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| A day on the sets of Madhur Bhandarkar's Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji |  Milan Luthria started it with Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai, Akshay Kumar is following it up with Action Replayy and Madhur Bhandarkar is trying to get the best of the two into his film Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji. 'Retro' is the new word in Bollywood. A few weeks ago I decided to visit the sets of Madhur's forthcoming comic caper to meet old friend Ajay Devgn and Madhur Bhandarkar. The location was Andheri and the reason was a 'Retro' song being filmed on Ajay Devgn, Shazahn Padamsee. And the woman who made them dance to their tunes was the svelte Shweta Salve.
The song was shot at a place called 100 in Mumbai's busiest suburb. The junior artistes including some foreign bodies (pun intended) were busy rehearsing their steps. Madhur comes from behind and pats my shoulder, "What are you doing here?" he asks. "Came to meet Ajay, thought I would meet you too", I answer. Madhur orders for two chairs as we sit comfortably in front of a large table fan, the ones we see in Indian weddings. I could see the joy in Madhur's eyes for he was making his first commercial comedy movie with one of the most talked about jodis recently - Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi. "It's my first comic film so I'm a bit nervous but I'm more confident too. It's a very simple comedy, nothing which is forcefully done or hams", he quotes. After looking at his watch, he signals one of his men to order some tea or coffee for me. Madhur continues, "And what's important is the fact that Omi Vaidya has taken the film to another level. He is so good." Omi Vaidya is the latest find in Bollywood after 3 Idiots.
In no time, Madhur invites me to come inside the pub where the Retro song is being shot and that's where my eyes meet the beautiful Shazahn Padamsee. She was sitting in a navy blue skirt, almost the knee length with a white and blue top. It looked more of a retro dress to me. To be honest, the entire setting was retro. The choreographer was busy showing the steps to Shweta Salve while Madhur introduces me to Shazahn. The sweet actress thinks and pauses and questions, "We met at the Raajneeti after party right? And you are the one who loved my film Rocket Singh, right?" I had no option but to say 'Yes'.
We get chatty in no time when she asks a weird question, "Have you come here for some gossip news?" I answer, "No, not really. I don't know how to write gossip columns but you can teach me how to write." I ask her how she felt being directed by two of the finest filmmakers of our country - Shimit Amin and Madhur Bhandarkar, both who've branched out from Ram Gopal Varma. "It feels lucky. Am I not lucky to be working with the best in the business? It's good because they are the directors who push the envelope when it comes to acting. They make you try harder and harder. There is no substitute when you work with gems like these", she tells me. Within minutes, the lead actor of the film Ajay Devgn walks in and Shazahn joins him on the dance floor with Salve. Madhur takes one final rehearsal before the actual take. All goes well and I meet Ajay Devgn outside the pub for a quite talk.
Ajay is in good mood. He is wearing a pink pine stripped shirt with beige trousers and glasses. We exchange a few words and off he sets the record straight, "Bro, I don't have much time today, can we do the interview tomorrow?" he asks me. I reply in positive. He instructs his team of some good half a dozen men to make sure that I call him tomorrow but before he flashes off, the actor does say something worthwhile, "Madhur's heart is like a kid's heart. He thinks from the heart too and that's why I am working with him in our first film together. That's why all his films have a heart. No wonder the title of his new film reads Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji." | | Devansh Patel | | Exploring 10 years journey of Kareena Kapoor - Part II |
It's a known fact that Kareena Kapoor is easily ruling from the top as far as the demand for a commercially viable glamorous actress with very good acting skills is concerned. Satisfying all the key words here - 'commercial', 'glamour' and 'acting' - Kareena has seen it all pretty up, close and personal during last decade that she has spent in the industry.
In this three part feature, here is looking at some of the many highlights in her career that have made Kareena what she is today.
In Part II of the feature, we would be going through Kareena's early years in the industry which were not quite her best and how a new phase kick started in her career post films like Chameli and Yuva.
Her initial years - Not quite the best
Any actor other than Kareena Kapoor must have packed her bags and said goodbye to the world of films if the initial reception to some of her films are any indication. Reason being that Kareena's early years in Bollywood were far more being rosy. Between Refugee (2000) and LOC Kargil (2003), she had 12 releases for herself. However, the only ones which turned out to be real big hits were Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Ajnabee and Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai. In fact Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai was actually a surprise hit because it was mainly a launch pad of Tusshar Kapoor and came with an unusual subject where the lead couple didn't even unite at the end. Still, the film turned out to be a runaway box office hit and came as a shot in the arm for Kareena. Her spunky act, especially after the repressed character she played in Refugee, was appreciated by all and she continued with her Bollywood journey.
