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Showing posts with label BOLLYWOOD NEWS BYTES. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BOLLYWOOD NEWS BYTES. Show all posts
12:26 AM
Author: Mala
Karan Johar talks about his deal with Fox for his next directorial venture, My Name Is Khan.
You've apparently inked a deal with 20th Century Fox for an astronomical never-heard-of amount of money? Let me tell you the amount mentioned is nowhere near being a realistic amount. The deal among Star Fox studios, my company and Red Chillies is an internal matter and can't be discussed in public. What makes this deal so historic is not the money involved but the attempt to cross the diasporas with a Hindi -language film My Name Is Khan. We'll reach out in places where Hindi-language films have not gone before.
I am foxed by the deal… The Fox guys read the script and have followed the project. They're close enough to it to know what it's all about. I've shared a comfort zone with them from Day 1. Both Shah Rukh and I believe they are the best people to handle My Name Is Khan. They've faith in our brand power and content creation. It's not about money. It's not about mutual respect.
Is Fox trying to give the Islamic world a more positive image in the West by buying a film about Islamic isolation and the western world? It's not the politics of the film. It's when the film moves you on a human and emotional level that matters. My Name Is Khan endeavors to do just that. I don't think Fox was swayed by the positive message. It's the human aspect that won them over. I believe in the emotional content of both my cinema and personal relationships. Look at the longevity of the association between my company Dharma Productions and Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies and you'll see what I mean.
You are adapting Fox's Stepmom .Will there be more such adaptations of American films produced by Fox? I'd always want to direct original content. But there're young filmmakers in my company who are excited by the idea of adapting films. Siddharth Malhotra, for example, is doing a Hindi version of Stepmom for our company. He's working really hard on it. An adaptation is as difficult as an original film. And Siddharth is working really hard on it.
What is the final cast of Stepmom? It's Kajol, Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal.
When they began their career with Ishq Vishk and Boom respectively, even Shahid Kapoor and Katrina Kaif wouldn't have thought that a few years down they line, they would be winning a National Award for Best Acting. Well, this has actually turned out to be true as both the actors are the chosen ones for 12th Rajiv Gandhi National Awards. The event would be taking place at National Centre for Performing Arts, Mumbai, on 19th August'09.
Rajiv Gandhi Awards were initiated in 1995 in an endeavor to keep alive the vision of ex-Prime Minister Mr. Rajiv Gandhi. The event honours the achievers who are a part of India current progress. Since 12 years this platform brings together various fraternities. Other winners this year are Avika Gor (Child Prodigy), Vineet Jain (Industrialist), Ramesh Chandra Agarwal (Journalism), Sam Pitroda (Global Indian), Dr. Narendra Jadhav (Educationist), Dr. G Madhavan Nair (Super Achiever), Krushnaa Patil (Women Achiever), Rajashree Birla (Social Field) and Rohit Kochhar (Young Entrepreneur).
These renowned personalities will be honoured in a grand manner amidst lot of performances & entertainment extravaganza on the eve of Shri Rajiv Gandhi' birth anniversary. The award ceremony will be graced by dignitaries like Kamalnath, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Ashok Chavan, Murli Deora, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Ajay Maken, Rajiv Shukla, Priya Dutt, Milind Deora, Eknath Gaikwad, Sanjay Nirupam, Mohd. Azharuddin, Subodh Kant Sahay, Gurudas Kamat, Manikrao Thackray.
Rajiv Gandhi Awards has always had many Bollywood biggies as the performers in the past, including Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Navin Prabhakar, Rakhi Sawant, Vivek Oberoi, Sukhwinder Singh, Koena Mitra, Tanushree Dutta, Aftab Shivdasani, Sunidhi Chauhan, Isha Shravani, Sivamani, Tisca Chopra, Sajid Khan, Anupam Kher, Parizad Kolha, and more.
This year also, many celebrities namely Hrithik Roshan, Shreyas Talpade, Mahima Chowdhary, Esha Deol, Hussain Kuwajerwala, Priyanka Chopra, Raju Shrivastav, Vishal-Shekhar are to perform in this event
Mumbai, Aug 19 (IANS) If things move as per plan, Ranbir Kapoor may soon find himself working with ace filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, indicates the young actor's father Rishi Kapoor.
"I'm positive that in 2010, Imtiaz and Ranbir would be beginning a film together. They have been meeting on a regular basis and are just looking at finalising on something concrete before they make a formal announcement," says Rishi Kapoor, who was seen in Ali's "Love Aaj Kal".
Prodded further on what the genre, subject, leading lady and production house will be, Rishi denies being in the know.
"I never get involved in the creative aspects of Ranbir's films. He takes all his decisions himself. All I know is that Ranbir working with Imtiaz would be a great decision since I have now witnessed Imtiaz's sensibilities on a first hand basis after working with him," said the actor who was earlier seen in "Delhi 6".
Rishi got quite some appreciation for his portrayal as a Sikh in "Love Aaj Kal".
"While working on the film, I realised that this boy (Imtiaz) is so cultured, sensible and simple. There is a saying that one's character gets reflected in his work. It was there for everyone to see in 'Love Aaj Kal', which was so honest and sincere, just like Imtiaz," Rishi said.
