MUMBAI: Bollywood actors Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor, who tied the knot last year, are happily married and love doing things together. They try to enjoy the smallest pleasures of life just like regular couples, says Kareena.

“Saif and I are just a regular couple and it’s nice to be able to enjoy dinner at our favourite restaurant without light bulbs flashing in our faces constantly,” Kareena told IANS in an interview.

The actor appreciates the fact that media has given the couple their privacy and space.

“As a celebrity, being under the media glare constantly is a job hazard. But I truly appreciate the privacy media has given me when it comes to my personal life,” she said.

Kareena is known in the industry for her great fashion sense and style but she admits that she always seeks approval from her husband on what looks good on her.

“I seek approval from my man on how I look and what I should wear. And Saif, with his great taste, gives me some fabulous inputs,” said the actor, who married Saif in October last year after dating him for five years.

Being at the top of her career, Kareena is currently busy with endorsements, films and other events. But she makes sure to take out time for Saif, with whom she featured in big screen ventures Tashan and Kurbaan.

“Being from the same industry, Saif completely understands the pressure that comes with being an actor. While we never sideline our work, we ensure that we sneak in some ‘us time’ in the midst of our hectic schedules — be it catching a movie together, a quiet dinner or an impromptu vacation,” she said.

“Saif has always been extremely supportive and encouraging and I’m really grateful to him for that,” she added.

From doing typical potboilers such as Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, 3 Idiots and Bodyguard to offbeat films such as Chameli, Dev and Omkara, she has proved her mettle in the last 13 years.

After a long journey in showbiz, the actor, who will turn 33 in September this year, feels success is not far behind if you are committed to your job.

“When you enjoy what you do and when you give it all you’ve got, success will never be far behind. Always trust your instincts and have faith in your capabilities!,” said Kareena, who will next be seen in Satyagraha.

Saif, on the other hand, is currently busy with his zombie comedy Go Goa Gone.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2013.                      

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When the Emmy-winning comedy started nearly a decade ago, the northeastern Pennsylvania city of Scranton was best known for its former mainstay industry of coal mining, but not anymore.

“The outward perception of the town is that we’re a hard-scrabble coal town, but nobody here identifies with that,” said Michele Dempsey, an architect and one of the organisers of The Office Wrap Party in the city of 76,000.

“That time is gone. The Office has put Scranton on the map. It’s helped make us cool.”

More than a dozen members of the show’s cast and crew took part in Saturday’s event, which included a four-block parade through town where smiling, screaming fans mobbed cast members.

Actor Steve Carell, who played the bumbling office manager Michael Scott in the show, was a surprise guest at the cast party at a baseball stadium just outside of the city.

“Thank you, Scranton,” Carell told the crowd. “This all is because of you.”

The party marked the first time the cast had been together since the show wrapped production in March. The final episode is scheduled to air on NBC on May 16.

At the city’s courthouse square about 10,000 people greeted guests and stars of the show including John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer. Cast members performed in an impromptu concert on the grandstand with Rainn Wilson singing We Are the Champions, Fischer, Kate Flannery and Ellie Kemper belting out Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and Oscar Nunez and Brian Baumgartner performing Roxanne.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Kemper said after the parade. “I’m still soaking it in. It’s like The Rolling Stones came here or something. I told someone it looked like the parade scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”

Saturday’s party marked the unofficial end of the city’s love affair with The Office.

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

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“When again would I get a chance to work so closely with three of my friends Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar and Karan Johar,” says the successful auteur. Bombay Talkies is an anthology film consisting of four short films released May 3. “We were constantly in each other’s space enjoying each other’s works more than our own. Not only did we make these four films together we also promoted and marketed the finished product together. There was no sense of competition … only deep kinship,” adds Bannejerjee.

Tell him that his film is the one most appreciated amongst the films in Bombay Talkies and Bannerjee brushes off the compliment, saying: “I am too close to my own work to judge its value, but my favourite film of the omnibus is Karan’s. Not only has he yanked himself out of his comfort zone, he has made sure that he hasn’t compromised on the telling of his story.”

About the presence of an emu as a pivotal character in his film Bannerjee laughs and says, “That was an idea given to me by two documentary film-makers who helped me with the film. Emu farming was a major enterprise in innumerable households across Maharashtra and other states some four to five years ago. It ruined so many families. The emu in Nawazuddin’s home is symbolical of his wasted life.”

At the moment Bannerjee is a hands-on producer for his erstwhile assistant Kanu Behl’s film Titli which he and Yashraj Films are co-producing together. “I am not thinking of directing another film at the moment. I just want the out-of-the-box experience of Bombay Talkies to get optimum viewership,” he says hopefully.

