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Posts tagged dhobi ghat
Last 2 years has been busiest and craziest-Monica Dogra
04 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Monica Dogra talks about balancing her twin passions — acting and singing
Jayoti Soor (DNA; January 15, 2013)
Daughter of Kashmiri immigrants, Monica Dogra is a US-raised musician, who grew up listening to Hindu devotional songs, ghazals and hits of Lata Mangeshkar. Having made Mumbai her home, acting just happened to Monica when Kiran Rao spotted her on the cover of a magazine. She made a non-glam start to her Bollywood career with Dhobi Ghat while simultaneously pursuing her music with indie band Shaa’ir and Func. However, she has managed to walk the tight rope between her twin professions — acting and singing.
Now, in Bejoy Nambiar’s David she has undergone a transformation of sorts and turned retro. She plays an outspoken Muslim girl, Noor, the love interest of gangster David played by Neil Nitin Mukesh. Her story, set in 1975, is shot in black and white as the film is about three people with the same name in different eras. “No one has seen me in a traditional role. It was challenging for me as I am playing a conservative Muslim girl who is fiery in her own way. I even had to learn Urdu.” She adds that the experience of working in both the films was very different because, “Bejoy’s style is dynamic and action-oriented whereas my debut film was more languid and feminine in its execution.”
Though she wasn’t seen in any film after her acclaimed performance as a foreign-returned photographer in Dhobi Ghat, the past two years, Monica says, have been her “busiest and More >
Neil Nitin Mukesh, Monica Dogra jam in Ooty
08 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Shreya Badola (DNA; September 9, 2012)
Singer, actor Monica Dogra of the electro-rock act Shaa’ir+Func and actor Neil Nitin Mukesh seem to be getting along very well right from the start of the shoot of David, their first Bollywood film together. The two share a prominent musical background and have been bonding a lot over it as they started shooting in Ooty last month.
“Neil would sing in between takes to pass the time… I found common ground with him,” says Monica. “Once, I walked onto set a bit early, and heard him playing the piano. At that moment, he became someone different to me. I felt like I understood his sensitivity and his inner persona in this beautiful protected space of music where he was just pure expression,” she adds. And while the two have been enjoying this musical connection, Neil even promised that he would attend the next Shaa’ir gig and stated that he is interested in producing as well.
However, there was more to Monica’s delight when she learned that her fellow co-star is a brilliant photographer too. “He’s so talented…so familiar with camera techniques. Actually he is a photographer himself!,” exclaims Monica as he claims to have sharpened her photography skills as well, “I learned so much about the camera from him.”
Directed by the critically acclaimed filmmaker Bejoy Nambiar (of Shaitan fame), David will be Monica’s third Bollywood film, following Kiran Rao’s directorial debut Dhobi Ghat and the unreleased film Fireflies. Apparently, Nambiar More >
Aamir Khan won’t re-shoot Talaash climax
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Aamir Khan will not re-shoot the climax of his forthcoming film, after buzz about its apparent similarity with Sujoy Ghosh’s ‘Kahaani’
By Hiren Kotwani (MID-DAY; May 11, 2012)
Contrary to speculation that the climax of his forthcoming suspense thriller Talaash will be re-shot, Aamir Khan maintains that he is not changing anything about the film. The movie’s release in the meanwhile has been postponed from June 1 to November-end this year.
Speaking on the buzz about the Reema Kagti-directed film being similar to that of the recent Vidya Balan starrer, Aamir maintains there’s no truth in this apparent coincidence. “I have seen the film and it has turned out very well.
I’m very happy with Reema’s work. It’s my next release after Dhobi Ghat. And since I couldn’t give the required time for the June release, I requested producers Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar to push it to November,” he reiterates.
Apparently, another reason why the release was pushed back was due to his other commitments. The star didn’t want the promos of his film to clash with anything else he was pursuing.
The actor-producer who turned director with Taare Zameen Par says that his next directorial venture is still some time away. Wife Kiran Rao who is said to be helping him by working on the script of the film is busy looking after their son Azad, born late last year.
I play a circus artiste in Dhoom 3-Aamir Khan
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Aamir Khan gets candid about his films and busts a few myths about his image. In conversation with Mirror
By Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 4, 2012)
The arrival of his bonny baby boy a few months ago was an event in itself. And now, in addition to Azad Rao Khan, who is quite a handful and more, Aamir Khan has Talaash, Dhoom 3 and a lot more up his sleeve. It’s a full house indeed. Over multiple rounds of piping hot tea and scrumptious snacks, Aamir Khan bares it all to Mirror.
