Kareena: "Shahid and I are very much together!"

Only yesterday it was reported that the handsome couple, Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor, had called it quits and that Bebo had replaced her SK (Shahid Kapoor) with another SK (Saif Ali Khan).

Apparently, Bebo and Saif became 'good friends' on the sets of Tashan and Shahid wasn't too comfortable with the camaraderie.

However, Kareena maintains that it isn't as easy as that!

"Shahid and I are very much together. He is in Toronto right now. All these rumours are ridiculous," she is heard to have said.

Well, at least one couple is intelligent enough to come forward and clarify their stand.

Bollywood Buzz wishes them more love :o)

Update: They are officially separated!

Shilpa to launch her own production house

Shilpa Shetty will launch her own production house S2 Productions to make her DVD video on Yoga this month.

To be shot from August-end for a week at the backwaters in Kerala, the Yoga DVD video, spanning two hours, will be directed by Manish Jha [of the critically acclaimed Matrubhoomi and Anwar fame].

The DVD video will concentrate on Yoga, fitness and lifestyle and will be available in U.K. and Dubai to begin with. The distribution network is being finalized.

To go with the mood and feel of the Yoga DVD, the package will also contain a free separate lounge music CD with tunes composed by Pankaj Awasthi.

Deepa Mehta to make Heaven On Earth

Deepa Mehta will be making a film on domestic violence titled Heaven on Earth.

The film will be based on the true story of a Toronto residing Punjabi woman, Amardeep, who is a victim of domestic violence. Deepa had filmed a documentary on Amardeep's life last year and now she is planning to make a feature film on the same.

If things go as planned, Deepa would also shoot the film in Ludhiana, Punjab.

Talking about the starcast of Heaven On Earth, Deepa says that she has finalized an NRI theatre actor Vrajendar to play the husband's role.

As for the role of Amardeep, Deepa will be signing a Punjabi actress and the film will go on floors on October 20 in Toronto.

Johnny Gaddaar - Movie Preview

Characters

Neil Mukesh as Vikram
His taste for fast money and the fast life was first realized with the huge profits he earned by speculating on stocks with other people's money. A smart and charming young man. Vikram was unfazed when he was fired from work. Money is everything for him and he is willing to get it irrespective of the means.

Rimi Sen as Mini
A lovely girl who studied with Vikram in college. She's very much in love with Vikram and desperalety wants him to quit the gang before it is to late. She's a complete innocent and yet, deep within her lies a dark secret that could shatter the group and her life forever.

Vinay Pathak as Prakash
Is a compulsive gambler which would have been alright if he wasn't in charge of running a gambling club. The Deepa social club was in dire debt and bailed out by Seshadri and Shardul and they all became partners in the club. The club attracts moneyed clients and on certain days, the stakes run into several lakhs of rupees. Prakash is in touch with a range of underworld types. He is happily married to Varsha - a beautician, who is worried about her husband's association with the likes of Shardul.

Dharmendra as Seshadri
An ex-gangster and a gentlemen. Seshadri was a smuggler during the seventies who quit after spending some time in jail during the emergency. He loved his wife and totally lost belief in God when she died of cancer many years back. He was broken and yet he believed neither in self pity nor self abuse. He sought out some of his old contact, men younger than him, different from him and formed the syndicate. Vikram joined the group to use his intelligence and further his prospects. The fact that the activities of this group are not completely legal do not matter, after all, crime is only a left handed form of Human Endeavour.

Zakir Hussain as Shardul
Till a few years back, he ran successful, somewhat sleazy dance bar. But the recent government ban on such bars forced him to convert his vice palace into a chic lounge bar, catering to the moneyed kids from the IT and PBOs in the vicinity. Shardul's only handicap is that he has no clue about their taste in music and relies on Vikram to guide him in this venture. Hugely ambitious, he has good contacts both with the cops and the underworld. His robust and agreeable manner barely conceals his utter ruthlessness.

Shiva as Daya
A bachelor in his mid thirties. A brutal and virile chap he lives with his ailing mother. She is presently in hospital and Shiva is worried about her health. He is from a family of wrestlers in Kolhapur and does the strong arm work for the group. He's the kind who'd never hurt a fly, unless it bothered him.

Synopsis

Johnny Gaddaar is a caper thriller focusing on a small section of the city's notorious nightlife.

Five men, the eldest is 60+, the youngest in his 20s. This ensemble group has their fingers in various activities. The story starts with one of the gang members Seshadri getting an offer to make a fortune in four days. All the gang members are up for it as this is the deal that will catapult them into the big league.

