Posts tagged may 2

‘I Am’ is not about homosexuality-Onir

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

MM.com had an exclusive chat with filmmaker Onir on his latest film ‘I Am’, an alleged cold war with Rahul Bose, and what makes a film ‘commercial’

Varun Vazir | MM Online Bureau (May 02, 2011)

Onir, whose film I Am released last Friday, confesses that he did not have money to pay his actors yet managed to assemble a strong cast comprising Nandita Das, Juhi Chawla, Rahul Bose, Sanjay Suri and Abhimanyu Singh.

The film was shot in a mere 24 days at a budget of Rs 3 crores. Excerpts from an interview:

I Am released on Friday along with four other films. Does that make you apprehensive?

Each film is of a different genre and defines its own audience. Anything good will find its audience. Footfall in the theatres has been increasing as there is a good buzz surrounding the film.

How did you manage to assemble such a cast?

We did not have money to offer the actors. Each of the cast members did this film only because the script excited them.

Which is your favorite story out of the four?

‘I Am Megha’ is very special to me as it is based on the loss of home and identity. I was born and brought up in Bhutan and had to leave the country due to political situations. Loss of home is a subject that touches me personally.

Rahul Bose was annoyed with you because you used his kissing scene with Arjun Mathur for publicity.

Rahul and I have a different take on that. I feel a scene of two people kissing is a beautiful emotion. There is no drama between me and Rahul. We respect More >

Rekha’s funda: No dance, no distinction

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in
Noyon Jyoti Parasara (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 02, 2011)

 

Rekha refuses a Dada Saheb Phalke Award

Among the many strange anecdotes we hear about Bollywood this is sure to top the list. For their 11th award function on May 3, the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy wanted to felicitate Rekha with the Legendary Icon Cine Artiste Award, but the actress declined the accolade as her wish to perform at the event could not materialise.

Organisers explain that Rekha’s desire to perform at Bhaidas hall was turned down due to space constraints. The premise only has a 1000 seater capacity and a rather small stage.

Ashok Shekhar, director of events of the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy, confirmed, “She wanted to perform at the awards but then the stage at Bhaidas is too small. Rekhaji will give away the Phalke Ratna award to Dharamji.”

While the award will be offered to Asha Parekh instead, the academy is already in talks with Rekha for next year’s event. Shekhar added, “When we organise it at Filmcity next year, maybe we will invite her to perform and also give her the award then. It will have a huge stage and a 4000 seating capacity.”

RGV to work with Raveena soon

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in
Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 02, 2011)

 

When Ram Gopal Varma saw Raveena on the sets of Bbuddah…Hoga Tera Baap, he was swept off his feet by her bedazzling beauty. He didn’t think twice to offer her the role of a sexy middle-aged wife to Sanjay Dutt in Department.

Soon, on realising that her stunning-ness would be wasted in the film, he dropped her from the cast. Ramu has now written a comedy for Raveena specially.

Says a source, “Ramu met Raveena on the sets of Puri Jagannath’s Bbuddah. His jaw dropped when he saw how hot she looked. He immediately offered her the role in Department. But then he realised he wanted to work with her on a bigger project. He is now working with her in Lucille Ball kind of comedy.”

RGV will make a bigger film Raveena

Ramu admits he has pulled Raveena out of Department. He says, “I narrated a role to Raveena. But now when the script of Department has come to its final stage the role has not shaped up the way I narrated it to her.

There’s no point in her doing such a tiny role which might not be there in the final cut. Yes, I am doing another film with her.”

Significantly Raveena recently turned down the role of Ranbir Kapoor’s mother in Prakash Jha’s Raajneeti and we appreciate the intelligent step. “It isn’t me who doesn’t want to do mother roles. It’s producers who think I shouldn’t,” laughs Raveena who went to great lengths to lose loads of weight after her two children were born.

We wish to see you sizzle in More >

Arshad walks out, Naseer steps in

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in
Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 02, 2011)

 

Arshad Warsi walked out of director Kabeer Kaushik’s next, Maximum, just a day before it was to go on the floors. Naseeruddin Shah stepped in at the last moment and saved the project.

