Kareena: I have transformed myself into a begum

Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor, who carries off ethnic and western outfits with equal ease, says her actor-husband Saif Ali Khan likes to see her in a sari.

"I think a woman looks best in sari. Saif always tells me to wear it.

"We imitate the West when we should dress according to the occasion," she told reporters at the launch of her book Kareena Kapoor -- The Style Diary of a Bollywood Diva, co-written by Rochelle Pinto and unveiled by Shobha De at a hotel in South Mumbai.

Venkatesh: Seethamma Vakitlo... was a safe bet

Radhika Rajamani in Hyderabad

'Victory' Venkatesh is now basking in the success of Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu (SVSC). This multi-starrer with Mahesh Babu (the first multi-starrer after 25 years) has won critical acclaim besides going strong at the box office, close to a month after its release.

Venkatesh talks exclusively about this smash hit SVSC.

SVSC is a huge hit. What has worked in its favour?

It has a natural tone. I had done family films before and while those stressed on melodrama, SVSC didn't.

The film had a touch and go emotion which wasn't expressed clearly and that was fresh. Many from the coastal areas (of the State) could relate to it as that's how brothers are in reality there. The director was very clear about the emotions he wanted to portray.

Fahadh Faasil's next a triangular love story

Vijay G in Kochi

Riding high on the success of his recently relased film Annayum Resoolum, Fahadh Faasil, is all set to plays the lead in Natholi Oru Cheriya Meenalla  

Directed by V K Prakash,  the film is scripted by Sankar Ramakrishna and is all set to release today, February 8.

Kamalini Mukherji and Rima Kallingal play the female leads.

Post recovery, Shatrughan Sinha returns to films

After undergoing a bypass surgery last year, Shatrughan Sinha [ Images ] is all set to make a comeback in films.

Sinha, who was last seen in Ram Gopal Varma [ Images ]’s Rakta Charitra  in 2008, has quietly been shooting  for a film titled Woh Aadmi Bahut Kuch Janta Hai.

Directed by Ahsan Hyder, the film is a suspense thriller with Rajeev Khandelwal [ Images ] in the lead and is being shot in Sri Lanka [ Images ] 

When contacted, Sinha said it was a little too early to talk about the film, but admitted that he was shooting for the film.

The veteran actor was also supposed to do a film with Akshay Kumar [ Images ] but that project didn’t materialise.

"Ahsan Hyder, who has made some documentaries in the past came, to me with this very powerful story and said only I could do justice to my part,” the veteran actor says about his new project.

The details of the film are being kept under wraps.

Known for his unique dialogue delivery, the flambouyant actor says that Hyder’s film takes him back to the old days when he played the leading man.

“My fans will be very happy with my part. It gives me a  lot of scope for the kind of dialogue delivery I am known for.”

The actor is all praises for his costar Khandelwal too.

“Rajeev is one of the most talented young actors I’ve worked with. He is very hard working and focussed on his work. I am happy to be doing this film.”

Review: Charminar strikes an emotional chord

Srikanth Srinivasa says Charminar is worth a watch for people who would like to revisit their school and college days.

Director R Chandru, who made Taj Mahal [ Images ], has exceeded expectations and surprised audiences with Charminar, which strikes an emotional chord with the audience.

Chandru has likened Charminar to the four pillars in everyone’s life – parents, teachers, friends and lover. Although he has tried to blend all the four pillars in the narrative, it is the element of love that becomes the focal point.

The film is a series of flashbacks of the life of Mohan (Prem) who comes to India [Images ] from the US to attend a school reunion. He comes originally from a small town and has made it big overseas.

The reunion gives rise to the flashbacks. As a schoolboy, he was called ABCD Mohana because he was unable to even write the alphabet.

He was always in awe of his classmate Radha (Meghana Gaonkar) and finds he is in love with her. Though the two were friendly with each other, he was unable to express his love for her.

Mohan sought Radha’s help in his studies and secretly put a love letter to her into a book. Her mother found the letter and complained to the principal.

Mohana was summoned and so was Radha. Mohana was shattered when Radha said she had no feelings of love towards anyone except her mother and that she recognises motherly love as the only love in the world.

