Category: Movies

MUMBAI: MSN India has tied up with Aamir Khan‘s movie Taare Zameen Par for a special contest on the site. Fans can now access exclusive content from the movie on msn and get a chance to meet Aamir Khan at the official premi?re in Delhi by taking part in a special contest.

MUMBAI: The Dubai International Film Festival which closed yesterday announced the results of the Dubai Film Connection (DFC). DFC selected 15 filmmakers to consult and strategise three days with sales agents, producers and major broadcasters.

Three winning projects were awarded USD 15 000 each. These projects as well as one special mention will be invited to attend the prestigious 2008 Cannes Producers Network: Amreeka, by Canadian-Palestinian filmmaker Cherien Dabis, Man Without a Cell Phone, a satire about Palestinian Israelis by Sameh Zaobi, and One Man Village, a film about healing and reconciliation in Lebanon by Simon el Habre.

Special Mention went to Ziad Doueiri’s Man in the Middle, a thrilling story about Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. A 5000 Euro prize from French broadcaster Arte went to Fix Me, a meditation on mental health and conflict by director Raed Andoni.

The Muhr Awards competition was expanded this year, and included films from all over the Middle East. Masoud Amralla al Ali, DIFF’s Artistic Director and Coordinator General of Competition, said: “This year our jury had difficulty choosing winners because of the superlative quality of most of the submissions, both from a story and production value standpoint. We intend for the Muhr Awards to instigate the production of more Arabic films in the region. The Middle East is full of creativity, and our roster of winners proves that unequivocally.”

The prizes for Short Films were as follows: Bronze went to El Ezz (Garbage), by Tunisian director Lotfi Achour, which depicts a lonely night watchman in love with his neighbour. UAE film Haresat al Ma’a (The Water Guard), from director Waleed al Shehhi, won Silver, and Sarah, by Belgian director Khdija Leclere, won Gold.

The Bronze Muhr for Documentary went to journalist, writer and filmmaker Nassri Hajjaj’s Dhil al Gheyab (Shadow of Absence), about Palestinian anxiety about what Hajjaj calls ‘the site of burial.’ Silver went to Palestinian director Buthina Canaan Khoury for Magharat Maria (Maria’s Grotto), which explores honour killing in Palestine. The Gold Muhr went to Karim Goury’s stylistically unusual Soneaa fi Masr (Made in Egypt), which follows a Frenchman as he searches for his Egyptian roots.

The winning feature films covered a broad swathe of the Middle East: Bronze feature La Graine et le Mulet (The Secret of the Grain) was directed by Abdellatif Kechiche, a Tunisian actor and set in France. The comedic Akher Film (Making Of), in which Tunisian director (who has directed Abdellatif Kechiche in previous films) Nouri Bouzid plays himself in a film depicting a film shoot in danger of being interrupted by the American invasion of Iraq, won Silver. The film also took away the Best Composer award for Nejib Charradi.

The Gold Muhr was won by Taht el Qasef (Under the Bombs), which explores interfaith love in Southern Lebanon between a Shia woman and a Christian man. Filmmaker Phillippe Aractingi reacted to the 2006 war by commencing filming in July, in the heat of the bombings. Under the Bombs also won a Best Actress Muhr for Nada Abou Fahat, who played Zeina, the Lebanese Shi’a woman who rushes into the war zone to save her son.

Best Actor went to UK-based Jordanian actor Nadim Sawalha for his role in Captain Abu Raed, where he plays an airport janitor who befriends a group of children in his poor neighbourhood.

Lebanese filmmaker Borhane Alaouie’s Khalass took away two awards: the Best Screenplay award for Alaouie himself and Best Editor Award for France Duez. Best Cinematographer went to Pierre Boffety for his photography of Burnt Hearts.

In the section of the Muhr Awards that recognizes Emirati talent, three awards were presented. The prize for Best Emirati Talent went to Mohammed Saeed Harib, creator of the Freej series. Best Emirati Female Filmmaker was presented to Nayla Al Khaja, and Best Emirati Filmmaker went to Ali Mostafa.

