Conman Shahid returns

Remember Shahid Kapoor’s role as a conman in Vishal Bhardwaj’s hit Kaminey? Well, it seems like the role so suited the actor, that he’s now back in the soon to be released Badmaash Company, however, in a more sophisticated avatar.

The movie is actor Parmeet Sethi’s directorial debut and hunky Shahid has teamed up with Anushka Sharma in the film, that also stars comedian Vir Das and reality show star Chang. Set in the Bombay of 1990s, Badmaash Company is about four youngsters who come together to start a business. What makes their venture a stupendous success is that they find a way to beat the system and soon become the undisputed kings in their business.

Shahid said a lot of research went into their looks as the film is set in the 1990s. “For example, we used clothes that were in fashion like high-waisted jeans, simple t-shirts which used to be tucked in, the aviators, which were all in vogue. Also the calculator watch that was very much in fashion at that time has been used in the movie. The film starts in 1994 and goes on for five years,” he explained. The songs of the movie have already become a hit. And with Shahid’s presence, it’s likely that the movie will be a hit too. Good luck, Shahid, seems like acting the conman suits you perfectly.

he has his own mind. And uses it liberally. He knows exactly what to do,” revealed Manya.

Prateik remains close to his mother’s family. He apparently shares a far stronger bond with his aunt Manya’s son Kail who’s studying in New York, than his half-brother Arya Babbar.

“To me there’s no difference between Prateik and my biological son Kail. Kail is approximately a year younger to Prateik. The two cousins share everything - from confidences to clothes. I’ve never felt any difference in my feelings for Kail and

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Prateik,” said Manya.

So will Prateik hold his own in the big, bad world of Bollywood? Let’s hope so.

Salman woos Sonakshi on Dubai metro

Salman Khan, the macho man of the industry who plays lead in Arbaaz Khan’s upcoming flick Dabanng opposite svelte, suave, sexy Sonakshi Sinha, shot for a romantic number in cosmopolitan Dubai, using its metro rail as the background.

The song was a lovely honeymoon number and Sallubhai was very impressed with the final outcome. The hot hunk was so enamoured with the locale of Dubai after shooting the romantic number that he expressed his desire to go to Dubai instead of European destinations like Switzerland, to shoot films. What tipped the scales was that people there understood Hindi and the administration was very cooperative, in stark contrast to American and European administrations. In the film, Salman Khan plays the part of a police officer in a small dusty village of Bihar, and he even tried to learn the local dialect, Bhojpuri, for the film to give it a touch of realism. The movie also stars Salman Khan’s brother Arbaaz Khan and Malaika Arora Khan in key roles.

The film is important for Sonakshi Sinha, too, as it is not only her debut film but she also has the distinction of being cast opposite Salman Khan in her very first film, an opportunity which other debutants can only dream about.

The major part of Dabanng has now been shot and Sallu’s keeping his fingers crossed that it will fare better at the box office than non-starters like Main and Mrs. Khanna and Veer. Perhaps newcomer Sonakshi will prove lucky for him…

Chadha attacks the afterlife

After dealing with marriage issues in Bend It Like Beckham and Bride and Prejudice, Britainbased Indian filmmaker Gurinder Chadha returns with another outing on the same titled It’s A Wonderful Afterlife. Produced by Sharan Kapoor, it stars Shabana Azmi, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Goldy Notay, Sally Hawkins, Jimi Mistry, Zoe Wanamaker and Mark Addy. It’s A Wonderful Afterlife is a romantic comedy about a mother (Shabana) who goes to extreme lengths to get her daughter married. Set in Southall, London, the film revolves around Mrs. Sethi (Shabana), a widow who is worried about her daughter Roopi who is alone and unhappy because she is plump and opinionated.

Mrs. Sethi’s matchmaking efforts to find a suitor for Roopi are rudely rejected. She avenges this by killing off the guys using her culinary skills. Eventually a police hunt begins for a serial murderer using a killer curry.

Mrs. Sethi doesn’t feel guilty until the spirits of her victims come back to haunt her. They are unable to be reincarnated until their murderer dies. So she must kill herself to free the spirits, but vows to get her daughter married off before this.

The spirits realise that helping Roopi find a suitable husband before the police catch Mrs. Sethi is in their best interests, and everyone begins to work together.

