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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.
Ranbir-Imran raazi, toh kya karega paparazzi!
Jul 17th
The two youngsters insist their latest fight is just media-generated
Meena Iyer | TNN (BOMBAY TIMES; July 17, 2010)
Bollywood’s latest entrants, Ranbir Kapoor and Imran Khan, are giving the media a repeat performance of the act made famous by their seniors — Aamir Khan and Bollywood Badshah SRK.
You remember, don’t you, that when Aamir and Shah Rukh appeared on a common podium for a cause, they got as much mileage in every newspaper and channel as the Obama-Manmohan Singh meeting did. What Aamir and SRK really think about each other is fodder for gossip. But when the two choose to do their brotherhood act for the press, then their picture speaks a thousand words.
In the same manner, Ranbir and Imran have combined forces to prove the media wrong. Following the story BT broke of their rift post Imran’s fiancé Avantika Malik’s anti-Raajneeti remarks (a story that others blatantly lifted), Ranbir and Imran have a different take on their supposed fall-out.
When Ranbir, who is shooting for Rockstar in New Delhi, heard about the story, he promptly messaged his ‘friend’ to say they should actually start bad-mouthing each other so that the press has something to write about. In other words — let’s make a fool out of the press.
Fresh from the success of I Hate Luv Storys and the more sincere of the two, Imran is definitely not comfortable with such suggestions. “Ranbir did message me,” he admitted, “but honestly, there is no fight between us. Till the day Ranbir looks me in the eye and says, ‘I have something against you’, I will not buy any reports about our so-called fight. We are friends and very much in touch with each other.”
I’ve fought my share of battles-Katrina Kaif
Jul 17th
TIME TO CELEBRATE: Katrina Kaif
On her birthday, Katrina Kaif tells Sharin Wader Butani that she wishes for smooth-sailing ahead
BOMBAY TIMES (July 16, 2010)
The gorgeous Katrina Kaif is turning 26 today and guess what she’s doing on her special day — baby sitting. She’s away in Spain shooting for Zoya Akhtar’s Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, so there won’t be any party for the actress in Mumbai but she’s not missing out on any of that. In fact, the actress admits that she’s happy to get away from the rains in Mumbai. “My sisters have flown down from London to be with me and so has my three-year-old niece. I have not been able to spend time with her, so today that’s what I’m going to do,” she said on a long distance call from Spain.
The Cancerian might not have grand plans to celebrate her birthday, but she does have three wishes she wants to see fulfiled. “I want happiness, peace of mind and a lot of good film offers. I want to work in a film directed by Yashji someday,” said Katrina, who being in the top league of Bollywood actresses, won’t find it to too difficult to make her wishes come true. “I have had my share of battles. Life’s been tough. But now I want a smooth sailing,” she said.
Kat believes she’s a destiny’s child. “I came from nowhere and within six years, I’ve managed to make a place for myself in Bollywood. I think that’s because I live by my principles and one of them is not doing films for the sake of money. If people thought my debut film Boom was for monetary reasons then I would say it was due to sheer ignorance that I got myself in that film. But now I’m happy, even though I only work and have no life other than that,” she laughed. But for her, that’s the beauty of her job, it takes her places and allows her to meet different people. “In Zoya’s film, I’ve been zipping around on bikes, I did some deep sea diving too and it’s been fun. It’s not that I learned bike riding because of this film, I’ve always known how to ride bikes,” said the actress, revealing her sporty side. “I enjoyed watching the Spain-Germany football match here. Football mania had really gripped Spain. But unfortunately, I couldn’t catch all the matches because I was busy shooting,” she said.
There have been talks of how all work and no play has taken a toll on her health. She has been fainting on the sets due to low haemoglobin levels. “They are all Chinese whispers. I’m not sick as I’m made out to be. I was weak last December but that’s about it. I work out, eat well and take good care of myself. My trainer can vouch for that,” she said and added, “Actually I’m not accessible to people all the time, that’s why they cook up stories about me.”
