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Abhishek Bachchan refused to play Aishwarya hubby in RAAVAN!!
It was only after Abhishek Bachchan denied Mani Rathnam?s offer of switching roles in the Tamil version that the director roped in southern actor Prithviraj to essay the character of Dev in the film. As Aishwarya Rai was comfortable in the Tamil language, she accepted the offer of playing the character of Sita (Ragini) in both the versions of the flick.
The buzz doing the rounds in the industry is that Mani Ratnam?s original plan was to make the flick only in Hindi but as the film progressed he conceived of making it in both the languages and shooting it simultaneously with the same actors switching roles. The most important switch over was to be of Vikram from playing Raavan in Tamil version to enacting Dev in Hindi version and Abhishek Bachchan doing the same for Hindi and Tamil versions.
Initially, Abhi had even given his consent but soon found it too difficult to emote without knowing the language. The honest and sincere Abhishek Bachchan made known his difficulties to director Mani Ratnam and this time managed to convince the master filmmaker to let him go.
In fact, Abhishek was said to be too engrossed with the character of Beera to concentrate on anything else, and hence felt it wise to let the role be done by someone else who could do justice to that. Meanwhile, Abhishek Bachchan has refuted the public perception that ?Raavan? had any connection with famous epic Ramayana.
Though there is widespread impression that the film was a modern day adaptation of the epic but Abhishek says that only connection with the epic was due to its name ?Raavan?, and even that was selected because it aptly described the various facets of Beera?s personality in the film.Whatsoever, the film is slated for a worldwide release on June 18 and the whole world would come to know of the truth on that day.
Meanwhile, Abhishek Bachchan has refuted the public perception that ?Raavan? had any connection with famous epic Ramayana. Though there is widespread impression that the film was a modern day adaptation of the epic but Abhishek says that only connection with the epic was due to its name ?Raavan?, and even that was selected because it aptly described the various facets of Beera?s personality in the film.
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Azim looks up to Salman, SRK and Aamir Khan
To make his character in "Qasam Se Qasam Se" appear realistic, Azim frequented call centre offices to absorb the finer nuances of the people working there. "It was quite a relevation for me as an actor.
I witnessed not only people's mannerisms but also the activities they indulge in during the break hour. Looking into the mirror, some guys would be busy ruffling their hair and taking care of their looks, while some would busy binging.
And there would others catching up with family and friends over their cell phones. This has helped shaped my character in the film.
" Azim feels that all our veteran actors were keen observers and would translate that on screen. "Whether it were the legendary actors like Dilip Kumar or the late Raj Kapoor or Dev Anand , they were schools in themselves.
I am a great fan of Salman Khan , Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan and look at them as a student who looks upon his guru. I am mastering the art of acting watching their films," he smiles
(less)Mahek Chahal reveals her beauty secret
My absolute must haves are browns, bronze and red shades of make-up, as they give my skin tone a very nice shine and suit me very well. I always carry these colors in my bag because I never know when I might show up at an event and feel completely under-dressed.
Also, any of these shades really adds that extra glow."
(less)Priyanka Chopra goes house hunting
She's been scouting for real estate in Juhu and Khar for a while now as she wants a bigger house. She also wants privacy, which one can't get in an apartment building.
Besides, it's been her dream to own a sea-facing bungalow." The source adds that PC wants a big garden that will include a space for her pets.
She also wants to accommodate a gym. When asked, Priyanka confirms that she's looking for a bungalow in the suburbs and adds, "I'm looking for a bigger place.
I'm very happy with the success of my last two films, so this is a good time for me to go house-hunting." Stars with sea- facing bungalows Akshay Kumar Rani Mukerji Shah Rukh Khan Rajesh Khanna Rekha Farhan Akhtar
(less)Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh marries again
While talking about the honeymoon plans, Riteish had told us, "We can't have a honeymoon this month. Our producer Kumar Taurani has strictly forbidden us to go anywhere till our film releases this month as he wants Genelia and me to promote the film in various cities.
David Dhawan's son Rohit gets married on February 10, so immediately after our wedding Genelia and I will have to rush to Goa for that again. After that, will be my brother Dheeraj's wedding during the end of the month to Honey Bhagnani .
I have to be there for all the pre-wedding arrangements so going for our honeymoon this month seems impossible now."
(less)I never thought I'd be a desirable woman: Sameera Reddy
"My name in the list means a lot to me. As as a young girl, I never thought even in my wildest dreams that I would become a desirable woman.
I yearned for a perfect body as I was ugly duckling in school. But now that I have entered films, I believe that beauty is hidden in the imperfections of people and it all depends on how you use them.
That's my definition of desirable and I am glad to have made it to the list," says Sameera. The actor is basking in the success of her last Tamil release opposite Madhavan and has Padma Shri Priyadarshan's Tezz to look forward to.
Sameera has now decided that she will do a mix of performance-oriented and glamorous characters on screen, something that Simran and Jyothika did in Kollywood. So is the report true that Sameera wants to become the next Simran and Jyothika? "You cannot become another person.
I had said that I look up to both Simran and Jyothika, who had a mixed bag of roles- performance-oriented and cute characters. Both had their own fan following .
They are my role models and I want to have a beautiful lineup of characters like them," says the actor
(less)Sherlyn Chopra likes being unconventional
Be it politics, cinema, sports, business or any other arena, women across the globe including India are in great form mentally, physically and consciously to undertake greater responsibilities and tougher challenges that are often encountered on paths less travelled." Sherlyn is also happy that she has gone from being just a pin-up girl to an entrepreneur.
Says she, "The rapid metamorphosis in my case would not have been possible had the mindsets of the majority of the people in the Hindi film industry continued to be goverened by prejudices. I look upto entrepreneurs who command respect and attention for daring to think out of the box and act accordingly.
They do not have a herd mentality. What they have is unadulterated creativity which is set on fire by courage.
" Naming films like " The Dirty Picture ", " Erin Brokovich ", " No One Killed Jessica "," The Black Swan " as cinema that has changed the way we think, Sherlyn says, "Unconventionality is no longer a taboo. It is being applauded and celebrated by both the classes and the masses.
The pulse of the youth is racing towards liberalisation. And I'm truly loving it.
" Asked why she decided to give us photographs that resembled those of the " Jism 2 " campaign, the actor quips, "I have pushed the envelope by choosing to cover my nakedness with nothing but pure consciousness."
(less)Kangana’s weird dressing at Fashion’s launch | Bollywood News and Gossip
Kangana Ranaut who left mouths wide open at her movie Fashion’s first look held at Cinemax. She was wearing something small in shining yellow and guess what she claims she has designed that dress herself.
Hold on… if you think this is the end then please wait, there’s more to come) She was also flaunting some red color false flowers and feathers on her made-up hair. Also a yellow color strap on her neck which resembled a dog collar.
If that wasn”t enough she also carried herself on shinning red heels and a matching red color bag. Thankfully Priyanka Chopra and Mugdha Godse too were present and were looking extremely stunning and beautiful.
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(less)Aishwarya attends Riteish, Genelia's reception
Aishwarya was briefly spotted and clicked when the Bachchans hosted media mogul Oprah Winfrey at their home during her first India visit. Later, she drove with Oprah, father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan and husband Abhishek to a party hosted by Parameshwar Godrej to welcome Oprah.
Do check back for pictures from the reception. Tweet
(less)Flash mob greets Imran at New York University
"I had a blast at NYU. Everyone was so enthusiastic, they put on a very polished, confident show, and the surprise flash mob at the end was perfectly executed.
My best wishes to all the students involved," Imran said in a statement. The students had been practising for the performance for over two weeks, ahead of Imran's visit to New York as part of the promotional tour.
"As the president of NYU Dillagi, a Bollywood dance team, I knew we had to have simpler steps that the general public would be able to do and we sent videos out to the public. I thought that the flash mob came out even better than expected since people kept joining the mob throughout the sequence and it definitely surprised those that did not know of it ahead of time," Mohit Chhatpar, coordinator of the flash mob, said.
"It was really fun to be doing a flash mob and having Imran among us was all the more fun. He was very sporting and interacted with the students.
We are excited about this movie as well and are glad he could come and be among us to talk about his movie," he added. The Dharma Productions' film, also starring Kareena Kapoor, is set to hit theatres Feb 10.
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(less)Mohit Suri to direct Aashiqui 2 with fresh faces
"It's been 20 years for that film. So, obviously now I will have to upgrade this story.
It will be the same realistic love story but with a modern theme," Suri told IANS. Aashiqui won critical accolades after its release at the time.
It also catapulted the careers of lead actors Rahul Roy and Anu Agarwal, who forayed into Bollywood with this film. Suri is also set to hunt for new faces for the sequel.
"I will cast fresh faces with a new boy and a new girl," said Mohit. While some are referring to Aashiqui 2 as a sequel, others are calling it a remake.
However, producer Mukesh Bhatt of Vishesh Films sets the record straight. "It is neither a sequel nor a remake.
It can be said as the musical series of Aashiqui ..
.a new generation is making this film," he said.
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(less)Similar Results
Beti B to be named on Jan 15?
The Bachchans are known to be superstitious, and won't do anything that could have an adverse effect on their little one. It is heard that he family hasn't zeroed in on any name yet, though there has been a short-list of names beginning with 'A'.
Well, let's wait and watch what this little bundle of joy is going to be called
(less)I will never return to politics, says Govinda
The people of Vasai were hopeful that he would return to politics after a sabbatical but the popular actor put an end to all the speculations and called it a day. "Politics was never in our blood and in our family.
.I will never return to it," he said adding that he would never forget that Virar was his 'Karmabhoomi'.
The 48-year-old had joined the Congress and was elected as an MP for the Mumbai North Constituency of Maharashtra, in the Lok Sabha elections in 2004, after defeating Ram Naik of the BJP. In 2009, he took a break from politics to concentrate more on his films.
His constituency was succeeded by Sanjay Nirupam . Govinda has appeared in over 120 Hindi language films.
