LONDON: Talent show guru Simon Cowell is taking his popular television formula to find new stars seeking fast fame to YouTube, joining a growing trend of companies using the internet to bypass traditional broadcasters.
Cowell, the mastermind behind global TV franchises The X Factor and Got Talent, unveiled plans on Monday for the first global audition channel, called The You Generation, that will be launched in 26 countries on March 20.
Syco Entertainment, Cowell’s joint venture with Sony Music, said it had teamed up with YouTube to run 26 fortnightly contests over the next year to give people the chance to upload audition videos showing their skills and win a cash prize.
“Our mission is to discover the world’s next big YouTube stars and showcase their amazing and unique talents on The You Generation channel,” they said in a joint statement.
YouTube, the video-sharing website set up in 2005, has become a new way to uncover talent, most notably launching the career of Canadian teen pop star Justin Bieber.
Organisers of the new YouTube channel said wannabe stars can upload videos in a list of categories, from make-up artists to style gurus, chefs to vocalists, adding that all submissions would be judged by Syco executives and relevant experts.
Every fortnight one winner will get a cash prize and become a finalist to win “an amazing grand prize”. No further details were available but winners of Cowell’s singing contest, The X Factor, win a recording contract.
Up to 69,000 people had subscribed to the channel by Monday.
The YouTube star search comes after Cowell has seen ratings of some of his shows start to slide and acknowledged that more people were consuming content on demand via YouTube, with this trend being fuelled by internet-connected TVs.
He told TV industry publication Broadcast late last year that online feedback was already playing a crucial role in shaping his shows and he was convinced that social media would become more important in the future evolution of Syco.
He is joining a growing band of companies heading straight to the internet to entertain people as video streaming technology makes watching videos on laptops and mobile devices as easy as flicking on a TV set.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 20th, 2013.
With a title like Jolly LLB and a cast boasting stellar actors like Arshad Warsi and Boman Irani, it is natural for one to expect this Subhash Kapoor film to be a spin-off of the fantastic Munna Bhai MBBS. While the film does have its share of hilarious one-liners, it is unlike Munna Bhai in the sense that it does not revolve around one man’s journey to become a lawyer; instead, it brings to light the dark side of the Indian judicial system with some highly dramatic, serious scenes.
Arshad Warsi plays the role of Jagdish Tyagi (Jolly). Jolly leaves Meerut to look for better opportunities in Delhi, in the hope of becoming one of the most influential litigators in the country. A series of interesting events leave him fighting for justice for the victims of a drunk driving episode. As Rajpal, Boman Irani is the big-shot litigator for the family involved in this high profile case.
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For those who have seen Kapoor’s Phans Gaye Rae Obama (PGRO), this film will not be impressive, as the director had set high expectations with his previous venture. The strength of a film like PGRO lies in a strong and carefully constructed screenplay that has no room for irrelevant information about the story and relies completely on a symphonic flow of an incredible script.
Jolly LLB is quite the opposite, as it relies totally on talented actors to infuse new energy in an apparently flat and interactive script. This is primarily the reason why this film is a one-time watch; unlike many court room dramas, its story is headed in a different direction. The humour comes from events which have nothing to do with the plot and your anticipation for something better is wasted.
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A film like OMG Oh My God is an example of court room drama that not only drives home a serious point, but manages to do so as a coherent whole. It is something you’d want to watch over and over, not because it touches on controversial issues but because it is engaging. Unfortunately, Jolly LLB does have its strong moments, but the film as a whole does not leave you satisfied.
Despite that, Kapoor still gets our vote for extraordinary direction; all the performances are awe-inspiring. True to his skill, Irani takes his game a few notches higher with this one and delivers his character of a greedy man under the shelter of a black coat eloquently. Warsi sounds like Circuit from Munna Bhai at places, but that adds extra depth to this lawyer-turned-reformist who shares some really powerful scenes with Irani. Amrita Rao, who plays Jolly’s love interest, displays a massive improvement in her acting skills. Veteran Saurabh Shukla, popularly known as Kallu Mama, brings a new flavour to every scene, making sure that his experiences shows in every line he delivers.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 20th, 2013.
MUMBAI: Internationally acclaimed film-maker Mira Nair says she would love to work with Bollywood stars, but says they don’t have time for her films.
“I would love to work with the stars here [in Bollywood], but they don’t have much time for me. They don’t have the dates I want,” the 55-year-old said on Saturday at the re-release of her 1988-film, Salaam Bombay!.
Nair believes that an actor must be powerful.
