Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Harman tries to shake off Hrithik jinx

Harman has been taking the comparisons with Hrithik Roshan on his chin. At his music launch last week, when someone in audience shouted 'Hey Hrithik', Harman smiled and said, "can't help the way I look. It's what my parents gave me". The ongoing comparisons between Hrithik Roshan and debutant Harman Baweja are now being nipped in the bud.

The Bawejas have decided to avert any more comparisons with the Krissh star and also to curb the unnecessary digs at Harman's glamorous girlfriend. Since it was felt that Harman even sounded like Hrithik, the newcomer's dubbing for Love Story 2050 is being done under strict supervision of a female voice expert who sits with Harman. She listens to every word that Harman dubs and if anywhere he sounds like anyone else, she immediately corrects him. For this reason Harman's dubbing in Love Story 2050 has taken a painfully long while. A month away from the film's release and the actor is still dubbing!

Says a source close to the Bawejas: "Harman is not the least conscious or worried about all the comparisons with Hrithik. They started when Harry Baweja decided to launch his son in a futuristic film. Everyone jumped to the conclusion that it was another Krissh. Then to make matters worse there was the Kareena Kapoor factor. She had opted out of Hrithik Roshan's Kaho Na Pyaar Hai after few days of shooting. The same happened with Harman's Love Story 2050."

Even more worrying to Harman is the manner in which Priyanka Chopra's presence in his life is being seen as a calculated move to gain mileage for the film. The giddy limit was when another debutante Mashoor Amrohi went on television to talk about colleagues who have glamorous girlfriends to flaunt.

Bollywood tough guy 'eyes Indian politics'

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/10/23/dutt_narrowweb__300x406,0.jpg
Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt, out of jail on bail for a weapons conviction, is considering a move into politics in forthcoming general elections, a report said Wednesday.

Dutt's family has had a long association with politics and his father, Sunil, spent almost two decades in parliament as an MP for the Congress party and also served as a federal sports minister before his death in 2005.

"My father has done social work all his life. Why shouldn't I too do the same as a social servant? Why should I be deprived of an opportunity?" Dutt told the Times of India newspaper.

Sanjay's sister Priya Dutt was elected as a Congress MP for her father's constituency in northwest Mumbai, where India's prolific film industry is based.

"I am sure the party (Congress) will give both of us tickets from two different seats," Dutt was quoted as saying.

Dutt, known for his roles as a tough guy, is one of Bollywood's most popular and bankable stars -- despite his criminal conviction.

Last year the 48-year-old, a former heavy drug user, was found guilty of possessing illegal weapons that he bought from men accused of plotting serial blasts in Mumbai in 1993, which killed more than 250 people.

He was sentenced to six years in jail, but is out on bail pending an appeal.

Last week there were reports that some Mumbai residents had started a petition against Dutt standing for elections because of his conviction.

But he dismissed any whiff of a scandal.

"This theory has been started by people with vested interests. If I get a chance, I will do my best for the people of these areas," he told the paper.

Convicted criminals are not barred from standing for office in India.

A study by an Indian watchdog found that nearly a quarter of the 542 people elected to the federal parliament in 2004 had faced criminal charges, including murder and rape.

Bollywood nights: Has IPL turned cricket into a 'sixy' beast?

It’s over and we’ve survived. The inaugural season of the IPL has been run and won and we can put the circus to rest for at least another year.

The IPL will be seen as a success. Good crowds (albeit supplemented by free tickets), excellent TV ratings – what else could any sporting tournament hope for? With a victory to the Rajasthan Royals, it’s even been won by the underdogs (led by an Aussie) in a cliffhanger final.

That’s not to say that everything is perfect and that there aren’t some lessons to be learned. Probably the most important lesson is that reputations are meaningless. Some of the more fancied players have failed to repay the investment.

Indeed, the Rajasthan Royals were the cheapest franchise, spent the least on players and yet headed the points table at the end of preliminaries and made some of their more fancied opponent look decidedly second rate.

