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Category: Movies

  • Gerard Butler may star in ‘Point Break’ remake

    Gerard Butler may star in ‘Point Break’ remake

    MUMBAI:  Gerard Butler is in negotiations to star in a remake of the Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze action thriller, Point Break directed by Kathryn Bigelow. Released in 1991, the film got a worldwide cult following in DVD and Blu-Ray releases.

     

    According to The Hollywood Reporter (THR), the movie is looking at a summer shoot with Ericson Core, the cinematographer behind 2001’s The Fast & the Furious and Daredevil as the director. For the remake, Kurt Wimmer (Salt, Total Recall) wrote the screenplay which revolves around the international world of extreme sports. The original film had the Southern California surf scene as the main theme. However, the storyline about an FBI agent infiltrating a crime ring as well as the names of the principle characters remains the same.

     

    If the film is finalised, Butler will play Bodhi, an expert extreme-sports athlete who seeks nirvana through the conquest of a series of athletic feats such as surfing 100-foot waves, reports THR.

     

    However, for the time being the actor will next be seen in Liongate’s epic fantasy Gods of Egypt, which starts shooting in March. Later in the year, he will be seen in London Is Falling, the sequel to his action hit Olympus Has Fallen.

  • Aamir Khan dreams of making a film on Maulana Azad

    Aamir Khan dreams of making a film on Maulana Azad

    KOLKATA: Claiming that he has read Maulana Azad’s books, Aamir Khan said it is his dream to make a film on his great grand uncle Maulana Abul Kalam Azad someday.

     

    “I hope that someday I will be able to use my art to make a film on his life. It is my dream to do that. I wish I had met him, known him. I have read his books drinking in every word,” Khan said after the inauguration of the Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival in Kolkata.

     

    He further added that Azad had an extremely progressive and fertile mind.

     

    Sitaram Sharma, chairman of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies, said that full support would be given to the actor-producer for his film.

     

    Reminiscing what Maulana Abul Kalam Azad told his uncle and director Naseer Khan, the actor further said, “had Naseer not got support from Azad, he would never have been in the film industry.”

     

    “My father came into films because of my uncle. Had my father not been into films, probably I would have been somewhere else today,” he further said.

     

    “Just do what your heart says,” was the message Azad had given to his uncle and director Naseer Khan when he wanted to make films. Aamir said and ironically this was the message of his super successful film 3 Idiots too.

  • Carnival cinemas has big expansion plans in South

    Carnival cinemas has big expansion plans in South

    MUMBAI: After introducing Angamaly in Kerala to the multiplex culture, Carnival Cinemas opened its five- screen multiplex in Dindigul (nearly 50 km away from Madurai) on Thursday kick- starting its multiplex business in Tamil Nadu.

    Carnival Cinemas, a part of a Mumbai-based business group claims to lead south Indian cinema exhibition by 2014, with a holding of 87 screens. Considering the number of film releases in Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil Carnival Cinemas is focused to spread its roots in the smaller cities in south.
    Talking about the expansion plans Carnival Group chairman Shrikant Bhasi said, “We have signed 50 screens in 11 districts of Kerala. By end of 2014 Carnival Cinemas will become the largest holder of screens in Kerala.”

    Apart from this it has also signed 20 screens which would be operational in TN in the next six months and about 17 screens in Karnataka with further expansion plans in Andhra Pradesh bringing world class movie experience to most of the towns in the southern states.

    Further, about 50 screens are slated to be opened in Madhya Pradesh. Carnival Cinemas plans to become a holder of 300 screens across India by 2018 and be a big player in the multiplex business segment in the country. It has adopted both organic and inorganic mode of expansion to speed up the growth.
    Currently, its multiplex in Angamaly is the hottest entertainment destination for people from all walks of life, across a wide age group and user profile. It features regional, national and international movies.

    “Carnival Cinemas tapped the secondary market and the tier 2 and tier 3 cities in south at the time when no one dared to explore these markets or to provide metropolitan cinema experience to the audiences there,” said Bhasi adding that they had also pioneered in playing National Anthem Jana Gana Mana in its theatres in Kerala and the idea was later adopted by several others.

    With a planned tie- up with a firm from Hollywood in Los Angeles, Carnival Cinemas would bring updated technology available in the world.

