Cine Duniya

Fashion Report Card: Neha Dhupia

2011-12-29T13:19:00.000+05:30

When she is not promoting her one-off films, former beauty queen and actor Neha Dhupia is busy making appearances at red carpet events, advocating social causes and generally making her presence felt in B-town. Here's a look at Neha's style file.

Neha teams a snakeskin print pant, with a beautiful white shirt that falls perfectly. With minimum accessories and make-up, this clean, bordering on classic ensemble is a sure winner. We love the pencil high heels! Absolutely gorgeous, Neha.

Distressed denims teamed with no-frills black tank and canvas shoes makes for a sweet casual ensemble. Perfect for a chilled out morning date, or a Sunday breakfast do.

The floor-length canary yellow gown looks gorgeous against the red carpet. With glowy make up and minimum accessories, Neha is a vision in this outfit. However, a pulled back hair bun, with a shorter earpiece would have gone better with the gown. A contrasting clutch could have added to the stun factor.

Teaming blue and brown together is not good fashion sense. And Neha's done just that, with the snakeskin leather brown heels and navy blue pants. Neither the tassel-like waist belt, nor the bouffant hair does anything to spruce this un-inspired ensemble. Must have been a bad fashion day, we guess.

The lengthy kurta gives an impression of a dress here. A contrast colored churidar, peeping out of the layers, would have broken the print monotone well, is what we think.

Gold embellished skirt, with white flowy top and lovely nude shoes. Very chic!

We are not sure what happened here, but the classic black and white combination fails to evoke any fashion awe. Maybe it's the complete starkness of the ensemble sans any accessories.

This is a bold fashion move, but sadly it looks like an experiment gone wrong. However, it could make for a cute and cheery night suit, we think.

Neha rocks this classic black and white dress. Absolutely stylish, we say.

Too black, too plain. A splash of colour either at the waist, or as accessories, would have done better here.

Neha makes a pretty picture in this white flare dress and nude strappy shoes.

We love the crazy prints on this dress and the black belt that accentuates the waist. But what's with the sleeves? You either have it or don't, because here it almost looks like one side fell off!

Crinkled fabrics are good, when the effect is meant to be so. But for a classic LBD, this one looks like the wrinkles were overlooked, before slipping into it. Also the dull, grey clutch is quite an eyesore.

We love the balloon pants, but dislike the bareness of the ensemble. Dress it up with some accessories, girl!

Orient -inspired wrap dress. Tick. Peaches and cream make up. Tick. Blow dry curls. Tick. Black heels. Passable. A fashion winner? Positively.

Red flowy gown, with black designs, not happening. Gaudy embellishment on the shoulder, another bad one. But those terribly-well toned arms make up for the awful stuff.

Great peep toe heels. Very mediocre LBD. Could have chosen better, Neha.

We love the chic black blazer and hat which add panache to this otherwise simple denim-tee combo.

Verdict: Neha gets her style statement right with her clean, bordering-towards classic ensembles and minimum accessories. Her great fashion sense has definitely secured her a spot in the famed hallways of fashion forward women in Bollywood.

Courtesy : msn

They’ve got the blues

2011-12-27T13:07:00.002+05:30

Blue was definitely a favourite colour in 2011. Here's a look at the various hues of the shade that celebs sported with aplomb, at different events this year.

Amrita Arora

Anushka Manchanda

Malaika Arora Khan

Raima Sen

Mandira Bedi

Veena Malik

Deepika Padukone

Sunny Leone

Narayani Shastri

Mini Mathur

Sonali Bendre

Sameera Reddy

Priyanka Chopra

Shahana Goswami

Kalki Koechlin

Isha Koppikar

Celina Jaitley

Rakhi Sawant

Courtesy : msn

'Today, Salman is invincible'

2011-12-27T12:29:00.002+05:30

Salman Khan, Bollywood's enfant terrible-turned-Robin Hood (Pandey) steps into his 46th year. And this is perhaps his most significant birthday.

This has been Salman's year at the movies. Ready and Bodyguard, his two releases this year, are among the top five grossers of all time. Originally considered the weakest of the three Khans (Aamir, Shah Rukh and Salman), he was the actor - whose personal life (the black-buck case, his relationship with Aishwarya Rai and the accident on Hill Road) - got more media mileage than his career.

Sometimes, one wonders whether it was a red herring "planted" by his detractors to camouflage the fact that Salman has been actually ruling the roost from the start of his career. Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), his second film outing, and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun..! (1994) overshadowed the records of many of his rivals and can rightfully occupy a place on the list of evergreen hits like Sholay, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and 3 Idiots.

However, the mistake Salman made was with his 'I-care-a-damn' attitude towards the media, and his scant respect for the big daddies of cinema, be it Aditya Chopra or Karan Johar. In fact, the fourth estate took it upon themselves to cheer on his peers more than necessary just to belittle him. But did any of this really stop the onslaught of Salman? Not really. After Wanted in 2009, the actor just went from strength to strength. What's more, he turned his charm on the media, and had them eating out of his hands.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh says, "Today, Salman is invincible. The public always loved him, now even the media loves him." Once considered the joker in the pack, Salman became the King of Aces when Dabangg (2010) found itself a place in the highest grossers of that year. He followed this with two blockbusters - Ready and Bodyguard - this year. Bodyguard's first day's collection of `22 crore is unheard of in the history of Hindi cinema.

Producer-distributor NR Pachisia says, "If you take the sum total of Salman's box office collections over the last three years, you are bound to come to a mind-boggling figure. Yes, he is the most bankable star today."

Aamir Khan, Salman's best friend, has said, "Salman deserves all the success because he is a simple guy at heart. It is his simplicity that makes him such a favourite with the masses." Of course, 2011 also brought Salman his share of misery. His tryst with trigeminal neuralgia showed the vulnerable side of the star. A trip to the US has sorted out his health issues as of now. As he blows out the candles on his birthday cake today and pops the champagne, one sincerely wishes Salman good health and more cheer.