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

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At a press conference on Monday, Sonam said she feels that Bollywood has a lot of emotion. “Even now when there is world cinema, we have our own identity. I love the fact that there is so much song and drama,” said Sonam. “I feel that we bring the emotional content to world cinema.”

Coming from a family well-rooted in the film industry, Sonam added centenary celebration of the Indian cinema is a special occasion for her.

“My family has been there in the film industry for years. My grandfather [Surinder Kapoor] was an assistant director in Mughal-e-Azam and then got into production. My dad [Anil Kapoor] has been there for so long. We are proud to be part of the industry,” said the 27-year-old. She also added that her uncle Boney Kapoor is a well-known film-maker who is married to actor Sridevi.

“My celebration was when I got a chance to interview actor Waheeda Rehman. She is my icon and I feel she represents the Indian cinema,” added Sonam. She had the chance to work with Waheeda in 2009 in the film Delhi-6.

Sonam says she’s obsessed with Rekha’s look in Umrao Jaan. PHOTO: FILE

Sonam is now preparing to step into the shoes of yesteryear’s actor Rekha to play a chirpy, carefree young girl in the Khubsoorat remake. She says she is completely in awe of the Umrao Jaan actor.

“I am completely obsessed with Rekha. I love her dramatic eyes and red lips,” she said.

She unveiled the L’Oréal Sunset Collection and Bollywood inspired looks for the Cannes Film Festival at the event. The actor has six looks to choose from for the festival, which also includes dramatic eyes and red lips.

Talking about her approach towards makeup, she said: “I love using kajal and eye liner. I feel that dramatic eyes look amazing.”

“For me, beauty is what is reflected from the inside,” said Sonam. “It is an expression, which has to come from inside. I feel that emotions make a person beautiful. I am an average looking girl, but when I smile, I look prettier.”

Directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Khubsoorat was made in 1980 and starred Rekha and Rakesh Roshan along with Dina Pathak, known for playing the strict family head, while Ashok Kumar was seen as her husband and an indulgent father.

The new version of the film is being made by Sonam’s father Anil and directed by Shashanka Ghosh. 

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

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MUMBAI: Being the grandson of Indian cinema pioneer Sashadar Mukherjee and the son of actor Deb Mukherjee was not like being a Kapoor, says director Ayan Mukerji.

“I don’t have glamorous memories of being a film industry child. While I come from a family deeply rooted in the film industry, they were not that successful. It wasn’t like being Rishi Kapoor’s son,” said Ayan, who made his directorial debut with Wake Up Sid.

His grandfather Sashadhar Mukherjee was the owner of Filmalaya studios, his uncle Shomu Mukherjee, father of Kajol, made films like Sangdil Sanam and Pathar Ke Insan. His other uncle was Rono Mukherjee.

“I didn’t get exposure to the best film sets or access to key people,” said Ayan, also adding that he didn’t have access to the people who were making and shaking things.

Ayan said his surname didn’t really help him either, like it helped others. “The way our industry works, they don’t bank on success which was 20-30 years back. It is a very brutal space,” he said.

Even being first cousins with Kajol and Rani Mukerji didn’t help him. “Their being a part of films didn’t help me at all. When I wanted to work with Karan Johar as an assistant, neither of them [Kajol or Rani Mukerji] called him for me. I got my job like anyone else. I am sure when Karan heard that I am related to them, he must have had a good feeling about it.  There was no extra leg up I got from them,” he said.

The director is all set to release his next film Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani starring Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor.

Like Wake Up Sid, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani also has a strong father-son track. This is so because the young director shared a unique bond with his father. “My relationship with my father has been a very instrumental relationship in the person who I became. I was the centre of his universe,” said Ayan.

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

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Actor Sanjay Dutt was supposed to make a special appearance in Ghanchakkar, but now director Raj Kumar Gupta has decided to drop the scene because he feels they can’t shoot it now.

“It is true that I have scrapped the scene that would have featured Sanjay Dutt. The scene could have only been possible with him,” Gupta said in a statement. “Without him the scene did not make sense as it would have had Sanjay playing himself. It was a very situational scene. It won’t be in my movie anymore.”

Sanjay is working in shifts to complete his unfinished projects as he has got a four-week reprieve from the Supreme Court to finish his Bollywood films.

