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Rediff News
Powerlist: Top Bollywood Actresses
August 25, 2006
The lines have blurred for our femme fatales.
From melodrama to item-song, our leading ladies now have to be complete all-rounders at the craft, and thus power equations have tilted in Tinseltown.
Presenting, the Rediff Powerlist.
Rating the top actresses today, based on market appeal, box office performance, popularity and power, hype and critical acclaim.
Read on:
11. Konkona Sensharma
She deservedly won a National Award for Page 3 and was in the running again for her work in 15, Park Avenue this time. Then came a disarmingly natural performance in Yun Hota To Kya Hota.
But it took an Omkara to make us stand up and applaud, as thiswoman-of-many-tongues took on a raw villager's role with infectious aplomb.
Superficial Bollywood might not be offering her the crores yet, but we're betting it won't be too long for this generation's Shabana Azmi to catch on.
10. Sushmita Sen
The only reason the most graceful stunner in Mumbai is so far down the list is that we never really get to see enough of her.
She takes the sari to new heights in Main Hoon Na, then disappears from the marquee; she twirls around as the prettiest part of Kisna, and slinks into the shadows..
Even as her Zindaggi Rocks readies for release, we just need to see a lot more of her.
9. Mallika Sherawat
Last year, if you'd tell an industry power-monger that Mallika Sherawat would slip this low down the list, he'd laugh in your face. But times they are a changing, and in the era of the cleavage-friendly music video, this statuesque woman isn't as special as she once was.
Bit roles, item-dances, and movies with indie actors no one will watch -- Madame Mallika's still a headline, but she's fading fast.
8. Vidya Balan
She entranced audiences with her eyes in Parineeta, one of those film debuts that showed undoubted spark.
And while she might not have done anything at all since then, the lass features in the one upcoming film whose trailer made the country break into a wider grin than anything else this year -- bole to, if she's good enough for Munna, she's good enough for us. |
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cont'd
Powerlist: Top Bollywood Actresses
Rediff News
7. Bipasha Basu
Now this one's the exception -- abs as flat as a pricey Korean television, an indulgent grin, and acting skills.
Bips initially captured our imaginations as a voluptuous temptress who could (barely, it must be said) pull off a swimsuit. Acting was not her thing at all, the girl being dubbed in almost every film.
Over the last couple of years, however, Bipasha's taken it to her critics, shedding misconceptions and fat to emerge with a killer bod, last year's biggest hit, and rave reviews for Corporate and Omkara. Whoa. And Dhoom 2 is yet to come.
6. Kareena Kapoor
She might not have delivered on the Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham potential and turned up as Bollywood's bonafide Number One yet, but Kareena seems to be doing her own thing, her way.
She has a steady boyfriend (a Bollywood accomplishment of Herculean standards) in Shahid Kapoor, a bunch of hit films, and most top directors would kill to cast her in their next.
And Omkara made each and every one of us fall in love with this fair girl trying to sing Stevie Wonder. Sigh.
5. Preity Zinta
In terms of visibility, Ms Z is down to almost one film a year. 2004 had Veer-Zaara (Lakshya doesn't count, does it), 2005 had Salaam Namaste (and a random disaster, you get the drift).
This year, however has been good for Preity. She makes a blink-and-miss special appearance in the year's biggest film so far, Krrish, and while her screentime in Karan Johar's mammoth Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna might not be much more, she's one of the few to escape all the critical rants.
And the upcoming Jaan-E-Man pits her with ever-hot hunks Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan.
4. Kajol
India almost wept when Kajol waved bye to Bollywood, prioritising her family with hubby Ajay Devgan. Madhuri Dixit's successor as the female film icon of India, Bollywood without Kajol was a depressing prospect.
Five years on, and she comes back with Fanaa. An absurd film with a ridiculous plot, and a leading man looking older than ever. Ask the audience why they queued up for it, and the answer would be to see this woman smile.
Kajol's back, and India's thrilled to bits. |
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cont'd
Powerlist: Top Bollywood Actresses
Rediff News
now the top three
3. Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai transcends mere numbers.
If you were to actually tally her last dozen films, and not count her item-song in Bunty Aur Babli, then you'd see that none of her films have made a profit since 2002's Devdas.
But all that's unimportant in the flashbulb-friendly world of the red carpet, isn't it? Ash is all about the 'concept' of an actress, the idea of a pretty woman with an exotic, unheard-of accent working the cameras at Cannes. She's perfect, even without movies.
And with Dhoom 2 barely 2 months away, she isn't going anywhere.
2. Priyanka Chopra
This 24-year-old girl is the copybook success story. She spent the requisite gym-hours, became Miss World and entered Bollywood. Where she actually slogged it out and earned herself the applause.
She didn't start with big banners, but worked her way up, consistently getting herself noticed. Today, she's the pick of the glamour brigade, an extremely desirable pin-up babe who is a definite performer.
And if you think Krrish sold her short, hold your horses for Don. This babe's here to stay.
1. Rani Mukerji
If there can be a point of unanimity during any banal Bollywood discussion about numbers and ranks -- in an industry that trades loyalties every Friday -- it is simply this: Rani rules.
It's come to the point where everybody loves Rani. The film might be a painfully over-indulgent director tripping on shadows, but Rani is good.
It might be exaggerated farce written very poorly indeed, but Rani is good.
Be it a historical gone wrong or a melodramatic letdown, the truth is clear -- Rani is good.
She's a director's actress, and she's worked very hard indeed to solidify her position. Today, Rani Mukerji is reason enough to stand in line to buy tickets for a film -- an amazing feat in an overwhelmingly male dominated industry.
