Film – Page 127

A peekaboo at the fastest growing Marathi cinema

April 30, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

The founder of Indian Cinema was the Late Dadasaheb Phalke. Although a Maharashtrian by birth he had made a Hindi film named ‘Raja Hrishchandra’. And now of late the Marathi film industry is coming of age and growing in leaps & bounds. Thereby presenting a stiff competition to all the other Regional Cinemas. So Nasheman’s Entertainment Editor SHAHEEN RAAJ will also present the latest happenings in Marathi Cinema. Stay tuned in.

Shreyas Bags “Dada Saheb Phalke Film Foundation” Award

Actor-Producer-Director Shreyas Talpade recently bagged the “Dada Saheb Phalke Film Foundation” Award for the 2nd time for his performance in ‘Baji’. The film which released on 6th Feb, 2015, saw the talented actor essay the role of Marathi cinema’s 1st ever vigilante superhero. Shreyas had earlier won the “Dada Saheb Phalke Film Foundation” Award for his performance in his debut film ‘Iqbal’.
The talented actor who has been in the industry for more than a decade made a mark with his debut film ‘Iqbal’ and since then there has been no looking back for him. The talented actor has been part of many successful films like ‘Om Shanti Om’, “Golmaal” series to name a few. The actor had recently produced his 2nd Marathi film ‘Poshter Boyz’ which was a critically acclaimed as well as a blockbuster film and will also be directing the sequel. In the past he has won the Zee Cine Critics award for outstanding acting skills for his debut film ‘Iqbal’ in 2005. He also won the Best Comedian award for ‘Dor’ at the Star Screen Awards as well as Stardust Breakthrough Performance (Male) award in 2007 and the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor for ‘Om Shanti Om’ the same year.

‘Olakh – My Identity’ Releasing Soon

The 1st copy of Lehar Entertainment’s ‘Olakh – My Identity’ is out and it will be released shortly. The credits of the film are débutante director Jameel Khan, produced by Harshdeep Sason, co-produced by Sheetal Rajveer, story by Dinesh & Kumar, screenplay by Ahsan Baksh, dialogues by Swapnil Mahalinge, cinematography by Shanu Singh Rajput, music by Rajesh Pandey & Saurabh, lyrics by Saurabh-Rajesh, action by Prahsnat, editing by Awadh Narayan Singh & executive produced by Satyendra Kumar. It stars Alka Kubal, Bhushan Patil, Khushboo Tawde, Anjali Ujwane, Kaushal Diwan & Arun nalawade.

‘Journey Premachi’ 1st Copy Out

The 1st copy of of A. R. B. Films’ maiden venture ‘Journey Premachi’ is out and it will be shown to the censors shortly. The credits of the film are produced by Adil Baloch, directed by Amol Bhave, cinematography by Raaj Khilnani, lyrics by Aashay Parab, music by Nikhil Kamath, choreography by Vicky Khan, editing by Zaraf Sultaan & casting direction by Kareena Mankani.
It stars Abhishek Sethiya, Kashmira Kulkarni, Madhav Deochakke, Atul Abhyankar, Parag Barekar, Pradeep Patwardhan, Neelu Pathak, Deepjyoti Naik, Sunny Charles, Master Kiran et al.

Pravin Tarde & Pranit Kulkarni Join Hands To Co-Direct ‘Deool Banda’

It’s very rare that we see 2 directors co-directing a film especially in Marathi, the feat is common in Bollywood with Abbas – Mustan, Raj – D.K & Sajid-Farhad, all delivering some phenomenal hits. And now 2 talented friends Pravin Tarde & Pranit Kulkarni have joined hands and will be making their directorial debut with ‘Deool Banda’. The film is modern day thriller mystery inspired from the life & philosophies of Swami Samarth.

Having known each other and having been friends for years, both Pravin Tarde & Pranit Kulkarni have made their mark individually in the Marathi Film Industry. The talented Pravin Tarde has a come a long way from being a writer for plays to directing a film. He has written for successful TV shows like ‘Kunku’, ‘Pinjara’ et al and was also the script writer for the latest super hit film ‘Rege’. Apart from writing he has also mastered the art of direction & acting. Pranit Kulkarni, on the other hand is a prominent lyricist & album producer for leading Marathi films. Both Pravin & Pranit have written the script together. The film is produced by Jayshree Kailasvani & Julie Kailasvani. The shoot for the film has already begun and audiences soon will be able to catch the film on the celluloid silver screen.

