I have matured with time and become more responsible – Bipasha Basu

Bipasha Basu tells Jyothi Venkatesh that she is happy that her performance in Lamhaa has not gone unnoticed.

What message did Rahul drive home through Lamhaa?

The message that Rahul Dholakia tried to drive home through the film was that you cannot really grow up in a land which is surrounded by guns, with a feeling of insecurity at the back of your mind. It is just recently after the elections that life has returned to a semblance of normalcy in the valley. The stalemate that is there in Kashmir makes you wake up from your slumber and prod you not to take anything for granted and fight your way till you are able to get the right solution to your problems.

What feedback are you getting for your performance in Lamhaa?

It was a high for me when the New Delhi based All India Achievers Conference chose me to be the recipient for the Arch of Excellence award for being an achiever in my field of acting after Lamhaa was released, though I could not make it for the function which was held in Mumbai because I had prior commitments.

Did you aim for a National Award for your performance in Lamhaa?

As an actress, I just believe in doing my role, whether it is a comedy or a thriller or for that matter a serious film, which is based on a burning issue. Frankly speaking, I have never aspired to win the National Award for the best actress, though I would not mind it if I bag an award for my performance in any film, including the one in Lamhaa. I do not also put in a lot of inputs from my side towards the thought process of the film too; because I just do what the director wants me to do.

What rattles you about the film industry?

It is a big tragedy in India that everyone tries to put a pause to a woman’s career when she turns 30. A woman reaches her peak at 30. Till then she is just a girl. Abroad the actresses radiate at the age of 50 and are glamorous to the core whereas here it is ridiculous that an actress who is 40 plus is relegated to the sidelines, though the fact is that in India women do not even get wrinkles very early unlike women abroad. Why is the media being so harsh to women?

Can you elaborate?

As and when a top hero decides to have a young eighteen year old actress cast opposite him in the romantic lead, so that he can look young on the screen, no one raises his or her eye brow but when I was cast opposite Ranbir Kapoor in Bachna Ae Haseeno and Neil Nitin Mukesh in Aa Dekhe Zara, the media made a big noise as if I had set out to do some big crime. Why this double standards? When a 20 year old actress works with a 40 plus hero, no one is in a mood to complain. Aishwarya Rai is four years older to Abhishek Bachchan. However, it does not mean that she does not make a good pair with Abhishek on-screen.

You do not seem to have many films on hand. Is it a conscious decision on your part not to do too many films at a time?

Right now, I am having two films on hand. They are Akrosh and Dum Maro Dum. I do not want to do too many films. I have different kinds of roles in both the films. I am excited about the way my career has taken shape as of now. I am quite excited about my career, especially after Lamhaa. I have been bombarded with compliments for my performance in Lamhaa.

How happy are you with your growth in films since you made your debut with Ajnabee?

I am more than happy with the fact that since the time I had made my debut in Bollywood with Abbas-Mustan’s Ajnabee, I have made rapid strides as an actress in the last ten years and carved for myself a niche in the industry. It has been a learning process for me from Ajnabee till Lamhaa. I have learnt everything on the job slowly and steadily unlike the new comers today who come prepared even with their first film.

To what extent, do you think you have matured as an actress?

I confess that I have matured with time and become more responsible as an actress. I am glad I could live to see a film of mine celebrating its golden jubilee like Raaz, my second film after Ajnabee. I am not bragging about it but genuinely feel sad that today it is not possible for any actor, including John Abraham to celebrate the jubilee of his or her film, since a stage has come when a film has got to recover its cost in the first three days of its release with films having become a big business with the mushrooming of the multiplexes.

What kind of roles do you want to do now?

Considering the fact that I had never took my career seriously till my second film was released, I think I have indeed come a long way as an actress. I want to work with good directors, I want to sink my teeth into tough and complex roles as an actress. I have always believed that when stagnation sets in you have to break it and make an attempt to go beyond your horizons.

Do you think that you have not been given your due as an actress?

I have not been given my due as an actor though I had given an award winning performance in Corporate because of limitations. I do not belong to any particular camp like some other actresses. It is a well-known fact that I have a boyfriend, which I do not hide in my closet. All said and done, we should not forget the fact that it is a hero oriented film industry and I cannot ask for more than what I am being offered.

It was time to change focus, get intense – Akshay Kumar

akshay BollywoodWorld.com, Akshay Kumar is in the mood for intense and dramatic roles and will be seen as a Sikh guy trapped in the patriarchal family system in “Patiala House”. He says he accepted the offer as it was completely opposite to his real life story and also because he is keen to change his funny guy image.

“It was a conscious decision to do a serious role because it’s been three years since I’ve done something like this. The last was ‘Namastey London’. I’ve been away from it for quite sometime now and was concentrating on comedy. So I thought of changing focus and doing something serious,” Akshay told IANS in an interview.

“While playing the character, I felt that I’m playing what real people go through in life, what circumstances they face. I’m not playing just a role, it is a culmination of the lives of common people out there,” added the 43-year-old.

Akshay showed his funny side in his first hit comedy “Hera Pheri”, but his comedies like “Action Replayy” and “Tees Maar Khan” bombed at the box office.

Set in London, “Patiala House” sees Akshay Kumar’s character Gattu trapped between his dreams and his father’s aspirations for him.

The film has been directed by Nikhil Advani and co-produced by Bhushan Kumar, Mukesh Talreja, Krishan Kumar and Akshay along with his wife Twinkle Khanna.

Akshay says what attracted him to the role was that his life story was completely opposite to his character in the movie.

“My father supported all my dreams. He worked double shifts so that I could train in martial arts. So this situation was completely alien to me. I grew up with love and support from my parents. So that’s why it was so endearing to play a son, who forgets his dreams for his father’s,” he said.

