Mon 5 Mar 2007
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The guy who managed to mix Indian history with the contemporary reality of politics in “Rang De Basanti” (RDB) has managed a rather strange mix of another kind in his own life…….
Fri 2 Mar 2007
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Director: Anand Kumar
Music: Rabbi Shergill
Producer: Prabhu Ganesan
Written by: Sanyukta Chawla
Cinematography:
Delhii Heights (2007) is a forthcoming Hindi film. Sivaji Productions, the production banner founded by Sivaji Ganesan nearly 50 years ago with a Hindi film AMAR DEEP [1958], followed by RAKHI [1962] and more than 20 Tamil films, is now returning to Hindi films. Delhii Heights, produced by Prabhu and written-directed by Anand Kumar, was launched in Delhi in May with its first shooting schedule. The second and final schedule will be held in July. It features Jimmy Shergill, Neha Dhupia, Om Puri, Rohit Roy, Simone Singh, Vivek Shauq and Kamini Khanna. Madhavan will make a guest apperance.
With DELHII HEIGHTS, Rabbi Shergill makes his debut in films as music director and lyrics writer. Screenplay-dialogue by Sanyukta Chawla, cinematography by Aatish Parmar, art by Sonal, editing by Shrikar Prasad, costumes by Hari Nakai and Varun Bal, choreography by Remo and stunts by Action Prakash are the other credits.
Delhii Heights is a high-rise apartment in Delhi, where Abi [Jimmy Shergill] and Suhana [Neha Dhupia], a married couple who work for rival companies, live. It’s about how their professional lives affect their personal ones. Also, there lives Timmy Kohli [Om Puri], a fun loving Sikh, with his wife Ruby [Kamini Khanna] and two daughters. Then there is Bobby [Rohit Roy] and his wife Saima [Simone Singh]. Bobby is a compulsive flirt and his wife knows about it. How things take place and how their lives change is to be seen.
Then there is Lucky [Vivek Shauq], a cricket bookie, a hilarious character in itself. Also, there are four boys, residents of Delhii Heights, who keep running after girls and pulling each others’ legs. How these stories run simultaneously is amongst the highpoints of the film.
Fri 2 Mar 2007
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Starring: Amitabh Bachchan,Mohanlal,Ajay Devgan,Prashant Raj Sachdev,Nisha Kothari,Sushmita Sen,Sushant Singh,Rajpal Yadav,Gaurav Kapoor,Urmila Matondkar,Abhishek Bachchan,Ganesh Hedge
Director: Ram Gopal Varma
Music: Bappi Lahiri,Amar Mohile,Vishal Bharadwaj
Producer: Ram Gopal Varma
Written by: Ram Gopal Varma
Cinematography:
Ram Gopal Varma Ke Sholay
Ram Gopal Varma Ke Sholay is a forthcoming 2007 film, a remake of the 1975 film Sholay.
Ram Gopal Varma has already surprised the public by announcing that Amitabh Bachchan who played Jai in the original will play the role of Gabbar Singh played by Amjad Khan in the original. Varma also roped in Mohanlal, the popular South Indian actor, to play the role of Thakur Baldev Singh played by Sanjeev Kumar in the original. The character of Jai had to be portrayed by new find, Mohit Ahlawat but will now be played by Prashant Raj Sachdev. Another shocking casting decision was Katrina Kaif being chosen for the role of Radha, but the latest news is that Sushmita Sen is now going to play the role.
