Monday 30 April 2012

SRK need some attention, eh?

Mumbai, April 30 -- Good morning my prawn sushis! How does your Monday look? Bad question, hain na? But I'm on holiday, toh mujhe kuch farak nahi padta. I'm simply having a blast in east India. This Vijjy, my silver-bearded beau, has it all planned for us.
Anyway, this morning, one of Vijjy's khabroos called to tell him about Shah Rukh Khan and his attention seeking act. So basically, SRK was invited by Onir join them at the success party of I Am. Like a good to friend, he agreed to go, though he arrived slightly late.
When he reached the venue, he spotted someone already giving interviews to the media and getting clicked by the paparazzi. And this, Vijjy tells me, didn't go down well with King Khan. So he decided to sit inside his car till that celeb vanished from the area, and only after that did he get out and let the media interact with him. Hey bhagwaan! Ab main kya bolu? This Shah Rukh na, he needs to grow up! How much more attention and publicity does he want? Sigh!

Rumours about Salman don't bother me: Katrina Kaif

Actor Katrina Kaif, who is teaming up with Salman Khan again in Ek Tha Tiger, says she is not bothered about the gossip that goes around regarding her and the actor.
Katrina reportedly dated Salman when she started off her career in Bollywood but later separated. And their new movie has got the rumour mills spinning again. She was last seen with the Dabangg star in 2008 movie Yuvraaj.
"When we start working for a movie we go in as professionals. I am here to do my job and if people want to highlight baseless stories then it's up to them. I don't think that these stories will have any affect on my work and the film.
"I am never bothered about such stories. Why should I? I think it's what every actor goes through. When you start working in the industry, people taking about you becomes a part of your life. Why analyse it so much?" Katrina told PTI.
The 27-year-old actor, who first starred alongside Salman in Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya, said she is excited to work with him again.
"I am excited about the film, it's shaping up good. Salman is working with Yash Raj for the first time and it's my second film with them. It's always fun working with Salman, he makes everything very comfortable on the sets," she said.
Katrina is also working in another Yash Raj film opposite Shah Rukh Khan. The untitled film will mark the comeback of veteran director Yash Chopra after a gap of eight years.

Shilpa Shetty to store her baby's stem cells

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, who is expecting a baby, will store her child's stem cells. "Stem cell banking gives me the peace of mind for my baby's health. By banking stem cells, my child will have more medical options in the future," Shetty said in a statement. The Baazigar
actor said this is the most precious and personal gift, she and her husband Raj Kundra could think of, for their little one.
Gearing up for the most exciting phase of her life, motherhood, the 36-year-old said, "Motherhood is the best thing that can happen to a woman, it brings a sense of responsibility".
Shilpa would now also be actively involved in creating awareness among would-be parents on the importance of stem cell banking as the brand ambassador of CordLife, Asia's largest stem cell banking network.
With tremendous potential in curing critical diseases, stem cell therapy is regarded as the future of medical science.
Stem cells extracted from the cord blood have positively treated conditions like leukemia, lymphoma, cerebral palsy and thalassemia major.
"As someone who is looked upon as a role model and as a very successful woman in her own right, her decision to bank her baby's stem cells would have the right influence and impact on the would-be parents," Meghnath Roy Chowdhury, MD of CordLife said.
The actress who is now one of the co-owners of the IPL franchise cricket team Rajasthan Royals, had shot to global fame after winning the British Celebrity Big Brother TV show in 2007.

Salman Khan finally promotes Arjun Kapoor!

Salman Khan has apparently changed his mind. The actor who had refused to promote Arjun Kapoor's Ishaqzaade on Twitter has now posted a series of tweets that mentions Arjun Ranawat...oops Arjun Kapoor.
He began with, "Yup ! Arjun ranawat in my janam bhumi INDORE." (sic) Before you start wondering who Arjun Ranawat was, the actor's next tweet cleared the confusion.
"Yup! I call arjun kapoor arjun ranawat,"(sic) tweeted Sallu.
"Tweeted after a v long time," he then added.
Arjun apparently had no inclination towards becoming an actor, but Salman’s confidence and motivation urged him to take that route.
“Salman is my elder brother. Once, long back, he had told me that he thought I was cut out for acting, and should try my hand in it. That time, I was really obese (140 kg), and couldn’t imagine myself as an actor. Salman literally took me under his wings. I travelled with him for almost two years while he was working on Veer and Wanted, and worked out with him. He believed in me and that’s why I am here today,” Arjun told HT.
The 26-year-old son of filmmaker Boney Kapoor is all excited and pepped up about his foray in the industry with the much talked about film, Ishaqzaade, where he is paired opposite actor Parineeti Chopra. “I know there are huge expectations from me, but I am at ease with it. It’s like I am waiting for the exam, and I am confident about my preparation. Right now, my aim is to be a good actor. I want people to watch our film,” says Arjun

Shahid-Parineeti: B-town's new buddies!

NEW DELHI, April 30 -- I recently heard some news about Parineeti Chopra and Shahid Kapoor. Pari and Sasha, who are doing a film together for Yash Raj, have been bonding big time of late.
It seems that Pari is quite a reserved person otherwise, but with Sasha, she started chatting instantly. And the reason apparently is Shahid and Priyanka Chopra's alleged 'affair' or friendship at one point.
Knowing how close Shahid is to Pari's cousin, she decided to chat with him and aur kya? Now they have become buddies!

Karisma hurts her toe-nail!

NEW DELHI, April 30 -- Karisma Kapoor has just proved her dedication towards work for her upcoming supernatural thriller, Dangerous Ishhq. Karisma, while shooting for the film, tore her toe nail and it started bleeding profusely.
The doctor was called on sets immediately and Karisma's foot was bandaged. It's a known fact Lolo, who has been in the industry for over 20 years, gives her heart and soul while filming a movie.
For Dangerous Ishhq too, she wanted to finish the shoot the same day to not cause inconvenience to others, so she shot with a bandaged foot. Of course, care was taken to not show her bandaged foot on camera.

Salman helps Somy Ali’s charity foundation!

In Bollywood, he is known to be bighearted. So Salman Khan’s benevolent moves hardly come as a surprise. But the superstar — for some time now — has been helping his ex-girlfriend Somy Ali run her Florida-based non-profit-organisation, No More Tears (NMT).
The American foundation that rescues women from domestic abuse has been “struggling financially” for a while, and Somy is strictly reliant on private donors and government funding. “But the grants have not come through due to the state of the economy. Our country is struggling as a whole,” says Somy. So private donors are really pivotal for NMT’s sustainability at the moment.”
That’s where Salman enters the picture. Somy maintains that her ex-boyfriend and his friends “have done more than enough” for NMT.
Somy Ali
“It’s only due to their donations that we have sustained this far,” says the 35-year-old former actor. Apparently, Salman’s friends donated more than $1,50,000 to NMT last year.
“Some of his friends have contributed, but they choose to remain anonymous and I respect them for it,” confirms Somy. “Salman doesn’t owe me anything. The fact that he has encouraged his friends to donate is proof of his large heartedness. Personally, I would never ask him for help. Probably that’s why we have been friends for 20 years. We respect each other, but don’t expect anything in return.”
At the same time, Somy accepts that NMT, founded around four years ago, is “hanging by a thread.”
“Initially, I used $2,86,000 of my own money to fund my charity, but those funds have now depleted. So it is a daily struggle,” says Somy, who acted in films like Andolan (1995), Yaar Gaddar (1994), and Aao Pyar Karen (1994).
Ask Somy — who has rescued 182 victims since 2008 — if she intends to team up with Salman’s Being Human foundation, and she says: “No (plans) so far. Salman and my missions are different.” Lastly, does she watch Salman’s films? “No, I really do not get time to keep up with films due to NMT. Abuse has no days off and neither do I,” she says.

Saturday 28 April 2012

Sunidhi Chauhan gets married!

Sunidhi Chauhan gets married!