“I’ve worked with Irrfan [Khan], Shabana Azmi, Om Puri; we worked with Nana Patekar and we made him a star. So I don’t look at actors as stars, they just have to be extremely powerful,” Nair said.
“Look at Tabu in The Namesake, her performance was extraordinary. So for me it’s the power of an actor and we have so many powerful actors here. I am coming back [to India] to make a film,” she added.
The film-maker’s latest venture is The Reluctant Fundamentalist,a film based on an eponymous novel by Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid. The film is slated to release in India on May 10.
In the meantime, Nair’s 1988 film Salaam Bombay!, which was even nominated for an Oscar, is re-releasing on March 22.
Talking about Salaam Bombay!, she said she is glad to bring the film back to where it happened and changed the lives of thousands of street children.
“A film that we made with all our life, blood has literally changed the world because we have changed the lives of many street children through Salaam Balak Trust, the foundation that we made through the profits of Salaam Bombay!,” she said.
“It’s a wonderful thing to bring it back home, especially the city that gave me this great gift of this great film. To have the young people of today to see the film in theatres in a brand new digitally re-mastered print,” added Nair.
Salaam Bombay! features actors like Raghuvir Yadav, Nana Patekar, Irrfan Khan and Aanjjan Srivastav, and it is being re-released through PVR Director’s Rare.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 20th, 2013.
Starring a Taliban commander, a persecuted Christian and a holy Muslim man, the new TV show Taan — which means musical note in Urdu, also happens to be inspired from hit American TV show Glee — aims to unite Pakistanis, reported Telegraph.
Set in a music academy in Lahore, the 26-part serial tells the story of potential musicians as they try to become stars. Producer Nabeel Sarwar said they would not shy away from big issues our country faces and will offer an upbeat alternative to the despair and misery peddled by most TV channels.
“I thought ‘what are the two things that make Pakistanis unite — the cricket team which doesn’t perform or the music that does perform?’,” said Sarwar, the newspaper reported. “I wanted a show the whole county would love — they bop along to, buy the soundtrack, feel united.”
About 100 hits have been re-recorded for the series, to be performed in energetic dance routines or as atmospheric ballads. They range from the Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan tracks to the soft rock of Junoon.
Filming has already begun and Sarwar is reportedly in talks to sell the show to PTV. The channel, however, said that it was not aware of the development.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 20th, 2013.
Mostly in the limelight for controversies about her bold photo shoots and publicity stunts (we’re still not over the light-up bra!), actor Veena Malik, says that she loves the attention. “It feels great when people compliment you on your looks and skin,” she told The Express Tribune.
Veena, who was placed on the 26th spot of FHM India’s 100 Sexiest Women list, recently set a record by kissing 137 men in one minute, breaking actor Salman Khan’s earlier record. When asked why she resorts to such tactics for publicity, Veena was furious. “Please do not talk to me if you have to ask me this,” she said. “This was part of my film’s [The City That Never Sleeps] campaign. If Salman Khan can do it, why can’t I?” she deplored, adding that she feels the Pakistani media “needs to grow up”. In 2011, Salman got 108 kisses in a minute on the reality TV show Guinness World Record — Ab India Todega.
While talking about The City That Never Sleeps, the actor said, “It is my most recent project and for that we have opened two contests, one for selecting a singer for an item song for the movie and another one to select a couple required as supporting cast.” Veena revealed that the crew plans to break “20 more records” and that the kissing record was part of them.
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The TV host-turned-actor is excited to see the response for her upcoming Kanadda flick Silk, which is scheduled to release soon. “It will hopefully be a grand opening in the South [of India] and I am eagerly waiting to see it happen.” She added that she is busy with the promotions of her films and will start working on other projects by May.
The actor hopes that people enjoy her work in her films Zindagi 50/50 and Mumbai 125 km and said that she will only accept “exciting offers” made to her from the Pakistani media. “Pakistani channels keep offering me different projects, but I will take up only one if it is exciting,” she said, adding that “it should not get monotonous” because she gets bored “very easily.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2013.
Actor Deepika Padukone will be seen sharing screen space with her ex-boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor in Ayan Mukerji’s Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (YJHD). At the first-look launch of the film, Deepika commented about her experience working with Ranbir. “Ranbir is possessive about me,” she said with a smile. “It feels like it’s my first film. I am excited about it.”
The 27-year-old diva said the chemistry between them has been tried and tested before, and they both have agreed to do the film regardless of their past personal relationship with each other.
“Deepika and I have moved on as individuals and as actors,” said Ranbir. He finds her completely passionate and ambitious. Ranbir was last seen with Deepika four years ago in Bachna Ae Haseeno.
