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January 2002
Thursday, January 31, 2002
India tests 2nd missile, says rebels crossing border
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India carried out its second missile test in less than a week on Wednesday and said Pakistan-based militants were still sneaking into the part of Kashmir India controls. With the South Asia foes locked in a military stand-off along their border and exchanging fire almost daily, the test of the short-range Trishul missile was set to keep tensions simmering. Last Friday, India tested a new version of its nuclear-capable Agni missile, drawing criticism from Pakistan which said the test threatened regional stability. India said it had no immediate plans to scale back its military deployment on its border and a Pakistani minister was quoted as saying Pakistan could not rule out the use of nuclear weapons if attacked by India. The nuclear powers have massed a million men along the border from Kashmir down to the Arabian Sea, and India says it will not pull its soldiers back until Pakistan fulfils a pledge to stop rebel incursions. New Delhi is also demanding that Pakistan hand over 20 alleged criminals and terrorists. India's defence ministry said the naval version of the short-range surface-to-air Trishul missile had been tested on Monday and Tuesday. The missile can carry a warhead of 15 kg up to a range of 50 km. The Indian foreign ministry said there was little change on the ground in the disputed Kashmir region at the centre of the standoff after India said its forces killed five guerrillas on Wednesday infiltrating the part controlled by India. "It vindicates our continuing concern and the need for concrete and tangible action by Pakistan against terrorists groups and those individuals who have directed terrorism at India," spokeswoman Nirupama Rao said. In London, Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh said it was too soon for his country to judge the extent of Pakistan's moves against the militants. Speaking after attending Commonwealth anti-terror talks, Singh said India was waiting to see how far Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf would implement a pledge to crack down on groups suspected of violence against India. "We will of necessity judge by how it translates itself into action on the ground," Singh told a news conference. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee reaffirmed that India had no plans to scale back its huge military deployment. "There is no such proposal at this juncture," he said. A Pakistani minister was reported as saying his country could not rule out using nuclear weapons if attacked by India. Kuwait newspapers quoted Pakistani Communications Minister Javed Ansari as telling a news conference on Tuesday his country did not want to resort to nuclear weapons, but that if it were attacked by India, "we cannot give a 'no first use' guarantee". SEPARATISTS BLAMED India blames Pakistan-based Kashmiri separatists for the December 13 attack on its parliament which triggered the latest stand-off and says they were also involved in last week's attack at the American Center in Calcutta. Earlier, an Indian newspaper reported police had uncovered a plot by a crime boss accused of masterminding an attack on a U.S. cultural centre in Calcutta to link up with Pakistani-based militants for a wave of "terror strikes" across India. Citing a secret New Delhi police document, the Hindustan Times said crime boss Farhan Malik, alias Aftab Malik and Aftab Ansari, traded access to his criminal network across India for weapons and training. Some of Farhan's men were trained in Pakistan by the Lashkar-e-Taiba, one of two Islamic militant groups India blames for the parliament attack, in which 14 people died, it said. The paper said Farhan plotted to kill scientist A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, known as "Missile Man", attack an atomic research centre in India's commercial capital, Bombay, and kidnap cricket captain Saurav Ganguly and star batsman Sachin Tendulkar. Officials say Farhan's group and Lashkar also staged last week's raid on the American Center in which four policemen died. Indian police said they killed on Monday two Pakistani Lashkar members who took part in the Calcutta killings. Calcutta police on Wednesday arrested a man in connection with the case. Under pressure from India, the United States and other nations, Pakistan banned Lashkar and four other militant groups operating on its soil and fighting Indian rule in Kashmir.
Wednesday, January 30, 2002
India cuts international bandwidth prices
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Union Telecommunications Minister Pramod said on Wednesday that VSNL had decided to reduce the annual rental of international bandwidth by 35-40 percent. "This will result in greater usage of bandwidth by Indian industry and provide a further boost to India's IT sector," Mahajan told a news conference. The rate reduction will be subject to approval by the Telecoms Regulatory Authority of India, he added. Mahajan also said a decision had been taken to allow a foreign telecom firm, FLAG Telecom, to sell bandwidth directly to Indian Internet service providers (ISPs) following the resolution of a dispute with the Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL). "The outstanding dispute between VSNL and FLAG Telecom has been resolved," Mahajan told the news conference. "FLAG can sell its bandwidth directly to ISPs with immediate effect." Mahajan also said that from April 1, FLAG will be able to sell its capacity directly to international long distance operators as well. "Access and interconnect charges will be agreed between VSNL and FLAG on a fair and reasonable basis," he said. This decision will almost double the bandwidth availability in India, he said.
Wednesday, January 30, 2002
Muslim militants sneaking into Kashmir killed
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian forces killed five Islamic guerrillas trying to sneak into contested Kashmir on Wednesday as Indian and Pakistani troops traded fire in the Himalayan region, a defence official said. A newspaper also reported police had uncovered a plot by a crime boss accused of masterminding an attack on a U.S. cultural centre in Calcutta to link up with Pakistani-based militants for a wave of "terror strikes" across India. India and Pakistan are locked in a dangerous military standoff over New Delhi's accusation that Islamabad sponsors "cross-border terrorism" against it, a charge Pakistan denies. The nuclear powers have massed a million men along the border from Kashmir down to the Arabian Sea and India says it will not pull back until Pakistan stops rebel incursions and hands over 20 alleged criminals and terrorists. The defence official also said three more separatists, members of the now-banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, were killed in another clash in Kashmir late on Tuesday. India blames Pakistan-based Kashmiri separatists for the December 13 attack on its parliament which triggered the standoff and fears of war with Pakistan and says they were also involved in last week's attack at the American Center in Calcutta. CRIME BOSS, MILITANTS JOIN FORCES Wednesday's Hindustan Times said the crime boss India accuses of masterminding the Calcutta attack had linked up with the groups and planned a wave of strikes, including assassinating India's top missile scientist. Citing a secret New Delhi police document, the daily said Farhan Malik, alias Aftab Malik and Aftab Ansari, traded access to his criminal network across India for weapons and training. Some of Farhan's men were trained in Pakistan by the Lashkar-e-Taiba, one of two Islamic militant groups India blames for the parliament attack, in which 14 people died. The paper said Farhan plotted to kill scientist A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, known as "Missile Man", attack an atomic research centre in Bombay, and kidnap cricket captain Saurav Ganguly and star batsman Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar was to be ransomed and Ganguly held to force the release of a jailed Lashkar guerrilla. Although Farhan, subject of an Interpol arrest warrant, is based in Dubai, he is now in Islamabad, the paper quoted the Crime Branch document saying. Officials say Farhan's group and Lashkar also staged last week's raid on the American Center in which four policemen died. POLICE KILL PAKISTANIS Police said they killed on Monday two Pakistani Lashkar members who took part in the Calcutta killings. India says the five parliament attackers were also Pakistani. Under pressure from India, the United States and other world powers, Pakistan has outlawed Lashkar and four other militant groups operating on its soil and fighting Indian rule in Kashmir, the mainly Hindu but secular nation's only Muslim-majority state. But India says it has yet to be convinced of Pakistan's commitment to action. Military analysts say most of the clashes on the border in Kashmir happen as Pakistani forces try to cover infiltrators or Indian troops try to stop them. India says an average 200 guerrillas sneak into Kashmir from Pakistan each month, although numbers fall as winter sets in. About a dozen groups are fighting India's rule in Kashmir, the cause of two of the three India-Pakistan wars and where authorities say 33,000 people have died in 12 years of rebellion.
Wednesday, January 30, 2002
Rupee extends losses, hits fresh low
BOMBAY (Reuters) - The rupee extended losses on Wednesday morning to hit a fresh historic low as state-run banks, the main drivers in the market, made little effort to stem the slide, dealers said. The currency hit a lifetime low of 48.5150 per dollar and was quoted at 48.5050/5200 at 10:05 a.m., against the previous close of 48.4050/4100. In opening deals, the rupee hit 48.4550 against the previous record intra-day low of 48.43 on September 17. "With state-run banks going with the market a lot of banks would prefer to go long on dollars as they expect further dips in store," one dealer in a private bank said. Dealers said the rupee's weakness was helped by the central bank, which wanted to correct its value on a trade-weighted basis and maintain India's export competitiveness. "The euro and the sterling are losing ground to the dollar, so exporters with earnings in those currencies would want the rupee to weaken," a dealer in a state-run bank said. The rupee is overvalued by nearly three percent on its real effective exchange rate -- a basket of five currencies with which India has the maximum trade -- and the central bank would not be averse to allow the rupee to weaken gradually, they said. State-run banks, which usually act at the behest of the central bank, have been heavy buyers of dollars in recent sessions, they said.
Tuesday, January 29, 2002
Bipasha Basu
Bipasha Basu has arrived. With loads of fan mail at her doorstep, this sultry seductress of Ajnabee is quite a simpleton at home. No newcomer to stardom, Bipasha feels quite welcome in the industry. When she accidentally began her career as a 17-year-old Ford supermodel, Bipasha never knew that her dreams of a career as chartered accountant were out for a toss. After globe trotting for four years and enjoying every bit of the ramp and ad shows, she leaped into the Hindi film industry. Landing right on her feet, Bipasha is all set to be the best actress. With her next release and her first solo film, the supernatural thriller Raaz slated to hit in February, the Bengali actress shares her views on the masti and magic of movies. Everyone seems to be talking about your performance in Ajnabee. How does it feel to be accepted as an actress at such an early stage? Wonderful. People have been so nice to me that I am overwhelmed. I feel glad that my work in Ajnabee has been appreciated by my fans and industry folks alike. I was too nervous about the outcome of the film. My fan mail keeps assuring me that people like me as an actress. So this time round I am not a nervous wreck but I do have butterflies in my stomach as this is my first solo release. I have got more than I had bargained for. So tell us about Raaz? Is it a remake of What Lies Beneath? See first of all we Indians can never really copy English films as we have to keep the Indian sentiment and the masses in mind. Raaz is a super natural thriller with little reference to What Lies Beneath. It talks about this couple who is on the threshold of a divorce and goes to their farmhouse for a fresh talk. They feel there is a better chance at reconnecting with each other away from the pressures of the city. But here they come across something supernatural and their lives change. We have incorporated the superstitions tantriks, mantras etc. We have tried to make it interesting rather than spooky. The mystery unravels slowly and it is quite a surprise. There is lot of thrills rather than the irritating scary sounds in usual ghost movies. How was it working with Vikram Bhatt? Vikram made things so easy for both Dino and me that we felt we at home. He never treated us like newcomer. He guides you through a scene and then gives you full liberty to do the scene your way. Of course, if you are too off track he is once again there to bring you back to reality. But I felt that the freedom one felt with him was enormous as no pressure and dedication equals good work according to me. I learnt a lot. I don't know how I would have done Raaz if he weren't the director. Did you want to be an actress always? When I began acting I was in it for the fun of trying out something different. So people the film industry thought that I wasn't interested in acting at all. Actually it was the case in the beginning but once I got the hang of the whole acting bit, I realised this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I am glad I became an actress as I was venturing out of modeling anyways. I had gotten a bit tired of living in and out of suitcases for my ramp shows around the world. Though in films too traveling is an occupational hazard, but within limits and it isn't a necessity. I have been really choosy in accepting films as I want to try every thing before I know what I can do best. After a vampish role in Ajnabee, I am doing a supernatural thriller, can I be more varied. What was your first reaction when you learnt that Dino would be playing the hero? I was happy. But actually I already knew Dino would be in the film as I was not the first choice for the film. The producers had casted Lisa Ray but due to some problems that I wasn't aware of, they started looking for another actress. I was hoping they would find someone really nice who would suit Dino on screen. Then Vikram called me as he had seen some parts of Ajnabee and liked me a lot. So he came and gave a full narration of the film. He insisted that I do the film and I agreed because the subject was too good and I was sure the film would turn out well, as I had seen Vikram's earlier films. The whole working together thing worked out well. Dino and I never had problems working with each other as we have done several ads and photo shoots in the past. It was fun to be together for this new adventure in life. Working together helped our performances too as there were few bedroom scenes and it made me think that had there been another co-star I would not be on that comfort level as I am with Dino. What are the other projects you are doing? Lots actually. I have David Dhawan's Chor Machye Shor with Bobby Deol, which is a laugh riot co-starring Shilpa Shetty. Then there's Sanjay Gardi's Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai, which is produced by Yashraj films co-starring Uday Chopra and Jimmy Shergill. It's a romantic comedy, a light film actually. I hope both these films should release this year. I am already working on Nehle Pe Dehla with Sanjay Dutt and Ab Kya Hoga with Aftab Shivdasani. There are two more films that I am almost going to sign, but will let you know once I have.
