Milind Gadagkar on directing the sequel to the horror film Phoonk....More

Before Akon, a considerable number of artists have come forward to work on the Hindi music scene. Take a look....More

Reader Madhusudhan Joshi has sent us a photograph of the star....More

Here's what your favourite celebrities have been upto....More

The star reveals his plans to return to the Formula 2 circuit in this exclusive interview to rediff.com...More

Don't miss this fun poll....More

The tabla maestro Zakir Hussain is heading to New York to perform at a Lincoln Center theatre as part of the Zakir Hussain's Masters of Percussion national tour....More

Director K K Rajeev on his success formula....More

The actor on his upcoming film Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai and why he finds a particular alien hot....More

The music label and Ashtavinayak ink five film music deal....More

Mexican beauty Barbara Mori, in an exclusive interview, talks about her co-star, the action stunts she’s done in the film and her desire to be part of Bollywood...More

International R&B singer Akon, who is here to record songs for Shah Rukh Khan's film "Ra.One", says he is a big fan of the Bollywood superstar and that he will not only have shows in India during his world tour but would also do more work here soon. ...More

Nana Patekar went ballistic when Deepika Padukone started suggesting changes in the script he had approached her for......More

Most actresses wouldn't mind swapping places with Bobby Darling just for this role. She plays a superwoman in Aditya Dutt’s Will you Marry Me, co-starring Rajeev Khandelwal, Shreyas Talpade and Muzammil Ibrahim. ...More

Kareena Kapoor put 'tikka' on his forehead and garlanded international rap singer Akon ...More

What was Rahul Mahajan really upto when the cameras weren’t rolling? Nikunj Mallik reveals all...More

Shahid Kapoor and his trusted companion had a nostalgic reunion with tenement residents in Andheri who were once their neighbours...More

A mere shadow of her former effervescent self, Rani Mukerji consciously avoids socialising these days...More

International singer Akon shook a leg with the Bollywood Badshah at SRK’s IPL bash ...More

BJP youth wing leader Poonam Mahajan spills the beans on why she skipped her brother’s big fat TV wedding... ...More

Kareena Kapoor gives Rs 3 lakh cheque to bring electricity to Chanderi village; is in talks with Bollywood friends to help bring electricity to over 100 villages in India...More

Aamir Khan and lyricist Javed Akhtar will be among a host of celebrities promoting the upcoming Commonwealth Games through an audio-visual campaign. ...More

In a public appearance gone awry, Bipasha Basu walked out before the final award function at Race Course apparently after being heckled by some of her fans. Mumbai Mirror photographer, Sachin Haralkar, was an eye-witness... ...More

Ahead of IPL season 3, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan Saturday invited the people to coach his Kolkata Knight Riders team and send in their suggestions for improving its performance. ...More

Abhishek Bachchan has little reason to fear interviews – after the critical acclaim and good commercial reception of Paa, his TV show, Bingo, notched up the highest ever opening TRPs for a non-fiction show. That’s more than the ratings for AB Sr’s KBC or SRK’s KBC. So when Abhishek walks in for the interview, surprise number one is that he’s brooding and preoccupied. ...More

Preity Zinta talks about her travels with IPL and her love for adventure sports....More

Actress Demi Moore reportedly handed out pole-dancing tips to her daughter Rumer Willis at a party in Hollywood....More

It’s biz as usual in T-Town despite the upcoming IPL3. Even though IPL2 matches impacted BO collections, a slew of films are ready to hit the screens during the peak cricket season...More

God is angry with the human race and wants to put an end to it, but for rogue angel, Michael, who takes it upon himself to stop apocalypse. His hope? An out-of-the-way diner where a waitress will give birth to the new age messiah....More

Indraneil Sengupta talks to TOI about his health and workout regime ...More

Salil Bhatt is on a musical high these days. ...More

The evening culminated into a relaxed after-party hosted by Milan and Sameer Nerurkar along with Sabyasachi. ...More

Stars, smiles, applause, tears and a black lady...yes, the Filmfare Awards are back! Get all the dope on Bollywood’s most prestigious award function...More

While Ms India, Delhi girl, Puja Gupta made it to the top 10, jury showed her the door in the top 5 round....More

Fifteen finalists from a field of 77 contestants were announced in Monday night's show. They were picked last week during preliminary judging....More

Shilpa was in the Capital again, minus Richard Gere, but endorsing a brand some might consider interesting – a diet vodka! ...More

Over 210,000 people gathered on Mexico City's central Zocalo square for a free concert by Colombian star Shakira....More

After playing the role of a super chef in Cheeni Kum, Big B says he never gets into the kitchen....More

Japanese beauty Riyo Mori was crowned Ms Universe 2007 in a glittering ceremony at the National Stadium in Mexico City....More

