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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
7 Aum Arivu spells magic at box office, Surya excited
" "Theatre owners told me that there were segments of audience who returned to theatres after many years, just to see the film," he said. Talking about mixed reactions to the film he said that he had faith in the director's concept.
Apparently, Rajinikanth saw the film and complimented him on his hard work and asked him to keep it up. During the making of the movie, Surya gave his inputs and said: "I did say what I felt at various points and they took suggestions, which were feasible.
" Talking about the portions that had been censored in Sri Lanka, the actor said: "The censor boards in different countries have different rules and everyone has to abide by it." He also said that his father, who usually does not comment on his films, told him, "This is the first time you have done something like this.
" In 7 Aum Arivu , he romanced Shruti Haasan, daughter of Kamal Haasan, and he joked that he was scared of her only for the first three days. "It was like watching Kamal sir coming at first, but I soon got over it.
" The actor is currently busy with K.V.
Anand's Maatran and said that his character will be unique something never seen before. Tweet
(less)SRK goes larger than life with RA.One
150 crore ($30 million) project that boasts of world class VFX, mindblowing graphics and his own presence. Billed as a technological masterpiece, it will be unleashed on about 3,500 screens across the globe on Diwali Wednesday.
Shah Rukh's movie is also set to enter non-traditional markets like South Korea and Hong Kong. On 500 screens, it will be in the 3D format.
The high point of the movie is technology. RA.
One reportedly has 3,500 VFX shots and SRK collaborated with Jeffrey Kleiser, co-founder of US-based Synthesian Studios, to supervise the work done by the Indian film star's RedchilliesVFX team. Budget, technology and marketing, everything about the film is larger than life.
Many feel that sometimes filmmakers use inflated budget to promote films, but sci-films usually cost a lot. For instance, James Cameron's Avatar was made at a budget of Rs.
1,100 crore ($230 million), while RA.One , touted as the most expensive Bollywood film till date, had to pack everything into a meagre budget of about Rs.
150 crore. A co-production of Shah Rukh and Eros Entertainment, the film will enjoy equally extravagant premieres in Dubai, London and Toronto.
Since the conceptualisation stage, the film has been in the news and the buzz heightened once the Bollywood Badshah unleashed the mega marketing campaign by unveiling the first look with a newspaper front page ad Jan 1. The next giant step was to air its first trailer during the World Cup and later came tie-ups with Champions League T20, UTV Indiagames for online games and iPhone/iPad application for fans, Sony Playstation for video games, Google Plus and Seventymm, a leading DVD rental company for merchandising, as well as with Homeshop18 to sell superhero film merchandise and Youtube, which has a dedicated Ra.
One channel and had got 10,897,668 hits till Monday afternoon. "It is technically incorrect to say that Shah Rukh has spent Rs.
52 crore on marketing. He did tie-ups which are worth Rs.
52 crore," Vajir Singh, editor of trade magazine Box Office India, told IANS. Not to forget the release of RA.
One dolls, in short the list seems endless. Also, the G.
One online store is selling merchandise related to the film. In past one month, the film's promotion saw an all time high with Shah Rukh's eight-city tour to create awareness about it, his back-to-back appearances on the finales of reality shows India's Got Talent , Just Dance and Sa Re Ga Ma Li'l Champs as well as occupying the hot seat on Kaun Banega Crorepati .
In short, it has been Shah Rukh all the way. Trade analyst Vinod Mirani describes the promotional activity as an "exercise to give the film a good opening and use the media to make it a hit".
"Usually promotion activity is all about giving a film a good opening and SRK is also doing this. That is the reason he has roped in Amitabh Bachhcan to do the voiceover and Rajinikanth for the cameo.
But he is promoting more of himself than his film. But I feel it will get a good opening since SRK is involved," he told IANS.
Anubhav Sinha has directed the film and Shah Rukh says his character is over the top in the film as he has donned a huge wig to play a nerdy programmer who wants to impress his son by creating a game. But things go out of hand when the game's villain escapes into the real world.
Reportedly Rs.1.
5 crore was the budget for the mould for the G.One action figure.
So far so good. Now all eyes are on the box office collection of the movie and trade pundits say it will have to gross Rs.
200 crore to break even. According to a news report, Shah Rukh Khan has sold the satellite rights for Rs.
37 crore, music rights for Rs.8 crore and ancillary rights for Rs.
10 crore. Singh says the distributors are expecting the film to break all records.
"People are expecting the film to break the first day opening records, first opening weekend records and first week earning records," said Singh. Film historian M.
M. Ausaja added: "It is releasing at the right time and a lot of curiousness has been surrounding the film.
People would want to go but it will only survive if the content is substantial." Tweet
(less)In Bachchan era, star became bigger than script: Abbas Tyrewala
.' The 7th day of Mumbai Film Festival began with a lot of gusto.
The day was marked with the anticipation, the arrival of Oilivia Harrison (Wife of Grorge Harrison- Beatles), producer of 'George Harrison: Living In The Material World' which was screened this evening and the Master Class on advertising by Hugh Hudson. Mithun Chakraborty, Anurag Basu, Prahlad Kakkar, Bharat Dabholkar, Abbas Tyrewala, Harsh Chhaya, Sagar Ballary, Saurabh Shukla, Dev Benegal, Tanya Abrol (Chak De India Fame) were spotted at the festival venue today.
The Open Forum discussion for the day was on 'The state of screen writing today..
.' and the panel of guests included Vinay Shukla, Saurabh Shukla, Abbas Tyrewala, Sagar Ballary, Dev Benegal and Atul Tiwari.
Speaking on the state of writers Vinay Shukla said, "Every producer says script is the backbone of a movie, yet they all want what has already been done before. They do not encourage fresh ideas.
Writers are used more as dialogue writers and they do not have an option but to do the given work as they have to survive." Dev Benegal added, "There are some talents who want to challenge mainstream but they don't know how to break the closed system.
One really needs good contacts." Abbas Tyrewala who is quite sad about script writing becoming negligible said, "Till the 60's we did have writers, but when the Bachchan era came in, the star became bigger than the script.
Everything was catered to the star. Later in the 80's, multiple actors were used to exemplify the script and the script lost its importance further.
After the Khan era began somebody discovered the NRI audience and music started becoming more popular, most of the money was recovered by satellite and distribution rights. Box office success was only a bonus and script was completely lost.
And in all this writers only adapted to the change. The ability of storytelling is gone away from the genes".
On the other hand Saurubh Shukla had a slightly different take on this, he said, "There is no dearth of writers, I come across one writer every day. The writer has to follow the vision of the directors.
I am very excited about this time in Mumbai, nobody knows what will happen when, it is very unpredictable. Instead of being angry, one must write, because the system is the same everywhere.
" Sagar Ballary agreed with Saurabh, he said, "We thought no one would notice Bheja Fry. It's important for the director to decide whether he wants to make money or make a good film.
" Later in the evening the cast and director of the film 'Nobel Chor', screened at Mumbai Film Festival was present with lead actor Mithun Chakraborty. Mithun plays the role of a thief who steals the Nobel Prize given to Rabindranath Tagore.
Speaking about working in 'Noble Chor' Mithun said, "Noble Chor is the kind of movie that one is always proud to be associated with, since it doesn't depend on your stardom, instead it keeps you rooted. Generally people go to watch movies to see the stars, but these movies are seen because of their appeal and story, it differentiates between a star and an actor.
" The evening ended with a humongous crowd lining up to watch the Martin Scorsese film 'George Harrison Living In The Material World'. Tomorrow as the festival draws to its end, huge amounts of crowds and audience are expected to throng the venue to watch films, especially the closing film 'Dolphin Tale' directed by Charles Martin Smith starring Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd amongst other and to catch a glimpse of Olivia Harrison who is in town to present her movie.
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(less)Mehboob studio to hold memorial service for Dev Anand
Dev Anand's son Suneil, who landed in Mumbai yesterday and then travelled to Nashik in the afternoon to immerse his father's ashes in the Godavari River today said Dev Anand's 1965 movie, Guide, probably his most popular, is to be re-released in a technically superior version. Suneil revealed, "An American company has restored Guide.
It's being converted to wide screen and we will do a fresh soundtrack, maybe in the Czech Republic (where full scale orchestras are available to undertake such challenges at reasonable cost)." Among projects that were under way but will now need completing is the re-release of Guide , which was scripted and directed by Dev Anand's younger brother, Vijay.
The story of Raju, the tourist guide, remains one of Dev Anand's most popular films, with Waheeda Rehman as his leading lady and memorable music by S D Burman. "It's a big, big responsibility, the world is watching me, I will have to live up to their expectations," said Suneil.
At Dev Anand's funeral at Putney Vale cemetery and crematorium on Saturday, one fan stood with a makeshift banner, which summed up his sentiments. These were: "Evergreen.
Raju Guide." Barely 100 of the 300 or so people who turned up for the service were able to squeeze into the tiny chapel.
Dev Anand's widow, Kalpana Karthik (Mona), came from Mumbai but stayed away from the cremation service. In his eulogy, Dev Anand's nephew, Tony Sarin, suggested others might help in giving new life to his legacy.
"He inspired Shekhar Kapur the son of his late sister Sheila Kapoor; Ketan Anand, the son of his late brother, Chetan Anand; and Vibhu Anand, who is the son of his late brother, Vijay Anand. Together the three legendary Anand brothers were the great triumvirate of Indian cinema and came together to create one of its most successful and iconic production houses, Navketan Films, which was in 1949.
" Invite to the memorial service Memorial Service for the late Shri. Dev Anand It is with deep regret that we notify you of the passing away of my dear and respected Father, the late, great Shri.
Dev Anand ji, on the 3rd December 2011 in London. The funeral (Antim Sanskar) was performed peacefully by his close family and friends on Saturday, December 10, 2011 in London.
A Memorial Service has also been organised to pay tribute and pray for the peace and sadgati of the departed soul. You are all kindly invited to attend the service with your family and friends.
Venue: Mehboob Studios, Bandra, Mumbai. Date: Friday December 16, 2011.