Tuesday, January 29, 2002
Thai PM Thaksin to meet Vajpayee
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said he would make a one-day working visit to New Delhi on Friday, his second trip to India in less than three months, to follow up on his talks last November. Thaksin told reporters on Tuesday he would hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on bilateral free trade and a planned regional forum, the Asia Co-operation Dialogue (ACD). "Every country befriends many others, so I need to visit India again to have them recognise us and put us in their top priorities," Thaksin said after a weekly cabinet meeting. Thaksin proposed the ACD at an international conference in Hong Kong last year. Thailand is due to hold the first ACD meeting in March when foreign ministers from India, Indonesia, South Korea, Singapore, China, Japan and Bahrain are due to discuss how Asian nations could foster more trade and investment. During Thaksin's official visit last November, Thailand and India pledged to strengthen and diversify bilateral relations. The two sides agreed to set up a joint working group to study Thaksin's proposal for a bilateral free trade arrangement. Thaksin will leave Bangkok around 8 a.m. local time (0100 GMT) on Friday and arrive back in the Thai capital at 2 a.m. the next day.
Monday, January 28, 2002
Police in Jharkhand kill Pakistanis over Calcutta attack, border tense
NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - India said on Monday that police killed two Pakistani men it accused of an attack outside a U.S. cultural centre in Calcutta as military tensions remained high between the two nuclear-capable foes. Last week, India linked Pakistan to the attack in front of the American Center in the eastern city in which four police were killed and 18 wounded when assailants on motorcycles opened fire. Home Secretary Kamal Pande called Monday's dawn raid on a guerrilla hideout in Jharkhand a "breakthrough" in the hunt for the attackers. "In the resulting shooting, two terrorists -- both Pakistani nationals -- were seriously injured and died later," he told a news conference. He said that one of the men "gave a statement before dying" that they had carried out the attack in the heart of Calcutta last Tuesday. "Further investigations are being carried out but there is hardly any doubt now about the role of Pakistani nationals and Pak-based terrorist tanzeems (groups) in this case," Pande said. Police in Jharkhand identified the dead men as Mohammed Zahid and Mohammed Salim and said they had both confessed they were members of the outlawed Pakistani-based guerrilla group Lashkar-e-Taiba. PAKISTAN DENIES INVOLVEMENT Last week, Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani said a Dubai-based member of a group with links to the Pakistan government's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency had claimed responsibility for the attack by phone call from Dubai. Advani stopped short of suggesting the ISI itself was involved, and Pakistan has said any suggestion its agencies were involved was "totally baseless", noting it had condemned terrorism in all its forms. The raid on the U.S. office in Calcutta stoked tensions between India and Pakistan, which had already mobilised their armies on the border after an attack on the Indian parliament last month, blamed by New Delhi on Pakistan-based militants. The shootings of the two suspected attackers came as Indian and Pakistani troops traded border fire in the contested Kashmir region. On Sunday, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said the country wanted friendship with all countries but this would not be possible as long as it was a target of terrorism. His statement came after Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said in a message on India's Republic Day he wanted the countries to become good neighbours and Islamabad was ready "to engage in a serious and sustained dialogue with India". SHOOTING IN KASHMIR India has said Musharraf must deliver on a promise to end "cross-border terrorism" and military support for guerrillas fighting its rule in Kashmir before it will reduce its forces along the border. The two countries, which have fought two of their three wars since independence in 1947 over Kashmir, have massed around a million men at the border in the biggest military buildup in decades. A senior police official in Jammu told Reuters Muslim guerrillas continued to make attempts to sneak in from Pakistan. "Some attempts are still being made along the international border which is not snow-bound," the official said. Indian officials said there was no let up in routine firing between the two sides, which trade mortar and small arms fire almost daily in Kashmir. A Pakistani army official reported sporadic small-arms fire in several places on the border in the Sialkot area in Pakistan's Punjab province on Monday morning.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
India says to uproot terror, no change in Kashmir
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India vowed on Sunday to crush terrorism, saying there had been no change on the ground in the rebellion-torn region of Kashmir despite Pakistan's promise to crack down on Islamic militants. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who has ordered the biggest military build-up in decades along the border with Pakistan, said terrorism directed against India will not be tolerated. "To make us a target of terrorism, and we do not give an appropriate response, that is not possible," he said. "We will uproot terrorism from our soil," he said in a speech to the National Cadet Corps, where school students are given basic military training. The country's hardline Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani said he had not seen any change in Kashmir since Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's landmark speech on January 12 denouncing terrorism in all its forms. "It has been 15 days now, we have not see any evidence on the ground so far as India is concerned and so far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned," he told Star Television network. The Indian leaders' comments came a day after Musharraf called for talks to end the military standoff on the borders stretching from the disputed region of Kashmir to the Arabian Sea. Musharraf, greeting Vajpayee on India's Republic Day anniversary on Saturday, said Pakistan was ready to begin a serious and sustained dialogue with its giant neighbour. DEMAND TO END SUPPORT India, incensed by an attack on its parliament last month which it blamed on Pakistan-based guerrillas, has said Islamabad must cut off support to rebels fighting its rule in Kashmir before a de-escalation could take place on the borders. "We are faced with the challenge of terrorism from outside, and from within the country, we have to defend our internal security, we have to make our borders inviolable," Vajpayee said. New Delhi has specifically demanded that Islamabad make good its promise to crack down on Islamic militancy by closing off the routes along which guerrillas enter Kashmir from Pakistan and hand over 20 men it accuses of carrying out terrorists acts. Pakistan has detained hundreds of religious extremists, shut down their offices and denounced terrorism in all its forms. It has said it would offer political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people in their struggle for self-determination. The Times of India reported on Sunday that guerrilla activity on the military control line dividing Kashmir between the two nuclear rivals had gone up in January compared with same month in the last two years. While there was no reported infiltration of militants into India's side of Kashmir in January 2000 and 2001, in the current month, 14 guerrillas had died while trying to cross from Pakistan. The newspaper did not give figures on whether there had been any change in infiltration patterns in Kashmir since Musharraf's speech this month in which he banned five Islamic groups, including two operating in Kashmir. More than 30,000 people have died since a revolt erupted in Muslim-majority Kashmir in late 1989. Separatists put the toll closer to 80,000.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Music Review of Visaal
'Visaal' is a remarkable album as it brings together two great talents, ghazal singer Ghulam Ali and poet Gulzar. Released by HMV-SaReGaMa, the album is also significant because it has come at a time when Pakistan and India are pointing fingers at each other and things are a little bit tense on the border. One hopes that this collaborative effort will prove to be another small step in improving relations between the two countries. All said and done, Indian artistes are not accorded the same kind of reception in Pakistan that their counterparts get here in India. In fact, the Pakistani government seems to be averse to improving the climate on the cultural front. The album contains eight ghazals, all written by Gulzar and composed by Ghulam Ali himself, while the music arrangement has been done by Amar Haldipur (of Amar-Utpal fame). 'Visaal' has Gulzar at his best, though one cannot say the same about Ghulam Ali. The opening ghazal, 'Khushboo Jaise Log Mile', is arguably the best of the eight tracks on the album. The composition is good and Ghulam Ali complements Gulzar's lyrics with his competent singing. 'Sehma Sehma' depicts the pain and anguish of a person who remembers his past, especially former love. Gulzar's lyrics stand out while Ghulam Ali's composition is okay. 'Mera Kya Tha' is another example of great poetry. Gulzar is at his sensitive best here while Ghulam Ali as the vocalist is able to infuse the right kind of emotion. 'Jab Bhi Aankhon Mein', like the previous tracks, searches for meaning in existence following past memories. This pathos filled track has, for a change, an apt composition to complement it. The concept behind the beautiful ghazal, 'Khushboo Gunche Talash Karti Hai', is once again about a person reminiscing about his past, a past that he wants to forget so that he can begin life afresh. While doing so, he realizes how difficult the process will be. The poetry of Gulzar holds fort, but Ghulam Ali the vocalist and Ghulam Ali the composer are decent enough. 'Shaam Se Aaj Saans Bhaari Hai' has Ghulam Ali at his best as a vocalist. Gulzar builds a beautiful imagery and lets his thoughts run wild with gay abandon. In fact, Gulzar is so impressive on this track that even Ghulam Ali is unable to let it go unnoticed and accepts the challenge. As a result 'Shaam Se Aaj Saans Bhaari Hai' proves to be one of the best tracks on the album. 'Koi Atka Hua Hai Pal' brings to mind strong sentiments of the past. This track is another example of the poet Gulzar and singer-composer Ghulam Ali sounding the right note. The lyrics are moving and Ghulam Ali's rendition is effective. 'Hum To Kitnon Ko' is a deviation in the sense that it strikes a happy note. Gulzar, as usual, is in his element, but Ghulam Ali is a little inconsistent here. 'Visaal' may not be an exceptional album but it is certainly welcome. If only Ghulam Ali had been in a better frame of mind, the result would have been magic. But this debut collaborative effort between the two still quailfies as a collector's item.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Music Review of Pyaasa
They say variety is the spice of life and this probably could be the reason for the makers of Yukta Mookhey's debut film, 'Pyaasa' to rope in four lyricists and six composers to do the music. But one wished that that they had also heard the saying 'too many cooks spoil the broth', because despite the presence of so many people, the album generally fails to impress. The six music composers are Sanjeev-Darshan, Nikhil-Vinay, Daboo Malik and Anand Raaj Anand while the four lyricists are Faaiz Anwar, Dev Kohli, Praveen Bhardwaj and Narendra Bedi. Released under the T-Series label, the album has 10 tracks. The opening track, 'Milti Hai Jhukti Hai', is a good start. Composed by Daboo Malik on lyrics by Praveen Bhardwaj this is the best track of the album. Rendered by Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik, the track scores in all departments, be it singing, composition or lyrics. The track does carry a bit of the eighties hangover but it works. 'Tere Pyaar Ka Chhaya Nasha', composed by Sanjeev-Darshan on the lyrics of Faaiz Anwar, is a routine track. Rendered by Sunidhi Chauhan and Adnan Sami, the number has nothing new to offer. Both Sami and Sunidhi fail to infuse any life into it. 'Milte Milte Sanam' has Nikhil-Vinay as the composers and Faaiz Anwar as the lyricist. A romantic ditty in the voice of Udit Narayan, this again is unimpressive. There is monotony in the singing, composition and lyrics. 'Soni Roop Di' is based on Punjabi folk. Written by Dev Kohli and sung by Punjabi folk singer Sardool Sikandar under the baton of Anand Raaj Anand, the number might not appeal to you even if you like bhangra pop because it lacks the punch to get you on your feet. 'Na Jaane Mera Kya Hoga' is another composition by Sanjeev-Darshan. Rendered by Sonu Nigam, the track is very clearly aimed at the front benchers. The composers seem to have succeeded in their endeavor despite the fact that the stuff sounds run of the mill. The next track is another version of the Sunidhi-Sami track, 'Tere Pyaar Ka Chhaya Nasha'. There is nothing to distinguish it from the earlier version except that here Abhijeet stands in for Adnan Sami along with Sunidhi. Needless to say, like the previous track, this one too fails to impress. 'Usko Pata Hai' is a Sudesh Bhosle solo. Written by Narinder Bedi, it is a humorous track, the kind one associates with Sudesh Bhosle or the kind made famous by rap artiste Devang Patel. This is stuff that you'd rather watch on screen rather than merely listen to it. 'Aankhon Mein Leke Pyaar', a dandiya number, is one of the better compositions of Sanjeev-Darshan. The singers are Kavita Subramanium, Udit Narayan and Karsan Sargathiya (who sang the popular 'Dholi Taro' number in 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam'). The singers are in their element here while Faaiz Anwar's lyrics are okay. 'Iss Mohabbat Ke Siva' is another romantic song that bears a familiar note. Composed by Sanjeev Darshan and rendered by Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik it is the kind of number that one doesn't mind skipping. 'Tandav' is an interesting instrumental track. It tries to mix jazz and pop with the traditional music that one gets to hear in a temple. Sanjeev-Darshan do a decent job here. On the whole, the soundtrack of 'Pyaasa' suffers on account of familiarity. There are a couple of good tracks but the rest of the stuff is average. After 'Kitne Door Kitne Paas', this is another album where one can feel the growing influence of Nadeem-Shravan on Sanjeev-Darshan. They will have to do something different to create their own identity.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Music Review : Kya Yehi Pyaar Hai
