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Akshay Kumar’s son Aarav makes a statement
On Friday evening, Akshay Kumar’s son Aarav was awarded for ‘Extraordinary Contribution by a Child’. The event took place at Delhi Sustainable Development Summit at the Taj Palace, New Delhi, where the 9 year old kid was awarded at the second edition of the Green Global Foundation Awards. As it turned out, Aarav held stage with some of the eminent dignitaries belonging to different spheres of life and occupying some of the highest positions in the corporate, political and environmental world. Each of them had a story to tell which led them to environment protection and Aarav had his own story to tell. “These human beings are very bad. They are cutting trees’”, Aarav remembers stating soon after seeing Avatar. Narrating the incident that impacted him, the young boy made this statement in response to the destruction, mainly pertaining to environment, which was on display in the James Cameron film which is now the biggest money spinner ever in the history of world cinema. While majority of cine enthusiasts, trade experts and ‘aam junta’, were happy debating the technical marvel and brilliance that Avatar brought with it, Aarav (who could well be amongst thousands of others kids who had a similar thought) picked up the point around environment destruction. A statement like this makes one think aloud – ‘Have today’s kids grown up faster than one thought?’ In the world of unimaginable gadgets up for exploitation, hundreds of satellite channels, blogs, social networking sites and of course the exposure that kids, especially in urban India, are getting today, are we looking at an age where it would finally be kids, instead of grown up adults, who could well be the saviour of Planet Earth. Of course this doesn’t take away the effort of thousands of professionals with brilliant minds who are working round the clock and across the globe to save the world from dying down. However, the statement from a kid here is something that is not often heard from a common man and this is the reason why it manages to raise a voice that is seldom heard. As a leading celebrity from the world of Bollywood comments, “People from our age group of 30-40 have more or less as many number of years left for us. May be we won’t get harmed by what we are doing to our own world. But then our kids have wised up. They know for sure that if this destruction continues for another 30-40 years, their lives are doomed. And lesser said about the future of the generation that follows after them, the better.” No wonder, it appears that kids and teenagers have taken up the matter in their own hands and are doing whatever little that is possible to create awareness about fighting the menace of global warming. In fact Aarav was recently awarded for ‘Excellent Contribution by a Child’ for his involvement in the reduction of global warming. Apparently he asked Akshay Kumar to adopt a village that didn’t have electricity and persuaded him to supply them with solar lanterns and other energy saving devices. Not all kids can be expected to be this lucky to boast of a doting father who doesn’t just sit on a pot of gold but is also understanding enough to grant a wish like this. On the other hand the very idea about kids of this age having at least a thought in this direction is a good enough reason to celebrate. Perhaps there may be thousands of other kids like these who do believe in the cause. Perhaps a few hundred of them will eventually come up with a practical solution and get support, both emotionally and monetarily, from their parents as well. Perhaps this would lead to a widespread improvement in the way inhabitants look at Planet Earth. And perhaps then, there would be far better and positive statements being made.
