Category: Movies

MUMBAI: Within weeks of its theatrical release, Shemaroo Entertainment has released its latest 3D CGI animation film Pangaa Gang on home video.

Directed by Pankaj Sharma, the film deals with deforestation that is one of the contributing factors to the global environmental concern.

Pangaa Gang is set in modern times, in a beautiful place called Shantivan. The story follows the adventures of four kids with extraordinary powers, as they set out to defend their homeland, from unwelcome intruders.

Pangaa Gang exhibits friendship, action, emotions and is a fun filled ride with top of the line 3D CGI animation. Says director Sharma, “The film is one with a message. 

“Through regular interactions between children and animals we have tried to tackle issues of ‘deforestation‘ that is a topical subject. Most importantly, through this animation film we have taken a dig at people who cut woods without knowing what harm this would bring in to the people at large.”

On being quizzed as to why the film is being brought on home video just few weeks of its theatrical release, Sharma avers, “This is because of the multiplex strike last year.

“In fact Bal Ganesh 2 was to release after this, but since it released earlier and there was question of the film going beyond its stipulated period, we had to withdraw the film. Otherwise, the film got good a response.”

While the DVDs of the film are inclusive of board games and stickers, the VCDs come along with stickers.

The DVDs and VCDs of Pangaa Gang are priced at Rs 199 and Rs 99 respectively.

MUMBAI: Four Frames, director Priyadarshan‘s production house, has inked a $20 million deal with Woodpecker Pictures & Entertainment Ltd to produce two Hindi feature films.

The two films involving Woodpecker Pictures, the Indian subsidiary of US-based entertainment fund Woodpecker Holding Inc, will be directed by Priyadarshan.
As part of the deal, Woodpecker will be forwarding the entire investments for the productions. 

The first of the two productions will go on the floors in April with a start-to-finish 60-day schedule in Lucknow and abroad. The first project will be based on a hit Tamil film featuring four friends. The second will be another start-to-finish venture between September and December 2010.

Woodpecker is also in negotiations for a mainstream international movie with a top Hollywood cast to be shot in Mexico that Priyadarshan would be directing as part of the third project of this joint venture.

NEW DELHI: Can a word be considered acceptable as the title of a film but objectionable when used in a song number?

It would appear so, if one goes by the legal notice sent by Rakhi Sawant and ishQ Bector to the Central Board of Film Certification which had directed Pen India to mute the word ‘kamine’ from the song ‘Bhoot’ from the album ‘Jhagde’, produced by the duo under the firm ishQ and Faith Inc.

The legal notice sent through advocate firm Siddique and Associates has given the CBFC a time of seven days to respond to the notice, which points out that the Board had earlier ‘unconditionally allowed’ a film bearing the same name, ‘Kaminey’.

Terming the directive as ‘unjustified and absolutely biased act’, the notice, dated 14 January, says that legal action will be taken if no reply is received within the stipulated time.

Bector has written, composed and sung the songs and the notice says the duo was absolutely shocked at this ‘willful, unreasonable and unjustified act’ for which no reason had been assigned.

It has also been pointed out that while the word was permitted in the promos, the Board objected to its use in the video.

Referring to the certificate to the film, it is pointed out that this amounts to ‘absolute biasness and double standards’. Furthermore, it is stated that ‘untenable and ridiculous objections’ would make the video look ‘disjointed and inappropriate’ and affect the popularity and sales of the album.

The ‘mukhda‘ of the song goes ‘Kamine tera bhoot chad gaya re.’ “But after the word being bleeped out, our song looks completely disjointed. This has killed its impact and sabotaged our album sales,” says ishQ, who has also written the lyrics.

The duo’s advocate Rizwan Siddiquee says, “No act of commission or omission on the part of the Censor Board, or any officer representing it, should be arbitrary, unjust or in manner be biased or sexist. The Board needs to fully understand that its acts could willfully prejudice the fundamental rights of an aggrieved party and therefore it should act accordingly.”
 

MUMBAI: While 3 Idiots still continue to rock at the Indian box-office, the first three weeks of January has gone without a single film making a mark both with the audience as well at the box-office.

But with UTV‘s Chance Pe Dance, there was a ray of hope, primarily because the film was touted to be a tale of a talented struggler and secondly it was the first film when two teen heart-throbs Shahid Kapoor and Genelia D‘souza were coming together on the big screen.

The promos depicted the struggler in Shahid and nothing extra-ordinary was expected of the film except that people wanted to see the chemistry of the lead pair Shahid Kapoor and Genelia D‘souza.

A lacklustre attempt, supported by a weak script, the only factors that stand out in the film are Shahid and Genelia. Their chemistry is great and so is their performance. But the deplorable script doesn‘t lift the film beyond ordinary stuff.

At the box-office, the film had a lukewarm start domestically. The occupancy for morning and noon shows ranged between 15 to 25 per cent. The film doesn‘t look like having a good future.

The opening has come as a rude shock since Shahid‘s Kismet Konnection as well as Kaminey had a flying start.

All eyes now lie on Salman Khan‘s Veer. Going by the promos, the film holds promise to be a money churner.

But the ultimate reviewer is the audience!