Ram Gopal Varma’s current favourite Nisha Kothari will play Basanti. Abhishek Bachchan was originally meant to play the role of Veeru but dropped out. When Ram Gopal Varma discussed the film’s end with Amitabh and Abhishek, they realised it would be very difficult to show the real-life father and son duo fight each other for shooting the climax. This led to Abhishek bowing out of the film. Saif Ali Khan was then offered the role but he turned it down as well. It was announced in December 2005 that Ajay Devgan will now essay the role of Veeru. Sunil Shetty was also considered for the role of Sambha but later Ramu signed Sushant Singh for Sambha’s role. They are rumours that Boman Irani was offered to play Angrez Jailer. Shreyas Talpade was offered to play Ahmed, but turned down the offer, now Gaurav Kapoor will essay the role of Ahmed. Asha Bhosle, who was originally supposed to sing the famous track ‘Mehbooba O Mehbooba’, the original song being sung by her late husband R D Burman, has been replaced by Sunidhi Chauhan, Amitabh Bachchan will pitch in a few lines. Earlier Himesh Reshammiya was to compose a different special remixed version of the original number for the film, however things seem to have changed and Ganesh Hegde roped in, because Himesh is quite busy with his schedule.
Cast:
* Amitabh Bachchan … Gabbar Singh
* Mohanlal … Inspector Ranveer
* Ajay Devgan … Virendra Chavan
* Prashant Raj Sachdev … Jai Ranade
* Nisha Kothari … Ghunghroo
* Sushmita Sen … Devi
* Sushant Singh … Sambha
* Rajpal Yadav … Soorma Bhopali
* Boman Irani … Angrez Jailer (Rumored)
* Gaurav Kapoor … Ahmed
* Urmila Matondkar … Dancing Seductress
* Abhishek Bachchan … Gypsy Singer
Fri 2 Mar 2007
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The subject of ‘Apne’ is born out of the most important aspect of Indian life – Family. Indian men have time and again sacrificed their dreams of winning the world over to keep their families intact.
An ex-boxer Baldev Choudhary (Dharmendra) has had a stain in his boxing career. He wanted to wash it with his son Angad’s (Sunny Deol) success, but times were hard and a financial crunch kept him from achieving this dream. Though Angad pulled through fine, Baldev never forgot who ruined his chance to wash the stain.
An opportunity strikes Baldev in the form of a T.V. Show. He trains a local boy to get into this media hyped boxing show, but is ditched for a better coach at the last minute. Baldev’s younger son Karan (Bobby Deol) has just launched his first music album. Realizing his father is in crises of his life, he gives up his dream of a musical career to get into the game of boxing.
Karan works hard and wins all through thinking that his victory will bring the two pillars of his family together. After winning within the nation, he wins all over the world. The final match is with the current world heavy champion. The match goes fine, but Karan is tricked and he ends up paralyzed in a hospital bed.
Baldev, who wanted to wash a stigma is now about to loose his son. He feels like killing himself. Angad steps in to turn the game upside down and bring his father the happiness of a lifetime.
Fri 2 Mar 2007
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AKSHAY KUMAR as ARJUN
Akshay Kumar is Arjun, whose joy knows no bounds when he marries the beautiful and sophisticated Jazz. But the joy soon turns to despair when he realizes this marriage means nothing to her and she is determined to marry her British boyfriend. As a man who is forced to watch his wife romancing another, as the determined lover who will go to any lengths to make his beloved happy, Akshay’s sensitive but strong; helpless but determined Arjun will win everybody’s hearts. Will stubborn Jazz be the exception?
Katrina Kaif is Jasmeet Singh (Jazz). Born and brought up in London, you understand why she loves and wants everything that’s western, including a husband. You also understand her anger and rebellion when he father forces her to marry a stranger. But does Jazz realize the folly of her stubborn behavior? Or will she wake up too late? Only Katrina with her mix of western sensibility and eastern vulnerability could have pulled off this role of a confused girl, with her soul intact but her heart leading her astray.
RISHI KAPOOR as MANMOHAN SINGH
Rishi Kapoor is Manmohan Singh. This ‘angrezi beti ka desi baap’ is horrified to discover how obsessed his only daughter is with everything western. He does what any other Indian father would do – gets her married to a boy of his choice, without realizing the repercussions. As the loving father who will go to any lengths to safeguard his daughter’s happiness, Rishi Kapoor’s Manmohan Singh will strike a chord immediately with all those who have faced a similar situation in their lives.