If the project materialises, Ranbir will be working with yet another accomplished filmmaker. He made his debut with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Saawariya" and later featured in Siddharth Anand's "Bachna Ae Haseeno".
Currently, he is working with Raj Kumar Santoshi in "Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani", Prakash Jha in "Rajneeti", Shimit Amin for the forthcoming "Rocket Singh - Salesman Of The Year" and Ayan Mukerji in "Wake Up Sid".
When asked about it, Imtiaz said: "Honestly speaking, nothing has been finalised yet. Yes, Ranbir and I have been meeting each other for quite some time and have been bouncing off story ideas. Still, we are yet to close on a story line.
"I have always placed my story before anything else. Whether it is 'Love Aaj Kal', 'Jab We Met' or 'Socha Na Tha', the story has always been of paramount importance."
So is he or is he not signing Ranbir?
"I definitely want to work with him. However, I will announce my cast once the story is finalised. Making any comments before that would be immaterial and unwarranted," he said.
So many Punjabis are living in Canada that it will not be entirely wrong to call it another Punjab, outside Punjab. And our film deals with a love story that extends from one Punjab and goes up to the another. MEET, a Punjabi boy who lives at Vancouver is a total fun loving chap. Adventure is his second name. High speed bikes, racing cars, under water scuba diving, ice hockey, wild life photography and what not, you name any adventure and MEET is there to rock. He lives along with his Dad who owns berry-farms and his Mom who is into creative product designing business…. He is just an adventurous brat of his highly sophisticated Canadian family. Now lets see our girl Rajjo….. Rajjo is from Amritsar. She is a girl of principles, whose Dad Sardar Wariyam Singh has got stern belief in her morality. Family values & cultural priorities are very close to her heart. Come what may, she will never act in a way that will embarrass her family. A cute girl of her open hearted Punjabi family she is. What happens when MEET and Rajjo, from entirely different worlds come together….!! And fate brings them together for the first time in a punjabi wedding. Sophistication of Canada openly welcomes the openness of Punjab but in a mischevious way.. MEET, who never thinks twice before saying “I LOVE YOU” to a girl. Now meets Rajjo, for whom saying “I LOVE YOU” will be the biggest moment of her life. We progress our screenplay through the colourfull shaadi ka mahoul. As everything was going in a merry way, tale takes a sudden turn when Meet & Rajjo face a problem that they never ever expected to happen… And at this interval point, they got separated…. But destiny has something else to offer….. Meet is not ready to surrender in front of the fate…he will not let his love slip away in front of his eyes… And in his topsy-turvy ride of bringing the sophistication of Canada & openness of Punjab together,,,how he eventually manages to win his Rajjo….is the crux of our screenplay….where both of them just cant help asking each other….. ”TERA MERA KI RISHTA….”
It has been speculated that the film is set in the aftermath of 9/11 and has SRK playing a Muslim man who becomes a terror suspect in the US. But the superstar denied it at the unveiling of the film’s first look.
Throwing light on the film’s subject, SRK told the mediapersons at the event: “Unlike the rumors, it’s not about terrorism or 9/11. It’s about a relationship between two people - between an individual and the State, and between an individual and the country. In short, three important components - love story, Islam and a mild form of autism - form the core of My Name Is Khan”
The movie has SRK playing a Muslim character named Rizwan Khan. Half of the film’s story is based on the story of a real couple in the US. The other half has been conceived by Karan Johar and screenplay writer Shibani Bhatija.
Salman Khan’s story of generosity is unending. He carries a heart of gold and always come forward to help the poor. While shooting at Bandra for Boney Kapoor's Wanted Salman's eyes fell upon a beggar who was lying on the street. He walked down the memory lane and recognized the person, he is the same man from whom he used to buy kites as a young.
Salman’s heart fall for the man, he went to him and asked whether he is the same man. The beggar was shocked to be recognized by the biggest Bollywood star. Salman Khan not only gave him a cash of Rs 25000 but also offered him clothes and food. The beggar was overjoyed to be recognized by him and thanked Salman for his gestures of generosity.
Salman might be called the bad boy of Bollywood but he is always ready to help the poor.
Prachi Desai is someone, who, besides being an epitome of talent, is also a fragrant bouquet of talent, hard work, sincerity and dedication ...all of which comes gift-wrapped with a smile that cannot just launch a zillion ships, but also has the ability to change the directions of humongous whirlpools!
After having become a household name with the smash hit TV serial 'Kasamh Se', Prachi Desai went onto rock the Bollywood film industry with her smashing debut in Rock On. She is back with her second venture called Life Partner, in which she is paired opposite Tusshar Kapoor.
Bollywood Hungama caught up with this ever-so-chirping girl for an exclusive interview. Here are the excerpts:
Prachi, to start with, how has life been post, Rock On? Different! It was great when Rock On had released. Everything around me was simply enormous. I just couldn't have asked for a better launch. But now, it feels that I am starting all over again. I am so used to doing TV; that getting adjusted to the medium of films is slightly taking its time. But as I said that the feeling of 'being there, doing that' is simply great!
