Noted filmmaker Kumar Shahani feels that global financing of movies is a stumbling block for offbeat Indians filmmakers 'who try to find their own voice and idioms in their films, removed from the celluloid mainstream'.

The 70-year-old director of parallel cinema, who is working on two new projects, is looking for international finance for his movies.

'Global finance standardises everything -- from the way directors should take a shot to the kind of movies they should make. The corporate decisions taken to finance movies are based on international financial trends. Sometimes the judgements the financiers make are delayed and affect filmmakers like me whose originality lies in being in touch with the pulse of life,' Shahani told IANS in an interview.

Movies cannot be standardised, he said. 'Eighty percent of our mainstream movies flop because of the corporatisation of the movie industry. The filmmakers are usually dependent on the corporate understanding of the past and present.'

'I am working with the Italian danseuse Ileana Citaristi, who came to India in 1979 and discovered her femininity through dance. She learnt Chhau in Orissa and then moved to Odissi. It is different from the movie 'Bhavantarana' ('Immanence'), I made with Odissi maestro Kelucharan Mohapatra in 1991-92,' Shahani said.

Shahani's new project picks up the Odissi trail from where he left it in the 1990s.

He is also working on a project with British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor. But both projects are dependent on global finance.

The filmmaker, born in 1940 in Larkana in Sindh (now in Pakistan), studied screenplay writing and advanced direction at the Film and Television Institute of India.

He also studied under the renowned Marxist historian D.D. Kosambi and assisted French filmmmaker Robert Bresson. He returned to India to make his feature film 'Maya Darpan' in 1972 and waited for 12 years to make 'Tarang'.

In 1976-78 he held a Homi Bhabha fellowship to study the epic traditions of the Mahabharata, Buddhist iconography, Indian classical music and the Bhakti movement.

He is known for his movies like 'Kasba', 'Khayal Gatha' and 'Bhavantarana'.

Shahani says he does not like to make movies 'unless they give me satisfaction - and all those who support me have to share my passion'.

The director feels that he has been indirectly affected by India's 1947 partition - 'it has helped me rise above regionalism'.

'I do not identify myself with any particular region or city and I am loved by people from across the subcontinent. One of my favourite teachers in Pune was Ritwik Ghatak, who was a refugee from Bangladesh (then East Pakistan), but he had also transcended the geographical barriers.'

(Madhusree Chatterjee can be contacted at madhu.c@ians.in)

vpost : 08

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After SRK, it's his svelte star who earned a note of negativity… and twitter is presently giving the heebie jeebies to Kajol. Reportedly, a tweet from an account labelled '@kajolnysa' has proved to be the fountainhead of worry.

The tweet said, "@ all mumbaikars, Dont worry people, even chengez khan cant stop MNIK release, relax and let all your positive energy flow here."

Refuting the allegation, a distressed Kajol voiced her sentiments to the scribe tribe stating, "Those comments on twitter are NOT me. It is a fake ID. I have not commented on Twitter on any issues. I am not on Twitter."

Hubby Ajay Devgn, tweeting cannily from October 29, 2009, confirms her stance. His tweet declares,"Those comments on Twitter are not of Kajol. Its a fake id. Kajol has not commented on any issues and she is not on Twitter."

vpost : 10

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After her winning stint with an outdoor sport: hockey and her subsequent success with 'Chak De', Vidya Malvade is looking inwards. Er, rather, she's sashayed her way into an indoor sport flick: 'Striker,' a carrom centric opus which spotlights her in a pivotal role.

"My character is called Devi," states Vidya. "She's a girl who comes from a lower middle class Maharashtrian background and she's also very grounded herself. She's focussed, good at academics and keeps pulling up Surya, the character played by Siddharth."

Elaborating on the 'Striker' experience, she says, "It was great working with Siddharth because he is such an unselfish actor. He's not the type who's only worried about how he looks on screen. He makes you comfortable as a co star and wants you to give off your best too. I've liked the two films that Chandan directed and I'd say that he's made a brilliant film."

vpost : 08

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Singing legend Asha Bhosle recorded a Kannada song for composer Veera Samarth, who says it is the biggest turning point in his musical career.

