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A Wednesday - Watch Online - Download

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher, Jimmy Shergill, Aamir Bashir, Deepal Shaw, Gaurav Kapoor, Chetan Pandit, Virendra Saxena, Snehal Dhabi, Kal Prasad Mukherjee, Rohitash Gaud, Mukesh Bhatt (II), Rajendra Chawla, Vijay Bhatia, Parag Tyagi, Aayam Mehta, Alok Narula, Parth, Seema Malik

Online Link:

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A wednesday Part-05

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A wenesday Part-04

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A wednesday Part-03

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A wednesday Part-01

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Akshay Kumar bags the CNBC Awaaz Consumer Award 2008 Photo Gallery






Akshay Kumar bags the CNBC Awaaz Consumer Award pictures,Akshay Kumar won
CNBC Awaaz Consumer Award photo

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Consumer Award 2008

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Rekha honoured for her contribution to Bollywood

Mumbai, (IANS) Bollywood diva Rekha made a rare public appearance to receive an award for her contribution to Bollywood. Her presence sent the paparazzi into a tizzy.

That underscored the fact that the popularity of the veteran star has not diminished a bit, even though she comes out to the public glare rarely these days.

She charmed the packed gathering of producers and invitees who assembled at Time & Again convention centre at Lokhandwala in north-west Mumbai Friday for the 69th annual general meeting of Indian Motion Pictures' Producers Association (IMPPA).

Accepting the award, the actress said that though she had received scores of awards in her 40-year career in movies, including the National Award, she considered the IMPPA award the most coveted as it was being given to her by her own fraternity.

"I always held my producers in high esteem and so I consider the IMPPA award as the most esteemed one I have ever received," remarked the veteran star.

The producers' body honoured Rekha for her "significant contributions to the film industry".

IMPPA also similarly honoured director Madhu Bhandarkar and veteran producers Prakash Mehra and Surinder Kapoor (father of Anil Kapoor).

Bhushan Kumar of T. Series was given the Producer of the Year award. Kumar's latest movie, "Karzzz", is releasing next week.

Director Bimal Roy, the maker of such memorable movies as "Do Bigha Zameen", "Madhumati" and "Bandini", was honoured posthumously.



News material © Copyright BollywoodWorld.com and IANS
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Playback singer Mahendra Kapoor dies

Mumbai, (IANS) Mahendra Kapoor, popular Hindi film playback singer of yesteryears, died here late Satrurday following a cardiac failure. He was 74.

He was not keeping a good health of late as he had been suffering from heart ailment for long, his son Rohan Kapoor told IANS.

Born in Amrisar in Punjab, Kapoor first came into prominence after he won a singing contest at the All India Youth Festival in the late 1950s.

A fan of singer Mohammad Rafi, he had dreams of making a career as a playback singer in Bollywood movies.

Thanks to filmmaker B.R. Chopra, he got a foothold in the film industry ad came into prominence singing the "Tere pyar ka asra" number in "Dhool Ka Phool".

Penned by Sahir Ludhianvi, the song was composed by Dutta Narwekar, known as N. Dutta.

He also sang some popular numbers in Chopra's "Gumrah," "Humraaz" and "Waqt," which were composed by music director Ravi and picturised on Sunil Dutt during the late 1960s and 1970s.

Kapoor also rendered the most popular number, "Mere desh ki dharti sona ugle" in Manoj Kumar's "Upkar" as also "Bharat Ka rahnewala hoon" in "Purab Aur Paschim" and "Ab Ke baras" in "Kranti."

He also sang the title song of Chopra's popular TV serial, "Mahabharat", in the late 1980s.

He received the the Filmfare Award for his song "Chalo ek baar phir se" in Chopra's "Gumrah" in 1963 and also for "Neele gagan ke tale" from "Humraz".

In 1967 and again in 1974 for rendering the song "Nahin nahin bus aur nahin" in Manoj Kumar's "Roti Kapda Aur Makaan".



News material © Copyright BollywoodWorld.com and IANS
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EMI

Saturday, September 27, 2008

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Horn Ok Pleassss

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Fashion

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Golmaal Returns

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Aishwarya Rai to grace Vogue India cover

Friday, September 26, 2008

New Delhi, (IANS) After Bipasha Basu, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Podukone and Preity Zinta, beauty queen-turned-Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan joins the host of celebrities to appear on the cover of the fashion and lifestyle magazine Vogue India.

Sporting an au naturale look without any accessories in a new slim avatar, Aishwarya was photographed by ace lens man Farrokh Chothia for the October issue of the magazine, dubbed as the Glamour issue.
The shoot was done in London that was the last leg of the recently concluded her father-in-law, Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan's “Unforgettable” world
tour.
“Doing the Vogue cover was a promise I made to Anaita (Shroff Adajania) right
from the time she joined the Vogue. Anaita was having a baby and she wanted me to do it before she delivers,” Aishwarya told the NDTV news channel from London.
She added: “I was to do this shoot last month but I fell ill before I left for the world tour. So, we crossed notes and managed to do it on time in London just after we finished almost the last show of the tour.”
Anaita Shroff Adajania is the fashion director for Vogue India and costume stylist for films like “Kal Ho Na Ho”, “Being Cyrus”, “Dhoom 2” and upcoming films like “Drona”, “Biloo Barber” and Imtiaz Ali's untitled project with Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone.
The actress' make-up was done by Denise Rabor with hairstylist Josh Wood who couldn't stop praising her beauty.
Incidentally, Aishwarya is presently in Peru, shooting for her Tamil film “Enthiren”, with southern superstar Rajnikanth.

READ MORE - Aishwarya Rai to grace Vogue India cover

Welcome To Sajjanpur

Thursday, September 25, 2008

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Movie Preview - Golmaal Returns

Cast: Ajay Devgan, Kareena Kapoor, Tusshar Kapoor, Arshad Warsi, Celina Jaitly, Shreyas Talpade & Amrita Arora
Director: Rohit Shetty
Release Date: Thursday, 30th October

Golmaal Returns, the much-awaited follow-up of the uproariously comic smash-hit Golmaal, arrives with renewed star power, chartbusting music and more laughter than before!

Gopal (Ajay Devgan), who lives with his wife Ekta (Kareena Kapoor), sister Esha (Amrita Arora) and a dumb brother-in-law Lucky (Tusshar Kapoor), gets stuck in a yacht after saving an attractive woman Meera (Celina Jaitly) from some goons.

Both end up spending the night on the yacht and when he comes home the next day, his painfully suspicious wife, a hardcore fan of saas-bahu serials, smells fish.

