Vidya Balan-Siddharth Roy Kapur tied the knot today

Actress Vidya Balan and Disney ( UTV Motion Pictures) CEO, Siddharth Roy Kapur finally tied the knot today morning in a very private affair.

Not just the media, even Bollywood celebrities were not a part of the marriage festivities. The wedding was kept a very private affair with only family members and close friends present. Earlier this week, the couple had hosted a private family dinner, followed by a mehendi ceremony on December 12.

There was quite confusion on the venue of the marriage ceremony. Some reports suggested that it happened in Bandra but latest updates reveal that it happened in a temple in Chembur. Vidya Balan's residence is also at Chembur. Sources reveal that Vidya was wearing a sari designed by her favourite designer, Sabyasachi.

The wedding functions of sangeet and mehendi were attended by family members - Vidya's parents Saraswathy and P R Balan. The actress' elder sister Priya and brother-in-law Kedar.

A tweet from UTV Stars: "Bollywood Vidya Balan married Siddharth Roy Kapoor earlier in the morning today! We wish them a happy married life!"
The entire wedding has been hush-hush affair with only Rekha being invited for mehendi.

There is a possibility that the couple could have a separate reception event where possibly Bollywood industry could be invited.

Sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar dies at 92 in California

Indian sitar maestro Ravi Shankar has died in a hospital in the US, aged 92.

His family said he had been admitted to the Scripps Memorial Hospital in San Diego last week, but had failed to recover fully from surgery.
Shankar gained widespread international recognition through his association with The Beatles.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described him as a "national treasure and global ambassador of India's cultural heritage".
In a statement quoted by Reuters, Shankar's wife Sukanya and daughter Anoushka said he had recently undergone surgery which would have "potentially given him a new lease of life".
"Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the surgeons and doctors taking care of him, his body was not able to withstand the strain of the surgery," they said.
"We were at his side when he passed away.
"Although it is a time for sorrow and sadness, it is also a time for all of us to give thanks and to be grateful that we were able to have him as a part of our lives. He will live forever in our hearts and in his music."

Ravi Shankar teaches George Harrison the sitar

Anoushka Shankar is herself a sitar player. Shankar's other daughter is Grammy award winning singer Norah Jones.
'Respect for music'
George Harrison of the Beatles once called Shankar "the godfather of world music".

He played at Woodstock and the 1967 Monterey Pop festival, and also collaborated with violinist Yehudi Menuhin and jazz saxophonist John Coltrane.
Shankar also composed a number of film scores - notably Satyajit Ray's celebrated Apu trilogy (1951-55) and Richard Attenborough's Gandhi (1982) - and collaborated with US composer Philip Glass in Passages in 1990.
Ravi Shankar promoted India and and Indian music to the world, his influence in western music was inspirational, he went on to win Grammy's, the nomination for an Oscar for Gandhi in 1982 and various accolades.
He also pioneered the concept of the rock benefit with the 1971 Concert For Bangladesh. To later generations, he was known as the estranged father of popular American singer Norah Jones.
Shankar collaborated with Harrison, violinist Yehudi Menuhin and jazz saxophonist John Coltrane as he worked to bridge the musical gap between the West and East.
He was a hippie musical icon of the 1960s. He played Woodstock and hobnobbed with The Beatles.
Beatle George Harrison labelled him "the godfather of world music".
Talking in later life about his experiences at the influential Monterey Pop festival, Ravi Shankar said he was "shocked to see people dressing so flamboyantly".
He told Rolling Stone magazine that he was horrified when Jimi Hendrix set his guitar on fire on stage.
"That was too much for me. In our culture, we have such respect for musical instruments, they are like part of God," he said.
In 1999, Shankar was awarded the highest civilian citation in India - the Bharat Ratna, or Jewel of India.


Add caption



Born into a Bengali family in the ancient Indian city of Varanasi, Ravi Shankar was originally a dancer with his brother's troupe.

He gave up dancing to study the sitar at the age of 18.
For seven years Shankar studied under Baba Allauddin Khan, founder of the Maihar Gharana style of Hindustani classical music, and became well-known in India for his virtuoso sitar playing.
For the last years of his life, Ravi Shankar lived in Encinitas, California, with his wife.

From Talaash to Talaash, Kareena's extraordinary turnaround

Kareena Kapoor must be basking in the glory of Taalash's success for now. But, many may not be aware that back in 2003 she had done a film, which was also titled 'Taalash'.

The Suneel Darshan-directed film had Akshay Kumar in the lead role, in which Kareena was supposedly a glamorous character named Tina. However, her appearance in the film was pretty shoddy as evident from the movie’s stills. Not surprisingly, the film went on to become a major disaster at the box office.

From then till now, however, Kareena has come a really long way, and today is one of the most sought after actresses in the industry. Not only has she improved her acting skills, but has also worked exceedingly on her on-screen looks. The contrasting pictures of her two ‘Talaash’ films say it all.

For Kareena Kapoor it could be an Outlier moment as when she had enacted the role of a hooker for the first time in CHAMELI she had taken her first step forward towards stardom and as an actor to watch out for. After her marriage, TALAASH could turn out to be her consolidation status moment of her standing in the industry.


Kareena Kapoor manages to hold Rosy’s mysterious aura quite well. One scene – when she tells Suri about her missing friend – particularly stands out for just how perfectly she allows only a sliver of sorrow to show on her face.

Without doubt, Kareena’s ‘hunt’ for success has borne fruit.