Time: 5 pm to 7 pm, IST With grateful thanks, Yours lovingly, Suneil, Mona, Devina, Gina and the entire Anand Family. Tweet
(less)We have issues with Kangana, admit Rascals' producers
B-town is abuzz with rumours that Kangana has demanded more money from the producers. The actress did not attend the music launch of the film, nor was she present for the launch of its first look.
"We do have issues with Kangana. She has this starry attitude," said co-producer Sanjay Ahluwalia.
Rascals is produced by Sanjay Dutt, Sanjay Ahluwalia and Vinay Choksey. The film releases on October 7.
Tweet
(less)Kareena Kapoor has no time for me: Shah Rukh Khan
One at Film City on Monday was a suitably glittering affair. We learn the rights for telecasting the film's music launch has been sold to a television channel, surely a first.
At the packed venue, SRK lifted a noticeably heftier Kareena who had come in late, and joked: 'She no longer has time for me, yeh aaj kal sirf chote chote Khans ke saath kaam karti hain.' Bodyguard, anyone?
(less)Dirty Picture vs Ricky Bahl at Box Office
However, the rom-com lost out to Milan Luthria's The Dirty Picture , which netted about Rs 16-17 crore in its second weekend. As for the other release, Vikram Bhatt's Lanka toplining Manoj Bajpai, sank without a trace.
Veteran trade analyst Amod Mehra attributes it to lack of entertainment in the second half, though the audience is not minding the first half. "Despite a decent opening of about Rs 15-16 crore in the first three days, Monday saw a considerable drop," he said.
It is learnt that a couple of shows were cancelled in Kolkota due to very low turnout. Summing up the Box Office opening of the Ranveer-Anushka starrer, Amod Mehra states that its chances of surviving the week are low.
Equally forthcoming is Manoj Desai, Executive Director at Maratha Mandir and G7 Cineplex in Mumbai. "There were no ladies and neither was there any Ricky Bahl in the audience," he said adding that despite it being sold as a youthful movie, the youth aren't exactly thronging the cinemas.
"Not even one show was houseful. As for Lanka , it's fared even worse.
" On the other hand, the Vidya Balan movie also featuring Emraan Hashmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Tusshar Kapoor continues to draw in the audience. Amod Mehra said, "TDP netted Rs 16-17 crore in the second weekend, which is something the so-called big films should be doing.
Till Sunday, producer Ekta Kapoor's newest hit has netted over Rs 68 crores from its India theatrical release." However, he asserted that the BO performance of the film doesn't mean that Ranveer can be written off.
"Generally, young stars feel a movie is a hit because of them. He can't hike his fee now, so it's definitely a setback for him," he observed, adding that the film's BO numbers won't make much difference to the producers at YRF.
In the same vein, the head of a multiplex chain, who didn't wish to be named, maintained that the Chopras need not worry about their investment of Rs 25 odd crore (including print and advertising) on the movie. "The producers have made some money from sales of satellite rights, etc.
So breaking even is not their worry," he stated. With no major release coming this Friday, all eyes, this week, are on Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol .
The film has already generated good buzz with the recent visit of Tom Cruise to India. Tweet
(less)Shakal Pe Mat Ja is a musical treat
Apart form this, the film also has a Punjabi rap track composed and sung by rap sensation from Punjab, Honey Singh , which has already caught the fancy of the audience. Moreover, upcoming singing sensation Suraj Jagan, who came into the limelight with the success of "3-Idiots", after singing for the hit track, "Give Me Some Sunshine", has also sung a song for the film.
Lastly, critically acclaimed music arranger, Amar Mohile, has composed the background score for the film. The movie's producers, Linc Entertainment - for whom this is a maiden venture - have sold the music rights of the movie to a leading entertainment and music company.
They are also planning a grand official music launch today. So, keep your ears open for a melodious journey from " Shakal Pe Mat Ja "
(less)Rahman's If I Rise nominated for WSA
The event will be held at Ghent, Belguim on the 22nd of October," Rahman posted on micro-blogging site Twitter. The composer rose in the international arena after winning double Oscars for his compositions in Danny Boyle's internationally acclaimed film Slumdog Millionaire .
Performed by singer Dido and Rahman, If I Rise is a part of Boyle's 2010 movie 127 Hours , which stars James Franco, Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara. The 45-year-old is surprised after being termed as 'Tomorrow's World Music Icons' by one of the international music magazine.
"It's a great honour for me to be selected as one of 'Tomorrow's World Music Icons' in the current issue of Songlines," he further tweeted. Tweet
(less)Mehboob studio to hold memorial service for Dev Anand
Dev Anand's son Suneil, who landed in Mumbai yesterday and then travelled to Nashik in the afternoon to immerse his father's ashes in the Godavari River today said Dev Anand's 1965 movie, Guide, probably his most popular, is to be re-released in a technically superior version. Suneil revealed, "An American company has restored Guide.
It's being converted to wide screen and we will do a fresh soundtrack, maybe in the Czech Republic (where full scale orchestras are available to undertake such challenges at reasonable cost)." Among projects that were under way but will now need completing is the re-release of Guide , which was scripted and directed by Dev Anand's younger brother, Vijay.
The story of Raju, the tourist guide, remains one of Dev Anand's most popular films, with Waheeda Rehman as his leading lady and memorable music by S D Burman. "It's a big, big responsibility, the world is watching me, I will have to live up to their expectations," said Suneil.
At Dev Anand's funeral at Putney Vale cemetery and crematorium on Saturday, one fan stood with a makeshift banner, which summed up his sentiments. These were: "Evergreen.
Raju Guide." Barely 100 of the 300 or so people who turned up for the service were able to squeeze into the tiny chapel.
Dev Anand's widow, Kalpana Karthik (Mona), came from Mumbai but stayed away from the cremation service. In his eulogy, Dev Anand's nephew, Tony Sarin, suggested others might help in giving new life to his legacy.
"He inspired Shekhar Kapur the son of his late sister Sheila Kapoor; Ketan Anand, the son of his late brother, Chetan Anand; and Vibhu Anand, who is the son of his late brother, Vijay Anand. Together the three legendary Anand brothers were the great triumvirate of Indian cinema and came together to create one of its most successful and iconic production houses, Navketan Films, which was in 1949.
" Invite to the memorial service Memorial Service for the late Shri. Dev Anand It is with deep regret that we notify you of the passing away of my dear and respected Father, the late, great Shri.
Dev Anand ji, on the 3rd December 2011 in London. The funeral (Antim Sanskar) was performed peacefully by his close family and friends on Saturday, December 10, 2011 in London.
A Memorial Service has also been organised to pay tribute and pray for the peace and sadgati of the departed soul. You are all kindly invited to attend the service with your family and friends.
Venue: Mehboob Studios, Bandra, Mumbai. Date: Friday December 16, 2011.
Time: 5 pm to 7 pm, IST With grateful thanks, Yours lovingly, Suneil, Mona, Devina, Gina and the entire Anand Family. Tweet
(less)Shahid Kapoor-Taran Adarsh's twitter war
Biz slid downwards on Saturday, but showed escalation on Sunday..
. numbers are below the mark", did not go down well with Shahid, who tweeted back, "So all those trying so hard to scr** "Mausam" can go scr** themselves.
Waise bhi aajkal kuchh logon ke adarsh buri tarha gir chuke hain." Adarsh, not to take it lying down, replied, "Abusing me won't help.
Instead, get a reality check and introspect the shortcomings of the film."
(less)Jonas Brothers reunion on my mind in 2012: Joe Jonas
"I hope to continue what I've been doing. Making great music that I'm proud of.
And be able to make more music with my brothers," he said. Most recently, there was a never-before-heard song from the JoBros hitting the web, much to their fans' delight.
Titled "'ance Until Tomorrow', it's reportedly a promotional single for their first upcoming studio album since 2009's 'Lines, Vines and Trying Times'. Tweet
(less)Immortals rules weekend box office with $32.2M
2 with $25 million. Opening Nov 11, the film impressively took the number one spot in the US and became the highest R-Rated action film this year and the third highest-grossing R-rated film debut in 2011 behind The Hangover 2 ($85.
9mm) and Paranormal Activity 3 ($52.6mm), according to Kyle Davies, Relativity Media's President of Worldwide Distribution.
Made by the producers of 300, Mark Canton, Gianni Nunnari and Relativity's Ryan Kavanaugh, Immortals is completely original and not based on a comic book, novel or a previous film. Relativity mounted a robust marketing and publicity campaign toward a broad audience, beginning by targeting the elusive under 35 male demographic and leveraging innovative partnerships, Davies said.
Exit polls indicate that Immortals reached that specific group and beyond, as 75 per cent of its audience was under 35 (with 60 per cent of that audience consisting of males and 40 per cent comprising of females) and 25 per cent was 35 and over. Strong responses in both rating and recommendation scores from the younger demographic (males and females under 25) was received .
The film was played in 3D in 70 per cent locations, with earnings at 3D screens comprising 66 per cent of the gross, with 34 per cent on 2D. Relativity owns worldwide rights to Immortals with Lionsgate handling foreign sales.
(With AP and IANS) Tweet
(less)Lady Gaga to grace the cover of world's largest magazine
"There is no oil too thick as to destroy the Omagination," Gaga said. Visionaire has already declared that that it has been certified by the Guiness World Records as being the largest magazine ever produced.
This deluxe edition will cost USD 15,000. Tweet
(less)Abhishek Bachchan’s name spelled wrong | Bollywood News and Gossip
But the organisers printed Abhishek’s name all wrong. He became Avhishek Bachchan! Wonder how he reacted to this rechristening? Well, Aby Baby its time to come back home we all know you are there only for the arm candy.
You have no role in the event. Sphere: Related Content Posted in
(less)Abhishek Bachchan’s name spelled wrong | Bollywood News and Gossip
But the organisers printed Abhishek’s name all wrong. He became Avhishek Bachchan! Wonder how he reacted to this rechristening? Well, Aby Baby its time to come back home we all know you are there only for the arm candy.