The 53-year-old was sentenced to six years in jail in 2007 for possessing illegal weapons from men convicted for the Mumbai blasts that killed 260 people, but he has been out on bail ever since. In March, the Supreme Court rejected his appeal against his conviction, but reduced his sentence to five years and ordered him to return to prison on or before April 18, but later he got four weeks’ reprieve.

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

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MUMBAI: Dancer-actor Javed Jaffrey, who tasted success as a producer with Inshallah, Kashmir, says he now plans to direct a film and that it will happen soon.

Starting his journey with the 1985 film Meri Jung, he is known for his dancing skills and as a judge in the dance reality show Boggie Woogie with his brother Naved and actor Rohit Behl.

Although he finds acting “most satisfying”, direction has been on his mind for quite a while.

“I have wanted to direct a film for quite some time. Now finally, I have decided to direct my film as soon as possible. I am working on two to three scripts. Let’s see how to make the first move towards direction. But it will be soon, may be by end of this year or probably next year,” said Javed.

He wants to make a film that has some social message.

“I like films, which give a strong message along with entertainment. I don’t want to make a film that gets preachy or gives lecture, but it would have a message with immense amount of entertainment,” said the 49-year-old.

Meanwhile, Javed, who won a National Film Award for his documentary Inshallah, Kashmir, is enjoying his success as a producer.

“It’s very overwhelming when people recognise your work. I am also producing my next film, which is titled BMW. But I personally feel acting is the most satisfying job for me than anything else,” said Javed, who was seen in films like Salaam Namaste and Double Dhamaal.

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

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KARACHI: Tuesday afternoon marked the launch of  The Platform, a much-needed initiative to promote the talent of young and emerging Pakistani film-makers, at Atrium Cinemas. Following the launch was a curtain raiser of the upcoming Pakistani movie Josh, which has been directed by Iram Parveen Bilal.

A collaborative effort of Nadeem Mandviwalla of Mandviwalla Entertainment and Mohammad Jerjees Seja, the CEO of Ary Digital Network, The Platform has been introduced to support young film-makers to promote and market their films.

“Though much has been done by the government of Pakistan to raise the standard of cinemas in the country since 2001, there has been a lack of evolution in the process,” said Mandviwalla, who was present at the event. “While new cinemas have been built since the beginning of 2007, the question that seems to bother most Pakistanis is, when will films be made?”

He added that it is important to understand that cinemas are run by the public; the success and the failure of a film depend solely on how audiences perceive and rate it.

Seja added that with their partnership with Mandviwalla Entertainment, The Platform will help sponsor, promote and distribute new local films. Focusing on the purpose of The Platform, he said, “This is an initiative taken in the interest of the country’s emerging film-makers, to come forward and show their work.” Seja also stressed that there is a lot of talent within Pakistan and its importance cannot be downplayed despite the intervention of international media ventures such as Indian and Turkish soaps.

Get ready for Josh!

As their first project, the duo promoted the upcoming movie Josh, which is scheduled to release on Eid. The Express Tribune asked the film’s writer, director and producer Iram Parveen Bilal, about her inspiration behind her career choice. “My father told me a while back that my paternal grandfather left his home in 1937, to become an actor. However, his dream could not be fulfilled.  Seventy-six years later, I have vicariously fulfilled his dream,” said Iram. Appreciating Seja and Mandviwalla’s efforts, she said that the duo had given her dreams “wings to fly.”

The film, Josh, is inspired from the life of Perveen Saeed, the founder of Khana Ghar, a charity that provides heavily subsidised meals to the poor. “My feelings cannot be assessed; they are on a different level. I play a humble, domesticated role and Khana Ghar was a small venture of my own. I hope one day nobody in this country sleeps hungry,” said an overwhelmed Perveen.

When asked about whether her film will garner any appreciation from the audience, Bilal said, “Every one’s taste is different; how you will like it or not, depends solely on your taste for it.”

With an industry that has suffered immense backlash in the past few years, especially with the influx of foreign cinema, The Platform seems to bring a new ray of hope for young directors and film-makers who are struggling to pursue their dream in this small-sized industry. However, Mandviwalla makes it clear that Bollywood films will not be rescheduled for Pakistani films. He firmly believes that the viewership of a film depends highly on the quality of the content and every film deserves a shot at the silver screen.

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

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The much anticipated film Jurassic Park 4, which was scheduled to release in June next year, has been put on hold by Universal Studios. This will be the fourth installment of the Jurassic Park series, the highest grossing film franchise.

The decision was made to give “the studio and film-makers adequate time to bring audiences the best possible version” of Jurassic Park 4, said Universal Studios in a statement. Initially, the film was slated to release on June 13 next year. However, the studio has yet to announce a new date.