Talaash crosses Rs 100 cr mark at worldwide Box Office

Director Reema Kagti's latest venture Talaash starring Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Rani Mukherjee in leads, has fetched fantastic collection figures at the global Box Office in the first week. The psychological suspense thriller has surpassed Rs 100 crore mark at the collection centres worldwide in seven days.

Talaash, which was released in 2,600 screens on November 30 after six months delay, started with a bang at the Indian Box Office on Friday and its business went upwards over weekend. The movie raked in Rs 47.1 crores nett in the first weekend. Its collection dropped considerably on weekdays with the film adding Rs 20.8 crores to its seven days total Rs 67.9 crores nett in the country.

Talaash was released in 520 screens in 43 countries in overseas markets, just a day before it hit the screens in India. The suspense thriller has got very good response in the countries like USA, UK, UAE, GCC, Australia and New Zealand. It collected Rs 27.57 crore nett at the international Box Office. And it raked in Rs 9.18 crores on weekdays, taking its first week overseas total to Rs 36.75 crores nett ($ 6.75 million).

Stay locked to this space to read more updates on Talaash's collection.

TALAASH movie review: An intriguing story intelligently told!

 Talaash is where your search for a good film begins

Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Rani Mukerji hold your attention till the very end in this gripping murder mystery

Actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan is being seen on the big screen in a commercial movie after a long time. But his much awaited Talaash, releasing today, is too intelligent to be called ‘commercial’ or ‘massy’ in the conventional sense. Directed by Reema Kagti and written by Zoya Akhtar and Kagti, with additional dialogue by Anurag Kashyap, the film aims to intrigue and surprise you. Does it succeed? To a great extent, yes.
The story begins with the wonderful song Muskaane jhoothi hai, visually complemented by beautiful shots by KU Mohanan depicting the city and its underbelly in ways that you may notice but often choose to ignore. The movie dives straight into a fatal accident scene – filmstar Armaan Kapoor (Vivan Bhatena) is dead. Inspector Surjan Singh Shekhawat aka Suri (Aamir Khan) is assigned the case. As the investigation progresses, it soon becomes clear that there’s more to the accident than is obvious.


The first half is a bit slow. It simply establishes the mystery and the characters in a straightforward, realistic way. The lead stars Aamir, Kareena Kapoor and Rani Mukerji have no dramatic entries or even scenes that showcase their acting prowess. So at interval time you really don’t know what’s coming next. The mystery begins to unfold…
Post interval, Talaash grabs all attention and does not let go till the mystery is solved. Suri chances upon the seductive Rosy (Kareena Kapoor), who becomes his informer as well as his close confidante, helping him to solve the case. Truly gripping, although some portions might be unsatisfactory for some.
Aamir’s honest cop roles in Baazi and Sarfarosh were more action-oriented, even though they had a backstory. In Talaash, he is subtle. There are no standout mannerisms or dialogues that the character indulges in – like Chulbul Pandey or Bajirao Singham did. Suri is an honest, boring police officer, high on integrity, low on emotional intelligence. He can’t get over the death of his son Karan in an accident, and it makes him insomniac. But he thinks it’s his wife (Rani Mukerji) who needs psychiatric help and not himself. Both are trying to come to terms with the grim reality of loss in their own way, and this leads to a growing distance between them, as they are unable to express their deep feelings to each other.
Rani is sans makeup, but even with very little screen time she impresses with her acting. But it’s Kareena that the film belongs to, even though sometimes she looks and acts overly sophisticated for the kind of life her character is leading. At the same time, she is a high-society sex-worker, but speaks like her Chameli avatar. As far as acting goes though, rather than Heroine, it’s Talaash that will eventually earn Kareena greater respect – she delivers an ace. In Talaash, Aamir, Kareena and Rani act with their eyes.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui delivers an award-winning performance in this one. The actor has been appreciated in Kahaani and Gangs of Wasseypur and tops that with his act in Talaash. It’s amazing how he plays the vulnerable lame man near the bottom of the filth heap that is Mumbai. Remember, it’s the same actor whose characters oozed power in Sujoy Ghosh and Anurag Kashyap’s films. All the other character actors are decent in Talaash as well.
Kagti definitely has done it with Talaash. Every frame has a meaning and no screen time is wasted in mindless comedy or item songs. It’s the kind of flick to be enjoyed, just like slow-cooked food. Especially notable is the bedroom scene of Suri and Rosy – five stars to Reema and Zoya for that! And Aamir and Kareena, of course, who take us with them on a joyride into another world. After all, isn’t cinema anything but virtual reality? Ram Sampath’s score adds to this feeling in the film.
Talaash is less about the mystery and more about the not-so-obvious factors – like coming to terms with the loss of a loved one, overcoming greed and fantasy, and beating the mind at its games, for instance. The movie needs to be watched at least twice to understand the subtext. It will grow on you.
However, this one might not appeal to viewers addicted to reading crime and supernatural fiction, or international TV shows and films of the same genre. As a first for Indian cinema, Talaash must be watched. It might not be a mass entertainer, but it’s on the road to becoming a cult film in the genre.

Akshay Kumar along with star galaxy perfforming at 3rd Kabaddi World Cup 2012 Opening Ceremony At Bathinda on Dec.1

MISS POOJA PERFORMING LIVE IN 3rd KABADDI WORLD CUP 2012 IN BATHINDA ON DEC 1st 6PM ONWARDS ALONG WITH AKSHAY KUMAR,HIMESH RESHAMMYA ,ASIN AND MANY MORE

Son of Sardar: Ajay Devgn overwhelms at Patna response

Patna: Recent visit of Ajay Devgn's Diwali release Son of Sardar team at Patna brought them feel and warmth of Patnaites. Fans were uncontrollable and in their bid to get a glimpse of their hero, they barged into number of places visited by SOS team.