The film that also stars Anushka Sharma and Rishi Kapoor among others will see Akshay sharing screen with his real life mother-in-law Dimple Kapadia. The senior actress plays his mother in the movie and the actor said he had fun filming with her.

“Me and my mother-in-law are quite inseparable. I have more things common with her than Twinkle. Twinkle and I are totally opposite, whereas me and Dimpleji are quite similar,” said the actor.

“During the entire schedule, we played cards, fooled around on youtube, she taught me sudoku (number game) and I took her to various places with my son. So it was fun. She is a fun lady,” he added.

This is his first film with Anushka and he said: “Anushka has a very vital role to play in the film. She is my shoulder, my brick wall and my unconditional support in the movie. She shocked me on the sets with her expertise. There is no doubt that she will go very far,” he added.

muni badnam hoi full song

Share

Patiala House: High Expectations from Akshay and Anushka

Patiala House is about to be released. And expectations are sky-high. Scheduled to hit the theaters on 11^th Feb 2011, it can very well be a comeback vehicle for Akshay Kumar as well as director, Nikhil Advani. The leading lady, Anushka is the latest midas-touch and truely enough, she seems to light up the scene every time she makes an appearance. She looks fresh and confident and her pairing with Akshay looks real good.

Patiala House, which is based against the backdrop of the Southhall Sikh riots seems to be full of “masala”. Earlier on, speculations had it that the Akshay’s character was based on the British-Asian spin bowler Monty Panesar. The filmmakers have categorically denied any such rumors and stated that it is a work of fiction.

Patiala House - One Of The Most Awaited Releases Of 2010

A sneak peek at the story :

Directed by Nikhil Advani, “Patiala House” is basically about a second-generation Sikh guy Guttu (played by Akshay Kumar) and his authoritarian “Bauji” (played by Rishi Kapoor). The story is about Guttu and his siblings who can’t embrace the London dream wholeheartedly because of Bauji, who hates anything English. In this scenario Guttu and his sister, Komal (Hard Kaur!! in her acting debut) and the rest of the family continue to live an apologetic life before Simran (Anushka Sharma) comes along. She motivates Guttu to live his lifelong dream of becoming a cricketer. Of course, Simran will play Akshay’s love interest.

Let us see what can work in the favor of Patiala House:

Hard Kaur in a hard core desi avatar

- Akshay: After all, he is the hero and the movie will ride on high shoulders.

- Anushka is riding high with her on the success of ‘Band Baaja Baraat’ and is being touted as the next big thing of B-wood. She is a notable draw for the movie lovers, especially since she has managed quite a fan following among the cine-goers even in this short career-span of hers.

- Music:  ‘Rola Pe gaya’ (sung by Hard Kaur) and ‘Laugda Lashkara’ are already hits. Other tracks are also catching up. No reason why these songs won’t keep the audience glued to their seats.

-Nikhil Advani’s last outing, ‘Chandni Chowk to China’ was one of the biggest disasters of Bollywood, still if you look a little more into the past, he has a ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’ to boast of.

- Strong supporting cast: Most noticeably, the supporting cast includes Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia and a plethora of urban desi youngsters.

- The Punjabi and Cricket connection: The movie has a story which integrates Punjabi family drama (bonus – on overseas locales) and Cricket. Both these have always been a huge draw for the public.

Here are some strong reasons why Patiala House may NOT work:

- Akshay: Has been on a losing spree. Akshay has over-done the good guy as well as the con man act and of late all his movies made him look highly repetitive. Will he reinvent himself? Well, only time will tell.

- Ah well, that’s all I could come up with. On the face of it, the movie looks like a winner.

Patiala House seems to have all the ingredients of a typical blockbuster “masala” movie. Will Akshay conquer again?  Will Anushka prove to be Akshay’s lucky charm? Well, only time will tell.

‘Koffee With Karan’ – Karismatic And Kool

‘Koffee with Karan’ is a show that needs no introduction. With a smile, a wink and a smirk, Karan conveys more than his guests usually like to admit. Karan Johar’s show can boast of some of the best known and most loved faces of Bollywood. In spite of it being an English show it grabs viewership even from people who aren’t so well versed with the language. Evidently, the reason is its Bollywood connection and the exclusive “bytes” that the guests give out to their friend Karan.

Koffe with Karan

First things first, what is it in ‘Koffee with Karan’ that sets it apart from all other such celebrity chat shows? What is it that makes it impossible for reclusive and interview shy (notably, Ajay Devgn and the Deols) actors to turn up, looking all dapper, ready to answer nonsensical questions? Ah, well … we are basically looking for the “wow factor” of this show.

Why is KWK hot?

Amongst the couple of things that must be getting these stars on to Karan’s Kouch (ouch!!) are
-  Karan’s close relationships with a large percentage of the film industry … in fact, at times he finds himself mediating between different warring parties. Amazingly enough, he is friends to so many people of many different “camps”.
-  For the stars, being on KWK has become a status symbol of sorts.
-  The show’s immense popularity gives the actors lots of exposure, mileage and ego boost.
-  Actors, or stars rather, crave publicity at one point of their careers or another. For some reasons, some stars come out there and show a different side to their nature. Probably it’s scripted and it was meant to be a PR exercise any which way.
The show has completed 2 seasons and began its third season in December 2010. Some of the most frequent stars on KWK have been Shahrukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukherjee.

