Thursday, July 11, 2013

Bollywood hits and misses in first half of 2013

The first half of 2013 is over. It's monsoon time. And it's raining hits in
Bollywood with film after film crossing the
success barrier.

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's astounding
biopic Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, releasing on Friday, already seems to have
the potential
of being the first certifiable blockbuster
during the second half of 2013. Here's
looking at the films of 2013 that that
made it, and the ones that didn't so far:

HITS:-

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani: Ayan Mukerji's second film was charming, warm and
sometimes tender. But it didn't have much
to say about the man-woman thing, except
that guys who are popular in college, can
get away with murder in future life. And
yes, girls who are repressed, just need to throw off their spectacles and make a
spectacle of themselves to prove they have
reached the nirvana of liberation. Thanks
to Ranbir Kapoor's growing popularity, the
film escalated to beyond the Rs. 100 crore
profit mark, leaving everyone including producer Karan Johar stumped.


Aashiqui 2: Stars sell, right? Then how do we explain the phenomenal
success of this
Mohit Suri-directed drama about a girl who
wants to be a known singer, a guy who
wants to be drunk all the time, and a
relationship that hits a dead end just when
the hero hits the bottle with enhanced vengeance? Audiences loved the story of a
girl who is willing to give up her fame for
love. This film turned Aditya Roy Kapur and
Shraddha Kapoor into saleable stars.


Race 2: Well-toned girls and guys dancing, drinking, gambling and conning one
another is all I remember of this year's
first blockbuster. Deepika Padukone and
John Abraham competed to show us who
could wear their pants more distant from
the navel, while Saif Ali Khan scowled as though the last shot of the
bourbon turned
out to be not so neat. But would someone
please explain the plot?


Raanjhanaa: By far the most deserving success of 2013 so far. Aanand Rai's
Varanasi-based love story gave us an
unlikely couple in Sonam Kapoor and
Dhanush, besides a love story which made
obsessive passion more a crime of the
heart than a libelous offence. The film's exuberant celebration of
love took filmy
romance away from the metropolis into
the heartland. One USP: A.R. Rahman's best
music in Bollywood since Dil Se and Taal.

Jolly LLB: Subhash Kapoor's astonishingly well-written film on the
loopholes of the
legal system was a delight. There were no
stars in the film. There were Arshad Warsi
and Boman Irani, who are far more gifted
than some of our A-listers who do the
same thing over and over again. A true triumph of a relatively small, socially
relevant film worthy of a standing ovation.


Special 26: Here was superstar Akshay Kumar doing what he seldom does -
playing a real-life conman, and that too in
an ensemble cast where at least 15 to 18
other characters got equal prominence.
Director Neeraj Pandey broke all the rules
of mainstream cinema with this heist story, which was unadorned by half-naked
girls swimming in a sea of champagne. He
still got audiences hooked.

Other successes: ABCD: AnyBody Can Dance, Kai Po Che!, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster
Returns, Chashme Buddoor, Shootout At
Wadala, Fukrey and Go Goa Gone.


The Flops:-

David: Bejoy Nambiar's brilliantly-crafted tale of three unpredictable
men who share
the same name, Tamil star Vikram, Neil
Nitin Mukesh and newcomer Vinay
Virmani were brilliant in each of the
three-layered stories. Finally though, the
failure of David proved that episodic films just don't work in any
part of the world.


Himmatwala: Film historians are still trying to figure out why Sajid
Khan decided to
remake an awful 1983 film which even
Sridevi, who starred in the original, would
like to forget.


Rangrezz: This one definitely deserved better. Far far better. A
rugged expertly-
executed film about love and elopement in
a small dusty town, where guns speak
louder than words, Rangrezz was Priyadarshan's finest film in years. Just
why it didn't work remains a mystery. It
couldn't be due to Jackky Bhagnani's
minimal star-power. Aditya Roy Kapur was
no star when Aashiqui 2 was released!


Bombay Talkies: A divine flawless journey into the heart of love, alas
felled by its
episodic format. Bombay Talkies told four different stories by four
filmmakers of
diverse filmmaking styles. Karan Johar,
Dibakar Bannerjee, Zoya Akhtar and
Anurag Kashyap took Hindi cinema to
another level. This one deserved a lot more
footfalls.


Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola: We were warned by the eccentric title to expect
something entirely unconventional. Vishal
Bhardwaj took us into a la-la-land where
Pankaj Kapur turned into two different
personalities before and after drinking.
Moral of the story: not every film with a tipsy hero is capable of
becoming an Aashiqui 2 or a Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.


Aurangzeb: A superbly crafted variation on Yash Chopra's Trishul,
about cut-throat competitiveness in corporate sectors,
fuelled and surcharged by the brilliant
performances of Rishi Kapoor, Amrita
Singh and Jackie Shroff, Aurangzeb suffered a setback at the boxoffice
because director Atul Sabharwal took up a
massy subject and executed it in Shyam
Benegal's style.


Other notable thuds of the year so far: The Attacks Of 26/11, Nautanki
Saala, Ek Thi
Daayan, Ishkq In Paris, Yamla Pagla
Deewana 2 and Ghanchakkar.

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag defining film for me

Director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra says Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is a life
defining film for him.

Starring Farhan Akhtar and Sonam Kapoor,
the biopic hits the screens tomorrow. "It's
a life defining film for me and my life,"
Mehra told reporters here.

Describing the childhood of Milkha in the
film as its important part, Mehra said, "It
was a lost childhood due to Partition of the
country. The characters in this film are true
to life and reality."

Mehra said the film also sheds light on not
so great moments in Milkha's life.

"In his early days Milkha even went to Tihar
jail, but he wanted to earn something by
hardwork and respect and thus decided to
join the Army," Mehra said adding that
"after three attempts Milkha succeeded to
get into the Army."

"Army recognised Milkha and provided him
a platform from where he rose. I dedicate
this film to Army," he said adding that the
film will be screened in 125 Army centres.

Mehra said that he could not sleep for two
to three months after meeting Milkha
because he wanted to make his biopic. "Milkha got lot of offers from
Rs 50 lakh to
Rs 1.5 crore, but he decided to give me the
story for Rs one. That one rupee of 1960's
Rome Olympic is much more than Rs ten
crore in my eyes," he said.

