Album List
Salman Khan to star in remake of Bodyguard (03:07 AM March 18th)
He has been the heart throb of Bollywood for decades now, and the audiences have been witness to the varied characters he has played throughout his career, he is Salman Khan. The latest development is that Sallu bhai is all set to star in the remake of the south film Bodyguard.
The film which is being produced by Atul Agnihotri is still in the adaptation stages. However, Atul confirms saying, "Yes. Even though we are still adapting the script to fit the Bollywood audiences, we have confirmed Salman to play the lead role in it, while for the leading lady we are yet to decide and are keeping the options open."
The original, which was directed by Siddiqui, will have him behind the camera for the remake as well, says Atul, "As for the direction of the film, I have known Siddiqui for quite some time now. In fact, we were in talks when he was making the film down south. And now after it has acclaimed fame, I think there is no one better to direct it than him."
However, a little while ago there had been rumours that said that the rights for the film were with Boney Kapoor, to which Atul firmly states, "This is total rubbish. If there was anything like that Boney would have definitely told me, the rights for the remake have always been with me."
Further Atul tells us, "Right now, we are working on the adaptation of the film. Once this is complete, we will launch the making and finalize of the lyrics for the songs. Since most of the film has a lot of outdoor shoots, we are looking to start the shoot some where in the last three months of this year, while keeping in mind a tentative summer release for the film."
FICCI Frames Diary, Day 2 (12:27 AM March 18th)
FICCI FRAMES had a quick start on Day 2 and though the turnout didn't seem as high as a day 1, there were an interesting set of sessions. The highlights-
The first keynote of the day was delivered by Ronnie Screwvala of UTV, where he shed light on the future of the film industry.
A highly engaging panel discussion underlining the need of the hour of the Indian film industry - good screenplays. The session The Screenplay: Indian Cinema's Missing Link was moderated by Ben Rekhi. The panel constituted prolific writers like - Javed Akhtar, Kamlesh Pandey, Steven de Souza and Vijay Krishna Acharya. The lone producer amongst these writers on the panel was UTV Motion Pictures CEO Siddharth Roy Kapoor. The writers expressed concern over the shoddy treatment Indian screenwriters are given by the producers, who do not realize the importance of a good screenplay. Everyone on the panel agreed that the prime reason for the high failure rate of Indian films was essentially, poor scripts. The sooner the producers and writers come together on the same platform to create well written screenplays the better for the film industry.
MJ Akbar gave a standalone keynote on the current state of Indian journalism and print media. His talk was in relation to the impact of advertising, politics and changing consumer needs on the news content. In his opinion the major decisions regarding the content in today's age are not necessarily influenced by advertising, but the 'board room'. The media and news industry today has grown immensely and with the high volume of money at stake - the business honchos in board rooms will have the upper hand in influencing content. He shared his views on how a newspaper can develop its credibility in spite of external pressures. His speech also drove home the point that the emergence on new media forms wouldn't cannibalize the existing news media available as each one has its distinct properties, and that newspapers are here to stay for a very long time.
A session on VFX, discussed the global perspective, upcoming trends, and future of the VFX industry. The panel consisted of VFX experts like EyeQube's Charles Darby, Visual Effects Society's Tim McGovern, Kerner's Eric Edmeades and Autodesk's Bruno Sargeant.
A session on filmmaking opportunities abroad and co-productions was helpful in dispensing information on the supporting infrastructure available for filmmakers to film abroad. Also, the Q&A that followed was enlightening to all those from film production background as the experienced panel was able to answer their questions to T.
Like yesterday, another seminar focusing on the current trends in Indian television content was held, titled Through The Looking Glass: Has Indian Television Matured? The seminar was moderated by Anil Wanvari, founder of IndianTelevision.com and the panel consisted of heads from different broadcasting houses. The session emphasized on the changing viewing patterns that are influencing content creation.
The Great Film Debate: Do Film Reviews Matter? was the topic under discussion at yet another panel discussion, which proved to be the most entertaining and peppy discussions yet. Moderated by Julian Alcantra of Corona pictures and his panel consisted of renowned Hollywood film producer - Lawrence Bender, filmmakers - Anurag Kashyap and Karan Johar, critics - Rajeev Masand and Komal Natha, and business journalist - Vanita KOhli Khandekar. While Lawrence Bender, maintained a calm stand that reviews are influential and helpful for a film but cannot necessarily affect its success, Karan Johar on the other hand took the opportunity to vehemently criticize the film critics in our country and imposing that their reviews can never affect a film's success. Anurag Kashyap believed that 'good-ratings' in reviews do help low budget films like his own, as they prompt the audiences to go visit cinema halls and check a new movie out. The discussion raised the necessity of having trained film reviewers who had an understanding of film aesthetics and could comment on a film in a constructive manner, even if they had negative opinions. Amongst the other questions that came forth during the discussion were whether film reviews are biased, as it's often the case that publications and television channels that are media partners of films and the reviewers have to maintain a warm relation with the filmmakers for other stories.
The evening concluded with the BAF Awards for animation, gaming and VFX.
Rahul Dev's a brave heart! (09:25 PM March 17th)
Bollywood's bad guy Rahul Dev will be seen playing a pivotal role in Vikram Bhatt's next horror flick SHAAPIT. It so happened that while he was shooting for the movie, his wife was...
Mandira Bedi's a household name in England (09:25 PM March 17th)
The Indian premier league (IPL) has taken the British market by storm on ITV. Backed by effervescent programming anchored by our very own Mandira Bedi, Itv seems to have broken all records in...
Sudipto Chattopadhyay: PANKH is for urban audiences (09:25 PM March 17th)
In less than a month's time from now, a film that has been highly spoken about and eagerly awaited will hit the screens. Titled PANKH, the film stars Bipasha Basu in the lead. Actually...
What makes Deepika Padukone blush? (09:25 PM March 17th)
Deepika Padukone is not the coy girl that you would expect her to be. But, on certain occasions the bold diva cannot hold back her blush. Especially when someone is getting openly smitten by...
