Katrina Kaif in desi version of ‘Hangover' ?

katrina kaif

Mumbai: Bollywood is known to remake many Hollywood films the desi ishtyle. The latest being the copy of hit Hollywood film ‘Hangover'.

The story of Hangover has four guys attending a stag party and next day they wake up to find that the groom has gone missing. The desi version is going to be made by Firoz Nadiadwala who has bought the copy rights for this movie.

If rumours are to be believed then Abhishek Bachchan will play the role played by Bradley Cooper and Paresh Rawal will enact the character played by Zach Galifianakis. Sexy Katrina Kaif will play the role of fiancée.

According to reports the entire star cast has not been finalised and the shooting will start next year in South Africa.

Magadheera | Telegu film set to beat Hindi movies this year

magadheera collections

The Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, one of India’s premier technology institutes, featured prominently in the release plan of the latest Telugu film, Magadheera (Great Warrior). While the film released in all major towns and cities of Andhra Pradesh and Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune, it was interesting to note that three prints of the film were also earmarked for simultaneous screening in the Pilani, Goa and Hyderabad campuses of BITS Pilani.

This perhaps best indicates the magnitude and hype of the film, which released last week across the world.

In India, films on the theme of reincarnation are a safe formula for success. Magadheera belongs to the same genre. It has an interesting plot which begins in 1609 with a love story between a warrior and a princess who are killed and are reborn 400 years later to take the film to its logical conclusion. The film has been extensively and stylishly shot in Rajasthan and Gujarat and treated more like a Hollywood movie.

The films stars Ram Charan Teja, son of Telugu cinestar Chiranjeevi, in only his second film. However, that is not the film’s only claim to fame. The film has been produced by Allu Aravind, who last produced the Hindi blockbuster Ghajini. It is directed by S.S. Rajamouli, who is considered to be the director with the Midas touch, having learnt the ropes under legendary director K. Raghvendra Rao. Kajal Aggarwal plays the female lead.

The film was released with 500 prints and in 1,250 screens across the world. In the overseas circuit, the film was picked up by Supreme Movies for a minimum guarantee (MG) of Rs2 crore and was released as far and wide as in the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and the Gulf countries with 25 prints and in about 45 screens.

The film cost Rs41 crore including print and advertising (P&A). This makes Magadheera one of the costliest and most widely released Telugu films. But to give credit where it is due, it was a classic case of a team working together to not leave any stone unturned and make a genuinely successful film without depending just on star power it had at its disposal.

The music of the film is by M.M. Keeravani and was designed to complement the film, traversing from the period setting to the modern one. While Daler Mehendi, interestingly, joins in for a fast-paced song Jorsey, there was also a bit of a sentimentality thrown in by remixing the song, Bangaru Kodipetta from Chiranjeevi’s earlier film, Gharana Mogudu, and added to the film. It was a widespread rumour that the short appearance made by Chiranjeevi during this song would be his last appearance on screen. We are sure that this piece of news would have added to the hype around the film.

To curb piracy, a whopping 500,000 units of audio cassettes were flooded into the market within hours of the music launch. Also, in one of the firsts, the MP3 version of the music was also simultaneously released to cater to the youth. The way the entire music release was handled, it definitely helped the film gain the initial hype.

Apparently, Gemini TV, the rival of Maa TV in Andhra Pradesh, offered a price in excess of Rs5 crore for the satellite broadcasting rights of the film to the producer. But it’s a complicated scenario because the film’s producer, Allu Aravind, is a director in Maa TV. Let us wait and watch how high the satellite prices will go and how the situation will be resolved.

UFO Movies, the satellite-based digital cinema network, converted 55 screens into digital screens in just 10 days to catch the deadline of the film’s release. To add to this, the film garnered a lot of MGs and got huge showcasing at the cinemas.

There was a case of INOX Cinema in Vijaywada playing the film in all shows and in all auditoriums in the first week and all shows were house full in the first three days. It was a case of sheer hysteria.

Behind closed doors, it is said that the calibre of a film’s success is measured by the price at which its tickets are sold in black at the cinemas. It’s almost unbelievable that in the times when films struggle to do full houses due to wide releases, the tickets for Magadheera were selling in the range of Rs600-800 per ticket during the weekend.

Can there be a bigger indicator of a more successful film in recent times to have released in India?

In its opening week, the film has done a distributor share of Rs20 crore in India, including the MGs received, and is expected to reach the share of almost Rs38-40 crore as the film continues to run on full houses everywhere. This will probably end up being the most successful Telugu film, beating the record of Pokhiri starring Mahesh Babu.

