Agneepath will be a period film!

Karan Johar attempts to remake his father's flopped film! Should one mess with cult films?

Twins times two - Bade Miyan Chote Miyan

This may have been the first Govinda film I saw. For some reason I had it in my head that I was not going to like his movies, they would be cheesy and silly. And they are, but how easy it is to get hooked on CHEESE! This David Dhawan gem has Govinda and Amitabh as police officers, with Govinda romancing Amitabh's sister. The epiphany came when I saw this on screen:



The dance moves were like nothing I had seen before, and the lyrics - sheer poetry :D Later I discovered that ChiChi specialized in such songs that had lyrics never heard of before. A trend was later discovered! Catch pharses from one song would become the title of a later film - hence a later film - Chalo Ishq Ladaye!

The cops find an eyewitness to a murder - and have to protect her from the baddies. This was Ramya in a hot avatar, the kind she specialized in. She falls for the senior cop and we have seduction attempts that Mr. Bachchan tries to escape:



Beardless, and aging, Amitabh is no match for Govinda is charisma, comic timing or dance moves in this film. His serious cop can barely keep up with the moves or the shenanigans that the junior cop gets up to, be it joking about Mr. B's age or dancing with Madhuri as she films by the seaside:



The plot thickens as two crooks who are doppelgangers of the two cops, and are known as Bade Miyan and Chote Miyan, arrive on the scene. The confusion is compounded as the robbers lead the cops on a merry chase and no one can tell who is who anymore:



Read more HERE

Unmatched pleasures of self-promotion

With stars going public with their blogs and tweets, CHITRA PADMANABHAN examines the nature of celeb blogs as a smart marketing strategy to remain visible at all times.

Not so long ago, celebrity battles with the media hinged on one vital question: how far could a journalist go in writing about those in the public eye before being rated, or berated, as having gone too far? As Bollywood's most wanted saw it, responsible journalism was all about being able to distinguish between public and off-screen lives. Remember Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan ‘ banning' the media from their lives in the past?

That was then.

Today, seated on the serpentine coils of the entertainment and publicity industries as brand deities, the same stars have gone public with private on their blogs with a vengeance. So much so that definitions of private and public, personal and professional now conjure continents of lost meanings.

Sole reference

The star blog is an online personal diary in the time of new media. Unlike the vintage diary's cloistered existence, it exults in its coming-out ritual in public space, inviting comments. However, the celebrity remains the sole reference for an entry to be slotted as public issue or, when needed, as a delicately private matter in the public realm.

Take the voracious elder statesman of blogger's park, Amitabh Bachchan, and his May 15 post regarding a comment that had been picked up by the media: “My comment on the blog was never a firm statement or a stand taken. It was still in the realm of the ‘if'.” The iffy remark being that whatever the official decision regarding the caste census “…my answer is ready; caste, Indian.”

An iffy remark is seemingly ‘private' in nature; besides, it marks a communion between Bachchan and his fans: “…our little haven of peace and friendship, of extended families (EF) and familia extendum (FmXt)…” That it should attract none-too-flattering media headlines; that a reader's letter in a Mumbai daily should suggest Bachchan was confusing caste with regionalism (mentioning marriages within his family), signals an ‘invasion of privacy', albeit in a totally public space.

In February came Bachchan's soulful ode to Bal Thackeray – “as resolute and firm as ever” – when Thackeray's toiling Shiv Sainiks were threatening to vandalise theatres screening the Shahrukh Khan starrer “My Name is Khan”. The public paean, with political timing, sought the shade of ‘personal' comment on a personal relationship. You see, Thackeray had wanted to see Bachchan's film “Rann”.

A public issue is different. Some time ago, Big B wrote indignantly about a journalist. Apparently she did not inquire about his daughter-in-law, whose indisposition forced her to cancel a public engagement for the journalist's organisation at the eleventh hour. Rumination on matters behavioural attained the bombastic hue of a ‘media issue'.