The principal advised Mohana to first reach his goal and then think about love. Mohana went to an engineering college and did so well that he became the head of a company in the US.

Back in the present, at the school reunion function, Mohan goes in search of Radha but does not find her. He decides to fly back to the US but wants to meet her one last time.

One is reminded of Sudeep and Cheran’s movie Autograph.

Prem Kumar has worked hard to live his role by sporting different looks, which is one of the high points of the film.

Meghana Gaonkar, who doesn’t have many dialogues, nevertheless gives an exceptional performance. She is able to convey her emotions effectively through her eyes. She looks ‘homely’ for most of the film and is ravishing in the songs.

Rangayana Raghu shines in a brief appearance although a scene with Prem could have been differently picturised. Suresh Mangalore as Prem’s father and Padmini Prakash as the mother are adequate.

Chandru’s dialogues strike a chord with audiences. Although there are a few flaws in the narrative, especially in the second half when it drags a bit, this can be overlooked because of the emotional content of the film.

Chandrashekar’s camera work is superb and is in tune with the narrative. Debuntant Hari’s musical score is pleasant.

Charminar is an exemplary effort from Chandru. See it for those nostalgic moments and if you want to take a walk down memory lane.

Review: Mirchi has an overdose of violence

Radhika Rajamani says Prabhas is the heart and soul of Mirchi.

Koratala Siva in his debut Telugu film Mirchi, has ensured a mix of action, romance, songs and a bit of comedy to create a commercial venture totally revolving around the hero Prabhas.

Siva uses the age-old theme of factional rivalry which has been done to death on celluloid and borrows elements from other films, imparting a feeling of déjà vu among viewers.

Mirchi is high on action and loaded with high-voltage violence. The story, too, is familiar with two women vying for one male.

Jay (Prabhas), an architect, runs into Manasa (Richa) in Milan. Manasa, who comes from a family in Palnadu that is steeped in factional rivalry, is smitten by him.  She comes to know that Jay has a past peopled by characters such as Deva (Sathyaraj), Vennela (Anushka Shetty), etc.

Manasa’s family (comprising Nagineedu, Subbaraju, Sampath) is at loggerheads with Jay’s. One has to watch the film to unravel who Jay is and piece the past together.

Koratala Siva has infused so much violence and gore into the story that one feels one is watching only action, barring a few songs and Brahmanandam’s presence. Only violence or action need not be entertainment.

 The screenplay is a mish-mash of several films. Siva has not shown much ingenuity in scripting the film differently.  His dialogues are good, infused with humour here and there. And he has ensured an uber-cool Prabhas, much to the delight of the latter’s fans.   

Prabhas is the heart and soul of the film. Not only does he look dashing but also chips in with a good performance. He’s the fulcrum around which the film revolves.

Anushka Shetty is bubbly and peps up the film considerably. Richa Gangopadhyay leaves her mark. Since it’s Prabhas’s show all the way, the characters of the two heroines are not developed in-depth.

Sathyaraj suits the role of Deva to a T and delivers a good performance despite having a small role. Nadia Moidu is elegant and dignified. Nagineedu, Subbaraju, Ajay, Supreet play their parts well.

Devisriprasad’s music has already done well and is in sync with the film. On the technical front, the film is above average. 

Mirchi is a regular potboiler with high-voltage action.

Inkaar's Other Corporate Connection

A Ganesh Nadar in Mumbai

'The easiest recording experiences have been with Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle...'

'They ensure that the atmosphere in the studio is light, not just for me, but even my team of musicians, who may want to make a correction or express a critical point of view and are free to do so...'

'And they obey as a new singer would.'

Composer Shamir Tandon charts out the milestones in his Bollywood journey.

The backdrop of Sudhir Mishra's recently released Inkaar isn't its only corporate connection.

Shamir Tandon, who composed the song Lavj in Inkaar, is a former CEO of Virgin Music India.

Tandon has composed the music for four Madhur Bhandarkar films -- Page 3, Traffic Signal, Corporate and Jail -- and also collaborated with legends Manna Dey, Asha Bhosle and Jagjit Singh.

In this interview with Rediff.com's A Ganesh Nadar, he travels down his musical journey in Bollywood.

