RE: July 2007 - News - 10

Amitabh, Ajay reduce the risk for Bhojpuri films - July 31, 2007

Bhojpuri super stars like Ravi Kissen and Manoj Tiwari charge around Rs.2.5 million per film - a nominal amount compared to what the Hindi film heroes demand.
Ravi explains, “The industry is just over 4-years-old and one which has a bright feature. It has a huge fan following as almost 35% of the Hindi audience follow Bhojpuri cinema.
Ajay Devgan and Amitabh Bachchan have also done films in this language. So I don’t think there is any risk coming in.”

Quelle: http://www.radiosargam.com/films/archive...puri-films.html

Urmila does the Mehbooba

After Mallika Sherawat, it's Urmila Matondkar's turn to play Mehbooba.

The actress will be seen in former mentor Ram Gopal Varma's version of Ramesh Sippy's blockbuster, Sholay. She will sway her hips in Mehbooba, the song Helen made famous.
This is the first time after four years that Urmila reunites with RGV again.

Urmila talks to Narendra Singh about her new film, Amitabh Bachchan and more.

There was a phase where you rocked the nation with your dancing skills in films like Rangeela and China Gate. Is that phase back?

I don't think on those lines. I only think of what I am doing and how well I am doing it. Dancing is one thing that comes naturally to me and I enjoy it the most. Whenever I dance on the screen, I am in my best spirits. I hope people like what I have done for Mehbooba.

This time for Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, you did a lot of Chamma Chamma in water. How was the experience?

(Laughs) Well, the look and the feel of the song is in tune with modern times. The film is set in a metropolitan city. In the song, I have been introduced as a performer.

The song has been shot in an eerie atmosphere so in a way, it's a mixture of thrill, excitement and sensuality. The effort was to create a very sensual ambience.

And that is very much present in the song.

Thanks. I don't remember feeling as excited as I felt when I started shooting for the song. But the initial excitement turned into nervousness, which then gave to complete nervousness! It was an awesome journey of ups and downs, which I have enjoyed tremendously.

You are also working with Mr Bachchan. What was the image you had of him and did he fit that image?

Oh, he went beyond what I had imagined of him. I am such a big fan of Mr Bachchan that I just can't describe the feeling. I even remember all his dialogues.

Which is your favourite?

Oh, there are so many. Khush toh bahut honge tum (laughs).

But on a more serious note, I remember the time when we had to be on stage for a show. Before the show, I requested him to deliver his favourite dialogues. And he obliged me. I actually left my makeup to see him on stage.

I think the sheer magic of cinema is Amitabh Bachchan. On the first day of the shoot when I saw him, the only expression which came to my mind was 'Oh, my God!' I almost forgot everything. It was an awesome experience.

I think besides being a good human being and an actor, he is an amazing co-star too. He was very cooperative and wonderful during the shoot.

I think to have him as Gabbar Singh and dancing in front of him, is a sheer challenge in itself.

But now he is no longer Gabbar Singh.

Yes, that's true, now he is Babban Singh.

Did Ramu give you any specific instruction before shooting Mehbooba?

More than RGV, I feel it's the choreographer Ganesh Hegde, whose vision is there in the song. I think Ganesh has done an excellent work.

Comparisons with Helenji are inevitable. Are you feeling jittery?

Of course, I'm feeling jittery. Helenji is an institution in herself. How can anyone be compared to her?

That said, we have not aped anything from the original song be it clothes or the look of the song. We have tried our best to present the song in a fresh manner. I hope the experiment appeals to the audiences. The song is, in a way, a tribute to Helenji.

Did you meet Helenji?

Yeah, I had met her once during one of her shows. Here I would like to take a small credit, as I am the sole actress who remembers all her songs. I have religiously followed her career. Meeting her was a high point in my life.

Aap ka Surroor also had a Mehbooba. Did you see it?

Yes, I saw glimpses of the song on television.

How was it?

It was pretty good.

Last time Big B, Abhishek and Aishwarya created magic was when they appeared together for Kajra re. Will this be true for this song too? What about Abhishek Bachchan's role in the movie?

I wont like to comment anything about Abhishek. I don't know anything (laughs). For now, lets stick to the song. Can I talk about myself (laughs)?

Okay, what do you think about the fate of the song?

The audience is the biggest judge. I have always maintained that I am what I am because of my audience, and I have full faith that they will like the song.

Quelle: http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2007/jul/30slide1.htm

Sanjay Dutt's finished and unfinished projects - July 31, 2007

Members of the film industry, who were keeping their fingers crossed for Sanjay Dutt's verdict are now shocked and appalled at the sentence that has been awarded to the star.

Even as his friends are aggrieved at what they think is an unnecessarily harsh punishment, producers, who have money riding on the star are trying to -think through their plans again.

Here is a look at the star's finished and unfinished projects.

Over the past six months Sanjay Dutt has tried his best to complete his unfinished projects.

Films that released in this period were his friend Sanjay Gupta's Shootout At Lokhandwala and Raman Kumar's Sarhad Paar -- which was a disaster at the box office -- and Ajay Chandok's Nehle Pe Dehla, which was also a flop.

