gossip artis HOLLYWOOD~BOLLYWOOD~MALAYWOOD

iansuryani

Tanggal 11 Ogos ini, Nicole Kidman akan muncul di pawagam melalui filem terbarunya, Bewitched. Hip mengimbau kehidupan peribadinya untuk tatapan pembaca.


DUNIA mengetahui pelakon wanita popular dari Australia, Nicole Kidman, mengambil dua anak angkat ketika dia dan bekas suami, Tom Cruise, masih bersama. Dua kanak-kanak itu, Isabella dan Connor, kini masing-masing sudah pun berusia 12 dan 10 tahun.

Biarpun sudah mempunyai dua anak angkat, Nicole tidak menafikan dia teringin untuk mempunyai anak kecil lagi jika berpeluang. Begitupun dia hanya akan berbuat demikian sekiranya sudah bertemu pasangan hidup.

揝aya teringin mempunyai anak kecil, tetapi saya perlu mencari seseorang untuk mendapatkan anak bersama-sama kerana saya tidak mahu mempunyai anak itu seorang diri.

揗asalahnya, saya belum menemui sesiapa untuk menjadi pasangan hidup saya. Dan, sudah tentu saya bukannya mencari, tetapi saya masih menanti. Sekarang, banyak lagi perkara lain yang boleh diperkatakan kerana saya berasa bosan jika asyik berbicara mengenai perkara yang sama.

揓adi, saya cuba untuk menyimpan hal sedemikian untuk diri saya sendiri. Saya bukan wanita yang mencari-cari perhatian sejak dulu hingga sekarang. Ramai juga orang yang lebih selesa berada di rumah daripada kehidupan glamor di luar. Tetapi, saya tetap menghadiri majlis tayangan perdana filem saya dan saya bukannya sengaja hendak mencuri perhatian,

iansuryani

TERSILAP BERI WANG UPAH

NIAT hatinya untuk sekadar memberikan AS$10 ($16.50) sebagai upah menjagakan keretanya ketika beliau menjamu selera dengan temanitanya, Jemima Khan, di restoran Spago di Beverly Hills.

Bagaimanapun, apabila pelakon filem Notting Hill, Hugh Grant, mendapati beliau tersilap memberikan AS$100 dan bukan $10, beliau dikatakan berpatah balik untuk meminta wang bakinya.

Sumber dalam laporan akhbar Britain, Daily Telegraph, berkata: 'Jemima berada di tempat duduk penumpang dan mereka baru sahaja ingin memulakan perjalanan apabila Hugh menyedari kesilapannya.

'Beliau melompat keluar dan meminta pekerja itu agar mengembalikan baki AS$90. Lelaki itu menyerahkan wang tersebut kepadanya tapi tidak kelihatan begitu gembira.'

Alahai, kaya pun buruk siku ke?

This time, Sunny risks his life for love not for nation

If you thought spy thrillers are hit only in Hollywood, sit back and think again. Bollywood is fast catching up with Uncle Sam. Sometime back, there were only a few examples of spy thrillers in Bollywood. Psephologists would either count Jeetedra's Farz or Dharmendra's Aankhen for that. And if some one wanted to go further, there were some Mithun Chakravarthy films with the tag Gun Master G-9. However, things like that are pass.

Sunny Deol is all out to rewrite Bollywood history. He was the man behind the making of Hero-The love story of a spy. Now he wants to make a sequel to this. To further consolidate his position as a die-hard spy, Sunny now comes back in Jaal-The Trap. Though nothing is official about his work as a spy in this film, but as Ajay, he does every thing to defy even the spies from the west. To assist him in this foray, his favourite director Guddu Dhanoa has come forward. Dhanoa had tried his hands at horror genre in Hawa last week and burnt his fingers. Over the years, Guddu has earned the reputation of an action filmmaker and that makes him Deol brothers' pet director.

Though Jaal-The Trap was awaiting release for quite some time and took nearly two years in the making, its subject is still very much cotemporary. Roughly based on the kidnapping of Rubia Sayed, daughter of Mufti Muhammad Sayed, the present chief minister of J&K and ex-union home minister, Jaal- The Trap promises to be a good action thriller.

The story starts with a kidnapping bid on Anita (Reema Sen). She is in New Zealand. Some militants try to kidnap her, but Major Kaul (Amrish Puri) and his boys save her. In the encounter all the mercenaries are killed and Anita is saved. Major Kaul is now back in India for the wedding of his daughter. He persuades his son Ajay (Sunny Deol) to join him. Ajay is in love with Neha (Tabu), a schoolteacher in the valley. Ajay does not wish to leave Neha and his hometown. Though Neha is a widow, Ajay does not see any fault in that. After prolonged refusal, Neha's father-in-law (Anupam Kher) agrees for her marriage to Ajay. But before this could happen, the same militants kidnap Neha. The militants now strike a deal with Ajay that he should go to New Zealand and kidnap Anita for Neha's release.

Militant leader (Mukesh Rishi) would release Neha only when he gets back Anita. To save his love, Ajay leaves for New Zealand. Major Kaul thinks that his son has decided to work with him in New Zealand but Ajay has other plans in his mind. In New Zealand, Anita falls in love with Ajay. Though, Anita does everything to woo him but Ajay is least interested in her. He waits for the opportunity to kidnap Anita and hand her over to the militants.

Anita's father, however, wants her to marry a man of his choice so Anita asks Ajay to take her away to India. Coming back home, Ajay hands over Anita to the militants. But little does he know that he has fallen in a trap, the Jaal. Now the militants want their leader (Ashish Vidyarthi) to be released by the Government of India in exchange of Anita or they would kill her. The Government refuses to accept that. Now Ajay is worried for Anita and Neha, both of whom are in militants custody. Will he be able to save his love Neha and Anita whom he had handed over to the militants ? What if the Government comes to know about the crime he has committed by kidnapping Anita?

