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"Love, sex, wedding, kids - it's fun all the way" - Meghna Gulzar
IndiaGlitz [Monday, February 12, 2007]  



Meghna Gulzar speaks on 'Just Married':

"Arranged marriage versus love at first sight. Tradition versus modernity. Respect versus romance. Marriage-before-love versus love-before-marriage. The eternal dichotomy that dogs the relationship between the two sexes.

What comes first? The mandap or the bed? Men and women have debated over this for years. They have fought and argued, loved and wed in whichever order, and yet never actually succeeded in figuring out which ought to come first.

Till, hopefully, the argument has been finally laid to rest梬ith relationships that begin where other relationships end. With children. Brangelina began with kids. Adopted kids. Then came sex, and love. And, hopefully, at the end of it all, will come the great American wedding.

Ergo, does the sequence really matter? Or are we making a huge song and dance over nothing at all? Love, sex, wedding, kids-- take them in any sequence you want. It's fun all the way. Any which way."

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Rediff News

'I call my mother-in-law sexy'



They love him. Or they hate him. But they cannot resist making a comment about him (Take a look at the rediff message board, if you don't believe what we say).
What is superstar and now superhost Shah Rukh Khan really like?

Is he nice?

Is he arrogant?

Is he smart?

Is he witty?

Is he kind and caring?

Why is he really doing Kaun Banega Crorepati?

And yes, does he have an on-going war with Amitabh Bachchan?

We decided to put Shah Rukh Khan on the hot seat and ask him.

SRK did not have four options to choose from; nor did he have any lifelines.

Now for the two-crore question: How did he do?

Read on to find out (This show was hosted by Savera R Someshwar and Saisuresh Sivaswamy).

What was the primary motivation for you to do KBC? Were you looking for a return to television or did KBC happen at the right time for you?

I don't want to sound pompous, but I don't look out for work. I sort of have a half-yearly plan -- okay, I am doing a couple of films and the holidays with the babies and, you know, maybe a few endorsements that have been signed up.

There have been reports about my doing television for some time now, so doing KBC is not a bolt out of the blue. I've seen the programme and I like it a lot. I've always felt that one can take it to a different level depending on the presentation.

The main thing about work, after 20 years of working now, is -- am I enjoying the work I am doing? I thought that if I do KBC, I will enjoy it a lot.

And KBC has a great team -- Siddharth (Basu, who is producing the show), Sameer (Nair, CEO, Star TV)... they're old friends. Everyone got together and said, can we do it in Jan, Feb, March? And I said of course. My set (for Khan's production, Om Shanti Om, directed by Farah Khan) is opposite the KBC set, so it's not difficult for me. And the economics of television have become such that they can afford a film actor.

The way they shoot the production now, they don't need the kind of time they needed earlier. They have multi-camera set-ups and stuff. Everything just fell into place.

Deciding to do KBC was like deciding if I want to do a film or not. Like any film that is offered to me out of the blue -- someone comes over and says this is the script and we are planning to do it.

What excites me is that, okay, this is new, my kids like it, people find it fun. I like quizzing, so I'll do this and have a great time for a couple of months.

I have done a lot of work in the last 10 years because my heart said yes. I just felt, ah, this is fun, let me just do it. There is no real way for an actor to otherwise enjoy his work. I've passed the phase where I do a film just because it is an action film and things like that. I have been working for too long to do that any more.

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"It was good to be noticed amidst a dozen odd stars" - Anjana Sukhani
Joginder Tuteja, IndiaGlitz [Tuesday, February 13, 2007]  



'Salaam E Ishq' may be struggling at the box office but one person who can still be seen smiling is young Anajana Sukhani. As a sweet-n-sexy girl with whom middle-aged Anil Kapoor falls in love in the film, she has passed the test with flying colors and has come for universal appreciation.

So was she expecting this? "After working hard on a film, you do expect appreciation coming you way but the multitude with which it has come is simply overwhelming", she says excitedly.

And why is that so? "Because in a film with a dozen odd major stars, it is quite a difficult task to make your presence felt. Still, being noticed amongst a huge crowd and getting appreciated from both within and outside the industry is a thrilling experience. All this makes me quite happy and I see good things happening in near future", says Anjana in a confident tone.

Did she ever worry that her role as another woman would put her in negative light? "Never once", she says quickly, "the role was quite well written and there was no bitchy side of the character's persona. Also the good part was that even though some of the costumes I wore gave a hint of skin, they were not out rightly revealing or made me look vulgar. All of this contributed in making the character believable rather than making it come across as that of a vamp!"

