Yash Raj's terrific line-up!

Yash Raj Films has announced the line-up of films and the respective release dates for the year 2007. And it is a line-up to behold. Reading like a virtual roll-call of the industry’s biggest stars, the line-up heralds a year of tremendous excitement for cine lovers. What’s more, the excitement will continue practically non-stop throughout the year with as many as five releases in 2007, with one closely following in January 2008.
The first Yash Raj release of 2007 comes up on 27th April: Siddharth Anand’s TA RA RUM PUM, starring Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji.

Barely two months after TA RA RUM PUM comes Shaad Ali’s third directorial venture JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM, starring Abhishek Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Bobby Deol, Lara Dutta and Amitabh Bachchan [sp. app.]. 15th June is the day of release.

Yash Raj’s third release of the year, CHAK DE INDIA, is slated to hit the screens on 10th August. Directed by Shimit Amin, it stars Shah Rukh Khan in the lead.

The festive season will be celebrated in style by Yash Raj with the release of Pradeep Sarkar’s LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG. The film will be unveiled on 12th October. It stars Jaya Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Konkona Sen Sharma, Kunal Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan.

And finally, Yash Raj’s last offering for 2007, slated for 30th November release, is AAJA NACHLE. Cinematographer Anil Mehta makes his directorial debut with this film which marks the comeback of Madhuri Dixit on the Hindi screen.

2008 will kick off in grand style with TASHAN. Directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya [the screenplay and dialogue writer of DHOOM and DHOOM 2], it stars Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Anil Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor.

But 2007 will be memorable for Yash Raj Films for another reason. It will move completely to a studio style of functioning. With the one-of-its-kind YRF Studios fully operational, Yash Raj Films now has the capability of doing each and every bit of pre-production, production and post-production work in-house.

Music launch of 1971 on INS Vikrant

In an extraordinary symbolic exercise, the music launch of Amrit Sagar’s ‘1971’will be happening on INS Vikrant, one of the iconic warships of Indian Navy. Indian Navy in association with Studio 18 will be hosting the event on Wednesday, February 28. Singer-composer Shibani Kashyap is set to perform live for the event.

INS Vikrant had played a major role in Indian Victory in 1971 war. It had struck strategic targets in East Pakistan paving the way for early surrender of Pakistani troops there. Vice Admiral Sangram Singh Byce says, “It is indeed significant that INS Vikrant will be hosting this event. The Warship played a glorious role in 1971 war operations and had contributed in large measure to the early defeat of Pakistan. We congratulate the makers of the film 1971 which honors our war heroes."

‘1971’ is a film based on a group of 6 Indian PoWs in Pakistan following the Bangladesh war who try to flee from a Pakistani camp and return to their homeland. It stars Manoj Bajpai, Ravi Kishan, Deepak Dobriyal, Chitaranjan Giri, Kumud Mishro and Manav Kaul as the POWs.

Singer Shibani Kashyup is equally upbeat about the event. Says she, “The day I have been awaiting for has finally arrived. I will be performing on a number called 'Sehlenge Hum' from the film”. Shibani has composed and sung couple of songs in the film including the title track.

Yeh Jawab Ko Rang Laga Do Shahrukh- Preity & Rani

The festival of colors ‘Holi’ this year will smear the spirits of one and all! KAUN BANEGA CROREPATI, together with the host King Khan and the reigning Bollywood beauties-Rani Mukherjee and Preity Zinta get set to color the nation in masti n style, on the ‘Holi Hungama’ special of KBC on Thursday.

Starting the show in his inimitable andaaz, SRK warms-up everyone’s mood as he opens the show humming the tune of the popular number from his latest movie DON and in his unique style introduces both Rani and Preity on the show leaving the audience applauding and wanting for more!

The suave Rani and stunner Preity with oodles of grace begin the game, as they announce to donate their prize money for charity to Holy Family Hospital (which looks after children with heart problems) and Himachal Pradesh Red Cross, respectively.

Living upto the true spirit of ‘Holi Hungama’, SRK introduces the colorful lifelines of the show, as-50:50 Ki Pichkari Hai; Audience Poll Ki Gulaal Hai; Phone A Friend Ka Rang Hai and Flip Ki Gujjia Hai! He also asks the ladies to smile and give out their answers and instead of ‘Freezing’ it, he insists them to ask him- ‘Yeh Jawab Ko Rang Laga Do Shahrukh’!