What do you make of this trend of having several music directors working on one film?

I am personally very uncomfortable with this format, given that all my earlier films were as an independent composer.

It's important to have one music director throughout, who understands the fabric of the film and delivers the requirement of the producer/director.

This probably happens because some songs are generic. Love songs and item numbers are independent of the film and can fit in any scenario.

Given a choice, I would personally stick to doing only solo films, but we have to acclimatise ourselves to changing times.

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Review: Lincoln is a deserving Oscar frontrunner

Steven Spielberg's [ Images ] Lincoln boasts of a stellar cast led by two-time Academy Award winner Daniel Day Lewis [ Images ] in the titular character, writes Vipin Vijayan.

Steven Spielberg never ceases to amaze. To pick up a decisive moment in American history and portray it on screen with compelling narration is something that only a certain pedigree of directors can do.

Adapted from Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, Spielberg’s offering is not a biopic.

Lincoln is set around the 16th President’s tumultuous final months in office during which he pursues a course of action designed to end the bloody civil war, unite the country and abolish slavery.

Spielberg joins with his long-trusted team behind the camera -- director of photography Janusz Kaminski, production designer Rick Carter, costume designer Joanna Johnston, ditor Michael Kahn and composer John Williams -- to make a war-torn world that Lincoln irrevocably changed in 1865 a contemporary experience.

Two-time Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis, who plays the titular character, truly gets under the skin of his character and impresses as the 6 foot 4 inch-tall US president at odds with his family and representatives of the Democratic Party.

The Lincoln who emerges is a man of raw paradoxes, funny and solemn, a playful storyteller and fierce power broker, a shrewd commander and a vulnerable father.

To bring to life the major role that the First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln played in her husband’s political and personal life, Spielberg turned to two-time Oscar winner Sally Field.

Figure this: Lincoln was 10 years older than his wife Mary Todd. But in real life, Sally is 10 years older than Day-Lewis.

Yet, Sally delivers with grace as the slightly loony First Lady.

Spielberg backs up Day-Lewis with a strong cast led by Tommy Lee Jones, who plays firebrand Radical Republican Thaddeus Stevens agitating for emancipation, black fighting units, and black suffrage.

Thaddeus Stevens’ rhetorics in the House of Representatives during the debate on the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery, the aggressive lobbying for votes, Lincoln admonishing his son Robert Todd Lincoln (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) for thinking of enlisting himself in the Union army… Spielberg peppers the 149-minute narration with moments that are hitherto unknown to many.

No wonder, Lincoln is the front-runner for the coveted Oscar awards. Go watch this one for Spielberg’s charm and a slice of American history.

PIX: Akshay, Vidya, Big B at Style Awards

Bollywood stars put on their finest designer wear for an evening of glamorous appearances and lively conversations at the Hindustan Times Style Awards at ITC in Lower Parel, South Mumbai.

Vidya Balan, who worked with Special Chabbis leading man Akshay Kumar in Bhool Bhulaiya and Heyy Babyy, caught up with her former costar at the do.

Image: Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan
Photographs: Pradeep Bandekar 

'Ranbir was quiet and sat by himself in one corner'

Rajul Hegde in Mumbai

Uma and Gaiti, ace choreographers with 12 years of combined dance and choreography experience, most notably in television commercials and music videos, have choreographed for Remo D'Souza's ABCD that released today. 

Experts in contemporary dance, they have participated in shows such as Channel [V] Footloose, Dance Premiere League, and Jhalak Dikhla Jaa. They conduct dance workshops in Dubai. 

They are personal trainers for Bollywood celebrities Imran Khan, Emraan Hashmi, Dia Mirza, Abhay Deol, Mrinalini Sharma, and Celina Jaitely.

Uma and Gaiti have been working together for almost nine years in Mumbai. The first break came through a music video for Shaan directed by Vikramaditya Motwani. The song was called Na Kehna Nahi Ata. 

Abhay Deol, who was a part of the project, recommended them to Vikram. 

The first film song that they shot was for Ram Gopal Varma's Darna Zaroori Hai. 