Surfing the blogs of Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan, Bollywood's most respected stars, is revealing. A birthday, bereavement, a mishap one thought too intimate for the sober Khan to upload, unending trivia, sly asides at colleagues or peek into a film underway comprise one giant crested wave. It's difficult to know where the public ends and private begins in this calibrated wave of self help.

Reason: erecting such picket fences in market space is a waste of time, a loss-making proposition. Being a celebrity brand is a ceaseless effort to remain visible.

The stars are their own direct-to-fan PR companies par excellence, controlling their image projection without uttering the m-word (marketing). Cyber lingo helps with talk of virtual ‘communities' wired to the ‘Aha!' moment of ‘contact' with the star come down to earth.

It is like creating a private army that marches on every star revelation, ready to uphold the image which gives celebrity brands currency in the market, where else! Witness the relentless march of celebrities galore on various social interfaces - blog today, Twitter tomorrow – permitting themselves a smile of satisfaction upon getting news of virtual stampedes.

In times when cinema was the biggest draw, a star's charisma was enhanced by mystique born out of remoteness. Big screen personalities could envision press boycotts.

Beyond Accountability?:Stars now control the information they disseminate.

Constant presence

Today, the biggest star is television's small and split screen. It airs the epic of lifestyle consumerism in every home 24X7. Its biggest script is a never-ending symphony of serial entertainment, advertising, sponsorships and endorsements. To be a star today necessitates constant presence in the public eye.

But the public eye or media is not uniformly kind. A blog is a masterstroke; it connects to diehard fans who are consumers too. They will surely consider the product brands their idols are synonymous with?

Bachchan is a Bhishma pitamah blogger and product endorser, Khan the youthful figure plugged into the pulse of the age. Imagine the fan's state as a ‘ confidant' of the star. Khan writes, “I have bad news folks. Kiran and I lost our baby.”

Bachchan is dramatic: “Aaahhhh!! It is painful… when we construct what we know needs to be shared, to be given out for public consumption, to be given out to extended family … then the pain of its loss or disappearance is unbearable.”

He goes further:...
Read more HERE

Rajesh Khanna – the end of a legend!

(Many thanks to Illusionist for bringing this documentary to my notice)
The man who mesmerized women of all ages for almost a decade, got letters from them written in their own blood, and caused mass hysteria wherever he went, Rajesh Khanna, is the subject of this documentary:

BBC reporter Jack Pizzey managed to get exceptional access to Rajesh Khanna and the result is this fascination documentary – Rajesh Khanna – Bombay Superstar.

Part 1:


Hrishikesh Mukherjee and his entire set are waiting for the superstar to arrive for the filming of Namak Haraam. When he does arrive a game of one-upmanship begins and it Rajesh who blinks first.

Part 2:


After making the filming crew wait for five days with appointments he does not keep, he finally meets up with them for this documentary. When asked - How do you stay on top? His response is - You have to be cruel, I am impulsive, do things by intuition. His sudden decision to marry 15-16 year old Dimple, one film old, is described at length in this clip – is it true love or the result of a night with 14 drinks? Gossip columnist Devi (Devyani Chaubal) from Star and Style thinks it is the latter.

Part 3:


Next the film-makers talk to J Om Prakash and a new film he is about to make with Rajesh. On location in Kashmir, Rajesh talks about that “expression” in his eyes, that smile, that acts as a lure for women!

Part 4:


The leading lady is Mumtaz! The crowds on location jostle to see what is going on. Rajesh says he loves the attention. Mumtaz simply shrugs and pouts. Lata sings the song that is to be filmed, before that the microphone is garlanded by Pancham. Mumtaz can turn the smile and pout on and off like a TAP! The bitchy gossip columnist, Devi (an outspoken lady) says Rajesh was better before but all superstars become a bore and they have nothing to offer to anyone. The narrator feels that picturizing a song is an impressively thorough and exhausting business.