An overwhelmed Ajay along with SOS team paid obeisance at Harminder Sahib Gurudwara. The team received enormous response from people who flocked to lanes, Gurudwara and other places. Their presence forced the actors to enter its sanctum sanctorum. In their 15 minute visit the entire area witnessed a jam like situation at number of places.

He said, "I wanted to come to Bihar for quite some time now and it was Shotgun's idea that SOS's promotion will be incomplete without a visit to Patna Saheb gurdwara." The granthi presented them with saropa.

And an amused Ajay also responded in same manner belting out catchlines of movies, "Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein ye sawaal aata hai, ki agar duniya mein sardar na hote to kya hota? Sorry yaar, duniya bekar bina son of sardar," famous SOS lines set tone of his interaction with his fans.

Ajay while speaking about the ongoing controversy between Ajay Devgn Films and Yash Raj Films said, "My record, during the past 20 years, has been clean and without any controversy, and I'm raising my voice now only because I want to fight injustice.”

The actor was accompanied by co- stars Sonakshi Sinha, Shatrughan Sinha, Producer NR Pachisia and Director Ashwini Dhir.

His co-star Patna Girl Sonakshi Sinha while making first visit to her home state since Dabangg success said, "There couldn't have been a better opportunity to thank the people of Bihar who prayed for my father's well-being. Last time, I had come here for his election campaign and see what the results were!"

She also recited her famous lines from Dabangg, "Thappad se darr nahi lagta sahib, pyaar se darr lagta hai." Conveying her thanks to her Patna fans, Sonakshi said, "Patna has supported me since my Dabangg days and I hope they will continue with the same support."

Devgn, who has worked in number of films related to Bihar, added that next year he would be seen in Prakash Jha's Satyagrah.

Son of Sardar is going to be released on Diwali.

Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor to get married tomorrow

Mumbai,Oct 16, 2012 - Another pre-wedding related event ofBollywood star couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor was held at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Colaba, Mumbaion Wednesday.

There was a family dinner at Taj Mahal Hotel on Monday evening attended only by members of both the families.

A registered marriage will be held on Tuesday at Saif’s residence in suburban Bandra, which will be a quiet affair.

"The marriage registration will happen tomorrow between 11.30 am and 12pm at Fortune Heights in Bandra," marriage registrar Surekha Rameshsaid.

"The notice had been submitted on September 12 and that they had requested that the registry be held at their residence. For the formalities, we will charge Rs1,000," she said.

After the marriage registration is over, there is a buzz that a reception will be held tomorrow at the Taj Mahal hotel in the evening. This will be followed by another reception in Delhi on October 18. There will be yet another ceremony happening at the Pataudi Palace in Haryana.

Saif and Kareena have been going steady for five years.

The 42-year-old actor has two children — son Ibrahim and daughter Sara — from his previous marriage to actress Amrita Singh.

OMG Oh My God! Movie Review

OMG is a rare kind of Hindi comedy

OMG! official poster

Cast:Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Mithun Chakraborty
Director: Ashvini Yardi
Producer: Akshay Kumar, Ashvini Yardi, Paresh Rawal 

Based on the successful Gujarati play Kanji Viruddh Kanji, also adapted in Hindi as Krishan vs Kanhaiya, which itself drew inspiration from The Man Who Sued God, Oh My God, co-written (with Bhavesh Mandalia) and directed by Umesh Shukla, is a brave and absorbing blend of satire, fable and fantasy that brings our attention to the misuse and commercialisation of religion.

OMG - OH MY GOD! carries a social message, a significant one, but the best part is, it does so without losing the wit and humor. Most importantly, it doesn't get preachy, nor does it deviate into the sermonizing mode. The film demonstrates Kanji as a nastik or a non-believer in God at the very outset, who, paradoxically, uses religion to run his business. The episodes in the first hour raise a chuckle, in fact you wear a smile ceaselessly. The turn of events in the latter part gives the film that extra sheen, thus raising the bar. The courtroom drama is transfixing and the underlying message that God dwells within us is profoundly heartwarming.

Director Umesh Shukla keeps you involved in the on-screen happenings, courtesy an absorbing screenplay. Also, Umesh's choice of actors for supporting roles adds a lot of sparkle to various sequences. On the flipside, the film is stretched in the second half [more towards the final stages]. Also, the execution of a few sequences is plain ordinary. To cite an instance, the introduction of Akshay could've been more dramatic and spectacular.

OMG - OH MY GOD! is the cinematic adaptation of a play, but in keeping with the splendor of Hindi movies and the requirement of the script, the sets/production values [right from Kanji's shop to his Bhuleshwar home to the courtroom] are most appropriate. There's not much scope for songs in the movie, but the 'Go Govinda' song is full-on energetic. 

OMG Oh My God! Review: Star Performances
Paresh Rawal gives a stellar performance as Kanji. He delivers his dialogues so effortlessly and casually that you really cheer for this twisted hero. Akshay Kumar does well as Bhagwan/Krishna but sometimes the writers seem to try too hard to rub it in that he’s the Dark Cowherd. Mithun Chakraborty is a gem as one of the God-men but his stereotypical “broken-wrist” act can make you wince. Govind Namdeo goes a bit over the top as the saffron clad Siddheshwar Maharaj but suits his role. Though Poonam Jhawer doesn’t get much to do as Gopi Maiyya, her very presence will make you grin. Mithun, Govind and Poonam’s characters have some very real life inspirations which makes them all the more fun on screen.
Mahesh Manjrekar is good as the lawyer. Sonakshi Sinha and Prabhu Deva are fun in their guest appearances.