Anupama Chopra's review: Tezz

Film: Tezz
Direction: Priyadarshan
Actors: Anil Kapoor, Ajay Devgn, Boman Irani
Rating: **







Tezz is an unapologetic, unacknowledged copy of the 1975 Japanese film The Bullet Train. Director Priyadarshan and writer Robin Bhatt liberally lift the plot and entire sequences from the film. So here too, we have a bomb on a train that will blow up if the train slows down. But protagonists in Hindi cinema who indulge in criminal activities must be accessorised with a suitably tragic backstory. So the mastermind behind this heinous deed — Aakash, played by Ajay Devgn — is an illegal immigrant who is rudely evicted from the UK and separated from his pregnant wife. He joins hands with two other illegal immigrants and decides to teach the authorities a lesson!
Even if you can get past the foolishness of this premise, Tezz has little to offer. Once the situation is set up, all the characters start to snarl orders. So the head traffic controller, played with minimal finesse by Boman Irani, rages at his counterpart from the counter-terrorism unit, Arjun Khanna played by Anil Kapoor (yes, all the key jobs in the UK have been taken by Indians). To up the emotional stakes, the traffic controller’s daughter is on the train, but this narrative thread goes nowhere (in the second half, the film becomes the chase-for-Aakash and the train and its passengers are almost forgotten). Meanwhile, Aakash makes ransom demands but also finds time to mope about London reminiscing about his wife. There’s even an item number in a place called Desi Club, where London Indians gather to watch Mallika Sherawat shimmy about, surrounded by dancers dressed as vampires.
The best thing about Tezz is its length — mercifully short — and the action, choreographed by Gareth Milne (Bourne Identity, Bourne Ultimatum) and coordinated by Peter Pedrero.
There’s an interesting parkour-inspired chase sequence and even Sameera Reddy, playing one of Aakash’s helpers, gets to do some nifty moves on a motorbike. But, for a film with a speeding vehicle at its centre, Tezz is curiously inert. I felt most sorry for Mohanlal, one of our country’s finest actors, here doing a cameo as a cop on the train. At one point, he is straddled between two trains, helping passengers shift from the one with the bomb to one without, as both move at deathly speeds. Can Bollywood please offer him a better role?

Jaya-Rekha clash in Rajya Sabha has tongues wagging!

A sequel to the 1981 hit Silsila, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan and Rekha, is in the making. The setting this time: Rajya Sabha. Soon after news of President Pratibha Patil approving the nomination of actor Rekha to the Upper House, cyberspace was flooded with jokes on the ‘love
triangle’ being carried forward to Parliament.
While Rekha is known to be actor Amitabh Bachchan’s ex-flame, the superstar’s wife, actor Jaya Bachchan is already a member of the Rajya Sabha. This announcement implies that the two ladies in Big B’s life will come face to face, just as they did onscreen in Silsila. Lyricist Javed Akhtar, who wrote the songs of the film, is also a Rajya Sabha member.
“The Prez has done what #amitabh couldn’t do- get #Rekha and #Jaya in same house ... #rajyasabha”,” wrote @gumraah.
“Silsila 2: #Rekha and #Jaya in the same House,” wrote Surajit Dasgupta. User Rakesh M Chaturvedi tweeted,
“#Rekha joins her bete noire Jaya Bachchan in the #RajyaSabha. Khoob jamegi jab mil baithenge diwane do :p Wonder what Amitabh is thinking”. Parth Kulkarni wrote,
“BigB to JayaB : “Kahan ja rahi ho? RS? Ruko, main chhod atta hu”#Rekha. @Deepa_xoxo wrote, “It’s been a while we haven’t seen B-Town Cat fights! Now that #JayaBand #Rekha in the same house, guess its time for some entertainment!”
Bollywood actor Rekha
However, the film fraternity stands divided on if Rekha and Jaya will be able to handle it. “Rekha and Jaya won’t be comfortable facing each other, because of Amitabh,” says industry expert Amod Mehra. Trade pundit Kumar Mohan, however, says, “Rekha is a woman of dignity. Our industry is very small and we stay here like a family. There won’t be any problem ... Whenever they meet, they’ll meet like colleagues and mature ladies.”
Do they make a difference?
Meanwhile, as the initial euphoria around cricket star Sachin Tendulkar being nominated to Rajya Sabha passes, many wonder if an active cricketer who is on the field for around 250 days a year will be able to do justice to his parliamentary duties. Former celeb members of the Rajya Sabha are known to have been mostly absent from the Upper House’s proceedings. India’s nightingale Lata Mangeshkar is believed to have not attended a single session ever since she became a member of the House in 1999(-2005).
Tendulkar, 39, will be the first cricketer to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha. On Thursday and Friday, a hash tag on Twitter, ‘#UnfollowSachin’ slammed the move. The Master Blaster, however, had supporters too. Shabana Azmi, a former Rajya Sabha member, tweeted, “Don’t forget Sachin had taken on d shiv sena and said that Maharashtra belongs to every Indian not just to Maharashtrians(sic).” Actor Gul Panag wrote, ‘I am ALL for Sachin for RS. Better than a retired 60+ sports person no?”

Reality better than dreams: Katrina Kaif

She was almost written off when she arrived in Bollywood. Nearly a decade later, with three Yash Raj projects, three reigning Khans as her co-stars and endorsements galore, actress Katrina Kaif says reality is far better than dreams. Katrina, 27, has teamed up with ex-boyfriend Salman Khan in Ek Tha Tiger, Aamir Khan in Dhoom 3 and Shah Rukh Khan for an untitled film -- all are being made under Yash Raj Films (YRF).
Not just that. Veteran director Yash Chopra is directing her film with Shah Rukh.
"Yashji undoubtedly is the king of romance and I have always admired the way he presents his heroines. It was always a dream to work with him and the reality is even better," Katrina, who was brought up in Britain and boasts of 28 Bollywood films, told IANS in an e-mail interview.
"He is very precise in his brief on what he expects from a scene and extremely perceptive. It has been amazing to work with him," she added.
YRF's untitled film is her first project with Shah Rukh. Katrina is bowled over by the superstar's energy.
"Shah Rukh is a thorough gentleman and it is a delight to work with him. I admire the sheer energy, hard work and passion that he puts into his work. It is also nice that my first film with him is a Yash Chopra film; they have done some great work together," she said.
If Katrina is getting into romantic mode with Shah Rukh, she will be doing a lot of action too with Aamir in Dhoom 3.
" Dhoom 3 is a concept film and the characters are required to look a certain way and do physically strenuous sequences. So there is a lot of physical training involved to prepare for the role," said Katrina.
Today she is counted among the top Bollywood actresses, but Katrina doesn't believe in the numbers game and tries not to let anyone down.
"I don't believe in numbers; the fact that I'm getting to work with the best people in the industry makes me feel blessed. With every project I get to learn so much that I can't thank all the people around enough," she said.
"Every day in this industry is an experience in itself and I try to work hard not to let anyone down. It is a great feeling, but it does come with responsibility towards your colleagues and the audiences," she added.
When Katrina entered Bollywood with the 2003 release Boom, trade pundits had predicted it was touch and go for her in tinsel town. But she has proved everyone wrong by giving hit after hit.
In a span of almost a decade, Katrina has given hits like Maine Pyaar Kyon Kiya?, Welcome, Sarkar, Race, Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani, Raajneeti and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.
"I am very fortunate that I have been working with some very senior and experienced directors almost from the beginning of my career - Raj Kanwar, Abbas-Mustan, Raj Kumar Santoshi to name a few," said Katrina, whose recent Slice ad "Ab Ras Barsega" is out and she is looking her ravishing best in it.
"As for the directors, banners, actors and projects I am working with today, I have just gone about doing my work to the best of my abilities and in as professional a manner as possible," she added.