Part 5:


We go through 20 takes on one step onto a rock in time to the music! Rajesh talks of how his voice is similar to Kishore Kumar’s and getting the movement perfectly matched to the beat is what gets “seeti” moments in the theater. Then we see poison pen Devi talk about Mumtaz, and how we only know of Naz, her mother, but nothing about her father. Mumtaz decides to take her to court, and says the classic line (the resonates even today in film journalism) “All they want to do is sell magazines!!!” She is also extremely grounded and talks of how one day she may wake and after 5 years at the top it is suddenly ALL OVER.

Part 6:


Things look on the downside for Rajesh as he is not awarded the Filmfare that year. Fans threaten to boycott buying FF and the star arranges a rival party on the awards night. Many show up at the party, even though news is doing the rounds that Rajesh is ill and may not show at either the awards or the party! He does arrive at the party with his young wife in tow. Amitabh is talking the best actor award while the party goes on at the other end of town, with Rakhi, Dilip Kumar and a small number of lesser stars. A king is being dethroned.

Part 7:


When asked what he felt as he attended a rival party while the Filmfares were being awarded, Rajesh replies – “It was a coincidence, it was not planned!!!” His latest film Daag is about to release after 5 flops in a row, and Rajesh is worried. He is looking at different roles, he is introspective about falling from grace. The Daag premiere night and Dimple is getting ready, gushing about loving premieres as her hair is put into an elaborate do. They arrive at the premiere.

Part 8:


More HERE

The Men who fascinate Lata Mangeshkar!

Lata Mangeshkar tracks celluloid heroes and tells Subhash K Jha what she loves about them...

Amitabh Bachchan
I don’t know where to start when it comes to Bachchan saab. Jiss qadar woh zor se wapas aaye ... amazing! (I marvel at the way he bounced back after severe setbacks.) When it comes to perfection as an artiste, he’s 110 per cent perfect. Give him any role, and he slips into it effortlessly. I’ve never seen him repeat himself. He made me cry in Baghban. I recently saw Black and can’t get over his performance. Kamaal ke actor hain ... (He’s a fabulous actor). And he sings well too! I’ve listened carefully to Holi khele and Tu kahan main yahan in Baghban. They are in sur. Singing in sur is far more important than maintaining taal. His voice is God’s gift to him. His performances are impeccable.

On a social level, we meet once in a while. He’s charming and always talks with restraint. His pedigree is unquestionable. When I started singing in 1947, I began reading up on Hindi litterateurs including Premchand, Mahadevi Varma, Jaishankar Prasad and, of course, Harivansh Rai Bachchan. I’ve read Madhushala several times over; also his bulky autobiography which is a unique work of self-revelation. I don’t know whether Bachchan saab knows this, but I truly respect him and Jayaji. Mere dil mein unke liye khaas jagah hai. (They hold a special place in my heart.)”

Hrithik Roshan
“Hrithik has the fluidity and rhythm to move effortlessly through songs. I think he got this sense of rhythm from his grandparents. His grandfather was a great composer and his grandmother a very good singer. His uncle Rajesh Roshan is a well-known composer and even Hrithik’s father Rakesh has a very good music sense. His musical heritage comes alive in his dance moves. Hrithik’s a brilliant actor too. Woh itna sundar acting karta hai ki main hairaan ho jaati hoon. (I am stunned by his acting.) I think his greatest gift from God is that he looks very innocent. His eyes are so deep and transparent ... ”

Rishi Kapoor
“Everyone in Raj Kapoor’s family has a sense of music and rhythm. Rishi Kapoor carried the tradition of the dancing hero to a new height. He brought in a new style. He’s one of my all-time favourite heroes. Even today he looks so handsome. Is he my favourite Kapoor? Haan kahungi, kyun nahin? (I’d say yes, why not?) Now there’s Rishi’s son Ranbir Kapoor. I believe he’s wonderful. But I haven’t seen much of his work.”

