Entertainment Archive

Raipur, Nov 2 – Dozens of Bajrang Dal activists staged a violent protest here Monday insisting that the screening of the Hindi film ‘London Dreams’ be stopped immediately.

The men, armed with sticks and iron rods, raided Prabhat and Krishna cinema halls saying the movie hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus.

At least six workers of the cinema halls were reportedly injured in the attacks.

‘Some people stormed into the halls. Police are trying to track down the attackers,’ Superintendent of Police Rajnesh Singh told reporters.

Mumbai, Nov 2 – Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan turned 44 Monday, but said he still feels just 25 – barring the physical problems he has had in the past year. The heartthrob also said he wants to work for youngsters and underprivileged girls.

‘I have been in my 40s since a few years now and I gracefully accept the age. But honestly, I feel like I am just 25 or 26 except for the physical problems I’ve had in my past year,’ Shah Rukh told reporters here.

‘Maybe I look older, but then when I look younger, people say I get plastic surgeries done to my face. When I look old, they say I am over and done with. But the fact is that when I sleep well, I look young and when I don’t get enough sleep, I look old,’ he quipped.

The actor underwent an arthroscopic surgery for acute pain in his left shoulder here in February and was on a forced break to recuperate completely. But he promises to make up for his absence.

‘I am a workaholic, but in the last year I couldn’t do much due to my shoulder problem, my team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) didn’t do too well and I shot for just one film ‘My Name Is Khan’. My injury also pulled me down in terms of my endorsements but I had time to introspect and spend a quieter time at home and with my children.

‘I feel more energetic and happy now and totally ready for a comeback with many projects in the next two years after this one year break,’ added Shah Rukh.

Apart from work, he wants to do good to society by ‘doing something for youngsters, underprivileged girls and talk to 16- 17-year-old children who are on the threshold of voting for the government and lead the world forward’.

‘I don’t know whether I want to join an NGO or something of the likes, but in my heart, I have this strong feeling that I want to give something back to society,’ he said.

Among his forthcoming films are ‘My Name Is Khan’, Farah Khan’s ‘Happy New Year’, ‘Don 2′, but he says he is most keen to work in a superhero film, which is he is designing on his own.

New Delhi, Nov 2 – Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif are known for their romantic films but now the two are set to tickle the audiences’ funny bone with their first outing together ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’, releasing Friday.

Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and produced by Ramesh S. Taurani, the film also has superstar Salman Khan in a special appearance.

Shot in Ooty, Mumbai, Goa and Turkey, ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’ is about a happy-go-lucky boy Prem (Ranbir), who falls in love with Jennifer (Katrina), who is already in love with someone else.

Prem’s fundas in life are very simple – he wants to be happy and make others happy too. But his good deeds usually turn into disaster not only for him but also for people around him.

A new chapter in Prem’s life begins when he he kidnaps Jenny who transforms him from a hardly working vagabond into a hard working guy.

Brought up by uncaring foster parents, Jenny has been devoid of love and care. So, she is so much in love with the idea of being in love that she ignores the true love which is knocking on her doors in the form of Prem.

Thanks to the leading pair, the movie has already generated enough buzz for a good initial run, especially among youngsters. But Ranbir says only audiences’ response will decide whether his chemistry with Katrina has worked or not.

‘Katrina and I are working for the first time so people are finding our pairing new and fresh. But unless the film releases and becomes a hit, you never know whether the chemistry has worked out or not,’ said Ranbir who has tried his hand at eight different looks in the comic caper.

Keeping the success of Ranbir’s recent release ‘Wake Up Sid’ in mind and Katrina’s past record, ‘Ajab Prem Ki…’ is anticipated to strike gold at the box office.

Competing with the movie with a same day release is Madhur Bhandarkar’s hard-hitting drama ‘Jail’ starring Neil Nitin Mukesh, Mugdha Godse and Manoj Bajpai.

