July 01, 2006 Email Story Recommend Us Print Story
Shah Rukh Missed Abhishek
By Krishna Jewel, AllBollywood.com Staff
Recently, the rumours have been flying that the fur has been flying
between between Shah Rukh Khan and the Bachchan men - Amitabh and
Abhishek Bachchan - on and off set of Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna.
However, as Shah Rukh himself said in a recent interview in
London, "But the Bachchan-Khan stories are completely false."
Additionally, SRK recently confessed to the editor of a leading film
magazine that during the New York schedule of the KANK shoot
Abhishek was away for a short while and Shah Rukh missed him.
The reports quoted SRK as saying, "In the New York schedule
of 'KANK', every night after the pack-up Amitji (Amitabh Bachchan)
and I would sit and chat for hours."
"When Abhishek left for India for three days to attend his friend's
wedding, I missed him a lot. Actually saying this makes me
uncomfortable. The Bachchans are family to us. If people wish to
speculate about our inner dynamics, what can I say? 'KANK' will be
memorable because of Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan adding their
inimitable magic to it", SRK added.
The unfounded, unfair rumours claiming so-called rifts between Shah
Rukh and the Bachchans have been on and off for some time, one can
be asured this won't be the last time they surface.
However, the mere fact that both sides have maintained a strong
professional and private relationship and have a high regard for
each other throughout the numourous false reports over the years
speaks volumes.
As Shah Rukh rightly said, "Some journos need copy at any cost."
Sony BMG (India) on 12th June released the long awaited soundtrack to top India director Karan Johar’s forthcoming film Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (Never Say Goodbye).
The glamorous launch, set against a backdrop of the Manhattan skyline was attended by Karan Johar and the lead star of the film, Shah Rukh Khan, who at the age of 40 still holds the undisputed title of the King of Bollywood.
Record giant Sony BMG (India) have successfully released soundtracks to all of Karan’s films, and with over 20 million units (albums) sold to date simply from Johar’s films, it is a clear indication of the successful partnership between the film and its
music. The latest offering, ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’ shows that often a soundtrack is as closely guarded a secret as plot lines and scripts. In fact, the UK launch was the first reveal of the soundtrack, with guests also experiencing the cinematic magic that Johar is acclaimed for, with the first screening of the fantastic dance sequences from the film.
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Johar’s first directorial role for five years, is the story of two complex relationships, marriage, disappointment and ultimately betrayal. Set in New York, the story revolves around the relationship between Dev (Shahrukh Khan), and Maya (Rani Mukerji). They are both married to different people. Dev is married to Priya (Preity Zinta) and Maya is married to Rishi (Abhishek Bachchan). However, when Dev and Maya meet, the holes in their respective marriages become more apparent, as they realise that they are perfect for each other. They both begin to seriously question the
validity of their married lives and the implications of pursuing a different destiny.
The Indian film industry (Bollywood), is the largest producer of films across the world, releasing over 125 films per year, with a potential revenue of $ 1 billion. However, alongside the film itself, the supporting Bollywood music industry represents a massive revenue generator for the film industry, with soundtracks to films representing 10% of the film’s total potential income. In some cases soundtracks are known to make or break a Bollywood film.
Shridhar Subramaniam, managing director of Sony BMG said of the album: “Sony BMG have released the albums for each of Karan’s films, and the amazing sales that these soundtracks command
globally have broken all industry records. Karan has set his own benchmark with sales of the soundtrack to his first film selling over 8 million units worldwide, and being placed in the Top 5 all time biggest selling albums in the world. I have no doubt that Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna will follow in its footsteps.”
The soundtrack features a total of seven tracks and an exclusive audio visual trailer of the film, with lyrics by the highly esteemed poet Javed Akhtar along with lilting melodies from Shankar Eshaan Loy, the team that created the hugely successful soundtrack to Karan’s Box Office smash Kal Ho Naa Ho.
Johar adds: “Many people view the music and dance in Bollywood films as purely incidental. I believe that the music is integral to the film, and for me is a developed very closely within the framework and structure of
the film. The team that have worked on the lyrics and music understand the characters that they are writing for and I believe have really captured their personalities and emotions perfectly.”
No Bollywood film would be complete without breath-taking dance sequences that perfectly complement the soundtrack and storyline. Leading choreographer Farah Khan has again played a critical role with Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, and Shah Rukh Khan who for years has been put through his paces by the ‘mistress of dance’, shows off the dance skills that have definitely contributed to his place at the top of the Bollywood ladder.
Khan comments: “I love the fact that Karan and Farah always stretch my dance skills, and create scenes that are so vibrant and colourful in all the films we have worked on together. The mood of Kabhi Alvida Naa
Kehna is very different…more sensitive in some scenes and yet much more exuberant in others. The soundtrack and the dances will take you on a parallel roller coaster to that of the film and the characters themselves. I hope that our global audience - both Asian and mainstream enjoy the soundtrack as much as we do!”