OMG Oh My God! Review: Direction, Music & Technical Aspects

Umesh Shukla does justice to the script with his direction. Amar Mohile’s background music is good. Songs by Himesh Reshammiya, Anjjan – Meet Bros, Sachin and Jigar are alright with Go Go Govinda and Mere Nishaan the only ones that deserve mention. Sethu Sriram’s cinematography is nice. Editing is alright. The special effects are a bit clunky.

OMG Oh My God! Review: The Last Word

For once, there’s a movie that wants you to use your brains instead of just clapping and whistling away at the mindless action/sex scenes. Watch OMG Oh My God also because it has good performances and an interesting concept.

On the whole, OMG - OH MY GOD! is a thought-provoking adaptation of a massively successful play. A movie tackling a sensitive and an untouched subject matter, it will find its share of advocates and adversaries, but the social message the movie conveys comes across loud and clear and that's one of the prime reasons why OMG - OH MY GOD! becomes a deserving watch.

OMG Oh My God! Trailer

OMG Oh My God! releases on 28th September, 2012

Barfi! Movie Review : Barfi! is the most deserving film to go for Oscars,

Romance is never easy. Neither is bringing it to the big screen, though Anurag Basu -- a filmmaker inherently gifted when it comes to visual imagery and metaphor -- is a fine man for the job. 

He can roll up his sleeves and whip out one peachy moment after another, keeping things wonderfully endearing while poking the audience ever so forcefully in the gut with a monkey-wrench.

He is then to be commended for his latest, Barfi!, a film that admirably refuses to yank the sympathy cord. Instead, it creates genuine characters and a truly charming relationship before, alas, one of his lead characters chooses not to follow the director's example and instead mistakes sympathy for love, making for a lesser film than it deserved to be.
Barfi! might have started off a certain way, but pulls up well short and -- as we were told before the beginning of (500) Days Of Summer -- "this is not a love story."

A well-crafted script with an intriguing back-and-forth narrative -- set in the present day, 1978 and 1972 -- Barfi! intrigues, right to the point somewhere down the middle, when it becomes more than apparent exactly what the film's story is, after which all goes south. The film's naïveté starts to wear thin, previously cast spells now appearing repetitive as the movie tragically falls into the very traps of mawkishness and manipulation it avoids so, so adroitly through the start. 


Basu has always been a very solid storyteller, but here the germ of the story -- the very chunk of plot the film is woven around -- is what lets him down, proving to be predictable and ineffective, paling in comparison to the dreamy dalliance he forges so smoothly early on.

And yet so impressive and earnest are most parts of Barfi! that one is inclined even to forgive its flawed centre; we want badly to overlook the film's peach-seed heart, and concentrate on the rest of its juicy joys. And these it provides in abundance.

Named after the once-ubiquitous old-timey Murphy Radio sets, the deaf-mute Murphy is born in Darjeeling to a chauffeur and his wife who dies moments after childbirth. An exceedingly sprightly fellow -- the sort who would constantly whistle if only he could hear himself do so -- the film's leading man has much silent-movie charisma as he, goofily and gorgeously, wins over everyone from townspeople to audience members. He introduces himself with an eventually shrill but sweet "brrpheee" sound, and thus the world calls him Barfi. And one fine, bracing afternoon, this Barfi falls quite madly in love, hook, line and sinker.

The object of his affections is a young Bengali girl new to Darjeeling, and from what we see and the loving way Basu and his superbly fluid cinematographer Ravi Varman capture their actress, we can't blame the boy an ounce. Shruti Ghosh -- a striking girl with disarming, Bambi-sized eyes -- is soon grateful for Barfi's magic touch, and the chord the two strike, as they share bicycle seats and horse-saddles, is one of rare tenderness. Yet all is never as idyllic, and there is much concern, involving engagement rings to the kidnapping of an autistic young woman called Jhilmil (which is that central plot, fashioned purely out of hokum.) And things change gears faster than Barfi or those of us rooting for him would like.And Barfi's as irresistible as they come. Played by Ranbir Kapoor [ Images ] with that marvellous abandon which is increasingly marking him out to be a truly special leading man -- his shoulders well outgrowing those of (all) his A-list peers and rubbing now alongside actual acting heavyweights -- his Barfi is a treat, a bushy-tailed hero with a highly infectious spring in his step. There is a natural grace to his klutziness, and he does very strongly indeed with this Chaplin-tribute role, bestowing his character with heart every step of the way. To paraphrase the radio hoarding seen in nostalgia-tinted Darjeeling, Kapoor's Barfi "sets the standard."

It is a bravura performance, highlighted by a particularly vulnerable outburst where Barfi momentarily drops the smile and would really, really like to yell.

Ileana D'Cruz, as the pretty Ghoshling narrating the film, does brilliantly. Her character is a trickily nuanced one, simple yet committed, indecisive yet brave, and the most real of the bunch, and she makes it work, using the silences expressively, heartbreakingly well, and really making her romance with Kapoor magical. A scene where the two kiss, as wordless as the rest of the film, is a moment of absolute perfection.

Rupa Ganguly does well as Shruti's mother -- even though I personally suspect her one dramatic line is a convenient fib --and Saurabh Shukla [ Images ] is great as a heavy, harrowed cop.