UPEN PATEL as IMRAN KHAN
Upen Patel is Imran Khan. He is a Pakistani, but born and brought up in London like Jazz. Naturally if their fathers are best friends, so are they. He completely identifies with Jazz’s obsession for everything British as he himself has a Brit girlfriend. But when push comes to shove, when his very identity and religion are at stake, he realizes how much he ha wronged by giving Jazz the wrong advice.
JAVED SHEIKH as PARVEZ KHAN
Javed Shaikh is Parvez Khan. This talented actor returns to his ethnic roots by playing a Pakistani taxi driver, whose best friend happens to be an Indian, Manmohan Singh. He loves his son to death but cannot accept his live in relationship with a British girl. As the anguished father of a wayward son, the pathos and dignity he brings to his role must be seen to be believed.
What happens when you transplant an English rose to a countryside in Punjab and expect her to thrive in an alien environment? The rose will either die or rebel. That’s exactly what Jazz, rather Jasmeet does when her father Manmohan Singh brings her to India and gets her married to Arjun, a rough and tough farmer who can barely speak English. But Jazz too is equally determined to marry Charlie Brown her British boyfriend. Caught in this emotional tug of war between father and daughter is poor Arjun, who is helplessly and hopelessly in love with his beautiful but unyielding wife.
In Namastey London, this emotional and dramatic tug of war will determine whether love is more about giving or taking? Whether Indian values must surrender to Western culture? Whether Jazz will win or Jasmeet!
Fri 2 Mar 2007
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Red Starcast:
Aftab Shivdasani,Celina Jaitley,Amrita Arora,Sushant Singh
Director: Vikram Bhatt
Music: Himesh Reshammiya
Fri 2 Mar 2007
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Shakalaka Boom Boom Starcast:
Bobby Deol,Upen Patel,Kangana Ranaut,Celina Jaitley
Director: Sunil Darshan
Music: Himesh Reshammiya
Fri 2 Mar 2007
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Jodhaa Akbar Starcast:
Hrithik Roshan,Aishwarya Rai
Director: Ashutosh Gowarikar
Jodhaa Akbar is a sixteenth century love story about a marriage of alliance that gave birth to true love between a great Mughal Emperor, Akbar and a Rajput princess, Jodhaa. Politically, success knew no bounds for Emperor Akbar, After having secured the Hindu Kush, he furthered his realm by conquest until his empire extended from Afghanistan to the Bay of Bengal, and from the Himalayas to the Godhavari River. Through a shrewed blend of tolerence, generosity and force, Akbar won the allegiance of the Rajputs, the most belligerent Hindus. But little did Akbar know that when he married Jodhaa, a fiery Rajput princess, in order to further strengthen his relations with the Rajputs, he would in turn be embarking upon a new journey – the journey of true love.
Courtesy: Now Running
Thu 1 Mar 2007
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Cinema has come of age and how! A film that had been banned for over 2 years now, based on the catastrophic bomb blasts in Bombay city in 1993 has finally seen the light of day. The film’s deep and meaningful intent to can most of the conspiracy and its effect resulting in the blast is rather devastating to watch.
The film throws light on what conspired where, when, how between who and why that led to the Bombay blasts. The film starts out with the stock exchange blast itself followed by the rest of them one after the other. The investigation and unfolding of the people involved is what Kashyap narrates through the rest of the film.
The film is truly hard hitting. Performances are all convincing and not exaggerated. Pawan Malhotra playing the character of Tiger Memon gives an exceptional performance. Kay Kay Menon also plays his part with just the right amount of composure as the cop.
The film also concentrates generously on another aspect of terrorism, which is the doomed fate of the youth that are wrongly influenced by others to cause mayhem. They are literally shown to be nothing more than pawns at the mercy of those sitting in Dubai calling the shots. It is astonishing on how well organized a crime the 1993 blasts were that was unfortunately carried out successfully through the planning of the ISI and Dawood Ibrahim.
But at the end of the day one does tend to think that even though the film is brilliantly made and is clear in it’s intent to expose those responsible, was there a valid reason for it to have been banned for the last two years? Well…that will actually vary according to each person’s personal opinion.