TIPS Films and Allu Arvind present 'Kya Yehi Pyaar Hai' (KYPH), which is directed by K. Murli Mohan Rao. KYPH stars Amisha Patel who missed her hat-trick with the dismal response to 'Ye Zindagi Ka Safar' after her super successes 'Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai' and 'Gadar' - The biggest hits of 2000 and 2001 respectively. Aftab Shivdasani who also has 'Koi Mere Dil Se Pooche' and 'Pyaasa' lined up for release, plays the lead opposite her. Jackie Shroff and Anupama Verma fill in the supporting cast. By the look of the promos, KYPH seems to be an unusual love story and if one observes carefully, the logo of the movie shows a heart symbol with a cross around it instead of a conventional blooming one, as in common in the teenage love stories. Sajid Wajid get a major break as sole music directors for this TIPS movie and Jalees Rashid writes the lyrics. After the roaring response to 'Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham', Farah Khan is the Director of Choreography of KYPH as well. 'Dil Ki Nazar Mein' has a mind-blowing chorus in the start and just for this very number, one can highly recommend for KYPH. The composition is very much in the lines of the late 70's - early 80's songs sung by Kishore Kumar under Burmanda. Ajay Jhingran gives Jalees Rashid company in writing 'Dil Ki Nazar Mein' and does a good job.One just can't get bored of this wonderfully romantic number and the repeated listnings make it more and more enchanting. A very good song. Alka Yagnik sings the female version of the same number but it is Kumar Sanu's rendering of the number that haunts for long. 'Meri Tarah Tum Bhi Kabhie' is a cute romantic number with soulful lyrics and melodious music. Babul Supriyo and Alka yagnik sing this love song which is quite good to listen to. Cinematography of the song is rich and overall the song makes a very good impact. 'Pehli Pehli Baar Hai' has a trademark stamp of Sajid Wajid - Sonu Nigam combo and refers to 'Ab Mujhe Raat Din Tumhara Hi Khayaal Hai'. This melodious number has Alka Yagnik as Sonu Nigam's duet partner. 'Dil Pe Chaane Laga Hai' is of the similar style as 'Pyaar Lo Pyaar Do' from Jaanbaaz. Sunidhi Chauhan and K.K. are in their usual elements and sing at the top of their voice, hence giving the number the much needed 'dum'. Another good number. 'Aashiq Hoon' is a mix of jazz, bhangra and marathi music. It is a youthful song about a guy lost completely in love who is thinking about how to go ahead and propose to his lady love. It is a sung by Sonu Nigam and is of an average kind. 'Tujhe Dekhkar Jeeta' is another average number which has a very predictable music and lyrics. It has a few tap-dancing beats and whistling tune in between and is a 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU' kind of a song. And from Birthday wishes, it moves to 'dua maangna' for the guy getting married soon and getting successful in life!!! It has Kumar Sanu and Sonu Nigam singing the major part of the song with Alka Yagnik getting just two three lines in the middle. Sonu Nigam's 'O Mahive' has the guy craving for his love. It has a feel of a song from a private album, but effective picturization should be able to elevate it to the kind of a film song. 'Chahton Kee Duniya' ia a qawali by who else but Sabri Brothers and Iqbal-Afzal. It is a sad rendering about the lost hopes of love and denies any chances of a positive outcome after all this 'dard-e-dil' and 'gham-e-zindagi'. KYPH is a good album with lots of variety that has something for everyone. But the romantic numbers like 'Dil Ki Nazar Mein', 'Meri Tarah Tum Bhi' and 'Pehli Pehli Baar Hai' (in the same order) are the ones that keep lingering for long.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Monsoon Wedding: A feel-good trip
Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Lilete Dubey, Shefali Shetty, Vijay Raaz, Tilotama Shome, Vasundhara Das, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Pravin Dabas, Rajat Kapoor, Roshan Seth Soni Razdan, Neha Dubey, Ranadeep & others Director: Mira Nair Rating: ***1/2 Director Mira Nair has gone on record to say that Monsoon Wedding, the winner of this year's Golden Lion at the Venice Festival, is "my ultimate love song to Delhi." One wouldn't go so far as to call it a 'love song', but definitely Nair takes an affectionate, at times tongue-in-cheek, look at the contradictions that is the city of Delhi and its denizens. A quaint mixture of tradition and modernity. The director has skillfully woven her film around an arranged wedding, which becomes an excuse for relatives to reunite. The tensions in the runup to the wedding leads to a spillover of emotions, anxieties and deep secrets. The scorching Delhi heat finds resonance in the heated tensions in the house of Lalit Verma, the father of the bride. The rains, when they do finally arrive at the end of wedding, are like a balm on frayed nerves and old wounds. The wedding finally takes place amidst much merriment and joy, despite the downpour. Monsoon Weddings is actually five small stories yoked together by the wedding of Lalit and Pimmi Verma's daughter, Aditi. There is the story of Aditi (Vasundhara Das), whose marriage has been fixed to a Houston -based engineer (Pravin Dabas). Aditi, however, is still in love with her ex-boss, a married man. She pays one last visit to her ex-lover on the night before the wedding, where the duo are caught making out in the jeep by the cops and harassed. Something in that sordid episode puts off Aditi, and she tells her fiance Hemant (Pravin Dabas) all about her past. After his initial anger, he accepts her past and the soon-to-be-married couple actually start bonding with each other. For the first time, Aditi is enthusiastic about her wedding. If one the one hand, there is an Aditi who agrees to an arranged marriage, then there is also her unmarried cousin Riya (Shefali Shetty), a writer in her late twenties/early thirties, who carries a heavy baggage of sexual abuse by an older relative. The claustrophobic atmosphere of the family reunion has her spilling her guts when she finds the pedophile relative preying on her young niece. The most moving of all the stories is the tender, moving love story of Alice (Tilotama Shome), the maid and the mandap decorator Dubey (Vijay Raaz). In contrast to the love story below is the young sexual love brewing between Aditi's cousin (Neha Dubey) and the student from Sydney (Ranadeep). The brides' parents Lalit (Naseeruddin) and Pimmi (Lilete) again rekindle some of their lost intimacy as they reach out each other again. Ultimately, the film is also about Lalit standing by his neice Ria and asking Tej Puri (Rajat Kapoor), the older relative who abused Ria, to leave his house. One has to give credit to director Mira Nair for managing to hold these various strands and not allow any one to overtake the other. At the end of the day, Monsoon Wedding is a feel-good film. As lithely as a trapeze artiste, Nair touches on serious issues like paedophile without allowing it to marr the celebratory mood of the film. She has a taut screenplay going for her, witty dialogues, a great ensemble cast and and tight camerawork (handheld camera, mind you), all of which go to give Monsoon Wedding that something 'extra', thereby setting it apart from the likes of typical Bollywood 'shaadi' films of Sooraj Barjatiya and Aditya Chopra. The language is a nice mix of English and Hindi, giving the film a very natural look. If there is anyone from the cast who can be picked out as outstanding, then one will have to contend between veteran Naseer and newcomer Vijay Raaz. Naseeruddin renders a flawless, natural performance of a typical harassed Punjabi bride's father, whose world falls apart when he learns of his pedophile relative. Vijay Raaz as the mandap decorator Dubey is absolutely riveting. His is a very poignant performance. The comic-tragic shades in his character reminded one of Roberto Benigni. One must also mention Shefali Shetty and Rajat Kapoor, who made a strong impression. Mira Nair is a clever filmmaker and she has very clearly targeted her film at the international audience. It's a clever, funny, feel-good film. And it works. Any arguments?
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Movie Review : Style
N. Chandra Productions' STYLE, directed by N. Chandra, tells the story of four teenaged boys and girls who are a hot favourite among their colleagues for their wit, sense of humour and their ability to solve any problem. They extend their help to their colleagues for anything and everything, from coming to the rescue of a rich student chasing a girl or helping someone come out of the mess with the college authorities. For this, they are showered with gifts in 5-star hotels, because of which they begin to cultivate the habits of the rich. But the two boys land in a soup one day when a rich friend plays a practical joke by vanishing from a party in a 5-star hotel, leaving them to pay the hefty bill. They are left with a twisted arm and realize the importance of money. One of them comes out with a brilliant idea to solve the problem. Instead of helping others to hook a girl, the two decide to find a daughter of a millionaire for themselves to marry. They zero down on two rich girls of their college, but the two girls hate them. How they change the opinion of the girls about them, forms the crux of the film. The film is based in a college campus and targeted at the youth. But the impression one draws as the film progresses is that there is nothing novel about the college scenes in the film, be it the ragging incidents, the dialogues or even the interaction between the students. In fact, the story does not progress at all in the first half. Besides, there is nothing novel about the manner in which they solve the problems of their colleagues. However, there are a few scenes in the first half that are enjoyable, but they are far too less to leave an impact. Post-interval, when they start thinking about their lives, the narrative does gain momentum. When the boys disguise themselves as girls and enter the women's hostel, the interest does heighten. The scenes that follow are a bit far-fetched, but they are quite interesting and keep you entertained. The story takes another turn when they are trapped in the murder of two girls. One expects the suspense to build up at this juncture, but the story drifts to mediocrity again, failing to hold one's attention. Had the director focussed on the boy-girl track instead of the suspense and the murder track, it would have been far more interesting. Besides, it would have also cut down the unnecessary length of the film. In fact, one of the major drawbacks of the film is its unwarranted length. Directorially, one does expect a lot from a director of hits such as TEZAAB, ANKUSH and PRATIGHAAT. But N. Chandra is not in complete form this time. Musically (Sanjeev-Darshan), the songs are well tuned and equally well picturised. The picturisation of 'Excuse Me' and 'Mohabbat Mohabbat' can be singled out. Cinematography is alright. Performance-wise, Sharman Joshi is likeable and delivers a convincing performance. Saahil Khan makes a decent debut. Riya Sen looks like a doll looks, but needs to brush up her acting skills. Shilpi Mudgal is not up to the mark. Varsha Usgaonker is okay in a brief role. Tara Deshpande overacts. Shakti Kapoor is wasted in a brief role. On the whole, STYLE is just about an average fare. However, it has some chances in Mumbai thanks to its city flavour. Rating- *
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Pitaah