The USP:

Undoubtedly, the USP of ‘Koffee with Karan’ is Karan Johar. Karan Johar is friends with any and all in the industry, at least with all the top rung ones. He has great interpersonal skills and coming on to the show is more like a two way pleasure for the host as well as the guest. Most guests want to be on the Kouch anyway and even those who don’t, end up doing it because they can’t refuse when Karan Johar asks them to his show.
Karan’s highly polished communication skills and intimate mannerism, has managed to make the show unique.  His “lie-o-meter”, “coffee hamper” and “rapid fire rounds” add more masala to the show. KWK has always been keen on being a show which brings out unknown facts and scoops about the stars. So, while the good part of peoples’ lives is usually narrated by Karan, he relies on the “lie-o-meter” to indicate when a guest lies about affairs and relationships.
While quizzing the guests about their under-the-wraps love life, Karan quirks an eyebrow and smirks and smiles … so even when the star has refused point blank about their alleged affair, the audience knows for sure that there is lots of truth in the rumors. He conveys the truth without saying anything and for these antics of his, the audience waits up for the next week’s show.

Best episodes/guests till date:

Rakhi on the sets of Koffee with Karan

Rakhi Sawant (Season 2):

Rakhi Sawant was her usual loud self and somehow her over-the-top honesty and candidness came across as very endearing and entertaining. Karan admitted to it being one of his favorite episodes.  Interestingly, this was perhaps the only episode which was largely in Hindi.

Deepika-Sonam (Season 3):

The girls came across as candid yet dumb, at some points of time in the episode. Still it was completely refreshing to see some young faces on the show, that weren’t afraid to call a spade, a spade. The girls’ entertained the audience and the media got lots of gossip.
Watch the infamous Deepika-Sonam episode:

Rani and Kareena on Koffee with Karan

Rani-Kareena (Season 1):

Rani was on a high after a long low in her career. Kareena was still testing waters, though charging astronomical prices. You would love their relative innocence if you saw this episode today.

Kajol-Shahrukh-Rani (Season 2):

Shahrukh Rani Kajol Karan: It's alll about loving your friends

A chilled out episode, especially when Shahrukh came aboard. He broke the ice and made the scene look vibrant and complete.

Putting it all in perspective:

‘Koffee with Karan’ began in the November of 2004 and much water has flown under the bridge since then. When the third season started Karan looked considerably mature and much leaner. Gone were the days of happy flirting and puppy love. Almost all his previous guests have either married or left their previous flame. In fact, it makes for an interesting study to see the same people sitting across the couch with totally new people this time.
Karan is a dedicated matchmaker and he has played cupid amongst various friends of his, several times over. It is a well known fact that Aishwarya and Abhishek were hooked up courtesy to Karan. Several years ago, he also tried to create “a  little something between Preity and Abhishek”.
Shahrukh is Karan’s best friend. Everybody knows that. Shahrukh has graced all seasons of KWK, but his latest appearance (Season 3) was insipid, at best.  Somewhere along the line, the unique freshness of the show has worn off and now it often feels like you’ve heard those conversations a hundred times, in some form or the other.
If you go and watch some of the older episodes of ‘Koffee with Karan’, you feel kind of nostalgic seeing the plumpier Kareena (glowing with her new found love, Shahid – season 1), the more level headed Rani (compare season 1 where she sounds oh-so- sensible and season 3 where she makes a complete fool of herself)  and a more grounded and Shahrukh (compare season 1 where Shahrukh is fun and exciting and season 3 where he sounds so cocky and depressing at the same time).
In fact, it all makes for a very interesting case study. Just see how Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor gushed about their love for each other in season 2 and, came back with different partners (Shahid with Priyanka and Kareena with Saif) in season 3.

Whom we’d like to see on KWK:

Shahrukh, Aamir and Salman:

Nobody, other than KJo can pull that off. If he manages to get the three stars together on one couch, it would be a monumental victory in the history of couch-dom.

Madhuri Dixit and Shreeram Nene:

Even today, everybody loves Madhuri. The man you makes Madhuri’s heart go dhak-dhak has been most reclusive and almost nothing is known about him. It would be interesting to see them talk about their life.

Somebody interviewing Karan:

Karan has been so reclusive about his own love life and personal relationships. It would be interestin g to see somebody else play the host and use the lie-o-meter on him. There is absolutely no scoop on Karan. Hope Karan would put that straight too.

Memories are made of these – films which have become all-time classics

Bollywood is the world’s second largest producer of films and every year  a barrage of them hits the movie theaters. Only a few of them survive long enough to gain immortality. This is my list of top 10 Bollywood movies of all times. Counting right from the inception of cinema in India to this Friday’s releases; we give you ten movies that every Bollywood buff must watch at least once in his/her lifetime.

Pather Panchali - Satyajit Ray's directorial debut

1 Pather Panchali – There are chances that you will have heard the name of this movie only if you have been a film student or have lived in the state of West Bengal. For rest of us, Pather Panchali is an obscure name. This movie came out way back in 1955 and was the directorial debut of Satyajit Ray. It won an award at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival and received international acclaim for it’s realistic portrayal of the life  of a poor Indian. Watch this movie for the simplicity and for the excellent acting and editing. Satyajit Ray gave us a vision of his greatness with this, his first offering..

Mughal-e-Azam

2 Mughal-e-Azam – K.Asif’s Mughal-e-Azam is the definition of an epic movie. Shot on a staggering budget across 15 years, it featured elaborate costumes and war scenes. The actors were the best of their time – Dilip Kumar, Madhubala and Prthiviraj Kapoor. Who says period movies are just a onetime watch? Mughal-e-Azam has survived the test of time. In 2004, it became the first Indian movie, originally shot in black and white to be converted into colour.

Sholay

3 Sholay – On 15 August, 1975 came out a movie by the name of Sholay and suddenly Jai and Veeru became the Indian yardstick of true friendship. The Sippys gave us Sholay, which in turn gave us many immortal dialogues like ” Kitne aadmi the?” and “Nahe basanti, inn kutto ke samne mat naachna.” This film became one of the highest grossing Hindi films of all times, and even today it’s DVD’s are very popular. The movie’s charm lay in a great story, fabulous performances and the birth of a new menacing villain in the shape and form of Amjad Khan.

