Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster is the surprise package this week

This film certainly exceeds your expectations. The heroes of this film are definitely the tight script and the excellent direction that make the film an interesting watch. The characters play their roles well as the narration catches a quick pace.

The incidents take place in a small village where the descendants of the royal family still hold a sway over people and the minister is still a puppet in the hands of the village strongmen. The film is about a gangster, Randeep Hooda, who lands up in a village as a replacement driver for his uncle, who is the driver of Mahie Gill — the semi-schizophrenic wife of Raja, the heir of the royal family who is more preoccupied with his mistress than his wife.

As she gets increasingly lonely in the palace (that is slowly turning into a haunted house), she finds a sexual partner in her driver whom she uses to her advantage to snuff out the mistress and turn the tides in her favour.

There is an amazing chemistry between the two lead actors of the film — Mahie and Randeep. Though in some scenes she is conscious of the camera moving around her, in others she is completely oblivious of them. The smooching scenes with Randeep are particularly sizzling and there are generous doses of it. Randeep shows that he can deliver if he gets the right script but somehow Mahie steals the show with her inhibited acting.

She portrays her sexuality with ease and the dark shades of her character seem to be sitting well on her shoulders. Jimmy Shergill does a good job as this one also reminds us of his earlier Tanu Weds Manu, he somehow exudes the same body language that he showed in that film. As the Raja who is still clinging on his last straws of his royalty and is ruthless in his demeanour.

The dialogues of this film are another plus. Go and watch it because this one seems to be the best of the lot.This film certainly exceeds your expectations. The heroes of this film are definitely the tight script and the excellent direction that make the film an interesting watch. The characters play their roles well as the narration catches a quick pace.

The incidents take place in a small village where the descendants of the royal family still hold a sway over people and the minister is still a puppet in the hands of the village strongmen. The film is about a gangster, Randeep Hooda, who lands up in a village as a replacement driver for his uncle, who is the driver of Mahie Gill — the semi-schizophrenic wife of Raja, the heir of the royal family who is more preoccupied with his mistress than his wife.

As she gets increasingly lonely in the palace (that is slowly turning into a haunted house), she finds a sexual partner in her driver whom she uses to her advantage to snuff out the mistress and turn the tides in her favour.

There is an amazing chemistry between the two lead actors of the film — Mahie and Randeep. Though in some scenes she is conscious of the camera moving around her, in others she is completely oblivious of them. The smooching scenes with Randeep are particularly sizzling and there are generous doses of it.

Randeep shows that he can deliver if he gets the right script but somehow Mahie steals the show with her inhibited acting. She portrays her sexuality with ease and the dark shades of her character seem to be sitting well on her shoulders.

Jimmy Shergill does a good job as this one also reminds us of his earlier Tanu Weds Manu, he somehow exudes the same body language that he showed in that film. As the Raja who is still clinging on his last straws of his royalty and is ruthless in his demeanour. The dialogues of this film are another plus. Go and watch it because this one seems to be the best of the lot.

Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi and Sharmila Tagore- a love story ends

New Delhi, September 22: Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi’s death Thursday brought to an end an enduring romance. When Sharmila Tagore tied the knot with the erstwhile royal 42 years ago, it was not only a marriage of cricket and cinema, but also one that broke many stereotypes.
He was a Nawab from a well-known Muslim family and she was a Hindu who belonged to the illustrious Tagore family. As she was to admit many times in later years, Pataudi, popularly known as Tiger, proved to be an exceptionally liberal companion.
Be it her wearing a bikini in “An Evening In Paris” in 1967, when they were courting, or taking up glamorous roles after marriage in 1969 and later motherhood – he always stood by her, always the ideal partner.
She once said in an interview, “I haven’t given up anything (after marrying Tiger). He is very liberal in his views. I’ve gained a lot of experience and gained another culture, cuisine, and way of dressing. I’ve benefited a lot.”
Their marriage was not expected to last – she converted, becoming Ayesha Sultana – but they proved naysayers wrong.
She once told a reporter, “If Tiger and I make attempts to promote harmony, I do not know how far we will succeed. People will say that I am not a Muslim and that Tiger is a Hindu fanatic.”
The couple had three children – Saif, Saba and Soha – but Tiger never stopped her from carrying on in showbiz. In fact, she gave most of her hits after marriage and motherhood.
Many years down the line, when he was arrested for poaching, the actress stood by her husband like a rock.
Death may have snatched away the man from the woman, but like an advertisement they did together, in popular imagination – Pataudi and Sharmila will live on together.

