Monday 31 December 2012

Lakhan’s special gift for RK Laxman

Lakhan’s special gift for RK Laxman


    Anil Kapoor presented the legendary R K Laxman with an autographed caricature of himself. The cartoonist, now 91, had drawn the caricature of the actor about 25 years ago, and someone had given a copy of the publication to Anil then. So when the actor learnt that Pune-based Laxman had come to Mumbai, he went over to meet him with the same caricature, even though he was travelling out of town for a prior commitment.

R K Laxman and Anil Kapoor

Varun relieved that his father David is better

Varun relieved that his father David is better


    Varun Dhawan, who was shooting in Bangkok, returned to Mumbai to be with his father David. The veteran filmmaker was hospitalised after he fainted at Bunty Walia’s wedding party at a Bandra restobar on Friday night. Close friends of the Dhawans tell us that Varun was in a state of panic when he heard the news. Now that he’s back, he's said to be relieved that his father is out of danger and responding well to the treatment.

Varun Dhawan

Newbie Rageeni Nandwani pressures director to edit her kissing scene in the film

Newbie Rageeni Nandwani pressures director to edit her kissing scene in the film

    While Rageeni Nandwani is kicked about her debut venture, Dehraadun Diary, the actress was reportedly uncomfortable kissing Rohit Bakshi, who plays her love interest Anushal, on screen. We hear that the scene was edited by director Milind Ukey at Rageeni’s behest. When asked about it, she laughs it off. “I can’t talk about it,” she says.
    In the movie, produced by Anita Dhawan Nandwani and Yatin Nandwani, Rageeni plays Preeti, the daughter of a local politician. She faces a dilemma after
her lover is killed by her brother, Vishesh (played by Vishal Bhonsle). Anushal’s brother Akash, played by Adhyayan Suman, decides to settle scores with Vishesh.
    “Preeti doesn’t know whether to sup
port her family or take a stand against them. Playing a small-town girl, who finally dares to take a stand, was quite a challenge. I got to depict a gamut of emotions. I could completely relate to my character,” she says.
    The actress vouches for issuebased films. “I like to do commercially viable films that put across a message and make people think. It is important to raise one’s voice. We are living in a democratic country and have the right to put across our views,”
concludes Rageeni.
    Dehraadun Diary, produced by Swami Samartha Creations and Ashwagandha Ent Pvt Ltd, releases on January 4, 2013.

Rageeni Nandwani

Hrithik Roshan

Hrithik Roshan 

This year Hrithik Roshan has decided to fly to Bangkok with his family instead of joining SRK.

Akshay Kumar and Twinkle

Akshay Kumar and Twinkle

 

Akshay Kumar and Twinkle hosted a party in Mumbai for Twinkle’s birthday (December 29) and are expected to ring in the New Year in Mumbai.

Imran plays New Year Santa

Imran plays New Year Santa


    In stead of becoming Santa Claus for Christmas, Imran Khan is playing the part for the New Year. The actor has been visiting friends from the industry with a limited edition of the Gulabo bottle, specially as a merchandise for his upcoming film,
Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola.
Interestingly, as soon one opens the bottle, it starts singing the title track of the movie.
While his friend are amazed, Imran maintains that it’s not a gimmick, but a very important element in the film. Further, he states that if people want to know more about the bottle, they've to wait till the movie's release to find it out for themselves.

Imran Khan

MY SON IS ALREADY BOSSY: MEGAN FOX

MY SON IS ALREADY BOSSY: MEGAN FOX

    Megan Fox, who is yet to reveal the face of her first baby Noah, has said that the tot is fast developing his own personality, a website reported. According to the site, the 26-year-old actress, who gave birth to Noah this September, said that he is very healthy, funny, already bossy, and that he’s got a strong personality. A report in another publication added that the actress said that Noah is getting really chubby. Speaking about her husband Brian Austin Green, who she married in 2010, she stated that the 39-year-old
Hollywood actor does anything that she can’t do at the moment because she is very tired. Fox concluded by saying
that regardless of how busy her husband is, he is the perfect father, a devoted dad and spends a lot of time with their baby. ANI

Megan Fox

A happy ending for Mitali

A happy ending for Mitali

    Afew months ago, there were talks of Mitali Nag being replaced in Afsar Bitiya. Well, that didn’t happen much to the relief of the actress. But, the serial couldn’t go on for too long in this competitive TRPdriven world. It just ended two days ago, but it did so on a happy note. As they say, all’s well that ends well.

