Hollywood Bollywood News & Gossips

Dum Maaro Dum : Complete Cast and Crew details

2011-04-22T22:24:00.000-07:00

Banner

Ramesh Sippy Entertainment

Fox Star Studios

Status

Released

Color

Release Date

April 22, 2011

Language

Hindi

Genre

Thriller

Shooting Studios

Mehboob Studio

Producer

Ramesh Sippy

Executive Producer / Co-Producer

Hussain Shaikh

Director

Rohan Sippy

Star Cast

Abhishek Bachchan...... ACP Vishnu Kamath

Aditya Pancholi...... Lorsa Biscuta aka the Biscuit

Bipasha Basu...... Zoe

Rana Daggubati...... DJ Joki

Prateik Babbar...... Lorry

Gantois Gomes

Govind Namdeo

Deepika Padukone...... Special Appearance

Anaitha Nair

Mariah Pucu

Bugs Bhargava

Gulshan Devaiya

Muzammil S. Qureshi

Vidya Balan...... Cameo

Cassettes and CD's on

T-Series

Singers

Anushka Manchanda

Ash King

Sunidhi Chauhan

Papon

Zubeen Garg

Abhishek Bachchan

Earl

Ayush Phukan

Mohit Chauhan

Lyricist

Jaideep Sahni

Anand Bakshi

Music Director

Pritam Chakraborty

R D Burman

Background Music

Midival Punditz

Cinematography

Amit Roy

Choreography

Bosco Martis

Caesar Gonsalves

Action

Abbas Ali Moghul

Editor

Aarif Shaikh

Sound

Manas Chaudhary

Dialogue

Purva Naresh

Costume

Falguni Thakore

Story / Writer

Shridhar Raghavan

www.bollywoodhungama.com

Pippa Middleton takes night off from Royal Wedding duties at Holly Branson's engagement bash

2011-04-22T22:13:00.000-07:00

As the maid of honour for her sister Kate she will be taking her place in history in the biggest wedding this country has seen in decades.

But just a week away from the big day and Pippa Middleton took a night off from her sisterly duties - although marriage wasn’t far from her mind as she attended the engagement party of Holly Branson last night.

The 27-year-old arrived at the Kensington Roof Gardens to celebrate the engagement of Sir Richard Branson’s daughter to her shipbroker beau Fred Andrews.

Pippa looked elegant in a tiered peach dress with a smart black jacket and had an impressive tan as she showed off her slim and toned legs.

And in keeping with her role as the sister of the Royal bride-to-be she left the bash looking extremely composed and fresh-faced.

If she is feeling the pressure for the big day next week she didn’t let it show appearing happy and relaxed.

While Pippa is busying herself with her sister’s wedding and celebrating her friend’s planned nuptials, she is rarely seen with her boyfriend Alex Loudon.

The couple were said to have started dating just before Christmas and former England cricketer Alex is said to be an old friend of William's.

The pair were at Eton together and Alex, like William, was in Pop, the school prefects' society.

Pippa, who used to date Hong Kong banking heir J. J. Jardine Patterson, was once voted the sexiest singleton in London by Tatler magazine.

There has been speculation that her budding romance with the cricketer, who played for Kent and Warwickshire, will mean he'll be a guest at the wedding next week.

A friend said: ‘He’s absolutely drop-dead gorgeous and Pippa is very smitten. He stopped playing county cricket in 2007 to go into the City, but he’s still a great athlete and a really good chap.’

Bride-to-be Holly looked stunning in a shimmering floor-length gown which she accessorised with a simple matching clutch.

And onlookers were treated to a glimpse of her huge pink sapphire and diamond engagement ring which appeared to have been the influence for her outfit as she posed for pictures with her fiancé.

Proud father Sir Richard was seen smiling broadly while Holly’s brother Sam looked dapper in a suit with a red shirt and black tie.

Among the engagement party guests were Kate’s first crush Willem Marx from her Marlborough College days, and William’s rumoured old flame Isabella Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe, who has just revived her relationship with Miss Branson’s brother Sam.

Princess Beatrice and nightclub owner Guy Pelly were also in attendance at the engagement bash and the whole group will be meeting up next week at the Royal Wedding.

Pippa Middleton takes night off from Royal Wedding duties at Holly Branson's engagement bash

Bollywood congratulates Team India on their historic win!!

2011-04-04T04:11:00.000-07:00

Twitter is a busy world, and Bollywood contributes a great deal to it. Here's looking at the best star tweets of the day.

With Indian team winning the World Cup after 28 years the wishes and joyous messages started to flood on twitter.

Bipasha Basu tweeted: 'Mahi n our entire team made us so proud!what a historical moment!The excitement was unimaginable!'

Shilpa Shetty couldn't control her tears. 'N History is Made!A timeless moment which will b etched n r minds forevr.Wel dne Team India,tk a bow.U made us cry n made r dream com true:)' she wrote.

Madhuri Dixit also praised the team. 'Strong work Dhoni, Tendulkar and company!! What anawesome match. Both sides played well,' she updated.