Bollywood-Hollywood love affair must grow: Russell Peters

New Delhi, Sep 24 (IANS) Here’s one man who is not in love with Hindi films and its jhatkas. But Canadian Russell Peters, who is of Anglo-Indian origin and has been an international standup comedian for 23 years, says the confluence of Bollywood and Hollywood must grow.

Ontario-native Peters, who has worked in Akshay Kumar’s Indo-Canadian venture ‘Breakaway’, was here in India to promote ‘Speedy Singhs’, the Hindi version of the movie, when IANS caught up with him.

‘Collaborations between India and the West are going to be fruitful. The love affair of Bollywood and Hollywood ought to grow and I think ‘Speedy Singhs’ is a good move from both the sides.

‘We are in a time now where we do not have boundaries or any walls separating the two industries. Thanks to the internet, everybody can see everything. The reach has become global for every artist. It’s just a matter of time before people decide and consolidate the two. Also, there is no reason why Indians in India and Indians abroad, the NRIs, can’t do something together,’ he said.

The 40-year-old, who was born in Canada to Anglo-Indian parents, feels it is advisable for NRIs to come and get a taste of modern India, which has gone through several changes over the years.

‘It’s a good opportunity for Indians who are born and raised abroad to come back and get a reality check of what India is like now. And India today is not the same India that it was 10-15 years ago. It’s way miles ahead of what we think it is. I also feel people here are way more smarter than people in the West. They are way more in tune with the rest of the world,’ he added.

Peters has been entertaining global audiences through his stand-up acts. He is now looking forward to receiving a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame. It will be inducted Oct 1 in Toronto.

‘I have earned my place and now I am getting my due recognition with being honoured by the star at Walk of Fame in Canada when I go back home. To be honoured with something like this and to be recognized, not as Indo-Canadian but as a Canadian, is a pretty big deal,’ he said, flashing a big smile.

Peters, who is known for his observational comedy about communities and culture around the world, says he finds Bollywood ‘useless’, but admits he is in love with the country’s entertainment capital, Mumbai.

‘I don’t follow, nor do I want to follow, Bollywood. I’ve no time for Bollywood. I don’t care about Bollywood at all and I don’t even want to do any film. I don’t like the Bollywood jhatkas and matkas that they call it – the singing and dancing and also the dramatic crying,’ he said without hesitation.

Raise an eyebrow at that, and he retorts: ‘It’s my opinion! Obviously there are billions who like and love them, but I have never seen a Bollywood film in my life. I have refused doing it earlier and will do so in future.’

‘But I love India. I have been here a couple of times. India is one place in the world that I see as very comfortable, and honestly Mumbai is the one city that I see I could fit in, I could live in. I love Mumbai,’ he said.

Peters kickstarted his career in acting with ‘Show Me The Funny’ in 1997 and has since starred in films like ‘Lord Have Mercy’ and ‘Comedy Now’ among others.

‘Breakaway’ is the first film where he has worked in an Indian production with an Indian star-cast, featuring Anupam Kher, Vinay Virmani, Hollywood actress Camilla Belle and Gurpreet Ghuggi.

‘Speedy Singh’ – A cliche-loaded NRI tale

A star is almost born. Debutant Vinay Virmani has a natural charm and an easygoing bonhomie to his personality that goes a long way in furnishing speed to ‘Speedy Singh’. Regrettably there are too many potholes and roadblocks in the narration leading to a kind of plot that doffs its heart at all the films on the spirit of sportsmanship and the parental opposition that it faces.

Though this is a story applicable to numerous second and third-generation NRIs in Britain, US and Canada the story is littered with cliches and stereotyped characters ….You know the loud boisterous Punjabi joint-family whose joints are so creaky you can hear the Bhangra beats groaning out all the way from Bollywood to Birmingham. Young Virmani tries to bring in a certain subtlety and lightness to his cliche-burdened role. But the film doesn’t really hold together.

Bend It Like Anupam? Remember Anupam as the Sardar-father of the girl who would sneak off to play football when he wasn’t looking in Gurinder Chadha’s ‘Bend It Like Beckham’? What’s the difference between the Sardar Anupam played in that film. And the one he plays in ‘Speedy Singh’?

Go, figure. And while you’re at it do find out what Akshay Kumar is doing being associated with a film that seems like a not-so-distant of Akshay’s Patiala House. In that film Akshay’s father disapproved of sonny-boy playing cricket in England. In ‘Speedy Singh’ (no, that’s not a grammatical aberration) debutant Vinay Virmani’s father (Anupam Kher) frowns at his son’s ice-hockey ambitions.