Raima's loss is Neetu's gain... again! (09:25 PM March 17th)
After replacing Raima Sen in RANN for a sensuous role, this time Neetu Chandra replaces Raima again in Jag Mundhra's forthcoming thriller APARTMENT which also stars ex-miss universe...
Prachi Desai, Rajeev Khandelwal turned down four films with each other! (09:25 PM March 17th)
Prachi Desai and Rajeev Khandelwal are all set to be seen on screen together. No, no, don't worry, they are not quitting the silver screen for TV. The duo would be starring together in...
Priyanka Chopra to take directions from Arshad Warsi! (09:25 PM March 17th)
Arshad Warsi is all set to direct Priyanka Chopra in his debut directorial film that is titled AKKAD. According to reports the film will be a tribute to the classic Bollywood action film...
Abhishek Bachchan - Rohan Sippy winning combination in DUM MAARO DUM (09:25 PM March 17th)
Having had a successful year with SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, AVATAR and MY NAME IS KHAN - Fox STAR Studios India announced its association with Rohan Sippy Entertainment for their latest project DUM...
Ranbir Kapoor to play Kishore Kumar? (09:25 PM March 17th)
Ranbir Kapoor seems to be becoming the preferred choice for many big roles post his hit story at the Bollywood box office. Now, the latest news is that Ranbir Kapoor has been approached to play...
Kareena Kapoor: I have chosen the safest Khan (09:25 PM March 17th)
Kareena Kapoor cannot stop being ecstatic after delivering one of the recent box office blockbuster 3 IDIOTS. Now, the actress has another reason to feel cheered up. Her sister Karishma Kapoor...
New releases hit by IPL? (09:25 PM March 17th)
The weekend gone by saw the release of RIGHT YAAA WRONG, HIDE and SEEK, NA GHAR KE NA GHAT KE, SWAHA and TRUMP CARD. Since none of these managed even a face saving initial, one wonders if the...
Vikram Bhatt: I will give love a chance (09:25 PM March 17th)
Recently film maker Vikram Bhatt declared that he is not really looking for love any more. Though he does assure that he is not bitter about the feeling of love, especially after a couple of...
LAHORE - tagline demystified! (09:25 PM March 17th)
'Beyond borders, Between nations, Lies a battle to end all wars.' The tagline of Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan's LAHORE evokes strong emotions, especially from those who have been at...
Bollywood horror show to climax with PHOONK 2! (09:25 PM March 17th)
Just about a fortnight ago we had brought you an insight into the horror films' feast that Bollywood had dished up for the innumerable followers of the genre. We had spoken about films...
Twitter gives Parvin Dabbas title for his film (07:30 PM March 17th)
New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Bollywood celebs like Priyanka Chopra and Farhan Akhtar are on Twitter to connect with friends and fans, but actor Parvin Dabbas found a novel way to use it - he got...
Dharmendra hospitalised in Chandigarh (10:03 AM March 17th)
The eternal superstar of Bollywood, Dharmendra, was hospitalized yesterday after he complained of chest pain. The actor was shooting for Samir Karnik's Yamla Pagla Deewana which also features Sunny and Bobby Deol.
The actor who was admitted and kept under close observation has been recovering since, while the hospital authorities have said that he will soon be discharged following the results of tests conducted to ascertain his health and well being.
Bollywood Hungama wishes the star a speedy recovery.
Ranbir Kapoor signed up as brand ambassador for John Players (08:17 AM March 17th)
If there's someone in Bollywood, who is on a roll, thanks to his array of roles, then, it's none other than Ranbir Kapoor. After having endorsed a million products in such a short duration of time, this man is yet again in the news. This time round, he gets chosen as the brand ambassador for ITC's John Players range of clothing. With this association, ITC is aiming to add freshness, dynamism and energy to the men's apparel brand.
Sources close to Bollywood Hungama have confirmed that this news will be made official in a mega media meet that's to be held tomorrow. The source adds, the reason why they chose Ranbir is because, the ITC officials felt that Ranbir was the perfect fit for the brand as he personifies the youthfulness, vibrancy and panache that the brand stands for.
With this endorsement, it looks like Ranbir is all set to give a marathon run to all the other superstars, who were till now, the 'market leaders' when it came to brands endorsements.
FICCI Frames Diary, Day 1 - High on Glam & Content (11:59 PM March 16th)
Click above for event stills
Touted as Asia's largest global convention on the business of entertainment for the past decade, FICCI FRAMES has returned in its 11th edition this year. It is being held over three days, from March 16 - 18. Here is an overview of the turn of events on Day 1.
An illustrious inaugural session was held in the presence of high-profile dignitaries like - Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, Bollywood filmmaker Yash Chopra, Shahrukh Khan, Karan Johar, Katrina Kaif, Harsh Mariwala and Louise Sams. The ceremony was followed by keynote addresses by Shah Rukh Khan and James Nicholas Gianopulos (Chairman and CEO, Fox Filmed Entertainment Ltd). While James shed light on the emerging scope of 3D technology and the importance of Fox's expertise in film distribution, Shahrukh stressed that Bollywood has a lot to learn from its 'experienced cousin - Hollywood' in order to bloom as a film industry.
- Â The inaugural session was also the platform for two book launches, The FICCI-KPMG Industry Report and the other on Entertainment Law.
- Â Issues raised on the dias by other dignitaries included the need to curb piracy and to gear up to celebrate the hundred years of Indian cinema in 2013.
The inaugural session was followed by the following seminars, panel discussions and master class. Here's a list of the highlights:
A keynote by Sir Martin Sorell (Chief Executive, WPP Group) on the changing trends of the advertising industry. Followed by a keynote by Nikesh Arora (President of Global Sales Operations and Business Development, Google Inc., USA), who spoke about the impact Google's Android and Nexus One will have on consumer behavior, tele communication and mobile content.
A panel discussion on 'How real is Reality TV? How can one create winning content?' was moderated by Sidhharth Basu. The panel, consisting of television programming heads, managing directors and CEO's, shed light on the emerging trends in reality shows. The discussion drew comparisons between fiction and non-fiction content that lead to a debate whether soap operas are going to be a thing of past.
