RE: March 2008 - News - 4

March 12, - Shruti Bhasin

Auszug:

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4) Ajay Devgan: I would’ve never imagined of becoming a fan of his until 3 years ago. Why? Because I never saw anything special in his acting until . . . Company and The Legend of Bhagat Singh. The entire 2002 year was a breakthrough in acting for Ajay. He did have a good performance in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, but 2002 re-defined his career. Ajay chose great roles and acted perfectly in almost all films since Company. His best performance, hands down, has been The Legend of Bhagat Singh. This was a complicated role that Bobby Deol failed in, but Ajay portrayed the freedom fighter as a real hero. You truly feel Bhagat Singh’s worthy fight through Ajay’s performance. Ajay has had a string of fantastic roles in 2003 and it continues in 2004.
...

Quelle: http://www.planetbollywood.com/displayAr...id=051205090618

12 Mar, 2008 05:25 am ISTlKajol/INDIATIMES MOVIES

She was the happiest with U, Me aur Hum.. I am talking about my dear darling daughter, Nysa. I will recount how she thought it was a picnic when we were shooting on the cruise.

I don’t think Nysa has seen such wide open spaces, with small alleys and passageways. She thought the ship was one big playground. All day long she would run. You know how little kids are.. a bundle of energy. However, this little girl was a bundle of frenetic energy.

She had two children to play with. And their favourite game was hide n seek. With so many nooks and crannies around, Nysa and her partners in crime, had a blast.

Putting her to sleep in the afternoons became a cakewalk. Usually it takes me time to put her to sleep, but on the ship, as soon as she rested her head on the pillow, she would go “thap”.. fast asleep.

Looking after kids is the best workout for moms. Running after her all day long kept me in shape. I could not work out in the gym but I did not put on a single kg. She kept me on my toes.

As far as the food goes, Nysa loves bhindi. If there is bhindi she would eat her food in peace. So there we were ordering, “fried okhra with just salt and turmeric, please”

After we completed our shooting on the ship, we began our shooting schedule in Mumbai. Now this did not go well with Nysa. She would keep asking, “can we go back to the cruise ship to shoot?” A very sad 5 year old soon realized that the picnic was over.

Quelle: http://movies.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2855561.cms

March 12, 2008 7:38:14 PM IST
Bollywood Trade News Network

...But for a day!

The Jain Family from Delhi managed to do something that even Kajol has not been able to do!! Rohit and Tanvi Jain, who are from Ghaziabad and are participating in the family dance competition Rock N Roll Family on Zee TV decided to perform on an innovative theme - Smoking being injurious to health. Their performance influenced Ajay to such an extent that he actually decided not to smoke for an entire day, in respect of the performance. Both Kajol and Tanuja were pleasantly surprised by this gesture.

The shoot for this family reality show that gets together 3 generations from one family started last week on Sunday when all the 12 families got together and performed on different themes.

The first episode will be aired on 14th March at 10pm only on Zee TV.

Quelle: http://www.glamsham.com/movies/scoops/08...king-030803.asp

14 Mar 2008, 0000 hrs IST,TNN

While some actors don’t know the importance of time and are perpetually late ,they think it increases their brand value , there are others who try hard to be professional and go as per schedule.

Of late, we’ve noticed that Ajay Devgan is the ‘committed’ and ‘sucker for time’ types. Only recently he was to be at a suburban hotel in Andheri (East) at a particular time, when his car broke down in Juhu galli.

Ajay insisted that he didn’t have time to waste and simply halted a rick-shaw, hopped in and made it to the event - to promote U, Me Aur Hum , we’re sure — on the dot. About the rickshawwala’s reaction? He was stunned, surprised, speechless but only too happy!