Jacky: Sign in, sign out!

Mumbai, Feb. 18 -- Oi oi.. what is this I'm hearing now? A chidiya from Chennai tells me that Jacqueline Fernandez is very dukhi these days. Kyun? Kyun ki the former Miss Sri Lanka keeps signing up for South Indian films and then before the shooting starts, she's abruptly dropped from them. Huh?

Apparently, the filmmakers approach the star considering her improving status in Bollywood, after she bagged biggies like Murder 2 and Housefull 2... but when they're reminded of the conflict with Sri Lanka, they develop cold feet. And without any explanation, they drop Jacky from their movies. So?

So, chidiya tells me that Jacky was, in fact, born and brought up in Dubai... and the Southern filmmakers know it too. But for some reason, best known to them, they overlook this fact and remove her from their movies. After all, such is life dearies.

Not been approached for ‘Dhoom 3′ – Priyanka Chopra

Bollywood actres Priyanka Chopra has shot down reports that she has been roped in to star opposite Aamir Khan in Yash Raj’s “Dhoom 3″.

“I have not been approached for ‘Dhoom 3′,” Priyanka told reports here Tuesday. The actress was present along with director Vishal Bhardwaj at PVR cinemas in Select Citywalk Mall for promoting her upcoming film “7 Khoon Maaf”.

Asked if she would like to be a part of the film, Priyanka added, “I don’t answer hypothetical questions. If something happens I would definitely let everyone know.”

“7 Khoon Maaf” is the big screen adaptation of renowned writer Ruskin Bond’s short story “Susanne’s Seven Husbands”, where Priyanka plays the protagonist and her seven husbands are played by Neil Nitin Mukesh, John Abraham, Irrfan Khan, Russian actor Aleksandr Dyachenko, Annu Kapoor and Nasseruddin Shah.

Naseer’s son Vivaan is also making his debut with this film and plays Priyanka’s seventh husband.

Priyanka Chopra’s shoes are her babies

Urmila Matondkar on the sets of Chak Dhoom Dhoom

Urmila Matondkar on the sets of Chak Dhoom Dhoom at Film City.

Neelam and Sameer Soni’s wedding reception

Bollywood stars including Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukherjee, Anil Thadani, Raveena Tandon, Karan Johar, Goldie Behl, Sonali Bendre, Shilpa and Shmita Shetty at Neelam’s wedding reception at Taj Land’s End.

Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra at Zor Ka Jhatka press meet

Shahrukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra at Zor Ka Jhatka press meet. Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra dance on stage.

Hrithik Roshan at the launch of ‘Just Dance’ Show

Hrithik Roshan, Farah Khan and Vaibhavi Merchant at the launch of Just Dance Show at Filmistan.

Woo Hrithik Roshan with your dance steps on ‘Just Dance

Whether you stay in India, Britain or the US, here’s your chance to put on your dancing shoes and match your steps with Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan on Star Plus’s upcoming big ticket reality show “Just Dance”.

The international auditions for the show will begin Feb 27, as the “Just Dance” team will set out to scout talent in Britain and the US, besides covering the major metros and other cities across India.

“Just Dance” aims to provide a global platform for dancers who are not just passionate about their art, but also have a taste for different dancing styles. Contestants will have a rare chance to match steps with Hrithik, while ace choreographers Farah Khan and Vaibhavi Merchant will judge the show.

“Hrithik Roshan has glorified dance through his career and has been an icon and an inspiration to many dancers across the globe. Going by the brand promise of nayi soch, Star Plus through ‘Just Dance’ will be providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for aspirants to have the exceptional experience of sharing the stage with Hrithik himself,” Anupam Vasudev, executive vice president (Marketing and Communication), Star Plus, said in a press statement.

Produced by SOL productions, the show will be shot across 30 episodes. It will start with auditions, and then proceed through eliminations, as the participants vie to be the apple of Hrithik’s eye.

“Just Dance” is expected to go on air this summer.

Lara Dutta, Mahesh Bhupathi are now married

Bollywood actress Lara Dutta and tennis ace Mahesh Bhupathi Wednesday had a registered marriage.

Announcing their wedding on microblogging site Twitter, Mahesh posted his picture with Lara, saying: “Mr. and Mrs Bhupathi folks…”

On Feb 19, the couple will reportedly have a Church wedding in Goa and their sangeet ceremony is Feb 18.

After months of speculations that they are dating, Lara, 32, and Mahesh, 36, disclosed their engagement in September last year.

‘Dhobi Ghat’ to be commercially released in Germany

Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao have another reason to celebrate as a German distributor has bought the rights of their critically acclaimed movie “Dhobi Ghat” to release it in theatres in Germany later this year.

The film has been produced by Aamir Khan and distributed by UTV Motion Pictures. The deal with Rapid Eye Movies includes theatrical distribution rights, home video rights and free TV rights of the movie for screening in Germany.

“We are excited to work with Kiran Rao who has made a beautiful and touching film about life in Mumbai and we believe it will touch the hearts of German audiences,” said Stephan Holl from Rapid Eye Movies.

Set in Mumbai, “Dhobi Ghat”, which is Kiran’s directorial debut, narrates joy, sorrow and heartbreaks of four individuals who come from distinct backgrounds and how they deal with it.

“It is a special film and we are pleased to announce that the film will now be seen by German audiences. We are happy to join hands with Rapid Eye movies who is the ideal partner for this film,” said Amrita Pandey, UTV’s senior vice president, international distribution & syndication.

Aamir, who also stars in the movie, is currently on the jury at the Berlin Film Festival, which is ending Sunday.

