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Irrfan khan’s into music in movies

Talented actor Irrfan Khan never fails to surprisecertainly not when he says he will be ready to sing or play an instrument if a movie allows him to do so! The actor is an ardent music lover and says he is yearning to feature in a film which lets him explore this love of his life, and perhaps lend him a chance to learn the saxophone.

“I’m dying to do a film about music. I want to do such a film so that I can live sometime with music, through which I can explore music,” Irrfan said recently. “I’m finding an excuse to live with music for sometime now. I love music of all kinds, classical, pop, jazz... whatever. singing or playing an instrument... anything will do. I can always learn how to play an instrument. I have always desired to learn how to play the saxophone someday,” he added.

“I want to do a film for children, I want to connect to children. I want to do a great action film and yes, also romantic films... Oh God, I feel like I’ve just started acting. But that’s what it is about... I want to do wonderful films which people cherish for years to come,” he said.

It’s a different thing that he has already been delivering films like The Namesake, Maqbool, Life In A... Metro, Paan Singh Tomar and The Lunchbox Qissa is likely to add to the list. The film is a thought-provoking drama about a delusional man who faces a reality he is unable to accept, which has already got stupendous reviews from viewers at film festivals. Qissa is a result of many ‘tales’ of partition that director Anup singh has heard from his grandparents over the years. The stories stayed with him. set in post-partition era, the film focusses on the life of a sikh named Umber singh and his family. It talks of the family’s displacement from the Pakistan region to the Indian side of the border, and Umber’s obsessive desire for a male heir.

ITEM NuMBERs NOT INDIAN cuLTuRE

Veteran actress hema Malini, who recently performed at a special concert in Agra, has strong views on item numbers currently so popular in Indian cinema. “Nritya was my puja. To save our culture we will need to return to classical dance forms and music. Item numbers will neither save India nor our culture. In Bollywood, nobody these days asks new actors whether they know or understand the nuances of classical music,” hema stated recently. The actress has mesmerised many with her classical dance performances on stage and even in her movies throughout her varied career. Perhaps hema has a point, and Bollywood belles should start taking more of an interest in the classical side of Indian dance. But will the film-going audience appreciate ragas instead of rap and graceful movements instead of hip-thrusting gyrations? what do you think?

“Doing different things sets the equilibrium. Every time you take up something new, it relieves you and gives you freshness. In fact, if you do one kind of thing all the time, then the question of finding equilibrium arises. I have been fortunate to be able to different things,” said Irrfan, who, as a child, couldn’t even muster the courage to pronounce his name to his teacher.

“Nobody ever imagined I would become an actor. I was so shy,” he revealed, sharing his story of conquering his fears and becoming the global star that he is today. Bet the next movie Irrfan makes will be on music, it’s too good a chance for moviemakers to miss!

Priyanka powers on Actress Priyanka Chopra is on a roll with her latest Ram Leela item number titled Ram chahe leela, that crossed over one

Irrfan Khan

million hits in just three days on the India iTunes charts. The actress-cum-singer is naturally overwhelmed by the response from her fans and admirers. The dance number in the sanjay Leela Bhansalidirected film is done as a mujra by the actress, but in a contemporary format, whatever that’s meant to be.

Priyanka took to Twitter to thank fans after hearing the news, tweeting: “Milestones..yesterday ‘Exotic sales’! Today Ram chahe leela (crosses) one million (hits) in just three days and Krrish 3 trailer (crosses) 17 million hits! woohoo! Thank you all so much”.

Priyanka has also recorded tracks with international singers like Pitbull and will.i.am. And she is willing to go wherever her work takes her. “Even my music wasn’t planned. I consider myself an actor, be it in hindi films, English, Punjabi, Tamil, it doesn’t matter, as long as it is a fun part. I don’t make plans, I am not saying that I am going to establish myself in hollywood,” the 31-year-old said recently.

