Lot of expectations from Abhishek's new film

There is a great amount of noise in Bollywood for the upcoming film Drona. The curiosity factor is high and the solo trailer released so far has whetted appetites even more. The teaser looks mysterious and yet not all that impressive. So the jury is still out whether the film will do well or not. The film producers (Behls) have managed to maintain the shroud of secrecy around the flick it has been discovered in recent times too much publicity can also kill a picture (a la Tashan, though it didn't harm Om Shanti Om).

So they have stuck to a single as the only media release so as to tease audiences and Abhishek Bachchan fans alike. The story or synopsis as we should call it is also more mysterious and vague. Abhishek looks dressed like a person from the Mughal era with all shiny robes et al. No spandex or lyra for him. No news of the gorgeous Priyanka Piggy chops Chopra in the first trailer.

So lets see if this strategy of keeping the movie under wraps works and makes the flick a hit or will it be a failure and perhaps put off the ticket paying audiences.

Verdict on Jodhaa Akbar is out - its a landmark movie

I was just going through rediff and read a review of Jodhaa Akbar on it. And I was pleased with what I read. The reviewer must have caught a premiere show of Jodhaa Akbar and has sent in a review. Like I expected (and desperately wanted it to be true) the movie is supposed to be brilliant. Apparently if the director had a tighter script and better editing was done this movie would have been a master piece. But if and buts can change the fate of the movie now.

The words used to describe the two principal characters Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan are "brings his muscular presence and charismatic personality to make the role his own" and "Some of her dramatic scenes are weakly performed but she whips up excellent chemistry with Hrithik" respectively.

A later review in the Times Of India isn't all that generous. It says the movie is a bit long, and the sub-plots weak. It does acknowledge that the main characters have done a great job, the character actors are sincere and the sets and battle scenes are good.

I hope this movie does well as it will be one the the best movies in the careers of both the main leads - Hrithik (Dhoom:2, Krrish, Lakshya, Koi Mil Gaya, ) and Aishwarya (Provoked, Guru, Guru, Umrao Jaan, Bunty Aur Babli, Shabd, Raincoat, Kuch Naa Kaho, Devdas, Albela, Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Aa Ab Laut Chalen).

Want to check out the review?
http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/feb/14jodhaa.htm

I think all this suggests it is much more worth than a movie ticket. If that isn't convincing then the fact that the director is a certain Ashutosh Gowariker should be reason enough.

Actor Karan Singh star of Dil Hi Dil Main, commits suicide at residence

In a sad development for Bollywood, another young actor Karan Singh star of Dil Hi Dil Mein, commited suicide at residence in Oshiwara in suburban Mumbai on Thursday morning. Though his movie released years ago, it was a flop and he wasn't seen in any major Hindi movie later. He then acted in some Bhojpuri and South Indian films. Karan had also recently swung over to movie production & was reportedly working on a Hindi movie project.

Karan is survived by his wife, and two daughters, who were not at home yesterday.

Karan was found hanging from a ceiling fan at about 1:30 am and police are investigating the case. Sadly Dil Hi Dil Main will be his only claim to fame. In this movie the sexy Sonali Bendre (Sarfarosh) was cast opposite him. She has now retired gracefully from movies after marriage with Goldie Behl.

For Ajay Devgun, U, me aur Hum is very important as Halla Bol has not set he box office on fire

His next release U me aur Hum is quite important for Ajay Devgun, as Halla Bol has not done too well at the Box office. I had seen the movie and though I quite liked it, it did not have the punch or the tight editing that could have made it a great flick. So it ended up being an ordinary movie. Especially as it was directed by Raj Kumar Santoshi, audiences and critics were expecting a lot more.

An unusual factor is that all the performances have been very good. Ajay has been execellent, Vidya restrained and yet commanding and Pankaj Kapur simply awesome. He is one under utilized talent in the industry. And the rest of the supporting cast were flawless. Anjan Srivastav as Ajay father, his mother (Arya), Vidya's father, his theatre colleagues and rest of the players. No performance seemed phony or out of place. Yet the movie seemed to be missing some thing.

Add to that an entertaining story, good scandalous real life sub-plots, and cheeky and scandalous references to the Bollywood industry, especially to Shahrukh Khan and other arty farty stars.

Now Sunday has been released and the industry is waiting for the results. The reviews so far are average and most expect it to do well (comedy movie na????) but not be any massive hit. So his next movie U me aur Hum with wifey Kajol is very important for him.

Darsheel new actor in tinseltown - in crackling form in Taare Zameen Par

The child actor Darsheel Safary who stars in Taare Zameen Par has made a confident and likeable attempt at playing the troubles Ishaant Awasthi. The film belongs to him and he is the principal character in the film and even Aamir Khan the big draw of the movie appears only at the half time of the movie. In fact if you take away Aamirs portion in the movie it appers an out and out Darsheel movie.

One never gets bored as the story is engrossing and audiences immediately sympathise with the child as he is impish, fragile and yet brilliant at the same time. But one needed a strong and firm character to play Ram Shankar Nikumbh and Aamir Khan plays it without a false step.

One realy can't be sure who to credit Darsheels acting to - the director, assitant directors, creative directors (Amole Gupte) or to the lad himself. It is a role of a lifetime and one wonders if such a role wil be written again and if it is, will it be enacted so wel again. And there is the factor that Darsheel is from a reputedly well off family, so this might be the last film in some time. We might have to wait till he has goten his studies and graduation out of the way.

Here's wishing him all the success in life and a thanks to him, Aamir and the team of Taare Zameen Par who enteratined us so splendidly.

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It holiday time with Sunday!!!!

Audiences are waiting to see if Sunday will join the increasing number of films that have hit the bullseye with comedy being the engine that drives them. Sunday has an eclectic starcast ofAyesha Takia, Ajay Devgan, Arshad Warsi, Irfan Khan, Esha Deol and Anjana Sukhani.

Ajay and Arshad have proved thir mettle with comedy earlier with fils like Ishq, Golmaal and Munnabhai series and Dhamaal respectively. It will be interesting to see how Irfan Khan manages comedy, despite him being a great actor. He does have a quirky sense of humor and relies on his tone to make a scene effective as opposed to making silly faces. The ladies are pretty and add to the glamour quotient of the movie. Heres hoping to a fun Sunday with these stars.


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