Introducing... RANBIR KAPOOR!

I had this idea while doing my Bollywood for Beginners series - wouldn't it be fun to see how all our favorite heroes were introduced?

Check out the previous two installments: Hrithik Roshan and Ajay Devgn!

INTRODUCING... RANBIR KAPOOR!

DISNEY IS RELEASING THREE MOVIES!

I don't often do this but I thought everybody would be interested to know that Disney is releasing THREE movies on multiple platforms on July 26th... including Siddharth starrer Once Upon A Warrior. I've been assured that it's the original, uncut Telugu version and will be coming with English subtitles. The other two are Do Dooni Chaar and Zokkomon. The movies will be available for download in iTunes and video on demand from numerous places.

I am super excited about this and I'll keep you posted on any other developments. Anything that makes it easier for us Western fans to get films is something to celebrate!

Here is the official press release - it has links to the Disney sites to the films, we can all keep an eye out for updates on Sid's film:

Thursday Gossip!

Today in gossip - Ayesha Takia is BACK; Prince Harry is dating Love Aaj Kal girl Florence; I dug up some filmi commercials; and MORE!

Double Dhamaal: Double your fun!

I was debating on whether or not to review Double Dhamaal - especially since this review basically captures my sentiments - but what the heck!

Wednesday Gossip!

Announcement! I'll be in New York City this weekend and will be having a meet-up to see Bbuddah, so if you want to join in the fun, drop me a line!

Now, today in gossip - Real gangsters in Telugu cinema, Delhi Belly sanitizes the language in Hindi, Katrina is harassed about her relationships, making of Singham title track, UDAY CHOPRA QUITS ACTING, and MORE!

IIFA Post #5 The Big Finale!

[Filmi Girl enjoying delicious street corn in Little India in Toronto.]

WHAT I LEARNED FROM IIFA

I’d been looking forward to attending IIFA in Toronto for so long that I can’t quite believe it’s all over. The past weekend feels like a very vivid dream. It was really amazing to be surrounded by so much love and enthusiasm from the filmi community! Despite my pale skin, nobody ever made me feel unwelcome or out of place, which I really appreciated. I posted some blow by blow updates but I thought I would share with you lovely people a few of the things I learned over the weekend.

Tuesday Gossip!

Back to the old routine.
IFA was such a lovely dream...

I have a few more things from this weekend to post... like my Double Dhamaal review. Yes, I saw it and, yes, it's actually pretty funny - if you like nut shots accompanied by sound effects! Which I DO!

Today in gossip - The last of the IIFA news is trickling out; Delhi Belly is holding on strong; assorted casting news; a new Singham song trailer; and MORE!

IIFA Post #4 THE AWARDS!

Before I go into my write-up, I want to really thank Shellie for being generous enough to snag me a ticket to IIFA as soon as they went on sale and (with her awesome sister J.) for being such a wonderful travel partner!

Okay, so here we go!

Pictures, observations, etc. from the IIFA AWARDS TORONTO 2011 below!

For a full list of winners, click here.



[Rocking my purple Fashion Crimes dress!]

IIFA Post #3.5 (Mini Post!)

I'm home!!!!! IIFA, I loved you but it is good to be back. I got kind of celebritied out while in Toronto. I don't see how those stars constantly surrounded by hype handle it. If I was a star, I'd try to save it for the red carpet and then when I wasn't working, I'd ride around on my motorcycle and just try to blend in.

Anyways, here are few more pictures from Shell's sister J. from inside the ROYAL YORK HOTEL! (My camera didn't take good ones inside.)

IIFA Post #3

Oh my GOD! It was another late night for Filmi Girl... IIFA started two hours late at 9pm and ran until 2:15 in the morning. All of which might have been less obnoxious if the event hadn't been alcohol-free. Still, it was a SUPER-FUN time and I'll have the full recap for you in the next post.

Here are some of the fun things we got up to yesterday before the big event!



The TIFF Lightbox had a small Raj Kapoor exhibit up...

