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Anupam Kher opens acting institute in Chandigarh
 
Chandigarh, Feb 28   It was a nostalgic moment for Bollywood actor Anupam Kher when he signed papers Wednesday to set up an acting institute in the city where he took his first professional lessons in acting.

"This is a very emotional moment for me. I started my journey from this city after coming from Shimla. I think this is the right time for me to pay back to the city," Kher told reporters here as he signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Chandigarh administration for setting up the institute in May this year.

Kher did his acting course at the Department of Indian Theatre at Panjab University here in the 1960s.

   

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Hailing from the hill station town of Shimla, 120 km from here, his other connection to this city is that his wife Kirron Kher, herself an acclaimed film actor and theatre personality, is from Chandigarh.

"I thank the Chandigarh administration for taking steps to set up the Chandigarh Acting Institute (CAI). People in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Chandigarh have immense talent in acting and will no longer have to go to Mumbai to learn acting," Kher said.

His institute, Actor Prepares, will run acting courses from the Central Crafts Institute in Sector 11. The government infrastructure would be lent out to CAI for short acting courses.

"I can assure you that the acting school here will be of international standard. Teachers will come from Mumbai and abroad. The courses would be chosen as per needs of modern cinema," the actor announced.

He said that these days, marketing themselves was important for actors and this would also be taught to the students.

The MoU for the CAI was signed between Kher's institute and the Society for Tourism and Entertainment Promotion in Chandigarh, its CEO and director Vivek Atray announced.

The Chandigarh administration has already initiated steps for setting up a state-of-the-art film city to cater to the needs of the film industry. Noted director Yash Chopra, chairman of the Chandigarh advisory tourism forum, had suggested setting up of Kher's school in the city last year. Kher already runs his private acting institute in Mumbai.
 

From NYU to Harvard, Karan is Bollywood's brand ambassador
By Subhash K. Jha, 

Mumbai, Feb 28   Karan Johar is taking his newly discovered role as Bollywood's academic ambassador very seriously. The director was last week invited to lecture 500 students at New York University and says the response was "overwhelming".

"The subject was Bollywood and its popular culture. It isn't so much about what I said to them as what they asked me. I suddenly realised how far Bollywood was reaching out. They no longer ask questions about the song-and-dance aspect of Bollywood," Karan told IANS.

"The western hemisphere is waking up to the vast possibilities of our cinema. And it's amazing to hear how much insight the American students could provide me about my cinema. I think the time for Bollywood has arrived now."

Apparently, Karan is now being booked for Bollywood lectures in several cities in the US.

"I enjoy these interactive sessions. And I don't mind talking on our cinema as long as it doesn't interfere with my main work, which is making movies. In any case making movies and taking them to the maximum number of people go hand in hand."

Next month, Karan will lecture on his favourite topic to students at Harvard.

"That's as academic as it gets," he laughed.
 

Kukunoor mesmerised by Thai culture
By Swati R. Chaudhary, 

Mumbai, Feb 28   Talented filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor is completely smitten by Thailand's culture and wants to showcase the country in a different light in his next film "Bombay To Bangkok".

The film stars his blue-eyed boy Shreyas Talpade and also introduces Thai actress Lena Christianson, reports Bollywood Trade.

"I've been a frequent visitor to Thailand. I am really fascinated by the place and I've always had this strong urge to showcase Thailand in an unusual way. I someday wanted to make a film that sincerely attempted to understand Thai culture and here I am with 'Bombay To Bangkok'," said Kukunoor.

Throwing light on the film, he said: "It's amazing how similar our cultures are, but yet they are different - this probably explains the films catch line 'same same but different'.

"The basic premise of the film is how an Indian guy meets a Thai girl, followed by some chaos and how they fall in love and live happily ever after."

Kukunoor, who worked with Shreyas in "Iqbal" and "Dor", says he truly enjoys working with the actor. "This is our third film and I am looking forward to it."

There's something about Kukunoor that catapults him into a different league altogether and veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai, whose Mukta Searchlight Films is producing the movie, says he is proud to be associated with the talented director.

"As always Kukunoor has come up with a unique story and unique concept. With 'Bombay To Bangkok' I hope we recreate the success story of 'Iqbal'."

