Others Asian Country ~ Entertainment News & Info HERE!

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-----www.timesnow.tv-----

Anti-Rani protests in Varanasi
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 11:21:18 am


  
Protestors conduct a mock funeral of Rani Mukherjee on the Varanasi ghats  

Bollywood actor Rani Mukherjee has surely lost some of her popularity in Varanasi. Till yesterday they were Rani's fans. Now they are her bitter critics.

And to show their change of heart they put an effigy of Rani Mukherjee through a mock funeral - with all the rituals - on the ghats of the Ganga.

Addressing the media, local Shiv Sena leader Arun Gupta said, "So far the people knew Rani Mukherjee as a top film heroine. But after her rough behaviour yesterday with the media and the people of Varanasi, she has shown her real self to us."

They say their protests won't end unless the entire crew accompanying Rani apologises to them.

All the anger towards the actor started at the shooting of Rani Mukherjee's film on Monday. It seems that all the glamour, dance and song on the ghats of the Ganga, was too good for Rani Mukherjee's fans.

Eager to catch a closer glimpse fans broke through the security cordon, inviting a police lathi-charge. And Rani was certainly not impressed.

"During the shooting today, I noticed that some press persons were not behaving properly. When someone's working, they shouldn't be disturbed. We are women. Both of us are heroines. We wouldn't like people pushing and shoving right?" she had said.

While Rani's back on the shoot, her fans are yet to forget and move on.

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-----www.dnaindia.com-----

Mulayam defends decision to honour Abhishek Bachchan

PTI
Wednesday, November 15, 2006  13:11 IST



LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on Wednesday defended state government's decision to confer 'Yash Bharti', the state's highest award to cine star Abhishek Bachchan.

"What's wrong with conferring the award on Abhishek Bachchan, who hails from Uttar Pradesh and has earned his state a lot of fame in the international arena", Yadav said when asked about the decision.

"It was in line with our award policy which was to felicitate those personalities who earned name and fame for the state in the world," Yadav said.

Abhishek's father and Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan has also been a recipient of this prestigious award.

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----- Telegu Portal-----

Interviews : Europe is immersed in Indian films: Amitabh
Posted by admin on 2006/11/15 5:33:23  

Mumbai, Nov 15 (IANS) Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan says the kind of patronage the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) is getting across the world speaks a lot for the growing impact of Indian movies.

Bachchan has just returned from announcing this year's IIFA awards in the House of Commons in Yorkshire.

"The host country offered me a state honour. Yorkshire has five counties and mayors of each county, the sheriff and all the ministers were present at the presentation ceremony.

"They booked a special train for me to travel from London to Leeds. When I arrived at the station, I was given a red carpet welcome with the mayor and his wife there to receive me while a brass band played," Amitabh told IANS.

Truly a hero's welcome....

"Not that. It just shows how much dignity is been conferred globally on the Indian film industry. The projection of the host country through IIFA is massive. We've about 400 million TV viewers across the world. Obviously, it creates a worldwide importance. That importance needs to be realised.

"The kind of patronage IIFA is getting across the world speaks a lot for the growing impact of Indian films. The whole of Europe is immersed in Indian films. We need to be extremely proud of our impact. We're making solid representations of our cinema in foreign countries.

"In Yorkshire there were 200 media persons from all over the world. I'm very happy to be a part of the movement. It's a time of great pride for us," said Amitabh.

Amitabh is gung-ho about the IFFA.

"This is the seventh year of our existence. Rather than look at us as a vacuous glamour event, we need to see the influence of IFFA in full glory. There's a great amount of interest among countries in every continent to host the IIFA. I know for a fact that this year Hong Kong and New York were bidding to host it. Yorkshire won it.

"People in India take these things lightly. But IIFA has become huge. It's a meeting of cultures, governments are involved, promoters and sponsors of the highest integrity are involved. I just hope the Indian film industry realises the importance of serving as ambassadors promoting our culture, cinema, aesthetics and other sensitivities."

But why the House of Commons?

"Why not?" Amitabh shoots back. "IIFA is no longer just an awards ceremony. It's a collaboration of two governments leading to treatise of mutual co-operation in business and entertainment. Taking IIFA to a particular country boosts tourism in that country. In Yorkshire, the minister of state made a formal announcement about the IIFA."

He attributes the global impact of Hindi cinema to the quality of films being made.

"Look at the range of films coming up - 'Dhoom 2', 'Baabul', 'Guru'. I went for the music event of 'Guru'. Everything was so beautifully organised. It was a memorable occasion."