Aryaman Films' PITAAH, directed by Mahesh Manjrekar, is loosely inspired by the Samuel L. Jackson - Sandra Bullock - Kevin Spacey starrer A TIME TO KILL (1996). PITAAH tells the story of Rudra (Sanjay Dutt), whose family comprises of his wife Paro (Nandita Das), twin sons Luv and Kush (Sagar and Samrat Thawani) and a 9-year-old daughter Durga (Tanvi Hegde). They live in a small basti in a village named Shikarpur, situated in North India. This basti and its inhabitants are a cursed lot, ordained to work under a despot named Thakur Avadh Narayan Singh (Om Puri). The Thakur's wife (Mita Vashisht) remains a mute witness to his despotic ways and tries to make him see reason whenever she can, but to no avail. The Thakur, on the other hand, instils his feudal ways into his two sons, Bachchu and Bhola, in the process making them an arrogant duo. They follow in their father's footsteps, leading a lifestyle that obviously makes them blind to the after effects of the same. The story takes a turn when Bachchu and Bhola go to a nearby village to spend the night with a mujra dancer (Mink). The next morning, while they are returning to their haveli in Shikarpur, an incident changes their fate. This one incident also changes Rudra's life and a docile father transforms into a revenge seeker! Themes that depict Thakurs and their oppression in rural India have been witnessed umpteen times before on the Indian screen. But here, in the case of PITAAH, the plot differs in the sense that it tackles an explosive issue, child molestation. Director Mahesh Manjrekar has, once again, selected a theme that tries to mirror a social evil. But watching a film on a subject like this can be far too disheartening and distressing. There's no denying that PITAAH has several poignant moments and Manjrekar has handled them with utmost care. For instance, the autocratic attitude of Om Puri and his sons is attention grabbing. Even the acquiescent personality of Sanjay Dutt in the first half has been treated with concern. The turning point, when the daughter is molested and the family rushes her to the hospital at midnight on a bicycle, is superbly executed. Ditto for the scene in the court when Sanjay Dutt shoots the two sons -- Bachchu and Bhola. However, the film is not without flaws! The director has tilted more towards realism, giving little scope to light moments and the relief factor. The music (Anand Raaj Anand) is another sore point, with almost all songs sounding routine and the placement of a few songs, mainly in the second half, looking forced. The screenplay is one of convenience! Jackie Shroff's negative character, for instance, turns positive without any cause or justification. Moreover, there's an undercurrent of tension throughout the second half and the action scenes are too brutal to be digested by ladies/families. K.K. Singh's dialogues go well with the mood of the film. Cinematography (Vijay Arora) is up to the mark. The background music (Rahul Ranade) is excellent. The sets (Nitin Desai) and production values are apt. Manjrekar has once again extracted brilliant performances from the main cast. Sanjay Dutt excels in the second half. He's underplayed the character to perfection. Nandita Das delivers a first-rate performance. Her scenes, with the advocate first and the doctor later, and also in the climax, speak volumes of her abilities. Om Puri succeeds in evoking terror. Jackie Shroff is alright. Siddharth is effective. Mita Vashisht makes her presence felt. On the whole, PITAAH has its moments of glory, but they are not enough to leave much of an impression. Its rural theme will also restrict its viewership to an extent. Average. Rating:- * *
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe opens to 81.10% in Mumbai
Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe - 1st Day in Bombay Central Plaza - 100% New Empire - 100% Premiere - 100% Galaxy - 96.85% Shaan - 50.40% Movie Star - 100% New Era - 50.85% Cine Star - 80.59% Sona - 74.98% Cine Planet - 83.85% Sahakar Plaza - 74.99% Kalpana - 76.54% Pitaah - 1st week Mumbai - 42,04,722 (53%) Ahmedabad - 5,81,037 Jamnagar - 83,360 Sholapur - 1,84,322 Delhi - 19,38,333 (24%) Kanpur - 2,61,546 (6 dy.) Lucknow - 3,83,874 Allahabad - 1,66,700 Bareilly - 1,15,461 (6 dy.) Agra - 2,02,000 Jaunpur - 40,000 Amritsar - 60,975 Calcutta - 11,67,772 Nagpur - 2,39,422 Raipur - 75,011 (6 dy.) Chandrapur - 1,11,870 Akola - 1,23,027 Jalgaon - 1,30,153
Sunday, January 27, 2002
YDA opens to 79.78% in Mumbai
Yeh Dil Aashiqana - 1st day in Bombay New Empire - 75.38% Geeta - 79.12% Premiere - 80.65% Gemini - 100% Pinky - 91.67% New Era - 79.98% Diamond - 81.63% Kings - 100% Mehul - 60.95% Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe - 1st week Mumbai - 32,78,687 (49%) Jamnagar - 77,160 Pune - 6,76,859 Sholapur - 1,44,336 Delhi - 25,52,860 (51%) Kanpur - 3,40,291 (6 dy.) Lucknow - 4,54,144 Agra - 2,15,000 Calcutta - 8,45,840 Nagpur - 3,78,249 Akola - 85,575 Raipur - 64,411 (6 dy.) Yavatmal - 72,678 Indore - 1,90,000 Jaipur - 7,65,455 Hyderabad - 14,12,665 Pitaah - 2nd week Mumbai - 13,44,158 (36%) Pune - 3,34,020 Sholapur - 91,801 Delhi - 1,94,559 Kanpur - 1,36,731 (6 dy.) Lucknow - 1,69,775 Bareilly - 44,739 (6 dy.) Agra - 81,600 Calcutta - 1,73,242 Nagpur - 66,721 Raipur - 32,463 (6 dy.) Akola - 44,500 Yavatmal - 28,560 Jaipur - 1,69,035 Hyderabad - 1,66,782 Style - 3rd week Mumbai - 11,49,524 (49%) Pune - 5,97,585 Sholapur - 1,51,419 Delhi - 3,22,312 Kanpur - 1,38,651 Lucknow - 1,45,782 Nagpur - 2,34,396 Raipur - 84,766 (6 dy.) Chandrapur - 70,162 Akola - 89,236 Jalgaon - 1,18,591 Jaipur - 1,13,692 Ajmer - 63,305 Hyderabad - 3,34,003 Aamdani Attanni Kharcha Rupaiya - 4th week Mumbai - 11,85,844 (39%) Pune - 1,92,190 Sholapur - 1,18,623 Delhi - 57,075 Kanpur - 40,015 (6 dy.) Lucknow - 77,159 (6 dy.) Agra - 60,200 Calcutta - 95,583 Nagpur -1,02,646 Raipur - 43,915 (6 dy.) Akola - 48,574 Jalgaon - 59,443 Hyderabad - 1,92,174 Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham - 5th Week Mumbai - 62,05,740 (84%) Rajkot - 93,654 Jamnagar - 1,51,825 Pune - 14,20,237 Sholapur - 2,12,400 Bijapur - 69,440 Delhi - 43,77,292 Kanpur - 4,99,190 Lucknow - 6,67,050 Agra - 3,30,000 Kolkata - 15,60,122 Nagpur - 3,09,560 Raipur - 1,92,717 (gr.; 6 dy.) Akola - 94,216 Yavatmal - 47,590 Jalgaon - 1,37,294 Gondia - 35,556 Indore - 1,28,000 Bhopal - 82,000 Jaipur - 4,13,190 Ajmer - 2,00,806 Hyderabad - 12,84,332
Sunday, January 27, 2002
KKKG takes a 100% start all over the country
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham - 1st day in Bombay Bombay - The film opened to 100% collections (the film was full for the entire week at advance booking itself). The ticket rates at several theatres have been hiked. 3 shows are being performed everyday, instead of 4 shows. This is mainly due to the length of the film. K.T. Multivision (Boisar) - 41,680 (100%) K.T. Vision (Vasai) - 63,928 (100%) Cine Park (Vapi) - 68,493 (100%) Dreamland (Valsad) - 71,202 (100%) Vinay (Adipur) - 54,512 (100%) Jamnagar - Opening is bumper. Karnataka - The opening in Hubli, Belgaum, Dharwad, Davangere and Mangalore was fantastic. Delhi - Has opened in 22 cinema halls; full in advance at all theatres. Allahabad - All 28 shows at Vishwamitra cinema are full in advance itself. Nagpur - Has opened at 5 cinema halls, registering full collections in advance booking itself. Akola - Opened at 2 cinema halls -- Vasant: 43,600 and Krishna: 63,950, record at both the halls. Calcutta - The traffic came to a halt, the film opened with unprecedented rush in the city-suburbs. The cinegoers stood in queues from night itself to procure tickets of the next day's show. On the opening day, the film was greeted with garlands, crackers and a live band. Indore - Opened at 5 cinema halls with terrific rush. Aurangabad - Entire week is full in advance at both the theatres -- Apsara and Goldie. Bawandar - 1st week Mumbai - 5,61,094 (29%) Vapi - 1,37,845 Delhi - 6,83,794 (13%) Kanpur - 42,031 (6 dy.) Lucknow - 58,345 Agra - 68,000 Allahabad - 64,000 Calcutta - 1,10,743 Nagpur - 96,282 Raipur - 30,838 (6 dy.) Indore - 80,000 Ajmer - 21,707 Ehsaas - 2nd week Mumbai - 1,91,284 (15%) Agra - 18,000 Allahabad - 1,19,480 Bareilly - 22,298 Calcutta - 65,875 Yavatmal - 36,667 Moksha - 2nd week Mumbai - 72,881 (14 sh.) (14%) Delhi - 1,24,850 Kanpur - 28,851 (6 dy.) Agra - 1,05,000 Nagpur - 49,430 Raipur - 32,919 (6 dy.) Monsoon Wedding - 2nd week Mumbai - 4,06,914 (26%) Delhi - 42,01,513 Kanpur - 1,22,015 (6 dy.) Lucknow - 1,46,149 Allahabad - 37,421 Agra - 56,000 Calcutta - 2,83,499 Nagpur - 1,80,480 Akola - 49,000 Yavatmal - 20,208 (4 dy.)
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Box Office Summary-2001
One more year has ended. And though it's a habit with us to look forward in life, erasing the incidents that are over and done with, one must also ponder on those 365 days we spent last year. Undoubtedly the worst year for the film industry, the second half of the year was more disturbing than the first. In the first half of the year, we had four hits in one month EK RISHTAA, MUJHE KUCCH KEHNA HAI, GADAR and LAGAAN, but the report card showed disasters from July to December. Fortunately, everything changed on December 14 with the release of K3G. The year 2001 also disproved three existing myths and trends about the box-office:- * That stars don't necessarily guarantee an opening response, * That established directorial names can bite the dust too, * That film scripts need not necessarily confirm to the existing commercial formula. For the stars, most of whom have turned producers, it was a year of looking at things from the other side of the fence. When they were mere actors, not producers, they could never feel the pangs of being a producer. But when they did take up this new responsibility, it was an eye-opening experience for most. For the exhibitors and distributors, the most-affected lot, the year 2001 was one of the most trying ones, with big-budget films taking a severe backlash at the box-office. The box-office performance of films made by Indra Kumar (AASHIQ), Rajiv Rai (PYAAR ISHQ AUR MOHABBAT), David Dhawan (KYO KII... MAIN JHUTH NAHIN BOLTA), Rahul Rawail (KUCH KHATTI KUCH MEETHI), Rajkumar Santoshi (LAJJA), Priyadarshan (YEH TERAA GHAR YEH MERAA GHAR), Shankar (NAYAK), Mahesh Manjrekar (TERA MERA SAATH RAHEN, EHSAAS) and Subhash Ghai (YAADEIN) confirmed the belief that even the mighty can fall! The failure of some much-anticipated star-studded films, which did not even get an opening, led to a wave of cynicism among distributors in the trade that stars don't necessarily guarantee an opening response. The result: Big distributors began to shy away from paying high prices for films. In certain cases, prices already paid were re-negotiated and, for the first time, stars began to get the feeling that their presence wasn't enough to send the audiences rushing to the theatres. 2001 also proved that the commercial formula wasn't always indispensable, with directors attempting new subjects in films. The success of LAGAAN and GADAR proved this point. Both were period films, both did not have the heroes dressed in designer outfits and both did not boast of fancy song picturisations at prime international locations. Another film that shocked the audiences for its hardcore reality was Madhur Bhandarkar's CHANDNI BAR. The success of this realistic Tabu starrer, revolving around a bar girl's existence, made on a shoe-string budget, with no lavish sets and no songs, showed that films did not always have to confirm to established norms in order to qualify for a success. The release of K3G in December proved that there is always a light at the end of a dark tunnel. For a change, the exhibitors woke up from their long-dejected mood, the distributors began to feel that paying a big price could work if a film was made with a lot of conviction and the audience felt the need to return to the theatres once again. All put together, it was a year that gave the film industry a new learning experience to break away from its existing moulds and adopt a new thinking pattern. The traders are now hoping that the optimism that began towards the end of December 2001, continues in the year 2002, with all the new lessons learnt. CLASSIFICATION OF FILMS 2001 - TOTAL RELEASES: 230 A11 (Super-Duper Hit) Gadar (Historic in Delhi, U.P., Punjab) A1 (Super Hit) Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham ('A11' in Mumbai, South, Overseas) Lagaan ('A11' in Mumbai, South, Overseas) A (Hit) Chandni Bar (Mumbai, South) Dil Chahta Hai (Mumbai, South, Overseas only) Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai Jodi No. 1 (better in Mumbai, Delhi, U.P.) The Mummy Returns (dub.) +B (Overflow) Chori Chori Chupke Chupke ('A' in Mumbai, South) Chhupa Rustam ('A' in Bihar; Commission Earner to Overflow in some territories) Indian ('A' in Delhi, U.P., Punjab) Kasoor (Mumbai, South) Ek Rishtaa (Mumbai, Delhi, U.P., Rajasthan) Tum Bin Good B (Commission to Overflow) Ajnabee (Mumbai, South) Albela (Mumbai, Delhi, U.P.) Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya (Mumbai) Farz (North India) Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega (Mumbai) Monsoon Wedding (dub.; Mumbai, Delhi, U.P.) Style B (Coverage to Commission) Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein STATISTICS AT A GLANCE Releases: 219 Hit to Average Films: 21 (9.59%) Losers: 198 (90.41%)
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Sanjay Dutt
