what we are reading – EightandHalfThe first look of Milan Luthria’s film Once Upon A Time In Mumbai is out. Its produced by Ektaa Kapoor and stars Ajay Devgan, Emraan Hashmi, Kangna Ranaut and Prachi Desai. Its based on Mumbai’s underworld of 70′s. Ajay’s character is based on Haji Mastan and Emraan will play Dawood Ibrahim. With benchmarks like Satya & Company, not sure if we need any more 70′s gangster story! But the posters do look impressive!
Yes, we were missing in action. The excuses are many and they are all so silly. Here we are back and with an exclusive! The first look of Vikramaditya Motwane’s debut film Udaan! Plus some more! The film is in the official selection list of Cannes Film Festival (Un Certain Regard Section) 2010. Have a look.
Also, here is the official synopsis of the film….
After being abandoned for eight straight years in boarding school, Rohan returns to the small industrial town of Jamshedpur and finds himself closeted with an authoritarian father and a younger half brother who he didn’t even know existed. Forced to work in his father’s steel factory and study engineering against his wishes, he tries to forge his own life out of his given circumstances and pursue his dream of being a writer.
The film is written by Vikramaditya Motwane & Anurag Kashyap. Its produced by Anurag Kashyap & Sanjay Singh. Strangely, UTV rejected the script twice earlier but came on board as soon as the film got the Cannes stamp! Not surprising that they produced “Chance Pe Dance”! It has music by Amit Trivedi and lyricist is Amitabh Bhattacharya. The main cast includes Rajat Barmecha, Ronit Roy, Aayan Boradia and Ram Kapoor.
And here are some more stills from the film…
First look of two new films are out. Priyadarshan’s Bumm Bumm Bole and Mahesh Manjrekar’s City Of Gold. Have a look.
Bumm Bumm Bole is an official adaptation of Majid Majidi’s acclaimed film Children Of Heaven. Its produced by Percept Picture Company and stars Darsheel safary. The Remake Master continues remaking.
Mahesh Manjrekar’s City Of Gold is set in Mumbai’s mills era. Here is the official synopsis of the film…
Today, there is hardly anyone who hasn’t visited the swanky shopping malls, nightclubs, lounge bars, clubs and other such lifestyle destinations that sprung up across the centre of Mumbai. However, very few know that buried deep below these glittering edifices to consumerism lies the dark, dirty and painful reality of many thousands of mill workers who once worked the cotton mills in this very same area. Rising and toiling to the wail of the mill sirens each and every day, seven days a week, these workers embodied the true unbridled zeal and unflagging spirit of the city and played a pivotal role in the evolution of Mumbai as the modern day business capital of India.
And then it suddenly was as if they never existed. Following the mill workers strike in the mid-80s, these mills began closing down rapidly and the mill-workers mysteriously disappeared. What happened to them, and where they went is one of the most shameful secrets that the city of Mumbai will have to bear for generations, one that until now has always been spoken about in hushed whispers.
City of Gold – the story of these long-forgotten masses – not only explores the apathy of these mill workers narrated through the story of one such family, but is also a take-no-prisoners account of the birth of the true underbelly of organized crime in Mumbai.
The film traces the birth of the politics of greed in Mumbai and exposes the unholy collusion between the triumvirate of big business, the political establishment and the trade union leaders who ostensibly were charged with protecting the rights of the mill workers. In the two decades that followed, the entire landscape of Central Mumbai was changed forever. Land became the currency of growth, and this began the systematic extinction of mills in Mumbai. In a matter of just a few years, hundreds of thousands of workers lost their means of livelihood. Having worked in these mills from generation to generation, this was the only vocation that they knew.
Many left Mumbai and went back to their ancestral homes, some others chose to stay back and fight what they soon realised was a losing battle, some took the extreme step of ending their miserable lives, and still some others took to a world of crime.
Truth… as is said, is stranger than fiction. But the truth that the film uncovers is not just stranger but darker and dirtier than any mind has ever imagined. Produced by DAR Motion Pictures and from the Director of dark and realistic films like Vaastav – Mr Mahesh Manjrekar, ‘City of Gold’ takes another trip down memory lane…. just that this time around the result is a much more heart wrenching, soul stirring and shocking film about human avarice and apathy.
The film doesn’t provide any direct solutions. Yet it shatters many a myth and raises many a question which only the passage of time will provide answers to.
To know more about the film, click here for the official website.
Time to get scared! Very scared. Because Rahul Mahajan is back on tv. And this time for his Swayamvar. Its Season2 on NDTV Imagine. As soon as the show was announced, we were busy wondering just one thing – Why would someone want to marry Rahul Mahajan ? We still dont have an answer but have one more question that should explain it. Why would anyone want to marry Rakhi Sawant ?