'This is the biggest turning point in my musical career. I have been trying to get Asha didi to sing a song for a Kannada film for months. I sent her a musical track five months ago. She must have liked the track as she asked me to meet her. Then she heard the track again and said that she consulted her friends who know about the quality of Kannada lyrics,' said Samarth.

Written by Raghavendra Kamath, the song was recorded on Feb 2 at Mumbai's Spectral Harmony studio.

'Didi took just two-and-a-half hour to sing the song. And the rehearsal of the song was done a day earlier. Asha didi wrote the lyrics in Hindi in her own handwriting and what a song it was. I was in tears when she completed the song. I am sure it would be one of the most brilliant songs in Kannada,' Samarth told IANS.

Produced by Basava Reddy, 'Mandahaasa' is Rajesh Nair's directorial debut. Nair worked with UTV as a chief executive in charge of production.

In the 1970s, Asha's elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar had sung a song for the historical Kannada film 'Sangolli Rayanna'. Titled 'Bellane Belagayithu', the song is still remembered despite the fact that the film wasn't a hit at the box office.

vpost : 07

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Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan's new-found camaraderie with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has found a supporter in Amar Singh.

The expelled Samajwadi Party leader has slammed the media and 'political rivals' for playing up Bachchan agreeing to be the brand ambassador of Gujarat.

Bachchan had organised a special screening of his movie 'Paa' for Modi in Gandhinagar on Jan 6 and also expressed his wish to be Gujarat's brand ambassador. The chief minister followed it up with a formal offer to the Bollywood icon, who accepted it Feb 1.

After the Jan 6 meeting with the chief minister, the Bollywood star wrote in his blog: 'He (Modi) lives simply and with mere basic needs and most unlike the head of a state. He speaks with affection on development and progress. He is welcoming to fresh ideas and ideals. His oft repeated phrase of him being a CM, a common man, is not misunderstood.'

Amar Singh said there was nothing wrong with the film star meeting Modi.

'He (Amitabh) had gone to meet Modi, not an activist of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS),' Amar Singh wrote.

He compared the meeting with that between Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and RSS leader K. Sudarshan.

'Did Mulayam became a Sangh activist after meeting Sudarshan?' Amar Singh wondered.

He said Bachchan had only agreed to Modi's proposal of promoting tourist places in Gujarat.

vpost : 02

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Film: 'Just Maath Maathnalli'; Director: Sudeep; Cast: Sudeep, Ramya, Rajesh, Arun Sagar and Yathiraj; Music: Raghu Dixit; Rating: ***

Sudeep's 'Just Maath Maathnalli' is a sincere effort that will appeal largely to enlightened audiences. Sudeep's efforts to portray this film in a classic style despite having a charismatic mass appeal has to be appreciated.

The film has some extremely good performances, lilting music and pleasing photography to its credit. But the movie's pace shows inconsistency.

Sudeep has so for directed many remakes, but this is the first time he has attempted to make a film based on an original story. He has shown a high degree of commitment in making a neat movie without falling prey to commercial considerations. His presentation is stylish as can be seen from the choice of perfect locations and costume designs.

The main problem of the film is that it moves at a snail's pace in the first half but takes some interesting twists in the second half. The total absence of comedy is another negative point.

Though the film's heroine shines in the first half, her role is significantly reduced in the second part. The climax sequence may not appeal to hardcore Sudeep fans, but it is nevertheless well narrated.

The film starts off with a rockstar narrating his story to a script writer on a flight but too many flashbacks slacken the pace. The main strength of the film are the performances, which are really top class. The music and the camera work compliment the film.

'Just Maath Maathnalli' is centred around singer Sidhdharth, who meets Tanu in bizarre circumstances. Tanu is full of life while Sidhdharth is buried in his past. Circumstances lead them to spend two days together on a railway platform and then later move to Tanu's house.

Tanu proposes to him, but Sidhdharth is not really interested. He separates from her but later realises that he made a mistake. Realising Tanu's true love for him, he wants to go to Singapore to meet her and convey his feelings for her.

He meets a businessman-cum script writer Adi and tell him his story and goes ahead to Singapore, where yet another twist awaits the viewers.

Ramya proves to be exceptional in the film and lives Tanu's character. She is expressive and makes a good impact in the first half. Sudeep once again shines with his slow-paced dialogue delivery.

Rajesh is quite impressive and Arun Sagar shines in the role of Sudeep's friend.

