Where Bollywood Comes Alive
Posts tagged may 8
Anupama Chopra talks about her new book
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Anupama Chopra walks the tightrope as she continues her love affair with the film industry even as she gives it the objective eye
Namrata Bhawnani (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 08, 2011)
Pre-1993, when Bollywood was being bankrolled by the underworld, the industry was almost blasé about its murky associations, says author Anupama Chopra.
In her new book, First Day First Show, she quotes a producer-director, “What is the problem if people are taking money from these people? Their money is not contaminated. It doesn’t matter as long as you make the film and repay them.”
Anupama laughs, “Back then, I was naïve enough to ask producers ‘Are you the mafia?’ People visited Dubai to pay homage to Dawood.
The money was generous, paid on time and there were bankrolled shopping sprees. When the industry became a target with the shootings, it was a dark, weird time. Now I don’t hear of them funding the industry.”
The petite writer is chatty even though she is in a rush to prepare for her trip to Cannes. Three years ago, when she was on the jury, she nearly collapsed while chasing Hollywood stars for interviews and trying to catch all the films. “I had to shoot in a wheelchair,” she says, bursting into peals of laughter.
Her book chronicles the evolution of what was essentially a chaotic cottage industry into its current more sanitized avatar.
Twenty years ago, Anupama returned with a master’s degree from a top journalism school in the US, to become a film journalist when More >
Soha set for Harvard
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
The actress has been invited to deliver a lecture on Hindi cinema
Prithwish Ganguly (BOMBAY TIMES; May 8, 2011) Soha Ali Khan is on cloud nine. The actress has been specially invited by the acclaimed Harvard University to deliver a lecture on Hindi cinema in an interactive session titled Cinema – Then and Now. What’s making the Oxford grad’s visit to Harvard even more special is the fact that her mother, Sharmila Tagore, would be joining her during the session. The event will also screen Soha’s works like Khoya Khoya Chand, Rang De Basanti and Antarmahal.
She will pay tribute to icons of Hindi cinema like Madhubala, Meena Kumari, Waheeda Rehman and her mother Sharmila Tagore in her lecture. “I’m quite excited and tense about my Harvard visit,” says an excited Soha. “I have never really delivered a lecture on cinema before and I will be in front of the most academic followers of Indian films there. It’s a really humbling experience that I have been chosen by them to speak about Indian cinema and that my films are also being screened.”
About her lecture, Soha discloses, “I have done a thorough research of the cinema we have created over the ages. I have a pretty huge period to cover in my lecture, but I will touch upon landmark films, directors and actors who have made huge contributions in shaping up cinema as it is today. I will specially talk about how Meena Kumari, Madhubala and Waheeda Rehman and also my mom helped Indian cinema to More >
Evolution of Maa to Mom in Bollywood
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
BOMBAY TIMES (May 8, 2011)
Mere Paas maa hain… Javed Akhtar’s famous dialogue had Indians hooked since Deewar released way back in 1975. More than three decades after this scene became a part of Bollywood folklore, things have changed manifold as far as the role of mothers go. Maa ke haath ka banaya hua kheer isn’t staple in this age of Brand Bollywood. But that does not mean this industry has forgotten maa totally.
The avatar of maa has undergone mammoth changes. Today’s sexy, bold and confident single moms — as played by Vidya Balan in Paa, Priyanka Chopra in Pyaar Impossible, Kajol in My Name is Khan and We Are Family, Lara Dutta in Partner and Preity Zinta in Jaan-E-Mann — has shifted the spotlight completely from a Nirupa Roy in a crumpled cotton saree shedding tears over her morally corrupt son on the wrong side of law. The cool moms, as played by these actresses, are all fiercely independent characters who are in complete control of their lives without their man. In an industry often accused of misogyny, this is possibly the most positive change that’s slowly gaining ground.
The increasingly discerning audiences are looking for variety in scripts and maturity in characters as much as the directors are writing roles keeping this wider horizon of New Age India in mind.
The biggest affirmation of this change is the fact that mainstream actresses like Kajol, Priyanka Chopra, Vidya Balan, Preity Zinta aren’t shying away from More >
Akshay Kumar turns singer
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; May 8, 2011)
Akshay Kumar has entertained viewers with his action and comedy skills. And even impressed us with his culinary skills. But with his upcoming adventure reality show, we will see the Khiladi Kumar in a new avatar. This time, he’s not leaping off a building or turning up the heat in the kitchen. His weapon of choice is the microphone. Akshay has lent his voice for a song that is being turned into a music video for the TV show. The video features the show’s contestants. Maybe Akshay should consider cutting his own album after this, considering the fact that he’s already jammed with Snoop Dog and now sung for this video. And certainly the stunners of his reality show would be happy to appear in his video. So, any plans Akki?
Badmaash Company opens well; Housefull has huge 1st week
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Saturday 8th May 2010 09.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
Badmaash Company opened well at the box office. The first day collections were around the 60-65% mark, select theatres were very good with 75% plus collections. Overall the film will easily make profits when all revenue sources are accounted for but business from Monday onwards will decide whether it becomes a theatrical hit.
Hai Marjawaan! had a dull opening of 10-15% and has little chance of box office success. Its original English version Its A Wonderful Afterlife was slightly better but not good enough to have any impact at the box office.
Housefull had huge first week of around 47 crore nett. The film scored very well all over India. Housefull is on its way to becoming the biggest hit of 2010 and the second weekend business will be determining factor as to its lifetime business. The film is a certain hit and could turn out to be Super Hit. The second opening was in the 50-55% region. The film lost a lot of shows at multiplexes due to the release of Badmaash company.
B.O. update: ‘Badmaash Company’ starts off very well
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
- By Taran Adarsh, May 8, 2010 – 07:58 IST
After HOUSE FULL opened to an excellent start last week, it was the turn of BADMAASH COMPANY to open to a heartening start at the box-office. Shahid Kapoor’s last major release CHANCE PE DANCE [not counting PAATHSHAALA] had fetched a below average start, so it was imperative that BADMAASH COMPANY fetch a good start at the ticket window. The opening numbers of BADMAASH COMPANY were an impressive 80% to 90% at places, while at places it ranged from 45% to 75%, which only improved towards the evening shows.
The opening weekend of BADMAASH COMPANY is expected to be better, given the fact that the film has tremendous youth appeal and that in turn should witness an escalation in business. Overall, the film should have a very good weekend, which reinforces Yash Raj and Shahid’s pull at the ticket window.
The second release of the week, IT’S A WONDERFUL AFTERLIFE, had a disastrous start at the box-office. The opening was in 5% to 10% range and since the reports are terrible, the numbers are not expected to show a major jump on Saturday and Sunday.
BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COM