Gopal knows it’s going to be hard to quell her suspicion so he concocts a cock-and-bull story about having stayed the night with a fictitious friend called Anthony Gonsalves. Ekta refuses to buy his yarn and writes to Anthony (on a fictitious address given to her by Gopal) asking him to visit her.

Gopal convinces his junior at work, Laxman (Shreyas Talpade) to pretend to be Anthony. Everything goes according to plan till the address to which Ekta had written to Anthony turns out to be real!

If that isn’t complication enough for Gopal, a dead body is discovered at the location where he had saved Meera. The Investigating Officer, Madhav (Arshad Warsi), who is Esha’s boyfriend and cannot stand the sight of Gopal, learns that the latter had been missing from home that eventful night and begins checking on him.

Madhav’s investigation results in hilarious chaos and tricky situations where a new lie must be invented at every instance to conceal the previous lie!

The misadventures of the seven characters result in a non-stop joyride, evoking laughter and culminating in a sweet but surprising climax to the biggest comedy title of 2008.
READ MORE - Movie Preview - Golmaal Returns

Ajay Devgan's close shave with death while shooting in Thailand

New Delhi, (IANS) Bollywood star Ajay Devgan escaped death while giving an action shot for a film near an island in Thailand - the weather suddenly changed and the chopper moving over him nearly lost control. He escaped unscathed, despite the helicopter blades whizzing inches from him.

He says he was shooting with other actors near Phi Phi Island. The action director Jack Gill had planned out a stunt in which the jet-ski chase was suppose to be shot from a chopper.

"Initially, as we started filming and moving around in the shallow waters, the waves were moderate... so we decided to move ahead in the deeper waters since the scene required a proper aerial view which should look like a chase from a top angle," Ajay wrote on his blog www.ajaydevgan.net.

He was shooting with four other stuntmen.

"They were moving aggressively in the sea trying to give their best shots by manoeuvring with their cuts around me… The chopper was also hovering right above us and as close as possible to us to get better shots," he added.

According to Ajay, all seemed to go well until they realised they were nearing another smaller rocky island called Maya Bay.

"Suddenly the weather started to change. The wind and the waves were trying to show us their stunts and our guys instantly thought of retreat.

"A sudden gust of strong wind hit me and next moment the chopper above us lost control and blades were so dangerously close to us that we could feel the strong whipping winds of our helicopter," he described.

Ajay, who featured in several action movies including his debut vehicle "Phool Aur Kaante" and "Raju Chacha", says this incident will be etched in his mind for a long time.
READ MORE - Ajay Devgan's close shave with death while shooting in Thailand

Saas Bahu Aur Sensex'

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Karishma - Brand Ambassador for Priyagold

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Merely before couple of weeks, we had alluring missy Deepika Padukone signing for BSNL as brand ambassador. Fine! We have one more hot celebrity getting roped in for brand ambassadorship, but not for BSNL.
Karishma Kapoor has been opted as new brand ambassador for 'Surya Food & Agro
Ltd'; a U.P. based Food Company at Noida, known for Priyagold biscuits.
Sooner, we will espy the pulchritudinous actress recommending three products
from the Priyagold stable – Butter bite, Butter bite Badam Pesta and Marie lite.
Perhaps, this is the first time Priyagold has preferred for celebrity endorsement. And earlier, it was TV personality Priya Tendulkar who plumped for these products a decade ago. Karishma has spelled that it's because of her personal preference for Priyagold products, she signed for brand ambassadorship.
READ MORE - Karishma - Brand Ambassador for Priyagold

To 'Taare Zameen Par', with best wishes from Bollywood

Mumbai, (IANS) Aamir Khan's acclaimed directorial debut "Taare Zameen Par" is India's official entry to the Oscars this year and many in Bollywood, including Naseeruddin Shah and Amitabh Bachchan, have sent their best wishes that it may be up there with the best in world cinema.

A snapshot of views from leading lights of the film industry:

Amitabh Bachchan: The film's prospects depend on the decision of the Oscars' jury. We can only hope for the best.

Naseeruddin Shah: I don't know about its prospects at the Oscars. But Aamir will definitely attend the ceremonies.

Shekhar Kapur: Its chances at winning the Oscar depend on what the other nominations are like. And also on the kind of support Aamir musters in Hollywood. I wish him luck and hope the film wins.

Dino Morea-Lara Dutta: We definitely think it stands a good chance. It's a good representation of contemporary Indian cinema. I hope it makes the cut.

Kunal Kapoor: It's an absolutely wonderful film and deserves to go. It's beautifully written, enacted and directed. Whether it finally wins or not would depend on the competition. I'm sure there will be wonderful films from all over the world.

Deepa Mehta: I haven't seen the film. But I've heard wonderful things about it. Aamir's dedication is indisputable. I realised what cinema means to him when we worked together in "1947 Earth". Though he was dissatisfied with his performance, I was immensely happy with what Aamir did. I wish him all the best.

Farhan Akhtar: "Taare Zameen Par" is a good film and I'm happy for Aamir. It's the culmination of his belief in good cinema. I can't predict whether it will win because I don't know what competition it's up against. But I wish Aamir luck and success.

Pritish Nandy: "I think it's a fine film and deserves to do well at the Oscars. However it's a Bollywood film and has its own unique grammar which makes it that much more difficult for an international audience to relate to.

Arshad Warsi: I don't know what its chances are. But I'm so proud of Aamir. Because of him the world is beginning to recognise Indian cinema. There's so much talent in our cinema. Aamir made the world aware of us with "Lagaan" and now "Taare Zameen Par".

Vikram Bhatt: It's a very good film and has a cause at its heart, so I think it stands a really good chance. Having said that, there's plenty of lobbying to be done to get there. And Aamir knows it.

Kay Kay Menon: It is a wonderful film and worthy of being at the Oscars.
READ MORE - To 'Taare Zameen Par', with best wishes from Bollywood

Sanjay Dutt getting two new tattoos

Mumbai, (IANS) After having had a lion tattoo on his forearm for some time, Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt is getting two new tattoos - another lion on his chest and the word "honour" in Japanese on his arm.

"The actor wanted another lion tattoo, but since he already has one, this one had to be different. We sat together and finally settled for one big lion design ... it's going to be a coloured one," tattoo artist Vishwas Dorwekar of Hakim Aalim's saloon revealed.

"Apart from this, the actor is also getting the word "honour" in Japanese on his arm. This one will be short and simple," Dorwekar told IANS here.

The artist will also be improvising Dutt's forearm lion tattoo, as the actor is not happy with the way the tattoo had turned out.

"He wants some basic changes in his first tattoo and I'm working on it," he said.

Not many know that Dorwekar is the man behind Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's 'Kareena' tattoo that attracted much media attention.