The youngest member of the gang Vikram plans to disappear to some unknown city and start his own life with his love Mini when a devilish thought crosses his mind. What if he grabs the entire jackpot?

Vikram's opening gambit is a neat double cross. But as he plunges further into his diabolical plan…he realizes that the stakes in this game are high. And the only losers he can afford to leave behind are dead ones!


Directed by Sriram Raghavan, Johnny Gaddaar has music by Vishal Dadlani/Shekhar Ravjiani and the movie is slated for a September 28 release.

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Chak De! India goes to Oscar library

After scoring a huge success at the box-office, Shah Rukh Khan starrer Chak De! India has now become a part of the Oscar library.

A copy of the screenplay has reached the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences , which hosts and hands out the Oscar Awards, to be a part of their script collection.

The film, written by Jaideep Sahni and directed by Shimit Amin, has impressed the critics and audience alike in India.


The invitation is recognition that the screenplay of Chak De! India is comparable with the best in the world, and will become an invaluable asset for future generations of filmmakers.

The scripts in the collection reside at the Margaret Herrick Library and are accessible for research purposes only. Film students, filmmakers, writers and actors are among the regular patrons of the institution.

It's official: Pritish Nandy ki Sholay!

Pritish Nandy Communications (PNC) has bagged a $100-million franchisee deal to remake the 70s masterpiece Sholay, which ran in movie theatres for five-and-a-half years without interruption, making it the most successful film in India's cinematic history.

The move comes at a time when Ram Gopal Varma's controversial movie, Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, said to be an unofficial remake of Sholay, is set to release this weekend with 700 prints.

Production house PNC has entered into an agreement with Sippys-owned Sholay Media and Entertainment - the original maker of Sholay - to remake the blockbuster, make an animated version of the movie and also its prequel and sequel.

PNC chairman Pritish Nandy confirmed that he has signed an agreement to remake the film.

"We have entered into an agreement with the official franchisee-rights holder of Sholay to develop the franchisee of the most successful film ever made in Bollywood. Besides making the official remake of the movie, we will make a prequel and a sequel of the movie, as well as the animated version of it," he said.


Mr Nandy added that PNC would have a revenue-sharing arrangement with Sholay Entertainment & Media instead of the licensing fee model.

"The $100 million would cover all four projects. The official rights holders want to have a say in how the film should be treated in its new avatar and we have no problems with it."

The cast, crew and the distribution of the film would be worked out in the due course.

Shimit Amin's next will have Sports & Shahrukh

Though at the moment Shimit Amin isn't revealing anything, it's quite evident that the colossal impact of Chak De! India has fastened up his desire to embrace the sporty theme.

It is reliably learnt that sports and Shah Rukh will recur in Shimit's next.

Writer Jaideep Sahni, who gave such a stunning spin to the obsolete game of hockey, is likely to join the successful twosome in the next Yashraj film.

Says Shimit, "Audiences, do have certain expectations from me after Chak De! India. And I'd be foolish not to live up to those expectations."

Cobra: Ramu's next film with Bachchans

Ram Gopal Varma's Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag and Darling are releasing back to back (this week and next week), and his sequel to Sarkar is almost 80% complete.

Next on Ramu's cards is Cobra which will roll soon.

Cobra is being made in association with Adlabs and the cast of the film includes Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Ajay Devgan, Sunil Shetty and some more names to are yet to be added.

Update: It's a rumor!

Kareena, Shahid call it quits!

According to the latest buzz in Bollywood, Kareena Kapoor-Shahid Kapoor relationship has hit a dead end!

And the reason behind it is none other than Saif Ali Khan, who reportedly did some serious damage to Bipasha Basu-John Abraham love story as well.

Sources claim that it all happened on the sets of Yashraj Films' Tashan in Ladakh and later, Jaisalmer where Saif and Kareena instantly got attracted to each other.

However, Shahid's close friend reveals that the actor is clueless about Saif's closeness to Kareena as he is in Canada shooting for Nagesh Kukunoor's Tasveer.

Kareena chose not to comment on the story.

Stay tuned in!

Update: Saif Ali Khan-Kareena Kapoor are dating each other!

Now Heyy Babyy 2?

According to Taran Adarsh from IndiaFM, rumors are rife that Sajid is keen on repeating the cast of the film - Akshay Kumar, Fardeen Khan, Ritesh Deshmukh - in Heyy Babyy's sequel that he's planning. The only change will be the leading lady.

True?

