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Himesh rocks Mauritius too!
By Rakhee Roy

Port Louis, July 23  Himesh Reshammiya, the nasal-voiced singer-turned-hero, is a huge hit in Mauritius. A rage and a style icon, his debut movie "Aap Ka Suroor" is a success story here, with youths trying to imitate his looks and personality.

The picturesque island nation, where 68 percent of the 1.23 million population is of Indian origin, thrives on Bollywood music with swanky malls, restaurants, roadside eateries and taxis belting out chart-topping Hindi movie songs - but for the moment Himesh takes the cake.

His "Aap Ka Suroor", released last month, has drawn full houses and is still running in many cinema halls. Himesh's trademark baseball cap, fitted jeans and belt with an oversized buckle, along with his stubble and pierced ear are a craze among Mauritian youths.

 

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"We love the way Himesh sings and looks. We chill out with his songs, which reflect both the joy and pain in life," say Sachin, a Mauritian of Indian origin.

Sachin and his friends meet up every day at the Caudan waterfront, an elite shopping mall in the centre of the city, and spend their evenings listening to their favourite singer.
Their pierced ears and baseball caps are signs of their admiration for the popular musician.

Brushing aside the singer's nasal tone, Kunal, who tries to imitate Himesh, quips: "We don't think his voice has a nasal twang. His voice is different from the rest. His music
is astounding and three cheers for him."

Huge Himesh posters adorn the walls of most music and CD stores. Says Stella, who works in a music shop: "Himesh's 'Aap Ka Suroor' music CD is selling out fast and
people come looking for the film CD too, which is not yet available here. His 'Tanhaiyaan' number is topping the charts."

Nissan Jhugroo, a taxi driver, just flips for Himesh. His car is stocked with Himesh's music video CDs, which he proudly puts on in the car TV for his passengers,
irrespective of whether they are Indians or not.

"Himesh's foot-tapping music is liked even by my French and other tourists as they don't ask me to turn it off," says Jhugroo.

And Himesh's songs are an essential part of most parties in this beautiful island nation.

Mahesh Karjolkar, an event manager, who migrated to Mauritius 17 years ago, says Himesh has caught the fancy of Mauritian youths like no one before.

"For most parties we arrange, people query whether the DJ would be able to play Himesh's songs. And the parties definitely get rocking once his techno-beats take over."

Himesh's "Aap Ka Suroor" opened to resounding success in this island, adds Mahesh.

Apart from Himesh, television actress Smriti Irani, who played Tulsi in "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi", is also popular among women and girls.

Mauritius's channel K TV is broadcasting 'Kyunki' though they show older episodes.

Says Maria, an usher at a restaurant: "Tulsi is a hot favourite here. The episodes are so interesting and intriguing."

 
When rain played villain in Manali for Kangana
Mumbai, July 23  Kangana Ranaut's joy of shooting songs for Samir Karnik's "Roshan" in home state Himachal Pradesh was short-lived after capricious weather played spoil sport. The unit had to return without canning the scenes and will now head for Mauritius.

"We had gone to Manali to shoot songs for Samir's 'Roshan'. We chose an untouched location far away in the hills. How were we to know that we'd have to return without shooting the songs?" Kangana told IANS.
Being a girl from Himachal, Kangana was ecstatic at the locations chosen.

"But our joy was soon gone when it began to rain. Bobby Deol (co-star) and I were stuck in a tent in the middle of nowhere for almost a week," Kangana said.

"We'd rush out when the rain stopped. But as soon the camera was set up and we got into position we'd have to rush back into the tent," she added.

Eventually, the "Roshan" unit had to comply with the meteorological moodiness.

"The director turned the song into a rain-oriented number. But guess what happened? The torrential rains then decided to turn into a drizzle. The rushes looked like
scratches on the camera lenses."

"Now we'll be shooting in Mauritius next month. Let's hope the rain gods will be kinder there."

Kangana has her fingers crossed.
 

 
Priyanka plays tough bodyguard in 'Drona'
By Subhash K. Jha

Mumbai, July 23  Remember those Mata Hari-Catwoman comic book heroines? Bollywood's Priyanka Chopra harks back to the comic book heroine of yore in Goldie Behl's "Drona", a la Uma Thurman in "Kill Bill".

It's a FX spectacle done up in the comic strip mould with Abhishek Bachchan playing a bespectacled nerd in the US.

