the Buzz

Sridevi is a sensation

It’s been a long, long time since Sridevi graced the big screen, but she is now back with a vengeance, and we can all expect to see much more of the versatile actress. Sridevi is in the news for English Vinglish that marks her comeback onto the big screen after 15 years. And it’s not just fans who are queuing up to see the actress, Bollywood’s best are also waiting for her re-debut.

Amitabh Bachchan, who saw a preview version of the film, recently tweeted that Sri’s performance left him in tears.

Film-maker Ram Gopal Verma (RGV) said: “Can’t wait (for the movie to release). For first time in 20 years, ever since I became a director, I am going to stand in a line and buy a ticket to see Sridevi.”

And actor Anil Kapoor insists that his sister-in-law and co-star Sridevi is one of the best actresses of recent times. “She is a complete actress. I have done a lot of films with her and in the last many, many years, I think she is the best,” the 52-yearold said recently. Anil and Sridevi worked together in the past with successes like Mr. India, Laadla and Judaai.

Sridevi is married to Anil’s elder brother Boney Kapoor who, says the buzz around Bollywood, is planning a sequel to his 1987 hit production venture Mr. India. Naturally, Anil is expected to be a part of the sequel, and perhaps, so will Sridevi.

English Vingish will release soon, produced by R Balki and directed by his wife Gauri Shinde, who makes her debut with the film. It will see 49-year-old Sridevi playing housewife Shashi, who is bullied by her children for her poor

A celebration of Kaka’s life

Veteran actor Rajesh Khanna’s last film Riyasat, which he shot for before he died on July 18, will release in theatres on December 28, a day before his 70th birth anniversary, revealed director Ashok Tyagi.

The late superstar has a prominent role in the movie, which is almost ready, but Tyagi is deliberately holding off its release until Kaka’s birth anniversary as a sign of respect.

“We can release the film at any time, but we want to release it on Dec 29. Since it is a Saturday, we will be releasing it on Dec 28, just a day before Kakaji’s (Rajesh Khanna) birth anniversary,” Tyagi said.

The director says Rajesh Khanna has left a letter behind, and that shall be opened just before the release of the film.

“We have no clue what he has written in the letter. I am only thankful to God that we got an opportunity to work with him,” he added.

For his role in Riyasat, Rajesh Khanna is said to have studied Amitabh Bachchanstarrer Sarkar, released in 2005.

“Before starting the film, he watched Amitabh Bachchan’s Sarkar as he is also playing godfather in the film. It’s a very different subject and he had shot almost 95 per cent of the film,” revealed Tyagi.

“The entire nation will hear Kakaji’s voice in the film,” said Tyagi, who had started shooting the film in February 2011 and finished it in October.

“Kakaji shot most portions, the ones I wanted. But yes, we were tempted to shoot more. And if his health permitted, we would surely have shot all of it. Then all of a sudden his health started deteriorating,” he added.

Riyasat also features Gauri Kulkarni, Aryan Vaid, Aryeman Ramsay and Raza Murad. Should be interesting to see what Kaka does in the film….

GUESS WHO ?

command over the English language. So get ready for what is likely to be a sensational performance from Sridevi!

Vyjayanthimala’s comeback

call!

yesteryear actress Vyjayanthimala Bali has decided to return to the world of grease paint after 42 years, but only for Sandeep Malani’s issue-based movie Janleva 555. All of 76 and still going strong, Vyjayantimala last appeared in the 1970 release of Ganwaar, and urges everyone to “watch this one of its kind film”.

The actress will be seen in a two to three minutes’ video to be played before the film, which talks about how to save cobra bitten children in villages. Janleva 555 has been made to support and help acquire ventilator systems for the hospitals, said the veteran actress and added, “First of all it is a great thought and it’s very useful for the people in the villages, and especially children, who die of snake bites”.

“This kind of ventilator system to save children dying of snake bites is a very noble task and I appreciate this work. I wish the makers of the film all the success and I request everybody to please watch the film because it will be one of its kind,” the actress said in a statement.

Although Kalpana Pandit, who produced the film and also plays a pivotal role in it, is reluctant to discuss details, she is clearly thrilled at Vyjayanthimala’s contribution. “There can be no bigger blessing for my maiden home production Janleva 555 than receiving the good wishes of the first original superstar of Indian cinema,” she said, adding, “She has given a social message in a special video, which will be shown before the beginning of the film. The two to three minutes’ video of superstar Vyjayanthimala will have a critical medical message for cobra bitten children. I can’t reveal much about the ou will understand it once you will watch the film.”

Janleva 555 also features Anant Nag and Akash Hora and is scheduled for a mid-October release. Kudos to Vyjanthimala for taking on the mantle of mentor for a good cause!

Vivek a modern Gabbar Singh?

Actor Vivek Oberoi has played many roles but his latest one for Krrish 3 is the most challenging, described as “Gabbar Singh of our times”. Vivek plays the baddie for a change, and he’s excited about the role.

“I am really very, very excited about Krrish 3. It’s a really cool, bad character and it’s a role of a lifetime. It’s like a Gabbar Singh of our times, so I am very excited,” said the 36-year-old actor.

