Posts tagged Afghanistan

The ‘Dil Mera Muft Ka’ girl speaks

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1 year ago
by Fenil Seta in

Agent Vinod girl Maryam Zakaria gets talking about her tryst with the Indian film fraternity

Mehul S Thakkar (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 29, 2012)

 

How has your journey been from running a Bollywood dance school in Sweden to dancing with Kareena in Agent Vinod? It has been incredible. I worked as a model when I came here in 2009. Since childhood, it has been my biggest dream to be a Bollywood actress. Before I came to India, I did many Persian music videos. Life is different in Sweden. It was difficult for me to adjust here. Not having any friends made it all the more difficult. But, I had patience and doors have opened for me now.

How was it working with Kareena? Do you have a bigger role than just the dance number Dil Mera Muft Ka? Yes, my character’s name is Farah and she is an international dancer from Afghanistan. I have stunt scenes with Saif. I can’t talk too much about the film. I knew Kareena is very talented. When we met, we had a good time together and connected well.

Which is more challenging for you-Hindi or South films? The song Diyalo Diyala from the film 100% Love got me recognition. However, I was not familiar with the south Indian industry. The only person I knew was Prabhudeva. I used to watch his choreography. Once, during the beginning, I had to do a Tamil song but I had injured my ribs. I was in a lot of pain but somehow I managed to pull it off. This will be something I will remember. I think the work style is the same but I like the Hindi film More >

I was scared about playing Osama-Pradhuman Singh

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

Pradhuman Singh who played Osama in Tere bin Laden talks about his initial apprehension when he had to do the role, how he feels about Osama’s death and other movies he will be part of

Priyanka Dasgupta | TNN (MUMBAI MIRROR.COM; May 03, 2011)

 

The joke was not on Osama.. but on the war on terror, says Pradhuman Singh, who played the fake Osama bin Laden in Tere Bin Laden. He says even though the film was banned in Pakistan, most people watched it online.

Having played the fake Osama in Tere Bin Laden, what’s your reaction to the news of his death?

The battle has been going on for years. It was a battle between one country and a man. There has to be one winner and one loser. Now, it’s certain that the US has won. But all said and done, no one can shove down our throat the views about one particular person. Nothing is in white and black. It’s all grey. I am no one to judge whether Osama bin Laden’s stance was right or not. I can only offer my congratulations to the US. Yet, I must all add that this whole war has been going on for far too long. It’s not really worth it. There has been too much of infighting going on in Afghanistan.

So, many other countries, including Iraq, have faced the brunt of it all. Were you ever apprehensive about playing the character Noora in the film?

Initially, when I had not read the script, I was a bit apprehensive. I was wondering if it would be a biographical role. After all, Osama has been one of the most radical people in More >

Bollywood reacts to Osama Bin Laden’s death

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

By Bollywood Hungama News Network, May 3, 2011 – 13:05 IST

It was by far the most talked about event yesterday, and by the looks of it, the news of Osama Bin Laden being finally eliminated will be the talking point for quite sometime. Like everyone else in the world, our B-Town celebrities too had views to share about this event and they revealed their thoughts and opinions on twitter. We take a quick look at what our celebrities had to say:

Mallika Sherawat: “A certain kind of closure, esp 4 Americans. hopefully now healing begins, wars end. i pray”

Mahesh Bhatt: “With the death of Osama the narrative of Al Qaeda has come to a dead end! US may now exit Afghanistan claiming that their mission is over.”

“While you ‘rightfully’ celebrate the killing of Osama Bin Laden. Who will hang the other terrorist GEORGE ‘BUTCHER’ BUSH.”

Neha Dhupia: “Phas gaya re osama!”

Ram Gopal Varma: “Aftr hearing bout wher osama was al these years won’t b surprised if Dawood is livng in a bngalow in bandra among neighbours of Sharukh khan”

“Whatever the future of terrorism is after the death of osama I am right now so very very very happy fr America..3000 CHEERS!!!”

Ranvir Shorey : “The US has just pulled the proverbial ‘rabbit’ out of Pakistan’s ‘hat’.”

“Maybe the US will start thinking things through, along with celebrating the killing of monsters they themselves create in the first place.”

Bipasha Basu: “Watching very moving visuals frm Newyork nw n during 9/11.Big Day!Seeing a More >

The builder, registrar all knew who I was-Adnan Sami

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

Singer Adnan Sami says he’s determined to fight for his home which has been confiscated by ED

Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 28, 2010)

Acombative Adnan Sami whose sprawling house at Andheri has been attached by the Enforcement Directorate for violations under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, took on the builder and the registration authorities in Mumbai on Monday.

