Posts Tagged ‘mausam’
Pankaj Kapur is on a nationwide hunt for the female lead to be cast opposite Shahid Kapoor in his directorial debut Mausam. But his son has other ideas. Apparently, Shahid is keen on casting Katrina Kaif in the lead.
A source reveals, “After working with A-list actresses such as Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Vidya Balan, Katrina Kaif is the next actress on Shahid’s wishlist. He thinks Katrina is extremely talented and would love to work with her in a film. His father’s movie is a love story and Shasha (Shahid) finds Katrina apt for the role.”
Pankaj Kapoor, however, is not terribly keen on Shahid’s recommendation. The source continues, “He has spoken to his dad Pankaj recommending Katrina for the film. But, Pankaj is keen to cast a young fresh face for the film. A nationwide hunt is on for the film.”
The debutant director takes a cautious line. Pankaj Kapoor says, “I am still in the scripting process. My daughter is looking into the casting. Only once I am done with the script, will I be able to take the final call for the female lead.” The movie goes on the floors in January 2010.
Shahid remained unavailable for comment.
MEENA IYER Times News Network (BOMBAY TIMES; November 8, 2009)
meena.iyer@timesgroup.com
The music maestro will perform live with the Hungary Symphony Orchestra on January 26
This is good news for everyone who admires the genius of music composer Ilaiyaraaja. He is preparing for his first ever live concert in Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai in collaboration with the Hungary Symphony Orchestra. He will perform on January 26 in Mumbai. The maestro is currently in Budapest, recording for Pankaj Kapur’s forthcoming film Mausam with producer Sheetal Talwar and his wife, filmmaker Bhavna Talwar.
The couple has planned Ilaiyaraaja’s three concerts where he will play Tiruvacakam, the ancient sacred hymns. Accompanying Ilaiyaraaja will be the Hungary Symphony Orchestra and its conductor Laszlo Kovacs. Speaking to us from Budapest, the soft-spoken musician says, “Yes, we’re planning a concert in Mumbai and other places.” Ilaiyaraaja, who often visits Budapest for music collaborations, adds, “Working in collaboration with symphonies is not difficult for me. It only requires a lot more preparation. All the music has to be written down in detail before work begins.” He says that live concerts are not an extra burden. “It is music in another form. Whether I’m composing for a film or playing at a concert, I’m doing music. The medium is secondary. I’m only concerned with music.” We ask Ilaiyaraaja about his renowned aptitude for reflexive composition, and he laughs and says, “Who knows how many births I had to go through before music came so easily to me? It’s not about how much music I know but about how well music knows me. The greatness is not in me, but in the music. I don’t compose the music. It’s just there within me and it comes out. I don’t make an effort to create music. It just flows out, like the conversation I’m having with you.” |
Had Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor still been a couple, Kareena would have surely starred opposite him in his father Pankaj Kapur’s directorial debut, Mausam. After all, Pankaj had written the script of Mausam keeping Kareena in mind. This, of course, was when Kareena and Shahid’s relationship was going strong. The former lovers last starred together in Jab We Met. After the Shahid-Kareena break-up, Mausam got delayed to some extent since Pankaj Kapur had to drop his plan of casting Kareena and started considering other options for the lead actress. Also, Pankaj couldn’t get a producer for a long time before Religare Vistaar Entertainment came into the picture. A source said, “Things are fine now but they can’t go back to Kareena saying that they want her to do the film. They are feeling quite awkward about asking her to star opposite Shahid and hence they have decided to launch a nationwide hunt to look for a girl who will be suitable for the film.” When asked about him earlier wanting Kareena in his film, Pankaj said, “Who told you this? I am still writing the script. How can I think of casting actors before I have completed my script? I will further talk when we are ready to roll.” Producer Sheetal Talwar said, “Well, Shahid and Kareena look fabulous together on screen. But we are now having a nationwide hunt for the lead actress for Mausam.” Kareena had no idea about this till we contacted her to ask what she has to say about Pankaj Kapur writing a script keeping in mind her and Shahid’s jodi. Clear about not mixing her personal and professional life, Kareena said, “If they have a good script and a good role and ask me to do it, I see no reason why I shouldn’t.”
Now that Kareena has no problem starring opposite Shahid, we wonder if his father will drop his plans of a nationwide hunt for the lead actress and make the next call to Kareena. Mausam is an out-and-out romantic film to be shot in five countries- UK, Spain, Italy, Austria and India. It is expected to start in January 2010. |
It’s final. Shahid Kapoor will be taking nine months off starting this November to work on his father Pankaj Kapur’s first directorial venture, Mausam. Since Shahid wants to give all his time to Pankaj Kapur’s film, he won’t do any other film until July 2010.
Mausam is an out-and-out romantic film to be shot in five countries – Austria, the UK, Spain, Italy and India. Shahid will start shooting for the film in the last week of January 2010.
A reliable source says, “Though there is still some time before the shooting starts, Shahid will begin preparing for the film long before January 2010. He has been urging his father to direct a film for many years. In fact, if Shahid had his way, his debut would’ve been with his father’s film. But Pankaj likes to work at his own pace and only with those he’s comfortable with. They’ve found the right producer now.” Pankaj Kapur’s directorial debut will be produced by Religare Vistaar Entertainment. “The romantic film’s screenplay, written by Pankaj Kapur, spreads over 10 years,” adds a source. A new girl for whom an all-India hunt will begin soon will be launched with Shahid in Mausam. Commenting on the kind of girl the filmmakers are looking for, the source says, “The girl has to be fresh-faced, innocent, virginal and has to have a never-seen-before quality.” Sheetal Talwar, chairman and managing director of Religare, confirms the news and says, “I’m not denying any of what you’ve heard but I’m not at liberty to talk about it at the moment.” |