Courtesy : TOI

No time to enjoy the success, says busy Priyanka

2011-12-27T12:21:00.000+05:30

"Don 2: The King Is Back" opened to a positive response but Priyanka Chopra, who plays 'jungli billi' in it, rues that actors' busy schedules do not allow them to enjoy the success of their films.

"As actors, we really don't get time to sit and enjoy the appreciation we get. You have to move on. Now my next film 'Agneepath' is releasing. I am shooting for 'Barfee' and Kunal Kohli's next. So, it's a never ending cycle.

I am happy that I have a never ending cycle," the 29-year-old actress said here at the Mega Platinum Ceremony of the Bramhakumaris.

In "Don 2" Priyanka has teamed up with Shah Rukh Khan again and plays a police officer who is trying the nab the don.

The former beauty queen, who picked up the Filmfare Award for the best newcomer for "Andaz" in 2003, says she prepares well for each of her characters.

"I am the kind of actor who prepares a lot for roles. It's very important for me to make sure that my characters are really real so, I do a lot of preparation," said the actress who has done varied roles in eight years.

In the early stage of her career, Priyanka did a negative role in 2004 release "Aitraaz" and bagged another Filmfare Award for the best performance in a negative role.

However, the biggest hig came with "Fashion" in 2008 when she walked away with the National Award for the best actress for portraying the high and lows in a model's life.

Besides "Agneepath" and "Barfee", Priyanka is working in Kunal Kohli's "Teri Meri Kahaani" and "Krrish 2".

Courtesy : mid day

It's raining remakes in Bollywood in 2012

2011-12-27T12:15:00.000+05:30

From 'Players', 'Agneepath', 'Rowdy Rathore', 'Son of Sardar' to 'Chashme Buddoor', 2012 will see a string of remakes in 2012.

Bollywood has been remaking films since times immemorial but off-late filmmakers are opting for official remakes over blatant plagiarism. Ghajini, Wanted, Ready, Bodyguard just ascertain the fact. The year 2012 kick-starts with an official remake - Players and there are many more of them in store. We list down the most prominent remakes in 2012 analyzing 'what's new', 'what's retained' and the 'remake history' or each.

Players
Remake of: The Italian Job (1969)
After making a career out of unofficially remaking foreign films, director-duo Abbas Mustan are making their first official remake by adapting The Italian Job in Indian milieu.
What's new: The setting is new - New Zealand. There will be the customary Bollywood song-n-dance between the big heist. The actors are trying hard to be cool.
What's retained: With the official rights being purchased, of course the entire heist sequence should be the same.
Remake history: The 1969 Michael Caine-Noel Coward flick was remade in 2003 with Mark Wahlberg and Edward Norton.

Agneepath
Remake of: Agneepath (1990)
Karan Johar chose Hrithik Roshan over Abhishek Bachchan while remaking his home banner's Agneepath starring Amitabh Bachchan, which is considered cult cinema despite being a box-office dud.
What's new: Mithun Chakravarthy's award-winning supporting character is chopped off in the remake. Instead a new character of Rishi Kapoor is introduced who plays the most mean and menacing role of his life. Sanjay Dutt's Kancha Cheena goes bald. And there's Katrina Kaif who scorches the screen with Chikni Chameli (again remake of a Marathi song).
What's retained: This official remake claims to derive very little from the original other than basic elements (ironically unofficial remakes are copying more from the original ones).
Remake history: Mukul Anand's 1990 film was heavily inspired by Al Pacino's 'Scarface (1983) and seemingly Hrithik Roshan's version seems more close to the original with claims that Duggu dear pays homage to Pacino. Interestingly even Hollywood plans to remake Scarface sometime soon.

Rowdy Rathore
Remake of: Vikramarkudu (2006)
The artistically-inclined Sanjay Leela Bhansali takes a complete U-turn with his next co-production (with UTV) by coming up with an out-an-out commercial action masala flick on the lines of Dabangg or Wanted.
What's new: Akshay Kumar will try to give it a desi-feel with the chaste-Hindi tagline already reading 'faulad ki aulad' (son of iron).
What's retained: With Prabhu Dheva as the director, the action and entertainment should be full-on South style.
Remake history: Ravi Teja's Telugu hit 'Vikramarkudu' was also remade in Tamil as 'Siruthai' (2011) featuring Karthi and Tamanna.

Son of Sardar
Remake of: Maryada Ramanna (2010)
After the blockbuster success of Singham, Ajay Devgn gears up for another South remake also starring Sonakshi Sinha, Sanjay Dutt and Juhi Chawla.
What's new: The setting is shifted to Punjab with Ajay Devgn playing a Sardar (as the title suggests). One can expect loads of culture-tradition endorsements and sarso ka khet to draw in the North Indian crowd.
What's retained: The basic plot and the action-comedy genre.
Remake history: Maryada Ramanna was supposedly remade from a 1923 silent English film 'Our Hospitality'.

Chashme Buddoor
Remake of: Chashme Buddoor (1981)
Studio 18 had the remake rights for some years and the project kept changing directors until David Dhawan finally chose to remake it. Pakistani actor-singer Ali Zafar (who has an amazing flair for comedy) will reprise Farooq Shaikh's role from the original while South actress Tapsee will play Deepti Naval's role. Siddharth (of Rang De Basanti fame) and Divyendu Sharma (Liquid from Pyaar Ka Punchnama) will play Ravi Baswani and Rakesh Bedi's part respectively. There's also Rishi Kapoor, Juhi Chawla and Anupam Kher
What's new: David Dhawan wants a new title but we hope he retains the original essence of the slice-of-life film that appealed for its minimalism.
What's retained: The basic plot and characters remain the same.
Remake history: Not many would know that Chashme Buddoor was remade in Malayalam as 'Paavam Paavam Rajakumaran' (1990) and in Tamil (by Priyadarshan) as 'Gopura Vasalile' (1991).