Meanwhile, Dia Mirza praised Gary Kirsten. She wrote: 'Gary Kirsten ZINDABAD! Thank you thank you thank you! DHONI!!!! YUVI!!! GAMBHIR!!! OMG! Yes yes yes it's ours! NO.1 ODI TEAM! NO.1 TEST TEAM.'

Sonakshi Sinha too tweeted her excitement: 'We WONNNNNNNNNNN!!!!! :D woooooooo hoooooooo!!!!!'
Preity Zinta wasn't left far behind. 'What a game! All the Boyz in Blue created history by winning the world cup 4 India & bringing tears 2 over a billion eyes! Team India Rocks!' she tweeted.

Whereas Sushmita Sen wrote on twitter after a long gap to express her joy. 'Yipppeeeeee!!!! We are world champions again after 28 yrs:) I can't stop crying..M S DHONI n our men in blue..take a bow!!! I love u guys!!' she wrote.

Even a non-crciket fan like Shruti Hassan was glued to her television. She updated: 'Hell yeahhhh!! That was awesome!!:) even a non cricket fan like me was sucked in!!! Good on india!!!!!!!!!!!!woooohoo!'

Arbaaz Khan, wished well too. 'Congrats India !!! Awesome win :) We are the CHAMPIONS. jai ho !!!' he tweeted.

www.rediff.com

Is Liz Hurley about to waltz back to Shane Warne?

2011-04-03T23:28:00.000-07:00

Liz Hurley has been approached by the producers of Australia’s version of Strictly Come Dancing – meaning her on-off relationship with former cricketer Shane Warne could be hotting up again.

The swimwear designer, who visited Shane, 41, in Melbourne in February following
a well-publicised flirtation on Twitter, is considering the offer.

Reunion: The Aussies are fascinated with the couple's relationship

‘The Aussies are fascinated with her and her relationship with Shane, and Channel 7, which airs the show – Dancing With The Stars – is desperate to sign her up,’ an insider said.

More...

Liz, 45, filed for divorce from her estranged husband Arun Nayar on Friday, citing the textile heir’s ‘unreasonable behaviour’.

The couple were first spotted together at the Glorious Goodwood Festival, Chichester last year. Months later it was revealed they had spent a night together at a hotel

www.dailymail.co.uk

Ranbir Kapoor escapes a serious accident

2011-04-03T23:26:00.000-07:00

Ranbir Kapoor More Pics

Ranbir Kapoor was recently shooting for his film Rockstar in Pahalgam. And the actor's snowmobile skidded on the snow-covered road, smashing into the side barrier.

Thankfully, the barrier was strong enough, or perhaps it was sheer luck that the young Kapoor escaped the crevice below.

Says an eyewitness, "Everyone in the unit was stunned. When Ranbir's snowmobile skidded out of control. It was rather sudden and unexpected.

Ranbir wasn't doing a stunt or anything. It was just a normal sequence but with the ice so treacherous one can never know what can happen."

"Though Imtiaz Ali, the director wanted to cancel the shoot, Ranbir picked himself up and continued with the shot.

Ranbir needed to finish the shooting in Kashmir because he had to start on Barfee in Mumbai," adds the source.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Kajol receives Padma Shri, Ajay Devgan to babysit

2011-04-01T23:37:00.000-07:00

Kajol, who is busy taking care of her kids, especially the newly-born Yug, has to be in Delhi to receive Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India. So her dear hubby Ajay Devgan will take out time from his shooting to do babysitting for her. The lovely Bollywood couple tries to spend as much time as they can with the kids Nysa and Yug.

Kajol can’t miss the day as she will collect her prestigious Padma Shri in Delhi from the hands of President Pratibha Patil. Of late, she has stopped working in films because her six-months-old son Yug needs her. Thus Ajay, who is in Goa shooting for Rohit Shetty’s Singham remake, has decided to babysit the kids in Goa while Kajol receive the Padma Shri award without any tension.

The actress will return back to Goa the same day in the evening via a chartered plane, which Ajay bought last year. Kajol recently took the kids to Bangkok, where Ajay was shooting, for a week. The couple successfully manages to balance work and family with ease.

www.apunkachoice.com

Lohan, rehab worker heard yelling on 911 call

2011-04-01T22:56:00.000-07:00

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – A rehab worker told a 911 dispatcher that she ordered Lindsay Lohan to pack her bags and leave the Betty Ford Center after the actress hit her during a December argument, according to a recording of the call released Friday.

The six-minute call started with a chaotic exchange between Lohan and the worker, Dawn Holland, arguing over control of the phone at the facility in Palm Desert.

Later, Holland told the dispatcher she wanted to press charges.

"I have a problem because Lindsay Lohan pushed me and hit me with the phone while I was trying to talk to you," Holland said on the recording.

A phone message for Lohan's attorney, Shawn Holley, seeking comment on the recording was not immediately returned Friday.

Lohan was nearing the end of a three-month court-ordered rehab stint at the center after authorities said she failed a drug screening.

The Dec. 12 call resulted in an investigation by Riverside County sheriff's detectives into Holland's accusations. Prosecutors said Tuesday they found insufficient evidence to file any charges.