 

"We have choreographed one big song called Duhai hai and all the dance school sequences in the film. It was a great experience being a part of this feature with Remo, Prabhu Deva, K K Menon and all of the dancing stars. It was a choreographer's delight."

Uma and Gaiti share some interesting behind-the-scenes details of the stars they have interacted with.

Ranbir Kapoor

We were thrilled when Imtiaz Ali called us for Rockstar. To choreograph Ranbir on A R Rahman's music was an extremely stimulating idea. Nevertheless the song (Phir Se Ud Chala) didn't have scope for dancing as it was real and situational. 

Ranbir was quiet and sat by himself in one corner between takes and that's what stood out for us in the whole shoot: that you wouldn't realise that a huge star like Ranbir was on the set. 

He would be taking guitar lessons whenever he got time.

PIX: Stars attend the Mirchi Music Awards

The Mirchi Music awards, honouring the best musical works of 2012, were held at the Yashraj Studio in Andheri, a wetsern Mumbai suburb, on February 7.

Amitabh Bachchan, who was felicitated with the Contribution To 100 Years of Cinema at the do, presented the Best Lyricist trophy to Javed Akhtar for the hit song Jee le zara from Talaash.

Image: From L to R: Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam, Amitabh Bachchan, Ramesh Sippy, Javed Akhtar and Sajid-Wajid
Photographs: Pradeep Bandekar 

VOTE: Is the spanking new Naino Mein Sapna better?

Legendary playback singer Kishore Kumar's son Amit has sung the iconic Naino Mein Sapna in the remake of Jeetendra-Sridevi starrer Himmatwala. 

Director Sajid Khan got Amit to re-record the chartbuster track in the new version of the film that was originally sung by his father alongside Lata Mangeshkar.

Choreographer Farah Khan and music directors Sajid-Wajid have recreated the 80s magic with Ajay Devgn and Tamannaah.

The song showcases a colorful kaleidoscope of pots, larger than life swans and dhols with many dancers in the background quite like the original. 

"We wanted to recreate the magic of Naino Mein Sapna song. The original was sung by a legend for the male version..so we wanted someone who can do justice to the iconic song," Sajid told PTI. 

"Amit's voice is too good. I feel no one except Amit could have sung 'Naino Mein Sapna'. He has sung exactly like Kishore Kumarji," he added.

Shreya Ghoshal was chosen for the female voice. As the makers already had the rights to the song, they have retained first few lines from the original. Sajid-Wajid have given the music. 

Himmatwala is the remake of the yesteryear's superhit film of the same name, starring Sridevi and Jeetendra. The new one stars southern star Tamanna Bhatia and Ajay Devgn.

Here is the new version of the classic song that many of us grew up with. Tell us which one's better! Vote here!

Abas-Mustan's Race 2 enters the 100 crore club?

Here's what your favourite Bollywood celebrities are tweeting.

Reports claim that Abbas-Mustan's multistarrer Race 2 has become the first film of 2013 to enter the Rs 100 crore club.

Producer Jay Shewakramani tweeted: '100 cr for #Race2 ..thank u all for the love and support..wouldn't have been possible without you'll..once again thank u all.'

Actor Riteish Deshmukh congratulated him: 'Maiden century mubaraak ho- Race 2 the next century soon- big hug my friend.'

Meanwhile, Ameesha Patel thanked her fans and wrote: 'Goodmorning my darling tweethearts..woke up to the good news that Race 2 has done 100crs all india..yippeeee ..thanks 4 all d luv n support.'

Review: ABCD is the Dabangg of dance!

ABCD (Any Body Can Dance) is a must watch not only for dance lovers but also for those who like good cinema, writes Prasanna D Zore.

To put it simply, ABCD or Any Body Can Dance, written and directed by choreographer Remo D'Souza is entertainment, entertainment and entertainment.

ABCD tugs at your emotional cords all the way as Prabhu Deva [ Images ] (Vishnu [ Images ] Sir) tries to convert a bunch of street ruffians into champions.

While you may have seen the same plot in Lagaan [ Images ] and Chak De India [ Images ]!, the canvas here has changed from the playing field to a dancing arena, with the protagonist endeavouring to polish rough cut dancing diamonds into winners by imbibing in them values like brotherhood, sportsperson-like spirit and loyalty.