"Milap Zaveri [the writer of Heyy Babyy] and I did mull over the idea. We knew that people would expect a sequel if the film works. But I want to try something new with my next film," Sajid clarifies.

But Heyy Babyy 2 would make wise business sense.

"It would, but I look at it differently. If at all I attempt a sequel, I'll have to show Akshay, Fardeen and Ritesh as 50 + age-wise, since the daughter would've grown up. Will they look convincing as older men? I doubt! This would be unacceptable to viewers," he smiles.


So what's next on the agenda?

"I've already started working on a new script. All I can say right now is that it will shock you," he smiles.

Stay tuned in!

RGV Ki Aag has a huge legacy to follow

The highly talented filmmaker, Ram Gopal Varma, is all ready to set the screen on fire with his Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag which he claims is his tribute to Sholay.

However Ramu has a huge legacy to follow as Ramesh Sippy's Sholay, which released on Independence day 1975, was a slow starter (surprisingly) during the initial weeks, but it went on to create box office history during its later run.


Released initially with 250 prints, it finally ran with a record breaking 1100 prints.

In the process, Sholay had a total earning of 23 crores, 64 lakhs and 50 thousand rupees. Sholay celebrated silver jubilee at 100 cinemas and golden jubilee at 60 cinemas, spread across the country. The movie still collects impressively, even in its umpteenth re-run (especially during the festive periods).

Here is hoping that Ramu (who claims to be the biggest fan of Sholay) makes a worthy tribute by way of his RGV Ki Aag.


The movie releases this Friday and boasts of some of the biggest names in the country, like megastar Amitabh Bachchan, South superstar Mohanlal, the highly versatile Ajay Devgan and the talented Sushmita Sen.

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UTV has extensive promotion plans for John-Bipasha starrer Goal

Real life lovers John Abraham and Bipasha Basu will travel across India to promote their upcoming movie Goal.

As per the promotional strategy, John will begin visiting several schools and colleges across India in the coming weeks. During these visits, John will interact with young students and will also play football with them.

Bipasha Basu and other members of the cast will also join John in some of these visits, depending on their availability.

It is learnt that after the success of Yashraj Films' presentation Chak De India, folks at UTV are keen to promote Goal in a big way.

The film has both John and Arshad playing football players. Bipasha plays their team's medic. Boman Irani plays the coach.


Goal has been directed by Vivek Agnihotri and will hit the theatres in October.

Shyam Benegal to direct epic on Buddha

Dadasaheb Phalke Award winning director Shyam Benegal is all set to direct a historic epic on Gautam Buddha.

Atul Tiwari, who scripted films like Bose, the Forgotten Hero and Mission Kashmir, has been roped in to write the script and dialogues.

The film is expected to go on floors around mid-2008 and released a year later. It will be produced by Light of Asia Foundation and Beyond Dreams Entertainment Limited.

"This is a historic moment for South Asian Cinema. We are about to tell the story of a man who was born in the Indian subcontinent and redefined the way the world thinks. The Buddha's philosophy is more contemporary today than ever before," said Yash Patnaik, CEO of Beyond Dreams Entertainment Limited.

The film will be shot in Sri Lanka and Patnaik has already done the location study along with Benegal and Tiwari. The producers have acquired over 1,000 acres of land near Colombo where a massive set will be built to recreate the era for the filming of the epic.

Urmila in remake of Karz for Simi Garewal's role

Urmila Matondkar will re-enact Simi Garewal's role of Kamini in the remake of Subash Ghai's Karz.

There were rumors recently that Sushmita Sen would play Garewal's role, but the producers clarified the same as just that.. baseless rumors!

Karz is Himesh Reshammiya's second film after Aap Kaa Surroor. He portrays Rishi Kapoor's role.

The film is directed by Satish Kaushik and the makers are yet to decide on who will play Tina Munim 's role in this modern version.

Kareena Kapoor to endorse Globus chain

Actor Kareena Kapoor has been appointed as the brand ambassador for the apparel retail chain Globus.

Kapoor replaces Soha Ali Khan, who until now was the face of the retail chain since April last year.

Kareena said, "I am delighted to be the face of Globus. I love the trendy hip fashion from Globus, which is as good as anywhere in the world. I look forward to spreading this new language of fashion across the nation."

Globus vice chairman Akshay Raheja added, "Kareena's sense of style, charisma and attitude reflects the aspirations of millions of young Indians. She has experimented with a variety of roles and hence one has seen her in different stunning looks."

The retail chain has also roped in 50 designers and product specialists to forecast international fashion trends and create the latest merchandise, which will be exclusively made available under the Globus and F21 brands.