At one point during the call, Lohan told the dispatcher she had never seen Holland before.

"She's freaking me out," Lohan said when she was able to get on the phone.

Commotion was then heard before Holland returned to the line.

"Lindsay, you need to pack your (expletive)," Holland told the actress. "Cause now I'm getting ready to file charges on you."

Lohan then asked Holland pointedly, "What, you want money?"

Holland said no and told Lohan she wanted to be treated with respect. By that point, the two women were yelling at one another and the audio became garbled.

The call was lost and a dispatcher had to call the facility back. Holland returned to the line and said Lohan was among three girls caught leaving the property without permission. The two other girls reeked of alcohol, Holland said.

Two of the women, including Lohan, were refusing breathalyzer tests, which prompted the argument, Holland told the dispatcher.

The dispatcher asked if Lohan was involved in sneaking out of the facility.

"Oh yes," Holland replied. "She got busted trying to hop back over the fence."

Holland was later fired by the center after giving an on-camera interview to celebrity website TMZ.

Within three weeks of her release from the Betty Ford Center in January, Lohan was accused of taking a $2,500 necklace from a store in the Venice area of Los Angeles.

Prosecutors filed a felony grand theft charge against the "Mean Girls" star. She has pleaded not guilty and is due back in court on April 22, when some of the evidence against her will be presented to a judge.

If the judge rules Lohan should stand trial, the actress could be sent to jail for a probation violation on a 2007 drunken driving case.

That case has haunted Lohan for nearly a year, resulting in her being sent to jail twice and rehab twice last year alone.

news.yahoo.com

Penelope Cruz gets Hollywood Walk of Fame star

2011-04-01T22:45:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES – Penelope Cruz has been enshrined in concrete.

The Oscar-winning actress unveiled her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame star Friday, flanked by leading men Javier Bardem and Johnny Depp.

The event is timed ahead of next month's release of "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," in which she stars with Depp.

The Spanish star says that when she came to the United States in 1994, she only knew how to say "How are you?" and "I want to work with Johnny Depp" in English.

She jokes that now, she knows how to say "I want to work with Johnny Depp again."

The 36-year-old actress co-starred with husband Bardem in her Oscar-winning role in "Vicky Christina Barcelona." They welcomed their son in January.

news.yahoo.com

Bollywood gripped by cricket fever

2011-03-28T23:02:00.000-07:00

Bollywood’s gripped by cricket fever and B-towners seem to be reeling under the spell of the on-going World Cup. And even while all roads in B-Town may not be leading to Mohali in Punjab, where our men in blue will be taking on the rival Pak team in what is expected to be a thrilling semi-final tomorrow, our stars are not letting go of their dose of the cricket action. Whether in person at Mohali or catching up on the action while at work, B-Town will make sure cricket’s the name of the game.

Actors Abhishek Bachchan and Preity Zinta are two of the few stars who’re planning to catch the action live by flying to Mohali. Actor Deepika Padukone might also be joining them. Singer Mika will also be catching the match live.

Though the others won’t be seen in the stands cheering team India, they will be keeping their fingers crossed for our boys for sure. Reportedly, Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan will host a cricket party at Mannat where he, along with his close coterie of friends, will be cheering for India, as is actor Aamir Khan, who will apparently be hosting a bash at home with wife Kiran Rao.

Film-maker Sajid Khan said he would be attending a small get-together being planned at actor Akshay Kumar’s residence, though initially, the star was rather keen to attend the match. Actor Tusshar Kapoor was planning to go catch the action live, but changed his mind about it.

Actor Saif Ali Khan will be unable to attend the match as he’s shooting in Delhi for Agent Vinod. According to a source, “They are on a tight schedule, so, it may be tough for him to fly to Mohali even for a day. But he does plan to catch up on the match.” Bollywood hottie Kareena Kapoor is busy shooting for Short Term Shaadi, while Katrina Kaif who’s an avid cricket buff will be busy with Mere Brother Ki Dulhan. “But I’ll definitely keep a tab of the scores,” she smiles.

Actor Ranbir Kapoor is busy shooting for Barfee, and so will be skipping the match, but has plans to keep up with the team on TV. Bong beauty Bipasha Basu too is planning to catch on the action at home. “Will be at home watching and cheering for the team with my friends and family,” says Bips. Work commitments will be keeping actor Sonakshi Sinha away from the pitch too, as is also the case with the Devgns — Ajay and Kajol, who are at present in Goa.

Actors Riteish Deshmukh and Sanjay Dutt who are shooting for Double Dhamal in Macau have plans to put up the screens on sets and catch the match in between the shoots. Actor Sameera Reddy too wishes she could have gone to Mohali, but ‘I’m shooting in Karaikudi. But wishing the men in blue all the best!’ she says.

www.dnaindia.com

Coleen Rooney looks svelte in a yellow and white bikini on the beach in Barbados

2011-03-26T04:24:00.000-07:00

While Wayne Rooney works up a sweat on the field earning his £250,000 a week, someone has to enjoy all that cash.

While the Manchester United star was busy beating Bolton 1-0 over the weekend, his wife Coleen was basking in the sun in Barbados.