She did pin a lot of hopes on Asoka where she was paired opposite none other than Shah Rukh Khan but the film was a critical and commercial failure. Jeena Sirf Merre Liye, where she paired up with Tusshar all over again, sunk without a trace while Talaash... The Hunt Begins with Akshay Kumar didn't find any takers either. In fact it stays on as one of the most unknown films starring Kareena that even she must have forgotten. Khushi was criticised for being a loud film where all that the lead couple (Kareena and Fardeen) did was scream at each other due to which audience stayed away from theatres. She did work with JP Dutta again in LOC Kargil but at the end of the day, she was one of the 30 odd characters that the war film boasted of. Also, the film didn't quite turn out to be a smash success and hence was a no gain, no loss situation for Kareena.
Amidst all this mayhem, the other success that Kareena had to her credit was Ajnabee where she played an all-so-supportive young wife of Bobby Deol. The film was a hit and kept Kareena alive and kicking in the industry. However, Kareena had decided that she wanted to do something drastically different in her career. She wanted to get out of the 'Poo' or the sweet girl next door image. She was in mood to experiment and break some norms that are typically associated with Hindi film heroines.
She decided to play a prostitute and that too in art house cinema. The film was Chameli.
A new phase. A new Kareena.
Kareena announced to the world that she now wanted to add on something new to her repertoire in years to come. Chameli was a step in that direction and what followed in quick succession were movies like Yuva and Dev that were not quite commercial and conventional cinema by any means. A new actor in her was discovered once Chameli hit the screens. A moderate success, it did make people stand up and notice the confidence with which she played a street walker. What also caught eye was the drastically different portrayal that she had in Yuva where she played an average girl next door. She was totally natural and though the film flopped, her act remained etched in audience's heart. Her Dev didn't work well either but since it was anyways an issue based subject; the emphasis was on performance more than box office success. In that context, she did gain from this film.
This wasn't all as she agreed to play a vamp soon after and that too in an out and out commercial setup where she came together with Shahid Kapoor. The film was Fida and this was the beginning of an on-screen pairing that went on to be seen in five films, right till the recent release of Milenge Milenge. Some of these outings turned out to be successful while a few were no-shows. Fida was one of them and though the songs turned out to be chartbusters, the film failed at the box office. For audience, it was a
difficult theme to digest, especially for those who were expecting a romantic outing from the pair.
Kareena was seen with Shahid again in films like 36 China Town and Chup Chup Ke. Yet again, she was working with some of the best directors in business - Abbas-Mustan and Priyadarshan respectively. The songs were chartbusters again (credit that to Himesh Reshammiya). The films were average successes too but the magic that one expects from a couple which is going strong off the screen wasn't quite visible on the screen. The two worked in unison with each other but audiences weren't really impressed. They wanted a true blue romantic film that got the best out of both of them. Imtiaz Ali listened to the audiences and gave them Jab We Met.
Once the film released, it became such a rage that it grow at the box office week after week. Despite an average opening that it got for itself, Jab We Met saw a positive word of mouth spread like fire. There were talks re-ignited about chemistry, the sense of togetherness, true love and meeting of hearts. No one doubted any more that Kareena and Shahid indeed had it in them to make things happen at the box office. They were not a flop pairing in any case but Jab We Met turned out to be something that belonged
to a different league altogether. No wonder, even when their half a decade long in the making Milenge Milenge released as recent as last month, the film still managed decent eyeballs for itself, all thanks to the pairing which is not quite expected to meet ever again!
Click here to read the first part of this feature
In Part III of the feature, we would be going through the hit run that Kareena enjoyed, the entire attention that she received post her Size-Zero days and the top position that she enjoys post the all time blockbuster success of 3 Idiots. | | Joginder Tuteja | | Preity Zinta goes for dinner with Serena Williams | 
Preity Zinta may not be in news for her movies since a while now, but the actress is surely pulling eye balls through her regular fascinating twitter updates.
The latest update from actress was about her having dinner with tennis star Serena Willaims. Preity also posted her picture with Serena on twitter. "At Dinner with Serena Williams ! She is absolutely wonderful and full of life. Love her style :-)" tweeted Preity.
