Bollywood latest news/gossips

[Ravi budhwar]

Asin and Ajay all set to get second time lucky with Bol Bachchan

Asin has enjoyed her status of being the only newcomer to have registered two centuries already when it comes to box office returns. With Ghajini as well as Ready doing over Rs. 100 crores each just in India, she has managed an enviable success rate. However, what pains her heart till date is the fact that her London Dreams with Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn didn't do well at the box office. So while with Salman she managed to make amends with Ready, she is now keeping her fingers crossed and is quite positive that her second time pairing with Ajay (in Bol Bachchan) would allow her another hit pairing.

"Asin still feels sad about London Dreams", says a friend of the actress, "Though Ghajini as well as Ready were remakes and she had acted in the former and pretty much knew what the latter was all about, London Dreams was an original and boasted of a new setup for Asin. She always felt that she and Ajay looked good together and it was a matter of time before they were paired again. She just waited for the right setup and it came her way with Bol Bachchan. She feels that the film has good enough potential to establish her 'jodi' with Ajay. After Salman, she now wants to strike gold with Ajay on this film."

Well, she can be pretty much assured that she and Ajay would indeed get second time lucky, what with the man at the helm of affairs, Rohit Shetty, enjoying an enviable box office outing. Boasting of the kind of success rate that no other filmmaker has enjoyed in last 20 years at the least, Rohit has now picked up the subject of Golmaal (Amol Palekar, Bindiya Goswami, Utpal Dutt) for Bol Bachchan.

"The subject is so fantabulous that Rohit can't go wrong here, especially with the kind of expertise he has shown when it comes to comedies", says a fellow filmmaker, "In fact he has completely re-written the characters here. Though Abhishek Bachchan and Prachi Desai are said to be reprising the roles of Amol Palekar and Bindiya Goswami, Ajay Devgn is apparently stepping into Utpal Dutt's shoes."

As for Asin, buzz is that there is an altogether new character being written. That by itself is heartening enough for the actress as she gets to share very good screen space with Rohit's favourite hero Ajay. Even though a major schedule of the film has already been wrapped up in Jaipur, the makers continue to be tight lipped about how far they have gone ahead while changing the original script of Golmaal and the kind of characterisation they have put together for Ajay, Abhishek, Asin and Prachi.

On contacting, Asin says, "Obviously I can't talk much about the film. However, I can definitely say that working with this gang was an eye opener. Ajay as well as Abhishek have very good roles and their comic timing is great. The kind of aptitude they have for comedy is fantastic; more so because Rohit is driving it all. It was great reuniting with Ajay after London Dreams. Of course there was a lot of 'masti' while doing the film with him. I am positive we will deliver a good success together with Bol Bachchan."

 

[Ravi budhwar]

Asin and Ajay all set to get second time lucky with Bol Bachchan

Asin has enjoyed her status of being the only newcomer to have registered two centuries already when it comes to box office returns. With Ghajini as well as Ready doing over Rs. 100 crores each just in India, she has managed an enviable success rate. However, what pains her heart till date is the fact that her London Dreams with Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn didn't do well at the box office. So while with Salman she managed to make amends with Ready, she is now keeping her fingers crossed and is quite positive that her second time pairing with Ajay (in Bol Bachchan) would allow her another hit pairing.

"Asin still feels sad about London Dreams", says a friend of the actress, "Though Ghajini as well as Ready were remakes and she had acted in the former and pretty much knew what the latter was all about, London Dreams was an original and boasted of a new setup for Asin. She always felt that she and Ajay looked good together and it was a matter of time before they were paired again. She just waited for the right setup and it came her way with Bol Bachchan. She feels that the film has good enough potential to establish her 'jodi' with Ajay. After Salman, she now wants to strike gold with Ajay on this film."

Well, she can be pretty much assured that she and Ajay would indeed get second time lucky, what with the man at the helm of affairs, Rohit Shetty, enjoying an enviable box office outing. Boasting of the kind of success rate that no other filmmaker has enjoyed in last 20 years at the least, Rohit has now picked up the subject of Golmaal (Amol Palekar, Bindiya Goswami, Utpal Dutt) for Bol Bachchan.