IIFA POST #2

Hello, lovely people! I've had an amazing... well, not even 24 hours here in the city of Toronto!



[The grand symbol of AkshayKumarNagar! Hee hee!]

IIFA POST #1

I am en route to IIFA at the moment but due to a slight flight delay am killing time at the airport bar. While I wait, why not enjoy some pretty, pretty pictures of Kangana Ranaut at the premiere of Double Dhamaal... the movie in which Riteish Deshmukh appears in black face; Arshad Warsi is a comedy Sikh; and Sanjay Dutt showed up to set!



Kangana is putting you all on notice.

Friday Gossip - IIFA MADNESS!

I'm heading out to Toronto this morning for IIFA! I'm not sure what my posting schedule will be like but I'm going to try and post updates and pictures throughout the weekend.

Today in gossip - IIFA CRAZINESS; some Western media outlets not in Canada try to join in the action; Aamir talks about his new item number; Saif is a zombie; and MORE!

Filmi Girl talks to... Vir Das! (Quick Bite)

This is the third in a series of quick interviews with some of the cast of Delhi Belly! Check out Kunaal Roy Kapur and Poorna Jagannathan!

Comedy fans probably already know Vir Das from his hilarious live performances but film audiences are just getting acquainted with the man behind (according to Wikipedia) Brown Men Can’t Hump. You can spot in a hilarious guest spot in Namastey London as one of Katrina Kaif’s potential suitors and in the thankless role of sidekick in Badmaash Company and now as one of the three leads of Delhi Belly. Vir Das is not from a filmi family - his mother wanted him to become an investment banker - but his unique brand of comedy has allowed him to carve out a niche on stage, on TV, and now on film.

Vir Das took the time from his busy schedule to answer a few questions for me via e-mail.

Thursday gossip!

Today in gossip - more IIFA INSANITY; Kumar Sanu emerges to trash talk today's singers; Delhi Belly hype is reaching unsustainable levels of media saturation; Salman Khan is an M coverboy; and oh, so much more!

Wednesday Gossip

Today in gossip - IIFA CRAZY... also Aishwarya is pregnant, Salman and Katrina are going to Iraq, and oh, so much more!

Tuesday Gossip!

Greetings, lovely people!

For those Imran Khan fans, check out an exclusive podcast from my friends over at Upodcast, where Imran talks all things Delhi Belly... including what gives him Delhi Belly. It's a funny interview so go listen!

Now, today in gossip - IIFA feeding frenzy in the press; RAVEENA TANDON'S ITEM SONG; updates on Vivek Oberoi and Imran Khan; and all sorts of other odds and ends!

Veer: A real old-fashioned pot boiler!

Salman Khan is not an actor known for getting overly involved in his projects. Aamir and Hrithik do one film at a time, completely transforming themselves for a character; Shahrukh is deeply involved in production and promotion; Akshay is continually trying to branch out into artier films; and Salman is content to do whatever his family, friends, and fans want to see from him. Salman treats films as a job rather than an artistic outlet - for that, he has his painting and his charitable foundation. So, when word began to circulate sometime during 2006 that Salman Khan was writing a film, people were understandably curious.

Monday Gossip and a mini-rant on Ready reviews.

Not too much gossip today, so I got on my soap box about all those scolds harping on about Ready...

Sunday Gossip!

Today in gossip - critics are STILL bashing Ready, interesting news on Ishqiya 2, Rajkumar Santoshi's next with Abhishek look promising, and MORE!

Saturday Gossip

Today in gossip - Shahrukh and his knee; IIFA madness; Gandu goes global; new song trailer for ZNMD; and MORE!

Mangal Pandey: The One Aamir Khan Doesn't Talk About

No film is without some controversy; it’s impossible to make a product that will please every single person. Even in a seemingly innocent inward-looking romantic comedy, the casual use of ‘Bombay’ instead of ‘Mumbai’ can lead to big headlines and apologies to major political figures. With historical films, the controversy often gets ramped up to extreme measures - “He didn’t say that,” “She didn’t do this,” “You left out this important event.” And when that historical film is about a revolutionary and also a long-awaited Aamir Khan film... well, then you have Mangal Pandey: The Rising, the next part of my Box Office Poison: Revisiting Flop Films series. (Do you like the series name?!)

