Upon a Time' is about Madhubala who was said to be the love interest of the 1960s underworld don Haji Mastan. While Kangana plays Madhubala, Ajay Devgan will essay the role of Haji Mastan in the movie being produced by Ekta Kapoor.

Milan Luthria, who has directed films like 'Taxi No. 9211' and 'Hattrick', wields the megaphone for the movie.

"Madhubala's role is not as tragic as my other roles. It's basically a very tender romance between this really funny don and this female superstar who can't understand his personality," Kangana told us.

"How will I manage to play the most beautiful woman that Indian cinema has ever seen? My characters have always had a dark and light side. And this one is no exception. But the challenge for me is to look almost ethereally beautiful, like Madhubala. How will I manage that?"

Kangana intends to undergo a complete transformation as far as looks are concerned. And she has already started watching DVDs of Madhubala's films to prepare for the role.

"I won't copy her, but I want to get into her mind and heartspace."

Kangana, who played the main lead in 'Woh Lamhe', a semi-autobiography of Parveen Babi's life, laughs when people tell her playing the traumatised love interest of the underworld don would be a cakewalk for her.

"I'm proud of my so-called territory as an actress. If playing traumatised women is my territory, then I'm glad because I know I'm good at it," she said.

Sonam ready to bend rules for De Niro, Shahrukh Khan


may be just two films old, but she is choosy about her roles and has drafted strict guidelines for herself to sign movies. The young actress is, however, willing to make exceptions if the man opposite her happens to be Robert De Niro or Shahrukh Khan.
"Well, why would one actually ask questions if paired opposite Robert De Niro?" asks Sonam with a mischievous smile. "You should consider yourself plain fortunate to just share a common frame with him. In fact, I will be happy to even walk past a frame featuring him. No questions asked. Period."

Sonam teamed up with Ranbir Kapoor in her debut vehicle 'Saawariya' and she was seen with Abhishek Bachchan in her second film 'Dilli 6'. She is now looking forward to a movie with superstar Shahrukh.

"He is another man for whom I will be so very willing to ignore my rule book. I would be more than happy to go ahead and sign a film if Shahrukh happens to be my hero," says Sonam, a self-confessed Shahrukh fan.

"There are exceptions that one makes about the size and content of the role when it comes to working with legendary actors; De Niro and Shahrukh just fit the bill," she said.

However, when it comes to working on films with anyone lesser, Sonam certainly has her do's and don'ts in place.

"I don't intend to do films where all I am required to do is to dance in four songs and enact a couple of emotional scenes. By no means am I looking at that kind of cinema," she said.

Though the formal announcement of her next film is yet to take place, reports are that Sonam's next will be for her dad's production house. The film is called 'Ayesha' and is based on Jane Austen's novel 'Emma'.

According to industry sources, Sonam will be making a complete about turn from her 'Saawariya' and 'Delhi 6' image and take on a completely new ultra-chic avtar. The film will feature Abhay Deol along with newcomer Arunodoy Singh, who will soon make his debut with 'Sikandar'.

Sonam and Imran Khan are meanwhile reportedly being considered by Kunal Kohli for his next film that would be directed by his assistant Danish Aslam. However, confirmation is still awaited around this young love story.

Har Pal' not an art film: Preity Zinta


has rubbished reports that her next film 'Har Pal' with multiple National Award wining director Jahnu Barua is an art film.

"Everyone thinks it's an art film but it's not. It's a beautiful story with an amazing music. 'Har Pal' is super commercial," Preity told us.

Slated for a summer release, the film also stars Shiney Ahuja, Dharmendra and Eesha Koppikhar.

Shilpa to marry Raj Kundra in October?


Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty will probably tie the knot with beau Raj Kundra in October this year, the Daily Mail online reported Sunday.The couple have set a tentative date in October and plan to have a traditional ceremony in India, the report said.

"I have very traditional views of marriage. I've seen my parents maintain a 35-year marriage and I really believe marriages are made in heaven. I've always said that the day I decide to tie the knot it is going to be for good," Shilpa said.

"I have often wondered who the right person would be and I've come to realise that for me it is Raj. I'm completely sure he is my soul mate," she added.

Kundra seems as excited about the prospect of marriage as Shilpa.

"I have spoken to Shilpa's parents and we are doing it the Indian way. In India, you don't get engaged until just before the wedding, so I didn't go down on one knee to her or anything like that. But we have definitely set a date for this year," he said.

The couple have been together for two years. They are yet to make an official announcement out of respect for British reality TV star Jade Goody, who passed away March 22. She had appeared with Shilpa on 'Celebrity Big Brother', sparking an international racism row.

The actress, 33, recently bought a 5 million pound house in Weybridge, Surrey with Kundra. The house has seven bedrooms.

Kundra, a 34-year-old millionaire, owns a Dubai-based business and deals in the trading of precious stones and metals.

He has also started to help Shilpa manage her career and is believed to be behind her decision last month to invest 8 million pounds in the cricket team Rajasthan Royals, who were last year's Indian Premier League winners.

Sunday, March 29

A.R. Rahman announces his world tour

Oscar winning music director A.R. Rahman has announced that he will undertake a world tour musical concert.

The concert named 'Jai Ho' is organised by Global Kerala initiative and its proceedings would go towards rehabilitating HIV positive orphaned children.

Rahman will start his world tour with a live concert premier in Kozhikode on May 3. On being asked if the original singer of the award winning song "Jai Ho" Sukhwinder Singh will join the concert, Rahman said Sukhwinder will be part of the shows in Northern India.

"It depends on the dates. The way we have figured out this concert is with completely new talent, so Sukhwinder will be the part of Northern India concerts. From Southern India, we have a selection of the extraordinary talent," said Rahman.

'Jai Ho', the song composed by Rahman for the film "Slumdog Millionaire", was adjudged the best song at this year's Oscars.

"Slumdog Millionaire", a rags-to-riches story of a Mumbai slum dweller who goes on to win 20 million dollars in a quiz show, was adjudged the best film.

Anurag Kashyap, John Abraham team up for 'Bombay Velvet'


After box office dud 'No Smoking', director Anurag Kashyap and John Abraham had nonetheless vowed to work together again come what may. And they are now back together for a thriller titled 'Bombay Velvet'.

'John is the lead in my next film 'Bombay Velvet' where he plays a real life hero of the masses from the 1960s. It's a thriller based on real incidents. It's an idea that we developed over the last four years by several minds including the history professor Gyan Prakash,' Kashyap told IANS.

Kashyap's last release was 'Dev D', his deviant version of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's 'Devdas'. The film starring Abhay Deol in the title role was a hit.

John-starrer 'Bombay Velvet' will be produced by TV 18. Besides John, it will also star Naseeruddin Shah and Kay Kay Menon.