Anupama Chopra's book The Front Row: Conversations on Cinema launched

April 30, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

Anupama Chopra happens to be a journo turned author. And now she has come up with her latest book named “The Front Row: Conversations on Cinema by Anupama Chopra”. It was released recently by none other than the Queen herself, Kangana Ranaut at Taj Lands End on one pleasant evening over a cool session of wine & vodka.

Incidentally speaking the book “The Front Row: Conversations on Cinema” is a collection of Anupama Chopras’ televised interviews with both Bollywood & Hollywood personalities. These include Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Kangana Ranaut , Priyanka Chopra as well as a host of international celebrities that include Jackie Chan, Will Smith, Martin Scorsese & Johnny Depp to name just a few.

These conversations give an insight into the creative process of actors, directors & producers who have made some of the most memorable movies in recent times. The interviews were conducted from 2012 – 2014, the years the show ‘The Front Row’ aired on Star World.

Recalling the experience of creating the show, Anupama Chopra averred, “The sound stage, now studio number 6, at Mumbai’s Mehboob Studio has a storied past. The studio itself was founded in 1954. For 2 years, this space was also my professional home. ‘The Front Row’ set, a medley of black, blue and white shimmering mirrors, stood here from April 2012 to 2014. Every week, we shot reviews, interviews & panel discussions. The hours were long but the set was intimate. I remember one December evening when we shot 2 conversations in a row, first an actor’s panel with Amitabh Bachchan, Farhan Akhtar, Deepika Padukone & Ranveer Singh followed immediately with a promotional interview for ‘Dhoom 3’ with Aamir Khan, Abhishek Bachchan & Uday Chopra. The first panel ran late, Aamir arrived early. At one point, there was a star jam on stage 6. That apart we shot an interview with Yo Yo Honey Singh at midnight because that’s when he comes alive. One of the many cats at Mehboob Studio traipsed on the set during a shoot with the ‘Barfi’ cast, Ranbir Kapoor continued unfazed. My moment of bliss came when one of my favourite directors Ang Lee came on set for an interview on ‘Life of Pi’, I felt that the space had been blessed. Each interview felt new. Each day was fun.”

On the same occasion Kangana Ranaut averred, “Interviews are a part of my job, but they aren’t all the same. There are the really crappy ones that test your patience. Those are not real interviews. Sometimes, they ask you to do funny things like sing a song or twirl. You’re treated like a ‘madari ka bandar’, and it’s embarrassing. Then there are genuine interviews, like the ones on ‘The Front Row’. I often joke that my interview in ‘The Front Row’ was the biggest hit I ever had. It was a real interview. We talked about things that matter.”

As a parting shot a brief intro of Anupama Chopra would not be out of place here. Anupama Chopra is basically a film critic, television anchor & author. She is also the director of the Mumbai Film Festival. She has been writing about Bollywood since the year 1993. She is founder & editor of the Film Companion channel on YouTube . Film Companion offers a curated look at cinema, Bollywood, Hollywood and beyond. Anupama has also worked extensively with Star World, Star Plus & NDTV 24/7. Her work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Hindustan Times, The Los Angeles Times & VOGUE (India). In 2001, Anupama won the National Award for Best Book on Cinema for “Sholay: The Making Of A Classic”.

Movie Review: While We're Young

April 29, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

Producer: Scott Rudin & Noah Baumbach
Director: Noah Baumbach
Cast: Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Adam Driver, Charles Grodin, Amanda Seyfried, Brady Corbet, Ryan Serhant, Maria Dizzia, Adam Horovitz, Ad Rock, Adam Senn, Dree Hemingway, James Saito, Matthew Maher, Wyatt Ralff, Greta Lee, Jesse Eisenberg & Peter Yarrow
Genre: Comedy Drama
Verdict: Good

Director Noah Baumbach happens to be an artistic director considering his past repertoire of films like Kick And Screaming, Margot At The Wedding, Greenberg, The Squid And The Whale, Frances Ha and now While We’re Young which takes a pot shot at the American documentary filmmaker. Incidentally speaking Noah mostly deals with a message oriented subtle & satirical comedy.