Sami, of Pakistani origin, came here in 1999 and has been in India since. “I’m a tax payer now. I’ve done everything according to the rules. I have a PAN card. In 2003 I decided to buy this property in Oberoi Sky Garden.

Adnan Sami and his wife Roya at their Oberoi Sky Garden (right) residence in Lokhandwala on Monday

I  knew the builder Vikas Oberoi and he said to me, ‘I’ve just completed a building and I’ve got some apartments in it, why don’t you check it out?’ He got his office and legal team to take care of the formalities. My job, I thought, was done once I paid the money.

Obviously when you buy property there are a thousand papers and legal documents. How was I to know what the formalities were, wasn’t this his (Vikas Oberoi’s) line of work? Anyhow he asked me to furnish documents like passport, PAN card, etc. They took care of the formalities. That I was a Pakistani was never hidden. It was all there on paper. Then I needed a part loan. Vikas Oberoi arranged a loan of Rs 1.5 crore rupees. The whole property was worth Rs 2.3 crores.”

The charge against More >

Deported Afghan Beauty returns to starry welcome

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

Turned away from Delhi airport for visa irregularities in June, Vida Samadzai was seen at Mallya’s high-profile event and Sohail Khan’s birthday bash

Saumit Singh (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 20, 2010) Vida at Sohail Khan’s birthday party on Saturday night Pic: Yogen Shah

Every winter the city plays host to myriad migratory creatures. This year is no different. Nearly six months after she was deported for her alleged links to the nation’s enemies, party animal and Afghan beauty Vida Samadzai is back. But this time she isn’t alone. In the city for a ‘holiday’ the former Miss Afghanistan is accompanied by her parents and younger sister from the US.

Thirty-two-year-old Vida had been sent back from the Indira Gandhi International Airport at New Delhi when she landed on a Delta flight from the US in June this year for an alleged visa irregularity, which was reported by Mumbai Mirror.

According to intelligence sources, the authorities had invoked The Foreigners Act to deport her following information that she had “links with people who were unfriendly to India.”

However, we had also reported on November 27 that Vida had appealed against the order and it was likely to be revoked, allowing her to return to pursue her career in Bollywood and modelling.

On Saturday, Vida attended two high profile events. During the day she was spotted at a glitzy calendar launch with her sister in tow, hosted by Vijay Mallya and attended, amongst More >

Peepli Live director speaks

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

After working on a sensitive documentary, Anusha Rizvi realised how a balanced approach is crucial for a film

Sayoni Sinha (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 01, 2010)

// // // As Anusha Rizvi awaits audience reaction to her directorial debut Peepli Live, a lot has been written on the theme which revolves around farmers’ suicide. But Anusha is quick to say that the film is much more than just a satire on farmers’ suicide.

“The film is an objective view on the huge divide between urban and rural India which is a much larger issue,” she says.

Facts to fiction

Objectivity doesn’t come easy when you are dealing with a sensitive subject and trying to not take sides. For Anusha, this isn’t something new as she has faced the same situation while working on a docu-fiction on the IC 814 hijack drama. On December 24, 1999, IC 814 had taken off from Kathmandu and was on its way to India when it was hijacked by five Pakistani terrorists and was taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan. “While researching, we saw the personal side of all the passengers on board and they seized to be just statistics. Interviewing the passengers and the flight attendants gave us an insight into the psyche of the terror-stricken people,” she says.

It was necessary to get both sides of the story, but unfortunately Anusha and the team couldn’t get a balanced view. “When you are dealing with a sensitive issue which involves both, India and Pakistan, it is important to balance it. We tried our More >

Freida to be next Bond girl

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in
Dev Patel’s cool to have his girlfriend rolling around with 007

TIMES NEWS NETWORK (BOMBAY TIMES; March 22, 2010)

Frieda Pinto, Mumbai’s Slumdog Millionaire actress, who went to the Oscars but never made it in Bollywood, has apparently signed a multi-million pound deal to play James Bond’s love interest in the 23rd Hollywood film on the suave British Secret Service agent.

Frieda was said to be approached by director Sam Mendes to play the role in the film which is set in Afghanistan. A source said: “Sam is excited, the project has been in the pipeline for months, and Freida was always the dream Bond girl. But initially she was nervous about accepting the role. This is going to be the most ambitious 007 yet. Sam plans to reinvent the genre.” Peter Morgan, who wrote The Queen, has penned the first draft of the script and it promises to be visually stunning. Freida will star alongside Daniel Craig, who will be reprising his role as Bond once more, while US actress Olivia Wilde has been approached to play a double-crossing UN worker based in Afghanistan.

