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Ali Peter John talks about studio hopping
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
As curtains drop at the famed Filmistan Studios, veteran film-journalist Ali Peter John recounts his visits to several such movie hubs
MUMBAI MIRROR; February 20, 2011
The set depicting a small town being constructed at Flimistan Studios. A village home at Kamalistan A railway station set at Kamalistan Studios Kamalistan Studios in its days of glory
The land on which Filmistan stands has been sold to builders for Rs 600 crore. Scaffolds will soon go up and dreams hundreds dreamt here during the last 50 years will be brought down.
It is one of my favourite haunts, the cleanest studio with its small gardens, proverbs and quotations placed in different corners and a diligent staff headed by an elderly woman supervising every little detail.
As I grapple with the looming loss of Filmistan on S V Road, I can’t help but remember all the studios I have visited.
I have, what you may call, a relationship with them. At Amboli, the quiet Andheri village I was born in, the only two landmarks were the St Blaise’s Church, a few hundreds years old, and a massive structure I later came to know as Filmalaya Studios.
I was 10 when I joined a large crowd gathered in the compound there to watch Dilip Kumar singing what I perceived to be a very angry song.
When we moved to Andheri East, we were surrounded by three churches and any number of studios Mohan, Guru Dutt, Kamal, Prakash and M & T.
And then came the sprawling Kamal Amrohi Studios More >
Finally, Abhinav confesses his love for Shweta
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
After Raja Choudhary’s savage attack at his estranged wife’s residence, Abhinav Kohil boldly confesses his love for the Bigg Boss contestant
Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 18, 2010)
It can now be told. Shweta Tiwari and Abhinav Kohli are in a rock steady relationship. As things stand today, the couple plans to get married as soon as Shweta breaks free from Raja Chaudhary legally.
For the first time, Anhinav admits to their relationship. Yesterday afternoon, he told Mumbai Mirror, “Shweta and I love each other. It’s been a year-and-half now. We are going very strong.”
We then spoke to a very close friend of Abhinav, who spilled the beans on Abhinav-Shweta love story.
Abhinav’s friend revealed, “Abhinav and Shweta are madly in love. Shweta’s mother has also accepted Abhinav. In fact, Abhinav has been staying at Shweta’s place ever since she left for Bigg Boss 4.
It was Shweta who asked Abhinav and her rakhi brother Mohan to stay and look after her mother in her absence. In fact, she had even feared that Raja Chaudhary would try to break into their house, which unfortunately happened (on October 17).”
Added Abhinav’s friend, “It all started on the sets of the TV serial which Abhinav and Shweta did together in 2009, Jaane Kya Baat Hui.”
Abhinav was also seen on the sets of Jhalak Dikhla Jaa 3, which Shweta Tiwari anchored. Abhinav would come on the sets with homemade food for Shweta but was very careful not to be seen with her to avoid More >
Rajni organises special Robot screening for Dev Anand
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
The South star, who idolises Devsaab, schedules a special screening just for him at a multiplex in Juhu
Kunal M Shah (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 04, 2010)
Rajnikanth’s latest blockbuster Robot might have a million fans swooning over him at the moment but few are aware that the actor happens to be a huge fan of Dev Anand’s.
And guess what? Rajni has organised a special screening of Robot for Anand this evening. The South star is very keen that his idol Devsaab watches his film.
A source said, “Rajnikanth is organising a special trail for Devsaab at a multiplex in Juhu. Rajni’s office personnel called Devsaab’s manager and told him that Rajni sir is keen that Devsaab watches the film.
The manger took the details and spoke to Devsaab. A little known fact is that Rajni has immense respect for Dev Anand.
In fact, when his wife Latha Rajnikanth organised a major event in Chennai earlier this year, she invited Dev Anand to it as a special guest. During this visit, Devsaab went to Rajni’s house and they interacted for quite a long time. This is where they became friends and now he wants Devsaab to watch the film.”
It seems the admiration is mutual because Devsaab instantly agreed to Rajni’s offer. When contacted, Dev Anand said, “Yes, my manager Mohan told me that Rajni had called and that he has organised a show for me.
I will obviously go. I believe that the film is a huge hit. He has a massive fan following.
I had gone to Chennai in April this year, More >
Movie Review: LIFE EXPRESS by TARAN ADARSH
12 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in External Reviews
By Taran Adarsh, September 17, 2010 – 12:17 IST
I’ve often been asked, what makes a film different from another film bearing a similar storyline? My reply is, the execution of the subject makes all the difference. Recall DOOSRI DULHAN. Now recall CHORI CHORI CHUPKE CHUPKE. The issue – surrogate motherhood – isn’t new, but if handled expertly, it would make for an interesting viewing. Sadly, LIFE EXPRESS fails and fails miserably.
The serious issue has been tackled carelessly, callously and amateurishly and for this reason, it comes across as an exercise in boredom. In fact, the film falls flat at the screenplay level itself and since the direction [Anup Das] is equally unimaginative, even the talented actors in the cast fail to redeem the enterprise.
BY BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COMLIFE EXPRESS tells the story of an urban couple, Tanvi [Rituparna Sengupta] and Nikhil [Kiran Janjani], who have no time to spend with each other or start a family. It also tells the story of Mohan [Yashpal Sharma] and Gauri [Divya Dutta], who lead a poverty-ridden life in a village.
