Posts Tagged ‘january’
‘Kites’ release finally fixed
Posted on: January 4, 2010
By Taran Adarsh, January 2, 2010 – 09:05 IST
 |
| Click above for more movie stills |
Here’s a Breaking News and as always, it’s ONLY on Bollywood Hungama.
It’s finally confirmed! The past few months have witnessed tremendous speculation about the release date of KITES. Initially, it was said that KITES would arrive in Diwali. Later, it was January, coinciding with the release of Hrithik Roshan’s debut movie KAHO NAA… PYAAR HAI. Much later, news poured in that KITES would open during the onset of summer vacations, in April.
But the release date has been sealed finally. The film will be released worldwide on May 14. Interestingly, two more biggies are slated for release in May – HOUSEFULL on 20th [Thursday] and RAAJNEETI on 28th.
BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COM
December 29, 2009 12:38:18 PM IST
Bollywood Trade News Network
 |
||
| CHANCE PE DANCE |
Backed by the success of 3 of the genre defining blockbusters of 2009 – KAMINEY, WAKE UP SID and DEV.D, UTV Motion Pictures announced an aggressive line up of 4 films for the period of January – March 2010.
The slate for 2010 kicks off with CHANCE PE DANCE, which has been directed by Ken Ghosh and stars Shahid Kapoor, as the talented and passionate Sameer with a never-say-die attitude and Genelia, as a beautiful and spirited choreographer, Tina. The film will have a worldwide release on 15th January.
HARISHCHANDRACHI FACTORY, India’s official entry to the Oscars this year, will hit the screens on 22nd January. This acclaimed Marathi film directed by Paresh Mokashi is a UTV production, co-produced with Paprika Media and Mayasabha. The film has also been screened for the BAFTA and Golden Globe juries, apart from various other film festivals.
PETER GAYA KAAM SE, a fast-paced action adventure movie with a romantic twist, is directed by John Owen. Starring Rajeev Khandelwal and Lekha Washington, this film is about Peter, a football crazy motorcycle taxi rider, who decides to turn his back on Goa and quit his job – until his sleazy loan shark boss Bosco persuades him to do one last job – the job that will change his life forever. The film is scheduled for a March 2010 release.
PAAN SINGH TOMAR, the true epic journey of a talented runner who turned into a rebel, has been directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia. It stars Irrfan Khan and Mahie Gill, and will be released in March 2010.
Siddharth Roy Kapur, CEO, UTV Motion Pictures said, “While 2009 has been a low year for the film industry in general, we released some interesting films which etched themselves in the minds of the audience. DEV.D, KAMINEY and WAKE UP SID created new benchmarks for what can now be perceived as commercial cinema. Our slate for 2010 promises to be a very entertaining mix and we are very excited to be bringing audiences such a wide array of interesting cinema.”
The much-anticipated releases by UTV in 2010 include Prakash Jha’s RAAJNEETI, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s GUZAARISH, Anees Bazmee’s THANK YOU, Rajkumar Gupta’s NO ONE KILLED JESSICA, Vishal Bhardwaj’s EK BATAA SAAT, Aamir Khan Productions’ DELHI BELLY and PEEPLI LIVE.
GLAMSHAM.COM
Sendhil in Ekta’s next
Posted on: December 29, 2009
Ekta Kapoor has managed a casting coup of sorts. She has signed Hollywood sensation Sendhil Ramamurthy (of TV series Heroes) for the lead role in her next directed by Krishna DK and Raj Nidimoru (directors of 99). It’s a three-hero project.
Confirming the news, Ekta says, “It is true. He is one of the biggest Indian actors abroad. It was not easy to sign him and it took us about six months to rope him in. We had to go through a long process of meeting his agency in LA and then have the narration. However, the effort was worth it as he is on board. I think it is a big coup for all of us.”
Talking about the film, Ekta says, “Tusshar (Kapoor) is playing another lead role in the film. We have to finalise one more actor. This is Sendhil’s first mainstream Bollywood film. We are also trying to rope in some more international actors. Sendhil’s expected to be here in January, following which we start shooting for the film. It is a slice-of-life kind of a film, which has humour and shock elements. At this juncture, I cannot reveal anything more than this.”
ABOUT SENDHIL
Thanks to Gravity, Blind Dating and Little India are some of the Hollywood films that Sendhil has acted in. He has also done TV shows Ellen, Casualty, Guiding Light, Ultimate Force, Grey’s Anatomy and Numb3rs. However, it is his role in the TV series Heroes, which is most talked about. The character that Sendhil plays in Heroes, Mohinder Suresh, was originally written for a 55-year-old. However, his audition tape and screen test were convincing enough for the writers to rewrite the part for him.