“I was amazed and happy to see that she has grown as an actor,” said Ranbir at the launch, reports IANS. “She is extremely intelligent and has a pretty smile, so it is easy to act like you are in love with her.”
“When you come across someone who is as motivated as you are, the experience of working together is terrific. I share a deep comfort level with her; I don’t feel awkward. We are all professionals,” said the 30-year-old star.
Ranbir talked about his character in the film and how the younger generation can relate to his role. “In YJHD, I’ve found myself,” said Ranbir. “It deals with the relationship, heartbreak and ambition of four people. All of my films have had a strong romantic tale underneath. This is the story of a guy who grows up from a 21-year-old boy to a 30-year-old man. It’s an urban film with characters that are closer to today’s youth.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2013.
Lollywood has remained a struggling industry for years — not only does it need a loyal audience, large budgets, proper screening and quality scripts but it also yearns for producers’ support.
However, it seems these criteria are still not enough as 2011’s big-budget film Son of Pakistan — touted as the first major release in the industry in ages — failed at the box office. Consequently, the willingness to provide Pakistani films a chance in the local industry has further condensed.
Despite a budget of Rs35 million, director Jarrar Rizvi admits that Son of Pakistan, which stars Meera in a lead role, was simply not up to par; the film was made in the format of ‘90s action thrillers, conspiracies, national narratives and the war on terror. “Maybe if we emphasised on advertising and made sure that people came to watch the film, it might have helped,” he adds, blaming producer Chaudhry Hameed who pushed for a release prior to Muharram at the same time Ra.One and Don 2 were being screened.
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“We tried hard to promote Pakistani films but the truth is that film-makers themselves don’t believe in their films,” says manager of PAF Cinema Nadir Minhas, adding that they screened the film for free for two weeks in which they gave 100% of the sales to the film’s producer and not a single ticket was sold. Neither did any of the main actors turn up to promote it, apart from Pakistani film actor Sila Hussain and a few others.
“This will have to change — they don’t even try to promote their films or go an ounce out of their way to make sure the film is screened,” Minhas adds.
The manager explains that a shift has occurred, leaving classically-styled traditional Lollywood films in a rut — they don’t qualify for the big screen and questions regarding where the money invested in these projects goes, have also surfaced. “These are [supposed to be] big budget films but I’ve see them and I wonder what they did with all that money,” Minhas sighs. “The production is shaky and it [the film] just won’t survive.”
Last year, only five films made it to local cinemas in Punjab; Acha Gujjar, Gujjar da Kharak, Shareeka and two other small productions. The real shift however, is that unlike four years ago, old (single) cinemas prefer Bollywood films over Pakistani ones. “I think there are some cinema owners who want to screen Pakistani films but they say they have to meet the competition now,” says Minhas.
Minhas admits that two years ago, Bhai Log earned Rs4.4 million in Lahore and showed there was potential in this industry. He also reveals that certain agreements between film producers and single cinemas are also signed where the cinema buys the rights to a certain film — this means other single cinemas cannot screen the same film.
Other agreements which include lopsided partnerships were also done such as 80-20 (80% profit for one party and 20% for the other) or 70-30. But with the advent of Indian films, cinemas have become business partners in 60-40 and in the next week of screening, turn it into a 50-50 partnership.
“A market for action thrillers has also come about within the city’s single-screen cinemas,” he says, adding, “it has really changed the dynamics of how the market functions.” Only five films released last year (excluding Indian films) and Minhas feels, “There is little to no chance that cinemas would be able to survive — this isn’t six or seven years ago where cinemas could run sub-par films.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2013.
KARACHI: The third film in the Munna Bhai series is unimaginable without Sanjay Dutt, says director Subhash Kapoor, following the actor’s conviction by the Indian Supreme Court on Thursday.
“I can’t imagine the Munna Bhai series without Sanjay Dutt. Unfortunately, things are not in our hands. I feel the punishment is very harsh. I am as surprised as you all are with this news,” Kapoor told IANS.
The first two films — Munna BhaiMBBS and Lage Raho Munna Bhai — were directed by Rajkumar Hirani and there is still to be a definite word on who will direct the third film. However, now with Sanjay’s conviction, progress on the film is yet to be decided.
“I will have to speak to the producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra about it. I can’t take a call on that. In the next two days, we will have a chat and discuss what needs to be done,” he said. “We have not started shooting our film yet, but just imagine what other producers and directors who have done films half-way with him, are feeling.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 23rd, 2013.
