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Bal Thackeray Says, Send Back Veena Malik To Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:37:00 +0000

Mrityunjay Singh [ Updated 20 Dec 2011, 08:15:04 ]

Mumbai, Dec 20: Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray today lashed out at Pakistani actor Veena Malik and all other artistes, saying all of them should be packed off to their country.

In an editorial in his party's organ Saamna, Bal Thackeray writes: "Veena Malik is a blot on our country's culture. Who is Veena Malik? Why is so much ruckus being raised about her?

"She goes missing for some days and it appears to be a publicity stunt. ..Sometimes she does obscene acts in Bigg Boss and sometimes she gets herself photographed in the nude for magazines.

"Veena is not such a big actress from Pakistan that we should go on praising her.

"I think she has a temporary visa and she is staying here since months. It seems she has obtained Indian citizenship. This amounts to stabbing oneself in the back.

"There is a trend in Bollywood to hire Pakistani artistes. Pakistani actors come to India and do not want to leave. People from Pakistan come to India to watch cricket matches and suddenly vanish. It's difficult to say whether they work for terror outfits or not.

"We are so careless that we are welcoming our enemies too..

"Adnan Sami also seems uninterested in going back to his home country. Pakistani comic artistes come here in the name of improving ties and go back earning money.

"On the other side, Pakistani government doesn't even give visas to our artistes. There is a virtual ban on entry of Amitabh Bachchan, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle in Pakistan.

"There is also a ban on our film songs there, but we bring in useless Pakistani artistes here and feed them. ..

"Dolly Bindra says, Veena Malik has ISI connections. If that is so, the person who gave her visa should be jailed.

"Such persons should be in the same cells with Afzal Guru and Kasab.

"We should clean up our country and send Veena to hell", signs off the Shiv Sena supremo.

Salman Khan unveils campaign with History channel

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 08:18:00 +0000

Crafted by McCann Erickson, the campaign will go on-air from next week; watch the 3 TVCs here

Neha Saraiya | New Delhi | September 30, 2011

A+E Networks | TV18, a joint venture between A+E Networks and TV 18, has launched three TVCs for their soon-to-be-launched factual entertainment channel ‘History’ in India. The brand has unveiled the new campaign online first, to be followed by TV. The ad features Bollywood actor Salman Khan challenging people’s perception of ‘achievement’ and ‘newness’.

The idea for the campaign, concept-alised by McCann Erickson, came from the insight that history, an otherwise mundane topic, needed to be put in the most interesting and engrossing manner. Thus, the campaign plays with the copy reading ‘Watch History being made’, ‘Kuch Naya Dekho’ and ‘History Bante Dekho’.

Speaking about the launch campaign strategy, Sangeetha Aiyer, general manager, marketing, AETN-18, said, “The factual entertainment segment as a whole is witnessing a growth of 30 per cent year-on-year basis. But we don’t want to cannibalise the market with any other player including Discovery and National Geographic. Thus, we have entered the market with a different approach, like we will be launching in six different languages at the same time and we have also picked Salman Khan as our ambassador as he reaches out to different target segments. We wanted to shake up the market, as history has a new contemporary side to it being made everyday by people.”

The TVC has been released in three versions — ‘Mountains’, ‘Swamp’ and ‘Samurai’ — all shot in southern France. Directed by Prashant Issar of Tubelight Films, the TVCs urge people to push the envelope, go beyond the regular, and watch something new.

Angshumani Khanna, Creative Director, McCann Erickson, said, “The idea was to communicate ‘kuch naya dekho’. Basically we believed that the channel has a fantastic content line-up.”

The agency has planned a 360-degree marketing campaign spanning outdoor in metros, activation in key shows, PR and Radio, with key emphasis on innovation on all platforms.

The channel that will go on air from October 9 will be supported by marketing initiatives worth Rs. 15-18 crore across all platforms.

Bollywood film-makers vie for larger screen pie - The Economic Times

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 16:58:00 +0000

Bollywood film-makers vie for larger screen pie - The Economic Times:

'via Blog this'

GET WELL SOON SALMAN KHAN

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 15:05:00 +0000

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan will be traveling to the United States in order to undergo treatment

The 45-year old confirmed rumors that he suffers from a medical condition

known as,Trigeminal neuralgia

Which is a facial nerve disorder that causes unbearable pain in the face and jaw.

The actor’revealed that he will be leaving to the United States either on August 27 or 28,

Salman said that the problem first stated during the shooting of Partner
back in 2007 and worsened last year when he was shooting for Veer.

“The pain is a bit too much now.So I am going now to the US to get it fixed."

There is constant pain and if you google this thing you will find out that the amount

of pain it causes resultsin maximum amount of suicides”, he said.