Kaushik has so far directed Warsi in two films, Sehar and the actor’s first home production Hum Tum Aur Ghost. But the director suddenly found himself in deep trouble because of Arshad’s unprofessional behaviour.

Naseer (L) and not Arshad (R) will star in Kabeer Kaushik’s next

A source said, “From the beginning Arshad had issues with the script. He wanted his character to be more hard-hitting, edgy and diabolic. Kabeer and Arshad are old friends, so he made whatever changes he could to please him.

After that, things seemed to be fine and the film was ready to roll. But at the last minute Arshad backed out.”

This left Kabeer in a state of panic and utter helplessness. But it was Naseeruddin who saved the day for Kaushik. As he not only decided to step into his Ishqiya co-star’s shoes, but also made date adjustments so that he could shoot Maximum between his theatre commitments.

“Arshad Warsi had issues with the project and thus withdrew a day prior to the start of the shoot,” Kaushik confirmed. “It was always my dream to work with Naseer Saab. He graciously agreed to be part of the project. Frankly, it’s a dream come true.”

Our source further informed us that now the role is being modified to suit Naseer. But he will More >

Himesh returns to his first love?

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

The musician turned actor decides not to restrict his talent to his own films, signs up to compose the tunes for Akshay Kumar’s Namastey London 2

Kunal M Shah (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 02, 2011)

After four years, Himesh Reshammiya is making a comeback as a music director and that too with Vipul Shah’s sequel to Namastey London. Interestingly, the original was the last film that Reshammiya worked on, in 2007, before his decision to compose music exclusively for the movies he was cast in.

Our source told us, “Himesh was a on a roll as a music director and then as a singer. However, when he decided to compose music only for the films he was in, the entire industry was shocked. Now finally, after almost four years, he is back.

Namastey London was his last film for an outside banner as a music director. He will work on Namstey London 2 with Vipul and Akshay. Though Himesh still hasn’t decided whether he’ll be singing for the film, he already has a repertoire of around 500 tunes.”

The source added, “The music will be under Himesh’s recently formed music banner HR Musik. While Himesh might have abandoned his decision to do music exclusively for films he was cast in, he has decided that he will only do films under his own music company.

Himesh Reshammiya had been an extremely successful music director in the last decade with big musical hits like Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge (2000). Humraaz (2002), Tere Naam (2003), Aitraaz (2004), Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya (2005) and More >

Ravi K Chandran quits Agneepath?

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

Ravi K Chandran who has been a KJo favourite so far, falls out with director Karan Malhotra, may not continue after the ongoing schedule

Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 02, 2011)

 

Karan Johar’s magnum opus starring Hrithik Roshan and Priyanka Chopra is in the news once again. And not for the right reasons.

Ace cinematographer Ravi K Chandran who has done films like Dil Chahta Hai, Black, Koi Mil Gaya, Ghajini and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, may soon be replaced by Kiran Deohans who has been with the Johars’ Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and been a lensman on films like Aks and Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak.

Nilesh Wairkar Hrithik Roshan on the sets of Agneepath (Right) Cinematographer Ravi K Chandran may be replaced in Karan Johar’s (below) magnum opus directed by Karan Malhotra (below right)

This replacement comes as a big surprise since Chandran has been a KJo favourite. He was a part of My Name Is Khan as well. In fact KJo and Shah Rukh Khan had launched his website www.ravikchandran.com as well.

Insiders reveal that it was an argument on the sets last week, between the cinematographer and director Karan Malhotra that led to the fallout. Chandran, being the perfect professional will however, finish the remaining two days of the ongoing schedule.

A friend of Chandran told Mumbai Mirror, “Actually, Ravi couldn’t get along well with the two Karans right from the first day of the shoot. They had huge creative differences. Yeh baat set ke bahar nahi gayi More >

Now, Anushka Shetty lands in B-town?