Akshay Kumar in Shirish Kunder's Joker

According to Rohini Bhandari from Business Of Cinema, director Shirish Kunder has signed up Akshay Kumar for the lead role in Joker, which is his next directorial venture after Jaan-e-Mann.

"I plan to take the film on floors by early 2009 and release it that year itself. The film requires immense pre-production work, which is happening alongside," Kunder said.

While earlier Shah Rukh Khan was to act in the film and produce it as well, now Kunder will be producing the film under his production house - Shirish Kunder Film Company.

Konkona and Irrfan in Neeraj Pathak's Right Or Wrong

Konkona Sen Sharma and Irrfan Khan, who made an entertaining couple in Metro, are set to act together again.

The duo will come together in a film titled Right Or Wrong, which will mark the directorial debut of writer Neeraj Pathak, who recently wrote Apne.

Right Or Wrong will have Sunny Deol and Irrfan Khan playing cops. Konkona Sen will play a lawyer and Isha Koppikar will play Sunny's wife.

The movie will be jointly produced by Subhash Ghai's Mukta Arts and Kishen Chaudhary's Icon Pictures and the film's music will be composed by Monty Sharma, who has also composed for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Saawariya.

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Heyy Babyy - Movie Review

Apun Ka Choice: The movie's strength lies in its storyline and appropriate casting of actors in their respective roles. On the whole, Heyy Babyy packs in enough masala and emotion to keep you entertained throughout its running time.

CNN-IBN: Heyy Babyy is a gross comedy, over-the-top drama.

Glamsham: For a first-timer, Sajid has effortlessly woven the scenes to piece a seamless movie; like a master knitter who weaves with the magic of long needles an amazing centerpiece for the table.

Hindustan Times: Sajid Khan's direction is more dependent on lavish resources and star value than a distinctive style of storytelling. The music score by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is nothing to hum about; the cinematography is patchy and the screenplay's latter-half is particularly laboured.


IndiaFM: On the whole, Heyy Babyy is an entertainer that has something for everyone. At the box-office, it has the potential to rock big time.

Movie Talkies: Heyy Babyy is an enjoyable film.

Now Running: Heyy Babyy, heart-warmingly funny.

Rediff: A really annoying Babyy!

Times Of India: It's primarily the performances that save Heyy Babyy from being another run-of-the-mill comedy. If Akshay is his usual boisterous self, then both Fardeen and Riteish are competent as his funny buddies.

Shilpa Shetty out of British film

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty has lost her first British film after making high pay demands.

The 32-year-old actress was set to play the leading role in the romantic comedy film Quick, Slip Me A Bride, but disagreements regarding money have compelled the producers to find another leading star.

According to Renu Patel, producer of the 4 million pound film, Shilpa demanded 350,000 pounds and asked them to delay the project till next year.

"Shilpa agreed to do the film with us. Now we have been forced to go ahead without her because she wanted GBP350,000 and insisted half of this had to be paid before she even shot any scene," ContactMusic quoted Patel, as saying.

"To make things worse, she then tried to insist we delayed the film until next summer to give her time to pursue a music project instead. It would have made Shetty a lead in her first British-made film and given her the chance to scotch the idea she is merely a failing Bollywood actress," she added.

First Look: John Abraham's No Smoking Trailer

No Smoking is the title of Anurag Kashyap's next directorial venture starring John Abraham - a film they say would inspire smokers to give up the puff.

On the flip side, however, John had to puff his way through the film, all for spreading the message of no smoking of course!


Apart from John, the movie has Ranvir Shorey, Joy Fernandes, Ayesha Takia, Kiku Sharda and Paresh Rawal in lead roles. Bipasha Basu and Saif Ali Khan are also doing interesting cameos in the movie.

First Look: Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Saawariya

Sanjay Leela Bhansali took Rishi Kapoor's son, Ranbir Kapoor, and Anil Kapoor's daughter, Sonam Kapoor, under his wing and decided to make his next film, Saawariya, with the two debutantes in leading roles.

The production of this movie has been kept so tightly under wraps that no one has any idea what to expect. Now, the teaser doesn't give away much either; it does exactly what it's supposed to do, tease!!

Apart from Ranbir-Sonam, the movie has Rani Mukherji, Begum Para, Achla Sachdev, Zohra Sehgal and yes, apna Salman Khan too in a special appearance!


Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Saawariya has music by Monty Sharma and is slated for a November 9 release.