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Akshay Kumar’s son Aarav makes a statement
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Hollywood calling for Shah Rukh Khan; to do a film with Leonardo Di Caprio
about 3 days ago - No comments
The big news Now this development really gets the antennas stand right up with all attention reserved for what next is really in the offing. Believe it or not but a major Hollywood-Bollywood collaboration is right up in the anvil and two of the bigger superstars from different ends of the world are all set to share screen space. The film in question is Xtrme City and the men in question – hold your breath – Shah Rukh Khan and Leonardo Di Caprio. Yes, even though all of this seemed like a dream till a few years back, it is indeed turning out to be a reality since work is progressing on brisk speed to get the scripting in place for the film. There is quite some action on pre-production front as well and Xtrme City is looking positive at going on floors by end of 2010. If that indeed happens, Shah Rukh can well be expected to be really busy all through 2010 and 2011 with Ra 1 and the sequel of Don required to be wrapped up before Xtrme City starts taking a shape. How it happened Informs our source, “Not many know but when Shah Rukh visited Berlin for the premiere of My Name Is Khan, his agenda also included a groundbreaking movie deal. He was power-dining with Hollywood bigwigs like director Martin Scorsese and screenplay writer Paul Schrader over the project which is touted to star Bollywood’s reigning superstar with Hollywood heartthrob Leonardo Di Caprio. Karan Johar, David Weisman and screenplay writer Mushtaq Shiekh were present at the meeting.” The film doesn’t really come as a complete piece of surprise though. Yes, Shah Rukh’s presence has raised quite a few eyebrows though one could have expected to see this coming since his close friend and associate Mushtaq Shiekh had already been commissioned to write the film. The director was finalised as Paul Schrader, the same man who had made Robert De Niro come up with a career defining act in Taxi Driver. On the other hand, Mushtaq has made Shah Rukh Khan go over the top as never before in Om Shanti Om. When Paul Schrader had earlier visited India in 2008, he had indeed talked about collaborating on a project that would marry Indian ethos with Western sentiment. His Xtrme City was touted to combine the cinematic traditions of both Bollywood and Hollywood and provide wholesome cross-culture entertainment. For this purpose, he had written the film along with Mushtaq who does come with a super strong Shah Rukh connection. In the past, he has authored bestselling biographies for Shah Rukh Khan like ‘SRK: Still Reading Khan’ and ‘Shah Rukh Can’. He has also written books like ‘The Making of Asoka’, ‘Devdas – The Indian Hamlet’ and ‘The Making of Om Shanti Om’. Of course his claim to fame are screenwriting credits for Om Shanti Om, Billu and Shah Rukh’s under production Ra 1. At that time, another piece of announcement had stated – “This groundbreaking production will showcase a Bollywood mega-star and a Hollywood movie-star sharing top billing in a major motion picture. The film is destined for both the subcontinent and international markets. In fact, Xtrme City is already in the process of casting the two star leads. The film is going to be a hugely mounted affair with a multi million budget.” The superstars However, not many would have assumed that the two leads would be none other than Shah Rukh Khan and Leonardo Di Caprio. Meanwhile, Paul Schrader had been hinting all along that he would work only with the biggest Bollywood star and that is why he was keen to sign Shah Rukh for the leading role. It was also quite clear that if the two actors indeed sign up on the dotted line to star in the multi-million project, both Shah Rukh and Leonardo Di Caprio would get top billing. Xtrme City will be an action-thriller set in Mumbai covering the criminal underbelly of the city. When contacted, Mushtaq Shiekh said, “It’s too premature to discuss the casting of the film. But yes, Shah Rukh and Leonardo did meet up in Berlin. The meeting was just a casual one; they were there for the premiere of their films Shutter Island and My Name Is Khan respectively. The highlight of the meeting was Karan Johar who entertained everyone with absolutely delightful Bollywood trivia.” On the other hand Paul Schrader, who has directed 18 films, confirms that the Hollywood-Bollywood collaboration is certainly on. “I hadn’t thought about working in India”, says the man who has previously worked in Japan, Italy, Romania, Israel and Morocco. However, now I see Bollywood as the next great frontier. Xtrme City is a cross-cultural entertainment that merges the cinematic traditions of Bollywood and Hollywood. I am indeed excited to make a film which is accessible and meaningful to both Indian and American cultures.” Adds Mushtaq, “Working on Xtrme City with a master screenwriter like Paul Schrader has been exhilarating and a marvellous illumination for me. He is tireless. We kept at it until achieving a perfect emotional balance for our story. We wanted to reveal the best of each world in surprising, entertaining, inspiring ways. That’s what I like about Paul’s screenplay. Ours is a film that never takes either culture for granted.” The Martin