Kashyap doesn't want to take any risks and is making sure that the script is accessible to the audience.
'I've never handled this kind of budget before. I want to be sure of the script. After 'No Smoking', John and I want to make sure our film is accessible to the audience. Today, I realise where I had gone wrong in my earlier cinema. I'm working on my weak points. I tend to get repetitive. So I've brought in two writers in 'Bombay Velvet' who criticised me the most for 'No Smoking',' said Kashyap.

The director has also decided to make a no-holds-barred action film with Kunal Kapoor titled 'Doga', inspired by the comics that are popular in northern India. It will be produced by Sony International.

But Kashyap says he will start working on 'Doga' after completing 'Bombay Velvet'.
' 'Doga' requires a whole lot of preparation. It needs international-level special effects for which I need to go for an internship to the US with my cinematographer Rajeev Ravi for some months. This would probably be the most expensive Indian film ever to be ever made. And I don't want to slip up. And Kunal needs to do a lot of preparation. I'll go to 'Doga' after 'Bombay Velvet',' the filmmaker said.

Talking about his personal life, he said: 'I've mellowed. I'm not angry any more. I guess it's age. And I've found a sense of belonging.'

Kashyap was referring to Kalki Koechlin, one of the female leads in 'Dev D' whom he is now dating.

'I'm very happy in my relationship with Kalki. She has brought great stability to my life.'

Playing Madhubala biggest challenge for me: Kangana


Kangana Ranaut is set to play the legendary Madhubala in a film titled 'Once Upon A Time', but she says looking as beautiful as the late actress is a challenge.

'I've never thought of myself as beautiful. In fact, I've always suffered from low self-esteem. Till recently I'd look at my pictures and cringe. I still have the pictures from my first portfolio I got done in Chandigarh. They remind me of how ugly I can look. And to now play Madhubala in 'Once Upon A Time In Mumbai' - how will I do it?' Kangana said.

Set in Mumbai, 'Once Upon a Time' is about Madhubala who was said to be the love interest of the 1960s underworld don Haji Mastan. While Kangana plays Madhubala, Ajay Devgan will essay the role of Haji Mastan in the movie being produced by Ekta Kapoor.

Milan Luthria, who has directed films like 'Taxi No. 9211' and 'Hattrick', wields the megaphone for the movie.

'Madhubala's role is not as tragic as my other roles. It's basically a very tender romance between this really funny don and this female superstar who can't understand his personality,' Kangana told IANS.

'How will I manage to play the most beautiful woman that Indian cinema has ever seen? My characters have always had a dark and light side. And this one is no exception. But the challenge for me is to look almost ethereally beautiful, like Madhubala. How will I manage that?'

Kangana intends to undergo a complete transformation as far as looks are concerned. And she has already started watching DVDs of Madhubala's films to prepare for the role.

'I won't copy her, but I want to get into her mind and heartspace.'

Kangana, who played the main lead in 'Woh Lamhe', a semi-autobiography of Parveen Babi's life, laughs when people tell her playing the traumatised love interest of the underworld don would be a cakewalk for her.

'I'm proud of my so-called territory as an actress. If playing traumatised women is my territory, then I'm glad because I know I'm good at it,' she said.

Katrina is a Barbie Doll Now


The Lakme Fashion week has got off to roaring start with the controversy regarding the Barbie doll. It seems that originally it was to have been Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who was to take to the ramp as Barbie. But she has pipped by Katrina Kaif.

So the fashion week started with Katrina sashaying down the ramp at the Barbie All Doll'd up event that was the inaugural event of the week. Of course, the actress loved every bit of the attention that she received from the media and her fans. Katrina is believed to have said that she was honoured to be the country's first celebrity in whose likeness a doll will be made. But Ash supporters were not willing to give in so easily. The official comment from that side was that Ash was still the most sought to be immortalized as a Barbie. But it seems that Ash's prior enegagements prevented her from taking part in the event. The actress has just about completed her schedule for Mani Ratnam's Raavan. She is currently shooting in Karjat for Vipul Shah's Action Replay, which also stars Akshay Kumar. The actress did not want to inconvenience her directors and producers by taking time out for this event. It has been claimed that Mattel toys are in talks with the actress foe a business venture which has been denied by ten company. This seems to be another round in Katrina's favour.

'Congress will not put up candidate against Sanjay Dutt'


The Congress party Saturday said it would not field a candidate against Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt if he contested from Lucknow.

'If Sanjay Dutt contests from Lucknow, we will not put up a candidate against him,' Digvijay Singh, Congress general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, told reporters here in response to a question.

Dutt, son of late film legends Sunil Dutt and Nargis Dutt, has been convicted of possessing arms illegally ahead of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts and has been sentenced to six years in jail.

He is currently on bail and has moved the Supreme Court seeking suspension of his conviction in order to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as a Samajwadi Party candidate.

Akshay, Kareena set to scorch screen in 'Kambakkht Ishq'


The on-screen chemistry between Kareena Kapoor and Akshay Kumar is being touted as one of the highlights of the action comedy 'Kambakkht Ishq'.

Akshay plays a Hollywood stuntman, while Kareena features as a model in the film.

'The two look hot together. Akshay and Kareena will set the screen on fire. The duo share such a good chemistry on screen,' said a source close to the project.

Ever since their 2004 film 'Aitraaz' became a hit, their on-screen chemistry was touted as one of the best. Apart from 'Aitraaz', they teamed for films like 'Talaash', 'Bewafaa' and 'Tashan', but none of these could ape the success story of Aitraaz'. Now all eyes are set on 'Kambakkht Ishq'.

The film, which is scheduled for May release, also stars Hollywood biggies.

'The film is an exciting marriage between the East and the West. The movie is a romantic comedy but features a lot of action. Sylvester Stallone, Brandon Routh and Denise Richards play interesting roles in the film,' said producer Sajid Nadiadwala in a press statement.

'Kiran Bedi' - only for Malashri's fans


Film: 'Kiran Bedi'; Cast: Malashri, Sreenivasa Murthy, Ashish Vidyarthi, Rangayana Raghu, Suchayeendra Prasad, Sadhu Kokila and others; Screenplaywriter-director: Om Prakash Rao; Camera: Vishnuvardhan; Music Director-Lyricst: Hamsalekha; Editor: Lakshman Reddy; Rating: **

Kannada filmmaker Om Prakash Rao, known as a remix specialist, comes out with another in the genre with 'Kiran Bedi'. The film is a mix of several unsuccessful non-Kannada movies and is mainly inspired by Telugu director Rajamouli's 'Vikramarkudu', which starred Ravi Teja and Anushka.
The first half is the copy of 'Vikramarkudu', while the the second half is a potpourri of several non-Kannada films.