Jaal- The Trap is a fast-paced thriller and promises to entertain people who love to see their adrenalin reach highs for the time they spend in the theatres. Despite the fact that Sunny Deol is aging, there is no sign of that on his face.

Guddu, like a true follower, this time too presents his hero in a daredevil role. It is Guddu's mastery over action genre that every time he banks on the action image of Sunny Deol, he comes out a winner. Jaal-The Trap may not impress viewers as for as the story of the film is concerned but the way the film has been conceptualized and presented on the screen makes it look impressive in the first go. Guddu, for this movie, teamed up with his favorite action choreographer Tinu Verma and both of them together have created some breath-taking action sequences hardly seen before on the Indian screens. The sequence shot on running train is the best part of the film and pays value for the money. Guddu has also worked hard to choose virgin locations overseas and has tried to blend them beautifully with the locations of India. Tabu has been presented well in a story that has less to do for a female artiste other wise.

As the lead man of the film, Sunny Deol once again proves that his ability to portray roles of such kind which has kept his shop running for the last two decades in Bollywood. As there is no other competitor to challenge him in this arena, producers and directors have little choice but to take him. The film also has some romantic moments thrown for this new he man of Hindi cinema but he is seen more comfortable doing those muscle flexing sequences.

As Ajay, Sunny reminds you of those roles that he did in the past, but this time he is not fighting for the nation but for his love and that make his role look a little bit vulnerable. Amrish Puri after a long gap is presented in a different role. To see him on the other side of law is not a regular thing in Bollywood. As Anita, Reema Sen leaves impression and in some scenes even gives better performance than Tabu. Tabu on the other hand looks tired in some scenes and tries hard to match to the abilities of Sunny Deol. Ashish Vidyarthi and Mukesh Rishi do their roles aptly and support the film well. Die-hard fans of Sunny Deol will not feel cheated this time, as was the case with Hero and Maa Tujhe Salaam. The film will earn good money at least in North India where Sunny's action films hardly fail and in the other territories too it is unlikely to be a loser.



[ Last edited by Gadis_Venus at 15-1-2006 03:12 PM ]

AJAY, RANI STEAL HEARTS ALBEIT 'CHORI CHORI'

Luck favors the brave. And, it is true to the heart when it comes to Ajay Devgan. He has been there for almost one and half a decade and no other actor of his generation has been so lucky as he is today. Just after he has been awarded Best Actor's National Award for his sensitive portrayal of historic character Bhagat Singh in Raj Kumar Santoshi's 'The Legend Of Bhagat Singh', comes a movie, which sees him in a totally different mood. Ajay's most films have made news and have met with success at the box office in recent times. He has risen high with 'Company', 'Bhoot', 'Qayamat'. And all this started when he agreed to do a comparative small role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam'. So is with Rani Mukherjee.

No one took her seriously until recently. But today she is the main contender for the No.1 seat in Bollywood. Having given hits like 'Saathiya' and 'Chalte Chalte' and having bagged films like 'Black, Bajirao Mastani', '1857-The Rising' among others; she is sure to achieve new heights in her career. All this hype about the lead cast of film 'Chori Chori' has helped the film a lot; otherwise there is not much to rave about in this second flick of director Milan Lutharia of the 'Kachhe Dhage' fame. The movie waited the release for about one and a half year. But the delay has proved a blessing in disguise though some tragedy is attached to it too; its producer is not alive to see this entire happening.

Anyway, life moves on. So, here are Ranbir (Ajay Devgan) and Khushi (Rani Mukherjee). (Kareena Kapoor was the first choice for this role, but she could not make it for the date problem). Ajay and Rani are the two misfits in life and their philosophy is totally different from those of others. Ranbir is an architect who has come from Shimla to Delhi for work. He comes from a family that loves him. The family includes some of the most energetic persons on the earth and they vouch for each other like anything (the cast of the family includes likes of Kamini Kaushal, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Tiku Talsania, Smita Jaykar). The other side of the coin is Khushi who has been brought in a family of wedding dancers. She works as a host in a banquet hall. Khushi and Ranbir meet by chance. This is a sort of an adventure for them though they run in different directions. If Khushi is a vagabond, Ranbir is a very sensitive and an intimate kind of person. He has fewer ambitions in life whereas Khushi has been waiting for her prince charming since ages. Whenever alone she cries for him and talks about him. But she never lets it appearon her face. On the other hand, Ranbir is too open to be believed.

If 'Chori Chori' got delayed for want of a good date, then this Friday suited it the best.But it may not be able to cash on the hype generated around its star cast. 'Chori Chori' lacks a good marketing strategy. As many viewers think that it is a romantic film while others who have seen TV promos for last few days, think it's a comedy. The film hangs in between the two. It is neither a romantic film as there is hardly any romantic moment to make your heart melt and nor does it have comic moments to create ripples. Director Milan Lutharia seems to have fallen a prey to the trauma of creating something new. His concept is no doubt very good, but he has failed to conceive it on the silver screen. His vision falls a prey to the formula of filmmakers of filling the film with everything possible. However, he loses own identity. 'Chori Chori' does have some very beautiful locales seen for the first time on Indian screen and it also has a crisp treatment as content flow goes. But the plot fails in joining one narrative with the other. But there is no problem on the acting front at all. Ajay Devgan gets a role of a good man after long. In 'Bhoot' he did get a common man's role but there too he falls a prey to circumstances. But these days he is on the top in acting. Whatever role he gets, he puts his life into that.

As Ranbir, he brings in the pleasure of being a loved child and pathos of a man who is confused and doesn't know what to do and what not to do. In a comedy by default it is his acting that brings in some moments of entertainment and Rani aptly supports him. She is superb too in her role of Khushi; whether in turning the life into a hell or in giving her heart to the same guy. Rani does that all with so ease that it is hard to separate her from Khushi. She imbibes the character so well. The film has some of the best character artistes. They bring in much energy in the film. Music plays an important role in these kinds of films. Sajid Wajid has come out with good and melodious music again, but they look very stale. Having been played on TV channels for the last two years, they have lost the charm to be seen in the theatre. Even then if some one decides to watch it for the sake of Ajay and Rani, he will not feel cheated at the end of the film.