He became popular worldwide as a Bollywood icon through comedy films such as 'Shola Aur Shabnam', 'Aankhen', 'Coolie No.1', 'Haseena Maan Jaayegi' and 'Partner'.
His recent work includes Mani Ratnam's bilingual project 'Ravan'
(less)20 million hits for Kolaveri, pa pa pa tweets Dhanush
Ludacris , On The Floor ft. Pitbull and Bad Romance .
Nevertheless, Dhanush, son-in-law of matinee idol Rajinikanth, is overjoyed that the song is successfully "breaking language barrier". "Yayyyyyy 20 million views for Kolaveri !! Pa pa papa pa pa papa!! God bless," Dhanush posted on micro-blogging site Twitter.
The big worldwide YouTube hits this year include Justin Bieber's Baby ft. Ludacris (671,069,814 views), Jennifer Lopez's On The Floor ft.
Pitbull (444,281,564 views), Lady Gaga's Bad Romance (432,227,541 views), Shakira's Waka Waka (427,435,565 views) and Eminem's Love The Way You Lie ft. Rihanna (410,857,092 views), among others.
The video for Kolaveri di was released on YouTube Nov 16. It's peppy, catchy tune as well as funky lyrics, helped it go viral on the internet, and get more than a million hits on the website within a day of its release.
The numbers are only multiplying ever since, and have reached 20,341,650 hits by Monday noon. The song, composed by 21-year-old Anirudh Ravichander, will be a part of the film 3 , directed by Dhanush's wife Aishwarya.
Also called Soup song , it has been appreciated by people of all age groups and lauded by celebrities, including megastar Amitabh Bachchan. However, lyricist-writer Javed Akhtar had spoken out against it, saying: "Tune ordinary, singing substandard.
Words an insult to sensibility." But Dhanush is nonchalant and tweeted: "I have you guys.
Your support. As long as I'm making u guys happy, I'm doing my job as an entertainer properly.
That's enough. God bless.
" The Tamil-English song is also a hit with north Indians, despite its southern accent-loaded vocals. "When a song is breaking language barrier and brings us together, how does it matter which language it's in? You want a name to this language? It's an Indian song made by an Indian.
..
Whether its a sensible song or nonsense song, it's music. It's art.
Art does not know language. Only people's heart.
And that's where my song lives." "And to all my north Indian Kolaveri fans, thanks for receiving a Tamil song with warm heart and making it a global song.
God bless," added Dhanush. Ever since it has hit the web, there have been several spin-offs of the song, including one by Bollywood playback singer Sonu Niigaam's son Neevan and the Chamaat song on Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar being slapped.
Then there is the Gujarati version of the song as well. Tweet
(less)Sikander hopes Abhishek will mature now!
He is anyway very kiddish, but I am sure he will mature now," Sikander said on UTV Stars' "Live My Life". The two actors are close buddies.
Sikander also happened to disclose that Abhishek is keen on a baby girl. Abhishek's wife, actress Aishwarya Rai, is due to have a baby in the second week of November
(less)Mammootty's son Dhulquar to make his Malayalam film debut
Being Mammootty's son is an added advantage," the film's director Sreenath Rajendran told reporters today. Besides Salman, the film's cast includes newcomer Gauthamy Nair, who is the heroine, Bollywood actor Sudesh Berry, who is making his debut in a regional film, and Baburaj, who has enacted the villain's role in several films.
Berry, who had acted in films like Border and Vansh , a remake of renowned Director Mani Ratnam's Tamil move Agni Nakshthram , said he did not know the language. "But I know the language of expression, love and the language of humanity," he said.
Rajendran said Salman is donning the role of a village youth, who is prepared to do any kind of job. The shooting of the film, estimated to cost about Rs 3.
5 crore, had started a month ago, locations mainly being Kozhikode and Puducherry. "It will take another 20 days more to complete the film.
" Rajendran, who had worked as an assistant under popular Director Jayaraj, said they had approached Mammootty for his permission to cast Salman in the film. Mammootty had asked for the script and had left the decision to Salman, he said.
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(less)Lanka: Movie Review
Jaswant Sisodia (Manoj Bajpayee) rules supreme in the town of Bijnor and one of his indulgences involve forcing a girl Anshu (Tia Bajpai) to be his mistress. Anshu's parents are as helpless and humiliated as the vulnerable victim, who ironically gets willfully raped every night by Jaswant.
Jaswant's close aid (Arjan Bajwa), who he as well considers his younger brother, comes to the town and supervises his illicit operations. His loyalty towards Jaswant remains integral until his empathy towards Anshu overpowers it.
That's when he decides to betray his mentor. Visibly Tia symbolizes Sita, Manoj Bajpayee represents Raavan, and Arjan Bajwa stands for Vibhishan in this selective depiction of Ramayana.
And through its dense drama, the film justifies Vibhishan's stand to stand against the morally wrong Raavan. Where debutante director Maqbool Khan's expertise comes is in giving Manoj Bajpayee's character a poised tone wherein, on one hand he is despicable for the heroine, on the other hand he is role model for the hero.
As an audience, you relate to both the extreme shades in his personality, which can also be immensely attributed to Bajpayee's persuasive hold on the character. The plotline isn't entirely inventive and one has seen thematically similar interpretations, notably in Rakesh Roshan's Koyla (1997) or more recently Kites (2010).
How it steers clear from other cinematic adaptations of Ramayana is from the fact that it intentionally avoids incorporating Ram as the ideal protagonist and substitutes it with Vibhishan who might not be perfect yet opposes evil. So the entire essence of the film lies in the camaraderie between Raavan-Vibhishan (Bajpayee-Bajwa) and their subsequent conflict.
Thereby the director keeps the romance track between Arjan Bajwa and Tia Bajpai to the minimal and thankfully the narrative never branches out into their individual love story. A better alternative would have been to restrict their bonding only till empathetic emotions (like in Emraan Hashmi's Awaarapan ) over the avoidable streak of romance.
The focus is more on the conflict between men than highlighting the trauma inflicted on the woman. Thereby the lust and obsession that fuels Jaswant's desire to dominate Anshu, both, physically and psychologically, remains peripheral to the plot and doesn't register effectively enough.
In fact their back-story is never fleshed out. Somewhere there is more amity between the male leads than animosity with Arjan Bajwa's duty-bound character being a mute spectator for the major runtime before he rebels in the very end.
And post his revolt, the film comes to a quick end with a solo climactic confrontation scene between the men. The climax, however, seems hurried and convenient in the bigger picture.
It's sad then that what could have been shown as a rare account of ethical unfaithfulness ends up being a generalized preachy epilogue on how men should treat woman with respect and how wronged woman should not lose hope and continue their fight against injustice and blah blah blah. It almost changes the tenor of the male-dominated drama to a woman-liberation film.
Shashank Dabral's writing is fairly interesting to the extent that it never strikes your engaged mind that Arjan Bajwa's character name is never mentioned in the film. However the political nexus in the narrative isn't seamlessly integrated with central plot and rather runs parallel to it.
Also the dialogues could have been more effective over the trite lines. The film is completely designed in and around Manoj Bajpayee's character and the actor justifies the immense scope he gets with an authoritative performance.
He has a menacing attitude, his eyes speak volumes, he laughs hysterically and thankfully never goes overboard (despite a strong tendency to ham). Arjan Bajwa is impressive as the man of few words and despite Bajpayee's towering persona; he still commands good screen presence.
Fortunately Tia Bajpai is given the least lines, scenes and footage in the film and one doesn't complain. Yateen Karyekar as the defenseless father is impressive.
The immensely talented Manish Chaudhari doesn't get much scope here. Yashpal Sharma is regular.
Director Maqbool Khan shows restraint and refinement in crafting his first film. This Lanka, though not full of gold, has some shining moments.
Finally there's a film about Raavan which belongs to its Raavan! Verdict: Good
(less)Fashion Face off: Rani vs Aishwarya | Bollywood News and Gossip
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(less)Amitabh-Abhishek Bachchan thank fans for wishing Aishwarya
..
let me thank all of you that have wished Aishwarya for her birthday..
.I shall pass on your greetings to her.
..
gratitude," Big B posted on Twitter. And Abhishek posted: "Thank you all for the wonderful and thoughtful wishes for Aishwarya.
Will read them all out to her."
(less)Aishwarya, baby "doing great" tweets Abhishek
"Thank you all for your prayers and good wishes. Both Aishwarya and the baby are doing great and taking some much needed rest.
..
." Abhishek posted.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan delivered a baby girl today at Mumbai's Seven Hills Hospital. Among the first visitors at the hospital were Abhishek's childhood friend Goldie Behl and his wife Sonali.
The Bachchan baby has generated huge interest and an avalanche of posts and tweets on social sites. Obviously, just as excited is Abhishek Bachchan.
"And I'm trying my level best to get rid of this caffeine high and get some sleep too. Don't think it'll work.
TOO EXCITED!!!!" Tweet
(less)Big B enjoying Beti B's company
"The moments spent with her even though one encounters shut eyes, are the most pleasant and fulfilling, but what after. I think there is an indication here to take up vocations that one has always wanted to pursue - that music lesson, language .
..
reading to catch up..
.and on," he posted.
The 69-year-old also thanked his fans for keeping up their suggestions for a name for her. "To all those that have sent and continue to send names for the 'little one', gracious gracious thanks .
..
we will select soon," he posted on Twitter. Aishwarya Rai gave birth to her and husband Abhishek Bachchan's first child Nov 16.
Tweet
(less)Dhanush signs first Hindi film Raanjhnaa
Rai of Tanu Weds Manu fame. He says he chose Dhanush for his simplicity.
"For the past six months, I've been looking for a simple boy to play the lead in 'Raanjhnaa'. My requirement was a man who could look vulnerable on screen.
When I saw Dhanush in the Tamil film Aadukalam , I liked him immediately. He looks very ordinary and honest, and that was the demand of the character," Rai said in a press statement.