Tell him the "Baabul" soundtrack is memorable and Amitabh retorts, "Yes. But my track is not there. That's disappointing."

Of late, Amitabh has been in and out of the country.

"It's okay," he whispers. "It's part and parcel of my job."

--By Subhash K. Jha

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-----news.sawf.org-----

Amitabh Bachchan will be Bhishma Pitamah in Mahabharat remake
Posted on Wednesday, November 15, 2006 (EST)
Big B will be Bhishma Pitamah in the high tech remake of Mahabharata planned to go on the floors in the year 2008.



Amitabh Bachchan
? AFP/File Sebastian D'Souza

The film, based on an ancient Sanskrit epic will be directed by Ravi Chopra who earlier directed the very successful TV series Mahabharat that spanned 94 episodes over a two year period in 1988 and 1989. The series was one of the biggest television hits in Indian broadcasting history.

"No one can be better for the role of Bhishma Pitamah than Amitabh Bachchan," Ravi Chopra told Star News.

Mukesh Khanna who impressively essayed the role of Bhishma Pitamah in the TV series has expressed satisfaction that the big screen role had gone to India? most accomplished actor.

Rani Mukherjee is widely expected to be cast as Draupadi. Yesterday, in a press conference at Varanasi when Mukherjee was quizzed on the possibility of her being cast as Draupadi, she refused to confirm the news but significantly enough did not refute it.

Other cast members are yet to be decided. Indeed, Ravi Chopra in his conversation with Star News warned that the film was as yet in its early planning stages and it would be premature to get into any further casting details.

Considering the fact that the film is budgeted at 100 crores the rest of the cast may well include many other leading Bollywood stars.

Mahabharat is one of the world's longest written epics and its commentary on goodness, charity and prudence is widely quoted by Indian parents while bringing up their children. Bhagavad Gita, the most sacred Hindu text, is an intrinsic part of the Mahabharat

The film is expected to feature special effects that Ravi Chopra says will rival those produced in the West.

"The film will be made with great special effects like those people saw in The Lord of the Rings," he told Reuters recently.

The film will be released in two 3 hour parts on consecutive weekends.

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Bollywood star now boarding...
[email protected]
15 November 2006



BOLLYWOOD superstar Amitabh Bachchan waves to the crowd after getting the red carpet treatment at King's Cross station.

India's answer to Tom Cruise was captured on camera as he boarded a train to York to promote next year's International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) weekend.

Now in its eighth year the IIFA weekend plays host to India's equivalent of the Oscars, and is set to provide a huge boost to the UK economy when it returns to these shores for the first time since it began.

Mr Bachchan was voted Superstar of the Millennium in the year 2000, easing out giants such as Sir Laurence Olivier and Charlie Chaplin in a BBC online poll.

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-----ApunKaChoice.Com-----

Stars galore in a sports-based movie!
15th Nov 2006  17.00 IST
By ApunKaChoice  

Movies on sports-based themes seem to be the latest fad in Bollywood.

Shah Rukh Khan is gearing up to play a coach of girls? hockey team in Shimit Amin? ? Chak De India?. On a different front, John Abraham is toning his body to play a football player in another movie.




And now, the latest tinsel tattle is that choreographer-turned-filmmaker Ahmed Khan is making a film on a sports-based theme. Titled Yahan Ke Hum Sikander , the movie will be either about football or basket ball.

Naturally, in keeping with the movie? theme, a host of Bollywood stars are said to have been finalized.

The film will feature Arjun Rampal , Sunil Shetty , Sohail Khan , Aftab Shivdasani , Shawar Ali , Zulfi Syed , Jas Arora and Chetan Hansraj. Nana Patekar will play the coach of the sports team. Rimi Sen and Ayesha Takia will be among the heroines.

One more actor and actress remain to be signed.

According to Ahmed Khan, despite the movie? sports-based theme, it will have many emotional moments.

The script will be written by Anees Bazmee and the music will be by A R Rahman.

The film will be produced by Silent Noise Productions.

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-----india.fm-----

Vivah becomes the first Indian movie to premiere on the Internet  
By IndiaFM News Bureau, November 15, 2006 - 11:00 IST



Rajshri Media (P) Limited, the digital media and entertainment arm of the Rajshri group, launches rajshri.com, a broadband entertainment destination online for premium Indian video content. In an unprecedented move, rajshri.com premieres Sooraj R. Barjatya? eagerly awaited movie Vivah online, day and date with its worldwide theatrical release. The online premiere is aimed predominantly at the growing number of international consumers for Bollywood entertainment, who are both broadband enabled and technology savvy.