NEW DELHI: Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has formally terminated a memorandum of understanding with Supercassettes Industries (T-Series) for audio and home video rights of 14 feature films including Sarkar Raj and Ramgopal Varma ki Aag.
In a statement, Varma said he had informed Supercassettes Industries through a termination notice dated 14 November “with immediate effect for breach of various provisions” of the MoU of June last year.

He said there had been “consistent and continuing non-performance of promises and obligations by Supercassettes (T-Series).”

T-Series executives did not want to comment on the issue.

Referring in the same notice to the claims by K Sera Sera that they own the concept of Sarkar, Varma said the Sarkar concept and story was and continued to belong to him as the original author of the story, and there were documents to prove this.”

Varma added that the film Sarkar Raj was an independent movie. He further said that K Sera Sera had, after his dissociation with them, specifically acknowledged and submitted before the Bombay High Court that they were aware of the fact that he was making Sarkar 2.

MUMBAI: First he directed a few films, then walked over and faced the screen. Now he has opted to sing. Farhan Akhtar couldn’t have asked for more.

If reports are to be believed then director-turned actor Farhan Akhtar will be singing as many as four songs in the film Rock On. The film is being produced by him and he will also act in it.

Rock On stars Arjun Rampal, Purab Kohli and Luke Kenny besides Farhan as members of a rock band. The music for the film is by Shankar Ehsaan Loy. Farhan has reportedly recorded four solos. Farhan has said that when Abhishek Kapoor the director approached him to act in his film he readily agreed as he always fantasised about becoming a rock star.

Probably Farhan is the only director in the world who acts and sings as well.

MUMBAI: Nabhendu Ghosh, one of the most celebrated writers of Indian cinema passed away in Kolkata.He was 91. Most remembered for his screenplay in the Bimal Roy classics like Devdas, Bandini, Sujata, Parineeta Ghosh was a post-graduate in English.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Abhimaan, the Amitabh-Jaya starrer had also been penned by Ghosh.

In 1988 Ghosh had written and directed Trishagni starring Nitish Bharadwaj, Pallavi Joshi, Alok Nath and Nana Patekar.

Ghosh, who had penned about 80 screenplays, had also worked with Mukherjee, Satyen Bose, Guru Dutt, Raj Khosla, Shakti Samanta and Prakash Mehra.

Ghosh was a recipient of Bankim Puroshkar, the highest literary award of Bengal, for his Bengali book Chand Dekhechilo.

He had also written commercial films like Raja Jani, Loafer, Dil Ka Heera and Sharafat.

MUMBAI: Shilpa Shetty has received a reprieve with the Supreme Court refusing to vacate a Bombay High Court‘s interim order that restrained film magazine Stardust from publishing some articles on her personal life.

A bench of judges comprising Arijit Pasayat and P Sathasivam has asked the High Court to explore the possibility of disposing off the Rs 200 million defamation suit filed by Shetty against the magazine in 2001, reports PTI.

The magazine was seeking to publish articles on Shilpa Shetty‘s alleged relationship with some of the male actors and also a married man, against which she obtained an interim injunction from a single judge of the Bombay High Court on 12 January 2001.

The single judge had passed the injunction after taking a prima facie view that the articles dealt with the actress‘ personal life and were defamatory in nature.

Magna Publishers, publishers of the magazine, moved a division bench of the High Court against the single judge‘s order that dismissed it, following which the publishers appealed in the apex court.

The apex court, while declining to express any opinion on the merits of the case, said it found no reason to interfere with the interim order passed by the single judge and upheld by the division bench.

However, it asked the High Court to explore the possibility of disposing off the suit at an early date.

MUMBAI: Shemaroo Entertainment takes us back down memory lane with the release of their new song compilation pack titled Vintage Black and White . . . Ateet Ke Jharokhon Se. The 6-VCD pack consisting of 72 immortal melodies is a fitting tribute to the golden era of Hindi film songs.

MUMBAI: Director Moustapha Akkad‘s Hollywood classic Al-Risalah presents Islam in its true spirit. This blockbuster that received rave reviews both in the Arab world and the largely Islam-phobic West (it opened in 3000 theatres across the USA) has now reached India. Dubbed in Urdu with music and a song by A. R. Rahman, the film will soon hit theatres across the country on 28 December 2007.

