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Ra.One makes highest ever Diwali collections
While all movie buffs were anticipating the release of SRK’s Ra.One & been dying to know the shape of its fate, there are mixed views about how the movie has actually faired.Lady Gaga in F1
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Simple yet elegant - Lady Gaga chose to leave her bizarre dressing style back home for her first formal appearance here Friday. She wore a one-shoulder gown by an Indian designer, added the desi twist with a tricolour hairdo, and greeted the audience with a confident "Namaste".
The F1 after-parties, to be held as part of the Airtel Grand Prix of India, will take place at a special, 20,000 sq ft construction at the Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort in Greater Noida. They are being hosted by lounge bar Lap, co-owned by actor Arjun Rampal and restaurateur A.D.Singh.Ranbir Kapoor in Bigg Boss 5 ?
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The "Bigg Boss 5" house, which has mainly women inmates, might see actor Ranbir Kapoor and singer Mohit Chauhan making a special entry this week.Tell Me O Kkhuda Movie Review
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Cast: Esha Deol, Arjan Bajwa, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Dharmendra, Rishi Kapoor
In the course of her self-searching trip, she meets potential dads in the form of royalty (Vinod Khanna), a doting husband (Rishi Kapoor) and a don (Dharmendra).Actor Ronit Roy Arrested
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Actor Ronit Roy was arrested here Thursday after his car rammed into another car injuring three of its four occupants, including a woman who is in critical condition. A court later granted him bail.Pooja Mishra is no druggie: Raageshwari
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Pooja Mishra, who escaped from being evicted from Bigg Boss 5 house for the third time, is known as the most controversial housemate, but she is very sweet person for singer Raageshwari Loomba, who walked out of the Bigg Boss house.Ra.One Movie review
Karan Johar was so impressed with Ra.One that he took to his twitter account as soon as the screening was over. Karan Johar posted on twitter, “I just saw RA1! Adrenalin pumping and the best computer graphics india has ever seen!!! Its a MEGA BLOCKBUSTER super hero ride!! OUTSTANDING.”
Karan Johar couldn't control his emotions as he went on to praise the Red chillies team for their contribution to Ra.One. Johar said, “The SFX team at red chillies and anubhav have proven that indian cinema can match and overtake the technology of the west!!!”
Karan Johar seemed to have enjoyed every bit ofRa.One. The filmmaker can't stop boasting of the performances in the film. He said that while Arjun Rampal makes a stunning impact, his favourite gal Kareena Kapoor looks very beautiful. He also praised the young kid Armaan who plays Shahrukh Khan's son in the film.
While, Karan Johar speaks so highly of the film, do you think he can leave out his best friend Shahrukh Khan? Well, speaking of Shahrukh in Ra.One, Karan said, “SRK is not only a mega movie star but every inch of his performance is conviction personified!!!”
Whow! This is quite a review! If you go by what Karan Johar has to say, Ra.One is a super duper blockbuster! But, we suggest that you wait a bit longer to get a more objective review of Ra.One!
Jacqueline Fernandez out of Krrish sequel
In spite her first two films Aladin and Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai not performing too well at the box office, Jacqueline Fernandez managed to bag roles in big film sequels like Murder 2 and Sajid Khan's Housefull 2.After the super success of Murder 2, Jacqueline was offered the role of a female villain in Rakesh Roshan's sequel to Krrish which was her biggest break till date. Everyone in the industry believed that Jacky had finally joined the big league in Bollywood.
Jacqueline was very happy with her role in the much awaited sequel and was looking forward to work with Hrithik, but her happiness was short lived as she is no longer a part of the superhero film. Rakesh Roshan even went to meet Jacqueline on the sets of Housefull 2 in Filmistan Studios last Thursday to convince her to stay on board but things didn't work out. Earlier it was reported that, Sajid Khan was not too happy with Jacqueline when she had allotted a few dates of Housefull 2 schedule to the Krrish sequel. Some say that the reason for her ouster is because she had refused to wear a bikini and do a kissing scene in the film and Rakesh Roshan was not ready to give into her demands. Jacqueline's spokesperson however gave "date issue" as the reason for her leaving the film.
Right now, Jacqueline is very busy with Housefull 2, which is not over yet. Then she has Vikram Bhatts's Raaz 3, with Emraan Hashmi and Bipasha Basu and she is on the verge of signing two more projects.
The Krrish sequel is without the female villain once again. Earlier, Chitrangda Singh was supposed to play the negative character but she wasn't too happy with the length of her role and left the film.
Sonali Kulkarni gives birth to baby girl
Sonali Kulkarni, best known for her roles in films like Mission Kashmir and Dil Chahta Hai, and who was last seen in Singham, became a proud mother of a baby girl on October 18.