Kangana Ranaut not out of ‘One And Only’

Kangana Ranaut’s spokesperson has clarified that the actress is not opting out of “One And Only”, launch vehicle of Chirag Paswan, son of politician Ram Vilas Paswan.

“Kangana has almost finished the film and there’s no question of her wanting to opt out. This was never discussed and is a completely false story. Given the number of films Kangana is doing this year, there are bound to be some date issues, but that’s nothing out of the ordinary,” the actress’ spokesperson told IANS.

It was reported that after a tussle with the makers of “One And Only”, which is being produced by Maverick Productions, the actress decided to walk out of the project.

“Kangana has always been choosy about her films and has signed it because of the script which is very engaging. She is excited about the film and is looking forward to its release,” said the spokesperson.

“One And Only” also stars Sagarika Ghatge, Poonam Dhillon, Vinod Khanna and Dalip Tahil, among others. Directed by Tanveer Khan, the musical love story is expected to release in April this year.

In ‘Bigg Toss’ Rakhi Sawant, Veena will add a lot of drama

BollywoodWorld.com, They wanted to be different, says Hemant Sharma, news editor of India TV, and that is why they came up with “Bigg Toss”, which sees item girl Rakhi Sawant and Pakistani actress Veena Malik entertaining viewers by discussing cricketers in their unique style during the World Cup matches.

“Usually, during the World Cup matches, all the news channels organise discussions with four or five experts in the studio. This concept doesn’t excite people anymore. We wanted to do something different so we zeroed in on this concept,” Sharma told IANS.

“Bigg Toss”, which went on air Feb 17, will be shown only when India is playing. It features 12 contestants divided into two groups who will choose their favourite player from the Indian team and bet on him. The group that scores the maximum points will be declared the winner of a Honda car.

Why Rakhi and Veena?

“Both of them can add a lot of drama to the show and people are interested in watching them on small screen,” Sharma said.

Apart from Rakhi and Veena, the list of contestants includes cricketer Yuvraj Singh’s father Yograj Singh, singers Shankar Sawhney and Ashok Masti, beautician Sylvie and RJ Simran, among others.

Hema Malini to be elected to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka

Yesteryears Bollywood actress and Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Hema Malini is set to reenter the Rajya Sabha — this time from Karnataka.

She was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2003 by the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Her choice as the BJP candidate for the March 3 election was announced in New Delhi late Friday though there were several contenders from the Karnataka BJP for the seat.

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa Saturday denied a rift in the state BJP unit over Hema Malini’s selection.

“There is no rift. The party high command has taken the decision and we are all bound by it,” he told reporters here, about 300 km from Bangalore.

Yeddyurappa’s denial comes amid reports that he was pushing for the nomination of his confidant and former BJP central minister V. Dhananjaya Kumar.

The Rajya Sabha seat from Karnataka became vacant following the death of M.V. Rajashekara Murthy of the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) Dec 5.

Hema Malini’s victory is assured as the ruling BJP has 107 members, including the speaker, in the 225-seat assembly. It can bank on the support of one independent also.

The Congress has 71 members and the JD-S 27. The two parties have not announced whether they plan to field a nominee of their own or a joint candidate.

With numbers ranged against them, the two parties may not field a candidate.

Hema Malini is likely to file her papers Monday, the last day for doing so.

The assembly’s present strength is 206 following the disqualification of 16 legislators — 11 of BJP and five independents — for rebelling against Yeddyurappa in September-October last year.

The other three vacancies were caused by the resignation of Congress and JD-S members.

I want to make an intense love story: Bhandarkar

He admits women-centric films are his forte but Madhur Bhandarkar doesn’t want to stick to one genre. After a comedy, the filmmaker now wants to direct an intense love story.

“I am a great admirer of Raj Khosla and Vijay Anand. Can you believe the same director who made ‘Guide’ also made ‘Jewel Thief’. I’d like to be known for all genres,” said Bhandarkar.

“I want to make an intense love story like ‘Ek Duuje Ke Liye’. I also want to make a thriller like ‘Teesri Manzil’. But, yes, hard-hitting women-centric cinema is my forte,” added Bhandarkar, who has ventured into comedy with “Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji”.

His impressive oeuvre of women-centric films include critically acclaimed movies like “Chandni Bar”, “Page 3″ and “Satta”.

Excerpts from an interview:

Q: You’ve hopped genres with “Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji”? At a time when female-centric films like “No One Killed Jessica” are doing well why the change to male-centric cinema?

A: I like to surprise everyone including myself. It’s not easy when you move out of your comfort zone. Firstly, I was not making a chick flick. This is a boys’ film. People close to me know I’ve a good sense of humour. In fact, all my actors Bipasha Basu, Konkona Sen Sharma, Priyanka Chopra, Tabu… they all said, ‘Madhur tu kitna hansata hai’. So I thought, why not a comedy? But I never thought it’d be so difficult.

I wanted to go back to the comedies of Basu Chatterjee and Hrishikesh Mukherjee. My aim for comedy was not Rohit Shetty’s “Golmaal” but Hrishida’s “Golmaal”.

Q: Is it true that you were supposed to make a film on Jessica Lal?

A: Yes, I was going to make a film on Jessica Lal. In fact, I had told UTV’s Ronnie Screwvala that I liked the idea of making a film on the Jessica Lal case. I had registered the title “Jessica” after my film “Satta”. If you remember in that film Raveena Tandon’s husband played by Sameer Dharamadhikari had shot a bar girl in the film. He shoots the girl when she says ‘Bar band hai’.

I saw “No One Killed Jessica”. Rajkumar Gupta has done a fine job. I had liked his “Aamir” too. It’s very well performed and shot. So the case rests there. Every day as a filmmaker you come up with a new idea.

Q: What next for Madhur?