New Delhi, Nov 2 – Mohit Chauhan, who enthralled music buffs with lilting melodies like ‘Masakali’ and ‘Pehli baar mohabbat ki hai’, has come out with his solo album ‘Fitoor’ and says it reflects ‘a slice of his life’.

”Fitoor’ in a way signifies my journey through the years. It’s a collection of 10 songs that I have written. It’s basically about what I have been experiencing,’ Mohit told IANS in an email interview.

‘My album is a slice of my life. The songs talk about travel, love, longing and passion. The sound of this album is mostly acoustic and closer to reality as far as possible,’ added Mohit.

‘Fitoor’, which is the 44-year-old’s first solo album, was out on stores Oct 10.

After ‘Pehchaan’, his last outing with his band Silk Route, Mohit took nine years to come up with his solo album.

When asked about the delay, the singer said: ‘After Silk Route disbanded, I came on my own and through the years I have sung a few film songs, while writing songs for my album. Hence, the new album witnessed a delay.’

So was there pressure to make ‘Fitoor’ different from ‘Boondein’, which was his first album with his band that went on to become a major hit in the non-film category?

‘The music is definitely different from the Silk Route album because as a solo artiste I had more independence. In ‘Boondien’ I worked with a band where everyone had their own instrument to play. However, it is similar to ‘Boondien’ in its acoustic sense,’ said the singer.

Mohit began his stint in Bollywood with a few forgettable songs. His career got a boost with the ‘Khoon chala’ in ‘Rang De Basanti’ that was widely appreciated.

His popularity rose with songs like ‘Tum se hi’ from the hit film ‘Jab We Met’, ‘Masakalli’ from Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s ‘Delhi-6′ and ‘Kuch Khaas Hai’ from ‘Fashion’ among others.

Talking about future plans, he said: ‘Right now I am enjoying singing songs for various directors. I have just finished composing and recording for ‘Fitoor’. May be in the future I will compose for films.’

His future projects include ‘Tum Mile’ and two songs in ‘Do Paise Ki Dhoop Chaar Aaane Ki Baarish’.

New Delhi, Nov 2 – Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan has big plans for the 101st birth anniversary of his father, well-known poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, on Jan 18 next year. Among other things he plans to re-release his father’s acclaimed book ‘Madhushala’ and hold a dance recital.

‘There are discussions on now on how to celebrate 101 years of my father’s birth anniversary. ‘Madhushala’ in its modern format shall be released, a journey of my father’s creative works shall be conducted through the recitation of his various works, a dance recital on one of his works,’ Amitabh posted on his blog bigb.bigadda.com.

Big B says that he will also release of some of his father’s most important works as a collection put together by Pushpa Bharati, wife of late writer Dharam Vir Bharati.

The 67-year-old has been planning the event for a long time and has been especially devoting time to writing the foreword for the new avatar of ‘Madhushala’, which was first published in 1935 and considered Harivansh Rai’s greatest work.

The new edition of the book will be a large coffee table sized version – it will have the original verses of the late poet accompanied with English translations by Marjorie Boulton of Oxford University. The book will also have paintings by Amitab’s niece Namrata Bachchan.

‘The proof is looking very good. The paintings are unique and hopefully with the written foreword should form a fitting tribute to my father’s 101st anniversary,’ Amitabh wrote in a previous blog entry.

Bangalore, Nov 2 – The central government has released a Rs.5 stamp of Kannada movie icon Raj Kumar on Karnataka Rajyothsava Day.

‘Raj Kumar ruled the industry like a colossus and was instrumental in charting the growth of the industry. He created a big viewership for Kannada films. And he also guided the Kannada film industry in times of need and showed that good cinema made with moral values and commitment can succeed at the box office,’ said Jayamala.

Jayanthi, who played Raj Kumar’s leading lady in several movies, said ‘he was not only a great actor but was also seen as a demi god for millions of his fans.’

The stamp was released Sunday by Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.

‘The life sketch of Raj Kumar is a model to the people of Karnataka. He showed his class and remained as a Dhruva Taara (Pole Star) in the field of cinema. His achievement are unparalleled,’ said the chief minister.