This year has already seen her in Karan Johar's KANK. Ravi Chopra's Baabul and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Saawariya are waiting in the wings.
Wow. |
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Rediff News
Powerlist: Top Bollywood Actors
August 8, 2006
The Hindi film industry isn't what it used to be.
Over the last 18 months, the power equation has changed: rookies have climbed up the rungs, legends have slipped.
Presenting, the Rediff Powerlist.
Rating the top actors today, based on market appeal, box office performance, popularity and power, hype and critical acclaim.
Read on:
11. Ajay Devgan
Even as Omkara continues to wow critics and audiences across the world, Devgan hit box office gold with his last film as well. And since Golmaal and Omkara could not possibly be more different, the no-nonsense actor continues to build his versatile reputation.
It seems Devgan can now do no wrong, and barring the occasional flop, is all set to soon break into the Top 10.
10. Sanjay Dutt
His last couple of films might have come a cropper at theatres, but this slack-jawed superstar continues to hold his own.
His fans are a hardcore bunch, and with Lage Raho Munnabhai just around the corner, multistarrer emotional dramas suddenly seem a lot less important.
9. Abhishek Bachchan
The smart stud's been missing in action ever since Bluffmaster.
But rumours of an Aishwarya Rai romance and big billing in two of the year's biggest films, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and Dhoom 2, make sure that we're going to see a lot of Little B. And we don't hear women complaining at all.
8. Saif Ali Khan
Now, someone's gone experimental. From period in Parineeta to smooth in Salaam Namaste; from English in Being Cyrus to a villanous villager in Omkara, Saif's suddenly quite the man.
With Omkara wowing the world and Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Eklavya coming up soon, Saif's star is firmly in the ascendant. |
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Rediff News
cont'd
Powerlist: Top Bollywood Actors
August 8, 2006
7. Amitabh Bachchan
He fell ill and India stayed stunned.
Amitabh Bachchan might be a self-proclaimed character actor now, but he's a character Bollywood simply can't get enough of. And the lineup ahead seems fun for our Black man: a sophisticated skirt-chaser in KANK; falling for a far younger woman in Nishabd; Hema Malini's husband in Baabul and the cryptkeeper in Eklavya.
6. Emraan Hashmi
That's right, he's up there. You can't argue with the country, and India wants the 'serial kisser.'
Emran Hashmi has struck an incredible chord with the crowds, and in an industry populated with star-kids, has impressively carved out a niche where his films are guaranteed a solid opening and almost always recoup their investment -- that's more than most Khans can say.
This megastar, he just keeps on ticking.
5. Salman Khan
So he hasn't had a hit this year. So what? Sallu took top spot at the box office with No Entry last year and is all set to make inroads in late 2006 with Jaan-e-Man, Baabul and Salaam-E-Ishq. And Marigold, his Hollywood debut, is also ready for release.
This is the most consistent Khan of all, with the most loyal fanbase.
4. Akshay Kumar
The only reason every single film of his isn't a superhit is because he has spread himself too thin. But Akshay's done well already this year, with his Phir Hera Pheri racking up the crores and his Jaan-e-Man lined up.
He has never been hotter in the industry, and his forthcoming directors include heavyweights like Aditya Chopra, Vipul Shah and Rajkumar Santoshi. |
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now the top three
Rediff News
cont'd
Powerlist: Top Bollywood Actors
August 8, 2006
3. Shah Rukh Khan
Paheli, his last was a commercial disaster -- but ended up travelling to the Oscars. This Khan always wins.
SRK, usually top of most power lists by default, hasn't been around for a while, but the next few months see him in both emotional mode (KANK) and action mode (Don).
Will he recapture the top slot?
Are you stupid to bet against it?
2. Hrithik Roshan
Detractors complain he only acts well for his dad, his flops far outnumber his hits... The fact remains that his Krrish has made more money than most of us can count and ranks as one of the biggest hits in Bollywood ever.
And with Dhoom 2 not that far away, the Hrithik fireworks are far from over.
1. Aamir Khan
Away for four years, the country jeered as Aamir returned to the screen with his mega-hyped turkey, Mangal Pandey.
2006 gave us Aamir with the awesomely cult Rang De Basanti, winning over critics and college campuses: inciting dissent while making bushels of cash. His Fanaa might not have won high praise, but made even more money.
So far, it's truly been The Year Of Aamir. |
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Rediff News
Sunny has lost all interest in awards
The Rediff Interview | Sunny Deol
August 31, 2006
Contrary to his serious image on celluloid, Bollywood actor Sunny Deol is quite a sunny fellow off screen. He has been in Rajkot with papa Dharmendra and bro Bobby for about a week now, shooting boxing sequences for Anil Sharma's family drama Apne at the city's indoor stadium.
He has 'enjoyed thoroughly' being mobbed by hordes of fans but nevertheless found time to talk to Haresh Pandya. Excerpts:
How has it been working with your dad and brother here?
It's been a wonderful experience. In fact, we had been hoping for a film with a good storyline, in which my dad, Bobby and I could act together. It's nice that Anil Sharma has helped realise the dream. I hope the audience enjoys the film as much as we have enjoyed acting in it.
We shot a sequence of this film in Mumbai, in which the three of us danced to Saroj Khan's choreography.
Compared to a livewire like Bobby, you and your dad certainly can't set the stage ablaze. How did it feel like dancing with them?
Obviously, Bobby is the better dancer but hum -- I mean my dad and I -- bhi kisise kum nahin hai! (We are no less) It was very exciting for all of us to dance together.
