Posts Tagged ‘Vipul Shah’
Looking Ahead 2010
Posted on: January 2, 2010
| Karthik Calling Karthik
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| My name is Khan
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| Raajneeti A modern-day political rendition of the Mahabharata, Raajneeti boasts of an A-list star cast – Ajay Devgan, Arjun Rampal, Ranbir Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Vivek Oberoi, Manoj Bajpai and Katrina Kaif. The movie will use the dilemmas the characters in the book went through, and draw parallels with it in reel life. Katrina Kaif is reportedly playing the role of Sonia Gandhi in the movie. After all both of them are quite similar: accent – check; powerful woman – check; foreign descent – check; relationship with Salman Khan – no one really knows.
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| Kites
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| Raavana
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Action replay  In Action Replay, a man ages backwards… Hmm, let’s see where have we heard this story before? A clear rip-off of the Hollywood hit, Benjamin Button, the film will feature Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai. Director Vipul Shah is back with Akshay Kumar and hopes his dream run will continue.
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| Teen Patti
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| Houseful
Akshay Kumar has a slew of releases lined up next year and Houseful, the laugh-riot is one of them. The story follows Akshay who is very unlucky in life and is trying to find true love. The women helping him achieve this goal are Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta and Jiah Khan. In real life, however, we think it’s the other way around. Akshay will end up teaching Deepika more than two expressions, Lara how to sign movies and Jiah Khan how not to be dropped from the one-odd film she has signed.
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| No Problem
Anees Bazmee has three mega comedy films lined up next year. One of them is No Problem which has quite a star cast – Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, Sushmita Sen, Kangna Ranaut, Paresh Rawal and Sunil Shetty. The film is a love story of impossible proportions. Another impossible proposition is Kangna actually makes people laugh after making them weep all these years.
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| Well Done Abba
Shyam Benegal has been travelling the world with his latest film, Well Done Abba. The satirical movie sees Boman Irani play two roles. Fitting two Bomans in one shot is a feat in itself and a testament to Benegal’s directorial skills. The movie follows the journey of Armaan Ali, a driver from Mumbai, who is out to find his daughter’s (Minissha Lamba) beau. Minissha, who has been alternating between commercial and semi-art house cinema, is reportedly playing a strong role in the film.
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| Guzaarish
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| Road, Movie
Indian cinema has been through many fascinating twists and turns but none quite as romantic as touring cinemas. Essentially this means that the owner of one mounts the film projector on the back of a truck and the projectionist travels the length and breadth of a state with the truck, stops wherever there is a pilgrimage or a mela and projects the films he is carrying onto a white curtain which is then viewed by the locals sitting on both sides of the screen. Dev Benegal has made Road, Movie about one such projectionist (Satish Kaushik) and the young owner (Abhay Deol) and the adventures they have as they show their movies. The film has been very well received on the festival circuit.
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| Anjaana Anjaani
After playing twelve characters in What’s Your Raashee?, we’re sure Priyanka Chopra has become a stranger to herself, especially after the film tanked. Siddharth Anand, director of Ta Ra Rum Pum and Salaam Namaste, tries a romcom with Anjaana Anjaani. Starring Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka, the film shows two strangers who fall in love and the journey they take together.
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| Aisha
Abhay Deol’s love for Delhi continues with his Bollywood release, Aisha where he plays another spoilt, rich Delhi brat. His character is modelled on Mr Knightly from Jane Austen’s novel, Emma. The movie is a romantic comedy that explores horrible mismatches. It also has a strong female role that has been bagged by Sonam Kapoor. Whether Sonam is strong enough for the film after two failed films (read: Saawariya and Delhi-6) is another matter.
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| Khelein hum jee jaan sey
Ashutosh Gowariker is no stranger to large canvasses (think Lagaan, Swades, Jodhaa Akbar) so it’s no surprise that he is now filming another humongous project, Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey, which revolves around the Chittagong Uprising in the pre Independence days. After What’s Your Raashee?, this is another film adapted from a book, Do and Die by Manini Chatterjee. Abhishek Bachchan and Deepika Padukone lead the star cast and Nitin Chandrakant Desai leads the crew. Hopefully Ashutosh’s version of history will not be challenged, the way Jodhaa Akbar was.