'Kiran Bedi' marks the return of action-heroine Malashri, known as Lady Amithabh Bachchan in Kannada films. Her last film was 'Durgi' and it was a hit.

Malashri is the mainstay of 'Kiran Bedi' and she establishes that her enthusiasm to play action oriented roles is still intact.
The action sequences are the high point of the film and Malashri has tried her best to be flexible in the stunt sequences. But she has gained weight and could have done better if she would have lost some weight for the role of a police officer.
Om Prakash seems to have given importance to action sequences and ignored the script as there are some sequences that looks illogical.

In case you are wondering, the film is not about Kiran Bedi, the first woman to become an Indian Police Service officer - though it is about a woman cop named Kiran.


Kiran, who is determined to wipe out criminal activities in her area, is the daughter of a police constable. After joining the police force, Kiran tries to scuttle the activities of a dreaded gang headed by Bhoopathy. An enraged Bhoopathy and his cohorts hatch a plan to kill Kiran.

Meanwhile Kiran's father approaches Bhagyalakshmi, a petty thief who is Kiran's look alike, for help. He requests her to act as Kiran. Bhagyalakshmi agrees and eventually kills the villains.
Malashri looks good in the role of a police officer, but she could have done better in the role of Bhagyalakshmi.

Ashish Vidyarthi scores as the dreaded gangster Bhoopathy. Sreenivasa Murthy and Suchayeendra Prasad shine in their respective roles. Rangayana Raghu is passable.
The camera work of Vishnuvardhan is impressive. Hamsalekha's lyrics are good, but compositions are ordinary. The background score is slightly better.

If you are a Malashri fan, you may like 'Kiran Bedi'. Otherwise you may just feel it is ordinary fare.

'Ek: The Power Of One' goes all wrong


Film: 'Ek: The Power Of One'; Cast: Nana Patekar, Bobby Deol, Shriya Saran, Khulbushan Kharbanda, Chunky Pandey, Jackie Shroff, Sachin Khedekar; Director: Sangeeth Sivan; Rating: *

Everything that can go wrong in a film does in 'Ek: The Power Of One'.

Decades ago Raj Khosla had made 'Bombai Ka Baboo' about a man who replaces the missing son of a simple rustic family and learns a few lessons on humanism.

Many years later Manmohan Desai reworked the same theme in 'Roti' and in that Rajesh Khanna played the impostor son who takes over an impoverished son's life.

Now in 'Ek...' it's the ceaselessly-stoic Bobby Deol who takes on the role of an impostor in a Chandigarh-based joint family who seem to specialise in making fools of themselves. The only members of this extended joint family to conduct themselves with dignity are Kulnhushan Kharbanda and Zarina Wahab.

What gives this high-velocity action flick a cutting edge is the fight sequences. Bobby seems to replicate his bade bhaiyya (elder brother) Sunny's muscle power. When he hits, the earth moves.

Bobby's character is shown to be a killer from adolescence. In the interestingly-conceived prelude, the child pulls a gun out on a gangster in a car and fires at him with the aim to kill.

Yes, this one learns young.

A subsequent attempt to just hurt a wily politician (Sachin Khedekar) goes horribly wrong - quite like this action-drama's outdated script. And Bobby ends up hiding in the bustle of a boorish household in Punjab where he's chased down by a trying-hard-to-be-cool-and-leery Nana Patekar.


There are some arresting moments between the fugitive and the cop. The material is occasionally edited with speedy care by Chirag Jain to bring together various strands of the action in a pantomime of cohesiveness.

Alas, the lose ends shriek out their protest. For Bobby, after 'Bichoo' and 'Badal', playing the cold-blooded assassin comes naturally. He could sleepwalk through such a role.

Nana is a live-wire but in the wrong character. The role of the randy cop shooting bullets and making lewd passes at the speed of a gun seems to be a corny carryover of Amitabh Bachchan's Sexy Sam in 'Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'.

Nothing in 'Ek...' suggests even a remote connection with sophistication. This one causes a 'head-Ek'.

Working with Akshay in '8x10 Tasveer' was terrific: Nagesh Kukunoor


Nagesh Kukunoor is all praise for Akshay Kumar, who plays the main lead in his first action flick '8x10 Tasveer', describing him as a "no nonsense actor" who would come to the sets on time and do his work without any fuss.According to Kukunoor, 41, Akshay was an obvious choice for the role of Jai, who has the ability to peek into people's past.

"The foremost reason to cast Akshay was that he is known for his action films and his stunts. Then I wanted to see him in a role he has not done in the past, precisely the reason why even he got interested in this project," Kukunoor told us over phone from Mumbai.

"Also, I needed an A list star for '8x10'," added Kukunoor.

The thriller revolves around Jai, who has a supernatural gift to see into the past by touching the 8X10 sized photograph of dead people.

The action thriller releases April 3.

"Working with Akshay was terrific. In spite of being a star he is a no-nonsense actor. There were no delays since he would be on the sets on time, work for the requisite hours and go home without any tantrums," said the director.

Explaining the reason why he chose to direct an action thriller, Kukunoor said: "I like to dabble in different genres; action was one I had not explored till now. Definitely, making an action thriller did have challenges attached to it, but it was equally exciting to make this film. You need a completely different mindset when you make an edgy film like '8x10 Tasveer'."

The film also features Sharmila Tagore, Ayesha Takia and Javed Jaffrey in pivotal roles.

Though Kukunoor's films 'Hyderabad Blues', 'Iqbal' and 'Dor' have fetched him critical acclaim, the director maintains he would also be happy if all his films set the cash registers ringing.

"When I compare, the box office definitely matters more than critical acclaim. A film should work at the box office because only then can I keep making films," he said.

"When you get critical acclaim, you feel nice about the appreciation, but box office success helps you make more films. My main motive is to keep making films; if because of any reason I'm denied to do that, I will feel horrible," he added.

While choosing the cast did not pose hassles, finalising the title did require a lot of thinking.

"We had decided the name of the film as '8x10' initially but then we thought that the Hindi audience might not be able to connect with an English title. Then I decided on 'Tasveer', but we again thought that the people might get confused thinking that this film is some social drama and not an action film. So eventually we merged the two and called it '8x10 Tasveer'," he explained.

Asked which his favourite genre was, he said: "When I'm doing a film, I feel excited and seem to love that genre. But when I complete the film, I'm done and over with it and I move on to something else.

"There are so many things that keep inspiring you and you want to do. Like at the moment I am quite thrilled about action and actually am thinking of taking out some of my old action-packed scripts to make another action film," said Kukunoor.

The director is planning to take a short break before he starts working on post-production of his next film, 'Yeh Hausla'.

Kukunoor has two releases this year, 'Aashayein' in June and 'Yeh Hausla' in August.

