LOS ANGELES: Twilight author Stephenie Meyer brings her romantic futuristic thriller The Host to movie fans on Friday, trading the vampires and werewolves for aliens who invade planet Earth, taking over human bodies.

The film stars, Saoirse Ronan as Melanie Stryder, whose body is taken over by an alien soul called Wanda. Eventually, the two-in-one female team work to save the human race from total annihilation.

Meyer, 39, who was raised Mormon and attends church regularly, talked about The Host, working as a producer on the project and how her life has changed since the first Twilight film came out in 2008.

How did Saoirse Ronan play Melanie and Wanda in the same body?

They have conversations throughout the entire film, but she plays two different characters that have different chemistry with two different guys. She’s one person, but emoting a separate person when she’s with Jared and another when she’s with Ian.

How did things evolve for you that you are now producing your adaptations? It didn’t start that way on Twilight.

It’s not normal for an author to be very involved. With each movie I was able to be more involved.

I worked really closely with The Twilight Saga: New Moon director Chris Weitz, especially with the cast selection of the side characters.

Did the success of Twilight give you producing clout?

After Twilight did really well, I think my opinion had more weight. With The Host, from the beginning, producer Nick Wechsler came to me and said, ‘Let’s do this together.’ All our opinions were valued by each of us.

You live in Arizona, just north of Phoenix. Do you ever think you should move to Los Angeles and work full-time in Hollywood?

I would never live there. No offense to the people that do, but I can’t imagine raising kids in Los Angeles. There are a lot of plastics, even kids getting plastic surgery. The materialism — that overwhelming sense of what you look like — being the most important thing; that would be difficult to live with every day. Every day you start feeling less, because everyone’s so beautiful and polished.

How has life changed for you since your film success?

People let me make movies, which is kind of cool. That certainly wasn’t something anyone was going to let me do before. I’ve grown a lot in my confidence and in my ability to do interviews. I don’t freak out as much about all these people taking pictures. I do have to be away from my kids more than I’d like, but they’re so cool and mellow about it.

Have you been able to fulfill any personal wishes since Twilight brought you to the pop culture forefront?

I’ll tell you a story that’s in the first Twilight book, where a little piece of me sank through to the novel. When Bella sees Edward’s piano for the first time, she vows if she ever had a windfall, she would want to get her mom a piano like that. Well I was able to get my mom a piano like that. It was really exciting to get to do that.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2013.                

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

PANAJI: An anti-tobacco organisation on Thursday demanded that Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan be punished for violating the country’s anti-smoking laws in promoting his latest film, Go Goa Gone.

Shekhar Salkar, general secretary of National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE)-India, registered a complaint with the North Goa district collector and deputy inspector general of police, seeking punishment for Saif under provisions of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COPTA), 2003.

“Caution was thrown to wind in the massive publicity campaign in Goa, India and abroad by putting up large number of advertisements in newspapers and on the internet of Go Goa Gone, showing lead actor and producer Saif Ali Khan with a cigar in his mouth,” the complaint read.

Salkar also referred to the film’s poster that shows a cigarette burn hole through the torso of a semi-naked woman.

“These advertisements must have been already seen by lakhs of Goans, as well as others in India and abroad. The display of a popular icon smoking a cigar is the violation of Section 5(1) of the COPTA,” Salkar added.

In a separate letter to Saif, Salkar said the actor was an icon for millions of Indians and that he should be careful while choosing his public appearances.

“Needless to say, a person of your stature has to be utterly careful in public appearances — both as an artist and as an individual,” the letter said.

“You are a well-informed gentleman and I need not mention to you that this action of their idol would be imitated by millions of your followers, eventually pushing most of them in the jaws of cancer and a premature, early death.”

NOTE has in the past dragged actor Amitabh Bachchan to court over the issue of publicising use of tobacco in a film called Family.

The organisation has also filed complaints against Shahrukh Khan for smoking during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match and against Ajay Devgan for smoking while shooting for a Bollywood film at government-owned premises.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2013.                

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

KARACHI: When singer-turned-actor Ali Zafar missed a promotional event in India for his upcoming movie Chashme Baddoor, the Hindustan Times reported that the star’s visa had been turned down.

An insider from the production team informed the Indian daily that Zafar was denied the visa for unknown reasons, saying “He was supposed to join the team but couldn’t as his India work visa had been turned down.” However, his publicist, Ammara Hikmat, denied the rumours and said Zafar will be heading to India soon.

“This is completely incorrect — he never applied for a visa,” Hikmat told The Express Tribune. “He’s been busy in the UK promoting his film Aman Ki Asha this entire month; he also attended a press conference for Chashme Baddoor there.” Due to his busy schedule, he was unable to fly to India to be an active part of any promotional activities, she added.