"The subject is so fantabulous that Rohit can't go wrong here, especially with the kind of expertise he has shown when it comes to comedies", says a fellow filmmaker, "In fact he has completely re-written the characters here. Though Abhishek Bachchan and Prachi Desai are said to be reprising the roles of Amol Palekar and Bindiya Goswami, Ajay Devgn is apparently stepping into Utpal Dutt's shoes."

As for Asin, buzz is that there is an altogether new character being written. That by itself is heartening enough for the actress as she gets to share very good screen space with Rohit's favourite hero Ajay. Even though a major schedule of the film has already been wrapped up in Jaipur, the makers continue to be tight lipped about how far they have gone ahead while changing the original script of Golmaal and the kind of characterisation they have put together for Ajay, Abhishek, Asin and Prachi.

On contacting, Asin says, "Obviously I can't talk much about the film. However, I can definitely say that working with this gang was an eye opener. Ajay as well as Abhishek have very good roles and their comic timing is great. The kind of aptitude they have for comedy is fantastic; more so because Rohit is driving it all. It was great reuniting with Ajay after London Dreams. Of course there was a lot of 'masti' while doing the film with him. I am positive we will deliver a good success together with Bol Bachchan."

 

[Ravi budhwar]

Ranbir Kapoor meets the 1st Para Battalion

http://i.indiafm.com/img/feature/11/oct/ranbirk1.jpg
Being the country's biggest youth icon, Ranbir Kapoor was keen to meet with the "men at the border" and immediately jumped at the opportunity to travel to Nahan, Himachal Pradesh, home to the 1st Para Battalion, comprising some of India's finest commandos.

 

[Ravi budhwar]

Check Out: Aishwarya's brand new wax statue at Madame Tussauds

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan may be MIA (Missing in Action) on the Bollywood front due to her pregnancy but the actress continues to make news.

A new wax statue of Ash was unveiled at the world famous Madame Tussauds museum in Blackpool earlier this week. The statue is a part of the special Bollywood tour exhibition planned by the museum. While in the first statue, Ash was seen wearing Indian attire, here she is seen in an elegant and classy Western gown. The look is inspired by Ash's look at Cannes Film Festival.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Besides unveiling this new statue of Ash, Madame Tussauds also has grand plans for unveiling the first ever wax statue of Kareena Kapoor's next week.

 

[Ravi budhwar]

Salman-Aamir to be role models for Ajay-Hrithik?

Salman and Aamir have set an example and industry is now waiting with bated breath to see if Ajay Devgn and Hrithik Roshan follow the same route as well. Since Salman and Aamir have juggled release plans of four of their films, bigwigs in the industry feel that Ajay and Hrithik too should sit across the table and finalise on plans for Tezz and Agneepath once for and all.

"It's high time that they did that", says an industry veteran, "For how long can they continue to hold on to the suspense. I am 200% sure that these biggies won't clash with each other. However, the way the makers of both films are holding on to any subsequent announcement, it is unfortunate to say the least. Also it is unhealthy for all involved as just 3 months remain and any sudden change in plans would require massive rescheduling as well as change in overall strategy."

However, as of now Karan Johar as well as Priyadarshan are not budging from their stand and continue to stick to their 26th January plans. Since both films are multi-crore affairs and high stakes are involved, none of the two parties are willing to blink first.

"This is not sustainable though", says a trade veteran, "For both Hrithik and Ajay these are crucial films. Agneepath is a remake of a classic and comparisons with Amitabh Bachchan is anyways an impending challenge. Ditto for Tezz which is apparently a remake of Japanese film The Bullet Train. With so much at stake, the least that these two superstars would need at this hour is a heads-on clash."

Hope the actors are listening and Salman-Aamir turn out to be role models here.