"Saif knew what he wanted and how exactly he wanted it to be done. Tattoo drawing didn't take much time, as he was very clear in his thoughts," he said.

Dorwekar has been in this business for the past 25 years and believes that tattoos were always there but Bollywood stars have made them popular.

"My family has been in this profession for ages, but initially it was only religious tattoos that were popular. Hindus and Catholics used to get religious tattoos on various parts of their body," he said.

"Now, Bollywood has made tattoos very popular and people are imitating their favourite actors," he added.

Describing tattoo making as a "tickling art", the artist said: "The process is best described as a tickling art because when the machine touches your body, it gives a ticklish feeling."

"Creativity plays a major role in tattoo making...just by having good machines and a swish saloon doesn't mean that everyone knows the art.

"It is an art that lies in the hands and not machines," he quipped.

Tattoo parlours have mushroomed across the country in recent years, but Dorwekar said that most of them lacked creative skills and were interested only in the money.

"People believe that just by googling intricate designs from the Internet, one can become a good artist. That is a misconception.

"It is like any other creative skill that requires thinking and processing. Only a good artist can come up with his own creative designs," he added.

How long does it take to make a tattoo?

"It all depends on the design. A simple tattoo can be done in an hour whereas an intricate design can take hours or sometimes days," he said.

What are the popular designs this season?

"After Saif wrote Kareena's name on his forearm, getting the name of your spouse, children and lovers is a big hit this season," he said.

Getting a tattoo involves dual pain - the physical pain and a hole in your pocket, as a simple tattoo can cost you around Rs.4,000 and the price goes up according to different designs and sizes.
READ MORE - Sanjay Dutt getting two new tattoos

Oscar experience more important than award: Aamir Khan

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Mumbai, (IANS) Bollywood star Aamir Khan, whose directorial debut "Taare Zameen Par" has been selected as India's entry in the foreign language category for the Oscars, Monday said getting global exposure was more important than winning an award for a film.

Aamir told reporters: "I have already got the reward for making the film as it has been widely accepted by our audience. Winning an award is not that important. What matters is the fact that by getting selected (for Oscars) it will get an exposure to the world audience as more people are going to see it."

Aamir said the main challenge now was to get it into the final five, which will lead to a major chunk of international audience viewing the film.

"I want my film, which has been made on a sensible topic like dyslexia, to be viewed by as many people as possible, which is only possible if it gets selected in the final five as 'Lagaan' was selected," said Aamir.

Aamir said his main motive would be to create awareness for the film and to make maximum number of people know about it.

"I will be holding special screening for the members of the jury so that most of them see it. Besides, I am planning to go for an ad campaign in newspapers and will also be hiring a PR agency to create an awareness for the film among the masses," he said.

Aamir feels he had an advantage this time as his first production "Lagaan" introduced him to the people there.

"I feel, this time I will get an advantage as I had already left an impression there with 'Lagaan'. So people are aware about me and my work and I am hopeful to get a preference this time."

The actor pointed out that India should be conscious in selecting its entry for the Oscars as it builds an image for the country.

"Taare Zameen Par", produced and directed by Aamir Khan, was last week selected as India's official entry in the foreign language category for the Oscars at the 81st annual Academy awards. The award ceremony will be held Feb 22, 2009.
READ MORE - Oscar experience more important than award: Aamir Khan

Just a good body won't make you sexy: Bipasha Basu (Interview)

Mumbai,

(IANS) Glamorous Bipasha Basu, who sizzled in "Race" and "Bachna Ae Haseeno",
says confidence, poise and intelligence are a must to look sexy.

"For me, being sexy is an amalgamation of many factors -
definitely a good physique and a perfect-10 for health. A good face helps. But confidence, poise and intelligence are musts. Just a body won't do," Bipasha told IANS in an interview.

The actress, who was selected Asia's sexiest woman last year by the Eastern Eye newspaper in Britain, says she enjoys her "sexy" image.

"I'm sure any man or woman would be flattered being called the sexiest. I don't see why I've to justify myself for being happy about being called sexy. I feel elated about it. You can't take it away," she said.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q: How do you define sexy?
A: It's defined differently from person to person. Those who know me know I'm a
very down-to-earth girl with no pretensions to being a diva. For me, being sexy
is an amalgamation of many factors - definitely a good physique and a perfect 10
for health. A good face helps. But confidence, poise and intelligence are musts.
Just a body won't do.
Q: You were selected as Asia's sexiest woman last year.
A: Yes, and I'm proud of it. I read a journalist taunting me about how serious I
tried to sound about being chosen the sexiest woman in Asia. I'd just like to
see how she'd react if she got the same title. I'm sure any man or woman would
be flattered being called the sexiest. I don't see why I've to justify myself
for being happy about being called sexy. I feel elated about it. You can't take
it away.
Q: How do you fob off unwanted attention?
A: I've no time or opportunity to think about unwanted attention. Most of the day I'm at work. Besides sets, the only place I go to is the gym. Otherwise, I enjoy being at home. I may be a very sexy person, but I lead a very boring life.
Unwanted attention? Yes, there're intrusions. I completely shut it out. I've been blessed with blindness. I'm so myopic I don't see people staring at me. Maybe that's why I don't understand this whole concept of wearing a robe on top
of your shooting clothes. Because you're going to shed the robe in front of the camera. Since I wear skirts, dresses and shorts in real life, why should I get coy about them on sets? I believe in comfort clothing. I wear a robe on the sets
only when I'm extremely cold. I know it gives people a shock to see me walking up and down in shorts. But my logic is simple. I can't see them. So they can't see me.
Q: Do you wear non-comfort clothes for a role?
A: No. I think it's very important for me to be comfortable in what I'm wearing even on screen. I'm in good shape and I am not body-conscious. There's no clothing that would look alarming on me. Having said that, I must say I live in
a protected environment and can wear what I want and be how I want. I've people cordoning off what you call unwanted attention. I don't represent the working-class girl. But I do understand the predicament of the girl on the road because I used to be one.
Q: So how do you advise the girl on the road to dress and behave?
A: She certainly can't be as carefree as me. She has to dress correctly. And if nything untoward happens with the opposite gender, she should take it on eadlong. If I see rubbish going on around me, I react. I've slapped people on
the road. I'm quite fiery. No one can mess with me. My sister in Kolkata travels y local train. But she knows how to take care of herself. She doesn't need a man to keep her secure on the road.
Q: Does having John Abraham by your side keep away the wolves?
A: If they want to be unbecoming, they ignore John. However, if he stands right ext to me, he can become very intimidating. I'm told even I'm intimidating. When I'm at work I don't tolerate any shoddiness. My logic is simple. If I give a hundred percent, I expect others to do the same. People are on their toes when they're working with me.