The whole “you get what you paid for” concept has been completely turned on its head. The tournament's leading batsman, Shaun Marsh, was picked up for the bargain basement price of $50,000, the leading bowler, Sohail Tanvir, for a miserly $100,000 and Player of the Tournament, Shane Watson, for an equally thrifty $150,000. Do you think these blokes might look to renegotiate their contracts?

Rajasthan also turned the theory of the game upside down. Traditionally Twenty20 is considered to be a batsman’s game and yet they have three of the top five bowlers in the competition. The game is still evolving and no doubt other teams will take note.

In fact, the whole concept, not just the game itself, is still evolving and there are a number of things that could bear some scrutiny and maybe even change before next year.

Firstly, get rid of the bloody cheerleaders. Dancing girls were introduced to entertain Americans in the interminable breaks in their football games so that the fans didn’t forget why they were there and decide to go home. There is absolutely no need to have them shake their over-stuffed money-makers every time a boundary is scored. And don’t get me started on the male cheerleaders.

Secondly, there should be some reward for finishing at the head of the points table. Rajasthan had probably earned the right to host a home final and give them the best chance of getting to the Grand Final. A neutral ground for the Grand Final is fine, but pre-ordaining finals' venues is a risky business.

The kit that some of the teams force their players to take the field in could also bear some scrutiny. The gold and black outfit of the Kolkata Knight Riders is so garish that it would make Donald Trump blush.

In hindsight, it appears that the TV rights were sold a little cheap - $1bn sounds like a huge sum, but spread over ten years, it’s not quite as impressive.

To put things in perspective the American National Football League demands $3.75bn per year for their TV rights. Even the Australian Football League gets £150m year with only two per cent of the potential viewing audience. It’s probably too late now to ask for a rethink.

There may be a case for a slight name change too. Given that four of the top five batsmen and three of the top five bowlers were imports, there is a good case to change the name to the International Premier League – just kidding, but it’s a thought.

Now, thankfully, it’s back to serious cricket for a while but, no doubt, we haven't seen the back of the IPL just yet. It has captured hearts and minds in its home region, but still has much to do elsewhere. The final was broadcast to 122 nations, but few outside South Asia would have had it as a ratings blockbuster.

As for talk that the IPL could take on the world, there’s an awful lot of work to do first – and that includes convincing the rest of the cricketing world that the IPL is a concept worth backing. But I’m sure that if the BCCI thinks there’s a quid in it, they’ll give it a red hot go.

One final question. What is the obsession with royalty all about? There are two kings, two royals and a knight amongst the team names. If someone could explain it, I would be eternally grateful.

I hope Deepika and Ranbir stay together: Kareena Kapoor

By Subhash K Jha Kareena, in her words, is working like a mad woman.

"I've five film in various stages of production. Then I've nine endorsements for which I've to shoot ads round the year.

Plus I've all these stage shows that require rehearsals. I can't seem to find the time to do anything properly," she laments from Melbourne where she's shooting for Salman Khan's Main Aur Mrs Khanna.

She has in fact agreed to perform at IIFA in June and is rehearsing as she has never done. "I'm performing a medley of my songs from Jab We Met and Tashan. Gone are the days when I'd go on stage with just a little practice. Now I want to be my best in every stage performance."

But where's the time! "Here, at Melbourne I'm rehearsing for IIFA at nights and shooting in the day time. Am I over-worked? I'm exhausted. But what choice do I have? I've decided to take my live performances as seriously as my movies and endorsement,"she says.

She's currently Melbourne and will next move to Los Angeles for a long 40-day spell of shooting for Sajid Nadiadwala's Kambhakt Ishq

"I'll be away from home for more than three months at a stretch. I miss home. I miss my family. I've never been so much out of Mumbai. I'll finish shooting here, then head to perform at the IIFA.

In fact I'm working so hard I hardly get sleep. I'm shooting in the day time and I'm rehearsing during the night.I feel like a I haven't slept for ages."