 

[Ravi budhwar]

Emraan starrer 24X7 Raftaar re-titled as Play

The late director Shamin Desai who died tragically in January this year leaving behind an almost-finished film on media maneuverings entitled 24 x 7 Raftaar, may have reason to smile from the heaven. His unreleased and unfortunately only film will now finally be released by its producers Percept Pictures by the end of this year. The film will now have a new title, additional songs and special effects and a music video featuring the film's male lead Emraan Hashmi.

Shamin's film, now titled as Play, was rushed to Delhi last week, where Emraan was shooting with the Bhatts for Jannat 2, for his approval and further contribution.

Says a source close to the project, "It is felt that Emraan could lift the film to a commercially saleable proposition. The theme of Shamin's film - the electronic media's hunger for sensational news - has already been done by Ram Gopal Varma in Rann. The idea now is to make the film look contemporary and fresh in theme and look."

Apparently, the producers are willing to enhance the film's eyeball-grabbing quota but only without tampering with Shamin's vision.

When contacted, Shailendra Singh of Percept said, "Yes, we're looking at releasing Shamin's film. It's the least we can do for him. We believe he has made a fine film that does his memory proud. But we don't want it to be a haphazard release. Efforts are being made to spruce up the product."

 

[Ravi budhwar]

Vidya's 'jhatkas' catch attention...again!

he television campaign for The Dirty Picture has taken a full frontal approach (pun intended) with Vidya Balan's brazen act crossing even those boundaries that seemed unassailable when the first theatrical promo came out recently. While the makers seem to be pushing the envelope with every passing juncture, the latest being her song 'Ooh La La', many in the industry are questioning if Vidya's moves are justified for a film that boasts of such an A-grade setup.

"This is unbelievable," says a prominent director on condition of anonymity. "I understand that the makers of The Dirty Picture are attempting celebrating the life of a sexy screen diva, but what we see is beyond imagination. I guess what we saw so far in true terms was 'just a trailer'. I suppose it will take a while before we come to terms with Vidya Balan's daring new avatar."

A trade guru points out, "The tantalizing promos have done the initial trick. The makers have clearly shown that they have an eye on the box office run. And the fact that something so different is coming from Milan Luthria and Vidya Balan, who are known for a different kind of cinema, has also added to the shock and curiosity value."

"It is a conscious call," says Milan sounding surprisingly cool. "There is always a handful of people trying to become self-appointed moral crusaders and creating issues when there are none. This handful is not even representative of the Indian audience at large so no one takes them seriously. We have the Censor Board whose decision we will follow. In any case, when the audience watches the final film, all this talk will be put to rest."

He adds, "We have made a progressive film here. So much is changing on television that it's shocking. I am merely moving ahead with the times and exploring different genres. I could have gone ahead and made another gangster movie after Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai. However, I chose to change genres. I have done that even earlier in my career when Kachche Dhaage and Taxi No. 9211 worked. With The Dirty Picture, I thought it was finally time to come out with something that hasn't really been attempted before."

Milan concurs that the film has generated sufficient interest substantially in advance of its release. "I understand that people are floored, more so because it is Vidya on screen. However, I know the path I have followed. Some language and visuals might seem brazen but while certain directors may have kept it way too carnal and others way too subtle, I have found my own way."

 

[Ravi budhwar]

Kangna finds friend and supporter in Chirag

There is good news for Kangna. The pretty woman seemed to have lost out on her list of friends once her friction with Sanjay Dutt and Ajay Devgn was all over the place. One wondered how the future would look like especially post the Rascals fiasco. However, at this moment of low, she is getting support from the unlikeliest of co-stars - Chirag Paswan.

"Together they would be seen soon in Miley Na Miley Hum and Chirag has told Kangna in no uncertain terms that her earlier experiences, especially the ones that were not so good, don't quite matter to him. He feels that Kangna did a huge favour to him by agreeing to act in his film when he was just a newcomer while she was a star in her own right. Hence a Rascals or miniscule roles in Double Dhamaal or a No Problem don't really matter to him", says a close associate.