READ MORE - Just a good body won't make you sexy: Bipasha Basu (Interview)

Now Priyanka teams up with Shah Rukh for item song

Monday, September 22, 2008

Mumbai, (IANS) After Deepika Padukone and Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra has been chosen as the third heroine to make a special appearance in Priyadarshan's "Billoo Barber" and shake a leg with Shah Rukh Khan.

And Priyadarshan says it was a cakewalk for the superstar to get the leading ladies to do a cameo in his comedy.

"Since Shah Rukh plays a filmstar in the movie, I needed him to do some big glamorous song and dance numbers with some top heroines. I left the choice to Shah Rukh. I knew all he had to do was to pick up the phone and ask any of his leading ladies," Priyadarshan told IANS.

According to sources, it was a tie between Rani Mukerji and Priyanka for the third item song with Shah Rukh Khan in "Billoo Barber".

"But after Rani appeared on Salman Khan's game show 'Dus Ka Dum' and knowing there's no love lost between Salman and Priyanka, the scales tilted automatically towards Priyanka," an industry source said.

Though King Khan has done item numbers earlier in "Shakti", "Kaal" and "Krazzy 4", this would be Priyanka's first item number.

The song with Kareena was shot at the very start of the shooting.

"At this very moment, I'm shooting a second item song with Deepika and Shah Rukh. That's again a very catchy number and Shah Rukh is having a ball shooting with Deepika," Priyadarshan said.

Interestingly, the director was supposed to launch Deepika two years ago in a film called "Pirate".

"But that didn't work out. She made her debut with Shah Rukh (in 'Om Shanti Om'). Now she's working with him again. And I also got a chance to work with her. Don't ask who's the lucky one," he quipped.

Inspired by the story of Lord Krishna and his childhood friend Sudama, a poor Brahmin, "Billoo Barber" tells the tale of a superstar and his pal Billoo (Irrfan Khan), who is a barber by profession.
READ MORE - Now Priyanka teams up with Shah Rukh for item song

Saas Bahu Aur Sensex

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Cast: Farooque Shaikh, Kirron Kher, Tanushree Dutta, Masumeh Makhija, Lillete Dubey, Sharon PrabhakarDirector: Shona UrvashiRating: **
To be fair, putting together saas-bahu sagas and the sensex seems a good concept, but director Shona Urvashi fails to use it effectively in her film.

In recent years, Bollywood has been generous to directors who experimented with novel concepts and the audiences too accepted their films. "Saas Bahu Aur Sensex" dares to be different as it tells the story of middle-class housewives playing the stock market.

The film has its moments but not sufficient to make it engrossing fare.

"Saas Bahu Aur Sensex" is the story of a rude and insensitive Parsi stockbroker Firoze Sethna (Farooque Shaikh), divorced Binita Sen (Kirron Kher) and a group of women.

The director inter-weaves a love triangle into the main plot.

Nitya (Tanushree Dutta), Binita's daughter, shifts to Mumbai with her mother and meets Ritesh (Ankur Khanna) who helps her in getting a job at a call centre. Ritesh is in love with Kirti (Masumeh Makhija) who lives in the same society. But Kirti has other plans, she wants to marry a millionaire.

Despite the presence of the two veteran actors, Kirron and Farooque, the film fails to hold the audiences' attention. The reason being that the director fails to execute the story deftly and characters aren't properly etched.

Farooque, who had almost disappeared from the big screen, chose a wrong movie to make his comeback. As far as Kirron goes, in the recent past she has chosen all the wrong films and her talent is not utilised in this film either.

Tanushree provides the oomph content, but neither she nor Masumeh, who was in Shona's first film "Chup Ke Se!", impress.

Others like Lillete Dubey, Sharon Prabhakar are wasted too.

In short, the film is a failed attempt to make the saas-bahu and sensex topics into a heady mix.
READ MORE - Saas Bahu Aur Sensex

Welcome To Sajjanpur

Cast: Shreyas Talpade, Amrita Rao, Ravi Kishan, Rajeshwari Sachdeva, Ravi Jhankal, Ila Arun, Divya Dutta, Yashpal SharmaDirector: Shyam BenegalRating: *** ½

Welcome to Shyam Benegal's world of enchanting social comment. Every character in this village of the damned, the doomed and remarkably redeemed is a stereotype. And yet, miraculously, every character is an individual, eccentric, quirky, blemished and yet so full of vitality vigour and energy that you wonder which came first...life, or life as seen through the eyes of Benegal's camera of innocence, candour and credibility.

This isn't Benegal's first broadly-designed, warmly-panoramic ensemble film. Earlier, the prolific director excelled in depicting the life of a specific community in "Mandi" and "Suraj Ka Satwan Ghoda" as a microcosm of a larger reality.

"Welcome To Sajjanpur" is enormously high on simplicity. To be simple in cinema is the most difficult thing in the world - especially when you attempt a film that subsumes an entire ethos of socio-political and cultural ideas on a rural society in tricky, torrential transition from blind faith to globalisation.

So, here in an exceptionally well-scripted film (Ashok Mishra), there's Ila Arun (deftly effective) as a woman determined to marry off her spunky daughter (Divya Dutta) to a dog to fob off a bad horoscope.

Bad karma nudges delicious satire in "Welome To Sajjanpur" as a closet-author whiles away his time writing letters for the illiterate, misguided villagers in a sleepy village that comes alive only at election time when a spirited eunuch takes on a local gangster at the elections.

The spirit of the missives, some sad, some satirical, others a bewildering Benegalesque blend of both, comes across in episodic overtures that lead us gently but persuasively from one issue - of widow remarriage (Ravi Kissan giving coy glances to Rajeswahri Sachdeva is a paisa-vasool sight) to another issue of rural migration.

Amrita Rao, in loud parrot-coloured saris and mannerisms suggesting an unspoilt naivete, is the bride-in-waiting whose husband has been gone to Mumbai for four years.

Shreyas Talpade is the letter writer given the task of informing Amrita's husband that the bride can wait no more. In a spurt of blinding self-interest, Talpade goes from detached letter-writer to attached Romeo and then to the penitent martyr with an ease, fluency and sauciness that the actor seems to muster up with a magician's flourish.

In a film flush with accomplished performances, Talpade holds the plot together like a voluminous book's spine - giving his bucolic character heart, charm and chutzpah.

This is Talpade's coming-of-age film. You really can't imagine any other leading man achieving the same level of connectivity with the character, plot and audience.

