Monday, May 31, 2010

Priyadarshan to direct Sonam Kapoor in English remake film

Here’s another remake on the way from Priyadarshan’s camp. But this time it’s not going to be a remake of his Malayalam film; instead it’s inspired from Hollywood flick. And the one behind this venture is Anil Kapoor.
The buzz is that the actor has got the remake rights of Walt Disney Productions' ‘Freaky Friday’ starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. Bannered under his home production, the film has pulled in his own daughter the slim-beauty Sonam Kapoor. In fact it is heard that it was she who gave him the idea to remake the English film in Hindi.
Once the final paperwork is over, the film is said to kick start the shooting by the end of this year.
The film is based on a daughter and mother relationship and one fine day both their personalities gets swapped. While Sonam plays the beti ka role, hunt is on for the perfect mother. Names of veteran actresses like Rekha and Shabana Azmi are being considered, sources reveal.
Incidentally, there is another interesting khabar on the rounds that Yash Raj Films is planning to bring Sonam and her daddy dearest in one frame. Aditya Chopra said to have a script which looked quite convincing for both the baap beti and they said to have given their nod for this project.

Anushka's glamorous avatar in Singam Movie

Be it a bikini or traditional wear, Anushka always sizzles. With her performance in Arundhati (where she practically carried the entire film on her shoulders), this talented actress proved she is not just a pretty face. In Billa, she proved she could look glam and yet mean business. After the success of Arundhati in Tamil (dubbed version), Kollywood has witnessed a meteoric rise in demand for Anushka Shetty’s flicks in Tamil.
And this time, in Singam, directed by Hari, she displays both avatars with glamorous costumes in the song sequences and a homely look in the rest of the film. Anushka's glamorous avatar in 'En Idhayam' and 'She Stole My Heart' has been sending heat waves across theatres.
According to sources close to the unit, “The Censor Board felt that though the oomph has been shown decently, it might upset audiences. So they suggested we mask two scenes in the songs. Had we not masked them, the film would have got an 'A' certificate. Now, the film is doing well in theatres with a U/A certificate.”

Vijay to do Rajini role in Naan Sigappu Manithan remake

“Ella Pugazhum Oruvan Oruvanukke… Nee Nadhi Pole Odi Kondu Iru…” was the opening line of a hit number from a super hit of Ilaya Thalapathi Vijay. And Vijay is serious about nothing but his work. He is returning with a bang by releasing three films in a year.
The surprise doesn’t end there. While speaking at a function in Trichy to release the audio the film 'Veluthu Kattu' director and father of Vijay SA Chandrashekar said that he is going to remake some of his old hits with the new generation of stars and technicians.
His first in the series will be the remake of 'Naan Sigappu Manithan' starring Rajinikanth, K. Bhagyaraj and Ambika. The film was super hit in the 80s. It was vendetta tale in which the hero a self-styled vigilante and goes after the bad guys after he loses his sister and mother to the villains.
And you guessed it right. SAC is planning to cast Vijay in the role of Rajini.

Hansika Motwani learning a lot from Manisha Koirala

Bollywood girl Hansika Motwani has been learning a lot from her senior colleague Manisha Koirala on the sets of the Tamil movie ‘Mappillai’, which has Dhanush in the lead role.
“It’s going to be a rewarding experience that I would cherish for the rest of my life. Such is the cooperation I receive from my costars in the film, especially Manisha,” says Hansika, who is excited about stepping into Kollywood.
“Sharing screen space with Manisha has been amazing,” the young actress says and adds: “She is so calm and composed. She makes everyone around her feel comfortable. And Manisha makes acting look so simple and easy.”
Meanwhile, Hansika has been roped into enact the role Madhuri Dixit played in the 1990s blockbuster ‘Jamai Raja’. “It is an honour to play a role portrayed beautifully by Madhuri. I always admire her a lot and I am extremely proud and happy to be a part of the film.”

Lekha Washington attempts suicide

Lekha Washington is optimistic that she could make it to the big league once the Pushkar-Gayathri directed film 'Quarter Cutting' hits the screens. The VJ turned actress says she is playing a role with a difference in the movie.
"I play a 19-year-old girl studying Plus Two, who attempts suicide. While trying to kill self, the girl meets some people who change her life. The entire story happens in a single night", according to Lekha.
Claiming that the movie would be a new experience to the audience, the young actress says, "My thanks to Pushkar-Gayathri for roping in me for the role. They are very friendly and working with them is so wonderful."
Saying that she would do another film with the director duo, Lekha adds: "The movie has been tentatively titled ‘Raakozhi’. Besides, I am there in a Kannada film directed by Lankesh, which has Sameer in the lead role."

Friday, May 28, 2010

The biggest Tamil movie Singam released today

It’s the last Friday of the prime time summer season.

The biggest Tamil movie of summer of 2010, Suriya’s Singam is releasing today, along with two other small films Katraithu Kalavu and Kadhalaagi.

Hollywood’s big summer release the action packed fantasy Prince of Persia-The Sands of Time is also opening along with its Tamil version in 10 Chennai city screens.

Meanwhile Singam is going for a big release in 16 city screens, 4 of them in Mount Road area alone. At Mayajaal the film has been given a record 45 shows per day. The Suriya-Anushka starrer is sure to take a gigantic opening.

Last week’s leftovers are sure going to have a tough time to survive as collections of all previous films have plummeted.

Anushka Vedam movie Trailer


Sonali Kulkarni has tied the knot with Nachiket Pantvaidya

Dil Chahta Hai actress Sonali Kulkarni has tied the knot with Nachiket Pantvaidya, MD at Fox TV Studios.

A low-key ceremony was held on Tuesday in Pune, which was attended by close friends and relatives. Sonali and Nachiket have been reportedly dating for a while before they decided to go official.

This will be the second marriage for the pair. National Award-winner Sonali (for her role in Chaitra-Marathi) was previously married to play director Chandrakant Kulkarni

Raajneeti gets UA certificate after the A certificate

Raajneeti has finally got a UA certificate but not without some vital scenes, including Arjun Rampal and Katrina Kaif's 'aesthetically shot love making scene' that director Prakash Jha says was 'absolutely essential', being edited out.

"It was a very aesthetically shot love making scene. Arjun and Katrina are two very beautiful people. And they made love to the camera. The Tribunal (Film Certification Appellate Tribunal) felt it was a bit too explicit for a ‘UA’ audience. I didn’t argue," Jha said.