Does Dharmendra still dance the way he used to when young?
Of course he does. Once your feet start moving, dancing is not difficult. He still feels comfortable dancing and he dances really well.
Do you like your dad's acting?
He is my favourite actor. I really go ga-ga over my dad's acting. No, I don't say so because I'm his son. He has proved his abilities by acting in a variety of roles from Satyakam to Sholay and now Apne.
What about you? Are you choosy when it comes to selecting a film?
I'm always prepared for any kind of a role, provided it's interesting and is a true test of your acting talent.
But you are typecast as the macho man out to punish the bad guys�
It's not my fault. The audiences like me in a particular role. The producers and directors like me in a certain role. We actors have to act without being too choosy. Anyway, tell me which actor, howsoever big, isn't typecast in some way or the other? My father, of course, has been an exception. He is truly versatile.
Could you name a few films of yours in which you enjoyed the playing your characters?
Well, movies like Betaab, Ghayal, Damini, Border and Gadar immediately come to mind. Of course, there've been many others too.
Did you enjoy the theme of Gadar?
Very much. It wasn't a patriotic film as it has been made out to be. Nor was it a story about two particular communities. Do you think my role in Gadar was communal? It's the media that gives some films communal colour. Gadar was a pure and simple love story.
How much effort do you put to breathe life in the characters you play?
I do a lot of hard work and try to be as faithful to my character as I can. But ultimately, it boils down to the particular role you play. In most cases though, it's the character that inspires the actor in you.
Have you been looking for a dream role?
Not really. I'm quite happy and content with the different characters I've played so far. No role is easy to play for even the greatest of actors. It's just that he or she makes it look easy.
Do you intend to play some negative roles too?
Well, I'm willing to play negative characters too, provided there is depth in the roles. One shouldn't play a negative role just because one wants to. For that matter, I'm keen to do some comic roles as well. A true actor should be open to any kind of role. He must prove his ability in all sorts of roles.
Would you like to comment on the increasingly tense relations between India and Pakistan over the years?
I don't believe in communities. Whether Hindus or Muslims, Sikhs or Christians, we're all human beings. I strongly believe in humanity, nationalism and family. For me, personally, my country, my family, my moral duty as a man towards fellow human beings, constitute my religion.
Like your dad, would you like to join politics?
No politics please! I'm not cut out for politics, nor am I interested.
Don't you think there have been increasing threats to film personalities from the underworld?
I've no idea! You journalists know better than us!
Don't you think there is more sex and vulgarity in Hindi films today than ever?
Yes, unfortunately. Too much sex and vulgarity must never be shown in films. We mustn't forget that children see these films. You can have good films without sex and vulgarity. Hrishikesh Mukherjee's films are good examples.
What are Censor Board members doing?
Well, they're doing their duty!
Do awards matter for you?
What awards? Which awards are you talking about? You've to have good PR skills to get awards. You need to flatter the people concerned. And I don't do that. Audience applause is the best award for me personally.
Do you go to award functions?
No. What will I do by going there? It's a pity the way all sorts of awards are dished out to all sorts of people these days. A combination of factors has made me lose all interest in awards.
Why do we always talk about Hollywood films, when it comes to class and quality?
Not necessarily. We in India have been making the best of films. I fail to understand why we should always go by Hollywood. Even the name Bollywood is borrowed from Hollywood. I ask why. Why can't we think beyond Hollywood? I've been waiting for the day when even Hollywood will turn to Indian films for inspiration. And that day will surely come.
Have you had offers from Hollywood?
Yes. But I'm not crazy or wasting my sleep over Hollywood. Unless there is depth in my character, I'm not interested, whether it's an Indian film or a foreign one. Nevertheless, offers do come and maybe one day I'll end up acting in a Hollywood film, too.
Who is your favourite Hollywood star?
Mel Gibson.
Has any music director ever asked you to sing, in keeping with the present trend?
Well, people say I should sing but, frankly, I'm no singer. I don't want to sing even in my films. I'm fine acting!
What's the secret of good physique and fitness over the years?
I don't spend hours in the gym. I am no body builder but I've been a sportsman since my childhood. I've played different outdoor games and they've enabled to stay in good physical shape.
Which sport do you admire and play?
Football |
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Rediff News
Chandigarh's new heroine
Yamini Sharma
September 04, 2006 14:36 IST
Fifteen seconds of fame on TV could land Chandigarh collegian Yamini Sharma the lead role in Satish Kaushik's new film Tere Sang, unless there is a luckier girl out there somewhere.
In any case, it was Yamini's innocent face and expressions that grabbed the director's attention when he saw her first during a TV news bulletin. Yamini was taking part in a students' protest against a ban of the use of mobile phones in colleges when the TV news camera captured her. She has become the talk of the town ever since Kaushik called her and offered a chance to audition for the lead.
"I was shocked and excited when I got a phone call from Satishji. I told my parents about it. They summoned me for an in-house discussion. It took us three days to weigh the pros and cons of going ahead with a career in films. The whole family supported me and it helped me reach the right decision," she said.
"I would be glad to accept an offer from a director of Satish Kaushik's standing. I will travel to Mumbai for the screen test," she told rediff.com over phone from Chandigarh.
However, the director, who is camping in New Delhi as part of his scouting mission for a heroine, is yet to fix a date for the screen tests.
Meanwhile, the second-year under-graduate at the MCM college in Chandigarh is keen on finishing her studies. But she wonders how it is going to gel with her new quest to make it in the movies.