Indo-Pak relations have seen their troughs and peaks, but when it comes to Bollywood and entertainment, Indians have mostly welcomed Pakistani singers, musicians and actors with open arms. “Ali keeps going back and forth alone and with his family,” she said, adding that they have always treated him like one of their own. “So I don’t understand why his visa would get rejected in the first place — this is all fabricated.”

“[Earlier] because of LOC issues, it was said that Pakistani artists were thrown out of India — this is not true either,” continued Hikmat. “I’ve been to India at least four times in these past five months and I’ve been treated pretty well.”

Whether or not the visa rejection story is true or simply a publicity stunt, one thing is for sure — the Indian media craves masala-filled stories. “It’s all propaganda and nothing else — it’s a way of attracting attention and making waves,” says a source close to the actor.

The film is scheduled to release on April 5 in India and Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2013.                

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

Watching A Good Day to Die Hard is surely a good way for people to die of tediousness. Directed by John Moore (Max Payne), this nonsensical fifth installment in the Die Hard action series continues the adventures of John McClane (Bruce Willis) in a highly disappointing outing which undoubtedly is the worst film in the series, and a terribly dull action picture overall.

Considered to be popcorn entertainment, the Die Hard movies have often featured creatively staged action sequences which pack enough excitement to be worth the admission fee for the weekend crowd. And while no one can accuse the storylines in these films of having Shakespearean potential, they are written adequately enough to provide star Bruce Willis with enough wit and cockiness to give his reckless cop character a likeable persona.

A Good Day to Die Hard however is poorly written, with its star Bruce Willis coming off more like a cranky old has-been, rather than the droll renegade detective we have come to love. Things take off with McClane flying to Russia to aid his son Jack (Jai Courtney), who has been arrested for a mysterious assassination attempt. Here he finds his son, and government whistleblower Yuri Komarov (Sebastian Koch), being chased through the roads of Moscow by heavily armed assailants. At this point, John needlessly destroys several bridges, roads, and possibly kills dozens of innocent civilians, all so that he can aid his son. Yes, John McClane is a complete jerk, and his estranged son is not happy to see him.

Soon, John learns that Jack is a CIA spy on an important mission to extract information from Komarov against a powerful and corrupt Russian official named Viktor Chagarin (Sergei Kolesnikov).

Does John tell Jack that he is proud of him for taking on such an impressive profession? No. Like the big jerk that he is, John laughs at Jack for ‘playing a spy’, and admits that he thought Jack was a drug addict. No wonder Jack hates his father. The film briefly focuses on their tense relationship, and they eventually bond over explosive levels of gratuitous violence.

Unfortunately, the action sequences in A Good Day to Die Hard are loud, unexciting, completely unimaginative, poorly edited, and more than a little obnoxious. Sadly, they aren’t as obnoxious as the hero of the film himself.

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, March 31^st, 2013.

Like Express Tribune Magazine on Facebook to stay informed and join the conversation.

LOS ANGELES: Singer Demi Lovato will return as a judge on TV contest The X Factor for a second year, broadcaster Fox announced on Thursday, but there was no word on two more open positions on the celebrity panel.

The 20-year-old former Disney Channel star will be back in her seat when the show returns in the fall of 2013 along with creator Simon Cowell.

“I couldn’t be happier that Demi wants to come back this year,” Cowell said in a statement.

“She’s a superstar in her own right and was a fantastic mentor last year. Even though she can be really, really annoying — I truly enjoyed working with her and so did the artists.”

X Factor producers however, have yet to announce replacements for departing judges Britney Spears and record producer Antonio “LA” Reid, who quit at the end of the show’s second season in December.

“There are going to be four judges,” a source close to the show said on Thursday, but gave no details on who they might be or when the two new names would be announced.

Recent speculation on possible new judges for the US version of the show have included singers Katy Perry, John Mayer, Pink and Ne-Yo.

Open auditions for singers hoping for a spot on the third season of X Factor are underway in cities across the United States. Auditions before the judges are expected to start in late May or early June.

Audiences for X Factor slumped in 2012, losing about three million viewers from its first season despite the hiring of Spears for a reported $15 million salary.

The show is just one of a plethora of singing and talent shows on US television, including Fox television’s long-running American Idol, which has also seen a drop in viewers despite new judges Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj, and NBC rivals The Voice and America’s Got Talent.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2013.                      

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

NEW DEHLI: Be it action, comedy or drama, actor Bobby Deol has tried his hands at various genres over the 18 years that he has been in Bollywood — he is still exploring and says there is nothing like a perfect role for an actor.

The 46-year-old debuted in 1995 with Barsaat and gave hits like Ajnabee, Soldier and Gupt.

“I’m still exploring the industry. I have grown up as an actor but I am in the learning phase. I’ll never be satisfied,” Bobby said.