Clad in light blue shirt and trousers Sanjay Dutt looks absolutely dashing. A cropped short hair is his new look for Sanjay Gupta's Kaante. Having just completed a forty-day schedule of the film in the United States, the film marks Sanjay Dutt's debut as a producer. The film will release in April. Presently he is looking forward to the release of Pitaah, his third film with Mahesh Manjrekar. We corner him to speak about another of his stertling performances after Vaastav and Kurukshetra. Firstly I would like to know why are people so scared of you? I really don't know! Especially journalists think twice before striking a conversation with me. I don't know why. I try to make people feel as comfortable as possible. Okay tell us something about your forthcoming film Pitaah? Pitaah is set in rural India and is all about the oppression faced by low-caste villagers from the zamindars. Mahesh Manjrekar has given a very earthy look to the film. And to be in tune with the ambience I grew a real beard. So here I'm a low-caste villager, married with three kids, living his life peacefully till a zamindar rapes his nine-year old daughter. And he is forced to take up a fight with them for justice. This is happening in our country today! Rape a nine-year old... shooting that scene must've been horrible. Yeah! But I wasn't there when the scene was shot. You are a father in real life. Was it traumatic to play a father of a rape victim on screen? Yes it was! I don't know how the poor farmers deal with such situations in real life. It's really sad. How was it working with Nandita Das? Great! She has made valuable in-puts in the film. Vaastav, Kurukshetra and now Pitaah you and Mahesh Manjrekar have become Jodi No 1.... Yeah (laughs)! We share a great relationship. If you have noticed I have always done films with friends rather than strangers. Kaante marks your debut as a producer. How did the decision to produce Kaante come about? I had always wanted to be a producer and I thought Kaante was the right opportunity to launch my own production house. I was actively involved with Kaante right since its inception. Sanjay and I worked on the script for two years. We then decided on the music director and settled for Anu Malik. The rest of the cast and crew were also decided upon. We flew down to America to select the location for the film. wonderful experience. Contacted the technicians over there that would make our shooting schedules feasible. And see, we completed the film in 40 days flat. We use to shoot for 16-17 everyday and all the stars co-operated with us more than willingly. It was a wonderful experience. Kaante also marks Mahesh Manjrekar's debut as an actor in a Hindi film. Yeah! When I spoke to him about it, he just jumped at the offer. We told him that he'd have to colour his hair to give him a specific look. He was hesitant initially but he later agreed (laughs). In fact, all of us right from Amitabh Bachchan to Aditya Panscholi have had a specific look in the film. Was there any specific purpose to shoot Kaante in America? The pains that people take there... it is really worth the money we pay them. We wanted to complete the film at one go and that would not have been possible were we to shoot it here considering our disorganized nature. Also some of the equipments used to shoot the film are not available here so we thought it best to shoot in America. When will the film release? April. What is Vaastav-II all about? Vaastav was about Raghu, the goonda. Pratibimb is all about his son Rohit. How people react to him because his father was from the underworld. It's a very powerful script. You have played varied roles off late. Has it been a conscious decision to do so! I'm 43! At this stage you certainly don't expect me to play a typical college kid running around trees with his girlfriend. I was known as a bad boy once upon a time. Today I have grown as a person and as an actor. I keep the bad boy image just to make my fans happy.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Amisha Patel
Amisha Patel has let the success go to her head- that's the latest buzz in the industry. But this fiery actress says otherwise. "I don't have any other flaws so people picked this one to talk about me." She laughs without a care for the rumors. But one failure seems to have made no dent in that smile. Though Yeh Zindagi Ka Safar hasn't done well, Amisha is full of promises for the future. She is all charged about her next film with Vikram Bhatt's - Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage costarring Hrithik Roshan and still savoring the success of Gadar. Here Amisha dwells on her success and future. Your last release Yeh Zindagi Ka Safar was quite damper. Well, we tried our best. You win some, you lose some. My outlook towards roles has been always different. I have never signed a film because of a big banner or hero. Everyone told me not to do Tanuja's film once Govinda had opted out of it, but I had full faith in my director and the subject. I stuck with it. I was happy with the product but then it was not so successful. Well, we will try to make something better next time. The role has always been the central product. I know every time my decision won't be right, but I try to sign a film by instinct. After Kaho Naa... I got offers left, right and center but I chose only few. Like Abbas Mustan's film with Bobby, which has a fantastic role for me. You know there is no dearth of work... there is dearth of good work and good roles. Luckily for me, good work has never been a problem. How have you taken in Gadar's huge success? It has not been a surprise at all. If I had to any doubt about the film I wouldn't have signed it. The fact that I had lot of faith in the script, which is why I took a risk of playing a mother so early in my career, working with an older hero like Sunny Deol, working with a director who had been written off after Maharaja. I am happy that the devil got it's due. Has the success changed you? No. It has made me positive that the public is accepting different kind of cinema. Artistes confine themselves by thinking and calculating too much. Maybe if I had been from the industry, I would have thought that I shouldn't do an Anil Sharma. I took it as a challenge and it paid off. Other than that Gadar has made me very positive about working hard. It has taught me a lesson not to under or over estimate anyone. Anil Sharma has given a bigger hit than Sholay and here the industry writes off and writes on people too soon. Do you think Gadar could have been a better debut for you than Kaho Naa Pyar Hai? Maybe. Because then I would have shown my mark as an actress. People would have appreciated my acting abilities. On the other hand Kaho Na... had it's own charm and gave me a fresh young image. So both have their pros and cons. Kaho Naa Pyar Hai made me a star, Gadar made me an actress. Actually I wouldn't compare them. Gadar is a classic like a Mughal-E-Azam or Pakeezah, a historical, a once in a lifetime film, which can never happen to a heroine again and again. Kaho Naa... was a typical candy-floss romance, which has been created many times. You are starring with Hrithik Roshan in Vikram Bhatt's Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage. How was the experience shooting with him again? Wonderful. People are going to love Hrithik and me more than they did in Kaho Naa... The story is boy meets girl, parents oppose and how they fight. But the screenplay is totally different even though the story is a typical love story. I can assure you that Aap Mujhe would be a bigger hit than Kaho Naa... And my director Vikram is the new age guy. He is quite a smart and a person any actress can relate to. He has quite a different style of working. Though he has made huge films, he has also attempted smaller films like Kasoor. I loved working with Vikram. I would love to do a film him every year. Three films down the line, hat are your views about the industry today? Well it is a wonderful place to be in if you can handle the pressures and hold on to your own. I am taking life as it comes and enjoying my work and that seems to be working for me. I am not here for the money so if acting became like work and not an enjoyment tomorrow, I would quit. Otherwise I could keep working for the next 35 years. I am not here to be in the rat race and I don't believe in the numbers game because every Friday it is a new number. I am here for good work and the minute I felt people have stopped respecting me as a performer I would leave. I pick up things from superstars like Sunny, co-stars like Hrithik and Bobby, directors like Rakeshji, Anilji, Vikram or Tanuja. So acting is a learning process. Which are the other films you are currently working on? I have David Dhawan's film with Salman called Yeh Hai Jalwa, Rahen Na Rahen Hum with Ajay Devgan and Mahima directed by a south director Kamal, a Tips production Kya Yehi Pyar Hai with Aftab, Abbas Mustan's film with Bobby, Kranti with bobby again, Vimal Kumar's Suno Sasurjee with Aftab which is a hilarious comedy.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Manisha Koirala
In a career spanning over a decade Manisha Koirala first hit the spotlight by her soul stirring performance in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 1942: A love Story. Followed Mani Ratnam's Bombay, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Khamoshi and Partho Ghosh's Agnisakshi and the actress were practically crowned the next numero uno. Not the one to be carried away by her new found success, Manisha described it as a transient phase. "What interests me is that I get to play roles as diverse as chalk and cheese," she said. But with producers and directors not open to heroine oriented films the gamble doesn't seem to have paid off! Today Manisha has only three films on hand, Afzal Khan's Mehbooba, Ramgopal Varma's Company and Rajkumar Kohli's Jaani Dushman, while Ashok Mehta's Moksha is ready for release. Sporting a different hairstyle, black coat flung over her shoulders and perched prettily over the chair we corner the actress for a candid confab. With practically all the actresses vying to be cast in a film that marked ace cinematographer Ashok Mehta's debut as a director, how did you feel when he chose you as the leading lady over all of them? Obviously it felt good! I had done films where Ashok had been the cinematographer. He had vaguely told me about Moksha then. He had said how he planned to turn a director with Moksha. Moksha means salvation! But what does it mean to you personally? It means to me what it means to everybody! I have taken birth of a human to learn a few lessons. And once I have learnt them I evolve as a human being. That cleanses my soul. It is then that achieve Moksha or salvation. Is that what the film is all about? There is a similarity definitely! But Ashok Mehta has also kept the commercial aspect of the film in mind. What is the story of Moksha ? There is this lawyer who sees that justice here is only for the rich and reckless and not the weak and the meek. He starts an institution where the poor and the helpless would get justice but somehow his dream to have this perfect world is blocked with hindrances and obstacles, driving him to the point of frustration. He finally decides to take the law in his hands to bring the wrong doers to justice. What is your role in the film? I play this sweet bubbly girl who supports him all the time. She is childish initially but her love for lover matures her considerably. They haven't shown anything particular about her. Like this is the family or this is the profession that she hails from etc! From canteen boy to a cinematographer Ashok Mehta has certainly come a long way. So was he obsessive about his work and didn't pay any heed to what other had to say? Nothing like that (laughs)! He was stern with us at times but he never lost his temper as such on the sets. He had worked as a cinematographer in other films so he knew what he wanted from his artistes. He also had the script ready so there was no question of last minute dialogues et al. I remember when he narrated the script to me he gave me meticulous account of what the set would be like, how I would be dressed and how Arjun would behave. It was just so fabulously done! If on one hand he is the Ashok Mehta, at the same time he is a child at heart (laughs)! Was Arjun Rampal nervous while working with you? Not at all! In fact he was cool! I remember the first shot that he was to give; I was present on the sets. He had to do some action sequence and the shot was okayed in first take. And everybody was pleasantly surprised. He is an extremely hardworking and dedicated star. Coming to your career, where do you think you stand today in the industry? At this phase I'm looking out for roles that would focus on acting abilities rather than my pretty face or body. I'm not interested in doing run of the mill roles. Then I may as well take vacation to explore different places of the world. I have had my share of good films and bad films. If there has been a lull in my career it's me who is responsible for it. It was I who chosen the good or bad film. I have to move on now and wait for something substantial to happen! Have you made changes in yourself to become a better actress? You have to, otherwise you don't evolve! If I was signing films left, right and center, doing three shifts a day, being busy all the time, I would never grow as an actress. So if I want to evolve as an actress, I should do lesser films. Okay, tell us why have you sported this new hairdo? Oh this! It's for Ramu's Company. When he offered me the film he told me he wanted me to look different. Rajat, Ramu and I then sat and worked out different looks for the character I play in the film. And we concluded that this is the kind of look I should have in the film. But when I actually had to chop my hair I was panicky. I didn't know how it'd look. Now I have come to terms with it (laughs)! Do you always work out the look you should have in the film? To a large extent yes! It's important for me to look the character. Like in Moksha, I have worked towards looking a sweet young girl. What other films have on hand? There's Afzal Khan's Mehbooba and Ramgopal Varma's Company!