The dubbed Hindi version has been produced by Oasis Enterprises, which is owned by partners Yamshi Ahmed and Saad Ahmed. Oasis Enterprises has acquired the rights for the film. Al-Risalah is being distributed by Anuj Saxena‘s Maverick Productions who has distributed Om Shanti Om in Rajasthan and Cash in Mysore.

Maverick Production CEO Anuj Saxena says, “It is an interesting different film with a unique subject, so when the offer of distribution came we found it to be a good praposition. The song sung by A. R. Rehman is also outstanding. Maverick is considering a couple of more mainstream films for distribution in 2008.”

“We always wanted to bring this film to Indian audiences because perhaps no other film presents a more balanced, more nuanced image of Islam,” said Yamshi Ahmed, co-producer of Al-Risalah (dubbed version).

“No doubt, watching this Oscar nominated film will surely be a unique and enriching experience for the audience for a better understanding of Islam and the times of Prophet Mohammad,” says Saad Ahmed, co-producer (dubbed version) of the film.

Al-Risalah is the story of Islam from its birth and evolution to its triumph, with the best Hollywood production values full of grandeur and emotion. The film has been approved by Al Azhar University, Egypt, the ulemas of the sub-continent and Mufakkir –e –Islam, Maulana Dr Syed Kalbe Sadiq Sahab Qibla who is the vice prsident of All India Muslim Personal Law Board.

The producers held a private screening at an Andheri theatre recently where many eminent Muslims, including some ulemas, watched it. “We deliberately invited the ulemas because it deals with a sensitive issue,” informed Urdu poet and columnist Hasan Kamal who dubbed the movie in Urdu.

The film releases first in Mumbai on 28 December.

MUMBAI: Percept Talent Management (PTM) has exclusively signed on Bollywood director Madhur Bhandarkar as their latest talent.Madhur is following the cues of Priyanka Chopra and Karan Johar who are also Percept’s talents.

The contract has been signed up for a period of 2 years. Percept will handle Madhur‘s entire gamut of professional portfolio including endorsements, PR, event appearances and showcasing, among other services it provides.

Percept Holdings‘ joint MD, Mr Shailendra Singh said, “Our relationship with Madhur goes way back, even before the release of Page 3. We have teamed up successfully to provide some entertaining and meaningful cinema to the audiences in the past. We now move on to a different platform in our relationship, as we have signed him on as our latest talent. We look forward to working with him and welcome him back as a part of the Percept family.”

About the sign-up with PTM, Bhandarkar remarked, “My last 3 films have been with them. Their professionalism and business acumen has impressed me a lot, and I am delighted to be a part of Percept once again, albeit in a new role.”

With the critically acclaimed Chandni Bar, Madhur became a force to reckon with in the industry. He has since created quite a reputation for making realistic cinema by partnering with Percept in the trilogy that included Page 3, Corporate and Traffic Signal.

MUMBAI: A panel of distinguished guests will gather on 14 December to participate in the Cultural Bridge Panel, a signature event of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF). The Cultural Brigade Panel was founded on the principles exemplified in the DIFF credo, ‘Bridging Cultures, Meeting Minds.’

The Panel, now in its second year, is a forum for the discussion of issues related to cultural understanding and dialogue, and uses cinema as a tool for world peace.

World-renowned author Paulo Coelho will present the keynote lecture at the event. The panelists will include actor-producer-activist Danny Glover who is a recipient of the 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award; writer, actor and debut director Rayda Jacobs, and Al Arabia journalist Gisele Khoury. Cameron Baily, Canadian journalist-broadcaster and senior programmer of the Toronto International Film Festival, will moderate the evening.

DIFF Chairman, Abdulhamid Juma said, “The Cultural Bridge Panel is an iconic event for DIFF. For the panel’s second edition, we have invited a rich assembly of guests with very interesting and diverse backgrounds. This meeting of minds will offer DIFF audiences a truly unique festival experience. We welcome one and all to hear and participate in these important discussions.”

Last year’s panel was moderated by Riz Khan of Al Jazeera International, director Oliver Stone, writer-director Julia Bacha, filmmaker Maji-da Abdi, Egyptian film legend Mohammed Khan and UTV founder-CEO Ronnie Screwvala.