“I feel there’s nothing like a dream role for an actor. It should be a dream role for a viewer — something he wants to watch over and again,” he continued.”I love watching old masala films. Now we talk about new cinema. It’s not new. It has always been there. So I am looking forward to do more of masala films — a perfect pack of action, comedy, romance.”

“For an actor, the journey always continues. It never stops. Before the release of each film, there’s stress, anxiety and nervousness. But just one mistake, and you are gone,” Bobby added.

“I have never restricted myself. I am open to doing all kinds of films — action, thriller, romance and comedy. In fact, I have done many in the past. I am lucky to be born in a family of actors. My dad and brother keep advising me. And it helps,” added the actor who was last seen in Players (2012).

His forthcoming film, a sequel to the 2011 hit comedy Yamla Pagla Deewana, also stars Neha Sharma and Kristina Akheeva.

In the film, Bobby is playing the same character of Gajodhar Singh as he did in the original and said “the other characters are also the same, only the situations keep changing”.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2013.                      

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

“My husband doesn’t allow me to do films anymore,” Sahiba says frankly. “I don’t blame him — which husband would want his wife performing on screen with other men?”

In an almost robotic, emotionless tone, she continues, “Don’t all women just want a man who will take care of them?” implying that the trade-off works in her favour as she is settled and has a family. “This is the quality of a Pakistani woman, isn’t it?”

She further justifies what she prefers to call “her decision” to quit, by saying that most stars have left the industry, and that it no longer makes sense to join.

She also says that, after obtaining permission from her husband, she will be starring in the lead role of an upcoming movie Saya-e-Zuljilal. Permission was granted only after actor-director Shaan approached her husband for his approval.

“Acting is still my passion; and it will always remain my passion,” says Sahiba, clearly excited about her upcoming project. “I have missed the big screen.”

Sahiba stepped into the film industry in 1992 and was able to make a prolific career as an actor by performing lead roles in several major films like Hero, Mamla Garbar Hai and Ishq Rehna Sada. “There were only a few platforms where you could learn acting,” she says. “When I started out, there weren’t any schools where one could hone their acting skills,” says Sahiba.

She feels that television has made things easier as people are constantly around acting, and people who support it. “There are so many channels that people are watching,” she says. “From an early age, children are learning awareness [in acting]. But on a broader level there are formal trainings given for people who want to join the media.”

Not disappearing from the limelight completely , Sahiba and her husband are seen on television hosting a morning show titled Rambo Sahiba Aur Aap. Her film career has been put on the back burner, and she now focuses predominately on her husband and their two children.

“We had a love marriage,” says Sahiba. “After that, I decided to do little work so we could spend more time together. And I am comfortable doing this much.” She says, however, that she can never leave the film industry. “Showbiz is my family profession,” she says. “The big screen is always something that I have cherished.”

Surrounded by actors at home, Sahiba says it’s a way to improve her acting skills and to receive honest criticism of her performance.

“The public will always appreciate entertainment,” says Sahiba, who feels that she is given honest feedback at home. “I feel that when you criticise each other’s performances at home, you can overcome the weak points,” she adds.

Having found success in their breakfast morning show, Sahiba says the team for Rambo Sahiba Aur Aap plans lighter subjects for the audience. The experience has been fulfilling for her and she feels like the show is entertaining without getting into any controversies.

“We have been pretty successful because of the support we have received,” she says. “I think the new thing was the way we have got audiences involved. By ‘you’, we mean we want to include you as a strong part of the show, the public interaction and involvement is very nice.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2013.                      

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

“Thanks to English zombie films and television serials, zombie culture is fast evolving in India. I feel these films cater to two segments of the audience — people who know about zombies and those who don’t,” Krishna said. “We made our film on this very simple premise and we are hopeful that it will work in our favour.”

“We have made it in such a way that all those who know about zombies can sit back and enjoy it, while for those who have no clue about zombies, we have very quickly elucidated what they are,” he added.

Krishna said that they wanted to make a film about an adventure gone wrong in Goa.

“Initially, we wanted to make a film about stoners on an adventure to Goa, before finally stumbling upon the idea to make a zombie picture, which we wanted to be different yet funny,” he said. “We retained the Goa part and added zombies and a few characters to the story.”

When asked whether it was a deliberate move to make it funny, Krishna said, “I feel the zombie genre in itself has lot of sarcastic humour. We wanted to capitalise on the humour part and, therefore, built the characters with a fair amount of gore, scare, action and comedy.”

“Since we didn’t make a serious film, we always had the liberty to play around and experiment with the subject without having to worry about trivial things.”

The film features a blonde Saif Ali Khan in the role of Boris, the zombie-hunter. He was cast because the script needed a superstar.

“We needed a macho guy to play the role of the zombie-hunter. He should basically be a superstar and convince the audience in the role he was to essay. Saif agreed to do it because the role was funny and nobody had even attempted such a role in the past,” he said.

Krishna said that he even though the film is being promoted as India’s first zombie flick, there is no evidence to substantiate it.