Jha’s weeklong battle with the censor board ended on Wednesday with the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal in New Delhi viewing Raajneeti and granting it a ‘UA’ certificate.

The director had challenged the censor board’s decision earlier last week to grant Raajneeti an ‘A’ certificate with cuts.

Jha sees the reduction of the Katrina-Rampal love making scene as a blow.

"The love scene was absolutely essential. Unlike other directors I had not shot extra footage so that the censors could take away whatever portion they liked. I had shot the love making scene exactly the way it was meant to be. I've had to reduce it by half.

"It's a disappointment to all of us. I've also had to beep out the F… word uttered by Ranbir Kapoor and Arjun Rampal in two different places in the plot. Ex-justice Usha Mehra, who headed the Tribunal, requested me to do away with the F… word. But it didn't make a difference," he said.

Ajay Devgn, Naseeruddin Shah, Nana Patekar and Manoj Bajpai too will be seen Raajneeti. Releasing on June 4, the political thriller will be the behind-the-scenes look at politics, strategies behind election campaigns, scandals and much more.

Apparently, the censor board had earlier objected to two sequences - one showing the rigging of elections by fitting ballot boxes with specially designed gadgets and the other showing a female politician offering sex in exchange for an election ticket.

"An ‘A’ certificate brings on a specific mindset on the audience. They think the film has sleazy content. So I preferred to let the film be referred to the Tribunal," said Jha.

Also Arjun's volatile character in Raajneeti shouts lurid and graphic expletives Hindi at a police officer. These remain intact while the 'f' word is gone.

Several recent Hindi films like Omkara and Ishqiya were plastered with expletives but got away at the censors with an A certificate.

I Hate Luv Storys music Review

Film: ‘I Hate Luv Storys’;

Music Directors: Vishal Dadlani-Shekhar Ravjiani;

Lyricists: Anvita Dutt Guptan, Vishal Dadlani and Kumaar;

Singers: Vishal, Shafqat Amanat Ali, Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal, Sona Mohapatra, Suraj Jagan, Mahalakshmi Iyer, Shekhar Ravjiani and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan;

It is titled ‘I Hate Luv Storys’, but the soundtrack of Karan Johar’s forthcoming production venture is all about love. Composed by the musical duo of Vishal and Shekhar, the film’s music is mushy and melodious.

The Imran Khan-Sonam Kapoor-starrer, helmed by debutant director Punit Malhotra, offers seven originals and one remix.

‘Jab mila tu’ has been doing the rounds on TV channels. Sung by Vishal Dadlani, it has a very youthful feel and is apt for the younger generation. The breezy love song is enjoyable, especially with the orchestration that is neither too loud nor minimal.

Next is ‘Bin tere’, which is the best song in the album. It begins with English lyrics, followed by Hindi and singer Shafqat Amanat Ali’s beautiful rendition turns it into a soulful and melodious number. It has very simple lyrics, but still manages to attract the listeners especially with the entry of Sunidhi Chauhan towards the end of the song.

‘Bin tere’ has two more versions – a remixed version, which is faster in pace and includes more beats, making it suitable for the dance floor.

The other is a reprised version by Shekhar Ravijiani. It has a raw feel, but it is extremely likeable.

Then there is the title track crooned by Vishal. The fast-paced, English-Hindi song is quite average and fails to generate too much interest.

Next is an all girls song ‘Bahara’ sung by Sona Mohapatra and Shreya Ghoshal. It is a mixture of folk and contemporary music. While Sona does justice with her husky folk voice, Shreya is good in the contemporary part of the song.

This too has another version called Chill, which is sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. Composers have used sarangi for this version and with Khan’s impressive voice this version is a clear winner.

Finally, there is ‘Sadka’, which is again a love ballad by Suraj Jagan and Mahalakshmi Iyer. The part where the singer sings in a high octave is impressive; otherwise it is average.

On the whole, the soundtrack of the film offers a number of tracks that are hummable and enjoyable. Vishal-Shekhar have done a good job.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Katrina will play an army recruit

Media reports hinted that Katrina Kaif will start work on her first production venture after the release of her political thriller Raajneeti, but her spokesperson says that the reports are not true.

"Katrina is just going over details and is in talks regarding her debut production but nothing has been finalised as of now," says the star's spokesperson.

There were also reports that Katrina will play an army recruit in it.

"There is no truth to the news that Katrina will be playing an army recruit. It is too soon to talk about it as nothing as been finalised as of now," said a source close to the actress.

"When the time comes an announcement will be made about her debut production project. As of now Katrina is just in talks and toying with ideas," added the source.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Guzaarish release date is 17th November

Note the release date of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish. It's 17th November. Does it sound odd? Nothing wrong with it, you might retort. But Bhansali and UTV are likely to break the norms with Guzaarish, which stars Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in lead roles.

Recall Bhansali's last outing Saawariya. It opened in the Diwali week. But Guzaarish is arriving two weeks after Diwali this year. The reason? Indian audiences prefer watching light, peppy entertainers during the festive season, while Guzaarish -- although it has light moments aplenty -- deals with euthanasia. Hence, UTV and Bhansali jointly decided to release the film after Diwali.

Now 17th November. Well, this happens to be a Wednesday, not a Friday. The trend worldwide is to release films on a Friday, but since there's a big holiday in the West, its Indian release is being timed accordingly. As of now, it's confirmed on a Wednesday, but if Bhansali and UTV have a change of mind, Guzaarish may well arrive on a Friday.

Tamanna joins super star Mohanlal

In spite of receiving a lot of offers from neighbouring Malayalam film industry, Tamannah Bhatia didn’t have space in her diary to allot dates for any of the movies. But now she’s got one irresistible offer of working with super star Mohanlal.

Tamannah will work with Mohanlal for a movie with director Anil and produced by Thomas Sebastian. Though other members of the crew haven’t been decided yet, Jayanan Vincent is said to be the cinematographer.

Tamannah has her share of blockbusters in Telugu and Tamil. Her ‘Happy Days’ is a blockbuster in Telugu and now her ‘Paiyaa’ in Tamil is a blockbuster with the cash registers simply counting in. With the entry in to Mollywood, Sandalwood is one venue that is left in the south and soon it will be conquered by Tamannah.

Velayudham movie Vijay with Hansika and Genelia

Aascar Ravichandran is producing Velayudham with Vijay in the lead. There was a strong speculation on who would pair up with the Ilaya Thalapathy. Rumor mills were also working overtime on this issue. Now we have it that Genelia and Hansika Motwani will be the leading ladies of the film.