Plot: Josh (Ben Stiller) & Cornelia (Naomi Watts), happens to be a childless New York married couple in their mid – forties. As their other friends all start having children, the couple gravitates towards a young hipster couple named Jamie (Adam Driver) & Darby (Amanda Seyfried). He’s an aspiring documentary filmmaker, a vocation Josh already has. Soon the older couple begins enjoying the energy they feel hanging out with the younger generation, but eventually Josh begins to suspect his new best friend might not be as straightforward and trustworthy as he thought.

Aces: It is a beautiful & thought provoking film about the generational conflict with superlative performances by its lead cast.

Minuses: Mainly Noah Baumbach’s unclear directional skills, besides the pace of the movie is too slow.

Last Word: An intellectually supercharged entertainment worth watching at least once.

Southern Movies Round Up

April 29, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

As compared to films produced in Bollywoodian & Hollywoodian Cinema arena, South Indian Cinema is rapidly & regylaerly progressing by churning out its own brand of gems of milestone movies in all the 4 languages namely Kannada, Malyalam, Telugu & Tamil. In an exclusive Nasheman.In, Shaheen Raaj will present a sneak preview of the productional happenings of Southern Cinema every fortnight. Time to stay tuned in.

Kamal Hassan’ Film ‘Uttama Villain’ In Legal Hassles

Kamal Hassan’s ‘Uttama Villain’ was all set to release in 1st May 2015. Kamal Haasan’s ambitious project ‘Uttama Villain’, directed by his actor friend Ramesh Aravind, was slated for a release on 1st May, 2015. In fact the producers had planned a big release in Tamil & Telugu. Now a production company named ‘Thangam Cinemas’ has approached court claiming that Thirupathi Brothers banner, which produced the film, owe them Rs. 2 crores and asked the court to not allow the film’s release till the amount is settled. However, Thirupathi Brothers agreed to pay Rs.1 crore and said that they will pay the balance amount after the release. The court has adjourned the case and the film will release as planned, if the issue is settled.

Shruti Haasan Stuck In Legal Hassles Due To Her Controversial Item Dance

Shruti Haasan of late is also stuck In Legal hassles due to her controversial item dance. It is nobody’s secret that Shruti Haasan walked out of the Karthi-Nagarjuna bilingual flick and producer Picture House Media proceeded legally seeking a ban on the actress from signing any other film. The issue was then solved amicably after the intervention of the chiefs of the Producers Council and Nadigar Sangam. In a latest twist Shruti Haasan has agreed to do an item number in the film ‘Inji Iduppazhagi’ starring Arya & Anushka, which is produced by Picture House Productions. This is a clear indication that all is well with Shruti and her controversy with the producers.

The shooting of ‘Mellisai’ Complete

The shooting of ‘Mellisai’ has been completed recently. In fact the shooting of Vijay Sethupathi starrer ‘Mellisai’ is over and post production works are going on in full swing. Plans are also on to launch the film’s audio, composed by Sam C. S., soon. The movie, directed by Ranjit Jeyakodi, is tipped to be a musical thriller. Gayathri of ‘Naduvula Konjam Pakkathai Kaanom’ fame is the heroine, while cinematography is by Dinesh Krishnan.

Vijay Sethupathi, it is said, has tried his hands at a totally different genre in ‘Mellisai’. Meanwhile, his ‘Purampokku Engira Podhuvudamai’ directed by S. P. Jhananathan, is getting ready to hit the screens on 15th May, 2015.

Vishnu Vishal Back In Action

Vishnu Vishal Back In Action. Vishnu Vishal has been lying low after giving the super hit ‘Mudasupatti’ and the acclaimed ‘Jeeva’ due to an injury while fielding for the Chennai Rhinos team during a Criket Club League match. The actor has ‘Idam Porul Yaeval’ & ‘Indru Netru Naalai’ ready for release. Vishnu has signed his next film titled ‘Veera Dheera Sooran’ directed by Shankar Dhayal of ‘Saguni’ fame in which his love interest will be played by Catherine Tresa who starred with Karthi in ‘Madras’ and is currently the 2nd heroine of Suriya in ‘24’. ‘Veera Dheera Sooran’ is in the science fiction genre and formerly had Suseenthiran attached as director.