Coleen, who will turn 25 in a fortnight, celebrated with a pre-birthday break at the couple's £5 million holiday home in the Caribbean.

The Littlewoods designer wore a chic yellow and white striped bikini to play on the sand with one-year-old son Kai.

Coleen looked toned and trim in her swimsuit and scraped her hair back in a ponytail and sunglasses.

The Rooneys' area on the sand was littered with Kai's inflatable beach toys and sand buckets.

While his family enjoyed the sun and surf, Wayne, 25, was hard at work earning the millions of pounds that keep them in their luxurious lifestyle.

Wayne helped his team claim victory over Bolton 1-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday. Coleen and Wayne visit their Barbados home often, since completing building on the palatial property at the beginning of 2010.

The six bedroom villa comes with an infinity pool and breathtaking sea views from the bedroom, and the living room areas.

The house is situated on the island's 500-acre Royal Westmoreland development and is already home to some familiar celebrity faces.

Ex-boxing champion Joe Calzaghe, Wayne's team-mate Rio Ferdinand, Gary Lineker, cricketer Freddie Flintoff, and TV hosts Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly all already own homes there.

source

Bipasha Basu to do item number in Murder 2?

2011-03-21T00:12:00.000-07:00

Bipasha Basu, the Bollywood bombshell, may have missed out on an item number in her film Dum Maaro Dum to Deepika Padukone; however she might just have an item number for herself in Murder 2.

Bipasha's spokesperson says, "Right now, she has no dates for the item number's shoot. However, Bipasha would love to work with the Bhatts again, and yes...if the shoot works out during the time she is available, she will most definitely be doing a dance number in Murder 2." .

Though more details remains unavailable, we guess we will have to wait and watch to see if Bips does takes up the item number in Murder 2.

www.bollywoodhungama.com

Shirtless Akshay to shoot in Antarctica

2011-03-21T00:07:00.000-07:00

Akshay is called Khiladi Kumar for a reason. And after doing back-to-back comedies, the actor is all set to go full throttle into action with Sajid Nadiadwala's Housefull 2.

Akshay will be shooting where no Bollywood actor has shot before Antarctica. And that too without his shirt on!

Kumar will be seen fighting villains in his introductory scene in Housefull 2, to be shot in 'penguin' land. He will be seen ripping off his shirt in the process.

And if being there shirtless, in the subzero temperature, wasn't enough, this introductary sequence for the film will last almost ten minutes.

Says a source, "In Housefull Akshay had played a nerd. In Housefull 2, he plays a larger-than-life hero.

After a string of comedies, Akshay has been toying with the idea of getting back to action in a way that would immediately catch people's attention.

He sat down with producer Sajid Nadiadwala and director Sajid Khan and came up with the idea of an introductory fight in a place where it has never been done before."

No Indian film has been shot in Antarctica. And certainly, no filmmaker has conceived an action sequence in the freezing climate. Getting permission for this historic whammy in the snow was not easy either.

Director Sajid Khan confirmed the same, saying, "Yes, I'm shooting Akshay's introductory action sequence for Housefull 2 in Antarctica. It's the coldest place in the world.

Only documentaries have been shot there. God willing, Housefull 2 will be the first feature to be shot in that continent."

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Top 5: 'Tanu Weds Manu' stands at Rs 32.27 cr after 3rd week

2011-03-18T22:55:00.000-07:00

Rank	Film	Producer	Verdict	Last Week
1	Tanu Weds Manu	Shailesh R. Singh, Surya Sonal Singh, Vinod Bachchan	Collected approx. Rs. 5.19 cr nett in its Week 3. Breakup:- Fri 64.74 lacs, Sat 89.53 lacs, Sun 1.59 cr, Mon 54.78 lacs, Tue 55.86 lacs, Wed 48.77 lacs, Thu 46.10 lacs. Total so far: Rs. 32.27 cr nett. Hit	1
2	7 Khoon Maaf	Vishal Bhardwaj, Ronnie Screwvala	Flop	2
3	Patiala House	Twinkle Khanna, Mukesh Talreja, Zoeb Springwala, Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar	Flop	3
4	Yeh Saali Zindagi	Prakash Jha	Above average	4

(Ratings are based on the box office collections and the cost of the film)

http://www.bollywoodhungama.com

SRK talks about movies, religion and shows off his abs at India Today Conclave

2011-03-18T22:44:00.000-07:00

It was meant to be a serious discussion on 'Movies, Magic, Life' at the India Today Conclave in Delhi today but when you have 'Baadshah of Bollywood'- Shah Rukh Khan as the guest speaker, then you ought to be prepared for some irreverent brand of humour.

SRK had the crowd in splits as he spoke on a variety of topic ranging from films to religion. Speaking about our films, the actor said that Bollywood lacks 3 important film-making skills - Screenplay writing, special effects and science of marketing. He also said that we need better visual effects and discipline in Bollywood. Wonder if he is trying to plug in his own forthcoming sci-fi film Ra.One.

The actor also spoke about the dangers of mixing religion and politics and said that issues like education, development and women's upliftment, which are sidelined, are the basic political issues which need to be looked upon.