So what is happening next now? "There are a couple of projects I should have in my kitty soon. Give me around a fortnight and I should certainly have something to talks about!", she concludes.

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Ghai gives a clean chit to Bachchan and SRK
Joginder Tuteja, IndiaGlitz [Tuesday, February 13, 2007]  



At least one man in the industry has stood up and said that he doesn't see any problem whatsoever between Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan.

In Delhi for an event, Subhash Ghai was quizzed on what he thought about the Big B/SRK war. His reply to this was that he didn't quite see any such war building up between the two. He justified his claim by saying that in a private party a few days back, he was seated on a table with both Big B and SRK and he didn't see any bad vibes between the two, let alone any war. They both were chatting away with each other quite comfortably which was quite a good sight in itself.

Wish people from both within and outside the industry, especially the media, take a cue from this and let the two superstars be alone. It would do much good to them and their families and would also save a lot of print/web space for other interesting information.

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TATA Starbus ties up with HTPL
Joginder Tuteja, IndiaGlitz [Tuesday, February 13, 2007]  



Now this one is as authentic as it gets when it comes to a film and a product promoting each other!

As the world is aware, upcoming 'Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.' is set on a package trip to Goa where 6 diverse couples board to bus. Since there are numerous scenes set around the bus, it is imperative that there is some promotion done around the make of this bus too.

This is where TATA Starbus comes into picture which is the bus used during the shoot of the film. As a part of the film's publicity, Tata Starbus is highlighted as the one used for the honeymoon journey in the film and is being featured prominently in the film's promos and posters.

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'Channo' crooner Ali Zafar is back with 'Sun Re Sajaniya'
Joginder Tuteja, IndiaGlitz [Tuesday, February 13, 2007]  



Remember the hit non-film tracks 'Channo' and 'Rangeen' heard around a couple of years back? Belonging to the album 'Huqa Paani', it had a new pop sensation form Pakistan making a mark - Ali Zafar.

The man is now back with his album titled 'Sun Re Sajaniya' and the title song is already on the air. Though the album would be released soon in India on an upcoming music company, the song is basically a part of an album titled 'Masty' which has already released in Pakistan in December last year.

A catchy foot tapping number with some fine rendition by Zafar, it is an entertaining melodious number for which director duo of Ahsan Rahim and Savio Rodriguez have already shot a music video. Watch it for it as it blazes across music channels all over soon.

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Are honeymoon packages for real in India?
IndiaGlitz [Tuesday, February 13, 2007]  



Producer Ritesh Sidhwani was at the Berlin Film Festival some days back where his smash hit "Don" was screened to packed houses and an overwhelming response. Unfortunately, director Farhan Akhtar could not make it, as he was down with flu in Mumbai.

During the Q&A round post the screening, Ritesh received several congratulatory messages from the audience, who also expressed excitement about his forthcoming production, "Honeymoon Travels...", which is out on February 23.

Someone actually asked him if there were honeymoon packages available in India! "That was such a hilarious question!" laughs Ritesh.

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When Amisha climbed out of a window in HTPL
IndiaGlitz [Tuesday, February 13, 2007]  



The promos of the forthcoming HONEYMOON TRAVELS... quite clearly show the six couples heading towards Goa in a tiny bus. But there's a story behind the real-life woes posed by the bus!

As several scenes were shot inside the bus, the camera would invariably block the entrance, as a result of which the only way in or out of the bus was through the windows! For onlookers and passers-by in Goa, it made for a hilarious sight to see their Bollywood actors climb in and out of bus windows!

Remarks director Reema Kagti, "I remember one day specifically when two bikers passing by were shocked to see Ameesha Patel climb out of the window in a bus. It was a hilarious sight!"

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Shail comes with third music video for AETBAAR
Joginder Tuteja, IndiaGlitz [Tuesday, February 13, 2007]  



Shail has hit gold with his non-film album 'Aetbaar' and is now celebrating it by shooting for one music video after another.

After the hit dance number 'Nach Le Soniye' and melodious sad number 'Hiriye' [the latter turned out to be a bigger success], both of which have been seen as music videos, Shail can now be seen in yet another music video for the song titled 'Umr Bhar'.

Revolving around the tale of a guy [played by Shail] who tries different ways to woo his girl who is an utter romantic by heart, 'Umr Bhar' is a feel good number with some real life vibes to it. Yet another success in the making, the song marks a hat-trick for 'Aitbaar' which has being doing quite well at the music stands since it arrived around 5 months back.