The late actor’s wife Parvathamma Raj Kumar and his sons Shivaraj Kumar, Raghavendra Raj Kumar and Puneet Raj Kumar were also present at the do.

M.P. Rajan, chief postmaster general of the state, said that the postal department had earlier released 30 stamps of important personalities in the state.

‘M. Vishweshwaraiah was the first Kannada personality to have received this honour and Raj Kumar is the 31st,’ said Rajan.

The sales of the stamp began Monday.

New Delhi, Nov 2 – ‘My Name Is Khan’ — Bollywood’s favourite on-screen couple Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol’s first film together in eight years — is set to release Feb 12 next year.

Directed by Karan Johar, the film will open in theatres in India and over 40 countries including the US, Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East, said a press release from Johar’s Dharma Productions.

‘My Name is Khan’ features Shah Rukh as Rizvan Khan, an unconventional hero who embarks on a journey across America to win back the love of his life. It shows how, along the way, his unique personality touches the lives of many and inspires a nation.

‘I keep setting out to do something different with my films, but the one constant that remains is my desire to continue to explore the many ways in which two people can fall in love and stay in love regardless of any or every challenge against them,’ said Karan.

The film also marks a re-teaming of Johar and Shah Rukh after three years — their last outing together was ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’.

Johar has made his film in association with Fox STAR Studios, 20th Century Fox International and Fox Searchlight Pictures.

While Fox STAR Studios will market and distribute the film in India, Fox Searchlight Pictures will release it in the US. The distribution of the movie outside India and the US will be taken care of by Twentieth Century Fox International.

According to Vijay Singh, CEO Fox Star Studios, the film is drawing a ‘hugely positive response from exhibitors across the world’ for the ‘coming together of Shah Rukh, Karan and Kajol’.

‘It is a big event for Bollywood audiences across the world and their fan base is eagerly awaiting the release. But what makes ‘My Name is Khan’ a special film is that it brings together the finest Indian talent with a powerful story that has relevance for audiences everywhere,’ added Singh.

New Delhi, Nov 2 – He is just one film old but actor Rajeev Khandelwal, who won kudos for his performance in ‘Aamir’, has already decided to don the director’s hat in the future. Not just that, he says he would love to write his autobiography as well.

‘I look at myself directing a film some day and telling a story. Direction will definitely happen in my career later with other aspects of filmmaking like acting,’ said Rajeev, who currently has four films in hand.

‘My film would be a very human story…may be a love story that one can relate to but nothing else, as somehow I can’t relate to supernaturals, etc. And I will write my film myself. That’s for sure,’ Rajeev told IANS in an interview here.

The actor has other plans for the future apart from directing.

‘I do want to write a book some day. I would definitely want to write one after about 10 years or something, as I need to collect a little more experience. I would just want to write my journey in life,’ he said on the sidelines of the 11th annual Osian’s Cinefan Film Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema.

Not many know that the 34-year-old is a prolific writer and maintains a blog too.

‘As of now I just keep making notes in my personal diary and I just write my blog. But I do not use it to further my branding or as a tool for publicity.

‘My blog is only for them who give me their time, love and affection. I deal with them as a friend and I address them also as my friends,’ he said.

Rajeev was last seen as the host of controversial game show ‘Saach Ka Saamna’. In the show, contestants are asked personal questions and a polygraph machine decides if their answers are true or not. The programme has seen common people as well as celebrities participating.

Asked about hosting the show’s second season, he said: ‘I have not been formally approached as of now. ‘Saach Ka Saamna’ ended on a high. So a channel would be hungry for sure because what a show does is your property on which you can capitalise.

‘And if they approach me, I’ll definitely give it a thought because I dared doing it right from the embryo stage and that’s my baby. For me the show is all about goodness.’

Rajeev started his career on the small screen with ‘Kya Hadsaa Kya Haqeeqat’, but he rules out going back to doing television serials.