Sonali's husband Nachiket said that both mother and child are doing fine
Amitabh Bachchan honoured with doctorate in Australia
Just last week we reported that Amitabh Bachchan would be honoured with a doctorate from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). And yesterday, the ceremony took place in Brisbane Australia.Talking about this on his blog, Bachchan said, "I am deeply honored to be a part of this celebration through their insight and co operation and I thank them profusely for it. In a sense they have elevated me to a position of respect and love. May this association fructify and prosper is all that I can possibly assume and I am capable of expressing."
Further adding on developing the relationship between India and Australia, Bachchan said, "The recognition of my contribution to Indian cinema and its effort to reach out to an international community fills me with intense pride and humility - pride for being able to be a link between Australian and Indian professionals of the film and creative industries and humility for a chance to be the medium in doing so. May this help strengthen the existing bonds between our two countries."
The doctorate which Bachchan received from QUT is the fourth doctorate awarded to the actor after those given by the De Montfort University- Leicester UK, Jhansi University and the Delhi University.
Ranbir celebrates Nargis Fakhri's birthday
Ranbir Kapoor sure knows how to party in style. News is that he gave a splendid surprise to his gorgeous co-star Nargis Fakhri on board their charter flight to Nagpur for Rockstar promotions. It happened to be her birthday while Ranbir, Nargis, singer Mohit Chauhan and producer Hiren Gandhi were travelling to Nagpur for promotions, so Ranbir made elaborate plans to celebrate the occasion and arranged for a delicious cake and party on the flight, 20,000 feet up in the air.
Ranbir apparently pre-ordered a scrumptious Ferrero Rocher chocolate cake from one of Mumbai's premium bakeries and quietly got it onto the flight without Nargis' knowledge.
An unsuspecting Nargis was sitting on her seat when suddenly one of her staff took her outside the cabin on some pretext…when she came back to the sitting area the entire team yelled, "Surprise!" and presented the chocolate cake filled with candles.
Ranbir, Mohit Chauhan, producer Hiren Gandhi and all the passengers sang "Happy Birthday" while an overwhelmed and emotional Nargis cut the cake. She never expected anyone to even know it was her birthday that day. She then fed the cake to Ranbir and everyone present, after which entire crew partied on the flight listening to Rockstar songs with bonhomie all around.
Well, celebrating her birthday 20,000 feet up in the air with a sweet surprise by the charming Ranbir is a gesture Nargis will never forget.
High Court directs SRK to pay Rs.1 crore for copyright violation
Even as Shah Rukh Khan starrer Ra.One gears up for its big Diwali release, the film finds itself amidst a controversy. Yash Patnaik, a TV shows' producer-writer, has accused the makers of copying his concept and has dragged them to court.
Yash claims that the concept of calling the villain 'One' was his and he had shared the idea of the film with Mushtaq Shiekh (one of the writers of Ra.One). Yash has asked for due credit or wants 10% share of the profits the film makes. He has sought a stay order on the release of the film.
However, in the case hearing that took place a short while ago, the High Court has observed that prima facie there has been a copyright violation, Bombay High Court today has directed actor-producer Shah Rukh Khan to deposit Rs. 1 crore with the court before releasing his ambitious Diwali offering Ra.One.
"The defendants (Shah Rukh, his production house Red Chillies Entertainment and Eros Entertainment) are directed to deposit a sum of Rs. 1 crore as pay-order to the court and then release the movie," said the division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Roshan Dalvi.
French actor Mehdi Nebbou to be seen alongside Sridevi in English Vinglish
Sridevi, who is making her comeback on silver screen after 14 years with Gauri Shinde's English Vinglish, has French actor Mehdi Nebbou as her costar in the film.
Mehdi Nebbou started his career with My Sweet Home, where he played the role of Hakim, but it was his portrayal of Ali Hassan Salameh, the terrorist mastermind of the Munich Olympics' attack in Steven Spielberg's blockbuster film Munich, that made him famous and won him accolades.
Director Gauri Shinde was very sure that she wanted Nebbou to play the special friend and confidante to Sridevi's character in English Vinglish as he was physically and emotionally correct for the part. Apparently, Sridevi had never heard of the actor till she met him in New York, but they hit it off from the very first shot.
The film is about linguistic seclusion and the characters speak different languages. Nebbou's character apparently speaks only in French in the film; a language Sridevi's character cannot understand or speak. While Sridevi plays a simple housewife, who doesn't know how to speak English and enrolls herself in an English speaking course. However, the spoken language is the least important component in the narrative. In fact, very few words get spoken in the film.