"My father Roshan Sharma has a business and my mother Nisha is a housewife. I have a younger brother, Bhuship. I went to school at Solan in Himachal Pradesh before attending college at Chandigarh. All my friends and even the college principal are excited about the offer and I hope I eventually make it," says Yamini.
Chandigarh's most famous son after Kapil Dev, comedian Jaspal Bhatti, however, adds an unusual sobre touch. Not too happy with the way the media has gone to town with the offer, Bhatti says, "They have just raised the ambitions of the girl. I would personally want her to make the grade but what if she does not?"
Yamini now plans to take a crash course in acting in Chandigarh before heading for showbiz. |
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Rediff News
Chinkara case: Aamir demands evidence
September 05, 2006 11:57 IST
Never one to throw in the towel on or off the screen, actor Aamir Khan has demanded 'documentary evidence' from the Gujarat forest department in response to the notice slapped on him on August 7 for alleged use of a chinkara deer during the shooting of his Oscar-nominated film Lagaan in Kutch in 2000.
"We had issued a notice to Aamir Khan last month for violating the Wildife Protection Act 1972. We had given him a week's time to reply. He has sent us a letter through his lawyer Anand Desai and demanded documentary proof in support of our notice," R L Meena, conservator of forests, Kutch circle, told this correspondent.
"We had given all the details in our notice as to how a chinkara was illegally used in Lagaan without the forest department's permission," Meena said. "Aamir Khan seems to want to prolong the issue deliberately. It is okay. He has a right to make his defence stronger. We wouldn't have slapped him a notice if we hadn't been armed with documentary evidence. We've consulted the government advocate and sought his guidance. We'll soon decide a further course of action. A long legal battle appears to be on the cards."
Aamir Khan Production Private Limited, which made Lagaan, had been served a notice for the alleged illegal use of the chinkara. The Lagaan unit camped in Bhuj from January to June 2000. Most of the film's shoot took place in Kunaria, the Banni forest area and around the Mandvi coast.
The forest authorities acted following a complaint lodged by the Gir Nature Youth Club.
GNYC President Amit Jethwa complained to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and the state forest department and demanded action against the makers of Lagaan and about half-a-dozen forest officials, who allegedly arranged for a chinkara deer.
Forest guard Amrutlal Modi reportedly confirmed that a chinkara was taken to the sets of Lagaan and a scene was picturised on the deer.
In the scene shot in Kunaria village, 25 km from Bhuj, an English official is shown firing at the animal. Aamir, as the villager Bhuvan, saves the animal and helps it escape into the forest.
Aamir's first wife Reena Dutta, who produced Lagaan, had requested S T Chaturvedi, then the deputy conservator of forests, Kutch circle, on September 16, 1999, for a chinkara. But the permission was not granted.
The Kutch forest department had three chinkaras in its custody at that time. One of the chinkaras was seized from a man in Khavda village near the Pakistan border. It is alleged that this chinkara was used in Lagaan. The animal died a few days later. No postmortem was conducted.
Under India's wildlife laws, keeping a chinkara in custody is illegal. Yet Kutch forest officials had as many as three chinkaras in their custody. They now face action on this front. A chinkara is a scheduled animal under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. Inflicting cruelty on it, teasing, even chasing it, is considered an offence, punishable under the law.
If Aamir is proven guilty of the offence registered against him by the Gujarat forest department, he confronts at least three years in prison.
After the Gir Nature Youth Club complained in June the state government also instructed the forest department to reopen the long-buried case against actor Salman Khan.
The Bollywood superstar allegedly hunted down two chinkaras in the Banni forest during the shooting of Sanjay Leela Bhanshali's Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in 1998.
The Gujarat government's action against Aamir Khan came in the wake of the Fanaa controversy, where the star's film was not screened in Gujarat in protest against his remarks on the Narmada dam rehabilitation issue. |
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Rediff News
'I don't want to be a wholesale movie singer'
 
September 05, 2006 16:32 IST
If someone were to put a gun to Sonu Nigam's head and ask him to choose just one thing what would the singer, actor, disc jockey and concert star do?
"It is a tough question," Nigam says. After a pause, he answers, "I think I will do the concerts and forget my pop albums, my movie songs and my interest in acting."
"Concerts never fail to give me the biggest high."
He has sung enough movie songs in the past six years, he feels, to fill over a dozen concerts each month.
He hastens to add that he is not choosing concerts over pop albums and movie songs because he is travelling across North America performing in nearly a dozen cities now.
"Any artist who is performing before a large, live audience knows the thrill is incomparable," says the 32-year-old singer whose recent hits include the numbers from successful films Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Krrish (Koi Tumsa Nahin), Fanaa (Mere Haath Mein) and Bunty Aur Babli (Chup Chup Ke).
"Performing in a concert takes me to a very different world. You feel like a dictator when you perform at a concert," he says chuckling. "For you have to control thousands of people. In India, I have performed before over 80,000 people."
"You have to be a dictator, you have to be a performer," he continues, "and you have to be a hypnotist, and at the same you are mesmerising the audience, you should also be very, very humble."
"The listeners won't care how well your recorded song in Kal Ho Naa Ho or Fanaa sounded. What the listener wants you to sound as fresh and as melodious you can be. In fact, they expect you to sound better than in a recording studio."
The title song from Kal Ho Naa Ho fetched him numerous awards, including the National Award. "People have begun taking me more seriously than ever," he says. I tell him that Manna Dey had predicted five years ago that he expected, among all the newer singers, that Sonu Nigam would reach great heights.
"His blessing means a lot to me," the singer says. "And it also reminds me that one should never take success to one's head in this profession because luck and destiny play very important roles in one's success. But to continue to improve one's voice and remain faithful to one's calling is very important."