TIMES NEWS NETWORK (BOMBAY TIMES; December 26, 2009)
This time over, his father waited for the right moment to make an announcement. “Dad just felt it would be appropriate to announce my second film on my birthday,’’ says Jackky. He explains that Remo and he had actually zeroed down on this project even as KKD was being made. Jackky truly believes that one must let leave past mistakes behind and move on. “Today I know more about acting that I did when I made by debut,’’ he says. “I’m sure my second film will be a more fulfilling experience in that sense.’’
Remo, who is Jackky’s friend, steps in to add, “I had this subject worked out and when Vashuji heard it, he immediately volunteered to make this film under his banner.’’ Remo feels he is fortunate that a producer of Vashu’s stature agreed to fund his film. “Now my film will be mounted on the scale that I originally visualised it as,’’ he says.
He has also directed a film in Bengali and he is happy that his Bollywood debut has Jackky in it. He feels the boy has the ‘fire’ in him and given the right platform he will deliver. Both the actor and the director are now on a hunt for a female lead, and the appropriate title for this film that will be shot in quick, continuous schedules starting January. This could well be Jackky’s coming of age moment.
NIMISHA TIWARI Times News Network (BOMBAY TIMES; December 25, 2009)
Saif Ali Khan and Dinesh Vijan’s Agent Vinod, which finally seemed poised to take off, has been delayed again. Due to this, some crew members got fed up of waiting for the film to go on the floors and hence opted out of it to work in other viable projects.
The film was supposed to go on the floors in July, but Saif could not find time for Agent Vinod as he was busy with the promotions of Love Aaj Kal. Later, both Kareena and Saif got busy with Kurbaan and the film got postponed. Then Kareena’s dates were given away to the Bollywood version of Stepmom, so the film got delayed even further to January. Now, it is finally reported that the film will begin in the second half of the next year.
A source from the unit, who has backed out of the film, says, “We have been roped in for this project for over six months. We were first informed that the movie will go on the floors in December, which was then pushed to January. Finally, the other day, we got a call from the production house saying that the film might go on the floors by April and we need to sign the contract papers.”
It was the commitment to the project, which seemed on a shaky path that made them back out of it. The source adds, “How can we sign the contract papers? Once we sign the contract, we can’t work anywhere else. So, we will be jobless till this movie goes on the floors. Given this inconvenience, many of us have backed out of the film. We are not signing the contract as we don’t want to be bound with the production house for so many months. If we do sign the contract we will be twiddling our thumbs and not earning money. Some of us have moved on since there is no guarantee of when exactly the film will take off. Meanwhile, we are taking up some other projects,” adds the source.
Producer Dinesh Vijan remained unavailable for comment. Guess Agent Vinod and he were having a fictitious tete-a-tete.
MEENA IYER Times News Network (BOMBAY TIMES; December 10, 2009)
Life has come a full circle for former Miss World Priyanka Chopra. On December 12, nine years after she picked up her own crown, PC will be on the beauty pageant podium in Johannesburg as a judge for the final round of this year’s Miss World contest. “When Julia Morley, who is in charge of the beauty pageant, invited me to be a judge, I was ecstatic. There I was a teenager all those years ago, nervous as a help on the same platform. Now I’m going in a totally different capacity,” said Priyanka. The actress is happy she could work her busy shooting schedules around to accommodate this contest, which she considers a very prestigious one.
Back home, too, Priyanka is in a very happy place. Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and she are the top three Bollywood beauties who wield a certain power over the box office. Naturally, the best projects are divided between them. “This was a good year,” said the actress, “and hopefully 2010 will be as good if not better.”
She happily starts the year with Pyaar Impossible in January while also shooting with hotshot Ranbir Kapoor for Sajid Nadiadwala’s Anjaana Anjaani and with Bollywood supremo Shah Rukh Khan for Farhan Akhtar’s Don-2. “Besides these films, I’m scheduled to do a film with my Kaminey director Vishal Bharadwaj,” said the dusky beauty.
The low point of 2009 was when she cried herself to sleep after Ashutosh Gowarikar’s What’s Your Rashee came unstuck at the box office. “When you put blood, sweat and tears into a project and it doesn’t fetch you the kind of box office you hoped for, it hurts,” Priyanka admitted. But she did not rise to the bait when asked what she feels about co-star and ‘ex’ Harman Baweja making his feelings public for her long after they had split. Guess when things are looking up for her the way they are right now, she has every reason to be gracious.
DEEPALI DHINGRA Times News Network (BOMBAY TIMES; December 9, 2009)
Once Upon A Time In Mumbai.