You have no role in the event. Sphere: Related Content Posted in
(less)Things you should know about RA.One
One in Bangalore Every one knows that RA.One is Shah Rukh Khan's most ambitious sci-fi superhero film that is coming out on Diwali Wednesday.
Here are some more tidbits about the much awaited film: * Directed by Anubhav Sinha, the film, which also stars Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal in prominent roles, has been made on a Rs.150 budget crore and has already created a lot of buzz.
* The film is releasing in more than 3,000 screens in the domestic market in 2D and around 500 screens in 3D. The film has been dubbed in Tamil and Telugu and it will also make inroads in South Korea and Hongkong, where Bollywood movies are not so popular.
* The idea of the film originated when Anubhav was watching a commercial about six years ago which showed two children controlling a human with a remote. * Anubhav and Shah Rukh watched as many as 200 superhero films in multiple languages from all over the world before making RA.
One . * Shah Rukh has roped in Oscar winner Resul Pookutty for the special sound effects.
The team went to Los Angeles get the sound effects done for the film. * Jeff Kleiser of 1994 Hollywood film Stargate was hired as the supervisor of visual effects.
* Nicola Pecorini of Loathing in Las Vegas fame is the director of photography, while the film is edited by Academy-award winner Martin Walsh. * It has 3,500 VFX shots, which could mark a new beginning for the use of the technology in Indian films.
* The task of adding special effects was outsourced to multiple specialty studios including in London, Paris and Bangkok, as also in the US. * Dolby surround 7.
1 system has been installed in several multiplexes in the run-up to the sci-fi's release. * Chinese actor Jackie Chan was reportedly approached for a role in the film and later Chinese-American actor Tom Wu was signed on to be a part of the film.
* Shah Rukh roped in international singer Akon for two songs - Chammak Challo and Criminal - and both of them are a rage. * The G.
One suit that Shah Rukh wears in the film is made of silicon, styrofoam and rubber and is said to be considerably heavy. SRK said he lost 5 kgs after shooting in the superhero suit.
* Shah Rukh had to don prosthetic make up for 8 to 10 hours a day without a break which made it difficult for him to even eat and drink. * Tamil superstar Rajinikanth and actress diva Priyanka Chopra will be seen in cameos in the film.
* Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan has given his voiceover for the film. * The music launch of RA.
One was streamed live on a video-sharing site for an undisclosed amount. The event's telecast rights are believed to have been sold to the TV channel for a Rs10 crore.
* Satellite rights of the film have reportedly been sold for Rs 35 crore, while distribution rights have been sold for Rs 77 crore. Tweet
(less)Mammootty vows to boycott liquor in films
"I always try to avoid such scenes but at times it becomes imperative to do it because the situation demands it," Mammootty said at the event. "From now on I will do my best to avoid such scenes which depict liquor or liquor imposed scenes," added Mammootty, the top actor of the Malayalam film industry for two decades.
Pointing to director Priyadarshan at the event, Mammootty said: "You have to ask people like him (Priyadarshan) because they ask us to do this and that. But let me tell you, I will do my best to do away with such scenes.
" Oommen Chandy said people should try to rid Kerala of the tag of being India's largest liquor consumer. "Not long ago Kerala was known for the huge strides it made in literacy and its health status.
But of late it has taken a back seat and we are now known as the top liquor consuming state. "This has to change.
We hope that promotional material like this (Mammootty's documentary) will do us a world of good," the chief minister said. According to a report, liquor sales rose to all time high of Rs.
6,730.30 crore in 2010-11 from Rs.
5,539.85 crore in 2009-10.
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(less)I want Akon to do an album for us: Bhushan Kumar
From Hum Tumhare Hai Sanam to Shah Rukh's home production Chalte Chalte to all his productions including Om Shanti Om and now Ra.One, their friendship has become stronger with every film.
Bhushan is very excited about Ra.One's music, He says, "The music is a sure-shot chartbuster.
Shah Rukh is involved in every aspect of his films. The music is massy and Chammak Challo will be an anthem!" He reveals that the music of Ra.
One has made record sales, "The music directors Vishal-Shekhar have given it a classical touch."adds Bhushan.
About his equation with Shah Rukh, Bhushan says, "The first film of Shah Rukh that I bought the music rights of was Hum Tumhare Hai Sanam. I have known him for eight years now and Shah Rukh, from then to now, has always respected my taste of music.
" Bhushan always buys the music rights for all Shah Rukh's films. "My company has never made any losses when they have taken up a Shah Rukh starrer.
" SRK has words of praise for Bhushan. King Khan says, "No one is bigger than them when it comes to music.
" Bhushan trusts Shah Rukh's music so much that he's now contemplating launching a music album with rapper Akon, who has sung two songs in Ra.One.
Bhushan concludes, "I was completely blown over by them. I am planning to get Akon to come to India and do an album for us.
" Ra. One music
(less)Rahman to get Lifetime Achievement Award at Dubai Festival
Rahman will receive the award during DIFF to be held from December 7 to 14. "A R Rahman is an inspiration for countless musicians and composers, and has brought a fresh infusion of talent to the Indian film industry.
Through his international foray, working with some of the world's most accomplished musicians, he demonstrated the power of music to cross all barriers and connect with a global audience," said Abdulhamid Juma, the festival's chairman. "We are honoured to present Rahman with the DIFF Lifetime Achievement Award.
" Rahman's Slumdog Millionaire , which was screened at DIFF 2008, won the musician two Academy Awards for Best Original Music Score and Best Original Song, while his score for 127 Hours, which screened at DIFF 2010, won him Golden Globe, BAFTA and Academy Award nominations. Most recently, Rahman joined forces with Rolling Stones legend Mick Jagger on SuperHeavy , a supergroup also featuring Joss Stone, Dave Stewart and Damian Marley.
An Honorary Fellow of the Trinity College of Music, Rahman is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan, and was named as one of the World's Most Influential People by Time in 2009. Previous Lifetime Achievement honourees at DIFF include Omar Sharif, Adel Imam, Morgan Freeman, Sean Penn, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Daoud Abdel Sayed, Youssef Chahine, Rachid Bouchareb, Souleymane Cisse, Nabil El-Maleh, Oliver Stone, Danny Glover, Terry Gilliam, Yash Chopra, and Subhash Ghai.
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(less)We have issues with Kangana Ranaut ? ‘Rascals’ Producer | Bollywood News and Gossip
The music of ?Rascals? was released here Wednesday and Kangana was missing from the event. The film, slated for an Oct 7 release, is Sanjay Dutt?s first production venture.
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(less)Dev Anand's son Suniel Anand presser
Thank you very much and God bless you all. Thank you.
I loved my father very much. I was very close to him and I miss him but I know he's there (points up) smiling, looking down at me.
God bless him and God bless you all. Thank you.
" "He used to tell me he was a forward looking man - he never looked back, so I think the world should keep that in mind and remember that as much as possible and I think the world should remember him as somebody who's accomplished a lot and whose body of work is enormous; absolutely enormous. Somebody was telling me that they read somewhere on the net that he was Bollywood and I agree with that person.
" "Everything is set. We've decided to have a cremation here in London and I think he would have liked it this way and then we'll eventually have the last rights in India.
As soon as the cremation is over and as soon as the ashes are handed over to me I will be flying to India for the last rights." "He was working ardently on his next project and we'd discuss a lot of things and he wanted me to leave him alone a little bit, which I did because he was so involved in that script, but then he'd give me advice and he was giving me a lot of advice in the last few days about things, about life, about all kinds of things.
But he was happy; generally very happy. He was happy to be in London.
He wanted a break. He wanted a holiday and we were planning to see a bit of the U.
K., to tour around, because his next film was going to be shot partly here, partly in Europe and partly in Nepal and India, so we were just going to move and scout locations for that movie and it's unfortunate.
" Tweet
(less)TIFF: Mausam withdrawn, Michael finds a distributor
The deal was announced on the day it was screened for the press and the film industry at TIFF. Michael, which makes its world premiere in TIFF's Contemporary World Cinema section, has proven to be a success in the world market.
The feature film debut of Ribhu Dasgupta is a 98-minute film that follows the lives of people as they merge and get lost in Kolkata's landscape. Naseeruddin Shah essays the character Michael, a police officer, and Mahie Gill plays the nurse who befriends Michael.
While Kashyap's film has had an excellent start thanks to the screening at TIFF, Pankaj Kapur's big ticket film Mausam faced a major setback. One day before the screening, the filmmakers withdrew what was considered to be India's most prized entry at TIFF.
Mausam's filmmakers released a statement to the press explaining why the last moment decision was taken. They stated that the film could not be screened publicly because of delays in censorship and related permissions from the Indian Air Force.
Back home, Mausam due to the same problem, has now been delayed for a week. The film which was scheduled to release on 16 September will now release a week later.
When contacted, TIFF's co-director Cameron Bailey said, "Audiences in Toronto have been powerful champions for the promotion and growth of Indian cinema abroad. It's a shame that our audiences will be left disappointed.
" Reportedly, due to the latest turn of events, future blockbuster choices from India are expected to undergo more stringent guarantees on participation at TIFF
(less)Abhishek Bachchan’s name spelled wrong | Bollywood News and Gossip
But the organisers printed Abhishek’s name all wrong. He became Avhishek Bachchan! Wonder how he reacted to this rechristening? Well, Aby Baby its time to come back home we all know you are there only for the arm candy.
You have no role in the event. Sphere: Related Content Posted in
(less)Madhur Bhandarkar faces trial for rape
The court has issued summons to Bhandarkar for October 18. Metropolitan magistrate B B Pantawane observed that before lodging the FIR, Jain had sent a legal notice to Bhandarkar in July 2004.
The filmmaker however, chose not to reply, thus showing that he did not refute the allegations at the first available opportunity. Referring to the B-summary report (a report wherein the police categorise a given case as false) filed by the Investigating Officer, the court also observed that the officer should not have reached to any conclusion on his own.
Jain, needless to say was visibly happy after the order. The aspiring actress who was present in court said that she had full faith in God and the judiciary.
Jain had filed a case of rape and criminal intimidation against Bhandarkar at the Versova Police station over 7 years back - in July 2004. She had alleged that Bhandarkar had intercourse with her 17 times between 2000 and 2003, making false promises of marriage and a big role in a good film.