Mehra said that he was lucky that he was
selected by Milkha to make the film. On
being asked was he comfortable working
with Farhan, Mehra said Farhan made my
job easy. "I work with instinct...I don't
listen to my own mind... if during the making of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag I
was away from my instinct Farhan Akhtar who
himself is a director provided me a
bouncing board," Mehra said.

Writer Prasoon Joshi said that he feel that Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is an
"unique film." "This film required lot of raw material and
historical facts and there understanding.
Besides, historical understanding of time
and Milkha was also required before
penning down the story. I have read lot of
literature and it helped in understanding the saga of Partition,"
Joshi said. Joshi said
that the film has no negative impact on
Pakistan as "it shows how Partition
affected the mind of a child... its not a
political statement."

Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan on top of Poonam Pandey and Sheryln Chopra

Bollywood bad boy Salman Khan and
his bête noire Sah Rukh Khan are on top
of wannabe actresses like Sherlyn Chopra
and Poonam Pandey when it comes to
who is really the boss on microblogging
website Twitter. The two are packed with 7-figure followers now.

Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan are
two among the few Bollywood stars who
have managed to get "Verified account"
on Twitter. The two leading ladies are yet
to get their accounts verified. Last heard,
Sherlyn Chopra early this year tried to get it done but is still
without the verified
mark. "Maybe she and Poonam Pandey
are yet to be told that you need to pay
twitter a big money to do that," celebrity
publicist Premjit S said.

Shah Rukh Khan, @iamsrk, has made
some 5,010 Tweets, 66 Following and
4,396,161 Followers! Salman Khan, The
"Film actor, artist, painter, humanitarian"
from Mumbai so far has only 1,243
(quality) Tweets, 6 Following but a staggering 4,355,418 Followers!

On the other hand, Sherlyn Chopra who
has been posting all sorts of messages
and nude photos of herself could manage
to get only 159,276 Followers! Sherlyn
Chopra, @SherlynChopra, has made over
10 times the tweets of Salman Khan with 11,859 Tweets. Looks like the more the
tweets is not working for Ms Chopra who will be seen in the adult film
"Kamasutra
3D". She is following 88 people.

And when it comes to self-declared
Twitter queen Poonam Pandey,
@iPoonampandey, she has made so far
9,644 Tweets, 49 Following but is still
struggling with a 6 figure of 402,237
Followers. The wannabe actress and model who described herself as "a new
generation girl, model, actress from
Mumbai," despite all her gimmicks on the
micro-blogging website is still far below
Salman Khan. Poonam may claim that she
is "the most searched model on the internet," but figures tell
otherwise when it comes to who actually rules the roost on
Twitter.

From these figures one can assume that
the mega stars are in fact the ones who
are really bankable even for monetization
of their accounts, says marteting guru
Rajiv Bhaitiya.

Salman Khan upset with stories about rumoured girlfriend Lulia Vantur being dug out

Salman Khan is livid as pictures of his
rumoured girlfriend Lulia Vantur with
her alleged ex-husband Marius Moga
splashed in a daily.

The fact that Lulia Vantur is with Salman
in Hyderabad has only worsened his
embarrassment and anger. And the
discomfort of the Mental unit which is
being subjected to the cold treatment by
Salman.

Asource from Hyderabad said: "Right
now, things are extremely tense here at
Ramoji Rao Studios where we're
shooting. We haven't seen Bhai in such a
foul mood for a very long time. See, he
cannot stand a woman being disrespected. He can take any kind of dirt
on his chin. But to have any woman close
to him being splashed in such a dirty
manner, he can't take."

The source also said, "Bhai is not talking
to anyone, not even to Sohail. He keeps
to himself and he generally glowers and
snaps at everyone. He is working-out
twice the normal time to flush out all his
anger. We know it is because he is very upset about the way his friend
(Lulia) has
been projected as someone with a past.
Everyone has a past. He thinks it is very
uncool to dig up someone's past history
to spoil her present."

When Farhan Akhtar gave the sobbing Milkha Singh his handkerchief

Milkha Singh today said that he found it emotionally overwhelming to
watch his childhood and life unfold on the
big screen in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.

Milkha watched the biopic on his life
during its premiere in London. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is directed by
Raykesh Omprakash Mehra and stars Farhan Akhtar
as the legendary athlete.

"I saw the film in London three days back...
I cried in the second half and it was Farhan
who handed over his handkerchief to me
to wipe my tears," Milkha told reporters
here on the eve of film's release.

Milkha, who was accompanied by Farhan,
Mehra, actress Sonam Kapoor and writer
Prasoon Joshi, hoped that the film inspires
younger generation.

Milkha said he knew nothing about film's
as he never saw a film after 1960. "It was
my son Jeev Milkha Singh (a renowned
golfer) who happens to watch Hindi films
regularly and decided to hand over the
story to Mehra as he had seen director's Rang De Basaanti, Milkha said.

Talking about the film, Milkha said Sonam
had played the role of his girlfriend while
Divya played his sister in the film. "Today I am a happy man," Milkha said.

John Abraham looks forward to comedy after action

It's time to get funny for actor- producer John Abraham, who recently
featured in action films Race 2 and Shootout at Wadala.

"Besides action, I am also doing comedy.
Now I will be seen in Welcome Back and Dostana 2 once Karan makes an
announcement. I am doing all kinds of
movies," John told reporters at the trailer
launch of Madras Cafe in Mumbai on Thursday.

As a producer he is now looking forward to Madras Cafe and shows
confidence in the product.

"Holidays help you to get special opening,
but after that it is the quality of the film
that takes you ahead. I am very confident
about Madras Cafe. This is a very special child. We have spent around
six years on
the script," he said.

He also acts in Madras Cafe, his second production venture after Vicky
Donor. The political thriller has been directed by
Shoojit Sircar and Nargis Fakhri plays the
female lead in it.

Also starring Ayushmann Khurrana, it is set
for an August release.