But all that doesn’t affect the actress who has her faith keeping her afloat. “I’m a very spiritual person. I pray a lot. I feel God has his hand over me. I’m being looked after so I do my bit helping my mother with her charity. It gives me peace.” And when the time comes for her to call it quits in the film industry, Kat says she’ll happily hang up her boots. “I have not planned what I’ll do later on, but I’ll definitely move on in life,” she said.
Kat’s on Zoom tonight! Catch Katrina Kaif in an exclusive interview with Omar Qureshi on Planet Bollywood, ZOOM, 7.30 pm tonight. A teaser of the interview…
Raajneeti proves that Ranbir Kapoor and you have the perfect chemistry. This is your second success together…
• Though the audience loved us in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, I was really nervous about this one, simply because it wasn’t a typical love story. It wasn’t a man chasing a girl kind of role, it was more realistic. I feel wonderful that even this has been so well accepted.
In love, are you a realist or a romantic?
• Hmm… I love romance and I completely believe in romance. I think that is eventually what is going to get you through life. Your companion and the person who you love is the only thing that will remain with you forever.
Some sections of the media claimed that Kareena would be just a wee bit possessive if Saif and you were paired up. Your reaction…
• I don’t think Kareena can ever be insecure, she is a very confident person. I am sure that the story is entirely made up. Secondly, after Race, I haven’t signed any movie with Saif, though I think he is amazing actor and I would love to work with him again.
IHLS draws worse than Raavan and Kites?
Jul 11th
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Much as a lobby in media papers and some affiliated portals have been reporting bloated figures and occupancies for I Hate Luv Storys as a commercial grosser, comparing it to All India hits like Ajab Prem Ki Ghajab Kahani and what not, the reality on the ground is much different, even at the multiplexes. The Karan Johar film featuring Imran Khan-Sonam Kapoor has lower figures and occupancies than even last month’s disaster Raavan in India (Abhishek Bachchan-Aishwarya Rai), and less than Kites (Hrithik Roshan-Barbara Mori), which too was a disaster, and quite a lot worse than Prakash Jha’s Raajneeti which was a hit.
Even in overseas in North America where it released mid-week Wednesday itself looking to capitalize on 4th July holiday coming up there, IHLS the film’s collections were not upto expectation given it’s a Karan Johar production, collecting a subpar $375K over the 3 day weekend and $535k over the extended 6 day wednesday-monday period there. Raavan which was a disaster overseas also 2 weeks before fetched $482k over its 3 day opening weekend despite opening below expectations and crashing on Sunday. Rajneeti earlier in June did $850k in USA for its 3 day weekend despite supposedly being an Indian interiors themed film.
In India, contrary to opening average of 80-90% claims across all multiplexes last Friday for IHLS, the multiplex opening average for this ‘youth-centric’ fare was actually closer to 40%-50% opening average with single screens much much lower. And by Wednesday, with possible exception of Delhi metro, the same multiplexes were drawing hardly 10-20 people for this ‘multiplex hit’. This can be verified by visiting a multiplex like Cinemax in Andheri in Mumbai or Fame in Highland park in Calcutta. Coming up 2nd weekend too is equally shaky. The multiplexes have been asked to allocate large number of screenings again but the actual advance bookings are sad. Not even 1% in some cases.
The collections are barely over 26-27 crores (even less according to some distributors) with occupancies worse than the flops of recent past.
Next up this Friday, Shahid Kapoor-Kareena Kapoor make a comeback with Milenge Milenge. And also Red Alert a take on naxalism. The following week sees Sanjay Dutt’s Lamhaa and a comedy called Tere Bin Laden, apart from Udaan.
IBOSNETWORK.COM
Movie Review: RED ALERT by FENIL SETA
Jul 10th
This year, two thorny disputes of India reared their ugly head full throttle-one, the honour killings and the other, the Naxalite movement. After the CRPF officer’s massacre at Dantewada in April and the Jnaneshwari Express accident, the Red movement has become the most burning issue of our country. Red Alert, dealing with this menace, comes at a perfect time when there is considerable awareness and know-how about the ‘revolution’ among the common man. Exceptionally treated and performed, Red Alert throws light on the stark realities of the people involved in the movement and also offers a ray of hope to all those poor who are unnecessarily engulfed in the battle. One of the finest films of this year, without doubt!
