Thursday, September 24, 2015

Kannada star Parul Yadav to enter Bollywood with ‘Killing Veerappan

Leading Kannada actress Parul Yadav, who is making her Bollywood entry with Ram Gopal Varma’s multi-lingual movie “Killing Veerappan”, hopes it would give her good offers in the Hindi film world.

“This is the first time in my career that I am doing a real-life character, and I am very excited about ‘Killing Veerappan’. I am playing a character which the media is unaware of,” Parul told PTI here on the sidelines of a commercial function.

The actress said she hoped the film, based on the story of sandalwood smuggler Veerappan who was shot dead by police, would do well at the box office and opens up the doors of Bollywood with good offers which has been her unfulfilled wish.

“I have been a successful actor in Kannada, but could not make it big in Kannada, Tamil and Hindi film industry. So, there is a void in my life. I would love to do Bollywood films if given a chance. I hope ‘Killing Veerappan’ does well at the box office and opens up the doors of Bollywood with good offers,” she added.

The film stars Kannada actor ‘hat-trick hero’ Shivaraj Kumar, whose father thespian late Raj Kumar was abducted by the forest brigand, but released after three months. Shivaraj is playing the role of Special Task Force SP Senthamaraikannan, the mastermind behind the killing of Veerappan.

The film also stars Yagna Shetty and Rockline Venkatesh, and Sandeep Bharadwaj is playing Veerappan who has striking similarities with the the brigand.

Parul said her hard work in Kannada films and love of Kannadigas has given the break in Bollywood.

“The love the people of Karnataka and iota of hard work has got me a break in Bollywood by doing ‘Killing Veerappan’. It is proved that language cannot be a barrier for an actor to break into Bollywood,” she said.

Asked which Bollywood director she prefers to work with in future, Parul said Vishal Bhardwaj and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who is good at making romantic films.

Parul said she is happy to work with a director like Varma who is meticulous and everything is natural about him, making actors comfortable.

“I would happily die after having worked with Varma. He preps up so well that the actors are literally not acting but portraying the role they are playing … he is natural in his approach, down to earth and carries no ego,” she said.

Parul said she is excited to work with Varma for she has grown uo watching his incredible films like “Rangeela”, “Bhoot”, “Satya” and others.

Asked to pick between films like ‘PK’, perceived as “anti-majority” by a section, and nationalistic flick like Bahubali, Parul said as an actor she would prefer to work in both kinds of movies, and as an audience also she would enjoy watching both.

On her favourite actor and actress, Parul named Amitabh Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit, and of late Farn Akhtar and Kangana Ranaut.

“Kangana inspires me the most. She climbed the ladder of success a very hard way because she was written off initially. I also like Madhuri Dixit and Kareena Kapoor,” she said.

- See more at: http://indianexpress.com

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon

Directed - Abbas Mustan

Starring    
Kapil Sharma
Arbaaz Khan
Manjari Phadnis
Elli Avram
Simran Kaur Mundi
Varun Sharma

Release dates -25 September 2015

Phantom

PHANTOM starts off with the visuals of the 26/11 Mumbai attack. This is immediately followed by a high octane car chase sequence between Daniyal Khan (Saif Ali Khan) and an unknown man in Chicago (US) who bangs his car and tries to drive away. Daniyal finally gets hold of him but accidentally kicks him off the bridge into the river below. This, then, leads to an array of flashback events, which establishes the connection between Daniyal Khan's past to his present day life. The flashback states that, after being dismissed from the Indian army, Daniyal goes into a hibernation of sorts, living an isolated and secluded life of his own. In the meanwhile, when India's RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) learns about Pakistan based terrorist group Lashkar's yet another plan of attacking India, they plan a secret operation, off the books, to take down all the accused and masterminds behind Mumbai attacks. After much research they decided on hiring Daniyal Khan for this job. The RAW officials believe that Khan is like 'Phantom', he has no records and is completely off the radar. As a part of the mission, he meets up with the beautiful and talented Nawaz (Katrina Kaif) in UK where she works as a 'Security Consultant'. The duo however gel well after Daniyal's first two missions in UK and US. Thereafter this duo's journey traverses from Beirut, Syria and finally Pakistan. Even though Daniyal Khan's mission happens to be a 'top secret' and 'highly confidential' one, the Pakistani officials sniff out his plan before Daniyal Khan reaches his ultimate goal of killing Hariz Saeed (Shahnawaz Pradhan), the mastermind behind the 26/11 attacks. Does Daniyal Khan become successful in his life threatening mission, why does Nawaz help him in his mission, are Pakistani authorities able to catch hold of Daniyal Khan, is what the rest of the story is all about.