Such words of reassurance coming from a male co-star could well be a sign of relief for Kangna who has been mostly off-media for quite some time now and letting this phase pass away when she has to answer all the accusations coming her way.

"There is no point for her to respond to every other person. Films come and go but talent remains", says a friend of the actress, "People keep forgetting that her Tanu Weds Manu was the first big hit of the year and that too when World Cup was on. Audience stepped in because of the kind of vivacious energy she brought on screen. It is about time that she gets that back on screen with Miley Na Miley Hum, I Love New Year and other films."

"I don't know about all of this but I can tell you that none of the negative stories surrounding her bothered me at all", says Chirag with a smile, "Every project is different and how something goes right or wrong in another film is none of my concern. I know that in my film Kangna is phenomenal and that is what that matters. Success or failure of any other film can't affect my film."

He also goes on to add that never once did he and Kangna converse around Rascals whether during the shooting of Miley Na Miley Hum or the film's promotion.

"All we spoke about was our film", he laughs, "We have all been so busy ourselves that there was no time for anything or anyone else. As for Kangna then well, she is a thorough professional and can handle her lows and highs quite well. She doesn't need me or anyone else to support on that."

 

[Ravi budhwar]

Vashu Bhagnani launches all-India hunt for Jackky's heroine

Reports of A-lister heroines turning down a film with Jackky Bhagnani directed by Rajkumar Santoshi has so incensed the young actor's producer-father Vashu Bhagnani that Vashu has decided to go ahead and make the film with a new face.

Apparently, an A-lister heroine had almost been finalized by Rajkumar Santoshi when the hurt and humiliated father Vashu Bhagnani suggested they go for a fresh face. Both felt that a newcomer would serve the film's purposes far better. Now a fresh face is being launched and an all-India hunt has been launched for a face to star opposite Jackky. Hurt but unresentful, Vashu says, "I made one flop and then a super hit with my son. F.A.L.T.U. had no big names playing the leads. And yet it worked. It's the script that finally works. How many times do we need to be reminded of this?"

Vashu is baffled and offended by reports that A-lister heroines have refused to work with his son. "I read a report that I had offered Katrina Kaif Rs. 20 crores to work with my son. Which insane producer would offer that kind of money to any actress? Wouldn't I be better off using that money to make sure my son's film is well-made? I've known Katrina from the time she came into the industry. I had offered her Out Of Control opposite Riteish Deshmukh. She had turned it down. But we remained on cordial terms since then. If I thought Katrina to be suitable for a part, I'd ask her."

Vashu feels it is demeaning for a producer of his standing to be going from door-to-door looking for a leading lady for his son. "There are just 4-5 big-name heroines. We need at least a dozen more girls. Rajji has auditioned 30-35 girls. We'll soon finalize a girl for Jackky's film."

Vashu has pledged to produce three films in the coming year for his son. "Not that I don't want to work with other actors. Sajid Khan is directing Ajay Devgn for my banner next year. In addition, I'd be happy to work with Riteish Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan all my life. But with my son it's a different equation. He is naturally special for me. And he has given a hit for my banner. He's hard-working and talented boy. So why not? I've three films on the anvil with Jackky. After Raj Kumar Santoshi, there's a film to be directed by Milap Javeri .There's also the sequel to F.A.L.T.U. that Remo D'Souza is working on."

 

[Ravi budhwar]

Bipasha Basu in Race 2?

The Abbas-Mustan directed sequel to the action packed high octane film Race has been making headlines ever since it was announced. The cast of this multi-starrer already features heavyweights such as Anil Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Ameesha Patel and Jacqueline Fernandez. Now the buzz is that Bipasha Basu too would be seen in Race 2.

It may be recalled that Bipasha featured in Race and hence there have been talks that the actress would be seen in the sequel as well. Sources close to the production tell us that with Bipasha being brought on board for the film, there are high chances that John and Bips will be sharing screen space as well in two sequences. However, Ramesh Taurani refused to comment much and said, "Right now, I cannot tell you whether Bipasha is part of film or not."