Filmi Girl talks to... Kunaal Roy Kapur (Quick Bite)

Although Kunaal Roy Kapur is better known for being behind the camera - he directed the very well received The President Is Coming (2009) - that may change with the release of Delhi Belly. Kunaal is the middle of three brothers. Elder brother Siddharth Roy Kapur runs UTV and curly-haired younger brother Aditiya you may remember from Guzaarish and Action Replayy.

Film runs in the Roy Kapur blood, which is just as well since Kunaal spent most of the shooting of Delhi Belly covered in it... or some other kind of muck. His character is the one afflicted with the stomach ailment that gives the film its name. Rumor has it that he stepped into the role of the loose-boweled Nitin after Aamir Khan stepped out, leaving some very (metaphorically) big shoes to fill!

Alfred Adler might theorize that taking such an... attention grabbing role might have something do with middle child syndrome. It can't be easy to be the brother in between the highly successful corporate magnate and the adorably cute VJ...

Kunaal was kind enough to answer a few questions via e-mail for me.

Filmi Girl talks to... Poorna Jagannathan! (Quick Bite)

Even if you don't know actress Poorna Jagannathan by name you have probably seen her playing on television... playing a doctor or computer tech, which she has done on many popular shows like Numb3ers and Law & Order. Poorna grew up as part of a Foreign Service family and had a globetrotting childhood places like Ireland, Buenos Aires, and my own Washington, DC. She began acting in college (University of Maryland, represent!) but didn't discover her true passion for the craft until a few years later, while working in an advertising company and doing theater on the side. Out went the "real job" and in came plays, television, and films.

But nothing could have prepared the New York City theater girl for a mainstream Bollywood film. Poorna plays Imran Khan's love interest in Delhi Belly and the gossip rags have already picked up the story of their onscreen lip lock and run with it! What a transition from scrubs and a stethoscope!

Poorna was kind enough to answer a few questions via e-mail for me.

Thursday Gossip

Today in Gossip - the Globe and Mail assembles some bizarre Top 10 lists; happy birthday to Mithun-da; happy anniversary to Lagaan; and MORE!

Things I like: Ranbir Kapoor dancing!

Lest you all think I am a Debbie Downer all the time - here is something I can get behind!

Ranbir Kapoor + lots of little boys + dancing = a very amused Filmi Girl!

The song: Tai Tai Phiss

The movie: Chillar Party

Filmi Girl: Happy

Wednesday gossip

So... I'm feeling all burnt out of outrage over things, so hopefully nothing stupid will come my way for at least a week. This means I won't be going to see Always Kabhi Kabhi this weekend. Do you know how much I wish there were subtitles for Arya's Avan Ivan, which is also playing?

Anyways, we're going Delhi Belly free over here at FG - since it seems nobody else wants to see the film either - so, let's move on! Zita i Gita, Ajay's abs, Anurag and Kalki being cute, Sonam lives a fairy tale, and MORE!

Aishwarya Rai and Delhi Belly

Since the release of Ready, it seems all Hell has broken loose in Bollywood media circles. There are two things that have come up that I want to address in a longer form than just spats on Twitter.

1. The picturization for “Switty Tera Pyaar” from Delhi Belly.
2. Aishwarya Rai being majorly photoshopped to be skinny in advertisements.

Tuesday Gossip

Today in gossip - assorted nonsense. The media is picking on Aish's weight (OMG! IS SHE HOMEBOUND NOW OR SOMETHING?!) and there is some casting news.

And Shweta Bhardwaj's adorable new item song! She's so cute!

