ITV

Tag: Film Caf

  • BBC’s Asian Network to cover Bollywood

    MUMBAI: BBC’s radio station Asian Network will launch on 16 June its flagship weekend Bollywood show, Love Bollywood.

    Passionate and irreverent in style, Saturday’s four-hour show will focus on the latest Bollywood releases and star interviews, and Sunday’s four-hour show will bring you the industry hits – classic and new – that shape the world’s biggest film industry.

    This new show will be completely interactive and listeners will take centre stage in its production.

    Sheetal Parmar who is the show’s producer says, “Love Bollywood is an in-depth look at Bollywood films, the stars and the industry, but for the first time, it’ll be predominantly about the audience and their experience of it.

    “Many British Asians have been brought up with Bollywood and it’s a part of their cultural make-up whether they like it or not! The audience will decide what we discuss and listen to through message boards, phone-ins and an exclusive ‘rant line’.

    “It’ll give back to them what they want and more – for example industry-related issues like new media moguls who are diversifying the cultural background of Bollywood, which means we’re seeing more gutsy and culturally challenging films. It’s ambitious and bold, and very exciting to be able to produce something like this.”

    Bollywood “it boys” Raj and Pablo will be presenting on Saturday, whilst Asian Network and Zee TV’s Murtz will present on Sunday with BBC Radio 1’s Rajini Vaidynathan.

    Raj and Pablo, who currently present Film Café, say: “We are over the moon to be presenting the BBC’s Love Bollywood. One of the most exciting and innovative things about our new show is that not only are we going to be interacting with the movie makers, stars, producers and directors but also the listeners. We’ll also be part of a new exciting and dynamic team and all four of us will get the opportunity to present with each other.”

    Vaidynathan says, “People might think it’s a bit odd me doing this with a background from News, but anyone who knows me will know I’m mad about Bollywood, just like most British Asians who’ve been brought up on a diet of Bollywood films. I’m really happy to be involved with something so different, and to be able to indulge in a guilty pleasure.”

  • SRK slams critics while picking up BBC award for ‘Don’

    MUMBAI: After a month of public voting, the BBC Asian Network in the UK has announced the Film Café Award winners. This, it says, is the only audience-voted online Bollywood award in the UK.

    Shah Rukh Khan won the Best Villain award for his controversial performance in the remake of Don. His performance received as many criticisms as it did applause. Shah Rukh was asked if he now felt vindicated in light of the public votes that he received.

    He said, “No, you feel vindicated if you believe in the people who give the negative reactions and I never believe in that because it was very clearly a modern day combined with the old Don version and it was targeted at an audience, which may not have seen the old Don.

    “We can just assume that the older audience did not like the film but the younger audiences, who we aimed the film at, really enjoyed it. I feel I did a good job and I liked what I did in Don.”

    He was even more defiant towards his critics when he spoke to Film Café about his role in Khabhi Alvida Naa Khena, where he plays an adulterous husband.

    He remarked, “I have been working for many years … I get surprised that critics get confused between the actor and the role. In Khabhi Alvida Naa Khena I play a guy who is not nice, sleeps with someone else’s wife but that’s a character. You play a grittier character the critics have a problem with that. It’s the ticket-paying audience that counts at the end of the day”.

    Aamir Khan was voted Best Actor in the awards for his work in Rang De Basanti. He said, “I am overwhelmed by the response of the audience. It was a difficult film to do as an actor. I am really moved by the response. Film and award ceremonies are so subjective and I don’t take award nights seriously – the film has been made for the audience and they have loved it and that is of prime importance to me.”

    Rang De Basanti won the overall vote in four of the eight categories, including best film.