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

BOMBAY TIMES (May 2, 2011)

South hottie Anushka Shetty may be the girl in Rohit Shetty’s Bol Bachchan. At least that’s the buzz. The sassy actress has bowled over Rohit with her talent. The director has been quite high on her for sometime now and he even wanted to cast her in Singham opposite Ajay Devgn? But then we hear that Anushka apparently, asked for one crore from the filmmakers and they had no option but to leave her out of the project. It seems Anushka’s got very interested in B-town again and is ready to negotiate with Rohit. She must have seen how South girls are being launched left, right and centre in B-town and realised what a big blunder it was to give up on her Bollywood dreams. Again, what’s very interesting about the project is that since it’s a two heroine film, Anushka, apparently, declined the film when Rohit wanted to sign her on. She wants to do solo leads only! But now, we hear that for Bol Bachchan Anushka might have Singham heroine Kajal Aggarwal (again a girl from South) for company.

Kalki-Anurag get hitched

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

…under a century-old auspicious mango tree

Bina Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; May 2, 2011)

 

Director Anurag Kashyap and actress-girlfriend Kalki Koechlin tied the knot on Saturday. It was a South Indian wedding that took place in a small town called Kalhatty on the outskirts of Ooty. The nuptials that began at 10.30 am took place under a century old mango tree that the villagers consider auspicious. Kalki looked beautiful in a traditional white and gold sari while Anurag wore a white kurta and lungi. Their families along with 40 other guests were present.

After the wedding ceremony, a traditional vegetarian meal prepared by the bride’s mother was served on banana leaves to the guests. Some of the celebrity guests included brother Abhinav Kashyap with wife, director Vikramaditya Motwane with wife, producer Shahnaab Alam, Vikas Behl, Piyush Mishra, Gulshan, Rahul Bhatt and Sanjay Gandhi.

Hema-Dharam celebrate 31st wedding anniversary

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

The couple are also set to unite on screen after three decades

Meena Iyer (BOMBAY TIMES; May 2, 2011)

 

It’s Dharmendra and Hema Malini’s 31st wedding anniversary today. This high-profile star couple married in 1980. It is also sheer coincidence that Hema’s next production Tell Me O Khuda, that has her daughter Esha in the lead role, has Dharam and Hema coming together on the big screen after a gap of 30 years.

The dream girl and the He-Man of the 70s made one of the most desirable Bollywood screen pairs and they’ve done films like Sholay, Dost, Jugnu, Charas, Seeta Aur Geeta and The Burning Train.

Says a source, “But in the last 30 years, the two haven’t worked opposite each other. And it is sheer coincidence or you can call it God’s will that these two actors are back now in Tell Me O Khuda.”

Apparently, Hema had plans to get another actress opposite Dharam in this film. However, Esha put her foot down and insisted that her mother pair up with her father. So after three decades, one of Bollywood’s most cherished screen couple is back together.

The White Tiger to be filmed

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

Producer Mukul Deora has bagged a prestigious international project and an interesting Bollywood sequel too

Bina Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; May 2, 2011)

 

What do Slumdog Millionaire, The Black Swan and The King’s Speech have in common? They are all universal stories that have translated into multiple Academy Award wins, with global box office revenues of more than $300 million each! While Bollywood is talking about going global, the young and dynamic Mukul Deora has quietly bagged one of the most prestigious international film projects The White Tiger.

Mukul is producing a motion picture based on the Booker prizewinning novel. His partner is Hollywood producer John Hart, whose last picture was the Academy Award nominated Revolutionary Road (see pic on the right), starring Leonardo Dicaprio and Kate Winslet. Patrick Milling Smith of New York based Smuggler Films is the co-producer.

Mukul’s motivation is to make films for India and the world. He says, “When entering global cinema, you need a story that connects with everyone. Something that transcends geographical and cultural boundaries with its emotional content. I believe The White Tiger is a universal story; a scathing satire on the journey of a poor man through the corrupt system set in contemporary India. It’s extremely relevant to what is happening here today, and I’m happy to be getting an opportunity to tell this story!”

Mukul is also producing the sequel to the super hit Bheja Fry, More >

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