“We call it the first zombie flick based on statistics known to us. Who knows some film-maker in some part of India may have already made a B-grade zombie flick and people didn’t know it. We are publicising it as the first zombie film because we probably are going to release it first,” said Krishna.

“If someone else wants to release a zombie flick before us, then so be it. We know there is already couple of films in this same genre being made,” he said.

Shot mostly in Goa and Mauritius, Go Goa Gone was completed within 60 days on a modest budget. The crew hired international make-up artists to get the perfect look of the zombies.

With the trailer having already garnered enough attention, Krishna and Raj are gearing up for the promotion of the film, which is coming out May 10.

The film is produced by Saif Ali Khan and Dinesh Vijan.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 2^nd, 2013.                     

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

MUMBAI: Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan says he would love to do a film with actor Salman Khan, if they find the right script.

The two were seen in the popular comedy Andaz Apna Apna.

“I would love to work with Salman. Andaz Apna Apna is one of my favourite films as well. He is a great person to work with,” Aamir said. “If we come across a script then we will be happy to do it together.”

The actor, who is currently shooting for Rajkumar Hirani’s P.K., will also be seen in Dhoom 3, which will be out during Christmas. Aamir is also busy with the second season of TV show Satyamev Jayate.

The actor said that he doesn’t pre-decide the kind of films he wants to do. “I go through scripts and see if there is something exciting,” he said.

The actor who is known as “Mr Perfectionist” said that he doesn’t feel he is perfect.

“I feel that there is no such thing as perfection in a creative field like cinema. We are all artists who are expressing ourselves in a different way,” he said. “I do consider myself as someone who is extremely passionate. I enjoy my work and really throw myself into it and achieve that perfection.”

Aamir, who has given some super hit films like 3 Idiots and Taare Zameen Par, said that he doesn’t have a secret to his success.

“I am not aware of why I have been successful so far. I don’t think so much. I do work which excites me and not work which is considered to have potential for blockbusters” he said. “I am not even thinking about that. I want to enjoy my work and challenge and surprise myself.”

When asked whether there will be a sequel to 3 Idiots, he said that there were no such plans at the moment.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 2^nd, 2013.                     

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

SEOUL: When North Korean spy Pyo Jong-seong’s arms deal for Pyongyang goes wrong in Berlin, he knows it is time to flee with his wife from agents of the vengeful and isolated state – a country that recently said it was “in a state of war” with its neighbor.

Part of the thinking behind that belligerence, which has sent tensions on the Korean peninsula sky-rocketing, is on display in The Berlin File, known as Korea’s Bourne Identity, which is currently showing in the United States and Canada as well as drawing millions of viewers in South Korea.

While the story, with its thriller plot and action sequences, is set against a background of the demise of former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and a fictional power struggle, it contains some elements that are far too real.

“I thought it would be special if I told a story of people who lived in a city that was a special symbol of the Cold War and remain trapped in that era in the present day,” said director Ryoo Seung-wan.

“Personally I feel honored that my work is compared with the Bourne series but did I deliberately imitate the series? No filmmaker would do so,” the 40-year-old Ryoo added.

Made for less than $10 million, small beer by Hollywood standards but a big sum for a South Korean movie, “The Berlin File” incorporates elements from the Bourne movies, using graphic action sequences and a visceral combat style against the gray background of the German capital, itself once divided as the Korean peninsula remains today.

It stars Ha Jung-woo, a huge force in domestic Korean films, and Gianna Jun, once known as “Korea’s sweetheart” for her romantic heroine roles.

“Since many Korean spy stories have been set in South Korea, there wasn’t much room left for expanding a story,” Ryoo said, explaining his decision to set the film in Berlin.

The film has attracted more than 7 million moviegoers in South Korea, according to the Korean Film Council, pulling in some 52.35 billion won ($47 million). It will open in Japan in July.

The story is not entirely fictional. Germany was long the setting of real life espionage between the two Koreas, which remain technically at war after their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

In one 1967 incident, South Korea’s then-Central Intelligence Agency said North Korean spies had attempted to suborn 194 South Koreans in Germany.

Pyongyang’s nuclear test in February resulted in toughened U.N. sanctions such as cracking down on the lifelines of North Korean economy, which is sustained by a number of illegal activities such as money laundering and arms deals with countries like Iran – both topics taken up in the movie.

The film is not the first South Korean attempt to address issues arising from the divisions on the peninsula. In the 1990s, “Shiri” addressed the difficult issue of reunification and became a huge hit.

But time has moved on and it is now possible to make a film about North and South Korea that is not as polarizing and does not portray all North Koreans as brutal ideologues, Ryoo said.

“In the film no one is good or evil, people exist who take a different stance and things happen when a person has a crack in his or her life-long faith that they believed was more important than themselves,” said the director.