Ajay Devgan


Rani Mukherjee


[ Last edited by Gadis_Venus at 11-9-2005 10:21 PM ]

RAKESH AUR HRITHIK KO JADOO MIL GAYA?

The D-Day has finally arrived for Hrithik Roshan. After a string of flops and mediocre films, once tagged as the new superstar of Bollywood, he is again at his best to outdo the competition and also to prove that if given a chance he can shine even in an average film. And, that is also the final verdict for this new film of producer-director Rakesh Roshan. Publicized as the first science fiction film of India that it is certainly not, 'Koi Mil Gaya' promises to entertain. The film may get above average success at the box-office as there have not been many films for several months.

'Koi Mil Gaya' is a film to be watched with the family. If your children are not TV-addict, then they may love it more. But, for those who watch more of Hollywood films and TV serials like Star Trek, the Rakesh attempt may look a bit childish. Yet, he deserves praise for the risk he has taken by presenting his son, Hrithik, in a role that not even senior and mature actors dare to do. There have not been many attempts to portray such roles by super stars in Bollywood with the exceptions of Anil Kapoor in 'Eeshwar' and Sridevi in 'Sadma'. Hrithik Roshan has added his name to this short list of performers with 'Koi Mil Gaya'.

Decades after the sixties when producer N.A. Anari made films 'Wahan Ke Log' about people from Mars and 'Trip To Moon', Rakesh Roshan brings back alien life to earth. 'Koi Mil Gaya' is an amalgam of Steven Spielberg's 'E.T' and 'Mac And Me' (Jade Calegory starrer) with a dash of the recent successful film 'Spider Man'. The film talks about a scientist Sanjay Mehra (Rakesh Roshan) who is in love with extra-terrestrial life. He is in constant search for life beyond earth and for that he is making innovative machines that can communicate through people if they are in the outer space. His experiments bear fruits when one day in response to his signal, a space ship comes to visit earth. But before Sanjay can even enjoy his success, he and his wife Sonia [Rekha] meet with a horrific accident. While Sonia survives, Sanjay loses his life.

Days after, Sonia gives birth to Rohit. He is an abnormal child who fails to grow with the mental and physical demand of his age. Not many people love him and he gets peace when he is in the company of Nisha (Preity Zinta). Nisha doesn't love him, but only tries to console him because of his disabilities. However, Rohit thinks she is his girl friend. One day, Rohit finds his father's computer. As he is unable to handle it, he calls Nisha. Both of them are completely fascinated by the images and instructions that appear on the screen and experiment with the device, not realizing the impact it would have. And, it is just the beginning of the experiences that Rohit and people around him are going to witness. Will it change his life? Will he be able to communicate with the alien that has been left behind from spaceship? What happens when this alien touches him? All this and more make 'Koi Mil Gaya' a sort of fairy tale where the weakling gets power in the end to fight his distracters.

'Koi Mil Gaya' may not be as perfect as 'Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai' the first film of the father-son combination, but it has strong points too. If you feel bored with the plastic smile of Hrithik Roshan that seems to have been there on his face since his birth, then watch 'Koi Mil Gaya'. He is a sufferer here. He is in search of love, but gets sympathy. He wants apathy around him to end, but no one lends an ear to him. Hrithik is at his best in his career in 'Koi Mil Gaya' and this comes out as one of the few USPs of this film. Other strong points include the melodious music by Rajesh Roshan that has been captured with an equal brilliance on screen by cinematographers, Sameer Arya and Ravi K. Chandran. The lush green locations are a visual treat. Preity Zinta comes out a winner in a role like this. But her bubbly presence and her warm gestures work wonders in her every frame. Johny Lever too manages to raise a few laughs. Mukesh Rishi is all right and Prem Chopra and Rajat Bedi too support the film aptly.

And, now the weak points of the film. Rakesh Roshan may have seen much novelty in a subject that deals with aliens. But he fails to meet high expectations of those who watch foreign films. The space ship and alien both look very raw. Jadoo, the alien, does not impress those who have seen other aliens on their TV screen. Rakesh's Jadoo only has impressive eyes. Despite some good choreography, at least two songs of the film prove speed breakers. On the whole, the film may evoke mixed reactions from the audience. For starters, it will be a good film. Those who have watched Hollywood films of this kind, the film will be just a pass and for those who looked for something more extra-ordinary than E.T., it will be a disappointment.

Rakesh Roshan


Hrithik Roshan


[ Last edited by Gadis_Venus at 1-10-2005 11:34 PM ]

WILL NOT WORK WITH A POOR SCRIPT: PREETY

Preety Jhingiani who entered the film industry with the Yash Chopra's blockbuster 'Mohabbatein', soon got a chance in films in J.P. Dutta's 'LoC', Vikram Bhatt's 'Awara Paagal Deewana', and Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Aan', one after other. But even after acting in so many good films belonging to big banners and opposite big stars, she has been unable to establish herself as a leading heroine of the industry.

Moreover, this happened even though she spent four years of her career in films. She is acting only in second lead roles. She seemed to be down but not out. She is confident to making headway soon in the industry. Recently, we had an encounter with her about her new film 'Chahat ---Ek Nasha'.

What kind of film is 'Chahat --- Ek Nasha'?

This is a film based on a fresh subject. The story is about the music world. In this film, there is a competition between a popular pop singer who has been having a downfall in his career and an upcoming pop singer. I am playing the role of an upcoming pop singer known as Rashmi. Manisha Koirala is playing the character of Mallika. There is a love triangle in this film between Manisha, Aryan and me. Jayaprakash is the director of this film whose debut film was 'Market'.

How come are you getting only second lead roles even after being in the industry for the last four years?