Raghu Dixit's music rocks. The songs 'Just Maath Maathnalli' and 'Mussanje' are really good and shot very well.

'Just Maath Maathnalli' is definitely worth a watch.

vpost : 09

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Fawning appreciation has never been in deficit. And now, Amitabh Bachchan will earn a few more truckloads of acclaim as he readies to recite five to six poems penned by his late illustrious father: Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan at the 'Aman Ki Asha' event, an initiative to promote Indo-Pak relations.

This, incidentally, will revive a déjà vu feeling. In March 1998, Dr Bachchan propped up in the ICU of a top drawer Mumbai hospital, rued the fact that he couldn't listen to his poems being recited by Amitabh before a distinguished audience at the British Council.

On his return, his son complied with his wishes and recited those poems in his rich, unmistakable baritone, even as amazed doctors and stunned nurses listened in rapt attention. At the end of it all, Dr Bachchan nodded his hearty assent. And a supremely pleased Big B couldn't have asked for more…

The Paki counterpart to Bachchan at the 'Aman Ki Asha' initiative will be Paki screen legend Zia Mohyeddin who will read out Urdu poems by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Two much!

vpost : 07

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Salman Khan did give sleepless nights to… another Khan. This time around, though, it was for a creative cause. Mudassar Khan, 25, happens to be the recent beneficiary of 'Veer' Khan's goodness.

Apparently, SK spotted Mudassar performing with his troupe 'Sharp Shooters' at a local Mumbai mall, when he showed up at a promotional event for 'Wanted.' And the mercurial Khan was bowled over by his moves.

"Salman sir liked my work so much that he asked me to choreograph his dance for an awards night," gushes Mudassar in a tabloid chat. "I took it as a responsibility more than an opportunity."

Impressed with the results, SK has roped in Khan for a new song number in the actor's new venture 'Dabanng'. "It's a great song called 'humka peena hai' and Salman sir has been helping me to learn in so many ways. He never behaves like a big star."

Notch one more admirer to Khan's swelling fan base…

vpost : 10

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Amar Singh faced the Samajwadi Party axe and was summarily sacked. A while later, his staunch ally Jaya Prada too was made to follow suit.

Smirks JP in a tabloid chat, "The party took an objection to a blog that Amar Singhji had written. Apparently, the Party believes that blogs and computers are for rich people and not for Samajwadi members."

Never mind the collective tongues wagging over her relationship status with the expelled politico, the MP from Rampur states, "Amar Singh stood by me when nude photographs of mine were being circulated by Azam Khan 'saab' who was responsible for it. On May 11, 2009, Amar Singhji was in bad shape. He was vomitting blood and was on dialysis, yet he supported me. Whatever Amarji chooses to do, I am with him."

Two good for the Lokmanch Party.

vpost : 07

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He's braving unrelenting ire from the Shiv Sena. But meanwhile, the Gods seem to be beaming upon him too. Shah Rukh Khan is fast becoming a steady collector of 'firsts' to his credit. The premier star (alongside Kajol) to ring the share market gong at NASDAQ and the first Hindi star to give away Golden Globes, has now notched up yet another high.

Even as the waxwork at Madame Tussauds continues to enthrall admirers, SRK has pocketed another waxy highlight! The Los Angeles Wax Museum has also ushered in a replica of the global super icon, in recognition of his star power and undeniable appeal across continents. This honour makes it a 'first' for any Hindi cinedom actor.

Guess, celeb wax will melt many more hearts…

vpost : 06

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The Casanova image is thriving and Ranbir Kapoor continues to rake in reams of inquisitive reportage on his exploits. He's firmly entrenched in the Big Apple canning frames of 'Anjaana Anjaani', and yet… he manages to throw Mumbai gossip mills into overdrive!

Word has it that his link with Katrina Kaif is still on a fab footing and that the duo are still "good friends." Apparently, he's making valiant amends to mend his cracking bond with Deepika Padukone too. And what's better, reported ex flame Nandita Mahtani isn't lagging behind. A unit insider reveals that Mahtani caught up with Ranbir with New York, and the duo seemed a wee too cosy for comfort!

Trio of trouble, Ranbir?

vpost : 05

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The dusky bomb belle is on cloud nineteen! "My Bengali film 'Shob Charitro Kalponik' has picked up a National award!" gushes Bipasha Basu in a tabloid chat. "And I'm overwhelmed by the reactions to my plain Jane look and my performance. John loved me in a sari and found the film to be extremely thought provoking."