Bhai we all luv you our prayers and thought are with you,

kaizaad kermani

Filmfare - Priyanka Chopra : Girls just wanna have fun,. I’m a big fan of Dolly Bindra too

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 11:20:00 +0000

Filmfare - Priyanka Chopra : Girls just wanna have fun

In matters of the heart and craft Priyanka Chopra chooses the tricky trail. Filmfare chats up B-town’s girl on the go

An actor recently remarked, ‘Priyanka Chopra is the female Shah Rukh Khan!’ And knowing PC’s admiration for the King Khan she is probably jumping through hoops at this one. The girl has energy and a distinct brand of joie de vivre that’s unwavering. Come rumours of heartbreak or her father's ill-health, nothing can numb her energy. She survives heartbreak and box office thuds with equanimity. We at Filmfare were witness to her gusto as she laughed with Imran Khan to court the camera for our photoshoot. She may have given away her beauty pageant crown a decade ago, but this B-town princess is here to reign…

You’ve been experimental in your choice of roles in films that didn't do well at the box-office. How difficult was it to do that in a male-dominated industry?
It is a male-dominated industry but I’ve been fortunate to get plum roles. Fashion, for example, completely rested on my shoulders. I’ve reached a point where directors feel I’m capable of playing heavy duty roles. Whether Saat Khoon Maaf did well or not, at least Vishal Bhardwaj felt I was competent to do it. No One Killed Jessica was based on women and it did so well. Times are changing for sure.

You play an autistic in Barfee. That must be tough…
Barfee is one of my toughest roles. I play an autistic character. There’s a very thin line between being autistic and mentally challenged.

Your look in Kunal Kohli’s untitled film has created a buzz…
I’m doing a romantic comedy after a while. So being in this light space is refreshing. It’s too early to talk about the look but you know me na, I can’t do anything normal. (Laughs)

You’re working with Shahid Kapoor in Barfee again after Kaminey.
Shahid is a great co-actor and a fantastic actor. He’s also someone I know really well. Amidst jokes and laughter we don’t realise how time passes.

How easy or difficult is it being friends with your ex?
It’s a individual thing.

Reportedly, you had problems with your co-actress Illeana D’Cruz in Barfee.
I’ve never even met her.

Reportedly, Katrina Kaif was signed on for Illeana’s role but later she walked out. Were there some issues between you two?
I don’t have any trouble with Katrina. I don’t know what happened and why she walked out.

You had signed three films opposite Saif Ali Khan but none have seen the light of day…
Yes, but somehow they didn’t work out.

Does it have something to do with Kareena’s proximity with Saif…
I don’t think Kareena would be so petty or small-minded. The films didn’t work out due to professional reasons.

If you were a film journalist, which celeb would you follow and what secrets would you unravel?
The greatest challenge for me would be to get a quote from Priyanka Chopra about what’s happening in her personal life as she never talks about it.

If you were to interview Shahid, what would you ask him?
Just before a shot he becomes very quiet and goes into a zone for like four minutes. I always wonder what he’s thinking about then.

If you woke up as Salman Khan one morning…
Oh I love Salman! I love the way he lives his life on his own terms. Just being Salman Khan would be enough. The only thing I’d do is take out his Harley Davidson and go riding around Bandstand.

If you were to pick 10 men who’d compete in Priyanka Ka Swayamvar, who would they be?
It’s difficult to choose 10 men but I can give you an idea of what he should be like. He should be confident and successful. A man’s confident only when he’s successful. (Laughs) I have a really long list but there’s no harm in wishing.

Which 10 people would you like to watch in the Bigg Boss house?
I’d like to watch Ashu sir (Ashutosh Gowariker) and Sajid Khan, Rakhi Sawant and Mika Singh. Also Rekha. There’s a mystery about her. I’d like to know what she does on a regular day. I’m a big fan of Dolly Bindra too. My ears would turn red whenever she’d talk. I love Daler Mehendi. And in the midst of all this I’d love to see Shashi Tharoor, Kamal R Khan incessantly, Jitesh Pillai and Karan Johar.

If you were stuck in a lift with Kareena what would you do?
Whenever we meet we discuss vacations. I’m jealous of her holidays because I never take any.

If you could go back to an era, which would it be?
The ’60s. I’d like to be like Mumtaz. Asha Parekh mam was telling me how there would be so much politics but still they spoke so kindly of each other. They’d behave with adab (respect), tehzeeb (etiquette) and tameez (manners). But actually in their heads they’d be thinking something else. That was the era of the stars. Shammi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna… they were larger than life.

Ashwini Deshmukh

Kaizaad Kermani - Google+

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 13:27:00 +0000

Kaizaad Kermani - Google+

Starzshowz

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 18:55:00 +0000

Starz&showz was launched in 2002 by Kaizaad Kermani

in reference to: Starz&showz - Bollywood events worldwide (view on Google Sidewiki)

Dolly's hubby doesn't watch Bigg Boss Cauz hes too BUSY......

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 13:07:00 +0000

By: Shaheen ParkarDate: 2010-11-11 MIDDAY

Prefers to get updates, if needed, from Salman Khan!

Dolly Bindra may be creating a ruckus on Bigg Boss, high-pitched voice et al, but her hubby Kaizaad Kermani claims he doesn't watch the reality show!

"I have barely seen it and prefer to keep myself away from all this. But I do get updates from people and via email about the happenings.

Dolly Bindra with husband Kaizaad Kermani

Of late, I have been spending a lot of time in Malaysia," says Kaizad who runs a Bollywood event management company, Starz &Showz.

He states that he knows the show's host Salman extremely well for a decade now. And Dolly calls him Bhai like those close to him do. "If I need to know anything about the show, I just call Salman," he says.

According to him Bigg Boss is a game and like any game, which you play for money, the stakes are high and you have to go all out. "The contestants are playing for money and so is Dolly."

When his actress wife was approached for the show, he had no reservations. "It was her decision to be part of it.

And I knew what to expect. I have seen the international versions like Big Brother so I was familiar with the format.