As RGV readies with his take on Sholay, we give you an exclusive look at the new Jai played by newcomer Prashant Raj....More

After critically acclaimed films like Mr & Mrs Iyer, Aparna Sen is now working on a story on love across countries....More

Spider-Man 3 has managed to displace Titanic from the top of the Indian box office to become the biggest H'wood hit in India. ...More

The producers of Rajnikanth starrer Sivaji have chosen Kalaignar TV over the Maran family-owned Sun network. ...More

The broadcast rights of the latest Rajnikanth starrer, Sivaji have been sold to the DMK-run Kalaignar TV....More

Last weekend Bollywood dished out Shootout... and Cheeni Kum. So, let’s check the facts and figures on who fared better....More

Surf's Up is an animation film based on a premise that surfing was actually invented by the penguins. ...More

The 12-day long 60th Cannes Film Festival came to a close with a glittering red carpet and awards ceremony on Sunday....More

In Ram Gopal Verma's Sholay, while Amitabh Bachchan plays Gabar, there's Ajay Devgan as Veeru....More

Romanian director Cristian Mungiu won the Cannes Film Festival's top prize Palme d'Or on Sunday with 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days....More

Abhishek Bachchan is known to be very closely associated with social causes. The actor has just been appointed as the brand ambassador of WWF's World Earth Hour scheduled to take place on March 27 2010 between 8:30-9:30 p.m. World Earth Hour started in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses turned off their lights for an hour as a stand against climate change. The campaign has now gone global and last year alone more than 5 million people in 4000 cities across 88 countries switched off their lights to pledge their support towards this noble cause. The concept behind this campaign is to reduce the use of electricity thereby saving the planet from warming up. Junior Bachchan was present at a press conference in the capital today where he was appointed as the brand ambassador for this noble cause. Since then, the actor has already starting spreading the word by urging his fans to join the campaign and switch off all electrical appliances for an hour on March 27. One must say that this is indeed a noble gesture on the actor's part....More

Writer Milap Zaveri has written either script or dialogues of films as diverse as Masti, Kaante, Jhankaar Beats, Naksha, Heyy Babyy, Musafir and also Housefull amongst a dozen odd films. However, when it came to making his debut as a director with Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai, he decided to opt for a love story with dollops of humour and emotional moments embellished into it. "That was the idea", reveals the young man, "I am a romantic at heart but I am a fun loving guy as well. I needed a certain freshness to be brought on screen for my very first film and what better way than to start with a romantic comedy. The idea of a girl from Venus coming to Earth in search of love was so enticing that I knew I had to do it. Once I put my head down into the giving a concrete shape to the script, there were so many moments, whether funny or emotional, which came in that it was difficult to pick and choose between them." Describing Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai as a film which is aimed at children and youngsters, Milap adds, "When I recall my school or college days, I remember that despite all the action flicks and family dramas around me, the ones that I enjoyed most during my dates or outings with friends were romantic comedies. Of course in 80s there weren't many such films being made but then as and when something good came, I lapped on to it." The scenario has indeed changed today when romantic comedies are considered to be a safe bet with at least one film belonging to this genre hitting the screens month after month Talking about the lead actors of JKSAH, Riteish Deshmukh and Jacqueline Fernandez, Milap says, "I am so glad that I found them both for my very first film. Riteish is a dear friend and we have been together since the days of Masti where I was the writer. There was some casting flip-flip around the leading lady of Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai but once I met Jackie, I knew she was the one. She had to be a part of my film. One can't find such a beautiful and loveable alien anywhere. She is out of this world. Well, literally!" Tagging the film as an ideal date flick, Milap admits that he is quite positive about the box office performance of Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai. "First and foremost it is the first of its kind love story between a boy from Earth (Riteish) and a girl from Venus (Jacqueline). Then, there is loads of comedy, music and romance! Also 9th April is lucky for Riteish and me as our first huge hit Masti had released on 9th April in 2004." But isn't he bothered about competition from IPL? After all the T20 tournament would be heating up in a big way around the release of the film. "The important thing is to make an entertaining film. Years ago, Biwi No. 1 came during the World Cup and it was a super hit. Similarly Jannat too was a super hit during the first IPL. I always feel that a good film can do well during any tournament, be it IPL or anything else", he adds in a confident tone. Also starring Ruslaan Mumtaz, Sonal Sehgal and Vishal Malhotra in principal roles, Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai boasts of a plethora of guest appearance from Farah Khan, Akshay Kumar, Sajid Khan, Amrita Rao, Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma and Vidya Balan. With music by Sajid Wajid and lyrics by Sameer, Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai is presented by Warner Bros and is a co-production of Nikhil Advani and Mukesh Talreja....More