Ranbir Kapoor to romance Evelyn

The German-Indian model-turned-actor Evelyn Sharma, made her foray into Bollywood opposite actor Pratiek in director Manish Tiwari’s Issaq, which releases in the middle of this year. She will now be seen playing actor Ranbir Kapoor’s love interest in Ayan Mukherjee’s next, Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani (YJHD), which also stars Deepika Padukone, Kalki Koechlin and Aditya Roy Kapur. Evelyn says, “The character I play is very girly and at the start of the movie, Ranbir falls in love with her.” She adds, “I can’t name them, but many actors auditioned for this part and they finally chose me.”
Evelyn has finished shooting a major part of the film by now. “It’s about how a hot girl comes into a guy’s life and he eventually starts taking interest in her. The role is quite interesting and we have song and dance sequences together as well,” she says.
Compared to YJHD, Evelyn has a more intense role in Issaq. Explaining her role in the movie, Evelyn says, “I play a foreigner who comes to Banaras for a visit. It’s like the desi version of Romeo and Juliet. My role is of Roasaline, Romeo’s first love, who breaks his heart. In Issaq my name is Rosa and she doesn’t endorse his (Prateik) ideas of love. Instead, she teaches him what love actually is.”
Ask her if she will be seen doing some bold scenes in either of the films, she says, “I have only one kissing scene with Prateik. But there are no intimate scenes with Ranbir.”
Her modelling career helped Evelyn get many film offers, but she chose to train herself before venturing into B-Town. She says, “I took proper training in acting for four months under director Rahul Rawail. In his academy, they also taught me how to read and write Hindi. I brushed up my diction, as I did not want someone else dubbing for me.” Currently, Evelyn is learning to dance. She will also be seen in From Sydney, With Love, for which she has finished shooting.

Ajay Devgn's Tezz gets mixed reviews

Priyadarshan's Tezz starring Ajay Devgn, Anil Kapoor, Kangna Ranaut and Sameera Reddy is loaded with an ingenious premise, thrilling moments and action. But, in spite of the short, 120-minute running time, the film seems longer because of the dips in the script, feel critics.
"Tezz is a good looking thriller filmed with expertise. Loaded with an ingenious premise, thrilling moments and action, Priyadarshan has curved it into a tremendously well-executed motion picture. The film's sole objective is to keep moving at a feverish pace, keeping the spectator completely immersed and entertained with the on-screen occurrences. Sure, there are some unwarranted moments [more on that later!], but the pacing is so breakneck and the cinematography so superior that it's easy to overlook the few unreasonable moments," writes Taran Adarsh.
On the flip side, the back story of Zayed and Sameera vis-à-vis their camaraderie and solidarity with Ajay could have been more persuasive and better elucidated for a stronger impact. Only then would the episodes involving Zayed and Sameera and what prompts them to risk their lives to support Ajay in implementing his plans appear compelling. Similarly, the portions involving Ajay and Kangna, towards the latter half, appear synthetic. The eagerness and zest of a couple uniting after five years is evidently amiss. Ditto for the final moments. The hand to hand combat scenes between Anil and Ajay adds value, but appear unwarranted and only stretch the narrative inanely. Besides, the visual effects could have been a wee bit superior," says Adarsh.
"In spite of the short, 120-minute running time, the film seems longer because of the dips in the script. Dialogues, by Aditya Dhar, needed to be more impactful," writes Mrigank Dhaniwala, Koimoi.com
"Without doubt, some of the chase sequences are gripping and well-executed but the sense of déjà vu always lingers. Only this time Bollywood faces are in the middle of the action. Kapoor and Devgn are very good. Khan looks out of touch and lost (PS: He acted in a film called Speed in 2007. It had nothing to do with the Keanu Reaves-starrer Speed Tezz is borrowed from. But was the remake of another Hollywood film altogether. Confused? It’s alright). Even the filmmakers thought Khan was so useless; they gave the good stunts to Reddy, who is equally dazed because she has a brother who’s on his way to going blind. Really now? As ex-employees why they agree to be part of Devgn’s plan is another discussion altogether. Then there’s South star Mohanlal, too, sadly reduced to a portly police officer waylaid on the ill-fated train. Kangana Ranaut has more of a cameo (thank heavens for small mercies). Sabu Cyril’s production design gives Tezz a slick look, but the script falters so much the pace stops mattering," writes Blessy Chettiar, DNA.
"Though lacking in novelty in terms of storyline, Tezz is filled with powerful moments. In fact, it leaves one spell-bound with some breathtaking scenes like how Boman Irani saves the head-on collision between the high-speed bomb stricken train and another coming from the opposite side. Also, Sameera Reddy’s dare-devil stunts keep ones at the edge of the seat. There is however, a flip side too as the screenplay looses threads post interval with some very unrealistic moments. Like how Anil Kapoor remains unhurt in a bomb explosion quite close to him," reports dailybhaskar.com.
"For a film that struggles and strives to look like a western product, its VFX is embarrassingly poor. When the train changes tracks, it looks like an Anaconda sliding past with the swish of a PowerPoint slideshow. When Inspector Menon pounces from the bridge between two trains to one of them, the agility of his pounce can trounce any crouching tiger. But the trophy for the most uninspiring VFX has to be the building explosion scene where investigator Himanshu Verma is ‘dragged and dropped’ out of the window like it were done using a computer mouse. Look closely around his collar, there has to be a cursor somewhere," writes Kunal Guha, Yahoo.
Direction
"Priyadarshan’s direction is found lacking in the dramatic scenes. Sajid-Wajid’s music is fine. Jalees Sherwani and Shabbir Ahmed’s lyrics are alright. Sandeep Chowta’s background score could have been better. Thiru S. Appun’s cinematography is functional. Sets, by Sabu Cyril, are fine. The visual effects are found lacking in several scenes. The editing is sharp," feels Dhaniwala.
"Priyadarshan yet again proves his prowess as director. He knits an intriguing plot especially first half. The film however, draws inspiration from Hollywood thriller Jan de Bont’s Speed starring Keanu Reeves. Many glaring loop-holes post interval leaves one in despair. Like, Anil Kapoor loses so many moments where he could gauge the face of Ajay but to continue with the suspense element, the track gets dragged," reports dailybhaskar.com.
Performances
"It's a treat watching Anil Kapoor on screen. Though the actor has been an integral part of so many movies in the past, you can never accuse him of repeating himself. Besides, he may be in his early 50s, but that hasn't deterred Anil from performing the high-octane action stunts with flourish. Ajay Devgn excels yet again. The actor has the perfect demeanor, attitude and physical appearance for the character he portrays. Also, those who felt that Ajay had cut down on action roles of late are in for a treat. Ajay's character has an emotional side, but it's the action portions, which he handles like a complete pro, that makes his character even more appealing," feels Adarsh.
"Kangna is an integral part of the film, but the screen time is limited. Nonetheless, her sequence with Anil towards the final moments catches your attention. Zayed doesn't get ample scope, but he's fantastic in the chase sequence towards the second hour. Sameera gets to do some daredevil stunts and also gets a couple of interesting sequences to leave a mark and she clutches the opportunity with both the hands. Mohanlal, an actor par excellence, gets minimal scope. Boman Irani is fantastic. One can easily rate it amongst his best works. Mallika Sherawat sizzles in the 'Laila' track," he adds.
"Ajay Devgan delivers a fine performance as Aakash. He is suitable restrained. Anil Kapoor, as Arjun Khanna, is superb. The performances of both these actors make the film palatable to a large extent. Kangna Ranaut, as Nikita, gets limited scope. She does an alright job. Zayed Khan, as Aadil, is okay. Sameera Reddy, as Megha, fits the bill. Boman Irani, as the railway traffic controller, is very good. Mohanlal, as police officer Shivan, does not add much value. Mallika Sherawat is alright in an item number," according to Dhaniwala.
Conclusion
"On the whole, Tezz is a taut, entertaining action spectacle. Those with an appetite for well-made thrillers should lap it up!" Adarsh concludes.
"On the whole, Tezz works in parts only, primarily due to the fast paced second half and the performances. It will face strong opposition from The Avengers over its first weekend at the box-office," says Dhaniwala.
"May be Priyadarshan should stick to mindless comedies, so we can be sure we’re in safe territory. You won’t be missing much if you skipped Tezz," concludes Chettiar.
Tweet Review
IBNLiveMovies: #Tezz seems a bit stretched towards the end 29 seconds ago
IBNLiveMovies: Plot of the film could have been better. Action sequences save the day for #Tezz. Apart from the title track, music of the film is average 2 minutes
IBNLiveMovies: Kangna, Sameera and Zayed are good as supporting actors. Anil Kapoor will surprise you with his stunts. It is not Ajay's best for sure #Tezz 6
IBNLiveMovies: Typical Bollywood style ending for #Tezz. The action packed climax leaves a room for a sequel too...