Salman Khan to star in the Hindi remake of Thani Oruvan

After the success of Thani Oruvan in Kollywood, it looks like director Mohan Raja is all geared up for the Hindi remake of the film. It was rumoured that the team had organised a special screening for Bollywood star Salman Khan recently in Mumbai. Now, we hear that Mohan Raja has managed to rope in Salman Khan on board in the Hindi remake of the film. Incidentally, the film will mark Mohan Raja's debut in Bollywood.

A source close to the director, confirmed the news, saying, "It is true that Salman Khan will be playing the lead in the Hindi remake of Thani Oruvan, but it will take at least a week's time for the actor to officially sign on the dotted line. Salman will play Jayam Ravi's role in the film. The rest of the cast is yet to be finalised. The shoot of the film will begin soon. The film will be remade in other languages, too." 

TOI

Indian film wins at Toronto International Film Festival

Toronto, September 22: “Angry Indian Goddesses” by Indian filmmaker Pan Nalin, who has explored “firebrand women” in the Bollywood film, has been placed second in the Grolsch People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

The all-out female buddy film boasts of a line-up that includes Sandhya Mridul, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Sarah-Jane Dias, Anushka Manchanda, Amrit Maghera, Rajshri Deshpande and Pavleen Gujral.

This year marked the 38th year that Toronto audiences were able to cast a ballot for their favorite festival film for the Grolsch People’s Choice Award. This year’s award went to Lenny Abrahamson for “Room”, read the fest’s official site.

The first runner-up is “Angry Indian Goddesses” and the second runner up is Tom McCarthy’s “Spotlight”.

http://indiatribune.com

Puli to release in 3 languages

The fantasy-spectacle never had it so good in this country. After the Telugu Bahubali, which continues to break box-office records all across the country in various languages, it is now the turn of the Tamil film Puli (Tiger) which features the Tamil superstar Vijay in the title role. Additionally, the presence of Sridevi in her first Tamil appearance in 29 years is bound to boost the box-office of this costume drama.

Puli opens on October 1, a day ahead of Prabhu Dheva's Singh Is Bliing, thereby, stealing the thunder from Akshay Kumar's turbanator act.

Producer Pahlaj Nihalani, who has bought the all-India distribution rights of Puli, is confident it will appeal to audiences of every age.

Opines Pahlajji, "We are very confident about Puli. But, we are also confident that Singh Is Bliing would find a huge acceptance. Both are films targeted at kids and grownups. And it's a long holiday weekend, long enough to accommodate two blockbusters."

Prabhu Dheva is gung-ho about the unexpected competition for his blingy bonanza. "Vijay, the lead in Puli is a dear friend of mine. So, good, na? Both friends are coming together on the same weekend."

Pahlajji's son Chinni Nihalani, who is a professional promotional campaigner involved with some of the biggest blockbusters in recent times, sees a huge potential in Puli to break the linguistic barrier.

"We've dubbed the original Tamil film into Telugu and Hindi. But very honestly, I don't think the spoken language matters in fantasy-spectacles like Bahubali and Puli. Audiences are looking at rather than listening to the drama. A film like Fast & Furious 6 worked in several Indian languages. Likewise, I feel Puli would click with audiences everywhere and of all ages," says Chinni.

The Nihalanis are planning a widespread release in all three languages. Says Chinni, "It would be a bit unreasonable to expect Puli to repeat the success of Bahubali which was an once-in-a-lifetime experience. But, yes, there is more in Puli for children. Bahubali has almost 30 minutes of a war sequence. Puli is more in the fun mode, more Chandamama than 300."

The first trailer of Puli is out already. Chinni Nihalani is currently preparing the second trailer.

"It would have much more special effects than the first trailer. The VFX has been designed to attract both the young and the old. In fact the special effects took longer to do than we had expected." promises Chinni.
http://www.bollywoodhungama.com

Priyanka Chopra not well

Actress Priyanka Chopra is under the weather with "upset stomach", and her cure for the illness is spending time with her mother, Madhu, and family.The actress, who will be foraying on the small screen of the West with Quantico, took to Twitter to talk about the "unconditional" love of the family. 

