Posts tagged rahul dholakia

Big B should have been here at IIFA: Salman Khan

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

STAR POWER: Actors Salman Khan and Jacqueline Fernandez help with building houses for the needy on the outskirts of Colombo on Thursday

Bharati Dubey | TNN (THE TIMES OF INDIA; June 4, 2010)

After being sucked unwittingly into the Tamil-Sinhala conflict, the IIFA Awards in Colombo saw the seeds of another clash being sown on its opening day. Salman Khan, who’s been the face of this year’s event, criticised superstar Amitabh Bachchan for giving the awards a miss despite being the brand ambassador.

“Mr Bachchan is the brand ambassador of the event, he should have been present here. Besides, we are doing a lot for the Sri Lankan Tamilians, building houses for them and rehabilitating them,’’ Salman said after lending a hand to construction of houses by an NGO on the outskirts of Colombo on Thursday.

The Bachchan clan has skipped the event despite being closely identified with it since its inception. Although none of them has commented, industry insiders pointed to the fact that the Abhishek and Aishwarya-starrer Raavan, due for release soon, has been directed by Mani Ratnam, who has supported the south Indian film industry’s call to boycott the IIFA Awards.

Though Bollywood tried to put up a facade of being united in the face of pressure from the south Indian industry by taking a huge contingent to Sri Lanka, the names of those who are missing are significant. Ranbir Kapoor, Shah Rukh Khan, Boney Kapoor, Yash Chopra and Karan Johar are More >

Bipasha’s dubbing trauma

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

By Subhash K. Jha, May 26, 2010 – 12:17 IST

At this very moment, Bipasha Basu is going through the biggest challenge of her career. She has to drop her anglicized-Bengali accent and diction completely to sound like the Kashmiri Muslim girl she plays in Rahul Dholakia’s Lamhaa.

Which is easier said than done. Even when Bipasha had done a Bengali film, Rituparno Ghosh’s Shob Charitra Kalpunik, she had been forbidden by the director from dubbing her own lines although Bengali is her mother tongue.

This time, though, Bipasha was determined to not allow her voice-performance to suffer on the grounds of her accent. For months, the actress has been secretly practicing her lines.

And now when the dubbing is finally on, Bipasha with the help of the sound recordist Manoj Sikka is giving the Urdu her best shot.

According to her director Rahul Dholakia, who’s constantly supervising Bipasha dubbing, the actress has made the strongest effort possible to sound like an authentic Kashmiri -Muslim girl.

Says Dholakia, “At the moment I’m simultaneously doing two very different jobs on two of my very different films. While I’m editing my social satire Society, I am supervising the dubbing of my film on Kashmir – Lamhaa. Dubbing the dialogues of a film with as vast a historical-political canvas as Lamhaa is very tough. I wish I could devote more attention to Bipasha. But she’s doing a fine job.”

Says Bipasha, “It is tough, really tough because I don’t really More >

No screening of Lamhaa in Kashmir

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

By Subhash K. Jha, May 20, 2010 – 09:51 IST

Click above for movie stills

The volatile situation in Kashmir has created a strange and difficult problem for Lamhaa. The film based on the problem of Kashmiri militancy is all set for release on July 16.

Much as the director Rahul Dholakia wants to take the hard-hitting political drama for its initial screening into the Valley, there is no way he can do so for the simple reason that there are no proper and operational movie theatres in Kashmir.

And Rahul is at his wit’s end. “Lamhaa was made for the people of Kashmir. It’s about their life, their anguish and their politics. How can I not show it to the people of Kashmir? The film belongs to them. It is unimaginable for me that the rest of the world would watch Lamhaa and not the Kashmiris.”

Dholakia now plans to take the print and projection equipment and screen the film at key centres of Jammu & Kashmir on his own. “There’s no option but to follow an unconventional method to get the film screened in the Valley.”

Although several situations and characters in Lamhaa are based on real Kashimiri politics, the film’s makers have been advised to play down the reality card.

Apparently, producer Bunty Walia and leading man Sanjay Dutt have been told by their school- mate Omar Abdullah not to play up the Kashmiri card.

A hush-hush screening of Lahmaa is being planned for father and son Farooq and Omar Abdullah.