Tarun Mansukhani's Dostana 2 to finally roll

Director Tarun Mansukhani has reportedly cracked the plot and finally Dostana 2 is set to roll in the middle of the year. The film is said to be far more naughty and wicked and John Abraham says he can't wait to get cosy with Abhishek Bachchan on the screen again.
"Yes, Tarun Mansukhani has finally got the plot in place. And we're all set. I maintain Abhishek is my best screen-jodi. And I can't wait to get cosy with him on screen," said John, who featured in the part one with Abhishek in Dostana.
The sequel to the successful 2008 comedy would be set in two continents and would play on the gay-versus-straight theme far more aggressively.
Not willing to divulge too many details, John let out, 'Dostana 2 would be set in London and Punjab."
The sequel won't go anywhere near beaches and bikini babes either.
"The Californian seaside setting of 'Dostana' took care of all the water-related activities. Dostana 2 would unfold on terra firma. No beaches and, sorry, no John in dangerously low-waist swimming trunks. The cracks, if any, would show elsewhere," said a source.
The idea this time is to turn the tables on the principal actors. John would appear fully clothed and Abhishek, we hear, just might be going bare-chested for the sequel.
"The sequel is going to be far more naughty and wicked. There'll be lots of sexual jokes, though Karan Johar and Tarun Mansukhani would make sure that the gay community would not get offended. Innocuous fun would still be the key," said another source.

Friday 27 April 2012

Aa Re Pritam Pyare- Rowdy-Rathore

Item songs have become the face of films: RGV

Director Ram Gopal Varma feels that though the item songs are intended to boost overall entertainment value, they have now become the face of contemporary films.
"The technical definition of item songs is that they are supposed to be an item and to give hype and additional bonus to a
film. But in today's times item song has become face of the film. But in Department the item song comes according to the situation," Varma told PTI.
RGV is all praise for the Brazilian-Indian model Nathalia Kaur whose sensuous number Dan Dan in Department is fast becoming a rage.However, more than the song, the director seems more impressed with Nathalia's sizzling performance and is promoting her.
"Right now the promotion is going on because of the item song that is on air. The idea of promoting Nathalia is to promote the song. No film is eventually made without the purpose of promoting certain actor. It is the marketing team that decides how to promote the film and all," he said.
Dan Dan song is the first song that I am promoting after Khallas and it is the second item song that I did. Like I said, item song has become face of the film. The promotion of the item number and that of Nathalia's go hand-in-hand, he said.
The much-hyped number from Department launching Nathalia is, however, not original. The song Dan Dan Dana Dan has been based on Aasai Nooru Vagai, the song featuring Rajinikanth in 1983 film Adutha Varisu.
"The song was the biggest hit of all times for Ranjinikanth. I have been a huge fan of him and the song. It is almost 30 years that the song came up. So we all thought if we could do something with the song it would be good. I believe ideas never grow old; it is just the packaging and presentation that gets updated with technology and times," the director said.

Thursday 26 April 2012

Aamir Khan has a taste of Bihar!

Super star Aamir Khan today had a taste of the famous Bihari delicacy, Litti Chokha, at a dhaba near Sanjay Gandhi Zoological park here sending onlookers and shutterbugs into a tizzy, official sources said.
Known as the Mr Perfectionist of Bollywood, Khan after attending a programme organised by a national Hindi daily here, drove straight to gate no. I of the zoo where he had a taste of Litti and Brinjal Bharta, the sources said.
The owner of the dhaba, Santosh Kumar, was surprised to see Aamir Khan at his stall and wondered as to who had informed the super star about his stall, sources said.
There was a near stampede-like situation at the gate of the zoo with hundreds of onlookers and mediamen assembled there trying to have a close glimpse of the Lagaan star, police said.
Khan with several hit films like Three Idiots, Gajini and Peepli Live among others under his belt, Aamir stayed at the stall for just ten minutes.
He left the place in a huff without entertaining any query from mediamen, sources said.
Tight security arrangements were in place for Khan's visit, police said.

Salman Khan ignoring Arjun Kapoor?

Salman Khan might be the reason behind Arjun Kapoor's entry to Bollywood, but the actor recently refused to promote the newcomer's debut venture Ishaqzaade on Twitter, according to reports. “Arjun always wanted to become a director. Salman Khan kept observing Arjun on the sets of the 2009 hit Wanted, in which he was an assistant producer. Salman strongly felt that he saw an actor in Arjun Kapoor. He sat down with Arjun and said he shouldn’t waste more time learning direction and production, and should work towards becoming an actor,” says a source.
Arjun apparently had no inclination towards becoming an actor, but Salman’s confidence and motivation urged him to take that route. “Salman helped the boy lose weight and discover the actor within him. Then, he personally taught him and guided him. In fact, his diet, his exercise routine and everything was monitored by Khan himself,” adds the source. Arjun lost all the weight in three years before he started shooting for the film last year.
“Salman is my elder brother. Once, long back, he had told me that he thought I was cut out for acting, and should try my hand in it. That time, I was really obese (140 kg), and couldn’t imagine myself as an actor. Salman literally took me under his wings. I travelled with him for almost two years while he was working on Veer and Wanted, and worked out with him. He believed in me and that’s why I am here today,” Arjun told HT.
The 26-year-old son of filmmak+er Boney Kapoor is all excited and pepped up about his foray in the industry with the much talked about film, Ishaqzaade, where he is paired opposite actor Parineeti Chopra. “I know there are huge expectations from me, but I am at ease with it. It’s like I am waiting for the exam, and I am confident about my preparation. Right now, my aim is to be a good actor. I want people to watch our film,” says Arjun.

Shahid gets turned down by a girl

What would you do if Shahid Kapoor asked you for a dance? You'll say yes without thinking twice! That's what the actor would have thought when he approached a foreign chick to dance with him.
But to his surprise, she turned him down. After seeing his baby face, she said she doesn't dance with kids, reported Zoom.
Well, better luck next time Shahid!
Guess, stars are not in the actor's favour of late. He recently filed a complaint against Vastavikta Pandit, who happens to be the daughter of late actor Raj Kumar, for harassing him. He claims that when he leaves his house, Vastavikta often blocks his way and sits on his car's bonnet, repeating that she is his biggest fan.
On professional front, he will be seen romancing Priyanka Chopra once again in Kunal Kohli's Teri Meri Kahaani.

Sonam abuses followers on Twitter!

Sonam Kapoor believes in speaking her mind, even if it means using f*** word on Twitter. The actor recently shocked tweeple by abusing a couple of followers, when they doubted her acting skills.
It all started when some tweeple re-tweeted Anil Kapoor's interview that said - 'star kids have to struggle more'.
Retweeting the story, a follower said, "'cos they generally have no talent," to which Sonam replied, "f**** off"
"@sonamakapoor Ah cool! We don't mind abuses anyway as long as they don't come in the form of bad films you sometimes star in. :)," said @JayHind in reply to Sonam.
In the interview, Anil Kapoor had said that star kids have it tough in the film industry as there are lot of expectations from them.
Anil told First Post, “It is a different kind of struggle that they have to do. Our struggle was different. Their struggle is that the expectations from them are more as they are celebrity kids. I feel their struggle is more than us.”
“I feel Sonam has had a fantastic journey. She did a lot of hard work. It is a different kind of struggle that they have to do. If they do something good, people still expect more. There is certain expectation from her as she is the child of a celebrity,” he said in the interview.
“When she did Sawariya and Delhi 6 people started saying she should wear fashionable clothes, she is doing Behenji type of roles. She does not have that thing. So when she did Aisha they were like… do that kind (de-glamorised type) of a film. She has proved herself, from Sawariya till now,” Kapoor said.
“She has done de-glamorised roles in films like Mausam and others but people forget that and talk about her fashion. Fashion is also an art, you don’t have to look down upon it. It is a big business and there is more money in it than films,” Anil said.
“The way she chooses colours or pattern, there is a certain art in that, she has that sense inherently. You either have it or don’t. She is blessed with that talent, where she has great aesthetic sense, her grace, her beauty, the way she presents herself,” the proud father said.