Director Steven Spielberg directed the first two editions of the movie and will now be taking on the role of executive producer for the fourth film, while newcomer Colin Trevorrow will be directing it.

No announcement, however, has been made regarding the cast or whether the original stars of the franchise, Jeff Goldblum and Richard Attenborough, will return.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 10^th, 2013.                    

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“All heroes are like my kids. Hrithik Roshan has his own style, Shahrukh Khan has his own way. I see a lot of myself in Salman. He does anything — some weird dance moves and all. He is very good. He is emotional and a good dancer,” the 77-year-old said on the sets of Dance India Dance Super Moms auditions.

He summed up, saying: “Everybody is good. I can’t say who is the best.”

Dharmendra came with son and actor Bobby Deol to promote their upcoming home production Yamla Pagla Deewana 2, which also stars his elder son and actor Sunny Deol.

Dancing is not Dharmendra’s forte, and his son Sunny is not an expert either. But what makes the senior actor happy is that Sunny is finally taking a keen interest in dance.

“I feel embarrassed when somebody calls me a dancer. Bobby is the dancer, he is the best,” he said.

“I used to tell Sunny to learn dancing, but he used to say, ‘Papa when you didn’t learn how to dance, why should I?’ But if you see him now in upcoming movies, he has become good. He is now learning and I am so happy that he is really taking interest,” Dharmendra said.

Directed by Sangeeth Sivan, Yamla Pagla Deewana 2, a sequel to 2011 hit Yamla Pagla Deewana. It will hit theatres on June 7.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2013.

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Nageen Hyat, the producer and director of the documentary, said the concept took over three decades to evolve. “I have been a rights activist for 30 years. This documentary encompasses experiences of those including myself, who have struggled to create awareness with a progressive and liberal approach,” she said.

The questions posed to women’s rights activists and civil society, have drawn candid feedback, she added. Prominent faces at the event included poet and activist Kishwar Naheed and Women Action Forum (WAF) members including Nasreen Azhar and Khalida Babri.

The opening scene features a poignant painting of a girls’ school in Waziristan by Azhar Hafeez. The film then moves on to diverse personalities expressing their opinions on the role of women in elections and the challenges expected in the process of voting.

“Security for women is a key issue since this year the provision of transport has been banned, many women in far- flung and rural areas are going to face immense problems,” said Azhar.

Others shared personal experiences of working in rural areas. “In Balochistan, women have become bold and even though security risks persist, they are more willing to step out of their homes,” Babri said.

On the other hand, another activist Samina Imtiaz was quick to point an understated dilemma. “In the Pashtun culture, you have to go door-to-door to encourage women. With the parties under attack in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, this was impossible hence women have almost zero motivation to vote,” she said.

Naheed took a more blunt approach as she criticised a lack of political will for women’s rights. “What have they (the government) done? Nothing, only made women’s commission and that too without proper regulations and rules which is just hanging in the air.”

However, Aurat Foundation CEO Naeem Mirza pointed out the reforms passed by the government. “Six laws were passed for women, the most important being the offence of rape was taken out of the Zina Ordinance and included in the Pakistan Penal Code,” he said.

Political analyst Imtiaz Gul criticised each party’s stance on women’s rights. “Every party wants to portray itself as enlightened but I’m not too hopeful. The security of women is state responsibility which has failed time and again,” he said. The documentary ended with a haunting prose recitation by Kishwar Naheed as the credits rolled.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2013.

MUMBAI: Although it may seem to Sanjay Dutt that certain sections of the film industry have turned their backs on him, the fact remains that his friends are staunchly loyal. The final shots of the remake of Zanjeer are being changed to accommodate the actor’s date of surrendering before a court.

A remake of 1973 super hit action thriller, which was Big B’s first blockbuster, the new Zanjeer is directed by Apoorva Lakhia and features Ramcharan Teja, Priyanka Chopra and Sanjay Dutt in the lead roles.

“We are shooting an extra scene with Sanju Sir. Earlier he was not meant to be seen in the closing shots. It was just Ramcharan Teja and Priyanka Chopra. But now we all feel since this would probably be Sanju Sir’s last shot for the next few years, we want the audience to leave the theatre with a very strong impression of his character,” said a source.

A quip-like dialogue has also been specially written for Sanjay.

“It’s a very old-fashioned ending now where Sanjay’s character Sher Khan would make a witty remark…”, says the source.

Sanjay Dutt has been sentenced to five years in jail in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case. He has been asked to surrender on May 16 to serve the remaining 42 months of the sentence.