Rajshri Media has already aggregated more than 3,000 hours of premium Indian video content across multiple genres. Consumers can stream and download hundreds of full-length feature films, including blockbusters like Phir Hera Pheri, Hera Pheri, Amar Akbar Anthony, Ek Duje Ke Liye, Love In Tokyo, Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! etc. Rajshri.com also features film and non-film music videos, concerts, humor clips, short films and documentaries licensed from the most respected individuals and organizations of their fields.

Three versions of Vivah are be available on rajshri.com which started on November 10, 2006: original theatrical version in Hindi, theatrical version in Hindi with English subtitles and its Telugu version, Parinayam. Consumers will be offered options to stream the movie on their PCs or download the movie with a limited 72-hour license.

Going forward, Rajshri Media plans to aggressively build depth and breadth in each content category of rajshri.com, add exciting new features to the site on a regular basis, launch comprehensive sections on Astrology, Numerology, Indian Food and Spirituality besides others, add regional language content across multiple categories and integrate rich content repurposed for mobile phones, iPods and other digital devices. One of the key focus areas of Rajshri Media is the creation and development of Original Programming for new media and digital devices, which has the potential to spawn an entirely new digital entertainment revolution in the days to come.

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-----telegu portal-----

Health/Medicine : Stop endorsing tobacco products, WHO to Shah Rukh Khan
Posted by admin on 2006/11/15 9:37:12  

Agra, Nov 15 (IANS) A senior official of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Wednesday termed as "horrible" endorsement of tobacco products by Shah Rukh Khan and motor racing legend Michael Schumacher and urged them to stop promoting what was a "social malice".

"We know that celebrities in both Hollywood and Bollywood are endorsing tobacco in a huge way and we denounce it vehemently. It's really horrible to see public faces not showing enough responsibility," said Robert Beaglehole, director of the chronic diseases and health promotion at the WHO, in an interview to IANS.

He said players like Michael Schumacher or some Indian film stars should not associate themselves with tobacco products. "They have a huge fan following and promoting such products is nothing but a social malice."

Referring to Shah Rukh Khan's reported remarks that the government should rather ban the manufacturing of tobacco products instead of banning smoking on screen or endorsing such products, the WHO official said: "It is utter irresponsibility."

"We are in touch with many countries and have urged the governments including in India to discourage such practices. WHO knows that the Indian government is trying to curb these practices but what we expect is an equal responsibility on the part of celebrities," Beaglehole said on the sidelines of the Global Youth Meet on Health in this city of the Taj Mahal.

With a huge population of cinema and sports buffs in India, the celebrities should come out of a profit-making mentality, Beaglehole said, adding: "Celebrities in the fields of music, film and sports should not do anything that influences the public behaviour negatively."

He said New Zealand had already banned celebrities from endorsing tobacco products and "it should be considered as a case in point for other countries".

"The Indian government should persuade popular sports and film personalities to endorse the cause of health," he said adding that authorities must impose heavy taxes on such tobacco products to discourage its consumption.

Experts at the health meet pointed out disturbing statistics on the damage done by tobacco.

"Tobacco is the second major cause of death in the world today. Nearly five million people die due to tobacco every year and this will double by 2020," said K. Srinath Reddy, chief of the Public Health Foundation in India.

"In India alone, over 800,000 people are losing their lives due to tobacco and it is posing a huge challenge to the country's public health expenditure and productive working hours," Reddy said.

--By Prashant K. Nanda

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-----Times of India-----

Rani film runs into Benaras jinx
[ 15 Nov, 2006 0119hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]


VARANASI: The saffron brigade struck again on Tuesday. Six years after Deepa Mehta was forced to cancel the shoot of her film Water, the target was none other than actress Rani Mukherjee - who has shot for several other films in the city, including a scene from last year's hit, Bunty Aur Babli.

Activists of Kranti Shiv Sena (KSS) - a breakaway faction of the Shiv Sena - burnt posters of the Bollywood actress to protest what they called disruption of the lives of devotees. Led by party president Arun Pathak, KSS men took out a mock funeral procession of the entire film crew and, at the end, burnt the effigies at Harishchandra Ghat.

KSS protesters alleged that the daily religious life of the people living in various lanes along the Ganga was disturbed due to the shooting of the untitled film under the Yash Raj banner. "Devotees were stopped from going to the ghat for bathing and offering prayers," alleged Pathak, adding this demonstration was a "warning to the film crew".