If the grapevine is to be believed, the director had approached him for the movie before the success of Kolaveri di , from the upcoming Tamil film 3 , directed by wife Aishwarya. Dhanush, who is Tamil superstar Rajinikanth's son-in-law, is not too well versed with Hindi.
But it won't be a barrier for his Bollywood career as he is keen to explore the industry and learn the local language and culture. "It's a big deal to get a launch like this at the beginning of my career here.
Aanand's script is different from regular cinema; it's one of those 'made to make a difference' kind of films," said Dhanush. "The film is an intense love story.
Just like my film Tanu Weds Manu , the film and its characters will take you to Delhi, Punjab, Chennai," said Rai. Both Dhanush and Rai recently visited Benaras for the film.
The actor is also perhaps planning to hire a coach to learn Hindi. He is convinced that by the time the film's shoot gets over, he will be able to communicate fluently in Hindi, which will open more avenues for him.
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(less)No paternity leave for Abhishek
Excerpts from a Q and A with the papa-to-be. As the due date nears, you must be getting increasingly asked about the baby and fatherhood? Actually, I've been so busy shooting Bol Bachchan that I haven't really thought about it.
Parenthood is something that's going to happen naturally, so there's no point stressing over it. But you must have begun thinking of baby names and started shopping? Thinking about names is an ongoing process.
We don't know whether it's going to be a boy or a girl, but suggestions are more than welcome. We haven't started shopping yet.
Reportedly, you're taking paternity leave and have got your work schedule adjusted to be able to remain in town till some time after the birth. That the media has already decided for me.
I don't have the liberty to take time off. Of course I'll be around as and when the baby is born, but otherwise, I'm going to be working.
So will Abhishek make a strict daddy or a pampering papa? I think I'll be okay; not very strict nor will I allow the kid to get out of hand. I'll ensure that my children are down to earth.
Aishwarya also believes in the same. We'll bring our kids up to be good human beings and that's what my parents also taught me.
Your next film, Players , releases in the first week of January, earlier considered an unfavourable week to release. Earlier this year, your Dum Maaro Dum came to cinemas in the middle of the Indian Premiere League.
Almost every month, we see old myths broken. While those might have held true years ago, the audience's perception has also changed.
As a kid, I heard that monsoon was not a good time to release movies. Race released in the middle of IPL and became a runway hit.
Films like Kaho Na..
. Pyaar Hai , Rang De Basanti , and No One Killed Jessica released in January and did well at the box-office.
So many films released and broke records, which is proof that the audience is going to the theaters in large numbers. Do you feel the Bachchan surname brings greater pressure? It's strange I'm always asked about pressure considering that I'm doing the most number of movies.
I do films as per my convictions. People were looking forward to seeing you and Aishwarya on screen again in Rajkumar Santoshi's Ladies And Gentleman .
Has the idea been shelved and will it be made with another leading lady? Or will it mark Aishwarya's comeback after the baby? Rajji wanted to make it with Aishwarya and me. But after her pregnancy, he decided to put the film on hold and said that he will make it only when Ash is ready to work again.
Until then, Rajji and I have discussed four-five ideas. Tweet
(less)Rajinikanth unveils Ra.One look
One". To this end the Badshah of Bollywood, travelled all the way to Chennai with his team for the audio launch in Tamil.
SRK had Superstar Rajinikanth unveil the first look of the character 'Ra.One', played by Arjun Rampal, which has been kept under wraps all along.
"So much been happening, working round the clock, today Rajni sir unveiled the first look of "Ra 1" the character super excited. in chennai.
(sic)," posted Arjun Rampal on a micro blogging site. Meanwhile, SRK who managed to rope in Rajinikanth do a cameo in this ambitious flick also had director Mani Rathnam at the launch.
The actor-director duo had earlier worked together in "Dil Se". The star was overwhelmed by the response the promos of the film are garnering.
"In Chennai..
.overwhelmed by the lov shown by mani rathnam, santosh sevan.
Soundarya & Rajini sir. Launch of Ra.
one in tamil, grateful to all (sic)," posted SRK on a micro blogging site
(less)New York Times Reviews Ra.One: 'Great effects, lame script'
Not that it could be mistaken for anything other than what it is: a Bollywood epic with a magpie appetite and, of course, songs and dances. (The catchy, clubby Chammak Challo , featuring Akon, is already a hit.
) For all its cost, digital effects and virtual reality feints, Ra.One is a traditional, if somewhat undercooked, Hindi movie confrontation between good and evil.
After all, the villain is named Ra.One (for Random Access Version 1.
0), which can be pronounced Raavan, like the 10-headed demon in the Ramayana. And G.
One, the hero, is also Jeevan, which means life. Sporting a wig of floppy curls, Shah Rukh Khan, the film's star and guiding force, plays Shekhar, a nerdy computer game designer in London.
(Even the thieves speak Hindi in this town.) To win the admiration of his son, Prateek (Armaan Verma), he creates a game in which the bad guy, Ra.
One, is more powerful than the hero, G.One.
But Ra.One breaks into the real world and wants to kill Prateek, which sends the boy and his mother (Kareena Kapoor, looking great with a few new pounds) to India with G.
One (Mr. Khan again, sans curls), who has also come to life.
Ra.One , directed by Anubhav Sinha, works hard with its money.
(The Times of India has reported the budget as $30 million.) Full of digital effects, wire work and things that go flying (cars, men, supermen) the movie is technically as sophisticated as anything Bollywood has produced.
A standout is G.One's rescue of Kareena on a runaway train that crashes rather spectacularly out of Victoria Terminus in Mumbai.
You can see the money on screen, if not in the screenwriting. The exposition is longwinded and confusing, as are the rules of the game, in the virtual and the real worlds.
The bumbling Shekhar is too clownish; Ra.One is a dud demon (Raavan is invoked to little effect) who disappears for chunks of time; and you probably won't hold your breath as good fights evil.
But if the storytelling disappoints (shocking!), the film mostly doesn't. It relies on action and effects and Bollywood's trump card, star power, to carry the day.
This is Shah Rukh Khan's movie, and once he sheds Shekhar's droopy locks, he shines as the deadpan, action-hero robot with digital snot and smooth moves on the dance floor. Tweet
(less)Riteish, Genelia to wed in Feb
According to sources, the date has been set for February 4. Divulging the wedding plans, a friend of the actors told Mumbai Mirror, "We've been told to keep ourselves free from the third to the fifth of February.
The wedding has been finalised for the fourth. They have decided the venue as well.
Hyatt Regency has been booked." "The families have decided to keep it a very low-key affair.
So only close family and friends will be invited," added the friend. The guest list to this low key wedding will include Genelia's friends from Bollywood and the south Indian film industry.
"She will invite her Jaane Tu..
.Ya Jaane Na co-star Imran Khan and the director Abbas Tyrewala.
Her latest Telugu co-star Rana Daggubatti will also be on the guest list," revealed a source. "Riteish's guests will include the Bachchans, Karan Johar , Boman Irani, Sajid Khan and Ram Gopal Varma," added the source.
According to the source, unlike the buzz in the industry, Genelia would continue with her Bollywood career even after the marriage. "Riteish's parents have no objection to her working in films," informed the source.
Riteish and Genelia, who had always maintained that they are 'just friends' and managed to keep their romance under wraps went public earlier this year by gracing a media event together. Interestingly, Riteish and Genelia starrer Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya, which is currently on the floors, has been scheduled to release in the same week as their wedding.
The filmmakers of Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya are probably looking at pulling a Mani Ratnam, who released his film Guru soon after the Abhishek Bachchan-Aishwarya Rai engagement was announced. Even after repeated messages, Riteish remained unavailable for comment
(less)RGV goes from Aag to Ayodhya
Having created RGV Ki Aag (the Varma version of Sholay) in 2007, the filmmaker will now create his version of the Ramayana in Telugu. Confirming the news, Ram Gopal Varma told Mumbai Mirror, "My version of the Ramayana will be a modern day interpretation of the epic.
It is my imagination of what would have happened if the mythological characters existed in 2011." All set to direct the film himself, Ramu has even decided to cast the biggest stars of Telugu cinema for his opus.
Situated in Andhra Pradesh, circa 2011, the film will be based on a war between two big corporates. "It is the story of Dasharath Rao who heads Ayodhya group of companies.
He is married to Kaushalya. On a business trip, he meets a woman named Kaikeyi Agarwal and ends up marrying her," revealed Ramu about the storyline of his next big venture.
"Dasharath Rao promises his second wife Kaikeyi that he will hand over his business to her son Bharat Kumar and not Ram Shankar, his son from the first wife. He asks Ram to head a sick unit situated far away.
Ram's brother Lakshman Shankar follows him," added the filmmaker. And the story gets better with the rivals of Ayodhya group entering the scene.
Lanka group of companies headed by Raavan Raju creates problems for Dasharath's family. Raavan has a brother Bheeshan Raju and a sister Shoorapauna.
Shoorapauna is a party animal and a drug addict. While the character names and the plot would appear comic to many, Ramu himself denied making a parody of the religious text.
"Unlike the speculations, my film is not going to be a comedy or a parody. It will be a very serious family thriller on the lines of Sarkar.
It will first be made in Telugu and then in Hindi," said the filmmaker. Ramu even assured that with this film he would make sure no religious sentiments are hurt.
A source close to the filmmaker told us, "Ramu recently saw the Telugu film Shri Ram Rajyam Prabhu Dev . That's when the idea of making a modern day version of the epic struck him.
He is currently filming Bejawada in Hyderabad. After this he will decide on the cast for RGV Ki Ramayana.
The Hindi version will in fact be rather interesting."
(less)Dhanush signs first Hindi film Raanjhnaa
Rai of Tanu Weds Manu fame. He says he chose Dhanush for his simplicity.
"For the past six months, I've been looking for a simple boy to play the lead in 'Raanjhnaa'. My requirement was a man who could look vulnerable on screen.
When I saw Dhanush in the Tamil film Aadukalam , I liked him immediately. He looks very ordinary and honest, and that was the demand of the character," Rai said in a press statement.