The North American concerts are significant to him, he said, because he was returning to give almost solo performances after a gap of nearly five-and-a-half years.
"The show is called Simply Sonu for very good reasons," he says. "I am going to be like a child before the audience, giving in to their requests. If they want the Veer-Zaara (Do Pal) song, I am ready for them. If they want Suraj Hua Maddham from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, I am ready for it. And I am even ready if they want me to sing any song, especially the songs of my idol, Mohammad Rafi."
Three-and-a-half years ago, Nigam was in America, performing for the A R Rahman show, opening it with the title song of Saathiya.
"But that was hardly my show," he says chuckling. "A lot has happened in the last three years, and my fans are eager to hear live my songs from such films as Parineeta (Piyu Bole and Soona Man Ka Angan), Paheli (Dheere Jalana), Main Hoon Naa. There are so many beautiful songs that I am going to sing for the very first time in a concert in America and Canada."
He recalls that when he sang live for the first time -- in New Delhi -- the Anu Malik composition Sandese Aate Hai from Border, he had no idea how big the song had turned out to be.
"There was so much of applause and demand that I sing it again," he says, of his first big hit, "I was too happy to oblige. Soon I got to know it was one of the most popular songs of its time."
1997 was a watershed year for the singer, and it should not be a surprise to anyone that many of his concerts feature his two famous songs in that year.
"On one hand, I had Sandese Aate Hai," he recalls. "And on the other hand, Ye Dil Diwana in Pardes was a huge hit. The second song proved that I could sing lively, hip numbers, that I was a versatile singer."
The break in Border came after nearly a decade of struggle in Mumbai, after he had sung a handful of songs for veteran composer Usha Khanna, whose career was on the decline, and a few numbers for Amar-Utpal, whose career was going nowhere.
"There were many good songs I had sung for many films," he says with a sigh, "but they were later 'dubbed' by established singers whose voice was retained in the films and on the tapes."
In spite of many setbacks, he got couple of mild hits like Accha Sila Diya Tune Mere Pyar Ka in Sanam Bewafa but nothing would match the success of his song in Border.
"I had sung a few minor songs for Anu Malik before Border," he continues. "But when he decided to give me a major break in Border, everything began to change for me."
A few years later, he would sing Saatrangi Re for A R Rahman in Dil Se. Among his favourite numbers for Rahman is Mera Rang De Basanti from The Legend of Bhagat Singh. "There is hardly a concert where that number is not featured," he says.
Nigam says one of his strongest supporters is his father, the singer Agam Kumar. "I think I must have been four years old when I first performed before a live audience, thanks to the concerts my father used to organise," he says.
Before he got his singing breaks, Nigam also acted in several films as a child artist but hardly anyone remembers him in films like Kaamchor.
"As a singer, there were not many opportunities 20 years ago," he says. "A professional singer had to find place in the movies to be successful. But when television began booming, people like me got many opportunities to show our talent."
Helping him to get a good foothold in the industry was the television show SaReGaMaPa. He hosted some 200 episodes of the show that brought him in contact with many top composers and singers in Mumbai.
He never really felt discouraged during his struggling days, he says. "I knew I had to wait for the right opportunity at the right time, and it came with Border".
Soon there were hit songs in films like Taal, Refugee and Pukar. And it looked like every composer wanted to use him. Along with Udit Narayan, and to a lesser extent Sukhvindra Singh, he became one of the hottest singers in the country.
Nigam married Madhurima Mishra four years ago, He met her the first time in 1995 when she attended a concert featuring him in Kolkata and went up to him to get his autograph.
"I don't want to be a wholesale movie singer," he says, adding that he has enjoyed enormously producing the pop albums, Mausam, Sapnay Ki Baat, Kismat and Deewana. He has also had fun hosting the television show Kisme Kitna Dum Hai and being a judge on Indian Idol.
"I know there will be many awkward situations when I say 'no,'" he says. "But I am hoping I will be able to strike a balance between movie singing, and my other interests." |
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Rediff News
Ayesha scores over Rani in Toronto
  
Ayesha Dharkar
September 07, 2006 16:07 IST
Rediff India Abroad Managing Editor (Features) Arthur J Pais is in Toronto to cover the Toronto International Film Festival.
Don't miss his exclusives dispatches from the biggest film festival in North America.
Why would hundreds of desis line up to buy the tickets for Never Say Goodbye (Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna) in Toronto even though most of them have already seen it? And why is Ayesha Dharkar getting more attention than Rani Mukerji in this city?
First about KANK: "I have seen it thrice, and I have laughed and cried again and again. But now I am going to see it for a special reason," says Pavi Shah, a college student, adding that she is taking some of her Canadian friends to see the film. "People say Bollywood films are nothing but songs and dance, but now we see them shown at a prestigious film festival."
Pavi and others have a special reason for watching KANK again: Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Rani are expected to be on the red carpet at its gala showing on Sunday, September 10, at the Toronto International Film Festival. The stars will join director Karan Johar at a seminar on the making of a Bollywood blockbuster, conducted by Suketu Mehta, author of the award-winning book, Maximum City. There are persistent rumours that Rani may be unable to make it to the festival as she is shooting for Tara Rum Pum in New York.
No surprise then that the local media is trying to give Ayesha Dharkar, who is lively in the film Outsourced, some heft.
A pleasant culture-clash comedy set in India, the film, directed by first-timer John Jeffcoat, is expected to be a surprise hit at the festival. 'Dharkar has a smile that could light up Bombay,' wrote the popular weekly Now, giving the film three stars, out of four.