SC dismisses Sanjay Dutt’s plea for review of conviction

The Indian Supreme Court on Friday rejected the review petition by Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt whose conviction under the Arms Act in 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blast case was upheld by the apex court.

The top court, while upholding Dutt’s conviction under the Arms Act, has reduced his sentence from six years to five years.

A bench of Justice P Sathasivam and Justice BS Chauhan dismissed Dutt’s plea seeking recall of its March 21 order by which it had upheld the conviction under the Arms Act. The judges considered the review plea in their chambers.

The brief order said, “Application for hearing (the review petition) in the open court is rejected.”

The order said: “The review petitions are rejected.” Besides the review petition of Sanjay Dutt, the judges had also taken up review petitions by other convicts.

With the rejection of Dutt’s plea, he is expected to surrender on May 16 to serve his remaining three-and-a-half year term.

The apex court by its order of March 21 had given the cine star four weeks time to surrender to serve the remaining period of the sentence. These four weeks, which were to end April 18 were further extended by another four weeks by the apex court order on April 17. Dutt was given an extended period of four week on the plea that he had to meet his commitments for different films under production.

He had sought six months’ time to complete his pending film projects which was not accepted by the court.

The court by its April 17 order had given him another four weeks time to surrender “considering the peculiar facts and circumstances and also various reasons” that he had stated in the application for extension of time to surrender.

The court had made it clear that Dutt would not be granted any further extension of time to surrender.

The Special TADA court that had tried 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts cases had acquitted Dutt of charges under TADA but convicted him under the Arms Act for unauthorised possession arms AK-56 and ammunitions. The TADA court had convicted him on Nov 28, 2006 and sentenced him on June 31, 2007.

Twitter reactions

Mahesh Murthy

Dear @DuttSanjay, Bollywood, though spineless, did not betray you. The truth is, you betrayed India.

Dinesh Patel

I am sure he can bribe his way for comfortable life in prison.

Devang Vyas

Sanjay Dutt grow up, do your time and move on. At least honour your father’s name by not appearing to want to be above the law. Be a man

Ratna_rajaiah

Dear Sanjay Dutt. Don’t cry. Go to jail gracefully, do your time and come back. We’ll wait for you

Himanshu Sharma

You say that justice is denied in this country and then you end up being sad for sanjay dutt just because you liked few of his movies!

Published in The Express Tribune, May 12^th, 2013.

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Let’s cut to the chase. Iron Man 3 did not strike a nerve. Maybe my expectations were too high.

The only save was the action sequences. Billionaire playboy Tony Stark’s (Iron Man) Malibu pad is blown to smithereens. There is a great rescue scene for 13 people thrown out of Air Force One mid-air. Robert Downey Jr is an amazing super hero, as always, but the story falls flat for most of the two and a half hours. In the third edition we see our hero still trying to come to terms with the invasion of Earth by Loki to subjugate Earth. Nick Fury, the director of an international peacekeeping agency, cobbles together The Avengers (Stark aka the Iron Man, Captain America, The Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye) as a team to save the world from the powerful Loki.

In Iron Man 3 our hero is shown still trying to come to terms with the New York invasion. For Stark, the success of The Avengers was a big deal. But he has since become a recluse because of his reliance on the Iron Man suit. His anxiety levels have escalated. He can’t sleep and this leads to problems with his girlfriend, Pepper Pots (Gwyneth Paltrow). At this point, new villain Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) enters. Kingsley’s character is a cross between Osama bin Laden and a warlord from Game of Thrones. However, he is just the face of evil — the real bad guy being Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce), a stark raving mad scientist who our playboy slighted at a science convention in Switzerland years ago. Yes, the terrorist isn’t the bad guy for once. It is Killian who has a serum that can turn people into living bombs.

The tongue-in-cheek humour helps defuses the tension built up by Kingsley’s character. There are jokes about Croydon, British football and Downton Abbey — but I don’t think many people outside the UK would appreciate them.

There are some parts that the censor boards might bleep/blank out. No, not the making-out scenes but the ones in which Pakistan is mentioned with links to terrorism. The Mandarin is thought to have been in Pakistan (but they later find out that he’s in Miami). In another scene Tony Stark’s best friend Col James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) is shown making friends in a hostile Pakistan. I don’t know what part of the country they were trying to show, but it looked like a scene out of Aladdin.