Venkat Prabhu’s Heroine To Quit Acting

Venkat Prabhu’s Heroine To Quit Acting. Director Venkat Prabhu’s 1st film as director was the cult hit ‘Chennai 600028’ which had Vijayalakshmi as heroine and the actress went on to do memorable roles in films like Mysskin’s ‘Anjathey’. And now Vijayalakshmi has decided to quit acting and take up film production and with this in mind has started a new company called TEA TIME TALKS. The 1st film under the new banner is likely to begin shooting in Jun, 2015 and an official announcement is expected shortly.

Sudheer Varma Gets A Big Offer

Nagarjuna seems to have been very impressed with the working style of Sudheer Varma. Sudheer averred that after watching ‘Dohchay’, Nagarjuna appreciated him well and asked to prepare a stylish action entertainer subject for him. He said that he will prepare a subject and will narrate the line to Nagarjuna shortly. Hope the film materializes soon. Sudheer Varma further stated that Nagarjuna liked the way he presented Chaitanya and enjoyed the hilarious last 30 minutes. ‘Dohchay’ was released recently. Kriti Sanon romanced Naga Chaitanya in this film.

Allu Arjun’s Next In May 2015

Allu Arjun’s next film to roll In May, 2015. Allu Arjun is very happy with the collections of ‘S/o Satyamurthy’ and the Stylish Star is going to start his next soon, toi be precise in May, 2015. He will be working with Boyapati Srinu and the film will start in the 2nd week of May. This film will be produced under Geetha Arts banner by Allu Aravind and it is going to be a love story with commercial elements. Allu Arjun is going to sport a new look in this movie. ‘Jadoogadu’ fame Sonarika is being considered as the lead actress in this movie. Thaman is the music director.

Sudeep Not To Work With Samantha

Speculations have been rife for a few days now that young actor Sundeep Kishan is going to work with Samantha soon and gossip mongers were also abuzz with rumors that V. V. Vinayak will direct this film, which will be produced by Sundeep’s uncle Chota K Naidu. But of late Sundeep Kishan clarified that the news is false, but he would love to work with both of them. Sundeep took to his twitter handle and wrote : “There is no truth to the rumours about me doing a Film With Vinayak Garu & Samantha,as much as I would love to its not true..just clarifying”. Sundeep Kishan’s ‘Tiger’, which also stars his good friend Rahul Ravindran in a key role, is expected to hit the theatres soon.

Mohanlal To Join ‘Bharatratna’ Team In May 2015

Mohanlal is all set to join ‘Bharatratna’ team in May 2015. Mohanlal is currently shooting for Ranjith’s ‘Loham’ which features Andrea Jeremiah opposite him. He will essay the role of a Taxi driver in the movie. Soon after completing the movie he will join ‘Bharatratna’ team. The movie is being directed Anil who made his debut with the Mohanlal movie ‘Douthyam’.

Anil has also directed Mohanlal in movies like ‘Adiverukal’ & ‘Sooryagayathri’. His last directorial venture was the Suresh Gopi starrer ‘Gangotri’. Another movie titled ‘Manasu Muthal Manasu Vare’ starring Nishant, Sreevidya & Lena has not been completed. ‘Bharatratna’ is scheduled to begin by 15th May, 2015 at Hyderabad.

Prithviraj & Mohanlal In Padmakumar’s next

Prithviraj & Mohanlal in Padmakumar’s next. 2 of Mollywood’s top actors are gearing up to share screen. Prithviraj & Mohanlal are yet to play the lead in ace director Padmakumar’s next. The movie has been titled ‘Kanal’. Both Mohanlal & Prithviraj had been part of Padmakumar’s previous movies.

The script of ‘Kanal’ is by Suresh Babu, who had earlier scripted the Padmakumar-Mohanlal movie ‘Shikkar’. ‘Kanal’ is reportedly a revenge drama with a tagline ‘Every end is a new beginning’. The movie is all about to strangers with revenge in their minds meeting at Dubai. Prithviraj & Mohanlal will share screen for another movie, to be directed by Priyadarshan. This movie is touted to be a political thriller.

