I think I'm falling even more in love with you seeing your performance at the Rajiv Gandhi Awards!" - Tina to Hussain

Hussain: Hey guys! Today the sun's risen from the west.

Tina: Huh?? Why?

Hussain: Because You're going to praise me full on, remember?

Tina: Oh ya, right! I loved Hussain's performance at the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Awards. I was lucky enough to catch a sneak peek of it first! I was sent a CD & loved all the artistes' performances.

Hussain: I'm glad you liked it so much but I wished you were there to cheer for, & support me!

Tina: That I anyway do, whether there/not. But I think you deliver better in my absence.

Hussain: Are you implying that your presence is a distraction for me??

Tina: Ummm, maybe!   But I think from what I saw, you were fabulous! The theme of nationalism & patriotism was very well conceptualized & brought out.

Hussain: Oh yes! It was very inspiring & refreshing. The feel was different & gave out a message.

Tina: I'm really happy you tried it out. I didn't know you could be so patriotic! I think I'm falling even more in love with you! 

Hussain: Then I wonder what will happen if I go to the border for our country! 
But jokes apart-compliments coming from you, one of my biggest critics, is a big deal for me!

Tina: Stop flying high! You're still not perfect! 
Anyway so I hope you all will catch this grand performance for yourself tomorrow on Sony Entertainment Television at 8pm.

Hussain: Yes & do post us what you think of it!

Love,

Hussain & Tina

My August 'Yatra' month!

Hey guys,

Really don't kill me for not updating the blog; this whole August month has been like a 'Yatra' month. I had gone for the semi finals for the 'Maha Yatra' show, to be aired soon on Star Plus in October. It's a reality show & I went as a celebrity guest. We went to Rudra Prayag & my mum accompanied me there. The entire region is blessed with immense natural beauty, places of religious importance, lakes and glaciers. It is the point of confluence of rivers Alaknanda andMandakini. My mother wanted to go to Badrinath as well, so we went there too. It was a nice journey & we had a peaceful time. We headed to Hrishikesh & flew home the next day.

Soon I came back for the release of my Punjabi movie- 'Apni Boli, Apna Desh', that hit cinema halls on the 28^th of August. The movie is doing very good & I'm grateful to the Almighty for its success. Our entire crew for this movie went to Amritsar, to visit the Golden Temple. I took a cleansing dip in its waters. I felt holy & purified, with a strange elevation. The Prasad they offered us was so tasty, that I took 2-3 bowls of it!  I guess our little trip to seek blessings for this movie, is one of the reasons why it is thankfully doing well. In fact, it has even done better than the Bollywood flick Kissan. I had also gone to Delhi, Chandigarh, Jalandar & Ludhiana for the films promotion.

After getting back from Amritsar, I headed to Rajasthan. The 'Venus' club here, gives shelter to widowed women and I am trying my best to support them. As a charitable gesture, I gifted them sewing machines & hope it proves useful to them. I also visited 'Khatu Shyam' with my mum & because it was his birthday, she insisted we do darshan there. We were present for the aarti & it was very, very beautiful.

So basically, my month of August was like a long yaatra. It was really nice & I felt very blessed at the end of it. I had not planned it to be a long, sacred trip. I got an opportunity to combine my work & self-time together. It worked out fantastic & Im back with a stronger & more positive attitude 

I know I have only been updating you all with what I'm doing & upto. But I have read all your comments & apologize for not having replied to any. They are all wonderful & please don't stop with them. I will get back to them soon & hope we continue keeping in touch

Love,
Shweta

Shahid kapoor and priyanka chopra looking good in couple,shahid has replaced kareena with Priyanaka.

Shahid Kapur, who was only seen in one film last year, will have four releases in year 2009.

The impossible has happened. Shahid Kapoor, his current girlfriend Priyanka and his ex, Kareena have all come together in one film.

After sweeping audience impressing with her power packed performance in Fashion and glam looks in Dostana, Priyanka Chopra is ready for Pyaar Impossible.

The latest 'it' couple of tinsel town, sultry Priyanka Chopra and dashing Shahid Kapoor were spotted together at Dostana director Tarun Mansukhani's birthday bash.

The world got its first glimpse of Shahid Kapoor in a music video by Aryans that gained immense popularity in the Indian pop music scene.