The soundtrack to ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’ goes on general release across the UK on Monday 12th June. The soundtrack is available on CD and cassette and is distributed by Nuff Music in the UK and Normal Records in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
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The Chat is supposed to happen by Aug or so. Not sure at the moment. Sorry abt the late response
Regards
Neetu
Radhika <madhuri_515@...> wrote:
Hi All!
I'm a member of the group, but I haven't been active as such because I have been busy with my final year of college and all that. Now I hope to be more involved. I do, however, read each and every post that comes through the group.
I was wondering if anyone had any idea when the Abhishek Bachchan Chat would take place?
Also, currently I am visiting Bombay and will be here for 1 more week. Does anyone have an information on how to contact Abhishek or any other Bollywood personality, I would GREATLY APPRECIATE IT!!!!!!!
Mani matters Turkey was the scene of yaktion for Bachchan Jr on the sets of Mani Ratnam’s Guru. Abhishek is such an ardent Ratnam fan that he even told the director that his friend Rohan Sippy and he were aficionados in Mumbai and would stand up for the director and beat up anyone who said something even remotely negative about Ratnam. Sure must have got the movie-maker all kicked and excited. Right now, they’re shooting in a village called Badami and those in the know whisper that the film is loosely modeled on the life of corporate czar, the late Dhirubhai Ambani.
Excerpts: Hrithik on Abhishek... Filmfare June issue
Okay on a professional level, is there an edgy competition between Abhishek Bachchan and you? The competition is to try and do your best work. And the point of it all is to keep it healthy. Abhishek and I are on the same side of the competition helping each other to do our best. Competition is the only scenario where you actually have people push you to excel. In that sense, Abhishek and I are part of each other’s success.
So it doesn’t matter that you are compared to him? The media moves from one
headline to another. I was compared to Shah Rukh Khan at the beginning of my career. Today I’m being pitted against Abhishek. And so the wheel turns. Tomorrow it’ll be some other excellent actor. Listen, I’m just 12 films old. Gimme a break, even my contemporaries like Rani Mukerji and Preity Zinta have done twice or thrice the number of films I have.
You want to kick yourself for not doing Yuva or Bunty Aur Babli, both of which went to Abhishek? Every film has its own destiny. Yuva was destined to be made with Abhishek. In that sense, I would actually think that I helped give Abhishek a nudge in the right direction. Listen, I didn’t do Yuva because of various reasons. Otherwise, who in his right mind will say no to Mani Ratnam? Working with Mani Ratnam is still an unfulfilled dream! As for Bunty... I’d have loved to do it, but I genuinely didn’t have the dates.
Ahem, ahem, what about Kareena Kapoor? The two of you stopped working together because of your alleged affair. That’s not true at all. If that were the case, why am I now working with Kareena in Zoya Akhtar’s film? I have no problems with her at all. We work well together as a team. I refused certain projects because my roles in them weren’t satisfactory.
Did you sign on a negative role in Dhoom 2, because you couldn’t do Farhan Akhtar’s anti-hero in Don? We all get what we deserve. If I were doing Don, then I wouldn’t have had the dates for Dhoom 2. Somewhere while writing the film, Farhan felt that he needed a mature face. Don had to be at least a middle-aged character that could also be seen as gang leader with authority. Farhan found me too young to play the part and he very honestly
communicated that to me. I will always respect Farhan for that. It’s important to be honest to your film than pander or please a big star. Not doing Don was a short-lived disappointment, Dhoom 2 happened just about the same time.
You’ve never ever lobbied for a role? Were you disappointed that after Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Karan Johar didn’t cast you in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna? In my books, lobbying is a myth. I work with honest film-makers and neither lobbying nor sucking up would work with them. I trust and respect Karan immensely as a film-maker. I’m sure if he had a role worthy of me, he’d have approached me.
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Bachchan Jr. seems to give a second chance to all the directors whose films have not done very well. It applied to Apurva Lakhia and now it applies to Goldie Behl too. After working with Behl in Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai, Abhishek Bachchan has agreed to do Behl's next venture titled Drona, a thriller with romance and action. Goldie Behl's sister, Shrishti Arya, informed the press that Drona is a working title and the final title is yet to be decided. Cinematographer Sameer Arya will be shooting the film. Produced by Rose Movies, the film will probably have two actresses with Abby. Watch this space to know who the lucky ladies are going to be! Source: Mera Ticket
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"You never beat Amitabh Bachchan, it is he who lets you win," says Abhishek after emerging on the top spot in the 'best supporting actor' category at both IIFA and Filmfare, for which his father was also nominated.
"I think it's a privilege to share the frame with him," Abhishek Bachchan says. The father-son duo share screen space in the forthcoming Karan Johar flick Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna.
After a string of box office failures, the Bollywood star is finally emerging on his own, to taste commercial and critical success.
"Keep trying is the best piece of advice my parents have given me," Bachchan says, something that helped him through his lean phase.
The ubersexual hunk, who is also starring in a sequel - Dhoom II - and a remake
- Umrao Jaan feels that while a remake is a director's interpretation of the story, a sequel has to be unique.
