2010 to be the year of out-of-the-box flicks

The second biggest film in Bollywood — ‘3 Idiots’ — and the second biggest film in Hollywood — ‘Avatar’: truly, 2009 ended as the year of the blockbuster for the two most vibrant film industries of the world. If James Cameron’s international craze, ‘Avatar’, with it’s worldwide gross of $1.14 billion stands second only to his own ‘Titanic’ ($1.8 billion), then the Vidhu Vinod Chopra-Raju Hirani super comedy, ‘3 Idiots’ stands second to all-time hit, ‘Sholay’ with its global revenue of Rs 240 crore. Crazy figures. Crazy year.

So what’s in store for 2010? Forget the dismal showings of this years three major releases: ‘Pyaar Impossible’ with meagre box office collections of Rs 5 crore, ‘Dulha Mil Gaya’ with Rs 3 crore and ‘Veer’ which has still to prove its clout after the iffy reviews. ‘Chance Pe Dance’ is struggling with Mumbai grossing Rs 2 crore after the first week and Delhi merely adding up to Rs 97 lakh.

The highpoint of the year will be a growing craze for the Indian new wave, for sure. Going by the 2010 calendar, it’s easy to see where the excitement really lies.

Most of the buzz will be created by the unconventional films which are slowly but surely building up an audience amongst the great Indian middle-class. India’s out-of-the-box filmmakers will keep the viewers busy with their avant garde offerings which reinvent the art of story-telling in desi cinema.

Interestingly, leading the brash young bratpack are two veterans who spearheaded the original new wave movement of the 1970s. There’s Shyam Benegal who returns after the pastoral delight, ‘Welcome to Sajjanpur’ with ‘Well Done Abba’, featuring the adventures of the driver Arman Ali (Boman Irani) who takes a short leave to find a groom for his daughter in Hyderabad, but returns after an unprecedented and eventful three long months. And then, there’s Saeed Akhtar Mirza, who’s new feature ‘Ek Tho Chance’ revisits make-it-big-in-Mumbai dream with his merry band of strugglers, dreamers, opportunists and adventurers.

The other mind-benders include Dibakar Banerjee’s comedy of urban sex manners in ‘Love, Sex aur Dhokha’ (LSD), Prakash Jha’s hard-hitting diatribe on Indian politics, ‘Rajniti’, Kiran Rao’s eagerly awaited debut with ‘Dhobi Ghaat’ and the Aamir Khan produced ‘Delhi Belly’.

‘Rajniti’ and ‘LSD’ might also end up as major make-over films. If Rajniti could be the film that might just catapult Katrina Kaif in the ‘serious actor’ category, then LSD may be the film that makes Ekta Kapoor (producer) a credible name in cinema too. We’d also like to place our bets on the Vishal Bhardwaj production ‘Ishqiya’ which could end up as the whackiest love story of the year, featuring a wizened yet testosterone-high Naseeruddin Shah competing with a younger and wilder Arshad Warsi for the wanton charms of wily Vidya Balan.

Tigmanshu Dhulia’s biopic on sportsman-turned-dacoit, ‘Paan Singh Tomar’ (Irfan Khan) and Dev Benegal’s ‘Road’, ‘Movie’, an eclectic travelogue of a disenchanted young man (Abhay Deol) on a discovery of India — and a self-discovery — trip.

The biggies’ roster too seems to be brimming over with an interesting line-up this year. Leading the pack is Karan Johar who continues on his let’s-get-serious trip with ‘My Name is Khan’. Karan wraps up the year too with another serious, sentimental flick, ‘Love You Maa’, supposedly a desi version of the Susan Sarandon-Julia Robert’s tearjerker, ‘Stepmom’.

The other Khan to watch out for could be Saif Ali Khan who attempts a desi James Bond with girl friend Kareena Kapoor in ‘Agent Vinod’. But the year could truly belong to Hrithik Roshan who has two biggies under his hat: dad Rakesh Roshan’s ‘Kites’ and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Guzarish’ which recasts him with Aishwarya Rai. She too could have a double-bill with Mani Ratnam’s ‘Raavan’, hoping to reinvent the Ramayana. Amitabh Bachchan also has two major films lined up this year: RGV’s ‘Rann’ and Leena Yadav’s ‘Teen Patti’, pitching him against the legendary Ben Kingsley.

