the Buzz

Sunny set to sizzle again

Well lads, it looks like Sunny Leone’s here to say, much to your relief. After Jism2, in which the Indo- canadian porn star kept her clothes on for at least a few sequences, she’s now bagged Ragini MMS 2. Shooting of the horror-thriller sequel will start in a few months.

“I love India. I am so happy I am here, I’ll be staying here for a while. I have a lot of different projects coming up,” said Sunny enthusiastically. She has recently announced her association with music company Saregama, which will give its customers access to her content. And you can bet that will include a lot of downloads!

But Sunny’s now concentrating on getting ready for Ragini MMS 2, the sequel to Ekta Kapoor’s 2011 film of the same name that starred Kainaz motivala and Raj Kumar Yadav.

“I’ll be doing workshops here in India before Ragini MMS 2. I’ll be taking dance classes, hindi lessons, watching hindi movies... It’s like going back to school for me!” said the actress.

It’s certainly a step in the right direction, and we can be sure that Sunny’s here to stay.

What’s interesting is that the actress doesn’t feel the heat from her Bollywood peers.

“I don’t like the word ‘competition’,” she admitted. “Unless it’s in sports, it’s kind of like a negative word, at least in my book. These women (actresses) work so hard. I know what goes into making a movie now”.

I-Day treat for Tiger lovers

Or Salman Khan fans, I should say! his latest and much anticipated release Ek Tha Tiger hits cinemas on Independence day, and the ka-ching of moolah can already be heard across the country. high on action, the spy thriller has an interesting dose of romance too.

Since Sallu’s 2009 release Wanted, the hunky hero hasn’t looked back. he’s been churning out hit after hit, with the more recent Dabangg, Ready and Bodyguard, all of which entered the exclusive Rs 100 crore club. They too were high on action, but what’s exclusive to Ek Tha Tiger is that Salman’s teaming up with ex-girlfriend Katrina Kaif after four years. Now that’s a sure-fire winner!

The couple were last seen together in Yuvvraaj, and Bollywood’s been buzzing that this jodi is what will attract punters to the cinemas. But critically acclaimed director Kabir Khan says Katrina will show her true acting potential in the movie. The story is by Aditya chopra and the film’s screenplay has been co-written by Kabir Khan, a renowned documentary filmmaker, and well-known journalistturned-lyricist-writer Neelesh misra. despite his reputation, Kabir Khan only felt reassured of the film when renowned screenwriter and Salman Khan’s father Salim Khan okayed Ek Tha Tiger without any changes.

Sridevi set to sizzle again

Fans who have missed seeing their favourite actress Sridevi on the big screen can heave a sigh of relief, as the actress makes her re-debut into hindi films with English Vinglish, scheduled for release in early October. Also debuting as a director is Gauri Shinde, wife of filmmaker R. Balki, who says the film is inspired by her mother, which is interesting as Sridevi’s playing the lead role.

“This film is inspired by my mom. Like most people in India who struggle with the English language, it’s just the insensitivity and insecurity that made me do this film,” Shinde said.

Sridevi herself says she is very confident about her comeback, having fallen in love with the script and character. “I am very confident with this film and not insecure at all. I am very excited,” said the 49-year-old actress.

Sridevi has been away from the small screen for a whopping 15 years, and was last seen in a full-fledged role in Judaai. But the actress was back in her comfort zone during the filming.

“Thanks to Gauri and Balki, they made me feel so comfortable. I felt like a newcomer,” she admitted. “I am so used to Gauri I don’t know how I am going to work with other directors,” said the actress, who seems confident that other offers will follow.

So what made Gauri choose Sridevi for this film? “I didn’t have anyone in mind while writing the script,” said Gauri. “But when Balki met Boney and Sridevi, he mentioned that I was writing a script. Sridevi liked the subject, I narrated the script to her and it just happened”.