The ambitious Tanvi aborts the plans of having a baby since she feels that the impending pregnancy will make her skip her job for a few months and in turn, she would lose out on the golden opportunities in her career. Subsequently, a common friend suggests the concept of surrogate motherhood and they decide to go for it.
Just when you thought that Hindi cinema is evolving and first-time directors More >
Movie Review: CITY OF GOLD by FENIL SETA
13 years ago
They clothed the city and the city in return stripped them off-this is the tagline of the film and suits it to the T. The mill workers worked in the mills honestly for generations but after the mills were closed post the spat between the union and the government, the workers were unemployed and had a terrible existence. And the mills (most of them located in Central Mumbai) got converted into swanky malls, offices and high-rises (India’s first Big Bazaar is located at Lower Parel on a land once belonging to the mills). The plight of the mill workers is an interesting idea for a film script but till date, there have been handful of films which have focused on it. Mahesh Manjrekar finally took up the subject and came up with City Of Gold. The film borrows a part from real-life incidents and characters but the end product is completely fictitious. The film is worth watching but don’t go for it expecting to gain insight about the true picture of mill workers.
The story of the movie: The year is 1982. The disgruntled workers of Khetaan Mills in Lalbaug-Parel area reside in Laxmi Cottage. They haven’t received their salary since 6 months. Part of mills has already closed down and fears that the entire mill will become dysfunctional looms over their head. Rane (Sachin Khedkar), the union leader under the guidance of Dr Baburao Sawant is the champion of these workers and has promised victory to them. But the owner of Khetaan Mills, Mahendra More >
Movie Review: LALBAUG PAREL by FENIL SETA
13 years ago
This is a bilingual film shot in both Hindi and Marathi. While the Marathi version titled Lalbaug Parel released 2 weeks back, the Hindi version called City Of Gold will hit the screens tomorrow!
They clothed the city and the city in return stripped them off-this is the tagline of the film and suits it to the T. The mill workers worked in the mills honestly for generations but after the mills were closed post the spat between the union and the government, the workers were unemployed and had a terrible existence. And the mills (most of them located in Central Mumbai) got converted into swanky malls, offices and high-rises (India’s first Big Bazaar is located at Lower Parel on a land once belonging to the mills). The plight of the mill workers is an interesting idea for a film script but till date, there have been handful of films which have focused on it. Mahesh Manjrekar finally took up the subject and came up with Lalbaug Parel. The film borrows a part from real-life incidents and characters but the end product is completely fictitious. The film is worth watching but don’t go for it expecting to gain insight about the true picture of mill workers.
The story of the movie: The year is 1982. The disgruntled workers of Khetaan Mills in Lalbaug-Parel area reside in Laxmi Cottage. They haven’t received their salary since 6 months. Part of mills has already closed down and fears that the entire mill will become dysfunctional looms over their head. Rane More >
Cops probing Shiney’s past
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Police believes there was a non-cognizable complaint of sexual harassment filed against the filmstar in 2006; have sought details
By Deeptiman Tiwary (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 17, 2009)
Mumbai police is now extending its probe against filmstar Shiney Ahuja to check for a similar such misdemeanour in the past.
Shiney was arrested on Sunday by Oshiwara police for allegedly raping his 18-year-old maid. “We have come to know that there is an earlier non-cognizable complaint of sexual harassment against the actor and I have asked for the record,” said joint commissioner (Law and Order) KL Prasad.
The actor’s behaviour when the police team went to his Tarapore Towers flat to question him on Sunday evening also roused suspicion, say cops. “We were shocked to see Ahuja sitting comfortably with his friends and enjoying a TV show. He was very calm and comfortable until he saw police and the maid’s relative at his door. He probably, never thought that the matter would go to the police,” said an officer privy to the investigations, on condition of anonymity.
“An ordinary man will be terrified right after the incident and will be ill at ease constantly thinking what if the victim goes and tells someone. He will try to do many things to make sure that the victim doesn’t squeal. But Ahuja seemed pretty comfortable watching TV with no fear whatsoever. However once he realised why the police had come to his house he started trembling,” the officer added.
Additional CP (Western Region) More >
‘Shiney had made advances earlier’
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
However, since she had told him off, the 18-year-old domestic help, who has accused the actor of raping her, thought the matter was over
By Mumbai Mirror Bureau (June 16, 2009)
It was not a crime of passion, but, probably, a well-planned one. The domestic help of filmstar Shiney Ahuja, who lodged a complaint with the Oshiwara police station on Sunday alleging that Ahuja had raped her, has told police that the actor had made advances towards her earlier.
The 18-year-old, who had been working at Ahuja’s sixth floor apartment at Oshiwara’s Tarapore Towers for the last one-and-a-half months, has alleged that on Saturday Ahuja had behaved inappropriately. She, however, told him to keep off, the girl told police.
According to Oshiwara police, the girl thought a stern warning would end the matter. So, the next day she reported to work at her usual time of 9 am. Around 3 pm Ahuja - alone at home, as his wife and daughter had gone to Delhi a week ago - asked the girl, a Virar resident, bring him water. He was in his bedroom at the time.
Ahuja then drew the curtains and put the music system on high volume, the girl said. He then allegedly forced himself on her. After the act, Ahuja allegedly threatened the girl with dire consequences if she squealed. She said that she was allowed to go only by 5 pm, her scheduled time to leave.
The girl rushed to one of her relatives and narrated the incident to him. At around 8 pm, the relative took the girl to the Oshiwara police station More >