English Vinglish is being made in three languages - Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.
Desi Boyz Movie Review
EXPECTATIONSYou have very good expectations from the music of Desi Boyz. First and foremost this is an unpretentious out and out commercial outing which means catchy music is pretty much on cards. Moreover, the title song with Akshay and John has already caught attention in a big way. Also, Pritam can well be expected to deliver goods in a biggie like this, especially after some chartbuster soundtracks that he has created for Akshay in the form of Action Replayy, De Dana Dan, Singh Is Kinng and Bhool Bhulaiyaa. With prominent lyricists like Kumaar, Irshad Kamil and Amitabh Bhattacharya contributing here, one looks forward to a fun and entertaining ride.
MUSIC
Desi Boyz gets a powerful beginning with 'Make Some Noise For The Desi Boyz' which is the kind of track that one would have expected when it comes to male bonding between the lead actors. A Punjabi-Hindi-English track by Kumaar that has K.K. singing in an altogether different style (when compared to far sombre songs that he usually sings for Pritam) along with Bob, this one is a chartbuster all the way. Boasted by addictive beats, relentless pace and some quick-fix arrangements that keep the adrenalin pumping for those four minutes, this one starts and finishes in a jiffy with no dull moment whatsoever. As expected, the song is also complimented by a 'remix version' which has a concert/club feel to it, hence requiring a wide dance floor that creates enough space to get the dance moves on. What takes the fun quotient forward is 'Subha Hone Na De' which is second straight chartbuster track in a row. This one is a club outing as
well with a definite Indian melody to it which only accentuates the overall appeal of the song. With Mika Singh getting into a total mood while singing this fun-n-entertaining number, this one also has a sonic sound to it, courtesy the parts sung by Shefali Alvaris that gives an added touch to this Kumaar written number. Though the song requires a couple of listening to make one get into the groove, 'Subha Hone Na De' is all set to become popular in quick time. No wonder, the makers too show good confidence in the song, hence adding not just a 'remix version' but also repeat it as 'Tu Mera Hero'.After a couple of club outings comes a quintessential Bollywood dance number that has Pritam giving exactly what is expected from him. With its opening sound on the similar lines as 'Zor Ka Jhatka' [Action Replayy] and the mood similar to that of 'Twist' [Love Aaj Kal] , 'Jhak Maar Ke' is clearly one of the massiest numbers that John Abraham has danced to in his decade long career. With Neeraj Shridhar and Harshdeep Kaur clearly having a lot of fun behind the mike and singing to the rhythm of some 'desi' Punjabi beats, 'Jhak Maar Ke' written by Irshad Kamil works instantly with the listener and only makes one nod in approval by the time the 'remix version' arrives.
A much refined version of 'Razia Gundo Mein Phas Gayi' [Thank You] comes in the form of 'Allah Maaf Kare' which only makes one sure that the makers here were sure about bringing in all the commercial ingredients that would have kept the mood of Desi Boyz upbeat and catering to class as well as mass audience. While this Irshad Kamil written song has a core Indian appeal to it, Pritam presents it in a Western avtar to bring in just the right fusion that ensures that 'Allah Maaf Kare' makes it four-in-a-row for Desi Boyz. With Sonu Nigam and Shilpa Rao bringing in a new dimension with their singing style here, 'Allah Maaf Kare' also arrives in it's remix version and makes one head to the dance floor.
Last to arrive is 'Let It Be' which could just have turned into a sad outing if only lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya would have changed a few words here and there or Pritam would have stepped into a much serious zone. However, despite the relatively serious mood of the song here when compared to the rest of the album, 'Let It Be' never makes one feel that the sound of Desi Boyz has been compromised. A song where the protagonist is regretting the mistakes he has made in life and now wants his partner (and life in general) to stick to him as he makes amends, this situational track is sung well by Shaan and has the composer's stamp all over it.
OVERALL
Music of Desi Boyz exceeds expectations. While one was sure that there would at least a couple
of chartbusters in the album due to reasons mentioned at the very beginning, it is clear that director Rohit Dhawan had additional expectations from his team here. Result is this soundtrack by Pritam which is one of the better 'masala' albums of the year that works as instant coffee and also promises a good shelf life once the film scores at the box office.Sri Devi in English Vinglish Movie
Sridevi is exploring the 85 avenues of New York City as part of the process of playing the New York-based Indian character in Gauri Shinde's debut film English Vinglish.Says a source, "The parts that were shot in India would occupy only 20 percent of the playing-time in English Vinglish. The major portions of the film are being shot in New York. Sridevi would be shown shooting in some of the most crowded and difficult parts of New York. She will have to be shown mingling with commuters and crowds. A shy person by nature, it's taking Sridevi helluva willpower to get herself out on the streets to shoot in the bustle and jostle of New York. Not being emotionally up to it at the moment, Sridevi has taken Boney along for moral support."