Salman Khan arrested, sent to jail

Bollywood star Salman Khan was today arrested and sent to jail shortly after he landed in Jodhpur from Mumbai to surrender in the blackbuck poaching case in which he lost an appeal against a five-year prison term given by a lower court.

He was picked up from airport in Jodhpur by a police team headed by additional Superintendent of Police Sawai Singh Godhara when he arrived by a Jet Airways flight accompanied by his brother Sohail Khan and lawyer Dipesh Mehta.

His lawyers argued with the police that he wanted to surrender but the law-enforcers said they had a court warrant and they had to execute it.

Salman, wearing a white T-shirt, cargo pants and sporting sunglasses, was soon after taken in a police jeep and produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate who had issued the non-bailable warrant since he was not present in the sessions court which had yesterday rejected his appeal.

The CJM directed him to be lodged in the jail.

His lawyers now plan to file an appeal against the sessions court judgment in the Jodhpur bench of the Rajasthan High Court today itself, though it may be heard only on Monday.

Sanjay Dutt is back!

Actor Sanjay Dutt, released on Thursday from a Pune jail, where he was serving a six-year prison term given to him in the 1993 blasts case, said he had "full faith" in the judiciary but was prepared for a "long battle".

In his first public comments since he was sentenced last month, a relieved but haggard looking Dutt thanked fans, who stood by him while he was in jail.

"All I can say is that I have full faith in the judiciary, full faith in my country and full faith in the people of my country," Dutt told reporters outside his residence in Bandra here.

"I have a long battle to face, please pray for me," he said, reading from a prepared statement. "I will abide by the law and the decision of the court," said the actor, who made it clear that he would not take any questions from the media.

Dutt, who looked drained after his 23-day stint in jail, was accompanied by his sister MP Priya Dutt and her husband Owen Roncon when he appeared at the gates of Imperial Heights building, where he stays in Bandra's posh Pali Hill neighbourhood.

Aishwarya Rai shoots with Steve Martin for Pink Panther 2

Aishwarya Rai has begun shooting for her Hollywood movie Pink Panther 2 in Paris.

In Pink Panther 2, Ash plays a detective and Karate expert named Sophie who teams up with Inspector Jacques Clouseau (played by Steve Martin) and his colleague (played by Alfred Molina) to catch a clever and elusive thief who steals expensive pieces of art from different countries of the world.

The film's shooting was done on the streets of Paris.

Ash shot her scenes with Steve Martin and Alfred Molina. She looked dazzling in a white trench coat and metallic Christian Louboutin peep-toe shoes.

Hubby Abhishek Bachchan also accompanied Ash on the sets.

This shooting schedule of Pink Panther 2 does not require Ash to stay for many days. However, she will shoot extensively for the film from September to October.

Pink Panther 2 is being directed by Harald Zwart and is set to release in 2009.

Aamir Khan accused of dishonoring the National Flag

The Indore Youth Congress wants to file a case against Aamir Khan for dishonoring the Indian National Flag .

On August 16, Aamir Khan, the brand ambassador of Toyota Innova, attended an event in Indore.

The next day, while at the airport, 20 Congress party workers accosted him with black flags for allegedly dishonoring the national flag.

Apparently, the National Flag hoisted at the gates of Rajpal Motors showroom in Indore, where the event was held, was permitted to fly post sundown, infringing the Indian Penal Code.

Warner Bros Indian connection: Made In China

Warner Bros is celebrating its 75th year of being in India, by going local, finally.

The Hollywood giant's first foray into Indian film production will be Ramesh Sippy's Made in China, to be directed by Nikhil Advani and produced by Mukesh Talreja and Rohan Sippy, starring Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone.

The $12-million action film, entirely financed by Warner, will be the first Indian production to be shot on location in China and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros Pictures, a Warner Bros Entertainment company.

One of the largest producers of film and television entertainment, Warner Bros is part of the $43.6-billion Time Warner empire.

"We are excited and proud to be working with such respected partners as Ramesh Sippy and Mukesh Talreja, as this production has outstanding talent associated with it," said Blaise Fernandes, country manager, Warner Bros. Entertainment India.

From the hustle bustle of Mumbai bazaars to the hutongs of Beijing, the electric energy of Shanghai and sheer breathtaking Chinese landscapes, Made in China chronicles the crazy adventures of a hapless simpleton cook from Mumbai, essayed by Akshay Kumar.

Sony Pictures to release 1550 theatricals of Saawariya

This Friday, August 24, a new history in the entertainment business is about to be created.

Sony Pictures, who are readying their first Bollywood film Saawariya, will release a record number of theatrical trailers for the film.