The ice-hockey tournaments are filmed with more warmth and affection than the relationship between young Virmani and his pretty girlfriend (Camilla Belle). The two behave more like squabbling siblings than lovers through most of the film. Then you can’t blame them. They’re catering to a vegetarian Punjabi NRI audience.

‘Speedy Singh’ is strictly meant to be Babloo’s Day Out with his entire joint family. The Punjabi household is swamped with stereotypical colours flavours rhythms and characters. The clamour of Singhs gets unbearably deafening as the plot creaks forward in an all-too-familiar language. And we aren’t about the angrezi splattered with Punjabi.

Vinay Virmani’s screenplay (yes, the boy has written the film) brings into play every cliche, including, the match at the grand finale where the boy’s father finally realizes his son’s worth.

Ho-hum. Watch it for the debutant hero. As for the rest of the cast, stand-up comedian Russell Peters has been quoted as opining that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan can’t act.

Has he looked at himself in this film?

Need for incorporating fusion music in hill folk culture: Sangeeta

Dehradun, September 16

To divert the younger generation of Uttarakhand, which is fast drifting towards pop, Bollywood and Western music, to regional folk music, the need of the hour is to incorporate fusion music in the traditionally rich folk culture of the hills.
This was suggested by renowned Uttarakhandi folk singer Sangeeta Dhaundiyal who said youngsters should develop interest in folk music which is in dire straits in the state owing to people drifting away from their culture as well as the mass migration of people in the hilly regions.
Talking exclusively to The Tribune, while on a commercial assignment in Haridwar, Sangeeta, who has to her credit 1000-odd songs, urged young aspirants to practice for hours daily as nothing comes easy in this field. Understanding “sur”, “ragas” and other elements of vocal music needs patience.
Hailing from Baijro in Pauri Garhwal, Sangeeta lamented that owing to the lack of support from government and an organised film or music industry, the interests of the regional artistes, be it those related to cinema or music, had been hurt.
Sangeeta terms veteran folk singers Narendra Singh Negi, Hira Singh Bisht and Jeet Singh Negi as legends. She said just by listening to them she has learnt singing.
The versatile diva, who is equally trained in thumri and ghazal and sings proficiently both Kumaoni and Garhwali songs, says fusion is an aspect which can change the traditional folk scenario in the state as changing with time is the essence of nature.
“Today, when I see youngsters having platforms like ‘Jhumigo’ music talent show and various other singing competitions its evident that there is no dearth of talent in the state,” she said.
It’s just honing their skills and providing them right guidance what they need. A decade ago when I was a struggler the scenario was quite different with a few opportunities available to aspirants, said Sangeeta, a graduate in music from Gandharva Vidyalaya, Delhi, who has also made her mark as a versatile anchor in Uttarakhand’s first teen musical television talent show, “Jhumigo”.
She also cites piracy as one of the reasons why music industry is not surviving in the state. She, along with other artists, met the Chief Minister and the state police chief and urged them to take stringent steps against those who are pirating music albums.
Having performed in Muscat, Dubai, Bahrain, the USA and other foreign countries, Sangeeta now eyes Bollywood as she reveals that to become a playback singer of a Bollywood movie is her dream and if she gets an opportunity to sing along with Lata Mangeshkar and Udit Narayan it will be a dream come true.
Signing off the singer said Uttarakhandi music needed experimentation, changes, usage of new instruments apart from the traditional “dhol damau” as per the taste of audience.

