Category: Hindi

  • Aamir Khan’s PK to release during Christmas

    Aamir Khan’s PK to release during Christmas

    MUMBAI: Aamir Khan fans have been waiting with bated breath for his next PK directed by Raj Kumar Hirani. When the two of them joined their hands earlier, the outcome was the blockbuster 3 Idiots. But the wait for the fans is going to be longer as an official statement reveals that the film that was supposed to be released in June, will now release during Christmas.

     

    We wonder the cause behind pushing the movie ahead by more than six months as earlier it was supposed to release in June. Is it because Aamir’s Christmas releases usually turn out to be blockbusters? It could be a possible reason.

     

    Interestingly, the Christmas week will also see the release of Anurag Kashyap’s ambitious project, Bombay Velvet starring Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma. With two big releases with similarly big stars, we just hope the industry does a good business. 

  • ‘Karle Pyar Karle’, a dull fare…

    ‘Karle Pyar Karle’, a dull fare…

    MUMBAI: Karle Pyar Karle is the launch pad for the third generation Darshan, Shiv Darshan, the son of Suneel Darshan, writer, producer and director of a number of films. Shiv’s grandfather, Darshan Sabharwal, was a producer himself besides having distributed hundreds of films in Central India.

     

    Shiv is a 6’2” hulk of a lad and that limits his launch vehicle to be an action romance. Also, one does not usually expect a newcomer with such a frame to fit an emotional drama. As such, Karle Pyar Karle is designed to be so, a campus romance that soon turns into a fight for survival against a gang lord. This combination of romance and action gives Shiv an ample scope to showcase his proficiency with action, stunts and dance, things one can be trained for.

     

    Shiv and Hasleen are star-crossed lovers forced to part ways in their childhood; Hasleen as well as Shiv’s family is convinced Hasleen is bad news for Shiv because of which he keeps landing in trouble. The duo meets again after a gap of 12 years at a police station. Shiv has been arrested to messing with the city’s traffic system; no idea what is Hasleen doing there! While Shiv has recognised her, she has not despite her childhood claims that she would always recognise him whatever the time lag.

     

    That is not an issue since both happen to be in the same institution, ‘the game is on’ as they often dare each other since childhood. On the campus, there is the usual lot of a villain and his sidekicks. Shiv, now starts to woo back Hasleen till she finds out he is her childhood mate, which she soon does, thanks to a bracelet he had gifted her as a child. They are together again, much in love and it is time for the villain to create a rift between them and create a situation for the interval break.

     

    The second half is all about gangsters. Shiv getting better of each other alternately till the villains are all dead and the lead pair is almost dead! Which is a miracle since the villains are armed with everything from knives, swords, guns and rocket launchers while Shiv prefers to fight with bare hands, well, also legs?

     

    The choice of predictable story and script, among other aspects of the film, is surprising, coming as it does from Suneel Darshan, and for a launch film of his son at that! The hero starts off with a bike stunt, a dance and a fight scene within first few minutes in to the film and with that he has run out of his repertoire of qualifications.

     

    For the rest of the film, things become repetitive. Also, having licked the villain in the opening fight along with his sidekick within seconds it hardly makes any sense to have a long climax fight between the hero and the villain’s sidekick again.

     

    Shiv has limitations. Hasleen lacks screen presence. Direction is below par. For a love story, music is not up to the mark and despite five composers and as many lyric writers on its roaster, the film has just one decent tune in Teri saanson mein…

     

    Karle Pyar Karle faces poor prospects.

    Producer: Suneel Darshan.

    Director: Rajesh Pandey.

    Cast: Shiv Darshan, Hasleen Kaur.

  • President, PM condole passing away of legendary actress Suchitra Sen

    President, PM condole passing away of legendary actress Suchitra Sen

    NEW DELHI: President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have condoled the passing away of legendary actress Suchitra Sen.

     

    In a condolence message to her daughter, Moon Moon Sen, the President has said, “In the passing away of Smt. Suchitra Sen, the film industry has lost a highly talented and acclaimed actress who played memorable roles in a number of Bengali as well as Hindi films. She shall always be remembered by her countless fans for her versatile acting which brought life into the celluloid characters she played in films.”