All the Benegal regulars - from Ila Arun to Rajit Kapur - show up in Sajjanpur with gratifying humility and warmth. Ravi Jhankal as the election-contesting eunuch and Yashpal Sharma as the eunuch's uncouth opponent stand out, if 'stand out' is the right term for a film where the actors become one with the characters in a seamless design celebrating life's most recognisable and basic emotions.

The costumes (Pia Benegal) tend to get a little touristy at times. And the dialogues (Ashok Mishra again) sometimes lean towards the lewd to salute the boorish rustic ambience. These are not traits you would expect in Benegal's film. But then he needs to keep up with the times. A fact that seems to have bypassed the soporific slumber-dwellers of Sajjanpur as they battle between hand-written postcards and sms communications, finally allowing the former to rule the roost until further notification.

This is a film where every character - big or small - stands tall in his or her naïve insularity from forces of corruptibility that threaten to break down their doors.

Sajjanpur echoes a 1977 film "Palkon Ki Chaon Mein" where Rajesh Khanna played the village postman trying not to get too involved with the local people's domestic problems. Talpade doesn't try that hard.

This is not Benegal's most subtle work of his prolific career. But it is one of his warmest, funniest and raunchiest pieces of cinema - where every character is a human being you'd bump into if you visit a Sajjanpur. Not too many films do that these days.


READ MORE - Welcome To Sajjanpur

'Tahaan' kid Purav wants to be dentist, signs Hollywood film

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Mumbai, (IANS) Eight-year-old Purav Bhandar seems oblivious of the rave reviews he has eared for his performance in Santosh Sivan's "Tahaan" and says that he might go on to become a dentist.

"Maybe I'll be a dentist like my parents, and an actor. Don't worry. I'll manage both," a confident Purav told IANS.

The child actor also seems unaware that he has been signed on for a pivotal role in a Hollywood film by director Steve Barron, who has made movies like "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and the "Arabian Nights" miniseries.

In Barron's film, Purav will play an Indian child adopted by a Western couple who comes home to his roots in Bangalore.

"I don't know if I'm doing another film. If my parents say, I'll do it," Purav says with a sigh, not too enthused by the idea of facing the camera again.

According to him, "Tahaan" wasn't his first film.

"I've done acting before," he says. "In ads and in a few movies also. 'Tahaan' was not that difficult. The director told me what I had to do. I just had to follow him. And there was Birbal (the donkey) who gave me good company."

He shared screen space with veterans like Anupam Kher, Sarika and Rahul Khanna in the movie.

"Everyone else - Anupam uncle, Rahul uncle, Sarika aunty... also loved me and helped me a lot."

So has acting affected his school life?

"In school, I'm treated normally. Sometimes I like all the attention, but not always. I want to play and do the normal things, not go to these gatherings with grownups.

"Friends treat me normally. My parents and brother treat me normally. The film is over. I miss all the people I worked with during 'Tahaan'. But I miss Birbal (the donkey) the most. It was very cold in Kashmir. But I wore lots of warm clothes, and I was taken good care of. My father was with me in Kashmir, so it was okay. At the premiere, Rahul uncle took my autograph. Otherwise, I took everyone's autograph."
READ MORE - 'Tahaan' kid Purav wants to be dentist, signs Hollywood film

Shilpa Shetty is okay with botox if it comes to that

London, (IANS) Actress Shilpa Shetty is not averse to botox, but doesn't feel the need for it yet. She's a household name in Britain after her row with Jade Goody in the Big Boss show.

She told Daily Mail in an interview that she's aware she's aware she's ageing and is practical about it: "I'm aware I'm getting older, but I'll take it as it comes - I'm not averse to having botox, for example, but I just don't feel I need it yet. The way I see it, I spent a long time getting comfortable with who I am. I was an ugly duckling as a child, and it took a lot of hard work to get to where I am today, where I'm not so self-critical.

"I still don't think I'm as good-looking as my sister, Shamita, or even my mother, who is stunning, even now. But I've metamorphosed into the person I am today, and I'm pretty content."

Shilpa says she owes a lot to the controversial Big Boss show for opening avenues for her. I didn't have that international platform - and I'm not embarrassed to say that I have it now because of Big Brother. I'm very aware that the UK public stood up for me and for what was right, and I'm very grateful for that. Everyone in life makes mistakes - you learn from them and move on."

She has made peace with her former fellow contestant, Jade Goody, now diagnosed with cancer. "I spoke to her before she returned to the UK, but it was a very private conversation that I won't share. She knows we've buried the hatchet. Life's too short to bear any hatred. I can only pray that she makes a full recovery."

She is more open now about her relationship with London-based entrepreneur Raj Kundra. The long-distance relationship - she's in Mumbai - does not come easy, but at the same time it has made them value each other more, she confesses.

So, is she ready for marriage to Raj? "Definitely, and I'm sure I will, God willing. I intend to try and do that as soon as my professional life has calmed down hopefully in the next couple of years. I don't want to make too many predictions as I don't believe in making too many plans, but, yes, I have a man in my life and, yes, I hope we will get married."
READ MORE - Shilpa Shetty is okay with botox if it comes to that

Malaika's son has huge crush on Katrina Kaif

Mumbai, (IANS) Guess who is eyeing Salman Khan's girlfriend Katrina Kaif? It's none other than his four year-old nephew Arhaan, son of Malaika Arora and Arbaaz!

"My four-year-old son Arhaan has the most incurable crush on Katrina. Whenever she's around, I become completely unimportant to my son," Malaika told IANS.

"It's a family joke that Arhaan is smitten by Katrina. Every time Katrina and I speak she wants to know where Arhaan is so she could take him out," she said.

After Katrina, Kareena Kapoor too is a favourite with the little boy.

"When Arbaaz and I visited Kareena's location in Hollywood last month, Arhaan became a total lamb. I ceased to exist. Everything was about Kareena only. And I was shocked when my boy, who gives me a hard time feeding him, would ask for everything that Kareena ordered at restaurants and eat quietly without taking his eyes off Kareena," said Malaika, who's known for her dance moves in hit songs like "Chaiyya chaiyya".

Far from sharing cold vibes with Salman's friend Katrina, Malaika actually shares a good rapport with the actress who has written new box office rules by giving six back-to-back hits.

So what are these stories about Malaika's cold war with Katrina?

"There's absolutely nothing to this talk of my cold war with Katrina. I've no space or time for having these kinds of issues with people. I feel life is too precious for these kinds of run-ins.

"It was written that I didn't attend Katrina's birthday. But I was shooting for my reality show ('Zara Nach Ke Dikha') and I couldn't make it. Is that a crime? Are there laws against skipping a family gathering because I was working?

"It was said I didn't go to Katrina's birthday because I couldn't get along with her. Bullshit! And now we're supposed to have shared cold vibes with Katrina at Salman's sister birthday party. Why would I spoil Arpita's party by behaving like such a party-pooper?"