The 29-year-old believes that these are interesting times for an actor. "The day of the niche is over. No longer is the actor an angry young man, the romantic or action hero. There is everything in one movie and the job of the actor is to entertain," says Bachchan, who was here last week for a promotional event.
AB Corps, the production house that had pushed the Bachchans to penury and later been revived, is making five movies, two of them starring the junior Bachchan himself.
About the parallel with his father's career trajectory, where Amitabh saw a row of flops followed by phenomenal success and then lost almost everything only to emerge phoenix-like, Abhishek says he'd love to replicate everything his father's been through, lows included.
"I treat the lows just like the high," he says.
Bachchan says his family and the love of
the audience are important for him. He admits though that "money is important because it's a commercial world."
For someone who is considered a style icon, Bachchan says he leaves it to his mother to decide on what he will wear. He says he sports the rings on the finger because it brings a smile on his mother's face.
NEW DELHI, JUNE 28: You never beat Amitabh Bachchan. He lets you win, says a modest Bachchan junior after emerging in the top spot in the 'Best Supporting Actor' category at both IIFA and Filmfare, for which his father was also nominated.
"I think it's a privilege to share the frame with him," Abhishek Bachchan says. The father-son duo share screen space in the forthcoming Karan Johar flick Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna.
After a string of box office failures, the Bollywood star is finally emerging on his own, to taste commercial and critical success.
"Keep trying is the best piece of advice my parents have given me," Bachchan says, something that helped him through his lean phase.
The ubersexual hunk, who is also starring in a sequel - Dhoom II - and a remake - Umrao Jaan feels that while a remake is a director's interpretation of the story, a sequel has to be unique.
The
29-year-old believes that these are interesting times for an actor. "The day of the niche is over. No longer is the actor an angry young man, the romantic or action hero. There is everything in one movie and the job of the actor is to entertain," says Bachchan, who was here last week for a promotional event.
AB Corps, the production house that had pushed the Bachchans to penury and later been revived, is making five movies, two of them starring the junior Bachchan himself.
About the parallel with his father's career trajectory, where Amitabh saw a row of flops followed by phenomenal success and then lost almost everything only to emerge phoenix-like, Abhishek says he'd love to replicate everything his father's been through, lows included.
"I treat the lows just like the highs," he says.
Bachchan says his family and the love of the audience are important for him. He admits though that "money is important because it's a commercial
world."
For someone who is considered a style icon, Bachchan says he leaves it to his mother to decide on what he will wear. He says he sports the rings on the finger because it brings a smile on his mother's face.
On his Hollywood plans, Bachchan says that at the moment he's focussing on projects within India.
Though Jr Bachchan has managed to emerge from the shadow of his famous parents and has now established his own identity, that apparently doesn't stop him from being a mama's boy - in a good sense of course. And the disclosure came straight from Abhishek. When he was asked how he choose his outfits, the actor revealed, "I don't pay attention to all this. My mom takes care of it. I wear what she chooses for me in the morning.” Now we know the secret behind his attractive wardrobe!
All eyes On Karan And His ´KANK´ ( Based On Trade´s Exclusive Sneak Look)
With 'Fanaa' , 'Phir Hera Pheri' and 'Krrish'( first week India collections are still awaited) wowing cinema audiences , all eyes are trained on Karan Johar's 'Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna' , scheduled to release on 11th August .
The expectations are very high , and justifiably so . Karan has proved that he is a master at putting together incredibly -charged sequences that cast a magic spell on the audience . Plus he has a starcast to die for : Amitabh Bachchan , Shah Rukh Khan , Rani Mukerji , Preity Zinta , Abhishek Bachchan , Kiron Kher et al.
The combination - of Karan and his cast - is going to be dynamite , as leading trade sources discovered at a sneak look at some parts of the film . The Karan Johar touch is unmatched and
one can say with confidence that the scenes have been conceptualised and executed masterfully .
In fact , the scenes are like the ones never seen before and with 'Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna' , everyone is in for a Karan Johar special . Shankar -Ehsaan-Loy's music has already proved to be popular but one song 'Mitwa' sung by Shafqat Amanat Ali , is a surefire hit . There are two item numbers in the film and they both have great audio value . The picturisation of the 'Mitwa' song is simply extraordinary .
Of course , 'Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna' has a lot to live up to , foremost being the fabulous dream run that Hindi films have had in the last couple of months , and the unbelieveably high expectations that Karan Johar films evoke , in trade as well as amongst cinegoers .
But if the half hour cut that the respected trade sources saw recently , is any indication , the happy days of super-hits
are going to run right into August !
