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.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Aishwarya wearing ethnic outfits in Jodhaa Akbar and yet looking hot
I saw some pics of Aishwarya from the hugely anticipated movie Jodhaa Akbar. She is seen wearing ethnic outfits yet looking hot. The costumes are the traditional Ghagra Choli that are still worn in parts of Rajasthan but when you put Ash in them you can imagine how they get sexed up. The outfits show off her belly and yet look dignified.
Lucky for her its a period film and not much skin show was expected as it would give another reason for Abhishek to see red. He was reportedly upset when her much touted smooch with his buddy Hrithik in Dhoom 2. That was also the reason that he was stuck off the wedding invitation lists.
(Image courtesy Rediff)
Lucky for her its a period film and not much skin show was expected as it would give another reason for Abhishek to see red. He was reportedly upset when her much touted smooch with his buddy Hrithik in Dhoom 2. That was also the reason that he was stuck off the wedding invitation lists.
(Image courtesy Rediff)
Friday, February 8, 2008
Sajid Khan recomends award committes also should ignore Aamir Khan and his movies
Sajid Khan had some unhappy memories of Screen awards. His movie Heyy Babyy lost out to Aamir Khan's Taare Zameen Par in the best directors category, an award he would have dearly loved to get his hands on. His movie was his debut movie and besides being acclaimed as a funny movie it set the cash registers ringing all around the country and overseas in countries with a large Indian diaspora.
But that obviously wasn't enough and he had a crack at the awards committee and had a suggestion for them. He said they should skip Bollywood movies where they know the award recipients will not turn up to collect the award.
Sajid said of Aamir and his latest baby Taare Zameen Par,
"Aamir is a very good friend of mine. He is a star par excellence but when he gives a statement out in the press that he is not interested in awards, then I think the awards also should show no interest in him... You are giving out all the awards to Taare Zameen Par, which, again see the point is, it deserves and I'm not saying it doesn't deserve... It's a fantastic film, but you know that there is going to be no-one coming to take it."
Aamir Khan's directorial debut movie was in the running for 17 Star Screen Awards and won 7, including Best Director (Aamir Khan), Best Supporting Actor (Darsheel Safary) and Best Story (Amole Gupte).
Karan Johars Dharma Productions to roll out 4 new movies
Karan Johar's Dharma Productions have announced that they will be launching 4 new films very soon. After rolling out 5 movies in the past decade starting with the mammoth hit Kuch Kuch Hota Hain, his debut film, Karan went on to release Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kal Ho Naa Ho And Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. The first two were big money earners while the third though criticized a bit by his fans, did do decent business for Dharma productions.
KJ will helm his fourth film, which will begin shooting from Oct '08. Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol will be the leads in this yet untitled film. Shibani Bathija who also wrote for Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna will script.
Next will be Dostana, starring Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham, Priyanka Chopra. Then comes the animated version of KKHH - Kootchie Kootchie Hota Hain. It will be directed by Tarun Mansukhani. It will use the voices of the original cast - Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerjee.
The 4th movie, will showcase the Tashan couple Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor and one more lead actor.
Whew, that a lot on a single persons plate right? Best Of luck KJ.
KJ will helm his fourth film, which will begin shooting from Oct '08. Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol will be the leads in this yet untitled film. Shibani Bathija who also wrote for Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna will script.
Next will be Dostana, starring Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham, Priyanka Chopra. Then comes the animated version of KKHH - Kootchie Kootchie Hota Hain. It will be directed by Tarun Mansukhani. It will use the voices of the original cast - Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerjee.
The 4th movie, will showcase the Tashan couple Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor and one more lead actor.
Whew, that a lot on a single persons plate right? Best Of luck KJ.
Fitting revenge for Aamir Aamir Khan - May start attending award functions!
It is an old story that Aamir Khan does not attend the Indian award ceremonies excepting the Nationals. This is due to the reason that there is great corruption or nepotism in handing out the awards. Stars close to the organizers tend to be favored more and those who do not suck up top the committee ate ignored in spite of good performances. Aamir is one of those who don't pay much attention or special treatment to such programmes and hence he also keeps way from such functions.