The panel discussion 'Indian films going global: Can our films really crossover?' was thronged by a lot of delegates and lead to interesting discussions and revelations. Moderated by Karan Johar, the panel consisted of noted actors Rahul Bose, Nandita Das, Irrfan Khan, Vijay Singh (CEO, Fox Star Studios India Pvt Ltd.) and Franck Priot (Deputy Director, Film France, The French Film Commission). While Rahul Bose was believed "Indian films will never crossover as the decision was always dictated by the producer's interests", Vijay was more optimistic, citing the success of My Name is Khan. Franck shared the tactics used by the French film industry to get their films noticed and also stressed on the importance of support from the government to get films to crossover.
A highly specialized and rather serious discussion on the 'Innovations & growth in M&E sector: Digital and others' took place within a panel comprising of leaders of the digital media. The discussion was moderated by Marco Vernocchi (Global Managing Director, Media & Entertainment Practice, Accenture). The discussion brought forth the latest strategies being employed to generate content for the changing digital media platforms - particularly mobile devices and also efforts to contain piracy. The experts shared examples of recent success stories to paint an optimistic picture of the digital platform.
A screenplay writing master class was conducted by renowned Hollywood screenwriter Stephen de Souza who shared a few tips that would help a writer refine his script. The session lead to a fairly long and interesting Q&A session, which many attendees found to be one of the most satisfactory sessions throughout the day.
The evening concluded with a Networking Cocktails & Dinner event accompanied by entertainment that included a couple of fashion shows and dance performances.
Beautiful Aishwarya at the audio launch of 'Rettachuzi' (11:21 PM March 16th)
It is not very common to see the Bachchan Bahu at the audio release of a film. But the occasion was special here as it was the audio launch of Tamil film “Rettachuzhi” produced by Shankar, who is directing her in “Endhiran: The Robot”. Aishwarya looked ravishing as ever in a white saree at Sathyam Cinemas [...]
Salman Khan's bouncers misbehave with a lady; the actor passes a sarcastic smile (11:16 PM March 16th)
He has had a series of news behind him for his rash and unruly behaviour- right from hit and run car accident to black buck poaching case, hitting his ex-love Aishwarya Rai and now the latest one is encouraging misbehaviour with a female reporter. Talking about Salman Khan, the rash boy is once again in [...]
Harman Baweja & Kareena Kapoor awarded as worst actors (11:03 PM March 16th)
In the style of Hollywood's Razzies, the second Golden Kela awards was held this Friday night where actor Harman Baweja won the Worst Actor award for his performance in “What’s Your Raashee?” and Kareena Kapoor got the worst actress title for her role in “Kambakkht Ishq”. Interestingly, even Hollywood stars Sylvester Stallone and Denise Richards [...]
Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra at the 'Royalty Club' launch (11:01 PM March 16th)
Despite the fact that IPL Season 3 is in its fullest swing, the team owners of Rajasthan Royals, Shilpa Shetty and her beau Raj Kundra, are not neglecting their other business interests. They recently announced the opening of their new nightclub called ‘Royalty’ in Mumbai at the same place where popular hotspot ‘Poison’ was earlier [...]
Boman Irani on his experience of working with Shyam Benegal (11:43 PM March 15th)
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If you enjoy working in a film, the experience lingers in your memory for years and years. Boman Irani cherishes every moment he spent on the sets of WELL DONE ABBA, so much so that when Shyam Benegal concluded the shooting and threw a farewell party for the cast and technicians on the sets of the film, Boman couldn't help but get moist-eyed.
Boman says, he doesn't prefer outdoor shoots, since he misses his family the most. "But I thoroughly enjoyed working on this film. It's a dream to work with Shyam Babu [Benegal] at least once and I was genuinely awaiting that opportunity. And one fine day he called and said something very nice. He said, 'Boman, I have finally found something befitting your calibre'," Boman recalls.
Before working with the veteran film-maker, Boman was under the impression that Shyam Babu was a strict disciplinarian. "But he was from being a dictator on the sets. On the contrary, he kept us smiling all through the making of the film. It was like one big picnic," Boman states.
Arshad Warsi throws light on differences with director Kabeer Kaushik (11:38 PM March 15th)
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Arshad Warsi is ready to face the biggest examination of his professional life. His debut film as producer, HUM TUM AUR GHOST, is scheduled for release next Friday. "I am excited and confident. I've made this film with a lot of passion and I sincerely hope the audience likes the effort," Arshad informs me.
Meanwhile, the industry is abuzz with the speculation that Arshad had problems with the director of the film, Kabeer Kaushik. That explains why Arshad decided to take matters in his hand. "Well, we never got into fights. I am not the violent kind," Arshad states on record, "But it's true that Kabeer and I had differences."
The differences stemmed from the fact that Kabeer wanted to make HUM TUM AUR GHOST into a serious film, while Arshad wanted it to be a light entertainer. "That's true," Arshad doesn't deny the industry talk, "Kabeer's interpretation was tilting more towards serious, while I wanted it to be a light entertainer. So we decided that let the editor [Steven] decide what's best for the film. We decided to step out of the editing suite and let him take the decision."
So, whose interpretation is HUM TUM AUR GHOST eventually? "It's Arshad Warsi's vision. It has its serious moments, but you'd come out smiling in the end," Arshad smiles.
LSD gets Censored, sex scene to be toned down, caste reference removed (11:30 PM March 15th)
Dibakar Banerjee's much talked-about Love Sex Aur Dhokha went before the censor board on Monday. The controversial love scene showing a bare-backed girl on top of a man making love has been told to be blurred on screen. In other words, Dibakar's couple will be seen by the audience making love as two blurred figures. The director already miffed and mired in what he sees as unnecessary controversy refuses to be enraged even if so many recent Hindi films have had graphic love- making scenes.
As for the female bare back during a love-making scene the censors liberally allowed that in Rensil D'Silva's Kurbaan lately. Says Dibakar, "We had submitted a DVD of the film to the censorboard so they'd recommend cuts in advance and avoid delays. The censor preview recommendation suggests that we blur the sex scene. We were told this scene was too graphic and needed tempering. There's no way the censors could allow the love-making scene. We've clearly been told that even before the film is submitted for censoring. "When asked how bare-backed love-making scenes have been allowed passed the censors recently and how the one in Love Sex Aur Dhokha has been recommended toning down even before the film is submitted to the censors the director chooses to smile mysteriously. "I've been in principle against the film being perceived as a voyeur's delight. Love Sex Aur Dhokha is not about sex sex and sex. Those who expect that will turn away disappointed."