Kick
Remake of: Kick (2009)
Sajid Nadiadwala who bought the rights of the Telugu film has been patiently waiting for Salman Khan to give dates for the Hindi remake and seems like the project should finally 'kick'-start mid-2012. Sonakshi Sinha plays the female lead.
What's new: The makers plan to take the action to new level by changing the action-director from Vijayan Master to French maestro Philippe Guegan. Also there are plans to bring the project in 3D.
What's retained: While Shirish Kunder was to direct the remake earlier, now it will be made by the original director Surender Reddy.
Remake history: Ravi Teja's Telugu hit 'Kick' has already been remade in Tamil as 'Thillalangadi' (2010) starring Jayam Ravi and Tamannaah.

Ek Deewana Tha
Remake of: Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010)
Gautham Menon who once made Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein returns to directing a Hindi film after almost a decade. Prateik Babbar and Amy Jackson reprise the roles played by Simbhu and Trisha in the Tamil version.
What's new: The fresh casting.
What's retained: Everything from the director, composer (AR Rahman), technicians to even the dubbing artist for the female lead (Chinmayi) is the same in the Hindi version.
Remake history: Gautham Menon simultaneously shot a Telugu version of the film titled 'Ye Maaya Chesave' (2010) starring Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu while making the Tamil film.

Bol Bachchan
Remake of: Gol Maal (1979)
After establishing his brand as the director of the Golmaal series, Rohit Shetty is now allegedly remaking Hrishikesh Mukherji's classic comedy film Gol Maal, an all-time entertainer. Ajay Devgn and Abhishek Bachchan are supposedly reprising roles of Utpal Dutt and Amol Palekar from the cult film.
What's new: While the makers have bought the official rights of Gol Maal, they still claim that the film is merely inspired and not a remake. The screenplay has been completely redone and the rights have been bought just so that there isn't any copyright issue at the last moment.
What's retained: Perhaps the essence of Gol Maal then. Because recreating a masterpiece like it would be foolishness.
Remake history: Golmaal was remade by K Balachander in Tamil as 'Thullu Mullu' (1981) with Rajnikanth playing Amol Palekar's role.

Khel Khel Mein
Remake of: Khel Khel Mein (1975)
Sanjay Kapoor has bought the rights of the Rishi Kapoor-Neetu Singh-Rakesh Roshan classic thriller and intends to remake it. Shibani Bhatija is reworking on the screenplay. The cast is yet to be finalized.
Remake history: The same plot was remade by Abbas-Mustan as 'Khiladi' (1992) and the title-tag is still attached to Akshay Kumar.

Ko remake
Remake of: Ko (2011)
Akshay Kumar saw a special screening of the Tamil film 'Ko' and was so impressed with it that he has reportedly bought the rights for its Hindi remake. Anthony D'Souza (director of Blue) will be directing the remake in most probability.

Don Seenu remake
Remake of: Don Seenu (2010)
The story is about a young boy who watches Amitabh Bachchan's Don and is so inspired by the film that he decides to be the biggest don in the world. Ramesh Taurani of Tips Films has acquired the rights and in most probability Akshay Kumar shall be playing the lead.

Remakes that didn't take off

Seeta aur Geeta (1972) remake
Katrina Kaif was to be seen in a double role as Seeta and Geeta while reprising Hema Malini's classic act from the original. There was buzz that Akshay Kumar and Abhay Deol would play parts of Dharmendra and Sanjeev Kumar respectively. Dibakar Bannerjee was to direct the film and give a twist to the double-role drama. However following legal hassles, the project never took off.
Remake history: Seeta aur Geeta was the female version of the original double-role drama 'Ram aur Shyam' (1967) starring Dilip Kumar as the naive and the shrewd twins, separated at birth. The same plot was almost reiterated as 'Chaalbaaz' (1989) with Sridevi playing twin characters and 'Kishen Kanhaiya' (1990) with Anil Kapoor doing a double act.

Satte Pe Satta (1982) remake
Raj Sippy who directed the original Amitabh Bachchan flick came up with the idea of a remake some years ago. Sanjay Dutt was approached and then he took over the project as a producer with Soham Shah as the director. After Vidya Balan, Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit refused the film, Karisma Kapur is finalized for Hema Malini's role from original. Sanjay Dutt plays Big B's part. Shakti Kapoor's (who played one brother in the original) son Siddhanth Kapoor was approached for one of the brothers. It's still uncertain when the film would start.
Remake history: Satte Pe Satta was remake of the Hollywood flick 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' (1954). The film was recently remade in Marathi as 'Aamhi Saatpute' (2009) by Sachin Pilgaonkar who played the youngest brother in the Hindi version.

7 AM Arivu (2011) remake
There were reports that Aamir Khan was keen to remake this Tamil film directed by his Ghajini director AR Muragadoss starring Suriya and Shruti Hassan. In fact he also wanted to retain Shruti Hassan in the remake. However there is no official announcement on the same.

Andaz Apna Apna (1994) remake
Rumours were rife of remake of the cult comedy Andaz Apna Apna from different versions from an animated flick to a one which would bring Ranbir Kapoor and Imran Khan together. However none of that is true.

Courtesy : TOI

'Don 2' rings in over Rs.48 crore on opening weekend

2011-12-27T11:46:00.000+05:30

Shah Rukh Khan's much talked about action thriller "Don 2: The King Is Back" has opened to encouraging reviews and cheerful opening weekend collection of over Rs.48 crore. Director Farhan Akthar thanks fans for making it a hit.

"Thank you all.. our film has taken a super start and your support has everything to do with it... Thanks for the incredible feedback on the film. We're glad to have entertained you... Do keep it coming...," tweeted Farhan.

Made at a budget of about Rs.75 crore and shot in exotic locales in Malaysia and Germany, the film earned Rs.15.30 crore Friday, Rs.15.09 crore Saturday and approximately Rs.18 crore Sunday, making a grand total of Rs.48.39 crore.

The opening day earnings are said to be the highest first-day collection on a non-holiday Friday.

"We are very happy with the response that the film has got so far in domestic as well as international markets. It has had a record opening on a non-holiday Friday and the word of mouth response is also good," Reliance Entertainment CEO Sanjeev Lamba told IANS.