He said if the crew did not get its act together, "KSS will launch a massive movement to oust them from this religious city". Earlier, on Monday a scuffle broke between the actors' security crew and photo-journalists eager to get photographs of the stars.

To break the resultant deadlock, a press conference was organised to allow the media access to the stars. But Rani, perhaps upset about being jostled by the paparazzi, accused photo-journalists of interfering in the shoot. The actress apparently dismissed most queries as vahiyat (rubbish) and threatened to leave the press conference. She also said that the media should have shown some consideration instead of pushing around the actors.

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-----Coventry Telepgraph-----

A Mela deal of bhangra, balti and Bollywood
Nov 14 2006

  
WHEN Coventry woman Dal Banwait was given the opportunity to organise a celebration of British Asian culture she made sure her home city was represented.

Former Finham Park pupil Dal, has helped put together the three-day Mela at Birmingham's NEC.

The event kicks off on Friday and is the culmination of next week's first ever British Asian week which the 32-year-old, of Ridgeway Avenue, Styvechale, wanted to see off in style.

Bollywood stars Kajol and Ajay Devgan and heart-throb Saif Ali Khan will be there, along with comedian Paul Chowdry as well stalls on Asian fashion, food and business icons sharing their advice about how to make it in the worlds of music, business, film and sport.

Among the stars will be Pudsey Bear for charity Children in Need who is getting the Bollywood treatment.

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-----DNA India-----

Criminal wanted to murder Mallika

Brajesh Kumar
Wednesday, November 15, 2006  20:10 IST

Updated at 11.40 pm

NEW DELHI: A man wanted by the Delhi police in several cases of kidnapping, robbery and attempt to murder, confessed to have conspired to kill actor Mallika Sherawat. Rajesh Dalal, who was arrested in Sangli, Maharashtra by Delhi police four days back, told a television channel that the actor had brought disrepute to his Jat community and so he wanted to kill her.

However when contacted, DCP crime Neeraj Thakur, refuted the reported confession. ?t is just a gimmick to attract media attention and in our investigation we did not find anything of this sort,? he told DNA. Delhi Police had been hotly pursuing Rajesh Dalal for the past two months. He was wanted in at least six criminal cases in Delhi including escape from police custody, attempt to murder, kidnapping, criminal intimidation and assault on police officials.

It took Interstate Cell Delhi Police Crime Branch more than two months to finally trace and arrest him from a small hamlet in Sangli. Dalal was living in Sangli under the guise of a computer graphics designer.

Sources close to Mallika Sherawat revealed that the actor was unaware about the conspiracy to kill her and learnt of it only through media reports. While her parents are very upset, Sherawat remains unfazed. ?eath threats don? scare me. However, I want to make one thing clear - it is not my intention to offend the sensibilities of my people. I respect our culture and traditions,? the actor said in a statement. Sherawat added that she believed in the empowerment of women. ?very woman should have the ability to stand on her own feet, earn a living and excel in her chosen career, which is exactly what I am trying to do,? she said.

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-----Business of Cinema----


Bollywood stars meet cancer-affected kids NEW!
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By Businessofcinema.com Team
15 November 2006, 08:57 PM     
PRESS RELEASE



On the eve of Children? Day 2006, the Bowling co, a brand of Galaxy Entertainment Corporation Limited (GECL), and the Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA), have announced a weeklong festival supporting the cause of helping children fighting cancer. As part of GECL? ?ocial responsibility initiative, popular Bollywood stars Sunil Shetty, Kunal Kapoor, Esha Deol and Dia Mirza visited the Bowling co at the High Street Phoenix Mills and spent quality time with several cancer-affected children while extending their support to the noble cause.

Galaxy Entertainment invited 100 cancer-affected children to play games at the Bowling co. On the occasion, variety entertainment including jugglers, music and dance items were presented to regale the young ones. As an icing on the cake, the children got an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet their favourite stars and interact with them. A panel of distinguished experts also offered assistance to the children.

Galaxy Entertainment conceptualized a special signature campaign in support of children with cancer during Children? Day in order to raise funds for the CPAA. A canvas wall has been set up at the Bowling co for customers, who want to extend their good wishes and compliments to the young ones fighting cancer. People, who wish to support the cause, can write a message on the specially created canvas wall and donate a minimum of Rs. 10 to be contributed to CPAA, in a box provided next the signature wall.



