Aamir Khan's Dhobi Ghat isn't for everyone: Actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan isn’t one bit surprised with the extreme reactions that his latest project “Dhobi Ghat” has been inviting. While a lot of young crowd can’t find a connect with the film, it is being critically acclaimed in film circles.
"I can see that the film has evoked extreme responses… as I had expected actually. Well, I had tried my best to say that this film is not for everyone,” Aamir posted on his Facebook page Tuesday.
“Dhobi Ghat” is Aamir’s wife Kiran Rao’s directorial debut. With a mix cast comprising Aamir, one-film-old Prateik Babbar and newcomers Monica Dogra and Kriti Malhotra, the movie narrates the story of four individuals with distinct backgrounds. Aamir is overwhelmed with the response of those who have appreciated the movie.
“For those of you who the film has touched so deeply…K (Kiran) and I are so happy. Thank you for your overwhelming response, it has been most rewarding. So happy that the film connected so deeply with some of you. That is how it has been for us too. Thank you,” he added.
No wedding cards: Neelam Kothari invites by SMS: Neelam Kothari and Samir Soni have tied the knot, but the couple didn’t send out formal wedding cards to the guests, instead invited them through SMS.
"We didn’t get any wedding cards printed…thank god! We had no time to get cards done. Initially we planned to invite only 35 people - that list finally went up to 200. We just SMSed all our close friends. Everyone who mattered to us was at the wedding," said Neelam, who got married on Jan 23. Neelam and Samir’s friends who attended the wedding included the entire Kapoor family - Jeetendra, Shobha, Ekta and Tusshar. Also present were Karisma Kapoor, Raveena Tandon, Sanjay Suri, Sophie Chowdhary and Rahul Roy.
The turn-out was a hundred percent though there was no formal invitation.
“The whole process of getting the cards printed, then addressing them and couriering them is so cumbersome. We were spared that,” said Neelam, 42, who was one of the sought after actresses in the 1980s.
She featured in movies like “Ilzaam”, “Love 86″, “Khudgarz”, “Hatya”, “Aag Hi Aag” and even teamed up with Aamir Khan in “Afsana Pyaar Ka”.
Feeling married to Samir is no different for Neelam than what they shared before.
“We waited a long time to get married. He came with his baggage. I had mine. While we sorted these issues out, we got a chance to know one another even better. So I guess the most radical change after marriage is that I shift from my own home in Khar to Samir’s place in Seven Bungalows,” said the actress who now works as a jewllery designer.
To the couple’s delight, the auspicious moment for the ’saat pheras’ coincided with the sunset by the poolside at the Taj Lands End.
Neelam and Samir are not planning honeymoon right now.
“The honeymoon has to be put off because she has her work and I’ve mine to take care of. But we’re off to Shirdi day after tomorrow (Jan 26) to seek the god’s blessings. We feel in marriage we’ve reached at a natural and inevitable culmination to our relationship,” said Samir who has been active on both small screen and movies.
The 42-year-old recently featured in the reality show “Bigg Boss” and the movie “I Hate Luv Storys”.
Muscat Festival: Shahrukh Khan and Lara Dutta participating in it!: A slew of events including a fashion show, a cycle race, extreme sailing championship and food festivals are slated for the Muscat Festival which opens in the capital of Sultanate of Oman Jan 27-Feb 24 with Bollywood names like Shahrukh Khan and Lara Dutta participating in it, top officials said here Monday.
"While singer Sonu Niigaam and actress Lara Dutta will perform at the fest Feb 10, superstar Shahrukh Khan will have a stage-show there Feb 17,” Salim Bin Adey Al-Mamari, Director General of Tourism Promotion, Sultanate of Oman, told media persons here this afternoon. Oman also plans to woo Indian filmmakers to consider the country as a shooting locale as Bollywood movies are very popular there and Shahrukh also commands a huge fan following.
“Film tourism is a growing phenomenon worldwide. We realise the importance and the reach of the Indian film industry and plan to encourage Indian producers and studios to film in Oman,” added Lubaina Sheerazi, India Representative of Sultanate of Oman.