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| Knock out
Inspired’ from the Hollywood masterpiece Phone Booth, Mani Shankar will look to re-create the magic in Bollywood. A man is trapped inside a phone booth, not because the door is stuck, but an assassin has a sniper rifle trained on him. Kangna plays the role of a journalist, Irrfan plays a cop and Sanjay Dutt the assassin.
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| I Hate Luv Storys
A true-blue rom-com, I Hate Luv Storys brings together the very glamourous Sonam Kapoor and the man with the melting eyes, Imran Khan. Described as a love story not meant to happen but which does happen, it is the story of a man who does not believe in love and a girl who does. They meet on a film set; a milieu the director Punit Malhotra is very familiar with, having cut his teeth on Karan Johar’s sets as an assistant director; and sparks fly.
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| 1-800-Love
When you have a tag line that says, ‘From the makers of Ghajini and Jaane Tu…’ you know you’re in for a commercial roller-coaster. Abbas Tyrewala dons the director’s hat for 1-800-LOVE again and the music score is Rahman’s handiwork. A telephone call connects two people – one who wants to die, the other who is searching for meaning in life. They meet, fall in love, yada yada… If you are watching the movie and you get bored of John Abraham’s three expression repertoire, close your eyes and maybe the music will do the trick for you.
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| Tees Maar Khan
Tees Maar Khan has gotten more publicity that it ever dreamed of just because Shah Rukh Khan is not playing a role in Farah Khan’s film. But it does seem like SRK has rubbed off on the new lead actor, Akshay Kumar. Kumar plays a ‘stylish’ (metrosexual) conman in the film. He will be joined by Akshaye Khanna, but the female lead has not yet been confirmed.
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| Hook Ya Crook
Finally, Bollywood gets a movie that shows hope in combining two things that Indians love best – cinema and cricket. Viraj Pradhan (John Abraham) dreams of being a cricketer but is a repeat offender who gets thrown into a maximum security prison. The jail is a haven for cricket players, but Viraj wants much more, he wants to be part of the men in blue. The film has reportedly roped in Indian cricketers for the movie but going by the ads on TV, the word ‘acting talent’ isn’t part of the Indian cricket team’s vocabulary.
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Farhan Akhtar’s next film is a story of a lovable loser whose chance meeting with his namesake changes his life forever. Karthik Calling Karthik has a star-studded credit list which includes Deepika Padukone, Javed Akhtar and Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy. Considering Farhan acts in the movies he either directs or produces, it seems like he is bent on wanting to typecast himself as the underdog. Weird but true!
Bollywood’s biology lessons continue with My Name Is Khan. With 9/11 as the backdrop, the movie follows Rizwan Khan (SRK) who suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome. This is an autistic disease that makes the victim devoid of empathy. This, of course will give rise to many comical situations, just like Paa did. The film brings together the electrifying pair of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol back on the silver screen. Add Karan Johar to the mix and you have a surefire hit. But come on, what is the film industry going to explore next, the common cold?
Kites follows the story of Hrithik Roshan, a salsa dancer who falls in love with his student. Language barriers don’t matter here, love conquers almost all. But ‘something’ happens and it’s up to another student Kangna Ranaut to save the day. Maybe Sussanne walks into the movie or some other terrifying event occurs, we don’t know yet. But we hope the movie does better than Hrithik’s personal life.
A modern day rendition of the mythological text, Raavana will get Aishwariya and Abhishek on the silver screen together for the first time after getting hitched. The movie has been plagued with problems – floods, elephants stomping around the set, maybe a higher power is sending a message through all of this. We won’t say anything, let the box-office decide.
As much as producer Ambika Hinduja denies it, Teen Patti’s plot seems like a rip-off of the Hollywood blockbuster 21. The film features three ace actors, Ben Kingsley (supposedly not doing a cameo), Big B and Madhavan. With the help of a unique algorithm, Amitabh who plays a mathematical genius leads a team of college students to make a lot of money. Does Amitabh hold the algorithm for the movie’s success or will this be just another failed spin-off?