Box Office Predictions: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

Farhan Akhtar has managed to build a
good branding around himself. With class
attached to his name, there is a loyal
urban audience which is expected to step
in for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. The film arrives three years after his last solo
release Karthik Calling Karthik which was a psychological affair and didn't
really do well. However in the years gone
by he has been a part of a
successful Zindagi Naa Milegi Dobara as an actor and Don 2 as a
director that has helped him cover further distance from
the visibility perspective.

All of this means that at least in the
multiplexes, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag should
see a good opening for itself and fetch
footfalls in 50%-60% range. In fact the kind of content that the film
promises, it
even carries potential to penetrate the
single screen belt, courtesy the local
flavour as well as the positive spirit that
the narrative promises.

In fact one has to add that everything is
going in favour of this film since it is
seeing a solo release for itself and there
is no major competition from earlier
releases either. Now with such a neat
release, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag would have to be a real below average affair to not
sustain and bring in moolah on a
continuous note. Given the fact that
Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra is at the helm
of affairs as the director, one doesn't see
him doing another Delhi 6 as a back to back affair.

In all, the film is expected to be a safe
outing for all involved at the box office
and should add on to another mid-budget
success of the year.

Meanwhile there are some other under-
promoted non-starcast films like Boyss Toh Boyss Hain, Shorts ,
Sixteen and Tara – The Journey of Love & Passion arriving
alongside Bhaag Milkha Bhaag as well.
The first challenge for each of these films
would be to get an all-India release for
themselves.

Kareena Kapoor To Design Signature ‘Bebo’ Denim Line

Effortlessly shifting from high-street
fashion to urban chic, Bollywood actress
Kareena Kapoor who has always received
a thumps-up from fashion critics on
home turf has caught the eye of an
international couture brand, who have approached the actress to design a
signature line of denims.

If sources are to be believed, Bollywood's
numero uno Kareena Kapoor will design
a signature denim collection for the
brand that will be called Bebo.

A fashion icon in the truest sense, Mrs
Khan recently took her brand value to an
all-new high as she shared her health
and beauty secrets in a tell-it-all–book
that went on to become a best seller.

Within the country too Kareena is fast
emerging the face of advertising –Not to
mention the most popular face in the
brand circuit, not just in comparison to
her contemporaries but beating the likes
of some of the most prominent names on television.

The highest paid brand endorser lends
her face and brand name to a whopping
22 brands – a feat no other actor/actress
or sportsperson has managed to achieve
and if all goes as planned, the diva will
have her signature denim line in some of the biggest stores abroad.

Says a source close to Kareena, "She was
approached by the brand as her
appearances have impressed several…
Whenever Kareena has associated
herself with a fashion or health initiative
it has always gone on to be very successful. Apart from that she is always
impeccably dressed and has international
appeal…qualities that the brand is
looking for."

Top 10 Highest-Grossing Bollywood Films In Overseas

1. 3 Idiot - $25,000,000
2. My Name Is Khan - $23,000,000
3. Jab Tak Hai Jaan - $13,560,000
4. Don 2 - $11,750,000
5. Alvida Na Kehna - $10,770,000
6. Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani - $10,500,000
7. Ek Tha Tiger - $10,150,000
8. Om Shanti Om - $10,080,000
9. Ra. One - $9,200,000
10. Dabangg 2 - $9,000,000

Nargis Fakhri All Set To Shake A Leg With Shahid Kapoor

Actress Nargis Fakhri has been roped in
to do an item number in Phata Poster Nikla Hero. Directed by Rajkumar
Santoshi, the film stars apparent beau
Shahid Kapoor and Ileana D'Cruz of Barfi! fame. Nargis will seen shaking her leg
with the very talented dancer Shahid
Kapoor. The location of the shoot has
been carefully kept under wrap.

The track is being composed by music
director Pritam whereas the
choregrapher duo Bosco-Caesar has been
roped in to design the steps for Shahid
and Nargis.

With the rumors of their apparent link-
up, the Nargis-Shahid starring item
number will evoke quite a lot of interest
from the audiences. Nargis' look is being
carefully created to give the seductive
siren a new look which was been withheld by the team. A top stylist has
been brought on board to give the
actress' look a perfect style!

Phata Poster Nikhla Hero Logo Released

The logo of the upcoming film Phata Poster Nikhla Hero is out! A
romantic comedy starring Shahid Kapoor in the
lead role along with Ileana D'Cruz of Barfi! fame, the film is
directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. Looking to release on
20th September, the film is expected to
clash with Emraan Hashmi's Ungli.
Check out the logo right here:

Makers Of ‘Welcome’ Sequel Call Shraddha Kapoor A ‘Wannabe’ Actress

News has it that the makers of Welcome
Back, producer Firoz Nadiadwala and
director Anees Bazmee are extremely
upset with reports of Shraddha Kapoor
having apparently rejected the film,
especially since the youngster was never approached for the role in
the first place.

While reliable sources have confirmed
that the actress' agency and father
Shakti Kapoor have been sending feelers
to Firoz Nadiadwala, truth be told, the
actress was never considered and the
producer had made it clear at that point itself, given that Welcome starred
Katrina Kaif, the current number 1
actress in the country, in a leading role
and the sequel required someone of the
same stature.

Says Firoz Nadiadwala's spokesperson,
"Shraddha Kapoor has never been
approached for the film and its shocking
for her to even suggest it. The role
requires someone who is extremely
glamorous, has great screen presence and is a fine actress and frankly glamour
isn't Shraddha Kapoor's forte. Let's not
forget that Welcome starred the
country's number one actress Katrina and
hence the role would be suitable to an
actress in the top rankings and Shraddha Kapoor doesn't figure in the
top 10. That
being kept aside, it would require years
for someone like Shraddha, who is barely
some films old and has worked with
newcomers only, to get to the level of
working with a huge brand name like John Abraham. The makers have almost
finalized a top actress, announcement of
which will soon be made."

Adds Aneez Bazmee's spokesperson,
"Aneez bhai is very amused by the
rumors. It seems to have become a trend
for wannabe actresses to declare that
they are receiving big films like Welcome
Back and are rejecting them since this is the only way they get publicity."