As Jhilmil, Priyanka Chopra [ Images ], god bless her soul, does indeed try valiantly to play autistic, but -- trapped not just by the film's most flawed character and plotline -- makes that cardinal mistake expressed so unforgettably in Tropic Thunder: she goes full retard. She's not bad, even very effective in a couple of scenes, but her character belongs to a different film. (Ideally a shorter one, because it does drag this one down.)

Barfi, Shruti, Jhilmil… The warmth doesn't stop there. A police station is called Sleep, a shelter is called Smile. And as we see a fugitive hero hijack a crucial ride almost as an afterthought, it's hard not to get swayed.

Two of my favourite moments in Barfi! involve deft cinematic sleight of hand: we see a hand painting a canvas, and, as the camera pulls out, realise its not the one we assume; much later, another hand tugs on a shirt, and here too we are fooled by it belonging to another. The misdirection is skilful and pleasing, but I do wish the beautifully beguiling beginning hadn't turned out to be an example of the same.

Opened: Sept. 14, 2012
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Ileana D’Cruz, Priyanka Chopra, Saurabh Shukla
Director: Anuraj Basu
Screenwriters: Anurag Basu, Sanjeev Datta
Producers: Ronnie Screwvala, Siddharth Roy Kapur
Director of photography: Ravi Varman
Costume designers: Aki Narula and Shefalina
VFX: Pixion
Sound designer: Shajith Koyeri
Editor: Akiv Ali
Music: Pritam Chakraborty
Not rated, 120 minutes

Asha Bhosle’s daughter Varsha commits suicide

Mumbai: Legendary singer Asha Bhosle’s daughter Varsha who was suffering from depression, committed suicide on Monday. 

She shot herself in the head, police said. The incident occurred around 12.30 p.m.

A singer and columnist, Varsha, 56, shot herself in the temple with a pistol of Belgian make at her residence in 'Prabhu Kunj' apartments on posh Peddar Road in South Mumbai.

She has not left behind any suicide note, Additional Commissioner of Police (South) Krishna Prakash said, adding police are trying to find out in whose name the pistol was registered.

She was alone in the house at the time of the incident, police said.

Prakash said Varsha's maid servant Deepali Mane knocked on the door of Bhosle's house around 10 am but no one answered.

Worried, she contacted Asha Bhosle's driver who told her that Varsha might be sleeping. After some time the maid went to the flat again but nobody opened the door.

The driver then entered the flat through Asha's elder sister Lata Mangeshkar's adjacent flat and found Varsha lying in a pool of blood on a sofa. Police were called in and Varsha was taken to a nearby hospital where she was declared brought dead, the officer said.

Varsha had married a sports writer and public relations professional but the couple divorced in 1998, sources close to the family said.

Prakash said police had learnt that Varsha wanted to start an orphanage with famous fashion photographer Gautam Rajadakshya, who passed away last year.

Varsha, who was said to be very close to Rajadhyaksha, was distraught after his death and was under medication for depression.

Asha Bhosle, who is away in Singapore, has cut shot her stay and taken a flight back, sources close to the family said.

Meanwhile, the body has been taken to J J Hospital for post mortem, police said. 

Varsha had attempted suicide in September 2008 by consuming a dangerously high dose of sleeping pills.

The Bhosle family had kept mum on the reason behind the suicide attempt then. But it is being believed that a private problem had been troubling Varsha for long.

Anti-Islam film: Violent protests across Pakistan

  

KARACHI: At least 19 people were killed and over 100 injured as protests against the anti-Islam film turned violent in several cities across Pakistan on the day Youm-e-Ishq-e-Rasool was being observed.

Islamabad

In the federal capital, clashes between police and protesters were witnessed in several areas. Some protesters managed to enter red zone and but were met with resistance from the police who use tear gas shelling to deter them from proceeding towards the diplomatic enclave.

At least 69 people were injured during the clashes according to hospital sources.

Later in the evening, protesters the MNA hostel and also set fire to a telephone exchange.

Security had been heightened ahead of the protests and a large contingent of police and Rangers had been deployed across the city. The army was also on alert.

Earlier on Friday, demonstrators from the suburban areas surrounding the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi occupied the streets in Pir Wadhai area and blocked the road for traffic.

Karachi

In the metropolis, protests gained momentum following Friday prayers. Angry protesters set fire to five cinemas. Several shops, banks, vehicles and police vans were also set ablaze across the city.

12 deaths were reported and over 100 injured were rushed to hospitals across the city and unfortunately incidents of violence were also reported at the Civil and Jinnah hospitals.

Protests took a criminal turn in the city towards the evening as reports of looting were also reported in several areas.

Peshawar

The day began with violent protests in Peshawar. Angry demonstrators set fire to two cinemas and also ransacked the Chamber of Commerce. Seven deaths including that of an employee of a local TV channel were reported.

Protesters were also seen carrying weapons during numerous rallies in the city.

Lahore

Protesters also took to the streets in the provincial capital of the Punjab.

Police and protesters clashed in several areas and police used tear gas shelling and aerial firing to disperse participants of a protest near the US consulate.

Rawalpindi

Protesters pelted cars with stones and destroyed a CNG station in the city. Police vans and check posts were also set ablaze by protesters.

Heroine : Movie Review

An apt title to Madhur Bhandarkar’s magnum opus would be Bipolarrather than Heroine as the movie seems more like a peek into the head of someone with a serious psychiatric disorder than into the glamorous world of acting, movies and the like.