The film that is loosely based on Whose Life is it Anyway? has Hrithik playing a paraplegic radio jockey. The film seems like a cry-till-your-tearbuds-dry-out movie – it explores the dilemma of euthanasia. Hrithik who believes in challenging himself till the cows come home, reportedly, spent hours in the wheelchair when not required to shoot, to get into the head of the character. Hrithik and Aishwarya reunite after Dhoom 2, and with Sanjay Leela Bhansali directing, it becomes one of the most awaited films in 2010, never mind Saawariya.
MEENA IYER Times News Network (BOMBAY TIMES; January 1, 2010)
The last decade in Bollywood has primarily been dominated by three Khans (Shah Rukh, Aamir and Salman) and one Kumar (Akshay). And even as his brand equity is at an all-time high, Akshay Kumar’s business plan in the new year is to take his banner Hari Om Production (HOP) to greater heights.
The banner which is a late bloomer, swung into action with Waqt — The Race Against Time in 2005, but has already notched up hits like Namastey London, Singh is Kinng, the entertaining grosser De Dana Dan, and is now ready for its next three productions — Priyadarshan’s Khatta Meetha, Farah Khan’s Tees Maar Khan and Nikhil Advani’s Patiala House.
Says Priyan, a close associate of Akshay and the HOP, “Khatta Meetha is a satire on the system. It is about the road-mafia which is prevalent all over but more so in Bihar and eastern UP. The main plot line is inspired by R K Laxman’s famous common man. Based on a true incident, this film unveils the travesty of the common man. I have made this film in Malayalam earlier and it was wonderfully received. I’m sure it will be a winner in Hindi too.’’ Both Hari Om Productions and Akshay will move by leaps and bounds in 2010. While the banner will have two releases in Khatta Meetha and Tees Maar Khan, the actor will also be seen in Sajid Nadiadwala’s Houseful and Vipul Shah’s Action Replayy. Of course, it is not all work and no play for this superstar. He is currently on vacation in Goa with his family. Asked what was uppermost on his mind when the clock struck 12, he says, “I sincerely want 2010 to be a year of peace and harmony. I wish BT readers a Happy New Year.’’
Rewinding to his recent Canada trip where he represented India at the Winter Olympics, the superstar says, “I can’t tell you what a proud moment it was when I was handed the Olympic Torch in Canada. It was very moving. In my opinion films and sports are the two passions that can bind any nation.’’ Having talked about his moment of glory on foreign soil, Akki adds, “I’m proud that New Delhi is the chosen destination for the Commonwealth Games. I pray for peace because I want this sporting event to go off really smooth. I want the world to know that India is safe and capable of hosting an event of this magnitude. As a true sports lover this is something uppermost on my mind.’’
Yesterday afternoon, Akshay Kumar and Priyanka Chopra shocked everyone at a five-star hotel in Bandra, where she was rehearsing for an event. The two superstars, who were reportedly dating each other six years ago, had an amicable conversation for a full ten minutes. This makes for a rather pleasant change – as both have a tendency to look through each other at events.
It is common knowledge that Akshay’s wife Twinkle harbours no love for Priyanka. When stories about the Akshay-Priyanka link-up started making the rounds, reportedly Twinkle made her husband vow that he would never work with Priyanka again. Realising that his family life would turn messy, Akshay stopped interacting with Priyanka. Reportedly, he even walked out of Suneel Darshan’s Barsaat because he did not want to work with Priyanka.
On the other hand, Priyanka and Akshay had always denied that they were attracted to each other. Priyanka and her family felt that her ex-secretary Prakash Jaju was responsible for those stories.
They last starred together in Vipul Shah’s Waqt where their on-screen chemistry could be cut with a knife. After starring in Waqt, if they met in public, they invariably looked through each other.
According to our source, they again avoided each other sat at Nita Ambani’s party just last week. “They didn’t exchange even a ‘Hello’. They don’t talk to each other, do they?” said a guest who attended that party. Just yesterday, there was a story that Priyanka had refrained from going to Vijender Singh’s party because Akshay Kumar was on the guest-list.”
However, all this animosity seems to be a thing of the past now. Their interaction at yesterday’s event is proof of that. Says a witness, “The meeting was very amicable. It is good to see that the two of them have matured and decided to put the past behind them.”