I remember in the eighties when Anil Kapoor was the reigning star he used to sweep the awards. Be it Filmfare, Screen or what ever few awards were there then. He even got it for a pretty lousy films like Beta. He was the reigning star then with Mr. India, Ram Lakhan, Parinda, Eshwar, and quite a few hits in a row. He was also touted as the person to take over from Amitabh Bachchan. Yes, he was (is) a fabulous actor too, unlike some hammy superstars of today. But it was obvious the person with the biggest bank balance picked up all the Bollywood awards.
The same routine continues today with the biggest gainer being Shah Rukh Khan. His acting is pretty painful, but he delivers the hits, has stupid girls going gaga over him, has the nation searing by him and by that logic picks up most of the awards. The net result, starred in several dozen films, acted in? Two! Swades and Chak De India. And awards for almost all the movies.
Now a lot of corporate companies have jumped in and the number of award shows have also increased. So that means almost any star will get an ward, if not in this show then another one. He just has to be nice or pay up money for an ward and it is his. And yes, he or she may be also asked to dance or do some routine on stage. And then he is presented an award by a grateful awards committee.
So it isn't a surprise that Aamir chose to keep away from all the mess. But him deciding to attend such functions now could be because his star child actor Darsheel Safary has been nominated for a Best Actor category for an upcoming award ceremony. This means the delightful scenario that if he wins, he beats the super stars like SRK, Akshay and others vying for the same award. What fitting revenge it will be for Aamir if this happens. His protege thumping the actors who have been in the industry for donkey's years and yet got beaten by a kid.
I remember in the eighties when Anil Kapoor was the reigning star he used to sweep the awards. Be it Filmfare, Screen or what ever few awards were there then. He even got it for a pretty lousy films like Beta. He was the reigning star then with Mr. India, Ram Lakhan, Parinda, Eshwar, and quite a few hits in a row. He was also touted as the person to take over from Amitabh Bachchan. Yes, he was (is) a fabulous actor too, unlike some hammy superstars of today. But it was obvious the person with the biggest bank balance picked up all the Bollywood awards.
The same routine continues today with the biggest gainer being Shah Rukh Khan. His acting is pretty painful, but he delivers the hits, has stupid girls going gaga over him, has the nation searing by him and by that logic picks up most of the awards. The net result, starred in several dozen films, acted in? Two! Swades and Chak De India. And awards for almost all the movies.
Now a lot of corporate companies have jumped in and the number of award shows have also increased. So that means almost any star will get an ward, if not in this show then another one. He just has to be nice or pay up money for an ward and it is his. And yes, he or she may be also asked to dance or do some routine on stage. And then he is presented an award by a grateful awards committee.
So it isn't a surprise that Aamir chose to keep away from all the mess. But him deciding to attend such functions now could be because his star child actor Darsheel Safary has been nominated for a Best Actor category for an upcoming award ceremony. This means the delightful scenario that if he wins, he beats the super stars like SRK, Akshay and others vying for the same award. What fitting revenge it will be for Aamir if this happens. His protege thumping the actors who have been in the industry for donkey's years and yet got beaten by a kid.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
The top 10 romantic Bollywood movies of all time
Rediff has prepared a list (with readers inputs) of the top 10 romantic Bollywood movies of all time. Nice idea as it throws up surprise movie that one might not think of.
It has the customary and expected Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and Bobby. Mentioning the top 10 so far and if your favorite movie isn't there, then go to the URL below and add your vote.
http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/jan/30msg.htm
It has the customary and expected Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and Bobby. Mentioning the top 10 so far and if your favorite movie isn't there, then go to the URL below and add your vote.
http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/jan/30msg.htm
- Bobby
- Dilwale Dulhaniye Le Jaayenge
- Mughal-E-Azam
- Maine Pyaar Kiya
- Dil
- Lamhe
- Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak
- Kashmir Ki Kali
- Aradhana
- Love Story
Since I am not a Shah Rukh fan, I find DDLJ too high on that list as I find it over-rated. But it is a fun film. I would have liked Socha Na Tha in the list, and QSQT a lot higher.
Will the Jodhaa Akbar Rajput/relation controversy affect the film?