If the grapevine is to be believed, the director had approached him for the movie before the success of Kolaveri di , from the upcoming Tamil film 3 , directed by wife Aishwarya. Dhanush, who is Tamil superstar Rajinikanth's son-in-law, is not too well versed with Hindi.
But it won't be a barrier for his Bollywood career as he is keen to explore the industry and learn the local language and culture. "It's a big deal to get a launch like this at the beginning of my career here.
Aanand's script is different from regular cinema; it's one of those 'made to make a difference' kind of films," said Dhanush. "The film is an intense love story.
Just like my film Tanu Weds Manu , the film and its characters will take you to Delhi, Punjab, Chennai," said Rai. Both Dhanush and Rai recently visited Benaras for the film.
The actor is also perhaps planning to hire a coach to learn Hindi. He is convinced that by the time the film's shoot gets over, he will be able to communicate fluently in Hindi, which will open more avenues for him.
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(less)Manoj Bajpayee: As you grow up, you learn to be a liar
Ramu too has announced his own version of The Ramayan. What's this latest fascination of Bollywood with the epic? It's mere coincidence because when this film was written, "Raavan" was not even in the picture.
The director and writer were so new that they didn't know how to get in touch with actors like me. Eventually, they did so but by the time they got in touch with me, "Raavan" had been made.
Ramu must be having his own take of how he wants to handle the mythological text. My "Lanka" is inspired by the relationship that Ravan and Vivishan shared.
"Lanka" explores the small town culture of western UP. You've played a character that would be synonymous to Ravan in mythology.
Is your role essentially evil? Not really. I play a powerful guy and he uses his power too when he falls for a girl, who doesn't reciprocate.
How would you define it in the context of the film industry? Power is the ability to give three hits in a year. Nothing else can give power.
Critics might praise my work but if my films keep failing at the BO, nobody will give me work. So, where you would find yourself on any powerlist? Oh! I would be very low in the pecking order.
That I am still managing to survive is only because of some directors, who have faith in me. Nothing goes against a person if he is part of a hit movie.
Whether he is talented or not is immaterial. Anurag Kashyap is one such director and you've done "Gangs of Wasseypur" with him recently.
How has been the experience been? Anurag uses me very well. He is too intelligent a director and considering that he tours the world over, he has a lot of new ideas.
After Shekhar Kapur and Mahesh Bhatt , he is Indian cinema's biggest actor's director. It's not easy to become a director who understands the emotional requirements of an actor.
Your "Chittagong" too will eventually be releasing. Are you aware of comparisons with "Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey"? Nobody is scared of comparisons but I must add that director Bedabrata Pain has a very different take on the subject.
A child in awe of Masterda is in the foreground, whereas I am the second or third lead in the movie. This movie has a new style of storytelling that I absolutely loved being a part of.
Having done movies like "Raajneeti" and "Aarakshan", are their any movies/roles of yours that you now can't sit and watch? I will never do a "Bewafaa" or a "Fareb" now. Today, I realize that I was not the right cast for these films and that I was not good in the roles either.
You admit that fatherhood has toned you down. What are the things you will never say or do now? Internally, there has been a shift in search towards spiritualism.
Of course, my daughter ( Ava Nayla ) has changed my life too. Even as I speak, she is sitting on my chest and looking at me with wide-eyed wonder.
Seeing her grow is a unique experience. I have calmed down a lot.
I am an actor and I have realized that even if I don't like a performance, I'll never say the truth on anyone's face. In this industry, people can't accept the truth.
As a child, you are told to be truthful. But as you grow up in the industry, you learn to be a liar.
That's a survival tactic. You might believe that you are saying the truth because you want to be honest.
But not only will you lose friends by doing so, you will also end up losing a few years in the industry by rubbing people the wrong way. So, what's the biggest lie in the industry? I'd like to mention two lies - talent survives and that a good film does well.
In reality, anybody can be a part of a hit film. He will survive and there will be hype surrounding him.
Truth is that a film that becomes a hit is not necessarily a good movie. Did you ever attract a Vivishan in your career? I am no Ravan in real life to have a Vivishan.
On a serious note, nobody is that close to me apart from my family. They are all very loyal to me both during my good and bad times.
There is no giant Lanka that I have built to be pulled down to ashes. What about your wife's film career? She is a mother now.
Currently, she is too involved with our daughter. She doesn't believe in keeping a domestic help and does everything by herself
(less)Bachchans blessed with a Girl!
Abhishek Bachchan tweeted, "IT'S A GIRL!!!!!! :-)))))". Proud grandfather Amitabh Bachchan tweeted, "T 561 - I AM DADA to the cutest baby girl !" "T 561 - A dada ji .
..
Ecstatic !!!!" Amitabh tweeted thereafter. Post the big news Twitter has been flooded with wishes for the Bachchan family and Amitabh was quick to that all his friends and well-wishers for their wishes.
"T 561 - thank you all ..
!" he tweeted. Hospital sources said the delivery was normal and came a few minutes before 10 a.
m. The Bachchan and Rai families were present for the momentous occasion.
Aishwarya, 38, developed labour pains around 4 a.m.
and was taken to the labour room where the delivery took place after nearly six hours. The actress is on the fifth floor of the luxury private hospital in Andheri east.
Photos: Aishwarya in hospital The Bachchans went in for the unconventional suburban choice of hospital, side stepping the more popular celebrity choices such as the Breach Candy Hospital. Reportedly, this is the same hospital where Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's sister-in-law, Shrima Rai, gave birth.
It was her father-in-law, legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, who broke the big news on behalf of Bollywood's "first family." On June 21 (Tuesday night) @SrBachchan tweeted: ""NEWS NEWS NEWS !! I AM GOING TO BECOME A GRANDFATHER .
. AISHWARYA EXPECTING .
. SO HAPPY AND THRILLED !!!,".
Those 104 characters in all caps confirmed the news India waited for ever since the Abhishek-Aishwarya wedding in 2007. Hardly surprising, but awe-inspiring nonetheless that in half an hour Mr Bachchan's Twitter page received 2,843 congratulatory messages.
Fans and the media poured into the boulevard outside their Juhu bungalow the next morning. Photos: Aishwarya's rare childhood photos Despite the obvious goodwill and excitement surrounding a Bachchan pregnancy, it has not been controversy-free for Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
After spending a good part of her married years fending of pregnancy rumours, things came to a head when rumours surfaced of a stomach tuberculosis plaguing her which was preventing her from getting pregnant and delivering a Bachchan baby to anxious in-laws counting down to being grandparents. Photos: Days before delivery, Aishwarya is angry A furious Amitabh Bachchan demanded an apology from the Mumbai tabloid which had carried the story and asked for a donation to a national charitable foundation working for tuberculosis.
Through his blog Mr Bachchan demanded an apology for the "defamatory" article. The actor also posted on his blog a letter written by Aishwarya to the tabloid asking for a denial and an apology which the tabloid printed.
"Do note that the last few lines of the letter seeking apology have been conveniently deleted in the print," Mr Bachchan posted on his blog. The next controversy hit right after Mr Bachchan's breaking news tweet.
Just a month ago, in May 2011, Aishwarya was introduced as the leading lady of Madhur Bhandarkar's ambitious new project, Heroine. The film was announced in Cannes, no less, during the Cannes Film Festival by Bhandarkar and production house UTV's Ronnie Screwvala.
Photos: Aishwarya at Cannes 2011 By July, days after Mr Bachchan's public announcement, the producers shelved Heroine. Certain scenes with adult content and physically excruciating were not fit for a five-month pregnant Aishwarya.
The director sank into depression over the loss of his "most ambitious dream project" - and total silence - as the rest of Bollywood furiously debated the inclusion of a no-pregnancy clause in the contract of heroines. When Bhandarkar did speak finally, he dropped another C-bomb.
"The truth was hidden from us," he said. We learnt about it from news channels like the rest of the world.
Filmmaking functions on faith and trust. The film was announced in Cannes on May 13 while we commenced shooting on June 7.
There was a gap of 24 days, if we had known the truth things could have been reworked." While Mr Bachchan continued to use his blog and Twitter handle to connect with fans and occasionally dispel rumours and tell off those whom he felt were infringing on the family's privacy, Abhishek and Aishwarya maintained a stoic silence.
Aishwarya discreetly moved away from public appearances, generating much interest in the few initial sightings. These included an appearance in the Delhi with the whole family in tow to collect an award from the French government in July.
However, the award ceremony was put off at her request due to three blasts which hit Mumbai the same day. "This isn't the time to celebrate.
Me and my family felt it was correct to request the French ambassador to postpone the ceremony to some other time," she said. The festive season saw Aishwarya attend a slew of religious functions - from Durga Puja at the Ramkrishna Mission in Khar to Mata ki Chowki at Sanjay and Maanyata Dutt's home.
She remained protective of her baby bump, throwing her trademark chic style to the wind and opting for loose traditional outfits as new rumours began to engulf the Bachchans. Photos: Bachchans' grand Diwali party The name of the hospital the Bachchans picked was revealed along with other "details" such as 11.
11.11 being the day handpicked by the family for the birth of the new Bachchan.
The "regressive remarks" evoked a reaction from Aishwarya Rai Bachchan through her spokesperson. The rumours were trashed as "Ridiculously insinuating such an esteemed and respected family would actually turn nature's course for such blind sensationalized beliefs.
" The hospital too strongly refuted the stories on 11.11.
11 being the handpicked date. This time, Mr Bachchan took a softer tone on Twitter, perhaps preparing finally for the great joy at home.
Sometimes criticised for being supercilious about family and values, Mr Bachchan tweeted on shopping "for the house" with Jaya Bachchan and said he was enjoying a surprise break. A recent tweet from Mr Bachchan sums it up for the happy Bachchans who have undoubtedly gathered with family now.
"The strength of a family is its relatives in unison..
break that up and you break the family..
Happy hours spent with family relatives." Mr Bachchan has just received happy hours forever.