The promos of Life Partner say that 'Gravity cannot be held responsible for people falling in love'. How much do you agree or disagree with this statement in real life? I totally agree with the said statement. It's always said that 'Love is blind'. But I would like to rechristen it saying 'Love is blind...but marriage is an eye-opener' (laughs). Nobody ever says 'Rise in love'. It's always 'Fall in love'. It's only after you have been in love, that you gradually realize 'God! I have to be myself all over again!' That's why the promos have it stating even though everybody falls in love, but 'Gravity cannot be held responsible fore people falling in love'! (Laughs)
If it's not gravity, then, what is it? Even I wonder as to what exactly that is! Whatever it is, I am sure that it's not dependent on the person's age. All that I can say is that everybody should fall in love to realize how wonderful the feeling of love is!
You just said that 'Everybody should fall in love'. So, with whom is Prachi Desai in love with? It's very sad but true, that I am not seeing anybody right now! I am just 20 years old yaar! It will take me some more time to find the right person. But, I do confess that I have had my share of crushes....
How much of Life Partner's Prachi Jadeja is the real-life Prachi Desai? Prachi Jadeja is a very contemporary girl having a very modern outlook. She is one girl who will stand up for herself and speak her mind. She is well educated and handles her father's business. And as far as the similarities between me and her goes, I think that 'working aspect' applies to me in real life too, as I too am a working girl. Plus like my character Prachi Jadeja, I too am a Gujarati in real life.
So much for similarities. Now, what is it that separates Prachi Jadeja from Prachi Desai? Unlike Prachi Jadeja, I will not get into an arranged marriage. While Prachi Jadeja comes from a royal family, I come from a simple middle class family. And while I am in the process of getting my graduation done, Prachi Jadeja is a highly qualified girl from one of the best universities!
Prachi, it's a coincidence of sorts that Genelia's and yours last release (Jaane Tu... and Rock On respectively) were monstrous hits, which only means that people's expectations from Life Partner must be soaring all-time high. Does that make you nervous? I am feeling very jittery. This time round, the excitement is little more than before. Believe me; I was nervous while shooting for the entire film. As you said, the expectations are bound to soar with Life Partner. While Genelia and I come with a background of super hits, Tusshar also comes with Golmaal Returns while Fardeen has No Entry behind him. In that case, all of us have a humongous hit film behind us. Having said that, I just hope that people go to the theatres with a clear mind and enjoy the film for what it is, rather than hoping for something magical coming out of each one of us. Life Partner is a group effort and not just of any one individual's! I just hope that it does extremely well at the Box-Office.
Life Partner comes from the stable of Rumi Jaffrey, whose last film God Tussi Great Ho was a B.O. disaster. Weren't you apprehensive about signing his Life Partner? And how was it working with Rumi? I know for a fact that it's the second film that decides any actor's destiny at the B.O. And with me choosing Life Partner to be my second film, I better be sure of my role in this. The fact remains that I got on board with Life Partner while Rock On was still under production! It was pretty early then. But since Life Partner is Abbas-Mustan's first production venture, and also it was my chance to do comedy, as I was doing serious roles all this while, I thought of breaking out by doping this role.
Even though we haven't seen God Tussi..., we were confident of Rumiji, whose earlier ventures as a writer like Chalte Chalte, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi reflects his immense talent, which will be yet again seen in Life Partner.
Since Life Partner happens to be Abbas-Mustan's first stint as producers, how were they? Frankly speaking, till then, I had only heard people saying that they are the sweetest men. But after I worked with them and spoke to them, I really found out as to why people term them as the sweetest human beings. I would like to call them as the 'Men in white', as they are pretty peaceful. Despite the fact that they are directors themselves, they just did not interfere in the film's proceedings.
There was some news doing the rounds that you were a bit uncomfortable doing some intimate scenes. How much of it is true? Not really. Ever since this 'news' came in, I too have been wondering as to where did that come from. I would rather say that I felt embarrassed that I made my co-stars a little uncomfortable. Even though there were no intimate scenes in the film, I would say that every newcomer goes through this awkward phase, even at the slightest of an intimate scene. And maybe, it is this 'awkwardness' that the media has blown out of proportion!
Life Partner saw you working with Tusshar, Fardeen, Genelia and Govinda. What was your equation with them? Since the film was made in a light hearted mode, the overall atmosphere was fun. To simply watch Govindaji perform his character was so much fun. Fardeen comes across and is royal and a pure gentleman, while Tusshar is an extremely hard working guy. Govindaji is hilarious while Genelia is 'Aditi', as that's how I can describe her, as Jaane Tu's memories are still fresh in my mind about Genie (Genelia). All in all, working with the whole gang was absolute fun.
Now that you are full-fledged into films, have you bid the final goodbye to TV? Right now, I am not looking at going back to TV.
What if someone offers you a path-breaking role like that of Rani in Black or say Kareena in Jab We Met, will you still turn it down? That would be a tough decision to make. But one thing is certain that, I will say yes or no to the TV offer depending upon what I am doing at that time. If I am free from all my film commitments and the role turns out to be as interesting as you said, then, you never know...
Now that you have worked on both the mediums (TV and films), what do you find as the major difference between the two? Undoubtedly, it's the working pattern. While a film is planned, shoot, edit et al months in advance, all that it takes is a single Friday to decide if the film will sustain at the B.O. or not. Not just that, the Friday also happens to be a day that decides the fate of the actor from that movie till his/ her next film. Whereas TV is totally different, whereby we shoot everyday, all the while fighting for the telecast and the TRPs. We do get a chance to improvise on our skill sets and we can also gauge if the serial is catering to the audiences' taste or not.