Says Rahul Dholakia, “It isn’t as though I’m More >

The real status of Sanjay Dutt’s pending films

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in ,

By Joginder Tuteja, April 19, 2010 – 13:56 IST

Recently it was reported that Sanjay Dutt is booked till 2011 with multiple projects in floors. Understandably so since he is the only veteran star from the generation of Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Sunny Deol and Mithun Chakraborty, who continues to have a huge fan following and can get audiences rooting for him if he really wishes so.

However, what also remains true is the fact that he is only star amidst other major actors who has the biggest line up of pending/stuck/almost shelved projects up his plate.

The situation today is that Sanju baba has close to a dozen odd projects that are still waiting to reach the deadline in spite of their target release timeline left behind long back.

Joginder Tuteja brings to you the status of where each of these films stand, what their makers have to say, whether these films will ever see the light of the day and if so, then when?

——————————————————————————– Film: Mr. Fraud

Original plan for release: 2006

Producer: Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevision Ltd

Director: Abbas -Mustan

Co-stars: Ajay Devgan, Bipasha Basu, Tanushree Datta

Flashback

This Abbas-Mustan directed comedy had a fruitful London schedule way back in 2006. However, Sanjay Dutt’s personal problems resulted in any further shoot being delayed while there were also hassles around combination dates of all the stars (Ajay Devgn, Bipasha Basu, Tanushree Dutta) as well. Close to 70% of the film was already canned but there More >

Rituparno Ghosh mistaken for Rituparna Sengupta

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in
On Monday evening, filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh was mistaken for Bengali actress Rituparna Sengupta by the organisers of the 40th International Film Festival in Goa By Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 02, 2009)

Filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh might have lost oodles of weight and started dressing up as a woman but that still didn’t prepare him enough to unflappably face the latest confusion where he was mistaken for a Bengali actress.

The embarrassing incident happened on Monday evening in Goa, where Rituparno, whose sexual orientation has been under the scanner for some time now, was attending the 40th International Film Festival. He had to attend a function to announce the making of a survey-based book compiling the best Indian films of all times, T 20. Being a jury member and a renowned filmmaker, Rituparno was dressed in his finery. He wore a chic black suit, flaming red scarf and oversized sunglasses, looking in his own words, ‘very European’. All was well till he was taken to a seat marked for Bengali actress Rituparna Sengupta. That’s when the filmmaker realised that he had been mistaken for a woman. Riya Sen was seated next to actress Rituparna Sengupta’s chair, making it clear that the seats were meant for the starlets.

Things then got worse. Ritu’s other colleagues on the jury, for the book T 20, were all given VIP space at the event while Rituparno was expected to sit with the starlets.

Rituparna Sengupta Rituparno Ghosh

Confirming the More >

Zero Bridge-the first Kashmiri film in 39 years!

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

VALLEY OF HOPE: A still from Zero Bridge, in which Tariq Tapa cast ordinary Kashmiris Does Zero Bridge, the first Kashmiri film to be made in 39 years, hold out hope for a revival of the arts in the troubled valley?

Bharati Dubey | TNN (THE TIMES OF INDIA; November 15, 2009)

Kashmir, the breathtaking beauty of which has served as a backdrop for innumerable Bollywood romances, never really spawned a thriving film industry of its own: the last Kashmiri film, made in 1969, was Mehanzraat, starring Kashmiri actor Omar Ama. But now, after the long silence, comes Zero Bridge, a film by a Kashmiri NRI from New York, Tariq Tapa. Twenty-four-year-old Tariq, born to a Kashmiri father and Jewish mother, landed in Srinagar with zero finance and a shooting kit packed into just one suitcase. “I decided to make a film in Kashmir because I found that no outside voice accurately captured the daily life of the average Kashmiri,’’ he says when asked what compelled him to come so far away to make a film. “I thought a movie introducing the lives of a few Kashmiri citizens and their daily hopes and fears would reveal them more intimately than the usual western documentaries on the Kashmir situation or Bollywood films which only use it as an exotic backdrop. I want my film to make a statement and hope it starts a debate on Kashmir.’’ Tariq was a one-man unit and had to use a news channel’s permission to shoot his film in Srinagar. He mobilised ordinary Kashmiris to be part of Zero More >

Simple Kapadia passes away

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in
The actress breathed her last yesterday at a suburban hospital By Kunal M Shah and Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 11, 2009)

Simple Kapadia, Dimple Kapadia’s younger sister, is no more. She breathed her last yesterday afternoon in a hospital at Andheri.