This is the tragedy of this glamour world. If once you are identified with a particular tag then it is difficult to come out of it. After 'Mohabbatein' this tag has been going on with me. Now, I am not in such a position as to dictate conditions. No body is going to write for me. Still I am satisfied with my filmi career, as I have reached today's position only on the basis of my talent. I didn't have any godfather in the industry. I am getting some offer to work as a solo heroine, but the scripts of those films are not of my choice. I will not work with a poor script in solo heroine movies what may come.

In this film a sexy song is picturised on you. What do you say about this?

I have never hesitated to expose body. If the script demands exposure then I have to perform it. In the film 'Wah Tera Kya Kehna' opposite Govinda my role was more glamorous. So I have tried to perform like that. In this film the song, which is picturized on Aryan and me, is a romantic dream song track. Though this is shot in the rain Umesh Yadav has choreographed this song in such a way that this will not look vulgar at all.

Is it true that you are busy with south Indian films these days?

I am working in one Telugu film, but do not remember its title. This is a film based on a love story. I have so many reasons to work in this film like a strong character, a well-focused script and nice remuneration. Besides, there is a plan to complete the film within two months. What more is needed for a professional artiste?

Do you intend to settle in the south?

I have no plan to settle in the south. I can't live without Hindi cinema.



[ Last edited by Gadis_Venus at 6-10-2005 08:51 PM ]

POOJA BHATT PLANS THREE MOVIES A YEAR

Pooja Bhatt has shot to fame in Bollywood in the shortest span of time from an actor to a director and then to a producer. She is known as an avatar of creativity as she believes in making a hat ke (different) movie from the usual ones. Moreover, she is the one who has a special taste for locations and new faces. Bold and bindas Pooja creates the boldest scenes. She has completed her latest 'Rog' starring a South African super model Lene Hennen along with Irfan Khan. She told the media soon after the shoot of 'Rog'.

What's 'Rog' all about?

In fact, love is like a 'rog' (disease). This is shown in this movie. A woman comes across three men in her life. All the three have their own ways of love. Suhel Seth is an owner of an ad agency. He employs a model and turns crazy on her. On the other hand, Himanshu also loves this model. But the story begins with the murder of the model. Irfan is a police officer, who is investigating this case. However, he falls in love with the model's photo. The movie has been shot in Mumbai in a different way though.

Any other highlight of 'Rog'?

Yes, it has. M.M. Kareem has provided the music. The director is Himanshu Brahmbhatt. I have known him for long because of his association with my daddy.

Have you completed the movie?

Yes. I have completed the movie in a span of 36 days. This was possible because of our strict planning.

What are your favorite movies?

I have grown during the tenure of Manmohan Desai. So I like his movies.

Which is all-time favorite?

I always like to watch 'Amar Akbar Anthony'. Besides, I like 'Mr Natwar Lal'and 'Do Aur Do Paanch'. Among the new ones, I favor 'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge' as it has all the masala.

Don't you like making big budget movies?

No, its not so. I shall be happy to make 'Sindbad The Sailor' in this category. I favor such fantasies.

How do you free yourself from the tension of filmmaking?

I keep myself busier as I know that an idle mind is a devil's workshop. I am never tired of work.

What's your future plan?

I wish my company to be completely free so that I can do whatever I want. There should be no one to interfere in it. I wish to assign jobs to several directors in my company 'Fish Eye'. Besides, I want to diversify in hotel and boutique business, and create a chain all over the country.

What are your views on friendship and love?

Love is something very pretty though it differs from age to age. Friendship should not be a burden on each other. It has to be selfless. One has to understand and respect the other and his or her views. Though I am a big-mouthed girl, still I have very many friends.

What are your three favorite things in life?

I believe in punctuality. I like to travel. My life is an open book. I do not hide anything.

What are you doing at present?

I am shooting a new movie this month. I must complete it within this year. I intend to shoot 'Cabaret' next year. This will contain eight songs of M.M.Kareem. I shall try to make three films a year.

DIA MIRZA BANKING ON 'TUMSA NAHIN DEKHA'

After being crowned Miss India, this face also dazzled Bollywood. She made a promising debut in 'Rehna Hai Terre Dil Mein', but her career didn't take a flying start. Being vanished for some time from the big screen this face is back with a string of exciting films in her kitty, Dia Mirza is smiling her way back into Bollywood boulevard. Her forthcoming film 'Tumsa Nahin Dekha' will have her in a new role of a bar dancer. In an interview she talks about her character of Jia, and many other things.

Where have you been since we saw you in 'Tehzeeb?

I have been working very hard, shooting for 6/7 films. I have been busy and it's been hectic. All these films will now release back-to-back.

Looking at you, one can safely say that the title 'Tumsa Nahin Dekha' is justified but what's the story like?

"Tumsa Nahin Dekha' is a clean romantic film. It has its moments. You can classify it as a romantic comedy. Its by far been the most beautifully shot film that I have worked in. And working with Maheshji is not only a pleasure but also a great learning experience.

What is the character of Jia like?

Jia is a bar dancer but at the same time an independent, headstrong girl. She isn't the typical Bollywood vulnerable woman who's longing for someone to rescue her. Pitched against challenges, she fights her battles.

The promos have a smooch sequence and media has been quick to tag it as a publicity stunt. What do you think?

A smooch is when two people connect. But in the shot, I don't respond to Emraan's kiss. There is no overt sexuality present in the film either. So people expecting 'Murder' part II are going to be disappointed. It's a simple sweet film for families to go and enjoy.

'Mujhe Tumse Mohabbat Hain' is a bar number. These days you can see a variety of item songs. Is it one more item number?

I play a bar girl in the film and that's the reason for the song. It hasn't been intentionally planted. A part of the script, it flows with it.

How was it working on this dance number?

Oh, it was tough. There is a heavy-duty dancing and choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant got me to do extensive rehearsals. But I am happy with the output; it is energetic as well as aesthetically strong.

You have been friends with Emraan for a long time. So, working must have been fun. Isn't it?

Absolutely! There's this comfort zone present, which is wonderful. It makes work a lot easier. I hope to work with him on other films as well.

Tell us one thing about Emraan not many know?