(With inputs from IANS) Tweet
(less)Aishwarya gets a second baby shower | Bollywood News and Gossip
Among those spotted were Mani Ratnam and his wife Suhasini and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Sphere: Related Content Posted in
(less)My Agneepath is a tribute to the original: Karan
"I hope everyone feels as emotional about it as I do," says Karan, who will release a one-and-a-half-minute teaser of the film today. The film releases on January 13, 2012.
Minutes before the teaser was unveiled, KJo tells us, "There is so much curiosity about Agneepath, that's why I have released this teaser so much in advance. I want to put the curiosity to rest and let people know that this Agneepath is not a remake.
It is a tribute to the original, with many new facets." He reminds you that the 1990 version - produced by Yash Johar and directed by Mukul Anand - attained cult status.
It's a film all of us at Dharma are emotional about. It may not have been a commercial success, but it is still one of Amit uncle's (Amitabh Bachchan) most popular films.
When Karan (Malhotra) expressed a desire to make his version, all of us were more than happy. I know my father would have liked it this way.
" Incidentally, the August 29 teaser precedes the theatrical trailer of Agneepath that will release with Ra.One this Diwali.
Agneepath has some old characters - like Vijay Dinanath Chauhan ( Hrithik Roshan ) and Kancha (Sanjay Dutt) - and some new. The character being played by Rishi Kapoor was not a part of the original film.
Even the Priyanka Chopra-Hrithik Roshan love story in the tribute has no resonance to the Madhavi-Amitabh track of the 1990 version. "In the teaser, you will see these four fantastic actors and superstars," he promises.
"`You will also notice that this version of Agneepath has a different texture, a different tonality. It is a readapted and re-energised version that will take people by surprise.
The original had an ethos that was closer to the time (the 90s). This one will obviously be contemporary.
Karan has paid a tribute to my father and Mukul, and I'm happy to stand by his side."
(less)Review: Kannada Movie Body Guard
Tamil remake was titled Kavalan and Vijay and Asin Thottumkal starrer received a satisfactory response at the ticket window, and the Hindi version starring Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor was a hit too. While the earlier three versions were directed by Siddique, Anand wielded the megaphone for the Kannada remake.
In fact, he returned to direction after a long time. The film suffers on many counts.
The artists selected for lead roles are miscast. Actor-director Guru Datt, who plays heroine's father, doesn't fit the bill either.
Jaggesh, who does well in comedies, doesn't look good in his role. Poor production values has also affected the film badly.
Though the Kannada version has followed the Malayalam original, its screen presentation is of low quality. The melodramatic twist in the last 20 minutes is certainly a treat for the viwers who have not seen the original or the other two versions.
Jaggesh has tried his best to salvage the film by his comic timing and peculiar dialogue delivery. But Jaggesh's effort will not overshadow the weak points in the film which includes lack of depthness in the narration.
The film moves at snail's pace and crucial sequences are marred by poor writing. When a politician is attacked by his opponents, safety of his and his family members becomes an issue.
So, Ashokanna hires Jayakrishna as his daughter Ammu's bodyguard. Jayakrishna accompanies her even to her college, which makes things awkward for Ammu.
Ammu pretends to love Jaykrishna and even calls him from a private number. But Ammu's pretence becomes reality and she actually falls for her bodyguard.
Meanwhile Ammu's friend Poorna plays a spoil sport. How Jayakrishna and Ammu are united in the end forms the rest of the story.
Daisy Shah looks artificial and her performance leaves much to be desired. Spoorthi is just okay.
Sadhu Kokila shines in comedy sequences. Ashok's camera work and Vinaya Chandra's music are much better when compared to other technical work in the film.
Body Guard is just an average flick which can be enjoyed only by ardent Jaggesh fans. Tweet
(less)New York Times Reviews Ra.One: 'Great effects, lame script'
Not that it could be mistaken for anything other than what it is: a Bollywood epic with a magpie appetite and, of course, songs and dances. (The catchy, clubby Chammak Challo , featuring Akon, is already a hit.
) For all its cost, digital effects and virtual reality feints, Ra.One is a traditional, if somewhat undercooked, Hindi movie confrontation between good and evil.
After all, the villain is named Ra.One (for Random Access Version 1.
0), which can be pronounced Raavan, like the 10-headed demon in the Ramayana. And G.
One, the hero, is also Jeevan, which means life. Sporting a wig of floppy curls, Shah Rukh Khan, the film's star and guiding force, plays Shekhar, a nerdy computer game designer in London.
(Even the thieves speak Hindi in this town.) To win the admiration of his son, Prateek (Armaan Verma), he creates a game in which the bad guy, Ra.
One, is more powerful than the hero, G.One.
But Ra.One breaks into the real world and wants to kill Prateek, which sends the boy and his mother (Kareena Kapoor, looking great with a few new pounds) to India with G.
One (Mr. Khan again, sans curls), who has also come to life.
Ra.One , directed by Anubhav Sinha, works hard with its money.
(The Times of India has reported the budget as $30 million.) Full of digital effects, wire work and things that go flying (cars, men, supermen) the movie is technically as sophisticated as anything Bollywood has produced.
A standout is G.One's rescue of Kareena on a runaway train that crashes rather spectacularly out of Victoria Terminus in Mumbai.
You can see the money on screen, if not in the screenwriting. The exposition is longwinded and confusing, as are the rules of the game, in the virtual and the real worlds.
The bumbling Shekhar is too clownish; Ra.One is a dud demon (Raavan is invoked to little effect) who disappears for chunks of time; and you probably won't hold your breath as good fights evil.
But if the storytelling disappoints (shocking!), the film mostly doesn't. It relies on action and effects and Bollywood's trump card, star power, to carry the day.
This is Shah Rukh Khan's movie, and once he sheds Shekhar's droopy locks, he shines as the deadpan, action-hero robot with digital snot and smooth moves on the dance floor. Tweet
(less)Mammootty's son Dhulquar to make his Malayalam film debut
Being Mammootty's son is an added advantage," the film's director Sreenath Rajendran told reporters today. Besides Salman, the film's cast includes newcomer Gauthamy Nair, who is the heroine, Bollywood actor Sudesh Berry, who is making his debut in a regional film, and Baburaj, who has enacted the villain's role in several films.
Berry, who had acted in films like Border and Vansh , a remake of renowned Director Mani Ratnam's Tamil move Agni Nakshthram , said he did not know the language. "But I know the language of expression, love and the language of humanity," he said.
Rajendran said Salman is donning the role of a village youth, who is prepared to do any kind of job. The shooting of the film, estimated to cost about Rs 3.
5 crore, had started a month ago, locations mainly being Kozhikode and Puducherry. "It will take another 20 days more to complete the film.
" Rajendran, who had worked as an assistant under popular Director Jayaraj, said they had approached Mammootty for his permission to cast Salman in the film. Mammootty had asked for the script and had left the decision to Salman, he said.
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(less)Aishwarya's cameo in Rajinikanth's film?
"There was a lot of back and forth on what project Rajinikanth would be working on, post his illness. But now he has already started work on his daughter Soundarya's film Kochadaiyaan .
Though the leading lady for the film is yet to be finalised, it was decided from the very beginning that they would request Aishwarya to do a special appearance," says a source. "Rajni sir shares a very warm relationship with Aishwarya and there's little chance that she would say no to him," added the source.
Aishwarya and Rajinikanth were seen in the hit sci-fi flick Endhiran ( Robot ). "Even during the making and promotions of Robot , it was evident that they would definitely work in a film together again.
However, now that Ash has other family and professional commitments, it seems difficult for her to devote time for a full-fledged role and hence this," the source said. Aishwarya, now on a sabbatical, was reportedly due to return to the big screen in a film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
After the blockbuster success of Endhiran and Robot , Aishwarya is likely to grab an opportunity to share screen space with the Boss once again. Tweet
(less)Ash not too posh to push, tweets Big B
"The often coined phrase ' too posh to push' was put to rest in her case ..
she was determined to do it the way she felt was correct!" he posted. Mr Bachchan has earlier commended Aishwarya's strength and courage during the delivery on Twitter and on his blog.
When a Twitter follower asked Mr Bachchan why he shared personal details, he posted: "the media had already written about it and some did not know facts and printed wrong ..
said she had c-section ..
so clarified it." He said the family was spending more time with the newborn .
..
"each and every movement sinking deep into our memory cells ..
.to narrate to them when older!" Mr Bachchan also acknowledged all suggestions for names for the infant sent in by fans, saying "some of them really good .
..
will run it by the parents ..
!!" Meanwhile his son and new father Abhishek Bachchan yesterday said he can not wait to take his wife and daughter home from the hospital. That should happen anytime now.
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(less)Aishwarya's cameo in Rajinikanth's film?
"There was a lot of back and forth on what project Rajinikanth would be working on, post his illness. But now he has already started work on his daughter Soundarya's film Kochadaiyaan .
Though the leading lady for the film is yet to be finalised, it was decided from the very beginning that they would request Aishwarya to do a special appearance," says a source. "Rajni sir shares a very warm relationship with Aishwarya and there's little chance that she would say no to him," added the source.
Aishwarya and Rajinikanth were seen in the hit sci-fi flick Endhiran ( Robot ). "Even during the making and promotions of Robot , it was evident that they would definitely work in a film together again.
However, now that Ash has other family and professional commitments, it seems difficult for her to devote time for a full-fledged role and hence this," the source said. Aishwarya, now on a sabbatical, was reportedly due to return to the big screen in a film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
After the blockbuster success of Endhiran and Robot , Aishwarya is likely to grab an opportunity to share screen space with the Boss once again. Tweet
(less)Dhanush much more than Kolaveri song: Abhishek
Very famous and very prominent actor from Chennai. Off late, unfortunately they only seem to know him because of Why This Kolavari Di but, he has done great work down there.
He is a wonderful actor," said the 35-year-old actor. Kolaveri Di has received over 17 million hits on Youtube till now and Abhishek terms it as one of the greatest hits of the year.