Finally when a scribe asked him whether he still had his famous six-pack abs, SRK did the unthinkable. He stood up, pulled his shirt up and gave the audience a sneak peak at his abs.

Love him or hate him, one thing's certain with SRK around, there never can be a dull moment.

http://www.bollywoodhungama.com

Check out: Hrithik Roshan's J Hampstead campaign shoot

2011-03-18T22:39:00.000-07:00

After having set the silver screen afire with his stellar performances in all his films, Hrithik Roshan is one of the biggest superstars in the country. And now, the superstar is also a hit in the ad world. The latest is Hrithik's campaign for J Hampstead suiting. He has got amazing reactions for the campaign from his fans especially the fairer sex. In fact, many of them have even commented that they love him as much with his clothes on...and that he is looking super hot in the campaign.

After having endorsed a million products, market is abuzz with the hot fire that he is in the process of inking a few more endorsements. With all of this in his kitty, Hrithik seems to be the only actor who has the maximum number of endorsements to his name!

http://www.bollywoodhungama.com

Sonam Kapoor gorged on street food while shooting 'Delhi-6'

2009-02-14T04:44:00.000-08:00

New Delhi, Golgappas, chhole bhature and non-vegetarian delicacies from popular eatery Karim's - star kid Sonam Kapoor gorged on all this and more while shooting for her forthcoming film "Delhi-6" in the capital.

"I'm quite a foodie and have a very Punjabi taste in terms of food. So when we were shooting in Delhi for the film, I used to eat a lot of golgappas, chhole bhature, dahi bhalle and meat from Karim's. Basically, I used to eat all the wrong things, but I loved that," Sonam told IANS over telephone from Mumbai.

In Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's "Delhi-6", Sonam plays Bittu, an aspiring singer who lives in a conservative family in the crowded Chandni Chowk area and has a desire to break free from the typical Indian societal norms.

The one-film-old actress says a good amount of preparation went behind her character in the film in which she stars opposite Abhishek Bachchan.

"One has to really prepare for the role he or she is portraying in a film. For 'Delhi-6', I had to work on my accent, body language, clothes, my expressions, the way I walked and a lot of other nitty-gritty stuff," she said.

Apart from Sonam's carefree Indian looks in the film, her performance in the hit peppy number "Masakalli", picturised on her and a dove, has been really appreciated.

"'Masakalli' is a beautiful song by A.R. Rahman and beautifully choreographed by Vaibhavi Merchant. Masakalli is the name of the dove in the film and it is very symbolic of my character. She nearly became my pet on the sets. She used to hop on to my head," said Sonam, who is actor Anil Kapoor's daughter.

Asked if she was a wee bit scared of the bird, she said: "I wasn't scared of Masakalli at all. She was just a small bird. How could it harm me?"

The song has become so popular that a lot of Sonam's friends have started calling her 'Masakalli' and she finds it "really sweet".

Talking of her co-star Abhishek, the actress says she had a "fabulous" time shooting with him.

"We share a great chemistry. He is young, but experienced enough and he guided me and helped me through scenes where I would get stuck. Besides, we had great fun on the sets.

"Every 10 days we used to have a dance party when we were shooting in Sambhar in Rajasthan. We used to have a DJ who used to play really bad Hindi songs from the 1980s and 90s and we used to dance all through the night," said Sonam.

Thanks to www.bollywoodworld.com

New Thums Up ad will have two Akshay Kumars

2009-02-14T04:40:00.001-08:00

New Delhi, Action star Akshay Kumar will have the pulses racing in his latest Thums Up ad, in which he plays two characters - each leaping into the air to grab a bottle of the soft drink.

"The new campaign comes with loads of action, adventure, drama and humour. This time, my fans are sure to have double the fun," said Akshay, the brand ambassador of Thums Up, in a statement released here Thursday.

Shot by Australian director Jon Gwyther in Sydney, the advertisement will see the two avatars of the actor competing with each other to be the first one to grab the bottle of the soft drink without letting their feet touch the ground.

While, the first avatar will be shown to be an intense character, the other will be a fun loving person.

On big screen, the actor portrayed a double role for the first time in the 1997 movie "Aflatoon".

Thanks to www.bollywoodworld.com

Slumdog, Rahman sweep Oscar nominations

2009-01-23T07:39:00.000-08:00

New Delhi: After bagging four Golden Globes and 11 BAFTA nominations, Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle's rag-to-riches story about the coming of age of a Mumbai slum child has bagged 10 Oscar nominations this year.

Slumdog has been nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay (Simon Beaufoy), Best Picture, Best Original Score (A R Rahman), Best Song (One each for Jai Ho and O Saya), Best editing, Best Sound Mixing (Resul Pookutty), Best Sound Editing (Resul Pookutty), Best Cinematography and Best Director (Danny Boyle) at the Oscars.

Slumdog Millionare has already bagged four coveted Golden Globes and multiple Bafta nominations.

The nominations were announced at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Samuel Goldwyn Theatre by Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker. The awards will be announced on February 22 at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.