Emmie is the laziest person I have ever known. But switch on the camera and he's a different person. Energetic, charming; he simply shocks me! Working with him was fabulous.

What are your forthcoming releases?

I have a load of releases piled. There's 'Blackmail', 'Dil Sachcha Chehra Jhoota', 'Prateeksha', 'Kabhi Bhi Kahi Bhi', 'Dus'.

Name one film that you think has shaped up extremely well?

Its difficult to say but I think it will be 'Tumsa Nahin Dekha'. Hope it has a good release and a great run at the box office.

Aish and Vivek's marriage plan?

The reports and the counter reports of a marriage plan of actress Aishwarya Rai with actor Vivek Oberoi are creating more and more confusion. In a recent interview to a TV channel, Vivek Oberoi was reported to have said that he would certainly marry Aishwarya Rai. Before this report reached Aish, the said report was described as a twist. Fortunately, Aish has not reacted to this interview of Vivek. She is keeping quiet. However, industry sources say that there is no chance of their marriage. These sources say that Aish is on cloud nine in her career whereas Vivek is lying on the ground as on today. Then, how can Aish think of marrying Vivek? Moreover, they argue that a multi-millionaire is already wooing her, and trying to satisfy her. Aish has asked this businessman to divorce his first wife. The businessman has allegedly offered a huge sum of Rs 3000 million to his wife for agreeing to divorce.

Aishwarya Rai & Vivek Oberoi


[ Last edited by Gadis_Venus at 12-11-2005 02:59 PM ]

Saif in a hurry to remarry

Saif Ali Khan who is living separately from his wife Amrita Singh and their children is in a great hurry to marry again. He is awaiting a legal divorce from Amrita to marry his ladylove Roza in England. Meanwhile, Saif has hired an eight- room apartment in Mumbai for himself, and has given his earlier residence to Amrita and their children. He had offered a sum of Rs 10 million to Amrita though she demanded Rs 100 million from him for a divorce. Saif says he will give half of his wealth to Amrita and their children. He has frozen his bank accounts. Industry circles wonder why Saif decided to part with Amrita when he had attained stardom, and Amrita has contributed a lot in his career growth. Soon after, Amrita found that Saif had started ignoring her. Besides, she had a great shock when she caught Saif flirting with an actress in England. Moreover, she found that Saif was frequently going to London to be with Roza. Thus, they broke their 13-year-long marriage in no time.

Sunny facing financial crunch

Sunny Deol will soon start shooting for 'Kafila', starring Vivek oberoi. Besides, he will shoot 'Kavach' that is based on the exploitation of Indians going abroad by touts. As reported earlier, Sunny and his Vijayta Films is faced with financial problems. Hence, his pet venture of a period film on Prithviraj and Sanyukta seems to have been shelved. Sunny was to play the character of Prithviraj in the script being written by Dr Chandra Prakash Dwivedi. However, Sunny is busy these days in completing his home production' Deodhar Gandhi' that may be released in coming October.

NANDITA INAUGURATES INDIA PAVILION

The Indian Pavilion at this year's Cannes Film Festival was officially opened today (Thursday 12th May) by internationally-renowned actress Nandita Das, who is serving on the Festival's jury. The Pavilion is organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry, supported by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. Inaugurating the CII India Pavilion, Ms Das said: "India Pavilion is a great initiative facilitating the Indian producers and directors to showcase their work at this global platform and interact with the international film fraternity."

The Indian Pavilion at Cannes is hosting many of the country's leading production studios, showcasing a very wide range of films that demonstrate the growing appeal of Indian movies. Screening at Cannes for the first time are "The Rising" from Kaleidoscope Entertainment; the English version of "Kisna - Beyond Love" from Mukta Arts; Ascho Media's "Ho Sak Ta Hai", "Chiken Tikka Masala" from Sunstone Entertainment among others. Also in the Pavilion are production houses Mashreq Communications, Planman Life, Sunstone Entertainment and Sahara Motion Pictures.

Present on the occasion Mrs Sharmila Tagore, released the first anniversary issue of "Film India Worldwide" on whose cover was Pather Panchali, CII's quarterly magazine on Indian cinema along with Mr Afzal Amanullah, Joint Secretary Films, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Nandita Das.

Said Mr Afzal Amanullah, Joint Secretary Films, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting "This year marks an extraordinary transition for Indian cinema. With the 'hat trick' of Nandita Das' presence on the Jury, the quality and range of our films on show, and the selection of Pather Panchali for a Cannes Classics screening, the Indian movie industry has truly come of age." India's central position in the development of "world cinema" has been honoured this year with the selection of Satyajit Ray's "Pather Panchali" as the opening film in the festival's Classic section with an official screening of a new print, specially restored by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (AMPAS).

Mrs Tagore is in Cannes as a special guest for the screening of Pather Panchali. Fifty years earlier, in 1956, Pather Panchali won the Best Human Document Award at Cannes. The continuing support of the Indian Government to the country's entertainment industries is underlined by the presence at the Festival next week of Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Culture, S. Jaipal Reddy, and the Indian Ambassador to France, Dilip Lahiri. CII is hosting a reception on May 19th in Cannes for all those with an interest in Indian cinema.

KARISMA KAPOOR'S LIFE IN A TURMOIL

The first official confirmation of a Bollywood marriage gone wrong came from a simple Delhi High Court order on Friday restraining actor Karisma Kapoor from leaving the country with her five-month-old daughter Samaira. Sunjay Kapur, the son of Sona Steering promoter Surinder Kapur, filed his petition before the Delhi high court. In an ex-parte hearing on the petition filed by her industrialist husband Sunjay Kapur, Justice Mukul Mudgal issued a notice to Karisma directing her not to take their daughter out of the country without the written consent of her husband. The court directed the central government to communicate the contents of the order to immigration authorities. The regional passport office in Mumbai had issued a passport for Karisma's daughter on July 23.