About the doings of the housemates he says, "That is expected. They have been selected because of a certain reason their reputation. Except for the wrestler The Great Khali, all the rest have one and they have to maintain it."

Personal attacks are all part of the game. "If you keep 10-12 people in a small space with no stepping out, what can you expect?. Even in Big Brother, the happenings get really ugly."

Those who know Dolly off-screen know that she is full of life with a bindaas attitude. Her extrovert nature with a care-a-damn attitude gels well with the show's format.

Sunny Deol and Dolly Bindra thrill Patna during unique launch of Anil Kumar Singh's Aryan TV Channel

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 10:21:00 +0000

He came, he met and he conquered fans! Superstar Sunny Deol, sporting the new adorable Sardarji look of his forthcoming film "Amla Pagla Deewana”, launched technocrat Anil Kumar Singh's Aryan Channel in Patna, heart of the Hindi belt. Accompanying him in this unique rare feat attempted by any channel in the region were several other Bollywood and Bhojpuri stars including Raju Shrivastav and Bhojpuri superstar Manoj Tiwari.

The event was organized to mark the inauguration of the Aryan News Channel, a unit of the Pataliputra Group of Companies, at the Sanskrit Vidyapeeth premises in Raja Bazaar. Anil Kumar Singh's Aryan Channel of Starzshowz LLC was overwhelmed with the rocking response the launch got. Kaizaad Kermani also of Starzshowz LLC ensured a great show. Sporting blue jeans and a blue shirt along with the traditional Sikh turban, Deol, the son of yesteryear's superstar Dharmendra, mixed freely with the audience while impressing them with dialogues from his past films. Sunny Deol looked cool in a jeans and a shirt while Dolly Bindra wore a green stole with a kurta and looked cute. They both bonded really well.

Aryan is the local news channel launched in Bihar and Jharkhand. The channel aims at providing an exciting blend of news, views and entertainment. It will offer the right blend of Hindi and Bhojpuri compelling content to the locals. Amidst the 20,000 people who were frenzied in delight as they set sight on the Bollywood and Bhojpuri superstars, Sunny Deol rocked in Patna.

A delighted Sunny, said, “I am glad being in Patna and I ma delighted to see the efforts Dolly and ail have put into organizing this wonderful and enigmatic event. This has given me the opportunity to once again connect with my fans. And the response here has been tremendous. I hope the Aryan channel will show the truth.”

Anil Kumar Singh, owner of the channel, said, “Aryan Channel will do what no one has ever done before in Bihar and Jharkhand --- a big bang in everything it attempts. It was a pleasure getting Aryan channel launched in the presence of superstar Sunny Deol, who is adored by fans in this part of India! We wish him all the very best for his forthcoming film ‘Amla Pagla Deewana’ as well. We hope the channel and the movie reaches the hearts of all Indians.”
Bhojpuri superstar Manoj Tiwari, also owner of the channel, said, “Sunny Deol, the star of Gadar, is so popular that fans went berserk We are happy that Aryan TV has begun with a big bang in true Bollywood style. I’m sure the channel is going to go miles and endear itself to fans.”

VIDEO LINK -http://videos.ta2.in/2010/09/30/aaryantvsunny-deol-mp4/

Sunny Deol with Anil Kumar Singh owner of Aryan channel

Anil Kumar Singh opens the event with Sunny Deol ,Dolly Bindra,Manoj tiwari

Sunny Deol &Aryan tv Owner Anil Kumar Singh

Vinod Sinha Receives Sunny Deol at Patna Airport

Sahara India Pariwar in talks to buy Hollywood studio MGM Inc

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 16:14:00 +0000

Sun, Sep 19 05:59 PM
Yoshita Singh Boston/New Delhi, Sep 19 (PTI) Diversified business house Sahara India Pariwar is in talks to acquire Hollywood-based film production and distribution major Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Inc. Though details on the Sahara-MGM deal were not available, media reports suggest that the Lucknow-based corporate major has made a bid of about USD 2 billion to buy the debt of the Hollywood studio.

When contacted, a Sahara spokesperson told PTI that talks are on, but it is too early to comment on the issue. "On mutual interest, discussions are on, but it is too early to comment on the issue," Sahara India Pariwar Head of Corporate Communications Abhijit Sarkar said.

MGM, however, could not be reached for the comment. Sahara India Pariwar has a presence in the finance, infrastructure and housing, media and entertainment, consumer products, manufacturing, services and trading businesses.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc is an independent, privately-held motion picture, television, home video and theatrical production and distribution company. MGM is owned by an investor consortium comprised of Providence Equity Partners, TPG, Sony Corporation of America, Comcast Corporation, DLJ Merchant Banking Partners and Quadrangle Group.

MGM has about USD 4 billion in debt. The company owns the world''s largest library of modern films, comprising approximately 4,000 titles, and over 10,400 episodes of television programming, as per details available on its website.

Its film library has received 205 Academy Awards, one of the largest award winning collections in the world, and includes numerous successful film franchises, including James Bond, The Pink Panther and Rocky. The studio is facing possible bankruptcy and several companies have shown an interest in acquiring it.

Earlier, there were reports that the Anil Ambani Group is interested in acquiring the debt-ridden Hollywood studio. Spyglass Entertainment, Time Warner Inc and Lions Gate Entertainment Corp are also reported to be interested in acquiring the firm.