Hoping to lure over two million visitors from India and elsewhere, the Muscat Festival will have Oman’s Food Festival (Feb 3-17), Muscat Fashion Week (Feb 22-24), Tour of Oman cycle race (Feb 15-20), and Extreme Sailing World Championships (Feb 20-24), besides many other events.
Oman soon expects to claim a big slice of the booming meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) business by setting up a world-class conference facility.
Spread over two-million-square-metres, the 'Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre’ will boast of a 3,000 seat Convention Centre, four hotels and serviced apartments supported by a major regional retail facility, just four kilometres from Muscat Airport, informed Khalid Al Zadjali, Director of Tourism Events, Ministry of Tourism, Oman.
Targeting 12 million Indian visitors to Oman by 2020, Al Zadjali said that the country is a safe destination where the state income goes back to the people in the form of free education, free healthcare and almost no taxes to pay.
Sameer Soni-Neelam’s wedding reception Pictures: Shahrukh Khan-Aishwarya Rai as guest: Look who arrived looking gorgeous as ever at Neelam and Sameer Soni’s wedding reception? It’s Aishwarya Rai. The lady wore a dark pink back-less salwar suit and was without her dear hubby. While others who added Bollywood zing to the reception were Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukherjee.
Sameer Soni-Neelam’s wedding reception Pictures Shahrukh Khan-Aishwarya Rai as guest
Deepika Padukone have no more time to work with Rajinikanth!: One of the most sought after actresses in Bollywood has been approached for a film with the superstar Rajinikanth. But Deepika Padukone doesn’t have dates to work with Rajini.
What? Yes, the actress is in a fix as her date-diary is full till 2012. And since Deepika can’t let the rare opportunity of acting opposite Rajini Sir go by unclinched, she is reported to be making room in her date diary especially for the sultan of style from the south. As a source is quoted by a tabloid, “Unfortunately, the producers of the film want to take it on floors this year and Deepika has her hands full…Now she is trying hard to adjust her dates so she doesn't miss out on a once in a lifetime opportunity to work with Rajnikanth.”
Deepika is currently busy with the multi-starrer Desi Boys, Aarakshan which also stars Amitabh Bachchan and a film opposite Saif Ali Khan to be directed by the maverick Being Cyrus fame director Homi Adajania.
Thus someone has kept Rajnikant waiting. This film will also see Rajini in double roles like Robot.
Kareena Kapoor in a new ‘Chhamak Challo’ avatar in ‘Ra.One’: We would say Chhamak Challo is her new 'item' name. Yes, after Sheila and Munni, get ready for Chhamak Challo! Kareena Kapoor’s new item song is from her first superhero, sci-fi film Ra.One where she is paired opposite Shahrukh Khan.
Kareena’s Chhamak Challo avatar required her to look toned and fit. The actress who is more into yoga than cardio went for a strict diet to get into shape with the help of her dietician Rujuta Diwekar. In fact, Kareena maintained the diet even when she was in Vegas shooting with Imran Khan for Short Term Shaadi. See her look in the song; it’s more like a sexy Marathi mulgi reminding one of Madhuri Dixit’s look in superhit song Humko Aaj Kal Hai Intezar. If Chhamak Challo has beats by Akon to make you go numb, the dance moves are choreographed by the ace dancer Ganesh Hegde. Kareena herself claims that she has never done something like this.
Bipasha Basu's dream to meet James Franco: James Franco, the star of Danny Boyle’s latest film ‘127 Hours’ has caught the fancy of Bipasha Basu.
We all know that Bipasha Basu has had a thing for Brad Pitt, the man who’d leave her dreamy-eyed. Now, Pitt has been replaced by Franco. “Tonight I want to watch ‘127 Hours’! James Franco is replacing Brad Pitt in my life! Tremendous actor and truly a Gorgeous man! My dream is 2 meet him:)” Bipasha wrote on her Twitter page.
Bipasha is presently in New Zealand to shoot for Abbas-Mustan’s thriller ‘Players’ which is an adaptation of the Hollywood thriller ‘The Italian Job’.
Abhishek Bachchan Birthday: celebrate with the sheep in New Zealand!: Once again, Abhishek Bachchan would be busy shooting on his birthday this year. It’s a ritual Abhi has followed every year.