His role as a boy whose luck deserts him landed him a spot on the Pepsi commercial in 1998 with Shah Rukh, Kajol and Rani Mukherjee.

Despite celebrity parents (his father is veteran actor Pankaj Kapoor and his mother is actress Neelima Azim), Shahid had to work hard and climb up the Bollywood ladder the traditional way. His first appearance in a film was in 1999 as a background dancer in Taal, in the song Kahin Aag Lage Lag Jawe, a job he landed through the Shaimak Davar dance school.

It was only four years later, in 2003, that Shahid got a break as a leading man in a Bollywood movie. This was Ishq Vishk opposite Amrita Rao and Shenaz Treasurywala. The performance got his the Filmfare Best Male Debut Award the following year.

The film was a hit and critics pitched Shahid as the next big thing given his looks that were likened to Shah Rukh Khan's and his dancing skills that were compared to Hrithik Roshan's.

Shahid's next film Fida was also with Ken Ghosh who directed him in Ishq Vishk. His co-star was Kareena Kapoor who went on to date him for three years.

Success, however, eluded Shahid in the next few years. There was some appreciation for roles in films like Shikhar, but most films remained box office failures.

The first successful film he did since his debut was in 2006. It was a multistarrer film called 36 China Town. More success followed with Sooraj Barjatya's Vivah.

The 2007 flick Jab We Met was bittersweet for Shahid. The film was one of the most successful that year, and he even got a Filmfare nomination for his role, but this was the time his relationship with Kareena broke down. And while Kareena got the Best Actress award for this film, Shahid lost out.

The only film Shahid did in 2008 was Kismat Konnection opposite Vidya Balan, to whom he was being romantically linked, though nothing was confirmed by the two.

There were also rumours of him dating tennis ace Sania Mirza, but once again no one confirmed the news.

Currently, Shahid is working on Kaminay and Paathshala and is reportedly seeing his Kaminay co-star Priyanka Chopra.

Film Kaminay Overview,EXPECTATIONS,MUSIC,OVERALL,OUR PICK(S)

EXPECTATIONS

One actually never knows which way Vishal Bhardwaj turns when it comes to compositions of his films. In his last release Omkara if he had 'Beedi Jalaile' that continues to sell till date, then he also had 'Naina Thag Lenge' that made it to the list of those looking for classy tracks. This is why when he comes up with a movie that has a title like Kaminey, has actors like Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra who are as mainstream as it gets, explores a genre (caper) that is still in it's infancy state in Bollywood, pairs up with Gulzar saab for the umpteenth time and promises to bring in his own trademark sensibility to the project, one looks forward to the music of Kaminey with a completely open mind.

Write your own music review of Kaminey

MUSIC

Thankfully, it is one 'dhinchaak' beginning forKaminey as the very sound of 70s is converted into a full length song, courtesy 'Dhan Te Nan'. The way Sukhwinder Singh and Vishal Dadlani go about singing the song (with Robert Bob Omulo adding on a little rap); it appears to be one rocking competition between the two of them as they go out rightly ballistic in their rendition. A number which is a chartbuster from the word GO, it is one 'seeti-maar' outing that will make audiences jump from their seats even in multiplexes! A theme track that is pretty much in synch with the caper genre of the film, 'Dhan Te Nan' (that has an innovative 'remix version' to boast of) has Gulzar saab getting innovative once again, as reflected in each and every line of the song which is unique and truly new.

If 'Dhan Te Nan' was akin to driving a racing car on a highway, 'Thode Bheege' is an almost silent boat ride on a moonlit night. This beautiful melody starts off slowly, rightly so to suit the mood of the song, and reaches it's crescendo one minute into its duration. A song about first love (which could also be the last ever, as confessed by the protagonist); 'Thode Bheege' is an Indian tune with Western arrangements to it, something that gives this Mohit Chauhan number an international touch. It takes a few hearing to warm up to the number but it's a point of no return once the song gets on you. Add this one to that romantic collection you may have been making for the one you love! Second winner in a row!