Sources also go on to state that the
actress had pulled a stunt like this in the
recent past too declaring she was
approached for Bhushan Kumar's next
with Umesh Shukla starring Abhishek
Bachchan, when in reality she was never approached for the film.

Lootera: 1st Wednesday Box Office Collections

Lootera has been faring way below its rightful mark at the domestic box office.
The film's collections dropped drastically
after its opening weekend. On its
Wednesday, the film fared a miserable
amount of merely 1.90 crores at the domestic market. The film's total
collections now stand at a total of 25.15 crores approximately.

The film's total collections in its first
week has been abysmally low. With
meager hope that it might show an
elevation in terms of income during the
weekend, the critics' praises hasn't help
the film strike a similar chord with the audiences. The film's
collections dropped
drastically since Monday and the film
being such a hailed one, has come across
as a shock to most critics who had
applauded the film.

Katrina Kaif rushes to meet Hrithik Roshan from airport

Katrina Kaif might have been one of the first of Hrithik's friends to
visit him as he was undergoing a brain surgery in the hospital, but
then, she was not in Mumbai,
and was allegedly holidaying with rumoured beau Ranbir Kapoor. But,
the moment she landed in B-town, the first thing she did was to rush
to Hinduja hospital to meet Duggu. She did not even waste time in
changing clothes, and immediately headed towards the hospital.

As soon as she reached, she gave Sussanne a tight hug, after which she
went inside the hospital premises to meet a recovering Duggu.

Dia Mirza, Karan Johar, Arjun Rampal, Queeni Dhodie and many more
celebs were also spotted outside the hospital at the same time, along
with Rakesh Roshan and Sussanne.

Spotted: Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor return from Spanish vacation!

Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif were caught by cameramen at Mumbai
airport while returning from a vacation in Spain.

The rumoured lovebirds were apparently holidaying in Ibiza, a big
tourist draw in the Mediterranean known for its nightlife and
electronic music. The duo was accompanied by Ranbir's good friend Ayan
Mukerji. Before flying to Ibiza they were spotted in Dubai as well.

Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif attended a David Guetta concert in
Ibiza on Monday. They were seen in the crowd by a fan.

The duo has been spending quality time since the shooting of Kat's
film Bang Bang got postponed due to the brain surgery of the film's
leading man, Hrithik Roshan.

Earlier, Kat and Ranby had plans to celebrate her coming birthday on
July 16 together. But their professional commitments have thrown a
spanner in their plan.

Roy came to me much before Ranbir Kapoor, says Jacqueline Fernandez

Actress Jacqueline Fernandez is excited
about her upcoming romance drama Roy
with Ranbir Kapoor but says she signed
the project not because it stars the Barfi!
actor.

Jacqueline, 28, who was last seen in
multi-starrer thriller Race 3, said she
chose to be a part of it because she
found the script interesting.

"Roy is a very interesting film. It is being
directed by debut filmmaker Vicky Singh.
The film came to me much before Ranbir
and I signed it that time only without
thinking about my co-star. Ranbir came
to board much later and I feel it is much exciting now," she said.

The Sri Lankan beauty will also be seen
opposite superstar Salman Khan in Kick.
The film is the remake of Telugu
blockbuster of the same name and will
be made by Sajid Nadiawala.

"Kick is the biggest opportunity of my
career so far. I am so happy that my
career graph is going up positively. I
worked with Sajid (Nadiawala) in
Housefull 2 and he gave me the chance to
star opposite Salman. I don't know from where this luck came from," Jacqueline
said, who also did an item number Jadoo
Ki Jhappi with ace choreographer
Prabhudheva.

The actress was in the capital as the
brand ambassador of India Bridal
Fashion Week, which is commencing
from July 23.

Asked about her marriage plans,
Jacqueline, who wore a Jyotsana Tiwari
lehenga, said, "Marriage is not round the
corner. Like any other girl, I have also
dreamt about my marriage but I think
the right time has not yet come."

Akshay Kumar turns 'villain' in USA for Once Upon A Time In Dobara

While on a family vacation in New York,
Akshay Kumar dubbed for the new Once
Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara trailer
that talks about the quintessential 'Hero
vs Villain' tussle in the film.

Akshay also ended up devoting quite
some time to a press conference and
media interviews.

Akshay Kumar was on family vacation
with a tour to USA and planned to spend
a month away from the monsoons of
Mumbai. However it has proven to be
difficult for his family to pin the khiladi
down, as he has engaged himself with work all over again even during his
holiday.

"It wasn't entirely planned this way
though," informs a source. "Akshay takes
two family holidays in a year. One in June
and the other in December during
Christmas. He keeps work completely out
of bounds during his breaks and rarely does he make an exception. This was one
of the times he made an exception
because he is very excited about Once
Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara. It is
an important film for him. So when
director Milan Luthria decided to fly to New York to get Akshay to do a voice-
over for the new trailer of Once Upon A
Time In Mumbaai Dobaara , Akshay
immediately agreed."

It was a sudden decision though when
Milan and Balaji senior officials took an
impromptu call to use his voice in the
film's second trailer. The core idea was to
showcase Akshay's character as the
villain and how he revels in being evil. When Milan explained the concept to
Akshay and how it would require a voice-
over from him to establish the
quintessential Hero vs. Villain tussle,
Akshay readily gave the green signal.

"Balaji hired a sound studio in Manhattan
close to the Plaza Apartments where
Akshay was staying," the source states,
"In fact, Milan was also booked at the
famous Plaza Hotel so that he would be
in close proximity to Akshay. Balaji went a step ahead and even got a press
conference organized at the same hotel
to make use of Milan and Akshay being
together in NYC."

Meanwhile, Akshay is now in Bangkok
and shooting for Its Entertainment. He
would be returning to India later next
week and then pronto start promotion
for Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai
Dobaara .

The man is indeed on a move!

Dibakar Banerjee buys entire library of Byomkesh stories

Dibakar Banerjee is ensuring that he is
the first director to bring Byomkesh
Bakshi to Hindi cinema audience by
buying the rights to all the 30 stories by
Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay.