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When Amitabh Bachchan is Rani Mukherji’s father-in-law! by Debasis Jana
There was a time when Bollywood media was quite crazy about Abhishek-Rani affair. Though officially none of them have admitted any relationship between them, but as per industry grapevine, before Aishwarya came in Abhishek's life, Rani was his sweetheart. Though a few overenthusiastic fans still believe Rani Mukherji will be Abhishek's better half one day. That means the bahu of the great Bachchan family. We don't know whether it would happen any day in reality or not, but Rani Mukherji has already become Amitabh Bachchan's daughter-in-law, however in film. In Ravi Chopra's forthcoming 'Babul', Big B is playing Rani Mukherji's father-in-law. Salman Khan is
Rani's husband in the film. In the film, Rani will become widow after Salman's demise. And Amitabh Bachchan will try his best to bring happiness in Rani's life.
“While we were shooting for ‘Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna’ in New York, it was halloween night and I was dying to be a part of the parade.
I got hold of Aryan and Suhana (Shah Rukh Khan’s kids), who ‘chewed up’ Shah Rukh’s head to take them to a costume shop. I picked up a Bat Girl costume, Aryan dressed up as a monster and Suhana as an angel. Shah Rukh also got himself a monstrous mask and Abhishek (Bachchan) had a samba dancer mask, which was really funny.”
Don't be fooled as Star Gold brings the biggest con master to your television screens this July. Starring Abhishekh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Ritesh Deshmukh, Nana Patekar and Boman Irani, 'Bluffmaster' is an exhilarating rollercoaster ride full of laughs, excitement, surprises and emotions. After the intense 'Kuch Na Kaho', director Rohan Sippy gives us a light-hearted
comedy in 'Bluffmaster', which is Star Gold's Pure Gold Uncut Premiere on Sunday, July 9 at 8 p.m.
Vishal-Shekhar have composed an innovative musical score featuring a dazzling array of international and local talent. It was the first film soundtrack to have a hip-hop song, 'Right Here Right Now', sung by Abhishek Bachchan himself. "Honestly, it was terrifying. It all started with a joke, I just made a proposition jokingly to Rohan to make me sing, Rohan caught on and made me actually sing the track and the track has been composed and recorded by Vishal-Shekhar and they have done a great job of pulling my joke this far," said Abhishek.
In 'Bluffmaster', Roy (Abhishek) is a professional conman, a master of disguise who can fool anyone. The only true thing he has is his love for Simmi (Priyanka Chopra). Simmi walks out on his life
of crime and deception and he loses her forever. That's when Aditya Srivastav or Dittu (Ritesh Deshmukh) enters the picture. He is the counterpoint to everything that Roy is. They have only one thing in common - Aditya is a conman too. At least he thinks of himself as one. According to Roy, he's an embarrassment that won't go away till Roy agrees to train him. But when Roy learns the truth about his life, his world turns upside down and the man who wears so many masks is suddenly left with no alternative but to take them all off and finally reveal himself.
Priyanka Chopra, describing her experiences on the set, recalls, "Abhishek and Rohan together can really rag the hell out of you.
You can count Ritesh too in that with Abhishek as the group leader. With
three of them hand in glove, you simply have no chance to stand up to their madness."
Watch as the madness unfolds and suspense unravels on Star Gold's Pure Gold Uncut Premiere 'Bluffmaster' on Sunday July 9, 2006, at 8 p.m.
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It’s a privilege to share the same frame with dad: Abhishek 29th June 2006 11.30 IST
Abhishek Bachchan has acted with his father, Amitabh Bachchan , in two films so far. The father-son duo will be seen together in many more films.
After Bunty Aur Babli and Sarkar , Abhishek will next be seen
with his father in Karan Johar’s Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna . After that the junior and senior Bachchan will share the screen space for Ram Gopal Varma’s forthcoming films. Abhishek says he feels privileged to work with the Big B.
"I think it's a privilege to share the frame with him," Abhishek is quoted as saying.
In fact in the recently held award functions, Abhi was nominated alongside his father in the Best Supporting Actor category. On two different occasions it was Abhi who won.
Amitabh had said on Abhi’s winning: “It is the desire of every father to see his son move ahead and even surpass him.”
Abhi, on his part, believes that he has learnt a great deal from his parents ever since his shaky start in Bollywood when success eluded him for a long time.
"Keep trying is the best
piece of advice my parents have given me," says Abhi.
plzz temme wen they gona b screend again..i hear abhi introducd sikander in dat..did he perform der??
Sum1 plzz lemme knw...
tc
sonia mekol <soniamekol@...> wrote:
sorry to inform u pretee the iifa awards were screened on sunday..........sorry u missed it.........but they will repeat it soon so don't worry...........take care
pretee <pritiey4u@...> wrote:
hey guys..
r da iifa awards gonna b screend or they hav already shown it and i misd it???
'Khullam Khulla pyaar karenge hum dono' seems to be the latest mantra of Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan. In Chennai for Mani Ratnam's 'Guru', the couple made an appearance together at the cancer ward of a local hospital where they spent time with the children. Just after their return from IIFA in Dubai, the two were spotted at Sathyam Cinemas in Chennai where they watched two films back-to-back.
The two films that they watched were the 7:15 pm show of M:I:3 and later the 10:15 PM show of X-Men III.