Cultural critic Lee Taek-gwang, a professor of English Literature at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, agreed that the movie highlighted a fundamental change in thinking.

“The movie treats South and North Korea fairly as nations, not the South as good and the North as bad. In that sense, it’s quite a first,” he said.

“True, there have been threats from North Korea and tensions are high, but the movie was able to open because the situation isn’t that serious,” he said. “If a clash were really impending, such a movie wouldn’t have opened.”

One of the best classic comedies of all time, Sai Paranjpye-directed 1981 film Chashme Buddoor has finally been digitally restored. “It’s a pity that we haven’t restored many memorable films yet. Indian films are like a national heritage that reflects our society in various times,” Farooque told IANS.

“It’s like restoring a part of the heritage. The future generation will get to see how it was back then and will get a fair idea. I am happy that at least now we have started the registration process for such films. However, it saddens me that we haven’t restored many good films, which are a part of our cultural history,” he added.

The 65-year-old showed his acting acumen in a string of commercially successful and critically acclaimed films like Noorie, Saath Saath, Umrao Jaan, Bazaar, Katha and Biwi Ho To Aisi, among others.

The restored version of Chashme Buddoor, which marked one of his best performances so far, is releasing on April 5 along with its remake, which has been directed by David Dhawan, a director known for making super hit comedies like Hero No. 1 and Partner.

Never in the history of Indian cinema has a digitally restored version of a classic and its remake come out on the same day. The veteran actor, who was recently seen in Listen…Amaya, would like to first see Dhawan’s Chashme Buddoor, which features our very own Ali Zafar along with actors Siddharth, and Taapsee Pannu.

“I really want to see how David has made the film. I am also excited to see the restored print of Chashme Buddoor with an upgraded version and sound effect,” added the actor, who had teamed up with Deepti Naval, Rakesh Bedi and Ravi Baswani in the fun-filled movie.

A good comedy requires a strong script, he feels. “Double meaning or below-the-belt comedies are made when the script is not strong enough. So, if you have a strong script, you don’t need all these things,” adding that such films can’t be watched with families.

Not seen in too many films nowadays, Farooque finds acting satisfying. “For me, acting is very rewarding and a satisfying feeling on earth. I am blessed to be an actor. And what more can I ask for? I can only try harder and do better work. If given an option, I would like to be an actor in my next birth as well,” said the actor.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 3^rd, 2013.

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

The premiere episode primarily focused on the aftermath  of the mighty battle of Blackwater from the end of last season where King’s Landing barely defended itself against an attack from Stannis Baratheon and his troops thanks to Tyrion Lannister’s astute moves. But Tyrion, the real hero of Battle of Blackwater is far from being acknowledged and is embroiled in severe personal dilemma in wake of a deadly injury and a complex relationship with his iron hearted father, Tywin and a manipulative sister, Cersei. The poor imp has gone from being ‘Hand of the King’ to being caged in a small room perplexed by impending danger to his life that hangs over his head. As per reports, this season will explore the dynamics of complex and tipsy internal relationships of Lannister clan.

On the other hand, the King of the Iron Throne Joffrey is back to his naïve, idiotic self; this time being lured by his dexterous fiancée Margaery and her charming antics. Margaery is desperate for queenship and Joffrey is impressionable but his mother Cersei is having a hard time watching Margaery making a fool out of his son and is struggling to accept the new woman in his life.

While somewhere deep in the sea, Khaleesi is desperate to get her hands on the Iron Throne and is running out of patience. From the looks of it, Khaleesi and her dragons will have a much more substantial role to play in this season and her quest for the Iron Throne will make a marginal part of the storyline.

As for the rest, Rob Stark is still undefeated but his abilities are yet to be tested to their best while his sister Sansa is eager to get out of King’s Landing. Though it has to be said Petyr Baelish hardly seems sincere to help out Sansa but only time will tell what he is up to.

From the looks of it, it seems we are in for an action-packed season of Game of Thrones. There are countless contenders for the Iron Throne and inclusion of dragons and White Walkers will only make the things much more interesting. Here’s to another amazing season of the year’s most anticipated TV show.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2013.

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

At the music launch of upcoming film Ishq Khuda, Noor, one of the best directors of Lollywood, embraced a different tone with regards to the country’s film industry. “I have said some harsh things about Amjad Rasheed [chairman of IMGC Global Entertainment],” Noor said. “I have said that he, as distributor, has done nothing but harm to the film industry in Pakistan.” Due to lack of space and support given to Pakistani cinema, veteran directors and advocates of Lollywood have been at odds with distributors and exhibitors. But at the launch, Noor shed light on the two major factors revolving around the film. “A distributor [IMGC] is supporting the film and the manager of PAF cinema [Nadir Minhas] announced that they will play one Pakistani film every week,” he said. “To hear about these developments is definitely a positive sign.”

