Where Bollywood Comes Alive
Posts tagged films
So what if films didn’t work out for me?-Nausheen Ali Sardar
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Nausheen Ali Sardar, who’s back on TV, talks to Roshni K Olivera about career decisions and her long distance relationship with Prashant Chainani
BOMBAY TIMES (March 10, 2011) Nausheen Ali Sardar, who’s still best known for her role in KKusum a few years ago, is back on TV. She quit the small screen to pursue her Bollywood dream, but unfortunately her films didn’t do well. The actress, however, believes everything happens for a reason. Excerpts:
You are back on TV after a long time… Yes I’m back after a couple of years. I have always done what my heart feels is right and I have never followed a trend. I believe in myself and God. I’m glad to be back and I have started shooting for this serial Beend Banoonga Ghodi Chadoonga. It’s an interesting role… I play a marwari housewife.
Considering TV serials are looking only at newcomers for lead roles, where do you see yourself in the current scenario? Television always has fresh faces. I was one in Kkusum. Newcomers have to prove themselves as worthy actors to make a place in the hearts of people. I did that and now I look to be a better actor. I want to break the monotony and take up challenges. It doesn’t matter what role I am playing, but how important that role is.
Do you think quitting TV for films was a bad idea? I have no regrets. Every actor dreams of working on the big screen and I was fortunate to have got the opportunity. I’ve seen people segregate television and film actors. Why? More >
Boman Irani talks about his favourite picture
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Boman Irani talks about why a candid shot of Shabana Azmi taken on the sets of Fire is his favourite picture
Sayoni Sinha (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 6, 2011)
Be it in the characters he plays in his films or the photographs he takes, Boman Irani effortlessly manages to infuse depth and quirky charm in both. Little wonder that this picture of Shabana Azmi holds such delight for the actor. Says Boman, “There are beautiful people and places, but for me, the most important thing is to capture the mood and the moment. If that is gone, no matter how beautiful the subject, it will not have any warmth. This picture jumps out at you because of its candidness.”
Before turning his attention to films, Boman was a well-known photographer. It was during one of his shoots that he met Shabana for the first time. “I used to do stills for ads and films. This picture was taken when I was doing the film stills for Fire. After the shoot was over, I was chatting with Shabana and she looked beautiful in that lighting. I asked her to pose for this picture. She refused and put up her hand to block the shot. But her smile gave away that she wasn’t serious.” So Boman went ahead and clicked this photo.
Boman has worked with Shabana in a couple of films and she is one of his favourite co-stars. Apart from being a versatile actor, she is also the one who he has healthy arguments with. “The most common topic of debate is her school of acting against mine. The basic More >
Hugh Jackman’s coming to Mumbai
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Karan Johar confirms the Hollywood hottie’s visit on March 25
Sarita Tanwar (BOMBAY TIMES; March 6, 2011)
He’s coming to India. More importantly to Mumbai. The actor is coming to be a part of FICCI (The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) FRAMES. He will attend the valedictorian ceremony on the 25th of March. Getting him to arrive in the city was a joint effort by Karan Johar and the Hollywood studio Fox. The inaugural session will have James Murdoch as the keynote speaker. Karan confirms, “Yes, Hugh Jackman is coming to Mumbai this month. It was a joint effort by Fox, Yashji (Chopra) and myself. We want to create global awareness, so we try to have some presence from the West.” This year, the 12th FICCI FRAMES annual entertainment convention is all set to take place from the 23rd to 25th March. Expect to see a beefier Jackman at the event, as he is currently gearing up for the next Wolverine flick. Director Darren Aronosky has asked him to put on 30 pounds of muscle. His diet includes about 6,000 calories a day, plus, he said in a recent interview that he was going to achieve that by, “pushing as hard as I can and lifting heavy weights.”