Shakira steps in Bollywood - bollywood news : glamsham.com

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 12:58:00 +0000

Shakira steps in Bollywood - bollywood news : glamsham.com

Bollywood Trade News Network

Renowned Columbian pop sensation Shakira is all set to venture into Bollywood!

According to reports, Shakira is to sing a Latin influenced solo dance number for a yet untitled Bollywood movie directed by Prashant Chadha (AAP KAA SURROOR) which will be shot in China-Germany-Czech Republic-Morocco and expected to be released in summer 2011. Music composer duo Salim Merchant and Suleiman Merchant will compose it and recording is expected to start in about a month. This song, whose lyrics will be in English with a smattering of Hindi, will be filmed on South African model Candice Boucher, but Shakira might possibly make a small appearance. Energy drink owner Sachin Joshi, who is producing the film, will also star in it.

Shakira will thus be following the footsteps of British dance-pop singer Samantha Fox (Kickin It Old Skool), Australian actress-singer Kylie Minogue (Neighbours), and American singer-songwriter Akon (Locked Up), who have ventured into Bollywood in the past. Oscar winner actor-musician Russell Crowe (GLADIATOR) also reportedly expressed his interest recently to sing and dance in Bollywood movies.

Grammy award winner and Golden Globe nominated singer-songwriter-musician-record producer-dancer-philanthropist Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (Love in the Time of Cholera), who was born and raised in Colombia, has sold about 50 million albums worldwide. She reportedly performed live in Mumbai and other cities of India in 2007.

Selling controversy the Bollywood way

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:15:00 +0000

SRK’s My Name is Khan saw one of the biggest controversies in Bollywood recently. We take a look at some headlines from the past.

While the Shiv Sena rage in Mumbai over My Name is Khan finally favoured the film's makers, Shah Rukh Khan rubbished that it was a calculated publicity gimmick. "I want to enjoy my film everywhere, I want to enjoy it within myself and to sickos who think this is for publicity, I have two words, 'SHUT UP',” tweeted Shah Rukh to clear his stand.

We look back at similar controversies raising questions on films that smell strongly of having resorted to marketing strategies, stage-managed to look like controversies.

The early days of online publicity

Every passing day, top stars of Bollywood are tearing their hair out to reach out to their target audience - India first and then the world.

Priyadarshan apologises to SRK over 'publicity' comment

One such strategy they discovered two years ago was blogging. Amitabh Bachchan set the ball rolling. He blogged about everything from game shows to losing his luggage at Toronto airport to his anger against the 26/11 tragedy. Aamir Khan used his blog to take pot-shots at rival Shah Rukh Khan.

But this did not have the desired effect, so everyone decided to go back to mainstream ways of promoting their films.

The Om Shanti Om technique

Ghajini and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi are two very good examples that did not try either controversy or strategised product placements. Blogging is now being replaced by tweeting on Twitter or 'facing' on Facebook, two blog-friendly sites Bollywood celebrities love. They even direct readers to the controversy about their film/role - as Shah Rukh did about the controversy over the release of My Name is Khan.

My Name Is Khan earns Rs.250 mn on opening day

Khan, however, has always been open about his brazen marketing and promotional strategies. This makes it difficult to link him to a cooked up controversy staged with the connivance of one of the most notorious political parties in Maharashtra.

For Om Shanti Om, his marketing strategy was a precisely planned exercise that offered a model lesson in mainstream marketing. Non-stop television promotions, tie-ups with news channels and popular online websites, birthdays celebrated with the media, his six-pack tagline created for the film, cricket matches and the Om Shanti Om clothesline.

The result - in spite of the storyline borrowed from earlier films of Bollywood and Hollywood, in spite of a weak script, crowded by paper-thin characters and average acting, the film went on to become a box-office hit.

The big Bhagnani fight

Pre-release controversies are not new. No one really knows whether these are stage-managed or coincidences or genuine controversies. The media in print, on television news channels and on the Internet, ever hungry to pounce on such controversies, go ga-ga over these while the actor/producer/distributor/exhibitor laugh all the way to the box office.

No MNIK row if Bollywood had unity: Anurag Kashyap

"Controversies create awareness, but there is no guarantee," says Mahesh Bhatt, who plugged a couple of his films to his link-up with Parveen Babi.

On the eve of the release of Vashu Bhagnani's Kal Kissne Dekha, director Vivek Sharma went public with his problems with Bhagnani during the making of the film.

One story, denied vehemently by both Bhagnani and Sharma, is that Bhagnani had slapped Sharma. The more believable one concerned payment.

My Name Is Khan running big in Karachi

Sharma insisted that Bhagnani had paid him just 30 per cent of the money agreed upon for his earlier film Bhootnath. Bhagnani claimed he was innocent. Sharma then said that though he directed KKD, he was not allowed to see the entire film because Bhagnani had re-edited it to focus on his son Jackky who was making his debut.

Sharma was about to take Bhagnani to court when the Bhatt brothers intervened, and requested him to opt for an out-of-court settlement. We do not know if this controversy was genuine or not. All we know is that it did nothing to boost box office stakes of KKD.

Lesbians and Monisha Koirala

Karan Razdan's low brow Girlfriend, released a few years ago, gained at the box-office after a tame start. Touted as a film on a lesbian relationship between two young girls, it attracted protests from political parties and generated a lot of debate in the media. The film made on a budget of Rs.20 million (approximately), finished its first week with an improved collection of 50 per cent, which would never have happened minus the protests and the media hype created not by publicity posters and advertising inserts, but by news stories.