However, in another more radical cut all reference to caste in a love story between a low-caste boy and a high-caste girl has been removed by the censorboard. This has infuriated Dibakar.Says the director, "This completely changes the perspective of my story since now the caste-challenged love story is turned into a poor-boy-rich-girl romance. This not what I intended." Also, the song 'Tu Nangi Achi Lagti Hai' which was modified on the audio CD to 'Tu Gandi Achi Lagti Hai' has now been similarly modified in the film also. Says Dibakar, "But no complaints. Considering the controversial content my film got away easily with little cuts and an 'Adults' certificate."?
Akon rescues Aadesh at Aqeel's club (09:50 AM March 15th)
It isn't often that we see two entertainers stand up for one another in public.
At DJ Aqeel's club Hype on Wednesday night, Akon attended to wave to the crowds. A rather ugly situation was averted when the personnel at the Club tried to stop composer Aadesh Shrivastav from accompanying Akon to the podium.
Akon had to intervene and remind the Club's staff that Aadesh was like his brother. Says Aadesh, "Yes that was a rather embarrassing situation, I'd have lost my temper if it wasn't for Akon. Akon did persuade me to come on stage with him. He has treated me like a brother from the time I got to know him five years ago. When the idea of a Punjabi track came to me, I was hesitant to put it forward to Akon, considering his packed schedule in Mumbai. But he immediately agreed."
The Punjabi recording with Akon on Thursday was a riot with the singer savouring the words to the fullest. Says Aadesh, "I wrote the lyrics myself. Akon sang the track about the kudi who took away his kaleja like true Punjabi munda. I have given him a rhythm section consisting of violins, the daff, a matka, dholak and table. Akon freaked out."
The singer left Mumbai on Thursday night. Aadesh Shrivastav said, "The craze for Akon singing in any language is phenomenal. You've to judge how popular Akon is among youngsters in Mumbai by the crowds that gathered for him."
MNIK Vfx: Creating Georgia in Mumbai (09:36 AM March 15th)
Shah Rukh Khan won over our hearts and minds with the Good Samaritan Rizwan Khan in MNIK by helping poor American villagers in their time of need. But who would have guessed that Karan Johar shot the whole flood sequence in Mumbai and made it seem like a quaint, rural village in Georgia? A far cry from yesteryear's films that used cardboard cut-outs for the sun and the moon, the art and carft of visual effects (vfx) has progressed by leaps and bounds enabling filmmakers to use computer technology to save on crucial time and money.
Directed by Karan Johar, the Shah Rukh - Kajol starrer My Name is Khan had some path breaking vfx executed by redchillies.vfx. The Mumbai based vfx house had a team of 100 artists working rigorously for three months to make the 380 vfx shots, and thus the film, a creative success.
Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, Haresh Hingorani (Harry), Production Director at redchillies.vfx shared, "For us, creating the flood sequence was the biggest challenge. Since we had to play with computer generated (CG) water and simulations, the sequence became even more complicated. Apart from flood sequence, there were several other chroma background shots, CG elements and background creation, which took time to complete."
In this exclusive case study, we bring you some of the exciting shots executed by redchillies.vfx, courtesy Fox Searchlight, Dharma Productions. Special thanks to the redchillies.vfx team - Haresh Hingorani, Arjun Mitra and Keitan Yadav.
Click on the thumbnails below to check out the shot breakdown:
Minissha Lamba to be seen in a non-glamorous role (11:39 PM March 14th)
After appearing in an ultra-glamorous avatar in 'Kidnap', Minissha Lamba will now be seen in a non-glamorous role in Benegal’s forthcoming film, “Well Done Abba” which is a political satire. The film, produced by Reliance Big Pictures, is inspired by two short stories - “Narsaiyyan Ki Bavdi” by Jeelani Bano and “Phulwa Ka Pul” by [...]
Neil Nitin Mukesh breaks off with his fiancee (11:38 PM March 14th)
Amidst much glam, glitter and hype, Neil Nitin Mukesh had exchanged engagement rings with his designer girlfriend Priyanka Bhatia last year and the couple seemed very much in love since they had been dating each other for almost two years. Neil had also hinted that he would go for the wedding bells in 2010, but [...]
Priyanka Chopra and Ranbir Kapoor stop 'tweeting' (11:37 PM March 14th)
Upset and worried with the unrestricted flow of his forthcoming flick 'Anjaana Anjaani' being leaked out in 'Twitter', Sajid Nadiawala has banned his cast and crew from using the social networking site for the time being. As such, both the leading stars of the film, Priyanka Chopra and Ranbir Kapoor, have been asked to stop [...]
A baby boy for Karisma Kapoor A baby boy for Karisma Kapoor (10:26 PM March 14th)
Karisma Kapoor said goodbye to Bollywood and settled with her family quite a few years back. She has a five-year-old daughter Samaira and now, she delivered a baby boy at a private hospital in Mumbai around noon making her family complete. Both mother and daughter are fine at present. Karisma married Delhi-based industrialist Sanjay Kapoor and [...]
Nana Patekar blasts off at Deepika Padukone (09:44 PM March 11th)
The short-tempered Nana Patekar comes in form once again and this time at the receiving end is the gorgeous and ever so beautiful Deepika Padukone. It so happened that Nana Patekar is set to direct a film for Prakash Jha and Patekar approached Deepika for a casting. However, when Deepika tried to suggest some changes in [...]
Marriage makes Esha Koppikar worried about her hot scenes in 'Right Yaaa Worng' (09:43 PM March 11th)
Eesha Koppikar has given quite a few sizzling hot scenes in her forthcoming 'Right Yaaa Wrong' and the actress was quite worried about the scenes before her marriage. After all she is now the bahu of a traditional family. The film has Eesha playing the role of Anshita, Sunny Deol's wife. Deol plays a cop and [...]