Rishi, Russian dancer come together after 'Mera Naam Joker


Rishi Kapoor played the role of a young Raj Kapoor in 'Mera Naam Joker' way back in 1970 and Russian artist Kseniya Ryabinkina was one of the leading ladies in the film. The two are now set to come together after nearly 40 years in a movie titled 'Chintu Ji'. A comedy partially based on Rishi's life, 'Chintu Ji' is being made by debutant Ranjit Kapoor. And the film's name is derived from Rishi's nickname - Chintu.

"Kseniya (Ryabinkina) will be seen again in 'Chintu Ji'. Incidentally, this will be only her second Hindi film since she appeared in 'Mera Naam Joker'. In 'Chintu Ji', she has a very pivotal role to play as she brings along immense metamorphosis in the life of the character that I play," Rishi told us.

In 'Mera Naam Joker', Kseniya had played a Russian trapeze artist with whom the character played by Raj Kapoor falls in love. However, the two characters don't unite in the film.

Though in 'Mera Naam Joker', Rishi Kapoor had scenes only with Simi Grewal, his father Raj Kapoor had closer interaction with Kseniya. But 'Chintu Ji' will see the two of them sharing screen space.

"It was a surreal experience because I was just a kid in 'Mera Naam Joker'. I guess it was a great idea to get her on board in 'Chintu Ji', which is a film that is part fiction, part reality and part illusion when it comes to being based on my life," said Rishi, who is currently shooting for "Do Dooni Chaar", the comeback vehicle of his wife Neetu Singh.

'Chintu Ji' is about a film star (Rishi Kapoor) who wants to contest elections from his hometown but isn't quite serious about politics. At heart, he is still a brat that he has been throughout his life and his only motive is to mint money and make merry.

Ironically, his entry in his village ends up making life better for all there, even though it is more by default than design.

"When the makers of the film approached me, they were very confident about the script. They specifically told me that that film was written keeping me in mind. They seem to have done thorough research of my life," Rishi said.

So is the film about Rishi Kapoor, the man who regaled the audience for three decades (1970s to 1990s) as a leading hero?

"No, the film is not about the journey of Rishi Kapoor, a film star. It is about the moment in the life of this film star where he tries to do something new. It's his stint in politics which is covered in 'Chintu Ji'. It was nice to see shades of my own life in the film's narrative," said Rishi, who was last seen in Zoya Akhtar's 'Luck By Chance'.

Shilpa Shetty buys house in London


Apart from wanting to visit her dying foe-turned-friend Jade Goody, Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty's concealed reasons for a recent London visit are out. The starlet went to Britain to buy a house. Shilpa has recently bought a home in Weybridge in Surrey, southeast of London, and is excited about getting married and having kids and bringing them up in the new house.

"I believe in the institution of marriage...I'm dying to have kids, and when you see the Weybridge home, it's huge, it's a great family home, so I can't wait to bring up children there," Shilpa said.

She is dating London-based Indian millionaire Raj Kundra.

Shilpa went to London March 15 but the Goody visit didn't materialise due to her family's objections. Goody died March 22 after losing her battle with cervical cancer.

Saturday, March 28

Review: 'Aa Dekhen Zara'

An interesting thought may not necessarily translate into an interesting screenplay. 'Aa Dekhen Zara' is a prime example of this statement.
Review
Think about it... A man inherits his grandfather's camera and with the camera comes the ability to see the future. What an idea, Sirji... But 'Aa Dekhen Zara' is akin to a bottle of soda, which starts off with a lot of energy, but the fizz settles down faster than expected.
'Aa Dekhen Zara' had great potential to be a riveting thriller, but halfway through the film, you realize that the writers have run out of ideas. In fact, by the time the film reaches the finale, the viewer is terribly confused [like the writers of this film]. This is one jigsaw puzzle that remains unsolved even after its culmination.
In a nutshell, 'Aa Dekhen Zara' promises the moon, but what you eventually get in return is merely a mirage.
Ray [Neil Nitin Mukesh], a struggling photographer, has nothing going for him... until he inherits a very special camera from his grandfather which changes his life in a way that he could not have imagined in his wildest dreams.
The power of the camera changes Ray's destiny overnight. His life becomes one big roller coaster ride that takes him from rags to riches and also helps him meet the love of his life, Simi [Bipasha Basu], who is a DJ with a mind of her own. Everything is hunky dory.
As they say with great power comes great responsibility and in Ray's case, also great danger. He must now face up to the dark side of reality and win not only against the evil forces, but also against fate.
Come to think of it, your imagination can run wild with a premise like the one in 'Aa Dekhen Zara'. But the film runs out of fuel midway.

Review: 'Ek - The Power Of One'


criminal gets reformed when showered with love and affection from the parivaar. Recall the Meena Kumari - Rajesh Khanna starrer 'Dushman'. 'Ek - The Power Of One' isn't 'Dushman', but it belongs to the same family.
In actuality, 'Ek - The Power Of One' is the Hindi remake of a super-successful Telugu film 'Athadu', which starred Mahesh Babu as the criminal and Prakash Raj as the cop.
A subject like 'Ek - The Power Of One' packs just about everything that pleases the hoi polloi. There's a really big parivaar [emotional quotient], a childhood sweetheart [romance], a joke-cracking cop [light moments], a double crosser friend who's hand-in-glove with a politician [drama] and loads and loads and loads of action.
'Ek - The Power Of One' isn't new-age cinema by any standards, but it holds your interest at several points, especially the penultimate 20 minutes. It's strictly for those in a mood to catch a mass entertainer.
Nandu [Bobby Deol] is an orphan. Opposition leader Anna Mhatre [Sachin Khedekar] hires Nandu to assassinate him, while he is addressing a rally for his election campaign. But just before Nandu is able to lock his target, another shot is fired, leading to the cold blooded murder of Anna Mhatre. Nandu is shocked; he manages to make an escape by leaping onto a running train.
On the train Nandu meets Puran [Akshay Kapoor], a simple boy from Punjab who is returning back to his homeland after a long gap. Puran, in his excitement of returning to his family after so long, narrates his side of the story to Nandu.
The police, however, have not given up their trail on Nandu and when the train halts at the next station, Nandu discovers this. An officer spots Nandu and aims a shot at him which accidentally hits Puran, who dies on the spot. By the time the police converge into the compartment, they find Nandu missing.

Reebok's Shiamak Collection Launch

Ace Bollywood choreographer, Shiamak Davar, launched his sportswear collection in association with Reebok. Bollywood celebrities were in full attendance to support their favourtie choreographer's latest venture.