But what is truly exciting for a cinema connoisseur is the fact that here is a film which is on the verge of doing better business than any other recent Hindi film in sight.

In fact, Magadheera could well be on its way to becoming one of the most successful films of 2009. This is the power of regional cinema that we so often ignore.

Rakhi Sawant Chooses her Match on Rakhi Ka Swayamvar

rakhi sawant videos

Looks like Rakhi Sawant is finally getting hitched! The Bollywood item girl has been searching for a groom on the NDTV Imagine show Rakhi Ka Swayamvar. After five weeks of putting 16 men to the test, the actress chose Toronto based businessman, Elesh Parujanwala yesterday. Desis all over the world were glued to their TV screens to see who out of the three suitors Rakhi would pick. Event planner, Manas Katyal, businessman, Chhitiz Jain and Elesh Parujanwala stood anxiously as they each hoped that Rakhi would choose them to be her match.

Well, thirty-year-old, Elesh won the prize. The young Canadian was also an audience favorite, with a poll showing 78 per cent respondents rooting for him when asked which of three finalists they think should be Rakhi's groom. The audience cheered and showered the couple with flowers after Rakhi walked up to all three of the suitors decked in traditional Indian wedding attire, and put a garland around Elesh showing the world that he is now her fiancé. Rakhi and Elesh shared vows of commitment and exchanged rings.

The two did not get married yesterday as many hoped that they would as a grand finale to the show. Rakhi explained that they want to get to know each other away from the public eye. Seems like that's a good idea since the two have a lot of things to work on, one being communication. Elesh is not fluent in Hindi. Yesterday he told viewers that he looks forward to Rakhi being his Pathi (Hindi word for husband, he meant to say wife).

Rakhi not being so fluent in English creates another challenge for the couple. Hopefully things won't get lost in translation between the two.

Well we hope things work out and wish them the best! For those of you who were anticipating watching their wedding you still will be able to. Rakhi and Elesh promise that when they do get married it will be broadcast for everyone to see. Hopefully nothing happens in between to break them up. I guess we will have to wait for a wedding date! Check out the video below from the finale.

Salman Khan’s WANTED will beat Aamir Khan’s GHAJINI??

wanted salman khan

Salman Khan, the macho man of bollywood who plays lead in upcoming flick ‘Wanted-Dead and Alive’, is said to have done such a fabulous job that surpasses even Aamir Khan’s mega hit flick ‘Ghajini’.

The film which is being produced by Boney Kapoor and directed by Prabhu Deva (that dancing sensation from south) is due for release on the eve of Eid festival in September. Sources say that Boney Kapoor is so confident about the flick that he has been talking with distributors for giving more favorable response and terms than they had given to perfectionist genius Aamir Khan’s ‘Ghajini’.

The buzz is that Salman Khan, who plays a hit man in the film, will be seen in a negative role. He essays a character in ‘Wanted Dead and Alive’, which is more like a killer than a conventional bollywood hero. Ayesha Takia plays the female lead in the flick.

The insiders reveal that Salman Khan’s six-pack abs look fabulous in the flick and he has performed breathtaking action sequences in the course of essaying his character. A negative streak will be seen in his character for the first time in his bollywood career.

Boney Kapoor is also elated with the fact that the dance numbers by Salman Khan and Ayesha Takia look enchanting in the film. Their on- screen chemistry is electrifying and Prabhu Deva has canned all this in a very convincing manner.

In any case, ‘Wanted Dead and Alive’ is the remake of super hit Tamil flick ‘Pokhiri’, which further makes Boney Kapoor confident of turning the flick into a mega- hit project.

It may be recalled that even Aamir Khan’s ‘Ghajini’ was remake of a Tamil super hit flick of the same name directed by Murugadoss. And perhaps this is one of the reasons; Boney Kapoor wants his flick to generate more business than Aamir’s flick did at the box office.

Salman Khan has given such a fabulous performance in ‘Wanted Dead and Alive’ that Boney Kapoor has already decided to cast him in the sequel of ‘No Entry’. He plans to announce the sequel on the day of release of ‘Wanted Dead and Alive’ in September with Salman Khan-Anil Kapoor playing the lead in it.

´Love Aaj Kal´ : Brazilian Beauty Giselle Mon­teiro Becomes Harleen

love aaj kal giselle monteiro

Rishi Kapoor, who plays Harleen’s husband, Veer Pratap Singh, in 'Love Aaj Kal', met Giselle Monteiro, the actress who has played Harleen in the film, for the first time on 30th July 2009, a day before the film’s release.