Directed by Shehzad Rafique, the romantic Sufi-centric film Ishq Khuda stars Ahsan Khan, Meera, Wiam Dhamani, Kinza Malik, and has special appearances by Shaan and Saima. Rafique has always been business savvy to make sure his films receive maximum attention. His previous film, Mohabbtaan Sachiyaan, went to the South Asian film festival and the Muscat International Film Festival.

His new film intrinsically seems to be a Lollywood product, but is said to include better production value. It is produced by Shafquat Chaudhry, Arshad Mehmood and Shehzad Rafique. Saleem Zubairi and Pervaiz Kaleem have written the film.

At the launch, Shaan said a change was taking place within the industry. “We have to look at standing up on our feet first rather than depending on the government for finances,” said the actor. “Instead of begging for money, we must ask the government to make policies that encourage our film industry.”

Shaan added that there are several corporate funded projects in the pipeline, which would benefit and help revive Lollywood. He elaborated by saying that he would be participating in the remake of Aaina, which is being supported by the brand Tarang.

“It’s a form of corporate social responsibility, the way some multi-national companies and private corporations are getting involved with the film industry,” he continued.

Veteran television actor Rashed Mehmood, who has a supporting role in the film, agreed that Lollywood had a negative approach to competitive film-making.

“I think there has been a tendency of the old lot to get intimidated by some of the changes that have taken place,” said Mehmood. “We never really wanted to compete; we just wanted to ban Indian films to help our cause. But we are now looking at a way to compete.” He also said that the film proved there is still a role for existing talent in the new cinema that is being created in Pakistan.

Ishq Khuda will be distributed nationwide and has been supported by several multi-national brands — something which would have been unfathomable a couple of years ago. The film will be released on Eidul Fitr.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2013.

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

Actor Hrithik Roshan’s sequel to his superhero franchise Krrish, has been in the news for a while now. The actor claims that it’s his most ambitious project till date. Hrithik will reportedly be playing triple roles in Krrish 3, reports the Hindustan Times.

“Hrithik is playing Rohit the father and he also plays Krishna and Krrish. Yup, when he is the simpleton, he’s Krishna and when he’s the superman, he is Krrish,” said Rakesh Roshan, Hrithik’s father and director of Krrish.

Krrish 3, the most ambitious project of Hrithik’s career, is in the post-production stage and the actor is extremely excited.

“I have worked very hard. I have put all my passion into this. You go to sleep with a satisfaction in your heart and wake up with a mind buzzing with ideas. I hope everything comes out well,” said Hrithik. The film is scheduled to release on November 1.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 5^th, 2013.

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

A chaotic, colourful mess, the film is a remake of the 1981 classic hit of the same title (different spelling) directed by king of comedy David Dhawan, who has a reputation of remaking Hollywood and South Indian films. To remake an old Bollywood gem, it is crucial to do justice to the original — which Dhawan clearly failed to do. Still, if you are in for mindless entertainment and some genuine laugh-out-loud moments, this is the film to watch.

Director Sai Paranjpye’s 31-year-old film Chashme Buddoor (note spelling) starred veteran actors Farooq Shaikh and Deepti Naval in the lead roles with Rakesh Bedi and Ravi Baswani in the supporting roles. While the original bro-com film was a bagful of laughs with a story of three friends and the new girl on the block, followed by everything that happens when a boy meets a girl; the remake which follows the same plot, goes overboard with cheap jokes and double meaning dialogues, written by Sajid Farhad.

The movie begins with three cheesy friends living in Goa, two of which are struggling to strike gold in their careers — a flop poet Omi (Divyendu Sharma) and a miserable actor Jai (Siddharth Narayan). Besides their over-exaggerated stupidity and shameful acts, they also try their luck with girls, however they never succeed. The third friend Sid (Ali Zafar) is a physics student, shown as an innocent and respectful boy who is loved by everyone. Sooner than expected, Seema (Taapsee Pannu) moves into their neighbourhood after running away from a pathetic army officer father (Anupam Kher). After trying their cheap antics with Seema, the two friends back away while Sid accidentally meets her and their romance begins.

It was refreshing to see the South Indian actor Taapsee Pannu as the lead girl. She had a spark in her eyes and a bright smile throughout the film. But the film-makers definitely needed some weight and variety for the audience to stay in their seats for the story that was almost dragging to an end. Thankfully, there were other supporting characters like the legendary Rishi Kapoor as Mr Joseph, opposite the sexy LIlette Dubey in a romance of their own. Bharti Achrekar is brilliant as an obnoxious and controlling mother of twins (Anupam Kher).

While the lead role is a notch up in Pakistani singer and actor Ali Zafar’s career, the movie itself is less than average in terms of entertainment and experience. His acting skills were no different from any superstar in Bollywood, with a noticeably Indian tinge in his English dialogues. With his pretty-boy looks and Salman Khan-inspired no-shirt tricks, Ali is probably the only reason to watch the film.

