ITV

Category: Movies

  • Relativity Media ropes in Steve Bertram as COO & CFO

    MUMBAI: Media and entertainment company Relativity Media has appointed Steve Bertram as its COO and CFO.


    Bertram will oversee the day-to-day company operations for Relativity, including the building and managing of the company‘s domestic and international distribution relationships.


    In his position as COO, he will directly report to Relativity president Michael Joe and to Relativity CEO Ryan Kavanaugh for his duties as CFO.


    Bertram joins Relativity from Paramount Home Entertainment where he was president of business operations.


    Prior to his position at Paramount, Bertram was CFO of Dreamworks and was involved in negotiating its sale to Viacom after the separation from DreamWorks Animation.


    Says Kavanaugh, “We‘re thrilled to have a seasoned veteran like Steve join our team. He brings with him deep and extensive expertise at a time when our company has delivered on the promise of becoming a fully-functioning, full service studio. As our business ventures continue to grow, Steve‘s expertise will prove invaluable.”


    Prior to joining Paramount, Bertram held a variety of senior positions in operations, marketing, distribution, strategic planning, and finance at DreamWorks LLC. He served as chief financial officer of the privately held DreamWorks subsequent to the public offering of the animation company in 2004, and was responsible for managing all finance, strategic planning and banking activities.


    Adds Bertram, “Ryan has incredible vision and has built a strong and innovative company. I‘m very excited to join Relativity as it continues to rethink what‘s possible in the entertainment industry.”
     

  • Excel to release Game on 1 April

    MUMBAI: Excel Entertainment‘s next action thriller “Game” is now scheduled for release on 1 April.


    Game was earlier slated to release worldwide on 18 March.


    Game is directed by Abhinay Deo and the starcast includes Abhishek Bachchan, Kangana Ranaut, Sarah Jane Dias, Jimmy Shergill, Boman Irani and Anupam Kher.


    Produced by Ritesh Sidhwani, Game‘s dialogues are written by Farhan Akhtar and the music is given by Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy.


    Game promises to be an edge-of-the-seat thriller with some jaw dropping action sequences, filmed across five countries including Greece, Instanbul, Bangkok, London and India.


    Eros International Media (Eros International) has the worldwide distribution rights of the movie.
     

  • A rom-com sans romance and comedy









    Producer: Kumar Mangat, Madhur Bhandarkar
    Director: Madhur Bhandarkar
    Cast: Ajay Devgn, Emraan hashmi, Omi Vaidya, Shazhan Padamsee, Shradha Das, Shruti Haasan, Tisca Chopra, Mukesh Tiwari


    MUMBAI: Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji is a romantic comedy about three guys in different situations and with a different take on love. It is also about four women with different traits, though all are totally contemporary.


    Ajay Devgn is going through a divorce and already on the lookout for a new love when he spots a new intern in his office, the cute and pert Shazhan Padamsee.


    Emraan Hashmi is a Casanova, almost a gigolo, who finds his ATM card in oft married Tisca Chopra but finally true love hits him in the form of her stepdaughter, Shruti Haasan.


    The third of the trio is Omi Vaidya, a Maharashtrian with old values who considers being virgin at thirty a virtue; he is in a one-sided love affair with a DJ, Shradha Das.


    Ajay Devgn’s intern is 17 years his junior but her playfulness and proximity lead him to believe she loves him too. Emraan Hashmi, using girls to finance his lifestyle, comes across rich Tisca Chopra who wants him for keeps. He is happy with this arrangement till his eyes fall on Shruti. Omi Vaidya’s girl, Shradha Das aspires to be a film actor and just when she gives up all hopes and falls in the arms of Omi, she gets her break in a film. And, there end three love stories which were never there. 


    The more than 4000 meters of length of the film is all about how the trio woos and coos with their respective lovers. Where the film suffers is there is nothing much happening on the screen; as the film meanders around the romances of the three, there are no great gags, there is no movement and distractions are few; in that this being a urban multiplex fare, the faces on screen are almost all uninspiring, the music is weak and funny moments scarce.


    Direction is okay but a tighter script would have helped the cause better. Dialogue is day to day, bereft of punches and one-liners. Music is a let down. Editing is weak.


    Performances wise, Ajay Devgan does well as a man all at sea nursing a notion of love with a girl 17 years younger. Emraan Hashmi is his usual self; no histrionics. Omi Vaidya is passable but will soon have to show some range in his acting and expressions. Of the girls, Shazhan Padamsee acts well and is watchable, Shruti Hassan is not. Shradha Das is average. Tiscsa Chopra does well.


    Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji is an average entertainer with very limited box office prospects – perhaps confined to a few metro multiplexes.

  • SRS launches new multiplex in Faridabad

    MUMBAI: SRS Group has announced the opening of its 11th multiplex at Faridabad.


    The three-screen multiplex has a seating capacity of 689. It is equipped with digital projectors, DTS and Dolby Digital sound system. With this multiplex now, SRS has 30 screens and a seating capacity of 7608. 


