Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Illeana setting the sea on fire





'Khuda Kay Liye' thaws 43 years of India-Pakistan screen chill

'Khuda Kay Liye' thaws 43 years of India-Pakistan screen chillNew Delhi, April 1 (IANS) The Pakistani film "Khuda Kay Liye", which delves into the rift between radical and liberal Muslims, hits the screens here this week, the first to have a commercial release in India in more than four decades.

The movie, starring Naseeruddin Shah in a key role, has been made by Shoaib Mansoor. Mumbai-based Percept Picture Company has got the rights of the film and is releasing it with 300 prints on April 4.

"We are the first to get the rights of a Pakistani film and it's a big high for us. We are releasing it with 300 prints, including the digital ones," Nadish Bhatia, general manager of the marketing division of the Percept Picture Company told IANS on phone from Mumbai.

"Everybody is saying 'Khamosh Pani' was the first Pakistani film to hit the Indian theatres. It was a French co-production. But 'Khuda Kay Liye' is a Pakistani film and the first one to hit Indian screens in 43 years," Bhatia added.

The movie, which faced opposition from the extremists and Pakistani clerics, was a huge hit in Pakistan.

"The film has made a record in the country. Those who hadn't been to a hall in 35 years made an effort to watch the film," said Mansoor, who was in town to promote his movie.

"We released it with only 10 prints. Pakistan is a small market, but we still made Rs.70 million in Pakistani currency. It is surprising that a film which discusses religion and doesn't have any humour, songs, dance or romance has done so well commercially. It means that it has touched the hearts of people," he added.

Mansoor, who has also produced the movie, made it at a budget of 60 million Pakistani rupees.

"The film has made an impact in Pakistan and abroad and I am confident that it will make an impact here too."

"Khuda Kay Liye" was the first Pakistani film to be included in the official line-up of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) and it struck an instant chord with audiences when showcased there last year.

The film stars Pakistani superstar Shaan, who impresses as the harried protagonist Mansoor, and Rasheed Naz as the Maulana who brainwashes boys. The film also features Pakistan's top model Iman Ali, who plays Maryam, a woman trapped between modernism and conservatism.

Naseeruddin Shah essays a powerful cameo of an Islamic scholar who embodies the voice of reason.

With the lifting of the ban for exchange of films between the two countries, the Pakistan government has allowed it on a condition that films will be strictly "exchanged". For each Hindi title released in Pakistan, an Urdu film will have to be exhibited in India.

Indian movies were banned in Pakistan in 1968 and the Pakistan film industry had to bear huge losses. There were more than 1,000 theatres throughout Pakistan those days, but now it is reduced to just 200.

Compared to India, which churns out about 1,000 films every year, Pakistan's film industry produces just about 40 movies, a fifth of what it churned out during its heyday in the 1970s.

"This action will not only benefit Indian producers but Pakistani filmmakers as well. Now that the films will have legal screenings, Indian producers will get a new market. Its a double whammy for the film industry in Pakistan," Mansoor said.

"Pakistan will get a big Indian market and when Indian films will come there, the business of cinema will flourish. Secondly, release of Indian films will translate in competition for Pakistani filmmakers. In a competition, the underdog benefits. This will help good filmmakers come out and bad filmmakers will automatically vanish," Mansoor said.

Bollywood actress,Bollywood star,Bollywood news & wallpaper

Following the steps of Bollywood king Shah Rukh Khan, Tollywood superstar Mithun Chakraborty has bought the Kolkata Tigers team of the Indian Cricket League (ICL).

Mithun Da, as he is popularly called in West Bengal after he shifted to the Bengali film industry from Bollywood, told IANS: 'Yes, I have bought the Kolkata Tigers of the ICL. Thursday everything will be formally announced after completing some legal formalities.

'I have always been a sports lover and had organised the Raj Kapoor Trophy in Chembur, Mumbai, for several years where big stars played. But it was not just passion that made me buy the team, there is business in it also.'

The king of disco dance said: 'I am an entertainer and Twenty20 is a fantastic form of entertainment. There is craze and good business in it. So I decided to try my luck.' Asked how much he spent on the team, Mithun said: 'At present I cannot reveal the figure, but it is certainly a triple digit in crores (tens of millions).'

He said after completing the formalities he would go for an overhaul of the team and add to its sheen by giving it a logo along with a slogan and a theme song. On whether he wanted to rename the side Bengal Tigers, he said: 'I have strongly recommended it. Kolkata is the capital of Bengal, but my side will represent all the people of the I have fans in every corner of the State.'

Asked what made him go for a team in ICL and not Indian Premier League (IPL), Mithun said: 'I woke up late. The realisation that I could even own a team and make it into a profitable business venture dawned late on me.

'There is no question of competing with Shah Rukh Khan. He is one of the finest gentlemen I have come across and he gives a lot of respect to his co-stars. Besides, you can't compare our popularity. He is way above me.'

On whether his Bengal Tigers would imbibe his fighting spirit, the reigning hero of Tollywood said: 'Undoubtedly so. Life has never been a bed of roses for me. I have fought for everything and my team will be a fighter too.'

Bollywood News & Wallpaper

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Riya Sen: Let’s play Holi!
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Kim Sharma
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Tulip Joshi
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