Friday gossip!

I'll be seeing Force tonight, so I'm avoiding reviews but it looks like Hum Tum Shabana can be safely avoided and Saheb Biwi aur Gangster is an acquired taste.

Today in gossip - some unhealthy eating habits; AKON learning phonetic Hindi; Ekta Kapoor's fashion choices; and exciting new trends for actresses over 30... plus some other stuff!

FORCE: Are you ready for this?!

Force opens tomorrow and I'm getting kind of excited! Hopefully I'll be able to catch the first show after work...

It seems like it's going to be all-out masala or, as Arshad Warsi tweeted earlier today...

imarshadwarsi arshad warsi

Saw FORCE, great job by all actors, must watch movie, only the name shud hav been MUSCLE DUNGA... Too much of MUSCLES in the film..

Do I want to miss MUSCLE DUNGA? NO WAY!

Now, please to be enjoying these press meet pictures while we wait for the movie.



(Yeahhhh... that would be the "hidden weapon" Vidyut Jamwal.)

Thursday Gossip!

I just checked my local theater listings - we're getting Force but no Prince Mahesh for me. Alas... we tend not to get Telugu films here, just Tamil films and the occasional Punjabi film.

NOW! Today in gossip - casting news, some butthurt interviews, some release dates have been changed, and... SURIYA's NEW FILM! THE TRAILER IS OUT! Yay!

Wednesday Gossip

Today in gossip - DOOKUDU; Karan Johar on fakery; Ramesh Sippy told you so; casting updates for Ranbir; Omi Vaidya is Big in Bollywood; Rob Lowe is Big in Canada; and more!

BOLLYWOOD FOR BEGINNERS POST #32

For previous installments, please visit the index.




THE CENSOR BOARD

“Just like people have the freedom of expression there are also rules to be followed in a civilised society.”
Anupam Kher, Actor and Chairman of Central Board of Film Certification, 2003-2004

Tuesday Gossip

Today in gossip - some celebrity tweets; me making fun of Zayed Khan's interviews again (I KNOW! I'm sorry I can't help it!); casting news; and Bebo's 130 costumes in Heroine; plus some other stuff!

Monday Gossip!

Today in gossip - Shahid in 3D; Shirish Kunder channels George Lucas; some people you don't care about REALLY want to do Bollywood; and... a sexy sax?

My Filmi Mix Tape Season 2 Episode 2

I'm restarting my music podcast with a new format! Instead of me doing research and working so hard I burn myself out, I'm just going to be sharing some tunes with you. I like music and I like talking about music.

Just a warning: This is not going to be a Bollywood-focused podcast. Call it just Filmi Girl's Mix Tape or something more like that.

Check out Season 2 Episode 1 here!

Season 2, Episode 2 available here. Download or just listen online!

And any comments, suggestions, questions, etc. can be e-mailed to me at filmi (d0t) girl (at) gmail (dot) com.

Enjoy!

Episode 2.2 Tracklist

Mausam: And a horsie makes four!

Mausam arrived in theaters on September 23rd after a long, difficult production process. For over a year, those of us who follow the industry news have been hearing stories of onset injuries, troubles between the two leads, delays caused by weather, and, last week, delays caused by the Indian Air Force. Not to mention the tensions that must have risen from the stormy relationship between father and son, working together for the first time. Mausam seemed to be cursed. Could actor turned first time director Pankaj Kapoor handle this sprawling film? Would the off-set drama negatively affect the on-screen drama? And what did happen to that horse?

Sunday Gossip!

Today in gossip - a sweet saga of Shahrukh Khan fans; some new info on Neil Nitin Mukesh's self-produced film; and some sad news for Anil Kapoor...

Saturday Gossip

Today in gossip - Russell Peters is stirring up trouble; Yash Raj's bikini trouble; some song promos; and MORE!

Friday Gossip!