The Malashri vs Vijay Battle Is On

The Malashri vs Vijay battle is on. This week is a battle of one action hero & action heroine on silver screen in Kannada. Malashri in ‘Maha Kaali’ & Dhuniya Vijay in ‘Daksha’ have put down nearly 100 plus opponents. Malashri uses her muscle power while Vijay uses his muscle power and machine gun power. Malashri fights against local detractors while Vijay takes on terrorists. In ‘Maha Kaali’ Malashri after a fierce attack on wrong doers in the society receive a lethal blow on her head from Home Minister team in the film. She is thrown in a far off place. She gets from this place with blessings of goddess Maha Kaali. The action heroine who was trashing villains like a ‘Dhobi’ a washer man, she gets the goddess Trishul for utltimate round of action.

‘Akshate’ Starts

The Kannada film ‘Akshate’ gets kickstarted. At the Freedom Park in Bengaluru the Kannada film ‘Akshate’ starring Raaj, Karthik & Mythria Gowda was flagged off by crazy star V Ravichandran. Actress Mythria Gowda wanted the real life ‘Akshate’ on her from a political family but she was discarded. This ‘Akshate’ is said to be having shades of recently dead IAS officer DK Ravi real life. Raju Devasandra is taking on debut direction for his story, screenplay & dialogues. He has been assistant director for a long time. He wanted to keep the title ‘Madhuve’ (marriage) for his film. Already a film in that name has come in Kannada compelled him to select ‘Akshate’.

Movie Review: 'Ishq Ke Parindey' is a very interesting, entertaining & musical social movie

April 27, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

Banner: Shyam Motion Pictures
Presenter: Pawan Goyal
Director: Shakir Khan
Cast: Rishi Verma, Priyanka Mehta, Manjul Aazad, Yasir Iftikhar Khan, Monisha Rai, Pran Dawas & Abhishek
Music: Vijay Vermaa, Rashid Khan & Sajjad Ali

Débutante director Shakir Khan in his debut directorial offering ‘Ishq Ke Parindey’ has refreshed the musical era of earlier musical Muslim social movies like ‘Palki’, ‘Mere Mehboob’, ‘Mehboob Ki Mehendi’ et al. If only Shakir miyan had resisted the temptation of setting ‘Ishq Ke Parindey’ amidst the backdrop of “Gang Wars”.

Right at the outset ‘Ishq Ke Paridey’ starts conveying a loud & clear message that love surpasses all barriers & borders. In fact ‘Ishq Ke Parindey’ portrays Indo – Pak conflict against the backdrop of a powerful love story. The film strongly sends out the message of peace for the constantly warring neighbouring countries namely India & Pakistan. There are still a lot of things that bind India & Pakistan together and their tragic history is definitely one of them. A history which changed the lives of millions, a history which re – wrote the destinies of millions. So ‘Ishq Ke Parindey’ is a love story of Indo – Pak love birds, Sheen, a Muslim girl from Pakistan, and Faiz, a Muslim boy from Lucknow, India, both of whom protect the flame of their sacred love from hatred & violence. The scenario kickstarts when an innocent & beautiful Pakistani girl, Sheen arrives in Lucknow along with her family. It is in the royal city of Nawabs that she meets her soul mate, Faiz. Love blossoms for both of them and what follows is a deadly fight amongst their families. In the end ‘Ishq Ke Parindey’ comes accross as a soulful & lovable journey of Sheen & Faiz’s love story.

Débutante director Shakir Khan’s ‘Ishq Ke Parindey’ ultimatey comes accross as a very interesting, entertaining & musical Muslim social movie. As a director Shakir Khan is brilliant. His sensitive handling of the love story flourishing amidst cross cultural borders, of course steeped in bloodshed & gory Gang Wars, is laudable. The story & the scripted version with intense dialogues (Shakir Khan, Rituraj Tripathi, Dr. Abhishek Dwivedi & Rajeev Arora) & the music (Vijay Vermaa, Rashid Khan & Sajjad Ali) are the biggest and the well deserved highlights of ‘Ishq Ke Paridey). Some of the chartbursting memorable & extremely hummable numbers are “Maula Maula Karam”, “Rab Se Maangi”, “Ek Hatheli”, “Dil Tod Ke” & “Ishq Ke Parindey” (Title number). That apart cinematographer Najeeb Khan has mesmerizingly & beatifully captured Lucknow, the City of Nawab like never before. No doubt added & abetted by the razor sharp scissors of editor Tapos Ghosh.