Though KANK gets high profile treatment at the festival, don't expect too many critics to show up at its press and industry screening. "I am not going to see a film that is three hours," fumed a German critic, "unless it is about the Iraq war."
The morning press and industry screening for KANK conflicts with the screenings of films that are just about 100 minute long.
The fact that the KANK press screening will be held in a 200-seat theatre gives an indication that it is not going to be a big draw with critics. On the other hand, the Spanish hit Volver -- directed by Pedro Almodovar and which has grossed some $30 million in just about four countries in Europe -- has three press and industry screenings. This film about family secrets and the attempts to set the past right, has created a lot of Oscar buzz, especially for Penelope Cruz's magical performance. It is being shown to the press and industry in theatres with at least 1,500 seats.
Mira Nair's finely-etched The Namesake is also generating a lot of buzz at Toronto but not many know that it won't be in the Oscar race. Its distributor Fox Searchlight has decided to release the film in America only next March, hoping to benefit from the buzz it could create at film festivals.
Last year, Searchlight purchased the American rights to Deepa Mehta's Water on the eve of the Toronto festival and saw it gross a strong $3.2 million in America. The film was released in America five months after its Toronto debut and had a very successful run across Canada. |
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Rediff News
Sanjay Dutt's biggest hit abroad
 
September 07, 2006 17:28 IST
Helped by a smart trailer and the runaway video success of its predecessor, Lage Raho Munna Bhai drew more than a decent number of audiences in North America and the United Kingdom this week.
Unlike Munna Bhai MBBS, which was a dismal flop overseas, the new Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi comedy directed by Rajkumar Hirani, is going to be one of the top earners of the year abroad.
It has already grossed $1 million in five days in North America and about $600,000 in the United Kingdom. It is the first clear hit for Sanjay Dutt in North America. The movie could end up with a strong $3.5 million on both sides of the Atlantic.
While a raft of recent movies including Aap Ki Khatir have bombed abroad, the success of the new Munna Bhai is another addition to an impressive Hindi film hit list this year.
The list is led by Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, the only Hindi language film to have a gala presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival this week. The Karan Johar film has grossed $3.2 million in North America and $4 million in the United Kingdom in four weeks, eclipsing the mighty gross of his Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham by about 20 percent. The movie is expected to play for another two weeks.
With Rang De Basanti and Fanaa each grossing about $4 million in the lucrative territories in the UK and North America, and Krrish grabbing over $2.2 million, the year 2006 has emerged as a very strong year for desi movies abroad.
And yet, at least in North America, KANK has no chance of coming anywhere near the $5.2 million gross taken by Deepa Mehta's Water. Much of the film's success came from non-desi audiences. The sleeper hit of the summer was released in America nearly eight months after its Canadian release and received some of the year's best reviews so far from mainstream critics.
As Lage Raho goes into the second week in some 60 theatres in North America, KANK is still showing in some 30 theatres. Meanwhile, Vishal Bhardwaj's surprise hit Omkara is ending its run in North America with a $1.4 million gross. It has taken half that amount in the United Kingdom.
"Give our viewers sophisticated films and they will turn them into hits in no time," says Bharat Jotwani, a big name in the North American entertainment world. "But don't take the audiences for granted. They can be very, very selective." |
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Rediff News
Kareena, Urmila walk the ramp
September 5, 2006
The Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week ended with a grand finale by fashion designer Manish Malhotra.
The event, held in Delhi last week, had a few Bollywood personalities making an appearance for the final show.
Here, Shahid Kapur escorts girlfriend Kareena Kapoor down the ramp.
The ramp came alive with graceful moves, remarkable designs and fabulous silhouettes as models showcased clothes to racy music.
Urmila Matondkar is one of Malhotra's closest friends in the industry, and always does her bit to support the designer.
Speaking at the occasion, Malhotra said, "It is a matter of great prestige to showcase at the Wills Lifestyle Grand Finale. The association between Manish Malhotra and Wills Lifestyle brings about an amalgamation of pret, which Wills Lifestyle represents, and diffusion and couture -- which my label stands for."
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Rediff News
The changing face of concerts
August 28, 2006
Say Nassau Coliseum, New York, and you think of Amitabh Bachchan thrilling 10,000 rapturous fans with his dialogue delivery and songs from old and new hit movies. Or you think Lata Mangeshkar belting out vintage hits and ending the show with her trademark Jiya Jale from the film Dil Se.
But, imagine Fame 2006 being presented at the same massive venue, with the lead singer of the night being Debojit, the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2005 winner. Even with tickets priced at $29 (as against the $100 and above for the star-studded show), the organizers, some say, took a big risk. The final verdict on the show -- which also featured up-and-coming singers Qazi Tauqeer and Rex D'Souza -- hangs in the balance.
This is 2006 though, a very different year from the ones where movie stars such as Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai, and not to forget Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan, filled huge theatres in major American and Canadian cities.
This year, even as Bollywood movies have done remarkable and record-breaking business (grosses of films Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Omkara, Fanaa, Rang De Basanti and Parineeta could exceed a record setting $10 million), the concerts are not dominated by the stars. Given the rather discouraging performances of two star-studded concerts -- one with Akshay Kumar, Preity Zinta and Sushmita Sen, the other with Salman Khan, Kareena and Shahid Kapoor -- some are wondering if the days of star-driven mega shows are over.
Veteran promoters of star-shows insist 2007 will be different though, and fans can expect at least four major shows in over a dozen cities ranging from Vancouver to San Jose, Houston to New York to Toronto. "Star shows will come back and you can never write them off," asserts Bharat Jothwani, a veteran promoter. "But we ought to find out where we went wrong this year."