Friday, March 27

After Delhi 6, SLB is now making ‘Chenab Gandhi’

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s next ambitious venture ‘Chenab Gandhi’ will hit the floors this May 9th contrary to baseless reports that the movie will shot in the later parts of the year. Also John Abraham who was said to be out of this project is still very much the lead actor. There were reports that the movie had Hurman replacing John for the lead, but John is still very much the lead in the film. John Abraham will first finish shooting for Hook Ya Crook on April 20 after which he will begin shooting for Chenab Gandhi. The film will revolve around Amitabh Bachchan and will be a period political drama based on the freedom fighter from the North West Frontier Province, widely known as Frontier Gandhi, also stars Vidya Balan apart from Amitabh and John.

Jai and Aditi are getting a divorce

Abbas Tyrewala’s ‘Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na’ was the one film that any debutant in Bollywood would like to start with but now comes the real test. Imran Khan and Genelia D’Souza will act in the second part of the venture which will now show them facing trouble as married couple. There will be trouble in paradise as the two will be seen trying to keep up with fast paced life as well as their marriage responsibilities. Filled with typical Tyrewala drama –comedy this movie will really be a nice platform for the two relatively newcomers to show off their acting skill.
Abbas Tyrewala says, “It starts with Jai (Imran Khan) and Aditi (Genelia D’Souza) having problems in their marriage. They are on the verge of a divorce after Jai ends up drunk and having a one-night-stand.”
Genelia has two other projects on her hands at the moment, Its My Life with Harman Baweja and Life Partner opposite Fardeen Khan. She will also be seen in David Dhawan’s Hook Ya Crook where she will be a lawyer.

Bollywood goes into exam mode, no big releases in March

The Class 10 and 12 board exams have begun and Bollywood too seems to be in exam mode, - with very few films releasing and no big-budget film on the anvil.
'March is supposed to be lean in terms of bringing any business as it is the month for board examinations. Moreover, with no big budget movies this month, we are not expecting much to happen,' Sakshi Mehra, an exhibitor and president of the Motion Pictures Association of Delhi-Uttar Pradesh, told IANS.
There aren't too many films expected next month too. Distributors say the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the forthcoming elections could also keep crowds away from theatres.
'In fact, there is going to be an extensive lean period for business as there are no big releases slated even for April. With the current tussle going on over revenue sharing and with the elections and IPL coming, it is going to be tough for us,' Mehra said.
Friday saw the release of three movies - '13B', 'Karma Aur Holi' and 'Dhoondte Reh Jaoge', but initial reports say they aren't getting a good response at the ticket counters.
'The ticket counters are cold and the reaction has been far below average. We sold not more than around 50 tickets at all our multiplexes for the initial shows of the movies,' said an official from BIG cinemas here on condition of anonymity.
'Despite a line-up of movies this month, we are really not expecting any business as neither are these big-budget movies, nor are they star-studded blockbusters. Most of them will have footfalls only in single-screens. The only movie with some hope is 'Aa Dekhen Zara' that has Bipasha Basu in the lead,' he added.
The industry graph has already taken a dive this year with big budget projects like 'Chandni Chowk to China', 'Billu' and 'Delhi-6' turning out to be duds at the box-office. But there have been some runaway hits too: 'Raaz - The Mystery Continues' and 'Dev D'.
Industry reports suggest that the box office has incurred losses of around Rs.430 million in the month of February alone.
'We have even stopped calling the coming months a lean patch as collections have been really pathetic so far this year. Bollywood is in a real drought with a dearth of content and no pre-release buzz,' said an industry source from Mumbai.
'Except for Neil Nitin Mukesh starrer 'Aa Dekhen Zara' releasing March 27, none of the movies in the coming two months has any hype to it. Neither has the music of any of the forthcoming movies garnered any response,' said Delhi-based distributor Joginder Mahajan.
It isn't as though there are no movies at all this month, but the problem is that the hype around them is missing. Whether a film turns out a winner is anybody's guess.
The films slated for release in March include 'Gulal', 'Jai Veeru', 'Aloo Chat', 'Firaaq', 'Ek - The Power of One', 'Khalbali - Fun Unlimited', 'Barah Anna' and 'Sikandar'.
It looks like the film industry and distributors will have to wait until May when Vishal Bhardwaj's 'Kaminay' is tentatively set to release. The film's highlight are Priyanka Chopra in a de-glam avatar and Shahid Kapir in a double role.

Amitabh Bachchan becomes part of a product launch in Mumbai

Bollywood actors Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan graced a fitness product launch here last evening.
A host of Bollywood celebrities attended the event, which was organised by an apparel giant.
Shiamak Davar, an artiste and choreographer said that what makes this event special is that the dance clothes were being launched and they were not easy to design.
"From twenty-one years, I have been designing. The dance clothes are not very easy to design. For me, its very important to have a proper design of clothes," said Davar.
Bollywood Actor and a close friend of Shiamak Davar, Dia Mirza said that she was happy and proud of him.
"Shiamak is a mentor whom I look up to and his work I really like. Whenever I have worked with him, I have really enjoyed it," said Dia Mirza.
Top models like Candie Pinto, Vidyut, and Carol Gracious set the ramp on fire donning the exquisite outfits, which were launched

Akshay's '8X10' release hit by squabble between producers


The release of '8X10 Tasveer', an Akshay Kumar-starrer supernatural thriller, is in trouble over a financial clash between the movie's co-producers, Percept Picture Company and T-Series.

On March 4, 2009, the co-producers signed an agreement according to which T-Series would walk out of the film and take back the money (50 percent of the total agreed cost it had put in the film), if the money was paid by Percept on time through post-dated cheques, said a statement by T-Series.

The walkout decision by T-Series was a 'business decision by both the parties', said Vinod Bhanushali, T-Series president, marketing media publishing (TV).

While Percept's first payment of Rs.50 lakh was received by T-Series, the second and final cheque of around Rs.6.67 crore was dishonoured by the bank, the statement said.

'They were supposed to pay us as per a contract signed by both, and since the cheque for the final amount has bounced, we are legally again the co-producers of the film,' Bhanushali told IANS over phone from Mumbai.

'It's a case of cheating. We have the right to move court over the cheque bounce,' he said.

'We are sure to get a stay over the release of the film until the matter is sorted out.' The film is scheduled for release April 3.

Directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, the thriller revolves around Jai (Akshay) who has a supernatural gift to see into the past by touching the 8X10 sized photograph of dead people.

Besides Akshay, it also stars Ayesha Takia, Vinod Khanna and Sharmila Tagore.

Navin Shah, CEO, Percept Picture Company, shrugged off the matter as a 'goof-up' by the bank.

'The matter has been sorted out. There was some miscommunication from the bank's end and hence there was a hiccup. The movie is releasing on time, April 3,' he said.

