Amitabh plays himself in Anupam Kher’s film
In a forthcoming film of Anupam Kher, Amitabh Bachchan plays himself while Kher plays his avid fan. “Throughout the film I keep standing outside his house, Jalsa, for a glimpse of my idol,” explains Anupam. “Finally, my character gets to meet his idol at the end of the film. For that we needed Bachchan. Knowing how busy he is, I was hesitant to even approach him. However, the Big B’s presence at the fag-end was imperative to the plot.” When the over-committed star heard about the Anupam’s script’s requirement, he readily agreed. The sequence was shot at Mehboob Studios recently.
Mumbai Cutting... at IFFLA
Sahara-One Motion Pictures’ Mumbai Cutting… A City Unfolds is a film directed by eleven acclaimed Indian directors. The directors have flown for IFFLA at Los Angeles currently with the Sahara One Motion Pictures’ team.
The film unfolds various facets of the island city that is known as the cultural melting pot. Eleven directors - Sudhir Mishra, Rahul Dholakia, Revathy, Rituparno Ghosh, Kundan Shah, Anurag Kashyap, Shashanka Ghosh, Ruchi Narain, Jahnu Barua, Manish Jha, Ayush Raina wield the megaphone in the episodic films starring Soha Ali Khan, Jimmy Sheirgill, Sonali Kulkarni, Ranvir Shorey, Vinay Pathak, Sushant Singh, Tara Sharma, Tejaswini Kolhapure, Raima Sen, Palash Sen, Shruti Seth, Rahul Dev, Deepak Dobriyal, Dipannita Sharma, Kavita Kaushik, Samrin, Sanjay Narvekar and Mahek Chahel.
The music also includes diverse flavours from Euphoria, Indian Ocean, Ali Azmat, Fuzon, Sanjeev Shrivastav, Jeet Ganguly, Amartya and Papon, with vocals by Shreya Goshal, Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Nachiketa, Papon and Ali Azmat.
“Sahara-One Motion Pictures looks at promoting Indian talent globally with cutting-edge concepts in cinema. Mumbai Cutting ...is simple one step in that direction,” says Seemanto Roy, Head, Sahara One Media and Entertainment. “We are looking at soon creating more magic on celluloid individually with these talented award-winning directors. Mumbai Cutting... , in association with White Clouds, is a move towards forging our relationships with them.”
Kismat Konnection in July
Tips Films’ Kismat Konnection starring Shahid Kapoor and Vidya Balan is scheduled for release on July 11. The film that has been partially shot in Canada has music by Pritam and Sajid- Wajid. The film will be distributed worldwide by UTV.
NFDC lines up seven films
NFDC has lined up seven films. NFDC has co-produced Lucky Red Seeds with Mirchi Movies, Via Darjeeling with Moxie Entertainment and a co-production with NDTV Imagine titled The White Elephant that will go on the floors soon. The K M Madhusudhanan-directed Bioscope is also ready. Incidentally, Bioscope is a solo production film from the NFDC stable in 2008. Other films like As The River Flows, Beyond The Fence and a film on India are in various stages of planning.
Shemaroo’s Priyadarshan film in June
Comedy specialist Priyadarshan will be back with his favourite jodi Akshaye Khanna and Paresh Rawal in June. Mere Baap...Pehle Aap has Rawal playing the widower father Rane who devotes his life to bringing up his two children Chirag (Manoj Joshi) and Gaurav (Akshaye Khanna). Both the sons manage the household chores and their business to the best of their abilities. Now relieved of paternal duties, Rawal is ready to be re-married and helping him is his divorcee friend Madhav Mathur (Om Puri) who also wants to get married. Embarassed by the duo, Gaurav and Sheekha(Genelia D’Souza) arrange Rane’s love marriage. Fun and chaos follow.
Chak De! India gets the ‘Billies’
Yash Raj Films’ landmark hit Chak De! India was recently honoured with the ‘Billies’, the ultimate accolade for depictions of women’s sporting achievement. Named after Billie Jean King, the tennis legend who defeated Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes”, the Billies were handed out in four categories -“Breakthrough & Innovation”, “Entertainment”, “Journalism”, and “Outstanding Journalist”. Chak De! India was declared the best in the Entertainment category at a ceremony attended by sporting greats like Aimee Mullins (Track & Field), Julie Foudy (Soccer), Michelle Kwan (Figure Skating), Rosie Casals (Tennis Player), Tony Gonzalez (Football), Tracy Austin (Tennis) and many others. Living legend Elton John wowed the audience with his performance, including a heartful rendition of Philadelphia Song, which he had written in honour of Billie Jean King.
