Posts tagged ghajini

Not satisfied with the kind of roles I am getting-Asin

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3 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; February 17, 2013)

 

Asin made an impressive acting debut with Ghajini. But somewhere down the line she got caught up in being the lucky mascot of the so-called 100-crore club. She speaks to Bombay Times about her recent backpacking trip with her girlfriends, where she got time to introspect and decided that, going forward, she will take up work where she gets to act and work with new age directors and actors her age. Excerpts:

Are you satisfied with the kind of roles you are doing as an actor today? Currently no. I feel there is a lot more to me that has so far not been seen in Bollywood and I find it funny when they say that you are the lucky mascot and part of the 100-crore club, though that does not define me. I got time to sit and think and relax when recently I took this backpacking trip with my school friends to the US. Over all these years of working, I had not taken a proper holiday. Looking back at last year, I realised that I have been running non-stop for just being in the same place. It did not give me the satisfaction I wanted, even though I have no regrets in having done the so-called 100 crore films. Now that I have the numbers, I want to take up roles where I get to act.

Would you agree that you have come down as an actress after Ghajini? Yes. After Ghajini, I wanted to take up roles which were meatier and better than my debut film, but I was not happy with what I was offered at that time. For a while, even though I got flooded More >

A good shower goes a long way for Aamir Khan?

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6 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Aamir apparently insists on a shower scene before every turn in his film’s plot

Prachi Kadam (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 17, 2012)

 

It is not easy to forget that pivotal scene in Ghajini, where Aamir Khan takes a shower to help him focus on the task at hand – find the bad guy, kill him. Four years later, Aamir has stepped into the shower again, this time for Talaash. And if sources are to be believed, in Reema Kagti’s film too, the shower scene plays a pivotal role.

Mirror stumbled upon a grab from Talaash where Aamir’s character Inspector Shekhawat takes a good shower that reportedly helps him get to the root of the problem. Elaborating on the scene, a source from the unit revealed, “The scene in question was shot in a flat that belongs to hairstylist Avan Contractor’s mother. It was a one-take-shot.” Evidently, Aamir loves a good scrub. Or else, why would he insist on incorporating the same scene in the new film as well? “Maybe he is superstitious, he thought this could be lucky for him,” adds the source with a smile. When contacted, a spokesperson from the film confirmed, “Yes, we do have a scene in Talaash which is similar to Ghajini but we aren’t allowed to comment on it as it is occurs at a very significant point of the film.”

However, when we contacted Reema Kagti, she refused to comment.

I am quite like Aamir Khan-Asin

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6 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; November 11, 2012)

 

Asin, 27, is culturally rooted in Kerala but is equally comfortable speaking Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil or English. Even though she was born in a conservative Roman Catholic Christian family, she grew up in a cosmopolitan Navy public school in Cochin, which she calls mini-India. Even though she scored over 90 per cent in her 10th board exams, she took up Humanities in the 11th, shocking her family who were confident she would take up science and get into the civil services. Being photogenic, she started modelling for ad campaigns and did her first Malayalam film at the age of 15. By the time she got to college, she had done five films in the South and had bagged her first Filmfare award.

In a conversation with Bombay Times, she opens up about her her similarities with Aamir Khan, why Akshay is her best co-star and why she would never date anyone from the industry. Excerpts:

How did you get to work in Ghajini? In 2005, Ghajini was the most popular regional film down South. Aamir wanted to see it and so a special screening was organised for him in Bombay. I was at that time shooting in Chennai when I got a call from Aamir complimenting me for my performance. I thought it was a prank call from someone else till my producer told me that it must be Aamir only as he had just finished seeing the trial in Bombay. I was thrilled getting such a compliment from one of the biggest superstars in our country. Later, I was approached to act More >

Ghajini villain to star in Grand Masti

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6 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

After playing the baddie in Ghajini, Pradeep Rawat returns to essay a negative role in another Hindi film

Kunal M Shah (MID-DAY; November 6, 2012)

 

Pradeep Rawat is probably the only baddie in Bollywood to have the title of his film based on his screen name. After acting with Aamir Khan in Ghajini, Rawat is all set to play bad guy again, in the sequel of 2004’s film Masti, called Grand Masti, co-starring Vivek Oberoi and Riteish Deshmukh.

Our source says, “Rawat portrays the main negative character. The film’s team felt that only he could essay the intensity of his role and the fear factor associated with his character.” Apparently, while Rawat was busy shooting in the South, he agreed to sign the film immediately after being offered the film.

The source adds, “Producer Ashok Thakeria and director Indra Kumar are keeping the news under wraps, as they plan to introduce him only during the promotions next year.”

Too busy looking ahead-Asin

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7 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Aakansha Naval-Shetye (DNA; October 19, 2012)

Asin Reuters

Actress Asin’s date-diary is choc-a-block with back-to-back schedules for her upcoming film, but ask her about the dating scene and she laughs, “Sorry, no date for that yet!” On a serious note she adds, “Where is the time to take a breather, forget getting involved. I’m happy at the moment dating my work,” she confesses. Fresh from two Rs 100-crore successes this year alone, she does have a lot on her plate, starting with Khiladi 786 for which she is currently shooting. The Southern babe was part of Bollywood’s very first 100-crore film Ghajini, which she followed up with Ready; and both Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar have had their first 100-crore films with her. How does she feel about being the lucky mascot? “Lucky or not, I am glad that the films have worked and that the audience thought they were all paisa-vasool,” she says. But does she feel the pressure of the `100-crore tag now? “My criteria is really the script. Each and every person associated with a project hopes for it to click at the BO, but more than just the money, I think that satisfaction as an actor is also important,” adds Asin.