"Late nights...Upset tummy...But mommys lap...Conversations...Mommy...Family...The best things in life...Unconditional," Priyanka tweeted on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, on the home front, the Dil Dhadakne Do actress is gearing up for release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus Bajirao Mastani. She will also come on to the big screen in tough and intense avatar as a policewoman in Prakash Jha's forthcoming film Jai Gangaajal.

toi 22-9-15

Rana Daggubatti in a Hindi-Tamil-Telugu submarine film

It's time for Rana Duggubatti to move out of his 'Bahubali' avatar, King Bhallala Deva, and get back to a more recent period drama. He plays an Indian naval officer in Ghazi. The film is a true story revolving around the Pakistani Navy's flagship submarine, Ghazi, which sank near the eastern coast of India during the 1971 Indo-Pak war, en route to the Bay of Bengal under mysterious circumstances. The actor will start shooting for the Hindi, Tamil and Telugu trilingual in November.

"It's a gripping screenplay and fascinating for someone who growing up has been a fan of films like Crimson Tide and rued the fact that our submarine officers haven't been portrayed much in films," says the actor, who has already started working on his look and is interacting with officers as part of his prep. "I've met a friend's father who was in the navy for years and am trying to set up more appointments early next month."

Since the original Ghazi sank, they will be building two submarine sets in Hyderabad which, he promises, will be extremely detailed. The film is being helmed by debutante director Sankalp. "He's the original writer on the film and had a perfect vision to tell this story," says Rana explaining the choice of the filmmaker.

And why a trilingual? "Well, it's a Indian story and the whole country needs to see it at once," he smiles.

TOI

Monday, September 21, 2015

Katti Batti Movie Review

KATTI BATTI starts off with Payal (Kangna Ranaut) shooting an MMS of a slightly reluctant Madhav Kabra aka Maddy (Imran Khan). This is followed by a hospital scene where Madhav is admitted after he consumes phenyl 'accidentally'. Then begins the flashback of many such incidents and events that show us the tale of his romantic relationship with Payal. The flashback shows that Madhav, who is doing his architecture in the same college as Payal falls head over heels in love with her the very moment he sees her for the first time. Even though he confesses his true love to her at regular intervals, Payal shrugs it off stating that she is just looking out for a 'time pass' relationship and not a committed one. Despite all the odds, Madhav convinces Payal to acknowledge his love and then they take a decision of living-in with him in Mumbai. While life seems to be a bed of roses initially, it gradually opens up its ugly side when Payal and Madhav have an argument for some reason or the other. It is during one such argument at the airport when they were en route Goa, that Madhav decides to break up and leaves her at the airport. After cooling down, when he comes back hunting for her, Payal disappears and switches off her phone, not to be seen again. Unable to digest the mysterious disappearance of Payal from his life, what follows is his endless attempts to search her at every place possible and from everyone possible. Is there more than what meets the eye for the mysterious disappearance of Payal, what ultimately happens to Madhav and Payal's love story, will Payal ever become 'batti' with her 'katti' live-in partner Madhav, is what forms the rest of the film.

MSG 2 the Messenger

MSG 2 the Messenger (U/A): An upcoming Indian action drama movie directed by Gurmeet Ram Rahin Singh & Jeetu Arora and produced under the banner Hakikat Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. It is the sequel of MSG The Messenger and featuring Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in lead role. MSG 2 is the most hyped movie of this month and having very high craze among fans.
MSG 2 the Messenger (U/A): An upcoming Indian action drama movie directed by Gurmeet Ram Rahin Singh & Jeetu Arora and produced under the banner Hakikat Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. It is the sequel of MSG The Messenger and featuring Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in lead role. MSG 2 is the most hyped movie of this month and having very high craze among fans. - See more at: http://boxofficecollection.in/tollywood/movies-to-be-released-this-week-on-17th-18th-september-2015-in-india-13236#sthash.SZydAyDb.dpuf

Pahlaj Nihalani bags Hindi film rights of Vijay's 'Puli'

Producer Pahlaj Nihalani has reportedly snapped the pan-India rights for the Hindi dubbed version of Tamil superstar Vijay-starrer Puli", which is slated for worldwide release on October 1.

READ: Pahlaj Nihalani: None of the Board members have complained to me

"The deal was signed last week. Nihalani has acquired the Hindi theatre rights of the film and plans to release it in nearly 2,000 screens. All the versions of the film will have a simultaneous release on October 1," a source from the film's unit told IANS.