Today in gossip... first scroll down one post to see the Desi Boyz trailer and have your mind blown. Okay, now under the cut - THE OFFICIAL DHOOM 3 girl was announced; a more mature diva returns to the silver screen; trouble for Sanjay and Ajay; and a few more odds and ends!

Important Jakshay News...

OH YES IT'S THE DESI BOYZ TRAILER!

And you would be incorrect if you thought I haven't already watched this like 10 times.

Thursday Gossip!

So, yesterday some douchenozzle thought that the best way to insult me was to say that I was a) an industry shill and b) was one of those Westerners who only writes about Bollywood to laugh at it. Leaving aside the fact that those two things appear to be contradictory, I hope you all know that neither is true. I don't accept one penny from anybody and when I do post publicity stills and what have you, it's because I'm excited about a film, which leads to my second point. I don't take a mocking tone towards the industry at all. If anything, I think I take the dopey mainstream cinema like Bodyguard a lot more seriously than it was intended to be. And I think that's okay.

Bas. I like mainstream films! What's wrong with that?

Haters gonna hate and, today, personal attacks - especially those which stem from failed attempts to chat me up, as happened with the douchenozzle - are going to be ignored.

NOW! Gossip! RANI MUKERJI; Ranbir on the sets of Barfi; assorted interviews; the world's least informative profile of Tusshar Kapoor; and MORE!

Lolo for Femina!

I cannot wait to see Lolo back on the big screen! WELCOME BACK TO BIG NAME MAGAZINE COVERS, LOLO! (Although I question whether or not her skin has actually not really changed. A lot happens to a lady's face between 25 and 35... not that I would know anything about that. MY skin hasn't changed... *backs away slowly*)

Wednesday Gossip!

Today in gossip - Casting news for Dippy; do you want to make fraaaaaaandships? (seriously, guys, don't answer that); Dia Mirza preps us for a future Box Office Poison entry; and MORE!

The Cola Wars... Diet Pepsi

For the first part of this series on soda advertising, click here!

In the Western world, diet soda advertising is targeted almost exclusively to women because it is assumed that being concerned about calories is a feminine trait. Perhaps the most well-known example from America is this Diet Coke ad in which all the ladies in an office gather around to watch a construction worker take his shirt off and drink a Diet Coke. Even though the ladies aren't drinking the Diet Coke, they are still the main focus of the ad.

DIET PEPSI

Tuesday Gossip

Today in gossip - NOTHING related to Ra.1! Happy everybody? I feel like I should start ignoring stories about the film as they are just getting me frustrated with the promotions. So enjoy some odds and ends of stories - like Saif needing styling tips from Bebo and Prateik Babbar's amazing sounding upcoming films.

Monday Gossip!! (Why is it Monday again?)

Today in gossip - Ra.1 box office speculation; casting news; assorted bits from interviews with people like Imran and Ranveer; and a couple of song promos - one is awesome and the other is embarrassing. Guess which movies!!

My Filmi Mix Tape Season 2 Episode 1

I'm restarting my music podcast with a new format! Instead of me doing research and working so hard I burn myself out, I'm just going to be sharing some tunes with you. I like music and I like talking about music.

Just a warning: This is not going to be a Bollywood-focused podcast. Call it just Filmi Girl's Mix Tape or something more like that.

Season 2, episode 1 available here. Download or just listen online!

And any comments, suggestions, questions, etc. can be e-mailed to me at filmi (d0t) girl (at) gmail (dot) com.

Enjoy!

Episode 2.1 Tracklist

Sunday Gossip!

I had such a failure of a movie-watching night last night. Not only was Mausam delayed by a week but the DVD of the flop film I wanted to watch for BOX OFFICE POISON arrived from Netflix with a giant crack in it. Ragini MMS was unbearably awful. And the middle-class life Arya film I started was really boring.

I just gave up on movies for the evening. I still have a giant pile of DVDs waiting to be watching but couldn't really face anything else after that triple disappointment.

NOW! Gossip!