Performance wise Rishi Verma as Faiz is a surprise discovery. He has essayed his character with natural gracefulness. He has delivered a very effortless & restrained performance. Priyanka Mehta as Sheen wins the hearts of the cinegoers right from the 1st frame. In short she is brilliant without an iota of doubt but of course minus her bluishly tinted contact lenses. Both Rishi Verma & Priyanka Mehta have an extremely bright future. They are adequately supported by Monisha Rai as Ghazala, Pran Dawas as Chhoroo & Abhishek as Vishal. Then of course to take care of the hamming department there is Manjul Aazad as Bhaijaan & Yasir Iftikhar Khan as Shadab.

Tail Piece: ‘Ishq Ke Parindey’ is a good viewing both for the over the hills moviegoers as well as the Gen X. Time to go and bask in Glory of Romance before it is too late.

Movie Review: 'Kaagaz Ke Fools' lovingly depicts a middle class Punjabi family life in all its glory

April 27, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

Banner: Globe Filmy Entertainment
Producer: Faisal Kapadia & Arun Bhairav
Director: Anil Kumar Chaudhary
Cast: Vinay Pathak, Mugdha Godse, Raima Sen, Saurabh Shukla, Rajendra Sethi & Amit Behl
Music: Sangeeta Pant & Surendra Sodi
Media Promotion: Dwapar Promoters (Himanshu Jhunjhunwala)

Writer – Producer Faisal Kapadia indeed deserves a pat on his back for weaving an interesting & colorful albeit a relealistic story based on a middle class Punjabi family in all its glory. If only he had handed the directorial reigns to a more skillful director rather than an amateurish actor turned amateurish director like Anil Kumar Chaudhary, whose earlier credits include films like ‘Ye Mothers’ & ‘No Rules For Fools’ and now ‘Kaagaz Ke Fools’. How Symbolic!!!

The plotted scenario of the film starts off with a search operation by Dev (Saurabh Shukla) & Nikki (Mugdha Godse). This brother – sister duo are in search of Nikki’s ‘non – ambitious but honest’ husband Purushottam Tripathi (Vinay Pathak), who leaves the house after a tiff with his nagging (but loveable) wife Nikki. While on one hand, Nikki’s relatives help to reconcile her relationship with Purushottam, on the other hand, the couple’s common friend lays his bets on them getting divorced. Caught in a whirlpool of relatives, friends & emotional turmoil, Purushottam lands up in a gambling den, where he drinks heavily and wins not just the money but also the company of a ‘working woman’ prostitute Rubina (Raima Sen). Despite all her attempts to seduce him, the ‘patni – vratha’ Purushottam refuses to give in to her advances. Seeing a ‘truthful human’ in her, he starts staying with her, but without any intimacy between them. On a professional front too, his life is in turmoil as his book ‘Ek Thehri Si Zindagi’ fails to find any publisher, which further adds to his frustration. One day, when Purushottam is totally out of control emotionally, he again lands up at the same gambling den. Lady Luck favors him to the core and he makes a killing, so much so that he even defeats the owner of the gambling den ‘in his own game’. He, then, hands over all the winnings to Rubina asking her to fund her brother’s education. The next day, a series of incidents happen in quick succession that puts everyone including Purushottam in a tizzy. While on one hand, Purushottam gets kidnapped in broad daylight, on the other hand, someone renames his book from ‘Ek Thehri Si Zindagi’ to ‘Ek Tharki Si Zindagi’, which lands up being a Bestseller’ in no time of its publishing.

Not only director Anil Kumar Chaudhary but most of his technical crew seems incompetent like cinematographer Aniket Khandagale, music composer Sangeeta Pant (but of course Surendra Sodhi’s background score deserves a special mention), editor Kshitija Khandagale, sound designer Suresh Sharma et al. Need anything more be said.

Performance wise It is Vinay Pathak’s film all the way as his act as a simpleton wins the heart of the viewers as he always finds himself not only in the wrong place but at the wrong time too. In short he is ‘Brillanto’. While the rest of the cast like Mugadha Godse, Raima Sen, Saurabh Shukla, Rajendra Sethi & Amit Behl are all victims of serious miscasting and hence fail to impress and deliver the goods.

Tail Piece: Inspite of all its foibles and follies ‘Kaagaz Ke Fools’ is worth giving a try at least once without ending up being regretful.