One more news that is doing rounds in Kollywood is that Velayudham’s inaugural pooja will be held in Chennai on May 27th at the Nehru Indoor Stadium. The event is said to be a grand-scale affair.

I Hate Luv Storys audio has leaked in online

Piracy is the biggest threat to the film industry, causing loss of revenue in millions. The film industry is battling hard to combat this cancerous disease.

The latest film hit by the piracy plague is the upcoming Sonam Kapoor-Imran Khan starrer I Hate Luv Storys. The music of the film is officially scheduled to release on May 27. However, the entire album of I Hate Luv Storys has been leaked online.

To find out more, we spoke to Apoorva Mehta, CEO of Dharma Productions, who said, "Well this was bound to happen. In fact, to be frank, the music of the film will release on the 27th. However, that will be the physical copy (of the album); on the other hand, the digital version is already up and running on various foreign sites and carriers. So if there was a leak, it has happened from there."

He adds, "We have given a date of May 27th keeping in mind that the music releases in big cities first, then smaller towns and later in other places. So by the 27th, the whole of India will have the music of the film. In simpler terms, this is what we call a staggered release and hence give a later date when all cities and towns will have it."

So does this leak affect the music release plans? Comments Shridhar Subramanium from Sony, "We can't say that it has spoilt the release plans unless we actually had planned something big, in which case the music would have released by now with the online and digital copies. So though the music may have leaked, it hasn't affected us in any way since we are just two days away from the official release."

However, since the production house didn't reveal any details of the online carriers which officially released the music of I Hate Luv Storys, it can be said that piracy has surely hit the music of one of the highly-anticipated films of this year in a big way.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Twenty:20 is still the King in Kerala

A controversy is brewing in Malayalam trade circles. The producers of Pokkiri Raja has claimed that it is a bigger hit than Twenty:20, by collecting a distributors share of Rs 2.20 crore in its opening week from 110 screens in India (90 of them are in Kerala).

Now Dileep’s right hand man Vyasan Edavanakad, General Manager (Distribution), Manjunatha Release, the distributors of Twenty: 20 says: “It is a cock and bull story that Pokkiri Raja has beaten T:20 record in its first week. Our film has got a distributors share of Rs 3.11 Crore from 113 screens in Kerala in its first week. Please note we were selling the ticket for the first two days of the film’s release at Rs 100 in all screens, before a court order came. Pokkiri Raja balcony ticket was sold at Kavitha Ernakulam at Rs 70 and Apsara in Kozhikode at Rs 60, while in most of the other places it was Rs 50 or less than that. Any which way you look, Twenty:20, is the record holder and the highest collecting film in history.”

Also read: Pokkiri Raja beats T:20 record!

Vyasan also points out that when a Malayalam film is declared a hit, immediately the makers say that it has beaten T:20 record. Says Vyasan: “We challenge those who claim to have broken T:20 record, to prove it. Our DCR (Daily Collection Report) will show the truth. For example in Ernakulam we screened our film in four screens (Sarita, Savita, Sangeeta and Kavita), while competition claims a new record after screening in a single screen (Kavita)?”

Big B worried as Aishwarya leaves for Chennai

"Aishwarya left this morning for Chennai right into the thick of the cyclone Laila, which has now hit coastal Andhra (Pradesh) and Tamil Nadu. But she was safe and has started work on Robot with Rajnikant. I was most worried about the weather conditions, but thankfully all went well," the 67-year-old posted on his blog on Friday.

Cyclonic Laila remained stationary near south coastal Andhra Pradesh as heavy rains and gales continued to batter the region for the third consecutive day on Friday, killing 27 people and inundating towns and villages.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Kites movie not release in Karnataka

The much-awaited movie Kites, starring Hrithik Roshan and Barbara Mori, slated to be released all over the world on Friday, is not to be screened in Karnataka, the state's film association has said. In a special executive meeting, the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) on Thursday night decided that Kites will not be screened in any theatre in Karnataka. Kites review: Soar high with Hrithik & Barbara Basanth Kumar Patil, president of KFCC, said that the executive meeting decided against allowing the film's screening because its makers have "violated the regulatory principles of the chamber". "The film's release will be detrimental to the interest of Kannada cinema if it is allowed to be screened all over," Patil said. All single screen and multiplexes are members of KFCC. No representative of Reliance was present at the meeting on Thursday evening. Big Pictures owned by Reliance Group is releasing the film. Kannada film producers and film distributors of all languages who are members of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce have protested against the film as it was slated to release in more than 90 theatres, exceeding the limit of 24 theatres stipulated in the state. Patil had earlier said that many big Hindi films starring Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan like 3 Idiots and My Name is Khan have been released in fewer than 24 theatres and the distributors of these major films complied with the KFCC orders.

Awara releases on Friday

Awara, the dubbed Telugu version of Tamil hero Karthi's super hit flick Paiyya, directed by Lingusamy under the banner of Thiruppathi Brothers and Cloud Nine, will hit screens across Andhra Pradesh on Friday. Tamannaah is the heroine. The film revolves around Shiva (Karthi), an engineering graduate who is on the lookout for a job in Bangalore. One day, he meets Charu (Tamannaah) at a bus stop and falls in love with her at first sight. When Shiva meets Charu and her uncle in a railway station, they mistake him to be a cab driver. They ask him to drop them at Chennai. At one point, when they stop at a petrol bunk for refuelling, Charu ask Shiva to start the car, leaving her uncle behind! There begins the racy action journey of Paiyya. The Tamil version, released on April 2, grossed Rs. 12 crores in the first three days and was declared a commercial success within a few days. Music is composed by Yuvanshankar Raja.

Sushmita Sen now needs a biological child

After adopting two children, former Miss Universe and actor Sushmita Sen now wants to give birth to a child. "I will go for biological baby because the clock is ticking for me," Sushmita, 34, told reporters on Thursday on the sidelines of a preparatory workshop for the 2010 Miss Universe pageant. Sushmita’s production company Tantra Entertainment was awarded the India franchise to select participants by the Miss Universe Organisation. The Hyderabad-born actress ducked questions about her marriage. "I said the clock is ticking... I never said anything about marriage," she snapped, when reporters asked whether marriage was on the cards. "Every girl wants her prince charming. I have stopped thinking about it long back but still I want it," said the actress. Sushmita adopted daughter Renee in 2000 and another girl Alisah in January.