     

    Sen was a legendary actress who ruled Bengali cinema for decades. Her powerful roles in films were highly acclaimed and will be remembered by generations of film lovers. During her illustrious career she was not only a recipient of Padma Shri Award, but also became the first Bengali actress who was awarded ‘Best Actress Award’ at an international film festival. Her sad demise is a huge loss to the Indian film industry, particularly Bengali cinema”.

     

    In his message, the Prime Minister said, “Ms. Sen had carved a special niche in the hearts of millions of Indians through her graceful cinematic presence. She was one of the first Indian artistes to win an international award at Moscow in 1963. Ms Sen’s versatility and range of performances, in a career spanning nearly three decades, mark a unique contribution to Indian cinema, and to Bengali films in particular.”

  • Cinema industry pays a tribute to Farooque Shaikh

    Cinema industry pays a tribute to Farooque Shaikh

    MUMBAI: With roles that touched the emotional chord, actor Farooque Shaikh made a special place among his fans. When the actor passed away few weeks back, his fans couldn’t help but cry. Shaikh continues to evoke much affection and respect within the film fraternity. Indian Films & TV Directors Association organised a tribute to Shaikh at the S P Jain Auditorium in Bhavan’s College yesterday, where some of India’s finest directors assembled to recall the experience of working with the remarkable actor. 

     

    The people who came to pay a tribute to the actor included MS Sathyu who introduced Sheikh in Garm Hawa in 1973, Muzaffar Ali who selected the actor to play a lead in nearly all of the films he directed, starting with Gaman (1978) to Umrao Jaan (1981) and Anjuman (1986). It was while shooting Anjuman that Sheikh became acquainted with the plight of the impoverished chikankari artisans of Lucknow. It spawned a lifelong association with the classic white embroidered kurta-pyjama that remained his unique hallmark. Interestingly, he used to order his outfits directly from the karigars.

     

    Others included veterans and new age Hindi film directors, actors and writers who worked with him including – Sagar Sarhadi, Ramesh Talwar, Raman Kumar, Pankaj Parashar, Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan, Sanjay Tripathi, Avinash Kumar Singh, Shona Urvashi, Suhail Tatari, Javed Siddiqui and Anand Rai.

     

    Among his co-actors, Deepti Naval shared her thoughts on their long working partnership spanning Doordarshan television shows leading on to Chashme Buddoor right up to Listen Amaya last year. 

    The ceremony was organised by President of the Indian Films & TV Directors Association Ashok Pandit who said, “We thought we should invite all the directors who have worked with the late veteran actor Shaikh to share interesting moments with the actor, whether these are humorous or sensitive or simply give an insight into his unique personality. They will narrate little trivia which will be useful to those who have merely seen Shaikh on screen and want to know more about him as an actor & human being. This great actor and exceptional human being deserve to be remembered in the most dignified way. What better than inviting all his directors upon a common forum to celebrate his talent and his persona.”

  • Bhaag Milkha Bhaag walks away with maximum wins at the 9th Renault Star Guild Awards

    Bhaag Milkha Bhaag walks away with maximum wins at the 9th Renault Star Guild Awards

    MUMBAI: The 9th edition of the Renault Star Guild Awards was brought to a close this evening with the biggest stars of the Indian Film and Television industry at Mumbai’s NSCI Ground, Worli. The eventful night saw Salman Khan take centre stage for the second year running as the host for the evening, sharing screen space and a brilliant camaraderie with his colleagues.

     

    The Film & Television Producers Guild of India announced the winners in Film & Television for the year gone by where the Milkha Singh biopic, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag were the favourites of the night, walking away with an impressive 8 awards.  Farhan Akthar swept the Best Actor in a leading role category and saw the film take home Best Screenplay and Best Story for Prasoon Joshi, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design, Best Actress in a supporting role for Divya Dutta, Best Director for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and the enviable Best Film award for Viacom 18 Motions Pictures and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.