Come February 5, Abhishek turns a year older. But on this special day, he won’t be with his family in Mumbai but shooting for Abbas-Mustan’s film Players in New Zealand.
Talking about his birthday, Abhishek jokes: “I know I am spending my birthday with the sheep in New Zealand.” There is rumour that his dear wife Aishwarya Rai plans to fly to NZ to surprise Abhi on his birthday. But Abhishek says he won’t be surprised because he is in the know of Ash’s day-to-day movements.
Shahrukh Khan to get a pair of chappals with love from Pakistan: A Pakistani cousin of Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan wants to gift the actor a pair of chappals.
Noor Jehan, who is the daughter of Shah Rukh’s paternal uncle, is eager to meet the star after a long gap of 13 years. If she indeed meets SRK, she’s got a special gift for him: a pair of chappals.
Why chappals, of all things in the world. Noor Jehan reveals it’s only on SRK’s request.
“During an earlier visit to Peshawar, Shah Rukh bought a pair of chappals that he used for about seven years,” Noor Jehan is quoted as saying. The longevity of the footwear apparently prompted SRK to ask Noor Jehan’s brother Mansoor to bring another pair. When Mansoor visited India in 2001, he brought three pairs for SRK.
Now, Noor Jehan too has brought chappals for SRK.
She’ll be in Delhi in the first week of Feb and then approach SRK.
Box Office Report:‘Dhobi Ghat’ opens good in first weekend: Now audiences are assured that if it’s an Aamir Khan production it’s worth watching. Though the Kiran Rao-directed Dhobi Ghat was not for the masses, the movie has got it takers and is doing unexpectedly well in the metros. This small-budget film has collected around Rs 8.75 crore over its first weekend.
Dhobi Ghat with sterling performances from its cast and touching story-line is made at the cost of mere Rs 5 crore, but its weekend breakdown tells a winning story. The approx collections were Rs 2.85 crore approx on Friday, Rs 3.20 crore approx on Saturday and Rs 2.70 crore approx on Sunday. Coming to Yamla Pagla Deewana, the movie is going great guns in the north. As per reports, it had a great second weekend with business of around Rs 8.50 crore approx. This takes the film’s collection to Rs 43 crore plus in ten days.
Rani Mukherjee and Vidya Balan continue to woo the audience with their No One Killed Jessica. The movie is running in its third week and had a decent second weekend of around Rs 6.25 crore approx which takes its two week business to Rs 25.75 crore. It is now declared a semi hit.
As every release is performing well at the BO, including Gul Panag’s Turning 30, January has begin the year in a good note for Bollywood.
Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan: Got ‘Power Couple’ Title: Bollywood’s golden couple Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan have been bestowed with the recognition of ‘Power Couple’ by the esteemed Stardust magazine. The mega stars got the title recently at the launch of the latest issue of Stardust in Delhi. Abhishek and Aishwarya graced the occasion as they lifted the veil off to reveal their own photos as the cover page.
Abhishek and Aishwarya tied the nuptial knot around 4 years back on 20th April, 2007. Since then, the two have had an amazing off-screen chemistry and they always look head over heels in love with each other whenever they are spotted together. The couple is hugely popular amidst the Bollywood movie lovers. They are big stars and have carved out a niche for themselves in the film industry. Aishwarya Rai leapt into fame after winning the Miss World pageant in 1994. Since then there has been no looking back as she climbed the ladders of fame via her big ticket to the B-town.
Abhishek Bachchan made his Bollywood debut some 10 years back with Refugee. But over the years, he and Aishwarya have starred in a plethora of films. Though the two look spectacular together off-screen, it is ironic that their on-screen chemistry has been mostly ‘thanda’ (cold).
However, in Mani Ratnam’s Guru they, indeed, looked fabulous together and the camaraderie was extremely great. Abhishek and Aishwarya add star value to the Bachchan family that is led by Amitabh Bachchan considered as one of the greatest actors of all times.
Money, popularity, a sea of fan following, films, endorsements, good looks and repute, they have got it all. Hence, it’s no doubt that Abhi-Ash do deserve the ‘Power Couple’ title.
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