Scorcese factor Meanwhile another big name, Martin Scorcese, too turned out to be quite a handful in this meeting that saw Shah Rukh Khan, Leonardo Di Caprio, Karan Johar, Paul Schrader and Mushtaq Shiekh coming together. The man who has directed Leonardo in Shutter Island, The Departed, The Aviator and Gangs of New York in the past is pretty abreast with the going-ons in Bollywood as well. “I was amazed by how Martin Scorsese was completely in sync with all that is happening in Bollywood. His knowledge about old Hindi films left me shocked”, says Mushtaq in awe, “In that one room, seeing such gigantic movie business folks was almost like seeing a mega Hollywood-Bollywood movie live. Their interest in Bollywood cinema is just as animated as how we marvel at their film culture.” The release Adds the source, “The film is aiming for a late 2010 shoot in Mumbai, New York and the Persian Gulf. The makers are hoping for a 2011 release. As with many Bollywood films, Xtrme City will integrate thriller, drama and comedy elements. The movie will be family-friendly though there would certainly be elements of violence. However, sex will be downplayed, though there would be quintessential song and dance routines.” Well, My Name Is Khan has already earned its stripes in America by being declared the highest grossing ’specialty film’ of 2010. Though this tag does make one look at the overall success a little more closely, the term ’specialty’ may get a whole new perspective if he succeeds in pulling off a casting-coup. Also, it is now obvious that Shah Rukh’s hush-hush meeting in Berlin will spark off a new interest in Bollywood stars actually managing to make a Hollywood breakthrough. Will Shah Rukh lead the pack with Xtrme City? From what it seems, both Shah Rukh and Leonardo Di Caprio might be pulling off one of the biggest movie collaboration in recent times. What we have heard is just the tip of the iceberg! About Xtrme City: Xtrme City is an action thriller set in the brutal, impenetrable, criminal orbit of Mumbai, India. Curtis Hawkley, a former U.S. Ranger, is obliged to return to Mumbai when his father-in-law’s youngest daughter is kidnapped by a powerful underworld Don. In order to save the girl he must first find his old friend Raj Rangan, an Indian Special Forces Commando who became a crime world enforcer. After reuniting and saving the girl, the two men are drawn deeper into the “bhai” underworld of Mumbai than they expected. Sense of duty compels them to take on a system of corruption, revenge, and familial obligations.
Hide & Seek
about 4 days ago - No comments
Generally speaking, a film starring relative newcomers and helmed by a first-time director comes with zilch expectations. And if the film in question happens to be a suspense-thriller, the debutante director has to walk a tight rope. One false step and chances are he’d fall on his face. Debutante director Shawn Arranha surprises you in his very first outing. It may not be the most captivating thriller you’ve watched, but there are moments that keep you hooked to the proceedings. Also, a suspense saga works if you continue to play the guessing game till the end and in this case, you can’t tell who the culprit is. That is nothing short of a victory for this film! On the flip side, the making could’ve been better in terms of production values and at times, it does give an impression of being a rushed job as far as the writing is concerned. Love slasher movies? Watch HIDE & SEEK. It has ample adrenaline pumping moments! They were kids – Om, Abhi, Jaideep, Imran, Gunita and Jyotika. And it all started as a game on a chilly Christmas night. But little did they expect that night that the game would change their lives forever. Twelve years later, while some still wrestled with memories of that fateful night and others left it buried deep within them, it was a past that came back to haunt them again. Twelve years later, someone was bringing them all together. To play that game all over again. Six best friends turn into worst enemies when trapped in a shopping mall. If you let logic take a backseat, chances are you’d enjoy this ride more. Just don’t question how one person, single-handedly, kidnaps his friends the same night and assembles them at one location, without any help whatsoever. If you skip this gaffe, the journey ahead would be riveting in most parts. It takes time to get used to the plot. It does get confusing when the film goes back and forth with regularity and you wonder, what is the director trying to say? But the jigsaw puzzle slowly gets solved in the post-interval portions, although the end sends out confusing signals. In view of the fact that it is his first film, Shawn does a commendable job. Only thing, he should’ve simplified a few things, especially the end. The songs are okay, while the camerawork lacks finesse. The performances by the lead actors are neat, with every member putting his/her best foot forward. Purab Kohli is super-efficient, as always. Arjan Bajwa gets the look and feel of the character right. Samir Kochhar leaves a strong impact. Ayaz Khan is decent. Mrinalini Sharma springs a pleasant surprise with a ’spirited’ performance. Amruta Patki impresses as well. On the whole, HIDE & SEEK is a gripping suspense drama that keeps you guessing till its end. Go for it, if a good suspense thriller is what you’re looking at!