Killer audio releases in the end of May month


‘Killer’ that has Sindhura Gadde, the former Miss India World, as the heroine has progressed to the rerecording stage.

Directed by Nagesh Naradasi, the movie is inspired by the ‘Kill Bill’ series from Hollywood. The movie is a complete suspense thriller and a heroine oriented movie. The movie is produced by Kiran for his Srinivasa Creations banner. According to the film’s unit, the character portrayed by Sindhura Gadde will be a highlight in the beginning of her career.

The movie’s music is handled by Sai Karthik and camera by Madhu A.Naidu. Currently in the rerecording stage, the producer plans to release the audio of the movie in the end of May and release the movie in June.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Celina becomes new face of Proactiv

When they are not busy shooting for films, our B-town celebs are pretty occupied with their endorsement deals. The latest to bag yet another endorsement deal is Celina Jaitley, who has been anointed as the face of Proactiv. For those in the dark, Proactiv is the World's No. 1 selling Acne Treatment System.

Sounding super-excited about bagging this endorsement deal, Celina tweets, "When I first used Proactiv as a 17 yr old, had no idea will end up being among the line up of wonderful faces who represent this wonder product. Becoming the new face of Proactiv is a great honour. It gives me gr8 pleasure to join the line up of Jessica Simpson, Mandy Moore, Vanessa Williams, Katy Perry and become the face of Proactiv. The ad campaign launches on Monday and will wait for feedbacks from my tweeple."

Sneha replaces Lakshmi Rai in Shikar movie

Lakshmi Rai could not adjust her dates and has lost out to become Mohanlal’s heroine in Shikar. She has been replaced by Sneha, who has gone out of her way to accommodate the Mohanlal film.

For Sneha it is a dream comes true, as it is for the first time that she is being paired with Mohanlal. Remember Sneha has done three films with the other Malayalam superstar Mammootty- Thuruppu Gulan, Pramani and the soon to be released Vande Matram. Sneha will join the unit of Shikar from June 3 in Ramoji Rao Studios in Hyderabad.

Sneha will play the role of Mohanlal’s wife in the film while Ananya will play his daughter and Maithali of Paleri Manickam is also doing an important role in the film.

Ravichandran's Hoo release delay

Crazy Star Ravichandran's dream project Hoo is not likely to be released soon due to non-availability of theatres in Bengalooru. The actor who wanted to release the movie on his birthday next week, is not finding any empty screen.

In Sandalwood, film-makers follow a tradition, that is, release the film in a main theatre in Gandhinagar, Bengalooru, the hub of Kannada films. It seems Ravichandran is keen on Santosh theatre as he considers it lucky. However, Duniya, Vijay's Shankar IPS is releasing in Santosh theatre this week. It is highly unlikely that the movie will be withdrawn within a week from Santosh theatre to make way for Ravichandran's Hoo.

An upset Ravichandran has therefore delayed the release of Hoo. The actor had remained dormant for several months before coming up with Hoo, which features Meera Jasmine and Namitha. Hoo is expected to revive Ravichandran's career, which had taken a hit following several flops and the entry of young stars.

Hoo was launched in October last year amidst fanfare. Ravichandran took up this project before completing Manjina Hani, which is under production for the last 2 years. Ravichandran has written the story and screenplay for Hoo. His long time assistant Harikrishna has composed the music for this film. GSV Seetharam is the cinematographer.

Known for his lavish sets and mindless spending on film-making, Hoo is another big-budget film from Ravichandran. The star actor has roped in most of the current comedians -- Sadhu Kokila, Rangayana Raghu, Bullet Prakash and Sharan for Hoo.

Anushka Vedam movie Trailer


Komuram Puli releases in June

SJ Suryah, who is directing Komarum Puli, said that hero Pawan Kalyan would look like a tiger (puli) in the film, and that the fans and the general audience would find the movie a real treat with all the expected elements.

Speaking to reporters in Hyderabad, Suryah said that he was happy to be doing one of the biggest commercial films in his career. “Komaram Puli will create history.”

The film is made on Kanakaratna Moives banner with Singanamala Ramesh being the producer.

Singanamala Ramesh said: “Currently, we are racing ahead with the postproduction works of the film, and at the same time, we have planned the completion of the song sequence, which was left out. AR Rehman’s music is a great asset to the venture. The re-recording is getting ready in London. The movie is hitting the marquee in the second week of June, with highest technical values. The film would enhance the grace and richness of the Telugu film industry. Komaram Puli will be releasing with highest number of prints all over the world. The music will be releasing through Soni music, soon.”

The cast included Nikisha Patel (heroine), Manoj Bajpai, Nazer, Charan Raj, Ali, Saranya, Kovai Sarala, Brahmaji, Brahmanandam and others. Stunts are by Vijayan and Tinu Varma. Story, screenplay and direction are by SJ Suryah.

Mallika under cover with Avatar star

She showed her ‘slithering’ side; Hissssing, er we mean kissing the snakes at the Cannes Film Festival recently. Next Mallika Sherawat proved her sizzling side when the first look of her film ‘Love, Barack’ was unveiled at the fest.

The hot actress is seen lying next to her co-star and Avatar actor, Laz Alonso in the film’s poster – and an American flag covering them! Phew hot indeed….
‘Love, Barack’ is a political comedy which is directed by American filmmaker Doug McHenry. In this Mallika plays the character of Aretha Gupta, a devoted local Obama volunteer coordinator. A month before the Election Day, Democrat Aretha unexpectedly falls for her Republican counterpart (Alonso), a handsome, dynamic African-American working for the local McCain office.

Already the promos of ‘Hissss’ are making sensations, ‘Love, Barack’ only adds spice to Mallika’s career.

Siddharth: My next Bollywood film will be a romantic film

After two serious Bollywood films "Rang De Basanti" and action drama "Striker" southern star Siddharth is set to show his romantic side to Hindi moviegoers.

"Yeah, my next Hindi film will be a romantic film. Audiences in Mumbai haven’t seen what I do down south. After seeing my ads for a cellphone company, Hindi filmmakers have woken up to my lighter romantic side," Siddharth told.

Those cellphone ads were made by Chandan Arora, who made "Striker". "He’s a huge fan of my south Indian films," said Siddharth.

Asked about the numerous link-ups with actresses in Mumbai, Siddharth said: "My mother says if rumours on my love life are to be believed, I’m the biggest Casanova ever. In 10 films I’ve been linked with 10 heroines. I’ve even been married to a couple of them and had babies.

