Where Bollywood Comes Alive
Posts tagged Bollywood
Anupama Chopra talks about her new book
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Anupama Chopra walks the tightrope as she continues her love affair with the film industry even as she gives it the objective eye
Namrata Bhawnani (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 08, 2011)
Pre-1993, when Bollywood was being bankrolled by the underworld, the industry was almost blasé about its murky associations, says author Anupama Chopra.
In her new book, First Day First Show, she quotes a producer-director, “What is the problem if people are taking money from these people? Their money is not contaminated. It doesn’t matter as long as you make the film and repay them.”
Anupama laughs, “Back then, I was naïve enough to ask producers ‘Are you the mafia?’ People visited Dubai to pay homage to Dawood.
The money was generous, paid on time and there were bankrolled shopping sprees. When the industry became a target with the shootings, it was a dark, weird time. Now I don’t hear of them funding the industry.”
The petite writer is chatty even though she is in a rush to prepare for her trip to Cannes. Three years ago, when she was on the jury, she nearly collapsed while chasing Hollywood stars for interviews and trying to catch all the films. “I had to shoot in a wheelchair,” she says, bursting into peals of laughter.
Her book chronicles the evolution of what was essentially a chaotic cottage industry into its current more sanitized avatar.
Twenty years ago, Anupama returned with a master’s degree from a top journalism school in the US, to become a film journalist when More >
Is that a foot in your mouth?
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
News of Osama Bin Laden’s death has pushed few celebs to post online the unthinkable
Priya Ramachandran (BOMBAY TIMES; May 4, 2011)
It’s no surprise that a popular micro-blogging site is on fire, following the reports of Osama Bin Laden’s death in an operation led by the United States. But while most are busy tweeting about the future of terrorism in the world, some of our celebs seem to be either amusing themselves with silly ‘Obama kills Osama’ jokes or are busy putting a foot in the mouth with their distasteful comments on the death of the most wanted man ever.
The prize for the most inane comment goes to director Mahesh Bhatt who equated this big moment in International affairs with a movie — ‘On the day the advance booking of Haunted began. Osama Bin Laden was hunted down and killed in Pakistan.’ Maybe, Mr Bhatt, just maybe, the world doesn’t really revolve around Bollywood, or for that matter, a particular movie your friend directed… Just saying.
Minissha Lamba thought it would be funny to tweet this — ‘Trust American’s to steal d world’s attn away from d #RoyalWedding. Interesting timing.’ We’re sure Obama is working on that apology Minissha, they really should’ve picked a better day.!
When not amusing herself with rhyming words — ‘Its Obama. That killed Osama. High drama’ — Mandira Bedi was singing, ‘Osami Osama.. life goes on… Tra la la la.. Life goes on…’ to the tune of Beatle’s ‘Obla Di Obla Da.’ Ya, that was the ‘poet’ (she calls herself More >
Hrithik’s chair looking for a new owner
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Roshni K Olivera (BOMBAY TIMES; May 4, 2011)
This is no ordinary wheel chair. It’s the one Hrithik Roshan used in the film Guzaarish, where he played a paraplegic. And guess what? This chair has no takers. It’s lying in filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s office for the past many months. Bhansali wants to donate the chair to somebody in need, a hospital or a charitable organisation, but hasn’t been able to do so. “I tried to offer it to some patients, but they declined saying they have small homes and it would be difficult to maneuver,” he told BT. This was a specially made-to-order remote controlled chair. So will it find its new owner soon?
Soha set for Harvard
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
The actress has been invited to deliver a lecture on Hindi cinema
Prithwish Ganguly (BOMBAY TIMES; May 8, 2011) Soha Ali Khan is on cloud nine. The actress has been specially invited by the acclaimed Harvard University to deliver a lecture on Hindi cinema in an interactive session titled Cinema – Then and Now. What’s making the Oxford grad’s visit to Harvard even more special is the fact that her mother, Sharmila Tagore, would be joining her during the session. The event will also screen Soha’s works like Khoya Khoya Chand, Rang De Basanti and Antarmahal.
She will pay tribute to icons of Hindi cinema like Madhubala, Meena Kumari, Waheeda Rehman and her mother Sharmila Tagore in her lecture. “I’m quite excited and tense about my Harvard visit,” says an excited Soha. “I have never really delivered a lecture on cinema before and I will be in front of the most academic followers of Indian films there. It’s a really humbling experience that I have been chosen by them to speak about Indian cinema and that my films are also being screened.”
