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Navratri's Bollywood connection
No Fizz
HAMARA DIL AAPKE PAAS HAI - Movie Review
Salman-Ash romance extends to reel
Multifaceted Kamal Haasan reinvents himself once again
DD to recreate Helen's magic
Salman, Aishwarya, Urmila, Amrish raided
Aishwarya Rai and Lisa Ray too old for Hrithik
Madhuri Dixit open to Hollywood films
Love Hrithik at your own risk
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Navratri's Bollywood connection
Raucous dancing has always been an inseparable part of Bollywood, so it is only fitting that Mumbai's film industry should have become inextricably entwined with the city's Navratri celebrations.
With the nine-day-long festival beginning on Thursday the organisers of dandiya shows in Mumbai are working on a simple mantra: get the film stars, the crowds will follow. As organisers clamour with each other to attract people to their events, every possible method is employed to give a show a touch of glamour. In Mumbai, nothing sizzles as much as Bollywood and the organisers know this very well.
So the average advertisement for a dandiya show in Mumbai reads something like this: 'Anil Kapoor, Sonali Bendre will visit on first day. Yukta Mukhi, Sapna Mukherjee on third day, Karishma Kapoor on fourth day, Akshay Kumar on fifth day, Malkiyat Singh on sixth day and Govinda on seventh day.' Each show has its own 'special appearance to offer' and while a film star may not 'grace the occasion' for more than half an hour, those present get a chance at least to say that they were at the same dandiya as Aishwarya Rai, or Sanjay Dutt. Imagine what it does to their social standing!
The fact that stars add value to a dandiya is unmistakable, the season
pass for a dandiya sans film stars is anything between Rs 600 and Rs
700. But Mumbaiites who are determined to have peek at their favourite
star must shell out more. A star-studded dandiya may cost anything
between Rs 1000 and Rs 1200 for the entire season of nine days.
Navratri is also the time of the year when playback singers are in
great demand. A performer like Sonu Nigam could earn upto 10 lakhs for
a performance, trade sources say. Bhangra artistes like Daler Mehendi
are brought in with the hope of luring the crowds.
The industry, too, cashes in on the huge crowds that local dandiyas
attract and the shows are used to promote films that are soon coming
up for release. A dandiya organised at Juhu has a Fiza evening, a
Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai evening and a Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rehta Hai
evening. Organisers say that stars from these movies will make an
appearance on each of these `evenings'. The fact is
inescapable - Bollywood and Navratri go hand in hand.
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No Fizz
In spite of the best and transparent efforts of its
promoters, Fiza seems to have flopped. It did get a good
initial thanks to the media blitzkrieg that was
orchestrated to make it appear as if it was The Film of
The Year, but according to trade circles, the film is
going rapidly under. Nothing seems to have worked not a
particular film magazine's hailing Hrithik Roshan as The
Phenomenon on its cover, nor the charisma of Karisma
Kapoor, nor even Sushmita Sen's belly button cameo. All
the tricks in the trade seem to have failed, for all
those who have seen the film claim in unison: 'There's no
fizz in Fiza!'
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HAMARA DIL AAPKE PAAS HAI - Movie Review
Remake of the Telugu hit PELLI CHESKUNDAM, which starred Venkatesh and Soundarya in lead roles, S.K. Film Enterprises' HAMARA DIL AAPKE PAAS HAI, directed by Satish Kaushik, is a well-made family entertainer that offers you value for money!
The film opens with a scene showing Anil Kapoor (Avinash) and Aishwarya Rai (Preeti) with two kids. The audience is led into believing that theirs is a happy and complete family but a couple of reels later, the truth is revealed. Anil and Ash are no man and wife and the little boy and girl are not their kids.
Ash is a rape victim, spurned by her family and secluded by society. Her rape (by Puru Raaj Kumar) was the result of her stand against a 'goonda' (Mukesh Rishi) – in other words, a result of her stand on a matter of principle. Anil, who had met Ash briefly before her rape and rejection, offers her his home to live in. With nowhere else to go, Ash starts living with Anil.
The two kids are Anil's step-brother and sister. Anil had learnt of his father's (Anang Desai) extra-marital affair from the dying mother of the two innocent children and he had confronted his father to give the two kids their rightful place in society. Scared to own up his waywardness, Anil's father had point-blank denied any alliance with any woman, which had led the principled Anil to leave his home and stay separately with his step-brother and sister. It is in this home that Ash lives with the trio.