While Shahid's confession of love was sedate and sober in 'Thode Bheege' then watch out for Priyanka Chopra (on whom the song has been presumably shot) as she goes all out to declare in front of the entire world about her first (and yet again, the last too) love! Rekha Bhardwaj sings 'Raat Ke Dhai Baje' for her and sets the 'mauj-masti' mood even as Vishal Bhardwaj experiments by bringing in Sunidhi Chauhan on scene as well. He almost fuses the two voices and brings in a new sound that keeps the rhythmic mood of 'Raat Ke Dhai Baje' alive. He does something similar with his male voices as well by bringing together Suresh Wadkar and Kunal Ganjawala. With rap by Earl E D, 'Raat Ke Dhai Baje' (that also arrives in a worthy 'remix version') is all set to be the next 'Sapne Mein Milti Hai' [Satya] moment forKaminey, considering the fact that Vishal is expected to pep up the situation with some vibrant picturisation.

The much talked about 'safe sex' number, 'Fatak', comes in next that has a tune which pretty much goes back in the zone of 'Mangal Mangal' [Mangal Pandey]. With a folk flavour to it, the song belongs to the kind that can find some audience only after it has been seen on the screen. Due to it's good lyrical appeal which almost narrates a story, 'Fatak' conveys the message even as it maintains a naughty streak to it. One can expect this Sukhwinder Singh & Kailash Kher sung number to find an important place in the film's narrative!

Yet another track that certainly has a lyrical appeal to it is the title song 'Kaminey'. Frankly, in the history of Hindi cinema, there seldom has been an entire track centered on a cuss word and that too for a mainstream film. In this regard, Vishal Bhardwaj and Gulzar saab have definitely braved in doing something that could well have sounded impossible at the inception stage. They come up with a number that may play as a part of the film's background at number of junctures in the film's narrative. Told from the point of view of the protagonist who is finding quite a few things around him 'kaminey', including friends, friendship, the path or even the journey, the song moves at a leisurely pace and has a Western treatment to it.

It's a two minute grand finale with the sound of 70s back, as witnessed in Johnny Gaddaaralmost two years back. Theme music 'Go Charlie Go', with it's base in the title song, gets into the 'Dhan Te Nan' mode and from there on becomes one pacy journey that you wish to take. Just an apt end to the album that continued to oscillate between different genres throughout its six track pack.

OVERALL

Kaminey is certainly not a run of the mill album and this is where its prime strength lies. The album boasts of at least three chartbuster tracks - 'Dhan Te Nan' (sure shot superhit), 'Thode Bheege' (must for the hearts in love) and 'Raat Ke Dhai Baje' (for some 'masti' and 'hungama'). Songs like 'Fatak' and 'Kaminey' are innovative and situational which showcase the range of Vishal Bhardwaj. Add to that the 'Go Charlie Go - Theme Music' and you know that Kaminey is yet another addition to some excellent albums that have hit the stands during last one month.

OUR PICK(S)
Source : Rediff.com
'Dhan Te Nan', 'Thode Bheege', 'Raat Ke Dhai Baje', 'Go Charlie Go' [Play Songs]

ALBUM RATINGS

Music : Lyrics : Vocals : Overall Rating :

'People are going crazy after watching the promos of Kaminey'

'People are going crazy after watching the promos of Kaminey'

Tell us about your character in Kaminey.

I play Priyanka's brother Sunil Shekhar Bhope and am called Bhope Bahu. I am a very intimidating, criminally powerful person.

What attracted me most to the film was that it's so unlike me. My character has negative shades because of his circumstances, as his ambitions are thwarted.

Being a director yourself, did you ever think you could have done a particular scene a better way?

Being a person from the industry, I know that when I am sitting in the actor's seat, I have to respect my director. I can give a suggestion, he can accept it or not. People are going crazy after watching the promo. I hope the film does well.

Sai Paranjpe rejected Taare Zameen Par'

Sai Paranjpe rejected Taare Zameen Par'

What made you get out of FTII?

I started feeling old there, so I thought it was time to stop. I joined FTII at the age of 19, and came back at the age of 31.

I built a studio in Mumbai, as I had started painting. I started doing solo sold-out shows.

But I did not want to join the mafia of art, as it depended on one art critic or art gallery owner to decide who the next big painter would be. I decided to take up cinema instead, as the audiences will decide the fate of a film.

Please continue.