Like Balki, who is known to portray all women characters in his films in a very strong light, even Gauri has managed to do the same in English Vinglish. “I am a woman and I will show all my women as strong characters,” she asserts.

Well, she’s certainly got it right with Sridevi, the original strong lady!

“I know all these different appearances and other things that we do, it’s a business and on top of that you have a lot of fun. But there is no competition, everyone is in their own league and in their own space,” she added.

Well, let’s hope that viewpoint remains unchanged after a few years in the business, Sunny. But don’t hold your breath!

GUESS WHO ?

She was nominated for a British award for one of her best-known roles.

(Find the answer under Caption Contest) he attempts to meet the scientist but is not successful. he then tries to befriend the scientist’s part-time home caretaker, Zoya (Katrina).

“When we showed this film to Salim saab, I was a bit nervous. But when he saw the film, he was very happy. he hugged me and said the film is very beautiful as it is. don’t change anything and release it as it is. I felt like I had cleared my final exams and I was not bothered about anyone else’s opinion after that,” he said, obviously elated at the veteran screenwriter’s response.

The film revolves around Tiger, a rugged, handsome and mysterious bachelor, played by Salman, who is a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officer. We shouldn’t be giving away the whole plot, but here’s a sneak peek into the movie’s storyline.

Tiger is sent on a safe mission to dublin, Ireland, to observe an Indian origin scientist who is suspected of sharing his research findings with the Pakistan defence establishment.

As Tiger begins to get closer to Zoya, he discovers his human side and for the first time in his life he falls in love.

What follows is a tumultuous journey that Tiger and Zoya embark upon, battling the dark world of intelligence that forbids its soldiers from falling in love.

Another good actor, Ranvir Shorey will be seen as Gopi, a RAW officer and Tiger’s close friend.

Ek Tha Tiger is said to have cost above Rs 50 crore, but obviously, the team expects to make much more with at the box office. The film has been exclusively shot at five foreign locales like dublin, cuba and Istanbul. So will hit the Rs 100 crore mark? Let’s wait and see…

Like father, like son

Now we all know that Bollywood star sons have a great deal of respect and admiration for their actor dads and Sanjay dutt is no exception. The actor adopted his father Sunil dutt’s dacoit avatar from the 1963 film Mujhe Jeene Do for his upcoming movie Of Sardar (SOS).

It was a wish come true for Sanjay who had plans of remaking his father’s film, but that plan was incorporated in SOS, an Ajay devgn-starrer. If a reliable source is to be believed, Sanjay’s clothes and make-up have been modelled around his father’s look.

however, this wasn’t the original plan, according to a reliable source.

“When Sanjay signed on for SOS, he didn’t even know what his role was. he just did it blindly for his friend Ajay devgn, who’s producing the film,” said the source. “But they needed a special look for Sanjay, and the actor suggested his father’s Mujhe Jeene Do look, which had fascinated him since he was a child. director Ashwin dheer approved right away,” added the source.

dheer says the Mujhe Jeene Do look went a long way in giving character and personality to Sanjay d in SOS. “Sanjay plays Sonakshi Sinha’s over-possessive brother. Yes, his look and character bear a definite resemblance to Sunil dutt sahab in Mujhe Jeene Do

In fact, we put Sanjay on a horse after a very long time. It’s uncanny how much he resembles his father in SOS

I pointed it out to Sanjay, he got very emotional,” said the director.

This is not the first time that Sanjay has donned his dad’s on-screen dacoit avatar. In 1990, Sanjay did Jeene Do which was a straight homage to his Mujhe Jeene Do. Sanjay later felt that at that time he was too young to carry it off. But now, Sanjay is able to effectively carry the role. The actor has a hand-to-hand, fist-to-fist combat with Ajay during the climax of SOS, and he reflects his father’s personality very visibly in the scene, said the source. Like father, like son, truly with Sanjay and Sunil!