In November 2009, the police had filed a report in the Andheri court stating that the relationship between Bhandarkar and Jain was by mutual consent. The report also stated that Jain had filed the complaint "only to teach him a lesson as he didn't give her a role of the leading actress in his film".
This report was strongly contested by Jain through her advocate Sushan Kunjuraman. They had argued that there were enough precedents from the Supreme Court about testimony of the victim being enough to convict an accused in a rape case.
Based on his submissions, the Magistrate rejected the report and ordered an inquiry in November 2009. During this inquiry, Jain's statement was recorded by the court and compared with statements of other witnesses recorded by the police, after which the order was passed on Monday against Bhandarkar, who was represented by advocates Shrikant Shivade and Shreyansh Mithare.
Talking to Mumbai Mirror, Madhur Bhandarkar said that after going through the order in detail he would challenge it in higher courts. "As the lower court has issued a process against me for a case which has been going on for 7 years, I would like to say that after reading the judgment, we will challenge this order in higher courts to seek justice," stated the filmmaker.
Talking about the case, Madhur revealed, "Initially, on 12th July 2004, Pretti Jaiin had sent a legal notice to me stating that if I do not cast her in my film as the leading lady within the next 48 hours, she would adopt necessary criminal and civil legal proceedings against me. There was no mention of rape charges in that notice.
On July 9, 2004, we came to know that she had sent a legal notice to a certain Mr Sohail Khan, an upcoming music director, stating that she is pregnant with his child. On July 22, the same year, she filed a complaint with the police alleging me of rape.
" The filmmaker further added, "I would like to mention that Pretti Jaiin was arrested for hatching a plot to eliminate me in 2005, with the help of the underworld. She was arrest by Agripada police station and was behind bars for almost a month.
I have full faith and respect for the judiciary and I am confident of proving myself innocent." -With inputs from Kunal M Shah
(less)Shah Rukh Khan: History will be made on Sunday
In those days, nothing felt more exhilarating and fulfiling than sweating it out for a sport one was passionate about. Later on, fulfilment came through some of the roles essayed in my films and then through the ownership of my cricket team.
Two years ago, in 2009, I had the opportunity of witnessing a mass running event for the first time, when I was present at the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon, and was truly amazed at the huge level of involvement and enthusiasm of people across sections . Be it participation in the different categories on Race Day, thronging the start and finish area or the race route to cheer on the participants, their intensity, high levels of energy and zest for life invigorated me and instilled in me a pleasant sense of well-being.
It's now time for the seventh edition of the world's most prestigious half marathon on Sunday, November 27, and once again I will be there to enthuse and revel in this huge celebration of friendship, communal harmony, social bonding, health and fitness. After successfully conducting the 2011 Formula1 Indian Grand Prix, the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon is another opportunity for the capital to showcase its sportsmanship and hospitality.
30,000 plus people have already registered for the event, and I am eager to see the rest of the city come out on the streets early on Sunday morning to show their solidarity with all those who are running for different reasons. I want to be a part of this morning when history will be made with the largest congregation of spectators for a sporting event.
There are definitely enough reasons for spectators to come out in large numbers, besides getting an opportunity to watch the world's, and India's, best long distance athletes in action. The half marathon route will be one huge party zone, with eight specially created areas featuring the Airtel Marathon Rockers, eight of Delhi's best rock bands.
And besides the high voltage music, there will be a host of other fun-filled activities, and most importantly, stalls serving Delhi's lips smacking street food. The overwhelming response from Delhiites to the seven editions of this event shows the strong health and fitness culture of the city.
They have also contributed significantly to the charity drive associated with the event to make this one of the single largest charity raising platforms in the country. The running movement is definitely here to stay, and witness a lot more history being written.
Let's give it impetus and join in the biggest celebration of friendship. See you all on Sunday at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium!
(less)With Vidya Balan, BO success guaranteed: Ayaan Ali
The illustrious musician gets chatty on various things under the sun..
. Most of your concerts are with your father Ustad Amjad Ali Khan or brother Amaan.
Do you miss them when you go solo? I feel very fortunate that we as a family present various permutations and combinations of performances. Playing with Abba is a bliss and a blessing for me.
Both Amaan bhai and I do numerous concerts together, but we also maintain our solo careers. Indian classical music is a very individualistic medium.
So, while creating a collective bouquet has its own charm, a flower by itself also has its own beauty. You are very close to Pt Ravi Shankar's family too.
Did you get to meet Anushka and her baby on her first trip to India post-motherhood? Not as yet. I wish her happiness, peace and bliss for the priceless journey of motherhood.
I am 100 per cent sure that she makes a marvellous mother. Your brother recently said that he wanted to become a pilot.
Did you also harbour some secret desire? I was very clear that music is where I belong. I have been into painting and do one-offs just for charity after my first exhibition in 2000.
I have authored two books in 2002 and in 2010. I did have a desire to act, but it clashed with my musical journey, so I put my idiosyncrasy on a back burner.
If you were to act in a film today, which actress you would want opposite you? Right now, seeing the scenario and keeping ticket sales in mind at the box office, getting to act opposite Vidya Balan (who I always have thought to be a fabulous artiste) will mean guaranteed success in films. Both Katrina and Deepika will also be a great choice.
Never mind me, but the audience will surely come to see them. One film, whose music you wish you had given? Ashoka and Sardari Begum.
One album that you have solely dedicated to your wife Neema? I am yet to record an album for Neema, but yes, when I hear my track Misty Lanes from my album Passion, I do think of her. Like all those ubercool husbands, do you also cook sometimes with your wife? I am very supportive.
Alas! I can only make a scrambled egg using my creativity. But, I do see myself cooking at a later stage in my life.
All the three men in your family are very well-dressed and extremely good-looking, but your abba still manages to get the maximum compliments from ladies. How do you react to that? Along with the ladies, I am my father's fan too, so I just join the club
(less)Gas tragedy film on the right track
He says it was relatively easy to convince the renowned actors to be part of the project since they responded well to this universal theme. Kumar shot with Sheen, Barton, Indian actress Tannishtha Chatterjee and several others at that time, and since he had to re-create the 1984 period of Bhopal, he shot the film in Hyderabad and Mumbai on sets and factory locations, and only a few critical scenes were shot in Bhopal.
The "life-changing" experience was like a roller coaster ride for the director, who says that three years after the first shot, he is finally reaching the "end of this long journey". He told us recently, "We have been invited to some major film festivals where it will be premiered.
The release dates will be decided by the distributor all over the world according to their plans." However, after the shoot, the director had come under attack from some local NGOs, which claimed that the movie was misrepresenting reality.
But ask him about it now, and he says, "For us, there are no issues. The script that they objected to, is not relevant as it was an older version.
You have to remember, 95 per cent of the film, crew and cast is Indian, our producer Ravi Walia is Indian..
. hundreds of them came on board as they believed in the script.
Anyone who has seen the rough edit is proud to be associated with this epic and moving story made by Indians." As far as the delay in the release is concerned (from 2010 to tentatively 2012), he says, "The film has been edited carefully, some scenes re-shot, as this is a historical document and people expect the story to be authentic and genuine.
It's been worthwhile fine-tuning the story as this kind of films have a long shelf life. " Right now, the film is with some very senior editors, and music composers from London and LA are working on it, says Kumar.
While he does admit that the whole journey of making the movie has been difficult, he adds, "This is not a commercial project, but I'm glad to say that the finished film feels more suited for mainstream audience worldwide, thanks to the universal theme and the US actors playing crucial roles."
(less)Zayed, Dia, Sahil the musical trio!
It was quite magical," says Dia. The light-hearted entertainer has upbeat melodies and boasts a first time collaboration between lyricist Javed Akhtar and composer duo Salim-Sulaiman.
This has brought forth some fresh, innovative and vibrant songs. "The script has no unnecessary drama, so we decided to have rooted, easy compositions.
We didn't want item numbers or too much instrumentation. We have kept it minimalistic and free-flowing," says Sulaiman, while Salim believes in delivering a good song rather than a hit song.
"Music is the driving force for any film, not situations." Sulaiman's personal favourite is Rab Raakha - the marriage song.
Chhayi Hai Tanhai is in the Sufi zone. Says Dia, "Each song is meaningful and takes the narrative forward.
We haven't resolved to gimmickry. It will strike a chord with both the youth and families.
" Zayed Khan , Dia's business partner in Born Free Entertainment Pvt Ltd and also her co-star in the film, adds, "It is high on melody and will have a long shelf-life." Written and directed by their other partner Sahil Sangha , the Sahara Motion Pictures collaboration is slated for an October 7 release
(less)Dirty Picture vs Ricky Bahl at Box Office
However, the rom-com lost out to Milan Luthria's The Dirty Picture , which netted about Rs 16-17 crore in its second weekend. As for the other release, Vikram Bhatt's Lanka toplining Manoj Bajpai, sank without a trace.
Veteran trade analyst Amod Mehra attributes it to lack of entertainment in the second half, though the audience is not minding the first half. "Despite a decent opening of about Rs 15-16 crore in the first three days, Monday saw a considerable drop," he said.
It is learnt that a couple of shows were cancelled in Kolkota due to very low turnout. Summing up the Box Office opening of the Ranveer-Anushka starrer, Amod Mehra states that its chances of surviving the week are low.
Equally forthcoming is Manoj Desai, Executive Director at Maratha Mandir and G7 Cineplex in Mumbai. "There were no ladies and neither was there any Ricky Bahl in the audience," he said adding that despite it being sold as a youthful movie, the youth aren't exactly thronging the cinemas.
"Not even one show was houseful. As for Lanka , it's fared even worse.
" On the other hand, the Vidya Balan movie also featuring Emraan Hashmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Tusshar Kapoor continues to draw in the audience. Amod Mehra said, "TDP netted Rs 16-17 crore in the second weekend, which is something the so-called big films should be doing.
Till Sunday, producer Ekta Kapoor's newest hit has netted over Rs 68 crores from its India theatrical release." However, he asserted that the BO performance of the film doesn't mean that Ranveer can be written off.