Monday Gossip

Today in gossip - Imran Khan puts on a minstrel show; more tributes pour in for MF Husain; Aishwarya visits the races in Chantilly; get the inside scoop on the Bollywood PR machine; and MORE!

The Legend of Bhagat Singh... starring Ajay Devgn

After the positive response to my review of Asoka, I thought I would continue looking at ambitious films that underperformed at the box office. This week it’s The Legend of Bhagat Singh, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and starring Ajay Devgn. It was one of two underperforming films on revolutionary figure Bhagat Singh that released in the summer of 2002 - the other being the Deol home production 23rd March 1931: Shaheed starring brothers Bobby and Sunny Deol. While 23rd March has mostly disappeared from public consciousness, The Legend of Bhagat Singh earned Ajay Devgn the National Award and is still discussed as a highlight of his career.

Sunday Gossip!

Today in gossip - an assortment of stories on such things as Abhishek, Rahul Khanna, and Siddharth!

BOLLYWOOD FOR BEGINNERS POST #27

For previous installments, please visit the index

You’ve met today’s biggest Heroes but what about the heroines? I’m going to run through the ladies I consider the big names today - with an emphasis on currency. As I explained in my piece on heroines, leading ladies flit through the film industry much more quickly than the men. This is due to a variety of reasons including, but not limited to:

1. Marriage has traditionally ended the careers of actresses and most women still marry fairly young.
2. Both producers and Heroes prefer working with younger actresses.
3. Heroine roles are often that of a wide-eyed innocent and a lady can only play (convincingly) virginal for so long.

It’s a harsh world out there for actresses.

KNOW YOUR HEROINES: KATRINA KAIF

Saturday Gossip!

Greetings, lovely people! So, I happened to be googling around about Asoka and did you know there was a glossy coffee table book about the film? Did you know that even used copies go for US $250? INSANE! I just wanted to look at the pretty pictures... maybe one day it will come to me at a more reasonable price.

Anyways, today in gossip! Poster exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum; find out the real deal with the Morani brothers and SRK; Kalki and Shaitan; Rani Mukerji; Rahul Bose; and MORE!

Friday Gossip!

Today in gossip, the Canadian media goes Bolly-crazy, Shahrukh Khan wants more Ra.1 coverage, Saifu is waxed on the cover of Man's World and MORE!

Introducing... HRITHIK ROSHAN

I had this idea while doing my Bollywood for Beginners series - wouldn't it be fun to see how all our favorite heroes were introduced?

Check out the first installment on Ajay Devgn!

INTRODUCING... HRITHIK ROSHAN!

As if summoned by God himself, Hrithik Roshan was launched in January 2000 in a romantic-masala extravaganza called Kaho Na Pyaar Hai. After a full decade of Khan dominance in Bollywood, audiences were ready for something new.

Filmfare: Y U DO THIS TO ME

You guys know I like Filmfare magazine. They have good articles from time to time and the interviews are nearly as painful as they are in other publications. Plus, the glossy, glossy pictures are so pretty! Sure, they're prone to cycling through the same five celebrities over and over again on the cover but nobody's perfect.

So, imagine my surprise when I saw the latest cover of Filmfare... it captures everything I hate about the media.

Where to begin...?

Thursday Gossip!

Today in gossip - updates on Emraan Hashmi: King of B movies; REALLY BIG IIFA NEWS; two new Delhi Belly song promos; and other assorted nonsense!

Double Dhamaal!

I got some fun promo pictures for Double Dhamaal, which promises to be a nonsensical bad-taste comedy of the best kind.

Why do I like these low brow films so much?

I think they provide a release from the buttoned-up lifestyle we're forced to live everyday. We wear sensible clothes to work and try to eat healthy and get exercise and be good, responsible citizens. Low brow films provide an escape-valve on all the pressures of life.