Dibakar's film Detective Byomkesh
Bakshy is jointly being produced by his
production house and Yash Raj Films. The deal has been struck for about Rs
8-10 crore and from now on, no one
would be able to take up or use any of
Byomkesh's stories in any language
except Bengali.

"We have bought all 30 stories. We have
left Bengali out of respect to the writer
and Bengali people," Banerjee said in a
statement.

"The idea is to ensure that no one else
makes a film on Byomkesh till I am done
with my franchise or series. If I don't do
that, someone else will pick up another
story from the series. So there will be
multiple Byomkeshs. It will ultimately be confusing and detrimental to
my film and
character's image in the public's eyes."

Dibakar is also planning to turn the
stories into graphic novels. "It's a dream that we are working on.
Right now, I can only say that much," the
director said.

Set in 1942, the film, starring Sushant
Singh Rajput as Byomkesh, will show a
war-torn Kolkata during the '40s as it
follows the first adventure of Byomkesh,
who is fresh out of college. The period thriller will hit theatres in
December next year.

Hrithik Roshan discharged from hospital post brain surgery

Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan was today
discharged from a suburban hospital
where he underwent a brain surgery to
remove a two-month-old clot.

"I am fantastic," Hrithik said while
posing for the shutterbugs after being
discharged from the Hinduja hospital this
afternoon.

The actor was operated upon last Sunday
at Hinduja Healthcare Surgical in Khar for
subdural hematoma (collection of blood
in the space between the outer layer and
middle layers of the covering of the
brain) as a result of head injury he had suffered two months back while
performing stunts for his upcoming film
Bang Bang.

The shooting of Bang Bang was
postponed following the incident. The actor is said to have been advised
complete rest for at least four weeks.

Dharmendra asks Hrithik Roshan to be careful with stunts

Veteran actor Dharmendra has asked
Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan, who
recently underwent a brain surgery, to be
careful while performing stunts.

Hrithik underwent a brain surgery on last
Sunday for removal of a two-month-old
clot, which was caused following a head
injury while he was performing a stunt
for his upcoming film Bang Bang.

He was discharged from the hospital
today.

Dharmendra, who is currently in the US to
attend a wedding, got to know of
Hrithik's surgery and called him up to
check on his health.

Dharmendra made enquires about
Hrithik's surgery and asked him to be
careful while performing stunts, source
close to the actor said. Hrithik has been a huge fan of
Dharmendra.

Meanwhile, Hrithik's good friend and
filmmaker Karan Johar gifted him a
personalised DVD of his latest home
production Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.

The 39-year-old actor has seen all of
Karan's films, but couldn't make it to the
special screening of this movie.

FIRST LOOK: The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Here's the first official shot of Jamie Foxx
(as the villain Electro) and Andrew
Garfield (as Spider-Man) in Marc Webb's
upcoming superhero film The Amazing
Spider-Man 2.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is an
upcoming superhero film starring Andrew
Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane
DeHaan, Colm Feore, Paul Giamatti and
Martin Sheen in lead roles.

Directed by Marc Webb, the film is
scheduled to release on May 2, 2014.

FIRST LOOK: The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Here's the first official shot of Jamie Foxx
(as the villain Electro) and Andrew
Garfield (as Spider-Man) in Marc Webb's
upcoming superhero film The Amazing
Spider-Man 2.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is an
upcoming superhero film starring Andrew
Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane
DeHaan, Colm Feore, Paul Giamatti and
Martin Sheen in lead roles.

Directed by Marc Webb, the film is
scheduled to release on May 2, 2014.

Parineeti, Sushant's Shuddh Desi Romance trailer out!

The trailer of Shuddh Desi Romance
starring Kai Po Che fame Sushant Singh
Rajput and National Award winner
Parineeti Chopra, is out.
The film also stars newcomer Vaani
Kapoor and veteran actor Rishi Kapoor.

From the first look, the film comes out to
be a modern day love story which is not
about 'love' or 'commitment' but what
comes after 'love' – Shuddh Desi
Romance.

The film is also another take on the
concept of live in relationships and the
complications that follow.

Yash Raj Films opted for Jaipur's iconic
Raj Mandir to launch the trailer of the
film. Since the movie is based in Jaipur, the
makers have decided to host the event at
the Pink City's oldest theatre.

Sushant and Parineeti, who've just
returned from Macau, were present at
the event.

Shuddh Desi Romance , which is directed
by Maneesh Sharma of Band Baaja Baarat
fame, is slated for release in September
this year.

HOT PICS: Priyanka Sizzles In Exotic

Here we are presenting some hot pictures from Priyanka Chopra's second
single 'Exotic'.

Mishra: Brave to release 'Sixteen' with 'Bhaag Milkha...'

Filmmaker Sudhir
Mishra says it's a brave decision to release
"Sixteen" with Rakeysh Omprakash
Mehra's much-talked about mega project
"Bhaag Milkha Bhaag".

Raj Purohit directed "Sixteen" is coming
out Friday and will compete for the top
place with "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" and
Anurag Kashyap's "Shorts".

"Every film has it's own place. 'Bhaag
Milkha Bhaag' is a damn good film.
Rakeysh has made a very good film and
Farhan (Akhtar) is brilliant and I really
like Milkha. Hopefully, everything will do
well," Mishra said at the screening of "Sixteen" Wednesday.

"If there are two films, they have their
respective places. People will see both the
films. But it is a remarkable thing to
release your film with '...Milkha...', a brave
decision," he added.

"Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" is a biopic on
former Olympian Milkha Singh, while
"Sixteen" talks about early loss of
innocence among children nowadays.

"Shorts" is a bouquet of five short films
made by five different directors.

SRK To Romance Sushant Singh Rajput's Girlfriend?

A couple of days ago, we tipped you off
that Farah Khan will get her best buddy Shah Rukh Khan a new heroine
to romance in Happy New Year. That
certainly kept us guessing and wondering
who the lucky babe would be.

Here's the latest buzz on the same – the
filmmaker has shortlisted five girls for
the role and will soon finalise her film's
leading lady.