Every time, there's a film that has 2 heroines, there are always talks about the two heroines not getting along. But there was hardly any news about any friction between you and Genelia? Touch wood! I am so glad that there are just two weeks for the release; such a story about any 'friction' hasn't come out. If ever any such story comes out, I will be so annoyed, because, I am sure that it will be only for publicity.
I am sure that any stories of friction between me and Genelia will be only for publicity How does it feel when someone compares you with the two deadly Khans, viz. SRK and Aamir? Because, like SRK, you have proved that TV actors can be successful in Bollywood as well, while you have become as choosy as Aamir while signing films? (Takes a long pause). I am at a staggering loss of words. I feel that it won't be justified to kind of put me in that position right now. It's also heartening to see Rajeev Khandelwal, who, besides SRK, is successful in making a mark in Bollywood. At the same time, I am happy that I am one of the initial actresses to have made it in Bollywood. And as far as me being compared to the great Aamir, I don't think it's fair at all, as I am not planning to do it that way. As a matter of fact, Life Partner was supposed to get released much earlier!
I am at a staggering loss of words Lastly, how do you deal with criticism? One really has to cut off at a certain point as it really makes you lose your head, if you allow all this to enter your system. Sometimes, one has to take things with a pinch of salt. Else, that person will go really mad!
New York/New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan was Saturday questioned for two hours at the Newark airport in the US over his surname and was freed only after Indian diplomats intervened.
The Indian government and entertainment industry reacted furiously after the 43-year-old actor, named by Newsweek last year as one of the world's 50 most powerful men, revealed how he was detained and stopped from even using his mobile telephone.
Speaking to CNN-IBN channel on telephone from the US, Shah Rukh appeared to shrug off the embarrassing episode saying he had suffered similar treatment previously too.
The incident happened as the hugely popular actor, whose fans number millions in India and abroad, was on his way to Chicago to attend an event related to India's Independence Day.
Other Bollywood stars like Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan too are set to attend the function.
"They checked me because I was an Asian," the actor said. "They wanted to know why I came to the US and where I am staying."
Shah Rukh's manager Niloufer Qureshi earlier told IANS over telephone from Mumbai: "He was detained because his surname is Khan. He was kept until officials from the Indian embassy intervened."
Asked if he got into trouble because of his giveaway Muslim name, Shah Rukh, who is married to a Hindu, said: "Certain countries have issues with my name." He quickly added: "I am very proud of my name."
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni denounced Shah Rukh's detention over religious grounds.
"I don't think that this manner of detaining (in the name of religion) is justified. But in the US, several examples have surfaced where frisking takes place more than required," she told reporters in New Delhi. "There should be a tit for tat response."
Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar, a close friend of Shah Rukh, said in Mumbai: "I am shocked and upset. I am feeling terrible."
Shah Rukh admitted that he became "greatly worried" as the American officials piled him with questions -- mainly about his travel to the US.
The actor said a large number of Indians, including organisers of the Chicago event, were waiting outside at the airport to receive him. Indian diplomats came to his rescue when they heard about his plight.
He said it was ironic that the incident happened on the eve of Aug 15 -- when freedom is celebrated by Indians.
"I personally feel it is over and done," he said, sounding conciliatory. Asked if he felt like reacting in a similar way, he replied: "If they want I can frisk Angelina Jolie when she is here (India)."
Undoubtedly one of Bollywood's biggest and most highly paid stars, Shah Rukh has acted in nearly 70 films in a career spanning 17 years.
Making an effective film that makes a social statement is a task which not many are able to master. It either creates ripples like TAARE ZAMEEN PAR or goes horribly wrong. CHAL CHALEIN attempts to tackle a new and interesting topic - parental pressure on children - but doesn't make much of an impact due to reasons...
* First being that the writer goes overboard and creates a non-believable situation.
* Second, the screenplay is repetitive in the first half. Post-interval too, once the court sessions start, it's repetitive again. The fare moves along at snail's pace. The biggest drawback is that the climax tries hard to throw a hard punch, but comes across as disarranged.
A group of eight boys and girls studying in the eleventh standard, playful, witty, yet rational are jolted when one of their friends Navneet commits suicide because of his parent's [Rati Agnihotri and Kanwaljeet] pressure, as he is interested in literature, but his father wants to see him as an engineer. The friends are worried about children committing suicide. They decide to do something to stop the suicides: They start a movement against parents and government.
A lawyer [Mithun Chakraborthy] helps these kids in their movement. The parents are annoyed obviously. The entire nation supports the children in this movement. Now it's the law that has to react.
Although the film has noble intentions, the film could have been a gripping fare had director Ujjwal Singh tackled the subject more realistically. Barring a few sequences, the film lacks the power to keep you engrossed. Mithun is good enough in his part. Mukesh Khanna, Anoop Soni and Shilpa Shukla enact their parts well. The kids are okay.
On the whole, CHAL CHALEIN is a dull fare with slim chances.
Characteristically defiant as hell, Ram Gopal Varma intends to go ahead with a sequel to his just-released shiver giver Agyaat.