Mahi Arora (Kareena Kapoor) is the moody, spoilt actress on top of her game. Not only does she have the best movies in her kitty, she’s also in a relationship with the much married superstar Aryan Khanna (Arjun Rampal). While Aryan is trying to get his divorce finalized, Mahi goes from being the adoring lover one moment, to stark-raving-possessive girlfriend in the other. Going with the flow, our pouty actress also has a drinking problem and regularly visits her shrink for prescription drugs. The ominous narrator announces how Mahi was always about extremes: consumed in love or withered with fury.

After another of her screaming incidents, Mahi gets humiliatingly dumped by Aryan. Her career is down in the dumps and so is she. Enter fairy godmother/PR person (Divya Dutta) who waves her magic wand and gets our heroine out of the molasses. Mahi also finds love again, this time with the charming cricketer Angad Paul (Randeep Hooda). To sharpen her skills as an actor, Mahi also signs up for an art film directed by a national award winning director (Ranvir Shorey), which co-stars Shahana Goswami.

The movie does a rinse-and-repeat from here on with heartbreak, love and heartbreak again. Watch the rest of the movie for more close-ups of Kareena’s blood-shot eyes, her incessant break-downs and some really confusing blocks in the story.

Heroine releases on 21th September, 2012

Heroine Review: Script Analysis

Madhur Bhandarkar may try and claim his stories to be “real” every time, but this time the writer-director is downright lazy. He, along with writers Anuradha Tiwari, Manoj Tyagi and Niranjan Iyengar, has taken page-3 stories about stars and based them around a few characters. This wouldn’t have been a problem, except that the movie comes out as being too fake.

It’s annoying to see the stereotypes played out in almost every character: the designers are gay, reporters have a bitchy aura and always sport funky jewellery, the path to the dark side begins with cigarettes and alcohol, bad people sleep around etc. Except the few lead characters, everyone else is as good as cardboard cut-outs. The writers seem to be intent to stuff in as much tragedy as they can into Mahi’s woe-is-me life and towards the end you just can’t stop rolling your eyes. While they might want you to feel for Mahi, you find yourself laughing off her character than ever rooting for her. The 3 hour long movie gets repetitive with Mahi’s heartbreak, psycho rage and love doing cartwheels repeatedly. The bright side is that the writers have shown the number of problems heroines face in the industry with their short shelf life, lecherous actors, being written off after marriage etc. Niranjan Iyengar’s dialogues are alright though the ones like “Manipulate karo ya ho jao” doesn’t really certify his ingenuity.

Heroine Review: Star Performances

Kareena Kapoor owns the movie as the, er, bipolar actress Mahi. As much as you would like to appreciate her ability to showcase the mood swings behind the camera, her character badly suffers from hackneyed writing. Arjun Rampal is alright as Aryan with Randeep Hooda bettering him as the suave Angad. Divya Dutta does well in her uni-dimensional role as the PR agent. Shahana Goswami and Ranvir Shorey are very good in their small roles.

Heroine Review: Direction, Music & Technical Aspects

The captain brings the ship down, sail, deck and all. Director Madhur Bhandarkar made his movie from a magnum opus to a monstrous blob that has too many leaks to be fixed. And the leaden script is of no help. Madhur should have focused on a few aspects of Mahi’s life instead of thrusting everything into a 3 hour long haze with alcohol, psychological problems, mummy-issues, role mongering, lesbian relationship… Salim-Sulaiman’s music is nice with Halkat Jawani, Saiyaan and Heroine being the noteworthy songs. Editor Devendra Murdeshwar has done a passable job. Cinematography by Mahesh Limaye is good.

Heroine Trailer

Heroine Review: The Last Word

Kareena Kapoor does a good job and, heck, you even get to see her in a pseudo lesbian scene along with other steamy scenes. On the whole, HEROINE is yet another hard-hitting motion picture from Madhur Bhandarkar. For persistently choosing women-centric themes, for consistently winning national acclaim and most significantly, magnetizing moviegoers in large numbers to view his cinema, the efforts of the maverick film-maker deserve to be lauded. Watch HEROINE for Madhur's imposing direction, for Kareena's superlative performance, watch it also for its fearless, inspiring and enlightening storyline divulging the scandalous realities of the movie industry. Try not to miss it!

Pic of the Week

A rare pic from movie set of SHOLAY movie

Joker movie review

The Hindi movie "Joker" starring Akshay Kumar opposite Sonakshi Sinha in lead roles was released on August 31, 2012 in India and across the world.

Directed by Shirish Kunder, "Joker" is his second directorial venture after "Jaan-E-Mann". This is Akshay Kumar's 100th film.

Made on Rs 40 crore ($ 8 million) budget, themovie has lot of expectations. According to reports, the movie is just 1:45 hours (105 minutes) long. Watch trailer video.

This is also the second film in which Sonakshi Sinha is paired opposite Akshay Kumar after "Rowdy Rathore".

The trailer of the film was revealed on July 11, 2012. Jointly produced by UTV Motion Pictures and Akshay Kumar's Hari Om Productions and Farah Khan-Shirish Kunder's Three's Company Productions Pvt, the film also stars actors Shreyas Talpade and Minissha Lamba.

Video: Watch 'Joker' movie trailer video

Chitrangada Singh has also performed an item number in the movie on song titled "Kafirana".

Director Shirish Kunder says his '“Joker”' is not a comedy film unlike what the title suggests.

Shirish has edited films like "Main Hoon Na" and "Om Shanti Om". The music of “Joker” has been scored by GV Prakash Kumar, who is a young and well established composer in the South.