Malaika says she's a total family woman.

"These are very upsetting rumours because it involves the entire family. I'm such a family person. I'd drop anything for family. Katrina isn't someone I hang around with every day or go out with for coffees and lunches. But she's part of our family and I completely respect her presence.

"But, no, she isn't part of my close friends' circle. Both of us come from decent families. My parents would slap me if I misbehaved with anyone, least of all Katrina who is part of our family."

"No one from Arbaaz's side or my own side of the family can accuse me of behaving highhandedly or aloof. I go out of my way for family. My mother would kick my ass if I behaved like a prima donna. Someone is obviously getting a lot of pleasure by spreading these rumours."

Is it someone from the Khan family?

"I wouldn't know. But whoever it is, I hope he or she is having a good time," said Malaika who will be seen in a full-fledged role in forthcoming film "EMI".
READ MORE - Malaika's son has huge crush on Katrina Kaif

Dilli 6

Thursday, September 18, 2008


Producer
Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Ronnie Screwvala
Music
A. R. Rahman
Writer
Kamlesh Pandey
Release Date
23-Jan-2009
Cast
Abhishek Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor, Om Puri, Atul Kulkarni, Divya Dutta
READ MORE - Dilli 6

Hashar


Producer : Lucky Dhindsa
Director : Gaurav Trehan
Music : Babbu Maan
Lyrics : Babbu Maan
Release Date : 26-Sep-2008
Cast : Babbu Maan, Mahima Mehta, Gurleen Chopra, Gurkirtan, Rana Ranbir, Sudesh Lahiri, Dr. Surinder Sharma, John Victor
READ MORE - Hashar

Rang Rashiya



Producer : Deepa Sahi, Aanand Mahendroo
Director : Ketan Mehta
Music : Sandesh Shandilya
Writer : Ketan Mehta
Lyrics : Manoj Muntashir
Release Date : 26-Sep-2008
Cast :
Nandana Sen, Paresh Rawal, Deepti Naval, Ashish Vidyarthi, Sachin Khedekar, Darshan Jariwala, Prroshant Narayannan, Tom Alter, Vipin Sharma, Chirag Vohra, Gaurav Dwivedi, Randeep Hooda, Jim Boeven, Rajat Kapoor, Vikram Gokhale, Suhasini Mulay, Shri Vallab
READ MORE - Rang Rashiya

Shah Rukh turns property developer in UAE

Dubai, (IANS) Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is now trying a new role as a property developer, conceptualising a series of buildings in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), an entertainment website reported here.

Khan's first project is called Shah Rukh Khan Boulevard and is located on the island of Al Dana in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE-based website Masala reported.

Covering an area of 1,700 sq km, Ras Al Khaimah is among the five emirates that form the northern emirates of the UAE and lies along the border of Oman.

"Our inquiries have revealed that the superstar, who has been lying low since that July 17 tiff with Salman Khan, will be in Dubai to announce the project at the real estate expo City Scape (in Dubai), to be held from Oct 6 to 9," the report said.

The cluster of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments are being designed by well-known architect Toni Ashai and Shah Rukh has associated himself with the project through TSA International Investments, a leading real estate financial consultancy in the UAE.

According to the report, buyers have been invited to offer refundable 'expression of interest' cheques for the apartments, but sales will begin only after the official launch by the King Khan Oct 20, before his 'Temptation Reloaded' show in Dubai.

Khan already is associated with the UAE'e leading real estate developer Nakheel and owns a house on the posh Palm Jumeirah manmade island off the coast of the Dubai.

Though Bollywood actors have earlier endorsed real estate projects in the UAE, this is the first time that a celebrity would actually be developing a property himself, the report said.
READ MORE - Shah Rukh turns property developer in UAE

UTV denies paying Akshay Kumar Rs.710 mn

New Delhi, (IANS) UTV, one of the topline production houses in Bollywood, has denied a media report that it has paid Rs.710 million to actor Akshay Kumar for their next film.

"We would like to place on record and clarify a totally false and speculative article that appeared in today's Times of India edition on the front page. The speculation about the amount stated in the article is totally untrue and is not even close to even 50 percent of the amount stated in the article," a press release from the production house stated.

A teaser of the article "New King? Akshay paid Rs.71 crore for a film" has appeared on the front page of the newspaper, followed by a full report on page 11.

The daily has quoted Ram Mirchandani, founder and COO UTV Rampage Motion Pictures, to confirm that their company had signed the "Singh Is Kinng" star.

However, the company sent out an official statement Wednesday denying the rumour "to clarify in the interest of our shareholders".

"We did issue a full denial and directed them (The Times of India) not to run the article," the release said.
READ MORE - UTV denies paying Akshay Kumar Rs.710 mn

I am scared of fashion shows: Priyanka Chopra (Interview)

Mumbai, (IANS) Bollywood actress and former Miss World Priyanka Chopra says she gets goosebumps whenever she sashays down fashion runways.

"I am not a ramp-friendly person, as professionally I have walked the runway just for a couple of months. You can say I am out of practice," Chopra said after she turned out for designer Ritu Kumar at the inaugural show of the HDIL Indian Couture Week here late Tuesday.

"In movie making, we have so many cuts and takes that we can cover up our goof ups but on the ramp, everything is live. Hats off to the professional models who do it so gracefully," Chopra told IANS.

Chopra had first walked the ramp for Kumar when she was just 16, and doesn't remember the last time she did so professionally!

"I have been doing it for friends only, like I did today but apart from that, I do not remember when was the last time I did it professionally," Chopra said.

"After winning Miss World title, I shifted to movies so there was no scope of doing it on a professional level."

Chopra had made her Bollywood debut with Anil Sharma's "The Hero: Love Story Of A Spy" (2002) but climbed the ladder of success two years later with "Aitraaz", in which she played a negative role. Very soon, the actress will be seen in Madhur Bhandarkar's "Fashion" in which she is plays the role of a supermodel named Sonia.

"I have got so much into the skin of my character that while walking the ramp (Tuesday) there was a sense of déjà vu that director would yell 'Cut'. Of course, that did not happen," Chopra said smilingly.

Apart from "Fashion", the actress will be seen in Goldie Behl's "Drona" opposite Abhishek Bachchan and Tarun Mansukhani's "Dostana", also opposite Abhishek Bachchan. The movies are slated for release in October and November respectively.

On Tuesday, the actress looked beautiful in Kumar's outfit - a maroon lehnga with intricate zardozi work all over and a green choli, with a big emerald green maang tikka on her forehead.

Speaking about the outfit, Chopra said: "Her collection has always been elegant. It's understated and yet makes one look stunning and beautiful."