Sunny Leone to feature in Zanjeer remake?

She might have said no to RGV for Department's item song, but Sunny Leone is reportedly turning an item girl for Zanjeer remake, according to reports.
The pornstar-turned-actor is currently shooting for Jism 2 and has also signed Ekta Kapoor's Ragini MMS 2.
Zanjeer remake stars Ram Charan Teja and Priyanka Chopra in lead roles. Mahie Gill has also been signed to reprise the role of Mona Darling. She will also sizzle in an item number in the film.
Sunny Leone, meanwhile, is excited about her upcoming film Jism, which is set to release on August 3.
"Now off to go shopping with @PoojaB1972 and @anasingh for @Jism2," Sunny tweeted recently.
"There are a lot of similarities between me and the character. I believe any woman would relate to her because at one point in our lives we have gone through something similar that she has, if not the whole character, then some aspects of her. All I do is think about her and study each and every page of the script," Sunny had told hindustantimes.com.
Gaga over Pooja
"This is how you know a good director from the next. @PoojaB1972 is sitting and editing @Jism2 with the editors!" Sunny tweeted.
"Pooja Bhatt is a very inspiring woman. She is so nice and above and beyond anything that I have expected. Today I got to watch the whole team in action at their offices and it was amazing to seen how much she and the team spends on every single detail. No detail is missed by Pooja and I am looking forward to working in this movie and having her as the first person to launch my career as a real actress," Sunny had told us.
Sunny Leone also shot for a condom commercial in Thailand recently. 'In Thailand! I love it here. Ate so much seafood tonight. Was so yummy!!! I'll tell you all the awesome details about the shoot in the AM!!!" Sunny had tweeted.

Housefull 2 enters 100 crore club!

Sajid Khan's multi-starrer comic caper has garnered approx Rs. 102.23 crore in 17 days. It's the second film in 2012 to cross the 100 cr mark after Agneepath. It's also the first Akshay Kumar movie to enter the coveted 100 cr club.
"Sajid Khan’s film made approximately Rs. 102.25 crore nett in 17 days. The multi-starrer made Rs. 8.50 crore nett in its third weekend at the box-office," reports koimoi.com.
"The film opened at the box-office with an impressive Rs. 42 crore in its first weekend," according to the blog.
The film's innings at box office remained undeterred by the ongoing IPL that usually cuts into a film's business.
"Good morninggg. It was a great weekend for Bollywood. #Housefull2 crossed 100 cr, #VickyDonor is a winner, #HateStory scored at s screens," Trade expert Taran Adarsh tweeted on Monday.
"#Housefull2 *Week 3* Fri 1.75 cr, Sat 2.75 cr. Total: Rs. 97.5 cr nett. Should touch 100 cr mark today [Sunday]," Adarsh had earlier tweeted.
Akshay Kumar on Housefull 2 crossing 100 cr mark
"For all those congratulating me for Housefull 2, honestly 100 crores is just a number but I'd be lying if I would say it doesn't matter. Hearing/reading words like superhit, excellent business, great word of mouth, back in form, are music to any actor's ears but again YOU guys are the only reason behind it. THANK YOU ALL for watching & enjoying Housefull 2. God bless you all always," tweets Akshay Kumar.
Tweeple on Housefull 2's 100 cr feat
@zmilap: Housefull 2 makes 100cr in India! A victory for audiences over critics and negativity! Congrats @Riteishd and @tushar1307 its a BLOCKBUSTER!
@ITexclusive: Last Weekend Business of Movies : Housefull 2 - Crossed 100 Cr Nett. Mark Vicky Donor - Is a Winner Hate St [http://SendSMS.pk]
@sunielwadhwa: 10. Singham - 102 Cr 11. Housefull 2 - 100.50 ( Still Running )
@ShyFyy: So Akshay Kumar finally joins the 100cr club with Housefull 2. Aamir, Salman, Ajay, SRK, Hrithik & now Akki. #SauKarodClub
@BreakingViews4u: Housefull 2 cross 100 crores in 17 days, 9th fastest ever, 103 crores [nett] till yesterday

Prakash Mehra's sons react on Zanjeer copyright issue

Prakash Mehra's sons are amused by the fact that Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar are planning to file a legal complaint on the basis of a proposed copyright law, which is yet to be implemented, reports Mumbai Mirror.
"We have remained quiet till now simply because Salim saab and Javed saab are veterans. But the way they have been going on about my father is totally unjustified. They have said that our production house made loads of money from Zanjeer. As if my father did not have any role in the film's success. That too being the director. They make things sound as if we made money but did not pay them,” Puneet told Mumbai Mirror.
"Have they forgotten that at least three top heroes refused Zanjeer on the basis of its script - Dharmendra, Dev Anand and Rajkumar? Yet my father stood by them. Though they never worked with my father after Zanjeer, its not like we stopped making blockbusters,” he said.
"I am really amused by the fact that they are talking on the basis of a proposed copyright law, which is yet to be implemented. And even if it gets implemented, it would come into play from that day. Zanjeer 2.0 has already gone on floors. So what is the noise all about?" He added.
As the remake of 1973 film Zanjeer reels under copyright issues, writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar of the duo Salim-Javed, who wrote the original movie, hopes to resolve the problem amicably.
"We have sent them a notice but we really hope they will solve it. We hope the problem will be solved amicably and we can sit across the table and decide. If not, then we will have to take another step," Akhtar told reporters.
Akhtar is miffed after the makers decided to begin shooting for the remake without getting the go-ahead from Salim and Javed. He says the producer doesn't have the right to make the film in other language.
"Yes, he (Amit Mehra) had the right to make the film, but he did not have the right to remake the film. He did not have the right to make the film in other language. And now that they are remaking it in Telugu and Hindi, they have to take permission from us," said Akhtar.
"Besides that, they are making certain changes in the script. We have not surrendered our moral rights to the producer, we have never done so. So, they cannot make it without our permission," he added.

Tuesday 24 April 2012

Dangerous Ishhq not erotic but a supernatural thriller, says Karisma

Less than three weeks from now, Karisma Kapoor will be back on screen in Vikram Bhatt’s Dangerous Ishhq. The 3D love story goes back in time to 1498 through past-life regression and explains the mystery shrouding the character’s life.
“Vikram wrote the story based on a personal experience and suggested I allow myself to get hypnotised too. But I refused,” says Karisma. “I believe the people you feel close to in this life are those with whom you share a janam janam ka rishta (seven lives bonding). They’ve returned to complete the karmic circle or be your guardian angel.”
She also points out that several of her milestone movies, Hum Saath Saath Hain (1999), Fiza (2000), Zubeida (2001), Shakti (2002) and Dangerous Ishhq (2012) were shot in Rajasthan. And she feels connected to the place: “I speak Marwari in the film, along with Hindi, English, Urdu and Punjabi. Punjabi was the toughest because it was spoken by a girl from Lahore who moves to Amritsar in 1947. Her Punjabi had a tinge of Urdu and a slight accent.”
Dangerous Ishhq has been described as an erotic thriller, but Karisma insists that even though several young actors are cast opposite her, it’s still a supernatural thriller. “And since it has been shot in 3D, it adds to the eerie feeling,” she adds.
There’ve been plenty of offers over the years, but Karisma chose to focus on her home and family. “But now that the kids are older, I want them to know what I used to do. Films moulded the person that I am,” she says. “It feels great to see Samaira and Kiaan listening to my film’s music CD. And it’s great to return to my first love with a heroine-centric film that goes back in time and demands a lot in terms of make-up and makeover, dialect and performance.”
‘Angelina Jolie is a global icon’ Ever since Karisma’s first look in Dangerous Ishq was unveiled, there’ve been plenty of speculations about how her red gown was a replica of Angelina Jolie’s black number from the Oscar red carpet. The actor shrugs them off. “That still was shot a month before the Oscars. And Angelina was striking a pose while I’m walking. Yes, they do look similar and if people are comparing us, I’ll take it as a compliment. Angelina is a global icon and a fantastic actor.”
She’s also got a lot of wows for her svelte form, but admits a lot of hard work has gone into it. “Dieting, exercise and running after the kids,” smiles the yummy mummy, adding, “This is how I’d look even if I was just going out to dinner with the kids.”

