News and Gossip for the day

Salman Khan: I'm a difficult Boyfriend

Your fans may not want to see you as a corrupt cop in Dabangg.
He is the hero. If his salary is Rs 6,000 and he has a family of 15 to support, what will he do? You are bound to earn more money through other means. But if something kills your self-respect, then I don’t think you should do it. There is always a line yaar. I can go down to a level. But if you cross the level of your zameer (conscience), which a lot of people do, then it’s disgusting. To make money out of someone’s misery is the most disgusting thing ever. But if it doesn’t make much of a difference to you, then do it. Think of yourself as Robin Hood. He stole, but he stole from the rich and gave to the poor.

Stars often visit religious places before the release of a film. What about you?
Hmm. Na, na. Everyone has different beliefs.

What is your belief? Put in your work and forget about it?
Yeah pretty much. You want your film to do well but when you go to religious places to only pray for the success of your film, it’s selfish. Some people actually believe that when you want something you must go. That’s such a sho-sha (put on), just show. You should go there quietly.

Is that possible? Who does that?
Katrina (Kaif) actually believes in this. When she visits such religious places, she does it quietly. It’s not done just before a release. She goes to these places all the time. She goes because she really believes in them. My sister Arpita visits religious places too. So does my mother. I don’t go because a lot of disturbance is caused. There are people praying and when they see me there is chaos. I don’t like that. If I want to ask God for something, I ask wherever I am. And if I do go I make sure no one is aware about it.

What surprises you the most about life?
People surprise me every single day. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse.

Have you painted while shooting for Dabangg?
No. I have yet to do a self-portrait.

You are a very successful star, which naturally comes with a certain discipline. But your ‘bratty’ image precedes you.
I haven’t struggled, I haven’t worked hard. I have taken it lightly. But I have also gone and given it my best, which is about two or three or four per cent of my capabilities. I have just been fortunate. All the stuff that was written about me was no big deal. It was not like I was one of these terrorists who deserve to go through all that. And somewhere it’s now known that I was not the person responsible for all those things. So without me saying anything people understand that.

Are you a difficult boyfriend?
Yes, I’m a difficult boyfriend but now I am more patient in love.

How do you deal with depression and low moments?
I go down to the gate of my building and take a look at my watchman.

Any plans to write your autobiography or are you going to commission me to write it?
(Sighs) See, I will not be able to write any lies. And I won’t be able to write the truth either. So, a book on me is out of the question.

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Govinda surprise package in Raavan?

After Govinda signed up for Mani Ratnam’s modern-day version of the Ramayana, speculations about what his character in the film would be like have been taking the rounds. The actor is reportedly playing a character, modelled on Hanuman. He will be seen playing a forest officer who helps Vikram’s character Dev to hunt for his wife, Ragini (played by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), who has been abducted by Beera (Abhishek Bachchan).

Reportedly, Ratnam, miffed with Govinda’s tardiness, altered his scenes, and the actor was aghast to learn that his part had been abruptly chopped. The actor’s absence at the music launch in May, compounded the speculation that there was something awry between the actor and the director.
Ratnam denies trimming the actor’s role: “Govinda’s role has shaped up amazingly in context of the storyline.”

When asked why he cast the actor in the forest officer’s role, Ratnam explains, “Sometimes we cast faces against the image. When you’re putting the cast together, you realise that for a certain role with limited screen time, a star will be essential because he or she can add meat to the character. Govinda easily blended into his character.”

Ratnam points out that one has to see the film to understand his perspective behind his casting. “Govinda put in an extra effort and made the role interesting despite its screen duration. He makes a considerable impact with his performance,” the filmmaker adds.

A source close to the film says that since Raavan was shot approximately in 200 days and every actor’s role was reduced a little to maintain the flow and rhythm of the story. “Govinda is known to speak his mind. If he had to make an issue, he would have addressed it to Mani sir. But he seemed pleased.”

According to an industry source, Govinda was overheard telling his friends at the IIFA Weekend in Colombo that he had heard great trade reports of Raavan. “He had said that he was looking forward to seeing it. He even made statements there about his wonderful experience of working with ‘Mani Sir’,” adds our source.

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Rockstar Kapoor

Other than his interview in Filmfare's latest edition, Ranbir Kapoor has been out of news for quite some time. So what has Ranbir been upto these days? The young star has been learning the guitar and preparing for his role in Imtiaz Ali's next venture, Rockstar. Ranbir is working hard at his residence in Bandra to get the basics right. He wants to get the attitude and nuaces of a rockstar in place. With such conviction we're sure he'll pull of the role of a Rockstar without pulling out any guitar strings!

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What's with the Bandana?

Arjun rampal must be enjoying the success of his latest film Raajneeti. In fact he has also recived some rave reviews for the same. But, if you're wondering why he has been sporting a bandana to all the raajneeti promotional events it's because he has gone bald for his new look in Ra.One. He has been asked not to reveal the look and keep it a surprise for the audience.
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Sarah Thompson moving to Bollywood

After Barbara Mori in Kites another foreign beauty is all set to try her luck in Bollywood. Sarah Thompson who plays Ranbir Kapoor's American girlfriend in Raajneeti is brushing up her Hindi skills ahead of moving to Mumbai.
"When I started working on Raajneeti I knew no Hindi. That was okay. I had to play a girl who doesn't know any Hindi and all I had to do was mutter a smattering of bad Hindi."
But now Sarah has got herself a Hindi teacher. "I want to make a career in Bollywood. For that I need to know the language. So I got myself a teacher. Ab mujhe Hindi bolne aati hai."
She gushes, "I love India and love Indian films. Mumbai reminds me of New York. The same energy and bustle and now I want to be part of it."
This is Sarah's third visit to India. "I came the first time to India to shoot in Bhopal for Raajneeti and then I came to dub for the film. Now I'm back for the release, and I'm nervous and anxious, yeah! I want to do more Bollywood films, and yes I am shifting to Mumbai."
This time Sarah has come laden with a wish-list of Bollywood directors she wants to work with. "I want to meet Vishal Bhardwaj and Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra. In fact I am meeting Rakeysh Mehra shortly. I saw Rang De Basanti'and I said to myself, 'Why couldn't I have played the British girl in the film?' I've seen Vishal Bhardwaj's Kaminey twice. He's another Bollywood director I really want to work with."
Sarah admits she had not heard of Prakash Jha when he offered her the role in Raajneeti.
"But when I met him and he narrated the role of Ranbir Kapoor's American girlfriend to me I knew I had to do it. He gave me his Gangaajal and Apaharan to watch. And that's how I was introduced to a totally new facet of Bollywood," she said.
"Before watching Prakashji's films I thought Bollywood meant singing and dancing. Here was a gritty realistic cinema that I certainly wanted to be part of," she added.

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SRK to star in Anurag Basu's next?

Anurag Basu’s Kites, starring Hrithik Roshan may have bombed at the box office, but he sure hasn’t given up and is already working on his next film Silence with Ranbir Kapoor. What’s more! If sources are to be believed the director may next be working with King Khan.
According to a source, the two share common interests and have discussed cinema at length. SRK is believed to have liked Basu’s work and his different takes on cinema and is even open to experimenting.
“Both have shown keen interest in working together. Finally, a proper meeting was arranged between the two and they have finalised a script,” revealed the source to Mumbai Mirror.
Although Khan is currently busy with his film Ra.One and Basu with Silence, the two are said to be working on their next venture’s script already. Ra.One is a special effects film, unlike SRK’s usual genre and Basu is still looking for a replacement for the role Katrina Kaif opted out of.
After he is done with Silence and Shah Rukh finishes Ra.One, they will get going with their project,” adds the source. It is believed that SRK’s company Red Chillies Entertainment will be producing the film.

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Rajneeti takes huge opening - biggest of the year!

Reviews are mixed, but the film has worked really well with audiences all over!!

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Rajneeti Super Strong Start Kites Crashes

Saturday 5th June 2010 09.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network

Rajneeti opened to excellent houses of 85% plus across the country. The film was strong from its first shows at multiplexes and single screens and at many centres in places like CP Berar, CI and Rajasthan it had a phenomenal opening. The multiplex release of Rajneeti was much smaller than recent biggies like Housefull and Kites. Rajneeti should emerge a big winner at the box office.

Kites crashed in week two with around 6.75 crore nett business. The two week business is around 46.50 crore nett and the film will not add much over its remaining run at the theatres. FLOP

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Raajneeti Rocks The Nation

Saturday 5th June 2010 13.00 IST
Boxofficeindia.Com Trade Network

Raajneeti has recorded by far the best opening of year by collecting nearly 10.50 crore nett on its first day. The collections are just extraordinary all over barring a few centres.

The collections are just huge in Mumbai, Delhi/UP, East Punjab, CP Berar, CI and Rajasthan with South being good but lower comparatively. The Raajneeti first day is humungous as it has collected the second highest first day total but with 30% lesser shows at multiplexes than films like Kites and Housefull which were the second and third biggest first day openers respectively before Raajneeti.

The film has simply surpassed all expectations and may be on its way to being the first big smash hit of 2010 in India.

The beginning of Kalyug - Raajneeti!

Prakash Jha's films are political, usually on explosive subjects, and rooted in the hinterland. His return to movie making after several years still had Ajay Devgan (except somewhere along the way Ajay dropped an "a" to become Devgn), the film was still on a political subject, and non-metro in focus. Despite by Bihari roots, I am not a huge fan of the earlier Jha films, so I did not have many expectations from Raajneeti.

It was amply clear that Rajneeti would have many elements of the epic Mahabharata once the son born out of wedlock (Karn) was abandoned to be picked up and adopted by a lower-caste couple. However, this is not an exact re-telling of the epic in a modern setting, though much is retained. The battle for political power between two brothers and their progeny is at the heart of this tale, replete with the older getting handicapped, the banishment of the progeny of the younger brother, and the siding of the bastard with the enemies of his half-brothers! But also mixed in is a tale of political intrigue, machinations, explosions, and assassinations. Some parallels to the Godfather are apparent, as is the most obvious parallel to the Gandhi family! Here we have two brothers instead of 5, and the older dies a violent death in a blast. Then his wife picks up the reins of power after his death. Raajneeti is a taut thriller with a relentless pace through the first half, that takes an abrupt turn into a game of political chess with checks after checks in the second half. The pace does slacken and the tale gets a little more outlandish in the latter third of the film, but not enough to let the interest flag.

There are enough deaths and attempted deaths to hint at utter lawlessness in the state that is the arena for this story. But the storyteller's prerogative directs that he tell the story in his own way, creating a reality that he draws us into, while not necessarily creating a "REAL" reality. After all a paralyzed party president would not wield power for months after his incapacitation, nor would elected politicians expect their seat to be inherited. The best way to enjoy Raajneeti is to simply let go of preconceived notions, put aside all thoughts of the Mahabharata and the Indian constitutions and plunge headlong into the story being spun by Mr. Jha and co-writer Anjum Rajabali. This is Raajneeti after all, where women are mere pawns in the game, and where men fight lawfully and illegally, with fists and guns and bombs, and sometimes simply with a quiet statement that pulls the carpet out from under the opponent's feet.

The characters are all shades except white, and the game is a simple one - to win at all costs. The seemingly innocent are not, and most of the conniving is behind the scenes by three of the quietest characters in the film - Nana Patekar, Ajay Devgn and Ranbir Kapoor. The firebrands are Manoj Bajpai and Arjun Rampal, yet they are constantly manipulated by the quiet ones. The women are place holders until we see the alliance between Prithvi Pratap (Arjun Rampal) and Indu (Katrina Kaif), and the setting up of a successor in Indu. However, Jha does present us women with political ambitions. Thus Bharati (Nikhila Tirkha) is a leftist activist influenced by Naseeruddin Shah, Shruti Seth wants the Satara ka ticket, and Indu (Katrina) promises Samar (Ranbir Kapoor) that she will be a minister before he returns. The only woman with no political ambitions is Sarah (Sarah Jane Thompson), the white girlfriend of Samar Pratap. We barely get a glimpse of the woman who tends to her paralyzed husband (as Gandhari did), so she does not quite count. It is also interesting that every woman, except the "knowing and using" Shruti, ends up pregnant. However, it is only the Naseer Nikhila episode that follows a rain drenched 70s "roop tera mastana" type track, the other two are couples who have been in or have begun a committed relationship. But except for Shruti, they are more idealist and pure of heart; the blackness that envelops the menfolk, spares the women. The men start out with a conventional Kaurav badness (Veerendra Pratap - Manoj Bajpai) and Pandav goodness (Prithvi and Samar - Arjun Rampal, and Ranbir Kapoor). But while Manoj Bajpai stays in his role of all for power, and end justifying the means, the brothers rapidly turn to darker and darker shades of gray as the film progresses. Nana Patekar is an adviser and well wisher of the Pandav branch. He is a Vidur like character, as he advises the paralyzed leader to give up his powers to his younger brother, much as Vidur negotiated the transfer of power from Dhritarashtra to Pandu. But later Nana also takes on the role of Krishna and becomes an adviser to the sons Prithvi and Samar as the political battle for succession ensues. The transformation of Samar Pratap seems to happen in the span of a few minutes, but Jha uses the subtlest hints from the youngest member of his cast effectively to show the dying and then dead father, the punch to the face from a policeman, and the arrest of his elder brother. This is enough to awake the inner demons and start Samar off in a game to outmanoeuvre Veerendra Pratap and get his brother Prithvi into power. His intentions are read (and approved) by his uncle, and together they start the game of chess with Veerendra Pratap and Sooraj (the abandoned illegitimate son).

The acting by the male cast is top notch. Leading the pack we have Nana Patekar in a subtle and effective role that subdues his histrionic ability and instead brings out the most nuanced performance from him in a long time. Next comes the performance from Manoj Bajpai. He excels as the conniving and selfish Veerendra Pratap. He wants power and will not wait for it. The anger, the fits of the sullens, and the drunken episodes are all exceptionally well done. Ranbir Kapoor is going from strength to strength and here as the academic who turns into a violent schemer, he is subtle, and with the barest quiver in his cheeks or flicker of an eyelid he conveys a lot. It is not easy to shine in a cast like the one in Raajneeti, but Ranbir manages to do exactly that. Ajay Devgn does not have a big role on screen, though many of the events in the film are set into motion by him in moments not portrayed on screen. I wonder if large chunks of his role ended up on the editing table. He is intense and intense and has very few other emotions. There are two standout moments - one of extreme indecision when he cannot shoot Samar as he now knows the man is his half brother, and the other of shock and disbelief when Samar shoots him. Arjun Rampal does well as the suave Prithvi who wants to be a politician, and one can only blame Jha for turning him into a psychopath in the ending moments of the film. There is no indication in his character graph that he would take such a turn. The women do not amount to much nor do they have much of a role to talk about. The mother, Nikhila Tirkha, is just not a good actress, so her moments on screen drag the film down a bit. Shruti Seth plays the slutty party worker appropriately. Samar's girlfriend Sarah is ok, but her talking is almost like she is teaching an ESL class, enunciating each word carefully. Last but not least, Katrina Kaif is no doubt a big draw in the film, but she is also a big letdown until the final moments. Her lips are inflating at an alarming rate and soon she will not be able to talk at all. The dubbed parts are poor with little sync between lip movements (when the silicone permits movement) and what we hear, and when she does speak it hardly wows as it is supposed to.

Mr. Jha shows mastery over the crowd scenes to the point where one can feel the crush of bodies and smell the dust. This gives the large political canvas a reality that is not usually seen in such films. Enough is shown of the families, their milieu and their interactions to make the lives of these people real and not a cardboard facade. The action sequences are taut and provide thrills enough to keep the audience engaged for the almost 3 hour run time. The end of the Mahabharata signified the beginning of Kalyug, and Rajneeti shows the ugly side of politics in this Kalyug. The characters seem beyond redemption and hopeless. Then in one stroke we have the rise to power of the most idealistic among the group, a woman who wants to distinguish between good and evil, and whose hands have no blood on them. This lifts the film out of bleakness and into a realm of hope.

While thoroughly engaging, this is by no means a flawless film. The casting of Katrina Kaif is incongruous in the mix of mostly excellent actors. The mother is totally miscast....

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Raajneeti – Disappointing

One of the most awaited films this year, due mostly to the director and the stellar star cast, Raajneeti carried a lot of expectations on its shoulders. But here we are let down first and foremost by the director himself. Prakash Jha deals with too many characters in this film and in the end it turned out to be a disadvantage for him and the film. I felt a few characters should have been developed more. Ranbir Kapoor’s and Manoj Bajpai’s character were among the very well written ones. Ajay Devgn’s character too had “dome” motive in the start, but in the second half even his actions were not well justified. Katrina Kaif was hardly even there in the first half.

The major problem of Raajneeti is the scripting; Jha gave more preference to how to bring in Mahabharata in the film than to concentrating on the current politics, which should have been the main plot. The elements and characters of Mahabharata should have been add-ons. He was concentrating more on the character of Dhrithrashtra who was a less important character in Mahabharata, at least if we are only using elements of Mahabharata in a different story to tell. And Raajneeti wasn’t staying so true to Mahabharata that it should have characters like Dhrithrashtra when there are only 2 Pandavas and Dhrithrashtra has only one son.

The film turns into an unintentional comedy because of all these extra doses of Mahabharata going on and a few more scenes of poor writing. Katrina Kaif saying “I love you” to Arjun Rampal and when Ranbir/Arjun’s mother tries to tell Ajay Devgn that she is his real mother are laughable moments. And in a film which is supposed to connect with the youth, who uses words like ‘jaisth’ (meaning eldest) in the dialogs - “Tum mere jaisth putra ho.”

It also turns illogical sometimes, when you see a mother going to meet someone when she has just lost her son and hasn’t even performed the antim sanskar. The film really misses the word EMOTION. Everyone here including brother, sister, mother, father was more interested in politics than their personal relationship. It is true in politics, people are more concerned about winning and losing, but even a mother? I can’t take that. Katrina Kaif was married to Arjun Rampal because he was standing up for the post of chief minister. I don’t see why a father of a girl will sell her daughter to a person and give over 50 crores rupees as dowry; especially when her daughter is Katrina Kaif. And Katrina Kaif did not turn the match down, which again was unjustified. The script really needed more effort and even though the duration of the film was around 170 mins, it still was incomplete. Although after seeing how the things going in the film and emotional moments turning into hilarious scenes, I was happy it was left incomplete. It would have been difficult to take more.

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The Signature Item Song in Rajneeti - Ishq Barse!

Milliblog's Raajneeti (Music review), Hindi – Assorted composers

Pritam’s Bheegi si is surprisingly South Indian, like a time-tested Vidyasagar track – frothy and catchy. Aadesh Shrivastava’s Mora piya is predictable and functionally decent, getting better solely due to the exposure. Kavitha Seth’s trance version however is misuses her vocals. Shantanu Moitra delivers the soundtrack’s best – a thoroughly enjoyable, fabulously arranged item number, Ishq barse – it’s foot-tapping and has fantastic vocals by Hamsika Iyer. Wayne Sharpe’s Dhan dhan dharti starts off like Vande Mataram and goes on to soar beautifully; Sonu’s version aces Shankar Mahadevan’s, incidentally. For a four composer, four song soundtrack, Raajneeti is unexpectedly good!

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New RaJNEETI dialog promo!

Much more of the complex story is revealed here. I LIKE!

Raajneeti Preview And Stills

Coming up on June 4th is Prakash Jha's epic film Raajneeti. Epic in scope and in story, the film required the director to assemble an all star cast of some of the finest actors in Hindi cinema including: Manoj Bajpai, Naseeruddin Shah, Ajay Devgan, Nana Patekar, Arjun Rampal, Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor.

Synopsis: Raajneeti is a story about Indian politics. About Indian democracy. About Indian elections. Above all, it is the story of a few people who control the destiny of millions. It is the story of their unstoppable ambition, and their bitter and violent battle to achieve it. This is the story of people who understand power - and know how to wield it at will.

It is the story of Bhasker Sanyal (Naseeruddin Shah), the fire-brand leftist leader, as feared for his single-handed ability to challenge the most powerful of leaders as he was respected for his political integrity. Until one private mistake of his hurtled him into a self-imposed exile and spawned a secret consequence that shook the destiny of the political future of the state.

And of Sooraj (Ajay Devgan) who rose from the backward classes - with anger in his heart and leadership on his mind. And yet, his destiny could never overcome the tragedy of his birth, trapping him in a terrible dilemma where his loyalty to his friend threatens to destroy his own family.

Of Brij Gopal (Nana Patekar), who shunned every political ambition even as he continued to mentor and guide the younger generation of leaders while the battle got bloodier by the day.

It is the story of Prithvi Pratap (Arjun Rampal), heir to a powerful political legacy and impatient to seize the top position. A man with a heart of gold but who is all brawn. A man whose uncontrollable passions bring his family to the brink of political extinction.

And of Veerendra Pratap (Manoj Bajpai), whose lunge at the throne was thwarted even as he was within striking distance of it. A man who believes he was born to rule, and who will now stop at absolutely nothing to claw his way back to the top.

Of Indu Sakseria (Katrina Kaif), the princess - beautiful, passionate, arrogant. She had only one all-consuming love. Little did she know that her personal happiness was dependent on the changing electoral fortunes of her love, and that even a slight shift in the faultlines of political negotiation would cause a devastating earthquake in her personal life. And yet, this spirited never-say-die diva rose from the ashes of her tragedy to challenge every contender, over-turning the political future of the state.

Of Sarah Jean Collins (Sarah Thompson), who came from one of the bloodiest and most violent places on earth. Who escaped from there, bruised, hurt, and fell in love with a soul-mate who shared a similar legacy. And her abhorrence for it. And yet, when he was sucked into his destiny, this innocent bewildered girl's private world was thrown asunder.

And, it is the story of Samar Pratap (Ranbir Kapoor), the ultimate outsider. The apolitical conscientious objector, who got reluctantly sucked into the battle-ravaged arena of family rivalry. Only to turn into a master of the craft of political warfare. It is the story of the woman that he loved, and the one that loved and lost him. It is the story of his determined and fierce fight to protect his family. Of the bloodiest of final battles in a war alien to his character.It is the story of a man's descent into the moral hell that is Indian politics.

It is the story of a fiercely fought election campaign, where money-power and corruption are the accepted norms, and where treachery and manipulation are routinely used weapons. As the personal drama of these conflict-ridden characters unfolds against this gritty backdrop, love and friendship become mere baits, and relationships get sacrificed at the altar of political alignments. The darkness that rises from their souls threatens to envelope all that they hold precious. Until eventually, in the crescendo of increasing violence, the line between good and evil blurs, making it impossible to distinguish heroes from villains.

Raajneeti is the story of Indian democracy. And its ugly underside. It is about politics. And beyond.

Samar Pratap: "The outsider, who overturned every rule of the game"

Sooraj Kumar: "The underdog, whose game-plan stunned the rulers"

Prithviraj Pratap: "The challenger, who staked his life for power"

Bhaksar Sanyal: The revoltionary, who mysteriously disappered"

Brij Gopal: "The mentor, who fought the battle without weapons"

Veerenda Pratap: "The inheritor, who believed power was his birthright"

Sarah Jean Collins: "The innocent, who asked for nothing and lost everything"

Indu Pratap: "The diva, who was forced into the battlefield"

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Ranbir Kapoor unplugged!

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Within two-and-a-half years of being in the industry, he has emerged on the top with the sheer strength of his performance, charisma and sex appeal.  To add to that, he’s also a hit with brands that are queuing up to sign him on as their ambassador. But recently, Ranbir Kapoor turned down two endorsements. While one is a denim company, the other is a big name in suiting and shirting. 

 

Apparently, the money for the suiting endorsement wasn’t good enough. And the other brand was a not-too-expensive low-end label in denim. “Akshay Kumar is the ambassador for the high-end range and his contract with the company is still going good. Not pleased with the deal, Ranbir preferred to walk out. Considering that he’s getting good positioning with other brands, why should he opt for less?” says a source in the advertising circuit.

The price ‘Game’It is believed that Kapoor charges six to eight crore, per brand, per year. The latest news is that Pepsi, the brand that he has signed on after it parted ways with Shah Rukh Khan, has spent an unprecedented Rs 35 crore on their newest campaign, The Game. At a conference to announce The Game, which goes on air today, Punita Lal, executive director, Marketing, PepsiCo India, admitted, “We’ve spent the highest amount of money on this campaign, something that we haven’t spent on any star’s campaign before.” 

Ask the Youngistan ambassador if he’s flattered to have replaced SRK who endorsed the brand for over a decade and he says, “Not at all. I don’t think I’ve replaced anyone. I grew up watching Shah Rukh Khan’s films and ads. That’s when I started loving the brand. He is a huge superstar. I’m just taking his legacy forward. Seeing all that he’s done for the brand and all that the brand has done for him, I’m just making whatever contribution I can.”

Prep talk
Though the the campaign’s budget could easily produce a film, Kapoor says that he doesn’t think the money is riding on him. “The Game is a concept that is entertaining and engaging. It involves gaming, something I haven’t seen in any ad. They are taking a risk and pushing boundaries,” he says, adding that he feels the responsibility of the campaign on his shoulders.

Known to prepare for every role, Kapoor reveals that he did his homework for this one too: “Apart from working on the look of the character, I also had to ensure that my movements were swift despite the harness. It’s also the first time that I’ve used it and it’s not easy making body movements smoothly. One shouldn’t say, ‘Oh, he’s taken the support of the harness.’ We did a lot of rehearsals and I’m glad we got the desired results.”

Action role play
Point out to him that he seems to be doing more action in the campaign than in his movies so far and he agrees. “Yes, I’ve only romanced heroines so far. This is the first time I’m doing some really slick action. I also see it as a preparation to do some good action films in the future. Since the commercials are about 20-odd seconds each, the action is not as extensive as it would be in a film. Nonetheless, it was a lot of fun,” he exults.

When asked whether we’ll hear of him being flooded with action roles after his thrill-a-minute campaign, Kapoor says he’s hopeful. “As an actor, I must dabble in every genre. Since I haven’t got an action film yet, I look forward to doing one. Hopefully, I’ll get some good action roles in the coming months,” he enthuses. 

I don’t want to get typecast: Ranbir KapoorYour trend of doing a mixed bag of films continues this year too...
Yes. My next release is Prakash Jha’s Rajneeti, a political thriller with an ensemble cast. Then, there’s Anjana Anjani, directed by Siddharth Raj Anand with Priyanka Chopra. I’ll soon be starting Imtiaz Ali’s film, tentatively titled, Rock Star. Then I have a movie with Anurag Basu, where I’m playing a deaf and mute character. 

 

You must have learnt a lot about the deaf and the mute while working as Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s assistant for Black...
Absolutely. We visited the Helen Keller institute in Vashi, got some exposure on how they live. The character is a normal guy with this disability. 

I’m putting the same amount of preparation and hard work for Imtiaz’s film, for which I’m getting the nuances right to play a Delhi ‘Jaath’ boy and also learning to play the guitar. I have to get the body language and the flavour of the character right as well. Every film requires a certain amount of prep work. That makes the character believable and relatable for the audience. They can connect with you because they have seen such characters in their lives, so they enjoy watching the story even more.

You’re also very selective and careful about the kind of movies you do...
That’s my right as an actor. I don’t think I can multi-task on many films at the same time. When I’m working on one film at a time, I can give it my all, which is needed since cinema is changing and progressing continuously. Besides, I can’t think two characters at a time. 

Talk was that your father, Rishi Kapoor, was planning to direct a movie with you under the family banner, RK Films.
That was just a rumour. Whenever my dad wants to direct, it will be under the RK banner, no doubt. And of course, I’d love to act in it.

Your romantic films have done better than others. Is that a coincidence since your father had a romantic hero’s image?
Frankly, I don’t want to get typecast. I’m 27. I want to do roles that I think I can carry off convincingly. Wake Up Sid was a coming-of-age film and I don’t think Rocket Singh was a romantic film either. Saawariya was, to a certain extent, while Ajab Prem Ki Ghajab Kahaani was more of a comedy. Yes, romance is something I’ve grown up watching and something I’m interested in doing. I guess every actor goes through a phase and right now, I’m going through one, where these kinds of subjects interest me. 

You started as an assistant director, so it’s understood that you will direct a movie too…
I do aspire to be a director some day. I’m very passionate about filmmaking. But first, I have to consolidate myself as an actor, before my family lets me step behind the camera. It’s very important for a director to have something to tell. If he doesn’t have a story to tell, I don’t think he should make a movie. 

Do you feel the pressure of being heralded as the superstar of your generation?
I don’t feel the pressure, because I don’t pay any attention to it. I wake up, go to work and come back home. I love the fact that I’ve been a part of good films, under great directors and wonderful co-actors. I feel humbled by the way people perceive me. 

On Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif and Priyanka Chopra...
That does bother me. I think it’s unfair to the girl, her family and also to me and my family…. That creates a perception in people’s minds: ‘Okay, so this person might be like this and that..’ But that’s not true. More than half the things you read and hear about yourself is fabricated. I’m not saying everything is, but yes, most of it is. 

I’m saying it’s reached the point where I label it terrorism, because it terrorises us.I feel scared to read the papers in the morning, worrying what’s written in them today. I truly feel that people should be talking more about our work than our personal lives.

On the Kishore Kumar biopic...
Honestly, I think I’ve been fortunate in that case. My dad never really had a particular style; he’s quite a natural actor. And you can’t compare spontaneity. 

When an actor has a particular style, and his son makes his debut, people say that the son has his father’s style.

My dad is a natural on screen, that’s something I learnt from him, yes, but I’ve never copied him per se.  There were lots of expectations during Saawariya; there was a lot of pressure. But I didn’t see it because I’m very passionate about being an actor, being in the movies. 

The fact that I can be a part of it, I can work in such interesting films that I’m working on, feels great.

On parental guidance and advice...