According to sources, Sony will release 750 trailers of Saawariya in India and another 800 globally.

"This is some kind of a new record," says a Sony source. "No Indian film has got such a widespread first look."

The theatrical trailer of Saawariya with its mélange of exhilarating songs and dances is a stunning work of art, showing the much-awaited Ranbir-Sonam combination in a kind of ethereal fantasy- world frozen in a swirling surge of silences, songs and dances.

Exclusive Trailer: Shah Rukh Khan's Om Shanti Om

After the success of Chak De India, SRK's fans can't wait to see him again hitting the silver screen with the highly awaited film of the year Om Shanti Om.

The promos of the film are scheduled to go on air from August 27 but his fans can catch a glimpse of it today at Bollywood Buzz!!


Om Shanti Om is directed by Farah Khan. The film is produced by Shah Rukh Khan's production banner Red Chillies Entertainment and the film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and Shreyas Talpade in lead roles.

Bhool Bhulaiyaa - Movie Preview

This movie is an interesting thriller-comedy which amuses the audience and simultaneously grips the audience's interests by the mysterious turn of events.

The backdrop of the film revolves around a small village where the people are very conservative and superstitious.

Badri (Manoj Joshi) heads a Brahmin family whose ancestral palace is believed to be haunted. One day, Siddharth (Shiney Ahuja) and Avni (Vidya Balan), the son and daughter-in-law of Badri's elder brother return to their native village from America.

Events take on a twist when some unnatural events start taking place inside the palace. The blame comes to rest squarely on Radha (Amisha Patel), the adopted daughter of Badri.

Suddenly a psychiatrist from America, Dr. Aditya (Akshay Kumar) enters the scene. He is Siddharth's friend and uses modern analytical techniques to find out the culprit and solve the mystery. The film becomes a roller coaster ride from this point onwards.

Bhool Bhulaiyaa is a perfect blend of thrill and humor revealing undiscovered dimensions of human psychology which many of us could never even have imagined.


Produced by Bhushan Kumar and directed by Priyadarshan, Bhool Bhulaiyaa has music by Pritam and the movie is slated for an October 12 release.

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Manorama Six Feet Under - Movie Preview

Homage to the noir genre, Manorama Six Feet Under is about an amateur detective in a small town who finds himself caught in a web of lies, deceit and murder.

SV (Abhay Deol ) is a government engineer but his real ambition has always been writing detective fiction. Unfortunately, his maiden attempt, a novel called Manorama, sank without a trace and he has been reduced to writing for cheap pulp magazines.

Stifled by the dreariness of small town existence and frustrated by his failure, SV's life takes a turn when the wife of a powerful local politician arrives at his doorstep with an irresistible offer; the chance for SV to play a real life detective by spying on her husband. Intrigued and tempted by the opportunity to redeem his self worth, SV accepts.

Upon completion of his assignment, things take a turn when SV discovers that the woman is not who she claims to be. The situation get further complicated when she is killed in a mysterious accident.

Sensing foul play, SV begins investigating her death only to discover that nothing is what it seems to be and that redemption doesn't come easy.


Produced by Ketan Maroo and directed by Navdeep Singh, Manorama Six Feet Under has music by Jayesh Gandhi/Raiomond Mirza and the movie is slated for a September 21 release.

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Khoya Khoya Chand - Movie Preview

Character Sketch

Shiney Ahuja as Zafar Ali Naqvi

From the corridors of an old Nawabi family in Lucknow… emerges a rebellious young writer with new ideas.

In Bombay he chances upon the world of cinema… And before he knows it, he is drawn into this glittering world.

Will his rebellious and independent spirit survive the cruel and harsh realities of the film industry?

Soha Ali Khan as Nikhat Bano

The beautiful young girl who makes the journey from a fledgling extra, to a starlet to a great heroine. In a world where ambition rules.. no price is too high for stardom.. Where does one draw the line?

She yearns for freedom.. yet she seeks protection..the choices she has to make are never easy.. love cannot be forfeited for ambition and ambition cannot be traded for love.

Sonya Jehan as Ratanbala

The reigning diva..insecure and neurotic.. falling in love, losing in love, and then a breakdown.. her life seems to have a recurring pattern. But as easily she springs back to life.. jilted by the superstar, threatened by the usurper.. she holds her own..even as the makes a play for Zafar.

Rajat Kapoor as Prem Kumar

The quintessential superstar. Charming, irresistible..Godfather and master manipulator. A man of many desires..but age is catching up with him and he can see his stardom fading.. he has to reinvent himself.. retain his throne.. ambition beats strong in his heart.

