Archive for the ‘News’ Category

And on that note will start the promotional campaign of Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer new film My Name Is Khan, whose theatrical trailer will be out this week with Avtaar. The first look of the film will be unveiled on Star Network on 16th December at 10pm. After Farah Khan’s Om Shanti Om, which was part of Berlinale Special, Karan Johar’s My Name Is Khan has been selected for the 60th Berlin Film Festival. The film will be screened in the “Out of competition” section. 

Among the other Indian films are Umesh Kulkarni’s Vihir (The Well), produced by Amitabh Bachchan’s AB Corp, and Laxmikant Shetgaonkar’s Paltadacho Munis (Man Beyond the Bridge). 

The festival will take place between February 11-21 2010 and will also have the world premiere of Martin Scorsese’s The Shutter Island and Roman Polanski’s The Ghost Writer.

Good news for the fans of R D Burman. After doing the festival rounds, the documentary on Pancham’s life titled Pancham Unmixed – Mujhe Chalte Jaana Hai finally gets a direct to dvd release. The 2 hour long film is directed by Brahmanand S Singh and features  Pancham’s friends, colleagues and admirers from the industry talking about the genius and telling tales behind all those magical numbers. Check out the trailer…

The film is packed as a double dvd set along with a coffee table book and is priced at Rs 999. The second dvd has original videos of 30 songs composed by Pancham. Here is the complete track list….

Dum Maaro Dum  – Hare Rama Hare Krishna

Gulabi Aankhein Jo Teri Dekhin – The Train

Bhali Bhali Si Ek Soorat  – Buddha Mil Gaya

Jaan-E-Jaan Dhoondhta Phir Raha – Jawani Diwani

Musafir Hoon Yaaron –  Parichay

Kaali Palak Teri Gori – Do Chor

Aao Aao Jaan-E-Jahan Dil Se  – Gomti Ke Kinare

Panna Ki Tamanna Hai – Heera Panna

Neend Chura Ke Raaton Mein – Shareef Badmash

Dil Mein Jo Baatein Hain  – Joshila

Jai Jai Shiv Shanker – Aap Ki Kasam

Bheegee Bheegee Raton Mein – Ajanabee

Tere Bina Zindagi Se –  Aandhi

O Manjhi Re Apna Kinara –  Khushboo

Ek Din Bik Jaayega Mati  – Dharam Karam

Keh Doon Tumhein Ya Chup – Deewaar

Kasme Vaade Nibhayenge Hum – Kasme Vaade

Aanewala Pal Jaanewala Hai  – Gol Maal

Rimzhim Gire Saawan – Manzil

Do Lafzon Ki Hai Dil Ki Kahani – The Great Gambler

Jahan Pe Savera Ho –  Baseraa

Nahin Lagta Hai Dil Tere Bina – Jail Yatra

Aa Dekhein Zara – Rocky

Pyar Humein Kis Mod Pe Le Aaya  – Satte Pe Satta

Tu Tu Hai Wohi Dil Ne Jise –  Yeh Vaada Raha

Ae Ri Pawan Dhundhe Kise –  Bemisal

Pyar Mein Dil Pe Maar De Goli – Mahaan

Bachke Rehna Re Baba  –  Pukar

Roz Roz Aankhon Tale  – Jeeva

Tu Rootha To Main Ro Doongi Sanam – Jawaani

The coffe table book is titled Pancham – Strings of Eternity and has some rare pics and all those anecdotes about Pancham which could not be incorporated in the film.

Go, grab your copy soon!

After Varanasi, Aamir Khan landed up in Chanderi. This time in activist avtaar, to speak for the weavers and their problems. Whats more, Kareena Kapoor also joins him. Aamir Activist Khan tries out weaving and adds a thread to the saree, to be auctioned later on. This is part of the Alternate Reality Game to promote 3 Idiots.

For Varanasi post and videos, click here. And here is the clue for the next destination…

Big B’s Big Boss will get over soon and Small B is all set to make his small screen debut. The show is titled Bingo, a reality game show to be aired soon on Colors Channel.

Though not much details is out yet but its confirmed that his freinds from the tinseltown will be part of this game show. The teaser campaign for the show will on air soon and will be promoted as Abhishek’s Aaram Classes. The website is up, check it out. 

Aamir Khan went missing and landed up in Varanasi. This is part of the reality game to promote his new film 3 Idiots. Click here to know all about the game. And click on the play button to check out the visuals, Aamir Khan in a new avtaar roaming on the streets of Varanasi, looking for his ammi ka aangan.

And here is the second clue for the next destination –

 

The first official teaser trailer of Shah Rukh Khan’s new film My Name Is Khan is out. Its directed by Karan Johar and Kajol is the lead actress. Fox Star Studios has the distribution rights of the film and so the first teaser trailer was aired on Star Network. The theatrical trailer will be out with Avatar.

Dhan Te dan! Its finally here! The combo of Shimit Amit & Jaideep Sahni. Starring Ranbir Kapoor, Rocket Singh – Salesman Of The Year is this friday’s film. And here are the reviews….