Sanjay Seksaria, Director, Galaxy Entertainment, said, ?e have been working together with the Cancer Patients Aid Association, on this occasion, to bring smiles and give hopes and joy to the cancer-affected children and their parents. Since the Bowling co is a favourite destination for the young ones and young-at-hearts, we want to urge all our customers, young as well as old, to take this opportunity and send their wishes to the brave cancer-affected children. It will be very encouraging for them to know that so many people care. We believe that if every corporate and individual contributes a little towards helping others, it is a lot collectively.?

?ince several years, CPAA, a well-known organisation, has been helping lakhs of people fight cancer. Galaxy Entertainment considers it to be a privilege that CPAA has decided to work with it on the occasion of Children? Day 2006 in putting together a small event and fund collection for the children with cancer. This event is galaxy Entertainment humble attempt to support CPAA? cause,? Seksaria added.

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-----Business of Cinema-----

Mani Ratnam's Guru postponed to January
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Rohini Bhandari
15 November 2006, 08:27 PM     


   
MUMBAI: Mani Ratnam's Guru starring Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, R Madhavan and Vidya Balan, which was slated to release on 22 December, 2006, will now release next year on 12 January.  

The publicist from Ratnam's camp confirmed the new release date to Businessofcinema.com. "The release of the film has been postponed because the post production work is still in progress," he said.

Incidentally, on 22 December (Christmas weekend) Priyadarshan's Bhagam Bhag is also slated for release. What's more, Bhagam Bhag's release has also been postponed. Hence the Christmas weekend will now have no Bollywood film releases.

The worldwide distribution of Guru has been undertaken by Adlabs. Prior to Guru, the Abhishek - Aiswarya starrer Umrao Jaan too was released by Adlabs.

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-----DNA India-----

Who? Bollywood? ?odilicious? babe?

Faheem Ruhani
Wednesday, November 15, 2006  19:37 IST



Bipasha Basu, Aishwarya Rai or Esha Deol, readers vote for the hottest body in tinsel town.

YOU SAY

It? Bipasha for sure! The way she carries herself sets her apart. Indrajit Sahukar, sales executive

Bipasha Basu! She is a natural. Archana Sadguru, housewife

There is something about Bipasha. Esha looks like a ?ut on?. Ash is too plastic. Amrita Raote, teacher

I think Bipasha has the best body. It complements her face. Vikram Kriplani, software engineer

Esha Deol.  After ?hoom? she has maintained her toned body. Dharam Pujari, accountant

Ash is looking super hot in ?hoom 2?. So for me it? Ash. Farid Siddiqui, businessman

Esha Deol. I think both Ash and Bipasha have good and bad months with their bodies. Abhishek Kanoria, businessman

Bipasha is the hottest any day. Ash and Esha are good but not as much. Sameer Goel, insurance agent

Right now, it? got to be Ash. I hope it stays that way. Gopal Pillai, student

Bipasha, Bipasha, Bipasha! Vincent Fernandes, sports instructor

WE SAY

For us too it's the desi Sophia Loren? Bipasha Basu! Fit and not famished is the impression she gives. And her vigorous workouts have only accentuated her curves. Dusky-skinned and husky-toned Bipasha is all about hissing sensuality.

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-----DNA India-----

Amitabh Bachchan makes an appearance at Vaibhavi? show

Viral Bhayani
Wednesday, November 15, 2006  19:34 IST



The superstar was seen at the choreographer? show ?erchants of Bollywood? in Manchester.

Actor Amitabh Bachchan had a busy time when he visited the House of Commons (UK), last weekend to launch the International Indian Films Academy Awards (IIFA) 2007, to be held next year in Sheffield. But in between his tight schedule Big B took time out to make an appearance at the successfully running play ?erchants of Bollywood? at Manchester? Opera house. The show is based on the life of Bollywood choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant.

Though he did not watch the show we wonder if he showed any displeasure at its title . Incidentally, Big B dislikes the word ?ollywood? and prefers ?ndian cinema? to it.

?erchants of Bollywood?

The show first premiered in Australia. Later it toured to Berlin and Zurich. The narrative revolves around how Vaibhavi fell out with her family and especially her grandfather, the late Hiralal Merchant (choreographer and a Bollywood pioneer) as she wanted to fire modern dance and music into age-old Bollywood. Incidentally, Vaibhavi has also choreographed the show.

While Vaibhavi? character is named Ayesha (played by model Carol Furtado) in the show, her grandfather? character is called Shantilal Merchant (played by Arif Zakaria). Shantilal believes that Bollywood is no decent place for women. He feels that films should be used for the betterment of people, and not as a glitzy vehicle for models and beauty queens.