It’s obvious that something incredible is cooking when a seasoned actor like Zeba Bakhtiar collaborates with Jamshed Mahmood Ansari (Jami) – one of the finest music directors in Pakistan. Add young Azan Sami Khan to lead the production front and Pakistan-based Australian Summer Nicks as the director, and it will get people talking.
According to Khan, their project, a film which was initially titled The Extortionist, remains untitled. The story revolves around international espionage, set in Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Serbia, Egypt and America. It is partly based on real life events that took place in Sangam (Afghanistan), when Nato tankers were bombed a few years back. The film highlights the role of a Norwegian mining company that is after lithium reserves in Afghanistan; it also touches on the life of Cash Siddiqui (Shaan), a decommissioned CIA agent who is all set to rescue his family.
At the set of this untitled project, The Express Tribune meets Nicks — writer of the international award-winning Seedlings, for an insight into the film. He compares his new directorial venture to Seedlings and says: “This is another baby of mine; it’s almost in the ending phase and is turning out to be something really amazing.”
Nicks says it’s important to consider the type of audience the film will have. “In terms of the story and treatment, the film is a cross between Syriana and the Bourne series,” says Nicks. “You have to make films by keeping foreign audiences and foreign films in mind.”
“The film has to be on the same level as that of the Bourne series or any other mainstream Hollywood film to compete in an international market or else the film won’t work at all,” he adds.
The film stars Shaan as the protagonist and Shamoon Abbasi as Romano Jillani. Aaminah Sheikh has the role of Shaan’s wife and apart from the stunning Iman Ali and the veteran Ayub Khoso, a number of American actors are also part of the cast.
On the sets, the handsome Shaan appears in a pair of cargo pants as a CIA agent. As he aimed a gun into the camera, we caught him with a candid question: how does it feel to play a CIA agent and do action sequences at this point of your career?
“If you’re saying that I am getting old, you’re wrong,” says Shaan, as he glances at Nicks and laughs. “I am certainly not getting old.”
“It’s all a matter of getting the hook of the character,” shares Shaan. “If I am able to do that (in a typical Lollywood film or something like this), the director’s satisfaction is all that matters at the end of the day.”
He was impressed by the way Nicks works and the professionalism that was maintained throughout the shoots. “I have worked with so many people around the word but this guy has a totally different approach to direction altogether,” says Shaan. “There is a fine line between behaving on the set and off the set and he makes sure that the actors are comfortable in both the places.”
The new kid on the block Azan, who hails from a multi-talented family, believes that it is the change in attitude towards the cinema industry that is needed for the rebirth of cinema in Pakistan.
“The main goal was to get specialised people to do their jobs,” says Azan “As my mother says ‘it’s a plague that Pakistanis can do anything’. I completely agree [with her] because everyone in Pakistan wants to become a director; no one wants to do anything else. This needs to change and we have tried to accomplish that on our sets.”
For the yet untitled project, CIA headquarters were replicated and Pakistani roads were converted into European roads. From the teaser and talk, the big budget film seems like a high-octane, action-thriller complemented with intellect. Let’s hope it makes it to the cinemas.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 24th, 2013.
MUMBAI: Acclaimed writer Javed Akhtar says there is no fixed formula to write super hit films. However, he admits he can clearly tell the ways to write a movie that will bomb at the box office.
“Someone once asked me ‘You have written a lot of super hit films. What is the formula to write them?’ I said if I knew, then I would have always written a Sholay. But I can tell you the formula to write a super flop,” the 68-year-old said.
“There are two ways — first when you think with great contempt that this is what the public wants. Second, when you think ‘I want to say a very big and deep thing’. Both kind of films will be very bad because in both cases you are trying to hit a target without actually seeing it,” he added.
Javed has penned popular films like Seeta Aur Geeta, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Zanjeer, Trishul, Don, Kaala Patthar and Shaan.
Meanwhile, when asked why do authors not get due recognition, Akhtar said, “As a matter of fact, this is something the author should ask you [the media]. It is ultimately the society, the people who take notice and give respect to an author.”
“It is the responsibility of the author to write as well as he or she can and it is the society’s responsibility to patronise, appreciate and encourage them,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 25th, 2013.
NEW DEHLI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday expressed displeasure over Hindi film Race 2 following a petition that it showed nudity and vulgarity. The movie is a sequel to 2008 film Race.
“Please think where the film industry is going. You are teaching indiscipline to children,” a division bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice VK Jain said.
They were hearing a Public-interest Litigation alleging that the film was vulgar and showed nude scenes. It sought a ban on the movie.