The film has garnered extremely mixed reviews. But ask Ramu if he cares.
"I'd have been seriously worried if the reviews had been favourable. The critics were just as harsh on my previous horror film Phoonk. It made enough profits to keep everyone happy."
Agyaat, says Ramu, was made at a budget of Rs 5 crores. The sequel would be marginally costlier to make. But again it would feature no major stars. "The jungle will again be the star of the film."
And the plot? Over to Ramu: "At the end of Agyaat my lead pair Nitin Reddy and Priyanka Kothari come out of the killer jungle. Agyaat 2 will begin with the pair telling the police what happened. Nitin accompanies the cops into the jungle and shows them how brutally the other members of his team were murdered. Now when he returns to the city the creature follows him."
This would be Ramu's second sequel after Sarkar Raj which followed Sarkar. The second film was received far more favourably than the first.
Explains Ramu, "I like to leave my options open. Most of my films are open-ended. I like to carry the story forward. I thought I'd make a sequel to Phoonk. But now I've decided to do a sequel to Agyaat instead. As for the sequel not being received properly I don't think that matters. "
Part of the sequel to Agyaat will take Ram Gopal Varma back to the Sangli jungles in Sri Lanka.
Says Ramu, "In Agyaat the challenge was to not show the murderous creature and still create panic and horror, as in The Blair Witch Project or John Carpenter's The Thing. I think the power of cinema lies in the power of the imagination. I've used the jungle as a subtext for the entity."
Critics have complained about the insubstantiality of the terror and horror in Agyaat. But that according to Ramu is its USP. "The challenge was to create horror from nothing. Ridley Scott once said that if you try to explain a supernatural experience you lose the thrill of it."
Telugu star Nitin Reddy who plays the lead in Agyaat is very excited about the sequel. Apparently he has been instructed to get into Rambo-like physical shape for Agyaat 2. "I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel. It'd be a treat working with RGV again. It was tough shooting in the Sangli jungles. We had a couple of injuries. Let's see what happens this time."
"We are very afraid that piracy may affect our collections," says a concerned Priyanka Chopra because Kaminey is not releasing in Mumbai and Pune this Friday due to the Swine Flu scare. "As a citizen I'm worried (about Swine Flu), we all have to be careful and cautious. I hope once it's over people will come and watch the film." As has been reported earlier, due to the Maharashtra Government shutting theatres in Mumbai and Pune, Kaminey shall not be releasing before Sunday.
"The critics have really loved the film and we are hoping that people won't indulge in piracy and instead actually watch the film in theatres because the experience of watching Kaminey with its sound quality on big screen is something else. It will never be the same on pirated version. It's my request, we've put in our blood, heart and soul in the film, just support us, support the film, do justice to the movie," says Priyanka earnestly.
Salman Khan with Ranbir Kapoor planned to spend time together this Independence Day on Saturday. Taking time off from his hectic shoot schedules on August 15, Salman is looking forward to the chutti. He intends to spend the day with his gang of boys playing football. He invited Ranbir when they were chatting at Mehboob Studio on Sunday afternoon.
Word has it that Salman is making sure that everything is planned perfectly for the match. He has already asked his younger brothers Arbaaz and Sohail to spread the word and they too are inviting their friends. As of now, joining the Khan brothers will be Ranbir, Dino Morea, Ashish Chaudhary, Vatsal Seth and music composers Sajid-Wajid. Many more actors and friends are expected to join the list.
Ranbir, of course, was super-excited as he is an ardent football fan. While the venue of the match is yet not known, sources say that the boys will play at one of the Bandra grounds.
This sweeping, melodramatic saga of a powerful father, and his two sons, presents an honest view of the rugged life and goals of a simple farming family against the lush green agricultural lands of modern day Punjab.
It begins with a Kisaan, Dayal Singh (Jackie Shroff), a widower who's immersed in the legacy of his ancestral lands as he raises two very different sons; Aman, (Arbaaz Khan) is formally schooled to become a city based lawyer while Jigar (Sohail Khan) through lack of funds and inclination towards anything other than farming is kept by his father's side.
When Sohan Seth (Dalip Tahil), a shrewd businessman, convinces many beleaguered farmers to sell their lands for his commercial interests some by using the violent tactics of the village's heavy hand, Nirmal (Romeo) it shatters the harmony of village life, and Dayal's family is jeopardized. Dayal Singh and his sons are locked into a battle of right; each is focused on their path to success. The brother's are pitted against each other with a different outlook of land and its value as the crisis in the village unfolds. The ground at their feet, is it Motherland or simply Property? It spin tails them down a direction they can never return from, leading to a shocking turn of events as their women Priya (Dia Mirza) and Titli (Nauheed Cyrusi) add to the drama and conflict. In the struggle of land and brotherhood, tragedy befalls forcing each man to re-examine his convictions.
Is blood thicker than water?
Will loyalty and honor outlast stubbornness and pride?
Anubhav Anand: Aman Aman is a talented young architect who has been raised by his loving uncle (Mr.Bhalla) ever since he came to America as a young child. While working toward his dream of having his own architecture firm, Aman life's takes a beautiful turn when he bumps into his perfect match Neha. Not to be bothered by such trivial concerns such as family involvement in his relationship, Aman beings to lose sight of what is truly important while pursuing his career goals. It isn't he realizes the true extent of the love his Uncle has for him that he beings to understand the real meaning of family.
