'I didn't back out,' says Kareena

January 20th, 2009

You’ve apparently made up your mind to not do any more stage shows.

That’s not true at all. I never said that. But I won’t dance at weddings and private functions. I’ve done it in the past. But I won’t do it any more. I don’t want to or need to do such things. Dancing for a proper staged event, including awards functions, is fine. In fact, I’m dancing at an event in Delhi in the last week of January.

You’d refused to dance with other actresses at an awards function...

I had nothing against dancing for the function. The Moranis (the organisers) were discussing it with me from the time I was going on holiday. I was out of reach for a week. But before I left for my holiday, I told them I didn’t like the five-diva act concept. I had informed them of this before I left for my holiday. I didn’t want to be a part of it. Is that a crime?

You had informed the organizers of your reservations in advance?

Oh yes, well in advance. So, I didn’t ‘back out’. I love awards and love to dance at awards functions. Last year, I danced at all the awards functions. This year, I don’t have the time to rehearse for these functions. See, for the kind of films I’m doing, I’ve got to be completely there. I can’t take out four hours to rehearse. I’ll dance next year. I want my performances on stage to be exclusive and rare.

But the general perception is that you don’t enjoy being on stage.
Oh, I love it! But not right now. I’ve to give my best to my roles. As an actor, that’s my first priority. I’d like to give 100 per cent of myself to the camera. I was shooting in Bangalore for 3 Idiots. I will be in Mumbai for a couple of days to shoot an ad. And then I leave India to shoot for an international magazine.

How is it going with 3 Idiots?
I’m totally blessed to be working with Raju Hirani and Aamir Khan. I’m not there for the whole Bangalore schedule. Beyond that I can’t say much about the film...except that I’m not playing one of the idiots.

You’ve also decided not to talk about your relationship with Saif Ali Khan?
Too much was said and written about us in 2008. So, until our relationship goes to the next level, there’s no need to talk about it.

Do you feel there is a Saif-Kareena overkill in the media?
There’s a curiosity about us because we’re seen as a glam couple. We both laugh about it. Saif looks at himself in the mirror and asks, ‘Do you think I’m glamorous?’ I tend to be very open about my feelings. We’ve never hidden our relationship, but we’ve said enough. This year, let our films talk.

You’ve just been on a holiday. Have you come back looking healthier?
If by that you mean have I put on weight, then yes. I have. I need put on weight for 3 Idiots and Rensil d’Silva’s film. In the Marjani song I’m looking... slim. But not paper thin. I’ll continue to be healthy and eat healthy. I snack here and there. But I’ve become so conscious of my fitness level that I can’t eat at irregular hours. I wake up with yoga.

Soha says na na to sister act

January 20th, 2009

Actor-turned-producer Saif Ali Khan will be seen with his lady love Kareena Kapoor in Sriram Raghavan’s forthcoming film AgentVinod. nd, it’s needless to say that Kareena will be part of most of his home productions. But, what about parts for the family members — like mom Sharmila and sis Soha? When we got in touch with Soha, she was candid enough to say, “I am not in any of the films that bhai is producing this year. I want to do films with him, but nothing interesting is coming along. Also, he will play hero in all his films, so I’ll be cast as the sister. So, that’s again another problem. Of course, I can’t play his heroine!” Now, we get the point. But, brother-sister lost in a kumbh ka mela with two parallel love stories can well be worked out, na?

Chandni... choked

January 19th, 2009

It’s just three days after the release of Chandni Chowk to China, and trade pundits are already debating whether to call it a ‘hit’ or ‘not a flop’.

Hit ya miss
Wonder why? Consider the math: CC2C was made on a budget of Rs 80 crore — as stated by actor-producer Akshay Kumar — plus it spent another Rs 7 crore on publicity in India, and organised seven premieres around the world, for which the expense figure is not yet known. Then, the 1,200 prints each cost Rs 50,000. All this adds up to almost Rs 100 crore in outgo. Against this, the film had solid bookings across the country only in the first two days of its release and its 650-odd paid previews. All told, this figure comes to about Rs 10-12 crore, say trade analysts.

What the heck?
Since yesterday, the film’s box-office takings have started declining. This is not what was expected from Hollywood giant Warner Bros big collaboration with Bollywood, especially after Aamir Khan Ghajini made Rs 200 crore.

Multiplex owners, who allotted the maximum number of shows to CC2C, are now moaning over their miscalculation. “The first two days registered an occupancy of 70 per cent, but it seems to have declined from Sunday morning,” says Munish Sharma of Satyam Cinemas. The story of cinema chain Adlabs is no different.

“The opening was average. Can’t say much for this week,” says Tushar Dhingra, COO, Adlabs Cinemas. Fun Cinemas, which has 16 screens across Delhi and NCR, saw 70-75 per cent sales in the first three days. “We had opened our advance booking on January 11. So we are saved for this week.