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Haan...Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya
Producer Suneel Darshan, maker of LOOTERE, AJAY, JAANWAR and EK RISHTAA, and director Dharmesh Darshan, who has RAJA HINDUSTANI, MELA and DHADKAN to his credit, team up after a gap for HAAN... MAINE BHI PYAAR KIYA, which stars Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan and Karisma Kapoor in pivotal roles. A love triangle, the look of the film reminds you of Dharmesh's previous film DHADKAN. But Suneel Darshan clarifies that the story of both the films are different. "DHADKAN and HAAN... MAINE BHI PYAAR KIYA are two different films. There is a lot of variation in this film. This love story is also much more identifiable. I won't call DHADKAN a triangle; it was more of a quadrangle since Mahima was also a part of it," he clarifies. So what's the USP of HAAN... MAINE BHI PYAAR KIYA? "The chemistry between them (Akshay, Abhishek, Karisma) is something to watch out for. Dharmesh is known for extracting the best from every artiste and in HAAN... MAINE BHI PYAAR KIYA, the performances by all three will be widely discussed in times to come. Even Sunil Shetty, who was written off before DHADKAN, walked away with an award for his powerful performance in the film." But does Abhishek Bachchan's not-too-happening career bother him? "He will be amongst the most sought-after stars after HAAN... MAINE BHI PYAAR KIYA. Even Akshay was going through a bad phase before JAANWAR. See, ups and downs are a part of every artiste's career, but that does not mean that you write them off so easily," Suneel is quick to add. HAAN... MAINE BHI PYAAR KIYA is the story of Pooja Kashyap (Karisma Kapoor), Shiv Kapoor (Abhishek Bachchan) and Raj Malhotra (Akshay Kumar). Pooja is bright and beautiful and strives to be the best. But she's also a romantic and an idealist who is willing and ready to give up her exciting career for the sake of true love. But she forgets that there is a very thin line between ardent love and obsession. Shiv is equally ambitious and competitive, but he's also a cool and laid-back sort of guy who takes life as it comes. Little does he realise that one moment of thoughtless passion will destroy all that is most precious to him and change his life forever. Raj has the world at his feet. He has money, fame, adulation. The only thing lacking in his life is love and stability. He seeks love that is tender and pure. And he is sure that one day he will get it. Pooja, Shiv and Raj. Three individuals thrown together by destiny to play the fascinating game of love in an arena full of emotional turmoil and upheaval. Three wonderful people. Three stunning interpretations of what love means to each of them. HAAN... MAINE BHI PYAAR KIYA has music by Nadeem-Shravan. The film is slated for release on February 15, 2002.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Kitne Door Kitne Paas
Mehul Kumar, whose name is synonymous with patriotic sagas such as KRANTIVEER, TIRANGAA and KOHRAM, attempts a love story this time. After working with the late Raaj Kumar (MARTE DAM TAK, TIRANGAA, KRANTIVEER), Amitabh Bachchan (MRITYUDAATA, KOHRAM) and Nana Patekar (TIRANGAA, KRANTIVEER, KOHRAM), Mehulbhai (as he is affectionately called in the film industry!) has cast two not-too-strong names in his latest enterprise, KITNE DOOR... KITNE PAAS. But the film-maker justifies his decision: "That's because the story demanded fresh faces. I signed Fardeen before the release of JUNGLE because I was highly impressed by his work. He suited the role to the T. In the case of Amrita Arora, I had seen her work on the small screen and strongly felt that she was the apt choice for this role. If the artistes suit the role, half the battle is won. When I signed Nana for KRANTIVEER, a lot of people advised me against this decision, for they felt that Nana would not be able to carry the film on his shoulders. People dissuaded me when I signed Raaj Kumar and Nana for TIRANGAA, but everyone knows who proved right eventually." The storyline: Fardeen Khan and Amrita Arora are Gujaratis settled in America. They first meet at a shopping mall in New York where they have come to do the last-minute shopping, before they fly to India, where they are supposed to get married to spouses they've never seen. Fardeen is supposed to get married to Sonali Kulkarni, while Amrita is all set to take the saat pheras with Ayub Khan. It's not love at first sight for Fardeen or Amrita. On the contrary, they end up having a scrap and hate the sight of each other. But destiny has something else in store... When they land in Delhi (they travel together from the U.S.), they happen to lose their money and find themselves in a quandary. They board a bus (their destination in Gujarat) that is reserved for married couples exclusively and pretend to be a married couple. They travel through Rajasthan before they reach their destination in Gujarat. They gradually fall in love but are so tradition-bound that they hide their feelings from their parents. In fact, they are all set to tie the knot with spouses of their parents' choice. Beena plays Fardeen's mother, while Govind Namdev and Shama Deshpande play Amrita's parents. In the climax, Fardeen is all set to take the saat pheras with Sonali, while Ayub is ready to put sindoor in Amrita's maang. Co-incidentally, both the wedding pandals are erected opposite each other. What happens eventually? Portions of the film have been shot in Australia (Brisbane and Gold Coast). The film is slated for release in mid-January 2002.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Bharat Bhagya Vidhata
BHARAT BHAGYA VIDHATA is one of those films that exposes the terrorism from across the border. The film is produced by T.P. Aggarwal and directed by Osho Raja, the team that earlier made the Dev Anand starrer RETURN OF JEWEL THIEF. "BHARAT BHAGYA VIDHATA is the story, the aspiration of today's generation. Our youth, our future, our tomorrow," director Osho Raja tells me, adding in the same breath, "It is the story of love, of respect, of fundamentals that are and should be the ideals of our children. Our children who are the torch-bearers of our destiny. The destiny of India." BHARAT BHAGYA VIDHATA tells the story of Chaitanya Suryavanshi (Vikram Aditya), a young Indian, an ideal son to his parents, India's Home Minister Mahendra Suryavanshi (Shatrughan Sinha) and Rukmini Suryavanshi (Jaya Pradha), who is the principal of a school. It is the story of Sapna (Rinku Ghosh), Chaitanya's girl friend and their friends. Unfortunately, India is going through troubled times in the form of sponsored terrorism mainly from across the border. A dreaded terrorist, Jalaluddin Ghaznavi (Tom Alter), has been captured by Major Abdul Hameed (Puru Raaj Kumar) after a fierce operation. A terrorist Shabbir Khan (Chandrachur Singh) plans an operation, whereby he can hold the country to ransom and bargain for the release of Jalaluddin and other dreaded terrorists. Will Shabbir Khan's plans materialise? Will India and its people be held to ransom by a bunch of evil-doers and their masters from across the border? A special screening of BHARAT BHAGYA VIDHATA was held for the army officials on January 11 in New Delhi. The film co-stars Asha Saini, Shadaab Khan, Satish Shah, Rakesh Bedi, Laxmikant Berde, Pramod Moutho, Vidya Sinha and Farha. Hriju Roy has composed the music. BHARAT BHAGYA VIDHATA is slated for release in February 2002.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Filhaal
Life is not easy. And is not permanent. But the experiences and emotions that we acquire through our lives are unique to each person. It is these that go on to define our personalities and thereby influence the decisions that we will make in our lifetime. Sometimes, by quirk of fate, a decision that we make goes on to entwine other people's lives and destinies with our own. Then we are compelled to play along passively as our lives unfold before us! Rewa, Dhruv, Sia and Saahil are four such people, whose lives got entangled at various levels due to a twist of fate. Rewa and Sia were best of friends, having known each other since they met in kindergarten. They were similar in so many ways... and yet different too. While Sia was ambitious and career oriented, Rewa was more of romantic, looking forward to a blissful life with a husband and children. Her dreams crystallized in Dhruv, whom she fell in love with and married. Everyone expected Sia to follow suit, especially Saahil, who had proposed to Sia three times already. But Sia was clear - just like men need to be settled in their careers before they get married, so too should women. Saahil would have to wait... Filhaal is all about how unpredictable life is. It doesn't announce itself... It just happens.You can't control what happens. You can only live it ... one moment at a time...And smile... for the moment...Because marriage is not the end of the love story, it is the BEGINNING OF A WHOLE NEW ONE... A character sketch of the principal characters of Filhaal: Tabu plays Rewa, a girl of about 27 years. She is warm and emotional, with a deep sensitive side. For her, the relationships with her dear ones are most important in life's scheme of things. She is a loving wife, as well as a friend to her husband Dhruv. They share a warm, intimate relationship that deepens as they look forward to having a child. Sia, Rewa's best friend since they were little girls, is the other important person in Rewa's life. Rewa is a loyal and devoted friend - emotionally in sync with Sia. She wishes Sia too would get married eventually and often talks to her about it. Rewa unlike Sia however, is quite an introvert, silent and subtle. Even when life twists and turns around her, she is steely in her resolve and her convictions. Sushmita Sen plays Sia in Filhaal, a warm, effervescent girl of about 27 years. She is instinctive and spontaneous... living life to the fullest, every moment of it. She is a loyal and devoted friend too, to Rewa, ever since she can remember. She lives all of Rewa's turning points in life, with her. Rewa's marriage to Dhruv and their dreams of having a child, Sia shares all their joys and excitement as if they were her own. Then there's Saahil... who is also her own. She loves him dearly but for reasons inexplicable to her and especially Saahil, she postpones or avoids the topic of marriage. She wants to establish herself in her career as a photographer first; for fear that she may have to compromise it later for her marriage. There is a child in her that endears her to all the people around her. And when fate takes a turn she takes it head-on, as the child in her watches in wondrous amazement Sanjay Suri plays Dhruv, a young man of about 29 years. He is gentle, loving, decent and caring. Very much a self-made man, a successful garment exporter at that. Very much the cosmopolitan man, he is a responsible yet understanding husband to Rewa and more importantly, her friend too. He has a tender side that surfaces in the course of their dreams to have a baby. He nurtures Rewa, pampers her. And when she hurts, he comforts her. He hurts too, when life turns on him. And he's not ashamed of his tears. Rewa's tears however, are far more precious to him. And he makes sure that he does nothing to hurt her... but always understand her and support her. Palash Sen is Saahil, the fourth corner in this square of relationships. He is also a soft, sensitive man, deeply in love with Sia and not afraid to express it, several times. He is also the understanding 21st century man, supportive of his woman's decisions, even though he may not agree with all of them. He is patient and understanding, and has a silent strength within him, because he believes in his love for Sia. He knows it can withstand any surprise fate may throw at it. So much so that he is the only member of his family, left behind in India, because that's where his love lives. And he has a toy factory... because he loves children!
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Dalai Lama flies to Bombay for medical treatment
PATNA, India (Reuters) - Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, flew to Bombay on Sunday to seek hospital treatment after complaining of stomach problems, a spokesman said. The Dalai Lama, seen by Tibetans as the reincarnation of a long line of Buddhist kings, was in the town of Bodh Gaya, near Patna, capital of Bihar, to preside over a Buddhist festival attended by some 200,000 people. The Dalai Lama's illness forced cancellation of the Kalchakra festival, said to be one of the largest Buddhist gatherings in the world, in Bodh Gaya, the site where Buddha reputedly achieved enlightenment. "Initially, His Holiness complained of a mild attack of gastroenteritis and felt weak," a spokesman for the Tibetan leader, T. Samphel, told Reuters. "Since then, he has not been responding to the drugs administered to him." He said the cause of the Dalai Lama's illness was undiagnosed and doctors advised him to travel to Bombay for more tests. The Dalai Lama walked onto the chartered plane that was ordered to take the him to Bombay, witnesses said. The Dalai Lama has been running a government-in-exile in northern India since fleeing Tibet in 1959, nine years after Chinese troops occupied the Himalayan region and overthrew its Buddhist theocracy. The Dalai Lama appeared briefly at the festival three days ago, waving and smiling to followers. He told them he would be unable to sustain the rituals which required him to sit still for at least five hours.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Vishwa Hindu Parishad steps up campaign for Ayodhya temple
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Hindu religious leaders were due to meet Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on Sunday to press for his intervention in an explosive row with minority Muslims over the Ayodhya temple. Hundreds of activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad led by their seers have arrived in New Delhi in a campaign to build a temple at a site in the town of Ayodhya where a mosque was demolished by zealots in 1992. "Our religious heads had set March 12 as the deadline for removing all obstacles to building the temple, we are hoping the prime minister will settle this matter before then," Acharya Giriraj Kishore, vice president of the VHP said. More than 3,000 people died in nationwide riots after the 16th century Babri mosque was torn down by a mob of Hindu hardliners who believe the site to be the birth-place of lord-king Rama. Vajpayee's Bharatiya Janata Party shot from obscurity in the 1980s to the political centre-stage on the back of an aggressive Hindu revivalist campaign including the building of the temple in Ayodhya. But since coming to power at the head of a coalition government, the BJP has put all divisive issues including the row over the temple on the backburner. State-run All India Radio on Sunday quoted N.Chandrababu Naidu, chief minister of Andhra Pradesh and a key supporter of the coalition government as saying that no activity must be permitted in Ayodhya in line with court decision. Indian courts who are looking at the decades-old dispute over the place of worship have banned any activity at the site, and the government has said it is committed to upholding court orders. Vajpayee's partners in the ruling National Democratic Alliance met at his house on Saturday to discuss the issue which comes at a time when the country is locked in a tense military face-off with Pakistan over an attack on the Indian parliament. Federal Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan said that the NDA partners had no objection to Vajpayee meeting the Hindu religious leaders to find a way out of the tangle. "Prime Minister is free to meet delegations and hear them out, in fact we don't even know what they want," he said. VHP leaders who plan a mass rally later on Sunday in New Delhi said Hindus across the country wanted the authorities to handover land in Ayodhya so that construction of the temple could begin. "Enough time has been given to the authorities, there is no question of any extension of time beyond March 12," Kishore said referring to the deadline set by a congregation of Hindu seers last January. Political rivals of the BJP, which controls most populous Uttar Pradesh state where Ayodhya is located, said the temple issue was being revived, with an eye on the elections which are scheduled for next month. "This is a cynical vote gathering exercise, unfortunately for the BJP, people will see through them," said Ambika Soni, a spokeswoman for the main opposition Congress party. Opinion polls said the BJP is trailing in Uttar Pradesh which could have a bearing on the stability of its federal government comprising more than 20 parties.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