The shooting of Dabangg in Wai seems to be quite an accident-prone event for the cast and crew. Only last week, Salman Khan was rushed to a local hospital after he complained of smoke congestion when a fire erupted on the sets. Now Salman's co-star in Dabangg, Sonu Sood has landed himself with a fractured nose while shooting for the film earlier this week. Bollywood Hungama spoke to Sonu who, despite the injury, is continuing shooting for the film in Wai. "Yes...It's true that I got hurt two days ago while shooting. We were shooting a fight scene between Salman and me that is a part of the climax. During the practice, one of the fighters jumped and his knee happened to hit my nose real hard. The pain was quite severe and I was taken to the hospital for an X-ray and scan. The X-ray revealed a fracture in my nose. The doctor advised me bed rest for 3-4 days, but since we were shooting the climax scene between Salman and me I didn't want to delay the schedule. I landed on the sets the very next day after taking some painkillers and shot for some light scenes." One must say that Sonu has indeed shown true professionalism by continuing to shoot in spite of a fractured nose. He will return to Mumbai in a week's time, after finishing the current schedule of Dabangg in Wai. We wish him a speedy recovery....More

Call it cliched but it's an oft repeated statement when it comes to relationships in Bollywood - 'Nothing is permanent in the industry; whether it is friendship or enmity'. This is why it always makes for a pleasant sight when misunderstandings are cleared and relationships come back to normalcy. This is what happened recently with Karan Johar and Nikhil Advani, friends for over three decades, who parted ways after Kal Ho Naa Ho. It came as a shocker for quite a few because the film was a major success at the box office and many believed that this 'jodi' would go on to make many more blockbusters in the years to come. Unfortunately that was not the case to be as both treaded different paths in years to follow. Karan Johar went on to make films with other fresh talent while Nikhil too went independent with films like Salaam- E- Ishq and Chandni Chowk To China. However, it was obvious that both men wouldn't be carrying bad blood for a long duration. With a passage of time, things settled down and both Karan and Nikhil were ready with their next films - My Name Is Khan and Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai (directed by debutant Milap Zaveri) respectively. Nikhil openly supported Karan when My Name Is Khan was facing trouble around its release. Meanwhile, what came as a pleasant surprise to all was when Karan spearheaded the campaign for Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai by deciding to introduce the film, its theme and the cast to the world. This happened at a recently held award function which was co-hosted by Karan Johar. Not just did he announce the arrival of Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai in theatres soon, he also took a personal interest in stating quite a few flattering things about this romantic comedy which stars Riteish Deshmukh and Jacqueline Fernandez as the lead pair. Ensuring that the film gets visibility not just in front of the bigwigs of the film fraternity who were present at the event that was held last week, he (in a way) also announced in a subtle way that he didn't carry any ill-will for Nikhil and his film. No wonder, writer turned director Milap can be seen smiling from ear to ear. "For me it was a great professional as well as personal moment. For Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai, I obviously want the best. After all it is my first baby. We were aware about the award ceremony and since our film arrives in a month from now, it made sense to have a launch at the biggest of the platforms. What better way to do it than by having someone of the stature of Karan Johar going ahead and talking about your film." However, while this was a dream that he nurtured, there was always this bit of hesitation around whether Karan would agree to support his film. Milap discussed this with Nikhil and together they decided to approach Karan. "It didn't take a moment for Karan to say yes to my request", says Milap in a cheerful tone, "Once he heard the concept of the film (which is about a girl from Venus arriving at Earth to find true love), he promised to give his full support. Never once did he bring up the topic of the rift that he had with Nikhil years back. This is why for me it was a personal win as well because no one seemed to be carrying a grudge any more." When contacted, Nikhil said, "It is a personal matter so it won't be fair on my part to discuss too much around this. Having said that, it is always nice when people support your film. People grow up in life and we have done that as well. Karan has been a dear friend for 37 years and him taking up the mantle to kick start Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai was a great moment for all of us. Now it's upon us to use this platform to our benefit and take the promotion forward. Milap has made a beautiful film and we are very proud of it." With music by Sajid Wajid and lyrics by Sameer, Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai is presented by Warner Bros and is a co-production of Nikhil Advani and Mukesh Talreja. Also starring Ruslaan Mumtaz, Sonal Sehgal and Vishal Malhotra in principal roles, the film releases all over on 9th April....More