Mitali Nag

It’s celebration time

It’s celebration time

    The Ahujas have more than one reason to be in a celebratory mood. To begin with, Pinky has made everyone proud with her incredible performance in a singing competition. Secondly, Jeet bags a promotion and gets transferred to Singapore.
    So, on New Year’s eve, the Ahuja family gathers at the

Ahluwalia residence to ring in 2013. At the dinner table, Jeet shares his joy and breaks a big surprise — that he can take his family along with him. The family is obviously delighted to hear the news. Even as congratulations are pouring in for Jeet, he gets a call from his boss that
upsets him.
    What did the boss say? Will Jeet be able to overcome the problem and enjoy his New Year?
    Catch this episode of Parvarrish Kuchh Khatti Kuchh Meethi on Monday, December 31, 2012, at 9.30pm only on Sony Entertainment Television.

A still from Parvarrish Kuchh Khatti Kuchh Meethi

TV show stars attend RK Laxman’s art do

TV show stars attend RK Laxman’s art do

    Best known for his creation, The Common Man, Padma Vibhushan RK Laxman’s select works were showcased today in the presence of the star cast of SAB TV’s show — R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya. The event was attended, among others, by actors Atul Parchure and Vandana Pathak and the director of the show, JD Majethia.
    The cast told the artist how his works had moved them in reel and real life. On his part, Laxman gifted an illustration to the team.

    Atul Parchure, who plays Bhavesh Krishnakant Vasavda in the show, said, “It was an honour meeting RK Laxman. His cartoons and illustrations have contributed tremendously to the country and our show. The show is an extension of his ideas, which makes him the man behind the show.”
    The exhibition also saw the presence of Laxman’s wife Kamala Laxman, celebrities, politicians and noted art connoisseurs.
    Watch R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya on Sab TV, Monday to
    Friday, at 7.30 pm.

The cast of the television show with RK Laxman

GET HITCHED

GET HITCHED

    Gitanjali was the lifestyle partner of a music festival recently held in Goa. Gitanjali and Morellato Time by Gitanjali Lifestyle offered one lucky couple the opportunity to ‘Get Hitched’. The contest had couples narrating their stories live, with the best story taking home the prize. The winning couple, who won couple watches from the brand, had a gigantic crowd cheering on for them. Last year, Gitanjali group, through its youth brand Amore, had given young couples a similar chance to experience a marriage on a musical platform.

The winning couple

Meet Gen Next stars


Meet Gen Next stars



    India’s hottest radio FM station, Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM, hit college campuses with its annual college property, ‘fbb fashion at Big Bazaar presents Mirchi Fresher’s — Let’s make college thoda aur stylish’.
    The massive on-ground contest took place across colleges in India’s top 10 cities. After three successful years, the popular fresher’s hunt struck a fourth consecutive hit. Radio Mirchi, in association with fbb, provided a worthy platform for the youth to explore and exhibit their skills. This year, the property saw fbb coming on board as present
ing sponsor, with Frooti, Moulin Glaciere and DSK Hyosung Bikes as associate sponsors, eye care partner — Bausch & Lomb and online music partner — Gaana.com. Contestants went through three rigorous rounds — from showcasing their talent to unleashing their inner model on the ramp.
    Young collegians had a blast in
front of the judge, RJ Sangeeta, from Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM. The competition was won by Mansi Surve from JJ College of Arts, who was crowned the Ms Fresher. Sagar Patel from Wilson College was adjudged Mr Fresher.
    The two winners won gift vouchers from fbb, an internship with Radio Mirchi, a designer watch, purse and the latest Android tablet.

Winners Mansi Surve and Sagar Patel with RJ Sangeeta (centre) from Radio Mirchi

Britney in a Hindi film?

Britney in a Hindi film?