The film is set in a village called Paglapur, which doesn’t have any mention on India’s official map. Raj Khurana (Akshay), who is an NRI, returns to his village only to find truck loads of problems.

Raj decides to fetch the media attention to his village, which will eventually help the villagers in getting rid of their problems; however the only thing which can go against his plan is the presence of aliens in the village.

Akshay Kumar's And Sonakshi Sinha's New Movie - Joker

The Raowdy Rathode’s sparking jodi Akhay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha are appearing in Shirish Kunder’s much awaited film “Joker”. 

The movie’s official trailer was released via twitter and is being liked by many. The film is all set to be released on 31st August 2012

The movie is about a forgotten village Pagalpur, Akshay Kumar is starring as Agasthiya/Raj who is a scientist. On his return to his village he finds the village completely neglected and forgotten by the government in order to draw attention towards the village Akshay comes up with a PLAN!

He along with the other villager’s help builds a bird’s eye view of crop circles in the field which is considered as an attempt by aliens to interact with world. When a similar crop circle appears in Paglapur, the world media descends for their fix of exaggeration. Here Akshay plays as an innocent villager being a witness and tells a reporter of having sighted a UFO, that is Udta Firta Omlette. 

But for how long? Will the villagers get caught? Or will this hoax be able to get people of Pagalpur government’s attention? There is only one way to find that out. Wait till the movie finally comes to theater.

Salman’s Ek Tha Tiger crosses Rs 200 cr mark at Box Office

Hindi movie Ek Th Tiger starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif in the leads, has broken all old records and set its own several benchmarks at the Indian and overseas Box Office. The latest addition to the list of its records is that the romantic action thriller has crossed Rs 200 crore mark at the collection centres across the globe. With this, it has become the fastest Rs 200 crore grosser in the history of Hindi Cinema.

Ek Tha Tiger, which released on 3300 screens on August 15, had collected Rs 154.21 crore nett at the Indian Box Office in nine-day-extended opening week. The movie continued to do well in the second weekend thereby overtaking new release Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi. The film grossed Rs 4.53 crore on Friday and approximately Rs 5 crore on Saturday taking its 11 day total to Rs 163.74.

Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif starrer romantic action movie has also got very good response at the overseas Box Office. In 11 days, Ek Tha Tiger has raked in a total of Rs 39.03 crores nett at the collection centres in foreign countries like USA, UAE, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. It is a record breaking collection for a Hindi film in the international market.

However, Ek Tha Tiger has collected a total of Rs 202.77 crores at the worldwide Box Office in 11 days. The makers of this Kabir Khan movie are very happy with its performance at the ticket windows and they could not stop thanking Salmania, which has kept the bells ringing at the collection centres across the globe.

A K Hangal cremated

Mumbai, August 26 2012 - With prayers on their lips, friends and family members bid a tearful adieu to distinguished character actor A K Hangal at his funeral here.

Incidentally, none of the prominent Bollywood personalities attended Hangal's last rites, performed by his son Vijay at the Pawan Hans crematorium in Vile Parle, Mumbai, at around 1 pm .

"It's a great loss... I am saddened by his demise. He was very happy and lively about his work and life. I can't talk much now," Hangal's son Vijay told PTI.

Character artists including Rakesh Bedi, Raza Murad, Avatar Gill, singer-actress Ila Arun and a few others were seen at the crematorium uniting in grief at the demise of the man who played the role of grandfather, father, uncle or friend to various actors.

Hangal passed away early this morning due to brief illness aggravated by a fracture in his thigh bone at Asha Parekh Hospital in suburban Mumbai. He was 98.

"Though he was out of sight as he was not working in movies, he was not out of mind. He was my guru... he was an institution... I have learnt a lot from him," Raza Murad said.

"He has worked with all superstars but it is sad that no big star from the industry came here today," he said. "He lived like a king. He was very active. He was never disheartened when he was out of work and money. He was not only an actor... he was a freedom fighter. It's a great loss," Ila Arun said.

Hangal is survived by his 74-year-old son Vijay as his wife Manorama predeceased him.

The family was living in penury before several celebrities from the film industry chipped in with funds after news of the veteran actor's failing health broke out last year.

Hangal is remembered for some of the most heart-rending performances in Sholay, Shaukeen,Namak Haram, Guddi, Bawarchi, Lagaan and others.

He received the prestigious Padma Bhushan award for his contribution to Hindi Cinema in 2006.

Hangal's journey to filmdom was not a cake walk. He had heard of Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) while he was in Pakistan and was quite impressed by their work of spreading social messages through plays.

After the partition, Hangal chose to stay back in Pakistan but he was arrested because of his communist ideologies. He even spent two years in jail, later he was asked to go to India.

At the age of 21, he came to the city of dreams, Mumbai, with Rs 20 in his pocket.

Later he started doing plays with Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA).

It was Balraj Sahni and Chetan Anand, who saw his stage work and encouraged him to join Hindi cinema. Hangal was not interested in movies, but destiny had already planned a filmi journey of his life.

When he was in his 40s, director Basu Chatterjee offered him to play Raj Kapoor's brother in Teesri Kasam (1966). Though he was not keen on doing the film but then too he shot, later only to find out that the scene was chopped.

But after that there was no looking back as he played the doting father, uncle and friend to actors like Rajesh Khanna, Jaya Bachchan, Hema Malini, Rekha, Sunny Deol and others. He recently shot for TV Series Madhubala.