Nandana Sen: Neha A beautiful, charming and intelligent girl, Neha sweeps Aman off his feet at first sight. As an only child, she feels that her family's opinion on her preferred match is as important as her own. When she realizes that her father (Mr. Patel) is not so crazy about Mr. Bhalla, she and Aman try anything to just get them to get along.
Boman Irani: Mr. Patel A conventional family man, Mr. Patel runs a motel in suburban Southern California. A proud father of his only daughter Neha, Mr. Patel would go to any extent to keep his daughter happy. Any extent that does not extend beyond his simple, disciplined, vegetarian, alcohol-free lifestyle. All it takes is one meeting with his counterpart Mr. Bhalla to draw the line and call Neha & Aman's perfect match a Mismatch.
Anupam Kher: Mr. Bhalla A loud and colorful personality, Mr. Bhalla lives a full life with his family in suburban Southern California. The things that drive this family man are great food (non-vegetarian), great jokes and Jack Daniels. Mr. Bhalla has raised his nephew Aman as his own child and is elated to meet the parents (The Patel) of his preferred match. It takes one meeting of the hyper-vibrant Mr. Bhalla and the conventional Mr. Patel for them to realize that this is the perfect Mismatch.
Susan Smythe: Amy With a lot of spunk, this pretty young lady tries to out everything that's going on in Neha's life. A good friend and a great listener, Amy is enchanted by Neha's colorful stories of her family and relationship.
David E. Webb: Dave A loyal and true friend to Aman, Dave is almost Indian himself. Finding great joy in being around Aman's family, Dave makes it a point to be at all the family gatherings.
Rashmi Rustagi: Mrs. Patel An ever loving and caring mother, Mrs. Patel is a bit more lenient than her husband. Coming from a woman's point of view, Mrs. Patel is a little better equipped to understand what her daughter is going though and tries to convince her husband to see the light.
Sheel Gupta: Preeti The perfect little sister, Preeti and Aman share a close bond. Cute and bubbly, this young lady has an endless supply of love for family and especially her brother helping him thought the toughest of times.
Perfect Mismatch Ranjita Chakravarty: Mrs. Bhalla An over-protective mother of her daughter Preeti, ever-loving aunt to Aman, and the one keeping the Bhalla house close to sanity, Mrs. Bhalla is someone every lady will relate to.
Synopsis
Aman (Anubhav Anand), a talented young architect, raised by his uncle has all the love and care a family could offer, even if he does take it for granted. While working towards his very own dream, his life takes a beautiful turn when he bumps into the perfect girl Neha (Nandana Sen). The two fall in love, and nothing seems able to come between them.
Nothing, that is, until it comes time for their families to meet. Sparks fly. Every known disaster strikes when the hyper-vibrant Mr.Bhalla (Anupam Kher) and the rigidly-conventional Mr. Patel (Boman Irani) meet and their differences become hilariously apparent. The two are woefully mismatched from the start. Disapproval inevitably comes when the two fathers lock horns, but the lovebirds, true to their feelings, are ready to do anything to make their dreams come true. They must find a way to bring their families together which leads to a comical series of misadventures of the two disapproving, faultfinding fathers.
Between the struggles of making his career dreams a reality and bringing two families together, Aman realizes the true definition of family and what it really means to love someone.
The movie is a passionate view of hilariously star-crossed romance while never forgetting the importance of family, culture, and staying true to one's emotions. Join Mr. Bhalla, Mr. Patel, Aman & Neha, along with their families as they celebrate life, love and everything in between.
Film: "Jashnn"; Cast: Adhyayan Suman, Shahana Goswami, Anjana Sukhani, Humayun Saeed; Director: Raksha Mistry and Hasnain S. Hyderbadwala; Rating: ***
Rejoice! The Bhatts are back with a film that rips a hole in the heart and lodges itself deep into your consciousness...for a bit at least.
It's hard to move away from the territory of trauma that Bhatt perennially creates for his characters. His protagonists suffer because they allow themselves the luxury of feeling and hurting in an utterly self-centred way.
In a marked departure from the sacrificial mother figures of our movies, the film's central character Nisha (played with gut-wrenching brutal honesty by Shahana Goswami) is shown to be a rich man's mistress not because of her kid brother but because, as she roars in one of the narrative's soul-piercing highest-pitched sequences, she has gotten so used to luxuries she can't stand in queue for buses any more.
"Jashnn", like Mahesh Bhatt's "Jannat" before it, wallows in the transparent hunger of today's lifestyle and how far individuals are ready to go in pursuit of the next thrill.
At its heart, "Jashnn" is a simple story about four troubled people tied together in a baffling labyrinth of complicated emotions.
As Adhyayan Suman, rising to the challenge of playing the author-backed role of Aakash -- 'didi's ladla' and destiny's unfavoured wannabe Michael Jackson -- says to his spunky girlfriend (a never-say-why girl who moves in with her guy in his garage music room): "Your brother was supporting my sister. Now you're supporting me. What a family we are!"