With much hype over the film’s delayed release Black Friday should see itself getting a decent opening, but then again this film was never about the commerce now was it?
Courtesy: Eros
Thu 1 Mar 2007
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Film: “Traffic Signal”
Starring: Kunal Khemu, Konkona Sen-Sharma, Neetu Chandra, Ranveer Shorey, Sudhir Mishra
Director: Madhur Bhandarkar
Rating: *** 1/2
One has to hand it to Madhur Bhandarkar for directing “Traffic Signal”. He has his own formula of creativity, which he applies generously and sensitively to specific sections of people from every walk of life.
Life for Bhandarkar’s characters in “Traffic Signal” sucks. They’re often victims of sexual and political abuse. And you’re inclined too turn away from their anguish. What redeems these people are their frailties and their unquestionable humanism.
The director captures them on a cascading and mutating canvas. We see lives frozen in a state of emotional and economical imbroglio. The characters are often seen doing the metaphysical equivalent of picking their nose in public.
There’s no shame in letting it all hang out as long as the characters are prone to probe their wounds in bouts of agonized satire.
If “Page 3″ probed the beau-monde with incredible emotional sharpness, “Traffic Signal” doesn’t lag far behind.
At first you are flummoxed by its breathless pace. No shot in the first 20 minutes lasts more than a few seconds. Bhandarkar wants us to know the multitude of street characters in a quick spasm of introduction.
The street-smart and yet emotional Silsila (Kunal Khemu) – so named because he was born the day Yash Chopra’s film of the same name was released – helms the proceedings. Bronzed in a remorseless sun, Silsila leads a bright pack of traffic-signal derelicts – the beggars (quirky, sweet, bitter and resilient), the eunuchs, prostitutes and children (abused yet amused by the vagaries of life) … Never before have Mumbai’s street people been so gloriously portrayed in postures of positivity since Mira Nair’s “Salaam Mumbai”.
Indeed this is Bhandarkar’s own sensitive, gritty and powerful salaam to Mumbai done in shades that convey the will power of people to survive on the harsh, bustling streets of Mumbai.
The traffic signal becomes as emblematic of their lives as the invisible green and red lights that manoeuvre mankind from anguish to atonement in that cycle of life that we call existence.
Bhandarkar’s microcosmic view of the street people is cluttered with characters who create their own little space in the bustle of the streets.
Moments remain with you – the orphaned little boy’s determination to retrieve his lost parents, the prostitute Noorie’s (Konkona Sen Sharma) growing relationship with the junkie street hustler (Ranveeer Shorey) and the strangely ironical relationship that grows between passengers in posh cars and these fringe people at street signals.
“Traffic Signal” is a much bigger achievement than it outwardly appears. Bhandarkar controls the vast cast through some adroit editing. Apart from some repetitive shots of the mafia don (Sudhir Mishra), the narrative moves forward with unshakeable determination, as if adamant of making its way through a traffic snarl.
As in the director’s earlier works, the performances by known and unknown actors carry the narrative to the pinnacle of credibility.
A special word for Ranvir Shorey who takes to his part with the bewildered expression of a man who’s lost something valuable on the streets of Mumbai. To watch Shorey at work in “Khosla Ka Ghosla” and now “Traffic Signal” is to recognise the arrival of a significant naturalistic actor.
Konkona Sen with her bright lipstick and crimson dialogues, Kunal Khemu as the spirited but sensitive Silsila and Neetu Chandra as the tender-hearted traffic-stopper – each invests a feline fluency to their bravura performances.
It’s amazing to see Bhandarkar create humane relationships within traffic snarls and to consider the possibility of street people bonding beyond the rituals of day-to-day existence.
With an eye for detail that defines the cinema of neo-realism, “Traffic Signal” hits you almost as forcefully as Bhandarkar’s “Chandni Bar” and “Page 3″ – and far more than his last film “Corporate”, which was too niche to be universal.
Each of the characters in “Traffic Signal” connects with the audience. You can’t afford to look away as you may miss an invaluable rhythm of life and lessons on surviving on the streets without losing your dignity.
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