"Generally, young stars feel a movie is a hit because of them. He can't hike his fee now, so it's definitely a setback for him," he observed, adding that the film's BO numbers won't make much difference to the producers at YRF.
In the same vein, the head of a multiplex chain, who didn't wish to be named, maintained that the Chopras need not worry about their investment of Rs 25 odd crore (including print and advertising) on the movie. "The producers have made some money from sales of satellite rights, etc.
So breaking even is not their worry," he stated. With no major release coming this Friday, all eyes, this week, are on Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol .
The film has already generated good buzz with the recent visit of Tom Cruise to India. Tweet
(less)Pop star Beyonce gives birth to a baby girl
This is the first child for the 30-year-old singer and her rapper husband Jay-Z. Earlier, several online celebrity websites reported that nurses at St Luke's Roosevelt Hospital were told to prepare for a celebrity VIP.
The Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) singer concealed her pregnancy for months before revealing her baby bump at the MTV Music Awards in August last year. Since then, Beyonce's baby has been the source of speculation for months.
In October 2011, the singer sparked rumours that she was wearing a prosthetic belly after her stomach appeared to collapse as she sat down during a live TV appearance in the Australian TV programme, Sunday Night. Beyonce later laughed off the "ridiculous" rumours.
She was last seen shopping in New York in December and thought to be nine months pregnant. Last month Beyonce received two nominations for the 54th Grammy Awards for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for Party, and Best Long Form Music Video for I Am.
..
World Tour. If I Were a Boy, Halo, Sweet Dreams and Beautiful Liar are some of the other hits of one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
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(less)Shammi Kapoor: Rocking and rolling down memory aisles
From fans to family, everybody remembers Bollywood's eternal romantic, whose cinema ushered in the era of sheer joie de vivre and still brings a smile to the face. And, nowhere perhaps does he live on as he does in Kashmir, with films such as Kashmir Ki Kali , Junglee and Andaz shot in the green hills and rolling meadows of the valley.
The decades have passed but the memories are still sharp, for the Kashmiri and the visitor. Nephew Rishi Kapoor, who recently visited Kashmir, said every part of Srinagar, the summer capital, reminded him of the beloved Shammiji.
"Recently I visited Kashmir and honestly I am not saying this because Shammiji was my uncle, but every street, every corner of the valley was shouting out loud and recalling his presence," he said at an event in Mumbai recently. "The locals of the valley remember him so much that they came and told me, 'Here Shammi Kapoor had shot songs', 'here he had romanced with his actresses'.
No doubt, he was the original lover boy of the valley," he added. After all, can anyone forget Taareef karoon kya uski with Shammi swinging and swaying on a shikara, or the war cry Yahoo as he slid down snowy slopes, or the rather middle-aged star romancing the doe-eyed Hema Malini in Andaz .
The charismatic actor was born Oct 21, 1931, in Mumbai - the second of three sons born to the legendary Prithviraj Kapoor. The family was high profile, the beginnings of his career small time.
As expected, he joined the cinema world in 1948 as a junior artist for Rs.150 a month.
He made his Bollywood debut in 1953 with Jeevan Jyoti . He broke the mould with Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957) and Dil Deke Dekho (1959), shaving off his moustache to become the debonair green eyed romantic who danced like a dream, teaching us how to twist and shout, and rock and roll.
Not just India's Elvis but our very own, inimitable and unique Shammi Kapoor. In a career that spanned more than three decades, he rolled out one hit after another - Professor , An Evening in Paris , Teesri Manzil , Brahmachari and Rajkumar being only some of them.
But behind the success was hard work and a solid set of values. "His elder brother Raj Kapoor was a big star and people used to think that Shammi Kapoor used to copy him.
But no, he had made his own image, he had made his own identity and a mark with his unique style," Rishi said. "We all have our own identity, we are all individuals, we don't actually copy each other.
The very fact remains that he was my uncle and he was an institution in himself. People have learnt so much from him, he was a fine actor, a fine human being - we would also want to imbibe his qualities and learn from what he's given to the film world," he added.
Battling prolonged illness, the flamboyant actor passed away August 14, 2011. "I remember he lived the last days of his life king size.
We have grown up listening to his songs and stories and they are here to stay. Not only my son, Ranbir, but his kids will also be hooked to them," said Rishi.
Yes, the magic lives on. Tweet
(less)Bhupen Hazarika to be cremated on Wednesday
Massive arrangements are being made in Assam's main city of Guwahati for the funeral rites of the music maestro. Family members said the funeral would be performed at Cachal in Guwahati, a plot of land housing the Bhupen Hazarika Trust, built during his lifetime under his personal supervision.
Elaborate security and traffic arrangements are being made with officials expecting more than a million people. "We are making all arrangements to ensure a smooth funeral," Assam Inspector General of Police GP Singh said.
Fans and well wishers across Assam have come out in the streets singing his popular songs and holding street corner prayer meetings by lighting earthen lamps. Tweet
(less)Don 2 in legal trouble
And since the producers of the remake weren't given the rights to make a sequel, Nariman Films has sent them a legal notice and is suing them for copyright infringement. The producers at Nariman Films say, "We have raised our objection through our advocates Digvijay Chopra and Iva Bansal.
" Confirming that a legal notice has been sent to Excel Entertainment, Red Chillies Entertainment, Reliance Entertainment, Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani, Shah Rukh Khan and Baba Arts, Digvijay Chopra states: "The remake rights were given only for the film Don: The Chase Begins Again , starring Shah Rukh Khan, by an agreement, which expired in 2009. Thereafter, they never renewed it or even take any prospective rights from Nariman films.
" While Baba Arts was not involved in the production, the advocates point out they had originally acquired the rights, which were then sold to Excel Entertainment for Rs 1.25 crore in 2005, with the knowledge of Nariman Films.
Further Iva Bansal explains that without any renewal of the remake rights, Excel Entertainment and Red Chillies Entertainment have gone ahead and made Don 2 . "Not only have they infringed upon the title registered by Nariman Films, i.
e. Don and Don 2: Return Of The King , which in this matter, is a second infringement.
The first infringement is Don 2 , made without taking the necessary rights as per the law," she states. Bansal also explains that the title Don 2 has been copyrighted in the name of Nariman Films in January 2005.
"Reliance Entertainment has taken the distribution rights without any No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Nariman Films who hold the negatives of the original film Don . We shall also legally proceed with Paramount Films as we are informed that they are the overseas distributors," she maintained.
When asked why Nariman Films didn't initiate any action against the makers of Don 2: The Chase Continues , before or during filming, the advocates elaborated: "The reason is because all the production houses and senior and influential members of the film industry made the partners of Nariman films believe by way of undue influence and fraud that they (Nariman Films) have sold all their rights for their original film Don and are in no position to proceed legally to vindicate their right for the Amitabh Bachchan starrer, and even sent a legal notice to Nariman Films to confirm the same." However, Nariman Films has now come to know from various sources that the advocates they first consulted are on the legal panel of the opposite party.
Now the original producers have approached another law firm and have learnt that the case of infringement, undue influence and fraud, is clearly evident in this case. "And after learning the same they have taken legal action," summed up the advocates for Nariman Films.
Chopra and Bansal reiterated that they will be taking legal action against the makers of Don 2: The Chase Continues at the High Court as well as criminal courts for necessary relief. "We will be approaching the courts for stay on the release and promotions as well as confiscating all the Infringed Copies under the Copyright Act," said Chopra and Bansal.
Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment maintains, "Whatever we are doing is legal and their charges are false." Tweet
(less)I'm getting into e-commerce: Neha Dhupia
The space interests me a lot so I am getting into that. There are a couple of products that I am planning to launch online," Neha told IANS.
The actress has been working on the idea for quite sometime and will launch her own line of lingerie and shoes. Neha was in the capital to launch Gillette's range of shaving razors Soldier.
A certain percentage of the sales will go to the Sainik Welfare Organisation, which works for the welfare of soldiers in need of financial assistance. Also present at the event were Gillette brand ambassador Arjun Rampal and former cricketer Kapil Dev
(less)Don 2 in legal trouble
And since the producers of the remake weren't given the rights to make a sequel, Nariman Films has sent them a legal notice and is suing them for copyright infringement. The producers at Nariman Films say, "We have raised our objection through our advocates Digvijay Chopra and Iva Bansal.
" Confirming that a legal notice has been sent to Excel Entertainment, Red Chillies Entertainment, Reliance Entertainment, Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani, Shah Rukh Khan and Baba Arts, Digvijay Chopra states: "The remake rights were given only for the film Don: The Chase Begins Again , starring Shah Rukh Khan, by an agreement, which expired in 2009. Thereafter, they never renewed it or even take any prospective rights from Nariman films.
" While Baba Arts was not involved in the production, the advocates point out they had originally acquired the rights, which were then sold to Excel Entertainment for Rs 1.25 crore in 2005, with the knowledge of Nariman Films.
Further Iva Bansal explains that without any renewal of the remake rights, Excel Entertainment and Red Chillies Entertainment have gone ahead and made Don 2 . "Not only have they infringed upon the title registered by Nariman Films, i.
e. Don and Don 2: Return Of The King , which in this matter, is a second infringement.
The first infringement is Don 2 , made without taking the necessary rights as per the law," she states. Bansal also explains that the title Don 2 has been copyrighted in the name of Nariman Films in January 2005.
"Reliance Entertainment has taken the distribution rights without any No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Nariman Films who hold the negatives of the original film Don . We shall also legally proceed with Paramount Films as we are informed that they are the overseas distributors," she maintained.
When asked why Nariman Films didn't initiate any action against the makers of Don 2: The Chase Continues , before or during filming, the advocates elaborated: "The reason is because all the production houses and senior and influential members of the film industry made the partners of Nariman films believe by way of undue influence and fraud that they (Nariman Films) have sold all their rights for their original film Don and are in no position to proceed legally to vindicate their right for the Amitabh Bachchan starrer, and even sent a legal notice to Nariman Films to confirm the same." However, Nariman Films has now come to know from various sources that the advocates they first consulted are on the legal panel of the opposite party.