Shah Rukh Khan
“I first saw Shah Rukh in a serial called Fauji. There was something special about him. Then I saw his film Chamatkar and later Deewana and Baazigar, in which he played a negative character. It was quite evident that Shah Rukh could play any kind of role. I remember him saying somewhere that he had no sense of rhythm and dance. But I saw him in Ruk ja o dil deewane in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and Chaiyyan chaiyyan in Dil Se. Ussmein itna sahi dance kiya tha unhone. (He danced so well in these songs.)”

More at LINK

Scent of Gujarat for Rs 5 crore - Bachchan on week-long tour for shoot

LINK

Ahmedabad, May 20: This “khushboo” will cost Gujarat Rs 5.4 crore. The salesman who is going to sell the fragrance is, after all, Amitabh Bachchan, though he wouldn’t be taking a penny.

The superstar, who had stirred up a controversy after becoming brand ambassador of Narendra Modi’s Gujarat, will reach the state on May 28 for a week-long trip to six tourist spots, shooting one-minute films as part of a campaign.

The main theme for all the films to be shot with Bachchan at the different locations will be “Khushboo Gujarat ki” — or the fragrance of Gujarat.

The campaign will cost the state exchequer Rs 5.4 crore, though Bachchan will not be paid for his “services” as he had volunteered to become brand ambassador to promote tourism in the state.

Bachchan had agreed to become brand ambassador after meeting Modi on January 6 during a special screening of his film Paa.

But to use the superstar’s appeal to entice visitors, the Gujarat government will have to shell out Rs 1.4 crore to the creative team of advertising firm Ogilvy and Mather (&M). A source in the tourism department said Rs 4 crore would have to be paid to Rising Sun, a Mumbai-based production house that would provide support.

&M India chief Piyush Pandey said he was giving final touches to the script and “it would be ready in another three days”.

Sources said Pandey got the script of each of the films — to be made in Hindi and English — cleared by the chief minister, who would personally monitor the superstar’s visit. Officials said the BJP-led government was looking to Bachchan to revive the state’s dormant tourism industry.

Bachchan’s photographs will be shot at each of the spots for the tourism department’s ad campaign, scheduled to begin sometime next month. The sources said he would shoot at locations like the Asiatic Lion sanctuary at Gir, the Somnath temple and Balka Teerth, the place where Lord Krishna is said to have renounced his body.

He will spend three days in Kutch for shoots at Mandvi beach, the Harappan site of Dholavir and the Rann of Kutch, before going to Gir. After two days with the lions, he will go to Balka Teerth and Somnath.

While it is not clear why Mahatma’s birthplace Porbandar and the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad have been excluded from the schedule, the state government, sources said, was keen on projecting Somnath, an important shrine for Hindus that has been destroyed several times by invaders.

It was from here that BJP leader L.K. Advani launched his controversial rath yatra in 1990.

Twenty years later, his protégé Modi is banking on the Bollywood star’s appeal to market the shrine for a welcome breath of fragrance for the state’s tourism industry.

Aaj ki taaza khabar - NEWS!

AKON and Ra.one

Not so long ago we told you how Akon was doing a song in Ra.One absolutely free (read Akon to sing for SRK for FREE!) as he was fond of Shah Rukh Khan. Now we hear that Akon is singing yet another number for the album. Apparently he had so much fun recording the first track that he decided to do a repeat. Looks like SRK’s charm got to Akon as well.

I really dislike this singer - rightly called Reshamiyya of the West

Spoofing old songs
Sonam, Imran, Katrina, Akshay and Aishwarya spoof old songs

It looks like this is going to be the year of spoofs. Few of the most awaited films like I Hate Luv Storys, Action Replayy and Tees Maar Khan will spoof Hindi film sequences of the past. Sonam Kapoor, Imran Khan, Katrina Kaif, Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai will all be aping the songs of the '70s and '80s.

YAWN

Big B and Katrina in Jha's next

Amitabh-Kat in Prakash Jha’s next

It seems that director Prakash Jha has been maha impressed by Katrina Kaif’s histrionics in Raajneeti. So much so that he has already earmarked her for his next project. Amitabh Bachchan has also been reportedly cast in the project and so is Jha’s favourite Ajay Devgn. The film is reportedly based on the reservation politics and how it affects the common man’s life.