He has been the heart throb of Bollywood for decades now, and the audiences have been witness to the varied characters he has played throughout his career, he is Salman Khan. The latest development is that Sallu bhai is all set to star in the remake of the south film Bodyguard.
The film which is being produced by Atul Agnihotri is still in the adaptation stages. However, Atul confirms saying, "Yes. Even though we are still adapting the script to fit the Bollywood audiences, we have confirmed Salman to play the lead role in it, while for the leading lady we are yet to decide and are keeping the options open."
The original, which was directed by Siddiqui, will have him behind the camera for the remake as well, says Atul, "As for the direction of the film, I have known Siddiqui for quite some time now. In fact, we were in talks when he was making the film down south. And now after it has acclaimed fame, I think there is no one better to direct it than him."
However, a little while ago there had been rumours that said that the rights for the film were with Boney Kapoor, to which Atul firmly states, "This is total rubbish. If there was anything like that Boney would have definitely told me, the rights for the remake have always been with me."
Further Atul tells us, "Right now, we are working on the adaptation of the film. Once this is complete, we will launch the making and finalize of the lyrics for the songs. Since most of the film has a lot of outdoor shoots, we are looking to start the shoot some where in the last three months of this year, while keeping in mind a tentative summer release for the film."FICCI Frames Diary, Day 2 (12:27 AM March 18th)
FICCI FRAMES had a quick start on Day 2 and though the turnout didn't seem as high as a day 1, there were an interesting set of sessions. The highlights-
The first keynote of the day was delivered by Ronnie Screwvala of UTV, where he shed light on the future of the film industry.
A highly engaging panel discussion underlining the need of the hour of the Indian film industry - good screenplays. The session The Screenplay: Indian Cinema's Missing Link was moderated by Ben Rekhi. The panel constituted prolific writers like - Javed Akhtar, Kamlesh Pandey, Steven de Souza and Vijay Krishna Acharya. The lone producer amongst these writers on the panel was UTV Motion Pictures CEO Siddharth Roy Kapoor. The writers expressed concern over the shoddy treatment Indian screenwriters are given by the producers, who do not realize the importance of a good screenplay. Everyone on the panel agreed that the prime reason for the high failure rate of Indian films was essentially, poor scripts. The sooner the producers and writers come together on the same platform to create well written screenplays the better for the film industry.
MJ Akbar gave a standalone keynote on the current state of Indian journalism and print media. His talk was in relation to the impact of advertising, politics and changing consumer needs on the news content. In his opinion the major decisions regarding the content in today's age are not necessarily influenced by advertising, but the 'board room'. The media and news industry today has grown immensely and with the high volume of money at stake - the business honchos in board rooms will have the upper hand in influencing content. He shared his views on how a newspaper can develop its credibility in spite of external pressures. His speech also drove home the point that the emergence on new media forms wouldn't cannibalize the existing news media available as each one has its distinct properties, and that newspapers are here to stay for a very long time.
A session on VFX, discussed the global perspective, upcoming trends, and future of the VFX industry. The panel consisted of VFX experts like EyeQube's Charles Darby, Visual Effects Society's Tim McGovern, Kerner's Eric Edmeades and Autodesk's Bruno Sargeant.
A session on filmmaking opportunities abroad and co-productions was helpful in dispensing information on the supporting infrastructure available for filmmakers to film abroad. Also, the Q&A that followed was enlightening to all those from film production background as the experienced panel was able to answer their questions to T.
Like yesterday, another seminar focusing on the current trends in Indian television content was held, titled Through The Looking Glass: Has Indian Television Matured? The seminar was moderated by Anil Wanvari, founder of IndianTelevision.com and the panel consisted of heads from different broadcasting houses. The session emphasized on the changing viewing patterns that are influencing content creation.
The Great Film Debate: Do Film Reviews Matter? was the topic under discussion at yet another panel discussion, which proved to be the most entertaining and peppy discussions yet. Moderated by Julian Alcantra of Corona pictures and his panel consisted of renowned Hollywood film producer - Lawrence Bender, filmmakers - Anurag Kashyap and Karan Johar, critics - Rajeev Masand and Komal Natha, and business journalist - Vanita KOhli Khandekar. While Lawrence Bender, maintained a calm stand that reviews are influential and helpful for a film but cannot necessarily affect its success, Karan Johar on the other hand took the opportunity to vehemently criticize the film critics in our country and imposing that their reviews can never affect a film's success. Anurag Kashyap believed that 'good-ratings' in reviews do help low budget films like his own, as they prompt the audiences to go visit cinema halls and check a new movie out. The discussion raised the necessity of having trained film reviewers who had an understanding of film aesthetics and could comment on a film in a constructive manner, even if they had negative opinions. Amongst the other questions that came forth during the discussion were whether film reviews are biased, as it's often the case that publications and television channels that are media partners of films and the reviewers have to maintain a warm relation with the filmmakers for other stories.
The evening concluded with the BAF Awards for animation, gaming and VFX. Rahul Dev's a brave heart! (09:25 PM March 17th)
Bollywood's bad guy Rahul Dev will be seen playing a pivotal role in Vikram Bhatt's next horror flick SHAAPIT. It so happened that while he was shooting for the movie, his wife was...
Mandira Bedi's a household name in England (09:25 PM March 17th)
The Indian premier league (IPL) has taken the British market by storm on ITV. Backed by effervescent programming anchored by our very own Mandira Bedi, Itv seems to have broken all records in...
Sudipto Chattopadhyay: PANKH is for urban audiences (09:25 PM March 17th)
In less than a month's time from now, a film that has been highly spoken about and eagerly awaited will hit the screens. Titled PANKH, the film stars Bipasha Basu in the lead. Actually...
What makes Deepika Padukone blush? (09:25 PM March 17th)
Deepika Padukone is not the coy girl that you would expect her to be. But, on certain occasions the bold diva cannot hold back her blush. Especially when someone is getting openly smitten by...