Quelle: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India...how/2860550.cms

EXPRESS FEATURES SERVICE
Posted online: Friday , March 14, 2008 at 11:13:25
Updated: Thursday , March 13, 2008 at 11:34:55

Auszug:

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Braving the pains
That Kajol is professional is well known in Bollywood . The talented actor touched new heights of professionalism when she performed a salsa for the Jee le number in husband Ajay Devgan’s directorial debut U, Me Aur Hum with a sprained ankle. While shooting the sequence on a cruise liner, Kajol had to leap off the upper deck. and this left her limping. Undeterred, she took some painkillers and shot the sequence the next day with gusto. Needless to say, Devgan was all praises for his wife.
...

Quelle: http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/VERY-FILMI/284115/

Story By: Businessofcinema.com Team; updated on: 13/03/08

Eros International will be releasing Ajay Devgan's directorial debut U, Me Aur Hum on 11 April. The film stars Ajay Devgan and Kajol.

Produced by Devgan Films and directed by Ajay Devgan, U, Me Aur Hum is a special love story of Ajay (Ajay Devgan) and Pia (Kajol). The first time Ajay saw Pia, she served him drinks. She affected him more than the alcohol and he found true love.

He was a leading psychiatrist, but she messed up his mind. The first time Pia saw Ajay, he had had too much to drink. She watched him make a fool of himself, and was relieved when he passed out. She was a woman who followed her heart, but despite his claims of true love, she had made up her mind. Thus began the story of Ajay and Pia.

This is the first time that the real life couple Ajay Devgan and Kajol would be acting together after their marriage. U, Me Aur Hum music has been directed by Vishal Bhardwaj. The music is out on Eros cassettes and CDs.

Quelle: http://www.businessofcinema.com/news.php?newsid=7407

March 13, 2008 3:49:07 PM IST
Joginder Tuteja, Bollywood Trade News Network

SUNDAY would be completing 50 days tomorrow. And that's no mean achievement considering the fact that a section of trade was much more than willing to write it off on the day of it's release. On the contrary SUNDAY has survived well and netted more than 22 crores just from India alone.

A good earner, the film is registering decent DVD sales as well. The film has come as a welcome relief for Ajay Devgan whose HALLA BOL hadn't quite set the box office afire. As for Arshad Warsi, he can feel good because though he didn't have to carry the film on his shoulders, he has still garnered maximum appreciation for SUNDAY.

Director Rohit Shetty now has a clean record with each of his three films - ZAMEEN, GOLMAAL and SUNDAY - performing well at the box office, though to varied degrees. The young filmmaker is now all set to unleash his fourth film GOLMAAL RETURNS.

Quelle: http://www.glamsham.com/movies/scoops/08...days-030805.asp

Sudipto Shome
Posted online: Saturday , March 15, 2008 at 01:02:56
Updated: Saturday , March 15, 2008 at 01:24:33

Are you enjoying your new role as the host in Zee TV’s Rock N Roll Family?
It’s very different from acting. It’s a new thing for me and I’ve taken it up as a challenge. My character in Saath Phere, Nahar Singh, has given me a name and now I am trying out a different field. I find the new role exciting where I have to be best every day.

What made you accept this offer?
Firstly, it was a great opportunity. I knew the unit as I had worked with them earlier and I gel well with them. Secondly, Rock N Roll Family is a unique show, which is different from the dance shows that we see on TV. It’s a pleasure to watch 75-year olds dance with their grandchildren in a show. It not only gives one scope to see close-knit joint families, which are rare these days, it also extols family bonding. In fact after associating myself with this show I have made it a point to spent at least one hour every day with my mother after I return home from shooting (laughs). This show brings one closer to one’s family.

Are we going to see you more frequently as a host?
I hope so (laughs). I am enjoying my soap immensely. Since acting is a vast field, I would love to play other roles in the showbiz.

Are you excited over sharing the screen space with Kajol, Ajay Devgan and Tanuja?
They are big stars and it’s an honour for me to work with them. As an actor it’s a matter of joy for me to meet a National Award-winning actor like Ajay and work with him.