We hear there have been differences between Reema Kagti and you. Portions of Talaash need a reshoot. That’s not true. Reema has done a fabulous job and I am very happy with the way Talaash has shaped up. It is my home production and I want to be there for it. Since the past few months, I have been too busy with my brainchild, my TV show.
Have you delayed Dhoom 3? I have postponed it only by a month. I was supposed to start it in June. Now I will shoot for it from July. I play a circus artiste in the film and so I need to get into shape in the remaining time, which I hope to achieve soon under a trainer who has come down from the US.
Your decision to work with Vijay Krishna Acharya, whose first film Tashan bombed, has surprised many people. What are your thoughts? I worked with Ashutosh Gowariker in Lagaan but he had also directed Pehla Nasha and Baazi. Rakeysh Mehra hadn’t done well before Rang De Basanti happened. Success and failure is not in our hands. Victor may have gone wrong in More >
Popular heroes back meaningful cinema as producers
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Akshay Kumar
Reuters
By Aakansha Naval Shetye (DNA; April 19, 2012)
Herogiri and larger-than-life histrionics on screen seem to be the order of the day at the BO these days.
In most cases being part of the moolah-making fare, has come to mean doing either mindless comedies or over-the-top action fare. And to maintain their market viability as stars, most of the actors seem to be succumbing to the pressures of making this hard-to-believe-fare a part of their staple diet. Industry insiders agree, adding that many of them even admit to compromising on meaningful roles when it comes to choosing films. But now these actors finally seem to have found a way out. So, while most of them now play it safe as actors by choosing to do hardcore masala entertainers, it is as producers that they are now whetting their experimental appetite for more meaningful cinema that their heroic roles tend to curb completely, and that too without compromising on their market viability as a saleable star. So, as a hero one may see actor John Abraham lift bikes to hurl on the baddies, but one sees him tackle a more relevant, yet experimental topic like sperm donation when it comes to his maiden production venture, Vicky Donor. Similarly, on screen, Aamir Khan may do a Ghajini, but as a producer, it’s films like Taare Zameen Par and Dhobi Ghat that he’s churning out. Akshay Kumar too may be wrestling alligators as a hero, but as a producer, he’s tapping far more meaningful cinema than he More >
The Best DIRTY PICTURES of 2011
11 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Bollywood constantly fetes itself for its films. Now, there are a few jeers among the untiring cheers
Sharmila Ganesan Ram | TNN (THE TIMES OF INDIA; March 18, 2012)
In the film Rockstar, Ranbir Kapoor’s character wants to experience pain so badly that he volunteers to fall in love and deliberately has his heart broken. “He could simply have watched Bodyguard instead,” offered an aspiring standup act at a comedy club in Lower Parel not too long ago. Yesterday, the same venue hosted an awards show where Bodyguard received four nominations. Oddly though, this didn’t kill the comic’s jibe but only made it better.
The Ghanta Awards was the kind of event where most of the nominees did an Aamir Khan. Who would want to attend a function that rewards their mistakes after all? Out of all the nominees, only Sonam Kapoor who was nominated in the ‘Worst Couple’ category (along with Mausam co-star Shahid Kapoor) attended the show while Anurag Kashyap had tweeted saying he would happily collect the award if his film That Girl In Yellow Boots, which had been nominated in the Worst ‘Holier Than Thou’ category, won. This category, refers to ‘parallel’ films that are allegedly inspired by the grammar of world cinema but often end up being as rotten as their Bollywood counterparts. But despite some worthwhile nominees, the award surprisingly went to Dhobi Ghat.
SRK’s biggest gamble Ra.One emerged as the worst film. Salman Khan bagged the worst actor (Ready and Bodyguard) while the More >
Shootout At Wadala makers face woe at Dhobi Ghat
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Dhobi Ghat now apparently has a new set of guidelines for filmmakers looking to shoot there thanks to Aamir Khan
By Subhash K Jha (MID-DAY; March 5, 2012)
Following on the footsteps of his role model, Aamir Khan, John Abraham now wants to have his next film shot at Dhobi Ghat.
John Abraham
However, shooting at the location is proving to be quite difficult for the director and co-producer of Shootout At Wadala, Sanjay Gupta as the residents of Dhobi Ghat now have a set of new rules and regulations.