Anil slowly begins to love Ash, but the latter holds him in too high an esteem to even think of marriage with him. Enters Sonali Bendre (Khushi), who vows to bring back Anil to his parental home and woos him to win his heart. Ash starts feeling jealous of Sonali and it is then that she realises that she is in love with Anil.
But there are obstacles…
The very first sequence of the film indicates the genre this film falls into – a social that is targeted at the families, and womenfolk mainly. Perhaps inspired by the success of his previous film HUM AAPKE DIL MEIN REHTE HAIN, director Satish Kaushik has yet again chosen a theme that is family-oriented and can be identified by the common man.
Though most family sagas seem similar to one another, this film actually scores is one important department -- it takes the viewer unaware at several places in its narration. The film does not resort to clichés one has been witnessing in the garb of family entertainers, thus making it a cut above the rest.
The story has several twists in its taut screenplay that catch you unaware:
· The very first scene gives you the impression that Anil and Ash are man and wife, which they are not;
· The relationship Anil shares with the two kids is rarely projected in Hindi films;
· Showing the leading lady as a rape victim in the initial reels itself is a bold step within commercial parameters.
· The interval point surprises the viewer yet again. And it has been executed brilliantly too.
Though the basic plot of this enterprise tends to get serious at times, the director has laced the film with moments that tickle your funny bone. The film has a line up of character artistes essaying comedy roles (Anupam Kher, Johny Lever, Jaspal Bhatti, Razzak Khan, Himani Shivpuri, Upasna Singh, Rana Jung Bahadur and a look-alike of a top star) and must say, the light moments are very funny – a factor that would appeal to the hoi polloi.
There are several scenes in the film that prove the director's command over the medium, notable among them being:
· The outburst of Ash's father after she has been raped;
· Anil's mother, Smita Jaykar, confronting Ash in the pre-climax;The climax of the film, which is extremely well shot.
Sanjeev-Darshan's musical score is another asset. The film has three songs that linger in your memory even after the show has ended – the title track, 'It's My Family' and 'Shukriya Shukriya'. The picturisation of all the songs are a visual treat, since the locations are hitherto unexplored.
The only flaw is the film's excessive length in the second half. The song picturised on Anil and Sonali can easily be deleted for it serves no purpose in moving the story ahead. Also, the comedy scenes need to be trimmed slightly for better impact.
The performances in HAMARA DIL AAPKE PAAS HAI are of a high order. Anil Kapoor essays his part with utmost conviction, giving cent percent to his role. Anil is with the character, not going overboard absolutely. Aishwarya Rai is a pleasure to watch. The actress has proven the theory that models make lousy actresses, wrong. She delivers the right expressions, her dialogue delivery is flawless and of course, she looks ravishing, a compliment she has learnt to live with.
Sonali Bendre does go overboard at times, but looks wow otherwise. Amongst the host of character artistes, Anupam Kher, Johny Lever, Himani Shivpuri and Jaspal Bhatti stand out. Puru Raaj Kumar is a welcome addition to the list of talented villains. Smita Jaykar gets just one scene to prove her mettle (in the pre-climax) and she emerges with flying colours. Mukesh Rishi is just about okay.
Javed Akhtar's lyrics deserve a special mention. Kabir Lal's camerawork is a feast to the eyes. Dialogues are excellent. Production values are rich; a lot of money has been spent and it shows on the screen.
On the whole, HAMARA DIL AAPKE PAAS HAI has all it takes to emerge a rewarding experience for its producers, distributors and everyone associated with it. A film that is targeted at the family audience, this one is a must-see!
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Salman-Ash romance extends to reel
Probably it is time for the real romance to go on reel. The time is also perfect for the dream merchants to cash on in this liaison d' amour and swing into action.
And when one talks of dream merchants, producer and director of hits like Aaj Ka Arjun and Pyar Jhukta Nahin is not the one to let opportunities go waste.
Hum Tumhare Hai Sanam, K.C.Bokadia’s upcoming venture, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit has a late entrant to the movie and it is none other than the beautiful Aishwarya who is being cast opposite Salman Khan.
Although Ash doesn’t have a lengthy role in the movie but she is quite happy playing Sallu's sweetheart. But one doesn't know why on earth does the lady come up with a hundred explanations on why she is signing films left, right and center opposite Sallu.