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Priyanka was rehearsing for a dance which she was supposed to perform at the same venue later yesterday. Akshay was waiting for his turn to rehearse. The source adds, “Akshay watched Priyanka’s rehearsal. As she was getting down from the stage, their eyes met and the two of them started talking by exchanging pleasantries.”
A source close to Priyanka said, “Akshay even praised Priyanka’s dance performance.”
On the other hand, a source close to Akshay said, “Big deal. They have performed together at functions in the last few years. So what if they spoke to each other now?”
Akshay and Priyanka remained unavailable for comment.
After Waqt, no filmmaker dared to think of casting the two together. But now that they seem to be on cordial terms again, maybe we’ll see the good-looking pair on screen together again.
By Bollywood Hungama News Network, December 10, 2009 – 15:59 IST
After Amitabh Bachchan’s ground breaking transformation to Auro in Paa, its now the turn of daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan to undergo a drastic makeover.
Buzz has it that Aishwarya will be playing an old lady in a few scenes in Vipul Shah’s forthcoming film Action Replay, for which she will have intensive make up sessions with Hollywood make up artists.
Besides Ash, Action Replay also stars Akshay Kumar and Randhir Kapoor. The film is currently under production and is expected to release in April 2010.
SUBHASH K JHA Times News Network (BOMBAY TIMES; December 3, 2009)
So, that puts paid to the buzz about her walking out on Abhinay Deo’s Crooked, in which she teams up again with Abhishek, and also stories of her aim being to complete Vipul Shah’s Action Replayy, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Guzaarish, Mani’s Raavan and Rajnikant’s The Robot as early as possible.
Said a friend, “Ash does not get time for herself. She is trying to balance various projects, some of which have overshot the deadline, while playing her domestic roles properly. It’s a very tough balancing act, she needs a break.”
Understandably, the actress is now dropping out of projects that haven’t started. The buzz is she might not play Mumtaz Mahal to Ben Kingsley’s in Taj Mahal, a project that she had said yes to while shooting The Last Legion with Sir Ben.
Ash opts out of Crooked
Posted on: November 19, 2009
By Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 19, 2009)
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| Aishwarya Rai Bachchan |
Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s production Crooked is set to go on the floors from January 14 next year. However, the Abhishek Bachchan starrer has no lead actress as Aishwarya, who was supposed to do the film, opted out citing date problems.
Her dates for Crooked were colliding with Vipul Shah’s Action Replay. Since Action Replay is inching towards completion, Aishwarya had to give it priority, leaving her with no choice but to opt out of Crooked, directed by Abhinay Deo. It is a thriller which will be shot at different foreign locales.
Meanwhile, Farhan’s other production directed by Zoya Akhtar featuring Hrithik Roshan, Farhan and Abhay Deol is also stuck as it has no lead actress. The film’s shooting starts from April 5 in Spain. Ritesh says, “We are now looking for a completely new face in Crooked, which actually requires three new girls. We also need a fresh face either from London or New York for Hrithik in Zoya’s film.”
Farhan says, “Hrithik has been a true friend. I start directing Don 2 from September 2010, so Zoya’s film had to be completed before that. Hrithik adjusted his dates accordingly.”
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| Katrina Kaif |
Katrina Kaif had earlier announced her plans to be a producer with a French film. The buzz is that she is remaking the French film, À la folie… pas du tout (He loves me… he loves me not).
Kaif will play the role of the protagonist played by Audrey Tautou in the French film.
A source close to Katrina says, “Katrina fell in love with the film after she saw it. In fact, she wanted to make the film the very moment she saw it. The actress has already spoken to the concerned people and will acquire the rights of the film soon. French actress Audrey Tautou has won a lot of accolades for this film.”
Katrina is keen to have Vipul Shah as the director. “The film is filled with emotions and Katrina strongly believes that Vipul will be able to translate it onto the big screen. The film is a love story about a young artist who sees the world through rose-tinted glasses, especially when it comes to her love. The cast of the film is yet to fall in place. The film will go on the floors next year,” adds the source.
Although Katrina denied the story, a source close to her insists that the news is true.