Raima's loss is Neetu's gain... again! (09:25 PM March 17th)
After replacing Raima Sen in RANN for a sensuous role, this time Neetu Chandra replaces Raima again in Jag Mundhra's forthcoming thriller APARTMENT which also stars ex-miss universe...
Prachi Desai, Rajeev Khandelwal turned down four films with each other! (09:25 PM March 17th)
Prachi Desai and Rajeev Khandelwal are all set to be seen on screen together. No, no, don't worry, they are not quitting the silver screen for TV. The duo would be starring together in...
Priyanka Chopra to take directions from Arshad Warsi! (09:25 PM March 17th)
Arshad Warsi is all set to direct Priyanka Chopra in his debut directorial film that is titled AKKAD. According to reports the film will be a tribute to the classic Bollywood action film...
Abhishek Bachchan - Rohan Sippy winning combination in DUM MAARO DUM (09:25 PM March 17th)
Having had a successful year with SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, AVATAR and MY NAME IS KHAN - Fox STAR Studios India announced its association with Rohan Sippy Entertainment for their latest project DUM...
Ranbir Kapoor to play Kishore Kumar? (09:25 PM March 17th)
Ranbir Kapoor seems to be becoming the preferred choice for many big roles post his hit story at the Bollywood box office. Now, the latest news is that Ranbir Kapoor has been approached to play...
Kareena Kapoor: I have chosen the safest Khan (09:25 PM March 17th)
Kareena Kapoor cannot stop being ecstatic after delivering one of the recent box office blockbuster 3 IDIOTS. Now, the actress has another reason to feel cheered up. Her sister Karishma Kapoor...
New releases hit by IPL? (09:25 PM March 17th)
The weekend gone by saw the release of RIGHT YAAA WRONG, HIDE and SEEK, NA GHAR KE NA GHAT KE, SWAHA and TRUMP CARD. Since none of these managed even a face saving initial, one wonders if the...
Vikram Bhatt: I will give love a chance (09:25 PM March 17th)
Recently film maker Vikram Bhatt declared that he is not really looking for love any more. Though he does assure that he is not bitter about the feeling of love, especially after a couple of...
LAHORE - tagline demystified! (09:25 PM March 17th)
'Beyond borders, Between nations, Lies a battle to end all wars.' The tagline of Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan's LAHORE evokes strong emotions, especially from those who have been at...
Bollywood horror show to climax with PHOONK 2! (09:25 PM March 17th)
Just about a fortnight ago we had brought you an insight into the horror films' feast that Bollywood had dished up for the innumerable followers of the genre. We had spoken about films...
Twitter gives Parvin Dabbas title for his film (07:30 PM March 17th)
New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Bollywood celebs like Priyanka Chopra and Farhan Akhtar are on Twitter to connect with friends and fans, but actor Parvin Dabbas found a novel way to use it - he got...
Dharmendra hospitalised in Chandigarh (10:03 AM March 17th)
The eternal superstar of Bollywood, Dharmendra, was hospitalized yesterday after he complained of chest pain. The actor was shooting for Samir Karnik's Yamla Pagla Deewana which also features Sunny and Bobby Deol.
The actor who was admitted and kept under close observation has been recovering since, while the hospital authorities have said that he will soon be discharged following the results of tests conducted to ascertain his health and well being.
Bollywood Hungama wishes the star a speedy recovery.Ranbir Kapoor signed up as brand ambassador for John Players (08:17 AM March 17th)
If there's someone in Bollywood, who is on a roll, thanks to his array of roles, then, it's none other than Ranbir Kapoor. After having endorsed a million products in such a short duration of time, this man is yet again in the news. This time round, he gets chosen as the brand ambassador for ITC's John Players range of clothing. With this association, ITC is aiming to add freshness, dynamism and energy to the men's apparel brand.
Sources close to Bollywood Hungama have confirmed that this news will be made official in a mega media meet that's to be held tomorrow. The source adds, the reason why they chose Ranbir is because, the ITC officials felt that Ranbir was the perfect fit for the brand as he personifies the youthfulness, vibrancy and panache that the brand stands for.
With this endorsement, it looks like Ranbir is all set to give a marathon run to all the other superstars, who were till now, the 'market leaders' when it came to brands endorsements.FICCI Frames Diary, Day 1 - High on Glam & Content (11:59 PM March 16th)
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Touted as Asia's largest global convention on the business of entertainment for the past decade, FICCI FRAMES has returned in its 11th edition this year. It is being held over three days, from March 16 - 18. Here is an overview of the turn of events on Day 1.
An illustrious inaugural session was held in the presence of high-profile dignitaries like - Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, Bollywood filmmaker Yash Chopra, Shahrukh Khan, Karan Johar, Katrina Kaif, Harsh Mariwala and Louise Sams. The ceremony was followed by keynote addresses by Shah Rukh Khan and James Nicholas Gianopulos (Chairman and CEO, Fox Filmed Entertainment Ltd). While James shed light on the emerging scope of 3D technology and the importance of Fox's expertise in film distribution, Shahrukh stressed that Bollywood has a lot to learn from its 'experienced cousin - Hollywood' in order to bloom as a film industry.
- Â The inaugural session was also the platform for two book launches, The FICCI-KPMG Industry Report and the other on Entertainment Law.
- Â Issues raised on the dias by other dignitaries included the need to curb piracy and to gear up to celebrate the hundred years of Indian cinema in 2013.
The inaugural session was followed by the following seminars, panel discussions and master class. Here's a list of the highlights:
A keynote by Sir Martin Sorell (Chief Executive, WPP Group) on the changing trends of the advertising industry. Followed by a keynote by Nikesh Arora (President of Global Sales Operations and Business Development, Google Inc., USA), who spoke about the impact Google's Android and Nexus One will have on consumer behavior, tele communication and mobile content.
A panel discussion on 'How real is Reality TV? How can one create winning content?' was moderated by Sidhharth Basu. The panel, consisting of television programming heads, managing directors and CEO's, shed light on the emerging trends in reality shows. The discussion drew comparisons between fiction and non-fiction content that lead to a debate whether soap operas are going to be a thing of past.