    Sadanandan Lucsam, a film producer from Kerala who made India’s first food comedy, Salt ‘N’ Pepper, has signed Britney Spears for a song-and-dance number in his untitled debut Hindi production.
    “Britney’s song is an integral part of the film. She sings and dances to the title track of the movie, which is a peppy number and will be shot lavishly. It will be a proper Hindi number with some good English lines as well, to make it universal in its appeal,” says Sadanandan. The filmmaker claims to have made the payments to one of her agencies. He says he has blocked her dates and is working on the song.
    The producer adds that he will officially announce the name of the project, along with the cast and crew members, closer to when the film goes on floors. “We do not believe in tom-tomming about the project before we start work. We want to make sure that things are in place before we announce the name of the music directors,” says Sadanandan.

Britney Spears

THIS NEW YEAR’S EVE, DO YOU HAVE THE LICENCE TO PARTY?

THIS NEW YEAR’S EVE,
DO YOU HAVE THE LICENCE TO PARTY?

    Even as Mumbai readies itself to usher in the New Year, event planners are getting increasingly frustrated with the rising number of permissions required to throw a party. Already, there’s a sense of dread that has set in after the gangrape incident in Delhi recently. Here’s a reckoner on the New Year’s Eve (NYE) party scene in the city.
PARTY SPOTS WILL REMAIN
OPEN TILL 5 AM
This year, the music won’t stop playing at midnight. Informs restaurateur Keenan Tham, “I’ve heard that restaurants, bars and discos are being allowed to stay open till 5 am.”
ORGANISERS NEED TO HAVE
24 PERMISSIONS IN PLACE
First, you need a premises license (which includes permission from the fire brigade, Rangbhoomi license, RTO permission and permission from local DCP as well as the local police station). Then permission for playing Bollywood songs called PPL (Phonographic Performance License) and then, if you have artistes performing, IPRS
(Indian Performing Rights Society), hotel NOC, Excise permit (for drinks) as well as NOC from Entertainment Department (Commissionerate Office) of the government. In total, there are 24 permissions. “All these permissions have made planning a party such a tough task. Plus, one has to pay a huge sum for all the licenses. This time, only about 2,000 people have asked for permissions this year as compared last year’s count approximately 8,000. That is why NYE parties are on the decline this year, ” says party planner Vanita Rodrigues.
SEVERAL PERMISSIONS FOR HOUSE PARTIES, TOO How about throwing a house party, then? That’s simpler, right? No. Here’s why. According to Mumbaibased party organiser Dhawal Oza, you need a host of permissions even for home parties. “It’s been a pain to try and secure licenses, it’s a constant sword on our heads to think of New Year parties. For one, you need a music license, as the law is very unclear on this. If even one neighbour complains, cops can come knocking at the door as it’s a social gathering of people and could be in violation of several laws. Secondly,
you need a Collector’s license for serving liquor. Not just this, every individual has to come with a liquor permit for a house party. I’m sure people aren’t taking permissions as it’s not feasible. The safe way to ensure that the party continues is to keep your house party low-key.”
NO FIRECRACKERS POST 10 PM Sumaira Abdul Ali of a foundation that independently monitors noise levels in the city, says crackers should not be allowed as they are much louder than any loudspeaker. “An existing High Court order upheld a time extension for loudspeakers. However, the same does not apply to crackers, even at Diwali, so New Year is out of the question. There should be absolutely no crackers post 10 pm. If crackers are burst, anyone may call the police and register a complaint,” she states.
YACHT PARTIES ALLOWED,
BUT ARE THERE TAKERS?
If you have always yearned to bring in the New Year by Mumbai’s shores, that dream can come true this year. While the State government had imposed a ban on yacht parties due to security reasons post 26/11, the city’s collector has decid
ed to give permission for boat parties this year. Affirms Mumbai’s Collector Chandrashekhar Oak, “Yacht parties are allowed this New Year’s eve, subject to police and other concerned authorities' permissions.” However Vanita feels, “There are hardly any takers for it.”
COPS TELL PUBS AND
RESTAURANTS TO HIRE
DRIVERS FOR PATRONS
The police has asked the managers of pubs, beer bars and restaurants to deter patrons from drink driving by getting a driver to take them home. While there is a certain level of alcohol consumption permissible by law, Additional Commissioner of Police Traffic, Mumbai, Brijesh Singh says, “Look, males and females react differently to alcohol so I would recommend those who drink, to not drive at all. It’s safer to use a designated driver or a driving service.” Adds Ankur Vaid of a citybased chauffeur service, “We normally get fully booked by the New Year as since the police is extremely strict when it comes to drink driving on NYE. So, we have asked people to pre-book as there will be chaos at the last minute.”