    SRS, which has diverse interests including real estate, retail, food and beverages, is also offering exclusive kids‘ corner and other hospitality services.


    Says SRS Group CMD Dr. Anil Jindal, “Multiplex industry is one the fastest growing industry in India which is getting overwhelming response from our valued customers. Today we are inaugurating our 11th multiplex in Faridabad and we are planning to open few more multiplexes in NCR very soon. Our objective is to provide a world class experience to the movie lovers with latest & international technologies, comfortable seating, food court and ample lounge area for kids & family.”


    The services are operated by the group itself and not outsourced to any other organisation.


    Adds SRS Group group president Tinku Singh, “The new multiplex launch is part of our expansion plan and in the beginning of this year SRS cinema brings lots of opportunities to serve our movie lovers of Faridabad. This addition will bring in a lot more opportunity of content availability as well as opportunities for our customers for a premium movie experience.”


    SRS had earlier announced it would invest Rs.500 million to add 20 more screens to its current portfolio of 30 screens, taking the total number to 50 by the end of this year.

  • Kirsten Stewart to play Snow White

    MUMBAI: Twilight star Kristen Stewart is being cajoled to play Snow White in a latest film adaptation in which she will be pitted against Oscar-winner Charlize Theron, who is beung tipped to do the role of evil queen.


    Stewart, who shot to fame playing Bella Swan in the vampire romance, is leading the list of actresses being considered for the title role in Universal‘s Snow White and the Huntsman.


    Viggo Mortensen is in talks to play the Huntsman, The film is being directed by Rupert Sanders.


    Other actresses who have been considered for the role of the fairytale character are Riley Keough, Felicity Jones and Alicia Vikander.


    Stewart, who has focused on indie projects in between the vampire films, could well bag her first studio project since becoming famous through te adaptation.

  • Donald Sutherland receives Hollywood honour

    MUMBAI: Seventy five year-old veteran Donald Sutherland has been honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


    The star‘s honour was unveiled next to the star of his son, Kiefer.


    The Canadian-born actor, whose career has spanned five decades, has appeared in films like The Dirty Dozen, Klute, MASH and Space Cowboys.


    Sutherland has starred nearly in 130 films in his 5-decde career.


    He also appeared in Don‘t Look Now, JFK, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Ordinary People and Animal House.


    Sutherland‘s latest film, The Mechanic, released this week, while another, Roman epic The Eagle, will open in the US next month and March in the UK.
     

  • Hum Dono to release on 4 February

    MUMBAI: Dev Anand‘s 1961 black and white film Hum Dono will release in a digitally coloured version worldwide and in India simultaneously on 4 February.


    The Amarjeet directed film that saw the veteran in a double role opposite Nanda and Sadhana half a decade ago was originally scheduled to release worldwide on 28 February worldwide and later hit the Indian screens in the first week of February.


    Barry Sandrew, founder of Legend films, has coloured the black and white version of Hum Dono with the most advanced technology in US.


    The process has used 65,000 colours while Mughal-e-Azam and Naya Daur had used a scheme of 16 and 32 colours respectively.
     
    “It‘s nostalgic to even think about Hum Dono. I still remember the kind of response we had got when it was released way back in 1961. I am happy that people would be able to relive the experience in a better way and hope the younger generation who has not seen the film would also love it the way film was loved 50 years back. This film is also special because it was the last black and white film of Navketan films. I am waiting for people‘s reaction to Hum Dono Rangeen and my next directorial film Charge Sheet that will release shortly after Hum Dono Rangeen,” says Dev Anand.


    Dev Anand has also roped in outdoor media agency Global Advertisers for promoting the last black and white offering from Navketan Films.


    Global has put up 16 hoardings at traffic spots in Juhu, Andheri, Marine Drive, Peddar Road, Borivali, Sion, Malad from 25 January for a fortnight.

  • Jaipur international filmfest to screen 144 films

    NEW DELHI: A total of 144 films including 71 from overseas will be screened at the 3rd Jaipur International Film Festival beginning later this week in the pink city.


    To be held from 27 to 30 January, the competitive festival will have 57 films from India including two from Rajasthan itself. The festival will be held at four venues and is expected to attract around 300 film delegates from India and overseas.


    Veteran actress Asha Parekh is to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Festival in a gala evening.


    A special jury of international film critics reviewed the foreign submissions to the JIFF Awards which include at least two films that have won Oscar awards.


    Festival Director Hanu Roj said in a press meet in Jaipur today that the two films are “Hugh Hefner-Playboy, Activist and Rebel” among features dealing with the life of the founder of ‘Playboy’ and “Smile Pinky” (documentary) under International category.


    The festival will be inaugurated by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. State Tourism Minister Beena Kaak will preside over the inaugural function.