The court’s observation came after the counsel appearing for the producers and director of Race 2 said the Central Film Certification Board (CBFC) had already cleared its release.
The court sought response from the ministry of information and broadcasting, CBFC and Delhi government and posted the matter for Friday.
The petition was filed by social worker Teena Sharma. The court had earlier directed the central government to consider the plea against Race 2 and take appropriate action within a fortnight. Sharma moved the court again after the government failed to act.
She said she was deeply hurt by the nude scenes and dialogues with double meaning after viewing the film in a theatre.
Challenging the UA certification given to the film, the plea said, “The film has been screened in 50 countries and it has been graded as an adult movie in 40 countries while here it had been granted UA certification.”
“The contents of the film are highly objectionable and therefore the film has got A certification for screening in the US and Britain.” The petition accused the movie of degrading women and displaying them as commodities.
UA certification is given to films which children above 12 years are allowed to see under parental guidance.
Controversies aside, film-maker Abbas-Mustan’s action thriller Race 2 has become the first film of the year to enter the INR1 billion club. Made at a budget of INR600 million, the film came out on January 25 and earned over a billion in two weeks of its release.
After minting money at the Indian box office, the film also received an overwhelming response in the overseas market. In its opening weekend, the movie collected $1 million in the Gulf market and $1 million in the US and Britain.
Race 2 features actors such as John Abraham, Saif Ali Khan, Ameesha Patel, Deepika Padukone, Anil Kapoor and Jacqueline Fernandez.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 25th, 2013.
Twilight star Kristen Stewart and British boy band One Direction reportedly won two awards apiece at the Kids Choice Awards.
Stewart, 22, escaped the slime but plunged her hands into the green goo, saying she “felt like I have finally found my kindergartner self,” as she accepted trophies for movie actor and favourite female butt kicker. Organisers said more than 350 million votes were cast online in more than 20 categories, spanning film, television, books, music and sport for the stunt-filled annual award show on youth channel Nickelodeon. Hosted by Transformers actor Josh Duhamel, who is married to singer Fergie, the show in Los Angeles featured performances by Pitbull and Christina Aguilera, as well as Ke$ha.
Johnny Depp and Katy Perry accepted orange blimp-shaped trophies for favourite female singer and movie actor respectively and both stars had words of wisdom for the audience of kids and young teens. “This is such a cool award…stay safe, stay in school, don’t do drugs,” Perry told them.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 26th, 2013.
Fee-fi-fo-fum, Jack the Giant Slayer is rather ho-hum! Directed by Bryan Singer, this is a formulaic fantasy film that tries desperately hard to climb the beanstalk to reach the skies of the box-office, but falls somewhat amusingly on its bum.
Although the film features swashbuckling adventure, romance, and humour, it sadly suffers from weak characterisation and lack of originality, leading to a rather predictable narrative. The romance is also quite dull, since the two lead characters seem to have very little chemistry. Thankfully, the visuals are presented in some fine 3D shots. The giants are the most entertaining, and are decently crafted with special effects.
The film is based on the fairy tales ‘Jack the Giant Killer’ and ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’, where it meshes the two to create one yarn, with some spice on top. The story features a somewhat naïve eighteen-year-old farmer Jack (Nicholas Hoult), who as we all remember from our bedtime stories, comes home with some magic beans, instead of money.
But while Jack is out in town, he defends the honour of Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson) against some thugs. Then one stormy night, Princess Isabelle rides to the farm boy looking for some adventure, where a very contrived attraction develops between the two. This flirtation, however, is thankfully cut short when one of the beans erupts into an enormous beanstalk, carrying Isabelle into the realm of the giants.
Typical of cookie cutter fantasy films, the princess is a high strung young woman, who is tired of socially defined gender roles, and wants to carve out her own path. Unfortunately for the princess, her marriage has already been arranged by her father, King Brahmwell (Ian McShane), with his adviser Lord Roderick (Stanley Tucci).
In what isn’t a giant surprise, Lord Roderick is evil and is plotting to manipulate the giants into handing him all the known kingdoms. As the evil character in the film, Roderick comes complete with his lackey, who tries awfully hard to be amusing but doesn’t quite succeed.
Soon a rescue party is formed, which includes the leader of the king’s elite guards. Here, we are introduced to the giants, who are hungry, disgusting, comical, and always in the mood for a good fight. It is just a pity that the giants don’t gobble up all of the film’s very dull human characters.
Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, March 24th, 2013.
NEW DEHLI: After spending over a decade in Bollywood, actor Hrithik Roshan feels there are no negative aspects of being a star.