Technically and production-wise, ABCD, howsoever the title may sound silly, punches you hard. Niftily edited dance sequences, a chase that is a mix of dancing and eye-popping jumps, make ABCD the Dabangg of dancing. The dance numbers are brilliantly executed and the thrill quotient is highly enhanced as you watch the movie in three dimensions.

While the film belongs to Prabhu Deva as a self-respecting dance teacher who parts ways with his manipulative friend Jehangir (Kay Kay Menon [ Images ]) for the love of dancing, it belongs as much to D, Rocky, Chandu, Ria, Biscuit among a score of other dancers with whom the nation will identify easily.

One wonders what took Indian filmmakers so long to risk their money on a film like ABCD. Perhaps, the boom and craze with which young Indians follow dancing shows on several TV channels must have made the producers and financiers believe that they had a winner in their hands, and hence the timing of ABCD. But that is beside the point.

The only fault one could find with the film is a contrived twist in the tale that leads to Chandu's sudden death. But the defection of one of the team members to a rival team sounds probable and real.

In about 143 minutes, ABCD tries to catch the emotions, aspirations, rebellions and values the contemporary Indian youth so cherishes.

Of the cast Prabhu Deva with his Mohanlal-like Hindi and Kay Kay as a manipulative owner of a dance company, play their bit with honesty.

Ganesh Acharya (Gopi) too shines in his role as a friend who helps Vishnu Sir build a brilliant dance team.

But all said and done the real heroines and heroes of ABCD are the dancers that make you cry, laugh, and dance with them.

DON'T MISS: The grand finale of the film and the number that follows in which Prabhu Deva, Ganesh Acharya and Remo shake a mean leg as credits scroll down in the end.

Rediff Rating:

Two requests to the producers

1. Why should the audience fork out Rs 20 as rent for the 3D glasses? If you have bet your money on an unusual film like ABCD why not make those 3D glasses free and let more Indians watch the thrill of watching the Dabangg of dancing in 3D. You can always take the deposit which could be returned to the patrons once the movies is over.

2. Help make this film tax-free. The purpose again is to help the film reach a wider audience.

Review: Special Chabbis is an exciting con caper

Special Chabbis is one of the finest films of the year so far, writes Sukanya Verma.

Old is gold AND exciting.

In his latest offering Special Chabbis -- based on true heist incidents -- director Neeraj Pandey highlights this likelihood with his tremendous mix of shrewd brainpower against obsolete technology.

And so we travel 26 (ahem) years back in time (January 26, 1987) to witness some documented footage of former President Giani Zail Singh and the late Prime Minister of India [ Images ], Rajiv Gandhi [ Images ] at the parade before a hand turns the knob, not a remote control, to switch off a bulky black and white television set.

The hand belongs to Ajay Singh (Akshay Kumar [ Images ]) who’s readying his team of three others (Anupam Kher [ Images ], Kishore Kadam, Rajesh Sharma) to carry out a raid at a politician’s house by flashing counterfeit documentation and Central Bureau of Investigation identities.

These crisply dressed gentlemen are professional conmen, of course, and Republic Day is just another day at work.

Not only do they ransack the man’s home with wealth hidden in temple drawers, concealed ceilings or behind secretly planted doors in broad day light but trick the cops (Jimmy Shergill [ Images ], Divya Dutta [ Images ] are efficient) also into assisting them at it.

This, of course, gets the goat of the authentic CBI officer (Manoj Bajpayee [ Images ]), now hot on the trail of these super sharp swindlers no one wants to report about since black money is involved.

It’s the late 1980s, India is yet to be hit by the globalisation wave and corruption is flourishing quietly without the influx of news channels to report or debate. Anil Kapoor [ Images ] is rocking Bollywood but Amitabh Bachchan [ Images ] continues to reign supreme. Even the auto rickshaw still flags its loyalty towards the Big B [ Images ] with a hand-painted Shakti poster adorning its interior.

Pandey not only creates a sense of 1987 with props and products but the inhabitants of Special Chabbis delicately convey the idealism and morality associated with that period.