BOLLYWOOD FOR BEGINNERS: GLOSSARY

I'll be adding to this as I come across words but I'm posting now for your enjoyment! Last updated 10/18/11.

Saturday Gossip!

People in London - Shankar Ehsaan Loy performing on the 18th!

Today in gossip - TIFF; Rishi + Ranbir united on film; and some assorted feud rumors...! And whatever other odds and ends I've collected!

Shahid and his pappa for PEOPLE MAGAZINE

That might be an interesting read but you know what I don't care about... BEBO's fantasy wedding. ENOUGH, guys! I'm going to write my own open letter to the Bollywood media about how much nobody cares about fantasy weddings and link-ups.

Friday gossip!

First, let's catch up with the current psychodrama playing out in Bangalore - the ban on Nikitha has been lifted; the Challenging Star has challenged his producers - he has eight films left hanging; and an editorial slams the Kannada film industry for chauvinism.
The letter from the producer's association is translated here.

Today in gossip - CASTING NEWS for Sasha; Agneepath gets a new release date; SRK gets snippy with reporters; John Abraham is all praise for the khiladi; and a TON of promos! You don't want to miss these...

Bandage: A Beautiful Japanese Rock Movie

When I was in my early 20s, I spent a lot of time playing in rock bands* and hanging out in rock clubs, drinking free beer and plotting world domination. Obviously, it didn’t happen for me and it didn’t happen for most of my friends, although a few have gone on to make careers in one way or another in the industry. The music business isn’t just hard, it’s a brick wall. For every Lady Gaga who happened to be at the right time at the right place with the right talent, there are millions of aspiring singer/songwriters who failed. And I don’t think that’s an exaggerated number. What I’m getting to, in a roundabout way, is that I saw a film that captured all of that - the longing, the frustration, and the performing. Released in Japan in 2010, Bandage follows rock fan Asako (Kitano Kii) as her life becomes intertwined with her favorite band, LANDS.

Ajay Devgn for FILMFARE

Looking good, Ajay! And congrats to Sonakshi for staying scandal-free! Although, one has to assume that if any journalist did threaten Shotgun's daughter with an unflattering scandal (real or imagined), a fresh can of dishoom-dishoom would be immediately popped on their ass.

Thursday Gossip!

Today in gossip - A hideous video from Ganesh Hegde; SRK, Ranbir, Imran, and Shahid; Govinda's debutant children; and MORE!

Wednesday Gossip

Today in gossip - clueless star comments; Ranbir's tribute to Shammi Kapoor; Mausam held up by Censor Board; Kangana is losing the press battle against Sanjay Dutt; and more!!

南インドの映画を見るルール

As some of you know, I've been studying Japanese for quite some time now and I thought I would write a few small pieces once in a while about Bollywood and Indian film! Just for practice. So I can improve and improve! 


Enjoy... if you speak Japanese. Otherwise, please feel free to ignore.



南インドの映画を見るルール

The Cola Wars... PEPSI

One of the most striking differences between the Asian entertainment industries (and I'm talking about all of Asia here) and the Western ones is that the concept of "selling out" doesn't really exist. Asian stars happily do commercials and act as brand ambassadors for various products without compromising their artistic value in the eyes of the audience. Western actors and musicians do commercials, as well, but there is always a suçon of shame to go with it. When actors like Brad Pitt go to Japan to film commercials and the media picks it up, it's not scandal exactly but an embarrassment. Now that I think about it, the concept was explored a bit in Lost in Translation.


Fortunately for us fans of Indian pop culture, the ridiculous notion of "selling out" has yet to catch on in a big way and stars still happily entertain us in commercials while picking up big pay checks. And one of the most visible products is soda. Yes, for whatever reason, that sugary-flavored tooth-rotting water has a huge cachet in the advertising world and to be asked to be the brand ambassador for a major soda brand means that you have arrived.

PEPSI

Tuesday Gossip!