Though away from movies, she sure seems to be making the most of her time. | | Bollywood Hungama News Network | | "Outside YRF, I wanted someone as passionate as Adi" - Siddharth Anand |  In recent times, other than Sanjay Gadhvi the only filmmaker who has completed his three film stint with Yash Raj Films and ventured into a different production house is Siddharth Anand. While Sanjay went on to make Kidnap after his Dhoom series coupled with Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai, Siddharth completed a hat trick of success in Salaam Namaste, Ta Ra Rum Pum and Bachna Ae Haseeno before stepping into Anjaana Anjaani.
No wonder, after a decade long association with the banner (Siddharth had worked as an Assistant Director at Yash Raj Films for 5 years before getting his big break with Salaam Namaste), Siddharth wanted to convince himself multiple times before picking on a banner.
"I wanted to work with someone who didn't carry any greed and wasn't corrupt when it came to money matters", says Siddharth who is one of the youngest successful directors around today, "If I had to venture out of the comfort zone of Yash Raj Films, I had to look for that umbrella and cushion that could take care of me. I wanted someone to be as passionate as Adi (Aditya Chopra) when it came to making films and I saw that in Sajid (Nadiadwala)."
Not many know that it was Siddharth himself who approached Sajid to produce the film for him.
"I have closely watched Sajid's involvement as a producer and what he brings to the table", says Siddharth, "He doesn't make films for the heck of it. With the reputation that he has built over the years, he could have been making multiple films every year but he never did that. If you look at his success record, it is phenomenal. He is someone who makes films with a lot of conviction."
He is quick to add though that it is a mutually beneficial situation for both Siddharth as well as Sajid when it comes to making a film. When questioned if he felt 'fortunate' enough to get a backing from Sajid, he says quickly with a smile, "If I would have come with two flops behind me then perhaps yes, I would have felt a lot more fortunate. I am glad though that Sajid realised I was good and hence we could make this film together."
Nevertheless, coming back to the original topic of venturing out to a new production house for his first film outside Yash Raj Films, has the experience been any different?
"I felt that I was working in my dad's company", laughs Siddharth, "Ab isse Hindi mein bolunga to thoda kharaab lagega but the fact is that I had so much of freedom during making of Anjaana Anjaani that I truly felt like being in my home-ground. Anjaana Anjaana is my little baby and it was good of Sajid to assign me the responsibility of making such a big film. I am sure he wouldn't have done that if he didn't have faith in me."
He adds as a final note, "There was no interference from Sajid or anyone else from the production house. Also, the kind of person I am, if there was any interference you would have heard about it. I may not be arrogant as a person but I am very arrogant when it comes to my film." | | Joginder Tuteja | | Subhash K. Jha speaks about The Film Emotional Atyachar | 
Every character in debutant director Akshay Shere's savage funny bitter and violent ode to the road movie wants money. Sometimes they also crave for sex. For example there's this incidental character (the film has drug dealers, racketeers and criminals crawling out of every frame) who's force-doped by Ravi Kissen (very at- home playing the revved-up psycho).
The zonked-out sociopath asks Kissen, "Koi launadiya melegi, kya? "
You hope for his sake he never runs into Kalki Koechlin. There is one very smart and manipulative laundiya in this wicked and wacky road movie. Koechlin seems to enjoy herself playing the woman on the run...She ain't no nun. And boy, does she have fun! She is the casino-owner Abhimanyu Singh's keep. But happily gets kidnapped by the extortionists Ranvir-Vinay duo (yes, they are back together again!). Then when she runs into Mohit Ahlawat and his backseat wealth she snuggles up to him as though she was Marilyn Monroe on speed.
Speed is paramount to the mounting tension in Emotional Atyachar. Everyone is in a hurry to get to the end of the road. Short-cuts are most welcome. The characters range from the strange to the deranged. This is quintessential Quentin Tarantino territory soaked in the oozing blood of Vishal Bhardwaj's storytelling. Add a dash of cruel humour (e.g. a fat man dying on the backseat whose friend, played by Jimmy Viryani, cuts open an artery while trying to remove the bullet). And you have a work that gets its target audience charged up and ready to go.
A hurried impatient narrative edited with brutal austerity Emotion Atyachar is not every one's cup of tea. Really , one doesn't see those who will flock for We Are Family rushing for this strange tale of blood gore and vendetta situated in the greyest moral zone of the modern wounded (and forever wounding) civilization.