     

    Speaking of his Best Actor in a leading role, Farhan Akthar said, “The biggest thank-you goes to Milkha Singh and his family for all the support and passion that he put in to me. When I met him for the first time, he told me about the sacrifices he went through in his life and Prasoon has captured it very well in the title track.”

     

    2013’s heartwarming The Lunchbox won 3 awards including Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Nawazuddin Siddiqui, the Star Verdict Awards for Irfaan Khan and The Yash Chopra Award for the Most Promising Debut Director to Ritesh Batra.

     

    2013, being a year for big ticket films that saw an unprecedented number of movie-goers with box office sales spilling over the Rs. 500 cr mark The Film & Television Producers Guild of India introduced the Guild Hall of Fame announcing 2013’s nine major film titles from the year gone by to be included into this exclusive club. The announcement made by Ramesh Sippy and host, Salman Khan saw Race 2, Aashiqui 2, Krrish 3, Chennai Express, Dhoom 3, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Grand Masti, Goliyon Ka Rasleela: Ramleela and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani being inducted into the Guild Hall of Fame.

     

    Commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of late filmmaker Khwaja Ahmed Abbas, the Guild also introduced the K. A. Abbas Honour for Cinema with Social Sensitivity. Mr. Amitabh Bachchan gave away the award naming the film, Shahid as its first ever recipient.

     

    Varun Sharma of Fukrey fame and Arshad Warsi (Jolly LLB) shared the award for Best Performance in a comic role while Sushant Singh Rajput walked away with the award for Most Promising Debut – Male for the unconventional film, Kai Po Che! Vaani Kapoor took home the award for Most Promising Debut – Female for the film, Shuddh Desi Romance.

     

    The evening was coupled with enthralling performances by the superstars themselves including Kareena Kapoor Khan, Prabhu Deva who was joined by young starlet, Sonakshi Sinha, Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor and Jacqueline Fernandez.

     

    The Renault Star Guild Awards have been instituted by the Film and Television Producers Guild of India with an objective to establish a standard for honouring excellence and achievements in the Indian film industry.

     

    The 9th Renault Star Guild Awards is presented by Renault and Star TV. The Brand Parners for the Awards are Gionee Smart Phone and the Videocon Group. WeChat is the official Messaging Partner for the event.

     

    FILM AWARDS

    AWARD

    NAME

    FILM

    Best Editing

    Chandrashekhar Prajapati

    Madras Café

    Best Cinematography

    Binod Pradhan

    Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

    Best Art Direction

    Rashid Khan

    Goliyon Ka Rasleela: Ramleela

    Best Sound Design

    Nakul Kamte

    Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

    Best Sound Mixing

    Bishwadeep Chatterjee

    Madras Café

    Best Special Effects

    Dhoom 3

    Krrish 3

    Best Costume Design

    Anju Modi, Maxima Basu

    Goliyon Ka Rasleela: Ramleela

    Best Screenplay

    Prasoon Joshi

    Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

    Best Story

    Prasoon Joshi

    Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

    Best Dialogue

    Hussain Dalal

    Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani

    Red FM Bajaate Raho Dialogue of the Year

    Himanshu Sharma

    Raanjhana

    Best Choreography

    Remo D’souza

    Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (Badtameez Dil & Balam Pichkari)

    Best Lyrics

    Mithoon

    Aashiqui 2 (Tum Hi Ho)

    Best Music

    Pritam

    Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani

    Best Playback Singer – Male

    Arijit Singh

    Aashiqui 2 (Tum Hi Ho)

    Best Playback Singer – Female

    Bhoomi Trivedi

    Goliyon Ka Rasleela: Ramleela (Ram Chahe Leela)

    Best Performance in a Comic Role

    Varun Sharma

    Arshad Warsi

    Fukrey

    Jolly LLB

    Best Performance in a Negative Role

    Supriya Pathak

    Goliyon Ka Rasleela: Ramleela

    Best Actor in a Supporting Role

    Nawazuddin Siddiqui

    The Lunchbox

    Best Actress in a Supporting Role

    Divya Dutta

    Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

    Most Promising Debut Male

    Sushant Singh Rajput

    Kai Po Che!