"Either I am ’aashiq mizaaz’ or not. I’d rather be because the image is quite helpful. I think I need to take time off to find romance in my life. Right now I see no chance to take time off."

Apart from acting, Siddharth has taken to singing as well. "I’ve sung two songs in ’Striker’. I’ve sung many No.1 singles in my south films. As long as people want to hear me sing I will."

He has now bought a home in Bandra in Mumbai. He intends to shift base from Hyderabad to Mumbai for the next one year to consolidate his position in Hindi cinema.

"I won’t have only one home. I’ve been living out of suitcases all my life. Now I’ll be living out of bigger suitcases called home. I’ll have different homes in different cities. But I’ll give my best shot to Hindi films.

"However, I can’t move to Mumbai permanently. I’m an actor. I cannot stay in one place. And why should I?"

Siddharth dreams of becoming a pan-India actor.

"I think we keep talking about cross-over cinema in the wrong context. What about our cinema crossing over from one language and region to another? There’re fabulous films being made in every part of the country.

"I’ve this very cute dream of being a pan-Indian actor. Insha Allah, in 10 years I’ll have films in different languages and I’ll be appreciated across the country. We need to look at Indian cinema as one entity before we look at global acceptance."

Asked why actors from the south have not been successful in Mumbai, Siddharth said: "There’re two ways to answer that. The politically correct is most south Indian actors have a fan base in the south and don’t need to start from scratch in Hindi cinema.

"When they gave me the best debut award for ’Rang De Basanti’, I returned it with a very nasty scowl. Not fair. You can’t call me a debutant just because I’m working in a different language. You can’t give Amitabh Bachchan the best debutant award if he does a film in Bhojpuri.

"And if you want a cockier answer as to why south Indian actors are not successful in Hindi, at least some south actors succeeded in Hindi. No Hindi actor has succeeded in the south. We in south get paid as much money as the guys in Bollywood, if not more. If we guys haven’t made it here, you guys haven’t made it there.

"One more thing. I’ve the power to commission projects down south, not here."

The Mumbai film industry has been very welcoming to Siddharth.

"Either I’m called honest or arrogant. I’m okay with both images. My friends and family always clip my wings. People like Karan Johar rag me about being bratty and unapproachable. But I’m not unapproachable to those I want to be close to.

"This is the best time to be in a Hindi film. There’s a huge fight between the haves and have-nots. Those who have the scripts, don’t have the funds."

Salman organises celebrity cricket match

Whatever Salman does, he does with style, class and panache. The face of 'Being Human Foundation', that he has been promoting quite voraciously, he has gone a step further and brought India and Pakistan on the same platform, so beautifully and for a worthy cause. It takes a Salman to do that.

For the Being Human Foundation's event being organised in Dubai, in pursuit to take the cause across the border, something rather special is in store. The event would start with a charity cricket match, Celebrity 2010, organised by Cynosure that will see two teams comprising Bollywood celebs and Pakistani A-listers. The match would be followed by a fashion show in the evening, organised to showcase the collection of his charitable trust. Right from watches to T shirts to paintings will be displayed. Though Sallu bhai was expected to present the entire collection, he is now showing only exclusive products and to a selected audience. Reason? He fears the designs of his Being Human T shirts will be copied and sold on the streets of Mumbai. It's upsetting for the actor as he raises funds for the needy from this charitable cause. The known faces who will be walking the ramp along side the Pakistani counterparts are Arbaaz, Sohail, Sharman Joshi, Aftab Shivdasani, Riteish Deshmukh, Javed Jaffrey, Dino Morea, Sonu Sood, Riya Sen, Neetu Chandra and music composers Sajid and Wajid along with film maker Mahesh Manjrekar. From Pakistan, the faces that would be part of the event are cricketer Shoaib Akhtar, singer Atif Aslam and actor Himayaun Saeed.

Salman would be reaching out to his fans by explaining the cause behind the foundation and how their support can help the foundation meet its goals. We wish Salman all the very best in his noble endeavour.

Katrina Kaif says Actresses are not friends

Katrina Kaif, who is all set to make a splash in her upcoming flim ’Raajneeti’, says her mentor-turned-boyfriend Salman Khan was always sure of her doing well and making a mark for herself in the tinsel town.

On co-stars, she said, "Akshay and I complement each other well."Katrina feels that finding good friends was a very difficult task in the film industry. "It’s a reality, actresses are forced to accept. You can be friends with a director and he may not take you in his next film. You may find people who you counted on, not standing by you during your low phase. One has to be careful on what basis you are building your friendships," she said.

On vibes she shares with other top Bollywood actresses, Katrina says, "Actresses are not friends because there is no time. We are too much into each other’s space to be friends, but I am cordial with Preity Zinta, Kareena and Priyanka and we hang out whenever we meet."

Katrina said she started working at a very young age. "I am aware that I have to figure my path from here as an individual and as a woman, about the decisions I have to take in life."

To a question on her comments that she would get married in two years, Katrina said, "I don’t know why I said that. It’s said that man proposes and god disposes. I may have this lovely plan but who knows two years from now we may be sitting in this same room discussing a new film or my wedding."

The actress said it was just a thought.. "Waking up with a silly dream in my head."

On her accented Hindi posing a bit of a problem, the actress said, "Every one speaks with an accent. For ’Raajneeti’, I wanted to erase the accent during dubbing especially for difficult words. Even Arjun Rampal did not know the meaning of the word Aadyashakti which I knew."

Katrina said even though it has not been stated in clear terms, her character in the film, which is a rich, spoilt brat, has probably studied abroad."Apart from guiding me, Salman had confidence in me. He is not the person to say that because he is friendly with you. He will say it genuinely," said Katrina.

The 25-year-old actress feels that it was her destiny that she came into the Hindi film industry and succeeded. She has many people to thank for her soaring career here."There are too many people whom I can call my godfather. I am grateful and indebted to them. Even Akshay Kumar took a risk in working with me initially," she said.

"He did not know me at all. He was at crossroads of his career. When he did ’Namastey London’, people thought he had gone insane. Nobody is going to damage or destroy himself to help somebody else. Salman and Akshay believed in me and that is my good fortune and destiny," she said.

Katrina says the fact that her earlier films did well at the box office was a "miracle", helping her weave the success story.

"Had those films failed, nobody could have done anything for me. I don’t think I would have got a second chance if the movies bombed," she said.

The actress is appalled at how the media romantically links everyone with anyone.