The former actress-turned-costume designer had been undergoing treatment at various hospitals since the last few years. It is believed that she was suffering from cancer but the family was always tightlipped about it.

A source says, “The family was under terrible stress because of Simple’s illness. They never spoke about it then and they will not speak about it even now.”

Director Rahul Dholakia, who was present at the hospital when Simple breathed her last, says, “My friend is no more. I really can’t talk.”

A family friend says, “Akshay Kumar (Dimple’s son-in-law) is returning from Baramati, where he is shooting for Priyadarshan’s next film.”

Simple began her career when she was 18. She made her debut in 1977 with Anurodh, where she was paired opposite her brother-in-law Rajesh Khanna. Later, she worked in Hum Rahe Na Hum, Tumhare Bina, Jeevan Dhaara, Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai, Dulha Bikta Hai, Naseeb, Shakka, Lootmaar, Man Pasand, Ahsaas, Rehguzar, Chakravuyha and Pyar Ke Do Pal. She quit acting in 1986 after Pyar Ke Do Pal. Later in 1994, she worked as a costume designer for Rudaali and won a National award for it.

Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 66

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

WHAT’S YOUR CHOICE-WANTED OR ‘DIL BOLE HADIPPA!’?

After a very disastrous dry period, here comes the biggest season of biggies ever! From tomorrow till the last week of December 2009, we are going to get at least one biggie every Friday and some Fridays are going to be  clogged with 3-4 big films. The season will start with two fresh and interesting films, Wanted and ‘Dil Bole Hadippa!’ (DBH).

Let’s talk about DBH first. This Rani Mukherjee starrer somehow reminds me of Rani’s Laaga Chunari Mein Daag which was similarly released during Ramzan Id in 2007 just like DBH. What’s more, both the movies are of Yash Raj Films! DBH is a very important film for Rani who off late has given a spate of flops. DBH is the best chance to prove that she’s still the best. If this film flopped, she may have to bid goodbye to films forever. Coincidentally, Rani was at a similar juncture during the release of Saathiya. She had given a lot of flops in a row and she had pinned all her hopes on Saathiya. In fact she was determined that if Saathiya doesn’t work, she’ll quit acting. Fortunately, Saathiya clicked big time with the audiences and Rani was appreciated by everyone for her performance. Fast forward to present-the situation is just the same!

What really impressed me about DBH is its marketing strategy. When the shooting of the film began, no one got a hint about Shahid’s presence in the film. The stills of the film that were released more than a year back featured More >

Promo: LAMHAA (Must-Watch!)

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

Cast: SANJAY DUTT, BIPASHA BASU, KUNAL KAPOOR, YASHPAL SHARMA, VIPIN SHARMA

Producer: BUNTY WALIA

Director: RAHUL DHOLAKIA

Sanju refuses to grow beard again for Lamhaa

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in
Sanjay Dutt’s refusal to grow a beard for Lamhaa and reluctance to give more dates leaves producer Bunty Walia with no choice but to do away with the actor’s additional scenes By Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 28, 2009)

Bunty Walia

Bunty Walia, who had categorically stated not too long ago that he needs Sanjay Dutt for an additional four-five days to complete his forthcoming film Lamhaa, has now decided to release the film without shooting those portions with the actor. Moreover, Bunty and Sanjay are not even spending too much time together as they used to earlier. The evening drink and gupshup sessions at Sanjay’s Bandra residence are all a thing of the past.

The story goes that Bunty wanted Sanjay Dutt to grow a full beard once again to shoot for the additional portions but Sanju, who had shaved off his beard for his look in other films, was in no mood to grow it again to suit Bunty’s schedule. Even though Bunty initially waited for a long time and repeatedly coaxed Sanjay to shoot the pending portions, he got tired of waiting and eventually decided to do away with the additional portions to be shot with Sanjay.

The reason why Bunty can’t wait any longer is that he has borrowed a lot of money and has also sold a few of his cars to meet the budget of Lamhaa. Any further delay would be a bad financial decision.

Rahul Dholakia, director of Lamhaa, said, “We finished Sanjay Dutt’s portions in January. We are now editing the film.”

Bunty claimed More >

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