Why an outrageThereThat's because other than a select few in the industry, not a single soul can be considered to be sensitive around the background of Bollywood coinage. For them, it is just a word that takes them into a world where they wish to be seated in darkness and enjoy an outing on the big screen. Now whether this finds its base in Hindi film industry, Western fim industry or any other film industry is of least importance.
Salman Khan Widespread change? An impossible taskIf Bombay changes to Mumbai, it is still (theoretically at the least) possible because there is a certain diktat that was set around it. However one can't expect the film industry to take any such drastic steps because first and foremost, the term Bollywood is hardly a 'listed' one. This also means that there is no one person or organisation having an authority over the word. Just like no one can force anyone to use the term Bollywood in their conversation, same holds true vice versa as well.
Resultantly, even if tomorrow there is a body which is formed that mandates stoppage of Hindi film industry being addressed as Bollywood, there would be many out there who would follow their own path and won't really have anyone commanding them to stop doing that. Hypothetically speaking, even if the industry in general stands up to call Bollywood by a different name, there would be other bodies that may have their own reasoning.
Now that would include media for sure which can't be expected to stand in unison for this 'cause' (if at all it can be termed one). Everyone in Indian media at the least can well be expected to have his/her own agenda and one can well expect factions to be developed here. And not to forget the global media which anyways knows the Hindi film industry by only one name - 'Bollywood'.
Are we hesitant to changOf course people would say - 'Change is good'. Yes, it indeed is. But when the change by itself is based on a foundation which is questionable and sounds like the one which has been established just for the sake of it without any real need, purpose or objective, it just ends up being the kind that can be relegated to the background with the industry concentrating on something far more important.
Really, for all practical purposes, the entire exercise is futile and at the end of the day just a fodder for debate. There would definitely be pros and cons but when it comes to practicality, feasibility and most importantly, acceptability of the change, it is impossible to see that truly happening.
So yes, I truly believe that Bollywood is as sweet sounding as it gets, isn't derogatory at all, gives Hindi film industry it's own identity in the way it is addressed, is the much used and loved word for many out there (whether belonging to the industry or outside it) and should just be left as it is without any thought being given around making a change.
That's my thought, what's yoursGoooood Mrning people... if you thought that the month of February only meant Love, Romance and Valentines... then think again, for its also the month of Guess Who, the game which is, by now, popularly known as 'World's Envy, India's Pride'
The Mystery Guest this week is someone who stands for Acting (with a capital 'A')! He is someone who showed the world that acting has got nothing to do with the mother tongue. Besides the million films in which he starred in, his masterpiece will always remain the one in which he starred alongwith Big B, the same film which is now being remade with the Gen-Next superstars! If that wasn't 'clue' enough, then, you can always catch up with him on your idiot box. Looking at his career ka safar so far, all that we can say is ...'Kya Baat, Kya Baat, Kya Baat hai Sir..." We are really very proud of you!
If you think that you have guessed who this week's Guess Who, then, waste no time and post your answers below:
Dev Anand's heroines Nanda, Sadhana dodge premiere Click here to add this article to My Clips
By Subhash K. Jha, 2011 - 11:38 ISTDev Anand From Aamir Khan-Kiran Rao to Shabana Azmi-Javed Akhtar, Shatrughan Sinha, Naseeuddin Shah to Ranbir Kapoor...the entire who's who of the film fraternity turned up for the premiere of Dev Anand's Hum Dono on Thursday night. Except for the two leading ladies. While one of them Nanda begged off saying she was unwell when Dev Anand called her personally, the other leading lady Sadhana apparently didn't even take Dev Saab's call!
It is an unwritten rule in the Indian film industry that no one ever says no to Dev Anand. That rule just changed. Two of Dev Saab's former co-stars,the legendary but alas reclusive Sadhana and Nanda who played the two heroines in the 1961 blockbuster drama Hum Dono declined to attend the premier of the classic's colorized digital version of the classic that is being revived with much fanfare and gusto.
Most excited of all was of course the film's leading man the indefatigable Dev Anand who plays a double role opposite Sadhana and Nanda. Apparently the ebullient evergreen hero personally called up his two Hum Dono divas asking them to be present by his side at the joyous revival of the classic, not thinking for second they would turn down his invitation.
To Dev Saab's shock and annoyance both Sadhana and Nanda declined the invitation to attend the premiere.
A senior actress, who is close to both Nanda and Sadhana, defends her colleagues' elusiveness. "Dev Saab personally invited them. But neither Nanda nor Sadhana is attending. I tried to convince them to go since it's a big moment for them both. Hum Dono was a turning point in their careers. But they are much too nervous of crowds. Unlike Dev Saab who enjoys public appearances and interaction with fans Sadhana and Nanda are away from the limelight. Sadly they missed out on this glorious moment."