Testing trio

filmmaker Karan Johar has his hands full with his next directorial venture, Student of the Year (SOTY), which will see the launch of three new faces. It’s a huge responsibility for Karan as the future of these three new faces depends on the film’s box office performance.

“The film is a big responsibility on dharma Production’s shoulders and mine. We are launching the career of three new faces through this film - Alia Bhatt, Varun dhawan and Siddharth malhotra. All of them are very promising and talented. So, we as a production house have to make sure that we stand up to the expectation of all,” said Karan.

Alia is filmmaker mahesh Bhatt and actress Soni Razdan’s daughter; Varun is director david dahwan’s son, while Siddharth is a model. Their future careers will be on the line when SOTY hits screens in mid-October.

The first trailer was launched recently, and like any savvy filmmaker, Karan says he has “planned elaborate promotional activities” to create awareness about the film.

“We will start with the release of the first song online on Aug 24, followed by music launch,” added the 40-year-old known for directing hits like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, and producing successful films like Kal Ho Naa Ho and

Karan has co-produced SOTY with Shah Rukh Khan’s Red chillies Entertainment. So let’s hope the youngsters take their responsibility as seriously as their director. Good luck, Karan!

Erotic tribute to Bhatt brothers

No seriously, it’s a tenuous link, but an interesting one. director-turned-producer Anubhav Sinha is set to produce his first ‘erotic’ film as a tribute to mahesh and ukesh Bhatt, his mentors who he feels, successfully created a ‘genre’ within mainstream Bollywood. To make things more exciting, the erotic thriller will be y erotic thriller is my official mahesh Bhatt and mukesh Bhatt, with no humour attached to the statement,” Sinha clarified, a trifle anxiously.

The film is due for a late 2012 release. The Bhatts are known for producing erotic films like Murder, and Jism 2, among

“I am still in the process of getting the right director for the film,” said Sinha, obviously not considering either of his heroes in a directorial role. he’s also coy about the cast, but what’re the odds that Sunny Leone may be high up

The Jana Gana Mana spirit

National anthems worldwide often become ritualised with adherents paying little attention to the words or their underlying meaning. But on the occasion of India’s 65th Independence day, a new documentary seeks to search for the essence of the country’s national anthem. Bharat Bhagya Vidhataa: The Architects is filmmaker Shashi Vyas’s way to ‘explore the spirit’ of the Indian national anthem. The documentary held its inaugural screening in mumbai on

The documentary traces the countrywide journey of mumbai youths Anshul Ramnani, Vaibhav Wali and Juby evasia looking for the essence of India outside their urban cocoon.

Narrated by popular actor Boman Irani, the documentary was inspired by the 100th anniversary of the anthem in 2011. Slickly shot, the aim of Bharat Bhagya is to connect India’s younger generations to the glorious struggles that the anthem represents and “rediscover India through fresh eyes”.

“I’m sick of you two acting like two stupid children…”

Shashi K Sharma

Penrith NSW

Shashi wins one ticket to new Hindi film Ek Tha Tiger the values that are personified by its common men and women who work tirelessly, with integrity and courage, in order to make a difference, because they understand the power and responsibility of being a citizen,” says a backgrounder to the movie.

Vyas, the film’s conceptualiser and producer, seeks to find the answer to what the national anthem actually means from the standpoint of the urban protagonists.

In the documentary, the youths meet and engage prominent Indians such as Infosys founder Narayana murthy, environmentalist Bittu Sehgal, well known theatre personality Vijaya mehta and activist Sunitha Krishnan. To balance the perspective they also interact with everyday Indians such as Vijay Nambiar and Babar Ali among others.

Jana Gana Mana was written and composed by Rabindranath Tagore and first sung at the calcutta session of the Indian National congress on december 27, 1911. It was adopted as the national anthem by the constituent Assembly on January 24, 1950.

“It is a journey to understand the traditions and values that still hold strong as the backbone of India, Answer to GUESS O?hW