Director: Karan Johar Music: Jatin-Lalit, Sandesh Shandilya, Aadesh Srivastava Cast: Amitabh Bachchan,Shahrukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Jaya Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor Okay, you are going to see the biggest movie in recent cinematic history and you certainly have your expectations. You know this better stay up to your standards of thaali and guess what without playing any hard to get with the review let me announce the movie comes as a winner. A total entertainer, this movie holds every minute in its three and a half hour journey. The captain of the ship, Karan Johar has done well to tell a very thin story line in such a manner that you are busy looking at every thing except the story itself. What I mean here is that he keeps you enthralled with the drama, in your face Indian values, a mommy dearest, great production values, amazing styling, stable cinematography, very well shot songs, consistent character graphs and what have you that you forget that the film is a very small story that of one brother (Hrithik Roshan) who goes to London to ask his brother (Shah Rukh Khan) to return home. Their father had thrown him out of house many years ago. Having told you what the basic tale is about its stupid of me to go into every scene that made my day... because I know whatever my review would say you are itching in your pants to rush and see this film. So damn my ramble you please rush and watch the film. But here is a quick check of the movie and the stuff you are dying to know about the film. Does this film really have any new thing about it or is it just the same old stuff from the ones who make love by yellow flowers? Well you would be a phool to think that this is any different from those movies that had yellow flowers and pigeons. But yes, it certainly has something new to offer…and just because it's the same stuff it will also rock the box office like the other flower and pigeon stuff. Why does such stuff work? Simple because we Indians love emotions. You get me crying, you get me laughing, you get me sentimental and you can take my money. This movie does exactly that it orchestrates its flow in such a way that your sebaceous glands feel woozy. And by the end of the film they walk out of your body in revolt. True to it's name its, kabhi khushi, kabhi gham. Am I praising the film or am I panning it? Let there be no doubt about it. I am praising the film. I love the film. It so good that it even made Simi Garewal cry like a baby. Now this is serious she was in my trail and she just let her eye make up get all messed up. You now know what I mean. Then what genre would you say this movie belongs to? Its called a brand new genre that reads, " Art that has seduced commerce". Karan has not made a commercial film... he has just put down a sure shot way of doing commerce. What's the biggest offering of K3G to movie business? Now makers can never say that we don't know what works at the box office. Here is the perfect potion for a super duper hit. Which are the best scenes? The bangle scene between Kajol and SRK, the bench scene(don't you dare say: 'Not again!') where the brothers meet, Kajol and her son scene in school and yes the climax when Aby faces SRK and sort out their life. The down side? Too much orchestration... to much melodrama. To much "Come on clap for this scene too" Is that bad? Not at all its very difficult to do that... The slip shows when... When after all the parampara talks, Amitabh Bachchan belts out a " Ae kya bolti tu... ati kya Khandala". Shocking ain't it? Who scores in the acting department... please let us know the ratings in descending order... and please don't play diplomatic? 1. Shahrukh Khan 2. Kajol 3. Jaya Bachchan 4. Kareena Kapoor 5. Hrithik Roshan 6. Farida Jalal Are you serious? You bet I am. You can see the film and match the ratings. The surprise packet of the film? Aryan Khan (SRK Junior) who stuns us with his confidence and screen presence. Check out the titles for the future star. If you blink you would... Miss Jugal Hansraj in an immensely forgettable role. What shock you about this film? Vande Materam, Om Jai Jagdish have been done to death in movies... but once again when Karan plays it in the movie your goose flesh stands. What else? What else... nothing else pucker. Stop reading this review go watch the film.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Music Review : Aankhen
There are a number of firsts in Gaurang Doshi's Aankhen. First - the coming together of Triple A force - a legend called Amitabh Bachchan, Khiladi No. 1 Akshay Kumar and the hunk Arjun Rampal. It also marks the coming together of women of substance Sushmita Sen and Bipasha Basu, who is billed to be the hottest queen in Bollywood after a confident debut in Ajnabee. Another first is the debut of Vipul Amrutlal Shah as a director. Last year we had seen a whole bunch of music directors composing for a single movie. But Aankhen has not one, not two but four music directors for JUST ONE SONG. Now isn't this a First ? But the FIRST that takes the cake is this one. Have you ever seen a case when the front of the album cover displays the name of the composer who composes just three numbers whereas the composer who does six numbers are not even mentioned? Strange but true as in the case of Aankhen where the former composer is Aadesh Shrivastava and the ones missed out are not any newcomers to this field but the established Jatin-Lalit. But 'first' things first. One just can't take away the credit from Aadesh Shrivastava who impresses the most his in two numbers - The title song and Gustakhiyan. The title song by Sonu Nigam and Remo is quite impressive which is quite high on orchestra and is has both the singers sing full throatedly. The song creates an impact in the very first listening and creates a mood for the numbers to follow. The album begins in the best possible manner with 'Amitabh Soliloqi' that has him rendering the philosophy about TRUTH. The style is quite on the lines of 'Bhala Bura ' from AKS but more commercialized with a superb background music and the haunting vocals of Remo Fernandes. One can go for Aankhen for just this very number. A wonderful composition conceived by Vipul Amrutlal Shah and having lyrics by Aatish Kapadia. 'Nazron Ne Teri' is a foot tapping number composed by Jatin-Lalit and written by upcoming Praveen Bhardwaj. Though there have been countless romantic numbers like this before, it is the beats and the overall effect that make it good. 'Kuchh Kasme' is another romantic number in this album which is otherwise high on theme songs and music. This duet by Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik is very melodious and should become popular (as will the other songs of Aankhen). Jatin Lalit's music is soft and Praveen Bhardwaj's lyrics are impressive too. In 60's came 'Aankhen' with Dharmendra and Mala Sinha, which was a thriller, and then in 90's came David Dhawan non-stop entertaining action-comedy 'Aankhen' starring Govinda and Chunkey Pandey. Both the movies were smash hits. Let's see if history repeats itslelf again in the new millennium. Not many know that 'Aankhen' was earlier titled 'All The Best', but got changed later. This is the reason why the theme song and the number 'All The Best' has Remo rendering the same words. He does a superb 'Ye Hai Jalwa' act yet again which has nothing but the trademark Remo's voice effects. Jatin Lalit and Praveen Bhardwaj team up once again. 'Gustakhiyan' is an intense love song which has a superb start. The entire number is quite westernized with both Aadesh Srivastava and Vasundara(who sang Shakalaka in Nayak and was the girl whose wedding everyone attended in the recently released 'Monsoon Wedding') in full JOSH. The number is a guaranteed HIT and the presence of a solid starcast is another plus. Prasun Joshi is the lyricist. A bar number about 'Sharaab' and 'Shabaab' makes it's appearance after a long time with 'Chalka Chalka'. Though Alka Yagnik's and Javed's rendering of the number is good, but still this number by Jatin Lalit and Praveen Bhardwaj is quite chalu and seems out of place in a A Grade project like 'Aankhen'. And now the 'FIRST OF ALL FIRSTS' which has four music directors. Now isn't this creativity at its maximum here ? The number in question is 'Phatela Jeb' which is a tapori time pass song sung in the voices of Nitin Raikar, Aadesh Shrivastava and Arun Bakshi - all of them having raw voices that suit the proceedings. The four music directors are Nitin Raikar , Aadesh Srivastava themselves and Jatin Lalit. Nitin Raikar writes the lyrics which only he can write (!!!) and the end result is quite funny and entertaining. It is a light number about a few young guys whose 'haalat' is 'fateli' i.e. they are broke and are out to make some quick money. They are optimistic that one fine day their 'haalat' will improve and they too will get the all the luxuries of the world. The movie is a thriller about a bank robbery masterminded by BIG B. The songs grow on you instantaneously and is a good way to start the new year with. BUY IT AND YOU WON'T REGRET IT. And as the promos say - A DANGEROUS GAME IS ABOUT TO BEGIN.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Yeh Dil Aashiqaana
Aroona Irani's YEH DIL AASHIQANAA, directed by Kuku Kohli, is set against the backdrop of terrorism. It's the story of Karan (Karan Nath) and Pooja (Jeevidha), who are studying in the same college in Pune. They fall in love and everything seems to be going fine till one day Pooja's flight is hijacked by a group of terrorists, following the arrest of their leader Ashraf-ul-Haq Mallik. Ironically, this hijack has been engineered by Pooja's brother Vijay Varma (Rajat Bedi), who is in league with the terrorist head Akhmash Jalal (Aditya Panscholi). Vijay is unaware of the fact that his beloved sister is on board the same flight. When he realises this, he is unable to do anything as Akhmash forbids him from doing anything that would jeopardise their mission. Karan daringly risks his life and rescues Pooja and the other passengers, thus inviting the wrath of Akhmash and Vijay. Akhmash is now out to kill Karan. On the other hand, Vijay puts his foot down when Pooja reveals her intentions of marrying Karan. Pooja and Karan decide to escape, but they are chased and nabbed by Akhmash and his men and held captive in his den. Akhmash then tries to blackmail the Indian government by demanding the release of his leader Ashraf-ul-Haq Mallik as ransom for the lives of Karan and Pooja. Does the Indian government bow down to the terrorist's demands? Does Karan succeed in getting Pooja out of the clutches of the terrorists? Are the lovers united? Flashback December 24, 1999. An Indian aircraft is hijacked and the armed hijackers demand the release of a terrorist as ransom. This real-life incident is the inspiration for the story of YEH DIL AASHIQANAA. What could've been an edge-of-the-seat thriller (on the lines of the Harrison Ford starrer AIR FORCE ONE, which tackled a similar theme) with a romantic plot interwoven, gets diluted thanks to a screenplay that relies too heavily on cliches, predictable moments and the tried and tested stuff. There are two tracks running parallel in the first half - the romance between Karan and Jeevidha forms the main track, while the terrorists' hatching a plot to hijack an Indian aircraft, forms the other. The drama gets interesting at the interval point, when Rajat Bedi gets to know that his sister is amongst those hijacked. But the way the hijack drama unfolds in the second half, surprises you. For, the ease with which Karan, single-handedly and unarmed, rescues the hundred odd passengers from the clutches of five/six armed terrorists, is very difficult to absorb. Thereafter, the screenplay follows the wrong path completely. For, the terrorists set their sights on Karan, forgetting all about their mission and the imprisoned leader in the process. However, it must be noted that the second half moves at a vigorous pace, giving no scope for the viewer to blink an eyelid. Besides the pace, the sequences are stylishly shot by director Kuku Kohli and cinematographer Baba Azmi. The helicopter chase in the pre-climax, for instance, is brilliantly executed and one of the high points of the flick. As a director, Kuku Kohli impresses more in the post-interval portions. His handling of the dramatic sequences is creditworthy. However, he should've concentrated on making the screenplay more innovative, instead of relying on the age-old predictable formula. Baba Azmi's cinematography is first-rate. The cinematographer's contribution is evident in the pre-climax and climax of the film. Action sequences are fabulously executed. Dialogues are noteworthy. Production values are adequate. Nadeem-Shravan's music is melodious to the core. The pick of the lot are the title track, 'Ae Meri Natkathi' and 'Utha Le Jaoonga'. The qawwali, in the pre-climax, is very well picturised. The background score (Naresh Sharma) heightens the overall impact and is a major asset. Karan Nath shows promise in a role that showcases his talent. The youngster has been cast in a role that is supposed to be larger than life and, fortunately, the viewer doesn't feel dejected by his interpretation of the character he portrays. As an actor, he shows immense growth when compared to his performance in his debut vehicle. Jeevidha has the girl-next-door looks, but is a decent performer. Her expressions in the climax mainly are striking. Aditya Panscholi uplifts the film to a great extent. He is excellent. Rajat Bedi does his part well. Aroona Irani doesn't get much scope, but leaves a mark in the scene when she goes to Rajat Bedi's house to ask for Jeevidha's hand for her son, Karan. On the whole, YEH DIL AASHIQANAA has an engaging second half and a well executed climax to appeal to the masses, but that's not adequate enough for an extensive run at the box-office. However, the business at small centres should be better. Rating:- * ½.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Music Review: Pitaah