Raja Sen (Rediff) – Rocket Singh might not be everyone’s idea of a good time. It’s not a film that grips you from the word go, or one that leaves you rolling in the aisles, but it’s an impassioned effort that tosses skepticism out the window. Watch it, really – 3.5/5

Anupama Chopra (NDTV)Rocket Singh never becomes more than the sum of its parts but still I recommend that you make time for it. Just be prepared to be patient – 3/5

Rajeev Masand (CNN IBN)Rocket Singh touches a chord because it’s that rare film that urges us to examine our lives and to question the rules by which we live it. It has a life-affirming quality that will appeal to every one of us who has ever hesitated before taking the easy way over the right way – 3.5/5

Gaurav Malani (ET) – A line from the film states, “Risk toh Spiderman ko bhi lena padta hai, main toh phir bhi Salesman hoon” (Even Spiderman has to take risk, I am just a Salesman). The makers have taken as much risk to sell a not-so-regular story to the audiences. And it has paid off pretty well. Rocket Singh – Salesman of the Year is one of the most rocking films of the year – 4/5

Shubhra Gupta (Indian Express) – This is also the film which seems to have got a lost-in-the-woods studio back to its real strength: solid story-telling and believable performances, minus the designer bods and empty plots it has of late fallen prey to. Can it be, finally, the second coming of Yashraj? – 3/5

Kaveree Bamzai (India Today) – Go watch it to see why even zero has a value. And why Ranbir Kapoor is the future of Mumbai films. An effortless actor, he’s just the perfect embodiment of the times we live in. Confident without being cocky, spirited without being arrogant, hard working if not always gifted, he is the Young Indian we all want to see – 4/5

Taran Adarsh (Indiafm) – On the whole, ROCKET SINGH – SALESMAN OF THE YEAR is more of a documentary on the life of a salesman. Lack of music, romance and entertainment, coupled with zilch hype, will go against the film. A colossal disappointment – 1.5/5

Khalid Mohamed (PFC) – Although the dramaturgy ends up blurring the line between scamming and honesty,  a holier-than-thou attitude is maintained throughout. Sure do tell us that corruption and shortchanging the customer don’t finally pay… but please tell us that with clarity and conviction. As for the finale, centering around a phone call, it happens so much by coincidence that it doesn’t ring true at all. Without revealing the resolution, suffice it to say that it’s as deflating as a punctured tyre – 2/5

Anand Vaishnav (Buzz18)Rocket Singh Salesman Of The Year is eventually a feel good watch that talks about ethics, without sounding like a moral science lecture. All that mundane management talk about ‘service over sales’ and ‘people over numbers’ never sounded cooler – 4/5

Nikhat Kazmi (TOI) – The winning duo of Shimit Amin and Jaideep Sahni may not be offering you a Chak De India this time round, but they do sculpt some rare moments on celluloid that end up redefining the pusuit of happiness as something more than mainu chaida, chaida, chaida – 3.5/5

Mayank Shekhar (HT) – You’d much rather stick with this rare Rocket, than an yearlong racket that goes on in the name of filmmaking in Mumbai. Harpreet’s unique honesty in a sales firm goes well in the context of this film within Bollywood itself – 3/5

Update – Just back from the screening. Dont miss this one!

Abhishek Chaubey, writer & assistant of Vishal Bhardwaj, makes his directorial debut with Ishqiya. It stars Naseeruddin Shah, Arshad Warsi and Vidya Balan. Though the first trailer came out few months ago but the first poster is out now. Take a look. Wish they could have done something with the font. Looks damn bland and boring!

And if you havent seen the awesomest promo of the year, do check out the video as well. Packed with some of the best lines….tumhara ishq ishq aur hamara ishq sex!

BTW, does it gives an impression of desi Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid ? Hope we are proved wrong!

Why ? For the promotion of his new film 3 Idiots. But still why ?

Because in the film also, Aamir Khan’s character suddenly vanishes one day and his two freinds, played by R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi, goes out to look for him! Welcome to the world of concept based film promotions! They are calling it Alternate Reality Gaming (ARG). Aha! Though the idea is not original, as it has been tried out successfully many times in the west but its first time in India! So play on.

Aamir will be travelling across the country and hints will be given out to locate him. And every time you spot him, you get one point. The person/group who gets all seven points will be declared winner. And the winner gets to spend the new year with Aamir Khan. Naah, we dont have any dreams of spending the new year with him but the game sounds exciting for sure!

The first clue will be given out today by Sachin Tendulkar. Our sources say he is in Delhi today!

Here’s the video about the game, everything in Aamir’s words…..

Check out the song promo of behti hawa sa tha to join the dots about this promotion…

Our bet – He is going to be in Leh/Ladakh or wherever he goes in the film! They cant go beyond the concept of the film. Lets see.

For more details, log on to www.idiotsacademy.zapak.com or click here.

Yashraj Films is finally making its foray on the small screen. And they are going on air with not one or two but five shows. Four fiction and one reality show. Mahi Way, Rishta.com, Seven, Powder and Lift Kara De.

The four shows covers different genraes and the reality show is the hunt for the biggest fans of the bollywood stars. Shows starts from January 1st, 2010 on Sony TV. And if its Yashraj, do expect some starry dose on these shows too. If we are not wrong, in one of the promos we just spotted their in-house actor turned director Jugal Hansraj. Check it out!