It's possibly the longest time that an Indian film has been shot in New York. Last month Sridevi left for the Big Apple to join the unit of Gauri's film. Gauri and her crew had been waiting patiently for Sridevi to join them after her father-in-law Surinder Kapoor's demise.
Says a source, "Sri was reluctant to leave so soon after the family tragedy and would've asked for a postponement if New York was not such an expensive city to shoot in. Considering the steep production costs in the city and the fact that Sridevi features in nearly every frame of the film, Sri left as soon as she could. Striking down the earlier plan that she would shoot alone, Boney Kapoor accompanied her to New York since she didn't want to be alone in New York."
Apparently, Sri is already homesick and missing her daughters but determined to shoot without her daughters since she doesn't want them to miss school.
Speaking from New York, Balki who produces the film says, "80 percent of English Vinglish has to be shot in New York. There are 85 avenues in NY for Sridevi to explore during the course of the film. And we have a 50-day schedule here to do it. It's tough because Sri is an instantly recognized face among Indians in the US. But we're coping."
Incidentally, both Sridevi and Gauri Shinde's spouses are in New York at the moment by default.
Says Balki, "I am here because I am the producer. My wife doesn't need me around during shooting."
Veena Malik plays sex worker in Zindagi 50-50
Veena Malik, who is this time in Mumbai for a very secret project, is uncharacteristically tight lipped. After all the controversial activities on Bigg Boss and shooting an item song for a film, Veena has bagged the biographical role a sex worker from Mumbai named Madhuri who has been moonlighting as a sex worker for years to support her family. The actress has been in Mumbai very quietly meeting sex workers; particularly Madhuri on whom her character in a film called Zindagi 50-50 is based.Veena has been visiting Mumbai to prepare and shoot for her part. "Main sach boloon aapko? This film has changed my life and my attitude to women and sex workers in particular. When director Sanjay Ruia came to me, he wanted me to play another role in Zindagi 50-50. I insisted on playing Madhuri. Koi connect hai. Koi link…I don't know what it was. But I instantly empathized with Madhuri's responsibilities towards her large family. Maybe because I come from a family of five daughters and one son. But I understand what it feels like to be a woman in a male-dominated society. I've always supported myself, been on my own."
Veena spent hours with Madhuri, got to know about her dual life. "In the daytime, she's a normal middleclass girl. In the night, she puts on her burqa and goes to work in the red-light area, just like any normal working-girl. I loved the dignity that Madhuri brings to her life and her work. I hope I am able to convey the same dignity in my performance."
The role has encouraged Veena to work towards the betterment of the lives of sex workers. "We've rules, laws, organizations and activists fighting for animal welfare. But who cares about the sex workers? I am appalled by the way they live in the red-light areas, not just in India but across Asia. These women deserve a much better life."
Bodyguard DVD Review
MOVIE DETAILS
Cast: Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Hazel Keech
Director: Siddique
Producer: Atul Agnihotri, Alvira Agnihotri
Music: Himesh Reshammiya, Pritam
Lyrics: Shabbir Ahmed, Neelesh Mishra
THE FILM
When Bodyguard begins, it seems like a regular love story in the making. Salman is hired by Kareena's father (Raj Babbar) to protect her from feudal enemies (Mahesh Manjrekar, Aditya Pancholi, Chetan Hansraj). Of course it is known from beginning till the end that this band-of-brothers would be beaten to the pulp and Salman won't allow a single scratch on Kareena's body. However beneath the exterior of this action packed setting, there is a delicate love story in the running that reminds one of the soft-hearted Salman that one saw once during the 90s.
So enter Salman from the days of Bandhan, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Hum Saath Saath Hai etc. where he could do nothing wrong and was always there for his loved ones. Not just that as he spoke every word only after going through it in his mind and never once mouthed anything that could be offensive to anyone, be it the ones known or unknown to him. Off late due to his Dabangg, Wanted and Ready image, one expects him to throw smart one liners at every juncture and be his goofy best with ample funny antics at display. However he takes a turn which is quite pleasant to say the least.
This means that even when he is following around Kareena in her college or trying to find the identity of the mysterious caller who is trying to woo him over the phone, one never sees him indulging into any buffoonery. In fact to compensate for that lost element, there is his friend named Tsunami who does the needful. On the other hand Salman keeps it all gentle and turns more and more easy going and all soft hearted as he starts feeling deeply in love with the caller. What starts of as a prank from Kareena (while seeing resistance from her friend - Hazel) takes serious proportions as the dilemma between loyalty and true love intensifies.