T-Series inks 5 Film Music deal with Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevision Ltd.
about 6 days ago - No comments
The bond between T-Series and Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevision Ltd. just got stronger. T-Series has acquired Music Rights of Shree Ashtavinayak’s Khatta Meetha directed by Priyadarshan starring Akshay Kumar and Trisha Krishnan, Golmaal 3 being directed by Rohit Shetty starring Ajay Devgan, Kunal Khemu, Shreyas Talpade and Kareena Kapoor, Tees Maar Khan starring Akshay Kumar, Akshye Khanna, Katrina Kaif directed by Farah Khan. Run Bhola Run starring Govinda, Tushar Kapoor directed by Neeraj Vora and an untitled film starring Saif Ali Khan directed by Kunal Kohli. With this mega deal T Series once again proves that they are the biggest player in the music industry.
"The background score of Road Movie is non-Indian" – Michael Brooks
about 1 week ago - No comments
How many of us ever thought that a Bollywood film would have music by a complete foreigner? Well that’s exactly the case with the film Road, Movie. Famous Canadian Guitarist, Michael Brook has given background score for Dev Benegal’s Road, Movie. Michael has contributed to U2’s famous album The Joshua Tree in the form of his invention – the infinite guitar and was also nominated for Grammy Awards in 1996 for his production work and as co-artist on Pakistani singer Nusrat fateh Ali Khan’s album, Night Song. Apart from these, he has also contributed for the album Rock Paper Scissors. While for Hollywood, Michael has done a number of film sound tracks including the music for Albino Alligator, Mission Impossible 2, Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and Sean Penn’s critically acclaimed, Into The Wild. Bollywood Hungama spoke to Michael to find out more about his compositions and of course his experience of working in Bollywood. The first question on everyone’s mind is, how did Bollywood happen to you? I had some connection with the producers from the past, and I believe that Dev Benegal, the director was aware of my music. What made you sign Road, Movie? A combination of the beauty and emotional resonance of the film and Dev’s deep musical knowledge and creative ideas was enough cause and reason for me to say yes and sign the film. What according to you is unique about its background music? I’d say that the dominant aspect of the music is that it is quite distinctly non-Indian and strongly influenced by African music. This was Dev’s concept to try and create an exotic but non-specific atmosphere. So in a way yes this is some unique kind of music. The dominant aspect of the music is that it is quite distinctly non-Indian and strongly influenced by African music From making music for popular bands, creating breakthroughs like inventing the Infinite Guitar, to making music for Hollywood big wigs to Bollywood now, how has the journey been? Pretty good really. I’m extremely lucky to be able to do what I love to do and to earn a living. It’s a very privileged position and I appreciate it. Also having a 2 1/2 year old son is an equally rewarding experience. Tell us about your experience of Bollywood now that you have had a first hand taste of it? I’m not sure that I really experienced Bollywood as all of the work was done in my studio at home and we didn’t have the big dance and singing production numbers. Maybe my clichéd view of Bollywood is outdated. I have however played a concert in Chennai with Mandolin U. Srinivas and we did rehearse in some of the film studios, which was a very cool experience. How different is Bollywood from its western counterpart? My, again possibly not quite valid, impression is that Bollywood filmmaking is much more spontaneous and improvisatory than Hollywood. But I gather that Indian films are getting larger and more structured in their productions and that some film e.g. District 9, are being made more through an improvisatory process. What was the biggest challenge while doing the music for an Indian film? A big challenge was in trying to be other worldly without being unfocussed emotionally with the score. Was the language a barrier? The challenging part was that I don’t have the same cultural history as Dev, or probably most Indians, and so some aspects of the film had a different resonance for him e.g. Scherazade. You have also