what we are reading – EightandHalf
No, its not the Raashee effect. He is not seeking cinema enlightenment! He is looking for an actor who can play the lead role of Gautam Buddha is his ambitious project Buddha. Sounds unbelievable ? Yes, dont panic, thats normal reaction. But it also seems true.
So, if you can act and think you can play Buddha then click here and apply for auditions. All the best!
Look what a Prince can do! He kicked us out of our cocoon! Many of you wrote to us wondering if we are dead or lost and what happened to the blog! No post since last two weeks! Thanks so much for the concern. Actually we got into Eir Bit Phatte mood. Eir was out for some family function and then went into the wild. Bir got a film to write. Yay! And Phatte quit her job and is in no mood to do anything. Blame it on mood swings! Ok, thats enough of our story. Lets go back to the Prince.
No, the Kingdom of Dreams doesnt belong to Salman Khan. Or the Bachchans who would love to kick Vivek Oberoi at any given time. Its a big multi-crore musical project and he was signed to play the lead. Click here to read more about the project.
But the actor known more for his Princegiri than his acting genes was giving a hard time to Wizcraft, organiser of the show. Complete nightmares! Finally they decided enough is enough and kicked him out of the show.
Also, the actor recently tweeted that his mentor Ram Gopal Varma saw his film Prince and congratulated him for his acting. But when we called up our spy at RGV Talkies, it seems he was LOL discussing the film, rolling his popped-out eyeballs and shaking his head violently!
Though the film got good opening but to recover its budget of Rs 40cr seems like an impossible task. And if you wondering how can the budget of a Vivek Oberoi film be Rs 40crore, well, only because they shot and reshot and shot&reshotandshot&reshotandshot more! The action director decided that since nobody want to see Vivek Oberoi (thats true!) lets focus on the stunning stunts! So, everything went overbudget! Also, if a Riteish Deshmukh film (Read Jaane Kahan Kahan Se Aaya Hai) can cost Rs 20crore, then Vivek surely deserves its double.
Not a very exciting friday if you dont count the IPL. At the movies, we are counting the scores of two films – Right Ya Wrong and Hide & Seek. Right Ya Wrong is directed by Neeraj Pathak, produced by Mukta Arta and stars Sunny Deol, Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma and Isha Koppikar. Its seems to be inspired by Hollywood film Above Suspicion. Yes, Sunny Paaji is back! So, who else is excited ?
Mayank Shekhar (HT) – Come to think of it, a film like this would’ve been infinitely more unbearable, were it for sharp performers like Irrfan, or Konkona Sen Sharma (lawyer), or even walk-on presences like Suhasini Muley, or Govind Namdeo. What a waste of talents again; I guess then! – 2/5
Rajeev Masand (CNN IBN) – Cleverly plotted and never revealing all its cards at once, the film is a smart thriller. And yet the director fails to deliver a tight, slick Bollywood entertainer on the lines of those Abbas-Mustan whodunits, because his treatment’s so archaic. Even the incredibly gifted Konkona struggles embarrassingly through a scene in which she must reveal to a young child that her parent is dead. Saddled with juvenile dialogue, fine actors like Irrfan, Sunny and Konkona are wasted in what might have otherwise been a promising film – 2/5
Taran Adarsh (Indiafm) – On the whole, RIGHT YAAA WRONG is a powerful thriller, with a knockout second half. However, the film faces strong opposition from two quarters – IPL cricket matches and the ongoing examination period. But a strong word of mouth should change the tide in its favour. Go, watch it… this one’s a pleasant surprise! – 3.5/5
Shubhra Gupta (Indian Express) – The trouble with `Right Yaa Wrong’ is that it’s not tight enough, getting derailed when the little boy comes on for his I-love-my-papa scenes, and other extraneous stuff – 2/5
Nikhat Kazmi (TOI) – more than the story, it’s the performances that add meat to this small little film which comes unnoticed. While Sunny, Isha and Konkona are marvelously restrained, it’s Irrfan Khan who walks away with the film — and your applause — with his sledgehammer act of the nosey cop who knows something’s not right, but can’t actually put his finger on the hows of this whodunit. Of course, he knows who did it? But how does he show it to the world, specially when his own sister, Konkona, is determined to prove him wrong….- 3.5/5
Preeti Arora (Rediff) – Right Yaaa Wrong tries to raise issues about duty versus loyalty. Although the movie preaches a little bit it does keep you entertained and engrossed. Try not to miss it. The impact just wouldn’t be the same on DVD – 3/5
Minty Tejpal (Mumbai Mirror) – For a typical Bollywood film, Right Yaaa Wrong has a fairly interesting story, except that the average direction and clumsy casting quite lets it down. Sunny Deol, remember him, returns as Ajay Sridhar, a deadly cop who is the ‘master of disguises’, astutely shown by the various wigs he wears through the movie -1.5/5
The other release of the week is also thriller. Hide & Seek is directed by Shawn Arranha, produced by Apoorva Lakhia and stars Purab Kohli, Mrinalini Sharma, Arjan Bajwa, Ayaaz Khan & Sameer Kocchar.