Now this is the point from which Bodyguard takes an altogether different run because instead of focusing the film on Salman's screen presence and presenting him in a way his audience wants, writer-director Siddique lets the story do all the talking. For Kareena too it becomes a good enough platform to showcase her true calibre as an actor, especially after relatively much light hearted 3 Idiots and Golmaal 3. With Bodyguard, and especially during the second half of the film, she reiterates loud and clear all over again the reason why she has been ruling from the top for so long.
As for Salman then well, this is indeed one of his most likeable performances for a long-long time. He is there in practically every scene of the film and modulates his body language, dialogue delivery and overall mannerisms for the requirement of the role. As for the action sequences, it is visible that he has gone through a lot of physical stress, especially if one considers the ones that have been set on a dance floor and then finally towards the pre-climax when he takes on Aditya Pancholi hands-on.
Does the movie show a dip anywhere? Not really though one does feel during the first half of the film at least that there is quite some time being spent on the entire build up. Also, the mischief around mystery calls seems a little too simplistic considering neither Salman nor Kareena can be expected to get into such childish pranks. Also Kareena's initial annoyance with Salman seems a little unjustified considering they had hardly met and the man was just doing his job. Moreover Salman's reference to Raj Babbar as 'Maalik' seems out of place in today's times.
Technically the film is reasonably polished, especially during the action sequences though due to its overall simplistic nature, Bodyguard hasn't been presented as an overtly flamboyant experience. Songs have been placed well in the film though eventually it is the sound of Himesh Reshammiya's 'Teri Meri' stay on with you long after you are through watching the film, more so because it also forms the part of the background score. Special effects could have been better though as the miniature helicopter sequence in the pre-climax doesn't just seem forceful but also loses impact after it is overdone with no results.
Amongst actors, while Salman and Kareena shine in their parts, the only other actor whom you actually take home is Hazel. Present in almost every scene with Kareena, she is much more than just her supporting buddy. Raj Babbar just passes muster while one wishes there was more of Pancholi. Mahesh Manjrekar is surprisingly out of place this time around while Vidhya Sinha is almost unrecognisable in a role that could have been done by any TV actress. Asrani is totally wasted as well and so is the case with Sharat Saxena.
DURATION
The film's duration is 130 minutes
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Making of the Movie and Songs
The 'making' segment here isn't as polished as one would have expected but is engaging nonetheless. The good part here is that throughout it's near 30 minutes duration, it is 'on the sets' with no rehearsed/edited interviews that otherwise turns out to be routine. A major part of this making is set around the campus in which the film was shot with everyone from Salman, Kareena, Hazel and other supporting cast sharing their experience of Bodyguard while the film was being made. Also, one can pretty much see Salman in his real self as he fools around with the other cast and crew members while bringing out his mischievous side. Of course when it comes to the making of the songs, there are usual talks around 'When Salman is on your side, you know that results would be good'. Yeah of course, these days we keep hearing that way too often!
TECHNICAL DETAILS
- 16:9 Anamorphic Widescreen Presentation
- Subtitles - English & Arabic
- Dolby Digital 5.1 and Stereo
PRICE
Rs. 299/=
CONCLUSION
When Bodyguard had released, word in the town was that it could never go wrong because of one major reason - 'Salman wave is on'. Oh yes, of course that's true. But then can just a wave be good enough for a film to sail through? Not really, because all said and done, it's an overall package that matters as well. In that context, 'Bodyguard' is pretty much a package deal in the offering. It has ample masala in it to keep Salman's core audience happy. But then it also has a soul to it that comes from Salman-Kareena love story, which ensures that there is lot more to Bodyguard than what one expected from the film based on the promos. It has a definite storyline to it and that ultimately turns out to be the film's strength.
UTV Motion Pictures
While UTV boasts of its own robust distribution network for both domestic and international markets, and most significantly a strong production team producing both Bollywood and regional cinema (both commercial and genre defining ones), the studio has now been approached by various leading directors and producers to distribute non-UTV movies. While UTV has undertaken the distribution of a couple of non-UTV movies in the recent past, the company has plans to set up more offices in various regions including two offices in the South, considering that South will be a strong focus starting this year. Gaurav Verma, VP - Distribution - India, UTV Motion Pictures reveals the plans.What makes UTV explore markets which are more into offbeat/experimental zone?