As the fun-filled show progresses, SRK gets into the mood to play Holi with his celebrity guests. He light-heartedly threatens Rani and Priety, to watch for the colored water-balloons which he aims at them and assures that it will only leave their hair a little messy!

With the Holi Hungama, Questions & Answers, Lifelines & Prize money, Dialogues & Masti the trio will also be seen shaking a leg on the popular track ‘Mahi Ve’. All through the show SRK offers both the ladies sweets to eat and to keep the mood of the occasion and festivity, every now and then he puts gulaal on them. Well, you thought that’s over? King Khan’s guests are no less, as they know the trick of the trade better.

Watch out for what they do…how they do and will King Khan have any lifeline to save him from this? All this and much more…So catch the colors and spirits of ‘Holi Hungama’ on Kaun Banega Crorepati, Thurs, March 1st, 9.00 p.m. And celebrate the festival of joy, friendship and love!

Kaante 2 being made?

Yet another sequel seems to be in the offering.

With 'Krrish', 'Dhoom 2', 'Phir Hera Pheri' and 'Lage Raho Munnabhai' working phenomenal at the box office, sequels are being announced with every passing month.

Now there is yet another interesting film on the cards as 'Kaante 2' is next in the pipeline. In a recent interview, Suniel Shetty confirmed that out of the three films that he has in hand, 'Kaante 2' was one of them apart from 'Shootout At Lonkhandwala' and 'International Hera Pheri'. Incidentally 'International Hera Pheri' too is third in the series of 'Hera Pheri'.

This just leaves one to wonder how is Suneil Shetty coming back alive in 'Kaante 2'? Filmgoers may remember that in the original by Sanjay Gupta, only Kumar Gaurav was the man who survived after the heist while everyone from Big B to Sanjay Dutt, Mahesh Manjrekar, Lucky Ali and Suneil Shetty got killed.

So will each of them stand back on their feet? Or will 'Kaante 2' turn out to be an altogether different film with just the title being a franchise?

Stay tuned !

Deepa Mehta's Water misses the Oscar

Deepa Mehta’s Water couldn’t win the Oscar. The award went to Germany’s The lives of Others which was also nominated in the Best Foreign Film category. Water was Canada official entry to the Oscar this year, although the film is based on India.The entire star cast of the film, except Lisa Ray, was present at 79th Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Monday.

India didn’t completely lose out at the Oscars though. Another film called West Bank Story made by an Indian producer Ravi Malhotra, won the Academy Award in the Best Short Film Live Action category at the Academy Awards.

Deepa’s forthcoming project is titled Exclusion which will star Amitabh Bachchan, John Abraham and Seema Biswas.

Saif discharged from hospital

Actor Saif Ali Khan was discharged from Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai today, a week after he was hospitalized after he complained of chest pain.

The 36-year-old actor was rehearsing a dance number to be performed at the Stardust Film Awards 2007 when he had to be rushed to the hospital. His cardiac health was found to be fine and the chest aches were said to be related to stress and rigorous work schedules.

"I'm doing fine. The doctor has told me to stop smoking. I'll be back to work as soon as possible," said Saif on his way out of Lilavati Hospital.

Ranbir and Sonam in D3?

If grapevine is to be believed, Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor, star children of Rishi Kapoor & Anil Kapoor respectively, may also be roped in for the the third installation of 'Dhoom' franchise - 'Dhoom 3'.

Being in news ever since both the youngsters were roped in as Assistant Directors for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Black', they have been making steady progress in the shoot of their launchpad 'Saawariya', which is aiming for a Diwali release.

With the film as well as the lead actors' carrying great reports, there have been feelers from the Yash Raj camp about the two being almost a part of D3.

The film is getting bigger and better every month even as an official announcement is awaited.

Pic Source

Filmfare Awards

It was a sepia-tinged return to the time when the Filmfare awards ceremony was a closed-door affair exclusively for the film industry. After decades of open-air events, replete with colour, crowds and boisterous gaiety, Bollywood's most sought-after film awards slipped back into their pre-'90s avatar albeit with Oscar-style nominations -- at a formal function at Mumbai's plush Yashraj Studio. The fun and excitement quotient, of course, remained the same.