Anupama Chopra (NDTV) – The final nail in the coffin is the amateurish acting. Everyone shrieks and shakes a lot. And even otherwise reliable actors like Purab Kholi and Arjan Bajwa move into full blown hysterical mode. Hide and Seek could have been mildly diverting entertainment but it doesn’t make you scream or shiver – 2/5
Rajeev Masand (CNN IBN) – Directed by first-timer Shawn Arranha, Hide & Seek struggles to create a real sense of fear or suspense, even though the idea of setting this film in a shopping mall is a clever one. Unfortunately, the film packs only a handful of jump-in-your-seat moments, and is let down completely by amateurish dialogue and insufferable acting from its ensemble. Purab Kohli, Arjan Bajwa and Sameer Kochar, in particular, ham it up in their respective roles, and to be fair the entire production doesn’t come off looking much better than a school play – 1.5/5
Nikhat Kazmi (TOI) – The tangled web of relationships does unwind gradually to reveal undercurrents that lead towards death and denouement. And as the odd assortment of friends try to resolve their old differences, Santa Claus comes gunning for them from the dark shadows of the deserted mall. One by one, the group begins to crumble and the mystery peels, layer after layer. There’s enough pizzazz to keep the adrenalin pumping here – 3/5
Shubhra Gupta (Indian Express) – Hide and Seek’ tries to be a Bollywood slasher film, but it doesn’t have the requisite thrill-and- chill factor. Purab Kohli is the only well-known face, so he has the largest part ( he’s the one who’s been let loose from the asylum), and if you are a fan of movies in which masked figures with sharp objects go after screaming victims, all of whom manage to reveal a body part or two at all times, the better to be skewered, you will know how it will end. The end should have been a shocker. But, given the general loose tone of the film, it’s not – 1/5
Mayank Shekhar (HT) – You couldn’t care less for these characters to bother with their bumbling back-story; never mind that the nuggets in the film itself don’t eventually add up. A group in an inexplicably nightmarish mess as this would pool in resources to figure a way out first. Not these happy campers – 1.5/5
Taran Adarsh (Indiafm) – On the whole, HIDE & SEEK is a gripping suspense drama that keeps you guessing till its end. Go for it, if a good suspense thriller is what you’re looking at! – 3/5
Minty Tejpal (Mumbai Mirror) – Hide & Seek is an amateurish attempt at making a super slick slasher thriller which doesn’t quite add up. The film stars a bunch of wannabe actors and is helmed by a debutant director who tries to be too clever by half – .5/5
Ok, we are going back to the small screen this weekend. IPL seems more exciting.
Wondering who is this Ranveer Singh ? Read on. So far only the name has come out but we are waiting for more details. Anyone, any clue ?
Dont remember when was the last time they launched a new actor. They are known for working with the stars, the biggest and the best. And so the news has come as a big surprise. Cash crunch or are they genuinely looking for new talent ? Yash Raj is all set to launch a new actor called Ranveer Singh.
The film will be directed by debutant Maneesh Sharma, associate director of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi who also worked on Fanna & Aaja Nachle. Anushka Sharma will play the lead actress opposite the newcomer Ranveer Singh.
According to official press release, Ranveer is a complete fresher with no modelling or acting experience. He was selected after his very first audition, having impressed Aditya Chopra instantly. Hmmm.
The film is set in Delhi and revolves around Bittoo and Shruti. Just out of Delhi University, Shruti (Anushka Sharma) and Bittoo (Ranveer Singh) reluctantly set out on their tumultuous entrepreneurial venture. Together their friendship and business enters the ups and downs of the lavish world of the glamour and glitz of Delhi baaraats and weddings!
One more director joins the club. Tarun Mansukhani will make his acting debut in Karan Johar’s new film My Name Is Khan. The news seems to be all hush-hush so far. Strangely, his name is missing from the credit list of the film on IMDB also though the list is quite long. For surprise ? Or just cheap thrill ? Or are we going blind ?