The panel discussion 'Indian films going global: Can our films really crossover?' was thronged by a lot of delegates and lead to interesting discussions and revelations. Moderated by Karan Johar, the panel consisted of noted actors Rahul Bose, Nandita Das, Irrfan Khan, Vijay Singh (CEO, Fox Star Studios India Pvt Ltd.) and Franck Priot (Deputy Director, Film France, The French Film Commission). While Rahul Bose was believed "Indian films will never crossover as the decision was always dictated by the producer's interests", Vijay was more optimistic, citing the success of My Name is Khan. Franck shared the tactics used by the French film industry to get their films noticed and also stressed on the importance of support from the government to get films to crossover.
A highly specialized and rather serious discussion on the 'Innovations & growth in M&E sector: Digital and others' took place within a panel comprising of leaders of the digital media. The discussion was moderated by Marco Vernocchi (Global Managing Director, Media & Entertainment Practice, Accenture). The discussion brought forth the latest strategies being employed to generate content for the changing digital media platforms - particularly mobile devices and also efforts to contain piracy. The experts shared examples of recent success stories to paint an optimistic picture of the digital platform.
A screenplay writing master class was conducted by renowned Hollywood screenwriter Stephen de Souza who shared a few tips that would help a writer refine his script. The session lead to a fairly long and interesting Q&A session, which many attendees found to be one of the most satisfactory sessions throughout the day.
The evening concluded with a Networking Cocktails & Dinner event accompanied by entertainment that included a couple of fashion shows and dance performances.Beautiful Aishwarya at the audio launch of 'Rettachuzi' (11:21 PM March 16th)
It is not very common to see the Bachchan Bahu at the audio release of a film. But the occasion was special here as it was the audio launch of Tamil film “Rettachuzhi” produced by Shankar, who is directing her in “Endhiran: The Robot”. Aishwarya looked ravishing as ever in a white saree at Sathyam Cinemas [...]
Salman Khan's bouncers misbehave with a lady; the actor passes a sarcastic smile (11:16 PM March 16th)
He has had a series of news behind him for his rash and unruly behaviour- right from hit and run car accident to black buck poaching case, hitting his ex-love Aishwarya Rai and now the latest one is encouraging misbehaviour with a female reporter. Talking about Salman Khan, the rash boy is once again in [...]
Harman Baweja & Kareena Kapoor awarded as worst actors (11:03 PM March 16th)
In the style of Hollywood's Razzies, the second Golden Kela awards was held this Friday night where actor Harman Baweja won the Worst Actor award for his performance in “What’s Your Raashee?” and Kareena Kapoor got the worst actress title for her role in “Kambakkht Ishq”. Interestingly, even Hollywood stars Sylvester Stallone and Denise Richards [...]
Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra at the 'Royalty Club' launch (11:01 PM March 16th)
Despite the fact that IPL Season 3 is in its fullest swing, the team owners of Rajasthan Royals, Shilpa Shetty and her beau Raj Kundra, are not neglecting their other business interests. They recently announced the opening of their new nightclub called ‘Royalty’ in Mumbai at the same place where popular hotspot ‘Poison’ was earlier [...]
Boman Irani on his experience of working with Shyam Benegal (11:43 PM March 15th)
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If you enjoy working in a film, the experience lingers in your memory for years and years. Boman Irani cherishes every moment he spent on the sets of WELL DONE ABBA, so much so that when Shyam Benegal concluded the shooting and threw a farewell party for the cast and technicians on the sets of the film, Boman couldn't help but get moist-eyed.
Boman says, he doesn't prefer outdoor shoots, since he misses his family the most. "But I thoroughly enjoyed working on this film. It's a dream to work with Shyam Babu [Benegal] at least once and I was genuinely awaiting that opportunity. And one fine day he called and said something very nice. He said, 'Boman, I have finally found something befitting your calibre'," Boman recalls.
Before working with the veteran film-maker, Boman was under the impression that Shyam Babu was a strict disciplinarian. "But he was from being a dictator on the sets. On the contrary, he kept us smiling all through the making of the film. It was like one big picnic," Boman states.Arshad Warsi throws light on differences with director Kabeer Kaushik (11:38 PM March 15th)
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Arshad Warsi is ready to face the biggest examination of his professional life. His debut film as producer, HUM TUM AUR GHOST, is scheduled for release next Friday. "I am excited and confident. I've made this film with a lot of passion and I sincerely hope the audience likes the effort," Arshad informs me.
Meanwhile, the industry is abuzz with the speculation that Arshad had problems with the director of the film, Kabeer Kaushik. That explains why Arshad decided to take matters in his hand. "Well, we never got into fights. I am not the violent kind," Arshad states on record, "But it's true that Kabeer and I had differences."
The differences stemmed from the fact that Kabeer wanted to make HUM TUM AUR GHOST into a serious film, while Arshad wanted it to be a light entertainer. "That's true," Arshad doesn't deny the industry talk, "Kabeer's interpretation was tilting more towards serious, while I wanted it to be a light entertainer. So we decided that let the editor [Steven] decide what's best for the film. We decided to step out of the editing suite and let him take the decision."
So, whose interpretation is HUM TUM AUR GHOST eventually? "It's Arshad Warsi's vision. It has its serious moments, but you'd come out smiling in the end," Arshad smiles.LSD gets Censored, sex scene to be toned down, caste reference removed (11:30 PM March 15th)
Dibakar Banerjee's much talked-about Love Sex Aur Dhokha went before the censor board on Monday. The controversial love scene showing a bare-backed girl on top of a man making love has been told to be blurred on screen. In other words, Dibakar's couple will be seen by the audience making love as two blurred figures. The director already miffed and mired in what he sees as unnecessary controversy refuses to be enraged even if so many recent Hindi films have had graphic love- making scenes.
As for the female bare back during a love-making scene the censors liberally allowed that in Rensil D'Silva's Kurbaan lately. Says Dibakar, "We had submitted a DVD of the film to the censorboard so they'd recommend cuts in advance and avoid delays. The censor preview recommendation suggests that we blur the sex scene. We were told this scene was too graphic and needed tempering. There's no way the censors could allow the love-making scene. We've clearly been told that even before the film is submitted for censoring. "When asked how bare-backed love-making scenes have been allowed passed the censors recently and how the one in Love Sex Aur Dhokha has been recommended toning down even before the film is submitted to the censors the director chooses to smile mysteriously. "I've been in principle against the film being perceived as a voyeur's delight. Love Sex Aur Dhokha is not about sex sex and sex. Those who expect that will turn away disappointed."