WE WANT TO BE NIRBHAYA

WE WANT TO BE NIRBHAYA

The silent protest led by Shabana Azmi resonated with angry sentiments against the administration and judiciary. With hundreds in attendance, the gathering urged the political class to take swift action

    The city that saw nurse Aruna Shanbaug turn into a vegetable 40 years ago after being sexually assaulted by a ward boy and more recently, 25-year-old Pallavi Purkayastha being murdered by a watchman for spurning his sexual advances, erupted in anger once again to the news of Nirbhaya’s death. The 23-year-old Delhi girl, brutally gangraped a fortnight ago, was christened Nirbhaya by The Times Of India for her will to live.
    Now, her death seems to have awakened our society, which has been fighting passiveness for a long time. Simultaneous protests erupted in various parts of the country after news of her death spread. In Mumbai, Shabana Azmi called for a silent protest. The march, from Juhu Beach to Kaifi Azmi park, saw many Bollywood and theatre personalities, including Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Nadira Babbar and Om Puri show up. The unanimous sentiment at the march was that cities need to become safer for women and parents shouldn’t feel scared when daughters step out. Jaya Bachchan broke down as she spoke about the “horror” Nirbhaya had faced. Javed Akhtar suggested a few changes, including holding senior police officials accountable for such crimes.
    Others like Hema Malini, Ritesh Sidhwani, Goldie Behl, Sonali Bendre, Kalpana Lajmi, Zoya Akhtar, Mahesh Bhatt, Soni Razdan, Sulbha Arya, Lalit Pandit, Tisca Chopra, Mandira Bedi, Shahana Goswami, Vaibhavi Merchant, Ashoke Pandit, Ram Sampath and Sona Mohapatra, too, joined the gathering.

A COLLECTIVE VOICE — THE MEN SPEAK

    North Indian boys have a different mindset. If I’d lived there longer, maybe I would’ve become like that, too. They must be taught to respect women. They feel every woman will satisfy their hunger. Punishment is important, but education is far more important — Sonu Nigam

    Yeh dardnaak nahi, khaufnaak ghatna hai. This wasn’t just rape, but attempt to murder and to destroy evidence. The police alone cannot do anything. We all must take collective responsibility to change society and its outlook towards women — Om Puri

    We’ve gathered here today to intospect what’s happening to our society and why we have such an outlook towards women. Let’s not forget this rape case like all the others we’ve forgotten — Prasoon Joshi

    I’m here as part of the youth of the nation and I feel pissed off, ashamed that something so despicable has happened in our country. I am standing here as part of a collective voice. I hope some positive change takes place now — Ranveer Singh

WE WON’T CRY
We will not cry. We will not scream. We will not forget, because that would be a great betrayal to the brave girl. Her death is a clarion call. We mustn’t let this anger die down — Shabana Azmi

WE ARE LATE
I come from a family of girls. There are many girls in my family. I feel scared when I think of what the 23-year-old had to go through. Whatever we did was very late. We should collectively apologise to the family — Jaya Bachchan

I AM SHOCKED
It’s not something any one of us expected. I am shocked and I am apalled. But beyond this, I have nothing else to add or say — Deepika Padukone

Genelia D’Souza

Kunal Kapoor said that our society has been sick for a very long time and it’s time it is treated

A protestor at the march

Saturday 29 December 2012

Depp names beach after girlfriend

Depp names beach after girlfriend

    Actor Johnny Depp has named a beach on his private island after girlfriend Amber Heard, as a gift for Christmas. The 49-year-old has made the observation that a bay on his isle Little Hall’s Pond Cay resembles Heard’s hip on the map — so he called it Amber's Cove, reports a website.
    “Johnny knows about
romance after having been with Frenchwoman Vanessa Paradis all those years,” a source said. “He is now spending time with Amber in the Bahamas and presented her with her own beach as a Christmas gift,” the source added.
    Depp was in relationship with Paradis for 14 years before parting ways in January this year.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard

Pure music meets innovation

Pure music meets innovation

    Mumbai’s niche monthly gig series, Live from the Console, which moves to Goa this weekend, has a line-up that includes Nikhil D’Souza wt Band, The Colour Compound, Peter Cat Recording Co, Sky Rabbit, singer-songwriters Alisha Pais, Siddharth Basrur and a rock and reggae blend by Tough on Tobacco.
    The international acts range from singer-songwriters to Indie rock bands, including Joe Purdy, an American folk singer-songwriter, who has recorded and released 12 albums in over eight years and Cults, an indie pop band based in New York City that was formed in 2010. Dub Mafia, the seven-piece band that blends drum and bass, dub, breakbeat and reggae and world music to form a unique music, will also participate in the festival.
    Another highpoint of the singlestage festival is a performance by
Julian Marley and his band, The Uprising. Son of reggae legend Bob Marley, Julian is a Grammy Awardnominated, roots-reggae musician, singer-songwriter, producer and humanitarian.
    Says Shridhar Subramaniam, President, India and Middle-East, Sony Music Entertainment, “Live from the Console has always been about discovery of new artistes and bands. We have continued with this programming philosophy. The first day is about new sounds and alternative bands, while the second day has a reggae flavour to it. As the festival is happening in South Goa, the vibe and feel will be a chilled and relaxed one. Every element of the festival is focused on new music. It will be affordable and is very laid-back. We have added a new element — the best emerging act of the fest.”

Julian Marley

The 100 Crore directors of 2012


The 100 Crore directors of 2012


KABIR KHAN After Kabul Express and New York, Kabir Khan made his most ambitious venture with Salman Khan-Katrina Kaif. It saw Salman collaborate with producers Yash and Aditya Chopra for the first time. Ek Tha Tiger made 186.26 crore. 
 
ROHIT SHETTY He’s best known for his family entertainers like the Golmaal series and blowing up cars in action sequences. This time round, he remade Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s original GolMaal. Fortunately, the gamble paid off and Bol Bachchan made 102 crore.



SAJID KHAN The erstwhile comedian has had a dream run as a filmmaker with comedies like Heyy Babyy and Housefull. He promised that the sequel would be a bigger hit. It was no empty boast. Housefull 2 made 111.63 crore.



KARAN MALHOTRA Karan Johar’s former assistant director revisited Agneepath at KJo’s behest. Considering that the failure of the original film broke Yash Johar’s heart, Malhotra couldn’t have made KJo more proud. The film made 121.14 crore. (The figures are India theatrical earnings after deducting tax)






















































































































































2 DAYS TO GO Anil Kapoor lucky for Siddharth?

2 DAYS TO GO

Anil Kapoor lucky for Siddharth?



    Siddharth Shukla, popularly known as Shiv of Balika Vadhu, won the Most Lokpriya Jodi award (with Pratyusha Banerjee aka Anandi) and also the Most Lokpriya Face award (Male) at the Golden Petal Awards. Siddharth believes that Anil Kapoor is his lucky charm. While receiving the award from Anil, he said, “I believe he is lucky for me. He was the
judge when I won the Manhunt award. And I have won two awards here and those too, I have received from him.”
    And now, with Kapoor becoming a part of the channel with his desi version of 24, Siddharth’s luck may shoot up further. Siddharth, who was a ramp model, got into acting a few years ago. It was a natural progression and he’s glad
with the way things have shaped up. About his character Shiv, he says, “The way he deals with situations, there’s a lot to learn from him. He is a nice guy, but when required, he can be very stern, too. Actually, there’s a lot I take home from this character.”
    Tune into Colors Golden Petal Awards Monday, December 31, at 9pm on Colors.