The furore about whether Jodhaa Bai was Emperor Akbar's wife or daughter-in-law hasn't died down like I thought it might. The group making noises are a small fringe group and so lack the political muscle or social base. And add to that it is almost impossible to confirm or deny who Akbar married or didn't. He had 34 wives according to reports in the media! So how is one to know if any of these these women are not Jodhaa Bai and if the Muslim women listed in history are Hindu women with their Muslim names after conversion.
Rediff has a well written article about the story. Click on the link below for more details.
http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/feb/06jodha.htm
It also could be a well orchestrated campaign to rustle up some crucial media coverage of a film which is of epic proportions. Such a big budget will need to draw in people in large numbers to ensure it does earn money for its producers. And Indians are notorius for ignoring good historical movies. Must be the lack of appreciation of our own culture and traditions. The Mughal rule impacted the polity and landscape of India in a major way and hence educated Indians would be more than interested in such a story straddling that era of history.
But we all know this doesn't hold true, as the masses look at cinema for escapist fantasies. I hope and pray Jodhaa Akbar is made well and interestingly so that it succeeds and a talented director like Ashutosh Gowariker is suitably rewarded for making good cinema.
It will also be a landmark film for Hrithik and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as they need to true blue movie like this in their portfolio to justify the confidence of the industry in their talents. Though Hrithik has Koi Mil Gaya, Lakshya and Mission Kashmir in his bag he needs to get the big roles right. Same for Aishwarya who has mostly dominated the media for non-filmy reasons than those related to great roles. She does have Iruvar, The Raincoat, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Provoked and Guru but she is also remembered for Kajra Re and Kambakth Ishq. So they both need to movie like Jodhaa Akbar on their resume.
Rediff has a well written article about the story. Click on the link below for more details.
http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/feb/06jodha.htm
It also could be a well orchestrated campaign to rustle up some crucial media coverage of a film which is of epic proportions. Such a big budget will need to draw in people in large numbers to ensure it does earn money for its producers. And Indians are notorius for ignoring good historical movies. Must be the lack of appreciation of our own culture and traditions. The Mughal rule impacted the polity and landscape of India in a major way and hence educated Indians would be more than interested in such a story straddling that era of history.
But we all know this doesn't hold true, as the masses look at cinema for escapist fantasies. I hope and pray Jodhaa Akbar is made well and interestingly so that it succeeds and a talented director like Ashutosh Gowariker is suitably rewarded for making good cinema.
It will also be a landmark film for Hrithik and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as they need to true blue movie like this in their portfolio to justify the confidence of the industry in their talents. Though Hrithik has Koi Mil Gaya, Lakshya and Mission Kashmir in his bag he needs to get the big roles right. Same for Aishwarya who has mostly dominated the media for non-filmy reasons than those related to great roles. She does have Iruvar, The Raincoat, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Provoked and Guru but she is also remembered for Kajra Re and Kambakth Ishq. So they both need to movie like Jodhaa Akbar on their resume.
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.
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.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Shaad Ali snaps up Akshay-Kareena in Yashraj's next flick
After having a rousing start with Saathiya and later following up with a enchanting Bunty aur Babli, Shaad Ali came up a cropper with the Jhoom Barabar Jhoom. The big budget movie from the Yashraj stable bombed badly and was panned by the critics and rightly so.
I had gone in to see the movie at a cheap single theater in Mumbai and found the flow and narration pretty disconnected. The reason I went it was I knew it was a Yashraj Movie and I would get to see some glamor if not good cinema at least. And the star cast was excellent. My favorite Abhishek, and a very hot Lara and the all time malai kofta- Preity Zinta. Which idiot calls her bubbly. I find her sizzling. her body is luscious and yes, she does have a cute smile. That doesn't mean you restrict your fantasies to candy floss romance. She is white butter according to me.
Bobby Deol is a good looking stud who has wasted the movies spent on him. His films are getting more and more meaningless and his hits are drying up. When was the last time he gave a hit? Baadal? Semi-partial hit. And ages ago.