"The post-release controversy and the hype generated seem to have helped the first week's performance of Girlfriend remarkably,” said film writer and industry analyst Taran Adarsh.

SRK apologises for 'giving stress' to fans over My Name Is Khan row

Actress Monisha Koirala took filmmaker Shashilal Nair to court. She claimed that he had used a body double in a negative way in Ek Chhotisi Love Story, plagiarised from Krzysztof Kieslowski's A Short Film About Love. A political party blocked the screening of the film in metro theatres. Trade journals insist that this controversy turned out to be a windfall for the producer who reaped unexpected revenues from its run.

But Nair says the court case lightened his pocket by Rs 5 million and the controversy actually backfired.

Keep 'em coming

A staged controversy can act like a blessing in the hands of a strategic manipulator. If used by the wrong group in the wrong place at the wrong time, it can equally become the most lethal weapon that can kill a film. Non-cooperation from stars, sudden changes in scripts, casting, technical team troubles, rumoured romances and splits, publicity posters and 'anything and everything' are being used as an important ingredient for creating and then solving controversies to ensure the commercial success of a film.

Why we need controversy

Every producer, actor, financier, distributor, exhibitor and director involved in each of the 1,000 films released every year fight the same war at the box office, which is a rather fickle master. In an ambiance dominated by elite multiplex theatres with up-market, sophisticated infrastructure, to resort to any strategy, ethical or unethical, direct or subversive is mandatory to ensure that the audience feel that this is a not-to-be-missed film. This is the only way to win in the cut-throat competition where a film like 3 Idiots rules the roost with its very unconventional marketing strategy.

This makes it problematic for successors to race it to the winning post. The media, in such cases, is mere putty in the hands of these manipulators-that-be.

A Bengali television channel moderator turned filmmaker, Aniket Chatterjee, said the controversy over My Name is Khan will make it to front page headlines in the national press on Saturday morning, the day after its release on February 12.

At the end of the day

He could not have been more correct. He added that 70+ men and women who followed the controversy on television or in the papers, who hated Hindi films, and never went to the theatres would surely want to watch this film just to find out what the controversy was all about. Shah Rukh Khan may still say 'SHUT UP' since the MNIK controversy stemmed from his harmless comment on Pakistani players, but the film industry has always been controversy's favourite child.

Toast of Bollywood

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:07:00 +0000

Could Hollywood North also be Bollywood West?

Toronto will be the first North American city to host the "Bollywood Oscars."

With that may come opportunities for Toronto to see the production of more Indian films here, said the vice-chairman of the Canada-India Business Council.

Peter Sutherland, a former ambassador who advises Indian and Canadian businesses about expanding their operations in the two countries, said the awards show will mean more than just the glitz and glamour of the event.

"I think there may be some business opportunities involved in film production itself," Sutherland said. "As you know, in Toronto in particular, in Canada in general, there's a burgeoning film industry. A lot of American films come here to produce.

"That could conceivably happen with Bollywood as well," Sutherland said.

Premier Dalton McGuinty was in Mumbai yesterday for the announcement that Toronto would host the International Indian Film Academy Awards from June 16-19, 2011.

"It brings with it a viewing audience in excess of 350 million, to say nothing of 60,000 tourists who are drawn to this, and the 500 or so stars and producers and the like," McGuinty said.

IIAF director Viraf Sarkari said Toronto made sense to host the Indian film event because of previous experiences here with Bollywood stars.

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan was in Toronto in July 2008 as part of The Unforgettable Tour, a huge stage show featuring music from Indian movies that was seen by over a million people around the world in six weeks.

In an effort to promote Indian films around the world, the awards show is held in a different city outside of India each year. The inaugural 2000 show was in London and other host cities included Bangkok, Amsterdam, Dubai and Singapore.

"I think it's a great thing for Toronto," Sutherland said.

Anger in India at Bollywood star’s detention in U.S.

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:11:00 +0000

MUMBAI, India — Saturday, August 15. Independence Day in India. News trickled in that one of India’s most recognizable faces and names had been detained at an international airport in the United States. Questions about individual freedom, independence, liberty, and laws of the land are still being furiously debated in India.
Shah Rukh Khan said he was detained by authorities at the Newark, New Jersey, airport.
Shah Rukh Khan said he was detained by authorities at the Newark, New Jersey, airport.

Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan says he was detained by immigration officials in the U.S. for up to two hours and questioned. He says he believes it’s because of his Muslim last name, Khan.

“They kept telling me it’s because my name is common and I was too polite to say, common to what?” says Khan.

U.S. officials deny the superstar was held up because of his name and say the whole process took just 66 minutes – and that too, because the airline had misplaced his bags.

Whatever the reason, the incident has kicked up a furore in India. There’s an outpouring of outrage and anger at the way an Indian VIP was treated. Ambika Soni, India’s Information and Broadcasting Minister, said of the U.S.: “The way they frisk us, I say we frisk them the same way.”

Is she overreacting?

Among all the support fans are offering Khan, there are those who have little sympathy. Fellow Bollywood actor Salman Khan asks: “What’s the big deal? We all have to go through security.”

Do you agree with him? Has this whole incident been blown out of proportion? One observer said: “No-one is above the law of the land, and the U.S. officials were just doing their job.”