Directed by Rakesh Roshan, Krrish 3 is a sequel to the 2006-superhero flick Krrish, featuring Hrithik Roshan in the lead. And to balance the badness, Vivek’s romantic-comedy Kismet, Love, Paisa, Dilli will release soon. Vivek has also been working on Zilla Ghaziabad, and romantic comedy Jayanta Bhai Ki Luv Story. Seems like Vivek’s spreading his wings a bit - always a good sign of a competent actor.

Delhi Safari set to be the whole trip

It boasts of actors like Akshaye Khanna, Govinda, Suniel Shetty, Boman Irani and Urmila Matondkar, so it’s little wonder that director Nikhil Advani is so thrilled about his film Delhi Safari. The movie is a bilingual stereoscopic 3D animation film and apparently a complete entertainer, packed with great music.

“It (Delhi Safari) has got fun, lots of tamasha (drama), lots of energy and lots of great music,” Nikhil said recently at the movie’s music launch.

And with the impressive line of voiceovers, he may indeed be right.

Nikhil Advani, known for directing Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Kal Ho Naa Ho, has dedicated Delhi Safari to his 6-year-old daughter Keya.

“It’s a proud moment, she (Keya) is not allowed to watch the other movies I have made,” said Advani, whose last directorial was Patiala House. Good luck to the movie, wishing it all success!

Akshay’s healthy heart tip

“Eat before sunset for healthy difference,” says Akshay Kumar, and he should know. The actor is counted among the fittest men in tinsel town, and he recently shared the secret of his fitness. “Only one rule which I have followed in my life, which I would like to share, is to eat your food before sunset. It will make a lot of difference,” said the 45-yearold actor, who became a secondtime dad recently.

He spoke on the sidelines of Happy Heart Carnival, held to celebrate the World Heart Day at SL Raheja Hospital in Mumbai.

The actor asserts people should be careful of their food intake. “It is very important to take care of yourself and your family. I would advise all of you to just be careful of what you eat,” he said to the audience.

Akshay is trained in martial arts and he maintains a regular fitness regime. He prefers to indulge in outdoor games and sports to keep himself fit and fine, and believes that yoga, meditation and martial arts help in staying physically fit as well as bring mental balance. Words of wisdom indeed!

Raw Indian music revival

It’s hard to remember the last

VyJAyANTHIMALA

time a Hindi film song resonated to the clear sound of a harmonium or a flute, thanks to the introduction of technologically advanced synthesisers and other recording equipment. But many composers are now striving to bring back the lost charm of raw Indian music.

Composers like Sneha

Khanwalkar and Ajay-Atul or Indian Ocean’s vocalist Rahul Ram have experimented by bringing back the rawness in their music and have succeeded in striking the right chords with the youth, without adopting western tunes.

Khanwalkar is the woman behind the distinct music in Anurag

Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur and her songs, I am a hunter, Womaniya Chhi chha ledar have a blend of rustic beats, with local folk singers adding up to the regional flavour. The music is desi to its core. Sneha believes in spending time with the artists and using their true talent.

“If a song is based in one place, that place has its own quality. People have their own of way of thinking and talking, which is different from how we think in the city. So it is important to know how they sing and render their music,” said Khanwalkar.

“It is only after you know the place that you will be able to imbibe its quality in the song. If the director of the film is going all out to depict something skilfully, then I just try to do the same thing with the music of the film,” she added, pointing out to Kashyap’s knack of bringing the real as is on reel.

Ajay-Atul, who composed music for Karan Johar’s remake of Agneepath, tried to retain the charm of raw music with compositions like Chikni chameli and Gun gun guna. They recorded the songs with live instruments. Chikni chameli is the Hindi version of their Marathi hit Kombadi palali Singer Sukhwinder Singh, who recently visited Australia on tour and has done playback in Prakash Jha’s upcoming movie Chakravyuh as well as sang for Ekta Kapoor’s Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum, feels 90 per cent of the composers are making music by modern ways while the rest 10 percent try to retain the old charm.

“We used dumroos in Hum hai cappuccino in Kyaa Super... and in one of the songs in Chakravyuh, we have instruments that Naxalites generally use to make their music. So good work is still happening in the industry,” Singh said. And it is important too, as he feels “you have to be extraordinary to make a place for yourself in Bollywood.”

The music of Akshay Kumarstarrer Rowdy Rathore also boasts of regional music with songs like Aa re pritam pyaare and Chinta ta ta, which find inspiration from the south.

Also, remember the chartbusters Des mera and Mehangai dayan from Aamir Khan’s Peepli Live?

The lyrics and music were composed by the Indian Ocean band, and

Ratna wins a double pass for new Hindi film English Vinglish immediately struck a chord with the viewers.

Though the Indian version of Coke Studio of Pakistan has helped in reviving the old world charm in a big way, Ram feels Coke Studio is even more raw.

“Coke Studio Pakistan has given us an impetus - we are nowhere close to that. They have managed to retain the rawness,” he said.

“In India, I feel Coke Studio is overproduced. It’s become too slick,” he added.

One hopes the trend does not translate to the big screen! IANS