"By doing this, media is discounting its own credibility. It is not possible to have so many link ups. This is the film industry and not a dating industry. One cannot be that fickle. We also have morals. Our professions may be different..Even an infatuation does not change that fast," she said apparently referring to her rumoured relationship with co-star Ranbir Kapoor.

Also, Katrina does not believe that on screen chemistry between two co-stars makes a film work.

"It is the film that works. I and Salman worked in ’Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya’ and ’Partner’ which were successes, but ’Yuvvraj’ crashed," she pointed out.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Shilpa Shetty's Thali issues

Shilpa Shetty’s black beads bangles has created quite a lot of curiosity these days. The actress wedded businessman Raj Kundra in November last year after being courted for a couple years. Shilpa’s wedding was a grand affair, replete with all the traditional rituals.
Now, going back to the black beads bangles, when Shilpa was questioned about the significance of this bangle, she replied that it was the Thali. The lady added that instead of having it tied around her neck, which is customary, she decided to make it into a bangle.
This issue has drawn flak from several religious heads.

Kites tickets high in Calcutta, but Hrithik fans willing to pay

Never before a movie star has caught the imagination of his fans as Hrithik Roshan is getting the attention in the city. Ticket prices of the leading Bollywood star have soon- to- be- released Kites have skyrocketed in the multiplexes of the city. For the first time in past seven years, after the plexes were first set up, it is first such steep hike in the ticket prices. But the fans have no complains and willing to fork out the money.

South City, a multiplex in Calcutta, has priced its plush gold class audi at Rs 550, which is the highest price hike. Silver class tickets are hiked to Rs 310. Still, longing for a real biggie from Bollywood, the city fans do not mind digging deep into their pocket. Thus, touted as the biggest release of the season, the movie goers are bound to pay more than Rs 300 for Kites.

Similar hikes in the ticket prices have also been reported from other non-multiplex cinemas.

The city is now all set to watch a film that depicts romance between Hrithik Roshan and a Latin woman Barbara. The city people have already paid Rs 290 for a 3 Idiots ticket. So the multiplexes do not see any decline in the enthusiasm of the movie goers for a biggie like Kites.

Imran Khan Big Fan of Salman Khan

Bollywood Rock Star Salman Surely is the person in Bollywood who has lots of followers and people totally worship him.
The New Fan on Salman Khan's Fan-list is our Bollywood Actor Imran Khan,
Recently Imran Khan was in a press meet for his film “I hate Love stories” and Salman Khan was shooting there for Dabangg. As reported, Imran Khan asked his valet to keep an eye on Salman Khan’s car because he wanted to meet him as soon as he arrived.
Imran Khan also plans to bring out a book on Salman Khan which will have exclusive pictures and small aspects regarding the star

Genelia favourite face amongst Indian TV Advertisers

Bollywood Cutie Actress Genelia isn't counted in the ranks of Bollywood Actress Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor or Katrina Kaif, but Genelia D’Souza still has more brand endorsements in her side than any of the Bollywood leading Actress.

With about 9-11 endorsement deals Genelia D’Souza has undoubtedly become the favourite face amongst Indian TV Advertisers. And the girl is all kicked about the fact that she adorns the TV screens in every commercial break. “I feel happy that people don’t get bored seeing my face so often on TV,” she jokes and adds, “Shooting for these ads give me a great high. The concepts and creativity make it super fun.”

We further ask Genelia D’Souza what makes her click with the advertisers? “I think it’s my girl next door image. The brands I endorse are targeted towards the youth and it’s due to my bubbly nature that the youth can relate to me better than other actresses.”

As We Know, the only other Bollywood face that is such a regular when it comes to advertisements is Bollywood King Shahrukh Khan who endorses products right from pens and talcum powder to hair oil and underwear. And with her endorsement line-up, seems Genelia D’Souza all set to match up Shahrukh Khan.

Amisha Patel abuses her old driver

Amisha Patel must consult someone to have more control on her anger. She even did not hesitate to slap his elderly chauffeur for a minor fault of his.
According to the details received about the incident, Amisha got overtly angry with her driver and slapped him in front of other onlookers. She almost assaulted him. She has gone inside of a gym. When she came out, she found that her car has a slight scratch on its side. That was enough for the star to hurl abuses at him. She asked an explanation repeatedly. The driver was speechless and so she slapped him across the face.
Amisha is known for her temperamental behavior. The driver is said to have a slight eye problem and has been with her for a long time.
However, Amisha is now out rightly denying the story and even says that she had not taken the car to the gym for last many years. She says that her house is at walking distance of her house.

Trisha will play Vinnaithandi Varuvaya Hindi also as Jessie

Trisha's graph in Bollywood is on upward swing. The pretty actress will debut in Bollywood with 'Khatta Meetha' opposite Akshay Kumar. She was particular about her debut and did not accept any other film in Hindi until she completes ‘Khatta Meetha’. Now that the film is almost over and Trisha has accepted her next big offer.
We knew Gautham Menon will be directing block buster 'Vinnaithandi Varuvaya' in Hindi and was looking for the right producer. Many top Bollywood producers from Rakesh Roshan, Balaji to Vashu Bhagnani were trying to buy the Hindi remake rights of 'Vinnaithandi Varuvaya'.
But the rights have now gone to the biggest bidder - Ambika Hinduja's Serendipity Films that recently produced ‘Teen Patti' starring Ben Kingsley and Amitabh Bachchan.
The cast has not been decided though Prateik Babbar is being considered to play Silambarasan’s role and Trisha will play ‘Jessie’ in Hindi also.
Gautham wants to use the same tunes of A R Rahman for Hindi as well but the BGM will be reworked again for Hindi as the story is set to happen in Goa instead of Kerala.
Gautham Menon, who had earlier directed the Madhavan-Dia Mirza-Saif starrer, Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein, was going slowly on his Hindi offers. He even refused to direct ‘Kaakha Kaakha’ in Hindi which is now being directed by Nishikant Kamath.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Parvathy is crazy about films

After a sabbatical, tall and beautiful Parvathy Omanakuttan (Femina Miss India World in 2008 and the first runner-up at the Miss World 2008 competition) is back in the news!
After making her filmi debut with United Six and Madan Kolli, the beauty queen is all set to step into Kollywood with Malayalam director Nithin Ramakrishnan's debut Tamil venture Uma Maheswaram, starring newcomer Mani and Prakashraj in important roles.
Talking about her move into Tamil films, Parvathy said: "There was a misconception that I'm not keen on a career as an actress. But I’m crazy about films!" She said this Tamil film is a dance-based subject of two cultures and how a dancer from Hampi falls in love with a Bharatanatyam dancer from Chidambaram.
"My character (Uma) is deaf and dumb, but she has a mission in life. The story is beautifully structured and my character is the pivot around which the film revolves. There is some sensuality in the film which I’m sure Nithin will handle aesthetically. The film has the A-team of Kollywood including noted cinematographer Madhu Ambat and editor V.T. Vijayan," she added.