"No one disturbed them all through the six hours they spent in the theatre, but that could have something to do with the six bodyguards accompanying them. They made no fuss about sitting on the seats, which were allotted to them. They could not get a cozy corner
since the house was full. Some of the people did make requests of them for autographs, to which they obliged," says Amandavalli.
The two were also seen partying at the nightclub Pasha where they danced till the wee hours of the morning.
priti sharma
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The actress sobs on friend Abhishek Bachchan's shoulder after a phone conversation with John Abraham
Ram Kamal Mukherjee
Of late, both John Abraham and Bipasha Basu have gone blue in the face denying rumours about their relationship
being on the rocks.
But now we have fresh news on this front. Apparently, when Bipasha was shooting with Abhishek Bachchan for Dhoom 2 in Rio, she was very disturbed. Everyone thought that it was because she was worried about John who was shooting in Kabul for Kabir Khan's Kabul Express. “Of course, Bips was worried about John, she is immensely in love with him. But she was worried about something else too. She could feel John drifting away from the relationship,” says our source.
Incidentally, one day on the sets Bipasha wept on Abhishek's shoulder. “Bipasha shares a very good relationship with the Bachchans and Abhishek is a very good friend of Bipasha’s. She was weeping profusely just after having a conversation with John over the phone. She probably confided in Abhishek. Apparently, Abhishek promised to talk to John and try to sort out the problem between the two,” says our source.
According to our source, Abhishek did call John and try to
sort things out. “In fact, Ash too felt bad for Bipasha,” continues our source. “After Abhishek called John and had a talk with him, there was some improvement in the relationship… However, last month John was not in touch with Bipasha while he was on the world tour with Salman Khan.
Whenever Bipasha questioned him for not calling her, he would give the excuse of not being able to get through. But the fact is that, John bonded with a bombshell during the world tour.”
Both actors are denying the stories of a split. In fact, John made an effort to give a press statement saying that he is still with Bipasha. When asked about a split at a press conference, Bipasha however only said, “I am not the kind to talk about my personal life to get media attention, just before the release of my film. It's cheap and I don't subscribe to such publicity.”
Star gold is gonna premeire the uncut, the un edited bluffmaster on 9th july. Dont miss it. We will be able to catch a little more of our darling abhi!
Enjoy
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Star gold is gonna premeire the uncut, the un edited bluffmaster on 9th july. Dont miss it. We will be able to catch a little more of our darling abhi!
Enjoy
Yahoo! India Answers: Share what you know. Learn something new Click here
Catch all the FIFA World Cup 2006 action on Yahoo! India Click here
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Costume: He might wear his typically trendy Bluffmaster-style clothes and sport a stubble, but it's all about the chainmail arm, courtesy an inherited Shahenshah jacket. In his other hand lies a cellphone.
Superpowers: Being the son of the biggest Bollywood icon of all time ensures him contacts and contracts galore, his track record notwithstanding. Also, flop films bounce off his steel arm without bothering him -- whenever inspiration fails, he can imitate dad.
sorry to inform u pretee the iifa awards were screened on sunday..........sorry u missed it.........but they will repeat it soon so don't worry...........take care
pretee <pritiey4u@...> wrote:
hey guys..
r da iifa awards gonna b screend or they hav already shown it and i misd it???
Away from Mumbai paparazzi, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai go
on a date
Kunal M Shah
In an unexpected turn of events, after first vehemently denying
their relationship, Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan are making
no effort to hide their affection for each other now. In Chennai for
Mani Ratnam's Guru, the two made a couple of public appearances
together. First, they made an appearance together at the cancer ward
of a local hospital where they spent time with the children. Just
after their return from IIFA in Dubai the two were spotted at
Sathyam Cinemas in Chennai where they watched two films back-to-back.
"They seemed to be catching up on a backlog of films they had
missed because they sat through two back-to-back shows," says a
source at Sathyam cinema. The two films that they watched were the
7.15 pm show of M:I:3 and later the 10.15 pm show of X-Men III. "No
one disturbed them all through the six hours they spent in the
theatre, but that could have something to do with the six bodyguards
accompanying them. Abhishek had come to the cinema hall before, but
it was Aishwarya's first visit," informs the source. Confirming the
news, the spokesperson for Sathyam theatre, Amandavalli says, "They
came to the cinema hall on June 19 and saw both these films. They
seemed excited about watching these films. They didn't inform us in
advance about coming to the theatre. But despite their presence, the
crowd did not mob them."
Apparently, Aishwarya and Abhishek had not bothered to book their
seats in advance. "The cinema hall was full and we only had tickets
in the H row. But they made no fuss about it. They were surrounded
by bodyguards and seemed to enjoy the film. Some of the people did
request them for autographs, to which they obliged," says
Amandavalli.
The two were also seen partying at the nightclub Pasha where they
danced to 'Kajra Re' till the wee hours of the morning. Later they
were spotted eating sandwiches at the Subway outlet in the city.