But who knows, may be there are women who just love S&M! Otherwise, why would anyone want to marry a wife-beater and divorcee who is known for substance use! Its just S & M. So, here is the list of 15 lucky (!?) finalists! Out of 15, three are from Delhi, three fom West Bengal, two each from Maharashtra, UP & Haryana and one participant each from Jammu, Punjab & Gujrat! Wow, so much love from North for this Marathi Manoos! And no entry from South!
Click on the pics to know their age, location, profession and more!
Also, fresh goss from Udaipur has started pouring in. Gossipmongers are saying that the woman who won the contest refused to marry Rahul Mahajan. She wanted to win it for some publicity, quick fame and cash in on it. She ran away from the show. So, the producers of the show are busy planning a re-shoot of the final episode of the show! But isnt that obvious. We can already see the sequel in the making…Mujhe Iss Rahul Se Bachao!
Beat this! This is called guts! Even when his recent release Radio has proved to be a big dud at the box office and has been killed by every possible sane reviewer, Himesh Reshammiya is again threatening us with a new film. Bhaag Bhola, Run Lola, Himesh Bhai is back!
The film is Kajraare, directed by Pooja Bhatt! T-Series is producing the film and its written by Mahesh Bhatt. A man trying to run away from his past….A woman trying to escape her future! Sounds like they are going to meet on the sets of new tv show “Raaz Picchle Janam Ka“.
Out of 12 pages of today’s Bombay Times, three full pages have Himesh on it. The first page, second page and one more. The morning chai rarely taste so better! Mr Pinky-dinky-lips! Take a look and enjoy!
And here is the third page. The list of critics you should never trust! Our favourite is Juginder Chuteja, oops, Tuteja!
Only because we really don’t know how to respect our heroes. The man, the voice, the legend whom we all love so much and have so many memories. So many moments of life would have been so difficult if he wasn’t with us. Something for every occasion, for every one. At many times, when life seems impossible, I close my eyes and let his voice do the rest. They say, its magic, pure bliss. And it would be the same for generations to come. Can you imagine a world without the voice of Kishore Kumar?
But we still dont know how to give due respect to his memories, his life, his contribution to our life. 13 October is Kishoreda’s death anniversary. And as we rewind, it feels so pathetic that we dont even have a memorial for him. Few years back the MP Government made an announcement for the same, but its still not complete. Local people have also donated whatever they could but then its sarkari. Whatever work has happened there, people are more interested in flashing their names. And its a long list.
His home Gauri Kunj (Khandwa) still remains in pathetic condition. Some work has been done to restore it but its almost zilch. Take a look at the pics. We dont need to say more!
(There are two set of pics. First five rows are of his house. Next five rows of the memorial in the making. )
Pic courtesy – Bhuvan Mehta & Pavan Jha
And here is a song for the occasion. Click on the play button, close your eyes and let the voice do the rest.
Sometimes its difficult to make sense of the world. Of incidents or people around you. And if they belong to the world of cinema, its more insane. Is that him? Is that for a role? If for a reel, why in real life too?
The recent pics of filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh have been quite baffling. He says its all for a role. Click here to read more about the film Just Another Love Story and his role in the film. Scroll down to see the latest pic on the top left corner. The other pics show him in transition, more or less.
And if you can make sense of anything, put your comments. And if you cant, how does it matter? It’s only the cinema that matters, rite? But then how do you separate the cinema from its maker? Have not been able to do so.
He is one filmmaker whose work I have been following since his debut. Think he is undoubtedly one of the best filmmaker of our times. Always has an interesting story or unique take to share. Sometimes repetitive though, but a master at exploring the intimate space between two people. Aha..thats for another day! Check out the pics!
No, we are not joking. Take a look at the pics!
The two pics are from Ram Gopal Varma’s new blogpost on Bruce Lee, martial arts, philosophy and lil bit of Ramuism. To read the complete post, click here.
Talking of international cinema, he was last seen in Ang Lee’s Lust, Caution in exactly half-blink and miss role! But managed to hog some good newspace even with that bit. Anupam Kher will soon be seen in Woody Allen’s next, for which he shot for three days in London. Kher plays Freida Pinto’s father in the film. To read about Kher’s experience, click here.
Freida Pinto – if someone ever needs some gyaan on gaining mileage from a film, she is the right candidate. Not even ten minutes role in Slumdog Millionaire and she bagged films with Julian Schanel and Wodly Allen. Currently she is busy shooting for Woody’s untitled film in London. She stars opposite Josh Brolin. Scroll down for on location pics.
Some new pics from the sets of Karan Johar’s My Name Is Khan have been released. The last schedule of the film is currently being shot in Mumbai. The film brings back the hit pair of Shah Rukh Khan & Kajol!
And having read the script of My Name Is Khan, we are willing to bet that this is going to be one of the most interesting films of 2010 – very unlike K Jo! And if we rely on our past experience or claims, we rarely have been wrong – thats so humble of us….anyway lets wait and watch!
F.i.g.h.t C.l.u.b 