Now the original producers have approached another law firm and have learnt that the case of infringement, undue influence and fraud, is clearly evident in this case. "And after learning the same they have taken legal action," summed up the advocates for Nariman Films.
Chopra and Bansal reiterated that they will be taking legal action against the makers of Don 2: The Chase Continues at the High Court as well as criminal courts for necessary relief. "We will be approaching the courts for stay on the release and promotions as well as confiscating all the Infringed Copies under the Copyright Act," said Chopra and Bansal.
Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment maintains, "Whatever we are doing is legal and their charges are false." Tweet
(less)Shammi Kapoor: Rocking and rolling down memory aisles
From fans to family, everybody remembers Bollywood's eternal romantic, whose cinema ushered in the era of sheer joie de vivre and still brings a smile to the face. And, nowhere perhaps does he live on as he does in Kashmir, with films such as Kashmir Ki Kali , Junglee and Andaz shot in the green hills and rolling meadows of the valley.
The decades have passed but the memories are still sharp, for the Kashmiri and the visitor. Nephew Rishi Kapoor, who recently visited Kashmir, said every part of Srinagar, the summer capital, reminded him of the beloved Shammiji.
"Recently I visited Kashmir and honestly I am not saying this because Shammiji was my uncle, but every street, every corner of the valley was shouting out loud and recalling his presence," he said at an event in Mumbai recently. "The locals of the valley remember him so much that they came and told me, 'Here Shammi Kapoor had shot songs', 'here he had romanced with his actresses'.
No doubt, he was the original lover boy of the valley," he added. After all, can anyone forget Taareef karoon kya uski with Shammi swinging and swaying on a shikara, or the war cry Yahoo as he slid down snowy slopes, or the rather middle-aged star romancing the doe-eyed Hema Malini in Andaz .
The charismatic actor was born Oct 21, 1931, in Mumbai - the second of three sons born to the legendary Prithviraj Kapoor. The family was high profile, the beginnings of his career small time.
As expected, he joined the cinema world in 1948 as a junior artist for Rs.150 a month.
He made his Bollywood debut in 1953 with Jeevan Jyoti . He broke the mould with Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957) and Dil Deke Dekho (1959), shaving off his moustache to become the debonair green eyed romantic who danced like a dream, teaching us how to twist and shout, and rock and roll.
Not just India's Elvis but our very own, inimitable and unique Shammi Kapoor. In a career that spanned more than three decades, he rolled out one hit after another - Professor , An Evening in Paris , Teesri Manzil , Brahmachari and Rajkumar being only some of them.
But behind the success was hard work and a solid set of values. "His elder brother Raj Kapoor was a big star and people used to think that Shammi Kapoor used to copy him.
But no, he had made his own image, he had made his own identity and a mark with his unique style," Rishi said. "We all have our own identity, we are all individuals, we don't actually copy each other.
The very fact remains that he was my uncle and he was an institution in himself. People have learnt so much from him, he was a fine actor, a fine human being - we would also want to imbibe his qualities and learn from what he's given to the film world," he added.
Battling prolonged illness, the flamboyant actor passed away August 14, 2011. "I remember he lived the last days of his life king size.
We have grown up listening to his songs and stories and they are here to stay. Not only my son, Ranbir, but his kids will also be hooked to them," said Rishi.
Yes, the magic lives on. Tweet
(less)We have issues with Kangana Ranaut ? ‘Rascals’ Producer | Bollywood News and Gossip
The music of ?Rascals? was released here Wednesday and Kangana was missing from the event. The film, slated for an Oct 7 release, is Sanjay Dutt?s first production venture.
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(less)Gaga to feature on 7x5 foot magazine cover
The 25-year-old will feature as an oil-drenched mermaid on both the front and back covers of the magazine, reports contactmusic.com.
Gaga spoke about the shoot, stating that "there is no oil too thick as to destroy the imagination." According to Visionaire, which is said to be the world's biggest magazine, the issue has been certified by the Guinness World Records as being the largest magazine ever produced.
The standard edition goes for $375 but this deluxe edition will cost $1,500, Billboard magazine reports. Tweet
(less)Myths are meant to be broken: Rajeev Khandelwal
People say it's difficult for a television actor to get into films. What's your view on that? Myths are meant to be broken.
I never came with the intention of becoming a film actor because I feel television actors are equally great. I shifted gears from television to films because I was getting monotonous on television as there is no scope for growth and I wanted to grow as an actor.
Films gave me an opportunity to work on different subjects and play different characters. Is it difficult sustaining yourself in the film industry coming from a television background? Aamir is going to be a classic in the Hindi film industry.
Shaitan will also be remembered. People ask me why I don't do commercial films.
These are commercial films, as far as I'm concerned, because they got critical acclaim, good box-office collections and audiences applaud. Was selecting Aamir a conscious effort of not beginning your career with a commercial film? I have not picked films consciously.
Every film that I have picked was purely by instinct. I have not planned my career yet.
I do not have a dream role. I do not want to copy somebody.
I would rather have a blank slate and realize my dream role while I am playing one. In hindsight, Aamir was a dream role for me.
But would you agree that you've been very choosy with scripts? Films like Aamir, Shaitan and Soundtrack do not happen every day. It might look like I've been choosy because there was a two-year gap between Aamir and Shaitan.
I had done a film called Peter Gaya Kaam Se by UTV. I finished shooting for that film and waited for six months but the film eventually wasn't released.
I wanted that to be my second. Later, Sanjay Leela Bhansali signed me for Chenab Gandhi and blocked six months and unfortunately, that film did not go on the floor as well.
What is your role in Soundtrack? I am playing the role of Raunak Kaul who is an aspiring musician and comes to Mumbai to pursue his passion. But he ends up becoming a DJ for a while and becomes very successful.
However he's constantly exposed to music, he develops a hearing deficiency. He becomes deaf at the peak of his career.
The story talks about how the world perceives him and how he bounces back to the world. How did you go about preparing for this role? I did a crash course in DJing and learnt the technicalities of this profession.
My earlier impression of DJs were people who scratched records and I wondered what the big deal was about that. When I did the course, I realized there is a lot of science and technology involved.
We did a one month workshop post this course to get the graph of the story right. But once I am in front of the camera, I eventually go with my instincts.
Since it's a remake of All Gone Pete Tong (2004), how different is the treatment? Yes, it's an official remake but it's made with keeping the Indian audience in mind. It is a true story and has elements from the life of the legendary Beethoven who composed nine symphonies when he lost his hearing.
A lot of DJ's go through this kind of trauma. I haven't seen All Gone Pete Tong because I did not want to borrow references from the original.
Do you remember any memorable incident from the sets? There was a scene which required me to be locked in a dark room for two days and Neerav (Ghosh) wanted me to go insane in the scene. I couldn't wait to get out of that room because I'm claustrophobic but he wouldn't let me.
Could you tell us about your association with National Geographic's show Supercars? Nat Geo called and told me they wanted me to be the face of their show. I consider myself fortunate to feature on their channel because I grew up watching it.
I have the highest regards for the kind of content they have generated over the years. I liked the concept as it shows the complete process of making a car into a brand.
All the car enthusiasts will love it
(less)We have issues with Kangana Ranaut ? ‘Rascals’ Producer | Bollywood News and Gossip
The music of ?Rascals? was released here Wednesday and Kangana was missing from the event. The film, slated for an Oct 7 release, is Sanjay Dutt?s first production venture.
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(less)Filmfare Awards 2011 Winners
POPULAR AWARDS Best Actor: Ranbir Kapoor for Rockstar Award presented by: Rekha and Yash Chopra to Ranbir Kapoor "I've grown up wanting a Best Actor Award. This is my fourth award.
Every dream seems to be becoming a reality. It feels great.
Thank you Imtiaz. I love you, Sir.
Thank you for giving me hope and inspiration. Thank you for giving me Rockstar.
And I'll see you at the Movies." - Ranbir Kapoor on winning the award.
Best Actress: Vidya Balan for The Dirty Picture Award presented by: Sridevi and Boney Kapoor to Vidya Balan. "It has been a night where women have shone, This award goes out to the women in my life.
..
This award goes out to every woman. And of course everyone on the team of The Dirty Picture especially Milan Luthria.
" - Vidya Balan on winning the Best Actress Award. Best Film: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Award presented by: Madhuri Dixit Best Director: Zoya Akhtar for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Award presented by: Subhash Ghai to Zoya Akhtar Best Dialogue: Farhan Akhtar for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.
Award presented by: Chitrangada Singh to Farhan Akhtar . "This feels really good.
Zoya, Reena thank you for writing this amazing story and screenplay. Thank you to every actor for making every dialogue your own.
A big thanks to my dad for writing the beautiful poetry in the movie that gave the dialogues that extra edge."- Farhan Akhtar on winning the Filmfare Award for Best Dialogue Best Screenplay: Akshat Verma for Delhi Belly Award presented by: Kabir Bedi and Kalki Koechlin Abhinav Deo, who collect it on Akshat behalf Best Story: Sanjay Chauhan for I Am Kalam Award presented by: Prateik Babbar and Amy Jackson to Sanjay Chauhan "I'd like to thank Kalam saab.
Nila Madhav Panda, my director and the entire team of I Am Kalam. I'd like to thank my daughter and my wife.
" - Sanjay Chauhan on winning the award. Best Actor (Critics) Award: Ranbir Kapoor for Rockstar Thank you critics.
Thank you Imtiaz. Without you nothing would've been possible.
The cast and crew. The Producers.
Rahman Saab. And everyone who has worked on this movie.
" - Ranbir Kapoor on winning the award Best Actress (Critics) Award: Priyanka Chopra for 7 Khoon Maaf Award presented by: Juhi Chawla and Shankar come to Priyanka Chopra . "This black lady is the most coveted lady ever, and I have the entire team of 7 Khoon Maaf to thank for that.
A big thanks to my family. Thank you Filmfare, the entire team.
And thank you the film industry for believing in me." - Priyanka Chopra on winning the award.