But surprisingly the two lesser stars did well, though I found the praise for Bobby was a bit extravagant. He was playing the usual bumbling mama's boy and a flamboyant playboy- roles he has essayed in all his movies. But yes, Lara Dutta was great - as the sassy hooker as well as the arty-farty french-indian chic. Looks yummy with that extra baggage. Abhi was ok. And Preity was cute, funny and competent. But- the movie sucked.
Surprising since Shaad has shown good touch in his earlier movies. I guess he stuck to his style of narration and it didn't come here. One has to innovate and most importantly learn. Else you will stagnate. Any one remember Subhash Ghai?
I had gone in to see the movie at a cheap single theater in Mumbai and found the flow and narration pretty disconnected. The reason I went it was I knew it was a Yashraj Movie and I would get to see some glamor if not good cinema at least. And the star cast was excellent. My favorite Abhishek, and a very hot Lara and the all time malai kofta- Preity Zinta. Which idiot calls her bubbly. I find her sizzling. her body is luscious and yes, she does have a cute smile. That doesn't mean you restrict your fantasies to candy floss romance. She is white butter according to me.
Bobby Deol is a good looking stud who has wasted the movies spent on him. His films are getting more and more meaningless and his hits are drying up. When was the last time he gave a hit? Baadal? Semi-partial hit. And ages ago.
But surprisingly the two lesser stars did well, though I found the praise for Bobby was a bit extravagant. He was playing the usual bumbling mama's boy and a flamboyant playboy- roles he has essayed in all his movies. But yes, Lara Dutta was great - as the sassy hooker as well as the arty-farty french-indian chic. Looks yummy with that extra baggage. Abhi was ok. And Preity was cute, funny and competent. But- the movie sucked.
Surprising since Shaad has shown good touch in his earlier movies. I guess he stuck to his style of narration and it didn't come here. One has to innovate and most importantly learn. Else you will stagnate. Any one remember Subhash Ghai?
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Rajinikanth’s Robot to be re-named to a Tamil one
By now we all know that Rajinikanth is doing Robot- a movie that will be directed by Shankar. But news has come out that the title would be changed, as Robot is an English word.
This is good news as there has been a tendency to give English names for Indian movies and Tamil movies are also to blame in a big way. Recently there was talk of giving rebates to movies that had authentic Tamil names as opposed to English ones. The last few years have seen a spate of Tamil movies with English names like Boys, Sivaji – The Boss, and a lot more. Then there was an outcry and it was suggested giving tax rebates to movies opting for pure Tamil names. That had a desired effect I think. I checked a popular Movie site just now and even after 10 pages I couldn’t spot a Tamil movie with an English name. (http://www.behindwoods.com/features/Gallery/movies/movies5/index.html)
That’s could be one reason why Rajinikanth is changing the name to a Tamil one. Sujatha, who is supposed to be writing Robot, is on the lookout for a suitable name and the word is that the name Iyandhiran has been recommended. Rajini and Shankar have apparently accepted this name. But there has been no official confirmation about this yet.
It has been some time since he has done a Bollywood movie. He has some decent hits in his bag such as Hum, Dalapati (dubbed from Tamil) and a few ordinary ones like ChaalBaaz, Farishtay and Dalaal No.1.
This is good news as there has been a tendency to give English names for Indian movies and Tamil movies are also to blame in a big way. Recently there was talk of giving rebates to movies that had authentic Tamil names as opposed to English ones. The last few years have seen a spate of Tamil movies with English names like Boys, Sivaji – The Boss, and a lot more. Then there was an outcry and it was suggested giving tax rebates to movies opting for pure Tamil names. That had a desired effect I think. I checked a popular Movie site just now and even after 10 pages I couldn’t spot a Tamil movie with an English name. (http://www.behindwoods.com/features/Gallery/movies/movies5/index.html)
That’s could be one reason why Rajinikanth is changing the name to a Tamil one. Sujatha, who is supposed to be writing Robot, is on the lookout for a suitable name and the word is that the name Iyandhiran has been recommended. Rajini and Shankar have apparently accepted this name. But there has been no official confirmation about this yet.
It has been some time since he has done a Bollywood movie. He has some decent hits in his bag such as Hum, Dalapati (dubbed from Tamil) and a few ordinary ones like ChaalBaaz, Farishtay and Dalaal No.1.
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