"And guess what? I play Abhishek's bodyguard. It's a real wacky role, and a first of its kind since we've never had the leading lady 'protecting' the hero... unless we remember Hema-ji in those hunterwalli movies like 'Jyoti' in which she looked after the hero," Priyanka told IANS.

No wonder she is often looked on as the new millennium Hema. "Really?" Priyanka laughed. "I'm flattered. My entire look in 'Drona' is very virile and aggressive."

Priyanka learnt a special strain of the martial arts for her role in the action drama.

"I had learnt some kung fu for 'Don'. But this is different. It's a full-on action movie for me, with kicks and somersaults galore. I quite enjoyed the cuts and bruises."

She agrees her "Drona" look and body language are unlike anything she has done before. Quite like what stylist Anaita Shroff did with Aishwarya Rai in "Dhoom 2".

"Yeah, we've the same stylist. But my character is more action-oriented. In fact, for a change it's the leading lady doing more of the bossing than the hero."

While she has been staying away from signing new films, Priyanka has been doing a lot of ads.

"I've been taking the time before my next bunch of assignments making money through ads and live shows. What I do next will have to take me beyond 'Drona'."
 
'Bow Barracks Forever' triumph of human spirit (Preview)

New Delhi, July 23  Community based films are not always popular among Indian audiences but Anjan Dutt, who made a brave attempt in "Bong Connection", returns with another one titled "Bow Barracks forever".

Releasing Friday, the film, based on a real life story, shows the trials and tribulations of the Anglo-Indian community living in Bow Barracks - an old dilapidated building in north Kolkata.

Veteran Bengali actors Victor Banerjee, Moon Moon Sen and Rupa Ganguly are part of the film's cast, which also includes Lillete and Neha Dubey. Apart from them, Dutt launches a new face - Clayton Rodgers.

The characters in the movie try desperately to keep alive their hopes, dreams, aspirations and identity, as the world around them changes swiftly and tries to impose changes on them too.

Bradley (Clayton), who plays the main lead, is frustrated with life because nobody understands him. He hates everything - his work and family. He just wants to play music.

Anne's (Neha) alcoholic husband makes her life hell by beating her because she is having an affair with another man.

Peter the Cheater (Victor) is an old trumpet player who is a bit of a drinker and a bit of a cheat ... but don't get fooled by what you see.

Emily Lobo (Lilette) sells wine and cakes and people line up outside her house for them. But she waits outside a telephone booth every day to talk to her son in London. While she loves her son immensely, she can't leave her home in Bow Barracks and move to Britain.

If Emily is torn between her son and her home, Rosa (Moon Moon) regrets walking out on her marriage. And now she wants to return for good! The only question is whether her husband and his family will take her back.

And Rita (Rupa) is coping with her husband's infidelity. He hasn't been home in months but Rita hopes he will return one day for their daughter's sake.

The building is home to some anti-social elements too - like Tom (Sabyasachi Chakravarty), a smuggler. His marriage is also on the rocks, thanks to his erratic life.

Though these people are driven by different priorities, problems and passions, they have one thing in common - they all love their home, the old ramshackle building called Bow Barracks.

And they can go to any length to safeguard it from real estate agents desperate to bring it down and construct a new building in its place.

The film is entirely shot on location and has music by Neel Dutt, Anjan's son. Apart from professional actors, the director has also roped in residents of Bow Barracks to give
it a touch of reality.
 

 
Dhawan determined on sequel after 'Partner' success
By Subhash K. Jha

Mumbai, July 23  Now that "Partner" has been declared a hit, David Dhawan is more determined than ever to do a sequel and says that it will be called either "Tom & Jerry" or "Carry On, Partner".

The director is an expert in making laugh riots and the recent examples of his command over comedy are "Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya" and "Mujhse Shaadi Karogi". His latest movie has got an overwhelming response.

"I had decided on a sequel even before the 'Partner' release. Now, of course, audiences will kill us if we don't oblige. It's too early to say what kind of a sequel it will be. But Govinda and Salman will be back together," David told IANS.

Salman recently said it may be called "Tom & Jerry".

"Why not? We could very well call it 'Tom & Jerry'. Or we could call it 'Carry On, Partner'," David said.

The director is delighted by the response to "Partner". "It's an unqualified success across from Kanyakumari to Bihar. And second-day collections are even better than the first.

"I knew people would love Salman-Govinda jodi. But to this extent! People are going crazy over the honeymoon climax... Actually, it's a bonus climax after the other wedding climax in the film."

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IANS