Best Film (Critics) Award: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Award presented by: Mr. Balram Garg (PC Jewellers) and Bipasha Basu to Zoya Akhtra, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani.
Zoya Akhtra, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani come to collect the award. "It's difficult to get a balance between the critics and box office.
Zoya managed that for us. I thank the entire team of ZNMD.
Thank you Filmfare. Thank you Times of India.
Thank you Eros." - Ritesh Sidhwani "I want to thank my cast and crew.
Since this is the mother of all awards, I'm going to dedicate it to mine." - Zoya Akhtar, Director - ZNMD Best Supporting Actor (Male) Award: Farhan Akhtar for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Award presented by: Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar to Farhan Akhtar.
"Thank you Filmfare, thank you jury for selecting this performance. I would like to thank Naseer for all the support.
..
thank you Zoya, Reema, Ritesh, mom, Audhana..
. Thank you very much.
" - Farhan Akhtar on winning the award. Best Supporting Actor (Female) Award: Rani Mukerji for 'No One Killed Jessica' Award presented by: Mr.
Ramesh Taurani to Vidya Balan and director Raj Kumar Gupta, since Rani Mukherji is not present. (Also check : Filmfare Awards 2011 Nominations ) SPECIAL FILMFARE AWARD: Partho Gupte for Stanley Ka Dabba Award presented by: Mukesh Bhatt and Mansvi to Partho Gupte LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Karan Johar comes on stage to announce the Lifetime Ahievement Award winner - Aruna Irani.
Mr. Ramesh Sippy and Raveena Tandon present the award to Aruna Irani.
"Good evening. This is a very touching moment of my life; it's the happiest moment of my life.
Thank you Filmfare for giving recognition to my work. Thank you Dilip Kumar saab for introducing me to the wonderful world of films at the age of 9 years.
The industry taught me acting, dance, work, and gave an uneducated woman like me a platform. I came into the industry to execute a responsibility.
I'd like to thank my family. My husband.
My brothers. My fans.
Thank you Filmfare for this immense happiness. God, you're very kind.
" - Aruna Irani on winning the Lifetime Achievement Award Idea Sony Scene of the Year Award: The Dirty Picture Award presented by: Manjit Singh and NP Singh of Sony to Vidya Balan, who comes on behalf of the producers of The Dirty Picture to accept the award FILMFARE MUSIC AWARDS Best Music Director Award: AR Rahman for Rockstar Award presented by: Abhishek Bachchan and Deepika Padukone to AR Rahman Trivia: This is the 2500th Filmfare Trophy to be given away. It's a diamond studded trophy designed by PC Jewellers.
"I want to thank Imtiaz, and all the singers of Rockstar, and everyone who has worked on the music along with me." - AR Rahman on winning the award.
Best Lyrics Award: Irshad Kamil for 'Nadaan Parindey' of Rockstar Award presented by: Anu Malik and Anuradha Paudwal to Irshad Kamil Best Playback (Male) Award: Mohit Chauhan for 'Jo Bhi Mein' from Rockstar "Thank you so much. It's really special tonight over here.
I want to thank my parents back home in Himachal. I want to thank Rahman saab for creating such awesome songs for Rockstar.
I want to thank Imtiaz for his vision of Jordan , Ranbir Kapoor, Irshad for writing such wonderful lyrics..
. Thank you.
" - Mohit Chauhan on winning the award Best Playback (Female) Award: Rekha Bhardwaj and Usha Uthup for 'Darling' of 7 Khoon Maaf Award presented by: Imtiaz Ali and Urmila Matondkar to Usha Uthup and accepts the award on behalf of Rekha, too and breaks down. "Thank you Filmfare, the mother of all awards in India.
In 42 years, this is my first award! It's unbelievable for me. Thank you to all the music directors, to my family for letting me grow, thank you to Vishal Bhardwajji" - an emotional Usha Uthup on winning the award.
RD Burman Award for Best upcoming Talent: Krishna for Tanu weds Manu Award presented by: Bhushan Kumar and Alka Yagnik to Krishna. Best Choreography: Bosco-Caesar for 'Senorita', Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara "I'd love to thank Zoya, Carlos, Hrithik, Abhay, my wife, my son, Farhan Akhtar.
Id' like to thank my younger brother and partner, Bosco": Caesar "Mom, we got this the Black Beauty is ours": Bosco Best Background Score: Ranjit Barot for Shaitan Award presented by: Sonali Bendre and Goldie Behl to Bijoy Nambiar, who collects the award on Ranjit's behalf. FILMFARE DEBUT AWARDS Best Debut Director Award: Abhinay Deo for Delhi Belly Award presented by: Madhur Bhandarkar and Hasleen Kaur to Abhinay Deo.
Best Debut (Male) Award: Vidyut Jamwal for Force Award presented by: Chunky Pandey and Kajal Aggarwal to Vidyut Jamwal. "I'm speechless.
I'm very happy. Everyone who comes to Mumbai hopes he gets a good movie.
I got that. A good producer, I got that.
A good director, I got that. Then you want the film to make a hit, it was a hit, Then you want an award, I got that.
I would like to thank Nishikant Kamat and a lot of other people, whom I will personally thank tonight." - Vidyut Jamwal on winning the award.
Best Debut (Female) Award: Parineeti Chopra for Ladies vs Ricky Bahl Award presented by: Mr. Amrish Jain (Idea Cellular) and Dia Mirza to Parineeti.
"I told myself that if I won today, I wouldn't cry, but I can't help myself. Thank You the whole team of Ladies vs Ricky Bahl, my family.
This is my sixth award this season, and it's so motivating. I'm going to work very hard.
I've grown up watching the Filmfare Awards and to hold one now is an out of the world experience." - Parineeti Chopra on winning the award.
FILMFARE TECHNICAL AWARDS Best Action: Mathhias Barsch for Don 2. Producer Ritesh Sidhwani collects the award on his behalf.
Ritesh dedicates the award to Priyanka's stunt double Bibi who died under unfortunate circumstances. Best Cinematography: Carlos Catalan for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Award presented by: Mr.
Shashi Shankar (Idea Cellular) and Mahie Gill to Carlos Catalan. "I'm very nervous.
I'd like to thank my producers, Zoya: she's great fun to work with. I'd like to thank my Indian and Spanish crew"- Carlos Catalan on winning the award Best Editing: Huzefa Lokhandwala for Delhi Belly Abhinay Deo collects the award on his behalf.
Best Production Design: Shashank Tere for Delhi Belly Award presented by: Kunal Kohli and Neha Dhupia to Shashank Tere for Delhi Belly. Shashank isn't here, and Jim the co-writer of the movie collects it on his behalf.
Best Sound Design: Nakul Kamte for Don 2 Award presented by: Sarah Jane Dias presents the award to Farhan Akhtar. Nakul wasn't here to collect the award but sent an acceptance speech with Farhan in case he won.
And win he did! Best Costume Design Award: The first Award of the night has been declared. Niharika Khan for The Dirty Picture Thank you Filmfare, thank you Vidya for letting make me take your clothes off.
Thank you to the actors who let me keep their clothes on: Nasseruddin Shah and the entire cast. Thank you Milan.
Thank you my husband and children for letting me do my job. - Niharika Khan on winning the award.
Also check : Filmfare Awards 2011 Nominations
(less)Kolkata to host La Tomatina Festival
Now, the buzz is that Kolkata too is preparing to host a similar event in a water park on October 16. The organizers have already got as many as 1,800 enthusiasts who want to participate in the event.
Simultaneously, there are many who think that a festival that involves revellers throwing squashed tomatoes at each other smacks of bad taste and an utter disrespect for food. The moot point now is whether Kolkata will finally be able to host the event.
Says Sourav Mallik, one of the organizers of the festival who is now doing his diploma in financial accounting, "I was impressed with the depiction of the La Tomatina Festival in " Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara " and thought it would be pretty nice to organize such an event. The Hrithik-Katrina scenes were really cool.
My next step was to create a page on a social networking site. That was done a month ago and I now have 1,800 people who are keen on this event.
White is the dress code and beachwear will certainly not be allowed." The original La Tomatina Festival is held on the last Wednesday of August each year in the town of Bunol near Valencia in Spain.
It began sometime in 1944/1945 though no one is exactly certain about the origin of this Festival. Thousands of people from all parts of the world come to attend the "World's Biggest Food Fight" where more than 100 metric tons of over-ripe tomatoes are thrown in the streets.
The week-long Festival features music, parades, dancing and fireworks. On the night before the tomato fight, participants of the Festival compete in a paella cooking contest too.
Participants are advised to wear safety goggles and gloves. In addition, they must squish the tomatoes before throwing for safety precautions.
Another rule is that no one is allowed to carry anything that might lead to a serious brawl. Although it is forbidden to tear someone else's clothing, the crowd invariably rips the shirt of any clothed person.
However, Sourav is clear that ripping off clothes will be strictly prohibited at the Kolkata event. While there is a lot of excitement about the event, criticism has been flying in thick and strong.
Says Rupsha Dasgupta, wife of singer Rupam, "We have been taught never to waste food. These guys are comparing this festival with Holi and Diwali! What they fail to understand is that in Holi and Diwali, people who make the crackers and colours, benefit from us buying them.
But these tomatoes would not have gone to waste in our country had they not organized such a festival. In Spain, such a festival can be organized because they use over-ripe tomatoes which otherwise would have gone to waste.
But that certainly isn't the case in Kolkata. This is shameful.
" Rahul Shah, a banker and another organizer of the Kolkata event, says, "We are getting a very good response for the event. We are aware that this event was called off in Delhi.
If people can waste so much of water during Holi and still celebrate Diwali despite the concerns of global warming/noise pollution, why should there be any problems with this event?" Sourav, on his part, adds, "We are aware of the reservations. We will only use rotten tomatoes.
If fresh tomatoes are used, it will only be for serving mocktails. We are also planning to call some underprivileged children and donate 10-20 per cent of the money collected from the event towards charitable purposes.