Bahnushali, however, disagreed: 'The matter has not been resolved. The deal is they have to pay us and we have not received it yet, so we are still holding our ground.'

Apart from taking legal action, T-Series is seeking to stop the delivery of film prints and negatives until further notice.

They have also cautioned trade circles not to deal with any rights in the film '8X10' or play any paid or free content (both promos and songs) without prior written consent of Super Cassettes Industries Limited (T-Series). Those who violate this shall be liable for damages and legal action.

Working with Akshay in '8x10' was terrific: Nagesh Kukunoor


Nagesh Kukunoor is all praise for Akshay Kumar, who plays the main lead in his first action flick '8x10 Tasveer', describing him as a 'no nonsense actor' who would come to the sets on time and do his work without any fuss.

According to Kukunoor, 41, Akshay was an obvious choice for the role of Jai, who has the ability to peek into people's past.

'The foremost reason to cast Akshay was that he is known for his action films and his stunts. Then I wanted to see him in a role he has not done in the past, precisely the reason why even he got interested in this project,' Kukunoor told IANS over phone from Mumbai.

'Also, I needed an A list star for '8x10',' added Kukunoor.

The thriller revolves around Jai, who has a supernatural gift to see into the past by touching the 8X10 sized photograph of dead people.

The action thriller releases April 3.

'Working with Akshay was terrific. In spite of being a star he is a no-nonsense actor. There were no delays since he would be on the sets on time, work for the requisite hours and go home without any tantrums,' said the director.

Explaining the reason why he chose to direct an action thriller, Kukunoor said: 'I like to dabble in different genres; action was one I had not explored till now. Definitely, making an action thriller did have challenges attached to it, but it was equally exciting to make this film. You need a completely different mindset when you make an edgy film like '8x10 Tasveer'.'

The film also features Sharmila Tagore, Ayesha Takia and Javed Jaffrey in pivotal roles.

Though Kukunoor's films 'Hyderabad Blues', 'Iqbal' and 'Dor' have fetched him critical acclaim, the director maintains he would also be happy if all his films set the cash registers ringing.

'When I compare, the box office definitely matters more than critical acclaim. A film should work at the box office because only then can I keep making films,' he said.

'When you get critical acclaim, you feel nice about the appreciation, but box office success helps you make more films. My main motive is to keep making films; if because of any reason I'm denied to do that, I will feel horrible,' he added.

While choosing the cast did not pose hassles, finalising the title did require a lot of thinking.

'We had decided the name of the film as '8x10' initially but then we thought that the Hindi audience might not be able to connect with an English title. Then I decided on 'Tasveer', but we again thought that the people might get confused thinking that this film is some social drama and not an action film. So eventually we merged the two and called it '8x10 Tasveer',' he explained.

Asked which his favourite genre was, he said: 'When I'm doing a film, I feel excited and seem to love that genre. But when I complete the film, I'm done and over with it and I move on to something else.

'There are so many things that keep inspiring you and you want to do. Like at the moment I am quite thrilled about action and actually am thinking of taking out some of my old action-packed scripts to make another action film,' said Kukunoor.

The director is planning to take a short break before he starts working on post-production of his next film, 'Yeh Hausla'.

Kukunoor has two releases this year, 'Aashayein' in June and 'Yeh Hausla' in August.

Mahie decides to go glam after 'Dev D', 'Gulaal'

Actress Mahie Gill, who impressed audiences with her mature performance in 'Dev D' and 'Gulaal', said she will be seen in glamorous roles in her forthcoming films.

'As an actor I want to do all kinds of roles and work in different genre of films. 'Dev D' was a fantastic appearance while 'Gulaal' did see me in a semi-glam avtar as I played a mistress-cum-mujra dancer who was a huge fan of Tabu. However, none of the films had me running around the trees,' said Mahie.


So is running around the trees and singing romantic numbers next on the anvil?


'Why not? I pretty much love conventional Bollywood cinema. And don't forget that I have worked as a heroine in Punjabi films as well. So it is not going to be anything surprisingly different for me to get into a typical heroine mode,' she said.


Mahie, who has been one of the newcomers this year, will now be seen in two more UTV productions 'Aage Se Right' and 'Paan Singh Tomar'. So is she in some kind of contract with the production house?


'No, not at all. I don't have any kind of contract with them. They just saw the rushes of 'Dev D' and signed me on soon after.'


Talking about her roles in the two films, Mahie said: ''Aage Se Right' is a comic thriller in which I play a reporter. I would be seen in a semi-glam part though there is a song where people will get to see me in a full-on glam avtar. I am paired opposite Shreyas Talpade in the film.'


Directed by Indrajit Nattoji, 'Aage Se Right' is set in Mumbai and spans over five days of panic, chaos and mayhem when a sub-inspector loses his gun. This triggers off a series of incidents that gets progressively complicated yet comic and, as the gun travels, it passes through the most unlikely set of characters and links them together.


'Another film of mine is 'Paan Singh Tomar' which is the true epic journey of a talented runner (Irrfan Khan) who turned into a rebel! This film has me in a non-glam role though. Tigmanshu Dhulia, the film's director, has done an excellent job with his characters in the film,' she said.


'Paan Singh Tomar' is about an athlete who gave up his running shoes, became a rebel and wreaked havoc in the Chambal Valley.

Nisha injured; 'Raaj' stalled


The shooting for Puneeth Rajkumar's much hyped venture, 'Raaj - The Showman', which was supposed to be released on the occasion of Dr. Raj Kuamar's birthday in April, has been stalled. The reason is the injury to its heroine, Nisha Kothari. Two songs of the film remain be shot in Canada.

It was shooting for Ram Gopal Verma's 'Agyaat' recently in Cochin that Nisha was injured. She was required to jump from a 15-foot tall structure. Though her first attempt was okay, the director asked for another take. This time, she slipped and injured her left leg and the shoot came to a standstill.

The doctors have advised her a month's rest. Nisha is currently in Delhi with her family. She would be back to 'Raaj' sets only next month. By the looks of it, the film would only be released in August.

Asin's missing aide traced in Andhra Pradesh


An aide of actress Asin who had been missing for the past 10 days has been traced to Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh. He has reportedly admitted to blackmailing the actress, the police said Thursday. , Asin's assistant for the past four years, went missing last week. His mother S. Vadivu told police that he had been kidnapped at the movie star's behest.

Kumar is in Puttaparthi, Deputy Superintendent of Police M. Rangarajan told us.

"A close associate of Kumar informed us today that the former assistant of the actress admitted to blackmailing her and was hiding in Andhra Pradesh out of fear of arrest and prosecution," Rangarajan added.

Asin is shooting abroad for Hindi film 'London Dreams'. She has denied the charges and has reportedly "cooperated" with the police to trace her aide.