    The opening will be followed by famous Rajasthani folk dancer Gulabo. The films, “Hay Fever’ directed by Lara Luchhiti of Italy, ‘Open Door’ directed by Alessandro Del Bianco of Italy, ‘Rain For Life’ by Jal Bhagirathi Foundation of Rajasthan, ‘Topi’ by Arjun Rihan from the United States, will be screened as the Opening films. “Gandhi-The Mahatma” by Naresh Chandra Lal will be the closing film after the Red Carpet awards function on 30 January.


    In the feature film category, Golden Camel, Red Rose, Green Rose, Yellow Rose and Best Director for first film are being presented from this year. This is in addition to awards in the category of Short Film, Documentary Film, Director, Cinematography, Sound, Script, Editing, best film From Rajasthan, Critics’ Award, Animation Film, and Upcoming Star. The last two categories have been added this year.


    The jury includes former Films Division Director General Kuldeep Sinha, filmmakers Subhash Kapoor, G L Bhardawaj, Kreet Khurana, Italian filmmaker Alessandro Del Bianco, Deepak Mahaan, Biju Mohan, Dr. D P Agarwal, M D Soni, Michael Wigge (Germany), and Rakesh Gogna.


    He said another attraction at the Festival will be the screening of six films from the Indian Panorama, one of which is from Rajasthan (‘I am Kalam’ by Nila Madhab Panda) and another – ‘Just Another Love Story’ by Kaushik Ganguly starring Rituparno Ghosh – won a major award at the last International Film Festival of India at Panaji in Goa in 2010.


    The others are ‘Raavanan’ by Mani Ratnam, the Marathi films ‘Jhing Chik Jhing’ by Nitin Nandan and ‘Vihir’ by Umesh Kulkarni, and Kannada film ‘Aidu Ondola Aidu’ by V K Prakash.


    Some films from Rajasthan or with the state as backdrop will also be screened, including ‘13 May Gulabi Nagar’ directed by Nand K Pareek and Vinod Gupta; ‘Bhobhar’ directed by Gajendra S Shrotriya, and ‘I am Kalam’, apart from documentary ‘Tiger Queen’ by S Nallamuthu.


    The various sections of the Festival include Worldwood International, Coming Stars about student cinema, ‘U Turn Rajasthan’ about Rajasthani cinema, ‘The Guest’ which is a focus on French Cinema, a Jury Retrospective, the Indian Panorama, and a Bollywood Special.


    There will also be several discussions during the festival. These include ‘Beyond the Oscars’ to be moderated by Film Federation of India General Secretary Supran Sen, ‘Young filmmakers and networking’ to be moderated by film critic B B Nagpal, ‘Yesterday/ past –Today/ present – tomorrow/ future of cinema’ moderated by filmmaker Subhash Kapoor, the Film Market section with FFI President T P Aggarwal and Jaipur distributor Sanjay Chatar, a discussion on French cinema, another on South Asian cinema, and a discussion on film distribution in India conducted by Santosh Singh Jain who is former FFI President and President of the Central Cine Circuit.


    There will be three filmmaker sessions with Lara Lee of the United States, Jag Mohan Mundhara from India, and the team of ‘Smile Pinky’. There will be workshops by Subhash Kapoor (India) and Allessandra Del Bianco.


    Apart from filmmaker Kamal Kumar Barjatya, several filmmakers from India and overseas whose films are being screened are also expected to attend the Festival.
     

  • Hopkins to play Hitchkock

    MUMBAI: Anthony Hopkins is talking to production company Montecito to star in a big-screen adaptation of Stephen Rebello‘‘s 1998 book, ‘Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho‘.


    Hopkins will play Hitchcock in a new non-fiction film that will deal with the director‘‘s life and film career.


    The book focuses on the story of Hitchcock‘‘s decision to make the now-famous horror movie and the struggle he had to finance and get support for the film.


    Hopkins, who is famed for his work in psycho-horror films like The Silence of Lambs, is keen on playing the role.


    Sacha Gervasi, who is in talks to direct the film, may concentrate more on Hitchcock‘‘s relationship with his wife, Alma Reville.


    Hopkins has won an Academy Award for his role as Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs and reprised the character in a number of sequels. He‘‘s now appearing in the Satanic-horror The Rite that is set to release next week.

  • Kobe Bryant in Hollywood Walk of Fame

    MUMBAI: LA Laker star Kobe Bryant will be the first and only athlete to feature in the Hollywood Walk of Fame along with Grauman’s Chinese Theater this year.


    Bryant will be honoured on 19 February before the All Star games and during the All Star NBA game weekend. That weekend will also coincide with Bryant, launching his newest short film with Nike.


    Bryant, who is one of the top players in his field, has has won five NBA championships with the LA Lakers. He is in the running to surpass records set for career scoring.


    The Hollywood Walk of Fame has an estimated 200 Hollywood celebrity handprints, footprints, and autographs from as early as the 1920s.


    Bryant will be the second non-Hollywood related person to have their prints immortalised after American showman and creator of Grauman’s Chinese Theater Sid Grauman‘s mother.