The sound track was entertaining, with most songs in Ali’s voice and fun dance moves. The film made references to old songs, movies, veteran actors, army-civilian quarrels and terrorists. There were some hilarious moments, however most humorous lines were just word-play like: “Kamre me matlab camera me qaid ho jao”, “Ki gal hai, girl hai?” or “When you can’t change the girl; change the girl”.

Veteran actor Farooque Shaikh was right when he said people are often tempted to revisit something popular because you don’t need to put much effort into it.

Red Carpet

Ali Zafar’s Chashme Baddoor premiered at Atrium Mall in Karachi on April 4. To show support of their fellow Pakistani actor, numerous celebrities were spotted including actors Behroz Sabzwari, Mohib Mirza, Komal Rizvi, Hasan Rizvi and Danish Nawaz.

Verdict: If you want to see a Pakistani actor in a lead role in an Indian film, then do go watch Chashme Baddoor. It’s light, and the songs are brilliant!

Published in The Express Tribune, April 6^th, 2013.

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

Actor Esha Gupta, who recently shot a special number for Punit Malhotra’s Gori Tere Pyaar Mein, says it is not a typical item song. In the yet-to-be-titled song, Gupta will be seen with actor Imran Khan.

“I am looking forward to this song. It’s a club song and it’s not a typical item number,” said Esha. “It’s a very peppy song, which is kind of an introduction to Imran’s character in the film.”

Esha sports a “cool” look in the video , thanks to a short skirt designed by Manish Malhotra. She believes “he makes any damn thing look cool.”

The actor also said that she had a great time working with Imran and hopes to do an entire movie with him in future.

“Imran is a great guy. I had a great time working with him and I would really like to work with him in films,” she said.

Kareena Kapoor plays the lead role in Gori Tere Pyaar Mein.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8^th, 2013.                      

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

KOLKATA: Describing the current scenario in Indian cinema as “a very exciting phase”, leading film-maker Mahesh Bhatt says the freedom to make movies “fearlessly” sets Indian cinema apart from Pakistan and Bangladesh.

“What separates India from Pakistan and Bangladesh is that we have had free space — we have been allowed to make movies fearlessly,” said Bhatt.

“Yes, we have had our share of problems but we have fixed them and have always tried to broaden [our reach],” he said. “We have not gone out of the prison but at least we have made the prison cell a little broader. The bars are still there but there is more space between the two rods.”

Bhatt is known for making critically-acclaimed movies such as Saaraansh, Arth and Zakhm besides writing the story and screenplay for popular erotic noir films like Jism and Jism 2.

Speaking on the challenges and the way ahead for Indian cinema, Bhatt feels the industry needs to shift gears from the “medieval” line of thought and respond to social variables.

“The new cinematographic act is being discussed as we speak. There is also some kind of sensitising we need to do in the industry. The film industry also needs to go away from its old medieval mindset and respond to the change that’s taken place in the country,” he added.

“There is a new kid of energy which is demanding that you are more responsible to the social change that is taking place so I think it’s a very very exciting phase.”

Bhatt also laid emphasis on the need to raise voices to protect the right of free speech and expression at a national level.

Slated for a May 10 release, Aashiqui 2, Bhatt’s next venture as a producer, will revisit his 1991 directed hit Aashiqui.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8^th, 2013.                      

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

MUMBAI: David Dhawan’s Chashme Baddoor remake released on Friday alongside the digitally restored version of the original, but the film-maker is unfazed by the competition. He believes the simultaneous release would create curiosity among the audiences.

“It’s a good thing. Enjoy it in a good spirit, it’s a new thing. It’s like a director’s special and has been released that way. At least it will create curiosity among the public. Publicity helps in the long run,” the 52-year-old said at the premiere of his film.

It is said that for the first time, the restored version of an original film has released with its remake.

Siddharth, who plays one of the three friends in Dhawan’s Chashme Baddoor, said, “If the young generation goes and watches the old film because of our film, then it’s a good thing. It’s like if people go back and enjoy Sunil Gavaskar’s batting because of Virat Kohli, it’s a good thing.”

Siddharth further added that their film is different from the Sai Paranjpye directed buddy-comedy.

“This is a very new film; it has not been made by watching the old film. It is wrong to say so. If you’ve seen both films, you would not say that they are the same,” said the actor. “If it was not named Chashme Baddoor, then it would have still worked. It is a different film by David Dhawan. It’s a David Dhawan bromance-comedy.”

While the original Chashme Baddoor starred Deepti Naval, Farooque Sheikh, Rakesh Bedi and Ravi Baswani, the remake cast also includes Ali Zafar, Divyendu Sharma, Taapsee Pannu, Rishi Kapoor and Anupam Kher.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8^th, 2013.                      