While the screenwriting (Bhavini Bheda) and dialogues (Kartik Krishnan, Bheda) are quite often funny in a weird and quip-friendly kind of way, the performances are uniformly engaging. Ravi Kissen and Abhimanyu Singh are the pick of the lot. But the unknown theatre actor Anand Tiwari who makes the mistake of offering the wounded Ahlawat a lift on the deserted Goa-Mumbai highway, and who plays the only morally conscious character, is outstanding.
The plot is self-consciously complicated. The wheeler-dealers who swish in and out of the plot charting a bloody course are not quite the people you want to meet at a party let alone on a deserted highway. They don't seem to know the knack of quitting while they are ahead.
Fortunately, the film does. | | Subhash K. Jha | | Subhash K. Jha speaks about We Are Family | 
Some films are good to look at. Some feel good at heart. Very few mainstream films manage to look as good on the surface and also attain a beauty of the heart. We Are Family is equally appealing from the outside and at heart.
It doesn't take us long into the narration to realize that the debutant director has his own ideas on how urban man-woman relationships work. Siddharth Malhotra brings the traditional compassion and large-heartedness of Sooraj Barjatya's films into the same line of vision as the urban fables about the man-woman relationship of Gulzar's Ijaazat and Govind Nihalani's Drishti.The brew is invigorating and often very, very moving in the way movies stopped moving us a long time ago.
The basic premise and even chunks of sequences and dialogues are taken from Chris Columbus' Stepmom. Are Kajol and Kareena Kapoor as powerful in portraying the wife and the other woman as Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts in the original?
What if one says the two divas in the desi Stepmom are far more empathetic in their understanding of the complexities of a marriage that has not quite terminated and the alternative relationship which doesn't know where to go without disrespecting the earlier relationship? Kajol and Kareena share a compelling partnership in portraying a household that's run by two women?
The intricacies of the triangle are worked out with heart warming delicacy, so much so that you wonder why the director needed to keep any of elements from the Hollywood film. We Are Family takes the Stepmom saga to another level. It's an urban fable told with subtlety and a softness of touch which completely avoid excesses of emotions until the last ostensibly gut-wrenching finale when the narration gets excessively melodramatic.
The rest of the film is remarkably devoid of extravagant emotions even though the situation described and defined by the plot is susceptible to acute bouts of overt emotion. Having three actors, who know how to play down the pitch without taking away the edge in the narration, surely helps the situation.
Kajol needs absolutely no recommendation. Her transformation from physically healthy but restless in soul, to a dying but spiritually healed entity happens right in front of our eyes. The little-little things she does with her eyes and lips just rip a hole in our soul. Yup, she is one of our all-time greats...without trying. Moments when she watches Shreya (Kareena) take charge of her children and husband find Kajol expressing a mixture of envy and resignation the way only she can.
But it is Kareena Kapoor who is an utter revelation. Never before has she demonstrated such a complete understanding of her character's inner life. To the role of Kajol's husband's girlfriend Kareena brings a rare and reined-in passion. Everything that she has done so far on screen is undone as Kareena redefines the role of the Other Woman in Hindi cinema.
Admirably the 6(!!) screenplay writers have worked overtime on Kareena's part. She could easily have been the bitch who steals Kajol's husband away. As written in the script Kareena comes across as flesh blood tears ...and yes, as a woman of great beauty.
Arjun Rampal has been constantly evolving as an actor. Here he balances out the powerhouse performers on both his sides with a deeply felt emotional binding presence. And by the way he dances better than Kajol and Kareena in the disappointing 'Jailhouse Rock' number.
Sensibly Siddharth Malhotra has avoided the temptation of too many confrontational moments between Kajol and Kareena. We wouldn't have wanted this tender-sweet look at a shattered family's attempts to hold the fabric of their togetherness in place to end up looking like one of those T. Rama Rao mera-pati-sirf-mera-hai kitsch-kitsch-hota-hai stale-tales from the 1980s.
We Are Family takes the story of a broken marriage to an area of poignancy where the outer edges remain as strong as the inner fabric of the three characters who find themselves trapped in a tragedy not of their making. From the opening birthday sequence where Arjun introduces girlfriend Kareena to his wife and children, with disastrous consequences, the film exercises a high cool-and-calm quotient in its structuring.
At the end when Siddharth Malhotra has taken the family fable beyond Stepmom you suddenly realize it's been a while since we saw a film about Man, Wife and Other Woman tackle the layers of painful separation and reconciliation with such fluency and care.
Go for this one. | | Subhash K. Jha | |
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