Said Kumar: "She is my favourite Miss India. I know her for ages now!"

Chopra couldn't do anything but smile after the designer diva publicly admitted her fondness for the actress.
READ MORE - I am scared of fashion shows: Priyanka Chopra (Interview)

Dream to be like Kareena Kapoor? Give up non-vegetarian food!

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

New Delhi, (IANS) Her glowing skin and svelte figure has
millions of girls aspiring to be in her shoes. But Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor says it is her 'vegetarian' diet that keeps her fit and
glowing.

"Apart from doing yoga to keep myself fit, I am a pure
vegetarian. I don't eat meat and that has helped me a lot to keep fit," Kareena told reporters here over the weekend.

"I am proud to be a vegetarian and
I am against those who eat meat. Go green to be fit, that's the best way for me at least," she added.

Kareena had given up non-vegetarian food in 2006, that is two years after she started dating actor and former beau Shahid Kapur, a strict vegetarian himself.
But even after her break-up with Shahid, the actress has continued to follow a vegetarian diet to keep her weight in
check.
In fact, in 2007, Kareena had also won the 'Cutest Vegetarian' online poll conducted by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India's youth division 'PETA Dishoom'. She shared the title with actor R. Madhavan.

Apart from eating vegetarian food for her figure and fitness, Kareena's water intake is high to keep her skin radiant.

"I drink a lot of water for my skin. And yes, my mom is beautiful, so it is also my parents who have gifted me with beautiful skin," she said.

READ MORE - Dream to be like Kareena Kapoor? Give up non-vegetarian food!

Traffic jam keeps Abhishek Bachchan away from blast site

New Delhi, (IANS) A traffic snarl proved providential for Bollywood
actor Abhishek Bachchan, who decided to turn back just as he was nearing
Connaught Place to attend a function there Saturday evening - minutes before two
blasts shook the area.
His father, Hindi film icon Amitabh Bachchan, wrote on his
blog, "Shattered and shocked he called to say he was alright."
"Abhishek
had left in the afternoon for New Delhi and was on his way to Connaught Place
for a function he had to attend. Minutes away from there, the traffic became a snarl and he knew he would not make it in time so he asked to turn back. And the blast happened just then," Amitabh wrote on his blog www.bigb.bigadda.com on Sunday.
Abhishek was here as part of a media promotional event and to shoot for the last scenes of his "Dilli 6". However, he had to cancel his programme after the blast, considering the gravity of the situation, his father wrote.
"He was just not able to conduct them (activities). Cancelled them. It would have been too insensitive," he wrote.

The veteran actor revealed that his son has left a decision on whether to continue the shooting to the producers.
"He has left the decision to the producers. Cancelling would be interpreted as succumbing to the threat. I wonder what they decide."
Amitabh also expressed his grief for the victims of Saturday's serial blasts.
"Jaya and I sit alone in the house, our hearts still with the tragedy in Delhi. What of those who bore the brunt - innocent unaware and victims."
"We live in difficult times. What kind of an environment are we leaving behind for our next generation? Or do we not concern ourselves with that? We need peace and harmony," he concluded.
The serial blasts - two each in Connaught Place and Greater Kailash M-Block market and one in Gaffar Market - left 23 people dead and around 100 injured.

READ MORE - Traffic jam keeps Abhishek Bachchan away from blast site

My best is yet to come: Amitabh Bachchan

New Delhi, (IANS) Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan's performance in "The Last Lear"
has been tagged as his best ever. But he says that his best is yet to be seen.

"It would be a terrible day for an artiste if people classify
his contribution as his best. That would be the end of his work. There is always
an opportunity to work better and the best is yet to come," Amitabh said.

He added: "I am a simple actor. As long as I am offered challenging roles, I
would like to take them and experiment with acting always."
Amitabh was here with his team of "The Last Lear" including actors Arjun Rampal,
Shefali Shah and Divya Dutta, director Rituparno Ghosh and producer Arindam
Chaudhuri to promote the film last week.
Though Preity Zinta plays a pivotal role in the film, she gave the event a miss,
as she was busy shooting for a film abroad.

READ MORE - My best is yet to come: Amitabh Bachchan

Kidnap

READ MORE - Kidnap

Drona

READ MORE - Drona

Tahaan

READ MORE - Tahaan

Welcome To Sajjanpur

READ MORE - Welcome To Sajjanpur

Hari Puttar

READ MORE - Hari Puttar

Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi

READ MORE - Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi

A Wednesday

READ MORE - A Wednesday

RuBaRu

READ MORE - RuBaRu

Hello

READ MORE - Hello

MNS activists tear off Bachchan posters in Mumbai

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Mumbai, (IANS) Ignoring Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor's warning against taking law in their hands, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists Monday evening went on a rampage in parts of the city, tearing off posters of films and advertisements featuring superstar Amitabh Bachchan and his family members.

Gafoor told the media that if MNS activists created any disruptions in the city, they would be firmly dealt with under the law. He also assured security to all cinema halls exhibiting movies starring the Bachchan family, including Amitabh, Abhishek and Aishwarya.

However, the MNS activists tore off movie posters of the Bachchans outside multiplexes in suburban Kandivli, Goregaon and Dadar. Aggressive MNS boys even tore off a huge hoarding showing Abhishek in an advertisement.

There were reports of similar acts of hooliganism from different parts of Maharashtra, the police said.

In Akola district, activists tore off posters featuring the Bachchans and made a bonfire of it on a main road.

In Nanded and Yavatmal districts, MNS workers tore off posters and burnt effigies of Amitabh Bachchan's wife Jaya Bachchan, Samajwadi Party MP and herself an actor, as well as others in her family.

In a significant development, other political parties like Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have expressed their displeasure over Jaya Bachchan's alleged remarks here Sunday that north Indians in Maharashtra should only speak Hindi.

Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh told mediapersons in his home district Latur that if a person could not speak Marathi, there was no harm if he or she speaks in Hindi.

MNS chief Raj Thackeray Monday demanded an unconditional apology from Jaya Bachchan for her alleged anti-Marathi utterances, failing which the party would prevent screening in Mumbai of all films starring any of the Bachchans.

He also pointed out that Jaya Bachchan had "insulted" the state and its people under the guise of promoting national language. "Nobody has right to insult our mother tongue in the name of the national language," he thundered.

The MNS chief said if she had so much love for Hindi, then she and her family members could work in "advertisements and films in Uttar Pradesh".

He also said that unless she apologized, Marathi-speaking people would boycott all products endorsed by the members of the Bachchan family.

At a function in Mumbai Saturday night when called to speak, Jaya Bachchan said: "People of Maharashtra, please excuse me. I am from Uttar Pradesh so I will speak in English."