Karisma gets 7 days to file reply

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday gave a week's time to Karisma Kapoor to file her reply to the petition by her estranged husband Sunjay Kapur, seeking to restrain her from going abroad with their four-month-old daughter Samaira.

Justice Mukul Mudgal sought the reply from the actress by August 19 on the allegation by her husband that the passport of their minor child was made by flouting laws.

Court fixed August 26 for further hearing on the matter, asking Sunjay to file the rejoinder within five days after the reply is filed by Karisma.

On August 5, Sunjay secured an order from the high court restraining Karisma from going abroad with their daughter.



[ Last edited by  Gadis_Venus at 4-8-2006 05:10 PM ]

Hrithik will now be seen in a new avtar in Krrish.

The Singapore tourism board is elated as Bollywood's superstar Hrithik Roshan ?s next film "Krrish" will be shot in Singapore, following an agreement between Rakesh Roshan?s Filmkraft and the Singapore Tourism Board.

The agreement, announced recently in Mumbai, is a unique tie-up that would allow the Roshans to shoot their movie in the island state with the full cooperation of the Singapore authorities. As a part of this collaboration, Rakesh Roshan would film close to 60% of his film in the island state, with the STB facilitating the logistic support and ground requirements for the filming in Singapore.

"Krrish" is the sequel to the very successful film "Koi Mil Gaya" starring Hrithik, Rekha and Preity Zinta. Although Rekha returns for this sequel, the new romantic lead will be played by Priyanka Chopra. Priyanka is set to be a journalist in the film. However, nothing is being said about the loving alien Jadoo as of now.

Preity will have a cameo role to make sure that there is some continuity to the story. Her character ? who falls in love with Hrithik's character in "Koi Mil Gaya" ? will die after delivering her baby.

While filming in Singapore is scheduled some time next month and in September, director Rakesh has already filmed forty percent on the film in Manali, India, earlier this year, in March.The film is expected to be released in June next year.



[ Last edited by Gadis_Venus at 11-9-2005 10:25 PM ]

A NEW DAWN FOR BOLLYWOOD, ARSHAD AND FILMMAKING

It needs gust to defy the set norms in any field. Debutant director Kabir Kaushik is one such man who in his very first film has challenged the bigwigs of Bollywood. Could you ever imagine Arshad Warsi playing a tough cop after his stupendous success as Circuit in 'Munnabhai MBBS' and Vicky in 'Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya'. The actor has been tagged as a comedy prince, but with the help of Kabir, you see his true shades of an actor. Warsi shows that it's not the actor that fails and gets trapped in a perticular image, but the directors and the storywriters make him or her hide in a particular shell of image. 'Sehar' is a path breaker in many forms.

It presents an era on screen where no one has dared to go till date. It dwells into a nexus that has remained unexplored even after the coming of the Ram Gopal Verma age. It is shot in a very modest budget and yet it has all the qualities of a perfect film. Enters a new director with some new thoughts of filmmaking, who neither believes in the camp system nor does he have any backing from any big banner. Kudos to director Kabir Kaushik for all this, and much more than his first film 'Sehar' promises to bring in future. 'Sehar' is the first take on on the underworld of Northern India, a territory where even the mightiest dare not venture. We have seen films made on real life dons like Dawood Ibrahim ('D' and 'Company'), Haji Mastan ('Deewar'), Varadrajan Mudliyar ('Velukan' and 'Dayawaan') and even Satokhben Jadeja ('Godmother') but about the dons of the politically active states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. 'Sehar' is based on the life of first don of North, Shri Prakash Shukla and the then SP Arun Kumar (now DIG of CBI).

'Sehar', means morning in Urdu; it presents a canvass for the battle between the good and the bad. Newly appointed SP Ajay Kumar of Lucknow (Arshad Warsi) is disturbed by the sudden increase of crime in the state capital. He is shocked to learn that university students are falling a prey to the growing menace of Mafia and indulging in crime for no reason or rhyme. The plot thickens when he learns that the root of the cause lies not in Lucknow but in the Far East district of the state, Gorakhpur. This is the town where railway tenders worth millions of rupees are given every year. Bidding mafia don Gajraj (Sushant) develops keen interest in whatever happens in the state. He wants to enter into railway tenders business too. He has already found a way to invest his money earned from ransom and killings in the real state. Ajay Kumar wants to finish the mafia as fast as he can irrespective of the path he has to follow in this respect. Gajraj has a political clout and it comes in Ajay's way, whenever the latter is about to nab Gajraj. Things take a dramatic turn when a close friend of the Chief Minister is killed and the Chief Minister gives go ahead to Ajay Kumar's plans. On the sidelines of this high tension drama moves the love story of Ajay Kumar and his girlfriend (Mahima Chaudhary), but in a very subtle way. Insertions of some emotions in the form of Ajay Kumar's mother (Suhasini Mulay) work wonders for the story narration. The film ends with a message where a commoner is shown as the hero and hopes that a new morning (dawn) will bring light in the dens of criminalization of the society. Everyone will stand up against the criminals.

To start as a filmmaker, in 'Sehar' Kabir Kaushik has proven his point. He has come up with a product that is at par with any film made by veterans like Ram Gopal Verma and others. The realistic approach adopted by Kabir Kaushik adds to the flavor. The film is extensively shot in and around Uttar Pradesh and shows some of the rare technique of shottaking. Kabir has handled most of the departments of 'Sehar' on his own. At least four camerapersons were changed during the film's shoot. Besides conceiving the film on his own, he has been forced to take care of the marketing. As a director, Kabir Kaushik emerges as winner. To present an actor like Arshad Warsi in such a different role was a great challenge for him and he has taken this challenge head on. Scenes where Arshad confronts with his seniors, where he consoles his mother and where he meets students in the classroom, are brilliantly written and filmed. The film does tend to lose its grip whenever it wants to move ahead with the help of narration. But to imbibe a long story in 13 reels has these kinds of lacunae. It would have been better if Kabir had focused on some main events instead of trying to imbibe so many incidents in a movie. The film is heavy in nature, but it does jolt you and remains with you even when you come out of the theatre.