     “Our aim is to provide quality movie watching experience to the movie goers of smaller cities and town in the country. Carnival group with its own chain of food court and recreation facilities is aiming at wholesome family entertainment zones in most of the places where it sets up multiplexes,” added Bhasi who is confident about ruling the secondary market in the southern states.

     

  • Kangana Ranaut crowned PETA’s hottest vegetarian

    Kangana Ranaut crowned PETA’s hottest vegetarian

    MUMBAI: Beating her contemporaries, Kangana Ranaut has been crowned “The Hottest Vegetarian” by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

     

    Visitors to PETAIndia.com cast their votes to help PETA choose the most alluring Vegetarian Vixen this year and Bollywood’s poster girl for fashion took the top honor.

     

    Says PETA India Manager of Media and Celebrity Projects Sachin Bangera, “Bollywood stars are truly shining for animals by choosing to go meat-free, and Kangana’s beauty is proof that a great way to get a killer body and looks is by not eating animals.”

     

    On several occasions Kangana has always been heard propagating the cause of vegetarianism and was even quoted stating, “We must not eat other animals. Besides, vegetarian organic food is far healthier minus all the toxins”.

     

    PETA selected the winners based on several factors, including vote count.

     

    After receiving rave reviews for her performance in Krrish 3, Kangana Ranaut is on a roll with Queen and Revolver Rani both of which see her essay the role of the protagonist. 

  • The 2014 BAFTA Award nominations announced, Gravity in the lead

    The 2014 BAFTA Award nominations announced, Gravity in the lead

    MUMBAI: The British equivalent of the Oscars, the 2014 British Academy of Film & Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards Nominations was announced on Wednesday morning by Helen McCrory (Harry Potter) and Luke Evans (The Hobbit).

     

    Gravity, the space themed movie has topped the nominations with 11 nods including Best Film and Outstanding British Film. Sandra Bullock has garnered the Best Actress nod for her role as the medical engineer, Dr. Ryan Stone. Director, Alfonso Cuaron has also been nominated in the Best Director category; he also shares the Best Original Screenplay nomination with his son, Jonas Cuaron. The film has also garnered nominations for Best Original Music, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Sound and Best Special Visual Effects.

     

    12 Years a Slave is nominated for Best Film, Director for Steve McQueen, Adapted Screenplay, Original Music, Cinematography, Editing and Production Design. While, American Hustle received nominations for Best Film, Director for David O. Russell, Original Screenplay, Production Design, Costume Design and Make Up & Hair.

     

    Behind the Candelabra is nominated in Adapted Screenplay, Production Design, Costume Design and Make Up & Hair. Matt Damon is nominated for Supporting Actor.

     

    Saving Mr. Banks receives nominations for Outstanding British Film, Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer, Original Music and Costume Design. Emma Thompson is nominated for Leading Actress.

     

    Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is nominated for Outstanding British Film, alongside Gravity, Philomena, Rush, Saving Mr. Banks and The Selfish Giant.

     

    Behind the Candelabra and Saving Mr. Banks are each nominated five times. Philomena, Rush and The Wolf of Wall Street have four nominations. Blue Jasmine, The Great Gatsby, Inside Llewyn Davis and Nebraska have each been nominated three times. The Act of Killing, The Butler and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug have two nominations each.

     

    Best actor nominations went to Chiwetel Ejiofor for 12 Years a Slave, Christian Bale for American Hustle, Bruce Dern for Nebraska, Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street and Tom Hanks for Captain Phillips.

     

    Competing alongside Bullock for best actress are Amy Adams for American Hustle, Cate Blanchett for Woody Allen’s tragic comedy Blue Jasmine, Emma Thompson for Saving Mr. Banks, and Judi Dench for Philomena. The awards ceremony for the BAFTAs, formally called the EE British Academy Film Awards, will take place in London on 16 February.

  • Jane Campion to lead the 2014 Cannes Film Festival jury

    Jane Campion to lead the 2014 Cannes Film Festival jury

    MUMBAI: Jane Campion, a New Zealand native writer, producer and director, has been selected to lead the jury at the next Festival de Cannes that takes place from 14 to 25 May, 2014. Campion steps into the shoes of Steven Spielberg, who presided over the jury last year. Interestingly, Campion is in fact the only female director to have won the Palme D’or, for The Piano in 1993, having already garnered the Short Film Palme D’or back in 1986, for Peel – a unique double success story in the history of the Festival de Cannes.