"It's unbelievable. We've got 10 nominations and three are extraordinarily special because they are for A R Rahman who is not here because he's working on Dilli 6 in Chennai right now," said Danny Boyle at a press conference organised in Mumbai.

Thanks to www.ibnlive.in.com

Movie Review - Raaz 2 The Mystery Continues

2009-01-23T07:32:00.000-08:00

In a brilliantly executed shot, Kangana casually looks for some pills in her cloak, while her image in the mirror is standing still.

Raaz-The Mystery Continues is filled with several such spooky moments – some work, some don’t. Bhatt camps’ sequel to the surprise 2001 hit Raaz has no relation whatsoever to the Bipasha Basu-Dino Morea flick. Except that both films are essentially murder mysteries with some edge-of-the-seat moments.

Random suicides in an obscure North Indian village go unreported till a model in Mumbai develops similar tendencies. Kangana Ranaut plays the troubled supermodel (oh no, not again!) Nandita who is dating news anchor Yash (played by a confident Adhyayan Suman) who happens to be a atheist, a non-believer. RTMC takes time to find its bearings. After a shocking opening sequence, the plot shifts to the customary Bollywood love angle, with couple of melodious numbers thrown in. Due to its particularly long first half the writers take a while to get to the real point.

But the action picks up soon. Enter Prithvi (Emraan Hashmi) – a mysterious painter who is hooked onto guzzling beer and painting Nandita’s pictures. Based on his premonitions Prithvi starts painting Nandita’s future. After a few near-fatal incidents Nandita starts believing Prithvi and despite Yash’s disapproval, goes out to unravel the Raaz. Turns out, there are some strange links connecting the suicides to all the three protagonists.

A gripping narrative:

Much like comedy, watching a horror flick also requires some suspension of disbelief. RTMC is a clever blend of superstition, mythology with social maladies and religious politics. The plot flows like a thriller - filled with enough twists and turns to keep you engaged. The makers have clearly kept a mass audience in mind. Because without getting too melodramatic, the narrative packs in a number of crowd pleasing, emotional sequences. This emotional link is handled competently in the climax which may not be as scary as expected but certainly not funny either.

There’s also a split second full-bodied nude shot of Kangana when she is thrown out of the bath tub. But it is executed with utmost aesthetic value.

Competent performances:

Most of RTMC’s appeal lies in its performances and Mohit Suri’s direction. Suri whose track record includes Zeher, Who Lamhe, Kalyug and the underrated Awarapan, achieves a stable balance of romance, horror and mystery without letting one overpower the other.

Kangana Ranaut is in top form. Despite her somewhat predictable histrionics, she delivers a controlled performance, rarely going over the top. She looks gorgeous in every frame and seems to have worked on toning down that distinct accent of hers. Her dialogue delivery has finally come out of the Gangster mode.

Adhyayan Suman is surprisingly pleasant in front of the camera. Though his dialogue delivery reminds you of his motormouth father, RTMC is a huge improvement over his disastrous debut. Saddled with a complex part, he displays an ability to pull off a gray character quite well. Though he definitely needs a better designer, a haircut and a dance instructor. As a pair the visible age difference robs Kangana and Adhyayan of any chemistry. But the supposedly real life lovers smooch on more than one occasion in the film.

That’s some achievement for Suman in a film that stars the serial-kisser Hashmi.

Emraan –Mass hero in the making:

Which brings me to Emraan Hashmi. For an actor with average looks and limited talent, Emraan has shown consistent growth from Footpath to his last Jannat. I saw RTMC in a Mumbai single screen and his entry was greeted with loud cheer and whistles. In his Mahi number Emraan drives the frontbenchers into a frenzy. Perhaps there is no bigger barometer for an actor’s star power. Despite a one-dimensional role he is fantastic in every scene.

Now here’s the surprise. I an really beautiful moment when Nandita and Prithvi talk about their hidden fears, there is a spark of attraction, but our man doesn’t kiss.

There’s also a surprise cameo in the climax in the form of a ghost. But I won’t spoil the surprise.

Good soundtrack, plush production values:

RTMC has brilliant music. Chances are you are already in love with the album, but some of the situational tracks register an even stronger impact on screen. Though I wonder why the remix video currently playing on channels wasn’t used in the film.

Mohit also ventures into master RGV’s territory by creating shock value with camera angles and sound effects. But some of his attempts to spook you come out unstuck, unlike Varma’s Phoonk and Bhoot. In terms of look, Bhatts go easy on their trademark cost-cutting, as the film boasts of good production values.

Not a Ramsay scare fest:

Vikram Bhatt’s Raaz, is like a polished Ramsay flick. The horror in RTMC is slightly more on the metaphysical side. But because of this the scary quotient never reaches the levels of the prequel. So you might find yourself screaming less than you did in that Raaz.

Mainstream Bollywood has largely ignored horror as a genre. Which is why even average plagiarised spook fests like Phoonk and 1920 find acceptance. RTMC is not the greatest or the most original of horror films. But after last weeks’ unintentionally horrifying attempt at Chandigarh meets China brand of humour – this is a genuinely sincere horror film.

Verdict: Even if RTMC doesn’t scare the daylights of you, it will definitely engross you. Paisa vasool entertainment.