Feedback and fervour

?bsurdly colourful and improbably energetic, ?erchants of Bollywood? might just be the most exhilarating musical I?e seen this year,? writes Kevin Bourke of Manchester Evening News. Event promoter Harvey Goldsmith says that he was ?ewitched? by the show. ? was taken to see it by a friend in Australia where it was a huge success. I fell in love with it on the spot,? he says. ?n the first week of the show in Australia, the audience was predominantly Asian. But by the second week the audience comprised of 65 per cent  Australians and 35 per cent Asians. I am hoping the audience here too will be a cross-section of Asians who are Bollywood fans,? he said in an interview to the Independent.

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-----Business of Cinema-----

Veteran actors in Bombay To Goa remake NEW!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Ashok Anchan
15 November 2006, 10:13 PM     

MUMBAI: Yesteryears actors Asrani, Jagdeep, Paintal, Dinesh Hingoo, Viju Khote, Birbal, Jr. Mehmood, Manorama, Pran and Manmaujee will be seen together on the big screen in the remake of Bombay To Goa.

Confirming the development to Businessofcinema.com, debutant director Raj Pendurkar says, ?e have cast many veteran actors to participate in the shooting of the bus journey and some other scenes. They fit the roles perfectly. We are proud to have veteran actors in our film. However, we are not exactly remaking Bombay To Goa. The film is just titled the same. We are shooting in Mumbai with these actors.?

D.K. Shroff (business manager of many a Bollywood stars like Milind Soman, Yukta Mookhey, Preeti Jhangiani, Anupama Verma, Sherlyn Chopra and Prashant Narayan) has now taken the onus of managing work for these senior actors.

Shroff says, ?he film has many senior actors like Asrani, Jagdeep, Paintal, Dinesh Hingoo, Viju Khote, Birbal, Jr. Mehmood, Manorama, Pran and Manmaujee. They?e given all their life to acting and nothing else. Like me, many actors have been inspired by these veterans in their hey days and have come to Mumbai to pursue a career in acting. Today, these actors have grown old and are out of work. I have decided to do promote these actors by being their manager, without charging them any fee or commission. I have approached them and have begun by giving work to Birbal, Manmaujee and Dinesh Hingoo in Phir Hera Pheri.?

?ow I have cast Jagdeep, Paintal, Dinesh Hingoo, Viju Khote, Jr. Mehmood in Bombay To Goa. Raj, the young filmmaker has been helpful and has signed them to play important roles on a reasonable remuneration packet. Asrani, Birbal and several others will be finalised in a couple of days. I am also working on getting them other projects.?

The shooting of Bombay To Goa is in progress. The film also stars Laughter Challenge winners Raju Shrivastava and Ehsaan Khan. Shahbaaz Khan will also be playing a pivotal role in the film.

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-----DNA India-----

Suzuki rides on 'Dhoom-II' to promote power bikes

PTI
Wednesday, November 15, 2006  19:50 IST



NEW DELHI: Japanese auto major Suzuki is joining the bandwagon of companies tapping the potential of Bollywood for brand promotion with its high performance bikes featuring in the yet to be released movie Dhoom II.

"Dhoom II offers us a unique opportunity to showcase not only our superbikes but also our advanced technology used even in Zeus -- our value packed motorcycle," Suzuki Motorcycle India Joint Managing Director Katsumi Takata said.

Suzuki's three power bikes, a 1,000 cc 'GSK-R1000K6' and the 600 cc GSX-R600K6 and GSR600K6, would feature in the Hrithik Roshan and Abhishek Bachchan-starrer movie.

Suzuki is the latest company to tap the power of Hindi movies to promote its products. Various other companies across segments, including Coca Cola, Bajaj Auto and Motorola have earlier used the same route for marketing their products.

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-----ndtv.com-----

Bond obsession sweeps Bollywood
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rohit Khilnani

Wednesday, November 15, 2006 (Mumbai):



The publicity of the latest 007 movie Casino Royale, is an occasion to examine India's unique obsession with James Bond.

In the 70s and 80s, 007 films shared a close bond with B-Grade Bollywood movies.

Whether it was Mahendra Sandhu playing Agent Vinod or Mithun Chakraborty as Gunmaster G9 or Jeetendra as Bond 303, they just kept coming one after the other.

By the book

These were tacky adaptations, which loosely followed the Bond rulebook with spies, villains and even vamps.

Characters were predictable, linear and exaggerated, hence easy to adapt to in the over-the-top tradition of Bollywood.