Vadivu had claimed last week that Asin and others had detained the physically challenged Kumar under duress to allegedly hide their "family secrets". However, she did not reveal what the secrets were.

Absolute authenticity is the hallmark of 'Videsh'


When the first slap comes, it hits the audience hard across the face.Review

Spousal abuse as a theme is not new to cinema. What sets Deepa Mehta's 'Heaven On Earth' apart from other films including Jagmohan Mundhra's 'Provoked' is the fusion of unspoken unexpressed terror with mythological elements all packed with sardine-like compactness into a small apartment in Ontario, Canada, where Chand arrives fearful and hopeful after her wedding.

What she brings with her is her mother's tales and homilies, songs and mythology that follow the bride into her chamber of horrors.

What follows in Chand's new life is a nightmare that could claim the life of any Indian bride transported into a foreign country after marriage.

Absolute authenticity is the hallmark of Deepa Mehta's vision. Her permanent cinematographer Giles Nuttgens enters Chand's adopted Canadian home with her and remains by her side, living her pain, experiencing her humiliation and agony, as within no time Chand becomes that nightmarish entity whom we all read about in crime sections of the papers: the abused wife.

The film's greatest triumph is its economy of expression. The tightly-wound tale of the tormented wife is never allowed to have loose moments. Ironically, outwardly we see a warm home filled with a Sikh family half of whom seem to have absolutely nothing to do. Within their abject nullity lies the secret to the violence that claims, possesses and tries to smother Chand's domestic dreams.

We know from the start that she'll escape the nightmare of a brutal marriage. That she lives to tell her tale is self-evident. The magic of her existence in the trap of an arranged marriage lies in the illusion of normalcy and compassion that she creates within the ambience of abject terror by inventing a double for her husband... a doppelganger, a spirit in human form, if you will, who applies balm to all of Chand's wounds and gives her the courage to survive when the very breath of her existence is being choked out.

Emraan Hashmi fractures finger on birthday


Actor Emraan Hashmi, who celebrated his birthday shooting for his upcoming film 'Tum Mile', said he fractured his finger on the big day and received a long, touching SMS from uncle Mahesh Bhatt. "For this birthday, I got a long touching SMS from Bhatt Saab. And a fractured finger."

He said Mahesh Bhatt likes to receive gifts even on his nephew's birthday instead of giving gifts.

"On my 30th birthday on Tuesday I called Bhatt Saab to ask what he's giving me. He turned around and made me gift him books. He makes me do that quite often. The only thing is he doesn't call it gifts. He calls it 'guru-dakshina' (offering to teacher). In fact after every hit film he takes a cheque from me. And every couple of months I give him money to buy books."

"I'm finally a true-blue member of the cast," said Emraan Hashmi jokingly looking at the plaster cast on his finger.

Shooting scenes of torrential rain in Kunal Deshmukh's 'Tum Mile', Emraan broke his finger on Tuesday.

"This is the second time I've injured myself during this film's shoot. Earlier I injured my eye. But I need time for it to heal as we're shooting under several feet of water. We're re-living the torrential rains of July 26, 2005."

And the on-camera deluge has been created in no ordinary studio.

"Since no studio could give us a floor large enough to submerge cars in rain water we've hired this disused scrap-metal factory in Mulund which has been filled up with water. It started with ankle-deep water. Now it's knee-deep. Now the water has gone up to the waist and stomach. Soha is much shorter so we just see her head popping out of the water," he said.

Wading through stagnant water for almost a month has taken its toll on Emran and Soha's skin.

"There're two recycling plants installed. But they haven't helped much. And on top of that we've cars underwater which we bump into regularly. Director Kunal Deshmukh should be happy he's got two cooperative actors. We don't demand mineral water instead of rain water to sink into."

"Me and Soha Ali Khan have been literally shooting 16-18 hours a day. I couldn't even attend the birthday calls. When I went back home I saw more bouquets than I had ever seen in my life. Quite a change from how it used to be when I had debacles."

"My birthday was chaotic," he said.

"The shooting went way beyond what we expected. So by the time I reached home we couldn't really go out. My wife and I just had a quiet dinner."

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Chenab Gandhi' on track

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Chenab Gandhi", based on the life of freedom fighter Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, will go on floors in May, contrary to reports that it had been pushed to the year-end.A few weeks back, when Hurman Baweja was replaced by John Abraham in this period film, tongues had started wagging that it would be quite some time before 'Chenab Gandhi' would hit the floors. The reason being cited was that John was too busy working on 'Hook Ya Crook' to spare time for 'Chenab Gandhi', which has superstar Amitabh Bachchan playing the lead role.

"There are some vested interests who are trying to pull down the project or create negative energy around it. The fact is that John completes 'Hook Ya Crook' on April 20 and we begin shooting for 'Chenab Gandhi' on May 8. Now how quick is that!," said Bhansali's spokesperson.

Apparently, John was willing to begin on an earlier date but Bhansali insisted that he take a break after "Hook Ya Crook" and go through some reading material in order to prepare for his role in "Chenab Gandhi", which is being directed by the filmmaker's long-time assistant Vibhu Puri.

"John was sweet enough to offer dates immediately after 'Hook Ya Crook' but as everyone knows, Bhansali doesn't operate that way. He wants his actors to feel comfortable about their roles, the era and the milieu in which the film is set. Since 'Chenab Gandhi' is a period film, it was imperative that John spends some time on reading about the subject before coming for the shoot," the spokesperson said.

The period political drama based on the freedom fighter from North West Frontier Province, widely known as Frontier Gandhi, also stars Vidya Balan apart from Amitabh and John.

Shooting for the film will begin on sets in Mumbai and would be completed in two to three schedules. The principal shoot of 'Chenab Gandhi' is expected to wrap up before end of 2009, the spokesperson said.

Indian film industry should change its attitude: Kamal Haasan


Multilingual film actor Kamal Haasan slammed the critics who say that Oscar winning film 'Slumdog Millionaire' showed India in a bad light. "I am tired of hearing allegations about 'Slumdog Millionaire' showing India in a bad light instead of rejoicing over the achievement of A.R. Rahman and Resul Pookutty," Haasan said at the audio launch Wednesday of 'Pasanga', a children's film being by Sasi Kumar.

"Director Danny Boyle shot on location and did not create a set to depict Mumbai's underbelly. Further, foreigners see the slums of India's financial capital first and then its skyscrapers."

"If good films are made and showcased, bad films will fade away naturally," Haasan added.

According to the matinee idol, the showbiz's prevalent fetish for "success formulae" on pure commercial terms was leading the audience astray and in turn resulting in mediocre movies.

Haasan advised all concerned - especially fans - to encourage healthy, meaningful and decent cinema to help the society at large correct itself.