Known for small budget films minus mainstream Bollywood stars, Kukunoor's films are bound to draw crowds, the success of the critically acclaimed "Dor" being a recent validation of his work.

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Minissha, the modern day 'Rebecca'

Minissha Lamba and mathematics don't quite gel together. While in school, she ironically won the multiple-choice quiz in the Mathematics Olympiad and was gifted the bestseller "Rebecca". And after all these years, she's all set to play that very character!

"Call it fate or whatever. I somehow managed to win the quiz and today I am doing Ananth Mahadevan's 'Anamika', which is a modern day adaptation of the book," Bollywood Trade quoted her as saying.

"I read it in my childhood. I seriously don't know how I won the quiz. May be because of the multiple options that I had blindly ticked. I still get math nightmares!"

"Anamika - The Untold Story" also stars Dino Morea and Koena Mitra. Touted as a romantic suspense thriller, the film has been shot at exotic locales at Bikaner and Gajner.

Sammir stalked by fan in Bangalore
By Subhash K. Jha, 

Mumbai, Feb 28   When Sammir Dattani went to Bangalore for the release of his Kannada film "Sajni", little did he know that he would get stalked there.
 

A female fan apparently kept letting him know exactly what he was up to at any given hour of the day.

"It's scary because she seems to know what I'm up to almost before I know it myself. And she calls from different numbers to confuse me. Her messages can qualify as porn," Sammir told IANS.

Sammir, known as Dhyaan in Kannada cinema, isn't too comfortable with this
kind of attention. But "Sajni" producer J. Murli Manohar, who's readying "Provoked" for an April release, feels he should get used to it.

"Sammir'd better get used to the attention. All the other leading men in Kannada cinema fall into a different category. He's the only pin up boy we have," said Manohar.

"If being a pin up boy means I get pinned down constantly, even in the loo, for inspection with invisible cameras, then I'd rather not be one," said Sammir.

"Sajni" is Sammir's fourth Kannada release. "I'm nervous as hell. People aren't making it any better for me."

He is expected to have three Hindi releases this year.
 

It's Dino's turn to fall ill
By Subhash K. Jha, 

Mumbai, Feb 28   It was touch and go for Dino Morea on the Filmfare awards night. When friends heard he had to be rushed out after complaining of feeling ill, they suspected another Saif Ali Khan incident in Bollywood.

Dino was supposed to go on stage to do a promotional skit with his co-stars Sammir Dattani and Anjori Alagh for his forthcoming film "Life Main Kabhi Kabhie" at the event Feb 25.

Dino elaborated about his illness the day after.

"I was shooting the whole day in artificial rain with a fever. Since I had committed myself to doing the promotional clip for 'Life Mein Kabhi Kabhie' and since I didn't want to miss the Filmfare awards, I braved it with my director Vikram Bhatt to the function. But soon my head started throbbing and I felt I'd pass out. That's when I decided to leave," Dino told IANS.

Feeling weak and depleted, Dino added: "We all need to slow down and stop pushing ourselves unnecessarily. I'm not even a smoker like Saif. But smoking isn't the only hazard we've to face.

"Look at the work conditions in studios and on location. One could die of anything from contaminated water to mob frenzy. Indian actors don't need insurance, they need god's miracle to survive."

His co-star Sammir had rushed back from Bangalore for the flash event.

"I was promoting my new Kannada film 'Sajni' in places like Chikmagalur (in Karnataka) when I was asked to return to Mumbai to be on stage with Dino for our film. When I reached Mumbai, I got to know our event was cancelled because Dino fell ill," said Sammir.

Saif, who was to perform at the Stardust Awards recently, had to be hospitalised after he complained of chest pain. Over-stress was said to be the reason behind his irregular heartbeat. He was discharged a couple of days ago.

 

Varma recreates 'Lolita' through 'Nishabd' (PREVIEW)
 
New Delhi, Feb 28   Director Ram Gopal Varma's "Nishabd", which releases Friday, tells the story of an intimate and unusual relationship between an older man and his daughter's friend.

Starring Amitabh Bachchan and newcomer Jiah Khan, "Nishabd" is said to be based on Vladimir Nabokov's controversial novel "Lolita". While Nakobov's novel is about a 44-year-old man fantasising about a precocious 12-year-old girl, Varma's "Nishabd" is about a 60-year old married man's romance with an 18-year-old girl.