"It's not just our filmmakers. Filmmakers worldwide copy Bond. Bond is not really a spy or a detective or a cop. He is a cult. Bond is a genre by itself. Like horror, comedy, Bond is a drama,'' said Sajid Khan, Actor, Director.

The pioneer was Ravi Tandon's 1967 hit Farz. Jeetendra in sparkling white pants, marked the debut of 007 in Bollywood.

''The first proper successful Bond film we made was Suraksha. It had Bond, Bruce Lee and Travolta. That was one of my favourite films. Today when you see those films on DVD, you fall down laughing, but that time those films were hits,'' said Sajid Khan, Actor, Director.

From time to time, the Bond formula would get a big-budget spin, like Krishna Shah's heist thriller Shalimaar, which had all the Bond trademarks - the intrigue, the chase and the escape.

Successful formula

The formula made its way into Bollywood mainstream with Don, the original version.

''I insisted on a title sequence before Don. No Bond movie is complete without it. The hero is cornered so badly that you feel he will never escape. That creates the tension," said Chandra Barot, Director of original Don.

Helen was our desi version of the James Bond girl, an image that she carried for many years later.

''Helen aunty fitted in any role,'' said Kareena Kapoor, Actress

''I was zapped when I was told that Helen was over 40 when she did that song,'' said Chandra Barot, Director of original Don.

Popular genre

Since then, Bond touches everywhere in Bollywood. In films like Shaan, the charismatic Shakaal stole the show as the quirky Bond villain, with an island full of guns, secret rooms, rotating chairs, sharks and even a pet alligator.

And then in the 90s, Akshay Kumar played a Bombay cop called what else - Bond, fighting the nefarious villain, Dragon, an international crime lord with an army of Ninja henchman.

Mr Bond's womanizing is of course within the boundaries of the Censor Board.

Today, as Bollywod goes high tech, its new genre of thrillers have vastly upgraded the B-level filmmaking of the 70s.

Take Sunny Deol's The Hero. And of course, the recent remake of Don where Bond in Bollywood comes a full circle.

Why does Bond work so easy and well in Bollywood? Many say, it is so because a Bond film is very close to a Hindi film. Its storyline is predictable, the hero larger than life, logic thrown to the wind and the end always happy - a rather happy bonding, shall we say.

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-----The Telepgraph-----

Salman pays, Ash objects
- Bollywood bad boy is a good taxpayer  
SATISH NANDGAONKAR

  
Salman Khan at the children? film festival in New Delhi on Wednesday. (PTI)  

Mumbai, Nov. 15: Sunil Gavaskar played it with a straight bat and Shah Rukh Khan was a byword for professionalism.

But Salman Khan and his once-girlfriend Aishwarya Rai failed to live up to their public images when the taxman came calling.

Bollywood ?rat? Salman is among only six celebrities who quickly complied when asked to send the documents of their contracts and agreements and pay 0.25 per cent stamp duty on them.

Aishwarya, among 29 others sent the ?tar tax? notice, has been holding out and raising objections.

The collector of stamps? enforcement wing had on August 13 reminded 35 celebs to pay the ?tar tax? introduced by the Maharashtra government on contracts signed since May 7, 2005.

Salman paid Rs 79,300. Among the others who complied without fuss are SRK (Rs 7,75,686), Rani Mukherji (Rs 3,08,940), Gavaskar (Rs 33,750) and Akshay Kumar (Rs 1,42,930). Even Sushmita Sen, who went to court over a Rs 2.16-lakh octroi on her Toyota Land Cruiser, paid up her dues of Rs 1,21,365.

Aishwarya wrote back arguing it? the companies that hired her who should be taxed. The department has asked her to send the documents. ?f the contracts specify that the tax liability rests with the brand and not the brand ambassador, we can ask the companies to pay. If they don?, the celeb has to pay,? an official said.

Paresh Rawal, Naseeruddin Shah, Feroze Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Sachin Tendulkar have sent their contracts and agreements. The rest have ignored the notice despite a reminder on September 22. Another reminder will be on its way soon.

The line-up of the errant stars includes Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan, Suniel Shetty, Aamir Khan, John Abraham, Saif Ali Khan, Ajay Devgan, Fardeen Khan, Akshaye Khanna and Sanjay Dutt. The ladies? list features Juhi Chawla, Preity Zinta, Priyanka Chopra, Kareena and Karisma Kapoor, Kajol, Malaika Arora, Lara Dutta, Mandira Bedi and Diya Mirza.

Former cricketer Ravi Shastri and pacer Zaheer Khan, too, were notified.

