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Posts tagged overlook
‘Peeping Toms’ send Bebo-Saif running!
Aug 3rd
The couple is searching for a new home in Bandra…
Meena Iyer | TNN (BOMBAY TIMES; August 3, 2010)
It’s got nothing to do with the sky-high prices of real estate in Bandra west. But, the top storey flats in the upcoming apartment opposite the landmark building Fortune Heights is selling at more of a premium than penthouses elsewhere in the area. The reason? Fortune Heights is where Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan live. They have an apartment on the 10th floor. And Saif’s production house has its office on the second. Now the wily builder of the building across is rumoured to be looking at a “good price” for the flats that overlook Bollywood’s most celebrated couple’s living room! When Saif bought the penthouse, it was one of the most coveted properties in the area. The actor, who lived in Versova, took a lot of time selecting this apartment. He also bought a huge office on the second floor. Then, Kareena moved in. However, as is the case in every bylane of Mumbai, suddenly there is another tall building across the road. And Saif and Kareena are seriously house-hunting again.
Bebo, who didn’t know too many details of the opposite building, said, “Saif and I love our current home. It has a very good vibe. But, yes, I can see other buildings have suddenly cropped up. And at some point our privacy may be compromised. So we are looking at buying a bungalow in and around Bandra. It’s hard to find the kind of home that Saif has in mind. He wants a very English-styled villa!” If they don’t find that, the next best thing to do would be to buy the top storey flats in the building opposite!
Everybody wants a national award
Jul 20th
All the reigning stars want it by hook or by crook
Meena Iyer | TNN (BOMBAY TIMES; July 20, 2010)
The National Award has become the bone of contention in Bollywood with everyone, from truly competent actors to cardboard cut-outs, fantasising about it. Like Aamir Khan, who cold shoulders popular film awards, but made it a point to accept the National Award for Taare Zameen Par. Priyanka Chopra, who won the National Award for her role in Fashion, mentions this acting honour in every personal and professional conversation without fail. Katrina Kaif and Vidya Balan are hopeful that their names will feature in the nominations for Raajneeti and Ishqiya this year. Prakash Jha has already predicted that his lead pair, Ranbir Kapoor and Kat, will pick up National Awards for their performances. And Kareena Kapoor has only one clear objective in doing Madhur’s Heroine. A source close to the actress says, “She wants to win the National Award come hell or high water.’’ While Madhur, who has picked up the National Award for Chandni Bar, Page 3 and Traffic Signal, and calls it the Oscars of India, says, “These awards mean the world to me. I definitely feel my stock has gone up having bagged them.’’
But, of course, there is also a more interesting flip side to this new-found Bollywood obsession. A trade analyst says, “The National Award is just an ego massage for the actor/filmmaker that gets it. They have no bearings on the box office. Shah Rukh Khan hasn’t won a single one so far. He was a close contender for Swades but they overlooked him for some strange reason. Yet there is no denying that he is Bollywood’s biggest box office draw.’’
It is alleged that the National Awards are also shrouded in controversy. While the grapevine insists that some amount of wheeling-dealing in the corridors of power has helped one veteran filmmaker bag an award in some category or the other, there is also the instance of how these acting honours were deferred one year because of some mud-slinging between disgruntled jury members. Saif Ali Khan’s award for a film like Hum Tum came in for a lot of flak just the way Raveena Tandon’s award for Daman did. And when Arjun Rampal picked up his National Award for Best Supporting Actor for Rock On recently, a serious actor joked, “I have hidden my National Awards in the basement now.’’ And another actor’s cellphone status said, “Awards are like haemorrhoids, sooner or later even the undeserving get it.’’ But criticism and caustic comments apart, Bollywood continues to be obsessed with India’s highest acting honours.
Where’s my Grammy, asks Gulzar
Feb 3rd
Though his own Grammy win was somehow overlooked, Gulzar is happy saluting the global appeal of Rahman
By Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 03, 2010)
In the flurry to fete and honor AR Rahman, the world seems to have forgotten that the lyricist and poet Gulzar has also won a Grammy along with Rahman. In fact, his Grammy trophy was announced at the ceremony on Sunday evening.
But Gulzar has no idea where his Grammy has gone. “It’s a strange situation,” he laughs. “Both Rahman and I were accorded our respective Grammy trophies. Unfortunately I wasn’t in Los Angeles to collect mine. I don’t know where it is. I hope it reaches me.”
Unlike popular Indian awards, Oscars and Grammys are not handed over to the other members of a crew when the actual winner is absent, so Gulzar doubts that Rahman collected it. “When I got my Oscar along with Rahman, he wasn’t allowed to collect it on my behalf. It was sent to me by courier. I’m hoping the Grammy will reach me the same way.”
Strangely, there has been no talk in the media about Gulzar winning the Grammy alongside Rahman. Reasons Gulzar, “Rahman is now the global face of Indian popular music and we must all rejoice in that. The fact that Jai ho got such worldwide popularity has a lot to do with Rahman being the global brand ambassador of our music.”
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T-Series gets into film production in big way with Patiala House
Jan 23rd
By Bollywood Hungama News Network, January 22, 2010 – 17:43 IST
There is no denying the fact that T-Series is among the most well known players in the Indian music industry. Now the music label company is also actively getting into film production in a big way.
T-Series head honcho, Bhushan Kumar, has been taking active interest in overlooking the production related aspects of Akshay Kumar- Anushka Sharma starrer Patiala House which is currently being shot in Mumbai. The film, directed by Nikhil Advani, is being jointly produced by T-Series in association with Mukesh Talreja.
After having established its supremacy on the music front, T-Series now wants to establish a strong presence in the film production business as well. While T-Series has produced few films in the past, the buzz is that from now on, every year, T-Series will produce one or two big films. In fact, rumour has it that T-Series is in talks with Anees Bazmee and Salman Khan to start a film.
Considering Bhushan’s close association with industry bigwigs, the day is not far when T-Series becomes a force to reckon with in the film production business as well.
BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COM