We all know why, though Ash would like you to believe that the film originally had two heroes and a heroine. Since both the heroes need a love interest so she was signed in later. Need we add, she was the obvious choice?
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Multifaceted Kamal Haasan reinvents himself once again
Mumbai, Sep 29 - After 'Hey Ram', the controversial film in which the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi was apparently shown in a positive light, Kamal Haasan is ready to spring a surprise with his next film 'Aladandan'.
The film based on Haasan's own novel 'Dayam' is a thriller about a serial killer. Directed by Suresh Krishna, 'Alabandan' or the one who came to rule, will feature Haasan in a double role of a person with two dramatically different personalities.
Glamorous Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon is the lead opposite Haasan. Raveena, who was in Chennai recently for a photo-session for the film, says she is thrilled to be finally working with Haasan.
'Alabandan' is perhaps the first time in India that an actor is starring in a film based on his own novel. Haasan said he had written the novel while shooting for Ramesh Sippy's superhit 'Sagar' 15 years ago. "Other actors have written for the screen. Sylvester Stallone wrote the screenplay for 'Rocky' himself," Haasan told India Abroad News Service.
Writing comes naturally to Haasan. He has even had a stint as an editor of a Tamil magazine. "My editorials used to be quite farsighted. I had predicted the situation in Kashmir 10 years ago. I had stated democracy needn't be the best mode of determining political will," he said.
'Aladandan' is being shot simultaneously in Tamil and Hindi. Its Hindi version is tentatively titled 'Abhay'. Haasan says he plays a Jekyll and Hyde character in the film but his role is not that of a split personality.
Double roles are certainly not new to Haasan's oeuvre. In Singeetham Srinivasa Rao's 'Apoorva Sahodarargal', Kamal played the dwarf and his physically normal brother.
'Aladandan' is a special challenge to the adventurous and multifaceted actor-writer-producer who has been acting since the age of four.
Haasan says his novel 'Dayam' pre-empted Thomas Harris' 'The Silence Of The Lambs'. "I'm quite flattered about it since Harris is not a small writer," chuckles Haasan and adds that the cinematographic version of his novel is an extremely commercially viable project with all the ingredients to make it a success. The film will also appeal to the elite as it is a cerebral thriller and will be complete in the next four months, he added.
"I'm sure the audience is looking forward to its release as much as I am, though for different reasons," Haasan, who recently received a deafening applause for 'Hey Ram' at the Toronto Film Festival, said. "The audience is looking forward to entertainment. I'm looking for applause once again," he added.
Haasan's latest release will be the much-hyped 'Tenali' in which he costars with Tamil cinema's current heartthrob Jyotika. The film is a black comedy about a neurotic man's relationship with his psychiatrist. "Naturally I play the neurotic," deadpans the dynamo. The film is inspired by 'What About Bob'. The Bob Murray-Richard Dreyffus Hollywood comedy was also the inspiration for David Dhawan's Govinda-Anil Kapoor starrer 'Deewana Mastana'.
Early next year, Haasan will start shooting with director Shankar for a science-fiction film, which as expected will have loads of special effects.
Commenting on the monotony that has set in Bollywood, the pacesetter says: "Actors in Hindi cinema must take the initiative to change the status quo. I'm fed up of what's happening there and so are viewers. The Hindi cinema is run by a bunch of businessmen. We mustn't fall for the Western ploy to let us remain fringe players in world cinema. We must move away from the song and dance routine."
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DD to recreate Helen's magic
It is a lovely coincidence to have two legends sharing one name.
The legends we are talking about are two women, who were destined to scorch the pages of history and leave indelible marks on our lives and style. If Helen of Troy illuminates the concept of beauty, and is the cause of a famous war that decided who could possess her, Helen, the dancer in Hindi films, scorched the silver screen for years and her name conjures up images of a sensuous danseuse, a woman with grace and passion, the epitome of a cinematic diva.
To pay tribute to this talented dancer and actress who entered films in the fifties, DD Metro will present a live concert next month in the Golden Hours slot, from 1900 hrs to 2100 hrs IST. The concert titled 'Helen - the Golden Girl' will be telecast live in early October.
The concert will feature some of the Hindi film industry's top actresses like Aishwarya Rai, Raveena Tandon, Urmila Matondkar and Shilpa Shetty among others. The concert will highlight some of Helen's best dances from the early fifties right through her last performance in the film Khamoshi - the Musical where she enacted the endearing role of Manisha Koirala's grandmother.