Last week, a second batch of notices was sent to nine producers.

?akesh Roshan? chartered accountant promised to hand in all documents by the first week of December. Yash Chopra? office, too, contacted us. We?e waiting to hear from the rest,? an official said.

ldg

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Letter From India: Bollywood pinning its hopes on Aishwarya Rai
16 Nov 2006
Mahendra Ved


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IT is rare that at the birthday celebrations of a reigning diva, her age is advertised; nothing is left to speculation.

Aishwarya Rai turned 33 on Nov 1. Her beauty has dazzled the Indians so much that none seems to realise if it could also be an announcement of the beginning of the end of her film career, at least as a conventional heroine.

As celebrations get extended to the release of one of the most remarkable performances she has given in Umrao Jaan, the tale of a 19th century courtesan, Rai, it seems, is defying the invisible age ceiling in Bollywood.

Generally, heroines beyond 30 are either relegated to playing what are called "character roles" or simply retire or enter matrimony. Rai is doing far better than most actresses her age and even the younger ones.

Promos and posters these days depict a toned-up, slimmed-down Rai. To fit the role, it is said, the actress underwent a strict fitness regime. She did not seem the girl-next-door the only time I met her in 1995 and took photographs. She was then promoting a cola. She had a dazzling presence, but of a handle-with-care porcelain, not of a sexy siren. After a decade and more, she retains that charm.

More and more films, whose cost will run into millions, are being planned with Rai as the pivot. Bollywood is banking heavily on her to help it to end 2006 ? its most successful year ever ? on a high.

Revenue of over Rs7 billion (RM563 million) is expected from six big-budget movies being released in the next five weeks, three of which star her in the lead role.

Besides Provoked, the other much-publicised film is the US$67 million (RM247 million) Hollywood period action adventure, The Last Legion. It is distributed by MGM. Starring leading Hollywood actors, it is to hit the theatres in early January.

All these films belong to different genres and her roles in them are diverse, making her one of the few Bollywood actresses who are hard to stereotype.

One reason is her screen presence. Perhaps she needs to try extra hard because her beauty is too distracting and overshadows her skills as an actress, some critics say. She has done non-glamorous roles in small-budget, so-called art-house films, to prove herself as an actress.

Umrao Jaaan is the latest feather in Rai? cap. But while the film is making money and will win awards, hers is not a super-triumph. Many critics, even as they go lyrical in describing her beauty and dance performance, have panned her dialogue delivery in Urdu.

With all her prowess, she has not been one of the greatest of actresses India has produced, leave alone Hollywood or world cinema. But she is unique and has a place that she is bound to retain for a long time.

Born in a middle-class family of a merchant marine father and writer mother, Rai began modelling on the side while studying architecture. She lost the Miss India 1994 pageant to Sushmita Sen, but she bagged the Miss World title that year. Sushmita, crowned Miss Universe that year, has a healthy rivalry with Rai on the Bollywood circuit.

Rai? first film in 1997 was in Tamil. Bollywood happened later. Success was not instant, but came early enough. She joined the big league by the end of 2000.

Her Devdas was the first Indian film to be premiered at Cannes in 2002. The next year, she was on the jury there. Just when it was facilitating a crossover of Indian cinema, Rai turned Western heads as the new face of cosmetics house L?real. She led that year a virtual Bollywood "invasion" of Europe and the US.

Her next step was acting in a foreign film. British-Indian director Gurinder Chadha cast her in the lead in Bride and Prejudice, a Hollywood-funded but Bollywood version of Jane Austen? Pride and Prejudice. The movie came just shy of breaking even at the US box office, but earned over four times on investment in global revenue.

In 2004, she was chosen by Time Magazine? Asian Edition as one of Asia? "100 Most Influential People". She was the subject of a 60 Minutes profile on CBS, adjudged "The Most Beautiful Face in the World".

She appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, and was featured on Oprah? "Women Across the Globe" segment. Her wax figure is on display in London? Madame Tussaud?.

The West has been somewhat puzzled at her espousing family values and the fact that she lives with her parents.

Her colleagues credit her with the traditional values of a modern Indian woman. A practising Hindu, she has expressed faith in many Gods. But Lord Ganesha is special. When in Mumbai, she visits the Siddhivinayak shrine, uncomfortable that her presence distracts other devotees from the deity.

Not surprisingly, her own reaction to the talk about her looks is oriental, even philosophic: "I am really OK with the way I look. It? fine. All this is transient. I mean, it is really, you know; it changes with time, and that? the external."