ਸ਼ੰਮੀ ਕਪੂਰ ਦੀਆਂ ਅਸਥੀਆਂ ਡੱਲ ਝੀਲ 'ਚ ਜਲ-ਪ੍ਰਵਾਹ ਕੀਤੀਆਂ

ਮੁੰਬਈ, 3 ਸਤੰਬਰ (ਏਜੰਸੀਆਂ)-ਬੀਤੇ ਦੌਰ ਦੇ ਉੱਘੇ ਅਦਾਕਾਰ ਸ਼ੰਮੀ ਕਪੂਰ ਦੀਆਂ ਅਸਥੀਆਂ ਜੰਮੂ-ਕਸ਼ਮੀਰ ਦੀ ਡੱਲ ਝੀਲ 'ਚ ਜਲ-ਪ੍ਰਵਾਹ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤੀਆਂ ਗਈਆਂ। 'ਕਸ਼ਮੀਰ ਦੀ ਕਲੀ' ਅਤੇ 'ਜੰਗਲੀ' ਵਰਗੀਆਂ ਫ਼ਿਲਮਾਂ 'ਚ ਬਾਲੀਵੁੱਡ ਦੀਆ ਸੁੰਦਰੀਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਕਸ਼ਮੀਰ ਦੀਆਂ ਵਾਦੀਆਂ 'ਚ ਸ਼ੂਟਿੰਗ ਕਰ ਚੁੱਕੇ ਸ਼ੰਮੀ ਦੇ ਗੀਤ 'ਤਾਰੀਫ਼ ਕਰੂੰ ਕਿਆ ਉਸਕੀ' ਦੀ ਸ਼ੂਟਿੰਗ ਇਸੇ ਝੀਲ 'ਚ ਹੋਈ ਸੀ। ਹੁਣ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੀ ਮੌਤ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਉਹ ਹਮੇਸ਼ਾ ਲਈ ਇਸ ਝੀਲ ਦਾ ਹਿੱਸਾ ਬਣ ਗਏ ਹਨ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਬੇਟੇ ਅਦਿੱਤਿਆ ਰਾਜ ਕਪੂਰ ਨੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਅਸਥੀਆਂ ਜਲ-ਪ੍ਰਵਾਹ ਕੀਤੀਆਂ।

Simpleton to sexy siren: Vidya Balan goes ooh la la!

Forget the bespectacled Radhika of the "Hum Paanch" series, the demure Lalita of "Parineeta" or even the rustic Krishna of "Ishqiya"! An evolved Vidya Balan paints "The Dirty Picture" red with her killer pout, sultry dance, deep cleavage and her bold stance, leaving you sighing and singing "Ooh la la! Ooh la la".

When producer Ekta Kapoor told IANS "I would be surprised if I don't get unbelievable critical acclaim for 'Dirty Picture' and a national award for my actress, Vidya Balan", she sure didn't mean it for nothing.
"The Dirty Picture" trailer resonates her promise with aplomb.
The story of southern sex siren Silk Smitha -- her rise as a glamour girl thanks to her bold and semi-nude roles in movies, and her gradual fall owing to new entrants in the market, her financial crisis and personal problems -- "The Dirty Picture" is set to have Vidya at her glamorous, boldest and sultry best.

If the first poster of the film, with Vidya showing off her cleavage in an itsy bitsy red blouse, didn't spell fire, the one minute 30-second trailer sure makes you go "Ooh la la" - in tune with disco king Bappi Lahiri's spicy rendition of a song which says "Tu hai meri fantasy...".
The Munnis and the Sheilas of Bollywood can take a backseat for a while because the 33-year-old Vidya, even with her not so washboard abs, might just become every man's fantasy with her titillating moves, curvaceous frame, playfulness, and sensuous ways in her scenes with Naseeruddin Shah, Tusshar Kapoor and Bollywood's very own serial kisser Emraan Hashmi.
With its into-the-face dialogues, the trailer itself might leave many gasping like Tusshar when Vidya says: "Mujhe jo chahiye uska mazza raat ko hee aata hai" and many ogling like Naseer does when she decks up for a film shoot.
Perhaps what the trailer misses is the dark side of Silk Smitha's story, which the film is expected to highlight. But it does its job and it does it well.
It's been just six years since Vidya made her Bollywood debut with "Parineeta", but in the short period, the actress showed her fearless streak by roles that are as different as chalk and cheese like "Ishqiya" and "Paa".
Her choice of unconventional scripts with experimental roles that challenge the actor in her has continued to set an example of what it takes to strike the right balance between commercial and parallel cinema.

If it was a lonely lover in her first movie, Bengali project "Bhalo Theko", Vidya went on to show her subtle and romantic side in "Parineeta". In "Lage Raho Munnabhai", she was seen in a conventional role, but she played it unconventionally.
Her performance in "Guru" as a multiple sclerosis patient may have been short, but it didn't go unnoticed. Her films "Salaam-e-Ishq", "Heyy Babyy" and "Kismat Konnection" may not have done much to boost her film career, but Vidya remained dauntless.
She broke all doubts about her dancing skills through her performance on the song "Ami je tomar" in "Bhool Bhulaiyaa".
For a brief period, her choice of dresses was talk of the town and was much criticised, but Vidya kept to her work and when she returned as single mother in "Paa", her high-voltage performance shut the wagging tongues.
"Ishqiya" further strengthened filmmakers' belief in her versatility and capacity as an actor. In Abhishek Chaubey's film, Vidya convincingly played a conniving and manipulative woman who doesn't shy away from using her sexuality to fulfil her goals.
And then "No One Killed Jessica" saw her in a completely different avatar. Based on the real-life Jessica Lall murder case, the movie saw her as a grieving sister who runs from pillar to post to get justice for her sister.
After entertaining viewers with her plain Jane look, Vidya has now picked up a contrasting role in "The Dirty Picture". She oozes oomph like never before and one wonders if the movie will be Vidya's next stepping stone to her ever-rising success story.
Directed by Milan Luthria, the film will release Dec 2, which is Silk Smitha's birth anniversary.