Singer Sonu Nigam, who is performing in over a dozen cities, believes that unless the shows have genuine and thrilling acts, they will not make money. "Many stars just do some dancing and lip sync to our songs," he says with a sigh.
Now, instead of seeing an Amitabh or Shah Rukh, we will be watching composer-singer Himesh Reshammiya drawing huge crowds to his Aap Kaa Suroor concerts through August and September.
Sonu Nigam, who has emerged in recent months as the pre-eminent singer in Bollywood, will also be performing in about a dozen cities at around the same time. Nigam's show, organised by Ashai Group International, takes him to about a dozen cities. An architectural firm based in Torrance, California, the Ashai Group is getting into the entertainment business because its leaders feel they can offer better venues and performances than competitors.
"Often, some of the finest artists from India are made to sing in halls with bad acoustics. To make it worse, their programs are not well publicized," says Tony Ashai. "We feel there is a sophisticated and growing audience here, and artists like Sonu want to work with us because we are going to have them perform in some of the best auditoriums in the country."
Nigam, who is coming to America to perform solo (with some help from Sowmya Raoh and Mansi Varma), will be at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, a reputed venue in the New York tristate area, on August 27. The show is appropriately called Simply Sonu. The Ashai group has formed a separate company called Bridgeline Entertainment to promote its entertainment business. "You can expect fabulous entertainment from Bridgeline," says ghazal-singer Talat Aziz, who has been associated with the group for over three years.
As for the Reshammiya show, it has heavyweights such as Kanu Chauhan and Bharat Jotwani as its promoters on the East Coast. Added to the list are many other smaller, yet attractive shows such as NRI Antakshari, featuring Annu Kapoor. Some shows that are over featured 85-year old veteran Manna Dey, and Nitin Mukesh, who is about 50. In between, there have also been plays, with yesteryear actresses Padmini Kolhapuri and Poonam Dhillon.
"If I were to put it mildly, the two star-driven shows were disappointments," says promoter Jotwani, who has been featuring movie stars as well as singers like Asha Bhosle and Adnan Sami (in one concert). Some people are more blunt when they say the Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan shows were disastrous, but they do not want to be quoted.
The spring and summer of 2006 sent many fans into reminiscences of the times when such shows ruled supreme, when Sridevi rode into the Giant Stadium in New Jersey on an elephant and her co-performer Amitabh Bachchan made sure the show started at the announced minute. They think of the year, about a decade ago, when rivalry between two organizers led to an Amitabh show being held in New York the same day as a Shah Rukh Khan show -- and both shows made money.
The show that did not happen this year could have made all the difference. Some veteran concert organizers tried to get Amitabh, Abhishek and Shah Rukh Khan, and with some luck Preity and Rani Mukerji, in one single show -- that is, if the actors could be drawn away from the shoot of Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. Given the stars' tight schedule in and around New York City, the shows could have been held only in the New York tristate area. Apparently, the logistics were too complicated though, and the plans were abandoned.
"I am still going to try to bring at least Amitabh and Abhishek together in a concert next year," says Jotwani. "Abhishek has been hot for many months, and his popularity is now soaring with the huge success of KANK. He has an enduring personality and is very much at ease with audiences. If we succeed in bringing father and son in one concert next year, we could be setting records."
"There is no doubt that music has become bigger than movie stars," says Jotwani, adding that promoters of the Himesh Reshammiya shows knew he was very big when they began planning the concerts over six months ago. "But he has become bigger than anyone's expectations. His success is much more than hitting the right note at the right time. Even he, in his own humble way, calls his success a miracle."
One of the reasons the two star-studded shows didn't fulfil expectations was because of bad timing, many organisers feel. The Salman show had to be postponed because of the actor's legal troubles and, even after he got permission to go abroad, there were persistent rumours the show would be cancelled. The organisers also announced that the almost-retired stars Goldie Hawn and Sylvester Stallone would be at the show but word soon got around that they would not be present.
As for real life lovebirds Kareena and Shahid, the least one can say is their fan base abroad is very small. (On the other hand, given the success of Omkara, which has grossed $1 million in North America, Kareena could be a bigger draw now, especially if Saif Ali Khan were to be featured with her).
Akshay Kumar and Preity Zinta were on stage in a dozen cities in America and Canada this year, just about six months after their earlier performance in America. Long-time concert organizers say there must be quite a gap between one concert and another involving stars. Shah Rukh Khan once let three-and-a-half years go by before he performed live. Overexposure is the kiss of death for live shows, say organizers.
"Our audiences are very smart. They do not want to be taken for granted," said one promoter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "They don't want to throw over $1,000 (per family) on stars who are here to shoot a film or on some personal business, and want to make an extra buck by appearing in shows in a handful of cities."
Although no one can predict how movie stars will fare six or eight months after they have planned a concert, said the organizer, they stand to benefit if the stars concerned have a very big hit around the time the concerts happened. "The box-office for the concerts begins to fill up just about 10 days before the show,? he said. "It really gains momentum if the stars have become even bigger."
Jotwani says audiences overseas look for an element of novelty, much like audiences anywhere else. "Asha Bhosle has performed in America many times in the past 20 years," he said. "But when I had her perform with Adnan Sami over a year ago, people were excited. Many were newly committed Adnan fans but they also wanted to see Asha and Adnan together. It was a win-win combo."
Come next March, with some luck, you may see Amitabh and Abhishek on stage in America. If that concert is a hit, it may lead to four or five big concerts top-lining reigning acting honchos in Bollywood.