Storyline

Set against the compelling magnetism of the world of cinema is the tumultuous story of Nikhat and Zafar.

The film industry is a magical world.. from awe-inspiring superstars and feisty studio-owners to fashionable divas with scandalous stories.. huge talent and oversized egos, beautiful and ugly individuals and the tantalizing lure of stardom.. a world of glittering dreams and harsh realities.. golden yet cruel.

Spanning the two decades of the 1950's and 60's, KKC is a tribute to the Hindi film industry's Golden Years and its magnificent people.
Produced by Prakash Jha and directed by Sudhir Mishra, KKC has music by Shantanu Moitra and the movie is slated for an October 26 release.

Via

Victoria No. 203 - Movie Preview

Victoria No. 203 is a story about a diamond heist and how the lives of so many different people get intertwined in the search for lost diamonds.

The movie takes off with a display of diamonds worth 300 crores.

Bobby Bombata (Javed Jaffery) who is a rich industrialist and his moll Devyani (Preeti Jhangiani) are smitten by the diamonds. Bobby is willing to do anything to acquire them. When the diamond owner denies his offer to buy the diamonds, his ego is hurt. He hires the services of a cat burglar, Tora (Tora Khasgir) to steal the diamonds.

Tora performs a daredevil heist and escapes with the diamonds. She has an agenda of her own though and plans a double cross with her brother Karan (Rajesh Khera). Just as she is about to escape, she bumps into the infamous Ranjit (Kamal Sadanah) who stabs her.

She escapes though, and falls next to Victoria No. 203 in which she hides the diamonds. The Victoria driver Raman offers to take her to the hospital and in the process gets caught by the police who suspect him for attempted murder.

Raman's daughter Sara (Sonia Vinod Mehra) is forced at this stage to ride the Victoria in order to earn money for her father's trial. She is unaware that she is riding around Bombay with diamonds worth 300 crores in her Victoria. Jimmy (Jimmy Joseph) an expert on diamonds, takes a ride on the Victoria and instantly falls in love with Sara.

The story also entails Raja (Anupam Kher) & Rana (Om Puri) - two small time crooks who are recently released from jail. They hear about the diamond heist and are extremely impressed, hoping one day they will be able to do something of the sort.

All the characters meet in an unbelievably hilarious climax and none of them know where the diamonds actually are.
Produced by Kamal Sadanah and directed by Anant Mahadevan, Victoria No. 203 has music by Himesh Reshammiya/Viju Shah and the movie is slated for an August 31 release.

Via

Dil Dosti Etc - Movie Preview

When you are young, you believe, the possibilities are endless...

What does an eighteen year old guy in college really want?

Dil Dosti Etc is a fresh and unabashed look at how young men of today think and choose to live their lives. Dil Dosti Etc is set around students in Delhi University.

Through two university hostellers, Apurv (Imaad Shah), a rich, cosmopolitan guy and, Sanjay Mishra (Shreyas Talpade), an old-fashioned Bihari guy, the film juxtaposes the 'new/ liberal' and the 'old/ conservative' in our society.

Sanjay is an ambitious and focused student-politician in Delhi. He represents the romantic and the idealist who steadfastly pursues his political goals. On the other hand, Apurv's life is directionless. With the abundance of time and money in hand, he searches for meaning in life through amorous escapades with various girls.

The three female leads - that of a prostitute , a school girl and a rich model, provide a myriad of social and emotional backdrops to the film.

Vaisali ( Smriti Mishra) plays an attractive but sharp-tongued prostitute. She claims never to get emotionally attached to her customers.

Then there is the precocious school girl Kintu (Ishitta Sharrma), who coquettishly remains noncommittal to Apurv's flirtations and plays hard to get.

Prerna (Nikita Anand) is the rich South Delhi babe who aspires to become an international model, and yet finds herself attracted to the earthy and charismatic student-politician, Sanjay.

Dil Dosti Etc uses a rich ensemble of characters, stories and themes to explore the very nature of friendship, male bonding, voyeurism, sexual perversion, love and betrayal.

The film, based on an original screenplay, is full with realism and black humour and shows the coming of age of not only a young man but also explores the ambiguities and pre-occupations of an entire generation.


Produced by Prakash Jha and directed by Manish Tiwary, Dil Dosti Etc has music by Suhas/
Siddharth and is slated for a September 28 release.

Via

Shah Rukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema

After the runaway success of Chak De! India, there's more reason to cheer.