Nah, it’s not Superman either... just a few handful of celebs making a style statement
Interesting choice of clothes, we say. Abhishek Bachchan had worn this T-shirt on the day dad Amitabh was discharged from Lilavati. The stubble, the sunglasses and that casual air around him... and they still wonder why women swoon over him! We know how he took charge of the situation when his pa was bed-ridden and played the dutiful son in time of need. Nice way to announce coming of age, Abhishek
Perhaps Vivek Oberoi really believes in what he wears. But then he decides to team it with a black blazer and sport a pair of glasses... a la Klark Kent. So what you have here is a cross-breed between Kent and his alter ego...
not to mention the blond head
Not quite Superman... but Supergirl? Perhaps yes. Yesteryear actress Neelam has easily slipped into her role of a jewellery designer. And even though she doesn’t face the camera anymore, she continues to be quite a looker. Full marks for choice of wardrobe
S for Superbrat! Yeah, we know a certain someone in his family who’s more bratty than Sohail Khan... but at least he doesn’t sport a shirt that says ‘S’
Now, look at that halo around model Candice Pinto! We wonder if she was paid by a detergent power company to wear that top! But really Candice we’d genuinely like to know which dhobi does your laundry.
Who cares about the cleft? Check out Rahul Nanda’s double chin instead! We have just one question, though... why do they make Superman T-shirts of this size in the first place?
Abhishek Bachchan "I thought that if I messed up a line, JP sahab would shout at me, or maybe even hit me."
Abhishek Bachchan gets very upset each time he sees the trailers of Refugee on TV They make him very nostalgic. He doesn't like the feeling that the film is finally over. He misses the days they shot for those long outdoors for the film. "Even when we were shooting faraway in those remote locations, I never really missed my family or friends. The entire unit was one big happy family", he fondly recounts. Now that the movie is on the verge of release, he hopes for a fairytale happy ending as well.
How did you
land yourself this film? JP Dutta first met my father and he expressed a desire to work with me in a film called Aakhri Mughal, which he was planning then. He met me the next day and he told me the basic outline of the story and it sounded amazing to me. It was a costume drama about Bahadur Shah Zaffar and his son, and he said he wanted to cast Dilip Kumar and me. Working in a period with JP sahab and Dilip Kumar really fascinated me, plus it was a wonderful role. So, I automatically said 'Yes'. I never wanted to do anything conventional to start off my career. Doing commercial mainstream cinema is great fun, but for some reason, I wanted to start with something different. And this film fell in my lap. JP sahab said he saw me at a function and he found me very
interesting. So when he offered me the film, I just could'nt say 'No'.
You say that you didn't want to start off your career with something conventional. Why? I always wanted to do something different because I always thought I'd be very bad in the usual commercial films. Before JP sahab came, I was writing a film with a friend of mine, in which I was playing a terrorist, hence I had grown the beard and my hair. And luckily, when Mr Dutta saw me, I fit the bill for his film, perfectly. I've always felt that when you do something different, you have to really perform and act. You are not aided by good costumes, songs and the works. And when I think about Refugee now, its an unbelievably tough role to play. And the only reason I was able to do it was because of my director.
As a director, JP Dutta is quite a taskmaster. How
was the experience of working with him? He comes with a reputation, a very notorious one as well. You ask anyone who has worked with him and they have stories to tell. So, naturally I was petrified of him. I thought that if I messed up a line, he would shout at me, or maybe even hit me. I had this kind of image of him. Also, he's a very quiet and intense sort of person, so you actually believe such stories. But he turned out to be the total opposite. On the sets, he never did or said anything that upset me. But otherwise he would fire me for trivial matters like not wearing a sweater in the cold or walking bare feet. He really started fathering me. He felt very protective towards Kareena and me and he still refers to us as 'my kids'. As an artiste, whatever I know today is because of him.
Tell me about your role in the film? A lot of people have been inquiring about my character in the film after
they've seen the photographs and trailers but I look at it differently. I play a character of a normal human being whose personal beliefs in life are very basic. He is a very simple boy. He's got his share of innocence and he is focused. He knows right from wrong and in the film, he feels that people are fighting over an imaginary border, a line, where as people on both sides of the line are actually the same. They have the same bloodline, used to be one, but today are torn into two. He wonders why they are fighting. But it doesn't make any difference to him. He chooses not to let this mere line affect his relationship with people. He doesn't see it as a border. Finally, he believes that everyone belongs to a same human race and that there shouldn't be any demarcation because of colour, caste or creed.
Weren't you curious about the script, considering you didn't know a thing about the story before
hand? After the first day of shooting, I knew I was in safe hands. Although I had spent an entire year with JP sahab before the shooting ,but when you see somebody working, it's a totally different ballgame. I knew that I had to give myself up to him totally and that he'd walk me through the film. But there were times when I was very curious and tried to wriggle my way through the script. And even though he is very secretive and never lets out his story, with me, he was a little weak because he's really fond of me. It did make me feel very special. I felt that it was a privilege for me that he discussed his work with me. I was one of the few artistes who twisted his arm into telling me about the story.