A: I am a great admirer of Raj Khosla and Vijay Anand. Can you believe the same director who made “Guide” also made “Jewel Thief”. I’d like to be known for all genres. I want to make an intense love story like “Ek Duuje Ke Liye”. I also want to make a thriller like “Teesri Manzil”. But, yes, hard-hitting women-centric cinema is my forte.

Q: You are a huge fan of Gulzar, aren’t you?

A: Oh yes I’m hugely influenced by the cinema of Gulzar saab. I consider it a big compliment when people refer to me as a new-age Gulzar. I know each and every film and lyric that he has written by heart. In “Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji” even the title is a tribute to Gulzar saab.

I acquired the rights of Gulzar saab’s song “Koi hota jisko apna” from “Mere Apne” and used it in “Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji”. It’s one of my favourite songs written by Gulzar saab. ‘Aur kya composition kiya hai Salil Chowdhary ne!’ It would be criminal to change the track in any way. I’ve used it in the original form. Who can sing like Kishore da today?
- IANS

Priyanka Chopra harassed by unknown man

Actress Priyanka Chopra got into a heated verbal argument with a man in Delhi while promoting her just released film “7 Khoon Maaf”. He was out to rattle her.

The incidnet happened Tuesday evening at the recording of an interactive interview. A man, apparently from Punjab, piped in to accuse her of “not being a Punjabi”.

Said a member of Priyanka’s entourage: “Priyanka was taken aback by the accusation. At first she laughed it off saying she is very much Punjabi. But the man kept piping in loudly with his allegation. Priyanka finally told him to shut up and quit before he faces the consequence of her wrath.”

The man soon after disappeared from the venue, but Priyanka, known to be extremely warm to fans, was hurt by the vehemence of the accusation.

Apparently the man kept insinuating she had done nothing for Punjab and Punjabis.

The spokesperson for “7 Khoon Maaf” confirmed the incident adding: “It was weird and inopportune. Priyanka’s Punjabiyat had nothing to do with the occasion. We don’t know where the man came from and where he disappeared to. But the whole incident was suspicious.”

Priyanka’s father is Punjabi while her mother is from Jharkhand.

Priyanka spent her growing years in Rai Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh. This is the first time her Punjabi antecedents were questioned, and that too in full public view.

She is far from amused.
- IANS

I am very fond of Kangana Ranaut – Madhavan

Actor R. Madhavan really enjoyed working with National Award winning actress Kangana Ranaut in “Tanu Weds Manu”, so much so that the multi-lingual star admits he has become fond of her and would like to do more films with the pretty actress.

“I am very fond of Kangana and attracted to her. I feel she is an extremely competent actor, very professional and she has actively contributed to the role for the first time,” Madhavan told IANS.

“As an actor, I have never worked with a heroine who does that. They (other heroines) are happy doing what the script demands from them but Kangana is the one who was pushing the envelope. I hope I can do another film with Kangana, I really enjoyed working with her,” he said.

Madhavan rubbished a media report that said he was angry with Kangana as she was hogging the limelight in the film’s promotion.

“Unfortunately, it’s wrong news,” he said. “Kangana is shooting in Bangkok, so she did her character’s (Tanu) promotion earlier,” he said.

“There is absolutely no reason to be upset with her and I am really missing her.”

Directed by Anand Rai, “Tanu Weds Manu” is set to hit theatres Feb 25. It is a romantic comedy, which shows how two seemingly opposite natured people fall in love.

“I don’t know why this romantic tag stuck with me for so long.

They (directors) want it, so I give them that. I am not going to fight it. This is a different kind of romantic story. It’s not a cliche ‘hold my hand and get into a fight’ later on kind of story. It’s very real and I don’t remember if I have seen such a romantic film ever,” said Madhavan, who plays the role of Manu in the film.

About the film, Madhavan said: “Manu is brought up in a small town in a middle class family, very happy with whatever his parents have in mind for him, no rebellious quality unnecessarily. He goes to London, spends eight to nine years and comes back with his tradition intact, like most Indian guys, who go from a small town, do.

“What happens is you forget that in the span of time of your staying abroad, your town has changed-McDonalds, MTV, all have come in and people are having flings for the sake of it and suddenly there is a complete mismatch in the opposite direction.

“You are an Indian, she is westernized, you are a conformist, she is rebellious and there is a mismatch. But love has its own course.”

The character is semantic to most of the foreign-returned small town guys, said Madhavan. “It rarely happens that one who goes abroad, returns with a foreigner wife or girlfriend, smoking and speaking with an accent. Ninety percent

come back being more Indian than they were.”

The reigning star of the south is eager to offer varied shades of characters to his Hindi audience.

“In the south, I have done some really dynamic characters, really brutal and masculine ones. Unfortunately, the Hindi guys haven’t seen that angry guy in me as yet. So if a script like that comes along, I would really love to do (the role of) an angry young man now,” said Madhavan.

“I think I am competent in comedy. Even ‘Tanu Weds Manu’ is comical but it has no comedy, it’s humorous. But I would love to do a comedy film. I just did a hard-core comedy film in Tamil, which did very well,” said Madhavan.

The actor revealed that he has signed two more Hindi films but refrained from giving any details.

- IANS

Shiv Sena warning film industry against hiring Pakistanis – Mahesh Bhatt

The Shiv Sena has warned the Indian film industry against hiring Pakistani artists, saying it will teach a lesson to those who do so, leading filmamker Mahesh Bhatt said Sunday.

Maharashtra Cinema Television Sena (MCTS), a frontal organisation of sthe Shiv Sena, has threatened those using the services of Pakistani artists, he said, adding he received the letter Saturday and it was addressed to all production houses, organisers, event managers and media houses.

Bhatt read out the letter while talking to reporters on the sidelines of a seminar here.