"I think it's outstanding and I think it's wonderful because it has been made by two very dear friends of mine, Dhanush and his wife Aishwarya. I think it's a fantastic song.
He is a very talented guy and Anirudh, the music director has done a great job. I wish them all the best.
It's one of the greatest songs of the year," said Abhishek who is awaiting his next release Players by director duo Abbas-Mustan. Players , which is releasing Jan 6, also stars Bobby Deol, Bipasha Basu, Neil Nitin Mukesh and Sonam Kapoor.
Abhishek is also working on Rohit Shetty directed Bol Bachchan and Dhoom 3 . Tweet
(less)Mani Ratnam reunites with Bharat Shah
Bobby Bedi of Kaleidoscope Entertainment bought the rights of Alaipayuthey and remade it into Saathiya in 2002. A source informed Mumbai Mirror, "Bharat bhai shares a very good personal and professional rapport with Mani sir.
They had co-produced Saathiya with Yash Chopra earlier. The venture turned out to be a hit.
Bharat Bhai was keen to buy the remake rights of Thalapathi as the script and the treatment of the film has all the pre-requisites for an entertaining Hindi film." Thalapathi starring Rajinikanth , Mammootty and Shobana in the lead roles with Arvind Swamy, Srividya, Amrish Puri, Bhanupriya, Nagesh, and Charuhasan in supporting characters was inspired by the friendship between Karna and Duryodhana in the Hindu epic, Mahabharata.
"Bharat Bhai flew down to south India and after a long discussion with Mani, finalised the deal. His company, Mega Bollywood Pvt Limited (same company that made Devdas) bought the remake rights of the film at a hefty amount.
The film will be directed by Puja Jatinder Bedi, who is currenlty awaiting the release of his debut film Ghost," added the source. Bharat Shah confirmed the story and added, "We have bought the remake rights of Thalapati.
The project will commence after the release of Ghost." Having worked behind the scenes for films like Mangal Pandey , The Myth and Saathiya, Puja is excited for this big challenge.
She said, "The film was made in 1991 so I plan to modernise parts of the story as well as a few action sequences. However, I plan to keep the screenplay and the characters intact.
"
(less)Please don?t call me a veteran!: Anupam Kher
Since then, he has appeared in over 400 films and over 100 plays. Anupam Kher In a tête-à-tête with MM.
com, actor, director and play writer Anupam Kher talks about his film journey, his theory of acting, his stand for social causes and about his latest film, Pranayum and Mr.Bhatti On Chutti .
Excerpts: How would you describe the 'Mr Bhatti' character? Mr Bhatti works in a bank in Nala Sopara and is an amalgamation of Peter Sellers , Mr.Bean and Hercule Poirot in a very Indianized version.
We’ve never had a sleuth with funny elements in our Hindi films. It’s an over the top character and there’s nothing realistic about him except the situations.
What is the film about? The film looks back at the times of George Bush. Bhatti has a peace plan for Bush.
A lottery ticket wins him a trip to London but he is under the impression that that he has been invited by Bush to discuss the peace plan. Coincidently, there is a terrorist who resembles him and then things get messy.
Is it true that Amitabh Bachchan has a done a cameo in the film? I portray a great Amitabh Bachchan fan in the film. With his photographs I wait outside his house every Sunday for his darshan (auspicious viewing).
I told Karan (Razdan) we must have Mr.Bachchan in the film during the climax and Mr.
Bachchan was gracious enough to accept it. I am an Amitabh Bachchan fan as an actor too- so awe comes naturally.
You are also starring in a Malayalam film Pranayam. Please share your experience.
Pranayam is my favourite film and I’m very proud of it. It is a very mature love story.
The combination of Mohanlal, Jaya Prada and me is a rare treat. Was it a difficult dialect to pull off? Yes.
It’s fantastic to work in different languages but Malayalam is the most difficult language in the world. I was prompting and not dubbing for the film.
It will take ages to dub it. If that film is ever made in Hindi, I would like to produce it.
Is it true that the non-South actors deliver dialogues through alphabets and numericals? I have heard of it but I did not do it. I used to go through the lines with the dialogue writer and the dialogue coach and tried sticking to what was being prompted.
I can’t give a sincere performance if I am saying ABC or 123. Do you need to prepare as an actor even today? Yes, I do not want to be called a legend or a veteran.
I'd rather be treated as a newcomer. I want my work to become memorable.
When I read a script, I imagine my character and then enter into the psyche. If you know well the person you’re going to play, then less acting is required.
Also when you grow up as person, you grow up as an actor. Would you agree that an acting school only kills your inhibitions? The first step of an actor is to kill your inhibitions.
Acting schools are like motor driving schools-they guide you, but eventually you learn by yourself. Confidence has nothing to do with acting.
You can be a very shy person and a brilliant actor or be a very confident person but a third grade actor. How do you manage to engage the audience with your solo performance in the play Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta ? The play is based on my life and various emotions like hope, dreams, failure, success and passion.
Plus, I am very good (modestly). Recently you have been taking up social issues.
Aren't you afraid of the trouble it may bring? It is important to raise your voice. I do not want to be diplomatic and keep quiet.
I need to follow what I preach or else I will become a hypocrite. Acting is part of my life, not my life.
It does land me in trouble but one has to live with it. I’d rather live up to my expectations than what people want.
The more you try to live the way others want, the more unhappy you will become. How has your cinematic journey been so far? Millions of people come to Mumbai to become actors and only a few can make it.
I am one of them. The journey is more important than the destination.
It is believed that if you are proud of even five films in your career, it’s fantastic. In my case, it will be fifty films.
There is no end to dissatisfaction. I could have said I'm not doing that what Robert De Niro is doing, but there are millions of people who are not doing what Anupam Kher is doing!
(less)Who visited the new B Bachchan | Bollywood News and Gossip
Mammootty's son Dhulquar to make his Malayalam film debut
Being Mammootty's son is an added advantage," the film's director Sreenath Rajendran told reporters today. Besides Salman, the film's cast includes newcomer Gauthamy Nair, who is the heroine, Bollywood actor Sudesh Berry, who is making his debut in a regional film, and Baburaj, who has enacted the villain's role in several films.
Berry, who had acted in films like Border and Vansh , a remake of renowned Director Mani Ratnam's Tamil move Agni Nakshthram , said he did not know the language. "But I know the language of expression, love and the language of humanity," he said.
Rajendran said Salman is donning the role of a village youth, who is prepared to do any kind of job. The shooting of the film, estimated to cost about Rs 3.
5 crore, had started a month ago, locations mainly being Kozhikode and Puducherry. "It will take another 20 days more to complete the film.
" Rajendran, who had worked as an assistant under popular Director Jayaraj, said they had approached Mammootty for his permission to cast Salman in the film. Mammootty had asked for the script and had left the decision to Salman, he said.
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(less)Big B enjoying Beti B's company
"The moments spent with her even though one encounters shut eyes, are the most pleasant and fulfilling, but what after. I think there is an indication here to take up vocations that one has always wanted to pursue - that music lesson, language .
..
reading to catch up..
.and on," he posted.
The 69-year-old also thanked his fans for keeping up their suggestions for a name for her. "To all those that have sent and continue to send names for the 'little one', gracious gracious thanks .
..
we will select soon," he posted on Twitter. Aishwarya Rai gave birth to her and husband Abhishek Bachchan's first child Nov 16.
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(less)I will never return to politics, says Govinda
The people of Vasai were hopeful that he would return to politics after a sabbatical but the popular actor put an end to all the speculations and called it a day. "Politics was never in our blood and in our family.
.I will never return to it," he said adding that he would never forget that Virar was his 'Karmabhoomi'.
The 48-year-old had joined the Congress and was elected as an MP for the Mumbai North Constituency of Maharashtra, in the Lok Sabha elections in 2004, after defeating Ram Naik of the BJP. In 2009, he took a break from politics to concentrate more on his films.
His constituency was succeeded by Sanjay Nirupam. Govinda has appeared in over 120 Hindi language films.
He became popular worldwide as a Bollywood icon through comedy films such as Shola Aur Shabnam, Aankhen, Coolie No.1, Haseena Maan Jaayegi and Partner .
His recent work includes Mani Ratnam's bilingual project Raavan . Tweet
(less)I'm not arrogant: Arjan Bajwa
The actor in a chat with TOI admits that "not having any film background in the industry means that you have to prove yourself over and over again." Excerpts: Early Days I completed my graduation and was supposed to become an architect, but my passion for modelling took over after college.
And once I got a good response, I was confident of making my mark as an actor. Roller Coaster Ride Unless you come from a film background, very few newcomers get a good platform initially.
While doing some of my earlier films, I realized that things were not right and I didn't have the most pleasant of experiences. And when a film does not fair well at the box-office, it affects you both as an actor and as a person.
Unfortunately, even some very good films don't get due attention because they are marketed poorly. The Big Break I had screen-tested for Anurag Kashyap's Gulaal and though he couldn't cast me as he needed someone older for that role, he was highly impressed and recommended my name to Mani Ratnam.
It was generous of him and Guru happened. However, I consider Fashion to be the turning point of my career.
Working with Madhur Bhandarkar and playing the male lead opposite Priyanka Chopra put me in the limelight like never before. Working with Hemaji (Malini) in Tell Me O Khuda was also special, as she has always been an inspiration for me.
It also felt nice when my recent release, Lanka earned rave reviews." Future plans I am doing a comedy Son of a Sardar, in which I am paired with Sonakshi Sinha.
It is a comedy of errors and it was great fun working with Sonakshi, Ajay Devgn and Sanjay Dutt. In fact, Ajay sir is one of the biggest pranksters around! After that, I will be doing an edgy thriller.
Fitness First My father was an athlete and I have always been very conscious about keeping fit right since childhood. I work out regularly and happen to have a black belt in taekwondo.
I am training harder than ever before and my new year resolution is to be in the best shape of my life by 2012. I, me, myself It takes me a while to open up to people and I am very reserved with people whom I don't know too well.