About her lecture, Soha discloses, “I have done a thorough research of the cinema we have created over the ages. I have a pretty huge period to cover in my lecture, but I will touch upon landmark films, directors and actors who have made huge contributions in shaping up cinema as it is today. I will specially talk about how Meena Kumari, Madhubala and Waheeda Rehman and also my mom helped Indian cinema to More >
Evolution of Maa to Mom in Bollywood
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
BOMBAY TIMES (May 8, 2011)
Mere Paas maa hain… Javed Akhtar’s famous dialogue had Indians hooked since Deewar released way back in 1975. More than three decades after this scene became a part of Bollywood folklore, things have changed manifold as far as the role of mothers go. Maa ke haath ka banaya hua kheer isn’t staple in this age of Brand Bollywood. But that does not mean this industry has forgotten maa totally.
The avatar of maa has undergone mammoth changes. Today’s sexy, bold and confident single moms — as played by Vidya Balan in Paa, Priyanka Chopra in Pyaar Impossible, Kajol in My Name is Khan and We Are Family, Lara Dutta in Partner and Preity Zinta in Jaan-E-Mann — has shifted the spotlight completely from a Nirupa Roy in a crumpled cotton saree shedding tears over her morally corrupt son on the wrong side of law. The cool moms, as played by these actresses, are all fiercely independent characters who are in complete control of their lives without their man. In an industry often accused of misogyny, this is possibly the most positive change that’s slowly gaining ground.
The increasingly discerning audiences are looking for variety in scripts and maturity in characters as much as the directors are writing roles keeping this wider horizon of New Age India in mind.
The biggest affirmation of this change is the fact that mainstream actresses like Kajol, Priyanka Chopra, Vidya Balan, Preity Zinta aren’t shying away from More >
Akshay Kumar turns singer
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; May 8, 2011)
Akshay Kumar has entertained viewers with his action and comedy skills. And even impressed us with his culinary skills. But with his upcoming adventure reality show, we will see the Khiladi Kumar in a new avatar. This time, he’s not leaping off a building or turning up the heat in the kitchen. His weapon of choice is the microphone. Akshay has lent his voice for a song that is being turned into a music video for the TV show. The video features the show’s contestants. Maybe Akshay should consider cutting his own album after this, considering the fact that he’s already jammed with Snoop Dog and now sung for this video. And certainly the stunners of his reality show would be happy to appear in his video. So, any plans Akki?
Kalki Koechlin bags Dibakar Banerjee’s Shanghai
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
By Bollywood Hungama News Network, May 7, 2011 – 11:38 IST
Kalki Koechlin was recently in the news for her wedding to Anurag Kashyap. However, the actress with a French connection is now in the news for professional reasons. Kalki has been signed for Dibakar Banerjee’s Abhay Deol- Emraan Hashmi starrer Shanghai.
Kalki will be paired opposite Emraan in the film. Besides Abhay, Emraan and Kalki, Bengali superstar Prosenjit and veteran actor Farooque Sheikh too form important members of the cast of Shanghai.
BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COM
Who is Salman’s sabse favourite?
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
By Joginder Tuteja, May 7, 2011 – 14:26 IST
No one may be saying that yet but the battle lines have clearly been drawn between Asin and Zarine. ‘Sabse Favourite Kaun’ could well be the question for Salman who has ensured that both women, who are currently on his ‘I-am-going-to-make-them-superstar’ list, do get their share of fun and fame as he gets ‘ready’ for his next outing.
“As of now, Salman isn’t playing a favourite here but the fact remains that both Asin and Zarine are vying for his attention”, says a source attached to the film, “It is known to all that Asin is his leading lady in the film while Zarine is just for the song and dance sequence. Still, to ensure that his ‘Character Dheela‘ jig with Zarine doesn’t steal Asin’s thunder, he has gone an extra mile to make his ‘ Dhinka Chika‘ with her as extra special.”
Resultantly, added emphasis has been placed on ‘Dhinka Chika‘ to make it stand out from the crowd.
Meanwhile Zarine is happy that after a classy portrayal in her debut film Veer, she has now managed immediate attention for herself courtesy her ‘bindaas’ act in ‘Character Dheela‘. Asin is closely studying this as well and wants to make sure that with ‘Dhinka Chika‘ she gets her share of action.
“No actress would want to go through the route that Bipasha had to for Dum Maaro Dum“, says a trade insider, “Despite her being the sole leading lady in the film, it was Deepika’s item number for the title song that grabbed maximum eyeballs. Now More >