Der vom Land stammende Ashfaque (Ajay Devgan) will Star-Schauspieler in Bollywood werden und tritt dazu erst einmal der Strassengruppe des ehemaligen Gangsters Sidhu (Prankaj Kapur) bei. Statt Ruhm findet er dort Liebe - zur sympathischen Sneha (Vidya Balan). Doch auch der Erfolg lässt nicht lange auf sich warten: Als Ashfaque die Chance für eine Filmrolle kriegt, schlägt sein Debüt voll ein. Er nennt sich fortan Sameer Khan und wird zum Superstar. Mit dem neu gewonnen Ansehen und Prestige wächst aber die Distanz zu seinem Guru Sidhu und weil Ashfaque das Leben eines Playboys führt, entfremdet er sich auch von Sneha. Eines Abends besucht er einen angesagten Club, in dem jede Menge Berühmtheiten feiern. Dabei wird er Zeuge, wie zwei Männer auf der Toilette eine Frau erschiessen. Niemand von den Partygästen wagt es danach, eine Aussage zu machen, denn die Männer sind die Söhne wohlhabender und einflussreicher Stadtväter. Auch Ashfaque schweigt. Doch sein Gewissen plagt ihn.
Sridevi and Boney Kapoor are upset that her miniscule appearance in Raj Santoshi's Halla Bol is actually being publicised. "It was never meant to be publicised!" exclaims Boney Kapoor. "And you can't really call it a guest appearance. After so many years, do you think Sri would return to the screen with a guest appearance in a Vidya Balan-Ajay Devgan starrer?"
Boney describes the exact extent of Sridevi's so-called role in the film. He says, "Since Halla Bol is set in the film industry, Sri and I make a joint appearance on stage and give an award to Ajay Devgan, who plays a star. Now, Sri and I give away such awards at several awards functions. Would that qualify as a guest appearance for Sri too? It's as much a guest appearance as Sri joining Karisma Kapoor in Jeena Issi Ka Naam Hai on TV."
What's troubling Boney is that Sridevi agreed to come on screen for a couple of minutes for the sake of her old friendship with Santoshi. "There are some things that you just do for friends," says Boney referring to his long-term association with Raj Santoshi who made Pukar for Boney's banner. "That doesn't mean it should get used as a publicity gimmick. That's unfair."
Is Halla Bol based on Jessica Lal's murder? If sources are to be believed, Rajkumar Santoshi has borrowed heavily from the 1999 Jessica Lal murder who was shot dead at the Tamarind Court, a restaurant owned by socialite Bina Ramani in Qutab Institutional Area in south Delhi, for his forthcoming film Halla Bol, starring Ajay Devgan and Vidya Balan. The plot of the film primarily revolves around a smalltown boy who wants to join the Bollywood brigade. His hard work and determination pays off and he acquires celebrity status in a short time. In keeping with his colleagues he indulges in a few vices that estrange him from his family. A conflict arises when a shocking murder at a party changes his life.
Sources close to Santoshi indicate that the murder in the film is no ordinary killing. Just as Jessica's killers Manu Sharma and his aide Vikas Yadav have strong political connections (Sharma's father was once a Union minister and is now a Haryana state minister and Yadav is the son of a don-turned-politician D P Yadav), the accused in the film too weilds political clout. He flees from the scene after shooting a model-turned-actress in a posh restaurant.
Santoshi, however, focuses on Devgan's troubled mind and his urge to stand up against the killer. His estranged wife (Vidya Balan) and mentor (Pankaj Kapur) help him to take a stand.
When quizzed about it, director Santoshi however claims that the story is original and the similarity is purely co-incidental. He says: "The murders are similar in nature. But my film is not based on Jessica Lal's murder." He adds, "I had the story idea seven years back even before Jessica was shot." (Well, Jessica Lal was murdered eight years back in April 1999.)
Talking about special appearances in the film, Kareena Kapoor has one too. The actress just plays herself in the film. Says Santoshi, "Kareena makes a friendly appearance alongside Ajay. Both are superstars in the film.”
Also, auf Halla Bol freue ich mich am meisten - obwohl ich Nasenkhan-mäßig und Ohrmirhaft nicht gerade zurückhaltend bin - mir scheint Halla Bol vom Thema und vom Anspruch her am meisten zu bieten.
Allein schon dieser Text, den Foxy-X hier ganz oben hingestellt hat - und wenn man dann noch die Bilder sieht - nun, bis wir hierzulande mal eine DVD davon sehen werden, kann es fast schon Weihnachten sein.... Ich freu mich jetzt schon auf die Reviews im Netz.
Halla Bol wird wohl erst im Dezember erscheinen - schade daß es doch noch sooo lang dauern soll. Oktober wär mir lieber gewesen :wink: die Inder in orkut sind sich jedenfalls sicher daß die Angabe "Dezember" stimmt. :(
New Bollywood movie has echoes of model's murder Tue Nov 6, 2007 3:12pm IST Text - MUMBAI (Reuters Life!) -
Bollywood's Rajkumar Santoshi's latest film about the murder of an actress may seem familiar, but the A-list director says it is not based on the 1999 killing of a model by a politician's son, a crime which shocked the nation.
"Halla Bol", starring Ajay Devgan and Vidya Balan, revolves around the murder of an actress by a group of influential men who use their political clout to cover up the crime.
In 2006 and after a seven-year and highly publicised trial, Manu Sharma, the son of an influential member of India's ruling Congress Party, was convicted of shooting model and celebrity barmaid Jessica Lall at a crowded New Delhi bar in 1999.
Several media reports have said Halla Bol was based on the shooting.
"Though the plot maybe similar to the true incident, my film is not inspired by it," he said, referring to the Lall murder.
"The film is about an actor who thought he was a sort of a hero for the people and then realises one fine day when the actress is murdered that he is nothing but a screen identity," said Santoshi.
"It is a story about how he stands up and fights for the actress against powerful people of society who try to silence his voice."