Katrina Kaif has a point to prove in Raajneeti. It's not just the National Award that she's aiming to get with her performance. It's the long-winded rhetorical dialogues that she wants to get tone-and-pitch-perfect so that once and for all no one would ever say she can't speak Hindi fluently. Surrounded in the cast with stalwarts like Naseeruddin Shah, Manoj Bajpai and Nana Patekar who spoke super-fluent Hindi and Urdu and constantly ribbed about her chee-chee Hindi by her co-stars specially Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina has taken a vow to wow with her command over the desi language. In fact, every time director Prakash Jha wanted to get Katrina's attention on location, he would jokingly threaten to get her lines dubbed by another artiste. Not only did she get herself a private Hindi-Urdu tutor, she also got her director Prakash Jha to work on her dialogues and their delivery for extra hours. And now moving away from conventional dubbing techniques, Katrina is actually doing her lines twice every day, once on her own and then in her director's presence. Confirming this double-delivery duty that Katrina has taken on Prakash Jha says, "She once goes through the lines on her own the entire day. Then in the evening whatever words and lines I feel need improvement, she happily dubs them again. I've never seen such determination in anyone before. On location in Bhopal once when she had to do a sequence with Nana Patekar where she had to repeat the swearing-in oath- ceremony with Nana after winning an election, Katrina panicked about the long words and lines. She pleaded with me to cancel the shooting, prepared the whole day and then delivered perfect dialogues the next day." The dubbing for Raajneeti is also very important for Katrina to be eligible for the National Award next year. When Prakash suggested that he might need to get a dubbing artiste to do Katrina's intricate dubbing she had protested strongly pointing out her chances at the National Awards would be nixed. Predicts Prakash, "After Raajneeti no one would ever accuse of Katrina not knowing Hindi." Adds Katrina, "It was a challenge I set for myself. I've always paid that extra attention to my dubbing. But Raajneeti is really tough. Was I challenged by other actors speaking such fluent Hindi in Raajneeti? No, I always look at only myself as competition." Katrina admits her Hindi has improved considerably after working in Raajneeti. "None of my roles so far required any specific fluency in the way I spoke. When I got a chance I decided to work on it really hard."...More

We bet that the weekend gone by was as lovely and lively as the week to come. So, let us all, in one voice, kick-start this week not just by unanimously wishing "Good Morning dearies", but also running our neurons wild while solving the quiz, that by now the world would like to call as 'Guess Who'! The mysterious star for this week is anything but a mystery. All that we can say is that he started off his innings with the camera by playing a 'professional' of a certain profession', which practically every youngster wants to go in, during their growing up years, all thanks to the 'battalion' of thoughts. His immediate second serial was a place where everyone (irrespective of their age) go for recreation. Our star for today, in no time, rose from a mere TV actor to someone, who today, has the money and the power to launch his own channel! Let us be very blunt and say that we are not giving any clues on this star, as one single clue will lead the mystery element fall like a pack of cards! For those who have cracked this week's 'Guess Who', look no further and simply post your answers below: To find out last week's answer click here...More

It seems like the whole of Bollywood has taken to Charity and Philanthropy, and not far behind in this race is Deepika Padukone. She has recently adopted a village in Maharashtra by the name of Ambegaon that needed a do-gooder desperately. Her adoption of the village was part of the Greenathon campaign and since Ambegaon village was facing major electricity crisis, Miss Padukone decided to do the needful. She decided to sponsor them. Picking this village over others wasn't a spur of the moment decision for her. She did a lot of reading and research before she gave the village a helping hand. Going the whole way, Deepika plans to visit the village in the near future again to see the progress. That's being a responsible citizen. What say?...More

In the last few years, many ad filmmakers such as Pradeep Sarkar, R.Balki, Rensil D'Silva, etc. have made an entry into Bollywood as directors. The latest person from the ad fraternity to join the film fraternity is none other than Vijay Lalwani, director of the recently released romantic thriller Karthik Calling Karthik (KCK). The Farhan- Deepika starrer has been garnering rave reviews and Vijay's directorial skills have fetched him a lot of praise. Now that the film is released since two weeks, we at Bollywood Hungama give you a chance to ask Vijay Lalwani all that you want about KCK, his future projects and much more through an exclusive Live Video Chat on Friday, March 12, at 1600 hrs IST. Don't miss!!!...More

When Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif met for a shoot on Monday, it was just like old times when they shot for Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani and Raajneeti last year. The twosome was fiercely competitive when they shot for the two films. So it was when they shot again together on Monday. The competitive spirit has taken over Raajneeti in a big way. Both Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif see the film as a passport to the National Awards. With stalwarts like Naseeruddin Shah, Manoj Bajpai, Nana Patekar and Ajay Devgn in the cast, the young stars of the show have decided to pull out all stops to ensure their performances are noticed at the right places. All efforts are now on by Ranbir and Katrina to ensure optimum audience participation in Raajneeti. A music video, only a part of which will be included in the film and the rest used for promotion, is to be shot. Says the director Prakash Jha, "We certainly don't want to pitch Raajneeti as a dry political drama .Ranbir and Katrina are big commercial stars. We want their fans to see our film as an entertainer. At an edited length of about 3 hours' playing-time, we want viewers to be glued to the edge of their seats. I wouldn't call it a multi- star cast film .I'd call it a multi-actor film." With the Ranbir-Katrina jodi being hotter-than-July, a certain amount of spicing up is certainly the order of the day. And the hit jodi is more than willing to shoot extra days to ensure the product gets them maximum attention. On Monday, Ranbir and Katrina did some additional shooting for Raajneeti at Mona Shourie's Future Studios long after their dates for Raajneeti had dried up. Ranbir Kapoor just back from Las Vegas rushed to the shooting. close-ups and continuity shots were shot with the two. A sizzling music video featuring Ranbir, Katrina and Arjun Rampal is also on the cards. So who says politicians can't dance? Says Prakash, "We did some patchwork shooting on Monday, close-ups, etc. Yes. It's for the betterment of the end-product. We all want Raajneeti to be a big success. Katrina and Ranbir have surrendered themselves completely to the project and will do whatever is required."...More

If there is something that can actually give an inferiority complex to the best adhesive in the world, then, it has to be the 'bond' between T-Series and Music. Testimonies to this fact stand in the form of some of the recent all-time musical hits, from the stable of T-Series and which has found its place in every heart. Continuing the tradition of 'an eye for superhit music', T-Series has gone ahead and acquired the music rights of five films of Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevision Ltd. These are Khatta Meetha (directed by Priyadarshan, starring Akshay Kumar and Trisha Krishnan), Golmaal 3 (directed by Rohit Shetty, starring Ajay Devgn, Kunal Khemu, Shreyas Talpade and Kareena Kapoor), Farah Khan's Tees Maar Khan (starring Akshay Kumar, Akshaye Khanna, Katrina Kaif), Neeraj Vora's Run Bhola Run (starring Govinda, Tusshar Kapoor) and an untitled film starring Saif Ali Khan and is being directed by Kunal Kohli. With this mega deal, T-Series once again proves that when it comes to supremacy in music, they are simply second to none! ...More

Readers may recollect that Bollywood Hungama had reported that 'X-Shades', the leading name in eyewear, after having roped in Sanjay Dutt, has now roped in the Sunil 'Macho Man' Shetty as well as the hottie Bruna Abdullah as their brand ambassadors. Speaking exclusively to Bollywood Hungama about this association, Sujit Jain, Director Shades Lifestyle Ltd. said, "We thought that along with design and quality, we needed to create an aspirational value for the brand. What could be better than joining hands with style icons like Sanjay Dutt and Suniel Shetty." One wonders if any Bollywood director plans to cast the three actors together in a film....More

Priyadarshan is one director who has the highest success rate in Bollywood currently. He has tried his hands in almost all genres of films and come out as a winner. It is this same man, who has now signed a three-film deal with Percept Picture Company (PPC). As a part of the deal, the prolific filmmaker will be now directing 3 films namely AIDS, Grrr (horror movie) and a sequel to the laugh riot Malamaal Weekly, story and screenplay of which are ready for the film, while the production schedule is to be finalized soon. As far as Grrr is concerned, insiders say that it's an out and out action packed thriller about a beastly ghost in the jungle. It pounces on its prey from the darkness... a blur of orange and black. No one has seen it and whoever did... has never came back to tell the tale. All in all, it simply means its jingle all the way for both, the viewers as well as Priyadarshan himself!...More

After Sanjay Gadhvi's proposed Parisian romance 7 Days & 7 Nights In Paris which apparently has now been relocated to Punjab, we now have the Rajeev Khandelwal starrer Joker being relocated from New Zealand to Ooty at the eleventh hour. The emotional father-son story directed by Kumar Gaurav's cousin Vikram Tuli, featuring Rajeev with the 5-year old Shrey Bawa was supposed to be shot from the end of January to the middle of February in New Zealand. But the film's main drama has now been shot in Ooty. Rajeev feels the shift of location makes no difference to the essential emotions of the film. He has never felt more challenged as an actor. Quips Rajeev, "That's because I've never had a more challenging co-star. Shrey Bawa who plays my son is just 5. But he's a veteran compared with me. He has done innumerable ads. And he played Priyanka Chopra and Bobby Deol's son in Dostana. He gives me the shivers. I just can't keep up with him." Apparently, the Bawa boy is so brilliant he makes Rajeev fumble with his lines. In the dramatic scenes, Rajeev often has to ask for retakes. Bawa gets its right the first time. Says Rajeev, "This is a very emotional father-son story. Many times I get too choked to say my dialogues. But Shrey never slips up. He's the best actor I've worked with." Where does that leave Prachi Desai who plays Rajeev's love interest in Joker? Rajeev is mighty excited by the new jodi. "Prachi and I go back a long way. We were both part of Ekta Kapoor's Balaji soaps. Now when I see us together in this film I wonder why no one thought of casting us together before." Rajeev has also signed a film to be produced by Nariman Irani's production house who had done the original Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Don. Entitled Taiynaat the Khandelwal starrer will be directed by debutant Ehsan Hyder. This would be the fourth film of Rajeev's career and all four with debutant directors. "And there's a fifth debutant director Vibhu Puri coming up in Chenab Gandhi," Rajeev says happily....More