Top 3 Robert Downey Jr movies

1. Less than Zero

You will barely recognise Downey Jr in Less than Zero, the 1987 movie based on a Bret Easton Ellis novel. He delivers to perfection the hopelessness and depths of despair of a young man who is sucked in by a heroin addiction. Not a movie to watch if you’re down but do get the soundtrack.

2. Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus

What could have been a tragic freak show ends up with Downey giving a moving performance as a man who suffers from hypertrichosis (extreme hairiness) in Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus. Although Downey wasn’t nominated for this movie, his performance as Arbus’s hirsute neighbour received great acclaim from all movie critics.

3. Chaplin

Downey once again pulls off a challenging character in this David Attenborough film. But his performance did not save the work which was criticised for being too formulaic as a biopic. Still recommended for Charlie Chaplin fans.

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, May 12^th, 2013.

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Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor has stolen many hearts since he entered the Indian film industry. And now that he has completed a decade in Bollywood, he couldn’t be happier. He thanks his fans for showering their love on him.

Shahid debuted in 2003 with the hit movie Ishq Vishk, which portrayed him as Rajiv, a college boy confused about his feelings for his best friend Payal, played by actor Amrita Rao.

“10 years. Thank you all for the love,” posted Shahid, who later gave hits like Vivah, Kaminey and Jab We Met, on Twitter.

10 yrs ….. Thank u all for all the love ……

— Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) May 9, 2013

The movie was directed by Ken Ghosh and also starred Shenaz Treasurywala.

Actor Vishal Malhotra, who also got his big break with the same film where he played Mambo, Shahid’s best friend, also took to the social-networking site to thank his fans.

“10 years ago, my first film Ishq Vishk released. Mambo says … Thank you,” he tweeted.

Good Morning. 10 years ago today my first film ISHQ VISHK released. Mambo says … Thank you :)

— Vishal Malhotra (@Vishhman) May 9, 2013

Shahid and Vishal also worked together in the 2008 movie Kismat Konnection as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2013.                    

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NEW DEHLI: She made the noodle-strapped, halter, backless and low-cut blouses a rage a decade ago, but for her role as an anchor on kids’ singing reality show Indian Idol Junior, actor Mandira Bedi is ready to put on ‘lots of clothes’.

One couldn’t help but ask Mandira what she will wear for the show. “The dress code is lots of clothes,” Mandira, who glamourised the age-old sari and blouse concept as host of Extraa Innings during the 2003 cricket World Cup, told IANS.

She broke into laughter and added: “It will be more clothes than you’ve ever seen me in before.”

On a serious note, Mandira, now a mother of an almost two-year-old boy, has sported casual wear for the audition rounds like jeans, harem pants and jumpsuits. She added that for the theatre rounds, it may be “formal by one notch”.

But for the gala rounds, which will see some of the top contenders, she will have to give in to “a little bit of formality”.

Mandira is co-hosting the show with TV actor Karan Wahi. Though she has hosted several reality shows, and live events over the years, this is the first time she has taken on a show involving children. She admits she isn’t one to baby talk children, but says when one is working around children, “you have to simplify things a little bit”.

“You can’t be complicated with them. There’s a certain language you will use,” she added.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2013.                    

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MUMBAI: When actor Kareena Kapoor, who represents the fourth generation of her family, says that acting is in her genes, it is absolutely right as the Kapoor family has enjoyed an 85-year long association with arclight, greasepaint and camera.

It was Kareena’s great-grandfather Prithviraj Kapoor who laid down the foundation of acting in the family by entering showbiz in 1928, which was taken forward by his three sons — Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, and Shashi Kapoor whose wife Jennifer was the first female from the clan to act in movies.

Later, all three sons of Raj Kapoor — Randhir, Rishi and Rajeev — faced the camera. In the fourth generation, it was Randhir and actor Babita’s daughter Karisma Kapoor who carried forward the legacy of her family. Later, Kareena followed her sister’s footsteps.

As the Indian cinema celebrates its 100 years, talking about her association with filmdom, Kareena told IANS: “Being a Kapoor, acting is genetic for me. My sister paved the way for me in the industry when she became the first Kapoor girl to take up acting.”

Remembering filmdom as a child, Kareena said that she would accompany Karisma, who entered the industry in 1991 with Prem Qaidi, to the sets and has grown up with the industry.

“As a child, I used to accompany Lolo [Karisma] on the sets of her films, so I’ve seen the industry grow and vice versa. I have nothing but the highest regard for the industry,” said Kareena, who has completed 13 years in filmdom and has been a part of over 45 films, including hits like Ajnabee, Aitraaz, Jab We Met and 3 Idiots.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2013.                    