About À la folie… pas du tout
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| He Loves Me He Loves Me Not |
The film is about main protagonist, Angélique’s love life with a married doctor. She is a successful art student who has won a scholarship while the doctor’s wife is expecting their first child. The film captures the tumultuous relationship between Angélique and her lover, wherein Angélique tries to commit suicide, tries to kill her lover and ends up in a mental asylum. The epilogue of the film is set five years later, when she is released from the mental asylum.
Katrina in Singh Is Kinng 2
Posted on: November 14, 2009
| The announcement of a sequel may be good news for the lead actor but not necessarily for the lead actress. // <
A source says, “Vipul is excited about the sequel to Singh Is Kinng. He has already zeroed in on an idea and the script is in the finishing stages. Vipul has finalised both Akshay and Katrina for the lead roles. The film will be made on a larger scale than the earlier one.”By Taran Adarsh, October 30, 2009 – 08:26 IST
In real life, if you feel your colleague is far more superior to you in intelligence, talent, charisma, efficiency, chances are you might feel the heat. Jealousy, generally, stems from there. In the process, the best of relations get strained. LONDON DREAMS, directed by Vipul Shah, talks of two musicians, thick pals actually, and how jealousy drives a wedge in their friendship.
Let’s clear a few myths before discussing the positive and negative factors of this film. LONDON DREAMS is not BAIJU BAWRA. LONDON DREAMS is not ROCK ON!!, ABHIMAAN, YAARANA or SAAJAN either [a section of the industry wants us to believe that]. The truth is, LONDON DREAMS borrows from Milos Forman’s brilliant film AMADEUS [1984], which was based on Salieri and Mozart’s life. In fact, Suneel Darshan too had made a film based on AMADEUS called SHAKALAKA BOOM BOOM [2007; Bobby Deol, Upen Patel].
| BY BOLLYWWOD HUNGAMA.COM |
LONDON DREAMS is a complete departure from Vipul Shah’s earlier outings, AANKHEN, WAQT, NAMASTEY LONDON and SINGH IS KINNG [produced by Vipul, directed by Anees Bazmee]. This film is about relationships and tends to get very real and intense, in the post-interval portions specifically. The scale of LONDON DREAMS is gigantic and the execution of concerts [it’s about a band] sweeps you off your feet.
In terms of execution, it wouldn’t be erroneous to state that LONDON DREAMS is amongst Vipul Shah’s most accomplished works to date. Also, it boasts of incredible performances by Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn. But there are hiccups too and it’s these deficiencies that bog the film down!
They were childhood friends. But they had little in common except their family’s connection with music. While Arjun’s [Ajay Devgn] life was consumed by a passionate drive to get on stage and realize his grandfather’s unfulfilled dream, Mannu [Salman Khan] was content with remaining a child at heart with no higher ambition than enjoying the good things in life.
As Arjun forges a band with Zoheb [Rannvijay Singh], Wasim [Aditya Roy Kapur] and Priya [Asin], a music enthusiast from a conservative South Indian family, far away in Punjab, music becomes a survival tool for Mannu, who takes to playing in wedding bands in his village.
Arjun gets Mannu to London and makes him a part of the band, but soon realizes he’s created the biggest threat and obstacle to his own ambitions.
Mannu, with his inherent musical gift, becomes an instant darling of the crowds. Arjun’s unbearable pangs of jealousy and insecurity only worsen when Mannu also unwittingly woos and wins his secret love, Priya. As he battles his inner demons, Arjun slowly devises a sinister plan to destroy his best friend.
It takes time to get into Ajay’s world [its Ajay who’s narrating the story here]. The film moves back and forth and it’s only when the two buddies, now adults, meet that you realize where the story is headed. The first hour depicts the two extreme characters – Ajay, who’s an introvert and who cannot think of anything but his goal and Salman, a happy-go-lucky guy, laidback and fun-loving, least focused.
The narrative has some interesting moments in the first hour, but the actual story unravels only towards the second half. The first half, frankly, only sets things up for the explosive drama that is to follow. The wheels start moving when Ajay plays a vicious game and hatches a conspiracy to ruin his buddy’s career.