However, the Samajwadi Party youth wing of Mumbai has rushed to the rescue the Bachchans. Its president Farooq Ghosi has announced that his supporters would ensure that MNS activists do not disrupt screening of the Bachchan family members' films anywhere in the city.
READ MORE - MNS activists tear off Bachchan posters in Mumbai

Bollywood honchos resent Thackeray's stand against Jaya

New Delhi, (IANS) Bollywood filmmakers and actors Monday sharply reacted to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray’s comments against actor and MP Jaya Bachchan, with veteran Shyam Benegal saying it was a “childish” and “silly” remark over a “light-hearted joke”.

Earlier in the day, Thackeray, who has been spearheading a campaign against north Indians in Maharashtra, demanded an unconditional apology from Jaya for her "anti-Marathi" utterances.

Thackeray also threatened to prevent the screening of all films and advertisements starring any of the Bachchans - Amitabh and Jaya and their son and daughter-in-law Abhishek and Aishwarya in Mumbai and whole of Maharashra.

“This is an attempt to divide the entire industry and create borders within the nation,” Nafisa Ali, actor and social worker, told IANS.

Thackeray's remarks at a press conference in Mumbai Monday were in response to Jaya who on Sunday said north Indians in Maharashtra would prefer to speak in Hindi and not Marathi. She was speaking at a function to promote her son Abhishek's upcoming film "Drona".

Filmmaker Ravi Chopra whose films like “Zameer” (1975), “Baghban” (2003), “Baabul” (2006) and “Bhoothnath” (2008) starred Amitabh Bachchan said: “We are all Indians first and everything else comes secondary. Whatever Jaya Bachchan has said is not at all offensive. She was perfectly fine in her statement and this issue is completely stupid.”

Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal echoed the same but added: “The whole thing is so silly and childish. There should be some sense of humour. It was a kind of ligh-hearted joke and I don't understand why such strained reaction came from Thackeray. Nothing serious has happened as such.”

Said director Kunal Deshmukh: “Hindi is our national language and everyone is free to speak whatever language one is comfortable with.”

Director Rohan Sippy whose both directorial ventures “Kuchh Naa Kaho” (2003) and “Bluffmaster” (2005) star Abhishek Bachchan was unaware about Thackeray's statement and refused to comment on it. “I haven't seen or heard what has happened, so it is not right to comment on it.”

Actor and censor board head Sharmila Tagore requested the media not to hype the matter taking things in good humour. “I know Jaya very well as she is a friend. I don't think she will do anything irrelevant or silly. Lets not give this thing media hype. Such humour should be allowed and nothing as such is to be taken seriously.”

This is not the first time Thackeray has pointed a finger at the Bachchans. He had earlier criticised Amitabh Bachchan for being Uttar Pradesh-centric during his campaign against north-Indians in Maharashtra.

He also questioned Bachchan's move to construct a girls school in Uttar Pradesh named after his daughter-in-law and film star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
READ MORE - Bollywood honchos resent Thackeray's stand against Jaya

Jaya Bachchan apologises for 'anti-Marathi' remarks

Mumbai, (IANS) Bollywood actor and Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan has apologised for her alleged "anti-Marathi" utterances after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists went on the rampage here, tearing off posters of films featuring members of the Bachchan family.

Jaya, speaking to reporters late Monday, apologised and said the comments made by her were completely unintentional and that no one should take them seriously.

She said: "I am extremely sorry if any of my comments have hurt the sentiments of the people here. It was said casually and without any prejudice.

"I have the deepest regard for the state and its language. I can even speak Marathi well and I will have respect for the state till the end of my life."

MNS chief Raj Thackeray Monday demanded an unconditional apology from Jaya for her alleged anti-Marathi utterances, failing which the party would prevent screening of all films starring any of the Bachchans in Mumbai.

He said that the actress had "insulted" the state and its people under the guise of promoting the national language.

At a film function here Saturday night, Jaya had said: "People of Maharashtra, please excuse me. I am from Uttar Pradesh so I will speak in Hindi."

However, MNS leader Shishir Shinde rejected Jaya's apology, saying that she had spoken before just a handful of journalists who did not belong to the Marathi media.

Shinde told Marathi media persons Tuesday that Jaya must call a press conference where Marathi newspapers and channels are invited and then apologise before them.

But he added that her apology would nevertheless help assuage the sentiments of all Marathi-speaking people.

After Thackeray called for an apology from Jaya Monday, MNS activists tore off movie posters of the Bachchans outside multiplexes in suburban Kandivli, Goregaon and Dadar. MNS activists even tore off a huge hoarding showing Abhishek in an advertisement.

There were reports of similar acts of hooliganism from different parts of Maharashtra like Akola, Nanded and Yavatmal districts, the police said.

LATEST UPDATE: Jaya Bachchan 'sorry' for 'anti-Marathi' remarks, MNS still unhappy

Mumbai, Bollywood actress and MP Jaya Bachchan has apologised for her alleged "anti-Marathi" utterances after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists went on the rampage here, tearing off posters of films featuring members of the Bachchan family. However, on Tuesday morning, the party refused to accept her apology.

Jaya, speaking to reporters late Monday, apologised and said the comments made by her were completely unintentional and that no one should take them seriously.

The Samjwadi Party MP said: "I am extremely sorry if any of my comments have hurt the sentiments of the people here. It was said casually and without any prejudice.

"I have the deepest regard for the state and its language. I can even speak Marathi well and I will have respect for the state till the end of my life."

MNS chief Raj Thackeray Monday demanded an unconditional apology from Jaya for her alleged anti-Marathi utterances, failing which the party would prevent screening of all films starring any of the Bachchans in Mumbai.

He said that the actress had "insulted" the state and its people under the guise of promoting the national language.

At a film function here Saturday night, Jaya had said: "People of Maharashtra, please excuse me. I am from Uttar Pradesh so I will speak in Hindi."

However, MNS leader Shishir Shinde rejected Jaya's apology, saying that she had spoken before just a handful of journalists who did not belong to the Marathi media.

Shinde told Marathi media persons Tuesday that Jaya must call a press conference where Marathi newspapers and channels are invited and then apologise before them.

After Raj Thackeray called for an apology from Jaya Monday, MNS activists tore off movie posters of the Bachchans outside multiplexes in suburban Kandivli, Goregaon and Dadar. MNS activists even damaged a huge hoarding showing Abhishek in an advertisement.

There were reports of similar acts of hooliganism from different parts of Maharashtra like Akola, Nanded and Yavatmal districts, the police said.
READ MORE - Jaya Bachchan apologises for 'anti-Marathi' remarks

 
 
 
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