A sequel to 2006 movie, the last big release of the year has reportedly earned Rs.37 crore by selling the satellite rights to Zee TV.

Directed by Farhan Akhtar, it has other big names like Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, Boman Irani and Kunal Kapoor. In the overseas market, the film has grossed more than Rs.26 crore till Saturday.

"The USP of the film is that it is a sequel to an already established film and it has a completely new style as well as story. Moreover, it is a Shah Rukh Khan film. The film is not only being appreciated across the country, but also in the international markets like North America, Britian and Australia," he added.

The film released in both 2D and 3D formats. Although the screens for 3D were less, Lamba says response has met with their expectation.

"Considering the few number of screens that we have here for 3D the response has been equally good as 2D," he said.

The occupancy in theatres has been around 90 percent, says Munish Sharma, general manager (marketing) Satyam.

"It has been a very good weekend. The occupancy stayed around 90 percent. Although people are appreciating the content, some feel that the first half of the film is a little stretched compared to the second. But the film is likely to end 2011 on a good note," said Sharma.

Yogesh Raizada of Waves Cinemas predicts good second week for "Don 2" in the absence of a big release before "Players", which is coming out Jan 6.

"We see a mix of young and family crowd. The film will do a good business in the second week also as there is no strong film slated for release next week," he said.

Courtesy : mid day

Bollywood's debut disasters

2011-12-24T11:44:00.000+05:30

Here's a look at some of the actors who despite getting a great platform, failed to take off

2011 saw a number of fresh faces vying for space in Bollywood. However, a majority of the debutants failed to make the most of the opportunity. Here's looking at a few who missed the mark by miles...

Nargis Fakhri: Rockstar
Debuting opposite heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor in an Intiaz Ali film earned her much hype as expected. Born of a Czech mother and Pakistani father, this model-turned-actress drew flak for her lack of acting skills and bad dialogue delivery coupled with poor diction.

Sarah Jane Dias: Game
A discovery of ace lensman Suresh Natarajan, Sarah won a talent hunt contest by a music channel and went on to host two shows for them. She also featured in a video by an Australian group. She signed the Tamil rom-com Theeradha Vilaiyattu Pillai opposite Vishal Krishna, and before its release, signed Abhinay Deo's Game opposite Abhishek Bachchan. Her song Maiya maiya didn't send many pulses racing.

Zoa Morani: Always Kabhi Kabhi
With producer Karim Morani as her father and Shah Rukh Khan producing her debut film, she couldn't have asked for more. But Always Kabhi Kabhi helmed by first time director Roshan Abbas didn't appeal to the youth, the target audience of this campus rom-com. Fortunately, Shyam Benegal is giving her another chance.

Puja Gupta: F.A.L.T.U
This former Miss India was signed by Vashu Bhagnani to debut opposite his son Jackky. While the movie paid off for the producer who was re-launching his son after a dud debut, it didn't really get Puja much notice.

Parvathy Omanakuttam: United Six
Another former Miss India, she debuted with a women-centric film, United Six, but it found no takers at the box-office. Consequently, Parvathy headed south, with Major Ravi's Madan Kolli. Her big move was signing up Billa 2 with South superstar Ajith Kumar.

Tena Desae: Yeh Faasley
An aspiring model, she was signed for Arunima Dua's Yeh Faasley and Parvin Dabas' Sahi Dhande Galat Bandhe. Neither emerged a hit.

Simran Mundi: Jo Hum Chaahein
Winning the Miss India crown has paved the way to Bollywood for many of our current actresses. This Punjabi kudi participated on Zor Ka Jhatka hosted by SRK. It was during her stint in marketing that she was offered Jo Hum Chaahein. The film, also a debut for co-actor Sunny Gill, didn't create any buzz at the ticket windows.

Chirag Paswan: Miley Naa Miley Hum
The son of politician Ram Vilas Paswan, Chirag decided to stay away from his father's profession and instead try his luck in Bollywood. His debut film created a buzz, but not for the right reasons. Apparently, the film's heroine Kangna Ranaut was being paid a whopping Rs 5 crore to act opposite him. The film bombed at the box office.

Sachiin Joshi: Azaan
The scion of a gutka baron, financing his own debut was not going to be a problem for Sachiin. With Prashant Chadda (he also directed Himesh Reshammiya's Aap Ka Suroor) at the helm, the film failed big time.

Sulagna Panigrahi: Murder 2
Starting her career on the small screen, she played a part-time commercial sex worker in Mukesh Bhatt's Murder 2. However, there's no news of her second movie yet.

And the ones who showed some promise...

Kajal Agarwal: Singham
Despite the film netting more than Rs 100 crore from India box office, Kajal is yet to sign her next Bollywood film.

Sunny Gill: Jo Hum Chaahein
Future plans uncertain for this model-turned actor as the Gills had invested their own money into the movie.

Poorna Jagannathan: Delhi Belly
Right now, she has two Hollywood films - one with Jane Fonda and another with Gwyneth Paltrow and Mark Ruffalo.

Monica Dogra: Dhobi Ghat
The musician-turned-actor's performance was appreciated, however she is yet to sign her second film.

Myra Karn: No One Killed Jessica
Strangely, she seems to have disappeared after the film became a hit.

Parineeti Chopra: Ladies VS Ricky Bahl
Priyanka Chopra's cousin, she got noticed for her potential after the film released.

Kainaz Motiwala: RAGINI MMS
An aspiring journalist, the film got her noticed. But there's no news of her next movie so far.

Courtesy : Mid day

'Ra.One', 'Ready' up for worst film award at Golden Kela

2011-12-24T11:36:00.000+05:30

Shah Rukh and Salman Khan's much hyped films 'Ra.One', 'Ready' and 'Bodyguard' are competing for the worst film trophy at the fourth annual Golden Kela awards, a spin off on Hollywood's Razzies.

The awards, to be given in March, recognise and honour the best of the worst in Hindi cinema by audience poll. The awards are hosted by comedian Cyrus Broacha.