Apparently after the shoot of Aamir’s film Dhobi Ghat during which the actor and his wife Kiran Rao treated the locals there really well, the residents appointed a shooting committee that determines the viability, fees and other practical details for film units who want to shoot in the area.
Says a source close to the project, “Sanjay had to go through various levels and channels before he was granted permission to shoot with John Abraham on Dhobi Ghat. Earlier before the shooting of Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao’s film, getting shooting consent was relatively easy.”
Aamir Khan in Dhobi Ghat
Sanjay Gupta was also rather amused and horrified regarding the situation. He says, “Not just Dhobi Ghat, getting permission for the various locations in Mumbai proved to be very expensive and complicated.
I seriously doubt any film crew which has another option would choose to shoot outdoors in Mumbai.” A source further adds, “Lekin kya kare Aamir Khan ka bhoot jo sawaar hai John ke sar More >
Opening Week Figures 2011
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in box office
Thursday 5th May 2010 09.30 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Yamla Pagla Deewana is only film to cross 30 crore net in first week this year. Thank You is second best. There have been 12 major releases so far and the opening week figures are as follows. All figures are for Fri-Thursday period.
Yamla Pagla Deewana - 34.65 crore
Thank You - 28.92 crore
Patiala House - 24.41 crore
Dum Maaro Dum - 22.02 crore
Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji - 21.01 crore
No One Killed Jessica – 19.46 crore
Tanu Weds Manu – 18.78 crore
F.A.L.T.U. - 16.34 crore
Saat Khoon Maaf – 14.73 crore
Dhobi Ghat - 12.44 crore
Yeh Saali Zindagi - 7.47 crore
Game - 6.59 crore
Over 200 crore loss in 2011 till now
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
But Bollywood is still celebrating!
Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; May 4, 2011)
It is ironical that Bollywood sees mirth in gloom. Of the 67 odd films (including the dubbed ones) that released, only six made an impact at the box office. That is a meagre 10 per cent ratio. However, Bollywood trade pundits say that the first four months of 2011 have definitely been more lucrative than the corresponding period in 2010. And that is the reason why even cynics are smiling, not scowling.
Better than 2010 The January to April 2010 period saw major turkeys like Shahid Kapoor’s Chance Pe Dance, Priyanka Chopra’s Pyaar Impossible, Amitabh Bachchan’s Teen Patti and Abhay Deol’s Road Movie to mention a few. “This year we have been lucky,” says Vajir Singh, Editor of trade journal Box Office India. “First we broke the January jinx with No One Killed Jessica and the huge hit in Yamla Pagla Deewana. Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji and Dhobi Ghat sailed through. In the World Cup season too we managed to have a runaway hit in Tanu Weds Manu.
Hits versus flops Trade analyst Taran Adarsh (Bollywood Hungama) agrees that the producers did fear the ides of March; this month didn’t have any significant release but April brought some relief in Faltu that opened well. Taran also adds that 2011 most certainly brought a smile on the faces of some distributors. “While the number of flops far outnumbered the hits, the important thing to note is that the dark horses worked. More >
Salman stretches out for Zarine Khan
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Salman Khan talks director Anees Bazmee into adding more flesh to the Veer girl’s appearance in Character Dheela item number
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 23, 2011)
After Boom, which Katrina would love to ‘beep’ out from her resume, it was Salman Khan who stood by her side and held her hand while she climbed the ladder to stardom. Looks like, the Kat-look-alike Zarine is Mr Do-Gooder Khan’s latest fancy.
Despite her debacle debut in Veer, Zarine is breathing free. Thanks to Salman, the actress not only has a role in Sajid Nadiadwala’s Housefull 2, but also has a full-length item song in Ready, for which she was initially signed on for a blink-and-I’m-gone appearance.
Salman Khan is going all out to promote ZarineThe much talked about Character Dheela song initially meant for Jacqueline Fernandes with a small step-in by Zarine was turned into the latter’s number by the leading man himself. Salman gave out strict orders to the unit saying that it should only be Zarine rubbing shoulders with him.
Attributing Jacqueline’s sudden disappearance from the song to ‘date issues’, a source from the film revealed, “Salman ne kaha ki Zarine ko lena hai. And who can argue with Salman? So, Zarine it was.”
The source also went on to add, “It is known that Salman has a soft corner for Zarine. Add this to his helpful nature and you get the complete picture. In other words, Salman ne kisike sar pe haath rakh diya, toh woh uske liye kuch bhi More >