BIGGER YAWN

Big B gets Lifetime Achievement Award at 4th Asian Awards ceremony

There's nothing that can rightly be called as a well deserved recognition for one who dedicated his life for cinema, to cinema and with cinema. But a Lifetime Achievement Award does come close to doing just that. The legendary Amitabh Bachchan was recently awarded yet another Lifetime Achievement Award at the 4th Asian Awards ceremony in Hong Kong.

Speaking about the same on his blog, Bachchan says, "It just got over! The pride and passion and honour of a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 4th Asian Awards ceremony here at the Exhibition centre in Hong Kong."

He continues, "To be honest, I had never expected it to be the way it was - the organization, the protocol, the discipline and the efficiency, all in place and all done with great aplomb and grandeur. There is nothing quite as satisfying as a system that works. And to come across a dictum on the city of my present habitat that proclaims 'Hong Kong - the city that works!' is no off the cuff floozy remark. Tonight it demonstrated that it actually lives up to its reputation.

Thank you Hong Kong, thank you Asian Film Awards for the respect and honour that you bestowed upon me, an honour that I shall cherish and remember fondly always."

This adds yet another feather to Big B's hat.

LINK

Ash, Big B threaten to skip Filmfare awards

A furious Bachchan family has threatened to skip the prestigious Filmfare awards Saturday evening unless the Mumbai Mirror publishes a formal apology for spreading "false" news about Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's health.
The Mumbai Mirror and Filmfare both belong to the Times Group. Aishwarya Rai, who was supposed to perform at the event, has decided to pull out.

The Bachchans have also sent a legal notice to the editor of Mumbai Mirror, seeking a retraction and apology.

"We have informed Filmfare that neither will Aishwarya be performing at the event, for which all preparations had been made and neither shall any of us be attending," Amitabh Bachchan posted on his blog, bigb.bigadda.com.

The family is angry that the paper has not published a formal apology for the article stating that Aishwarya is suffering from stomach tuberculosis and cannot conceive, a news branded as "completely false" by father-in-law Amitabh.

"Suffice to say for the moment that despite a few personal apologies from management and owners, no public apology has taken place. You cannot abuse me in public and then come and say sorry to me in private."

"So, even though we have great relations with the family in ownership and despite the fact that we have continuously responded to their needs whenever desired, unstintingly - the lawyers notice has been delivered to the editor of Mumbai Mirror, seeking on a legal plane retraction and apology," he added.

The Bachchans are not alone in their stand. Director R Balakrishnan, who helmed the Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan-starrer Paa, has also decided to stay away from the event to show his support to the Big B.

"Balki, the director of the film, even when Paa has been nominated in five categories for the evening, (is not attending). No coercion, just a voluntary decision of solidarity. Thank you Balki," said Amitabh.

The Filmfare awards will be held in Mumbai Saturday evening.

LINK

Amitabh Bachchan greatest talent of our time: British PM Gordon Brown

Applauding the cinematic genius of Bollywood mega star Amitabh Bachchan, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown described the actor as one of the “greatest talents” of our time.

Brown spoke glowingly of the 67-year-old star as he presented him with the keys for a Mobile Diabetes Unit at a charity dinner here last night.

The bus, named ‘Amitabh’ in the honour of Big B, will help screen people in Mumbai for diabetes and has been donated by diabetes prevention charity organisation ‘Silver Star’, founded by Indian-origin Labour MP, Keith Vaz in 2007.

“It is a pleasure to be here with Amitabh Bachchan. I talked to him just as we arrived. I was saying that I had 4 million viewers in a TV interview. I asked how many people will watch his next film and he said 500 million people. That shows the greatness of this man,” Brown said.

“Some years ago, we met in India and now here. He is more prosperous now. He is one of the greatest talents of our generation,” the Prime Minister added.

Bachchan was joined by Bollywood actors Sanjay Dutt and Shilpa Shetty at the charity event.