Other films in this list are 'Mausam', 'Singham' and F.A.L.T.U, which has also won a worst actor nod for lead actor Jackie Bhagnani and the worst supporting actor nods for Angad Bedi, Puja Gupta and Chandan Roy Sanyal. Ajay Devgn and Sanjay Dutt's turn as 'Rascals' has earned them a nomination in the worst actor category where they will be seen competing with Emraan Hashmi (Murder 2), Ranveer Singh (Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl) and Imran Khan (Mere Brother Ki Dulhan).

In the female actors' category, Kangna Ranaut had an upper hand by earning the worst actress nomination for three of her films-- 'Tanu Weds Manu', 'Rascals' and 'Miley Na Miley Hum'. Sonam Kapoor (Mausam), Deepika Padukone (Aarakshan) have made it to the list a second time while Nargis Fakhri is the new addition for her debut in 'Rockstar'.

Worst supporting actors are Pratiek (Dum Maaro Dum) and (Aarakshan), Tom Wu (Ra.One) and the cast of Pyar Ka Punchnama. The worst director list include Roshan Abbas (Always Kabhi Kabhi), Rohan Sippy (Dum Maaro Dum), Anubhav Sinha (Ra.One), Anees Bazmee (Thank You and Ready) and Puri Jagannadh for Amitabh Bachchan starrer (Bbuddha Hoga Tera Baap).

Among other categories, the award also has a hilarious section titled Baawra Ho Gaya Hai Ke Award (Have you gone mad?) and the nominees in this list include Amitabh Bachchan (Bbuddha Hoga Tera Baap), Pankaj Kapur for his disastrous directorial debut (Mausam), Govinda (Naughty@40), Hema Malini (Tell Me O Kkhuda) and director Sagar Bellary (Bheja Fry 2 and Hum Tum Shabana).

"Generally speaking, this year's films haven't been all that bad - which may have been good for Indian audiences, compared to the last few years. However, our 'cracked' team of researchers has dug deep to find the worst of the lot for this year," said Jatin Varma, the founder of Golden Kela Awards. The other categories include the worst debut, the most irritating lyrics, the most atrocious songs, the worst attempt at comeback, Lajja award, Bas Kijiye and a special category called 'Anti-Kela' for films that were meaningful and entertaining, while still being in the mainstream.

Courtesy : Mid day

Picture special: From botox to implants

2011-12-24T11:28:00.000+05:30

From botox to breast implants, at some point, most stars resort to it as a quick-fix to what does not look right to them in the mirror. 2011 was filled with buzz about the following stars. Pics don’t lie. Take a look…

Bipasha Basu: In July, Bollywood was buzzing about the actress getting her assets enhanced. But apparently the real reason she quietly checked into a south Mumbai hospital to get top heavy by a veteran cosmetic surgeon was because of a previous job gone wrong! Apparently the gel breast implants done a while back came undone, resulting in ‘double trouble’ that had to be rectified!

Kangna Ranaut: Her in-your-face 'assets' quite obvious in 'Rascals' could not however uplift the film.

Sridevi: While preparing for her B-Town return, the actress has been 'changing' herself and trying hard to keep up with the young girls. Though those close to her say that her frugal diet is making her face look different!

Shazahn Padamsee: She was seen through the year in various stages of swollen lips and by the year-end has finally got the desired pout!

Courtesy : Mid day

Why is Katrina 'Chikni Chameli'?

2011-12-24T11:16:00.000+05:30

After Sheila, Munni, Shalu and Jalebi Bai, 'Chikni Chameli' is the latest item bomb in Bollywood. Katrina Kaif has outdone her 'Sheila ki jawani' act in the song, and "Agneepath" director Karan Malhotra believes she has done full justice to it.

"I think the way the song was made, it was so wonderful, that only a topmost actress could have done justice to the song.

And as far as Katrina is concerned, her USP is that she has never been seen in any film in that kind of zone that 'Chikni Chameli' is in. So which is why she also stands out in that atmosphere and that is why the song is catching a lot of eyeballs," the director said at the music premiere of "Agneepath" at a radio station here.

The men behind the song are composer-brothers Ajay-Atul, primarily known for their work in Marathi films and serials. "Chikni chameli" is a song inspired by their own Marathi song "Kombadi palali".

No wonder Malhotra denies that the song draws inspiration from any other item number. "No, no girl inspired us for 'Chikni chameli'," said Malhotra.

Meanwhile, Katrina's fast, rhythmic 'Chikni chameli' act has set many eyeballs popping. "Agneepath", a remake of the 1990 film of the same name, is set for release Jan 26 next year. It stars Hrithik Roshan in the lead with Sanjay Dutt, Priyanka Chopra and Rishi Kapoor in key roles.

Courtesy : Mid day

Shah Rukh Khan charms Lucknow

2011-12-24T11:03:00.002+05:30

AA GAYA DEKHO DON: People in Lucknow waited in anticipation of Shah Rukh Khan's visit days before the star actually came on Wednesday on his first ever trip to Lucknow.

Thousands gathered at a local mall from morning where King Khan made an appearance in the evening along with co-star Priyanka Chopra, director Farhan Akhtar and producer Ritesh Sidhwani for the promotion of his film ""Don-2"".

The Shah Rukh fever was evident at the airport as fans gathered there in large numbers to catch the first glimpse of King Khan. A fan also lay down in front of SRK's car and refused to budge till the star signed an autograph for him. The charmer that he is, SRK, gladly obliged and only then did his cavalcade move ahead.

The same frenzy of fans was witnessed at the mall too where people stepped on toes, nudged and pushed their through the jam packed atrium to get as close to the stage as possible. Girls, women and men screamed a chorus of 'Shah Rukh' as he stepped on to the stage. ""Adaab Lucknow"" were his first words which was met with a resounding ""adaab"" by the audience. Expressing his regret in reaching Lucknow late SRK thanked the people for giving him a warm welcome. SRK then introduced Priyanka and said. ""Inhe toh aap special welcome dijiye. Yeh toh aapke Lucknow ki hi hain. She has studied in La Martiniere College here and loves the city,"" which was followed by a flying kiss and waving from Priyanka for the crowd. Saying the dialogues from his film ""Don-2"" Shah Rukh entertained the crowd and also serenaded Priyanka on stage. The two danced on the song ""Zara Dil Ko Thaam Lo"" and the crowd went berserk in trying to capture each and every moment on their mobile phones and cameras.