The story of the movie: Narsimha (Suniel Shetty) is a poor farm labourer in a backward district of Andhra Pradesh. One day, when he is assigned the task to deliver food to a Naxalite group in his region, hell breaks loose and before he could realize, he’s sucked into their revolution and movement. He goes with the tide, expecting that whatever he’ll do will result in his family getting two decent meals a day. However, the truth was darker than was expected. On one hand are the Naxalites who are fighting for the poor and for a good cause. On the other hand is the system comprising of government and the police and in other words, the enemies of these Naxals. Narsimha fails to understand-arent the police, the government a part of our country too? How can they be enemies? Finally, after a chance confrontation, Narsimha, instead of being a puppet of Naxalites, decides to take matter in his own hands.
Everything in the film right from the beginning-location, setting, treatment, script and performance makes you forget that you are watching actors on screen. Everything is so realistic that soon they actually seem to be the characters they are playing. The film wins from the first scene itself when Narsimha gets entangled in a cross fire between Naxals and police. The film maintains its flow well and that too right till the end. The intermission point was terrific leaving a painful question with no definite answer.
If the first hour was great, second half was even better. Vinod Khanna’s entry and the attack on a school were wonderfully treated. Narsimha’s confrontation with Velu (Ashish Vidyarthi) gives a solid twist to the tale and takes the film to a high. But from here, the film might seem predictable but lo! The climax turns out to be the most unexpected too! It was good to see that the makers didn’t opt for the beaten path and instead come up with something fresh and new. Also, the film strikes a neat balance and gives a nice overview about both the Naxals and the system. Naxals are not anti-India and as Ashish Vidyarthi says at a point in the film which sums up all-“We are revolutionaries and not terrorists. Terrorists are against the country, we are against the system!” At the same time, the government is also shown in a positive light towards the finale. Maybe this was done to appease them but whatever be the reason; the film turns out to be brilliant, gives a nice message and offers a ray of hope to all the landless and poor.
All those who make fun of Suniel Shetty and his mannerisms, it’s time to watch Red Alert and change your mindset! The actor gives the best performance of his career in Red Alert! The way he slips into his character so effortlessly and comes up with an outstanding performance is truly incredible! This act, undoubtedly, deserves a National Award and also a nomination in other awards (that might not happen though!)! For me, this is one of the most brilliant performances ever!
Sameera Reddy shines in her deglam avatar and was absolutely natural. Here’s another actor who is a great performer and should be taken seriously! Ashish Vidyarthi gives a terrific performance. It was great to see him after a long period of time! Seema Biswas, like everytime, comes up with another intense performance. Makrand Deshpande (as Raghavan the journalist) and Sunil Sinha (Murli) leave considerable mark. Vinod Khanna was a delight as usual while Zakir Hussain was amazing as the Home Minister. Naseeruddin Shah, like Raajneeti, is seen in this film in a miniscule role! Bhagyashree, Ayesha Dharkar and Gulshan Grover play their part well. Others lend able support.
Lalit Pandit’s music fails to make impact. Actually, a film like Red Alert doesn’t require songs at all. However, Monty Sharma’s background score was exhilarating. Allan Amin’s action was believable but at the same time not too gory. Yet, unfortunately, the film was awarded an Adults-only certificate! K. Rajkumar’s cinematography was very nice but too shaky in the action scenes. Locations were breathtaking.
Aruna Raje’s screenplay was watertight, making the film completely engrossing. Hats off to her for coming up with such an intense script inspired from a real life story (as claimed by the makers)! Ananth Narayan Mahadevan’s direction was brilliant and this is easily his most accomplished work till date. It requires guts, knowledge and confidence to come up with a film like Red Alert and Mahadevan truly comes out with flying colours! Just like Red Alert, his another offbeat film, Staying Alive, is also stuck since more than a year and it’s high time it gets a release too!