Amitabh plays a wildlife photographer in the film and lives with his family n a hill station. Jiah is his daughter's friend, who comes to spend her holidays with the family.

The lensman's artistic vision is triggered off when he sees Jiah's youthful activities and starts capturing them in his camera. But these harmless photo sessions take an unpredictable turn when Amitabh sees Jiah playing in the water getting all wet. It changes his feelings towards her and starts fantasising about her.

This attraction is not one-sided as Jiah too is obsessed with him and unhesitatingly confesses her love.

When he tells his family about his feelings for the teenager, all hell breaks loose. His daughter is shell-shocked on hearing of her dad's romance with her friend.

Through this film, Varma tries to state that age has nothing to do with love. Attraction between two people can exist, irrespective of age.

Aaftab Shivdasani, Revathi and Rukhsar also star in the film.

The novel has been twice adapted into a film - first time in 1962 by Stanley Kubrick starring James Mason as Humbert Humbert and next in 1997 by Adrian Lyne, starring Jeremy Irons and received mixed response.

It is now to be seen how the Indian audience reacts to Varma's interpretation of "Lolita"
 

Slated Friday release of 'Nishabd' challenged yet again
 
New Delhi, Feb 28   Bollywood film director Ram Gopal Varma's "Nishabd", featuring legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, failed to get out of the legal tangle Wednesday, two days before its slated release Friday.

A day after a single bench of a Delhi High Court refused to ban the film, director Jahar Kanungo of Bengali art film of the same name "Nisshabda" moved a division bench of the court, challenging the single bench order.

Accusing Varma of resorting to plagiarism in making "Nishabd", Kanungo sought the court direction to stay the release of the Film.

Kanungo's counsel Kartik Jai Shanker mentioned the matter before a division bench of Chief Justice M.K. Sharma and Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who posted the matter for hearing Thursday.

Justice A.K. Sikri Tuesday had dismissed Kanungo's petition accusing Varma of plagiarising his film of the same name. The judge rejected his petition saying the petitioner approached the court too late to secure the legal reprieve and have the film stopped from being released.

"Injunction of the nature pressed by the plaintiff (Kanungo) cannot be granted at this stage when he approached the court barely 10 days before the proposed release of the film," said justice Sikri Tuesday in his 38-page ruling.

The judge had squarely blamed Kanungo for failing in getting his requisite legal reprieve by approaching the court late.

'Nishabd', directed by Varma, tells the story of a 65-year-old man, infatuated with a girl of his daughter's age. The lead roles in the film have been played by Amitabh Bachchan, Jiah Khan and Rewati.
 

'Caribbean Party' - official music album of the World Cup
 
Kingston, Feb 28   "Caribbean Party", the official music album of the World Cup, is ready to spice up and welcome the 16 teams to the mega cricket event beginning in the West Indies March 11.

The album, an 11-track compilation featuring an inspirational song, will be launched by VP Records on Tuesday.

The album contains the official song - "The Game of Love and Unity" by Rupee, Shaggy and Fayann Lyons - as well as melodies from Assassin, Buju Banton, Edwin Yearwood, Elephant Man, TOK and Wayne Wonder, among others. All are Caribbean singers.

"Music is synonymous with cricket in the Caribbean and therefore it's only fitting that there is an official album for the biggest tournament ever to be held in the region," said World Cup marketing manager Damon Leon.

"These tracks are a salute to the lifestyle that people in the West Indies enjoy and the passionate bond between cricket and West Indians."

The music is expected to be played during the 51 matches over 49 days of the tournament.

VP Records' product manager Chris Goins said the album truly captures the vibrant and colourful spirit of the West Indies.

Meanwhile, World Cup's new television commercial - featuring images from the upcoming music video "The Game of Love and Unity" - is now being aired at all nine venues of the tournament.

Leon pointed out that the 30-second commercial is part of the 'Feel Good' advertising campaign to generate further hype and excitement surrounding the tournament.

"This commercial captures the excitement of World Cup from various vantage points - player, spectator, average visitor and man on the street - as well as the zest which Caribbean people have for cricket and life as a whole," he said.

IANS