     

    “Since I first went to Cannes with my short films in 1986, I have had the opportunity to see the festival from many sides and my admiration for this Queen of film festivals has only grown larger. At the Cannes Film Festival they manage to combine and celebrate the glamour of the industry, the stars, the parties, the beaches, the business, while rigorously maintaining the festival’s seriousness about the Art and excellence of new world cinema,” said Campion in a press release.

     

    “It is this world wide inclusiveness and passion for film at the heart of the festival which makes the importance of the Cannes Film Festival indisputable,” Campion further adds. “It is a mythical and exciting festival where amazing things can happen, actors are discovered, films are financed careers are made, I know this because that is what happened to me! I am truly honoured to join with the Cannes Film Festival as President of the in Competition features for 2014,” concludes Campion. “In fact I can’t wait.”

     

    Born in a family of artists, Jane Campion studied anthropology, then art, before turning to film, where her rise to success was meteoric. In the wake of her acclaimed short films, which culminated in a Palme D’or, she captivated international critics with Sweetie (1989), her first feature film, selected In Competition at the Festival de Cannes. After An Angel At My Table (1990), inspired by the works of Janet Frame, in which the theme of an extraordinary woman engaged in the painful quest to assert her identity had already been sketched out, she returned to competition in Cannes in 1993 with The Piano, which won the Palme D’or as well as Best Actress prize for Holly Hunter, starring opposite the unforgettable Harvey Keitel. A few months later, Campion, was nominated for Best Director and Best Screenplay at the Oscars and she picked up the award for the best Screenplay.

     

    Her subsequent works have been Portrait of a Lady in 1996 with Nicole Kidman, Holy Smoke in 1999 with Kate Winslet, and In the Cut (2003) with Meg Ryan. Her last film for cinema, Bright Star, an original vision and fictionalised biography of the poet Keats and his muse, was presented In Competition at Cannes, in 2009.

     

    Campion recently won the remarkable public and critical acclaim with the Sundance Channel Original Series, Top of the Lake, in which she develops her favorite themes, portraying the splendor of nature, the outpouring of romantic passion and the revolt of women against societies dominated by violence and machismo.

  • Sony Pictures Ent appoints Man Jit Singh president of Sony Pictures Home Ent

    Sony Pictures Ent appoints Man Jit Singh president of Sony Pictures Home Ent

    • CALIFORNIA: Sony Pictures Entertainment today announced that Man Jit Singh has been named President of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE), reporting to Michael Lynton, CEO, Sony Entertainment, Inc., and Amy Pascal, Co-Chairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment.

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      Man Jit, who was previously Chief Executive Officer, Multi Screen Media Pvt. Ltd. (MSM), the operating company that manages Sony Pictures Television’s TV networks in India, will continue as Non-Executive Chairman at MSM while transitioning from his role in the Television division to his new role in Home Entertainment.

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      N.P. Singh, formerly Chief Operating Officer at MSM, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, managing Sony Pictures Television’s Indian TV networks. N.P. will report to Andy Kaplan, President, Worldwide Networks, Sony Pictures Television.

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      “Man Jit is a savvy global executive with a long track record of success at Sony Pictures, having built our Indian TV channels into high-performance, high-margin businesses. I am confident in his vision for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and his ability to provide strong leadership for the division as the marketplace continues to evolve,” said Lynton.

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      Under Man Jit, Sony Pictures Television’s Indian TV networks leveraged changing technologies and consumer behaviors to grow into some of the most profitable and highest-rated channels in the market.

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      At SPHE, Man Jit will continue the studio’s focus on reducing overhead costs, while growing high-margin businesses.

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      “As the ways in which consumers experience our content continue to change and multiply, our organization and its strategy for delivering content must evolve to meet the demands of the market. I look forward to building on the foundation of innovation and operational discipline at SPHE to position this business for future growth,” said Man Jit.

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      On N.P. Singh’s appointment to CEO of MSM, Man Jit added, “NP and I have worked closely together as equal partners these last five years and the success of the company is largely due to his efforts. The time has come for him to lead the company to the next level and I fully expect the innovations he brings as CEO will ensure we have years of success ahead. As the Non-executive Chairman of MSM, I look forward to supporting NP and will continue to remain involved with the Indian television industry.”

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      In his new role at MSM, N.P. will continue to focus on developing original, local-language programming and expanding the audience for MSM’s eight highly-profitable channels across India and the more than 70 countries around the world where they are viewed.