That’s be­cause Rishi and Giselle did not have a single scene together in the film. If you haven’t seen 'Love Aaj Kal', this would sound confusing but it is actually very simple. Rishi Kapoor romances Harleen when he is a young man, but the role of young Rishi Kapoor is enacted by Saif Ali Khan in the film.Therefore, all the romantic scenes are between Saif and Giselle and there are none between Rishi and her. There is just one scene involving Rishi Kapoor and his wife but in that scene, Harleen is not played by Giselle.

Rishi Kapoor and young Harleen (Giselle Mon­teiro) were introduced to each other in real life on 30th July in Delhi where they both were attending the film’s premiere show alongwith the other cast and crew members.

Kaminey gets A certificate while Ghajini escaped

kaminey

Kaminey has been given 'A' certificate by the Censor Board, and Vishal Bhardwaj is understandably unhappy. Though the film is less than a fortnight away, Censors have advised Vishal that if he wants a U/A certificate for the film, he would have to cut a few scenes and make certain changes.

Says a source close to Vishal, "He is really upset about the trouble that he has got into because of the attitude of Censor board folks. They have been arguing that the film is violent par film mein violence toh hai hi nahi. There aren't any gory scenes or the kind that would make you look the other way. It's all 'implied violence' where you get a feel that something wrong has happened or would happen. But then nothing untoward actually happens onscreen."

Next few days are extremely important for the film since post Love Aaj Kal euphoria (which incidentally stars Shahid Kapoor's ex-girlfriend Kareena Kapoor's current boyfriend Saif Ali Khan), Kaminey is the next BIG film of the season. No wonder, the makers of Kaminey and the film's cast and crew have to work extra hard and go the whole hog to make it as the only film visible to audiences once it hits the screens on 14th August.

"Yes, this is an important movie for everyone, whether it is Shahid, Priyanka Chopra or Vishal. It's a unique competition and there is so much of widespread curiosity around the film. The last thing that each of them would want is worry about whether the film would be allowed for youngsters or not. Shahid especially is so popular amongst the younger generation and it would be a huge loss for him as well as his fans if the film gets an adults certificate," the source adds.

So what's the team of Kaminey planning to do now?

"We should get to know about it in a couple of days or so," he says, "Right now they are just assessing the situation. However, one thing one fails to understand is the entire double standard game. On one side a hardcore action movie like Ghajini, which has so much visible violence, is allowed for all age groups. On the other hand Kaminey, which is much lighter when it comes to violence, is meted such treatment. It's unfair. The film in fact doesn't even have expletives as was in the case of Vishal's last release Omkara."

Magadheera grosses Rs 20 cr in first week

magadheera reviews

Amidst the allegation and arguments, Telugu movie Magadheera continues to rock the Box Office. According to the Telugu film industry sources, Ram Charan Teja-Kajal Agarwal starrer movie is all set to break the Box Office records. Magadheera has reportedly opened to fabulous first week collections.

"The film Magadheera has already grossed Rs 20 crores in the first week of its release with approximate region-wise break-up being Nizam (Rs 7 crore), Rayalaseema (Rs 5 crore) and Andhra (Rs 8 crore) and is being screened in 1000-odd theatres all over the state," greatandhra.com reports.

However, actor Ram Charan Teja, director SS Rajamouli and producer Allu Arvind are all very happy at the success of the movie. They attributed the success of the movie to all the technician, actors and other unit members. They said that team effort is behind the success of the movie.

Telugu movie Pokiri has been the highest earner in the industry with its collection of Rs 40 crores. Producer Allu Arvind believes that Magadheera will break the records of Pokiri and set up its own new records.

Rakhi Chooses Canadian Businessman in Reality Show

rakhi

MUMBAI (PTI) — Bollywood star Rakhi Sawant may have chosen NRI businessman Elesh Parujanwala as her life partner Aug. 2 but the Toronto native said that he will only marry the controversial “item girl” when he is able to support her financially.

Describing the win as God’s destiny, he said that he had the intuition that he would be the chosen one.

“I had seen this image before that I am going to marry Rakhi. I just knew it. I was 99 per cent sure, but that one per cent depended on Rakhi. It was Rakhi’s decision ultimately,” he said.

“I didn’t marry Rakhi yesterday on the spot not because I am unsure about her. I am doubly sure about Rakhi, and I am committed to her. But at this stage I cannot support her financially. I need some time to establish my business,” he said.

Parujanwala, who beat the two other finalists from Delhi, Chittiz Jain and Manas Katyal, said that he is least bothered about his fiancee’s “item-girl” image.