Bhatts to start Indo-Pak co-production
AFTER the news that the Bhatt brothers — Mahesh and Mukesh- were planning to premiere their new film Jannat in Pakistan, there’s more. The latest is that they are planning to start an Indo-Pakistani co-production that will be directed by Raksha Mistry and Hasnain Hyderabadvala, who had earlier directed The Killer in the past for the same production house.
Warner India inks deal with Ocher Studios
Warner Bros. Pictures India has entered into a multi-picture deal with Soundarya Rajnikanth’s Ocher Studios. The pact covers the production and distribution of live action South Indian language films to be released by Warner Bros. The agreement was announced by Soundarya Rajnikanth, MD, Ocher Studios and Blaise Fernandes, Country Head for Warner Bros. Pictures India recently.
Ajay Devgan to direct an actioner
After U Me Aur Hum, Ajay Devgan is planning to direct an actioner as part of all-out formula fare for Diwali. Says he “I’ve two subjects ready and may decide to do either one, depending on what I feel right. After a very serious subject, I may decide to do a lighter film. In fact I’m seriously thinking of doing an actioner. If I do, it’d be very different from the stunts that we see in other films. But there will definitely be an undercurrent of seriousness; a social message will run through the film for sure.”
Kunal Kohli’s next is Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic
Kunal Kohli’s next film under the banner of Yash Raj Films titled Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic stars Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji and has been co-produced by Kohli along with Aditya Chopra. Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic is about people who wish for a little bit of magic in their lives but do not realise the angels who bring it to them. Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic is slated to release on 27 June.
Sajid Nadiadwala’s 100 crore plan
Sajid Nadiadwala for Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment announced that in a strategic move that his company has agreed to acquire a 50 per cent stake in a high profile television channel. The channel’s name has been withheld because an official announcement is soon to follow. The investment is based on an enterprise value of 100 crore.
This is a great strategic move for NGE that reinstates the leading production house’s corporate branding and business sense. Says Sajid, “ Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment has remained rock steady because of its single most desire to entertain with clean family entertainment. The banner has always made universal films with total dedication and creativity at the highest level. We have created success stories in the romantic comedy genre’. Today its television, tomorrow it could be new media. The sky is the limit.”
Zapak ties up with Kolkata Knight Riders
Zapak Digital Entertainment Ltd, India’s largest online gaming portal, a Reliance ADA Group Venture has announced its tie-up with Shah Rukh Khan’s IPL Team - Kolkata Knight Riders. Zapak.com is the Official Internet Gaming Partner for this IPL team. As part of the partnership, Zapak will create a dedicated cricket zone on the official website of the Knight Riders - http://www.kolkataknightriders.com/offside_games.html which will host the world’s best cricket games for the users. Ten cricket games will be custom built specially around Knight Riders and based on the response for these games; Zapak will introduce more games in this zone. This cricket zone created by Zapak.com will help cricket lovers to be a part of Knight Riders while sitting at home and indulging in their favourite sport.
India’s first reverse film
Rewind, a seven-minute short feature that has won international acclaim get a staggered release through PVR. Rewind will first release this May in Mumbai with the widely-acclaimed Michel Gondry fun riot Be Kind Rewind starring the ever-popular Jack Black.
In theatres, the short film will be screened prior to Be Kind Rewind in PVR.
Rewind had a successful premiere at the 2007 Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland and has been screened at more than 20 international film festivals including biggies like Montreal, Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Tampere and the Milano International Film Festival. Unlike a Memento or Irreversible, Rewind is a shot by shot reverse film. It is also a first where the film is moving in reverse while the voiceover is moving forward.
Rewind recounts the last moments of three friends who are betting their lives and a million dollars on a game of Russian roulette. The last man standing takes the diamonds but how he got there is what the film reveals.
The film is produced by Ketan Gohil Productions and directed by FTII trained Director Atul Taishete.