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NEW DEHLI: Actor-producer Saif Ali Khan is treading new territories with Go Goa Gone, a zombie comedy, after making romance-based entertainers like Love Aaj Kal and Cocktail. However, he’s quite sure he won’t ever make a “sleazy” comedy.

There’s a thin line between “naughty” and “sleazy”, he believes. Why is comedy all about sleaze nowadays?

“Everything should have a representative, I guess! So, have a branch of comedy also, which is sleazy, but I suppose there is an audience for that as well. There are different kinds of people in our country, and you’ve got to cater to all,” said Saif.

“But I don’t think I want to make a sleazy film. I’d rather make a naughty one,” the 42-year-old told IANS.

Go Goa Gone, his production and acting venture, releases on May 10. Starring Kunal Kemmu, Vir Das and Anand Tiwari in key roles, the movie, as Saif believes, is a “naughty” kind!

Narrating a scene from the movie, he said: “There’s a scene in which Kunal’s character goes and buys condoms. The shopkeeper asks him, ‘So what kind of condoms do you want?’ and then Kunal’s character says, ‘Well, the ones for having sex!’”

“So this, I think is naughty and funny, but not sleazy.”

While the movie has been heavily promoted as a ‘zombie’ film, Saif says it’s not all that “zombie”.

“It’s a very urban movie. It’s a funny one and not aimed at buying anyone into the theory of the zombie. It is essentially a story of three boys and their ridiculous adventures. So, I think it’s nice if we can just laugh a little bit without thinking what a zombie is and all of that,” he said.

The idea behind Go Goa Gone was also to cater to the audience which wants “new and exciting” genres and storylines.

“The audience is ready and maturing. So it is up to us now to give them the content. I remember Kunal came up to me with this script, and said this is a comedy about zombies. At first I was apprehensive to try something new, to produce something new, but then when I read the script, I laughed out loud quite a number of times.”

“I believe the audience will laugh too,” Saif said.

The budget for the film, he said, was “not very much”. But he promises they haven’t “cheated” the audience.

He said the crew shot a lot on beaches and in jungles of Mauritius, besides getting Hollywood experts to work on the zombies’ make-up. Saif’s own look is different in the film — he sports blonde locks. “I liked the idea,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2013.                    

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LOS ANGELES: Tony Stark’s superpowers lifted blockbuster Iron Man 3 back to the top of the movie charts in the United States and Canada, beating out a strong debut over the weekend for lavish Jazz Age drama, The Great Gatsby.

Coming off a gigantic opening a week earlier, Iron Man 3 commanded $72.5 million in ticket sales from Friday through Sunday in its second weekend. Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as millionaire Jay Gatsby in the classic F Scott Fitzgerald tale, earned a strong $51.1 million, according to studio estimates.

Domestic ticket sales for Iron Man 3 dropped 58% from a week earlier, when the film hauled in $174.1 million for the second-biggest movie opening of all time. The film from Walt Disney Co’s Marvel Studios stars Robert Downey Jr as Stark, a billionaire businessman with a superhero alter ego.

International sales for Iron Man 3 reached a massive $664 million through Sunday after adding $89 million from the weekend, Disney said. The film’s worldwide take now stands at $949 million.

Gatsby outpaced pre-weekend forecasts for an opening of up to $45 million. Directed by Australian film-maker Baz Luhrmann, it is the latest Hollywood rendition of Fitzgerald’s classic American novel, The Great Gatsby. A 1974 version starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow fared poorly at the box office.

DiCaprio stars in the title role, a millionaire pining for a lost love, played by Carey Mulligan, during the height of the hedonistic ‘20s. Tobey Maguire and Joel Edgerton also star. Rapper Jay-Z produced the soundtrack.

“We never expected to open this picture at this level,” said Dan Fellman, president of theatrical distribution for Warner Bros, the Time Warner Inc unit that distributed the film.

Fellman said the picture, which has been accorded the prestigious opening night slot at this week’s Cannes Film Festival, was now well-positioned for a long run into the summer as an alternative to traditional action movies.

The majority of ticket buyers were female by 59% to 41%, and 31%of ticket buyers were under age 25, Warner Bros said.

“We’re going to have a nice, long healthy run,” he told Reuters.

DiCaprio’s performance was widely praised, but the movie, which cost about $105 million to produce, received a mixed reception from critics. As of Saturday, 48% of reviews recommended the film on the Rotten Tomatoes website.

But in its opening weekend, the film very nearly eclipsed the total $57.4 million take of Luhrmann’s most successful film, Moulin Rouge, which went on to win several Academy Awards.