“I like everything about Rakhi. I am not bothered about her so-called item-girl image,”

he said, adding that he would like his wife to continue her career post marriage.

So when will the couple tie the knot? “There is no fixed calendar for our marriage. It can

take five days, five months, or even a year,” Elesh said and added that they both need time to get to know each other.

The shock and awe strategy of “Rakhi Ka Swayamvar” ally seems to have paid off for NDTV Imagine, as the show earned the channel its highest viewership since its launch in January 2008 and a TRP of 6.3.

The show, which aired its first episode June 29 with a TRP of 3.5, made headlines with its out-of-the-box concept. “We had high hopes from the show, but it has outdone

our expectations,” Nikhil Madhok, vice president for marketing, NDTV Imagine, told PTI.

Giselle 'Harleen' Monteiro wants Aamir

giselle monteiro

The Harleen Kaur of ‘Love Aaj Kal’ wants to work with Aamir Khan

Watching Love Aaj Kal on its opening day, many were left scratching their heads in disbelief when the name of Giselle Monteiro appeared in the end credits of the movie. “How could a firang babe play a shy and quiet Punjabi kudi with such finesse? No, there must have been some technical glitch,” many must have thought. But no, technical glitch there was none. It was Giselle the Brazilian model, who shocked the movie buffs with her true blue Punjabi looks that belong more to Bhatinda than Brazil.

Now, having entered the Hindi film industry with a storm, the mystery girl of ‘Love Aaj Kal’ is learnt to be thinking of giving Bollywood a serious shot.

And guess who’s on her wish-list?

Aamir Khan!

“I am a fan of Aamir Khan. I have watched a couple of his films and I want to work with him. I know he is a great actor in India,” Giselle is quoted as saying by NDTV.

About the other Khan - Saif Ali Khan, that is - Giselle is full of praises about how he helped her prepare for her role. In fact, Giselle had to watch a good number of old Indian movies to understand her character of a reserved Punjabi girl Harleen in the film.

Today, Giselle is eager to learn Hindi and work more in Bollywood.

Learn fast, gal! We can’t wait to see more of you.

Kaminey at ‘Love Aaj Kal’

love aaj kal

Well, don’t go by the literal meaning of the title. We meant to say that the lead cast of the movie ‘Kaminey’ had gone to watch ‘Love Aaj Kal’. Priyanka Chopra and Shahid Kapoor seem to get along with each other these days after working in ‘Kaminey’. So much that they decided to spend quality time by watching a movie together.

According to sources, the two were found recently at a screening of ‘Love Aaj Kal’ and thoroughly enjoying; but not sure whether it was the movie or each other’s company. For, sources say that both the actors were having good time laughing throughout the movie and seen sitting hand-in-hand. It is said that Shahid wanted to watch the Imtiaz movie, as it was with him that the actor gave the hit ‘Jab We Met’. It may also be that the actor wanted to see Saif’s first production.

Recently Priyanka had agreed to do a lip-lock scene with Shahid in ‘Kaminey’, after her initial disagreement to do it.

As of now, this incident further has spiced-up their relationship. Will they be the next hot couple in the town? Let’s wait and see.

Rakhi Ka Swayamvar ends with Rakhi Sawant choosing Elesh to be her husband

Rakhi Sawant

Bollywood "item girl" Rakhi Sawant wound up her Rakhi Ka Sawant reality TV show in India by choosing Elesh Paranjuwala of Canada to be her "life partner." Sunday night.

Sawant did not immediately marry Paranjuwala as was the custom when a swayamvar concluded in ancient India.

"Today is our engagement," Rakhi told the large TV audience watching. "I am ready to get married now, but we need to understand each other better off camera. We will soon get married in front of all of you in keeping with all our traditions."

Rakhi confirmed what everyone watching already suspected, Elesh was her favorite from the beginning of the show, which ran for 26 episodes. The contest began with 16 bachelors vying for Rakhi's hand in marriage and ended with Rakhi placing a garland over the head of Elesh to signify her choice.

The other two finalists were Manas Katyal and Chhitiz Jain, both from New Delhi.

I'm bound for Colombia and I urge everyone to watch this space for reports from there all week.

Shweta Tiwari quits Iss Jungle

shweta tiwari

Shweta Tiwari, the drama queen has finally decided to call it quits. The sexy bahu has decided to walk out of the jungle to get back to her cosy life in Mumbai and to be beside her daughter Palak. Shweta claims her exit was due to unhygienic living conditions, which lead to skin infections. She also quotes about their stay in jungle as scary and dangerous (they saw a live huge green snake the other day). Even the other jungle inmates have decided to pit against each other, since the quantity of food received on a daily basis is quite meager.