According to the grapevine, one of the
shortlisted girls is the television actress
Jennifer Winget, who is taking the telly-
land by storm these days with her
remarkable performance in
Saraswatichandra.

But her chances to grab the coveted role
seem to be getting slimmer by the day, as
Farah's female lead in the film is a
Marathi mulgi, exactly on the lines of
Tezaab's Mohini. Thus, it's a must for the
girl to be familiar with the Maharashtrian language.

While Jennifer now has a hope in hell of
lapping up the big opportunity, it is
another TV stunner, Ankita Lokhande,
who has a sporting chance to walk away
with the role.

If that comes true, the Kai Po Che! hottie, Sushant Singh Rajput, will
be the happiest for his girl's big feat. And that gives way
to next possible headlines – 'Pavitra
Rishta's loved jodi's crackling chemistry to
scorch the big screens now'!

'Madras Cafe' defines cinema I stand for, says John Abraham

John Abraham
says his next production "Madras Cafe" is
truly the kind of cinema that defines the
work he wants to do in the film industry.
Directed by Shoojit Sircar, who also
helmed John's production debut "Vicky
Donor", the movie is said to be a gritty
thriller.


"This would define what I stand for in
terms of cinema. I want films that I
produce to have credible content and
'Madras Cafe' is that film," John tweeted
Thursday.

The movie also features Nargis Fakhri. Its first look features John in a rugged
look, with a revolver in his hand. Nargis
also sports an intense look in the poster.

Ranveer Singh wants to be part of significant cinema like Aamir Khan

Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh, who is
basking in the success of Lootera, insists
he wants to be part of significant cinema
just like Aamir Khan.

"I want to be part of significant cinema.
Like Aamir Khan, I think he has been
part of the most defining films of Indian
cinema. That is my goal."

Ranveer thinks Lootera has proved to be
a game-changer for him and he looks
forward to working with the "cream
crop" of directors from here on.

"The kind of response the industry has
had to my film is big. I hope to have an
opportunity to work with the best
directors. I am already working with
best. Band Baja Baaraat was a very
strong start... On that basis I got Ram Leela and Gunday. Now after Lootera I
hope to continue working with the cream
crop of directors."

Ranveer Singh says that after tasting
success early in his career there have
been moments when stardom got to him,
but the actor credits his family for
keeping him grounded.

Ranveer started his acting career with
2010 hit Band Baaja Baaraat and then
went on to do Ladies vs Ricky Bahl. The
28-year-old actor's recent release
'Lootera' has also been appreciated.

The actor's father scolds him whenever
he tends to act "bratty".

"I have a very close knit nuclear family
who are very frank and blunt with me,
especially my father. I will admit, there
have been occasions where my father has
scolded me saying, 'What are you doing?
Why are you behaving like this? you are getting really bratty!'. He keeps me in
check.

"And then I have these two best buddies
since the age of 13-14. They are just
what real friends do, keep criticising my
work and never let me fly high. They
make me feel like just another guy.
When you have such close people you can never lose your mind," Ranveer
told PTI in
an interview.

The actor says he does not care about
stardom and plans to stick around in the
industry for a very long time.

"What I hope for myself in terms of the
career I want and the sort of
contributions I want to make to the
films, stardom doesn't really matter then.
I know where I have to reach so I am not
looking at what is happening around me but just concentrating on work," he said.

The New Zanjeer Is Very Different Says Director!

With its trailer out in the open, the
remake of the superhit action film
Zanjeer, which was responsible for
establishing the 'angry young man'
image of legendary actor, Amitabh
Bachchan has received a luke warm response from the audience. Although
the Zanjeer team is still quite pepped
up.

The film which has southern superstar
Ram Charan Teja in the lead taking
the place of Big B and Priyanka Chopra
in the female lead, also has major
actors like Sanjay Dutt who is playing
the role of Pran saheb in the film and is directed by famous film director
Apurva Lakhiya.

"I'm very happy with the way the
film has shaped up. This project is
very close to my heart and it's
different from the original. It's a
commercial film and I'm eagerly
waiting for its release," says Lakhia, who has directed the
movie.

"I am happy with the power-
packed performance of Ram
Charan (Teja) and Priyanka
(Chopra). They have done a
fabulous job," he added. The
promotions for the movie will kickstart from August.
"Promotions play a vital role these
days. The film will be hitting the
screens on September 6," he
added.

The expectations from this film will be
sky high as it will be compared to the
original classic. It would be thus,
interesting to see how the film does
under such huge amounts of pressure.

I was predestined to be an entertainer: Ranveer Singh

Ranveer Singh made a splash into
Bollywood with his debut film 'Baand
Baaja Baraat'. He may just be three films
old, but Ranveer Singh is making all the
right choices in the film industry. In
Vikramaditya Motwane's latest film, 'Lootera', Ranveer plays a thief who falls
in love with Sonakshi Sinha's character.
Set in 1953, the film is all about subtle
romance. Actor Ranveer Singh joined
Star Report readers for an interaction on his
film 'Lootera'.

Q. Hi, what is it like working with
Sonakshi? You both are such good actors.
I bet you guys taught each other a lot.

A. Sonakshi has taught a lot to me, she
acts very effortlessly but I work a lot
before the shooting.

Q. How was your experience with
Sonakshi while working together, was
she too good or average girl with hit
quality?

A. Sonakshi is very easy going about her
work, she creates very calm environment.

Q. How is the feeling after this great
appreciation from critics for 'Lootera'?

A. It feels amazing, it gives confidence
about your own craft. More than critics is
the audience, its a beautiful feeling.

Q. How was it like working with
Vikramaditya?

A. He is a genuine, master craftsman. He
is always there to help you. He is very
organised, it was amazing working with
him.

Q. You always knew that you can act so
well?

A. I knew I could act, well is something
audience decides. I was predestined to
be an entertainer.

Q. There are many challenging project are
coming for you like Gunday, Ram Leela
etc. Which is the toughest one for you ?

A. 'Ram Leela' is much tough, 'Gunday' is
a mainstream Bollywood movie. 'Ram
leela' is demanding as its very emotional.
Bhansali ji keep on making changes, he
has very high standards.