Today in gossip - Farhan Akhtar and Preity Zinta come together; Hurricane Katrina rocks the box office; Madhur Bhandarkar may face more charges; and oh, so much more!

Monday Gossip! HAPPY MONDAY!

Before gossip, I want to link to a wonderful piece from Life Ishtene filmmaker Pawan Kumar. He write about the drive to create something magical for audiences to enjoy.

Why I enjoyed looking at the audience? What joy do I get in making a film? Why do we break our heads for more than a year on creating something, which the audience will judge in 2 hours time! I knew the answer but I didn’t know how to communicate it to myself.

Go and read the whole piece! (And then go and order Manasaare for which he wrote the script. You will not regret it.)

Today in gossip - all sorts of odds and ends! Item song news from Bebo and Kat; a potential remake of 7aam Arivu; Ek Tha Tiger takes Ireland; and a whole lot more, including some song promos from Rascals and My Friend Pinto!

No Smoking: A Rebel Without a Cause

"Jab bhi ciggaret jalti hai. Main jalta hoon." [When I light a cigarette, I get lit, too.] -Gulzar, “Jab Bhi Ciggaret” from No Smoking

"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."-attributed to Sigmund Freud
The story of No Smoking starts in the middle, with the release of Black Friday, a film finished in 2004 but not given a general release until early 2007 after production of No Smoking was already well underway. Black Friday was, for all intents and purposes, Anurag Kashyap’s introduction to Bollywood. The film wasn’t a blockbuster by any means but it earned rave reviews from critics for its gritty naturalism, complex narrative, and directorial objectivity - and for a film about the terror attacks of 1993, in an industry apt to sensationalize, that is no small feat. Black Friday was nothing at all like the film that followed it into theaters a mere seven months later.

Ajay Devgn looking like a boss on the cover of Hi! Blitz

The original gangstaaa! Ajay Devgn is looking pretty sharp in that white suit...

Ayan: Everyday I'm Smugglin'...

Perhaps I shouldn’t admit this but for certain heroes, I’m willing to just purchase films of their sight-unseen. I’ve found for South Indian films, especially, the hero more than the director or film studio is the marker of genre - e.g., if I like one Suriya film, I’m apt to like all Suriya films. That is the reason I picked up Aadhavan and Ayan in the last batch of films I purchesed from Bhavani DVD. I watched Aadhavan a couple weeks ago but ended up with absolutely nothing to say about it. It was reasonably enjoyable fluff with a fantastic soundtrack but that is about the end of it. It’s pretty rare for me to have nothing to say about a film but there it was.

I was worried that my Hero-based purchasing system had led me astray! Could I have misjudged the appeal of Suriya?!

The answer, thankfully, as revealed with Ayan, is that I was correct in my initial assessment that Suriya is pretty boss. Ayan is a real proper masala film with plenty of pathos, bromance, romance, family drama, an evil villain, a sexy item, and a dollop of social commentary.

Sunday Gossip!

Today in gossip... Ra.1 music is leaked online; Akshay Kumar wants to play age appropriate roles; a Malayalam film set for Bollywood remake; and who can't speak Hindi correctly?

BOTOWN TOUR!

Folks in the UK don't want to miss this!!! Their official website is here: http://www.botown.co.uk/!

Tour dates under the cut.

Saturday Gossip!

Today in gossip, let's run down some MERE BROTHER KI DULHAN news and reviews! I went last night and my review should be the post below this one or click here. I avoided giving away any of the jokes or plot punches, so please feel free to read if you haven't seen the film yet but the takeaway is: not a great film but it's worth seeing if you enjoy Yash Raj romantic comedy films like Salaam Namaste. The negatives are a lackluster Imran Khan and a shoddy script but the good points out weigh that - namely the music (there is a lot of it and it's great) and performances from Katrina (delightful!) and Ali Zafar. If you haven't seen Ali before, you are in for a real treat. The man has that It Factor.