The drama queen doesn't forget to mention the jungle bad boy, Akashdeep Saigal’s behavioural swings as well. She quoted her displeasure towards Akash's uncouth behaviour towards Fiza. "Tum padhe likhe ho, acche ghar ke ho. Tumhare bhi ghar pe mummy, ya behen, bhabhi hogi... tumhe kaisa lagega jab koi aise baat karega unse. Mein yeh sab appreciate nahi karti".

She also pointed out what the other celebs felt about the work. "If you don't work, people complain of you being lazy and not helping. And if you work, then they gossip that all the work is done, to gain publicity out of it." About her experience in the show she said "Mein yaha pe jungle experience ke liye aayi thi, woh mene kar liya hai... ab mujhe Iss Jungle se bachao."

Kamal Hassan competes 50 yrs, Shruti enters cinema

shruti hassan

Mumbai: Kamal Hassan completes his fifty years with cinema, coinciding with his daughter Shruti Hassan's debut with Luck.

Kamal Hassan has completed fifty years of his association with the motion pictures in India, and still go get going.

This actor with his unique acting skills and method of acting schedule is awesome in his performances.

Kamal Hassan is one actor who has established new frontiers in the world of Indian cinema and it does not have any challengers. He is an actor in the real sense of terms who persist never bothered about the image but interested more in conveying the characters that he plays. His movie DASHAVATARAM is a proof of it.

Kamal Hassan also is one actor who has been single-handedly going into the realm of the glorious past of our history and interpreting history in the modern conceptuality.

He is into the world of acting when he was a child of six years of age and is bestowed with the unique distinction of being an actor whose works continue to represent India at the annual Academy Awards competition under the best foreign film category.

Kamal Hassan gained popularity with the world of Hindi cinema with his epic performance in K Balachander's EK DUJE KE LIYE and underlined the importance about the fact that love does not have a language for its expression it can be conveyed through eyes. SADMA was also a milestone.

His acting acumen that he could make a success out of a silent film was PUSHPAK.

Contestants of “Is Jungle se Mujhe Bachao” gone crazy about Nigar Khan

nigar khan

Mumbai: Almost all the contestants of the reality show on Sony TV “Is Jungle se Mujhe Bachao” have escaped from it.

Now-a-days, the Norwegian sizzler model Nigar Khan is featured in the reality show. It seems that Nigar has the jungle fever of Malaysia and she is enjoying the show in jungles.

Nigar Khan boomed in the Indian film industry by her music album “Chadati Jawani Meri Chal Mastani”. She again made her entry by this reality show in India. Her entry in the show made all other contestant crazy. It has been observed that Nigar Khan has filled zeal in the lonely lives of Mark Robinson, Akashdeep Sehgal, Aman Verma and Chetanya Hansraj.

All the four contestants are enjoying show with Nigar Khan. Akashdeep has offered woman body treatment to Nigar Khan. Aman Verma has been seen taking interview of the model and said that Nigar Khan is very beautiful. He loves her style.

Chetanya and Mark have different story, they just stare her in the show. Nigar has given a lot of bold scenes in the show and take bath in two piece bikini.

Multiplexes stumble in Q1 earnings

inox cinemas

Mumbai, Aug. 2 The two-month standoff between Bollywood producers and film exhibitors in April and May has taken its toll on the first quarter earnings of multiplex operators this fiscal.

Inox posted a loss of Rs 4.01 crore (Rs 3.68-crore profit) for the period ending June 30. Revenue from theatrical exhibition and entertainment fell 33 per cent to Rs 34.4 crore (Rs 51.7 crore).

Fame also registered a loss of Rs 9.53 crore with revenues down to Rs 15.76 crore (Rs 23.61 crore).

Similarly, Cinemax reported a loss of Rs 4.58 crore (Rs 3-crore profit) for the June quarter. Income was down 21 per cent to Rs 24.09 crore (Rs 30.59 crore).

“The first quarter was the worst in the last 10-15 years and a big blip on our balance sheet. However, it is an extraordinary event and every industry goes through its ups and downs,” said Mr Nitin Sood, Chief Financial Officer, PVR Cinemas.

“During the deadlock, there was a complete blackout with no promotions and marketing activities for films,” added Mr Anil Arjun, CEO, Adlabs. Movie releases were stalled for two months as a result.
Slowdown effect

The biggest overheads for operators are rentals, electricity, staff salaries and marketing.