We’d love to know what you think. Should Shah Rukh Khan have not made such a fuss about being detained at Newark airport – or do you understand why he felt slighted?

Posted by: CNN Correspondent, Mallika Kapur
Filed under: India

Beware gossip-mongers, celebrities will take you to courtS

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 07:48:00 +0000

By BW Team
Posted on 04 Aug 2009 at 11:40am
aishwarya rai gossip 225x300 Beware gossip mongers, celebrities will take you to courtNew Delhi, There are stories and rumours galore about film stars, but celebrities are no longer willing to tolerate gossip that will affect their relationships. Many like Aishwarya Rai, Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar have threatened legal action to stop gossip-mongers from spreading false news about their personal lives.

Recently an article titled, “Career more important than family”, published by a website infuriated Aishwarya so much that she issued a statement saying she would take legal action against those who are spreading rumours about her.

According to Archana Sadanand of Imagesmiths, who handles the publicity for Aishwarya, a celebrity’s life is in the public domain but circulating untrue statements about them affects their personal lives.

“Yes, a celebrity’s life is there in the public domain but writing things that are untrue and attributing false statements to them affect their personal lives and in such cases the best way out is legal recourse,” Archana told IANS.

“A rumour is a rumour until it takes the shape of newsprint or media space… when we authenticate any such information by broadcasting, we in a way are adding to our readership or viewership.

“But we seem to forget that a life, a person is attached to such rumours and in most cases these rumours have a snowball effect,” said Archana, whose client list also includes big names like Akshay Kumar and Imran Khan.

In the past actors like Saif Ali Khan and Akshay too have threatened legal action against gossip-mongers.

Saif was at the receiving end when The New York Post reported that he had thrown attitude in a local bar and was thrown out. He then threatened to take the newspaper to court.

“I’m considering taking legal action against the paper. The article is slanderous and completely baseless,” Saif, who was shooting for Siddharth Anand’s “Tara Rum Pum” then, had said.

Akshay too decided to act against those spreading rumours of a discord in his married life with Twinkle Khanna.

Akshay and Twinkle’s spokesperson released a statement that said: “They will not stand for false and malicious reporting by any publication any more. They have sent a legal notice to the publication concerned for the false report that they published on July 24, 2007, and they will take them to court.”

Akshay also threatened to sue a British tabloid for giving false “details” of his and ex-girlfriend Shilpa Shetty’s personal lives. It was published soon after Shilpa won British reality TV show “Celebrity Big Brother” in 2007.

“I will never talk about a lady in those terms, this is totally baseless, I’ve never spoken to the said newspaper and I will seek legal recourse,” Akshay was quoted as saying that time.

Said Rajnigandha Shekhawat, another publicist: “Rumours can take a completely nasty turn sometimes with absolutely no bearing on the truth… I think it’s fair if the actors threaten to sue.”

“However, rumour-mongering is a big part of a celebrity’s life and most of them are now aware that there is no escaping it,” said Rajnigandha, whose clients include Shahid Kapoor, Sonal Chauhan, Vir Das and Purab Kohli.

Even southern actors have come down heavily on people circulating false news.

Recently, when Tamil actress Trisha was accused of entering into an unsavoury argument with former India cricketer Hemang Badani at a hotel, she issued a stern denial and said that certain “vested interests” have been spreading rumours about her.

“I won’t keep mum from now onwards. Whosoever writes or says anything bad about me, I won’t mind taking them to court,” she had said.

Many feel that stars seek legal help not just to safeguard their personal lives but also to protect their image.

“Actors survive on image, it’s their bread and butter. So how can they take somebody trying to tarnish it so lightly? And in the clutter today, image has become more important…It’s part of the marketing strategy of celebrities,” said Neelam Gupta, who handles the publicity of singer Sukhwinder among others.

But rumours about stars have always done the rounds. So are celebrities becoming more impatient now?

“I don’t agree. I’ve heard of stars in the 1980s going and beating up editors of film magazines! That’s something I haven’t heard of in recent years,” said Rajnigandha.

Remembering Michael Jackson on Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:16:00 +0000

Remembering Michael Jackson on Twitter

Forever live the King Michael Jackson

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:58:00 +0000

The tragedy of Michael Jackson's death at age 50, reportedly from cardiac arrest, pales in comparison to the tragedy of his life. To understand all that Jackson had and lost requires wiping away three decades of plastic surgeries that deformed him, erratic behavior that made his name synonymous with the warping powers of fame, and a 2005 trial for sexually abusing a child that, even though he was spared of any finding of wrongdoing, made him a pariah to all but the most brainwashed of fans.
But if you can forgive or forget all that, underneath was one of the most talented entertainers of the 20th century. Quincy Jones who produced Jackson's quintessential solo albums was devastated by the news of his passing. "I’ve lost my little brother today," Jones said in a statement, "part of my soul has gone with him." Said Jones: "Divinity brought our souls together... and allowed us to do what we were able to throughout the 80’s. To this day, the music we created together on Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad is played in every corner of the world and the reason for that is because he had it all...." long live the king

Maldives Starzshowz

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 10:48:00 +0000

Katrina does it again

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:48:00 +0000

Whether it may be it her tempestuous romance with Bollywood’s bad boy Salman or her Box Office hits, Katrina Kaif is one such B-town dame who is riding high on the wave of limelight.
Be it her sex quotient or oomph factor, Katrina has pipped reigning queens of Bollywood – Kareena, Priyanka, Deepika and Bipasha time and again.