Thanks to www.bollywoodcelebritynews.com

The Most Awaited movies of 2009

2009-01-07T07:10:00.000-08:00

With all eyes on Bollywood, and a whole slew of movies due for release, Bollywood Hungama took up the challenge to chart what are likely to be the biggest blockbusters of 2009. The analysis took the form of an extensive survey (from 16th to 29th Dec.) conducted online amongst those who really matter - the consumers. Spanning regions as diverse as India and South-East Asia to the European Union and USA-Canada, the user had to select his/her 5 most anticipated movies. To ensure complete transparency and accuracy, a three level authentication check with email validation, cookie check and IP mapping was put into place.

The hot list of the Most Awaited Movies of 2009* truly proved to be the voice of the masses, garnering an overwhelming response. A 14-day survey, conducted between 16th Dec. to 29th Dec. saw humongous number of valid responses, thus zoomingly surpassing our expectations like a tornado! Results were compiled based on votes from 72 countries - countries which constitute about 98% of revenue towards Bollywood releases.

The poll threw up several interesting results generating quite a buzz in the industry.

Top 20 movies

1. My Name is Khan
2. Three Idiots
3. Billu Barber
4. Kites
5. London Dreams
6. Delhi-6
7. Kambakth Ishq
8. Veer
9. Blue
10. Dulha Mil Gaya
11. Main Aur Mrs Khanna
12. Wanted Dead And Alive
13. New York
14. De Dana Dan
15. Housefull
16. Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani
17. Kaminay
18. Yash Raj Films' Next Untitled
19. Delhi Belly
20. Aladin

Top 10 Movies for India

1. Three Idiots
2. My Name is Khan
3. Kites
4. Billu Barber
5. Delhi-6
6. Kambakth Ishq
7. London Dreams
8. Blue
9. Veer
10. Wanted Dead And Alive

Top 10 Movies for USA

1. My Name is Khan
2. Three Idiots
3. Kites
4. Billu Barber
5. Delhi-6
6. London Dreams
7. Veer
8. Kambakth Ishq
9. Blue
10. New York

Top 10 movies for UK

1. My Name is Khan
2. Three Idiots
3. Billu Barber
4. London Dreams
5. Kites
6. Veer
7. Main Aur Mrs Khanna
8. Blue
9. Dulha Mil Gaya
10. Kambakth Ishq

Some Facts

1. For the first time in the survey history, a movie from Yash Raj Films has failed to make it to the Top 10 list.

2. Aamir Khan clearly holds the edge over Shahrukh Khan with the Indian audience. That explains why Three Idiots is no.1 in India.

3. Amongst the movies securing the least votes or having lowest awareness, Mukta Arts' two films figure in the list.

4. Akshay Kumar, Shahrukh Khan and Salman Khan have two movies each in global Top 10. Kareena holds the edge over her female competitors with two movies in the global Top 10.

5. Male stars to watch out for in 2009: Aamir Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan & Hrithik Roshan.

6. Female stars to watch out for in 2009: Kareena Kapoor & Katrina Kaif.

Thanks to www.bollywood.com

Movie Preview: Raaz - The Mystery Continues

2009-01-07T07:02:00.000-08:00

Characters:

Emraan Hashmi as Prithvi A silent, brooding artist, who expresses his feelings through his paintings. He has a unique gift that goes beyond his talent as a painter. He can see the future. And now, he sees Nandita's future. Fearsome and deadly.

Can we save her soul??

Adhyayan Suman as Yash

Yash is a driven charismatic and extremely ambitious man. As a documentary film maker, he aims at dispelling and debunking religious superstitions and paranormal beliefs. His strong commitment to rationalism and logic sometimes, even results in him having to challenge and take a stand against existing age old traditions and myths.

And yet, when Nandita, the closest to his heart, claims to be traumatized by supernatural occurrence. Will his beliefs still hold true?

Kangna Ranaut as Nandita

A young, accomplished and independent model. She has found her love in Yash. Behind her self-confident façade, lies a woman vulnerable to fear and insecurities. She is about to witness a terrifying struggle fro survival. What will survive- She or her fear???

Synopsis

A brooding artist Prithvi, experiences mysterious & distressing visions about Nandita, a woman he has never met, while he paints on canvas. Intrigued by these visions, Prithvi tracks her down and warns her that these are not merely paintings of her, but accidents that are waiting to happen! At first, Nandita refuses to believe him and dismisses him as an eccentric stalker. However, the striking resemblance between Prithvi's paintings and the near - death incidents in her life is hard to ignore. Haunted by a series of deathly and paranormal experiences, her reason crumbles in the face of fear.

Now, one of Prithvi's paintings has revealed her as dead! The only way she can change her fate, is to unravel this mystery with his help, at the risk of alienating herself from her boyfriend, Yash, who is a rational and logical man. But he refuses to believe in Prithvi's premonitions. Will Nandita risk her love and her life to unravel this mystery? Is there no escape at all?

Are some mysteries better left unsolved, some secrets left uncovered and some questions left unanswered? Watch the mystery unfold...