Around 25 per cent of revenues come from food and beverage sales while the balance is from ticket sales.

“However, due to the slowdown in consumer spends and a weak movie pipeline, average ticket prices (were) also reduced by 12-20 per cent, which hit revenues by 20-40 per cent,” said an analyst with a city-based broking firm.
Expect turnaround

However, Mr Deepak Asher, President, Multiplex Association of India and Director, Inox Leisure, said he had anticipated the slowdown this quarter.

“With the elections and Indian Premier League, I do not know how many films would have actually been released during the faceoff,” he added.

Going ahead, multiplex operators expect a turnaround in earnings this year as movie releases line up after a lull in April-June.

“In July itself, the industry has seen a 100 per cent jump in the average monthly box office earnings during the last six months.

The line-up of movies for the rest of the year is strong and we expect the July momentum to sustain through the year,” said Mr Arjun.

During the last month, with movies such as New York, Kambhakt Ishq, Love Aaj Kal and Luck hitting the screens there has been a turnaround in occupancy levels. This has also been a heady time for Hollywood releases like Terminator Salvation, The Hangover, Bolt and Ice Age 3 - Dawn of Dinosaurs have been getting 60-70 per cent occupancy,

Operators are equally upbeat about the coming days with movies like Kaminey, Whats your Rashee, Kites, Blue, London Dreams, Qurbaan and 3 Idiots among others due to hit the screens.

Movie Review :love Aaj Kal

love aaj kal

It was a mad packed day yesterday @ Shaw Jade Bras Basah. A whole lot of group fight for Love Aaj Kal movie tickets at about 4.20pm, and the movie was scheduled for 5.35pm.

First things first- SHAW JADE !! Do something about your employee. Now that you got your act together on the renovations-please do some employment training for your staff. Why have 4 efficient co workers stationed at the fnb outlet when your manpower should be behind the ticket counter. That's beside the point- I'M HERE FOR LOVE AAJ KAL. To fall in love, for the sake of the word LOVE. Imitiaz Ali has put an upfront mark on his style of film-The use of simple, short and crisp dialogues with complete focus on the characters,and he makes you think and rejoice during intervals. It's a smart and witty film-which shuttles between the two time zones, ‘aaj’ and `kal’. I have to say, i was watching "He's not that into you", and Love Aaj Kal seems like a sequel to the movie, desi style.

Audiences were laughing at all the cliche moments, but i was more glued to the film,acting,emotions and body language. Because i'm looking at two things at one time-the subtitle and the film. Cliche or not- Deepika is surely rising, While casting for the film, Imtiaz Ali was apparently convinced that only Deepika could play Meera, and he was so right! Saif still need flexibility on his dance moves but lucky for his double role as a sadar, that upstage deepika's performance. AND what's with the "punjabi kudi" being a Brazilian model and not a punjabi girl ? She looks lost, awkward and i just wanna get up and dance FOR HER, because it was painful to watch her dance.

Overall, this love story is not perfect neither it's another been there done that love story. It's so casual and crisp- you might wanna sip black coffee watching the film. We're giving it 4 1/2 samosas.

Magadheera - Review

magadheera reviews

Bringing out love stories or subjects with action backdrop to attract mass audiences is not new to the Telugu film industry. However, director SS Rajamouli has chosen a fantastic love story for his movie Magadheera and linked it to a love story that dated back to some 400 years. He has filled complete energy in the film and no doubt, the graphic works and modern technology are perfectly used for the movie. As a whole, the film reminds the audiences of watching a Hollywood movie with perfect local flavour.

Harsha (Ram Charan Teja) is a guy with craze for motorcycles. He earns money by participating in bike races. He happens to meet Indu (Kajal Agarwal) and falls in love her. She also realises that Harsha is truly loving her. Indu’s father (Surya) is fighting a legal battle for his ancestral property in Udayagiri in Rajasthan with his brother-in-law, whose son Ranadhir (Dev Gill) is also infatuated by her. He promises to return the entire property with a view to marry her. What happens between Harsha and Ranadhir and who will win the heart of Indhu will form the rest of the story.

PLUS: It is Ram Charan Teja is responsible for the success of the entire film Magadheera. He has given an impeccable performance all through the film. Especially in the flashback episode, he has excelled in exhibiting the body language, facial expressions and maturity.

Another highlight of the film Magadheera is the perfect screenplay by director SS Rajamouli. His taking display of shrewd mind in elevating the scenes and directorial ability once again reminds the audiences of watching a film at Hollywood range. He has made use of the graphics and high technical values perfectly to suit his subject.

