Where Bollywood Comes Alive
Posts tagged documentary
We’re more transparent than Americans-Sharmila Tagore
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Sharmila Tagore is only the second person to chair the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for two full terms. A three-month extension enabled the I&B ministry to find a successor, giving Tagore the distinction of the longest tenure in that office. The legendary actress, who debuted 52 years ago in Satyajit Ray’s “Apur Sansar”, continues her film career with the just released “Life Goes On”. She spoke to Ratnottama Sengupta on her last day in office at the CBFC. Excerpts:
Ratnottama Sengupta (THE TIMES OF INDIA; April 3, 2011) What do you think you achieved as CBFC chief and what have you learnt? • I realized that we’re far more transparent than the Americans. We speak to the press whenever they want to discuss a decision; we’re not “all white”’ nor all of “a certain age”. Their debate is about “why X, not A”; ours is about “why UA, not U”. Except for “Ghajini” which fell through the net, we give ‘UA’ if there’s violence, item songs, expletives… Tell me honestly, is “Kaminey” watchable by a 12-year-old?
Sometimes a single dialogue tarnishes the dignity of women. One character in “Raajneeti” gave the impression that every woman sleeps around to get a ticket (in elections). Sometimes friendly relations with a country can’t be jeopardized. As an insider, I understand the compulsions of both the industry and the audience. I also know that some people take advantage of our openness and go to the press for publicity. Still, and More >
Rahman’s biography to release on April 6
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
By Bollywood Hungama News Network, March 22, 2011 – 19:07 IST
Om Books International will be launching music maestro A.R. Rahman’s first authorized biography titled ‘AR Rahman: The Spirit of Music‘ on the 6th of April. The book provides a fascinating window into the world of the great artist. Rahman’s honesty, intelligence and unpretentiousness shine through as he talks about everything you wanted to know about his life and his world of music. The book launch will be attended by some well-known celebrities and will have renowned film maker Mani Ratnam doing the honours.
The book has been written by renowned film historian, Nasreen Munni Kabir, who has also made over 80 documentaries on Indian cinema for Channel 4 TV, U.K. In this book, she provides rare insights into Rahman’s private life and his music. There are photographs from his personal archives as well as a gratis CD of music composed by him (8 tracks).
Says Ajay Mago, Publisher, Om Books International, “It is indeed a rare honour to publish this book. A.R. Rahman’s journey, like that of most great artists, is one that moves and inspires. Nasreen Munni Kabir has recorded this journey, over the last three years. This book also has a CD with A.R. Rahman’s compositions for free distribution with the first edition.”
BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COM
Akshay to go shirtless in Antarctica
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Akshay Kumar to tread ‘penguin’ land for an action sequence in Housefull 2
Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 21, 2011)
Akshay is called Khiladi Kumar for a reason. And after doing back-to-back comedies, the actor is all set to go full throttle into action with Sajid Nadiadwala’s Housefull 2.
Akshay will be shooting where no Bollywood actor has shot before Antarctica. And that too without his shirt on!
Kumar will be seen fighting villains in his introductory scene in Housefull 2, to be shot in ‘penguin’ land. He will be seen ripping off his shirt in the process.
And if being there shirtless, in the subzero temperature, wasn’t enough, this introductary sequence for the film will last almost ten minutes.
Says a source, “In Housefull Akshay had played a nerd. In Housefull 2, he plays a larger-than-life hero.
After a string of comedies, Akshay has been toying with the idea of getting back to action in a way that would immediately catch people’s attention.
He sat down with producer Sajid Nadiadwala and director Sajid Khan and came up with the idea of an introductory fight in a place where it has never been done before.”
No Indian film has been shot in Antarctica. And certainly, no filmmaker has conceived an action sequence in the freezing climate. Getting permission for this historic whammy in the snow was not easy either.
Sajid Khan and Sajid NadiadwalaDirector Sajid Khan confirmed the same, saying, “Yes, I’m shooting Akshay’s introductory More >
Mahesh Bhatt heads for Iraq in spite of warning
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
By Subhash K. Jha, March 16, 2011 – 12:34 IST
Besides Japan, the last place that any person would want to be seen at the moment is war-torn Iraq. But Mahesh Bhatt who’s producing a play on the Iraqi journalist Muntazer-al-Zayedi’s shoe-throwing incident, is heading to Iraq with his director Arvind Gaur and actor Imran Zahid at the earliest, this week if possible.
Bhatt and his associates’ mission? To meet Muntazer, get a feel of the blood-soaked land and make a documentary on the civil war in Iraq before, the play goes on stage next month.
On being informed of Bhatt and Imran’s plans for an early Iraqi visit, Muntazer hurriedly emailed, “Hello my dear friend (sic.) Imran! I hope you are doing good! First of all I like (sic.) to thank you about your feeling. It is very difficult situation in Iraq now! It will be big problem to you if you are coming to Iraq. We can meet each other when I will be in India.”
Unheedful of Muntazer’s warning, Mahesh and Imran are currently persuading the Minister Of External Affairs to issue visas, since there is no Indian ambassador in Iraq at the moment. The trio leaves for Iraq the minute the visas are granted. Not the easiest of things to acquire at the moment. But Mahesh Bhatt has put in a request at the highest level in the concerned Ministry.
Says Bhatt, “Imran Zahid is working out the formalities of our visit with the Ministry Of External Affairs. We don’t have an embassy in Iraq at the moment. But we’ll get to Iraq, More >
SRK joins Facebook
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Kunal M Shah (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 18, 2011)
After quitting Twitter, SRK didn’t want to be a part of social networking sites.
However, he has now decided to join Facebook primarily for his fans.