Thanks to http://bollywood.com

Check out: Akshay engaging in a passionate lip lock with Denise Richards!

2009-01-07T06:54:00.000-08:00

Akshay 'Khiladi' Kumar is well-known for 2 things- his ability to do death-defying stunts and his charming ways which could sweep any gorgeous woman off her feet. The Superstar's last few films may have seen him more in action or comedy roles but there is a romantic side to Akshay too which can't be easily forgotten. Now in his forthcoming film Kambakht Ishq, Akshay would be seen romancing none other than the gorgeous Kareena Kapoor. However, it's not Akki's chemistry with Bebo that's being discussed here. Apart from Kareena, Akki would be seen cozying up to yet another hottie and its none other than Hollywood star Denise Richards. We came across this startling picture of Akshay engaged in a passionate lip lock with Denise. Also, we can't help but wonder what wifey dearest Twinkle's first reaction would be on seeing this pic? If this picture is any indication of things to come, expect a scorching hot summer when Kambakht Ishq opens across cinemas this May.

Thanks to http://www.bollywood.com

Prez wishes Dilip Kumar speedy recovery

2008-09-27T04:57:00.000-07:00

New Delhi: While many Indians may not endorse PM Manmohan Singh's unilateral expression of "love' ' on their behalf to President George Bush, a similar wish for an ailing all-time great actor by President Pratibha Patil would hardly have anyone disagreeing. Moreover, Patil's wish of speedy recovery to Dilip Kumar, 86, seems to have worked because the thespian's condition is stated to be stable.

On Friday, the President called up Kumar at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital and wished him speedy recovery. "We want you to get well soon,'' a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesman quoted Patil as telling the actor.

Another Bollywood great, Shashi Kapoor, 70, was also admitted to Indraprastha Apollo Hospital for a "routine' ' check-up . Kapoor, who has a heart problem, is expected to be discharged on Saturday.

source: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

DJ AM leaves hospital after crash

2008-09-27T04:48:00.000-07:00

Celebrity disc jockey DJ AM has been released from hospital a week after he escaped a jet crash in which four people died, his spokeswoman has said.

The star and former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker were the only survivors when their Learjet crashed onto a road shortly after take-off last weekend.

Both suffered second and third-degree burns and were rushed to a specialist hospital in Georgia.

DJ AM's spokeswoman Jenni Weinman said he was "deeply saddened" by the events.

She added that the disc jockey was "thankful for all of the love and support he has been receiving from fans and friends".

A hospital spokeswoman would not say when Barker was expected to be released.

Sparks seen

Goldstein and Barker, who perform together under the name TRVSDJ-AM, had been playing at a free concert in Columbia before boarding the jet.

Air traffic controllers had reported seeing sparks coming from the plane as it tried to take off.

Officials said it left the end of the runway before coming to rest, engulfed in flames, a quarter of a mile away on the embankment across a five-lane motorway.

Two pilots and two other passengers who were close friends of Goldstein and Barker were killed in the crash.

The musicians apparently escaped the wreckage by sliding down a wing.

Safety officials have said that a cockpit voice recording suggested the crew tried unsuccessfully to abort take-off after hearing a probable tyre blowout.

The US National Transportation Safety Board has not said what caused the crash, but spokesman Peter Knudson said he expects the agency to release a preliminary report next week.

source: www.news.bbc.co.uk

Blogger Arrested, Bailed Over Guns N’ Roses Copyright Infringement

2008-08-28T11:05:00.000-07:00

A 27-year-old man from Culver City, Los Angeles, was arrested Wednesday by federal police on suspicion of violating federal copyright law after posting online nine previously unreleased songs from 1990s rock icon Guns N’ Roses.

Kevin Cogill, 27, seems to have taken his admiration for Guns N’ Roses one step too far by posting nine previously unreleased tracks on a website, inviting fellow Guns N’ Roses fans and anyone else interested to listen to the rare audio gift.

The nine tracks appear on the band’s upcoming new album, “Chinese Democracy,” and mysteriously made their way into Cogill’s hands.

Ever the generous blogger, Cogill put them online on www.antiquiet.com in June. His move was a success, from one point of view, as the site soon crashed.

According to court papers, Cogill eventually removed the tracks from the site, when the band intervened. Larry Solters, a spokesman for Guns N’ Roses, said the band “had been made aware of the arrest and are leaving the matter to the authorities.”

Cogill appeared in court on Wednesday and was released on $10,000 bail. He faces a maximum of three years in prison if convicted, and five years if he is found to have had a financial gain from his action.

Cogill is due to appear in court again on 17 September.

Prosecutors said the leak could lead to “significant” financial loss for Guns N’ Roses.

The rock band gained momentum in 1987 with the release of “Appetite for Destruction” and was greatly successful in the following years. Its last album to be released is 1993’s “The Spaghetti Incident?”.

Guns N’ Roses have been working on “Chinese Democracy,” which has no official release date yet, for a decade.

A new song from “Chinese Democracy,” titled “Shackler’s Revenge,” will be available for legal listening starting with September, when Harmonix and MTV Games release Rock Band 2.
source: http://www.efluxmedia.com