Manisharma and Kalyani Malik have done their best in the background score. Three songs are foot-tapping and fantastically choreographed. The others are not so catchy, but in the visuals, they too mesmerise the audiences. The biggest highlight of the film is the remix song ‘Bangaru Kodipetta…’.

Kajal Agarwal has also showed matured performance especially in the flashback episode as a princess. She proved that she is not just after glamour, but she could also perform well. Other artistes including Dev Gill, Saratbabu, Rao Ramesh gave their best. Srihari, though appeared in a couple of scenes, proved his identity in the film. Especially, he excelled as Sherkhan.

MINUS: In the entire film, which runs with love and action elements, Rajamouli turned a blind eye towards the comedy department. The comedy track between Brahmanandam and Hema fails to evoke laughter. Sunil too could not tickle the funny bone of the audiences properly. The director has abruptly closed these characters without prolonging any more. Though Saloni appears in the beginning of a song, it is not known why she was kept in the film, as she did not take part in the song at all. Even the item number by Kim Sharma too is not very impressive.

REMARKS: If the director had a perfect script and gripping screenplay to mould the subject on the celluloid, nothing can stop the film from becoming a hit. Cinematographer Senthil Kumar need to be commended to bring out the film as a celluloid wonder as he has perfectly shot the film with ‘Blue Mat’ and mixing it with the graphic background. Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao’s editing, Ravinder’s art work and Rama Rajamouli's costumes design should be commended for the perfection.

Producer: Allu Aravind

Director: SS Rajamouli

Cast: Ram Charan Teja, Kajal Agarwal, Srihari, Dev Gill, Saratbabu, Rao Ramesh, Brahmanandam, Sunil, Surya, Sameer, Hema, Mumait Khan, Kim Sarma, Saloni and others

Credits: Story – Vijayendra Prasad, Dialogues – M Ratnam, camera is by KK Senthil Kumar, Cinematography – Senthil Kumar, Editing – Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao, Styling – Rama Rajamouli, Art – Ravinder, Presents – Allu Ramalingaiah, Action – Peter Haynes and Ram-Lakshman, Screenplay and direction – SS Rajamouli.

Banner: Geetha Arts

Released on: July 31, 2009

FIR not to effect Rakhi's swyamvar

Rakhi Ka Swayamvar

Bosses at NDTV Imagine made it clear that FIR filed against the show Rakhi Ka Swayamvar won't affect the telecasting of the marriage oops! engagement. An FIR was filed against Rakhi Sawant and five others violation of Copyright Act. Gaurav Tiwari the owner of the portal swayamvar.com had lodged a complaint accusing the channel of forgery claiming he holds the copyright of the word Swayamvar since 2008.

Samir Nair, CEO of NDTV Imagine that the case has no merit and was dismissed by a lower court upon which Gaurav Tiwari had filed a criminal case against them. He said it was absurd to think that someone would own copyright over such words. He said that channel would stand by all the people against whom the complaint was filed and there were no issues with the telecast of the show.

Akashdeep chooses Marc over Negar

negar khan

Akashdeep Saigal has emerged as winner in the task where they all had to peal maximum potatoes in Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao. This group treasure trunk task won him jannat. Jannat or lap of luxury is an advantage that a celebrity wins for himself if he performs a task well and emerges a winner. The winner gets chance to spend luxury night in the lavish tree house with a comfortable bed and fan. Also, the winner can take one companion along with him for the night.

“On this Akashdeep decided to take good friend Marc Robinson along with him for the night of luxury,” chirps the little birdie from the jungle. It was speculated that Akashdeep had a soft corner for Negar Khan. “There were so many incidents taking place in the show that the actor decided to call every girl his sister and made his point clear,” adds the source.

Well Akash seems to be too smart with all his tactics. Let’s see whether he is able to become the king of the jungle or not. But the million dollar question remains, if he is the king then who will be his queen.

Love Aaj Kal Review

Love Aaj Kal Review

Come to think of it, if the film carries the 'burden' of humungous expectations, it's imperative that it goes beyond those expectations. The reaction after watching the film has to be similar to a child who has laid his hands on his fav toy. The joyous smile would say it all. The question is, does Love Aaj Kal live up to the hype and hoopla surrounding it? Or does it go beyond that?

Love Aaj Kal is not an easy film to write and execute. Sure, it's a love story, but it's not one of those mundane love stories that talks of love and heartache. Here, the two stories, set in different eras, run parallel, but have a similar end.