Often, that is misinterpreted and some get the impression that I am a bit arrogant. But that's not the case.
I also don't like partying at all and while that may sound a bit boring, I would prefer coffee and good conversation with friends over partying any day! Marriage can wait! As of now, there is no plan of settling down in the near future. But I believe destiny plays a big part in marriages and sometimes, life can surprise you.
There's no point in making extensive plans and when the time is right, it will happen
(less)Ash not too posh to push, tweets Big B
"The often coined phrase ' too posh to push' was put to rest in her case ..
she was determined to do it the way she felt was correct!" he posted. Mr Bachchan has earlier commended Aishwarya's strength and courage during the delivery on Twitter and on his blog.
When a Twitter follower asked Mr Bachchan why he shared personal details, he posted: "the media had already written about it and some did not know facts and printed wrong ..
said she had c-section ..
so clarified it." He said the family was spending more time with the newborn .
..
"each and every movement sinking deep into our memory cells ..
.to narrate to them when older!" Mr Bachchan also acknowledged all suggestions for names for the infant sent in by fans, saying "some of them really good .
..
will run it by the parents ..
!!" Meanwhile his son and new father Abhishek Bachchan yesterday said he can not wait to take his wife and daughter home from the hospital. That should happen anytime now.
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(less)I will never return to politics, says Govinda
The people of Vasai were hopeful that he would return to politics after a sabbatical but the popular actor put an end to all the speculations and called it a day. "Politics was never in our blood and in our family.
.I will never return to it," he said adding that he would never forget that Virar was his 'Karmabhoomi'.
The 48-year-old had joined the Congress and was elected as an MP for the Mumbai North Constituency of Maharashtra, in the Lok Sabha elections in 2004, after defeating Ram Naik of the BJP. In 2009, he took a break from politics to concentrate more on his films.
His constituency was succeeded by Sanjay Nirupam. Govinda has appeared in over 120 Hindi language films.
He became popular worldwide as a Bollywood icon through comedy films such as Shola Aur Shabnam, Aankhen, Coolie No.1, Haseena Maan Jaayegi and Partner .
His recent work includes Mani Ratnam's bilingual project Raavan . Tweet
(less)Sonam Kapoor in Mani Ratnam’s next film
Mumbai Mirror has learnt that the actress has been approached by the filmmaker for his next Tamil project. Initially, Ratnam was to direct a Hindi film with Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan , but since the couple recently became parents, the director had to put the project on the back burner.
Sonam's friend revealed to us that initially the actress was skeptical about working in a regional film. "Sonam's dad convinced her to do the film, since Anil himself had started his career with a Telugu film.
She will be required to learn enough of the language to understand her dialogue, however, her lines will ultimately be dubbed," explained Sonam's friend. Apparently, the romantic film is not only a first for Sonam.
Reportedly, the project will launch the career of Tamil actor Karthik's son Gautham. When we asked Sonam about her decision to star in a regional project, the actress said, "We (the Hindi film industry) are always remaking regional movies.
I would rather be a part of the original. I wouldn't like to comment on working with Mani sir.
But yes, I would love to do something amazing, after Players. However, nothing is confirmed yet.
"
(less)Abhishek hosts b-day party for Aishwarya Rai
Abhishek took a break from his shooting to spend the day with his wife. Ash had invited six of her closest friends for dinner and as she's expecting, Junior B helped her with the arrangements
(less)Review: Kannada Movie Body Guard
Tamil remake was titled Kavalan and Vijay and Asin Thottumkal starrer received a satisfactory response at the ticket window, and the Hindi version starring Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor was a hit too. While the earlier three versions were directed by Siddique, Anand wielded the megaphone for the Kannada remake.
In fact, he returned to direction after a long time. The film suffers on many counts.
The artists selected for lead roles are miscast. Actor-director Guru Datt, who plays heroine's father, doesn't fit the bill either.
Jaggesh, who does well in comedies, doesn't look good in his role. Poor production values has also affected the film badly.
Though the Kannada version has followed the Malayalam original, its screen presentation is of low quality. The melodramatic twist in the last 20 minutes is certainly a treat for the viwers who have not seen the original or the other two versions.
Jaggesh has tried his best to salvage the film by his comic timing and peculiar dialogue delivery. But Jaggesh's effort will not overshadow the weak points in the film which includes lack of depthness in the narration.
The film moves at snail's pace and crucial sequences are marred by poor writing. When a politician is attacked by his opponents, safety of his and his family members becomes an issue.
So, Ashokanna hires Jayakrishna as his daughter Ammu's bodyguard. Jayakrishna accompanies her even to her college, which makes things awkward for Ammu.
Ammu pretends to love Jaykrishna and even calls him from a private number. But Ammu's pretence becomes reality and she actually falls for her bodyguard.
Meanwhile Ammu's friend Poorna plays a spoil sport. How Jayakrishna and Ammu are united in the end forms the rest of the story.
Daisy Shah looks artificial and her performance leaves much to be desired. Spoorthi is just okay.
Sadhu Kokila shines in comedy sequences. Ashok's camera work and Vinaya Chandra's music are much better when compared to other technical work in the film.
Body Guard is just an average flick which can be enjoyed only by ardent Jaggesh fans. Tweet
(less)No paternity leave for Abhishek
Excerpts from a Q and A with the papa-to-be. As the due date nears, you must be getting increasingly asked about the baby and fatherhood? Actually, I've been so busy shooting Bol Bachchan that I haven't really thought about it.
Parenthood is something that's going to happen naturally, so there's no point stressing over it. But you must have begun thinking of baby names and started shopping? Thinking about names is an ongoing process.
We don't know whether it's going to be a boy or a girl, but suggestions are more than welcome. We haven't started shopping yet.
Reportedly, you're taking paternity leave and have got your work schedule adjusted to be able to remain in town till some time after the birth. That the media has already decided for me.
I don't have the liberty to take time off. Of course I'll be around as and when the baby is born, but otherwise, I'm going to be working.
So will Abhishek make a strict daddy or a pampering papa? I think I'll be okay; not very strict nor will I allow the kid to get out of hand. I'll ensure that my children are down to earth.
Aishwarya also believes in the same. We'll bring our kids up to be good human beings and that's what my parents also taught me.
Your next film, Players , releases in the first week of January, earlier considered an unfavourable week to release. Earlier this year, your Dum Maaro Dum came to cinemas in the middle of the Indian Premiere League.
Almost every month, we see old myths broken. While those might have held true years ago, the audience's perception has also changed.
As a kid, I heard that monsoon was not a good time to release movies. Race released in the middle of IPL and became a runway hit.
Films like Kaho Na..
. Pyaar Hai , Rang De Basanti , and No One Killed Jessica released in January and did well at the box-office.
So many films released and broke records, which is proof that the audience is going to the theaters in large numbers. Do you feel the Bachchan surname brings greater pressure? It's strange I'm always asked about pressure considering that I'm doing the most number of movies.
I do films as per my convictions. People were looking forward to seeing you and Aishwarya on screen again in Rajkumar Santoshi's Ladies And Gentleman .
Has the idea been shelved and will it be made with another leading lady? Or will it mark Aishwarya's comeback after the baby? Rajji wanted to make it with Aishwarya and me. But after her pregnancy, he decided to put the film on hold and said that he will make it only when Ash is ready to work again.
Until then, Rajji and I have discussed four-five ideas. Tweet
(less)20 million hits for Kolaveri, pa pa pa tweets Dhanush
Ludacris , On The Floor ft. Pitbull and Bad Romance .
Nevertheless, Dhanush, son-in-law of matinee idol Rajinikanth, is overjoyed that the song is successfully "breaking language barrier". "Yayyyyyy 20 million views for Kolaveri !! Pa pa papa pa pa papa!! God bless," Dhanush posted on micro-blogging site Twitter.
The big worldwide YouTube hits this year include Justin Bieber's Baby ft. Ludacris (671,069,814 views), Jennifer Lopez's On The Floor ft.
Pitbull (444,281,564 views), Lady Gaga's Bad Romance (432,227,541 views), Shakira's Waka Waka (427,435,565 views) and Eminem's Love The Way You Lie ft. Rihanna (410,857,092 views), among others.
The video for Kolaveri di was released on YouTube Nov 16. It's peppy, catchy tune as well as funky lyrics, helped it go viral on the internet, and get more than a million hits on the website within a day of its release.
The numbers are only multiplying ever since, and have reached 20,341,650 hits by Monday noon. The song, composed by 21-year-old Anirudh Ravichander, will be a part of the film 3 , directed by Dhanush's wife Aishwarya.
Also called Soup song , it has been appreciated by people of all age groups and lauded by celebrities, including megastar Amitabh Bachchan. However, lyricist-writer Javed Akhtar had spoken out against it, saying: "Tune ordinary, singing substandard.
Words an insult to sensibility." But Dhanush is nonchalant and tweeted: "I have you guys.
Your support. As long as I'm making u guys happy, I'm doing my job as an entertainer properly.
That's enough. God bless.
" The Tamil-English song is also a hit with north Indians, despite its southern accent-loaded vocals. "When a song is breaking language barrier and brings us together, how does it matter which language it's in? You want a name to this language? It's an Indian song made by an Indian.
..
Whether its a sensible song or nonsense song, it's music. It's art.
Art does not know language. Only people's heart.
And that's where my song lives." "And to all my north Indian Kolaveri fans, thanks for receiving a Tamil song with warm heart and making it a global song.
God bless," added Dhanush. Ever since it has hit the web, there have been several spin-offs of the song, including one by Bollywood playback singer Sonu Niigaam's son Neevan and the Chamaat song on Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar being slapped.
Then there is the Gujarati version of the song as well. Tweet
(less)Don't see myself in Bollywood: Immortals director
But unfortunately what I shoot tends to require a lot of money. If I was writing stuff, I might write for Indian films and right now I think the films I (make) seem like the tail-end of a dying genre," Singh said in an e-mail interaction.
