Sunday, May 18, 2008
Rajpal Yadav to fight ‘The great Khali’
Dalip Singh aka Khali could not get a warmer welcome in Bollywood. He already has two films in his hold. Also May 16 proved to be indeed doubly lucky for him coz of two reasons- one being the announcement of his film ‘Kushti’ and secondly for receiving an IFDB (International Federation Diploma in Body Building) award. To be directed by Rajeev Kumar and made under the banner of Venus Films, ‘Kushti’ also stars Rajpal Yadav, Asrani, Nargis and Manoj Joshi.
Shedding some light on the storyline Rajpal informs, “The story set in a village revolves around a postman played by me who is trying to get his gal (Nargis). Unfortunately, for him, her father is a wrestler and wants his daughter to marry one too, which happens to be Khali. Now in order to marry Nargis I have to fight Khali and defeat him.”
Rajeev Kumar is all praises for Khali and says, “Khali is an extremely down to earth and professional guy. He gave his 100% to the film. Initially, I was quite apprehensive as to how will things shape up considering his huge body and attitude but he got into the skin of the character very easily that things eventually started falling in place.”
The wrestler talking about his experiences said, “I had been flooded by many offers before but due to constant warnings about the corruption in bollywood I withheld myself from signing films.” He goes on to add, “However, after meeting Rajeev Kumar and Rajpal Yadav, all my fears vanished and I had a wonderful time working with them. Kushti is a musical film and I hope my Indian audiences watch and at the same time like it.”
Kushti is in its post-production period and is expected to release this year.
Wonder! Preity too at Cannes…
Preity Zinta looking gorgeous while attending the Soiree Chopard photocall at international the Cannes Film Festival 2008 currently underprogress at Cannes, France. Check our preity zinta’s latest photograph of cannes.
Emraan Hashmi cashing on the popularity of IPL
Friday saw the release of Bhatt camp’s ‘Jannat’ which revolves around match fixing in cricket. The makers of the film went on for a pre-release bash for the cast and crew of the film on May 15. Also celebrating the debutante actress Sonal Chauhan’s birthday, the party continued till late night.
It was here that Emraan brought in his creativity. Attired in a cool white T-shirt, Emraan had eyeballs popping due to the funky slogan on his T-shirt which read “IFL. - Indian Fixed League- starts May 16”. Now, that is a real unique way of drawing attention both to oneself and to the film!
Priyanka’s red-haired look is an inspiration by Rowena Baweja
The Talent runs in Baweja household, literally. Not many know, Priyanka Chopra’s new red-haired look in Harry Baweja’s Love Story 2050 was inspired by the portrait of a woman painted by none other than Baweja daughter Rowena. Ironically, she did the sketch two years ago after sitting in on the numerous brainstorming sessions for the storyboards.
Says Rowena, “The film being my brother’s debut, played on my mind and I sketched a portrait of a woman based on what I heard from the script. And after we shot Love Story 2050, the film’s characterization turned out to be quite similar in terms of the woman of 2008 and tomorrow’s woman.”
On the sets of Rab ne bana di jodi
Thirteen years after Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge took the country by storm, and eight years after Mohabbatein, Aditya Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan have come together for their new film, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.
And it was evident that SRK was approaching this new role with his old comrade with as much passion as ever on the first day of shooting on May 16.
“Starting the first day of shooting still gives me goose bumps,” Shah Rukh said. “And to make films with Yash Raj, that too when Adi is directing, is an experience that is more than 100 percent exciting. Yash Raj Films is, and will always be, home for me and who doesn’t love coming home? Yashji and Adi have always given me roles that have gotten me love and appreciation from fans all over the world. And this time Adi has again written a character for me to play that I think will become as beloved as Raj of DDLJ was.”
The film stars newcomer Anushka Sharma, who was eagerly looking forward to this day — the first day of shooting. Yash Chopra was also present on the sets.
Shahrukh’s new Leading Lady, Anushka Sharma
Recently, Yash Chopra, Chairman, Yash Raj Films, announced that a nineteen year old Bangalorean girl has been selected to play the female lead role opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Aditya Chopra’s third film as director “Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi”.