Whether it’s the significance of a 100 rupee note (which held great value in 1987) or the concept of buying imported goods from Mumbai [ Images ] or the absolute lack of regret or embarrassment in Kher’s character for fathering more than half a dozen kids and another on the way at his age, it all effectually recreates the past .

At the same time, and this is interesting, there’s not any attempt to explain why these men do what they do. They are a bunch of regular people who rob after careful planning and ‘enjoy’ it.

No back story or pay-back triggered by humiliation here. A sly explanation is offered around pre-climax but it’s never revealed if genuine or phony like their paperwork. 

The narrative, which favours a warm, sepia visual scheme, travels back and forth between January and February leading to the events in March and numerous cities -- Delhi [ Images ], Mumbai, Kolkata [ Images ], Jaipur [ Images ] and Chandigarh but Pandey’s writing has its chronology so planned and in order, it’s neither confusing nor cumbersome to keep up.

Pandey’s filmmaking has always prioritised matter over cosmetics. Like A Wednesday, Special Chabbis isn’t exceptional in technique -- no fancy camera work or hip background score -- but practical enough to assemble a robust, taut film that gets over sooner than you think. His focus is on movement to imply a breathless pace. All his characters are constantly on the move with long-shots of their energetic march towards the camera.

But that doesn’t undermine his ambition or how effectively it achieves the same. Filming on New Delhi’s bustling Rajiv Chowk and transforming it into 1987’s Connaught Place is no easy task. Barring a fleeting shot of Peter England [ Images ]’s showroom, Pandey recreates an earlier time with old Only Vimal advertisement logs and outdated car models like ambassadors, Premiere Padminis and early Maruti [ Get Quote ] 800s forming the sparse traffic.

Detailed production design is one of the finest attributes of this con caper -- old currency notes, dial phones, cordless phones, hard-shell luggage, well-researched advertising placements (featuring almost forgotten beverages like Thrill) or discontinued magazines in their revived glory (Dharmyug, Illustrated Weekly of India). Even the wedding décor aesthetics are period-appropriate. There’s so much confidence at display here, it’s almost as though Pandey is challenging us to find flaws.

The ones I could find have more to do with the token romance track involving the pretty Kajal Aggarwal. Though her entry leads to some lilting M M Kreem creations, it’s completely needless in the middle of all the action (of wits) and chemistry generated by Kumar and Bajpai. That excellent bar scene (with the complimentary soda) is a testimony to their two-sides-of-the-same-coin camaraderie.

Also, the way Pandey treats the second rung of the con team; both Kishore Kadam and Rajesh Sharma are relegated to the sidelines. While Kadam at least gets one scene to describe his background of a henpecked hubby, Rajesh Sharma remains the most under developed of the four.

Despite being the senior-most member of the pack, Kher’s character doesn’t reek of patronising wisdom. In fact he’s the fun chap -- thoroughly nervous but happy-go-lucky whose light-weight panic and droopy spine provides Special Chabbissome of its more droll moments.

Speaking of which, Pandey’s script isn’t loaded with intended humour but is open to subtle strokes of unexpected hilarity. Like when an undercover officer clad in Lord Shiva [ Images ]’s avatar, suddenly walks past a serious discussion between Bajpai and Shergill, casually greeting them with a ‘Good Morning, Sir.’

The interview sequence, wherein the two AKs (Kumar and Kher) interact with a bunch of job candidates is typically entertaining with its range of loony responses, most peculiar being, ‘I want do my country.’

But what’s truly Special about this Chabbis is to see two such different actors, one reliably awesome and the other getting out of his comfort zone of mindless money-spinners to collaborate and credit a script that gives them something concrete and equivalent to work on.

There’s the smashing Bajpayee with his penetrating gaze and attractive dynamism who spells more than words with his sardonic laughter and request for ‘Chulloo bhar paani.’

On the other, Akshay Kumar comes up with a measured delivery, which both, intimidates and eases-up as per the the mood yet remains somewhat distant, mysterious and inscrutable till the end. 

This line sums him best, ‘Logon ke pairon mein chakra hota hai. Mere dimaag mein hai.’

Oh yes, Special Chabbis is my second favourite film of 2013 so far.