    Most Promising Debut Female

    Vaani Kapoor

    Shuddh Desi Romance

    The Yash Chopra Award for The Most Promising Debut Director

    Ritesh Batra

    The Lunchbox

    Best Actor in a Leading Role

    Farhan Akthar

    Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

    Best Actress in a Leading Role

    Deepika Padukone

    Chennai Express

    Best Director

    Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

    Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

    Best Film

    Viacom18 Motion Pictures & Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

    Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

    Lifetime Achievement Honour

    Salim Khan

     

    Lifetime Achievement Honour

    Tanuja Mukherjee

     

    K. A. Abbas Award for Social Sensitivity in Hindi Cinema

    Shahid

    Renault Star Guild Entertainer of the Year

    Shahrukh Khan

    Star Verdict of the Year

    Irfaan Khan for The Lunchbox

    Jodi of the Year

    Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor (Aashiqui 2)

     

    TELEVISION AWARDS

    AWARD

    NAME

    Best Reality TV Show

    Endemol India for Bigg Boss 7

    Best Writer

    Balika Vadhu

    Best Mythological Series

    Star Plus for Mahabharat

    Best Cast

    Cast of Mahabharat

    Best Actor

    Rajat Tokas for Jodha Akbar

    Best Actress

    Drashti Dhammi for Madhubala

    Ankita Lokhande for Pavitra Rishta

  • Big Cinemas launches a multiplex in Ajmer, Rajasthan

    Big Cinemas launches a multiplex in Ajmer, Rajasthan

    MUMBAI: BIG Cinemas continues with its expansion plans with carefully chosen revenue centers and launches yet another property in Ajmer, Rajasthan in association with Ansal A.P.I. The Big Cinemas Multiplex is located at the Ansal Courtyard Mall.  The Big Cinemas, multiplex in Ajmer is Reliance MediaWorks 98th multiplex in India, and 7th in Rajasthan.  The new Big Cinemas multiplex provides a perfect venue for the inaugural run of new movie releases in Ajmer.

    The new Big Cinemas multiplex will enhance the cinema viewing experience in Ajmer. This cinema is equipped with 2K projection system and Digital Dolby sound, along with 3D screen capabilities for both the screens. Spread across an area of approximately 9,000 sqft the new Big Cinemas multiplex has 2 screens and luxurious seating arrangements. A visit to the new Big Cinema will also be a gastronomic experience as you can choose from an array of fresh burgers, sandwiches and wraps.

    Speaking on the occasion Mr. Venkatesh Roddam, CEO Reliance MediaWorks said, “”We’re looking forward to providing the people of Ajmer a truly state-of-the-art multiplex and a fantastic new amenity that’s fitting for this excellent location.  At Big Cinemas our clients will have the best cinema experience and a great choice of movies close by.  The North West is proving to be a key area for Reliance MediaWorks and we’re very pleased that Ajmer is welcoming us and taking its place as a significant part of our national business.”

    Commenting on the launch, Mr. Ashish Saksena COO Big Cinemas said, “We want to ensure that Ajmer is at the forefront of cutting edge cinema entertainment and our investment in the city highlights our commitment and dedication to creating the ultimate entertainment experience for everyone in the area. “

    The two-screen multiplex will offer patrons the luxurious ‘Big Cinemas’ experience. Big Cinemas looks to set the bar for delivering the premium cinema-going experience to the people of Ajmer.

    At Big Cinemas ‘You Matter’, our mission is to deliver an unforgettable entertainment experiences, and we look forward to presenting the world’s biggest blockbusters in the world’s most immersive cinematic format to the people of Ajmer. Mr. Saksena added.

     

  • Rahman sings ‘Maahi Ve’ for Highway

    Rahman sings ‘Maahi Ve’ for Highway

    MUMBAI: After Patakha Guddi sent the entire nation rocking to the beats of Highway, music maestro A.R. Rahman takes the microphone himself for the next song Maahi Ve.