Brown described Shetty as an “acting phenomenon and a committed humanitarian“.

“Your campaign for AIDS awareness is an inspiration. We all know the stigma attached to HIV and AIDS but no injustice should be allowed to last for ever, you are tackling one of the difficult issues,” he said.

Brown also said that the modern Britain will not be same without its strong bond with India.

“Let us be absolutely clear, modern Britain will not be the same without our strong bond with India and the enormous part played by the Anglo-Indian community here. With our strategic partnership with India, we can celebrate in everything we do,” the Prime Minister said.

“There is no doubt India is a modern global success story about which all of us should be proud of,” he added.

Bachchan thanked Brown for lending his support and encouragement to the cause and congratulated Vaz.

“Timely detection of this severe ailment can go a long way in its management to the noble cause,” Bachchan said.

Read the rest HERE.

Big B set to feature in Malayalam film Kandahar

Director Major Ravi says that Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan has given his nod for his Malayalam film Kandahar, a film about plane hijacking that will also star veteran Mohanlal.

The news came when Big B had made a short visit to the city on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters, Ravi, a former NSG commando who had directed two films featuring Mohanlal, said that he is just trying to imagine how the two greats would come in one single frame. "It is great feeling when I think of that," he said.

Amitabh Bachchan will be seen as the father of a passenger on the ill-fated plane that has been hijacked and Mohanlal will play a commando.

The film is inspired by the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 in 1999. It was hijacked while on its way from Kathmandu to New Delhi on Christmas eve by five Pakistani militants and was forced to land in three different airports - Amritsar, Lahore, and Dubai - before spending a week on the tarmac in Kandahar with 186 hostages on board.

Read more from HERE

The power of Amitabh Bachchan - The superstar of Egypt!

During the 80´s Amitabh Bachchan was not only a mega star in India and among the Indian diaspora. His popularity was widespread across many countries of the Arab world too. In Egypt he was as famous and idolized if not more than he was in India. Check this old youtube video where an Egyptian superstar sings that he wants to be like Amitabh Bachchan. Its a tribute to the megastar. At 1:05 Big B´s name is mentioned followed by a short clip from his movie.

US-India: If a picture is worth 1000 words

Rann movie review (Taran Adarsh) 3.5/5

Ramgopal Varma is itching to tell a new story in his movies. You may garland him for his efforts or loathe him if you feel letdown, but you need to hand it to him for picking up stories that defy stereotype.

This time, in RANN, the maverick film-maker does an expose on the games the heavyweights in the media play to further their interests. RGV goes into the newsrooms and also behind it and throws light on the politician-industrialist-media nexus. Also, it's an insider's account of how news channels that are greedy for ratings sensationalize stories to grab eyeballs.

On surface, you don't want to know what goes behind the scenes and how, at times, news are 'created' by vested interests. But RANN scratches the surface and opens a can of worms. RANN also mirrors the fact that just like there are good and bad people in every field, there're some rotten ones in the media too who succumb to temptations and create news to climb the ladder of success.

RANN is a serious film and RGV knows what he's talking this time. It wouldn't be erroneous to state that you recall RGV's SARKAR while watching RANN, even though the two films are as diverse as chalk and cheese. You recall SARKAR because RANN is an equally powerful film that shows a world we've only seen from the exterior.

RANN is for those who enjoy serious cinema. It's more for the intelligentsia, for the thinking viewer. Definitely not for those who seek refuge in frivolous masala capers.

Vijay Harshvardhan Malik [Amitabh Bachchan] is the founder of a private news channel, India 24/7. A hardcore upholder of journalistic ethics, his channel is battling for survival. Jay [Sudeep], his son, looks at his father's news channel purely as a business enterprise that must make profits to justify its existence. He hates that his competition [Mohnish Bahl] is doing better than him.

The story takes a turn when a corrupt politician, Mohan Pandey [Paresh Rawal], decides to use the channel to his advantage by using Vijay's son-in-law Navin [Rajat Kapoor]. Pandey aspires to be the Prime Minister and indulges in a vicious campaign against his political opponent.