‘Who would want to go back? Every actor should keep reinventing, be it any medium. It’s all about increasing your own bandwidth and range,’ he said.

What about hosting shows on the small screen?

‘If I am hosting a show it should be something like ‘Saach Ka Saamna’; otherwise I’m not very comfortable hosting shows,’ he asserted.

Rajeev’s future films include ‘Peter Gaya Kaam Se’, ‘Return Gift’, ‘Chenab Gandhi’ and ‘Joker’. And he says he sports different looks in all of them.

Chennai, Nov 2 – How about some Popai Bhaji, a Mangalorean curry masala made with raw papaya and greens, or Halwa Fugad, a spicy pomfret dish, or maybe, Rasayana – a broth made of tomato and pepper. Welcome to Kanara Jevan, a food festival of traditional Kannada cuisine, at Dakshin restaurants across India.

The 11-day food festival, which began Thursday, is being held at Dakshin restaurants in ITC Hotels in six cities – Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Mumbai and Visakhapatnam.

Kanara Jevan is a collection of yummy and homely dishes with ethnic flavour from Mangalore, Malnad, Udupi, Kodugu and North Karnataka.

The idea behind the food festival came from a very old cook book that had authentic recipes for traditional Kannada dishes made with common ingredients found in every home, said I. Sekar, junior sous chef at Dakshin restaurant in Sheraton Park Hotel & Towers here.

‘A friend of mine gave me a very old cookery book. It must have been printed during the British times going by its looks as well as the ingredient measures printed in it,’ Sekar told IANS.

After checking with other chef friends, they came up with a 16-item menu card for the food festival.

‘The spices used are simple and the use of oil is very minimal, making the dishes light on the stomach,’ Sekar said.

According to him, the Mangalorean genre is usually spicy with rice as staple and coconut oil being the cooking medium.

‘Malnad cuisine is a fusion of Kodava and Mangalorean fare, while Udupi cuisine, which derives its name from the town on the west coast of Karnataka, is a strict vegetarian fare. The Kodagu cuisine of the Coorgi community is diametrically opposite with its spicy meat preparations like Pandi curry, chicken and mutton.’

Despite the commonality of ingredients, the different masalas lend a unique taste to each dish.

For vegetarians and non-vegetarians, the Kanara Jevan feast offers a variety of choice.

But what will be surely of interest to the people of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh is Popai Bhaji, a Mangalorean curry masala made with raw papaya and greens. Raw papaya is not commonly used in these two states.

For starters, there is Rasayana, a broth made of tomato and pepper.

With rice or appam or idiappam as the main item, there is a whole lot of interesting side dishes like the Vaingem Curry (Brinjal cooked in tangy coconut gravy flavoured with mustard and plums), Mogem Kultakat (combination of horse gram and seasonal vegetables tempered in chilly and garlic masala) and Drumstick Kaju Curry (drumstick and cashew in a coconut-based curry).

The non-vegetarians should not miss the Halwa Fugad – whole pomfret coated with Mangalorean masala, wrapped in banana leaf, cooked on tawa, and Sunkat Methi Bhaji, fresh methi and prawns simmered in onion coconut gravy.

‘The masala for Halwa Fugad is first cooked and then applied on the fish for marination. The fish is wrapped in banana leaf and cooked again,’ Sekar said.

For chicken and mutton lovers, there is Kombo Suko, chicken roasted in coconut masala; Murgi Chop, chicken cooked in poppy seeds, onion and coriander masala and finished with thick coconut milk; Khara Ghos, a dry preparation of lamb cubes with ginger, garlic paste and fresh coriander; and Poppos Mutton Hot Curry, mutton and brinjal cooked in a tangy gravy.

For people with the sweet tooth there is Kuvanpeet, arrowroot and nutmeg steam pudding; Kaju Patholeo, mixture of cashew, rice and jaggery steamed in banana leaf; and Mandas, oven baked batter of rice, jaggery and coconut.

Hotel spokesperson Prathima Vasan said the festival is on till Nov 8.