The evening belonged indisputably to three films, which divided the honours between them: Rang De Basanti , Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's post-modern take on pre-independence revolutionaries, Omkara , Vishal Bhardwaj's dark and hard-hitting adaptation of Othello and Lage Raho Munnabhai , Raj Kumar Hirani's endearing look at Mahatma Gandhi through a gangster's eyes. While RDB swept up five of the main awards (Best Film, Best Director, Best Music, Best Cinematography and Best Editing) as well as Best Actor (Critics) for Aamir Khan and the R D Burman award, Omkara 's tally was a staggering eight and Lage Raho Munnabhai 's five.

The Best Actor and Best Actress awards went to Hrithik Roshan for Dhoom 2 and Kajol for Fanaa .

Through the evening MC Shah Rukh Khan, joined in different segments by Juhi Chawla, Lara Dutta and Preity Zinta, kept the audience in splits with his one-liners and deadpan asides. Samples: "My resolution this year: Main Bachchan saab ki koi bhi film nahin karoonga ." SRK brought the house down, reminding viewers of the laugh-riot he had created with co-host Saif Ali Khan at the Filmfare awards function a few years ago. This year, Saif's sudden illness came in the way of his partnering SRK. Said SRK, "The only thing I miss is my friend Saif. He's a bit laid oops, a bit laid up this year."

In between the chuckles, a measure of sobriety and nostalgia, an audio-visual remembered all those who passed away in 2006, including Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Naushad, O P Nayyar, Kamleshwar and Padmini.

The 20th death anniversary of the late Smita Patil comes up this May, and Filmfare tributed the actress with a special audio-visual and a speech by Shabana Azmi. A heart-warming touch: Smita's son Prateek, who was a few days old when his mother died and Smita's sister were presented with a collage of the actress' photographs, created by Filmfare and signed and messaged by Smita's colleagues. Said Shabana of the talented actress whose smouldering presence and brilliant acting lit up art and commercial films alike, ``She was like my soul sister.''

Another highlight: A R Rehman's performance of his composition from Lord Of The Rings . The Filmfare audience was treated to a song from the epic musical adaptation of the Tolkien classic which premiered at Canada last year and will play in London's West End this June. Closer home, Rehman performed Khalbali from Rang De Basanti and a song from Guru to much applause from the audience. Interestingly, the musical genius, who's been nominated for the Oscars for a song in Water, chose to perform at the Filmfare function rather than attend the Academy Awards.

This year's lifetime achievement awards went to Javed Akhtar and Jaya Bachchan. While Akhtar's award was presented to him by Yash Chopra and Ramesh Sippy, the two directors who'd filmed Salim-Javed's best scripts, Jaya's trophy was handed to her by her husband.

Another family moment occurred when Aishwarya Rai presented fiancé Abhishek Bachchan with the Best Supporting Actor for Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna : “That looked planned,'' quipped Abhishek when she presented him with the award. ``I thank my family,'' he said and looked at Aishwarya and added jokingly, almost as an afterthought, ``You too,'' which prompted Shah Rukh to say when Abhishek left the stage, ``Hopefully next year you will thank your wife too.''

Making her first public appearance after the Celebrity Big Brother brouhaha was Shilpa Shetty. Said Karan Johar, ``This year at Heathrow, when people smiled at me, I thought my films were really doing well globally. Then I realized it was because I came from the land of Shilpa Shetty.''

Ash-Abhi Wedding Details

The biggest Bollywood wedding cannot remain a secret for too long. The news is that Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan are to wed on March 19, 2007 at the Umaid Bhavan Palace in Jodhpur.

The wedding will take place soon after Liz Hurley ties the knot with Arun Nayar at the same venue on March 8 and 9.

Sources reveal that Amitabh Bachchan is deeply involved with the wedding and has already given instructions for arrangements on the 15 acres of the palace lawns. The country's prominent politicians and film stars have already been informed about the wedding's venue and date. The source informs, "Mr Bachchan has asked for the gardens to be decorated with special flowers."

Aditya Chopra who rarely makes public appearances will be there at the grand wedding too, along with Amitabh Bachchan's dear friend Yash Chopra. But the biggest news is that Salman Khan has been invited too. According to a reliable source, "Aditya Chopra will attend the wedding, but we are waiting to see if Salman will be there too."

The sprawling Umaid Bhavan Palace is currently owned by His Highness Gaj Singh, the Maharaja of Jodhpur.

The Palace is divided into three functional parts, one having a five-star hotel (in existence since 1972), one is the residence of the royal family and one has been opened to public where a small museum displays pictures, arms, swords, and other items relating to Jodhpur's royal heritage.

Have a look at this beautiful Palace Hotel ...