It’s the second hour that does the trick. You can’t help but carry several sequences in your heart, even after you’ve made an exit from the auditorium…
- Note the scene when Salman makes four different tunes from the original tune created by Ajay.
- Note the scene when Ajay meets an inebriated Salman and professes revenge, while Salman is completely clueless about Ajay’s sinister plans.
- Note the scene when the band arrives in London after a 3-city concert and they’re received by aggressive mediapersons.
But there’re roadblocks too. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s music is a downer. LONDON DREAMS is about a rock band, about music, about concerts and the music had to be the soul of the film. Unfortunately, it’s not! The songs have been filmed in the most energetic fashion, but how one wishes the music was one of the strengths of the film.
Also, the film could’ve concluded when the two friends re-unite at the station. Adding one more song thereafter only dilutes the impact of the emotionally correct sequence that has just been witnessed. Besides, the song in question hasn’t been promoted either, so it only comes across as an aberration.
Prior to that, Ajay’s outburst at the end of the concert is far from convincing. The film has a real feel, real characters and real situations, but the outburst looks unreal and is one of the drawbacks, from the writing point of view. It’s just not convincing!
Besides, Ajay’s childhood character is shown fleeing from the airport and making it big in a foreign land [London], without any support whatsoever. It’s unpalatable!
Vipul Shah has handled this intricate subject well, but the writing could’ve been tighter. Sejal Shah’s cinematography is super. Brownie points for capturing the concerts brilliantly. Salim-Sulaiman’s background score matches international standards.
Both Salman and Ajay vie for top honours. Salman has a role that the junta would take to instantly and the actor too endears himself to the viewers. He’s stupendous. When it comes to displaying intensity on screen, very few can live up to the standards set by Ajay. To state that he packs in a power-packed performance would be an understatement. They, in fact, compliment each other wonderfully well.
Asin is admirable and pairs off very well with Salman. She is sure to have a new name after this film – Chennai Express [that’s how Salman addresses her affectionately, all through the film]. Om Puri has a brief role. Aditya Roy Kapur is very good and registers an impact. Rannvijay Singh doesn’t get much to do, except throw nasty looks at Salman. Manoj Pahwa provides some funny moments. Brinda Parekh is okay.
On the whole, LONDON DREAMS has superb performances from its principal cast and several emotionally-charged sequences as its two trump cards. But its biggest drawback is its climax and also the music, which is the weakest link of the movie. At the box-office, the film should appeal more to the multiplex audience than the masses. Business at big centres, especially at metros, should be better, but mini-metros and towns will be a contrast.
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Nikhil Advani is reportedly borrowing a leaf out a South Mumbai family’s life… and basing his film Patiala House on them. The family is apparently the Malhotras of Malabar Hill who, for three generations, have been living together. The head patriarch Malhotra still rules. All additions to the family are put in adjoining buildings and this is one of the largest joint families in India. Important decisions are taken by the senior Malhotra and everyone else adheres to it. The trade buzz is that Akshay Kumar, who heard this story from Nikhil Advani, was very kicked about it. In fact, he even suggested the title Patiala House to Nikhil, just like he had suggested Singh Is Kingg to Vipul Shah. Akshay Kumar agrees, “I wanted a title that suggested largeness in terms of numbers. Patiala is synonymous with a large peg and that is understood universally as something which is bigger than regular. Hence, Patiala House, a cluster of several houses that hosts a whole of family and cousins.” In the movie, the character of the patriarch is played by Gurkreeat Singh Kalon (Rishi Kapoor) who rules and runs his family life just like a prime minister would run a government. He is a strict disciplinarian whose authority and rules are not questioned in Patiala House. Set in London’s Southall, every addition in the family be it a cousin’s cousin all get accommodated in Patiala House. Every new wedding needs the house to expand a little more. Nikhil Advani, who is directing this film that is being co-produced by Bhushan Kumar of T-Series and Mukesh Talreja, explains, “Our story is universal in spirit as it is a story about all joint families who have a patriarch who makes their decisions and wants to keep everyone under one roof. Kalon family has been living for the last four generations in Southall and he has created his own fiefdom in Patiala House.’’ |
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Fenil and Bollywood 