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Movie : Mehbooba
Producer : Afzal Khan
Director Afzal Khan
Music : Ismail Darbar
Writer : Afzal Khan, Rumi Jaffrey, Javed Siddiqui
Lyrics : Anand Bakshi
Release : Date 11-Jul-2008

Haal-e-Dil directed by Anil Devgan marks the debut of a few newcomers. Amita Pathak, Nakuul Mehta, Adhyayan Suman make their Bollywood Debut. The movie also has Kajol and Ajay Devgan in special appearances.

Haal-e-Dil is about the same neurotic madness that one suffers from when stuck in the maze called love. It's a young love story of people who'd go any lengths to loose themselves as smoke loses itself to the sky. They'd go any lengths to fuse that they'd not know where one ended and another began.

It's the story of Sanjana for whom love is chaste and sacred. For her love is not part of life but life itself. It's the story of Shekhar who keeps tripping for every second girl and loves to be in the perennial state of love not realizing that soon he is going to meet a girl who'll change his existence. It's the story of Rohit who would fall so deep in love that resurfacing would be not possible and he will stop at no barrier and boundary from achieving the love of his life.

Sanjana suddenly discovers herself in the crossroad of life where she has to choose between her perfect love and a perfect stranger. What will you do when you find yourself falling for a man who is completely wrong for you and what if you are already in love with someone else?
Haal-e-Dil is about ordinary people about to do extraordinary deeds in the name of love.

Add one more to the list of "badly directed films" by the director of movies like Blackmail, Raju Chacha and Jaan, all super duper disasters. Anil Devgan yet again fails as a director with Haal-e-Dil. The movie is poorly directed, drags endlessly, tests your patience and is one of the worst movies made in recent times. The only saving grace is the locales the movie has been shot in, its beautiful. The movie also has a few similarities to Aditya Chopra's Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, a few scenes have been flicked. The dialogues sound funny although they arent meant to. The music is average.

Adhyayan Suman, son of Shekar Suman is talented but needed a much better film as his launch pad, wonder how his father approved the Haal-e-Dil script. Nakul Mehta is good, again deserved a better launch. Amita Pathak looks old, acts reasonably well. Tanuja is wasted.

Overall, Haal-e-Dil is a bad movie. Almost every department of film making gone wrong. Dont ever dare watch it!

Papa Control Karo Aapki Bahuu Hay

MUMBAI: After playing an angel in "Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic", actress Rani Mukerji is all set to do another unconventional role - she plays a cricketer in Yash Raj Films' next venture and is busy practising on the field!

"I don't know if any actress has played a cricketer before. But I'm playing one for sure. In fact, I've been learning cricket regularly on the field for the past two months. I can most certainly play the game convincingly now, though not as good as professionals yet. It's a very big challenge for me," Rani told IANS from her swanky new home here.

So is she equipped to join the Indian Premier League now (IPL) now?

"I don't know about that. But I'm definitely enjoying it. My practical sessions are on in full swing."

She will also for the first time be paired opposite Shahid Kapur in the film that will be directed by debutant Anurag Singh.

Rani says she is hungry for new roles. "At this stage of my career I feel I need new challenges. When Kunal Kohli offered me an angel's role, I was kicked. I don't now of any actress who has played an angel before.

"Also, for the first time I was playing a character who couldn't cry. Now they can stop saying Rani cries so much in all her films. It was pretty cool to play a character who actually doesn't know how to cry and who had to fly around like Hrithik (Roshan) in 'Krrish'."

Being suspended on a harness, she says, was not easy.

"It required a lot of physical strength to assume the correct 'flying' posture on the harness. I guess it'd be equally difficult for me to look convincing as a cricketer. But I'm glad to be doing work with challenges."

So is she ok working with a first-time director?

"It isn't as if I haven't worked with new directors before. I was in Shaad Ali's first film 'Saathiya', remember? And Kunal Kohli started his career with me in 'Mujhse Dosti Karoge'," she quipped.

After an angel and a cricketer what would Rani like to play?

"Maybe an astronaut like Kalpana Chawla. And I'd also love to play a doctor. I've never done that before. Come to think of it I've never worked with Shahid Kapur before either. I'm doing so now."

Isn't there a danger of her being branded a resident Yash Raj heroine since all her recent films have been with that banner alone?

"Why? Wasn't 'Saawariya' with Sanjay Leela Bhansali? And if Yash Raj is making some of the best films in our country why should I keep out just because people are talking?