     

    Directed by Imtiaz Ali, Highway is a road movie starring Alia Bhatt and Randeep Hooda who traverse through six states of north India in the course of the film.

     

    Maahi Ve, written by Irshad Kamil, is a soft romantic number sung by Rahman in his inimitable soulful way. It is picturised on Veera (Alia) and Mahabir (Randeep), as circumstances bring the two strangers close to each other.

     

    Maahi Ve is coming more from Rahman sir than from Irshad or me. This is one of the songs that Rahman sir makes and one wonders how the hell does he get the soul of the story so beautifully. The song was not a part of the original brief but I cannot imagine the film or the album of Highway without it,” says Imtiaz. 

     

    Produced by Window Seat Films and presented by Sajid Nadiadwala, the film will be released worldwide by UTV Motion Pictures. The music of the film will be available on T-Series.

  • Juhi Chawla takes a route to social causes

    Juhi Chawla takes a route to social causes

    MUMBAI: If the promos of her upcoming film, Gulaan Gang, are to go by actor Juhi Chawla looks fresh and ready to reclaim the silver screen once again. She just seems apt for the role. And if the promos of the film are grabbing so many eyeballs, it only makes sense for the actor to create the right buzz with doing all things right.
     
     
    on a recent trip to Delhi, the actor took out some time from her busy schedule and attended an event for the NGO Routes2Roots, which promotes building peace through cultural integration. Juhi interacted with the children who are part of the ‘exchange for change’ program and was seen in great enthusiasm for the initiative. 
     

    The actress was seen in western attire for a change and we must say she was looking as ravishing as she does in her counterpart Indian dresses.

  • Anurag Kashyap says ‘Queen’ was more difficult to shoot than ‘GOW’

    Anurag Kashyap says ‘Queen’ was more difficult to shoot than ‘GOW’

    MUMBAI: Anurag Kashyap known to push the envelope when it comes to film making. He received much critical acclaim for Gangs of Wasseypur, but the producer recently revealed that shooting for Queen produced by Viacom Motion Pictures & Phantom Films, was far tougher than GOW. The Kangana Ranaut starrer was shot across 140 locations in three countries, making it a hard task for the crew to crack.

     

    Queen takes audiences through the journey of a small-town girl, who decides to go alone on her honeymoon. Says a source, “While Anurag is known to shoot his films in a tell-it-as-it-is manner, he always jests that Queen has been the most difficult to shoot since a lot of coordination in logistics were required. The makers shot the film in over 140 locations both in India and abroad.”

     

    Says director Vikas Bahl, “Yes we have shot extensively across the globe and in that sense it was pretty tough to shoot. Anurag would often joke that Queen was much tougher to film than GOW.”

     

    The film is scheduled to release on 28 February, 2014.

  • Amit Sadh nominated at the prestigious Screen awards 2014 for ‘Kai Po Che’

    Amit Sadh nominated at the prestigious Screen awards 2014 for ‘Kai Po Che’

    MUMBAI: When the film Kai Po Che released last year, it gave some exceptional talent to the film industry. Now, as the award season kick starts, it is time for them to get their share of recognition. One of the actors from the movie, Amit Sadh has received recognition for his brilliant performance in the movie and has been nominated for ‘The Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male)’ at the Screen Awards.

     

    Amit Sadh showcased his acting prowess in Kai Po Che, the film which opened to house-full screens across the nation. Doing complete justice to the complex character, he played the role of Omkar Shastri a.k.a ‘Omi’, who is torn between his emotions, facing extreme circumstances in life.

     

    Amit won the hearts of the audience with his flawless performance and also left critics spell bound. The actor recently wrapped up shooting for his next, Running Shaadi.com, and currently has other projects in his kitty.

     

    Ecstatic about being nominated, Amit Sadh said, “It is an honour to be nominated at the 20th Annual Screen Awards 2014. Kai Po Che is very close to my heart and being nominated for my performance in the film makes it even more special.”