Said Yash Chopra, “We were looking first and foremost for someone who could truly embody the spirit of small town Punjab and we know we have found her in Anushka. And while she has no previous acting experience, we have seen that unique spark in her that makes us confident that she will be a standout even opposite Shah Rukh. The shooting of ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’ will be starting from 16th of May and will hit theatres worldwide on the 12th of December.”
It is the most anticipated movie of the year as the superhit jodi of Shahrukh Khan & Aditya Chopra are coming together after eight years. The last movie they done together is the longest running movie in Indian History “Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge”.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Riya Sen gaining weight? Look at her thighs
She sure did gain a lot of weight. And it’s so embrassing to release these pictures. Well have a look and tell us what you think?
Akshay Kumar says no to comedy
Akshay Kumar who is back to doing action films this year has been refusing to do comedies if reports are to be believed. Apparently, when director Priyadarshan offered the action king Billoo Barber, Akshay who was busy with Chandni Chowk To China Town turned down the film.
Priyadarshan then approached Shah Rukh Khan who agreed to launch the film as his home production. Sources claim that when Priyadarshan once again approached Akshay with another comedy script, Akshay begged out of the film citing reasons that he wasn’t doing comedy this year.
Naturally, the director was disappointed to know that Akshay wasn’t doing the film. Since the duo had worked together in hits like Hera Pheri, Bhool Bhulaiya and Bhagam Bhag, Priyadarshan was keen to work with Akshay in a comedy again. But the action king is keen on doing only action films and all because of his four year old son Aarav. Aarav loves action and likes watching his dad fly around like a superhero.
His forthcoming film Chandni Chowk To China Town has Akshay performing great stunt scenes on the Great Wall Of China. Roger Yuan from Shanghai Knights will be one of Akshay’s adversaries in the sequence. Even in Vipul Shah’s Singh Is Kinng, Akshay is in full action mode.
Ranbir is my boyfriend : Deepika
Deepika Padukone may keep quite when asked personal questions here in India. But she was not so silent in Dubai. According to reports, she was quite frank and forthcoming in answering the numerous questions the local Gulf press asked her.
She also denied rumours of a break-up with actor Ranbir Kapoor. She said they were still very much an item, and were currently happy with the relationship.
“Yes I have a boyfriend and we are happy,” she supposedly said during a recent visit to Dubai as the brand ambassador of a real estate company. Then why the rumours? “There is always a lot of speculation, but that is something you have to deal with. We are together and I refer to him as my boyfriend.” Deepika is currently working on Nikhil Advani’s Chandni Chowk to China, with Akshay Kumar.
Celina is shocked over public apathy
Celina Jaitley is in a state of shock after her brother had a near-fatal accident in an army cantonment town in Madhya Pradesh.
“He could’ve died on the road, right there…my parents’ only son, my brother,” Celina, who has featured in films like “No Entry” and “Apna Sapna Money Money”, told IANS. The accident took place in Mhow.
“And would you believe, my brother Vikrant, a captain in the army, who was posted in Lebanon with the UN peacekeeping force, lay in a pool of blood for 25 minutes unattended after being in a hit-and-run accident. People just stood and stared at this army man in uniform as he lay dying,” she added.
“Until a Muslim gentleman passed by, saw the scene, found my brother’s mobile thrown off at a distance. The gentleman, god bless his soul, dialled the last number on my brother’s mobile which happened to belong to my father, a retired army colonel.
“Can you imagine a father being told his only son is lying unconscious in a pool of blood on the road? My father ran all the way from our home to the spot. Fortunately, an army doctor who happened to be passing by had taken charge of the situation by the time my father arrived.
“They both kept screaming and shouting at my brother to keep him from slipping into coma until they reached the hospital. Otherwise anything could’ve happened.”
The actress was busy shooting for Rohit Shetty’s “Golmaal Returns” in Goa. On hearing the news, she rushed home.
“I had to rush to Mhow to be with my parents. I felt really guilty that I wasn’t there for them when this happened. Then I had to rush back to Goa because it was the climax shooting of ‘Golmaal Returns’ and there was no way I could be relieved. I shot the climax, then rushed back to be with my parents.
“I’ve hardly slept in the last one week. Fortunately, he is now out of danger and has been shifted to Lucknow. But no one can imagine what I’ve gone through.”
What really bothers Celina beyond the immediate crisis is the apathy of common people.
“No one helped my brother. Women just stood there with their dupattas to their mouths, men just looked on curiously, when everyone in Mhow knows my father as retired Colonel Vikram Jaitley. Our home is known as the Jaitley kothi.
“In fact, some over-concerned types took my brother’s shattered helmet from the accident site and gave it to my mother at home who was deliberately kept clueless about my brother. She thought the worst had happened.” However, the worse is over.
Movie Review: Bhootnath
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Aman Siddiqui, Juhi Chawla, Priyanshu Chatterjee, Rajpal Yadav, Satish Shah
Director: Vivek Sharma
Ratings: ** 1/2
“Bhootnath” is that rare film set in Goa where you don’t see a single bikini-clad woman. The songs are colourful, but they are done with the devilish delight of a rock concert rather than the calculated manoeuvres of choreographic manipulation.
Indeed, debutant director Vivek Sharma harks back to an artless innocence to tell the tale of a benign ghost who comes to life.
The film’s most delectable aspect is the rapport that grows between the ghost (Amitabh Bachchan) and the fearless little boy (Aman Siddiqui) who comes to live in the dead man’s mansion, takes on the ghost and even gets the better of him. Both Bachchan and the boy have a ball. So do we, in portions.
The film’s best scenes feature the Big B with the incredibly confident and polished Aman. The pair just takes over the screen and makes you forget the narrative’s all-too-apparent flaws.
There are plot-holes large enough to make “Bhootnath” an uneasy bumpy ride. But Amitabh and Aman make you smile as they frolic, sing, banter and deliver some really heartwarming homilies on the quality of existence.
Of late, the Big B has been repeatedly seen in interactive situations with little kids. After Ayesha Kapoor in “Black”, Rucha Vaidya in “Ek Ajnabee” and Sweeni Khare in “Cheeni Kum”, he brings a sense of cross-generation harmony with another acutely cute and young co-star.
While the kids in the other three films were traumatized to one degree or another, Aman plays a normal, bratty but sensitive kid, yet another addition to the growing brood of brilliant child actors in Bollywood after Darsheel Safary in “Taare Zameen Par”.
The director lets the child be. He imposes no adult perceptions on him. The narration consequently carries an air of old-world naivete to the end. There are no breaks for romantic songs, item numbers and other modern day quirks and compromises.
“Bhootnath” glides forward with the unconscious skill of a little boat in a tranquil lake, which knows where it wants to go without creating any stress within the pace of the grace.
And what would Bhootnath be without the Big B, sportingly sharing lines, visuals, songs and drama with a child who gives him tit for tat, and more?
The rapport between the wandering spirit and the spirited kid could have fallen apart were it not for the cool camaraderie between them. While one is unschooled in acting therefore totally spontaneous, the other is so skilled and schooled that he readily redefines what is cool.
The duo apart, the other characters are largely sketchy. Rajpal Yadav with shoe-polish on his face plays one of the stereotypical Goan drunkards.
Priyanshu Chatterjee as the dead man’s ungrateful son struggles to give substance to an under-written role. His character brings into play the age-old conflict between old-world values where a home was considered much more than financial asset, and the new generation which thinks property can be easily bought. Known for their movies that convey moral messages, producers B.R. and Ravi Chopra couldn’t let go of the chance to make a social statement.
Juhi Chawla as the flustered mom is sweet and angelic. But she is unable to add anything to the drama beyond a point.
Interestingly, Shah Rukh Khan in a guest appearance clearly tries to improvise on the badly written dialogues mainly in scenes where he pokes fun at his wife’s cooking.
Shah Rukh and Juhi continue to share a quaint if not crackling chemistry. But the chemistry here is clearly between the ghost of a 65-year-old and a 10-year-old child who knows he’s up against a formidable adversary.
Or maybe he doesn’t. Sometimes the motivations underlying spontaneity can be the very opposite of fear.
“Bhootnath” tells us ghosts are not scary, they can be fun. At the end of the blithe film we believe the director even if we don’t belive in ghosts at all.
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