Q. Is it
that you always wanted to be an actor or
advertising was your first love?

A. Acting is my first love. It was far
fetched dream for me during school days,
so I studied advertising in US. I'm
working on 3 scripts, hopefully it will
come out but right now I'm busy acting.
The scripts could take some time.

Q. What was more challenging: Acting in
your first movie or acting in 'Lootera'?

A. Both were equally difficult, may be
'Lootera' slightly more.

Q. Can you rate them as per your
experiences: 1. Vikramaditya Motwane 2.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali 3. Ali Abbas Zafar
4. Maneesh Sharma?

A. Every experience has his own charm
and fun. They all have taught me a lot.

Q. Now a days whom do you think the
actor will rule the Bollywood for next few
decades part from you.

A. I don't know.

Q. Have you ever regretted doing acting
instead of creative writing?

A. Never ever, it was my dream though
I'm passionate about creative writing as
well.

Why are Katrina Kaif-Ranbir Kapoor playing hide-n-seek?

Remember howSalman Khan-Katrina were spotted at different locations at the
end of Ek Tha Tiger? None of them were
confirmed sightings. Now we wonder, are Ranbir-Kat doing just that in
real life? From what we've heard, seen and
speculated, the duo is very much a happy
couple, undeterred by stories of RK having
a thing on the side with former lady Deepika Padukone. And after
hearing the goss about a tiff at a party recently,
we were just waiting to find out what the
coosome twosome was up to.

Then we heard from our jasoos, who has
as much experience with undercover
work as Zoya aka Kat had in ETT. We
found that taking a long awaited break,
Kat has decided to keep the rumour mills
working overtime when she took off on a quiet trip with Ranbir. Fans
in Dubai claim
that the duo has ditched plans of visiting
Barcelona and chosen Dubai instead – the
pair was spotted at La Petite Maison. And
then it got more complicated – a Ranbir
fan has just posted a picture of the pair with filmmaker Ayan Mukherji
at a David
Guetta concert in Ibiza, Spain.

This isn't the first time RK-Kat have made
hush-hush outings; the couple has not
come out in the open about the
relationship they share, beyond being
'just good friends', but they have made
'couple' entries at various dos in Mumbai – Karan Johar's birthday
bash this year,
for instance, and the special screening of
Kiran Rao's Ship of Theseus followed by a
dinner; a fan also caught them trying to
find their way to a night spot in South
Mumbai.

At an awards show in Vancouver not that
long ago RK went to pick up his ladylove
from wherever she was. A fan managed
to get a photo-op with them at a café, but
they refused to be photographed together
for some reason. The duo has also brought in the New Year together in US
with Kat's family, we heard, and Katrina
was photographed having lunch and
sharing very warm moments with RK's
mom Neetu Kapoor soon after. Further
back in time, in February 2011, Katrina dropped in on Ranbir in Amsterdam,
where he was on an ad shoot. Happy
times and not so thrilling moments are
shared – after the Income Tax raid at her
Bandra residence, Ms K found a shoulder
of support in RK; the duo was spotted by fans shortly thereafter,
chilling with some
cold beer at a restaurant.

And we did tell you about the latest – we
caught a glimpse of Katrina at the airport
recently, but she wasn't heading for the
IIFA awards in Macau, like Shahrukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Madhuri
Dixit and others. Instead, the Dhoom:3 lady
was headed to steal some private
moments with beau RK. Ranboo-Kat have
managed to keep the mystery in their
relationship alive, leaving even our expert
spies wondering where they are and what they are up to. And for now,
whether it's
Dubai or Ibiza, it sure looks like it's fun
time when the lovebirds are together!

Unseen pictures of Katrina Kaif with Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan & Aamir Khan

Katrina Kaif rules a million hearts. Be it Salman, Shah Rukh or Aamir,
Katrina has always served as the perfect spice to tingle the
moviegoers.

Katrina is 10 year old in Bollywood and she has had her own share of
struggle in this long journey.

Being the ex-girlfriend of Salman Khan, fans always thought that Sallu
did a favour by launching her in Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya. But the
sizzling beauty achieved all the stardom and glamour on her own.

10 years of Bollywood career and she has worked with all the top
stars. She is on the wishlist of every moviemaker. She has romanced
all the three Khans in movies.

We bring to you the unseen pictures of Katrina Kaif with Salman Khan,
Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan.

Deepika-Ranbir to reunite in Imtiaz Ali's next?

After the overwhelming success of Yeh
Jawaani Hai Deewani which touched the
Rs 300 crore club, our favourite couple
from the movie are all set to reunite yet
again, this time for Imtiaz Ali's next.

According to the buzz, Deepika
Padukone-Ranbir Kapoor might feature in
Imtiaz's next film. The hit jodi has been
in demand ever since their film Yeh
Jawaani Hai Deewani became the third
highest grosser film after 3 Idiots and Ek Tha Tiger.

Also Deepika shares her comfort zone
with Directer Imtiaz Ali , as she has
already worked with him in Love Aaj Kal
and Cocktail which were again
blockbuster hits.

According to a source in a leading daily,
"Not that Imtiaz is driven too much by
numbers, he roped in a rank newcomer
for Rockstar opposite Ranbir when he
could have got roped in just about
anyone. It is the script fitment for an actor that matters most for him."

On Speaking with India Today Online,
Deepika said, "I am happy that people
have loved us in the movie. I am open to
doing more films with Ranbir."

When we asked Ranbir about their
chemistry , he said, "I would love to do
work with Deepika again as we share a
great rapport both on-screen and off-
screen. We can only work together if she
has spare dates. Deepika is super busy with her current projects right
now and is
working round the clock.

After the stupendous chemistry in Yeh
Jawaani hai Deewani, we really hope to
see the duo create magic once again.

Newcomer Tanuj aspires to follow Ranbir Kapoor's trajectory

Veteran actress Rati
Agnihotri's son Tanuj
Virwani, who is making
his debut in Bollywood,
wants to follow the route
of Ranbir Kapoor.