Euphoric with the attendance and ovation at the premiere Dev Saab expressed regret at his two leading ladies' absence from the premiere
Said the indefatigable star, "The turn-out was heartwarming. All four screens were packed. It's a pity that Nanda and Sadhana could not be there. Nanda said she was unwell…I think they were shy. When you're away from the limelight for so long the clamorous adoring crowds can become a bit too much to handle. I intend to send them a bouquet each. After all Hum Dono is a triumph for them as well."
It's really nice to know what success does to people. After the success of films like Damini, Ghayal the proverbial 'dhaai kilo ka haath' only became more and strong with every passing film.
But the BO results of the latest blockbuster Yamla Pagla Deewana have changed it all. The'dhaai kilo ka haath' image has now given way to a very soft spoken Sunny Deol, who is now all set to play the role of a ... hold your breath... a Sanskrit teacher!
No wonder then, Sunny has started 'sporting' a dhoti, the tikka and the moustache these days. The film is called Mohalla 80 and is being directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi, who shot to overnight fame with the television series of 'Chanakya', followed by the film Pinjar.
Sunny Deol, for whom learning Sanskrit has become a priority, expressed his desire to Bollywood Hungama that his dream role was that of his father Dharmendra's Satyakam. Sunny is confident that Mohalla 80 will prove to be a Satyakam for him.
The said film is slated for an August 2011 release. IN FEAURESSort by : Whats New - Most Rated - Most Popular - Most Emailed
3 reasons why Hum Dono didn't find audience Click here to add this article to My Clips
By Joginder Tuteja, February 7, 2011 - 14:03 ISTThe weekend gone by saw the re-release of Hum Dono in a coloured version with enhanced picture quality and sound. Though Dev Anand was understandably gung-ho about the event, eventually Hum Dono Rangeen (the new title of the film) just turned out to be a show of goodwill for him with the industry coming in unison on its arrival, 50 years since it's release. However, the box office told a different tale with audience not quite driving in hordes to catch it in theatre.
The makers may have thought that just like Mughal-E-Azam (which had re-released a few years earlier in a coloured version) or Sholay (which has been re-released a number of times already), even Hum Dono would manage to find an audience for itself. However, when compared to Mughal-E-Azam which had seen good success coming it's way on it's re-release 6 years ago, Hum Dono Rangeen didn't find any takers.
There are three main reasons for that. First and foremost, there was hardly any promotion due to which audience was unaware if Hum Dono Rangeen had actually released in theatres. Yes, Dev Anand did hot a premiere for the film and also reached out to the public via a few interviews and appearances etc. However, in the times of an aggressive in-your-face promotion, this wasn't good enough.
Secondly, Hum Dono was not a classic but just a good film. It was loved when released; it had also done well at the box office. However, it didn't have the kind of shelf life as the likes of Mughal-E-Azam or Sholay and wasn't enjoying multiple re-runs on satellite or via home video.
Thirdly, and most importantly, it is not a big screen extravaganza a la Mughal-E-Azam or Sholay that would have brought audience in dozens to theatres. Both films were hardcore entertainers and had number of factors (action sequences, romance, memorable dialogues etc.) that were enough to entice audience to check these out again. Hum Dono too had hit songs and powerful performances as its selling points. However, number of reasons as stated above meant that audience were not inclined enough to re-live the dream that Dev saab carried.
Aishwarya surprises AbhishNew Zealand, Feb 7 : With Players' filming schedule moving right on track, Bollywood's popular couple took time off to celebrate Abhishek Bachchan's 35th birthday in New Zealand's charming, hillside harbour city, Wellington on Saturday night.
On location to film the Indian remake of The Italian Job, Bachchan's early birthday surprise arrived when wife Aishwarya Rai flew in to spend time with her star-stud hubby and make this day extra special.
With an indulgent three tier chocolate cake from a local New Zealand bakery in tow, birthday boy Bachchan Junior was joinedby his wife and some of his castmates for a little cake cutting celebration at lunchtime on the sets of the film in Wellington.
Later that evening, director duo Abbas Mustan organized a party for the entire filming crew at their hotel in Wellington. Those present were AB, Aishwarya Rai, Sonam Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Omi Vaidya, Sikander Kher, Action Director Alan Amin, DoP Ravi Yadav and many others.
While the fun didn't stop early, some of the stars took the party to the streets as they headed out for a fun evening at Wellington's city centre where over 30,000 kiwi rugby fans, dressed in costumes, were celebrating their victory in the NZI Sevens rugby tournament.
A little birthday get-together quickly turned into a fully charged, exciting night out of town amidst Wellington's bustling hub of restaurants, bars and vibrant nightlife for the birthday boy and his cast mates.
I'm eager to know Kajol's reaction to my work in 'Dil To Bachcha Hai': ShahzaNew Delhi, Feb 6 : Her muchyped debut with ashraj Films' 'Rocket Singh' may have failed to win her attention in Bollywood despite being paired opposite current heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor, but Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Dil To Bachcha Hai' has proved to be 'second time lucky' for newcomer Shahzahn Padamsee.