According to the latest Bollywood news, Katrina Kaif has once again been voted as India’s Sexiest Woman by an international men’s magazine. Last year too, the dainty beauty pipped Kareena, Bipasha and Priyanka. This time, with all these actresses strutting in swimsuits in their flicks, Katrina still topped the popularity charts.

When enquired the graceful actress about her India’s sexy woman tag, Katrina said, “It feels good to be voted by fans and that too in such huge numbers, but I don’t think if you wear a bikini or show skin, you look sexy. I would rather say I’m pretty.”

The actress maintained that the magazine links the gap between East and the West as urban men like her because of her cosmopolitan looks. Of late, Katrina recently topped the Most Seached Actress on the internet.

When asked who is the hottest hunk in Bollywood from among those the svelte actress is working with —Neil Nitin Mukesh, John Abraham, Ranbir Kapoor? “Only if I’m in love with a man, I find him hot. But I think Neil is the cutest,” quipped the actress!

Bollywood losses pegged at Rs 350 crore (75 MILLION $)

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:59:00 +0000

As we go to press, news comes in from an official source in the United Producers and Distributors Forum that Amit Khanna, who has been mediating
Shah Rukh Khan, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Mahesh Bhat in a discussion with the multiplex owners
between the producers and the multiplex lobby will host the final round of talks between the warring parties.

Mahesh Bhatt says, “The champagne will only be uncorked once the paperwork is done.’’ Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan were involved in the final stage of talks, along with Yash Chopra, Ronnie Screwvala, Mukesh Bhatt and Vidhu Vinod Chopra.

Trade analyst Amod Mehra says, “The first quarter of 2009 was disastrous for the film industry. Both film corporations and mutliplexes lost money on movies like Chandni Chowk To China, Victory, Billu and Tasveer 8X10.’’ Dev D is the only one that sailed through with a decent profit margin.

Describing the second quarter of the year 2009 (April to June) as an even bleaker period for the entertainment companies, a trade source says, “This is the darkest period in Bollywood history, thanks to the multiplex-producer stand-off.’’ With revenues hitting an all-time low, it’s almost like writing off the quarter. For producers whose films are on hold, it’s money deferred, but it is a disastrous quarter for multiplex players as well.

“The stand-off will show in every company’s quarterly result. But at the same time, we need to take into account that this is a major crisis. Everyone kept ignoring it, but at some point it needed to be addressed,’’ says Priti Shahni, from one of the leading film corporations.

Though markets have jumped considerably, the share prices of multiplex companies have underperformed mainly due to the stand-off.
Even assuming the strike is called off on May 29, the collective losses between multiplexes, producers and allied businesses is being pegged at Rs 350 crore by industry estimates, with each day of strike costing around Rs 5-7 crore.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bollywood/Bollywood-losses-pegged-at-Rs-350-crore/articleshow/4593123.cms

Shilpa Shetty 'shines' on Vogue cover this month

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Fri, 29 May 2009 12:38:00 +0000

Mumbai:

If you were to guess the name of the cover girl of the latest edition of Vogue, the above line would definitely make sense. Not just for the reason that it's from her debut film but also because it suits her more than to anyone else this season. With her IPL team Rajasthan Royals' not making it to the finals, Shilpa Shetty did face a defeat recently. But, not the one to sob, Shilpa is raring to go and how! She can be seen sizzling while looking her curvaceous best on the cover of the recent edition of Vogue.

If the title 'The Business of being Shilpa Shetty' is anything to go by, then, it's totally needless to say that the story angle is surely tilting to more of Shilpa - the businesswoman as compared to Shilpa - the actress. Validating this is none other than her 'Prince Charming' Raj Kundra, who says "I saw the international appeal Shilpa had and suggested she make a brand of herself. She's taken to business like a fish to water. I call her India's Martha Stewart".

While talking about the change in her life, Shilpa says, "I like the idea of reinventing myself, of moulding and enhancing one's personality...I am not someone you would call a conventional beauty". To read more about Shilpa - the businesswoman, pick up the latest copy of Vogue.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Shilpa-Shetty--shines--on-Vogue-cover-this-month/467421/

Unite For Hunger And Hope

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 05:17:00 +0000

A great human being Remembering the actor-filmmaker who personified style Obituary: Feroz Khan

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 07:44:00 +0000

Known for his flamboyant persona, Feroz Khan was an actor, director and producer who had a long innings in the Hindi film industry. The actor known for his stylish films "Dharmatma" and "Qurbani" continued to charm audiences with his inimitable style till as late as 2007.

"He always had a star feel in him. He was stylish and elegant even in his old age. He remained a style icon. I met him three or four times after my father's death. Even in his old age he remained stylish and suave and proved that even baldness can be beautiful," Dinesh Gundu Rao, a Karnataka legislator, told IANS.

Members of the Hindi film industry also mourned his death.

"Feroz Khan was, is and will always be there for me. I have no qualms in saying that my life is inspired by him. He is basically a reason why I became a filmmaker. He is a hero figure to me. His death is a very sad moment for all of us," said Bollywood filmmaker Sanjay Gupta.

Other friends of the actor here remember him as a fun loving person who loved Bangalore, the city of his birth.