I can't wear a glittery mini-dress to work but it's fun to watch Mallika Sherawat slink around in one. I have to be mature at work and can't laugh when somebody farts but an exaggerated comedy fart in a film is fair game. I know perfectly well that glitzy, tacky, sound-effect filled wackadoodle comedy films aren't great cinema but they do have a fond place in my media diet. After eating vegetables all week, don't I deserve an ice cream sundae? With a cherry on top? And sparklers? And announced with a sound effect that says Dhamaaaal every time I take a bite?

A couple pictures and the trailer after the cut!

Wednesday Gossip

Today in gossip - new BBUDDHA promo, updates on Dhoom 3, Asin and Salman talk to the media, the Censor Board wants to censor directors even further, and MORE!

Asoka: A Santosh Sivan Picture

Released heavy on the heels of that other, better-known period film from 2001, Asoka was one of the first Bollywood films I ever saw. I had no idea at the time of its flop status at the box office or who any of the actors were or its importance as a product of Shahrukh’s ill-fated Dreamz Unlimited production company. All I knew was that I liked it. A lot. And since I’ve been reading Nathan Rabin’s book on re-evaluating flop films, I thought it might be worth taking another look at some major Bollywood flops and the first one that came to mind was Asoka.

(Some spoilers ahead as far as general plot goes but since the film is based on history, hopefully that won’t discourage you from reading.)

Tuesday Gossip!

Today in gossip, find out about how those spam gossip sites operate, read some painful quotes from clueless Minissha Lamba, Dirty Picture gets in trouble with the Workers Union, Sanjay Dutt loves controversy, and more!

BOLLYWOOD FOR BEGINNERS #26

For previous installments, please visit the index

You’ve met today’s biggest Heroes but what about the heroines? I’m going to run through the ladies I consider the big names today - with an emphasis on currency. As I explained in my piece on heroines, leading ladies flit through the film industry much more quickly than the men. This is due to a variety of reasons including, but not limited to:

1. Marriage has traditionally ended the careers of actresses and most women still marry fairly young.
2. Both producers and Heroes prefer working with younger actresses.
3. Heroine roles are often that of a wide-eyed innocent and a lady can only play (convincingly) virginal for so long.

It’s a harsh world out there for actresses.

KNOW YOUR HEROINES: VIDYA BALAN

Monday Gossip!

Happy Monday, everybody!

Today in gossip, poor Narmada can't seem to land a debut, Sunny Deol is looking at Prachi Desai, Mallika shakes her booty in another item song, Anurag Kashyap has to personally certify that smoking is harmful, and plenty more tidbits!

Bhool Bhulaiyaa... and others...

Just because I was curious... here are all the climatic songs to all the remakes of Manichithrathazhu.

Sunday Gossip! Nothing but Ready edition...

Wow! There is nothing of interest happening in gossip today except the press getting their panties in a bunch over how much they hated Ready. Seriously, media folks, it's an Anees Bazmee film - what did you think it was going to be like? A highbrow look at the wedding traditions of Thailand with tasteful bon mots as the main form of humor? No, of course not. So, stop acting like the fact that a low-brow comedy is a big shock. It's like nobody in the media remembers that they threw the exact same hissy fit over Thank You just a few months ago.

Ready: Who is ready for crotch jokes?! (ME!)

I had been ready for the Hindi remake of the Telugu Ready since almost the first moment I heard about the film. Southern remakes usually play really well with my specific demographic of myself - and remakes starring Salman Khan do even better! The trailers and promos all promised a cotton-candy colored comedy with just a dash of romance and action. Not only that but the soundtrack - specifically “Dhinka Chika” - has been stuck in my head since the music was released.

Saturday Gossip

Hello, lovlies! Today in gossip - the SINGHAM TRAILER... and some other stuff. Baba Ramdev gets on everybody's nerves, Maddy talks acting, and Salman promises to go topless (again!)!

Senorita! A new song promo from ZNMD!

I'm sorry I missed posting this morning, dear friends. I was having trouble with my Internet connection but it's all fixed for the time being.

To make it up to you, please take a look at this wonderful new song promo from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara!