Remember the horror flick that made you jump off your seat. The one where every time something invisible used to shock Bipasha Basu, you would feel eerie too. Yes! We are talking about Raaz. The one that was directed by none other than Vikram Bhatt. After his film1920, he is now yet again ready to release the spooks with Shaapit. This time again like 1920, the film will have newcomers, namely, Udit Narayan's son Aditya Narayan and Shweta Agarwal. Has Vikarm taken a penchant for spine chillers, here is your chance to put your curiosity to rest as we bring this director with a will to stand apart right here at Bollywood Hungama's Celebrity Video chat. So get your questions ready and login on Wednesday, March 10, at 1500 hrs IST....More

After winning multiple Filmfare awards for her directorial debut, it was a grand homecoming of sorts of Nandita Das in Kolkata which is not really her hometown. Nandita is an Oriya by parentage. But because of the number of films she has done in Bengali she's often mistaken for a Bengali. So it was when she landed in Kolkata last Sunday. Armed ecstatically as she was with her 4 Filmfare awards for Firaaq, the city greeted her with open-armed ovation. "The last film I shot in Kolkata was Paddakhep (Footsteps) with Soumitra Chatterjee," she says from the sets of Onir's Afia. "We're now shooting all over the city." Nandita is naturally overjoyed with the Filmfare awards for Firaaq. "To be honest I was surprised to find Firaaq's nomination in so many categories. It shows that even the popular space is acknowledging a film like Firaaq that tends to be slotted as a niche film. But getting 4 awards for costume, sound, editing and finally the Critic's Choice Award for the best film of the year! It sure was a surprise." This was the first time Filmfare award function that Nandita attended. And she's impressed. "I had gone expecting nothing, had come to see the much talked- about spectacle, which is sure was." Nandita feels Firaaq which was clumsily released would now get a new lease of life. "These awards are a big help to a film that was so badly released and so many people just didn't get to see it. They create a curiosity in people's mind. I met so many people from the fraternity who said the first DVD they were going to get is that of Firaaq!" The impact of Firaaq has stunned Nandita. "What matters to me is that people see the film as a story I keenly wanted to tell and wanted it to reach the audiences. Thankfully a film's shelf life is much longer than a release. All those who have seen it, friends and strangers have championed the film and I am so grateful for that. I am really thankful to Filmfare and the critics who are known to be difficult to please, for helping spread Firaaq." Nandita is now looking at directing another film. "Having won about 10 awards each internationally and in India, and getting an overwhelming reaction from those who have seen it, it is time I start my next project. I have begun thinking of a story, although the journey of bringing it to life is long." In the meanwhile, there's Onir's Afia where she plays a wife desperate to be a mother. Nandita has done her own research on sperm banks before plunging into the part. "I did a bit of homework on the net and had a long chat with Onir who has done extensive research on the net...But it's more about the space to make your own choice. And that's a universal desire!"...More

Some have called him Dream Merchant and others called him a Showman. Whatever it might be one thing is certain that Subhash Ghai is what you call as an alchemist, just as he touches something, it turns into gold. Over the years every aspiring actor has waited with bated breath to work under his famed banner Mukta Arts, the same banner that gave the audience unforgettable films such as Ram Lakhan, Khalnayak, Pardes, Taal and Aitraaz to name a few. Subhash Ghai is now all set to present his next production Right Yaa Wrong, directed by Neeraj Pathak and starring Sunny Deol, Irrfan Khan and Eesha Koppikhar. After being in this industry for so many years as a director, producer, screenplay writer and story writer, it's hard to think of Bollywood without him. He has literally seen this industry grow and having him on Bollywood Hungama's live chat is such an honour. Subhash Ghai will be live on Bollywood Hungama's Celebrity Chat, today, March 9, 1600 hrs IST....More