A book on Shahrukh Khan, written by film journalist and author Anupama Chopra, has already sold ten thousand copies just two weeks after the book was released!

Titled King of Bollywood : Shah Rukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema, the book traces SRK's journey in Bollywood, and also showcases the journey of Indian cinema through the actor's eyes.

"The idea for the book was always to create a portrait of a superstar, a film industry, and a country. It was always going to be a journey into India and into popular Hindi cinema through the work and life of Shahrukh Khan," said author Anupama Chopra.

"With the globalisation of our industry, Shahrukh has become the face. When you talk about our industry, you have to talk about Shahrukh Khan - brand Shahrukh Khan," said Karan Johar, director.

And while Bollywood gushed on about the Baadshah, Shah Rukh opted for modesty.

"They are two people who think for films more than Shahrukh Khan, i think. They love films, they love the world that cinema has created around them. And it just so happens that they are in the time when I've been doing well and I've been prominent in this field. They've taken me as a focal point or a starting point to talk about cinema in India," he said.

He is one man who's been at the right place at the right time and the stars are shining down on him.

Chak De, Shahrukh!

Marigold - Movie Review

Apun Ka Choice: Marigold is riddled with all the clichés that could be seen in bad Bollywood movies. To sum it up, Marigold is an utterly forgettable film. The movie leaves you feeling wilted.

BBC: Despite boasting bags of colour, energy and top Bollywood actor Salman Khan, this cross cultural concoction falls halfway between the genres.

CNN-IBN: Marigold is one of those embarrassing films that deserve to have stayed in the cans forever.

Glamsham: Marigold is a winner. (No idea what made the editor call it a "winner"!!)

Hindustan Times: Honestly, the experience of watching this Indo-American oddity is pretty close to facing death. If you survive to tell the tale, consider yourself a survivor of a tsunami of pure drivel!


IndiaFM: On the whole, Marigold is a terrible film with gloomy prospects. A sure-shot disaster!

Movie Talkies: The problem is that the director makes no attempt to create a plot which could be remotely interesting. In fact, barring the presence of Salman Khan, the film has little else to offer. It's quite a poor attempt at bringing the two - Hollywood & Bollywood - together.

New York Times: Marigold isn't quite the lark it could be. It doesn't really have Bollywood's antic, anything-goes quality, and Mr. Carroll's script lacks punch and dimension.

Now Running: Marigold, an aesthetically shot love story.

Rediff: Marigold: Salman's worst mistake!

Times Of India: A bit more energy and the film could have been a sweet crossover romance.

First Look: Kareena-Shahid's Jab We Met

After conducting several polls on what the title of Imtiaz Ali's film starring Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapur should be, the results are finally out.

The majority of the people voted for the title Jab We Met.

Imtiaz said, "It's great that the junta gave us their inputs. After all, we make films for our viewers, and to make them a part of the naming process was really good."

The other titles suggested were Ishq Via Bhatinda and Punjab Mail. The story of this film revolves around two strangers who meet on the train.

Shahid says, "It's so real. And this is the first real romantic story you'll see Kareena and me in. The other films we have done together haven't necessarily been complete love stories."

Jab We Met has music by Pritam and the movie is slated for an October 7 release.

Supreme Court grants bail to Sanjay Dutt

The Supreme Court has granted interim bail to actor Sanjay Dutt, who has been sentenced to six years' of rigorous imprisonment by a TADA Court under the Arms Act.

The court ordered the actor's release on the grounds that a copy of the judgement, passed by the special anti-terror court in Mumbai, is yet to reach the actor.

But court has specified that the relief is temporary.

The judge said as soon as the actor gets a copy of the Mumbai court order, Sanjay will have to surrender again and he will be sent back to jail.

Only after that can the actor file an appeal for bail and the matter will be considered on merit, the judge added.

Shilpa's Miss Bollywood to premiere in Germany

After her triumph in UK's reality show Big Brother, Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty continues to make news on the International arena.

Close on heels of the launch of her perfume in the UK, Shilpa is all set to premiere her Broadway musical Miss Bollywood in Germany.

Shilpa is presently finalising the nitty-gritty's of Miss Bollywood, which will be along the lines of Moulin Rouge and Andrew Lloyd Weber's Bombay Dreams. Starting with shows in Germany for the first three months, the musical would travel to the UK and later to other parts of the world including the US and Australia.

Shilpa has already started rehearsing for the shows.

Shilpa's costumes for the musical will be designed by renowned Indian designer Neeta Lulla and choreographer Ganesh Hegde would set the steps for the musical.