His Facebook page will be inaugurated today at 9 pm IST with the online premiere of his 22-minute documentary on Mughal-E-Azam, which celebrates 51 years of the timeless classic directed by the legendary director K.Asif.
Our source said, “He hopes to get support from the Indian Government and film associations in the future who will come together to create a forum to preserve such classic films and use Facebook to reach out to a wider audience.
SRK will also be promoting his upcoming film Ra.One through the social networking site.”
How Suhasini found love at 60 on FB
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
The never married 60-year-old met particle physicist Atul Gurtu on Facebook and surprised family and herself with the decision to take the plunge
Kunal M Shah (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 10, 2011)
Suhasini Mulay has broken age-related stereotypes by not only getting hitched at the age of 60 but also by using the medium of the new age the Internet to find her Mr Right.
The five time national awardee and popular screen mom told Mumbai Mirror she met 65-year-old physicist Atul Gurtu online.
Mulay, who has won acclaim for her roles Hu Tu Tu, Dil Chahta Hai and Lagaan, said he was her Facebook friend and she met the particle physicist only after months of chatting online. “I was wary because I had met him online.
He was from a completely different profession. For him, the Atom is the biggest concern. My knowledge of these things is as good as yours.
I googled his name and found his resume interesting. His pictures on Facebook and on the TIFR site matched so I knew he was not a fake. We started chatting in July last year.
Suhasini says she fell in love with her husband when she read an article that he had written about the death of his first wifeWhile she had many FB friends, she was drawn to Gurtu because of the nature of their conversations. “I have won five national awards, one for Hu Tu Tu and four for documentaries I made.
All my documentaries were non-fictional. I have always been into reading serious material. We were able to chat about More >
SRK’s gift to Dilip Kumar
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
The actor hosts a private screening of his documentary on Mughal-e-Azam for Dilip Kumar
Prithwish Ganguly (BOMBAY TIMES; February 26, 2011)
Shah Rukh Khan’s ambitious project on Mughal-e-Azam which was green flagged by the legendary actor Dilip Kumar himself, is ready. The film that has luminaries like K Asif among others talking about why cult films like Mughal-e-Azam should be preserved, also has industry superstars talking about the nostalgia of the iconic movie. But before SRK promotes the film in his king style, he is set to have an exclusive screening only for his idol in Tinseltown, Dilip Kumar and his wife, Saira Banu.
Speaking about the development Shah Rukh says, “It has been a project that is close to my heart. And now, I intend to show the film to Dilip saab and see his reaction. I’m going to have a screening for him.” The actor also informed that Mughal-e-Azam has been one of his favourite movies of all time. “Plus we have a deep connection to the film. My father auditioned for the film. He was so bad that he could not work in the movie. He was told by Asifsaab to go home and give birth to an actor.”
The actor, who has flown off to Malaysia for Don 2, also informed that as a child his parents used to constantly tell him that he should grow up to be a great actor like Dilip Kumar. “They were big fans of Dev saab. My parents wanted me to become like him. Our family and Dilip saab has another common link which is we hail from More >
Movie Review: NO ONE KILLED JESSICA by FENIL SETA
12 years ago
Since a long time, the first Friday of the year was considered a jinx. Many filmmakers were of the opinion that a film is bound to flop if it releases in the first week of January. They even supported their ‘theory’ by giving instances of films that hit screens in the first week of the year and bombed. It was a baseless assumption as coincidentally, all films releasing in the first week of Jan since some years were duds. One can’t expect films like Dulha Mil Gaya, Jawani Diwani etc to work, right?! But No One Killed Jessica, released on the initial Friday of 2011, has helped break the so-called jinx! The film has turned out to be a commercial success for the simple reason that it is a very well made film! Based on the famous Jessica Lal murder case, No One Killed Jessica is a class apart in the sense that never ever a film, based on a true life incident, has turned out to be so thrilling and interesting. A film that surely deserves a watch by each and everyone!
The story of the movie: Delhi, Summer 1999. Jessica (Myra Karn), a bartender in a high profile party, is shot dead by Manish Bharadwaj (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub), son of a powerful politician (Shireesh Sharma). And why? Simply because Jessica refused to serve Manish the drinks after closing hours! Jessica’s sister Sabrina (Vidya Balan) and their parents are shattered with the news of Jessica’s death. The police arrests Manish and his accomplices and it seemed like an open and shut case. After all, More >
King Khan makes documentary on Mughal-E-Azam
0An ardent admirer of K. Asif’s 1960 classic, Khan has made a 40-minute documentary on the film, in which he also plays the narrator
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 18, 2011)On the first floor of Shah Rukh Khan’s house Mannat, lies something he wouldn’t trade for gold. It’s a film camera.
Not too many people know that the actor owns the original camera on which his favourite film Mughal-E-Azam (1960) was shot. Khan is a self-proclaimed fan of the classic and has now finished making a documentary on it.
SRK has always been in awe of K. Asif’s direction in the film. Not only has Khan produced the film under his banner Red Chilies, he has also played the sutradhaar of this documentary.
A source from the production house said, “SRK is a huge fan of the film. He is extremely close to K. Asif’s son Akbar Asif, who resides in London. Every time they meet, they have long discussions over the film.”
During one of these discussions, Akbar Asif apparently expressed the desire to pay a tribute to his father and make a documentary on the classic.
SRK immediately told him that he loved the idea and that he would produce it for him. SRK also volunteered to be an anchor for the documentary.
The 40-minute-long documentary is now ready and SRK will hold a grand launch for it soon, we are told.
The source added, “The documentary has been put together by Devan Munjal. It will have a lot of information on the classic.
There will be interviews and comments from many More >