Didn't you seek advice from your parents? My father keeps saying that I didn't spend enough time with him then, but that was a conscious decision. It was not to demean him, he is the best after all. But I just felt that it was my first film and if Mr Dutta had chosen me, maybe it was because he saw something different in me as compared to the others. I felt that if I spoke about my role to my parents, I'd start acting like them and I didn't want to do that. I wanted the director to mould me his way. And eventually that's how it happened. I didn't want to emulate either of my parents consciously. See, I look like my parents, I behave like them to a certain extent also. But if I start acting like them as well, then there won't be any novelty left. If I talk to them about cinema all the time, I won't remain a newcomer. I'll know too much and come across as trained and I don't want to look like a calculated know-all performer on screen.
You worked
with JP Dutta despite him not giving you any script or story. Would you make such exceptions with other directors as well? I would, but it depends on who the director is. I didn't make this exception only because Mr Dutta is a successful director. I did it because I had implicit trust in his work. I'm currently working with five new directors, so success or failure are not yardsticks by which I select my directors. You have to believe in and have respect for the technicians you work with. For me, it's very important to feel comfortable and secure with the people I work with. I knew that Mr Dutta would take good care of me and would not play games with me. My family and me trust him a lot. When I first met him, there was instant liking towards him.
So are you happy with your performance in the film? I hope so (laughs). The biggest day for me was when he was editing and he came up to me and said
I'd done a good job in a certain scene. He's not very liberal with compliments, so it really felt great. Otherwise, he never praises you for your work. I once asked him why didn't he praise any actor after a good shot because I feel any actor needs a bit of encouragement once in a while. He said it would be very unfair to the other actors in the scene who put in as much effort into their work. But that day ,after he praised me, I was thrilled beyond words.
How was it working with Kareena, since you knew her so well? It was a very surreal experience (laughs). Jokes apart, I don't think I could have asked for a better co-star. We understand each other very well hence we share a really good chemistry. I know exactly what she will do in a scene or how she will say her dialogue. I understand her well enough to know how she will express her feelings. We're friends and we respect each other as actors. We
worked out a lot of scenes in the film together. I was really comfortable with her and that helped a lot. We used to rehearse and improvise a lot on the scenes together. I did give her suggestions and vice-versa. We helped each other throughout the film. And now, looking back, I think she is the best thing about 'Refugee'. She's simply unbelievable in the film. There were times when I just stood and watched her perform her scenes with amazement. She's such a brilliant actress, very natural and at ease with the camera. And she comes across as fantastic in the film. It's a pleasure to watch her act.
Did acting and dancing come easily to you? I'm a terrible dancer. I enjoy dancing but I can't dance. I just like to enjoy the music. I've never gone for dance classes, ever. As an actor, everything came easy to me because my director extracted the performance out of me. On his sets you have to do nothing, he
does everything for you. I've done nothing in Refugee, like I said I've just been a puppet.
What do your parents expect Refugee to do for your career? I'm sure they expect the film to do well for my career. I think they are as anxious to see the film as I am. They want to see whether I can act or not. They have the same expectations as any parents would from their child. And they've always been very supportive of my decisions. Since they know the profession, its ups and downs, so things are easier. They are like any normal parents. My sister is very happy, she always knew that I wanted to be an actor. I spent the maximum time with her as a child, because we were in the same boarding school, so she realized early that I always wanted to act.
Lastly, which are your favourite songs and scenes in the film? I feel the most
hummable song is Aisa lagta hai, but they are all amazing songs. Tu na mila is a qawwali, which is very catchy, Humsafar is a very nostalgic number which takes you to another era. Raat ki hatheli is a very haunting song, it's alaap stays with you and Panchhi nadiya by it's sheer lyrical value is very impactful. The entire soundtrack is good and each song has it's own charm. As far as the scenes go, I haven't seen the movie yet, so I cannot pinpoint any particular scene as my favourite.
Abhishek Bachchan has often featured on the page of RadioSargam.com – in news stories, special features, reviews and more. However we’ve never truly featured a heart-to-heart with the talented actor…until now! Instead of asking him a load of boring pre-planned questions, we decided to give Abhishek the freedom to discuss anything and everything! In this exciting new column, he gives a fascinating insight into family life…
COLUMN: Abhishek Bachchan on his father
I’m often asked questions regarding my relationship with Mr Amitabh Bachchan. The answer has become customary. He’s primarily my father, which is his most important role in my life. He’s undoubtedly my hero too, but that’s his secondary role!
He’s always conducted himself like an ordinary parent at home, never allowing his work to accompany him home. This means our family has seldom reflected on his abilities in the same manner the entire world
tries to interpret him. However I am Mr Bachchan’s greatest fan. I have watched all his films…over and over again! Of course I never enjoyed watching him getting beaten by anyone on screen. I think that’s natural because as a child you do not want your father being beaten by anyone. But it was pleasant to know that he would return home safely, out of harm’s way.