Just a thought before I review this film... When you saunter in for the screening of a movie directed by a celebrated film-maker, a movie which has had a good run at film festivals, a movie which tilts towards art house cinema, it is expected that the critic shower the film with lavish praises and speak of it in glowing terms. If you don't, get ready to be ostracized by pseudos masquerading as messiahs of parallel cinema, get ready to be labelled a nincompoop by netizens, get ready to face the constant bitching and loose talk by the 'Balcony Class' presswalas. Believe me, a few people are in awe of such cinema and feel they need to prove how cerebral they are by praising such films. Now to the review! Either the film works or it doesn't. It's all about the story and how convincingly the storyteller narrates it. If the story is absorbing, you can't take your eyes off screen. If it isn't, you break into a yawn, you fidget with your cell phone, you start looking at all places, except the screen. What you're attempting to say, is important. But how many people actually follow what you're saying, is even more important. ROAD, MOVIE narrates the journey of a young man and the people he encounters on his way. But the problem is, what is ROAD, MOVIE trying to say? You're clueless! Is it about the water mafia? Is it about a touring cinema? Is it a love story between an educated youth and a gypsy? Is it a road movie? The sole factor that stands out in this film is its breath-taking locations/visuals. They are more striking than the story. And that's the sad truth! Also, why is it that India is often projected as a land of snake charmers, as a poverty-stricken, hunger-stricken, drought-stricken country with beggars and slums all around? Is that what India is, in their eyes? Is this what we are trying to sell to the West and the world in general? That's really sad! Final word? ROAD, MOVIE caters to a very, very, very, very tiny section of movie-going audience, who have an appetite for 'festival films'. Vishnu [Abhay Deol], a restless young man, itches to escape his father's faltering hair oil business. An old truck beckons, which Vishnu sees as his ticket to freedom. As he sets off across the harsh terrain of desert India, he discovers he's not merely transporting a battered vehicle, but an old touring cinema. Along the way, Vishnu reluctantly picks up a young runaway [Mohammed Faizal Usmani], a wandering old entertainer [Satish Kaushik] and a gypsy woman [Tannishtha Chatterjee]. Together they roam in the barren land, searching for water and an elusive fair. The journey turns dire when they are waylaid by corrupt cops and a notorious water lord. ROAD, MOVIE starts off very well, but loses focus midway. Abhay's interaction with the kid and also Satish Kaushik is thoroughly enjoyable. But as the story unfolds, the movie loses its grip and starts going in circles. The plot works till Abhay and Satish screen the movie for the cop, but the portions thereafter aren't engaging, except for a sequence or two in between. The portions depicting the fair leaves you confused. Was it for real or a dream sequence? Also, the sequence with the water mafia [Yashpal Sharma] is absurd. This sequence - when Abhay trades off water for hair oil - doesn't gel well with the mood of the film. Even the romantic track between Abhay and Tannishtha looks far from convincing. The finale too lacks clarity and the remix version of 'Tel Maalish' is hardly there. Director Dev Benegal seems to have concentrated more on visuals than narrating a gripping story. Frankly, the story is so fragile that it's difficult to hold your attention in those 90 odd minutes. The screenplay is bland and what makes it worse is the fact that the plot unravels at a lethargic pace. Dialogues are well worded at places. Abhay Deol is a complete natural and this film proves it yet again. Satish Kaushik is first-rate. Mohammed Faizal Usmani impresses. Tannishtha Chatterjee does well. Yashpal Sharma is wasted. Virendra Saxena is efficient. On the whole, ROAD, MOVIE is more for the festival circuit and some connoisseurs of art house cinema, who may savour it. That's about it!...More

Horror films made in India follow standard rules and guidelines. Every possible ingredient that viewers have witnessed since the Ramsay era automatically finds its way into horror films even today. ROKKK too borrows everything available on the shelf. ROKKK hinges on a half-baked script, but what saves the film from complete breakdown is the execution of the material by debutante director Rajesh Ranshinge. The proceedings may be far from innovative, but keep you hooked nonetheless. Anushka [Tanushree Dutta] weds an elderly man Ravi [Sachin Khedekar], who has remarried after the death of his first wife. Anushka's mother [Nishigandha Wad] refuses to accept their relationship. Anushka and Ravi begin their journey in a beautiful home that Ravi gifts Anushka. However, strange and quirky things start happening there. Anushka tries to share her experiences with Ravi, who in turn thinks that his wife is hallucinating. They decide to move back to their earlier home, but the incidents don't seem to stop. Anushka seeks advice from a healer [Arif Zakaria] and tries to discover the motive behind these unexplainable incidents. The story takes a turn when Anushka murders her husband and sister-in-law. Ahana [Udita Goswami], Anushka's sister, begins her journey to rescue her. Horror movies ought to have a great start and a pulse-pounding finale. Unfortunately, ROKKK has a lacklustre start and a convenient finale, with the makers leaving scope for a sequel, if the film works. The film suffers due to inept writing, with several questions remaining unanswered till the end. No reasons are offered why Tansuhree marries a man much older to her, except a fleeting reference by Udita. No reasons are offered when Tanushree enquires about the circumstances that led to the death of Sachin Khedekar's first wife. That's not all, Tanushree even manages to escape from the asylum even though the spirit almost gets her. Now that's difficult to gulp! But things do stabilise in the post-interval portions. The spirit now set her sights on Udita and the sequence in the elevator sets the ball rolling. Ditto for two more sequences - [i] Arif Zakaria wanting to free the mansion from the spirit and [ii] Ashwini Kalsekar's story of how the blood-thirsty spirit came into being. With the film holding your attention in the second hour, you expect the finale to reach its zenith, but it does an about-turn and touches the ebb. Tanushree's re-emergence on the scene is formulaic and ruins the impact. If the writing is patchy, the effects are tacky and the background score relies on the same sounds that one has come to expect from horror films. Both Tanushree and Udita try to make the proceedings watchable. Udita is efficient, while Tanushree uses her eyes effectively to express fear. Shaad Randhawa is decent. Sachin Khedekar is okay. Ashwini Kalsekar is the best of the lot. Murli Sharma and Nishigandha Wad don't get much scope. Arif Zakaria is perfect. On the whole, ROKKK is ordinary at best!...More