To be brutally honest, it takes time to grasp the plot, since the past and present run concurrently. If you aren't attentive, chances are you'd lose the plot. Also, if you aren't aware by now that Saif enacts dual roles in the film -- playing his part as also the part of young Rishi Kapoor -- the goings-on would confuse you no end, when the transition occurs.

Love Aaj Kal is a director's show entirely. The relationships here are complex because the couple in love lives in complete denial. It is to Imtiaz Ali's credit that he has penned an offbeat story, developed a complex but comprehensive screenplay and extracted sensitive performances from the principal cast. At the same time, the writing isn't the type that would appeal to all sections of movie-going audience. Besides, the execution of the subject and also the pacing in the first hour are deterrents.

Final word? Love Aaj Kal makes you fall in love with love all over again. Makes you value your loved ones all the more. This film is special!

Love Aaj
London, San Francisco, Delhi - 2009.
Jai [Saif Ali Khan] and Meera [Deepika Padukone] is a modern-day couple in London. They are very happy together, but do not believe in tying each other down. So when life pulls them in different directions, they decide to call off their relationship, since long-distance relationships, in their opinion, don't work.

Love Kal
Delhi, Calcutta - 1965.
Veer Singh [Rishi Kapoor] is struck by a thunderbolt when he sees Harleen for the first time. He travels a thousand kilometers by train to stand under her balcony, only to have a glimpse of her face. And yet not speak a word with her.

Love Aaj Kal
Veer does not understand how Jai can treat matters of the heart without passion. Jai does not understand how Veer Singh could have been so naive and silly about Harleen in his youth. But as both stories unfold, we realize that the process of relationship might be different in different eras, but the experience of being in love remains the same.

Love Aaj Kal travels multiple continents and different eras. The subject matter is novel, never attempted before, but the material, the characters [Saif and Deepika especially] as also its execution is targeted at the youth in big cities mainly. As they say in filmi lingo, this one's a hardcore multiplex movie.

Another area where Imtiaz Ali experiments is by depicting Saif as the young Rishi Kapoor. It's a novel concept, no two opinions on that, but the question is, will it cut ice universally? Will people tend to get confused when the sequences turn sepia?

The film captivates in bits and spurts in the initial portions. Partly because the writing is so different. But the writing breaks new grounds in the second hour. It's in this hour that the film grips you completely, when the fragmented pieces are put together and a mesmeric picture emerges.

The second hour is the soul of the film. Right from the time Deepika decides to marry, till the last reunion, the film touches an emotional high. The sequence of events that lead to the culmination is incredible. Saif's interaction with Deepika at the marriage, or the gradual change in Saif's behaviour in the U.S. in the course of a song, or the realisation that marriage was a big mistake... moments like these take Love Aaj Kal to dizzy heights.

Imtiaz Ali is a genius. The film bears the stamp of an accomplished storyteller. This is a forward-thinking film that handles the new-age relationships with complete understanding. The songs compliment the goings-on beautifully. This is amongst Pritam's accomplished works. 'Twist' [already a rage], 'Aahun Aahun' [foot-taping], 'Chor Bazaari' [melodious] and 'Dooriyaan' [melancholic], each song is a gem. N. Natarajan Subramaniam's cinematography is fantastic. Editing [Aarti Bajaj] is wonderful.

Both Saif and Deepika come up with their career-best performances in Love Aaj Kal. Saif carries the most difficult parts with remarkable ease. Sure, we've seen him as the cool, urban guy in several films, but this one's the most demanding role and only a seasoned actor could've delivered it with such precision.

Deepika looks ethereal. Most importantly, in Love Aaj Kal, she acts very, very well. Matching up to Saif is no mean achievement and she does it in several scenes. This should be the turning point in her career. Rishi Kapoor is top notch. The actress enacting the role of Harleen is pretty. Rahul Khanna does well in a small, but significant role. Watching Neetu Kapoor in the end sequence is truly astonishing. She's so graceful.

On the whole, Love Aaj Kal is for the young and romantic at heart. Sure, it's not perfect, but the terrific performances, melodious music and stirring emotional moments [last 35 odd minutes] more than compensate for the hiccups. At the box-office, the film should start with a bang for four factors -- its novel cast, super music, great promotion and yes, Imtiaz Ali, a name that commands respect amongst moviegoers. Released extensively [approx. 1800 screens worldwide], Love Aaj Kal will have one of the biggest first weeks in India and also in the international markets. In India, the business will be superb across multiplexes, while single screens might not behave as energetically. But the business at multiplexes will ensure a fantastic recovery of the investment. Internationally, it has the potential to emerge one of the biggest grossers in recent times.