Frieda, who is currently dating her Slumdog Millionaire co-star Dev Patel, was unavailable for comment. But Dev said he is thrilled his girlfriend has won such a high-profile role. A source told a London newspaper: “It will be a typically glamorous and raunchy role and Dev has been joking to friends he is cool with seeing Freida rolling around with 007.”

Adnan has secret nikaah with Roya in Mumbai

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

After the singer was barred by the court from travelling to Munich for his wedding to Roya Faryabi, they opted for a quiet ceremony in Mumbai

By Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 08, 2010)

// // // Though Adnan Sami’s scheduled wedding on January 31 to his Afghani-German girlfriend Roya Faryabi in Munich fell through, it now comes to light that the couple had a secret nikaah ceremony at Adnan’s residence in Mumbai on Friday, January 30, a day before the wedding cards announced the wedding in Munich.

Only close family members of Adnan were present at this nikaah.

Says a source close to Adnan, “The wedding in Munich had to be cancelled because the courts did not allow Adnan to leave the country. There are serious charges of domestic violence against him.” Rather than cancel the wedding, Adnan decided to have a flash ceremony in Mumbai. All the arrangements were made by Adnan’s son Azaan.

At first Adnan was reluctant to confirm the development, but finally said, “Yes, we got married last Friday in a secret nikaah. And we’re loving it.”

Adnan Sami and Roya Faryabi

Adnan now intends to host a wedding reception in Munich at Roya’s place and then another reception in Mumbai for all his friends. But as things stand now, Roya and Adnan are man and wife.

Speaking from Munich, Adnan’s third wife Roya Faryadi says, “Adnan is the perfect man for me. I love not just the man but also his mother and son. In fact, Adnan’s son Azaan and I get along like a house on More >

I’m shy, lonely, docile, complex, confused and complicated-Ranbir Kapoor

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in
Presenting the dichotomy kid… Ranbir kapoor By Indu Mirani (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 05, 2009)

 

• How much of the real Ranbir do we know?

 

Probably 30 per cent. And that too from the films I do because it’s only then that I actually give something of myself to the character. But when I am doing interviews, there is a certain amount of a façade. If you are an introvert or shy like me, you need to exude some confidence, some belief in what you are doing. But honestly, I am scared. I am not that confident an actor to believe and think that everything I do will be a success.

I believe, the remaining 70 per cent will eventually come through when I reach a point where I can really surrender to a character. I hope that role turns up some day. As I keep saying, I am very ambitious. I have lots of directors to work with, lots of roles to play. I hope to be a working actor everyday of my life, to be able to go on a set. I really don’t know what to do with my time when I am not on set.

// • When you are not on your Segway that is…

(laughs) I do that every night. It’s my way of letting go. I know it sounds weird and stupid but it’s kind of spiritual. I do it at 2-2.30 in the night. The roads are empty, the weather is great and you just drive through.

• A girl who has worked with you, describes you as a mixture of the three Khans. A bad boy like Salman, charmer like Shah Rukh and focused like Aamir.

That girl might be drunk or on some drug because I am not even close to

More >

It’s an LBW for John!

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

IN BAD SHAPE: John Abraham. For more pictures of the hot actor, log on to http://photogallery.indiatimes.com John Abraham’s injured ankle threatens cricket climax for David Dhawan film

SUBHASH K JHA Times News Network (BOMBAY TIMES; September 12, 2009)

Poor John Abraham. The Bollywood hunk, who has been bedevilled by injuries often, has now been declared hors de combat following an ankle injury he suffered a couple of months ago. The actor, who’s busy in London doing 1:800 Love for Abbas Tyrewala, recalled he was last laid low by a virus that hospitalised him during the shooting of Kabul Express in Afghanistan. But this time, the threat is more serious. The ankle he fractured is refusing to heal. And not only have all potential action films featuring John been put on hold, but the climax of David Dhawan’s Hook Ya Crook is awaiting completion as well. Doctors have prescribed months of rest for him. “For an athletic, outdoors guy like me, this is like death,” groaned John from London. “Outwardly it qualifies as just a broken ankle. But actually breaking that bone is a very serious matter,” revealed John. If he continues putting pressure on the leg instead of resting it, as he’s doing now, John may well end up with a limp for life! Incidentally, the climatic scene in Hook Ya Crook — in which film John plays a cricketer — requires the actor to undergo a rigorous cricket camp with Team India greats like Yuvraj Singh, M S Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh. “I can hit a More >

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