One of my childhood memories is that of several relatives visiting us in Mumbai [presumably for a few days], but overstaying their welcome. Those days, the atithis were never looked upon as 'intruders'. Times have changed! If you live in a metropolis, if your spouse and you work round-the-clock and have commitments to honour, any extra person - other than those living with us or is part of our day-to-day schedule - is strictly unwelcome. His/her arrival may cause hindrance and rob you of your privacy. ATITHI TUM KAB JAOGE? mirrors a reality, but the story has scope for not just humour and emotions, the staple diet of most Hindi movies, but there's a generous dose of devotional quotient that is well integrated in the storyline. Do you miss movies of yore, helmed by masters like Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee? ATITHI TUM KAB JAOGE? may not be a CHUPKE CHUPKE, GOLMAAL, CHITCHOR or KHATTA MEETHA, but it has a certain old-world charm that one misses in cinema of today. Final word? Bring this atithi home! It tells the story of Puneet [Ajay Devgn] and Munmun [Konkona], a married couple living in Mumbai. Their lives take an interesting turn when a distant relative, Chachaji [Paresh Rawal], turns up unannounced at their doorstep from a far-off village. The guest overstays his welcome, so much so that the exasperated couple come up with various ploys to hasten his departure. ATITHI TUM KAB JAOGE? is a light-hearted entertainer that tickles your funny bone at several points. The best part is, you not only laugh at the funny one-liners, but also at situations, which are so life-like and which makes you connect with them instantly. ATITHI TUM KAB JAOGE? rests on three characters primarily - Ajay, Konkona and Paresh - and director Ashwni Dhir and his team of writers [Robin Bhatt, Tushar Hiranandani] have ensured that there are ample [enjoyable] scenes that you carry home. What really takes you by surprise is the devotional factor that has been smartly injected in the screenplay. The traditional Indian audiences would love the Mata ki aarti, the Ganesh Chaturthi festival and the sanskaar that the atithi instils in Ajay and Konkona's child. But the writing wanders into unwanted areas, which could've been avoided in the first place. The raid at the hotel, where Ajay, Konkona and their son move into, seems unnecessary. Ditto for the subsequent scene at the cop station. Immediately thereafter, Ajay hires the services of a Bhai to get rid of Paresh, which looks far-fetched. These three incidents, which come back to back, only add to the length of the film. Also, Paresh breaking wind [gas/flatulence] looks funny in a scene or two, but why make it a recurring occurrence? An overdose is embarrassing! However, the climax, which starts with the sthapna of Lord Ganesh's idol in Ajay's home, till the culmination of the story, makes the goings-on immensely watchable. Director Ashwni Dhir, best known for penning comic shows, proves that he's at ease handling dramatic [interval point] and emotional [climax] scenes with gusto. Pritam's music is ordinary, but the songs fit well in the narrative, especially the two devotional tracks. The title track [Amit Mishra] is quite catchy. Aseem Bajaj's camerawork is first-rate. Dialogues [Ashwni Dhir] are excellent. Come to think of it, it requires a lot of courage to play a role that's devoid of star mannerisms and Ajay enacts this part most convincingly. Konkona is spontaneous and a complete natural. Paresh is superb as the atithi. He's definitely the scene-stealer! Satish Kaushik shines, especially in the sequence when he apologises to Ajay. Akhilendra Mishra, Mukesh Tiwari and Viju Khote are alright. Sanjay Mishra is first-rate. On the whole, ATITHI TUM KAB JAOGE? is a hilarious movie, but unlike any slapstick comedy. It's a light-hearted film with sensibility, humour and a strong undercurrent of emotion. This atithi is sure to find a place in your heart!...More