We discovered it when we recently saw the international trailer of the film. Do check it out.
After a superb debut with Manorama Six Feet Under (though inspired/copied..whatever suits your sanity), Navdeep Singh is all set to roll his new film titled Basra. Earlier Akshaye Khanna and R Madhavan were supposed to star in it and Nikhil Advani was producing it. But now the film has a new cast and a new producer too.
Abhay Deol is not only starring in it but is also producing the film under his banner Forbidden Films. Chitrangada Singh, Shahana Goswami, Nikhil Dwivedi and Soniya Mehra (Vinod Mehra’s daughter. Debut with Anant Mahadevan’s Victoria No 203) are also part of it. TOI has confirmed the cast and got the plot details of the film. You can click here or scroll down.
It is an out-and-out action film based on the drug racket and human trafficking. Basra is an edgy and dark film. Soniya will play a teenage hippie who is involved in drugs and eventually becomes a victim of human trafficking after being kidnapped. Shahana plays a journalist, while Nikhil is a cop. It is an ensemble cast and script.
The film is an action thriller. Abhay’s role is that of a secret agent. You can call him an undercover cop who exposes the entire racket. The movie has its base in Basra, a city in Iraq, notorious for its involvement in drugs. It will be shot in Dubai, Kuwait, Delhi and Mumbai.
The title Basra was chosen as it is a city in Iraq which is apt to the subject of the film. Probably the film will also be shot in one of the cities in Iraq. The movie will go on the floors in January and most probably release by the end of next year.
With that school boy looks and kiddie way of dialogue delivery, its bit difficult to imagine Abhay Deol as a secret agent in an action thriller. Or is he also going for those six-eight-dozen packs ? The rugged look with the moustache and disheveled hair did the trick in Manorama Six Feet Under. Hopefully we will be proved wrong. We trust Singhsaab!
Santosh Sivan is the new one to join the club after Farhan Akhtar, Rituparno Ghosh, Anurag Kashyap and Hansal Mehta. Cinematographer turned director Sivan is now in front of the camera for a Malyalam film titled Makaramanju. The film is directed by Lenin Rajendran.
Sivan plays the role of renowned painter Raja Ravi Varma in the film and Karthika, yesteryear actress Radha’s daughter is the lead actress in the film. And we can bet for one thing. Sivan will be much better than Randeep Hooda in Ketan Mehta’s Rang Rasiya because atleast he knows how to hold the paint brush as he comes from a painting background. Rest we are not so sure! Take a look!
In Ram Gopal Varma’s new film Rakta Charitra based on the life of faction leader Paritala Ravi, Shatrughan Sinha is playing the role of actor turned politician N T Rama Rao. And for his part, Shartughan Sinha had to do shave off his trademark moustache! Have a look.
On his blog diary, Anurag Kashyap has announced his new film titled That Girl In Yellow Boots (TGIYB)! Its written by him and his girlfriend Kalki Koechlin and is a thriller!
He has already started shooting it and is experimenting with the newly launched Canon 7D! The film features Kalki in the lead alongwith Prashant Prakash (her co-actor in the play The Skeleton Woman) and Naseeruddin Shah. It also features other theatre actors like Gulshan Devaiyah, Pooja Swaroop, Kumud Mishra, Shiv Subramanyam and Divya Jagdale. After discovering Amit Trivedi (Aamir & Dev D), Anurag is again launching a new music director Naren Chandavarkar. Rajiv Ravi is behind the camera again!
This film is not part of Anurag’s nine film deal with UTV. Its complete indie, funded by independent producers. He has already started shooting the film and will complete it by next month.
So, what else we know ? Ahhmmmm….wwhmmm…cough cough….Plenty! But not now. Ok, it will have enough shock value, much like Dev D. And a happy ending too, much like Dev D ? Hmmmmm. Yes, ofcourse but not actually! Keep guessing till our next post.
You can read his full post here.
Its confirmed! And it cant get better!
Her debut film Luck By Chance made more headlines for casting than for anything else. After almost every actor turned down the role, she had no option but to settle for her brother Farhan Akhtar. But what a debut it was! One of the best in recent times! And finally someone put some creative thought and effort in designing the opening credits of the film. We fell in love as soon as the film started.
But it seems its the same story for her new untitled film. Ranbir Kapoor & Imran Khan intially agreed but later on backed out of it. And now Hrithik Roshan and Abhay Deol have agreed to star in her film. Ofcourse, Farhan Akhtar will also be part of it. We are waiting and how!
F.i.g.h.t C.l.u.b 