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Neeru Bajwa pairs up with Atif for 'Hum Kis Galli'
Joginder Tuteja, IndiaGlitz [Tuesday, February 13, 2007]  



Neeru Bajwa, a popular face on television and the leading actress of superhit Punjabi film 'Dil Apna Punjabi', is currently being seen in the latest music video of Atif Aslam's non-film album 'Doorie'.

Directed by Rajat Chawla, the music video has been shot on the exotic locales of Mauritius. Titled 'Ham Kis Galli Ja Rahe Hain', the song has music by Sachin Gupta with lyrics by Sameer. Music video is based on the 'Dance Mix version' by DJ Freak that has all in it to keep the party hoppers busy.

A track sung prominently at a high pitch, 'Hum Kis Galli' is about a man who is on a journey towards an unknown destination and doesn't quite know where he would end up except for the fact that there is a hope for him to find light at the end of the tunnel. For those who are hardcore rock lovers, they would lap up the song!

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"Boman is a livewire and an ardent movie buff " - Shabana Azmi
Joginder Tuteja, IndiaGlitz [Wednesday, February 14, 2007]  



Amid the huge youthful ensemble cast of the eagerly awaited romantic comedy, Honeymoon Travels.., the veteran Shabana Azmi stands out as the only senior actor who seems to be having as much fun as the youngsters!

"It's a special film because my kids [Farhan Akhtar & Zoya Akhtar] have put it together," she smiles. "It's a remarkably heart-warming film. You will walk out a smile. During the 45-day shoot in Goa everyone had a ball. The kids were so professional and organised. I'm extremely proud of them."

Shabana is extremely impressed with director Reema Kagti and does not contain her words in singing paeans of her. "Reema is focused yet easy-going. Her biggest strength is that she always has an alternative if the original idea does not work out."

Ask Shabana about her co-star Boman Irani and her much talked about kiss! "Boman was absolutely wonderful. He's a livewire and an ardent movie buff. As for the kiss, please don't make too much of it. It's a short, sweet and innocent kiss. Boman was terrified before that scene," she laughs.

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HTPL next destination - A honeymoon to Dubai
Joginder Tuteja, IndiaGlitz [Wednesday, February 14, 2007]  



In a unique gimmick of sorts to promote the forthcoming romantic comedy, HONEYMOON TRAVELS..., Zee TV UK and Studio 18 have collaborated to give away a free honeymoon, courtesy of Easy Travels.

The winning couple of the HONEYMOON TRAVELS... competition, currently on-air, wins a plush holiday to the Jumeirah Beach in Dubai.

The competition is open for those living in UK.

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Exclusive Synopsis: Woodstock Villa
IndiaGlitz [Wednesday, February 14, 2007]  



Woodstock Villa comes in the tradition of film noir that is guaranteed to shock, thrill and surprise. It is a compelling film from director Hansal Mehta about swiftly changing moralities in today's world.

After a successful businessman's stunning wife disappears, hostile and taunting ransom demands follow. As the true nature of stakes for the captor and his captives unfold, Woodstock Villa lithely transforms from a precision neo noir into a chilling and shocking thriller, and ultimately into a vivid, invigorating, icy masterpiece of murder, mystery and suspense.

Neither pleading eyes nor bound wrists nor a shallow grave are what they seem, as a moment of relief is suddenly transformed into a web of deceit, and a moment of truth is followed by a sudden web of lies. Unsettling, thrilling, hallucinatory, suspenseful and erotic, Woodstock Villa is contemporary entertainment that breaks new ground with every twist.

Woodstock Villa stars Sikander Kher and Neha Oberoi in lead along with Arbaaz Khan, Shakti Kapoor, Sachin Khedekar, Boman Irani and Anupama Varma.

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"It is difficult to know the hit-trick" - Milan Luthria
Joginder Tuteja, IndiaGlitz [Wednesday, February 14, 2007]  



After a delightful 'Taxi No. 9211', director Milan Luthria is now back with yet another entertainer 'Hat Trick'.

Boasting of an ensemble cast of Paresh Rawal, Nana Patekar, Danny Denzongpa, Kunal Kapoor and Rimmi Sen, the film tells a tale of each of these characters with cricket being a common factor in their lives.

The promos of the film have just been unleashed and have managed to generate a 'wow' reaction. Looking like a sure shot a success in the making, the film is aiming for a March 16 release.