Incidentally, 2010 might just end up as the year of sequels. For never have so many sequels been lined up for a release in the Hindi film industry. Golmaal 3, All the Best 2, Hera Pheri 4, Race 2, Don 2, Krissh 2, Dhoom 3...the sequel’s list seems to endless.



Soruce:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

'Race 2' to go on floors with Saif, Anil: Ramesh Taurani

Mumbai, Nov 18 (IANS) If super-hit film 'Race' had lots of suspense and stunts, its producer Ramesh Taurani promises more thrills and action in its sequel 'Race 2' that will go on floors early next year with Saif Ali Khan and Anil Kapoor playing the main leads.

The sequel will be directed by Abbas-Mustan, who had made the 2007 hit 'Race', but Taurani is tight-lipped about the leading ladies and whether Kareena Kapoor would be signed on for the sequel.

'In February or March 2010 'Race 2' will go on floors. The film will certainly be bigger and better than the first part. If you thought that the twists and turns in 'Race' were deadly, then watch out for the sequel. There are many more surprises in the offing,' Taurani, who is riding high on the success of 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani' produced by his banner Tips Music Films, told IANS.

The climax of 'Race' was open-ended and two of the protagonists -- Akshaye Khanna and Katrina Kaif -- who were supposedly killed weren't actually shown dead on screen. Also, the relationship between the other two characters -- Saif and Bipasha Basu -- too had been left open for speculation.

'Along with Saif, even Anil Kapoor is finalised for 'Race 2'. These two are integral elements of the film and cannot be done away with. For the rest of the cast, the decision would be taken once the script is finalised. Expectations are so high from the film that we have to be doubly sure before we start shooting,' said Taurani.

There have been reports that Kareena may team up with Saif in the film, but Taurani maintains no actress has been signed on so far.

'Whether Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif or Akshaye Khanna would be repeated in the sequel or if Kareena Kapoor would be added to the cast or would replace any of the earlier leading ladies is something I can't comment on right now. Let the script be ready and we will decide on the balance star cast,' he said.

Taurani also rubbished rumours that Abbas-Mustan may not direct the sequel. 'That's baseless. They are certainly directing the sequel,' the producer said.

Taurani is quite gung-go about the film's prospects. 'I can promise that just like 'Race', this one too is an expensive thriller and would be shot on a lavish scale in foreign locations. The action too would be many notches higher.'

Soruce:http://in.movies.yahoo.com/news.html

'Race 2' to go on floors with Saif, Anil: Ramesh Taurani

Mumbai, Nov 18 (IANS) If super-hit film 'Race' had lots of suspense and stunts, its producer Ramesh Taurani promises more thrills and action in its sequel 'Race 2' that will go on floors early next year with Saif Ali Khan and Anil Kapoor playing the main leads.

The sequel will be directed by Abbas-Mustan, who had made the 2007 hit 'Race', but Taurani is tight-lipped about the leading ladies and whether Kareena Kapoor would be signed on for the sequel.

'In February or March 2010 'Race 2' will go on floors. The film will certainly be bigger and better than the first part. If you thought that the twists and turns in 'Race' were deadly, then watch out for the sequel. There are many more surprises in the offing,' Taurani, who is riding high on the success of 'Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani' produced by his banner Tips Music Films, told IANS.

The climax of 'Race' was open-ended and two of the protagonists -- Akshaye Khanna and Katrina Kaif -- who were supposedly killed weren't actually shown dead on screen. Also, the relationship between the other two characters -- Saif and Bipasha Basu -- too had been left open for speculation.

'Along with Saif, even Anil Kapoor is finalised for 'Race 2'. These two are integral elements of the film and cannot be done away with. For the rest of the cast, the decision would be taken once the script is finalised. Expectations are so high from the film that we have to be doubly sure before we start shooting,' said Taurani.

There have been reports that Kareena may team up with Saif in the film, but Taurani maintains no actress has been signed on so far.

'Whether Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif or Akshaye Khanna would be repeated in the sequel or if Kareena Kapoor would be added to the cast or would replace any of the earlier leading ladies is something I can't comment on right now. Let the script be ready and we will decide on the balance star cast,' he said.

Taurani also rubbished rumours that Abbas-Mustan may not direct the sequel. 'That's baseless. They are certainly directing the sequel,' the producer said.

Taurani is quite gung-go about the film's prospects. 'I can promise that just like 'Race', this one too is an expensive thriller and would be shot on a lavish scale in foreign locations. The action too would be many notches higher.'

Soruce:http://in.movies.yahoo.com/news.html