Some of the best scenes:
1. The first scene
2. Lakshmi (Sameera Reddy) rescued by the Naxals
3. Narsimha learns to shoot
4. The failed attack at the minister’s house
5. The intermission point
6. Krishnraj’s entry in the narrative
7. Foreigner’s kidnap
8. The attack on the school
9. Narsimha’s confrontation with Velu
10. The last 25 minutes
On the whole, Red Alert is a brilliant peace of cinema. It gives a true and justified portrayal of the Naxalite movement, an unsolved and most prevalent issue of country. As expected, this grim, serious film has kept most of the audiences’ away inspite of getting considerable acclaim. But here’s a request-give this film a dekko and that too in theatres! Let’s encourages films like Red Alert so that we can have more of such meaningful cinema in future! Satisfaction is fully guaranteed!
My rating-**** out of 5!
Prakash Jha gets Raajneeti catchphrase ‘Karaara’ copyrighted
Jul 8th
By Subhash K. Jha, July 8, 2010 – 15:01 IST
Considering the word’s surging popularity, Prakash Jha has registered the title Karaara for one of his future projects.
Besides giving Bollywood its first bonafide political hit, Raajneeti has also added a new aggressive adjective to the normal filmy vocabulary.
So powerful and all-pervasive is the impact of the word ‘Karaara’ (powerful) that it’s now being used liberally at celebrity events and reality shows. Prakash Jha who co-wrote the dialogues of Raajneeti (with Anjum Rajabali) was shocked to hear judges on reality- television using the word.
“I was quite taken back when after a contestant’s performance a celebrity judge turned around to call it a ‘karaara performance’. Good we’ve added a weighty word to filmy dialogues.”
Not so good is the clamour to register film titles with the word ‘Karaara’ in it. Jha was alarmed when his office started getting calls from several production houses asking if the word Karaara was copyrighted by Prakash Jha as a film title.
Says Jha, “It was only then that I realized I had given a potential title for the title-starved industry. Though I don’t intend to name any of my new film Karaara, I’ve registered it for future reference in various combinations and permutations including of course Manoj Bajpayee’s rabble-rousing “Karaara Jawaab Milega’.”
Jha will part with the precious word on only one condition. “If Karan Johar asks me for it I’ll give to him. I know he’s strapped for Hindi titles.”
In the meanwhile, Manoj Bajpayee who uttered the word on screen suddenly has catchphrase to combat the other popular Bihari Babu Shatrughan Sinha’s ‘Khamosh!’ Manoj is being requested at every public event to say the line “Karaara Jawaab Milega.”
Says Bajpayee, “I remember after Satya I was asked to say ‘Mumbai Ka King Kaun?’ Now it’s ‘Karaara Jawaab Milega’ Not bad.”
Manoj has been asked by at least two filmmakers to use it in his forthcoming films. But he refuses to do so. “I said the catch phrase in Raajneeti. But they were written by Prakash Jha and Anjum Rajabali. I’ve no rights over them.”
BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COM
Stardom begins & ends on Fridays-Manoj Bajpayee
Jul 4th
Manoj Bajpayee admits people are not as crazy about him as they are about ‘stars’
Diksha Kamra | TNN (BOMBAY TIMES; July 4, 2010)
Denial, it seems sometimes, is de rigueur in tinsel town. Tell an actor he’s known for his comic image, or his romantic image or serious image, and he’ll be quick to dismiss it — expressing a discomfort with ‘tags’. But tell Manoj Bajpayee, fresh from playing another intense role as the malcontent Veerendra Pratap in Raajneeti, that the work he’s doing is only establishing his image as a ‘serious’ actor, and he’s happy to agree. “I am okay with it. For I really am serious and disciplined about my work and don’t believe in stupid roles,” he says. “Unfortunately, all those who can sing and dance are worshipped in our country. Yes, I know people are not as crazy about me as they are about others. But I’m satisfied because people respect me as an actor. An actor’s work also lives on longer than a star’s. And stardom begins and ends on Fridays.”
But what about showcasing one’s versatility — has he ever considered doing love stories? “I’ve never liked love stories. I find them highly boring! My wife watches these mushy movies, but I simply cannot watch them, though I watch a movie everyday,” he laughs. So is Manoj unromantic? “I’m not the lover boy you see on screen. But I am a romantic. All my past girlfriends found me quite romantic,” says the actor who’s had his share of ups and downs in Bollywood. Like the injury that confined him to bed for almost two years. Describing his mental state in those days, the two-time National Award winner says, “My hand movements were gone. I was contemplating changing my profession. Anybody would grow insecure if he became physically handicapped, not being able to earn, and only sat at home spending his savings. It was all the more difficult as an actor. Public memory is short — people forget you. Even your socalled admirers. The media, the cameras shy away from you, since you are not talked about any longer. If you’re not doing well, you’re forgettable.”