Mahesh Manjrekar plays true to form and comes out with an inconsistent album in 'Pitaah', released by Universal. Mahesh's favorite composers Anand Raaj Anand and Rahul Ranade share the credits for the compositions. The maximum compositions are of course by Anand while Ranade just gets to compose a couple of tracks. The eight-track album opens with shlokas, the rendition of which is reminiscent of the shlokas that Manjrekar had in 'Vaastav'. In fact, he seems to be carrying a hangover from 'Vaastav' as far as the treatment of the shlokas is concerned. Perhaps it was due to this familiarity that nobody has been credited for the shlokas, neither for the composition nor the rendition. The title track, 'Pitaah', rendered by Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik, is lyrically one of the better tracks on the album. Composed by Anand on lyrics by Praveen Bhardwaj, it is based on a composition that is easy to decipher. Although the theme sounds routine, Udit gives his all in rendering the track and is ably supported by Alka. 'Nadiya Kinare Aao' is a romantic duet in the voice of Kavita Krishnamurthy and Sonu Nigam. The composition here is average and the lyrics no great shakes either. If the track is worth a hearing, it is mainly because of the two vocalists, who infuse life into this run of the mill romantic number. 'Ram Bachaiye', by Rahman discovery Anuradha Shriram, is a rehash of one of Anand's own composition in 'Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rehta Hai'. Anuradha justifies her choice for this dance track that has lyrics by Pravin Bhardwaj. 'Sau Bar Janaam' is a track that gives you the feeling that it will be more effective on the screen. A Sukhwinder Singh solo, it is composed by Anand on lyrics by Bhardwaj that are good. Sukhwinder shines as the singer quite effortlessly. 'Meri Jawani', a Sunidhi Chauhan solo, is an ordinary track that is a total misfit in what is supposed to be a 'period film'. The track is absolutely ineffective, with Anand's composition lacking punch and the lyrics by Bhardwaj being ordinary. Sunidhi Chauhan too goes over the top with her rendition and adds to the noise pollution. 'Humko To Ishq Aap Ka', composed by Anand and with lyrics by Bhardwaj, is rendered by Kavita Krishnamurthy. A semi-classical track, it reminds one of several such tracks, the most notable one being the Khayyam composed track in 'Umrao Jaan'. The lyrics are functional and serve their purpose. Kavita is an absolute delight to hear. 'Putra Parishta' is written by Shri Desai and composed by Rahul Ranade and Ravindra Sathe. This is another track that will have an impact when it is played out on the screen. On the whole, the soundtrack of 'Pitaah' is a mixed bag. It is unlike Manjrekar's previous soundtracks in the sense that the impressive tracks on the album are in the narrative format, the kind that are part of the storyline rather than mere fillers. In that sense, it is a soundtrack that has more class appeal than mass appeal, thereby limiting its shelf life.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe
KOI MERE DIL SE POOCHHE, written-directed by Vinay Shukla, tells the story of Mansi Devi (Jaya Bachchan) and her daughter Esha (Esha Deol). They share their hopes, their dreams, their laughter and their tears. But they also share a terrifying secret... And one fine day, Aman (Aftab Shivdasani) enters their lives. Fun-loving Aman is a final year student at NIFT with loads of friends on the campus, but no girlfriend. Aman encounters Esha. The lovely girl takes his breath away and he falls head over heals in love with her. But Esha doesn't respond to him initially. And there's a reason to it! There is a dark secret hanging over her - Sanjay Kapoor. KOI MERE DIL SE POOCHHE is an important release mainly because it marks the debut of Dharmendra and Hema Malini's daughter Esha in films. Obviously, the expectations from the film are manifold. The basic plot of KOI MERE DIL SE POOCHHE is interesting, but it is the treatment that's plain mediocre. The screenplay abounds in predictable moments, with not much effort being taken to make it look a cut above the rest. Esha's introduction should've been equally glamorous and larger-than-life, but writer-director Vinay Shukla has presented her in the most simplistic manner, as if she were just another newcomer. The hype surrounding the young actress is enormous and in that respect, her introduction should've been more stylish. The first half focuses on the mandatory light scenes and songs, although a couple of individual sequences do grab your attention, mainly the one when Esha rebuffs Aftab, who then chases her after she speeds away in an autorickshaw. The interval point catches the viewer unawares and one looks forward to an exciting second half. Sanjay Kapoor's introduction and his eccentric cum evil behaviour are the highlights of the film. His portions provide the much-needed spice to an otherwise ordinary film. But the inconsistencies in the second half again dilute the impact. The screenplay, once again, meanders on the beaten path, with the viewer fully aware what's going to happen next. Even the climax, when Jaya Bachchan mixes poison in the kheer, lacks novelty. A more appropriate climax was the need of the hour. Writer-director Vinay Shukla's intentions of tackling a different theme are praiseworthy, but he should've avoided relying too heavily on cliches and formula to move his story ahead. Music (Rajesh Roshan) is a drawback. The film has two mediocre numbers 'Deewana Tera Hai' and 'Mat Ho Udas' but they are not enough to command a repeat audience. The engagement song 'Tera Bhala Kare Bhagwan' is the best song, picturisation-wise, since a lot of drama takes place in this number. Cinematography is alright. Dialogues are well worded at places. The background music (Naresh Sharma) deserves a special mention. Esha Deol looks pleasant and delivers a sincere performance. However, she needs to brush up her acting skills and get a little more camera-friendly. Sanjay Kapoor is the surprise packet, playing an evil character to perfection. He contributes to some of the best moments in the film. Aftab Shivdasani does a fine job. He shows a marked improvement over his previous performances. Jaya Bachchan delivers yet another mature performance. Anupam Kher is repetitive. The Jaspal Bhatti - Rajpal Yadav comedy track appeals initially, but tends to get monotonous subsequently. On the whole, KOI MERE DIL SE POOCHHE is too ordinary in content and will therefore end up with ordinary prospects at the ticket window. Rating:- * ½.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Esha Deol
With her dream girl looks she could just light up the screen. Esha Deol daughter superstars Hema and Dharmendra, is all set make her debut with KMDSP a thriller that should the audience on the edge of their seats. In fact Esha was looking forward to the release of the film in December last year. 'At least I could have been nominated for the Best Debut award. Now I'll have to wait for the whole year for the awards to be announced,... she cribs. But Esha is happy that she is finally doing what has made her family a proud-act! How was it shooting for your debut film Koi Mere Dil Se Pooche (KMDSP)? Wonderful! It was an enriching experience and for a newcomer I really learnt a lot! What is your role in the film? I play Esha a girl with a traumatic past! She behaves in an unusual manner unlike the girls her age. What her past is one gets to know only towards the climax. There’s a twist. Now don’t ask me what it is all about. You must see the film if you want to know (laughs). The audience may feel why is this girl behaving like this? They will sympathise with the character only after the interval when the truth is revealed. You come from a family that has been in films for over two decades. Your brothers Sunny and Bobby are name to reckon with. So did the mantle of expectations weigh heavily on your shoulders? I have never thought about the family that I come from when I decided to take up acting as a career. It was just another girl making a career decision. But now since you mentioned it I need to seriously think about it (laughs). You must’ve been on the sets with your mother Hemaji. Were things in anyway different from what you had seen then? Not really! I knew more or less how the film industry functions. I knew these things I would have to be well versed with while some things I could afford to ignore. Was it tough to convince your parents to allow you to act? Yes! My mom warned me about the hardships one would have to go through to gain a foothold in the industry. I was more than prepared for it. I told mom this is what I wanted to do. I told her that it was her job to convince dad to allow me to act (laughs). It was a bit difficult but he finally relented. People usually are under the impression that the industry is one glamorous place to be in but isn’t. Do you agree? Yeah! It is one place where you have to work hard. You have to put on heavy make-up and shoot studios that are without air-condition! The shot takes hours to get ready. You have to rehearse. And till you don’t get it right you have to give takes over and over again. Now I know what my mother meant when she said that I knew what I was getting into. I’m here for good! Did you take any formal training in acting? Yes I did! I joined Kishore Namit’s classes for acting. I learnt my Hindi diction that I’m very bad at from Veena Mehta. Since I had learnt Odissi Nritya in childhood I didn’t have to take any dancing classes. And whether it be Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi once you are well versed with any of them you become an expert in dance rhythms and taals. I love to dance! Didn’t Dharmendraji want to launch you it under his banner? Boney Kapoor and Sri aunty had asked mom if they could launch me in their film. And mom willingly agreed. The subject of the film was good. It centred around me! And what more could a newcomer ask for. My face has been splashed in all the hoardings of the city. Sometimes I feel I don’t deserve this. I’m happy go lucky to have had this kind of debut. You know Sri aunty’s daughter Jhanvi refers to me as her elder sister. She has immense affection for me. I couldn’t have asked for a better film seriously! How was it working with Jayaji? I remember the first time I met her. We had to do a photoshoot for the film. I had to place my arms around her. And I was shivering like a leaf. "What’s wrong?" she asked me. I told her about my nervousness and she bursts out laughing telling me to take it easy. From then on she always took care of me on the sets. She’d feed me with chocolates because she knew I love them. Even during outdoor locations; I feel homesick very easily; but with her around I felt less homesick. It is my fortune that I got to work with a senior artiste like her. Which foreign locations have you shot the film in? We went to New Zealand! It’s a very beautiful place. The only thing I wanted to do was shop, shop and shop. I remember there was scene where Aftab’s trousers weren’t fitting him well. He had to go to buy a new one for the shoot. I asked the unit members if I could also go with him. When I returned they were surprised to see six-seven bags of clothes and chocolates. How I enjoyed shopping that time. How serious are you about your make-up and dress sense? Very serious! I really think about the clothes that I need to create the get up I should have for a particular film. Rocky S my designer helps me with it. His choice and my taste often match so I trust him completely where my clothes in the film are concerned. Few know but I have also learnt the art of make-up and how to style your hair. I often cut my hair myself. I have been interested in it since childhood. Even during my school I was heavily into painting and arts and crafts. I think two actresses to have made impact in 2000 are you and Kareena. I believe both of you are great friends... Yes! And we talk about those things that usually girls our age talk about. She has already passed the phase where she’d have to bite her nails before the release of her film. I’m going through that right now (laughs). Forthcoming films... Na Tum Jano Na Hum with Hrithik Roshan and there other two films with Tusshar.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Karan Johar
With K3G opening to a thunderous response in its third week, Karan Johar is having the last laugh! Those who had written off K3G soon after its release have made an about-turn on their 'predictions' about the fate of the film. "There were caustic comments galore during the first three days of the film's release. I was so disheartened. One so-called trade analyst even went to the extent of saying that the collections of the family drama would see a downward trend from the very fourth day of its release. But like they say, the box-office figures speak louder than hollow words," Karan, presently in Goa to celebrate the New Year's, tells me in a telephonic conversation. "I was so upset with the venomous talk about the length of the film. I was demoralised completely and couldn't enjoy the success of the film for the entire first week," Karan reminisces, continuing in the same breath, "On one hand we talk of the dire straits the film industry is in and when a film does manage to collect astonishing figures, we feel nonplussed instantaneously. Double standards, I tell you." Karan elaborates, "It was Shah Rukh Khan who made me come to terms with the fact that people are bound to talk filth. 'Why should people like you?,' Shah Rukh told me. 'You achieved a distinction in your very first film (KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI) and in your very second film (K3G) you assembled a star cast that was the envy of one and all. So people are bound to feel jealous and vindictive', he added," Karan states. That did it! It brought Karan out of the gloom. So what's next on the cards? "My associate director – Nikhil Advani – is directing the next film for Dharma Productions. Nikhil was the associate director in KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI, MOHABBATEIN and K3G. He deserves to go independent now. And Shah Rukh will head the cast of this film. Dharma Productions cannot imagine making a film without Shah Rukh. He's family," Karan states. This project, Karan tells me, will roll in September 2002. "It will be a 2-hero, 2-heroine subject. A thriller. Not the kind of film I specialise in. But I am writing its screenplay. I'm stepping into an altogether new territory this time," he laughs. Once this film is complete, Karan will embark on his project. "At the moment, let me chill out," Karan states. Agreed!
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Sanjay spotted having fun with a babe in Goa
We recently spotted Sanju with an unidentified female. Sanjay Dutt was in Goa to shoot for his forthcoming film Nehla Pe Dehla starring Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan and Shakti Kapoor. Sanjay was seen with a beautiful babe at Taj Exotica in Madgaon, Goa where he was staying. The staff of Taj was rather surprised to see Sanjay getting drunk and roaming around that girl in a golf car with that babe. Sanjay stayed in a beautiful chalet overlooking the beach where he stayed along with that beautiful babe.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
THE HERO
The mahurat of THE HERO, starring Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta and Priyanka Chopra, was performed on January 15. Produced by Dhirajlal Shah, Pravin Shah and Hasmukh Shah and directed by Anil (GADAR) Sharma, the film co-stars Amrish Puri, Kabir Bedi, Rahul Dev, Shahbaaz Khan and Parvin Dabas. Uttam Singh will score the music. The film will be shot in Canada extensively, tentatively from March 2002 and is scheduled to be completed by August 2002.
Sunday, January 27, 2002
Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam Soundtrack launched
"It took six years for this movie to make - but is finally made ready" said Salman Khan which sums up why this movie took such a long time. While K.C. Bokadia has barely made his mark in the recent times, he could get lucky with this movie. The story is about Shah Rukh and Madhuri who are married couple until friend Salman starts liking Madhuri. Both Salman and Shah Rukh sat together giving interviews to the television media. Salman even whispered in Shah Rukh’s ears "Picture ka kya naam hai?" Salman kept staring at the MC Radio Jockey, Siddharth Kannan while the album was launched. Perhaps he liked Sid K’s voice a lot and perhaps the way he introduced Sallu. Pritish Nandy too was there to grace the occasion besides Amrish Puri. Madhuri only came late after the album function was over. Madhuri looked sexy in her bare back blouse – she was accompanied by her secretary Rikku Nath who kept bossing around with journalists and only allowed her to speak limited. Rikku was upset with one TV journalist from Aaj Tak when he was asking some questions to Madhuri and where he mentioned one of her movies as flop. Bali Brahmbhatt was the pal of the day as he mingled with the crowd and gave interviews to the press. Nikhil-Vinay were there too, and as for their music must say that their title song of Hum Tumhare Sanam is already make big waves. Rashesh Shah, son of Bharat Shah was also present at the album launch. About the Soundtrack: It contains 10 numbers with one instrumental composition. Side A opens with the title track sung beautifully by Anuradha Paudwal and Udit Narayan with music given by Nikhil Vinay. The sad version is rendered by Sonu Nigam. "Gale Mein Laal Taal" is a naughty trac |