Anil Kapoor and Siddharth Shukla

Trending right now

Trending right now

There are trends which amaze and then there are trends which amuse. Between the two are some we’d actually like to experiment with

    We scoured months of our celeb notes to dig out unconventional style ideas celebrities flaunted this year and we fell in love with. Be it clothes or accessories, some of these fixes — practical, quick, easy to execute and fabulous to look at — caught our fancy. Here’s our pick of the six trends we’d definitely like to see more of in the year to come.
LAYERING ACCESSORIES Deepika Padukone oozed heaps of wow factor with her girlie statements in Cocktail. Her stylist in the film scored points with the many interesting trends she experimented with for Dippy, including layering accessories (even cute little hair clips)! Throughout the movie, Deepika was spotted wearing multiple layers of bangles and wristbands, which we absolutely heart. So what if you can’t
layer your clothes in winters like your Delhi friends? You can do so with your accessories in style.
PEPLUM A Mumbai-based designer revealed to us once that peplums are the perfect style partners for curvy Indian women, especially those with a bit of paunch. Every red carpet since, we’ve seen some actress or the other flaunting a peplum. Right now, we are thinking of splurging our next month’s salary on buying a few peplum dresses and we blame it on Bipasha Basu, who’s been wearing it so well!
CASHMERE BOW TIE When a Delhi-based designer tweeted about cashmere bow ties being a winter musthave, he was simply articulating what dapper men across the world are flaunting — a winter accessoryturned-winning-style statement.

STILETTO NAILS If conventional is not your style and perfectly manicured hands spell boring for you, this nail trend, made famous by Lady Gaga and
Rihanna, is your way to say goodbye to white tips. Named so for its resemblance to pointy heels, the trend can make your nails look as catty as the women who’ve become their unofficial brand ambassadors. But, what the heck — experimenting is fun, especially when it doesn’t lead to a big hole in your pocket.
STATEMENT PANTS
AND PAJANTS
If we could, we would have given the word Pajants its own Wikipedia page! A combination of the formal pants and the casual pyjamas, this new outfit made its way from the catwalk to the streets at the speed of light. For good reason — looking chic in your pyjamas is no longer as tedious as it was a year ago! But, if casual chic is not your style, you can walk
on the other side and flaunt statement pants, especially those with bold prints. Graphic and baroque prints are a good bet, if you want your pants to do the talking!
CUT-OUT DRESSES Miley Cyrus first made us give her a virtual hi-five when she chopped her tresses earlier this year for a new pixie haircut. Ever since, she’s had us applause almost every single public appearance of hers, including one at a recent award ceremony, where she wore a slinky
black cutout dress. As cut-out tops and dresses find favour with many high-street brands, we are also thinking of bringing our inner Miley out for a while.

Deepika Padukone layered her bangles, flaunting a popular runway trend from last year


Lady Gaga has popularised quirky stiletto nails

Bips works a peplum polka style

Cut-out dresses and tops are an interesting trend for 2013

Keep it simple yet stylish like Deepika from Cocktail as she uses cute accessories to amp her staid hairstyle. The simple plait is accessorised using two coloured hairbands to add a nice pop of colour to an otherwise monotonous look. Good idea, we say!

The 100 crore directors of 2012

The 100 crore directors of 2012

As many as eight films achieved set targets and laughed all the way to the bank. Here are the men behind those numbers



    This year, we saw eight movies crossing the 100 crore target — the ‘benchmark figure’ as it’s popularly called in the trade circuit. While Rohit Shetty (Bol Bachchan) has become a regular in this club, Karan Malhotra got in with his directorial debut (Agneepath). Kabir Khan (Ek Tha Tiger), Anurag Basu (Barfi), Sajid Khan (Housefull 2) and Prabhudheva (Rowdy Rathore) are the other new entrants to the club. Unfortunately, the legendary Yash Chopra wasn’t around to see his final film Jab Tak Hai Jaan’s box-office performance. These eight films contributed to about 40 per cent of the 2600 cr plus national net earnings from Hindi
films this year.

ARBAAZ KHAN Assisted Mahesh Bhatt before debuting as an actor with Daraar. Produced Dabangg. After Abhinav Kashyap opted out of Dabangg 2, Arbaaz took up the reins. The film made 101 crore in eight days.

PRABHUDHEVA Following the success of his Hindi directorial debut Wanted, this actordirector made Rowdy Rathore inspired by the Telugu film Vikramarkudu. The Akshay Kumar film made 132.25 crore.

YASH CHOPRA Chopra returned to directing eight years after Veer-Zaara and announced that Jab Tak Hai Jaan would be his swansong. He passed away before the film released. The film took home 106 crore.

ANURAG BASU After debuting with Saaya, his next film Murder was a hit. Basu further established himself as a director with Gangster and Life In A… Metro. His Barfi made 105.68 crore.