The warning by Sena comes in the wake of the detention of Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan at Delhi airport on Feb 13 for carrying undeclared foreign currency.

“We at MCTS would like to inform you that henceforth if any of the above mentioned fraternities indulge in such an act wherein the Indian soil is used for Pakistani performers we are determined to teach them a lesson in our Shiv Sena style,” said the letter.

“We also very strongly condemn the manner in which some of you are entertaining few Pakistani artists time and again by conducting events and television programmes, serials etc thus making our Indian artistes helpless, jobless causing grave injustice to their hard-earned talent,” it said.

Bhatt said the threat was a method to continue the war in the field of arts and culture. He said it was the responsibility of the governments at the centre and in Maharashtra to take action in this regard.

“They have to decide whether they allow trampling of individual liberty and can any political group dictate you to do this and not this,” said the filmmaker.

He said while Rahat should be punished and jailed if he had violated the law, the process of cultural exchanges should not be stopped in the larger interest of the people of the entire region.

Bhatt recalled that it was he who brought Rahat to the film industry and he sung for “Paap” and later for “Kalyug”. “We made many films since then and a Bangladeshi and a Nepalese singer also sung for us,” he said.

“A thousand songs are recorded in India and hardly 10 or 12 of them are sung by Pakistanis. It is wrong to say that others are not getting work because of this,” he added.

Bhatt feels threats like these could demolish the bridge he and some others built a few years ago for cultural exchange to remove the bitterness between the two countries.

“We achieved what others could not achieve for 60 years. Before 2006, no Indian films were screened in Pakistan. Today all Indian films are being screened in Pakistan and Indian cinema is making money from this. In return, only two or three of their singers come here,” he said.

The filmmaker emphasised that people of Pakistan are not the government of Pakistan.

“Our Pakistani brothers are also fighting against those people who are involved in bloodshed. They are also victims. It is not proper to put entire people of Pakistan in dock, stop the composite dialogue process and hope that the region will be fine,” he added.
- IANS

Dil Chaht Hai Movie Review

Excel Entertainment's DIL CHAHTA HAI, written-directed by Farhan Akhtar, tells the story of three friends – Akash (Aamir Khan), Sameer (Saif Ali Khan) and Siddharth (Akshaye Khanna).

Akash is a non-believer. He thinks the concept of love is created to ruin perfectly healthy relationships.

Sameer is a believer. He wants to be in love. He loves being in love. Unfortunately for him, he hasn't quite grasped the concept of it just yet. Wearing his heart on his sleeve, he is out there persevering, believing that he will find that 'special her', as long as he keeps searching.

Siddharth is mature, sensitive and understanding. Siddharth aka Sid knows the true meaning of the word – love. He feels it everyday, every hour, every minute. For his friends, his acquaintances, for the stray dog living outside his gate, for the tree that's just been planted next door. He has reached modern day enlightenment.

DIL CHAHTA HAI is a film about these three distinct characters, their individual relationships and the effect that those relationships have on the three of them.

You expect the moon from DIL CHAHTA HAI as far as entertainment goes and there are three vital reasons behind it:

One, the film stars some of the best names in the business, who have been accredited for their acting prowess.

Two, the film marks the debut of Farhan Akhtar, son of Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, two accomplished writers.

Three, the promotion of the film and the hype it has generated makes it a keenly anticipated film.

So does DIL CHAHTA HAI meet the high expectations? Yes and no!

Let's begin with the uppers…

* The storyline is diverse from the run-of-the-mill fares we've been subjected to since time immemorial.

* The performances of the three lead stars are marvellous. More about this later.

* The music (Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy) is refreshingly different. The makers have experimented with a new sound and it works.

* The initial reels are full of light moments and keep the viewer in splits with witty one-liners.

* The look of the film deserves special mention. Technically too, the product is first-rate.

Now the downers…

* The biggest flaw of the film is that it has been treated like an English film. To be honest, it is too western for the Indian masses to digest. Moreover, in the post-interval portions, the story moves on three different tracks, which are alien to each other.

* The second drawback is the length and the pace of the film. The story has been stretched excessively in the second half and what adds to the problems is the lethargic pace of the narration.

* Besides the above-mentioned flaws, the film suffers in the scripting department. The storyline is new, but it has its limitations. It might appeal to a select few in metros; universal acceptance is ruled out.

* The story just doesn't budge in the first half. Actually, the director has concentrated more on incidents/individual sequences to move the narration ahead. The story actually gains momentum at the interval point.

Even otherwise, there are portions where you feel that the script should've been coherent. To cite instances:

From the word 'go', Aamir is projected to be gregarious by nature, but the time he takes to come to terms with the fact that he has indeed fallen in love and the time he takes to convey his feelings to Preity Zinta, contradicts his basic nature.

Akshaye is shown falling in love with a woman elder to him, which may appeal to the elite only.

As a director, Farhan Akhtar makes a brilliant debut. The light sequences in the first half or the interval point when Akshaye slaps Aamir and even some emotional moments in the second half have been shot remarkably.

But as the script writer, he should've known that presenting an English film in the garb of a Hindi film may not catch the fancy of an average Indian cinegoer. The film has an urban look and feel to it and only a faction of cinegoers would take to this kind of a script.

Shankar-Ehsan-Loy's music is pleasing to the ears. What uplifts the score is the picturisation of the songs (Farah Khan), which gels well with the mood of the film. The pick of the lot are 'Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe', 'Jaane Kyon Log Pyaar Karte Hain' and the title track. 'Tanhai' is a gem lyrically and even its picturisation is noteworthy.

Ravi Chandran's cinematography deserves the highest marks. The locales of Sydney and Goa have been shot to perfection. Dialogues are witty, funny and heart-rending.

DIL CHAHTA HAI is a landmark film for Aamir Khan, who proves his supremacy yet again. The actor goes through this difficult role with precision and bolsters the fact that he is the best actor amongst the current lot.