Salman's 'Wanted' hit in single screen theatres

Mumbai, Sep 24 (IANS) Bollywood actor Salman Khan's latest action movie "Wanted" didn't get favourable reviews from the critics but has done good business by earning about Rs.38 crore across the country in its first week.
Surprisingly, it is the single screens where the movie has fared well compared to the multiplexes by generating 70 percent business.
"Till now, we had undermined the business contributed by the single screen theaters, but this film has made us realise that such theatres are still the bosses," said trade analyst Taran Adarsh.
Said another trade analyst: "Single screen theaters have been historically known to cater to testosterone boosting movies - action dramas. 'Wanted' is exactly that kind of film. Then you have the price of the tickets, approximately less than half that of multiplexes, with the advantage of watching it on a 70mm screen. Quite naturally, audiences will choose single screens over multiplexes," he added.
Exhibitor Manoj Desai of Gaiety Cinemas, a multiplex, believes that with "Wanted", single screens have finally shown their clout.
"'Wanted' has got the film industry and also the single screen cinemas out of the ICU. The film has got 100 percent collections till now and it is only going to get better," said Desai.
Starring Salman in the lead, "Wanted" is a bone-cruncher about a guy who takes on a city filled with scum.

Monday 23 April 2012

Rajasmita Kar wins Dance India Dance 3

The search for India's best dancer finally came to an end when 21-year-old Rajasmita Kar was declared the winner at the grand finale of third season of Zee TV's dance reality show Dance India Dance here on Saturday night.
The Odisha girl beat Pradeep Gurung, 24, from Assam, Raghav Juyal, 20, from Dehradun, Sanam Johar, 20, of Delhi and Mohena Singh, 23, from Madhya Pradesh's Rewa to walk away with the winner's trophy and Maruti Ertiga car. The show had started off with 18 contestants.
However, Mohena got a cash prize of Rs. 3 lakh for the best desired performance of the season.
The finale was hosted by Saumya Tandon and Jay Bhanushali, who opened the show with their dance performances. Judges and mentors Geeta Kapoor, Remo D'Souza and Terence Lewis also created magic with their spectacular acts, while grand master Mithun Chakraborty was seen applauding the performances.
Actor Anil Kapoor came to promote his forthcoming release Tezz and support the finalists.
The winners of first two seasons of the show were Salman Khan, from Bangalore and Shakti Mohan, from Mumbai.

Shahid Kapoor files complaint against Raj Kumar's stalker daughter

She has been scaling his building wall, sits on the bonnet of his car blocking his way, calls herself his wife... and now Shahid Kapoor has had enough. After nine months of being stalked by a girl, Shahid finally filed a police complaint on Saturday.
In the complaint filed at Mumbai’s Versova police station, Shahid says a girl by the name of Vastavikta Pandit, who happens to be the daughter of late actor Raj Kumar, has been harassing him. He claims that when he leaves his house, Vastavikta often blocks his way and sits on his car’s bonnet, repeating that she is his biggest fan.
On one occasion, 33-year-old Vastavikta allegedly scaled the wall of the building where Shahid lives and kept knocking on his door. Vastavikta debuted in Bollywood in 2006 with the supernatural thriller Eight. Her father, Raaj Kumar, was a superstar during 1950s-70s, known for hits such as Waqt (1965) and Mother India (1975). He passed away in 1996.
Vastavikta, who met Shahid at Shiamak Davar’s dance classes a few years ago, allegedly fell in love with him and started stalking him.
“She moved into a house next to his building, introduces herself as his wife, blocks his car’s path and even follows him to his shoots,” says a source.
The police have registered a non-cognisable offence and say they are trying to trace Vastavikta who’s missing, and would issue her a warning.

Top 10 Bollywood actors that ruled 2011!

From He-Man to funny man, from flamboyant to sombre - Bollywood's top notch actors have shone on the silver screen in various avatars and also kept the cash registers ringing. We list the top 10 actors of the year:
1) Salman Khan - He should be titled hit khan. If Bollywood's knight in shining armour bailed the industry out in 2009 and 2010, he boosted the box office business this year too with Bodyguard and Ready. In both, neither the content was premium, nor were the performances superlative, but what helped the actor stand out were the big bucks his films yielded at the box office, strengthening his position as a bankable star.
2) Aamir Khan: What one missed in Salman Khan's films was prominently present in Aamir Khan-starrer Dhobi Ghat. Aamir wowed his fans as a lonely painter in the directorial debut of his wife Kiran Rao, who deftly handled a bouquet of stories, travelling across various sections of society in the lanes and bylanes of Mumbai. The actor had just one release, that too, consciously designed for niche audiences, but everyone eulogised it, saying, "Wow! What a performance! What an actor!"
If that were not enough, Aamir was admired for daring to produce adult comedy Delhi Belly and the film's success further strengthened his image in volatile Bollywood.
3) Ranbir Kapoor: If his great grandfather, grandfather and parents are admired and respected for their cinematic genius, Ranbir Kapoor has proved that he is a true torch-bearer of the Kapoor khandan. The youngster excelled in his only release Rockstar, which was marred by a bad script. His role required a range of emotions and he stood out in every scene and kept the audiences hooked.
4) Shah Rukh Khan: Romance is his forte! But this time Shah Rukh Khan donned the garb of a superhero in RA.One to woo his fans. Though the film was not appreciated much for its content, his fans liked him as a geek scientist and as a superhero. He also earned praise for the use of technology, innovative marketing and promotional techniques to promote his product.
5). Amitabh Bachchan: Retirement? No way, says Big B. Instead he is grabbing central roles at the age of 69 and this year too he came out with two films Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap and Aarakshan - as different as chalk and cheese. If the former saw him as a flamboyant underworld don, the latter featured him as a college principal fighting for the rights of students. In terms of business, neither were money spinners, but as far as acting is concerned, Amitabh is Amitabh. He was terrific in both the roles and critics gave him a thumbs up.
6) Farhan Akhtar: When there is a huge star cast, it is not easy to make an impression. But Farhan Akhtar did that in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, which also starred Abhay Deol and Hrithik Roshan. The art of acting is all about sensitivity, emoting, feelings -and Farhan got them all right.
7) Hrithik Roshan: Usually seen in over-the-top roles, Hrithik Roshan for the first time did a role that was slightly offbeat and closer to reality. If Kites didn't allow him to fly high in the sky, his performance in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara helped him unleash his potential as an actor.
8) R. Madhvan: An NRI, who belongs to a middle-class family, returns home to find a wife. He encounters a drunken girl, who is not interested in marrying him. But her spirit is such that he falls head over heels in love with her and it becomes heartbreaking for him to let her go with some other guy. Madhavan not only suited the role, but he revelled in it, earning plaudits from both critics and fans.
9) Abhay Deol: He emerged as the dark horse. Be it a doomed lover in Dev D or a smart thief in Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye, he has effortlessly carried his roles in the past. He continued his winning streak as a confused lover in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.
10) Saif Ali Khan: This Khan showed his sparks in Omkara and after that he embarked on a journey that showed his versatility. This year he had just one release in Aarakshan, which was not a super hit, but the film's box office performance didn't overshadow Saif's work. Critics felt he scored very highly in sincerity, subtlety and sheer screen presence as a Dalit boy in the movie, highlighting the reservation issue.