The concert will also feature a trip down memory lane with footage of her famous songs like 'Piya Tu Ab to Aaja', 'Mehbooba Mehbooba' and others. Helen's friends and colleagues like Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor and Asha Bhonsle, will relate nostalgic memories of working with her.
According to Ravina Raj Kohli, Chief Executive Officer of Nine Gold, ''We have all grown up on the music, movements and magic of Helen. The Helen Special on Nine Gold is our way of paying tribute to this special lady who is such an integral part of the industry and our lives".
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Salman, Aishwarya, Urmila, Amrish raided
The income tax department conducted raids on several top
Hindi film stars and directors in Bombay on Tuesday.
The raids targeted directors Yash Chopra and Karan Johar,
stars Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Amrish Puri and Urmila
Matondkar.
The raid began at 0830 IST with teams of income tax
sleuths descending on the offices and homes of the
Bollywood personalities, located between Bandra and
Andheri in northwest Bombay.
It is learnt that 33 premises were searched with 150
income tax officers involved in the operation. Sixty
policemen were also on stand-by for security.
Asked whether any evidence of concealment of income had
been found against anybody, an IT officer said, "We started our
search at 8.30 am. It is only five hours since. The
searches may go on for another 12 hours. So it is too
early to say now."
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Aishwarya Rai and Lisa Ray too old for Hrithik
Instead of playing spin the bottle they're spinning Hrithik to get the
gal for him in the Coke ad. Hrithik's father Rakesh Roshan is becoming
a stickler for details. The gal whom he'll romance is being changed
all the time. First it was supposed to be Aishwarya Rai. Then she was
changed for Lisa Ray. Then Lisa was out and the gorgeous light-eyed
model Aditi Gowatrikar was in. Aditi's okay feels daddy Roshan but
those who know all, say that Rakesh Roshan felt that both Ash and Lisa
look too old for his Hrithik. Rakesh however, was quick to deny this.
Ash, he said, failed to turn up for the shoot in Mauritius. "I don't
have an inkling as to why Ash could not attend the shoot. I had even
narrated the story board brief to her and I flew to Mauritius well in
advance." About the shoot he says, "This ad will be eagerly awaited
because I have given Hrithik a new look which his fans will love."
When it comes to Hrithik, any look will do!
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Madhuri Dixit open to Hollywood films
Bollywood film actress Madhuri Dixit, settled in the United States
after marriage, says she has no plans to quit acting in films and
would consider a debut in Hollywood films if offered "suitable roles."
"Though I live in America, you will see more of me in films. I love
acting and I am not going to give up (acting) so easily," she said in
Berlin on the occasion of the world premier of eminent painter Maqbool
Fida Husain's Hindi film "Gajagamini". Husain, who has conceived,
written and directed the film, told the packed audience at the Arsenal
Theatre located in the ultra modern Sony centre complex that the film
was to be released in India in November. Madhuri plays the lead role
in the 130-minute film essaying different forms of women spanning
several centuries. Shahrukh Khan, Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi
are also in the cast in what film critics here said was an out and out
Madhuri film. Husain said that he chose Berlin for the world-premier
of his directorial venture because of "emotional reasons and special
attachment to the German capital." Hussain recalls that a short film
made by him 30 years ago was first shown in a Berlin Film Festival
where he got "recognition" as a film maker. Madhuri said that she
decided to act in Gajagamini impressed more out of its content than
the form. "The film's a unique one and does not fall into any
particular category like a Bollywood film or arty film or parallel
cinema," she said.
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Love Hrithik at your own risk
Reena, Tina, Meena, Bina and all those trying to woo Hrithik, better give up, since it is going to be a futile exercise. Your heartthrob Hrithik , is already somebody else's heartthrob.
Hrithik has made it clear that he is not single. He is not looking out for a life partner because he has chosen one already - Susanne Khan, daughter of Feroz Khan, the cowboy of yesteryears.
And this is serious. He doesn't mind losing his fan following and risking his popularity. Come what may, he is going to marry Suzane, he has declared boldly. He has pledged himself to Susanne, and will not betray his lady love under any circumstances.
He believes that he has all the right to enjoy his life and live it the way he wants, and with the people he loves.
By the way, Hrithik's marital status would have changed to 'married' by the end of next year. If you are wondering why the wait till next year... well, not that he is insecure about his career right now, it is just that he would like to wait.
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