Directed by Chimbu Deven, Puli is a mythological fantasy drama also starring Sridevi, Hansika Motwani and Shruti Haasan. The film, which has music by Devi Sri Prasad, has also been dubbed in Telugu. Nihalani is also the present chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification.


TOI

Kapil Sharma’s debut film served with legal notice citing similarities to a Kannada film

The rights of the Kannada comic caper Nimbe Huli, which released last summer, had been acquired by a production house in Tamil Nadu to remake it in Hindi.

But the makers of the original were in for a rude shock when they saw th

When the Chennai-based production house learnt of this, they filed a complaint (a copy of which is with BT) in the High Court last week, where they have sent a legal notice asking the makers of the Bollywood film to explain themselves.
e trailer of Kapil Sharma's debut film, as the storyline — which deals with with a man who manages multiple wives and lives with all in the same apartment complex — is reportedly similar to the Kannada film.

Katti Batti

Release date: September 18, 2015 (India)
Director: Nikhil Advani
Music by: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Production Company: UTV Motion Pictures
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Imran Khan

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

A R Rahman reacts to the fatwa issued against him

Last week we had reported that Mumbai based 'Raza Academy' has now issued a fatwa against those involved in the making of legendary Iranian film director Majid Majidi's venture Muhammad: Messenger of God, including Indian musical maestro A R Rahman. Reacting to the fatwa that was issued Rahman who has composed memorable scores from numerous films over the years, posted a letter he drafted towards those who were affected by the film.


In his letter Rahman states, "This letter is for all those people, who have been aware of the recent events concerning me. I'm not a scholar of Islam. I follow the middle path and am part of traditionalist and part rationalist. I live in the western and eastern worlds and try to love all people for what they are, without judging them. I didn't direct or produce the movie 'Muhammad (PBUH), Messenger Of God.'. I just did the music. My spiritual experiences of working on the film are very personal and I would prefer not to share these."

Further talking about the reason why he said yes to the project, Rahman adds, "My decision to compose the music for this film was made in good faith and with no intention of causing offence. In fact, the decision was based on a similar point of view as expressed by Mr. Noori. What, and if, I had the good fortune of facing Allah (Sbt), and He were to ask me on Judgement Day: "I gave you faith, talent, money, fame and health...why did you not do music for my Beloved Muhammad (sals) film? A film whose intention is to unite humanity, clear misconceptions and spread my message that life is about kindness, about uplifting the poor, and living in the service of humanity and not mercilessly killing innocents in my name."

Concluding his explanation Rahman talked about the religious freedom he enjoys within the country saying, "We are indeed fortunate and blessed to live in a country like India where religious freedom is practiced and where the aim of all communities is to live in peace and harmony sans confusion and violence."

For those who are unaware, a fatwa was issued against Rahman and Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi for their involvement on the movie on the life Prophet Muhammed. The fatwa issued by Raza Academy asked Muslims to reject the film since the title could be used in a bad manner by the audience if they don't like the film, translating to an insult to the Prophet.

http://www.bollywoodhungama.com

Vijay-Sridevi starrer Puli’s VFX work impresses the Censor Board!

Illayathalapathy Vijay’s 58th film, Puli, is considered to very special one. Unlike any of his previous films,for the first time we would see Vijay star in a fantasy period drama.

Not just that, Puli marks the long awaited comeback of Sridevi in Tamil cinema. Add the brilliance of Kiccha Sudeep’s acting, charisma of Shruti Haasan and the oomph of Hansika to the film, and you get a perfect star studded cast of Puli. Directed of Chimbu Devan, who has a penchant for fantasy fiction, Puli is all set to release on October 1.

Recently Puli went through the test of Censor Board of Certification  and has come out victorious with minimal cuts and a U certificate. Not just that, we hear that the members of the board where mighty impressed with Puli’s VFX and stated it to be clean family entertainer. The producers of the film were pleased with Censor Board’s feedback and were quoted saying,”  Myself, Shibu Thameens and Chimbu Deven are just out of the censor office and we are immensely happy as producers, to get a clean ‘U’ certificate with minor cuts. The censor board appreciated our VFX work and mentioned that it is a perfect family entertainer”.

While we have no doubts that VFX work in Puli will be better than any other Tamil film, we wonder if Vijay’s flick could possibly match the visual grandeur of SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali.

 http://www.bollywoodlife.com/