How do you think Rock N Roll Family is going to stand out among other reality shows?
The show is a first of its kind on television. Concept wise it’s different. Apart from that, faces that were not seen on reality shows earlier will be seen here.

What else are you doing?
Nothing much. Saath Phere and this show are enough for me. After this I might try out something. Offers of acting in films were there, but the roles didn’t excite me.

Is Sharad Kelkar a family person?
Yes, very much. I do not party much and prefer spending time with my wife Keerti, my mother and other family members.

Quelle: http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/...-Kelkar/284748/

14 Mar, 2008 04:55 pm ISTlINDIATIMES MOVIES

Once media shy, Kajol has made a lot of appearances in the past couple of years. Most of her appearances were at a time when her movies were about to release. She went on the sets of Indian Idol when Fanaa was about to release. Now she is back because U Me Aur Hum is about to release. She must be pushing herself hard as it is her beau’s film.

Quelle: http://movies.indiatimes.com/Features__E...073,curpg-1.cms mit 18 Bilder-Seiten

16 Mar 2008, 0000 hrs IST,TNN

Bollywood seems to have discovered that two is a powerful number that can be translated into big bucks with the right amount of planning.

Real life couples of the Mumbai film industry seem to be using their personal relationships for professional purposes.

Sample this: ‘It’ couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor’s brand worth in films is estimated to be between 10 and 12 crore and about 10 crore in ads. Ajay Devgan and Kajol who have been endorsing brands together reportedly take home between six crore and eight crore, are doing a reality show on television and are reuniting on screen in a new film.

John Abraham and Bipasha Basu’s brand worth could be around eight crore in films, and about five crore in ads. Despite their last cinematic flop together, 12 crore is riding on their couple power. Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan fetch about 12 crore in films and ad campaigns and have 100 crore riding on their films together.

Besides serving as mutual arm candies, Bollywood’s power ‘couples’ are making forays into endorsing brands and even doing films together. In an industry that survives on number crunching, is ‘two’ the new favourite number?

Komal Nahta, trade analyst feels, “If you take Ajay-Kajol in an endorsement, in keeping with the promotion of their upcoming movie, then it will be a mileage for their new film, and if you look at it from a corporate point of view it makes sense to advertisers.” But is it just the ‘couple’ effect that charms the audience? Abdul Khan vice president, (marketing) of a national teleservices firm that has Ajay Devgan and Kajol in its ads agrees that the “power of two” brings good tidings for some brands, “The Ajay- Kajol jodi has worked well for our brand, their personalities compliment each other and the audience identify with that.”

The media also plays a big role in reinforcing the curiosity factor among the audience, who want to know what is the happening in a celebrity’s relationship and the ads act as a teaser to the same. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh, feels ‘comfort level’ of such couples attracts offers. He says, “The ‘couple’ effect is what vouches for the endorsements, also availability of such couples to work and spend time with each other.”
Trade pundits and advertisers were quick to cash in on this behavioural pattern and turned it into successful advertising strategy for many products and services. Many of these jodis have not tasted success as a couple in their films together and yet can be a lethal combination for a product. Adman Santosh Desai, says “It is a matter of convenience, if you get one partner on board, then it’s easy to get the other. There is a chance of the campaign bombing if the two decide to call their relationship quits. The power-couple phenomenon need not always translate into a winning proposition for the brand. A credible couple is hard to find in Bollywood.”

Adman Alyque Padamsee analyses, “In a country which is star-struck, when such power couples appear in ads the audience feels they are getting a glimpse into their personal relationship. Again, if SRK were to charge six crore for an endorsement, advertisers can get a decent deal with Bollywood jodis who can charge anything between two crore and four crore. At the end of the day it is a win-win situation for everyone.”
With more Bollywood couples openly talking about their love lives in public, the audience can see more of them selling soaps, colas and washing machines. So who next, Deepika Padukone-Ranbir Kapoor?

Quelle: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India...how/2867925.cms