worked with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, how did that come about? I was asked by Peter Gabriel to work with Nusrat, probably based on what Peter heard in my first solo record Hybrid. When I was in Pakistan, about 12 years ago, I saw some really great singers at a concert, but I really don’t have much awareness of what is going on there now. So what are your future plans about Bollywood, does it look promising and would you like to do more work here? I don’t have plans, but certainly would love to do more projects with Bollywood. Certainly would love to do more projects with Bollywood Do you think there is now more interaction between the Asian and American / European markets than before or is it just the ‘Slumdog effect”? I think that there has been a gradual increase in awareness of the richness and depth of Indian culture over the last 40 years. Slumdog gave a kind of turbo boost to that process and I hope that it continues. I think that there has been a gradual increase in awareness of the richness and depth of Indian culture over the last 40 years You’ve composed scores for Mission Impossible 2 & Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth too. Can you share some special moments from these experiences? These two films are probably at opposite ends of the spectrum of my experiences. Both were good. On MI2, I was part of a very large team assembled by Hans Zimmer. It was great to work with so many people and I really enjoyed the kind of community of musicians and composers that I was part of. AIT was a much more delicate and solitary process, a great deal of which was trying to figure out where music should go. It turned out that we couldn’t really have music when AL Gore was lecturing as it made it seem propogandish. So there is only music when he is talking about his life or events outside the lecture. Having invented something like the Infinite Guitar, you must have a thing for instruments. What’s your favourite Indian instrument? My two favourite Indian instruments are the Shenai, particularly when played by Bismallah Khan, and the Veena. Which one (Indian instrument) have you used the most in Road, Movie? We didn’t use Indian instruments. The background score is one of the most important character of any film. Which film’s background score has impressed you the most till date? Recently I’ve come to appreciate the work of David Newman in his many scores, Wall-E, American Beauty, Cliff Martinez, Solaris, and of course the early work of the great Ennio Morricone. More recently, I thought that the score to Sherlock Holmes was really good You must have been one of the first people to see Road, Movie – what was your reaction? My first impression was of stunningly beautiful imagery and rich, intriguing characters. Did Abhay Deol impress you as much as Tom Cruise? Undoubtedly Which other Indian artist (Music or Films) have you been introduced to and like hearing or watching? I have been enjoying The Bombay Connection Volumes 1 and 2, collections of music from Bollywood films of the 60s and 70s
National Award winning child actor Shams Patel wants to meet Salman Khan
about 1 week ago - No comments
Shams Patel plays a Salman Khan fan in Thanks Maa. He also happens to be one in real life. The boy who has won this year’s National Award for Best Child Actor confesses he has made his parents relieved and proud. “I’m very average at my studies. So they feel at least I’ve made a name for myself in another field. My parents are very excited. I’m too. But nothing compared to them.” Shams belongs to a business family with no background in cinema. “I got the role in Thanks Maa because the director Irrfan Kamal is my mama (uncle),” Shams confessed candidly. “He asked me to audition along with many other hopefuls. I had no acting experience. My interests are football and cricket, not acting. But when my uncle told me try my luck, I decided, why not? I never thought I’d get the role. After I got the role, I attended workshops.” Even more of a surprise was the National Award. “I was thrilled with the award. If it wasn’t for Irrfan Sir (director Irrfan Kamal) and Abhay Sir (acting coach Abhay Joshi), I wouldn’t be here.” “Here” is of course a state of the mind, since no one close to Shams has seen Thanks Maa. “None of my friends in school have seen the film, or even know