""I have always wanted to come to Lucknow and I'm so glad to be here,"" said he. ""Yahan ki tehzeeb, mehmaan-nawaazi ke bare mein maine itna suna tha ki mujhe yahan aana hi pada,"" said he. The crowd too craned their necks and leaned on the railing to catch a glimpse of the stars. So much so that when Farhan pointed out the same to SRK, he requested people to step away from the railing. ""Please don't fall off the railing. I know you love me but I won't want anyone of you to get hurt,"" he urged. Shah Rukh, Priyanka, Farhan and Ritesh later addressed a press conference and spent the night at a local hotel where they sampled the Tunde Kababs, biryani, qorma and phirni which SRK ahd been wanting to have ever since he had come to Lucknow. The four then left for Patna the next day at noon.

THE ETERTNAL CHARMER: After charming the crowd outside SRK and team headed inside for the press con where he rendered the journos toungue tied with his classic rejoinders.

Dodging the repeated questions of an eager fan of who according to SRK, was the number one hero in Bollywood SRK replied, ""Darling I've heard your question, just wait a few moments. Aap baar-baar na poochhen mein aapko zaroor jawab doonga,"" adding, ""I'm not part of the number game. So I don't know who is number one and number two. Isn't that for you people to decide?""

On being asked the reason for people to watch ""Don 2"" SRK in his non-chalant style said, ""Apne munh mein apni tareef kaise karun. But jokes apart. This story takes forward the previous film and you all must watch it.""

A few more questions followed and suddenly Shah Rukh said.""Weren't we supposed to be felicitated?"" leaving everyone flummoxed and a scramble ensued as people hurried to get the bouquets to give to the stars. Munching on popcorn the four then answered questions patiently. Having avoided the question of supporting Anna Hazare till now, SRK answered the same very diplomatically saying it was for the government to decide the issue and he was too small a person to comment on it. 'As far as my contributing to the cause monetarily, I feel that is too small an issue and should not be discussed so frivolously and casually,"" he said turning to Priyanka to and asking ""Was I okay with my reply?"" to which she replied, ""You answered very well"" followed by nod of approval from Farhan too.

A keen journo then commented on SRK's looks these days. Sporting a ponytail and stubble SRK exuded a rugged charm. Not agreeing with the charming bit SRK said. ""This look has been sported for the film. And these days when I get up and look at myself in the mirror, I also get scared because my hair is all tousled and standing on my head and my kids complain that my stubble hurts them when I cuddle them.""

Talking of children someone mentioned SRK's promise of quitting smoking. On this too he said, ""I'm trying to do that and I have also cut down on the number of cigarettes I smoke. Mainly this is because of my kids who don't like my smoking. Insha Allah I soon will be able to give up the habit completely.""

It was as of the other three were forgotten but Farhan too was asked if a sequel to his first film ""Rock On"" was in store for the audience. Looking relieved at being asked at least one question Farhan relied, ""I would love to make as sequel of ""Rock On"" but I still haven't thought of it. I first want ""Don 2"" to be successful and then I have ""Bhaag Milkha Bhaag"" to concentrate on and only then will I think of my directorial projects."" Asked if the audience would see Shah Rukh and Priyanka in any other projects of his apart from the ""Don"" series Farhan said he loves the two and would definitely cast both or either if the role required them. Meanwhile Shah Rukh and Priyanka nodded their heads in refusal and said they would 'only' like to be cast in the ""Don"" series.

Priyanka meanwhile reminisced her stay in Lucknow as a kid and said, ""I have studied in the La Martiniere Girls' College here in Lucknow and I have very fond memories of the city. I'm glad I came here during winters because Mumbai mein toh sardi ka mazaa aata hi nahi hai. I'm loving the weather here and now I'm going to snuggle into my razai and enjoy the kababs anb biryani,"" she said.

Courtesy : TOI

Desi girl: Mahie Gill

2011-12-22T13:49:00.001+05:30

Simple living, high thinking is Punjabi kudi Mahie Gill's motto. If she's not acting, you're bound to find the actress living a simple life.

Says Mahie, "I'm a very desi girl at heart. I love gorging on fish, crabs, dal and sabzis. Whenever, I get some time, I love to cook for myself. It's kind of therapeutic.

Even my dressing is very simple. On most days, you'll find me wearing jeans, t-shirt and chappals. However, I like dressing up on occasions like a function or a film awards.

Then, you'll spot me in saris paired with chunky earrings." All we have to say Mahie is that we like your attitude.

Courtesy : mid day

Anushka Sharma cool quotient

2011-12-22T13:47:00.001+05:30

"I would love to visit the Alps in winter and try my hand at skiing. I have never done it before, but I am sure it will be great fun," says actor Anushka Sharma. Although the pretty lady loves winters, she finds that the season does take a toll on her beauty quotient. She shares her winter memories and beauty regime with CS:

Bangalore babe
I grew up in Bangalore, and the winters there are simply beautiful. I really miss the lovely weather when compared to Mumbai. In winters, I love wearing jackets and sipping on hot chocolate. I also enjoy gorging on hot jalebis during this time of the year. My most memorable winter in India was when I was travelling up North with my family a few years back. It was the first time I saw snow in India; it was gorgeous.

Freezing fun
When I was in college, I remember one incident when winter was just about to start. A bunch of friends and I had gone out for a party wearing dresses. But as soon as it became dark, it started freezing! None of us had a jacket or a scarf, and so we couldn't step out of the party. Finally, we forced our guy friends to give us their jackets and left the venue!