She'll join Saif in London for a week in London from June 20. Saif will be shooting in the city for his first home production to be directed by Imtiaz Ali. Yup, the same film that Deepika Padukone is doing instead of Kareena.

And Deepika is seeing Kareena's star-cousin Ranbir. "I'm so happy for them. I hope they'll be happy together. It feels so nice to have another Kapoor from my generation doing so well.

He was fantastic in Saawariya. He's here's to stay. I feel a sense of pride and belonging for him.The Kapoors and Khans are rocking the industry."

No hard feelings about not being in Saif's first home production?

"None at all," Bebo laughs. "I joked at the Stardust awards about not being in Saif's first production and everyone took it seriously.

Honestly I enjoy meeting him outside Mumbai. At least we can have some privacy. At home me and Saif can't even go out for dinner without people staring at us, constantly judging our behaviour..."

Hrithik shares twin-ship & with whom

Priyanka Chopra’s beau boy Harman Baweja stunned everyone after making his first public appearance for the music launch of his film Love Story 2050 due to his resemblance with Hrithik Roshan.

Harman’s similarity with Hrithik was not just confined to looks but even his mannerism matched with the super hero.

Like Hrithik even Harman has being launched by his father in an expensive science-fiction flick made till date in the history of Bollywood.

This resemblance with Bollywood’s established superstar would surely put up extra burden on this amateur debutant as their comparison relating to different fields acting is bound to happen.

Looking at the dance steps displayed by Harman in promo songs, it seems that he, too, is well prepared in advance to stand up with the challenge and even his dancing style looks to be coming out straight of Hrithik’s book.

We wish this new stud a great comparison ahead!

I am not pregnant: Aishwarya Rai

Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Monday denied media reports that she is in the family way.

'I am not pregnant, ' Aishwarya, looking as glamorous as ever in a formal black suit, told reporters at a press conference at the PVR Ambience shopping mall here, on the outskirts of Delhi.

Aishwarya, along with her husband Abhishek and father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan, was here to launch the Idea Sarkar Raj Yatra.

She also dismissed reports that the couple had bought a bungalow in Dubai to hide her pregnancy from the media.

'I am sitting here in front of you. So, it is not true that we have got a bungalow in Dubai to hide (pregnancy) from the media, ' she said.

Abhishek added: 'We are not expecting a baby. In case we do, we will let you know. We will not rob you of that moment.'

She also clarified that she had not worn Rs.1 million-worth shades in 'Sarkar Raj', that stars all three of them, as reported in the media earlier.

'I am not wearing a Rs.1 million worth sunglass in the film as reported by the media, ' she said.

LUX Junoon… Kucch Kar Dikhane Ka

Tune in to The Battle of the Music Genres beginning on Friday, June 6th at 8.30pm watch Hrithik Roshan, the Goodwill Ambassador lend his support to the participants

Starting June 6th, NDTV Imagine is all set to unveil a fresh concept in music that promises to entertain and delight viewers. Lux Junoon… Kuchh Kar Dikhaane Ka is an exclusive new show that taps into the country's passion for good music, playing out an exciting contest to decide the country's most popular genre of music, namely Folk, Sufi, and Filmy Music! Tune in to the first episode this Friday, June 6th at 8:30 pm and watch the goodwill ambassador of the show Hrithik Roshan lend his support to the 18 talented participants!

Each team will have 6 contestants and will be mentored by an eminent personality from the music industry, namely, Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan for the Sufi Ke Sultan, Ila Arun for Maati ke Lal and Anand Raj Anand for Bollywood Ke Baadshah. Annu Kapoor will be the anchor and host of this brand new musical extravaganza.

Watch Hrithik support the passion, talent, spirit and commitment of the participants on the show!

So don't miss the first episode of this unique musical entertainer, 'Lux Junoon… Kuchh Kar Dikhaane Ka' starting June 6th at 8.30 pm every Friday and Saturday , only on NDTV Imagine!