Raj Kumar's daughter enters the Bollywood stage ...

Mumbai, March 23 (IANS) Another Bollywood progeny makes her debut. Vastavikta, daughter of the legendary Raj Kumar, will be seen Friday in Karan Razdan's supernatural thriller "Eight Shani".
Though the film has a sizeable sleaze content - Razdan made the controversial "Girlfriend" - and Vastavikta exposes quite a bit, she says she won't do a dare-bare act to add shock value to a film.
"Each artiste has to decide on their own and I will not expose to add shock value to a film. In case I accept any such role, it will depend upon many factors," says the daughter of the actor who gave Indian cinema classics like "Naya Daur" and "Neel Kamal".
Vastavikta says she didn't feel uncomfortable working with the director, who is more famous for making films with plenty of sleaze and sex.
"I was very comfortable with him and there was a family atmosphere on the sets. Karan Razdan never imposed his decisions on anybody. He was open to suggestions," Vastavikta told IANS.
When asked her about her role, she said: "I am playing Kamini who is born and brought up in London. She loses her parents at a very tender age and is emotionally disturbed. I can't reveal more but something unusual happens in her life that changes everything."
Vastavikta has always aspired to be an actress. After finishing her degree course from New York, she took acting lessons under Vidur Sir and attended workshops with Satyadev Dubey and Shernaz Patel.
She also learnt jazz under Shiamak Davar and went to Terrence Lewis classes.
Apart from "Eight Shani", Vastavikta has three more projects in her kitty.
Her elder brother Puru Rajkumar is still struggling to make it big and so the family have pinned all their hopes on her.
Other star kids making their big screen debuts this year - Rishi Kapoor's son Ranbir, Anil Kapoor's daughter Sonam and Mahesh Bhatt's son Rohit.

Kareena Kapoor to play Queen Arundhati

Kareena Kapoor is set to star as a mighty queen in the Hindi remake of 2009 Telugu blockbuster Arundhati.
The lead role Jejamma was originally played by south star Anushka Shetty.
After bagging the lead role for Madhur Bhandarkar’s much hyped Heroine, Arundhati would be another female centric movie getting added to Bebo’s kitty.
"I am excited to do this (movie) that had the importance for the female character," the 31-year-old said.
Kareena will also be seen in Reema Kagti's Talaash opposite Aamir Khan.

Akshay Kumar insured for Rs. 50 crore!

He is famous as ‘Khiladi Kumar’ thanks to his action image. But considering the risky sequences and his insistence on not using body doubles, the makers of Rowdy Rathore, Prabhudeva’s stunt-laden film, had no option but to insure the star. And it’s believed that Akki’s insurance value is around Rs. 50 crore.
“Right at the start, when Prabhudeva narrated the script, Akshay was kicked about the raw action scenes. But everyone was worried about him doing the scenes himself, considering they were a bit dangerous. And since we all know how much he loves action, we thought of insuring him at a heavy premium even before the film started. We knew he’d insist on doing most of the stunts personally, so we’re happy nothing tragic happened during the shoot,” says an insider from the movie’s unit.
In Bollywood, the concept of insurance is yet to catch on in a big way. While filmmakers like UTV, Karan Johar and Yash Raj Films have begun insuring their movies, the concept of insuring the movie’s stars as well is still novel to the Hindi film industry.
Some time ago, though, Sanjay Dutt, Imran Khan and Shruti Haasan were insured before they carried out a stunt on top of a speeding train in Namibia for Luck (2009). But such cases are few and far between.
Although Akshay remained unavailable for comment, the makers of Rowdy Rathore confirm the insurance but will not talk about the value. “Akshay is a daredevil who does the riskiest of stunts by himself. UTV has always taken care of its actors by insuring them beforehand and so it’s the same for Akshay in Rowdy Rathore. However, we wouldn’t like to comment on the insurance value,” says Shikha Kapur, senior vice president (marketing), UTV Motion Pictures.
What’s interesting is that Akshay’s insurance value is higher than that of personalities from another field — cricket. For the ongoing Indian Premier League tournament, England batsman Kevin Pietersen has the highest insurance cover among foreign players at Rs. 30 crore while Virat Kohli tops the chart among Indians with a cover of Rs. 35 crore. Following him is Chennai Super Kings and India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni at Rs. 30 crore while Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar is insured for Rs. 14 crore.

Movie Review: Hate story

Hate Story is being pitched as an erotic thriller but it's neither very thrilling nor particularly erotic. But it does work as unintentional comedy. My favourite scene: The heroine, Kavya, an investigative reporter played by Paoli Dam, has come to a prostitute for training. Kavya says that she wants to be the best in the business but doesn't know how to make love to a man she doesn't love. The prostitute gives her a master class. She says: Shake it, take it, fake it.
Kavya arrives at this sorry state of affairs because she conducts a sting operation on a major cement company. Which compels the company head, Siddharth Dhanrajgir, played by Gulshan Devaiah, to go after her. He sleeps with her and then dumps her, leading to that other classic dialogue: I f*** with those who f*** with me. Before you know it, Kavya is training in the boudoir arts. She then proceeds on a seduce-and-destroy mission.
At best, this material could have been a fun B-grade romp but director Vivek Agnihotri kills it with seriousness. In an interview he said: I wanted to film it in the manner of European cinema. I'm not sure what that means but what we get is heavy breathing, gritty expressions, split screens, screeching background music, all which of course leads directly to laughter. Dam gets to wear gowns and pant with many men. Devaiah snarls and does his best psycho-with-father-issues expressions. But neither can help salvage Hate Story. The only thing this film does is offer the hope that our Censor Board is becoming more reasonable. So you might some day be able to see a film like The Social Network without the 'asshole' bleeped out.

Audience to choose ending for Raveena’s next!

The latest trend in Indian cinema is to give audiences the opportunity to choose the climax they desire for the story. In keeping with this, the makers of Raveena Tandon-starrer Ginn Liya Aasman are shooting two sequences — one happy and the other sad — and leaving it to viewers to select which
one suits the film better.
Directed by renowned Marathi director Rishi Deshpande, Ginn Liya Aasman is a film about a 6-year-old boy, played by Dhruv Pikhe, whose father, a naval officer, has been missing since a plane crash. The kid has been told that his father lives in the sky and believes that he is the man behind the monsoons and the person who decides the shape of the moon, and that his father will come and play with him in his vacations. Raveena plays his mother.
“It’s a very sensitive film and two endings were possible,” says Anil Bohra, who is producing the bilingual film along with Mudassar Aziz and Vishwajit Gaikwad. The film might have two different climaxes — one for the Hindi and the other for the Marathi version. “Either that, or we can retain the same climax for both versions,” says Bohra.
The makers will resort to the web for public opinion to decide upon the climax. “We might even put it on YouTube in terms of giving a synopsis and asking what people think should be the end. A small private screening for a select audience is also an option,” says Bohra, who is set to implement this idea by the end of this month or early next month. The film is scheduled to release this summer, sometime around June.

Sunday 22 April 2012

Censorship woes for Kya Super Kool Hai Hum!

The Censor Board has issued an A certificate for the initial promo cut of Balaji’s upcoming release, Kya Super Kool Hai Hum, thanks to bold language and sexual undertones.
However, taking it in their stride, the makers sat on a whopping 19 cuts of the promo, until it was finally passed with a U/A certificate. “The Censor Board objected to the original promo since it had several dialogues with double-meaning. Ekta (Kapoor) sat on the editing, and post 19 cuts, the promo was given a U/A certificate, which could play in theatres. She, however, also feels that the original had a better impact and it will go viral with an A-rated warning, for those keen to view it,” a source was quoted as saying.
Tanuj Garg, CEO of Balaji Motion pictures confirms, “Yes, the CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) requested a few dialogue cuts for the trailer and we complied. The U/A version will be seen nationwide, while the A version is essentially for web consumption.”
The sequel to the film Kyaa Kool Hai Hum (2005), is scheduled to release on August 2, and stars actors Tusshar Kapoor, Riteish Deshmukh, Neha Sharma and Sarah-Jane Dias.