" Well, only time will say who is going to squeeze the fun out of tomatoes
(less)Mammootty vows to boycott liquor in films
"I always try to avoid such scenes but at times it becomes imperative to do it because the situation demands it," Mammootty said at the event. "From now on I will do my best to avoid such scenes which depict liquor or liquor imposed scenes," added Mammootty, the top actor of the Malayalam film industry for two decades.
Pointing to director Priyadarshan at the event, Mammootty said: "You have to ask people like him (Priyadarshan) because they ask us to do this and that. But let me tell you, I will do my best to do away with such scenes.
" Oommen Chandy said people should try to rid Kerala of the tag of being India's largest liquor consumer. "Not long ago Kerala was known for the huge strides it made in literacy and its health status.
But of late it has taken a back seat and we are now known as the top liquor consuming state. "This has to change.
We hope that promotional material like this (Mammootty's documentary) will do us a world of good," the chief minister said. According to a report, liquor sales rose to all time high of Rs.
6,730.30 crore in 2010-11 from Rs.
5,539.85 crore in 2009-10.
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(less)7 Aum Arivu spells magic at box office, Surya excited
" "Theatre owners told me that there were segments of audience who returned to theatres after many years, just to see the film," he said. Talking about mixed reactions to the film he said that he had faith in the director's concept.
Apparently, Rajinikanth saw the film and complimented him on his hard work and asked him to keep it up. During the making of the movie, Surya gave his inputs and said: "I did say what I felt at various points and they took suggestions, which were feasible.
" Talking about the portions that had been censored in Sri Lanka, the actor said: "The censor boards in different countries have different rules and everyone has to abide by it." He also said that his father, who usually does not comment on his films, told him, "This is the first time you have done something like this.
" In 7 Aum Arivu , he romanced Shruti Haasan, daughter of Kamal Haasan, and he joked that he was scared of her only for the first three days. "It was like watching Kamal sir coming at first, but I soon got over it.
" The actor is currently busy with K.V.
Anand's Maatran and said that his character will be unique something never seen before. Tweet
(less)Teaming up for action romcom
This exciting venture has many firsts. It sees director Imtiaz Ali (Jab We Met, Love Aaj Kal, Rockstar) step in as a creative producer and wife Preety Ali being launched as the co-producer.
She has recently set up a production house named PI Films. Choreographer Bosco of the famous Bosco-Caesar duo will direct the project.
Commenting on the development, Siddharth Roy Kapur, CEO of the the production house, says, "It's great to collaborate with Imtiaz, Preety and Bosco on this project. From the day our team saw MGIAA, we knew it was a film we had to remake in Hindi.
The characters of the two leads are so endearing and the situations they find themselves in so hilarious, that it's the perfect recipe for an action romcom! We showed the film to Imtiaz and he felt the same. Getting Bosco on board to helm the project puts it in the perfect zone creatively and the whole team is now raring to go.
" Imtiaz adds, "It is very exciting. It seems like full on fun - both the film and the making.
A crazy, high energy, no-holds-barred rollercoaster ride with a highly huggable hero and a hyper heroine. Most exciting for me is that Bosco is directing the film.
I don't think many people know how to put fun on screen like Bosco. And I'm there to add to the chaos!" What's the film about? My Girlfriend Is An Agent is the story of two spies who have been assigned the mission to stop a Russian crime group from stealing an advanced chemical weapon.
While one of them is a sexy secret agent who is a master of martial arts and envied by her comrades, the other is a rookie known to botch up every mission he's ever been on. Interestingly, they were once deeply in love but neither is aware of the other's real job.
The two try to work out their complicated relationship while trying to save the world
(less)We have issues with Kangana, admit Rascals' producers
B-town is abuzz with rumours that Kangana has demanded more money from the producers. The actress did not attend the music launch of the film, nor was she present for the launch of its first look.
"We do have issues with Kangana. She has this starry attitude," said co-producer Sanjay Ahluwalia.
Rascals is produced by Sanjay Dutt, Sanjay Ahluwalia and Vinay Choksey. The film releases on October 7.
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(less)Agneepath can't beat Bodyguard, says KRK
So congratulations to team", tweets KRK. Agneepath had a starry screening last night" amazing screening for Agneepath last night with the cast n crew.
. karan malhotra take a bow! Kaali Aali re aali", tweets excited Priyanka Chopra .
Sanjay Dutt , Hrithik Roshan and Priyanka Chopra's starrer Agneepath is the remake of the 1990 Hindi film 'Agneepath'. The story revolves around Hrithik Roshan who takes an oath to bring back the glory of his fathers name and take revenge against Kancha Cheena.
The movie is all set to be released on 26 th January. Sources indicate that the film has reportedly costs its makers around 62 cr, with print and publicity the film has already recovered around 35 cr from the sale of satellite rights; 15 cr from the overseas rights given to Eros International and also approximately 10 cr from music and other rights.
Let's wait and watch whether it will break Bodyguards' first day record or not
(less)Salman continues winning streak in year 2011
If Bollywood's knight in shining armour bailed the industry out in 2009 and 2010, he boosted the box office business this year too with "Bodyguard" and "Ready". In both, neither the content was premium, nor were the performances superlative, but what helped the actor stand out were the big bucks his films yielded at the box office, strengthening his position as a bankable star.
2) Aamir Khan : What one missed in Salman Khan's films was prominently present in Aamir Khan-starrer "Dhobi Ghat". Aamir wowed his fans as a lonely painter in the directorial debut of his wife Kiran Rao, who deftly handled a bouquet of stories, travelling across various sections of society in the lanes and bylanes of Mumbai.
The actor had just one release, that too, consciously designed for niche audiences, but everyone eulogised it, saying, "Wow! What a performance! What an actor!" If that were not enough, Aamir was admired for daring to produce adult comedy "Delhi Belly" and the film's success further strengthened his image in volatile Bollywood . 3) Ranbir Kapoor: If his great grandfather, grandfather and parents are admired and respected for their cinematic genius, Ranbir Kapoor has proved that he is a true torch-bearer of the Kapoor khandan.
The youngster excelled in his only release " Rockstar ", which was marred by a bad script. His role required a range of emotions and he stood out in every scene and kept the audiences hooked.
4) Shah Rukh Khan: Romance is his forte! But this time Shah Rukh Khan donned the garb of a superhero in "RA.One" to woo his fans.
Though the film was not appreciated much for its content, his fans liked him as a geek scientist and as a superhero. He also earned praise for the use of technology, innovative marketing and promotional techniques to promote his product.
5). Amitabh Bachchan: Retirement? No way, says Big B.
Instead he is grabbing central roles at the age of 69 and this year too he came out with two films "Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap" and "Aarakshan" - as different as chalk and cheese. If the former saw him as a flamboyant underworld don, the latter featured him as a college principal fighting for the rights of students.
In terms of business, neither were money spinners, but as far as acting is concerned, Amitabh is Amitabh. He was terrific in both the roles and critics gave him a thumbs up.
6) Farhan Akhtar: When there is a huge star cast, it is not easy to make an impression. But Farhan Akhtar did that in " Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara ", which also starred Abhay Deol and Hrithik Roshan.
The art of acting is all about sensitivity, emoting, feelings -and Farhan got them all right. 7) Hrithik Roshan: Usually seen in over-the-top roles, Hrithik Roshan for the first time did a role that was slightly offbeat and closer to reality.
If "Kites" didn't allow him to fly high in the sky, his performance in "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" helped him unleash his potential as an actor. 8) R.
Madhvan: An NRI, who belongs to a middle-class family, returns home to find a wife. He encounters a drunken girl, who is not interested in marrying him.
But her spirit is such that he falls head over heels in love with her and it becomes heartbreaking for him to let her go with some other guy. Madhavan not only suited the role, but he revelled in it, earning plaudits from both critics and fans.
9) Abhay Deol: He emerged as the dark horse. Be it a doomed lover in "Dev D" or a smart thief in "Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye", he has effortlessly carried his roles in the past.
He continued his winning streak as a confused lover in "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara". 10) Saif Ali Khan: This Khan showed his sparks in "Omkara" and after that he embarked on a journey that showed his versatility.
This year he had just one release in "Aarakshan", which was not a super hit, but the film's box office performance didn't overshadow Saif's work. Critics felt he scored very highly in sincerity, subtlety and sheer screen presence as a Dalit boy in the movie, highlighting the reservation issue.
(Arpana can be contacted at arpana.s@ians.
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(less)Agneepath rare action film with scope for music: Atul-Ajay
If you see action films, where's the scope for music? Even the original Agneepath had three or four songs," Atul Gogavale told IANS on behalf of the duo. "Our album has six songs, and we have tried to maintain a good variety with one intense Ganpati song, one qawwali, one romantic number, another song capturing the emotions of a brother and sister.
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We wanted to give this album our best because it is very special for us," he added. Ajay-Atul entered the film industry in 2004.
They primarily composed for Marathi films, and earned acclaim for their tunes in the 2009 film Jogwa , for which they won a national award. They have even composed for Bollywood albums like Viruddh, My Friend Pinto and Singham .
But Agneepath , the music rights of which are with Sony Music, is close to their heart for a reason. "We have watched the original Agneepath at least 200 times.
We are so inspired by the aura of that movie and by Mukul S. Anand's background score and can relate with the story so much, that we knew exactly what kind of music we wanted to create for the remake.
"It is almost like a dream come true to recreate that aura, especially because we are such big fans of the film. We wanted to keep the same grandeur of music that people used to listen to in the 1980s, which is missing nowadays.
So we used a lot of live instruments and a lot of percussion to bring that feeling alive," said Atul. Their spicy song Chikni chameli , a Hindi version of their own Marathi hit Kombadi palali , is already a rage on all music channels and radio stations.
The duo is glad that through the movie, they have got the chance to take their Marathi tune beyond regional cinema. "The song is a great move for Marathi cinema because you never had so much confluence of talent within India.
The song is very peppy, and Karan Johar wanted us to do a Hindi version of it for the film. Of course, Katrina Kaif's dance has added to the song and we are glad with the way it has been received," he added.
Agneepath features Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra and Sanjay Dutt in key roles. The movie, directed by debutant Karan Malhotra, will release Jan 26 next year.
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