Arshad Warsi is the clear beneficiary of the movie. From here he can move on to the next level. He has proved with 'Sehar' that he can carry on a film on his own, provided he gets a director like Kabir Kaushik again. All the supporting actors have performed very well, though they are not established names so far. However, Naved Aslam (playing the second in command of STF) and Rajendra Sethi (playing the builder) have a long way to go. A surprise item of the film is Pankaj Kapur playing electronic surveillance expert. Yes, it was Uttar Pradesh police that introduced this system in the country, and not the Mumbai police, as assumed by many. 'Sehar' also has some very good and melodious music by debutant Daniel George. 'Sham ho ya Sehar ho' sung by Adnan Sami is already a hit, and will attract more listeners after the film's release today. 'Sehar' has seen very good opening across the country. With the word of mouth publicity, it will certainly prove to be 'Page 3' of this second half of the year.



[ Last edited by Gadis_Venus at 15-8-2005 11:31 AM ]

TUSSHAR TO TOP FLOP CHART

One wonders as to what has happened to the filmmakers who once used to come up with relevant social family dramas and those too especially from the southern studios. Many still remember films like 'Maang Bharo Sajna' and others in which Jeetendra, the jumping jack, was a permanent fixture. Here Jeetendra is trying again to save his son's career. He came on the screen in his last home production 'Kuchh To Hai' where Tusshar just missed the chance to deliver the second hit of his career because of bad culmination of an interesting plot. In Tusshar's 'Yeh Dil', he has worked behind the screen. Jeetendra has a very good rapport with south Indian producers. This is why his son has been cast in this remake film. Teja makes his debut in Bollywood as a director with 'Yeh Dil' after he made his debut down south with the original of the same movie. 'Yeh Dil' was eagerly waited by the film trade as it was lined up for the April release. Since this producer doesn't belong to any Mumbai producers' organization, he has released the film. Producers in Mumbai have decided to hold on with their new films until the dispute over satellite rights is not solved between them and the distributors.

Tusshar once again plays a college going chap in his latest film. He is paired against the Ding Dong girl Natasha of 'Kuchh To Hai'. The 'Yeh Dil' producer has introduced her as Anita as she is known in the original south Indian film. Like most star sons, Tusshar is in dire need of a hit. Jeetendra's offspring can't hold on to the success of 'Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai' any longer.

According to 'Yeh Dil', every heart is reserved for someone special. How one meets with that someone is the story. Ravi (Tusshar Kapoor) and Vasu (Natasha) come from totally different backgrounds. They meet in difficult situations. When the two meet they find that they are made for each other. As in love stories Ravi and Vasu face barriers of society. Though the odds are against them, they prove their point. After many hiccups, they meet and unite for forever. The film has no story at all. It moves on the Bollywood formula of doing everything for someone you love. The hero and the heroine care for love only. This is the basic concept of 'Yeh Dil'.

Technically, the film is not very bad. Debutant director Teja has really put in lots of efforts to make his debut not only look sparkling but also make the film look fresh. But he fails because it has no concrete solid story plot. The film may have worked in original because of the liking of melodramatic themes in the south, but it doesn't in the Hindi belt.

The lead pair of the film Tusshar and Natasha are poles apart. While Natasha has once again proved that given some good roles, she can prove her worth even in social dramas. Natasha is an amalgamation of east and west as was once witnessed in Sridevi. Natasha has both beauty and sensuousness. But, hopes for Tusshar are running out very fast. He has crossed hat trick of flops in the past and is now competing with other star kids to top the flop chart. The film does have some very awkward looking overacting by its supporting cast, the man who plays Natasha's father. He creates very eerie kind of atmosphere in some scenes. The music too is not so impressive. Nadeem-Shravan duo is losing its magic. Nadeem has once again used his voice in one of the songs, but has failed miserably.

Nothing special about and in fact one may notice the nasal tone, which is usually an indication of an untrained singer. The only song that can be hummed is 'College Mein Ladki Aayee' but that too does not have a good pace. A below average film in all aspects.



[ Last edited by  Gadis_Venus at 4-8-2006 05:11 PM ]

NOW, AISHWARYA RAI IS BACK WITH A BANG!

Rajkumar Santoshi's opulent historical extravaganza, 'Prithviraj Chauhan', starring Ajay Devgan in the lead will have Ash playing the beautiful Samyukta to the warrior. Boney Kapoor's 'Kyon! Ho Gaya Naa', directed by Sameer Karnik, with close friend Vivek Oberoi is releasing next week. A look into the life, love and times of Aishwarya Rai!

Will we see you in 'Prithviraj Chauhan'?

Yes. I am Samyukta to Ajay's Prithviraj Chauhan. Discussions are on between Rajji and me about the project.

Ajay Devgan says you are better than him in 'Raincoat'?

He can say that being an incredibly talented actor himself. Ajay and I have a wonderful rapport. Working in Rituparno Ghosh's first Hindi film was truly a new experience for both Ajay, Ritu and I. It was the fastest film of my career completed in 16 days.

Another film that you have completed recently is PNC's 'Shabd' where you are supposed to play a negative role?

Yes, I am, because I have always experimented with all kinds of roles even in a male-dominated industry like ours. I refuse to get bracketed and defined. I would rather break the parameters set for a female lead. Every human being has shades of gray.

You are getting rave reviews for Gurinder Chadha's 'Bride and Prejudice'?

I play Lalitha (Elizabeth) in the film. It was my first experience with an English film. I had to learn English again because the way Indians speak is musical and it is different. But Gurinder had workshops prior to the shoot, which were very good. What I love about Gurinder is that apart from being a very focused and sensitive person she made sure that we all had lots of fun too. It was a long and grueling shoot schedule, shot over London, Amritsar, Goa, Mumbai and Los Angeles. But she made sure the entire team enjoyed.

Are you doing Gurinder's next 'The Mistress of Spices' too?