But it’s not just the look that the actor is excited about, it’s the film as well, where his role is that of a guy who challenges an underworld don. “The movie is set in the 60s when underworld was just trickling in Mumbai. My character Shoaib is one who challenges the authority of Sultan (Ajay Devgn). Shoaib is very ambitious, can do anything to get what he wants, he’s a fiery personality,” says Emraan. And though the mental preparation for a role like this required the actor to have regular interactions with his director Milan Luthria, it was his look that literally made him slog it out for three months.
Milan was clear about what he wanted from Emraan. “He told me I should look tough which extends beyond just having sixpack abs. It was about beefing up but keeping it lean too,” the actor says. Three months of training with a personal trainer and exercises that included strength endurance and… bingo! Even Milan was taken aback by Emraan’s dedication. “I was blown away!” admits Milan, “Emraan is quietly determined, as intensely passionate as a Hrithik or an Aamir when it comes to his work.” It was not just the looks, Milan was clear in his mind what he wanted from Emraan as an actor. “I was keen to have an actor who could match upto as well as be a foil to Ajay. Emraan has been tagged as a serial-kisser and as a sex symbol but with this film, I’m hoping to be the one who can push him to a different level,” he adds.
The shooting of the film will finish in January, which will be followed by promotions so that the film can release by May-June 2010. “The biggest element of surprise will be the looks and performances of each of the actors, be it Ajay or Kangna. As for Emraan, the audience will see a deeper dimension in his performance,” the director says.
deepali.dhingra@timesgroup.com
|
|||||||||||||||
“The film industry tries to avoid releases in the first two weeks of January and also in March (exam season),” says an industry source. “The movie business really picks up during summer vacation time and the festive season. Big releases are reserved for Diwali, Eid or Christmas.”
Why this deviation from plan then? Trade analyst Amod Mehra blames it on the backlog. “The multiplex strike changed many a plan,” Mehra says. “Rann was meant to be a Diwali release but could not manage a clearance from the producers. Shah Rukh’s Dulha Mil Gaya was also marked for 2009 and My Name is Khan was rumoured to be a Christmas release. Veer is the only film that was planned for January 2010 and is on schedule,” he adds.
Producer Mukesh Bhatt has no reservations about time of release. “I released Raaz 2, The Mystery Continues in January and it was a hit. Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, another January release, was a superhit.”
Film trade analyst Taran Adarsh explains that there has always been apprehension in the industry about releasing films in the first two months of the year. “They believe the audience doesn’t really want to start the new year watching films. Also, up north its too cold to get out and go to a cinema hall,” he says. Having said that, Adarsh thinks any month that provides the viewer with good content will be conducive for Bollywood. “Maybe early 2010 will break the jinx.”
About 25 films are releasing between December 4 and February 12. These which include many small-budget films such as the Vidya Balan, Arshad Warsi, Naseeruddin Shah-starrer Ishqiya, Chandan Arora’s Striker and MAMI-award winning Road to Sangam. Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan may clash at the BO with My Name Is Khan and Teen Patti likely to release on the same date. While some exhibitors feel that the release of big films are evenly placed, Mehra believes, “The audience will choose the film they want to watch. They cannot afford to make holes in their pockets and this will affect the fortune of some films.”
Of course, the fact that so many big names have releases within weeks of each other is another issue to contend with. Previously, producers have thrashed out their release dates in an informal manner to avoid overlap of big ticket films. But with the multiplex strike hitting the initial months of 2009 so hard, nobody is in the mood to wait anymore. Ranjan Singh, the marketing head of PVR Pictures is concerned that big releases may cannibalise smaller players. “But if this trend of back-to-back releases in a non-conventional period hits the high notes, all conventional jinxes will be broken and a new trend will be set.”
Imran Khan to throw an engagement bash in January; his father’s presence will make the occasion special
| Imran Khan has many reasons to be elated about his grand engagement ceremony that will take place in January 2010. He is also looking forward to the fact that his biological father, Anil Pal will be flying down from the US to be part of the celebration. This will be the first time that Imran’s father will be part of one of the most important events of his life. Imran will be officially exchanging rings with his girlfriend Avantika Malik in the third week of January.
A source close to Imran reveals, “Imran exchanged rings with Avantika a few months ago. It was a close family affair, but his father was not present then. Imran is now hosting a grand celebration in January and his father features prominently on the guest-list. He is currently abroad, and this is will be his first presence at Imran’s celebrations.” “Imran has been very close to his father and they are in constant touch. He had moved to California to live with his father and studied there till he finished high school. Whenever his father visits India,he makes it a point to stay with Imran and his mother (ex-wife Nuzhat Khan). Anil shares a healthy relationship with Nuzhat and would want to be a part of his son’s celebration. He is very fond of Avantika,” the source adds. Imran’s spokesperson says, “Yes, Imran’s father is coming for the engagement.” |
Fenil and Bollywood 