However, in another more radical cut all reference to caste in a love story between a low-caste boy and a high-caste girl has been removed by the censorboard. This has infuriated Dibakar.Says the director, "This completely changes the perspective of my story since now the caste-challenged love story is turned into a poor-boy-rich-girl romance. This not what I intended." Also, the song 'Tu Nangi Achi Lagti Hai' which was modified on the audio CD to 'Tu Gandi Achi Lagti Hai' has now been similarly modified in the film also. Says Dibakar, "But no complaints. Considering the controversial content my film got away easily with little cuts and an 'Adults' certificate."?Akon rescues Aadesh at Aqeel's club (09:50 AM March 15th)
It isn't often that we see two entertainers stand up for one another in public.
At DJ Aqeel's club Hype on Wednesday night, Akon attended to wave to the crowds. A rather ugly situation was averted when the personnel at the Club tried to stop composer Aadesh Shrivastav from accompanying Akon to the podium.
Akon had to intervene and remind the Club's staff that Aadesh was like his brother. Says Aadesh, "Yes that was a rather embarrassing situation, I'd have lost my temper if it wasn't for Akon. Akon did persuade me to come on stage with him. He has treated me like a brother from the time I got to know him five years ago. When the idea of a Punjabi track came to me, I was hesitant to put it forward to Akon, considering his packed schedule in Mumbai. But he immediately agreed."
The Punjabi recording with Akon on Thursday was a riot with the singer savouring the words to the fullest. Says Aadesh, "I wrote the lyrics myself. Akon sang the track about the kudi who took away his kaleja like true Punjabi munda. I have given him a rhythm section consisting of violins, the daff, a matka, dholak and table. Akon freaked out."
The singer left Mumbai on Thursday night. Aadesh Shrivastav said, "The craze for Akon singing in any language is phenomenal. You've to judge how popular Akon is among youngsters in Mumbai by the crowds that gathered for him."MNIK Vfx: Creating Georgia in Mumbai (09:36 AM March 15th)
Shah Rukh Khan won over our hearts and minds with the Good Samaritan Rizwan Khan in MNIK by helping poor American villagers in their time of need. But who would have guessed that Karan Johar shot the whole flood sequence in Mumbai and made it seem like a quaint, rural village in Georgia? A far cry from yesteryear's films that used cardboard cut-outs for the sun and the moon, the art and carft of visual effects (vfx) has progressed by leaps and bounds enabling filmmakers to use computer technology to save on crucial time and money.
Directed by Karan Johar, the Shah Rukh - Kajol starrer My Name is Khan had some path breaking vfx executed by redchillies.vfx. The Mumbai based vfx house had a team of 100 artists working rigorously for three months to make the 380 vfx shots, and thus the film, a creative success.
Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, Haresh Hingorani (Harry), Production Director at redchillies.vfx shared, "For us, creating the flood sequence was the biggest challenge. Since we had to play with computer generated (CG) water and simulations, the sequence became even more complicated. Apart from flood sequence, there were several other chroma background shots, CG elements and background creation, which took time to complete."
In this exclusive case study, we bring you some of the exciting shots executed by redchillies.vfx, courtesy Fox Searchlight, Dharma Productions. Special thanks to the redchillies.vfx team - Haresh Hingorani, Arjun Mitra and Keitan Yadav.
Click on the thumbnails below to check out the shot breakdown:Minissha Lamba to be seen in a non-glamorous role (11:39 PM March 14th)
After appearing in an ultra-glamorous avatar in 'Kidnap', Minissha Lamba will now be seen in a non-glamorous role in Benegal’s forthcoming film, “Well Done Abba” which is a political satire. The film, produced by Reliance Big Pictures, is inspired by two short stories - “Narsaiyyan Ki Bavdi” by Jeelani Bano and “Phulwa Ka Pul” by [...]
Neil Nitin Mukesh breaks off with his fiancee (11:38 PM March 14th)
Amidst much glam, glitter and hype, Neil Nitin Mukesh had exchanged engagement rings with his designer girlfriend Priyanka Bhatia last year and the couple seemed very much in love since they had been dating each other for almost two years. Neil had also hinted that he would go for the wedding bells in 2010, but [...]
Priyanka Chopra and Ranbir Kapoor stop 'tweeting' (11:37 PM March 14th)
Upset and worried with the unrestricted flow of his forthcoming flick 'Anjaana Anjaani' being leaked out in 'Twitter', Sajid Nadiawala has banned his cast and crew from using the social networking site for the time being. As such, both the leading stars of the film, Priyanka Chopra and Ranbir Kapoor, have been asked to stop [...]
A baby boy for Karisma Kapoor A baby boy for Karisma Kapoor (10:26 PM March 14th)
Karisma Kapoor said goodbye to Bollywood and settled with her family quite a few years back. She has a five-year-old daughter Samaira and now, she delivered a baby boy at a private hospital in Mumbai around noon making her family complete. Both mother and daughter are fine at present. Karisma married Delhi-based industrialist Sanjay Kapoor and [...]
Nana Patekar blasts off at Deepika Padukone (09:44 PM March 11th)
The short-tempered Nana Patekar comes in form once again and this time at the receiving end is the gorgeous and ever so beautiful Deepika Padukone. It so happened that Nana Patekar is set to direct a film for Prakash Jha and Patekar approached Deepika for a casting. However, when Deepika tried to suggest some changes in [...]
Marriage makes Esha Koppikar worried about her hot scenes in 'Right Yaaa Worng' (09:43 PM March 11th)
Eesha Koppikar has given quite a few sizzling hot scenes in her forthcoming 'Right Yaaa Wrong' and the actress was quite worried about the scenes before her marriage. After all she is now the bahu of a traditional family. The film has Eesha playing the role of Anshita, Sunny Deol's wife. Deol plays a cop and [...]