about it. They’re too young to watch it. So there’s no question of being treated special. Yeah, my two elder sisters saw the film. They started crying.” Shams admits that he wasn’t familiar with the slum setting of the film. “But 50 other kids from the slums came for the workshop. I observed them and their way of talking. I copied them. I saw their emotions and used them. I was very moved by the way the people live in the slums. The clothes they wear, food that they eat and the language they speak in the slums was all a new experience for me. I came away from the film as a different person.” Shams was 12 when they shot Thanks Maa. He gets guarded when asked about Danny Boyle’s slum saga. “I’ve seen Slumdog Millionaire. Thanks Maa is totally different. Of course the characters and clothings of us slum kids is the somewhat the same as their picture. But, our storyline is totally different.” Shams had a great time shooting with the five kids who play his friends in Thanks Maa. “While the shooting lasted, we were like brothers and sisters. But now I’m not in touch with them. Now I’m just concentrating on my studies.” Spoken like a true professional, Shams confesses, “I’m not much interested in acting. But I do watch films and am a huge fan of Salman Khan. After Thanks Maa, I’ll meet Salman for sure. I don’t know what will be the outcome of the film. Lekin kuch to hona chahiye.” Shams Patel, who has won the National Award for Best Child Actor in the film Thanks Maa, is upset because he hasn’t been allowed to watch his own film. “Will you please talk to the censor board?” requests the 13-year old National Award winner, now on the verge of exasperation as the day of his film’s release approaches. “Thanks Maa has been given an ‘A’ certificate. Wohi toh problem hai. I can’t watch my own film for the next five years. Will you ask them to change it to a ‘U/A’ certificate, so I could see my film accompanied by my parents? Ideally, I want to watch it with my friends.”
"An unwanted guest is just not welcome" – Paresh Rawal
about 1 week ago - No comments
Paresh Rawal is truly a versatile actor. Of late, the supremely talented actor was cast/will be seen in diverse roles — negative [RANN], serious [ROAD TO SANGAM] and comic [ATITHI TUM KAB JAOGE? and NA GHAR KE NA GHAAT KE] — which only goes to show his infinite range. “Believe me, I am nervous every time I accept a film. Will I get it [the role] right? This question crosses my mind several times,” he tells me. He has two back-to-back releases in March. ATITHI TUM KAB JAOGE? opens on March 5, while NA GHAR KE NA GHAAT KE hits the screens on March 12. He plays an unwanted guest in the former and a cop in latter, but the commonality is that he causes problems for the main characters of those films. Ask Paresh if he has ever had an unwanted guest over and he dismisses it off. “Not yet! Actually, everyone’s busy with their lives and there’s hardly time to socialise or overstay at anyone’s house. Also, I guess, everyone values privacy nowadays, so an unwanted guest is just not welcome,” Paresh points out. Not many are aware that Paresh never attends the mahurat ceremony [launch] of his movies. “Call me superstitious, but I’ve noticed that every time I attend a launch function of my movie, things start going wrong and the film ends up getting shelved. Similarly, I don’t watch my movies in preview screenings because I feel they meet a sad fate at the box-office. I prefer watching movies with the audience in a cineplex,” he states.
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge completes 750 weeks
about 2 weeks ago - No comments
Just like old wine, SRK and Kajol’s blockbuster film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) keeps getting better and better with each passing year. This month- February 2010, DDLJ has set yet another record by completing 750 weeks of continuous play. In a feat perhaps unmatched anywhere in the world, the magic of the evergreen romance keeps pulling audiences back to the Maratha Mandir theatre in Mumbai. Directed by Aditya Chopra, DDLJ opened to full houses and rave reviews all over the world way back on 20th October 1995. This evergreen Yash Raj Film remains the longest running film in the history of Indian cinema, as it passes one milestone after another, and is presently running in its 15th year of running.