I Hate Luv Storys is super strong At multiplexes
Jul 3rd
Saturday 3rd July 2010 09.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network
I Hate Luv Storys had a super strong at multiplexes in fact the opening at metro multiplexes can be called bumper. The opening at single screens was lower at around 30-50% depending on location but the release is heavily concentrated at multiplexes. The reports are good from its target audience and the film should at least do hit business.
Raavan fell badly in week two with around 4.50 crore nett business The two week total for the film is around 28.50 crore nett. The film is likely to stay under 30 crore nett for lifetime business. FLOP
Raajneeti continues to be rock steady with around 5 crore nett coming in week four. Raajneeti now has an approx 90 crore nett total after four weeks making it third biggest nett grosser in history of Hindi cinema. BLOCKBUSTER
B.O. update: Youth luves ‘Luv Storys’, film starts with a bang
Jul 3rd
- By Taran Adarsh, July 3, 2010 – 08:10 IST 
The second half of 2010 has begun with a bang, with the first release of July, I HATE LUV STORYS, fetching a fantabulous start. The film took off in a big way from the morning shows itself, with big city multiplexes opening to 80% to 90% response. At places, the occupancy was 100% as well. At plexes of relatively smaller centres, the opening was in 60% to 70% range, while single screens, expectedly, were not strong. The opening at some single screens was good [it picked up at big centres during the course of the day], but at smaller centres, it was below average, in 30% to 40% range.
Looking at the tremendous response from the youth, several plexes decided to add more shows on Friday itself. Also, at several plexes, the film fetched one of the biggest starts of the year. The opening day figures at several plexes were at par with 3 IDIOTS and RAAJNEETI.
Imran’s second release, KIDNAP, which came right after the smash hit JAANE TU YA JAANE NA, had fetched approx. Rs. 4.85 cr. nett on Day 1 [Thursday; National Holiday], while LUCK had fetched approx. Rs. 3.5 cr. nett on Day 1. I HATE LUV STORYS, Imran’s fourth release after KIDNAP and LUCK sank at the box-office, is expected to fetch approx. Rs. 7 cr. on its opening day, which is fabulous.
The brand Karan Johar + fresh pairing + excellent music + terrific promotion have lured the youth in hordes, while the audience feedback ranges from good to excellent [the youth is loving it].
BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COM
Ranbir patches up Prakash Jha, Nana Patekar
Jul 2nd
By Subhash K. Jha, July 2, 2010 – 10:40 IST
You’ve seen Ranbir Kapoor give sterling performances in film after film. But Ranbir the peace-maker is a new role he adopted to bring Prakash Jha and Nana Patekar together after their very public fall-out.
Apparently, Ranbir who got along like a house on fire with Nana during the shooting of Raajneeti in Bhopal didn’t quite relish the uneasy silence that prevailed between “two of my most favourite people”. He decided to end the cold war between Nana and Prakash when on an impulse; he dialled Nana’s number from Hong Kong when Ranbir, Arjun Rampal, Manoj Bajpai and Prakash had gone for a Raajneeti event.
When Nana answered the phone, Ranbir quickly handed over the phone to Prakash.
Says a source, “On Ranbir’s urging, Prakash and Nana spoke when Prakash was in Hong Kong. That’s how the ice thawed between the two.”
Nothing succeeds like success. After the public bickering and open display of hurt anger and resentment between the two, Nana Patekar and Prakash Jha have sorted out their differences.
And now Nana is in constant touch enjoying the heady success of Raajneeti and sharing his joy with the director.
Prakash admits the cold war with Nana is over. “We are once again connected. Nana is delighted by the success of Raajneeti and is keeping tabs on the film’s progress. He didn’t come for the Raajneeti celebration on Wednesday night. But he called to say he wouldn’t come because he never attends functions.”
BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COM