Bhatt's people are never afraid of facing the truth about themselves, no matter how ugly. And it can't get any uglier than the sequence where Akaash -- angry, embittered, cornered and moneyless -- steals from a woman's purse in a bar to pay for his drinks.
There is a redemptive counterpoint to this hideous moment of compromise. There always is. And when it comes in "Jashnn", you feel like applauding our young hero's proclivity to look life in all its garish shades straight in the eye.
In what could be considered the best re-launch since Mallika Sherawat in the Bhatts' "Murder", Adhyayan gets a role with a graph and grip that most newcomers fantasise about.
Adhyayan surrenders himself completely to the bum musician's inner world, emerging with emotions that lie buried too deep for tears, fears and jeers. He cries openly and feelingly for his lost and redeemed dignity, he makes love to his girlfriend with the same tender look in his eyes as when he cuts a cake with his sister. He grits his teeth when his sister is insulted for her parasitical life as a rich man's mistress. He rejoices when she is liberated. He's a Mahesh Bhatt hero.
Shahana, the truest new-millennium inheritor of Shabana Azmi's histrionic kingdom, goes through the role of squalid dependency and emotional liberation with a velocity of expressions that expand the screen space into a universe of articulated angst.
Of course, the dialogues help. Shahana's sequence where she tells a cheesy guy she wants to be something better than meat in the market is proof enough of her capabilities.
It's interesting to see Anjana Sukhani turn a routine role of the spoilt but eventually sobered-down heiress into an area of interesting possibilities. The girl is spirited and plays her part with a determined relish.
The film's other protagonist Humayun Saeed hams his way through most of the material. He isn't to be blamed all the time. Some of his sequences lack the insightful intensity of what the writers offer the other principal characters. And to see this villain weeping in repentance at the end kind of takes away from the sting and bite of the tangy dish on contemporary compulsions that the Bhatts have prepared for posterity.
Mention must be made of the actor who plays Aakash's best friend Sukesh. The boy gets the point.
It isn't as though "Jashnn" has something new to say. If you've been observing the cinema of Mahesh Bhatt you'd know they secrete dark recesses of resonant emotions serving more as mirrors for the mores of our times rather than just vehicles to get audiences into titillated submission.
The women in Mahesh Bhatt creations are extraordinarily striking creatures. And there are two such women in "Jashnn". One is a tortured mistress of the night. The other is a wealthy woman who lives with her struggling boyfriend and refuses to abort her illegitimate baby.
A scar is borne. The womb is a wonderfully warm place to tell screen stories about people who manoeuvre out of materialistic morass in redemptive rhythms.
Co-directors Raksha Mistry and Hasnain Hyderabadwala have here created a parable of pain written across the theme of a musician's journey from rejection to victory.
Some stories seem very interesting on paper, but lose their sheen on celluloid. That's the problem with DEKH RE DEKH. The idea could've translated into an engrossing fare, but the story development as also its execution leaves a lot to be desired. Even its short running time doesn't salvage the situation.
Babli's marriage in a rich family has already turned into a nightmare and she is back home after getting divorced. But a robbery involves her childhood friend Shyam into her plan; Shyam also is in need of money to bribe the minister for a government job. At this juncture, one more character joins them, Yadav, a struggling politician in need of money for his party fund to get ticket for election. Since they have no experience of robbery, they plan to involve a professional thief in the mission: Charan.
DEKH RE DEKH establishes the characters well, but the screenplay unravels in such a casual manner that it becomes the biggest drawback as it moves further. One can never tell when the film rolls into flashback mode and back. It's only later that you realize that there actually were flashbacks and by that time, you've already lost track of where the story is headed.
The film's tagline states 'laughter behind darkness' but neither does the film make you laugh, nor is it a dark subject from any angle. The comedy just doesn't evoke mirth. Music is irksome.
Vijay Raaz is the best of the lot. He's excellent. Gracy Singh is plain average. Siddhartha Koirala is just about okay. Raghubir Yadav does a fine job.
On the whole, DEKH RE DEKH is not the type that would catch the viewer's eye.
The coming weeks will witness the release of some hugely-anticipated films. The first promo of WANTED has met with tremendous response, with the aam junta greeting the promo with rare enthusiasm. This writer is confident that the first promo of Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevision's BLUE, directed by Anthony D'Souza, will also be welcomed with whistles and claps. In fact, the first promo will be unveiled on 14th August with KAMINEY.
While on BLUE, a section of the industry feels that the film won't make it in Diwali since the actors have yet to dub for the film and also A.R. Rahman has not recorded the background score yet. It's far from true, since Akshay Kumar has already completed his dubbing, while Sanju and Katrina are expected to dub in the forthcoming week.
Also, the maestro, Rahman, has started recording the background score in Chennai. Sure, the CG work will take time, but the makers are 100% sure that BLUE will hit the screens on the scheduled date, on 16th October. That should put an end to all speculation vis-à-vis the release date of this biggie.
Mumbai, Aug 5 (IANS) Over three decades after her role of 'Basanti', the horse-carriage driver with her mare 'Dhanno' in the iconic film "Sholay", actress Hema Malini has sought a ban on horse carts in this city, saying the horses that pull these carts lead a miserable life.
The Bollywood actress has written to city municipal commissioner Jairaj Phatak seeking a ban on the horse-carts that ply on the city's roads.
Writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Hema Malini said in her letter: "In 'Sholay', I had a terrific co-star named Dhanno. Luckily, this affable character will never know the misery that her cousins, who are forced to pull joy-carts, endure."
She said that "her heart breaks" whenever she sees the condition of the horses who are forced to give joyrides on beaches, parks and certain other areas of the city.
"Their legs ache, they yearn for better nourishment, their throats are parched and the sun beats down on their backs," said the actress.
Joining the campaign is actor John Abraham, who recently wrote to the Mumbai collector seeking a ban on horse-carts on city roads.
"He was told that the issue falls under the purview of the traffic department, so he approached them. They, in turn, said the matter concerns the Mumbai collector. In this blame-game, the horses continue to suffer," said PETA spokesman Sachin Bangera.
An investigation by PETA revealed that the horses are fed unwholesome food and polluted water.
"Stables are often damp, filthy, infested with insects and rodents, many horses are forced to work long hours in the blazing sun without any relief," Bangera said.
There are about a couple of hundred horses which are allowed to ply on certain Mumbai roads, beaches, parks and other areas, mainly for the benefit of tourists and children.
New Delhi, Aug 5 (IANS) The Indian film fraternity is trying to seek 100,000 solidarity comments on a social networking website to urge the government to confer the prestigious Bharat Ratna upon Bollywood thespian Dilip Kumar.
A community titled "Dilip Kumar for Bharat Ratna" on Facebook that now has over 850 members dedicated to the cause was started at the behest of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt.
Bhatt said he was not the only one who wishes that the 86-year-old be awarded the country's highest civilian honour.
"It is the entire industry's effort. From every region, stalwarts have come out to appeal for him. I was just a foot soldier. It is the Indian film industry's effort, not an individual's effort," Bhatt told IANS via SMS.
The group has been primarily created to seek solidarity from people so that the administrators of the website can bind all the comments in a book and submit it to the president and the prime minister.
The members of the community have been asked to "leave a comment or endorse by replying a one liner - 'I endorse that Dilip Kumar is the most deserving person to be honoured with the Bharat Ratna'".
Dilip Kumar, who is married to actress Saira Bano, is known for his landmark performances in films like "Devdas", "Madhumati", "Ganga Jamuna", "Mughal-E-Azam", "Shakti" and "Karma".
Many of his fans as well as members of the industry have put out individual comments.
Posts like "Honouring Dilip Kumar is honouring Bollywood", "He deserves Bharat Ratna. Period" and "Bharat Ratna....most certainly. He is an icon in the truest sense of the word!" are splashed on the online community's website.
Celebrities supporting the cause include actors like Rajeev Khandelwal, Mukul Dev, Shabbir Ahluwalia, Varun Badola, Randeep Hooda and Urvashi Dholakia. Film critic and filmmaker Khalid Mohammed, director Prabhakar Shukla and popular Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila have also joined the effort.
"Dilip Kumar is one of the finest actors in the Indian film industry. He did only 64 films in his career and is still regarded as the best. He is like Lata Mangeshkar, you won't get another Lata...Similarly, you won't get another Dilip Kumar. In the true sense, he is Bharat Ratna," said Shukla, known for his film "Gudiyaa".
Till date no actor has received the Bharat Ratna award. In 1992, acclaimed filmmaker Satyajit Ray was the first person from the entertainment industry to have been conferred the honour.
Music greats like Carnatic music vocalist M.S. Subbulakshmi, sitar player Ravi Shankar, singer Lata Mangeshkar, shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan and classical singer Bhimsen Joshi became its proud recipients.
The bad news on Rahul Bose's front is that his second directorial venture Moth Smoke (his first directorial film Everybody Says I'm Fine came 5 years ago) based on Moshin Hamid's celebrated novel is delayed because the financiers have pulled out.
"That's true. The originals funders have backed out. But there's no dearth of alternative funders. I've the rights for four years, of which only one year has elapsed. So there's time."
Though after he broke his nose for the umpteenth time this February, Rahul has retired from Indian rugby, he will continue to play the game internationally for as long as they'd have him.
"You really can't take a rugby player out of the game. It's hugely addictive. And though cinema is my primary passion I also remain a rugby player at heart," says Rahul Bose who turned 42 on Monday without fanfare.
"I never have what you'd call a normal birthday. Last year, during my birthday the Ahmedabad bomb blasts happened. This year I was with my six adopted kids at the The Foundation."
Rahul has six children from the Andaman's who were orphaned during the Tsunami. "Spending time with them gives me immense satisfaction. On my birthday, I had lunch with my sister and niece and dinner with author Amitav Ghosh and his wife who are dear friends. Sorry, my Bollywood connection continues to be tenuous."
So how does it feel to be 42? "I'm waiting for all my hair to fall off before my first face lift," Rahul deadpans. "And before you ask I still have no love life." Rahul who dated actress Koel Puri in the past has been single in recent years.
Ends Rahul, "I'm very excited about my new film with Aparna Sen The Japanese Wife. Like English August, Pyar Ke Side Effects and Jhankar Beats, I feel The Japanese Wife will be one those films that people will remember me by."
Characteristically defiant as hell, Ram Gopal Varma intends to go ahead with a sequel to his just-released shiver giver Agyaat.