DJ & Actor Gautam Arora talks about his journey

April 25, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

A DJ by profession and an actor by passion, Gautam Arora hailing from Delhi possessing dreams in his eyes to pursue acting and make it big in tinsel town, little did the muti-talented boy know that he would be specked by a renowned director and to his hard work & talent did cameo in a film starring Ranbir Kapoor & Deepika Padukone.

Having no Bollywood background and belonging to a normal middle class family, Gautam Arora has marked his excellence in Print ads and online fashion portals. Blame his suave looks and appealing personality Gautam has wowed the modelling fraternity.

Holding a penchant for acting and theater, Gautam started his journey at a tender age of 17 with a vision to entertain people with his acting abilities. On his journey to pursue his dreams, Gautam has tried his hand in various other jobs. Gautam wore the hat of National Head in Airline Industry.

Talking about his journey he avers, “I belong to a simple family back ground where we don’t have any association with Bollywood, but it was my passion for this art which made me pursue acting. As I never had a mentor or a God father to guide me, I did what it takes to get in the game. From modelling to print ads, I did whatever came my way to achieve my dream”.

He has also spinned his magic down south, exhibiting his talent. Now the DJ & actor is reading scripts in order to explore his credentials, “I am reading a lot of scripts right now. I don’t have the greed to essay the role of main lead. People usually desire to get the big break in Bollywood which somehow takes away from acting. Acting is my passion and if not the main lead I want to do roles which give me job satisfaction that by the end of the day I feel satisfied that I have portrayed substantial roles”.

'Bombariya's lovely bash At Zapatta

April 24, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

It was a star-studded night at the launch of Kreo Films & Beautiful Bay Productions’ much awaited film ‘Bombairiya’. The event was held at the renowned suburban joint, Zapata’s bistro & bar. Present at the venue were the starcast Radhika Aapte, Akshay Oberoi & Siddhanth Kapoor along with the director Pia Sukanya and India-born British producer Michael Ward.

‘Bombairiya’ will capture Mumbai’s multiple shades and the state of conflict that grips most of its dwellers. The film will not just capture the city of dreams in a new light but more importantly a true light. Based on events from tinsel town, the story revolves around Meghna, a film publicist (played by Radhika Aapte) who has her phone stolen on a city street and borrows one belonging to Abhishek a middle class IT programmer (played by Akshay Oberoi) so she can make contact with the nameless Thief (Siddhanth Kapoor).

Right at the outset Radhika Apte averred, “I fell in love with script and my character as soon as it was narrated. Beyond the script, I loved the degree of clarity that Michael & Pia have regarding the treatment and flow of film. When I met them I knew that this project was close to their heart and they had done their ‘homework’ rather thoroughly. I am excited for the shoot and I am sure we will show a side of Mumbai to the audience that most are unaware of”.

On the other hand producer Michael Ward added, “I am glad that we are ready to roll with ‘Bombairiya’. This is my debut project in Bollywood and this is the kind of script that has attracted international interest from Producer Colin Burrows of Beautiful Bay and the team at Kreo Films. Personally I have a very strong & deep rooted ties with both India & Bollywood and I am sure that this is the best time to create this kind of film, the way we intended, without any compromises.” Incidentally sopeaking Michael, is representing Kreo Films of Dubai who have tasked him to explore Indian opportunities. His marriage to Director Pia last year has paved the way for this and several more co – productions between India, UK & U.A.E. Michael was Lead Producer & Original Adaptor for “The Far Pavilions”, a West End Broadway Musical that ran at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre and also theatrical director for Miss Bollywood, a ‘dansical’ starring Shilpa Shetty.

As Director of ‘Bombairiya’ and of Beautiful Bay Entertainment, Pia also dons several hats. Direction, script – writing, acting, song – writing and singing are some of her talents. She avered, “As a debutante director, I am thrilled with the star cast and depth of acting talents that have come on board. I know Radhika will make a fascinating and captivating Meghna and Akshay will become her well – meaning but irritating knight in shining armour, till the circumstances force them to look at each other as possible mates!” I’m also looking forward to working with Ravi Kishan & SiddhantKapoor, son of the iustrios actor Shakti Kapoor.”

The film is all set to go on the floors on 23th April, 2015 and will be shot in one schedule in Varied locales of Mumbai.