"I became like a kid on sets after seeing Big B and Ben Kingsley" – Madhavan
about 2 weeks ago - No comments
Madhavan or Maddy, as he is fondly known as, finished 2009 on a high with the biggest blockbuster 3 Idiots. He starts 2010 with another big film Teen Patti. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, Maddy talks about his experience working with two of cinema’s stalwarts, Mr. Bachchan and Sir Ben Kingsley. While doing so he also shares with us some fun moments the ‘kids’ and the rest of the crew had while on the sets. Read on to know more. You have Alibaug, Sunglass, Tanu Weds Manu and yet another film with Kangna and a few other Tamil films coming up, could you shed some light on these projects? Tanu Weds Manu is with Kangna and me and is being directed by Anand Rai. We have so far finished one schedule. The film basically is a comical love story based in a small town like Lucknow, and not in a city. It’s got that earthy smell of rural or rather central India instead of the urban metropolis so I think it’s very exciting. While the other film with Kangna is still under discussion and nothing has been finalized as yet. Big B is so talented that if you look at him just as an actor, it’s unfair Alibaug hasn’t been signed as such while Sunglass is actually finished and I really have no reason as to why it’s not releasing. So I guess you could say it’s shelved. What was it like working with two stalwarts of cinema Sir Ben Kingsley and Mr. Bachchan, you being a huge Bachchan fan? I have always been a huge fan of Mr. Bachchan but after this film all I can say is that I have become a devotee, he is just such an amazing, amazing man. He’s so talented that if you look at him just as an actor, it’s unfair. He just manages to blow your mind, I mean I went golfing with him and he plays great golf, while he is absolutely hilarious when it come to rib tickers and by far the best part is that he shares the same passions I do. He loves cars; he loves engineering, so it was a blast. Have you seen the film 21? There are a lot of people saying that Teen Patti is based on similar lines… Well in a sense it is about professors and students who are involved in card counting. In terms of the premise it might be, but then there are a lot of other aspects to the film that make it totally different from its erstwhile counterpart. What’s your character in the film Teen Patti? In the film, I am playing a professor in a college who believes that he got a really raw deal. As professors we educate the students so we should really be getting good money. So I want to live life in the fast lanes and make good money and enjoy the luxuries of life but there is a price I have to pay for it. Did you actually play mentor to the 4 newcomers on the sets? No! I guess the kids were just as blown away by Mr. Bachchan as I was. When it comes to mentoring I was lost, I think Mr. Bachchan was the one who played the role of a mentor to them. What was it like working with the two stalwarts of cinema, Mr. Bachchan and Sir Ben Kingsley? I was like a kid in a candy shop. I didn’t know who to look at; I didn’t know what to do. It was surreal. I was telling my assistant to take my photos and quite literally I became like a kid on the sets with both Mr. Bachchan and Sir Ben Kingsley. If you were to analyze which is that one film you wish you would be part of or rather a role that you would have loved to play what would it be? I think the only thing that comes to mind right now is the role that Shah Rukh plays in My Name is Khan. That is one film I would have loved to work in and especially play the part that SRK is playing.