Bollywood fans eyes are fixed on the three big movies

This is your one stop shop for the latest developments in the city.The launch plans. The launches. The works. Yes, this is a serious matter and will bring you the most reliable information week after week. Have a dekko.
All eyes are fixed on the three big movies – ‘Kites,’ Rajneeti ‘and’ Raavan’. The film is expected to extend the summer festival at the box office after ‘Housefull’ and ‘Badmaash Company. However, if any of these three films do not, that would immediately pull down the industry for at least 50 million rupees.
Manisha Koirala happily settle after their marriage, but before she had to go through the ignominy of seeing the release of their hit film ‘Ek Second Jo Zindagi Badal De?
Better days are there before Tusshar Kapoor. Has been signed by Rajshri Productions film for a single romantic. The movie is directed by first timer and would feature Amrita Manavsi Raom opposite Tusshar. The film goes on floor this month of July.
The director Anees Bazmee has a busy 12 months ahead. He would be watching the release of four films one after the other – ‘It’s My Life’, ‘No problem,’ Thank you ‘and’ Ready ‘
After “Seher, Arshad Warsi has taken a dark road again with the signing of a gritty police drama for debuting director Bejoy Nambiar, a former assistant director to Mani Rathnam
There is plenty of competition ahead of the Diwali November as three high-profile films – “Hrithik Roshan Guzaarish ‘,’ Golmaal Ajay Devgn 3″ and “Akshay Kumar Patiala House ‘compete for space on the screen.
Do we see another Katrina v / s top Hotting Zarine debate? Buzz is that Zarine Khan has been signed for ‘Partner 2′, starring Salman Khan and Govinda.

Katrina Kaif continues to step out fearlessly

Katrina Kaif is increasingly becoming a security hazard to herself. In spite of the constant flow of stalkers and mobs, she continues to step out fearlessly, some would say recklessly, without care about repercussions.
While Salman Khan has always believed in following security measures, all efforts to convince Katrina to do the same fell on deaf ears. In fact, Katrina has always disregarded security threats. Some time ago, when hordes of young and old people descended on her at a public gathering, she had fobbed off the security arrangements made by the organizers arguing, "They love me. They can never harm me."
But her latest daredevilish disregard for all rules of self-preservation takes the cake. On Monday morning, when Katrina was required to fly to Bangalore for an event with Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina just hopped into a taxi with her hand luggage and took off much to the shock and disbelief of the cabbie, who had no clue about the VIP passenger he was carrying until he looked into his rear-view mirror.
While Katrina cracks up at the recollection of the moment when the cabbie spotted her in the rear, her Raajneeti crew were far from amused when they saw Katrina hop out of a cab unaccompanied (even her personal manager and constant companion came straight to the airport). Ranbir and Prakash Jha were seen soundly ticking her off for her disregard for security rules.
Katrina has been indulging in such reckless security-adventures much too often these days. According to a close friend, she takes off on her own, usually accompanied by her trusted driver and no other companion just for a spin far away to drive off loneliness.
But her latest adventure ride to the airport on her own has left Katrina's family far from amused. It has now been decided that Katrina's youngest sister Isabel, who has been studying cinema in the US, may cut short her acting course to join Katrina in Mumbai.
Katrina admits her family is worried about her safety. "But what's the big deal about hopping into a cab to rush to the airport? Thousands of girls do it all the time. What's there to get hyper? My driver was late because he got caught in a traffic snarl. If I waited any more, I would've missed my flight. So I waved for a cab, hopped in and zipped off." What concerns people close to Katrina is her utter obliviousness to obvious security dangers.
Says a close friend, "Katrina doesn't realize the effect that her solitary presence in crowded places can have on people. Hopping into a cab early morning in Mumbai when there are no cops around is just not done. But she refuses to believe anyone would harm her."
Katrina's family doesn't appreciate her all-izz-well-with-the-world philosophy. They've taken serious note of her carelessness towards basic protection rules. And her days of zipping off on her own in strangers' company are nearing an end, thanks to the timely intervention of her family.

Raavanan movie telugu version Villain assembled for the 63rd Cannes Film Festival

A trailer of Mani Ratnam’s bilingual Raavanan/Raavan (Villain in Telugu) was screened on Monday to journalists from the world over, who had assembled for the 63rd Cannes Film Festival. The event was attended by the lead stars of the movie, Vikram, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai.
Amit Khanna of Reliance Big Pictures, which has produced the films along with Madras Talkies, described Mani Ratnam as arguably the best Indian director living today, and said that he and the rest believed in taking such rare movies to the global audience.
Suhasini Mani Ratnam, the film’s co-producer and dialogue writer for the Tamil version, said that the film would help “Us understand the grey parts that all of us have in us…None of us is completely white or black”.
Heaping laurels on Grammy-Oscar winner A R Rahman, who had scored music for the film, she said that the music maestro’s work merged beautifully with the story. “In fact, the music accentuated picture. Songs have a great role to play. They do take the plot forward,” she said.
Vikram and Abhishek told the media that their roles in the film were most challenging, most difficult and most stimulating. It was physically exhausting, the actors said. Aishwarya said that apart from the intricacies of essaying the Hindi and Tamil heroine all at the same time, the inhospitable jungle terrain where they shot the film posed its own hazards.

Vedam release date is confirmed as June 3rd

Finally, release date for Vedam has been confirmed. The film is hitting the screens worldwide on June 3rd. It was to release this month but has now been postponed to June 3rd. The film is set to release in maximum number of screens as it is one of the most eagerly awaited movies. Directed by ‘Gamyam’ fame Krish (Jagarlamudi Radhakrishna), it stars Allu Arjun, Anushka and Manchu Manoj in the lead roles.