“It’s great to be a part of such successful movies because it means that the audience has loved your work, but I think it’s for the trade to follow numbers. As an actor, I don’t follow this bit at all. All that matters is that the audience is entertained.” The actor is equally nonchalant about her high success More >

The 6 rulers of the 100 crore club

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11 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

A dozen films with these bankable stars have now crossed the 100 crore mark

Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; June 23, 2012)

 

One common ailment that every actor in B-Town suffers from is Friday jitters. A trade source says, “Actors often get affected with media reports over their brawls, alleged link-ups and socially-unacceptable behaviour, but nothing affects them more than the fate of their films at the box office, or the media obsession surrounding it.”

The source adds that all eyes are now on the box office, “and while an actor can manipulate the media with regard to most things that portray him in a negative light or at least attempt a fair amount of damage control, he cannot fudge box office figures because this is the judgement of the junta.” Till March 2012, Akshay Kumar was not even in the reckoning for the top honours. But the Khiladi, who’d hit a bad patch with films like Tashan (2008), Chandni Chowk To China, 8×10 — Tasveer, Kambakht Ishq, Blue, De Dana Dan (all in 2009); Khatta Meetha, Action Replayy, Tees Maar Khan (all in 2010); Patiala House, Thank You, Desi Boyz (all in 2011), was trying to hold on to his superstar status by tooth of nail. In April, with the release of Housefull 2, the scales finally started to tip in his favour.

But it was the June 1 release of Rowdy Rathore that has really put the actor back on top with the likes of Aamir Khan and Salman Khan. The masala potboiler was critically slammed but has gone on to do wonders at the desi box office and More >

650 CRORES: Why you should bet on a South film remake!

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11 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Lata Srinivasan (BOMBAY TIMES; July 9, 2012)

 

The latest Bollywood remake of Vikramarkudu, Rowdy Rathore (which was made as Siruthai in Tamil) smashed the opening weekend collections with over 50 crore. Vikramarkudu has been made in four other languages and has proved to be a superhit every single time. So does a South Indian filmmaker hold the secret formula to on-screen success?

Take a look at the number of South remakes that have made more than Rs 100 crore at the BO in B-Town – Wanted, Bodyguard, Ready, Housefull 2, Ghajini, Singham and the latest Rowdy Rathore. These movies, together, have collected well over 650 crore proving that the South Indian directors know how to drive fans to theatres and set cash registers ringing.

Many may feel that the trend of remaking South movies started with A R Murugadoss’s Ghajini. But the fact is the trend has existed since the time of Jeetendra and Sridevi – their Himmatwala was a remake of the Telugu film. So why are South movies a good bet for B-Town filmmakers today? Murugadoss feels mass action movies are making a strong comeback with fans, edging out the so-called class, popcorn, multiplex films that were ruling the roost in the past decade. Another important factor is quality content in the south movies thanks to topnotch technical teams, creative writers and professionals.

While local sensibilities definitely vary across the country, one undisputable fact say directors and producers, is that a good story and universal theme More >

PR is important and I suck at it-Asin

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11 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Asin admits that self-marketing could perhaps make her more visible in Bollywood

Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; June 6, 2012)

 

Three and a half years after her debut Hindi flick Ghajini, Asin has had only three releases — London Dreams, Ready and Housefull 2 — to her credit besides an upcoming film Bol Bachchan with Abhishek Bachchan and Ajay Devgn.

Having done scores of films in the South in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam, Asin has strangely resorted to going slow in Bollywood and working with the same set of stars. When not shooting she prefers to be off the radar and away from prying eyes as she has “nothing to say”…

Maintaining a low-profile… is that the way you prefer? I do generally prefer to be talked about only for my work. I think that is part of my personality. May be it also has to do with the fact that I am from the South, where self-marketing isn’t inherently in the culture. So I do admit that PR is important and I suck at it!

You prefer to play safe rather than experiment with roles. Is that the reason people don’t see you on the Hindi screen often? I think it’s not caution but preference. I do seem to have a soft spot for fun, emotional stories that appeal to the masses as it helps me reach out and connect to a large audience. Therefore, I like doing mainstream cinema. But having said that I am looking for more fleshed out characters with scope for performance within the commercial format.

What is the criterion that determines the selection? I think I have had the More >

Popular heroes back meaningful cinema as producers

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1 year ago
by Fenil Seta in
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 >

Aamir Khan raises the bar, again

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1 year ago
by Fenil Seta in

Mumbai Mirror takes you to the gym where the actor has been keeping a punishing fitness schedule to get a lean six-pack look for his next

Mehul Thakkar (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 27, 2012)

 

Years back, while looking out for a muscular actor for a role in his film Ghulam, Aamir Khan had met a struggler, who looked fit but couldn’t act. Khan had at that time advised the young man to get into bodybuilding instead. And it was the same Satyajit Chourasia who was responsible for Aamir’s eight-packabs for his 2008 blockbuster Ghajini. And the rest, as we know, was history. However, a couple of years later, for Reema Kagti’s thriller Talaash, Khan needed a different body type. Mirror tells you how Mr Perfectionist got into shape this time around.

A video released last night shows how Aamir went through an impossible fitness regime. Swinging from monkey bars and lifting weights, the actor swetas it out And that’s just for the look.

When contacted, Dheepesh Bhatt, owner of the gym where Aamir has been working out told Mirror, “I had accompanied Aamir on a 20-day schedule in Pondicherry. Since then he has been working out with me.”

Aamir’s brief to Dheepesh was short but not so simple. The actor wanted to look lean with six-packs. And thus, a cross-fit training plan was chalked out for the actor that involved exercises inspired from various sports like rowing, swimming and gymnastics.

Aamir’s diet plan was also modified. Rather than eating small meals every hour, which Aamir had been More >

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