Meanwhile, Priyanka confesses that she would love to sing for a contemporary actress as long as the song is good. “I think it will be very cool if I can sing for another actress because now I am a professional singer. But my voice is distinct so, I think it will be too much of a disparity,” Priyanka said.

“But it doesn’t depend on actors, it depends on the song. I like singing, so the song should be good. (I would like to sing for) any of my contemporary actresses, they all are so great,” she added.

And now the actress has revealed that her third single is expected to release in December. “ we are working on my third single right now and that should come out by December. The vocals are done, we are just doing production. right now, it’s just me, it’s a solo single,” she

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stated. “If this song sounds like it needs someone else then may be there will be a collaboration, but I can’t say anything right now,” she added. Looks like we’ll be seeing a lot of Priyanka on the music and movie scene!

Parenting pointers from Abhishek

Like all good parents, actor Abhishek Bachchan has positive aspirations for his almost two-year-old daughter Aaradhya, and one of these is the hope that she continues to appreciate her parents the way he still respects his. “I just hope that when my daughter turns a teenager, she continues to appreciate her mother and father the way I still respect, acknowledge and love my parents for all that they have been doing for me,” said Abhishek recently, at a book launch in

Mumbai. His parents Jaya and Amitabh Bachchan certainly seem to have done a great job in bringing him up. And I’m sure wife Aishwarya agrees to his tip on positive parenting. The 37-year-old will next be seen in Dhoom 3 and is currently shooting for Farah Khan’s Happy New Year. Good luck with Aaradhya, Abhishek, perhaps she’ll be a teen star!

Shyam Benegal will lead jury at APSA

The 7th Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) to be held on December 12 in Brisbane will see renowned Indian screenwriter and director Shyam Benegal leading the international jury of six highly acclaimed filmmakers, in his capacity as President. In addition to Benegal, Korean screenwriter and director Kim Tae-yong, ‘Queen of Sri Lankan Cinema’ actress Malini Fonseka, Turkish actor Tamer Levent, Swiss director Christoph Schaub and Hong Kong producer Albert Lee will comprise the

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jury at the festival. The international jury is tasked with determining this year’s APSA winners from an extremely high calibre of nominees. “As India celebrates 100 years of cinema, it is fitting that the International Jury be led by a filmmaker of such gravitas as Shyam Benegal. “Brisbane’s Lord Mayor Graham Quirk is thrilled that Mr Benegal accepted our invitation, and looks forward to welcoming him and his fellow jurors to Brisbane,” he added.

The APSA are the region’s highest accolade in film, recognising and promoting cinematic excellence and cultural diversity of the world’s fastest growing film region: comprising 70 countries and areas, 4.5 billion people, and responsible for half of the world’s film output. So keep an eye out for some excellent films coming to Brisbane this summer!

Manna Dey: no more at 94

Legendary singer Manna Dey passed away on October 24 after a prolonged illness at a private hospital in Bangalore, at the age of 94.

Braving a downpour, hundreds of people, including youths, thronged the Ravindra Kalakshetra, a theatre in the city centre to pay tributes to Mannada after his frail body was brought from the hospital. Paying a tearful adieu to the singer were his family, friends and fans.

Sonam Kapoor or Kelly Brooks in Dolce and Gabbana?

Later in the day, his mortal remains were consigned to the flames by his younger son-in-law Gyanranjan Dev as per Hindu rites at a crematorium. About 500 people, including relatives, friends and fans were present at the cremation. “A few members of the Bangalore Bengali Association sang a song penned by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore at the funeral,” said Dey’s friend Runa Roy. The nonagenarian multi-lingual singer is survived by two daughters, Rama and Shumita, sons in-laws and grandchildren. His wife Sulochana Kumaran had passed away in January 2012 due to cancer. In a career spanning seven decades since 1943, Mannada, whose original name was Prabodh Chandra Dey, sang over 3,500 songs. the six songs early this year. RIP, Manna Dey, Indian music has truly lost a legend!

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