On the anvil are two flicks that are presently in a state of limbo: 'Pankh' and 'Mr Fraud.' Reveals Basu,"I love my look in 'Pankh', because I'm playing a character who is supposed to be every man's fantasy."

Besides, BB has also pocketed another biggie: a Priyadarshan film 'Nishaad' in which she's completely stripped… of greasepaint! "I'm not even wearing a trace of 'kaajal' and my hair is coiled in a messy bun." she bares. "My designer Rocky S has given me simple cotton saris. My co stars are Ajay Devgn and Akshaye Khanna. Incidentally, Ajay felt that I looked 'sweet' in the film."

Guess, audiences might too…

vpost : 04

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Yash Raj Films is launching newcomer Ranveer Singh opposite 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' actress Anushka Sharma in their next project.

The film will be directed by Maneesh Sharma, who worked as an assistant director on Shah Rukh Khan starrer 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'. The untitled venture will be produced by Aditya Chopra.

The shooting has started and it is scheduled for a release later this year.

The story revolves around Shruti (Anushka Sharma) and Bittoo (Ranveer Singh) who start a business after passing out from Delhi University. Their friendship and business enters lavish world of Delhi's baaraats and weddings.

Maneesh had also assisted on other Yash Raj projects like 'Fanaa' and 'Aaja Nachle'.

vpost : 02

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Abid, Bollywood Trade News Network

A huge star of the Telugu film industry, Siddharth may not be a known name in Bollywood, except for a short but impressive role in RANG DE BASANTI but his chocolate boy good looks in the Idea Walk And Talk AD has made him quite popular with the females. His upcoming film, STRIKER has come after a gap of almost four years. The film revolves around a carom player who comes from a poor family in Malwani area of Mumbai (1980s) and has a passion for carom and goes on to win the junior championship.

However, lead actor Siddharth categorically denies that STRIKER is a sports film, although the game is very central to the plot. He prefers to call STRIKER a period drama which is inspired by the times when every day young unemployed youth used to go out of slums empty-handed but returned with thousands of rupees, all because of their skills in carom. He goes on to add that there used to be around 3000 carom clubs in the city and the underground carom scene has been breeding hustlers and gamblers for many years.

Looks like the intelligent actor has done his homework and after this insight it gives us all the more reason to check out STRIKER which releases this Friday, that is 5th February!

vpost : 17

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Rachana, Bollywood Trade News Network

They say learning never goes waste and same stood true in our Bollywood actor Sammir Dattani's case recently.

Apparently Sammir, who is said to play a mechanic in his upcoming film WELL DONE ABBA directed by profound filmmaker Shyam Benegal, prepared for the role by doing a stint in a garage nearby his home. But little did Sammir know that his small preparation would help him to a great deal in near future.

It so happened that recently on his visit to UK with friends their car's tyre got punctured in the mid of the journey, where many require a mechanic or spend hours behind the vehicle repair, our smart dude Sammir without much ado managed it in a jiffy because of the skill he had acquired for his role in the movie. Post that Sammir is recommending everyone who drives to do a basic course in car maintenance.

Point noted Sammir!

vpost : 15

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Bollywood Trade News Network

Vikram Bhatt's ASA Productions has teamed up with Harbhajan Singh's Television Production Company, TRP ('The Right Picture') to produce a dance reality show on television.

Vikram Bhatt would be producing the dance reality show 'Dance India Dance' season 2 on Zee TV along with Indian bowling ace Harbhajan Singh.

Vikram Bhatt, the man behind this colossal abode of ASA Productions, expressed his pleasure on producing the show and his association with the production house TRP.

"I am very happy with the new project. 'Dance India Dance' is a great show and since I have worked with Mithun Chakraborty, Geeta Kapur, Remo D'souza and Terrence Lewis earlier, it feels great to be associated with the same people again. 'Dance India Dance' is a great show and co-producing it with Bhajji would be a good experience," Vikram said.

Harbhajan Singh too expressed his contentment on the union. "I am very pleased with this association. The season one of the show was a huge success and we hope the same for the second season too. The participants on the show are too good and they have taken the show to a unique level".

vpost : 14

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