Navin is the most insecure man on earth and won't rest till he becomes the number one industrialist in the country. He, in turn, involves his brother-in-law Jay in Pandey's game plan.

Read the entire review HERE

Amitabh Bachchan speaks about Rann and Teen Patti

Amitabh Bachchan seems all set to enthrall audiences with his quirky hand-picked roles. We saw a hint of his brilliance in last year's Paa. This year, we might see it in two films -- Ram Gopal Varma's Rann and Leena Yadav's Teen Patti.

The actor tells us what to expect.

Your blog has shown your displeasure with the media quite a few times, and now you're doing a film, Rann, which takes on the media. Don't you think you make use of the same media to promote your films?

I have always maintained that if any news is wrong, then it is. It has never been an effort to show the media in a bad light. Nor am I trying to teach them their responsibilities.

I believe that we get poetic justice in three hours in our Hindi films. In the movies, we make sure we show both the sides and let people decide what they want to take from it.

There is a dialogue in Rann: 'The media is only a business and not the conscience of the society.' Do you believe in this?

Media is the conscience of the society. It is a mirror of the people. It takes a lot of courage to bring out the truth. But does the media compromise on its business? That is what we need to know. And that is what we have shown in this film.

The characters in Rann are fictional. How people react in a given situation is what you will see in the film.

Read more from HERE

'Rann' does not attempt to deliver a social message: RGV

Filmmaker Ramgopal Varma's latest outing 'Rann' is an attempt to expose the true colours of the media, but the maverick director says he did not make the film to deliver any message to the society.

"Through the characters and drama quotients, I am telling a story. And there could be a message underlined in the context of that story. But the primary intention of making this film is to tell a story and not to deliver any message," Varma said in an interview.

Giving the example of his other films, he said even the 1998 hit 'Satya', portrayed crime and violence. "But that does not mean that the intention of the film was to give that message of violence," he said.

According to him, the Amitabh Bachchan starrer, which takes a hard look at the highly competitive world of television news reporting in India, is not preachy either.

"To tell people what they already know is preachy, but 'Rann' tells something which they don't know so it won't be coming in that category," Varma said.

Set against the political backdrop of Delhi, 'Rann' releasing January 29, has an ensemble cast of Amitabh Bachchan along with Riteish Deshmukh, Gul Panag, Suchitra Krishnamoorthy and Neetu Chandra.

Describing the theme of the film in one-line, RGV, as he is known as in the industry, said: "If the media exposes everything, 'Rann' exposes the media".

When asked what made him take a break from horror and underworld films and chose a theme that is rarely projected on the celluloid, he said he wanted to expose the inside story of the media, which has a huge influence on our lives.

"Media is such an integral part of our life. From the moment you wake up in the morning, it keeps telling you what's happening around the world and how you should think about it. I thought a story on what goes on behind the scenes would be an interesting one to make," the producer-director said.

'Rann' is probably the first of its kind where it takes a hard look at the inner workings of the objectives of the people who run the media channels, he added.

Read more from HERE

Teen Patti = 21?

Here is the Official trailer of Teen Patti:



And here is the official trailer of 21:



One wonders why Ben Kingsley agreed to part of this rehash....

Reellusions Prediction League: RPL

Idea is to make a prediction league of sorts for the month of December. What all people need to do is predict, and earn points, which might be redeemed into real money, depending upon the financial constraints :P

So, here is the thing you have to predict the answers to following question, and the answer which comes the closest, will get one point, and just in case you are a dummy, one with the highest points will win. One victory will be 1 point, and at the end of the month, we will see who won the prediction league, okay? I don't think its tough, may be a little dorky, geeky, whatever, but simple as well :P

Here are the question:
1) What will be the opening weekend of "Paa"?
2) What will be the opening week of "Paa" ?
3) What will be the lifetime gross of "Paa"?

All figures will be taken from BOI.