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      Man Jit Singh has a strong background in technology, entertainment, and consumer products, with over 20 years of experience in global operations. He has worked in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Since 2009, he has overseen Sony Pictures Television’s Networks business in India, which includes SET, SAB, PIX, AXN, MIX, SIX, LIV and MAX. Man Jit was previously Chairman of the Board of Directors of MSM. He spent much of his early career in general management consulting, and he held senior positions at firms including Sibson & Co., LLP in Los Angeles, The Cast Group AG in Zurich, Switzerland and Los Angeles, and Cresap in Los Angeles. Man Jit began his career at Nestle India.

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      N. P. Singh originally joined MSM in 1999 and has been Chief Operating Officer of MSM since December 2004, overseeing day-to-day operations at the company’s highly profitable TV channels and working closely with Man Jit on long-term strategies for continued growth. Previously, Singh served as Chief Financial Officer. Before joining MSM, N.P. held Chief Financial Officer roles at Spice Telecom and Modicorp, and was Controller at Modi Xerox Limited, in addition to other positions.

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      Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com.

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      Media Contact:
      Charles Sipkins
      310-244-5651
      Charles_Sipkins@spe.sony.com

  • Madhuri Dixit’s double treat for her fans

    Madhuri Dixit’s double treat for her fans

    MUMBAI: It is time for a double treat for all the Madhuri Dixit fans. The actor who is making a comeback of sorts to the big screen with the much talked about Dedh Ishqiya that releases on 10 January, will not only woo the audiences with her performance in this film but the viewers will also get to see the actor’s glimpses in the upcoming Gulaab Gang.

     

    The trailer of Gulaab Gang will be screened along with Dedh Ishiqya releasing this Friday.

     

    Produced by Sahara Movie Studios and Anubhav Sinha, Gulaab Gang which is directed by Soumik Sen, stars Madhuri and Juhi Chawla in the lead roles and releases on March 7. The film is inspired by a group of women activists (Gulabi Gang) in the Bundelkhand region and is based on women empowerment.

     

    The film will see Madhuri as a social activist fighting for women.

  • Karan Johar loves the energy in ‘Queen’s first song ‘London Thumakda’

    Karan Johar loves the energy in ‘Queen’s first song ‘London Thumakda’

    MUMBAI: Kangana Ranaut starrer Queen seems to be making the right buzz all across. The first song of the film ‘London Thumakda’ that released recently has caught the fancy of director-producer Karan Johar.

     

    The filmmaker took to Twitter to express his views about the song.  He wrote: “Hey Guys Absolutely Love The Energy of This Song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb4oCde7Zqs … #Queen Go make it your Dance Song of this Season!”

     

    The song has been composed by Amit Trivedi who in the last few years has stolen the limelight from many other composers of the industry with different compositions. This particular song with its frivolous Punjabi beats of dhol is bound to be ultimate song for this wedding season.

     

    Presented by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, Queen is a Phantom Production. The Kangana Ranaut starrer is directed by Vikas Bahl, and produced by Viacom18 Motion Pictures, Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap. Queen is scheduled for release on 28 February, 2014.

  • New Year jinx continues at BO with no big show

    New Year jinx continues at BO with no big show

    MUMBAI: The first Friday of a new year jinx continues to haunt as a film released on the first Friday of a year inevitably fails. But, having watched Mr Joe B. Carvalho, one is convinced first Friday or Diwali Friday, the result would have been the same; the film is bad. The film barely manages to cross two crore mark over its first weekend.

     

    The 3-D experiment with Sholay does not click as the film meets with lukewarm response. The curiosity value of this being the legendary film Sholay or the fact that it was converted into 3-D format seemed to be missing. Having collected about 1.3 crore on Friday, the film did not show much improvement as it ended its weekend with 5.2 crore. At this rate, it may prove to be a costly experiment.

     

    Dhoom 3, true to its title, continued breaking records even in its second week at the box office. The film collected 65.24 crore in its second week taking its two week total for Hindi screens to 245.25 crore. The film is steady over its third weekend with figures of 12.49 crore and adding 42 lakh for Tamil and Telugu versions. At the end of 17 days, the film’s total collections stand at 257.73 crore for Hindi and 12.49 from T&T taking its total recovery to 270.22 crore.

     

    Mahabharat (animation) has not been able to cash in on Christmas vacations. The film has managed to collect 1.3 crore in its first week.