Pawan Kalyan pair up with Ileana

Search for perfect jodi for Pawan Kalyan has come to an end. For the remake of Love Aaj Kal, director Jayant C Paranji had tried to rope in the original heroine Deepika Padukone and then tried for Katrina Kaif but finally made a wise decision to cast the numero uno actress of Tollywood. Ileana who is currently working with NTR’s Shakti has adjusted her dates to this movie. This is the second time that she is pairing up with Pawan Kalyan.
The film would commence its regular shoot from June. Pawan Kalyan will be donning two roles in this movie and search for another actress is still on. In a section of media, it was reported that Samantha has signed for the other role, but she is not doing. A new heroine will be cast in.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Bramhalokam to Yamalokam shooting has completed

Bramhalokam to Yamalokam via Bhoolokam’, the latest comedy movie from director G.Nageshwara Rao has completed its shooting and has entered the next stage of post-production.
With Dr.Rajendra Prasad as Lord Bramha and Sivaji as his devotee on Earth, the comic situations between these two will form the backdrop of the movie. Sivaji’s heroine in the movie is Sonia. Recently the shooting of the movie concluded when the film’s unit shot two songs in Bangkok with the hero and heroine.
Kalyani is also in the movie that is produced by B.Venugopal and Rupesh D.Gohil. According to the movie’s unit, the movie is a thorough entertainer. The audio is expected to be launched at the end of this month and the movie is expected to be released in June.

Hrithik praises Barbara

People didn't link Hrithik Roshan to Barbara Mori for nothing. The fact is that they shared a wonderful chemistry in their film Kites and get along like a house on fire in real life too. And rumours don't stop them from praising each other.
Just on the heels of Barbara stating that he is a wonderful actor and a great human being, Hrithik praised her to heavens. He has acted with many top Bollywood actresses like Rani Mukherjee, Aishwarya Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Priyanka Chopra and others but he rated his Kites co-star above them. He claimed that Barbara is the best actress he has ever worked with. He added that he was bowled over by her first film, which has so much vulnerability, dignity and sex appeal in her.
Kites has been in the news ever since it was announced. It was rumoured that Hrithik's closeness to Barbara almost cost his marriage. Then the leak of their topless photos shocked many but they are still close to each other. Interestingly, Barbara is said to be very close to Hrithik's wife Suzzanne too.
Kites, produced by Rakesh Roshan and directed by Anurag Basu, is all set for release this Friday, May 21. It also features Kangana Ranaut in a special appearance.

Siddharth ignores Bollywood film offer

Siddharth, who had debuted in the Tamil film Boys, has gone a long way as far as his career is concerned. The actor has made his mark in Bollywood with the recently released Striker, which has been declared a smash hit.
Speaking about the Bollywood industry in an interview, Siddharth rued about the media’s ignorance of regional films. He pointed out that the media is always looking to highlight the B-Town while subduing others.
He furthered that the south Indian actors are looked down in Bollywood and are not given due respect.

Panchakshari releases on June 4

Reigning South Indian actress Anushka's heroine-oriented flick Panchakshari, being dubbed in Tamil by producer Venugopal, will grace screens on June 4.
The film is directed by V. Samudra and produced by Nagarjuna's personal make up man Bommadevara Ramachandra Rao under the banner of Sairatna Creations.
Ramachandra said: "We are confident our movie will celebrate its 100 days function on October 12. I am highly indebted to Akkineni Nagarjuna. When I was the make up man to Anushka, I asked her whether she could adjust dates for me if I ever produced a film, and she immediately said that she would. Now she has kept her word. We finished the shoot in a record 53 days. We have plans to release it with prints ranging between 160-200."

Top three beauty queens are angry

Bollywood hot and sexy Katrina, Kareena and Bipasha are going red with anger and purple with zealously. It’s been heard that the damsels are standing in front of the mirror and crying “why not me”. The reason is Zeenat Aman the complete beauty of the Bollywood 70’s has been crowned as the sexiest Bollywood star of all times. Recently, there was a countdown of Eastern Eye list of 50 sexiest Bollywood stars where Zeenat Aman scored over everyone.
She casted her spell with her looks and her performance during the 70’s when Dev Anand gave her the role of his sister and filmed the all time Junkie favourite ‘Dam Maro Dum’ on her, she moved and the viewers got intoxicated whenever she use to swing and say ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ in Feroz Khan’s ‘Kurbani’ where Zeenat looked nothing less then a sex goddess in those swimming costumes.
She too spoke Hindi with an accent but continue to remain the desire of many during her times. Zeenat was the second runner up in the Miss India Contest and went on to win the Miss Asia Pacific in 1970. Zeenat and Parveen Babi are both influential in bringing the bohemian culture to Bollywood.
Hats off to the diva, she truly deserves the title

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Deepika Padukone vs Aishwarya Rai

Deepika Padukone stole the limelight at the Cannes Film Fest this year by walking the red carpet for the first time. She was representing the liquor brand Chivas Regal. The lady looked ravishing in a Rohit Bal-designed off white, slightly embroidered gold saree.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who has been attending Cannes since 2002 as L’Oreal’s brand ambassador was present at the event. She decided to go completely western and was seen wearing a violet-blue fully embroidered tulle and mousseline gown designed by the Lebanese designer Elie Saab.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Gul Panag's fight against female foeticide

Chandigarh, Former Miss India and actress Gul Panag will now be seen in a new avatar of a crusader disseminating awareness about social evils like female foeticide and drug addiction.
She has joined hands with the Chandigarh administration for this endeavour. The health department here has enrolled a city-based NGO Shamsher Singh Foundation under the ongoing partnership initiative programme of Chandigarh administration, said officials here Thursday.
Gul, founder member of this NGO, has signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the health department to work in this direction.
“We have assured the officials concerned that our NGO will work with full dedication and commitment. We will make this programme of generating awareness against female foeticide and drug addition a huge success in this region,” said Gul, 31, Thursday.
The actress is known for doing socially relevant films — her first film “Dhoop” was based on the real story of Kargil war hero Anuj Nayyar. In Nagesh Kukunoor’s “Dor”, she played Zeenat Fatima, who fights to save her husband, and received critical acclaim for her performance.
The administration has briefed Gul and other officials of the NGO about their roles and responsibilities.
“We have apprised them about their responsibilities in generating awareness about these issues. Their work involves monitoring of ultrasound centres to prevent sex determination tests as well as volunteering as decoy clients to conduct raids,” said Ram Niwas, health-cum home secretary of Chandigarh.
“The NGO will also motivate people by recognising the birth of second girl child in the form of celebrations of birthdays or festivals like Lohri. They will also identify drug addicts and help them to shun drugs,” stated Niwas.

Link Ex change

Name:
 
Comment: