Akshaya Kumar and Twinkle Khanna at 'CNBC Consumer Awards'

Abhishek Bachchan in Big Boss House

Abhishek Bachchan was seen on the set of TV reality show "Big Boss-2", with the actress and host of the show Shilpa Shetty. The Jr. Bachchan received a heartwarming welcome when he entered the Bigg Boss house as a surprise guest. It is scheduled that Abhishek Bachchan would temporarily intermingle with either Rahul Mahajan or Raja Chaudhary whoever may be evicted from the show for a shorter scale of time.

Stars Align at 6th Annual Teen Vogue Young Hollywood Party

They are the upcoming stars of Hollywood that everyone is talking about, and the last night Selena Gomez, Rumer Willis, Bar Refaeli, Aly and AJ Michalka were all chilling at the 6th Annual Teen Vogue Young Hollywood Party.

"Taare Zameen Par" - India’s Entry for Oscar

It took a little more than talent for actor Aamir Khan to back - produce, direct and act - a film like Taare Zameen Par, a movie with a unique concept, that of dyslexia!

The jury set up by Film Federation of India (FFI) has announced that Aamir Khan’s directorial debut movie ‘Taare Zameen Par’ will be India’s official entry for the Oscar award for the best foreign film, the jury announced here Saturday.

"Welcome to Sajjanpur" Movie Review

Cast: Shreyas Talpade, Amrita Rao, Ravi Kishen
Direction: Shyam Benegal
Music Director: Shantanu Moitra
Critics rating: ***
Release Date: September 19, 2008

SHYAM Benegal's been to the Indian village, long years ago. Then, at the helm of the parallel film movement, he had given us films like Ankur , Nishant , showcasing the seamier side of rural India. The films still remain milestones in celluloid history. Benegal goes back to the village once again, this time with a breezy outlook and a buoyant tone. Of course, you do miss the stark realism and the social concerns of his earlier films. But hey, hasn't the national mood changed too? Isn't India several notches higher on the global happiness index. So smile. Sajjanpur's sweet, simple, sylvan bliss, where widows still aren't allowed to be remarried...but that's just a fleeting reference; where superstition, ritualism still rule...but that's funny, not sad; where politics and governance is a messy business...but that's comic business. So what if India's foremost filmmaker who pioneered hard-hitting realism in films is now somewhat soft and flossy; at least he's still around, unlike most of his contemporaries.

Hence, the importance of Welcome to Sajjanpur , a light-hearted sojourn into an archetypal gaon that's on the fringe of modernity. The leader of this pastoral pack is Shreyas Talpade, the educated postman who dreams of being a writer and writes letters instead. And as he pens postcards for the bunch of illiterate villagers, he gives us a peep into their lives. Like a master craftsmen, Benegal not only introduces you to the sundry characters -- the child widow, the abandoned wife, the harried mother, the corrupt neta, the romantic compounder -- he also helps you connect with them. You almost wish the postmaster's love story reaches a happy end, even as you hope the seductive widow finds her soulmate.

It's simple, uncomplicated storytelling that leaves a smile on your face.

News Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

'1920' Movie Review

Cast: Adah Sharma, Rajneesh Duggal
Direction: Vikram Bhatt
Music Director: Adnan Sami
Critics rating: **1/2
Release Date: September 12, 2008

INDIAN filmmakers seem to have mastered almost all the genres by now, yet horror still remains the untamed giant. Rarely do we get to see a real goosebump affair in desi cinema.

After his successful supernatural thriller, Raaz, Vikram Bhatt returns to the darna-zaroori-hai kinda cinema in 1920. Sadly, the Boo! monster still remains untamed, since Bhatt scores, but only in bits and places.

He is primarily let down by the corny script which catapults the film to the British Raj and uses the nationalist movement to provide a twist in the tale.

The aura of pre-independence patriotism is completely faux and the sacrifices of a desh-bhakt virgin juxtaposed against the treachery of a long-haired baaghi (rebel) are awkward and almost comic.

The story of the young couple (Rajneesh Duggal and Adah Sharma) who move into the haunted mansion where the drama unfolded a few years ago also begins on a false note. Rajneesh rescues his fiancee from a burning jeep and a bunch of belligerent family-wallahs and horse-rides his way into the spooky house with his new bride.

The film picks up only when the bride begins to hear strange noises and see spectres which soon possess her and transform her into a desi Linda Blair (of Exorcist fame).

She rolls up her eyes, speaks like a man, flings people around, eats raw flesh, crawls up pillars and generally keeps you glued to your seats....until the ear-shattering climax. Again,a shoddy affair.

Watch the film for the chilling second half and for its aesthetics. Some of the frames are truly artistic. As for the debut pair, while Adah Sharma delivers a consummate performance, Rajneesh Duggal is uninspiring and one dimensional.

News Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

'The Last Lear' Movie Review

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Arjun Rampal
Direction: Rituparno Ghosh
Critics rating: **1/2
Release Date: September 12, 2008

BASED on Utpal Dutt's classic play, Aajker Shahenshah, The Last Lear is a sad example of how adaptation can sometimes scuttle a good script and transform a landmark theatrical experience into flawed cinema. The film only works for Amitabh Bachchan aficionados who can savour the desi bard bellowing out the best of Shakespeare in his characteristic baritone.

The actor still manages to create magic moments on the screen as he portrays the arrogance and the naked need of a has-been actor who believes he is always good, simply because he can never be bad. Yet, he clings desperately to his last chance to display histrionics and is even ready to grovel before the filmmaker for his famous last shot.

The film traces the resurrection of Harry (Amitabh), a retired actor who lives in a dimly-lit house with memories of a glorious past, until he is pulled out of anonymity by Sid (Arjun Rampal), the avant garde filmmaker who wants to make a realistic film.

After some drunken camaraderie, Harry consents to play the clown in the movie and forges a friendship with both the director and the lead actress, Preity Zinta. But, when the curtains go up, and the accolades begin to pour in after the premier, Harry is back behind the tightly shut blinds of his house and the show simply goes on: ruthlessly, selfishly, unkindly.

It's a poignant story that loses most of its bite because of the rambling screenplay and the unnecessary subplot about emotionally battered women and feminist wailing.

Preity Zinta, Shefali Shah and Divya Dutta form a chest-beating sisterhood that consumes most of the screen time with their pointless tales of emotional abuse.

Also, the story is told by a narrator who gives a whiny voice-over that rids the film of all its subtlety. Add to this, the unconvincing climax, and you have a film that becomes watchable, here and there: when Arjun Rampal and Amitabh Bachchan indulge in creative banter.

News Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Upcoming Attraction - Amitabh Bachchan and Preity Zinta in 'The Last Lear'

Hollywood's Most Overpaid Movie Stars

One of the most anticipated movies of the upcoming fall season is Australia, Baz Luhrmann's epic mash note to his home country, which stars Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman as Outback lovers. Kidman, more than anyone, is likely hoping it's a hit. Despite winning an Oscar for her performance in 2002's The Hours, Kidman has become the most overpaid celebrity in Hollywood.

According to our second annual ranking of the most (and least) bankable actors in Hollywood, Kidman's films earn a mere $1 for every dollar Kidman was paid, compared with $8 in 2007. The Invasion, a second remake of the 1956 classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers, actually lost $2.68 for every dollar Kidman earned.

To compile our list, we looked at each star's last three films that opened wide before Jan. 1 (in order to give each film time for a DVD release). We didn't count animated movies, supporting roles or anyone consistently earning under $5 million per movie.

To calculate our payback figures, we took half of each film's worldwide box office (to roughly approximate the studio's cut of each ticket). Then we added the first three months of DVD revenues and subtracted the budget to derive the film's gross income. After that, the actor's total compensation (upfront pay plus any money earned from sharing in the film's profits) was divided into the gross income to get the actor's payback figure for the film. The payback for the last three movies for each actor was averaged to calculate ultimate payback. We deliberately used gross income rather than net income in our analysis because the latter figure is so easily manipulated by studio accountants, with marketing expenses treated differently for almost every film.

Our list of the top 10 overpaid celebrities is rife with some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Tom Cruise ranks third with a $4 return for every dollar he was paid mostly because of last year's stinker Lions for Lambs, which Cruise's studio, United Artists, produced. For every dollar the star earned the film returned only $1.88.

Cameron Diaz may be the highest-paid actress in Hollywood, with $50 million in income between June 2006 and June 2007, but studios might want to question whether she's worth the money. Her films returned a lowly $4 for every dollar Diaz earned.

In general, actors who earned under $10 million per picture did better on our list. The one exception was Jennifer Garner. Her recent big-budget films, like The Kingdom and Catch and Release, have underperformed at the box office so badly that even her low salary couldn't offer a good return on investment. For every dollar Garner was paid to star in the 2006 romantic comedy Catch and Release, the film earned 34 cents.

Aussie Russell Crowe wins this year's award for most improved. The actor was the most overpaid celebrity last year, earning movies like Cinderella Man $5 for every dollar he was paid. (Kidman came in second.) This year Crowe was the 18th best earner on our list with a return of $6.88 for every dollar he earned.

The bump can be attributed to last year's American Gangster, which grossed $265 million in worldwide box office. Crowe returned a healthy $10.80 for every dollar he was paid on the film, bringing his ultimate payback number up to $6.88. Countryman Kidman could use a little of that good mojo this fall.

Source: Forbes.com

Vanessa Hudgens on September 2008 'Teen Vogue's Cover'

Anna Kournikova - September 2008 Maxim Hot

Anna Kournikova - Sizzling Hot For Maxim Magazine

Source: http://www.maxim.com

'Chamku' Movie Review

Cast: Bobby Deol, Priyanka Chopra
Direction: Kabir Kaushik
Music Director: Monty Sharma
Critics rating: **1/2
Release Date: August 29, 2008

OKAY, so Hindi films find a new hero this time. He's the naxalite who first kills the corrupt state agents and then ends up killing for the state. Now that's quite a bold step for Bobby Deol who decides to don a different role as Chamku, the favourite lieutenant of a Pushkin-reading Danny Denzongpa who talks of class conflict and revolution from his secret adda in the dense jungles.

The film begins on a promising note with some imaginative frames capturing the action as Bobby goes about his business with deadpan glee. But midway, you realise the Naxalbari was just a convenient ploy to package the same old formula of an action hero who is out to avenge the death of his father. Chamku was actually a happy village boy who saw his father being shot by the local thakur and could never rest happy ever after. Not even when he finds the chiffon-clad school madam (Priyanka Chopra) who sings Yippie-Yippie, whenever she sees him. Strangely, she never knows what her brooding beau actually does, even though he keeps disappearing for covert missions for his new boss (Irrfan Khan).

The problem with Chamku is its disjointed script and its relentless flashbacks which mar a film that could have tread new ground. Although, we do laud the attempts of the Deol Inc to turn to serious cinema.

News Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

'Mukhbir' Movie Review

Cast: Sameer Dattani, Raima Sen, Om Puri
Direction: Mani Shankar
Critics rating: **1/2
Release Date: August 29, 2008

SHADES of The Departed , did we say? Well, Sameer Dattani does a Leonardo Di Caprio here as he infiltrates a terrorist gang to help the assiduous cop (Om Puri) nab them before their bombs go boom.

The film does have its moments, specially when the hapless young infiltrator is forced to prove his loyalty in some nerve-wracking sequences. Rahul Dev essays the role of the terrorist with credible menace, but it is Om Puri who walks away with the applause as the cop who tries to clean up the system, even though he knows it's a deadly game.

Eventually however, it is the multiplicity of plots and subplots that act as a dampener and transform the film into a somewhat rambling investigation into the state's counter-terrorism programmes.

News Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

'C Kkompany' Movie Review

Cast: Tusshar Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Raima Sen
Direction: Sachin Yardi
Critics rating: *
Release Date: August 29, 2008

THREE losers -- Tusshar Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Rajpal Yadav -- form a fictitious underworld gang to solve their personal problems. But soon, the gang ends up as the popular trouble-shooter for the aam aadmi who tries to solve his paani, bijli , pension problems by appealing to the Counterfeit Kkompany.

Munnabhai, anyone? Only, this one is such a pale-pale attempt to create a desi Robin Hood, it almost makes you cry. Actually, this one's hardly a film. Instead, it's more like a promo for Balaji Inc, where all the big and small stars from Ekta Kapoor's factory keep parading up and down, for no reason at all. And if that's not enough, there's the czarina herself trying her hand at emoting. Bad job.

News Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

'Rock On' Movie Review

Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Prachi Desai, Arjun Rampal, Purab Kohli, Luke Kenny
Direction: Abhishek Kapoor
Music Director: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Critics rating: ****
Release Date: August 29, 2008

IF you really want to see how Bollywood has matured and come of age, then here's the perfect litmus test. For Rock On is a film that not only breaks new ground in terms of its subject matter -- now when has desi movielore ever tackled something akin to Hollywood's That Thing You Do -- it creates a whole new EQ (emotional quotient) for mainstream cinema. Of course, there is the great passion reminiscent of Dil Chahta Hai , but here, there is a poise and a restraint that portrays the friendship between four rock musicians, with all its ups and downs. The bonds are strong, but there are the dark sides too, like rivalry, physical violence, the fear of failure....Yet, no one hollers, no one screams and ever so often, you feel a tug at your heart.

The film traces the relationship between the four buddies from college days until their stagnant thirties, when the band has been disbanded due to interpersonal rivalries and the foursome has drifted apart. The lead crooner, Farhan Akhtar is an investment banker who has stuffed away the memorabilia of the past in the attic of his well-ordered house. The lead guitarist, Arjun Rampal, is a miserable man, echoing the anguish of an artiste who cannot go commercial, even if his family struggles with bread and butter concerns. Purab Kohli, the kick-ass drummer, is now selling jewellery in his father's store, while Luke Kenny is literally dying of frustration, strumming tunes for Anu Malik. It's left to Prachi Desai, Akhtar's lonely young wife, to forge a reunion and bring the band together for a final concert that almost takes your breath away and has you cheering, as you did in Chak De and Lagaan .

Surprisingly, everything falls in place in this refreshing, new film. Farhan Akhtar's vocals are absolutely fundoo, even as the foursome pitch in perfectly orchestrated performances. If you actually had to choose, then the vote would go for Arjun Rampal who displays a newfound maturity and looks absolutely groovy with his windblown hair and his guitar-strumming stance. Farhan Akhtar too is a surprise package, delivering a well nuanced portrayal of a rock star-turned-boring-yuppie. The girls, Prachi, Koel and Shahana, are riveting too.

But finally, it's the message of the film that makes it a winner. Follow your dreams and life will literally be on song!

News Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com