Mere Brother Ki Dulhan... Mera Late Night Ka Review

Produced by the Aditya Chopra and Yash Raj that brought you films like Salaam Namaste, Dil Bole Hadippa, and Mujhse Dosti Karogi, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan is not going to win any Oscars or even any Filmfare Awards but it is a solid entertainer in the finest Yash Raj tradition, relying on a great soundtrack and the tremendous charms of Katrina Kaif and Ali Zafar to smooth over any plot holes.

Friday Gossip!

ETA: CHALLENGING STAR DARSHAN was arrested for assaulting his wife!!! WOW!! I hope the allegations are false but just... wow.


Mere Brother Ki Dulhan tonight! I'm avoiding reviews until I see it...

And a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my favorite hero Akshay Kumar and a SORRY EVERYBODY for opening a giant can of worms with those Kajal Agarwal pics. Ai yi yi!! Who knew so much controversy could be generated from one silly photoshoot! Moimeme helpfully pointed me towards this statement, so my initial take on them wasn't incorrect BUT considering even that one was photoshopped, I don't know what to think about it.

At the end of the day, maybe I should just apply this English aphorism: "If you lie down with dogs (i.e. FHM), you'll get up with fleas."

ANYWAYS, today in gossip - more MBKD premiere fallout in Dubai; KJo speaks to Simi Garewal; Michael Winterbottom's "Tess"; NEW Tigerstyle song; and oh so much more!

Kajal Agarwal for FHM

You've read the drama - FHM India had a Kajal Agarwal on the cover. Kajal claimed it wasn't her; FHM says it was and they have the raw images to prove it.

ETA: Well, I've been scolded by a professional photographer who says these aren't them. These must just be the "normal" lad mag fashion images. TOTALLY my misunderstanding. (Sorry!!)

BUT it still raises some questions - why did Kajal pose for FHM in the first place, even if not topless? She must have known the type of thing they would have her do, which is always pretty skanky, even if not topless per se. And the mystery of the photoshopped topless cover will remain a mystery... who is telling the truth? (Besides me, of course...)

A couple more pics under the cut... It's a typical lad mag spread but Kajal gives it a little oomph.

Happy Birthday to AKSHAY KUMAR!

I realize that nobody is interested in reading a ten page essay on how much I love Akshay Kumar,* so I'll keep this short and to the point. Everybody Bollywood fan has a favorite hero. A favorite hero is more than an actor, he's shorthand for how you chose to see the filmi world. Aamir is the intellectual; Shahrukh is the romantic; Salman is the boss. And Akshay?

Thursday Gossip!

Today in gossip - cute new Marathi film trailer; SRK gets PERMED for Ra.1; Deepika gets tapped for a new film with... guess who? and a lot more good stuff!

SALLU CRAZE

One of the coolest things that has resulted from the Salman Khan resurgence in Bollywood is the craze of SALLU CRAZE videos sweeping youtube. These are videos that fans have taken of audiences watching Salman movies in packed theaters and then have uploaded onto youtube with THOUSANDS of views! It's incredible!

It also shows what a communal experience watching a film can be... And you can even see the glows from other cell phones capturing video of the experience in some of these videos.

The enthusiasm is so catching that if you don't get pumped watching these clips, I'm afraid there is no masala in your soul.

Tamil Songs Video

Don't ask me how I found this but if anybody is looking for a quick tour of some of the latest Tamil pop songs, here is your guide! It's a cute idea. Maybe I should be inspired by it and do my top Bollywood songs of the year....

Wednesday Gossip!

ATTENTION TORONTONIANS! Akshay Kumar and Rob Lowe will be in town on Sunday doing a meet-n-greet!

And Dublin is already pumping itself up for Ek Tha Tiger. They won't know WHAT hit them... Hurricane Katrina and Mr. BODYGUARD himself!

Today in gossip - Shahid on Simi's show; Lil Wayne; Kalki and Anurag talk about their marriage; Imran flounces from Twitter; a cool interview with set designer Wasiq Khan; AND MORE!

