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SRK in middle of controversy once again, courtesy Lux Cozy
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
By Bollywood Hungama News Network, February 20, 2010 – 12:48 IST
No sooner that the controversy around SRK’s comments on Pakistani cricket players has settled down, the actor finds himself in yet another controversy related to the IPL.
This time round, it’s the courtesy of inner wear brand Lux Cozy, of which, SRK is the recently appointed brand ambassador. The story goes that, since SRK is the brand ambassador of the said brand, it was rest understood as to they will be sponsoring the uniforms for Khan’s T-20 team Kolkata Knight Riders, besides a monetary angle of course. All was well so far. Now the twist in the tale is that the Lux Company is owned by the Todi brothers (Ashok and Pradip). They are the same Todi brothers who were charged with apparently leading to the suicide of computer graphics designer Rizwanur Rehman, a Muslim, after he married Ashok Todi’s daughter Priyanka, who was a Hindu by religion.
This news had made it to the national headlines and remained atop for quite sometime. This ‘sponsorship’ move by SRK for KKR with the said brand has not been taken kindly by many. That’s the reason why it has sparked anger in many people’s heart. Not just that, since it has a religious pinch to it, a few religious bodies too have come in the forefront to express their opposition. In the lieu of all this, there has been a meeting that has been arranged which will include artistes, actors, dancers, writers, performers and also a few prominent names express More >
Javed Akhtar to Aamir-Your so-called contribution is nothing but interference
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Javed Akhtar and Aamir Khan had a heated altercation when the actor tried to dismiss the contribution of writers and lyricists, saying that it’s the star who makes a song successful
By Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 16, 2010)
It was a meeting meant to sort out the imbroglio between film producers and lyricists-writers, the latter’s forum represented by Javed Akhtar. But matters came to a sticky head when Aamir Khan, siding with film producers, suggested that lyricists don’t really contribute much to the impact of a song.
It was just too much for the legendary poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar to take, and it soon became a war of words between him and Aamir. Says an eyewitness, “Aamir made it clear that he felt a song becomes a hit because it is picturised on a big star. To this Javed saab asked him, ‘Your first big song was Papa kehte hain. Did it make you a star or did you make that a song run?’”
Aamir KhanTemperatures in the room started rising, but Aamir stuck to his stand. “When Aamir again insisted that it’s the star who makes a bigger contribution to a song becoming a hit, Javed retorted, ‘Your so-called contribution is nothing but interference. We lyricists would be eternally grateful if you keep your so-called contribution to yourself. We manage to do good work not because of, but in spite of your contribution.’”
Needless to say, Aamir was growing hot under the collar at this direct confrontation. “But when Aamir went a step further to More >
Ramu to make a film on My Name Is Khan controversy
33 years ago
While the entire country was glued on to their television sets since the last 48 hours to ascertain whether Karan Johar’s My Name Is Khan (MNIK) will see the light of the day in Mumbai and Maharashtra, filmmaker Ram Gopal Verma was in action. No, he wasnt calling the shots; he was noting down little details of the MNIK controversy and even took a tour around the city multiplexes to gauge the situation. Sources close to RGV confirm that the director is all set to come up with a film on this entire episode.
According to a close associate of RGV, “It was when news came that Shiv Sainiks have protested in some theatres in Mumbai that Ramu’s mind started ticking. He realized a film on this episode can turn out to be engrossing, thrilling as well utmost realistic, on the lines of his past hit Sarkar and the recent Rann. He immediately swung into action and called his writers to discuss about it. On Wednesday and Thursday, he toured some multiplexes in Mumbai and even interacted with the management, ticketing staff and constables stationed outside. All this reminded us of the ‘Terror Tour’ that RGV supposedly and reportedly undertook after the 26/11 incident at Taj”.
The source continues, “Last night, Ramu and writers zeroed on ‘Main Sorry Nahi Bolunga’ as the title of their film. Soon they would shortlist actors who they feel would carry out the role of Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar, the Thackerays, Ashok Chavan and R R Patil.”
However, keeping in mind the consequences of his tour More >
Bhansali’s next adapation of Jungle Book?
03 years ago
After intense romances, Sanjay Leela Bhansali will adapt The Jungle Book and make his first children’s film
By Sonal Chawla (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 12, 2010)
// // // Remember the song jungle jungle baat chali hai pata chala hai, chadhi pehen ke phool khila hai… from The Jungle Book? It takes us on a wonderful nostalgia trip, right back to our childhood. And now the buzz is that Sanjay Leela Bhansali is planning to adapt The Jungle Book into a film. After making several romantic films, the director is keen on making the children’s film.
A source from the team reveals, “Bhansali has been toying with the idea of making a film for children since long. Recently, he zeroed in on the idea of The Jungle Book. Although in the past he has experimented with different genres, he has never tried anything like this. He finds the entire series very interesting and is keen to work on it.”
The source continues, “Few days ago, Hrithik took the Guzaarish crew members and Bhansali out for dinner at a suburban five star hotel. It was there that Bhansali spoke about this idea. In fact, his writers have started working on the script and story. Hrithik seemed quite excited and showed interest too. The movie will be shot in the Amazon and will have major graphics and animation. Bhansali also plans to rope in a Hollywood technician for the special effects.”