Rajinikanth's latest leading lady: Vidya Balan

Rajinikanth's latest leading lady: Vidya Balan

Non-Cognisable offence registered against Govinda

PTI | Aug 31, 2011, 07.06PM IST
MUMBAI: A non-cognizable offence has been registered against Bollywood actor Govinda for allegedly abusing and threatening to kill a film producer during a meeting of the Indian Motion Pictures' Producers Association in the suburban Khar, police said on Wednesday.

The film producer Praveen Khanna complained to police in writing that the actor had on August 24 abused and threatened to kill him after a heated argument during the IMPPA meeting in Palinaka, said Mangesh Pote, senior inspector at Khar policestation.

After the written complaint, an NC was registered against the former Congress MP, Pote said.

The actor had not yet been called to the police station for the purpose of investigation, he said, adding the argument between the two appeared to have taken place on an issue related to a film.

Meanwhile, sources in police said the actor had signed a movie but was not giving dates to the producer and this issue may have led to the heated exchange.

Simpleton to sexy siren: Vidya Balan goes ooh la la!

Simpleton to sexy siren: Vidya Balan goes ooh la la!

Bodyguard smashes all records

 Sep 2, 2011, 12.00AM IST
Everyone was forecasting " Bodyguard" to open to big box-office collections, but no one anticipated the massive response the movie ended up generating. The film, which opened on Eid on Wednesday, ran to packed houses in the country, with trade analysts predicting the collections to be in the range of `18-20 crore. 

During the last couple of years, it was Salman's other big ticket release, "Dabangg" (`14.35 crore), and Aamir Khan's "3 Idiots" (`12.5 crore), which had shown the biggest openings.

Says trade analyst Taran Adarsh, "Salman is something else now. I think the movie has earned almost `20 crore on day one and over the weekend, it will cross `85-90 crore." Komal Nahta is more conservative in his estimates and pegs the weekend collection at `65-70 crore. However, Nahta says the film has broken all international records too. Says Nahta, "In Dubai, the movie opened on Tuesday because that's when Eid was celebrated. While "Dabangg" had opened with 7 lakh dirhams (`87 lakh), "Bodyguard" made 11 lakh dirhams (`1.36 crore). In London, the movie opened with a collection of 60,000 pounds (`44.4 lakh) on Tuesday, which too is unheard of. It has broken all previous records for any Bollywood film."

While analysts hail Salman and the film as a box office miracle, multiplex and single screen officials tell us that various strategies have come together to help the film. Says Tinku Singh, group president, SRS group, "In NCR, we ran 53 shows in Faridabad, and 22 and 30 shows in Gurgaon and Indirapuram. The total collection on day one was `24 lakh. It is houseful across the country. After the "Aarakshan" fiasco, everyone's rejoicing with this movie. And the thing to remember here is that the movie opened on a Wednesday, so it will have five days, plus two more weekends at least, to make a lot more money."

Also, "Boduguard" opened to weekend pricing across most multiplexes, giving them much more revenue. However, PVR Cinemas chose to go ahead with weekday pricing for Wednesday, and reported 95% occupancy in the morning shows, and 100% occupancy towards the evening. Out of 550 shows in PVR halls, approximately 325 were played in Delhi and Punjab. Says Deepa Menon, vice president, corporate communications for PVR Cinemas, "The movie saw an excellent opening in Delhi-NCR, ending the day with nearly 95% occupancy, which is quite phenomenal. This definitely is one of the biggest openings on day one that we've seen."

Even in single-screen theatres, the film has done record-breaking business in Delhi-NCR. While Vishal in Rajouri Garden reported a total of `4.5 lakh in four shows, all four shows were houseful in Delite, said Sunil Parashar, media coordinator for Dellite. Sheila Cinema in Paharganj too, saw four full shows, totalling a collection of over `3 lakh. Says Parashar, "During "Ready", ticket prices had been increased by 20% even in single-screen halls. But for "Bodyguard", even at normal single-screen prices, the movie has broken all records. Most single screens are houseful till Sunday."