The 39-year-old started his career with the biggest hit of 2000 Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai and has been part of many successful projects. The actor feels that everything is okay as long as an actor does not focus too much on himself. “There are no side-effects of anything. If there is negative feedback then it is just feedback. There is no negative side-effect. We all have phases in our life which are not perfect and we can choose to sit and complain about that,” Hrithik told IANS.
“I feel the best way to live is to not have a camera facing you. It should be facing outwards and you should be watching the world and you should be seeing your reflection on other people. If they are smiling at you and they are happy that means you are doing good,” he continued.
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Having been part of blockbusters like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…, Mission Kashmir, Jodhaa Akbar and Agneepath, Hrithik feels blessed to have received all the love from people around him and says it is his aim to spread happiness and give back the affection. “My aim is to be able to make people around me feel as good as possible and basically give back all this positive energy that I have received. All this love is very powerful and the right use of this power is to give back and it is something that I have always had on my mind,” he said.
“I have been looking for channels and ways to serve the people around me and the fans around me and the world in general,” said Hrithik.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 27th, 2013.
Actor Sanjay Dutt, who has been sentenced to five years in jail in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case, will start dubbing for Zanjeer on Thursday, director Apoorva Lakhia said.
Lakhia said they require three days with Sanjay to complete the movie, a remake of 1973 hit of the same name that had starred Amitabh Bachchan in the lead role.
Sanjay, who is playing Sher Khan, originally played by Pran, will start shooting soon after the return of Priyanka Chopra from Miami. Priyanka is playing the female lead opposite Telugu actor Ramcharan in both Hindi and Telugu versions of Zanjeer.
The Supreme Court, which last week upheld Sanjay’s conviction under the Arms Act for illegally possessing weapons, and sent him to five years’ imprisonment, asked him to surrender within four weeks of the verdict.
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“He is my friend and mentor. Personally, I can’t comment much on the way he is feeling. Obviously he is feeling down, but he is taking this in his stride because he respects the Constitution of India and the Supreme Court. I have been with him and he is doing pretty well,” said Lakhia at a function organised to release the teasers of Toofan, the Telugu version of Zanjeer.
Talking about Sanjay, Priyanka said: “For the industry and for me as his colleague and friend, it is an extremely sad moment. I wish the family strength and courage.”
She hoped that Sanjay would get some respite from the judiciary keeping in mind his family.
“We all respect the law. What needs to be done needs to be done,” the actor said in obvious reference to the demand for Sanjay’s pardon.
Ramcharan Teja, the lead actor for the film, described it as unfortunate. “We all love him; I have fond memories of him. He has been very kind to me, this punishment is quite unfortunate. The whole industry is with him, we all support him. I wish him and his family the best,” he said.
“Toofan is a big film on its own. Finding a date for their simultaneous release is very critical. We are going through that. We will announce the date shortly but it will be during the summer,” said Amit Mehra, son of Prakash Mehra, the maker of the original Zanjeer.
Lakhia added Zanjeer is his interpretation of the iconic movie. “We have tried to make it as different as possible. It is a Zanjeer of today. It is also a tribute to Prakash Mehra and Amitabh Bachchan,” he added.
The director said when Amit Mehra approached him with the project; his only condition was that he would make the movie with Ramcharan as the hero.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 27th, 2013.
Film-maker David Dhawan, who has come a long way in showbiz, says he is extremely proud of his son Varun Dhawan and it is now payback time with his entry into Bollywood.
“It is payback time, I would say, with Varun’s entry into showbiz. After working so hard in Bollywood, I am glad the industry has accepted my son too,” David said. “It’s the initial stage and the way they have welcomed him — there’s been nothing like it. I am extremely proud of Varun at the moment.”
Varun, who made his entry into Bollywood with Karan Johar’s movie Student Of The Year, was widely accepted by the audiences for his performance.
David is presently busy promoting his film Chashme Baddoor, a remake of the 1981 movie, and says he has not touched the soul of the film.
“Whatever I could, I have done and made some changes and kept the soul of the film. I haven’t removed the soul of the film and kept it entertaining,” David said.
Chashme Baddoor features actors Ali Zafar, Siddharth and Taapsee Pannu, among others. The original film, on the other hand, starred actors Farooq Sheikh and Deepti Naval.
David is a known film director in Bollywood and has specialised in comedy over the years. Most of his films have featured actors such as Govinda, Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Raveena Tandon and Karisma Kapoor in lead roles. And now his son, Varun, is ready to make his place in the film industry.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2013.