UTV has been in the business of movie making for sometime now. As a studio we make 10-12 films a year and for each of our films, every market becomes important. And the same effort is put by the team at UTV for all the films we distribute. Rather than following a traditional approach where films are released with a defined range in terms of number of screens, cities etc. we exhibit and release our films including the ones we produce and distribute, to every region and explore territories that otherwise wouldn't be considered. This is done in multiple phases, thus ensuring that the film is effectively reaching out to the audiences everywhere not just in key cities. The idea is to expand the base for films of all kinds.
From the ROI perspective, what's the company vision in terms of associating itself with non-UTV films?
At UTV, we like to be associated with films that are entertaining and yet are commercially successful. The same goes with films that we distribute; the idea is bring good and entertaining cinema to the audiences. We have built an infrastructure that is robust enough to take on more films, over and above our slate in a manner that is commercially viable to all parties involved, including us.
Is there any precedence that the company is looking at following here in terms of distribution model? Or is it primarily an altogether green field zone it is stepping in?
We are established players in the business of distribution and over the years, have created a robust infrastructure ranging across the territories, bringing in strong relationships with exhibitors on the table. We have the ability as well as the capability to take on more than our existing slate and do justice to it and exploit it to the fullest.
Since there are quite a few independent distribution companies that are already in fray and have tasted the market for decades now, is UTV looking at entering into a competition where it actually starts on a back-foot?
Like I mentioned earlier, we aren't starting on back-foot in terms of the ability and infrastructure. Each of our films has been distributed efficiently and filmmakers today are aware of our exploitation capabilities in the market today. We are interacting with exhibitors at various levels for our slate of films, so extending this to more films will make it significantly easier for all including exhibitors, producers and more. We believe this will significantly help the producers of the film as they will experience a uniform distribution approach across all territories from overseas to India which is not the case now.
Also, our relationship with them will not be limited to theatrical distribution but will be spread across all revenue streams. So rather than negotiating and coordinating at multiple levels, they have to deal with one studio that has both the expertise and relations that will benefit their film.
While this may be a good business decision for the company, how much of welcome/resistance does it foresee from industry in general, especially when it comes to much more established partners?
Producers have been more than welcoming. We function in a uniformed approach, without restricting the films to a particular territory which may be the case with the existing model. They are keen to be associated with a reputed brand that has a strong standing in the market, is transparent, has the market strength and brings in additional ideas on the table.
Ranbir Kapoor in Rockstar
November 2007, 4 Diwalis ago, a young, lanky actor made his big Bollywood debut in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Saawariya. Even though the film tanked at the B.O., this young boy got appreciated for his screen presence and acting prowess by one and all. Today as we come close to Diwali 2011, this young boy is one of the hottest and most sought after actors of Bollywood. He has proved his potential with films such as Wake Up Sid, Rocket Singh-Salesman of the Year, Raajneeti, & Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani and is now rightfully playing the lead role in a film aptly titled Rockstar. He is none other than Ranbir Kapoor. Bollywood Hungama's Nikhil Ramsubramaniam caught up with Ranbir at his palatial bungalow Krishna Raj where the actor was in a relaxed mood and spoke about his character Janardhan Jakhad, his experience with Imtiaz Ali, his debutant co-star-the beautiful Nargis Fakhri, sharing screen space with his favourite Shammi dadaji and of course those magical music sittings with A.R.Rahman. Read on…
What was your first reaction when you were offered Rockstar?
Well Rockstar wasn't directly offered to me. There is a quite an interesting back-story behind it. When I was about to start shooting for Saawariya, one day me and my friend went out driving and discussing movies in general. I remember Rockstar was being made with a different actor and by a different production house at that point of time. My friend told me this one line description of the film which is basically a journey of a musician who becomes an iconic Rockstar only after her suffers a heartbreak. I really liked the story and was waiting for the film to be made. Cut to 3 years later, Imtiaz came to me with another film. While discussing that film, I asked him, "What happened to Rockstar which you were supposed to make?" He said there were some problems with the budget and script etc. 2 months later I got a call from him and he said that he had gone back to the drawing board, had fleshed out the script in detail and was now keen to make Rockstar with me. So it was like a dream come true moment for me.
 I remember Rockstar was being made with a different actor and by a different production house around 5 years back.  |
The story starts off with Janardhan Jakhad's character who is bit of a village bum, a bit of an idiot. He lives in Pitampura and studies at Hindu College. He sings, plays the guitar and wants to become a Rockstar but doesn't quite know how to go about things. He is quite frustrated as everything that he churns out is eventually rejected. One day someone tells him that you will never be able to make great music unless you have suffered a heartbreak. He takes this advice very seriously and starts hitting on the hottest girl in college trying to make her break his heart. In the process, they end up becoming friends and it's their love story which spans almost 10 years. During the course of this how he grows as a musician and ends up becoming Jordan- the iconic Rockstar forms the crux of the story
Is the film inspired from the life and times of legendary rocker Jim Morrison?