He has also finished shooting for Inder Kumar's Dhamaal.

He had just started shooting for Abbas Mustan's Mr Fraud, Sanjay Gupta's Alibaug and Sanjay Gadhvi's Kidnap. These producers will be the worst affected with Dutt's sentence.

Meanwhile, the projects that were announced but not started:

Sujoy Ghosh's Aladdin

Rajkumar Hirani's Munnabhai Chale Amrika

However, there may be small comfort in the fact that the money riding on the actor at this point of time is not more than Rs 40 crore.

Quelle: http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/45965/sanj...d-projects.html

Rs 100 cr riding on Sanjay Dutt

Many in the film industry will be praying for Sanjay Dutt when the actor goes to the special Tada court on Tuesday.

Three films starring Dutt — Abbas-Mustan’s ‘Mr Fraud’, Sanjay Gupta’s ‘Alibaug’ and Sanjay Gadhvi’s ‘Kidnap’ — are now on the floor. The producers of the three films together stand to lose around Rs 100 crore if there is any problem with their shooting.

Besides, Dutt also has two releases — ‘ Mehbooba ’ and Indra Kumar’s ‘ Dhamaal ’ — this year. ‘ Dhamaal ’ is slated to be released on September 7 and ‘ Mehbooba ’ will hit the silver screen during Diwali.

‘ Dhamaal ’ is a comedy and, after the success of ‘ Munnabhai ’, there are many who are betting on the movie to make good money. ‘‘It is a comedy of the same genre and has a good supporting cast that includes Arshad Warsi,’’ a trade insider informed.

‘ Mehbooba ’ has been in the making for seven years now and is said to be complete. It also stars Ajay Devgan and is an expensive film, costing around Rs 30 crore.

But the other three films on the floor are not anywhere near completion. The shooting of ‘Mr Fraud’ has been on hold for some time as the producers are finding it difficult to get dates together from all the actors and the directors.

An insider in Ashtavinayak (which is producing the film) said: ‘‘Abbas-Mustan got busy with other projects, like ‘Race’, because of which the shooting of ‘Mr Fraud’ suffered. About 50% shooting of the film is complete.’’

Dutt has also completed 60% shooting of ‘ Kidnap ’ and is currently shooting for home production ‘ Alibaug ’. ‘‘But only 15% of the shooting of ‘ Alibaug ’ is complete,’’ a unit member informed. Dutt last shot for the film on Friday. It is learnt that ‘Kidnap’ and ‘Mr Fraud’ are being shot at a budget of Rs 35 crore to 40 crore each.

But Dutt is trying to ensure that his producers do not lose money because of his legal problems. ‘‘He hasn’t shot for another film, his home production (‘ Beehad ’), because of the case,’’ a unit member said.

Director Bunty Luthria said: ‘‘Sanjay Dutt is making this film in the memory of his father and wants everything to be in place before he starts the production. We have just completed the script of the film and will begin as soon as the dates of the other films are finalised.’’

Quelle: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Rs_10...how/2245355.cms

Ajay Devgan’s super body-double!

We didn’t ever doubt that the deadly Devgan was a super-hero in the making, but now he’s gone ahead and proved it. Ajay is playing super-hero in an animated film called Toonpur Ka Super-Hero ; it’s the first time he’s doing a film like this one, where he’ll be playing a character, but not in flesh and blood. The screen super-hero will look and act just like Devgan; well, considering it’s a tough feat for anyone to imitate an actor like Devgan in reality, let the lad from Toonpur enjoy his field day. We wonder if super-boy Krrish has any advice for our ‘toon’ super-hero?

Quelle: http://movies.indiatimes.com/Ajay_Devgan...how/2235089.cms

Ajay, Zayed, Ritiesh cashless in South Africa! - July 30, 2007

Call it an irony or whatever, but that's what happened when Anubhav Sinha along with actors Ajay Devgan, Zayed Khan, Ritiesh Deshmukh , Suneil Shetty along with Esha Deol, Shamita Shetty and Dia Mirza were shooting in Cape Town ( South Africa) recently. The entire unit of Cash went cashless.

The shooting went on smoothly, but in between they ran out of cash and as a result they had to complete the remaining part of the film with borrowed cash. And to top it all the friction between producer Sohail Maklai and director Anubhav Sinha made matters worse.

"There was some friction between the actors and Anubhav as well, because they felt he was favouring Shamita," says a unit member. While the local coordinator who organized the shoot says "Everybody including my company had to settle for less, infact we paid one of the location bills last week from our pockets. It was a nightmare to work with them. We only knew Sohail as the producer, but when the film got complete we came to know that they were two co producers as well Anubhav and Aneesh. But Sohail being the nice guy told us to calm ourselves until all dues were paid. All the actors, except Shamita, worked in Cash because of their friendship with Sohail." When contacted, Sohail agreed that there was some problem in Cape Town as they ran out of money "but it was sorted out latter and we paid them all," he says. But Sohail says that the experience of working with Anubhav has left him with a bitter taste and he won't be working with him ever again in his life. "Atleast not in this life time,” he grins.

Quelle: http://movies.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2244687.cms