Elsewhere over the weekend, dark action comedy Pain & Gain starring Mark Wahlberg placed a distant third with $5 million at US and Canadian theatres.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.                    

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SHIMLA: Sanjay Dutt’s jail term has come in the way of his journey to Delhi. Director Subhash Kapoor says the third installment of the Munnabhai franchise will start only when the actor finishes his jail stint.

“We can’t imagine Munnabhai’s next part without Sanjay Dutt,” said Kapoor, who was set to wield the megaphone for Munnabhai Chale Dilli.

The Indian Supreme Court on Friday dismissed Sanjay’s plea seeking review of its March 21 judgment upholding his conviction under the Indian Arms Act and sentencing him to five years in jail in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. Dutt, 53, was sentenced to five years in jail by the apex court.

The actor has already undergone one-and-half years of imprisonment and according to the apex court order, he still has to complete the remaining three-and half years of the sentence.

“We will wait for our lead actor to complete his jail term,” Kapoor told IANS in an interview. “He [Sanjay] and Circuit [Arshad Varsi] are the true spirit of Munnabhai series.” The first two films — Munnabhai MBBS and Lage Raho Munna Bhai — were directed by Rajkumar Hirani, but for the third installment, Kapoor has been roped in.

The director is nevertheless hopeful of Sanjay’s early release. “We are hopeful that Sanjay will be freed early [on humanitarian grounds],” he added.

Journalist-turned-producer and director, Kapoor made his debut with Say Salaam India, which failed at the box office, but his films Phas Gaye Rey Obama and Jolly LLB were decent films.

“Bollywood recognises talent, but for this you need an opportunity. For the new entrants getting an opportunity depends all upon [the big] break,” Kapoor said. “My struggle in Bollywood, in fact, started after my first movie was a flop.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.                    

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“People have always underestimated the local audience’s passion for cinema,” well-known film critic and box office analyst Nawab Huzurul Hasan Siddique tells The Express Tribune. “Whether the roads are flooded with water or there is a strike in the city, hordes of people come to watch films and there was a similar situation during the pre-election days.”

Siddique believes that people, especially Karachiites, have become so habituated to violence and uncertainty that they no longer think twice before stepping out for a film in volatile moments — unless an untoward incident takes place right before them. A testimony to this is the smooth sale of movie tickets for Chambaili, which was released at a time when shutter-down strikes and days of mourning were being observed. “Whenever cinemas were open in those days [strikes], the films screened — Chambaili and Aashiqui 2 — received housefuls,” says Siddique.

Analysing the box office success of Chambaili, the critic says that it performed above expectations wherever it was released. According to sources, the film had crossed the Rs20 million mark before the elections and managed to gross Rs4.5 million at Atrium Cinemas alone. The figures would have been higher had the screening of films not been suspended on Election Day.

Interestingly, the screening of Bollywood flick Aashiqui 2 alongside Chambaili proved fruitful for the latter. “Chambaili got a higher viewing because there were no seats available for Aashiqui 2. So people who would not get tickets to Aashiqui 2, would stay back to watch Chambaili instead,” explains Hassan. “As expected, the decision of releasing a local film with an Indian film helped the former and this trend will continue in multiplexes throughout the country.”

Aashiqui 2 did not harm Chambaili’s business prospects, but there is no assurance of a solid competition and constant business, primarily because only four Pakistani films will be released this Eid sans any Indian flick.

However, neither Siddique nor any other box office analyst is willing to compare Chambaili’s business with that of Bol, a film that grossed Rs110 million in Pakistan after running for more than 15 weeks. But if we look back, Bollywood actor Imran Khan-starrer Delhi Belly was banned in Pakistan when Bol was screened. Much similarly, Shootout at Wadala and Go Goa Gone have been banned for Chambaili.

Censor board’s covert support

Although this trend does not downplay the massive response Bol received, the dots are worth connecting, since the censor board’s role in prohibiting Indian films may not be clear in the case of Bol, but is pretty clear in with Chambaili.

The argument that the films are being banned owing to controversies — Shootout at Wadala is based on the downfall of Dawood Ibrahim, wanted in India for terror bids, and Go Goa Gone is rife with profane language — falls flat, because in the past, a film like OMG — Oh My God! that questions blind faith and Emran Hashmi-starrer Raaz 3 with its racy scenes, made it to screens.

The noticeable trend of banning Indian films at the time of a Pakistani film release signifies an underlying intent of shielding the business of local films — an act which impedes healthy competition at the box office.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2013.                    

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