Not at all… Imtiaz Ali is a very original writer. He is one of the finest writers we have in our industry. His characters are very rooted, very Indian. Janardhan Jakhad has a poster of Jim Morrison in his room but that's about it. He even says that he wants to be like him one day so Morrison is like a benchmark for him. But Jakhad's journey, course and experience is completely different from that of Jim Morrison.
| Imtiaz Ali is a very original writer. He is one of the finest writers we have in our industry. His characters are very rooted, very Indian. |
Firstly, the Rockstar title in this case cannot be taken too literally. This is not your typical head-banging kind of a Rockstar. He does become an iconic Rockstar but to become that person he has to go through a life changing journey to reach that level of greatness. So this film is more of his journey and love story.
You have worked with most of the leading actresses (Deepika, Priyanka, Katrina, Sonam). How was it working with a rank newcomer like Nargis Fakhri?
Well...it didn't feel like I was working with a rank newcomer. Since Nargis was new to the craft of acting, she had to be in the moment and go through the emotions. But after I see her performance now, I am shocked. It's such a finely nuanced performance that I don't feel as if it's her first film.
| Nargis has given such a finely nuanced performance that I don't feel as if it's her first film. |
We didn't base the look on any one particular Rockstar as in our country we don't have really have many iconic Rockstars. We just wanted to stay true to the character. He is from Pitampura so in the beginning of the film, you see him wearing these tight jeans, tight sweaters and silk fabric shirts. As the film progresses, the character is exposed to various cultures of places like Kashmir, Prague and Verona and somewhere it starts getting reflected in his dressing sense as well. His physical appearance has really been worked upon by Aki Narula, Imtiaz and Aalim Hakim. It all goes very seamlessly with the character and the narrative of the film.
How has been the experience of working with Imtiaz Ali?
We all know Imtiaz is one the most recognized directors in our industry. Beyond that I think he
is one the finest human beings I have met. His knowledge about Indian literature, culture, poetry, history is so profound that it translates on screen beautifully. He also understands the complexities of relationships like very few do. He is just a great guy. As a director he was generous to share his personal experiences so that I can use bits and pieces of that as well to fine tune the character. Everybody on the film wanted to give their best shot because Imtiaz has really motivated us.Rockstar is also extra-special for you as it gave you a chance to share screen space with the legendary icon- late Mr. Shammi Kapoor. Take us through that experience…
Firstly when you are making a film called Rockstar, it would be gross injustice if you didn't have the original Rockstar in the film. Shammi Kapoor is the original Rockstar of our industry. We wanted someone in a special appearance for the character of an ustad, a shehnai player. We wanted someone who could give the character a lot of dignity, grace and a certain presence. I don't think anyone else was more apt than Mr.Shammi Kapoor. In spite of achieving so much, he still took his role seriously and was like a little child on the sets. He used to practice the shehnai to make it look as authentic as possible and even worked hard on his lines which was really amazing. I clearly remember a day before shoot he called me and was a bit worried if he would be able to pull it off at this age. I told him, "Don't worry Shammi dadaji, we all will take care of you and will have lots of fun shooting for the film." When I put the phone down, I realized that I was giving assurance to a legend like Shammi Kapoor. Such is the quality of the legendary actor; he is humble beyond words and is just a great artist and left us with a lot of love and dignity.
| Firstly when you are making a film called Rockstar, it would be gross injustice if you didn't have the original Rockstar in the film. Shammi Kapoor is the original Rockstar of our industry. |
Not at all… like I said it's a different film. Rock On was about a group of friends forming a band. Rockstar is one man's journey and is primarily a love story. It's a very Hindi film…it's not trying to be a wannabe kind of a film. When you see the film, you will realize it that there is no similarity to Rock On or any other film for that matter.
The film has music by the great A.R.Rahman. You were part of the music sittings too with Rahman. How was that experience?
