Album List
Shah Rukh receives Global Entertainment award (10:05 AM March 18th)
Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was presented the Global Entertainment and Media Personality award at the FICCI Frames 2010 Excellence Awards here Thursday...
Telugu film industry withdraws shutdown call against piracy (09:50 AM March 18th)
Hyderabad, March 18 (IANS) The Telugu film industry Thursday withdrew its shutdown call to protest against piracy and producer Yalamanchi Ravichand also called off his fast-unto-death after the...
Mall wanted Rs.2.5 lakh an hour to allow shooting, says Lakhia (09:25 AM March 18th)
Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Shooting at public places in Mumbai seems to be becoming difficult, thanks to exorbitant rent rates. This, director Apoorva Lakhia discovered when he decided to shoot...
Fox Star Studios India announces its tie up with Rohan Sippy's Dum Maaro Dum (08:52 AM March 18th)
After having had a successful last two years with Slumdog Millionaire, Avatar and My Name is Khan, Fox Star Studios announced its association with Ramesh Sippy Entertainment for their latest project Dum Maaro Dum, produced by Ramesh Sippy and directed by Rohan Sippy.
"We are happy to reiterate our vision of working with the best talent in the business and are sure that with the winning pair of Rohan and Abhishek we are looking to create a thriller that promises edge of the seat entertainment and is great fun to watch. The movie will appeal to people of all ages as the story is set in Goa with a background of realism." said Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox Star Studios India.
Commenting on this association, director Rohan Sippy said, "Fox Star Studios has managed to establish a strong presence in the Indian Film industry in a very short time and have ably demonstrated their marketing and distribution capabilities - we are extremely excited to partner on our next project with people who are like minded and have vision to take the film places. The movie stars Abhishek Bachchan who plays a cop which is reminiscent of Mr.Bachchan's iconic representation of a cop in the film Zanjeer."
Dum Maaro Dum reunites Rohan Sippy and Abhishek Bachchan once again after Bluffmaster, a film which won both critical acclaim and commercial success. Besides Abhishek Bachchan, Dum Maaro Dum also stars Bipasha Basu, Aditya Panscholi, Prateik Babbar and also provides a platform to Rana Dagubatti who is a well known star in Andhra Pradesh and would be making his Hindi film debut with this flick. The film, keeping in mind the title, will have new sounds and music created by the affable Pritam.
Dum Maaro Dum is an exciting action packed thriller which races through the by-lanes, beach shacks and raves of India's largest tourist destination Goa. Populated with unforgettable characters, punctuated with a soundtrack that moves from haunting Konkani songs to pulsating dance music and shot right in the midst of the teeming international tourist hotspots, the film takes you on a trip that will have you on the edge of your seat.
'Love, Sex Aur Dhoka' not just about sex, says debutant (08:45 AM March 18th)
New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Dibakar Banerjee's 'Love, Sex Aur Dhoka' is grabbing eyeballs for its bold scenes. But debutant Raj Kumar says there's just one lovemaking scene in...
Rahman won't be available for film scores during most of 2010 (07:19 AM March 18th)
A. R. Rahman plans to be out of India for the longest period. And Bollywood filmmakers like Abbas Tyrewala and Mani Ratnam who have pending work with Rahman have pressed the panic button.
Rahman won't be available for film scores during most of 2010. "It's a very tough schedule for me this year," says Rahman. "I'll be out of the country for five months which I've kept aside completely for the word tour."
The concerts will take Rahman to places he has never been before. "I essentially need time for my music, spirituality and family. Everything else is secondary. We'll be going to remote places in Europe, the Far East and America. I'll be touring from this month (March 2010).This would be my longest tour ever and I'm not thinking of any other work."
Contrary to reports Rahman turned 43 (and not 44) on January 6. "I was born in 1967, so it's my 43rd birthday. I am an old man now. Do I feel older? It's a good feeling. I'm heading towards the place where all of us are destined to .You are born and then one day, you die. So my policy in life is to do what I want to do today, not tomorrow. If I want to do good things in life I better do them now."
Rahman says he doesn't fear death. "I think about death every day. Last year I lost a couple of very close friends. I've been watching people close to me die from the time I was a child. Very early I lost my father and my grandmother whom I was very close to. So death is always been with me. It's the only certainty in life."
Rahman admits time management is a problem. "But you have to prioritize your time and do what you must. For example I know I've to be away for five months this year. So it'd be foolish of me to commit myself to anything until I finish my concerts."
Rahman says it's a blessing to work out of his home. "My family is always around me. I think that's what keeps me creatively charged. When I travel I crave to return. My kids are growing up. It's important that they see their father regularly. Or they'll soon start calling me Uncle."