In my hair
And so, I'll tell every girl to stay better prepared in winter. Taking proper care of your hair and skin is a must. For me, a hot coconut oil conditioning treatment works wonders as it provides the necessary nourishment and moisture to your scalp and hair. I recommend oiling your hair every time you wash it to regain the moisture. Also, avoid excessive use of blow dryers/hair curlers in winters as they severely dry your hair. You can prepare a homemade hair mask -- a mixture of egg and warm coconut oil to give your hair the deep conditioning it requires during the winters.

A pack full
For your skin, natural ingredient based moisturisers work best as they keep your skin moisturised and supple all through the day. A mixture of milk and honey comes handy anytime for a radiant glowing skin. A pack of papaya and banana helps you get rid of dry skin. Both these fruits are rich in vitamins and water and have a good impact on dry skin. I follow this regime religiously as I believe that healthy hair and skin is a reflection of a healthy you!

Courtesy : mid day

No patch up bewtween Priyanka, Salman

2011-12-22T11:52:00.000+05:30

There were reports swirling around that Salman Khan and Priyanka Chopra had recently patched up at Riteish Deshmukh's birthday party.

However, a source insists that nothing of the sort happened. In fact, the only interaction the two had was at a recent awards show where the two had their vanity vans parked opposite each other. "There's no patch up. Salman and Priyanka crossed paths and were cordial with each other. Had it not been for their stage acts and vans parked so close, there would have been no interaction whatsoever," the source adds.

Courtesy : TOI

Sangram Singh in Veena Malik's reality show?

2011-12-22T11:49:00.000+05:30

Veena Malik has yet another controversy up her sleeves. A source reveals that the reality show she is part of has offered wrestler Sangram Singh a fat fee to appear on the show.

Apparently the starlet was keen to have him on the show but he refused outright. Smart guy he is!

Courtesy : mid day

Is Bobby Deol in Salman's camp?

2011-12-22T11:44:00.002+05:30

Never mind if the Mumbai Heroes team fared badly in the first Celebrity Cricket League last year. This time, they've not only begun practicing for the forthcoming season, but are also adding players for on-field offensive. The latest is that the team (owned by Salman and Sohail Khan) has got Bobby Deol on board.

It is learnt that Bobby has been roped into the team for his bowling skills. Our source says, "Although Bobby is good with the bat too, it's his swingers that have impressed Suniel Shetty and Sohail enough to bring him to their team." It appears that Suniel is instrumental in getting players from Bollywood to build a good team.

"Besides, the starry line-up will get a bigger audience for the tournament next month," adds our source.
Bobby's love for the game is well known in B-Town.

"Bobby's known to indulge in the game with his friends as and when time permits. So when he was asked to join the Mumbai Heroes, he immediately agreed," reveals our informer.

Not surprisingly, the actor has also started practicing with his teammates at the Air-India ground in the suburbs. "Bobby is a good bet to spearhead the bowling attack. And he can be a solid batsman to hold the middle order if the going gets tough," said our source.

Courtesy : mid day

I really love 'Chikni Chameli': Vaibhavi Merchant

2011-12-21T15:24:00.002+05:30

Choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant is in awe of Katrina Kaif's item number 'Chikni Chameli' in Karan Johar's "Agneepath".

"Katrina is looking very good in 'Chikni Chameli' and I told Karan about it. I really loved it and whenever Katrina comes and does a song like this you know what the effect is," said Vaibhavi who will celebrate her 36th birthday on Dec 21.

Katrina danced to "Sheila ki jawaani" in Farah Khan's "Tees Maar Khan" and has donned the desi look in "Chikni Chameli".

Courtesy : mid day

My audience believes I can fly: SRK

2011-12-21T15:17:00.000+05:30

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who has been doing hardcore stunts for his film "Don 2: The King Is Back", says it's only the conviction of his fans that keeps him going. The actor says he did have initial jitters to jump off a 300-foot building.

"Honestly yes, it was very scary and any normal person would get jitters. We all had body double but Farhan wanted me to do this specific fall myself. I had to jump from a building and when I was standing on the edge I had only two thoughts that crossed my mind," Shah Rukh told reporters here at a conference Monday.

Releasing Friday, the film directed by Farhan Akhtar also stars Priyanka Chopra, Boman Irani, Lara Dutta, and Kunal Kapoor.

"Firstly that my audience believes that I can fly, so I also believe I can. Secondly, why am I doing this and not some romantic film? I coaxed Farhan to do it on my behalf also but I actually forgot that he had skydived some 99 times and has no fear of such stunts," said Shah Rukh.

"Don 2: The King Is Back" is the sequel to 2006 film "Don: The Chase Begins", which is a remake of Amitabh Bachchan-starrer 1978 film "Don".

Courtesy : mid day

Genius godfather for Prateik...

2011-12-21T11:28:00.000+05:30

AR Rahman is highly impressed by the actor's talent

Prateik may have none other than composer AR Rahman to thank for his role in his latest film directed by Gautam Menon.

Apparently, when Gautam decided to remake his Tamil superhit Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, the late Smita Patil's son was just one of the many young actors under consideration for the lead role. Buzz is that Rahman helped narrow down the search.

Says a source, "Gautam had a few young faces in mind for the role, including Jackie Shroff's son Tiger. However, it was Rahman who insisted that he shouldn't bother looking for anyone else but Prateik."

Though the actor made an impressive debut with Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, his career has not exactly been on an uphill since.

Especially, his last two films Aarakshan and My Friend Pinto did little for the actor's resume. In fact, in all these years, Rahman has never really recommended any actor for a role, so naturally this comes as quite a surprise.

Adds the source, "Rahman first met Prateik during Jaane Tu ¦ and he instantly took a liking to the boy. He was pretty impressed by his performance in the film and had even predicted that he will have a bright future."

Apparently Rahman even told Gautam that he was so sure of the actor that even a screen test would be unnecessary.

Confirms the director, "It's true that Rahman had very good things to say about Prateik. He strongly suggested that I should only look at him for this role." Menon and Rahman have known and worked with each other for years together and not surprisingly he trusts Rahman's judgment a lot.