"Incidentally, my marriage date Feb 10 (as reported by some media) has come and gone. Would mediapersons like to set another date for me so I can start getting my trousseau ready?"
Thanks to economictimes.indiatimes.com

Date of Birth :- 30 November 1983,
Calcutta, West Bengal, India
Birth Name :- Priyanka Kothari
Height :- 5' 2" (1.57 m)

Mini Biography
Priyanka was born in the Bengali-speaking Kothari family on November 30, 1989 in Calcutta, West Bengal, India. Her dad is a chemical businessman, mom is a home-maker, and she has an elder sister who is married. As a child she grew up in Calcutta, but most of her teen years were spent in Delhi where the family re-located subsequently. She is a Science Graduate from Dayal Singh College, which is an affiliate of Delhi University. She comes from a very conservative background but had always wanted to become an actress. She speaks English, Bengali, Hindi, and even a little bit of Rajasthani.She modeled initially in Mumbai, and when actor Madhavan came there for a Pepsi commercial shoot, she met with him, showed him her photographs, he arranged an audition for her in Chennai, and she was signed for a Tamil movie titled 'Jay Jay' during the year 2003. She then also appeared in a Telugu movie 'Madhyanam Hatya' during 2004. In both the Tamil and Telugu movies she had a screen name of Amoha. She has also modeled with Indian Cricketer Kapil Dev.This exposure got Bollywood movie-maker Ram Gopal Varma to approach her and sign her up in 'James' 'Sarkar' and subsequently in the Sholay re-make 'Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag' in which she plays Ghunghroo, which was originally played by Hema Malini with a character name of Basanti. Her screen name is Nisha Kothari for all of the Bollywood movies

John Abraham is all geared up to produce a film on the agony of the tigers surviving in today’s miserable environment. Surprisingly, a documentary film on the condition of tigers will be his next venture as a producer rather than a bollywood film. John’s production company first produced a music video of Strings. Wildlife filmmaker and environmentalist, Mike Pandey, will direct the documentary film titled Return of the Tigers.

The story of the film will revolve around four tigers and the problems faced by them such as the scarcity of preys, the repercussions of tourism and human plundering in animal habitat. Excited about the project, Pandey said that he was overwhelmed by John’s sweet gesture of investing his money into the film. He further added that the film showcased through the eyes of the tiger cubs, would have no stars acting in it.

Apart from producing the film on animals, John recently received the Eco-Warrior award for his contribution towards the rehabilitation of caged elephants in Maharashtra.

As far as Return of the Tigers is concerned the film is still in the scripting process and will go on the floors in October, post monsoon.

Thanks to Bollywood Hungama

MUMBAI: Item numbers are in vogue but Yash Raj Films' blue-eyed director Kunal Kohli doesn't approve of them and says using the term "item" for an actress is derogatory.
"I don't believe in item numbers. Neither do I believe in item girls. How can you call a girl 'item'? It sounds so cheap. It is humiliating," said Kohli.
"I am not against the performance, but the term used for it. Let people use the term, but I will never call any song in my film an item number," he added.
After carving a niche for himself with his previous films "Hum Tum" and "Fanaa", the director returns to the marquee with "Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic".
Starring Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji, the film's story revolves around four orphaned children and has elements of magic, love and fun, but no item songs.
Although Kohli has roped in Amisha Patel for a song, he says it is not an item number.
"My film doesn't have item numbers. It has special performance by Amisha Patel, but she is not just doing a song, she also has a very important role in the film."

source: www.dnaindia.com

Mumbai: Superstar Amitabh Bachchan is enjoying his blogging experience and 'the ugly abuses, the healthy criticism' that come along with it. The Bollywood icon has clarified that his remarks about Shah Rukh Khan's quiz show on his blog were misinterpreted by the media and he has apologised to the actor since then.


"I narrated on my blog what transpired during one my meetings with TV heads, who had come with proposals to me to do a show for them. I asked them questions on the viability of game shows. They described to me the falling ratings, which included shows done by me and by others as well," Amitabh, who is currently in Cannes with his family, explained in a telephone interview with IANS.

He added: "I merely transferred these talks to my blog purely to seek opinion, not glory, and the next thing I read is that it is an attempt on my part to show Shah Rukh in poor light, which was entirely incorrect and a load of rubbish. I have since, on my blog, apologised to Shah Rukh and those offended by this wrong assumption. I will apologise to Shah Rukh a hundred times if there is an iota of doubt in his mind about my conduct and behaviour towards him."

On visiting Cannes, he said the family was there to be with daughter-in-law Aishwarya, who is a brand ambassador of L'Oreal, and to spend quality time with one another.

"We went to the opening with her (Aishwarya) and a few films together, but mostly it is to be with family because we've all been away from each other for a long time in different parts of the world. It's lovely to just be together and catch up, before we drift away to our respective schedules," Amitabh said.