In 1990s, I hosted a talk show called Bindaas Bol. After that, I did sessions with various schools. I came across Maharashtra Dyslexia Association and joined that during the summer. I realized that what the society thought wasn't fit was completely fit. This was later made into the Taare Zameen Par script. I took the script to the Children Film Society of India. The panel liked it but the chairperson Sai Paranjpe rejected it.

So I reworked on the script. In 2002, I decided to narrate the script to Akshaye Khanna, as Dil Chahta Hai had just come out and he had played a painter there.

So I met Aamir and asked him for Akshaye's number. But we could not get in touch with him. So Aamir told me that he wanted to hear the script. But I had to wait for two years for him to hear it.

Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra travel in Mumbai local train

Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra travel in Mumbai local train

By Bollywood Hungama News Network, April 20, 2009 - 12:30 IST

Kaminey - the very term that could actually invoke anybody to bash the person mouthing it, also happens to be the name of the much anticipated film that stars Shahid Kapoor alongwith the Priyanka Chopra and directed by the ever so versatile Vishal Bhardwaj. For many days, after the announcement of the film, not even a single soul got to know of Shahid's double role in it, a much guarded secret that has now become the USP of the film! So much for irony. The adjoining snap has Shahid in one of his most likeable avatars alongwith Miss Chopra, which has been shot inside of a train.

Well, the news from our reliable sources also has it that the till now chocolate boy Shahid will be seen as someone who is totally absolutely raw, rigid and sturdy! Not just that, even the locations in which the film has shot have been kept as rustic as possible, which includes local stations, and scarp and junkyards! Word also has it that in this film, Priyanka plays an extremely vocal Maharashtrian girl, who believes in making herself heard. If that wasn't enough, then, hear this one. Kamineyalso marks the 'debut' of Amole Gupte as the ruthless villain. For starters, Amole is the very name that was in eternal spotlight for quite sometime, courtesy the 'creative differences' between him and Aamir Khan, during the shoot of Taare Zameen Par.

Well, we are just having galore of reasons to yearn for that time machine as we just cannot wait any longer for Kaminey

Source : By Bollywood Hungama News Network, April 20, 2009 - 12:30 IST

Kaminey is a caper movie with juicy characters'

Kaminey is a caper movie with juicy characters'

How did Kaminey happen?

When I got a call from Vishal's office to act in the film, I thought someone was pulling a fast one on me. But then I was put on to Vishal, and he told that he knew of my past work in Films and Television Institute of India. His team had researched on me and that's what I liked about him. He told me the story of Kaminey and I freaked out. It's a new genre in India.

It is a caper movie with juicy characters. It has the element of thrill, moves fast and has comic elements too. It is about how people react when they are trapped in situations. Shahid has two fabulously contrasting characters in the film. One of them happens to be the bane of my life.

There are many talented actors to look out for in this film. One of them is Tashi, Vishal's friend. Then there is Shiv Kumar Subramaniam, who has written Parinda and Teen Patti. Hrishikesk Joshi who wrote Marathi film, De Dhakka, is brilliant.

There's also Deb Mukherjee, who was in Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander. I was also part of that film. I did the last commentary, as Tom Alter did not turn up.

Image: A scene from Kaminey

'I participated in student films at the rate of Rs 30 per day'

'I participated in student films at the rate of Rs 30 per day'

Tell us about yourself.

I was born in Mumbai. During my schooling years, I was adjudged as a good painter. My art teacher, Nikumb, whose name I gave Aamir's character in Taare Zameen Par, was fabulous

My parents exposed me to Marathi Natya Sangeet. And I had the fortune of learning drama from Mahendra Joshi in college.

After that, I joined FTII in Pune and spent eight years there. I acted in the cult film, N C Thade's diploma film Chakar Chandu Ka Chameli Wala in 1982. It won a National Award that year.

After that, I hung out at the campus to absorb cinema. I participated in student films, working as a writer, painter, actor, musician and music composer at the rate of Rs 30 per day.

Didn't your parents feel you were wasting your time?

No. They understood because they were very interested in art. My father was a software consultant. He was away most of the time but he gave me the best literature and exposure to art. My brother lives in Hong Kong now, and is a finance director of the world's largest shipping corp.

I'm married to the superbly talented film editor and documentary maker Deepa Bhatia. We have an eight year old son Partho.

Image: A scene from Kaminey

Source : Rediff.com