One of the the things I found really painful about Zoya's Luck By Chance (and other "natrualistic" films like Wake Up Sid and 99) was the way the songs were integrated into the film - aside from the divine "Baware" (the Hrithik version). You could tell that they were aiming for a Hollywood-naturalist tone, a style in which the songs are limited to background score only and are usually pre-existing songs. But Luck By Chance is still a Bollywood film and that means songs are needed for marketing purposes and a soundtrack album full of original material is going to be expected. The way new filmmakers get around this has been to have a the original song play in the background while the main characters stand around gazing at each other or off into space or montaging, instead of just using a normal song picturization sequence.

That solution is really dumb and not any more "realistic" than a song picturization. I don't know about you, but I never stand around in my living room staring off into space and/or gazing lovingly at things while a song I've never heard before but perfectly describes my mental state is piped in from off camera somewhere.

What Zoya appears to have discovered in "Senorita" is what Hollywood musicals from ye olden days did in order to incorporate those crowd pleasing songs. Just like any Fred Astaire film, the actors have prerecorded their own vocals, the setting is rooted in the story (i.e. no fancy costume or scenery changes,) and a performance within the film is the spark for the song. How many Fred Astaire films feature a set-up like this? (Spoiler alert: A lot.)

For me, the specific charm of "Senorita" is in watching Hrithik, Farhan, and Abhay dance. More specifically, in watching Hrithik's "just a normal dude" dancing still be a million times better than Farhan and Abhay's best moves. Even more specifically, watch the gleeful way Hrithik just whips his arms out into the standard Hero Arms Wide Open pose. I dare you not to grin!

Also, the tune is catchy! "... Senorita!"

From the Vaults: Sree 420

This is a review I did AGES ago but I dug it out today for the Kapoor Family celebrations going on this month - hosted by Totallyfilmi.com!

Here's a tip from your friendly, neighborhood Filmi Girl: (this is important)

Do not literally sell your A+ honesty medal because it metaphorically means that you're selling your honesty.

BOLLYWOOD FOR BEGINNERS POST #25

For previous installments, please visit the index

You’ve met today’s biggest Heroes but what about the heroines? This week I’m going to run through the ladies I consider the big names today - with an emphasis on currency. As I explained in my piece on heroines, leading ladies flit through the film industry much more quickly than the men. This is due to a variety of reasons including, but not limited to:

1. Marriage has traditionally ended the careers of actresses and most women still marry fairly young.
2. Both producers and Heroes prefer working with younger actresses.
3. Heroine roles are often that of a wide-eyed innocent and a lady can only play (convincingly) virginal for so long.

It’s a harsh world out there for actresses.

KNOW YOUR HEROINES: KAREENA KAPOOR

Thursday Gossip

Today in gossip - everybody is going global, Shahrukh quotes from the Ra.1 press meet take over the gossip pages, one of Aishwarya's Heroine heroes has been cast, Pooja Gandhi is being stalked, and so much more!!

BOLLYWOOD FOR BEGINNERS POST #24

For previous installments, please visit the index

You’ve met today’s biggest Heroes but what about the heroines? This week I’m going to run through the ladies I consider the big names today - with an emphasis on currency. As I explained in my piece on heroines, leading ladies flit through the film industry much more quickly than the men. This is due to a variety of reasons including, but not limited to:

1. Marriage has traditionally ended the careers of actresses and most women still marry fairly young.
2. Both producers and Heroes prefer working with younger actresses.
3. Heroine roles are often that of a wide-eyed innocent and a lady can only play (convincingly) virginal for so long.

It’s a harsh world out there for actresses.

KNOW YOUR HEROINES: PRIYANKA CHOPRA

Wednesday Gossip!

Happy JUNE! You know what this means... NEW MOVIES! FINALLY! We've got Ready on Friday that is set to kick off six months of glorious, glorious Bollywood.

Today in gossip - a new song promo for Double Dhamaal, tons of film announcements, new trailers for Ra.1 and Mahesh Babu's Dookudu, and Akon's leaked song, and assorted other nonsense!