Shahzahn's portrayal of the cute and bubbly June Pinto who makes Bank executive Naren's (played by Ajay Devgn) heart go aflutter in the film has been lved by cinegoers as well as critics.
Though the upcoming actress is naturally ecstatic at the response that the film and her role have generated, there is one person whose reaction Shahzahn eagerly awaits - her favourite actress Kajol.
Shahzahn says that among the 90s actresses, Kajol is someone she looks up to as her inspiration
''I love her (Kajol). She's magic. I have no words to describe her. If I can be even one per cent of her, I would consider myself lucky. I am really eager to see what she thinks of my performance in 'Dil To Bachcha Hai',''Shahzahn told UNI in an interview here.
About her role of June Pinto in the film, Shahzahn says it is a dream role for any actress.June Pinto is a dream role for any young actress. It is a very amazing character. In fact, there is a lot of Shahzahn in June. Like June, I too am a high energy bubbly girl in real life,''the actress said.
In fact, Shahzahn said she is looking to do characters similar to June Pinto.High energy and bubbly is what I am and I would love to play characters of similar girls. One role that I would love to play is that essayed by Kareena Kapoor in 'Jab We Met',''she said.
Though hers was quite a promising debut in 'Rocket Singh', a film made under the Yashraj Films banner and where she was paired opposite the current heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor, the lukewarm response to the film proved to be a speed breaker in her career in Bollywood.
''After 'Rocket Singh', I did not get many offers. so, I went down South where I did two films one of which is a big Telugu hit called 'Orange' where I was paired opposite Superstar Chiranjeevi's Son Ramsharan. though my role in 'Orange' was a brief one, the appreciation that I got for the role was quite amazing. Seeing the response that I have got from the South, I plan to do at least one Telugu film every year,''Shahzahn said.
Daughter of adman Alique Padamsee and singer actor Sharon Prabhakar, Shahzahn says she is in Bollywood for a long haul.
''I am very focused about my work. I am a very ambitious girl and definitely would want to make it big in films,''she said.
Asked about her forthcoming ventures, Shahzahn said she was in talks with a couple of film makers but would only like to reveal details after anything is finalised. Jayalalithaa asks PM to break silence on scams
Chennai, Feb 9 : AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa Wednesday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to speak up on the major corruption scams that have rocked the country.
Referring to a controversial deal between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Devas Multimedia, she said: "It is a national shame that scams running to lakhs of crores of rupees are tumbling out of the UPA government's closet with monotonous regularity.
"How the prime minister, an economist of repute, can be a silent accomplice to such gross misdemeanours is beyond me," the former Tamil Nadu chief minister said in a statement.
The agreement relates to ISRO's launching of two satellites for Devas that allegedly brought huge benefits to the company at the cost of the national exchequer. ISRO has said no loss accrued from the deal.
"Manmohan Singh has to break his silence and come clean. Otherwise the people will lose faith in the central government and the nation will become a laughing stock before the whole world," Jayalalithaa said.
She said a thorough inquiry had to be initiated to find out how precious national resources were so flippantly being frittered away and who the real beneficiaries of such largesse were.
The government is also probing allegations that its former communications minister A. Raja gave away second generation spectrum at below the market prices. Raja is now in custody.
The Manmohan Singh government has also been hit charges of major financial irregularities in the organization of the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in October.
IN FEATURESort by : Whats New - Most Rated - Most Popular - Most EmaileCheck Out: Usman Qureshiaka Akki Junior who will be seen in Patiala House Click here to add this article to My Clip
By Bollywood Hungama News Network, February 7, 2011 - 18:28 ISAkshay Kumar, Usman QuresIn the forthcoming biggie Patiala House, viewers will get to see a young Akshay Kumar as well. Yes, a young actor named Usman Qureshi who bears an uncanny resemblance to the superstar will seen playing a teen Akshay in the film.
Apparently, director Nikhil Advani was on hunt for a young guy who would play the role of 17 year Akshay Kumar in his film Patiala House. It seems that was quite a long hunt as under no circumstances he wanted to compromise.
However, when he met Usman Qureshi, he was stunned by the similarity and Usman was on board in the first meeting itself. It seems the resemblance between Usman Qureshi and Akshay Kumar was so prominent that the entire team was thrilled to have him on the sets and gifted him with a special nick name 'Akki Junior'.
Producer Bhushan Kumar says, "We were completely bowled over by the striking resemblance between the two- Akshay and Usman. And after the screen test, without a doubt we found our 17 year old Akshay for Patiala Huse in Usman. It is not easy to play a younger role of such a superstar but Usman has done a great job."
Akshay Kumar was equally surprised and excited on seeing the resemblance and they also discovered that they had a common scar on the eyebrow. Akshay even admitted that his body structure and body type was quite like Usman when he was 17 years old.
Looks like viewers will indeed be in for a treat as they get to see both Akki Senior and Akki Junior in Patiala House which releases all over, this Friday, Feb 11, 2011.
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