This might be an announcement of Hrithik and Bhansali doing another film together. “Hrithik has wanted to do a children’s film More >
Fenil’s Bollywood Talk # 83
03 years ago
READY TO DANCE ON THE CHANCE?
I have an interesting anecdote to share on Chance Pe Dance (CPD). It was mid-October last year. The promo of the film had not come out anywhere on the net except on Bigcinemas.com due to some reason. And the people didn’t know about it as Big Cinemas’ website was surfed mostly for online booking. But apni MSian Shalu Dhyani managed to surf deeper into the website and unearth the CPD’s promo which was lying in one of its inside pages! She informed me about it and we decided to share it with the rest of the world. I downloaded the teaser from Bigcinemas.com and then uploaded it on YouTube (with special mention and thanks to Shalu Dhyani!). To make the people aware about it, I joined the fan clubs of Shahid, Genelia and CPD on Facebook and pasted the link of the video clip there. The response that came amazed me. In short time, news spread that CPD promo was out. Within an hour, the teaser had got 1000 views and was increasing every minute! People started giving me ‘Thank you’ messages. Few asked as to how I got hold of the promo and I jokingly replied to them that I stole it from Ronnie Screwvala’s laptop!
But this terrific response to the first promo of CPD made me realize instantly that this is a film which will surely get a terrific opening and has high chance of succeeding at the BO. Most importantly, the film is for youth and about youths and it touches the subject of dancing as well-something which most moviegoers would More >
Book Review: Slumgirl Dreaming
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in External Reviews
By Joginder Tuteja, September 30, 2009 – 12:26 IST
‘Slumgirl Dreaming’ is a very well written book. And for a celebrity, who is just a 9 year old, this book could perhaps be the first to come out in India. The girl in question is Rubina Ali, one of the many stars in Slumdog Millionaire who hasn’t quite enjoyed a fairy tale outing. From a poor life in slum to international adulation to charges being put against her father for selling her off to being back in a shanty and barely surviving, Rubina has lived a life which doesn’t quite justify a Cindrella reference.
Yes, she has enjoyed her months of glory but before and after that, this star has lived a slumgirl life that has seen dreams coming her way, though momentarily. ‘Slumgirl Dreaming’ gives a blow by blow account of this spirited girl who narrates her journey over the years, especially her experience of shooting for the film, the film’s Oscar run and life post that.
What actually works a masterstroke for this autobiographical tale is the coming together of writers Anne Berthod and Divya Dugar who interact with Rubina to translate her thought and statements into the printed words. They do well in sticking to Rubina’s innocence and childish antics and tell the world from her point of view rather than bringing to fore what they thought of her as a kid who became a star. So the entire narration of this 175 page book happens with Rubina telling her story and writers merely presenting it to the readers by refining it and More >
John, SRK, Aamir in Boyle and Kashyap's next
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
John Abraham joins Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan in Danny Boyle and Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet
By Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 18, 2009)
John Abraham
Mumbai Mirror had reported on September 14 in the story Boyle Bells The Cats? that Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan will star together in Danny Boyle and Anurag Kashyap’s forthcoming film, Bombay Velvet. Well, the film got much bigger as news is that John Abraham was actually the first actor to be signed on for the international epic.
A source says, “This was just after John and Anurag formed a mutual fan-club after working together in No Smoking. Although the film didn’t work at the box-office both John and Anurag vowed to do another film. That’s when Bombay Velvet was born. The film has three segments and John was signed on for the second segment. He will play a real-life 1960s hero of the masses.” SRK and Aamir will star in the first and third segments respectively.
John has since then been reading up extensively to prepare for his first true-to-life character. The role requires him to completely change his body language and to get rid of his very contemporary body language and mannerisms.
In fact, friends have been provoking John into believing that he is no longer part of the project. But John isn’t the least bit fazed.
A friend of John says, “When he heard that Aamir was signed, John was really happy for Anurag. People told John that Aamir had replaced him but John knew the truth. Even More >
Priya Mani in Raavana?
03 years ago
ROLE PLAY: Priya Mani
Rumour has it that Raavana writers missed out Shoorpankha’s character in the first draft, but now Priya Mani has been finalised for the role
MEENA IYER (BOMBAY TIMES; August 31, 2009)
There are two theories doing the rounds. One is that filmmaker Mani Ratnam’s writers reportedly goofed. When they gave Mani a copy of the script of Raavana, a contemporary adaptation of the Ramayana, with Tamil superstar Vikram playing Ram, Aishwarya Rai playing Sita and Abhishek Bachchan playing Raavan, they forgot to include the very important character of Shoorpankha. Shoorpankha, who is Raavan’s sister, whose nose is chopped off by Laxman in the forest according to folklore and because of which episode Raavan swears revenge on Ram. Now, Shoorpankha is pivotal to the plot… could Mani’s writing team actually have over looked this detail? Seems improbable because Mani is known for his precision. A source from the South says Mani’s production team approached the current reigning diva Nayantara for the role of Shoorpankha but she refused. Next they approached National Award-winner Priya Mani. Priya will play Shoorpankha in the Tamil and Hindi versions, just like Aishwarya is playing Sita in both versions. Theory two on why many top Bollywood heroines who were approached for the role of Shoorpankha refused it is because “no one wants to play Abhishek’s sister,” says a source. “Abhishek is a dishy actor, and not many actresses want to ruin their chances of being More >