What follows next is rib-tickling humour. With the presence of ghosts throughout the film in a more comical than scary fashion, the movie is also a tribute to the classic “Ealing Comedies” of London. “...as Indians, we live and breathe marriage. As soon as a girl is born, it’s all about the wedding. And it hasn’t changed, it’s still the same, certainly here in England... And what I try and do is make light of it, to poke fun at it,” Chadha was quoted as saying.

It’s A Wonderful Afterlife released in the UK, but critics panned the film as “the worst British film of the year”. However, considering Chadha’s popularity in India, perhaps Bollywood and her Indian fans will be kinder…

Reviving Robin Hood

Akshay Kumar plays a con man in Tees Maar Khan and director Farah Khan says his role is inspired by English folklore hero Robin Hood. “In Tees Maar Khan, Akshay plays modern-day extra smart conman, who steals the money from the rich and gives it to the poor, someone like Robin Hood,” said Farah in an interview.

complete and we plan to finish shooting by September. Like always, in this film also you will see a mix of action, comedy and emotions,” she revealed. This is Farah’s third film after Main Hoon and Om Shanti Om, but, in a first for her, it doesn’t star the indomitable Shah Rukh Khan, who has played the lead in both her previous movies. The choreographer-turned-director is expected to release the film on Christmas. Apart from Akshay, yhe film also stars Katrina Kaif, Akshaye Khanna, Arya Babbar, Aman Verma and Ali Asgar. With Tees Maar Khan, Akshay is gearing up for an image makeover - he will be seen sporting an Indian Muslim look. Now how Akshay actually interprets the role remains to be seen. However, as a conman, he’s likely to do well, like Bollywood brother, Shahid Kapoor.

Students to have say in Mahesh Bhatt film

Bollywood filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt wants students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to approve the script of his forthcoming venture Chandu - based on slain student leader Chandrashekhar Prasad - before going ahead with the movie.

“I want all the facts right and don’t want to trivialise the script. So, I will approach JNU students to form a cell and check the script before we make the film,” Bhatt said in an interview. Chandrashekhar Prasad was a student leader and activist from the JNU who was shot dead in 1997 while addressing a gathering at Siwan in Bihar.

When asked why he decided to explore this subject for a film, Bhatt, the creative consultant for the film, said it is important to talk about the history of India.

“Chandu was an activist who left a deep impact on the consciousness of people. His murder led to a semi-rebellion of sorts, so I found the subject very interesting and decided to explore it further,” he added.

Imran Zaidi, a former Delhi University student, will make his acting debut in the film as the lead character, while the director and the rest of the cast for the film are yet to be finalised.

The film is slated to go on floor around October this year and is being produced by Dubai-based Irfan Izhar, an alumnus of the Aligarh Muslim University.

So why did he choose a newcomer, instead of a known face for the title role?

“I wanted an actor without an image attached. I didn’t want a person, who has a larger than life image, so decided on a newcomer,” Bhatt said.

Trust Mahesh to add a different dimension to film-making!

Sajid Khan refuses to read Housefull reviews

Filmmaker Sajid Khan took a vow just before the release of his comic caper Housefull - he would not read any reviews of his film.

“It isn’t as if I’ve anything against critics. It’s just a mannat I took during release. You see, I had actually satirized all the critics through a song I had composed naming them on stage at an award function. There and then, I decided I have no right to read reviews for my films,” Sajid said.

So staunch is he about the vow that he wouldn’t allow any member of the Housefull cast to even read out passages of the reviews.

When the favourable reviews appeared, Sajid’s team began calling him excitedly. Sajid simply wouldn’t hear of it.

Even when the film’s lead actor Akshay

Kumar tried to read out passages, Sajid refused to hear it.

“I believe the reviews are good. But I’m not reading them. I don’t even want to know what’s in them. My loss. It’s between me and my conscience,” he said.

Housefull has had a good opening. The comic caper opened with more than 2000 screens worldwide and garnered a collection of Rs.48 crore gross in India and Rs.16 crore overseas in its first weekend. Made at a budge of Rs.45 crore, it stars Riteish Deshmukh, Arjun Rampal, Lara Dutta, Deepika Padukone and Jiah Khan.

This is Sajid’s second directorial venture after hit comedy Heyy Babby