"I just look at it and say how I can put my DNA into a film that right now is at pulse of pop culture and I don't think right now Mahabharata's going to be on the hit list of that pop culture any time soon. So it's unfortunate," he added.
Singh, who spent his formative years in in India, graduated from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. He started his career by directing music videos and commercials of Nike and Coca-Cola.
The 50-year-old says he doubts he will be able to fit into Bollywood. "I've only seen one Bollywood film in the last 25 years.
It was by Aamir Khan-- Lagaan . "I loved that film and it's the only (Indian) one that I've seen.
I have very little to do with Bollywood, but I probably would. I think the person who made the best Bollywood films in Hollywood was Douglas Sirk.
I'd rather do one here. If I go back, I don't know if I'd fit in," said Singh.
Meanwhile, Singh's Immortals , an epic tale of treachery, vengeance and destiny, starring Freida Pinto, Henry Cavill and Mickey Rourke has hit the screens. For Rourke's character, Singh took inspiration from Raavan from Indian epic the Ramayana .
"I've been an atheist since I was nine years old. And my mom is really religious, so we have a strange relationship.
But if my mother was right, what would be the reason that the gods could let anything bad happen in the world? The seed of the film came from there," he said. "So mythology or religious texts I wasn't familiar with any.
However if I was to really pin point an Indian inspiration, then it'll be Mickey Rourke's character King Hyperion that resembles Ravana from the epic Ramayana . "I did actually show him some clips of the character just to give him the idea of what sort of savage intensity I was looking for," Singh added.
Singh is all praises for actress Freida who plays Phaedra. "When I met Freida, I just said, she's it.
She's phenomenal looking. She's very dedicated and a real professional.
She felt like the most natural part of the movie for us. There was no question that we wanted Freida Pinto," he said.
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(less)Couldn't bring myself to threaten SRK: Vivek
It was very challenging as a newcomer to stand across Shah Rukh, who I was such a fan of, and threaten his character. Even though the content of my character's dialogues were angry threats, the scene was an expression of pain, anguish and the fear of losing the love of his life forever! So while the anger and the threat had to look convincing, standing in front of an icon and stalwart such as Shah Rukh, the emotion of a scared boy had to come from a place of deep honesty.
Thereby being one of the toughest scenes of my career! You say it looked effortless! But trust me, it wasn't effortless at all! Like I always do as an actor, I try to lose myself by immersing myself into the world of the character, thereby putting aside all my personal perspectives, prejudices and ideals. Once I transform into the character, no one and nothing else exists.
Tabu was also part of that scene. It's always a pleasure working with great actors.
But like I said earlier, once I'm lost in a scene nothing else exists just the character and his world."
(less)Aishwarya Rai Bachchan turns 38 today
..
like she always does," a source close to the actress said. There is a buzz that the Bachchan family is planning a grand party this evening, where besides, family members, several B-town personalities would be coming.
Recently, the Bachchans hosted a grand 'godh bharai' ceremony for Aishwarya, where several actresses came in to shower their blessings. In June this year, Aishwarya's father-in-law and superstar Amitabh Bachchan, had announced, through micro blogging site twitter, that she is expecting a child.
It was reported that the baby is due in November. Aishwarya was to play the leading lady in Madhur Bhandarkar's upcoming project 'Heroine'.
However, the film was put on hold and later it was revealed that Kareena Kapoor will play the character instead. Having started her career as a model, Aishwarya went on to win the 1994 Miss World pageant and then turned to Bollywood for a career in acting.
The actress had made a debut in Mani Ratnam's Tamil film 'Iruvar' in 1997 and had her first commercial success with the Tamil movie - 'Jeans'(1998). In 1997, she entered Bollywood through Rahul Rawail's film 'Aur Pyar Ho Gaya'.
Though the film failed at the box office, Aishwarya bagged the 'Star Screen' award for the Most Promising Newcomer. She gained attention in Bollywood through Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' (1999), for which, she won the Filmfare Best Actress award.
She was last seen in Bhansali's 'Guzaarish' (2010) opposite Hrithik Roshan. Though, was not a hit at the box office, it was critically acclaimed and won awards and nominations at several award ceremonies
(less)Who visited the new B Bachchan | Bollywood News and Gossip
The new makers' of 2011
Read on..
. Actor of the year: Baba Ramdev We saw the drama unfold at the Ramlila Maidan when, in a series of events, Baba Ramdev turned to acting.
Blowing loud horns against anti corruption, Baba went on a fast, fell ill and then finally ran in despair dressed in a salwar kurta. Few are born actors, but fewer are born on a national stage.
Supporting actor: Kiran Bedi Riding on the Anna wave, supercop Kiran Bedi showed her lung power when there was no need for it. In a rather pensive moment, she even did a jig.
Foreign Import : Sunny Leone Adult film star Sunny Leone tripped TRPs, both of TV and internet search engines. Direct to home, she was imported from the forbidden fantasyland of porn.
She made internet search engines go on an overdrive. Now she is all set to scorch B-Town.
Best Kept Secret : azaad rao khan aka aamir Khan Jr It was Papa Kehte Hain time again for Aamir Khan. The actor and wife Kiran Rao took the world by surprise when they announced the birth of their son through surrogacy.
Missing man: D K Bose Everytime this invisible man ran, the nation hummed D K Bose who was last visible as a character in a Bollywood flick, might have made someone's life in Bengal a living hell besides offending the moral police for the unparliamentary lyrics. Comeback of the yea r: Bappida Bappi Lahiri basked in the glory of the chartbusting Ooh La La which gave younger artistes a run for their money.
In his words, "My song has created history". We agree! Wardrobe malfunction: DJ Jenny She embraced the national flag.
Just that and nothing else. Answering a call from an NGO DJ Jenny attracted eyes for her 'show' rather than ears.
Disappearing Act : Veena Malik Veena Malik's 'missing' clothes on the cover of a magazine with ISI tattoo on her arms created a lot of controversy. After receiving death threats for the same, Veena disappeared from a film shoot.
Clueless about her whereabouts, her manager had reported her missing. She was found in a Mumbai hotel after two days.
Fashion Accessory : Anna Topi The anti-corruption movement of Anna Hazare not only took the country by storm; but also made way for Anna merchandise - tees, flags, posters, and Anna topi. Gandhiji's quintessential khaadi cap regained fame as Anna topi; popularized even more after it was sported by B-Towners Vidya Balan, Dia Mirza, Celina Jaitley and Shreyas Talpade.
Debutante of the year : Beti B Beti B (Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan's daughter) made headlines from the second she was born. And although there has been no glimpse of the newborn yet, people do know that "she is fair and has light eyes," thanks to the tweets by Grandpa B! Most talked about Newcomer: Siddharth Mallya Son of biz tycoon Vijay Mallya, Siddharth Mallya also features in Times of India's Most Desirable Men list.
The prince of 'Good Times', Mallya Jr's been in the news for everything - his almost liplock with 'good' friend Deepika Padukone, his weight loss secrets and his candid confessions on a chat show. Best Dressed: Poonam Pandey She came from nowhere, promised to strip for Team India if they won the Cricket World Cup.
Her striptease didn't happen, but she had TV show offers and made it to the 'Most Searched People' and 'Fastest Rising People' lists. Most Travelled India n: SRK Hopping from one city to another, to promote RA.
One and Don-2, SRK exuded charisma and flashed his dimples as he went on to woo his fans. New words: Boombat and kolavari di Vidya Balan's skimpy outfits earned her the name 'Boombat' from Naseeruddin Shah in the Ooh La La song, while Dhanush's Tamil song Kolaveri Di, became a viral hit with 1.
5 million downloads on the net and was on everyone's lips. Dialogue of the year: ek hi maara? Anna Hazare, following an attack on Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, said, 'Ek hi maara?'.
Compiled by Abhimanyu Mishra and Ano Patel
(less)Rajinikanth unveils Ra.One look
One". To this end the Badshah of Bollywood, travelled all the way to Chennai with his team for the audio launch in Tamil.
SRK had Superstar Rajinikanth unveil the first look of the character 'Ra.One', played by Arjun Rampal, which has been kept under wraps all along.
"So much been happening, working round the clock, today Rajni sir unveiled the first look of "Ra 1" the character super excited. in chennai.
(sic)," posted Arjun Rampal on a micro blogging site. Meanwhile, SRK who managed to rope in Rajinikanth do a cameo in this ambitious flick also had director Mani Rathnam at the launch.
The actor-director duo had earlier worked together in "Dil Se". The star was overwhelmed by the response the promos of the film are garnering.
"In Chennai..
.overwhelmed by the lov shown by mani rathnam, santosh sevan.
Soundarya & Rajini sir. Launch of Ra.
one in tamil, grateful to all (sic)," posted SRK on a micro blogging site
(less)Dev Anand's prayer meeting at Mehboob Studios
And so, when the evergreen romantic Dev Anand breathed his last, the studio authorities requested his family to hold the prayer meeting within the studio walls. The studio cancelled every shoot, every booking on Friday December 16, 2011, to accommodate Dev sahab's leading ladies, co-stars, followers and the zillions of fans and media people on the evening dedicated to him.
His leading ladies Waheeda Rahman, Simi Garewal, Zeenat Aman and even Tina Munim came in early to bid their hero a final goodbye. Tabu was however, the first one to reach the venue.
And though we missed spotting Shah Rukh Khan and Salman, Aamir came in and stayed till the end. Abhishek Bachchan , Fardeen Khan , Ashutosh Gowariker , Shekhar Kapur , Vinod Khanna , Mani Ratnam and Ramesh Sippy were among the others who came to offer their prayer to the star.
The Kapoor brothers Randhir, Rajiv and Rishi came together for the occasion. The late Shammi Kapoor's son Aditya Raj Kapoor joined them
(less)Abhishek hosts b-day party for Aishwarya
Abhishek took a break from his shooting to spend the day with his wife. Ash had invited six of her closest friends for dinner and as she's expecting, Junior B helped her with the arrangements
(less)