Rahman has just done soundtrack for Tamil film directed by Gautam Menon. "Then I've Mani Ratnam's Raavan and Abbas Tyrewala's 1-800-Love. Also Shekhar Kapoor's Paani which is a very important film. I've recorded one song for it. After the Grammys, I'll look at other international offers. But with the world tour on will I have the time?
I have a very tough schedule this year: Rahman (07:15 AM March 18th)
Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Composer A.R. Rahman plans to be out of India for the longest period for a series of world concerts and says he is not thinking about any other work for the next few...
I'm taking Shah Rukh, Hritik's legacy forward: Ranbir (07:05 AM March 18th)
Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Actor Ranbir Kapoor, who has replaced superstar Shah Rukh Khan as the brand ambassador of Pepsi and actor Hritik Roshan in ITC's John Players, feels obliged to get...
CPI-M rejects Bachchan as Kerala's brand ambassador (06:20 AM March 18th)
New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) The central leadership of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Thursday said Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan cannot become the brand ambassador of Kerala...
Sunny Deol to star in Neerraj Pathak's political thriller titled Gannit (05:55 AM March 18th)
After a long hiatus from films, the man with the 'dhai kilo ka haath' returns with an action suspense film Right Yaaa Wrong. With mixed reviews ranging from an engrossing film to a less than moderate attempt, Neerraj Pathak manages to add enthusiasm to his voice considering the fact that he achieved what he wanted to.
However, post Right Yaaa Wrong, Neerraj Pathak, not being one to stay calm for long, has already begun work on his next titled Gannit. "Gannit is a political thriller based on the political scenario in U.P. at this moment. I have already approached Sunny with the concept of the film and he has confirmed that he will star in it. Apart from him in the lead, there are two other male leads who need to be finalized and three lead female spots that are vacant as well", says Pathak.
"In fact we are still really a bit early in the process of finalizing things for the film and it will be a good 20 odd days before I come out with any official press release of sorts but this is all for now", while he further tells us about the shooting of the film, "Right now we are looking at starting the shoot for Gannit somewhere around May, while for the release, I am looking to finish the film in say about 6 to 8 months, so somewhere next year."
However, the one fact that plays on our mind is one Neerraj put to rest immediately as he talks about his producer, "Gannit will be produced by Red Carpet and Blue Moon Pictures together, while in terms of music we haven't got down to really discussing it thoroughly, but I think that once we have everything in place we will start with music as it will help us with a clearer picture of what exactly we want."
With this conformation, it certainly seems like Sunny Deol is all set at make a full fledged comeback of sorts which started with Right Yaaa Wrong, and will be followed by his home production Yamla Pagla Deewana and Neerraj Pathak's Gannit.
Hollywood, Bollywood studios unite to counter piracy (04:45 AM March 18th)
Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Leading Bollywood studios such as Reliance Big Entertainment, Yash Raj Films, UTV Motion Pictures, Eros International and Studio 18 have joined hands here Thursday with...
Sudha Murthy gave perfect shots for Kannada film: director (04:40 AM March 18th)
Bangalore, March 18 (IANS) Sudha Murthy, trustee of the Infosys Foundation, gave 'perfect shots' for the Kannada film 'Prarthane', her first film role, says director Sadhashiva...
Even at 70, Tom and Jerry are kings of entertainment (04:30 AM March 18th)
Chandigarh, March 18 (IANS) It has turned 70 but is showing no signs of ageing. Popular cartoon TV show 'Tom and Jerry' - which features a cat and a mouse - appears set to entertain...
'Lahore' has no negativity, says director after Pakistan ban (03:50 AM March 18th)
New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Pakistan has banned Bollywood's latest offering 'Lahore', a film its disappointed director Sanjay Puran Chauhan describes as a 'different and balanced...
Hrithik, Barbara, Slap Happy Pair! (03:46 AM March 18th)
Reams of newsprint have been devoted to the Hrithik Roshan and Barbara Mori alliance. The onscreen chemistry is sizzling'¦ to put it mildly, and director Anurag Basu avers that the off screen...
Fainting Kat, Caring Kumar! (03:46 AM March 18th)
She looked luscious when she emerged on the Malshej Ghat sets of 'Tees Maar Khan'. Katrina Kaif had barely greeted leading male Akshay Kumar and director Farah Khan'¦ when she slumped to...
Family Fare: Kajol's Bonny Addition? (03:46 AM March 18th)
Sibling time for Nysa? Yeah, squeal industry insiders. Reportedly, Kajol is in the family way, and Ajay Devgn is thrilled to smithereens. Nosy parker scribes who often enquire about a new...
All Izz White: Shahid's Fair Deal (03:46 AM March 18th)
Shahid Kapoor is demanding a fair deal. From males, no less! Shasha has been togged up as the new brand ambassador of a'¦ topline brand of men's fairness cream! Beaming away, thanks to the...