AK Hangal passes away in Mumbai

Mumbai 26 August, 2012 - Veteran Bollywood actor AK Hangal passed away in Mumbai on Sunday morning after a prolonged illness aggravated by a recent hip fracture, a family member said. Hangal was 98.
"My father died around 9 am The cause of death is mainly age-related and his lungs had also become weak and collapsed," Hangal's son Vijay, 76, told IANS.

"My father was a spirited man....He kept fighting every time till his last breath," Vijay said, adding the funeral will be held at 1pm.

"He died following lung and kidney failure after he suffered a hip fracture," the actor's physician Koulsoum Hossein told IANS.

"It is a great shock and loss to his family, admirers and the entire film fraternity," said a family member at the actor's Santacruz residence.

The veteran will be cremated Sunday afternoon at Vile Parle crematorium.

According to a hospital official, Hangal was on life-support systems for the past few days but did not respond to treatment.

Hangal was admitted to the Asha Parekh Hospital Aug 16 following a hip fracture. He had been suffering from old age health problems for a long time. 

His wife passed away before and he is survived by his son, Vijay.

The actor was associated with the film industry since 1967 and worked in nearly 225 films. He is best known for his roles in "Parichay" and "Sholay".

The actor made headlines in 2011 when it was revealed that he was struggling for livelihood as his source of income had dried up and there was hardly any money for food or medicine.

Following that, many people from the film industry, including actors Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan, offered him financial support.

Hangal was last seen in a TV show, "Madhubala", in May.

The Government of India awarded him the prestigious Padma Bhushan for his contribution to Hindi Cinema in 2006. 

Kya aap ko yaad hai Sholay film ka yeh famous dialogue "Yeh Itna Sanaata Kyun Hai Bbhai?"

Filmography
2008     Humsey Hai Jahaan 
2005     Sab Kuch Hai Kuch Bhi Nahin
2005     Paheli
2005     Mr. Prime Minister 
2004     Hari Om
2004     Dil Maange More
2003     Kahan Ho Tum
2002     Shararat
2001     The Adopted 
2001     Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India
1999     Thakshak
1998     Zor: Never Underestimate the Force
1998     Yeh Aashiqui Meri
1998     Main Solah Baras Ki 
1996     Tere Mere Sapne
1996     Sautela Bhai
1995     Live Today 
1995     Kismat
1994     Dilwale
1993     Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja
1993     Khalnayak
1993     Jaagruti
1992     Meera Ka Mohan 
1992     Laat Saab
1992     Apradhi
1991     Farishtay
1991     Dushman Devta
1990     Police Public
1989     Ilaaka
1989     Abhimanyu
1988     Khoon Bhari Maang
1988     Aakhri Adaalat
1987     Satyamev Jayate
1987     Mera Yaar Mera Dushman 
1987     Jalwa
1987     Jaago Hua Savera 
1987     Jaan Hatheli Pe 
1987     Dacait
1986     New Delhi Times
1986     Ek Chadar Maili Si
1985     Surkhiyaan
1985     Saaheb
1985     Saagar
1985     Ram Teri Ganga Maili
1985     Pighalta Aasman
1985     Meri Jung
1985     Bewafai 
1985     Arjun
1984     Sharaabi
1984     Kamla
1984     Aaj Ka M.L.A. Ram Avtar
1983     Naukar Biwi Ka
1983     Avtaar
1982     Swami Dada 
1982     Star
1982     Shriman Shrimati
1982     Shaukeen
1982     Saath Saath
1982     Khud-Daar
1982     Dil... Akhir Dil Hai
1982     Bemisal
1981     Naram Garam
1981     Kudrat
1981     Krodhi
1981     Kal Hamara Hai 
1981     Kalyug
1981     Bhaaya 
1981     Baseraa
1980     Thodisi Bewafaii
1980     Phir Wohi Raat
1980     Neeyat 
1980     Kali Ghata
1980     Judaai
1980     Hum Paanch
1980     Humkadam
1979     Ratnadeep 
1979     Prem Bandhan 
1979     Meera
1979     Manzil
1979     Ladke Baap Se Badke
1979     Khandaan
1979     Jurmana
1979     Amar Deep
1978     Tumhare Liye
1978     Swarg Narak
1978     Satyam Shivam Sundaram: Love Sublime
1978     Naukri
1978     Des Pardes
1978     Besharam
1978     Badalte Rishtey
1977     Paheli
1977     Mukti
1977     Kalabaaz
1977     Immaan Dharam
1977     Alaap
1977     Aaina
1977     Aafat 
1976     Zindagi
1976     Zid 
1976     Tapasya
1976     Raees 
1976     Jeevan Jyoti
1976     Chitchor
1976     Balika Badhu
1976     Aaj Ka Ye Ghar
1975     Sholay
1975     Salaakhen
1975     Deewaar
1975     Anokha
1975     Aandhi
1974     Us-Paar
1974     Trimurti
1974     Kora Kagaz
1974     Ishq Ishq Ishq
1974     Do Nambar Ke Amir 
1974     Doosri Sita 
1974     Bidaai
1974     Aap Ki Kasam
1973     Namak Haraam
1973     Joshila
1973     Heera Panna
1973     Garm Hava
1973     Daag: A Poem of Love
1973     Chhupa Rustam
1973     Anamika
1973     Abhimaan
1972     Parichay
1972     Jawani Diwani
1972     Bawarchi
1951     Nadaan
1971     Mere Apne
1971     Guddi
1971     Anubhav
1969     Sara Akash
1969     Saat Hindustani
1969     Dharti Kahe Pukarke 
1967     Teesri Kasam
1969     Dharti Kahe Pukarke
1967     Shagird