Concludes the source, "They have been friends for years now and Rahman knows how important this film is for Gautam." Only when the film releases, we'll know if Prateik has proven worthy of the maestro's trust.

Sonam shows off plunging neckline in a jacket

2011-12-21T10:52:00.002+05:30

Sonam Kapoor was in New Delhi recently for a fashion house event. Despite the chill, the actress arrived at the venue in a jacket with a plunging neckline.

The fashionista is not known for her cleavage show, so somewhere during the event she decided to put on a white shirt.

Was it to safeguard any oops moment or to beat Dilli ki sardi? Your guess is as good as ours. Tee hee!

Courtesy : Mid day

Bipasha Basu's birthday to be an 11 day affair

2011-12-21T10:41:00.000+05:30

No she hasn't been declared the head of any Indian state. Nor is her birthday a national affair. However, Bipasha Basu's birthday celebrations, which falls on January 7, will be an 11-day event.

Says the Bengali bombshell, "I start travelling for the promotions of Players from December 26 until January 7. In fact, from January 5-7, I will be in London for the premiere of Players. I've told producer Vikram Malhotra that they have to celebrate my birthday everyday for the 11 days I'm on the promotional tour!"

Bipasha adds that she's big on birthdays and loves to have her friends over. "I also want lots of gifts. Abhishek Bachchan, Sikander Kher and I are a gang. We are planning to have a party on most days."

Bips will return to Mumbai on January 7 and have her family and friends over for a final party. Needless to say, 2012 will be a special year for Bips, who has Players (January 6) and Jodi Breakers (February 25) up for release.

Courtesy : TOI

Priyanka hugs Kareena at an awards event

2011-12-20T12:36:00.000+05:30

Arch rival Priyanka Chopra made the first move and hugged Kareena Kapoor at the same event

Did they fake it or was it for real? Arch rivals Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra yet again did an all is well act at the entertainment awards event in Andheri on Sunday night.

It was PC who made the first move and couldn't resist giving Bebo a warm hug. The Kapoor girl taken unawares was forced to extend a warm hug too.

Everyone in Bollywood knows that the two stars are not on talking terms. Professional rivalry apart, there is also a personal angle. Bebo's ex flame Shahid Kapoor had an on-off relationship with PC.

Both the actresses avoid being seen together at the same place and at the same time. And in the past, there have been instances of how one would avoid having a run on with the other.

Says a source, "Kareena arrived late and made her way to the reserved table. For a while she was sitting alone. Later director Madhur Bhandarkar was seen with her at the table. Meanwhile PC was seated a few tables away waiting for her performance.

Says an onlooker, "As soon as she saw Kareena seated, Priyanka walked up to her and bent over her to give her a warm hug. Bebo reciprocated. For a few moments they exchanged niceties and PC went back to her seat."

Adds the onlooker, "Everyone was taken by surprise by PC's move." Last year, at the annual police mela PC had apparently gone up to Bebo and said, "Let's forget what has happened and begin anew." Both had also danced together on stage with Shah Rukh Khan.

But the buzz that did the rounds at that time was that Bebo had given PC her famous Poo look (from Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum) meaning 'Whatever!' and continued with what she was doing.

At that time, it did not look like the Kapoor girl was in the mood to forget. Did she this time? Time will tell.

Courtesy : mid day

It's one of the greatest highs to play a villain: SRK

2011-12-20T12:28:00.000+05:30

Shah Rukh Khan, who played anti-hero in the beginning of his career, returns in a negative role in his forthcoming movie "Don 2: The King is Back". The superstar says that portraying villanious characters gives a different high to an actor.

"I really enjoyed it. I will be really honest and I am not glorifying badness in real life and these are just films and stories, but as an actor it is one of the greatest highs to play a villain's role," said Shah Rukh at the launch of the video game based on "Don 2", which is releasing Friday.

Directed by Farhan Akhtar, the film also stars Priyanka Chopra, Boman Irani, Lara Dutta, Om Puri and Kunal Kapoor.

"Farhan Akhtar as a director-actor and Priyanka as an actor would agree that it's a different kind of a high for an actor to play a villains role," said SRK.

The 46-year-old, who rose to fame by playing negative roles in super hit films "Baazigar" and "Darr", believes in the existence of one central character, who can be either good or bad.

"I started with theatre and there was nothing like a hero for me. There was a protagonist, a central character. I have been a bad guy on stage, I have been a good guy on stage...," said SRK.

"I was thrilled that I got this opportunity and I did not think of the hero type roles. Now that I am getting a chance to play a negative role in 'Don' after so many years, there is no justification to it and being bad is also important to take the world forward," he added.

This year Shah Rukh's mega-budget sci-fi film "Ra. One" released and he also made cameo appearances in "Always Kabhi Kabhi" and "Love Breakups Zindagi".

Courtesy : mid day

No Taj for AR Rahman!

2011-12-20T12:24:00.001+05:30

The music maestro has been denied permission to perform at a venue with the majestic Taj Mahal as the backdrop

A R Rahman was looking forward to performing at Agra's Mehtab Bagh, which commands a spectacular view of the Taj Mahal in the backdrop. He wanted to launch the soundtrack of his next movie, Ek Deewana Tha at the historical site. But the Archaelogical Survey of India has denied permission.

It is learnt that the permission was not granted, thanks to a Yashraj film that was shot earlier there. According to a source associated with Ek Deewana Tha, "The ASI said that during the shoot of Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, the crew damaged a portion of the site.

But the refusal came as a surprise because soon after MBKD, one of Gautam Menon's films was shot there. The source says that the ASI has now suddenly become more strict with granting permissions.

So, now Rahman will have to make do with shooting inside a five-star hotel.

Courtesy : mid day

Dia Mirza goes regional to star in a Bengali film

2011-12-20T12:19:00.002+05:30

After turning producer, Dia Mirza is back to acting. She recently shot for a Bengali film in Kolkata.

Though Dia is familiar with the language, she had to brush it up. Dia is open to doing all kinds of cinema. Next is South?

Courtesy : mid day