Excerpts from the interview:

Are you in Cannes? Are you representing a film?

Yes I am in Cannes and with the family. This is a private visit and there are no films I am representing. I believe there was an article criticising us for not visiting the India pavilion. Well, firstly, this is a private visit and moreover, no one has invited us. And secondly, I am a little wary of government invitations. They invite you to be chief guest at a function and when you arrive there, tell you are not invited.

We are here to be with Aishwarya, who is here in an official capacity as brand ambassador for L'Oreal. We went to the opening with her and a few films together, but mostly it is to be with family because we've all been away from each other for a long time in different parts of the world. It's lovely to just be together and catch up before we drift away to our respective schedules.

How satisfying has the experience of blogging been so far?

It has been a most wonderful experience and I have wondered why this was not known to me earlier. The speed of communication the world over, the responses to my thoughts, the adulation and endearment expressed by well-wishers, the ugly abuses, the healthy criticism, the demand for more on my father's works all of it has been educative and awe-inspiring. It has been like talking to each one of them personally.

Is it very time consuming?

It is time consuming because I read all the messages myself and I write my blog personally too. I have not permitted the server to allow comments to go through a 'moderator' because I want a fair, democratic approach to be practised. To cope with this I sleep a little less perhaps to make time for those who write.

You seem to have become far more frank and forthright, far less diplomatic than you used to be.

Maybe. I think it comes from the knowledge that what you write or express has the ability to go to the reader without dilution or moderation. The absence of the middleman helps in the purity of my output. I try to be as honest as I can in my outpouring and yes they may seem to be more frank and forthright and less diplomatic.

As I spoke in my last blog of Day 28(i), words and expressions can get twisted and misinterpreted and can cause unwanted hurt or a misunderstanding. A twisted thought could create an avalanche of negativity I would hate that to happen and whenever it has, I have not hesitated to tender an apology or to correct myself if I have done wrong.

Your comments on Shah Rukh's TV show have been discussed widely. Do you feel your comments could've had an impact that perhaps exceeded your intentions?

Exactly. I narrated on my blog what transpired during one of my meetings with TV heads, who had come with proposals to me to do a show for them. I asked them some genuine questions on the viability of game shows. They described to me the falling ratings, which included shows done by me and by others as well I merely transferred these talks to my blog purely to seek opinion not glory, and the next thing I read is that it is an attempt on my part to show Shah Rukh in poor light, which was entirely incorrect and a load of rubbish. I have since, on my blog apologised to Shah Rukh and those offended by this wrong assumption.

I will apologise to Shah Rukh a hundred times if there is an iota of doubt in his mind about my conduct and behaviour towards him.

What expansion plans do you have as a blogger?

The blog will shortly become a part of the website that is under construction. The website will be more encompassing - my father, mother, Jaya, Abhishek, Aishwarya, Shweta or any other family member or non-member for that matter who wishes to contribute to it, will have a presence. Matter containing my father's works will be prominently displayed. His repertoire is vast and of immense literary value and I wish to give it its pride of place.

It's being said in a section of the press that the blog is a commercial enterprise and that you're being paid a hefty amount to keep it interesting.

I repeat here again that the blog is not a commercial venture and I have not been paid this ridiculous amount of money to write it. I am merely using the facility of the server provided by bigadda.com to carry my blog.

source: http://sify.com/news

Mumbai, April 7 (IANS) In an apparent attempt to take the wind out of his detractors’ sails, superstar Amitabh Bachchan Monday expressed gratitude to Maharashtra, saying the state has “given me so much in the last 40 years - my wife, my children and so much love…..Jai Maharashtra”.

Speaking in chaste Marathi on the newly launched IBN-Lokmat Marathi news channel, Bachchan said he owes a lot to Maharashtra in whose capital his film career has blossomed.

Switching to Hindi after winding up his Marathi salutation with “Jai Maharashtra”, the Bollywood icon said his father Harivanshrai Bachchan had many friends in the Marathi literary circles and was very happy to see the Marathi translation of ‘Madhushala’ - his celebrated poetic work in Hindi.

Bachchan also recalled his own association with several distinguished Maharashtrians in different walks of life including Shiv Sena leader Balasaheb Thackeray and his participation in Marathi literary meets.

In the eye of a storm following the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena questioning his commitment to Maharashtra, the superstar had said that the constitution has given every Indian the right to live and work anywhere in the country.

In the panel discussion that the channel conducted on the controversial issue, its editor Nikhil Wagle drew viewers’ attention to Bachchan’s little known gestures for Marathi individuals like ailing Dalit poet Namdeo Dhasal and films like the Oscar-nominated “Shwaas”.

Source: http://www.freshnews.in