"Working in KCK wasn’t akin to being on a home ground" – Deepika
about 2 weeks ago - No comments
Om Shanti Om, Bachna Ae Haseeno, Love Aaj Kal – Pick up any of the successful films that Deepika Padukone has been a part of and it is quite obvious that she has always had an important role to play in the film’s narrative. In fact even in a box office disappointment like Chandni Chowk To Chowk, she did have ample screen time with a double role to her credit. This is why when one sees her in a couple of song sequences and a light hearted scene or two in Karthik Calling Karthik, one wonders if this is all that she has to offer in the film? One wonders if there is space for any quintessential romance in Karthik Calling Karthik. Beyond a couple of love songs and a night club number, Deepika and Farhan can’t really be expected to romance around the trees in the film. So how does the entire romantic angle merge with the narrative? “Well, at the end of the day this film is a thriller”, agrees Deepika who is stepping into this genre for the first time, “Having said that, it was quite a lot of fun and challenge for me to be a part of it. The film is very different from its subject, plot, look and treatment perspective. I am glad to be doing something of this kind since I truly believe in what was explained to me abut Karthik Calling Karthik and hence chose it.” One also tends to believe that working in this film must have been akin to being comfortable in a home ground for Deepika. After all she comes from similar urban sensibilities and by the look of things; Karthik Calling Karthik too has its roots in being an urban contemporary tale. “Well, not really”, Deepika shakes her head in disagreement here, “The minute you become a part of a film, you transform from your real self to being a character. This is where you potential as a performer comes in. Shonali is very different person from what I am in real life. Hence, there was a definite effort involved in bringing her alive on screen. It wasn’t like being on a home ground for sure.” From an actor of her stature who has been gradually rising up the ladder, Deepika can’t be expected to have signed a film for the lure of big banner, big bucks and a rising star. There has to be a lot more than that and perhaps the promos are not showing it all while primarily focusing on Farhan’s character of ‘Karthik’. So is Deepika the ‘band muththi’ a.k.a. a surprise element in this debut directorial venture of Vijay Lalwani? “Well, keep guessing”, Deepika gives that mischievous smile here, “It is a thriller after all and I can’t be expected to reveal anything beyond a point. Of course you are right in saying that my roles have always boasted of good substance in them and Karthik Calling Karthik is going to be no different. Beyond that, I would rather be mum and wait for you to watch the film and then react.”
"Ajay is not dark or moody" – Konkona Sen
about 2 weeks ago - No comments
For someone who has close to 20 released films to her credit in last 5 years, Konkona Sen Sharma is doing quite good for herself. More so because ever since her debut effort way back in 2002, Mr And Mrs Iyer, she has seen more bouquets coming her way and hardly any brickbats. Ok, so an occasional Dil Kabaddi doesn’t quite do much justice to her acting talent but the fact remains that when it comes to performance, Konkona is the one that many a film maker are vouching for today. While Wake Up Sid did get her the kind of critical and commercial acclaim that is always expected from her, the beginning of 2009 had a fantastic Luck By Chance as well. Both were relatively serious films though. Now with Atithi Tum Kab Jaaoge? up for release, can one comfortably believe that this is one film which would allow her to have some fun as well. “Why are you forgetting The President Is Coming”, she smiles, “I guess it has been THE most, light hearted comedy that I have ever done. It was totally an out and out comedy and it’s unfortunate that it didn’t get the kind of visibility that it truly deserved.” “It was such an awesome film but then I guess because of the kind of system that we work in, not many people knew about it. Also, the names involved were not that huge due to which The President Is Coming got sidelined. Sad but true”, she sighs. She cheers up though once the conversation steers towards Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? and her co-star in the film, Ajay Devgn. “If you ask me, he is exactly like many other actors that I have worked with, most recently being Ranbir”, she says fondly, “Ajay is someone with whom you can easily strike a conversation and get chatting. He is a happy and easy going person rather than being dark and moody. I still won’t say that I know him very well but whatever I have seen of him, he is really quite friendly.” With the kind of ‘respected’ success that she has enjoyed over the years, especially with a true money spinner like Wake Up Sid not too far back, what does she feel about the direction that her career is taking? After all she seems to be seated quite comfortably in the big league with the likes of Karan Johar and Farhan Akhtar rooting for her after Yash Raj Films (Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, Aaja Nachle). “Honestly speaking, all the films that have happened to me so far are incidental. I don’t really plan and think much about the films I am doing or would be doing”, says Konkona, “I can’t really be making a decision that if I do something like this, my career would be driven in a particular direction. Yes, I have to admit though is that currently I am quite content with my career and have no complaints whatsoever.”