"Bollywood music composers are downright plagiarist": Malkit Singh

April 24, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

Malkit Singh is a renowned & award winning Punjabi Bhangra singer based in Birmingam, England. Till this date he has crooned some of the most popular numbers like “Gur Nalo Ishq Mita”, “Tootak Tootak Tootiyan”, “Kurri Garam Jayee”, ‘Dekh Li Villait”, “Chal Hun”, “Jai Hind” et al. Malkit Singh was in Mumbai recently for a special show on Baishakhi when Shaheen Raaj cornered him for a little interactive session.

To set the ball rolling how about giving us a brief insight into your background?

Basically I hail from Punjab. Incidentally speaking I was born in Hussainpur and brought up in Nakodar, Punjab. But to pursue my musical inclination I had shifted to Birmingham, England in the year 1984. Till this date I have crooned some of the most popular numbers like “Gur Nalo Ishq Mita”, “Tootak Tootak Tootiyan”, “Kurri Garam Jayee”, ‘Dekh Li Villait”, “Chal Hun”, “Jai Hind” to name just a few, like a drop in an Ocean.

How come you have not lent your voice for Bollywood movies in a career spanning three decades?

To be very frank I have a flourishing global career as a crooner. And since I am based in England I do not find it feasible to shift bag & Baggage to the Mekkah of Bollywood. And perhaps the producers & the directors do not call me thinking that they may have to pay me the two way fare from England to Mumbai and back. Besides a handsome remuneration as my crooning fees. Well! it is a totally wrong assumption. I can bear all the expenses of my so called trip on my own. And I certainly can’t settle down in Mumbai forever, thereby chucking up my lucrative career in England.

But you are still very popular in Bollywood!

Yes! You are right. And all thanks to my runaway hit songs. I became more known out here especially after my two songs “Chal Hun” & “JaI Hind” became a part of the soundtrack of Gurinder Chhadha’s movie ‘Bend It Like Bekham’. And I would also like to thank all the Bollywood music composers especially Mr. Bappi Lahiri for blatantly coping my chartbusting numbers like “Gur Nalo Ishq Mita” & “Tootak Tootak Tootiyan”. These so called music composers may term it as an inspiration. But I would say that they have been indulging in blatant plagiarism down the years.

One last question your daughter Amardip was recently sentenced to 2 years of jail in UK for having sexual relations with a handicapped minor. Comment.

You have said it all sir. I would not like to make anymore comment as this is strictly supposed to be a very private family matter and since everyone kept on harassing me or rather pestering me with all sorts of questions I have removed myself from each and every social media outlets. Period!

Movie Review: The Avengers: Age of Ultron

April 23, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

Producer: Kevin Feige
Director: Joss Whedon
Star Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johnsson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Aaron Taylor – Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Cobie Smulders, Anthony Mackie, Haylay Atwell, Idris Alba, Stellan Skarsgard, James Spader & Samuel L. Jackson
Genre: Action – Fantasy
Verdict: Very Good

Don’t Miss!

Director Joss Whedon returns, after a long hiatus, with Avengers: Age Of Ultron, a super hero film which happens to be a sequel of The Avengers. No doubt the sequel is spectacularly mounted but something is still amiss. Frankly speaking Avengers: Age Of Ultron is surely a visual delight for the viewers but on the other hand one can say that Joss Whedon has failed to live up to the expectations, that the earlier instalment had raised for its sequel.

Plot: When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) jumpstarts a dormant peacekeeping program, things go terribly awry, forcing him, Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and the rest of the Avengers to reassemble. As the fate of Earth hangs in balance, the team is put to the ultimate test as they battle Ultron (James Spader), a technological terror hell bent on human extinction. Along the way, they encounter two mysterious and powerful newcomers, Pietro and Wanda Maximoff.

Aces: Avengers: Age Of Ultron is big, bold, funny, thrilling, absorbing all rolled into one. That apart the outstanding performances from its ensemble cast specially Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth & Mark Ruffalo leading the male brigade and Scarlett Johnsson and Elizabeth Olsen leading the female brigade.

Minuses: The robotic, sometimes undecipherable, jargon and the overall pointless destruction created during the battle between the avengers and the Ultron.

Last Word: A well crafted movie to suit the palate of audiences of all ages.