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Bollywood Press
September 4, 2006
Shweta Bachchan unwrapped
 
There are stars, then there are star families and then you have cover stories. But every once in a while you get a cover that has more star power than is obvious. That? also the story of Shweta Bachchan Nanda who will appear on the cover of L? Officiel India.
The pictures for L? Officiel India, one of the finest lifestyle and fashion magazines, have been shot in Rome as the youngest B poses in Fendi designed costumes.
But that doesn? quite fit for somebody who? been under wraps all these years and finally comes out on a cover of a fashion magazine.
? was sent away to a boarding school at a very young age in Switzerland and then I was in America for college so there wasn? much coming from anywhere,? Shweta says.
In a candid interview to the magazine, Shweta confesses that this is the first decision of its kind, ever, that she? taken on her own. So what was the experience like for her to come into her own?
?t was a fantastic experience. Everything was so well organised, so beautifully done. It was done professionally. And the clothes of course were pleasured,? she says.
And for L? Officiel, it? certainly a coup of sorts.
? was expecting her to look like the international supermodel that she is looking like. So I am really satisfied and happy,? Editor-in-Chief L? Officiel, Superna R Motwane says.
The magazine hits the stands on Monday and Shweta Bachchan Nanda will finally come out unplugged. You may not see this beauty do another number like this anytime soon, so grab this opportunity while it lasts. |
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Bollywood Press
September 4, 2006
Abhishek Bachan : t?l be great to be gay icon
Actor Abhishek Bachchan says he? ready to be an icon for homosexuals as well.
Asked by a national daily if he would feel comfortable having a big following among gay men, Bachchan said, ?reat! Why not??
?ppreciation and love from any quarter is welcome,? he was quoted as saying.
While such a sentiment would surprise few in Hollywood, homosexuality remains a taboo in India.
Even in Bollywood? relatively liberal social circles, there are few openly gay personalities.
As for his female fan base, Bachchan jokingly said, ?ou bribe them very well and keep them on payroll. |
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Bollywood Press
September 4, 2006
Suniel Shetty injured in car crash
Action hero Suniel Shetty had a miraculous escape when his car skidded and slammed into a roadside railing during the weekend, leaving him with just a minor neck injury, according to newspaper reports on Monday.
Shetty was being driven to a religious ceremony on the outskirts of Mumbai on Sunday when his luxury sedan skidded over oil.
?t was scary as it was all normal one moment and the next we were taking a turn and suddenly we are careening about madly,? Shetty was quoted as saying by a national daily.
?od only knows how I was saved,? Shetty said.
The car was badly smashed.
Shetty? driver also escaped with minor injuries. |
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Bollywood Press
September 5, 2006
Fake Big B helps wannabe crorepatis
Exploiting the huge popularity enjoyed by superstar Amitabh Bachchan in Pakistan, a call-in telephone company is doing brisk business by using his voice and pictures without his consent for its quiz show, made on the lines of the cult hit Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC).
Bachchan who hosted the successful KBC for two seasons on Star TV features prominently on all the promotional advertisements and slots for the call-in telephone quiz show titled, Kya Aap Banengay Crorepati (Do you want to become a millionaire).
The impression any ordinary caller or person gets is that Bachchan is hosting the quiz show for the Telefun company, but in reality the company has smartly mixed up voice takes from the original KBC and its own host who sounds and speaks like Bacchan to lure callers.
The company was pulled up by the local government before Pakistan? Independence Day of August 14, when it put up giant banners all over Karachi in which Bachchan invited callers to take part in the programme.
The civic authorities didn? take kindly to an Indian even if it was the hugely popular Bachchan with the Pakistan flag in such a blatant manner and had Telefun change their banners and posters and remove the Pakistan flag from the background.
But despite that drawback, the company has found that Bachchan still sells especially among Pakistanis who have been brought up on a regular diet of Indian films, television soap operas and songs.
?he response to our programme has been very good. We find that callers enjoy participating in a quiz show which is hosted by someone who speaks and sounds like Bachchan,? a marketing executive of the call-in company said.
He didn? bother to dwell on the ethical aspect of Bachchan? name and voice being used to promote a quiz show without his consent.
?achchan sahib sells in Pakistan and his name is synonymous with KBC. And our programme is based on that idea,‿ he said. |
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Bollywood Press
September 5, 2006
Aishwarya is Dubai? traffic stopper
A surge of admirers who came to watch actor Aishwarya Rai shoot a commercial in Dubai caused massive jams on city roads, local media reported.
The news of Rai spotted on a street spread like wildfire and hundreds of fans thronged the scene.
Motorists were forced to wait for a long time as the roads were closed at regular intervals resulting in chaos and traffic congestion.
Traffic jam was also seen on the Shaikh Zayed Road from Dubai to Jebel Ali owing to motorists slowing down to catch a glimpse of the former Miss World, the Khaleej Times reported. |
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Bollywood Press
September 9, 2006
Sanju: The loving Bhai!
Munnabhai aka Sanjay Dutt seems to have taken his new role rather seriously. And so the ever helpful star after playing Santa Claus to a dozen spot boys and other members of the unit is playing out the role of a big brother to his sister Priya.
After his father? death, Sanju has come to the rescue of his sister and effectively campaigned for her ensuring her victory in the elections. And in keeping with that the big brother last week inaugurated Priya? official website to help the common man (and woman) get in touch with their local leaders. Must say, Lage Raho Sanju bhai! |
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Post time 4-9-2006 09:18 AM