Saif Ali Khan delivers his career-best performance. His scenes with his girl-friend (Suchitra Pillai) in the initial reels and later with Sonali Kulkarni's fianc?re hilarious. Not once do you feel that Saif is overawed by the presence of two powerful actors, for his work is excellent.

Akshaye Khanna conveys a lot through his expressions and that's where he triumphs. An actor par excellence, Akshaye essays this complex character with flourish. The scene with Aamir at the interval point indicates that the guy is amongst the best performers we have today.

Preity Zinta looks hep and emotes with utmost conviction, showing a marked improvement over her previous performances. Sonali Kulkarni is wasted in an insignificant role. Dimple Kapadia is just about okay. Ayub Khan gives a good account of himself. Suhasini Mulay, as Akshaye's mother, is natural.

On the whole, DIL CHAHTA HAI will find patronage and flavour from the youth in Mumbai city and Overseas (in the U.S. and U.K. mainly!), but the film will find the going tough elsewhere in India

Devdas Movie Review

Top of the line star cast.
Gargantuan budget.
Lavish mounting.
Big-time director.
Tremendous hype…

Bharat Shah's DEVDAS, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, is a saga of mammoth proportions, but it lacks the power to stimulate, mesmerise, captivate and enthral the viewer.

Son of an affluent zamindar, Devdas (Shah Rukh Khan) opened his eyes to a world where wealth dominated his existence. Indulged he was by his lovely playmate Paro (Aishwarya Rai). It was a special childhood and it seemed only Devdas and Paro seemed to exist for each other.

The reverie was broken when elders sent Devdas to London for education. When Devdas returned, Paro's mother (Kiron Kher) proposed Devdas and Paro's marriage. But it was met with condescendingly.

Heart-broken Paro entered into a chaste marriage with a wealthy, much older man, Zamindar Bhuvan (Vijayendra Ghatge), while a shattered Devdas took refuge in anguish, alcoholism and Chandramukhi (Madhuri Dixit), a stunning courtesan.

Strange was the fate of Devdas. Intensely loved by two women, who were never meant to be his. One, whom he could never love and the other, whom he could never stop loving…

DEVDAS, one of the keenly-awaited flicks of the year, has finally released. And the hype and hoopla associated with the film has translated into tremendous craze for this mega venture. However, unfortunately, all that shimmers in not gold!

Innumerable directors have tackled the story of two childhood lovers facing parental opposition, going separate ways, yet loving each other. In that respect, the story of DEVDAS holds no charm or novelty for the cinegoer of today.

But the difference lies in the fact that the person at the helm of affairs is none other than Sanjay Leela Bhansali. A craftsman par excellence. A great story-teller.

DEVDAS has the budget, the canvas, the mounting that no Hindi film can boast of to date. The opulent sets, the grandiose look, the mounting and the ambience makes you gape in astonishment.

Technically too, the film is a superior product. The shot execution, the sound quality and the cinematography bowl your mind as you embark on a journey that promises the world as far as entertainment is concerned.

Bhansali also deserves bouquets for handling several sequences with aplomb. The Kiron Kher – Smita Jayakar fiery confrontation (first half) deserves distinction marks. Ditto for the scene between Madhuri Dixit and Milind Gunaji, when the latter throws a challenge at her.

The Madhuri – Aishwarya confrontation and the dramatic sequence soon after 'Dola Dola', when Madhuri confronts Milind, are a few instances that endorse the fact that Bhansali is amongst the best in the business.

But the film lacks the grip in totality to keep the viewer's attention arrested, which factually was a strongpoint of Bhansali's previous effort HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM. It is evident that Bhansali has, this time, taken extra care to make the frame look brilliant, but the screenplay abounds in glitches and clich?

The first half has an enjoyable mix of light moments and dramatic scenes and the interval point raises the expectations of a better and much bigger second half. But the post-interval portions fail to hold your attention and there are several reasons for it.

One, the Chunnilal track (Jackie Shroff) comes as a major hindrance in the plot. Although his significance is imperative in the script, somehow you don't take to Chunnilal's character and his presentation. He's been used as a mere prop to further the story and the lines mouthed by him grossly irritate.

Secondly, the sequences between Madhuri and SRK are far from magical. Why does Madhuri fall in love with SRK instantaneously, without any reason whatsoever, baffles the viewer. Later, Paro and Chandramukhi's friendship and making them dance together ('Dola Re Dola') seems forced.

Moreover, the second half is too lengthy and needs to be trimmed by at least 20 minutes. The 'Sheeshe Se Sheesha Takraye' song, for instance, was just not needed. Besides, the film moves at a snail's pace in this half.

Most importantly, will a theme like this – a tragic love story of yore – find flavour and identification with the cinegoer of today and more specifically with the youth and the hoi polloi, remains a pertinent question while watching the film.

Ismail Darbar's music gels well with the mood of the film. Nusrat Badr's lyrics are lyrical gems. Binod Pradhan's cinematography is dazzling. Dialogues are brilliant at places. The sets, props and the overall look deserve special mention. Costumes and finery are exquisite.

And now to the performances!

Shah Rukh Khan excels in a couple of sequences, but seems like replicating himself in the others. Madhuri Dixit looks bewitching but lacks the fire to carry off such a role. She goes through her role mechanically. It is Aishwarya Rai who steals the show with a performance that takes you by surprise. She dominates the film with a performance that is sure to win her accolades. Jackie Shroff hams. Kiron Kher is first-rate. Smita Jayakar is alright. Ananya, as Devdas's scheming sister-in-law, is superb.

On the whole, DEVDAS belies the expectations that one has from a film of this magnitude. Expectedly, the much-hyped film has taken a historic start all over, but it