Yes, I have spoken to her about it. At the moment we are trying to work on that and match our schedules. If everything falls into place we will be definitely working together again.

What Hollywood projects are you working on?

I am doing Doug Prochilo's 'Dot or Feather', Roland Joffe's 'Singularity', Colin Serreau's 'Chaos' and 'Racing The Monsoon' with Michael Douglas.

What's happening to your film 'Taj Mahal'?

The film is complete. You will have to ask producer Bharat Bala about its status.

Did Jackie Chan approach you before Mallika Sherawat to do his latest film 'The Myth'?

Yes but I couldn't do it. I didn't have the dates. I love his films and felt sorry about not doing this one.

Isn't the spotlight on you all the time ---negative or positive?

That is life and the fact that I have chosen to be an actor. I understand that the zoom lenses go with the territory. But yes, sometimes, the media attention does get a bit too much and starts disturbing me personally.

Any marriage plan?

Nothing is happening as of now.



[ Last edited by Gadis_Venus at 16-8-2005 02:22 PM ]

THINGS THAT SURPRISE SRK

There are things that surprise Shah Rukh Khan. "I look at my kids while they are sleeping and realize how tall they have become," he says. "Very soon they will be as tall as I am. I guess I need to spend more time with them before that happens."

That's why this King Khan of Bollywood had decided to be jobless for a while. "I have rapped up Yashji's film and 'Swades'. Next, I will go on a world tour, following which I am going to sit at home and write my memoirs."

Shah Rukh is a very contented man these days; his 'Main Hoon Naa' has just completed 100 days. But which role makes him the happiest, that of a producer, an actor or a friend of Farha's?

"I am one and therefore when you do a film you are involved in it too. It feels nice that it's the biggest grosser of the year. Now let's hope we don't screw that up with my next production."

The fact that he hasn't signed up any new film doesn't really mean introspection time for the star.

"Why does everybody talk about doing something different?" He wonders aloud. "When I hear so many scripts, they all sound the same to me. Then there are directors who tell me that what they want to do next might be familiar ground for me but something different for them. Which means there will be songs, dances, melodrama, foreign locales and Shah Rukh."

And he admits there are no crossover offers either. "Nobody has approached me," he says. "I guess I don't look like cross-over material. People ask me, 'Has Mira Nair offered you a role?' And I tell them, 'She's a good friend but strangely enough she hasn't offered me a role yet'."

So up next is Karan Johar's next film?

"I think he might start that in January, considering we aren't doing the film we had originally planned." He elaborates his close friend's state of mind following Yash Johar's demise. "Karan wants to do something more personal at this moment. And I don't want to rush him into it." That apart, Farha Khan is writing another film. While he struck gold at the box-office with his last two productions - 'Chalte-Chalte' and 'Main Hoon Naa'-- Shah Rukh feels he's just as cocky when it comes to lavishly spending on his home productions.

"I guess there was something lacking in our first two films, but that never really bothered me. My mother always used to say that there is something to learn from every experience."

But what he really intends to do is expand his ad film unit. "We are doing quite a bit of commercials," he points out. "I just want to do a lot more because there are so many youngsters in the company with ideas and all of them cant make feature films."

What about seeing the ultimate couple on screen once again?

"Kajal is a dear friend. I know her family and she has a really sweet baby. I would love to do a film with her but it depends on the director and the producer. As far as I as a producer go, I don't suggest casting. Are all of you directors listening, I would love to do a film with my buddy Kajol."

MAHIMA: NO SCARCITY OF FILMS

Before starting with Subhash Ghai's film 'Pardes' in the role of Ganga, actress Mahima Chowdhry had already established herself as the DJ and model for many products. She had got the name and fame but 'Pardes' was the ultimate dhamaka in her life, though she failed to create it again. Mahima Chowdhury is in the news again with her new film 'Film Star'. Sahara Manoranjan produces this film. Tanuja Chandra is the writer and director of the movie .The fact that Mahima Chowdhury has begged this film proves the star essence in her. Earlier, the director had signed Juhi Chawla for it. When Juhi Chawla got pregnant and Tanuja wanted to complete the film soon, she signed Mahima Chowdhury.

How do you see your career?

I find my career continues to make progress. At present I have a lot of good films in my kitty. These films will bolster my career. Besides Shashi Ranjan's 'Dobara' I am very hopeful of Tanuja Chandra's 'Film Star'.

How come your image centres on 'Pardes'?

I feel it is good that people remember me for my performance even after eight years. I consider it as my success.

What type of role you want to play?

I always try to play different roles of different shades. I played a good role in 'Yeh Tera Ghar Yeh Mera Ghar' and 'Run'. But unfortunately both these films did not fare well at the box office.

Why did your every film after 'Pardes' bomb?

Don't say like that. 'Kurukshetra' was a hit after that 'Yeh Tera Ghar...' didn't run .I had a short role in 'Dhadkan' though, but the movie was considered a super hit. 'Khiladi' was a flop but 'Bagbaan' and 'Tere Nam' were hits again.

What are your forthcoming movies?

I have 'Chess', 'Tantra', 'Dobara', 'Hum do Hamara Ek', 'Sarhad Paar', Partho Ghosh's 'Mastana' and 'Jamir' with Govinda, which depicts the philosophy of life . In 'Dobhara' I am playing the role of a housewife named Anjali opposite Jackie Shroff. In 'Sarhad Paar' I am playing the role of a Punjabi girl which is a serious one. In 'Hum Do Hamare Do' I am playing the role of Govinda's wife, who stays in village and comes to city. It is a thriller comedy. In 'Gumnam', I am with Dino Morea. The movie is directed by Niraj Phathak. It is a thriller.

Aren't you doing very few films?

Yes, I am very much choosy. I want to give my best work. Besides, I don't want to establish myself as an actress only. I want to do some other work too. I am an active member of Cancer Patients Association. I have to spare time for that also.

What else have you done?

Why people forget that I had worked in music videos too. Apart from this I worked in an ad also. There is no scarcity of films for me.