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.
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.
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 [...]
Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was presented the Global Entertainment and Media Personality award at the FICCI Frames 2010 Excellence Awards here Thursday...
Telugu film industry withdraws shutdown call against piracy (09:50 AM March 18th)
Hyderabad, March 18 (IANS) The Telugu film industry Thursday withdrew its shutdown call to protest against piracy and producer Yalamanchi Ravichand also called off his fast-unto-death after the...
Mall wanted Rs.2.5 lakh an hour to allow shooting, says Lakhia (09:25 AM March 18th)
Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Shooting at public places in Mumbai seems to be becoming difficult, thanks to exorbitant rent rates. This, director Apoorva Lakhia discovered when he decided to shoot...
Fox Star Studios India announces its tie up with Rohan Sippy's Dum Maaro Dum (08:52 AM March 18th)
After having had a successful last two years with Slumdog Millionaire, Avatar and My Name is Khan, Fox Star Studios announced its association with Ramesh Sippy Entertainment for their latest project Dum Maaro Dum, produced by Ramesh Sippy and directed by Rohan Sippy.
"We are happy to reiterate our vision of working with the best talent in the business and are sure that with the winning pair of Rohan and Abhishek we are looking to create a thriller that promises edge of the seat entertainment and is great fun to watch. The movie will appeal to people of all ages as the story is set in Goa with a background of realism." said Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox Star Studios India.
Commenting on this association, director Rohan Sippy said, "Fox Star Studios has managed to establish a strong presence in the Indian Film industry in a very short time and have ably demonstrated their marketing and distribution capabilities - we are extremely excited to partner on our next project with people who are like minded and have vision to take the film places. The movie stars Abhishek Bachchan who plays a cop which is reminiscent of Mr.Bachchan's iconic representation of a cop in the film Zanjeer."
Dum Maaro Dum reunites Rohan Sippy and Abhishek Bachchan once again after Bluffmaster, a film which won both critical acclaim and commercial success. Besides Abhishek Bachchan, Dum Maaro Dum also stars Bipasha Basu, Aditya Panscholi, Prateik Babbar and also provides a platform to Rana Dagubatti who is a well known star in Andhra Pradesh and would be making his Hindi film debut with this flick. The film, keeping in mind the title, will have new sounds and music created by the affable Pritam.
Dum Maaro Dum is an exciting action packed thriller which races through the by-lanes, beach shacks and raves of India's largest tourist destination Goa. Populated with unforgettable characters, punctuated with a soundtrack that moves from haunting Konkani songs to pulsating dance music and shot right in the midst of the teeming international tourist hotspots, the film takes you on a trip that will have you on the edge of your seat.'Love, Sex Aur Dhoka' not just about sex, says debutant (08:45 AM March 18th)
New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Dibakar Banerjee's 'Love, Sex Aur Dhoka' is grabbing eyeballs for its bold scenes. But debutant Raj Kumar says there's just one lovemaking scene in...
Rahman won't be available for film scores during most of 2010 (07:19 AM March 18th)
A. R. Rahman plans to be out of India for the longest period. And Bollywood filmmakers like Abbas Tyrewala and Mani Ratnam who have pending work with Rahman have pressed the panic button.
Rahman won't be available for film scores during most of 2010. "It's a very tough schedule for me this year," says Rahman. "I'll be out of the country for five months which I've kept aside completely for the word tour."
The concerts will take Rahman to places he has never been before. "I essentially need time for my music, spirituality and family. Everything else is secondary. We'll be going to remote places in Europe, the Far East and America. I'll be touring from this month (March 2010).This would be my longest tour ever and I'm not thinking of any other work."
Contrary to reports Rahman turned 43 (and not 44) on January 6. "I was born in 1967, so it's my 43rd birthday. I am an old man now. Do I feel older? It's a good feeling. I'm heading towards the place where all of us are destined to .You are born and then one day, you die. So my policy in life is to do what I want to do today, not tomorrow. If I want to do good things in life I better do them now."
Rahman says he doesn't fear death. "I think about death every day. Last year I lost a couple of very close friends. I've been watching people close to me die from the time I was a child. Very early I lost my father and my grandmother whom I was very close to. So death is always been with me. It's the only certainty in life."
Rahman admits time management is a problem. "But you have to prioritize your time and do what you must. For example I know I've to be away for five months this year. So it'd be foolish of me to commit myself to anything until I finish my concerts."
Rahman says it's a blessing to work out of his home. "My family is always around me. I think that's what keeps me creatively charged. When I travel I crave to return. My kids are growing up. It's important that they see their father regularly. Or they'll soon start calling me Uncle."