When asked if with HAT TRICK, Milan seems to have laid his hands on the HIT-TRICK, he just laughed and said, "I don't know if anyone at all knows about the hit-trick. We all do our job honestly and then let the audience decide. But yes, the film has garnered good reactions ever since the promos came out and I am glad that within days the film is being noticed. My fingers are crossed!"

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'Black Friday' should now open avenues for 'Paanch'
Joginder Tuteja, IndiaGlitz [Thursday, February 15, 2007]  



While Anurag Kashyap must certainly be jubilant with an all around appreciation 'Black Friday' and his direction in particular has got, he would now also be looking at the release of his debut venture 'Paanch'.

Produced by Tutu Sharma, the film has been ready for more than 5 years but is stuck in the cans since then. First there were censors issue due to charges of excessive violence. Later even as the film won its battle with the censors, it is still lying unreleased.

Industry insiders who have seen the film vouch for the fact that 'Paanch' is yet another stunning piece of art by Kashyap and has the kind of shock value that has made 'Black Friday' hit headlines.

The film stars Kay Kay Menon in the lead along with Tejaswini Kolhapuri. Vishal Bhardwaj has given the music.

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Short duration results in massive show count for Eklavya
Joginder Tuteja, IndiaGlitz [Thursday, February 15, 2007]  



Tomorrow's release 'Eklavya - The Royal Guard' boasts of just 100 minutes duration and that seems to have only worked in the favor of the producer, distributors and the exhibitors.

With no biggie apart from 'Guru' running at multiplexes and 'Traffic Signal' and 'Black Friday' being the only other notable films in the fray, multiplexes screens are in extreme shortage of Hindi film software. 'Eklavya' duration reading just about 100 minutes has only been a boon as prominent multiplexes are bringing the film at as many as 16-18-20 shows a day, even though the print count is relatively low.

Says the GM of a leading multiplex chain, "The film is carrying excellent pre-release reports hence a good start is inevitable. Moreover, since there is zero competition for a biggie like this and our screens are anyways looking at something worthwhile to play on this weekend, we are bringing 'Eklavya' at a dozen and a half shows a day."

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Box office analysis
Exclusive By Joginder Tuteja, IndiaGlitz [Thursday, February 15, 2007]  



First weekend performance of latest release

'Black Friday' released in the Friday gone by and didn't get a single 3 star rating anywhere, whether it was print, web or satellite media! But did that make Anurag Kashyap a sad man? Certainly not, since he is perhaps the first director ever in the current century whose film has been honored with not less than a 4 star or a 5 star rating across the board!

But was this the case only with critics? No, not at all! And that's because even those who watched the film have given it two thumbs up and hailed it to be in the same league as any other great movie revolving around a true incident deserves. The film has been hailed all over and has in it to be considered as an all-time classic in years to come.



In comparison, the box office has a different tale to tell. Arriving with near to zilch publicity, except for hardcore Bollywood fans (that too not in totality) not many were even aware about the film releasing at the theatres. Lack of any star value meant that whatever limited publicity the film had didn't attract too many eyeballs. Result? The film opened to below average response at the theatres over the weekend.

Now let's come to the good news - there is very good word of mouth all over and that promises further awareness about this masterpiece. Since 'Eklavya' is the only film arriving this weekend followed by 'Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd' a week after, even multiplexes are short of software. Hence they should be ideally showing confidence in the product and give it a sustained run across multiple screens, which it truly deserves.

'Undertrial' is the other film that released along with 'Black Friday' and though it is not as superior a film as the latter, it does have its own moments. The subject has been treated with sensitivity and Rajpal Yadav has come up with yet another bravura performance. Released at select cities/theatres across the country, its box office performance was no better than 'Black Friday' on the opening weekend. Sadly, the subject of the film is not of the kind that would make the film go an extra distance even with word of mouth since it is more of a DVD watch than being a big screen flick.

Last week's movies

The way 'Traffic Signal' performed on the opening weekend, it was clear that it would at least manage to recover its cost. That was exactly the case as the film netted 5.5 crore as the first week came to a close. For a film made at just 4 crore, this is a positive sign in itself. Also, the film was continued at most of centers even in the second week due to lack of any big releases and hence it is already in a profit making zone.



Sans any star power, the film has collected more than 1.75 crore in Mumbai which is quite good. Delhi was fair too with 40 lakhs while Hyderabad has been decent at around 20 lakhs. Brand Madhur Bhandarkar has done it again as just on the director's name, an unusual subject like 'Traffic Signal' has managed to perform reasonably well. The film has broken even and managed to get an average box office status for itself.