Held annually in Mumbai, FRAMES is a three-day global convention covering the entire gamut of Media and Entertainment like Films, Broadcast (TV & Radio), Digital Entertainment, Animation, Gaming, Visual Effects, etc. with nearly 2000 Indian and 800 foreign delegates as More >
Life in a chawl: Reel & Real
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Chawls have been themes for films and have inspired several creative people. Seema Sinha journeys into the psyche of community living
TIMES NEWS NETWORK (TIMES LIFE; February 6, 2011)
REMEMBER Basu Chatterjee’s Jaya Bhaduri-Anil Dhawan starrer Piya Ka Ghar (1972; picture on the right) in which the marriage-fixing priest creates a dreamscape in the imagination of young Malathy and her parents about the Mumbai chawl? He tells them: “The boy lives near the seashore, in a five-storey building; as kings and emperors have palaces, the people in Mumbai, the city of dreams, have chawls.”
And when the heroine of the film relocates to her screen husband’s house, in ‘Bharat Mahal’, she is shocked to find herself in a shanty room, divided two ways with the kitchen as her bedroom, and a common toilet. The efforts of the newlyweds to find privacy, intimacy and love in the obscure, noisy and cramped space form the film’s storyline.
Perhaps, people living in chawls in Mumbai do feel like kings and emperors with the common verandah, courtyard and street down below all to themselves, so what if they actually own a match-box size apartment! Check out what Nikhil Ghosalkar, a young architect living in Mumbai’s Urankarwadi chawl, Girgaum, has to say, “With the common passage, I actually feel as if I own a 27 bedroom flat! There is no uniqueness in a skyscraper whereas multipurpose space is the unique feature of community living. Chawls are our More >
A Rendezvous with Ammaji of Peepli Live
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
MM.com speaks to Natha’s mother, Farrukh ‘Ammaji’ Jaffer, only to bring out the intellectual and lighter side of a lady from the rustic lands of Uttar Pradesh
Kathika Kandpal (MUMBAI MIRROR.COM; September 28, 2010) Farrukh Jaffer, a far cry from Ammaji of Peepli Live
“I am too busy and too free, depending on my priorities. But if there is someone to listen to me, I can talk 24 hours. Jaise ham abhi aapse baat kar rahe hain,” 72-year-old Farrukh Jaffer bursts out laughing. “Ammaji” is bound to slip out of your mouth when you are talking to her. One of the most memorable characters of Peepli Live, Ammaji, is what she is better known as now.
A graduate and a student of National School of Drama (NSD), Delhi, Farrukh started her career in All India Radio as an announcer in Lucknow. At NSD, she learnt a lot from one of the most influential theatre directors Ebrahim Alkazi. She performed in a few of his plays and thoroughly loved the experience. But somehow, she felt closer to radio and films. It was Muzzaffar Ali, director of Rekha-starrer Umrao Jaan, who gave her her big break in the film where she played Rekha’s mother. Farrukh, who has her base in Lucknow for years now, feels deep gratitude towards Muzzaffar Ali, “I am thankful to Muzzaffar saab from the bottom of my heart. He gave me my first break. And it was his serial Damyanti where Ashutosh Gowariker spotted me and offered me Swades. He always gave me the freedom an artiste like me craves More >
Lara Dutta in Apsara mode
02 years ago
By Bollywood Hungama News Network, September 7, 2010 – 12:03 IST
Do this small exercise: Close your eyes take a deep breath, exhale. Well, now, think about Lara Dutta, Bollywood’s most eloquent glam doll in an ‘Apsara’ mode. Well, that’s how the gorgeous Lara features on the cover of Hi! Blitz.
In this issue, Lara speaks about her life films and also about the ‘much-anticipated’ fitness video, about which she clears the air saying, “I would not refer it as a fitness video. What I am doing is a lifestyle product that has a well rounded holistic approach and does not only deal with weight loss or an exercise regime, but also restores and brings the mind and body into balance.”
Lara seems to have some big plans for her fans.
BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COM
Salman’s a chhata badmaash!-Vidya Balan
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Vidya Balan answers 10 questions to BT
Garima Sharma | TNN (BOMBAY TIMES; July 27, 2010)
Vidya Balan has a lot happening in her life right now. She’s the latest muse of M F Husain and has also been voted as the most appropriate bride for Rahul Gandhi. But it’s the romantic SRK and lover boy Salman Khan, Vidya hopes will woo her someday…
Last year’s been a joyride professionally. How was it personally? I can’t draw a line between my personal and professional lives. My profession gives me great joy in my personal life.
Is it time now for a break? I’ve been on a break past few weeks, since I came back from Delhi after the shoot of No One Killed Jessica. I’ve been helping decorate my new house, reading, watching films, meeting friends and going on dates.
Dates? No, I’m kidding. I just wish, I just said aise hi. Honestly, there’s nothing.
Okay, so how many boys do you reject every day? I wish I had such good fortune. But, where are the boys, really?
A recent survey said that you are the most appropriate bride for Rahul Gandhi, provided he buys you a lifetime’s supply of Sabyasachi sarees… If that happens, I won’t wave at people. I’ll just raise The Hand. But I’m not thinking of marriage right now. It’s not even on the agenda because I haven’t met anyone who has inspired that in me. First, I need to be with someone for a while and have to romance without the bindings of marriage.
What kind of romance? Long drives with music that I enjoy in the More >
Aamir has little choice on Twitter
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Nishtha Arora | TNN (BOMBAY TIMES; June 25, 2010)
Here’s one problem Amitabh Bachchan, that master tweeter, cannot solve for Aamir Khan. The two met in London over dinner where the Big B convinced the reclusive Aamir to join the miocroblogging site. Aamir, who took some convincing, finally agreed and said he would start his account on July 1. Bachchan immediately posted on his account, “At dinner with Aamir… coaxing him to come on Twitter. Success come to those that dare and act! Convinced the inconvincible Aamir…”
Then, Aamir’s dilemma. The existing Twitter handles in his name don’t leave the Bollywood superstar with much choice. With all possible permutations and combinations of his name already floating on the microblogging site, what handle does Aamir Khan use?
BT asked the public at large to help the 3 Idiots hero come up with an appropriate handle. Clearly there aren’t many names (based on the combinations of his initials, his birth date, films, banner, etc) left. We give him a few options, based on various aspects of his life, that he could possibly use as his Twitter handle. Twitter or no Twitter, it seems that if you announce your arrival too soon, toh naam gum jayega!
Alternatives for Aamir • IdiotAamir or AamirIdiot – After 3 Idiots • GhajiniAamir or Aamirghajni – For his Ghajini look • Beingaamir – As in Being Salman Khan • AamirLive – As in Peepli Live • PerfectionistAamir – That, of course, he is • Kirankaaamir – As More >
Bhajji and Geeta Basra have split
02 years ago
Another famous cricketer-film actress relationship goes for a toss
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 24, 2010) India’s leading off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and Bollywood actress Geeta Basra have parted ways about two weeks ago. Not so long ago, Harbhajan had even introduced her to his parents during his sister Sandeep Kaur’s wedding in Jalandhar (Mumbai Mirror, March 19). The couple had even discussed marriage then.
Confirming the break-up, a friend of Geeta’s says, “Harbhajan called off the relationship. He is now going around telling friends that he is looking for a new girlfriend.”
Harbhajan SinghHowever, we hear, they still talk to each other. “There is no animosity at all. It’s just that they are no more a couple. They began to have differences, shortly after the IPL. The incompatibility levels amassed to irreconcilable proportions. Things spiralled out of hand.”
Geeta is feeling low but putting up a brave front. After all, she was very attached to Harbhajan, supporting him and cheering for him lustily on the ground in the many matches he played. “She really wanted this relationship to work. A lot of her friends in the industry want to ask her why this happened, and so suddenly. However, it would be very mean to ask her so soon.”
Standing up for Geeta, her friend adds, “She will now concentrate on her career. She has been getting a lot of offers for films. She should have realized that most relationships in More >