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

Spin doctor

The network may be eight-years-old, but Ramzi has been working for it for nine years — before it was even launched. She has an answer for everything. For instance, ask Ramzi the criteria by which designers are selected for the network’s much touted Bridal Couture Week (BCW): Is the payment of a hefty participation fee by designers and stylists reason enough to allow lackluster work onto the catwalk, amongst other more admittedly fantastic collections? And why, in the first place, are stylists paying to be part of the show when at other fashion events they instead are paid for their services? Or ask her about the fledgling Hum TV awards — staged for the first time just a few weeks ago. Doesn’t it just seem a tad too self-congratulatory to give out awards for their own programs? Why can’t they allow accolades to be delivered through the established annual Lux Style Awards like all the other channels? Glib-tongued, introspective and very lucid, She doesn’t bat an eyelid.

Answers

BCW, she says, may have its critics but there’s no denying the event’s popularity. “It’s avidly watched which is why we set aside prime-time weekend slots for it. Yes, we do charge a participation fee, but we also have a selection committee that eliminates collections that are truly atrocious,” says Shanaz. “Besides, despite the fee, designers and stylists clamour to be included in the show. The fee is a very nominal amount considering that the show is aired repeatedly on a channel that is watched all over the world, a detailed catalogue is printed showcasing each design and no expense is spared in creating the set.”

But now that BCW has become a well-established bi-annual event, shouldn’t the selection committee — with members whose names cannot be revealed for some unfathomable reason — be more discerning about the designers it allows onto its entourage? “New designers have to be allowed in because how else will they grow and improve?” reasons Ramzi. “The line-up also always includes plenty of veterans in order to maintain quality and keep the audience interested.”

Style360 dwindles

Incidentally, the network’s fashion coverage was earlier primarily aired on their channel Style360. Recently, though, Style360 dwindled from being a full-fledged channel to receiving limited air-time on the newly formed subsidiary Hum-2. The fashion-based channel had initially started off strong but later succumbed to the lure of amateurish, lackadaisical talk shows and broadcasting the same fashion shows repeatedly. Was Style360 snipped away because it was unable to draw audiences on its own merit? “I think we got a bit demotivated with Style360,” mulls Ramzi. “Cable operators refused to recognise it as an entertainment channel and pushed it to the end of their channel listings. By making Style360 a part of Hum-2 we managed to cut costs and kill two birds with one stone. Fashion fans could still catch their preferred shows during specific time-slots and we could also address the growing demand for our old dramas to be re-telecast.”

Awarding ourselves

Do audiences really want to watch older dramas all over again? Sure they do, says Ramzi.  This audience was, of course, consolidated through last year’s magnum opus, Humsafar, which became a super-duper, money-minting hit. “We really appreciate and take pride in the artistes that have stood by us and produced such spectacular dramas for us.”

The recent Hum TV awards were apparently devised in order to show this appreciation. Interspersed between the inevitable stage performances, awards were given out for primarily drama and sitcom-related fields with a few statuettes set aside for the limited music and fashion categories. Who formed the awards’ jury? That’s another hush-hush secret that cannot be revealed. The important fact was that the channel managed to show its gratitude to the people who had now become integral to it. “I wonder why other channels haven’t yet come up with their own awards’ line-ups yet. It’s a great way to boost morale and create goodwill. I am also surprised that quite a few print and electronic mediums barely covered the awards. They should have recognised that this event was boosting the industry as a whole rather than just our channel.”

However, all over the world, events highlighting one channel are hardly given major coverage by their competition. It’s simple economics, really and one that Ramzi is aware of. “It doesn’t bother us since we make sure that our events are at least well-covered on our own channels.” And that’s good enough coverage with a platform like Hum, which is growing, gaining ground and getting stronger with time.  7:49:59 PM

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8^th, 2013.                      

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

While working with the US-based Indian director, Hamid found that he and Nair share some similar things.

“I really clicked with her as a person. She is someone who comes from southern Asia and has spent many years here, but has lived abroad for almost half her life. I am the same,” Hamid said in a statement.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist, an adaptation of the 2007 eponymous bestseller, focuses on a young Pakistani chasing corporate success on Wall Street.

However, post-9/11, he finds himself embroiled in a conflict between his American dream, a hostage crisis, and the enduring call of his family’s homeland.

Talking about Nair’s initiative of filming the movie, Hamid said, “An Indian director making a film about a Pakistani man — that’s not an easy thing to do.”

Hamid came to the US to study at Princeton University. After that, he lived in London for several years before returning to Lahore. Nair left India to attend Harvard University, and subsequently moved to New York.

Starring actors Kate Hudson, Kiefer Sutherland, Liev Schreiber, Riz Ahmed, Shabana Azmi and Om Puri and Misha Shafi, The Reluctant Fundamentalist is slated to release in May in Pakistan. 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2013.

Like Life & Style on Facebook for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.