Its important to discuss the comparisons sometimes made between Mr Bachchan and myself. I don’t dream of parallels in front of the camera, otherwise I would never be able to perform accurately. Therefore I simply shut off and concentrate on work. Lets not forget Mr. Bachchan has reached the highest levels and remains the best. I know I am not the best, so why bother to even begin comparing?
My metamorphosis from an actor’s son to an actor has been very simple. There is a saying that a fish’s child need not know how to swim. I believe that somewhere down the line acting runs in my blood. I have
grown up in this industry. Hence, it is not alien to me. I am quite used to the ways of this industry. I am very comfortable here. I would be at sea if I were doing something else. I have a marvellous support system, fantastic parents to counsel and prop me up.
If any choreographers wanted to portray me like dad, well maybe I might have danced like that in a few of my films. But there was no conscious effort from my side to do it like him. That would be demeaning his work. I am the son of my parents, so I am going to look like my parents. I hope to have some of their acting genes in me too.
I am not trying to play the brooding romantic that father used to play in his early days. At the moment, I do only whatever inspires me to act. That changes everyday. You get up in the morning and you want to play different emotions.
It’s nice that I am working with newcomers because we have all reached the exciting early stages of our careers. It
is high time that fresh talent comes up in the industry. Let us see whether we can make a difference. I admit the Bachchan tag will continue to stick on forever. Certain people have even advised me to remove my surname and then just act as Abhishek. But I would never want to do that ever. Who doesn’t want to be related to Amitabh Bachchan and not flaunt it? Anyway, I am now scheduled to work with him. People have felt the jitters working along such a great actor…its not any different for me! Let’s see how I am able to work with him…
Now that the 3-day I.I.F.A. weekend has come to an end, its time to introspect and tell you what stood out this year…
KABHI ALVIDA NAA KEHNA book: Karan Johar has come out with a 100 + page book which abounds in great visuals. Just one word to describe it: Marvellous.
SHOOTOUT
AT LOKHANDWALA: The promo of this film is hair-raising. Based on a true incident, the film, directed by Apoorva Lakhia, will be the talk of town when it
hits the screens. Trailer lajawab hain to picture kaisi hogi!
KURBANI: Although Feroz Khan has recorded three songs of KURBANI, the title song [the new version of ‘Tujhpe Kurbaan Meri Jaan’] has all the ingredients to be a surefire hit. KURBANI should prove to be music composer Anand Raaj Anand’s comeback vehicle.
Sikandar: Anupam and Kiron Kher’s son Sikandar has all the trappings of a star. Till now, you may have seen him in flesh and blood. But he spells magic on the big screen. Watch his intense looks in the promo of WOODSTOCK VILLA, directed by Hansal Mehta. Incidentally, the young man chooses not to use his illustrious surname.
Aishwarya Rai: The ex Miss World takes giant strides as an actor in PROVOKED. If there’s anything that stands tall in this film, it’s Ash. Put your hands together for one of the finest performances of this year!
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Bluffmaster premieres on Star Gold 
Don't be fooled as Star Gold brings the biggest con master to your television screens this July. Starring Abhishekh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Ritesh Deshmukh, Nana Patekar and Boman Irani, 'Bluffmaster' is an exhilarating rollercoaster ride full of laughs, excitement, surprises and emotions. After the intense 'Kuch Na Kaho', director Rohan Sippy gives us a light-hearted
comedy in 'Bluffmaster', which is Star Gold's Pure Gold Uncut Premiere on Sunday, July 9 at 8 p.m. 
Priyanka Chopra, describing her experiences on the set, recalls, "Abhishek and Rohan together can really rag the hell out of you. 
Online 
JP Dutta first met my father and he expressed a desire to work with me in a film called Aakhri Mughal, which he was planning then. He met me the next day and he told me the basic outline of the story and it sounded amazing to me. It was a costume drama about Bahadur Shah Zaffar and his son, and he said he wanted to cast Dilip Kumar and me. Working in a period with JP sahab and Dilip Kumar really fascinated me, plus it was a wonderful role. So, I automatically said 'Yes'. I never wanted to do anything conventional to start off my career. Doing commercial mainstream cinema is great fun, but for some reason, I wanted to start with something different. And this film fell in my lap. JP sahab said he saw me at a function and he found me very
interesting. So when he offered me the film, I just could'nt say 'No'. 
My father keeps saying that I didn't spend enough time with him then, but that was a conscious decision. It was not to demean him, he is the best after all. But I just felt that it was my first film and if Mr Dutta had chosen me, maybe it was because he saw something different in me as compared to the others. I felt that if I spoke about my role to my parents, I'd start acting like them and I didn't want to do that. I wanted the director to mould me his way. And eventually that's how it happened. I didn't want to emulate either of my parents consciously. See, I look like my parents, I behave like them to a certain extent also. But if I start acting like them as well, then there won't be any novelty left. If I talk to them about cinema all the time, I won't remain a newcomer. I'll know too much and come across as trained and I don't want to look like a calculated know-all performer on screen. 