"He loved Bangalore where he was born. He stayed in Bangalore most of the time in his farmhouse. More than Mumbai, it was in Bangalore that he had spent a larger part of his life. He was part of the racing world of Bangalore. He had shot many films in his farm house in Bangalore," Shivu, a close friend of the actor, fondly recalled.

Feroz Khan was born in Bangalore -- his father Sadiq Ali Khan Tanoli was a Pathan from Ghazni province of Afghanistan and his mother Fatima was an Iranian. He has three brothers Sanjay Khan, Sameer Khan and Akbar Khan.

The actor did his schooling in Bangalore after which he went to Mumbai to pursue a career in Bollywood. He made his debut in "Didi" in 1960. Getting good roles was not easy for the actor and he ended up working in a lesser known English film "Tarzan Goes To India".

But he went on to act in popular films like "Arzoo", "Aurat" and "Safar" as well as playing important roles in his own directorial ventures "Qurbani" and "Dharmatma". He won a Filmfare award for best supporting role in "Aadmi Aur Insaan" in 1970 and was honoured with the lifetime achievement award in 2000.

In 1972, Feroz Khan debuted as director and producer with "Apradh", made under the banner of F.K. Films Pvt Ltd. But it was his second film "Dharmatma", based on the then successful Hollywood thriller "Godfather”, which catapulted him into the big league of Hindi film industry. "Dharmatma", the first Indian film to be shot in Afghanistan, became a blockbuster.

After the success of the film, Feroz Khan became a name to reckon with as an actor, director and producer. His another big hit was "Qurbani" in which he teamed up with Vinod Khanna and Zeenat Aman.

In the Eighties and Nineties, he made films like "Dayavan" and "Yalgaar".

While struggling to find a firm foothold in Bollywood, Feroz Khan married Sundari in 1965. They had a son Fardeen Khan, who is an actor, and a daughter Laila, a painter married to tennis player Rohit Rajpal. Fardeen tied the knot with Natasha Madhwani, daughter of yesteryears actress Mumtaz who had played the leading role in many of Feroz Khan's films.

His brother Sanjay is also an actor and both of them worked together in the hit film "Mela". His brother Akbar too is in films and recently produced and directed "Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story", while Sameer stays in Bangalore.

He also launched his son Fardeen with "Prem Aggan" in 1998 and directed him again in the 2003 film "Janasheen", but both failed at the box office.

Feroz Khan was last seen in the 2007 comedy "Welcome" with Akshay Kumar and Anil Kapoor.

He passed away late on Sunday (April 26) at his farmhouse in Bangalore after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was 69.

Indo-Asian News Service

Copycats get warning from Hollywood

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:00:00 +0000

MUMBAI: From lifting tunes to transporting entire scenes and sometimes even "adapting" a storyline to suit the desi audience, in Bollywood, sab
chalta hai. Until April 4, when Hollywood entertainment giant Warner Brothers issued a public notice across newspapers warning members of the Indian film fraternity that Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (Warner) is the joint author and co-owner of the 13-Academy Award-nominated film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

The notice, issued by the studio's attorneys Lall & Seth Advocates, clearly stated that there were recent press reports indicating that certain parties were in the process of producing a film in Hindi based on the Brad Pitt-Cate Blanchett movie. The notice warned anyone infringing copyright with legal action.

Industry sources say Warner probably pre-empted the notice because a reputed producer who has tied up with another foreign giant is making a Hindi film with an "A-list action star and a light-eyed heroine"-with a storyline resembling that of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

"To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time that a Hollywood studio has issued a public notice warning Bollywood producers not to infringe on copyright,'' says Vikramjit Roy, media advisor to a leading Boollywood company.

Earlier, Hollywood actor Will Smith's company Overbrook Entertainment had issued a notice to actor Sohail Khan's production house for making Partner, a film that borrowed its plot from Smith's Hitch. Says an industry source, "Salman's brother Sohail got away with the Partner issue lightly because it was sorted out by a foreign studio who played mediator.''

With infringement of IPR (intellectual property rights) becoming such a focused issue, Hollywood giants have started to watch the Indian film space with a hawk's eye.

Says UTV Motion Pictures CEO Siddharth Roy Kapur, "Many Hollywood studios themselves have plans for the Indian market. They're probably planning to remake some of their own films in India. So, they feel it is best to warn those who may cross the line.''

meena.iyer@timesgroup.com

Invest Maldives

noreply@blogger.com (Kaizaad Kermani) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:29:00 +0000

Why invest in the Maldives

http://maldivesinvest.blogspot.com/

The Maldives is one of the most attractive investment places among the south-east Asian countries. The Maldives takes an outstanding place, due to its exotic nature and its natural beauty. The country is still considered to be developing and offers very attractive opportunities for the keen investor.

The number of foreigners investing in the Maldives has been rapidly increasing over the past few years. Services provided through such investments include resort management, sea and air transportation, accounting and management and manufacturing.

Potential investment opportunities for the keen investor to tap in are:

* Tourism industry: e.g. development of exotic holiday resort islands
* Property development in the capital Male' and nearby islands
* Air and sea transportation
* Marine based industries such as fish processing, aquaculture and marine culture
* Infrastructure development
* Buy out shares in existing businesses
* Participate as an investor in a new company

With a thorough local knowledge, our experts will advice you how to avoid potential risks to maximise the gain through your foreign capital.