 Even though my parents have been in the industry, they don’t give me any direct advice. They do share their experiences, but have never forced any opinion on how to do this and how not to do that. They let me learn from my mistakes and grow as a person, they let me enjoy my success and also take the blame for my failure. If I’ve done something wrong, they tell me that it was wrong and point out he reasons. They also assert that I’ve grown up and I have the right to make my own decisions.

Although they don’t talk too much about the rumours they read or hear, I can sense that it does embarrass them. I share a very friendly rapport with them and like everyone else, my parents too understand everything, but don’t always show that they are embarrassed.

Rocket Singh Bloopers and Deleted Scenes

Ranbir Kapoor In 'Lift Kara De'

Ranbir may play Kishore Kumar in biopic

If all goes well, it will be Ranbir Kapoor who will play Kishore Kumar in a biopic on the late singer. Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevision had been planning the biopic for quite a while now and even had a team of writers working on the script. Last week, Ranbir Kapoor was flying to Delhi for a conclave when he met one of the writers. The writer nabbed the opportunity and narrated the script to him. Ranbir was much impressed and informed the production house that he approved the story. However, he would agree to star in the biopic only if he was happy with the director they choose for the film and if there are no date issues.

Several filmmakers, including Nagesh Kukunoor, Shashank Ghosh, Sudhir Mishra and Shoojit Sircar had been planning a biopic on the late singer.

LINK

Prakash Jha spices up Rajneeti with new scenes

Director Prakash Jha is hell bent on making his forthcoming film a complete entertainer. He recently did a certain amount of spicing up by shooting some scenes with the lead pair Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif.
On Monday Ranbir and Katrina did some additional shooting for Raajneeti at Mona Shourie's Future Studios long after their dates for the film had dried up.
"We did some patchwork shooting on Monday, close-ups, etc. Yes. It's for the betterment of the end-product. We all want Rasjneeti to be a big success. Katrina and Ranbir have surrendered themselves completely to the project and will do whatever is required," Jha told IANS.
And the hit jodi is more than willing to shoot extra days to ensure the product gets them maximum attention. Ranbir, just back from Las Vegas rushed to the shooting. Closeups and continuity shots were shot with the duo.

Read more from HERE

News of the day - Ranbir deaf and mute?

Ranbir Kapoor exercised his vocal chords for Anjaana Anjaani. Music directors Vishal-Shekhar have been deliriously happy with Ranbir's singing abilities and plan to rope in Priyanka Chopra to playback in the film as well. Meanwhile, we have heard that Ranbir is playing a deaf and mute character in the yet untitled project helmed by Anurag Basu.

http://www.filmfare.com/articles/ranbir-goes-deaf-and-dumb-for-anurag-basu-369.html
OUR TAKE - why Ranbir? Why the DVD xeroxing Anurag Basu?

Akshay-Suniel-Paresh out of Hera Pheri 4
This may come as a shocker but sources reveal that director Anees Bazmee has decided to do away with the original cast of Hera Pheri. Instead of Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal of the original Priyadarshan venture, the film will now have Sanjay Dutt, Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar anchoring the roles.

http://www.filmfare.com/articles/akshaysunielparesh-out-of-hera-pheri-4-370.html
OUR TAKE - maybe it will not be so stale anymore?


Rahman and I share a silence, an ehsaas
So Sonu deliberately ‘hiked’ his price to distance himself. “Instead of doing 50 songs a month I decided to do just two songs. The rest of the time I wanted to spend in silence and in seeking who I am,” he says adding, “Music composers today have understood that money lies in events. So they have either started singing songs themselves or giving songs to
those who will perform in their shows. The entire game has changed. Composers come to me only for special songs, barring a few like Sajid-Wajid, Shantanu Moitra and A R Rahman with whom I have worked consistently.” Interestingly, Sonu and Rahman, both dubbed as soul-searchers, are not really comrades in conversation. “We share a silence of sorts. He knows that I know what he knows. He is quite like me — detached from things. We meet each other cordially, we do the song and I leave. We don’t connect via emails or talk on the phone. I think it’s good this way. Rahman and I just share an ehsaas (feeling),” Sonu decodes the equation.

http://www.filmfare.com/articles/sonu-niigam-rahman-and-i-share-an-ehsaas-371.html
OUR TAKE - stop trying to be a rock star Sonu, and just sing!!


http://www.filmfare.com/articles/sneak-peek-rann-374.html
MOST INTERESTING PICTURES! Can Ramu prevent it from spinning out of control?

Raajneeti Trailer