Tuesday Gossip!

Wait a minute... wasn't it just Friday evening? WHERE DID MY WEEKEND GO?!

Oh, right... *whistle whistle flex flex*



[I made this but feel free to tumblr-ize it or whatever the kids are doing these days...]

Today in gossip - BODYGUARD crushes the competition; Hema pushes back Tell Me O Khuda; Vidya talks The Dirty Picture; and MORE!

Bodyguard: Whistle Whistle Flex Flex

As per usual, a new Salman Khan film brings a new round of media personalities and critics wagging their tongues about why people are turning out in droves. This week, they don’t understand why people are flocking to see Bodyguard despite the fact that critics thought it was dumb. Was it the timely release following a month of flops? Was it fans trying to support Salman Khan, who is in hospital? Here is my take, which I haven’t really seen represented in Bollywood op-ed circuit: People turned out to see the film because it’s massively entertaining. Bodyguard is an old fashioned paisa vasool film, packed full of revenge drama, family melodrama, romance, comedy, dishoom-dishoom, toe-tapping tunes, and Katrina Kaif’s bare midriff. Come on, critics, where is the confusion? Don’t you like things that are awesome?

Monday Gossip!

Today in gossip - BODYGUARD *flex flex* and a new Rishi-Ranbir Pepsi commercial plus a few other odds and ends! Check it out!

Sunday Gossip

This just in... I don't need to see another tankard of mead for quite some time. The Ren Fest is always fun but, yeah, the next day can be a bit rough.

Today in gossip - director Jag Mundhra has passed away; check out a profile of Rahul Khanna; and enjoy a new song promo from Force!

Sonam and Kajal Agarwal... two side of a coin.

Two more magazine covers that represent the difference between women's magazines and men's... Sonam for Harper's Bazar could be taken right from the pages of The Man Repeller (which is totally worth reading anyways, if you enjoy fashion) and Kajal Agarwal for FHM is... well, a typical FHM cover.

See what you think.

Katrina Kaif for ELLE

I don't know about this cover, guys. They didn't capture Kat's best angle... something about her jaw line looks off.

Saturday gossip!

Today in Gossip... Cherry buys a polo team!! And some other odds and ends...

Friday Gossip!

Today in gossip - casting news for Akshay; maybe Govinda didn't assault that producer; I dug up a hilarious vintage Aamir Khan Pepsi ad; Salman is doing fine and Bodyguard is breaking box office records; Bebo talks stardom; and MORE!

Sonam and Shahid for Filmfare!

I'm surprisingly and genuinely looking forward to Mausam. I haven't given up on Sonam. She was quite tolerable in Thank You... and is probably very nice when she isn't starving herself. NOBODY is at their best when they are starving themselves.

And isn't it funny how in 2011, the stars listed on the cover are The Three Khans, Aishwarya Rai, and Kajol! That should tell you something about the lackluster youngistanis the gossip machine keeps trying to shove down our throats (i.e. I couldn't care less about Shradda Kapoor.)

MERE BROTHER KI DULHAN!

I really am looking forward to this one, which I'm hoping will have shades of Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani. At least according to imdb, director Ali Abbas Zafar has worked on some films I respect (Tashan) and some films that were terrible... i.e. Marigold.
Anyways, here are some pretty pictures for your enjoyment! September is going to be phenomenal!



[I love Katrina's tomboy look!]

Thursday Gossip!

Sorry to those of you not enjoy my sillier posts these days. I do have some more "serious" (aka wordy) pieces in the works including a Box Office Poison entry on No Smoking and (hopefully) a review of Bodyguard this weekend. Unfortunately, my "real" job has been kicking my butt recently and I've been too tired to write anything in-depth...

Now, today in gossip! Salman Khan's operation, Vidya's Dirty Picture; and a few other odds and ends!

ENJOY!