KABIR KHAN After Kabul Express and New York, Kabir Khan made his most ambitious venture with Salman Khan-Katrina Kaif. It saw Salman collaborate with producers Yash and Aditya Chopra for the first time. Ek Tha Tiger made 186.26 crore.

SAJID KHAN The erstwhile comedian has had a dream run as a filmmaker with comedies like Heyy Babyy and Housefull. He promised that the sequel would be a bigger hit. It was no empty boast. Housefull 2 made 111.63 crore.

ROHIT SHETTY He’s best known for his family entertainers like the Golmaal series and blowing up cars in action sequences. This time round, he remade Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s original GolMaal. Fortunately, the gamble paid off and Bol Bachchan made 102 crore.

KARAN MALHOTRA Karan Johar’s former assistant director revisited Agneepath at KJo’s behest. Considering that the failure of the original film broke Yash Johar’s heart, Malhotra couldn’t have made KJo more proud. The film made 121.14 crore. (The figures are India theatrical earnings after deducting tax)

Thursday 27 December 2012

The three most famous ‘cool-offs’ of 2012

The three most famous ‘cool-offs’ of 2012



    Bollywood is no place for permanent enmities or friendships. Since everything in the industry revolves around the box office, filmmakers and actors often fight, sulk and then come back together at their own convenience —
and for mutual benefit. This year also saw some superstars and prominent filmmakers turning their faces away from each other. Could these just be cases of temporary halitosis?
Shah Rukh Khan and
Karan Johar
Karan Johar calls SRK his elder brother. SRK maintains a steady reference to
Karan in conversations with his children or the media at his home or outside. But for those who can read between the lines, all doesn’t seem to be well on the KJo-SRK front. Karan’s cruising with the other two Khans (Aamir and Salman) and his looking at making his next with Ranbir Kapoor sends out ‘distress’ signals.
    SRK, who produced Student Of
The Year with Karan, didn’t sing any paeans in praise of the movie. One hears that the rift happened because Karan briefly made his displeasure evident over the superstar’s friendship with Priyanka Chopra. Of course, PC and KJo are back now, SRK and Karan are also civil, but like it’s said — being civil means little.
Kajol and Aditya Chopra Her presence made his longest-running movie, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, a part of film history. But when Kajol’s husband Ajay Devgn took his production Jab Tak Hai Jaan head on,
Adi severed ties with her. Not only was he petty enough to send the Devgns a bill of 25 lakh when they asked for some footage for Ajay’s Bol Bachchan, he also did not invite her for the premiere of JTHJ. Kajol and Adi’s bungalows are diagonally opposite each other’s, but the estranged friends time their exits from home, to make sure that they don’t even make eye contact. Farah Khan and Akshay Kumar When Shah Rukh Khan kept Farah dangling on a rope, almost alienating her from his inner circle, Akshay Kumar came to her rescue. He and Farah forged a professional relationship. They did Tees Maar Khan together and took home a neat profit despite the fact that the film bombed.
    Akki also promised to bail
Farah’s out-of-work husband Shirish Kunder by doing Joker with him. Of course, the fact is that Joker turned out to be a joke. When Akki smelt that, he decided not to promote the film. Farah, quite naturally, picked up cudgels on behalf of her husband and openly criticised Akki. She didn’t stop once to think of all that he had done for her when SRK had left her out in the cold. Now, Farah and SRK are together and Akki is out in the cold.

Karan Johar

Shah Rukh Khan

Aditya Chopra

Kajol


Farah Khan

Akshay Kumar

MIKA SINGH TO PERFORM LIVE ON NEW YEAR’S EVE

MIKA SINGH TO PERFORM LIVE ON NEW YEAR’S EVE

    This New Year’s eve, Mika Singh will perform live at Aamby Valley City. The singer has been paid an exorbitant amount for the show. Says Mika, “I make it a point to perform on December 31 and have been doing it for the past 13 years. But this year, I am more excited because I have a lot of hit songs to my credit. I will remix the tracks and make the performance even more entertaining.” When asked if he planned to make any resolutions, the singer replied, “I am an animal lover and want to adopt a few. I also want to do better work as a singer.”

Mika Singh