Thursday, March 26

First Look: 'Acid Factory'


The upcoming thriller. directed by Suparn Verma, is one of the most eagerly awaited films.

The film has high voltage actio scenes composed by Tinu Verma.

The film has a huge star cast, including Fardeen Khan, Irrfan Khan, Manoj Bajpai, Dino Morea, Aftab Shivdasani, Danny Denzongpa and Gulshan Grover.

Dia mirza is the only female character in the film. She also has done a number of risky stunts.

Click on, for a sneak peek at the action extravaganza!

Yash Raj Films denies shutting down music label


Entertainment conglomerate Yash Raj Films (YRF) is not shutting down its music label and overseas distribution network.

YRF vice president (marketing and communications) Rafiq Gangjee said: 'It is unfortunate that there are unfounded rumours going around for sometime that the Yash Raj Films' music division and our international operations are shutting down. There is absolutely no truth in either of these.

'Our current slate of films for the year will be handled by all our existing touch points including YRF Music and our YRF International operations. Neither of these divisions is being closed and they continue to function as usual,' Gangjee said in a statement.

On the measures taken by the company to counter recession, Gangjee said: 'These divisions have been restructured and right-sized as is happening globally in companies both big and small.'

Neil and His Legacy


Neil Nitin Mukesh may be making his way into the arena of film acting, but the guy cannot get away from his legacy and musical genes, try as much as he may want to.


Being the grandson of the legendary playback singer Mukesh, and the son of Nitin Mukesh, it was but natural that music was an integral part of Neil's life. But he chose to prove his mettle in the field of acting and succeeded to quite an extend with his very first film Johnny Gaddar. Now his second movie, Aa Dekhen Zara is all set to release this Friday. He is cast opposite Bipasha Basu in this thriller. But what is really amazing about this movie is that Neil has even sung a song for this film. Though it is a Kishore Kumar number, which had been composed by RD Burman for Sanjay Dutt's debut film, Rocky, the Aa Dekhen Zara number, Neil has given a brave rendition. It is almost as if his genes have willed it so. In fact, rumours have it that the young actor is also into composing and has quite a few tunes up his sleeve. He has not really gone into it seriously, but since he is believed to be in the habit of tinkering with his piano, it seems that he has even composed a few tunes and some of his composer friends have been quite encouraging. Even though it is always very difficult to live up to a legend, the only advantage that Neil holds is that he has arrived on the scene many years after the death of the late Mukesh. Carrying legacies forward is not easy. There is too much pressure and too many expectations. Neil's father Nitin, would know it best. Despite being a very talented singer, he could not carve out a very successful career in playback singing because he was constantly expected to live up to his father's achievements, which is not being very fair. But many years have passed. Most of Gen X has hardly heard of Mukesh, so they will judge Neil on his own merit, without comparisons. So with Aa Dekhen Zara, Neil makes his singing debut and who knows, we may soon be seeing him composing as well. Seems we have another multitalented personality in the industry along with Farhan Akhtar.

CBI seeking legal opinion on Dutt's plea in Supreme Court


The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is seeking legal help in replying to the Supreme Court on Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt's plea seeking suspension of his conviction to enable him to contest elections.

'The CBI has got a notice from the Supreme Court and we will reply to it after taking legal opinion,' CBI Director Ashwini Kumar said Thursday.

'I can't share anything right now as the model code of conduct is in place. All aspects will be looked into,' Kumar told reporters on the sidelines of a conference here.

Dutt, sentenced to six years in jail by an anti-terror court for possessing firearms ahead of the 1993 Mumbai bombings, moved the court March 5.

The actor, who is the Samajwadi Party's candidate in Lucknow, is seeking parity with cricketer-parliamentarian Navjot Singh Sidhu, whose conviction in a case of unintentional road death was stayed by the apex court in 2007 to enable him to run for elections.

A bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justices Markandey Katju and P. Sathasivam on March 6 had issued notices to the CBI and Maharashtra government and sought their replies within two weeks. It will hold the next hearing on Dutt's plea on March 30.

A person convicted for a criminal offence and sentenced to jail for more than two years is barred from running for elections.

Aishwarya, the next Indian Barbie?


Aishwarya Rai Bachchan may join Hollywood celebrities like Beyonce Knowles and Elizabeth Taylor to have the next "celebrity Barbie" doll modelled on her. If she gets selected, that will be aother sdtupendous achievement for Indian entertainment industry, post the Oscar wins of AR Rahman and Resul Pookutty.

Representatives of the 35-year-old were reported to be in negotiations with Barbie's manufacturer Mattel as it plans to give the iconic doll a Bollywood face and sell throughout India.

Deepika grooves on 'Knights and Angels'


As the cricket fervour is gaining momentum across the country, the popular reality show 'Knights and Angels' reaches its semi-final stage this week. With the competition getting tougher by every passing minute, the girls are doing everything that they can to win, as they are just one hurdle away from being crowned as the SRK's 'Winning Angel', whereby they will get an opportunity to become the cheerleaders for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

After sleepless days and nights of hard work and pressure, the time has finally come for the 'Mentor' Shiamak Davar to choose the best of the best. In this episode, one will get to see and hear Shiamak; in his 'fabulous Hindi' giving some 'vishesh tippanis' to the contestants. If Shiamak wasn't enough, he will be joined by none other than the elegantly suave Deepika Padukone.

Needless to say, the vivacious host Purab Kohli will be seen cheering the girls, while Hoogly, the show's mascot will lighten the show as well as enlighten the contestants with his 'sher-o-shayaris'. One has to watch this episode to see how the girls impressed Shiamak with their dance moves, so much so, that this ace choreographer just could not stop himself from going on stage to shake a leg and groove to the music.

So become a couch potato and tune in to the nail-biting semi finals of 'Sunsilk presents Knights & Angels on March 28th at 10 pm only on NDTV Imagine.

Malaika Arora on 'Good Housekeeping' cover


If there is one word that Malaika Arora, the model-cum-actress-cum-everything else in between, must have deleted from her dictionary, then it has to be the word 'age'. We are sure that, it is the only reason as to why she is always referred to as the 'ageless wonder'.

And it is this 'ageless wonder', who, gracefully graces the supercool cover of the latest edition of 'Good Housekeeping'. In this issue, Malaika speaks about her two lives, viz., personal and professional (Guys, is there anything that we don't know about her, except for her beauty secret)! Malaika speaks golden words like "You can be romantic parents too, not always, as a couple. Now, Arhaan completes us". Not just that, she also shares her secrets of being 'naturally gorgeous'!

Well, all this and much more are reasons enough for you to take stock of this magazine! Remember, the name's 'Good Housekeeping' with the buttery Malaika! Go for it, guys... you are bound to thank us!
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