Yuvraj lauds Farhan's 'Milkha' look!

Cricketer Yuvraj Singh, who is recovering after treatment for cancer, has praised Farhan Akhtar's much-talked about look in "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag", based on Olympian sprinter Milkha Singh's life. "Met @FarOutAkhtar yesterday! I tell you man you look in serious shape! Junior Milkha rock on
buddy," Yuvraj tweeted recently.
The flamboyant sportsperson has recently returned home to the country after being treatment in the US for a rare germ cell cancer.
He is not the only one to have praised Farhan's look in the Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra movie.
Milkha Singh's daughter also showered praises on the actor, and said he looks identical to her father in his younger days

Saturday 21 April 2012

Below are the rankings of newly released Top 10 Films in India. These positions are based upon weekly Domestic Box Office collections. Theatrical Business figures are overall gross net collections of a film till date.

Rank   Film-Title         Director               Starring/Filmcast     Theatrical Business Last-Week Weeks-On Verdict
#1 Housefull 2 Sajid Khan Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, Riteish Deshmukh, Asin, Jacqueline
86 cr
#1
2
Super Hit
#2 Bittoo Boss Supavitra Babul Pulkit Samrat, Amita Pathak
1.85 cr
New Entry
1
Flop
#3 Battleship Peter Berg Liam Neeson, Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard
-
New Entry
1
-
#4 Titanic 3D James Cameron Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane
8 cr
#2
2
-
#5 Blood Money Vishal Mahadkar Kunal Khemu, Amrita Puri
10 cr
#3
3
Below Average
#6 Agent Vinod Sriram Raghavan Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor
44 cr
#4
4
Flop
#7 Wrath of the Titans Jonathan Liebesman Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Rosamund Pike
-
#5
3
-
#8 Kahaani Sujoy Ghosh Vidya Balan, Parambrata Chatterjee
56.5 cr
#6
6
Super Hit
#9 The Hunger Games Gary Ross Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks
-
#7
4
-
#10 Paan Singh Tomar Tigmanshu Dhulia Irrfan Khan, Mahie Gill, Vipin Sharma
15 cr
#9
7
Above Average

The weekly Top 10 features the most popular Hindi Movie Songs currently played on TV, Radio and other digital mediums. (Top 10 Bollywood Songs)

#1 Tu Hi Mera Jannat 2 Shafqat Amanat Ali Pritam
#7
2
#2 Tera Deedar Hua Jannat 2 Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Pritam
#11
2
#3 Pungi Agent Vinod Mika, Amitabh Bhattacharya, Pritam Pritam
#1
7
#4 Dil Mera Muft Ka (Remix) Agent Vinod Malini Avasthi Pritam
#2
6
#5 Tere Bina Tezz Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Sajid-Wajid
#6
3
#6 Anarkali Disco Chali Housefull 2 Mamta Sharma, Sukhwinder Singh Sajid-Wajid
#3
7
#7 Papa Toh Band Bajaye Housefull 2 Neeraj Shridhar Sajid-Wajid
#5
7
#8 Pani Da Rang Vicky Donor Ayushmann Khurrana Abhishek-Akshay
New Entry
-
1
#9 Chaahat Blood Money Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Jeet Ganguli
#4
9
#10 Pareshaan Ishaqzaade Shalmali Kholgade Amit Trivedi
New Entry
-
1

It’s Sunny Leone vs Poonam Pandey!

After claiming to have rejected 30 film offers, Poonam Pandey has finally signed one — only to pit it against the release of actor Sunny Leone’s Jism 2 this December.
The model-turned-actor is so sure of her film’s success that she is unperturbed that it clashes with Sunny’s flick. “I am neither competing with her nor sharing my audience. She is good at what she does and I am excellent at my job. It is a conscious decision to release our film with Jism 2. I know everyone is going to love my film,” says the 21-year-old, who shot to fame for her wish to strip publicly after India’s win in the World Cup last year, and her part-nude Twitter experiments thereafter.
Poonam has charged Rs. 1cr for this ‘bold film’. Producer Aditya Bhatia of Eagle Home Entertainment says, “We have full faith in Poonam and are therefore riding so much money on her. We have paid her a crore and the budget of the film is around Rs. 7-8cr. Amit Saxena, who directed Jism, is directing our film.”
He’s not scared of the clash either. “It will be a clash of the Titans, and will make big noise. And as content is the king, we are sure about our product’s success,” he adds.
Jism 2 producer-director Pooja Bhatt was unaware about any such clash until we told her about it. “I’m not aware of the (Poonam Pandey) film. But I wish them all the best! It’s a free world and people are free to release their films as and when they deem fit!”

Kareena’s pregnant for reel, not real!

Actor Kareena Kapoor’s pictures, where she sports a bulging belly, recently raised eyebrows, leading to speculations about the actor being pregnant.
But the rumours are false as the 31-year-old is sporting the look for director Madhur Bhandarkar’s upcoming film, Heroine, which revolves around the life of a successful film actor called Mahi Arora, whose career is on the downfall.
Bhandarkar too confirmed that the bump is fake.
“Guys lets not speculate. Its for REEL & not real!!! Its for a scene in my film #Heroine. Its FAKE!!! (sic),” Bhandarkar posted on microblogging site Twitter. The film is scheduled to hit theaters on September 14, and also stars actor Arjun Rampal.

Ishaqzaade makes big money on television!

He is geared up to make one of the most awaited Bollywood debuts in 2012. But even before newbie Arjun Kapoor’s Ishaqzaade opens on May 11, the film has hit the bull’s eye in a completely different sector: satellite rights. Apparently, Ishaqzaade’s TV rights have been sold for a whopping Rs. 15 crore. Thanks to the princely sum, Habib Faisal’s film has achieved another feat: making the highest amount among newcomers’ projects just from satellite rights.
“Yes, it’s true that Yash Raj Films (YRF) struck a deal with the Sony channel a few days back,” says an industry insider. “And although everyone is tight-lipped over the price tag, it’s definitely on the higher side considering that the film is seeing a phenomenal buzz.”
Insiders further explain the deal: “Actually, YRF has sold the rights of a clutch of their films, including Ishaqzaade, for a whopping amount to Sony. And after doing the calculations, it’s clear that Arjun-Parineeti’s film has gone for around R15 crore. Depending on its box office response, the price can still go up a bit,” he says.
For the uninitiated, Ishaqzaade marks the debut of Arjun, the son of producer Boney Kapoor and the late Mona Kapoor. Moreover, Parineeti Chopra, Priyanka Chopra’s cousin, also stars in the film. The Ambala girl was last seen in Maneesh Sharma’s Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl (2011).
“All Yash Raj ventures come at a premium considering that their success rate is very high. To put things in perspective, a debutant’s film from any other banner will fetch around Rs. 4-5 crore, but a YRF movie stands to get a much higher amount,” says trade analyst and editor of Koimoi.com, Komal Nahta.
Before Ishaqzaade, newcomers Ranbir Kapoor’s Saawariya (2007) had apparently made R7-8 crore from the satellite deal, while Imran Khan’s Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008) makers pocketed around Rs. 8-9 crore. Another debutant film, the Prateik-starring Dhobi Ghat (2010), took about Rs. 10 crore. But it must be noted that Kiran Rao’s movie became a big-ticket project largely thanks to Aamir Khan’s presence in the film.
While Sony refused to comment, Ishaqzaade’s official spokesperson says, “YRF never discusses numbers. But considering that the buzz around the two newcomers Arjun and Parineeti is very strong, it (the satellite rights) has surely been sold for a very high amount considering it’s a debutant film.”