However, Monday onwards, the bookings have dropped to 25-30 per cent,” says Deepak Taluja, VP, Fun Cinemas. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh has the last word: “Once again, it is proved that it’s neither Akshay nor marketing but the script that is the real king.”

Krishnam Raju hunts down 'Billa'

January 19th, 2009

Meher Ramesh’s directed ‘Billa’ starring Prabhas, Anushka and Namitha produced on Gopikrishna Movies is under making at present.

After completing a long schedule in Malaysia, the crew has landed back in Hyderabad and preparing to film rest of the portions.

Senior hero Krishnam Raju has been shouldered the responsibility of playing the role of a senior police officer who investigates the case of Billa. The International don who is on the run will be notoriously evasive and the officer will be hot on his trail all the time which creates an interesting cat and mouse chase.

Krishnam Raju’s role is matured, witty and poised at times which will go well along the masses, says the team behind ‘Billa’. Film fans who are all eager to see Prabhas and Krishnam Raju together on screen will have a mighty treat it seems.

Dev Patel and Freida Pinto appear on People

January 19th, 2009

For all those who are wondering if the headline is 'misleading', then, let us clarify it to you... We are talking about the hottest onscreen couple of this season, viz., Dev Patel and Freida Pinto, the lead pair of the worldwide smash hit film Slumdog Millionaire.

And it is this cute-couple who have been chosen as the cover-people on the latest issue of the smash-hit magazine 'People'. This issue features an interesting interview with Dev and Freida. One has to get his hands over the magazine in order to know how the self-confessed 'skinny guy' Dev Patel swished a 'good-looking actor' to bag the lead role. If that's not enough, Freida too goes on record to speak about her first hand experience at the auditions! This issue also carries an exclusive story about Shahrukh Khan playing a real-life hero to Kashmiri orphans. Way to go, SRK!

With the release of Slumdog Millionaire being lined up this week, it will be exciting to see if the couple manages to impress the Indian audiences as and get acclaim, similar to what is happening in the west.

'Lamhaa' - Against all odds

January 19th, 2009

Considering the way the production of 'Lamhaa' is proceeding resolving all the issues hurled up against it, the creator behind it can be called as an epitome of determination.

Rahul Dholakia first had to pacify the locals in a shooting location who thought that the movie will portray the people of the state in bad light. Then came leading lady Bipasha Basu's fleeing from the scene because she felt unsafe.

As the days could not be wasted, the production team had to shift to Shimla to utilize the time and finish off some scenes featuring Sanjay Dutt.

Meanwhile steps were taken to tighten up the security cover and Bipasha was also persuaded to rejoin the shoot. It seems a new issue has cropped up to give more trouble to the film maker.

There were reports about Asiya Andrabi, the firebrand leader in Jammu and Kashmir sending a legal notice to the makers of 'Lamhaa' stating that Bipasha Basu's role in the flick has been made based on Asiya's life. Rahul Dholakia cleared the air saying in a press conference that he has not received any legal notice from the leader of the women's organization Dukhtaran-e-Milat.

The shoot of the movie is almost complete and the director has already requested chief minister Omar Abdullah to give permission to have a premiere show in the state. There is a possibility that the realistic film will have to win over more problems after its release as many people will be eager to know if any thing being show is offending anyone.

Let's hope that Rahul Dholakia face's no more troubles, give the film buffs a thought provoking film than his first immensely acclaimed project and also succeed in getting a positive nod from the chief minister Omar Abdullah to his request to have the film's premier in Kashmir.

SRK, the real hero!

January 19th, 2009

Two child victims of a grenade attack in Srinagar are undergoing treatment at the Nanavati hospital with the help of superstar Shah Rukh Khan who is bearing the entire cost of treatment.

SRK first heard of the orphans -- Muddassar (5) and Amina (3) from Dr Ali Irani, head of the department of physiotherapy and sports medicine at the hospital. The actor has donated Rs 50 lakh for the children's ward at the hospital in memory of his mother.

Dr Ali, who is part of a team of doctors that treats children hit by disasters in Jammu and Kashmir, met the kids during one of his visits to Srinagar. Dr Ali told People magazine that he knew he could ask the doctors to treat the children for free but there would be plenty of other expenses.

"So, I just spoke to Shah Rukh," he said. The superstar also visited the hospital and promised to introduce them to his kids as soon as they were out of the hospital. Zubair, the elder cousin of the children told the magazine, "Amina keeps asking me if I have spoken with Shah Rukh and when is he going to take her to meet his daughter. She also plans to invite SRK's children Aryan and Suhana to Srinagar so that they can all play on houseboats."