Rockstar is a story about a musician so it was very important have a talent like Mr.Rahman who would add a lot of depth to the character not just superficially but by also taking the narrative forward. I was lucky enough to be present at the music sittings with Mr. Rahman and got to see him work from close quarters. It was really inspiring to see a true artist like Mr.Rahman whilst at work. Just to see him so devoid of all the superficiality and the frills that get attached to his name is simply magnificent. He is dedicated and passionate towards his work beyond words. He still shows child like excitement while at work and is always open to criticism. In fact he hates it when people compliment him, he is not somebody who has 'Yes' people around him, he works in solitude and that's why he is what he is. He has been constantly giving us great music and has taken Indian music worldwide. It was my honour and privilege to be alongside a legend like Mr.A.R.Rahman during the making of Rockstar.
| Mr.Rahman is dedicated and passionate towards his work beyond words. He still shows child like excitement while at work and is always open to criticism. In fact he hates it when people compliment him |
Imtiaz was very clear to have one uniform voice in order to stay true to the character. I think it was my disadvantage that I can't sing. Both he and Mr. Rahman thought Mohit Chauhan was the best. I agree Mohit has been known more for his soft romantic songs but the way he has reinvented himself and pushed the envelope in this album is simply outstanding. I hope that when you see the film you identify with the character with the voice.
Rockstar has been shot at various locations from Mumbai to Delhi to Prague. Which has been your most memorable location?
We shot in Mumbai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Kashmir, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Prague and Verona in
Italy so because of this film I got to see many places. I think my favourite location was Kashmir. I used to go there quite a lot as a child with my dad when he used to shoot movies. But now I went there after almost 18 years and it was just amazing. The people are sweet, the valleys are beautiful and I don't think there is better food than Kashmiri food anywhere in the world. I hope the tourism really catches on in Kashmir as it's indeed 'Heaven on Earth'.| I went to Kashmir after 18 years and it was just amazing. The people are sweet, the valleys are beautiful and I don't think there is better food than Kashmiri food anywhere in the world |
Right now, I am only working on Barfee directed by Anurag Basu. My co-stars in the film are Priyanka Chopra and Ileana D'cruz. Barfee is a fun, happy go lucky, children friendly film. People have a wrong perception that it's a serious film but it's not true at all. The backdrop is of a love story and I feel that children will really like the film. The film is 50% complete. Post that I start work on Ayan Mukerji's film Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani where I am paired with Deepika. I have consciously not taken anything after that as I want to wait and watch how Rockstar is received by the audience. But yes I will be soon signing a couple of films as I want to take up more work.
There is buzz that you have been offered the film based on Chetan Bhagat's 2 States to be now made by Sajid Nadiadwala and Karan Johar. Is it true?
Well…it's on the anvil but like I said till Rockstar releases I am not hearing any scripts. Having said that, it's an exciting project. I really liked Chetan Bhagat's book but have yet to read the adapted screenplay. I hope something comes out of it.
Saif to be crowned Nawab of Pataudi
Saif Ali Khan will soon be crowned as the Tenth Nawab of Pataudi. The crowning ceremony will take place in the princely Pataudi state in Haryana by the end of October. The ceremony will take place 40 days after the demise of Saif's father Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi.
A huge turnout of people is expected on the day of crowning, as people from across the state would come to see the Pagri Rasm (coronation ceremony) of Saif Ali Khan, one of the loyal caretakers of the palace. The ceremony is more of a family tradition and hugely symbolic for the people of Pataudi.
Titles like 'Nawab' are no longer recognized by the government of India. Princely states were abolished in 1971, Mansoor Ali Khan was the last Nawab who reigned from 1952 till 1971 and was regarded as a Nawab of the 52 villages of the Pataudi riyasat. For purely sentimental reasons, the people of Pataudi wanted their Chhote Nawab Saif to be crowned as the Tenth 'Nawab of Pataudi' to continue the family tradition.
Pataudi has been ruled by Saif's forefathers since the early 19th century. The Nawabs, who were originally the governors of a province during the Mughal era, continued to rule princely states under the British rule.
Keeping with tradition, Saif will become the head of the princely Pataudi state in Haryana. He will now have to manage his father's estate, ancestral home and trust. Saif also wants to continue with the good work that his father did for the people of Pataudi and will also look after the eye hospital and other charitable institutions father was managing.
Saif is not very comfortable with the idea of being crowned as Nawab of Pataudi but is doing so keeping in mind the sentiments of the people of Patuadi. Refusing to use the title of Nawab, Saif mentioned that he would prefer to remember his father as the last Nawab of Pataudi.
Legal complaint filed against Big B in Australia
The complaint that was filed against Bachchan has been lodged under Australia's "criminal code Act 1995". The complaint was made by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a US-based human rights organisation. Apparently, Amitabh Bachchan has been charged for allegedly giving the murderous calls - Blood for Blood / Blood stains of Indira Ji must reach the homes of Sikhs - on October 31, 1984.
The 69-year old actor is currently in Sydney shooting for The Great Gatsby that co-stars Leonardo Di Caprio. He will also be honoured by the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane on Thursday where he will receive an honorary doctorate.