From the past

'Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall - Humpty Dumpty had a great fall' - This could be the most apt way to describe the box office fate of 'one-big-fat-film' - 'Salaam E Ishq'! The way it fell in its second week defies the performance of any other film of similar stature. There have been falls and there would be falls but 'Salaam E Ishq' dropping by as much as 75% clearly indicates that the film has been rejected all over. One talks about how 'Mangal Pandey' was rejected in its second week, but 'Salaam E Ishq' has fared even worse. Sad for Nikhil Advani who made a decent flick, but then he was chosen by destiny to see the evil side of box office!

Mumbai was the biggest looser with second week reading mere 75 lakhs after a decent 3.5 crore first week. Delhi too fell from 1.5 crore to 50 lakhs while Ahmedabad read 11 lakhs when compared to its 1st week total of 70 lakhs. With a mere 4.5 crore in its kitty (a crore less than first week of 'Traffic Signal'), the film's box office reads only 21.5 crore after 2 weeks with all indications of collections folding up at 25 crores. In nutshell, the film has flopped.

'Parzania' is giving a fight at the handful of cinemas it is playing in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Pune etc. and has sort of sustained its collections over the second week. Though the figures aren't enormous by any standards, a total of 50 lakhs over 2 weeks at 30 odd cinemas shows that the film is certainly being patronized by a certain set of audience.



All performances as stated above combined with the merits of the film mean that 'Guru' continues to shine strong even in its 4th week. Bringing home another 3 crores + and still counting, the film took a minimal fall of 35% and has now crossed the 35 crore mark. The film is holding on well all over and the irony is that the man who would be giving competition to Abhishek Bachchan at the box office is none other than Amitabh Bachchan whose 'Eklavya' releases this Friday!

'Vivah' is up for big time celebration as it completes its 100 days run this weekend. The film has been consistently playing at more than 200 cinemas since the day of its arrival and took a less than 20% fall last week. With it's 13th week collection reading 55 lakhs and overall the film netting over 29 crores, 'Vivah' has been enjoying one of the most consistent runs at the box office since the time of its release. The film has been taken across every nook and corner of the country with prints being dispatched at the farthest and almost unknown destinations and hence it could well be a record of sorts to see this blockbuster film complete a 100 day run at more than 200 cinemas.

In the future

'Eklavya - The Royal Guard' is the sole release of the week and is arriving with great pre-release hopes. The film spells quality all around and it would be a big surprise if it doesn't turn out to be a very good film. Since it is just 100 minutes in duration, multiplexes are bringing the film at as many as 16-18-20 shows a day, hence opening avenues for the film. Still the film may only take good though not a mind blowing start since the promotion hasn't been of a kind that would create a euphoric feel amongst people.

The film should remain consistent though rather than suffering a typical Monday fall or second weekend fall. If the film garners positive word of mouth (which is quite a possibility), it should continue to do well due to minimal competition over the weeks.

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How Akshaye Khanna spent his Valentine Day!
IndiaGlitz [Thursday, February 15, 2007]  



Akshaye is known to be an introvert when it comes to his personal space. Even when there were speculations in the media about him dating a rich socialite from New York, Akshaye neither denied nor confirmed it.

Though Akshaye spent his Valentine Day shooting for Abbas- Mastan's 'RACE' in South Africa, sources close to him say that Akshaye will be spending a belated Valentine in Goa when the socialite will be coming down from New York for a common friend's wedding.

When quizzed about Valentine Day, Akshaye just grins, "Yeah I totally believe in the power of love

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Govinda, Ravi Kissen, Udit Narayan come together for BFA
IndiaGlitz [Friday, February 16, 2007]  



Bhojpuri industry is soaring great heights each passing days globally and making its presence felt. After the huge success of first bhojpuri film awards, the second Bhojpuri Film Awards (BFA) will mark its glittering presence on 25th March

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Arjun plays a character offered first to John
IndiaGlitz [Friday, February 16, 2007]  



The fact that Arjun Rampal has a surprise appearance in next week's big release, Honeymoon Travels, is not a surprise anymore. In fact, he plays the mystery biker who follows the six couples on their honeymoon to Goa. Why he's doing that might well be the surprise of the film, which will be out once the film hits the cinemas on 23rd February.

But not many know that John Abraham had been approached initially to play that role, given his affinity for bikes. But when John expressed his inability to play the part, producers Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar got their Jasjit of Don (Arjun) to play that special character, which has suddenly evoked a lot of curiosity!