Ranbir made his debut with Sanjay Leela
Bhansali's 'Saawariya' in 2007 which did
not do that well at the box office. But that
did not deter him and he kept doing good
work in films like 'Bachna Ae Haseeno',
'Wake Up Sid', 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani', 'Rocket Singh', 'Rajneeti',
'Rockstar', Barfi' and 'Yeh Jawaani Hai
Deewani'. Ranbir received critical acclaim
as well as commercial success with his
films.

"I look up to Ranbir Kapoor. He is an
inspiration to many for the kind of work
he has done in such a short time. He has
given his best with every film, from
'Saawariya' to 'Wake Up Sid' to Rockstar'
and Barfi'. I aspire to follow his trajectory," Tanuj told .

The newbie is making his debut in
Bollywood with Joe Rajan's 'Luv U Soniyo',
where he is paired opposite Miss India
(2010) Neha Hinge.

Tanuj, who plays the role of a college boy
in the film, feels his contemporaries will
relate to the character.

"He is fun guy, loves to party. Then he
happens to meet this girl and how his life
changes post that...it is about how a boy
turns into a young man," he said.

Rati will also be his on-screen mother in
the film. "In the film my mother is shown
as no more, so we have just used the
photo of my mother. She is part of the
film but not physically... it's just her
photo," he said.

Backed by Viacom 18, 'Luv U Soniyo' is
slated to release on July 26. With the film nearing its release, Tanuj
has mixed emotions and hopes the film to
do well.

Live your Bollywood dream with YRF's fashion line

If you're one of those
who watched a Bollywood actress scorch
the silver screen in that "oh-so-gorgeous"
sari or that "amazing" dress - this one's
for you! Film production major Yash Raj
Films (YRF) is launching a Bollywood inspired fashion label - Diva'ni.

The tag line of the brand, which is said to
be infused with the spirit of Bollywood
amalgamated with a glamour quotient,
reads: "Where fashion romances
Bollywood".

YRF, which has set several fashion trends
across its over four decade-old existence
through films like "Lamhe", "Dilwale
Dulhania Le Jayenge", "Dil To Pagal Hai",
"Mohabbatein", "Bunty Aur Babli" and
"Band Baaja Baaraat", has tied up with ethnic wear brand Karol Bagh Saree
House (KBSH) for the new label.

The collection will be a reflection of how
late filmmaker Yash Chopra, who founded
YRF, envisioned his heroines and brought
out the best in every woman he worked
with.

"YRF has been looking to participate in a
meaningful way in the apparel category,
in order to bring the trends of Bollywood
and YRF closer to the consumers. As an
industry, we have been setting fashion
trends for our fans worldwide over the last 100 years," Rohit Sobti, YRF's vice
president (Licensing and Merchandising),
said in a statement.

The first collection under the label will be
a tribute to Yash Chopra, who in many
ways helped define Bollywood fashion. "In a country like India where women of
all age groups are so highly inspired by
Indian cinema, we strive to give our
audiences a brand that will bring them a
step closer to living their Bollywood
dream," said Sanya Dhir, brand director, KBSH.

"The design team behind Diva'ni strives to
create ensembles that celebrate the
emotion in motion, offering the customer
an experience to be as stylish and feel as
beautiful as a Diva," Dhir added.

Other details about the brand and the
collection are likely to be announced
soon.

Hindi remake of Tom Cruise's "Knight and Day" will be postponed after Hritik's Brain Surgery

Hrithik Roshan, one of India's top
actors, is recovering from the successful
procedure, but production of Fox's
Hindi-language remake of Tom Cruise's
"Knight and Day" will be postponed.

Fox Star Studios is suspending shooting
of Bang Bang, its Bollywood remake of
the Tom Cruise starrer Knight and Day, after the film's lead, Hrithik
Roshan, underwent emergency brain surgery
Sunday.

India media have been reporting that
Roshan, one of India's biggest stars,
suffered a blow to the head while
shooting stunts for Bang Bang in Phuket,
Thailand two months ago (chronic
subdural haematoma is often caused by a head injury that results in
bleeding in the
membrane surrounding the brain). But
neither the actor nor the studio has
confirmed the cause of his injury.

Roshan's father, director Rakesh Roshan, was quoted widely in the Indian media
as saying the surgery was a complete
success and that his son would be
discharged in a matter of days. The 39-
year-old actor will need several weeks to
recover, however, so a planned late July European shoot for Bang Bang has been
postponed, according to leading local
newspaper the Times of India.

"Hrithik's health and well-being is our
top priority now. So, the shoot of the
third schedule of Bang Bang has been
moved forward," a spokesperson from
Fox Star Studios told the Times.

The project is a joint production backed
by Star TV and Twentieth Century Fox.

Roshan, well known for his lead roles in
the Bollywood blockbusters Jodhaa Akbar
and the superhero franchise Krrish, was
reportedly set to begin work on
postproduction and promotion for Krrish
3, written, produced and directed by his father and due out Nov. 3. According to
the Times, there has been no change to
the release schedule of that project.

Shortly before his surgery, the actor
posted on his Facebook page: "We all
know that we create a life of joy using
the power of our mind. I've had the
privilege of creating wonders with this
amazing gift given to us called the brain. Occasionally, one must look
within and
realize its value. It gives us the power to
see, hear, touch, smell and taste, it
allows us to conquer fear and create
courage to do things we never imagined.
Maybe it's time for me to feel the power literally. I am going to go
through brain
surgery on Sunday and want you to know
that I am going in with absolute power
to recover fast. My thanks to all of you for
using the power of your mind to
contribute to my life. Love you all."

Ajay Devgan rejects Singam sequel!

It seems that they have shown a
calculation of the Hari directorial and
Surya starrer Singam-2 is to be
released tomorrow in 2400 theatres.
Even if you take Tamil Nadu, Kerala,
Andhra and Karnataka, you would not find more than 1700 theatres. In
that case, this calculation means that
they might have even included small
talkies in villages too into account.
However, this is not the current
news! Singam first part's Hindi rights was bought by Ajay Devgan and he
played the lead role in the Hindi
version. However, that film managed
to gross only a few amount. The
reason being that the fans did not
take it seriously thinking that this film had too much of action
sequences.