Actor Vivek Oberoi says media should be cautious and report more about an actor’s films rather than his personal life.
When asked what kind of entertainment news he prefers to watch as an actor, Vivek said, “News that is related to our work and news that is not related to our personal lives because I feel there is a line. The relationship between media and actors is such that many times the line is crossed, spoiling the friendship.”
The 36-year-old was speaking on Sunday at the Miss India 2013 grand finale, where Navneet Kaur Dhillon was crowned the winner. He was promoting his film, Grand Masti at the event.
“So I think we [media and celebrities] are interdependent — we depend on each other. So we should take care of this relationship,” added the actor, who will be seen in Hrithik Roshan starrer Krrish 3. “I don’t like any personal news, not just about myself but also about anyone else. We like to have a certain amount of privacy.”
Vivek was last seen in Zila Ghaziabad and is currently judging children’s reality show, India’s Best Dramebaaz along with actor Sonali Bendre and film-maker Anurag Basu.
Vivek is the son of Suresh Oberoi, a highly respected actor in Bollywood. He made his debut in films with Ram Gopal Varma’s Company which earned him two Filmfare awards — Best Male Debut and Best Supporting Actor. His other hit films include Saathiya, Masti, Yuva and Rakht Charitra.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2013.
The southern film industry is far more traditional than Bollywood, which caters to a wider audience and gives opportunities to women in technical fields, says actor Asin Thottumkal after a five-year stint in Hindi films.
“The south Indian film industry is more traditional and this reflects in their work. The cultural differences, language and approach are completely different, while Bollywood is more open and caters to a wider audience,” Asin said.
There is another key difference, she added. Down south “people are ready to accept you the way you are. They appreciate and value simplicity. You don’t have to wear make-up or be in your glamorous image when you make public appearances”.
“Whereas in Bollywood, it’s about creating a star image, a style quotient that you have to carry throughout. You have to be in the glamorous image all the time,” said the actor, who made a big name for herself in Tamil and Telugu films before she moved to Hindi cinema.
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Asin, who debuted opposite Aamir Khan in the 2008 hit Ghajini, said Bollywood gives a chance to women in varied spheres.
“On the sets, I see a lot of young women technicians, women camera persons, hairdressers, make-up artists, dress designers, stage designers and technicians — it’s not the same in the south,” she said.
The 27-year-old, however, feels that the barrier between the two industries is slowly diminishing.
Bollywood film-makers have taken inspiration from Tamil and Telugu films and remade them in Hindi. Yuva, Singham, Rowdy Rathore and Wanted are some examples.
She is glad “the trend is growing at a fast pace”.
“The main purpose is to entertain viewers and that is undoubtedly being done. I also like the fact that a lot of young writers and directors are coming in with fresh and original scripts,” she added.
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Aamir, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar…Asin has romanced some of the top-notch actors of Hindi cinema on the big screen in the last five years and says teaming up with big names helps in growth.
She feels “blessed” that Hindi movie buffs have accepted her. “It’s not easy,” she added.
“Those who migrate from Tollywood or Kollywood or freshers do not really get to work with A-listers,” she said. “Working with them helps in growth. I am lucky. I worked with Aamir Khan and AR Rahman in my first film Ghajini. But I have also put in a lot of hard work to be where I am today.”
“I would like to do well-written fresh characters. So far, I have played the fun loving girl-next-door. Now, I would like to try something more challenging and exciting,” she said, about the roles she wishes to play.
Ready, Housefull 2 and Bol Bachchan are some of her recent Hindi releases.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2013.
Singer-turned-actor Ali Zafar reportedly arrived at a press conference to promote his upcoming flick Chashme Baddoor in Central London. Directed by David Dhawan, the film is the remake of Sai Paranjpe’s 1981 classic of the same name. Ali plays a character named Farooque Shaikh in the film.
Chashme Baddoor, which is due for release on April 5, is a major project after Mere Brother Ki Dulhan (2011) and London, Paris, New York (2012).
Speaking to the media, Ali said, “I think the unique selling point of the film would be its entertainment factor. We go to the cinemas to be entertained and to have a good time with our friends and family. David Dhawan has put a lot of heart and soul into this film and is also very excited about it. Since it’s a remake of the ’80s classic, it has that flavour of the ’80s in a modern way. The film’s music, humour and the dialogues are very, very funny. You’ll crack up many times.”
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Ali showed some rocking moves in Dhichkyaaon Doom Doom, one of the upbeat tracks of the film. The film will be released in Pakistan by HKC entertainment.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 29th, 2013.