Rahman has just done soundtrack for Tamil film directed by Gautam Menon. "Then I've Mani Ratnam's Raavan and Abbas Tyrewala's 1-800-Love. Also Shekhar Kapoor's Paani which is a very important film. I've recorded one song for it. After the Grammys, I'll look at other international offers. But with the world tour on will I have the time?I have a very tough schedule this year: Rahman (07:15 AM March 18th)
Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Composer A.R. Rahman plans to be out of India for the longest period for a series of world concerts and says he is not thinking about any other work for the next few...
I'm taking Shah Rukh, Hritik's legacy forward: Ranbir (07:05 AM March 18th)
Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Actor Ranbir Kapoor, who has replaced superstar Shah Rukh Khan as the brand ambassador of Pepsi and actor Hritik Roshan in ITC's John Players, feels obliged to get...
CPI-M rejects Bachchan as Kerala's brand ambassador (06:20 AM March 18th)
New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) The central leadership of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Thursday said Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan cannot become the brand ambassador of Kerala...
Sunny Deol to star in Neerraj Pathak's political thriller titled Gannit (05:55 AM March 18th)
After a long hiatus from films, the man with the 'dhai kilo ka haath' returns with an action suspense film Right Yaaa Wrong. With mixed reviews ranging from an engrossing film to a less than moderate attempt, Neerraj Pathak manages to add enthusiasm to his voice considering the fact that he achieved what he wanted to.
However, post Right Yaaa Wrong, Neerraj Pathak, not being one to stay calm for long, has already begun work on his next titled Gannit. "Gannit is a political thriller based on the political scenario in U.P. at this moment. I have already approached Sunny with the concept of the film and he has confirmed that he will star in it. Apart from him in the lead, there are two other male leads who need to be finalized and three lead female spots that are vacant as well", says Pathak.
"In fact we are still really a bit early in the process of finalizing things for the film and it will be a good 20 odd days before I come out with any official press release of sorts but this is all for now", while he further tells us about the shooting of the film, "Right now we are looking at starting the shoot for Gannit somewhere around May, while for the release, I am looking to finish the film in say about 6 to 8 months, so somewhere next year."
However, the one fact that plays on our mind is one Neerraj put to rest immediately as he talks about his producer, "Gannit will be produced by Red Carpet and Blue Moon Pictures together, while in terms of music we haven't got down to really discussing it thoroughly, but I think that once we have everything in place we will start with music as it will help us with a clearer picture of what exactly we want."
With this conformation, it certainly seems like Sunny Deol is all set at make a full fledged comeback of sorts which started with Right Yaaa Wrong, and will be followed by his home production Yamla Pagla Deewana and Neerraj Pathak's Gannit.Hollywood, Bollywood studios unite to counter piracy (04:45 AM March 18th)
Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Leading Bollywood studios such as Reliance Big Entertainment, Yash Raj Films, UTV Motion Pictures, Eros International and Studio 18 have joined hands here Thursday with...
Sudha Murthy gave perfect shots for Kannada film: director (04:40 AM March 18th)
Bangalore, March 18 (IANS) Sudha Murthy, trustee of the Infosys Foundation, gave 'perfect shots' for the Kannada film 'Prarthane', her first film role, says director Sadhashiva...
Even at 70, Tom and Jerry are kings of entertainment (04:30 AM March 18th)
Chandigarh, March 18 (IANS) It has turned 70 but is showing no signs of ageing. Popular cartoon TV show 'Tom and Jerry' - which features a cat and a mouse - appears set to entertain...
'Lahore' has no negativity, says director after Pakistan ban (03:50 AM March 18th)
New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Pakistan has banned Bollywood's latest offering 'Lahore', a film its disappointed director Sanjay Puran Chauhan describes as a 'different and balanced...
Hrithik, Barbara, Slap Happy Pair! (03:46 AM March 18th)
Reams of newsprint have been devoted to the Hrithik Roshan and Barbara Mori alliance. The onscreen chemistry is sizzling'¦ to put it mildly, and director Anurag Basu avers that the off screen...
Fainting Kat, Caring Kumar! (03:46 AM March 18th)
She looked luscious when she emerged on the Malshej Ghat sets of 'Tees Maar Khan'. Katrina Kaif had barely greeted leading male Akshay Kumar and director Farah Khan'¦ when she slumped to...
Family Fare: Kajol's Bonny Addition? (03:46 AM March 18th)
Sibling time for Nysa? Yeah, squeal industry insiders. Reportedly, Kajol is in the family way, and Ajay Devgn is thrilled to smithereens. Nosy parker scribes who often enquire about a new...
All Izz White: Shahid's Fair Deal (03:46 AM March 18th)
Shahid Kapoor is demanding a fair deal. From males, no less! Shasha has been togged up as the new brand ambassador of a'¦ topline brand of men's fairness cream! Beaming away, thanks to the...
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. 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.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 [...]