At the recently held Bangalore Queer Film Festival (BQFF), I pushed and shoved and battled with strangers for space to sit. The main auditorium was jam-packed. Never mind that the aisles were already full; people streamed in anyway, and when I went outside for a break, I discovered the café tables were full, too.
Inside the auditorium, at a screening of the popular Malayalam film Ardhanaari, people hooted, screamed and cat-called. Ardhanaari is a precious oddity: a melodramatic, full-on commercial film set without apology in the hijra community. At one pivotal juncture, when the transgender protagonist Vinayan hunts down an errant male hoodlum and proceeds to beat him to a pulp, I worried that the audience would self-combust with excitement.
Now in its fifth year running, the BQFF is India’s oldest continuing queer film festival, and among the largest. Kashish, Bombay’s equivalent filmic extravaganza, is staged at a mainstream multiplex and draws slightly bigger crowds. The atmosphere was electric. Over three days, thousands of people came to watch films and performances from around the world, as well as populate the lively parties that followed in each day’s wake.
Happily enough, I was one of the four jury members this year, which meant I got to watch everything there was, sometimes more than once. Bol, Shoaib Mansoor’s excellently produced Lahore drama won the award for Best Feature, though why it didn’t appear in competition last year was unclear. The only other film from next door in competition was Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Transgenders: Pakistan’s Open Secret,similarly made about a year ago.
The feature film category was weak, especially against the documentaries and short films on view, some of which were outstanding. Naturally, there were plenty of really earnest and really terrible home movies, too, most of them produced right here in Bangalore. But they were more than made up for by How to Survive a Plague, David France’s stirring archive of the early fight for AIDS treatment in the United States, or Na Sua Companhia, Brazilian director Marcelo Caetano’s deceptively light fable of fleeting encounters and lasting love, or even Lonely Walls, a shocking tale of a father-son relationship gone wrong, from the experimental Indian film maker Rohan Kanawade.
Any festival worth its name has to have at least one film that is admirably incomprehensible, and this year at BQFF, that film was Mondomanila, from the burgeoning stable of the Filipino digital savant Khavn De La Cruz.Mondomanila, or: How I Fixed My Hair After a Rather Long Journey — to call it by its name — is not for the faint-hearted. Featuring a relentless parade of rodents, deaths, dwarves, circus clowns, and a pair of Sapphic twins (who, for good measure, also happen to be dwarves), it’s the kind of film that makes your average Takashi Miike body count seem like wholesome family entertainment in comparison.
I watched it in awe — and I think my molecules rearranged themselves in the process. Mondomanila won an award, too — a ‘Special Mention’ in the Direction category. I was captivated by its grittiness, its fulsome rootedness and its totally out-there strangeness. And strangeness is a lonely category, not just in alternative cinema from South Asia, but in South Asian cinema at large. As much as I appreciate the clean editing, perfect design and restrained performances that characterise Bol, it is still somewhat by-the-book; a film that is less interested in blowing your mind than simply changing it.
If the BQFF had been staged 34 years ago, I know exactly the film that would have blown my mind then. In 1979, the legendary Rangeela decided to try his hand at direction. For his début venture, he fashioned a script out of one of Shaukat Thanvi’s lesser-known novellas, Khuda na Khwasta. The film he made was the epochal Aurat Raj. It did well at the box office, but not well enough to secure a foothold in eternity. It is quite likely that this incomparably strange feat of feminist fiction would have stayed put in the vault of cinematic history, were it not for the loving ministrations of the Hotspot Online, which is how I first came to it.
In the Pakistan of Aurat Raj — or Shaukat Thanvi, or Rangeela — a group of disgruntled women set off a bomb that switches gender roles. Then on, they are in charge: twirling their cigarettes, whipping errant men into shape, and generally, enjoying being on top. Dwarves are involved. In one memorable sequence, a piteous man in a burka, on the run from a gang of vengeful women looks to his female saviour. “I used to be Sultan Rahi”, he sobs, and the wonderful thing is that the man under the burka is indeed Sultan Rahi, the actor who would shortly cement his reputation as the nation’s strongman that very same year in Maula Jatt.
I want to say the film is subversive, but honestly, it’s just thoroughly enjoyable. In the end, of course, it all turns out to have been a dream, and order is restored in the land. But the dream life lasts two and a half hours, and it’s a better life, devoid of the usual hysterical camp and pitched at a singular level of comic sincerity. It’s also a better film. How odd — or how entirely appropriate — that the definitive subcontinental queer film should have been made in a time when the word had no parlance at all.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 29th, 2013.
